House Speaker Dan Hawkins said GOP legislators will work on tax cuts, prioritize K-12 education and commit to ending long disability wait times

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Republican legislators will guard against communist China espionage, provide tax cuts and eliminate wait times for disability services, House Speaker Dan Hawkins said in a rebuttal to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s annual State of the State address.

“We will be ever vigilant in combating the danger posed by communist China,” Hawkins said. “Cracking down on their espionage conducted by drones in Kansas and safeguarding our farmland from foreign communist ownership are critical national security measures we can implement in the heartland.”

Hawkins also panned Kelly’s Medicaid expansion proposal, calling the reform a way to “increase welfare for able-bodied, working-age people.”

Medicaid expansion would allow an estimated 150,000 Kansans — primarily&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/12/11/gop-leaders-demonize-the-poor-in-medicaid-expansion-debate-while-working-kansans-struggle/">workers with low incomes, residents suffering from chronic illness, and children</a>&nbsp;— to gain access to medical care and unlock $700 million in annual federal funding.

Under Kansas’ current state-run Medicaid program, called KanCare, a person must be either younger than 19 or older than 64, pregnant, or mentally or physically disabled. Caregivers are also eligible. Besides these requirements, the individual must be below 38% of the federal poverty level. A single mother working a minimum wage job earns too much to qualify under the current standard.

“Limited resources should be reserved for the truly needy instead of siphoning them away to able-bodied adults who don’t want to work and who have access to other health care options,” Hawkins said.

Only 54.1% of Kansans get health insurance through their employer, according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.khi.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2023-Annual-Insurance-Update-1.pdf">a Kansas Health Institute report</a>.

Hawkins said Republicans would work to create higher medical reimbursement rates, support for community mental health centers and would work on eliminating the long wait times Kansans with disabilities face for help in lieu of expansion.

Republicans would also prioritize a commitment to K-12 schools in the coming months, Hawkins said.

Hawkins said Kelly had a similar method to “Joe Biden’s extreme approach” of spending more instead of cutting taxes, a move he characterized as one that chips away at&nbsp;“freedom, personal responsibility and public safety.”

The governor has proposed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/08/kelly-bipartisan-contingent-of-legislators-promote-multiyear-1-billion-tax-reduction-plan/">a $1 billion tax cut</a>&nbsp;with bipartisan support.

Hawkins, along with Senate President Ty Masterson,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/21/top-kansas-republicans-push-flat-tax-proposal-pan-medicaid-expansion/">previously announced</a>&nbsp;their intent to bring back a massive flat tax proposal that narrowly failed last year.&nbsp;

The previous legislation would have implemented a 5.15% income tax rate for all Kansans, decreasing revenue by an estimated $330 million each year. About 43% of the tax savings would go to the 3% of Kansans who earn more than $250,000 a year.

“Too many family conversations in the living room are centered around higher prices and economic uncertainty,” Hawkins said in his speech. “Kansas families deserve relief from inflation in the form of tax cuts — not a bigger government.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704992473187.png" alt="House Speaker Dan Hawkins, seen during a February 2023 news conference, rebutted Gov. Laura Kelly's State of the State address. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Dan Hawkins, seen during a February 2023 news conference, rebutted Gov. Laura Kelly's State of the State address. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>House Speaker Dan Hawkins said GOP legislators will work on tax cuts, prioritize K-12 education and commit to ending long disability wait times</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Republican legislators will guard against communist China espionage, provide tax cuts and eliminate wait times for disability services, House Speaker Dan Hawkins said in a rebuttal to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s annual State of the State address.“We will be ever vigilant in combating the danger posed by communist China,” Hawkins said. “Cracking down on their espionage conducted by drones in Kansas and safeguarding our farmland from foreign communist ownership are critical national security measures we can implement in the heartland.”Hawkins also panned Kelly’s Medicaid expansion proposal, calling the reform a way to “increase welfare for able-bodied, working-age people.”Medicaid expansion would allow an estimated 150,000 Kansans — primarily&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/12/11/gop-leaders-demonize-the-poor-in-medicaid-expansion-debate-while-working-kansans-struggle/">workers with low incomes, residents suffering from chronic illness, and children</a>&nbsp;— to gain access to medical care and unlock $700 million in annual federal funding.Under Kansas’ current state-run Medicaid program, called KanCare, a person must be either younger than 19 or older than 64, pregnant, or mentally or physically disabled. Caregivers are also eligible. Besides these requirements, the individual must be below 38% of the federal poverty level. A single mother working a minimum wage job earns too much to qualify under the current standard.“Limited resources should be reserved for the truly needy instead of siphoning them away to able-bodied adults who don’t want to work and who have access to other health care options,” Hawkins said.Only 54.1% of Kansans get health insurance through their employer, according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.khi.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2023-Annual-Insurance-Update-1.pdf">a Kansas Health Institute report</a>.Hawkins said Republicans would work to create higher medical reimbursement rates, support for community mental health centers and would work on eliminating the long wait times Kansans with disabilities face for help in lieu of expansion.Republicans would also prioritize a commitment to K-12 schools in the coming months, Hawkins said.Hawkins said Kelly had a similar method to “Joe Biden’s extreme approach” of spending more instead of cutting taxes, a move he characterized as one that chips away at&nbsp;“freedom, personal responsibility and public safety.”The governor has proposed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/08/kelly-bipartisan-contingent-of-legislators-promote-multiyear-1-billion-tax-reduction-plan/">a $1 billion tax cut</a>&nbsp;with bipartisan support.Hawkins, along with Senate President Ty Masterson,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/21/top-kansas-republicans-push-flat-tax-proposal-pan-medicaid-expansion/">previously announced</a>&nbsp;their intent to bring back a massive flat tax proposal that narrowly failed last year.&nbsp;The previous legislation would have implemented a 5.15% income tax rate for all Kansans, decreasing revenue by an estimated $330 million each year. About 43% of the tax savings would go to the 3% of Kansans who earn more than $250,000 a year.“Too many family conversations in the living room are centered around higher prices and economic uncertainty,” Hawkins said in his speech. “Kansas families deserve relief from inflation in the form of tax cuts — not a bigger government.”&nbsp;

Kan. House Speaker pans Medicaid expansion, announces fight against ‘communist China’

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an altercation on the KU campus.

Around 2:30p.m. Wednesday, police were called to the area of Missouri Street and Fambrough Drive after a man identified as a Lawrence resident, allegedly engaged in a confrontation with workers at the University of Kansas football facility construction site, according to a media release from police. The man also attempted to stab at least one person.

The 41-year-old man brandished a knife and threatened multiple people in the area. The man initially refused to comply with responding officers’ commands, and only submitted to arrest after being threatened with less-lethal devices. 

The man was safely arrested and transported to the Douglas County Correctional Facility and booked in on suspicion of multiple counts of Aggravated Assault. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident.

  The University of Kansas Police Department assisted LKPD with the investigation.&nbsp; Police did not release the suspect's name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704997725441.png" alt="Camera view image of the construction site on Thursday." />
 <figcaption>Camera view image of the construction site on Thursday.</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an altercation on the KU campus.Around 2:30p.m. Wednesday, police were called to the area of Missouri Street and Fambrough Drive after a man identified as a Lawrence resident, allegedly engaged in a confrontation with workers at the University of Kansas football facility construction site, according to a media release from police. The man also attempted to stab at least one person.The 41-year-old man brandished a knife and threatened multiple people in the area. The man initially refused to comply with responding officers’ commands, and only submitted to arrest after being threatened with less-lethal devices. The man was safely arrested and transported to the Douglas County Correctional Facility and booked in on suspicion of multiple counts of Aggravated Assault. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident. The University of Kansas Police Department assisted LKPD with the investigation.&nbsp; Police did not release the suspect's name.

Police: Man threatened workers at KU stadium construction site with a knife

By CRISTINA JANNEY&nbsp;Hays Post

Ellis County Sheriff Scott Braun will serve as the president of the Kansas Sheriff's Association for 2024. He highlighted some of the legislative priorities for the association before the Kansas Legislative session began on Monday.

