The Reno County Board of Commissioners will hold a special meeting Tuesday afternoon to discuss a possible countywide sales tax.

The meeting is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 20, in the Veterans Room of the Reno County Courthouse at 206 West First Avenue.

Commissioners are expected to talk about whether to pursue a new countywide sales tax and the timeline required to place the question on the ballot later this year.

To meet that deadline, Reno County would need to submit a notice to the Kansas Legislature by Monday, Jan. 26.

County commission to hold special meeting

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Kansas Board of Regents ordered state public universities to implement faculty workload and tenure review policies that will bring underperforming professors to remediation, with termination a potential consequence for failure to address deficiencies.

The mandate applied to thousands of faculty employed at Kansas State University, the University of Kansas, Pittsburg State University, Fort Hays State University, Emporia State University and Wichita State University. Expectations for nontenure, tenure-track and tenured faculty wouldn’t be identical from university to university, but all would be assigned annual course instructional loads and undergo yearly reviews in terms of teaching, research and public service.

Faculty at the state’s three research-oriented universities — KU, K-State and WSU — would be expected to teach six to nine credit hours per semester. Annual reviews of these faculty would be based on teaching at 40% to 55% of the workload. Research obligations would range from 35% to 45% of the total. Public service would be 5% to 20% of the job.

Faculty at the three regional universities — PSU, ESU and FHSU — would be assigned 12 credit hours of instructional course work each semester. The faculty evaluation breakdown: teaching, 60% to 75%; research, 15% to 30%; and public service, 5% to 20%.

Tenured university faculty in the Board of Regents system would undergo performance assessments by a campus committee every five years. Those determined to be less than satisfactory would be placed on self-improvement plans. If a faculty member earned a second unsatisfactory annual review, the policy said, the individual would be subject to dismissal, reassignment or other personnel action.

Rusty Monhollon, vice president of academic affairs for the Board of Regents, said the post-tenure and workload policies would help administrators identify faculty falling short of standards and those exceeding those metrics. The goal was to make evaluation of faculty less subjective and to address consternation about the rigor of decisions about faculty appointments, he said.

He expected few university faculty to fail to abide by new productivity standards because the “work they do is good.”

“These are very important policies that are impactful. We want to make sure we get it right,” said Alysia Johnston, a member of the Board of Regents.

Johnston, a former president of Fort Scott Community College, said the final version of policies approved by the Board of Regents left the analysis of tenure review cases to university administrators because the state board didn’t have the expertise to make scholarly judgments. She said the Board of Regents would consider tenure appeals based on claims that due process rights were violated by university administrators.

The Board of Regents voted unanimously at its January meeting to require the six universities to begin documenting and reporting faculty performance data that would be shared with legislators and others to enhance transparency and accountability in higher education.

University reporting would include statistics on student credit hours produced, percentage of credit hours by full-time faculty, bachelor’s degrees awarded, student retention, faculty scholarship and faculty research funding. Information about the number of people granted and denied tenure and the number of faculty who left each university must be documented.

Board of Regents member Matt Crocker, a Manhattan businessman, said he appreciated that the development of a systemwide faculty review policy involved considerable effort by the Board of Regents. He said there was an expectation among members of the Kansas Legislature that faculty workload policies would be rigorous. In the past two years, members of the Legislature raised the possibility of modifying tenure at the state universities.

“The question I seem to get all the time, especially here in Topeka, is making sure I’m a good steward for the state’s funding for higher education,” he said.

Under the Board of Regents policy, each university would craft faculty workload expectations that were “equitable, fair and balanced, and aligned with the unique needs of each department and the whole institution.” While all faculty would be assigned teaching loads, the policy said, exceptions would be permitted for clinical or research faculty, librarians and other personnel in noninstructional roles.

The new systemwide policy was developed by Board of Regents’ staff, university administrators and faculty as well as state politicians. At least four drafts were circulated for review and comment during the past seven months.

Kansas adopts faculty workload, post-tenure review system for public universities

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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — As Hutchinson officials prepare to consider a proposed STAR bond district and look ahead to a March sales tax vote, city leaders say both measures are designed to fund long-delayed infrastructure and facility improvements while shifting more of the financial burden to visitors and future growth rather than homeowners alone.

City Manager Enrico Villegas, Mayor Scott Meggers and Vice Mayor Greg Fast outlined the plans during an appearance on the BW Morning Show ahead of Tuesday night’s Hutchinson City Council meeting, where the STAR bond item is on the agenda.

Villegas said a STAR bond district allows future sales tax growth within a defined area to help pay for eligible projects. Under the program, a baseline level of sales tax revenue is established. Any increase generated after development occurs can be used to retire bonds issued by the state, typically covering up to 50 percent of project costs.

