WASHINGTON (AP) — The countdown toward&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-us-department-of-the-treasury-united-states-government-janet-yellen-business-6fe9b54dcdfea58bead0f4c5f9f89a64">a possible U.S. government default</a>&nbsp;is in the offing — with frictions between President Joe Biden and House Republicans raising alarms about whether the U.S. can sidestep a potential economic crisis.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-government-us-department-of-the-treasury-janet-yellen-business-cf6cf1dcfc3d0d81fb5a20f8ad442f7a">Treasury Department projects</a>&nbsp;that the federal government will on Thursday reach its legal borrowing capacity of $38.381 trillion, an artificially imposed cap that lawmakers have increased roughly 80 times since the 1960s. Markets so far remain calm, as the government can temporarily rely on accounting tweaks to stay open, meaning that any threats to the economy are several months away. Even many worried analysts assume there will be a deal.

But this particular moment seems more fraught than past brushes with the debt limit because of the broad differences between Biden and new House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who presides over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-mccarthy-first-week-4f9040a752fb1fd7cc5c949adf734ab3">a restive Republican caucus</a>.

Those differences increase the risk that the government could default on its obligations for political reasons, a problem that could rattle financial markets and — if not resolved — plunge the world's largest economy into a wholly preventable recession.

The pair have several months to forge a deal, as the Treasury Department imposes “extraordinary measures” to keep the government operating until at least June. But years of intensifying partisan hostility have led to a conflicting set of demands that jeopardize the ability of the U.S. lawmakers to work together on a basic duty.

Biden insists on a clean increase to the debt limit so that existing financial commitments can be sustained, refusing to even start talks with Republicans. McCarthy is calling for negotiations that he believes will lead to spending cuts. It's unclear how much he wants to trim and if his fellow Republicans would support any deal after a testy start to the new Congress that required 15 rounds of voting to elect McCarthy speaker.

Asked twice Wednesday if there was evidence that House Republicans can ensure that the government will avert a default, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said it's their “constitutional responsibility” to protect the full faith and credit of the United States. She did not say whether the White House saw signs at this stage that a default was off the table.

“We're just not going to negotiate that,” Jean-Pierre said. “They should feel the responsibility.”

For his part, McCarthy said Biden needs to recognize the political realities that come with a divided government. He equates the debt ceiling to a credit card limit and calls for a level of fiscal restraint that did not occur under President Donald Trump, a Republican who in 2019 signed a bipartisan suspension of the debt ceiling.

“Why create a crisis over this?" McCarthy said this week. "I mean, we’ve got a Republican House, a Democratic Senate. We’ve got the president there. I think it’s arrogance to say, ‘Oh, we’re not going to negotiate about pretty much anything’ and especially when it comes to funding.”

Any deal would also need to pass the Democratic Senate. Many Democratic lawmakers are skeptical about the ability to work with Republicans aligned with the “Make America Great Again” movement started by Trump. The MAGA movement has claimed that the 2020 election lost by Trump was rigged, a falsehood that contributed to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

“There should be no political brinkmanship with the debt limit,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “It’s reckless for Speaker McCarthy and MAGA Republicans to try and use the full faith and credit of the United States as a political bargaining chip.”

In order to keep the government open, the Treasury Department on Thursday was introducing a series of accounting maneuvers known as “extraordinary measures.” These measures put a hold on contributions and investment redemptions for government workers' retirement and health care funds, giving the government enough financial space to handle its day-to-day expenses until roughly June.

What happens if these measures are exhausted without a deal to raise the debt limit is unknown. A prolonged default could be devastating, with crashing markets and panic-driven layoffs if confidence evaporated in a cornerstone of the global economy, the U.S. Treasury note.

Analysts at Bank of America cautioned in a Friday report that “there is a high degree of uncertainty about the speed and magnitude of the damage the U.S. economy would incur.” The underlying challenge is that the government would have to balance its books on a daily basis if it lacks the ability to issue debt. If the government cannot issue debt, it would have to impose cuts equal in size on an annual basis to 5% of the total U.S. economy. But the analysts say their baseline case is that the U.S. avoids default.

Still, if past debt ceiling showdowns such as the one that occurred in 2011 are any guide, Washington may be in a nervous state of suspended animation with little progress until the “X-date,” the deadline when extraordinary measures are depleted. That creates its own set of challenges.

“A deal probably won’t be reached until the last minute, raising the risk that the deadline to lift the ceiling is inadvertently missed,” said Andrew Hunter, senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics.

WASHINGTON (AP) — On the brink of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-government-us-department-of-the-treasury-janet-yellen-business-cf6cf1dcfc3d0d81fb5a20f8ad442f7a">hitting the nation's legal borrowing limit on Thursday,</a>&nbsp;the government is resorting to “extraordinary measures” to avoid a default.

But -- take a breath -- the phrase technically refers to a bunch of accounting workarounds. Yes, accounting.

Because the debt cap limits the issuance of government bonds — a way the U.S. borrows money — these workarounds shift money among accounts and should keep the government open through at least June, according to a letter last week by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

In theory, President Joe Biden and Congress are supposed to use that additional time to work out an agreement to raise the nation's legal $31.38 trillion debt ceiling. These talks often grow heated and go down to the wire, with major economic damage in the balance. But there have been roughly 80 deals to raise or suspend the borrowing cap since the 1960s.

What could be worrisome is not the existence of extraordinary measures, but what happens if they are exhausted this summer without a deal in place. Economists have warned that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-business-covid-c3d5a98cf3722562e53d0c9a499510b0">could lead to a global financial crisis.</a>

So far, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Biden are playing what could be a dangerous game of chicken with the world’s largest economy in the middle.

Some questions and answers on the situation:

Yellen’s Friday letter listed two measures that will begin this month in order to prevent the government from defaulting.

First, the government will temporarily suspend payments to the retirement, disability and health benefit funds for federal employees. Second, it will suspend the reinvestment of maturing government bonds in the retirement savings accounts of government workers.

By suspending the payments, the government can reduce the amount of outstanding debt. That enables the Treasury Department to keep financing government operations, according to Yellen’s letter.

WHAT ALLOWS TREASURY TO USE THESE MEASURES?

No dispute there. Congress has given Treasury the authority to do so.

Because these are retirement accounts, no one is harmed by the government equivalent of an IOU. The funds are made whole after a debt ceiling increase or suspension becomes law. It’s not necessarily the measures that can harm the economy but rather the doubts among consumers and businesses about whether lawmakers will increase the borrowing cap.

There were $986 billion in net assets of the civil service and federal employees retirement funds at he end of fiscal 2021, according to a report by the Office of Personnel Management. The required government contributions to the funds are large enough to rely on these extraordinary measures for roughly five months.

“Treasury Secretaries in every Administration over recent decades have used these extraordinary measures when necessary,” Yellen wrote in her letter.

The measures were first deployed in 1985 and have been used at least 16 times since then, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a fiscal watchdog.

Before World War I, Congress needed to approve each bond issuance. The debt limit was created as a workaround to finance the war effort without needing a constant series of votes.

Since then, a tool created to make it easier for the government to function has become a source of dysfunction, stoking partisan warfare and creating economic risk as the debt has increased in size over the past 20 years.

It looks alarming -- and it’s not clear how Biden, McCarthy and the Democratic Senate will find common ground. A default could cause millions of job losses, a deep recession that would reverberate globally and, ironically, higher interest rates that would make it harder to manage the federal debt.

McCarthy said Tuesday that talks should begin immediately on the potential spending cuts that Republicans are seeking in exchange for raising the debt limit, even though the Biden administration has equated that demand to holding the U.S. economy hostage.

“Who wants to put the nation in some type of threat at the last minute of the debt ceiling?” McCarthy said. “Nobody wants to do that. That’s why we’re asking, ’Let’s change our behavior now. Let’s sit down.”

The Biden administration wants the borrowing cap increased without any preconditions. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday ruled out holding talks with McCarthy.

DO DEBT LIMIT SHOWDOWNS HELP REDUCE GOVERNMENT DEBT?

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that annual budget deficits will grow from roughly $1 trillion to more than $2 trillion over the next 10 years.

The imbalance over the coming years increasingly reflects government expenses for programs such as Medicare and Social Security that are outstripping tax revenue. That suggests the government would need severe cuts to spending, major tax hikes or some combination of those options.

In 2011 when Barack Obama was president and Biden was vice president, there was a bipartisan deal to raise the debt limit by $900 billion in return for $917 billion worth of automatic spending cuts over 10 years.

But the debt reduction never fully materialized.

After Donald Trump became president in 2017, Republican lawmakers fueled further debt increases by passing deficit-financed tax cuts. Debt accelerated even more with the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, which caused massive government borrowing in order to pull the U.S. out of a deep recession.