Braun was elected as a president-elect last year by sheriffs from across the state.

This is Braun's first term as Ellis County Sheriff, a position for which he has already filed for re-election, but he has served for 27 years with the Ellis County Sheriff's Department, including as undersheriff.

The Legislature will be considering changes to forfeiture laws in drug cases.

Lawmakers have considered several changes to the law, including basing seizure laws on dollar amounts, the amount of the drug or criminal charges.

For example, a suspect might be required to have a minimum of $5,000 in cash for that money to be seized.

Funds seized by local law enforcement currently stay in the jurisdiction in which they are seized. Lawmakers have discussed having that money go to the state.

Diverting seized funds away from local law enforcement could be very harmful, Braun said. That money is used by counties to purchase equipment and fund drug enforcement operations.

Braun said he also does not support a cash limit being placed on seizures. He said a seizure of $500 might not be very much in a metro area, but it could stifle drug sales in a small community.

"Our stance as a KSA is if we can continue to do our forfeitures, even if there were some stipulations put in place, and receive that back, we are cutting off their funding mechanism, which slows down the drugs," he said.

Braun said he thinks the public has misconceptions about the forfeiture process. he said people think criminal cases are not being filed or funds are being taken without cause.

"I hear that in Topeka that we are stealing from the citizens or that we are doing an injustice or it's illegally being taken," Braun said.

Forfeiture is a civil process that is governed by state law, he said.

"If forfeiture is taken away from law enforcement, it will have an effect on taxpayers," Braun said. "We either won't be able to buy the equipment to do our job to get the drugs off the street or we are going to have to go to commissioners and say I'm going to need X amount of dollars to do controlled buys and buy equipment ..."

Braun would not disclose specific amounts of recent seizures in Ellis County, but he said during his work with drug enforcement within the Ellis County Sheriff's Department, the county has seized up to $1 million in one operation.

He said he hoped the Legislature will continue to work to provide more funding for mental health services in the state.&nbsp;

"Every sheriff across the state of Kansas is struggling with the mental health side," Braun said.

Despite the state set to add more in-patient mental health beds with a new facility in Wichita, the state is still short of beds, Braun said.

Individuals are still encountering long waits in county jails for competency evaluations, Braun said.&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/04260d57-2a0e-44e4-ae10-6034573c773f">The ACLU was unsuccessful in a recent attempt to force the state to address these wait times, which have been as much as 100 days</a>, according to Braun.

"I'm not really sure they should be within our facilities. If they have a mental health issue, they should be elsewhere," he said.

Braun said at least 60 percent of the inmates in the Ellis County Jail have some sort of mental illness.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/6c3fc17e-1cf6-4785-972f-65b081707ae7">The association strongly supports VINE funding. VINE is an app that can be downloaded for Android or Apple devices and will notify a victim when someone is being released from jail. Braun said this is especially important for the safety of domestic violence victims.</a>

The association offers annual training and a law enforcement conference. This includes training for jail staff and jail supervisors.

It also annually awards $15,000 in scholarships to children of members of law enforcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642037189770.jpeg" alt="Ellis County Sheriff Scott Braun. File photo" />
 <figcaption>Ellis County Sheriff Scott Braun. File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY&nbsp;Hays PostEllis County Sheriff Scott Braun will serve as the president of the Kansas Sheriff's Association for 2024. He highlighted some of the legislative priorities for the association before the Kansas Legislative session began on Monday.Braun was elected as a president-elect last year by sheriffs from across the state.This is Braun's first term as Ellis County Sheriff, a position for which he has already filed for re-election, but he has served for 27 years with the Ellis County Sheriff's Department, including as undersheriff.The Legislature will be considering changes to forfeiture laws in drug cases.Lawmakers have considered several changes to the law, including basing seizure laws on dollar amounts, the amount of the drug or criminal charges.For example, a suspect might be required to have a minimum of $5,000 in cash for that money to be seized.Funds seized by local law enforcement currently stay in the jurisdiction in which they are seized. Lawmakers have discussed having that money go to the state.Diverting seized funds away from local law enforcement could be very harmful, Braun said. That money is used by counties to purchase equipment and fund drug enforcement operations.Braun said he also does not support a cash limit being placed on seizures. He said a seizure of $500 might not be very much in a metro area, but it could stifle drug sales in a small community."Our stance as a KSA is if we can continue to do our forfeitures, even if there were some stipulations put in place, and receive that back, we are cutting off their funding mechanism, which slows down the drugs," he said.Braun said he thinks the public has misconceptions about the forfeiture process. he said people think criminal cases are not being filed or funds are being taken without cause."I hear that in Topeka that we are stealing from the citizens or that we are doing an injustice or it's illegally being taken," Braun said.Forfeiture is a civil process that is governed by state law, he said."If forfeiture is taken away from law enforcement, it will have an effect on taxpayers," Braun said. "We either won't be able to buy the equipment to do our job to get the drugs off the street or we are going to have to go to commissioners and say I'm going to need X amount of dollars to do controlled buys and buy equipment ..."Braun would not disclose specific amounts of recent seizures in Ellis County, but he said during his work with drug enforcement within the Ellis County Sheriff's Department, the county has seized up to $1 million in one operation.<h2>Mental health services</h2>He said he hoped the Legislature will continue to work to provide more funding for mental health services in the state.&nbsp;"Every sheriff across the state of Kansas is struggling with the mental health side," Braun said.Despite the state set to add more in-patient mental health beds with a new facility in Wichita, the state is still short of beds, Braun said.Individuals are still encountering long waits in county jails for competency evaluations, Braun said.&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/04260d57-2a0e-44e4-ae10-6034573c773f">The ACLU was unsuccessful in a recent attempt to force the state to address these wait times, which have been as much as 100 days</a>, according to Braun."I'm not really sure they should be within our facilities. If they have a mental health issue, they should be elsewhere," he said.Braun said at least 60 percent of the inmates in the Ellis County Jail have some sort of mental illness.<h2>Domestic violence, VINE</h2><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/6c3fc17e-1cf6-4785-972f-65b081707ae7">The association strongly supports VINE funding. VINE is an app that can be downloaded for Android or Apple devices and will notify a victim when someone is being released from jail. Braun said this is especially important for the safety of domestic violence victims.</a>The association offers annual training and a law enforcement conference. This includes training for jail staff and jail supervisors.It also annually awards $15,000 in scholarships to children of members of law enforcement.

Kan. lawmakers consider drug forfeiture changes; sheriff says local law enforcement need seized funds

GENEVA (AP) — The head of the U.N. health agency said Wednesday holiday gatherings and the spread of the most prominent variant globally led to increased transmission of COVID-19 last month.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said nearly 10,000 deaths were reported in December, while hospital admissions during the month jumped 42% in nearly 50 countries — mostly in Europe and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flu-covid19-cdc-holidays-028cab262ca8ec817cc7ff745a83387f#:~:text=Health-,Flu%20and%20COVID%20infections%20got%20worse%20over%20the%20holidays,more%20misery%20expected%2C%20CDC%20says&amp;text=NEW%20YORK%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20The,a%20likely%20spike%20in%20illnesses.">the Americas</a>&nbsp;— that shared such trend information.

"Although 10,000 deaths a month is far less than the peak of the pandemic, this level of preventable deaths is not acceptable," the World Health Organization director-general told reporters from its headquarters in Geneva.

He said it was “certain” that cases were on the rise in other places that haven't been reporting, calling on governments to keep up surveillance and provide continued access to treatments and vaccines.

Tedros said the JN.1 variant was now the most prominent in the world. It is an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-travel-covid-ce0a33a3eb7185184310d2b7b5df19e2">omicron variant</a>, so current vaccines should still provide some protection.

Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead at WHO for COVID-19, cited an increase in respiratory diseases across the globe due to the coronavirus but also flu, rhinovirus and pneumonia.

“We expect those trends to continue into January through the winter months in the northern hemisphere,” she said, while noting increases in COVID-19 in the southern hemisphere — where it's now summer.

While bouts of coughs, sniffling, fever and fatigue in the winter are nothing new, Van Kerkhove said this year in particular, "we are seeing co-circulation of many different types of pathogens.”