“If the district produces higher sales after the project is built, that increase in sales tax is what pays off the STAR bond,” Villegas said. “The remainder must come from private investment.”

Villegas said the proposed Hutchinson STAR bond district would support improvements tied to the Cosmosphere, the Landmark Hotel in downtown Hutchinson and Memorial Hall. Planned Memorial Hall work includes installing an HVAC system, making Americans with Disabilities Act improvements and addressing other building needs.

The district would extend through downtown and south along 17th Avenue near the hotel and Cosmosphere area.

City officials also addressed a proposed citywide sales tax vote scheduled for March 3. Villegas said revenue from the tax would be directed toward streets, stormwater infrastructure, parks and city facilities.

“Historically, streets have been the area that gets cut when budgets are tight,” Villegas said. “We know we underfund them, and this would help address that along with stormwater and facilities.”

Fast said the sales tax would broaden the base of who helps pay for city services, including visitors who attend events, attractions and the Kansas State Fair.

“Our town is full of tourists who use our roads and services,” Fast said. “This allows more people to contribute to the services the city provides.”

Fast said if the sales tax is approved, the city plans to eliminate the stormwater utility fee, which currently costs residents about $80 per year. He also said the city hopes to reduce property taxes, though he cautioned that cannot be guaranteed.

Meggers said the city has already taken steps to give back to residents and encourage growth, including reducing some building permit fees and eliminating residential water tap fees.

Villegas added that the city recently launched a utility billing assistance program for residents in need and a facade improvement program for commercial properties south of 17th Avenue. The city has also introduced a more comprehensive pre-planning process that allows developers to meet with multiple departments before starting projects.

The STAR bond effort dates back about two years, according to city officials, and gained momentum with the development of the Hilton Garden Inn, which helped make the financing feasible.

City leaders encouraged residents to attend Tuesday night’s council meeting or watch online via the city’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@hutchinsonksgov/streams">YouTube</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hutchinsonks/">Facebook</a> pages to learn more and provide input on the proposals. The meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at the Hutchinson City Hall.

City leaders say STAR bonds, sales tax would support reinvestment

A new orchestral organization is forming in Hutchinson, aiming to revive and expand opportunities for local musicians while strengthening the community’s connection to live orchestral music.

Crystal Blackwelder, Dan Spears, and Bob Rate—former members of the Hutchinson Symphony—are among the musicians leading the creation of the Salt City Orchestra, a newly established 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The group emerged after the Hutchinson Symphony disbanded a few years ago, leaving a gap in orchestral music opportunities in the area.

“We were disappointed to see the symphony go away,” Spears said. “A number of us are musicians who love orchestral music, and we felt Hutchinson deserved to have an orchestra again.”

The process of launching the Salt City Orchestra has been underway for roughly eight to nine months, involving board formation, nonprofit organization, and outreach to musicians and former patrons. The group currently has about 25 to 30 musicians on its roster, along with eight board members, and access to a mailing list of approximately 1,500 former supporters of the previous symphony.

All three founders have deep roots in local music education and performance. Spears teaches band and choir at Little River schools, while Blackwelder is a former band teacher who now gives private flute lessons. Rate previously played trumpet with the former symphony. Organizers say that commitment to education and community access will be central to the new orchestra’s mission.

“A large portion of our board members are former music educators,” Blackwelder said. “We want this to be a family-friendly orchestra and encourage young people to see what’s possible after high school.”

The Salt City Orchestra is already partnering with other local arts organizations. String players from the orchestra will perform with the choir at Hutchinson Community College for a concert in March. In addition, the group will host a public meet-and-greet on Jan. 27 as part of Classical Revolution ICT at Sandhills Brewing, featuring performances by a brass quintet and a string quartet made up of orchestra members.

Looking ahead to summer, the orchestra plans to continue a popular tradition with a free outdoor concert at Dillon Nature Center on June 19. A weather contingency date has been set for July 10. Audience members will be encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs to enjoy the performance.

Organizers say the orchestra is actively seeking additional musicians, particularly string players, and are prioritizing local talent. “There is a lot of ability right here in Hutchinson,” Spears said. “We want this orchestra to reflect the community and give local musicians the opportunities they deserve.”

Long-term goals include building a sustainable organization, broadening community engagement, and exploring innovative programming. Ideas under discussion include performing contemporary orchestral scores, movie-with-live-orchestra events at the Fox Theatre, and potential collaborations with regional productions such as The Nutcracker.