The CBO last year estimated that the U.S. debt would exceed $40 trillion in 2032.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674129864216.png" alt="Biden insists on a clean increase to the debt limit so that existing financial commitments can be sustained, refusing to even start talks with Republicans-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Biden insists on a clean increase to the debt limit so that existing financial commitments can be sustained, refusing to even start talks with Republicans-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The countdown toward&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-us-department-of-the-treasury-united-states-government-janet-yellen-business-6fe9b54dcdfea58bead0f4c5f9f89a64">a possible U.S. government default</a>&nbsp;is in the offing — with frictions between President Joe Biden and House Republicans raising alarms about whether the U.S. can sidestep a potential economic crisis.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-government-us-department-of-the-treasury-janet-yellen-business-cf6cf1dcfc3d0d81fb5a20f8ad442f7a">Treasury Department projects</a>&nbsp;that the federal government will on Thursday reach its legal borrowing capacity of $38.381 trillion, an artificially imposed cap that lawmakers have increased roughly 80 times since the 1960s. Markets so far remain calm, as the government can temporarily rely on accounting tweaks to stay open, meaning that any threats to the economy are several months away. Even many worried analysts assume there will be a deal.But this particular moment seems more fraught than past brushes with the debt limit because of the broad differences between Biden and new House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who presides over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-mccarthy-first-week-4f9040a752fb1fd7cc5c949adf734ab3">a restive Republican caucus</a>.Those differences increase the risk that the government could default on its obligations for political reasons, a problem that could rattle financial markets and — if not resolved — plunge the world's largest economy into a wholly preventable recession.The pair have several months to forge a deal, as the Treasury Department imposes “extraordinary measures” to keep the government operating until at least June. But years of intensifying partisan hostility have led to a conflicting set of demands that jeopardize the ability of the U.S. lawmakers to work together on a basic duty.Biden insists on a clean increase to the debt limit so that existing financial commitments can be sustained, refusing to even start talks with Republicans. McCarthy is calling for negotiations that he believes will lead to spending cuts. It's unclear how much he wants to trim and if his fellow Republicans would support any deal after a testy start to the new Congress that required 15 rounds of voting to elect McCarthy speaker.Asked twice Wednesday if there was evidence that House Republicans can ensure that the government will avert a default, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said it's their “constitutional responsibility” to protect the full faith and credit of the United States. She did not say whether the White House saw signs at this stage that a default was off the table.“We're just not going to negotiate that,” Jean-Pierre said. “They should feel the responsibility.”For his part, McCarthy said Biden needs to recognize the political realities that come with a divided government. He equates the debt ceiling to a credit card limit and calls for a level of fiscal restraint that did not occur under President Donald Trump, a Republican who in 2019 signed a bipartisan suspension of the debt ceiling.“Why create a crisis over this?" McCarthy said this week. "I mean, we’ve got a Republican House, a Democratic Senate. We’ve got the president there. I think it’s arrogance to say, ‘Oh, we’re not going to negotiate about pretty much anything’ and especially when it comes to funding.”Any deal would also need to pass the Democratic Senate. Many Democratic lawmakers are skeptical about the ability to work with Republicans aligned with the “Make America Great Again” movement started by Trump. The MAGA movement has claimed that the 2020 election lost by Trump was rigged, a falsehood that contributed to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.“There should be no political brinkmanship with the debt limit,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “It’s reckless for Speaker McCarthy and MAGA Republicans to try and use the full faith and credit of the United States as a political bargaining chip.”In order to keep the government open, the Treasury Department on Thursday was introducing a series of accounting maneuvers known as “extraordinary measures.” These measures put a hold on contributions and investment redemptions for government workers' retirement and health care funds, giving the government enough financial space to handle its day-to-day expenses until roughly June.What happens if these measures are exhausted without a deal to raise the debt limit is unknown. A prolonged default could be devastating, with crashing markets and panic-driven layoffs if confidence evaporated in a cornerstone of the global economy, the U.S. Treasury note.Analysts at Bank of America cautioned in a Friday report that “there is a high degree of uncertainty about the speed and magnitude of the damage the U.S. economy would incur.” The underlying challenge is that the government would have to balance its books on a daily basis if it lacks the ability to issue debt. If the government cannot issue debt, it would have to impose cuts equal in size on an annual basis to 5% of the total U.S. economy. But the analysts say their baseline case is that the U.S. avoids default.Still, if past debt ceiling showdowns such as the one that occurred in 2011 are any guide, Washington may be in a nervous state of suspended animation with little progress until the “X-date,” the deadline when extraordinary measures are depleted. That creates its own set of challenges.“A deal probably won’t be reached until the last minute, raising the risk that the deadline to lift the ceiling is inadvertently missed,” said Andrew Hunter, senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics.--------------WASHINGTON (AP) — On the brink of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-government-us-department-of-the-treasury-janet-yellen-business-cf6cf1dcfc3d0d81fb5a20f8ad442f7a">hitting the nation's legal borrowing limit on Thursday,</a>&nbsp;the government is resorting to “extraordinary measures” to avoid a default.Sounds ominous, right?But -- take a breath -- the phrase technically refers to a bunch of accounting workarounds. Yes, accounting.Because the debt cap limits the issuance of government bonds — a way the U.S. borrows money — these workarounds shift money among accounts and should keep the government open through at least June, according to a letter last week by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.In theory, President Joe Biden and Congress are supposed to use that additional time to work out an agreement to raise the nation's legal $31.38 trillion debt ceiling. These talks often grow heated and go down to the wire, with major economic damage in the balance. But there have been roughly 80 deals to raise or suspend the borrowing cap since the 1960s.What could be worrisome is not the existence of extraordinary measures, but what happens if they are exhausted this summer without a deal in place. Economists have warned that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-business-covid-c3d5a98cf3722562e53d0c9a499510b0">could lead to a global financial crisis.</a>So far, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Biden are playing what could be a dangerous game of chicken with the world’s largest economy in the middle.Some questions and answers on the situation:WHAT ARE “EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES”?Yellen’s Friday letter listed two measures that will begin this month in order to prevent the government from defaulting.First, the government will temporarily suspend payments to the retirement, disability and health benefit funds for federal employees. Second, it will suspend the reinvestment of maturing government bonds in the retirement savings accounts of government workers.By suspending the payments, the government can reduce the amount of outstanding debt. That enables the Treasury Department to keep financing government operations, according to Yellen’s letter.WHAT ALLOWS TREASURY TO USE THESE MEASURES?No dispute there. Congress has given Treasury the authority to do so.Because these are retirement accounts, no one is harmed by the government equivalent of an IOU. The funds are made whole after a debt ceiling increase or suspension becomes law. It’s not necessarily the measures that can harm the economy but rather the doubts among consumers and businesses about whether lawmakers will increase the borrowing cap.HOW BIG ARE THESE RETIREMENT FUNDS?There were $986 billion in net assets of the civil service and federal employees retirement funds at he end of fiscal 2021, according to a report by the Office of Personnel Management. The required government contributions to the funds are large enough to rely on these extraordinary measures for roughly five months.HOW COMMON IS THIS?“Treasury Secretaries in every Administration over recent decades have used these extraordinary measures when necessary,” Yellen wrote in her letter.The measures were first deployed in 1985 and have been used at least 16 times since then, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a fiscal watchdog.WHY DO WE HAVE A DEBT LIMIT?Before World War I, Congress needed to approve each bond issuance. The debt limit was created as a workaround to finance the war effort without needing a constant series of votes.Since then, a tool created to make it easier for the government to function has become a source of dysfunction, stoking partisan warfare and creating economic risk as the debt has increased in size over the past 20 years.HOW RISKY IS THE BRINKMANSHIP THIS TIME?It looks alarming -- and it’s not clear how Biden, McCarthy and the Democratic Senate will find common ground. A default could cause millions of job losses, a deep recession that would reverberate globally and, ironically, higher interest rates that would make it harder to manage the federal debt.McCarthy said Tuesday that talks should begin immediately on the potential spending cuts that Republicans are seeking in exchange for raising the debt limit, even though the Biden administration has equated that demand to holding the U.S. economy hostage.“Who wants to put the nation in some type of threat at the last minute of the debt ceiling?” McCarthy said. “Nobody wants to do that. That’s why we’re asking, ’Let’s change our behavior now. Let’s sit down.”The Biden administration wants the borrowing cap increased without any preconditions. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday ruled out holding talks with McCarthy.DO DEBT LIMIT SHOWDOWNS HELP REDUCE GOVERNMENT DEBT?Not so much.The Congressional Budget Office estimates that annual budget deficits will grow from roughly $1 trillion to more than $2 trillion over the next 10 years.The imbalance over the coming years increasingly reflects government expenses for programs such as Medicare and Social Security that are outstripping tax revenue. That suggests the government would need severe cuts to spending, major tax hikes or some combination of those options.In 2011 when Barack Obama was president and Biden was vice president, there was a bipartisan deal to raise the debt limit by $900 billion in return for $917 billion worth of automatic spending cuts over 10 years.But the debt reduction never fully materialized.After Donald Trump became president in 2017, Republican lawmakers fueled further debt increases by passing deficit-financed tax cuts. Debt accelerated even more with the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, which caused massive government borrowing in order to pull the U.S. out of a deep recession.The CBO last year estimated that the U.S. debt would exceed $40 trillion in 2032.

