TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Two top Kansas Republican Party officials are facing internal calls to resign over a viral online video showing people at a fundraiser kicking and beating a mannequin wearing a mask of Joe Biden, underscoring the national GOP’s deep divisions and its struggles to win over voters outside Donald Trump’s base.

Mike Brown, the Kansas GOP's state chair, and Maria Holiday, the leader of the party in Johnson County in the Kansas City area, distanced themselves from the display at a Friday evening fundraiser for the county party.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/kansasrepublicanparty/posts/pfbid0nb5aFdk3u3CahujH8hUxDsZJAsTh6UxMxVjbQTna1DGNykC1vq5fcven2TAet46pl">In a Facebook post,</a>&nbsp;the state GOP blamed an outside vendor who rented space at the event to promote a martial arts school.

Brown said in an email Tuesday that the state party wouldn't comment further. Holiday did not respond to a text message seeking an interview. The vendor has not been named.

The calls for their resignations started over the weekend with Brown's predecessor, Mike Kuckelman, a Kansas City attorney and frequent Brown critic, and quickly led to bipartisan condemnations amid widespread news coverage. The state GOP accused Kuckelman of creating “a false narrative" and dividing the party.

The conflict between Brown and Kuckelman reflects the split in the national GOP between former President Donald Trump's most ardent, election conspiracy-promoting supporters and its more establishment wing, including former Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel. Kuckelman supported McDaniel's reelection in 2022, while Brown wanted her out. Trump now fully controls the RNC&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republican-national-committee-trump-staffing-cuts-46bc8afcc152aecfd471161a59b74005">through hand-picked-leaders.</a>

The dispute is also notable because the fundraiser was in Johnson County, the state's most populous, where 20% of Kansas voters live. The county, which includes Kansas City suburbs, has become bluer since Trump's election as president in 2016. It was key to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's victories in 2018 and 2022 and became an area where it was increasingly difficult for GOP statewide candidates to win.

“This disgusting visualization of violence went viral. This doesn’t just go away,” Kuckelman said during an interview Tuesday. “This does not help win independent and soft Republican voters.”

The Friday fundraiser featured 1970s rocker Ted Nugent, known for his backing of gun rights, hard-right political views and support for Trump, with tickets ranging from $90 for students to $300 for premier seats. The mannequin with the Biden mask also wore a “Let's Go Brandon” T-shirt, using a slogan that's become conservative code for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lets-go-brandon-what-does-it-mean-republicans-joe-biden-ab13db212067928455a3dba07756a160">a vulgar insult</a>&nbsp;directed at the Democratic president.

The incident in Kansas also came after Trump's campaign rhetoric&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-violent-rhetoric-retribution-authoritarians-2024-39e090680a33c0869312e79bcef106e8">became more violent.</a>&nbsp;Last fall, he suggested that shoplifters should be immediately shot. He called his opponents “lowlifes,” threatened news organizations and later told a crowd in Iowa that he wouldn't be a dictator&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hannity-dictator-authoritarian-presidential-election-f27e7e9d7c13fabbe3ae7dd7f1235c72">“except for Day 1.”</a>

Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, condemned all political violence. He said it’s important for people to use good judgment at a time when elected officials in both parties have faced threats across the U.S. Last year, more than 100 Kansas legislators, including Hawkins, received threatening mail with white powder that turned out not to be dangerous.

“What may seem like a joke for many will be seen by some as an expansion of acceptable behavior with potentially tragic consequences,” Hawkins said in a statement Tuesday.

In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/jcrpkansas/posts/pfbid0Vg9uuGiMHHpRVHYU4QFHLoqosUHNRHEhJNVEGt71RsGoimXiWmGYADKXGwvvnpfZl">Facebook post</a>&nbsp;Monday evening, the Johnson County GOP described the Biden mask on the mannequin as only “a brief incident.”

“The mask was regrettable and removed," the statement said. “No one collected or solicited any funds or donations in exchange for hitting the training device.”

The Kansas GOP said in a statement over the weekend that no one from its staff attended the event, and called Kuckelman “a disgruntled former member of the state party."

“It’s unfortunate the events took place, and even more so the former state party member created a false narrative in order to spew rhetoric and capitalize on continued attempts to divide the party,” the statement said.

But Kuckelman said blaming the vendor is “disingenuous” because the party controlled the event and decided which venders were there. He recalled the furor in 2017 when comedian Kathy Griffin took part in a photoshoot that showed her holding up a fake bloody head that resembled Trump's.

“If this had happened when I was chair, if a vendor pulled a stunt like this, I would have immediately shut it down and had them escorted off the premises,” he said. “This is so far over the line, you can’t just say, ‘Stop.’”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710277472125.png" alt="In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/jcrpkansas/posts/pfbid0Vg9uuGiMHHpRVHYU4QFHLoqosUHNRHEhJNVEGt71RsGoimXiWmGYADKXGwvvnpfZl">Facebook post</a>&nbsp;Monday evening, the Johnson County GOP described the Biden mask on the mannequin as only “a brief incident.” -Screen shot from the viral video" />
 <figcaption>In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/jcrpkansas/posts/pfbid0Vg9uuGiMHHpRVHYU4QFHLoqosUHNRHEhJNVEGt71RsGoimXiWmGYADKXGwvvnpfZl">Facebook post</a>&nbsp;Monday evening, the Johnson County GOP described the Biden mask on the mannequin as only “a brief incident.” -Screen shot from the viral video</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Two top Kansas Republican Party officials are facing internal calls to resign over a viral online video showing people at a fundraiser kicking and beating a mannequin wearing a mask of Joe Biden, underscoring the national GOP’s deep divisions and its struggles to win over voters outside Donald Trump’s base.Mike Brown, the Kansas GOP's state chair, and Maria Holiday, the leader of the party in Johnson County in the Kansas City area, distanced themselves from the display at a Friday evening fundraiser for the county party.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/kansasrepublicanparty/posts/pfbid0nb5aFdk3u3CahujH8hUxDsZJAsTh6UxMxVjbQTna1DGNykC1vq5fcven2TAet46pl">In a Facebook post,</a>&nbsp;the state GOP blamed an outside vendor who rented space at the event to promote a martial arts school.Brown said in an email Tuesday that the state party wouldn't comment further. Holiday did not respond to a text message seeking an interview. The vendor has not been named.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710156462660.png" alt="Screen shot from the viral video" />
 <figcaption>Screen shot from the viral video</figcaption>
 </figure>The calls for their resignations started over the weekend with Brown's predecessor, Mike Kuckelman, a Kansas City attorney and frequent Brown critic, and quickly led to bipartisan condemnations amid widespread news coverage. The state GOP accused Kuckelman of creating “a false narrative" and dividing the party.The conflict between Brown and Kuckelman reflects the split in the national GOP between former President Donald Trump's most ardent, election conspiracy-promoting supporters and its more establishment wing, including former Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel. Kuckelman supported McDaniel's reelection in 2022, while Brown wanted her out. Trump now fully controls the RNC&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republican-national-committee-trump-staffing-cuts-46bc8afcc152aecfd471161a59b74005">through hand-picked-leaders.</a>The dispute is also notable because the fundraiser was in Johnson County, the state's most populous, where 20% of Kansas voters live. The county, which includes Kansas City suburbs, has become bluer since Trump's election as president in 2016. It was key to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's victories in 2018 and 2022 and became an area where it was increasingly difficult for GOP statewide candidates to win.“This disgusting visualization of violence went viral. This doesn’t just go away,” Kuckelman said during an interview Tuesday. “This does not help win independent and soft Republican voters.”The Friday fundraiser featured 1970s rocker Ted Nugent, known for his backing of gun rights, hard-right political views and support for Trump, with tickets ranging from $90 for students to $300 for premier seats. The mannequin with the Biden mask also wore a “Let's Go Brandon” T-shirt, using a slogan that's become conservative code for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lets-go-brandon-what-does-it-mean-republicans-joe-biden-ab13db212067928455a3dba07756a160">a vulgar insult</a>&nbsp;directed at the Democratic president.The incident in Kansas also came after Trump's campaign rhetoric&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-violent-rhetoric-retribution-authoritarians-2024-39e090680a33c0869312e79bcef106e8">became more violent.</a>&nbsp;Last fall, he suggested that shoplifters should be immediately shot. He called his opponents “lowlifes,” threatened news organizations and later told a crowd in Iowa that he wouldn't be a dictator&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hannity-dictator-authoritarian-presidential-election-f27e7e9d7c13fabbe3ae7dd7f1235c72">“except for Day 1.”</a>Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, condemned all political violence. He said it’s important for people to use good judgment at a time when elected officials in both parties have faced threats across the U.S. Last year, more than 100 Kansas legislators, including Hawkins, received threatening mail with white powder that turned out not to be dangerous.“What may seem like a joke for many will be seen by some as an expansion of acceptable behavior with potentially tragic consequences,” Hawkins said in a statement Tuesday.In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/jcrpkansas/posts/pfbid0Vg9uuGiMHHpRVHYU4QFHLoqosUHNRHEhJNVEGt71RsGoimXiWmGYADKXGwvvnpfZl">Facebook post</a>&nbsp;Monday evening, the Johnson County GOP described the Biden mask on the mannequin as only “a brief incident.”“The mask was regrettable and removed," the statement said. “No one collected or solicited any funds or donations in exchange for hitting the training device.”The Kansas GOP said in a statement over the weekend that no one from its staff attended the event, and called Kuckelman “a disgruntled former member of the state party."“It’s unfortunate the events took place, and even more so the former state party member created a false narrative in order to spew rhetoric and capitalize on continued attempts to divide the party,” the statement said.But Kuckelman said blaming the vendor is “disingenuous” because the party controlled the event and decided which venders were there. He recalled the furor in 2017 when comedian Kathy Griffin took part in a photoshoot that showed her holding up a fake bloody head that resembled Trump's.“If this had happened when I was chair, if a vendor pulled a stunt like this, I would have immediately shut it down and had them escorted off the premises,” he said. “This is so far over the line, you can’t just say, ‘Stop.’”