WHO officials recommend that people get vaccinated when possible, wear masks, and make sure indoor areas are well ventilated.

GENEVA (AP) — The head of the U.N. health agency said Wednesday holiday gatherings and the spread of the most prominent variant globally led to increased transmission of COVID-19 last month.Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said nearly 10,000 deaths were reported in December, while hospital admissions during the month jumped 42% in nearly 50 countries — mostly in Europe and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flu-covid19-cdc-holidays-028cab262ca8ec817cc7ff745a83387f#:~:text=Health-,Flu%20and%20COVID%20infections%20got%20worse%20over%20the%20holidays,more%20misery%20expected%2C%20CDC%20says&amp;text=NEW%20YORK%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20The,a%20likely%20spike%20in%20illnesses.">the Americas</a>&nbsp;— that shared such trend information."Although 10,000 deaths a month is far less than the peak of the pandemic, this level of preventable deaths is not acceptable," the World Health Organization director-general told reporters from its headquarters in Geneva.He said it was “certain” that cases were on the rise in other places that haven't been reporting, calling on governments to keep up surveillance and provide continued access to treatments and vaccines.Tedros said the JN.1 variant was now the most prominent in the world. It is an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-travel-covid-ce0a33a3eb7185184310d2b7b5df19e2">omicron variant</a>, so current vaccines should still provide some protection.Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead at WHO for COVID-19, cited an increase in respiratory diseases across the globe due to the coronavirus but also flu, rhinovirus and pneumonia.“We expect those trends to continue into January through the winter months in the northern hemisphere,” she said, while noting increases in COVID-19 in the southern hemisphere — where it's now summer.While bouts of coughs, sniffling, fever and fatigue in the winter are nothing new, Van Kerkhove said this year in particular, "we are seeing co-circulation of many different types of pathogens.”WHO officials recommend that people get vaccinated when possible, wear masks, and make sure indoor areas are well ventilated.

Nearly 10K died from COVID last month, fueled by new variant, holiday gatherings

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22HEATHER%20HOLLINGSWORTH%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH</a>

TOPEKA (AP) —Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly renewed her call Wednesday to expand Medicaid and countered an anticipated single-rate flat income tax for individuals with a plan that would instead cut taxes by doing things like accelerating the phasing out of the state’s sales tax on groceries.

<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024-State-of-the-State-English.pdf">Click here</a>&nbsp;to read the text of the address

Kelly said in her annual State of the State address that her slate of proposals, which also includes an ongoing focus on addressing falling water levels in a vast aquifer used to irrigate crops, are key to helping rural parts of the state.

So far Medicaid expansion has been a non-starter in the Republican-controlled Legislature. But she noted the challenges rural hospital are facing as she tried again following five years of failed efforts to provide state health coverage to an additional 150,000 people.

“They say that Medicaid expansion is not a silver bullet for our rural hospitals,” she said. “You know what? I agree. Of course, it’s not going to solve every challenge facing rural health care, but it’s a critical part of the solution. We can’t solve the problem without it.”

House Speaker Dan Hawkins decried the Medicaid expansion in a message on X, formerly Twitter.

“The Governor should know- nothing in life is free, certainly not Medicaid expansion! Who’s going to end up paying- you and me! That’s who those costs get passed on to,” he said, adding afterward, “Limited resources should be reserved for the truly needy instead of siphoning them away to able bodied adults who don’t want to work and who have access to other health care options.”

Kansas is among only 10 states that have not expanded Medicaid in line with the 2010 federal Affordable Care Act, which promises federal funds to cover 90% of the new costs. In two other states,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-medicaid-expansion-brian-kemp-health-care-e6931d588c12c9cc13532dbd9b1e78b9">Georgia and Mississippi</a>, top Republicans have signaled a willingness to discuss expansion this year, so the issue isn’t a dead letter.

In Kansas, conservative opposition is rooted in small-government beliefs and decades of skepticism about social services. The federal government also is offering remaining non-expansion states another financial bonus. A promise of an additional $1.8 billion over two years was crucial for GOP lawmakers in North Carolina. Kelly’s office expects Kansas to receive a total bonus of between $370 million and $450 million.

Kelly faces leaders of GOP supermajorities whose priorities are to cut income taxes and rein in local property taxes, not to expand Medicaid.

Her tax cut proposal, which she touted as far better than a flat personal income tax that Republicans plan to again propose this year, also would eliminate taxes on retirees’ Social Security incomes, increase the standard deduction for all Kansans, reduce property taxes and create a back-to-school sales tax holiday. She first unveiled the plan earlier this week alongside two Republican state senators and a conservative independent senator.

“Let’s take the flat tax off the table once and for all," she said.

Kelly voiced opposition to the kind of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-vouchers-public-education-funding-kansas-88f7d2a5793c100e732d5ec38278da26">sweeping plan</a>&nbsp;to use state education dollars to help parents pay for private or home schooling that states such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-florida-nebraska-kim-reynolds-iowa-1fdab7c898730873b8c3b880223c5306">Iowa</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-vouchers-south-carolina-bill-signing-cf089d5b3fc42bd74a54f93abb1bf131">South Carolina</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-state-government-arizona-iowa-south-carolina-kansas-091e6094fcea2852ec279fedf11759d8">Utah</a>&nbsp;enacted.

“Vouchers will crush our rural schools plain and simple. Our teachers don’t support vouchers. Our local officials don’t support vouchers. And Kansans don’t support vouchers,” she said to applause.

She also described addressing water issues as “an existential issue” not just for rural Kansas but the entire state.

“My goal for the rest of my term is to put Kansas on the path to resolving this crisis,” she said.

The issue is dropping water levels in the Ogallala Aquifer, which covers roughly 175,000 square miles (453,000 square kilometers) in the western and Great Plains states of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming and South Dakota.

Kansas produces more than 20% of the nation’s wheat and has about 18% of the cattle being fed in the U.S. The western third of Kansas, home to most of its portion of the Ogallala, accounts for 60% of the value of all Kansas crops and livestock. That is possible because of the water.

Her comments came after state Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert told lawmakers earlier in the day that courts are getting closer to functioning normally after affiliates of a Russian-based&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-courts-cyberattack-hack-network-offline-097a11cfa9de552ec5a9ea49b500d3d6">ransomware</a>&nbsp;group infiltrated the system three months ago.

The public court portal is back online, and electronic filing also was restored Wednesday in two judicial districts, with the rest expected to follow within the next couple weeks.

Luckert stressed that the state didn’t pay the ransom, and it is working to identify and notify those whose personal information was stolen.

“We are optimistic that full functionality of our systems, including appellate e-filing, is on the near horizon,” Luckert said in her State of the Judiciary address .

