SEDGWICK COUNTY —Six dogs died in a fire on Friday night in rural Sedgwick County.

The fire occurred in a barn on Oxford Road, according to Mulvane Fire&nbsp; and Rescue. One person received minor burns.  Derby Fire and Rescue and SU Fire 9 also assisted.

Officials did not released cause of the fire or additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673723503155.png" alt="Photo courtesy Mulvane Fire and Rescue" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Mulvane Fire and Rescue</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Six dogs died in a fire on Friday night in rural Sedgwick County.The fire occurred in a barn on Oxford Road, according to Mulvane Fire&nbsp; and Rescue. One person received minor burns. Derby Fire and Rescue and SU Fire 9 also assisted.Officials did not released cause of the fire or additional details.

Six dogs dead in Kansas barn fire

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for President Joe Biden found more classified documents at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, than previously known, the White House acknowledged Saturday.

White House lawyer Richard Sauber said in a statement that a total of six pages of classified documents were found during a search of Biden’s private library. The White House had said previously that only a single page was found there.

The latest disclosure is in addition to the discovery of documents found in December in Biden’s garage and in November at his former offices at the Penn Biden Center in Washington, from his time as vice president. The apparent mishandling of classified documents and official records from the Obama administration are under investigation by a former U.S. attorney, Robert Hur, who was appointed as a special counsel on Thursday by Attorney General Merrick Garland.

Sauber said in a statement Saturday that Biden’s personal lawyers, who did not have security clearances, stopped their search after finding the first page on Wednesday evening. Sauber found the remaining material Thursday, as he was facilitating their retrieval by the Department of Justice.

“While I was transferring it to the DOJ officials who accompanied me, five additional pages with classification markings were discovered among the material with it, for a total of six pages,” Sauber said. “The DOJ officials with me immediately took possession of them.”

Sauber has previously said that the White House was “confident that a thorough review will show that these documents were inadvertently misplaced, and the president and his lawyers acted promptly upon discovery of this mistake.”

He reiterated Saturday that the White House would cooperate with Hur’s investigation.

The Justice Department historically imposes a high legal bar before bringing criminal charges in cases involving the mishandling of classified information, with a requirement that someone intended to break the law as opposed to being merely careless or negligent in doing so. The primary statute governing the illegal removal and retention of classified documents makes it a crime to “knowingly” remove classified documents and store them in an unauthorized way.

The circumstances involving Biden, at least as so far known, differ from a separate investigation into the mishandling of classified documents at former President Donald Trump’s private club and residence in Florida.

In Trump’s case, special counsel Jack Smith is investigating whether anyone sought to obstruct their investigation into the retention of classified records at the Palm Beach estate. Justice Department officials have said Trump’s representatives failed to fully comply with a subpoena that sought the return of classified records, prompting agents to return to the home with a search warrant so they could collect additional materials.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673546739694.png" alt="Biden backing his Corvette into the garage next to stacks of boxes where classified documents were found-image from a 2020 Biden for President campaign ad " />
 <figcaption>Biden backing his Corvette into the garage next to stacks of boxes where classified documents were found-image from a 2020 Biden for President campaign ad </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for President Joe Biden found more classified documents at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, than previously known, the White House acknowledged Saturday.White House lawyer Richard Sauber said in a statement that a total of six pages of classified documents were found during a search of Biden’s private library. The White House had said previously that only a single page was found there.The latest disclosure is in addition to the discovery of documents found in December in Biden’s garage and in November at his former offices at the Penn Biden Center in Washington, from his time as vice president. The apparent mishandling of classified documents and official records from the Obama administration are under investigation by a former U.S. attorney, Robert Hur, who was appointed as a special counsel on Thursday by Attorney General Merrick Garland.Sauber said in a statement Saturday that Biden’s personal lawyers, who did not have security clearances, stopped their search after finding the first page on Wednesday evening. Sauber found the remaining material Thursday, as he was facilitating their retrieval by the Department of Justice.“While I was transferring it to the DOJ officials who accompanied me, five additional pages with classification markings were discovered among the material with it, for a total of six pages,” Sauber said. “The DOJ officials with me immediately took possession of them.”Sauber has previously said that the White House was “confident that a thorough review will show that these documents were inadvertently misplaced, and the president and his lawyers acted promptly upon discovery of this mistake.”He reiterated Saturday that the White House would cooperate with Hur’s investigation.The Justice Department historically imposes a high legal bar before bringing criminal charges in cases involving the mishandling of classified information, with a requirement that someone intended to break the law as opposed to being merely careless or negligent in doing so. The primary statute governing the illegal removal and retention of classified documents makes it a crime to “knowingly” remove classified documents and store them in an unauthorized way.The circumstances involving Biden, at least as so far known, differ from a separate investigation into the mishandling of classified documents at former President Donald Trump’s private club and residence in Florida.In Trump’s case, special counsel Jack Smith is investigating whether anyone sought to obstruct their investigation into the retention of classified records at the Palm Beach estate. Justice Department officials have said Trump’s representatives failed to fully comply with a subpoena that sought the return of classified records, prompting agents to return to the home with a search warrant so they could collect additional materials.

White House: More classified docs found at Biden’s home

Over three years after his murder, the family of Ernie Ortiz and the Garden City/Finney County Crime Stoppers have increased the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect(s) in this case, bringing the total amount of the reward to $21,500.

In September 2019, Ortiz was found shot outside of his family restaurant and later died at the hospital. It is believed Ortiz was shot during a robbery after he closed the business for the night.

The Garden City Police Department is requesting assistance from the community. If you witnessed this incident, or have information related to this incident, please call the Garden City Police Department at (620) 276-1300. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at (620) 275-7807, or text your tip to Garden City PD, text GCTIP and your tip to Tip411 (847411).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673628423977.png" alt="Ernie Ortiz-photo Garden City Police" />
 <figcaption>Ernie Ortiz-photo Garden City Police</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTYOver three years after his murder, the family of Ernie Ortiz and the Garden City/Finney County Crime Stoppers have increased the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect(s) in this case, bringing the total amount of the reward to $21,500.In September 2019, Ortiz was found shot outside of his family restaurant and later died at the hospital. It is believed Ortiz was shot during a robbery after he closed the business for the night.The Garden City Police Department is requesting assistance from the community. If you witnessed this incident, or have information related to this incident, please call the Garden City Police Department at (620) 276-1300. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at (620) 275-7807, or text your tip to Garden City PD, text GCTIP and your tip to Tip411 (847411).

Reward increased in unsolved SW Kansas murder 

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/12/gov-laura-kelly-announces-plan-to-fully-fund-kansas-special-education-for-the-first-time-in-years/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — After years of school districts shouldering the burden for 
special education costs, the governor announced&nbsp;a five-year plan to 
fully fund special education across the state.

Adam Proffitt, Gov. Laura Kelly’s budget director, explained the <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/12/kellys-budget-spikes-food-sales-tax-expands-medicaid-and-offers-5-raise-to-workers/">particulars of her plans for fiscal year</a> 2024 during a Thursday meeting.

Under the plan, $72.4 million will be
 added every year for the next five years to special education funding, 
with the goal of meeting funding requirements by financial year 2028. 
Kansas law requires the state to provide 92% of the extra costs of 
special education, but the Legislature hasn’t met the requirement since 
2011.&nbsp;

The current level of funding sits 
around 71% statewide, according to the Kansas Association of School 
Boards, and districts have had to divert funds from general education 
programs to pay for special education costs.&nbsp;

Advocates have been pushing for the extra funding for years, holding a <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/11/kansas-school-leaders-urge-lawmakers-to-fully-fund-special-education-services/">November news conference</a> urging the Legislature to fund more services.&nbsp;

Proffitt said one benefit of the five-year plan was that it would allow the state to use federal money.

“It also allows us time to work with the federal government to try to
 increase their share of special education costs,” Proffitt said during 
the meeting.

Leah Fliter, KASB assistant executive director of advocacy, said the organization is&nbsp;glad Kelly addressed the funding issue.&nbsp;

“We’re very pleased with that 
proposal,” Fliter said. “Some people would love to have all of it right 
now, because the need is so great, but there’s a recognition that 
phasing it in over five years is easier on the state and probably more 
palatable to the state legislature.”&nbsp;

Some lawmakers expressed reservations about the plan, including 
Republican Rep. Kristey Williams of Augusta and Sen. Renee Erickson, 
R-Wichita, both of whom questioned Proffitt on potentially unequal 
funding costs in school districts and other sources of special education
 funding.