While the orchestra’s website is still under development, interested musicians and supporters can follow the Salt City Orchestra on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SaltCityOrchestra">Facebook</a> or contact the group by email at <a>saltcityorchestra@gmail.com</a>.

“Our main goal is sustainability,” organizers said. “Hutchinson is large enough, talented enough, and supportive enough to have its own orchestra—and we’re excited to build it together.”

Local musicians launch Salt City Orchestra

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. ——————————————&nbsp;&nbsp;

Daniel	Phillip	Moody		1/19/2026 2:06&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear

Lisa	Michelle	Williamson		1/19/2026 2:24&nbsp;PM	Theft; Property or Services; $1,500 to $24,999,					Criminal Damage to Property; Without consent; &lt; $1,000

Christopher	Terry	1/20/2026 2:40&nbsp;AM	Wilson		Violation of Offender Registration Act; AGGRAVATED; Non Person,					Violation of Offender Registration Act; 1st Conv; Person,					Failure to Appear,					Domestic Battery; Knowing or Reckless Bodily Harm (1st conviction),					Criminal Deprivation of Property; Other than Motor Vehicle or Firearm,					Interference with Law Enforcement; Obstruct, Resist, Oppose; Felony Case, Execution of a Felony Warrant

Daily Bookings

Kansas Master Naturalists continue to play a vital role in conservation, education, and environmental stewardship across the state, while a new South Central Kansas training class is set to begin in early 2026.

A Kansas Master Naturalist (KMN) is a trained volunteer who provides expertise and hands-on service for natural resource projects that benefit local communities. Volunteers complete specialized training in Kansas natural resource concepts and, in return, commit their time and skills to a wide range of conservation and educational efforts.

Since the program’s launch in 2011, Kansas Master Naturalists have contributed more than 1,800 volunteer hours and reached over 25,500 people through community service and outreach. The program is designed to multiply the impact of natural resource work by equipping volunteers with the knowledge needed to support local, state, and national initiatives.

Master Naturalist projects span a broad range of activities, including youth and adult education programs, bee removal, riverbank restoration, park restoration at the national, state, and city levels, native plant establishment, and the installation and maintenance of nature trails.

Training for Kansas Master Naturalists is offered in the spring of even-numbered years. The upcoming 2026 South Central Kansas Master Naturalist training class will be held Tuesday afternoons from February 17 through April 21, 2026. The course also includes an all-day field trip scheduled for Saturday, April 11.

Organizers say the program not only strengthens conservation efforts but also builds a network of informed volunteers dedicated to protecting and enhancing Kansas’ natural resources for future generations.

K-State Research and Extension to hold Master Naturalist Training Class

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

Three-day Outlook

DENNIS DUTTON Executive Director for the Arts, Sterling College

Sterling College Theatre will celebrate three of its most familiar and celebrated performers with Senior Spotlight: An Evening of Musical Theatre, Saturday, January 24, at 7:30 p.m. in Culbertson Auditorium on the Sterling College campus. The concert is free and open to the public and will run approximately two hours, including one intermission.

The evening features graduating seniors Mary Little of Hutchinson, Noah Svaty of Sterling, and Morgan Pellegrino of Las Vegas, Nevada, whose performances have helped define recent Sterling College musical theatre seasons. Together, the three have appeared in many of the program’s major productions and are well known to local audiences. The trio will be joined by 18 of their friends in the production which will include songs and scenes from several familiar and new musicals.

Svaty has performed in all eight musicals produced at Sterling College during his tenure, including leading roles as Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls, Gomez Addams in The Addams Family, and Phil Davis in White Christmas. Little has portrayed several principal roles, including Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Little Red Riding Hood in Into the Woods, and Pennywise in Urinetown. Pellegrino joined the musical theatre program during her junior year and quickly made her mark with leading performances as the Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, Hope Cladwell in Urinetown, and Kim MacAfee in Bye Bye Birdie.

Accompanied by Marisa Callan, Sterling College Director of Musical Theatre, the seniors will present a program that highlights their artistic range and growth. The production also features a supporting cast of 19 performers, including Sterling College students and community members.

Senior Spotlight offers audiences a final opportunity to experience three standout performers whose work has been central to the success of Sterling College Theatre.

Sterling College Theatre to celebrate three leading performers in “Senior Spotlight”

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A section of Hendricks Street will be closed to through traffic beginning Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, due to utility repair work.

The closure affects Hendricks Street between 56th Avenue and 69th Avenue. City officials say the road will remain closed until further notice while crews complete the necessary repairs.

A signed detour will be in place to direct drivers around the work zone. Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, and use alternate routes when traveling in the area.

