SEDGWICK COUNTY —Following an arrest Thursday of a suspect for the alleged kidnapping and sexual assault of three children near a Wichita elementary school, police are investigating an incident that could have have a similar outcome.

Just before 10a.m. Friday, police were contacted by a mother who&nbsp; reported that on Thursday, her 13-year-old daughter was walking to school at approximately 6:30 a.m. near Douglas and West Street in Wichita.

An unknown man in a blue or green sedan approached and attempted to coerce her to get closer to his vehicle.

The 13-year-old ignored the man and continued walking, and reported the incident to her mother Thursday night.

Police investigators are working to identify the suspect in this case, and at this time it is not believed to be connected to the earlier incidents that took place in East Wichita on Wednesday and Thursday involving an abduction of three juveniles.

Police notified the school district and extra patrols have been assigned to the area.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Wichita Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Following an arrest Thursday of a suspect for the alleged kidnapping and sexual assault of three children near a Wichita elementary school, police are investigating an incident that could have have a similar outcome.Just before 10a.m. Friday, police were contacted by a mother who&nbsp; reported that on Thursday, her 13-year-old daughter was walking to school at approximately 6:30 a.m. near Douglas and West Street in Wichita.An unknown man in a blue or green sedan approached and attempted to coerce her to get closer to his vehicle.The 13-year-old ignored the man and continued walking, and reported the incident to her mother Thursday night.Police investigators are working to identify the suspect in this case, and at this time it is not believed to be connected to the earlier incidents that took place in East Wichita on Wednesday and Thursday involving an abduction of three juveniles.Police notified the school district and extra patrols have been assigned to the area.Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Wichita Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Police: Kansas teen reports man tried to coerce her into car

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden conferred high honors Friday on those who stood against the Jan. 6 Capitol mob two years ago and the menacing effort in state after state to upend the election, declaring “America is a land of laws, not chaos,” even as disarray rendered Congress dysfunctional for a fourth straight day.

(Click below to watch the honor ceremony)

Democrats at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue commemorated the police officers attacked that day and the local election workers and state officials who faced fierce intimidation from supporters of former President Donald Trump, who fought to keep him in office after his defeat.

“Our democracy held,” Biden said in awarding Presidential Citizens Medals to about a dozen recipients from across the country in the White House East Room. "We the people did not flinch."

Yet democracy's vulnerability was equally on display at the Capitol as Republicans struggled to break their stalemate over the next House speaker, leaving that chamber in limbo for what should have been the first week under a GOP majority.

A resolution to the immediate crisis may be near as GOP leadership continued negotiations to appease its hard-right flank. Rep. Kevin McCarthy flipped more than a dozen colleagues to support him in his quest to lead the chamber, finally showing progress but still short of a majority.

Hours earlier, lawmakers held a moment of silence to commemorate the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the building that drew mostly Democrats, with brief remarks from Democratic leaders past and incoming — Reps. Nancy Pelosi and Hakeem Jeffries — and none from the GOP.

The event was focused on the Capitol Police officers who protected the building that day and families of law enforcement officers who died after the riot. Jeffries said 140 officers were seriously injured and “many more will forever be scarred by the bloodthirsty violence of the insurrectionist mob. We stand here today with our democracy intact because of those officers.”

At the White House ceremony, Biden described the violence in evocative and at times graphic detail — the officer speared by a flagpole flying the American flag, the beatings, the bloodshed and racist screams from rioters who professed to be pro-law enforcement as they overran police and hunted for lawmakers.

“Sick insurrectionists,” he said. “We must say clearly with a united voice that there is no place ... for voter intimidation or election violence."

Although the horrors of that day came down on members of both parties, it is being remembered in a largely polarized fashion now, like other aspects of political life in a divided country.

Biden, in his afternoon remarks, played up the heroism of the honorees, whether in the face of the violent Capitol mob or the horde of Trump-inspired agitators who threatened election workers or otherwise sought to overturn the results.

But he couldn't ignore warning signs that it could happen again.

In the midterms, candidates who denied the outcome of 2020’s free and fair election were defeated for many pivotal statewide positions overseeing elections in battleground states, as were a number of election deniers seeking seats in Congress.

Yet many of the lawmakers who brought baseless claims of election fraud or excused the violence on Jan. 6 continue to serve and are newly empowered.

Trump’s 2024 candidacy has been slow off the starting blocks, but his war chest is full and some would-be rivals for the Republican presidential nomination have channeled his false claims about the 2020 race.

As well, several lawmakers who echoed his lies about a stolen election at the time are central in the effort to derail McCarthy’s ascension to speaker — unswayed by Trump’s appeals from afar to support him and end the fight.

The protracted struggle leaves the House leaderless, unable to pass bills and powerless to do much more than hold vote after vote for speaker until a majority is reached. Everything from national security briefings to helping their constituents navigate the federal bureaucracy is on pause because the members-elect can’t yet take their oath of office.

Some Democrats see a throughline from Jan. 6.

The chaos of the speaker’s election “is about destruction of an institution in a different way,” said Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, one of the lawmakers who fled the rioters two years ago.

Then, the insurrectionists trapped some lawmakers in the House chamber but never breached it. They held up national business for hours that day.

Now some have felt trapped in the same chamber by the repeated, fruitless votes for speaker and House business is held up for this week and perhaps longer.

“The stream of continuity here is extremism, elements of Trumpism, norms don’t matter,” says Democratic Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois. “It’s not about governing, it’s about pontificating and advocating an extremist point of view.”

Democratic Rep. Annie Kuster of New Hampshire said, “It is a very small minority who want to throw this institution into chaos.”

At least nine people who were at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, died during or after the rioting, including a woman who was shot and killed by police as she tried to break into the House chamber and three other Trump supporters whom authorities said suffered medical emergencies.

Two officers, Howard Liebengood of the Capitol Police and Jeffrey Smith of the Metropolitan Police, were at the Capitol that Jan. 6 and died by suicide in the days following the attack. Biden honored both Friday with posthumous medals.

A third officer, Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, collapsed and died after engaging with the protesters. A medical examiner later determined he died of natural causes.

The Metropolitan Police announced months later that two more of their officers who had responded to the insurrection, Kyle DeFreytag and Gunther Hashida, had also died by suicide.

On Capitol Hill, the mostly Democratic lawmakers held a 140-second moment of silence in honor of those officers as some of their families said their names and a bell was rung in their honor.

“I wish we didn’t have to be here,” said Ken Sicknick, brother of Brian Sicknick, after the ceremony.

After the unsatisfying midterm election for Trump allies, the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack wrapped up its work with a recommendation to the Justice Department to prosecute the former president. A special counsel and ultimately Attorney General Merrick Garland will now decide whether to indict him.

While the congressional investigations have ended, the criminal cases are still very much continuing, both for the 950 arrested and charged in the violent attack and for Trump and his associates who remain under investigation. The second seditious conspiracy trial begins this week, for members of the far-right Proud Boys.

In a measured but significant step, Congress in December amended the Electoral Count Act to limit the role of the vice president in counting electoral votes, to make it harder for individual lawmakers to mount objections to properly certified election results and to eliminate “fake electors” like those deployed by Trump allies in a bid to overturn his defeat to Biden.

After all that, Biden, who made it a tentpole of his agenda to prove to the world that democracies can deliver for their citizens, said he hoped that this was “the first time we’re really getting through the whole issue relating to Jan. 6. Things are settling out.”

But then came the fight for speaker, rare in the annals of Congress.

“And now, for the first time in 100 years, we can’t move?” Biden said earlier this week. “It’s not a good look. It’s not a good thing.”

“Look,” he went on, “how do you think it looks to the rest of the world?”

