Chamber sends Senate a bill allowing 20-year-olds to enter police academy

BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</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 — Rep. Brad Barrett’s sense of potential lethal ramifications of high-speed pursuits by law enforcement officers was drawn from service as a Shawnee County district attorney investigator and a Coffey County sheriff’s deputy.

Barrett, an Osage City Republican, brought that experience to the Kansas House where he urged peers to support&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2177_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">House Bill 2177</a>. It would stiffen criminal penalties for motorists repeatedly convicted of fleeing or attempting to elude authorities.

“This is dangerous,” he said. “When people are fleeing law enforcement, they’re driving a couple thousand pound missile full of fuel. We need to hold them accountable for their actions.”

Kansas Highway Patrol Col. Eric Smith and Coffey County Undersheriff Eric Smith — no relation — had testified to a House committee in support of the bill. Both said the state would be justified to enact progressively severe punitive measures for those who continued to attempt or commit an aggravated form of fleeing and eluding.

“Increased penalties for prior convictions discourage violators from committing the same offense,” the KHP colonel said.

He said the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documented 525 fatalities in 2021 that occurred during police pursuits in the United States.

On Thursday, the House responded by voting 94-28 to send the bill to the Kansas Senate.

The legislation would raise a third or subsequent conviction for skirting a road block, avoiding tire deflation devices or intentionally causing property damage during a law enforcement chase from a level 9 felony to a level 5 felony. The bill also would dictate that a person convicted a third or subsequent time of driving the wrong way into an opposing lane of traffic and forcing a motorist to take evasive action or colliding with a vehicle, would face a level 4 felony rather than a level 9 felony.

Rep. Tobias Schlingensiepen, D-Topeka, asked during floor debate on the bill Wednesday for evidence demonstrating that modifying the sentencing grid so more people went to prison compelled anyone to avoid entering into chases with law enforcement.

“There’s no evidence that raising the penalty on fleeing and eluding will have any deterrent effect at all,” Schlingensiepen said.

Emily Brandt, who represents the legislative committee of the Kansas Board of Indigents’ Defense, said the bill was unnecessary because fleeing-and-eluding recidivists were punished when judges who factored criminal history into sentencing decisions.

She said elevating the third offense to a level 4 or level 5 felony would punish someone as seriously as if the crime in question was aggravated battery, involuntary manslaughter or sexual exploitation of a child. Individuals with a third such person felony could be sentenced to more than decade in prison, she said.

“This bill would punish people who committed no harm to another as severely as people who committed a murder or caused great bodily harm,” Brandt said. “If passed, this bill would have a significant fiscal impact on the state of Kansas, mostly because of much longer prison stays for committing these crimes, but also because of increased defense costs for higher severity level crimes.”

A House majority also sent the Senate — on a vote of 97-24 — a bill to lower the minimum age for persons applying for certification as a law enforcement officer to 20 years of age from the current standard of 21. While law enforcement training could take place, supporters of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2164_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">House Bill 2164</a>&nbsp;indicated individuals would need to be 21 to be assigned duties as a part-time or full-time officer.

“This bill would help with recruitment and retention for Kansas law enforcement departments to help address shortages,” said Rep. Kevin Schwertfeger, R-Turon.

Wichita Police Chief Joseph Sullivan, who made officer recruiting a top priority since selected chief in 2022, said one barrier to attracting candidates for careers in law enforcement was the state mandate they had to be 21 years of age prior to applying for a state law enforcement certification.

He said the department implemented an “early onboarding process” to streamline recruitment. The House bill would allow the department to formally bring 20-year-olds into the process while they awaited a law enforcement academy start date. The objective would be for applicants to complete a six-month training program before turning 21, he said.

“Increasing the pool of potential applicants will help us fill critical vacancies and enhance public safety for all Kansans by ensuring that we have well-training, capable officers protecting our communities,” Sullivan said.

Overland Park Police Chief Doreen Jokerst, who entered a Colorado police academy at age 20, said the reform would reflect her belief that “responsible and capable individuals exist” within the lower age group. Opening training academies to Kansas applicants earlier would support law enforcement agencies working to attract promising candidates, she said.

Rep. John Carmichael, a Wichita Republican who served as chairman of the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training, said he wasn’t convinced lowering the age was sound public policy. He said there could be problems if 20-year-old trainees were given gun and badge before they were equipped to handle the job.

“I urge the House to move very slowly on this request because I think we’re going to make mistakes,” Carmichael said. “We’re going to have people without the maturity out there as police officers.”

Ottawa GOP Rep. Rebecca Schmoe, vice chair of the House Federal and State Affairs Committee, said legislative heartburn on the bill didn’t make sense.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740069726626.png" alt="File photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>File photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Chamber sends Senate a bill allowing 20-year-olds to enter police academy</h2>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</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 — Rep. Brad Barrett’s sense of potential lethal ramifications of high-speed pursuits by law enforcement officers was drawn from service as a Shawnee County district attorney investigator and a Coffey County sheriff’s deputy.Barrett, an Osage City Republican, brought that experience to the Kansas House where he urged peers to support&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2177_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">House Bill 2177</a>. It would stiffen criminal penalties for motorists repeatedly convicted of fleeing or attempting to elude authorities.“This is dangerous,” he said. “When people are fleeing law enforcement, they’re driving a couple thousand pound missile full of fuel. We need to hold them accountable for their actions.”Kansas Highway Patrol Col. Eric Smith and Coffey County Undersheriff Eric Smith — no relation — had testified to a House committee in support of the bill. Both said the state would be justified to enact progressively severe punitive measures for those who continued to attempt or commit an aggravated form of fleeing and eluding.“Increased penalties for prior convictions discourage violators from committing the same offense,” the KHP colonel said.He said the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documented 525 fatalities in 2021 that occurred during police pursuits in the United States.On Thursday, the House responded by voting 94-28 to send the bill to the Kansas Senate.The legislation would raise a third or subsequent conviction for skirting a road block, avoiding tire deflation devices or intentionally causing property damage during a law enforcement chase from a level 9 felony to a level 5 felony. The bill also would dictate that a person convicted a third or subsequent time of driving the wrong way into an opposing lane of traffic and forcing a motorist to take evasive action or colliding with a vehicle, would face a level 4 felony rather than a level 9 felony.<h2>Not so fast</h2>Rep. Tobias Schlingensiepen, D-Topeka, asked during floor debate on the bill Wednesday for evidence demonstrating that modifying the sentencing grid so more people went to prison compelled anyone to avoid entering into chases with law enforcement.“There’s no evidence that raising the penalty on fleeing and eluding will have any deterrent effect at all,” Schlingensiepen said.Emily Brandt, who represents the legislative committee of the Kansas Board of Indigents’ Defense, said the bill was unnecessary because fleeing-and-eluding recidivists were punished when judges who factored criminal history into sentencing decisions.She said elevating the third offense to a level 4 or level 5 felony would punish someone as seriously as if the crime in question was aggravated battery, involuntary manslaughter or sexual exploitation of a child. Individuals with a third such person felony could be sentenced to more than decade in prison, she said.“This bill would punish people who committed no harm to another as severely as people who committed a murder or caused great bodily harm,” Brandt said. “If passed, this bill would have a significant fiscal impact on the state of Kansas, mostly because of much longer prison stays for committing these crimes, but also because of increased defense costs for higher severity level crimes.”<h2>Police academy: Age 20</h2>A House majority also sent the Senate — on a vote of 97-24 — a bill to lower the minimum age for persons applying for certification as a law enforcement officer to 20 years of age from the current standard of 21. While law enforcement training could take place, supporters of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2164_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">House Bill 2164</a>&nbsp;indicated individuals would need to be 21 to be assigned duties as a part-time or full-time officer.“This bill would help with recruitment and retention for Kansas law enforcement departments to help address shortages,” said Rep. Kevin Schwertfeger, R-Turon.Wichita Police Chief Joseph Sullivan, who made officer recruiting a top priority since selected chief in 2022, said one barrier to attracting candidates for careers in law enforcement was the state mandate they had to be 21 years of age prior to applying for a state law enforcement certification.He said the department implemented an “early onboarding process” to streamline recruitment. The House bill would allow the department to formally bring 20-year-olds into the process while they awaited a law enforcement academy start date. The objective would be for applicants to complete a six-month training program before turning 21, he said.“Increasing the pool of potential applicants will help us fill critical vacancies and enhance public safety for all Kansans by ensuring that we have well-training, capable officers protecting our communities,” Sullivan said.<h2>What’s the hang-up?</h2>Overland Park Police Chief Doreen Jokerst, who entered a Colorado police academy at age 20, said the reform would reflect her belief that “responsible and capable individuals exist” within the lower age group. Opening training academies to Kansas applicants earlier would support law enforcement agencies working to attract promising candidates, she said.Rep. John Carmichael, a Wichita Republican who served as chairman of the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training, said he wasn’t convinced lowering the age was sound public policy. He said there could be problems if 20-year-old trainees were given gun and badge before they were equipped to handle the job.“I urge the House to move very slowly on this request because I think we’re going to make mistakes,” Carmichael said. “We’re going to have people without the maturity out there as police officers.”Ottawa GOP Rep. Rebecca Schmoe, vice chair of the House Federal and State Affairs Committee, said legislative heartburn on the bill didn’t make sense.

Kan. House agrees to stiffen penalty for recidivist offenders in high-speed police chases

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mitch-mcconnell">Sen. Mitch McConnell</a>&nbsp;announced on Thursday that he won’t seek reelection next year, ending a decadeslong tenure as a power broker who championed conservative causes but ultimately ceded ground to the fierce GOP populism of President Donald Trump.

