By STEPHEN KORANDA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-02-26/medical-marijuana-for-kansas-proposed-with-tight-rules-in-hopes-of-winning-legalization">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA, Kansas — Kiley Klug, flanked by her 13-year-old son, 
Owen, in a wheelchair, stood before Kansas lawmakers Wednesday and 
pleaded to let her treat her son’s hundreds of daily seizures with legal
 medicinal marijuana.

At one point, she paused to tend to one of the boy’s seizures before resuming her testimony.

“He,
 as you can see, suffers from a rare, relentless seizure monster called 
Dravet Syndrome,” she said. “He, at his worst, has struggled through up 
to 200 to 300 seizures a day.”

Klug was speaking in favor of <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2184/" target="_blank">a bill</a>
 that’s a new effort this year to legalize medicinal marijuana. She said
 her son has shown significant improvement using products containing 
limited THC, which falls in a<a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2019-07-11/a-doctors-note-might-get-you-off-the-hook-for-possessing-cbd-with-thc-in-kansas" target="_blank"> gray area under Kansas law,</a> and they want the option to try other cannabis treatments.

“We
 need the flexibility to explore different strains and ratios,” Klug 
said, “in order to find the combination that’s most effective to combat 
these seizures.”

Kansas lawmakers are taking another run at 
medical marijuana legislation this session, but it could face long odds 
after other plans have stalled in recent years.

The state has taken only <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2019-07-11/a-doctors-note-might-get-you-off-the-hook-for-possessing-cbd-with-thc-in-kansas" target="_blank">the smallest steps</a>
 to allow medical use of products made from cannabis, and the new bill 
includes significant restrictions aimed at making it palatable to 
lawmakers less interested in loosening marijuana laws.

Kansas remains one of only a few states without some kind of law legalizing the medical use of cannabis products. Around <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-medical-marijuana-laws.aspx" target="_blank">three dozen states</a> have comprehensive medical marijuana laws.

Even with those restrictions, the legislation still faces opposition from law enforcement groups.

Republican
 Rep. Eric Smith, a sheriff’s deputy, said medicinal use would increase 
the number of people driving under the influence of marijuana. He said 
someone ignoring those kinds of impacts is sticking their “head in the 
sand.”

Graham County Sheriff Cole Presley, representing the Kansas
 Sheriffs’ Association, said the plan could put Kansas on a path to 
full-on recreational use of cannabis.

“Almost every state that 
we’ve seen go down this path, this is just one step closer to legalizing
 recreational marijuana,” Presley said.

Law enforcement opposing 
the bill also said that because marijuana remains illegal under federal 
law, legalizing it at the state level creates a conflict. Law 
enforcement officials said they’ll need an accessible database so they 
can verify medical marijuana ID cards are valid.

Yet the legalization for medical use is drawing some bipartisan support.

Willie
 Dove is a conservative Republican and former Kansas lawmaker who urged 
the House Federal and State Affairs committee to approve the bill. He 
said he’s heard from people who wanted to treat conditions such as 
seizures and chronic pain.

“We’re not talking about hippies from 
the sixties,” Dove told the committee. “We’re talking about individuals,
 law-abiding citizens, that really want to make something happen for 
their families.”

The new Republican president of the Senate is 
also open to the idea, as long as it has restrictions so it can’t be 
exploited to allow recreational use under the guise of medical 
marijuana.

“You don’t really believe we have that many 
18-year-olds with glaucoma that need to smoke weed for a medical 
benefit,” Senator Ty Masterson said in an interview. “Clearly, that’s 
recreational.”

To attract people like Masterson, the House plan 
includes various restrictions and state oversight. For instance, only 
specially certified physicians could prescribe the drug, and only for <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/hb2184_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a specific list</a>
 of 21 conditions ranging from cancer to severe chronic pain and brain 
injuries. There are provisions for the state to add more conditions to 
the list.A patient also couldn’t find a doctor and quickly get a 
recommendation to use marijuana. The bill says doctors can only 
recommend cannabis to patients they’ve been seeing for at least a year.

Marijuana could not be smoked under the plan. Instead, it could be sold in other forms like edible products and oils.

State
 agencies and an oversight panel would regulate the certificates for 
doctors and the system for growing and distributing marijuana. The bill 
would allow patients to only have up to a 90-day supply.

Registered
 Nurse April Hatch said marijuana is a safer alternative for pain 
treatment. She told lawmakers about her grandmother’s painful withdrawal
 after using opiods.

“A 90-year-old woman was forced into 
withdrawal that resulted in the worst days of her life,” Hatch said. 
“Cannabis does have the potential to prevent patients from suffering 
like she did.”

Eric Voth, an internal medicine doctor representing
 the Kansas Medical Society, said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 
hasn’t fully weighed in on the safety of using medical marijuana and it 
needs more study. The agency <a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/public-health-focus/fda-and-cannabis-research-and-drug-approval-process#research" target="_blank">has approved some limited related products</a>.

Voth
 told lawmakers to trim back the limited list of conditions eligible for
 treatment with marijuana and ignore the fact that Kansas is one of only
 a small number of states that don’t allow some form of medicinal use.

“It
 should not be allowed as a medicine,” Voth said. “You should continue 
to hold the line. Unlike many other states, we need to be proud of 
holding the line.”

The House plan is one of several ideas in the Statehouse regarding marijuana policy. <a href="https://twitter.com/BrettParker4KS/status/1362057123064991752" target="_blank">Some Democrats</a> have introduced a bill to allow the recreational use of marijuana. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has proposed <a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-medical-marijuana-kansas-marijuana-medicaid-a11663e4684db69315b71f1db5353013" target="_blank">a separate plan</a> to allow medical marijuana and use the revenue from it to pay for Medicaid expansion.

Kelly
 says she would support a bill allowing medical cannabis because it’s a 
treatment option already available to many Americans.

“I want 
Kansans to be able to get the treatment they need here in their home 
state, and not have to go someplace else,” Kelly said after the House 
hearing.

