STERLING, Kan. — Amy Brownlee, longtime librarian for Sterling Public Schools, is preparing for an educational journey across the Atlantic after being selected for a prestigious teachers' study trip to Germany.

Brownlee, who has served as Sterling’s librarian for 25 years, was recently chosen to participate in the Transatlantic Outreach Program, sponsored by the German organization Atlantik-Brücke. The 10-day trip will take her to Berlin, Munich and Dresden, where she and other educators will study modern German education, politics, economy, and culture.

“This will be an exciting opportunity for me,” Brownlee said. “My knowledge of Germany is very historical. I’m excited to learn about modern Germany and build connections that I can share with students and fellow teachers.”

Unlike typical leisure travel, the program emphasizes professional development and cultural exchange. Participants will meet with German business professionals, visit schools, tour museums and experience cultural events.

Brownlee, who grew up in Medicine Lodge, Kan., and studied English education at Bethany College, said she views these experiences as a way to enrich her students' learning.

“When I bring back artifacts, photos and first-hand stories, it really ignites my students’ excitement for learning,” she said. “It’s so much more meaningful than just seeing a picture online.”

This isn’t the first time Brownlee has blended travel with education. Last summer, she attended a professional development workshop at Comic-Con International in San Diego, learning how to integrate comics into curriculum.

In addition to her Germany trip, Brownlee will attend the White House History Teacher Institute in Washington, D.C., in July. Sponsored by the White House Historical Association, the program offers K-12 educators behind-the-scenes access to historical resources and primary documents related to the White House and American history.

“I love learning from other teachers across the country and bringing those experiences back to Sterling,” Brownlee said. “These trips allow me to be the eyes and ears for my students.”

Brownlee discovered both opportunities through an education-focused Facebook group that promotes professional development programs for teachers. She encourages educators to seek out similar opportunities, noting that application periods usually fall between December and March.

Her trip to Germany will begin June 7. Following the program, Brownlee plans to spend an additional two weeks traveling through Europe with her husband.

When she returns, Brownlee hopes to share her experiences not only with students, but also with community groups and civic organizations in Sterling.

“I would love to share what I learned with any group that’s interested,” she said. “It’s an amazing opportunity, and I’m excited to bring it home.”

Sterling librarian to travel to Germany for teacher's study trip 

MCPHERSON, Kan. — A barn fire near McPherson claimed the lives of two horses early Monday morning, officials said.

The McPherson Fire Department was dispatched around 7:31 a.m. Monday to the intersection of 17th Avenue and Eisenhower Road for a reported structure fire. Crews responded with two engine companies and a tender, with additional tenders from the Galva and Moundridge fire departments.

Upon arrival, firefighters found a small barn fully involved in flames. The structure had partially collapsed, with the roof falling inward, officials said. Fire crews attacked the fire from the exterior using hose lines.

Two horses located near the fire were moved to safety by bystanders and the property owners, who were working to keep them cool before firefighters arrived. However, two other horses inside the barn were unable to escape and perished in the fire.

The cause and origin of the fire are under investigation, though no foul play is suspected,

McPherson County fire claims lives of two horses 

RENO COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 3p.m. Monday in Reno County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Ram 1500 driven by Connie Marie&nbsp;Boese, 68, Hillsboro, was westbound on U.S. 50 just east of the Arkansas River.

The pickup rear-ended the&nbsp; single axes flat-bed trailer pulled by a 2018 Toyota Rav4 and driven by George A. Sanders, 78, Stafford.&nbsp; The impact caused the trailer to detach and come to rest in the center median.

EMS transported Sanders to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. Boese was not transported.&nbsp; Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas man hospitalized in Hutch after rear-end crash

KANSAS STATE NEWS AND COMMUNICATIONS&nbsp; Rylee Coy - College of Veterinary Medicine&nbsp;

Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine invites elementary, middle school, high school and college students to explore the world of veterinary medicine at the 2025&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vet.k-state.edu/admissions/rocks/">Vet Med ROCKS</a>&nbsp;summer camps.

The series of day camps for youth will take place July 28-30 and are hosted by the Vet Med Recruitment and Outreach Club at Kansas State University, or Vet Med ROCKS, a student organization in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vet.k-state.edu/">College of Veterinary Medicine</a>.

