FINNEY COUNTY —A Colorado man arrested for a December 15, shooting that occurred in Garden City is now being held in a Kansas Jail.

 Finney County Sheriff’s Investigators learned that 33-year-old Jordan Deloach of Lamar, Colorado had traveled to Garden City and became involved in a confrontation with the victim. 

This led to Deloach going to the victim’s residence and shooting through the residential door, striking the victim. Deloach returned to Colorado where he was located by the Prowers County Sheriff’s Office.

 Finney County Sheriff’s Investigators met with Prowers County Sheriff’s Office to assist with further investigation. Investigators applied for and were granted a Finney County arrest warrant for Deloach. Deputies arrested him and he was held in Prowers County on a $250,000 warrant on requested charges of Attempted 1st Degree Murder· Criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon until his transfer to the Finney County jail over the weekend, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768303501970.png" alt="Deloach photo Finney County" />
 <figcaption>Deloach photo Finney County</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —A Colorado man arrested for a December 15, shooting that occurred in Garden City is now being held in a Kansas Jail. Finney County Sheriff’s Investigators learned that 33-year-old Jordan Deloach of Lamar, Colorado had traveled to Garden City and became involved in a confrontation with the victim. This led to Deloach going to the victim’s residence and shooting through the residential door, striking the victim. Deloach returned to Colorado where he was located by the Prowers County Sheriff’s Office. Finney County Sheriff’s Investigators met with Prowers County Sheriff’s Office to assist with further investigation. Investigators applied for and were granted a Finney County arrest warrant for Deloach. Deputies arrested him and he was held in Prowers County on a $250,000 warrant on requested charges of Attempted 1st Degree Murder· Criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon until his transfer to the Finney County jail over the weekend, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

Colorado man jailed in SW Kansas for alleged attempted murder

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">The Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is hearing arguments Tuesday over state laws barring transgender girls and women from playing on school athletic teams.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-38">Click here to listen to a replay of the argument in Little vs. Hecox</a>

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-43">Click here to listen to a replay of the argument in West Virginia vs. B.P.J.</a>

Lower courts ruled for the transgender athletes in Idaho and West Virginia who challenged the state bans, but the conservative-dominated Supreme Court might not follow suit.

In just the past year, the justices ruled in favor state bans on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-health-care-trump-79fc6f3bbdab2e92d6f0184201a468a9">gender-affirming care for transgender youths</a>&nbsp;and allowed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-transgender-nonbinary-passport-sex-marker-5040c6412e06a072889af30cfae97462">multiple restrictions</a>&nbsp;on transgender people to be enforced.

The legal fight is playing out amid a broad effort by President Donald Trump to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-sex-gender-transgender-dei-order-245350b97e0c4dcc221fefc49ef44699">target transgender Americans</a>, beginning on the first day of his second term and including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-troops-ban-military-trump-9c3018034a2608a28f6146fe17f0fe4b">the ouster of transgender people</a>&nbsp;from the military and declaring that gender is immutable and determined at birth.

The culture war cases come from Idaho and West Virginia, among the first of the more than two dozen Republican-led states that have banned transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s teams.

The justices are evaluating claims of sex discrimination lodged by transgender people versus the need for fair competition for women and girls, the main argument made by the states.

In the first case, Lindsay Hecox, 25, sued over Idaho’s first-in-the-nation ban for the chance to try out for the women’s track and cross-country teams at Boise State University in Idaho. She didn’t make either squad but competed in club-level soccer and running.

Becky Pepper-Jackson, a 15-year-old high school sophomore, has been taking puberty-blocking medication, publicly identified&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-athletes-k12-schools-state-restrictions-ec0b1d2ea162855131264c88bb992e2e">as a girl</a>&nbsp;since age 8 and has been issued a West Virginia birth certificate recognizing her as female. She is the only transgender person who has sought to compete in girls’ sports in West Virginia.

Pepper-Jackson has progressed from a back-of-the-pack cross-country runner in middle school to a statewide third-place finish in the discus in just her first year of high school.

Prominent women in sports have weighed in on both sides. Tennis champion Martina Navratilova, swimmers Summer Sanders and Donna de Varona and beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh-Jennings are supporting the state bans. Soccer stars Megan Rapinoe and Becky Sauerbrunn and basketball players Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart back the transgender athletes.

The high-court arguments are expected to focus on whether the sports bans violate the Constitution or the landmark federal law known as Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in education.

