By <a href="mailto:sean.boston@eaglemedia.com">SEAN BOSTON</a> Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hannah Stoecklein, a second-grade teacher at Allen STEM Magnet School, has been named the Allen Samuels Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Teacher of the Month for January.

Stoecklein was surprised in her classroom earlier this month by Cris Schul and Sandy Baker of Allen Samuels Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, along with Ashley Weve of Eagle Media, who presented her with a certificate and a gift basket recognizing her work in the classroom.

“I am very honored that I got this award, because I think teaching can kind of have a bad rap or doesn’t get a lot of positive attention,” Stoecklein said. “And to get an award, you just kind of feel honored and you feel seen.”

Stoecklein is in her fourth year teaching and previously worked as a paraeducator. She said her decision to become a teacher was inspired by her own second-grade teacher, who took extra time to help her succeed when school was challenging.

“School has always been hard for me, and she was kind of the first teacher to truly take time out of her day,” Stoecklein said. “She would stay after school with me or use her plan time just to help me. Now that I’m a teacher, I think that’s even more amazing that she took her free time to help me.”

Originally from the small rural town of Montezuma in southwest Kansas, Stoecklein attended South Gray High School before earning her elementary education degree from Newman University in Wichita. She completed her student teaching at St. Dominic Catholic School in Garden City, then taught and coached in Nickerson for two years before joining USD 308. This is her second year in the district.

Stoecklein transferred to Allen STEM in late October of last year and said the move has been a positive experience.

“Allen has been phenomenal. Their staff has been so supportive,” she said. “It has been really cool to see the STEM side of things. Even in second grade, I can say we’re doing a STEM challenge, and the kids know what’s expected of them.”

She also praised the support system within USD 308.

“The resources in this district are outstanding,” Stoecklein said. “If you don’t know where to find something, someone will help you find it. That goes for teachers and administration.”

Stoecklein’s class also took part in the celebration, receiving pizza from Pizza Hut and ice cream sundaes from Braum’s.

Stoecklein encouraged prospective teachers to get involved firsthand.

“I would encourage them to volunteer in schools or become a substitute teacher and see for themselves,” she said. “Teaching can look intimidating, especially with what we see on social media, but there are a lot of good teachers, and we always need more.”

For Stoecklein, the most rewarding part of teaching comes from the small, daily victories.

“Small steps matter,” she said. “Their scores may not go up largely, but you see little improvements. It could be as simple as a kid following a direction the first time. Those small steps matter, and seeing that effort every day is one of my favorite things about teaching.”

Allen STEM's Hannah Stoecklein named Teacher of the Month

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HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Couples looking for a unique Valentine’s Day experience are invited to celebrate at the Cosmosphere with a special Valentine’s Day party on Saturday, Feb. 14.

The evening begins at 6 p.m. with live harp music, complimentary food and drinks, and a relaxed social atmosphere. At 7 p.m., guests will enjoy a cozy movie experience in one of two iconic Cosmosphere settings.

Couples can personalize their evening by choosing between two romantic films, Solo Mio or Sleepless in Seattle. Tickets are $30 per couple and include admission for two, free hors d'oeuvres and drinks, an Apollo Combo, and the selected movie screening.

The Valentine’s Day party is designed to offer a blend of romance, entertainment, and indulgence, creating a memorable and elevated night out for couples celebrating the holiday.

The event is made possible through the generous support of Don’s Custom Floral, Jackson Meat, and Smith’s Market.

Tickets are limited and available now. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit <a href="http://cosmo.org/explore/upcoming-events">cosmo.org/explore/upcoming-events</a>.

Cosmosphere to host Valentine’s Day party for couples

WASHINGTON, DC –&nbsp;The winter storm that wreaked havoc on most of the nation has&nbsp;led to supply disruptions and pushed up the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline&nbsp;to $2.87.&nbsp;

Below-freezing temperatures and lingering snow have disrupted some crude production and refinery operations, while gasoline demand&nbsp;increased&nbsp;pre-storm as drivers filled up their tanks ahead of the severe winter weather.&nbsp;

Those factors have led to a rise&nbsp;at&nbsp;the pump&nbsp;over the last week&nbsp;but not enough to match last year’s national average&nbsp;at this time of $3.12.&nbsp;

According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand increased last week from 7.83 million b/d to 8.75 million. Total domestic gasoline supply increased from 257 million barrels to 257.2 million. 