McConnell, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-montana-united-states-senate-new-york-city-mitch-mcconnell-41f4326218e7c2d8439ca02d09c6683b">longest-serving Senate party leader</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history, chose his 83rd birthday to share his decision not to run for another term in Kentucky and to retire when his current term ends. He informed The Associated Press of his decision before he addressed colleagues in a speech on the Senate floor.

“Seven times, my fellow Kentuckians have sent me to the Senate,” McConnell said, as aides lined the back chamber and several senators listened from seats. “Every day in between I’ve been humbled by the trust they’ve placed in me to do their business here. Representing our commonwealth has been the honor of a lifetime. I will not seek this honor an eighth time. My current term in the Senate will be my last.”

His announcement begins the epilogue of a storied career as a master strategist, one in which he helped forge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-presidential-election-trump-harris-ed91f084599d0f25b00f44bb71620528">a conservative Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;and steered the Senate through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2d9e099660064f2b8a8fc2237b4e7e4e">tax cuts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-trial-0d0916330d20cc139c64f73af5ef4647">presidential impeachment trials</a>&nbsp;and fierce political fights.

McConnell, first elected in 1984, intends to serve the remainder of his term ending in January 2027. The Kentuckian has dealt with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcconnell-senate-fall-republican-8d58004d3f14c1995d83c11319d77d72">a series of medical episodes</a>&nbsp;in recent years, including injuries sustained from falls and times when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-gop-leader-mcconnell-health-freeze-up-c5b43745251daa0bb63636ceff4edce2">his face briefly froze</a>&nbsp;while he was speaking.

The senator delivered his speech in a chamber the famously taciturn McConnell revered as a young intern long before joining its back benches as a freshman lawmaker in the mid-1980s. His dramatic announcement comes almost a year after his decision to relinquish&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mitch-mcconnell-senate-republican-leader-stepping-down-ba478d570a4561aa7baf91a204d7e366">his leadership post</a>&nbsp;after the November 2024 election.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-leader-thune-cornyn-scott-mcconnell-trump-c3c1c451a420729136ae641a14d9d5d6">South Dakota Sen. John Thune</a>, a top McConnell deputy, replaced him as majority leader.

McConnell's looming departure reflects the changing dynamics of the Trump-led GOP. He's seen his power diminish on a parallel track with both his health and his relationship with Trump, who once praised him as an ally but has taken to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/trump-slams-mcconnell-for-rfk-jr-vote-calling-him-bitter-and-questioning-his-childhood-polio-bcf92bb6f7a54c71b81ba861d4180575">criticizing him in caustic terms</a>.

In Kentucky, McConnell's departure will mark the loss of a powerful advocate and will set off a competitive GOP primary next year for what will now be an open Senate seat. Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, seen as a rising star in his party for winning statewide office in Republican territory, has said he has no interest in the Senate, though he is widely viewed as a contender for higher office.

McConnell, a diehard adherent to Ronald Reagan’s brand of traditional conservatism and muscular foreign policy, increasingly found himself out of step with a GOP shifting toward the fiery, often isolationist populism espoused by Trump.

McConnell still champions providing Ukraine with weapons and other aid to fend off Russia’s invasion, even as Trump ratchets up criticism of the country and its leader,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kellogg-zelenskyy-437f4c8fa4531059007dd3ab00c23458">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>. The senator plans to make it clear Thursday that national defense remains at the forefront of his agenda.

“Thanks to Ronald Reagan’s determination, the work of strengthening American hard power was well underway when I arrived in the Senate,” McConnell said in his prepared remarks. "But since then, we’ve allowed that power to atrophy. And today, a dangerous world threatens to outpace the work of rebuilding it. So, lest any of our colleagues still doubt my intentions for the remainder of my term: I have some unfinished business to attend to."

McConnell and Trump were partners during Trump's first term, but the relationship was severed after McConnell blamed Trump for “disgraceful” acts in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack by his supporters</a>. A momentary thaw in 2024 when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mitch-mcconnell-endorsement-donald-trump-super-tuesday-422a2ec6f19917b46804b4cf6ee40371">McConnell endorsed Trump</a>&nbsp;didn't last.

Last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-mitch-mcconnell-polio-rfk-vaccines-06a03dd5ca2024317f01e1c4f5171678">Trump referred to McConnell</a>&nbsp;as a "very bitter guy” after McConnell, who battled polio as a child, opposed vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation as the nation’s top health official. McConnell referred to Trump as a “despicable human being” and a “narcissist” in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcconnell-trump-biography-election-0a861001d95287e689336504abc2281f">a biography of the senator</a>&nbsp;by The Associated Press' deputy Washington bureau chief, Michael Tackett.

Before their falling out, Trump and McConnell pushed through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6a409d3266be46dcaa2f1267fd947a12">a tax overhaul</a>&nbsp;largely focused on reductions for businesses and higher-earning taxpayers. They joined forces to reshape the Supreme Court when Trump nominated three justices and McConnell guided them to Senate confirmation, tilting the high court to the right.

McConnell set a new precedent for hardball partisan tactics in 2016 by refusing to even give a hearing to Democratic President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-6fe101b4bef54f989d939bccc81873fc">Barack Obama’s pick of Merrick Garland</a>&nbsp;to replace the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Putting the brakes on the Senate's “advise and consent” role for judicial nominees, McConnell said the vacancy should be filled by the next president so voters could have their say.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f5a557876d5546cca4ebd53b4860e2ed">Trump filled the vacancy</a>&nbsp;once he took office, and McConnell later called the stonewalling of Garland's nomination his “most consequential” achievement.

Later, when liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died weeks before the 2020 presidential election won by Democrat Joe Biden, McConnell&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-donald-trump-virus-outbreak-ruth-bader-ginsburg-amy-coney-barrett-82a02a618343c98b80ca2b6bf9eafe07">rushed Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation</a>&nbsp;through the Senate, waving off allegations of hypocrisy.

McConnell also guided the Senate — and Trump — through two impeachment trials that ended in acquittals.

In the second impeachment, weeks after the deadly Capitol attack by a mob hoping to overturn Trump’s 2020 reelection defeat, McConnell joined all but seven Republicans in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-riots-trials-impeachments-b245b52fd7d4a079ae199c954baba452">voting to acquit</a>. McConnell said he believed Trump couldn’t be convicted because he’d already left office, but the senator also condemned Trump as “practically and morally responsible” for the insurrection.

McConnell over the years swung back and forth from majority to minority leader, depending on which party held power. He defended President George W. Bush’s handling of the Iraq war and failed to block Obama’s health care overhaul.

McConnell, the longest-serving senator ever from Kentucky, ensured that the Bluegrass State received plenty of federal funding. Back home he was a key architect in his party's rise to power in a state long dominated by Democrats.

He is married to Elaine Chao, and they have long been a power couple in Washington. In his prepared remarks Thursday, the senator referred to her as his “ultimate teammate and confidante.” Chao was labor secretary for Bush and transportation secretary during Trump's first term, though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-security-michael-pence-01e30bccef96ccd73fe642f8f96f8519">she resigned</a>&nbsp;after the Capitol insurrection, saying it had “deeply troubled” her.

McConnell's parting words reflected his devotion to the Senate and his disdain for his detractors.

