StartUp Hutch released its first-ever annual report this week, detailing the organization’s 2025 activity, financial overview and expanding role in supporting entrepreneurs across Reno County.

Executive Director Graham Klemme said the report was designed to provide transparency and a clear snapshot of StartUp Hutch’s impact since he took the role in May 2025.

“It’s been a goal of mine to offer some transparency around what we do to the broader community,” Klemme said. “The report summarizes our activity, our data, some financial information and success stories.”

According to the report, StartUp Hutch served 203 entrepreneurs in 2025 through a mix of events and one-on-one assistance. The organization conducted more than 250 coaching sessions, focusing on repeated, hands-on support for individuals starting or growing businesses.

“The bulk of what we do is coaching,” Klemme said. “Someone comes in and says, ‘I’m starting a business and I don’t know what I’m doing,’ and we walk alongside them step by step.”

StartUp Hutch, founded in 1987, also helped entrepreneurs access nearly $500,000 in capital during the year. Klemme noted the total came during a transitional period for the organization, which operated without an executive director for part of the spring.

“That was actually a slow year,” he said. “Capital access is one of our core goals, and we want to see that number go up.”

The organization’s reach extends beyond Hutchinson, with workshops and outreach efforts in communities such as Buhler, Pretty Prairie and Haven. An upcoming “StartUp Haven” workshop is scheduled for March 3 and is part of a broader effort to host community-specific discussions on small business development throughout Reno County.

“Small businesses really make the world go round,” Klemme said, noting that many established local employers still fall under the federal definition of a small business, which includes firms with fewer than 500 employees.

StartUp Hutch also launched a podcast, “The Hot Seat,” to highlight local entrepreneurs and business resources. Recent episodes have featured local StartUp leaders and innovators, with the podcast available on major streaming platforms.

Funding for StartUp Hutch comes primarily from the City of Hutchinson, Reno County and grant support, including assistance from the Hutchinson Community Foundation. Klemme said that mix of public and private support is critical to sustaining the organization’s mission.

Looking ahead, Klemme said StartUp Hutch is developing new programming tied to housing and construction-related entrepreneurship and plans to continue expanding its community presence.

The 2025 annual report is available at startuphutch.com under the “Annual Report” section.

StartUp Hutch releases first annual report

Firefighters battled a heavy structure fire Saturday evening at a 2½-story residential building in the 400 block of East Seventh Avenue, according to the Hutchinson Fire Department.

Crews were dispatched at about 6:32 p.m. after receiving a report of a structure fire. First-arriving firefighters found heavy black smoke coming from the eaves of the balloon-frame home, officials said.

Firefighters entered the structure to conduct a search after dispatchers advised that an occupant was still inside attempting to retrieve pets. Additional crews arrived and initiated an aggressive interior attack on the fire, which was found on the first and second floors and in the attic.

Officials said a partial floor collapse occurred in a second-floor bedroom during the incident. No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The Hutchinson Fire Department was assisted by the Hutchinson Police Department, Evergy, Hutchinson Reno County Emergency Communications, Kansas Gas and Reno County Emergency Medical Services.

HFD battles Saturday evening fire

Dear Dave, My husband and I make $180,000 a year combined. Right now, we’re working on our debt snowball. We’re almost debt-free except for our home, but we still have a little bit left on two car payments and some credit card debt.

He wants to get rid of the credit card debt, but he doesn’t seem to mind having car payments. I’m not sure I understand why he feels this way, and I’m a little worried he might lose interest in paying off debt once the credit cards are gone.

Dear Keri, To be honest, I’m not sure I understand his thinking either. They’re both debt payments, and you’re being charged interest on both of them. The only difference I can see is that one’s attached to a car and one’s not. It makes about as much sense as saying you like Visa better than MasterCard.

Even if he has some strange hang-up about car depreciation, that argument doesn’t hold water, either. Cars go down in value whether you borrow money to buy them or not. A $30,000 vehicle will be worth half that in just a few years, no matter what you do. And car payments won’t keep it from depreciating, or slow the rate of depreciation. 

You know, sometimes people just get burned out and tired of paying the price to become debt-free. I’ve seen it happen several times when folks have been working at it for a while, and they start to feel like they’re never going to get there. What if you two sit down, and have a detailed talk about why he feels this way? See if you can find out why he feels the way he does about car payments, and where the root of the problem really lies.  

