SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a veteran police officer on DUI allegations.

Late Monday night, Wichita Police Department (WPD) Command Staff were notified of an arrest of an off-duty WPD Officer by the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department near K42 and Macarthur in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

Deputies booked 49-year-old Chad Spain into the Sedgwick County Jail on charges of Driving Under the Influence and Transport Open Container.

Spain has been employed with WPD for 23 years, and was assigned to the field srvices division. He will now be placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of a criminal and internal investigation.&nbsp;The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678800607699.png" alt="Spain-photo Sedgwick County." />
 <figcaption>Spain-photo Sedgwick County.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a veteran police officer on DUI allegations.Late Monday night, Wichita Police Department (WPD) Command Staff were notified of an arrest of an off-duty WPD Officer by the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department near K42 and Macarthur in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy.Deputies booked 49-year-old Chad Spain into the Sedgwick County Jail on charges of Driving Under the Influence and Transport Open Container.Spain has been employed with WPD for 23 years, and was assigned to the field srvices division. He will now be placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of a criminal and internal investigation.&nbsp;The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the case.

Veteran Kansas police officer accused of DUI

WICHITA (AP) —The city of Wichita on Tuesday approved a $5 million settlement of a lawsuit filed by the family of a man who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2d99b0bb27bb474fa3c2dc893d4dad7d">was shot and killed</a>&nbsp;by a police officer during a hoax call in 2017.

The settlement will go to the two children of 28-year-old Andrew Finch, who was shot by officer Justin Rapp as he stepped out of his house on Dec. 28, 2017, to see why it was surrounded by police.

Finch, who was unarmed, was shot by Rapp within 10 seconds of opening his door. Rapp has said that he thought Finch had a gun.

Finch's death drew national attention to “swatting,” a form of retaliation in which someone reports a false emergency to get authorities, particularly a SWAT team, to respond to an address.

“While this settlement will not bring back our beloved Andy, it helps bring some closure as our family moves forward, especially Andy’s two young children,” Lisa and Dominica Finch, Finch’s mother and sister, respectively, said in a statement.

Investigators later determined the call was the result of a feud between two online gamers over a video game, Shane Gaskill of Wichita and Ohio gamer Casey Viner.

Authorities said Viner recruited Tyler R. Barriss to “swat” Gaskill. Barriss, a Los Angeles man who was known online for “swatting,” called police from Los Angeles to falsely report a shooting and kidnapping at the Wichita address.

But the address they used was old, leading police to Finch, who was not involved in the dispute or playing the video game.

Barriss&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-ea1d3ae559924c1c807ca3fad984e524">is serving 20 years</a>&nbsp;in federal prison after pleading guilty to 51 counts in April 2019. Viner&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-shootings-ap-top-news-courts-police-b54996cd2d154bf8a5a2d51a3bb3ae56">was sentenced</a>&nbsp;to 15 months in September 2019 after pleading guilty to conspiracy and obstruction of justice. Shane&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-kidnapping-wichita-1dc334273f81d08053dd4caa227023b7">Gaskill was sentenced</a>&nbsp;in September 2022 to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud,

Rapp was not charged and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-wichita-7a2ddc0d325aca92c23f488ae131db2a">was later promoted</a>&nbsp;from officer to detective. The city was dropped from the lawsuit but was responsible for Rapp's legal costs.

The city will pay $2 million from its self-insurance fund and $1.5 million from the city council’s reserve fund, with AIG insurance paying the remainder of the settlement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591210545859.png" alt="-Police body camera image the night of the swatting call -Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>-Police body camera image the night of the swatting call -Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA (AP) —The city of Wichita on Tuesday approved a $5 million settlement of a lawsuit filed by the family of a man who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2d99b0bb27bb474fa3c2dc893d4dad7d">was shot and killed</a>&nbsp;by a police officer during a hoax call in 2017.The settlement will go to the two children of 28-year-old Andrew Finch, who was shot by officer Justin Rapp as he stepped out of his house on Dec. 28, 2017, to see why it was surrounded by police.Finch, who was unarmed, was shot by Rapp within 10 seconds of opening his door. Rapp has said that he thought Finch had a gun.Finch's death drew national attention to “swatting,” a form of retaliation in which someone reports a false emergency to get authorities, particularly a SWAT team, to respond to an address.“While this settlement will not bring back our beloved Andy, it helps bring some closure as our family moves forward, especially Andy’s two young children,” Lisa and Dominica Finch, Finch’s mother and sister, respectively, said in a statement.Investigators later determined the call was the result of a feud between two online gamers over a video game, Shane Gaskill of Wichita and Ohio gamer Casey Viner.Authorities said Viner recruited Tyler R. Barriss to “swat” Gaskill. Barriss, a Los Angeles man who was known online for “swatting,” called police from Los Angeles to falsely report a shooting and kidnapping at the Wichita address.But the address they used was old, leading police to Finch, who was not involved in the dispute or playing the video game.Barriss&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-ea1d3ae559924c1c807ca3fad984e524">is serving 20 years</a>&nbsp;in federal prison after pleading guilty to 51 counts in April 2019. Viner&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-shootings-ap-top-news-courts-police-b54996cd2d154bf8a5a2d51a3bb3ae56">was sentenced</a>&nbsp;to 15 months in September 2019 after pleading guilty to conspiracy and obstruction of justice. Shane&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-kidnapping-wichita-1dc334273f81d08053dd4caa227023b7">Gaskill was sentenced</a>&nbsp;in September 2022 to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud,Rapp was not charged and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-wichita-7a2ddc0d325aca92c23f488ae131db2a">was later promoted</a>&nbsp;from officer to detective. The city was dropped from the lawsuit but was responsible for Rapp's legal costs.The city will pay $2 million from its self-insurance fund and $1.5 million from the city council’s reserve fund, with AIG insurance paying the remainder of the settlement.

City of Wichita settles fatal swatting shooting for $5 million

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-expands-by-32-number-of-adult-child-psychiatric-beds-during-past-four-years/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly said 
the number of adult and child psychiatric beds increased by one-third in
 Kansas during the past four years as the state responded to the 
shortage of inpatient services for people struggling with mental 
illness.

Kansas now has 212 inpatient beds for children, 318 adult inpatient 
beds at psychiatric facilities and 424 beds in psychiatric residential 
treatment facilities. That represented increases since 2019 of 42 beds 
for children, 75 beds at adult psychiatric facilities and 116 beds at 
resident treatment facilities. Overall, Kansas added 233 beds during the
 four-year period for a total of 954, representing a 32% rise in 
availability.

Kelly said lack of specialized beds was one of the most significant 
barriers to delivery of mental health care to Kansans statewide.

“A 30% increase in capacity reflects a major step forward,” the governor said. “Now,
 we must continue our progress in addressing the mental health crisis 
here in Kansas by reducing the stigma around mental illness and 
substance use disorders and by dedicating additional much-needed 
resources to these challenges.”

The state relied on federal funding to help 13 community mental 
health centers expand access to mental health services and to support 
certified community behavioral health clinics. The state established 
KansasAgStress.org to share information on mental health issues with 
farmers and ranchers, while expanding mental health programs in schools 
and implementing the 988 crisis and suicide prevention hotline.

“We have made great strides in Kansas toward funding mental health 
and recovery services and building compassionate and cost-effective 
programs and policies that can improve the lives of adults and children 
living with mental illness,” said Laura Howard, secretary of the Kansas 
Department for Aging and Disability Services.

In November 2022, an interim committee of the Legislature recommended
 adding up to 50 beds by establishing a new state hospital in the 
Sedgwick County area. The expansion was sought by local governments, law
 enforcement leaders and others eager to address a concentration of 
individuals with psychiatric challenges in south-central Kansas.