Biden-House GOP: Showdown over debt limit of $38.3 trillion

OSAGE COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities investigating&nbsp; &nbsp;the burglary that occurred at the Santa Fe Trail High School, 15701 S. California Road in Carbondale during the early morning hours of January 12 have identified a&nbsp;person of interest, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

The sheriff asked for the public’s assistance in locating Dalton R. Quimby, a 28-year-old white male, approximately 5-foot-11, 200 pounds, green eyes, and sandy blonde hair.

USD 434 dismissed high school students early on the 12th, to allow deputies to investigate. The high school will resumed classes on Friday.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Quimby is asked to contact the Osage County Sheriff’s Office at 785-828-3121, email tips@oscosheriff.org, Osage County Crime Stoppers at (877) OSCRIME, or their local law enforcement agency

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673573355483.png" alt="-Security camera image Osage Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>-Security camera image Osage Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities investigating&nbsp; &nbsp;the burglary that occurred at the Santa Fe Trail High School, 15701 S. California Road in Carbondale during the early morning hours of January 12 have identified a&nbsp;person of interest, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.The sheriff asked for the public’s assistance in locating Dalton R. Quimby, a 28-year-old white male, approximately 5-foot-11, 200 pounds, green eyes, and sandy blonde hair.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674080967196.png" alt="Quimby-photo Osage Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Quimby-photo Osage Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>USD 434 dismissed high school students early on the 12th, to allow deputies to investigate. The high school will resumed classes on Friday.Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Quimby is asked to contact the Osage County Sheriff’s Office at 785-828-3121, email tips@oscosheriff.org, Osage County Crime Stoppers at (877) OSCRIME, or their local law enforcement agency

Police ID suspect in burglary at Kansas high school

KANSAS CITY —Police continue to search for a suspect involved in the armed abduction of an 8-month old girl that prompted an Amber Alert in Kansas City.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 23-year-old Markelv Avery, was armed with a handgun when he took Malani Avery by force from her mother's house in the area of Gladstone Boulevard and Belmont Avenue. Within an hour, police found the girl. She was not with Markley.&nbsp;

He was last seen driving a four-door white Acura sedan that is missing the front bumper with an unknown license plate.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674068973618.png" alt="Screenshot 2023-01-18 at 1.09.20 PM.png" />
 <figcaption>Screenshot 2023-01-18 at 1.09.20 PM.png</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Police continue to search for a suspect involved in the armed abduction of an 8-month old girl that prompted an Amber Alert in Kansas City.According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 23-year-old Markelv Avery, was armed with a handgun when he took Malani Avery by force from her mother's house in the area of Gladstone Boulevard and Belmont Avenue. Within an hour, police found the girl. She was not with Markley.&nbsp;He was last seen driving a four-door white Acura sedan that is missing the front bumper with an unknown license plate.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Police continue search for Kansas City Amber alert suspect

The Federal 
Trade Commission opened a claims process for former AT&amp;T customers 
who have yet to claim a refund stemming from the FTC’s lawsuit against 
the company for misleading consumers about its unlimited data plans.

Former AT&amp;T
 customers may be eligible to claim a refund from the $7 million 
remaining in a fund created to settle allegations that the wireless 
provider charged for “unlimited” data plans while reducing their data speeds, a practice known as throttling.

The <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2019/11/att-pay-60-million-resolve-ftc-allegations-it-misled-consumers-unlimited-data-promises">FTC in 2019 required AT&amp;T to provide $60 million</a>
 for refunds for failing to disclose to millions of smartphone customers
 with unlimited data plans that once they reached a certain amount of 
data use in a given billing cycle, AT&amp;T would reduce or throttle 
their data speeds. Some customers experienced data speeds so slow that 
many common phone applications, such as web browsing and video 
streaming, became difficult or nearly impossible to use.

The money paid by AT&amp;T was 
deposited into a fund that the company used to provide partial refunds 
to current and former customers who had unlimited plans that were 
throttled by AT&amp;T. The company gave a bill credit to current 
AT&amp;T customers and sent refund checks to former customers.

AT&amp;T has not been able to 
reach everyone who was eligible for a refund. The FTC is using the 
remaining $7 million from the fund to provide partial refunds to 
consumers who meet all these requirements:

Consumers who meet these requirements can submit a claim online at <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/ATT">www.ftc.gov/ATT</a>. Consumers can contact the claims administrator by calling 1-877-654-1982 or emailing <a href="mailto:info@ATTDataThrottling.com">info@ATTDataThrottling.com</a>

 if they have questions or if they would like to request a claim form. Consumers have until May 18, 2023, to submit a claim.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619632629588.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FTCThe Federal 
Trade Commission opened a claims process for former AT&amp;T customers 
who have yet to claim a refund stemming from the FTC’s lawsuit against 
the company for misleading consumers about its unlimited data plans.Former AT&amp;T
 customers may be eligible to claim a refund from the $7 million 
remaining in a fund created to settle allegations that the wireless 
provider charged for “unlimited” data plans while reducing their data speeds, a practice known as throttling.The <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2019/11/att-pay-60-million-resolve-ftc-allegations-it-misled-consumers-unlimited-data-promises">FTC in 2019 required AT&amp;T to provide $60 million</a>
 for refunds for failing to disclose to millions of smartphone customers
 with unlimited data plans that once they reached a certain amount of 
data use in a given billing cycle, AT&amp;T would reduce or throttle 
their data speeds. Some customers experienced data speeds so slow that 
many common phone applications, such as web browsing and video 
streaming, became difficult or nearly impossible to use.The money paid by AT&amp;T was 
deposited into a fund that the company used to provide partial refunds 
to current and former customers who had unlimited plans that were 
throttled by AT&amp;T. The company gave a bill credit to current 
AT&amp;T customers and sent refund checks to former customers.AT&amp;T has not been able to 
reach everyone who was eligible for a refund. The FTC is using the 
remaining $7 million from the fund to provide partial refunds to 
consumers who meet all these requirements:<ul>
 <li>they are a former AT&amp;T customer;</li><li>they had an unlimited data plan at some point between October 1, 2011 and June 30, 2015;</li><li>they experienced data throttling; and </li><li>they have not received a bill credit or payment from AT&amp;T related to this matter.</li>
 </ul>Consumers who meet these requirements can submit a claim online at <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/ATT">www.ftc.gov/ATT</a>. Consumers can contact the claims administrator by calling 1-877-654-1982 or emailing <a href="mailto:info@ATTDataThrottling.com">info@ATTDataThrottling.com</a> if they have questions or if they would like to request a claim form. Consumers have until May 18, 2023, to submit a claim.

AT&T throttle your wireless? Apply for a payment from FTC

BROWN COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just before 2:30p.m. Wednesday in Brown County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Freightliner semi driven by Cody Thomas Carson, 24,&nbsp;Muscotah, was westbound on 330th Road near Raccoon Road. 

The vehicle left the roadway to the right, overturned, struck a culvert, and came to rest in the north ditch at the base of a steep embankment.

Carson was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Dishon-Maple-Chaney Mortuary. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

BROWN COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just before 2:30p.m. Wednesday in Brown County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Freightliner semi driven by Cody Thomas Carson, 24,&nbsp;Muscotah, was westbound on 330th Road near Raccoon Road. The vehicle left the roadway to the right, overturned, struck a culvert, and came to rest in the north ditch at the base of a steep embankment.Carson was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Dishon-Maple-Chaney Mortuary. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after semi overturns down embankment

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A man on trial for threatening to kill U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner cross-examined the Kansas Republican on Wednesday in federal court, with the congressman rejecting the defendant's suggestions that he was conveying a message from God.

LaTurner was the last prosecution witness in the trial of Chase Neill, 32, from the northeastern Kansas city of Lawrence. Prosecutors contend that Neill, who is representing himself in court, became fixated on LaTurner and then made his threat in a June 5 phone message left after hours at LaTurner’s office in Topeka.