Erickson said she wanted Kansas 
students to have access to all&nbsp; the resources they needed, but felt more
 research needed to be done on the issue.&nbsp;

“I’m just trying to make sure we are 
maximizing the dollars, not just putting more money into a system that 
maybe doesn’t have some guidelines that we can really understand how 
this is being used, and are we meeting the 92% or not,” Erickson said in
 an interview after the meeting.&nbsp;

K-12 education makes up about $6.4 
billion of the state’s roughly $22 billion budget. Top GOP lawmakers 
have expressed reluctance to fund public education in the past, saying 
the federal government in particular should step up in terms of special 
education funding.&nbsp;

The budget plan also provides money for higher education institutions,
 investing almost $110 million for universities to provide more 
financial aid, lower student tuition, and fund medical tools with the 
goal of preventing fatal opioid overdoses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673623244745.png" alt="Special education funding advocate Leah Fliter said she was optimistic about the governor’s funding plan. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Special education funding advocate Leah Fliter said she was optimistic about the governor’s funding plan. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/12/gov-laura-kelly-announces-plan-to-fully-fund-kansas-special-education-for-the-first-time-in-years/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — After years of school districts shouldering the burden for 
special education costs, the governor announced&nbsp;a five-year plan to 
fully fund special education across the state.Adam Proffitt, Gov. Laura Kelly’s budget director, explained the <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/12/kellys-budget-spikes-food-sales-tax-expands-medicaid-and-offers-5-raise-to-workers/">particulars of her plans for fiscal year</a> 2024 during a Thursday meeting.Under the plan, $72.4 million will be
 added every year for the next five years to special education funding, 
with the goal of meeting funding requirements by financial year 2028. 
Kansas law requires the state to provide 92% of the extra costs of 
special education, but the Legislature hasn’t met the requirement since 
2011.&nbsp;The current level of funding sits 
around 71% statewide, according to the Kansas Association of School 
Boards, and districts have had to divert funds from general education 
programs to pay for special education costs.&nbsp;Advocates have been pushing for the extra funding for years, holding a <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/11/kansas-school-leaders-urge-lawmakers-to-fully-fund-special-education-services/">November news conference</a> urging the Legislature to fund more services.&nbsp;Proffitt said one benefit of the five-year plan was that it would allow the state to use federal money.“It also allows us time to work with the federal government to try to
 increase their share of special education costs,” Proffitt said during 
the meeting.Leah Fliter, KASB assistant executive director of advocacy, said the organization is&nbsp;glad Kelly addressed the funding issue.&nbsp;“We’re very pleased with that 
proposal,” Fliter said. “Some people would love to have all of it right 
now, because the need is so great, but there’s a recognition that 
phasing it in over five years is easier on the state and probably more 
palatable to the state legislature.”&nbsp;Some lawmakers expressed reservations about the plan, including 
Republican Rep. Kristey Williams of Augusta and Sen. Renee Erickson, 
R-Wichita, both of whom questioned Proffitt on potentially unequal 
funding costs in school districts and other sources of special education
 funding.Erickson said she wanted Kansas 
students to have access to all&nbsp; the resources they needed, but felt more
 research needed to be done on the issue.&nbsp;“I’m just trying to make sure we are 
maximizing the dollars, not just putting more money into a system that 
maybe doesn’t have some guidelines that we can really understand how 
this is being used, and are we meeting the 92% or not,” Erickson said in
 an interview after the meeting.&nbsp;K-12 education makes up about $6.4 
billion of the state’s roughly $22 billion budget. Top GOP lawmakers 
have expressed reluctance to fund public education in the past, saying 
the federal government in particular should step up in terms of special 
education funding.&nbsp;The budget plan also provides money for higher education institutions,
 investing almost $110 million for universities to provide more 
financial aid, lower student tuition, and fund medical tools with the 
goal of preventing fatal opioid overdoses.

Governor's plan would fully fund Kan. special-ed for first time in years

WASHINGTON —Weeks after announcing that the U.S. would send a Patriot air defense battery and associated munitions to Ukraine, a Pentagon official confirmed Ukrainian soldiers will come to the U.S. to train on the Patriot system so they'll be ready to use it when it's delivered, according to a media release from the Department of Defense.

"Training for Ukrainian forces on the Patriot air defense system will begin as soon as next week at Fort Sill, Oklahoma," Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said. "The training will prepare approximately 90 to 100 Ukrainian soldiers to operate, maintain and sustain the defensive system over a training course expected to last several months."&nbsp;

In the past few months, the Russians have increased their aerial bombardment of Ukraine, Ryder said, and the Patriot will help the Ukrainians stand up to that assault.&nbsp;

"The Patriot will contribute to the air defense capabilities that Ukraine already has," he said. "It's something that will enable them to take down ... ballistic missiles, adversary aircraft; [it's] really up to them on how they employ it. But this is part of a broader effort by the United States and the international community to provide Ukraine with the air defense capabilities that it needs to defend its population and its armed forces."&nbsp;

Fort Sill is home to the schoolhouse where the Army trains its soldiers and service members from allied and partner nations on using the Patriot system. Now, Ukrainian soldiers will train there, as well.

Ryder said training for those Ukrainian soldiers will include classroom work, hands-on training with the Patriot systems, as well as a simulation lab. It will also focus on what the Ukrainians will need once they are back home.&nbsp;

"The training will be tailored to provide relevant tactics, techniques and procedures based on the battlefield conditions in Ukraine to enable them to employ that to maximum effect once they are back in Ukraine," Ryder said.&nbsp;

Since Russia's invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the United States has provided Ukraine with more than $24.2 billion in security assistance. That assistance has included ammunition, vehicles, aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, radar systems, small arms, artillery, air defense systems, anti-aircraft and anti-armor systems.&nbsp;

Next week, Ryder said, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Mark A. Milley will travel to Germany to host another meeting of the Ukraine contact group of international defense chiefs. Ryder said the group has helped identify, synchronize and ensure delivery of the capabilities the Ukrainians have needed to defend against Russian aggression.

"The secretary looks forward to meeting with defense leaders from the approximately 50 nations [comprising] this important group dedicated to Ukraine self-defense," he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673396256887.png" alt="Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder speaks during a press conference at the Pentagon, Jan. 10, 2023. photo courtesy Dept. of Defense" />
 <figcaption>Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder speaks during a press conference at the Pentagon, Jan. 10, 2023. photo courtesy Dept. of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —Weeks after announcing that the U.S. would send a Patriot air defense battery and associated munitions to Ukraine, a Pentagon official confirmed Ukrainian soldiers will come to the U.S. to train on the Patriot system so they'll be ready to use it when it's delivered, according to a media release from the Department of Defense."Training for Ukrainian forces on the Patriot air defense system will begin as soon as next week at Fort Sill, Oklahoma," Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said. "The training will prepare approximately 90 to 100 Ukrainian soldiers to operate, maintain and sustain the defensive system over a training course expected to last several months."&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673396092973.png" alt="A Patriot launcher is staged at Fort Sill, Okla., Oct. 25, 2019. Last month, the U.S. committed to sending a Patriot air defense battery and associated munitions to Ukraine. Ukrainian soldiers will train to use the system at Fort Sill Photo courtesy U.S. Defense Department" />
 <figcaption>A Patriot launcher is staged at Fort Sill, Okla., Oct. 25, 2019. Last month, the U.S. committed to sending a Patriot air defense battery and associated munitions to Ukraine. Ukrainian soldiers will train to use the system at Fort Sill Photo courtesy U.S. Defense Department</figcaption>
 </figure>In the past few months, the Russians have increased their aerial bombardment of Ukraine, Ryder said, and the Patriot will help the Ukrainians stand up to that assault.&nbsp;"The Patriot will contribute to the air defense capabilities that Ukraine already has," he said. "It's something that will enable them to take down ... ballistic missiles, adversary aircraft; [it's] really up to them on how they employ it. But this is part of a broader effort by the United States and the international community to provide Ukraine with the air defense capabilities that it needs to defend its population and its armed forces."&nbsp;Fort Sill is home to the schoolhouse where the Army trains its soldiers and service members from allied and partner nations on using the Patriot system. Now, Ukrainian soldiers will train there, as well.Ryder said training for those Ukrainian soldiers will include classroom work, hands-on training with the Patriot systems, as well as a simulation lab. It will also focus on what the Ukrainians will need once they are back home.&nbsp;"The training will be tailored to provide relevant tactics, techniques and procedures based on the battlefield conditions in Ukraine to enable them to employ that to maximum effect once they are back in Ukraine," Ryder said.&nbsp;Since Russia's invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the United States has provided Ukraine with more than $24.2 billion in security assistance. That assistance has included ammunition, vehicles, aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, radar systems, small arms, artillery, air defense systems, anti-aircraft and anti-armor systems.&nbsp;Next week, Ryder said, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Mark A. Milley will travel to Germany to host another meeting of the Ukraine contact group of international defense chiefs. Ryder said the group has helped identify, synchronize and ensure delivery of the capabilities the Ukrainians have needed to defend against Russian aggression."The secretary looks forward to meeting with defense leaders from the approximately 50 nations [comprising] this important group dedicated to Ukraine self-defense," he said.

US will begin training Ukrainian soldiers in Oklahoma next week 

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Maine scored its first Mega Millions jackpot — and someone beat the ill fortune of Friday the 13th — when a ticket purchased in the state matched the winning numbers for the lottery's estimated $1.35 billion grand prize.

The lucky combination of numbers drawn late Friday night were: 30, 43, 45, 46, 61 and gold Mega Ball 14.