“The Senate is still equipped for work of great consequence," he said. "And, to the disappointment of my critics, I’m still here on the job.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740070424167.png" alt="Mitch McConnell spoke about his decision on the Senate Floor Thursday morning just moments after voting to advance the nomination of Kash Patel to be Director of the FBI-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Mitch McConnell spoke about his decision on the Senate Floor Thursday morning just moments after voting to advance the nomination of Kash Patel to be Director of the FBI-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mitch-mcconnell">Sen. Mitch McConnell</a>&nbsp;announced on Thursday that he won’t seek reelection next year, ending a decadeslong tenure as a power broker who championed conservative causes but ultimately ceded ground to the fierce GOP populism of President Donald Trump.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Sen. Mitch McConnell (<a href="https://twitter.com/SenMcConnell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenMcConnell</a>): &quot;Seven times my fellow Kentuckians have sent me to the Senate...Representing our Commonwealth has been the honor of a lifetime. I will not seek this honor an eighth time. My current term in the Senate will be my last.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/b33cR7I36e">pic.twitter.com/b33cR7I36e</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1892621015370399750?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>McConnell, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-montana-united-states-senate-new-york-city-mitch-mcconnell-41f4326218e7c2d8439ca02d09c6683b">longest-serving Senate party leader</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history, chose his 83rd birthday to share his decision not to run for another term in Kentucky and to retire when his current term ends. He informed The Associated Press of his decision before he addressed colleagues in a speech on the Senate floor.“Seven times, my fellow Kentuckians have sent me to the Senate,” McConnell said, as aides lined the back chamber and several senators listened from seats. “Every day in between I’ve been humbled by the trust they’ve placed in me to do their business here. Representing our commonwealth has been the honor of a lifetime. I will not seek this honor an eighth time. My current term in the Senate will be my last.”His announcement begins the epilogue of a storied career as a master strategist, one in which he helped forge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-presidential-election-trump-harris-ed91f084599d0f25b00f44bb71620528">a conservative Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;and steered the Senate through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2d9e099660064f2b8a8fc2237b4e7e4e">tax cuts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-trial-0d0916330d20cc139c64f73af5ef4647">presidential impeachment trials</a>&nbsp;and fierce political fights.McConnell, first elected in 1984, intends to serve the remainder of his term ending in January 2027. The Kentuckian has dealt with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcconnell-senate-fall-republican-8d58004d3f14c1995d83c11319d77d72">a series of medical episodes</a>&nbsp;in recent years, including injuries sustained from falls and times when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-gop-leader-mcconnell-health-freeze-up-c5b43745251daa0bb63636ceff4edce2">his face briefly froze</a>&nbsp;while he was speaking.The senator delivered his speech in a chamber the famously taciturn McConnell revered as a young intern long before joining its back benches as a freshman lawmaker in the mid-1980s. His dramatic announcement comes almost a year after his decision to relinquish&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mitch-mcconnell-senate-republican-leader-stepping-down-ba478d570a4561aa7baf91a204d7e366">his leadership post</a>&nbsp;after the November 2024 election.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-leader-thune-cornyn-scott-mcconnell-trump-c3c1c451a420729136ae641a14d9d5d6">South Dakota Sen. John Thune</a>, a top McConnell deputy, replaced him as majority leader.McConnell's looming departure reflects the changing dynamics of the Trump-led GOP. He's seen his power diminish on a parallel track with both his health and his relationship with Trump, who once praised him as an ally but has taken to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/trump-slams-mcconnell-for-rfk-jr-vote-calling-him-bitter-and-questioning-his-childhood-polio-bcf92bb6f7a54c71b81ba861d4180575">criticizing him in caustic terms</a>.In Kentucky, McConnell's departure will mark the loss of a powerful advocate and will set off a competitive GOP primary next year for what will now be an open Senate seat. Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, seen as a rising star in his party for winning statewide office in Republican territory, has said he has no interest in the Senate, though he is widely viewed as a contender for higher office.McConnell, a diehard adherent to Ronald Reagan’s brand of traditional conservatism and muscular foreign policy, increasingly found himself out of step with a GOP shifting toward the fiery, often isolationist populism espoused by Trump.McConnell still champions providing Ukraine with weapons and other aid to fend off Russia’s invasion, even as Trump ratchets up criticism of the country and its leader,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kellogg-zelenskyy-437f4c8fa4531059007dd3ab00c23458">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>. The senator plans to make it clear Thursday that national defense remains at the forefront of his agenda.“Thanks to Ronald Reagan’s determination, the work of strengthening American hard power was well underway when I arrived in the Senate,” McConnell said in his prepared remarks. "But since then, we’ve allowed that power to atrophy. And today, a dangerous world threatens to outpace the work of rebuilding it. So, lest any of our colleagues still doubt my intentions for the remainder of my term: I have some unfinished business to attend to."McConnell and Trump were partners during Trump's first term, but the relationship was severed after McConnell blamed Trump for “disgraceful” acts in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack by his supporters</a>. A momentary thaw in 2024 when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mitch-mcconnell-endorsement-donald-trump-super-tuesday-422a2ec6f19917b46804b4cf6ee40371">McConnell endorsed Trump</a>&nbsp;didn't last.Last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-mitch-mcconnell-polio-rfk-vaccines-06a03dd5ca2024317f01e1c4f5171678">Trump referred to McConnell</a>&nbsp;as a "very bitter guy” after McConnell, who battled polio as a child, opposed vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation as the nation’s top health official. McConnell referred to Trump as a “despicable human being” and a “narcissist” in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcconnell-trump-biography-election-0a861001d95287e689336504abc2281f">a biography of the senator</a>&nbsp;by The Associated Press' deputy Washington bureau chief, Michael Tackett.Before their falling out, Trump and McConnell pushed through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6a409d3266be46dcaa2f1267fd947a12">a tax overhaul</a>&nbsp;largely focused on reductions for businesses and higher-earning taxpayers. They joined forces to reshape the Supreme Court when Trump nominated three justices and McConnell guided them to Senate confirmation, tilting the high court to the right.McConnell set a new precedent for hardball partisan tactics in 2016 by refusing to even give a hearing to Democratic President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-6fe101b4bef54f989d939bccc81873fc">Barack Obama’s pick of Merrick Garland</a>&nbsp;to replace the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Putting the brakes on the Senate's “advise and consent” role for judicial nominees, McConnell said the vacancy should be filled by the next president so voters could have their say.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f5a557876d5546cca4ebd53b4860e2ed">Trump filled the vacancy</a>&nbsp;once he took office, and McConnell later called the stonewalling of Garland's nomination his “most consequential” achievement.Later, when liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died weeks before the 2020 presidential election won by Democrat Joe Biden, McConnell&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-donald-trump-virus-outbreak-ruth-bader-ginsburg-amy-coney-barrett-82a02a618343c98b80ca2b6bf9eafe07">rushed Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation</a>&nbsp;through the Senate, waving off allegations of hypocrisy.McConnell also guided the Senate — and Trump — through two impeachment trials that ended in acquittals.In the second impeachment, weeks after the deadly Capitol attack by a mob hoping to overturn Trump’s 2020 reelection defeat, McConnell joined all but seven Republicans in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-riots-trials-impeachments-b245b52fd7d4a079ae199c954baba452">voting to acquit</a>. McConnell said he believed Trump couldn’t be convicted because he’d already left office, but the senator also condemned Trump as “practically and morally responsible” for the insurrection.McConnell over the years swung back and forth from majority to minority leader, depending on which party held power. He defended President George W. Bush’s handling of the Iraq war and failed to block Obama’s health care overhaul.McConnell, the longest-serving senator ever from Kentucky, ensured that the Bluegrass State received plenty of federal funding. Back home he was a key architect in his party's rise to power in a state long dominated by Democrats.He is married to Elaine Chao, and they have long been a power couple in Washington. In his prepared remarks Thursday, the senator referred to her as his “ultimate teammate and confidante.” Chao was labor secretary for Bush and transportation secretary during Trump's first term, though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-security-michael-pence-01e30bccef96ccd73fe642f8f96f8519">she resigned</a>&nbsp;after the Capitol insurrection, saying it had “deeply troubled” her.McConnell's parting words reflected his devotion to the Senate and his disdain for his detractors.“The Senate is still equipped for work of great consequence," he said. "And, to the disappointment of my critics, I’m still here on the job.”___Schreiner reported from Louisville, Ky.

🎥Mitch McConnell, longest-serving Senate leader, won't seek reelection

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for an alleged violent crime in southwest Kansas.

Just after 3a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to the north part of Garden City where offices observed a vehicle in the roadway. Officers made contact with the driver who told Officers that an occupant inside the vehicle had been kidnapped at knifepoint by someone known to them.

 The investigation revealed that the victim was being driven home when the suspect, identified as 39-year-old Augustin Beronvil began following their vehicle. 

Beronvil then confronted the vehicle at an intersection and pulled out a pocketknife. The victim ran from the vehicle, but Beronvil grabbed them from behind, forced them into his vehicle and drove off. 

Officers quickly located Beronvil and the victim at his residence, and Beronvil was taken into custody on requested charges of Aggravated Kidnapping, Aggravated Assault, and other violations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740016169864.png" alt="Beronvil photo Finney County" />
 <figcaption>Beronvil photo Finney County</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for an alleged violent crime in southwest Kansas.Just after 3a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to the north part of Garden City where offices observed a vehicle in the roadway. Officers made contact with the driver who told Officers that an occupant inside the vehicle had been kidnapped at knifepoint by someone known to them. The investigation revealed that the victim was being driven home when the suspect, identified as 39-year-old Augustin Beronvil began following their vehicle. Beronvil then confronted the vehicle at an intersection and pulled out a pocketknife. The victim ran from the vehicle, but Beronvil grabbed them from behind, forced them into his vehicle and drove off. Officers quickly located Beronvil and the victim at his residence, and Beronvil was taken into custody on requested charges of Aggravated Kidnapping, Aggravated Assault, and other violations.

Man accused of kidnapping victim in southwest Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of federal government employees have been shown the door in the first month of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump’s administration</a>&nbsp;as the White House and its Department of Government Efficiency fire both new and career workers, tell agency leaders to plan for “large-scale reductions in force” and freeze trillions of dollars in federal grant funds.

It is affecting more than just the national capital region, home to about 20% of the 2.4 million members of the civilian federal workforce, which does not include military personnel and postal workers. More than 80% of that workforce lives outside the Washington area.

There is no official figure available of the total firings or layoffs. The Associated Press tallied how agencies are being affected based on AP reporting and statements from lawmakers and employee unions.

Here is a look at some of the broad and specific ways federal agencies and employees are being affected by the administration’s reductions, as of Wednesday:

‘Deferred resignation’ proposal for federal workers

The White House offered a “deferred resignation” proposal in exchange for financial incentives, like months of paid leave,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-buyouts-to-all-federal-employees-f67f5751a0fd5ad8471806a5a1067b5e">to almost all federal employees</a>&nbsp;who opted to leave their jobs by Feb. 6.

But just before that deadline, a federal judge blocked Trump’s plan, wanting to hear arguments from the administration and the labor unions, which said the offer was illegal.

According to the Office of Personnel Management, about 75,000 federal employees had accepted the offer as of Feb. 12.

There have also been wide-ranging layoffs of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-workers-layoffs-doge-406752da1614755b8fabe9c94e0c71a8">probationary employees</a>&nbsp;— those generally on the job for less than a year and who have yet to gain civil service protection. Potentially hundreds of thousands are affected.

On Feb. 13, the administration ordered agencies to lay off nearly all such workers. According to government data maintained by OPM, 220,000 federal employees had less than a year on the job as of March 2024.

On Feb. 13, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced the dismissal of more than 1,000 employees who had served for less than two years. According to Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., that included researchers working on cancer treatment, opioid addiction, prosthetics and burn pit exposure.