Vet Med ROCKS is an immersive opportunity for students to experience veterinary medicine in a fun, hands-on and educational environment with current Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students and veterinary faculty and staff. The camps offer interactive activities, expert-led workshops and career insights for participants interested in becoming veterinarians.

"Vet Med ROCKS is an exciting opportunity for kids to dive into the world of veterinary medicine," said Maeve McDonald, second-year veterinary student and summer camp chair for Vet Med ROCKS. "This year, we're putting an emphasis on fun, hands-on labs and real-world learning experiences. I'm excited for participants to learn practical veterinary medicine skills and spark their curiosity to inspire the next generation of animal health professionals!"

Callie Rost, assistant dean for admissions in the College of Veterinary Medicine, said last year's in-person camps hosted 56 elementary students, 101 middle school students, and 99 high school and college students.

"We are looking forward to the eighth consecutive Vet Med ROCKS Camp," Rost said. "This unique program is designed to expose young, passionate students to the world of veterinary medicine and surgery. Through hands-on experiences at the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine, participants explore real-life procedures and gain valuable insight into the field, fueling their interest in animal healthcare and encouraging the next generation of veterinary professionals."

High school students entering grades nine through 12 will attend on July 28, middle school students entering sixth through eighth grades will attend on July 29, and elementary school students entering third through fifth grades will attend on July 30.

<a href="https://www.vet.k-state.edu/admissions/rocks/">Registration</a>&nbsp;is now open, and scholarships are available for each camp session. Visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vet.k-state.edu/admissions/rocks/">Vet Med ROCKS website</a>&nbsp;to learn more.

Vet Med ROCKS camps return to K-State this July 

INSIGHT KANSAS&nbsp; Brianne Heidbreder

In a legislative session marked by its brevity, Kansas lawmakers managed to pass an impressive 116 bills. This makes 2025 a productive year for the state’s legislature. But while this productivity could suggest functional governance, a closer look reveals a shift in the balance of power that raises questions about the state of checks and balances in Topeka.

Democratic Governor Laura Kelly, operating with a Republican Legislature, signed into law more than 90 bills, demonstrating that our two major parties can work together when they find common ground. The legislature and governor addressed important topics, ranging from the sustainability of Kansas’ water supply to the opioid epidemic to broadband infrastructure. Many of these bills had broad support, passing both chambers with ease. And even when Kelly did have issues, she allowed 8 bills to become law without signing them, which is indication of compromise, not obstruction.

But this spirit of cooperation was balanced by a record-breaking exercise of legislative muscle. Fourteen of Kelly's 18 vetoes were overridden, the most during her tenure. That in and of itself is a sign of the growing power of Republican supermajorities and the increasingly diminishing role of the executive branch in shaping final policy outcomes.

It's not easy to override a veto. It takes two-thirds majority in both houses, which is 84 votes in the House and 27 in the Senate. That the legislature was able to do so 14 times speaks of a branch of government comfortable with its supremacy. In recent sessions, veto overrides were less prevalent. The 2025 session is a departure from that norm.

Furthermore, the legislature enacted changes to the budgeting process this year. The budget reform shifted actual power away from the Governor by allowing a new legislative committee to introduce their baseline budget early in the session. Rather than being the opening offer for negotiation, Governor Laura Kelly's proposed budget was a supplemental proposal. Supporters of the budget reform argued that these changes were not personally aimed at Kelly’s administration. However, the new budget process coupled with the record number of veto overrides paint the picture of a legislature increasingly inclined to bypass the governor's authority.

Though this session's productivity can be seen as an accomplishment, it is not the only measure of governmental achievement. In the coming years, Kansas will need to contend with a basic question: Can government ever be a sincere system of check and balance if one branch so consistently overrules the other?

Preserving checks and balances is something we should be care about. Enacting legislation is an important part of governing but ensuring that each branch can effectively check the others is essential to a healthy democracy. The erosion of the governor's check on legislative power should concern Kansans. Bipartisanship will persist in some policy realms, but the veto override trend and new budget process suggest a Legislature more at ease forging ahead without the governor.

Brianne Heidbreder, PhD is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Kansas State University.