Another issue discussed by legislators has been the shortage of 
mental health and developmental disability technicians across the state.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678395441542.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly marked Kansas Mental Health Advocacy Day at the Capitol by announcing the number of adult and child psychiatric beds in Kansas had increased 32% during the past four years to nearly 1,000. A Kansas legislative committee has endorsed a plan to open a 50-bed state hospital in Sedgwick County. (Submitted) " />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly marked Kansas Mental Health Advocacy Day at the Capitol by announcing the number of adult and child psychiatric beds in Kansas had increased 32% during the past four years to nearly 1,000. A Kansas legislative committee has endorsed a plan to open a 50-bed state hospital in Sedgwick County. (Submitted) </figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-expands-by-32-number-of-adult-child-psychiatric-beds-during-past-four-years/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly said 
the number of adult and child psychiatric beds increased by one-third in
 Kansas during the past four years as the state responded to the 
shortage of inpatient services for people struggling with mental 
illness.Kansas now has 212 inpatient beds for children, 318 adult inpatient 
beds at psychiatric facilities and 424 beds in psychiatric residential 
treatment facilities. That represented increases since 2019 of 42 beds 
for children, 75 beds at adult psychiatric facilities and 116 beds at 
resident treatment facilities. Overall, Kansas added 233 beds during the
 four-year period for a total of 954, representing a 32% rise in 
availability.Kelly said lack of specialized beds was one of the most significant 
barriers to delivery of mental health care to Kansans statewide.“A 30% increase in capacity reflects a major step forward,” the governor said. “Now,
 we must continue our progress in addressing the mental health crisis 
here in Kansas by reducing the stigma around mental illness and 
substance use disorders and by dedicating additional much-needed 
resources to these challenges.”The state relied on federal funding to help 13 community mental 
health centers expand access to mental health services and to support 
certified community behavioral health clinics. The state established 
KansasAgStress.org to share information on mental health issues with 
farmers and ranchers, while expanding mental health programs in schools 
and implementing the 988 crisis and suicide prevention hotline.“We have made great strides in Kansas toward funding mental health 
and recovery services and building compassionate and cost-effective 
programs and policies that can improve the lives of adults and children 
living with mental illness,” said Laura Howard, secretary of the Kansas 
Department for Aging and Disability Services.In November 2022, an interim committee of the Legislature recommended
 adding up to 50 beds by establishing a new state hospital in the 
Sedgwick County area. The expansion was sought by local governments, law
 enforcement leaders and others eager to address a concentration of 
individuals with psychiatric challenges in south-central Kansas.Another issue discussed by legislators has been the shortage of 
mental health and developmental disability technicians across the state.

Number of Kan. psychiatric beds grows by a third during past four years

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting in southwest Kansas will not file charges, according to a media release from Garden City Police.

Just before 5:30a.m. March 6, police responded to report of a shooting in the 2600 Block of North 3rd Street in Garden City.

First responders found 27-year-old Braxton Lloyd inside a residence with a gunshot wound.&nbsp; EMS transported him to St. Catherine Hospital and later he was transferred to a Wichita hospital where he died.

Investigators determine Lloyd was picked up by a family member after being out for the evening. An altercation ensued between the individuals and another family member at the residence, according to police.

Lloyd allegedly produced a firearm and threatened family members when he was shot.&nbsp;

Garden City Police and the Finney County Attorney’s Office reviewed evidence gathered as part of the investigation.

At this time, both agree the evidence available provides probable cause that the suspect in the shooting acted in self-defense. Therefore, no arrests should be made, and no charges will be filed.&nbsp;

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting in southwest Kansas will not file charges, according to a media release from Garden City Police.Just before 5:30a.m. March 6, police responded to report of a shooting in the 2600 Block of North 3rd Street in Garden City.First responders found 27-year-old Braxton Lloyd inside a residence with a gunshot wound.&nbsp; EMS transported him to St. Catherine Hospital and later he was transferred to a Wichita hospital where he died.Investigators determine Lloyd was picked up by a family member after being out for the evening. An altercation ensued between the individuals and another family member at the residence, according to police.Lloyd allegedly produced a firearm and threatened family members when he was shot.&nbsp;Garden City Police and the Finney County Attorney’s Office reviewed evidence gathered as part of the investigation.At this time, both agree the evidence available provides probable cause that the suspect in the shooting acted in self-defense. Therefore, no arrests should be made, and no charges will be filed.&nbsp;---------

Co. attorney: Suspect in SW Kan. killing acted in self defense

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian fighter jet struck the propeller of a U.S. surveillance drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday in a “brazen violation of international law,” causing American forces to bring down the unmanned aerial vehicle, the U.S. said.

The incident, which raised tensions over Moscow's war in Ukraine, appeared to mark the first time since the height of the Cold War that a U.S. aircraft was brought down after being hit by a Russian warplane.

U.S. President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident by national security adviser Jake Sullivan, according to White House National Security spokesman John Kirby. He added that U.S. State Department officials would be speaking directly with their Russian counterparts and “expressing our concerns over this unsafe and unprofessional intercept.”

State Department spokesman Ned Price called it a “brazen violation of international law.” He said the U.S. summoned the Russian ambassador to lodge a protest and the U.S. ambassador to Russia, Lynne Tracy, has made similar representations in Moscow.

The U.S. European Command said in a statement that two Russian Su-27 fighter jets “conducted an unsafe and unprofessional intercept” of a U.S. MQ-9 drone that was operating within international airspace over the Black Sea.

It said one of the Russian fighters “struck the propeller of the MQ-9, causing U.S. forces to have to bring the MQ-9 down in international waters.” Prior to that, the Su-27s dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 several times before the collision in “a reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner,” the U.S. European Command said in a statement from Stuttgart, Germany.

“This incident demonstrates a lack of competence in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional,” it added.

U.S. Air Force Gen. James B. Hecker, commander of U.S. Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa, said the MQ-9 aircraft was "conducting routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian aircraft, resulting in a crash and complete loss of the MQ-9.” He added that “in fact, this unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russians nearly caused both aircraft to crash.”

There was no immediate reaction from Moscow, which has repeatedly voiced concern about U.S. intelligence flights close to the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014. The Kremlin has charged that by providing weapons to Ukraine and sharing intelligence information with Kyiv, the U.S. and its allies have effectively become engaged in the conflict.

Kirby emphasized that the incident wouldn’t deter the U.S. from continuing their missions in the area.

“if the message is that they want to deter or dissuade us from flying, and operating in international airspace, over the Black Sea, then that message will fail,” Kirby said, adding “that is not going to happen.”

“We’re going to continue to fly and operate in international airspace over international waters,” he said. “The Black Sea belongs to no one nation.”

The U.S. European Command said the incident followed a pattern of dangerous actions by Russian pilots while interacting with U.S. and Allied aircraft over international airspace, including over the Black Sea.

“These aggressive actions by Russian aircrew are dangerous and could lead to miscalculation and unintended escalation,” it warned.

Gen. David Berger, commandant of the Marine Corps, said that this type of collision is his greatest concern, both in that area of Europe as well as in the Pacific.

“Probably my biggest worry both there and in the Pacific is an aggressive Russia or China pilot or vessel captain, or something gets too close, doesn’t realize where they are, and causes a collision,” Berger said, in response to a question at a National Press Club event on Tuesday.

He said that whether an incident is intentional or not, it forces nation’s leaders to try and sort it out quickly from afar.

Amid the continuing fighting in Ukraine, a Russian missile on Tuesday struck an apartment building in the center of Kramatorsk, killing at least one person and wounding nine others in one of Ukraine’s major city strongholds in its eastern Donetsk region.

The victims were among at least seven civilians killed and 30 wounded in 24 hours, Ukraine authorities said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a video showing gaping holes in the façade of the low-rise building that bore the brunt of the strike. The impact damaged nine apartment blocks, a kindergarten, a local bank branch and two cars, said regional Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko.

“Russian troops are striking residential buildings, schools and hospitals, leaving cities on fire and in ruins,” Kyrylenko said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking Tuesday during a meeting with workers at a helicopter factory in southern Siberia, once again cast the conflict in Ukraine as an existential one for Russia, charging that unlike the West — which, he said, is seeking to advance its geopolitical clout — it’s fighting for its existence as a state.

“For us, it’s not a geopolitical task," Putin said, "it’s the task of survival of Russian statehood and the creation of conditions for the future development of our country.”

Russia had welcomed a Chinese peace proposal to end the fighting, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that Kyiv’s refusal to have talks leaves Moscow with only military options.

“We must achieve our goals,” Peskov told reporters. “Given the current stance of the Kyiv regime, now it’s only possible by military means.”

The Russian onslaught has focused on the devastated eastern city of Bakhmut where Kyiv's troops have been fending off Russian attacks for seven months and which has become a symbol of Ukraine's resistance, as well as a focal point of the war.

Zelenskyy discussed the situation in Bakhmut with the top military brass and they were unanimous in their determination to face down the Russian onslaught, according to the presidential office.

“The defensive operation in (Bakhmut) is of paramount strategic importance to deterring the enemy. It is key for the stability of the defense of the entire frontline,” Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian fighter jet on Tuesday struck the propeller of a U.S. surveillance drone over the Black Sea, causing American forces to bring down the unmanned aerial vehicle in international waters, the U.S. military said, an incident that highlighted soaring U.S.-Russian tensions over Moscow's war in Ukraine.

White House National Security spokesman John Kirby said U.S. President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident by national security adviser Jake Sullivan.

