SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue investigating a deadly explosion and fire in Wichita.

Just before noon Thursday, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received reports of an explosion at an apartment complex garage located at 8406 E. Harry in Wichita, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.

 Wichita Police and Fire personnel responded to find a garage on the east side of the complex ablaze. Amidst firefighting efforts, the body of a deceased man was discovered near the garage.

 Authorities are in the process of confirming his identity and informing&nbsp; next-of-kin.

In response to the incident, additional resources, including detectives, the bomb squad from the Wichita Police Department, Wichita Fire Investigators, and federal investigators from the FBI and ATF, were deployed to the scene.

Preliminary investigation suggests that the victim was engaged in mixing an unidentified substance before the explosion, potentially linked to illegal homemade pyrotechnics manufacturing.

The ongoing investigation is a collaborative effort between the Wichita Police Department and the&nbsp; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, according to Moses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712262626265.png" alt="The ongoing investigation is a collaborative effort between the Wichita Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives-Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>The ongoing investigation is a collaborative effort between the Wichita Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives-Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue investigating a deadly explosion and fire in Wichita.Just before noon Thursday, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received reports of an explosion at an apartment complex garage located at 8406 E. Harry in Wichita, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses. Wichita Police and Fire personnel responded to find a garage on the east side of the complex ablaze. Amidst firefighting efforts, the body of a deceased man was discovered near the garage. Authorities are in the process of confirming his identity and informing&nbsp; next-of-kin.In response to the incident, additional resources, including detectives, the bomb squad from the Wichita Police Department, Wichita Fire Investigators, and federal investigators from the FBI and ATF, were deployed to the scene.Preliminary investigation suggests that the victim was engaged in mixing an unidentified substance before the explosion, potentially linked to illegal homemade pyrotechnics manufacturing.The ongoing investigation is a collaborative effort between the Wichita Police Department and the&nbsp; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, according to Moses.

Police: Fatal Kan. explosion linked to illegal homemade fireworks

HARVEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are reporting a new Fentanyl trend in Kansas.

According to a social media report from the Harvey County Sheriff, "we most typically find Fentanyl in Dirty 30s in our area - usually round, pale blue counterfeit Oxycodone pills that contain Fentanyl. More recently, we've had two cases where we've discovered pink-tinted Fentanyl powder."

"Often, Fentanyl is consumed by someone using foil to smoke the pill or powder. When it is smoked, there's a black, burnt residue left on the foil. If someone is having a medical emergency, or to report a crime, call 911."

"If you have information that could assist in an investigation and would like to talk with us, please call us at the Sheriff's Office at 316-284-6960 and ask to speak to a drug investigator."

"Your help could be life-saving for someone.Know that there is help and support out there. Several local organizations have resources available to aid individuals with drug use treatment. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's national helpline is available 24/7 by calling 1-800-662-4357 or visiting <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Ffindtreatment.gov%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1LbYpTrgIR6lHjpBbwx7umfnUsHoKZA9VtjBhYhNRS3_9NPgF3Tzl8wyg_aem_AcUlXzsTCbJeFW8Cy5NxGxr0StbrYPy3NWPAoaxo0_hQQY2dWekP3B6XXi4dNJwDUw1jIHhJ6VeXZjC8KkP3g9cj&amp;h=AT00Am6kriFxcOm1t6e-WZB9uWPsnn8xEMkpO_B0Pdc0cd2j0j74DwLp2O1sgajqsnneGCtlgQJ53rZNtraPL9PozjhSvCTSylTiyhgStnLfX-jC9Ga4GeLS3R2I25VmaGjT9RY&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT1bWOMPDEbs-2lIX2WJ-qfW5c1kKJ1pKxnWmZ1ucIFUkhVq7xAyd_Ckg952Nr8GcalV2YCBLQZsxkDI8YWAVsJCnn3R8sYQA5AJUO3-xrChWqNqddDeccO_khaEO1XWW93TCV72sZMT_-sQLVNFVgAoMankwWjdrqbg-FsmOi4QUhhtlPP_NDtc6dmfnmeEXxD5-ui6J0bK" target="_blank">findtreatment.gov.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712329850870.png" alt="Fentanyl " />
 <figcaption>Fentanyl </figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are reporting a new Fentanyl trend in Kansas.According to a social media report from the Harvey County Sheriff, "we most typically find Fentanyl in Dirty 30s in our area - usually round, pale blue counterfeit Oxycodone pills that contain Fentanyl. More recently, we've had two cases where we've discovered pink-tinted Fentanyl powder.""Often, Fentanyl is consumed by someone using foil to smoke the pill or powder. When it is smoked, there's a black, burnt residue left on the foil. If someone is having a medical emergency, or to report a crime, call 911.""If you have information that could assist in an investigation and would like to talk with us, please call us at the Sheriff's Office at 316-284-6960 and ask to speak to a drug investigator."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691103676337.png" alt="Fentanyl Dirty 30s File photo" />
 <figcaption>Fentanyl Dirty 30s File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>"Your help could be life-saving for someone.Know that there is help and support out there. Several local organizations have resources available to aid individuals with drug use treatment. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's national helpline is available 24/7 by calling 1-800-662-4357 or visiting <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Ffindtreatment.gov%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1LbYpTrgIR6lHjpBbwx7umfnUsHoKZA9VtjBhYhNRS3_9NPgF3Tzl8wyg_aem_AcUlXzsTCbJeFW8Cy5NxGxr0StbrYPy3NWPAoaxo0_hQQY2dWekP3B6XXi4dNJwDUw1jIHhJ6VeXZjC8KkP3g9cj&amp;h=AT00Am6kriFxcOm1t6e-WZB9uWPsnn8xEMkpO_B0Pdc0cd2j0j74DwLp2O1sgajqsnneGCtlgQJ53rZNtraPL9PozjhSvCTSylTiyhgStnLfX-jC9Ga4GeLS3R2I25VmaGjT9RY&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT1bWOMPDEbs-2lIX2WJ-qfW5c1kKJ1pKxnWmZ1ucIFUkhVq7xAyd_Ckg952Nr8GcalV2YCBLQZsxkDI8YWAVsJCnn3R8sYQA5AJUO3-xrChWqNqddDeccO_khaEO1XWW93TCV72sZMT_-sQLVNFVgAoMankwWjdrqbg-FsmOi4QUhhtlPP_NDtc6dmfnmeEXxD5-ui6J0bK" target="_blank">findtreatment.gov.</a>

Kan. sheriff's deputies discover pink-tinted fentanyl powder

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — An actor who appeared in a spinoff of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-entertainment-sports-business-9ae01a1be9f47387fcc79f07c838c739">popular television western “Yellowstone”</a>&nbsp;was found dead after he went missing amid a domestic violence investigation in Kansas, authorities said Friday.

The Johnson County Sheriff's Office&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=803186598510154&amp;set=a.219561300206023">said in a statement</a>&nbsp;that deputies found the body of 27-year-old Cole Brings Plenty in a wooded area. Crime scene investigators and the medical examiner were at the location, but no details were released about a cause of death.

Two days earlier Brings Plenty was charged in a nearby county with aggravated burglary, domestic battery and criminal restraint. An arrest warrant was issued.

Police in the town of Lawrence said officers responded Sunday to an apartment where a woman was screaming for help, and Brings Plenty had left before they arrived.

He then missed an audition for an upcoming film project that was scheduled for Monday morning over Zoom, his agent, Peter Yanke of Phirgun Mair Worldwide, said this week.

Brings Plenty appeared in two episodes of the first season of “1923,” a Paramount+ series starring Harrison Ford that is a prequel to the Paramount Network hit “Yellowstone.” He also had recent small roles in two other Westerns from INSP TV, “Into the Wild Frontier” and “The Tall Tales of Jim Bridger.”

His uncle Mo Brings Plenty is a star of “Yellowstone” and acts as a cultural adviser for Native American issues on both that show and “1923.” He posted a flyer about his nephew’s disappearance on Instagram, and police said the family reported the younger man missing.

JOHNSON COUNTY —The search for an alleged Kansas domestic violence suspect has ended

Just before noon Friday, sheriff's deputies were dispatched to an unoccupied vehicle in the area of 200th and Homestead Lane in rural Johnson County, Kansas, according to Sheriff Calvin Hayden.

Deputies searched the area and found a deceased man in a wooded area. He was later identified as 27-year-old Cole Brings Plenty. Crime scene investigators and the medical examiner responded to the scene.

