FRANKLIN COUNTY, Kansas —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a report of poaching and asking the public for help to identify the suspects involved.

Around noon on January 4, around midday a witness observed the illegal dumping of more than 30 duck carcasses (some were intact and had not been processed) along Georgia Road just north of Interstate 35 in Franklin County, according to a social media report from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens. Some of the carcasses were intact and had not been processed.

 Georgia Road is located between the Williamsburg and Homewood interchanges and is approximately 12 miles southwest of Ottawa.  The witness reported seeing an early 2000’s brown full size Chevy pickup, possibly Z71 model, with an extended cab parked along the roadside.  A rounded metal carrier was attached to the rear bumper of the pickup truck. 

 The witness said several white males in their mid 20’s wearing camo got out of the pickup and left the ducks in the ditch.  The witness mentioned that a couple of the subjects had longer hair, like a mullet. 

 The witness watched the pickup leave the area traveling southbound over the Interstate 35 overpass. At the time of the incident duck hunting was currently open in the Low Plains Southeast Zone, which includes the surrounding areas and water bodies south of Interstate 35. 

Anyone with any information on this investigation should contact Franklin County Game Warden Ryan Twellmann at (785) 221-2694.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705148478446.png" alt="Photos KDW&amp;P Game Wardens" />
 <figcaption>Photos KDW&amp;P Game Wardens</figcaption>
 </figure>FRANKLIN COUNTY, Kansas —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a report of poaching and asking the public for help to identify the suspects involved.Around noon on January 4, around midday a witness observed the illegal dumping of more than 30 duck carcasses (some were intact and had not been processed) along Georgia Road just north of Interstate 35 in Franklin County, according to a social media report from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens. Some of the carcasses were intact and had not been processed.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705148455387.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure> Georgia Road is located between the Williamsburg and Homewood interchanges and is approximately 12 miles southwest of Ottawa. The witness reported seeing an early 2000’s brown full size Chevy pickup, possibly Z71 model, with an extended cab parked along the roadside. A rounded metal carrier was attached to the rear bumper of the pickup truck. The witness said several white males in their mid 20’s wearing camo got out of the pickup and left the ducks in the ditch. The witness mentioned that a couple of the subjects had longer hair, like a mullet. The witness watched the pickup leave the area traveling southbound over the Interstate 35 overpass. At the time of the incident duck hunting was currently open in the Low Plains Southeast Zone, which includes the surrounding areas and water bodies south of Interstate 35. Anyone with any information on this investigation should contact Franklin County Game Warden Ryan Twellmann at (785) 221-2694.

Kansas game wardens seek poachers who dumped dead ducks

WASHINGTON (AP)—The Quaker Oats Company has added&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/update-quaker-issues-revised-recall-notice-additional-products-due-possible-health-risk" target="_blank">two dozen additional</a>&nbsp;types of granola bars, cereals and snack foods to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/quaker-oats-granola-recall-salmonella-b4b821bf6c038e2815c788a092279aff" target="_blank">a December recall</a>&nbsp;over possible salmonella contamination.

The company, which is owned by PepsiCo., announced the additional recall in the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/quaker-brand-granola-bars-and-cereals-and-cap-n-crunch-brand-treat-bars-berry-bar" target="_blank">and Canada</a>&nbsp;on Thursday.

The expanded recall includes Quaker Chewy Granola Bars and Cereals, Cap’n Crunch Bars and select cereals, Gamesa Marias Cereal, Gatorade Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bars, Munchies Munch Mix and snack boxes that contain those products.<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/175442/download?attachment"> Click here to see</a> the full list of products.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has received at least 24 reports of adverse events related to the products initially recalled, but no illnesses have been confirmed to be linked to the foods, an agency spokesperson said Friday. Adverse events can include medical problems, but also complaints about off taste or color of a product, defective packaging or other non-medical issues, the official said. FDA will continue to investigate the reports.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-salmonella-cantaloupes-outbreak-9a32fba45d330f89fd0f7565d1fcbc10" target="_blank">Salmonella infections</a>&nbsp;can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. In rare cases, the bacterial infections can be fatal.

Consumers should check their pantries for any of the products listed and throw them away.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.quakerrecallusa.com/" target="_blank">The company’s recall website</a>&nbsp;has additional information and details on reimbursement. ___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702823846753.png" alt="Photo Quaker oats" />
 <figcaption>Photo Quaker oats</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;JONEL ALECCIAWASHINGTON (AP)—The Quaker Oats Company has added&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/update-quaker-issues-revised-recall-notice-additional-products-due-possible-health-risk" target="_blank">two dozen additional</a>&nbsp;types of granola bars, cereals and snack foods to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/quaker-oats-granola-recall-salmonella-b4b821bf6c038e2815c788a092279aff" target="_blank">a December recall</a>&nbsp;over possible salmonella contamination.The company, which is owned by PepsiCo., announced the additional recall in the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/quaker-brand-granola-bars-and-cereals-and-cap-n-crunch-brand-treat-bars-berry-bar" target="_blank">and Canada</a>&nbsp;on Thursday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705106811420.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The expanded recall includes Quaker Chewy Granola Bars and Cereals, Cap’n Crunch Bars and select cereals, Gamesa Marias Cereal, Gatorade Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bars, Munchies Munch Mix and snack boxes that contain those products.<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/175442/download?attachment"> Click here to see</a> the full list of products.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has received at least 24 reports of adverse events related to the products initially recalled, but no illnesses have been confirmed to be linked to the foods, an agency spokesperson said Friday. Adverse events can include medical problems, but also complaints about off taste or color of a product, defective packaging or other non-medical issues, the official said. FDA will continue to investigate the reports.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-salmonella-cantaloupes-outbreak-9a32fba45d330f89fd0f7565d1fcbc10" target="_blank">Salmonella infections</a>&nbsp;can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. In rare cases, the bacterial infections can be fatal.Consumers should check their pantries for any of the products listed and throw them away.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.quakerrecallusa.com/" target="_blank">The company’s recall website</a>&nbsp;has additional information and details on reimbursement. ___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Quaker Oats expands salmonella recall to additional products

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities investigating after dead bodies were discovered at a Kansas City home have identified the victims as 38-year-old&nbsp; Ricky Johnson; 36-year-old Clayton&nbsp;McGeeney and 37-year-old David Harrington.

Just before 10p.m. Tuesday, a woman went to a home in the 5200 Block of NW 83rd Terrace looking for her&nbsp; fiancé, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle.

When there was no answer at the door, she broke into the basement of the residence and located an unknown dead body on the back porch. 

Officers responded to the back porch and found the body. Upon further investigation, officers located two other dead bodies in the back yard.&nbsp; Police have asked for a search warrant for the address . There were no obvious signs of foul play observed at or near the crime scene.&nbsp; Police have released no additional details on the cause of death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705095774621.png" alt="View of the neighborhood where the bodies were found-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>View of the neighborhood where the bodies were found-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities investigating after dead bodies were discovered at a Kansas City home have identified the victims as 38-year-old&nbsp; Ricky Johnson; 36-year-old Clayton&nbsp;McGeeney and 37-year-old David Harrington.Just before 10p.m. Tuesday, a woman went to a home in the 5200 Block of NW 83rd Terrace looking for her&nbsp; fiancé, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle.When there was no answer at the door, she broke into the basement of the residence and located an unknown dead body on the back porch. Officers responded to the back porch and found the body. Upon further investigation, officers located two other dead bodies in the back yard.&nbsp; Police have asked for a search warrant for the address . There were no obvious signs of foul play observed at or near the crime scene.&nbsp; Police have released no additional details on the cause of death.

Police ID bodies found by woman searching for fiancé at KC home

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military early Saturday struck another Houthi-controlled site in Yemen that it had determined was putting commercial vessels in the Red Sea at risk, a day after the U.S. and Britain launched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">multiple airstrikes targeting Houthi rebels</a>.

Associated Press journalists in Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, heard one loud explosion.

U.S. Central Command said the "follow-on action" early Saturday local time against a Houthi radar site was conducted by the Navy destroyer USS Carney using Tomahawk land attack missiles.

The first day of strikes Friday hit 28 locations and struck more than 60 targets. President Joe Biden had warned Friday that the Houthis could face further strikes.

The latest strike came after the U.S. Navy on Friday warned American-flagged vessels to steer clear of areas around Yemen in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden for the next 72 hours after the initial airstrikes. The warning came as Yemen’s Houthis vowed fierce retaliation, further raising the prospect of a wider conflict in a region already beset by Israel's war in Gaza.

U.S. military and White House officials said they expected the Houthis to try to strike back.

The U.S.-led bombardment — launched in response to a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11">campaign of drone and missile attacks</a>&nbsp;on commercial ships in the vital Red Sea — killed at least five people and wounded six, the Houthis said. The U.S. said the strikes, in two waves, took aim at targets in 28 different locations across Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

“We will make sure that we respond to the Houthis if they continue this outrageous behavior along with our allies," Biden told reporters during a stop in Emmaus, Pennsylvania.

Asked if he believes the Houthis are a terrorist group, Biden responded, “I think they are.” The president in a later exchange with reporters during a stop in Allentown, Pennsylvania, said whether the Houthis are redesignated as such was “irrelevant.”

Biden also pushed back against some lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, who said he should have sought congressional authorization before carrying out the strikes.

“They’re wrong, and I sent up this morning when the strikes occurred exactly what happened," Biden said.