At least 39 people have been fired from the Education Department, including special education specialists and student aid officials, according to a union that represents agency workers.

There have also been nearly $900 million in cuts to the department’s Institute of Education Services, which tracks the progress of America’s students. It is unclear to what degree the institute would continue to exist. Industry experts said at least 169 contracts were terminated Feb. 10.

Hundreds of federal employees tasked with working on the nation’s nuclear weapons programs were laid off Feb. 13, but that move was largely rescinded hours later, according to a memo obtained by the AP. Three U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation said as many as 350 employees at the National Nuclear Security Administration were ousted, with some losing access to email before they had learned they were fired.

The jobs of more than 5,000 probationary employees are on the line at the Department of Health and Human Services.

On Feb. 14, officials with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-job-cuts-health-cdc-0d002fd6f528a7b91ced79628bf68196">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>&nbsp;were told they were losing nearly 1,300 probationary employees — about one-tenth of the agency’s workforce — but the final number&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-lab-layoffs-b9e13d62d0da00611f84b7762be0c7b9">was closer to 700</a>, according to two CDC officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the cuts.

Probationary employees were also fired at public health agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, but HHS has not released a final number.

The probationary cuts included more than 130 employees at the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which oversees the nation’s critical infrastructure, including the federal efforts to secure election systems. It is not clear whether those included 17 employees who had worked on election security and had already been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-security-cisa-kristi-noem-cybersecurity-5bac8ce416c46b4fbe44c94ae5874b39">placed on leave</a>.

Four employees at the Federal Emergency Management Agency — its chief financial officer, two program analysts and a grant specialist —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fema-migrant-hotels-new-york-musk-immigration-3d250d9f64b40858c0f0eda9989bea6d">were fired</a>&nbsp;Feb. 11 over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fema-migrant-funding-new-york-hotels-immigration-elon-musk-doge-268ca7eda43011a501dfad0fa88a4775">payments to reimburse</a>&nbsp;New York City for hotel costs for migrants.

The IRS will lay off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-treasury-layoffs-doge-tax-season-2be8db11fdd510b7ce6ac0db56f9a503">thousands of probationary workers</a>&nbsp;in the middle of tax season, according to two people familiar with the agency’s plans who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

It is unclear how many IRS workers will be affected or when the cuts will happen.

The administration has fired&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-park-firings-doge-grand-teton-baedee0a748a6374eafb6f95aac5dadc">about 1,000 newly hired National Park Service employees</a>&nbsp;who maintain and clean parks, educate visitors and perform other functions.

The firings were not publicly announced but were confirmed by Democratic senators and House members. Adding to the confusion, the park service now says it is reinstating about 5,000 seasonal jobs that were initially rescinded last month.

Seasonal workers are routinely added during the warm-weather months to serve more than 325 million annual visitors who descend on the nation’s 428 parks, historic sites and other attractions.

The administration has ordered the agency — created after the 2008 financial crisis and subprime mortgage-lending scandal —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-chopra-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-3bd86eb9b0ad7d829cb812af900fab9f">to stop nearly all its work</a>, effectively shutting it down.

The new agriculture secretary, Brooke Rollins, said on Feb. 14 that her agency had invited Elon Musk’s DOGE team with “open arms” and that layoffs “will be forthcoming.”

A spokesman for the department, which oversees the Forest Service, said Rollins supports Trump’s directive to eliminate inefficiencies by firing about 2,000 “probationary, non-firefighting employees.”

Rollins is committed to “preserving essential safety positions and will ensure that critical services remain uninterrupted,” the spokesman said in a statement, which did not address the fired workers who were responsible for thinning trees, removing combustible debris from forests and other projects that aim to lower a wildfire’s intensity.

On Feb. 19, the department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usda-firings-doge-bird-flu-trump-fdd6495cbe44c96d471ae8c6cf4dd0a8">scrambled to rehire</a>&nbsp;several workers who were involved in the government’s response to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bird-flu">ongoing bird flu outbreak</a>&nbsp;that has devastated egg and poultry farms over the past three years, but who were among the thousands of federal employees eliminated on Musk’s recommendations.

It wasn’t immediately clear how many workers the department might be trying to rehire and whether any of them worked at the main USDA lab in Ames, Iowa.

Trump swiftly ordered a halt to much of the aid that the United States sends abroad. Several weeks later, the pause is on pause.

In his first week in office, Trump issued an executive order directing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-department-trump-foreign-aid-bf047e17ef64cb42a1a1b7fdf05caffa">90-day hold on most of the foreign assistance</a>&nbsp;disbursed through the State Department.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued several specific exemptions, including emergency food programs and military aid to Israel and Egypt from the freeze on foreign assistance. But thousands of U.S.-funded humanitarian, development and security programs worldwide stopped work or prepared to do so.

Without the money to pay staff, aid organizations including the U.S. Agency for International Development began laying off hundreds of employees. Crews removed the agency’s signage from its Washington headquarters.

But on Feb. 13, a federal judge considering some of the lawsuits challenging agency cuts ordered the administration to temporarily lift the funding freeze.

The White House said last month it was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-pause-federal-grants-aid-f9948b9996c0ca971f0065fac85737ce">pausing federal grants and loans</a>&nbsp;as the Republican administration began an across-the-board ideological review.

The freeze could affect trillions of dollars and cause widespread disruption in health care research, education programs and other initiatives. Even grants that have been awarded but not spent are supposed to be halted.

“The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve,” said a memo from Matthew Vaeth, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget.

Democrats and independent organizations said the move was illegal because Congress had already authorized the funding.

Each of the federal government’s largest agencies has its own independent inspector general who is supposed to conduct objective audits, prevent fraud and promote efficiency.

Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inspectors-general-fired-congress-unlawful-4e8bc57e132c3f9a7f1c2a3754359993">fired at least 17 of them</a>, including watchdogs he appointed in his first term. At least one Democratic appointee, Michael Horowitz at the Justice Department, was spared.

Trump told reporters that “it’s a very common thing to do” and that he would “put good people in there that will be very good.”

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said the firings were a “chilling purge.” Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a top Trump ally, acknowledged that the firings may have violated the law, but he added, “Just tell them you need to follow the law next time.”

It’s normal for politically appointed U.S. attorneys to be replaced, but it is not standard procedure for career prosecutors to be ousted with a change in administrations.

The Justice Department said last month that it had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-special-counsel-trump-046ce32dbad712e72e500c32ecc20f2f">fired more than a dozen employees</a>&nbsp;who worked on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-court-classified-documents-2020-election-302f87960dbd84d7be5daedaf03328d8">criminal prosecutions of Trump</a>&nbsp;by special counsel Jack Smith’s team.

By tradition, career employees remain with the department across presidential administrations regardless of their involvement in sensitive investigations.

Multiple senior career officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-justice-department-360fe0c616e11f72bca68ab69f5eed6c">were also reassigned</a>.

A large number of senior career diplomats who served in politically appointed leadership positions — as well as in lower-level posts at the State Department —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-state-department-rubio-d6c2cb864852c32b144101eb38150d29">left their jobs</a>&nbsp;at the demand of the new administration.