The trial came amid what authorities say is a sharp rise in threats against the nation’s lawmakers over the past two years. LaTurner testified that he beefed up the security at his Topeka office and home in response to Neill’s message because he worried about the safety of his family and staff.

Neill suggested Wednesday during his cross-examination of prosecution witnesses that he believes he is a “religious heir” whose message to LaTurner followed a tradition of Old Testament prophets following a duty of speaking for God and doing it as if they were God themselves. In questioning LaTurner, Neill asked whether it was reasonable for Neill to identify himself in his voicemail as the son of God.

“I thought the whole voicemail was unreasonable, especially the death threat parts,” LaTurner replied.

Before presiding U.S. District Judge Holly Teeter allowed Neill to take over his own defense Wednesday, federal public defenders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-government-kansas-state-lawrence-6fea225d8b04ecd4e9eb31b5acd65166">argued that Neill is harmless</a>&nbsp;because he expected God to send "meteors and plagues” to punish LaTurner and government officials across the Earth. The public defenders also said Neill never tried to get close to LaTurner and after Neill left the message, local authorities did not arrest him or send him to a mental health hospital or ward.

In the June voicemail message, Neill said he had contacted LaTurner’s office before about whether Congress was pursuing issues involving witchcraft, divination, wizards and “creatures.”

Threats against members of Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-san-francisco-nancy-pelosi-congress-government-and-politics-b8a3fb8b3e6f491fcfb16e155b877427">have increased</a>&nbsp;since the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. In October, an intruder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paul-pelosi-assaulted-156ece77186eb11b97260af3c5122f67">severely beat</a>&nbsp;former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer in their San Francisco home.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-education-coronavirus-pandemic-school-boards-35db5c9eec87b85ca8eb95a64c2f6dd7">Local school board members</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-new-mexico-donald-trump-presidential-9356ff48f081250aa54040cbd7cf1cc3">election workers</a>&nbsp;across the nation also have endured harassment and threats. Police in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this week arrested a former Republican legislative candidate over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-new-mexico-state-government-crime-albuquerque-1410b516f5b66c18d62342a0d7a9b60f">a series of shootings</a>&nbsp;targeting elected Democratic officials’ homes or offices, though none were injured.

Neill acknowledges that he left the voicemail message in June telling LaTurner, “I am saying that I will kill you,” but argues that his use of the phrase “act of God” in the same message means he was forwarding a message from God, not himself.

While LaTurner testified that he thought Neill was using some “ridiculous talk," he focused on the death threat. He received an anonymous written threat in the mailbox at his Topeka home early in 2021, when he first entered Congress.

As for the “act of God phrase, LaTurner told Neill: "I thought it meant something more nefarious, that there would be an attempt to kill me and it wouldn't be detectable.”

Neill's questioning of LaTurner was bizarrely low-key, with the clean-shaven LaTurner sitting at the witness stand in a dark suit and the bearded Neill at the lawyers' podium wearing khaki pants, a blue jacket and a dress shirt without a tie. Neill had a Bible with him at the podium.

His cross-examination of LaTurner ended abruptly after an objection from prosecutors to a question to the congressman, “Do you believe that God has a right to punish people?”

A U.S. magistrate judge said in an August order refusing to release Neill from custody that Neill had suffered a head injury four or five years ago “characterized as a head fracture.” But Teeter concluded during a hearing last month that Neill was capable of following what was going on in court and assisting his lawyers, making him mentally competent to stand trial.

Twice within the past week, Neill asked to represent himself, withdrawing one request before his federal court jury was selected Tuesday. He said Wednesday in court that he has been portrayed as “a false Christ,” damaging his reputation.

Teeter granted the second request, finding it was his right to to represent himself and he could do so competently, despite his lack of legal training as a high school graduate with some college education. The judge warned Neill repeatedly Wednesday that she thought it unwise for him to represent himself, but he was adamant.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673992624611.png" alt="Neill is being held in Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Neill is being held in Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A man on trial for threatening to kill U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner cross-examined the Kansas Republican on Wednesday in federal court, with the congressman rejecting the defendant's suggestions that he was conveying a message from God.LaTurner was the last prosecution witness in the trial of Chase Neill, 32, from the northeastern Kansas city of Lawrence. Prosecutors contend that Neill, who is representing himself in court, became fixated on LaTurner and then made his threat in a June 5 phone message left after hours at LaTurner’s office in Topeka.The trial came amid what authorities say is a sharp rise in threats against the nation’s lawmakers over the past two years. LaTurner testified that he beefed up the security at his Topeka office and home in response to Neill’s message because he worried about the safety of his family and staff.Neill suggested Wednesday during his cross-examination of prosecution witnesses that he believes he is a “religious heir” whose message to LaTurner followed a tradition of Old Testament prophets following a duty of speaking for God and doing it as if they were God themselves. In questioning LaTurner, Neill asked whether it was reasonable for Neill to identify himself in his voicemail as the son of God.“I thought the whole voicemail was unreasonable, especially the death threat parts,” LaTurner replied.Before presiding U.S. District Judge Holly Teeter allowed Neill to take over his own defense Wednesday, federal public defenders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-government-kansas-state-lawrence-6fea225d8b04ecd4e9eb31b5acd65166">argued that Neill is harmless</a>&nbsp;because he expected God to send "meteors and plagues” to punish LaTurner and government officials across the Earth. The public defenders also said Neill never tried to get close to LaTurner and after Neill left the message, local authorities did not arrest him or send him to a mental health hospital or ward.In the June voicemail message, Neill said he had contacted LaTurner’s office before about whether Congress was pursuing issues involving witchcraft, divination, wizards and “creatures.”Threats against members of Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-san-francisco-nancy-pelosi-congress-government-and-politics-b8a3fb8b3e6f491fcfb16e155b877427">have increased</a>&nbsp;since the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. In October, an intruder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paul-pelosi-assaulted-156ece77186eb11b97260af3c5122f67">severely beat</a>&nbsp;former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer in their San Francisco home.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-education-coronavirus-pandemic-school-boards-35db5c9eec87b85ca8eb95a64c2f6dd7">Local school board members</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-new-mexico-donald-trump-presidential-9356ff48f081250aa54040cbd7cf1cc3">election workers</a>&nbsp;across the nation also have endured harassment and threats. Police in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this week arrested a former Republican legislative candidate over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-new-mexico-state-government-crime-albuquerque-1410b516f5b66c18d62342a0d7a9b60f">a series of shootings</a>&nbsp;targeting elected Democratic officials’ homes or offices, though none were injured.Neill acknowledges that he left the voicemail message in June telling LaTurner, “I am saying that I will kill you,” but argues that his use of the phrase “act of God” in the same message means he was forwarding a message from God, not himself.While LaTurner testified that he thought Neill was using some “ridiculous talk," he focused on the death threat. He received an anonymous written threat in the mailbox at his Topeka home early in 2021, when he first entered Congress.As for the “act of God phrase, LaTurner told Neill: "I thought it meant something more nefarious, that there would be an attempt to kill me and it wouldn't be detectable.”Neill's questioning of LaTurner was bizarrely low-key, with the clean-shaven LaTurner sitting at the witness stand in a dark suit and the bearded Neill at the lawyers' podium wearing khaki pants, a blue jacket and a dress shirt without a tie. Neill had a Bible with him at the podium.His cross-examination of LaTurner ended abruptly after an objection from prosecutors to a question to the congressman, “Do you believe that God has a right to punish people?”A U.S. magistrate judge said in an August order refusing to release Neill from custody that Neill had suffered a head injury four or five years ago “characterized as a head fracture.” But Teeter concluded during a hearing last month that Neill was capable of following what was going on in court and assisting his lawyers, making him mentally competent to stand trial.Twice within the past week, Neill asked to represent himself, withdrawing one request before his federal court jury was selected Tuesday. He said Wednesday in court that he has been portrayed as “a false Christ,” damaging his reputation.Teeter granted the second request, finding it was his right to to represent himself and he could do so competently, despite his lack of legal training as a high school graduate with some college education. The judge warned Neill repeatedly Wednesday that she thought it unwise for him to represent himself, but he was adamant.

Defendant cross-examines Kansas congressman he threatened

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in the alleged aggravated criminal solicitation of children in Wichita made his first court appearance Tuesday.&nbsp; Damien Henderson, 43, was charged with&nbsp;3 counts of aggravated indecent solicitation of a child and attempted kidnapping, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;

Just after 7:30p.m. on Jan. 11, police were flagged down at the intersection of Yale and Dunham by a family member stating three girls, ages 7-13, were solicited for sex by&nbsp; Henderson, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

The suspect fled from the scene before officers arrived. None of the girls were physically injured. The girls are known to each other.