Gasoline production increased last week, averaging 9.6 million barrels per day.&nbsp;

Wobbly gas prices following winter storm

HUTCHINSON — As flu season continues across Kansas, officials at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center say influenza — not COVID-19 — is driving the majority of respiratory-related hospital visits, with older adults and those with underlying conditions most at risk.

During a recent appearance on the BW Morning Show, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Samuel Akidiva said the hospital has seen a steady increase in flu cases, including some severe infections requiring intensive care.

“We are clearly in flu season,” Akidiva said. “Most patients are being treated on regular hospital floors and discharged within two to three days, but we have seen some serious cases, particularly when flu is followed by bacterial pneumonia.”

Akidiva said the hospital is seeing multiple strains, including influenza A and B, RSV, and other respiratory viruses identified through expanded diagnostic panels. He emphasized that patients most likely to experience complications are older adults and those with conditions such as emphysema or compromised immune systems.

“That’s why we strongly encourage vaccinations — flu, RSV and pneumonia — especially for higher-risk patients,” he said.

In addition to respiratory illness, hospital leaders noted an uptick in cold-related medical emergencies during recent extreme winter weather. Akidiva said patients have been treated for hypothermia and cold exposure, often discovered during welfare checks.

“When people are exposed to cold for too long, confusion can set in, and that affects judgment,” he said. “Prevention is critical — dress appropriately, monitor how long you’re outside, and take breaks to warm up.”

Hospital operations are also affected during winter storms, as hazardous road conditions can delay patient discharges and increase strain on inpatient capacity.

HRMC Medical Director talks about seasonal illness and cold exposure

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Beyond Barriers released its 2025 service impact data, reporting thousands of services delivered to Kansans with disabilities across much of the state.

According to the organization’s annual figures, Beyond Barriers served 770 individuals in 60 Kansas counties in 2025, responding to 3,744 requests for assistance. Services were provided at no cost and focused on helping individuals pursue goals related to independent living, employment, housing, and accessibility.

Beyond Barriers is a nonprofit organization that provides person-centered support to people with disabilities, including advocacy, legal assistance, and independent living services. 

In 2025, service requests included advocacy and systems navigation, legal services, assistive technology support, housing assistance, independent living skills training, peer counseling, and vocational and employment services.

“These figures reflect the scope of need across Kansas and the importance of accessible, community-based supports,” said Erica Rivera, Executive Director of Beyond Barriers. “Each request represents someone working toward greater independence and self-determination.”

Beyond Barriers operates under an Independent Living philosophy, emphasizing consumer choice and self-direction. The organization reports that more than half of its board members are individuals with disabilities, and services are available without eligibility screening or proof of disability.

Looking ahead to 2026, Beyond Barriers expects service demand to continue. While grant funding supports part of its operations, the organization notes that community donations play a key role in maintaining free and responsive services for Kansans with disabilities.

More information about services and support opportunities is available at <a href="http://www.BeyondBarriersKS.com">www.BeyondBarriersKS.com</a>.

Beyond Barriers reports 2025 Service Impact for Kansas with disabilities

U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) staff in Mexico City discussed the importance of the Mexican market to U.S. wheat farmers in mid-January with a visiting delegation of Kansas commodity groups led by U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kansas).

“The symbiotic relationship between U.S. wheat farmers and Mexican millers relies on the U.S. as a reliable supplier of high-quality wheat to the Mexican private milling sector,” said Mitch Skalicky, USW regional vice president. “We appreciate the Senator traveling to Mexico to learn more about our work in this top market and offer his support for expanding this successful partnership.”

Senator Marshall traveled with leaders from Kansas Wheat, Kansas Soybean, Kansas Sorghum, Kansas Corn, Kansas Dairy and the Kansas Grain and Feed Association. While in Mexico, Senator Marshall met with high-level Mexican government officials — including the Mexican Secretary of Agriculture — to discuss the importance of trade between the two countries and the shared role Kansas agriculture plays in feeding families across North America.

The delegation also met with private-sector businesses and associations operating in both Mexico and the U.S. to learn more about the economic and logistical partnerships powering trade between the two nations.

