SEDGWICK COUNTY— A jury this week convicted a man on parole for murder in the 2019 Christmas Eve murder of his girlfriend.

On Tuesday 43-year-old Ahmad Bey was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of 41-year-old Melinda Sprague, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's offie.

Just after 2p.m. on Christmas Eve in 2019, a co-worker of&nbsp; Sprague contacted police about her not showing up for work, according to Wichita Police Captain Brett Allred. Police made a missing person report.

During the investigation, police located Sprague's missing 2017 Ford Focus behind a business in the 1500 Block of East Harry in Wichita, according to Allred.&nbsp; They also located her body inside the vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police developed information that led to Bey's arrest on a requested charge of first-degree murder and a Kansas Department of Corrections warrant.&nbsp; At the time, police also arrested 34-year-old Vanessa&nbsp; Waner on a requested charge of first-degree murder, according to Allred.

Police investigators learned that Sprague and Bey were in a dating relationship, according to Allred.   Bey and Waner lived together. Charges against Waner were later dismissed. 

At the time of the Sprague's murder, Bey was on parole for 2nd degree intentional murder in Crawford County in 1999.&nbsp; He is set to be sentenced on March 22.&nbsp;&nbsp;

She was reported missing on December 24, 2019 after she didn't show up for work. Her body was found in her two days later in the 1500 block of East Harry. Bey and a second suspect were booked into jail on December 27.&nbsp;

Police said Bey and Sprague had been in a relationship. A charge of interference with law enforcement against the second suspect was dismissed in February 2020, records show.

Bey is set to be sentenced on March 22. He faces jury trial in April on two counts of violating the Kansas offender registration act. At the time of Sprague's death, Bey was on parole for a second-degree murder conviction in Crawford County. He was paroled in that case on July 1, 2019.

Online jail records show Bey was also charged with trafficking contraband into a correctional facility in August 2021. A hearing in that case is also scheduled for March 22.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577465236625.png" alt="Bey-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Bey-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— A jury this week convicted a man on parole for murder in the 2019 Christmas Eve murder of his girlfriend.On Tuesday 43-year-old Ahmad Bey was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of 41-year-old Melinda Sprague, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's offie.Just after 2p.m. on Christmas Eve in 2019, a co-worker of&nbsp; Sprague contacted police about her not showing up for work, according to Wichita Police Captain Brett Allred. Police made a missing person report.During the investigation, police located Sprague's missing 2017 Ford Focus behind a business in the 1500 Block of East Harry in Wichita, according to Allred.&nbsp; They also located her body inside the vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene.Police developed information that led to Bey's arrest on a requested charge of first-degree murder and a Kansas Department of Corrections warrant.&nbsp; At the time, police also arrested 34-year-old Vanessa&nbsp; Waner on a requested charge of first-degree murder, according to Allred.Police investigators learned that Sprague and Bey were in a dating relationship, according to Allred. Bey and Waner lived together. Charges against Waner were later dismissed. At the time of the Sprague's murder, Bey was on parole for 2nd degree intentional murder in Crawford County in 1999.&nbsp; He is set to be sentenced on March 22.&nbsp;&nbsp;She was reported missing on December 24, 2019 after she didn't show up for work. Her body was found in her two days later in the 1500 block of East Harry. Bey and a second suspect were booked into jail on December 27.&nbsp;Police said Bey and Sprague had been in a relationship. A charge of interference with law enforcement against the second suspect was dismissed in February 2020, records show.Bey is set to be sentenced on March 22. He faces jury trial in April on two counts of violating the Kansas offender registration act. At the time of Sprague's death, Bey was on parole for a second-degree murder conviction in Crawford County. He was paroled in that case on July 1, 2019.Online jail records show Bey was also charged with trafficking contraband into a correctional facility in August 2021. A hearing in that case is also scheduled for March 22.

Kan. man on parole for murder killed his girlfriend on Christmas Eve

KANSAS CITY —A  7-year-old girl injured in a crash on February 5 died of her injuries. Friends of the family are working to assist the family.

<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/brittany-and-tiler?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&amp;utm_medium=copy_link_all&amp;utm_source=customer">Click here to view </a>the online fundrailer

Just before 5p.m. February 5, a Chevrolet Suburban was eastbound on 23rd Street Trafficway at Stark Avenue, according to KC Police Captain Jake Becchina.

The SUV traveled&nbsp; off the road to the right onto the soft dirt shoulder. The driver overcorrected, causing the SUV to go into a broad slide. It slid across the center median where it was struck on the passenger side by a westbound Ford F150.

EMS transported both drivers and a juvenile passenger of the Suburban&nbsp; to local hospitals. The girl was transported in critical condition and she died Thursday, according to Becchina.&nbsp; Police have not released names of the those involved as the investigation continues.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707477651716.png" alt="Photo GoFundMe&nbsp;Tiler Dildine" />
 <figcaption>Photo GoFundMe&nbsp;Tiler Dildine</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A 7-year-old girl injured in a crash on February 5 died of her injuries. Friends of the family are working to assist the family.<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/brittany-and-tiler?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&amp;utm_medium=copy_link_all&amp;utm_source=customer">Click here to view </a>the online fundrailerJust before 5p.m. February 5, a Chevrolet Suburban was eastbound on 23rd Street Trafficway at Stark Avenue, according to KC Police Captain Jake Becchina.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707424975795.png" alt="Scene of the deadly crash photo courtesy Fox4Kansas CIty" />
 <figcaption>Scene of the deadly crash photo courtesy Fox4Kansas CIty</figcaption>
 </figure>The SUV traveled&nbsp; off the road to the right onto the soft dirt shoulder. The driver overcorrected, causing the SUV to go into a broad slide. It slid across the center median where it was struck on the passenger side by a westbound Ford F150.EMS transported both drivers and a juvenile passenger of the Suburban&nbsp; to local hospitals. The girl was transported in critical condition and she died Thursday, according to Becchina.&nbsp; Police have not released names of the those involved as the investigation continues.

Friends helping family of 7-year-old who died in Kansas City crash

By DYLAN LYSEN&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-02-23/kansas-lawmakers-vote-to-restrict-transgender-athletes-and-doctors-treating-gender-identity">Kansas News Service</a>

Excitement around Taylor Swift’s connection to the Chiefs is adding to what is already the biggest sports betting day of the year. But the state of Kansas, where sports gambling is legal, might end up with little tax revenue.

The Kansas City Chiefs are playing in the Super Bowl, and extra excitement surrounding Taylor Swift has Kansas sports bettors again wagering millions of dollars on their local team to win.

But all that excitement and gambling may not translate to big tax collections for the state of Kansas.

So many bets placed in Kansas are for the Chiefs that it could mean the casinos in the state will have to pay out a lot of cash if the local team wins its third Super Bowl in five years. That also means the Kansas Lottery would collect its share of gambling tax revenue from a much smaller pie.

The Super Bowl is already the biggest sports gambling day of the year. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.americangaming.org/new/record-68-million-americans-to-wager-23-1b-on-super-bowl-lviii/" target="_blank">American Gaming Association predicts</a>&nbsp;68 million Americans will place bets on the game this year, totaling an estimated $23.1 billion of wagers. That’s a 35% increase from last year.

Additionally, Hollywood Casino in Kansas City, Kansas, is seeing a significant number of Missouri bettors crossing state lines to place legal wagers because the Show-Me State has not legalized sports gambling.

Tanner Rome, the sportsbook manager for Hollywood Casino, said celebrity culture is also driving bets. That’s because of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s high-profile relationship&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2023-12-09/taylor-swift-kansas-city-chiefs-travis-kelce-guide-things-to-do" target="_blank">with pop star Taylor Swift</a>.

While the casino’s customer base is mostly men, Rome said more women are getting in on the action — often placing bets on Kelce to score a touchdown.

“Now some of the girlfriends are coming up and betting on Kelce,” Rome said, “with all the Taylor Swift stuff going on.”