In 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/courts-supreme-courts-mi-state-wire-neil-gorsuch-ap-top-news-5a7b0e41a47a3c571dda69194758e7b1">the Supreme Court ruled</a>&nbsp;LGBTQ people are protected by a landmark federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in the workplace, finding that “sex plays an unmistakable role” in employers’ decisions to punish transgender people for traits and behavior they otherwise tolerate.

But last year, the six conservative justices on the nine-member court declined to apply the same sort of analysis when they upheld state bans on gender-affirming care for transgender minors.

The states supporting the prohibitions on transgender athletes argue there is no reason to extend the ruling barring workplace discrimination to Title IX, which dramatically increased opportunities for girls and women in school sports.

Lawyers for Pepper-Jackson argue that the law protects people like their client from discrimination. They are asking for a ruling that would apply to the unique circumstances of her early transition. In Hecox’s case, her lawyers want the court to dismiss the case because she has forsworn trying to play on women’s teams.

Despite the small numbers of transgender athletes, the issue has taken on outsize importance. The NCAA and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/olympics-transgender-athlete-ban-2e10a02fea22583ea00403c57a3567b9">banned transgender women</a>&nbsp;from women’s sports after Trump, a Republican, signed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-transgender-athletes-3606411fc12efffec95a893351624e1b">an executive order</a>&nbsp;aimed at barring their participation.

The public generally is supportive of the limits.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP-NORC-October-2025-Topline.pdf" target="_blank">An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll</a>&nbsp;conducted in October 2025 found that about 6 in 10 U.S. adults “strongly” or “somewhat” favored requiring transgender children and teenagers to only compete on sports teams that match the sex they were assigned at birth, not the gender they identify with, while about 2 in 10 were “strongly” or “somewhat” opposed and about one-quarter did not have an opinion.

About 2.1 million adults, or 0.8%, and 724,000 people age 13 to 17, or 3.3%, identify as transgender in the U.S., according to the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768315435044.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARK SHERMAN&nbsp;WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">The Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is hearing arguments Tuesday over state laws barring transgender girls and women from playing on school athletic teams.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-38">Click here to listen to a replay of the argument in Little vs. Hecox</a><a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-43">Click here to listen to a replay of the argument in West Virginia vs. B.P.J.</a>Lower courts ruled for the transgender athletes in Idaho and West Virginia who challenged the state bans, but the conservative-dominated Supreme Court might not follow suit.In just the past year, the justices ruled in favor state bans on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-health-care-trump-79fc6f3bbdab2e92d6f0184201a468a9">gender-affirming care for transgender youths</a>&nbsp;and allowed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-transgender-nonbinary-passport-sex-marker-5040c6412e06a072889af30cfae97462">multiple restrictions</a>&nbsp;on transgender people to be enforced.The legal fight is playing out amid a broad effort by President Donald Trump to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-sex-gender-transgender-dei-order-245350b97e0c4dcc221fefc49ef44699">target transgender Americans</a>, beginning on the first day of his second term and including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-troops-ban-military-trump-9c3018034a2608a28f6146fe17f0fe4b">the ouster of transgender people</a>&nbsp;from the military and declaring that gender is immutable and determined at birth.The culture war cases come from Idaho and West Virginia, among the first of the more than two dozen Republican-led states that have banned transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s teams.The justices are evaluating claims of sex discrimination lodged by transgender people versus the need for fair competition for women and girls, the main argument made by the states.In the first case, Lindsay Hecox, 25, sued over Idaho’s first-in-the-nation ban for the chance to try out for the women’s track and cross-country teams at Boise State University in Idaho. She didn’t make either squad but competed in club-level soccer and running.Becky Pepper-Jackson, a 15-year-old high school sophomore, has been taking puberty-blocking medication, publicly identified&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-athletes-k12-schools-state-restrictions-ec0b1d2ea162855131264c88bb992e2e">as a girl</a>&nbsp;since age 8 and has been issued a West Virginia birth certificate recognizing her as female. She is the only transgender person who has sought to compete in girls’ sports in West Virginia.Pepper-Jackson has progressed from a back-of-the-pack cross-country runner in middle school to a statewide third-place finish in the discus in just her first year of high school.Prominent women in sports have weighed in on both sides. Tennis champion Martina Navratilova, swimmers Summer Sanders and Donna de Varona and beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh-Jennings are supporting the state bans. Soccer stars Megan Rapinoe and Becky Sauerbrunn and basketball players Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart back the transgender athletes.The high-court arguments are expected to focus on whether the sports bans violate the Constitution or the landmark federal law known as Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in education.In 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/courts-supreme-courts-mi-state-wire-neil-gorsuch-ap-top-news-5a7b0e41a47a3c571dda69194758e7b1">the Supreme Court ruled</a>&nbsp;LGBTQ people are protected by a landmark federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in the workplace, finding that “sex plays an unmistakable role” in employers’ decisions to punish transgender people for traits and behavior they otherwise tolerate.But last year, the six conservative justices on the nine-member court declined to apply the same sort of analysis when they upheld state bans on gender-affirming care for transgender minors.The states supporting the prohibitions on transgender athletes argue there is no reason to extend the ruling barring workplace discrimination to Title IX, which dramatically increased opportunities for girls and women in school sports.Lawyers for Pepper-Jackson argue that the law protects people like their client from discrimination. They are asking for a ruling that would apply to the unique circumstances of her early transition. In Hecox’s case, her lawyers want the court to dismiss the case because she has forsworn trying to play on women’s teams.Despite the small numbers of transgender athletes, the issue has taken on outsize importance. The NCAA and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/olympics-transgender-athlete-ban-2e10a02fea22583ea00403c57a3567b9">banned transgender women</a>&nbsp;from women’s sports after Trump, a Republican, signed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-transgender-athletes-3606411fc12efffec95a893351624e1b">an executive order</a>&nbsp;aimed at barring their participation.The public generally is supportive of the limits.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP-NORC-October-2025-Topline.pdf" target="_blank">An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll</a>&nbsp;conducted in October 2025 found that about 6 in 10 U.S. adults “strongly” or “somewhat” favored requiring transgender children and teenagers to only compete on sports teams that match the sex they were assigned at birth, not the gender they identify with, while about 2 in 10 were “strongly” or “somewhat” opposed and about one-quarter did not have an opinion.About 2.1 million adults, or 0.8%, and 724,000 people age 13 to 17, or 3.3%, identify as transgender in the U.S., according to the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law.A decision is expected by early summer.___