Insight Kansas:  Power balance swings towards Kansas Legislature 

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A woman accused of driving a stolen vehicle that was involved in a crash that killed a Hutchinson woman is going to prison.

On Monday, Judge Seth Rundle sentenced Katelyn Barrioz, 24 of Wichita, to nearly 20-years in prison.  She was sentenced to 216 months for 2nd degree murder, 7 months for flee and elude, and 7 months for theft with 36 months post release supervision, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's offce. The judge ordered the sentences run consecutive.

On April 14, Barrioz pled guilty to the charges.

On October 27, police located an occupied stolen vehicle at the Riverwalk Apartments, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. Officers monitored the vehicle using unmarked cars, and air support was requested from the Kansas Highway Patrol.

&nbsp;The vehicle stopped at Walmart, 29th and Rock Road in Wichita. Officers deployed spike strips to prevent the vehicle from leaving, successfully deflating two tires.

Despite this, the suspect later identified as Barrioz, fled the Walmart parking lot, striking a police vehicle.

Officers did not pursue the vehicle, but KHP air support continued to track it from above. The vehicle proceeded to a business on North Webb Road, where two individuals exited the vehicle and fled on foot.

One individual was apprehended, while&nbsp; Barrioz stole the van from the business and fled south on Webb, then west on 29th Street, according to Gupilan.

KHP Air maintained surveillance of the stolen vehicle, which, at 29th and Wilderness, collided with a&nbsp; Chevy Cobalt.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported the stolen 2024 Ford Transit Van driven by Barrioz, 24, Wichita, was westbound in the eastbound lanes in the&nbsp;8700 block of E 29th St N in Wichita traveling in the inside lane.

The van struck an eastbound 2010 Chevy Cobalt driven by Mandy Lynn&nbsp;Buckwalter, 43, Hutchinson, head-on.

Buckwalter was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Barrioz to Wesley Medical Center for treatment. She was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail later that week, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

Prison for stolen van crash that killed Hutchinson woman

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson City Council will hold a public meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 8, at Memorial Hall to gather community feedback on the future of the historic building.

City leaders are considering two options for Memorial Hall: selling the property to a private developer for adaptive reuse or demolishing the structure to create a public green or gathering space.

Officials say the meeting is an important opportunity for residents to share their views and help shape the future of the site. A facilitation plan for the event is still being finalized to ensure that all voices are heard.

City to hold public meeting over future of Memorial Hall on May 8 

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — After a four-year hiatus, Fly Hutch, the Hutchinson Regional Airport’s fly-in and open house, returns May 3 with a full day of activities, aircraft displays and family-friendly fun.

The event will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free to the public, said Doug Bennett, a member of the airport’s advisory committee. Highlights include a wide variety of vintage and military aircraft, a classic car show, a pancake breakfast, food trucks, and Country 102.9 and My 93-1 will be there.

“We’re excited to bring Fly Hutch back,” Bennett said. “It’s a great opportunity for the community to get up close to historic planes and even take a flight.”

Aircraft scheduled to appear include a Douglas AC-47 "Spooky" gunship, a B-25 Mitchell bomber, and a P-51 Mustang Reno Air Racer. Several aircraft will offer rides for purchase, including a C-45 Expeditor and a UC-78 Bobcat.

Younger attendees can participate in free Young Eagle flights, offered for children ages 8 to 17 through the Experimental Aircraft Association. Registration will take place inside the hangar marked "Hutchinson."

Other activities include a weather balloon launch at 10:30 a.m. and two aerial firefighting water drop demonstrations by Tanker 95, a fire bomber based in Hutchinson. The drops are scheduled for late morning and early afternoon.

Food vendors will be on site, with six food trucks offering a variety of meals and snacks.

Bennett, a professional airline pilot who earned his private license at Hutchinson Regional Airport in 1996, said he hopes the event will inspire future aviators, especially as the aviation industry prepares for a wave of retirements starting in 2028.

"Flying has been a lifelong passion for me," he said. "We hope Fly Hutch shows young people what’s possible."

For more information and a full schedule of events, visit <a href="http://www.flyhutchks.com">FlyHutchKS.com</a>.

