By DAVID RISING and JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI &nbsp;Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar's ruling military said Saturday on state television that the confirmed death toll from a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake rose to 1,644, as more bodies were pulled from the rubble of the scores of buildings that collapsed when it struck near the country's second-largest city.

The new total is a sharp rise compared to the 1,002 total announced just hours earlier, underlining the difficulty of confirming casualties over a widespread region and the likelihood that the numbers will continue to grow from Friday's quake. The number of injured increased to 3,408, while the missing figure rose to 139.

Rescue efforts are underway especially in the major stricken cities of Mandalay, the country's No. 2 city, and Naypyitaw, the capital. But even though teams and equipment have been flown in from other nations, they are hindered by the airports in those cities being damaged and apparently unfit to land planes.

Myanmar, also known as Burma, is in the throes of a prolonged civil war, which is already responsible for a humanitarian crisis. It makes movement around the country both difficult and dangerous, complicating relief efforts and raising fears that the death toll could still rise precipitously.

The earthquake struck midday Friday with an epicenter not far from Mandalay, followed by several aftershocks, including one measuring 6.4. It sent buildings in many areas toppling to the ground, buckled roads, caused bridges to collapse and burst a dam.

In Naypyidaw, crews worked Saturday to repair damaged roads, while electricity, phone and internet services remained down for most of the city. The earthquake brought down many buildings, including multiple units that housed government civil servants, but that section of the city was blocked off by authorities on Saturday.

In neighboring Thailand, the quake rocked the greater Bangkok area, home to around 17 million people, and other parts of the country.

Bangkok city authorities said the number of confirmed dead was now 10, nine at the site of the collapsed high-rise under construction near the capital's popular Chatuchak market, while 78 people were still unaccounted for. Rescue efforrs were continuing in the hope of finding additional survivors.

On Saturday, more heavy equipment was brought in to move the tons of rubble, but hope was fading among friends and family members of the missing that they would be found alive.

"I was praying that that they had survived but when I got here and saw the ruin — where could they be? In which corner? Are they still alive? I am still praying that all six are alive," said 45-year-old Naruemol Thonglek, sobbing as she awaited news about her partner, who is from Myanmar, and five friends who worked at the site.

Waenphet Panta said she hadn't heard from her daughter Kanlayanee since a phone call about an hour before the quake. A friend told her Kanlayanee had been working high on the building on Friday.

"I am praying my daughter is safe, that she has survived and that she's at the hospital," she said, Kanlayanee's father sitting beside her.

Thai authorities said that the quake and aftershocks were felt in most of the country's provinces. Many places in the north reported damage to residential buildings, hospitals and temples, including in Chiang Mai, but the only casualties were reported in Bangkok

Earthquakes are rare in Bangkok, but relatively common in Myanmar. The country sits on the Sagaing Fault, a major north-south fault that separates the India plate and the Sunda plate.

Brian Baptie, a seismologist with the British Geological Survey, said that the quake caused intense ground shaking in an area where most of the population lives in buildings constructed of timber and unreinforced brick masonry.

"When you have a large earthquake in an area where there are over a million people, many of them living in vulnerable buildings, the consequences can often be disastrous," he said in a statement.

Myanmar's government said that blood was in high demand in the hardest-hit areas. In a country where prior governments sometimes have been slow to accept foreign aid, Min Aung Hlaing said that Myanmar was ready to accept outside assistance.

Myanmar's military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, and is now involved in a civil war with long-established militias and newly formed pro-democracy ones.

Military forces continued their attacks even after the quake, with three airstrikes in northern Kayin state, also called Karenni state, and southern Shan — both of which border Mandalay state, said Dave Eubank, a former U.S. Army Special Forces soldier who founded the Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian aid organization that has provided assistance to both combatants and civilians in Myanmar since the 1990s.

Eubank told The Associated Press that in the area he was operating in, most villages have already been destroyed by the military so the earthquake had little impact.

"People are in the jungle and I was out in the jungle when the earthquake hit — it was powerful, but the trees just moved, that was it for us, so we haven't had a direct impact other than that the Burma army keeps attacking, even after the quake," he said.

In northern Shan, an airstrike on a rebel-controlled village just minutes after the earthquake killed seven militia members and damaged five buildings, including a school, Mai Rukow, editor of a Shan-based online media Shwe Phee Myay News Agency, told the AP.

Government forces have lost control of much of Myanmar, and many places are incredibly dangerous or simply impossible for aid groups to reach. More than 3 million people have been displaced by the fighting and nearly 20 million are in need, according to the United Nations.

"Although a full picture of the damage is still emerging, most of us have never seen such destruction," said Haider Yaqub, Myanmar country director for the NGO Plan International, from Yangon.

Control tower at Myanmar airport collapsed

Satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by the AP show the earthquake toppled the air traffic control tower at Naypyitaw International Airport as if sheered from its base.

Debris lay scattered from the top of the tower, which controlled all air traffic in the capital of Myanmar, the photos showed on Saturday.

It wasn't immediately clear if there had been any injuries in the collapse, though the tower would have had staff inside of it at the time of the earthquake Friday.

China and Russia are the largest suppliers of weapons to Myanmar's military, and were among the first to step in with humanitarian aid.

China said it has sent more than 135 rescue personnel and experts along with supplies like medical kits and generators, and pledged around $13.8 million in emergency aid. Hong Kong sent a 51-member team to Myanmar.

Russia's Emergencies Ministry said it had flown in 120 rescuers and supplies, and the country's Health Ministry said Moscow had sent a medical team to Myanmar.

Other countries like India and South Korea are sending help, and the U.N. allocated $5 million to start relief efforts.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that Washington was going to help with the response, but some experts were concerned about this effort given his administration's deep cuts in foreign assistance.

Jerry Harmer and Grant Peck in Bangkok, Simina Mistreanu in Taipei, Tong-hyung Kim in Seoul, South Korea, and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743174433121.jpeg" alt="Rescuers work at the site a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)" />
 <figcaption>Rescuers work at the site a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID RISING and JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI &nbsp;Associated PressBANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar's ruling military said Saturday on state television that the confirmed death toll from a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake rose to 1,644, as more bodies were pulled from the rubble of the scores of buildings that collapsed when it struck near the country's second-largest city.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">A powerful earthquake rocked Myanmar and neighboring Thailand on Friday, killing at least three people in Bangkok and burying dozens when a high-rise building under construction collapsed. <a href="https://t.co/wOb65quagE">pic.twitter.com/wOb65quagE</a>&mdash; The Associated Press (@AP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AP/status/1905635759484198924?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The new total is a sharp rise compared to the 1,002 total announced just hours earlier, underlining the difficulty of confirming casualties over a widespread region and the likelihood that the numbers will continue to grow from Friday's quake. The number of injured increased to 3,408, while the missing figure rose to 139.Rescue efforts are underway especially in the major stricken cities of Mandalay, the country's No. 2 city, and Naypyitaw, the capital. But even though teams and equipment have been flown in from other nations, they are hindered by the airports in those cities being damaged and apparently unfit to land planes.Myanmar, also known as Burma, is in the throes of a prolonged civil war, which is already responsible for a humanitarian crisis. It makes movement around the country both difficult and dangerous, complicating relief efforts and raising fears that the death toll could still rise precipitously.The earthquake struck midday Friday with an epicenter not far from Mandalay, followed by several aftershocks, including one measuring 6.4. It sent buildings in many areas toppling to the ground, buckled roads, caused bridges to collapse and burst a dam.In Naypyidaw, crews worked Saturday to repair damaged roads, while electricity, phone and internet services remained down for most of the city. The earthquake brought down many buildings, including multiple units that housed government civil servants, but that section of the city was blocked off by authorities on Saturday.More damage in ThailandIn neighboring Thailand, the quake rocked the greater Bangkok area, home to around 17 million people, and other parts of the country.Bangkok city authorities said the number of confirmed dead was now 10, nine at the site of the collapsed high-rise under construction near the capital's popular Chatuchak market, while 78 people were still unaccounted for. Rescue efforrs were continuing in the hope of finding additional survivors.On Saturday, more heavy equipment was brought in to move the tons of rubble, but hope was fading among friends and family members of the missing that they would be found alive."I was praying that that they had survived but when I got here and saw the ruin — where could they be? In which corner? Are they still alive? I am still praying that all six are alive," said 45-year-old Naruemol Thonglek, sobbing as she awaited news about her partner, who is from Myanmar, and five friends who worked at the site.Waenphet Panta said she hadn't heard from her daughter Kanlayanee since a phone call about an hour before the quake. A friend told her Kanlayanee had been working high on the building on Friday."I am praying my daughter is safe, that she has survived and that she's at the hospital," she said, Kanlayanee's father sitting beside her.Thai authorities said that the quake and aftershocks were felt in most of the country's provinces. Many places in the north reported damage to residential buildings, hospitals and temples, including in Chiang Mai, but the only casualties were reported in BangkokMyanmar sits on a major fault lineEarthquakes are rare in Bangkok, but relatively common in Myanmar. The country sits on the Sagaing Fault, a major north-south fault that separates the India plate and the Sunda plate.Brian Baptie, a seismologist with the British Geological Survey, said that the quake caused intense ground shaking in an area where most of the population lives in buildings constructed of timber and unreinforced brick masonry."When you have a large earthquake in an area where there are over a million people, many of them living in vulnerable buildings, the consequences can often be disastrous," he said in a statement.A natural disaster on top of a civil warMyanmar's government said that blood was in high demand in the hardest-hit areas. In a country where prior governments sometimes have been slow to accept foreign aid, Min Aung Hlaing said that Myanmar was ready to accept outside assistance.Myanmar's military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, and is now involved in a civil war with long-established militias and newly formed pro-democracy ones.Military forces continued their attacks even after the quake, with three airstrikes in northern Kayin state, also called Karenni state, and southern Shan — both of which border Mandalay state, said Dave Eubank, a former U.S. Army Special Forces soldier who founded the Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian aid organization that has provided assistance to both combatants and civilians in Myanmar since the 1990s.Eubank told The Associated Press that in the area he was operating in, most villages have already been destroyed by the military so the earthquake had little impact."People are in the jungle and I was out in the jungle when the earthquake hit — it was powerful, but the trees just moved, that was it for us, so we haven't had a direct impact other than that the Burma army keeps attacking, even after the quake," he said.In northern Shan, an airstrike on a rebel-controlled village just minutes after the earthquake killed seven militia members and damaged five buildings, including a school, Mai Rukow, editor of a Shan-based online media Shwe Phee Myay News Agency, told the AP.Government forces have lost control of much of Myanmar, and many places are incredibly dangerous or simply impossible for aid groups to reach. More than 3 million people have been displaced by the fighting and nearly 20 million are in need, according to the United Nations."Although a full picture of the damage is still emerging, most of us have never seen such destruction," said Haider Yaqub, Myanmar country director for the NGO Plan International, from Yangon.Control tower at Myanmar airport collapsedSatellite photos from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by the AP show the earthquake toppled the air traffic control tower at Naypyitaw International Airport as if sheered from its base.Debris lay scattered from the top of the tower, which controlled all air traffic in the capital of Myanmar, the photos showed on Saturday.It wasn't immediately clear if there had been any injuries in the collapse, though the tower would have had staff inside of it at the time of the earthquake Friday.Rescue groups head to MyanmarChina and Russia are the largest suppliers of weapons to Myanmar's military, and were among the first to step in with humanitarian aid.China said it has sent more than 135 rescue personnel and experts along with supplies like medical kits and generators, and pledged around $13.8 million in emergency aid. Hong Kong sent a 51-member team to Myanmar.Russia's Emergencies Ministry said it had flown in 120 rescuers and supplies, and the country's Health Ministry said Moscow had sent a medical team to Myanmar.Other countries like India and South Korea are sending help, and the U.N. allocated $5 million to start relief efforts.U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that Washington was going to help with the response, but some experts were concerned about this effort given his administration's deep cuts in foreign assistance.___Jerry Harmer and Grant Peck in Bangkok, Simina Mistreanu in Taipei, Tong-hyung Kim in Seoul, South Korea, and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.

