By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/29/scuffle-over-kellys-nominee-to-court-of-appeals-foreshadows-bigger-fight-over-supreme-court/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Kansas Senate unanimously confirmed Kansas Court of 
Appeals nominee Rachel Pickering despite alarms set off by Republicans 
about judicial criticism leveled against her decisions as appellate 
defense counsel in a 15-year-old criminal case.

The Republican-dominated Senate voted to make Pickering, a Shawnee 
County District Court judge, the first Hispanic on the state Court of 
Appeals.

The old case and glass-ceiling issues could become footnotes to a 
larger political effort by conservatives in the Kansas Legislature to 
build momentum for an amendment to the Kansas Constitution requiring 
Senate confirmation of nominees to the Kansas Supreme Court. In 2013, 
then-Gov. Sam Brownback signed a bill adopting the federal model of 
Senate advice and consent for Court of Appeals nominees. To strip Kansas
 governors of power to make direct appointments to the Supreme Court, 
however, would require amending the constitution.

Sen. Virgil Peck, a Republican from Havana in southeast Kansas, 
echoed praise from Republicans and Democrats for Pickering’s experience 
as a judge, prosecutor and defense attorney. He joined a chorus of GOP 
colleagues who denounced Gov. Laura Kelly for not providing the Senate 
Judiciary Committee with information about the Court of Appeals’ 
criticism of Pickering’s approach to appeal of a criminal conviction.

“I was disappointed, frustrated. I could use several adjectives, but 
will stop there,” Peck said. “Is this a one-time experience? I don’t 
know. My conspiracy mind would tend to say, ‘No.’ Probably happened 
before, just didn’t learn about it.”

Peck, pivoting to the deeper political issue, said the experience 
with Pickering’s nomination raised the possibility Kelly swept under the
 rug unflattering information about the governor’s three appointees to 
the Supreme Court. In 2020, Kelly appointed Keynen Wall, Evelyn Wilson 
and Melissa Standridge to the state’s highest court from among finalists
 selected by a nominating commission. In November’s statewide election, 
Kansans voted to retain all three justices by two-thirds majorities.

“We have three individuals on the Supreme Court that were appointed 
by our current governor,” Peck said. “We did not have an opportunity to 
weigh in as legislators, as senators, on whether they should sit on the 
highest court in the state of Kansas.”

Fellow Republican Sen. J.R. Claeys of Salina said the Senate 
Judiciary Committee discovered in the court record justification for 
questioning Pickering’s qualificiations to serve on the Court of 
Appeals. He said the governor was aware of the controversy, but didn’t 
share that with the Senate committee. The governor’s lack of disclosure 
demonstrated the value of Senate confirmation for members of the 
judicial branch, he said.

“Unfortunately,” Claeys said, “Senate confirmation does not yet 
exist for the Kansas Supreme Court, resulting in a selection process 
that is largely shielded from public scrutiny. That is why reforming our
 method of judicial selection is so important. The people must have 
input.”

Sen. Ethan Corson, a Fairway Democrat, attorney and member of the 
Senate Judiciary Committee, said he was a strong supporter of 
Pickering’s nomination.

He said questions raised by senators about her decisions 15 years ago
 to abandon a line of appeal regarding evidence against the accused was 
relevant to consideration of her nomination to the Court of Appeals. 
Those issues should be looked at in context of a career as a criminal 
defense and prosecuting attorney as well as years working on appellate 
cases before the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, he said.

“I do think Judge Pickering, in terms of background, reputation, 
depth of experience is really in a class by herself,” Corson said.

He said debate about Pickering during the Senate committee’s 
deliberations foreshadowed resurgence of a proposed constitutional 
amendment that narrowly fell short of the needed two-thirds majority in 
the Senate during the 2022 session. It approved by the House and Senate 
and by statewide voters, the amendment would prevent governors from 
making direct appointments to the Supreme Court. Instead, governors 
would nominate individuals to the Supreme Court for the final decision 
made by the Senate.

Opponents of the change believe placing the Senate in charge of 
Supreme Court confirmations would undercut the executive branch’s role 
in the judiciary. Republicans have maintained House and Senate 
majorities over Democrats since 1993.

“I think this is an argument you will see going forward for bringing 
back the same amendment that failed last year,” Corson said. “The result
 would be politicization of the courts at a time when we desperately 
need to try to turn down the temperature and depoliticize things.”

House Democratic leader Vic Miller, a Topeka attorney and former 
municipal judge, said Senate Republicans thought they ferreted out a 
smoking gun in the Pickering nomination. He said the Pickering 
controversy was intended to persuade Kanas votes that governors couldn’t
 be trusted to make appointments to the Supreme Court.

“In fact,” Miller said, “their inability to comprehend the very 
complicated nuances of this legal situation is a clear illustration of 
why politics do not belong in the confirmation process. The Senate has 
no business confirming our justices, as evidenced by their 
politically-driven witch hunt that ultimately ended with a unanimous 
vote.”

Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, proposed in 
2022 a constitutional amendment designed to end influence of the Supreme
 Court nominating commission and repeal the merit-based selection 
process inserted into the Kansas Constitution in 1958.

Masterson and other GOP lawmakers said membership on the nine-member 
nominating commission was tilted toward members of the Kansas Bar 
Association. He said the current vetting process for applicants to the 
Supreme Court failed to provide “the people any real input in the 
judicial selection process,” led to a seven-member Supreme Court that 
issued “extreme” decisions on abortion law and ran afoul of the nation’s
 tradition of government checks and balances.

In 2019, the Senate dismissed a 
resolution making constitutional changes necessary so the process of 
reviewing Supreme Court nominations mirrored state law guiding Senate 
confirmation of nominees to the Court of Appeals. The House passed a 
comparable measure in 2016, but not by the two-thirds majority required 
to advance constitutional amendments.

Since 2014, the Kansas Senate confirmed nine of 10 nominees to the 
Court of Appeals. The lone rejection — twice —was Carl Folsom, who 
devoted much of his legal career to work as a federal and state public 
defender. His second rejection led Kelly to declare “legislative leaders
 are still putting partisan politics ahead of their constitutionally 
mandated duties.”

Under this Senate confirmation process, Brownback placed two people 
on the Court of Appeals. The first, Caleb Stegall, was controversial 
because he was general counsel in the governor’s office. It triggered a 
rebuke from the House Minority Leader Paul Davis of Lawrence, who 
disagreed with Brownback’s nomination of “well-connected, partisan 
pals.” Brownback later appointed Stegall to the Supreme Court.

Six of Kelly’s nominees to the 14-member state Court of Appeals — all women — have survived Senate review since 2019.

In August, Kelly nominated Pickering to fill a vacancy on the Court 
of Appeals. The governor had previously appointed her to the Shawnee 
County District Court in 2019. Pickering’s legal career included work as
 an appellate defender, public defender, assistant district attorney and
 assistant solicitor general.

Pickering had argued 35 cases before the Supreme Court, 40 in front 
of the Court of Appeals and authored more than 300 legal briefs. As an 
appellate defender, Pickering worked on felony cases from all 105 Kansas
 counties. She was responsible for criminal cases as a public defender 
and a prosecutor in Shawnee County. She also was involved in felony 
cases and federal appeals in the office of the state attorney general.

On Jan. 17, Pickering was called before the Senate Judiciary 
Committee to discuss her nomination to the Court of Appeals. Pickering 
and the governor’s office were informed in advance by Republican Sen. 
Kellie Warren, the committee’s chairwoman and an attorney from Lenexa, 
the committee would explore Pickering’s work for the Kansas Appellate 
Defender’s Office on behalf of a convicted felon.

On appeal, the Court of Appeals had concluded Pickering’s approach in
 that case was “objectively unreasonable” and raised the issue of 
ineffective counsel.

Pickering, who appeared for a second day of questioning by the Senate
 Judiciary Committee, said courts traditionally deferred on issues of 
strategy to appellate counsel. To do otherwise, she said, would result 
in judges or justices engaging in “Monday morning quarterbacking.” She 
said the experience of being doubted by the Court of Appeals led her to 
participate in “best practice” sessions to help other attorneys working 
in the appellate arena.

“There wasn’t an effort to hide this at all,” Pickering said. 
“Appellate practice can be harsh. It helps if you can lead the way with 
others. You have to be humble when you teach that continuing legal 
education.”

She said no disciplinary case was brought against her. Issues raised 
in the criminal appeal were later overturned and the Court of Appeals 
decision in that criminal case was no longer considered “good law,” she 
said.

Warren, the Senate Judiciary Committee’s chairwoman and an 
unsuccessful candidate last year for attorney general, said a larger 
question was Kelly’s decision to keep the Senate in the dark. Warren 
praised Pickering for meeting individually with senators and speaking 
with the committee about her recollection of the appellate case.

“The issue is not the candidate, but the process,” said Senate Vice 
President Rick Wilborn, R-McPherson. “There was a failure that could 
have been disasterous. I think this is an example of the confirmation 
process working. I’m disappointed the governor’s office failed to 
provide information in a timely manner. I want to see the process 
improved going forward.”

When the dust settled, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 
unanimously to endorse confirmation of Pickering to the Court of 
Appeals. The full Senate’s final vote: 37-0.