Swift may even attend the game, and some online casinos are trying to capitalize on the hype around the pop music superstar.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2024-02-05/how-often-will-taylor-swift-be-shown-during-the-super-bowl-now-you-can-bet-on-it" target="_blank">NPR reports</a>&nbsp;that BetOnline is offering many bets specifically related to Swift, such as a bet on whether she will be seen eating a hotdog.

Those strange bets — like how long it takes to sing the national anthem and which team wins the coin toss — are a Super Bowl tradition, but not in Kansas. Rome said state law actually prohibits those kinds of bets.

“If it doesn’t involve the game,” Rome said, “Kansas won’t allow bets on it.”

Meanwhile, the betting excitement won’t translate to big tax revenue collections if the Chiefs win. With so many bettors picking the chiefs to win, the casinos could end up paying out a large amount of cash. That will reduce the amount of money the casino see in profit.

Under the law, Kansas takes just 10% of the sports betting revenue. That’s much smaller than the 27% the state collects off of traditional gambling, like blackjack and slot machines.

The smaller portion on sports betting was a concern for some lawmakers. Republican Rep. Paul Waggoner opposed the bill that legalized sports betting in the state and called that arrangement a “bad deal” for Kansas.

Last year, the state saw $194 million in bets&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslottery.com/media/3855/sports-wagering-monthly-revenue-2023-02.p" target="_blank">in February</a>&nbsp;during the Super Bowl. The state earned just over $1,100 off the betting activity — a minuscule amount compared to the state’s $9 billion general fund budget.

Compare that to the rest of the year — the state earns an average of $1 million a month in gambling taxes — and it's easy to see that the Chiefs victory crashed the state’s expected gambling revenue last year. That could again happen this year.

But a Chiefs loss in the Super Bowl could reverse that trend. Cory Thone, a spokesperson for the Kansas Lottery, said the agency would have seen a pretty large spike in revenue if the Chiefs lost last year’s Super Bowl.

“However, we all agreed that it was well worth it for the win,” Thone said in an email. “Go Chiefs!”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707620687273.png" alt="Kansas City Chiefs and Taylor Swift fans are betting millions of dollars on the Super Bowl. If the Chiefs win, Kansas will likely receive much less tax revenue than it usually does from gambling." />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs and Taylor Swift fans are betting millions of dollars on the Super Bowl. If the Chiefs win, Kansas will likely receive much less tax revenue than it usually does from gambling.</figcaption>
 </figure>By DYLAN LYSEN&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-02-23/kansas-lawmakers-vote-to-restrict-transgender-athletes-and-doctors-treating-gender-identity">Kansas News Service</a><h2>Excitement around Taylor Swift’s connection to the Chiefs is adding to what is already the biggest sports betting day of the year. But the state of Kansas, where sports gambling is legal, might end up with little tax revenue.</h2>The Kansas City Chiefs are playing in the Super Bowl, and extra excitement surrounding Taylor Swift has Kansas sports bettors again wagering millions of dollars on their local team to win.But all that excitement and gambling may not translate to big tax collections for the state of Kansas.So many bets placed in Kansas are for the Chiefs that it could mean the casinos in the state will have to pay out a lot of cash if the local team wins its third Super Bowl in five years. That also means the Kansas Lottery would collect its share of gambling tax revenue from a much smaller pie.The Super Bowl is already the biggest sports gambling day of the year. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.americangaming.org/new/record-68-million-americans-to-wager-23-1b-on-super-bowl-lviii/" target="_blank">American Gaming Association predicts</a>&nbsp;68 million Americans will place bets on the game this year, totaling an estimated $23.1 billion of wagers. That’s a 35% increase from last year.Additionally, Hollywood Casino in Kansas City, Kansas, is seeing a significant number of Missouri bettors crossing state lines to place legal wagers because the Show-Me State has not legalized sports gambling.Tanner Rome, the sportsbook manager for Hollywood Casino, said celebrity culture is also driving bets. That’s because of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s high-profile relationship&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2023-12-09/taylor-swift-kansas-city-chiefs-travis-kelce-guide-things-to-do" target="_blank">with pop star Taylor Swift</a>.While the casino’s customer base is mostly men, Rome said more women are getting in on the action — often placing bets on Kelce to score a touchdown.“Now some of the girlfriends are coming up and betting on Kelce,” Rome said, “with all the Taylor Swift stuff going on.”Swift may even attend the game, and some online casinos are trying to capitalize on the hype around the pop music superstar.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2024-02-05/how-often-will-taylor-swift-be-shown-during-the-super-bowl-now-you-can-bet-on-it" target="_blank">NPR reports</a>&nbsp;that BetOnline is offering many bets specifically related to Swift, such as a bet on whether she will be seen eating a hotdog.Those strange bets — like how long it takes to sing the national anthem and which team wins the coin toss — are a Super Bowl tradition, but not in Kansas. Rome said state law actually prohibits those kinds of bets.“If it doesn’t involve the game,” Rome said, “Kansas won’t allow bets on it.”Meanwhile, the betting excitement won’t translate to big tax revenue collections if the Chiefs win. With so many bettors picking the chiefs to win, the casinos could end up paying out a large amount of cash. That will reduce the amount of money the casino see in profit.Under the law, Kansas takes just 10% of the sports betting revenue. That’s much smaller than the 27% the state collects off of traditional gambling, like blackjack and slot machines.The smaller portion on sports betting was a concern for some lawmakers. Republican Rep. Paul Waggoner opposed the bill that legalized sports betting in the state and called that arrangement a “bad deal” for Kansas.Last year, the state saw $194 million in bets&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslottery.com/media/3855/sports-wagering-monthly-revenue-2023-02.p" target="_blank">in February</a>&nbsp;during the Super Bowl. The state earned just over $1,100 off the betting activity — a minuscule amount compared to the state’s $9 billion general fund budget.Compare that to the rest of the year — the state earns an average of $1 million a month in gambling taxes — and it's easy to see that the Chiefs victory crashed the state’s expected gambling revenue last year. That could again happen this year.But a Chiefs loss in the Super Bowl could reverse that trend. Cory Thone, a spokesperson for the Kansas Lottery, said the agency would have seen a pretty large spike in revenue if the Chiefs lost last year’s Super Bowl.“However, we all agreed that it was well worth it for the win,” Thone said in an email. “Go Chiefs!”

Taylor Swift fans are betting on Chiefs to win the Super Bowl. Kansas may not cash in

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that left two dead.

Just after 3:30pm Friday, police were dispatched to a shooting the 1300 Block of N. Lynn Street in the city of Independence, according to a media release. 

Several callers to 911 advising they were hearing gunshots in the area. First responders located two gunshot victims at a residence, who were determined to be deceased. 

 An area check for the suspect commenced and area schools were placed on lockdown as precaution.  The person believed to be the suspect, who was also shot, was later taken into custody in the area.&nbsp; Police are not looking for any additional individuals.  This case remains under investigation as Detectives work to determine the circumstances around the shooting. Police have not released names of the victim or suspect.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707654409898.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that left two dead.Just after 3:30pm Friday, police were dispatched to a shooting the 1300 Block of N. Lynn Street in the city of Independence, according to a media release. Several callers to 911 advising they were hearing gunshots in the area. First responders located two gunshot victims at a residence, who were determined to be deceased. An area check for the suspect commenced and area schools were placed on lockdown as precaution. The person believed to be the suspect, who was also shot, was later taken into custody in the area.&nbsp; Police are not looking for any additional individuals. This case remains under investigation as Detectives work to determine the circumstances around the shooting. Police have not released names of the victim or suspect.

Suspect captured after double-homicide near KC-area school

JERUSALEM (AP) — The U.S. Central Command announced Saturday that the U.S. military conducted self-defense strikes against two mobile unmanned surface vessels, four anti-ship cruise missiles, and one mobile land attack cruise missile that were prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea from Yemen.

The military said the missiles and an unmanned vessel in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region.

Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea over Israel’s offensive in Gaza, imperiling a key route for trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe. However, many of the vessels attacked have tenuous or no clear links to Israel.

The Houthis’ media office said the U.S.-led coalition launched three airstrikes on Salif district in the Red Sea province of Hodeida on Saturday.