Stephen Koranda is the Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/kprkoranda" target="_blank"> @kprkoranda</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614364202941.png" alt="A Colorado cannabis dispensary, the kind some people want to open in Kansas for medical marijuana. Scott Canon / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>A Colorado cannabis dispensary, the kind some people want to open in Kansas for medical marijuana. Scott Canon / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By STEPHEN KORANDA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-02-26/medical-marijuana-for-kansas-proposed-with-tight-rules-in-hopes-of-winning-legalization">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA, Kansas — Kiley Klug, flanked by her 13-year-old son, 
Owen, in a wheelchair, stood before Kansas lawmakers Wednesday and 
pleaded to let her treat her son’s hundreds of daily seizures with legal
 medicinal marijuana.At one point, she paused to tend to one of the boy’s seizures before resuming her testimony.“He,
 as you can see, suffers from a rare, relentless seizure monster called 
Dravet Syndrome,” she said. “He, at his worst, has struggled through up 
to 200 to 300 seizures a day.”Klug was speaking in favor of <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2184/" target="_blank">a bill</a>
 that’s a new effort this year to legalize medicinal marijuana. She said
 her son has shown significant improvement using products containing 
limited THC, which falls in a<a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2019-07-11/a-doctors-note-might-get-you-off-the-hook-for-possessing-cbd-with-thc-in-kansas" target="_blank"> gray area under Kansas law,</a> and they want the option to try other cannabis treatments.“We
 need the flexibility to explore different strains and ratios,” Klug 
said, “in order to find the combination that’s most effective to combat 
these seizures.”Kansas lawmakers are taking another run at 
medical marijuana legislation this session, but it could face long odds 
after other plans have stalled in recent years.The state has taken only <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2019-07-11/a-doctors-note-might-get-you-off-the-hook-for-possessing-cbd-with-thc-in-kansas" target="_blank">the smallest steps</a>
 to allow medical use of products made from cannabis, and the new bill 
includes significant restrictions aimed at making it palatable to 
lawmakers less interested in loosening marijuana laws.Kansas remains one of only a few states without some kind of law legalizing the medical use of cannabis products. Around <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-medical-marijuana-laws.aspx" target="_blank">three dozen states</a> have comprehensive medical marijuana laws.Even with those restrictions, the legislation still faces opposition from law enforcement groups.Republican
 Rep. Eric Smith, a sheriff’s deputy, said medicinal use would increase 
the number of people driving under the influence of marijuana. He said 
someone ignoring those kinds of impacts is sticking their “head in the 
sand.”Graham County Sheriff Cole Presley, representing the Kansas
 Sheriffs’ Association, said the plan could put Kansas on a path to 
full-on recreational use of cannabis.“Almost every state that 
we’ve seen go down this path, this is just one step closer to legalizing
 recreational marijuana,” Presley said.Law enforcement opposing 
the bill also said that because marijuana remains illegal under federal 
law, legalizing it at the state level creates a conflict. Law 
enforcement officials said they’ll need an accessible database so they 
can verify medical marijuana ID cards are valid.Yet the legalization for medical use is drawing some bipartisan support.Willie
 Dove is a conservative Republican and former Kansas lawmaker who urged 
the House Federal and State Affairs committee to approve the bill. He 
said he’s heard from people who wanted to treat conditions such as 
seizures and chronic pain.“We’re not talking about hippies from 
the sixties,” Dove told the committee. “We’re talking about individuals,
 law-abiding citizens, that really want to make something happen for 
their families.”The new Republican president of the Senate is 
also open to the idea, as long as it has restrictions so it can’t be 
exploited to allow recreational use under the guise of medical 
marijuana.“You don’t really believe we have that many 
18-year-olds with glaucoma that need to smoke weed for a medical 
benefit,” Senator Ty Masterson said in an interview. “Clearly, that’s 
recreational.”To attract people like Masterson, the House plan 
includes various restrictions and state oversight. For instance, only 
specially certified physicians could prescribe the drug, and only for <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/hb2184_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a specific list</a>
 of 21 conditions ranging from cancer to severe chronic pain and brain 
injuries. There are provisions for the state to add more conditions to 
the list.A patient also couldn’t find a doctor and quickly get a 
recommendation to use marijuana. The bill says doctors can only 
recommend cannabis to patients they’ve been seeing for at least a year.Marijuana could not be smoked under the plan. Instead, it could be sold in other forms like edible products and oils.State
 agencies and an oversight panel would regulate the certificates for 
doctors and the system for growing and distributing marijuana. The bill 
would allow patients to only have up to a 90-day supply.Registered
 Nurse April Hatch said marijuana is a safer alternative for pain 
treatment. She told lawmakers about her grandmother’s painful withdrawal
 after using opiods.“A 90-year-old woman was forced into 
withdrawal that resulted in the worst days of her life,” Hatch said. 
“Cannabis does have the potential to prevent patients from suffering 
like she did.”Eric Voth, an internal medicine doctor representing
 the Kansas Medical Society, said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 
hasn’t fully weighed in on the safety of using medical marijuana and it 
needs more study. The agency <a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/public-health-focus/fda-and-cannabis-research-and-drug-approval-process#research" target="_blank">has approved some limited related products</a>.Voth
 told lawmakers to trim back the limited list of conditions eligible for
 treatment with marijuana and ignore the fact that Kansas is one of only
 a small number of states that don’t allow some form of medicinal use.“It
 should not be allowed as a medicine,” Voth said. “You should continue 
to hold the line. Unlike many other states, we need to be proud of 
holding the line.”The House plan is one of several ideas in the Statehouse regarding marijuana policy. <a href="https://twitter.com/BrettParker4KS/status/1362057123064991752" target="_blank">Some Democrats</a> have introduced a bill to allow the recreational use of marijuana. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has proposed <a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-medical-marijuana-kansas-marijuana-medicaid-a11663e4684db69315b71f1db5353013" target="_blank">a separate plan</a> to allow medical marijuana and use the revenue from it to pay for Medicaid expansion.Kelly
 says she would support a bill allowing medical cannabis because it’s a 
treatment option already available to many Americans.“I want 
Kansans to be able to get the treatment they need here in their home 
state, and not have to go someplace else,” Kelly said after the House 
hearing.Stephen Koranda is the Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/kprkoranda" target="_blank"> @kprkoranda</a>.

Medical marijuana for Kan. proposed with tight rules in hopes of winning legalization

SMITH COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 8a.m. Friday in Smith County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Chevy Silverado driven by&nbsp; Ardath Nix, 64, Phillipsburg, was southbound on Kansas 8 five miles north of Athol.

The pickup left the roadway, entered the west ditch and struck a large tree.&nbsp;

Nix was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Olliff-Boevie Memorial Chapel. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the. KHP.

SMITH COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 8a.m. Friday in Smith County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Chevy Silverado driven by&nbsp; Ardath Nix, 64, Phillipsburg, was southbound on Kansas 8 five miles north of Athol.The pickup left the roadway, entered the west ditch and struck a large tree.&nbsp;Nix was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Olliff-Boevie Memorial Chapel. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the. KHP.

Kansas man dies after pickup strikes a tree

WEBSTER CITY, IOWA (AP)&nbsp;— A Kansas&nbsp;man has been convicted of second-degree murder in the 2018 death of his girlfriend in&nbsp;Iowa.

Zackery Bassett, 34, of Elwood, Kansas, was originally charged with first-degree murder after Andrea Solokowski, 50, was found not breathing in a home in Webster City. An autopsy showed evidence of asphyxiation but her cause of death was listed as undetermined.

Bassett was convicted in Hamilton County Tuesday on the lesser charge after a trial that had been repeatedly delayed by COVID-19 precautions.

Prosecutors alleged Bassett repeatedly abused Solokowski, of Sioux City, for more than a year before her death. Her family told investigators Bassett had stalked her and she had told a friend she was afraid he would kill her.

The maximum sentence possible in Iowa for second-degree murder is 50 years. Bassett is scheduled to be sentenced April 5.