It said one of the Russian fighters “struck the propeller of the MQ-9, causing U.S. forces to have to bring the MQ-9 down in international waters.” Prior to that, the Su-27s dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 several times before the collision in “a reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner,” the U.S. European Command said in a statement from Stuttgart, Germany

There was no immediate reaction from Moscow, which has repeatedly voiced concern about U.S. intelligence flights close to the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

Amid the continuing fighting in Ukraine, A Russian missile struck an apartment building in the center of Kramatorsk on Tuesday, killing at least one person and wounding nine others in one of Ukraine’s major city strongholds in its eastern Donetsk region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a video showing gaping holes in the façade of the low-rise building that bore the brunt of the strike.

The Ukrainian general prosecutor’s office and regional Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko also reported on the attack, posting photos of the building with mounds of rubble in front of it. The impact damaged nine apartment blocks, a kindergarten, a local bank branch and two cars, Kyrylenko said.

The war, which erupted after Russia’s launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, has brought&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-health-doctors-without-borders-government-and-politics-b87823403f6dc148a8d728e73ad2cbae">heavy civilian casualties</a>. Tuesday’s victims were among at least seven civilians killed and 30 wounded in 24 hours, Ukraine authorities said.

They included a 55-year-old woman killed when a Russian shell hit her car Tuesday in a border town in northeastern Ukraine.

“Russian troops are striking residential buildings, schools and hospitals, leaving cities on fire and in ruins,” Kyrylenko, the regional governor, said on Ukrainian television. “The Russians mark each meter (yard) of their advance in the region not only with their own blood, but also with the (lost) lives of civilians.”

Kramatorsk houses the local Ukrainian army headquarters. Ukrainian authorities say it has been regularly targeted by Russian shelling and other attacks in the past.

A missile strike on the city’s train station last April, which Kyiv and much of the international community blamed on Moscow, killed dozens of people and wounded more than 100.

Ukrainian forces have also dug in, especially in the devastated eastern city of Bakhmut where Kyiv's troops have been fending off Russian attacks for seven months and which has become a symbol of Ukraine's resistance, as well as a focal point of the war.

Putin emphasized that his country’s industries have survived the blow of Western sanctions. But he acknowledged those sanctions could bring longer-term problems for the Russian economy.

Russia had welcomed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/peace-talks-russia-ukraine-china-b6ce7e237f6f9037ad317a69d2f1373a">Chinese peace proposal</a>&nbsp;to end the fighting, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that Kyiv's refusal to have talks leaves Moscow with only military options.

Beijing has said it has a “no limits friendship” with Russia and has refused to criticize Moscow’s invasion, or even refer to it as an invasion.

However, Moscow’s pursuit of its goals in Ukraine has been slowed by poor war management and short resources after being beaten back at the end of last year in a Ukrainian counteroffensive, military analysts say.

The U.K. Ministry of Defense said Tuesday that Russia’s artillery ammunition shortages “have likely worsened to the extent that extremely punitive shell-rationing is in force on many parts of the front.”

That shortcoming, it said, has “almost certainly been a key reason why no Russian formation has recently been able to generate operationally significant offensive action.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678817249159.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian fighter jet struck the propeller of a U.S. surveillance drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday in a “brazen violation of international law,” causing American forces to bring down the unmanned aerial vehicle, the U.S. said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/PentagonPresSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PentagonPresSec</a> confirms two Russian aircraft conducted &quot;unsafe and unprofessional intercept&quot; with an unmanned <a href="https://twitter.com/usairforce?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@usairforce</a> aircraft in international airspace: &quot;This incident demonstrates a lack of competence in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Iox1T1DDFs">pic.twitter.com/Iox1T1DDFs</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1635718468807819296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The incident, which raised tensions over Moscow's war in Ukraine, appeared to mark the first time since the height of the Cold War that a U.S. aircraft was brought down after being hit by a Russian warplane.U.S. President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident by national security adviser Jake Sullivan, according to White House National Security spokesman John Kirby. He added that U.S. State Department officials would be speaking directly with their Russian counterparts and “expressing our concerns over this unsafe and unprofessional intercept.”State Department spokesman Ned Price called it a “brazen violation of international law.” He said the U.S. summoned the Russian ambassador to lodge a protest and the U.S. ambassador to Russia, Lynne Tracy, has made similar representations in Moscow.The U.S. European Command said in a statement that two Russian Su-27 fighter jets “conducted an unsafe and unprofessional intercept” of a U.S. MQ-9 drone that was operating within international airspace over the Black Sea.It said one of the Russian fighters “struck the propeller of the MQ-9, causing U.S. forces to have to bring the MQ-9 down in international waters.” Prior to that, the Su-27s dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 several times before the collision in “a reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner,” the U.S. European Command said in a statement from Stuttgart, Germany.“This incident demonstrates a lack of competence in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional,” it added.U.S. Air Force Gen. James B. Hecker, commander of U.S. Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa, said the MQ-9 aircraft was "conducting routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian aircraft, resulting in a crash and complete loss of the MQ-9.” He added that “in fact, this unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russians nearly caused both aircraft to crash.”There was no immediate reaction from Moscow, which has repeatedly voiced concern about U.S. intelligence flights close to the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014. The Kremlin has charged that by providing weapons to Ukraine and sharing intelligence information with Kyiv, the U.S. and its allies have effectively become engaged in the conflict.Kirby emphasized that the incident wouldn’t deter the U.S. from continuing their missions in the area.“if the message is that they want to deter or dissuade us from flying, and operating in international airspace, over the Black Sea, then that message will fail,” Kirby said, adding “that is not going to happen.”“We’re going to continue to fly and operate in international airspace over international waters,” he said. “The Black Sea belongs to no one nation.”The U.S. European Command said the incident followed a pattern of dangerous actions by Russian pilots while interacting with U.S. and Allied aircraft over international airspace, including over the Black Sea.“These aggressive actions by Russian aircrew are dangerous and could lead to miscalculation and unintended escalation,” it warned.Gen. David Berger, commandant of the Marine Corps, said that this type of collision is his greatest concern, both in that area of Europe as well as in the Pacific.“Probably my biggest worry both there and in the Pacific is an aggressive Russia or China pilot or vessel captain, or something gets too close, doesn’t realize where they are, and causes a collision,” Berger said, in response to a question at a National Press Club event on Tuesday.He said that whether an incident is intentional or not, it forces nation’s leaders to try and sort it out quickly from afar.Amid the continuing fighting in Ukraine, a Russian missile on Tuesday struck an apartment building in the center of Kramatorsk, killing at least one person and wounding nine others in one of Ukraine’s major city strongholds in its eastern Donetsk region.The victims were among at least seven civilians killed and 30 wounded in 24 hours, Ukraine authorities said.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a video showing gaping holes in the façade of the low-rise building that bore the brunt of the strike. The impact damaged nine apartment blocks, a kindergarten, a local bank branch and two cars, said regional Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko.“Russian troops are striking residential buildings, schools and hospitals, leaving cities on fire and in ruins,” Kyrylenko said.Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking Tuesday during a meeting with workers at a helicopter factory in southern Siberia, once again cast the conflict in Ukraine as an existential one for Russia, charging that unlike the West — which, he said, is seeking to advance its geopolitical clout — it’s fighting for its existence as a state.“For us, it’s not a geopolitical task," Putin said, "it’s the task of survival of Russian statehood and the creation of conditions for the future development of our country.”Russia had welcomed a Chinese peace proposal to end the fighting, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that Kyiv’s refusal to have talks leaves Moscow with only military options.“We must achieve our goals,” Peskov told reporters. “Given the current stance of the Kyiv regime, now it’s only possible by military means.”The Russian onslaught has focused on the devastated eastern city of Bakhmut where Kyiv's troops have been fending off Russian attacks for seven months and which has become a symbol of Ukraine's resistance, as well as a focal point of the war.Zelenskyy discussed the situation in Bakhmut with the top military brass and they were unanimous in their determination to face down the Russian onslaught, according to the presidential office.“The defensive operation in (Bakhmut) is of paramount strategic importance to deterring the enemy. It is key for the stability of the defense of the entire frontline,” Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said.-------------------KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian fighter jet on Tuesday struck the propeller of a U.S. surveillance drone over the Black Sea, causing American forces to bring down the unmanned aerial vehicle in international waters, the U.S. military said, an incident that highlighted soaring U.S.-Russian tensions over Moscow's war in Ukraine.White House National Security spokesman John Kirby said U.S. President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident by national security adviser Jake Sullivan.The U.S. European Command said in a statement that two Russian Su-27 fighter jets “conducted an unsafe and unprofessional intercept” of a U.S. MQ-9 drone that was operating within international airspace over the Black Sea.It said one of the Russian fighters “struck the propeller of the MQ-9, causing U.S. forces to have to bring the MQ-9 down in international waters.” Prior to that, the Su-27s dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 several times before the collision in “a reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner,” the U.S. European Command said in a statement from Stuttgart, Germany“This incident demonstrates a lack of competence in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional,” it added.There was no immediate reaction from Moscow, which has repeatedly voiced concern about U.S. intelligence flights close to the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014.Amid the continuing fighting in Ukraine, A Russian missile struck an apartment building in the center of Kramatorsk on Tuesday, killing at least one person and wounding nine others in one of Ukraine’s major city strongholds in its eastern Donetsk region.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a video showing gaping holes in the façade of the low-rise building that bore the brunt of the strike.The Ukrainian general prosecutor’s office and regional Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko also reported on the attack, posting photos of the building with mounds of rubble in front of it. The impact damaged nine apartment blocks, a kindergarten, a local bank branch and two cars, Kyrylenko said.The war, which erupted after Russia’s launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, has brought&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-health-doctors-without-borders-government-and-politics-b87823403f6dc148a8d728e73ad2cbae">heavy civilian casualties</a>. Tuesday’s victims were among at least seven civilians killed and 30 wounded in 24 hours, Ukraine authorities said.They included a 55-year-old woman killed when a Russian shell hit her car Tuesday in a border town in northeastern Ukraine.“Russian troops are striking residential buildings, schools and hospitals, leaving cities on fire and in ruins,” Kyrylenko, the regional governor, said on Ukrainian television. “The Russians mark each meter (yard) of their advance in the region not only with their own blood, but also with the (lost) lives of civilians.”Kramatorsk houses the local Ukrainian army headquarters. Ukrainian authorities say it has been regularly targeted by Russian shelling and other attacks in the past.A missile strike on the city’s train station last April, which Kyiv and much of the international community blamed on Moscow, killed dozens of people and wounded more than 100.Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking Tuesday during a meeting with workers at a helicopter factory in southern Siberia, once again cast the conflict in Ukraine as an existential one for Russia, charging that unlike the West — which, he said, is seeking to advance its geopolitical clout — it’s fighting for its existence as a state.“For us, it’s not a geopolitical task," Putin said, "it’s the task of survival of Russian statehood and the creation of conditions for the future development of our country.”Ukrainian forces have also dug in, especially in the devastated eastern city of Bakhmut where Kyiv's troops have been fending off Russian attacks for seven months and which has become a symbol of Ukraine's resistance, as well as a focal point of the war.Zelenskyy discussed the situation in Bakhmut with the top military brass and they were unanimous in their determination to face down the Russian onslaught, according to the presidential office.“The defensive operation in (Bakhmut) is of paramount strategic importance to deterring the enemy. It is key for the stability of the defense of the entire frontline,” Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said.Putin emphasized that his country’s industries have survived the blow of Western sanctions. But he acknowledged those sanctions could bring longer-term problems for the Russian economy.Russia had welcomed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/peace-talks-russia-ukraine-china-b6ce7e237f6f9037ad317a69d2f1373a">Chinese peace proposal</a>&nbsp;to end the fighting, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that Kyiv's refusal to have talks leaves Moscow with only military options.Beijing has said it has a “no limits friendship” with Russia and has refused to criticize Moscow’s invasion, or even refer to it as an invasion.“We must achieve our goals,” Peskov told reporters. “Given the current stance of the Kyiv regime, now it’s only possible by military means.”However, Moscow’s pursuit of its goals in Ukraine has been slowed by poor war management and short resources after being beaten back at the end of last year in a Ukrainian counteroffensive, military analysts say.The U.K. Ministry of Defense said Tuesday that Russia’s artillery ammunition shortages “have likely worsened to the extent that extremely punitive shell-rationing is in force on many parts of the front.”That shortcoming, it said, has “almost certainly been a key reason why no Russian formation has recently been able to generate operationally significant offensive action.”