“Rachel is a committed public servant as an attorney and judge,” 
Kelly said. “Her experience in nearly every area of criminal litigation 
will provide her with great insight as she serves the Kansas Court of 
Appeals.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675096551806.png" alt="Shawnee County District Court Judge Rachel Pickering was confirmed by the Kansas Senate to a vacancy on the Kansas Court of Appeals, but her nomination provided some Senate Republicans with justification to call for a change in the Kansas Constitution to require Senate confirmation of appointees to the Kansas Supreme Court. (Kansas Reflector screen capture fro Kansas Legislature YouTube channel)" />
 <figcaption>Shawnee County District Court Judge Rachel Pickering was confirmed by the Kansas Senate to a vacancy on the Kansas Court of Appeals, but her nomination provided some Senate Republicans with justification to call for a change in the Kansas Constitution to require Senate confirmation of appointees to the Kansas Supreme Court. (Kansas Reflector screen capture fro Kansas Legislature YouTube channel)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/29/scuffle-over-kellys-nominee-to-court-of-appeals-foreshadows-bigger-fight-over-supreme-court/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas Senate unanimously confirmed Kansas Court of 
Appeals nominee Rachel Pickering despite alarms set off by Republicans 
about judicial criticism leveled against her decisions as appellate 
defense counsel in a 15-year-old criminal case.The Republican-dominated Senate voted to make Pickering, a Shawnee 
County District Court judge, the first Hispanic on the state Court of 
Appeals.The old case and glass-ceiling issues could become footnotes to a 
larger political effort by conservatives in the Kansas Legislature to 
build momentum for an amendment to the Kansas Constitution requiring 
Senate confirmation of nominees to the Kansas Supreme Court. In 2013, 
then-Gov. Sam Brownback signed a bill adopting the federal model of 
Senate advice and consent for Court of Appeals nominees. To strip Kansas
 governors of power to make direct appointments to the Supreme Court, 
however, would require amending the constitution.Sen. Virgil Peck, a Republican from Havana in southeast Kansas, 
echoed praise from Republicans and Democrats for Pickering’s experience 
as a judge, prosecutor and defense attorney. He joined a chorus of GOP 
colleagues who denounced Gov. Laura Kelly for not providing the Senate 
Judiciary Committee with information about the Court of Appeals’ 
criticism of Pickering’s approach to appeal of a criminal conviction.“I was disappointed, frustrated. I could use several adjectives, but 
will stop there,” Peck said. “Is this a one-time experience? I don’t 
know. My conspiracy mind would tend to say, ‘No.’ Probably happened 
before, just didn’t learn about it.”Peck, pivoting to the deeper political issue, said the experience 
with Pickering’s nomination raised the possibility Kelly swept under the
 rug unflattering information about the governor’s three appointees to 
the Supreme Court. In 2020, Kelly appointed Keynen Wall, Evelyn Wilson 
and Melissa Standridge to the state’s highest court from among finalists
 selected by a nominating commission. In November’s statewide election, 
Kansans voted to retain all three justices by two-thirds majorities.“We have three individuals on the Supreme Court that were appointed 
by our current governor,” Peck said. “We did not have an opportunity to 
weigh in as legislators, as senators, on whether they should sit on the 
highest court in the state of Kansas.”Fellow Republican Sen. J.R. Claeys of Salina said the Senate 
Judiciary Committee discovered in the court record justification for 
questioning Pickering’s qualificiations to serve on the Court of 
Appeals. He said the governor was aware of the controversy, but didn’t 
share that with the Senate committee. The governor’s lack of disclosure 
demonstrated the value of Senate confirmation for members of the 
judicial branch, he said.“Unfortunately,” Claeys said, “Senate confirmation does not yet 
exist for the Kansas Supreme Court, resulting in a selection process 
that is largely shielded from public scrutiny. That is why reforming our
 method of judicial selection is so important. The people must have 
input.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675096616691.png" alt="Sen. Virgil Peck, a Republican from Havana, said Gov. Laura Kelly’s decision to withhold from the Kansas Senate information about Kansas Court of Appeals nominee Rachel Pickering suggested time had come to amend the Kansas Constitution to require Senate review of nominees to the Kansas Supreme Court. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Virgil Peck, a Republican from Havana, said Gov. Laura Kelly’s decision to withhold from the Kansas Senate information about Kansas Court of Appeals nominee Rachel Pickering suggested time had come to amend the Kansas Constitution to require Senate review of nominees to the Kansas Supreme Court. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Different perspectives</h2>Sen. Ethan Corson, a Fairway Democrat, attorney and member of the 
Senate Judiciary Committee, said he was a strong supporter of 
Pickering’s nomination.He said questions raised by senators about her decisions 15 years ago
 to abandon a line of appeal regarding evidence against the accused was 
relevant to consideration of her nomination to the Court of Appeals. 
Those issues should be looked at in context of a career as a criminal 
defense and prosecuting attorney as well as years working on appellate 
cases before the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, he said.“I do think Judge Pickering, in terms of background, reputation, 
depth of experience is really in a class by herself,” Corson said.He said debate about Pickering during the Senate committee’s 
deliberations foreshadowed resurgence of a proposed constitutional 
amendment that narrowly fell short of the needed two-thirds majority in 
the Senate during the 2022 session. It approved by the House and Senate 
and by statewide voters, the amendment would prevent governors from 
making direct appointments to the Supreme Court. Instead, governors 
would nominate individuals to the Supreme Court for the final decision 
made by the Senate.Opponents of the change believe placing the Senate in charge of 
Supreme Court confirmations would undercut the executive branch’s role 
in the judiciary. Republicans have maintained House and Senate 
majorities over Democrats since 1993.“I think this is an argument you will see going forward for bringing 
back the same amendment that failed last year,” Corson said. “The result
 would be politicization of the courts at a time when we desperately 
need to try to turn down the temperature and depoliticize things.”House Democratic leader Vic Miller, a Topeka attorney and former 
municipal judge, said Senate Republicans thought they ferreted out a 
smoking gun in the Pickering nomination. He said the Pickering 
controversy was intended to persuade Kanas votes that governors couldn’t
 be trusted to make appointments to the Supreme Court.“In fact,” Miller said, “their inability to comprehend the very 
complicated nuances of this legal situation is a clear illustration of 
why politics do not belong in the confirmation process. The Senate has 
no business confirming our justices, as evidenced by their 
politically-driven witch hunt that ultimately ended with a unanimous 
vote.”Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, proposed in 
2022 a constitutional amendment designed to end influence of the Supreme
 Court nominating commission and repeal the merit-based selection 
process inserted into the Kansas Constitution in 1958.Masterson and other GOP lawmakers said membership on the nine-member 
nominating commission was tilted toward members of the Kansas Bar 
Association. He said the current vetting process for applicants to the 
Supreme Court failed to provide “the people any real input in the 
judicial selection process,” led to a seven-member Supreme Court that 
issued “extreme” decisions on abortion law and ran afoul of the nation’s
 tradition of government checks and balances.In 2019, the Senate dismissed a 
resolution making constitutional changes necessary so the process of 
reviewing Supreme Court nominations mirrored state law guiding Senate 
confirmation of nominees to the Court of Appeals. The House passed a 
comparable measure in 2016, but not by the two-thirds majority required 
to advance constitutional amendments.Since 2014, the Kansas Senate confirmed nine of 10 nominees to the 
Court of Appeals. The lone rejection — twice —was Carl Folsom, who 
devoted much of his legal career to work as a federal and state public 
defender. His second rejection led Kelly to declare “legislative leaders
 are still putting partisan politics ahead of their constitutionally 
mandated duties.”Under this Senate confirmation process, Brownback placed two people 
on the Court of Appeals. The first, Caleb Stegall, was controversial 
because he was general counsel in the governor’s office. It triggered a 
rebuke from the House Minority Leader Paul Davis of Lawrence, who 
disagreed with Brownback’s nomination of “well-connected, partisan 
pals.” Brownback later appointed Stegall to the Supreme Court.Six of Kelly’s nominees to the 14-member state Court of Appeals — all women — have survived Senate review since 2019.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675096657926.png" alt="Sen. Kellie Warren, a Leawood Republican and chairwoman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said she was “disappointed” Gov. Laura Kelly failed to respect the Senate confirmation process by shielding information about a legal controversy in the career of Kansas Court of Appeals nominee Rachel Pickering. The Senate voted unanimously to confirm Pickering to the state Court of Appeals. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Kellie Warren, a Leawood Republican and chairwoman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said she was “disappointed” Gov. Laura Kelly failed to respect the Senate confirmation process by shielding information about a legal controversy in the career of Kansas Court of Appeals nominee Rachel Pickering. The Senate voted unanimously to confirm Pickering to the state Court of Appeals. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The backstory</h2>In August, Kelly nominated Pickering to fill a vacancy on the Court 
of Appeals. The governor had previously appointed her to the Shawnee 
County District Court in 2019. Pickering’s legal career included work as
 an appellate defender, public defender, assistant district attorney and
 assistant solicitor general.Pickering had argued 35 cases before the Supreme Court, 40 in front 
of the Court of Appeals and authored more than 300 legal briefs. As an 
appellate defender, Pickering worked on felony cases from all 105 Kansas
 counties. She was responsible for criminal cases as a public defender 
and a prosecutor in Shawnee County. She also was involved in felony 
cases and federal appeals in the office of the state attorney general.On Jan. 17, Pickering was called before the Senate Judiciary 
Committee to discuss her nomination to the Court of Appeals. Pickering 
and the governor’s office were informed in advance by Republican Sen. 
Kellie Warren, the committee’s chairwoman and an attorney from Lenexa, 
the committee would explore Pickering’s work for the Kansas Appellate 
Defender’s Office on behalf of a convicted felon.On appeal, the Court of Appeals had concluded Pickering’s approach in
 that case was “objectively unreasonable” and raised the issue of 
ineffective counsel.Pickering, who appeared for a second day of questioning by the Senate
 Judiciary Committee, said courts traditionally deferred on issues of 
strategy to appellate counsel. To do otherwise, she said, would result 
in judges or justices engaging in “Monday morning quarterbacking.” She 
said the experience of being doubted by the Court of Appeals led her to 
participate in “best practice” sessions to help other attorneys working 
in the appellate arena.“There wasn’t an effort to hide this at all,” Pickering said. 
“Appellate practice can be harsh. It helps if you can lead the way with 
others. You have to be humble when you teach that continuing legal 
education.”She said no disciplinary case was brought against her. Issues raised 
in the criminal appeal were later overturned and the Court of Appeals 
decision in that criminal case was no longer considered “good law,” she 
said.Warren, the Senate Judiciary Committee’s chairwoman and an 
unsuccessful candidate last year for attorney general, said a larger 
question was Kelly’s decision to keep the Senate in the dark. Warren 
praised Pickering for meeting individually with senators and speaking 
with the committee about her recollection of the appellate case.“The issue is not the candidate, but the process,” said Senate Vice 
President Rick Wilborn, R-McPherson. “There was a failure that could 
have been disasterous. I think this is an example of the confirmation 
process working. I’m disappointed the governor’s office failed to 
provide information in a timely manner. I want to see the process 
improved going forward.”When the dust settled, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 
unanimously to endorse confirmation of Pickering to the Court of 
Appeals. The full Senate’s final vote: 37-0.“Rachel is a committed public servant as an attorney and judge,” 
Kelly said. “Her experience in nearly every area of criminal litigation 
will provide her with great insight as she serves the Kansas Court of 
Appeals.”