Keri, this guy has been right with you on the journey to get out of debt, and gain control of your finances up until now. That tells me he’s disciplined, and that he’s willing to pay a price for things that are important to him. He may just need some encouragement and support. So, try reminding him how far you’ve come together. Remind him how close you are to winning, and how much you love and respect him for being part of it all.

You can hear Dave Ramsey, Monday through Friday evenings from 7 to 10 p.m. on KWBW, unless it is preempted by sports coverage.&nbsp;

Dave says: You’re too close to stop now

Here’s the latest booking activity from the Reno County Jail. This information is provided by the Reno County Sheriff’s Office and is not criminal history. The Hutch Post assumes no legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, or completeness, of this information. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. ——————————————

Pablo	Idrogo	Martinez		2/13/2026 10:07&nbsp;AM	Failure to Appear

Ricky	Duane	Hopewell		2/13/2026 1:12&nbsp;PM	Probation Violation

Richard	Michael	Chamberlain		2/13/2026 2:48&nbsp;PM	Criminal Damage to Property; Without consent; &lt; $1,000

Christopher	Lee	Craig		2/13/2026 3:07&nbsp;PM	Viol protection order; Pre-trial order,					Harassment by Telephone; Texting to harass or threaten

Orion	Anthony Matthew	Morales		2/13/2026 6:15&nbsp;PM	Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant,					Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body

Realiti	Dawn	Courson		2/13/2026 7:05&nbsp;PM	Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body

Kerri	Lynn	Simmons		2/13/2026 7:10&nbsp;PM	Probation Violation

Matthew	Guy	Currie		2/13/2026 8:11&nbsp;PM	Driving while license cancelled/suspended/revoked; misd; unknown conv

Lucas	Randall	Shoen		2/13/2026 8:25&nbsp;PM	Disorderly Conduct; Fighting words or noisy conduct

Hunter	Christian	Cherry		2/13/2026 8:37&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear,					Possession of marijuana,					Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body,					Interference with Law Enforcement; Obstruct, Resist, Oppose, Misdemeanor case, Execution of Misdemeanor Warrant

Hunter	Christian	Cherry		2/13/2026 8:37&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear

Dawn	Renee	White		2/13/2026 11:20&nbsp;PM	Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant,					Possession of marijuana,					Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body

Judy	Mae	Powers		2/14/2026 1:53&nbsp;AM	DUI; 1st conv; comp evidence of blood/breath .08+

Kaylan	Lee	Mulligan		2/14/2026 4:21&nbsp;AM	Criminal Restraint,					Battery; Phys contact rude/insult/angry manner,					Criminal Damage to Property; Without consent; &lt; $1,000

Daily Bookings

The Reno County Department of Aging will host a community discussion on fall prevention later this month, offering practical strategies and resources aimed at helping older adults remain safe and independent.

The event is part of the department’s Community Collaboration Series and is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, at the Reno County Department of Aging, 120 W. Ave. B in Hutchinson.

Jeremy McDowell, an account executive with Angels Care Home Health, will serve as the guest speaker. McDowell will discuss common fall risks, prevention strategies and steps individuals and caregivers can take to reduce the likelihood of falls at home and in daily activities.

The session will be presented by Cara Conaway, information and outreach program coordinator for the Reno County Department of Aging. Organizers say the program is designed for older adults, caregivers and family members who want to better understand how to prevent falls and maintain independence.

Community members are encouraged to attend and bring a friend. Reservations are requested.

Department of Aging to hold fall prevention event

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/weather">Click here for the KSStorm.info 7-day forecast.&nbsp;</a>

Three-day Outlook

A Reno County man has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to insurance fraud and related charges, according to Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt.

Larry Wilson, 54, was sentenced to 21 months in prison after pleading guilty Dec. 11, 2025, in Reno County District Court to one felony count of insurance fraud, two felony counts of making false information and two felony counts of forgery. He will also serve 12 months of probation following his release.

Prosecutors said Wilson fraudulently filed an insurance claim seeking lost wages for workdays he claimed to have missed due to injuries from a prior automobile accident. Authorities said Wilson forged his supervisor’s signature on falsified documents to support the claim.