“Mexico is Kansas’ largest export market, and I traveled to Mexico City with Kansas commodity leaders to protect and expand opportunities for Kansas agriculture,” said Senator Marshall. “Under President Trump’s America First trade agenda, we’re going to fight for Kansas producers, demand fair treatment, and deliver real wins for our state. With USMCA renegotiations beginning this year, we’re focused on opening new doors for Kansas dairy and defending strong markets for Kansas wheat, sorghum, and corn — while enforcing fair trade rules and reducing the trade deficit.

Kansas Delegation Talks Successful Wheat Trade with Mexico

The delegation also met with Skalicky and Stephanie Bryant-Erdmann, USW assistant regional director, on Friday, January 16. The meeting covered a wide array of topics, ranging from the different wheat classes purchased by Mexico from the United States, the volume of Mexican wheat imports, the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) and transportation economics related to the shipping of wheat by rail from the U.S. to Mexico.

The USW team also presented an overview of the Mexican market situation, specific trade data on wheat shipments from Kansas to Mexico and future opportunities to expand U.S.-Mexico wheat trade.

As of January 8, 2026, Mexico has purchased 3.39 MMT (nearly 124.6 million bushels) of U.S. wheat, an 6% increase from last marketing year. Mexico currently ranks as the top buyer of U.S. hard red winter (HRW) and soft red winter (SRW) wheat and the second-largest buyer of hard red spring (HRS) and durum.

Clay Schemm, a Kansas wheat farmer from Sharon Springs, participated in the trade mission as a representative of Kansas Wheat. He noted that the pride and professionalism in the Mexican milling industry, their appreciation for the quality of wheat produced in the United States and their desire to move more trains and trucks across the border even more efficiently to keep up with the country’s growing demand for wheat. He remarked that it was refreshing to see the same “salt of the earth” work ethic valued by U.S. farming communities mirrored in customers south of the border.

“My personal takeaway is that the Mexican people are a group I am proud to have as partners on the world stage,” Schemm said. “There is a kinship there—a friendliness and a desire to connect that makes it feel like a true North American culture. They are all-in on this partnership, and we should be too.”

Wheat Scoop: USW cconveys importance of strong trade relationship with Mexico to visiting Kansas delegation

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. ——————————————

Harry	Joseph	Proveaux		1/29/2026 10:46&nbsp;AM	Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant,					Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body,					DL Violation; No Drivers License

Pleasure	Marie Uluwehi	Torres		1/29/2026 11:00&nbsp;AM	Failure to Appear,					Direct Contempt

Joselyn	Nicole	Roberts		1/29/2026 11:01&nbsp;AM	Probation Violation

Curtis	Allen	McCallister		1/29/2026 2:52&nbsp;PM	In Transit From-To Other Agency

Pleasure	Marie Uluwehi	Torres		1/29/2026 3:02&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear

Victor	Martin	Alvarez		1/29/2026 6:19&nbsp;PM	Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant,					Failure to Appear

Daily Bookings

PrairieStar Health Center has been awarded a $600,000 challenge
grant from the Mabee Foundation to support the construction of a new,
state-of-the-art dental clinic. The facility will span 14,900 square feet and
will significantly increase access to dental care for rural residents in the
region.

Bridging the Gap in Access to Dental Care

To be constructed on PrairieStar’s existing property, just
to the west of its current facility, the new dental clinic will house 14 new
dental suites, one of which will be fully accessible for patients in wheelchairs.


“This project will not only increase access to care, it
will strengthen our most cherished commitments: our dental outreach program for
children, seniors in nursing homes and individuals with developmental
disabilities,” said PrairieStar CEO, Bryant Anderson.

The new dental space will allow PrairieStar to grow its
dental in-reach and outreach services, opening the door for over 2,000 more patients
to have access to dental care each year. 

“Our dental teams care for children in our schools who
struggle to learn because of constant mouth pain. They see seniors in our
nursing homes, who long for something as basic and dignifying as clean teeth
and provide outreach to individuals with disabilities who depend on a steady,
caring hand. These are the people who inspire us, who remind us why our work
matters so deeply,” PrairieStar Dental Director, Yen Nguyen, DMD said.

Engaging the Community in the Challenge

The Mabee Foundation challenge grant requires PrairieStar
to raise $676,300 (the challenge) from donors by January 13, 2027, in order to
receive $600,000 (the challenge grant). If PrairieStar is unable to raise all
the matching funds by the fundraising deadline, it will not receive any of the challenge
grant funds.