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704940674181.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22HEATHER%20HOLLINGSWORTH%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH</a>TOPEKA (AP) —Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly renewed her call Wednesday to expand Medicaid and countered an anticipated single-rate flat income tax for individuals with a plan that would instead cut taxes by doing things like accelerating the phasing out of the state’s sales tax on groceries.(Click below to watch the replay)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jCygt4XeBCA?si=PfnF8ezMsIPiR7L1&amp;start=1899" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024-State-of-the-State-English.pdf">Click here</a>&nbsp;to read the text of the addressKelly said in her annual State of the State address that her slate of proposals, which also includes an ongoing focus on addressing falling water levels in a vast aquifer used to irrigate crops, are key to helping rural parts of the state.So far Medicaid expansion has been a non-starter in the Republican-controlled Legislature. But she noted the challenges rural hospital are facing as she tried again following five years of failed efforts to provide state health coverage to an additional 150,000 people.“They say that Medicaid expansion is not a silver bullet for our rural hospitals,” she said. “You know what? I agree. Of course, it’s not going to solve every challenge facing rural health care, but it’s a critical part of the solution. We can’t solve the problem without it.”House Speaker Dan Hawkins decried the Medicaid expansion in a message on X, formerly Twitter.“The Governor should know- nothing in life is free, certainly not Medicaid expansion! Who’s going to end up paying- you and me! That’s who those costs get passed on to,” he said, adding afterward, “Limited resources should be reserved for the truly needy instead of siphoning them away to able bodied adults who don’t want to work and who have access to other health care options.”Kansas is among only 10 states that have not expanded Medicaid in line with the 2010 federal Affordable Care Act, which promises federal funds to cover 90% of the new costs. In two other states,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-medicaid-expansion-brian-kemp-health-care-e6931d588c12c9cc13532dbd9b1e78b9">Georgia and Mississippi</a>, top Republicans have signaled a willingness to discuss expansion this year, so the issue isn’t a dead letter.In Kansas, conservative opposition is rooted in small-government beliefs and decades of skepticism about social services. The federal government also is offering remaining non-expansion states another financial bonus. A promise of an additional $1.8 billion over two years was crucial for GOP lawmakers in North Carolina. Kelly’s office expects Kansas to receive a total bonus of between $370 million and $450 million.Kelly faces leaders of GOP supermajorities whose priorities are to cut income taxes and rein in local property taxes, not to expand Medicaid.Her tax cut proposal, which she touted as far better than a flat personal income tax that Republicans plan to again propose this year, also would eliminate taxes on retirees’ Social Security incomes, increase the standard deduction for all Kansans, reduce property taxes and create a back-to-school sales tax holiday. She first unveiled the plan earlier this week alongside two Republican state senators and a conservative independent senator.“Let’s take the flat tax off the table once and for all," she said.Kelly voiced opposition to the kind of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-vouchers-public-education-funding-kansas-88f7d2a5793c100e732d5ec38278da26">sweeping plan</a>&nbsp;to use state education dollars to help parents pay for private or home schooling that states such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-florida-nebraska-kim-reynolds-iowa-1fdab7c898730873b8c3b880223c5306">Iowa</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-vouchers-south-carolina-bill-signing-cf089d5b3fc42bd74a54f93abb1bf131">South Carolina</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-state-government-arizona-iowa-south-carolina-kansas-091e6094fcea2852ec279fedf11759d8">Utah</a>&nbsp;enacted.“Vouchers will crush our rural schools plain and simple. Our teachers don’t support vouchers. Our local officials don’t support vouchers. And Kansans don’t support vouchers,” she said to applause.She also described addressing water issues as “an existential issue” not just for rural Kansas but the entire state.“My goal for the rest of my term is to put Kansas on the path to resolving this crisis,” she said.The issue is dropping water levels in the Ogallala Aquifer, which covers roughly 175,000 square miles (453,000 square kilometers) in the western and Great Plains states of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming and South Dakota.Kansas produces more than 20% of the nation’s wheat and has about 18% of the cattle being fed in the U.S. The western third of Kansas, home to most of its portion of the Ogallala, accounts for 60% of the value of all Kansas crops and livestock. That is possible because of the water.Her comments came after state Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert told lawmakers earlier in the day that courts are getting closer to functioning normally after affiliates of a Russian-based&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-courts-cyberattack-hack-network-offline-097a11cfa9de552ec5a9ea49b500d3d6">ransomware</a>&nbsp;group infiltrated the system three months ago.The public court portal is back online, and electronic filing also was restored Wednesday in two judicial districts, with the rest expected to follow within the next couple weeks.Luckert stressed that the state didn’t pay the ransom, and it is working to identify and notify those whose personal information was stolen.“We are optimistic that full functionality of our systems, including appellate e-filing, is on the near horizon,” Luckert said in her State of the Judiciary address .

Kan. governor offers tax cut plan that speeds up end of grocery tax

LYON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a standoff with police.

Just after 11p.m. Tuesday, 43-year-old Daniel Olivarez is alleged to have forcibly entered a home in southeast Emporia, according to Police Captain Ray Mattas. 

Olivarez was armed with a handgun and held the victims in the residence until approximately 8a.m. the next day. Olivarez then had a victim drive him to another location in south central Emporia and drop him off at a residence. 

Police located Olivarez in a shed in the backyard of that residence. He initially refused to come out of the shed. A standoff ensued and lasted approximately 3 ½ hours. He eventually surrendered peacefully and was taken into custody. Police also located the handgun on the scene. 

Olivarez was placed under arrest and taken to the Lyon County Jail on requested charges of Aggravated Kidnapping, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Burglary, Aggravated Robbery, Violation of a PFA, Criminal Threat, and Interference with Law Enforcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704926471708.png" alt="OLIVAREZ-photo Lyon County" />
 <figcaption>OLIVAREZ-photo Lyon County</figcaption>
 </figure>LYON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a standoff with police.Just after 11p.m. Tuesday, 43-year-old Daniel Olivarez is alleged to have forcibly entered a home in southeast Emporia, according to Police Captain Ray Mattas. Olivarez was armed with a handgun and held the victims in the residence until approximately 8a.m. the next day. Olivarez then had a victim drive him to another location in south central Emporia and drop him off at a residence. Police located Olivarez in a shed in the backyard of that residence. He initially refused to come out of the shed. A standoff ensued and lasted approximately 3 ½ hours. He eventually surrendered peacefully and was taken into custody. Police also located the handgun on the scene. Olivarez was placed under arrest and taken to the Lyon County Jail on requested charges of Aggravated Kidnapping, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Burglary, Aggravated Robbery, Violation of a PFA, Criminal Threat, and Interference with Law Enforcement.

Police: Man accused of Kansas home-invasion kidnapping 

NEW YORK (AP) — The Securities and Exchange Commission reluctantly approved the first exchange-traded funds that hold bitcoin Wednesday, saying it is still deeply skeptical about cryptocurrencies and that the SEC “did not approve or endorse bitcoin” in its decision.

The SEC said it is finishing the approval of 10 exchange-traded funds for bitcoin even though it only faced a deadline for one application. The agency said this action would give the market enough competition and provide a “level playing field” for the new entrants.

An exchange traded fund, or ETF, is an easy way to invest in something or a group of things, like gold, junk bonds or bitcoins, without having to buy the things themselves. Cryptocurrency advocates hope the development thrusts the once niche and nerdy corner of the internet even further into the financial mainstream.

The regulatory greenlight has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/grayscale-sec-bitcoin-etf-cryptocurrencies-d8a9bb4fb476527e803aed3dd19dc303" target="_blank">anticipated for several months</a>&nbsp;and the price of bitcoin has jumped about 70% since October.

In a twist perhaps appropriate for the unpredictable crypto industry,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sec-bitcoin-gary-gensler-etf-hacked-b037c80938c564cad36f91beb888290e" target="_blank">a fake tweet from the Securities and Exchange Commission’s account</a>&nbsp;on X Tuesday stated that trading of bitcoin ETFs had been approved but the agency had not issued any approval.

Here are some things to know about bitcoin ETFs.

WHY ALL THE EXCITEMENT OVER A BITCOIN ETF?

An exchange traded fund, or ETF, is an easy way to invest in something or a group of things, like gold or junk bonds, without having to buy the things themselves. Unlike traditional mutual funds, ETFs trade like stocks, which means they can be bought and sold throughout the day.

Since the inception of bitcoin, anyone wanting to own one would have to buy it. That in turn would mean either having to learn what a cold wallet is or having to open an account at a crypto trading platform like Coinbase or Binance.

A spot bitcoin ETF could open the door to many new investors who don’t want to take such extra steps.

The price of bitcoin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bitcoin-price-surge-40k-spot-etfs-16a5678dad7a112e1292bc651cc9fe78" target="_blank">has already soared</a>&nbsp;in anticipation of the SEC’s approval, with bitcoin trading at $45,890 Wednesday, up from around $27,000 in mid-October. The price had sunk as low as $16,000 in November of 2022 following the bankruptcy of the crypto exchange FTX.

The Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) has already been trading since 2021, but it holds futures related to bitcoin, not the cryptocurrency itself.

The new bitcoin ETF will perform like the SPDR Gold Shares ETF (GLD), which allows anyone to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/5fc385b4da15f42483c198faaba83c82" target="_blank">invest in gold</a>&nbsp;without having to find someplace to store a bar or having to protect it. It’s the same reason some people invest in the SPDR Bloomberg High Yield Bond ETF (JNK), which lets investors simply buy one thing instead of the more than 1,000 low-quality bonds that make up the index.