Bennett talks upcoming Fly Hutch air show

Mayor Stacy Goss discussed the success of Hutchinson's city-wide cleanup, which collected 129 tons of waste last year. She talked about the ongoing railroad improvements by Union Pacific and BNSF, plus the upcoming May 6 council meeting to address blighted commercial properties.&nbsp;

🎧BW Morning Show Interview: Stacy Goss, Hutchinson Mayor 

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/category/obituaries">Click&nbsp;to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners</a>.

Hutch Post is honored to publish full obituaries and photos. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/35522b08-cd30-49e1-93e0-85962282628b">PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE NEW OBITUARY POLICY.</a> Funeral homes can send notices to <a href="http://hutchpost@eaglemedia.com">hutchpost@eaglemedia.com&nbsp;</a><a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank"> </a>

Recent obituaries and service times

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. ——————————————

Marquel	Eugene&nbsp;Blassingill&nbsp;4/26/2025 9:55 PM&nbsp;&nbsp;Alcohol; Illegal Transportation of Alcoholic Beverage,&nbsp;DUI; Misdemeanor

Edward	Lee Fowler&nbsp;4/27/2025 12:10 AM&nbsp;&nbsp;Driving while license cancelled/suspended/revoked; misdemeanor; unknown conviction,&nbsp;Alcohol; Illegal Transportation of Alcoholic Beverage,&nbsp;Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body,&nbsp;Possession&nbsp; of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant

Sierra	Gean Southern&nbsp;4/27/2025 12:58 AM&nbsp; Failure to Appear,&nbsp;Alcohol; Illegal Transportation of Alcoholic Beverage,&nbsp;Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body,&nbsp;Possession of marijuana,&nbsp;Possession of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant

Ryan	William Rue&nbsp;4/27/2025 3:46 PM&nbsp; Failure to Appear&nbsp;

Levi	Clinton&nbsp;Wickliffe&nbsp;4/27/2025 5:07 PM&nbsp;&nbsp;Criminal Threat; with Intent to Terrorize or cause Evacuation

Desie	Martez&nbsp;Chatfield&nbsp;4/27/2025 7:53 PM&nbsp;&nbsp;Domestic Battery; Knowingly Cause Physical Contact (1st conviction)

Jesse	Lee Hall 4/27/2025 9:56 PM&nbsp; Failure to Appear&nbsp;

Daily Bookings 

⚾ KU's Voegele named Big 12 Pitcher of the Week

🥎 WSU's Lucas tabbed as AAC Player of the Week for second time

🎧 ⚾ Royals dropped series finale, 🥎 Blue Dragon Softball ties for conference title 

🎧 EAGLE Media Sports Broadcast Calendar (April 28-May 4)

🥎 Late rally sends Blue Dragons to Jayhawk Conference title

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Yordan Alvarez’s long home run backed a solid start by Hunter Brown as the Houston Astros beat the Kansas City Royals 7-3 on Sunday in the series finale to avoid being swept.

Alvarez snapped Houston’s 26-inning scoreless streak, crushing Kris Bubic’s sinker 436 feet to center for a three-run homer and a 3-0 Astros lead in the third inning.

Brown (4-1), who allowed one run on seven hits and a walk with nine strikeouts over six innings, surrendered a lone hit in each of the first four innings but struck out seven while not allowing a runner past second.

Brown’s 28-inning shutout streak – fifth longest in franchise history – ended in the fifth inning on a two-out single by Jonathan India and an RBI double by Bobby Witt Jr.

Leading off the fifth, Chas McCormick doubled and scored on Jeremy Peña’s single. McCormick had three hits and scored three runs for the Astros.

Peña’s two-out, two-run double in the sixth extended Houston’s lead to 6-1. Peña collected three RBIs in his first game batting leadoff.

Yainer Diaz added a solo home run in the seventh.

Bubic (2-2) allowed four runs on five hits and three walks, striking out four in five innings.

India had a pair of singles and drove in a run while Witt extended his hitting streak to a career-best 19 games.

Isaac Paredes drew a four-pitch walk ahead of Alvarez’s three-run blast.

Alvarez, who led left-handed major leaguers with a .362 average against left-handed pitchers in 2024, hit his first homer of this season against a left-hander.