The Pentagon said&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/stories/details/cc06d9186a00d1f22bea6b9c14dda12a.16.19.json?type=edit">Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin</a>&nbsp;ordered the military action from the hospital where he is recovering from complications following prostate cancer surgery.

The White House said in November that it was considering redesignating the Houthis as a terrorist organization after they began their targeting of civilian vessels. The administration formally delisted the Houthis as a “foreign terrorist organization” and “specially designated global terrorists” in 2021, undoing a move by President Donald Trump

Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Friday's U.S. strikes were largely in low-populated areas, and the number of those killed would not be high. He said the strikes hit weapons, radar and targeting sites, including in remote mountain areas.

As the bombing lit the predawn sky over multiple sites held by the Iranian-backed rebels, it forced the world to again focus on Yemen's yearslong war, which began when the Houthis seized the country's capital.

Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's offensive in Gaza against Hamas</a>. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade and energy shipments.

The Houthis’ military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, said in a recorded address that the U.S. strikes would “not go unanswered or unpunished.”

Though the Biden administration and its allies have tried to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-iran-hezbollah-yemen-0373be2e21b5a832d71f5bf828f67959">calm tensions in the Middle East</a>&nbsp;for weeks and prevent any wider conflict, the strikes threatened to ignite one.

Saudi Arabia — which supports the government-in-exile that the Houthis are fighting — quickly sought to distance itself from the attacks as it seeks to maintain a delicate détente with Iran and a cease-fire it has in Yemen. The Saudi-led, U.S.-backed war in Yemen has killed more than 150,000 people, including fighters and civilians, and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters, killing tens of thousands more.

It remained unclear how extensive the damage was from Friday's strikes, though the Houthis said at least five sites, including airfields, had been attacked. The White House said the U.S. military was still assessing the extent the militants' capabilities might have been degraded.

U.S. Air Forces Central Command said the strikes focused on the Houthi's command and control nodes, munition depots, launching systems, production facilities and air defense radar systems. The strikes involved more than 150 precision-guided munitions including air-launched missiles by F/A-18 Super Hornets based on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Tomahawk missiles from the Navy destroyers USS Gravely and USS Mason, the Navy cruiser USS Philippine Sea, and a U.S. submarine.

The United Kingdom said strikes hit a site in Bani allegedly used by the Houthis to launch drones and an airfield in Abbs used to launch cruise missiles and drones.

In a separate development, Iran released footage of its seizure of an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman that once had been at the center of a dispute between Tehran and Washington.

In the footage, a helicopter hovers over the deck of the St. Nikolas. Iran’s navy seized the vessel Thursday. The vessel had been known earlier as the Suez Rajan. The U.S. seized 1 million barrels of sanctioned Iranian oil off the vessel last year.

In Yemen, Hussein al-Ezzi, a Houthi official in their Foreign Ministry, said, “America and Britain will undoubtedly have to prepare to pay a heavy price and bear all the dire consequences of this blatant aggression.”

The Red Sea route is a crucial waterway, and attacks there have caused severe disruptions to global trade. Benchmark Brent crude oil traded up some 4% Friday at over $80 a barrel. Tesla, meanwhile, said it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-germany-factory-production-halt-red-sea-2a13fa207ac3d4670264e47bba427e10">temporarily halt</a>&nbsp;most production at its German factory because of attacks in the Red Sea.

In Saada, the Houthis' stronghold in northwest Yemen, hundreds gathered for a rally Friday, denouncing the U.S. and Israel. Another drew thousands in Sanaa, the capital.

Houthis now control territory that is home to some two-thirds of Yemen’s population of 34 million. War and misgovernment have made Yemen one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, and the World Food Program considers the vast majority of Yemen’s people as food-insecure.

Yemen has been targeted by U.S. military action over the last four American presidencies. A campaign of drone strikes began under President George W. Bush to target the local affiliate of al-Qaida, attacks that have continued under the Biden administration. Meanwhile, the U.S. has launched raids and other military operations amid the ongoing war in Yemen.

That war began when the Houthis swept into Sanaa in 2014. A Saudi-led coalition including the United Arab Emirates launched a war to back Yemen's exiled government in 2015, quickly morphing the conflict into a regional confrontation as Iran backed the Houthis with weapons and other support.

The conflict, however, has slowed as the Houthis maintain their grip on the territory they hold. In March, Saudi Arabia reached a Chinese-mediated deal to restart relations with Iran in hopes of ultimately withdrawing from the war.

Iran condemned Friday's attack in a statement from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani. “Arbitrary attacks will have no result other than fueling insecurity and instability in the region," he said.

At an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council late Friday, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused the U.S., U.K. and allies of “blatant armed aggression” against Yemen and warned “if the escalation continues, the entire Middle East could encounter a catastrophe.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military early Saturday struck another Houthi-controlled site in Yemen that it had determined was putting commercial vessels in the Red Sea at risk, two U.S. officials said.

The first day of strikes Friday hit 28 locations and struck more than 60 targets. However, the U.S. determined the additional location, a radar site, still presented a threat to maritime traffic, one official said.

The officials spoke anonymously to the AP to discuss an operation that hadn’t yet been publicly announced.

President Joe Biden had warned Friday that the Houthis could face further strikes.

The latest strike came after the U.S. Navy on Friday warned American-flagged vessels to steer clear of areas around Yemen in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden for the next 72 hours after the U.S. and Britain launched multiple airstrikes targeting Houthi rebels.

The warning came as Yemen’s Houthis vowed fierce retaliation for the U.S.-led&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">strikes</a>, further raising the prospect of a wider conflict in a region already beset by Israel's war in Gaza.

Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the Friday's U.S. strikes were largely in low-populated areas, and the number of those killed would not be high. He said the strikes hit weapons, radar and targeting sites, including in remote mountain areas.

Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat and former U.S. intelligence official, welcomed the U.S. strikes but expressed concern Iran was aiming to draw the U.S. deeper into conflict.

“We should be worried about regional escalation,” Slotkin wrote on X. “Iran uses groups like the Houthis to fight their battles, maintain plausible deniability and prevent a direct conflict with the U.S. or others. ... It needs to stop, and my hope is they’ve gotten the message.”

Biden told reporters that Iran has received a clear message. “I already delivered the message to Iran. They know not to do anything," he said.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Treasury Department on Friday announced it imposed sanctions on two firms in Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates for allegedly shipping Iranian commodities on behalf of Iran-based Houthi financial facilitator Sa’id al-Jamal. Four vessels owned by the firms were also identified as blocked property.

In Yemen, Hussein al-Ezzi, a Houthi official in their Foreign Ministry, said that “America and Britain will undoubtedly have to prepare to pay a heavy price and bear all the dire consequences of this blatant aggression.”

Iran condemned Friday's attack in a statement from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani.