The SEC said it is finishing approval of the applications for 10 bitcoin ETFs.

Longtime crypto fans might object. Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin were created in part due to mistrust of the traditional financial system. Wall Street would become an intermediary between investors and cryptocurrency in the case of ETFs.

ETFs also charge fees, though they tend to be relatively low compared with the overall financial industry. These fees are shown through what’s called the expense ratio, which indicates how much of a fund’s assets the ETF will take each year to cover its costs.

WHEN IS IT BETTER TO HOLD ACTUAL BITCOIN?

An ETF will not put actual cryptocurrency into investors’ accounts, meaning that they cannot use it. Also, an ETF would not provide investors with the same anonymity that crypto does, one of the big draws for many crypto investors.

The biggest concern for an investor in one of these ETFs is the notorious volatility in the price of bitcoin.

Despite failing to catch on as a replacement for fiat, or paper, currencies, bitcoin soared near $68,000 in November of 2021. A year later it fell below $20,000 as investors in general shunned riskier assets and a series of company blowups and scandals shook faith in the crypto industry.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Securities and Exchange Commission reluctantly approved the first exchange-traded funds that hold bitcoin Wednesday, saying it is still deeply skeptical about cryptocurrencies and that the SEC “did not approve or endorse bitcoin” in its decision.The SEC said it is finishing the approval of 10 exchange-traded funds for bitcoin even though it only faced a deadline for one application. The agency said this action would give the market enough competition and provide a “level playing field” for the new entrants.An exchange traded fund, or ETF, is an easy way to invest in something or a group of things, like gold, junk bonds or bitcoins, without having to buy the things themselves. Cryptocurrency advocates hope the development thrusts the once niche and nerdy corner of the internet even further into the financial mainstream.The regulatory greenlight has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/grayscale-sec-bitcoin-etf-cryptocurrencies-d8a9bb4fb476527e803aed3dd19dc303" target="_blank">anticipated for several months</a>&nbsp;and the price of bitcoin has jumped about 70% since October.In a twist perhaps appropriate for the unpredictable crypto industry,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sec-bitcoin-gary-gensler-etf-hacked-b037c80938c564cad36f91beb888290e" target="_blank">a fake tweet from the Securities and Exchange Commission’s account</a>&nbsp;on X Tuesday stated that trading of bitcoin ETFs had been approved but the agency had not issued any approval.Here are some things to know about bitcoin ETFs.<h2>WHY ALL THE EXCITEMENT OVER A BITCOIN ETF?</h2>An exchange traded fund, or ETF, is an easy way to invest in something or a group of things, like gold or junk bonds, without having to buy the things themselves. Unlike traditional mutual funds, ETFs trade like stocks, which means they can be bought and sold throughout the day.Since the inception of bitcoin, anyone wanting to own one would have to buy it. That in turn would mean either having to learn what a cold wallet is or having to open an account at a crypto trading platform like Coinbase or Binance.A spot bitcoin ETF could open the door to many new investors who don’t want to take such extra steps.The price of bitcoin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bitcoin-price-surge-40k-spot-etfs-16a5678dad7a112e1292bc651cc9fe78" target="_blank">has already soared</a>&nbsp;in anticipation of the SEC’s approval, with bitcoin trading at $45,890 Wednesday, up from around $27,000 in mid-October. The price had sunk as low as $16,000 in November of 2022 following the bankruptcy of the crypto exchange FTX.<h2>HOW WOULD THE ETF WORK?</h2>The Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) has already been trading since 2021, but it holds futures related to bitcoin, not the cryptocurrency itself.The new bitcoin ETF will perform like the SPDR Gold Shares ETF (GLD), which allows anyone to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/5fc385b4da15f42483c198faaba83c82" target="_blank">invest in gold</a>&nbsp;without having to find someplace to store a bar or having to protect it. It’s the same reason some people invest in the SPDR Bloomberg High Yield Bond ETF (JNK), which lets investors simply buy one thing instead of the more than 1,000 low-quality bonds that make up the index.<h2>HOW MANY BITCOIN ETFS COULD THERE BE?</h2>The SEC said it is finishing approval of the applications for 10 bitcoin ETFs.<h2>WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF AN ETF?</h2>Longtime crypto fans might object. Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin were created in part due to mistrust of the traditional financial system. Wall Street would become an intermediary between investors and cryptocurrency in the case of ETFs.ETFs also charge fees, though they tend to be relatively low compared with the overall financial industry. These fees are shown through what’s called the expense ratio, which indicates how much of a fund’s assets the ETF will take each year to cover its costs.<h2>WHEN IS IT BETTER TO HOLD ACTUAL BITCOIN?</h2>An ETF will not put actual cryptocurrency into investors’ accounts, meaning that they cannot use it. Also, an ETF would not provide investors with the same anonymity that crypto does, one of the big draws for many crypto investors.<h2>WHAT CONCERNS SHOULD INVESTORS HAVE?</h2>The biggest concern for an investor in one of these ETFs is the notorious volatility in the price of bitcoin.Despite failing to catch on as a replacement for fiat, or paper, currencies, bitcoin soared near $68,000 in November of 2021. A year later it fell below $20,000 as investors in general shunned riskier assets and a series of company blowups and scandals shook faith in the crypto industry.

 SEC OKs first exchange-traded funds that hold bitcoin

WASHINGTON (AP) –The Department of Justice released new details of a settlement with engine manufacturer Cummins Inc. Wednesday that includes a mandatory recall of 600,000 Ram trucks, and that Cummins remedy environmental damage it caused when it illegally installed emissions control software in several thousand vehicles, skirting emissions testing.

Cummins is accused of circumventing emissions testing through devices that can bypass or defeat emissions controls. The engine manufacturer will pay a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cummins-doj-settlement-engine-emissions-claims-b80708c6ebe8eb7e7a3684db0837e209">$1.675 billion civil penalty</a>&nbsp;to settle claims – previously announced in December and the largest ever secured under the Clean Air Act – in addition to $325 million on remedies.

That brings Cummins’ total penalty for the violations to more than $2 billion, per Wednesday’s announcement, which officials from the U.S. Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency, California Air Resources Board and the California Attorney General called “landmark” in a call with reporters Wednesday.

“Let’s this settlement be a lesson: We won’t let greedy corporations cheat their way to success and run over the health and wellbeing of consumers and our environment along the way,” California AG Rob Bonta said.

Over the course of a decade, hundreds of thousands of Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks – manufactured by Stellantis – were equipped with Cummins diesel engines that incorporated the bypassing engine control software. This includes 630,000 installed with illegal defeat devices and 330,000 equipped with undisclosed auxiliary emission control devices.

Officials could not estimate how many of those vehicles are currently on the road, but Cummins – which has maintained it has not done any wrongdoing – must undergo a nationwide recall of more than 600,000 noncompliant Ram vehicles, in addition to recall efforts previously conducted.

Stellantis deferred comment on the case to engine maker Cummins, which said in a statement that Wednesday’s actions do not involve any more financial commitments than those announced in December. “We are looking forward to obtaining certainty as we conclude this lengthy matter and continue to deliver on our mission of powering a more prosperous world,” the statement said.

Cummins also said the engines that are not being recalled did not exceed emissions limits.

As part of the settlement, Cummins is also expected to back projects to remedy excess emissions that resulted from its actions.

Preliminary estimates suggested its emissions bypass produced “thousands of tons of excess emissions of nitrogen oxides,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland previously said in a prepared statement.