The winner, whose name is not yet known, overcame steep odds of 1 in 302.6 million, which led to three months of drawings without a claim on the jackpot.

“Congratulations to the Maine State Lottery, which has just won its first-ever Mega Millions jackpot," Pat McDonald, Ohio lottery director and lead director of the Mega Millions Consortium, said in a statement early Saturday.

The jackpot was the second largest in Mega Millions history and the fourth time the game has had a billion-dollar win. The largest Mega Millions jackpot in October 2018 was $1.53 billion claimed by a single ticket holder in South Carolina.

Friday’s prosperous drawing also marked the seventh time there was a grand prize winner on Friday the 13th, a date superstitiously considered unlucky.

To claim the full $1.35 billion, the winner would need to take the money in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99?utm_source=Connatix&amp;utm_medium=HomePage">an annuity</a>&nbsp;with annual payments over 29 years. Most jackpot recipients prefer the reduced but quicker cash option, which for Friday night’s drawing was an estimated $724.6 million.

The next grand prize drawing on Tuesday will drop to an estimated $20 million and a cash option of $10.7 million.

Until Friday night, there had been 25 straight drawings without a jackpot winner.

There were more than 7 million winning tickets across nine prize tiers Friday. Beyond Maine's jackpot, 14 tickets matched five white balls to claim the second-tier prize of $1 million. Four were sold in New York, two in California and one each in Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas, Mega Millions said.

Mega Millions is played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Maine scored its first Mega Millions jackpot — and someone beat the ill fortune of Friday the 13th — when a ticket purchased in the state matched the winning numbers for the lottery's estimated $1.35 billion grand prize.The lucky combination of numbers drawn late Friday night were: 30, 43, 45, 46, 61 and gold Mega Ball 14.The winner, whose name is not yet known, overcame steep odds of 1 in 302.6 million, which led to three months of drawings without a claim on the jackpot.“Congratulations to the Maine State Lottery, which has just won its first-ever Mega Millions jackpot," Pat McDonald, Ohio lottery director and lead director of the Mega Millions Consortium, said in a statement early Saturday.The jackpot was the second largest in Mega Millions history and the fourth time the game has had a billion-dollar win. The largest Mega Millions jackpot in October 2018 was $1.53 billion claimed by a single ticket holder in South Carolina.Friday’s prosperous drawing also marked the seventh time there was a grand prize winner on Friday the 13th, a date superstitiously considered unlucky.To claim the full $1.35 billion, the winner would need to take the money in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99?utm_source=Connatix&amp;utm_medium=HomePage">an annuity</a>&nbsp;with annual payments over 29 years. Most jackpot recipients prefer the reduced but quicker cash option, which for Friday night’s drawing was an estimated $724.6 million.The next grand prize drawing on Tuesday will drop to an estimated $20 million and a cash option of $10.7 million.Until Friday night, there had been 25 straight drawings without a jackpot winner.There were more than 7 million winning tickets across nine prize tiers Friday. Beyond Maine's jackpot, 14 tickets matched five white balls to claim the second-tier prize of $1 million. Four were sold in New York, two in California and one each in Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas, Mega Millions said.Mega Millions is played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Winner: Mega Millions $1.35B grand prize ticket sold Friday the 13th

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a sexual assault in the victim's residence in Grandview on Monday afternoon, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Deonte' T. Watson, 31, faces charges of Rape or Attempted Rape 1st Degree and Sodomy or Attempted Sodomy 1st Degree.

According to court records, the victim was in a Grandview residence on Monday afternoon when Watson sexually assaulted the victim. The victim and Watson had known each other for years and he was at that residence to pick up some equipment that the victim had borrowed from him. 

Watson told the victim he had been planning the assault for months. A surveillance video showed the defendant leaving the area of the residence just before police were dispatched on a reported rape.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673522913915.png" alt="Watson-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Watson-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a sexual assault in the victim's residence in Grandview on Monday afternoon, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Deonte' T. Watson, 31, faces charges of Rape or Attempted Rape 1st Degree and Sodomy or Attempted Sodomy 1st Degree.According to court records, the victim was in a Grandview residence on Monday afternoon when Watson sexually assaulted the victim. The victim and Watson had known each other for years and he was at that residence to pick up some equipment that the victim had borrowed from him. Watson told the victim he had been planning the assault for months. A surveillance video showed the defendant leaving the area of the residence just before police were dispatched on a reported rape.

Court docs: KC man told victim he planned rape for months

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Two people have now been arrested in connection with the disappearance of Athena Brownfield, a 4-year-old Oklahoma girl whose 5-year-old sister was discovered wandering alone outside by a postal worker, state investigators said Friday.

Arizona authorities arrested 36-year-old Ivon Adams on Thursday, and he is being held in the Maricopa County jail in Phoenix pending extradition to Oklahoma, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said in a news release.

Authorities earlier arrested Alysia Adams, 31, on two counts of child neglect, the bureau&nbsp;<a href="https://nixle.us/E7FY5">said in a statement late Thursday</a>. Alysia Adams remained jailed in Oklahoma's Caddo County on Friday.

The bureau released no further details about the arrests or what the suspects' relationship is. It was not known if either Adams had an attorney to comment on their behalf.

A bureau spokesperson did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Friday.

The arrests are related to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-city-1b331093878a39b70fccfdc6ba2e47dc">the search for Athena</a>, who was reported missing Tuesday in Cyril, about 70 miles&nbsp; southwest of Oklahoma City, the bureau said.

The postal carrier found Athena’s sister wandering alone outside Adams' home Monday afternoon and alerted Cyril police. Authorities then determined that Athena was missing.

The girls had been in the care of Adams and her husband, and Athena's sister was taken into protective custody, the bureau said Wednesday.

Authorities said they believe Athena was wearing a hoodie with a butterfly design when she disappeared.

The bureau said it was working with other law enforcement agencies and volunteers in the search, which included a helicopter, boats, all-terrain vehicles, a specially trained ground team, and a review of surveillance video from around Cyril.

The city of Cyril has also suspended trash service as investigators search for clues.

The bureau said agents were following up on tips coming from Oklahoma and other states.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673617381405.png" alt="Adams-photo Caddo&nbsp; County, Oklahoma" />
 <figcaption>Adams-photo Caddo&nbsp; County, Oklahoma</figcaption>
 </figure>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Two people have now been arrested in connection with the disappearance of Athena Brownfield, a 4-year-old Oklahoma girl whose 5-year-old sister was discovered wandering alone outside by a postal worker, state investigators said Friday.Arizona authorities arrested 36-year-old Ivon Adams on Thursday, and he is being held in the Maricopa County jail in Phoenix pending extradition to Oklahoma, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said in a news release.Authorities earlier arrested Alysia Adams, 31, on two counts of child neglect, the bureau&nbsp;<a href="https://nixle.us/E7FY5">said in a statement late Thursday</a>. Alysia Adams remained jailed in Oklahoma's Caddo County on Friday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673636085787.png" alt="Adams photo Maricopa County" />
 <figcaption>Adams photo Maricopa County</figcaption>
 </figure>The bureau released no further details about the arrests or what the suspects' relationship is. It was not known if either Adams had an attorney to comment on their behalf.A bureau spokesperson did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Friday.The arrests are related to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-city-1b331093878a39b70fccfdc6ba2e47dc">the search for Athena</a>, who was reported missing Tuesday in Cyril, about 70 miles&nbsp; southwest of Oklahoma City, the bureau said.The postal carrier found Athena’s sister wandering alone outside Adams' home Monday afternoon and alerted Cyril police. Authorities then determined that Athena was missing.The girls had been in the care of Adams and her husband, and Athena's sister was taken into protective custody, the bureau said Wednesday.Authorities said they believe Athena was wearing a hoodie with a butterfly design when she disappeared.The bureau said it was working with other law enforcement agencies and volunteers in the search, which included a helicopter, boats, all-terrain vehicles, a specially trained ground team, and a review of surveillance video from around Cyril.The city of Cyril has also suspended trash service as investigators search for clues.The bureau said agents were following up on tips coming from Oklahoma and other states.

2nd arrest in case of missing 4-year-old; search continues

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a couple after an accidental shooting in their home.

Just after 11:30a.m. Thursday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a shooting in the 1200 block of North Lorraine in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

 While Officers were en route to the scene, on suspect identified as 25-year-old Marlon Jones fled on foot to a residence in the 3000 block of East 11th Street. As Officers arrived, they saw Jones walking back from the area of that residence.

Officers then located 22-year-old Kianna Nweji inside her residence on North Lorraine with a gunshot wound to her foot. EMS transported her&nbsp; to a local hospital for treatment.

The investigation revealed that Nweji and Jones were both lying in bed when their 2-year-old child found a gun and accidentally shot Nweji. Jones took the gun to the 11th Street address where an acquaintance of his lives, according to Ditch. Investigators located the gun and found an AR-15 that belonged to nobody in the residence and the individuals in the house did not know how it got there.