“Arbitrary attacks will have no result other than fueling insecurity and instability in the region," he said.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning called on nations not to escalate tensions in the Red Sea. And Russia on Friday condemned the strikes as “illegitimate from the point of view of international law.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705112808392.png" alt="View of aircraft launch for the attack Jan. 11 -image U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>View of aircraft launch for the attack Jan. 11 -image U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military early Saturday struck another Houthi-controlled site in Yemen that it had determined was putting commercial vessels in the Red Sea at risk, a day after the U.S. and Britain launched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">multiple airstrikes targeting Houthi rebels</a>.Associated Press journalists in Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, heard one loud explosion.U.S. Central Command said the "follow-on action" early Saturday local time against a Houthi radar site was conducted by the Navy destroyer USS Carney using Tomahawk land attack missiles.The first day of strikes Friday hit 28 locations and struck more than 60 targets. President Joe Biden had warned Friday that the Houthis could face further strikes.The latest strike came after the U.S. Navy on Friday warned American-flagged vessels to steer clear of areas around Yemen in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden for the next 72 hours after the initial airstrikes. The warning came as Yemen’s Houthis vowed fierce retaliation, further raising the prospect of a wider conflict in a region already beset by Israel's war in Gaza.U.S. military and White House officials said they expected the Houthis to try to strike back.The U.S.-led bombardment — launched in response to a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11">campaign of drone and missile attacks</a>&nbsp;on commercial ships in the vital Red Sea — killed at least five people and wounded six, the Houthis said. The U.S. said the strikes, in two waves, took aim at targets in 28 different locations across Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.“We will make sure that we respond to the Houthis if they continue this outrageous behavior along with our allies," Biden told reporters during a stop in Emmaus, Pennsylvania.Asked if he believes the Houthis are a terrorist group, Biden responded, “I think they are.” The president in a later exchange with reporters during a stop in Allentown, Pennsylvania, said whether the Houthis are redesignated as such was “irrelevant.”Biden also pushed back against some lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, who said he should have sought congressional authorization before carrying out the strikes.“They’re wrong, and I sent up this morning when the strikes occurred exactly what happened," Biden said.The Pentagon said&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/stories/details/cc06d9186a00d1f22bea6b9c14dda12a.16.19.json?type=edit">Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin</a>&nbsp;ordered the military action from the hospital where he is recovering from complications following prostate cancer surgery.The White House said in November that it was considering redesignating the Houthis as a terrorist organization after they began their targeting of civilian vessels. The administration formally delisted the Houthis as a “foreign terrorist organization” and “specially designated global terrorists” in 2021, undoing a move by President Donald TrumpLt. Gen. Douglas Sims, director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Friday's U.S. strikes were largely in low-populated areas, and the number of those killed would not be high. He said the strikes hit weapons, radar and targeting sites, including in remote mountain areas.As the bombing lit the predawn sky over multiple sites held by the Iranian-backed rebels, it forced the world to again focus on Yemen's yearslong war, which began when the Houthis seized the country's capital.Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's offensive in Gaza against Hamas</a>. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade and energy shipments.The Houthis’ military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, said in a recorded address that the U.S. strikes would “not go unanswered or unpunished.”Though the Biden administration and its allies have tried to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-iran-hezbollah-yemen-0373be2e21b5a832d71f5bf828f67959">calm tensions in the Middle East</a>&nbsp;for weeks and prevent any wider conflict, the strikes threatened to ignite one.Saudi Arabia — which supports the government-in-exile that the Houthis are fighting — quickly sought to distance itself from the attacks as it seeks to maintain a delicate détente with Iran and a cease-fire it has in Yemen. The Saudi-led, U.S.-backed war in Yemen has killed more than 150,000 people, including fighters and civilians, and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters, killing tens of thousands more.It remained unclear how extensive the damage was from Friday's strikes, though the Houthis said at least five sites, including airfields, had been attacked. The White House said the U.S. military was still assessing the extent the militants' capabilities might have been degraded.U.S. Air Forces Central Command said the strikes focused on the Houthi's command and control nodes, munition depots, launching systems, production facilities and air defense radar systems. The strikes involved more than 150 precision-guided munitions including air-launched missiles by F/A-18 Super Hornets based on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Tomahawk missiles from the Navy destroyers USS Gravely and USS Mason, the Navy cruiser USS Philippine Sea, and a U.S. submarine.The United Kingdom said strikes hit a site in Bani allegedly used by the Houthis to launch drones and an airfield in Abbs used to launch cruise missiles and drones.In a separate development, Iran released footage of its seizure of an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman that once had been at the center of a dispute between Tehran and Washington.In the footage, a helicopter hovers over the deck of the St. Nikolas. Iran’s navy seized the vessel Thursday. The vessel had been known earlier as the Suez Rajan. The U.S. seized 1 million barrels of sanctioned Iranian oil off the vessel last year.In Yemen, Hussein al-Ezzi, a Houthi official in their Foreign Ministry, said, “America and Britain will undoubtedly have to prepare to pay a heavy price and bear all the dire consequences of this blatant aggression.”The Red Sea route is a crucial waterway, and attacks there have caused severe disruptions to global trade. Benchmark Brent crude oil traded up some 4% Friday at over $80 a barrel. Tesla, meanwhile, said it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-germany-factory-production-halt-red-sea-2a13fa207ac3d4670264e47bba427e10">temporarily halt</a>&nbsp;most production at its German factory because of attacks in the Red Sea.In Saada, the Houthis' stronghold in northwest Yemen, hundreds gathered for a rally Friday, denouncing the U.S. and Israel. Another drew thousands in Sanaa, the capital.Houthis now control territory that is home to some two-thirds of Yemen’s population of 34 million. War and misgovernment have made Yemen one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, and the World Food Program considers the vast majority of Yemen’s people as food-insecure.Yemen has been targeted by U.S. military action over the last four American presidencies. A campaign of drone strikes began under President George W. Bush to target the local affiliate of al-Qaida, attacks that have continued under the Biden administration. Meanwhile, the U.S. has launched raids and other military operations amid the ongoing war in Yemen.That war began when the Houthis swept into Sanaa in 2014. A Saudi-led coalition including the United Arab Emirates launched a war to back Yemen's exiled government in 2015, quickly morphing the conflict into a regional confrontation as Iran backed the Houthis with weapons and other support.The conflict, however, has slowed as the Houthis maintain their grip on the territory they hold. In March, Saudi Arabia reached a Chinese-mediated deal to restart relations with Iran in hopes of ultimately withdrawing from the war.Iran condemned Friday's attack in a statement from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani. “Arbitrary attacks will have no result other than fueling insecurity and instability in the region," he said.At an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council late Friday, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused the U.S., U.K. and allies of “blatant armed aggression” against Yemen and warned “if the escalation continues, the entire Middle East could encounter a catastrophe.”WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military early Saturday struck another Houthi-controlled site in Yemen that it had determined was putting commercial vessels in the Red Sea at risk, two U.S. officials said.Associated Press journalists in Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, heard one loud explosion.The first day of strikes Friday hit 28 locations and struck more than 60 targets. However, the U.S. determined the additional location, a radar site, still presented a threat to maritime traffic, one official said.The officials spoke anonymously to the AP to discuss an operation that hadn’t yet been publicly announced.President Joe Biden had warned Friday that the Houthis could face further strikes.The latest strike came after the U.S. Navy on Friday warned American-flagged vessels to steer clear of areas around Yemen in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden for the next 72 hours after the U.S. and Britain launched multiple airstrikes targeting Houthi rebels.The warning came as Yemen’s Houthis vowed fierce retaliation for the U.S.-led&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">strikes</a>, further raising the prospect of a wider conflict in a region already beset by Israel's war in Gaza.U.S. military and White House officials said they expected the Houthis to try to strike back.The U.S.-led bombardment — launched in response to a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11">campaign of drone and missile attacks</a>&nbsp;on commercial ships in the vital Red Sea — killed at least five people and wounded six, the Houthis said. The U.S. said the strikes, in two waves, took aim at targets in 28 different locations across Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.“We will make sure that we respond to the Houthis if they continue this outrageous behavior along with our allies," Biden told reporters during a stop in Emmaus, Pennsylvania.Asked if he believes the Houthis are a terrorist group, Biden responded, “I think they are.” The president in a later exchange with reporters during a stop in Allentown, Pennsylvania, said whether the Houthis are redesignated as such was “irrelevant.”Biden also pushed back against some lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, who said he should have sought congressional authorization before carrying out the strikes.“They’re wrong, and I sent up this morning when the strikes occurred exactly what happened," Biden said.The Pentagon said&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/stories/details/cc06d9186a00d1f22bea6b9c14dda12a.16.19.json?type=edit">Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin</a>&nbsp;ordered the military action from the hospital where he is recovering from complications following prostate cancer surgery.The White House said in November that it was considering redesignating the Houthis as a terrorist organization after they began their targeting of civilian vessels. The administration formally delisted the Houthis as a “foreign terrorist organization” and “specially designated global terrorists” in 2021, undoing a move by President Donald TrumpLt. Gen. Douglas Sims, director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the Friday's U.S. strikes were largely in low-populated areas, and the number of those killed would not be high. He said the strikes hit weapons, radar and targeting sites, including in remote mountain areas.As the bombing lit the predawn sky over multiple sites held by the Iranian-backed rebels, it forced the world to again focus on Yemen's yearslong war, which began when the Houthis seized the country's capital.Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's offensive in Gaza against Hamas</a>. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade and energy shipments.The Houthis’ military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, said in a recorded address that the U.S. strikes would “not go unanswered or unpunished.”Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat and former U.S. intelligence official, welcomed the U.S. strikes but expressed concern Iran was aiming to draw the U.S. deeper into conflict.“We should be worried about regional escalation,” Slotkin wrote on X. “Iran uses groups like the Houthis to fight their battles, maintain plausible deniability and prevent a direct conflict with the U.S. or others. ... It needs to stop, and my hope is they’ve gotten the message.”Biden told reporters that Iran has received a clear message. “I already delivered the message to Iran. They know not to do anything," he said.Though the Biden administration and its allies have tried to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-iran-hezbollah-yemen-0373be2e21b5a832d71f5bf828f67959">calm tensions in the Middle East</a>&nbsp;for weeks and prevent any wider conflict, the strikes threatened to ignite one.Saudi Arabia — which supports the government-in-exile that the Houthis are fighting — quickly sought to distance itself from the attacks as it seeks to maintain a delicate détente with Iran and a cease-fire it has in Yemen. The Saudi-led, U.S.-backed war in Yemen has killed more than 150,000 people, including fighters and civilians, and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters, killing tens of thousands more.It remained unclear how extensive the damage was from Friday's strikes, though the Houthis said at least five sites, including airfields, had been attacked. The White House said the U.S. military was still assessing the extent the militants' capabilities might have been degraded.U.S. Air Forces Central Command said the strikes focused on the Houthi's command and control nodes, munition depots, launching systems, production facilities and air defense radar systems. The strikes involved more than 150 precision-guided munitions including air-launched missiles by F/A-18 Super Hornets based on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Tomahawk missiles from the Navy destroyers USS Gravely and USS Mason, the Navy cruiser USS Philippine Sea, and a U.S. submarine.The United Kingdom said strikes hit a site in Bani allegedly used by the Houthis to launch drones and an airfield in Abbs used to launch cruise missiles and drones.Meanwhile, the U.S. Treasury Department on Friday announced it imposed sanctions on two firms in Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates for allegedly shipping Iranian commodities on behalf of Iran-based Houthi financial facilitator Sa’id al-Jamal. Four vessels owned by the firms were also identified as blocked property.In a separate development, Iran released footage of its seizure of an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman that once had been at the center of a dispute between Tehran and Washington.In the footage, a helicopter hovers over the deck of the St. Nikolas. Iran’s navy seized the vessel Thursday. The vessel had been known earlier as the Suez Rajan. The U.S. seized 1 million barrels of sanctioned Iranian oil off the vessel last year.In Yemen, Hussein al-Ezzi, a Houthi official in their Foreign Ministry, said that “America and Britain will undoubtedly have to prepare to pay a heavy price and bear all the dire consequences of this blatant aggression.”The Red Sea route is a crucial waterway, and attacks there have caused severe disruptions to global trade. Benchmark Brent crude oil traded up some 4% Friday at over $80 a barrel. Tesla, meanwhile, said it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-germany-factory-production-halt-red-sea-2a13fa207ac3d4670264e47bba427e10">temporarily halt</a>&nbsp;most production at its German factory because of attacks in the Red Sea.In Saada, the Houthis' stronghold in northwest Yemen, hundreds gathered for a rally Friday, denouncing the U.S. and Israel. Another drew thousands in Sanaa, the capital.Houthis now control territory that is home to some two-thirds of Yemen’s population of 34 million. War and misgovernment have made Yemen one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, and the World Food Program considers the vast majority of Yemen’s people as food-insecure.Yemen has been targeted by U.S. military action over the last four American presidencies. A campaign of drone strikes began under President George W. Bush to target the local affiliate of al-Qaida, attacks that have continued under the Biden administration. Meanwhile, the U.S. has launched raids and other military operations amid the ongoing war in Yemen.That war began when the Houthis swept into Sanaa in 2014. A Saudi-led coalition including the United Arab Emirates launched a war to back Yemen's exiled government in 2015, quickly morphing the conflict into a regional confrontation as Iran backed the Houthis with weapons and other support.The conflict, however, has slowed as the Houthis maintain their grip on the territory they hold. In March, Saudi Arabia reached a Chinese-mediated deal to restart relations with Iran in hopes of ultimately withdrawing from the war.Iran condemned Friday's attack in a statement from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani.“Arbitrary attacks will have no result other than fueling insecurity and instability in the region," he said.In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning called on nations not to escalate tensions in the Red Sea. And Russia on Friday condemned the strikes as “illegitimate from the point of view of international law.”