🎧Transgender athlete bans get Supreme Court review in landmark case

Annual session begins with questions about congressional redistricting, property taxes and more

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">Anna Kaminski</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">Sherman Smith</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The 2026 session of the Kansas Legislature burst to life Monday as Republicans and Democrats staked out public policy priorities, welcomed members to fill unexpired terms of the departed and awaited the upcoming final State of the State speech by Gov. Laura Kelly.

Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, gaveled in the Senate and House in what could be the final legislative session for both. Masterson is competing in a crowded field for the GOP nomination for governor, while Hawkins tossed his hat into the ring in the race for state insurance commissioner.

In brief remarks with reporters, Masterson said his mind was on finding ways to control rising property taxes, embracing the One, Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Donald Trump and, possibly, redrawing the state’s congressional district boundaries for benefit of Republican candidates for Congress.

“A constitutional amendment to cap property tax, at least authorizing the ‘big, beautiful bill’ and parental freedom in education. Like to do a little tort reform. Obviously, get a budget passed,” Masterson said.

In terms of redistricting, the Senate president said he would “love to” advance a bill that shifted boundaries of the state’s four U.S. House districts to give GOP candidates a distinct edge over Democratic candidates. The idea would be to make it difficult for U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, to win reelection.

The original plan was to convene a special session of the Legislature in November to consider a new congressional map. The required two-thirds majority in the Senate signed a petition calling a special session, but Hawkins was unable to convince two-thirds of Republican peers in the House to sign a special-session petition.

“If we get it from the House, we’re going to take it up,” said Masterson, who would appear to have the easier task of securing enough votes to thwart a veto by Kelly.

The first order of business Monday was for Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Rosen to swear into office the Senate’s newcomers. Sen. Scott Hill, R-Abilene, and Sen. Silas Miller, D-Wichita, were drafted from the House to fill vacancies in the Senate. Hill replaced Sen. J.R. Claeys, a Salina Republican who went to work for the Trump administration. Miller took the seat left open by Sen. Mary Ware, who&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-senator-from-wichita-retires-opening-democratic-seat-ahead-of-legislative-session/" target="_blank">announced her retirement</a>&nbsp;in November.