In response, the U.S. and Britain launched several airstrikes on Houthi-held areas across Yemen, including the rebel-held capital of Sanaa.

The Houthis held a mass funeral in Sanaa Saturday for 17 of their fighters who they said were killed in strikes by the U.S.-led coalition, according to the Houthi-run SABA news agency.

The report didn’t say when and where the fighters were killed.

In Syria, Israeli airstrikes hit several sites on the outskirts of the capital, Damascus, the Syrian military said Saturday.

The strikes came from the direction of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Syrian state news agency SANA reported, citing an unnamed military official. It added that air defenses shot down some and those that landed resulted in “some material losses.”

Britain-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said one of the strikes hit a residential building west of the capital. It reported three unidentified people were killed. Earlier it said casualties could be “figures of non-Syrian nationalities.” The observatory said Saturday's assault was the 10th apparent Israeli strike on Syrian territory since the beginning of the year.

There was no immediate comment from Israel.

Presumed Israeli strikes in Syria in the past have killed high-ranking figures with Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and allied groups. In December, a strike on a Damascus neighborhood&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-israel-iran-irgc-damascus-airstrike-7ee8496d727ba69834002f0444515a36">killed a high-ranking Iranian general</a>, Seyed Razi Mousavi, a longtime adviser to the Revolutionary Guard in Syria.

Tensions have also flared elsewhere in the region. A U.S. airstrike in Baghdad Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-kataib-hezbollah-drone-strike-bddd82ed18dd94f53e81cbc71d25049a">killed a commander</a>&nbsp;of Kataib Hezbollah, one of the most powerful armed groups in Iraq, as part of Washington's retaliation for the killing of three U.S. troops in Jordan last month.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias that has launched numerous attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria, issued a call Friday for fighters to join its ranks to drive “occupying forces” out of the country.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has conducted about 170 attacks on bases with U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria over the last four months, saying they were due to Washington’s support of Israel in its war in Gaza and that it aims to expel U.S. forces from the region.

Iraqi and U.S. officials launched formal talks last month to wind down the presence of U.S.-led coalition forces in Iraq, but the talks were paused following the strike in Jordan attributed to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq. Officials from both countries announced Thursday that the talks will resume, with the next meeting set for Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705969629635.png" alt="File photo from U.S. strikes earlier this month-U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File photo from U.S. strikes earlier this month-U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) — The U.S. Central Command announced Saturday that the U.S. military conducted self-defense strikes against two mobile unmanned surface vessels, four anti-ship cruise missiles, and one mobile land attack cruise missile that were prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea from Yemen.The military said the missiles and an unmanned vessel in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region.Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea over Israel’s offensive in Gaza, imperiling a key route for trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe. However, many of the vessels attacked have tenuous or no clear links to Israel.The Houthis’ media office said the U.S.-led coalition launched three airstrikes on Salif district in the Red Sea province of Hodeida on Saturday.In response, the U.S. and Britain launched several airstrikes on Houthi-held areas across Yemen, including the rebel-held capital of Sanaa.The Houthis held a mass funeral in Sanaa Saturday for 17 of their fighters who they said were killed in strikes by the U.S.-led coalition, according to the Houthi-run SABA news agency.The report didn’t say when and where the fighters were killed.In Syria, Israeli airstrikes hit several sites on the outskirts of the capital, Damascus, the Syrian military said Saturday.The strikes came from the direction of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Syrian state news agency SANA reported, citing an unnamed military official. It added that air defenses shot down some and those that landed resulted in “some material losses.”Britain-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said one of the strikes hit a residential building west of the capital. It reported three unidentified people were killed. Earlier it said casualties could be “figures of non-Syrian nationalities.” The observatory said Saturday's assault was the 10th apparent Israeli strike on Syrian territory since the beginning of the year.There was no immediate comment from Israel.Presumed Israeli strikes in Syria in the past have killed high-ranking figures with Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and allied groups. In December, a strike on a Damascus neighborhood&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-israel-iran-irgc-damascus-airstrike-7ee8496d727ba69834002f0444515a36">killed a high-ranking Iranian general</a>, Seyed Razi Mousavi, a longtime adviser to the Revolutionary Guard in Syria.Tensions have also flared elsewhere in the region. A U.S. airstrike in Baghdad Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-kataib-hezbollah-drone-strike-bddd82ed18dd94f53e81cbc71d25049a">killed a commander</a>&nbsp;of Kataib Hezbollah, one of the most powerful armed groups in Iraq, as part of Washington's retaliation for the killing of three U.S. troops in Jordan last month.The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias that has launched numerous attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria, issued a call Friday for fighters to join its ranks to drive “occupying forces” out of the country.The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has conducted about 170 attacks on bases with U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria over the last four months, saying they were due to Washington’s support of Israel in its war in Gaza and that it aims to expel U.S. forces from the region.Iraqi and U.S. officials launched formal talks last month to wind down the presence of U.S.-led coalition forces in Iraq, but the talks were paused following the strike in Jordan attributed to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq. Officials from both countries announced Thursday that the talks will resume, with the next meeting set for Sunday.

US continues to trade attacks with Iran-backed rebels

KANSAS CITY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a baby&nbsp; who died when her mother mistakenly put her down for a nap in an oven, according to Jackson County District Attorney Jean Peters Baker.

Mariah Thomas, 26,&nbsp; Kansas City, was charged Saturday with endangering the welfare of a child.&nbsp;

Just after 1:30p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a home at 41st and Forest in Kansas City on a medical call regarding an infant not breathing, according to KCPD Captain Jacob Becchina.

Officers and EMS were led into a residence there where they were directed to a baby that was unresponsive.&nbsp;&nbsp;A probable cause statement said responders found the child with apparent burns.&nbsp;

&nbsp;EMS rendered aid and ultimately declared the baby deceased at the scene.

The statement said responders were told by a witness that the mother “put the child down for a nap and accidentally placed her in the oven instead of the crib."

The statement did not offer an explanation about how that mistake was made.

&nbsp;Baker said, "We appreciate all first responders who worked this scene and the prosecutors who went to the scene in order to issue these charges. We acknowledge the gruesome nature of this tragedy and our hearts are weighted by the loss of this precious life."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707608579485.png" alt="Thomas-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Thomas-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a baby&nbsp; who died when her mother mistakenly put her down for a nap in an oven, according to Jackson County District Attorney Jean Peters Baker.Mariah Thomas, 26,&nbsp; Kansas City, was charged Saturday with endangering the welfare of a child.&nbsp;Just after 1:30p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a home at 41st and Forest in Kansas City on a medical call regarding an infant not breathing, according to KCPD Captain Jacob Becchina.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707610736327.png" alt="Police at the scene of the investigation photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the investigation photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers and EMS were led into a residence there where they were directed to a baby that was unresponsive.&nbsp;&nbsp;A probable cause statement said responders found the child with apparent burns.&nbsp;&nbsp;EMS rendered aid and ultimately declared the baby deceased at the scene.The statement said responders were told by a witness that the mother “put the child down for a nap and accidentally placed her in the oven instead of the crib."The statement did not offer an explanation about how that mistake was made.&nbsp;Baker said, "We appreciate all first responders who worked this scene and the prosecutors who went to the scene in order to issue these charges. We acknowledge the gruesome nature of this tragedy and our hearts are weighted by the loss of this precious life."

Baby at KC home dies after mother mistakenly put her in an oven

JACKSON COUNTY, Kan.—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new drug allegations.

On Feb. 4, a&nbsp;Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on an Acura passenger car for a traffic infraction near 162nd and U.S. Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 During the stop the deputy located illegal contraband.  The driver, Paula Louise Michael, 60, of Topeka was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Michael has three previous convictions for drug possession in 2005 and 2010, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707399598744.png" alt="Michael photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Michael photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY, Kan.—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new drug allegations.On Feb. 4, a&nbsp;Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on an Acura passenger car for a traffic infraction near 162nd and U.S. Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. During the stop the deputy located illegal contraband. The driver, Paula Louise Michael, 60, of Topeka was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.Michael has three previous convictions for drug possession in 2005 and 2010, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Sheriff: Kansas felon had illegal drugs in her car

NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-24-17A1.pdf">outlawed robocalls</a>&nbsp;that contain voices&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-science-fires-artificial-intelligence-misinformation-26cabd20dcacbd68c8f38610fec39f5b">generated by artificial intelligence</a>, a decision that sends a clear message that exploiting the technology to scam people and mislead voters won’t be tolerated.