“Insurance fraud costs all Kansans in the form of increased premiums every year,” Schmidt said in a statement. “The Department will continue pursuing penalties against anyone committing insurance fraud in Kansas.”

The case was investigated by the Kansas Department of Insurance and prosecuted by the Kansas Attorney General’s Office.

Hutch man sentenced for insurance fraud

By TISA MASON FHSU president

In the quiet hours before the Kansas sun touches the horizon, Gabrielle Davis is already immersed in her studies. It’s 5 a.m., and while most of the neighborhood is still asleep, Gabrielle is navigating the complex anatomy and pharmacology content she must master in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. 

Across the state line in Arapahoe, Nebraska, Janine Van Niekerk, serving as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in a rural nursing home,&nbsp;is balancing a similarly delicate act.

Janine and Gabrielle are pioneers. As members of the inaugural BSN hybrid (combined on-campus and online) program cohort at Fort Hays State University, they represent a shift in nursing education—one built for people with a deep connection to their hometowns and families, coupled with a purposeful commitment to ensure their rural communities have access to highly trained, compassionate nursing care.

For both women, nursing is a profound calling rooted in an ethic of care. 

Gabrielle, an LPN at the HaysMed walk-in clinic, represents the deep roots of Kansas healthcare. A third-generation nurse, she was inspired by her grandmother, mother, and an uncle, a physician. “I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be a nurse,” Gabrielle says. “Especially watching my mom. She is the nurse that I aspire to be.”

Gabrielle’s resilience was forged during the COVID-19 pandemic. While still in high school, she completed her courses via Zoom and then worked until 10 p.m. at a nursing home in Atwood to help cover staffing shortages. She continues to work there one weekend a month because of the deep bond she shares with the residents. “I don’t want to give up my residents,” she says. “A lot of them I call grandparents. They consider me their grandchild.”

This same dedication drives Janine Van Niekerk. Originally from South Africa, the 45-year-old mother of six now lives in a rural area of Nebraska. 

For her, the FHSU hybrid program provided a way forward that seemed almost tailored to her life. She began her general education courses while still living abroad and was moved by the university's support during her transition back to the States. “Everyone was so helpful in helping me register, so patient in going through my credits,” Janine recalls. “I knew FHSU was the right choice.”

The stories of Janine and Gabrielle are individual threads in a much larger tapestry. Fort Hays State University serves as a primary engine for the Kansas nursing workforce with a simple priority: getting nurses to rural Kansas. The university doesn’t just graduate students; it delivers them where the need is most acute.

Currently, approximately 70% of FHSU BSN graduates and more than 90% of family nurse practitioners go straight to work in rural communities. With 80% of total nursing graduates staying in Kansas, FHSU is a proven, high-yield investment in our state’s future. 

Beyond the classroom, FHSU serves as a regional hub for healthcare excellence, providing guaranteed&nbsp;admission to Kansas community college students and serving as a vital training ground for HaysMed, EagleMed, and 25 critical access hospitals.

The hybrid BSN program is the latest tool in this mission, combining the convenience of online learning with the rigor of on-campus clinical clusters. For Janine, whose husband travels for work, this flexibility is a necessity. “For me, time is vital,” she says. “The hybrid gives me more flexibility with my schedule and everything I’m responsible for.”

Janine’s passion is fueled by a desire to rectify disparities she sees in rural healthcare. “I’m very disappointed in the healthcare system, the more I learn, especially in rural areas,” she explains, noting the high costs of basic lab tests and clinic fees. “Ultimately, what I’ve decided now to do is look into being a legal nurse consultant, so that I can help rectify the wrongs that are so very evident in healthcare.”

Gabrielle similarly integrates her clinical training into the margins of a busy life, studying between serving patients and after shifts. She finds a spiritual anchor in her daily routine. “Before I go to work, I pray about my day,” she says. “I pray for good patient outcomes. I pray that all my patients are safe and healthy. That helps me, or else I get very burned out.”

As the first BSN cohort to navigate this hybrid path, Janine and Gabrielle are doing more than just earning a degree; they are helping FHSU refine the program for future generations. 