WEBSTER CITY, Iowa (AP) — A March trial has been scheduled for a&nbsp;man accused of killing his girlfriend&nbsp;in central Iowa.

Hamilton County District Court records show 32-year-old Zackery Bassett, of Webster City, entered a written plea of not guilty Monday to a charge of first-degree murder. His trial is set to begin March 5.

Investigators said Bassett called Webster City police Sept. 22&nbsp;to report his girlfriend, 50-year-old Andrea Sokolowski, was not breathing. Sokolowski was taken by ambulance to a Webster City hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Bassett was&nbsp;arrested on an Iowa warrant&nbsp;Nov. 14 in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Through interviews and medical records, detectives determined&nbsp;Bassett had expressed jealousy and violence toward&nbsp;Sokolowski&nbsp;in the months leading up to her death, according to charging documents.

Authorities said&nbsp;Bassett abused&nbsp;Sokolowski&nbsp;for&nbsp;more than a year before she died.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614355180712.png" alt=" Bassett&nbsp;photo Hamilton Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption> Bassett&nbsp;photo Hamilton Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>WEBSTER CITY, IOWA (AP)&nbsp;— A Kansas&nbsp;man has been convicted of second-degree murder in the 2018 death of his girlfriend in&nbsp;Iowa.Zackery Bassett, 34, of Elwood, Kansas, was originally charged with first-degree murder after Andrea Solokowski, 50, was found not breathing in a home in Webster City. An autopsy showed evidence of asphyxiation but her cause of death was listed as undetermined.Bassett was convicted in Hamilton County Tuesday on the lesser charge after a trial that had been repeatedly delayed by COVID-19 precautions.Prosecutors alleged Bassett repeatedly abused Solokowski, of Sioux City, for more than a year before her death. Her family told investigators Bassett had stalked her and she had told a friend she was afraid he would kill her.The maximum sentence possible in Iowa for second-degree murder is 50 years. Bassett is scheduled to be sentenced April 5.----------WEBSTER CITY, Iowa (AP) — A March trial has been scheduled for a&nbsp;man accused of killing his girlfriend&nbsp;in central Iowa.Hamilton County District Court records show 32-year-old Zackery Bassett, of Webster City, entered a written plea of not guilty Monday to a charge of first-degree murder. His trial is set to begin March 5.Investigators said Bassett called Webster City police Sept. 22&nbsp;to report his girlfriend, 50-year-old Andrea Sokolowski, was not breathing. Sokolowski was taken by ambulance to a Webster City hospital, where she was pronounced dead.Bassett was&nbsp;arrested on an Iowa warrant&nbsp;Nov. 14 in St. Joseph, Missouri.Through interviews and medical records, detectives determined&nbsp;Bassett had expressed jealousy and violence toward&nbsp;Sokolowski&nbsp;in the months leading up to her death, according to charging documents.Authorities said&nbsp;Bassett abused&nbsp;Sokolowski&nbsp;for&nbsp;more than a year before she died.&nbsp;

Jury: Kansas man guilty of stalking, killing his girlfriend 

MARION COUNTY — Three people died in an accident just after noon Friday in Marion County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan driven by Nathan D.&nbsp;Puett, 30, Salina, was eastbound on U.S. 56 four miles west of Limestone Road.&nbsp; The van crossed the centerline and struck a 2000 Ford F150 pulling a greyhound dog trailer and driven by James L. Potter, 70, Emporia, head-on.

Puett was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported Yazel-Megli Funeral Home.&nbsp; Potter and a passenger in the Ford Jody L. Potter, 61, Emporia, were pronounced dead at the scene and were transported to Jost Funeral Home.&nbsp;

EMS transported to passengers in the van Aspyn J.&nbsp;Goldsberry, 5, and&nbsp; Jensen D.&nbsp;Tomkinson, 3, both of Salina to Wesley Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries.&nbsp;

The occupants of the van were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.&nbsp; The KHP did not have seat belt usage information on the occupants of the Ford.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614381759333.png" alt="Authorities at the crash scene Friday afternoon -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Authorities at the crash scene Friday afternoon -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>MARION COUNTY — Three people died in an accident just after noon Friday in Marion County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan driven by Nathan D.&nbsp;Puett, 30, Salina, was eastbound on U.S. 56 four miles west of Limestone Road.&nbsp; The van crossed the centerline and struck a 2000 Ford F150 pulling a greyhound dog trailer and driven by James L. Potter, 70, Emporia, head-on.Puett was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported Yazel-Megli Funeral Home.&nbsp; Potter and a passenger in the Ford Jody L. Potter, 61, Emporia, were pronounced dead at the scene and were transported to Jost Funeral Home.&nbsp;EMS transported to passengers in the van Aspyn J.&nbsp;Goldsberry, 5, and&nbsp; Jensen D.&nbsp;Tomkinson, 3, both of Salina to Wesley Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries.&nbsp;The occupants of the van were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.&nbsp; The KHP did not have seat belt usage information on the occupants of the Ford.

3 dead, 2 children hospitalized after Kan. head-on crash

ELLIS COUNTY —The Ellis County Sheriff's Office has reported a Hays man is dead as the result of an accidental shooting Friday afternoon.

At 3:21 p.m. Friday, dispatchers received a 911 call regarding a vehicle parked in the 2000 block of 200th Avenue. The caller reported an individual laying next to the vehicle, not believed to be breathing.&nbsp;

Emergency responders reported finding Raymond Nieman, 72, Hays, deceased next to his vehicle with a single gunshot wound to the chest.

"The Ellis County Sheriff's Office along with 23rd Judicial District Coroner Lyle Noordhoek determined the death as accidental as all evidence indicates Nieman was securing his shotgun in the back of the vehicle when it accidentally discharged," the sheriff's office said in a news release Friday evening.

ELLIS COUNTY —The Ellis County Sheriff's Office has reported a Hays man is dead as the result of an accidental shooting Friday afternoon.At 3:21 p.m. Friday, dispatchers received a 911 call regarding a vehicle parked in the 2000 block of 200th Avenue. The caller reported an individual laying next to the vehicle, not believed to be breathing.&nbsp;Emergency responders reported finding Raymond Nieman, 72, Hays, deceased next to his vehicle with a single gunshot wound to the chest."The Ellis County Sheriff's Office along with 23rd Judicial District Coroner Lyle Noordhoek determined the death as accidental as all evidence indicates Nieman was securing his shotgun in the back of the vehicle when it accidentally discharged," the sheriff's office said in a news release Friday evening.

Sheriff: Kansas man dead after accidental shooting

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of burglaries and have two suspects in custody.

Over the course of last several weeks the Barton County Sheriff’s Office has taken several burglary reports from late January to mid February, according to sheriff Brian Bellendir.

 The estimated amount of loss has been in the tens of thousands of dollars. On February 20, the Sheriff’s office took a report of a stolen 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche in Barton County. The vehicle was located the next evening by the Larned Police Department and Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office. The occupants of the vehicle were arrested by the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office for drug charges as well as the possessing the stolen vehicle.