“PrairieStar appreciates the Mabee Foundation’s
opportunity to engage the community in this challenge and we are incredibly
thankful to those who will step forward and help us meet the challenge,”
Anderson said. “Together, we can bridge the gap in rural dental care and change
lives, one smile at a time.”

PrairieStar is currently looking for donors interested in
making a difference in their community by helping bridge the gap in access to
rural dental care. To donate or learn more about the project, visit
<a href="http://pshcks.org/bridgingthegap">pshcks.org/bridgingthegap</a> or contact Bryant Anderson at (620) 663-8484.

John and Lottie Mabee were hard workers, innovative
entrepreneurs and shrewd investors. They formed the Mabee Foundation in 1948 to
share their financial blessings with others and later created the foundation
‘challenge’ grants. The Mabee’s crafted the challenge grants in such a way as
to both require and inspire widespread public support. To learn more about the
Mabee foundation, visit their website at: mabeefoundation.com

PrairieStar awarded $600,000 challenge grant from Mabee Foundation

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

Three-day Outlook

TOPEKA — Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach is warning consumers about a sophisticated email scam that falsely claims to come from the U.S. District Court and threatens recipients with legal action.

Kobach said the scam is designed to steal personal information or infect computers with malware by tricking people into opening attachments or clicking links that appear to be official court documents.

“Kansans should never respond to unsolicited emails claiming to be official court summons—these are sophisticated scams designed to steal personal information or infect devices with malware,” Kobach said. “State and federal courts do not serve legal documents via email, and clicking links or opening attachments in these fraudulent messages can have serious consequences.”

According to the Kansas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, reports have come in from residents who received emails with subject lines such as “Legal Compliance Required: Court Case #USDC-2026-[Number].” The messages falsely claim the recipient has been “formally served with a summons in a civil action” and warn that a default judgment will be entered if the recipient does not respond immediately.

The Attorney General’s Office offered several tips for handling these emails:

Do not reply: Do not click on any links, open attachments, or respond to the sender. The content is likely malicious.

Know the process: The U.S. District Court does not serve initial summonses by email. Official service is carried out through certified mail or by a process server.

Verify independently: If you believe a legal case may exist, contact the Clerk of the Court using contact information found on the court’s official website, not details provided in the email.

Check the sender carefully: Scammers often spoof legitimate addresses or use non-government domains. Legitimate federal court emails always end in .gov, not .org or .com.

Consumers who receive one of these scam emails are encouraged to report it. The message can be forwarded to the Federal Trade Commission at <a href="MAILTO:spam@uce.gov">spam@uce.gov</a>

Kansans can also file a complaint with the Kansas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division through the Attorney General’s website.

Kobach said reporting the emails helps investigators track emerging scams and take action against those responsible.

Kansas A.G. warns of email scam 

NEW YORK (AP) — The Justice Department on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-justice-department-trump-ed743598c320b94bd9d91631618678d9">released many more records</a>&nbsp;from its investigative files on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>, resuming disclosures under a law intended to reveal what the government knew about the millionaire financier’s sexual abuse of young girls and his interactions with the rich and powerful.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein">Click here t</a>o view the latest files

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department was releasing more than 3 million pages of documents in the latest Epstein disclosure, as well as more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images. The files, posted to the department’s website, include some of the several million pages of records that officials said were withheld from an initial release of documents in December.

Congressional Democrats, who have been key to pushing for the release of case files on Epstein, are arguing that Friday’s release is only about half of the files that have been collected.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-release-justice-department-32cbc21a6ae8189dccd00455dc83d2be">The Epstein Files Transparency Act</a>, a law enacted after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-e1fa3b7cb64b6c678073744c7744c4a9">months of public and political pressure</a>, requires the government to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-release-justice-department-32cbc21a6ae8189dccd00455dc83d2be">open its files</a>&nbsp;on the convicted sex offender as well as his confidant and onetime girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell. Epstein killed himself in a New York jail cell in August 2019, a month after he was indicted on federal sex trafficking charges.

Justice Department didn’t fully redact all documents

At least one of the files appears to show personal information that was meant to be kept from the public.

It’s an email exchange that appears to be marked for redactions but leaves names and telephone numbers visible. The December 2019 emails captured officials discussing missing surveillance video from the New York jail where Epstein&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a104be68ede71c99f26c4e765d244e0e">survived an apparent suicide attempt</a>&nbsp;earlier that year.