Gabrielle is already looking toward the finish line in May 2027 with plans to eventually teach. “It opens up a whole new universe of opportunities,” she says. “We are helping them (the FHSU Hybrid BSN Program) figure out their trials and errors for the future of the program.”

For Tanya Smith, BSN Coordinator and Professor of Nursing, the pride in her first Hybrid BSN cohort is apparent.

“The students are very dedicated to the program and have shown resilience despite growth challenges along the way,” she said. “Each student has had becoming a BSN-prepared RN as a personal goal.”

FHSU’s Hybrid pathway has been the route to achieving this goal.

“The students have expressed many thanks to the Department of Nursing for creating this learning path for the BSN degree,” Tanya shared. “As we continue to grow the Hybrid BSN cohort, we are excited to partner with community hospitals across the state to ensure students are receiving clinical experiences close to home.”

The journey of these program pioneers reflects the heart of the FHSU mission. Through grit and a commitment to innovation, they are preparing to meet their communities' healthcare needs with expertise and empathy. Their progress is a testament to the power of a program designed&nbsp;with people, place, and purpose at its core.

Women for Kansas provides non-partisan dialogue

Drivers may notice gas prices ticking up slightly ahead of the holiday weekend. The national average for a gallon of regular is up a couple of cents from last week to $2.94.

 Current prices remain below what they were this time last year when the national average was $3.16.&nbsp;

 According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand increased last week from 8.15 million b/d to 8.30 million. Total domestic gasoline supply increased from 257.9 million barrels to 259.1 million. Gasoline production increased last week, averaging 9.1 million barrels per day.

At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, WTI rose 67 cents to settle at $64.63 a barrel. The EIA reports crude oil increased by 8.5 million barrels from the previous week. At 428.8 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 3% below the five-year average for this time of year.

Gas prices tick up headed into holiday weekend

Mark	Andrew	Norton	II	2/12/2026 1:12&nbsp;PM	Harassment by Telephone; Calling to harass or threaten,					Stalking; Conduct causing fear to a person or person's family

Wade	Hampton	Kennon		2/12/2026 2:15&nbsp;PM	In Transit From-To Other Agency

Celia	DeAnne	Ferguson		2/12/2026 3:44&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear

Audra	Lynn	Sisler		2/12/2026 4:14&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear

Destiny	Rose	Harper		2/12/2026 7:44&nbsp;PM	Criminal Damage to Property; Without consent; &lt; $1,000,					Disorderly Conduct; Brawling or fighting

Alexus	Ann&nbsp;Canady&nbsp;2/12/2026 9:00 PM&nbsp;Failure to Appear



EDWARDS COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 3:30p.m. Saturday in Edwards County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Honda Civic driven by Aaron JG&nbsp;Pineda, 29, Garden City,&nbsp;was stuck on the railroad tracks on 310th Avenue just north of U.S. 50.&nbsp; An eastbound Amtrak train struck the car.

Pineda was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;McKillip Funeral Home.&nbsp; The conductor, engineer and an additional 113 occupants on board the train were not injured.

Kan. man dead after Amtrak train strikes car stuck on the tracks 

&nbsp;DAMASCUS —U.S. forces conducted 10 strikes against more than 30 ISIS targets in Syria, Feb. 3 – 12, to sustain relentless military pressure on remnants from the terrorist network, according to a statement from the U.S&gt; Central Command.

U.S. forces struck ISIS infrastructure and weapons storage targets with precision munitions delivered by fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and unmanned aircraft.

U.S. forces previously conducted five strikes against an ISIS communication site, critical logistics node, and weapons storage facilities, Jan. 27 – Feb. 2.

Operation Hawkeye Strike was launched in response to a Dec. 13 attack on U.S. and Syrian forces in Palmyra. The ISIS ambush resulted in the death of two U.S. service members and an American interpreter.

More than 50 ISIS terrorists have been killed or captured and over 100 ISIS infrastructure targets have been struck with hundreds of precision munitions during two months of targeted operations.

U.S. forces continue strikes on ISIS targets in Syria

KANSAS CITY —A Missouri inmate has been charged &nbsp;in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred at an apartment complex in 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2807/HillDemetrius-Warrant-Packet-1">Demetrius S. Hill</a>&nbsp;, 27, faces one count of 2nd Degree Murder, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

According to court records, Kansas City police responded to a shooting at an apartment complex parking lot on August 9, 2019, and located the victim in the driver’s seat of a gray Dodge Durango suffering from apparent trauma. He was declared deceased at the scene.