US strikes more terrorist sites after warning ships to avoid parts of Red Sea

WASHINGTON (AP) A jailed member of the Proud Boys extremist group was sentenced on Friday to more than four years in prison for his role in a mob's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">attack on the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;three years ago, court records show.

William Chrestman, a U.S. Army veteran from Olathe, Kansas, brandished an axe handle and threated police with violence after leading other Proud Boys members to the perimeter of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Chrestman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/william-chrestman-guilty-proud-boys-capitol-riot-8f1f528b40bf41dcf9e945a270bdfcac">pleaded guilty in October</a>&nbsp;to obstructing the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress for certifying the Electoral College vote. He also pleaded guilty to a second felony count of threatening to assault a federal officer during the Capitol riot.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly sentenced Chrestman to four years and seven months in prison, according to court records.

Prosecutors had recommended a prison sentence of five years and three months, arguing that he “played a significant role during the riot due to his presence and conduct at pivotal moments during the day.”

“Indeed, Chrestman regularly presented himself as a leader among the rioters including when he was part of the tip of the spear that created the breach at the Peace Circle, encouraged other rioters to move to the police barricades, told rioters to stop the arrest of a rioter, and thanked them for supporting the Proud Boys,”&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.228125/gov.uscourts.dcd.228125.232.0.pdf">prosecutors wrote</a>.

Chrestman has been jailed since his arrest in February 2021. He'll get credit for the nearly three years he already has served in custody.

Defense attorney Michael Cronkright argued that Chrestman never used his axe handle “to do anything remotely violent” on Jan. 6.

“To date, the worst thing that the government has asserted is that he used it to touch a security gate that was already going up,”&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.228130/gov.uscourts.dcd.228130.233.0.pdf">Cronkright wrote</a>.

Chrestman also had a gas mask, a helmet and other tactical gear when he traveled to Washington with other Proud Boys members from the Kansas City, Kansas, area. On Jan. 6, he marched to the Capitol grounds with dozens of other Proud Boys leaders, members and associates.

Chrestman and other Proud Boys moved past a toppled metal barricade and joined other rioters in front of another police barrier. He shouted a threat at officers and yelled at others in the crowd to stop police from arresting another rioter, according to prosecutors.

Facing the crowd, Chrestman shouted, “Whose house is this?”

“Do you want your house back?” Chrestman asked.

Chrestman also pointed his finger at a line of Capitol police officers, gestured at them with his axe handle and threatened to assault them if they fired “pepper ball” rounds at the crowd of rioters,&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.228125/gov.uscourts.dcd.228125.202.0.pdf">according to a court filing accompanying his guilty plea</a>.

More than 1,200 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. About 900 of them have pleaded guilty or been convicted after trials decided by a jury or judge. Over 750 of them have been sentenced, with nearly 500 receiving some term of imprisonment, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://interactives.ap.org/jan-6-prosecutions/">data compiled by The Associated Press</a>.

Dozens of Proud Boys leaders, members and associates have been arrested on Jan. 6 charges. The group's former national chairman, Enrique Tarrio, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/enrique-tarrio-capitol-riot-seditious-conspiracy-sentencing-da60222b3e1e54902db2bbbb219dc3fb">sentenced to 22 years in prison</a>&nbsp;— the longest for a Capitol riot case so far. A jury convicted Tarrio and three lieutenants of seditious conspiracy charges for a failed plot to keep Donald Trump in power after the Republican lost the 2020 election.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705095370615.png" alt="Photo U.S. Dept. of Justice" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Dept. of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) A jailed member of the Proud Boys extremist group was sentenced on Friday to more than four years in prison for his role in a mob's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">attack on the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;three years ago, court records show.William Chrestman, a U.S. Army veteran from Olathe, Kansas, brandished an axe handle and threated police with violence after leading other Proud Boys members to the perimeter of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.Chrestman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/william-chrestman-guilty-proud-boys-capitol-riot-8f1f528b40bf41dcf9e945a270bdfcac">pleaded guilty in October</a>&nbsp;to obstructing the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress for certifying the Electoral College vote. He also pleaded guilty to a second felony count of threatening to assault a federal officer during the Capitol riot.U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly sentenced Chrestman to four years and seven months in prison, according to court records.Prosecutors had recommended a prison sentence of five years and three months, arguing that he “played a significant role during the riot due to his presence and conduct at pivotal moments during the day.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613070062571.png" alt="Chrestman from his Feb. 2021 arrest in Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Chrestman from his Feb. 2021 arrest in Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>“Indeed, Chrestman regularly presented himself as a leader among the rioters including when he was part of the tip of the spear that created the breach at the Peace Circle, encouraged other rioters to move to the police barricades, told rioters to stop the arrest of a rioter, and thanked them for supporting the Proud Boys,”&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.228125/gov.uscourts.dcd.228125.232.0.pdf">prosecutors wrote</a>.Chrestman has been jailed since his arrest in February 2021. He'll get credit for the nearly three years he already has served in custody.Defense attorney Michael Cronkright argued that Chrestman never used his axe handle “to do anything remotely violent” on Jan. 6.“To date, the worst thing that the government has asserted is that he used it to touch a security gate that was already going up,”&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.228130/gov.uscourts.dcd.228130.233.0.pdf">Cronkright wrote</a>.Chrestman also had a gas mask, a helmet and other tactical gear when he traveled to Washington with other Proud Boys members from the Kansas City, Kansas, area. On Jan. 6, he marched to the Capitol grounds with dozens of other Proud Boys leaders, members and associates.Chrestman and other Proud Boys moved past a toppled metal barricade and joined other rioters in front of another police barrier. He shouted a threat at officers and yelled at others in the crowd to stop police from arresting another rioter, according to prosecutors.Facing the crowd, Chrestman shouted, “Whose house is this?”“Our house!” the crowd replied.“Do you want your house back?” Chrestman asked.“Yes!” the crowd responded.“Take it!” Chrestman yelled.Chrestman also pointed his finger at a line of Capitol police officers, gestured at them with his axe handle and threatened to assault them if they fired “pepper ball” rounds at the crowd of rioters,&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.228125/gov.uscourts.dcd.228125.202.0.pdf">according to a court filing accompanying his guilty plea</a>.More than 1,200 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. About 900 of them have pleaded guilty or been convicted after trials decided by a jury or judge. Over 750 of them have been sentenced, with nearly 500 receiving some term of imprisonment, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://interactives.ap.org/jan-6-prosecutions/">data compiled by The Associated Press</a>.Dozens of Proud Boys leaders, members and associates have been arrested on Jan. 6 charges. The group's former national chairman, Enrique Tarrio, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/enrique-tarrio-capitol-riot-seditious-conspiracy-sentencing-da60222b3e1e54902db2bbbb219dc3fb">sentenced to 22 years in prison</a>&nbsp;— the longest for a Capitol riot case so far. A jury convicted Tarrio and three lieutenants of seditious conspiracy charges for a failed plot to keep Donald Trump in power after the Republican lost the 2020 election.

Proud Boy from Kan. who carried ax handle into Capitol Jan. 6, is sentenced

ELLIS COUNTY —A KHP K9 was injured in an accident just before 3:30p.m. Friday in Ellis County.

According to Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Tod Hileman, troopers briefly shutdown Interstate 70 westbound between Walker and Hays to allow tow-trucks to remove a semi, involved in an earlier accident, from the median at the Walker bridge.