On Sunday officers responded to reports of a woman screaming for help, but the suspect fled before officers arrived. The investigation identified Brings Plenty and traffic cameras showed him leaving the city immediately after the incident.

The Johnson County sheriff's office and Lawrence Police released no additional details Friday afternoon.

DOUGLAS COUNTY&nbsp; –Law enforcement authorities investigating alleged domestic violence continue asking the public for help to locate Cole Brings Plenty after an incident Sunday morning at an apartment in Lawrence, according to a media release.

The Lawrence Police drone team worked most of Thursday afternoon south of Lawrence to try to cover a lot of ground quickly - hoping to uncover any leads.&nbsp; Police are following up on all the calls and information coming in.

Police also are in close contact with the family, who are very concerned as the days pass and are collaborating with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/298304525732132/about/?locale=pt_PT">Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two-Spirit, and Trans </a>Chapter of Lawrence.

Brings Plenty’s car was last seen on 59 Highway headed south out of Lawrence.  He drives the 2005 Ford Explorer bearing Kansas license plate 368PXB. If you have any information on his whereabouts or his vehicle, call 911, LKPD at 785.832.7509, or make an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at (785) 843-8477.

&nbsp;If you see Cole Brings Plenty, or his vehicle, call 911 or you can make an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Lawrence and Douglas County at (785)843-8477

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712085646947.png" alt="Plenty photo Lawrence Police" />
 <figcaption>Plenty photo Lawrence Police</figcaption>
 </figure>MISSION, Kan. (AP) — An actor who appeared in a spinoff of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-entertainment-sports-business-9ae01a1be9f47387fcc79f07c838c739">popular television western “Yellowstone”</a>&nbsp;was found dead after he went missing amid a domestic violence investigation in Kansas, authorities said Friday.The Johnson County Sheriff's Office&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=803186598510154&amp;set=a.219561300206023">said in a statement</a>&nbsp;that deputies found the body of 27-year-old Cole Brings Plenty in a wooded area. Crime scene investigators and the medical examiner were at the location, but no details were released about a cause of death.Two days earlier Brings Plenty was charged in a nearby county with aggravated burglary, domestic battery and criminal restraint. An arrest warrant was issued.Police in the town of Lawrence said officers responded Sunday to an apartment where a woman was screaming for help, and Brings Plenty had left before they arrived.He then missed an audition for an upcoming film project that was scheduled for Monday morning over Zoom, his agent, Peter Yanke of Phirgun Mair Worldwide, said this week.Brings Plenty appeared in two episodes of the first season of “1923,” a Paramount+ series starring Harrison Ford that is a prequel to the Paramount Network hit “Yellowstone.” He also had recent small roles in two other Westerns from INSP TV, “Into the Wild Frontier” and “The Tall Tales of Jim Bridger.”His uncle Mo Brings Plenty is a star of “Yellowstone” and acts as a cultural adviser for Native American issues on both that show and “1923.” He posted a flyer about his nephew’s disappearance on Instagram, and police said the family reported the younger man missing.--------------JOHNSON COUNTY —The search for an alleged Kansas domestic violence suspect has endedJust before noon Friday, sheriff's deputies were dispatched to an unoccupied vehicle in the area of 200th and Homestead Lane in rural Johnson County, Kansas, according to Sheriff Calvin Hayden.Deputies searched the area and found a deceased man in a wooded area. He was later identified as 27-year-old Cole Brings Plenty. Crime scene investigators and the medical examiner responded to the scene.On Sunday officers responded to reports of a woman screaming for help, but the suspect fled before officers arrived. The investigation identified Brings Plenty and traffic cameras showed him leaving the city immediately after the incident.The Johnson County sheriff's office and Lawrence Police released no additional details Friday afternoon.----------------DOUGLAS COUNTY&nbsp; –Law enforcement authorities investigating alleged domestic violence continue asking the public for help to locate Cole Brings Plenty after an incident Sunday morning at an apartment in Lawrence, according to a media release.The Lawrence Police drone team worked most of Thursday afternoon south of Lawrence to try to cover a lot of ground quickly - hoping to uncover any leads.&nbsp; Police are following up on all the calls and information coming in.Police also are in close contact with the family, who are very concerned as the days pass and are collaborating with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/298304525732132/about/?locale=pt_PT">Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two-Spirit, and Trans </a>Chapter of Lawrence.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712085673888.png" alt="Brings Plenty was last known to be driving the 2005 Ford Explorer bearing Kansas license plate 368PXB - photo Lawrence Police" />
 <figcaption>Brings Plenty was last known to be driving the 2005 Ford Explorer bearing Kansas license plate 368PXB - photo Lawrence Police</figcaption>
 </figure>On Sunday officers responded to reports of a woman screaming for help, but the suspect fled before officers arrived. The investigation identified Brings Plenty and traffic cameras showed him leaving the city immediately after the incident.Brings Plenty’s car was last seen on 59 Highway headed south out of Lawrence. He drives the 2005 Ford Explorer bearing Kansas license plate 368PXB. If you have any information on his whereabouts or his vehicle, call 911, LKPD at 785.832.7509, or make an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at (785) 843-8477.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712086415073.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;If you see Cole Brings Plenty, or his vehicle, call 911 or you can make an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Lawrence and Douglas County at (785)843-8477

Body of alleged Kan. domestic violence suspect found in rural area

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man has been charged in connection with &nbsp;the fatal shooting of another man who was shot in the morning hours of March 20, 2024, while walking in the Midtown area of Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Tyron Lee Sims, 61, faces Murder in the 2nd Degree and Armed Criminal Action charges.

According to court records, Kansas City police officers were dispatched to the area of the shooting about 5 a.m. on March 20. Officers found the victim, who was soon declared deceased. He had been shot twice. 

Surveillance video captured the victim walking northbound another another man is seen chasing the victim. Audio of two gunshots was captured on the video. The shooter, who is wearing a black hat and a hooded sweatshirt with a pinkie ring, fled on foot to the north. 

He's observed buzzing into a building. He's seen with distinctive clothing and jewelry. After obtaining a search warrant, officers found medication bottles with the defendant's name, ammunition and an empty pistol case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711544087069.png" alt="Sims-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Sims-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man has been charged in connection with &nbsp;the fatal shooting of another man who was shot in the morning hours of March 20, 2024, while walking in the Midtown area of Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Tyron Lee Sims, 61, faces Murder in the 2nd Degree and Armed Criminal Action charges.According to court records, Kansas City police officers were dispatched to the area of the shooting about 5 a.m. on March 20. Officers found the victim, who was soon declared deceased. He had been shot twice. Surveillance video captured the victim walking northbound another another man is seen chasing the victim. Audio of two gunshots was captured on the video. The shooter, who is wearing a black hat and a hooded sweatshirt with a pinkie ring, fled on foot to the north. He's observed buzzing into a building. He's seen with distinctive clothing and jewelry. After obtaining a search warrant, officers found medication bottles with the defendant's name, ammunition and an empty pistol case.

Surveillance video shows suspect near scene of KC murder

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged use of counterfeit cash in Salina.

Just after 8:30 p.m. March 25, a man entered Dollar General, 2000 S. Ninth Street B in Salina, and purchased several items. He paid with a $100 bill and received over $80 in change, according to a media release from CrimeStoppers.

The man then went to Gambino’s Pizza, 2000 S. 9th in Salina and ordered a pizza. He paid with a $100 bill and received over $75 back in change. He went and sat in a dark-colored SUV but left the area before the pizza was ready.

It was later discovered both bills were counterfeit and had the same serial number.

If you have any information concerning this incident or identification of the individual involved, call Crimestoppers at 825-TIPS. You can also make an on—line tip at:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=950#">ttps://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=950#</a>

<a href="https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=950#"></a>You may receive a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tipsters may also contact the Salina Police Department at (785) 826-7210, or Officer C. Coletti case 2024-9148/9151.

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged use of counterfeit cash in Salina.Just after 8:30 p.m. March 25, a man entered Dollar General, 2000 S. Ninth Street B in Salina, and purchased several items. He paid with a $100 bill and received over $80 in change, according to a media release from CrimeStoppers.The man then went to Gambino’s Pizza, 2000 S. 9th in Salina and ordered a pizza. He paid with a $100 bill and received over $75 back in change. He went and sat in a dark-colored SUV but left the area before the pizza was ready.It was later discovered both bills were counterfeit and had the same serial number.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712323078018.png" alt="Image-Salina Police Department" />
 <figcaption>Image-Salina Police Department</figcaption>
 </figure>If you have any information concerning this incident or identification of the individual involved, call Crimestoppers at 825-TIPS. You can also make an on—line tip at:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=950#">ttps://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=950#</a><a href="https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=950#"></a>You may receive a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tipsters may also contact the Salina Police Department at (785) 826-7210, or Officer C. Coletti case 2024-9148/9151.

