The Reno County Board of County Commissioners will meet at 9 a.m. in the Veterans Room of the Reno County Courthouse.

Commissioners are expected to approve several routine items on the consent agenda, including election administration matters and county vehicle purchases.

Among those items is setting the official canvass date for the City of Hutchinson’s March 3 special sales tax election. County staff recommend holding the canvass on Wednesday, March 11, at 8 a.m. in the Reno County Courthouse Annex conference room, in compliance with state election law.

The consent agenda also includes approval of two vehicle purchases from Midwest Superstore as part of the county’s 2026 budget. The Reno County Sheriff’s Office plans to replace aging patrol units with three new 2026 Ford Police Interceptor Utility vehicles at a total cost of $135,612. The purchases would be funded through the county’s Special Equipment Fund.

Also, on the consent agenda is awarding a bid for a replacement Youth Services van. The county plans to purchase a 2026 Ford Transit 350 for $57,074 to replace a 2010 model that has exceeded its planned service life. The older van would be transferred to county facilities for continued use.

On the business agenda, commissioners are expected to consider approving a $100,000 grant from the Reno County and City of Hutchinson Fights Addiction Fund to Mirror Incorporated. The funding would support Mirror’s Door to Door Access program, which is designed to reduce wait times for residential substance use disorder treatment for individuals struggling with opioid addiction in Reno County.

According to county documents, the program aims to move individuals from assessment into residential treatment within 72 hours, eliminating what officials describe as a current two-month wait for care. The grant would serve as gap funding to assist uninsured or underinsured residents when other funding sources have been exhausted. County officials say the program focuses on low-barrier, immediate access to treatment to help save lives.

Commissioners will also consider a services agreement related to the McNew and Mills Road development project between U.S. Highway 50 and Highway 96. The agreement would authorize Anthem Consulting to act as Reno County’s representative in contacting affected landowners, explaining the project, and negotiating property acquisitions needed for roadway improvements.

In addition, commissioners will receive several annual reports, including updates from the Aging and Public Transportation Department, the Register of Deeds, and the Human Resources Department.

County commission to address vehicle purchases, addiction treatment funding

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;

Xander	Ray	Purdy		1/27/2026 10:58&nbsp;AM	Failure to Appear

Christopher	Lee	Bauck		1/27/2026 11:23&nbsp;AM	Probation Violation

Kenneth	Earl	Pittsley		1/27/2026 3:18&nbsp;PM	Probation Violation,&nbsp;					Failure to Appear

Vern	Lloyd	Craig	III	1/27/2026 4:21&nbsp;PM	Probation Violation

Letique	Marie	Stade		1/27/2026 7:47&nbsp;PM	DUI; 1st conv; drugs or combination of drugs

Keedy		Jamie	Michael	1/28/2026 2:01&nbsp;AM	Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant,					Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body

Daily Bookings

MOUNDRIDGE — Area residents will have an opportunity to learn more about a traffic study underway at the intersection of Arrowhead Road and Old Highway 81 during an upcoming community forum in Moundridge.

This intersection was the scene of a fatal accident in June of 2025 that killed 63-year-old Danny Health, of Hutchinson, and 30-year-old Mariah Lyddane, also of Hutchinson. 

The forum will focus on a Transportation Engineering and Planning (TEAP) Study examining traffic conditions at the intersection, including traffic analysis, data collection, and crash data. The study is intended to evaluate safety and traffic flow concerns and gather public input.

The come-and-go event is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 4, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Moundridge Public Library, located at 411 N. Christian Ave. in Moundridge.

According to organizers, residents are encouraged to stop by, ask questions, and share concerns related to the intersection. No formal presentation is planned, allowing attendees to come and go at their convenience.

The study is being conducted by Kirkham Michael in coordination with McPherson County. Representatives from both organizations will be available to discuss the project and answer questions.

The forum is open to the public, and all community members are welcome to attend.