Surveillance video captured a suspect wearing a red shirt over his head arriving at the parking lot in a gray Ford Escape. The victim then arrived in a Dodge Durango with the defendant in the front passenger seat. The suspect with the red shirt approached the victim’s vehicle and engaged in a brief conversation. As he walked away, he turned back and fired shots at the vehicle. The defendant then exited the Durango and fled with the suspect in the red shirt in the Ford Escape.

Detectives identified both suspects based on witness reports and anonymous tips to the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline.

Investigators believe the defendant fired at the victim while inside the Durango. The defendant’s DNA matched a cigarillo collected from inside the victim’s vehicle.

The suspect with the red shirt was killed in a homicide in 2023.

Hill is currently in custody of the Missouri Department of Corrections for convictions that include unlawful use of a weapon, resisting arrest, tampering with a witness and tampering with a vehicle, according to online records.

Inmate's DNA found on cigarillo at scene of Kansas City killing

HOUSTON – A 51-year-old resident of Sedgwick County, Kansas, has been ordered to federal prison for making false, fictitious and fraudulent statements and representations to law enforcement, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Heather Worden pleaded guilty Nov. 14, 2025.U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now sentenced Worden to three months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. The court also ordered Worden to pay $210,000 in restitution.&nbsp;

At the hearing, the court heard evidence that Worden falsely accused her former spouse of illegally accessing her bank account from the International Space Station while the couple was going through a divorce. Even after an internal investigation exonerated the former spouse, Worden continued promoting the false claim to news outlets and hired a media consultant to amplify the claim. The evidence further showed Worden publicly released her former spouse’s personal information.

In July 2019, Worden alleged her estranged spouse had guessed her password and illegally accessed her bank account while deployed to the International Space Station. &nbsp;However, the investigation revealed Worden opened her bank account in April 2018, and both parties accessed it until January 2019, when Worden changed the account credentials. Investigators also determined Worden had granted her spouse access to her bank records, including login credentials, as early as 2015.&nbsp;Worden was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.The National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard D. Hanes and Brandon Fyffe prosecuted the case.

Prison for Kan. woman over false crime in space claim against NASA astronaut

ALLEN COUNTY —The Allen County Attorney has filed a charge of Battery against a former Allen County Sheriff’s Office civilian employee Stephanie Vest, according to a media release from the Allen County Sheriff.

On December 17, the Allen County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) for assistance regarding allegations of misconduct toward an inmate made against a Sheriff’s Office employee. 

 The KBI conducted an investigation and presented its findings to Allen County Attorney Brandon Cameron, who then filed the charge in Allen County District Court.

The alleged incident(s) occurred in 2024 and 2025 at the Allen County Jail, where Vest was a civilian employee.  She was placed on administrative leave while the investigation was conducted and was later terminated.

Kan. sheriff's office employee charged with misconduct toward inmate

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/kaitlyn-huamani">KAITLYN HUAMANI</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/barbara-ortutay">BARBARA ORTUTAY</a>

LOS ANGELES (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-mark-zuckerberg-richard-blumenthal-facebook-c242e1cd4ded5f09a6830eb232f2d8a3">Adam Mosseri</a>, the head of Meta’s Instagram, testified Wednesday during a landmark social media trial in Los Angeles that he disagrees with the idea that people can be clinically addicted to social media platforms.

The question of addiction is a key pillar of the case, where plaintiffs seek to hold social media companies responsible for harms to children who use their platforms. Meta Platforms and Google’s YouTube are the two remaining defendants in the case, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-trial-kids-addiction-meta-tiktok-youtube-d3a6bf617f2d11521675412ffb275031">TikTok and Snap have settled.</a>

At the core of the Los Angeles case is a 20-year-old identified only by the initials “KGM,” whose lawsuit could determine how thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies would play out. She and two other plaintiffs have been selected for bellwether trials — essentially test cases for both sides to see how their arguments play out before a jury.