The unanimous ruling targets robocalls made with AI voice-cloning tools under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, a 1991 law restricting junk calls that use artificial and prerecorded voice messages.

The announcement comes as New Hampshire authorities are advancing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-robocalls-artificial-intelligence-new-hampshire-texas-a8665277d43d05380d2c7594edf27617">their investigation</a>&nbsp;into AI-generated robocalls that mimicked President Joe Biden’s voice to discourage people from voting in the state's first-in-the-nation primary last month.

Effective immediately, the regulation empowers the FCC to fine companies that use AI voices in their calls or block the service providers that carry them. It also opens the door for call recipients to file lawsuits and gives state attorneys general a new mechanism to crack down on violators, according to the FCC.

The agency's chairwoman,&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-24-17A2.pdf">Jessica Rosenworcel,</a>&nbsp;said bad actors have been using AI-generated voices in robocalls to misinform voters, impersonate celebrities and extort family members.

“It seems like something from the far-off future, but this threat is already here,” Rosenworcel told The Associated Press on Wednesday as the commission was considering the regulations. “All of us could be on the receiving end of these faked calls, so that’s why we felt the time to act was now.”

Under the consumer protection law, telemarketers generally cannot use automated dialers or artificial or prerecorded voice messages to call cellphones, and they cannot make such calls to landlines without prior written consent from the call recipient.

The new ruling classifies AI-generated voices in robocalls as “artificial” and thus enforceable by the same standards, the FCC said.

Those who break the law can face steep fines, maxing out at more than $23,000 per call, the FCC said. The agency has previously used the consumer law to clamp down on robocallers interfering in elections, including imposing a $5 million fine on two conservative hoaxers for falsely warning people in predominantly Black areas that voting by mail could heighten their risk of arrest, debt collection and forced vaccination.

The law also gives call recipients the right to take legal action and potentially recover up to $1,500 in damages for each unwanted call.

Rosenworcel said the commission started looking at making robocalls with AI-generated voices illegal because it saw a rise in these types of calls. It sought public comment on the issue last November and in January, a bipartisan group of 26 state attorneys general wrote to the FCC urging it to move forward with a ruling.

Sophisticated generative AI tools, from voice-cloning software to image generators, already are in use in elections in the U.S. and around the world.

Last year, as the U.S. presidential race got underway, several campaign advertisements used AI-generated audio or imagery, and some candidates experimented with using AI chatbots to communicate with voters.

Bipartisan efforts in Congress have sought to regulate AI in political campaigns, but no federal legislation has passed, with the general election nine months away.

The AI-generated robocalls that sought to influence New Hampshire’s Jan. 23 primary election used a voice similar to Biden’s, employed his often-used phrase, “What a bunch of malarkey” and falsely suggested that voting in the primary would preclude voters from casting a ballot in November.

New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella said Tuesday that investigators had identified the Texas-based Life Corp. and its owner, Walter Monk as the source of the calls, which went to thousands of state residents, mostly registered Democrats. He said the calls were transmitted by another Texas-based company, Lingo Telecom.

New Hampshire issued cease-and-desist orders and subpoenas to both companies, while the Federal Communications Commission issued a cease-and-desist letter to the telecommunications company, Formella said. A task force of attorneys general in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., sent a letter to Life Corp. warning it to stop originating illegal calls immediately.

According to the FCC, both Lingo Telecom and Life Corp. have been investigated for illegal robocalls in the past. In 2003, FCC issued a citation to Life Corp. for delivering illegal pre-recorded and unsolicited advertisements to residential lines.

More recently, the task force of attorneys general has accused Lingo of being the gateway provider for 61 suspected illegal calls from overseas. The Federal Trade Commission issued a cease and desist order against Lingo’s prior corporate name, Matrix Telecom, in 2022. The next year, the task force demanded that it take steps to protect its network.

Lingo Telecom said in a statement Tuesday that it “acted immediately” to help with the investigation into the robocalls impersonating Biden and quickly identified and suspended Life Corporation when contacted by the task force. A man who answered the business line for Life Corp. declined to comment on Thursday.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-24-17A1.pdf">outlawed robocalls</a>&nbsp;that contain voices&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-science-fires-artificial-intelligence-misinformation-26cabd20dcacbd68c8f38610fec39f5b">generated by artificial intelligence</a>, a decision that sends a clear message that exploiting the technology to scam people and mislead voters won’t be tolerated.The unanimous ruling targets robocalls made with AI voice-cloning tools under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, a 1991 law restricting junk calls that use artificial and prerecorded voice messages.The announcement comes as New Hampshire authorities are advancing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-robocalls-artificial-intelligence-new-hampshire-texas-a8665277d43d05380d2c7594edf27617">their investigation</a>&nbsp;into AI-generated robocalls that mimicked President Joe Biden’s voice to discourage people from voting in the state's first-in-the-nation primary last month.Effective immediately, the regulation empowers the FCC to fine companies that use AI voices in their calls or block the service providers that carry them. It also opens the door for call recipients to file lawsuits and gives state attorneys general a new mechanism to crack down on violators, according to the FCC.The agency's chairwoman,&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-24-17A2.pdf">Jessica Rosenworcel,</a>&nbsp;said bad actors have been using AI-generated voices in robocalls to misinform voters, impersonate celebrities and extort family members.“It seems like something from the far-off future, but this threat is already here,” Rosenworcel told The Associated Press on Wednesday as the commission was considering the regulations. “All of us could be on the receiving end of these faked calls, so that’s why we felt the time to act was now.”Under the consumer protection law, telemarketers generally cannot use automated dialers or artificial or prerecorded voice messages to call cellphones, and they cannot make such calls to landlines without prior written consent from the call recipient.The new ruling classifies AI-generated voices in robocalls as “artificial” and thus enforceable by the same standards, the FCC said.Those who break the law can face steep fines, maxing out at more than $23,000 per call, the FCC said. The agency has previously used the consumer law to clamp down on robocallers interfering in elections, including imposing a $5 million fine on two conservative hoaxers for falsely warning people in predominantly Black areas that voting by mail could heighten their risk of arrest, debt collection and forced vaccination.The law also gives call recipients the right to take legal action and potentially recover up to $1,500 in damages for each unwanted call.Rosenworcel said the commission started looking at making robocalls with AI-generated voices illegal because it saw a rise in these types of calls. It sought public comment on the issue last November and in January, a bipartisan group of 26 state attorneys general wrote to the FCC urging it to move forward with a ruling.Sophisticated generative AI tools, from voice-cloning software to image generators, already are in use in elections in the U.S. and around the world.Last year, as the U.S. presidential race got underway, several campaign advertisements used AI-generated audio or imagery, and some candidates experimented with using AI chatbots to communicate with voters.Bipartisan efforts in Congress have sought to regulate AI in political campaigns, but no federal legislation has passed, with the general election nine months away.The AI-generated robocalls that sought to influence New Hampshire’s Jan. 23 primary election used a voice similar to Biden’s, employed his often-used phrase, “What a bunch of malarkey” and falsely suggested that voting in the primary would preclude voters from casting a ballot in November.New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella said Tuesday that investigators had identified the Texas-based Life Corp. and its owner, Walter Monk as the source of the calls, which went to thousands of state residents, mostly registered Democrats. He said the calls were transmitted by another Texas-based company, Lingo Telecom.New Hampshire issued cease-and-desist orders and subpoenas to both companies, while the Federal Communications Commission issued a cease-and-desist letter to the telecommunications company, Formella said. A task force of attorneys general in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., sent a letter to Life Corp. warning it to stop originating illegal calls immediately.According to the FCC, both Lingo Telecom and Life Corp. have been investigated for illegal robocalls in the past. In 2003, FCC issued a citation to Life Corp. for delivering illegal pre-recorded and unsolicited advertisements to residential lines.More recently, the task force of attorneys general has accused Lingo of being the gateway provider for 61 suspected illegal calls from overseas. The Federal Trade Commission issued a cease and desist order against Lingo’s prior corporate name, Matrix Telecom, in 2022. The next year, the task force demanded that it take steps to protect its network.Lingo Telecom said in a statement Tuesday that it “acted immediately” to help with the investigation into the robocalls impersonating Biden and quickly identified and suspended Life Corporation when contacted by the task force. A man who answered the business line for Life Corp. declined to comment on Thursday.