Community forum planned on Arrowhead Road and old US 81 intersection

HUTCHINSON — There is currently no date set for the closure of the interior of the Uptown Hutch Mall.

Mall manager Crystal Vinduska told Hutch Post that once a decision is finalized, the mall will announce the interior closure on its Facebook page.

Hutch Post also asked about future plans for the mall’s interior space. Vinduska said that at this time, no additional information is being released, citing ongoing contracts and negotiations that have not yet been completed.

While details on the interior remain limited, it was confirmed that three current interior tenants — Maurices, The Buckle, and Bath &amp; Body Works — will be relocating to exterior storefronts on the west side of the mall.

Those relocations are expected to take place over the next few months.

Additional updates will be shared publicly once plans are finalized.

No date set for closure of Uptown Hutch Mall interior

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — Hutchinson Community College will celebrate jazz tradition and education during the 51st annual Bryce Luty Jazz Festival, scheduled for Friday, Feb. 6, with a featured concert and two days of clinics for middle school and high school musicians.

The festival’s main concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Stringer Fine Arts Center and will feature guest artist Bryan Lynch, the Bryce Luty All-Star Band and the HutchCC Concert Jazz Band. The long-running event honors Bryce Luty, a nationally respected jazz educator who helped establish collegiate jazz programs in Kansas.

“Bryce Luty had quite a reputation,” said Jack Cassidy, HutchCC’s jazz program coordinator. “He was the first collegiate jazz educator in the state of Kansas.”

Cassidy said Luty’s influence extended well beyond Hutchinson. Luty helped establish the National Association of Jazz Educators and was later named Jazz Educator of the Year in 2000.

“So they’re quite proud of him here in Hutch, and this is just my second year, so I’ve been learning a lot about him as time goes by,” Cassidy said. “Big shoes to fill.”

The festival will feature Lynch, a Grammy Award-winning trumpeter and professor of jazz studies at the University of Miami. Lynch has performed with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Horace Silver and Toshiko Akiyoshi’s Big Band, among others.

“He has quite a reputation and quite a resume, and we’re very fortunate to get him to come with us,” Cassidy said.

In addition to the Friday night concert, Lynch will work directly with students during adjudications and clinics Thursday and Friday. Visiting middle school and high school bands will perform prepared selections and receive feedback from professional musicians.

“They’ll perform the songs that they’ve been working on, and then the three clinicians will discuss their performance stylistically, historically, ways to maybe improve what they were doing,” Cassidy said. “They’ll discuss jazz harmony, and of course jazz improvisation, because that’s the basis of jazz.”

Cassidy said one of the festival’s distinguishing features is the opportunity for students to hear and interact with professional musicians.

“To hear the pros and to get to meet them,” Cassidy said. “That’s really the basis of the entire thing, is to give the kids an opportunity to see it up close.”

Cassidy added that the festival can serve as a stepping stone for students considering music beyond high school.

“If it’s something they’re interested in pursuing, there’s being on the team and then there’s being an expert,” he said. “This gives them the opportunity to do that.”

Tickets for the concert are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $5 for students. HutchCC students and staff are admitted free with a college ID. Tickets are available through the HutchCC Fine Arts Department. Doors to the concert will open at 6:30 p.m.

“This is a inexpensive way to immerse yourself in jazz quickly,” Cassidy said. “His music is fantastic.”

Bryce Luty Jazz Festival returns to HutchCC for 51st year

Click here for the KSStorm.info forecast.&nbsp;

Three-day outlook

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. ——————————————

Stephanie	Chandel	Robinson		1/26/2026 10:34&nbsp;AM	Driving while license cancelled/suspended/revoked; misd; unknown conv

Timothy	Tairen	Perry		1/26/2026 12:28&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear

Andre	Ryan	Byrd		1/26/2026 3:18&nbsp;PM	Probation Violation

Christopher	Allen	Jenkins		1/26/2026 3:22&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear

Thomas	Richard	Cummings	III	1/26/2026 4:17&nbsp;PM	Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant,					Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body,					Aggravated endangering a child; Reckless situation to child &lt;18