Hundreds dead from massive quake in Myanmar and Thailand

WASHINGTON (AP) — Major anti-abortion groups gathered in the nation's capital on Thursday to begin a lobbying effort with Congress and President Donald Trump's administration aimed at eliminating funding for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/planned-parenthood">Planned Parenthood</a>, with some calling on Elon Musk to make the organization one of his cost-cutting targets.

The anti-abortion groups are taking aim at abortion providers under an initiative called Defund Planned Parenthood, which targets federal Medicaid funding for the reproductive health care provider. More than 150 of the groups signed a letter Wednesday urging Congress to cut Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood and other health care centers that provide abortions through the budget reconciliation process.

“Today is a historic moment where the pro-life movement stands united behind one message: Defund Planned Parenthood,” said Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life, as she kicked off the rally in view of the U.S. Capitol.

She called on Trump and other Republicans to “defund your political enemies,” adding that the abortion lobby has long targeted Republicans.

<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-presidential-election-90e629ff016a4e3d98e7be9c149f5c73">The federal Hyde Amendment</a>&nbsp;already restricts government funding for most abortions, and less than 5% of the services Planned Parenthood provides are abortions, according to the organization’s 2023 annual report.

Vicki Ringer, Planned Parenthood’s South Carolina director of public affairs, said claims that Planned Parenthood uses Medicaid funding for abortion is “an attempt to mislead the public” and emphasized Planned Parenthood’s role in providing broader reproductive health care.

“We should be expanding health care to low-income people rather than trying to kick off these people who rely on us for health care,” Ringer said.

Planned Parenthood provides a wide range of services besides abortion. Its most recent annual report shows that contraceptive services and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections make up the vast majority of its medical care. It also performs more cancer screening and prevention procedures than abortions, according to the report.

Rachel Rebouche, dean of Temple University's Beasley School of Law, said the Defund Planned Parenthood movement has been building for 10 years but has gained momentum as the anti-abortion movement has been emboldened by Trump’s presidential victory and by Republicans winning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republicans-house-elections-e3754a684a7b96b129841d4b207c15e9">control of Congress</a>&nbsp;in November.

“We’re seeing more enthusiasm in states like South Carolina and others to close down Planned Parenthood under the banner of stopping abortions, which their laws already do," she said.

Tina Whittington, executive vice president at Students for Life, said she was confident that Trump would consider cutting Planned Parenthood’s Medicaid funding and that Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency could be just the tool for doing it.

“I’m more confident because we’re in an era where DOGE’s actions are targeting waste, fraud and abuse,” she said. “And this is a great way to do that.”

The Supreme Court announced it will hear a case involving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-planned-parenthood-abortion-63c051a7f3c75b1af53805239a044014">South Carolina's attempt to strip Medicaid funding</a>&nbsp;for Planned Parenthood. Experts say the lawsuit could prompt similar efforts in conservative states across the country to chip away at the organization's funding.

During a 2015 push to strip Planned Parenthood funding, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that doing so would cost the government $130 million over 10 years.

Meanwhile, lawmakers in at least three states — Missouri, Ohio and South Carolina — have introduced bills this year aiming to create&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-business-health-nashville-personal-taxes-fffa6f6f86e6eaa448b8ea89087a1c46">tax breaks for anti-abortion centers</a>.

The strategies come during a time when abortion rights advocates are warning that Trump and his Cabinet hold significant power to restrict access to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medical-abortion-pill-challenge-d7ef9bb29b8720e51b0b103f59c862d2">medication abortion</a>&nbsp;nationwide.

Rather than immediately heeding calls from anti-abortion allies to restrict Medicaid funding for clinics that provide abortions, Trump has made quieter moves after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-abortion-election-2024-ivf-contraception-d91f0959087e803db390be11eb60975b">waffling on the issue</a>&nbsp;on the campaign trail.

He reinstated a policy that requires foreign nongovernmental agencies to certify that they don’t provide or promote abortion if they receive U.S. aid for family planning. He also pardoned several anti-abortion activists who had been convicted of blockading abortion clinics and used wording related to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/embryos-ivf-abortion-personhood-laws-ffe4f4d326469a97fef999254ca86eea">fetal personhood</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-sex-gender-transgender-dei-order-245350b97e0c4dcc221fefc49ef44699">an executive order</a>&nbsp;rolling back protections for transgender people.

The Republican president has appointed abortion opponents to some key Cabinet positions that could affect the availability of medication abortion and contraception, Medicaid coverage for family planning services, collection of abortion-related data and abortion access for troops and veterans. In a pre-recorded message to the thousands who attended&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-for-life-dc-antiabortion-trump-8a73085aba98bc7bc9c641860b49ef7b">the March for Life</a>&nbsp;in January, Trump said he proudly stood for families and for life.

Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville said during Thursday's rally that he “truly believes President Trump is the most pro-life president in history.”

“Absolutely zero taxpayer dollars should be going to abortion,” he said. “… And I know President Trump agrees.”

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA Pro-Life America, said Republican control of the White House and Congress represents a unique opportunity to push for legislation targeting Planned Parenthood.

"I believe this is the moment they will be defunded, and this is the blow that will bring them down,” she said.

Advocates on either side of the abortion debate are waiting to see if Trump's Department of Justice will revive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/comstock-act-abortion-pills-dbf61e25f6f23cd3772c597dd6d4e337">the Comstock Act</a>, a 19th-century obscenity law, to restrict the mailing of medication abortion or other materials used for abortions. Attorney General Pam Bondi has a history of defending abortion restrictions, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pam-bondi-justice-department-trump-confirmation-7a37ef0b42964f9476776559379f48bd">her confirmation</a>&nbsp;was celebrated by abortion opponents.

At the Thursday rally, some passers-by shouted support for Planned Parenthood, saying the organization saves lives.

Haven Wright, an 83-year-old retired entrepreneur visiting Washington to see the National Museum of African American History and Culture, happened upon the rally and noted that Planned Parenthood also provided health care for underserved communities.

“They are the main doctors for many, many poor women,” she said. “They are their main resource for all kinds of reproductive health care.”

Wright said she had two abortions while in her 20s, once while she had an IUD and another time after she was raped. She said she was grateful she had the “agency to get the care I needed.”