No timeline has been announced for when the street will reopen. 

Hendricks closed between 56 and 69 Avenues

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a high speed chase in a stolen vehicle.

According to the Saline County Sheriff's Office on Friday at around

Just after 3 p.m. January 16, a sheriff's deputy was in the area of the 10,000 block of South 81 observed a 2027 KIA sedan traveling 68mph in a 55 mph zone, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.&nbsp; .

The driver fled northbound and pursuit ensued. The vehicle turned east on Water Well Road, with top speeds at approximately 120 mph, according to Soldan.

As the vehicle, which deputies confirmed was stolen from a Salina neighborhood January 12, continued east on Water Well and as it approached the intersection of Holmes Road, the car went airborne, leaving the roadway on the north side of the travel lanes and crashed into an area of trees behind a home in the area of Water Well Road.

Two occupants in the vehicle ran from the crash.

Law enforcement then received a call from a residence on S. Holmes Road about hearing the noise of the crash and spotting a woman run across their yard. Several deputies, along with officers from the Salina Police Department and Kansas Highway Patrol arrived to the scene.

As they searched the area, they observed a man identified as 30-year-old Phoenix Leonard of Salina, on top of the roof of a home in the area of S. Holmes. Leonard voiced to officers that he was armed and refused to come down from the roof.

Officers set a perimeter around the home, as they were also actively searching for the other suspect.

Shortly after, a deputy noticed movement in a dog house in the area of the home. Deputies then discovered 23-year-old Katherine Lynn of Salina, as the other occupant of the vehicle who fled, and took her into custody.

With Leonard still on the roof, officers shot pepperballs in an attempt to get him off. Leonard was about to get off the roof and surrender, but noticed officers stopped shooting pepperballs and decided to stay on the roof.

Leonard then walked across the roof and fell through a skylight on an attached garage.&nbsp;

The homeowners gave officers the garage door opener, and officers opened the garage. Highway Patrol then released a K9 towards Leonard and the K9 bit him, as officers took him into custody. The pursuit, search and standoff for the suspects lasted until about 6:30 pm according to Soldan.

Leonard was transported to Salina Regional Health Center for injuries he sustained and was later&nbsp;booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of Felony Flee and Elude, Interference w Law Enforcement, Aggravated Burglary, Burglary, Possession of Stolen Property, Criminal Trespassing, Driving While Suspended, several Traffic Infractions and Kidnapping.

Lynn was booked on requested charges of Interference with Law Enforcement, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Trespassing.&nbsp;

Leonard was placed on a Kidnapping requested charge, because Lynn stated she wanted out of the vehicle during the chase but Leonard refused, according to Soldan.&nbsp; Leonard and Lynn are well acquainted according to Soldan.

Suspect who ran from Kan. stolen car chase was hiding in dog house

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance">Vice President JD Vance</a>&nbsp;and his wife,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usha-vance-attorney-jd-vance-wife-vp-63406da4f6739546391ed7797fc1fef2">second lady Usha Vance</a>, are expecting a son in late July, they announced in a social media post Tuesday.

The couple said they were excited to share the news of their fourth child, who will join their other three young kids: Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel.

Vance, 41, and his wife, 40, said in the post that both mother and baby were doing well.

“During this exciting and hectic time, we are particularly grateful for the military doctors who take excellent care of our family and for the staff members who do so much to ensure that we can serve the country while enjoying a wonderful life with our children,” the post read.

The news of the Republican vice president’s growing family comes as he has spent years passionately advocating for Americans to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-childless-cat-ladies-birth-rates-555c0f78ef8dd4c13c88b9e8d5f0024a">have more children</a>.

Vance repeatedly expressed alarm about declining birth rates as he launched his political career in 2021 with a bid for the U.S. Senate in Ohio. As vice president, he has continued on that mission, saying in a 2025 March for Life speech, “I want more babies in the United States of America.”

The vice president has been accompanied on overseas travels by Usha Vance and their children, the kids usually in pajamas as they board Air Force Two for overnight trips.

Throughout history, it’s been exceptionally rare for the occupants of the highest leadership roles in the U.S. to have children while in office. One well-documented exception was President Grover Cleveland, whose wife, Frances Cleveland, gave birth to their second child in 1893 during his second term in office.

The White House reposted Tuesday’s announcement, saying President Donald Trump’s administration is “the most pro-family administration in history.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, 28, announced in December that she is expecting a baby girl in May.

Vice President JD Vance and his wife make a special announcement

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A judge ordered that actor Timothy Busfield be released from jail pending trial on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/timothy-busfield-child-sex-abuse-charge-83c82a8c5dbfabd4880f3c8af02fb523">child sex abuse charges</a>, at a detention hearing Tuesday.