It was not immediately clear how many nonpolitical appointees were being asked to leave.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739312666177.png" alt="File photo Elon Musk answers questions about DOGE during an Oval Office Press Conference last week" />
 <figcaption>File photo Elon Musk answers questions about DOGE during an Oval Office Press Conference last week</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of federal government employees have been shown the door in the first month of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump’s administration</a>&nbsp;as the White House and its Department of Government Efficiency fire both new and career workers, tell agency leaders to plan for “large-scale reductions in force” and freeze trillions of dollars in federal grant funds.It is affecting more than just the national capital region, home to about 20% of the 2.4 million members of the civilian federal workforce, which does not include military personnel and postal workers. More than 80% of that workforce lives outside the Washington area.There is no official figure available of the total firings or layoffs. The Associated Press tallied how agencies are being affected based on AP reporting and statements from lawmakers and employee unions.Here is a look at some of the broad and specific ways federal agencies and employees are being affected by the administration’s reductions, as of Wednesday:<h2>‘Deferred resignation’ proposal for federal workers</h2>The White House offered a “deferred resignation” proposal in exchange for financial incentives, like months of paid leave,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-buyouts-to-all-federal-employees-f67f5751a0fd5ad8471806a5a1067b5e">to almost all federal employees</a>&nbsp;who opted to leave their jobs by Feb. 6.But just before that deadline, a federal judge blocked Trump’s plan, wanting to hear arguments from the administration and the labor unions, which said the offer was illegal.According to the Office of Personnel Management, about 75,000 federal employees had accepted the offer as of Feb. 12.<h2>Probationary employee layoffs</h2>There have also been wide-ranging layoffs of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-workers-layoffs-doge-406752da1614755b8fabe9c94e0c71a8">probationary employees</a>&nbsp;— those generally on the job for less than a year and who have yet to gain civil service protection. Potentially hundreds of thousands are affected.On Feb. 13, the administration ordered agencies to lay off nearly all such workers. According to government data maintained by OPM, 220,000 federal employees had less than a year on the job as of March 2024.<h2>Department of Veterans Affairs</h2>On Feb. 13, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced the dismissal of more than 1,000 employees who had served for less than two years. According to Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., that included researchers working on cancer treatment, opioid addiction, prosthetics and burn pit exposure.<h2>Education Department</h2>At least 39 people have been fired from the Education Department, including special education specialists and student aid officials, according to a union that represents agency workers.There have also been nearly $900 million in cuts to the department’s Institute of Education Services, which tracks the progress of America’s students. It is unclear to what degree the institute would continue to exist. Industry experts said at least 169 contracts were terminated Feb. 10.<h2>Energy Department</h2>Hundreds of federal employees tasked with working on the nation’s nuclear weapons programs were laid off Feb. 13, but that move was largely rescinded hours later, according to a memo obtained by the AP. Three U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation said as many as 350 employees at the National Nuclear Security Administration were ousted, with some losing access to email before they had learned they were fired.<h2>Department of Health and Human Services</h2>The jobs of more than 5,000 probationary employees are on the line at the Department of Health and Human Services.On Feb. 14, officials with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-job-cuts-health-cdc-0d002fd6f528a7b91ced79628bf68196">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>&nbsp;were told they were losing nearly 1,300 probationary employees — about one-tenth of the agency’s workforce — but the final number&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-lab-layoffs-b9e13d62d0da00611f84b7762be0c7b9">was closer to 700</a>, according to two CDC officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the cuts.Probationary employees were also fired at public health agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, but HHS has not released a final number.<h2>Department of Homeland Security</h2>The probationary cuts included more than 130 employees at the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which oversees the nation’s critical infrastructure, including the federal efforts to secure election systems. It is not clear whether those included 17 employees who had worked on election security and had already been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-security-cisa-kristi-noem-cybersecurity-5bac8ce416c46b4fbe44c94ae5874b39">placed on leave</a>.Four employees at the Federal Emergency Management Agency — its chief financial officer, two program analysts and a grant specialist —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fema-migrant-hotels-new-york-musk-immigration-3d250d9f64b40858c0f0eda9989bea6d">were fired</a>&nbsp;Feb. 11 over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fema-migrant-funding-new-york-hotels-immigration-elon-musk-doge-268ca7eda43011a501dfad0fa88a4775">payments to reimburse</a>&nbsp;New York City for hotel costs for migrants.<h2>Internal Revenue Service</h2>The IRS will lay off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-treasury-layoffs-doge-tax-season-2be8db11fdd510b7ce6ac0db56f9a503">thousands of probationary workers</a>&nbsp;in the middle of tax season, according to two people familiar with the agency’s plans who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.It is unclear how many IRS workers will be affected or when the cuts will happen.<h2>National Park Service</h2>The administration has fired&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-park-firings-doge-grand-teton-baedee0a748a6374eafb6f95aac5dadc">about 1,000 newly hired National Park Service employees</a>&nbsp;who maintain and clean parks, educate visitors and perform other functions.The firings were not publicly announced but were confirmed by Democratic senators and House members. Adding to the confusion, the park service now says it is reinstating about 5,000 seasonal jobs that were initially rescinded last month.Seasonal workers are routinely added during the warm-weather months to serve more than 325 million annual visitors who descend on the nation’s 428 parks, historic sites and other attractions.<h2>Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</h2>The administration has ordered the agency — created after the 2008 financial crisis and subprime mortgage-lending scandal —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-chopra-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-3bd86eb9b0ad7d829cb812af900fab9f">to stop nearly all its work</a>, effectively shutting it down.<h2>Agriculture Department</h2>The new agriculture secretary, Brooke Rollins, said on Feb. 14 that her agency had invited Elon Musk’s DOGE team with “open arms” and that layoffs “will be forthcoming.”A spokesman for the department, which oversees the Forest Service, said Rollins supports Trump’s directive to eliminate inefficiencies by firing about 2,000 “probationary, non-firefighting employees.”Rollins is committed to “preserving essential safety positions and will ensure that critical services remain uninterrupted,” the spokesman said in a statement, which did not address the fired workers who were responsible for thinning trees, removing combustible debris from forests and other projects that aim to lower a wildfire’s intensity.On Feb. 19, the department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usda-firings-doge-bird-flu-trump-fdd6495cbe44c96d471ae8c6cf4dd0a8">scrambled to rehire</a>&nbsp;several workers who were involved in the government’s response to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bird-flu">ongoing bird flu outbreak</a>&nbsp;that has devastated egg and poultry farms over the past three years, but who were among the thousands of federal employees eliminated on Musk’s recommendations.It wasn’t immediately clear how many workers the department might be trying to rehire and whether any of them worked at the main USDA lab in Ames, Iowa.<h2>Foreign aid and development</h2>Trump swiftly ordered a halt to much of the aid that the United States sends abroad. Several weeks later, the pause is on pause.In his first week in office, Trump issued an executive order directing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-department-trump-foreign-aid-bf047e17ef64cb42a1a1b7fdf05caffa">90-day hold on most of the foreign assistance</a>&nbsp;disbursed through the State Department.Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued several specific exemptions, including emergency food programs and military aid to Israel and Egypt from the freeze on foreign assistance. But thousands of U.S.-funded humanitarian, development and security programs worldwide stopped work or prepared to do so.Without the money to pay staff, aid organizations including the U.S. Agency for International Development began laying off hundreds of employees. Crews removed the agency’s signage from its Washington headquarters.But on Feb. 13, a federal judge considering some of the lawsuits challenging agency cuts ordered the administration to temporarily lift the funding freeze.<h2>Federal grants and loans</h2>The White House said last month it was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-pause-federal-grants-aid-f9948b9996c0ca971f0065fac85737ce">pausing federal grants and loans</a>&nbsp;as the Republican administration began an across-the-board ideological review.The freeze could affect trillions of dollars and cause widespread disruption in health care research, education programs and other initiatives. Even grants that have been awarded but not spent are supposed to be halted.“The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve,” said a memo from Matthew Vaeth, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget.Democrats and independent organizations said the move was illegal because Congress had already authorized the funding.<h2>Inspectors general</h2>Each of the federal government’s largest agencies has its own independent inspector general who is supposed to conduct objective audits, prevent fraud and promote efficiency.Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inspectors-general-fired-congress-unlawful-4e8bc57e132c3f9a7f1c2a3754359993">fired at least 17 of them</a>, including watchdogs he appointed in his first term. At least one Democratic appointee, Michael Horowitz at the Justice Department, was spared.Trump told reporters that “it’s a very common thing to do” and that he would “put good people in there that will be very good.”Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said the firings were a “chilling purge.” Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a top Trump ally, acknowledged that the firings may have violated the law, but he added, “Just tell them you need to follow the law next time.”<h2>Department of Justice</h2>It’s normal for politically appointed U.S. attorneys to be replaced, but it is not standard procedure for career prosecutors to be ousted with a change in administrations.The Justice Department said last month that it had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-special-counsel-trump-046ce32dbad712e72e500c32ecc20f2f">fired more than a dozen employees</a>&nbsp;who worked on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-court-classified-documents-2020-election-302f87960dbd84d7be5daedaf03328d8">criminal prosecutions of Trump</a>&nbsp;by special counsel Jack Smith’s team.By tradition, career employees remain with the department across presidential administrations regardless of their involvement in sensitive investigations.Multiple senior career officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-justice-department-360fe0c616e11f72bca68ab69f5eed6c">were also reassigned</a>.<h2>State Department</h2>A large number of senior career diplomats who served in politically appointed leadership positions — as well as in lower-level posts at the State Department —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-state-department-rubio-d6c2cb864852c32b144101eb38150d29">left their jobs</a>&nbsp;at the demand of the new administration.It was not immediately clear how many nonpolitical appointees were being asked to leave.

A comprehensive look at DOGE’s firings and layoffs so far

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Police are investigating a shooting in the 1700 block of W. 6th Street Wednesday night that left a 23-year-old Lawrence man hospitalized in critical condition.

Just before 11p.m. Wednesday, Lawrence Memorial Hospital reported to police that a man had been dropped off at the emergency room suffering from an apparent gunshot wound, according to a media release.

Due to the severity of the victim’s injuries, he was transferred to an area trauma center where he remains in critical condition.

Investigators are actively following leads to find the people involved in this shooting. Based on the leads generated thus far, there is no reason to believe there is an ongoing threat to the public related to this incident. 

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Police are investigating a shooting in the 1700 block of W. 6th Street Wednesday night that left a 23-year-old Lawrence man hospitalized in critical condition.Just before 11p.m. Wednesday, Lawrence Memorial Hospital reported to police that a man had been dropped off at the emergency room suffering from an apparent gunshot wound, according to a media release.Due to the severity of the victim’s injuries, he was transferred to an area trauma center where he remains in critical condition.Investigators are actively following leads to find the people involved in this shooting. Based on the leads generated thus far, there is no reason to believe there is an ongoing threat to the public related to this incident.

Man critically injured in shooting, dropped off at Kan. hospital

LABETTE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect in connection with the attempted kidnapping of a newborn baby from a hospital in Parsons.

Just after 6p.m. Tuesday, police responded to Labette Health following a report of an attempted kidnapping in progress, as reported by hospital security, according to a media release from Parsons Police.

Officers learned that hospital security had successfully intervened, preventing a suspect from leaving the hospital after trying to take a newborn baby who had not been discharged by medical staff. 

The suspect, later identified as 31-year-old Eric Matthews, was immediately detained as officers launched an investigation into the incident.

Officers reviewed video surveillance footage and interviewed multiple witnesses, confirming that Matthews had attempted to leave the Obstetrics Ward with a one-day-old infant without authorization. 

According to reports, a family member of the child confronted Matthews before he could exit the ward, stopping him from taking the baby. Hospital security then stepped in and held Matthews at the scene until law enforcement arrived.