“Women," she said, “deserve a choice.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743106633362.png" alt="Image Students for Life" />
 <figcaption>Image Students for Life</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Major anti-abortion groups gathered in the nation's capital on Thursday to begin a lobbying effort with Congress and President Donald Trump's administration aimed at eliminating funding for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/planned-parenthood">Planned Parenthood</a>, with some calling on Elon Musk to make the organization one of his cost-cutting targets.The anti-abortion groups are taking aim at abortion providers under an initiative called Defund Planned Parenthood, which targets federal Medicaid funding for the reproductive health care provider. More than 150 of the groups signed a letter Wednesday urging Congress to cut Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood and other health care centers that provide abortions through the budget reconciliation process.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743106598214.png" alt="Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, and Alabama U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville during a rally March 27 in Washington" />
 <figcaption>Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, and Alabama U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville during a rally March 27 in Washington</figcaption>
 </figure>“Today is a historic moment where the pro-life movement stands united behind one message: Defund Planned Parenthood,” said Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life, as she kicked off the rally in view of the U.S. Capitol.She called on Trump and other Republicans to “defund your political enemies,” adding that the abortion lobby has long targeted Republicans.<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-presidential-election-90e629ff016a4e3d98e7be9c149f5c73">The federal Hyde Amendment</a>&nbsp;already restricts government funding for most abortions, and less than 5% of the services Planned Parenthood provides are abortions, according to the organization’s 2023 annual report.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A child’s right to Life should not depend on their zip code. <a href="https://t.co/lYertwWY12">pic.twitter.com/lYertwWY12</a>&mdash; Students for Life of America | Pro-Life Gen (@StudentsforLife) <a href="https://twitter.com/StudentsforLife/status/1905654902728106133?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Vicki Ringer, Planned Parenthood’s South Carolina director of public affairs, said claims that Planned Parenthood uses Medicaid funding for abortion is “an attempt to mislead the public” and emphasized Planned Parenthood’s role in providing broader reproductive health care.“We should be expanding health care to low-income people rather than trying to kick off these people who rely on us for health care,” Ringer said.Planned Parenthood provides a wide range of services besides abortion. Its most recent annual report shows that contraceptive services and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections make up the vast majority of its medical care. It also performs more cancer screening and prevention procedures than abortions, according to the report.Rachel Rebouche, dean of Temple University's Beasley School of Law, said the Defund Planned Parenthood movement has been building for 10 years but has gained momentum as the anti-abortion movement has been emboldened by Trump’s presidential victory and by Republicans winning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republicans-house-elections-e3754a684a7b96b129841d4b207c15e9">control of Congress</a>&nbsp;in November.“We’re seeing more enthusiasm in states like South Carolina and others to close down Planned Parenthood under the banner of stopping abortions, which their laws already do," she said.Tina Whittington, executive vice president at Students for Life, said she was confident that Trump would consider cutting Planned Parenthood’s Medicaid funding and that Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency could be just the tool for doing it.“I’m more confident because we’re in an era where DOGE’s actions are targeting waste, fraud and abuse,” she said. “And this is a great way to do that.”The Supreme Court announced it will hear a case involving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-planned-parenthood-abortion-63c051a7f3c75b1af53805239a044014">South Carolina's attempt to strip Medicaid funding</a>&nbsp;for Planned Parenthood. Experts say the lawsuit could prompt similar efforts in conservative states across the country to chip away at the organization's funding.During a 2015 push to strip Planned Parenthood funding, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that doing so would cost the government $130 million over 10 years.Meanwhile, lawmakers in at least three states — Missouri, Ohio and South Carolina — have introduced bills this year aiming to create&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-business-health-nashville-personal-taxes-fffa6f6f86e6eaa448b8ea89087a1c46">tax breaks for anti-abortion centers</a>.The strategies come during a time when abortion rights advocates are warning that Trump and his Cabinet hold significant power to restrict access to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medical-abortion-pill-challenge-d7ef9bb29b8720e51b0b103f59c862d2">medication abortion</a>&nbsp;nationwide.Rather than immediately heeding calls from anti-abortion allies to restrict Medicaid funding for clinics that provide abortions, Trump has made quieter moves after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-abortion-election-2024-ivf-contraception-d91f0959087e803db390be11eb60975b">waffling on the issue</a>&nbsp;on the campaign trail.He reinstated a policy that requires foreign nongovernmental agencies to certify that they don’t provide or promote abortion if they receive U.S. aid for family planning. He also pardoned several anti-abortion activists who had been convicted of blockading abortion clinics and used wording related to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/embryos-ivf-abortion-personhood-laws-ffe4f4d326469a97fef999254ca86eea">fetal personhood</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-sex-gender-transgender-dei-order-245350b97e0c4dcc221fefc49ef44699">an executive order</a>&nbsp;rolling back protections for transgender people.The Republican president has appointed abortion opponents to some key Cabinet positions that could affect the availability of medication abortion and contraception, Medicaid coverage for family planning services, collection of abortion-related data and abortion access for troops and veterans. In a pre-recorded message to the thousands who attended&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-for-life-dc-antiabortion-trump-8a73085aba98bc7bc9c641860b49ef7b">the March for Life</a>&nbsp;in January, Trump said he proudly stood for families and for life.Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville said during Thursday's rally that he “truly believes President Trump is the most pro-life president in history.”“Absolutely zero taxpayer dollars should be going to abortion,” he said. “… And I know President Trump agrees.”Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA Pro-Life America, said Republican control of the White House and Congress represents a unique opportunity to push for legislation targeting Planned Parenthood."I believe this is the moment they will be defunded, and this is the blow that will bring them down,” she said.Advocates on either side of the abortion debate are waiting to see if Trump's Department of Justice will revive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/comstock-act-abortion-pills-dbf61e25f6f23cd3772c597dd6d4e337">the Comstock Act</a>, a 19th-century obscenity law, to restrict the mailing of medication abortion or other materials used for abortions. Attorney General Pam Bondi has a history of defending abortion restrictions, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pam-bondi-justice-department-trump-confirmation-7a37ef0b42964f9476776559379f48bd">her confirmation</a>&nbsp;was celebrated by abortion opponents.At the Thursday rally, some passers-by shouted support for Planned Parenthood, saying the organization saves lives.Haven Wright, an 83-year-old retired entrepreneur visiting Washington to see the National Museum of African American History and Culture, happened upon the rally and noted that Planned Parenthood also provided health care for underserved communities.“They are the main doctors for many, many poor women,” she said. “They are their main resource for all kinds of reproductive health care.”Wright said she had two abortions while in her 20s, once while she had an IUD and another time after she was raped. She said she was grateful she had the “agency to get the care I needed.”“Women," she said, “deserve a choice.”

Anti-abortion groups rally in DC to end Planned Parenthood funding

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Two tax bills will head to the Kansas governor’s desk after clearing the Senate Thursday, but Republicans and Democrats differed on whether the tax relief made good on their campaign promises to Kansans.&nbsp;

Senate Democrats condemned the legislation in back-to-back debates as lawmakers worked into the night to finalize the remaining legislation of the 2025 regular session.

The Democrats spoke of broken promises as the chamber considered&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb35/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 35</a>, which cuts state property taxes, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb269/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 269</a>, which reduces income tax rates.&nbsp;

The House advanced SB 35 bill Wednesday in a 96-26 vote. It passed the Senate unanimously, despite criticism from Democrats, in a 40-0 vote.

The bill eliminates the statewide levy of 1 mills for the state education building fund and the .5 mills levy for the state institution building fund.&nbsp;

“Promises, promises, promises,” said Topeka Democrat Sen. Patrick Schmidt. “And this is what we’re going to get. One-and-a-half mills.”

“Kansans, you get scraps from this majority,” Schmidt added, referring to Republicans.

State General Fund dollars would replace the lost revenue from eliminated tax collections. In fiscal year 2027, which begins June 2026, the state education building fund would receive about $56 million and the institutional building fund would receive about $25 million from the State General Fund.

Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican who presented the property tax relief bill, said she was proud of the work the Senate had done in attempting to limit taxable property values, among other tax break measures.

“We can go home and hold our heads high (knowing) that we worked for our constituents,” she said.

SB 269 is designed to reduce the individual and corporate income tax rates to 4% and bank rates could drop as low as 2.6%. However, the cuts are contingent on maintaining the state’s budget stabilization fund.&nbsp;

House lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/26/kansas-house-passes-bill-to-trigger-income-tax-cuts-as-long-as-state-has-surplus-funds/">advanced the bill Wednesday</a>&nbsp;in an 84-38 vote after debate from only Democrats. The Senate approved it in a 30-10 vote, with Republican Sen. Rick Billinger of Goodland joining Democrats in opposition.&nbsp;

Tyson characterized the bill as a way to combat “out-of-control” government spending, although she acknowledged that taxpayers won’t immediately see its impact.

“Instead of continuing to grow government and feed the beast, we’re going to reign that growth in by creating a step-down,” she said.

The changes would go into effect in 2025, and taxpayers could see effects if the State General Fund revenue exceeds the previous fiscal year’s revenue, adjusted for inflation.&nbsp;

The budget director would make that determination by Aug. 15, and the secretary of revenue would calculate tax rate reductions starting with individual income taxes.

Once individual rates in both the lower and higher tax brackets reach 4%, rate reductions for corporations and financial institutions would be triggered. Reductions would continue until the combined rate for corporations reaches 4%, the combined rate for banks reaches 2.6% and the combined rate for other financial institutions reaches 2.62%.

Sen. Ethan Corson, a Fairway Democrat, pushed the point that taxpayers won’t see immediate relief.

In response, Tyson listed a number of income tax reductions, praising the Legislature’s work in recent years. She then turned to Democrats.

“You can’t stand in one breath and say it’s not tax cuts and then in the second breath say ‘Oh, we’re going to lose $260 million of school funding,’ ” Tyson said. “You can’t have it both ways, guys. It’s either tax cuts, or it’s not.”

Corson said that Kansans have been “crying out” for property tax relief. Last year, during the special session, lawmakers passed income tax relief, and then legislators underwent election season campaigning on delivering property tax relief this session, Corson said.

“Well, here we are … on day 74 of the legislative session, and the only property tax relief we delivered is a measly one-and-a-half mills,” he said. “I was frankly surprised, Mr. President, that the majority party was able to even put that bill on the floor with a straight face.”

Harking back to SB 35, he said under the proposal, owners of a $150,000 home would save $25.88, and owners of a $230,000 home would save $39.68.

“You know, as my grandpa used to say, ‘Don’t spend it all in one place,’ ” Corson said.&nbsp;

He compared the Legislature to Charlie Brown’s Lucy with a football.

“We keep promising property tax relief for Kansans, and then we yank it away,” he said.&nbsp;

“Oh my gosh,” she said. “Turn down your W-I-F-M station: What’s In it For Me. This is for the taxpayers. This is for us stopping government growth. This is absolutely needed.”