Viral video of Biden effigy beating prompts calls for top Kan. GOP leaders to resign

'MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted Kansas felon on new allegations after a standoff.

On March 8, Montgomery County Patrol Sergeant, while on duty in Coffeyville, Kansas, observed a man&nbsp; entering a residence in the 100 block of West Jefferson, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.

He recognized the individual as 33-year-old David Foster of Coffeyville, a suspect in a recent commercial burglary case and with outstanding felony warrants from the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Deputies arrived at the residence, where Foster was seen entering, and attempted to establish contact. With several other individuals confirming Foster's presence inside, barricading himself in the attic, law enforcement initiated verbal commands and announcements using a patrol car loudspeaker. 

Given Foster's extensive criminal record, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (SERT) was activated and responded to the scene. The SERT team, recognizing the necessity of additional support, requested the assistance of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CoffeyvillePD?__cft__[0]=AZVIOTnNJy9zWtj5ClPtoUI2_GwZ5PXsXJc9WXcS12_gGUMiQv_6ODAFRttovQFz8y0HQPY3S36Z73D5wqUQbyYJoY44ctrqTj_DI-fKcZZ2dD8ULdhVLDNAuvTOiAYUp7GGd48kSvskRuoWHo_imB0QN51oXUL_zmqV6qF3PuMDqyXiE8VQIe8ifgO7ZEx0xxY&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Coffeyville Police Department</a> Special Operations Team (SOT), who joined efforts with their Armored Rescue Vehicle (ARV) to aid in the apprehension.

After continued verbal announcements, Foster voluntarily surrendered to law enforcement without further incident, exiting the residence through the front door. 

The Coffeyville SOT team effectively took him into custody. Foster was subsequently transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections, where he was booked for felony warrants and requested charges of felony interference with law enforcement.&nbsp; Foster has previous convictions for burglary, theft, obstruction and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710273247416.png" alt="Foster-photo Montgomery Co." />
 <figcaption>Foster-photo Montgomery Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>'MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted Kansas felon on new allegations after a standoff.On March 8, Montgomery County Patrol Sergeant, while on duty in Coffeyville, Kansas, observed a man&nbsp; entering a residence in the 100 block of West Jefferson, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.He recognized the individual as 33-year-old David Foster of Coffeyville, a suspect in a recent commercial burglary case and with outstanding felony warrants from the Kansas Department of Corrections.Deputies arrived at the residence, where Foster was seen entering, and attempted to establish contact. With several other individuals confirming Foster's presence inside, barricading himself in the attic, law enforcement initiated verbal commands and announcements using a patrol car loudspeaker. Given Foster's extensive criminal record, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (SERT) was activated and responded to the scene. The SERT team, recognizing the necessity of additional support, requested the assistance of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CoffeyvillePD?__cft__[0]=AZVIOTnNJy9zWtj5ClPtoUI2_GwZ5PXsXJc9WXcS12_gGUMiQv_6ODAFRttovQFz8y0HQPY3S36Z73D5wqUQbyYJoY44ctrqTj_DI-fKcZZ2dD8ULdhVLDNAuvTOiAYUp7GGd48kSvskRuoWHo_imB0QN51oXUL_zmqV6qF3PuMDqyXiE8VQIe8ifgO7ZEx0xxY&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Coffeyville Police Department</a> Special Operations Team (SOT), who joined efforts with their Armored Rescue Vehicle (ARV) to aid in the apprehension.After continued verbal announcements, Foster voluntarily surrendered to law enforcement without further incident, exiting the residence through the front door. The Coffeyville SOT team effectively took him into custody. Foster was subsequently transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections, where he was booked for felony warrants and requested charges of felony interference with law enforcement.&nbsp; Foster has previous convictions for burglary, theft, obstruction and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Wanted Kan. felon captured hiding in attic of home

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

TOPEKA — Rep. Rebecca Schmoe says a doctor once tried to talk her into seeking an abortion over concerns that she and her baby would die if she tried to give birth.

Schmoe, an Ottawa Republican, introduced&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2813/">House Bill 2813</a>&nbsp;to create the felony crime of “coercion” for persuading someone to terminate a pregnancy against their will. She testified in support of the legislation Tuesday before a House committee.

She said the doctor in her case spent more than an hour trying to persuade her to have an abortion.

“I was called selfish at least 10 times, and then I stopped counting,” Schmoe said. “I was told that my parents were going to have to pick out my casket. I was told that my parents were going to have to make all the arrangements. He asked me at one point what kind of flowers I wanted at my funeral.”

“Not only was he wrong about me dying,” she added, “he was wrong about my baby dying. That child is now 21 years old. And he is absolutely amazing. I wouldn’t trade a moment of time with him.”

The House Federal and State Affairs Committee heard testimony on Schmoe’s bill, as well as&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2809/">House Bill 2809</a>, which is designed to funnel $5.8 million into efforts to pressure women not to terminate a pregnancy.

Advocates of criminalizing coercion said women can be forced into choosing an abortion by an overbearing parent, a scared boyfriend, their trafficker, or, as Schmoe recounted, a doctor.

Anytime someone uses threat of violence, or threat of harming your financial situation, threat of anything that has to do with how you function as a human being, and how you go about living your life, that is wrong,” Schmoe said.

The only opponent to the bill, the Kansas Birth Justice Society, argued that the bill was too narrow in scope and should be broadened to address coercion related to contraception.

Prominent anti-abortion groups — Kansans for Life, Kansas Family Voice and the Kansas Catholic Conference — squared off with reproductive-rights groups over the merits of directing more money toward crisis pregnancy centers to deter abortions.

HB 2809 is the latest in a series of bills that would provide similar funding mechanism exclusively tailored toward organizations that promote childbirth. The organizations would be paid to provide “medically accurate pregnancy-related information” and adoption marketing materials, as well as services that include counseling and developing parental skills.

Those services would be discontinued to women who choose to have an abortion, or who have a miscarriage or stillbirth.

Rep. Will Carpenter, an El Dorado Republican who chairs the committee, tried to tamp down heated debate by declaring “this bill is not about abortion.”

Taylor Morton, lobbyist for Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes, said the bill was written so that only crisis pregnancy centers would be eligible for state funding. Those organizations, she said, are widely considered to be unethical by health care professionals, including the American college of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association.

The centers “employ a myriad of misleading and harmful tactics to dissuade pregnant people from seeking abortion care,” Morton said.

For example, she said, the centers misrepresent abortion safety and assert false risks of abortion. They also intentionally overestimate the stage of an individual’s pregnancy to falsely suggest they are too far along to access abortion.

Some centers falsely represent themselves as a legitimate, regulated health care clinic, even though staff and volunteers have no medical qualifications, Morton said.

Zack Gingrich-Gaylord, a spokesman for Trust Women Foundation, said the organization is “deeply concerned with the bill’s unnecessary and almost certain squandering of resources that could otherwise support existing state programs that directly benefit struggling families.”

He said the proposal is “at least the third bill introduced in the Legislature this year that creates a channel for state taxpayer funds to be diverted into anti-abortion organizations, including crisis pregnancy centers and anti-abortion marketing firms.”

Gingrich-Gaylord proposed lawmakers instead expand Medicaid, support birthing centers, remove barriers to contraceptives, expand access to doulas and midwives, and advocate for equitable maternal health care.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710274551929.png" alt=" Rep. Rebecca Schmoe, seen during a March 9, 2023, hearing, says a doctor tried to coerce her into scheduling an abortion against her will. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Rep. Rebecca Schmoe, seen during a March 9, 2023, hearing, says a doctor tried to coerce her into scheduling an abortion against her will. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a>&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Rep. Rebecca Schmoe says a doctor once tried to talk her into seeking an abortion over concerns that she and her baby would die if she tried to give birth.Schmoe, an Ottawa Republican, introduced&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2813/">House Bill 2813</a>&nbsp;to create the felony crime of “coercion” for persuading someone to terminate a pregnancy against their will. She testified in support of the legislation Tuesday before a House committee.She said the doctor in her case spent more than an hour trying to persuade her to have an abortion.“I was called selfish at least 10 times, and then I stopped counting,” Schmoe said. “I was told that my parents were going to have to pick out my casket. I was told that my parents were going to have to make all the arrangements. He asked me at one point what kind of flowers I wanted at my funeral.”“Not only was he wrong about me dying,” she added, “he was wrong about my baby dying. That child is now 21 years old. And he is absolutely amazing. I wouldn’t trade a moment of time with him.”The House Federal and State Affairs Committee heard testimony on Schmoe’s bill, as well as&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2809/">House Bill 2809</a>, which is designed to funnel $5.8 million into efforts to pressure women not to terminate a pregnancy.Advocates of criminalizing coercion said women can be forced into choosing an abortion by an overbearing parent, a scared boyfriend, their trafficker, or, as Schmoe recounted, a doctor.Anytime someone uses threat of violence, or threat of harming your financial situation, threat of anything that has to do with how you function as a human being, and how you go about living your life, that is wrong,” Schmoe said.The only opponent to the bill, the Kansas Birth Justice Society, argued that the bill was too narrow in scope and should be broadened to address coercion related to contraception.<h2>‘Almost certain squandering’</h2>Prominent anti-abortion groups — Kansans for Life, Kansas Family Voice and the Kansas Catholic Conference — squared off with reproductive-rights groups over the merits of directing more money toward crisis pregnancy centers to deter abortions.HB 2809 is the latest in a series of bills that would provide similar funding mechanism exclusively tailored toward organizations that promote childbirth. The organizations would be paid to provide “medically accurate pregnancy-related information” and adoption marketing materials, as well as services that include counseling and developing parental skills.Those services would be discontinued to women who choose to have an abortion, or who have a miscarriage or stillbirth.Rep. Will Carpenter, an El Dorado Republican who chairs the committee, tried to tamp down heated debate by declaring “this bill is not about abortion.”Taylor Morton, lobbyist for Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes, said the bill was written so that only crisis pregnancy centers would be eligible for state funding. Those organizations, she said, are widely considered to be unethical by health care professionals, including the American college of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association.The centers “employ a myriad of misleading and harmful tactics to dissuade pregnant people from seeking abortion care,” Morton said.For example, she said, the centers misrepresent abortion safety and assert false risks of abortion. They also intentionally overestimate the stage of an individual’s pregnancy to falsely suggest they are too far along to access abortion.Some centers falsely represent themselves as a legitimate, regulated health care clinic, even though staff and volunteers have no medical qualifications, Morton said.Zack Gingrich-Gaylord, a spokesman for Trust Women Foundation, said the organization is “deeply concerned with the bill’s unnecessary and almost certain squandering of resources that could otherwise support existing state programs that directly benefit struggling families.”He said the proposal is “at least the third bill introduced in the Legislature this year that creates a channel for state taxpayer funds to be diverted into anti-abortion organizations, including crisis pregnancy centers and anti-abortion marketing firms.”Gingrich-Gaylord proposed lawmakers instead expand Medicaid, support birthing centers, remove barriers to contraceptives, expand access to doulas and midwives, and advocate for equitable maternal health care.

Kan. House committee considers abortion coercion bill, funding for anti-abortion services

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military says it has determined that an American-Israeli soldier who was believed taken into Gaza as a hostage was actually killed during the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7.

It was not clear how the military determined Itay Chen, 19, had been killed. Chen on active duty on the day of the attack.

Chen’s family has been prominent in the struggle by relatives of hostages to have their loved ones released. Chen’s father, Ruby, is American and had made repeated appearances in the media and met top U.S. officials.

U.S. President Joe Biden said Tuesday he was “devastated” to learn of Chen’s death, after meeting Chen’s father and brother at the White House in December.

“No one should have to endure even one day of what they have gone through,” said Biden, adding that the U.S. would keep working to secure the remaining hostages' release.

In a statement, Chen’s parents thanked the Biden administration and the American people for their support. They said they expect Israel and America’s leadership to do everything to bring back all the hostages still in Gaza, including their son’s remains.

Chen is the latest hostage to be declared dead by Israeli authorities. Israel says 34 of the hostages remaining in the Gaza Strip are dead, either killed during Hamas’ attack or while in captivity.

Hamas-led militants took roughly 250 people captive into Gaza, among them men, women, children and older adults. Dozens were released during a temporary cease-fire in late November and about 100 people remain in captivity who are believed to be alive.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710266231699.png" alt="In November, Itay's father Ruby Chen testified before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/organization/?161/Middle-East">Middle East</a>, North Africa, and Central Asia. Witnesses emotionally detailed their last conversations with loved ones and urged Congress to help bring hostages home.-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>In November, Itay's father Ruby Chen testified before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/organization/?161/Middle-East">Middle East</a>, North Africa, and Central Asia. Witnesses emotionally detailed their last conversations with loved ones and urged Congress to help bring hostages home.-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military says it has determined that an American-Israeli soldier who was believed taken into Gaza as a hostage was actually killed during the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7.It was not clear how the military determined Itay Chen, 19, had been killed. Chen on active duty on the day of the attack.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Jill and I are devastated to learn that Itay Chen was killed by Hamas during its brutal terrorist assault on October 7. In December, Itay’s father and brother joined me at the White House to share the agony and uncertainty they’ve faced as they prayed for the safe return of…&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1767578013615448110?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Chen’s family has been prominent in the struggle by relatives of hostages to have their loved ones released. Chen’s father, Ruby, is American and had made repeated appearances in the media and met top U.S. officials.U.S. President Joe Biden said Tuesday he was “devastated” to learn of Chen’s death, after meeting Chen’s father and brother at the White House in December.“No one should have to endure even one day of what they have gone through,” said Biden, adding that the U.S. would keep working to secure the remaining hostages' release.In a statement, Chen’s parents thanked the Biden administration and the American people for their support. They said they expect Israel and America’s leadership to do everything to bring back all the hostages still in Gaza, including their son’s remains.Chen is the latest hostage to be declared dead by Israeli authorities. Israel says 34 of the hostages remaining in the Gaza Strip are dead, either killed during Hamas’ attack or while in captivity.Hamas-led militants took roughly 250 people captive into Gaza, among them men, women, children and older adults. Dozens were released during a temporary cease-fire in late November and about 100 people remain in captivity who are believed to be alive.

White House: American-Israeli soldier, believed a hostage, is dead

NEW YORK (AP) — House Republicans are moving ahead with a bill that would require Chinese company ByteDance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bytedance-bill-divest-5b5a685e8f1e19d22182d62526bf19b8">to sell TikTok or face a ban in the United States</a>&nbsp;even as former President Donald Trump is voicing opposition to the effort.

House leadership has scheduled a vote on the measure for Wednesday. A Republican congressional aide not authorized to speak publicly said that’s still the plan and there has not been significant pushback to the bill from lawmakers.

A vote for the bill would represent an unusual break with the former president by House Republicans, but Speaker Mike Johnson and others have already forcefully come out in favor of the bill, and dropping it now would represent a significant reversal. “It’s an important bipartisan measure to take on China, our largest geopolitical foe, which is actively undermining our economy and security,” Johnson declared last week.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>&nbsp;said Monday that he still believes TikTok poses a national security risk but is opposed to banning the hugely popular app because doing so would help its rival, Facebook, which he continues to lambast over his 2020 election loss.

“Frankly, there are a lot of people on TikTok that love it. There are a lot of young kids on TikTok who will go crazy without it,” Trump said in a call-in interview with CNBC's “Squawk Box.” “There’s a lot of good and there’s a lot of bad with TikTok. But the thing I don’t like is that without TikTok you’re going to make Facebook bigger, and I consider Facebook to be an enemy of the people, along with a lot of the media.”

“When I look at it, I’m not looking to make Facebook double the size," he added. ”I think Facebook has been very bad for our country, especially when it comes to elections.”

Trump has repeatedly complained about Facebook's role during the 2020 election, which he still refuses to concede he lost to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>. That includes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-mark-zuckerberg-election-donations-188810437774">at least $400 million</a>&nbsp;that its founder, Mark Zuckerberg, and his wife&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-mark-zuckerberg-election-donations-188810437774">donated</a>&nbsp;to two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-elections-denver-mark-zuckerberg-election-2020-92257bbc1fefd9ed0e18861e5b5913f6">nonprofit organizations</a>&nbsp;that distributed grants to state and local governments to help them conduct the 2020 election at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The donations — which were fully permitted under campaign finance law — went to pay for things like equipment to process mail ballots and drive-thru voting locations.

TikTok, a video-sharing app, has emerged as a major issue in the 2024 presidential campaign. The platform has about 170 million users in the U.S., most of whom skew younger — a demographic that both parties are desperately trying to court ahead of November's general election. Younger voters have become especially hard for campaigns to reach as they gravitate away from traditional platforms like cable television.

Biden's 2024 campaign officially&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-tiktok-campaign-taylor-swift-c686631206fdadbc1038c2521a669375">joined TikTok last month</a>, even though he has expressed his own national security concerns over the platform, banned it on federal devices and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-tiktok-ban-house-china-aaa884d8c974f0a35856af5ee6aa4e99">on Friday endorsed the legislation</a>&nbsp;that could lead to its ban.

The bill being considered by the House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bytedance-bill-divest-5b5a685e8f1e19d22182d62526bf19b8">would require</a>&nbsp;the Chinese firm ByteDance to divest TikTok and other applications it owns within six months of the bill’s enactment in order to avoid a nationwide ban. The legislation also creates a process that lets the executive branch prohibit access to other apps that pose a threat to national security.

“This legislation will trample the First Amendment rights of 170 million Americans and deprive 5 million small businesses of a platform they rely on to grow and create jobs," TikTok said last week as a House committee took up the bill, passing it on a 50-0 vote.

Some advocacy groups and members that often align with Trump said Monday they disagreed with him on the TikTok bill.

“He’s wrong,” said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, on Trump. “And by the way, he had his own executive orders and actions he was doing. Now he’s suddenly flipped around on that.”

Heritage Action, a conservative advocacy group, said it would include the vote in its scorecard grading members.

“The legislation establishes an important national security standard for social media companies: Don't be controlled by a foreign adversary,” the group said.

And, showing the issue sparks strong opinions across party lines, Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida said he opposed this “masked effort that will most likely result in TikTok being banned.”

“I think it's going to have drastic impacts for businesses, content creators and a lot of folks in our country,” Frost said.

Rep. Michael McCaul, the Republican chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, said he's still confident about the bill's prospects in the House.

“It's going to sail, and then it will be up to the Senate,” McCaul said. “And the White House has already acknowledged that they're going to sign it into law. So I think this is a real positive step.”

The bill will likely need support from at least 60 senators to make it across the finish line and be signed into law. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said he would encourage colleagues to vote for it. Also, Sen. Eric Schmitt, a Missouri Republican who is often aligned with Trump, said of TikTok that “the amount of data and information they have on Americans is very concerning” and could get in the wrong hands.

As president, Trump attempted to ban TikTok&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/global-trade-ap-top-news-politics-asia-business-719d8c83f689929c9c9d8c9aa5593fc8">through an executive order</a>&nbsp;that called “the spread in the United States of mobile applications developed and owned by companies in the People’s Republic of China (China)” a threat to “the national security, foreign policy and economy of the United States.” The courts, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-courts-a526c144fad9f0ebc37bf2d49a97740a">blocked the action</a>&nbsp;after TikTok sued, arguing such actions would violate free speech and due process rights.

Biden in 2022 banned the use of TikTok by the federal government’s nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.performance.gov/pma/workforce/">4 million employees</a>&nbsp;on devices owned by its agencies, with limited exceptions for law enforcement, national security and security research purposes.

Both the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bytedance-china-biden-administration-14ef5f93dc2114e4ade110b2e85433fd">FBI and the Federal Communications Commission</a>&nbsp;have warned that TikTok owner ByteDance could share user data — such as browsing history, location and biometric identifiers — with China’s authoritarian government. TikTok said it has never done that and wouldn’t do so if asked. The U.S. government also hasn’t provided evidence of that happening.

House lawmakers are expected to receive a briefing Tuesday on TikTok from the FBI, Justice Department and intelligence officials, according to a congressional aide, who was granted anonymity to disclose details of the briefing that has not yet been made public.

Trump, in the interview, said he had not discussed the company with Jeff Yass, a TikTok investor and a major GOP donor. Trump said the two had recently met “very briefly" but that Yass “never mentioned TikTok."

NEW YORK (AP) — House Republicans are moving ahead with a bill that would require Chinese company ByteDance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bytedance-bill-divest-5b5a685e8f1e19d22182d62526bf19b8">to sell TikTok or face a ban in the United States</a>&nbsp;even as former President Donald Trump is voicing opposition to the effort.House leadership has scheduled a vote on the measure for Wednesday. A Republican congressional aide not authorized to speak publicly said that’s still the plan and there has not been significant pushback to the bill from lawmakers.A vote for the bill would represent an unusual break with the former president by House Republicans, but Speaker Mike Johnson and others have already forcefully come out in favor of the bill, and dropping it now would represent a significant reversal. “It’s an important bipartisan measure to take on China, our largest geopolitical foe, which is actively undermining our economy and security,” Johnson declared last week.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>&nbsp;said Monday that he still believes TikTok poses a national security risk but is opposed to banning the hugely popular app because doing so would help its rival, Facebook, which he continues to lambast over his 2020 election loss.“Frankly, there are a lot of people on TikTok that love it. There are a lot of young kids on TikTok who will go crazy without it,” Trump said in a call-in interview with CNBC's “Squawk Box.” “There’s a lot of good and there’s a lot of bad with TikTok. But the thing I don’t like is that without TikTok you’re going to make Facebook bigger, and I consider Facebook to be an enemy of the people, along with a lot of the media.”“When I look at it, I’m not looking to make Facebook double the size," he added. ”I think Facebook has been very bad for our country, especially when it comes to elections.”Trump has repeatedly complained about Facebook's role during the 2020 election, which he still refuses to concede he lost to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>. That includes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-mark-zuckerberg-election-donations-188810437774">at least $400 million</a>&nbsp;that its founder, Mark Zuckerberg, and his wife&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-mark-zuckerberg-election-donations-188810437774">donated</a>&nbsp;to two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-elections-denver-mark-zuckerberg-election-2020-92257bbc1fefd9ed0e18861e5b5913f6">nonprofit organizations</a>&nbsp;that distributed grants to state and local governments to help them conduct the 2020 election at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.The donations — which were fully permitted under campaign finance law — went to pay for things like equipment to process mail ballots and drive-thru voting locations.TikTok, a video-sharing app, has emerged as a major issue in the 2024 presidential campaign. The platform has about 170 million users in the U.S., most of whom skew younger — a demographic that both parties are desperately trying to court ahead of November's general election. Younger voters have become especially hard for campaigns to reach as they gravitate away from traditional platforms like cable television.Biden's 2024 campaign officially&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-tiktok-campaign-taylor-swift-c686631206fdadbc1038c2521a669375">joined TikTok last month</a>, even though he has expressed his own national security concerns over the platform, banned it on federal devices and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-tiktok-ban-house-china-aaa884d8c974f0a35856af5ee6aa4e99">on Friday endorsed the legislation</a>&nbsp;that could lead to its ban.The bill being considered by the House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bytedance-bill-divest-5b5a685e8f1e19d22182d62526bf19b8">would require</a>&nbsp;the Chinese firm ByteDance to divest TikTok and other applications it owns within six months of the bill’s enactment in order to avoid a nationwide ban. The legislation also creates a process that lets the executive branch prohibit access to other apps that pose a threat to national security.“This legislation will trample the First Amendment rights of 170 million Americans and deprive 5 million small businesses of a platform they rely on to grow and create jobs," TikTok said last week as a House committee took up the bill, passing it on a 50-0 vote.Some advocacy groups and members that often align with Trump said Monday they disagreed with him on the TikTok bill.“He’s wrong,” said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, on Trump. “And by the way, he had his own executive orders and actions he was doing. Now he’s suddenly flipped around on that.”Heritage Action, a conservative advocacy group, said it would include the vote in its scorecard grading members.“The legislation establishes an important national security standard for social media companies: Don't be controlled by a foreign adversary,” the group said.And, showing the issue sparks strong opinions across party lines, Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida said he opposed this “masked effort that will most likely result in TikTok being banned.”“I think it's going to have drastic impacts for businesses, content creators and a lot of folks in our country,” Frost said.Rep. Michael McCaul, the Republican chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, said he's still confident about the bill's prospects in the House.“It's going to sail, and then it will be up to the Senate,” McCaul said. “And the White House has already acknowledged that they're going to sign it into law. So I think this is a real positive step.”The bill will likely need support from at least 60 senators to make it across the finish line and be signed into law. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said he would encourage colleagues to vote for it. Also, Sen. Eric Schmitt, a Missouri Republican who is often aligned with Trump, said of TikTok that “the amount of data and information they have on Americans is very concerning” and could get in the wrong hands.As president, Trump attempted to ban TikTok&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/global-trade-ap-top-news-politics-asia-business-719d8c83f689929c9c9d8c9aa5593fc8">through an executive order</a>&nbsp;that called “the spread in the United States of mobile applications developed and owned by companies in the People’s Republic of China (China)” a threat to “the national security, foreign policy and economy of the United States.” The courts, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-courts-a526c144fad9f0ebc37bf2d49a97740a">blocked the action</a>&nbsp;after TikTok sued, arguing such actions would violate free speech and due process rights.Biden in 2022 banned the use of TikTok by the federal government’s nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.performance.gov/pma/workforce/">4 million employees</a>&nbsp;on devices owned by its agencies, with limited exceptions for law enforcement, national security and security research purposes.Both the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bytedance-china-biden-administration-14ef5f93dc2114e4ade110b2e85433fd">FBI and the Federal Communications Commission</a>&nbsp;have warned that TikTok owner ByteDance could share user data — such as browsing history, location and biometric identifiers — with China’s authoritarian government. TikTok said it has never done that and wouldn’t do so if asked. The U.S. government also hasn’t provided evidence of that happening.House lawmakers are expected to receive a briefing Tuesday on TikTok from the FBI, Justice Department and intelligence officials, according to a congressional aide, who was granted anonymity to disclose details of the briefing that has not yet been made public.Trump, in the interview, said he had not discussed the company with Jeff Yass, a TikTok investor and a major GOP donor. Trump said the two had recently met “very briefly" but that Yass “never mentioned TikTok."

A bill that could lead to a nation-wide TikTok ban is gaining momentum

PLATTE COUNTY—One person died in a fire early Tuesday in Platte County.

Just before 7a.m. crews responded to a double-wide mobile home in the 5900 Block of Northwest 48th Street, according to&nbsp;Chris Denney, Division Chief with Southern Platte Fire Protection District.

As they arrived fire crews observed the mobile home approximately 75 percent involved in flames.&nbsp; First responders were told an elderly person was still inside. Firefighters entered the bedroom and did not find the victim. After a search, firefighters found the deceased victim elsewhere in residence, according Denney.

The State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause along with an assist from the Northland fire investigation team.&nbsp; Officials have not released the identity or gender of the victim.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710258286294.png" alt="View of the fire scene-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>View of the fire scene-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>PLATTE COUNTY—One person died in a fire early Tuesday in Platte County.Just before 7a.m. crews responded to a double-wide mobile home in the 5900 Block of Northwest 48th Street, according to&nbsp;Chris Denney, Division Chief with Southern Platte Fire Protection District.As they arrived fire crews observed the mobile home approximately 75 percent involved in flames.&nbsp; First responders were told an elderly person was still inside. Firefighters entered the bedroom and did not find the victim. After a search, firefighters found the deceased victim elsewhere in residence, according Denney.The State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause along with an assist from the Northland fire investigation team.&nbsp; Officials have not released the identity or gender of the victim.The KCMO fire department assisted.

One found dead after Kansas City area mobile home fire

JOHNSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 9p.m. Monday in Johnson County.

A motorcyclist later identified as&nbsp;Jeffrey M. Jaques, 26,&nbsp; Kansas City, Missouri, was northbound on Interstate 35 Highway towards the Interstate 635 Highway Bridge, according to Overland Park Police Officer John Lacy.

According to several witnesses, the motorcyclist was traveling at a high rate of speed prior to crash. Witnesses stated the motorcyclist started to lose control as the vehicle entered a curve on the roadway. 

The motorcycle traveled off the roadway, down a graded slope, went airborne and struck a tree. EMS pronounced Jaques deceased on scene, according to Lacy.

The Overland Park Police Traffic Safety Unit is investigating the crash.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710257483787.png" alt="First responders at the scene of the crash -image KC Scout camera" />
 <figcaption>First responders at the scene of the crash -image KC Scout camera</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 9p.m. Monday in Johnson County.A motorcyclist later identified as&nbsp;Jeffrey M. Jaques, 26,&nbsp; Kansas City, Missouri, was northbound on Interstate 35 Highway towards the Interstate 635 Highway Bridge, according to Overland Park Police Officer John Lacy.According to several witnesses, the motorcyclist was traveling at a high rate of speed prior to crash. Witnesses stated the motorcyclist started to lose control as the vehicle entered a curve on the roadway. The motorcycle traveled off the roadway, down a graded slope, went airborne and struck a tree. EMS pronounced Jaques deceased on scene, according to Lacy.The Overland Park Police Traffic Safety Unit is investigating the crash.&nbsp;

Man dies in Kansas crash after motorcycle strikes a tree

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest.

just after 11:00 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a report of a robbery to an individual that had just occurred in the 1300 block of SW 6th Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Matt Danielson.

 The victim was reportedly battered, and personal items were taken from them.

The victim provided police with a suspect description and responding officers located an individual matching that description walking away from the area.&nbsp; Police took 29-year-old Robyn Brown of Topeka into custody. She had some of the victim’s items.

Brown was jailed on requested charges of&nbsp;Aggravated Robbery, Battery and Theft, according to Danielson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710163723771.png" alt="Brown-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Brown-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest.just after 11:00 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a report of a robbery to an individual that had just occurred in the 1300 block of SW 6th Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Matt Danielson. The victim was reportedly battered, and personal items were taken from them.The victim provided police with a suspect description and responding officers located an individual matching that description walking away from the area.&nbsp; Police took 29-year-old Robyn Brown of Topeka into custody. She had some of the victim’s items.Brown was jailed on requested charges of&nbsp;Aggravated Robbery, Battery and Theft, according to Danielson.

Kansas woman accused of violent robbery

Senate tax committee advances bills to cut property taxes, help disabled veterans

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

TOPEKA — The Kansas Senate is prepared to advance another plan to implement a flat income tax rate, this time with reductions phased in over six years, following last month’s failure in the House to override Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of similar legislation.

The Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee has scheduled a hearing Tuesday on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb539/">Senate Bill 539</a>, which packages the flat tax with other provisions similar to those in the bill Kelly vetoed. They include tax cuts for banks, Social Security income and the state property tax that funds public schools.

The committee is simultaneously pursuing standalone bills that would eliminate property taxes used to pay for maintenance of buildings owned by state agencies and universities, as well as a sales tax exemption for disabled veterans.

Earlier this year, the Legislature adopted&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2284/">House Bill 2284</a>, which would have established an income tax rate of 5.25% for all income brackets. The flat tax portion alone would have reduced tax collections by more than $300 million annually, with about half of that money going to the top 5% of wage earners.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/23/kansas-gop-leaders-tout-flat-tax-plan-that-would-save-charles-koch-875k-annually/">An analysis by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy</a>&nbsp;found that most of the state’s workers would see a benefit of tens of dollars per year, while billionaire Charles Koch saved $875,000 per year.

Kelly vetoed the legislation, and the House failed to override her veto with two-thirds support on Feb. 20.

The latest proposal would impose a universal income tax rate of 5.7% for 2024, followed by reductions of 0.05 percentage points every year through 2029, when the tax rate would be set at 5.45%. The fiscal impact of the bill had not been posted Monday afternoon.

Kansas currently uses a graduated income tax rate: 3.1% for income under $15,000, 5.25% for income between $15,000 and $30,000 and 5.7% for income above $30,000. The income amounts are doubled for couples filing jointly.

The Senate tax committee on Monday gave approval to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb94/">Senate Bill 94</a>, which would discontinue statewide property tax assessments to pay for building costs.

Currently, the state taxes property at 1 mill for the Education Building Fund and a half-mill for the State Institutions Building Fund. The legislation would authorize transfers from the state general fund to partially offset the loss of property tax dollars.

Under an amendment to the bill, the state would repeal from statute the Local Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund. From 1937 to 2003, the state set aside a portion of sales tax collections and divided the money among counties through a formula based on population and assessed property tax value. The money put into the LAVTRF was used to lower the local property tax burden.

Republicans have resisted calls from Democrats and bipartisan local officials to resume the program, claiming without evidence that counties used the money to grow government instead of lowering property taxes.

Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican who chairs the Senate tax committee, said the logic behind SB 94 was to replace the LAVTRF with a similar-sized property tax cut at the state level.

“It’s an actual tax reduction for Kansans,” Tyson said during Monday’s committee hearing. “And we don’t have to worry about all the arguments we heard of will the money go for a tax relief or will it go to grow government?”

“Instead of having the confusing language, not being funded for over 20 years, we’re just gonna get rid of the language so that it’s not there and provide true property tax relief for approximately the same dollar amount,” she added.

If the LAVTRF were utilized last year, the state would have distributed $128 million to counties. Under Tyson’s proposal, property taxes would be cut by an estimated $77.1 million next year. Funding for buildings would be lowered by about $14 million, leaving less money available for deferred maintenance projects at Kansas Board of Regents schools and buildings owned by state agencies.

Here’s how tax policy is made in Tyson’s committee:

In March 2023, the committee held a hearing on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb58/">Senate Bill 58</a>, which would provide a sales tax exemption for disabled veterans.

The committee adopted amendments to the bill on Feb. 15, even though it wasn’t among the bills on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/committees/ctte_s_assess_tax_1/documents/agenda/weekly/20240218.pdf">the committee’s agenda</a>&nbsp;that day. The amendments were handed out during the committee, but the bill’s text was never modified.

Monday’s agenda called for “possible action on bills previously heard,” which actually meant definite action on two specific bills.

As committee members began to discuss the specifics of SB 58, Sen. Usha Reddi, a Manhattan Democrat, interjected with confusion. She wondered why the numbers they were discussing didn’t match those that appear in the legislation as it was filed. Tyson informed Reddi of the undocumented changes to the bill.

“You had to take notes and write it as we were going,” Tyson said. “Sorry.”

After making additional changes Monday, the committee gutted the contents of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2036/">House Bill 2036</a>, which had passed the House 123-1 and dealt with property tax breaks for disabled veterans, and inserted the contents of the overhauled SB 58.

Although there was bipartisan support on the committee for providing a sales tax break for disabled veterans, lawmakers were at times confused about how much the bill could cost. Sen. Virgil Peck, a Havana Republican, assured committee members that a projected $75 million price tag was highly unlikely.

The proposed sales tax exemption would include exceptions for purchases of vehicles, alcohol and tobacco products. The total benefit would be capped at $24,000 per year, but because the state cannot track usage, veterans would be asked to follow the honor system.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710184673624.png" alt=" Sen. Caryn Tyson, seen during a Jan. 17, 2024, hearing of the Kansas Senate, plans to hold a hearing Tuesday on a new flat tax proposal. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Sen. Caryn Tyson, seen during a Jan. 17, 2024, hearing of the Kansas Senate, plans to hold a hearing Tuesday on a new flat tax proposal. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Senate tax committee advances bills to cut property taxes, help disabled veterans</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas Senate is prepared to advance another plan to implement a flat income tax rate, this time with reductions phased in over six years, following last month’s failure in the House to override Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of similar legislation.The Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee has scheduled a hearing Tuesday on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb539/">Senate Bill 539</a>, which packages the flat tax with other provisions similar to those in the bill Kelly vetoed. They include tax cuts for banks, Social Security income and the state property tax that funds public schools.The committee is simultaneously pursuing standalone bills that would eliminate property taxes used to pay for maintenance of buildings owned by state agencies and universities, as well as a sales tax exemption for disabled veterans.Earlier this year, the Legislature adopted&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2284/">House Bill 2284</a>, which would have established an income tax rate of 5.25% for all income brackets. The flat tax portion alone would have reduced tax collections by more than $300 million annually, with about half of that money going to the top 5% of wage earners.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/23/kansas-gop-leaders-tout-flat-tax-plan-that-would-save-charles-koch-875k-annually/">An analysis by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy</a>&nbsp;found that most of the state’s workers would see a benefit of tens of dollars per year, while billionaire Charles Koch saved $875,000 per year.Kelly vetoed the legislation, and the House failed to override her veto with two-thirds support on Feb. 20.The latest proposal would impose a universal income tax rate of 5.7% for 2024, followed by reductions of 0.05 percentage points every year through 2029, when the tax rate would be set at 5.45%. The fiscal impact of the bill had not been posted Monday afternoon.Kansas currently uses a graduated income tax rate: 3.1% for income under $15,000, 5.25% for income between $15,000 and $30,000 and 5.7% for income above $30,000. The income amounts are doubled for couples filing jointly.<h2>Property taxes</h2>The Senate tax committee on Monday gave approval to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb94/">Senate Bill 94</a>, which would discontinue statewide property tax assessments to pay for building costs.Currently, the state taxes property at 1 mill for the Education Building Fund and a half-mill for the State Institutions Building Fund. The legislation would authorize transfers from the state general fund to partially offset the loss of property tax dollars.Under an amendment to the bill, the state would repeal from statute the Local Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund. From 1937 to 2003, the state set aside a portion of sales tax collections and divided the money among counties through a formula based on population and assessed property tax value. The money put into the LAVTRF was used to lower the local property tax burden.Republicans have resisted calls from Democrats and bipartisan local officials to resume the program, claiming without evidence that counties used the money to grow government instead of lowering property taxes.Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican who chairs the Senate tax committee, said the logic behind SB 94 was to replace the LAVTRF with a similar-sized property tax cut at the state level.“It’s an actual tax reduction for Kansans,” Tyson said during Monday’s committee hearing. “And we don’t have to worry about all the arguments we heard of will the money go for a tax relief or will it go to grow government?”“Instead of having the confusing language, not being funded for over 20 years, we’re just gonna get rid of the language so that it’s not there and provide true property tax relief for approximately the same dollar amount,” she added.If the LAVTRF were utilized last year, the state would have distributed $128 million to counties. Under Tyson’s proposal, property taxes would be cut by an estimated $77.1 million next year. Funding for buildings would be lowered by about $14 million, leaving less money available for deferred maintenance projects at Kansas Board of Regents schools and buildings owned by state agencies.<h2>Disabled veterans</h2>Here’s how tax policy is made in Tyson’s committee:In March 2023, the committee held a hearing on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb58/">Senate Bill 58</a>, which would provide a sales tax exemption for disabled veterans.The committee adopted amendments to the bill on Feb. 15, even though it wasn’t among the bills on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/committees/ctte_s_assess_tax_1/documents/agenda/weekly/20240218.pdf">the committee’s agenda</a>&nbsp;that day. The amendments were handed out during the committee, but the bill’s text was never modified.Monday’s agenda called for “possible action on bills previously heard,” which actually meant definite action on two specific bills.As committee members began to discuss the specifics of SB 58, Sen. Usha Reddi, a Manhattan Democrat, interjected with confusion. She wondered why the numbers they were discussing didn’t match those that appear in the legislation as it was filed. Tyson informed Reddi of the undocumented changes to the bill.“You had to take notes and write it as we were going,” Tyson said. “Sorry.”After making additional changes Monday, the committee gutted the contents of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2036/">House Bill 2036</a>, which had passed the House 123-1 and dealt with property tax breaks for disabled veterans, and inserted the contents of the overhauled SB 58.Although there was bipartisan support on the committee for providing a sales tax break for disabled veterans, lawmakers were at times confused about how much the bill could cost. Sen. Virgil Peck, a Havana Republican, assured committee members that a projected $75 million price tag was highly unlikely.The proposed sales tax exemption would include exceptions for purchases of vehicles, alcohol and tobacco products. The total benefit would be capped at $24,000 per year, but because the state cannot track usage, veterans would be asked to follow the honor system.

Latest flat tax plan in Kansas Senate would slash rate over six years

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A couple whose child died in October of 2023 have made an appearance in court.

On Monday, the boy's mother 36-year-old&nbsp; Wilma Presley of Wichita was charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder and aggravated endangering a child, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

The boy's father Brijin McCullough, 31, Wichita, was charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder and three counts of aggravated endangering a child.&nbsp;&nbsp;On January 5, police<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=743708"> booked McCullough</a> into the Sedgwick County jail on gun and weapons requested charges.

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=41309">Police booked Presley </a>into jail March 5, on drug allegations and for the death of one-year-old <a href="https://www.centralavenuefuneralservices.com/obituary/Kaiden-McCullough">Kaiden McCullough. </a>

In October, first responders were called to&nbsp; Walmart, 501 East Pawnee in Wichita, after a report that a child was unresponsive. EMS took the child to a Wichita hospital where he was pronounced dead.

McCullough and Presley are each being held on a bond of one-million dollars, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710080509979.png" alt="Presley-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Presley-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A couple whose child died in October of 2023 have made an appearance in court.On Monday, the boy's mother 36-year-old&nbsp; Wilma Presley of Wichita was charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder and aggravated endangering a child, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710080851907.png" alt="McCullough-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>McCullough-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>The boy's father Brijin McCullough, 31, Wichita, was charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder and three counts of aggravated endangering a child.&nbsp;&nbsp;On January 5, police<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=743708"> booked McCullough</a> into the Sedgwick County jail on gun and weapons requested charges.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=41309">Police booked Presley </a>into jail March 5, on drug allegations and for the death of one-year-old <a href="https://www.centralavenuefuneralservices.com/obituary/Kaiden-McCullough">Kaiden McCullough. </a>In October, first responders were called to&nbsp; Walmart, 501 East Pawnee in Wichita, after a report that a child was unresponsive. EMS took the child to a Wichita hospital where he was pronounced dead.McCullough and Presley are each being held on a bond of one-million dollars, according to the district attorney's office.

Kansas couple charged in the death of 1-year-old son

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen’s Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;have targeted a Liberian-flagged container ship in the Red Sea with missiles, producing an explosion near the vessel but causing no damage, authorities said.

The master of the vessel reported the explosion Monday and said no one was hurt, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. The UKMTO later identified the vessel as the Pinocchio, managed by a Singaporean firm.

The Houthis used two anti-ship ballistic missiles in the attack, the U.S. military's Central Command said.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed the attack early Tuesday in a prerecorded statement, claiming the Pinocchio was an American ship without offering evidence to support the assertion.

He said the Houthis would continue their attacks, aimed at pressuring an end to the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. However, the Houthi attacks targeting vessel since November have increasingly had little or no connection to Israel, the United States or other nations involved in the war.

Monday's attack comes after a Houthi missile&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-attacks-us-israel-palestinians-gaza-89c5440d9943216a787b39912bd969e0">struck a commercial ship</a>&nbsp;in the Gulf of Aden last week, killing three of its crew members and forcing survivors to abandon the vessel.

It was the first fatal strike in a campaign of assaults by the Iranian-backed group over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war on Hamas</a>&nbsp;in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis say the attacks are intended to pressure Israel into stopping the war, but their targets increasingly have little or nothing to do with the conflict.

Other recent Houthi actions include an attack last month on a cargo ship carrying fertilizer, the Rubymar,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-rubymar-sinks-red-sea-fb64a490ce935756337ee3606e15d093">which later sank</a>&nbsp;after drifting for several days, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-red-sea-israel-hamas-6ac2a1bf5032ed0531258816907cfe2c">downing of an American drone</a>&nbsp;worth tens of millions of dollars.

The U.S. has lead a series of airstrikes targeting the Houthis since January, but they have yet to stop the rebels' attacks on shipping, which have disrupted trade through the Red Sea, a crucial waterway for energy and cargo shipments between Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

On Monday, U.S. forces carried out six strikes destroying an underwater Houthi drone and 18 anti-ship missiles, Central Command said. The Houthi's Al-Masirah satellite news channel reported U.S. strikes in Yemen's Houthi-held Hodeidah and Saada provinces.

<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>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen’s Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;have targeted a Liberian-flagged container ship in the Red Sea with missiles, producing an explosion near the vessel but causing no damage, authorities said.The master of the vessel reported the explosion Monday and said no one was hurt, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. The UKMTO later identified the vessel as the Pinocchio, managed by a Singaporean firm.The Houthis used two anti-ship ballistic missiles in the attack, the U.S. military's Central Command said.Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed the attack early Tuesday in a prerecorded statement, claiming the Pinocchio was an American ship without offering evidence to support the assertion.He said the Houthis would continue their attacks, aimed at pressuring an end to the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. However, the Houthi attacks targeting vessel since November have increasingly had little or no connection to Israel, the United States or other nations involved in the war.Monday's attack comes after a Houthi missile&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-attacks-us-israel-palestinians-gaza-89c5440d9943216a787b39912bd969e0">struck a commercial ship</a>&nbsp;in the Gulf of Aden last week, killing three of its crew members and forcing survivors to abandon the vessel.It was the first fatal strike in a campaign of assaults by the Iranian-backed group over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war on Hamas</a>&nbsp;in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis say the attacks are intended to pressure Israel into stopping the war, but their targets increasingly have little or nothing to do with the conflict.Other recent Houthi actions include an attack last month on a cargo ship carrying fertilizer, the Rubymar,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-rubymar-sinks-red-sea-fb64a490ce935756337ee3606e15d093">which later sank</a>&nbsp;after drifting for several days, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-red-sea-israel-hamas-6ac2a1bf5032ed0531258816907cfe2c">downing of an American drone</a>&nbsp;worth tens of millions of dollars.The U.S. has lead a series of airstrikes targeting the Houthis since January, but they have yet to stop the rebels' attacks on shipping, which have disrupted trade through the Red Sea, a crucial waterway for energy and cargo shipments between Asia, the Middle East and Europe.On Monday, U.S. forces carried out six strikes destroying an underwater Houthi drone and 18 anti-ship missiles, Central Command said. The Houthi's Al-Masirah satellite news channel reported U.S. strikes in Yemen's Houthi-held Hodeidah and Saada provinces.

U.S. warships strike underwater drone, 18 more anti-ship missiles

STAFFORD COUNTY—Crews were called to the report of a brush fire in the 1000 block of NE 190th Street in Stafford County on Monday, according to a media release.&nbsp; Fire crews were on scene for approximately four and a half hours.

Cause of the fire was found to be a tree struck by lightning several days ago that finally fell, lighting the field on fire.

"We can't express enough how important it is that different departments work together," the department said on Facebook. "This is just another example of the citizens of all counties involved benefiting by a good working relationship with neighboring departments."

Stations that responded were Hudson, Seward, Radium and Stafford stations. Ellinwood Fire Department was requested for mutual aid. Rice County Fire Department also assisted.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710234542518.jpeg" alt="Ellinwood Fire assists on a brush fire in Stafford County on Monday, March 11, 2024. Photo Courtesy Ellinwood Fire Department." />
 <figcaption>Ellinwood Fire assists on a brush fire in Stafford County on Monday, March 11, 2024. Photo Courtesy Ellinwood Fire Department.</figcaption>
 </figure>STAFFORD COUNTY—Crews were called to the report of a brush fire in the 1000 block of NE 190th Street in Stafford County on Monday, according to a media release.&nbsp; Fire crews were on scene for approximately four and a half hours.Cause of the fire was found to be a tree struck by lightning several days ago that finally fell, lighting the field on fire."We can't express enough how important it is that different departments work together," the department said on Facebook. "This is just another example of the citizens of all counties involved benefiting by a good working relationship with neighboring departments."Stations that responded were Hudson, Seward, Radium and Stafford stations. Ellinwood Fire Department was requested for mutual aid. Rice County Fire Department also assisted.

Tree struck by lightning days ago finally fell, starting Kan. grass fire

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday announced an additional $100 million to finance the deployment of a multinational force mission to Haiti following a meeting with Caribbean leaders in Jamaica to halt&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-us-embassy-security-gang-violence-1b720280fa85c87ccf0768d3156dbd23">the country’s violent crisis</a>.

Blinken also announced another $33 million in humanitarian aid and the creation of a joint proposal agreed on by Caribbean leaders and Haitian stakeholders that would expedite the creation of a “presidential college.”

He said the college would take “concrete steps” he did not identify to meet the needs of Haitian people and enable the pending deployment of the multinational force to be led by Kenya.

The joint proposal has the backing of members of Caricom, a regional trade bloc that held Monday’s urgent meeting.

“I think we can all agree: Haiti is on the brink of disaster,” said Guyanese President Irfaan Ali. “We must take quick and decisive action.”

He said that he is “very confident that we have found commonality” to support what he described as a Haitian-led and -owned solution.

Meanwhile, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the meeting was a work in progress.

“It is clear that Haiti is now at a tipping point,” he said. “We are deeply distressed that it is already too late for too many who have lost far too much at the hands of criminal gangs.”

Embattled Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who faces calls to resign or agree to a transitional council, did not attend the meeting. He has been locked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-prime-minister-gangs-resign-e583a191a2f800bc63752220a47dec0d">out of his own country</a>&nbsp;while traveling abroad, due to surging unrest and violence by criminal gangs who have overrun much of Haiti's capital and closed down its main international airports.

Henry remained in Puerto Rico and was taking steps to return to Haiti once feasible, according to a brief statement from the U.S. territory's Department of State.

While leaders met behind closed doors,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-puerto-rico-haiti-port-au-prince-gangs-24b02571972a676c3bcc3d9a24dfc77d">Jimmy Chérizier</a>, considered Haiti’s most powerful gang leader, told reporters that if the international community continues down the current road, “it will plunge Haiti into further chaos.”

“We Haitians have to decide who is going to be the head of the country and what model of government we want,” said Chérizier, a former elite police officer known as Barbecue who leads a gang federation known as G9 Family and Allies. “We are also going to figure out how to get Haiti out of the misery it's in now.”

The meeting in Jamaica was organized by members of a regional trade bloc known as Caricom, which for months has pressed for a transitional government in Haiti while protests in the country have demanded Henry’s resignation.

“The international community must work together with Haitians towards a peaceful political transition,” U.S. Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Nichols will attend the meeting.

Concerns remain that a long-sought solution will remain elusive. Caricom said in a statement on Friday announcing the urgent meeting in Jamaica that while “we are making considerable progress, the stakeholders are not yet where they need to be.”

Mia Mottley, Barbados’ prime minister, said that up to 90% of proposals that Haitian stakeholders have “put on the table” are similar. These include an “urgent need” to create a presidential council to help identify a new prime minister to establish a government.

Her comments were briefly streamed by Caricom, in what appeared to have been a mistake, and then were abruptly cut off.

The meeting was held as powerful gangs continued to attack key government targets&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-gangs-violence-barbecue-police-prime-minister-c275da3b420f018a95099c9e6539e61f">across Haiti’s capital of Port-au-Prince</a>. Since Feb. 29, gunmen have burned police stations, closed the main international airports and raided the country’s two biggest prisons, releasing more than 4,000 inmates.

Scores of people have been killed, and more than 15,000 are homeless after fleeing neighborhoods raided by gangs.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-violence-gangs-food-economy-092a20f037b48a8e1837a4e6424cf571">Food and water are dwindling</a>&nbsp;as stands and stores selling to impoverished Haitians run out of goods. The main port in Port-au-Prince remains closed, stranding dozens of containers with critical supplies.

Henry&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-violence-prison-break-curfew-0116d2ebac1b14a587baa176818055cb">landed in Puerto Rico</a>&nbsp;last week after being denied entry into the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti.

When the attacks began, Henry was in Kenya&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kenya-haiti-un-police-force-gang-violence-30930ccf3cbc31c6969cabd6c9dacb2c">pushing for the U.N.-backed deployment of a police force</a>&nbsp;from the East African country that has been delayed by a court ruling.

A growing number of people are demanding Henry's resignation. He has not made any public comment since the attacks began.

The U.N. Security Council on Monday urged Haiti’s gangs “to immediately cease their destabilizing actions,” including sexual violence and the recruitment of children, and said it expects that a multinational force will deploy as soon as possible to help end the violence. It urged the international community to support the Haitian National Police by backing the force's deployment.

Council members also expressed concern at the limited political progress and urged all political actors to allow free and fair legislative and presidential elections.

A U.N. delegation attending Monday's meeting includes the secretary-general's chief of staff Courtenay Rattray, Undersecretary-General Atul Khare, who is in charge of U.N. logistics, and Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča, who is in charge of the Americas in the U.N. political office.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres is calling for the urgent deployment of the multinational force and that the mission be adequately funded, said his spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

Currently, funding is at only $10.8 million, with officials in Kenya demanding more than $230 million.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710205558004.jpeg" alt="Monday in Jamaica, Prime Minister Holmes and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed crucial international support for the people of Haiti, including the Multinational Security Support mission. Grateful for Jamaica's continued leadership and partnership in strengthening security in the Caribbean.-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Monday in Jamaica, Prime Minister Holmes and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed crucial international support for the people of Haiti, including the Multinational Security Support mission. Grateful for Jamaica's continued leadership and partnership in strengthening security in the Caribbean.-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday announced an additional $100 million to finance the deployment of a multinational force mission to Haiti following a meeting with Caribbean leaders in Jamaica to halt&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-us-embassy-security-gang-violence-1b720280fa85c87ccf0768d3156dbd23">the country’s violent crisis</a>.Blinken also announced another $33 million in humanitarian aid and the creation of a joint proposal agreed on by Caribbean leaders and Haitian stakeholders that would expedite the creation of a “presidential college.”He said the college would take “concrete steps” he did not identify to meet the needs of Haitian people and enable the pending deployment of the multinational force to be led by Kenya.The joint proposal has the backing of members of Caricom, a regional trade bloc that held Monday’s urgent meeting.“I think we can all agree: Haiti is on the brink of disaster,” said Guyanese President Irfaan Ali. “We must take quick and decisive action.”He said that he is “very confident that we have found commonality” to support what he described as a Haitian-led and -owned solution.Meanwhile, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the meeting was a work in progress.“It is clear that Haiti is now at a tipping point,” he said. “We are deeply distressed that it is already too late for too many who have lost far too much at the hands of criminal gangs.”Embattled Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who faces calls to resign or agree to a transitional council, did not attend the meeting. He has been locked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-prime-minister-gangs-resign-e583a191a2f800bc63752220a47dec0d">out of his own country</a>&nbsp;while traveling abroad, due to surging unrest and violence by criminal gangs who have overrun much of Haiti's capital and closed down its main international airports.Henry remained in Puerto Rico and was taking steps to return to Haiti once feasible, according to a brief statement from the U.S. territory's Department of State.While leaders met behind closed doors,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-puerto-rico-haiti-port-au-prince-gangs-24b02571972a676c3bcc3d9a24dfc77d">Jimmy Chérizier</a>, considered Haiti’s most powerful gang leader, told reporters that if the international community continues down the current road, “it will plunge Haiti into further chaos.”“We Haitians have to decide who is going to be the head of the country and what model of government we want,” said Chérizier, a former elite police officer known as Barbecue who leads a gang federation known as G9 Family and Allies. “We are also going to figure out how to get Haiti out of the misery it's in now.”The meeting in Jamaica was organized by members of a regional trade bloc known as Caricom, which for months has pressed for a transitional government in Haiti while protests in the country have demanded Henry’s resignation.“The international community must work together with Haitians towards a peaceful political transition,” U.S. Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Nichols will attend the meeting.Concerns remain that a long-sought solution will remain elusive. Caricom said in a statement on Friday announcing the urgent meeting in Jamaica that while “we are making considerable progress, the stakeholders are not yet where they need to be.”Mia Mottley, Barbados’ prime minister, said that up to 90% of proposals that Haitian stakeholders have “put on the table” are similar. These include an “urgent need” to create a presidential council to help identify a new prime minister to establish a government.Her comments were briefly streamed by Caricom, in what appeared to have been a mistake, and then were abruptly cut off.The meeting was held as powerful gangs continued to attack key government targets&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-gangs-violence-barbecue-police-prime-minister-c275da3b420f018a95099c9e6539e61f">across Haiti’s capital of Port-au-Prince</a>. Since Feb. 29, gunmen have burned police stations, closed the main international airports and raided the country’s two biggest prisons, releasing more than 4,000 inmates.Scores of people have been killed, and more than 15,000 are homeless after fleeing neighborhoods raided by gangs.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-violence-gangs-food-economy-092a20f037b48a8e1837a4e6424cf571">Food and water are dwindling</a>&nbsp;as stands and stores selling to impoverished Haitians run out of goods. The main port in Port-au-Prince remains closed, stranding dozens of containers with critical supplies.Henry&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-violence-prison-break-curfew-0116d2ebac1b14a587baa176818055cb">landed in Puerto Rico</a>&nbsp;last week after being denied entry into the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti.When the attacks began, Henry was in Kenya&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kenya-haiti-un-police-force-gang-violence-30930ccf3cbc31c6969cabd6c9dacb2c">pushing for the U.N.-backed deployment of a police force</a>&nbsp;from the East African country that has been delayed by a court ruling.A growing number of people are demanding Henry's resignation. He has not made any public comment since the attacks began.The U.N. Security Council on Monday urged Haiti’s gangs “to immediately cease their destabilizing actions,” including sexual violence and the recruitment of children, and said it expects that a multinational force will deploy as soon as possible to help end the violence. It urged the international community to support the Haitian National Police by backing the force's deployment.Council members also expressed concern at the limited political progress and urged all political actors to allow free and fair legislative and presidential elections.A U.N. delegation attending Monday's meeting includes the secretary-general's chief of staff Courtenay Rattray, Undersecretary-General Atul Khare, who is in charge of U.N. logistics, and Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča, who is in charge of the Americas in the U.N. political office.U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres is calling for the urgent deployment of the multinational force and that the mission be adequately funded, said his spokesman Stephane Dujarric.Currently, funding is at only $10.8 million, with officials in Kenya demanding more than $230 million.___

US pledges additional $100M for multinational force going to Haiti 

KANSAS CITY– A Kansas City man was sentenced in federal court&nbsp; for selling methamphetamine and heroin on the dark web.

John M. LeCoque, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered LeCoque to forfeit to the government $22,000, representing proceeds obtained from his illegal drug trafficking, according to the United State's Attorney.

On Aug. 16, 2023, LeCoque pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin.

LeCoque admitted that he sold illegal drugs over the dark web via an online marketplace called White House Market from May 15, 2020, to Aug. 6, 2021.

Federal agents used cryptocurrency to purchase methamphetamine and heroin from LeCoque through an undercover account on two occasions in 2021. Agents executed a search warrant at LeCoque’s residence on May 27, 2021. Agents seized methamphetamine and heroin from his apartment. Agents also found a Smith &amp; Wesson 9mm handgun and ammunition inside a locked safe.

Federal agents executed a search warrant of LeCoque’s online vendor account and located information for 279 orders of illegal drugs from May 2020 to May 2021, including a total of 604 grams of methamphetamine and 234 grams of heroin.

Several months later, in August 2021, LeCoque advertised a “final sale” on his dark web vendor account.

KANSAS CITY– A Kansas City man was sentenced in federal court&nbsp; for selling methamphetamine and heroin on the dark web.John M. LeCoque, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered LeCoque to forfeit to the government $22,000, representing proceeds obtained from his illegal drug trafficking, according to the United State's Attorney.On Aug. 16, 2023, LeCoque pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin.LeCoque admitted that he sold illegal drugs over the dark web via an online marketplace called White House Market from May 15, 2020, to Aug. 6, 2021.Federal agents used cryptocurrency to purchase methamphetamine and heroin from LeCoque through an undercover account on two occasions in 2021. Agents executed a search warrant at LeCoque’s residence on May 27, 2021. Agents seized methamphetamine and heroin from his apartment. Agents also found a Smith &amp; Wesson 9mm handgun and ammunition inside a locked safe.Federal agents executed a search warrant of LeCoque’s online vendor account and located information for 279 orders of illegal drugs from May 2020 to May 2021, including a total of 604 grams of methamphetamine and 234 grams of heroin.Several months later, in August 2021, LeCoque advertised a “final sale” on his dark web vendor account.