The Barton County Sheriff’s Office recovered the vehicle at which time they noted what appeared to be property matching the description of stolen property from Barton County thefts. Over the last week Sheriff’s deputies and detectives from the Barton County Sheriff’s Office have been conducting an investigation which led to the search of a residence in Hoisington, Kansas and recovered a substantial amount of stolen property. At least six burglaries in Barton County have been cleared, with the possibility of more being solved pending investigation.

The suspects, who had been arrested on the Pawnee County drug charges were in the Barton County Jail during this investigation. Two suspects have been booked for the burglaries. Edward Johnson age 51 and Austin Lemonds age 33, both of Hoisington, are also now being held on requested charges of two counts of burglary of a residence, three counts of burglary of a non-dwelling, four counts of criminal damage to property, four counts of conspiracy to commit burglary, four counts of criminal damage to property and three counts of criminal trespass. J

Not all the property has been recovered. Deputies are still looking for a Polaris Ranger ATV, a trailer, plasma cutters as well as other welding and shop equipment. We are seeking the public’s assistance if they have any information, please call Crime Stoppers of Barton County at 620-792-1300 or 888-305-1300. We would appreciate any information citizens may have. All calls are anonymous

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614359894184.png" alt="Lemonds-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Lemonds-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of burglaries and have two suspects in custody.Over the course of last several weeks the Barton County Sheriff’s Office has taken several burglary reports from late January to mid February, according to sheriff Brian Bellendir. The estimated amount of loss has been in the tens of thousands of dollars. On February 20, the Sheriff’s office took a report of a stolen 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche in Barton County. The vehicle was located the next evening by the Larned Police Department and Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office. The occupants of the vehicle were arrested by the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office for drug charges as well as the possessing the stolen vehicle.The Barton County Sheriff’s Office recovered the vehicle at which time they noted what appeared to be property matching the description of stolen property from Barton County thefts. Over the last week Sheriff’s deputies and detectives from the Barton County Sheriff’s Office have been conducting an investigation which led to the search of a residence in Hoisington, Kansas and recovered a substantial amount of stolen property. At least six burglaries in Barton County have been cleared, with the possibility of more being solved pending investigation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614359856135.png" alt="Johnson photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Johnson photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The suspects, who had been arrested on the Pawnee County drug charges were in the Barton County Jail during this investigation. Two suspects have been booked for the burglaries. Edward Johnson age 51 and Austin Lemonds age 33, both of Hoisington, are also now being held on requested charges of two counts of burglary of a residence, three counts of burglary of a non-dwelling, four counts of criminal damage to property, four counts of conspiracy to commit burglary, four counts of criminal damage to property and three counts of criminal trespass. JNot all the property has been recovered. Deputies are still looking for a Polaris Ranger ATV, a trailer, plasma cutters as well as other welding and shop equipment. We are seeking the public’s assistance if they have any information, please call Crime Stoppers of Barton County at 620-792-1300 or 888-305-1300. We would appreciate any information citizens may have. All calls are anonymous

Sheriff: 2 jailed suspects linked to series of Kansas burglaries

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Friday that Iran should view his decision to authorize U.S. airstrikes in Syria as a warning that it can expect consequences for its support of militia groups that threaten U.S. interests or personnel.

“You can’t act with impunity. Be careful,” Biden said when a reporter asked what message he had intended to send with the airstrikes, which the Pentagon said destroyed several buildings in eastern Syria but were not intended to eradicate the militia groups that used them to facilitate attacks inside Iraq.

Administration officials defended the Thursday night airstrikes as legal and appropriate, saying they took out facilities that housed valuable “capabilities” used by Iranian-backed militia groups to attack American and allied forces in Iraq.

John Kirby, the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson, said members of Congress were notified before the strikes as two Air Force F-15E aircraft launched seven missiles, destroying nine facilities and heavily damaging two others, rendering both “functionally destroyed.” He said the facilities, at “entry control points” on the border, had been used by militia groups the U.S. deems responsible for recent attacks against U.S. interests in Iraq.

In a political twist for the new Democratic administration, several leading Congress members in Biden’s own party denounced the strikes, which were the first military actions he authorized. Democrats said the airstrikes were done without authorization from lawmakers, while Republicans were more supportive.

“Offensive military action without congressional approval is not constitutional absent extraordinary circumstances,” said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va. And Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said lawmakers must hold the current administration to the same standards as any other. “Retaliatory strikes not necessary to prevent an imminent threat,” he said, must get congressional authorization.

But Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, backed the decision as “the correct, proportionate response to protect American lives.”

White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Friday that Biden used his constitutional authority to defend U.S. personnel.

“The targets were chosen to correspond to the recent attacks on facilities and to deter the risk of additional attacks over the coming weeks,” she said.

Among the recent attacks cited was a Feb. 15 rocket attack in northern Iraq that killed one civilian contractor and wounded a U.S. service member and other coalition troops.

At the Pentagon, Kirby said the operation was “a defensive strike” on a waystation used by militants to move weapons and materials for attacks into Iraq. But he noted that while it sent a message of deterrence and eroded their ability to strike from that compound, the militias have other sites and capabilities. He said the strikes resulted in “casualties” but declined to provide further details on how many were killed or injured and what was inside the buildings pending the completion of a broader assessment of damage inflicted.

An Iraqi militia official said Friday that the strikes killed one fighter and wounded several others.

Kirby said the facilities hit in the attack were near Boukamal, on the Syrian side of the Iraq border, along the Euphrates River.

“This location is known to facilitate Iranian-aligned militia group activity,” he said. He described the site as a “compound” that previously had been used by the Islamic State group when it held sway in the area.

The Iraqi militia official told The Associated Press that the strikes against the Kataeb Hezbollah, or Hezbollah Brigades, hit an area along the border between the Syrian site of Boukamal facing Qaim on the Iraqi side. The official was not authorized to speak publicly of the attack and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Speaking to reporters Thursday evening shortly after the airstrikes were carried out, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said, “I’m confident in the target that we went after. We know what we hit.”

Biden’s decision to attack in Syria did not appear to signal an intention to widen U.S. military involvement in the region but rather to demonstrate a will to defend U.S. troops in Iraq and send a message to Iran. The Biden administration in its first weeks has emphasized its intent to put more focus on the challenges posed by China, even as Mideast threats persist.

The U.S. has previously targeted facilities in Syria belonging to Kataeb Hezbollah, which it has blamed for numerous attacks targeting U.S. personnel and interests in Iraq. The Iraqi Kataeb is separate from the Lebanese Hezbollah movement.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based group that monitors the war in Syria, said the strikes targeted a shipment of weapons that were being taken by trucks entering Syrian territories from Iraq. The group said 22 fighters from the Popular Mobilization Forces, an Iraqi umbrella group of mostly Shiite paramilitaries that includes Kataeb Hezbollah, were killed. The report could not be independently verified.