Scuffle over nominee foreshadows fight over Kan. Supreme Court

WASHINGTON —The only thing stopping millions of Americans from receiving the Biden Administration’s one-time student debt relief is a lawsuit brought by Republican officials and special interests, according to Biden. On Saturday, he said on social media, "It's simple: our Administration is confident that our student debt relief program is fully legal. And we're not backing down that easy."

New data comes as elected officials and special interests actively block many of their own constituents from getting relief, according to a statement from the White House.

On Friday, the Biden administration released new data showing the number of people in each state who applied for student debt relief or were automatically eligible for relief.&nbsp;228,000 in Kansas applied for and were deemed automatically eligible.&nbsp;

These borrowers could be benefitting from the Administration’s program right now were it not for lawsuits brought by elected officials and special interests, according to the Biden Administration.

In August, President Biden announced his Administration’s plan to provide up to $20,000 in debt relief for borrowers earning less than $125,000 per year. The Administration’s program aimed to protect borrowers most at risk of delinquency or default as a result of hardships brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic when the payment pause ends.

In the less than four weeks that the application was available, 26 million people either applied for debt relief or had already provided sufficient information to the Department of Education (Department) to be deemed eligible for relief. Over 16 million of those borrowers’ applications were fully approved by the Department and sent to loan servicers. However, in November of last year– less than a month after the application was first released – the Department was required to stop accepting applications as a result of lawsuits brought by opponents of the program. Loan servicers were thus prevented from discharging any debt.

Overall, more than 40 million borrowers would qualify for the Biden Administration’s debt relief program. Nearly 90% of the benefits of the relief going to out-of-school borrowers would go to those earning less than $75,000 per year. Millions of those borrowers could be experiencing the benefits of that relief today – were it not for lawsuits brought on by elected officials in some of their own states. For more information, visit StudentAid.gov/debtrelief.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/01/27/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-releases-new-data-showing-26-million-people-in-all-50-states-applied-or-were-automatically-eligible-for-one-time-student-debt-relief/">Click here to see</a> a full breakdown of how many people applied for debt relief and whose applications were approved by the Department before the Administration was blocked from discharging debt, rounded to the nearest thousand.

WASHINGTON —The only thing stopping millions of Americans from receiving the Biden Administration’s one-time student debt relief is a lawsuit brought by Republican officials and special interests, according to Biden. On Saturday, he said on social media, "It's simple: our Administration is confident that our student debt relief program is fully legal. And we're not backing down that easy."New data comes as elected officials and special interests actively block many of their own constituents from getting relief, according to a statement from the White House.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Extra breathing room for millions of Americans is on hold because of lawsuits brought by opponents of this Administration’s student debt relief plan. We are continuing to fight to deliver relief to tens of millions of eligible borrowers. <a href="https://t.co/COoBN9s8vR">pic.twitter.com/COoBN9s8vR</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1619417542698700801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On Friday, the Biden administration released new data showing the number of people in each state who applied for student debt relief or were automatically eligible for relief.&nbsp;228,000 in Kansas applied for and were deemed automatically eligible.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674936435362.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>These borrowers could be benefitting from the Administration’s program right now were it not for lawsuits brought by elected officials and special interests, according to the Biden Administration.In August, President Biden announced his Administration’s plan to provide up to $20,000 in debt relief for borrowers earning less than $125,000 per year. The Administration’s program aimed to protect borrowers most at risk of delinquency or default as a result of hardships brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic when the payment pause ends.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our student debt relief plan would allow more than 40 million Americans to breathe easier, getting folks who need it up to $20,000 in relief. Republican officials are standing in the way. This Administration doesn&#39;t back down that easy–we&#39;re fighting back in the Supreme Court.&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1614345261609848833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In the less than four weeks that the application was available, 26 million people either applied for debt relief or had already provided sufficient information to the Department of Education (Department) to be deemed eligible for relief. Over 16 million of those borrowers’ applications were fully approved by the Department and sent to loan servicers. However, in November of last year– less than a month after the application was first released – the Department was required to stop accepting applications as a result of lawsuits brought by opponents of the program. Loan servicers were thus prevented from discharging any debt.Overall, more than 40 million borrowers would qualify for the Biden Administration’s debt relief program. Nearly 90% of the benefits of the relief going to out-of-school borrowers would go to those earning less than $75,000 per year. Millions of those borrowers could be experiencing the benefits of that relief today – were it not for lawsuits brought on by elected officials in some of their own states. For more information, visit StudentAid.gov/debtrelief.<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/01/27/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-releases-new-data-showing-26-million-people-in-all-50-states-applied-or-were-automatically-eligible-for-one-time-student-debt-relief/">Click here to see</a> a full breakdown of how many people applied for debt relief and whose applications were approved by the Department before the Administration was blocked from discharging debt, rounded to the nearest thousand.

Report: 228,000 in Kan. applied for, were eligible for student debt relief

FRANKLIN COUNTY&nbsp; —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal truck fire in Franklin County.

Just before 4a.m. Sunday, sheriff's deputies were dispatched to report of a vehicle fire in the 2800 Block of Vermont Road in rural Franklin County, according to Sheriff Jeff Richards.

First responders found a Toyota T100 pickup in the ditch on the east side of the road fully engulfed in flames. Cutler Township Fire responded and quickly extinguished the blaze. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no others in the truck.

Sheriff's department investigators determined the vehicle was southbound and traveled off the east side of the road, rolled and caught fire. The sheriff's office has not released the victim's name.

FRANKLIN COUNTY&nbsp; —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal truck fire in Franklin County.Just before 4a.m. Sunday, sheriff's deputies were dispatched to report of a vehicle fire in the 2800 Block of Vermont Road in rural Franklin County, according to Sheriff Jeff Richards. First responders found a Toyota T100 pickup in the ditch on the east side of the road fully engulfed in flames. Cutler Township Fire responded and quickly extinguished the blaze. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no others in the truck.Sheriff's department investigators determined the vehicle was southbound and traveled off the east side of the road, rolled and caught fire. The sheriff's office has not released the victim's name.

Sheriff: One dead in rural Kansas truck fire

SALINA—Kansas Wesleyan’s Pioneer Hall, 100 E. Claflin Avenue in Salina, was named to the National Register of Historic Places earlier this month, according to a media release from the school.

It becomes the 19th&nbsp;location in Saline County to earn the recognition, joining such places as the former post office building (now the Smoky Hill Museum), the Fox-Watson Theatre (now the Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts), and the Masonic Temple (now The Temple) in Salina.

“We are proud to have been a consistent presence in Salina for 136 years,” said Matt Thompson, president of KWU. “This designation speaks to the resilience and staying power of Kansas Wesleyan in this community. Those who have passed through the doors of Pioneer Hall have often enhanced both Kansas Wesleyan and Salina. This university is indebted to the pioneers who came before us and invested in KWU. The Hall of the Pioneers remains a monument of appreciation to them.”

Excavation began for Pioneer Hall, KWU’s second administration building, in 1922. The project was finished in 1929 and given its formal name, The Hall of the Pioneers, to honor those in the city, state and region who gave of themselves to establish KWU. That included local professionals, who successfully executed a campaign to raise $50,000 toward the project’s completion. A donation of $25,000 by E.C. Sams, the then-president of JCPenney, helped finish the centerpiece of the building, Sams Chapel, which was named in honor of his parents.

“KWU has invested significantly in Pioneer Hall in the past several years to make sure it continues to be an excellent place to learn, work and serve students,” said Thompson. “This mindset will be enhanced by the $4.5 million renovation and expansion of Sams Chapel and the music department in the coming year. KWU continues to grow and change. The heart and soul of our campus, Sams Chapel and Pioneer Hall, remain vibrant and active.”

The building is recognized as being an outstanding example of collegiate gothic architecture and as a representative of the work of renowned Wichita architect Lorentz Schmidt

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659993225623.png" alt="Kansas Wesleyan University's Pioneer Hall" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Wesleyan University's Pioneer Hall</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINA—Kansas Wesleyan’s Pioneer Hall, 100 E. Claflin Avenue in Salina, was named to the National Register of Historic Places earlier this month, according to a media release from the school.It becomes the 19th&nbsp;location in Saline County to earn the recognition, joining such places as the former post office building (now the Smoky Hill Museum), the Fox-Watson Theatre (now the Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts), and the Masonic Temple (now The Temple) in Salina.“We are proud to have been a consistent presence in Salina for 136 years,” said Matt Thompson, president of KWU. “This designation speaks to the resilience and staying power of Kansas Wesleyan in this community. Those who have passed through the doors of Pioneer Hall have often enhanced both Kansas Wesleyan and Salina. This university is indebted to the pioneers who came before us and invested in KWU. The Hall of the Pioneers remains a monument of appreciation to them.”Excavation began for Pioneer Hall, KWU’s second administration building, in 1922. The project was finished in 1929 and given its formal name, The Hall of the Pioneers, to honor those in the city, state and region who gave of themselves to establish KWU. That included local professionals, who successfully executed a campaign to raise $50,000 toward the project’s completion. A donation of $25,000 by E.C. Sams, the then-president of JCPenney, helped finish the centerpiece of the building, Sams Chapel, which was named in honor of his parents.“KWU has invested significantly in Pioneer Hall in the past several years to make sure it continues to be an excellent place to learn, work and serve students,” said Thompson. “This mindset will be enhanced by the $4.5 million renovation and expansion of Sams Chapel and the music department in the coming year. KWU continues to grow and change. The heart and soul of our campus, Sams Chapel and Pioneer Hall, remain vibrant and active.”The building is recognized as being an outstanding example of collegiate gothic architecture and as a representative of the work of renowned Wichita architect Lorentz Schmidt

KWU's Pioneer Hall named to National Register of Historic Places

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of drive by shootings and have three in custody.

On Friday, members of the Topeka Police Department Criminal investigations Bureau served multiple search warrants in reference to a drive by shooting, with property damage only, which occurred in the 600 block of SE Lawrence.

These search warrants were served in the 5600 block of SW 15th St; 1700 block of SW Amhurst Rd; 700 block of SW Fairmont Rd; 1600 block of SW Oakley Ave and the 2400 block of SW Burnett Rd, according to Lt. Edward Stanley.