The investigation revealed that the three girls were walking in the neighborhood together when Henderson walked up to them and solicited all of them for sex. The girls ran and informed their parents. 

Officers were already in the neighborhood when the adult flagged them down. Officers were given Henderson’s description and a short time later located him near 31st and K-15. 

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20053750">Henderson was detained</a> without incident and police notified Wichita Public Schools of the incident.&nbsp; Henderson <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20053750">remains jailed on a $500,000</a> bond and is due back in court Jan. 30, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673528900779.png" alt="Henderson-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Henderson-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in the alleged aggravated criminal solicitation of children in Wichita made his first court appearance Tuesday.&nbsp; Damien Henderson, 43, was charged with&nbsp;3 counts of aggravated indecent solicitation of a child and attempted kidnapping, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;Just after 7:30p.m. on Jan. 11, police were flagged down at the intersection of Yale and Dunham by a family member stating three girls, ages 7-13, were solicited for sex by&nbsp; Henderson, according to Officer Chad Ditch.The suspect fled from the scene before officers arrived. None of the girls were physically injured. The girls are known to each other.The investigation revealed that the three girls were walking in the neighborhood together when Henderson walked up to them and solicited all of them for sex. The girls ran and informed their parents. Officers were already in the neighborhood when the adult flagged them down. Officers were given Henderson’s description and a short time later located him near 31st and K-15. <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20053750">Henderson was detained</a> without incident and police notified Wichita Public Schools of the incident.&nbsp; Henderson <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20053750">remains jailed on a $500,000</a> bond and is due back in court Jan. 30, according to the district attorney's office.

Kansas man charged after approaching 3 juveniles for sex

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting outside an apartment building in Kansas City have identified the victim as 25-year-old&nbsp;Dahrell Johnson.

Just after 6p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to the sound of gun shots in the area of 10300 E. 42nd Street in Kansas City, according to Officer Leslie Foreman.

The call was upgraded to a shooting and officers observed a vehicle in the parking lot and a man inside of the vehicle who had been shot and was unresponsive. Officers began life-saving measures at that time. EMS responded to the scene and transported the victim to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Police did not have any suspect information on Wednesday.&nbsp; Detectives and crime scene personnel responded to the scene and&nbsp; actively canvassed for witnesses and processed the scene for evidence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674039821924.png" alt="Police at the scene of the shooting -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the shooting -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting outside an apartment building in Kansas City have identified the victim as 25-year-old&nbsp;Dahrell Johnson.Just after 6p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to the sound of gun shots in the area of 10300 E. 42nd Street in Kansas City, according to Officer Leslie Foreman.The call was upgraded to a shooting and officers observed a vehicle in the parking lot and a man inside of the vehicle who had been shot and was unresponsive. Officers began life-saving measures at that time. EMS responded to the scene and transported the victim to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased.Police did not have any suspect information on Wednesday.&nbsp; Detectives and crime scene personnel responded to the scene and&nbsp; actively canvassed for witnesses and processed the scene for evidence.

Police ID man found shot to death in car near KC apartment

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-18/crews-have-cleaned-up-most-of-the-oil-that-spilled-out-of-the-keystone-pipeline-in-kansas">Kansas News Service</a>

The pipeline company that spilled nearly 600,000 gallons of oil onto 
fields and into a stream in north-central Kansas says it has cleaned up 
more than 85% of the crude.

Meanwhile, the <a href="https://www.backroadsnews.com/" target="_blank">Washington County, Kansas, newspaper</a> reported that the Keystone pipeline is by far the county’s biggest source of tax revenue. The county’s second-biggest source of tax revenue? Also a pipeline operator.

TC
 Energy estimates that 588,000 gallons of crude oil spewed out when the 
Keystone pipeline burst on Dec. 7 — the biggest spill yet on the 
Canadian company’s largest oil pipeline system.

The company says 
crews have recovered about 516,000 gallons. More than 800 workers are on
 site, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Much of the work focuses on Mill Creek. Several miles of the stream <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-05/crews-are-diverting-a-kansas-creek-as-they-race-to-clean-an-oil-spill-and-prevent-further-pollution" target="_blank">have been blocked off</a> to facilitate the intensive cleanup and contain the contamination.

A
 state environmental agency said last week that it was seeing a drop in 
chemical levels downstream from the isolated segment of the creek.

The Washington County News reported Thursday that seven of the county’s 10 biggest taxpayers involve pipelines.

But revenues from the Keystone pipeline eclipse the rest, and only kicked in recently because a 10-year tax exemption expired.

The
 county, two school districts and other local units of government get 
more than $1.9 million combined in taxes from the Keystone this year, 
the newspaper said.

The second-biggest source of tax revenue, 
another pipeline owned by Northern Natural Gas, paid about $670,000 to 
local units of government in Washington County last year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674079663660.png" alt="Crews clean Mill Creek / EPA photo" />
 <figcaption>Crews clean Mill Creek / EPA photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-18/crews-have-cleaned-up-most-of-the-oil-that-spilled-out-of-the-keystone-pipeline-in-kansas">Kansas News Service</a>The pipeline company that spilled nearly 600,000 gallons of oil onto 
fields and into a stream in north-central Kansas says it has cleaned up 
more than 85% of the crude.Meanwhile, the <a href="https://www.backroadsnews.com/" target="_blank">Washington County, Kansas, newspaper</a> reported that the Keystone pipeline is by far the county’s biggest source of tax revenue. The county’s second-biggest source of tax revenue? Also a pipeline operator.TC
 Energy estimates that 588,000 gallons of crude oil spewed out when the 
Keystone pipeline burst on Dec. 7 — the biggest spill yet on the 
Canadian company’s largest oil pipeline system.The company says 
crews have recovered about 516,000 gallons. More than 800 workers are on
 site, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.Much of the work focuses on Mill Creek. Several miles of the stream <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-05/crews-are-diverting-a-kansas-creek-as-they-race-to-clean-an-oil-spill-and-prevent-further-pollution" target="_blank">have been blocked off</a> to facilitate the intensive cleanup and contain the contamination.A
 state environmental agency said last week that it was seeing a drop in 
chemical levels downstream from the isolated segment of the creek.<h2>Biggest taxpayers in Washington County</h2>The Washington County News reported Thursday that seven of the county’s 10 biggest taxpayers involve pipelines.But revenues from the Keystone pipeline eclipse the rest, and only kicked in recently because a 10-year tax exemption expired.The
 county, two school districts and other local units of government get 
more than $1.9 million combined in taxes from the Keystone this year, 
the newspaper said.The second-biggest source of tax revenue, 
another pipeline owned by Northern Natural Gas, paid about $670,000 to 
local units of government in Washington County last year.

Crews have cleaned up most of Keystone's Kansas oil spill

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson called on state lawmakers to set aside nearly $860 million to widen and improve traffic flow on Interstate 70 in his annual State of the State address Wednesday.

Click below to watch a replay of the address

The massive investment in I-70 is part of a nearly $52 billion budget proposal unveiled by the Republican. The rough plan for I-70 includes widening the highway in suburban Kansas City, the Columbia area and suburban St. Louis near Wentzville, where the road is notorious for congestion.

The hope is also to get rid of a tangle of traffic lights at the intersection of I-70 and U.S. 63 in Columbia, Missouri Transportation Department Director Patrick McKenna told reporters before Parson’s address. He said the traffic lights could be replaced with ramps to make switching highways smoother.

"Not only are we concerned for motorist safety, these inefficiencies are costly to our state’s economy,” Parson said in prewritten remarks provided to reporters before his speech. “We must invest to improve I-70. To those who say we can’t afford it, I say we can’t afford not to."

Proposals have existed for years to widen I-70 from two to three lanes in each direction across the entire state, but Missouri has never had the money to do it

Parson’s plan would tap into the state’s historic budget surplus to accomplish a portion of that. It would widen over 50 total miles of roadway in suburban St. Louis, suburban Kansas City and Columbia while also improving a bottleneck interchange at I-70 and U.S. 63. That would still leave around 140 miles or rural I-70 with two lanes in each direction.

By focusing on the most congested areas, the proposal would create “a much more reliable I-70 for the next couple of decades,” McKenna said.

But it could take a few years for construction to begin, because the state first may need to obtain additional land, relocate utilities and design the road, McKenna said.

In response to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/3f94070265958e73e870a8cdab926e78">deadly Amtrak train crash</a>&nbsp;in northern Missouri last year, Parson budgeted $35 million for safety upgrades to railroad crossings across the state. Four people died and dozens more were injured when the Amtrak train collided with a pickup truck near Mendon, Missouri, last June.