Epstein advised Democrats to stop demonizing Trump

During Trump’s first term, Epstein emailed Kathy Ruemmler, a lawyer and former Obama White House official, to warn that Democrats should stop demonizing Trump as a Mafia-type figure even as he derided the president as a “maniac.”

“you might want to tell your dem friends that treatin= trump like a mafia don , ignores the fact that he has great dangerous pow.r..” Epstein wrote in a typo-filled email. “tightening the noose too slowly, risks a very bad =ituation.. gambino was never the commander in chief.”

Epstein supported Trump’s first-term efforts to oust Fed chair

In a 2018 exchange, Epstein and Trump advisor Steve Bannon discussed the president’s threats to oust Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, whom he had named to the post just the year prior.

“should have been done months ago too old!!!!” Epstein wrote.

“Can u get rid of Powell or really get rid of mnuchin,” Bannon replied, referring to then-Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.

“no, mnuchin is ok,” Epstein replied.

Trump on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warsh-trump-federal-reserve-chair-6b4441263c1b7ecb40b96adf17adeea2">named Kevin Warsh</a>&nbsp;to succeed Powell after spending the past year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-federal-reserve-4821bb5d0baa9980c4c69ab26fab3ab4">assailing him</a>&nbsp;for not cutting interest rates quickly enough.

Some documents are related to Epstein’s incarceration and suicide

Others center around Ghislaine Maxwell’s incarceration and her grievances related to her imprisonment conditions.

The records contain emails between investigators that discuss Epstein’s death, including his last note — with the email stating that it does not appear to be a suicide note.

Thousands of pages of documents related to Epstein’s jail suicide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-jail-suicide-prison-death-8d194a756f2b429067f009a0c70f96c0">have already been</a>&nbsp;released.

The House Oversight Committee has also issued a separate subpoena to Attorney General Pam Bondi for the files without redactions, but that has not been fulfilled. Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the oversight panel, called the limited release of documents “outrageous and incredibly concerning.”

Congressional Democrats criticize DOJ’s release as incomplete

Congressional Democrats who have been key to pushing for the release of case files on Epstein are arguing that Friday’s release by the Department of Justice is only about half of the files that have been collected.

“The DOJ said it identified over 6 million potentially responsive pages but is releasing only about 3.5 million after review and redactions. This raises questions as to why the rest are being withheld,” said Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who sponsored the bill that mandated the disclosure.

Khanna said he was looking to see whether the files released Friday included FBI interviews with victims, a draft indictment and information prosecutors collected during a 2007 investigation into Epstein in Florida.

The House Oversight Committee has also issued a separate subpoena to Attorney General Pam Bondi for the files without redactions, but that has not been fulfilled.

Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the oversight panel, called the limited release of documents “outrageous and incredibly concerning.”

Records include unsubstantiated tips sent to investigators

Over the years, prosecutors received tips from people with wild stories about being sexually abused by famous figures. In some instances, FBI investigators diligently reached out to these tipsters and alleged victims and listened to their implausible sounding stories — some involving the occult and human sacrifice — then wrote dry reports summarizing what the people had to say and sent them to their superiors.

Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor says even more documents will be released

Attorney Jay Clayton told New York federal court judges overseeing records in the sex trafficking cases against Epstein and Maxwell that some documents are being withheld temporarily while the government awaits further guidance from civil and criminal courts.

In a letter to the judges, Clayton says his office continues to engage with victims and their lawyers, including during a call Thursday. He said the Justice Department has invited victims to reach out if they believe anything has been published that should be redacted.

Some of the documents we’ve seen so far

The huge cache of documents included email correspondence between prosecutors, printouts of thousands of emails that Epstein either sent or received, news clippings, and reports written by FBI agents summarizing their interviews with witnesses and alleged victims in the investigation.

As was the case with many previous releases of documents related to Epstein, much material was blacked out. Some of the reports on FBI interviews had entire pages blacked out, along with the name of the person who was being interviewed.

Blanche defends DOJ handling of Epstein release

The deputy U.S. attorney general also responded to criticism about the Justice Department’s handling of the files’ release.

He said federal attorneys had to review all 6 million pages to ensure no victim information is released, and couldn’t do so within the 30-day timeline set by the law. He noted various exemptions under the law, but said no material was being withheld under a national security or foreign policy exemption.