At the front of the Senate chamber, Rosen turned to Hill and began reciting the oath: “Do you, Silas Miller …”

The gaffe was noted, and Rosen affirmed: “Not a good start.” He replaced Miller’s name in the script with Hill’s, and the perfunctory ceremonies for both were completed.

House and Senate committees begin meeting Tuesday. Kelly, a Democrat in the final year of her two terms as governor, is scheduled to deliver the annual State of the State speech to a joint session of the Legislature at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Hawkins, a Republican insurance executive, marked his “last first day” of the session after 14 years in the House and three years as speaker. While he’s running for insurance commissioner, all 125 seats in the House will be up for election in November. The Senate won’t do likewise until 2028.

“The first day of the session is always a happy day,” Hawkins said to an almost full chamber. “I tried for the House to be the best House there ever was, and I think, for the most part, we have done just that.”

He said he strived to promote mutual respect in the House “so that we listen, hopefully, more than we talk.”

Hawkins encouraged spirited debate on the House floor that avoided personal jabs.

“Be engaged, and put everything you have into this session. But don’t leave wishing you would have done something,” he said.

Ahead of the House’s more ordinary first-day business, Rosen swore in Rep. Abi Boatman, a Wichita-area Democrat, Air Force veteran and advocate who replaced Miller.

Boatman, who is Kansas’ second-ever transgender legislator, worked in advocacy and civic engagement for the past decade. She said her first moments in the Legislature were fast-paced as she received a warm welcome. She said the Legislature felt like “the next natural step.”

Rep. Steve Brunk, a Wichita Republican who served in the House from 2003 to 2015, was appointed to complete the unexpired term of Rep. Patrick Penn, who took a job in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. During the interim period, Brunk lobbied for a conservative policy organization opposed to abortion.

After checking with Capitol security at the visitor center to make certain the state’s conceal-carry gun law hadn’t changed in his absence, he discussed his reasons for returning to the House.

“I just felt like there was unfinished business here. I always liked the process,” he said.

Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat running for state insurance commissioner, said one of her top priorities would be to approve a refundable child tax credit. In the past, proposals have been made to offer a $25 to $600 per child income tax credit for low- and middle-income households to help families deal with escalating costs. She said it was unlikely the GOP-led Legislature would approve the bill.

“I would love to see child tax credits passed through, but I don’t think there’s a possible way for that,” Sykes said.

She said the Legislature ought to extend the existing K-12 school finance formula — due to expire in mid-2027 — for another year. That would allow the 2027 Legislature to craft a new formula that wouldn’t be implemented until 2028, she said.

Sen. Cindy Holscher, a Democrat seeking the party’s nomination for governor along with Sen. Ethan Corson, said she would take on a defensive mindset in an attempt to disrupt GOP legislation that she would view as harmful to the state’s most vulnerable people.

“I am always focused on things that will help the people,” she said. “We’ve been pushing things like Medicaid expansion for years. I’m going to look for ways to bring things good forward and push back against the bad stuff.”

After the House adjourned for the day, House Democrats gathered with reporters at the Capitol to highlight an agenda designed to benefit working families.

House Democrats proposed raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour, allowing renters to get 15% of their rent back in a tax rebate, providing universal school meals and addressing access to and the cost of child care. They also wanted to exempt $125,000 of a home’s value from the state property tax. The current threshold is $75,000.

House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, D-Lenexa, said Democrats were exploring ways to pay for their wish list. Legalizing recreational marijuana was on the table, he said, along with raising taxes for millionaires.

However, he said, cost of living was the No. 1 issue on Kansans’ minds. But their proposals would need support from Republicans to reach the minimum 63 votes for passage in the House.

“In the superminority, we have to go find friends, right?” Woodard said. “There’s only 37 of us, so we have to find 26 members that will work with us. The idea of coming up with our own agenda allows us to, one, tell Kansans what we stand for, but also, these are going to be floor amendments that you see on any of the bills that are introduced by Republicans.”

Rep. Dan Osman, D-Overland Park, said Kansas should be a place where growing families could afford child care, seniors could live in their homes on a fixed income, and young people could see a future instead of looking to other states.