Police arrested Nweji and Jones on requested charges of Aggravated Endangering of a child.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673627717579.png" alt="Jones-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Jones-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a couple after an accidental shooting in their home.Just after 11:30a.m. Thursday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a shooting in the 1200 block of North Lorraine in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch. While Officers were en route to the scene, on suspect identified as 25-year-old Marlon Jones fled on foot to a residence in the 3000 block of East 11th Street. As Officers arrived, they saw Jones walking back from the area of that residence.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673627653047.png" alt="Nweji photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Nweji photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers then located 22-year-old Kianna Nweji inside her residence on North Lorraine with a gunshot wound to her foot. EMS transported her&nbsp; to a local hospital for treatment.The investigation revealed that Nweji and Jones were both lying in bed when their 2-year-old child found a gun and accidentally shot Nweji. Jones took the gun to the 11th Street address where an acquaintance of his lives, according to Ditch. Investigators located the gun and found an AR-15 that belonged to nobody in the residence and the individuals in the house did not know how it got there.Police arrested Nweji and Jones on requested charges of Aggravated Endangering of a child.

Police: 2-year-old shot mother in the foot at Kansas home

JEWELL COUNTY —A fifth-grade student died in an accident just after 7:30a.m. Friday in Jewell County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 USD 107-Rock Hills Chevy Suburban driven by&nbsp;Audra Wilburn, 43, Portsmouth, Virginia, was northbound on 250th Road eight and one half miles north of the city of Randall

The SUV entered the east ditch, traveled through the ditch, reentered the roadway and overturned.&nbsp; The SUV came to rest on its top in the west ditch.&nbsp;The fifth grader died. EMS transported Wilburn to the hospital in Mankato for treatment of minor injuries. Four other children in the SUV were not injured.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a USD 107-Rock Hills SUV with a driver and 5-students were involved in a rollover crash on Randall Road a mile south of U.S. 36 near Mankato.

The fifth grader died. The KHP reported there were no other injuries.

The KHP Critical Highway Accident Response Team (CHART) responded to assist in diagramming the scene.&nbsp; Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

JEWELL COUNTY —A fifth-grade student died in an accident just after 7:30a.m. Friday in Jewell County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 USD 107-Rock Hills Chevy Suburban driven by&nbsp;Audra Wilburn, 43, Portsmouth, Virginia, was northbound on 250th Road eight and one half miles north of the city of RandallThe SUV entered the east ditch, traveled through the ditch, reentered the roadway and overturned.&nbsp; The SUV came to rest on its top in the west ditch.&nbsp;The fifth grader died. EMS transported Wilburn to the hospital in Mankato for treatment of minor injuries. Four other children in the SUV were not injured.---------JEWELL COUNTY —A fifth-grade student died in an accident just after 7:30a.m. Friday in Jewell County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a USD 107-Rock Hills SUV with a driver and 5-students were involved in a rollover crash on Randall Road a mile south of U.S. 36 near Mankato.The fifth grader died. The KHP reported there were no other injuries.The KHP Critical Highway Accident Response Team (CHART) responded to assist in diagramming the scene.&nbsp; Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

UPDATE KHP: 5th grade student dies after SUV rollover crash

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature are headed toward big fights over spending on special education programs, pay raises for government workers and how much the cash-flush state should sock away for worse economic times.

Kelly released budget proposals Thursday that include depositing $500 million into the state's rainy day fund, giving state workers a 5% pay increase across the board and phasing in a 61% increase in spending on programs in K-12 public schools for children with special needs.

Top Republican lawmakers want Kansas to set aside at least $1 billion of its current surplus as a hedge against future budget shortfalls. The GOP chairs of the House and Senate budget committees had strong misgivings Thursday about giving an across-the-board pay raise to state workers, and the chair of a House committee on education spending questioned whether the extra money for special education is necessary.

The governor's budget director, Adam Proffitt, told the House and Senate budget committees that Kelly is “looking across the horizon” to ensure that both tax cuts and government programs can be sustained into the future. Kansas endured persistent budget shortfalls during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e4f794cd96cb488cb04ab1cd48b1458d">a 2012-2017 Republican experiment</a>&nbsp;in slashing income taxes.

“We’re building a better Kansas for working families and retirees -- all while maintaining a balanced budget," Kelly said in a statement.

Kelly, who won a second term in November, already was headed toward a clash with Republican legislators over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-kansas-us-republican-party-05b571d0069ae9adc73f0a9a57e2d57e">how best to cut taxes</a>. The state is projecting $3.2 billion in surplus cash in its treasury at the end of June 2024 and nearly $1 billion more already in the rainy day fund. The Legislature is set to remain in session until early May.

Kelly's biggest tax proposal is eliminating the state's 4% sales tax on groceries, while GOP leaders want to create a “flat” income tax, rather than having multiple tax brackets for filers.

Putting a larger amount of the current projected surplus into the rainy day fund for future use limits lawmakers’ options for tax cuts or new spending.

Kelly proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://budget.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/FY2024_GBR-Vol1-01.12.2023.pdf">a $24.1 billion spending blueprint</a>&nbsp;for state government for the 2024 budget year, which begins July 1. That's $1.2 billion, or 5.3%, more than the current&nbsp;<a href="https://budget.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/FY-2023_Comparison_Report-07.14.2022.pdf">$22.9 billion budget approved by lawmakers last year.</a>

Proffitt expressed confidence that the state's revenue projections will hold up through June 2024.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/december-2022-inflation-report-72bb938a443ab0500bd72d23f62214ad">Inflation has eased</a>&nbsp;over the past six months from decades-high levels, but the head of the Legislature's research staff, J.G. Scott, told the budget committees Thursday that eventually, it and the U.S. Federal Reserve's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-jerome-powell-government-and-politics-875599570f2b3bfc132963010a404f09">increases in interest rates</a>&nbsp;to contain it will cause “a lot of cooling in the economy.”

“We keep hearing the word ‘uncertainty,’” said Democratic state Sen. Jeff Pittman, of Leavenworth.

Proffitt argued that setting aside another $500 million — to build the rainy day fund up to a total of $1.5 billion — would be enough to cover even the worst year's decline in revenues.

But several Republicans said they want the state to have $2 billion on hand, enough to plug $1 billion a year into the budget for two years. Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, told reporters this week that he wants Kansas ready for economic problems as bad as or worse than those of the Great Recession of 2007-08.

“I don’t want us to take that hit like we did last time,” Masterson said.

Kelly's proposed pay increases for government workers would help short-staffed agencies recruit and retain employees, Proffitt said. But Republicans said they want to concentrate first on boosting the pay of workers whose salaries are at least 5% below those of people holding similar jobs with private companies.

Meanwhile, educators are focusing on boosting spending on special education programs after years of increases in the state's general aid to local school districts. Kansas law sets a target of having the state cover 92% of the additional costs tied to special education, but the current spending of $546 million covers only 76%.

With special education costs typically rising each year, Kelly's plan would boost the state's spending by $336 million over five years, bringing it to $882 million for the 2028 budget year.

But state Rep. Kristey Williams, an Augusta Republican who chairs the House's committee on K-12 spending, has repeatedly questioned how the state calculates excess special education costs and the dollars available to cover them.