Mosseri, who’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-90e00b307301468e9349a6642d68dc21">headed Instagram since 2018</a>&nbsp;said it’s important to differentiate between clinical addiction and what he called problematic use. The plaintiff’s lawyer, however, presented quotes directly from Mosseri in a podcast interview a few years ago where he used the term addiction in relation to social media use, but he clarified that he was probably using the term “too casually,” as people tend to do.

Mosseri said he was not claiming to be a medical expert when questioned about his qualifications to comment on the legitimacy of social media addiction, but said someone “very close” to him has experienced serious clinical addiction, which is why he said he was “being careful with my words.”

He said he and his colleagues use the term “problematic use” to refer to “someone spending more time on Instagram than they feel good about, and that definitely happens.”

It’s “not good for the company, over the long run, to make decisions that profit for us but are poor for people’s well-being,” Mosseri said.

Mosseri and the plaintiff’s lawyer, Mark Lanier, engaged in a lengthy back-and-forth about cosmetic filters on Instagram that changed people’s appearance in a way that seemed to promote plastic surgery.

“We are trying to be as safe as possible but also censor as little as possible,” Mosseri said.

In the courtroom, bereaved parents of children who have had social media struggles seemed visibly upset during a discussion around body dysmorphia and cosmetic filters. Meta shut down all&nbsp;<a href="https://spark.meta.com/blog/meta-spark-announcement" target="_blank">third-party augmented reality filters</a>&nbsp;in January 2025. The judge made an announcement to members of the public on Wednesday after the displays of emotion, reminding them not to make any indication of agreement or disagreement with testimony, saying that it would be “improper to indicate some position.”

During cross examination, Mosseri and Meta lawyer Phyllis Jones tried to reframe the idea that Lanier was suggesting in his questioning that the company is looking to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-meta-instagram-revenue-teens-harvard-cc9bf875d6f7259ba2aee8805ccdaf3d">profit off of teens</a>&nbsp;specifically.

Mosseri said Instagram makes “less money from teens than from any other demographic on the app,” noting that teens don’t tend to click on ads and many don’t have disposable income that they spend on products from ads they receive. During his opportunity to question Mosseri for a second time, Lanier was quick to point to research that shows people who join social media platforms at a young age are more likely to stay on the platforms longer, which he said makes teen users prime for meaningful long-term profit.

“Often people try to frame things as you either prioritize safety or you prioritize revenue,” Mosseri said. “It’s really hard to imagine any instance where prioritizing safety isn’t good for revenue.”

Meta CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mark-zuckerberg">Mark Zuckerberg</a>&nbsp;is expected to take the stand next week.

In recent years, Instagram has added a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/instagram-teens-kids-pg13-safety-f3001b877a0b576be3e5723a5acd0ff1">slew of features</a>&nbsp;and tools it says have made the platform safer for young people. But this does not always work. A&nbsp;<a href="https://fairplayforkids.org/instagram-teen-accounts-fail-to-protect-children-safety-tools-testing-reveals/" target="_blank">report last year</a>, for instance, found that teen accounts researchers created were recommended age-inappropriate sexual content, including “graphic sexual descriptions, the use of cartoons to describe demeaning sexual acts, and brief displays of nudity.”

In addition, Instagram also recommended a “range of self-harm, self-injury, and body image content” on teen accounts that the report says “would be reasonably likely to result in adverse impacts for young people, including teenagers experiencing poor mental health, or self-harm and suicidal ideation and behaviors.” Meta called the report “misleading, dangerously speculative” and said it misrepresents its efforts on teen safety.

Meta is also facing a separate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/meta-new-mexico-child-exploitation-trial-19195fc680dba782fb971d68082e11a4">trial in New Mexico</a>&nbsp;that began this week.

Instagram chief does not believe people can get clinically addicted to social media

PAWNEE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 2a.m. Saturday in Pawnee County&nbsp;

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Chrysler 300 driven by Jon Myles Woelk&nbsp; Blakely, 36, Rozell, was westbound on K156 Highway three miles west of the U.S. 183 Junction. The car traveled off the roadway to the left and the driver corrected.&nbsp; The vehicle returned to the road and rolled into the ditch.