FCC: AI-generated voices on robocalls are now illegal

KANSAS CITY —The mayors of Kansas City and San Francisco have a friendly wager on the outcome of Super Bowl LVIII. Both used social media on Friday to share the details.

KANSAS CITY —The mayors of Kansas City and San Francisco have a friendly wager on the outcome of Super Bowl LVIII. Both used social media on Friday to share the details.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are confident we’ll be celebrating another <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Chiefs</a> Super Bowl victory this weekend in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SuperBowlLVIII?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SuperBowlLVIII</a> If our Chiefs don’t pull through though, we’ll send our world-famous Gates Bar-B-Que to San Francisco. Mayor <a href="https://twitter.com/LondonBreed?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LondonBreed</a>, what will you send when the Chiefs win? <a href="https://t.co/6It5lLLlyF">pic.twitter.com/6It5lLLlyF</a>&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1755986189805396217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">BANG BANG NINER GANG! It&#39;s almost Super Bowl Sunday. We’ve got the best fans &amp; we’re wishing our <a href="https://twitter.com/49ers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@49ers</a> luck in Vegas. I’m confident in our Niners but Mayor <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@QuintonLucasKC</a> we’ve got a bag of the best crab &amp; a replica of the Golden Gate Bridge for you. Let&#39;s go Niners! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FTTB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FTTB</a> <a href="https://t.co/Smf0q76KtX">https://t.co/Smf0q76KtX</a> <a href="https://t.co/MBF9LLNFVB">pic.twitter.com/MBF9LLNFVB</a>&mdash; London Breed (@LondonBreed) <a href="https://twitter.com/LondonBreed/status/1756033868162126106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Go ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Chiefs</a>⁩! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/chiefskingdom?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#chiefskingdom</a> <a href="https://t.co/6Jj6upMhB0">pic.twitter.com/6Jj6upMhB0</a>&mdash; Kansas City International Airport (@Fly_KansasCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/Fly_KansasCity/status/1756160723254718548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥 Mayors of Kansas City, San Francisco make Super Bowl wager

Lethal injection only permitted method since death penalty reinstated in 1994

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

TOPEKA — Attorney General Kris Kobach introduced a bill in the Kansas Legislature allowing the state corrections secretary to decide between intravenous injection of drugs or inhalation of a gas inducing suffocation when executing individuals sentenced to death in state courts.

Kobach has joined other state attorneys general encouraging reliance on hypoxia for executions since Alabama in January became the first state to put to death a convicted murderer by subjecting a man to inhalation of pure nitrogen until dead.

“If Kansas is going to have a death penalty, it needs to be possible to implement,” Kobach said. “Because of difficulties in acquiring the drugs, lethal injection is now limited. I have spoken directly with the attorney general of Alabama, and he confirmed that the hypoxia method worked extremely well.”

Kansas law authorized use of capital punishment for convictions of first-degree murder when certain aggravating circumstances were proven. The state hasn’t executed anyone since 1965. Since reinstatement of the death penalty in Kansas in 1994, lethal injection has been the only permitted method of executing a person incarcerated by the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Under House Bill 2782 introduced formally at the Statehouse by Dan Burrows, chief deputy attorney general to Kobach, the state’s corrections secretary would be required to choose inhalation hypoxia or intravenous injection when carrying out a death sentence.

The legislation would require the option chosen to be administered in a way causing death in a “swift and humane manner” in accordance with the U.S. Constitution. By Dec. 31, 2024, according to the bill, the corrections secretary would establish rules and regulations for carrying out a sentence by hypoxia.

Another provision of the bill would mandate the Kansas Supreme Court notify the district court where the conviction was rendered when all appellate proceedings were resolved. At that point, the district court would be responsible for sending the Department of Corrections a warrant directing the sentence of death to be carried out within 30 days.

Donna Schneweis, chair of the Kansas Coalition Against the Death Penalty, said the method of execution relied upon in Kansas wasn’t the central question.

“The existence of the Kansas death penalty itself is the issue,” Schneweis said. “Kansas continues to waste taxpayer dollars, harm victim families and prison staff, risk the lives of the innocent and violate the morals of many Kansans for a public policy built on vengeance. The time to end the Kansas death penalty is now.”

Kansas courts have found 15 men guilty of capital offenses during the past three decades, but nine remain under a sentence of death. In terms of those nine, capital sentences were imposed between 2002 and 2016. Four of the men placed under a death sentence had their punishment converted to life in prison. Two death row inmates died in prison while their cases were under appeal.

In mid-January, the Kansas Supreme Court affirmed the capital murder conviction and sentence of Kyle Flack, who killed three adults and an infant during 2013 in Franklin County.

That appellate decision included a statement by Supreme Court Justice Caleb Stegall that he was open to considering constitutionality of the Kansas death penalty in terms of whether it was “reasonably related to the furtherance of the common good.”

Alabama executed Kenneth Smith using nitrogen hypoxia, which subjected him to inhalation of the gas through a mask until deceased. The execution was controversial because witnesses said Smith convulsed and gasped for minutes before pronounced dead. In 2022, the Alabama Department of Corrections failed in an attempt to execute Smith by lethal injection because staff couldn’t find a viable vein to insert a needle.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707515164007.png" alt="The office of Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach introduced a bill in the Kansas House authorizing the Kansas Department of Corrections to choose to execute inmates sentenced to death with the gas hypoxia method or the existing approach of lethal injection. No one has been executed in Kansas since 1965, but nine men remain under capital sentences in Kansas. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The office of Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach introduced a bill in the Kansas House authorizing the Kansas Department of Corrections to choose to execute inmates sentenced to death with the gas hypoxia method or the existing approach of lethal injection. No one has been executed in Kansas since 1965, but nine men remain under capital sentences in Kansas. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Lethal injection only permitted method since death penalty reinstated in 1994</h2>&nbsp;BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Attorney General Kris Kobach introduced a bill in the Kansas Legislature allowing the state corrections secretary to decide between intravenous injection of drugs or inhalation of a gas inducing suffocation when executing individuals sentenced to death in state courts.Kobach has joined other state attorneys general encouraging reliance on hypoxia for executions since Alabama in January became the first state to put to death a convicted murderer by subjecting a man to inhalation of pure nitrogen until dead.“If Kansas is going to have a death penalty, it needs to be possible to implement,” Kobach said. “Because of difficulties in acquiring the drugs, lethal injection is now limited. I have spoken directly with the attorney general of Alabama, and he confirmed that the hypoxia method worked extremely well.”Kansas law authorized use of capital punishment for convictions of first-degree murder when certain aggravating circumstances were proven. The state hasn’t executed anyone since 1965. Since reinstatement of the death penalty in Kansas in 1994, lethal injection has been the only permitted method of executing a person incarcerated by the Kansas Department of Corrections.Under House Bill 2782 introduced formally at the Statehouse by Dan Burrows, chief deputy attorney general to Kobach, the state’s corrections secretary would be required to choose inhalation hypoxia or intravenous injection when carrying out a death sentence.The legislation would require the option chosen to be administered in a way causing death in a “swift and humane manner” in accordance with the U.S. Constitution. By Dec. 31, 2024, according to the bill, the corrections secretary would establish rules and regulations for carrying out a sentence by hypoxia.Another provision of the bill would mandate the Kansas Supreme Court notify the district court where the conviction was rendered when all appellate proceedings were resolved. At that point, the district court would be responsible for sending the Department of Corrections a warrant directing the sentence of death to be carried out within 30 days.Donna Schneweis, chair of the Kansas Coalition Against the Death Penalty, said the method of execution relied upon in Kansas wasn’t the central question.“The existence of the Kansas death penalty itself is the issue,” Schneweis said. “Kansas continues to waste taxpayer dollars, harm victim families and prison staff, risk the lives of the innocent and violate the morals of many Kansans for a public policy built on vengeance. The time to end the Kansas death penalty is now.”Kansas courts have found 15 men guilty of capital offenses during the past three decades, but nine remain under a sentence of death. In terms of those nine, capital sentences were imposed between 2002 and 2016. Four of the men placed under a death sentence had their punishment converted to life in prison. Two death row inmates died in prison while their cases were under appeal.In mid-January, the Kansas Supreme Court affirmed the capital murder conviction and sentence of Kyle Flack, who killed three adults and an infant during 2013 in Franklin County.That appellate decision included a statement by Supreme Court Justice Caleb Stegall that he was open to considering constitutionality of the Kansas death penalty in terms of whether it was “reasonably related to the furtherance of the common good.”Alabama executed Kenneth Smith using nitrogen hypoxia, which subjected him to inhalation of the gas through a mask until deceased. The execution was controversial because witnesses said Smith convulsed and gasped for minutes before pronounced dead. In 2022, the Alabama Department of Corrections failed in an attempt to execute Smith by lethal injection because staff couldn’t find a viable vein to insert a needle.