The Senate adjourned around 9:40 p.m. and will not meet again until the veto session begins April 10.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743163246709.png" alt=" Fairway Democrat Sen. Ethan Corson, shown here on March 26, 2025, rebuked Republicans’ “measly” efforts to reduce property taxes. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Fairway Democrat Sen. Ethan Corson, shown here on March 26, 2025, rebuked Republicans’ “measly” efforts to reduce property taxes. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Two tax bills will head to the Kansas governor’s desk after clearing the Senate Thursday, but Republicans and Democrats differed on whether the tax relief made good on their campaign promises to Kansans.&nbsp;Senate Democrats condemned the legislation in back-to-back debates as lawmakers worked into the night to finalize the remaining legislation of the 2025 regular session.The Democrats spoke of broken promises as the chamber considered&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb35/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 35</a>, which cuts state property taxes, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb269/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 269</a>, which reduces income tax rates.&nbsp;The House advanced SB 35 bill Wednesday in a 96-26 vote. It passed the Senate unanimously, despite criticism from Democrats, in a 40-0 vote.The bill eliminates the statewide levy of 1 mills for the state education building fund and the .5 mills levy for the state institution building fund.&nbsp;“Promises, promises, promises,” said Topeka Democrat Sen. Patrick Schmidt. “And this is what we’re going to get. One-and-a-half mills.”“Kansans, you get scraps from this majority,” Schmidt added, referring to Republicans.State General Fund dollars would replace the lost revenue from eliminated tax collections. In fiscal year 2027, which begins June 2026, the state education building fund would receive about $56 million and the institutional building fund would receive about $25 million from the State General Fund.Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican who presented the property tax relief bill, said she was proud of the work the Senate had done in attempting to limit taxable property values, among other tax break measures.“We can go home and hold our heads high (knowing) that we worked for our constituents,” she said.SB 269 is designed to reduce the individual and corporate income tax rates to 4% and bank rates could drop as low as 2.6%. However, the cuts are contingent on maintaining the state’s budget stabilization fund.&nbsp;House lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/26/kansas-house-passes-bill-to-trigger-income-tax-cuts-as-long-as-state-has-surplus-funds/">advanced the bill Wednesday</a>&nbsp;in an 84-38 vote after debate from only Democrats. The Senate approved it in a 30-10 vote, with Republican Sen. Rick Billinger of Goodland joining Democrats in opposition.&nbsp;Tyson characterized the bill as a way to combat “out-of-control” government spending, although she acknowledged that taxpayers won’t immediately see its impact.“Instead of continuing to grow government and feed the beast, we’re going to reign that growth in by creating a step-down,” she said.The changes would go into effect in 2025, and taxpayers could see effects if the State General Fund revenue exceeds the previous fiscal year’s revenue, adjusted for inflation.&nbsp;The budget director would make that determination by Aug. 15, and the secretary of revenue would calculate tax rate reductions starting with individual income taxes.Once individual rates in both the lower and higher tax brackets reach 4%, rate reductions for corporations and financial institutions would be triggered. Reductions would continue until the combined rate for corporations reaches 4%, the combined rate for banks reaches 2.6% and the combined rate for other financial institutions reaches 2.62%.Sen. Ethan Corson, a Fairway Democrat, pushed the point that taxpayers won’t see immediate relief.In response, Tyson listed a number of income tax reductions, praising the Legislature’s work in recent years. She then turned to Democrats.“You can’t stand in one breath and say it’s not tax cuts and then in the second breath say ‘Oh, we’re going to lose $260 million of school funding,’ ” Tyson said. “You can’t have it both ways, guys. It’s either tax cuts, or it’s not.”Corson said that Kansans have been “crying out” for property tax relief. Last year, during the special session, lawmakers passed income tax relief, and then legislators underwent election season campaigning on delivering property tax relief this session, Corson said.“Well, here we are … on day 74 of the legislative session, and the only property tax relief we delivered is a measly one-and-a-half mills,” he said. “I was frankly surprised, Mr. President, that the majority party was able to even put that bill on the floor with a straight face.”Harking back to SB 35, he said under the proposal, owners of a $150,000 home would save $25.88, and owners of a $230,000 home would save $39.68.“You know, as my grandpa used to say, ‘Don’t spend it all in one place,’ ” Corson said.&nbsp;He compared the Legislature to Charlie Brown’s Lucy with a football.“We keep promising property tax relief for Kansans, and then we yank it away,” he said.&nbsp;Tyson pushed back.&nbsp;“Oh my gosh,” she said. “Turn down your W-I-F-M station: What’s In it For Me. This is for the taxpayers. This is for us stopping government growth. This is absolutely needed.”The Senate adjourned around 9:40 p.m. and will not meet again until the veto session begins April 10.

Kan. Legislature passes tax relief with talk of broken promises and out-of-control spending

South Hutchinson, Kansas: Mennonite Friendship Communities announced today a renovation project with Ward Davis Builders. Renovation begins April 2025 and will be completed mid-summer.

“We are excited to begin our first phase of renovation at MFC! Through the caring and generosity of our friends and families, this begins our campus-wide effort to update and modernize the home of our residents. We are humbled by all who continue to be interested in the services and successes of Mennonite Friendship Communities. (Dawn Veh, Executive Director)

“Ward Davis Builders are pleased to partner with MFC on this renovation. The South entrance may now merely be an employee entrance, but it is the first-place people see when they drive into MFC. The project will run about four months. There will be some design work and a few special-order items, so we will start mid-to-late April.” (Ward Davis)

Updated Structure – This entrance has been in place for nearly 50 years and shows an incredible amount of wear. The support columns and framework have experienced significant moisture damage, peeling paint, warping, and cracking, leading to a poor first impression.

Modern Appearance – This entryway is one of the most important features of our MFC Healthcare location and is the first thing that our residents and families see when they arrive on campus. In addition to functional improvements (lighting, flooring, improved flow), this updated space sets the tone for the great care that happens within.

Energy Efficiency – This renovation offers significant benefits with the updated structure, window treatments, and lighting, leading to lower utility bills and long-term cost savings.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742953971746.jpeg" alt="Mennonite Friendship Communities" />
 <figcaption>Mennonite Friendship Communities</figcaption>
 </figure>South Hutchinson, Kansas: Mennonite Friendship Communities announced today a renovation project with Ward Davis Builders. Renovation begins April 2025 and will be completed mid-summer.“We are excited to begin our first phase of renovation at MFC! Through the caring and generosity of our friends and families, this begins our campus-wide effort to update and modernize the home of our residents. We are humbled by all who continue to be interested in the services and successes of Mennonite Friendship Communities. (Dawn Veh, Executive Director)“Ward Davis Builders are pleased to partner with MFC on this renovation. The South entrance may now merely be an employee entrance, but it is the first-place people see when they drive into MFC. The project will run about four months. There will be some design work and a few special-order items, so we will start mid-to-late April.” (Ward Davis)The benefits of this renovation include:Updated Structure – This entrance has been in place for nearly 50 years and shows an incredible amount of wear. The support columns and framework have experienced significant moisture damage, peeling paint, warping, and cracking, leading to a poor first impression.Modern Appearance – This entryway is one of the most important features of our MFC Healthcare location and is the first thing that our residents and families see when they arrive on campus. In addition to functional improvements (lighting, flooring, improved flow), this updated space sets the tone for the great care that happens within.Energy Efficiency – This renovation offers significant benefits with the updated structure, window treatments, and lighting, leading to lower utility bills and long-term cost savings.

Mennonite Friendship Communities to begin entryway renovation

TOPEKA — Personal and corporate income taxes could see major breaks under Republican-led legislation that advanced Wednesday out of the Kansas House, but Democrats warned of repeating past mistakes.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/SB269/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 269</a>, also known as “the income tax trigger bill,” would reduce the individual and corporate income tax rates to as low as 4%. Bank rates could drop as low as 2.6%. However, the cuts are contingent on maintaining the state’s budget stabilization fund, also known as the rainy day fund.

House lawmakers advanced the bill Wednesday mostly along party lines in an 84-38 vote. The Senate still needs to give its stamp of approval in the two remaining days of the regular session.&nbsp;

No Republicans defended the bill, but Democrats called it “a ratchet” and “dangerous.”&nbsp;

Rep. Stephanie Sawyer Clayton, an Overland Park Democrat, argued the House was the final stopgap between “what is fairly dangerous tax policy” and constituents.&nbsp;

The cuts can only go into effect if the state budget stabilization fund maintains a 15% balance. Right now, the fund sits at around an 18% balance, or $1.75 billion.

Anytime the amount of state income tax collected exceeds the 15% balance threshold, as determined by the state budget director, an income tax rate “buydown” would be triggered under the law, Smith said. Legislative staff couldn’t estimate the exact financial impact of such a policy change.

The changes would go into effect in 2025. The budget director would determine by Aug. 15 whether the most recent fiscal year’s total State General Fund tax receipts exceeded the previous fiscal year’s amount, adjusted for inflation.&nbsp;

State personal income tax rates currently range from 5.2% to 5.58%, according to the Kansas Department of Revenue. Corporations solely in Kansas are taxed at 4% of their net income plus a 3% surtax on income above $50,000. Corporations with income in Kansas and outside of it are subject to rates based on sales, property and payroll.

Under SB 269, if receipts are greater than the previous year’s inflation-adjusted amount, the director of the secretary of revenue would calculate tax rate reductions, starting with individual income taxes.

Once individual rates in both the lower and higher tax brackets reach 4%, rate reductions for corporations and financial institutions would be triggered.

Reductions would continue until the combined rate for corporations reaches 4%, the combined rate for banks reaches 2.6% and the combined rate for other financial institutions reaches 2.62%.

Rep. Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, said the cuts put the state in a difficult situation. He said the policy takes all of the state’s excess income tax revenue and transforms it into a flat income tax, leaving no additional revenue to provide property tax relief.