And she said Thursday, “Money's not always the answer to every problem.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673627321881.png" alt="The governor's budget director, Adam Proffitt, told the House and Senate budget committees that Kelly is “looking across the horizon” to ensure that both tax cuts and government programs can be sustained into the future" />
 <figcaption>The governor's budget director, Adam Proffitt, told the House and Senate budget committees that Kelly is “looking across the horizon” to ensure that both tax cuts and government programs can be sustained into the future</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature are headed toward big fights over spending on special education programs, pay raises for government workers and how much the cash-flush state should sock away for worse economic times.Kelly released budget proposals Thursday that include depositing $500 million into the state's rainy day fund, giving state workers a 5% pay increase across the board and phasing in a 61% increase in spending on programs in K-12 public schools for children with special needs.Top Republican lawmakers want Kansas to set aside at least $1 billion of its current surplus as a hedge against future budget shortfalls. The GOP chairs of the House and Senate budget committees had strong misgivings Thursday about giving an across-the-board pay raise to state workers, and the chair of a House committee on education spending questioned whether the extra money for special education is necessary.The governor's budget director, Adam Proffitt, told the House and Senate budget committees that Kelly is “looking across the horizon” to ensure that both tax cuts and government programs can be sustained into the future. Kansas endured persistent budget shortfalls during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e4f794cd96cb488cb04ab1cd48b1458d">a 2012-2017 Republican experiment</a>&nbsp;in slashing income taxes.“We’re building a better Kansas for working families and retirees -- all while maintaining a balanced budget," Kelly said in a statement.Kelly, who won a second term in November, already was headed toward a clash with Republican legislators over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-kansas-us-republican-party-05b571d0069ae9adc73f0a9a57e2d57e">how best to cut taxes</a>. The state is projecting $3.2 billion in surplus cash in its treasury at the end of June 2024 and nearly $1 billion more already in the rainy day fund. The Legislature is set to remain in session until early May.Kelly's biggest tax proposal is eliminating the state's 4% sales tax on groceries, while GOP leaders want to create a “flat” income tax, rather than having multiple tax brackets for filers.Putting a larger amount of the current projected surplus into the rainy day fund for future use limits lawmakers’ options for tax cuts or new spending.Kelly proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://budget.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/FY2024_GBR-Vol1-01.12.2023.pdf">a $24.1 billion spending blueprint</a>&nbsp;for state government for the 2024 budget year, which begins July 1. That's $1.2 billion, or 5.3%, more than the current&nbsp;<a href="https://budget.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/FY-2023_Comparison_Report-07.14.2022.pdf">$22.9 billion budget approved by lawmakers last year.</a>Proffitt expressed confidence that the state's revenue projections will hold up through June 2024.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/december-2022-inflation-report-72bb938a443ab0500bd72d23f62214ad">Inflation has eased</a>&nbsp;over the past six months from decades-high levels, but the head of the Legislature's research staff, J.G. Scott, told the budget committees Thursday that eventually, it and the U.S. Federal Reserve's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-jerome-powell-government-and-politics-875599570f2b3bfc132963010a404f09">increases in interest rates</a>&nbsp;to contain it will cause “a lot of cooling in the economy.”“We keep hearing the word ‘uncertainty,’” said Democratic state Sen. Jeff Pittman, of Leavenworth.Proffitt argued that setting aside another $500 million — to build the rainy day fund up to a total of $1.5 billion — would be enough to cover even the worst year's decline in revenues.But several Republicans said they want the state to have $2 billion on hand, enough to plug $1 billion a year into the budget for two years. Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, told reporters this week that he wants Kansas ready for economic problems as bad as or worse than those of the Great Recession of 2007-08.“I don’t want us to take that hit like we did last time,” Masterson said.Kelly's proposed pay increases for government workers would help short-staffed agencies recruit and retain employees, Proffitt said. But Republicans said they want to concentrate first on boosting the pay of workers whose salaries are at least 5% below those of people holding similar jobs with private companies.Meanwhile, educators are focusing on boosting spending on special education programs after years of increases in the state's general aid to local school districts. Kansas law sets a target of having the state cover 92% of the additional costs tied to special education, but the current spending of $546 million covers only 76%.With special education costs typically rising each year, Kelly's plan would boost the state's spending by $336 million over five years, bringing it to $882 million for the 2028 budget year.But state Rep. Kristey Williams, an Augusta Republican who chairs the House's committee on K-12 spending, has repeatedly questioned how the state calculates excess special education costs and the dollars available to cover them.And she said Thursday, “Money's not always the answer to every problem.”

Fight over Kan. budget surplus: GOP leaders propose flat income tax

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a child and have made an arrest.

On January 4, investigators with the Topeka Police Department&nbsp;became aware of a child abuse case that involved a child who was being&nbsp; treated at a local hospital, according to Lt. Donna Eubanks. The 16-month-old boy died at the hospital on Sunday.

As a result of the investigation, on Thursday,&nbsp; police arrested 40-year-old Dustin J. Kelley, 40 of Topeka on requested charges of Murder in the 1st Degree, Abuse of a Child and Aggravated Endangering a Child.

The child and Kelley were known to one another, according to Eubanks.

Kelley has previous convictions for aggravated battery and burglary, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections. He had been discharged from the state department of corrections in October.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673572924426.png" alt="Kelley has previous convictions for aggravated battery and burglary, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Kelley has previous convictions for aggravated battery and burglary, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a child and have made an arrest.On January 4, investigators with the Topeka Police Department&nbsp;became aware of a child abuse case that involved a child who was being&nbsp; treated at a local hospital, according to Lt. Donna Eubanks. The 16-month-old boy died at the hospital on Sunday.As a result of the investigation, on Thursday,&nbsp; police arrested 40-year-old Dustin J. Kelley, 40 of Topeka on requested charges of Murder in the 1st Degree, Abuse of a Child and Aggravated Endangering a Child.The child and Kelley were known to one another, according to Eubanks.Kelley has previous convictions for aggravated battery and burglary, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections. He had been discharged from the state department of corrections in October.

Kansas man accused in abuse death of 16-month-old

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-13/the-keystone-operator-must-repay-some-not-all-of-the-tax-dollars-spent-on-its-kansas-oil-spill">Kansas News Service</a>

When the Keystone pipeline burst in rural Kansas last month, county workers rushed to build an emergency dam on Mill Creek.

Meanwhile, federal agencies dispatched pipeline and environmental experts to the scene.

And the state set about sampling water and searching for injured animals.

All
 of this costs taxpayers — from transporting and housing workers to 
cladding them in waders that require special disposal because the gear 
becomes permanently contaminated.

TC Energy, the Canadian company 
behind the spill, will have to repay some, but not all, of the public 
money spent on handling it.

This week, several government agencies expressed confidence that they will ultimately recover their expenses.

In the case of the federal and state governments, laws and binding orders apply.

Washington
 County emergency manager Randy Hubbard said that he isn’t aware of any 
laws that require TC Energy to reimburse a local government, but the 
company has vowed to do so.

“From day one TC Energy has been very 
adamant and forthcoming about offering to cover any County related 
expenses,” he said in an email, “including but not limited to labor, 
resources or materials.”

TC Energy reported an annual revenue of more than $13.3 billion and a net income of more than $2 billion in its most recent <a href="https://www.tcenergy.com/siteassets/pdfs/investors/reports-and-filings/annual-and-quarterly-reports/2021/tc-2021-annual-report.pdf" target="_blank">yearly report</a>.

The
 Keystone is the company’s biggest pipeline system for oil and carries 
crude from Canada to refineries in the Midwest and the Gulf Coast. The 
system has <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/13/keystone-pipeline-has-history-of-spills-warnings-and-fines-kansas-spill-is-largest-yet/" target="_blank">spilled numerous times</a>, but the rupture in Kansas that released an estimated 588,000 gallons of tar sands crude oil was the biggest spill to date.

A wide array of government agencies responds to inland oil spills.

At least two Kansas agencies say they can get TC Energy to reimburse for their efforts responding to the spill.

<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch65/065_001_0071v.html" target="_blank">By state law</a>,
 TC Energy must repay the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. 
If the company fails to pay, the same law instructs the attorney general
 to sue.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks said it, too,
 will recuperate its costs. The agency is tracking staff time, mileage 
and equipment.

The federal government, meanwhile, could rack up 
costs not just through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, but 
also for support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
 the U.S. Department of Transportation and more.

Some of that spending of tax dollars will get repaid.

This month, TC Energy agreed to an EPA order that binds the company 
to reimburse direct and indirect costs within 30 days of being billed.

That
 includes, for example, the federal government monitoring TC Energy 
workers and contractors pulling oil from the creek. And the 
reimbursement order applies retroactively to costs dating back to the 
spill more than a month ago.

But other federal activities fall outside the order — such as sending pipeline safety enforcers to Washington County.

USDOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration said it doesn’t have the authority to seek reimbursement.

The
 county has already submitted documentation of its costs to the company,
 Hubbard said. (The Kansas News Service has filed a public information 
request for the records.)

County emergency workers provided boots on the ground critical to a swift response.

At
 about 12:30 a.m. on Dec. 8, TC Energy called in a possible leak to a 
federal hotline for oil spills. By about 1:30 a.m., Hubbard and the 
county’s road supervisor got involved. The county worked with the 
company to dam Mill Creek, where thousands of barrels of oil were 
sliding downstream.

“A better part of the first day was spent 
building this dam,” Hubbard said in an email. “Additionally, our Road 
and Bridge crew spent a better part of the first 2 days putting down 
rock and prepping/grooming roads in the immediate area to better support
 the anticipated arrival of heavy equipment for the response.”

Hubbard
 praised TC Energy’s efforts, saying he had witnessed its commitment to 
remediating the area, keeping workers safe and communicating with 
landowners.

“TC Energy has been great to work with throughout the 
entirety of this unfortunate event,” he said. “Additionally, TC Energy 
has used, and continues to use local contractors whenever possible.”

The
 company announced it would donate $7,500 to equip local emergency 
responders with better mobile and radio equipment. It also said it would
 match donations made by the public to Washington County Hospital.

1.
 State environment officials are now finding less benzene and other 
chemicals downstream from the four-mile stretch of creek that TC Energy 
isolated last week.

That stretch had already been dammed to 
hold back floating oil but water continued to flow downstream beneath 
the surface. As of last week, TC Energy is temporarily diverting water 
from upstream of the spill, allowing it to bypass and seal off four 
miles of stream while the cleanup continues.

This week, the state 
announced that contamination is decreasing downstream in Mill Creek and 
the river it feeds into, the Little Blue. However, it says people 
shouldn’t touch Mill Creek anywhere downstream of the spill site. They 
should keep their pets and livestock away, too.

The Kansas News Service has asked the state for the results of weekly water sampling.

Families
 who rely on private wells in the area or who use water from Mill Creek 
or the Little Blue for livestock and ponds can ask TC Energy to test 
their water. (Email public_affairs_us@tcenergy.com or call 
1-855-920-4697.)