Kansas AG sponsors bill adding hypoxia option for executing capital murderers

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a Thursday homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 59-year-old Mark A. Jenkins.

Just after 10p.m. Feb. 8, police were dispatched to Brush Creek and Virginia initially on a shooting call, according to Police&nbsp;Captain Jake Becchina.

At the scene, police spoke with those who called who said they were passing by and saw Jenkins down, and unresponsive. They assumed he had been shot and they called to report a shooting.

EMS responded and declared Jenkins deceased at the scene.

 It was not readily apparent to EMS what the cause of death might have been at that time. Because the circumstances were suspicious enough that it could have been a homicide, detectives responded and began investigating the suspicious death along side Crime Scene Investigators who processed the scene. 

As part of the preliminary investigation a medical examiners office representative responded to the scene as well. As the investigation continued, Detectives were able to determine that the Jenkins had injuries not consistent with an accident or natural causes, and they are investigating this case as a homicide, according to Becchina.

The medical examiner is working to provide more information regarding&nbsp; cause of death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707418239615.png" alt="Near the scene of the homicide-photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Near the scene of the homicide-photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a Thursday homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 59-year-old Mark A. Jenkins.Just after 10p.m. Feb. 8, police were dispatched to Brush Creek and Virginia initially on a shooting call, according to Police&nbsp;Captain Jake Becchina.At the scene, police spoke with those who called who said they were passing by and saw Jenkins down, and unresponsive. They assumed he had been shot and they called to report a shooting.EMS responded and declared Jenkins deceased at the scene. It was not readily apparent to EMS what the cause of death might have been at that time. Because the circumstances were suspicious enough that it could have been a homicide, detectives responded and began investigating the suspicious death along side Crime Scene Investigators who processed the scene. As part of the preliminary investigation a medical examiners office representative responded to the scene as well. As the investigation continued, Detectives were able to determine that the Jenkins had injuries not consistent with an accident or natural causes, and they are investigating this case as a homicide, according to Becchina.The medical examiner is working to provide more information regarding&nbsp; cause of death.

Police ID 59-year-old victim in Kansas City homicide

RILEY COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 10p.m. Friday in Riley County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported Geary County Deputies were in pursuit of a 2020 Kia Forte driven&nbsp; by&nbsp; Mose E Allen, 58 Manhattan, eastbound on Kansas 18&nbsp; five miles southwest of Manhattan.

Allen lost control of the car. It struck both the right side and the left side of the bridge wall and came to a rest in the center median.

EMS transported&nbsp;Allen to&nbsp;Stormont Vail-Flint Hills. He was also not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.&nbsp; Authorities have not released what prompted the chase.

RILEY COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 10p.m. Friday in Riley County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported Geary County Deputies were in pursuit of a 2020 Kia Forte driven&nbsp; by&nbsp; Mose E Allen, 58 Manhattan, eastbound on Kansas 18&nbsp; five miles southwest of Manhattan.Allen lost control of the car. It struck both the right side and the left side of the bridge wall and came to a rest in the center median.EMS transported&nbsp;Allen to&nbsp;Stormont Vail-Flint Hills. He was also not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.&nbsp; Authorities have not released what prompted the chase.

Kansas man hospitalized after crash during chase

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.&nbsp;– For the third time in four days, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected and tracked four Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), according to a statement from the agency.

The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace. This Russian activity is not seen as a threat.

An ADIZ begins where sovereign airspace ends and is a defined stretch of international airspace that requires the ready identification of all aircraft in the interest of national security.

In February of 2023, U.S. aircraft including two F16 fighters intercepted four Russian aircraft that flew into a buffer zone of international airspace near Alaska. This was a few days before the U.S. reported shooting down&nbsp; UFOs in the region.

In October 2022, NORAD detected, tracked, positively identified and intercepted two Russian Tu-95 Bear-H bombers entering and operating within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone.&nbsp; This was

NORAD employs a layered defense network of satellites, ground-based and airborne radars and fighter aircraft to detect and track aircraft and inform appropriate actions. NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America.

NORAD released no additional details on the Russian aircraft tracked this week.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.&nbsp;– For the third time in four days, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected and tracked four Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), according to a statement from the agency.The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace. This Russian activity is not seen as a threat.An ADIZ begins where sovereign airspace ends and is a defined stretch of international airspace that requires the ready identification of all aircraft in the interest of national security.In February of 2023, U.S. aircraft including two F16 fighters intercepted four Russian aircraft that flew into a buffer zone of international airspace near Alaska. This was a few days before the U.S. reported shooting down&nbsp; UFOs in the region.In October 2022, NORAD detected, tracked, positively identified and intercepted two Russian Tu-95 Bear-H bombers entering and operating within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone.&nbsp; This wasNORAD employs a layered defense network of satellites, ground-based and airborne radars and fighter aircraft to detect and track aircraft and inform appropriate actions. NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America.NORAD released no additional details on the Russian aircraft tracked this week.

NORAD: Russian aircraft tracked near Alaska 3 days this week

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a baby.

Just after 1:30p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to the 41st and Forest on a medical call regarding an infant not breathing, according to KCPD Captain Jacob Becchina.

Officers and EMS were led into a residence there where they were directed to a baby that was unresponsive. EMS rendered aid and ultimately declared the baby deceased at the scene.

Detectives responded to the scene for investigation which is customary in any death investigation. They made contact with the people that were present when officers arrived. The circumstances surrounding the death were suspicious enough to raise concerns at that time. 

They called for more detectives and crime scene investigators to process the scene and continue the investigation.

 This is a suspicious death investigation at this time. Detectives want to make sure to gather all evidence with this opportunity, to ensure the case is able to be investigated in the event the medical examiner rules the cause of death a homicide. 

Detectives also have been in touch with the prosecutor’s office to ensure they are aware of the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707574265090.png" alt="Police at the scene of the investigation -Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the investigation -Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a baby.Just after 1:30p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to the 41st and Forest on a medical call regarding an infant not breathing, according to KCPD Captain Jacob Becchina.Officers and EMS were led into a residence there where they were directed to a baby that was unresponsive. EMS rendered aid and ultimately declared the baby deceased at the scene.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707574708662.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Detectives responded to the scene for investigation which is customary in any death investigation. They made contact with the people that were present when officers arrived. The circumstances surrounding the death were suspicious enough to raise concerns at that time. They called for more detectives and crime scene investigators to process the scene and continue the investigation. This is a suspicious death investigation at this time. Detectives want to make sure to gather all evidence with this opportunity, to ensure the case is able to be investigated in the event the medical examiner rules the cause of death a homicide. Detectives also have been in touch with the prosecutor’s office to ensure they are aware of the investigation.