The order from state district court Judge David Murphy is linked to accusations that Busfield inappropriately touched a minor while working as a director on the set of the series “The Cleaning Lady.”

Busfield will be supervised upon release by a pretrial services office in Albuquerque, and can leave the state to return home, the judge said.

Busfield, an Emmy Award-winning actor who is known for appearances in “The West Wing,” “Field of Dreams” and “Thirtysomething,” was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/timothy-busfield-child-sex-abuse-charge-3a467ec0e0a8be87d1142724fbbb8e1d">ordered to be held without bond</a>&nbsp;last week at his first court appearance. Busfield called the allegations lies in a video shared before he turned himself in.

The judge acknowledged evidence that Busfield is accused of crimes that are inherently dangerous and involve children, but said prosecutors didn't prove that there are no conditions of release that would protect the public's safety.

“There’s no evidence of a pattern of criminal conduct, there are no similar allegations involving children in his past," Murphy said. "Rather this defendant self-surrendered and submitted himself to this court’s jurisdiction, demonstrating compliance with the court order for his arrest.”

At the hearing, Busfield was handcuffed and dressed in an orange jail uniform in a New Mexico state district court, while wife and actor Melissa Gilbert watched from the court gallery.

Gilbert was tearful while exiting the courtroom after the judge ordered Busfield’s release.

Gilbert, who played&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-celebrity-9ba7c27a8ae04a3993864eea8508f2f3">Laura Ingalls in the 1970s to ’80s</a>&nbsp;TV series “Little House on the Prairie,” was on the list of potential witness submitted ahead of the hearing.

Albuquerque police issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/timothy-busfield-child-sex-abuse-charge-82d413e86b62a151564e75b0ba535551">warrant</a>&nbsp;for Busfield's arrest earlier this month on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. A criminal complaint alleges the acts occurred on the set of the series “The Cleaning Lady.”

According to the criminal complaint, an investigator with the police department says the child reported Busfield touched him on private areas over his clothing on one occasion when he was 7 years old and another time when he was 8. The boy’s twin brother told authorities he was also touched by Busfield, but did not specify where. He said he didn’t say anything because he didn’t want to get in trouble.

On Monday, Busfield’s attorneys submitted two brief audio recordings of initial police interviews in which the children say Busfield did not touch them in private areas. The attorneys in a court filing argue that the complaint characterizes the interviews as a failure to disclose abuse, but an “unequivocal denial is materially different from a mere absence of disclosure.”

According to the criminal complaint, one of the boys disclosed during a therapy session that he was inappropriately touched by the show's director. Those records were obtained by police during the investigation.

Arguing Tuesday for Busfield's continued detention, Assistant District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch called evidence of abuse against Busfield strong and specific.

“The boys' allegation are supported by medical findings and by their therapist," Brandenburg-Koch said. "Their accounts were specific and not exaggerated.”

She also described a documented pattern of sexual misconduct, abuse of authority and grooming behavior by Busfield over the past three decades. Prosecutors also say witnesses have expressed fear regarding retaliation and professional harm.

“GPS is not going to tell this court if he is around children or talking to witnesses,” Brandenburg-Koch said.

Busfield’s attorneys have argued that the allegations emerged only after the boys lost their role in the TV show, creating a financial and retaliatory motive. The filings detailed what the attorneys said was a history of fraud by both the boys' father and mother. They cited an investigation by Warner Bros. into the allegations that found the allegations unfounded.

Busfield also submitted letters vouching for his character, and his attorneys say he passed an independent polygraph test.

Legal experts say New Mexico is among a few states that allow polygraph evidence in criminal cases, but a judge has final say over whether one can be used. There are strict requirements for admission.

Morgan reported from Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Judge issues ruling in 'West Wing' actor child sex abuse case

ROME (AP) — Three U.S. Catholic cardinals urged the Trump administration on Monday to use a moral compass in pursuing its foreign policy, saying U.S. military action in Venezuela, threats of acquiring Greenland and cuts in foreign aid risk bringing vast suffering instead of promoting peace.

In a joint statement, Cardinals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-catholic-durbin-chicago-archdiocese-immigration-af966da9a8483f116d65f494799eba5f">Blase Cupich of Chicago</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-cardinal-robert-mcelroy-immigration-donald-trump-58c728cef89a25d606406014693af85e">Robert McElroy of Washington</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-leo-american-cardinals-rome-catholic-church-b77226eba39651c6382f3d3a7d5e3318">Joseph Tobin of Newark, N.J.</a>, warned that without a moral vision, the current debate over Washington’s foreign policy was mired in “polarization, partisanship, and narrow economic and social interests.”