Police working to ID Kan. counterfeit cash suspect

GEARY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the death of a man found at a rest stop in Geary County have identified James J. Cramer of St. Louis, Missouri.

Just before 6:30 a.m. Thursday, the Geary County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to the I-70 eastbound rest stop just before&nbsp;Moritz Road reference to a check welfare, according to a media release.

Deputies located Cramer in the driver’s seat of a gold van.&nbsp;&nbsp;The sheriff's office did not release his age or cause of death.

This case is still under investigation and the Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone that may have information on this case to call 785-238-2261.

GEARY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the death of a man found at a rest stop in Geary County have identified James J. Cramer of St. Louis, Missouri.Just before 6:30 a.m. Thursday, the Geary County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to the I-70 eastbound rest stop just before&nbsp;Moritz Road reference to a check welfare, according to a media release.Deputies located Cramer in the driver’s seat of a gold van.&nbsp;&nbsp;The sheriff's office did not release his age or cause of death.This case is still under investigation and the Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone that may have information on this case to call 785-238-2261.

Sheriff IDs man found dead at rest area on I-70

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;Kansas Reflector

TOPEKA — Kansas senators killed a school finance bill that would have guided state education funding for the next three years, heeding warnings from public schools advocates that the bill’s special education provision could have proven disastrous.

&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb387/">Senate Bill 387</a>&nbsp;allocated billions for K-12 schools, but also came with a provision that public school advocates warned would&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/04/03/education-advocate-kansas-school-finance-bill-would-permanently-underfund-special-education/">“permanently underfund K-12 schools.”</a>&nbsp;

The bill would have overhauled the state’s special education funding formula,&nbsp;using local dollars as part of the calculation. Public education advocates, including the Kansas Association of School Boards and the Kansas National Educators Association, spoke against the proposed formula, calling it one that would mask a lack of state funding for special education. In a joint statement, the groups said the calculation was a “series of accounting gimmicks.”

“That’s not new money,” said Rep. David Younger, a Ulysses Republican, in Thursday opposition to the bill. “That’s money that’s coming in that’s supposed to be there. Counting local option budget money is not new money. That’s local money. And I stand by my claim that this is voodoo math.”&nbsp;

The special education formula currently factors in costs of providing services, costs of regular education and federal aid to determine each district’s state special education aid. The proposed formula would have used factors such as Medicaid and state hospital funding, along with district-level budgets to determine special education aid.

Others warned the state cannot afford to further underfund special education. Money for special education goes toward educational needs for gifted and disabled students in Kansas public schools.&nbsp;

Statute dictates that state funding cover 92% of the extra cost of providing services to K-12 special education students statewide, but the state hasn’t met this requirement since 2011. The state currently covers around 69% of expenditures by local school districts.&nbsp;

Kansas schools are left to shoulder the other costs— a task that has become increasingly difficult as the number of Kansas students utilizing special ed services continues to rise. Approximately 18% of Kansas students used special ed services in the 2022-2023 school year.

Rep. Kristey Williams, an Augusta Republican tasked with crafting education policy, pushed back on these claims. Williams is well-known for promoting private school vouchers,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/20/kansas-lawmaker-tells-concerned-augusta-community-educators-some-kids-do-need-jesus-first/">arguing that some children</a>&nbsp;need religion before math.&nbsp;

“It is the responsible answer,”&nbsp; Williams said of SB387. “It is the transparent and accountable answer in the changes that we’ve made, in the accountability that we have included.&nbsp;

In a late night Thursday vote, Senators voted 12-26 against the bill, hours after House lawmakers narrowly passed the bill with a 65-58 vote.

Sen. Chase Blasi, a Wichita Republican, said he couldn’t support the bill due to hometown opposition.&nbsp;

“I cannot support major changes to K-12 finance, while there’s universal opposition back home,” Blasi said.

The Legislature is expected to adjourn after Friday for three weeks, adding a sense of urgency as lawmakers scramble to approve policy before the break. If no new education bill arises by Friday night, lawmakers will adjourn without an education budget blueprint in place.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674609354567.png" alt="File photo&nbsp; Kansas Senators voted late Thursday against a wide-ranging public school finance bill. " />
 <figcaption>File photo&nbsp; Kansas Senators voted late Thursday against a wide-ranging public school finance bill. </figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;Kansas ReflectorTOPEKA — Kansas senators killed a school finance bill that would have guided state education funding for the next three years, heeding warnings from public schools advocates that the bill’s special education provision could have proven disastrous.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb387/">Senate Bill 387</a>&nbsp;allocated billions for K-12 schools, but also came with a provision that public school advocates warned would&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/04/03/education-advocate-kansas-school-finance-bill-would-permanently-underfund-special-education/">“permanently underfund K-12 schools.”</a>&nbsp;The bill would have overhauled the state’s special education funding formula,&nbsp;using local dollars as part of the calculation. Public education advocates, including the Kansas Association of School Boards and the Kansas National Educators Association, spoke against the proposed formula, calling it one that would mask a lack of state funding for special education. In a joint statement, the groups said the calculation was a “series of accounting gimmicks.”“That’s not new money,” said Rep. David Younger, a Ulysses Republican, in Thursday opposition to the bill. “That’s money that’s coming in that’s supposed to be there. Counting local option budget money is not new money. That’s local money. And I stand by my claim that this is voodoo math.”&nbsp;The special education formula currently factors in costs of providing services, costs of regular education and federal aid to determine each district’s state special education aid. The proposed formula would have used factors such as Medicaid and state hospital funding, along with district-level budgets to determine special education aid.Others warned the state cannot afford to further underfund special education. Money for special education goes toward educational needs for gifted and disabled students in Kansas public schools.&nbsp;Statute dictates that state funding cover 92% of the extra cost of providing services to K-12 special education students statewide, but the state hasn’t met this requirement since 2011. The state currently covers around 69% of expenditures by local school districts.&nbsp;Kansas schools are left to shoulder the other costs— a task that has become increasingly difficult as the number of Kansas students utilizing special ed services continues to rise. Approximately 18% of Kansas students used special ed services in the 2022-2023 school year.Rep. Kristey Williams, an Augusta Republican tasked with crafting education policy, pushed back on these claims. Williams is well-known for promoting private school vouchers,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/20/kansas-lawmaker-tells-concerned-augusta-community-educators-some-kids-do-need-jesus-first/">arguing that some children</a>&nbsp;need religion before math.&nbsp;“It is the responsible answer,”&nbsp; Williams said of SB387. “It is the transparent and accountable answer in the changes that we’ve made, in the accountability that we have included.&nbsp;In a late night Thursday vote, Senators voted 12-26 against the bill, hours after House lawmakers narrowly passed the bill with a 65-58 vote.Sen. Chase Blasi, a Wichita Republican, said he couldn’t support the bill due to hometown opposition.&nbsp;“I cannot support major changes to K-12 finance, while there’s universal opposition back home,” Blasi said.The Legislature is expected to adjourn after Friday for three weeks, adding a sense of urgency as lawmakers scramble to approve policy before the break. If no new education bill arises by Friday night, lawmakers will adjourn without an education budget blueprint in place.&nbsp;

Kansas senators shoot down ‘voodoo math’ public education bill

TEXAS COUNTY, Okla. (AP) —Foul play is suspected in the disappearance of two Kansas women whose vehicle was found abandoned in the Oklahoma Panhandle last weekend, authorities said Friday.

Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, of Hugoton, Kansas, were driving to Oklahoma to pick up Butler’s children to attend a March 30 birthday party in Kansas but never showed up, Tom Singer, the pastor of the church Butler attended, told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.koco.com/article/oklahoma-missing-women-texas-county-disappearance-jillian-kelley-veronica-butler/60388744">KOCO-TV</a>.

Hunter McKee, an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokesperson, said investigators believe foul play led to women's disappearance based on what was found their vehicle.

McKee declined to say what evidence was found in the vehicle, citing the continuing investigation.

Singer did not immediately return phone calls for comment Friday morning.