&nbsp;Blakely was pronoumced dead at the scene and was transported to Beckwith Mortuary. He was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after car rolls into a ditch

An Arizona sheriff's department got more than 4,000 calls within 24 hours after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-mom-missing-arizona-b765fed6b9669441383b75860263ac99">release of videos</a>&nbsp;of a masked person on Nancy Guthrie's porch. Many tips will be worthless. Others could have merit. Experts say one thing's certain: They can't be ignored.

Tips can solve crimes — big or small — and eerie images of a mysterious male covered head to toe have been the most significant clues shared with the public during Guthrie's nearly 2-week-old disappearance in the Tucson area.

“It's a tremendous amount of work,” said Roberto Villaseñor, a former Tucson police chief.

“In a situation like this, you really cannot do what's been done without tips and public input,” he said. “They have processed the scene. But once that’s done and exhausted, it's hard to move forward without additional information coming in.”

The Pima County sheriff and the FBI announced&nbsp;<a href="https://pimasheriff.org/">phone numbers</a>&nbsp;and a&nbsp;<a href="https://tips.fbi.gov/home">website</a>&nbsp;to offer tips about the apparent kidnapping of Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC “Today” co-anchor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/savannah-guthrie">Savannah Guthrie</a>. Several hundred detectives and agents have been assigned to the case, the sheriff's department said.

The FBI said it has collected more than 13,000 tips since Feb. 1, the day Guthrie was reported missing. The sheriff's department, meanwhile, said it has taken at least 18,000 calls.

"Every tip is reviewed for credibility, relevance, and information that can be acted upon by law enforcement," the FBI said Thursday on X, adding that the effort is a 24-hour operation. It said it won't comment on the tips received.

Meanwhile, many people stopped Friday at KVOA-TV in Tucson, an NBC affiliate, to sign a large outdoor banner with a photo of Nancy Guthrie and the message “Bring her home.”

“They're like family, you know,” said Sandy Bryant, referring to her yearslong enjoyment of the “Today” show and the Guthrie family's local ties. “It's painful. It's scary, very scary.”

Major U.S. crimes for years have been cracked with a tip. In 1995, the brother and sister-in-law of Ted Kaczynski recognized certain tones in an anonymous, widely published anti-technology manifesto. Known by the FBI as the “Unabomber,” Kaczynski was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ted-kaczynski-unabomber-dies-federal-prison-95fdd4f398fbfe20aaadf5d53a91dc26">found living in a shack</a>&nbsp;in Montana and subsequently admitted to committing 16 bombings over 17 years, killing three people.

The 1989 murders of an Ohio woman and two teen daughters in Florida were solved three years later when St. Petersburg police asked the public if they recognized handwriting found in the victims' car. A former neighbor led investigators to Oba Chandler.

Retired Detroit homicide investigator Ira Todd recalled how images from a gas station camera solved the disappearance and death of a 3-month-old baby — and stopped authorities from pursuing the wrong person in 2001. “A niece of this guy saw it on TV and says, ‘That’s my uncle,’” he said.

The murders of four University of Idaho students in 2022 generated nearly 40,000 tips to state and federal authorities. None had a direct role in the capture of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bryan-kohberger">Bryan Kohberger</a>, but the public's involvement nonetheless was “absolutely” important, said Lt. Darren Gilbertson of the Idaho State Police.

“That's one of the things that kept us going for weeks,” he said, while authorities awaited DNA and other evidence.

Gilbertson said much of the early vetting in the Idaho murders was done by the FBI. He said agents and analysts who were screening tips had a good grasp of what information could be spiked and what should be handed up to key investigators. Some tips arrived by regular mail.

“Aliens to bears to crazy conspiratorial ideas — don't even pass that along,” Gilbertson said.

Nancy Guthrie was last seen Jan. 31 and was reported missing the following day. Hours before her family knew she was gone, a porch camera recorded video of a person with a backpack who was wearing a ski mask, long pants, jacket and gloves — images that were released by the FBI along with a public plea for help.

The FBI on Thursday said the person, now a suspect, is a man about 5 feet, 9 inches tall with a medium build. The agency also named the brand and model of the backpack.

Neighborhood resident Laura Gargano said she's tried to be helpful. She recommended that authorities look at an underground tank at Guthrie’s home, which was checked last weekend. She also told them that a rental house, not typical for the neighborhood, had recently been vacated.