Police investigate death of baby at Kansas City home

JOHNSON COUNTY —A man is going to prison for a violent sex crime.

On Tuesday, 33-year-old Uzziel Badillo-Villalobos was sentenced to just over 12-years in prison, according to Johnson County District Attorney's office.

The sentence stems from an October 2019 incident, according to the&nbsp; &nbsp;district attorney's office. In May of 2020 Badillo-Villalobos was arrested in connection with the crime.

Je was also required to register as a sex offender this week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707304491634.png" alt="Badillo-Villalobos" />
 <figcaption>Badillo-Villalobos</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A man is going to prison for a violent sex crime.On Tuesday, 33-year-old Uzziel Badillo-Villalobos was sentenced to just over 12-years in prison, according to Johnson County District Attorney's office.The sentence stems from an October 2019 incident, according to the&nbsp; &nbsp;district attorney's office. In May of 2020 Badillo-Villalobos was arrested in connection with the crime.Je was also required to register as a sex offender this week.

Kansas man sentenced for violent sex crime

CLAY COUNTY – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) arrested a former Kansas undersheriff.

Just after 4p.m. n Friday, KBI agents arrested Harold Stellner, 55, of Clay Center, when he turned himself in at the Clay County Jail, 539 Lincoln Ave., in Clay Center, according to a media release from the agency.

Stellner was arrested on a requested charges of mistreatment of a confined person, a class A misdemeanor.

On Oct. 4, 2023, the KBI initiated this investigation at the request of the Clay County Sheriff when he discovered evidence of an incident that took place on Sept. 29, at the Clay County Jail. During the incident it is believed Stellner unlawfully struck an inmate. Shortly after, Stellner’s employment was terminated by the Sheriff’s Office.

The Kansas Attorney General’s Office is expected to prosecute the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707528919716.png" alt="Stellner-photo Clay Co." />
 <figcaption>Stellner-photo Clay Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>CLAY COUNTY – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) arrested a former Kansas undersheriff.Just after 4p.m. n Friday, KBI agents arrested Harold Stellner, 55, of Clay Center, when he turned himself in at the Clay County Jail, 539 Lincoln Ave., in Clay Center, according to a media release from the agency.Stellner was arrested on a requested charges of mistreatment of a confined person, a class A misdemeanor.On Oct. 4, 2023, the KBI initiated this investigation at the request of the Clay County Sheriff when he discovered evidence of an incident that took place on Sept. 29, at the Clay County Jail. During the incident it is believed Stellner unlawfully struck an inmate. Shortly after, Stellner’s employment was terminated by the Sheriff’s Office.The Kansas Attorney General’s Office is expected to prosecute the case.

Former Kan. undersheriff accused of striking jail inmate

KANSAS CITY—Authorities are investigating an arson fire in Kansas City.

Just after 12a.m. Friday, the Kansas City Fire Department&nbsp;responded to a fire in a house in the 5100 block of 23rd&nbsp;Street, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

First responders reported heavy fire and smoke from the two-story house.&nbsp; Searches of the home came back all clear, confirming it was vacant.&nbsp; An investigation determined the fire was intentionally set, according to Hopkins. There were no injuries reported.

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707476926675.png" alt="photo KCFD" />
 <figcaption>photo KCFD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Authorities are investigating an arson fire in Kansas City.Just after 12a.m. Friday, the Kansas City Fire Department&nbsp;responded to a fire in a house in the 5100 block of 23rd&nbsp;Street, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.First responders reported heavy fire and smoke from the two-story house.&nbsp; Searches of the home came back all clear, confirming it was vacant.&nbsp; An investigation determined the fire was intentionally set, according to Hopkins. There were no injuries reported.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Fire at Kansas City home intentionally set

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday slammed the report by a Justice Department special counsel into Joe Biden's mishandling of classified documents that raised questions about the president's memory, calling it “politically motivated” and “gratuitous," as the White House said the president would take steps to safeguard classified materials during presidential transitions.

The report from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/sco-hur">Robert Hur</a>, the former Maryland U.S. Attorney selected by Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate Biden found evidence that Biden willfully held onto and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ghostwriter-mark-zwonitzer-classified-documents-case-8ad6e560c2eb54e25db149a2d01ad545">shared with a ghostwriter</a>&nbsp;highly classified information, but laid out why he did not believe the evidence met the standard for criminal charges, including a high probability that the Justice Department would not be able to prove Biden’s intent beyond a reasonable doubt.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/storage/report-from-special-counsel-robert-k-hur-february-2024.pdf">Click here to read&nbsp;</a>the special counsel report

The White House has said Biden erred in having the documents in his home and Ian Sams, a spokesperson for the counsel's office, said Biden would soon name a task force “to ensure that there are better processes in place” to protect classified materials when administrations change.

The report described the 81-year-old Democrat’s memory as “hazy,” “fuzzy,” “faulty,” “poor” and having “significant limitations.” It noted that Biden could not recall defining milestones in his own life such as when his son Beau died or when he served as vice president.

Taking a question from a reporter at the conclusion of a gun violence prevention event at the White House, Harris said that as a former prosecutor, she considered Hur's comments "gratuitous, inaccurate, and inappropriate.”

She noted that Biden's two-day sit-down with Hur occurred just after the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, where more than 1,200 people were killed and about 250 were taken hostage — including many Americans.

“It was an intense moment for the commander in chief of the United States of America," Harris said, saying she spent countless hours with Biden and other officials in the days that followed and he was “on top of it all.”

She added that "the way that the president's demeanor in that report was characterized could not be more wrong on the facts and clearly politically motivated, gratuitous.”

Harris concluded saying a special counsel should have a "higher level of integrity than what we saw.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday slammed the report by a Justice Department special counsel into Joe Biden's mishandling of classified documents that raised questions about the president's memory, calling it “politically motivated” and “gratuitous," as the White House said the president would take steps to safeguard classified materials during presidential transitions.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Vice President Kamala Harris: &quot;The way that the president&#39;s demeanor in that report was characterized could not be more wrong on the facts, and clearly, politically motivated, gratuitous.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/AvmRf9hLO4">pic.twitter.com/AvmRf9hLO4</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1756034019362255086?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The report from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/sco-hur">Robert Hur</a>, the former Maryland U.S. Attorney selected by Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate Biden found evidence that Biden willfully held onto and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ghostwriter-mark-zwonitzer-classified-documents-case-8ad6e560c2eb54e25db149a2d01ad545">shared with a ghostwriter</a>&nbsp;highly classified information, but laid out why he did not believe the evidence met the standard for criminal charges, including a high probability that the Justice Department would not be able to prove Biden’s intent beyond a reasonable doubt.<a href="https://www.justice.gov/storage/report-from-special-counsel-robert-k-hur-february-2024.pdf">Click here to read&nbsp;</a>the special counsel reportThe White House has said Biden erred in having the documents in his home and Ian Sams, a spokesperson for the counsel's office, said Biden would soon name a task force “to ensure that there are better processes in place” to protect classified materials when administrations change.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707478982378.png" alt="Page from the special counsel's report that highlight's Biden's memory challenges.- U.S. Department of Justice" />
 <figcaption>Page from the special counsel's report that highlight's Biden's memory challenges.- U.S. Department of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>The report described the 81-year-old Democrat’s memory as “hazy,” “fuzzy,” “faulty,” “poor” and having “significant limitations.” It noted that Biden could not recall defining milestones in his own life such as when his son Beau died or when he served as vice president.Taking a question from a reporter at the conclusion of a gun violence prevention event at the White House, Harris said that as a former prosecutor, she considered Hur's comments "gratuitous, inaccurate, and inappropriate.”She noted that Biden's two-day sit-down with Hur occurred just after the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, where more than 1,200 people were killed and about 250 were taken hostage — including many Americans.“It was an intense moment for the commander in chief of the United States of America," Harris said, saying she spent countless hours with Biden and other officials in the days that followed and he was “on top of it all.”She added that "the way that the president's demeanor in that report was characterized could not be more wrong on the facts and clearly politically motivated, gratuitous.”Harris concluded saying a special counsel should have a "higher level of integrity than what we saw.”