McKee said the abandoned vehicle was found by Texas County deputies and referred additional questions to Texas County Sheriff Matt Boley, who did not immediately return a phone call for comment.

The sheriff's office has turned the investigation over to the OSBI.

“We’re still looking into where and when they were last seen,” McKee said.

Investigators are searching the area in Texas County around where the vehicle was found, according to McKee, about 11 miles (18 kilometers) south of Elkhart, Kansas, on the Oklahoma-Kansas state line.

The area is about 260 miles (418 kilometers) northwest of Oklahoma City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1711967700182.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TEXAS COUNTY, Okla. (AP) —Foul play is suspected in the disappearance of two Kansas women whose vehicle was found abandoned in the Oklahoma Panhandle last weekend, authorities said Friday.Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, of Hugoton, Kansas, were driving to Oklahoma to pick up Butler’s children to attend a March 30 birthday party in Kansas but never showed up, Tom Singer, the pastor of the church Butler attended, told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.koco.com/article/oklahoma-missing-women-texas-county-disappearance-jillian-kelley-veronica-butler/60388744">KOCO-TV</a>.Hunter McKee, an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokesperson, said investigators believe foul play led to women's disappearance based on what was found their vehicle.McKee declined to say what evidence was found in the vehicle, citing the continuing investigation.Singer did not immediately return phone calls for comment Friday morning.McKee said the abandoned vehicle was found by Texas County deputies and referred additional questions to Texas County Sheriff Matt Boley, who did not immediately return a phone call for comment.The sheriff's office has turned the investigation over to the OSBI.“We’re still looking into where and when they were last seen,” McKee said.McKee said no children are missing.Investigators are searching the area in Texas County around where the vehicle was found, according to McKee, about 11 miles (18 kilometers) south of Elkhart, Kansas, on the Oklahoma-Kansas state line.The area is about 260 miles (418 kilometers) northwest of Oklahoma City.

Police update search for two missing Kansas women

NEW YORK (AP) — An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/earthquake-new-york-updates">earthquake centered between New York and Philadelphia</a>&nbsp;shook skyscrapers and suburbs across the northeastern U.S. for several seconds Friday morning, causing no major damage but startling millions of people in an area unaccustomed to such tremors.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported a quake at 10:23 a.m. with a preliminary magnitude of 4.8, centered near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, or about 45 miles (72 kilometers) west of New York City and 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Philadelphia. The agency's figures indicated that over 42 million people might have felt the rumbling.

People from Baltimore to the Massachusetts-New Hampshire border reported feeling the ground shake. While there were no immediate reports of serious damage, officials were checking bridges and other major infrastructure, Amtrak slowed trains throughout the busy Northeast Corridor, and a Philadelphia-area commuter rail line suspended service out of what it said was “an abundance of caution.”

Pictures and decorative plates tumbled off the wall in Christiann Thompson's house in Whitehouse Station, she said. Thompson was volunteering at the local library when the quake hit, leaving few effects, but she got a report from her husband on the scene at home.

“The dogs lost their minds and got very terrified and ran around," she said.

It was “pretty weird and scary” for Shawn Clark, who felt the quake in his 26th-floor midtown Manhattan office. Clark, an attorney, initially feared an explosion or construction accident. His colleague Finn Dusenbery worried the ceiling or even the building would collapse.

The earthquake slowed travel along the East Coast, with some flights diverted and traffic snarled on roads and rails for runway, bridge, and tunnel inspections. Flights to the Newark, New York and Baltimore airports were held at their origins for a time while officials inspected runways for cracks. At least five flights en route to Newark were diverted and landed at Lehigh Valley International Airport in Allentown, Pennsylvania, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.

Among the affected travelers: Seton Hall University’s men’s basketball team, which was stuck in Indianapolis, where it won the National Invitational Tournament on Thursday. The team said its flight to Newark was being held because of the earthquake-related ground stop, likely delaying a welcome-home celebration scheduled for Friday afternoon on Seton Hall's campus in South Orange, New Jersey.

Traffic through the Holland Tunnel between Jersey City, New Jersey, and lower Manhattan was stopped for about 10 minutes for inspections, the Port Authority of New York and Jersey said.

In midtown Manhattan, motorists blared their horns on shuddering streets. Some Brooklyn residents heard a boom and felt their building shaking. Cellphone circuits were overloaded for a time as people tried to reach loved ones and figure out what was going on.

At U.N. headquarters in New York, the shaking interrupted the chief executive of Save The Children, Janti Soeripto, as she briefed an emergency Security Council session on the threat of famine in Gaza and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-world-central-kitchen-gaza-aid-workers-69b6176362dafc8e4e2754b2342faa1d">Israeli drone strikes that killed aid workers</a>&nbsp;there.

“Is it an earthquake?” Soeripto wondered aloud, then asked if it was all right to go ahead. She did, but soon diplomats’ phones blared with earthquake alerts.

In New York City’s Astoria neighborhood, Cassondra Kurtz was giving her 14-year-old Chihuahua, Chiki, a cocoa-butter rubdown for her dry skin. Kurtz was recording the moment on video when her apartment started shaking hard enough that a large mirror banged audibly against a wall.

Kurtz assumed at first it was a big truck going by. The video captured her looking around, perplexed. Chiki, however, “was completely unbothered.”

Earthquakes are less common on the eastern than western edges of the U.S. because the East Coast does not lie on a boundary of tectonic plates. The biggest Eastern quakes usually occur along the mid-Atlantic Ridge, which extends through Iceland and the Atlantic Ocean.

Quakes on the East Coast can still pack a punch, as its rocks are better than their western counterparts at spreading earthquake energy across long distances.

“If we had the same magnitude quake in California, it probably wouldn’t be felt nearly as far away,” said USGS geophysicist Paul Caruso.

A 4.8-magnitude quake isn't large enough to cause damage, except for some minor effects near the epicenter, the agency posted on X.

Robert Thorson, a University of Connecticut earth sciences professor, said the quake resulted from the constant compression of the earth's hard, brittle crust in New Jersey.

“It’s like having a big block of ice in a vise, and you are just slowly cranking up the vise,” he said. Eventually, you’re going to get some crackling on it.”

Friday's quake was felt as far as Vermont and New Hampshire, where some residents initially figured it was snow falling off their roofs or plow trucks rumbling by.

Stacy Santa Cruz, a paralegal, watched her computer screen shake at her office in Hartford, Connecticut.

“I kind of was taken aback, but then I kind of processed that it might have been an earthquake," she said, noting that she'd experienced a significant quake in her native Peru.

Earthquakes with magnitudes near or above 5 struck near New York City in 1737, 1783 and 1884, the USGS said. And Friday's stirred memories of the Aug. 23, 2011, earthquake that jolted tens of millions of people from Georgia to Canada. With an epicenter in Virginia, it left cracks in the Washington Monument and rattled New Yorkers ahead of the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

Registering magnitude 5.8, it was the strongest earthquake to hit the East Coast since World War II.

On Friday, President Joe Biden said he had had spoken to New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy about the earthquake. The White House said the administration would provide help if needed to state and local officials.

As of noon, New York City had no indications of major safety or infrastructure problems from the earthquake, said Mayor Eric Adams, who said he didn't feel the quake himself. City Buildings Commissioner James Oddo said officials would watch out for any delayed cracks or other effects on the Big Apple’s 1.1 million buildings.

A Chinatown art gallery owner, Kristen Thomas, worried for the fate of a sculpture that features five real eggs poised on a candelabra-like base. But the piece, by Carlos Estévez, was unbroken.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the quake was felt throughout the state, but officials had no reports of any life-threatening problems.

Solomon Byron felt it as he sat on a park bench in Manhattan’s East Village.

“I was just like, ‘Where is that vibration coming from?'" Byron recalled. He was especially puzzled since there were no subways running nearby.