&nbsp;Traffic was routed to Old Highway 40 from Walker to Commerce Parkway in Hays and allowed back on Interstate 70.

During the shutdown, a westbound semi struck a State Trooper's vehicle with his K9 partner in the kennel.&nbsp; The trooper was outside the vehicle directing traffic and not injured.&nbsp; The K9 was rushed to a local veterinarian in Hays for treatment. Just before 6:30p.m., Hileman said&nbsp; "we are all hoping for the best."

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705102910212.png" alt="View of the accident scene -KanDrive" />
 <figcaption>View of the accident scene -KanDrive</figcaption>
 </figure>ELLIS COUNTY —A KHP K9 was injured in an accident just before 3:30p.m. Friday in Ellis County.According to Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Tod Hileman, troopers briefly shutdown Interstate 70 westbound between Walker and Hays to allow tow-trucks to remove a semi, involved in an earlier accident, from the median at the Walker bridge.&nbsp;Traffic was routed to Old Highway 40 from Walker to Commerce Parkway in Hays and allowed back on Interstate 70.During the shutdown, a westbound semi struck a State Trooper's vehicle with his K9 partner in the kennel.&nbsp; The trooper was outside the vehicle directing traffic and not injured.&nbsp; The K9 was rushed to a local veterinarian in Hays for treatment. Just before 6:30p.m., Hileman said&nbsp; "we are all hoping for the best."Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

KHP K9 injured after semi strikes patrol vehicle on I-70

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a late December homicide have released the name of the victim as 59-year-old Tammie L. Hanson of Topeka.

Just before 6p.m. Jan. 2, police were dispatched to a welfare check in the 600 Block of SW 14th Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.

Upon arrival, the Officers located Hanson who was found deceased. On Jan. 4, police reported they were&nbsp; investigating this death as a homicide and investigators believe the incident occurred sometime on December 28.

Police identified a suspect and arrested 22-year-old as Daniel V. Hesler of Topeka and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges: 1st Degree Murder and robbery, according to online jail records. He is no longer in custody in connection with the crime.

On Jan. 5, police reported their investigation led to a second arrest. Officers located 28-year-old Jordan R. Reynolds Taylor, 28, of Topeka and arrested him on requested charges of 1st Degree Murder and Aggravated Robbery, according to police Lt. Edward Stanley.&nbsp; Reynolds has been listed as a registered sex offender in Kansas since 2015 following a conviction for&nbsp;Aggravated indecent liberties w a 15-year-old victim, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704547559509.png" alt="Reynolds-Taylor-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Reynolds-Taylor-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a late December homicide have released the name of the victim as 59-year-old Tammie L. Hanson of Topeka.Just before 6p.m. Jan. 2, police were dispatched to a welfare check in the 600 Block of SW 14th Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.Upon arrival, the Officers located Hanson who was found deceased. On Jan. 4, police reported they were&nbsp; investigating this death as a homicide and investigators believe the incident occurred sometime on December 28.Police identified a suspect and arrested 22-year-old as Daniel V. Hesler of Topeka and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges: 1st Degree Murder and robbery, according to online jail records. He is no longer in custody in connection with the crime.On Jan. 5, police reported their investigation led to a second arrest. Officers located 28-year-old Jordan R. Reynolds Taylor, 28, of Topeka and arrested him on requested charges of 1st Degree Murder and Aggravated Robbery, according to police Lt. Edward Stanley.&nbsp; Reynolds has been listed as a registered sex offender in Kansas since 2015 following a conviction for&nbsp;Aggravated indecent liberties w a 15-year-old victim, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Homicide: Police ID Kan. woman who died; sex offender in custody

Wichita, Lawrence and Atchison enforce ordinances tied to hair texture, grooming

BY:&nbsp;TIM CARPENTER&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The founder of a Kansas City, Missouri, nonprofit dedicated to expanding the influence of Black women urged members of the Kansas Legislature to join Nebraska, Colorado and more than 20 other states by prohibiting discrimination based on ancestry linked to hairstyle and hair texture.

Michele Watley, who created Shirley’s Kitchen Cabinet, told members of a Kansas Senate committee the problem was illustrated last year when Girard public school district administrators&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-school-district-that-forced-native-american-boy-to-cut-hair-changes-dress-code-policy/">compelled an 8-year-old Native American boy</a>, who was a member of the Wyandotte Nation, to cut his long hair or face expulsion.

In 2021, she said, a Black student at Ottawa University was kicked off the cheerleading squad after a coach ordered her to remove a hair bonnet during a practice that was protecting her nearly 3-foot-long braids.

“These rules disproportionately affect Black Kansans … and create unnecessary barriers to growing our economy, providing access to employment and education,” Watley said. “This bill will go a long way in sending the message to talent in our neighboring competitive states that Kansas values a talented workforce and welcomes and encourages diversity.”

Under Senate Bill 36, the Kansas Act Against Discrimination would be amended to prohibit ancestral discrimination associated with hair texture and protective styling that involved hair braids, locs, twists or knots. The Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee received oral or written testimony Thursday from 26 people endorsing the legislation. The committee didn’t debate or vote on the bill.

Supporters of the legislation said comparable Crown Act bills had passed in Texas, Arkansas, Arizona, Illinois, Tennessee, Alaska, New Mexico, Minnesota, Nevada, Virginia, Nebraska and Colorado. Legislation associated with the Crown Act, or Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair, has been filed in 20 states. The U.S. House passed a bill in 2022, but it wasn’t taken up by the U.S. Senate.

Stacey Knoell, executive director of the Kansas African-Affairs Commission, said the legislation should be approved by the House and Senate and signed by Gov. Laura Kelly because the state should make clear that it was a welcoming place to people of diverse ancestry.

“What my hair looks like has no bearing on whether I can do my job,” Knoell said. “It’s purely a cosmetic decision.”

William Wilk, senior director of government affairs for the Kansas Chamber, said the organization supported current protections in law against discrimination based on race or ancestry. He said discrimination against hair styles was prohibited under current law, but recommended inclusion in the Kansas bill the protections for employers placed in Nebraska’s statute.

“We have strong concerns that SB36 would create unintended consequences as it relates to the impact on an an employers’ ability to enforce dress codes and ensure the safety of their employees as it relates to (federal) OSHA standards,” he said.

The Kansas Human Rights Commission would be responsible for receiving, investigating and attempting to resolve complaints about housing, employment and public accommodation discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin, ancestry, genetic screening and testing, familial status and retaliation.

The commission also conducts a public education program to share information about discrimination law, said Ruth Glover, executive director of the Kansas Human Rights Commission.

In the 2023 fiscal year, the Kansas commission received 152 allegations of ancestry or national origin discrimination.

Glover said the commission’s jurisdiction didn’t extend to student enrollment and activities due to a 1988 decision of the Kansas Supreme Court. She said the state’s anti-bullying statute could be an appropriate place to place prohibitions on discrimination by students, school staff or school boards in relation to a person’s natural hair.

“As an unbiased, fact-finding, investigative body, the KHRC takes a neutral stance on the proposed legislation and to avoid the presumption the agency may favor one side or other if the legislation is adopted,” she said.

Approximately 40 U.S. cities have approved ordinances forbidding discrimination based on hairstyles, including Lawrence, Wichita and Atchison in Kansas.

Amber Sellers, the first Black woman to serve on the Lawrence City Commission, said there was data supporting the experiences of Black women, men and children under pressure to align with unrealistic beauty and professionalism standards. Research shed light on the personal economic costs and challenges Black people encountered when attempting to embrace their cultural identity, she said.

“In 2014,” she said, “I transitioned to wearing my hair naturally. At the time, I was working for an engineering firm in the private sector. Regrettably, this choice became a frequent topic of undue attention, leading to subtle and overt critiques and comments from staff. When the company’s vice president, without permission, ran his hands through my hair and commented, ‘I don’t know how you can sit through such a process,’ I knew I needed to share how inappropriate and unprofessional the exchange was. My story is far from unique.”

She urged the Senate committee to elevate the anti-discrimination legislation introduced in the Senate from a point of conversation to a point of law.

Rep. Stephanie Sawyer Clayton, an Overland Park Democrat, said similar legislation related to discrimination in hairstyles or hair textures had been the subject of hearings in the Kansas Legislature, but year after year no action was taken to formally reject this form of discrimination.