“We learned the hard way that we must do more to improve transportation safety,” Parson said in prepared statements.

Though Parson did not propose a mandatory pay raise for teachers, his budget would nearly double the money available for a program that helps local school districts provide extra pay to teachers who take on additional responsibilities. Parson proposed to add nearly $32 million to the program’s current $37 million budget.

The governor also proposed hundreds of millions of additional dollars to fully fund the state’s public school system and continue paying the full bill for school busing.

Higher education institutions would get a 7% funding increase under Parson’s budget plan and an additional $272 million for building projects.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674082566224.png" alt="I-70 at Troost&nbsp; just before 5p.m. Wednesday -image KC Scout" />
 <figcaption>I-70 at Troost&nbsp; just before 5p.m. Wednesday -image KC Scout</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson called on state lawmakers to set aside nearly $860 million to widen and improve traffic flow on Interstate 70 in his annual State of the State address Wednesday.Click below to watch a replay of the address<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W8zzF7ZYivM?start=217" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The massive investment in I-70 is part of a nearly $52 billion budget proposal unveiled by the Republican. The rough plan for I-70 includes widening the highway in suburban Kansas City, the Columbia area and suburban St. Louis near Wentzville, where the road is notorious for congestion.The hope is also to get rid of a tangle of traffic lights at the intersection of I-70 and U.S. 63 in Columbia, Missouri Transportation Department Director Patrick McKenna told reporters before Parson’s address. He said the traffic lights could be replaced with ramps to make switching highways smoother."Not only are we concerned for motorist safety, these inefficiencies are costly to our state’s economy,” Parson said in prewritten remarks provided to reporters before his speech. “We must invest to improve I-70. To those who say we can’t afford it, I say we can’t afford not to."Proposals have existed for years to widen I-70 from two to three lanes in each direction across the entire state, but Missouri has never had the money to do it<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674080158231.png" alt="Lawmakers listen to the 2023 State of the State address" />
 <figcaption>Lawmakers listen to the 2023 State of the State address</figcaption>
 </figure>Parson’s plan would tap into the state’s historic budget surplus to accomplish a portion of that. It would widen over 50 total miles of roadway in suburban St. Louis, suburban Kansas City and Columbia while also improving a bottleneck interchange at I-70 and U.S. 63. That would still leave around 140 miles or rural I-70 with two lanes in each direction.By focusing on the most congested areas, the proposal would create “a much more reliable I-70 for the next couple of decades,” McKenna said.But it could take a few years for construction to begin, because the state first may need to obtain additional land, relocate utilities and design the road, McKenna said.In response to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/3f94070265958e73e870a8cdab926e78">deadly Amtrak train crash</a>&nbsp;in northern Missouri last year, Parson budgeted $35 million for safety upgrades to railroad crossings across the state. Four people died and dozens more were injured when the Amtrak train collided with a pickup truck near Mendon, Missouri, last June.“We learned the hard way that we must do more to improve transportation safety,” Parson said in prepared statements.Though Parson did not propose a mandatory pay raise for teachers, his budget would nearly double the money available for a program that helps local school districts provide extra pay to teachers who take on additional responsibilities. Parson proposed to add nearly $32 million to the program’s current $37 million budget.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674076250936.png" alt="Missouri Gov. Mike Parson just ahead of the State of the State address" />
 <figcaption>Missouri Gov. Mike Parson just ahead of the State of the State address</figcaption>
 </figure>The governor also proposed hundreds of millions of additional dollars to fully fund the state’s public school system and continue paying the full bill for school busing.Higher education institutions would get a 7% funding increase under Parson’s budget plan and an additional $272 million for building projects.—-

🎥Missouri Gov. calls for $860M to widen Interstate 70

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A former researcher who was accused of hiding work he did in China while employed by the University of Kansas, was sentenced Wednesday to time served by a federal judge who said his action did not warrant a prison sentence.

Feng “Franklin” Tao was originally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-education-kansas-lawrence-university-of-kansas-cbbbb2cce47f22631a676e4e21a04beb">convicted</a>&nbsp;in April on four counts, including three counts of wire fraud. But U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson in September&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-kansas-university-of-276087faef2f22c12ad1e5b91aaa3709">threw out</a>&nbsp;the wire fraud convictions and let the false statement conviction stand.

Tao did not disclose on a form he filled out for Kansas in 2019 that he was named to a Chinese talent program, the Changjiang Professorship. He traveled to China to set up a laboratory and recruit staff for Fuzhou University, while telling Kansas officials that he was in Germany.

Federal prosecutors argued that Tao defrauded the University of Kansas, the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation by lying about work he was doing for Fuzhou University in China. The university and the federal agencies, which awarded Tao grants for research projects, contended his actions cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars.

In announcing the sentence, Robinson said prosecutors had presented no evidence during the trial that Tao received any money for his work in China, which is required for a wire fraud conviction.

She said when the trial started, she expected to hear evidence that Tao's deceptions caused financial loss and that he shared important research with Chinese officials at the expense of U.S. taxpayers and the three institutions.

Rather, the evidence showed that Tao continued fulfilling his duties to the University of Kansas while in China by working 70-hour weeks and pushing his students at Kansas to do the same. And she noted he was doing fundamental research that is freely shared across the scientific community.

“This is not an espionage case ... If it was, they presented absolutely no evidence that was going on," Robinson said. “Believe me, if that was what was going on, it would have been a much different sentence today.”

Tao's attorney, Peter Zeidenberg, said he will appeal Tao's remaining conviction.

“Dr. Tao is immensely relieved that Judge Robinson agreed that a sentence of time-served was appropriate,” Zeidenberg said. “We were also gratified to hear the judge say, once again, that neither the government nor KU was defrauded or harmed, and that Dr. Tao did all of the work required of him to the complete satisfaction of these entities.”

Tao served a week in prison after his arrest in 2018 and has worn an electronic monitoring while having his travel restricted since then. His attorneys said the case destroyed his reputation, his family’s financial stability and his distinguished career.

Tao declined to speak during the hearing or afterward as he gathered with supporters outside the federal courthouse in Kansas City, Kansas. But his wife, Hong Peng, said she was grateful for the support their family received during the lengthy case.

“This prosecution has destroyed Franklin's life,” she said. “He wants his reputation back. This has turned our lives upside down.”

Prosecutor Adam Berry said in court Wednesday that Tao's actions warranted a prison sentence because the institutions lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in research money due to his deception. He said a sentence also would provide a deterrent for other researchers who consider not being honest and transparent about their research activities.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Kansas declined to comment.

Tao no longer works for the University of Kansas, a school spokeswoman said Friday.

Robinson said Tao will not be confined to his home during his supervised release and will not have to wear an ankle monitor, noting that he had no prior criminal record and has not violated the terms of his confinement since his arrest. She did not impose a fine.

The case against Tao was part of the U.S. Justice Department’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-china-asia-pacific-u-s-news-espionage-15bb5a431f8bdcdde54c3988b48607d4">China Initiative,</a>&nbsp;a program started in 2018 to crack down on efforts to transfer original ideas and intellectual property from U.S. universities to Chinese government institutions. The department ended the program amid public criticism and several failed prosecutions.

Gisela Perez Kusakawa, executive director of the Asian American Scholar Forum, said Tao's case raised concerns among Asian American researchers that they would be targeted, particularly in an era of increasing bias against them.

She said the disclosure form that Tao was convicted of filling out improperly is vague and that there should be a system to allow researchers to fix such mistakes, rather than subjecting them to federal prosecution.

“We want the public to know that Asian American scientists are contributing to this country,” Kusakawa said. “They are the very people this county needs right now for the research to continue to advance.”