But he didn’t realize there had been an earthquake until he got the alert on his cellphone.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712329282349.png" alt="Quake centered near Lebanon, New Jersey-USGS image" />
 <figcaption>Quake centered near Lebanon, New Jersey-USGS image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/earthquake-new-york-updates">earthquake centered between New York and Philadelphia</a>&nbsp;shook skyscrapers and suburbs across the northeastern U.S. for several seconds Friday morning, causing no major damage but startling millions of people in an area unaccustomed to such tremors.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I AM FINE&mdash; Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) <a href="https://twitter.com/EmpireStateBldg/status/1776254633599480130?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fgovkathyhochul%2Fvideos%2F1150569402614787%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=1" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Earthquakes are uncommon but not unheard of along the Atlantic Coast, a zone one study called a &quot;passive-aggressive margin&quot; b/c there&#39;s no active plate boundary between the Atlantic &amp; N. American plates, but there are stresses. Did you feel the NJ quake? <a href="https://t.co/ADcDLsTp8b">https://t.co/ADcDLsTp8b</a>&mdash; USGS Earthquakes (@USGS_Quakes) <a href="https://twitter.com/USGS_Quakes/status/1776262335688044979?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit west of Manhattan and has been felt throughout New York. My team is assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day.&mdash; Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovKathyHochul/status/1776257181454676383?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The U.S. Geological Survey reported a quake at 10:23 a.m. with a preliminary magnitude of 4.8, centered near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, or about 45 miles (72 kilometers) west of New York City and 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Philadelphia. The agency's figures indicated that over 42 million people might have felt the rumbling.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">JFK Airport remains open and operational. Flights are arriving and departing at this time. Please check with your carrier for any updates to your flight status.&mdash; John F. Kennedy Airport (@JFKairport) <a href="https://twitter.com/JFKairport/status/1776270324952170522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>People from Baltimore to the Massachusetts-New Hampshire border reported feeling the ground shake. While there were no immediate reports of serious damage, officials were checking bridges and other major infrastructure, Amtrak slowed trains throughout the busy Northeast Corridor, and a Philadelphia-area commuter rail line suspended service out of what it said was “an abundance of caution.”Pictures and decorative plates tumbled off the wall in Christiann Thompson's house in Whitehouse Station, she said. Thompson was volunteering at the local library when the quake hit, leaving few effects, but she got a report from her husband on the scene at home.“The dogs lost their minds and got very terrified and ran around," she said.It was “pretty weird and scary” for Shawn Clark, who felt the quake in his 26th-floor midtown Manhattan office. Clark, an attorney, initially feared an explosion or construction accident. His colleague Finn Dusenbery worried the ceiling or even the building would collapse.The earthquake slowed travel along the East Coast, with some flights diverted and traffic snarled on roads and rails for runway, bridge, and tunnel inspections. Flights to the Newark, New York and Baltimore airports were held at their origins for a time while officials inspected runways for cracks. At least five flights en route to Newark were diverted and landed at Lehigh Valley International Airport in Allentown, Pennsylvania, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.Among the affected travelers: Seton Hall University’s men’s basketball team, which was stuck in Indianapolis, where it won the National Invitational Tournament on Thursday. The team said its flight to Newark was being held because of the earthquake-related ground stop, likely delaying a welcome-home celebration scheduled for Friday afternoon on Seton Hall's campus in South Orange, New Jersey.Traffic through the Holland Tunnel between Jersey City, New Jersey, and lower Manhattan was stopped for about 10 minutes for inspections, the Port Authority of New York and Jersey said.In midtown Manhattan, motorists blared their horns on shuddering streets. Some Brooklyn residents heard a boom and felt their building shaking. Cellphone circuits were overloaded for a time as people tried to reach loved ones and figure out what was going on.At U.N. headquarters in New York, the shaking interrupted the chief executive of Save The Children, Janti Soeripto, as she briefed an emergency Security Council session on the threat of famine in Gaza and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-world-central-kitchen-gaza-aid-workers-69b6176362dafc8e4e2754b2342faa1d">Israeli drone strikes that killed aid workers</a>&nbsp;there.“Is it an earthquake?” Soeripto wondered aloud, then asked if it was all right to go ahead. She did, but soon diplomats’ phones blared with earthquake alerts.In New York City’s Astoria neighborhood, Cassondra Kurtz was giving her 14-year-old Chihuahua, Chiki, a cocoa-butter rubdown for her dry skin. Kurtz was recording the moment on video when her apartment started shaking hard enough that a large mirror banged audibly against a wall.Kurtz assumed at first it was a big truck going by. The video captured her looking around, perplexed. Chiki, however, “was completely unbothered.”Earthquakes are less common on the eastern than western edges of the U.S. because the East Coast does not lie on a boundary of tectonic plates. The biggest Eastern quakes usually occur along the mid-Atlantic Ridge, which extends through Iceland and the Atlantic Ocean.Quakes on the East Coast can still pack a punch, as its rocks are better than their western counterparts at spreading earthquake energy across long distances.“If we had the same magnitude quake in California, it probably wouldn’t be felt nearly as far away,” said USGS geophysicist Paul Caruso.A 4.8-magnitude quake isn't large enough to cause damage, except for some minor effects near the epicenter, the agency posted on X.Robert Thorson, a University of Connecticut earth sciences professor, said the quake resulted from the constant compression of the earth's hard, brittle crust in New Jersey.“It’s like having a big block of ice in a vise, and you are just slowly cranking up the vise,” he said. Eventually, you’re going to get some crackling on it.”Friday's quake was felt as far as Vermont and New Hampshire, where some residents initially figured it was snow falling off their roofs or plow trucks rumbling by.Stacy Santa Cruz, a paralegal, watched her computer screen shake at her office in Hartford, Connecticut.“I kind of was taken aback, but then I kind of processed that it might have been an earthquake," she said, noting that she'd experienced a significant quake in her native Peru.Earthquakes with magnitudes near or above 5 struck near New York City in 1737, 1783 and 1884, the USGS said. And Friday's stirred memories of the Aug. 23, 2011, earthquake that jolted tens of millions of people from Georgia to Canada. With an epicenter in Virginia, it left cracks in the Washington Monument and rattled New Yorkers ahead of the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.Registering magnitude 5.8, it was the strongest earthquake to hit the East Coast since World War II.On Friday, President Joe Biden said he had had spoken to New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy about the earthquake. The White House said the administration would provide help if needed to state and local officials.As of noon, New York City had no indications of major safety or infrastructure problems from the earthquake, said Mayor Eric Adams, who said he didn't feel the quake himself. City Buildings Commissioner James Oddo said officials would watch out for any delayed cracks or other effects on the Big Apple’s 1.1 million buildings.A Chinatown art gallery owner, Kristen Thomas, worried for the fate of a sculpture that features five real eggs poised on a candelabra-like base. But the piece, by Carlos Estévez, was unbroken.New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the quake was felt throughout the state, but officials had no reports of any life-threatening problems.Solomon Byron felt it as he sat on a park bench in Manhattan’s East Village.“I was just like, ‘Where is that vibration coming from?'" Byron recalled. He was especially puzzled since there were no subways running nearby.But he didn’t realize there had been an earthquake until he got the alert on his cellphone.

Rare earthquake centered near New York City rattles the Northeast

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop on a reported stolen vehicle from Indiana.

On Friday, deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle reported stolen from East Chicago, Indiana, according to Sheriff Ron Wade. The vehicle was spotted traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 75, just north of Independence, Kansas. 

Deputies proceeded with a felony traffic stop, successfully taking the driver 29-year-old Adam Hiner into custody without any further incident. 

Hiner was transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections and booked on requested charges of Felony Possession of stolen property and operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license. 

Montgomery County Dispatch informed the reporting agency of the vehicle's recovery, and arrangements were made for its return to the rightful owner at a later date.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712323573524.png" alt="Hiner-photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Hiner-photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop on a reported stolen vehicle from Indiana.On Friday, deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle reported stolen from East Chicago, Indiana, according to Sheriff Ron Wade. The vehicle was spotted traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 75, just north of Independence, Kansas. Deputies proceeded with a felony traffic stop, successfully taking the driver 29-year-old Adam Hiner into custody without any further incident. Hiner was transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections and booked on requested charges of Felony Possession of stolen property and operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license. Montgomery County Dispatch informed the reporting agency of the vehicle's recovery, and arrangements were made for its return to the rightful owner at a later date.

Kansas deputies catch Indiana stolen vehicle suspect

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

KU receives $22M in federal funding for high-security lab space

LAWRENCE — FBI director Christopher Wray provided a sobering analysis Thursday of the increasingly “complex and persistent and severe” cybersecurity threat posed by foreign adversaries to national security, the economy and critical infrastructure.

In a speech at the University of Kansas Cybersecurity Conference, Wray said criminals use ransomware to wreak havoc on business operations, food distributors, 911 call centers, police departments, schools and hospitals with the goal of “disrupting our democratic society.”