2. Oil-soaked animals get treated at a rehabilitation shelter.

“This
 area is heated, covered, protected, and staffed by a team of wildlife 
rehabilitation professionals and biologists,” a spokesman for the EPA 
said by email. “The lead in this response has over 20 years of 
experience in wildlife rehabilitation and oiled wildlife response.”

Reporters
 have not been allowed to visit the spill site or the animal 
rehabilitation shelter, or interview the Fish and Wildlife Service, 
which works on wildlife matters at the site.

The total number of dead animals isn’t clear, but includes at least one beaver that succumbed despite attempts to treat it.

Scores
 of fish died, even though oil spills in water bodies generally don’t 
take the same toll on fish as they do on turtles, birds and mammals that
 penetrate the oil slick to enter and leave the water. Scientists say 
the impact on fish increases when oil spills happen in <a href="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/oil-and-chemical-spills/oil-spills/how-oil-spills-affect-fish-and-whales.html" target="_blank">shallow water</a>.

3.
 Neither the state nor the federal government have released photos of 
injured, dead or rehabilitated animals that the Kansas News Service has 
asked for. Kansas says it is withholding the photos because it is 
investigating the oil spill.

4. TC Oil signed a consent order this month with the EPA that requires it to clean up Mill Creek and its banks.

The
 company has to recover the spilled oil from the creek and its banks, 
and remove contaminated soil and plants that could lead to more 
chemicals reaching the water.

This oil recovery has to continue until the EPA and Natural Resource Trustee Agencies agree the company is finished.

TC Energy also has to monitor for contamination downstream, but the order doesn’t specify what methods it should use. <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-12-15/not-just-any-oil-spill-the-keystone-pipeline-dumped-notoriously-hard-to-clean-dilbit-in-kansas" target="_blank">The Keystone spilled dilbit</a>
 in Kansas, a special product from the Canadian tar sands that doesn’t 
behave like traditional crude oil. A National Academies of Sciences 
study found little in the way of reliable options to detect dilbit once 
it begins moving below the surface in moving water.

The federal 
consent order makes no mention of special requirements related to 
cleaning up dilbit, though top scientists have urged the federal 
government to change its policies and procedures to distinguish dilbit 
spills from regular crude oil spills.

5. It's unclear whether the federal government considers the consent order to apply to the entire spill site.

When
 the pipeline burst, it spewed crude oil into the air that splattered 
across acres of agricultural land, in addition to the oil that poured 
into the creek.

The Kansas News Service asked whether the EPA’s 
consent order applies to all land affected by the spill, not just the 
creek and its banks.

The EPA replied: “The current order is issued
 pursuant to the Clean Water Act. It requires the Respondent to conduct 
removal actions to abate and mitigate the imminent and substantial 
threat to Mill Creek and adjoining shorelines that is presented by the 
discharge of oil from the ruptured pipeline.”

But the EPA added that it “continues to coordinate with KDHE on a comprehensive cleanup strategy.”

The EPA also says KDHE may require TC Energy to perform work “that is beyond EPA’s Clean Water Act authority.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673624080128.png" alt="Crews work on oil recovery at Mill Creek on Dec. 28, 2022. EPA" />
 <figcaption>Crews work on oil recovery at Mill Creek on Dec. 28, 2022. EPA</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-13/the-keystone-operator-must-repay-some-not-all-of-the-tax-dollars-spent-on-its-kansas-oil-spill">Kansas News Service</a>When the Keystone pipeline burst in rural Kansas last month, county workers rushed to build an emergency dam on Mill Creek.Meanwhile, federal agencies dispatched pipeline and environmental experts to the scene.And the state set about sampling water and searching for injured animals.All
 of this costs taxpayers — from transporting and housing workers to 
cladding them in waders that require special disposal because the gear 
becomes permanently contaminated.TC Energy, the Canadian company 
behind the spill, will have to repay some, but not all, of the public 
money spent on handling it.This week, several government agencies expressed confidence that they will ultimately recover their expenses.In the case of the federal and state governments, laws and binding orders apply.Washington
 County emergency manager Randy Hubbard said that he isn’t aware of any 
laws that require TC Energy to reimburse a local government, but the 
company has vowed to do so.“From day one TC Energy has been very 
adamant and forthcoming about offering to cover any County related 
expenses,” he said in an email, “including but not limited to labor, 
resources or materials.”TC Energy reported an annual revenue of more than $13.3 billion and a net income of more than $2 billion in its most recent <a href="https://www.tcenergy.com/siteassets/pdfs/investors/reports-and-filings/annual-and-quarterly-reports/2021/tc-2021-annual-report.pdf" target="_blank">yearly report</a>.The
 Keystone is the company’s biggest pipeline system for oil and carries 
crude from Canada to refineries in the Midwest and the Gulf Coast. The 
system has <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/13/keystone-pipeline-has-history-of-spills-warnings-and-fines-kansas-spill-is-largest-yet/" target="_blank">spilled numerous times</a>, but the rupture in Kansas that released an estimated 588,000 gallons of tar sands crude oil was the biggest spill to date.<h2>State and federal expenses</h2>A wide array of government agencies responds to inland oil spills.At least two Kansas agencies say they can get TC Energy to reimburse for their efforts responding to the spill.<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch65/065_001_0071v.html" target="_blank">By state law</a>,
 TC Energy must repay the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. 
If the company fails to pay, the same law instructs the attorney general
 to sue.The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks said it, too,
 will recuperate its costs. The agency is tracking staff time, mileage 
and equipment.The federal government, meanwhile, could rack up 
costs not just through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, but 
also for support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
 the U.S. Department of Transportation and more.Some of that spending of tax dollars will get repaid.This month, TC Energy agreed to an EPA order that binds the company 
to reimburse direct and indirect costs within 30 days of being billed.That
 includes, for example, the federal government monitoring TC Energy 
workers and contractors pulling oil from the creek. And the 
reimbursement order applies retroactively to costs dating back to the 
spill more than a month ago.But other federal activities fall outside the order — such as sending pipeline safety enforcers to Washington County.USDOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration said it doesn’t have the authority to seek reimbursement.<h2>County government expenses</h2>The
 county has already submitted documentation of its costs to the company,
 Hubbard said. (The Kansas News Service has filed a public information 
request for the records.)County emergency workers provided boots on the ground critical to a swift response.At
 about 12:30 a.m. on Dec. 8, TC Energy called in a possible leak to a 
federal hotline for oil spills. By about 1:30 a.m., Hubbard and the 
county’s road supervisor got involved. The county worked with the 
company to dam Mill Creek, where thousands of barrels of oil were 
sliding downstream.“A better part of the first day was spent 
building this dam,” Hubbard said in an email. “Additionally, our Road 
and Bridge crew spent a better part of the first 2 days putting down 
rock and prepping/grooming roads in the immediate area to better support
 the anticipated arrival of heavy equipment for the response.”Hubbard
 praised TC Energy’s efforts, saying he had witnessed its commitment to 
remediating the area, keeping workers safe and communicating with 
landowners.“TC Energy has been great to work with throughout the 
entirety of this unfortunate event,” he said. “Additionally, TC Energy 
has used, and continues to use local contractors whenever possible.”The
 company announced it would donate $7,500 to equip local emergency 
responders with better mobile and radio equipment. It also said it would
 match donations made by the public to Washington County Hospital.<h2>More about the oil spill</h2>Here are more details about the spill.1.
 State environment officials are now finding less benzene and other 
chemicals downstream from the four-mile stretch of creek that TC Energy 
isolated last week.That stretch had already been dammed to 
hold back floating oil but water continued to flow downstream beneath 
the surface. As of last week, TC Energy is temporarily diverting water 
from upstream of the spill, allowing it to bypass and seal off four 
miles of stream while the cleanup continues.This week, the state 
announced that contamination is decreasing downstream in Mill Creek and 
the river it feeds into, the Little Blue. However, it says people 
shouldn’t touch Mill Creek anywhere downstream of the spill site. They 
should keep their pets and livestock away, too.The Kansas News Service has asked the state for the results of weekly water sampling.Families
 who rely on private wells in the area or who use water from Mill Creek 
or the Little Blue for livestock and ponds can ask TC Energy to test 
their water. (Email public_affairs_us@tcenergy.com or call 
1-855-920-4697.)<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673624165345.png" alt="This map shows where TC Energy will divert Mill Creek to avoid a four-mile stretch that needs intensive cleanup. TC Energy" />
 <figcaption>This map shows where TC Energy will divert Mill Creek to avoid a four-mile stretch that needs intensive cleanup. TC Energy</figcaption>
 </figure>2. Oil-soaked animals get treated at a rehabilitation shelter.“This
 area is heated, covered, protected, and staffed by a team of wildlife 
rehabilitation professionals and biologists,” a spokesman for the EPA 
said by email. “The lead in this response has over 20 years of 
experience in wildlife rehabilitation and oiled wildlife response.”Reporters
 have not been allowed to visit the spill site or the animal 
rehabilitation shelter, or interview the Fish and Wildlife Service, 
which works on wildlife matters at the site.The total number of dead animals isn’t clear, but includes at least one beaver that succumbed despite attempts to treat it.Scores
 of fish died, even though oil spills in water bodies generally don’t 
take the same toll on fish as they do on turtles, birds and mammals that
 penetrate the oil slick to enter and leave the water. Scientists say 
the impact on fish increases when oil spills happen in <a href="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/oil-and-chemical-spills/oil-spills/how-oil-spills-affect-fish-and-whales.html" target="_blank">shallow water</a>.3.
 Neither the state nor the federal government have released photos of 
injured, dead or rehabilitated animals that the Kansas News Service has 
asked for. Kansas says it is withholding the photos because it is 
investigating the oil spill.4. TC Oil signed a consent order this month with the EPA that requires it to clean up Mill Creek and its banks.The
 company has to recover the spilled oil from the creek and its banks, 
and remove contaminated soil and plants that could lead to more 
chemicals reaching the water.This oil recovery has to continue until the EPA and Natural Resource Trustee Agencies agree the company is finished.TC Energy also has to monitor for contamination downstream, but the order doesn’t specify what methods it should use. <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-12-15/not-just-any-oil-spill-the-keystone-pipeline-dumped-notoriously-hard-to-clean-dilbit-in-kansas" target="_blank">The Keystone spilled dilbit</a>
 in Kansas, a special product from the Canadian tar sands that doesn’t 
behave like traditional crude oil. A National Academies of Sciences 
study found little in the way of reliable options to detect dilbit once 
it begins moving below the surface in moving water.The federal 
consent order makes no mention of special requirements related to 
cleaning up dilbit, though top scientists have urged the federal 
government to change its policies and procedures to distinguish dilbit 
spills from regular crude oil spills.5. It's unclear whether the federal government considers the consent order to apply to the entire spill site.When
 the pipeline burst, it spewed crude oil into the air that splattered 
across acres of agricultural land, in addition to the oil that poured 
into the creek.The Kansas News Service asked whether the EPA’s 
consent order applies to all land affected by the spill, not just the 
creek and its banks.The EPA replied: “The current order is issued
 pursuant to the Clean Water Act. It requires the Respondent to conduct 
removal actions to abate and mitigate the imminent and substantial 
threat to Mill Creek and adjoining shorelines that is presented by the 
discharge of oil from the ruptured pipeline.”But the EPA added that it “continues to coordinate with KDHE on a comprehensive cleanup strategy.”The EPA also says KDHE may require TC Energy to perform work “that is beyond EPA’s Clean Water Act authority.”