“I believe it is unfair for people who want to work or participate in school events to be discriminated against due to the texture or style of their hair,” Clayton said. “The health risks, time and money to comply with the Westernized ideal of hair texture and style is something that should have disappeared from our culture decades ago.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705091629336.png" alt="Michele Watley, who created Shirley’s Kitchen Cabinet, urged a Kansas Senate committee to support a bill weaving into state law a prohibition on making illegal discrimination based on hairstyle and hair texture. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from the Kansas Legislature’s YouTube channel)" />
 <figcaption>Michele Watley, who created Shirley’s Kitchen Cabinet, urged a Kansas Senate committee to support a bill weaving into state law a prohibition on making illegal discrimination based on hairstyle and hair texture. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from the Kansas Legislature’s YouTube channel)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Wichita, Lawrence and Atchison enforce ordinances tied to hair texture, grooming</h2>BY:&nbsp;TIM CARPENTER&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The founder of a Kansas City, Missouri, nonprofit dedicated to expanding the influence of Black women urged members of the Kansas Legislature to join Nebraska, Colorado and more than 20 other states by prohibiting discrimination based on ancestry linked to hairstyle and hair texture.Michele Watley, who created Shirley’s Kitchen Cabinet, told members of a Kansas Senate committee the problem was illustrated last year when Girard public school district administrators&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-school-district-that-forced-native-american-boy-to-cut-hair-changes-dress-code-policy/">compelled an 8-year-old Native American boy</a>, who was a member of the Wyandotte Nation, to cut his long hair or face expulsion.In 2021, she said, a Black student at Ottawa University was kicked off the cheerleading squad after a coach ordered her to remove a hair bonnet during a practice that was protecting her nearly 3-foot-long braids.“These rules disproportionately affect Black Kansans … and create unnecessary barriers to growing our economy, providing access to employment and education,” Watley said. “This bill will go a long way in sending the message to talent in our neighboring competitive states that Kansas values a talented workforce and welcomes and encourages diversity.”Under Senate Bill 36, the Kansas Act Against Discrimination would be amended to prohibit ancestral discrimination associated with hair texture and protective styling that involved hair braids, locs, twists or knots. The Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee received oral or written testimony Thursday from 26 people endorsing the legislation. The committee didn’t debate or vote on the bill.Supporters of the legislation said comparable Crown Act bills had passed in Texas, Arkansas, Arizona, Illinois, Tennessee, Alaska, New Mexico, Minnesota, Nevada, Virginia, Nebraska and Colorado. Legislation associated with the Crown Act, or Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair, has been filed in 20 states. The U.S. House passed a bill in 2022, but it wasn’t taken up by the U.S. Senate.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705091584137.png" alt=" Stacey Knoell, executive director of the Kansas African-Affairs Commission, said there were historic, medical and cultural reasons for Kansas to join more than 20 states applying anti-discrimination protections to ancestral hairstyle traditions. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of Kansas Legislature’s YouTube channel)" />
 <figcaption> Stacey Knoell, executive director of the Kansas African-Affairs Commission, said there were historic, medical and cultural reasons for Kansas to join more than 20 states applying anti-discrimination protections to ancestral hairstyle traditions. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of Kansas Legislature’s YouTube channel)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘A cosmetic decision’</h2>Stacey Knoell, executive director of the Kansas African-Affairs Commission, said the legislation should be approved by the House and Senate and signed by Gov. Laura Kelly because the state should make clear that it was a welcoming place to people of diverse ancestry.“What my hair looks like has no bearing on whether I can do my job,” Knoell said. “It’s purely a cosmetic decision.”William Wilk, senior director of government affairs for the Kansas Chamber, said the organization supported current protections in law against discrimination based on race or ancestry. He said discrimination against hair styles was prohibited under current law, but recommended inclusion in the Kansas bill the protections for employers placed in Nebraska’s statute.“We have strong concerns that SB36 would create unintended consequences as it relates to the impact on an an employers’ ability to enforce dress codes and ensure the safety of their employees as it relates to (federal) OSHA standards,” he said.The Kansas Human Rights Commission would be responsible for receiving, investigating and attempting to resolve complaints about housing, employment and public accommodation discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin, ancestry, genetic screening and testing, familial status and retaliation.The commission also conducts a public education program to share information about discrimination law, said Ruth Glover, executive director of the Kansas Human Rights Commission.In the 2023 fiscal year, the Kansas commission received 152 allegations of ancestry or national origin discrimination.Glover said the commission’s jurisdiction didn’t extend to student enrollment and activities due to a 1988 decision of the Kansas Supreme Court. She said the state’s anti-bullying statute could be an appropriate place to place prohibitions on discrimination by students, school staff or school boards in relation to a person’s natural hair.“As an unbiased, fact-finding, investigative body, the KHRC takes a neutral stance on the proposed legislation and to avoid the presumption the agency may favor one side or other if the legislation is adopted,” she said.<h2>hree cities on board</h2>Approximately 40 U.S. cities have approved ordinances forbidding discrimination based on hairstyles, including Lawrence, Wichita and Atchison in Kansas.Amber Sellers, the first Black woman to serve on the Lawrence City Commission, said there was data supporting the experiences of Black women, men and children under pressure to align with unrealistic beauty and professionalism standards. Research shed light on the personal economic costs and challenges Black people encountered when attempting to embrace their cultural identity, she said.“In 2014,” she said, “I transitioned to wearing my hair naturally. At the time, I was working for an engineering firm in the private sector. Regrettably, this choice became a frequent topic of undue attention, leading to subtle and overt critiques and comments from staff. When the company’s vice president, without permission, ran his hands through my hair and commented, ‘I don’t know how you can sit through such a process,’ I knew I needed to share how inappropriate and unprofessional the exchange was. My story is far from unique.”She urged the Senate committee to elevate the anti-discrimination legislation introduced in the Senate from a point of conversation to a point of law.Rep. Stephanie Sawyer Clayton, an Overland Park Democrat, said similar legislation related to discrimination in hairstyles or hair textures had been the subject of hearings in the Kansas Legislature, but year after year no action was taken to formally reject this form of discrimination.“I believe it is unfair for people who want to work or participate in school events to be discriminated against due to the texture or style of their hair,” Clayton said. “The health risks, time and money to comply with the Westernized ideal of hair texture and style is something that should have disappeared from our culture decades ago.”

Kansas lawmakers take up legislation forbidding discrimination based on hairstyle traditions

&nbsp;By&nbsp;Joseph Clark, Department of Defense&nbsp;

U.S. and partners' forces conducted defensive strikes against military targets in Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen yesterday following a series of attacks launched by the armed rebel group against commercial ships operating in the Red Sea. &nbsp;

The joint strikes were carried out by the U.S. and United Kingdom with nonoperational support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands. They targeted Houthi missile, radar and unmanned areal vehicle capabilities used to carry out attacks against vessels operating in international waters.&nbsp;

President Joe Biden said the strikes serve as a "a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world's most critical commercial routes."&nbsp;

"I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce, as necessary," he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/11/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-coalition-strikes-in-houthi-controlled-areas-in-yemen/" target="_blank">said in a statement</a>&nbsp;following the strikes. &nbsp;

The U.S. and U.K. forces launched the strikes from air, surface and subsurface platforms and used precision-guided munitions to minimize collateral damage, a Pentagon official said during a press briefing following the strikes. &nbsp;

The strike package included a variety of aircraft flown by U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and U.K. pilots. &nbsp;

"This action is intended to disrupt and degrade the Houthis' capabilities to endanger mariners and threaten global trade in one of world's most critical waterways," Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III&nbsp;<a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3643830/statement-by-secretary-of-defense-lloyd-j-austin-iii-on-coalition-strikes-in-ho/">said in a statement</a>&nbsp;following the strikes. "Today's coalition action sends a clear message to the Houthis that they will bear further costs if they do not end their illegal attacks."&nbsp;

Austin added that the U.S. "maintains its right to self-defense and, if necessary, will take follow-on actions to protect U.S. forces."&nbsp;

Since mid-November, Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched more than two dozen attacks against merchant vessels operating in the Red Sea. Such attacks against the vital international shipping lane posed a vital concern and impacted international commerce across the globe.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In response, Austin announced the Dec. 18 launch of Operation Prosperity Guardian, an international maritime task force designed to defend against the attacks.&nbsp;

The operation brought together forces from 22 nations to address the challenges in the region and ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The forces operate under the umbrella of the Combined Maritime Forces and the leadership of Task Force 153, a U.S. Navy-led initiative focused on maritime security in the Red Sea. Earlier this week, the rebel group launched nearly 20 drones and several missiles targeting U.S. ships underway in the region. That attack was defeated by U.S. and U.K. forces operating in the region as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Yesterday's strikes launched against the rebel stronghold in Yemen were not associated with, and are separate from, Operation Prosperity Guardian, the Pentagon official said.&nbsp;

The defensive strikes followed sustained diplomatic efforts and broad international condemnation of the Houthi attacks that have threatened global commerce. &nbsp;

Last week, the governments of the U.S., Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement condemning the attacks and warning the rebel group against further escalation.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

In the statement, the nations warned that the Houthis "will bear the responsibility of the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy and [the] free flow of commerce in the region's critical waterways."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Earlier this week, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution demanding that the rebel group cease all attacks against ships in the Red Sea. &nbsp;

In a statement following yesterday's strike, the goverments of the U.S., Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement further condemning the Houthis' actions and warning against further escalation. &nbsp;