“Most of the United States and the world are adrift morally in terms of foreign policy,” McElroy told The Associated Press. “I still believe the United States has a tremendous impact upon the world.”

The statement was unusual and marked the second time in as many months that members of the U.S. Catholic hierarchy have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-bishops-migration-6c2acd2c54d27819804e06a70a95e595">asserted their voice</a>&nbsp;against a Trump administration many believe isn’t upholding the basic tenets of human dignity. In November, the entire U.S. conference of Catholic bishops condemned the administration’s mass deportation of migrants and “vilification” of them in the public discourse.

The three cardinals, who are prominent figures in the more progressive wing of the U.S. church, took as a starting point a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-foreign-policy-un-russia-abortion-ee708df6669536c4d2a9858bbafb7d98">major foreign policy address</a>&nbsp;that Pope Leo XIV delivered Jan. 9 to ambassadors accredited to the Holy See.

The speech, delivered almost entirely in English, amounted to Leo’s most substantial critique of U.S. foreign policy. History’s first U.S.-born pope denounced how nations were using force to assert their dominion worldwide, “completely undermining” peace and the post-World War II international legal order.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-leo-xiv">Leo</a>&nbsp;didn’t name individual countries, but his speech came against the backdrop of the then-recent U.S. military operation in Venezuela to remove&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nicolas-maduro">Nicolás Maduro</a>&nbsp;from power, U.S. threats&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/greenland">to take Greenland</a>&nbsp;as well as Russia’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">ongoing war in Ukraine</a>.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops was consulted on the statement, and its president,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-catholic-bishops-new-leader-trump-immigration-d34d176942aa0a0faf7e9842e0973c87">Archbishop Paul Coakley</a>, “supports the emphasis placed by the cardinals on Pope Leo’s teaching in these times,” said spokesperson Chieko Noguchi.

The White House didn’t immediately respond to the AP’s request for comment on Monday.

The three cardinals cited Venezuela, Greenland and Ukraine in their statement — saying they “raised basic questions about the use of military force and the meaning of peace” — as well as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-agency-for-international-development">cuts to foreign aid</a>&nbsp;that U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration initiated last year.

“Our country’s moral role in confronting evil around the world, sustaining the right to life and human dignity, and supporting religious liberty are all under examination,” they warned.

“We renounce war as an instrument for narrow national interests and proclaim that military action must be seen only as a last resort in extreme situations, not a normal instrument of national policy,” they wrote. “We seek a foreign policy that respects and advances the right to human life, religious liberty, and the enhancement of human dignity throughout the world, especially through economic assistance.”

Tobin described the moral compass the cardinals wish the U.S. would use globally.

“It can’t be that my prosperity is predicated on inhuman treatment of others,” he told the AP. “The real argument isn’t just my right or individual rights, but what is the common good.”

Cardinals expand on their statement in interviews with AP

In interviews, Cupich and McElroy said the signatories were inspired to issue a statement after hearing from several fellow cardinals during a Jan. 7-8 meeting at the Vatican. These other cardinals expressed alarm about the U.S. action in Venezuela, its cuts in foreign aid and its threats to acquire Greenland, Cupich said.

A day later, Leo’s nearly 45-minute-long speech to the diplomatic corps gave the Americans the language they needed, allowing them to “piggyback on” the pope’s words, Cupich said.

Cupich acknowledged that Maduro’s prosecution could be seen positively, but not the way it was done via a U.S. military incursion into a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-law-un-2e400f5753570b70487fd3d3fa50261e">sovereign country.</a>

“When we go ahead and do it in such a way that is portrayed as saying, ‘Because we can do it, we’re going to do it, that might makes right’ — that’s a troublesome development,” he said. “There’s the rule of law that should be followed.”

Trump has insisted that capturing Maduro was legal. On Greenland, Trump has argued repeatedly that the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greenland-us-options-takeover-trump-denmark-86790903847fc8ffc27334ccb64985a9">needs control</a>&nbsp;of the resource-rich island, a semiautonomous region of NATO ally Denmark. for its national security.

The Trump administration last year significantly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usaid-christian-nonprofits-funding-freeze-bbb000ea0e232765db1280c093301a8a">gutted the U.S. Agency for International Development,</a>&nbsp;saying its projects advance a liberal agenda and were a waste of money.

Tobin, who ministered in more than 70 countries as a Redemptorist priest and the order’s superior general, lamented the retreat in USAID assistance, saying U.S. philanthropy makes a big difference in everything from hunger to health.