As a result of the investigation Victor Fuentes, 18, was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Criminal threat, Criminal use of a weapon, aggravated assault, Criminal discharge of a firearm, Interference with a law enforcement officer, Criminal possession of a weapon by a felon and Duty of driver to report accident with unattended vehicle

Police also transported two juveniles to the Shawnee County Juvenile Department of Corrections on requested Charges Criminal discharge of a firearm, Criminal use of a weapon, Interference with a law enforcement officer, Criminal threat, aggravated assault, and Criminal Damage to property. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674915358703.png" alt="Fuentes-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Fuentes-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of drive by shootings and have three in custody.On Friday, members of the Topeka Police Department Criminal investigations Bureau served multiple search warrants in reference to a drive by shooting, with property damage only, which occurred in the 600 block of SE Lawrence.These search warrants were served in the 5600 block of SW 15th St; 1700 block of SW Amhurst Rd; 700 block of SW Fairmont Rd; 1600 block of SW Oakley Ave and the 2400 block of SW Burnett Rd, according to Lt. Edward Stanley.As a result of the investigation Victor Fuentes, 18, was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Criminal threat, Criminal use of a weapon, aggravated assault, Criminal discharge of a firearm, Interference with a law enforcement officer, Criminal possession of a weapon by a felon and Duty of driver to report accident with unattended vehiclePolice also transported two juveniles to the Shawnee County Juvenile Department of Corrections on requested Charges Criminal discharge of a firearm, Criminal use of a weapon, Interference with a law enforcement officer, Criminal threat, aggravated assault, and Criminal Damage to property.

Three in custody after Kan. drive-by shooting investigation

MIAMI COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a hunting accident and asking the public for help with information.

Just after 2:30p.m. Saturday, emergency personnel were dispatched to the area of 239th Street and Lookout Road for a subject in the wooded area with a gun shot wound, according to the Miami County Sheriff's office.

 The victim was hunting on State Park property and was shot.  Due to the unknown circumstances, multiple Sheriff's Office personnel, including the Special Operations Response Team, K9 Team and Shawnee Police Department K9 team responded to search the State Park area. 

 It was not known where the shot came from but authorities are confident, due to the location where the victim was shot, it was on the State Park property. 

 Personnel were able to make contact with hunters in the area during the investigation.  At no time was it believed there was a danger to the public. 

Through the investigation it is believed this is a hunting accident and is being investigated by the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KansasWildlifeandParks?__cft__[0]=AZXqvbSaW0U23TKbTomT3iRLu0tBC65howuuXzvqVuhSnOCIeoVVlSurBmlb7KDuYGZLUG0U28hIBck2lnuqSho0KDps8DxukhMy2mDL3bJFkJkzH3pVDRGlRrjEHGuN9MIcrlH4egqUGdNRRl36xZ4HDJ10uAKIUzFeNMxOV2RqkABr79ufgJxwaS2d7Ytkfz0&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Kansas Department of Wildlife &amp; Parks</a> with the assistance of the Sheriff's Office Investigations Division.

An air ambulance transported the victim to a local area hospital for treatment. The Miami County Sheriff's office asked that anyone with trail camera in the area of Hillsdale Point Access at the Hillsdale Lake or anywhere to the west of Hillsdale Point Access, to review your video looking for anyone with a firearm walking through.

The park is located between Spring Hill and Paola, about 3 miles east of US-169/K-7and 255th Street interchange.

MIAMI COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a hunting accident and asking the public for help with information.Just after 2:30p.m. Saturday, emergency personnel were dispatched to the area of 239th Street and Lookout Road for a subject in the wooded area with a gun shot wound, according to the Miami County Sheriff's office. The victim was hunting on State Park property and was shot. Due to the unknown circumstances, multiple Sheriff's Office personnel, including the Special Operations Response Team, K9 Team and Shawnee Police Department K9 team responded to search the State Park area. It was not known where the shot came from but authorities are confident, due to the location where the victim was shot, it was on the State Park property. Personnel were able to make contact with hunters in the area during the investigation. At no time was it believed there was a danger to the public. Through the investigation it is believed this is a hunting accident and is being investigated by the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KansasWildlifeandParks?__cft__[0]=AZXqvbSaW0U23TKbTomT3iRLu0tBC65howuuXzvqVuhSnOCIeoVVlSurBmlb7KDuYGZLUG0U28hIBck2lnuqSho0KDps8DxukhMy2mDL3bJFkJkzH3pVDRGlRrjEHGuN9MIcrlH4egqUGdNRRl36xZ4HDJ10uAKIUzFeNMxOV2RqkABr79ufgJxwaS2d7Ytkfz0&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Kansas Department of Wildlife &amp; Parks</a> with the assistance of the Sheriff's Office Investigations Division. An air ambulance transported the victim to a local area hospital for treatment. The Miami County Sheriff's office asked that anyone with trail camera in the area of Hillsdale Point Access at the Hillsdale Lake or anywhere to the west of Hillsdale Point Access, to review your video looking for anyone with a firearm walking through.The park is located between Spring Hill and Paola, about 3 miles east of US-169/K-7and 255th Street interchange.

Hunter airlifted to hospital after incident at Kan. state park

WASHINGTON (AP) — For the second time this month, House Republicans have advanced a measure to restrict presidential use of the nation’s emergency oil stockpile — a proposal that has already drawn a White House veto threat.

A GOP bill approved Friday would require the government to offset any non-emergency withdrawals from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve with new drilling on public lands and oceans. Republicans accuse President Joe Biden of abusing the reserve for political reasons to keep gas prices low, while Biden says tapping the reserve was needed last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-business-europe-3e1808077371b88ae043c86584763afd">in response to a ban on Russian oil imports following President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.</a>

Biden withdrew 180 million barrels from the strategic reserve over several months, bringing the stockpile to its lowest level since the 1980s. The administration said last month it will start to replenish the reserve now that oil prices have gone down.

The bill was approved, 221-205, on a near party-line vote. Rep. Jared Golden of Maine was the sole Democrat to join unanimous Republicans in supporting the bill. The measure heads to the Democratic-controlled Senate, where it is expected to languish.

Even before the vote, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre attacked the latest GOP proposal, which follows a bill approved two weeks ago that would prohibit the Energy Department from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-us-republican-party-china-92863d8d03fe2cd9b1994e0f1f5579a6">selling oil from the strategic reserve to companies owned or influenced by the Chinese Communist Party.</a>

“House Republicans will vote to raise gas prices on American families ... and help Putin's war aims by interfering with our ability to release oil,'' Jean-Pierre said Monday, referring to the current GOP bill.

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, appearing with Jean-Pierre at the White House, said the bill would make it ”harder to offer Americans relief in the future" from oil disruptions that could raise prices.

Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee and sponsored the GOP bill, accused Granholm and the White House of multiple misleading claims, including an erroneous assertion that the bill could affect use of the reserve during a presidentially declared emergency.

“At a time when gas prices are on the rise, Secretary Granholm and the Biden administration need to be transparent with the American people about their efforts to cover up how they’ve abused the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as an election-year gimmick,'' McMorris Rodgers said.

"Republicans want durable, long-lasting relief at the pump. The best way to do this is by unleashing American energy,'' which her legislation helps accomplish, added McMorris Rodgers, of Washington state.

The heated rhetoric is part of a larger fight over oil drilling and climate change. Republicans say restrictions on oil leasing imposed by the Biden administration hamper U.S. energy production and harm the economy, while Democrats tout&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-science-congress-climate-and-environment-f084d23d61ebb068068d4aa92c82fdbb">a sweeping climate law approved last year</a>&nbsp;as a crucial step to wean the nation off fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas. The measure authorizes billions in spending to boost renewable energy such as wind and solar power and includes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-business-climate-and-environment-f145b24414ff245f491fd68257b3db60">incentives for Americans to buy millions of electric cars, heat pumps, solar panels and more efficient appliances.</a>

Biden, citing the dangers of climate change, canceled the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline in his first days in office and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-is-biden-halting-federal-oil-and-gas-sales-b8f03552c2c2fa7ec0dfc5debeb3f882">suspended new oil and gas leases on federal lands.</a>&nbsp;The moratorium has since been lifted, under court order, but Republicans complain that lease sales for new drilling rights are still limited.

Biden campaigned on pledges to end new drilling on public lands, and climate activists have pushed him to move faster to shut down oil leasing. Fossil fuels extracted from public lands account for about 20% of energy-related U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, making them a prime target for emissions reductions intended to slow global warming.

“Whether on land or at sea, oil drilling poses an unacceptable risk for our wildlife, wild places and waterways,'' said Lisa Frank of Environment America, an advocacy group. “When we drill, we spill. At a time when we should be moving away from this destructive, dangerous practice this bill doubles down on the outmoded energy of the past.''

Conservative and industry groups support the bill.

“We can continue making the Strategic Petroleum Reserve the nation’s sole response to future disruptions, or we can also utilize more of the vast oil supplies sitting beneath the lands and offshore areas currently kept off limits by the president,'' the Competitive Enterprise Institute and other conservative groups said in a letter to Congress.

The Treasury Department estimates that release of oil from the emergency stockpile lowered prices at the pump by up to 40 cents per gallon. Gasoline prices averaged about $3.50 per gallon on Thursday, down from just over $5 per gallon at their peak in June, according to the AAA auto club.

Still, gas prices are up more than 30 cents from a month ago and are higher than when Biden took office in January 2021. "Millions of Americans are paying more at the pump as a result of the Biden administration’s radical ‘rush-to-green’ agenda that has shut down American energy,'' McMorris Rodgers said.

Granholm, citing thousands of unused leases by oil companies, said GOP claims of obstructionism on drilling were off-base. “There's nothing standing in the way of domestic oil and gas production,'' she said. McMorris Rodgers disputed that, citing “burdensome regulations” and discouragement of investment in domestic oil and gas industries.

The oil bill was one of the first to be considered under a more open rules process Republicans instituted since retaking the House majority. More than 60 amendments were considered on Thursday and Friday, with most from both parties rejected.

Among those approved were two amendments by New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a moderate Democrat. Both clarified that oil from the reserve should not be sold to China, Iran, North Korea or Russia; that addresses a complaint Democrats made earlier this month about a previous GOP bill that singled out China for a ban on buying U.S. reserves.

The China measure won significant Democratic support in the House and could advance in the Senate; lawmakers from both parties have signaled growing concerns about China's influence on the global economy.