🎥VP slams 'politically motivated' report on Biden, classified docs

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. —The five deceased Marines from the CH-53E helicopter mishap on February 6, have been identified, according to a statement from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

The decorated Marines were assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and were based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego.

The Super Stallion vanished late Tuesday night on its way back to Miramar from Creech Air Force Base during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-storms-atmospheric-river-383921ec5cc4b41a0b454b236476da5a">a historic storm</a>. The craft was discovered Wednesday morning near the mountain community of Pine Valley.

Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21, of Olathe, Kansas, a CH-53E helicopter crew chief.&nbsp; Davis enlisted in the Marine Corps on September 3, 2019, and was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal on January 1, 2024. His decorations include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and a Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, of Chandler, Arizona, a CH-53E helicopter crew chief. Langen enlisted in the Marine Corps on September 14, 2017, and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on October 1, 2022. His decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and two Sea Service Deployment Ribbons.

Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27, of Emmett, Idaho, a CH-53E helicopter pilot. Moulton commissioned in the Marine Corps on March 29, 2019, and was promoted to the rank of Captain on August 1, 2023. His decorations include the National Defense Service Medal.

Capt. Jack Casey, 26, of Dover, New Hampshire, a CH-53E helicopter pilot. Casey commissioned in the Marine Corps on May 16, 2019, and was promoted to the rank of Captain on September 1, 2023. His decorations include the National Defense Service Medal.

Capt. Miguel Nava, 28, of Traverse City, Michigan, a CH-53E helicopter pilot.&nbsp;Nava commissioned in the Marine Corps on May 26, 2017, and was promoted to the rank of Captain on November 1, 2021. His decorations include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

“We have been confronted with a tragedy that is every service family’s worst fear,” said Lt. Col. Nicholas J. Harvey, commanding officer of HMH-361. “Our top priority now is supporting the families of our fallen heroes, and we ask for your respect and understanding as they grieve. The Flying Tigers family stands strong and includes the friends and community who have supported our squadron during this challenging time. We will get through this together.”

At the time of the mishap, the CH-53E and crew were conducting routine flight training. The mishap is currently under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707503351008.png" alt="Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21, of Olathe, Kan., served as a CH-53E helicopter crew chief. Courtesy of 3rd MAW Communication Strategy and Operations" />
 <figcaption>Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21, of Olathe, Kan., served as a CH-53E helicopter crew chief. Courtesy of 3rd MAW Communication Strategy and Operations</figcaption>
 </figure>MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. —The five deceased Marines from the CH-53E helicopter mishap on February 6, have been identified, according to a statement from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.The decorated Marines were assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and were based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego.The Super Stallion vanished late Tuesday night on its way back to Miramar from Creech Air Force Base during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-storms-atmospheric-river-383921ec5cc4b41a0b454b236476da5a">a historic storm</a>. The craft was discovered Wednesday morning near the mountain community of Pine Valley.The identities of the Marines are&nbsp;Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21, of Olathe, Kansas, a CH-53E helicopter crew chief.&nbsp; Davis enlisted in the Marine Corps on September 3, 2019, and was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal on January 1, 2024. His decorations include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and a Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707503381530.png" alt="Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, of Chandler, Ariz., served as a CH-53E helicopter crew chief. Courtesy of 3rd MAW Communication Strategy and Operations" />
 <figcaption>Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, of Chandler, Ariz., served as a CH-53E helicopter crew chief. Courtesy of 3rd MAW Communication Strategy and Operations</figcaption>
 </figure>Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, of Chandler, Arizona, a CH-53E helicopter crew chief. Langen enlisted in the Marine Corps on September 14, 2017, and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on October 1, 2022. His decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and two Sea Service Deployment Ribbons.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707503174301.png" alt="Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27, of Emmett, Idaho, served as a CH-53E helicopter pilot. Courtesy of 3rd MAW Communication Strategy and Operations" />
 <figcaption>Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27, of Emmett, Idaho, served as a CH-53E helicopter pilot. Courtesy of 3rd MAW Communication Strategy and Operations</figcaption>
 </figure>Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27, of Emmett, Idaho, a CH-53E helicopter pilot. Moulton commissioned in the Marine Corps on March 29, 2019, and was promoted to the rank of Captain on August 1, 2023. His decorations include the National Defense Service Medal.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707503278410.png" alt="Capt. Jack Casey, 26, of Dover, N.H., served as a CH-53E helicopter pilot. Courtesy of 3rd MAW Communication Strategy and Operations" />
 <figcaption>Capt. Jack Casey, 26, of Dover, N.H., served as a CH-53E helicopter pilot. Courtesy of 3rd MAW Communication Strategy and Operations</figcaption>
 </figure>Capt. Jack Casey, 26, of Dover, New Hampshire, a CH-53E helicopter pilot. Casey commissioned in the Marine Corps on May 16, 2019, and was promoted to the rank of Captain on September 1, 2023. His decorations include the National Defense Service Medal.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707503310587.png" alt="Capt. Miguel Nava, 28, of Traverse City, Mich., served as a CH-53E helicopter pilot. Courtesy of 3rd MAW Communication Strategy and Operations" />
 <figcaption>Capt. Miguel Nava, 28, of Traverse City, Mich., served as a CH-53E helicopter pilot. Courtesy of 3rd MAW Communication Strategy and Operations</figcaption>
 </figure>Capt. Miguel Nava, 28, of Traverse City, Michigan, a CH-53E helicopter pilot.&nbsp;Nava commissioned in the Marine Corps on May 26, 2017, and was promoted to the rank of Captain on November 1, 2021. His decorations include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.“We have been confronted with a tragedy that is every service family’s worst fear,” said Lt. Col. Nicholas J. Harvey, commanding officer of HMH-361. “Our top priority now is supporting the families of our fallen heroes, and we ask for your respect and understanding as they grieve. The Flying Tigers family stands strong and includes the friends and community who have supported our squadron during this challenging time. We will get through this together.”At the time of the mishap, the CH-53E and crew were conducting routine flight training. The mishap is currently under investigation.

Kansan among 5 Marines who died in helicopter crash

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707502020553.png" alt="File photo Gov. Laura Kelly during a an event in KCK last month" />
 <figcaption>File photo Gov. Laura Kelly during a an event in KCK last month</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly signed legislation expanding a Kansas tax credit to incentivize purchase of services or goods from vendors employing individuals with disabilities and creating a program to help businesses make the transition to paying people with disabilities at least minimum wage.The reforms designed to improve job prospects of Kansans with disabilities was contained in Senate Bill 15, which last month cleared the Senate 34-0 and the House 117-1.“Kansans with disabilities deserve a fair wage for the work they perform,” Kelly said. “I’m signing this bipartisan legislation to create more opportunities for people with disabilities, grow our workforce and ensure every Kansan can work with dignity and respect.”Under the law, businesses that paid Kansans with disabilities less than minimum wage wouldn’t be eligible for the disability employment tax credit. The aggregate amount of tax credits under the program would be $8 million in the tax years 2024 through 2028.The $1 million matching grant program would help sheltered workshop employers permitted to offer a subminimum wage evolve into an integrated employment environment where workers were paid minimum wage, said Rep. Sean Tarwater, a Stilwell Republican.State grants for help provide pay raises for people with disabilities must be matched dollar-for-dollar by sheltered workshop employers.“By incentivizing businesses that purchase products from companies with integrated workforces, we are creating more jobs for Kansans with disabilities,” Tarwater said. “This spurs local economies across the state as the workforce grows.”The bill defined workshop employers as private, nonprofit, state or local government institutions employing people with intellectual, developmental or physical disabilities.In addition, the law eliminated a requirement Kansans with disabilities work a minimum number of hours to qualify for health insurance coverage.“The Disability Employment Act and the sheltered workshop transition grant program is a win-win for Kansans with disabilities and businesses,” said Martha Gabehart, executive director of the Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns.