WASHINGTON (AP) — House leaders say the impact of a hack of a health insurance marketplace used by members of Congress “could be extraordinary,” exposing sensitive personal data of lawmakers, their employees and families. In all, thousands of people could be affected.

DC Health Link, which runs the exchange, said an unspecified number of customers were impacted and it was notifying them and working with law enforcement to quantify the damage. It said it was offering identity theft service to those affected and extending credit monitoring to all customers.

Some 11,000 of the exchange’s more than 100,000 participants work in the House and Senate — in the nation's capital and district offices across the nation — or are relatives.

<a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBednar/status/1633800558539669504?s=20">In a letter to the exchange's director posted on Twitter,</a>&nbsp;House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said the breach “significantly increase the risk that Members, staff and their families will experience identity theft, financial crimes, and physical threats.” The stolen data includes Social Security numbers, phones, addresses, emails and employer names.

The FBI said in a brief statement Wednesday evening it was aware of the incident and was assisting.

In the letter, McCarthy and Jeffries said the FBI had not yet determined the extent of the breach but that thousands of House members, employees and their families have enrolled in health insurance through DC Health Link since 2014. “The size and scope of impacted House customers could be extraordinary.”

They said the FBI told them it was able to purchase the stolen data on the dark web, where it was offered for sale for an unspecified amount Monday on a hacker forum popular with cybercriminals.

It was not clear, though, whether and how the FBI could guarantee that copies of the stolen data were not circulating in the cybercrime underworld. Indeed, on Thursday, a new user on the forum claimed a hacker known as “thekilob” had stolen more than 55,000 records and exclaimed “Glory to Russia” in Cyrillic. Some of the most active cybercriminals are Russian speakers and operate with little interference from the Kremlin.

The user posted 200 records from the hack online and The Associated Press confirmed the sample's authenticity with two of the victims listed.

"This is big. This isn't just like regular folks. This is everyone," said one victim who works in Washington, D.C. In all, 24 people in her office had their records in the dump. The AP is not naming victims or their workplaces to avoid further potential harm.

Sample data posted to the hacker forum by a different account — and removed overnight Thursday — listed data for a dozen DC Link participants. The AP reached one by phone.

“Oh my God,” the man said, when informed the information was public. All 12 people listed work for the same company or are family members.

In an email to all Senate email account holders on Wednesday, the sergeant at arms recommended that anyone registered on the health insurance exchange freeze their credit to prevent identity theft.

An email sent out by the office of the Chief Administrative Office of the House on behalf of McCarthy and Jeffries called the breach “egregious” and urged members to use credit and identity theft monitoring resources.

In an emailed statement on Wednesday, Rep. Joe Morelle of New York said House leadership was informed by Capitol Police that DC Health Link “suffered an extraordinarily large data breach of enrollee information" that posed a “great risk” to members, employees and their family members. He said the FBI was still determining the “cause, size, and scope of the data breach.”

The hack follows several recent breaches affecting U.S. agencies. Hackers broke into a U.S. Marshals Service computer system and activated ransomware on Feb. 17 after stealing personally identifiable data about agency employees and targets of investigations.

An FBI computer system was recently breached at the bureau's New York field office, CNN reported in mid-February. Asked about that intrusion, the FBI issued a statement calling it "an isolated incident that has been contained.” It declined further comment, including when it occurred and whether ransomware was involved.

There was no indication the DC Health breach was ransomware-related.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House leaders say the impact of a hack of a health insurance marketplace used by members of Congress “could be extraordinary,” exposing sensitive personal data of lawmakers, their employees and families. In all, thousands of people could be affected.DC Health Link, which runs the exchange, said an unspecified number of customers were impacted and it was notifying them and working with law enforcement to quantify the damage. It said it was offering identity theft service to those affected and extending credit monitoring to all customers.Some 11,000 of the exchange’s more than 100,000 participants work in the House and Senate — in the nation's capital and district offices across the nation — or are relatives.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerMcCarthy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerMcCarthy</a> &amp; Minority Leader Jeffries&#39; letter regarding the DC Health Link data breach: <a href="https://t.co/v6H3VtdGX4">pic.twitter.com/v6H3VtdGX4</a>&mdash; Mark Bednar (@MarkBednar) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBednar/status/1633800558539669504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBednar/status/1633800558539669504?s=20">In a letter to the exchange's director posted on Twitter,</a>&nbsp;House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said the breach “significantly increase the risk that Members, staff and their families will experience identity theft, financial crimes, and physical threats.” The stolen data includes Social Security numbers, phones, addresses, emails and employer names.The FBI said in a brief statement Wednesday evening it was aware of the incident and was assisting.In the letter, McCarthy and Jeffries said the FBI had not yet determined the extent of the breach but that thousands of House members, employees and their families have enrolled in health insurance through DC Health Link since 2014. “The size and scope of impacted House customers could be extraordinary.”They said the FBI told them it was able to purchase the stolen data on the dark web, where it was offered for sale for an unspecified amount Monday on a hacker forum popular with cybercriminals.It was not clear, though, whether and how the FBI could guarantee that copies of the stolen data were not circulating in the cybercrime underworld. Indeed, on Thursday, a new user on the forum claimed a hacker known as “thekilob” had stolen more than 55,000 records and exclaimed “Glory to Russia” in Cyrillic. Some of the most active cybercriminals are Russian speakers and operate with little interference from the Kremlin.The user posted 200 records from the hack online and The Associated Press confirmed the sample's authenticity with two of the victims listed."This is big. This isn't just like regular folks. This is everyone," said one victim who works in Washington, D.C. In all, 24 people in her office had their records in the dump. The AP is not naming victims or their workplaces to avoid further potential harm.Sample data posted to the hacker forum by a different account — and removed overnight Thursday — listed data for a dozen DC Link participants. The AP reached one by phone.“Oh my God,” the man said, when informed the information was public. All 12 people listed work for the same company or are family members.In an email to all Senate email account holders on Wednesday, the sergeant at arms recommended that anyone registered on the health insurance exchange freeze their credit to prevent identity theft.An email sent out by the office of the Chief Administrative Office of the House on behalf of McCarthy and Jeffries called the breach “egregious” and urged members to use credit and identity theft monitoring resources.In an emailed statement on Wednesday, Rep. Joe Morelle of New York said House leadership was informed by Capitol Police that DC Health Link “suffered an extraordinarily large data breach of enrollee information" that posed a “great risk” to members, employees and their family members. He said the FBI was still determining the “cause, size, and scope of the data breach.”The hack follows several recent breaches affecting U.S. agencies. Hackers broke into a U.S. Marshals Service computer system and activated ransomware on Feb. 17 after stealing personally identifiable data about agency employees and targets of investigations.An FBI computer system was recently breached at the bureau's New York field office, CNN reported in mid-February. Asked about that intrusion, the FBI issued a statement calling it "an isolated incident that has been contained.” It declined further comment, including when it occurred and whether ransomware was involved.There was no indication the DC Health breach was ransomware-related.

Health data breach hitting Congress 'could be extraordinary'

KANSAS CITY —The FBI this week announced a $5,000&nbsp; reward for information regarding the whereabouts of missing juvenile Jayden Robker.

The boy was last seen Feb. 2 at 3p.m. in the are of NW Plaza Drive and NW Plaza Avenue in Kansas City. He was wearing a green camouflage hoodie, grey sweat pants, black puma tennis shoes and was riding a black razor skate board.&nbsp;

Anyone with information on Jayden's whereabouts is encouraged to call law enforcement immediately.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678305651900.png" alt="Jayden Robker" />
 <figcaption>Jayden Robker</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —The FBI this week announced a $5,000&nbsp; reward for information regarding the whereabouts of missing juvenile Jayden Robker.The boy was last seen Feb. 2 at 3p.m. in the are of NW Plaza Drive and NW Plaza Avenue in Kansas City. He was wearing a green camouflage hoodie, grey sweat pants, black puma tennis shoes and was riding a black razor skate board.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NEW?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NEW</a> - The FBI has announced a $5k reward for information regarding the whereabouts of missing juvenile Jayden Robker. Anyone with information on Jayden&#39;s whereabouts is encouraged to call law enforcement immediately. <a href="https://t.co/EEIvoHaie2">pic.twitter.com/EEIvoHaie2</a>&mdash; FBI Kansas City (@FBIKansasCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIKansasCity/status/1633500779117166593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anyone with information on Jayden's whereabouts is encouraged to call law enforcement immediately.

FBI: $5K reward, search continues for KC-area 13-year-old 

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Crews battled a&nbsp;large industrial warehouse fire at 929 SW University Boulevard in Topeka alongside firefighters from across the region Thursday afternoon and evening, according to Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority Fire&nbsp;&nbsp;Chief Bill Wempe.

&nbsp;There were no injuries reported. Authorities have not reported the cause of the fire or an estimate of damage.&nbsp;Fire crews remained on the scene early Friday, according to Wempe.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678414055676.png" alt="Crews on the scene of the multi-building industrial complex fire Thursday photo courtesy WIBW-TV" />
 <figcaption>Crews on the scene of the multi-building industrial complex fire Thursday photo courtesy WIBW-TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Crews battled a&nbsp;large industrial warehouse fire at 929 SW University Boulevard in Topeka alongside firefighters from across the region Thursday afternoon and evening, according to Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority Fire&nbsp;&nbsp;Chief Bill Wempe.&nbsp;There were no injuries reported. Authorities have not reported the cause of the fire or an estimate of damage.&nbsp;Fire crews remained on the scene early Friday, according to Wempe.

Crews battle large fire at Kansas industrial complex

By JAMES BELL 
Hays Post

Registration is open now for the K-State Research and Extension’s Walk
Kansas program.

The annual eight-week activity challenge is designed to encourage activity
in children and adults, set to begin on March 26.

“We try to change things up a little bit each year,” said Cottonwood
Extension District Family and Community Wellness agent Monique Koerner. 

This year, participants can select from several team challenges, from 435 to
1,200 miles.

&nbsp;“Typically, it's a group activity,” Koerner said. “So, people get
teams of four to six people together – you can also do it solo as well – but
there are typically three different trails that people can choose from based on
the activity challenge that they want for those eight weeks.”

Whether in a team or solo, she said the goal of the program is to help
participants stay healthy.

“Staying active and having healthy eating habits can actually reduce our
chances of developing some of those chronic diseases, heart disease, diabetes,
those types of things,” Koerner said. “As we get older, it's important to focus
a little bit more on those things and maybe be more intentional. And so I think
that's what Walk Kansas brings to the table.”

The program has a dedicated website, <a href="https://www.walkkansasonline.org/">walkkansasonline.org</a>, where
participants register and track the progress of area teams.

“You can watch your trail on the map as well,” Koerner said. &nbsp;“So, it
just makes it a little more fun when you're doing it together as a team and can
choose a trail and watch your progress on the map and see what other teams are
doing.”

There's a whole health breakdown on it as well with tabs for physical
activity guidelines, basics of exercise and strength training, healthy eating
guidelines including nutritional recipes, stress management, relationship and
memory improvement tips, she said.

While the website has various tools for encouraging healthy behaviors, only
tracking walk time or steps is required.

Registration is not locked into a location, and participants from outside
Kansas are welcome, but participants will be able to see area activities after
selecting an extension district.

<div><iframe title="Registration open for Walk Kansas" allowtransparency="true" height="600" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=d3yhp-13b25aa-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=600" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>By JAMES BELL 
Hays PostRegistration is open now for the K-State Research and Extension’s Walk
Kansas program.The annual eight-week activity challenge is designed to encourage activity
in children and adults, set to begin on March 26.“We try to change things up a little bit each year,” said Cottonwood
Extension District Family and Community Wellness agent Monique Koerner. This year, participants can select from several team challenges, from 435 to
1,200 miles.&nbsp;“Typically, it's a group activity,” Koerner said. “So, people get
teams of four to six people together – you can also do it solo as well – but
there are typically three different trails that people can choose from based on
the activity challenge that they want for those eight weeks.”Whether in a team or solo, she said the goal of the program is to help
participants stay healthy.“Staying active and having healthy eating habits can actually reduce our
chances of developing some of those chronic diseases, heart disease, diabetes,
those types of things,” Koerner said. “As we get older, it's important to focus
a little bit more on those things and maybe be more intentional. And so I think
that's what Walk Kansas brings to the table.”The program has a dedicated website, <a href="https://www.walkkansasonline.org/">walkkansasonline.org</a>, where
participants register and track the progress of area teams.“You can watch your trail on the map as well,” Koerner said. &nbsp;“So, it
just makes it a little more fun when you're doing it together as a team and can
choose a trail and watch your progress on the map and see what other teams are
doing.”There's a whole health breakdown on it as well with tabs for physical
activity guidelines, basics of exercise and strength training, healthy eating
guidelines including nutritional recipes, stress management, relationship and
memory improvement tips, she said.While the website has various tools for encouraging healthy behaviors, only
tracking walk time or steps is required.Registration is $10. Registration is not locked into a location, and participants from outside
Kansas are welcome, but participants will be able to see area activities after
selecting an extension district.

🎙 Walk Kansas registration open now

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature gave final approval Thursday to a ban on transgender athletes in girls' and women's sports, and they appear for now to have the votes to override the Democratic governor's expected veto.

The state Senate voted 28-11 to approve the bill, which would impose the ban for K-12, college and club sports, starting July 1. It next goes to Gov. Laura Kelly, as the state House approved it two weeks earlier on an 82-40 vote.

Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/topeka-kansas-legislature-libraries-9ffb07cf3b25faf848dda6d78bff8856">vetoed two previous versions</a>&nbsp;of the ban. Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-education-legislature-gay-rights-kansas-e32307ef93c0c64056e34f2d8a51efe2">made it a major issue</a>&nbsp;when she ran for reelection last year, focusing multiple television ads on it. While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-donald-trump-kansas-topeka-39afdff811fd2f30a212036d5ec6e3fa">she won a narrow victory,</a>&nbsp;supporters of a ban appeared to pick up just enough legislative seats to have the two-thirds majorities necessary in both chambers to override a veto.

If they are successful, Kansas would join at least 18 other states with laws limiting girls' and women's sports to athletes who had female anatomy at birth. The measure also is part of GOP conservatives' broader national campaign against transgender rights, which includes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-malpractice-lgbtq-arkansas-gender-affirming-care-562d0a41429e9cd63c5fff398ef62e28">bans on gender-affirming care</a>&nbsp;for minors, preventing transgender people from using facilities associated with their gender identities and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-kansas-state-government-arkansas-health-8f2edaa40b962e5642e108b83bc14246">blocking them from changing their driver's licenses and birth certificates.</a>

“This is a really, really aggressive backlash — this sort of very pointed, very vicious attack on trans rights,” said Jenna Bellemere, a 19-year-old transgender woman and University of Kansas student. “It’s a backlash to the fact that the world is changing and it’s been changing for a very long time.”

Supporters of restricting transgender athletes argue that it's necessary to preserve fair competition. They also argue that allowing transgender athletes to compete costs cisgender girls and women scholarships and other opportunities, and undoes decades of progress against sex discrimination in sports.

Kansas officials and LGBTQ-rights advocates say only a handful of transgender youth participate in high school activities — and possibly only one trans Kansas girl is on a sports team. But backers of the bill argue that the state should act before transgender athletes become more prevalent.

Republican state Sen. Renee Erickson, a former college basketball player, said that opponents of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2238_00_0000.pdf">the bill</a>&nbsp;don't seem concerned about the mental health of cisgender girls “who will be forced to undress” around transgender girls or women.

“I'm not willing to wait until a Kansas girl is put into this situation,” she said.

In the Senate, supporters on Thursday had one more vote than a two-thirds majority — the minimum needed to override Kelly's expected veto.

In the House, supporters need 84 votes for a two-thirds majority. While they had 82 votes last month, two Republicans were absent.

Last year, supporters appeared to be two votes short of a two-thirds majority in the House. But in last year's elections, three GOP freshmen who supported a ban replaced three Republicans who'd voted against overriding Kelly's veto last year.

“Who wouldn't vote for fairness in women's sports?” said state Rep. Carrie Barth, one of the three new Republicans, summarizing what she said were bipartisan comments in her eastern Kansas district.

Last year, no Democrats voted to override Kelly's veto. In the House last month, one lawmaker, Rep. Ford Carr, of Wichita, did. While Carr did not immediately respond to a cell phone message seeking comment Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article272575305.html">he told the Kansas City Star last month</a>&nbsp;that he had listened to his constituents in deciding how to vote.

Opponents of the bill are working to get Carr or a Republican to switch to no for a vote on overriding the expected Kelly veto.

Meanwhile, LGBTQ-rights advocates also are bracing for further legislative battles this year.

“Targeting a marginalized population for the sake of political advantage is a time-honored tradition in conservative politics,” said Rabbi Moti Rieber, executive director of Kansas Interfaith Action, which supports LGBTQ rights.

The Senate last month approved a bill aimed at blocking gender-affirming care for minors, and it is awaiting a House committee hearing.

The Senate also passed a measure to legally define male and female based only on a person's anatomy at birth, which advocates say would erase transgender people's legal existence. A House committee approved it Wednesday, and a debate in the full House is possible as early as next week.

Adam Kellogg, a 19-year-old transgender man and University of Kansas student, said the message from the Legislature is, "We don’t want you. We don’t care about you.”

He added: “This hurts real people in real time, and it’s an active attempt to take us off the map entirely.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678410028413.png" alt="Adam Kellogg, a University of Kansas student and transgender man, follows a Kansas Senate health committee hearing on legislation aimed at preventing gender-affirming care for minors, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. The Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature is also considering a measure to define male and female in state law in such a way that it could prevent transgender men and women from changing their driver's licenses and birth certificates. (AP Photo/John Hanna)" />
 <figcaption>Adam Kellogg, a University of Kansas student and transgender man, follows a Kansas Senate health committee hearing on legislation aimed at preventing gender-affirming care for minors, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. The Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature is also considering a measure to define male and female in state law in such a way that it could prevent transgender men and women from changing their driver's licenses and birth certificates. (AP Photo/John Hanna)</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature gave final approval Thursday to a ban on transgender athletes in girls' and women's sports, and they appear for now to have the votes to override the Democratic governor's expected veto.The state Senate voted 28-11 to approve the bill, which would impose the ban for K-12, college and club sports, starting July 1. It next goes to Gov. Laura Kelly, as the state House approved it two weeks earlier on an 82-40 vote.Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/topeka-kansas-legislature-libraries-9ffb07cf3b25faf848dda6d78bff8856">vetoed two previous versions</a>&nbsp;of the ban. Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-education-legislature-gay-rights-kansas-e32307ef93c0c64056e34f2d8a51efe2">made it a major issue</a>&nbsp;when she ran for reelection last year, focusing multiple television ads on it. While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-donald-trump-kansas-topeka-39afdff811fd2f30a212036d5ec6e3fa">she won a narrow victory,</a>&nbsp;supporters of a ban appeared to pick up just enough legislative seats to have the two-thirds majorities necessary in both chambers to override a veto.If they are successful, Kansas would join at least 18 other states with laws limiting girls' and women's sports to athletes who had female anatomy at birth. The measure also is part of GOP conservatives' broader national campaign against transgender rights, which includes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-malpractice-lgbtq-arkansas-gender-affirming-care-562d0a41429e9cd63c5fff398ef62e28">bans on gender-affirming care</a>&nbsp;for minors, preventing transgender people from using facilities associated with their gender identities and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-kansas-state-government-arkansas-health-8f2edaa40b962e5642e108b83bc14246">blocking them from changing their driver's licenses and birth certificates.</a>“This is a really, really aggressive backlash — this sort of very pointed, very vicious attack on trans rights,” said Jenna Bellemere, a 19-year-old transgender woman and University of Kansas student. “It’s a backlash to the fact that the world is changing and it’s been changing for a very long time.”Supporters of restricting transgender athletes argue that it's necessary to preserve fair competition. They also argue that allowing transgender athletes to compete costs cisgender girls and women scholarships and other opportunities, and undoes decades of progress against sex discrimination in sports.Kansas officials and LGBTQ-rights advocates say only a handful of transgender youth participate in high school activities — and possibly only one trans Kansas girl is on a sports team. But backers of the bill argue that the state should act before transgender athletes become more prevalent.Republican state Sen. Renee Erickson, a former college basketball player, said that opponents of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2238_00_0000.pdf">the bill</a>&nbsp;don't seem concerned about the mental health of cisgender girls “who will be forced to undress” around transgender girls or women.“I'm not willing to wait until a Kansas girl is put into this situation,” she said.In the Senate, supporters on Thursday had one more vote than a two-thirds majority — the minimum needed to override Kelly's expected veto.In the House, supporters need 84 votes for a two-thirds majority. While they had 82 votes last month, two Republicans were absent.Last year, supporters appeared to be two votes short of a two-thirds majority in the House. But in last year's elections, three GOP freshmen who supported a ban replaced three Republicans who'd voted against overriding Kelly's veto last year.“Who wouldn't vote for fairness in women's sports?” said state Rep. Carrie Barth, one of the three new Republicans, summarizing what she said were bipartisan comments in her eastern Kansas district.Last year, no Democrats voted to override Kelly's veto. In the House last month, one lawmaker, Rep. Ford Carr, of Wichita, did. While Carr did not immediately respond to a cell phone message seeking comment Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article272575305.html">he told the Kansas City Star last month</a>&nbsp;that he had listened to his constituents in deciding how to vote.Opponents of the bill are working to get Carr or a Republican to switch to no for a vote on overriding the expected Kelly veto.Meanwhile, LGBTQ-rights advocates also are bracing for further legislative battles this year.“Targeting a marginalized population for the sake of political advantage is a time-honored tradition in conservative politics,” said Rabbi Moti Rieber, executive director of Kansas Interfaith Action, which supports LGBTQ rights.The Senate last month approved a bill aimed at blocking gender-affirming care for minors, and it is awaiting a House committee hearing.The Senate also passed a measure to legally define male and female based only on a person's anatomy at birth, which advocates say would erase transgender people's legal existence. A House committee approved it Wednesday, and a debate in the full House is possible as early as next week.Adam Kellogg, a 19-year-old transgender man and University of Kansas student, said the message from the Legislature is, "We don’t want you. We don’t care about you.”He added: “This hurts real people in real time, and it’s an active attempt to take us off the map entirely.”___

Kansas nears ban on transgender athletes in women's sports

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

The Salina Police Department Thursday afternoon released additional information regarding the alleged stabbing incident in front of Walmart late Wednesday morning.

According to the media release, the 26-year-old woman who suffered a wound to her back underwent surgery and is recuperating. It is likely that she will make a full recovery, the department noted.

The department reported that an arrest affidavit was submitted to the Saline County Attorney requesting the following charges for Kenneth Harold Smith, 71, of Salina: Attempted first degree murder, Criminal use of a weapon, Aggravated weapons violation by a convicted felon and Criminal carrying of a weapon

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678403141890.jpeg" alt="Smith photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Smith photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostThe Salina Police Department Thursday afternoon released additional information regarding the alleged stabbing incident in front of Walmart late Wednesday morning.According to the media release, the 26-year-old woman who suffered a wound to her back underwent surgery and is recuperating. It is likely that she will make a full recovery, the department noted.The department reported that an arrest affidavit was submitted to the Saline County Attorney requesting the following charges for Kenneth Harold Smith, 71, of Salina: Attempted first degree murder, Criminal use of a weapon, Aggravated weapons violation by a convicted felon and Criminal carrying of a weaponSmith is being held without bond.

Police: Woman stabbed outside Salina Walmart recovering

WAYNESVILLE, Mo. (AP) — Two southwest Missouri women are charged with second-degree murder in the death of a 5-year-old girl at their home, police said.

The Waynesville police department said in a news release that one of the girl's siblings told a school resource officer on Tuesday that he had seen her unconscious and unresponsive at their home that morning.

Another sibling answered the door and told officers her younger sister was dead, police said. The Pulaski County coroner later declared her dead at the scene.

Angela West, 39, and Shamira Buford, 36, were charged with second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter endangering the welfare of a child and child abuse.

The women told officers they sometimes tied the girl up to prevent her from stealing food, and sometimes put a sock in her mouth to keep her from “whining and crying," according to a probable cause statement.

The women's relationship to the girl was not released. They are being held without bond in the Pulaski County jail.

A public defender representing the women did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678389979366.png" alt="Buford-photo Pulaski Co." />
 <figcaption>Buford-photo Pulaski Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WAYNESVILLE, Mo. (AP) — Two southwest Missouri women are charged with second-degree murder in the death of a 5-year-old girl at their home, police said.The Waynesville police department said in a news release that one of the girl's siblings told a school resource officer on Tuesday that he had seen her unconscious and unresponsive at their home that morning.Another sibling answered the door and told officers her younger sister was dead, police said. The Pulaski County coroner later declared her dead at the scene.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678389957796.png" alt="West-photo Pulaski Co." />
 <figcaption>West-photo Pulaski Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Angela West, 39, and Shamira Buford, 36, were charged with second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter endangering the welfare of a child and child abuse.The women told officers they sometimes tied the girl up to prevent her from stealing food, and sometimes put a sock in her mouth to keep her from “whining and crying," according to a probable cause statement.The women's relationship to the girl was not released. They are being held without bond in the Pulaski County jail.A public defender representing the women did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

2 SW Missouri women charged after 5-year-old girl found dead

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas coach Bill Self will miss the Big 12 Tournament after going to the emergency room Wednesday night for what doctors called “a standard procedure,” and it's uncertain whether he will be back for the NCAA Tournament.

Dr. Steve Stites, the chief medical officer at the University of Kansas Health System, said Self did not have a heart attack, which some outlets had reported, but that he remained a patient Thursday. Stites also did not describe the nature or extent of the procedure, though Self is expected to make a full recovery.

“We didn't really let the guys know until this morning because nothing was concrete what was going on,” said Kansas assistant Norm Roberts, who led the No. 3 Jayhawks to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-west-virginia-big-12-98660b6b6b3faef70391aa1b7524f715">a 78-61 win over West Virginia</a>&nbsp;in the quarterfinal round.

“Coach is doing good,” Roberts added. “I talked to him on the phone (after the game). He's doing well. He already wants to watch film and all of that. He's doing well. He's doing better.”

Kansas officials announced that Self was ill about five hours before tipoff Thursday and that Roberts would be the acting coach. It's a role he filled earlier in the season when Self served a school-imposed four-game suspension.

The Jayhawks are the defending Big 12 Tournament champions and are trying to secure a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament, where they will attempt to defend the national championship they won last April.

“Just come together through it all. Coach Self obviously would want that,” Kansas guard Gradey Dick said. “A lot of what he preaches with us is next man up, and in this case it was coach. And it's kind of a little similar to the start of the season. Obviously a little more serious now with Coach Self but we're hearing it's all good.”

The 60-year-old Hall of Fame coach led Kansas to the regular-season championship in the toughest conference in the nation this season, despite losing several key players from the team that beat North Carolina for the national title last April.

He was present Wednesday for a shootaround at T-Mobile Center and appeared healthy. He met with reporters for about 20 minutes outside the locker room and said his team was ready for another March run.

“We’ve talked about we’re going to Kansas City to try to put ourselves in position to win this thing, but knowing we better take one game at a time,” Self said Wednesday. “I’ve put the emphasis on, ‘Let’s go play our best.’ What the (Big 12) tournament does, it can validate what your regular season’s been. And this is an opportunity to validate it.”

Self is 581-130 during his two decades with Kansas, and is 788-235 in his 30 seasons as a head coach, including stops at Oral Roberts, Tulsa and Illinois. He's led the Jayhawks to a pair of national championships, beating Memphis for the title in 2008, and the regular-season Big 12 title was his 17th in 20 seasons in Lawrence.

With the retirement of Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim on Wednesday, Self climbed up the list of the winningest active coaches in men's college basketball behind Bob Huggins, John Calipari and Rick Pitino.

“Coach Self has always treated me very well. Really respect him and respect their program,” said Iowa State coach TJ Otzelberger, whose team will face the Jayhawks in Friday night's Big 12 Tournament semifinals. “Certainly want to wish him the best. I texted him earlier today and let him know we're keeping him in our thoughts.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas coach Bill Self will miss the third-ranked Jayhawks' quarterfinal game against West Virginia in the Big 12 Tournament on Thursday with what the school called an undisclosed illness.

Kansas officials announced the news about five hours before tipoff between the top-seeded Jayhawks and eighth-seeded Mountaineers. Assistant Norm Roberts will serve as the acting coach for the Jayhawks, a role he filled earlier in the season when Self served a school-imposed four-game suspension and won each of the games.

“Self is doing well and receiving great care at the University of Kansas Health System,” the school said Thursday in a statement. It did not say whether Self would be back should the Jayhawks advance to the semifinals.

The 60-year-old Hall of Fame coach led Kansas to the regular-season championship in the toughest conference in the nation this season, despite losing several key players from the team that beat North Carolina the national title.

He was present Wednesday for a shoot-around at T-Mobile Center and appeared to be in normal condition. He met with reporters for about 20 minutes outside the locker room and said his team was ready for another March run.

“We’ve talked about we’re going to Kansas City to try to put ourselves in position to win this thing, but knowing we better take one game at a time,” Self said. "I’ve put the emphasis on, ‘Let’s go play our best.’ What the (Big 12) tournament does, it can validate what your regular season’s been. And this is an opportunity to validate it.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas coach Bill Self will miss the Big 12 Tournament after going to the emergency room Wednesday night for what doctors called “a standard procedure,” and it's uncertain whether he will be back for the NCAA Tournament.Dr. Steve Stites, the chief medical officer at the University of Kansas Health System, said Self did not have a heart attack, which some outlets had reported, but that he remained a patient Thursday. Stites also did not describe the nature or extent of the procedure, though Self is expected to make a full recovery.“We didn't really let the guys know until this morning because nothing was concrete what was going on,” said Kansas assistant Norm Roberts, who led the No. 3 Jayhawks to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-west-virginia-big-12-98660b6b6b3faef70391aa1b7524f715">a 78-61 win over West Virginia</a>&nbsp;in the quarterfinal round.“Coach is doing good,” Roberts added. “I talked to him on the phone (after the game). He's doing well. He already wants to watch film and all of that. He's doing well. He's doing better.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678402776530.png" alt="Statement from KU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Statement from KU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas officials announced that Self was ill about five hours before tipoff Thursday and that Roberts would be the acting coach. It's a role he filled earlier in the season when Self served a school-imposed four-game suspension.The Jayhawks are the defending Big 12 Tournament champions and are trying to secure a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament, where they will attempt to defend the national championship they won last April.“Just come together through it all. Coach Self obviously would want that,” Kansas guard Gradey Dick said. “A lot of what he preaches with us is next man up, and in this case it was coach. And it's kind of a little similar to the start of the season. Obviously a little more serious now with Coach Self but we're hearing it's all good.”The 60-year-old Hall of Fame coach led Kansas to the regular-season championship in the toughest conference in the nation this season, despite losing several key players from the team that beat North Carolina for the national title last April.He was present Wednesday for a shootaround at T-Mobile Center and appeared healthy. He met with reporters for about 20 minutes outside the locker room and said his team was ready for another March run.“We’ve talked about we’re going to Kansas City to try to put ourselves in position to win this thing, but knowing we better take one game at a time,” Self said Wednesday. “I’ve put the emphasis on, ‘Let’s go play our best.’ What the (Big 12) tournament does, it can validate what your regular season’s been. And this is an opportunity to validate it.”Self is 581-130 during his two decades with Kansas, and is 788-235 in his 30 seasons as a head coach, including stops at Oral Roberts, Tulsa and Illinois. He's led the Jayhawks to a pair of national championships, beating Memphis for the title in 2008, and the regular-season Big 12 title was his 17th in 20 seasons in Lawrence.With the retirement of Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim on Wednesday, Self climbed up the list of the winningest active coaches in men's college basketball behind Bob Huggins, John Calipari and Rick Pitino.“Coach Self has always treated me very well. Really respect him and respect their program,” said Iowa State coach TJ Otzelberger, whose team will face the Jayhawks in Friday night's Big 12 Tournament semifinals. “Certainly want to wish him the best. I texted him earlier today and let him know we're keeping him in our thoughts.”-----------KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas coach Bill Self will miss the third-ranked Jayhawks' quarterfinal game against West Virginia in the Big 12 Tournament on Thursday with what the school called an undisclosed illness.Kansas officials announced the news about five hours before tipoff between the top-seeded Jayhawks and eighth-seeded Mountaineers. Assistant Norm Roberts will serve as the acting coach for the Jayhawks, a role he filled earlier in the season when Self served a school-imposed four-game suspension and won each of the games.The Jayhawks are the defending Big 12 Tournament champions and are trying to secure a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament, where they will attempt to defend the national championship they won last April.“Self is doing well and receiving great care at the University of Kansas Health System,” the school said Thursday in a statement. It did not say whether Self would be back should the Jayhawks advance to the semifinals.The 60-year-old Hall of Fame coach led Kansas to the regular-season championship in the toughest conference in the nation this season, despite losing several key players from the team that beat North Carolina the national title.He was present Wednesday for a shoot-around at T-Mobile Center and appeared to be in normal condition. He met with reporters for about 20 minutes outside the locker room and said his team was ready for another March run.“We’ve talked about we’re going to Kansas City to try to put ourselves in position to win this thing, but knowing we better take one game at a time,” Self said. "I’ve put the emphasis on, ‘Let’s go play our best.’ What the (Big 12) tournament does, it can validate what your regular season’s been. And this is an opportunity to validate it.”Self is 581-130 during his two decades with Kansas, and is 788-235 in his 30 seasons as a head coach, including stops at Oral Roberts, Tulsa and Illinois. He's led the Jayhawks to a pair of national championships, beating Memphis for the title in 2008, and the regular-season Big 12 title was his 17th in 20 seasons in Lawrence.With the retirement of Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim on Wednesday, Self climbed up the list of the winningest active coaches in men's college basketball behind Bob Huggins, John Calipari and Rick Pitino.----------

Update: KU coach Self to miss Big 12 tourney after medical procedure

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — As political gridlock puts the government at risk of defaulting, President Joe Biden on Thursday made an opening bid with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-budget-deficit-trillion-republicans-economy-810ff80dcd8812f2138eef571f2444f3">budget plan</a>&nbsp;that would cut deficits by $2.9 trillion over the next decade — a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-budget-highlights-taxes-deficits-medicare-3f0d64293eb6bf84d114d937627119b8">proposal that Republicans already intend to reject</a>. (Click below to watch the President's comments)

It's part of a broader attempt by the president to call out House Republicans who are demanding severe cuts to spending in return for lifting the government's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-us-department-of-the-treasury-united-states-government-janet-yellen-business-6fe9b54dcdfea58bead0f4c5f9f89a64">legal borrowing limit</a>. But the GOP has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-us-republican-party-kevin-mccarthy-895d66dcb52739ea06a505859ac9fff3">no counteroffer</a>&nbsp;so far, other than a flat “no” to a Biden blueprint with tax increases on the wealthy that could form the policy backbone of Biden's yet-to-be-declared campaign for reelection in 2024.

Striding around a stage at a union training center in Philadelphia, Biden seemed to be in full campaign mode as he spoke about his plan for the government's finances and how his values contrasted with Republican priorities.

“I just laid out the bulk of my budget,” Biden said. “Republicans in Congress should do the same thing. Then we can sit down and see where we disagree.”

Yet the president doubted that GOP lawmakers could make their numbers match their calls for a balanced budget and he suggested that any efforts to do so could come at the expense of middle-class families.

“How are they going to make the math work?" Biden said. "What are they going to cut?”

Biden’s package of tax and spending priorities is unlikely to pass the GOP-run House or the Senate, where Democrats hold a slim edge, as proposed.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said the president's proposed deficit reduction was inadequate. “It just seems like it’s going to create the biggest government in history. I don’t think that’s what we need at this time,” he said.

In addition to deficit reduction, Biden's 10-year budget largely revolves around the idea of taxing the wealthy to help fund programs for the middle class, older adults and families. It would raise $4.7 trillion from higher taxes, with an additional $800 billion in savings from changes to programs.

The tax increases include a reversal of the 2017 tax cuts made by President Donald Trump on people earning more than $400,000 a year.

Biden has floated a new 25% minimum tax on households worth $100 million or more. Also, the tax that companies pay on stock buybacks would rise fourfold and those earning more than $400,000 would pay an additional Medicare tax that would help to keep the program solvent beyond the year 2050. Medicare could negotiate on the prices of more prescription drugs, helping to save the government money.

Accompanying that would be $2.6 trillion worth of new spending, including the restoration of the expanded child tax credit that would give families as much as $3,600 per child, compared with the current level of $2,000. That credit would be “fully refundable,” which means households could receive all of that sum even if they don’t owe any taxes. The budget proposal would impose a $35-a-month cap on insulin prices, matching a change that Biden already put in place for Medicare recipients.

At a time of increased tensions with Russia and China, the budget shows a decline in military spending as a share of the U.S. economy over the next decade. But federal spending would be equal to roughly one-quarter of economic output as the spending on Social Security and Medicare climbs, essentially keeping the government the same size as it is currently.

The budget would seek to close the “carried interest” loophole that allows wealthy hedge fund managers and others to pay their taxes at a lower rate, and prevent billionaires from being able to set aside large amounts of their holdings in tax-favored retirement accounts. The plan also projects saving $24 billion over 10 years by removing a tax subsidy for cryptocurrency transactions.

McCarthy has called for putting the U.S. government on a path toward a balanced budget. But by refusing to raise taxes or cut Social Security and Medicare spending, GOP lawmakers face some harsh math that makes it hard to reduce deficits without risking a voter backlash before a presidential election. He has said his plan's release was pushed back because Biden's proposal was only now coming out.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., expressed skepticism that McCarthy has any coherent plan that House Republicans can coalesce around. “Enough with the dodging, enough with the excuses," Schumer said. "Show us your plan. And then show us how it’s going to get 218 votes on your side of the aisle.”

Biden's deficit reduction goal is significantly higher than the $2 trillion that he had promised in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-of-the-union-biden-2023-b9bebd876a42a9510f068a04a3f2a348">State of the Union</a>&nbsp;address last month.

With the economy already in a fragile state because of high inflation, if Biden and Congress cannot agree to raise the statutory debt cap of $31.4 trillion by this summer, the government could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-us-department-of-the-treasury-united-states-government-district-columbia-china-0f7f0d85ed38353940a18cd262de8b09">default on payments</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-us-department-of-the-treasury-united-states-government-janet-yellen-business-6fe9b54dcdfea58bead0f4c5f9f89a64">perhaps shove the country into a recession.</a>

The budget also shows the shadow of Trump's legacy, as provisions in his 2017 tax cuts will expire after 2025. Biden wants to eliminate elements of that overhaul, arguing that lower taxes failed to produce the growth that Trump promised. But Biden's budget does not address tax cuts that benefited households making less than $400,000: Their expiration could amount to a tax increase that would violate a pledge by Biden to only raise taxes on the wealthy.

Based off the data, the cost of extending the tax breaks for people making less than $400,000 would be $1.5 trillion, according to Kyle Pomerleau, a senior fellow at the center-right American Enterprise Institute. That would halve the deficit savings being promoted by Biden, but Pomerleau cautioned that his estimates might be high because the president's plan includes the cost of the expanded child tax credit.

Biden’s proposal would increase the top marginal tax rate to 39.6% on income above $400,000. For households with $1 million in income, earnings from capital gains, such as stocks or property sales, would no longer enjoy a discounted tax rate compared with wages. The president would increase the corporate tax rate to 28% and increase the tax rate on U.S. multinationals’ foreign earnings from 10.5% to 21%.

In February, the nonpartisan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2023-02/58848-Outlook.pdf">Congressional Budget Office</a>&nbsp;estimated that the national debt held by the public will grow by more than $20 trillion over the next decade. The publicly held debt, which reflects the cumulative impact of yearly deficits, would be equal to 118% of U.S. gross domestic product, compared with 98% this year. Biden's budget would reduce the debt, though it would still be high relative to historical levels.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — As political gridlock puts the government at risk of defaulting, President Joe Biden on Thursday made an opening bid with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-budget-deficit-trillion-republicans-economy-810ff80dcd8812f2138eef571f2444f3">budget plan</a>&nbsp;that would cut deficits by $2.9 trillion over the next decade — a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-budget-highlights-taxes-deficits-medicare-3f0d64293eb6bf84d114d937627119b8">proposal that Republicans already intend to reject</a>. (Click below to watch the President's comments)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qpJnCELX3Ag?start=814" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>It's part of a broader attempt by the president to call out House Republicans who are demanding severe cuts to spending in return for lifting the government's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-us-department-of-the-treasury-united-states-government-janet-yellen-business-6fe9b54dcdfea58bead0f4c5f9f89a64">legal borrowing limit</a>. But the GOP has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-us-republican-party-kevin-mccarthy-895d66dcb52739ea06a505859ac9fff3">no counteroffer</a>&nbsp;so far, other than a flat “no” to a Biden blueprint with tax increases on the wealthy that could form the policy backbone of Biden's yet-to-be-declared campaign for reelection in 2024.Striding around a stage at a union training center in Philadelphia, Biden seemed to be in full campaign mode as he spoke about his plan for the government's finances and how his values contrasted with Republican priorities.“I just laid out the bulk of my budget,” Biden said. “Republicans in Congress should do the same thing. Then we can sit down and see where we disagree.”Yet the president doubted that GOP lawmakers could make their numbers match their calls for a balanced budget and he suggested that any efforts to do so could come at the expense of middle-class families.“How are they going to make the math work?" Biden said. "What are they going to cut?”Biden’s package of tax and spending priorities is unlikely to pass the GOP-run House or the Senate, where Democrats hold a slim edge, as proposed.House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said the president's proposed deficit reduction was inadequate. “It just seems like it’s going to create the biggest government in history. I don’t think that’s what we need at this time,” he said.In addition to deficit reduction, Biden's 10-year budget largely revolves around the idea of taxing the wealthy to help fund programs for the middle class, older adults and families. It would raise $4.7 trillion from higher taxes, with an additional $800 billion in savings from changes to programs.The tax increases include a reversal of the 2017 tax cuts made by President Donald Trump on people earning more than $400,000 a year.Biden has floated a new 25% minimum tax on households worth $100 million or more. Also, the tax that companies pay on stock buybacks would rise fourfold and those earning more than $400,000 would pay an additional Medicare tax that would help to keep the program solvent beyond the year 2050. Medicare could negotiate on the prices of more prescription drugs, helping to save the government money.Accompanying that would be $2.6 trillion worth of new spending, including the restoration of the expanded child tax credit that would give families as much as $3,600 per child, compared with the current level of $2,000. That credit would be “fully refundable,” which means households could receive all of that sum even if they don’t owe any taxes. The budget proposal would impose a $35-a-month cap on insulin prices, matching a change that Biden already put in place for Medicare recipients.At a time of increased tensions with Russia and China, the budget shows a decline in military spending as a share of the U.S. economy over the next decade. But federal spending would be equal to roughly one-quarter of economic output as the spending on Social Security and Medicare climbs, essentially keeping the government the same size as it is currently.The budget would seek to close the “carried interest” loophole that allows wealthy hedge fund managers and others to pay their taxes at a lower rate, and prevent billionaires from being able to set aside large amounts of their holdings in tax-favored retirement accounts. The plan also projects saving $24 billion over 10 years by removing a tax subsidy for cryptocurrency transactions.McCarthy has called for putting the U.S. government on a path toward a balanced budget. But by refusing to raise taxes or cut Social Security and Medicare spending, GOP lawmakers face some harsh math that makes it hard to reduce deficits without risking a voter backlash before a presidential election. He has said his plan's release was pushed back because Biden's proposal was only now coming out.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., expressed skepticism that McCarthy has any coherent plan that House Republicans can coalesce around. “Enough with the dodging, enough with the excuses," Schumer said. "Show us your plan. And then show us how it’s going to get 218 votes on your side of the aisle.”Biden's deficit reduction goal is significantly higher than the $2 trillion that he had promised in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-of-the-union-biden-2023-b9bebd876a42a9510f068a04a3f2a348">State of the Union</a>&nbsp;address last month.With the economy already in a fragile state because of high inflation, if Biden and Congress cannot agree to raise the statutory debt cap of $31.4 trillion by this summer, the government could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-us-department-of-the-treasury-united-states-government-district-columbia-china-0f7f0d85ed38353940a18cd262de8b09">default on payments</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-us-department-of-the-treasury-united-states-government-janet-yellen-business-6fe9b54dcdfea58bead0f4c5f9f89a64">perhaps shove the country into a recession.</a>The budget also shows the shadow of Trump's legacy, as provisions in his 2017 tax cuts will expire after 2025. Biden wants to eliminate elements of that overhaul, arguing that lower taxes failed to produce the growth that Trump promised. But Biden's budget does not address tax cuts that benefited households making less than $400,000: Their expiration could amount to a tax increase that would violate a pledge by Biden to only raise taxes on the wealthy.Based off the data, the cost of extending the tax breaks for people making less than $400,000 would be $1.5 trillion, according to Kyle Pomerleau, a senior fellow at the center-right American Enterprise Institute. That would halve the deficit savings being promoted by Biden, but Pomerleau cautioned that his estimates might be high because the president's plan includes the cost of the expanded child tax credit.Biden’s proposal would increase the top marginal tax rate to 39.6% on income above $400,000. For households with $1 million in income, earnings from capital gains, such as stocks or property sales, would no longer enjoy a discounted tax rate compared with wages. The president would increase the corporate tax rate to 28% and increase the tax rate on U.S. multinationals’ foreign earnings from 10.5% to 21%.In February, the nonpartisan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2023-02/58848-Outlook.pdf">Congressional Budget Office</a>&nbsp;estimated that the national debt held by the public will grow by more than $20 trillion over the next decade. The publicly held debt, which reflects the cumulative impact of yearly deficits, would be equal to 118% of U.S. gross domestic product, compared with 98% this year. Biden's budget would reduce the debt, though it would still be high relative to historical levels.___

🎥Biden rolls out $6.8T budget plan, challenges GOP to follow suit

OMAHA, NE (AP) — The major freight railroads announced a number of steps Wednesday that they are taking to improve safety in the wake of last month’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-ohio-evacuations-fires-5d399dc745f51ef746e22828083d8591">fiery Ohio derailment</a>, but it’s not clear if their actions will be enough to satisfy regulators and members of Congress who are pushing for changes.

Many of the proposals from the Association of American Railroads trade group focus on strengthening the network of trackside detectors that railroads use to spot problems before they can cause derailments. The railroads plan to do this by installing 1,000 more of the detectors nationwide and tweaking the way railroads use the data from them.

Norfolk Southern, the railroad responsible for the Feb. 3 derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, near the Pennsylvania border,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/derailment-ohio-safety-norfolk-southern-railroad-171b7d3f8e0dbced1336efafb098badf">proposed similar changes</a>&nbsp;earlier this week, but the Federal Railroad Administration responded saying the company wasn't doing nearly enough.

And several members of Congress — led by Ohio's two senators — have proposed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/derailment-ohio-safety-senate-legislation-brown-vance-82c55dc95aca9524d6ae8e6d01336dbe">sweeping package of rail reforms</a>&nbsp;that go well beyond what the industry is proposing. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rail-accidents-transportation-pete-buttigieg-ohio-pennsylvania-f1cd9d79cdd66b1f45d1dcdf1e53ff58">urged the railroads</a>&nbsp;to make immediate changes.

Federal regulators didn't immediately respond Wednesday to questions about the industry's proposals. Congress plans to scrutinize Norfolk Southern's safety record and its response to the Ohio derailment at a Senate hearing Thursday morning that will also examine the reforms Ohio's senators proposed. Two federal agencies also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-norfolk-southern-safety-investigation-2c819f2c469102332d4b1abf4c6e8923">announced broad investigations</a>&nbsp;into Norfolk Southern's safety record Tuesday.

Overall, railroads are proud of their safety record, which reflects a decline in derailments over the past several years, and they like to tout the statistic that 99.9% of all hazardous materials shipments railroads handle reach their destinations safely. Still, there were 1,049 derailments nationwide last year — and the East Palestine one showed how even a single mishap involving hazardous materials can be disastrous.

“Rail is indisputably the safest way to move dangerous commodities,” AAR President Ian Jefferies said. “Yet we fully appreciate that these data do not comfort the residents of East Palestine and that public trust must be restored through action."

The major freight railroads — which include Norfolk Southern, CSX, Union Pacific, BNSF, Canadian Pacific, Kansas City Southern and Canadian National — said they will tighten up the spacing between the hot-bearing detectors to ensure they average no more than 15 miles (24 kilometers) apart along the main routes they use to transport hazardous chemicals. Currently, there are no federal rules on those detectors, which can be spaced up to 40 miles (64 kilometers) apart in places, though most of them are much closer together.

Rail safety expert Allan Zarembski said the existing network of detectors was already quite effective and allowed only a handful of derailments every year related to overheating bearings. But these changes will undoubtedly catch even more of these problems, said the University of Delaware professor who leads the railroad engineering and safety program there.

Zarembski said he believes these changes are likely to be “pretty effective.”

The railroads said they will also commit to stopping and inspecting any train that has a bearing that registers more than 170 degrees above the outside temperature. That’s in line with the standards Norfolk Southern already uses.

The National Transportation Safety Board&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Documents/RRD23MR005%20East%20Palestine%20OH%20Prelim.pdf">has said</a>&nbsp;the Norfolk Southern crew&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-pete-buttigieg-evacuations-ohio-explosions-64908a6416662b5866809387f210aee5">received a warning</a>&nbsp;about an overheating bearing just before the derailment but wasn’t able to stop the train before 38 cars, including 11 carrying hazardous materials, jumped off the tracks and caught fire. About half the town of East Palestine — about 2,500 residents — had to evacuate a couple days later because officials were worried that five of the cars carrying vinyl chloride might explode. They then&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-updates-bf5a60de2243cd6f7f730096aa33294c">released the chemical and burned</a>&nbsp;it off.

In addition to stopping trains anytime a bearing exceeds 170 degrees, the railroads also analyze the data from sensors all across their networks to identify problems even before a bearing hits that threshold. The trade group said all the major railroads plan to discuss ways to improve that analysis by the end of March.

The railroads said they also plan to train about 20,000 first responders nationwide this year to deal with hazardous materials incidents. As part of that, Norfolk Southern announced plans Wednesday to build a new regional training center in Ohio. Gov. Mike DeWine praised the effort.

“The derailment in East Palestine made clear that ensuring first responders are prepared for disasters involving hazardous materials is vitally important to the safety of communities,” DeWine said. “Often, first responders are volunteers, and their need to have the most up-to-date training and equipment is vitally important."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678141665059.png" alt="&nbsp;Union&nbsp; Pacific train derailment on March 4 in Sumner County Kansas -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Union&nbsp; Pacific train derailment on March 4 in Sumner County Kansas -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, NE (AP) — The major freight railroads announced a number of steps Wednesday that they are taking to improve safety in the wake of last month’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-ohio-evacuations-fires-5d399dc745f51ef746e22828083d8591">fiery Ohio derailment</a>, but it’s not clear if their actions will be enough to satisfy regulators and members of Congress who are pushing for changes.Many of the proposals from the Association of American Railroads trade group focus on strengthening the network of trackside detectors that railroads use to spot problems before they can cause derailments. The railroads plan to do this by installing 1,000 more of the detectors nationwide and tweaking the way railroads use the data from them.Norfolk Southern, the railroad responsible for the Feb. 3 derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, near the Pennsylvania border,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/derailment-ohio-safety-norfolk-southern-railroad-171b7d3f8e0dbced1336efafb098badf">proposed similar changes</a>&nbsp;earlier this week, but the Federal Railroad Administration responded saying the company wasn't doing nearly enough.And several members of Congress — led by Ohio's two senators — have proposed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/derailment-ohio-safety-senate-legislation-brown-vance-82c55dc95aca9524d6ae8e6d01336dbe">sweeping package of rail reforms</a>&nbsp;that go well beyond what the industry is proposing. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rail-accidents-transportation-pete-buttigieg-ohio-pennsylvania-f1cd9d79cdd66b1f45d1dcdf1e53ff58">urged the railroads</a>&nbsp;to make immediate changes.Federal regulators didn't immediately respond Wednesday to questions about the industry's proposals. Congress plans to scrutinize Norfolk Southern's safety record and its response to the Ohio derailment at a Senate hearing Thursday morning that will also examine the reforms Ohio's senators proposed. Two federal agencies also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-norfolk-southern-safety-investigation-2c819f2c469102332d4b1abf4c6e8923">announced broad investigations</a>&nbsp;into Norfolk Southern's safety record Tuesday.Overall, railroads are proud of their safety record, which reflects a decline in derailments over the past several years, and they like to tout the statistic that 99.9% of all hazardous materials shipments railroads handle reach their destinations safely. Still, there were 1,049 derailments nationwide last year — and the East Palestine one showed how even a single mishap involving hazardous materials can be disastrous.“Rail is indisputably the safest way to move dangerous commodities,” AAR President Ian Jefferies said. “Yet we fully appreciate that these data do not comfort the residents of East Palestine and that public trust must be restored through action."The major freight railroads — which include Norfolk Southern, CSX, Union Pacific, BNSF, Canadian Pacific, Kansas City Southern and Canadian National — said they will tighten up the spacing between the hot-bearing detectors to ensure they average no more than 15 miles (24 kilometers) apart along the main routes they use to transport hazardous chemicals. Currently, there are no federal rules on those detectors, which can be spaced up to 40 miles (64 kilometers) apart in places, though most of them are much closer together.Rail safety expert Allan Zarembski said the existing network of detectors was already quite effective and allowed only a handful of derailments every year related to overheating bearings. But these changes will undoubtedly catch even more of these problems, said the University of Delaware professor who leads the railroad engineering and safety program there.Zarembski said he believes these changes are likely to be “pretty effective.”The railroads said they will also commit to stopping and inspecting any train that has a bearing that registers more than 170 degrees above the outside temperature. That’s in line with the standards Norfolk Southern already uses.The National Transportation Safety Board&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Documents/RRD23MR005%20East%20Palestine%20OH%20Prelim.pdf">has said</a>&nbsp;the Norfolk Southern crew&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-pete-buttigieg-evacuations-ohio-explosions-64908a6416662b5866809387f210aee5">received a warning</a>&nbsp;about an overheating bearing just before the derailment but wasn’t able to stop the train before 38 cars, including 11 carrying hazardous materials, jumped off the tracks and caught fire. About half the town of East Palestine — about 2,500 residents — had to evacuate a couple days later because officials were worried that five of the cars carrying vinyl chloride might explode. They then&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-updates-bf5a60de2243cd6f7f730096aa33294c">released the chemical and burned</a>&nbsp;it off.In addition to stopping trains anytime a bearing exceeds 170 degrees, the railroads also analyze the data from sensors all across their networks to identify problems even before a bearing hits that threshold. The trade group said all the major railroads plan to discuss ways to improve that analysis by the end of March.The railroads said they also plan to train about 20,000 first responders nationwide this year to deal with hazardous materials incidents. As part of that, Norfolk Southern announced plans Wednesday to build a new regional training center in Ohio. Gov. Mike DeWine praised the effort.“The derailment in East Palestine made clear that ensuring first responders are prepared for disasters involving hazardous materials is vitally important to the safety of communities,” DeWine said. “Often, first responders are volunteers, and their need to have the most up-to-date training and equipment is vitally important."

Railroads propose safety reforms after fiery Ohio derailment

COUNCIL GROVE -Law enforcement authorities are investigating a domestic disturbance and asking the public for help to locate a suspect.

Just after 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to the 200 block of North Union Street in Council Grove on the report of a domestic disturbance, according to a media release.

Colton Brady ran from the scene on 825 Road, north of Council Grove and is wanted for questioning in regards to&nbsp; Interference with Law Enforcement, Possession of Fentanyl, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Additionally, a felony warrant has been issued for Brady, who is known to be armed.

If you see Brady you are asked to&nbsp;call 911 immediately. If you have any information regarding his whereabouts, please call the Morris County Sheriff's Office at (620) 767-6310

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678380756306.jpeg" alt="-Colton Brady-photo Morris Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>-Colton Brady-photo Morris Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>COUNCIL GROVE -Law enforcement authorities are investigating a domestic disturbance and asking the public for help to locate a suspect.Just after 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to the 200 block of North Union Street in Council Grove on the report of a domestic disturbance, according to a media release.Colton Brady ran from the scene on 825 Road, north of Council Grove and is wanted for questioning in regards to&nbsp; Interference with Law Enforcement, Possession of Fentanyl, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.Additionally, a felony warrant has been issued for Brady, who is known to be armed.If you see Brady you are asked to&nbsp;call 911 immediately. If you have any information regarding his whereabouts, please call the Morris County Sheriff's Office at (620) 767-6310

Police ask for help to locate armed, dangerous Kan. suspect

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/08/kansas-house-committee-advances-legislation-to-protect-infants-born-alive/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Rep. Ron Bryce, a 
Coffeyville Republican, was a Texas medical resident in the late ’80s 
when he was called into an operating room and found a premature baby boy
 who survived his mother’s attempted abortion.

Bryce said he picked up the infant and brought him to the neonatal infant care unit.

“As I stared down on his frail body, I
 had the impression that the entire universe was revolving around this 
one human being at that point in my life,” Bryce said.&nbsp;

The infant later died. Bryce said he 
didn’t know the background of the case and hadn’t talked to the mother, 
but he was told by nurses after the incident that this was a failed 
abortion case.

He gave this story to illustrate the importance of a proposed “born alive” bill, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2313/">House Bill 2313</a>.

The House Health and Human Services 
Committee held a hearing on the bill Wednesday with only supporters 
testifying, then passed the bill. The legislation is similar to other 
bills discussed nationally and in other states.

HB 2313 gives legal protections and 
stipulates legal requirements for fetuses “born alive.” The “born alive”
 definition would include any fetus that can breathe, has a beating 
heart, muscle movement or “pulsation of the umbilical cord,” after being
 removed from the mother’s body at any stage of development.

The bill would require health care 
providers or employees who are present for the attempted abortion to 
give the fetus the same degree of care as other children born alive at 
the same gestational age.

The “born alive” fetus would be 
immediately transported to a hospital for care, with fines and penalties
 implemented for health care providers who fail to provide the care, or 
do not report bill requirement violations.

Jeanne Gawdun, spokeswoman for Kansans for Life, said many infants died in attempted abortions.&nbsp;

“Sadly, there are many cases across the country of infants born alive, left to die, or intentionally killed,” Gawdun said.

Critics have said this bill is 
unnecessary because no one is killing infants after they are born. In a 
fiscal note on the bill, the Kansas Attorney General’s Office said the 
bill is likely to be challenged on constitutional grounds.

The committee also passed a bill that would provide funding for programs that promote alternatives to abortion.

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2429/">House Bill 2429</a>,
 heard in the committee Tuesday, would require the Department for 
Children and Families to establish programs increasing awareness of 
abortion alternatives. If passed, it would divert an estimated $1.7 
million in state funding away from low-income families and into programs
 that promote childbirth, in an effort to reduce abortions statewide.

These are a few of several <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/06/as-kansas-lawmakers-target-abortion-rights-opposition-unites-at-statehouse/">abortion</a> bills currently introduced in the Legislature by Republicans, despite a <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/08/02/kansas-voters-defeat-abortion-amendment-in-unexpected-landslide-1/">landslide defeat</a>
 in August of a constitutional amendment on abortion. Other bills 
include a proposed ban on an abortion pill and a tax credit proposal for
 nonprofit pregnancy centers.

Committee chairwoman Rep. Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican, teared up discussing abortion during the committee meeting.

“Unfortunately, society talks about abortion as if it should be 
normal,” Landwehr said. “It shouldn’t be normal. It just shouldn’t just 
be accepted as a fact of life because I know the pain of having an 
abortion and it hurts.”

She later said the legislation wasn’t anti-abortion.

“I’m somewhat offended just to hear that you believe that it’s an 
anti abortion bill because it’s not,” Landwehr said when a fellow 
lawmaker raised objections to the bill.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678373095526.png" alt="Lawmakers vote to pass legislation funding abortion alternative programs during a hearing March 8, 2023. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Lawmakers vote to pass legislation funding abortion alternative programs during a hearing March 8, 2023. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/08/kansas-house-committee-advances-legislation-to-protect-infants-born-alive/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Rep. Ron Bryce, a 
Coffeyville Republican, was a Texas medical resident in the late ’80s 
when he was called into an operating room and found a premature baby boy
 who survived his mother’s attempted abortion.Bryce said he picked up the infant and brought him to the neonatal infant care unit.“As I stared down on his frail body, I
 had the impression that the entire universe was revolving around this 
one human being at that point in my life,” Bryce said.&nbsp;The infant later died. Bryce said he 
didn’t know the background of the case and hadn’t talked to the mother, 
but he was told by nurses after the incident that this was a failed 
abortion case.He gave this story to illustrate the importance of a proposed “born alive” bill, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2313/">House Bill 2313</a>.The House Health and Human Services 
Committee held a hearing on the bill Wednesday with only supporters 
testifying, then passed the bill. The legislation is similar to other 
bills discussed nationally and in other states.HB 2313 gives legal protections and 
stipulates legal requirements for fetuses “born alive.” The “born alive”
 definition would include any fetus that can breathe, has a beating 
heart, muscle movement or “pulsation of the umbilical cord,” after being
 removed from the mother’s body at any stage of development.The bill would require health care 
providers or employees who are present for the attempted abortion to 
give the fetus the same degree of care as other children born alive at 
the same gestational age.The “born alive” fetus would be 
immediately transported to a hospital for care, with fines and penalties
 implemented for health care providers who fail to provide the care, or 
do not report bill requirement violations.Jeanne Gawdun, spokeswoman for Kansans for Life, said many infants died in attempted abortions.&nbsp;“Sadly, there are many cases across the country of infants born alive, left to die, or intentionally killed,” Gawdun said.Critics have said this bill is 
unnecessary because no one is killing infants after they are born. In a 
fiscal note on the bill, the Kansas Attorney General’s Office said the 
bill is likely to be challenged on constitutional grounds.The committee also passed a bill that would provide funding for programs that promote alternatives to abortion.<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2429/">House Bill 2429</a>,
 heard in the committee Tuesday, would require the Department for 
Children and Families to establish programs increasing awareness of 
abortion alternatives. If passed, it would divert an estimated $1.7 
million in state funding away from low-income families and into programs
 that promote childbirth, in an effort to reduce abortions statewide.These are a few of several <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/06/as-kansas-lawmakers-target-abortion-rights-opposition-unites-at-statehouse/">abortion</a> bills currently introduced in the Legislature by Republicans, despite a <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/08/02/kansas-voters-defeat-abortion-amendment-in-unexpected-landslide-1/">landslide defeat</a>
 in August of a constitutional amendment on abortion. Other bills 
include a proposed ban on an abortion pill and a tax credit proposal for
 nonprofit pregnancy centers.Committee chairwoman Rep. Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican, teared up discussing abortion during the committee meeting.“Unfortunately, society talks about abortion as if it should be 
normal,” Landwehr said. “It shouldn’t be normal. It just shouldn’t just 
be accepted as a fact of life because I know the pain of having an 
abortion and it hurts.”She later said the legislation wasn’t anti-abortion.“I’m somewhat offended just to hear that you believe that it’s an 
anti abortion bill because it’s not,” Landwehr said when a fellow 
lawmaker raised objections to the bill.