WASHINGTON (AP) — For the second time this month, House Republicans have advanced a measure to restrict presidential use of the nation’s emergency oil stockpile — a proposal that has already drawn a White House veto threat.A GOP bill approved Friday would require the government to offset any non-emergency withdrawals from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve with new drilling on public lands and oceans. Republicans accuse President Joe Biden of abusing the reserve for political reasons to keep gas prices low, while Biden says tapping the reserve was needed last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-business-europe-3e1808077371b88ae043c86584763afd">in response to a ban on Russian oil imports following President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.</a>Biden withdrew 180 million barrels from the strategic reserve over several months, bringing the stockpile to its lowest level since the 1980s. The administration said last month it will start to replenish the reserve now that oil prices have gone down.The bill was approved, 221-205, on a near party-line vote. Rep. Jared Golden of Maine was the sole Democrat to join unanimous Republicans in supporting the bill. The measure heads to the Democratic-controlled Senate, where it is expected to languish.Even before the vote, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre attacked the latest GOP proposal, which follows a bill approved two weeks ago that would prohibit the Energy Department from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-us-republican-party-china-92863d8d03fe2cd9b1994e0f1f5579a6">selling oil from the strategic reserve to companies owned or influenced by the Chinese Communist Party.</a>“House Republicans will vote to raise gas prices on American families ... and help Putin's war aims by interfering with our ability to release oil,'' Jean-Pierre said Monday, referring to the current GOP bill.Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, appearing with Jean-Pierre at the White House, said the bill would make it ”harder to offer Americans relief in the future" from oil disruptions that could raise prices.Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee and sponsored the GOP bill, accused Granholm and the White House of multiple misleading claims, including an erroneous assertion that the bill could affect use of the reserve during a presidentially declared emergency.“At a time when gas prices are on the rise, Secretary Granholm and the Biden administration need to be transparent with the American people about their efforts to cover up how they’ve abused the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as an election-year gimmick,'' McMorris Rodgers said."Republicans want durable, long-lasting relief at the pump. The best way to do this is by unleashing American energy,'' which her legislation helps accomplish, added McMorris Rodgers, of Washington state.The heated rhetoric is part of a larger fight over oil drilling and climate change. Republicans say restrictions on oil leasing imposed by the Biden administration hamper U.S. energy production and harm the economy, while Democrats tout&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-science-congress-climate-and-environment-f084d23d61ebb068068d4aa92c82fdbb">a sweeping climate law approved last year</a>&nbsp;as a crucial step to wean the nation off fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas. The measure authorizes billions in spending to boost renewable energy such as wind and solar power and includes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-business-climate-and-environment-f145b24414ff245f491fd68257b3db60">incentives for Americans to buy millions of electric cars, heat pumps, solar panels and more efficient appliances.</a>Biden, citing the dangers of climate change, canceled the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline in his first days in office and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-is-biden-halting-federal-oil-and-gas-sales-b8f03552c2c2fa7ec0dfc5debeb3f882">suspended new oil and gas leases on federal lands.</a>&nbsp;The moratorium has since been lifted, under court order, but Republicans complain that lease sales for new drilling rights are still limited.Biden campaigned on pledges to end new drilling on public lands, and climate activists have pushed him to move faster to shut down oil leasing. Fossil fuels extracted from public lands account for about 20% of energy-related U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, making them a prime target for emissions reductions intended to slow global warming.“Whether on land or at sea, oil drilling poses an unacceptable risk for our wildlife, wild places and waterways,'' said Lisa Frank of Environment America, an advocacy group. “When we drill, we spill. At a time when we should be moving away from this destructive, dangerous practice this bill doubles down on the outmoded energy of the past.''Conservative and industry groups support the bill.“We can continue making the Strategic Petroleum Reserve the nation’s sole response to future disruptions, or we can also utilize more of the vast oil supplies sitting beneath the lands and offshore areas currently kept off limits by the president,'' the Competitive Enterprise Institute and other conservative groups said in a letter to Congress.The Treasury Department estimates that release of oil from the emergency stockpile lowered prices at the pump by up to 40 cents per gallon. Gasoline prices averaged about $3.50 per gallon on Thursday, down from just over $5 per gallon at their peak in June, according to the AAA auto club.Still, gas prices are up more than 30 cents from a month ago and are higher than when Biden took office in January 2021. "Millions of Americans are paying more at the pump as a result of the Biden administration’s radical ‘rush-to-green’ agenda that has shut down American energy,'' McMorris Rodgers said.Granholm, citing thousands of unused leases by oil companies, said GOP claims of obstructionism on drilling were off-base. “There's nothing standing in the way of domestic oil and gas production,'' she said. McMorris Rodgers disputed that, citing “burdensome regulations” and discouragement of investment in domestic oil and gas industries.The oil bill was one of the first to be considered under a more open rules process Republicans instituted since retaking the House majority. More than 60 amendments were considered on Thursday and Friday, with most from both parties rejected.Among those approved were two amendments by New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a moderate Democrat. Both clarified that oil from the reserve should not be sold to China, Iran, North Korea or Russia; that addresses a complaint Democrats made earlier this month about a previous GOP bill that singled out China for a ban on buying U.S. reserves.The China measure won significant Democratic support in the House and could advance in the Senate; lawmakers from both parties have signaled growing concerns about China's influence on the global economy.

GOP, Biden battle over use of the nation’s emergency oil stockpile

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; several shootings including two at Wichita night spots that occurred over the weekend.

Just after 11:30p.m. Saturday, police patrolling the parking lot of Onyx Night Club, at 10001 E Kellogg Drive when several gunshots were fired inside the Night Club. 

Officers ran towards the entrance and were met by a large number of people exiting the business. Officers entered the Night Club and located the 36-year-old victim with several gunshot wounds to his body. Officers began performing life-saving measures and he was transported to a local hospital for treatment. While officers were at the Night Club processing the scene a 35-year-old victim arrived at a local hospital with a gunshot wound to his leg.

The investigation revealed nearly 900 people were inside the Night Club when a physical disturbance occurred between two different groups of people. During this disturbance, someone brandished a gun and fired several rounds striking the two victims. 

Just before 1a.m. Saturday, police&nbsp;were on patrol in the Old Town area of Wichita when they heard multiple gunshots coming from inside Rock Island Live at 101 N. Rock Island Ave, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

As officers arrived, they were met by a large crowd exiting the business.

 A 22-year-old woman ran out with a gunshot wound to her upper arm. Officers took her to safety, and she was transported to a local hospital for treatment. 

Other officers made entry to the business and located a 22-year-old man conscious and breathing with a gunshot wound to his upper torso. Officers began providing life-saving measures and the victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment.&nbsp; Late Saturday morning, he was reported in stable condition, according to Ditch.&nbsp; 

While on scene at the hospital a 22- year-old woman arrived at a local hospital with a gunshot wound to her foot.

The investigation revealed that 22-year-old Tyra Adair was involved in a physical disturbance with several other women inside the business. Adair then brandished a gun and fire several rounds. 

At this point, police believed that the victims who were struck by gunfire were not the individuals involved in the physical altercation, but innocent bystanders, according to Ditch.

Police located Adair nearby and took her into custody without incident and she was in possession of a gun.&nbsp; <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20055026">She is being held on</a> requested charges of aggravated battery.

Just after 3:30a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 1400 block of South George Washington Blvd in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

First responders arrived on the scene and located the 57-year-old victim with a gunshot wound to her upper body. EMS transported her to an area hospital for treatment. She was reported in stable condition.

The investigation revealed several shots were fired at the residence from outside and one round struck the victim. There were three other people in the residence including a 4-year-old girl, a 10-year-old girl and a 36-year-old man. Police have not reported an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675022145263.png" alt="Adair-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Adair-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; several shootings including two at Wichita night spots that occurred over the weekend.Just after 11:30p.m. Saturday, police patrolling the parking lot of Onyx Night Club, at 10001 E Kellogg Drive when several gunshots were fired inside the Night Club. Officers ran towards the entrance and were met by a large number of people exiting the business. Officers entered the Night Club and located the 36-year-old victim with several gunshot wounds to his body. Officers began performing life-saving measures and he was transported to a local hospital for treatment. While officers were at the Night Club processing the scene a 35-year-old victim arrived at a local hospital with a gunshot wound to his leg.The investigation revealed nearly 900 people were inside the Night Club when a physical disturbance occurred between two different groups of people. During this disturbance, someone brandished a gun and fired several rounds striking the two victims. Just before 1a.m. Saturday, police&nbsp;were on patrol in the Old Town area of Wichita when they heard multiple gunshots coming from inside Rock Island Live at 101 N. Rock Island Ave, according to Officer Chad Ditch.As officers arrived, they were met by a large crowd exiting the business. A 22-year-old woman ran out with a gunshot wound to her upper arm. Officers took her to safety, and she was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Other officers made entry to the business and located a 22-year-old man conscious and breathing with a gunshot wound to his upper torso. Officers began providing life-saving measures and the victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment.&nbsp; Late Saturday morning, he was reported in stable condition, according to Ditch.&nbsp; While on scene at the hospital a 22- year-old woman arrived at a local hospital with a gunshot wound to her foot.The investigation revealed that 22-year-old Tyra Adair was involved in a physical disturbance with several other women inside the business. Adair then brandished a gun and fire several rounds. At this point, police believed that the victims who were struck by gunfire were not the individuals involved in the physical altercation, but innocent bystanders, according to Ditch.Police located Adair nearby and took her into custody without incident and she was in possession of a gun.&nbsp; <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20055026">She is being held on</a> requested charges of aggravated battery.Just after 3:30a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 1400 block of South George Washington Blvd in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch.First responders arrived on the scene and located the 57-year-old victim with a gunshot wound to her upper body. EMS transported her to an area hospital for treatment. She was reported in stable condition.The investigation revealed several shots were fired at the residence from outside and one round struck the victim. There were three other people in the residence including a 4-year-old girl, a 10-year-old girl and a 36-year-old man. Police have not reported an arrest.

Six hospitalized after violent weekend of gunfire in Wichita

TEXAS COUNTY, Okla. — A Kansas man died in a small plane crash just after 9:30p.m. Saturday in Texas County, Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported&nbsp; a fixed wing, single engine Cessna 172 piloted <a href="https://flightaware.com/resources/registration/N6482B">by Victor Mendoza,</a> 46, Liberal, Kansas, crashed approximately ten miles northwest of Hooker, Oklahoma.