The Astros open a three-game homestand Monday against Detroit with Tigers RHP Jack Flaherty (1-2, 2.63 ERA) opposing RHP Ronel Blanco (2-2, 5.01).

Tuesday, the Royals begin a three-game series against the Rays in Tampa with Royals RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-3, 3.90) against RHP Taj Bradley (2-1, 5.08).

⚾️ Alvarez’s  home run backs Brown’s solid start in Astros win over Royals

⚾ Jayhawks defeat Utes for eighth straight win

⚾ K-State drops series finale to Houston

🥎 KU knocks off No. 23 Oklahoma State

⚾ Shockers drop series finale to Bulls

KANSAS CITY —It was another deadly weekend of violence in Kansas City. Police are investigating four separate homicides involving five victims including a Kansas City firefighter/paramedic.

Just after 3:30p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 3100 block of Spruce, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. 

Officers were directed to a home on the block and led inside by people at the scene. Inside the residence officers located a shooting victim later identified as 42-year-old William Porter.&nbsp; &nbsp;EMS transported him to the hospital with life threatening injuries.

A short time later officers were notified he died at the hospital. 

Preliminary investigation indicates that the victim and one or more suspects were inside the residence when they had an interaction that led to gunfire and the victim being struck. The unknown suspect(s) then left the scene.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Just before 6p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 8500 block of Sni-A-Bar Road, according to Captain Becchina.

On arrival officers were directed to the side of a residence there where they located a man later identified as 45-year-old Joshua Teel unresponsive. Officers summoned EMS to the scene who declared him deceased.

A preliminary investigation indicates that Teel was outside the residence when he had an interaction with an unknown suspect. That interaction led to gunfire which struck him .The suspect then left the scene in an unknown direction.

Just after 12:30a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a check the welfare call at 152 Highway and North Oak Trafficway involving a woman, later identified as&nbsp; 38-year-old Shanetta Bossell walking on the highway.

Callers were concerned for her safety and called police. Responding officers located Bossell on the side of the highway there. Ultimately, they requested EMS to respond for further treatment.

EMS began to transport Bossell to the hospital for further treatment. While en-route to the hospital in the ambulance, at approximately 1:25a.m., she produced an edged weapon and stabbed the KCFD Firefighter/Paramedic Graham Hoffman causing significant injuries.

The ambulance driver then stopped the ambulance at 152 highway and Platte Purchase and signaled to a KCPD police officer that had been following the ambulance for help. That KCPD officer took Bossell into custody at that location. Additional EMS crews responded and transported&nbsp; Hoffman to the hospital for treatment of life threatening injuries.

Just after 2p.m. Sunday, police were notified that Hoffman had died.&nbsp; The Clay County prosecutor charged Bossell murder in the first degree and armed criminal action.

Just before 1p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting at 12th and Belmont in Kansas City, Missouri , according to Becchina.

First responders were directed to a vehicle in the road there. Inside that vehicle officers located Ruiz and Suri unresponsive. Officers summoned EMS to the scene who declared the victims deceased.

The investigation indicates that the victims were inside the vehicle at the location when they had an interaction with one or more suspects and shots were fired. Both victims were inside the vehicle when they were struck by the gunfire. Initial responding officers took one subject of interest into custody for further investigation.

Deadly weekend in Kansas City: 5 victims, 4 homicide investigations

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just after 8:30a.m. on Sunday an officer on patrol stopped a vehicle in the 700 block South 4th Street in the city of Atchison for a traffic violation, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. The driver,&nbsp; identified as 66-year-old Ivan Cushinberry, Jr., stopped the vehicle and the officer made contact with him. 

During an investigation, while the officer was getting Cushinberry out of the vehicle, Cushinberry started the vehicle and sped off. A pursuit followed to the 500 block S Street where Cushinberry stopped the vehicle and he was taken into custody.&nbsp; Police ultimately found cocaine and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle. He is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;fleeing and attempting to elude, transporting an open container, possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and interference with law enforcement.