Angel	Antonio	Estrada	III	1/26/2026 4:30&nbsp;PM	Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant,					Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body,					Aggravated endangering a child; Reckless situation to child &lt;18

Marissa	Marie	Peavy		1/26/2026 5:04&nbsp;PM	Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant,					Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body,					Aggravated endangering a child; Reckless situation to child &lt;18

Joshua	Matthew	Stubby		1/26/2026 9:45&nbsp;PM	Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant, Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body, Poss&nbsp;of marijuana; 1 prior conviction

HUTCHINSON — The Hutchinson USD 308 Board of Education heard updates Monday that included a Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Hutchinson presentation spotlighting National Mentoring Month, a student-led push for naloxone access, and several district operations and safety items.

Aaliyah Gray, marketing and development coordinator for Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Hutchinson, thanked USD 308 for its partnership and highlighted programs serving local youth, including initiatives such as Passport to Manhood and Smart Girls. Gray introduced Gabriel Marcum as the organization’s 2026 Youth of the Year, noting the club serves roughly 2,000 youth countywide.

Marcum told the board the club has been a second home for him for more than six years and credited staff mentors and family support for helping him find his voice and passion for community service. Marcum said he advocated for Narcan (naloxone) availability at both the Shadduck Park and Avenue A club sites, calling it a “life-saving” tool that can reverse opioid overdoses. He also referenced a Kansas legislative proposal aimed at requiring fentanyl education in public schools and expanding naloxone access statewide.

Separately, district leaders discussed school safety and security, including building mapping work tied to city and law enforcement coordination and a potential grant-funded camera software program designed to detect firearms and rapidly alert school and police contacts.

In board action items, USD 308 approved a Skyward student information system migration, with work anticipated to begin around October 2026 and conclude in summer 2027. The proposal approved by the board totals $42,837.&nbsp;

The board also approved purchases related to facilities operations, including robotic mowers for athletic field maintenance and a playground package for the district’s 'Lil Hawks childcare center. 

Administrators said that completion of the childcare center is expected in late February or early March with a possible opening later in March, pending licensing and final preparations.

The next meeting of the Board of Education is set for Monday, Feb. 9.

BOE hears update on Lil Hawks, approves Skyward migration

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson community exceeded expectations on the opening day of the Battle of the Badges community blood drive, collecting more donations than organizers anticipated and adding momentum to an ongoing effort to address a severe regional blood shortage.

According to Tianna Frazell, the new local contact for the American Red Cross, donors contributed 121 total units of blood on day one, surpassing the daily goal of 116 units by five.

The friendly competition between local first responders is already heating up. After the first day of donations, Hutchinson Fire Department supporters lead the Battle of the Badges scoreboard with 60 ballots, while Hutchinson Police Department supporters recorded 48 ballots.

In total, donors contributed 83 units of whole blood and completed 19 Power Red procedures, yielding an additional 38 units. Organizers say every unit collected will help patients in area hospitals who rely on regular blood transfusions for emergencies, surgeries, and ongoing treatments.

“The energy today was amazing,” Frazell said. “Every single donation is making a real impact on patients in need, and we are incredibly grateful for the community’s continued support.”

Appointments remain available for the remaining days of the drive:

While turnout has been strong, Red Cross officials emphasize that the blood supply remains critically low and encourage residents who are eligible to schedule an appointment and keep the momentum going.

The Battle of the Badges blood drive continues through Wednesday, combining friendly rivalry with a shared goal of saving lives across the Hutchinson community.

Fire department has early lead in 'Battle of the Badges'

DENNIS DUTTON<br>Executive Director for the Arts, Sterling College

<i>Editor's Note: Due to the winter weather on Jan. 24, the program will be held this Saturday, Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m.</i>

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”

A full house is expected this weekend as Salt Hawk Community Support hosts its signature fundraising event, “Men Can Cook”, returning Saturday night at the Hutchinson Art Center. 