The three cardinals said their key aim wasn’t to criticize the administration, but rather to encourage the U.S. to regain is moral standing in the world by pursuing a foreign policy that is ethically guided and seeks the common good.

“We’re not endorsing a political party or a political movement,” Tobin said. The faithful in the pews and all people of good will have a role to play, he said.

“They can make an argument of basic human decency,” he said.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir" target="_blank">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

US Catholic cardinals urge Trump admin. to embrace a moral compass in foreign policy

SALINE&nbsp; COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a 16-year-old after a high-speed chase in Saline County.

On Saturday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to St. Francis Ministries, 223 W. Euclid in Salina for a&nbsp; report of a stolen 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe, according to Salina Police Lt. Andrew Ziegler.

 The vehicle was owned by an employee of the Agency and not owned by St. Francis.&nbsp; As officers responded to the call they observed the Hyundai in the 700 Block of North Broadway and attempted to stop the vehicle.&nbsp; 

The vehicle then fled and a pursuit ensued.&nbsp; The vehicle was estimated to be driving at 80mph on N. Broadway&nbsp; in Salina as it attempted to evade officers.&nbsp; The vehicle proceeded south on Broadway and then west on State street to Interstate 135 and then south.&nbsp; The driver briefly lost control on Interstate 135 near the Magnolia junction but then continued south bound at speeds of approximately 100mph.&nbsp;

 When the driver lost control of the vehicle, one of the tires was damaged and lost air.&nbsp; The vehicle slowed down and came to a stop in the area of Interstate 135 and Schilling.&nbsp; 

A high risk stop was then conducted and the driver, a 16-year-old boy was taken into custody on requested charges of Theft of the vehicle, Obstruction, Flee and attempt to Elude, Fail to Yield, Reckless driving and numerous traffic infractions.  

Police transported to to jail where he was processed by Juvenile Intake and released into the custody of St. Francis.

16-year-old in stolen SUV led Kansas officers on high speed chase 

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Satanic Grotto delivered a complaint to the Kansas Department of Administration Capitol events coordinator for allowing Abortion is Murder — a Christian group known for protesting with graphic signs — to protest inside the Statehouse, and plans to counterprotest.

Satanic Grotto president Michael Stewart said the grotto plans to be at the Statehouse on Jan. 27, the day of&nbsp;<a href="https://aimks.org/rally/?fbclid=IwY2xjawPToVxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR5S0_6vMmkI4xggb68XylLYF_18w0kfreT9atALAa4P5Qd-W1bf7kEuv-SYBQ_aem_-XBHAIdm3ymtiOJXP2-8Og" target="_blank">the AIM protest</a>, with or without permit approval. Stewart said the approval of AIM’s permit is unfair because the state, which restricted a planned grotto protest over the summer, is applying different standards about obscenity and violence to the two groups.

The grotto identifies its complaint as a “formal notice of liability” for discrimination.

Stewart invited people to join the grotto in counterprotesting AIM, offering free kazoos as an incentive. Stewart said he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/853248430955373/?post_id=854983640781852&amp;view=permalink" target="_blank">submitted&nbsp;</a>a permit for the protest Jan.15, and it has yet to be approved or denied. Stewart said the Department of Administration uses silence as a “disruption tactic.”

Samir Arif, the chief of staff and director of public affairs for the Department of Administration, said the agency wouldn’t comment on ongoing legal issues.

As of Jan. 20, about 50 people were “interested” in or going to the grotto’s counterprotest, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/1BrGRjt3AC/?mibextid=wwXIfr" target="_blank">Facebook event listing</a>.

Stewart said the Grotto’s permit application is for the south steps outside of the Statehouse. AIM’s permit is for the second floor rotunda inside.

“Our actions at the Capitol will be in direct response to the government’s decisions,” Stewart said. “If the government fulfills their duties, then the grotto will be committed to having a peaceful celebration of bodily autonomy and educating anyone who shows up about their personal constitutional rights outside, right along AIM.

“If we are institutionally oppressed, or if they show a viewpoint discrimination favoring AIM, then we will absolutely escalate our actions to an interior counterprotest. The grotto doesn’t want the conflict. The grotto wants equal treatment in the same space.”

Stewart said grotto artists have made a “poignant gore piece” to bring to the counterprotest. The 9-foot-tall sculpture has been named “zombie Jesus” by members.