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden conferred high honors Friday on those who stood against the Jan. 6 Capitol mob two years ago and the menacing effort in state after state to upend the election, declaring “America is a land of laws, not chaos,” even as disarray rendered Congress dysfunctional for a fourth straight day.(Click below to watch the honor ceremony)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F717552403405632%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=66" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Democrats at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue commemorated the police officers attacked that day and the local election workers and state officials who faced fierce intimidation from supporters of former President Donald Trump, who fought to keep him in office after his defeat.“Our democracy held,” Biden said in awarding Presidential Citizens Medals to about a dozen recipients from across the country in the White House East Room. "We the people did not flinch."Yet democracy's vulnerability was equally on display at the Capitol as Republicans struggled to break their stalemate over the next House speaker, leaving that chamber in limbo for what should have been the first week under a GOP majority.A resolution to the immediate crisis may be near as GOP leadership continued negotiations to appease its hard-right flank. Rep. Kevin McCarthy flipped more than a dozen colleagues to support him in his quest to lead the chamber, finally showing progress but still short of a majority.Hours earlier, lawmakers held a moment of silence to commemorate the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the building that drew mostly Democrats, with brief remarks from Democratic leaders past and incoming — Reps. Nancy Pelosi and Hakeem Jeffries — and none from the GOP.The event was focused on the Capitol Police officers who protected the building that day and families of law enforcement officers who died after the riot. Jeffries said 140 officers were seriously injured and “many more will forever be scarred by the bloodthirsty violence of the insurrectionist mob. We stand here today with our democracy intact because of those officers.”At the White House ceremony, Biden described the violence in evocative and at times graphic detail — the officer speared by a flagpole flying the American flag, the beatings, the bloodshed and racist screams from rioters who professed to be pro-law enforcement as they overran police and hunted for lawmakers.“Sick insurrectionists,” he said. “We must say clearly with a united voice that there is no place ... for voter intimidation or election violence."Although the horrors of that day came down on members of both parties, it is being remembered in a largely polarized fashion now, like other aspects of political life in a divided country.Biden, in his afternoon remarks, played up the heroism of the honorees, whether in the face of the violent Capitol mob or the horde of Trump-inspired agitators who threatened election workers or otherwise sought to overturn the results.But he couldn't ignore warning signs that it could happen again.In the midterms, candidates who denied the outcome of 2020’s free and fair election were defeated for many pivotal statewide positions overseeing elections in battleground states, as were a number of election deniers seeking seats in Congress.Yet many of the lawmakers who brought baseless claims of election fraud or excused the violence on Jan. 6 continue to serve and are newly empowered.Trump’s 2024 candidacy has been slow off the starting blocks, but his war chest is full and some would-be rivals for the Republican presidential nomination have channeled his false claims about the 2020 race.As well, several lawmakers who echoed his lies about a stolen election at the time are central in the effort to derail McCarthy’s ascension to speaker — unswayed by Trump’s appeals from afar to support him and end the fight.The protracted struggle leaves the House leaderless, unable to pass bills and powerless to do much more than hold vote after vote for speaker until a majority is reached. Everything from national security briefings to helping their constituents navigate the federal bureaucracy is on pause because the members-elect can’t yet take their oath of office.Some Democrats see a throughline from Jan. 6.The chaos of the speaker’s election “is about destruction of an institution in a different way,” said Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, one of the lawmakers who fled the rioters two years ago.Then, the insurrectionists trapped some lawmakers in the House chamber but never breached it. They held up national business for hours that day.Now some have felt trapped in the same chamber by the repeated, fruitless votes for speaker and House business is held up for this week and perhaps longer.“The stream of continuity here is extremism, elements of Trumpism, norms don’t matter,” says Democratic Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois. “It’s not about governing, it’s about pontificating and advocating an extremist point of view.”Democratic Rep. Annie Kuster of New Hampshire said, “It is a very small minority who want to throw this institution into chaos.”At least nine people who were at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, died during or after the rioting, including a woman who was shot and killed by police as she tried to break into the House chamber and three other Trump supporters whom authorities said suffered medical emergencies.Two officers, Howard Liebengood of the Capitol Police and Jeffrey Smith of the Metropolitan Police, were at the Capitol that Jan. 6 and died by suicide in the days following the attack. Biden honored both Friday with posthumous medals.A third officer, Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, collapsed and died after engaging with the protesters. A medical examiner later determined he died of natural causes.The Metropolitan Police announced months later that two more of their officers who had responded to the insurrection, Kyle DeFreytag and Gunther Hashida, had also died by suicide.On Capitol Hill, the mostly Democratic lawmakers held a 140-second moment of silence in honor of those officers as some of their families said their names and a bell was rung in their honor.“I wish we didn’t have to be here,” said Ken Sicknick, brother of Brian Sicknick, after the ceremony.After the unsatisfying midterm election for Trump allies, the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack wrapped up its work with a recommendation to the Justice Department to prosecute the former president. A special counsel and ultimately Attorney General Merrick Garland will now decide whether to indict him.While the congressional investigations have ended, the criminal cases are still very much continuing, both for the 950 arrested and charged in the violent attack and for Trump and his associates who remain under investigation. The second seditious conspiracy trial begins this week, for members of the far-right Proud Boys.In a measured but significant step, Congress in December amended the Electoral Count Act to limit the role of the vice president in counting electoral votes, to make it harder for individual lawmakers to mount objections to properly certified election results and to eliminate “fake electors” like those deployed by Trump allies in a bid to overturn his defeat to Biden.After all that, Biden, who made it a tentpole of his agenda to prove to the world that democracies can deliver for their citizens, said he hoped that this was “the first time we’re really getting through the whole issue relating to Jan. 6. Things are settling out.”But then came the fight for speaker, rare in the annals of Congress.“And now, for the first time in 100 years, we can’t move?” Biden said earlier this week. “It’s not a good look. It’s not a good thing.”“Look,” he went on, “how do you think it looks to the rest of the world?”

🎥Jan. 6 remembrance led by Dems; GOP wrestles with its rebels

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A man who claims he was framed for a 2002 murder alleges in a federal lawsuit that the Kansas Department of Corrections is not providing proper medical treatment for his terminal cancer.

Lawyers for John Keith Calvin, 56, said in an emergency filing last week that the corrections department refuses to give Calvin intravenous nourishment he needs while he fights stage 4 colon cancer, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article270772607.html#storylink=cpy">reported</a>&nbsp;Thursday.

The lawsuit asks a judge to require the corrections department to send Calvin to a hospital that can provide necessary care. His attorneys say he has lost 70 pounds in the past three months and will “quickly die” without court intervention. Calvin is eligible for parole in May.

The Department of Corrections did not immediately return messages seeking comment on the lawsuit.

According to the complaint, Calvin was moved in November to a medical center in Wichita after he had blood in his stool and serious abdominal pain. Doctors planned to perform surgery but did not do so after realizing Calvin was “too full of cancer,” and he was discharged without further treatment.

Calvin was hospitalized again in December after a tube that collects urine detached, causing it to drain into his body.

During both hospitalizations, corrections officials refused to tell his lawyers and family where he was being treated, according to the lawsuit.

“The KDOC’s active hiding of Mr. Calvin, and the KDOC’s refusal to allow his attorneys to speak with him, is interfering with their efforts to adequately and effectively advocate on his behalf,” his lawyers wrote.

Calvin was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of first-degree murder and attempted robbery in the Dec. 12, 2002, killing of John Coates in Kansas City, Kansas.

Calvin’s co-defendant, Melvin Lee White Jr., who took a plea deal and served a five-year sentence, testified that he killed Coates himself. He said Calvin was with him at the time but didn't know White planned to kill Coates, according to court records.

Calvin's attorneys also allege that he was framed by former detective Roger Golubski, who has been accused by federal prosecutors and civil rights groups of framing Black citizens and sexually harassing Black women and girls for years in Kansas City, Kansas.

Golubski currently is on house arrest after being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arrests-kansas-city-indictments-civil-rights-violations-c465a1483c9295eb465847fb8c3463eb">indicted in September</a>&nbsp;on federal civil rights charges accusing him of sexually assaulting and kidnapping a woman and a teenager between 1998 and 2002. He was also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arrests-kansas-city-indictments-337f9df63faf6c5ff8d3d50623b902c2">indicted in November</a>&nbsp;on charges alleging he was part of a sex trafficking ring involving underage girls at a Kansas City, Kansas, apartment complex between 1996 and 1998.

Golubski has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Calvin is represented by lawyers who have sought investigations of Golubski or advocated for his other alleged victims.

After more then 19 years in prison, his daughters Kiardra Calvin and Jalisa Bluford told the Star they hope he can be moved to a facility in time to see his family, including grandchildren he has not met.