“I noticed the cars were gone,” she told The Associated Press. “It could have been nothing, it could have been coincidental, but it was a change.”

The sheriff's department has not said whether any tips from the videos have advanced the investigation.

“I'm hopeful,” said Villaseñor, the former Tucson chief. “I have seen cases where simpler and less detailed information has helped bring somebody about. Maybe someone recognizes clothing, maybe the bag. You never know what someone will key on.”

Anyone with information: (800) 225-5324; (520) 351-4900;&nbsp;<a href="https://t.co/8PjMoU17mh">http://tips.fbi.gov</a>

Sorting through tips in cases like the Nancy Guthrie mystery

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/alex-veiga">ALEX VEIGA</a> Associated Press

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell sharply in January as higher home prices and possibly harsh winter weather kept many prospective homebuyers on the sidelines despite easing mortgage rates.

Existing home sales sank 8.4% last month from December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.91 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. That’s the biggest monthly decline in nearly four years and the slowest annualized sales pace in more than two years.

Sales fell 4.4% compared with January last year. The latest sales figure fell short of the 4.105 million pace economists were expecting, according to FactSet.

“The decrease in sales is disappointing,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. “The below-normal temperatures and above-normal precipitation this January make it harder than usual to assess the underlying driver of the decrease and determine if this month’s numbers are an aberration.”

Home sales slowed sharply across the Northeast, Midwest, South and West. But sales had their biggest annual and monthly drop in the West, which wasn’t as affected by last month’s winter storm as the other regions of the country. Plus, there’s usually a month or two lag between a contract signing and when the sale is finalized, so many of January’s sales reflect contracts signed late last year.

Despite the sharp drop in sales, home prices continued to climb last month. The national median sales price increased 0.9% in January from a year earlier to $396,800. Home prices have risen on an annual basis for 31 months in a row.

The U.S. housing market has been in a sales slump dating back to 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. The combination of higher mortgage rates, years of skyrocketing home prices and a chronic shortage of homes nationally following more than a decade of below-average home construction have left many aspiring homeowners priced out of the market.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-home-sales-real-estate-home-prices-d14d4f80bb90d6031292d1f0c377d708">Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes remained stuck last year at 30-year lows.</a>

Sales have been hovering close to a 4-million annual pace now going back to 2023. That’s well short of the 5.2-million annual pace that’s historically been the norm.

Still, mortgage rates have been trending lower for months, which helped give home sales a boost in December and brightened the outlook for the upcoming spring home-buying season — at least for home shoppers who can afford to buy at current rates.

Many of the homes purchased last month likely went under contract in November and December, when mortgage rates eased to their lowest levels of the year.

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage briefly dropped last month to 6.06%, the lowest level since September 2022, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. It has since inched higher, remaining this week at just&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-8078c72e225e45b9298e0bf3e0d2236f">above 6%</a>, but close to a percentage point lower than a year ago.

Even so, affordability remains a challenge for many aspiring homeowners, especially first-time buyers who don’t have equity from an existing home to put toward a new home purchase. They accounted for 31% of homes sales last month. Historically, they made up 40% of home sales.

“Today we have minimal foreclosures, housing wealth continues to build out, it’s just that renters who want to become homeowners are finding difficulty,” Yun said.

Uncertainty over the job market is also likely keeping many would-be buyers on the sidelines.

While the economy has been registering solid growth, the labor market has been sluggish for months.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-labor-economy-ai-layoffs-1304701fb238015de750a931c4175579">U.S. job openings fell in December</a>&nbsp;to the lowest level in more than five years. And while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-economy-unemployment-labor-c760d3f86988833bc9ccb3936d44d61b">hiring by U.S. employers was surprisingly strong in January,</a>&nbsp;government revisions reduced the number of jobs created last year to the weakest total since 2020, when the pandemic began.

The sales slowdown means more homes are staying on the market longer.

There were 1.22 million unsold homes at the end of January, down 0.8% from December and up 3.4% from January last year, NAR said. That’s still well short of the roughly 2 million homes for sale that was typical before the COVID-19 pandemic.

January’s month-end inventory translates to a 3.7-month supply at the current sales pace. Traditionally, a 5- to 6-month supply is considered a balanced market between buyers and sellers.

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