Kansas House panel advances bill to protect infants ‘born alive’

Two Hays residents remain jailed following the execution of a search warrant issued in relation to a death in Hays in February.

At 6:35 p.m. Feb. 26, Hays Police Department officers were dispatched to the 200 block of West Fourth on the report of an unresponsive female, according to Hays Police Department Chief Don Scheibler.

“Officers arrived and lifesaving efforts were attempted, but it was determined that female had passed,” Scheibler said.

The Ellis County Coroner was notified, and the department initiated an investigation.

“The investigation revealed that the likely cause of death was the victim had ingested fentanyl,” Scheibler said.

The most likely source was a counterfeit Oxycodone tablet, he said.

On March 2, members of the department and the Ellis County Drug Enforcement Unit served a search warrant at an apartment in the 2800 block of Grant Avenue.

“During the search, pills consistent with the pills found at the death scene we're located,” Scheibler said.

Based on the investigation, Kimberly Beth Schmeidler, 48, Hays, was arrested on suspicion of distribution of a controlled substance causing death, use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug violation, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession with intent to distribute an opiate and possession with intent to distribute a narcotic drug, Scheibler said.

Brandon Joseph Kahrs, 36, Hays, was also arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to use an opiate, possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia and possession to distribute an opiate.

“Both are still in the Ellis County jail and are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law,” Scheibler said.

“The reality of it is these drugs are in Hays, Kansas,” Scheibler said. “Parents need to be having a conversation with their children right now. They can't take pills, can’t smoke pills, can’t ingest them if they don't get them from the doctor. People are dying in our community from drug overdoses.

“It is going to continue to be a priority for us, and those that sell drugs that kill people most definitely will be a priority for us. We are going to continue to focus on these people and hold them accountable.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645113218229.png" alt="Fake oxycodone pills often contain fentanyl. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration" />
 <figcaption>Fake oxycodone pills often contain fentanyl. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostTwo Hays residents remain jailed following the execution of a search warrant issued in relation to a death in Hays in February.At 6:35 p.m. Feb. 26, Hays Police Department officers were dispatched to the 200 block of West Fourth on the report of an unresponsive female, according to Hays Police Department Chief Don Scheibler.“Officers arrived and lifesaving efforts were attempted, but it was determined that female had passed,” Scheibler said.The Ellis County Coroner was notified, and the department initiated an investigation.“The investigation revealed that the likely cause of death was the victim had ingested fentanyl,” Scheibler said.The most likely source was a counterfeit Oxycodone tablet, he said.On March 2, members of the department and the Ellis County Drug Enforcement Unit served a search warrant at an apartment in the 2800 block of Grant Avenue.“During the search, pills consistent with the pills found at the death scene we're located,” Scheibler said.Based on the investigation, Kimberly Beth Schmeidler, 48, Hays, was arrested on suspicion of distribution of a controlled substance causing death, use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug violation, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession with intent to distribute an opiate and possession with intent to distribute a narcotic drug, Scheibler said.Brandon Joseph Kahrs, 36, Hays, was also arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to use an opiate, possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia and possession to distribute an opiate.“Both are still in the Ellis County jail and are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law,” Scheibler said.“The reality of it is these drugs are in Hays, Kansas,” Scheibler said. “Parents need to be having a conversation with their children right now. They can't take pills, can’t smoke pills, can’t ingest them if they don't get them from the doctor. People are dying in our community from drug overdoses.“It is going to continue to be a priority for us, and those that sell drugs that kill people most definitely will be a priority for us. We are going to continue to focus on these people and hold them accountable.”

2 arrested following fentanyl overdose death in Hays

U.S. product regulators said Thursday that Yeti has recalled 1.9 million coolers and gear cases because magnets can come detached from them, posing a risk of serious injury or death.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission said consumers should immediately stop using the four recalled products and contact Yeti for refund information.

<a href="https://stg.yeti.com/M20-M30-sidekick-product-recall.html">CLICK HERE for</a> additional details on the recall

The closures on the recalled products can fail, resulting in detached magnets, the CPSC said. If swallowed, two or more high-powered magnets can attract to each other or to another metal object and get stuck in the digestive system. The CPSC said if that happens, it can cause perforations, twisting and blockage of the intestines, potentially resulting in infection, blood poisoning and death.

The products being recalled are the Sidekick dry gear case, M20 soft backpack cooler and M30 soft cooler, version 1.0 and 2.0.

The coolers and gear bags were sold at Dick’s Sporting Goods, Ace Hardware, Academy Sports and Outdoors, Yeti and other stores, including Amazon, from March 2018 to January 2023. The gear case sells for about $50 and the coolers for between $300 and $350.

The firm has received 1,399 reports of the magnet-lined closures degrading or failing, including reports of missing or detached magnets. No magnet ingestions or injuries have been reported.

Consumers can contact Yeti toll-free at 833-444-3151 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT Monday through Sunday. The Austin, Texas company can also be contact by email at productrecall (at) yeti.com or online at&nbsp;<a href="https://stg.yeti.com/M20-M30-sidekick-product-recall.html">https://stg.yeti.com/M20-M30-sidekick-product-recall.html</a>&nbsp;or at www.yeti.com. Consumers should click on “Product Recall” at the bottom of the page for details.

More than 40,000 of the recalled products were sold in Canada.

Shares in Yeti were down about 1.5% in midday trading Thursday.

U.S. product regulators said Thursday that Yeti has recalled 1.9 million coolers and gear cases because magnets can come detached from them, posing a risk of serious injury or death.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FYeti%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02aRheZAnRkXxS6o52YA1GUF4729PGk2z6sgK1ibEqzBWpRh9pMfGUKWVAhvQa5trfl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="819" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>The Consumer Product Safety Commission said consumers should immediately stop using the four recalled products and contact Yeti for refund information.<a href="https://stg.yeti.com/M20-M30-sidekick-product-recall.html">CLICK HERE for</a> additional details on the recallThe closures on the recalled products can fail, resulting in detached magnets, the CPSC said. If swallowed, two or more high-powered magnets can attract to each other or to another metal object and get stuck in the digestive system. The CPSC said if that happens, it can cause perforations, twisting and blockage of the intestines, potentially resulting in infection, blood poisoning and death.The products being recalled are the Sidekick dry gear case, M20 soft backpack cooler and M30 soft cooler, version 1.0 and 2.0.The coolers and gear bags were sold at Dick’s Sporting Goods, Ace Hardware, Academy Sports and Outdoors, Yeti and other stores, including Amazon, from March 2018 to January 2023. The gear case sells for about $50 and the coolers for between $300 and $350.The firm has received 1,399 reports of the magnet-lined closures degrading or failing, including reports of missing or detached magnets. No magnet ingestions or injuries have been reported.Consumers can contact Yeti toll-free at 833-444-3151 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT Monday through Sunday. The Austin, Texas company can also be contact by email at productrecall (at) yeti.com or online at&nbsp;<a href="https://stg.yeti.com/M20-M30-sidekick-product-recall.html">https://stg.yeti.com/M20-M30-sidekick-product-recall.html</a>&nbsp;or at www.yeti.com. Consumers should click on “Product Recall” at the bottom of the page for details.More than 40,000 of the recalled products were sold in Canada.Shares in Yeti were down about 1.5% in midday trading Thursday.

Yeti recalls 1.9 million coolers and cases for magnet hazard

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged violent incident at a middle school in Manhattan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678375784699.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged violent incident at a middle school in Manhattan.Just after 11:15a.m. Wednesday, officers filed a report for battery and criminal damage to property at Susan B. Anthony Middle School,&nbsp;2501 Browning Avenue in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.&nbsp;A 33-year-old man, a 54-year-old woman and USD 383 reported an 11-year-old boy battered the two adults and broke an interior window of the building with a metal chair. The estimated total loss associated with this case is approximately $500.