“I have a problem with the whole ratchet situation,” Sawyer said.&nbsp;

He added that special education funding hasn’t been at its statutorily mandated level since 2010, and achieving full funding will be “very difficult” under the proposed cuts.

When — not if — a recession hits, Sawyer said, the hole left behind by income tax reductions will be much more difficult to fill.

“Those of us who were here in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 that had to deal with (trying) to dig ourselves out of a deep hole in the budget know what that’s like,” he said.

The cuts are reminiscent of former Gov. Sam Brownback’s tax experiment that gave hundreds of millions in tax cuts to corporations and “bankrupted” the state, Rep. Jerry Stogsdill, a Prairie Village Democrat, told Kansas Reflector. However, Brownback’s cuts were not contingent on the state’s surplus tax revenues.

Democrats also have challenged whether Republicans are going to be able to muster meaningful property tax relief legislation, a campaign-trail promise from both parties.

One of those property tax relief efforts passed the House before the income tax bill.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb35/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 35</a>&nbsp;eliminates the statewide levy of 1 mills for the state education building fund and the .5 mills levy for the state institution building fund.&nbsp;

If implemented, the gap left behind in those two funds would be replaced with State General Fund dollars. In fiscal year 2027, which begins June 2026, the state education building fund would receive about $56 million and the institutional building fund would receive about $25 million from the State General Fund.

SB 296 originally had to do with pending tax appeals fees, but during negotiations, the House inserted the contents of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2318/" target="_blank">House Bill 2318</a>, which contained the cuts.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743112903407.png" alt="Rep. Stephanie Clayton, an Overland Park Democrat, and Rep. Jerry Stogsdill, a Prairie Village Democrat, appear during a March 24, 2025, session of the House. On Wednesday, they voiced concerns with a plan to automatically lower income tax rates based on surplus funds. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Stephanie Clayton, an Overland Park Democrat, and Rep. Jerry Stogsdill, a Prairie Village Democrat, appear during a March 24, 2025, session of the House. On Wednesday, they voiced concerns with a plan to automatically lower income tax rates based on surplus funds. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Personal and corporate income taxes could see major breaks under Republican-led legislation that advanced Wednesday out of the Kansas House, but Democrats warned of repeating past mistakes.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/SB269/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 269</a>, also known as “the income tax trigger bill,” would reduce the individual and corporate income tax rates to as low as 4%. Bank rates could drop as low as 2.6%. However, the cuts are contingent on maintaining the state’s budget stabilization fund, also known as the rainy day fund.House lawmakers advanced the bill Wednesday mostly along party lines in an 84-38 vote. The Senate still needs to give its stamp of approval in the two remaining days of the regular session.&nbsp;No Republicans defended the bill, but Democrats called it “a ratchet” and “dangerous.”&nbsp;Rep. Stephanie Sawyer Clayton, an Overland Park Democrat, argued the House was the final stopgap between “what is fairly dangerous tax policy” and constituents.&nbsp;The cuts can only go into effect if the state budget stabilization fund maintains a 15% balance. Right now, the fund sits at around an 18% balance, or $1.75 billion.Anytime the amount of state income tax collected exceeds the 15% balance threshold, as determined by the state budget director, an income tax rate “buydown” would be triggered under the law, Smith said. Legislative staff couldn’t estimate the exact financial impact of such a policy change.The changes would go into effect in 2025. The budget director would determine by Aug. 15 whether the most recent fiscal year’s total State General Fund tax receipts exceeded the previous fiscal year’s amount, adjusted for inflation.&nbsp;State personal income tax rates currently range from 5.2% to 5.58%, according to the Kansas Department of Revenue. Corporations solely in Kansas are taxed at 4% of their net income plus a 3% surtax on income above $50,000. Corporations with income in Kansas and outside of it are subject to rates based on sales, property and payroll.Under SB 269, if receipts are greater than the previous year’s inflation-adjusted amount, the director of the secretary of revenue would calculate tax rate reductions, starting with individual income taxes.Once individual rates in both the lower and higher tax brackets reach 4%, rate reductions for corporations and financial institutions would be triggered.Reductions would continue until the combined rate for corporations reaches 4%, the combined rate for banks reaches 2.6% and the combined rate for other financial institutions reaches 2.62%.Rep. Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, said the cuts put the state in a difficult situation. He said the policy takes all of the state’s excess income tax revenue and transforms it into a flat income tax, leaving no additional revenue to provide property tax relief.“I have a problem with the whole ratchet situation,” Sawyer said.&nbsp;He added that special education funding hasn’t been at its statutorily mandated level since 2010, and achieving full funding will be “very difficult” under the proposed cuts.When — not if — a recession hits, Sawyer said, the hole left behind by income tax reductions will be much more difficult to fill.“Those of us who were here in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 that had to deal with (trying) to dig ourselves out of a deep hole in the budget know what that’s like,” he said.The cuts are reminiscent of former Gov. Sam Brownback’s tax experiment that gave hundreds of millions in tax cuts to corporations and “bankrupted” the state, Rep. Jerry Stogsdill, a Prairie Village Democrat, told Kansas Reflector. However, Brownback’s cuts were not contingent on the state’s surplus tax revenues.Democrats also have challenged whether Republicans are going to be able to muster meaningful property tax relief legislation, a campaign-trail promise from both parties.One of those property tax relief efforts passed the House before the income tax bill.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb35/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 35</a>&nbsp;eliminates the statewide levy of 1 mills for the state education building fund and the .5 mills levy for the state institution building fund.&nbsp;If implemented, the gap left behind in those two funds would be replaced with State General Fund dollars. In fiscal year 2027, which begins June 2026, the state education building fund would receive about $56 million and the institutional building fund would receive about $25 million from the State General Fund.SB 296 originally had to do with pending tax appeals fees, but during negotiations, the House inserted the contents of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2318/" target="_blank">House Bill 2318</a>, which contained the cuts.

Kansas House passes bill to trigger income tax cuts as long as state has surplus funds

RAFAEL GARCIA K-State News and Communications

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Kansas State University researchers Eduard Akhunov and Bimal Paul have been selected as 2024 American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellows in recognition of their significant contributions to their fields.

Akhunov — university distinguished professor of plant pathology and Bikram S. Gill Chair in Wheat Genetics — was cited in his selection "for development and use of resources for understanding wheat genome diversity and evolution, and for identification of novel genes for wheat improvement, including combating the important wheat stem rust pathogen."

"I feel deeply honored to be selected as an AAAS Fellow," said Akhunov, who is also director of K-State's Wheat Genetics Resource Center. "I am grateful that the tremendous work carried out by my former and current research team members, as well as our collaborators, is being recognized by our peers."

Paul, professor of geography and a Fulbright-Flex Senior Fellow, was recognized "for distinguished contributions to the field of human geography, particularly human adjustment to natural hazards."

"I've dreamed of being selected as an AAAS Fellow ever since I arrived at K-State in 1990," Paul said. "Through both theoretical and empirical research, I have contributed to my field by integrating social sciences and humanities with the physical sciences to address environmental concerns effectively and holistically, including various dimensions of nature-society interactions."

Elected each year by the AAAS Council, new fellows receive a certificate and a blue-and-gold rosette pin at the association's annual Fellows Forum, held this year in June in Washington, D.C.

As new inductees into the world's largest general scientific society, Akhunov and Paul join a distinguished cohort of scientists, engineers and innovators, including 26 current and emeritus K-State faculty.

"Being named a 2024 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science is a well-deserved recognition of the groundbreaking contributions Drs. Akhunov and and Paul have made in their fields," said Hans Coetzee, interim vice president for research. "Their dedication to discovery and innovation continues to shape the future of science and society, and we are proud to have them at K-State."

Akhunov is one of the world’s top experts in wheat genetics, leading research that combines cutting-edge technologies with data science to leverage diversity of the wild ancestors of wheat to improve this important crop.

His team of researchers at the Wheat Genetics Resource Center — which maintains nearly 4,000 specimens from 38 wild wheat species — uses techniques such as genomics, bioinformatics and digital imaging technologies to uncover genetic traits in ancient grains that enhance grain quality, pathogen resistance and resilience to drought and heat stress.

"Our work is helping to reintroduce these traits from wild ancestors into modern breeding programs, accelerating the development of improved wheat varieties," Akhunov said.

Akhunov began his study of genetics and the diversity of wheat and its wild relatives as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California Davis, where he joined a research team that began developing the first high-density maps of wheat genes and novel tools for characterizing genetic diversity in wheat. That work played a critical role in sequencing the wheat genome, particularly in identifying and characterizing genes that protect wheat against pathogens, increase yield and improve grain quality.

Since he arrived at K-State in 2007, Akhunov has advised more than two dozen graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. He has led nearly $40 million in funded research with support from the wheat industry and organizations such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the USDA Agricultural Research Service,  the National Science Foundation, the Kansas Wheat Commission, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

 funded research with support from organizations such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the National Science Foundation, the Kansas Wheat Commission, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Akhunov's research has been published in more than 90 peer-reviewed papers and several book chapters, and he has received a patent and more than 100 speaking invitations.

Paul is a world-leading scholar on disasters, hazards and health. He is known for offering deeper understandings of complex issues and debunking long-held myths relating to disaster response and recovery, both inside and outside of academia.

"Globally, there are an average of around 6,800 natural disaster events recorded each year," Paul said. "These disasters kill thousands of people every year, with another 120 million people being directly affected. The international community annually spends $30 billion addressing these events. My research significantly decreases disaster damage by informing preparation work, encouraging adaptations and humanitarian assistance, reducing human suffering from disasters, and saving lives across the globe, including in Kansas."