“They’re more pervasive, hit a wider array of victims and carry the potential for greater damage than ever before,” Wray said. “Even as I’m standing here talking to you, we’re investigating more than 100 different ransomware variants, each of them with scores and scores of victims.”

Wray said the FBI places a premium on collaborations with academic partners, including KU, to confront the threats.

Congress has earmarked $22 million for the KU National Security Innovation Center, an economic development organization and business incubator. The funding will help pay for an 80,000-square-foot high-security office and lab space.

Republican U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, who announced the federal funding during the cybersecurity conference, said the project was part of his dream to provide educational opportunities for Kansans, as well as the opportunity to have careers and raise families in the state.

“I want to make certain that we do everything today that increases the chances that the student, the young kid, a kid growing up in small town or big city Kansas, who happens to get fascinated by science or engineering or mathematics, has a place to be educated,” Moran said.

“What a great thing it would be if you wanted to study science and engineering, be a researcher, and you said, ‘I want to go to school in Kansas.’ And if you wanted a career in those fields, you said, ‘I want to live in Kansas,’ ” he added.

Moran said his work as a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee — he joked that’s “probably an oxymoron for most of you — made him realize that other countries are doing everything they can to steal America’s secrets. If they get a leg up, he said, they can “succeed in diminishing the future of the United States of America.”

“The threats are real,” Moran said. “They’re growing. They’re damaging, and the capabilities of our adversaries are increasing.”

Wray identified China, Russia, Iran and North Korea as the most prominent of foreign adversaries. He said foreign intelligence officers moonlight as cyber criminals, and profit-minded criminals by day are state-sponsored hackers by night.

“It’s getting more and more difficult to discern where cybercriminal activity ends and adversarial nation-state activity begins, as the line between the two just gets blurrier and blurrier,” Wray said.

The good news, he said, is the FBI has demonstrated success in taking down Russian malware and high-profile ransomware gangs. He said agents collaborate with allies to compromise criminal command and control networks, shut down their servers and websites, and deploy encryption protections. The FBI also targets money launderers and cryptocurrency wallets connected to illegal activity in an effort to “try to hit them everywhere it hurts and then put them down, hard.”

KU chancellor Doug Girod said the university was committed to doing the research that would push the field of cybersecurity forward. The work was necessary, he joked, because during the pandemic he received notice that fraudulent unemployment claims had been filed on his behalf in three states.

“This world of cyber warfare is really World War 3, and we are losing it right now,” Girod said. “We just can’t see it.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712322417326.png" alt=" FBI director Christopher Wray speaks about threats to national securing during an April 4, 2024, cybersecurity conference at the University of Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> FBI director Christopher Wray speaks about threats to national securing during an April 4, 2024, cybersecurity conference at the University of Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a><h2>KU receives $22M in federal funding for high-security lab space</h2>LAWRENCE — FBI director Christopher Wray provided a sobering analysis Thursday of the increasingly “complex and persistent and severe” cybersecurity threat posed by foreign adversaries to national security, the economy and critical infrastructure.In a speech at the University of Kansas Cybersecurity Conference, Wray said criminals use ransomware to wreak havoc on business operations, food distributors, 911 call centers, police departments, schools and hospitals with the goal of “disrupting our democratic society.”“They’re more pervasive, hit a wider array of victims and carry the potential for greater damage than ever before,” Wray said. “Even as I’m standing here talking to you, we’re investigating more than 100 different ransomware variants, each of them with scores and scores of victims.”Wray said the FBI places a premium on collaborations with academic partners, including KU, to confront the threats.Congress has earmarked $22 million for the KU National Security Innovation Center, an economic development organization and business incubator. The funding will help pay for an 80,000-square-foot high-security office and lab space.Republican U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, who announced the federal funding during the cybersecurity conference, said the project was part of his dream to provide educational opportunities for Kansans, as well as the opportunity to have careers and raise families in the state.“I want to make certain that we do everything today that increases the chances that the student, the young kid, a kid growing up in small town or big city Kansas, who happens to get fascinated by science or engineering or mathematics, has a place to be educated,” Moran said.“What a great thing it would be if you wanted to study science and engineering, be a researcher, and you said, ‘I want to go to school in Kansas.’ And if you wanted a career in those fields, you said, ‘I want to live in Kansas,’ ” he added.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712322381138.png" alt=" U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran announces federal funding for the University of Kansas Innovation Park during an April 4, 2024, cybersecurity conference at KU. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran announces federal funding for the University of Kansas Innovation Park during an April 4, 2024, cybersecurity conference at KU. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Moran said his work as a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee — he joked that’s “probably an oxymoron for most of you — made him realize that other countries are doing everything they can to steal America’s secrets. If they get a leg up, he said, they can “succeed in diminishing the future of the United States of America.”“The threats are real,” Moran said. “They’re growing. They’re damaging, and the capabilities of our adversaries are increasing.”Wray identified China, Russia, Iran and North Korea as the most prominent of foreign adversaries. He said foreign intelligence officers moonlight as cyber criminals, and profit-minded criminals by day are state-sponsored hackers by night.“It’s getting more and more difficult to discern where cybercriminal activity ends and adversarial nation-state activity begins, as the line between the two just gets blurrier and blurrier,” Wray said.The good news, he said, is the FBI has demonstrated success in taking down Russian malware and high-profile ransomware gangs. He said agents collaborate with allies to compromise criminal command and control networks, shut down their servers and websites, and deploy encryption protections. The FBI also targets money launderers and cryptocurrency wallets connected to illegal activity in an effort to “try to hit them everywhere it hurts and then put them down, hard.”KU chancellor Doug Girod said the university was committed to doing the research that would push the field of cybersecurity forward. The work was necessary, he joked, because during the pandemic he received notice that fraudulent unemployment claims had been filed on his behalf in three states.“This world of cyber warfare is really World War 3, and we are losing it right now,” Girod said. “We just can’t see it.”

FBI director outlines threat of cyber attacks in speech at University of Kansas

COMANCHE COUNTY —Authorities are investigating after an explosion at a grain elevator in southwest Kansas.

Just before 6 p.m. Thursday,  Comanche County Communications received a call from Protection Fire Chief Brian Harris  regarding an explosion located at  Alliance Ag and Grain, 108 West Chestnut Street in Protection, Kansas, at the concrete elevator, according to Britt Lenertz,  Director of Comanche County Emergency Management.

&nbsp;Protection and Coldwater Fire Departments responded. The Ashland Kansas Fire Departments was called in for mutual aid to assist.

&nbsp;The site was secured by the Comanche County Sheriff's Office and Comanche County EMS were on scene to respond to any injuries. 

After entry safety measures were taken, firefighters were able to enter the structure to assess damages.  The explosion was contained to the outside leg of the elevator, grain pit and interior structures with no exterior damages occurring to the elevator.

Officials established a shelter at the Protection Baptist Church but no evacuations were necessary.&nbsp;&nbsp;There were no reported injuries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712319729639.png" alt="Photo Comanche Co. Emergency Management" />
 <figcaption>Photo Comanche Co. Emergency Management</figcaption>
 </figure>COMANCHE COUNTY —Authorities are investigating after an explosion at a grain elevator in southwest Kansas.Just before 6 p.m. Thursday, Comanche County Communications received a call from Protection Fire Chief Brian Harris regarding an explosion located at Alliance Ag and Grain, 108 West Chestnut Street in Protection, Kansas, at the concrete elevator, according to Britt Lenertz, Director of Comanche County Emergency Management.&nbsp;Protection and Coldwater Fire Departments responded. The Ashland Kansas Fire Departments was called in for mutual aid to assist.&nbsp;The site was secured by the Comanche County Sheriff's Office and Comanche County EMS were on scene to respond to any injuries. After entry safety measures were taken, firefighters were able to enter the structure to assess damages. The explosion was contained to the outside leg of the elevator, grain pit and interior structures with no exterior damages occurring to the elevator.Officials established a shelter at the Protection Baptist Church but no evacuations were necessary.&nbsp;&nbsp;There were no reported injuries.

Officials investigate after explosion at Kansas grain elevator

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal hit-and-run accident in Kansas City.

 Just after 7 p.m. Wednesday police responded to a hit-and-run at 6th Street and Prospect in Kansas City, according to a media release.

Preliminary investigation revealed the operator of a scooter was westbound on 6th Street. At Prospect the operator failed to stop for the posted stop sign, entered the intersection, and traveled underneath the trailer of a southbound International semi.