He said the rules for permits are unfairly applied. Before the grotto’s own protest in March — a “<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/28/loud-boisterous-rival-protests-of-religious-freedom-among-catholics-and-satanists-turn-violent/">black mass</a>” that drew thousands of Christian counterprotesters and ended with a handful of arrests — legislators&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/18/kansas-legislators-archbishop-take-action-against-satanists-and-their-planned-black-mass/">denounced</a>&nbsp;their plans with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hr6016/" target="_blank">House Resolution 6016</a>, which called the plan “blasphemous.” Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/12/kansas-satanists-plan-to-defy-governor-with-therapeutic-blasphemy-in-black-mass-at-statehouse/">banned</a>&nbsp;the satanists from entering the Statehouse, but they ignored her ban.

The black mass turned violent as Christian counterprotesters clashed with Satanic Grotto members. Stewart and a counterprotester were arrested.

After the black mass, Adam Proffitt, the secretary of administration,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/07/07/kansas-officials-dash-satanists-plans-for-witching-hour-protest-at-statehouse/">denied</a>&nbsp;the grotto’s application for another protest over the summer. Proffitt said the grotto could have a permit if someone other than Stewart filed for it, and as long as the protest didn’t go past sundown. The group&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/1252570246006347/" target="_blank">obliged</a>.

Kansas Satanic Grotto files complaint about abortion rally permit approval, plans counterprotest

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Federal prosecutors served six grand jury subpoenas Tuesday to Minnesota officials as part of an investigation into whether they obstructed or impeded federal law enforcement during a sweeping immigration operation in Minneapolis-St. Paul area, a person familiar with the matter said.

The subpoenas, which seek records, were sent to the offices of Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and officials in Ramsey and Hennepin counties, the person said.

The person was not authorized to publicly discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The subpoenas are related to an investigation into whether Minnesota officials obstructed federal immigration enforcement through public statements they made,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-crackdown-25e46910fcc62fbf5ab341905af9891c">two people familiar with the matter said on Friday</a>. They said then it was focused on the potential violation of a conspiracy statute.

Walz and Frey, both Democrats, have called the probe a bullying tactic meant to quell political opposition. Frey's office was ordered to produce a long list of records to a grand jury on Feb. 3, including “cooperation or lack of cooperation with federal law enforcement" and “any records tending to show a refusal to come to the aid of immigration officials.”

“We shouldn’t have to live in a country where people fear that federal law enforcement will be used to play politics or crack down on local voices they disagree with,” Frey said.

The subpoenas came as the Trump administration urged a judge to reject&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-renee-good-immigration-sweeps-6ae64be5a0d6a718b658a938fb56e567">efforts by Minnesota and its largest cities</a>&nbsp;to stop the immigration enforcement surge that has roiled Minneapolis and St. Paul for weeks.

The Justice Department called the lawsuit, filed soon after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-victim-renee-good-d95e86716eec328a288866108acf78eb">the fatal shooting of Renee Good</a>&nbsp;by an immigration officer, “legally frivolous.” Lawyers argued that the Department of Homeland Security is acting within its legal powers to enforce immigration laws.

Operation Metro Surge has made the state safer with the arrests of more than 3,000 people who were in the country illegally, the government said Monday in a court filing.

“Put simply, Minnesota wants a veto over federal law enforcement,” Justice Department attorneys wrote.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said the government is violating free speech and other constitutional rights with its unprecedented sweeps. He described the armed officers as poorly trained and said the “invasion” must cease.

The lawsuit filed Jan. 12 seeks an order to halt or limit the enforcement action. More filings are expected, and it's not known when U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez will make a decision.

Ilan Wurman, who teaches constitutional law at University of Minnesota Law School, doubts the state's arguments will be successful.

“There's no question that federal law is supreme over state law, that immigration enforcement is within the power of the federal government, and the president, within statutory bounds, can allocate more federal enforcement resources to states who’ve been less cooperative in that enforcement space than other states have been,” Wurman told The Associated Press.

Julia Decker, policy director at the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, expressed frustration that advocates have no way of knowing whether the government’s arrest numbers and descriptions of the people in custody are accurate.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-us-citizen-detained-hmong-d009590a491c0c8243ef21ef24db7182">U.S. citizens</a>&nbsp;have been dragged from their homes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-protest-arrests-detention-ice-8993bfd5d54b870521ec5b44fc42cd71">and vehicles</a>&nbsp;during the Minnesota surge.

“These are real people we’re talking about, that we potentially have no idea what is happening to them,” Decker said.

Police say ICE is targeting off-duty officers

In a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-immigration-operation-lawsuit-8805b301ff4a7bfb0058e085ffa8c034">separate lawsuit</a>, Menendez said Friday that federal officers can’t detain or tear gas peaceful protesters who aren’t obstructing authorities.

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