“There’s not some tranche of super-secret documents about Jeffrey Epstein that we’re withholding,” he said about redactions in the files.

Blanche acknowledges extensive redactions

Justice Department lawyers made extensive redactions to the released files, including victim information that included their medical files.

They redacted images and videos, including removing any woman depicted in videos except for Ghislaine Maxwell.

Lawyers also withheld child sex abuse materials or anything depicting images of death, physical abuse or injury, as well as anything that would hurt an ongoing federal investigation, Blanche said.

View the latest release of millions of pages of Epstein file documents

Panel rejects trial judge’s sanction against KHP for using ‘Kansas Two-Step’

By:&nbsp;<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 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a federal district court decision that the Kansas Highway Patrol engaged in unconstitutional targeting of out-of-state motorists, but it decided an injunction issued by the trial judge against the state law enforcement agency went too far.

On Thursday, the 10th Circuit affirmed the Kansas district court’s decision requiring KHP to alter trooper training related to targeting of motorists so those procedures adhered to the Fourth Amendment standard in the U.S. Constitution regarding searches and seizures. However, the appellate panel reviewing the outcome of Shaw v. Jones directed U.S. District Court Judge Kathryn Vratil to revise her injunction imposing further restraints on KHP.

Monica Bennett, legal director of the ACLU of Kansas, said the result was KHP must retrain its troopers to “observe and respect the rights of all people traveling Kansas highways.”

“Motorists in Kansas and across the country are entitled to expect law enforcement to comply with the Constitution,” said Patrick McInerney, a partner at the Spencer Fane law firm. “The court’s decision today demands it, and we are proud to have been part of the effort to hold the KHP accountable.”

The lawsuit was filed in 2020 by ACLU of Kansas and Spencer Fane to challenge KHP’s policy of homing in on motorists with out-of-state license plates. Under this KHP practice, troopers on Interstate 70 focused on vehicles traveling to or from Colorado, which allows recreational sales of marijuana.

Under the 2016 decision in Vasquez v. Lewis, the 10th Circuit previously held “a driver’s state of residency is a completely innocuous factor in determining whether a driver is suspicious.”

KHP declined to incorporate the Vasquez ruling into its training programs and continued to rely on a person’s residency for the basis of traffic stops along I-70. The reality of the 2016 Court of Appeals decision didn’t become part of KHP training materials until after plaintiffs in the case filed the lawsuit.

Statistical evidence presented during trial found out-of-state drivers comprised 35% of drivers on the I-70, but made up 77% of KHP traffic stops and 90% of KHP canine searches.

“Despite repeated warnings from the 10th Circuit, the Kansas Highway Patrol has continued to unconstitutionally target out-of-state drivers for suspicionless roadside detentions,” said Brian Hauss, deputy director of the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy and Technology Project.

The lawsuit’s plaintiffs also sought to stop KHP officers from using a roadside tactic, referred to as the “Kansas Two-Step.” It involves KHP troopers taking a couple of steps toward a patrol vehicle to leave the impression of terminating traffic stops before reengaging drivers in a conversation designed to develop reasonable suspicion of drug trafficking and prompt a vehicle search for contraband.

Vratil’s injunction, put in place for up to four years, required KHP to reform its training to address the nonresident motorist problem.

She also forbid use by KHP of the two-step strategy for motorists on I-70, I-35, U.S. Route 54 or U.S. Route 36. She ordered KHP to alter its training curriculum so troopers informed drivers of their right to refuse whenever asked for consent to search their vehicle. She mandated a driver’s consent had to be documented in writing by KHP.

In addition, Vratil ordered KHP to collect data on traffic stops and seizures. She directed KHP to create video and audio recordings of all traffic stops and mandated KHP supervisors review the recordings within 72 hours for policy infractions.

After the district court ruled against KHP and ordered the agency to reform enforcement practices, KHP Superintendent Eric Smith appealed to the Court of Appeals.

The appellate judges considering the Kansas case agreed KHP should have long ago abandoned the “pretense that state citizenship is a permissible basis upon which to justify the detention and search of out-of-state motorists.”

The Court of Appeals also held the “district court abused its discretion by granting injunctive relief beyond ordering further training regarding the irrelevance of a driver’s state of origin.”