The investigation revealed that Matthews was known to the family and has a reported history of drug use. Based on the evidence gathered, officers transported Matthews to the Parsons Police Department's lock-up facility, where he was booked on requested charges of Kidnapping and Child Endangerment.&nbsp;

Parsons Police Chief Robert Spinks commended both hospital staff and law enforcement for their swift and professional handling of the situation.

"We are incredibly fortunate that this incident was resolved peacefully and without harm to the child. The quick response from Labette Health security staff played a crucial role in ensuring the infant's safety. These situations can be unpredictable and volatile, but thanks to the diligence of those involved, this matter was contained before it could escalate further. We now allow the Labette County judicial system to proceed with the case and ensure justice is served."

The Parsons Police Department remains committed to protecting the safety and well-being of all residents, especially the most vulnerable members of the community. We strive to maintain partnership with all our medical professionals to continue this protection and safeguard the guardian mentality.

This continues to be an on-going investigation, and citizens are encouraged to "See It, Hear It, Report It." All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If anyone has any further information on this incident or any other criminal activity, please contact the Parsons Police Department at 421-7060 or call the Tip Line at 421-7057 or email at tips@parsonspdks.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740015765703.png" alt="Matthews photo Labette County" />
 <figcaption>Matthews photo Labette County</figcaption>
 </figure>LABETTE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect in connection with the attempted kidnapping of a newborn baby from a hospital in Parsons.Just after 6p.m. Tuesday, police responded to Labette Health following a report of an attempted kidnapping in progress, as reported by hospital security, according to a media release from Parsons Police.Officers learned that hospital security had successfully intervened, preventing a suspect from leaving the hospital after trying to take a newborn baby who had not been discharged by medical staff. The suspect, later identified as 31-year-old Eric Matthews, was immediately detained as officers launched an investigation into the incident.Officers reviewed video surveillance footage and interviewed multiple witnesses, confirming that Matthews had attempted to leave the Obstetrics Ward with a one-day-old infant without authorization. According to reports, a family member of the child confronted Matthews before he could exit the ward, stopping him from taking the baby. Hospital security then stepped in and held Matthews at the scene until law enforcement arrived.The investigation revealed that Matthews was known to the family and has a reported history of drug use. Based on the evidence gathered, officers transported Matthews to the Parsons Police Department's lock-up facility, where he was booked on requested charges of Kidnapping and Child Endangerment.&nbsp;Parsons Police Chief Robert Spinks commended both hospital staff and law enforcement for their swift and professional handling of the situation."We are incredibly fortunate that this incident was resolved peacefully and without harm to the child. The quick response from Labette Health security staff played a crucial role in ensuring the infant's safety. These situations can be unpredictable and volatile, but thanks to the diligence of those involved, this matter was contained before it could escalate further. We now allow the Labette County judicial system to proceed with the case and ensure justice is served."The Parsons Police Department remains committed to protecting the safety and well-being of all residents, especially the most vulnerable members of the community. We strive to maintain partnership with all our medical professionals to continue this protection and safeguard the guardian mentality.This continues to be an on-going investigation, and citizens are encouraged to "See It, Hear It, Report It." All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If anyone has any further information on this incident or any other criminal activity, please contact the Parsons Police Department at 421-7060 or call the Tip Line at 421-7057 or email at tips@parsonspdks.gov.

Police: Man attempted to kidnap newborn baby from Kan. hospital

JOHNSON COUNTY—Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire at a fourplex in Overland Park.

Crews responded just before 8a.m. Wednesday to the fire&nbsp;at 116th Terrace and Bluejacket, according to a social media report from Overland Park Fire. It took 50 minutes to bring fire under control.

Fire crews found one dog deceased. Another dog was reported missing. Residents from 2 units are displaced. Fire crews from Olathe and Lenexa also responded to the scene. There were no other injuries reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739999731120.png" alt="Images from Overland Park Fire Dept. video" />
 <figcaption>Images from Overland Park Fire Dept. video</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire at a fourplex in Overland Park.Crews responded just before 8a.m. Wednesday to the fire&nbsp;at 116th Terrace and Bluejacket, according to a social media report from Overland Park Fire. It took 50 minutes to bring fire under control.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740000071683.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Fire crews found one dog deceased. Another dog was reported missing. Residents from 2 units are displaced. Fire crews from Olathe and Lenexa also responded to the scene. There were no other injuries reported.

2 pets die in Kansas fourplex fire

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas on Thursday released the bodies of four Israeli hostages, said to include a mother and her two children who have long been feared dead and had come to embody the nation’s agony following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the Oct. 7, 2023, attack</a>.

The remains were said to be of Shiri Bibas and her two children, Ariel and Kfir, as well as Oded Lifshitz, who was 83 when he was abducted. Kfir, who was 9 months old when he was taken,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-hostages-gaza-kfir-bibas-birthday-490c428ef168655c9028dd612a15a35a">was the youngest captive</a>. Hamas has said all four were killed along with their guards in Israeli airstrikes.

“Our hearts — the hearts of an entire nation — lie in tatters,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog said in a statement. “On behalf of the State of Israel, I bow my head and ask for forgiveness. Forgiveness for not protecting you on that terrible day. Forgiveness for not bringing you home safely.”

The militants displayed four black coffins on a stage in the Gaza Strip surrounded by banners, including a large one depicting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a vampire. Thousands of people, including large numbers of masked and armed militants, looked on as the coffins were loaded onto Red Cross vehicles before being driven to Israeli forces.

The military planned to hold a small funeral ceremony, at the request of the families, before transferring the bodies to a laboratory for formal identification using DNA, a process that could take up to two days. Only then will the families be given the final notification.

Israeli channels did not broadcast the handover. In Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, where Israelis have gathered to watch the release of living hostages, a large screen showed a compilation of photos and videos of Lifshitz and the Bibas family, including a chuckling baby Kfir and the family dressed up in Batman costumes.

Israelis have celebrated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-hostages-ceasefire-709efbcf93714a562640133d836bb31c">the return of 24 living hostages</a>&nbsp;in recent weeks under a tenuous ceasefire that paused over 15 months of war. But the handover on Thursday was a grim reminder of those who died in captivity as the talks leading up to the truce dragged on for over a year.

It could also provide impetus for negotiations on the second stage of the ceasefire that have hardly begun. The first phase is set to end at the beginning of March.

Kfir Bibas was just 9 months old, a red-headed infant with a toothless smile, when militants stormed into the family’s home on Oct. 7, 2023. His brother Ariel was 4. Video shot that day showed a terrified Shiri swaddling the two boys as militants led them into Gaza.

Her husband, Yarden Bibas, was taken separately and released this month after 16 months in captivity.

Relatives in Israel have clung to hope,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-hostages-gaza-kfir-bibas-birthday-490c428ef168655c9028dd612a15a35a">marking Kfir’s first and second birthdays</a>&nbsp;and his brother’s fifth. The Bibas family said in a statement Wednesday that it would wait for “identification procedures” before acknowledging that their loved ones were dead.

Supporters throughout Israel have worn orange in solidarity with the family — a reference to two boys’ red hair — and a popular children’s song was written in their honor.

Like the Bibas family, Oded Lifshitz was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz, along with his wife Yocheved, who was freed during a weeklong ceasefire in November 2023. Oded was a journalist who campaigned for the recognition of Palestinian rights and peace between Arabs and Jews.

Hamas-led militants abducted 251 hostages,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/children-hostages-israel-palestinians-gaza-orphan-c8e9f6dd703a9c14161eeb6ca9e25417">including some 30 children</a>, in the Oct. 7 attack, in which they also killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians.

More than half the hostages, and most of the women and children, have been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israeli forces have rescued eight and have recovered dozens of bodies of people killed in the initial attack or who died in captivity.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740048973222.png" alt="Shiri Bibas photo Hostage and Missing Families Forum" />
 <figcaption>Shiri Bibas photo Hostage and Missing Families Forum</figcaption>
 </figure>KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas on Thursday released the bodies of four Israeli hostages, said to include a mother and her two children who have long been feared dead and had come to embody the nation’s agony following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the Oct. 7, 2023, attack</a>.The remains were said to be of Shiri Bibas and her two children, Ariel and Kfir, as well as Oded Lifshitz, who was 83 when he was abducted. Kfir, who was 9 months old when he was taken,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-hostages-gaza-kfir-bibas-birthday-490c428ef168655c9028dd612a15a35a">was the youngest captive</a>. Hamas has said all four were killed along with their guards in Israeli airstrikes.“Our hearts — the hearts of an entire nation — lie in tatters,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog said in a statement. “On behalf of the State of Israel, I bow my head and ask for forgiveness. Forgiveness for not protecting you on that terrible day. Forgiveness for not bringing you home safely.”The militants displayed four black coffins on a stage in the Gaza Strip surrounded by banners, including a large one depicting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a vampire. Thousands of people, including large numbers of masked and armed militants, looked on as the coffins were loaded onto Red Cross vehicles before being driven to Israeli forces.The military planned to hold a small funeral ceremony, at the request of the families, before transferring the bodies to a laboratory for formal identification using DNA, a process that could take up to two days. Only then will the families be given the final notification.Israeli channels did not broadcast the handover. In Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, where Israelis have gathered to watch the release of living hostages, a large screen showed a compilation of photos and videos of Lifshitz and the Bibas family, including a chuckling baby Kfir and the family dressed up in Batman costumes.Israelis have celebrated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-hostages-ceasefire-709efbcf93714a562640133d836bb31c">the return of 24 living hostages</a>&nbsp;in recent weeks under a tenuous ceasefire that paused over 15 months of war. But the handover on Thursday was a grim reminder of those who died in captivity as the talks leading up to the truce dragged on for over a year.It could also provide impetus for negotiations on the second stage of the ceasefire that have hardly begun. The first phase is set to end at the beginning of March.ADVERTISEMENT<h2>Infant was the youngest taken hostage</h2>Kfir Bibas was just 9 months old, a red-headed infant with a toothless smile, when militants stormed into the family’s home on Oct. 7, 2023. His brother Ariel was 4. Video shot that day showed a terrified Shiri swaddling the two boys as militants led them into Gaza.Her husband, Yarden Bibas, was taken separately and released this month after 16 months in captivity.Relatives in Israel have clung to hope,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-hostages-gaza-kfir-bibas-birthday-490c428ef168655c9028dd612a15a35a">marking Kfir’s first and second birthdays</a>&nbsp;and his brother’s fifth. The Bibas family said in a statement Wednesday that it would wait for “identification procedures” before acknowledging that their loved ones were dead.Supporters throughout Israel have worn orange in solidarity with the family — a reference to two boys’ red hair — and a popular children’s song was written in their honor.Like the Bibas family, Oded Lifshitz was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz, along with his wife Yocheved, who was freed during a weeklong ceasefire in November 2023. Oded was a journalist who campaigned for the recognition of Palestinian rights and peace between Arabs and Jews.Hamas-led militants abducted 251 hostages,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/children-hostages-israel-palestinians-gaza-orphan-c8e9f6dd703a9c14161eeb6ca9e25417">including some 30 children</a>, in the Oct. 7 attack, in which they also killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians.More than half the hostages, and most of the women and children, have been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israeli forces have rescued eight and have recovered dozens of bodies of people killed in the initial attack or who died in captivity.