🎥Russian fighter jet downs U.S. surveillance drone over Black Sea

SEWARD COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities investigating a double murder in southwest Kansas have a suspect in custody.

Just before 1 a.m. Monday, crews responded to a house fire in the 900 block of Maple Street in Liberal, according to a media release.

Officers found a woman inside the door who was unconscious. EMS transported her to Southwest Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. Once the fire was extinguished, the fire department found a man who was also dead inside.

Just before 6a.m. Monday, law enforcement learned of a suspect in the crime was driving a Kia Optima southbound on U.S. 83 ten miles north of Hamlin, Texas.&nbsp; According to police, the suspect was threatening "suicide by cop."

Officers conducted a "high risk felony stop" on the vehicle after it traveled south of the Hamlin city limits. The driver identified as 22-year-old Hector Jesus Rey hesitated at first but finally exited the car and was taken into custody. He is being held in the Jones County Jail in connection with the death of two family member, according Police Chief Bobby Evans who spoke to&nbsp; detectives in Kansas. Investigators were expected in Jones County late Monday to interview Rey and collect evidence that had been secured, according to Evans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678801340555.png" alt="Rey-photo Jones County, Texas" />
 <figcaption>Rey-photo Jones County, Texas</figcaption>
 </figure>SEWARD COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities investigating a double murder in southwest Kansas have a suspect in custody.Just before 1 a.m. Monday, crews responded to a house fire in the 900 block of Maple Street in Liberal, according to a media release.Officers found a woman inside the door who was unconscious. EMS transported her to Southwest Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. Once the fire was extinguished, the fire department found a man who was also dead inside.Just before 6a.m. Monday, law enforcement learned of a suspect in the crime was driving a Kia Optima southbound on U.S. 83 ten miles north of Hamlin, Texas.&nbsp; According to police, the suspect was threatening "suicide by cop."Officers conducted a "high risk felony stop" on the vehicle after it traveled south of the Hamlin city limits. The driver identified as 22-year-old Hector Jesus Rey hesitated at first but finally exited the car and was taken into custody. He is being held in the Jones County Jail in connection with the death of two family member, according Police Chief Bobby Evans who spoke to&nbsp; detectives in Kansas. Investigators were expected in Jones County late Monday to interview Rey and collect evidence that had been secured, according to Evans.

Man accused of killing family members in Kansas captured in Texas

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on multiple allegations after an incident involving a woman and her child.

Just before 11a.m. Monday, police responded to a domestic disturbance in the 3700 block of SW 29th Street in Topeka, according to city spokesperson Rosie Nichols.

 Upon arrival, officers determined that a man later identified as Konner E. Almaraz, 20, of Topeka, had kidnapped a woman.

An infant was involved in the incident, but not kidnapped. Police investigators quickly located the woman and the baby and they were safe.

During the course of the investigation, police located Almaraz&nbsp; in the 3100 block of SW Gainsboro Road.

Almaraz barricaded himself inside a home for about an hour. Police Crisis Negotiators were able to get him to leave the home, and he was taken into custody without incident and&nbsp;booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Kidnapping, Criminal Restraint, Endangering a Child, Aggravated Domestic Battery, Battery, Intimidation of a Witness, Possession of Opioid, Criminal Damage to Property and Theft.&nbsp; 

Police have not released details on the relationship between Almaraz and the victim.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678756854043.png" alt="Almaraz-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Almaraz-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on multiple allegations after an incident involving a woman and her child.Just before 11a.m. Monday, police responded to a domestic disturbance in the 3700 block of SW 29th Street in Topeka, according to city spokesperson Rosie Nichols. Upon arrival, officers determined that a man later identified as Konner E. Almaraz, 20, of Topeka, had kidnapped a woman.An infant was involved in the incident, but not kidnapped. Police investigators quickly located the woman and the baby and they were safe.During the course of the investigation, police located Almaraz&nbsp; in the 3100 block of SW Gainsboro Road.Almaraz barricaded himself inside a home for about an hour. Police Crisis Negotiators were able to get him to leave the home, and he was taken into custody without incident and&nbsp;booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Kidnapping, Criminal Restraint, Endangering a Child, Aggravated Domestic Battery, Battery, Intimidation of a Witness, Possession of Opioid, Criminal Damage to Property and Theft.&nbsp; Police have not released details on the relationship between Almaraz and the victim.

Police locate Kansas woman, infant after alleged kidnapping

WASHINGTON (AP) —In 2016, Vice President Joe Biden warned against efforts to unravel banking regulations that Democrats had fought to implement following the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-uk-bailout-hsbc-sale-4d2da0e9c6f39c0fd8faf321a2b295cf?utm_source=apnewsnav&amp;utm_medium=featured">nation’s financial crisis</a>, just as the emerging Trump administration was determined to loosen those strict banking rules.

Biden argued that without the far-reaching 2010 banking overhaul known as Dodd-Frank, financial institutions would continue to gamble with consumers' cash and ultimately hurt the middle class.

“We can’t go back to the days when financial companies take massive risks with the knowledge that a taxpayer bailout is around the corner when they fail,” Biden said in a speech at Georgetown University in the waning days of the Obama administration.

Now there's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/banks-federal-reserve-silicon-valley-lending-rescue-a04875a164165b50e971ff4576bf4e27">a banking crisis on his watch as president</a>, and Biden is moving aggressively to assure the public that it is contained,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/signature-bank-fdic-barney-frank-silicon-valley-6ad86262d9945675a42d735b66ace4f2">bank executives will be fired</a>, deposits are safe and taxpayers aren't on the hook — measures also designed to calm jittery financial markets.

As he contemplates an announcement for a second term, Biden's ability to avert a contagion among financial institutions will test his contention that his administration represents competence and stability in contrast to the the chaos of the Donald Trump years.

His call for additional regulation, though, is likely to run into stiff resistance in the Republican-controlled House and even among some moderate Democratic lawmakers who joined Republicans to loosen some rules in a 2018 law — not to mention criticism from the still-forming 2024 Republican field that has already labeled his actions a bailout by just another name.

Privately, Biden has been adamant that the government's intervention would not be like that of 2008, when Congress authorized billions in taxpayer cash to rescue financial institutions that were deemed too big to fail. That's according to a senior White House official, who was not authorized to describe private discussion by name.

But administration officials believe that this time they had to act substantively despite bad decision-making by bank executives, given the economic risks and the potential impact on customers who did nothing wrong.

Unlike in 2008, Biden was insistent that bank executives had to pay a price, said the official, granted anonymity to discuss internal White House deliberations.

“The management of these banks will be fired,” Biden declared Monday. If an institution is taken over by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., “the people running the bank should not work there anymore.”

(Click below to watch the President's comments)

On Monday, Biden also stressed that taxpayers will not bear the cost of his administration's penalties on the two failed banks, instead tapping into an insurance fund that is paid for by bank fees. And while customers and small businesses who stashed their money with the penalized banks would be protected, Biden emphasized that investors would not.

“They knowingly took a risk and when the risk didn’t pay off, investors lose their money,” Biden said. “That’s how capitalism works.”

California Rep. Maxine Waters, the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, said that Biden, like others, cannot ignore the lessons of the 2008 financial collapse and that having endured it firsthand, the president was well aware of the stakes. In conversations over the weekend, the White House assured her he was on top of it.

“I think that his main concern was how to, No. 1, take care of the depositors and avoid contagion so that we would not basically, seriously, disrupt the banking system in this country," Waters said.

Regulators put Silicon Valley Bank under FDIC control on Friday afternoon after panicked depositors rushed to withdraw all their funds within a matter of hours. That's a bank run. Top administration officials including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen stressed that they were monitoring the situation, as reports of companies struggling to figure out how to manage their finances amid the two banks' shutdown rippled throughout the media and threatened regional banks around the country.

By Sunday night, Treasury, the Federal Reserve and the FDIC announced that all Silicon Valley Bank clients would be able to access their money, as would depositors from Signature Bank in New York, which similarly failed and would be taken over by state regulators. As administration officials were working behind the scenes, Biden was regularly briefed by his chief of staff, Jeff Zients, National Economic Council director Lael Brainard and Yellen throughout the weekend, according to the White House.

Biden also spoke with outside economists, although the White House declined to identify them.

Administration officials also worked to brief lawmakers over the weekend, although several Republicans were left off a call for senators with Treasury and FDIC officials on Sunday night. After Republicans protested publicly, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., pointed out to Treasury that GOP senators were excluded, the administration quickly convened a separate briefing for Senate Republicans on Monday afternoon.

There, several GOP senators conveyed their concerns to administration officials that Silicon Valley executives were being rescued in a way that could ultimately harm community banks in their home states, according to a person with knowledge of the call who was granted anonymity to discuss a private conversation. That would be because these banks would be assessed new fees to replenish the insurance fund that the administration tapped to aid the two failed banks' depositors.

Indeed, the political specter of the word “bailout” will linger over the White House for some time.

Republicans angling for the 2024 presidential nomination are already arguing that customers will ultimately bear the costs of the government's actions even if taxpayer funds weren't directly used. Some economists believe more fees levied on banks will just get passed onto consumers, such as increased rates for loans.

“Joe Biden is pretending this isn’t a bailout. It is," former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said, arguing that depositors at other banks now are “forced to subsidize Silicon Valley Bank’s mismanagement” and that bank customers will ultimately be responsible for the costs if the insurance fund is drained.

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., the top Republican on the Senate Banking Committee who is eyeing a presidential bid, also criticized what he called a “culture of government intervention,” arguing that it incentivizes banks to continue risky behavior if they know federal agencies will ultimately rescue them.

White House and other administration officials are insisting their actions are not a bailout. But Harvard University economist Kenneth Rogoff said while he agrees that the government is rightly protecting the two banks' depositors, the money spent to make them whole is “certainly a bailout.”

“The government swore after the financial crisis it was not going to bail out uninsured depositors and it was not going to bail out money funds," Rogoff said. "It basically, as I understand it, is guaranteeing everything. So that’s certainly a bailout.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678567122405.png" alt="-Regulators put Silicon Valley Bank under FDIC control on Friday-The bank's branch in Santa Clara, California -Google image" />
 <figcaption>-Regulators put Silicon Valley Bank under FDIC control on Friday-The bank's branch in Santa Clara, California -Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —In 2016, Vice President Joe Biden warned against efforts to unravel banking regulations that Democrats had fought to implement following the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-uk-bailout-hsbc-sale-4d2da0e9c6f39c0fd8faf321a2b295cf?utm_source=apnewsnav&amp;utm_medium=featured">nation’s financial crisis</a>, just as the emerging Trump administration was determined to loosen those strict banking rules.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The FDIC will bail out Silicon Valley billionaires, forcing community bankers in Kansas to pay for the abysmal failures of a woke California bank. What kind of precedent is that? Why do we even have a limit on FDIC insurance if we simply ignore it when times get tough?&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1635359949080637441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden argued that without the far-reaching 2010 banking overhaul known as Dodd-Frank, financial institutions would continue to gamble with consumers' cash and ultimately hurt the middle class.“We can’t go back to the days when financial companies take massive risks with the knowledge that a taxpayer bailout is around the corner when they fail,” Biden said in a speech at Georgetown University in the waning days of the Obama administration.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Let me be clear. I will vote NO on any bill to bailout Silicon Valley Bank.&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1635374515550302208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Now there's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/banks-federal-reserve-silicon-valley-lending-rescue-a04875a164165b50e971ff4576bf4e27">a banking crisis on his watch as president</a>, and Biden is moving aggressively to assure the public that it is contained,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/signature-bank-fdic-barney-frank-silicon-valley-6ad86262d9945675a42d735b66ace4f2">bank executives will be fired</a>, deposits are safe and taxpayers aren't on the hook — measures also designed to calm jittery financial markets.As he contemplates an announcement for a second term, Biden's ability to avert a contagion among financial institutions will test his contention that his administration represents competence and stability in contrast to the the chaos of the Donald Trump years.His call for additional regulation, though, is likely to run into stiff resistance in the Republican-controlled House and even among some moderate Democratic lawmakers who joined Republicans to loosen some rules in a 2018 law — not to mention criticism from the still-forming 2024 Republican field that has already labeled his actions a bailout by just another name.Privately, Biden has been adamant that the government's intervention would not be like that of 2008, when Congress authorized billions in taxpayer cash to rescue financial institutions that were deemed too big to fail. That's according to a senior White House official, who was not authorized to describe private discussion by name.But administration officials believe that this time they had to act substantively despite bad decision-making by bank executives, given the economic risks and the potential impact on customers who did nothing wrong.Unlike in 2008, Biden was insistent that bank executives had to pay a price, said the official, granted anonymity to discuss internal White House deliberations.“The management of these banks will be fired,” Biden declared Monday. If an institution is taken over by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., “the people running the bank should not work there anymore.”(Click below to watch the President's comments)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F241554121562075%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=4" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>On Monday, Biden also stressed that taxpayers will not bear the cost of his administration's penalties on the two failed banks, instead tapping into an insurance fund that is paid for by bank fees. And while customers and small businesses who stashed their money with the penalized banks would be protected, Biden emphasized that investors would not.“They knowingly took a risk and when the risk didn’t pay off, investors lose their money,” Biden said. “That’s how capitalism works.”California Rep. Maxine Waters, the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, said that Biden, like others, cannot ignore the lessons of the 2008 financial collapse and that having endured it firsthand, the president was well aware of the stakes. In conversations over the weekend, the White House assured her he was on top of it.“I think that his main concern was how to, No. 1, take care of the depositors and avoid contagion so that we would not basically, seriously, disrupt the banking system in this country," Waters said.Regulators put Silicon Valley Bank under FDIC control on Friday afternoon after panicked depositors rushed to withdraw all their funds within a matter of hours. That's a bank run. Top administration officials including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen stressed that they were monitoring the situation, as reports of companies struggling to figure out how to manage their finances amid the two banks' shutdown rippled throughout the media and threatened regional banks around the country.By Sunday night, Treasury, the Federal Reserve and the FDIC announced that all Silicon Valley Bank clients would be able to access their money, as would depositors from Signature Bank in New York, which similarly failed and would be taken over by state regulators. As administration officials were working behind the scenes, Biden was regularly briefed by his chief of staff, Jeff Zients, National Economic Council director Lael Brainard and Yellen throughout the weekend, according to the White House.Biden also spoke with outside economists, although the White House declined to identify them.Administration officials also worked to brief lawmakers over the weekend, although several Republicans were left off a call for senators with Treasury and FDIC officials on Sunday night. After Republicans protested publicly, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., pointed out to Treasury that GOP senators were excluded, the administration quickly convened a separate briefing for Senate Republicans on Monday afternoon.There, several GOP senators conveyed their concerns to administration officials that Silicon Valley executives were being rescued in a way that could ultimately harm community banks in their home states, according to a person with knowledge of the call who was granted anonymity to discuss a private conversation. That would be because these banks would be assessed new fees to replenish the insurance fund that the administration tapped to aid the two failed banks' depositors.Indeed, the political specter of the word “bailout” will linger over the White House for some time.Republicans angling for the 2024 presidential nomination are already arguing that customers will ultimately bear the costs of the government's actions even if taxpayer funds weren't directly used. Some economists believe more fees levied on banks will just get passed onto consumers, such as increased rates for loans.“Joe Biden is pretending this isn’t a bailout. It is," former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said, arguing that depositors at other banks now are “forced to subsidize Silicon Valley Bank’s mismanagement” and that bank customers will ultimately be responsible for the costs if the insurance fund is drained.Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., the top Republican on the Senate Banking Committee who is eyeing a presidential bid, also criticized what he called a “culture of government intervention,” arguing that it incentivizes banks to continue risky behavior if they know federal agencies will ultimately rescue them.White House and other administration officials are insisting their actions are not a bailout. But Harvard University economist Kenneth Rogoff said while he agrees that the government is rightly protecting the two banks' depositors, the money spent to make them whole is “certainly a bailout.”“The government swore after the financial crisis it was not going to bail out uninsured depositors and it was not going to bail out money funds," Rogoff said. "It basically, as I understand it, is guaranteeing everything. So that’s certainly a bailout.”