Paul's interest in disasters began after Bangladesh experienced a Category 5-equivalent tropical cyclone in 1991 that killed nearly 140,000 people. With funding from the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Paul found a spark that guided him to study natural hazards, ultimately studying tornados and other natural disasters in Kansas, Missouri, Colorado and Tennessee.

His current work particularly focuses on the intersection of disasters and health, including diseases and illnesses after disaster events.

In addition to giving invited talks in various Asian countries, Paul has been an external reviewer on 23 dissertations at universities around the world. Paul is the author or co-author of various articles, book chapters and seven books, including "The Routledge Handbook of Disaster Response and Recovery" that was published in March.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743088206929.png" alt="K-State News and Communications" />
 <figcaption>K-State News and Communications</figcaption>
 </figure>RAFAEL GARCIA K-State News and CommunicationsMANHATTAN, Kan. — Kansas State University researchers Eduard Akhunov and Bimal Paul have been selected as 2024 American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellows in recognition of their significant contributions to their fields.Akhunov — university distinguished professor of plant pathology and Bikram S. Gill Chair in Wheat Genetics — was cited in his selection "for development and use of resources for understanding wheat genome diversity and evolution, and for identification of novel genes for wheat improvement, including combating the important wheat stem rust pathogen."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743088642604.jpeg" alt="Eduard Akhunov (K-State News and Communications)" />
 <figcaption>Eduard Akhunov (K-State News and Communications)</figcaption>
 </figure>"I feel deeply honored to be selected as an AAAS Fellow," said Akhunov, who is also director of K-State's Wheat Genetics Resource Center. "I am grateful that the tremendous work carried out by my former and current research team members, as well as our collaborators, is being recognized by our peers."Paul, professor of geography and a Fulbright-Flex Senior Fellow, was recognized "for distinguished contributions to the field of human geography, particularly human adjustment to natural hazards.""I've dreamed of being selected as an AAAS Fellow ever since I arrived at K-State in 1990," Paul said. "Through both theoretical and empirical research, I have contributed to my field by integrating social sciences and humanities with the physical sciences to address environmental concerns effectively and holistically, including various dimensions of nature-society interactions."Elected each year by the AAAS Council, new fellows receive a certificate and a blue-and-gold rosette pin at the association's annual Fellows Forum, held this year in June in Washington, D.C.As new inductees into the world's largest general scientific society, Akhunov and Paul join a distinguished cohort of scientists, engineers and innovators, including 26 current and emeritus K-State faculty."Being named a 2024 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science is a well-deserved recognition of the groundbreaking contributions Drs. Akhunov and and Paul have made in their fields," said Hans Coetzee, interim vice president for research. "Their dedication to discovery and innovation continues to shape the future of science and society, and we are proud to have them at K-State."Akhunov is one of the world’s top experts in wheat genetics, leading research that combines cutting-edge technologies with data science to leverage diversity of the wild ancestors of wheat to improve this important crop.His team of researchers at the Wheat Genetics Resource Center — which maintains nearly 4,000 specimens from 38 wild wheat species — uses techniques such as genomics, bioinformatics and digital imaging technologies to uncover genetic traits in ancient grains that enhance grain quality, pathogen resistance and resilience to drought and heat stress."Our work is helping to reintroduce these traits from wild ancestors into modern breeding programs, accelerating the development of improved wheat varieties," Akhunov said.Akhunov began his study of genetics and the diversity of wheat and its wild relatives as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California Davis, where he joined a research team that began developing the first high-density maps of wheat genes and novel tools for characterizing genetic diversity in wheat. That work played a critical role in sequencing the wheat genome, particularly in identifying and characterizing genes that protect wheat against pathogens, increase yield and improve grain quality.Since he arrived at K-State in 2007, Akhunov has advised more than two dozen graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. He has led nearly $40 million in funded research with support from the wheat industry and organizations such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the USDA Agricultural Research Service, the National Science Foundation, the Kansas Wheat Commission, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. funded research with support from organizations such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the National Science Foundation, the Kansas Wheat Commission, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.Akhunov's research has been published in more than 90 peer-reviewed papers and several book chapters, and he has received a patent and more than 100 speaking invitations.Paul is a world-leading scholar on disasters, hazards and health. He is known for offering deeper understandings of complex issues and debunking long-held myths relating to disaster response and recovery, both inside and outside of academia.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743088700387.jpeg" alt="Bimal Paul (K-State News and Communications) " />
 <figcaption>Bimal Paul (K-State News and Communications) </figcaption>
 </figure>"Globally, there are an average of around 6,800 natural disaster events recorded each year," Paul said. "These disasters kill thousands of people every year, with another 120 million people being directly affected. The international community annually spends $30 billion addressing these events. My research significantly decreases disaster damage by informing preparation work, encouraging adaptations and humanitarian assistance, reducing human suffering from disasters, and saving lives across the globe, including in Kansas."Paul's interest in disasters began after Bangladesh experienced a Category 5-equivalent tropical cyclone in 1991 that killed nearly 140,000 people. With funding from the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Paul found a spark that guided him to study natural hazards, ultimately studying tornados and other natural disasters in Kansas, Missouri, Colorado and Tennessee.His current work particularly focuses on the intersection of disasters and health, including diseases and illnesses after disaster events.In addition to giving invited talks in various Asian countries, Paul has been an external reviewer on 23 dissertations at universities around the world. Paul is the author or co-author of various articles, book chapters and seven books, including "The Routledge Handbook of Disaster Response and Recovery" that was published in March.

 Two K-State professors receive one of US science's highest distinctions

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">The Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday upheld a Biden administration regulation on the nearly impossible-to-trace weapons called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-are-ghost-guns-aab2ded78314603e8e87e92dbe4def3f">ghost guns</a>, clearing the way for continued serial numbers, background checks and age verification requirements for buying the kits online.

The 7-2 opinion found that existing gun laws allow regulation of the kits increasingly linked to crime. It comes after President Donald Trump ordered a review of federal gun policy that could undermine or reverse regulations championed by his predecessor.

Sales of the homemade firearms grew exponentially as kits allowing for easy at-home building came into the market, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in the majority opinion. “Some home hobbyists enjoy assembling them. But criminals also find them attractive,” he said.

The number of ghost guns found at crime scenes around the country&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-ghost-guns-federal-regulations-atf-fb38d09a44ddc8fb7074a4273ae4bcd5">has also soared</a>, according to federal data. Fewer than 1,700 were recovered by law enforcement in 2017, but that number grew to 27,000 in 2023, according to Justice Department data.

Since the federal rule was finalized, though, ghost gun numbers have flattened out or declined in several major cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Baltimore, according to court documents. Manufacturing of miscellaneous gun parts also dropped 36% overall, the Justice Department has said.

Ghost guns are any privately made firearms without the serial numbers that allow police to trace weapons used in crime. The 2022 regulation was focused on kits sold online with everything needed to build a functioning firearm — sometimes in less than 30 minutes, according to court documents.

Ghost guns have been used in high-profile crimes, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-shooting-suspect-kimbrady-carriker-efd9f954b18610035383616d58ae515d">a mass shooting</a>&nbsp;carried out with an AR-15-style ghost gun in Philadelphia that left five people dead. Police believe a ghost gun used in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-shooting-suspect-c68d0328f278d85fcf201ae89f634098">the slaying of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO</a>&nbsp;in Manhattan was made on a 3D printer rather than assembled from a kit of the kind at the center of the Supreme Court case.

Finalized at the direction of then-President Joe Biden,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-bureau-of-alcohol-tobacco-firearms-and-explosives-gun-politics-5f0f26cdb5d3bcbc6f9c5daf471c118d">the “frame and receiver” rule</a>&nbsp;requires companies to treat the kits like other firearms by adding serial numbers, running background checks and verifying that buyers are 21 or older.

Gun groups challenged the rule in court in the case known as Garland v. VanDerStok. Most crimes are committed with traditional firearms, not ghost guns, they argued. It's legal for people to build their own firearms at home, the challengers said, arguing that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives overstepped its authority by trying to regulate the kits.

The Supreme Court majority disagreed, pointing out that the law gives the ATF the power to regulate items that can be quickly made into working firearms.

“The ‘Buy Build Shoot’ kit can be 'readily converted' into a firearm too, for it requires no more time, effort, expertise, or specialized tools to complete,” Gorsuch wrote, referring to a specific product.

Some kits may take more time to build into guns and therefore fall outside the ATF’s power, he wrote, but many popular kits are subject to regulation.

In response to the ruling, a Justice Department spokesperson said the administration would “continue to support and defend the Second Amendment rights of all Americans.”

Gun safety groups celebrated the ruling, with Everytown Law executive director Eric Tirschwell saying the rule also had broad support from law enforcement. “Fundamentally, today's decision confirms the ghost gun industry is dead as a viable business model," he said.

A Michigan woman whose son lost an eye when he was accidently shot by a friend who bought a ghost gun before he was old enough to legally buy a typical weapon also applauded. “We are deeply relieved by today’s ruling, which will help ensure that a tragedy like ours never happens again,” she said.

New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin said the ATF policy is a major factor in two years of record-low numbers of shootings in his state. “These are common-sense regulations on ghost guns that all too often end up in the hands of felons,” he said.

The court previously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-decision-58d01ef8bd48e816d5f8761ffa84e3e8">expanded Second Amendment rights</a>&nbsp;with a finding that modern gun regulations must fit within historical traditions. The justices also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-bump-stocks-b3bd1b4163d78514a6d5acc5b44c8b3d">struck down</a>&nbsp;a firearm regulation from President Donald Trump’s first administration, a ban on gun accessories known as bump stocks that enable rapid fire.

In a dissent, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that the ghost gun rule should meet the same fate. The kits, he wrote, are only firearm parts and shouldn't be subject to a regulation that could open the door to rules on other popular weapons. “Congress could have authorized ATF to regulate any part of a firearm or any object readily convertible into one," he wrote. “But, it did not.”