Tao was born in China and moved to the U.S. in 2002. He earned his doctorate's degree from Princeton University and worked at the University of California-Berkeley and Notre Dame before August 2014, when he was hired as a tenured associate professor at the University of Kansas’ Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis. The center conducts research on sustainable technology to conserve natural resources and energy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574105486339.png" alt="Feng “Franklin” Tao-photo University of Kansas" />
 <figcaption>Feng “Franklin” Tao-photo University of Kansas</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARGARET STAFFORD&nbsp;KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A former researcher who was accused of hiding work he did in China while employed by the University of Kansas, was sentenced Wednesday to time served by a federal judge who said his action did not warrant a prison sentence.Feng “Franklin” Tao was originally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-education-kansas-lawrence-university-of-kansas-cbbbb2cce47f22631a676e4e21a04beb">convicted</a>&nbsp;in April on four counts, including three counts of wire fraud. But U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson in September&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-kansas-university-of-276087faef2f22c12ad1e5b91aaa3709">threw out</a>&nbsp;the wire fraud convictions and let the false statement conviction stand.Tao did not disclose on a form he filled out for Kansas in 2019 that he was named to a Chinese talent program, the Changjiang Professorship. He traveled to China to set up a laboratory and recruit staff for Fuzhou University, while telling Kansas officials that he was in Germany.Federal prosecutors argued that Tao defrauded the University of Kansas, the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation by lying about work he was doing for Fuzhou University in China. The university and the federal agencies, which awarded Tao grants for research projects, contended his actions cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars.In announcing the sentence, Robinson said prosecutors had presented no evidence during the trial that Tao received any money for his work in China, which is required for a wire fraud conviction.She said when the trial started, she expected to hear evidence that Tao's deceptions caused financial loss and that he shared important research with Chinese officials at the expense of U.S. taxpayers and the three institutions.Rather, the evidence showed that Tao continued fulfilling his duties to the University of Kansas while in China by working 70-hour weeks and pushing his students at Kansas to do the same. And she noted he was doing fundamental research that is freely shared across the scientific community.“This is not an espionage case ... If it was, they presented absolutely no evidence that was going on," Robinson said. “Believe me, if that was what was going on, it would have been a much different sentence today.”Tao's attorney, Peter Zeidenberg, said he will appeal Tao's remaining conviction.“Dr. Tao is immensely relieved that Judge Robinson agreed that a sentence of time-served was appropriate,” Zeidenberg said. “We were also gratified to hear the judge say, once again, that neither the government nor KU was defrauded or harmed, and that Dr. Tao did all of the work required of him to the complete satisfaction of these entities.”Tao served a week in prison after his arrest in 2018 and has worn an electronic monitoring while having his travel restricted since then. His attorneys said the case destroyed his reputation, his family’s financial stability and his distinguished career.Tao declined to speak during the hearing or afterward as he gathered with supporters outside the federal courthouse in Kansas City, Kansas. But his wife, Hong Peng, said she was grateful for the support their family received during the lengthy case.“This prosecution has destroyed Franklin's life,” she said. “He wants his reputation back. This has turned our lives upside down.”Prosecutor Adam Berry said in court Wednesday that Tao's actions warranted a prison sentence because the institutions lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in research money due to his deception. He said a sentence also would provide a deterrent for other researchers who consider not being honest and transparent about their research activities.The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Kansas declined to comment.Tao no longer works for the University of Kansas, a school spokeswoman said Friday.Robinson said Tao will not be confined to his home during his supervised release and will not have to wear an ankle monitor, noting that he had no prior criminal record and has not violated the terms of his confinement since his arrest. She did not impose a fine.The case against Tao was part of the U.S. Justice Department’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-china-asia-pacific-u-s-news-espionage-15bb5a431f8bdcdde54c3988b48607d4">China Initiative,</a>&nbsp;a program started in 2018 to crack down on efforts to transfer original ideas and intellectual property from U.S. universities to Chinese government institutions. The department ended the program amid public criticism and several failed prosecutions.Gisela Perez Kusakawa, executive director of the Asian American Scholar Forum, said Tao's case raised concerns among Asian American researchers that they would be targeted, particularly in an era of increasing bias against them.She said the disclosure form that Tao was convicted of filling out improperly is vague and that there should be a system to allow researchers to fix such mistakes, rather than subjecting them to federal prosecution.“We want the public to know that Asian American scientists are contributing to this country,” Kusakawa said. “They are the very people this county needs right now for the research to continue to advance.”Tao was born in China and moved to the U.S. in 2002. He earned his doctorate's degree from Princeton University and worked at the University of California-Berkeley and Notre Dame before August 2014, when he was hired as a tenured associate professor at the University of Kansas’ Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis. The center conducts research on sustainable technology to conserve natural resources and energy.

Former researcher at KU sentenced in China-related case

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged arson fire in Manhattan.

Just after 2:30p.m. Tuesday, officers filed a report for arson in the 800 block of Pottawatomie Avenue in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.&nbsp; 

&nbsp;A 75-year-old woman reported a 28-year-old woman started a fire inside the victim's home.

When fire crews arrived, they found a small fire in the front room of the house, with smoke throughout the residence. Firefighters had the fire contained within 10 minutes, according to a media release from the Manhattan Fire Department.&nbsp;

The one-story single-family home was estimated to have sustained $10,000 in damages. There were no injuries.&nbsp; Police did not report an arrest Wednesday morning.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674051708017.jpeg" alt="Photo Manhattan Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo Manhattan Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged arson fire in Manhattan.Just after 2:30p.m. Tuesday, officers filed a report for arson in the 800 block of Pottawatomie Avenue in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.&nbsp; &nbsp;A 75-year-old woman reported a 28-year-old woman started a fire inside the victim's home.When fire crews arrived, they found a small fire in the front room of the house, with smoke throughout the residence. Firefighters had the fire contained within 10 minutes, according to a media release from the Manhattan Fire Department.&nbsp;The one-story single-family home was estimated to have sustained $10,000 in damages. There were no injuries.&nbsp; Police did not report an arrest Wednesday morning.

Police: Kansas house fire intentionally set

By MATT O'BRIEN Associated Press

Microsoft is cutting 10,000 workers, almost 5% of its workforce, 
joining other tech companies that have scaled back their pandemic-era 
expansions.

The company said in a regulatory filing Wednesday that
 the layoffs were a response to “macroeconomic conditions and changing 
customer priorities.”

The Redmond, Washington-based software giant
 said it will also be making changes to its hardware portfolio and 
consolidating its leased office locations.

Microsoft is cutting 
far fewer jobs than it had added during the COVID-19 pandemic as it 
responded to a boom in demand for its workplace software and cloud 
computing services with so many people working and studying from home.

“A big part of this is just overexuberance in hiring,” said Joshua White, a finance professor at Vanderbilt University.

Microsoft’s
 workforce expanded by about 36% in the two fiscal years following the 
emergence of the pandemic, growing from 163,000 workers at the end of 
June 2020, to 221,000 in June 2022.

The layoffs represent “less 
than 5 percent of our total employee base, with some notifications 
happening today,” CEO Satya Nadella said in an email to employees.

“While
 we are eliminating roles in some areas, we will continue to hire in key
 strategic areas,” Nadella said. He emphasized the importance of 
building a “new computer platform” using advances in artificial 
intelligence.

He said customers that were accelerating their 
spending on digital technology during the pandemic are now trying to 
“optimize their digital spend to do more with less.”

“We’re also 
seeing organizations in every industry and geography exercise caution as
 some parts of the world are in a recession and other parts are 
anticipating one,” Nadella wrote.

Other tech companies have also been <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-san-francisco-marc-benioff-bbb2f3a09eafdfc7cda54a3b87e538ad">trimming jobs</a> amid concerns about an economic slowdown.

Amazon
 and business software maker Salesforce earlier this month announced 
major job cuts as they prune payrolls that rapidly expanded during the 
pandemic lockdown.

Amazon said that it will be cutting about 
18,000 positions. It’s the largest set of layoffs in the Seattle 
company’s history, although just a fraction of its 1.5 million global 
workforce.

Facebook parent Meta is laying off 11,000 people, about
 13% of its workforce. And Elon Musk, the new Twitter CEO, has slashed 
the company’s workforce.

Nadella made no direct mention of the 
layoffs on Wednesday when he put in an appearance at the World Economic 
Forum’s annual meeting happening this week in Davos, Switzerland.

When
 asked by the forum’s founder Klaus Schwab on what tech layoffs meant 
for the industry’s business model, Nadella said companies that boomed 
during the COVID-19 pandemic are now seeing “normalization” of that 
demand.

“Quite frankly, we in the tech industry will also have to 
get efficient, right?” Nadella said. “It’s not about everyone else doing
 more with less. We will have to do more with less. So we will have to 
show our own productivity gains with our own sort of technology.”

Microsoft
 didn't immediately respond to questions about where the layoffs and 
office closures would be concentrated. As of June, it had 122,000 
workers in the U.S. and 99,000 elsewhere.

White, the Vanderbilt 
professor, said all industries are looking to cut costs ahead of a 
possible recession but tech companies could be particularly sensitive to
 the rapid rise in interest rates, a tool that has been used 
aggressively in recent months by the Federal Reserve in its fight 
against inflation.

“This hits tech companies a little harder than 
it does industrials or consumer staples because a huge portion of 
Microsoft’s value is on projects with cash flows that won’t pay off for 
several years," he said.

Among the projects that have been 
attracting attention recently is Microsoft’s investment in its San 
Francisco startup partner OpenAI, maker of the writing tool ChatGPT and 
other AI systems that can generate readable text, images and computer 
code.