Marshall: FDIC response to bank chaos will impact Kan. bankers

SYRIA—Authorities are investigating an attack U.S. Forces in Syria. Just before 8:30p.m. Monday, two rockets landed near coalition forces at Mission Support site Green Village in Northeast Syria, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

No U.S. or Coalition troops were killed or injured. There was no damage to coalition infrastructure or equipment.

U.S. Forces found rocket debris at the point of impact. There were no claims of responsibility late Monday, according to the U.S. Central Command.&nbsp; &nbsp;The U.S. reported similar attacks in October, November and February.

SYRIA—Authorities are investigating an attack U.S. Forces in Syria. Just before 8:30p.m. Monday, two rockets landed near coalition forces at Mission Support site Green Village in Northeast Syria, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.No U.S. or Coalition troops were killed or injured. There was no damage to coalition infrastructure or equipment.U.S. Forces found rocket debris at the point of impact. There were no claims of responsibility late Monday, according to the U.S. Central Command.&nbsp; &nbsp;The U.S. reported similar attacks in October, November and February.

Another rocket attack targets US base in Syria

HERMANN, Mo. (AP) — The search for the man suspected of killing one small-town Missouri police officer and badly injuring another ended Monday after police fired tear gas into the home, and arrested the man when he came outside.

The shooting happened about 9:30 p.m. Sunday at a convenience store in Hermann, a town of 2,100 residents about 80 miles (130 kilometers) west of St. Louis. Detective Sgt. Mason Griffith of the Hermann Police Department died, and Officer Adam Sullentrup, 31, was hospitalized in stable condition, authorities said.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said the shooting happened after the officers went into the convenience store to arrest 35-year-old Kenneth Lee Simpson of St. Louis County on multiple outstanding warrants. Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Mike Mitchell said the officers were shot in an altercation inside the store. Authorities wouldn't say if either officer returned fire.

Simpson left the store, and authorities weren't initially sure where he went. By early Monday, police surrounded a home along Highway 19 not far from the shooting site. TV video at midday showed a police robot being used to pull off the front screen door, then a drone was sent in.

The patrol confirmed Monday afternoon that Simpson was taken into custody after a police tactical team fired tear gas into a house, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Robert Koerber, who was Hermann’s mayor when Griffith was hired seven years ago, told the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/st-louis-county-man-sought-after-one-hermann-mo-policeman-killed-another-injured/article_78c79bd3-ba93-5ce6-a7c3-b3f26cf0a920.html?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter_stltoday">St. Louis Post-Dispatch</a>&nbsp;that Griffith was a natural as a police officer, someone people trusted.

“He was one of my favorite officers because he had such an easy and effective style,” Koerber said. “He seemed to take a personal interest in people. He was interested in whatever your problem was.”

Online Missouri court records show Simpson has a long history of criminal charges involving drugs, weapons offenses, assault and property damage. A St. Louis County judge issued a warrant for Simpson's arrest in August when he failed to show up in court in a drug possession case.

Hermann is town known for its annual German festivals is the county seat of Gasconade County. The local school district canceled classes Monday as a precaution.

HERMANN, Mo. (AP) — The search for the man suspected of killing one small-town Missouri police officer and badly injuring another ended Monday after police fired tear gas into the home, and arrested the man when he came outside.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678723793658.png" alt="Simpson-photo MSHP" />
 <figcaption>Simpson-photo MSHP</figcaption>
 </figure>The shooting happened about 9:30 p.m. Sunday at a convenience store in Hermann, a town of 2,100 residents about 80 miles (130 kilometers) west of St. Louis. Detective Sgt. Mason Griffith of the Hermann Police Department died, and Officer Adam Sullentrup, 31, was hospitalized in stable condition, authorities said.The Missouri State Highway Patrol said the shooting happened after the officers went into the convenience store to arrest 35-year-old Kenneth Lee Simpson of St. Louis County on multiple outstanding warrants. Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Mike Mitchell said the officers were shot in an altercation inside the store. Authorities wouldn't say if either officer returned fire.Simpson left the store, and authorities weren't initially sure where he went. By early Monday, police surrounded a home along Highway 19 not far from the shooting site. TV video at midday showed a police robot being used to pull off the front screen door, then a drone was sent in.The patrol confirmed Monday afternoon that Simpson was taken into custody after a police tactical team fired tear gas into a house, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.Robert Koerber, who was Hermann’s mayor when Griffith was hired seven years ago, told the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/st-louis-county-man-sought-after-one-hermann-mo-policeman-killed-another-injured/article_78c79bd3-ba93-5ce6-a7c3-b3f26cf0a920.html?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter_stltoday">St. Louis Post-Dispatch</a>&nbsp;that Griffith was a natural as a police officer, someone people trusted.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678710817088.png" alt="Detective Sergeant Mason Griffith-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Detective Sergeant Mason Griffith-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>“He was one of my favorite officers because he had such an easy and effective style,” Koerber said. “He seemed to take a personal interest in people. He was interested in whatever your problem was.”Online Missouri court records show Simpson has a long history of criminal charges involving drugs, weapons offenses, assault and property damage. A St. Louis County judge issued a warrant for Simpson's arrest in August when he failed to show up in court in a drug possession case.Hermann is town known for its annual German festivals is the county seat of Gasconade County. The local school district canceled classes Monday as a precaution.

Police detail how they forced alleged Mo. cop killer from home

FINNEY COUNTY—A Kansas teen died in an accident just after 4p.m. Monday in Finney County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Peterbilt semi driven by&nbsp; Craig W.&nbsp; Potts, 35, Garden City, was eastbound on U.S. 50 just east of North Campus Drive.&nbsp; 

The semi traveled left of center and collided head-on with a westbound 2013 Fiat 500 driven by Cassandra K.&nbsp;Linder,&nbsp; 16, Garden City. Both vehicles came to rest north of the roadway.