Justice Samuel Alito also filed his own dissent.

Associated Press writer Darlene Superville in Washington and Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649769587607.png" alt="File photo Biden White House" />
 <figcaption>File photo Biden White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">The Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday upheld a Biden administration regulation on the nearly impossible-to-trace weapons called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-are-ghost-guns-aab2ded78314603e8e87e92dbe4def3f">ghost guns</a>, clearing the way for continued serial numbers, background checks and age verification requirements for buying the kits online.The 7-2 opinion found that existing gun laws allow regulation of the kits increasingly linked to crime. It comes after President Donald Trump ordered a review of federal gun policy that could undermine or reverse regulations championed by his predecessor.Sales of the homemade firearms grew exponentially as kits allowing for easy at-home building came into the market, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in the majority opinion. “Some home hobbyists enjoy assembling them. But criminals also find them attractive,” he said.The number of ghost guns found at crime scenes around the country&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-ghost-guns-federal-regulations-atf-fb38d09a44ddc8fb7074a4273ae4bcd5">has also soared</a>, according to federal data. Fewer than 1,700 were recovered by law enforcement in 2017, but that number grew to 27,000 in 2023, according to Justice Department data.Since the federal rule was finalized, though, ghost gun numbers have flattened out or declined in several major cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Baltimore, according to court documents. Manufacturing of miscellaneous gun parts also dropped 36% overall, the Justice Department has said.Ghost guns are any privately made firearms without the serial numbers that allow police to trace weapons used in crime. The 2022 regulation was focused on kits sold online with everything needed to build a functioning firearm — sometimes in less than 30 minutes, according to court documents.Ghost guns have been used in high-profile crimes, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-shooting-suspect-kimbrady-carriker-efd9f954b18610035383616d58ae515d">a mass shooting</a>&nbsp;carried out with an AR-15-style ghost gun in Philadelphia that left five people dead. Police believe a ghost gun used in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-shooting-suspect-c68d0328f278d85fcf201ae89f634098">the slaying of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO</a>&nbsp;in Manhattan was made on a 3D printer rather than assembled from a kit of the kind at the center of the Supreme Court case.Finalized at the direction of then-President Joe Biden,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-bureau-of-alcohol-tobacco-firearms-and-explosives-gun-politics-5f0f26cdb5d3bcbc6f9c5daf471c118d">the “frame and receiver” rule</a>&nbsp;requires companies to treat the kits like other firearms by adding serial numbers, running background checks and verifying that buyers are 21 or older.Gun groups challenged the rule in court in the case known as Garland v. VanDerStok. Most crimes are committed with traditional firearms, not ghost guns, they argued. It's legal for people to build their own firearms at home, the challengers said, arguing that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives overstepped its authority by trying to regulate the kits.The Supreme Court majority disagreed, pointing out that the law gives the ATF the power to regulate items that can be quickly made into working firearms.“The ‘Buy Build Shoot’ kit can be 'readily converted' into a firearm too, for it requires no more time, effort, expertise, or specialized tools to complete,” Gorsuch wrote, referring to a specific product.Some kits may take more time to build into guns and therefore fall outside the ATF’s power, he wrote, but many popular kits are subject to regulation.In response to the ruling, a Justice Department spokesperson said the administration would “continue to support and defend the Second Amendment rights of all Americans.”Gun safety groups celebrated the ruling, with Everytown Law executive director Eric Tirschwell saying the rule also had broad support from law enforcement. “Fundamentally, today's decision confirms the ghost gun industry is dead as a viable business model," he said.A Michigan woman whose son lost an eye when he was accidently shot by a friend who bought a ghost gun before he was old enough to legally buy a typical weapon also applauded. “We are deeply relieved by today’s ruling, which will help ensure that a tragedy like ours never happens again,” she said.New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin said the ATF policy is a major factor in two years of record-low numbers of shootings in his state. “These are common-sense regulations on ghost guns that all too often end up in the hands of felons,” he said.The court previously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-decision-58d01ef8bd48e816d5f8761ffa84e3e8">expanded Second Amendment rights</a>&nbsp;with a finding that modern gun regulations must fit within historical traditions. The justices also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-bump-stocks-b3bd1b4163d78514a6d5acc5b44c8b3d">struck down</a>&nbsp;a firearm regulation from President Donald Trump’s first administration, a ban on gun accessories known as bump stocks that enable rapid fire.In a dissent, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that the ghost gun rule should meet the same fate. The kits, he wrote, are only firearm parts and shouldn't be subject to a regulation that could open the door to rules on other popular weapons. “Congress could have authorized ATF to regulate any part of a firearm or any object readily convertible into one," he wrote. “But, it did not.”Justice Samuel Alito also filed his own dissent.___Associated Press writer Darlene Superville in Washington and Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, contributed to this report.

Supreme Court upholds Biden rule making ghost guns easier to trace

Clark E. Barnes, 71, died March 24, 2025, at his home. &nbsp;He was born April 7, 1953, in Holdrege NE, to Selby and Betty Jean (Phillips) Meier.

Clark graduated from Hutchinson High School in 1971. &nbsp;He attended Hutchinson Community College, and graduated from the Hutchinson Electrical JATC program. &nbsp;Clark worked as an electrician, retiring from Kenny’s Electric, and was a member of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 661 (IBEW Local 661). &nbsp;In addition, he was the training director and instructor for the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC).

Clark was proud of his Irish heritage, and enjoyed reading and learning about medieval and renaissance times. Driving his Corvette and listening to the Blues were also on his list of enjoyable hobbies. &nbsp;However, nothing gave Clark as much joy and love as being a proud “Papa” to his seven grandchildren. &nbsp;He relished in the times spent with his grandchildren, supporting them in all their endeavors.&nbsp;

In the summer of 1976, Clark married the love of his life, Sandra Lee Titus.

Clark is survived by: &nbsp;his children, Darren Barnes (Erika) and their children, Lincoln, Tate, and Beckham, Britney Kinast (Travis) and their children, Hannah and Haylee, and Blaine Barnes (Amy) and their children, Declan and Conor, all of Hutchinson; stepchildren, Curtis Garcia (Stacey), Corey Garcia (Amy), and Jayson Garcia; and sisters, Kathy Mullen (Jerry), Roxie Wyer (Bill), and Brenda Ludlow.

He was preceded in death by: &nbsp;his father, Selby Meier; his mother, Betty Jean Shaffer; and Darren, Britney, and Blaine’s mother, Sandra (Titus) Barnes.

Celebration of Life service will be 10:00 a.m. &nbsp;Monday, March 31, 2025, at Elliott Chapel, with Pastor Keith Neill officiating. &nbsp;Friends may sign his book from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Sunday at Elliott Mortuary.

Clark cherished every moment with his family and especially loved being “Papa” to his grandchildren. &nbsp;In his honor, the family is organizing a park memorial to create a space where others can gather, reflect, and make memories with their loved ones. &nbsp;

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made toward this lasting tribute and future park improvements inspired by his legacy. &nbsp;To benefit Clark Barnes’ Park Memorial, please make the check payable to Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS &nbsp;67501.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743035411439.jpeg" alt="Clark E Barnes 1953-2025" />
 <figcaption>Clark E Barnes 1953-2025</figcaption>
 </figure>Clark E. Barnes, 71, died March 24, 2025, at his home. &nbsp;He was born April 7, 1953, in Holdrege NE, to Selby and Betty Jean (Phillips) Meier.Clark graduated from Hutchinson High School in 1971. &nbsp;He attended Hutchinson Community College, and graduated from the Hutchinson Electrical JATC program. &nbsp;Clark worked as an electrician, retiring from Kenny’s Electric, and was a member of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 661 (IBEW Local 661). &nbsp;In addition, he was the training director and instructor for the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC).Clark was proud of his Irish heritage, and enjoyed reading and learning about medieval and renaissance times. Driving his Corvette and listening to the Blues were also on his list of enjoyable hobbies. &nbsp;However, nothing gave Clark as much joy and love as being a proud “Papa” to his seven grandchildren. &nbsp;He relished in the times spent with his grandchildren, supporting them in all their endeavors.&nbsp;In the summer of 1976, Clark married the love of his life, Sandra Lee Titus.Clark is survived by: &nbsp;his children, Darren Barnes (Erika) and their children, Lincoln, Tate, and Beckham, Britney Kinast (Travis) and their children, Hannah and Haylee, and Blaine Barnes (Amy) and their children, Declan and Conor, all of Hutchinson; stepchildren, Curtis Garcia (Stacey), Corey Garcia (Amy), and Jayson Garcia; and sisters, Kathy Mullen (Jerry), Roxie Wyer (Bill), and Brenda Ludlow.He was preceded in death by: &nbsp;his father, Selby Meier; his mother, Betty Jean Shaffer; and Darren, Britney, and Blaine’s mother, Sandra (Titus) Barnes.Celebration of Life service will be 10:00 a.m. &nbsp;Monday, March 31, 2025, at Elliott Chapel, with Pastor Keith Neill officiating. &nbsp;Friends may sign his book from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Sunday at Elliott Mortuary.Clark cherished every moment with his family and especially loved being “Papa” to his grandchildren. &nbsp;In his honor, the family is organizing a park memorial to create a space where others can gather, reflect, and make memories with their loved ones. &nbsp;In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made toward this lasting tribute and future park improvements inspired by his legacy. &nbsp;To benefit Clark Barnes’ Park Memorial, please make the check payable to Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS &nbsp;67501.&nbsp;

Clark E. Barnes | 1953 - 2025 |

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Atlantic on Wednesday released the entire Signal chat among senior national security officials, showing that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth provided the exact timings of warplane launches and when bombs would drop — before the men and women flying those attacks against Yemen’s Houthis this month on behalf of the United States were airborne.