Hamas returns bodies of 4 hostages including a mother, her 2 young children

TOPEKA — Daniel Shipp, president of Pittsburg State University in southeast Kansas for nearly three years, has been hired to lead Maryville University in suburban St. Louis.

Shipp was chosen to succeed&nbsp;Mark Lombardi, who plans to retire after 18 years at the private university. Shipp is to begin his new duties in June.

“I am inspired by Maryville’s bold vision, its commitment to expanding access and opportunity and its innovative approach to education,” Shipp said.

In a note to PSU faculty, he said “we’ve made significant progress that has been critically important to the success of this beloved institution and the many communities we serve in southeast Kansas. I am more than proud to have successfully served as your president during this transformational period of time.”

Maryville University was founded in 1872 and enrolls more than 9,000 students at undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. Nearly half of the university’s students pursue health or business degrees. The university serves students from 50 states and 56 countries, and has more than 50,000 alumni.

Carl Ice, chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents, said Shipp prioritized student success at PSU. During his tenure, PSU increased on-time graduate rates, expanded student financial aid and reduced student debt. He said Shipp consented to remain at PSU through the end of May.

Rick Webb, executive chairman of the Watco transportation company, was named chairman of the PSU presidential search committee by the Kansas Board of Regents. Webb earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from PSU.

“As an alumnus of the university, an experienced business leader and engaged member of the Pittsburg community, Rick brings the skills and dedication needed to lead the committee’s work of identifying candidates,” Ice said.

Prior to taking the PSU presidential job in April 2022, Shipp was vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and associate to the chancellor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and executive vice president and provost of the University of Nebraska System. He previously held administration positions in student affairs and enrollment management at University of Nebraska at Omaha.

He earned a doctorate at University of the Pacific, a master’s degree at Nebraska-Omaha and a bachelor’s degree at University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740050283794.png" alt="Pittsburg State University President Daniel Shipp intends to resign by June 1 to assume the presidency of Maryville University, a private institution in the suburbs of St. Louis. (submitted)" />
 <figcaption>Pittsburg State University President Daniel Shipp intends to resign by June 1 to assume the presidency of Maryville University, a private institution in the suburbs of St. Louis. (submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</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 — Daniel Shipp, president of Pittsburg State University in southeast Kansas for nearly three years, has been hired to lead Maryville University in suburban St. Louis.Shipp was chosen to succeed&nbsp;Mark Lombardi, who plans to retire after 18 years at the private university. Shipp is to begin his new duties in June.“I am inspired by Maryville’s bold vision, its commitment to expanding access and opportunity and its innovative approach to education,” Shipp said.In a note to PSU faculty, he said “we’ve made significant progress that has been critically important to the success of this beloved institution and the many communities we serve in southeast Kansas. I am more than proud to have successfully served as your president during this transformational period of time.”Maryville University was founded in 1872 and enrolls more than 9,000 students at undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. Nearly half of the university’s students pursue health or business degrees. The university serves students from 50 states and 56 countries, and has more than 50,000 alumni.Carl Ice, chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents, said Shipp prioritized student success at PSU. During his tenure, PSU increased on-time graduate rates, expanded student financial aid and reduced student debt. He said Shipp consented to remain at PSU through the end of May.Rick Webb, executive chairman of the Watco transportation company, was named chairman of the PSU presidential search committee by the Kansas Board of Regents. Webb earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from PSU.“As an alumnus of the university, an experienced business leader and engaged member of the Pittsburg community, Rick brings the skills and dedication needed to lead the committee’s work of identifying candidates,” Ice said.Prior to taking the PSU presidential job in April 2022, Shipp was vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and associate to the chancellor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and executive vice president and provost of the University of Nebraska System. He previously held administration positions in student affairs and enrollment management at University of Nebraska at Omaha.He earned a doctorate at University of the Pacific, a master’s degree at Nebraska-Omaha and a bachelor’s degree at University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

Pittsburg State president accepts top academic post at private Missouri university

WASHINGTON —U.S. forces conducted a Bomber Task Force Mission in the Middle East, this week to demonstrate force projection capabilities in the region, according to a statement from the&nbsp;U.S. Central Command.

The test involved the flight of two&nbsp; B-52 H Long-Range Strategic Bombers from RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom across the Middle East. 

During the Flight, the Bombers flew over Europe as well as nine partner nations in the Middle East, carrying out Aerial-Refueling and Live-Munitions Drops at ranges in several nations. Additionally, U.S. Air Force F-15s as well as Fighter Jets from 4 Allied Air Forces in CENTCOM’s Area-of-Responsibility, provided escorts during the mission.

“Bomber Task Force missions demonstrate U.S. power projection capability, commitment to regional security, and ability to respond to any state or non-state actor seeking to broaden or escalate conflict in the CENTCOM region,” said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, CENTCOM commander.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740002612425.png" alt="Image from video during the mission- U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Image from video during the mission- U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —U.S. forces conducted a Bomber Task Force Mission in the Middle East, this week to demonstrate force projection capabilities in the region, according to a statement from the&nbsp;U.S. Central Command.The test involved the flight of two&nbsp; B-52 H Long-Range Strategic Bombers from RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom across the Middle East. During the Flight, the Bombers flew over Europe as well as nine partner nations in the Middle East, carrying out Aerial-Refueling and Live-Munitions Drops at ranges in several nations. Additionally, U.S. Air Force F-15s as well as Fighter Jets from 4 Allied Air Forces in CENTCOM’s Area-of-Responsibility, provided escorts during the mission.“Bomber Task Force missions demonstrate U.S. power projection capability, commitment to regional security, and ability to respond to any state or non-state actor seeking to broaden or escalate conflict in the CENTCOM region,” said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, CENTCOM commander.

Show of force: U.S. sends bomber task force over the Middle East

KANSAS CITY– A Kansas man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, which resulted in an overdose death, according to the United State's Attorney.

Jacob A. Block, 27, Olathe was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Block to forfeit to the government $10,000, which represents the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking.

On Feb. 1, 2024, Block pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and to one count of distributing fentanyl. 

Block admitted that he delivered 10 M-30 pills (containing fentanyl) to a confidential informant. Block possessed an additional 150 to 300 M-30 pills (containing fentanyl) at the time of this transaction.&nbsp; Block also admitted he sold a co-defendant approximately seven grams of powder fentanyl and 50 M-30 pills (containing fentanyl) five to seven days a week, for six or seven months.

All 13 defendants in this case have pleaded guilty. Block is the ninth defendant to be sentenced.

Co-defendant Dmitry Cattell, 25, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced on May 2, 2024, to 21 years in federal prison without parole for leading the drug-trafficking conspiracy and for illegally possessing a firearm. Evidence was presented at Cattell’s sentencing hearing related to the delivery of fentanyl, the use of which caused the death of another person on May 18, 2020. The victim of the fatal overdose is not identified in court documents.

KANSAS CITY– A Kansas man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, which resulted in an overdose death, according to the United State's Attorney.Jacob A. Block, 27, Olathe was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Block to forfeit to the government $10,000, which represents the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking.On Feb. 1, 2024, Block pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and to one count of distributing fentanyl. Block admitted that he delivered 10 M-30 pills (containing fentanyl) to a confidential informant. Block possessed an additional 150 to 300 M-30 pills (containing fentanyl) at the time of this transaction.&nbsp; Block also admitted he sold a co-defendant approximately seven grams of powder fentanyl and 50 M-30 pills (containing fentanyl) five to seven days a week, for six or seven months.All 13 defendants in this case have pleaded guilty. Block is the ninth defendant to be sentenced.Co-defendant Dmitry Cattell, 25, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced on May 2, 2024, to 21 years in federal prison without parole for leading the drug-trafficking conspiracy and for illegally possessing a firearm. Evidence was presented at Cattell’s sentencing hearing related to the delivery of fentanyl, the use of which caused the death of another person on May 18, 2020. The victim of the fatal overdose is not identified in court documents.