“We’re all walking on eggshells on a day to day basis,” Bluford said. “We don’t know how long he has to live. We just put it in God’s hands.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672953153801.png" alt="Calvin- has convictions for murder, robbery and theft, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Calvin- has convictions for murder, robbery and theft, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A man who claims he was framed for a 2002 murder alleges in a federal lawsuit that the Kansas Department of Corrections is not providing proper medical treatment for his terminal cancer.Lawyers for John Keith Calvin, 56, said in an emergency filing last week that the corrections department refuses to give Calvin intravenous nourishment he needs while he fights stage 4 colon cancer, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article270772607.html#storylink=cpy">reported</a>&nbsp;Thursday.The lawsuit asks a judge to require the corrections department to send Calvin to a hospital that can provide necessary care. His attorneys say he has lost 70 pounds in the past three months and will “quickly die” without court intervention. Calvin is eligible for parole in May.The Department of Corrections did not immediately return messages seeking comment on the lawsuit.According to the complaint, Calvin was moved in November to a medical center in Wichita after he had blood in his stool and serious abdominal pain. Doctors planned to perform surgery but did not do so after realizing Calvin was “too full of cancer,” and he was discharged without further treatment.Calvin was hospitalized again in December after a tube that collects urine detached, causing it to drain into his body.During both hospitalizations, corrections officials refused to tell his lawyers and family where he was being treated, according to the lawsuit.“The KDOC’s active hiding of Mr. Calvin, and the KDOC’s refusal to allow his attorneys to speak with him, is interfering with their efforts to adequately and effectively advocate on his behalf,” his lawyers wrote.Calvin was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of first-degree murder and attempted robbery in the Dec. 12, 2002, killing of John Coates in Kansas City, Kansas.Calvin’s co-defendant, Melvin Lee White Jr., who took a plea deal and served a five-year sentence, testified that he killed Coates himself. He said Calvin was with him at the time but didn't know White planned to kill Coates, according to court records.Calvin's attorneys also allege that he was framed by former detective Roger Golubski, who has been accused by federal prosecutors and civil rights groups of framing Black citizens and sexually harassing Black women and girls for years in Kansas City, Kansas.Golubski currently is on house arrest after being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arrests-kansas-city-indictments-civil-rights-violations-c465a1483c9295eb465847fb8c3463eb">indicted in September</a>&nbsp;on federal civil rights charges accusing him of sexually assaulting and kidnapping a woman and a teenager between 1998 and 2002. He was also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arrests-kansas-city-indictments-337f9df63faf6c5ff8d3d50623b902c2">indicted in November</a>&nbsp;on charges alleging he was part of a sex trafficking ring involving underage girls at a Kansas City, Kansas, apartment complex between 1996 and 1998.Golubski has pleaded not guilty to all charges.Calvin is represented by lawyers who have sought investigations of Golubski or advocated for his other alleged victims.After more then 19 years in prison, his daughters Kiardra Calvin and Jalisa Bluford told the Star they hope he can be moved to a facility in time to see his family, including grandchildren he has not met.“We’re all walking on eggshells on a day to day basis,” Bluford said. “We don’t know how long he has to live. We just put it in God’s hands.”

Kansas inmate alleges he is being denied cancer treatment

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/06/kansas-top-election-officer-releases-plan-for-new-legislation-emphasizes-voter-security/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA
 — Kansas election laws may be overhauled again this year with new 
legislation geared toward clearing up confusion with state voting 
processes.

Secretary of State Scott Schwab, the 
state’s top elections officer, said he planned to introduce legislation 
to update state election codes and simplify state election laws this 
year, following confusion over rules and regulation in past elections.

“Over the past year, our agency has 
reviewed lessons learned from past elections and best practices from 
other states,” Schwab said in a news release. “This legislation will 
improve election administration processes, reduce the burden on county 
election staff and protect election integrity and transparency.”

Schwab said voting privacy and 
security would also be priorities for him in the upcoming legislative 
session. He plans to propose legislation that would determine standards 
for criminal election activities, firm up ballot privacy measures and 
better define voter intimidation.

Davis Hammet, founder of the voter 
advocacy group Loud Light, said Schwab’s legislative agenda could mean 
anything at this point, because the wording of Schwab’s agenda isn’t 
specific.

“It is sort of so generic that it can
 mean a lot of things,” Hammet said. “It can mean things that aren’t 
problematic at all, or it could mean things that are extremely 
problematic. And we’ll just have to wait to actually see that bill 
language.”

Kansas election security has been an 
increasingly controversial subject in the past few years, with 
Republicans on a national and local level denying the results of the 
2020 elections and casting doubts on Kansas’ own election security.

Schwab has bucked this trend by 
repeatedly upholding the security of Kansas elections, including in the 
2022 midterm elections. Other Kansas Republicans have called for more 
stringent voting security measures, despite a lack of evidence 
confirming widespread voter fraud.

Kansans have expressed discontent 
with recent more restrictive legislation and redistricting that many 
felt blocked voting access. Voters said 2021 legislation, specifically 
House Bills <a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2183/">2183</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2332/">2332</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/20/kansas-voters-with-disabilities-blocked-by-restrictive-legislation-voting-rights-advocates-say/">blocked voting access</a>.

HB2183 made it illegal for one person to deliver more than 10 advance voting ballots on behalf of other voters.

The bill also made handling a voter’s
 ballot a misdemeanor crime for people who aren’t election officials, 
unless it’s on behalf of a family member, and prohibits people from 
delivering advance voting ballots on behalf of other people without a 
signed written statement and signature verification.

HB2332 requires voters to have a residential address meeting certain requirements in order to register to vote.

Hammet said Kansas election laws had 
been damaged by recent election fraud fears, and he expects to see a 
continued distrust in the electoral process reflected in statewide 
legislation.

“We started making some modest 
improvements in election laws, really pro-voter improvements, until 
about two years ago, and then after the 2020 Big Lie, everything got 
bizarre,” Hammet said. “And I expect that to continue, unfortunately. I 
think there’s a lot of legitimate issues in Kansas election law that 
need to be addressed, but it’s going to be hard to address them when all
 the oxygen is taken out by sort of conspiracy theories like we’ve seen 
the last two years.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673020008792.png" alt="Kansas election security has been questioned by residents who believe the 2020 presidential election was rigged. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas election security has been questioned by residents who believe the 2020 presidential election was rigged. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/06/kansas-top-election-officer-releases-plan-for-new-legislation-emphasizes-voter-security/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA
 — Kansas election laws may be overhauled again this year with new 
legislation geared toward clearing up confusion with state voting 
processes.Secretary of State Scott Schwab, the 
state’s top elections officer, said he planned to introduce legislation 
to update state election codes and simplify state election laws this 
year, following confusion over rules and regulation in past elections.“Over the past year, our agency has 
reviewed lessons learned from past elections and best practices from 
other states,” Schwab said in a news release. “This legislation will 
improve election administration processes, reduce the burden on county 
election staff and protect election integrity and transparency.”Schwab said voting privacy and 
security would also be priorities for him in the upcoming legislative 
session. He plans to propose legislation that would determine standards 
for criminal election activities, firm up ballot privacy measures and 
better define voter intimidation.Davis Hammet, founder of the voter 
advocacy group Loud Light, said Schwab’s legislative agenda could mean 
anything at this point, because the wording of Schwab’s agenda isn’t 
specific.“It is sort of so generic that it can
 mean a lot of things,” Hammet said. “It can mean things that aren’t 
problematic at all, or it could mean things that are extremely 
problematic. And we’ll just have to wait to actually see that bill 
language.”Kansas election security has been an 
increasingly controversial subject in the past few years, with 
Republicans on a national and local level denying the results of the 
2020 elections and casting doubts on Kansas’ own election security.Schwab has bucked this trend by 
repeatedly upholding the security of Kansas elections, including in the 
2022 midterm elections. Other Kansas Republicans have called for more 
stringent voting security measures, despite a lack of evidence 
confirming widespread voter fraud.Kansans have expressed discontent 
with recent more restrictive legislation and redistricting that many 
felt blocked voting access. Voters said 2021 legislation, specifically 
House Bills <a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2183/">2183</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2332/">2332</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/20/kansas-voters-with-disabilities-blocked-by-restrictive-legislation-voting-rights-advocates-say/">blocked voting access</a>.HB2183 made it illegal for one person to deliver more than 10 advance voting ballots on behalf of other voters.The bill also made handling a voter’s
 ballot a misdemeanor crime for people who aren’t election officials, 
unless it’s on behalf of a family member, and prohibits people from 
delivering advance voting ballots on behalf of other people without a 
signed written statement and signature verification.HB2332 requires voters to have a residential address meeting certain requirements in order to register to vote.Hammet said Kansas election laws had 
been damaged by recent election fraud fears, and he expects to see a 
continued distrust in the electoral process reflected in statewide 
legislation.“We started making some modest 
improvements in election laws, really pro-voter improvements, until 
about two years ago, and then after the 2020 Big Lie, everything got 
bizarre,” Hammet said. “And I expect that to continue, unfortunately. I 
think there’s a lot of legitimate issues in Kansas election law that 
need to be addressed, but it’s going to be hard to address them when all
 the oxygen is taken out by sort of conspiracy theories like we’ve seen 
the last two years.”

Sec. of State releases plan to modernize Kansas election laws

KANSAS CITY —The Kansas City Zoo announced Thursday a new baby&nbsp; arrived.&nbsp; Zuri, a critically endangered eastern black rhinoceros, gave birth to an adorable calf in the early morning hours on December 31.