The Clean Air Act, a federal law enacted in 1963 to reduce and control air pollution across the nation, requires car and engine manufacturers to comply with emission limits to protect the environment and human health.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704916836502.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) –The Department of Justice released new details of a settlement with engine manufacturer Cummins Inc. Wednesday that includes a mandatory recall of 600,000 Ram trucks, and that Cummins remedy environmental damage it caused when it illegally installed emissions control software in several thousand vehicles, skirting emissions testing.Cummins is accused of circumventing emissions testing through devices that can bypass or defeat emissions controls. The engine manufacturer will pay a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cummins-doj-settlement-engine-emissions-claims-b80708c6ebe8eb7e7a3684db0837e209">$1.675 billion civil penalty</a>&nbsp;to settle claims – previously announced in December and the largest ever secured under the Clean Air Act – in addition to $325 million on remedies.That brings Cummins’ total penalty for the violations to more than $2 billion, per Wednesday’s announcement, which officials from the U.S. Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency, California Air Resources Board and the California Attorney General called “landmark” in a call with reporters Wednesday.“Let’s this settlement be a lesson: We won’t let greedy corporations cheat their way to success and run over the health and wellbeing of consumers and our environment along the way,” California AG Rob Bonta said.Over the course of a decade, hundreds of thousands of Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks – manufactured by Stellantis – were equipped with Cummins diesel engines that incorporated the bypassing engine control software. This includes 630,000 installed with illegal defeat devices and 330,000 equipped with undisclosed auxiliary emission control devices.Officials could not estimate how many of those vehicles are currently on the road, but Cummins – which has maintained it has not done any wrongdoing – must undergo a nationwide recall of more than 600,000 noncompliant Ram vehicles, in addition to recall efforts previously conducted.Stellantis deferred comment on the case to engine maker Cummins, which said in a statement that Wednesday’s actions do not involve any more financial commitments than those announced in December. “We are looking forward to obtaining certainty as we conclude this lengthy matter and continue to deliver on our mission of powering a more prosperous world,” the statement said.Cummins also said the engines that are not being recalled did not exceed emissions limits.As part of the settlement, Cummins is also expected to back projects to remedy excess emissions that resulted from its actions.Preliminary estimates suggested its emissions bypass produced “thousands of tons of excess emissions of nitrogen oxides,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland previously said in a prepared statement.The Clean Air Act, a federal law enacted in 1963 to reduce and control air pollution across the nation, requires car and engine manufacturers to comply with emission limits to protect the environment and human health.

Engine maker Cummins to repair, replace 600,000 Ram trucks

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a traffic stop.

Shortly before 2a.m. Jan. 8, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a black Lincoln MKX with no license plate near NW Grant Street and NW Logan Street, according to Shawnee County Sheriff's Lt. Scott Wanamaker.

 After the Lincoln came to a stop, the driver exited the vehicle and ran.

After a foot pursuit, the driver was taken into custody near NW St. John Street and NW Logan Street. During the investigation, “dirty 30” pills, methamphetamine, and a handgun were located.

Bryan S. Wurtz Jr., 29, of Topeka, was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of felony interference, criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, possession of opiates with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, operate a&nbsp;vehicle without registration and operate a vehicle with no insurance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704752829478.png" alt="Wurtz-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Wurtz-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a traffic stop.Shortly before 2a.m. Jan. 8, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a black Lincoln MKX with no license plate near NW Grant Street and NW Logan Street, according to Shawnee County Sheriff's Lt. Scott Wanamaker. After the Lincoln came to a stop, the driver exited the vehicle and ran.After a foot pursuit, the driver was taken into custody near NW St. John Street and NW Logan Street. During the investigation, “dirty 30” pills, methamphetamine, and a handgun were located.Bryan S. Wurtz Jr., 29, of Topeka, was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of felony interference, criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, possession of opiates with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, operate a&nbsp;vehicle without registration and operate a vehicle with no insurance.

Kan. felon accused of selling 'dirty 30' pills ran from traffic stop

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 12:30p.m. Wednesday in Leavenworth County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Buick Century driven by&nbsp;Damian Osborne, 24, West Orange, New Jersey, was westbound on Interstate 70 just west of the Tonganoxie exit.

The car&nbsp;left the roadway to the left and struck the sign pillar. Osborne was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 12:30p.m. Wednesday in Leavenworth County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Buick Century driven by&nbsp;Damian Osborne, 24, West Orange, New Jersey, was westbound on Interstate 70 just west of the Tonganoxie exit.The car&nbsp;left the roadway to the left and struck the sign pillar. Osborne was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Man dies after car strikes sign pillar on Kansas Turnpike

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly outlined her 2024 priorities for the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature during the annual State of the State address.

<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024-State-of-the-State-English.pdf">Click here</a> to read the text of the address

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704940674181.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly outlined her 2024 priorities for the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature during the annual State of the State address.(Click below to watch the replay)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jCygt4XeBCA?si=PfnF8ezMsIPiR7L1&amp;start=1899" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024-State-of-the-State-English.pdf">Click here</a> to read the text of the address

🎥 Gov. Laura Kelly 2024 State of the State Address

Timing coincides with U.S. House campaign to impeach Secretary Mayorkas

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

TOPEKA — Three Republicans in the Kansas congressional delegation said the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security should be held accountable for the flood of border crossings of undocumented immigrants and the trafficking of fentanyl contributing to a drug overdose crisis.

On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall urged Senate colleagues to vote for a resolution expressing lack of confidence in DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The senator said the Senate had to act because Mayorkas engaged in “dereliction of duty” while leading the agency. Democrats in the Senate blocked the measure.

“Time and time again, Secretary Mayorkas has failed to do his most basic job — protect the homeland,” Marshall said. “He is derelict in his duties and complicit in Joe Biden’s open borders agenda. Failing to secure our southern border has created a historic national security crisis.”

Some Republicans in the U.S. Senate have been negotiating with Mayorkas on a plan to crack down on migration along the U.S. border with Mexico, while the GOP-led U.S. House has been working to prepare articles of impeachment against Mayorkas.

U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann of the large 1st District and U.S. Rep. Ron Estes of the 4th District have been critical of Mayorkas. Mann said he welcomed the House Homeland Security Committee’s scheduled hearing Wednesday on the Cabinet secretary’s compliance with federal law on immigration.

“While I do not serve on this committee, I am committed to holding Secretary Mayorkas accountable for his failed leadership,” Mann said.

Estes joined a group of Republicans who recently toured border facilities to bring attention to Republicans’ desire for Biden to reinstate former President Donald Trump’s “remain in Mexico policy.” GOP lawmakers have sought to pivot back to several Trump administration deportation and detention programs.

Mayorkas was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in February 2021 on a vote of 56-43, with Marshall and U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, opposed to his confirmation. In 2020, Biden said he nominated Mayorkas because he was an experienced leader hailed by Republicans and Democrats. Biden also said the Trump administration had engaged in years of “chaos, dysfunction and absolutely cruelty” at DHS.

In November 2023, a U.S. House motion to impeach Mayorkas was filed. It was deflected when the House voted 209-201 to refer the resolution to the House Homeland Security Committee. Mann, Estes and U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, a Republican serving the 2nd District, voted against the referral. Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of the 3rd District in the Kansas City area voted to send it to the committee.

In the Senate, Marshall said the no-confidence resolution would serve as a proper introduction to the House’s hearings on Mayorkas.

“For the past three years,” Marshall said, “Americans have witnessed the negligence and gross mismanagement of our southern border unfold — each day worse than the day before.”

Marshall, a physician, said 300 residents of the United States died each day from consumption of drugs tainted by fentanyl and that much of it came across the Mexico border. He asserted Mayorkas refused to enforce federal immigration law capable of slowing the influx of immigrants.