Now in its fifth year, the popular tasting competition brings together a wide cross-section of local men — not professional chefs — who prepare their favorite dishes for an evening of food, friendly rivalry, and community support. Attendees sample each entry, cast ballots for their favorites, and help crown the night’s champions. 

“This is one of those events that just keeps growing,” said Claire Foy, one of the event organizers. “It’s competitive, it’s fun, and it’s completely different from anything else in the community.” 

The concept was introduced by Sally Russell who is a past president of Salthawk Community Support. Foy said “An organization in Wichita does it, but on a much larger scale.” 

After a pandemic pause, the fundraiser returned stronger than ever, drawing roughly 150 people when cooks and guests are combined. Despite serving only tasting portions, organizers say guests are often full before dessert. 

Chris Corey, a board member and one of the event’s participating “hype men,” said the variety of food is part of the appeal. “There’s everything from barbecue to Thai food, chicken and waffles, Mexican dishes — really a wide range,” said Corey. 

This year’s lineup includes about 18 cooks representing a broad mix of professions and backgrounds, including educators, retirees, business owners, a physician, a commercial pilot, clergy family members — and even Hutchinson Mayor Scott Meggers. While there are no professional chefs competing, organizers note that creativity and presentation are just as important as flavor, with awards for both food and décor. 

The winning cooks receive a custom metal Salt Hawk medal crafted by students in the Hutchinson High School Technical Education Department. 

In addition to food, guests can enjoy beverages from Salt City Brewing, a longtime supporter of the event. 

Proceeds from "The Men Cook" directly support Salt Hawk Community Support, which provides services and programming for students at Hutchinson Middle School 8 and Hutchinson High School. 

“This is our biggest fundraiser of the year,” said Kylie Campbell, site administrator for Salthawk Community Support at HMS 8. “The support we get from this event helps fund programs for our students and raises awareness about the services we offer. It’s also my favorite event — seeing the community come together is incredible.” 

The event runs from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan 31. at the Hutchinson Art Center. Tickets are $45 per person and are available in advance at the Art Center, Apron Strings, Trinity United Methodist Church, through board members, or at the door the night of the event. 

Organizers are already looking ahead to next year and encouraging additional participants to get involved. 

“The cooks cover the cost of their own food, which makes this a huge benefit for our organization,” Foy said. “We’re incredibly grateful, and we’re always looking to add more men to the lineup.” 

For those interested in attending or cooking in future years, organizers say The Men Cook is more than a food contest — it’s one of Hutchinson’s premier community events.

'The Men Cook' returns on Saturday

BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspect for an alleged violent robbery in Great Bend.

Just before 9 p.m., January 23, police were dispatched to report of a robbery in the 900 block of Jefferson in Great Bend, according to a mdeid release.

Upon officers' arrival, the victim reported that Juan Prieto, 31, and Trinity Galliart, 30, had used physical force and stole money from him. The victim also reported that Prieto and Galliart had left the scene in a white truck.

 A short time later, officers located the suspect vehicle as well as both suspects at a residence in the 2400 block of Cheyenne Drive in Great Bend.. As a result of the investigation, both Prieto and Galliart were arrested on requested charges of Robbery, and were transported to the Barton County Jail.

Man and woman accused of violent robbery in central Kansas

By GARY FIELDS, JOSH FUNK and ED WHITE&nbsp;

WASHINGTON (AP) — National Transportation Safety Board members were deeply troubled Tuesday over years of ignored warnings about helicopter traffic dangers and other problems, long before last year's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-crash-investigation-american-airlines-helicopter-ntsb-acc8bf751427eb6824d9d1fad30895b8">midair collision</a>&nbsp;between an American Airlines jet from Wichita and an Army Black Hawk, which killed 67 people near Washington, D.C.

The board heard hours of testimony from investigators who outlined their findings in the collision and subsequent crash near Reagan National Airport a year ago. Key themes emerged, including “overwhelmed” air traffic control, a failure to alert the jet's pilot about the other aircraft and a history of missed opportunities to reroute helicopter traffic.