In a statement, the group confirmed one of its fighters was killed and said it reserved the right to retaliate, without elaborating. Kataeb Hezbollah, like other Iranian-backed factions, maintains fighters in Syria to both fight against the Islamic State group and assist Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces in that country’s civil war.

Austin said he was confident the U.S. had hit back at “the same Shia militants” that carried out the Feb.1 5 rocket attack in northern Iraq.

Kirby credited Iraqis with providing valuable intelligence that allowed the U.S. to identify the groups responsible for attacks earlier this year. The U.S., he said, then determined the appropriate target for the retaliatory strike. He said the U.S. also notified Russia shortly before the strike as part of the ongoing deconfliction process of military activities in Syria.

“The operation sends an unambiguous message: President Biden will act to protect American and coalition personnel,” Kirby said.

Syria condemned the U.S. strike, calling it “a cowardly and systematic American aggression,” warning that the attack will lead to consequences.

U.S. forces have been significantly reduced in Iraq to 2,500 personnel and no longer partake in combat missions with Iraqi forces in ongoing operations against the Islamic State group.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614381413238.png" alt="&nbsp;President Biden during a FEMA COVID-19 vaccination event at NRG Stadium Friday afternoon -photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;President Biden during a FEMA COVID-19 vaccination event at NRG Stadium Friday afternoon -photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Friday that Iran should view his decision to authorize U.S. airstrikes in Syria as a warning that it can expect consequences for its support of militia groups that threaten U.S. interests or personnel.“You can’t act with impunity. Be careful,” Biden said when a reporter asked what message he had intended to send with the airstrikes, which the Pentagon said destroyed several buildings in eastern Syria but were not intended to eradicate the militia groups that used them to facilitate attacks inside Iraq.Administration officials defended the Thursday night airstrikes as legal and appropriate, saying they took out facilities that housed valuable “capabilities” used by Iranian-backed militia groups to attack American and allied forces in Iraq.John Kirby, the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson, said members of Congress were notified before the strikes as two Air Force F-15E aircraft launched seven missiles, destroying nine facilities and heavily damaging two others, rendering both “functionally destroyed.” He said the facilities, at “entry control points” on the border, had been used by militia groups the U.S. deems responsible for recent attacks against U.S. interests in Iraq.In a political twist for the new Democratic administration, several leading Congress members in Biden’s own party denounced the strikes, which were the first military actions he authorized. Democrats said the airstrikes were done without authorization from lawmakers, while Republicans were more supportive.“Offensive military action without congressional approval is not constitutional absent extraordinary circumstances,” said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va. And Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said lawmakers must hold the current administration to the same standards as any other. “Retaliatory strikes not necessary to prevent an imminent threat,” he said, must get congressional authorization.But Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, backed the decision as “the correct, proportionate response to protect American lives.”White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Friday that Biden used his constitutional authority to defend U.S. personnel.“The targets were chosen to correspond to the recent attacks on facilities and to deter the risk of additional attacks over the coming weeks,” she said.Among the recent attacks cited was a Feb. 15 rocket attack in northern Iraq that killed one civilian contractor and wounded a U.S. service member and other coalition troops.At the Pentagon, Kirby said the operation was “a defensive strike” on a waystation used by militants to move weapons and materials for attacks into Iraq. But he noted that while it sent a message of deterrence and eroded their ability to strike from that compound, the militias have other sites and capabilities. He said the strikes resulted in “casualties” but declined to provide further details on how many were killed or injured and what was inside the buildings pending the completion of a broader assessment of damage inflicted.An Iraqi militia official said Friday that the strikes killed one fighter and wounded several others.Kirby said the facilities hit in the attack were near Boukamal, on the Syrian side of the Iraq border, along the Euphrates River.“This location is known to facilitate Iranian-aligned militia group activity,” he said. He described the site as a “compound” that previously had been used by the Islamic State group when it held sway in the area.The Iraqi militia official told The Associated Press that the strikes against the Kataeb Hezbollah, or Hezbollah Brigades, hit an area along the border between the Syrian site of Boukamal facing Qaim on the Iraqi side. The official was not authorized to speak publicly of the attack and spoke on condition of anonymity.Speaking to reporters Thursday evening shortly after the airstrikes were carried out, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said, “I’m confident in the target that we went after. We know what we hit.”Biden’s decision to attack in Syria did not appear to signal an intention to widen U.S. military involvement in the region but rather to demonstrate a will to defend U.S. troops in Iraq and send a message to Iran. The Biden administration in its first weeks has emphasized its intent to put more focus on the challenges posed by China, even as Mideast threats persist.The U.S. has previously targeted facilities in Syria belonging to Kataeb Hezbollah, which it has blamed for numerous attacks targeting U.S. personnel and interests in Iraq. The Iraqi Kataeb is separate from the Lebanese Hezbollah movement.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based group that monitors the war in Syria, said the strikes targeted a shipment of weapons that were being taken by trucks entering Syrian territories from Iraq. The group said 22 fighters from the Popular Mobilization Forces, an Iraqi umbrella group of mostly Shiite paramilitaries that includes Kataeb Hezbollah, were killed. The report could not be independently verified.In a statement, the group confirmed one of its fighters was killed and said it reserved the right to retaliate, without elaborating. Kataeb Hezbollah, like other Iranian-backed factions, maintains fighters in Syria to both fight against the Islamic State group and assist Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces in that country’s civil war.Austin said he was confident the U.S. had hit back at “the same Shia militants” that carried out the Feb.1 5 rocket attack in northern Iraq.Kirby credited Iraqis with providing valuable intelligence that allowed the U.S. to identify the groups responsible for attacks earlier this year. The U.S., he said, then determined the appropriate target for the retaliatory strike. He said the U.S. also notified Russia shortly before the strike as part of the ongoing deconfliction process of military activities in Syria.“The operation sends an unambiguous message: President Biden will act to protect American and coalition personnel,” Kirby said.Syria condemned the U.S. strike, calling it “a cowardly and systematic American aggression,” warning that the attack will lead to consequences.U.S. forces have been significantly reduced in Iraq to 2,500 personnel and no longer partake in combat missions with Iraqi forces in ongoing operations against the Islamic State group.

Biden says US airstrikes in Syria told Iran: 'Be careful'

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump has endorsed Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran for reelection in 2022, early backing that makes it unlikely the two-term Republican will face a serious challenge in the GOP primary.

Trump’s endorsement Thursday evening came less than two weeks after Moran voted with most Republican senators&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-riots-trials-impeachments-b245b52fd7d4a079ae199c954baba452">to acquit Trump</a>&nbsp;on an impeachment charge of inciting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Jan. 6 insurrection</a>&nbsp;in Washington aimed at stopping the certification of Trump’s election loss. But Moran had voted to certify the results, and earlier this month, the Clay County Republican Party&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/clayco.gop/photos/a.122749795791176/499281468138005" target="_blank">censured him</a>&nbsp;— suggesting he might face an August 2022 primary challenge.

Kelly Arnold, a former state GOP chairman, said Friday that Trump’s endorsement is “a golden ticket” and “one of the best ways” for Moran to fend off potential challengers.

“I think this can shut the door on that,” Arnold said. “This is a pretty big get.”

In Kansas, Republicans generally are strongly favored to win Senate races once they emerge from the primary. The GOP hasn’t lost a general election race since 1932, even when Democrats field strong challenges, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-donald-trump-senate-elections-kansas-city-kansas-8b2327e7ad387b3b4a8453a7ea3e4228">state Sen. Barbara Bollier</a>, who raised a record $27 million for her unsuccessful campaign last year against Republican Roger Marshall.

In the November election, Trump carried Kansas by nearly 14 percentage points. His statement praised Moran, the ranking Republican and a former chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, as strong on military and veterans’ issues, as well as gun rights and protecting U.S. borders.

“Senator Jerry Moran is doing a terrific job for the wonderful people of Kansas,” Trump said in his statement. “Jerry has my Complete and Total Endorsement for his re-election in 2022!”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614344215582.png" alt="Senator Moran during a stop at VA Medical Center in Topeka this week." />
 <figcaption>Senator Moran during a stop at VA Medical Center in Topeka this week.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump has endorsed Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran for reelection in 2022, early backing that makes it unlikely the two-term Republican will face a serious challenge in the GOP primary.Trump’s endorsement Thursday evening came less than two weeks after Moran voted with most Republican senators&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-riots-trials-impeachments-b245b52fd7d4a079ae199c954baba452">to acquit Trump</a>&nbsp;on an impeachment charge of inciting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Jan. 6 insurrection</a>&nbsp;in Washington aimed at stopping the certification of Trump’s election loss. But Moran had voted to certify the results, and earlier this month, the Clay County Republican Party&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/clayco.gop/photos/a.122749795791176/499281468138005" target="_blank">censured him</a>&nbsp;— suggesting he might face an August 2022 primary challenge.Kelly Arnold, a former state GOP chairman, said Friday that Trump’s endorsement is “a golden ticket” and “one of the best ways” for Moran to fend off potential challengers.“I think this can shut the door on that,” Arnold said. “This is a pretty big get.”In Kansas, Republicans generally are strongly favored to win Senate races once they emerge from the primary. The GOP hasn’t lost a general election race since 1932, even when Democrats field strong challenges, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-donald-trump-senate-elections-kansas-city-kansas-8b2327e7ad387b3b4a8453a7ea3e4228">state Sen. Barbara Bollier</a>, who raised a record $27 million for her unsuccessful campaign last year against Republican Roger Marshall.In the November election, Trump carried Kansas by nearly 14 percentage points. His statement praised Moran, the ranking Republican and a former chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, as strong on military and veterans’ issues, as well as gun rights and protecting U.S. borders.“Senator Jerry Moran is doing a terrific job for the wonderful people of Kansas,” Trump said in his statement. “Jerry has my Complete and Total Endorsement for his re-election in 2022!”___

Trump endorses Moran reelection making primary fight less likely

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Ellis County firefighters responded to 13 fire calls this week, including a house fire near Victoria that resulted in a resident receiving serious injuries.

Ellis County Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management Darin Myers said he could not release the name of the person who was injured near Victoria on Friday, Feb. 19.

However, he said the home at&nbsp;2584 Grants Villa Road was a total loss.

An investigation by the state fire marshal could not determine a cause. However, inspectors suspect the blaze may have been sparked by a portable heater being used to warm pets.

No firefighters were injured in fighting that blaze.

Ellis County fire crews battled two significant grass fires Tuesday, while a third broke out across the county line in Russell County.

A grass fire west of U.S. 183 between Homestead Road and the Saline River burned about 270 acres. One hundred hay bales were caught in the blaze. Oil wells in the area were not affected, and cattle grazing in the area were able to be moved out of the path of the fire.

A home was threatened, but firefighters were able to protect the structure. An abandoned shed in the area was lost, Myers said.

Firefighters responded to another grass fire near Air Flyte Drive. A local resident was treated for smoke inhalation by EMS, but was not seriously injured, Myers said.

No firefighters were injured on calls this week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614376550118.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostEllis County firefighters responded to 13 fire calls this week, including a house fire near Victoria that resulted in a resident receiving serious injuries.Ellis County Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management Darin Myers said he could not release the name of the person who was injured near Victoria on Friday, Feb. 19.However, he said the home at&nbsp;2584 Grants Villa Road was a total loss.An investigation by the state fire marshal could not determine a cause. However, inspectors suspect the blaze may have been sparked by a portable heater being used to warm pets.No firefighters were injured in fighting that blaze.Ellis County fire crews battled two significant grass fires Tuesday, while a third broke out across the county line in Russell County.A grass fire west of U.S. 183 between Homestead Road and the Saline River burned about 270 acres. One hundred hay bales were caught in the blaze. Oil wells in the area were not affected, and cattle grazing in the area were able to be moved out of the path of the fire.A home was threatened, but firefighters were able to protect the structure. An abandoned shed in the area was lost, Myers said.Firefighters responded to another grass fire near Air Flyte Drive. A local resident was treated for smoke inhalation by EMS, but was not seriously injured, Myers said.No firefighters were injured on calls this week.

1 seriously injured in rural Kansas fire

TOPEKA–&nbsp;A Winfield Correctional Facility (WCF) resident who died Wednesday, had tested positive for COVID-19, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Corrections.

This is the first COVID-19 related resident death at WCF, and the 20th death related to COVID-19 for the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC).

The resident tested positive for the virus on Feb. 4 and was admitted to the hospital Feb. 8. He was a 62-year old black male with underlying medical concerns that contributed to his condition.

The resident was serving a 226-month sentence for aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent liberties with a child. He had been imprisoned with the KDOC since 2011.

TOPEKA–&nbsp;A Winfield Correctional Facility (WCF) resident who died Wednesday, had tested positive for COVID-19, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Corrections.This is the first COVID-19 related resident death at WCF, and the 20th death related to COVID-19 for the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC).The resident tested positive for the virus on Feb. 4 and was admitted to the hospital Feb. 8. He was a 62-year old black male with underlying medical concerns that contributed to his condition.The resident was serving a 226-month sentence for aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent liberties with a child. He had been imprisoned with the KDOC since 2011.

20th Kan. inmate dies after positive COVID-19 test

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh has been buried in a private cemetery in St. Louis, his family announced Friday.

Limbaugh's widow, Kathryn, and his family said a private ceremony with close family and friends was held Wednesday, but they did not say where he was buried.

The family said additional celebrations of Limbaugh's life are planned in the future, both virtually and in his hometown of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, The Southeast Missourian&nbsp;<a href="https://www.semissourian.com/story/2868048.html">reported</a>.

Limbaugh&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rush-limbaugh-dead-51c40582a3e89930cd2568aba21a9eed">died Feb. 17</a>, a year after announcing he had lung cancer.

The fiery Limbaugh was a leading voice of the Republican party and conservative movement for decades with a daily radio show that was broadcast on more than 600 U.S. stations for more than 30 years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613582034533.png" alt="Rush Limbaugh wearing the Presidential Medal of Freedom during the State of the Union Address in January of 2020-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Rush Limbaugh wearing the Presidential Medal of Freedom during the State of the Union Address in January of 2020-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. LOUIS (AP) — Conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh has been buried in a private cemetery in St. Louis, his family announced Friday.Limbaugh's widow, Kathryn, and his family said a private ceremony with close family and friends was held Wednesday, but they did not say where he was buried.The family said additional celebrations of Limbaugh's life are planned in the future, both virtually and in his hometown of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, The Southeast Missourian&nbsp;<a href="https://www.semissourian.com/story/2868048.html">reported</a>.Limbaugh&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rush-limbaugh-dead-51c40582a3e89930cd2568aba21a9eed">died Feb. 17</a>, a year after announcing he had lung cancer.The fiery Limbaugh was a leading voice of the Republican party and conservative movement for decades with a daily radio show that was broadcast on more than 600 U.S. stations for more than 30 years.

Rush Limbaugh buried in private cemetery in Missouri

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police say a woman has died after being hit by a vehicle as she walked along a street in southwest Wichita. 

Television station KAKE reports that the crash happened around 4:15 a.m. Friday along South West Street. 

Police say the woman was in her 30s and was walking in the roadway when she was hit. Police have not released her name. Investigators say the driver was going to work at the time of the crash and didn't see the woman. Officials say the driver is cooperating with police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614361481398.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the investigation early Friday -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the investigation early Friday -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police say a woman has died after being hit by a vehicle as she walked along a street in southwest Wichita. Television station KAKE reports that the crash happened around 4:15 a.m. Friday along South West Street. Police say the woman was in her 30s and was walking in the roadway when she was hit. Police have not released her name. Investigators say the driver was going to work at the time of the crash and didn't see the woman. Officials say the driver is cooperating with police.

Police: Woman hit, killed while walking in Wichita street

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 826 to a total of 293,663, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 4735an increase of 11

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

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

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 826 to a total of 293,663, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 4735an increase of 11<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614363626873.png" alt="Friday February 26, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Friday February 26, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary, have recovered stolen guns and made an arrest.

&nbsp;On Wednesday, the Payne County Sheriff's Office contacted the Saline County Sheriff on the theft of a gun safe containing 16 guns from a rural Payne County residence, according to Saline County Undersheriff Brent Melander.

The Saline County Sheriff's Office began a local investigation which resulted in the execution of a search warrant at 920 Pearl Avenue in central Salina. During the search, sheriff's deputies recovered one of the guns stolen in Oklahoma.

The search also uncovered additional information that led Saline County Sheriff's Office personnel to a second residence, where deputies recovered 10 more guns stolen in Oklahoma. 

During the search, methamphetamine, hallucinogenic drugs, and drug paraphernalia also were recovered. Deputies arrested&nbsp; Mark Goracke, 44, of Salina, on requested charges that include 11 counts of theft of a firearm, Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Possession of hallucinogenic drugs and Theft by deception, according to Mellander.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614356988456.jpeg" alt="Guns stolen in Oklahoma and recovered in Salina-photo Saline Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Guns stolen in Oklahoma and recovered in Salina-photo Saline Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary, have recovered stolen guns and made an arrest.&nbsp;On Wednesday, the Payne County Sheriff's Office contacted the Saline County Sheriff on the theft of a gun safe containing 16 guns from a rural Payne County residence, according to Saline County Undersheriff Brent Melander.The Saline County Sheriff's Office began a local investigation which resulted in the execution of a search warrant at 920 Pearl Avenue in central Salina. During the search, sheriff's deputies recovered one of the guns stolen in Oklahoma.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614346604358.jpeg" alt="Goracke photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Goracke photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The search also uncovered additional information that led Saline County Sheriff's Office personnel to a second residence, where deputies recovered 10 more guns stolen in Oklahoma. During the search, methamphetamine, hallucinogenic drugs, and drug paraphernalia also were recovered. Deputies arrested&nbsp; Mark Goracke, 44, of Salina, on requested charges that include 11 counts of theft of a firearm, Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Possession of hallucinogenic drugs and Theft by deception, according to Mellander.

Kansas deputies recover guns taken in Oklahoma burglary

HARVEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal stabbing and have a suspect in custody.

Just before 11 p.m. Thursday, a police officer witnessed a vehicle driving erratically in the 2000 block of West First Street in Newton, according to a media release.

 The officer stopped the vehicle, and the 16-year-old male driver immediately reported he had just been involved in a fight and had stabbed someone. Police found a bloody knife in the vehicle.   

Police located a victim identified as 27-year-old Ian Foy in the 100 block of Evans Street with life-threatening injuries. EMS transported Ian Foy to a Wichita hospital, where he later died. 

Police arrested the juvenile on a requested charge of second-degree murder, according to the release.

Investigators are working to determine the relationship between the victim, the suspect and other factors contributing to the stabbing. Police did release the name of juvenile suspect.

HARVEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal stabbing and have a suspect in custody.Just before 11 p.m. Thursday, a police officer witnessed a vehicle driving erratically in the 2000 block of West First Street in Newton, according to a media release. The officer stopped the vehicle, and the 16-year-old male driver immediately reported he had just been involved in a fight and had stabbed someone. Police found a bloody knife in the vehicle. Police located a victim identified as 27-year-old Ian Foy in the 100 block of Evans Street with life-threatening injuries. EMS transported Ian Foy to a Wichita hospital, where he later died. Police arrested the juvenile on a requested charge of second-degree murder, according to the release.Investigators are working to determine the relationship between the victim, the suspect and other factors contributing to the stabbing. Police did release the name of juvenile suspect.

Police: Teen arrested for fatal stabbing of 27-year-old in Newton

BAGHDAD (AP) — A U.S. airstrike in Syria targeted facilities belonging to a powerful Iranian-backed Iraqi armed group, killing one fighter and wounding several others, an Iraqi militia official said Friday, signaling the first military action undertaken by U.S. President Joe Biden.

The Pentagon said the strikes were retaliation for a rocket attack in Iraq earlier this month that killed one civilian contractor and wounded a U.S. service member and other coalition troops.

The Iraqi militia official told The Associated Press that the strikes against the Kataeb Hezbollah, or Hezbollah Brigades, hit an area along the border between the Syrian site of Boukamal facing Qaim on the Iraqi side. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak of the attack. Syria war monitoring groups said the strikes hit trucks moving weapons to a base for Iranian-backed militias in Boukamal.

“I’m confident in the target that we went after, we know what we hit,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters flying with him from California to Washington, shortly after the airstrikes which were carried out Thursday evening Eastern Standard Time.

The Biden administration in its first weeks has emphasized its intent to put more focus on the challenges posed by China, even as Mideast threats persist. Biden’s decision to attack in Syria did not appear to signal an intention to widen U.S. military involvement in the region but rather to demonstrate a will to defend U.S. troops in Iraq&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-airstrike-syria-explained-0276818ed191a48fafcd1c2c57d1a1d9">and send a message to Iran</a>.