“The Biden Administration has, for all practical purposes, erased our border and embraced a structure of complete lawlessness,” the Kansas senator said. “It is clear that DHS Secretary Mayorkas has zero operational control of our border.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704913416533.png" alt="U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, unsuccessfully urged Senate colleagues to take a vote of no confidence against Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for failure to secure the southern border with Mexico. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, unsuccessfully urged Senate colleagues to take a vote of no confidence against Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for failure to secure the southern border with Mexico. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Timing coincides with U.S. House campaign to impeach Secretary Mayorkas</h2>BY:&nbsp;TIM CARPENTER&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Three Republicans in the Kansas congressional delegation said the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security should be held accountable for the flood of border crossings of undocumented immigrants and the trafficking of fentanyl contributing to a drug overdose crisis.On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall urged Senate colleagues to vote for a resolution expressing lack of confidence in DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The senator said the Senate had to act because Mayorkas engaged in “dereliction of duty” while leading the agency. Democrats in the Senate blocked the measure.“Time and time again, Secretary Mayorkas has failed to do his most basic job — protect the homeland,” Marshall said. “He is derelict in his duties and complicit in Joe Biden’s open borders agenda. Failing to secure our southern border has created a historic national security crisis.”Some Republicans in the U.S. Senate have been negotiating with Mayorkas on a plan to crack down on migration along the U.S. border with Mexico, while the GOP-led U.S. House has been working to prepare articles of impeachment against Mayorkas.U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann of the large 1st District and U.S. Rep. Ron Estes of the 4th District have been critical of Mayorkas. Mann said he welcomed the House Homeland Security Committee’s scheduled hearing Wednesday on the Cabinet secretary’s compliance with federal law on immigration.“While I do not serve on this committee, I am committed to holding Secretary Mayorkas accountable for his failed leadership,” Mann said.Estes joined a group of Republicans who recently toured border facilities to bring attention to Republicans’ desire for Biden to reinstate former President Donald Trump’s “remain in Mexico policy.” GOP lawmakers have sought to pivot back to several Trump administration deportation and detention programs.Mayorkas was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in February 2021 on a vote of 56-43, with Marshall and U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, opposed to his confirmation. In 2020, Biden said he nominated Mayorkas because he was an experienced leader hailed by Republicans and Democrats. Biden also said the Trump administration had engaged in years of “chaos, dysfunction and absolutely cruelty” at DHS.In November 2023, a U.S. House motion to impeach Mayorkas was filed. It was deflected when the House voted 209-201 to refer the resolution to the House Homeland Security Committee. Mann, Estes and U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, a Republican serving the 2nd District, voted against the referral. Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of the 3rd District in the Kansas City area voted to send it to the committee.In the Senate, Marshall said the no-confidence resolution would serve as a proper introduction to the House’s hearings on Mayorkas.“For the past three years,” Marshall said, “Americans have witnessed the negligence and gross mismanagement of our southern border unfold — each day worse than the day before.”Marshall, a physician, said 300 residents of the United States died each day from consumption of drugs tainted by fentanyl and that much of it came across the Mexico border. He asserted Mayorkas refused to enforce federal immigration law capable of slowing the influx of immigrants.“The Biden Administration has, for all practical purposes, erased our border and embraced a structure of complete lawlessness,” the Kansas senator said. “It is clear that DHS Secretary Mayorkas has zero operational control of our border.”

Marshall offers no-confidence motion against homeland security secretary

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a woman following a well-being check in&nbsp; Wichita.

Just before 9.a.m. Wednesday., the Wichita Police Department responded to a check well-being 911 call in the 900 block of E. Mt. Vernon Street, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford.

Police officers were met by Sedgwick County EMS, who had already pronounced the victim, later identified as&nbsp;48-year-old Tracy McFadden. deceased.&nbsp; Investigators don't know how McFadden arrived at this location.

She was transported to the Sedgwick County Medical Examiner's Office, where an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death, according to Ford.

The Wichita Police Department is asking for the public's assistance in this matter. If you have any information related to this case or were in the vicinity at the time, please contact Wichita Police Investigators at (316) 268-4407. Your information could be crucial to our investigation.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a woman following a well-being check in&nbsp; Wichita.Just before 9.a.m. Wednesday., the Wichita Police Department responded to a check well-being 911 call in the 900 block of E. Mt. Vernon Street, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford.Police officers were met by Sedgwick County EMS, who had already pronounced the victim, later identified as&nbsp;48-year-old Tracy McFadden. deceased.&nbsp; Investigators don't know how McFadden arrived at this location.She was transported to the Sedgwick County Medical Examiner's Office, where an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death, according to Ford.The Wichita Police Department is asking for the public's assistance in this matter. If you have any information related to this case or were in the vicinity at the time, please contact Wichita Police Investigators at (316) 268-4407. Your information could be crucial to our investigation.

Police: Woman found dead on porch of vacant Kan. property

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVID%20KOENIG%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVID KOENIG AP Airlines Writer</a>

Alaska Airlines is canceling through Saturday all flights on Boeing 737 Max 9 planes like the one that suffered an in-flight blowout of a fuselage panel last week as it waits for new instructions from Boeing and federal officials on how to inspect the fleet.

The development came as signs indicate some travelers might try to avoid flying on Max 9 jetliners — at least temporarily.

Seattle-based Alaska Airlines said Wednesday that it would cancel 110 to 150 flights a day while the Max 9 planes remain grounded. By midday, Alaska had canceled about 120 flights — one-fifth of its schedule for the day.

“We hope this action provides guests with a little more certainty, and we are working around the clock to reaccommodate impacted guests on other flights,” the airline said on its website.

United Airlines, the only other U.S. carrier that operates the Max 9, had canceled about 200 flights, but it was not clear how many were related to the Boeing plane.

The Federal Aviation Administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alaska-airlines-portland-oregon-emergency-landing-b522e36ff228b5ea9a89ea13ee24f597">grounded all Max 9s</a>&nbsp;in the United States on Saturday, the day after a panel called a door plug&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alaska-airlines-portland-oregon-emergency-landing-0a0378cf2ca6d5567e18d4cda74a0978">blew off an Alaska Airlines jet</a>&nbsp;over Oregon, leaving a hole in the side of the plane. The plug replaces extra doors that are used on Max 9s that are outfitted with more seats than Alaska uses.

The pilots of flight 1282 were able to return to Portland, Oregon, and make a safe emergency landing. No serious injuries were reported.

The FAA approved inspection and repair guidelines developed by Boeing on Monday. However, on Tuesday the agency ordered Boeing to revise the instructions based on “feedback received in response.”

Alaska and United both reported finding&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-investigation-ntsb-safety-airplanes-d9e28fe1a11dafe4f639268504bdb85f">loose bolts and other problems</a>&nbsp;in the panel doors of an unspecified number of other Max 9s that they had begun to inspect.

A Boeing spokesman said Wednesday that the company is updating inspection procedures based on “feedback and requirements” from FAA and the airlines. The FAA repeated an earlier statement in which it said safety would determine how soon the planes return to service.

The door plugs are installed by Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, but investigators have not said which company's employees last worked on the plug on the ill-fated Alaska plane.

Earlier this week, Boeing CEO David Calhoun told employees at the 737 factory in Renton, Washington, that the company was “acknowledging our mistake ... and that this event can never happen again.”

Boeing, which is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, didn't allow reporters to attend the event, but it released a four-minute clip in which Calhoun stressed safety and said that Boeing's airline customers are watching the company's response to the current crisis.

“Moments like this shake them to the bone, just like it shook me to the bone,” he said, adding that Boeing must reassure airlines that the planes are safe.

“We will see our way through to that, but we need to know that we are starting from a very anxious moment for our customers,” he told the Boeing employees.

Some travelers are watching the unfolding investigation too.

Kayak, a travel-search site owned by Booking Holdings, said Wednesday that after the blowout on the Alaska flight, it saw a three-fold jump in the number of people filtering their searches to isolate the type of aircraft. The jump — from low numbers, a Kayak spokeswoman acknowledged — led the site to make its airplane-type filter easier to find.

“Anytime an aircraft model becomes a household name, something has gone wrong,” said Scott Keyes, founder of the travel site Going. “A heck of a lot more people are checking their aircraft this week than last week.”

But once the FAA clears the planes to fly — “and assuming no other incidents” — the public's memory will fade, Keyes said. Within six months, few people will be paying attention to the aircraft type when booking a flight, he predicted.