<a href="https://mimoo.github.io/houthi_signal/">Click here to read the</a> controversial text chat&nbsp;

The disclosure follows&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-signal-yemen-atlantic-group-chat-4b09973f4df3711d5d5ff88e8f9f96e0">two intense days</a>&nbsp;during which leaders of President Donald Trump's intelligence and defense agencies have struggled to explain how details — that current and former U.S. officials have said would have been classified — wound up on an unclassified Signal chat that included Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg,

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said no classified information was posted to the Signal chat.

Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he and Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, the committee’s top Democrat, plan to send a letter to the Trump administration requesting an inspector general investigation into the use of Signal. They seek a classified briefing with a top administration official “who can speak to the facts” of the episode.

Top military official was not included in the chat

The chat was also notable for who it excluded: the only military attendee of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/organization-of-the-national-security-council-and-subcommittees/">principals committee</a>, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Adm. Christopher Grady is currently serving in that position in an acting capacity because Trump fired former chairman Gen. CQ Brown Jr. in February.

National security adviser Mike Waltz was authorized to decide whether to include the Joint Chiefs chairman in the principals committee discussion, “based on the policy relevance of attendees to the issues being considered, the need for secrecy on sensitive matters, staffing needs, and other considerations,” the White House said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/organization-of-the-national-security-council-and-subcommittees/">Jan. 20 memo</a>.

The Pentagon said it would not comment on the issue, and it was not immediately clear why Grady, currently serving as the president’s top military adviser, would not be included in a discussion on military strikes.

Hegseth has refused to say whether he posted classified information onto Signal.

Speaking to reporters in Hawaii on Wednesday after the full release of the texts by the magazine, he said they showed he was just providing the national security team a “general update in real time.”

“That’s what I did. That’s my job,” Hegseth said.

Hegseth shared the information on the manned warplane launches a half-hour before those crews were airborne, not in real time. Democratic lawmakers said that could have put American troops at risk.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743002725863.png" alt="Poster used by House Intelligence Committee member Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi showing portions of the group chat during a hearing on Wednesday-image House Intel Committee" />
 <figcaption>Poster used by House Intelligence Committee member Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi showing portions of the group chat during a hearing on Wednesday-image House Intel Committee</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Atlantic on Wednesday released the entire Signal chat among senior national security officials, showing that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth provided the exact timings of warplane launches and when bombs would drop — before the men and women flying those attacks against Yemen’s Houthis this month on behalf of the United States were airborne.<a href="https://mimoo.github.io/houthi_signal/">Click here to read the</a> controversial text chat&nbsp;The disclosure follows&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-signal-yemen-atlantic-group-chat-4b09973f4df3711d5d5ff88e8f9f96e0">two intense days</a>&nbsp;during which leaders of President Donald Trump's intelligence and defense agencies have struggled to explain how details — that current and former U.S. officials have said would have been classified — wound up on an unclassified Signal chat that included Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg,White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said no classified information was posted to the Signal chat.Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he and Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, the committee’s top Democrat, plan to send a letter to the Trump administration requesting an inspector general investigation into the use of Signal. They seek a classified briefing with a top administration official “who can speak to the facts” of the episode.<h2>Top military official was not included in the chat</h2>The chat was also notable for who it excluded: the only military attendee of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/organization-of-the-national-security-council-and-subcommittees/">principals committee</a>, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.Adm. Christopher Grady is currently serving in that position in an acting capacity because Trump fired former chairman Gen. CQ Brown Jr. in February.National security adviser Mike Waltz was authorized to decide whether to include the Joint Chiefs chairman in the principals committee discussion, “based on the policy relevance of attendees to the issues being considered, the need for secrecy on sensitive matters, staffing needs, and other considerations,” the White House said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/organization-of-the-national-security-council-and-subcommittees/">Jan. 20 memo</a>.The Pentagon said it would not comment on the issue, and it was not immediately clear why Grady, currently serving as the president’s top military adviser, would not be included in a discussion on military strikes.Hegseth has refused to say whether he posted classified information onto Signal.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Q&#39;s for Pete Hegseth as boards plane: &quot;Mr Secretary how do you square what you said with what your messages show?&quot; &quot;Mr Secretary did you share classified information?&quot; &quot;Mr Secretary did you declassify that information?&quot; &quot;Are you using Signal for sensitive operations?&quot; &quot;Why sir?&quot; <a href="https://t.co/SX33vQactv">pic.twitter.com/SX33vQactv</a>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1904971294166372812?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Speaking to reporters in Hawaii on Wednesday after the full release of the texts by the magazine, he said they showed he was just providing the national security team a “general update in real time.”“That’s what I did. That’s my job,” Hegseth said.Hegseth shared the information on the manned warplane launches a half-hour before those crews were airborne, not in real time. Democratic lawmakers said that could have put American troops at risk.Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-cia-senate-national-security-threats-fe773ac76f8f01eba1d3a26409816396">told members of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday</a>&nbsp;that it was up to Hegseth to determine whether the information he was posting was classified or not. On Wednesday, Gabbard called the chats a “mistake” and said the discussion included “candid and sensitive” information but asserted that the chat information was not classified.<h2>Very specific texts were revealed</h2>What was revealed was jaw-dropping in its specificity and includes the type of information that is kept to a very close hold to protect the operational security of a military strike. But Hegseth’s spokesman, Sean Parnell, said in a statement Wednesday that “there were no classified materials or war plans shared. The Secretary was merely updating the group on a plan that was underway.”The Pentagon and White House have tried to deflect criticism by attacking Goldberg and The Atlantic. The magazine and Goldberg, however, repeatedly reached out to the White House before and after publication to gain additional context on the Signal chat and ensure that publishing the full texts would not cause harm. In a response, Goldberg reported Wednesday, Leavitt described some of the information as sensitive and said the White House would prefer it not be published.In the group chat, Hegseth posted multiple details about the impending strike, using military language and laying out when a “strike window” starts, where a “target terrorist" was located, the time elements around the attack and when various weapons and aircraft would be used in the strike. He mentioned that the U.S. was “currently clean” on operational security.“Godspeed to our Warriors,” he wrote.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743004442275.png" alt="Image CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>“1215et: F-18s LAUNCH (1st strike package)”“1345: ‘Trigger Based’ F-18 1st Strike Window Starts (Target Terrorist is @ his Known Location so SHOULD BE ON TIME – also, Strike Drones Launch (MQ-9s)”“1410: More F-18s LAUNCH (2nd strike package)”“1415: Strike Drones on Target (THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP, pending earlier ‘Trigger Based’ targets)”“1536 F-18 2nd Strike Starts – also, first sea-based Tomahawks launched.”“MORE TO FOLLOW (per timeline)”“We are currently clean on OPSEC” — that is, operational security.A strike package includes the personnel and weapons used in an attack, including Navy F-18 fighter aircraft. MQ-9s are armed drones. Tomahawks are ship-launched cruise missiles.Goldberg has said he asked the White House if it opposed publication and that the White House responded that it would prefer he did not publish.<h2>Signal is encrypted but can be vulnerable</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/signal-app-atlantic-war-plans-32699da142c5209b845e57f690df4925">Signal is a publicly available app</a>&nbsp;that provides encrypted communications, but it can be hacked. It is not approved for carrying classified information. On March 14, one day before the strikes, the Defense Department cautioned personnel about the vulnerability of Signal, specifically that Russia was attempting to hack the app, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.One known vulnerability is that a malicious actor, with access to a person’s phone, can link his or her device to the user’s Signal and essentially monitor messages remotely in real time.Leavitt is one of three Trump administration officials who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-lawsuit-trump-gulf-mexico-america-6b6fba488e7e420e5fcd28c44a755922">face a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;from The Associated Press on First and Fifth Amendment grounds. The AP says the three are punishing the news agency for editorial decisions they oppose. The White House says the AP is not following an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.“Godspeed to our Warriors,” he wrote.“1215et: F-18s LAUNCH (1st strike package)”“1345: ‘Trigger Based’ F-18 1st Strike Window Starts (Target Terrorist is @ his Known Location so SHOULD BE ON TIME – also, Strike Drones Launch (MQ-9s)”“1410: More F-18s LAUNCH (2nd strike package)”“1415: Strike Drones on Target (THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP, pending earlier ‘Trigger Based’ targets)”“1536 F-18 2nd Strike Starts – also, first sea-based Tomahawks launched.”“MORE TO FOLLOW (per timeline)”“We are currently clean on OPSEC” — that is, operational security.“Godspeed to our Warriors.”Goldberg has said he asked the White House if it opposed publication and that the White House responded that it would prefer he did not publish.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Atlantic has conceded: these were NOT “war plans.” This entire story was another hoax written by a Trump-hater who is well-known for his sensationalist spin. <a href="https://t.co/atGrDd2ymr">pic.twitter.com/atGrDd2ymr</a>&mdash; Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1904875629612331123?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Signal is encrypted but can be vulnerable</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/signal-app-atlantic-war-plans-32699da142c5209b845e57f690df4925">Signal is a publicly available app</a>&nbsp;that provides encrypted communications, but it can be hacked. It is not approved for carrying classified information. On March 14, one day before the strikes, the Defense Department cautioned personnel about the vulnerability of Signal, specifically that Russia was attempting to hack the app, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.One known vulnerability is that a malicious actor, with access to a person’s phone, can link his or her device to the user’s Signal and essentially monitor messages remotely in real time.Leavitt is one of three Trump administration officials who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-lawsuit-trump-gulf-mexico-america-6b6fba488e7e420e5fcd28c44a755922">face a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;from The Associated Press on First and Fifth Amendment grounds. The AP says the three are punishing the news agency for editorial decisions they oppose. The White House says the AP is not following an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.