Specifically, the Court of Appeals faulted Vratil’s comprehensive injunction for inhibiting KHP’s use of the controversial two-step approach when engaged in traffic stops.

“This circuit has never held that this practice has violated a driver’s constitutional rights and has repeatedly upheld that practice in specific cases,” the appeals court said.

The KHP didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about the decision of the federal Court of Appeals.

Appeals court affirms KHP traffic stops violate motorists’ constitutional rights

NEW YORK (AP) — Financial markets churned on Friday as investors tried to figure out what President Donald Trump’s new nominee to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warsh-trump-federal-reserve-chair-6b4441263c1b7ecb40b96adf17adeea2">lead the Federal Reserve</a>&nbsp;will mean for interest rates.

U.S. stocks fell, with the S&amp;P 500 down 0.4% after sinking as much as 1.1% earlier in the day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 179 points, or 0.4%, and the Nasdaq composite lost 0.9%.

The value of the U.S. dollar rallied, but only after swiveling a couple times following Trump’s nomination of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-warsh-federal-reserve-chair-48dcd3a768960eabb4e52183fa897aa1">Kevin Warsh</a>. And some of the wildest action was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-dollar-gold-fed-2a3715ff96ba5c10b97c49e04ad9f8ec">again in precious metals markets</a>, where gold and silver prices plunged following their stellar runs over the last year.

Whoever leads the Fed has a big influence on the economy and markets worldwide by helping to dictate where the U.S. central bank moves interest rates. Such decisions lift or weigh on prices for all kinds of investments, as the Fed tries to keep the U.S. job market humming without letting inflation get out of control. Trump has been pushing for lower interest rates, which usually help goose the economy but can also cause higher inflation.

A fear in financial markets has been that the Fed will lose some of its independence because of Trump. That fear in turn helped catapult the price of gold and weaken the U.S. dollar’s value over the last year.

The longtime assumption has been that the Fed should operate separately from the rest of Washington so that it can make moves that are painful in the short term but necessary for the long term. To get inflation down to the Fed’s goal of 2%, for example, may require the unpopular choice to keep interest rates high and grind down on the economy for a while.

The big question is what Warsh’s nomination, which still requires approval from the Senate, means for the Fed’s independence.

Warsh used to be a governor on the Fed’s board, so investors are familiar with him. That could also mean Warsh is familiar with and hopes to continue the institution of the Fed as an independent operator. And while with the Fed, Warsh criticized the central bank’s buying of bonds to keep interest rates low.

Some on Wall Street took Warsh’s nomination as an encouraging signal for a still-independent Fed that will keep rates high, if necessary. Besides slowing the economy, higher interest rates would push downward on stock prices.

But Warsh has also recently been critical of the Fed’s current chair, Jerome Powell, and has voiced support for lower rates.

“Indeed, Warsh is not the Fed’s guy, he is Trump’s guy, and has shadowed Trump on monetary policy almost every step of the way since 2009,” according to Thierry Wizman, a strategist at Macquarie Group. “This doesn’t necessarily mean that Warsh will push the Fed into rate cuts soon,” but it could indicate he may be quicker to do so when the time comes.

On Wall Street, stocks of metals miners tumbled as the price of gold dropped 11.4% to settle at $4,745.10 per ounce. Gold’s price suddenly ran out of momentum following a tremendous rally where it roughly doubled over 12 months. It topped $5,000 for the first time on Monday and was around $5,600 at one point on Thursday.

Silver, which had been on a similar, jaw-dropping tear, fell even more. It plunged 31.4%.

Prices for gold and other precious metals had been surging as investors looked for safer places for their money while weighing a wide range of risks, including a potentially less independent Fed, a U.S. stock market that critics say is expensive, threats of tariffs and heavy debt loads for governments worldwide.

The dramatic halt may have been inevitable given how far and how fast metal prices had surged over the last year. Nothing goes up in price forever.

Friday’s drops for metals prices helped send the stock of miner Newmont down 11.5%. Freeport-McMoRan, another miner, dropped 7.5%.