Police found cocaine in vehicle during Kansas traffic stop

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Monday opened a weeklong celebration of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;first 100 days in office by focusing on his border crackdown, an area of relative strength for the president at a time when there are red flags for him in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-economy-immigration-trade-100-days-poll-625efe6128d5f2e90e04bcc7f30479eb">the latest round of polling.</a>

Yard signs with mugshots of immigrants who have been accused of crimes like rape and murder were posted across the White House lawn, positioned so they would be in the background of television broadcasts outside the West Wing. Tom Homan, Trump's top border adviser, told reporters that there has been “unprecedented success" on the border effort and "we’re going to keep doing it, full speed ahead.”

Immigration is Trump's leading issue in public opinion surveys, and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a morning briefing the administration is in "the beginning stages of carrying out the largest deportation campaign in American history.”

About 139,000 people have been removed so far, according to the White House. Deportations have occasionally lagged behind Democrat President Joe Biden’s numbers, but Trump officials reject the comparison as not “apples to apples” because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/trump-100-days-immigration-000001967735d2ebabdf7777546a0000">so many fewer people</a>&nbsp;are crossing the border now.

Later on Monday, Leavitt held a second briefing exclusively for “new media,” where Trump-aligned social media influencers asked friendly questions and applauded at the end.

Tuesday will be Trump's 100th day in office, and the Republican president plans to mark the day in Michigan, where he will hold&nbsp;<a href="https://known%20as%20an%20automotive%20hub./">a rally in Macomb County</a>, an automotive hub north of Detroit. After relatively little travel so far in his term, Trump will also deliver a commencement address Thursday at the University of Alabama.

Trump is also doing a number of interviews timed to the 100-day mark, including an Oval Office interview with ABC News that is to air Tuesday night. He's also talked with journalists from The Atlantic magazine, a publication that he's frequently attacked for its critical reporting.

<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2025/06/trump-second-term-comeback/682573/">Trump told The Atlantic</a>&nbsp;that he feels more powerful in his second turn in the White House. His administration is stocked with loyalists, and he's become even more confrontational with a judicial system that at times&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-constitution-courts-lawsuits-796543ab4a3d5589f47fd66fd9d6bfef">serves as a check</a>&nbsp;on his agenda.

“The first time, I had two things to do — run the country and survive; I had all these crooked guys,” he said. “And the second time, I run the country and the world.”

Presidents have marked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-100-days-promises-inflation-tariffs-deportations-970c837dada26ad5f6baaa6019131cf5">the initial 100 days</a>&nbsp;of their terms since Franklin Delano Roosevelt moved swiftly to counter the Great Depression after taking office in 1933.

Trump wasn't so bullish about the idea during his first term, when he was plagued by setbacks, investigations and turnover in his ranks, at that time calling the 100-day mark "&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/205ad54dc72e4ab69b3a214c96eeb9ce">an artificial barrier</a>."

But now he's trying to harness the moment to mark the ambitious agenda he's pursued in his first months. Leavitt said Trump had already signed almost as many executive orders as Biden did during his entire term.

But many Americans believe Trump has mostly been focused on the wrong priorities.

Americans are nearly twice as likely to say Trump has been mostly focusing on the wrong priorities as to say he has been focusing on the right ones, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/projects/100-days-in-and-the-public-feels-trumps-presidency-is-proceeding-mostly-as-expected/">an AP-NORC survey</a>, and only about half of Republicans say he’s mostly had the right focus. Another one-quarter of Republicans say it’s been about an even mix of right and wrong priorities, and about 1 in 10 say he’s focusing on the wrong things.

And among Trump's own supporters, the share of Republicans who say he has been at least a “good” president has fallen about 10 percentage points since January.

Other polls conducted in recent weeks have found similar levels of dissatisfaction with Trump’s first few months, particularly with his economic policies and approach to tariffs.

Trump lashed out at the results on social media as “FAKE POLLS FROM FAKE NEWS ORGANIZATIONS.”

As he's pushed to crack down on illegal immigration, Trump has drawn criticism as he has strained the limits of executive power, attacked judges who've ruled against him, sent hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members to a mega-prison in El Salvador in defiance of a court order and balked at a Supreme Court order that his administration must facilitate the return&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-abrego-garcia-e1b2af6528f915a1f0ec60f9a1c73cdd">Kilmar Abrego Garcia</a>, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador.