Mendoza was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no others on board the plane. The cause of the crash is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.&nbsp;

TEXAS COUNTY, Okla. — A Kansas man died in a small plane crash just after 9:30p.m. Saturday in Texas County, Oklahoma.The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported&nbsp; a fixed wing, single engine Cessna 172 piloted <a href="https://flightaware.com/resources/registration/N6482B">by Victor Mendoza,</a> 46, Liberal, Kansas, crashed approximately ten miles northwest of Hooker, Oklahoma.Mendoza was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no others on board the plane. The cause of the crash is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.&nbsp;

Kansas man dies after small plane crash

KANSAS CITY— Protesters and police unions around the country continue to condemn Memphis police after the public release <a href="https://vimeo.com/cityofmemphis">of video</a> showing five officers savagely beating Tyre Nichols, who later died.

Kansas City Kansas Police Chief Karl Oakman released a statement late Saturday with "a sobering reminder to law enforcement that with great authority comes great responsibility."

Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan and the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Department also released statements condemning the violence.

Sullivan wrote, "By now I’m sure many of you have <a href="https://vimeo.com/cityofmemphis">seen the video </a>out of Memphis that shows the horrific beating of Mr. Tyre Nichols. I have seen it as well. Like many of you, I am shocked and sickened by the actions of those officers and I want to extend my heartfelt condolences to the entire Nichols family."

"I want to applaud Chief CJ Davis on her handling of this incident. I also want to ensure the citizens of Wichita that the Wichita Police Department stands by you in your anger, sadness, and frustration with this despicable act of violence committed by 5 human beings who disgraced the badge."&nbsp;

"I wish I could say in 40 years of Policing that this is the first time I have seen this type of case, but sadly it’s not. What I can say, is that the Wichita Police Department is not just here for you, we are here with you. We do not support nor defend officers who act like they are above the law and use excessive and unnecessary force against those they swore to protect and serve." The Sedgwick Sheriff’s office said in a statement they were "appalled by the atrocity that occurred to Tyre Nichols at the hands of the former Memphis Officers."

"This is an incredible violation of public trust and this office condemns their actions. The former Memphis Officers have tarnished the badge and betrayed their oath."

"It is the mission of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office to partner with the citizens of Sedgwick County providing effective public service to all in an impartial, ethical and professional manner. We continue to uphold these standards in trying times and fully support the prosecution of the former Memphis Officers."

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — An unarmed Black man dies after a videotaped beating by police. The officers involved are fired. After a thorough review of the evidence, criminal charges are swiftly filed against the offending officers.

Investigation, accountability and charges.

This is often the most Black citizens can hope for as the deaths continue. Nationwide, police have killed roughly three people per day consistently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-columbus-shootings-police-trials-65a16498f72823a887476486e1f05633">since 2020</a>, according to academics and advocates for police reform who track such deaths.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tyre-nichols-profile-memphis-3104f3cdbaf568daf6647eca080d4001">Tyre Nichols'</a>&nbsp;fatal encounter with police officers in Memphis, Tennessee, recorded in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tyre-nichols-video-memphis-police-e3ee8e6698faae16df3f41d09234b09f?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">video made public Friday night</a>, is a glaring reminder that efforts to reform policing have failed to prevent more flashpoints in an intractable epidemic of brutality.

Nearly 32 years ago, Rodney King’s savage beating by police in Los Angeles prompted heartfelt calls for change. They’ve been repeated in a ceaseless rhythm ever since, punctuated by the deaths of Amadou Diallo in New York, Oscar Grant in Oakland, California, Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and so many others.

George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis in 2020 was so agonizing to watch, it summoned a national reckoning that featured federal legislation proposed in his name and shows of solidarity by corporations and sports leagues. All fell short of the shift in law enforcement culture Black people in America have called for — a culture that promotes freedom from fear, trust in police and mutual respect.

“We need public safety, right? We need law enforcement to combat pervasive crime,” said Jason Turner, senior pastor of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis. “Also, we don’t want the people who are sworn to protect and serve us brutalizing us for a simple traffic stop, or any offense.”

The five Black officers are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tyre-nichols-police-officers-charged-48d48f2137a2f34482274edb1bd1bab2">now fired and charged</a>&nbsp;with murder and other crimes in the Jan. 10 death of Nichols, a 29-year-old skateboarder, FedEx worker and father to a 4-year-old boy.

From police brass and the district attorney’s office to the White House, officials said Nichols’ killing points to a need for bolder reforms that go beyond simply diversifying the ranks, changing use-of-force rules and encouraging citizens to file complaints.

“The world is watching us,” Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said. “If there is any silver lining to be drawn from this very dark cloud, it’s that perhaps this incident can open a broader conversation about the need for police reform.”

President Joe Biden joined national civil rights leaders in similar calls to action.

“To deliver real change, we must have accountability when law enforcement officers violate their oaths, and we need to build lasting trust between law enforcement, the vast majority of whom wear the badge honorably, and the communities they are sworn to serve and protect,” the president said.

But Memphis, whose 628,000 residents celebrate barbecue and blues music and lament being the place where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, has seen this before. The city took steps advocates called for in a “Reimagine Policing” initiative in 2021, and mirrored a set of policy changes reformers want all departments to implement immediately, known as “8 Can’t Wait.”

De-escalation training is now required. Officers are told to limit uses of force, exhaust all alternatives before resorting to deadly force and report all uses of force. Tennessee also took action: State law now requires officers to intervene to stop abuse and report excessive force by their colleagues.

Showing unusual transparency for a police department, the MPD now publishes accountability reports that include the race of people subjected to use of force each year. They show Black men and women were overwhelmingly targeted for rougher treatment in 2019, 2020 and 2021. They were subject to nearly 86% of the recorded uses of guns, batons, pepper spray, physical beatings and other force in 2021, the total nearly doubling that year to 1,700 cases.

Seven uses of force by Memphis police ended in death during these three years.

“I don’t know how much more cumulative Black death our community should have to pay to convince elected officials that the policing system isn’t broken — it’s working exactly as it was designed to, at the expense of Black life,” said Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson, co-executive director of the Highlander Research and Education Center, a Tennessee-based civil rights leadership training school.

The Nichols case — just one of the brutality cases to make national news this month — exposes an uncomfortable truth: More than two years since the deaths of Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Rayshard Brooks touched off protests, policing reforms have not significantly reduced such killings.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-amir-locke-richmond-minneapolis-86370ae1c735d44525e37eed80b293b2">States approved nearly 300 police reform bills after Floyd’s murder,</a>&nbsp;creating civilian oversight of police, more anti-bias training, stricter use-of-force limits and alternatives to arrests in cases involving people with mental illnesses, according to a recent analysis by the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland.

Despite calls to “defund the police,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-police-law-enforcement-agencies-local-governments-iowa-420d0714086f72bc255c676bfe214532">an Associated Press review of police funding nationwide</a>&nbsp;found only modest cuts, driven largely by shrinking revenue related to the coronavirus pandemic. Budgets increased and more officers were hired for some large departments, including New York City’s.

Still stuck in Congress is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nyc-state-wire-george-floyd-death-of-george-floyd-police-police-reform-988260d4657103cd968bad7f039b0e19">the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act,</a>&nbsp;which would prohibit racial profiling, ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants, limit the transfer of military equipment to police departments, and make it easier to bring charges against offending officers. Biden said he told Nichols’ mother that he would be “making a case” to Congress to pass the Floyd Act “to get this under control.”

The Rev. Al Sharpton said his eulogy at Nichols’ funeral on Wednesday will include a call for new laws. NAACP President Derrick Johnson also took Congress to task.

“By failing to write a piece of legislation, you’re writing another obituary,” Johnson said. “Tell us what you’re going to do to honor Tyre Nichols. … We can name all the victims of police violence, but we can’t name a single law you have passed to address it.”

Advocates want state and federal legislation because local changes vary widely in scope and effect and can be undone by a single election after years of grassroots activism. But some say strict regulations are just the start — and the video of Nichols’ agony proves it.

“Changing a rule doesn’t change a behavior,” said Katie Ryan, chief of staff for Campaign Zero, a group of academics, policing experts and activists working to end police violence. “The culture of a police department has to shift into actually implementing the policies, not just saying there’s a rule in place.”

The five officers charged — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith — were part of the so-called Scorpion unit. Scorpion stands for Street Crimes Operations to Restore Peace in our Neighborhoods.

The Memphis police chief, Cerelyn “CJ” Davis,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-memphis-crime-law-enforcement-1b7e8fa4ed7120a897086250d5d6da35">disbanded the unit</a>&nbsp;on Saturday.

“It is in the best interest of all to permanently deactivate the Scorpion unit,” she said in a statement.

Prior to the move by Davis, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said it was clear that the officers involved in the attack on Nichols violated the department’s policies and training.

“I want to assure you we are doing everything we can to prevent this from happening again,” Strickland said in a statement. “We are initiating an outside, independent review of the training, policies and operations of our specialized units.”

The Memphis police union extended condolences to Nichols’ family, saying it “is committed to the administration of justice and NEVER condones the mistreatment of ANY citizen nor ANY abuse of power.” The statement also expressed faith that the justice system would reveal “the totality of circumstances” in the case.

Patrick Yoes, national president of the Fraternal Order of Police, pushed back against the conclusion that policing must change. This was not “legitimate police work or a traffic stop gone wrong,” Yoes said. “This is a criminal assault under the pretext of law.”

Protesters turned out again Friday night after the city released the video footage. Turner, the Memphis pastor, called the images “further proof that our city’s and our nation’s criminal justice systems are in dire need of change.”

“It’s not like we’re short on concrete, reasonable recommendations,” said the Rev. Earle Fisher, senior pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church. “What we’re short on is the political will and the commitment to making the structural changes.”

Protesters gathered in a park near the White House, in Memphis and other cities as <a href="https://vimeo.com/cityofmemphis">the video </a>was released.

In Memphis, protesters chanted: “Say his name! Tyre Nichols!” and several dozen protesters blocked a heavily traveled bridge on Interstate 55 that is one of two main spans connecting Arkansas and Tennessee over the Mississippi River.

Unions in California and Hawaii issued a joint statement calling the actions of the officers “repugnant and the complete antithesis of how honorable law enforcement professionals conduct themselves.”