Helping to limit the market’s losses was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-musk-trump-electric-vehicles-ev-robots-autonomous-selfdriving-bcb143e0bb16085f7b80b6bf0b759abf">Tesla</a>, which rose 3.3%. It bounced back after dropping on Thursday despite delivering better profit reports for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

Apple added 0.5% after the iPhone maker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-iphone-sales-quarterly-earnings-d977caff8c186aa012570bc28e5caca2">reported a stronger profit</a>&nbsp;for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 29.98 points to 6,939.03. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 179.09 to 48,892.47, and the Nasdaq composite sank 223.30 to 23,461.82.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury inched up to 4.25% from 4.24% late Thursday. It got near 4.28% in the overnight and early-morning hours before falling back. A rise in a bond’s yield indicates that its price is weakening.

Yields may have felt some upward pressure from a report released Friday showing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/producer-prices-inflation-december-55b6a370da197072f39e072379583c78">U.S. inflation at the wholesale level was hotter</a>&nbsp;last month than economists expected. That could put pressure on the Fed to keep interest rates steady for a while instead of cutting them, as it did late last year.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rose in much of Europe following a mixed performance in Asia.

Stocks rose 1.2% in Jakarta after the CEO of Indonesia’s stock market resigned Friday. Stocks had stumbled there in prior days after MSCI, an influential company in the investment industry that creates stock and other indexes, warned about market risks such as a lack of transparency.

___ AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.

U.S. stocks fall and a break in gold fever sends metals prices plunging

LOS ANGELES (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/arts-and-entertainment-78c4fcc88b9c53b53a79b2d778e4ff2d">Catherine O’Hara</a>, a gifted Canadian-born comic actor and “SCTV” alum who starred as Macaulay Culkin’s harried mother in two “Home Alone” movies and won an Emmy as the dramatically ditzy wealthy matriarch Moira Rose in “Schitt’s Creek,” died Friday. She was 71.

O’Hara died at her home in Los Angeles “following a brief illness,” according to a statement from her agency, Creative Artists Agency. Further details were not immediately available.

O’Hara’s career was launched at the Second City in Toronto in the in 1970s. It was there that she first worked with Eugene Levy, who would become a lifelong collaborator — and her “Schitt’s Creek” costar. The two would be among the original cast of the sketch show “SCTV,” short for “Second City Television.” The series, which began on Canadian TV in the 1970s and aired on NBC in the U.S. in the early '80s, spawned a legendary group of esoteric comedians including Martin Short, John Candy, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis and Joe Flaherty.

Hollywood didn't entirely know what to do with O'Hara and her scattershot style. She played oddball supporting characters in Martin Scorsese's 1985 “After Hours” and Tim Burton's 1988 “Beetlejuice” — a role she would reprise in the 2024 sequel.

She played it mostly straight as a horrified mother who accidentally abandoned her child in the two “Home Alone” movies. The films were among the biggest box office earners of the early 1990s and their Christmas setting made them TV perennials

Her co-star Culkin was among those paying her tribute Friday.

“Mama, I thought we had time,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DUJTe8rEmO4/?hl=en">Culkin said on Instagram</a>&nbsp;alongside an image from “Home Alone” and a recent recreation of the same pose. “I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you. But I had so much more to say. I love you. I’ll see you later."

O'Hara would find her groove with the crew of improv pros brought together by Christopher Guest for a series of mockumentaries that began with 1996's “Waiting for Guffman” and continued with 2000's “Best in Show,” 2003's “A Might Wind” and 2006's “For Your Consideration.”

“Best in Show” was the biggest hit and best remembered film of the series. It sees her paired as Levy's wife as the couple, Gerry and Cookie Fleck, takes their Norwich terrier to a dog show, and constantly run into Cookie's former lovers along the way.

“Schitt's Creek” would be a career-capping triumph and the perfect personification of her comic talents. The small show created by Levy and his son Dan about a wealthy family forced to live in a tiny town would dominate the Emmys in its sixth and final season. It brought O'Hara, always a beloved figure, a new generation of fans and put her at the center of cultural attention.

She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/arts-and-entertainment-78c4fcc88b9c53b53a79b2d778e4ff2d">told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;that she pictured Moira, a former soap opera star, as someone who had married rich and wanted to “remind everyone that (she was) special, too.” With an exaggerated Mid-Atlantic accent and obscure vocabulary, Moira spoke unlike anyone else, using words like “frippet,” “pettifogging” and “unasinous,” to show her desire to be different, O’Hara said. To perfect Moira’s voice, O’Hara would pore through old vocabulary books, “Moira-izing” the dialogue even further than what was already written.

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