His plans to carry out a mass deportation have not yet shaped up, but the White House is ramping up efforts to encourage people who are in the country illegally to “self-deport,” with actions that include stiffer fines and incentives to leave, including airfare and stipends.

His administration has pointed to the steep drop in the number of illegal border crossings as an early and significant sign of success.

Trump planned to sign at least two executive orders later Monday related to immigration, including one directing state and federal officials to publish a list of “sanctuary city” jurisdictions.

White House focuses on border crackdown as it marks 100 days for Trump's second term

JOHNSON COUNTY —One person died in accident just before 4a.m. Sunday in Johnson County.

A citizen report told police a vehicle was southbound on Interstate 35 at Interstate 635 freeway at a high rate of speed according to Overland Park Police Officer John Lacy.

Moments later the same citizen came upon the vehicle after it had crashed underneath the eastbound Interstate 635 bridge. EMS transported the driver of vehicle, later identified as&nbsp;Nicolas Hawthorne, 34, Kansas City, Missouri,&nbsp; to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries. Medical staff pronounced him deceased.

The crash is still under investigation, according to Lacy.

Speed a possible factor in fatal Kansas crash 

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced Friday she had signed into law 11 bills, meeting a deadline and cementing public education funding, tax incentives for major data centers and a new crime for possessing, creating or distributing AI-generated child pornography.

The bills were bipartisan, Kelly said, as she signed them before the end of the 10-day period she has to take action after the Legislature delivers them to her.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb186/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 186</a>&nbsp;crafted first-time, clear protections for those who are the subject of AI-generated imagery without their consent. It’s an effort to mitigate the harms caused by technology, “in both the digital realm and the physical world,” Kelly said in a news release.

“Given the rise of AI-enabled crime, enhancing public safety for our fellow Kansans is crucial,” Kelly said.

The law applies to the alteration of real photos or generating new material from scratch, said Rep. Brad Barrett, an Osage City Republican who sat on the House committee that heard and negotiated the original bill.&nbsp;

“This legislation strengthens our child exploitation laws to protect kids from this evolving threat and also updates our breach of privacy law to shield adults from having their images maliciously altered to appear nude or sexually explicit when they have an expectation of privacy,” he said.

The law adds to the definition of sex crimes within the Kansas Criminal Code to include AI-generated material. It also modifies existing criminal bond-setting procedure to hike up bond rates for any defendant with prior convictions of sexually violent crimes. The minimum bond for those defendants is now $750,000, which Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes said addresses patterns of “predatory behavior.”

“This part of the bill ensures the safety of victims comes first,” Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, said. “By requiring the consideration of similar prior acts when setting bond, we can alleviate some of the fear for victims.”

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb156/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 156</a>&nbsp;increases the amount of money inmates can receive from the Kansas Department of Corrections for losses, personal injury or property damage.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb204/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 204</a>&nbsp;seals criminal and juvenile cases — meaning information is kept secret — until an arrest warrant is executed. It also creates a new appointment process for trustees of county law libraries.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb237/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 237</a>&nbsp;empowers law enforcement officers to investigate violations of the Scrap Metal Theft Reduction Act, which targets scrap metal dealers. It was initially proposed by the Wichita Police Department.

Kelly said a new law that incentivizes major data center projects in Kansas gives “the state another tool in the toolbox to bring jobs, infrastructure, and prosperity to Kansas communities through economic development.”

<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb98/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 98</a>&nbsp;creates a 20-year sales tax exemption for data centers investing at least $250 million within five years of opening. The exemption could include land acquisition, development and construction, equipment acquisition and permitting, design, engineering, labor for installing and maintaining data center equipment, and lease payments.

Businesses that receive the exemption must by law conserve, reuse, and replace water, pay for electricity from a public utility for 10 years and maintain at least 20 new jobs at the data center within two years of launching.