Keystone operator must repay some, not all, tax dollars spent on oil spill

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a potential road-rage death on a Kansas highway.

Just before 6a.m. Thursday, police responded to the report of a single vehicle off the roadway on southbound Interstate 435 highway at the K-10 highway interchange, according to a media release.

First responders found a white Jeep Grand Cherokee that crashed into a light pole in the ditch. The driver and sole occupant of the Jeep, an adult male, was dead inside the vehicle.

Just after 6a.m., the Kansas Highway Patrol responded to work the crash. It was later determined that the man inside the vehicle had sustained a gunshot wound. 

The Lenexa Police Department continues conducting a death investigation to include the circumstances leading up to this incident. Police have not released the identity of the driver.

Anyone who may have information about this incident, including any possible road rage behaviors observed between a white Jeep Grand Cherokee and another vehicle on southbound I-435 highway at around 5:45 A.M. Thursday is asked to call the Lenexa Police Department at 913-825-8040 or the KC Crimestoppers TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).

Southbound I-435 was shut down from 87th Street to K-10&nbsp; during the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673621539075.png" alt="Southbound I-435 was shut down from 87th Street to K-10 during the investigation-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Southbound I-435 was shut down from 87th Street to K-10 during the investigation-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a potential road-rage death on a Kansas highway.Just before 6a.m. Thursday, police responded to the report of a single vehicle off the roadway on southbound Interstate 435 highway at the K-10 highway interchange, according to a media release.First responders found a white Jeep Grand Cherokee that crashed into a light pole in the ditch. The driver and sole occupant of the Jeep, an adult male, was dead inside the vehicle.Just after 6a.m., the Kansas Highway Patrol responded to work the crash. It was later determined that the man inside the vehicle had sustained a gunshot wound. The Lenexa Police Department continues conducting a death investigation to include the circumstances leading up to this incident. Police have not released the identity of the driver.Anyone who may have information about this incident, including any possible road rage behaviors observed between a white Jeep Grand Cherokee and another vehicle on southbound I-435 highway at around 5:45 A.M. Thursday is asked to call the Lenexa Police Department at 913-825-8040 or the KC Crimestoppers TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).Southbound I-435 was shut down from 87th Street to K-10&nbsp; during the investigation.

Police: Driver who died in Kan. crash had gunshot wound

By ROSE CONLON <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/news/2023-01-12/how-kansas-lawmakers-could-try-to-restrict-abortion-this-year">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA, Kansas — A resounding statewide vote in Kansas to 
protect abortion rights last summer won’t stop the Republican-controlled
 Legislature from attempting to make it harder to get an abortion this 
year.

Whether anti-abortion lawmakers will be able to enact further restrictions this legislative session — in spite of a 2019 <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2019-04-26/kansas-supreme-court-rules-state-constitution-protects-right-to-abortion" target="_blank">Kansas Supreme Court decision</a>
 ruling that the state’s constitution protects the right to an abortion —
 will turn on how aggressively they press the issue and how Kansas 
courts respond.

As lawmakers returned to the Statehouse, 
Republican leaders indicated that reducing abortions remained a 
legislative priority, but stopped short of outlining many specific 
policies beyond protecting existing abortion restrictions — already some
 of the most strict in the country short of outright bans.

They 
also vowed to funnel more money into crisis pregnancy centers, 
organizations that offer resources for women with unwanted pregnancies 
but typically discourage them from getting abortions and have been 
criticized for using misleading tactics.

“There’s a host of things
 we can do,” Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, said 
at a Tuesday news conference of GOP leaders. “Probably the biggest 
question to be answered goes to autonomy, and when does the young lady 
in utero receive her autonomy, and what are the rights of that person, 
and when does that begin? And I think there are questions to be asked.”

But
 legal experts said they expect to see bills that go further than that, 
testing the limits of what other abortion restrictions Kansas courts 
might permit.

“I suspect that the Legislature would resume what 
had appeared to be its previous practice of enacting laws that push the 
boundaries of constitutionally permissible regulation of abortions,” 
said University of Kansas law professor Richard Levy. “(They’ll want) to
 find out what those boundaries are and seek to restrict abortions as 
much as possible in light of those boundaries.”

Abortion rights advocates said they’re gearing up for a fierce fight over the issue in Topeka this year.

“We would hope that legislators listen to what voters had to say with their <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-08-02/kansas-voters-rejected-an-amendment-that-would-have-stripped-away-abortion-rights" target="_blank">overwhelming vote</a>
 on the August ballot initiative,” said Aileen Berquist, policy director
 at the ACLU of Kansas. “But we’ve heard everything from a 14-week ban” —
 Kansas bans most abortions after 22 weeks of pregnancy — “to more 
restrictions on providers to (telemedicine restrictions).”