“I’m sorry for you, as these pages of these reports are written in your family members' blood,” board member Todd Inman told the audience. “I’m sorry that we have to be here.”

Family members listened intently during the hearing. Some were escorted out, including two in tears, as an animation of the flights was displayed on video screens. Others wore black shirts bearing the names of crash victims.

“The negligence of not fixing things that needed to be fixed killed my brother and 66 other people. So I’m not very happy,” Kristen Miller-Zahn, who watched from the front row, said during a break.

The NTSB's job at this point is to determine the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-plane-crash-army-helicopter-ntsb-cause-f2e87b625583c077acfca694700de37f">biggest factors</a>&nbsp;in the crash and make recommendations. Victims' families say they hope there’s meaningful change.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/event/public-affairs-event/officials-hold-meeting-on-cause-of-midair-collision/439872">Click here to watch</a> a replay of the hearing

Before hearing from investigators, Inman said “systemic issues across multiple organizations,” not an error by any individual, caused the tragedy.

Everyone aboard the jet, flying from Wichita, Kansas, and the helicopter died when the two aircraft collided and plummeted into the icy Potomac River. It was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-crashes-history-washington-ee55776ea0c5f9e322fc77ea1ea452d1">deadliest plane crash</a>&nbsp;on U.S. soil since 2001, and the victims included&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-helicopter-jet-crash-figure-skaters-079cca60567e6929f4b84a8e9d6c330d">28 members of the figure skating community</a>.

The Federal Aviation Administration last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aviation-safety-dc-plane-crash-faa-helicopters-07ea495a557b8a2767d0eca4277e8be1">made a permanent change</a>&nbsp;to ensure helicopters and planes no longer share the same airspace around the airport.

NTSB chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said she couldn’t believe the FAA didn’t realize the helicopter route in use during the crash didn’t provide adequate separation from planes landing on Reagan’s secondary runway. She noted that the FAA had refused to add detailed information about helicopter routes to pilots' charts so they could better understand the risks.

“We know over time concerns were raised repeatedly, went unheard, squashed — however you want to put it — stuck in red tape and bureaucracy of a very large organization,” Homendy said. “Repeated recommendations over the years.”

NTSB investigators said the Army and FAA weren’t sharing all safety data with each other before the crash, and that Army helicopter pilots often weren’t even aware when they were involved in a near-miss around Reagan.

NTSB human performance investigator Katherine Wilson said an air traffic controller felt a “little overwhelmed” when traffic volume increased to 10 aircraft about 10 to 15 minutes before the collision, but then “felt the volume was manageable when one or two helicopters left the airspace.”

Yet about 90 seconds before the collision, Wilson said, “traffic volume increased to a maximum of 12 aircraft consisting of seven airplanes and five helicopters. Radio communication showed that the local controller was shifting focus between airborne, ground and transiting aircraft.”

The workload “reduced his situational awareness,” Wilson said.

Details were difficult for families to hear

NTSB investigators showed a video animation to demonstrate how difficult it would have been for the pilots in both aircraft to spot the other amid the lights of Washington. The animation also showed how the windshields of both aircraft and the helicopter crew’s night vision goggles restricted views.

Ahead of the hearing, Rachel Feres, who lost her cousin Peter Livingston and his wife and two young daughters, said she was hoping for “clarity and urgency” from the NTSB process.

No one else, she said, should have to “wake up to hear that an entire branch of their family tree is gone, or their wife is gone or the child is gone.”

Whether that happens depends on how Congress, the Army and the Trump administration respond after the hearing. A pending bill would require all aircraft to have advanced locator systems to help avoid collisions.

Even before Tuesday, the NTSB had already spelled out many key factors that contributed to the crash. Investigators said controllers in the Reagan tower had been overly reliant on asking pilots to spot other aircraft and maintain visual separation.