The nations' statement read that the strikes "demonstrated a shared commitment to freedom of navigation, international commerce and defending the lives of mariners from illegal and unjustifiable attacks. Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but let our message be clear: We will not hesitate to defend lives and protect the free flow of commerce in one of the world's most critical waterways in the face of continued threats."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705097183726.png" alt="The USS Carney defeats a combination of Houthi missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles in the Red Sea, Oct. 19, 2023.&nbsp;Photo By:Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Aaron Lau" />
 <figcaption>The USS Carney defeats a combination of Houthi missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles in the Red Sea, Oct. 19, 2023.&nbsp;Photo By:Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Aaron Lau</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;By&nbsp;Joseph Clark, Department of Defense&nbsp;U.S. and partners' forces conducted defensive strikes against military targets in Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen yesterday following a series of attacks launched by the armed rebel group against commercial ships operating in the Red Sea. &nbsp;The joint strikes were carried out by the U.S. and United Kingdom with nonoperational support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands. They targeted Houthi missile, radar and unmanned areal vehicle capabilities used to carry out attacks against vessels operating in international waters.&nbsp;President Joe Biden said the strikes serve as a "a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world's most critical commercial routes."&nbsp;"I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce, as necessary," he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/11/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-coalition-strikes-in-houthi-controlled-areas-in-yemen/" target="_blank">said in a statement</a>&nbsp;following the strikes. &nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705097309537.png" alt="Image from a video of the attack launch Jan. 11-U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Image from a video of the attack launch Jan. 11-U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>The U.S. and U.K. forces launched the strikes from air, surface and subsurface platforms and used precision-guided munitions to minimize collateral damage, a Pentagon official said during a press briefing following the strikes. &nbsp;The strike package included a variety of aircraft flown by U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and U.K. pilots. &nbsp;"This action is intended to disrupt and degrade the Houthis' capabilities to endanger mariners and threaten global trade in one of world's most critical waterways," Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III&nbsp;<a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3643830/statement-by-secretary-of-defense-lloyd-j-austin-iii-on-coalition-strikes-in-ho/">said in a statement</a>&nbsp;following the strikes. "Today's coalition action sends a clear message to the Houthis that they will bear further costs if they do not end their illegal attacks."&nbsp;Austin added that the U.S. "maintains its right to self-defense and, if necessary, will take follow-on actions to protect U.S. forces."&nbsp;Since mid-November, Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched more than two dozen attacks against merchant vessels operating in the Red Sea. Such attacks against the vital international shipping lane posed a vital concern and impacted international commerce across the globe.&nbsp;&nbsp;In response, Austin announced the Dec. 18 launch of Operation Prosperity Guardian, an international maritime task force designed to defend against the attacks.&nbsp;The operation brought together forces from 22 nations to address the challenges in the region and ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. &nbsp;&nbsp;The forces operate under the umbrella of the Combined Maritime Forces and the leadership of Task Force 153, a U.S. Navy-led initiative focused on maritime security in the Red Sea. Earlier this week, the rebel group launched nearly 20 drones and several missiles targeting U.S. ships underway in the region. That attack was defeated by U.S. and U.K. forces operating in the region as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian.&nbsp;&nbsp;Yesterday's strikes launched against the rebel stronghold in Yemen were not associated with, and are separate from, Operation Prosperity Guardian, the Pentagon official said.&nbsp;The defensive strikes followed sustained diplomatic efforts and broad international condemnation of the Houthi attacks that have threatened global commerce. &nbsp;Last week, the governments of the U.S., Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement condemning the attacks and warning the rebel group against further escalation.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In the statement, the nations warned that the Houthis "will bear the responsibility of the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy and [the] free flow of commerce in the region's critical waterways."&nbsp;&nbsp;Earlier this week, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution demanding that the rebel group cease all attacks against ships in the Red Sea. &nbsp;In a statement following yesterday's strike, the goverments of the U.S., Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement further condemning the Houthis' actions and warning against further escalation. &nbsp;The nations' statement read that the strikes "demonstrated a shared commitment to freedom of navigation, international commerce and defending the lives of mariners from illegal and unjustifiable attacks. Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but let our message be clear: We will not hesitate to defend lives and protect the free flow of commerce in one of the world's most critical waterways in the face of continued threats."

U.S. reveals additional details on strikes against Iran-backed rebels

BY:&nbsp;ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/12/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-early-student-debt-cancellation-for-borrowers-enrolled-in-save/">announced Friday </a>that some federal student loan borrowers will have their loans cancelled under the Department of Education’s new repayment plan.

Starting next month, people who took out under $12,000 in federal student loans and have been repaying those loans for 10 years will get their remaining student loan balance cancelled&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://studentaid.gov/">once they enroll</a>&nbsp;in the Saving on a Valuable Education Plan, known as SAVE.

“This action will particularly help community college borrowers, low-income borrowers, and those struggling to repay their loans,” Biden said in a statement.

“And, it’s part of our ongoing efforts to act as quickly as possible to give more borrowers breathing room so they can get out from under the burden of student loan debt, move on with their lives and pursue their dreams.”

This initiative builds on the Biden administration’s effort to cancel federal student loan debt following last year’s U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down the White House’s plan for a one-time cancellation of up to $10,000 for federal borrowers. Student loan borrowers who had received Pell Grants — federal aid to help low-income students pay for higher education — could have qualified for an additional $10,000 in forgiveness.

<a target="_blank" href="https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2023/06/30/us-supreme-court-rules-against-biden-administration-student-loan-debt-relief-plan/">Hours after the Supreme Court struck down the plan</a>, the White House announced its SAVE plan, along with a one-year off-ramp program that would not report borrowers to creditors if they failed to make loan payments once repayment started back up in October.

“And, in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision on our student debt relief plan, we are continuing to pursue an alternative path to deliver student debt relief to as many borrowers as possible as quickly as possible,” Biden said. “I won’t back down from using every tool at our disposal to get student loan borrowers the relief they need to reach their dreams.”

So far, 6.9 million borrowers have enrolled in SAVE, and of those borrowers, 3.9 million have a $0 monthly payment.

Under the new plan, SAVE calculates payments based on a borrower’s income and family size and forgives balances after a set number of years. The Department of Education has estimated that most borrowers will save about $1,000 per year under the new plan.

Borrowers who are in the former payment plan — known as the Revised Pay as You Earn plan — will automatically be enrolled in the SAVE program.

The states with the highest number of borrowers enrolled in the program include Texas, with 591,700, California with 597,300, Florida with 475,800, New York with 374,300 and Pennsylvania with 289,800.

BY:&nbsp;ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/12/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-early-student-debt-cancellation-for-borrowers-enrolled-in-save/">announced Friday </a>that some federal student loan borrowers will have their loans cancelled under the Department of Education’s new repayment plan.Starting next month, people who took out under $12,000 in federal student loans and have been repaying those loans for 10 years will get their remaining student loan balance cancelled&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://studentaid.gov/">once they enroll</a>&nbsp;in the Saving on a Valuable Education Plan, known as SAVE.“This action will particularly help community college borrowers, low-income borrowers, and those struggling to repay their loans,” Biden said in a statement.“And, it’s part of our ongoing efforts to act as quickly as possible to give more borrowers breathing room so they can get out from under the burden of student loan debt, move on with their lives and pursue their dreams.”This initiative builds on the Biden administration’s effort to cancel federal student loan debt following last year’s U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down the White House’s plan for a one-time cancellation of up to $10,000 for federal borrowers. Student loan borrowers who had received Pell Grants — federal aid to help low-income students pay for higher education — could have qualified for an additional $10,000 in forgiveness.<a target="_blank" href="https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2023/06/30/us-supreme-court-rules-against-biden-administration-student-loan-debt-relief-plan/">Hours after the Supreme Court struck down the plan</a>, the White House announced its SAVE plan, along with a one-year off-ramp program that would not report borrowers to creditors if they failed to make loan payments once repayment started back up in October.“And, in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision on our student debt relief plan, we are continuing to pursue an alternative path to deliver student debt relief to as many borrowers as possible as quickly as possible,” Biden said. “I won’t back down from using every tool at our disposal to get student loan borrowers the relief they need to reach their dreams.”So far, 6.9 million borrowers have enrolled in SAVE, and of those borrowers, 3.9 million have a $0 monthly payment.Under the new plan, SAVE calculates payments based on a borrower’s income and family size and forgives balances after a set number of years. The Department of Education has estimated that most borrowers will save about $1,000 per year under the new plan.Borrowers who are in the former payment plan — known as the Revised Pay as You Earn plan — will automatically be enrolled in the SAVE program.The states with the highest number of borrowers enrolled in the program include Texas, with 591,700, California with 597,300, Florida with 475,800, New York with 374,300 and Pennsylvania with 289,800.

Biden announces plan to cancel some student loan balances under $12,000

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a theft from a retailer in Salina and asking the public for help to identify suspects.

Just before 10p.m. Monday, December 18, three men entered Target, 2939 Market Place in Salina and took approximately $1,720 worth of merchandise from the store without paying, according to a media release from police.

The stolen merchandise included multiple Lego sets, clothing items, personal care items, and miscellaneous household items.

The suspected exited the store and loaded the items in a U-Haul van and left in the van and a dark colored Chrysler 300.

If you have any information concerning this incident or identification of the individual involved, call Crimestoppers at 825-TIPS. You can also make an on—line tip at:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=950#">https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=950#</a>. You may receive a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tipsters may also contact the Salina Police Department at (785) 826-7210, or Detective Constantino, case 2023-36149.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705067214145.png" alt="Security camera image Salina Police Department" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image Salina Police Department</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a theft from a retailer in Salina and asking the public for help to identify suspects.Just before 10p.m. Monday, December 18, three men entered Target, 2939 Market Place in Salina and took approximately $1,720 worth of merchandise from the store without paying, according to a media release from police.The stolen merchandise included multiple Lego sets, clothing items, personal care items, and miscellaneous household items.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705067160482.png" alt="Security camera image Salina Police Department" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image Salina Police Department</figcaption>
 </figure>The suspected exited the store and loaded the items in a U-Haul van and left in the van and a dark colored Chrysler 300.If you have any information concerning this incident or identification of the individual involved, call Crimestoppers at 825-TIPS. You can also make an on—line tip at:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=950#">https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=950#</a>. You may receive a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tipsters may also contact the Salina Police Department at (785) 826-7210, or Detective Constantino, case 2023-36149.