EMS transported both drivers to St. Catherine Hospital where Linder was pronounced deceased. She was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

FINNEY COUNTY—A Kansas teen died in an accident just after 4p.m. Monday in Finney County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Peterbilt semi driven by&nbsp; Craig W.&nbsp; Potts, 35, Garden City, was eastbound on U.S. 50 just east of North Campus Drive.&nbsp; The semi traveled left of center and collided head-on with a westbound 2013 Fiat 500 driven by Cassandra K.&nbsp;Linder,&nbsp; 16, Garden City. Both vehicles came to rest north of the roadway.EMS transported both drivers to St. Catherine Hospital where Linder was pronounced deceased. She was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

16-year-old Kansas girl dies after head-on crash with a semi

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two large banks that cater to the tech industry have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-uk-bailout-hsbc-sale-4d2da0e9c6f39c0fd8faf321a2b295cf">collapsed after a bank run</a>, government agencies are taking emergency measures to backstop the financial system, and President Joe Biden is reassuring Americans that the money they have in banks is safe.

It's all eerily reminiscent of the financial meltdown that began with the bursting of the housing bubble 15 years ago. Yet the initial pace this time around seems even faster.

Over the last three days, the U.S. seized the two financial institutions after a bank run on Silicon Valley Bank, based in Santa Clara, California. It was the largest bank failure since Washington Mutual went under in 2008.

How did we get here? And will the steps the government unveiled over the weekend be enough?

Here are some questions and answers about what has happened and why it matters:

Silicon Valley Bank had already been hit hard by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-snap-inc-amazoncom-business-5012d95678b50f699498cb11b5f3913d">rough patch for technology companies</a>&nbsp;in recent months and the Federal Reserve’s aggressive plan to increase interest rates to combat inflation compounded its problems.

The bank held billions of dollars worth of Treasuries and other bonds, which is typical for most banks as they are considered safe investments. However, the value of previously issued bonds has begun to fall because they pay lower interest rates than comparable bonds issued in today’s higher interest rate environment.

That's usually not an issue either because bonds are considered long term investments and banks are not required to book declining values until they are sold. Such bonds are not sold for a loss unless there is an emergency and the bank needs cash.

Silicon Valley, the bank that collapsed Friday, had an emergency. Its customers were largely startups and other tech-centric companies that needed more cash over the past year, so they began withdrawing their deposits. That forced the bank to sell a chunk of its bonds at a steep loss, and the pace of those withdrawals accelerated as word spread, effectively&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/svb-fed-bonds-rates-banks-inflation-a24b28b3caeede91c76cd120aa9b7966">rendering Silicon Valley Bank insolvent</a>.

The Federal Reserve, the U.S. Treasury Department, and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation decided to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-bailout-yellen-deposits-failure-94f2185742981daf337c4691bbb9ec1e">guarantee all deposits</a>&nbsp;at Silicon Valley Bank, as well as at New York's Signature Bank, which was seized on Sunday. Critically, they agreed to guarantee all deposits, above and beyond the limit on insured deposits of $250,000.

Many of Silicon Valley's startup tech customers and venture capitalists had far more than $250,000 at the bank. As a result, as much as 90% of Silicon Valley's deposits were uninsured. Without the government's decision to backstop them all, many companies would have lost funds needed to meet payroll, pay bills, and keep the lights on.

The goal of the expanded guarantees is to avert bank runs — where customers rush to remove their money — by establishing the Fed’s commitment to protecting the deposits of businesses and individuals and calming nerves after a harrowing few days.

Also late Sunday, the Federal Reserve initiated a broad emergency lending program intended to shore up confidence in the nation’s financial system.

Banks will be allowed to borrow money straight from the Fed in order to cover any potential rush of customer withdrawals without being forced into the type of money-losing bond sales that would threaten their financial stability. Such fire sales are what caused Silicon Valley Bank's collapse.

If all works as planned, the emergency lending program may not actually have to lend much money. Rather, it will reassure the public that the Fed will cover their deposits and that it is willing to lend big to do so. There is no cap on the amount that banks can borrow, other than their ability to provide collateral.

Unlike its more byzantine efforts to rescue the banking system during the financial crisis of 2007-08, the Fed's approach this time is relatively straightforward. It has set up a new lending facility with the bureaucratic moniker, “Bank Term Funding Program.”

The program will provide loans to banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions for up to a year. The banks are being asked to post Treasuries and other government-backed bonds as collateral.

The Fed is being generous in its terms: It will charge a relatively low interest rate — just 0.1 percentage points higher than market rates — and it will lend against the face value of the bonds, rather than the market value. Lending against the face value of bonds is a key provision that will allow banks to borrow more money because the value of those bonds, at least on paper, has fallen as interest rates have moved higher.

As of the end of last year U.S. banks held Treasuries and other securities with about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-uk-bailout-hsbc-sale-4d2da0e9c6f39c0fd8faf321a2b295cf">$620 billion of unrealized losses</a>, according to the FDIC. That means they would take huge losses if forced to sell those securities to cover a rush of withdrawals.

HOW DID THE BANKS END UP WITH SUCH BIG LOSSES?

Ironically, a big chunk of that $620 billion in unrealized losses can be tied to the Federal Reserve's own&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-powell-inflation-rates-economy-debt-89c49a1032527f2d2f1d6d674bafe187">interest-rate policies over the past year</a>.

In its fight to cool the economy and bring down inflation, the Fed has rapidly pushed up its benchmark interest rate from nearly zero to about 4.6%. That has indirectly lifted the yield, or interest paid, on a range of government bonds, particularly two-year Treasuries, which topped 5% until the end of last week.

When new bonds arrive with higher interest rates, it makes existing bonds with lower yields much less valuable if they must be sold. Banks are not forced to recognize such losses on their books until they sell those assets, which Silicon Valley was forced to do.

HOW IMPORTANT ARE THE GOVERNMENT GUARANTEES?

They're very important. Legally, the FDIC is required to pursue the cheapest route when winding down a bank. In the case of Silicon Valley or Signature, that would have meant sticking to rules on the books, meaning that only the first $250,000 in depositors' accounts would be covered.

Going beyond the $250,000 cap required a decision that the failure of the two banks posed a “systemic risk." The Fed's six-member board unanimously reached that conclusion. The FDIC and the Treasury Secretary went along with the decision as well.

WILL THESE PROGRAMS SPEND TAXPAYER DOLLARS?

The U.S. says that guaranteeing the deposits won't require any taxpayer funds. Instead, any losses from the FDIC's insurance fund would be replenished by a levying an additional fee on banks.

Yet Krishna Guha, an analyst with the investment bank Evercore ISI, said that political opponents will argue that the higher FDIC fees will “ultimately fall on small banks and Main Street business.” That, in theory, could cost consumers and businesses in the long run.

Guha and other analysts say that the government's response is expansive and should stabilize the banking system, though share prices for medium-sized banks, similar to Silicon Valley and Signature, plunged Monday.

“We think the double-barreled bazooka should be enough to quell potential runs at other regional banks and restore relative stability in the days ahead,” Guha wrote in a note to clients.

Paul Ashworth, an economist at Capital Economics, said the Fed's lending program means banks should be able to "ride out the storm.”