The night of the crash, the controller approved the Black Hawk's request to do that twice. However, the investigation has shown that the helicopter pilots likely never spotted the American Airlines plane as the jet circled to land on the little-used secondary runway.

In a statement, the FAA said it has reduced hourly plane arrivals at Reagan airport from 36 to 30 and increased staff. The agency said it has 22 certified controllers in the tower and eight more in training.

“We will diligently consider any additional recommendations” from the NTSB, the FAA said.

Several&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/air-india-crash-aviation-safety-76215f9d429274f3b5089e81baa97d6a">high-profile crashes and close calls</a>&nbsp;followed the D.C. collision, alarming the flying public. But NTSB statistics show that the total number of crashes last year was the lowest since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, with 1,405 nationwide.

Funk reported from Omaha, Nebraska, and White reported from Detroit.

NTSB investigator Katherine Wilson said an air traffic controller felt a “little overwhelmed” when traffic volume increased to 10 aircraft about 10 to 15 minutes before the collision, but then “felt the volume was manageable when one or two helicopters left the airspace.”

“I hope that we see a clear path through the recommendations they offer to ensure that this never happens again,” Feres said. “That nobody else has to wake up to hear that an entire branch of their family tree is gone, or their wife is gone or the child is gone.”

🎥NTSB on deadly jet from Kansas, helicopter crash: We should be angry

WICHITA, KS – The Kansas Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments for the cases of Reginald and Jonathan Carr for Wednesday, January 28.

Below is a summary provided by the district attorney's office on the current status of these appeals, and a summary of what has happened in the cases so far.

Prosecutors said the brothers broke into a Wichita home in December 2000 and forced the three men and two women there to have sex with one another and later to withdraw money from ATMs.

According to authorities, the women were raped repeatedly before all five were taken to a soccer field and shot. Four victims died: Aaron Sander, 29; Brad Heyka, 27; Jason Befort, 26; and Heather Muller, 25. One of the women survived to testify against the Carr brothers. Other crimes over six days left a fifth person dead.

The defendants each appealed Judge Goering’s denial that was issued in April of 2024.&nbsp; The arguments on those appeals scheduled for next week are to resolve those appeals.&nbsp; The defendants’ arguments are (summarized) that they should be granted new sentencing hearings at which point the question of the death penalty would have to be re-litigated.&nbsp; The State’s argument (summarized) is that the question has been resolved, and no new sentencing should be granted.

When any capital murder or other “off-grid” case is appealed in Kansas, the appellate proceedings are as follows:

Then when the direct appeals are exhausted,

Then when the collateral attacks are exhausted,

Kan. High Court to hear death row appeal in Wichita massacre

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A man sprayed an unknown substance on Democratic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ilhan-omar">U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar</a>&nbsp;and was tackled to the ground Tuesday during a town hall in Minneapolis, where tensions over federal immigration enforcement&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-ice-b0cec9d1c5bae4b62469011775082300">have come to a head</a>&nbsp;after agents fatally shot an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-alex-pretti-border-patrol-shooting-investigation-9d8ac8531f0d195ada3374c86a9deb21">intensive care nurse</a>&nbsp;and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">mother of three</a>&nbsp;this month.

The audience cheered as the man was pinned down and his arms were tied behind his back. In video of the incident, someone in the crowd can be heard saying, “Oh my god, he sprayed something on her.”

Just before that Omar had called for the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign.

Minneapolis police said officers saw a man use a syringe to spray an unknown liquid at Omar. They immediately arrested him and booked him at the county jail for third-degree assault, spokesperson Trevor Folke said in an email. Police also said forensic scientists responded to the scene.

Omar continued the town hall after the man was ushered out of the room by her security detail, saying she would not be intimidated. Journalists said there was a strong, vinegar-like smell when the man pushed on the syringe.

Walking out afterward, Omar said she felt a little flustered but was not hurt. She was going to be screened by a medical team.

She later posted on the social platform X: “I’m ok. I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don’t let bullies win. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Tuesday night.