Kelly also signed into law&nbsp;<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2289/" target="_blank">House Bill 2289</a>, which was championed by Stilwell Republican Rep. Sean Tarwater and enacts limits on housing tax credits. Over time, the law eventually will dismantle the state’s affordable housing tax credit program.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2125/" target="_blank">House Bill 2125</a>&nbsp;reauthorized the 20-mill statewide school property tax levy to finance public schools through the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years. The bill also sets strict deadlines on local taxing entities, enabling county clerks to use a taxing jurisdiction’s budget and tax levy from the previous year if it doesn’t submit budget information by Oct. 1.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2231/" target="_blank">House Bill 2231</a>&nbsp;shifts Kansas to a corporate income tax calculation method that aligns with the majority of states. Kelly said the law evens “the playing field for Kansas-based businesses, making the state more attractive for capital investment, and encouraging job creation.”

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2335/" target="_blank">House Bill 2335</a>&nbsp;creates, beginning in January, a new license plate for members of hunting organization Hunter Nation.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2007/" target="_blank">House Bill 2007</a>&nbsp;cleans up statutes that were amended multiple times during the 2025 session.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2275/" target="_blank">House Bill 2275</a>&nbsp;enables a handful of Kansas counties to ask voters whether they favor a sales tax proposal to fund projects. It also creates a tax exemption for custom meat processing sales.

In Finney County, county commissioners want to impose a 0.5% sales tax to finance construction or remodeling projects in the county courthouse, jail, law enforcement center or other administrative building.

In Jackson County, commissioners want to ask voters if they would favor a 0.25% sales tax to support hospital services.

In Pawnee County, commissioners can ask voters if they want to pay an up to 1% sales tax for providing health care services and “furnish” and “equip” public safety operations.

In Seward County, voters will decide if they want to pay a 0.5% sales tax to fund road and bridge projects.

Kansas governor signs 11 bills dealing with crime, industry, governing

SALINA —Just after 9a.m. Monday, Salina 9-1-1 received calls from Salina South High School staff advising a possible person with a firearm was at South High School, 730 E Magnolia, according to a media release from police.

The school immediately locked down, and the SHS School Resource Officer, who was already on scene began a coordinated response. Numerous Officers and Detectives from the Salina Police Department responded, as did law enforcement officials from the Saline County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol. The first Officers arrived at 9:15 AM and immediately began searching the school.

Simultaneously, officers began interviewing witnesses, staff, and reviewing surveillance video from the school. While on scene, Officers were made aware of a post by a student which showed the student with a gun, there were no threats attached to the picture.

 It was determined the post was made on April 3rd, 2025, and the photo was not taken at the school as is being reported on social media. This post was then shared with other students in a chat group. A student using a restroom on this date then heard a sound which they thought could possibly be a gun being “racked” and reported it to staff believing it was the student who made the post. 

It was determined from surveillance video, the student who made the post had not been in the restroom. The student who was observed leaving the restroom at the time was located and checked. This student indicated the sound was from him crushing a water bottle. The post made by the student is being investigated.

The investigation determined there was no firearm present or active threats.

The building clearing was completed at 10:12a.m. , and the school was released to the School Administration.

The Salina Police Department noted that parents responded and congregated in the parking lots, remaining calm and supportive. The staff and students secured themselves in the classrooms in which they were located, controlling their environments and allowing law enforcement to move swiftly to clear the enormous structure unobstructed. We applaud the staff, students, and parents for their conduct.

SALINA —On Monday morning, South High School administration,&nbsp; 730 E Magnolia Road, Salina, received a report of a gun in the building, according to a media release from USD 305. 

The school immediately went into lockdown and alerted law enforcement. Salina Police, Saline County Sheriff's office, Kansas Highway Patrol and Saline County Fire and rescue responded and searched the building. They determined that the school is secure and that there was no weapon and that no shots were fired.

The police turned the building back over to administration. The South High School administration will determine any adjustments to the schedule that are needed.&nbsp; The school day will resume as usual.

"We appreciate the quick response from the Salina Police Department and first responders. They have determined that there was no danger," according to USD 305.

SALINA— Law enforcement are on the scene of an incident at South High School,&nbsp;730 E Magnolia Road, Salina.&nbsp; There are unconfirmed reports the incident involved a gun. The school was on lock down status 

“Police were alerted and are on site at this time and are in charge of the situation. Students and staff remain locked in classrooms," according to a message sent to parents.

USD 305 is expected to release more information as it becomes available.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Police have not released details on their investigation.&nbsp; Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

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