Kansas fentanyl dealer sold to a confidential informant

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Two Kansas men accused in a deadly gun fight made court appearances in the case Tuesday.

Sergio Clement Jr., 18 of Wichita, and Allen Griffin Jr., 22 of Wichita, are each charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Atorney's office.

Just before 6p.m.&nbsp; Feb. 11, police responded to reports of a shooting in the 1200 block of S. Bleckley in Wichita, according to Police Department spokesperson Brad Wright.

Officers arrived at the scene and found 23-year-old Manuel Roach with a gunshot wound. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Preliminary investigation indicates that a disturbance occurred involving Roach and three unidentified males dressed in all black. Following the incident, the suspects departed the scene in a white SUV before law enforcement arrival. The exact circumstances that led up to the shooting are still under investigation, according to Wright. Police do believe this was a targeted incident between individuals known to each other.

The 18-year-old identified as Clement arrived at a local hospital with a single gunshot wound to his lower extremity. Through the investigation, it was discovered that he and Griffin were involved in the fatal shooting of Manuel Roach. As a result, both were arrested and booked into Sedgwick County Jail.

&nbsp;Bond for Clement and for Griffin is one-million dollars. They are both due back in court March 3, according to the district attorney's office.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739445638977.png" alt="Clement was wounded in the gunfight." />
 <figcaption>Clement was wounded in the gunfight.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — Two Kansas men accused in a deadly gun fight made court appearances in the case Tuesday.Sergio Clement Jr., 18 of Wichita, and Allen Griffin Jr., 22 of Wichita, are each charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Atorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739446909301.png" alt="Griffin-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Griffin-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 6p.m.&nbsp; Feb. 11, police responded to reports of a shooting in the 1200 block of S. Bleckley in Wichita, according to Police Department spokesperson Brad Wright.Officers arrived at the scene and found 23-year-old Manuel Roach with a gunshot wound. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.Preliminary investigation indicates that a disturbance occurred involving Roach and three unidentified males dressed in all black. Following the incident, the suspects departed the scene in a white SUV before law enforcement arrival. The exact circumstances that led up to the shooting are still under investigation, according to Wright. Police do believe this was a targeted incident between individuals known to each other.The 18-year-old identified as Clement arrived at a local hospital with a single gunshot wound to his lower extremity. Through the investigation, it was discovered that he and Griffin were involved in the fatal shooting of Manuel Roach. As a result, both were arrested and booked into Sedgwick County Jail.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739989718610.png" alt="Police are looking for a third suspect in the case. Prosecutors charged Johnson on Friday." />
 <figcaption>Police are looking for a third suspect in the case. Prosecutors charged Johnson on Friday.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Bond for Clement and for Griffin is one-million dollars. They are both due back in court March 3, according to the district attorney's office.&nbsp;

Man wounded in fatal Kan. gun fight charged with murder

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Trump called Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator without elections," lashing out after the Ukrainian president said Trump was being influenced by Russian disinformation as he moves to end the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine on terms that Kyiv says are too favorable to Moscow.

On social media, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall wrote," There will be no more blank checks to Ukraine under President Trump. It’s time for the war to end, and we must put America first."

In a post on Truth Social, Trump called Zelenskyy “a modestly successful comedian” who talked the United States into spending billions of dollars “to go into a War that couldn’t be won, that never had to start.” He said Ukraine would be unable to end the war without Trump’s help.

Trump’s post comes a day after he suggested in a news conference that Ukraine should hold elections as part of a peace plan.

“A Dictator without Elections,” Trump wrote Wednesday.

Zelenskyy was elected president in 2019 after a career as an entertainer. He resisted pressure to leave the country when Russia invaded in 2022, mounting a defense that protected the capital, Kyiv.

Zelenskyy accused Trump earlier Wednesday of living in a Russian-made “disinformation space.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727448951618.png" alt="Trump and Zelenskyy during a September meeting in Washington-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Trump and Zelenskyy during a September meeting in Washington-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —President Trump called Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator without elections," lashing out after the Ukrainian president said Trump was being influenced by Russian disinformation as he moves to end the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine on terms that Kyiv says are too favorable to Moscow.On social media, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall wrote," There will be no more blank checks to Ukraine under President Trump. It’s time for the war to end, and we must put America first."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739996136179.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In a post on Truth Social, Trump called Zelenskyy “a modestly successful comedian” who talked the United States into spending billions of dollars “to go into a War that couldn’t be won, that never had to start.” He said Ukraine would be unable to end the war without Trump’s help.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;Would you call Ukrainian President Zelensky a dictator, as President Trump has?&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderJohnThune?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LeaderJohnThune</a>: &quot;The president speaks for himself. What I want to see is a peaceful result, a peaceful outcome.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/vV72SqclTf">pic.twitter.com/vV72SqclTf</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1892295546938794112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump’s post comes a day after he suggested in a news conference that Ukraine should hold elections as part of a peace plan.“A Dictator without Elections,” Trump wrote Wednesday.Zelenskyy was elected president in 2019 after a career as an entertainer. He resisted pressure to leave the country when Russia invaded in 2022, mounting a defense that protected the capital, Kyiv.Zelenskyy accused Trump earlier Wednesday of living in a Russian-made “disinformation space.”

Kan. U.S. Senator: No more blank checks to Ukraine under Trump

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Seven men from Chile have been charged in Florida federal court with orchestrating burglaries at the homes of prominent professional athletes around the country, according to a criminal complaint.

The FBI complaint doesn't name the athletes, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mahomes-kelce-burrow-doncic-home-break-ins-b0b86ccc340872da2612f9714d497d41">lists burglaries already made public</a>&nbsp;involving the Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals, as well as players for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies.

According to the complaint, the defendants are part of a burglary ring that “is known to target high-profile professional athletes when they are known to be away from home.” The men allegedly stole about $2 million in watches, jewelry, cash and other valuables, including a safe they later cracked.

Each defendant is charged with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property, which carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence. It wasn't clear Wednesday whether they are in custody, and Tampa federal court records don't list attorneys for any of them.

The defendants are listed as Pablo Zuniga Cartes, 24; Ignacio Zuniga Cartes, 20; Bastian Jimenez Freraut, 27; Jordan Quiroga Sanchez, 22; Bastian Orellano Morales, 23; Alexander Huiaguil Chavez, 24; and Sergio Ortega Cabello, 38. Although the FBI identifies them as Chilean in the charging documents, it doesn’t say whether any or all of them are also U.S. citizens or are legally in the country.

Some were arrested in January after a traffic stop in Ohio on state charges for allegedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/athlete-burglaries-joe-burrow-indictments-b3683dbdfe382eb076da7cb80ca3b803">breaking into the home of Burrow,</a>&nbsp;the Bengals' quarterback. The federal charges in Tampa were filed Jan. 30.

Much of the evidence outlined in the FBI complaint is from cellphone data, surveillance video and license plate readers that allegedly place the defendants in the vicinity of the burglaries. They typically used crude methods such a breaking windows or prying open sliding glass doors with crowbars.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721168176429.jpeg" alt="File photo Patrick Mahomes-Photo by Alexis Starks" />
 <figcaption>File photo Patrick Mahomes-Photo by Alexis Starks</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Seven men from Chile have been charged in Florida federal court with orchestrating burglaries at the homes of prominent professional athletes around the country, according to a criminal complaint.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735657584322.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The FBI complaint doesn't name the athletes, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mahomes-kelce-burrow-doncic-home-break-ins-b0b86ccc340872da2612f9714d497d41">lists burglaries already made public</a>&nbsp;involving the Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals, as well as players for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies.According to the complaint, the defendants are part of a burglary ring that “is known to target high-profile professional athletes when they are known to be away from home.” The men allegedly stole about $2 million in watches, jewelry, cash and other valuables, including a safe they later cracked.Each defendant is charged with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property, which carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence. It wasn't clear Wednesday whether they are in custody, and Tampa federal court records don't list attorneys for any of them.The defendants are listed as Pablo Zuniga Cartes, 24; Ignacio Zuniga Cartes, 20; Bastian Jimenez Freraut, 27; Jordan Quiroga Sanchez, 22; Bastian Orellano Morales, 23; Alexander Huiaguil Chavez, 24; and Sergio Ortega Cabello, 38. Although the FBI identifies them as Chilean in the charging documents, it doesn’t say whether any or all of them are also U.S. citizens or are legally in the country.Some were arrested in January after a traffic stop in Ohio on state charges for allegedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/athlete-burglaries-joe-burrow-indictments-b3683dbdfe382eb076da7cb80ca3b803">breaking into the home of Burrow,</a>&nbsp;the Bengals' quarterback. The federal charges in Tampa were filed Jan. 30.Much of the evidence outlined in the FBI complaint is from cellphone data, surveillance video and license plate readers that allegedly place the defendants in the vicinity of the burglaries. They typically used crude methods such a breaking windows or prying open sliding glass doors with crowbars.The burglars, according to the FBI affidavit, “will approach the residences from cover such as, but not limited to, a wooded or dark area" before breaking into the homes. One unnamed Tampa Bay Buccaneers player had about $167,000 in property stolen, including a Rolex watch, a Luis Vuitton suitcase, jewelry and a gun.The group also took photos of themselves with some of the loot, which the FBI included in the criminal complaint. In one case, a suspect is seen wearing a Kansas City Chiefs shirt. The groups often will separate into smaller units to commit multiple burglaries, according to the FBI.“However, though burglary groups may consist of four or five members, these separate groups often work in concert with one another, communicate with one another and (use) the same buyers of stolen merchandise,” the FBI affidavit says.