President Donald Trump has frequently criticized the congresswoman and has stepped up verbal attacks on her in recent months as he turned his focus on Minneapolis.

During a Cabinet meeting in December, he called her “garbage” and added that “her friends are garbage.”

Hours earlier on Tuesday, the president criticized Omar as he spoke to a crowd in Iowa, saying his administration would only let in immigrants who “can show that they love our country.”

“They have to be proud, not like Ilhan Omar,” he said, drawing loud boos at the mention of her name.

He added: “She comes from a country that’s a disaster. So probably, it’s considered, I think — it’s not even a country.”

Fellow U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, denounced the assault on Omar.

“I am deeply disturbed to learn that Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked at a town hall today” Mace said via X. “Regardless of how vehemently I disagree with her rhetoric — and I do — no elected official should face physical attacks. This is not who we are.”

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, also condemned the attack on X, saying: “Unacceptable. Violence and intimidation have no place in Minneapolis. We can disagree without putting people at risk.”

He added that he was relieved that Omar “is OK” and thanked police for their quick response, concluding: “This kind of behavior will not be tolerated in our city.”

The attack came days after a man was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sundance-film-festival-congressman-assault-ff98382c02bdecdbf5c28ac0b677ac6a">arrested in Utah</a>&nbsp;for allegedly punching U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, a Democrat from Florida, in the face during the Sundance Film Festival and saying Trump was going to deport him.

Threats against members of Congress have increased in recent years, peaking in 2021 and the aftermath of that year’s Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, before dipping slightly only to climb again, according to the most recent figures from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uscp.gov/media-center/press-releases/uscp-threat-assessment-cases-2024" target="_blank">U.S. Capitol Police</a>.

Lawmakers have discussed the chill the threats bring on their ability to hold town halls and public events, with some even citing the threat environment in their decisions not to seek reelection.

Omar has faced the most particular concern, long targeted with harsh language and personal attacks by Trump and other Republicans.

🎥U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar assaulted during town hall meeting

SEDGWICK COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 7a.m. Monday in Wichita.

According to Wichita Police, a white Ford Focus hatchback driven by&nbsp;35-year-old Joseph McCartney of Wichita was traveling in the 1500 Block of East 21 Street North. The vehicle rear-ended a tractor-trailer that was disabled in the roadway. McCartney was pronounced dead at the scene.

Early indications suggest speed may have been a contributing factor in the crash. The crash remains under investigation.

Police: Speed a factor in crash that killed Kansas man

MANHATTAN —Fire officials are investigating the cause of a fire at the office of Big Brothers and Big Sisters in Manhattan.

Just before 8:30 a.m., the Manhattan Fire Department was dispatched to a fire in a home at 519 Pierre Street, according to a media release.

Upon arrival, crews found a two-story house that had been converted to an office for Big Brothers Big Sisters, with fire coming from multiple windows in the rear of the building.

The fire reached a second alarm before it was contained within 90 minutes.&nbsp; The fire was knocked down within 20 minutes, but it took another hour to fully extinguish fire in concealed spaces.

&nbsp;No injuries were reported.&nbsp;Loss is estimated at $10,000 to contents and $175,000 to the structure.

The owner is listed as Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters Inc.&nbsp;

Fire at Big Brothers Big Sisters offices in Manhattan

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national was sentenced in federal court earlier this month for possessing methamphetamine to distribute, illegally possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported, according to the United State's Attornehy.

Jose Alberto Rodriguez-Landeros (also known as Raul Garcia, Raul Garcia Rodriguez, Saul Dias Gonzalez, Miguel Angel Garcia Perez, Miguel Garcia Perez, Jose Alberto Landeros, Angel Saucedo, Jose M. Rodriguez, Ivan M. Pantoja, Guillermo Gonzalez-Dias), 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 25 years in federal prison without parole.