The rear wheels of the semi ran over the scooter driver.&nbsp; The driver of the semi left the scene but was located a short time later by responding officers. The driver of the scooter, whose name has not been released, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

This is fatality #31 compared to #16 at this time last year in Kansas City, according to KCPD.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal hit-and-run accident in Kansas City. Just after 7 p.m. Wednesday police responded to a hit-and-run at 6th Street and Prospect in Kansas City, according to a media release.Preliminary investigation revealed the operator of a scooter was westbound on 6th Street. At Prospect the operator failed to stop for the posted stop sign, entered the intersection, and traveled underneath the trailer of a southbound International semi.The rear wheels of the semi ran over the scooter driver.&nbsp; The driver of the semi left the scene but was located a short time later by responding officers. The driver of the scooter, whose name has not been released, was pronounced deceased at the scene.This is fatality #31 compared to #16 at this time last year in Kansas City, according to KCPD..

KC hit-and-run: Scooter operator run over, killed by semi 

CAIRO (AP)— The United States’ military says its forces shot down an anti-ship ballistic missile and two aerial drones launched by Yemen’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthis-yemen-airstrikes-military-us-red-sea-de8430938b907a1cddc906e491dca96d">Iran-backed Houthi rebels</a>.

U.S. Central Command said Thursday that the target of the attack was the USS Gravely destroyer, which is patrolling the Red Sea. The military said it destroyed a mobile surface-to-air missile system in Houthi-held territory in response to the attack early Wednesday.

The Houthis have repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-yemen-houthis-attack-ships-f67d941c260528ac40315ecab4c34ca3">targeted international shipping</a>&nbsp;and U.S. forces in the Red Sea in recent months in what they portray as a blockade of Israel in response to the war in Gaza. They have attacked several ships with no known connection to Israel.

The U.S. and its allies have responded with strikes on Houthi military targets in Yemen.

The latest confrontation came as tensions are high across the Middle East following an apparent Israeli airstrike in Syria’s capital, Damascus, that destroyed the Iranian Consulate and killed two Iranian generals. Iran has vowed to respond to the attack.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Israel says it's taking steps to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, including reopening a key border crossing into hard-hit northern Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced the plans early Friday, just hours after President Joe Biden told him that future U.S. support for the war in Gaza depends on Israel taking more action to protect civilians and aid workers. The announcement did not elaborate on quantities or types of items to be let in.

Still, despite their differences, the Biden administration has continued to provide Israel crucial military aid and diplomatic support for Israel's six-month war against Hamas. Israel faces growing international isolation after its forces killed seven aid workers helping deliver food in Gaza.

The Palestinian death toll soared above 33,000 people on Thursday, with another 75,600 wounded, Gaza's Health Ministry said. The ministry&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">doesn’t differentiate</a>&nbsp;between civilians and combatants in its tally, but says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/women-children-gaza-war-victims-un-inequality-f0f89a724543b99c2c22439e7af09405">women and children</a>&nbsp;make up two-thirds of the dead.

The United Nations says much of the population in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-03-11-2024-c6835d50f91dff0443e0f7fdf5e3229f">northern Gaza</a>&nbsp;is on the brink of starvation. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-genocide-court-south-africa-27cf84e16082cde798395a95e9143c06">top United Nations court has concluded</a>&nbsp;there is a “plausible risk of genocide” in Gaza — a charge Israel strongly denies — and the U.N. Security Council has issued a legally binding demand for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-gaza-ceasefire-resolution-vote-ramadan-b7985fede65e5477aba2c8d2e62a6632">cease-fire</a>.

The war began on Oct. 7, when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708804229711.png" alt="File photo U.S. Central command" />
 <figcaption>File photo U.S. Central command</figcaption>
 </figure>CAIRO (AP)— The United States’ military says its forces shot down an anti-ship ballistic missile and two aerial drones launched by Yemen’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthis-yemen-airstrikes-military-us-red-sea-de8430938b907a1cddc906e491dca96d">Iran-backed Houthi rebels</a>.U.S. Central Command said Thursday that the target of the attack was the USS Gravely destroyer, which is patrolling the Red Sea. The military said it destroyed a mobile surface-to-air missile system in Houthi-held territory in response to the attack early Wednesday.The Houthis have repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-yemen-houthis-attack-ships-f67d941c260528ac40315ecab4c34ca3">targeted international shipping</a>&nbsp;and U.S. forces in the Red Sea in recent months in what they portray as a blockade of Israel in response to the war in Gaza. They have attacked several ships with no known connection to Israel.The U.S. and its allies have responded with strikes on Houthi military targets in Yemen.The latest confrontation came as tensions are high across the Middle East following an apparent Israeli airstrike in Syria’s capital, Damascus, that destroyed the Iranian Consulate and killed two Iranian generals. Iran has vowed to respond to the attack.Meanwhile,&nbsp;Israel says it's taking steps to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, including reopening a key border crossing into hard-hit northern Gaza.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced the plans early Friday, just hours after President Joe Biden told him that future U.S. support for the war in Gaza depends on Israel taking more action to protect civilians and aid workers. The announcement did not elaborate on quantities or types of items to be let in.Still, despite their differences, the Biden administration has continued to provide Israel crucial military aid and diplomatic support for Israel's six-month war against Hamas. Israel faces growing international isolation after its forces killed seven aid workers helping deliver food in Gaza.The Palestinian death toll soared above 33,000 people on Thursday, with another 75,600 wounded, Gaza's Health Ministry said. The ministry&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">doesn’t differentiate</a>&nbsp;between civilians and combatants in its tally, but says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/women-children-gaza-war-victims-un-inequality-f0f89a724543b99c2c22439e7af09405">women and children</a>&nbsp;make up two-thirds of the dead.The United Nations says much of the population in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-03-11-2024-c6835d50f91dff0443e0f7fdf5e3229f">northern Gaza</a>&nbsp;is on the brink of starvation. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-genocide-court-south-africa-27cf84e16082cde798395a95e9143c06">top United Nations court has concluded</a>&nbsp;there is a “plausible risk of genocide” in Gaza — a charge Israel strongly denies — and the U.N. Security Council has issued a legally binding demand for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-gaza-ceasefire-resolution-vote-ramadan-b7985fede65e5477aba2c8d2e62a6632">cease-fire</a>.The war began on Oct. 7, when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage.

Terrorist target U.S. destroyer with missile, drones in the Red Sea

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A bipartisan group of rank-and-file lawmakers in Kansas scuttled a plan for cutting taxes Thursday, with Republicans defying GOP leaders and Democrats ignoring a personal appeal from the state's Democratic governor.

The state House rejected&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/ccrb_hb2036_01_040324noon.pdf">a plan</a>&nbsp;to cut taxes by about $1.4 billion over the next three years. It resulted from a deal between Gov. Laura Kelly and top Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature, but the House decided on a voice vote to have House and Senate negotiators draft a different plan. The vote was overwhelming enough that House members didn't ask for a count or roll call vote.

Some critics, particularly Republicans, saw the plan as too small. Others, mostly Democrats, argued that it was weighted too heavily toward wealthy taxpayers because it would have dropped the state's top personal income tax rate to 5.5% from 5.7%. Lawmakers in both parties thought it cut property taxes too little.

“Let us rise up and be united and send a message that Kansans deserve more,” state Rep. Stephen Owens, a conservative central Kansas Republican who led the effort to reject the measure, said during the House’s short debate.

The House's action came after the Senate approved the plan&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20240404152249_863542/">38-1,</a>&nbsp;a vote that normally would have been a good omen for a House vote. Instead, many House Democrats clearly planned to vote “no” going in, and House Republicans had a private meeting outside the Statehouse beforehand, apparently so that supporters of the plan could work on their colleagues.

Senate President Ty Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican, said the Legislature won't consider another tax plan this week. Lawmakers are set to adjourn Friday for a three-week spring break and go back in session April 29 for a few days to wrap up business for the year. Masterson said another tax plan could be considered then.

The events in Kansas came two weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-brian-kemp-corporate-income-tax-cuts-7a414376871e7baf20bfb2ea12bb7260">Georgia’s Republican-controlled Legislature passed</a>&nbsp;personal and corporate income tax cuts that GOP Gov. Brian Kemp favored. Like Georgia, Kansas has a big budget surplus — still projected at more than $4 billion for the end of June 2025.