Police working to ID Lego theft suspects in Kansas

By OLIVIA BERGMEIER&nbsp;Salina Post

SALINE COUNTY —Salina Police Department officers arrested one of the suspects who allegedly burglarized the Hideaway Bar early on Monday.

Salina police captain James Feldman said officers identified one of the suspects who committed the burglary through their investigations and a tip from the community.

At 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, officers conducted a traffic stop with 44-year-old Patrick Hull Jr. in the 400 block of State Street after identifying his vehicle.

"We did two search warrants at his residence in Salina," Feldman said. "The investigation is continuing, and we hope to make further arrests."

Feldman said Hull did not resist arrest during the traffic stop, and&nbsp; officers requested charges for burglary, two counts of felony theft, two counts of damage to property and driving while suspended.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704979929297.png" alt="Hull -photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Hull -photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER&nbsp;Salina PostSALINE COUNTY —Salina Police Department officers arrested one of the suspects who allegedly burglarized the Hideaway Bar early on Monday.Salina police captain James Feldman said officers identified one of the suspects who committed the burglary through their investigations and a tip from the community.At 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, officers conducted a traffic stop with 44-year-old Patrick Hull Jr. in the 400 block of State Street after identifying his vehicle."We did two search warrants at his residence in Salina," Feldman said. "The investigation is continuing, and we hope to make further arrests."Feldman said Hull did not resist arrest during the traffic stop, and&nbsp; officers requested charges for burglary, two counts of felony theft, two counts of damage to property and driving while suspended.

Tip from community helps in arrest of Kansas burglary suspect

SHERMAN COUNTY —The cold weather provided the perfect conditions for a rare&nbsp;atmospheric optical phenomenon late Thursday.

The National Weather Service in Goodland shared a photo of light pillars seen from their headquarters at 920 Armory Road.

"It's gotten pretty cold, but the nice treat was worth it. Light pillars coming from town with our sign in the foreground."

Light pillars form when a bright light source reflects off the surfaces of millions of falling ice crystals associated with thin, high-level clouds, for example, cirrostratus clouds, according to the National Weather Service.

Overnight temperatures Thursday in northwest Kansas were in the single digits with wind chill temperatures well below zero. The forecast calls for Friday night low temperature around -8 in Goodland.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705069872735.png" alt="Photo NWS Goodland" />
 <figcaption>Photo NWS Goodland</figcaption>
 </figure>SHERMAN COUNTY —The cold weather provided the perfect conditions for a rare&nbsp;atmospheric optical phenomenon late Thursday.The National Weather Service in Goodland shared a photo of light pillars seen from their headquarters at 920 Armory Road."It's gotten pretty cold, but the nice treat was worth it. Light pillars coming from town with our sign in the foreground."Light pillars form when a bright light source reflects off the surfaces of millions of falling ice crystals associated with thin, high-level clouds, for example, cirrostratus clouds, according to the National Weather Service.Overnight temperatures Thursday in northwest Kansas were in the single digits with wind chill temperatures well below zero. The forecast calls for Friday night low temperature around -8 in Goodland.

Light pillars dazzle in the extreme NW Kansas cold

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Yemen’s Houthi rebels vowed fierce retaliation Friday for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">American and British strikes against them</a>, further raising the prospect of a wider conflict in a region already beset by Israel's war in Gaza.

The bombardment — launched in response to a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11">campaign of drone and missile attacks</a>&nbsp;on commercial ships in the vital Red Sea — killed at least five people and wounded six, the Houthis said.

Saudi Arabia — which supports the government-in-exile that the Houthis are fighting — quickly sought to distance itself from the attacks as it seeks to maintain a delicate détente with Iran and a cease-fire it has in Yemen.

The Houthis’ military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, said in a recorded address that the strikes would "not go unanswered or unpunished.”

He said strikes on regions of Yemen under their control killed five and wounded six from the rebels’ military forces. It remained unclear how extensive the damage was, though the Houthis said at least five sites, including airfields, had been attacked.

Hussein al-Ezzi, a Houthi official in their Foreign Ministry, that “America and Britain will undoubtedly have to prepare to pay a heavy price and bear all the dire consequences of this blatant aggression.”

Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy acknowledged an attack days earlier on a ship in the far reaches of the Indian Ocean — an attack that may signal Iran's willingness to strike vessels as part of a wider maritime campaign over the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Tehran on Thursday separately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/persian-gulf-oman-strait-hormuz-3a906e909be2ce63c87c1b208ed05baa">seized another tanker</a>.

That war, however, has slowed as the Houthis maintain their grip on the territory they hold. In March, Saudi Arabia reached a Chinese-mediated deal to restart relations with Iran in hopes of ultimately withdrawing from the war.

However, an overall deal has yet to be reached, likely sparking Saudi Arabia's expression Friday of “great concern” over the airstrikes.

“While the kingdom stresses the importance of preserving the security and stability of the Red Sea region ... it calls for restraint and avoiding escalation,” its Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Iran condemned the attack in a statement from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning called on nations not to escalate tensions in the Red Sea.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699124273212.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Yemen’s Houthi rebels vowed fierce retaliation Friday for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">American and British strikes against them</a>, further raising the prospect of a wider conflict in a region already beset by Israel's war in Gaza.The bombardment — launched in response to a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11">campaign of drone and missile attacks</a>&nbsp;on commercial ships in the vital Red Sea — killed at least five people and wounded six, the Houthis said.As the bombing lit the predawn sky over multiple sites held by the Iranian-backed rebels, it forced the world to again focus on Yemen's yearslong war, which began when the Houthis seized the country's capital.Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's offensive in Gaza against Hamas</a>. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade and energy shipments.Though the Biden administration and its allies have tried to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-iran-hezbollah-yemen-0373be2e21b5a832d71f5bf828f67959">calm tensions in the Middle East</a>&nbsp;for weeks and prevent any wider conflict, the strikes threatened to ignite one.Saudi Arabia — which supports the government-in-exile that the Houthis are fighting — quickly sought to distance itself from the attacks as it seeks to maintain a delicate détente with Iran and a cease-fire it has in Yemen.The Houthis’ military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, said in a recorded address that the strikes would "not go unanswered or unpunished.”He said strikes on regions of Yemen under their control killed five and wounded six from the rebels’ military forces. It remained unclear how extensive the damage was, though the Houthis said at least five sites, including airfields, had been attacked.The United Kingdom said strikes hit a site in Bani allegedly used by the Houthis to launch drones and an airfield in Abbs used to launch cruise missiles and drones.Hussein al-Ezzi, a Houthi official in their Foreign Ministry, that “America and Britain will undoubtedly have to prepare to pay a heavy price and bear all the dire consequences of this blatant aggression.”The Red Sea route is a crucial waterway, and attacks there have caused severe disruptions to global trade. Benchmark Brent crude oil traded up some 4% Friday at over $80 a barrel. Tesla, meanwhile, said it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-germany-factory-production-halt-red-sea-2a13fa207ac3d4670264e47bba427e10">temporarily halt</a>&nbsp;most production at its German factory because of attacks in the Red Sea.Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy acknowledged an attack days earlier on a ship in the far reaches of the Indian Ocean — an attack that may signal Iran's willingness to strike vessels as part of a wider maritime campaign over the Israel-Hamas conflict.Tehran on Thursday separately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/persian-gulf-oman-strait-hormuz-3a906e909be2ce63c87c1b208ed05baa">seized another tanker</a>.In Saada, the Houthis' stronghold in northwest Yemen, hundreds gathered for a rally Friday, denouncing the U.S. and Israel. Another drew thousands in Sanaa, the capital.Yemen has been targeted by U.S. military action over the last four American presidencies. A campaign of drone strikes began under President George W. Bush to target the local affiliate of al-Qaida, attacks that have continued under the Biden administration. Meanwhile, the U.S. has launched raids and other military operations amid the ongoing war in Yemen.That war began when the Houthis swept into Sanaa in 2014. A Saudi-led coalition including the United Arab Emirates launched a war to back Yemen's exiled government in 2015, quickly morphing the conflict into a regional confrontation as Iran backed the Houthis with weapons and other support.That war, however, has slowed as the Houthis maintain their grip on the territory they hold. In March, Saudi Arabia reached a Chinese-mediated deal to restart relations with Iran in hopes of ultimately withdrawing from the war.However, an overall deal has yet to be reached, likely sparking Saudi Arabia's expression Friday of “great concern” over the airstrikes.“While the kingdom stresses the importance of preserving the security and stability of the Red Sea region ... it calls for restraint and avoiding escalation,” its Foreign Ministry said in a statement.Iran condemned the attack in a statement from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani.“Arbitrary attacks will have no result other than fueling insecurity and instability in the region," he said.In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning called on nations not to escalate tensions in the Red Sea.Oman, long a regional interlocutor for the U.S. and the West with Iran, condemned the airstrikes. It called the attack a “great concern while Israel continued its brutal war and siege of the Gaza Strip without accountability or punishment.”Meanwhile Friday, the U.S. Navy confirmed an attack days earlier near the coasts of India and Sri Lanka. The chemical tanker Pacific Gold was struck Jan. 4 by what the Navy called “an Iranian one-way attack” drone, causing some damage to the vessel but no injuries.The Pacific Gold is managed by Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping, a company that is ultimately controlled by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer. Iran itself has not acknowledged carrying out the attack.