Microsoft, which owns the Xbox game business, also faces 
regulatory uncertainty in the U.S. and Europe delaying its planned $68.7
 billion takeover of video game company Activision Blizzard, which had 
about 9,800 employees as of a year ago.

By MATT O'BRIEN Associated PressMicrosoft is cutting 10,000 workers, almost 5% of its workforce, 
joining other tech companies that have scaled back their pandemic-era 
expansions.The company said in a regulatory filing Wednesday that
 the layoffs were a response to “macroeconomic conditions and changing 
customer priorities.”The Redmond, Washington-based software giant
 said it will also be making changes to its hardware portfolio and 
consolidating its leased office locations.Microsoft is cutting 
far fewer jobs than it had added during the COVID-19 pandemic as it 
responded to a boom in demand for its workplace software and cloud 
computing services with so many people working and studying from home.“A big part of this is just overexuberance in hiring,” said Joshua White, a finance professor at Vanderbilt University.Microsoft’s
 workforce expanded by about 36% in the two fiscal years following the 
emergence of the pandemic, growing from 163,000 workers at the end of 
June 2020, to 221,000 in June 2022.The layoffs represent “less 
than 5 percent of our total employee base, with some notifications 
happening today,” CEO Satya Nadella said in an email to employees.“While
 we are eliminating roles in some areas, we will continue to hire in key
 strategic areas,” Nadella said. He emphasized the importance of 
building a “new computer platform” using advances in artificial 
intelligence.He said customers that were accelerating their 
spending on digital technology during the pandemic are now trying to 
“optimize their digital spend to do more with less.”“We’re also 
seeing organizations in every industry and geography exercise caution as
 some parts of the world are in a recession and other parts are 
anticipating one,” Nadella wrote.Other tech companies have also been <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-san-francisco-marc-benioff-bbb2f3a09eafdfc7cda54a3b87e538ad">trimming jobs</a> amid concerns about an economic slowdown.Amazon
 and business software maker Salesforce earlier this month announced 
major job cuts as they prune payrolls that rapidly expanded during the 
pandemic lockdown.Amazon said that it will be cutting about 
18,000 positions. It’s the largest set of layoffs in the Seattle 
company’s history, although just a fraction of its 1.5 million global 
workforce.Facebook parent Meta is laying off 11,000 people, about
 13% of its workforce. And Elon Musk, the new Twitter CEO, has slashed 
the company’s workforce.Nadella made no direct mention of the 
layoffs on Wednesday when he put in an appearance at the World Economic 
Forum’s annual meeting happening this week in Davos, Switzerland.When
 asked by the forum’s founder Klaus Schwab on what tech layoffs meant 
for the industry’s business model, Nadella said companies that boomed 
during the COVID-19 pandemic are now seeing “normalization” of that 
demand.“Quite frankly, we in the tech industry will also have to 
get efficient, right?” Nadella said. “It’s not about everyone else doing
 more with less. We will have to do more with less. So we will have to 
show our own productivity gains with our own sort of technology.”Microsoft
 didn't immediately respond to questions about where the layoffs and 
office closures would be concentrated. As of June, it had 122,000 
workers in the U.S. and 99,000 elsewhere.White, the Vanderbilt 
professor, said all industries are looking to cut costs ahead of a 
possible recession but tech companies could be particularly sensitive to
 the rapid rise in interest rates, a tool that has been used 
aggressively in recent months by the Federal Reserve in its fight 
against inflation.“This hits tech companies a little harder than 
it does industrials or consumer staples because a huge portion of 
Microsoft’s value is on projects with cash flows that won’t pay off for 
several years," he said.Among the projects that have been 
attracting attention recently is Microsoft’s investment in its San 
Francisco startup partner OpenAI, maker of the writing tool ChatGPT and 
other AI systems that can generate readable text, images and computer 
code.Microsoft, which owns the Xbox game business, also faces 
regulatory uncertainty in the U.S. and Europe delaying its planned $68.7
 billion takeover of video game company Activision Blizzard, which had 
about 9,800 employees as of a year ago.

Job cuts in tech sector spread, Microsoft lays off 10,000

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/18/kansas-law-enforcement-say-legislation-should-be-passed-on-fentanyl-mental-health-issues/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA
 — Kansas law enforcement officials have sounded the alarm about 
fentanyl and mental health crises across the state, saying fentanyl is 
now a greater threat than methamphetamines.

Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeffrey Easter said he is <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/03/kansas-inmates-wait-months-for-treatment-due-to-shortage-of-mental-health-hospital-beds/">still seeing a surplus of inmates suffering from mental illness,</a>
 waiting in jail for long periods of time in order to receive treatment.
 During a House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee meeting 
Tuesday, he urged lawmakers to find solutions.

Community hospitals and jails in 
western Kansas have had to pick up the slack, housing mentally unstable 
patients without state reimbursement because of shortages of mental 
health care workers and beds for patients.

Cases of people deemed a danger to 
themselves or others are reviewed by the district attorney’s office, and
 are held at the county jail until a hospital bed is ready.

Easter said he was having problems 
with a huge backlog of competency evaluations and a long waiting list 
for people at the jail waiting for mental health treatment. Easter said 
the issue was an impediment to law enforcement and personnel 
recruitment. Sedgwick County Jail is currently operating with a 
121-person worker shortage.

He mentioned one jail inmate with 
mental health issues who is paralyzed from the waist down and has a 
history of self-harm. The inmate has been sent to the hospital more than
 15 times for self-inflicted wounds.

After going to a district attorney 
about the situation, a judge ordered Larned State Hospital to evaluate 
him. After two weeks, he was sent back to the jail. The inmate needs his
 legs amputated, but is opposed to the procedure.

“We are left with the decision: Do we let this person rot in jail? Because basically he’s rotting,” Easter said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674054297159.png" alt="Bel Aire Police Department Chief Darrell Atteberry says during a committee hearing Tuesday that repeat juvenile offenders should be assessed more carefully. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Bel Aire Police Department Chief Darrell Atteberry says during a committee hearing Tuesday that repeat juvenile offenders should be assessed more carefully. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/18/kansas-law-enforcement-say-legislation-should-be-passed-on-fentanyl-mental-health-issues/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA
 — Kansas law enforcement officials have sounded the alarm about 
fentanyl and mental health crises across the state, saying fentanyl is 
now a greater threat than methamphetamines.Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeffrey Easter said he is <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/03/kansas-inmates-wait-months-for-treatment-due-to-shortage-of-mental-health-hospital-beds/">still seeing a surplus of inmates suffering from mental illness,</a>
 waiting in jail for long periods of time in order to receive treatment.
 During a House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee meeting 
Tuesday, he urged lawmakers to find solutions.Community hospitals and jails in 
western Kansas have had to pick up the slack, housing mentally unstable 
patients without state reimbursement because of shortages of mental 
health care workers and beds for patients.Cases of people deemed a danger to 
themselves or others are reviewed by the district attorney’s office, and
 are held at the county jail until a hospital bed is ready.Easter said he was having problems 
with a huge backlog of competency evaluations and a long waiting list 
for people at the jail waiting for mental health treatment. Easter said 
the issue was an impediment to law enforcement and personnel 
recruitment. Sedgwick County Jail is currently operating with a 
121-person worker shortage.He mentioned one jail inmate with 
mental health issues who is paralyzed from the waist down and has a 
history of self-harm. The inmate has been sent to the hospital more than
 15 times for self-inflicted wounds.After going to a district attorney 
about the situation, a judge ordered Larned State Hospital to evaluate 
him. After two weeks, he was sent back to the jail. The inmate needs his
 legs amputated, but is opposed to the procedure.“We are left with the decision: Do we let this person rot in jail? Because basically he’s rotting,” Easter said.Easter also warned of a rise in 
fentanyl-related deaths, saying the state needed to do more education on
 the dangers of fentanyl.“We have found fentanyl in marijuana,
 we found fentanyl in cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, all of those 
other drugs, we’re finding fentanyl in. It’s being laced in everything,”
 Easter said.During the meeting, Bel Aire Police 
Chief Darrell Atteberry said more needed to be done about repeat 
juvenile offenders. He said he has seen more crimes being committed by 
younger people.“Where it used to be 18-year-olds 
committing a lot of crimes, now we’ve got 14- and 15-year-olds 
committing the same crimes that those older kids were committing 
before,” Atteberry said.Atteberry said a more thorough public
 safety risk assessment should be done on repeat offenders to keep them 
and others their age safe.“We would like that assessment to be 
strengthened so that we can maybe keep those juveniles in custody or out
 of the environment where they were led to do those criminal acts in the
 first place,” Atteberry said.