Yet Ashworth also added a note of caution: “Rationally, this should be enough to stop any contagion from spreading and taking down more banks ... but contagion has always been more about irrational fear, so we would stress that there is no guarantee this will work.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678567122405.png" alt="Silicon Vally Bank branch in Santa Clara, California -Google image" />
 <figcaption>Silicon Vally Bank branch in Santa Clara, California -Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Two large banks that cater to the tech industry have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-uk-bailout-hsbc-sale-4d2da0e9c6f39c0fd8faf321a2b295cf">collapsed after a bank run</a>, government agencies are taking emergency measures to backstop the financial system, and President Joe Biden is reassuring Americans that the money they have in banks is safe.It's all eerily reminiscent of the financial meltdown that began with the bursting of the housing bubble 15 years ago. Yet the initial pace this time around seems even faster.Over the last three days, the U.S. seized the two financial institutions after a bank run on Silicon Valley Bank, based in Santa Clara, California. It was the largest bank failure since Washington Mutual went under in 2008.How did we get here? And will the steps the government unveiled over the weekend be enough?Here are some questions and answers about what has happened and why it matters:WHY DID SILICON VALLEY BANK FAIL?Silicon Valley Bank had already been hit hard by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-snap-inc-amazoncom-business-5012d95678b50f699498cb11b5f3913d">rough patch for technology companies</a>&nbsp;in recent months and the Federal Reserve’s aggressive plan to increase interest rates to combat inflation compounded its problems.The bank held billions of dollars worth of Treasuries and other bonds, which is typical for most banks as they are considered safe investments. However, the value of previously issued bonds has begun to fall because they pay lower interest rates than comparable bonds issued in today’s higher interest rate environment.That's usually not an issue either because bonds are considered long term investments and banks are not required to book declining values until they are sold. Such bonds are not sold for a loss unless there is an emergency and the bank needs cash.Silicon Valley, the bank that collapsed Friday, had an emergency. Its customers were largely startups and other tech-centric companies that needed more cash over the past year, so they began withdrawing their deposits. That forced the bank to sell a chunk of its bonds at a steep loss, and the pace of those withdrawals accelerated as word spread, effectively&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/svb-fed-bonds-rates-banks-inflation-a24b28b3caeede91c76cd120aa9b7966">rendering Silicon Valley Bank insolvent</a>.WHAT DID THE GOVERNMENT DO SUNDAY?The Federal Reserve, the U.S. Treasury Department, and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation decided to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-bailout-yellen-deposits-failure-94f2185742981daf337c4691bbb9ec1e">guarantee all deposits</a>&nbsp;at Silicon Valley Bank, as well as at New York's Signature Bank, which was seized on Sunday. Critically, they agreed to guarantee all deposits, above and beyond the limit on insured deposits of $250,000.Many of Silicon Valley's startup tech customers and venture capitalists had far more than $250,000 at the bank. As a result, as much as 90% of Silicon Valley's deposits were uninsured. Without the government's decision to backstop them all, many companies would have lost funds needed to meet payroll, pay bills, and keep the lights on.The goal of the expanded guarantees is to avert bank runs — where customers rush to remove their money — by establishing the Fed’s commitment to protecting the deposits of businesses and individuals and calming nerves after a harrowing few days.Also late Sunday, the Federal Reserve initiated a broad emergency lending program intended to shore up confidence in the nation’s financial system.Banks will be allowed to borrow money straight from the Fed in order to cover any potential rush of customer withdrawals without being forced into the type of money-losing bond sales that would threaten their financial stability. Such fire sales are what caused Silicon Valley Bank's collapse.If all works as planned, the emergency lending program may not actually have to lend much money. Rather, it will reassure the public that the Fed will cover their deposits and that it is willing to lend big to do so. There is no cap on the amount that banks can borrow, other than their ability to provide collateral.HOW IS THE PROGRAM INTENDED TO WORK?Unlike its more byzantine efforts to rescue the banking system during the financial crisis of 2007-08, the Fed's approach this time is relatively straightforward. It has set up a new lending facility with the bureaucratic moniker, “Bank Term Funding Program.”The program will provide loans to banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions for up to a year. The banks are being asked to post Treasuries and other government-backed bonds as collateral.The Fed is being generous in its terms: It will charge a relatively low interest rate — just 0.1 percentage points higher than market rates — and it will lend against the face value of the bonds, rather than the market value. Lending against the face value of bonds is a key provision that will allow banks to borrow more money because the value of those bonds, at least on paper, has fallen as interest rates have moved higher.As of the end of last year U.S. banks held Treasuries and other securities with about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-uk-bailout-hsbc-sale-4d2da0e9c6f39c0fd8faf321a2b295cf">$620 billion of unrealized losses</a>, according to the FDIC. That means they would take huge losses if forced to sell those securities to cover a rush of withdrawals.HOW DID THE BANKS END UP WITH SUCH BIG LOSSES?Ironically, a big chunk of that $620 billion in unrealized losses can be tied to the Federal Reserve's own&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-powell-inflation-rates-economy-debt-89c49a1032527f2d2f1d6d674bafe187">interest-rate policies over the past year</a>.In its fight to cool the economy and bring down inflation, the Fed has rapidly pushed up its benchmark interest rate from nearly zero to about 4.6%. That has indirectly lifted the yield, or interest paid, on a range of government bonds, particularly two-year Treasuries, which topped 5% until the end of last week.When new bonds arrive with higher interest rates, it makes existing bonds with lower yields much less valuable if they must be sold. Banks are not forced to recognize such losses on their books until they sell those assets, which Silicon Valley was forced to do.HOW IMPORTANT ARE THE GOVERNMENT GUARANTEES?They're very important. Legally, the FDIC is required to pursue the cheapest route when winding down a bank. In the case of Silicon Valley or Signature, that would have meant sticking to rules on the books, meaning that only the first $250,000 in depositors' accounts would be covered.Going beyond the $250,000 cap required a decision that the failure of the two banks posed a “systemic risk." The Fed's six-member board unanimously reached that conclusion. The FDIC and the Treasury Secretary went along with the decision as well.WILL THESE PROGRAMS SPEND TAXPAYER DOLLARS?The U.S. says that guaranteeing the deposits won't require any taxpayer funds. Instead, any losses from the FDIC's insurance fund would be replenished by a levying an additional fee on banks.Yet Krishna Guha, an analyst with the investment bank Evercore ISI, said that political opponents will argue that the higher FDIC fees will “ultimately fall on small banks and Main Street business.” That, in theory, could cost consumers and businesses in the long run.WILL IT ALL WORK?Guha and other analysts say that the government's response is expansive and should stabilize the banking system, though share prices for medium-sized banks, similar to Silicon Valley and Signature, plunged Monday.“We think the double-barreled bazooka should be enough to quell potential runs at other regional banks and restore relative stability in the days ahead,” Guha wrote in a note to clients.Paul Ashworth, an economist at Capital Economics, said the Fed's lending program means banks should be able to "ride out the storm.”“These are strong moves,” he said.Yet Ashworth also added a note of caution: “Rationally, this should be enough to stop any contagion from spreading and taking down more banks ... but contagion has always been more about irrational fear, so we would stress that there is no guarantee this will work.”

After two historic US bank failures, here’s what comes next

MANHATTAN—Investigators are working to determine the cause of a house fire in Manhattan.

Just before 3:30 p.m. Monday, the Manhattan Fire Department was dispatched to a house fire at 1127 Yuma Street, according to&nbsp;Deputy Chief Ryan Almes,

 Upon arrival, fire companies found the home with smoke and fire showing from a window. Firefighters made entry into the home and contained the fire within 10 minutes. 

&nbsp;Two dogs were outside of the residence when companies arrived, another dog was rescued by firefighters, and two dogs were found deceased inside the home.&nbsp; The residents were not home at the time of the fire. The building is a one-story, single-family residence. Loss is estimated at $8000 to contents and $25,000 to the structure.&nbsp;The residents are able to remain in the home due to damage being limited to a single bedroom that had the door closed during the fire.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The owner is listed as Gerald and Diane Haug of Manhattan. The fire's cause is under investigation at this time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678753696958.png" alt="Photo Manhattan Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo Manhattan Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN—Investigators are working to determine the cause of a house fire in Manhattan.Just before 3:30 p.m. Monday, the Manhattan Fire Department was dispatched to a house fire at 1127 Yuma Street, according to&nbsp;Deputy Chief Ryan Almes, Upon arrival, fire companies found the home with smoke and fire showing from a window. Firefighters made entry into the home and contained the fire within 10 minutes. &nbsp;Two dogs were outside of the residence when companies arrived, another dog was rescued by firefighters, and two dogs were found deceased inside the home.&nbsp; The residents were not home at the time of the fire. The building is a one-story, single-family residence. Loss is estimated at $8000 to contents and $25,000 to the structure.&nbsp;The residents are able to remain in the home due to damage being limited to a single bedroom that had the door closed during the fire.&nbsp;&nbsp;The owner is listed as Gerald and Diane Haug of Manhattan. The fire's cause is under investigation at this time.

2 dogs die in Kansas house fire

JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas woman accused of abusing babies at a day care where she worked has admitted she committed the crime.

On Thursday, Rachel Beth Schrader, 24, pled guilty to four counts of abuse of a child under the age of 6, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.

&nbsp;According to court records, surveillance video captured Schrader abusing babies more than 170 times, including by shaking and slapping them. 

The affidavit describes her kicking a child square in the chest in one instance, causing him to fall backward and smack his head. In a police interview, Schrader acknowledged “losing her patience” on March 26, 2022 but said that was the only time.&nbsp; &nbsp;Sentencing is scheduled for May 3, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624041740593.png" alt="Schrader photo Johnson Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Schrader photo Johnson Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas woman accused of abusing babies at a day care where she worked has admitted she committed the crime.On Thursday, Rachel Beth Schrader, 24, pled guilty to four counts of abuse of a child under the age of 6, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;According to court records, surveillance video captured Schrader abusing babies more than 170 times, including by shaking and slapping them. The affidavit describes her kicking a child square in the chest in one instance, causing him to fall backward and smack his head. In a police interview, Schrader acknowledged “losing her patience” on March 26, 2022 but said that was the only time.&nbsp; &nbsp;Sentencing is scheduled for May 3, according to the district attorney's office.