A dozen other states cut their income tax rates last year, according to the conservative Tax Foundation, but major&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-cuts-kansas-gop-infighting-3fcfeb252137bdda907655ae7f7fd69e">tax cuts were thwarted</a>&nbsp;in Kansas by the dispute between Republican leaders and Kelly over a GOP proposal for a single-rate, “flat” income tax, something Kelly said would benefit the “super wealthy.”

Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-income-tax-cuts-budget-8fbaf4d7aa99b0b23f38daddd7dc2c28">vetoed a plan</a>&nbsp;with a single-rate income tax in January, and Republicans were unable to muster the two-thirds majorities in both chambers needed to override her action.

Republican leaders wavered on a single-rate income tax in recent weeks as they grew less willing to chance having no cuts enacted this year. All 40 state Senate seats and 125 House seats are up for election this year.

House Speaker Dan Hawkins told his colleagues during a brief debate that if they rejected the plan, they would face headlines of “House scuttles tax relief.”

“There isn't a single one of us who wants to scuttle tax relief,” said Hawkins, a Wichita Republican.

Their private meeting before the vote was in the Kansas Contractors Association office near the Statehouse. When an Associated Press reporter showed up, Republican Rep. Patrick Penn, of Wichita, was urging colleagues to overcome their misgivings. GOP leaders forced the reporter to leave.

Later, after Owens finished his last speech against the bill, a few Republicans members could be heard saying quietly, “Here, here,” and some clapped and tapped on their desks when the plan failed.

And frustration with the plan and Kelly's intervention was palpable when the governor met Thursday morning with House Democrats to sell it. She touted it as a big victory for Democrats.

“I can guarantee that the other side has gone as far as — a lot farther than — they wanted to go,” Kelly told them. "We should be embracing this and taking credit for it."

Besides adjusting the state's personal top income tax rate, the bill also would have eliminated state income taxes on retirees’ Social Security benefits, which kick in once a person receives $75,000 a year. It also would have increased the state’s standard personal income tax deductions, increased an income tax credit for child care expenses, reduced property taxes the state imposes to raise money for public schools and ended an expiring 2% sales tax on groceries six months early, on July 1.

The property tax was modest. For the owner of a home at the Kansas median value of $210,000, the annual savings would be about $140. A home’s appraised value can easily rise enough in a year to wipe out the cut.

“This, in my mind, is half a Band-Aid when the sore is still festering,” state Sen. Tom Holland, a northeastern Kansas Democrat and the only “no” vote in the Senate, said during debate.

By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A bipartisan group of rank-and-file lawmakers in Kansas scuttled a plan for cutting taxes Thursday, with Republicans defying GOP leaders and Democrats ignoring a personal appeal from the state's Democratic governor.The state House rejected&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/ccrb_hb2036_01_040324noon.pdf">a plan</a>&nbsp;to cut taxes by about $1.4 billion over the next three years. It resulted from a deal between Gov. Laura Kelly and top Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature, but the House decided on a voice vote to have House and Senate negotiators draft a different plan. The vote was overwhelming enough that House members didn't ask for a count or roll call vote.Some critics, particularly Republicans, saw the plan as too small. Others, mostly Democrats, argued that it was weighted too heavily toward wealthy taxpayers because it would have dropped the state's top personal income tax rate to 5.5% from 5.7%. Lawmakers in both parties thought it cut property taxes too little.“Let us rise up and be united and send a message that Kansans deserve more,” state Rep. Stephen Owens, a conservative central Kansas Republican who led the effort to reject the measure, said during the House’s short debate.The House's action came after the Senate approved the plan&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20240404152249_863542/">38-1,</a>&nbsp;a vote that normally would have been a good omen for a House vote. Instead, many House Democrats clearly planned to vote “no” going in, and House Republicans had a private meeting outside the Statehouse beforehand, apparently so that supporters of the plan could work on their colleagues.Senate President Ty Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican, said the Legislature won't consider another tax plan this week. Lawmakers are set to adjourn Friday for a three-week spring break and go back in session April 29 for a few days to wrap up business for the year. Masterson said another tax plan could be considered then.The events in Kansas came two weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-brian-kemp-corporate-income-tax-cuts-7a414376871e7baf20bfb2ea12bb7260">Georgia’s Republican-controlled Legislature passed</a>&nbsp;personal and corporate income tax cuts that GOP Gov. Brian Kemp favored. Like Georgia, Kansas has a big budget surplus — still projected at more than $4 billion for the end of June 2025.A dozen other states cut their income tax rates last year, according to the conservative Tax Foundation, but major&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-cuts-kansas-gop-infighting-3fcfeb252137bdda907655ae7f7fd69e">tax cuts were thwarted</a>&nbsp;in Kansas by the dispute between Republican leaders and Kelly over a GOP proposal for a single-rate, “flat” income tax, something Kelly said would benefit the “super wealthy.”Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-income-tax-cuts-budget-8fbaf4d7aa99b0b23f38daddd7dc2c28">vetoed a plan</a>&nbsp;with a single-rate income tax in January, and Republicans were unable to muster the two-thirds majorities in both chambers needed to override her action.Republican leaders wavered on a single-rate income tax in recent weeks as they grew less willing to chance having no cuts enacted this year. All 40 state Senate seats and 125 House seats are up for election this year.House Speaker Dan Hawkins told his colleagues during a brief debate that if they rejected the plan, they would face headlines of “House scuttles tax relief.”“There isn't a single one of us who wants to scuttle tax relief,” said Hawkins, a Wichita Republican.Their private meeting before the vote was in the Kansas Contractors Association office near the Statehouse. When an Associated Press reporter showed up, Republican Rep. Patrick Penn, of Wichita, was urging colleagues to overcome their misgivings. GOP leaders forced the reporter to leave.Later, after Owens finished his last speech against the bill, a few Republicans members could be heard saying quietly, “Here, here,” and some clapped and tapped on their desks when the plan failed.And frustration with the plan and Kelly's intervention was palpable when the governor met Thursday morning with House Democrats to sell it. She touted it as a big victory for Democrats.“I can guarantee that the other side has gone as far as — a lot farther than — they wanted to go,” Kelly told them. "We should be embracing this and taking credit for it."Besides adjusting the state's personal top income tax rate, the bill also would have eliminated state income taxes on retirees’ Social Security benefits, which kick in once a person receives $75,000 a year. It also would have increased the state’s standard personal income tax deductions, increased an income tax credit for child care expenses, reduced property taxes the state imposes to raise money for public schools and ended an expiring 2% sales tax on groceries six months early, on July 1.The property tax was modest. For the owner of a home at the Kansas median value of $210,000, the annual savings would be about $140. A home’s appraised value can easily rise enough in a year to wipe out the cut.“This, in my mind, is half a Band-Aid when the sore is still festering,” state Sen. Tom Holland, a northeastern Kansas Democrat and the only “no” vote in the Senate, said during debate.

Kansas lawmakers scuttle a plan for cutting taxes

SHAWNEE&nbsp; COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a burglary and robbery have captured a wanted suspect.

On March 20, police asked the public for help to locate 33-year-old&nbsp;

&nbsp;Thomas “Tommy” Lathrom of Topeka, about an ongoing aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary incident that happened on March 1, 2024. 

Just before 6a.m. Thursday, police located Lathrom at a residence in the 3600 block of SE 6th Street, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.&nbsp; Lathrom was&nbsp;attempting to hide in a shed behind the home. He barricaded himself inside the shed for a brief period, but was taken into custody without incident.

Police booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Burglary, Battery and Theft. He is being held without bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712244318974.png" alt="Lathrom as shown in his Thursday Shawnee Co. booking photo" />
 <figcaption>Lathrom as shown in his Thursday Shawnee Co. booking photo</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE&nbsp; COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a burglary and robbery have captured a wanted suspect.On March 20, police asked the public for help to locate 33-year-old&nbsp;&nbsp;Thomas “Tommy” Lathrom of Topeka, about an ongoing aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary incident that happened on March 1, 2024. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710947696116.png" alt="Lathrom's photo from the police alert March 20." />
 <figcaption>Lathrom's photo from the police alert March 20.</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 6a.m. Thursday, police located Lathrom at a residence in the 3600 block of SE 6th Street, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.&nbsp; Lathrom was&nbsp;attempting to hide in a shed behind the home. He barricaded himself inside the shed for a brief period, but was taken into custody without incident.Police booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Burglary, Battery and Theft. He is being held without bond.