The rhinos’ animal care specialists report the calf is walking, nursing, and even playing spar, and that Zuri is a patient and attentive first-time mother. 

The barn is being kept quiet with limited human interaction to allow them plenty of time to bond, which is a very important process. Once mother and calf have had that bonding time, a neonatal exam will be performed in the coming weeks to confirm gender and overall health. 

The zoo will report the gender then, and there will be an opportunity for the public to participate in naming the calf.

There are only about 740 of this type of rhino left in the wild so this birth is also important for the subspecies as a whole. We are thrilled to introduce this new arrival to Kansas City!Photo by Julia, Senior Animal Care Specialist

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673023011586.png" alt="Photo by Julia, Senior Animal Care Specialist, courtesy Kansas City Zoo" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Julia, Senior Animal Care Specialist, courtesy Kansas City Zoo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —The Kansas City Zoo announced Thursday a new baby&nbsp; arrived.&nbsp; Zuri, a critically endangered eastern black rhinoceros, gave birth to an adorable calf in the early morning hours on December 31.The rhinos’ animal care specialists report the calf is walking, nursing, and even playing spar, and that Zuri is a patient and attentive first-time mother. The barn is being kept quiet with limited human interaction to allow them plenty of time to bond, which is a very important process. Once mother and calf have had that bonding time, a neonatal exam will be performed in the coming weeks to confirm gender and overall health. The zoo will report the gender then, and there will be an opportunity for the public to participate in naming the calf.There are only about 740 of this type of rhino left in the wild so this birth is also important for the subspecies as a whole. We are thrilled to introduce this new arrival to Kansas City!Photo by Julia, Senior Animal Care Specialist

Critically endangered rhino calf born at Kansas City Zoo

By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-05/douglas-county-halts-prosecution-of-murder-case-that-defense-attorney-says-used-junk-science">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA — The Douglas County district attorney will not
 retry a Eudora woman for murder after questionable conclusions from a 
medical examiner led to concern that she was improperly convicted.

Carrody
 Buchhorn, a day care worker, was convicted in 2018 for killing 
9-month-old Ollie Ortiz while in Buchhorn’s care. The case hinged on 
testimony from medical examiner Dr. Erik Mitchell. He said Buchhorn had 
stomped on the baby's head. But lawyers for Buchhorn say Mitchell’s 
theory is based on junk science because the baby had no signs of brain 
trauma.

They contend, and independent reports say, the baby died of natural causes and Buchhorn tried to give CPR.

This
 case went to trial and a jury convicted Buchhorn of reckless 
second-degree murder before Douglas County DA Suzanne Valdez won 
election to office. Buchhorn appealed and her conviction was later 
overturned.

The Douglas County DA requested time to bring in an 
independent expert to review the case to see if it was worth pursuing 
again. That report found conflicting information, which convinced the 
DA’s office to back off of prosecution.

“While there are 
conflicting findings between the state’s two retained experts, as well 
as other evidence to support prosecution, we do not believe the evidence
 is likely to meet our burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable 
doubt,” Valdez said in a news release.

Mitchell has spent a decade
 testifying in just under a dozen Kansas counties, and his testimony has
 helped lead to murder convictions. But news articles, defendants and 
others have argued he doesn't always get it right. In the Ortiz case, 
the state argued that Buchhorn had her day in court and the jury found 
Mitchell’s theory more believable. But other cases Mitchell worked on 
have been overturned.

In 2021, the <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/melinda-henneberger/article253637688.html" target="_blank">Kansas City Star</a>
 reported that one of Mitchell’s autopsies misidentified an injury, 
which was an important piece of evidence used to wrongly convict someone
 of murder. That person has since been freed.

In 1993, Mitchell 
agreed to resign as the Onondaga County, New York, medical examiner 
because he removed organs without consent and improperly stored 
skeletons, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/20/nyregion/syracuse-medical-examiner-agrees-to-quit-after-inquiry.html" target="_blank">the New York Times reported then</a>.

Valdez
 said the DA’s office sought out an independent medical expert because 
of Mitchell’s checkered past. While Mitchell is able to testify in 
cases, Valdez said her office has never asked him to do so.

“I 
chose not to use Dr. Mitchell as a witness of any sort due to his 
questionable professional reputation,” Valdez said. “If there is any 
consolation to be had by those who mourn the loss of Ollie, it can be 
found in the fact that many trained professionals worked tirelessly to 
pursue justice, and Ollie will never be forgotten.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672955037881.png" alt="Arguments before the Kansas Supreme Court in Buchhorn v. State of Kansas. Screenshot" />
 <figcaption>Arguments before the Kansas Supreme Court in Buchhorn v. State of Kansas. Screenshot</figcaption>
 </figure>By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-05/douglas-county-halts-prosecution-of-murder-case-that-defense-attorney-says-used-junk-science">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA — The Douglas County district attorney will not
 retry a Eudora woman for murder after questionable conclusions from a 
medical examiner led to concern that she was improperly convicted.Carrody
 Buchhorn, a day care worker, was convicted in 2018 for killing 
9-month-old Ollie Ortiz while in Buchhorn’s care. The case hinged on 
testimony from medical examiner Dr. Erik Mitchell. He said Buchhorn had 
stomped on the baby's head. But lawyers for Buchhorn say Mitchell’s 
theory is based on junk science because the baby had no signs of brain 
trauma.They contend, and independent reports say, the baby died of natural causes and Buchhorn tried to give CPR.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1628968195734.png" alt="Buchhorn-photo Kansas Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Buchhorn-photo Kansas Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>This
 case went to trial and a jury convicted Buchhorn of reckless 
second-degree murder before Douglas County DA Suzanne Valdez won 
election to office. Buchhorn appealed and her conviction was later 
overturned.The Douglas County DA requested time to bring in an 
independent expert to review the case to see if it was worth pursuing 
again. That report found conflicting information, which convinced the 
DA’s office to back off of prosecution.“While there are 
conflicting findings between the state’s two retained experts, as well 
as other evidence to support prosecution, we do not believe the evidence
 is likely to meet our burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable 
doubt,” Valdez said in a news release.Mitchell has spent a decade
 testifying in just under a dozen Kansas counties, and his testimony has
 helped lead to murder convictions. But news articles, defendants and 
others have argued he doesn't always get it right. In the Ortiz case, 
the state argued that Buchhorn had her day in court and the jury found 
Mitchell’s theory more believable. But other cases Mitchell worked on 
have been overturned.In 2021, the <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/melinda-henneberger/article253637688.html" target="_blank">Kansas City Star</a>
 reported that one of Mitchell’s autopsies misidentified an injury, 
which was an important piece of evidence used to wrongly convict someone
 of murder. That person has since been freed.In 1993, Mitchell 
agreed to resign as the Onondaga County, New York, medical examiner 
because he removed organs without consent and improperly stored 
skeletons, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/20/nyregion/syracuse-medical-examiner-agrees-to-quit-after-inquiry.html" target="_blank">the New York Times reported then</a>.Valdez
 said the DA’s office sought out an independent medical expert because 
of Mitchell’s checkered past. While Mitchell is able to testify in 
cases, Valdez said her office has never asked him to do so.“I 
chose not to use Dr. Mitchell as a witness of any sort due to his 
questionable professional reputation,” Valdez said. “If there is any 
consolation to be had by those who mourn the loss of Ollie, it can be 
found in the fact that many trained professionals worked tirelessly to 
pursue justice, and Ollie will never be forgotten.”

'Junk science' claim derails Kansas trial over baby's death

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two years to the day since U.S. Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/josh-hawley-electoral-college-capitol-6c7aa5820b31404f528025f12105a600">Josh Hawley's now-famous raised-fist salute</a>&nbsp;to rioters at the U.S. Capitol, a Marine veteran who ran unsuccessfully for Senate in 2022 announced Friday that he'll try to unseat Hawley in 2024.

Lucas Kunce, 40, served 13 years in the Marines. A video released by his campaign shows the photo of Hawley with his fist raised on Jan. 6, 2021 — a photo that drew strong criticism from some, but also appears on coffee mugs that the senator sells. Kunce's video shows security camera footage of Hawley running through the Capitol hallway in the chaotic aftermath of the attack.

“I swear, this coward’s always running from something,” Kunce says in the video. “When things get tough, Missourians deserve a U.S. senator who will stand up for them, not run away.”

Phone and email messages left with Hawley’s campaign were not immediately returned. A spokeswoman in Hawley’s Senate office declined comment.

Kunce was among several candidates running for Senate in 2022 after two-term incumbent Roy Blunt announced his plans to retire, and seemed headed for the Democratic nomination before the late entry of Anheuser-Busch brewing heir Trudy Busch Valentine. She narrowly defeated Kunce in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-missouri-senate-b1a514d69210c507c0f4812550aeb80f">August primary</a>, then was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-senate-race-2022-midterm-elections-91f950681a72abe1ea6bc20f45bf42ec">soundly defeated by Republican Eric Schmitt</a>&nbsp;in November.

Kunce faces long odds in 2024. Missouri, a swing state a generation ago, has moved decidedly to the right over the past decade. Every statewide elected official in Missouri is now a Republican.

Kunce did show significant fundraising skills last year, outraising every candidate, even Republicans. He fashioned himself as a populist and his campaign announcement for 2024 cited his military history and his family's financial hardships when he grew up in Jefferson City.

Hawley, 43, is in his first term as senator. He was elected Missouri attorney general in 2016 before successfully running for Senate in 2018.

The week before the attack on the U.S. Capitol two years ago, Hawley became the first Republican senator to announce he would object to the certification of the 2020 presidential election. After the release of the photo showing him with his fist raised, a one-time mentor, former U.S. Sen. John Danforth of Missouri, called supporting Hawley “the worst decision I've ever made in my life.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658491328627.png" alt="Senator Josh Hawley-photo courtesy Jan. 6 committee" />
 <figcaption>Senator Josh Hawley-photo courtesy Jan. 6 committee</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two years to the day since U.S. Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/josh-hawley-electoral-college-capitol-6c7aa5820b31404f528025f12105a600">Josh Hawley's now-famous raised-fist salute</a>&nbsp;to rioters at the U.S. Capitol, a Marine veteran who ran unsuccessfully for Senate in 2022 announced Friday that he'll try to unseat Hawley in 2024.Lucas Kunce, 40, served 13 years in the Marines. A video released by his campaign shows the photo of Hawley with his fist raised on Jan. 6, 2021 — a photo that drew strong criticism from some, but also appears on coffee mugs that the senator sells. Kunce's video shows security camera footage of Hawley running through the Capitol hallway in the chaotic aftermath of the attack.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658453847683.png" alt="Hawley-photo Jan. 6 Committee" />
 <figcaption>Hawley-photo Jan. 6 Committee</figcaption>
 </figure>“I swear, this coward’s always running from something,” Kunce says in the video. “When things get tough, Missourians deserve a U.S. senator who will stand up for them, not run away.”Phone and email messages left with Hawley’s campaign were not immediately returned. A spokeswoman in Hawley’s Senate office declined comment.Kunce was among several candidates running for Senate in 2022 after two-term incumbent Roy Blunt announced his plans to retire, and seemed headed for the Democratic nomination before the late entry of Anheuser-Busch brewing heir Trudy Busch Valentine. She narrowly defeated Kunce in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-missouri-senate-b1a514d69210c507c0f4812550aeb80f">August primary</a>, then was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-senate-race-2022-midterm-elections-91f950681a72abe1ea6bc20f45bf42ec">soundly defeated by Republican Eric Schmitt</a>&nbsp;in November.Kunce faces long odds in 2024. Missouri, a swing state a generation ago, has moved decidedly to the right over the past decade. Every statewide elected official in Missouri is now a Republican.Kunce did show significant fundraising skills last year, outraising every candidate, even Republicans. He fashioned himself as a populist and his campaign announcement for 2024 cited his military history and his family's financial hardships when he grew up in Jefferson City.Hawley, 43, is in his first term as senator. He was elected Missouri attorney general in 2016 before successfully running for Senate in 2018.The week before the attack on the U.S. Capitol two years ago, Hawley became the first Republican senator to announce he would object to the certification of the 2020 presidential election. After the release of the photo showing him with his fist raised, a one-time mentor, former U.S. Sen. John Danforth of Missouri, called supporting Hawley “the worst decision I've ever made in my life.”

On Capitol attack anniversary, challenge of Senate seat announced

TOPEKA, Kan. — The 2023 Legislative session begins Monday and the Kansas Association of School Boards has released the legislative calendar, as they understand it now. These dates are subject to change as legislative leadership makes decisions as the session continues.

11 – Governor Laura Kelly's State of the State address (6:30 p.m.) &nbsp;

16 – Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, no session. &nbsp;

30 – Last day for individual legislators to request bill drafts. &nbsp;

6 – Last day for non-exempt committees to request drafts&nbsp;

8 – Last day for introduction of bills by individual members&nbsp;

10 – Last day for non-exempt committees to introduce bills&nbsp;

21 – Last day for morning and afternoon committees to meet&nbsp;

22, 23 – On the House and Senate floor all day&nbsp;

24 – Turnaround Day: Last day for consideration of bills by non-exempt committees in the house of origin&nbsp;

24 – Last day for bills to be considered by non-exempt committees&nbsp;

29 – Last day for non-exempt bills to be considered in either chamber&nbsp;

30-April 2 – No session, conference committees may meet&nbsp;

6 – "Drop Dead Day" for non-exempt bills, first adjournment&nbsp;

29 – 90th day, possible last day of the session&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629113022641.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. — The 2023 Legislative session begins Monday and the Kansas Association of School Boards has released the legislative calendar, as they understand it now. These dates are subject to change as legislative leadership makes decisions as the session continues.January&nbsp;&nbsp;9 – House and Senate convene. &nbsp;11 – Governor Laura Kelly's State of the State address (6:30 p.m.) &nbsp;16 – Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, no session. &nbsp;30 – Last day for individual legislators to request bill drafts. &nbsp;February&nbsp;6 – Last day for non-exempt committees to request drafts&nbsp;8 – Last day for introduction of bills by individual members&nbsp;10 – Last day for non-exempt committees to introduce bills&nbsp;21 – Last day for morning and afternoon committees to meet&nbsp;22, 23 – On the House and Senate floor all day&nbsp;24 – Turnaround Day: Last day for consideration of bills by non-exempt committees in the house of origin&nbsp;25-28 – No session&nbsp;March&nbsp;&nbsp;24 – Last day for bills to be considered by non-exempt committees&nbsp;29 – Last day for non-exempt bills to be considered in either chamber&nbsp;30-April 2 – No session, conference committees may meet&nbsp;April&nbsp;3-5 – Conference committees meet&nbsp;6 – "Drop Dead Day" for non-exempt bills, first adjournment&nbsp;24-25 – Pro-forma days&nbsp;26 – Veto session starts&nbsp;29 – 90th day, possible last day of the session&nbsp;

2023 Kansas Legislative calendar

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating alleged kidnappings involving three juveniles near a Kansas elementary school have identified the suspect as 21-year-old Manasseh Ward of Wichita.

Just before 4pm Wednesday, a teenage girl reported being kidnapped by a bi-racial man driving a blue vehicle in the 6600 block of East Boston in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

 The man attempted to sexually assault the girl in the car. The man let the child go and she reported the incident to a family member.

Just before 9a.m. Thursday, two elementary-aged children, a boy and girl, left their home on foot in the 900 block of South Drury to head to Clark Elementary School at 650 S Apache in Wichita.

A man in a blue vehicle kidnapped the children. The suspect put both kids in his vehicle and then drove away. A short time later he dropped the boy victim off and left with the girl..

While gathering information officers were patrolling the area and located the suspect vehicle and attempted to stop it. &nbsp;A brief foot pursuit occurred and officers took Ward into custody in the 6600 block of East Boston.&nbsp; He is being held <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20063339">on requested charges</a> of&nbsp;aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated indecent liberties, aggravated assault and criminal threat, according to online jail records.

In September, police arrested Ward on requested charges of of aggravated domestic battery, according to Sedgwick County booking report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673010286685.png" alt="Ward-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Ward-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating alleged kidnappings involving three juveniles near a Kansas elementary school have identified the suspect as 21-year-old Manasseh Ward of Wichita.Just before 4pm Wednesday, a teenage girl reported being kidnapped by a bi-racial man driving a blue vehicle in the 6600 block of East Boston in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch. The man attempted to sexually assault the girl in the car. The man let the child go and she reported the incident to a family member.Just before 9a.m. Thursday, two elementary-aged children, a boy and girl, left their home on foot in the 900 block of South Drury to head to Clark Elementary School at 650 S Apache in Wichita.A man in a blue vehicle kidnapped the children. The suspect put both kids in his vehicle and then drove away. A short time later he dropped the boy victim off and left with the girl..While gathering information officers were patrolling the area and located the suspect vehicle and attempted to stop it. &nbsp;A brief foot pursuit occurred and officers took Ward into custody in the 6600 block of East Boston.&nbsp; He is being held <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20063339">on requested charges</a> of&nbsp;aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated indecent liberties, aggravated assault and criminal threat, according to online jail records.In September, police arrested Ward on requested charges of of aggravated domestic battery, according to Sedgwick County booking report.

Kan. man accused of kidnapping, assault of children near school

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rest easy, America ... we got this. What others see as dysfunction and chaos, many of Rep. Kevin McCarthy's opponents see as democracy at work. It's the longest fight for control of the House gavel since&nbsp; 1855 when it dragged on for two months, with 133 ballots, during the run-up to the Civil War.

Now some of the roughly 20 Republicans declining to vote for McCarthy as the next House speaker are reveling in the moment, depicting their intransigence as a historic chance to correct the balance of power in Washington and give rank-and-file members more say in shaping legislation.

And while most House members are frustrated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-mccarthy-vote-updates-7657a07f1545bf53079c9c9f6cef3a45?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">with the repeating ballots</a>&nbsp;for speaker, fearing what it may portend for the next two years of Republican control, the lawmakers opposing McCarthy show no signs of giving up. In fact, they appear to be enjoying themselves.

“This is actually, a really beautiful thing," said Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., one of those opposing McCarthy, as the House prepared Thursday to take its ninth vote on who should be the chamber's next speaker.

Boebert said the action on the House floor was the most debate she's seen in her two years in Congress, “and I love it."

Moments earlier, Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., shared her enthusiasm.

“We have had more discussion and debate over the last three days than I have participated in on this floor for the past two years," Rosendale said. “And it's healthy. It absolutely promotes the collegiality that everyone is striving to obtain."

But the vast majority of members-elect — they still can't take the oath of office — are ready to move on. For them, this week's logjam in the House is preventing the chamber from focusing on the kind of kitchen table issues that voters sent them to Washington to solve. Many fear it could be the start of a new normal filled with gridlock and failure to get bills passed.

Republicans who served in the military gathered Wednesday to voice their frustrations. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, said there are a variety of missions some of the veterans serving in Congress want to accomplish, from cutting the flow of fentanyl to cutting spending.

“I don't think that the American people care about any of the so-called missions happening this week — rules changes, who gets more power, who serves on what committee. I can't think of one American who gives a damn about any of that," Crenshaw said.

Republicans expected to lead House committees focused on defense and homeland security issued a joint statement saying the impasse was harming national security.

“The Biden administration is going unchecked and there is no oversight of the White House, State Department, Department of Defense, or the intelligence community. We cannot let personal politics place the safety and security of the United States at risk," said the statement from Republican Reps. Michael McCaul of Texas, Mike Rogers of Alabama and Mike Turner of Ohio.

And that was just from the Republican side. Democratic lawmakers were just as unsparing.

“First time in 100 years that there is no Congress because of ambition, or power grabs, or dysfunction,” said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-pelosi-hakeem-jeffries-congress-government-and-politics-e6dee438b2cfd776b70ff29495072ab5">who will be the chamber’s top-ranking Democrat.</a>&nbsp;“This is not a partisan criticism. Understand this. It’s embarrassing. It’s dysfunction. It’s dangerous. It’s stupid. Those are words that Republican have used to describe what’s going on in the House Republican conference right now.”

McCarthy's opponents are taking the criticism in stride. They keep finding different people to float for speaker as they enthusiastically force one vote after another.

Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., said his message to constituents is this: “If you think the challenges to America are maybe even existential, are really bad, this is exactly what you should want to see happen."

McCarthy's struggle so far marks the first time in 100 years that no nominee for House speaker could win the gavel on the first vote. Back in 1923, members of the Republican Party's progressive wing agreed to vote for Rep. Frederick Gillett of Massachusetts on the 9th ballot only after GOP leaders agreed to accept various procedural reforms those members favored.

Few seem to have enjoyed this week’s battles over legislative process more than Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas. He said the House is working just as it should, pointing to the success that some Republicans had a century ago in generating rule changes through fights over the speakership.

“The idea that we're having multiple rounds of votes on the speaker, it was commonplace in the 19th century," Roy said.

Roy has long complained that lawmakers don't have the chance to amend bills on the House floor, which often leaves them with the choice of voting yes or no on a product put together by a select few legislative leaders. He said changes being sought by the McCarthy holdouts are “all about tools of empowerment” for the rank-and-file in Congress.

“I am open to whatever will give me the power to defend my constituents against this God-forsaken city,” Roy said.

The House Freedom Caucus, which generally is made up of the GOP's most conservative members, has proposed that all legislation on the floor be open to amendment votes. That would dramatically slow the legislative process, possibly requiring the House to spend days or weeks focused on a bill.

The group has demanded that, if amendments are limited to some degree, that any Republican amendment supported by at least 10% of the Republican conference be allowed to be debated and voted upon.

McCarthy opponents are also wanting to restore a House rule that would allow any member to offer a “motion to vacate the chair," a procedure that forces a vote on whether to remove the speaker. They say it promotes accountability. McCarthy, seeking support from some conservatives, countered with a proposal that would allow such a vote with the support of five members.

The low threshold is troubling for some. Giving one lawmaker the power to force a vote on removing the speaker could become a common occurrence, predicted Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb.

“How would you like to do this every week?" Bacon said, referring to the voting drama on the House floor. “I think that's the future with a few of these individuals."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672959722290.png" alt="The scene following Thursday's tenth vote to decide House speaker -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>The scene following Thursday's tenth vote to decide House speaker -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Rest easy, America ... we got this. What others see as dysfunction and chaos, many of Rep. Kevin McCarthy's opponents see as democracy at work. It's the longest fight for control of the House gavel since&nbsp; 1855 when it dragged on for two months, with 133 ballots, during the run-up to the Civil War.Now some of the roughly 20 Republicans declining to vote for McCarthy as the next House speaker are reveling in the moment, depicting their intransigence as a historic chance to correct the balance of power in Washington and give rank-and-file members more say in shaping legislation.And while most House members are frustrated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-mccarthy-vote-updates-7657a07f1545bf53079c9c9f6cef3a45?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">with the repeating ballots</a>&nbsp;for speaker, fearing what it may portend for the next two years of Republican control, the lawmakers opposing McCarthy show no signs of giving up. In fact, they appear to be enjoying themselves.“This is actually, a really beautiful thing," said Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., one of those opposing McCarthy, as the House prepared Thursday to take its ninth vote on who should be the chamber's next speaker.Boebert said the action on the House floor was the most debate she's seen in her two years in Congress, “and I love it."Moments earlier, Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., shared her enthusiasm.“We have had more discussion and debate over the last three days than I have participated in on this floor for the past two years," Rosendale said. “And it's healthy. It absolutely promotes the collegiality that everyone is striving to obtain."But the vast majority of members-elect — they still can't take the oath of office — are ready to move on. For them, this week's logjam in the House is preventing the chamber from focusing on the kind of kitchen table issues that voters sent them to Washington to solve. Many fear it could be the start of a new normal filled with gridlock and failure to get bills passed.Republicans who served in the military gathered Wednesday to voice their frustrations. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, said there are a variety of missions some of the veterans serving in Congress want to accomplish, from cutting the flow of fentanyl to cutting spending.“I don't think that the American people care about any of the so-called missions happening this week — rules changes, who gets more power, who serves on what committee. I can't think of one American who gives a damn about any of that," Crenshaw said.Republicans expected to lead House committees focused on defense and homeland security issued a joint statement saying the impasse was harming national security.“The Biden administration is going unchecked and there is no oversight of the White House, State Department, Department of Defense, or the intelligence community. We cannot let personal politics place the safety and security of the United States at risk," said the statement from Republican Reps. Michael McCaul of Texas, Mike Rogers of Alabama and Mike Turner of Ohio.And that was just from the Republican side. Democratic lawmakers were just as unsparing.“First time in 100 years that there is no Congress because of ambition, or power grabs, or dysfunction,” said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-pelosi-hakeem-jeffries-congress-government-and-politics-e6dee438b2cfd776b70ff29495072ab5">who will be the chamber’s top-ranking Democrat.</a>&nbsp;“This is not a partisan criticism. Understand this. It’s embarrassing. It’s dysfunction. It’s dangerous. It’s stupid. Those are words that Republican have used to describe what’s going on in the House Republican conference right now.”McCarthy's opponents are taking the criticism in stride. They keep finding different people to float for speaker as they enthusiastically force one vote after another.Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., said his message to constituents is this: “If you think the challenges to America are maybe even existential, are really bad, this is exactly what you should want to see happen."McCarthy's struggle so far marks the first time in 100 years that no nominee for House speaker could win the gavel on the first vote. Back in 1923, members of the Republican Party's progressive wing agreed to vote for Rep. Frederick Gillett of Massachusetts on the 9th ballot only after GOP leaders agreed to accept various procedural reforms those members favored.Few seem to have enjoyed this week’s battles over legislative process more than Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas. He said the House is working just as it should, pointing to the success that some Republicans had a century ago in generating rule changes through fights over the speakership.“The idea that we're having multiple rounds of votes on the speaker, it was commonplace in the 19th century," Roy said.Roy has long complained that lawmakers don't have the chance to amend bills on the House floor, which often leaves them with the choice of voting yes or no on a product put together by a select few legislative leaders. He said changes being sought by the McCarthy holdouts are “all about tools of empowerment” for the rank-and-file in Congress.“I am open to whatever will give me the power to defend my constituents against this God-forsaken city,” Roy said.The House Freedom Caucus, which generally is made up of the GOP's most conservative members, has proposed that all legislation on the floor be open to amendment votes. That would dramatically slow the legislative process, possibly requiring the House to spend days or weeks focused on a bill.The group has demanded that, if amendments are limited to some degree, that any Republican amendment supported by at least 10% of the Republican conference be allowed to be debated and voted upon.McCarthy opponents are also wanting to restore a House rule that would allow any member to offer a “motion to vacate the chair," a procedure that forces a vote on whether to remove the speaker. They say it promotes accountability. McCarthy, seeking support from some conservatives, countered with a proposal that would allow such a vote with the support of five members.The low threshold is troubling for some. Giving one lawmaker the power to force a vote on removing the speaker could become a common occurrence, predicted Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb.“How would you like to do this every week?" Bacon said, referring to the voting drama on the House floor. “I think that's the future with a few of these individuals."

House speaker's election now longest since before Civil War

SHAWNEE COUNTY— Fire crews worked two house fires on Thursday afternoon in Topeka that were intentionally started by trespassers.

Just before noon, crews responded to a house fire located at 722 SW Buchanan Street, according to city of Topeka spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

The fire was extinguished, but not before the house sustained heavy fire damage.&nbsp;A preliminary investigation indicates the cause of the fire as incendiary; likely associated with trespassers.&nbsp;The total damage is estimated to be $20,000.

Just before 1p.m. crews responded to a house fire at 516 SW Lincoln Street. The house sustained heavy fire damage. Nearby homes were not damaged.&nbsp; The cause of the fire was Undetermined; likely associated with trespassers. The total damage is estimated to be $16,000, all of which is associated with the structure.

Investigators did not find working smoke detectors in either home. There were no injuries in the fires. The Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal assisted with this investigation of the fire SW Lincoln.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673006030882.png" alt="House fire on SW Lincoln-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>House fire on SW Lincoln-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY— Fire crews worked two house fires on Thursday afternoon in Topeka that were intentionally started by trespassers.Just before noon, crews responded to a house fire located at 722 SW Buchanan Street, according to city of Topeka spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.The fire was extinguished, but not before the house sustained heavy fire damage.&nbsp;A preliminary investigation indicates the cause of the fire as incendiary; likely associated with trespassers.&nbsp;The total damage is estimated to be $20,000.Just before 1p.m. crews responded to a house fire at 516 SW Lincoln Street. The house sustained heavy fire damage. Nearby homes were not damaged.&nbsp; The cause of the fire was Undetermined; likely associated with trespassers. The total damage is estimated to be $16,000, all of which is associated with the structure.Investigators did not find working smoke detectors in either home. There were no injuries in the fires. The Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal assisted with this investigation of the fire SW Lincoln.

Two Kansas house fires on Thursday started by trespassers

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an investigation into the Roller City incident that occurred on New Year’s Eve, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.

Just before 7p.m. Saturday, officers working an off-duty job at Roller City in the 3200 block of S. Meridian in Wichita were requested by the business to remove a disruptive guest from the facility, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

Management reported a 15-year-old girl had become upset and threatened staff at the business. Officers asked the girl to collect her belongings and leave. Still, she continued yelling threats toward employees and officers and refused to leave as a crowd gathered inside the business.

Officers repeatedly asked the girl to leave the business, and she attempted to strike an officer but missed. The officer then tried to take her into custody, and a physical altercation ensued.

During the altercation, as another officer assisted with attempting to take her into custody, a 16-year-old boy intervened by striking the second officer in the back of the head.

That officer then attempted to take the 16-year-old into custody, which resulted in an additional physical altercation. Officers requested additional patrol units to respond.

The 15-year-old and 16-year-old were both taken into custody and transported to Juvenile intake and assessment center.

The 15-year-old was booked on a requested charge of assault and one count of battery of a law enforcement officer, and one ordinance violation for aggressive and harassing contact. The 16- year-old was booked on a requested charge of battery of a law enforcement officer and two counts of obstruction, according to Macy.

The Wichita Police Department approached the Sheriff’s Office and requested assistance to avoid any perceived conflict.

After a preliminary review of the evidence, including the phone recording, the sheriff's investigators determined several witnesses to the incident didn’t provide a statement to law enforcement, according to Blick.&nbsp;

Investigators are asking that any individual who witnessed the incident, or citizen who knows of someone who witnessed the incident please contact the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office at 316 660-5300.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672660262307.png" alt="Image of the altercation from a video posted online" />
 <figcaption>Image of the altercation from a video posted online</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an investigation into the Roller City incident that occurred on New Year’s Eve, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.Just before 7p.m. Saturday, officers working an off-duty job at Roller City in the 3200 block of S. Meridian in Wichita were requested by the business to remove a disruptive guest from the facility, according to Officer Trevor Macy.Management reported a 15-year-old girl had become upset and threatened staff at the business. Officers asked the girl to collect her belongings and leave. Still, she continued yelling threats toward employees and officers and refused to leave as a crowd gathered inside the business.Officers repeatedly asked the girl to leave the business, and she attempted to strike an officer but missed. The officer then tried to take her into custody, and a physical altercation ensued.During the altercation, as another officer assisted with attempting to take her into custody, a 16-year-old boy intervened by striking the second officer in the back of the head.That officer then attempted to take the 16-year-old into custody, which resulted in an additional physical altercation. Officers requested additional patrol units to respond.The 15-year-old and 16-year-old were both taken into custody and transported to Juvenile intake and assessment center.The 15-year-old was booked on a requested charge of assault and one count of battery of a law enforcement officer, and one ordinance violation for aggressive and harassing contact. The 16- year-old was booked on a requested charge of battery of a law enforcement officer and two counts of obstruction, according to Macy.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Wichita! If you have any information on the incident that occurred at Roller City on New Year&#39;s Eve please contact the Sedgwick County Sheriff&#39;s Officer at 316-660-5300.&mdash; Wichita Police (@WichitaPolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/WichitaPolice/status/1611070155702038529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Wichita Police Department approached the Sheriff’s Office and requested assistance to avoid any perceived conflict.After a preliminary review of the evidence, including the phone recording, the sheriff's investigators determined several witnesses to the incident didn’t provide a statement to law enforcement, according to Blick.&nbsp;Investigators are asking that any individual who witnessed the incident, or citizen who knows of someone who witnessed the incident please contact the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office at 316 660-5300.-------------

Sheriff's office investigates Kan. teen altercation with officers

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Thursday the U.S. would immediately begin turning away Cubans, Haitians and Nicaraguans who cross the border from Mexico illegally, his boldest move yet to confront the arrivals of migrants that have spiraled since he took office two years ago.

(Click below to watch the President's comments)

The new rules expand on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-health-venezuela-caribbean-united-states-d251abc69009e89447cdddf058c162e7">an existing effort to stop Venezuelans</a>&nbsp;attempting to enter the U.S., which began in October and led to a dramatic drop in Venezuelans coming to the southern border. Together, they represent a major change to immigration rules that will stand even if the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-42-immigration-limits-supreme-court-updates-0494c30834fad66ce9c6057ea1605d89">Supreme Court ends a Trump-era public health</a>&nbsp;law that allows U.S. authorities to turn away asylum-seekers.

“Do not, do not just show up at the border,” Biden said as he announced the changes, even as he acknowledged the hardships that lead many families to make the dangerous journey north.

“Stay where you are and apply legally from there,” he advised.

Biden made the announcement just days before a planned visit to El Paso, Texas, on Sunday for his first trip to the southern border as president. From there, he will travel on to Mexico City to meet with North American leaders on Monday and Tuesday.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-donald-trump-ap-top-news-guatemala-politics-23f6b9a087e841188c5484cd5cf04f3d">Homeland Security officials said they would begin</a>&nbsp;denying asylum to those who circumvent legal pathways and do not first ask for asylum in the country they traveled through en route to the U.S.

Instead, the U.S. will accept 30,000 people per month from the four nations for two years and offer the ability to work legally, as long as they come legally, have eligible sponsors and pass vetting and background checks. Border crossings by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mexico-john-roberts-9620ffd2acea851c5a6957eab0af763e">migrants from those four nations</a>&nbsp;have risen most sharply, with no easy way to quickly return them to their home countries.

“This new process is orderly,” Biden said. “It’s safe and humane, and it works.”

The move, while not unexpected, drew swift criticism from asylum and immigration advocates, who have had a rocky relationship with the president.

“President Biden correctly recognized today that seeking asylum is a legal right and spoke sympathetically about people fleeing persecution," said Jonathan Blazer, the American Civil Liberties Union’s director of border strategies. “But the plan he announced further ties his administration to the poisonous anti-immigrant policies of the Trump era instead of restoring fair access to asylum protections.”

Even with the health law restrictions in place, the president has seen the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mexico-us-customs-and-border-protection-cuba-immigration-8fbba5bde9afca3f404eaa96bcfd136a">numbers of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border</a>&nbsp;rise dramatically during his two years in office; there were more than 2.38 million stops during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the first time the number topped 2 million. The administration has struggled to clamp down on crossings, reluctant to take hard-line measures that would resemble those of the Trump administration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672938289244.png" alt="President Biden made the announcement just days before a planned visit to El Paso, Texas, on Sunday-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden made the announcement just days before a planned visit to El Paso, Texas, on Sunday-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Thursday the U.S. would immediately begin turning away Cubans, Haitians and Nicaraguans who cross the border from Mexico illegally, his boldest move yet to confront the arrivals of migrants that have spiraled since he took office two years ago.(Click below to watch the President's comments)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F669572838202564%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=1" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The new rules expand on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-health-venezuela-caribbean-united-states-d251abc69009e89447cdddf058c162e7">an existing effort to stop Venezuelans</a>&nbsp;attempting to enter the U.S., which began in October and led to a dramatic drop in Venezuelans coming to the southern border. Together, they represent a major change to immigration rules that will stand even if the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-42-immigration-limits-supreme-court-updates-0494c30834fad66ce9c6057ea1605d89">Supreme Court ends a Trump-era public health</a>&nbsp;law that allows U.S. authorities to turn away asylum-seekers.“Do not, do not just show up at the border,” Biden said as he announced the changes, even as he acknowledged the hardships that lead many families to make the dangerous journey north.“Stay where you are and apply legally from there,” he advised.Biden made the announcement just days before a planned visit to El Paso, Texas, on Sunday for his first trip to the southern border as president. From there, he will travel on to Mexico City to meet with North American leaders on Monday and Tuesday.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-donald-trump-ap-top-news-guatemala-politics-23f6b9a087e841188c5484cd5cf04f3d">Homeland Security officials said they would begin</a>&nbsp;denying asylum to those who circumvent legal pathways and do not first ask for asylum in the country they traveled through en route to the U.S.Instead, the U.S. will accept 30,000 people per month from the four nations for two years and offer the ability to work legally, as long as they come legally, have eligible sponsors and pass vetting and background checks. Border crossings by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mexico-john-roberts-9620ffd2acea851c5a6957eab0af763e">migrants from those four nations</a>&nbsp;have risen most sharply, with no easy way to quickly return them to their home countries.“This new process is orderly,” Biden said. “It’s safe and humane, and it works.”The move, while not unexpected, drew swift criticism from asylum and immigration advocates, who have had a rocky relationship with the president.“President Biden correctly recognized today that seeking asylum is a legal right and spoke sympathetically about people fleeing persecution," said Jonathan Blazer, the American Civil Liberties Union’s director of border strategies. “But the plan he announced further ties his administration to the poisonous anti-immigrant policies of the Trump era instead of restoring fair access to asylum protections.”Even with the health law restrictions in place, the president has seen the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mexico-us-customs-and-border-protection-cuba-immigration-8fbba5bde9afca3f404eaa96bcfd136a">numbers of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border</a>&nbsp;rise dramatically during his two years in office; there were more than 2.38 million stops during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the first time the number topped 2 million. The administration has struggled to clamp down on crossings, reluctant to take hard-line measures that would resemble those of the Trump administration.That’s resulted in relentless criticism from Republicans who say the Democratic president is ineffective on border security, and the newly minted Republican House majority has promised congressional investigations on the matter.The new policy could result in 360,000 people from these four nations lawfully entering the U.S. in a year, a huge number. But far more people from those countries have been attempting to cross into the U.S. on foot, by boat or swimming; migrants from those four countries were stopped 82,286 times in November alone.Enyer Valbuena, a Venezuelan who was living in Tijuana, Mexico, after crossing the border illegally, said Thursday’s announcement came as no surprise but a blow nonetheless.“This was coming. It’s getting more difficult all the time,” he said by text message.Some Venezuelans waiting on Mexico’s border with the U.S. have been talking among themselves if Canada is an option, Valbuena said. He had been waiting for the outcome of the pandemic-related asylum ban before trying to enter the U.S. again and is seeking asylum in Mexico, which offers a much better future than Venezuela.“If it becomes more difficult (to reach the U.S.), the best path is to get papers in Mexico,” said Valbuena, who currently works at a Tijuana factory.Mexico has agreed to accept up to 30,000 migrants each month from the four countries who attempt to walk or swim across the U.S.-Mexico border and are turned back. Normally, these migrants would be returned to their country of origin, but the U.S. can not easily send back people from those four countries for a variety of reasons that include relations with the governments there.Anyone coming to the U.S. is allowed to claim asylum, regardless of how they crossed the border, and migrants seeking a better life in the U.S. often pay smugglers the equivalent of thousands of dollars to deliver them across the dangerous Darien Gap.But the requirements for granting asylum are narrow, and only about 30% of applications are granted. That has created a system in which migrants try to cross between ports of entry and are allowed into the U.S. to wait out their cases. But there is a 2 million-case immigration court backlog, so cases often are not heard for years.The only lasting way to change the system is through Congress, but a bipartisan congressional effort on new immigration laws failed shortly before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-79475a4fc11e4375cd0dded651b9eede">Republicans took the House majority.</a>“The actions we’re announcing will make things better, but will not fix the border problem completely," Biden said, in pressing lawmakers to act.Under then-President Donald Trump, the U.S. required asylum seekers to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-immigration-government-and-politics-5c7bb29c829d7f0711b23f9beb18755d">wait across the border in Mexico</a>. But clogs in the immigration system created long delays, leading to fetid, dangerous camps over the border where migrants were forced to wait. That system was ended under Biden, and the migrants who are returned to Mexico under the new rules will not be eligible for asylum.Biden will also triple the number of refugees accepted to the U.S. from the Western Hemisphere, to 20,000 from Latin America and Caribbean, over the next two years. Refugees and asylum-seekers have to meet the same criteria to be allowed into the country, but they arrive through different means.Border officials are also creating an online appointment portal to help reduce wait times at U.S. ports of entry for those coming legally. It will allow people to set up an appointment to come and ask to be allowed into the country.At the U.S.-Mexico border, migrants have been denied a chance to seek asylum 2.5 million times since March 2020 under the Title 42 restrictions, introduced as an emergency health measure by Trump to prevent the spread of COVID-19. But there always has been criticism that the restrictions were used as a pretext by the Republican to seal off the border.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-covid-health-mexico-united-states-e9c70f098e0ec0ed7d2403f7cce4a30f">Biden moved to end the Title 42 restrictions</a>, and Republicans sued to keep them. The U.S. Supreme Court has kept the rules in place for now. White House officials say they still believe the restrictions should end, but they maintain they can continue to turn away migrants under immigration law.The four nationalities that Biden addressed Thursday now make up the majority of those crossing the border illegally. Cubans, who are leaving the island nation in their largest numbers in six decades, were stopped 34,675 times at the U.S. border with Mexico in November, up 21% from October. Nicaraguans, a large reason why El Paso has become the busiest corridor for illegal crossings, were stopped 34,209 times in November, up 65% from October.But Venezuelans were seen far less at the border after Mexico agreed on Oct. 12 to begin accepting those expelled from the United States. They were stopped 7,931 times, down 64% from October.Venezuelans have said the changes have been difficult, particularly with finding a sponsor who has the financial resources to demonstrate the ability to support them. And even if they find a sponsor, sometimes they delay their arrival because they don’t have the economic resources to pay for the flight to the U.S. For some, the Venezuelan passport that they need has expired, and they cannot afford to pay for the renewal.___Spagat reported from San Diego. Associated Press writers Rebecca Santana in Washington and Gisela Salomon in Miami contributed to this report.