The 
ramifications would extend far beyond Kansas. The state remains one of 
the last in its region to allow abortions in the aftermath of the U.S. 
Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, and has become an unlikely refuge
 for a <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/news/2022-11-04/fall-roe-kansas-abortion-clinics-overseas-pills" target="_blank">swell of people traveling</a> from out of state seeking abortions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673545052470.png" alt=" Rose Conlon / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Rose Conlon / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By ROSE CONLON <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/news/2023-01-12/how-kansas-lawmakers-could-try-to-restrict-abortion-this-year">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA, Kansas — A resounding statewide vote in Kansas to 
protect abortion rights last summer won’t stop the Republican-controlled
 Legislature from attempting to make it harder to get an abortion this 
year.Whether anti-abortion lawmakers will be able to enact further restrictions this legislative session — in spite of a 2019 <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2019-04-26/kansas-supreme-court-rules-state-constitution-protects-right-to-abortion" target="_blank">Kansas Supreme Court decision</a>
 ruling that the state’s constitution protects the right to an abortion —
 will turn on how aggressively they press the issue and how Kansas 
courts respond.As lawmakers returned to the Statehouse, 
Republican leaders indicated that reducing abortions remained a 
legislative priority, but stopped short of outlining many specific 
policies beyond protecting existing abortion restrictions — already some
 of the most strict in the country short of outright bans.They 
also vowed to funnel more money into crisis pregnancy centers, 
organizations that offer resources for women with unwanted pregnancies 
but typically discourage them from getting abortions and have been 
criticized for using misleading tactics.“There’s a host of things
 we can do,” Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, said 
at a Tuesday news conference of GOP leaders. “Probably the biggest 
question to be answered goes to autonomy, and when does the young lady 
in utero receive her autonomy, and what are the rights of that person, 
and when does that begin? And I think there are questions to be asked.”But
 legal experts said they expect to see bills that go further than that, 
testing the limits of what other abortion restrictions Kansas courts 
might permit.“I suspect that the Legislature would resume what 
had appeared to be its previous practice of enacting laws that push the 
boundaries of constitutionally permissible regulation of abortions,” 
said University of Kansas law professor Richard Levy. “(They’ll want) to
 find out what those boundaries are and seek to restrict abortions as 
much as possible in light of those boundaries.”Abortion rights advocates said they’re gearing up for a fierce fight over the issue in Topeka this year.“We would hope that legislators listen to what voters had to say with their <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-08-02/kansas-voters-rejected-an-amendment-that-would-have-stripped-away-abortion-rights" target="_blank">overwhelming vote</a>
 on the August ballot initiative,” said Aileen Berquist, policy director
 at the ACLU of Kansas. “But we’ve heard everything from a 14-week ban” —
 Kansas bans most abortions after 22 weeks of pregnancy — “to more 
restrictions on providers to (telemedicine restrictions).”The 
ramifications would extend far beyond Kansas. The state remains one of 
the last in its region to allow abortions in the aftermath of the U.S. 
Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, and has become an unlikely refuge
 for a <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/news/2022-11-04/fall-roe-kansas-abortion-clinics-overseas-pills" target="_blank">swell of people traveling</a> from out of state seeking abortions.That’s
 primarily driven by nearby states like Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas and
 their near-total abortion bans. Kansas laws remain some of the <a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/state-facts-about-abortion-kansas" target="_blank">more restrictive</a>
 among states that still allow abortion, including parental consent 
rules for minors and things like ultrasound requirements that 
effectively force women to visit a clinic in person to obtain abortion 
pills. That trip might take <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2022-07-29/western-kansas-offers-a-glimpse-of-what-an-abortion-ban-might-look-like-for-kansas-city-and-wichita" target="_blank">several hours</a> for those who live in rural Kansas.Kansans
 for Life, a prominent anti-abortion lobbying group, has not yet 
publicly released its legislative agenda for this year. But spokesperson
 Danielle Underwood said increasing funding for crisis pregnancy centers
 is a key priority.“We’re pleased to see Kansas House and Senate 
Republicans boldly stating they’ll continue to support moms and babies 
by standing with pregnancy resource centers,” Underwood said in an 
email.Jeanne Gawdun, a senior lobbyist with the group, said she’s
 still talking with lawmakers about what other legislation Kansans for 
Life might push during the 2023 legislative session.“We are not 
going to abandon women and their babies,” she said. “In the past, we’ve 
supported various things like abortion pill reversal” — referencing a 
bill that <a href="https://apnews.com/article/b0e2f77f057848ca917ce5490c209c11" target="_blank">nearly became law in 2019</a>
 that would have required providers to tell patients about a 
controversial and scientifically disputed treatment purported to reverse
 the effects of abortion pills.Political analysts said the 
Republican caucus might be less united around anti-abortion legislation 
than in the past given voters’ decisive rejection of the anti-abortion 
constitutional amendment last year.Neal Allen, a political 
science professor at Wichita State University, said it’s plausible that 
Republican leadership would focus less on restricting abortion this year
 for that reason — but that won’t prevent individual lawmakers from 
introducing legislation on the issue.“The Kansas legislature has 
made restricting abortion and making it harder to access abortion 
services a priority for the last 20 years,” he said. “I don’t think 
that's going to completely change in this next session.”<h2>Abortion pills and telemedicine</h2>In
 the months since Roe fell, restrictions around abortion pills have 
emerged as a leading battleground in the fight over abortion access in 
Kansas and nationally.Around <a href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/25772/2021-Annual-Summary-Full-Report-?bidId=" target="_blank">two-thirds</a>
 of abortions in Kansas and over half of abortions nationally are done 
by medication. A two-drug regimen of mifepristone, a tightly controlled 
drug commonly referred to as the abortion pill, followed by misoprostol 
is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to end pregnancies of up
 to 10 weeks.A bill introduced on the first day of the 
legislative session by Kansas Senator Mark Steffen, a Hutchinson 
Republican, would ban providers from prescribing those medications over 
telemedicine.That comes less than two months after a Shawnee County judge <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/news/2022-11-28/kansas-judge-blocks-law-banned-prescribing-abortion-pills-telemedicine" target="_blank">temporarily blocked</a> an existing ban on telemedicine abortion care, prompting a Wichita Planned Parenthood clinic to begin <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/news/2022-12-20/kansas-planned-parenthood-telehealth-abortion-pill-court-ruling" target="_blank">telehealth conferences</a> with offsite providers in order to increase appointment availability.Telemedicine
 access to abortion pills in the traditional sense, where a patient 
could get a prescription without physically visiting a clinic, is still 
largely out of reach for Kansans because of a state law requiring women 
undergo an ultrasound before obtaining an abortion.Myfanwy 
Jensen-Fellows, advocacy director for the Wichita clinic Trust Women, 
said she wasn’t surprised to see the latest telemedicine ban introduced.“What
 we’re seeing is a reaction from the state Legislature against the 
headway that was made through the injunction of the telemedicine ban,” 
she said.But if the bill were to become law, it would be unlikely
 to survive a challenge in court, said Stephen McAllister, a KU law 
professor and former U.S. attorney for Kansas under President Trump.“I don’t see, in light of (the recent telemedicine ruling), how it would be able to take effect,” he said.<h2>A 15-week ban; a ‘born-alive’ law</h2>More
 restrictive anti-abortion legislation is on the table this session, 
such as a ban after 15 weeks or a “born-alive” bill that echoes 
legislation <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/3809355-house-passes-bill-requiring-medical-care-for-infants-born-after-attempted-abortions/" target="_blank">passed by the U.S. House</a> this week.That
 would require doctors to give medical care to infants born prematurely 
after an abortion attempt. Critics say such legislation is politically 
motivated and medically unfounded.“We don’t encounter situations 
such as these in abortion clinics,” said Iman Alsaden, chief medical 
officer of Planned Parenthood Great Plains.Legal experts said that if similar proposals became law in Kansas, they would be unlikely to survive court challenges.“It’s not impossible,” Levy said, “but that would seem to me to be a long shot.”McAllister said they would likely be struck down in court before taking effect.“Those
 lawsuits would probably go from a district judge straight to the 
(Kansas) Supreme Court,” he said. “I think there’d be a pretty rapid 
determination made.”<h2>Overriding the governor</h2>Any
 anti-abortion legislation to come out of the Statehouse would likely be
 vetoed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. That would require a two-thirds 
majority vote in both the House and Senate to override.Republicans
 maintained a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers, but that 
doesn’t mean that the caucus would be united on a potential bill — 
particularly so soon after voters so overwhelmingly chose to protect 
abortion rights.Allen, the political science professor, said 
Republicans from politically moderate districts might be more cautious 
to support more abortion restrictions this year.“Their incentives
 are different,” he said. “Those folks are going to have to think really
 hard about whether they want to continue supporting abortion 
restrictions.”And where Republicans may have been able to 
persuade a few Democrats to vote for abortion restrictions in the past, 
that may be less likely in light of last year’s referendum.“There
 are certainly Democratic members of the Kansas Legislature who are 
personally opposed to abortion, but I don’t know of any of them who are 
opposed to a woman’s right to make her own decisions concerning 
reproductive health,” said Rep. John Carmichael, a Wichita Democrat. 
“What that means is you will see no support from Democratic legislators 
in either house for further restrictions on abortion services.”<h2>The courts</h2>Abortion
 opponents could make headway this year in changing the judiciary, which
 has emerged as perhaps the leading impediment to enacting stiffer 
abortion restrictions in Kansas.All seven Kansas Supreme Court 
justices survived retention votes in November, despite opposition by 
Kansans for Life to all but one.But lawmakers are set to consider
 legislation that would give the governor more power over selecting 
Supreme Court justices — something that could help abortion opponents 
after Kelly leaves office.Attorney General Kris Kobach, a staunch
 abortion opponent who ran on a promise to make Kansas “the most 
pro-life state in America,” has proposed changes to the judicial 
selection process like direct election and Senate confirmation that 
would make it easier to place anti-abortion judges on the state’s 
highest court.“The goal is to get off the bench those folks who would vote to continue to uphold abortion rights,” McAllister said.Targeting
 the judiciary could allow lawmakers to steer the conversation away from
 explicit discussions of abortion rights and into territory they might 
consider more politically advantageous, like education or criminal 
justice — while still influencing abortion policy.“Leadership in 
the House and Senate would likely be happy if, instead of talking about 
the specifics of abortion restriction,” Allen said, “we’re talking about
 restricting the power of judges.”Mary Ziegler, a University of 
California-Davis law professor and historian of the anti-abortion 
movement, said the efforts in Kansas reflect sparring taking place 
across the country around the power and makeup of judiciaries.“The
 more that state supreme courts are the places we go to hash out 
constitutional disagreements about abortion,” she said, “the more we’re 
going to see a supercharging of debates around state supreme courts.”Rose
 Conlon reports on health for KMUW and the Kansas News Service. You can 
follow her on Twitter at @rosebconlon or email her at&nbsp;conlon@kmuw.org.