The Max — of which there are two models flying, the 8 and larger 9, and two more in development — is the latest version of Boeing's half-century-old 737. Two Max 8 jets crashed in 2018 and 2019, killing 346 people, and the plane&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-alaska-airlines-emergency-door-plug-1ef6d34c42fb22935c03a9cea46dd814">has been dogged</a>&nbsp;by manufacturing quality problems since then.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVID%20KOENIG%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVID KOENIG AP Airlines Writer</a>Alaska Airlines is canceling through Saturday all flights on Boeing 737 Max 9 planes like the one that suffered an in-flight blowout of a fuselage panel last week as it waits for new instructions from Boeing and federal officials on how to inspect the fleet.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">For the very latest, including information on the systemwide travel waiver currently in place, visit: <a href="https://t.co/EWhHuhqMtG">https://t.co/EWhHuhqMtG</a> <a href="https://t.co/DztwoSLXPK">pic.twitter.com/DztwoSLXPK</a>&mdash; Alaska Airlines (@AlaskaAir) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlaskaAir/status/1744864134708027762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The development came as signs indicate some travelers might try to avoid flying on Max 9 jetliners — at least temporarily.Seattle-based Alaska Airlines said Wednesday that it would cancel 110 to 150 flights a day while the Max 9 planes remain grounded. By midday, Alaska had canceled about 120 flights — one-fifth of its schedule for the day.“We hope this action provides guests with a little more certainty, and we are working around the clock to reaccommodate impacted guests on other flights,” the airline said on its website.United Airlines, the only other U.S. carrier that operates the Max 9, had canceled about 200 flights, but it was not clear how many were related to the Boeing plane.The Federal Aviation Administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alaska-airlines-portland-oregon-emergency-landing-b522e36ff228b5ea9a89ea13ee24f597">grounded all Max 9s</a>&nbsp;in the United States on Saturday, the day after a panel called a door plug&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alaska-airlines-portland-oregon-emergency-landing-0a0378cf2ca6d5567e18d4cda74a0978">blew off an Alaska Airlines jet</a>&nbsp;over Oregon, leaving a hole in the side of the plane. The plug replaces extra doors that are used on Max 9s that are outfitted with more seats than Alaska uses.The pilots of flight 1282 were able to return to Portland, Oregon, and make a safe emergency landing. No serious injuries were reported.The FAA approved inspection and repair guidelines developed by Boeing on Monday. However, on Tuesday the agency ordered Boeing to revise the instructions based on “feedback received in response.”Alaska and United both reported finding&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-investigation-ntsb-safety-airplanes-d9e28fe1a11dafe4f639268504bdb85f">loose bolts and other problems</a>&nbsp;in the panel doors of an unspecified number of other Max 9s that they had begun to inspect.A Boeing spokesman said Wednesday that the company is updating inspection procedures based on “feedback and requirements” from FAA and the airlines. The FAA repeated an earlier statement in which it said safety would determine how soon the planes return to service.The door plugs are installed by Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, but investigators have not said which company's employees last worked on the plug on the ill-fated Alaska plane.Earlier this week, Boeing CEO David Calhoun told employees at the 737 factory in Renton, Washington, that the company was “acknowledging our mistake ... and that this event can never happen again.”Boeing, which is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, didn't allow reporters to attend the event, but it released a four-minute clip in which Calhoun stressed safety and said that Boeing's airline customers are watching the company's response to the current crisis.“Moments like this shake them to the bone, just like it shook me to the bone,” he said, adding that Boeing must reassure airlines that the planes are safe.“We will see our way through to that, but we need to know that we are starting from a very anxious moment for our customers,” he told the Boeing employees.Some travelers are watching the unfolding investigation too.Kayak, a travel-search site owned by Booking Holdings, said Wednesday that after the blowout on the Alaska flight, it saw a three-fold jump in the number of people filtering their searches to isolate the type of aircraft. The jump — from low numbers, a Kayak spokeswoman acknowledged — led the site to make its airplane-type filter easier to find.“Anytime an aircraft model becomes a household name, something has gone wrong,” said Scott Keyes, founder of the travel site Going. “A heck of a lot more people are checking their aircraft this week than last week.”But once the FAA clears the planes to fly — “and assuming no other incidents” — the public's memory will fade, Keyes said. Within six months, few people will be paying attention to the aircraft type when booking a flight, he predicted.The Max — of which there are two models flying, the 8 and larger 9, and two more in development — is the latest version of Boeing's half-century-old 737. Two Max 8 jets crashed in 2018 and 2019, killing 346 people, and the plane&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-alaska-airlines-emergency-door-plug-1ef6d34c42fb22935c03a9cea46dd814">has been dogged</a>&nbsp;by manufacturing quality problems since then.

More flights canceled on certain Boeing planes for mandatory inspections

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas students face danger from cartel-manufactured opioids, a law enforcement official warned the state Board of Education on Tuesday.&nbsp;

During the BOE meeting, Kansas Bureau of Investigation Director Tony Mattivi cautioned board members about fentanyl.&nbsp;

“Make no mistake,” Mattivi said. “Fentanyl distribution in Kansas is coming from the drug cartels. That’s who is behind every fentanyl pill that gets sold in Kansas. It is a cartel product. The Chinese now provide precursor chemicals to the cartels in Mexico.”

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. In Kansas, rising overdose deaths have been fueled by counterfeit prescription drugs and illegal drugs containing fentanyl. Because the opioid isn’t detectable without a test strip, people taking fentanyl-laced drugs are at a greater risk of overdose.&nbsp;

The most recent data on child mortality in the state puts the number of 2021 child drug-related deaths at 11. Nine of these deaths were related to fentanyl. The previous year marked 11 fentanyl deaths, compared with zero child fentanyl deaths from 2017 to 2019.&nbsp;Despite this increase, Kansas children still face greater risks of homicide and suicide, according to<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/10/04/kansas-child-death-report-shows-increase-in-gun-related-deaths-suicides/">&nbsp;most recent data.</a>

Under the direction of Attorney General Kris Kobach, the KBI&nbsp; launched a targeted campaign against fentanyl distribution throughout the state. Mattivi said education on the issue was extremely important.&nbsp;

“We either educate enough people that we cut off the demand and we shut down the cartels that way,” Mattivi said. “Or we kill enough people that there’s not anybody out there left to use it.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700582241832.png" alt="KBI Director Tony Mattivi gave Kansas State Board of Education&nbsp;members a presentation on fentanyl. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>KBI Director Tony Mattivi gave Kansas State Board of Education&nbsp;members a presentation on fentanyl. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas students face danger from cartel-manufactured opioids, a law enforcement official warned the state Board of Education on Tuesday.&nbsp;During the BOE meeting, Kansas Bureau of Investigation Director Tony Mattivi cautioned board members about fentanyl.&nbsp;“Make no mistake,” Mattivi said. “Fentanyl distribution in Kansas is coming from the drug cartels. That’s who is behind every fentanyl pill that gets sold in Kansas. It is a cartel product. The Chinese now provide precursor chemicals to the cartels in Mexico.”Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. In Kansas, rising overdose deaths have been fueled by counterfeit prescription drugs and illegal drugs containing fentanyl. Because the opioid isn’t detectable without a test strip, people taking fentanyl-laced drugs are at a greater risk of overdose.&nbsp;The most recent data on child mortality in the state puts the number of 2021 child drug-related deaths at 11. Nine of these deaths were related to fentanyl. The previous year marked 11 fentanyl deaths, compared with zero child fentanyl deaths from 2017 to 2019.&nbsp;Despite this increase, Kansas children still face greater risks of homicide and suicide, according to<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/10/04/kansas-child-death-report-shows-increase-in-gun-related-deaths-suicides/">&nbsp;most recent data.</a>Under the direction of Attorney General Kris Kobach, the KBI&nbsp; launched a targeted campaign against fentanyl distribution throughout the state. Mattivi said education on the issue was extremely important.&nbsp;“We either educate enough people that we cut off the demand and we shut down the cartels that way,” Mattivi said. “Or we kill enough people that there’s not anybody out there left to use it.”Jenni Ebert,&nbsp; Riley County Health coordinator, who leads fentanyl awareness campaigns for schools and communities, told members about losing her son to a fentanyl overdose in 2021.&nbsp;“This is just crushing because this has just been recent,” Ebert said. “And still the message is just not out there. We’re just not getting the information to those that need it.”&nbsp;Randy Watson, KBOE Commissioner of education, said the board would probably plan on having more discussions of the issue in the future.