The Prosecutors Alliance of California calls the killing senseless and in California’s capitol of Sacramento, Mayor Darrell Steinberg said: “I am filled with anger, with sorrow and revulsion.”

— Memphis authorities have released more than an hour of footage of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tyre-nichols-video-memphis-police-e3ee8e6698faae16df3f41d09234b09f">the police beating</a>&nbsp;of Tyre Nichols, whose death resulted in murder charges and provoked outrage

— Family and friends remember&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tyre-nichols-profile-memphis-3104f3cdbaf568daf6647eca080d4001">Tyre Nichols</a>&nbsp;as a generous, lovable man who worked hard to be a good father to his 4-year-old son

—&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/law-enforcement-police-brutality-memphis-bde48465a79bb20bbb68473c0cc63b1e">Timeline of events</a>&nbsp;in the arrest, death of Tyre Nichols

MEMPHIS —<a href="https://vimeo.com/cityofmemphis"> Video showing</a> five Memphis police officers beating a Black man was made public Friday, one day after they were charged with murder in the death of Tyre Nichols.

The footage shows the Black officers savagely beating the 29-year-old FedEx worker for three minutes in an assault that the Nichols family’s legal team likened to the infamous 1991 police beating of Los Angeles motorist Rodney King.

Cities across the country braced for large demonstrations. Nichols’ relatives urged supporters to protest peacefully. ___

WASHINGTON — The national president of the Fraternal Order of Police has issued a scathing statement over the actions of five former Memphis police officers involved in the arrest of Tyre Nichols.

Patrick Yoes says the officers’ encounter with Nichols “does not constitute legitimate police work or a traffic stop gone wrong.” Instead, Yoes called it a “criminal assault under the pretext of law.”

Nichols died three days after a Jan. 7 confrontation with the officers during a traffic stop.

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said he was “very concerned” about the prospect of violence, but called for protests over the death of Tyre Nichols to remain peaceful.

Speaking Friday at the White House before departing for Camp David, the president reflected on his call earlier with Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells.

“I’m obviously very concerned about it,” Biden said when asked if he was worried about violence, “but I think she has made a very strong plea. She’s obviously in enormous pain.”

Biden said that “innocent lives” were at stake Friday as the country awaited the release of police footage of depicting five Memphis officers beating Nichols during a traffic stop.

NEW YORK — In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams, a former police officer, said he and other mayors across the country had been briefed by the White House in advance of the video’s release, which he said would “trigger pain and sadness in many of us. It will make us angry.”

He urged demonstrators to “respect the wishes of Mr. Nichols’ mother. If you need to express your anger and outrage, do so peacefully. My message to the NYPD has been, and will continue to be, to exercise restraint.”

Adams, who during his years as a New York Police Department officer co-founded an organization that advocated for diversity in policing and against abuses of power, said he “felt betrayed” by the officers charged in the Memphis death of Nichols.

“Any officer who engages in violence and brutality tarnishes all the work we have done to keep communities safe,” he said. He added: “They make it harder for the brothers and sisters in uniform to accomplish the incredible work they do, day in and day out.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674870163108.png" alt="Image from a pole camera video released Friday night by the city of Memphis" />
 <figcaption>Image from a pole camera video released Friday night by the city of Memphis</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY— Protesters and police unions around the country continue to condemn Memphis police after the public release <a href="https://vimeo.com/cityofmemphis">of video</a> showing five officers savagely beating Tyre Nichols, who later died.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Media Advisory: Thursday, January 27, 2023 Video footage of the incident between Tyre Nichols and the Memphis Police Department Video can be viewed at <a href="https://t.co/rsnlgakz63">https://t.co/rsnlgakz63</a>&mdash; CityofMem_Media (@CityofMem_Media) <a href="https://twitter.com/CityofMem_Media/status/1619123186502889472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">From Chief Karl A. Oakman. <a href="https://t.co/odUwLdGG2J">pic.twitter.com/odUwLdGG2J</a>&mdash; Kansas City, Kansas Police Department (@KCKPDChief) <a href="https://twitter.com/KCKPDChief/status/1619495948937486336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Kansas City Kansas Police Chief Karl Oakman released a statement late Saturday with "a sobering reminder to law enforcement that with great authority comes great responsibility."Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan and the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Department also released statements condemning the violence.Sullivan wrote, "By now I’m sure many of you have <a href="https://vimeo.com/cityofmemphis">seen the video </a>out of Memphis that shows the horrific beating of Mr. Tyre Nichols. I have seen it as well. Like many of you, I am shocked and sickened by the actions of those officers and I want to extend my heartfelt condolences to the entire Nichols family.""I want to applaud Chief CJ Davis on her handling of this incident. I also want to ensure the citizens of Wichita that the Wichita Police Department stands by you in your anger, sadness, and frustration with this despicable act of violence committed by 5 human beings who disgraced the badge."&nbsp;"I wish I could say in 40 years of Policing that this is the first time I have seen this type of case, but sadly it’s not. What I can say, is that the Wichita Police Department is not just here for you, we are here with you. We do not support nor defend officers who act like they are above the law and use excessive and unnecessary force against those they swore to protect and serve." The Sedgwick Sheriff’s office said in a statement they were "appalled by the atrocity that occurred to Tyre Nichols at the hands of the former Memphis Officers.""This is an incredible violation of public trust and this office condemns their actions. The former Memphis Officers have tarnished the badge and betrayed their oath.""It is the mission of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office to partner with the citizens of Sedgwick County providing effective public service to all in an impartial, ethical and professional manner. We continue to uphold these standards in trying times and fully support the prosecution of the former Memphis Officers."----------MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — An unarmed Black man dies after a videotaped beating by police. The officers involved are fired. After a thorough review of the evidence, criminal charges are swiftly filed against the offending officers.Investigation, accountability and charges.This is often the most Black citizens can hope for as the deaths continue. Nationwide, police have killed roughly three people per day consistently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-columbus-shootings-police-trials-65a16498f72823a887476486e1f05633">since 2020</a>, according to academics and advocates for police reform who track such deaths.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tyre-nichols-profile-memphis-3104f3cdbaf568daf6647eca080d4001">Tyre Nichols'</a>&nbsp;fatal encounter with police officers in Memphis, Tennessee, recorded in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tyre-nichols-video-memphis-police-e3ee8e6698faae16df3f41d09234b09f?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">video made public Friday night</a>, is a glaring reminder that efforts to reform policing have failed to prevent more flashpoints in an intractable epidemic of brutality.Nearly 32 years ago, Rodney King’s savage beating by police in Los Angeles prompted heartfelt calls for change. They’ve been repeated in a ceaseless rhythm ever since, punctuated by the deaths of Amadou Diallo in New York, Oscar Grant in Oakland, California, Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and so many others.George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis in 2020 was so agonizing to watch, it summoned a national reckoning that featured federal legislation proposed in his name and shows of solidarity by corporations and sports leagues. All fell short of the shift in law enforcement culture Black people in America have called for — a culture that promotes freedom from fear, trust in police and mutual respect.“We need public safety, right? We need law enforcement to combat pervasive crime,” said Jason Turner, senior pastor of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis. “Also, we don’t want the people who are sworn to protect and serve us brutalizing us for a simple traffic stop, or any offense.”The five Black officers are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tyre-nichols-police-officers-charged-48d48f2137a2f34482274edb1bd1bab2">now fired and charged</a>&nbsp;with murder and other crimes in the Jan. 10 death of Nichols, a 29-year-old skateboarder, FedEx worker and father to a 4-year-old boy.From police brass and the district attorney’s office to the White House, officials said Nichols’ killing points to a need for bolder reforms that go beyond simply diversifying the ranks, changing use-of-force rules and encouraging citizens to file complaints.“The world is watching us,” Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said. “If there is any silver lining to be drawn from this very dark cloud, it’s that perhaps this incident can open a broader conversation about the need for police reform.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My heart goes out to Tyre Nichols’ family and to Americans in Memphis and across the country who are grieving this tremendously painful loss. There are no words to describe the heartbreak and grief of losing a beloved child and young father.⁰⁰Here&#39;s my full statement. <a href="https://t.co/ghROhSGtao">pic.twitter.com/ghROhSGtao</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1619143234034491397?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>President Joe Biden joined national civil rights leaders in similar calls to action.“To deliver real change, we must have accountability when law enforcement officers violate their oaths, and we need to build lasting trust between law enforcement, the vast majority of whom wear the badge honorably, and the communities they are sworn to serve and protect,” the president said.But Memphis, whose 628,000 residents celebrate barbecue and blues music and lament being the place where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, has seen this before. The city took steps advocates called for in a “Reimagine Policing” initiative in 2021, and mirrored a set of policy changes reformers want all departments to implement immediately, known as “8 Can’t Wait.”De-escalation training is now required. Officers are told to limit uses of force, exhaust all alternatives before resorting to deadly force and report all uses of force. Tennessee also took action: State law now requires officers to intervene to stop abuse and report excessive force by their colleagues.Showing unusual transparency for a police department, the MPD now publishes accountability reports that include the race of people subjected to use of force each year. They show Black men and women were overwhelmingly targeted for rougher treatment in 2019, 2020 and 2021. They were subject to nearly 86% of the recorded uses of guns, batons, pepper spray, physical beatings and other force in 2021, the total nearly doubling that year to 1,700 cases.Seven uses of force by Memphis police ended in death during these three years.“I don’t know how much more cumulative Black death our community should have to pay to convince elected officials that the policing system isn’t broken — it’s working exactly as it was designed to, at the expense of Black life,” said Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson, co-executive director of the Highlander Research and Education Center, a Tennessee-based civil rights leadership training school.The Nichols case — just one of the brutality cases to make national news this month — exposes an uncomfortable truth: More than two years since the deaths of Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Rayshard Brooks touched off protests, policing reforms have not significantly reduced such killings.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-amir-locke-richmond-minneapolis-86370ae1c735d44525e37eed80b293b2">States approved nearly 300 police reform bills after Floyd’s murder,</a>&nbsp;creating civilian oversight of police, more anti-bias training, stricter use-of-force limits and alternatives to arrests in cases involving people with mental illnesses, according to a recent analysis by the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland.Despite calls to “defund the police,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-police-law-enforcement-agencies-local-governments-iowa-420d0714086f72bc255c676bfe214532">an Associated Press review of police funding nationwide</a>&nbsp;found only modest cuts, driven largely by shrinking revenue related to the coronavirus pandemic. Budgets increased and more officers were hired for some large departments, including New York City’s.Still stuck in Congress is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nyc-state-wire-george-floyd-death-of-george-floyd-police-police-reform-988260d4657103cd968bad7f039b0e19">the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act,</a>&nbsp;which would prohibit racial profiling, ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants, limit the transfer of military equipment to police departments, and make it easier to bring charges against offending officers. Biden said he told Nichols’ mother that he would be “making a case” to Congress to pass the Floyd Act “to get this under control.”The Rev. Al Sharpton said his eulogy at Nichols’ funeral on Wednesday will include a call for new laws. NAACP President Derrick Johnson also took Congress to task.“By failing to write a piece of legislation, you’re writing another obituary,” Johnson said. “Tell us what you’re going to do to honor Tyre Nichols. … We can name all the victims of police violence, but we can’t name a single law you have passed to address it.”Advocates want state and federal legislation because local changes vary widely in scope and effect and can be undone by a single election after years of grassroots activism. But some say strict regulations are just the start — and the video of Nichols’ agony proves it.“Changing a rule doesn’t change a behavior,” said Katie Ryan, chief of staff for Campaign Zero, a group of academics, policing experts and activists working to end police violence. “The culture of a police department has to shift into actually implementing the policies, not just saying there’s a rule in place.”The five officers charged — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith — were part of the so-called Scorpion unit. Scorpion stands for Street Crimes Operations to Restore Peace in our Neighborhoods.The Memphis police chief, Cerelyn “CJ” Davis,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-memphis-crime-law-enforcement-1b7e8fa4ed7120a897086250d5d6da35">disbanded the unit</a>&nbsp;on Saturday.“It is in the best interest of all to permanently deactivate the Scorpion unit,” she said in a statement.Prior to the move by Davis, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said it was clear that the officers involved in the attack on Nichols violated the department’s policies and training.“I want to assure you we are doing everything we can to prevent this from happening again,” Strickland said in a statement. “We are initiating an outside, independent review of the training, policies and operations of our specialized units.”The Memphis police union extended condolences to Nichols’ family, saying it “is committed to the administration of justice and NEVER condones the mistreatment of ANY citizen nor ANY abuse of power.” The statement also expressed faith that the justice system would reveal “the totality of circumstances” in the case.Patrick Yoes, national president of the Fraternal Order of Police, pushed back against the conclusion that policing must change. This was not “legitimate police work or a traffic stop gone wrong,” Yoes said. “This is a criminal assault under the pretext of law.”Protesters turned out again Friday night after the city released the video footage. Turner, the Memphis pastor, called the images “further proof that our city’s and our nation’s criminal justice systems are in dire need of change.”“It’s not like we’re short on concrete, reasonable recommendations,” said the Rev. Earle Fisher, senior pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church. “What we’re short on is the political will and the commitment to making the structural changes.”--------Protesters gathered in a park near the White House, in Memphis and other cities as <a href="https://vimeo.com/cityofmemphis">the video </a>was released.In Memphis, protesters chanted: “Say his name! Tyre Nichols!” and several dozen protesters blocked a heavily traveled bridge on Interstate 55 that is one of two main spans connecting Arkansas and Tennessee over the Mississippi River.Unions in California and Hawaii issued a joint statement calling the actions of the officers “repugnant and the complete antithesis of how honorable law enforcement professionals conduct themselves.”The Prosecutors Alliance of California calls the killing senseless and in California’s capitol of Sacramento, Mayor Darrell Steinberg said: “I am filled with anger, with sorrow and revulsion.”KEY DEVELOPMENTS:— Memphis authorities have released more than an hour of footage of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tyre-nichols-video-memphis-police-e3ee8e6698faae16df3f41d09234b09f">the police beating</a>&nbsp;of Tyre Nichols, whose death resulted in murder charges and provoked outrage— Family and friends remember&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tyre-nichols-profile-memphis-3104f3cdbaf568daf6647eca080d4001">Tyre Nichols</a>&nbsp;as a generous, lovable man who worked hard to be a good father to his 4-year-old son—&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/law-enforcement-police-brutality-memphis-bde48465a79bb20bbb68473c0cc63b1e">Timeline of events</a>&nbsp;in the arrest, death of Tyre Nichols___MEMPHIS —<a href="https://vimeo.com/cityofmemphis"> Video showing</a> five Memphis police officers beating a Black man was made public Friday, one day after they were charged with murder in the death of Tyre Nichols.The footage shows the Black officers savagely beating the 29-year-old FedEx worker for three minutes in an assault that the Nichols family’s legal team likened to the infamous 1991 police beating of Los Angeles motorist Rodney King.Cities across the country braced for large demonstrations. Nichols’ relatives urged supporters to protest peacefully. ___WASHINGTON — The national president of the Fraternal Order of Police has issued a scathing statement over the actions of five former Memphis police officers involved in the arrest of Tyre Nichols.Patrick Yoes says the officers’ encounter with Nichols “does not constitute legitimate police work or a traffic stop gone wrong.” Instead, Yoes called it a “criminal assault under the pretext of law.”Nichols died three days after a Jan. 7 confrontation with the officers during a traffic stop.___WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said he was “very concerned” about the prospect of violence, but called for protests over the death of Tyre Nichols to remain peaceful.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My heart goes out to Tyre Nichols’ family and to Americans in Memphis and across the country who are grieving this tremendously painful loss. There are no words to describe the heartbreak and grief of losing a beloved child and young father.⁰⁰Here&#39;s my full statement. <a href="https://t.co/ghROhSGtao">pic.twitter.com/ghROhSGtao</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1619143234034491397?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Speaking Friday at the White House before departing for Camp David, the president reflected on his call earlier with Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells.“I’m obviously very concerned about it,” Biden said when asked if he was worried about violence, “but I think she has made a very strong plea. She’s obviously in enormous pain.”Biden said that “innocent lives” were at stake Friday as the country awaited the release of police footage of depicting five Memphis officers beating Nichols during a traffic stop.___NEW YORK — In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams, a former police officer, said he and other mayors across the country had been briefed by the White House in advance of the video’s release, which he said would “trigger pain and sadness in many of us. It will make us angry.”He urged demonstrators to “respect the wishes of Mr. Nichols’ mother. If you need to express your anger and outrage, do so peacefully. My message to the NYPD has been, and will continue to be, to exercise restraint.”Adams, who during his years as a New York Police Department officer co-founded an organization that advocated for diversity in policing and against abuses of power, said he “felt betrayed” by the officers charged in the Memphis death of Nichols.“Any officer who engages in violence and brutality tarnishes all the work we have done to keep communities safe,” he said. He added: “They make it harder for the brothers and sisters in uniform to accomplish the incredible work they do, day in and day out.”