The U.S. has in the past targeted facilities in Syria belonging to Kataeb Hezbollah, which it has blamed for numerous attacks targeting U.S. personnel and interests in Iraq. The Iraqi Kataeb is separate from the Lebanese Hezbollah movement.

In a statement, the group confirmed one of its fighters was killed and called the U.S. strike a crime. Kataeb Hezbollah, like other Iranian-backed factions, maintains fighters in Syria to both fight against the Islamic State group and assist Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces in that country’s civil war.

Defense Secretary Austin said he was “confident” the U.S. had hit back at the “the same Shia militants that conducted the strikes,” referring to a Feb. 15 rocket attack in northern Iraq that killed one civilian contractor and wounded a U.S. service member and other coalition personnel.

Austin said he had recommended the action to President Biden.

“We said a number of times that we will respond on our timeline,” Austin said. “We wanted to be sure of the connectivity and we wanted to be sure that we had the right targets.”

Earlier, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. action was a “proportionate military response” taken together with diplomatic measures, including consultation with coalition partners.

Kirby said the U.S. airstrikes “destroyed multiple facilities at a border control point used by a number of Iranian-backed militant groups,” including Kataeb Hezbollah and Kataeb Sayyid al-Shuhada.

Further details were not immediately available.

Mary Ellen O’Connell, a professor at Notre Dame Law School, criticized the U.S. attack as a violation of international law.

“The United Nations Charter makes absolutely clear that the use of military force on the territory of a foreign sovereign state is lawful only in response to an armed attack on the defending state for which the target state is responsible,” she said. “None of those elements is met in the Syria strike.”

Syria condemned the U.S. strike calling it “a cowardly and systematic American aggression,” warning that the attack will lead to consequences.

“This aggression is a negative indication of the policies of the new American administration, which is supposed to adhere to international legitimacy, not to the law of the jungle” that the Trump administration followed, a statement by Syria’s foreign ministry said.

Biden administration officials condemned the Feb. 15 rocket attack near the city of Irbil in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish-run region, but as recently as this week officials indicated they had not determined for certain who carried it out. Officials have noted that in the past, Iranian-backed Shiite militia groups have been responsible for numerous rocket attacks that targeted U.S. personnel or facilities in Iraq.

Kirby had said Tuesday that Iraq is in charge of investigating the Feb. 15 attack. He added that U.S. officials were not then able to give a “certain attribution as to who was behind these attacks.”

A little-known Shiite militant group calling itself Saraya Alwiya al-Dam, Arabic for Guardians of Blood Brigade, claimed responsibility for the Feb. 15 attack. A week later, a rocket attack in Baghdad’s Green Zone appeared to target the U.S. Embassy compound, but no one was hurt.

Iran this week said it has no links to the Guardians of Blood Brigade. Iran-backed groups have splintered significantly since the U.S.-directed strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in Baghdad more than a year ago. Both were key in commanding and controlling a wide array of Iran-backed groups operating in Iraq.

Since their deaths, the militias have become increasingly unruly. Some analysts argue the armed groups have splintered as a tactic to claim attacks under different names to mask their involvement.

The frequency of attacks by Shiite militia groups against U.S. targets in Iraq diminished late last year ahead of Biden’s inauguration.

The U.S. under the previous Trump administration blamed Iran-backed groups for carrying out multiple attacks in Iraq.

Trump had said the death of a U.S. contractor would be a red line and provoke U.S. escalation in Iraq. The December 2019 killing of a U.S. civilian contractor in a rocket attack in Kirkuk sparked a tit-for-tat fight on Iraqi soil that culminated in the U.S. killing of Iranian commander Soleimani and brought Iraq to the brink of a proxy war.

BAGHDAD (AP) — A U.S. airstrike in Syria targeted facilities belonging to a powerful Iranian-backed Iraqi armed group, killing one of their militiamen and wounding a number of others, an Iraqi militia official said Friday.

The airstrike was the first military action undertaken by the Biden administration, which in its first weeks has emphasized its intent to put more focus on the challenges posed by China, even as Mideast threats persist. Biden’s decision to attack in Syria did not appear to signal an intention to widen U.S. military involvement in the region but rather to demonstrate a will to defend U.S. troops in Iraq.

Austin said he had recommended the action to President Joe Biden.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States launched airstrikes in Syria on Thursday, targeting facilities near the Iraqi border used by Iranian-backed militia groups. The Pentagon said the strikes were retaliation for a rocket attack in Iraq earlier this month that killed one civilian contractor and wounded a U.S. service member and other coalition troops.

“I’m confident in the target that we went after, we know what we hit,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters flying with him from California to Washington. Speaking shortly after the airstrikes, he added, “We’re confident that that target was being used by the same Shia militants that conducted the strikes,” referring to a Feb. 15 rocket attack in northern Iraq that killed one civilian contractor and wounded a U.S. service member and other coalition personnel.

Austin said he recommended the action to Biden.

“The operation sends an unambiguous message: President Biden will act to protect American and coalition personnel,” Kirby said. “At the same time, we have acted in a deliberate manner that aims to deescalate the overall situation in eastern Syria and Iraq.”

Kirby said the U.S. airstrikes “destroyed multiple facilities at a border control point used by a number of Iranian- backed militant groups,” including Kataib Hezbollah and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada. The U.S. has blamed Kataib Hezbollah for numerous attacks targeting U.S. personnel and interests in Iraq in the past.

Kirby had said Tuesday that Iraq is in charge of investigating the Feb. 15 attack.

“Right now, we’re not able to give you a certain attribution as to who was behind these attacks, what groups, and I’m not going to get into the tactical details of every bit of weaponry used here,” Kirby said. “Let’s let the investigations complete and conclude, and then when we have more to say, we will.”

A little-known Shiite militant group calling itself Saraya Awliya al-Dam, Arabic for Guardians of Blood Brigade, claimed responsibility for the Feb. 15 attack. A week later, a rocket attack in Baghdad’s Green Zone appeared to target the U.S. Embassy compound, but no one was hurt.

Iran this week said it has no links to the Guardians of Blood Brigade.

The frequency of attacks by Shiite militia groups against U.S. targets in Iraq diminished late last year ahead of President Joe Biden’s inauguration, though now Iran is pressing America to return to Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal. The U.S. under the previous Trump administration blamed Iran-backed groups for carrying out the attacks. Tensions soared after a Washington-directed drone strike that killed top Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and powerful Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis last year.

Trump had said the death of a U.S. contractor would be a red line and provoke U.S. escalation in Iraq. The December 2019 killing of a U.S. civilian contractor in a rocket attack in Kirkuk sparked a tit-for-tat fight on Iraqi soil that brought the country to the brink of a proxy war.

The airstrike was the first military action undertaken by the Biden administration, which in its first weeks has emphasized its intent to put more focus on the challenges posed by China, even as Mideast threats persist.