On Nov. 14, 2024, Rodriguez-Landeros pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and one count of illegally reentering the United States after previously being deported.&nbsp;

Based on the written plea agreement, Rodriguez-Landeros admitted to selling methamphetamine to a confidential source on three separate occasions on Oct. 11, 2022, Oct. 21, 2022, and Nov. 22, 2022.&nbsp; On Dec. 13, 2022, law enforcement officials executed a federal search warrant of the defendant’s residence located in Kansas City, Mo.&nbsp; Officers discovered the following items: a Keltec, Model P-32, .32 caliber pistol; identification documents with various aliases utilized by Rodriguez-Landeros; approximately 2 kilograms of methamphetamine; approximately 148 grams of powder cocaine; and $9,500 in U.S. currency.&nbsp; Also on Dec. 13, 2022, law enforcement officials arrested the defendant while driving on Indiana Avenue in Kansas City, Mo. During the arrest, officers seized approximately 380 grams of methamphetamine and 75 grams of cocaine found on Rodriguez-Landeros’s person and in his vehicle. Immigration and Customs Enforcement records confirmed that Rodriguez-Landeros was previously deported from the United States on at least three occasions since 2000.

Illegal alien sold meth to confidential source in KC three times

WASHINGTON (AP) —<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Tuesday a “big investigation” was underway into the killing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-protester-alex-pretti-15ade7de6e19cb0291734e85dac763dc">protester and ICU nurse</a>&nbsp;Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis.

“I want to see the investigation. I’m going to be watching over it, and I want a very honorable and honest investigation. I have to see it myself,” the president said as he left the White House.

The comment is the latest marker of Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pretti-minnesota-immigration-enforcement-eb9e63a625b624d2ba4ed467cb0f956c">sudden turnabout on the issue</a>&nbsp;as his administration confronts growing pushback — including from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-immigration-republicans-trump-pretti-988f694e4e1187033551fd23afde4c02">some Republicans</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pretti-minnesota-second-amendment-ice-ffef56cab9930e52273f8227251452f4">Second Amendment advocates</a>&nbsp;— on federal agents’ tactics in the second fatal shooting from the aggressive immigration operation in Minnesota.

A day earlier, the White House made an effort to distance Trump from some early comments by high-ranking administration officials who had branded Pretti as a domestic terrorist despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-ice-alex-pretti-videos-861a0d8f3ee182f3b5909b3613900e2e">videos of the encounter contradicting their narrative.</a>

Immigration agents were active Tuesday across the Twin Cities region, but it was unclear if officials had changed tactics after the shift in tone from the White House.

President Trump says Pretti ‘shouldn’t have been carrying a gun’

As he greeted diners in a Des Moines-area restaurant, Trump again weighed in on the Minnesota shooting.

“We view that as a very unfortunate incident, OK?,” he said, adding that everyone “unless you’re a stupid person” viewed it that way.

In comments that were likely to further irritate his backers who are also strong Second Amendment supports, he said: “I don’t like that he had a gun. I don’t like that he had two fully loaded magazines. That’s a lot of bad stuff.”

Trump suggests his shakeup of federal officials in Minnesota may ‘de-escalate’ thing

Trump said during an interview on Fox News’ “Will Cain Show” of his sending Homan to Minnesota, “we’re going to de-escalate a little bit.”

That’s significant since White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, when questioned repeatedly Monday about Homan’s being dispatched to Minnesota, refused to say that doing so was an effort to calm the situation.

The president added of Homan, “Tom, as tough as he is, gets along” with governors and mayors, even in Democratic areas.

Trump also spoke of Bovino, who has been sent out of Minnesota. He said Bovino is “very good” but also that “he’s a pretty out-there kind of a guy” and “maybe it wasn’t good here.”

Schumer says Noem is ‘incompetent’ and a ‘liar’ and should be fired

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is “a liar,” “vicious” and “incompetent” and must be fired after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-ice-b0cec9d1c5bae4b62469011775082300">fatal shootings of two Minneapolis protesters</a>&nbsp;by federal authorities.

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