🎥 More Kan. law enforcement respond to video that stuns the nation

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A Missouri mother who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2d09257f53edd1660f447137a0848d58">reported</a>&nbsp;that her infant twins were stillborn has been convicted of manslaughter.

Maya Caston, 28, was convicted Friday of second-degree involuntary manslaughter and two counts of child endangerment. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/st-louis-county-mother-guilty-in-death-of-newborn-twins-testifies-she-hid-pregnancy/article_fcf18038-9a86-513a-8868-f270a5f141e3.html#tracking-source=home-top-story">reports</a>&nbsp;that jury found her guilty of lesser charges instead of convicting her of second-degree murder.

Prosecutors argued that Caston's lack of action to get care for the babies showed that she caused the deaths. And her extensive internet searches for miscarriages and abortion methods before she gave birth demonstrated that she didn't want the babies.

The evidence showed that Caston searched Google for “cheap abortion pills,” “free abortion clinic” and “can you cause a miscarriage if you hit yourself in the stomach hard enough?” After she gave birth, Cason researched if you can bury a baby in a back garden.

Caston told the jury that she had planned to give the babies up for adoption at a doctor's appointment three days after they were born, but by that time, the babies had died after not eating.

“We have two dead babies. She didn’t want them. She didn’t care for them,” Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Thomas Dittmeier said in closing arguments. “She didn’t even give them a name.”

Caston’s public defenders argued that she has an intellectual disability and didn’t understand the risk to the infants.

“I was in shock. I didn’t know what to do,” she told the jury.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675044289969.png" alt="Caston-photo St. Louis PD" />
 <figcaption>Caston-photo St. Louis PD</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. LOUIS (AP) — A Missouri mother who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2d09257f53edd1660f447137a0848d58">reported</a>&nbsp;that her infant twins were stillborn has been convicted of manslaughter.Maya Caston, 28, was convicted Friday of second-degree involuntary manslaughter and two counts of child endangerment. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/st-louis-county-mother-guilty-in-death-of-newborn-twins-testifies-she-hid-pregnancy/article_fcf18038-9a86-513a-8868-f270a5f141e3.html#tracking-source=home-top-story">reports</a>&nbsp;that jury found her guilty of lesser charges instead of convicting her of second-degree murder.Prosecutors argued that Caston's lack of action to get care for the babies showed that she caused the deaths. And her extensive internet searches for miscarriages and abortion methods before she gave birth demonstrated that she didn't want the babies.The evidence showed that Caston searched Google for “cheap abortion pills,” “free abortion clinic” and “can you cause a miscarriage if you hit yourself in the stomach hard enough?” After she gave birth, Cason researched if you can bury a baby in a back garden.Caston told the jury that she had planned to give the babies up for adoption at a doctor's appointment three days after they were born, but by that time, the babies had died after not eating.“We have two dead babies. She didn’t want them. She didn’t care for them,” Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Thomas Dittmeier said in closing arguments. “She didn’t even give them a name.”Caston’s public defenders argued that she has an intellectual disability and didn’t understand the risk to the infants.“I was in shock. I didn’t know what to do,” she told the jury.

Missouri mom convicted of killing her infant twins

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide at a home in Topeka.

Just before 9:30a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a medical emergency in the 400 Block of SW Tyler Street, according to Lt. Edward Stanley.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675030639545.png" alt="Police tape at the scene of the homicide investigation-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police tape at the scene of the homicide investigation-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide at a home in Topeka.Just before 9:30a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a medical emergency in the 400 Block of SW Tyler Street, according to Lt. Edward Stanley.First responders found one victim, later identified as 48-year-old Jeremy Neal of Topeka, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp;Police released no additional details Sunday and have not reported an arrest.