“Families are doing everything right, working hard, budgeting correctly, planning for our future. Yet too many are still feeling squeezed,” Osman said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768312305100.png" alt=" Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, convenes the Kansas Senate at outset of the 2026 Kansas legislative session Monday Jan. 12. Masterson, who has served in the Kansas Legislature since 2005, is seeking the GOP nomination for governor in a crowded primary. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, convenes the Kansas Senate at outset of the 2026 Kansas legislative session Monday Jan. 12. Masterson, who has served in the Kansas Legislature since 2005, is seeking the GOP nomination for governor in a crowded primary. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Annual session begins with questions about congressional redistricting, property taxes and more</h2>By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">Anna Kaminski</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">Sherman Smith</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The 2026 session of the Kansas Legislature burst to life Monday as Republicans and Democrats staked out public policy priorities, welcomed members to fill unexpired terms of the departed and awaited the upcoming final State of the State speech by Gov. Laura Kelly.Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, gaveled in the Senate and House in what could be the final legislative session for both. Masterson is competing in a crowded field for the GOP nomination for governor, while Hawkins tossed his hat into the ring in the race for state insurance commissioner.In brief remarks with reporters, Masterson said his mind was on finding ways to control rising property taxes, embracing the One, Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Donald Trump and, possibly, redrawing the state’s congressional district boundaries for benefit of Republican candidates for Congress.“A constitutional amendment to cap property tax, at least authorizing the ‘big, beautiful bill’ and parental freedom in education. Like to do a little tort reform. Obviously, get a budget passed,” Masterson said.In terms of redistricting, the Senate president said he would “love to” advance a bill that shifted boundaries of the state’s four U.S. House districts to give GOP candidates a distinct edge over Democratic candidates. The idea would be to make it difficult for U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, to win reelection.The original plan was to convene a special session of the Legislature in November to consider a new congressional map. The required two-thirds majority in the Senate signed a petition calling a special session, but Hawkins was unable to convince two-thirds of Republican peers in the House to sign a special-session petition.“If we get it from the House, we’re going to take it up,” said Masterson, who would appear to have the easier task of securing enough votes to thwart a veto by Kelly.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768312263816.png" alt="Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Rosen swears in new senator Silas Miller, a Democrat from Wichita, on the first day of the 2026 legislative session. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Rosen swears in new senator Silas Miller, a Democrat from Wichita, on the first day of the 2026 legislative session. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>The first order of business Monday was for Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Rosen to swear into office the Senate’s newcomers. Sen. Scott Hill, R-Abilene, and Sen. Silas Miller, D-Wichita, were drafted from the House to fill vacancies in the Senate. Hill replaced Sen. J.R. Claeys, a Salina Republican who went to work for the Trump administration. Miller took the seat left open by Sen. Mary Ware, who&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-senator-from-wichita-retires-opening-democratic-seat-ahead-of-legislative-session/" target="_blank">announced her retirement</a>&nbsp;in November.At the front of the Senate chamber, Rosen turned to Hill and began reciting the oath: “Do you, Silas Miller …”The gaffe was noted, and Rosen affirmed: “Not a good start.” He replaced Miller’s name in the script with Hill’s, and the perfunctory ceremonies for both were completed.House and Senate committees begin meeting Tuesday. Kelly, a Democrat in the final year of her two terms as governor, is scheduled to deliver the annual State of the State speech to a joint session of the Legislature at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768312226199.png" alt="House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, speaks to a House colleague before convening the Kansas House on Monday Jan. 12, 2026. Hawkins is seeking the Republican nomination for state insurance commissioner, and that candidacy means he will be leaving the Legislature in January. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, speaks to a House colleague before convening the Kansas House on Monday Jan. 12, 2026. Hawkins is seeking the Republican nomination for state insurance commissioner, and that candidacy means he will be leaving the Legislature in January. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Last first day’</h2>Hawkins, a Republican insurance executive, marked his “last first day” of the session after 14 years in the House and three years as speaker. While he’s running for insurance commissioner, all 125 seats in the House will be up for election in November. The Senate won’t do likewise until 2028.“The first day of the session is always a happy day,” Hawkins said to an almost full chamber. “I tried for the House to be the best House there ever was, and I think, for the most part, we have done just that.”He said he strived to promote mutual respect in the House “so that we listen, hopefully, more than we talk.”Hawkins encouraged spirited debate on the House floor that avoided personal jabs.“Be engaged, and put everything you have into this session. But don’t leave wishing you would have done something,” he said.Ahead of the House’s more ordinary first-day business, Rosen swore in Rep. Abi Boatman, a Wichita-area Democrat, Air Force veteran and advocate who replaced Miller.Boatman, who is Kansas’ second-ever transgender legislator, worked in advocacy and civic engagement for the past decade. She said her first moments in the Legislature were fast-paced as she received a warm welcome. She said the Legislature felt like “the next natural step.”Rep. Steve Brunk, a Wichita Republican who served in the House from 2003 to 2015, was appointed to complete the unexpired term of Rep. Patrick Penn, who took a job in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. During the interim period, Brunk lobbied for a conservative policy organization opposed to abortion.After checking with Capitol security at the visitor center to make certain the state’s conceal-carry gun law hadn’t changed in his absence, he discussed his reasons for returning to the House.“I just felt like there was unfinished business here. I always liked the process,” he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768312174933.png" alt="Sen. Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, outlined personnel changes on the Senate Democratic office staff on the first day of the 2026 legislative session. Sykes is a candidate for state insurance commissioner. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, outlined personnel changes on the Senate Democratic office staff on the first day of the 2026 legislative session. Sykes is a candidate for state insurance commissioner. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Democrats’ agenda</h2>Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat running for state insurance commissioner, said one of her top priorities would be to approve a refundable child tax credit. In the past, proposals have been made to offer a $25 to $600 per child income tax credit for low- and middle-income households to help families deal with escalating costs. She said it was unlikely the GOP-led Legislature would approve the bill.“I would love to see child tax credits passed through, but I don’t think there’s a possible way for that,” Sykes said.She said the Legislature ought to extend the existing K-12 school finance formula — due to expire in mid-2027 — for another year. That would allow the 2027 Legislature to craft a new formula that wouldn’t be implemented until 2028, she said.Sen. Cindy Holscher, a Democrat seeking the party’s nomination for governor along with Sen. Ethan Corson, said she would take on a defensive mindset in an attempt to disrupt GOP legislation that she would view as harmful to the state’s most vulnerable people.“I am always focused on things that will help the people,” she said. “We’ve been pushing things like Medicaid expansion for years. I’m going to look for ways to bring things good forward and push back against the bad stuff.”After the House adjourned for the day, House Democrats gathered with reporters at the Capitol to highlight an agenda designed to benefit working families.House Democrats proposed raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour, allowing renters to get 15% of their rent back in a tax rebate, providing universal school meals and addressing access to and the cost of child care. They also wanted to exempt $125,000 of a home’s value from the state property tax. The current threshold is $75,000.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768312139983.png" alt="House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, a Democrat from Johnson County, speaks to reporters at a Jan. 12, 2026, news conference at the Statehouse where he outlines House Democrats’ ideas to address the rising cost of living. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, a Democrat from Johnson County, speaks to reporters at a Jan. 12, 2026, news conference at the Statehouse where he outlines House Democrats’ ideas to address the rising cost of living. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, D-Lenexa, said Democrats were exploring ways to pay for their wish list. Legalizing recreational marijuana was on the table, he said, along with raising taxes for millionaires.However, he said, cost of living was the No. 1 issue on Kansans’ minds. But their proposals would need support from Republicans to reach the minimum 63 votes for passage in the House.“In the superminority, we have to go find friends, right?” Woodard said. “There’s only 37 of us, so we have to find 26 members that will work with us. The idea of coming up with our own agenda allows us to, one, tell Kansans what we stand for, but also, these are going to be floor amendments that you see on any of the bills that are introduced by Republicans.”Rep. Dan Osman, D-Overland Park, said Kansas should be a place where growing families could afford child care, seniors could live in their homes on a fixed income, and young people could see a future instead of looking to other states.“Families are doing everything right, working hard, budgeting correctly, planning for our future. Yet too many are still feeling squeezed,” Osman said.

Kansas Legislature jolts to life with newcomers and generation of new policy agendas

&nbsp;Protests across Iran are escalating and may turn violent, resulting in arrests and injuries.&nbsp;Increased security measures, road closures, public transportation disruptions, and internet blockages are ongoing.&nbsp;The Government of Iran has restricted access to mobile, landline, and national internet networks.&nbsp;Airlines continue to limit or cancel flights to and from Iran, with several suspending service until Friday, January 16.

U.S. citizens should expect continued internet outages, plan alternative means of communication, and, if safe to do so, consider departing Iran by land to Armenia or Türkiye.

U.S.-Iranian dual nationals&nbsp;must&nbsp;exit Iran on Iranian passports. &nbsp;The Iranian government does not recognize&nbsp;<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Ftravel.state.gov%2Fen%2Finternational-travel%2Fplanning%2Fpersonal-needs%2Fdual-nationality.html/1/0101019bb41844ac-eebb16c6-5ecb-42fe-8769-e4b2bec38e1c-000000/UFwE19dzLrxqMM2owcWBVy91WFujudbOfFb7r85b8-Q=439" target="_blank">dual nationality&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;and will treat U.S.-Iranian dual nationals solely as Iranian citizens.&nbsp;U.S. nationals are at significant risk of questioning, arrest, and detention in Iran.&nbsp;Showing a U.S. passport or demonstrating connections to the United States can be reason enough for Iranian authorities to detain someone.

The U.S. government cannot guarantee your safety if you choose to depart using the following options.&nbsp;You should leave only if you believe it is safe to do so.

As of Monday, January 12, the Armenian land border at Agarak/Norduz&nbsp;remains open.&nbsp;U.S. citizens entering Armenia from Iran need a valid U.S. passport and may stay for up to 180 days visa-free. &nbsp;U.S. citizens who require assistance&nbsp;should send the following to the&nbsp;U.S. Embassy Yerevan American Citizens Services Unit at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:ACSYerevan@state.gov">ACSYerevan@state.gov</a>:

As of Monday, January 12, Turkish land border crossings with Iran remain open (Gürbulak/Bazargan, Kapıköy/Razi, and Esendere/Serow). &nbsp;For U.S. citizens seeking to depart Iran by land via these border gates:&nbsp;

U.S.-Iranian dual nationals who plan to enter Türkiye on Iranian or Turkish passports do not require advance approval.&nbsp;U.S. citizens who plan to enter Türkiye using their U.S. passports&nbsp;and those who lack a valid travel document should send the following to the U.S. Embassy Ankara American Citizens Services Unit at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Ankara-ACS@state.gov">Ankara-ACS@state.gov</a>:

As of Monday, January 12, Turkmenistan’s land borders are open, but U.S. citizens need special authorization from the Government of Turkmenistan before approaching the border.&nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. Embassy Ashgabat must facilitate this approval. &nbsp;U.S. citizens who plan to request entry into Turkmenistan should send the following to the U.S. Embassy Ashgabat American Citizens Services Unit at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:AshgabatUScitizen@state.gov">AshgabatUScitizen@state.gov</a>:

U.S. citizens with an urgent need to depart Iran via Azerbaijan should be aware that entry into Azerbaijan from Iran has been restricted for U.S. citizens during periods of heightened tension, such as the June 2025 conflict between Iran and Israel.&nbsp;U.S. citizens should consider alternative routes for departure from Iran.&nbsp;U.S. citizens should not travel to Afghanistan, Iraq, or the Pakistan-Iran border area.

The U.S. government does not have diplomatic or consular relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran.&nbsp;The Swiss government, acting through its embassy in Tehran, serves as the protecting power for U.S. interests in Iran.

Embassy of Switzerland – Foreign Interests Section in Tehran:

&nbsp;Protests across Iran are escalating and may turn violent, resulting in arrests and injuries.&nbsp;Increased security measures, road closures, public transportation disruptions, and internet blockages are ongoing.&nbsp;The Government of Iran has restricted access to mobile, landline, and national internet networks.&nbsp;Airlines continue to limit or cancel flights to and from Iran, with several suspending service until Friday, January 16.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Iran: Protests across Iran are escalating. Increased security measures, road closures, public transportation disruptions, and internet blockages are ongoing. Airlines continue to limit or cancel flights to and from Iran, with several suspending service until Friday, January 16.… <a href="https://t.co/AneGPdfn6I">pic.twitter.com/AneGPdfn6I</a>&mdash; TravelGov (@TravelGov) <a href="https://twitter.com/TravelGov/status/2010830259177078931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>U.S. citizens should expect continued internet outages, plan alternative means of communication, and, if safe to do so, consider departing Iran by land to Armenia or Türkiye.Actions to Take:<ul>
 <li>Leave Iran now.&nbsp;Have a plan for departing Iran that does not rely on U.S. government help.</li><li>If you cannot leave, find a secure location within your residence or another safe building.&nbsp;Have a supply of food, water, medications, and other essential items.</li><li>Avoid demonstrations, keep a low profile, and stay aware of your surroundings.</li><li>Monitor local media for breaking news.&nbsp;Be prepared to adjust your plans.</li><li>Keep your phone charged and maintain communication with family and friends to inform them of your status.</li><li>Enroll in the&nbsp;<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fmytravel.state.gov%2Fs%2Fstep/1/0101019bb41844ac-eebb16c6-5ecb-42fe-8769-e4b2bec38e1c-000000/8tdhdWC4d9I3snKIoOKaEAq7jOeNNyDTNdyQ_n3axoE=439" target="_blank">Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)&nbsp;</a>to receive the latest updates on security in Iran.</li>
 </ul>If You Plan to Leave Iran:&nbsp;U.S.-Iranian dual nationals&nbsp;must&nbsp;exit Iran on Iranian passports. &nbsp;The Iranian government does not recognize&nbsp;<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Ftravel.state.gov%2Fen%2Finternational-travel%2Fplanning%2Fpersonal-needs%2Fdual-nationality.html/1/0101019bb41844ac-eebb16c6-5ecb-42fe-8769-e4b2bec38e1c-000000/UFwE19dzLrxqMM2owcWBVy91WFujudbOfFb7r85b8-Q=439" target="_blank">dual nationality&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;and will treat U.S.-Iranian dual nationals solely as Iranian citizens.&nbsp;U.S. nationals are at significant risk of questioning, arrest, and detention in Iran.&nbsp;Showing a U.S. passport or demonstrating connections to the United States can be reason enough for Iranian authorities to detain someone.The U.S. government cannot guarantee your safety if you choose to depart using the following options.&nbsp;You should leave only if you believe it is safe to do so.As of Monday, January 12, the Armenian land border at Agarak/Norduz&nbsp;remains open.&nbsp;U.S. citizens entering Armenia from Iran need a valid U.S. passport and may stay for up to 180 days visa-free. &nbsp;U.S. citizens who require assistance&nbsp;should send the following to the&nbsp;U.S. Embassy Yerevan American Citizens Services Unit at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:ACSYerevan@state.gov">ACSYerevan@state.gov</a>:<ul>
 <li>Name, DOB, passport information (number and dates of issue/expiration), border crossing, and a photograph of the passport biodata page</li>
 </ul>As of Monday, January 12, Turkish land border crossings with Iran remain open (Gürbulak/Bazargan, Kapıköy/Razi, and Esendere/Serow). &nbsp;For U.S. citizens seeking to depart Iran by land via these border gates:&nbsp;U.S.-Iranian dual nationals who plan to enter Türkiye on Iranian or Turkish passports do not require advance approval.&nbsp;U.S. citizens who plan to enter Türkiye using their U.S. passports&nbsp;and those who lack a valid travel document should send the following to the U.S. Embassy Ankara American Citizens Services Unit at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Ankara-ACS@state.gov">Ankara-ACS@state.gov</a>:<ul>
 <li>Name, DOB, passport information (number and dates of issue/expiration), border crossing, and a photograph of the passport biodata page</li>
 </ul>As of Monday, January 12, Turkmenistan’s land borders are open, but U.S. citizens need special authorization from the Government of Turkmenistan before approaching the border.&nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. Embassy Ashgabat must facilitate this approval. &nbsp;U.S. citizens who plan to request entry into Turkmenistan should send the following to the U.S. Embassy Ashgabat American Citizens Services Unit at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:AshgabatUScitizen@state.gov">AshgabatUScitizen@state.gov</a>:<ul>
 <li>Name, DOB, passport information (number and dates of issue/expiration), border crossing, and a photograph of the passport biodata page</li>
 </ul>U.S. citizens with an urgent need to depart Iran via Azerbaijan should be aware that entry into Azerbaijan from Iran has been restricted for U.S. citizens during periods of heightened tension, such as the June 2025 conflict between Iran and Israel.&nbsp;U.S. citizens should consider alternative routes for departure from Iran.&nbsp;U.S. citizens should not travel to Afghanistan, Iraq, or the Pakistan-Iran border area.The U.S. government does not have diplomatic or consular relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran.&nbsp;The Swiss government, acting through its embassy in Tehran, serves as the protecting power for U.S. interests in Iran.Embassy of Switzerland – Foreign Interests Section in Tehran:<ul>
 <li>Phone(s):+98-21-22-54-21-78+98-21-22-56-52-73+98-21-22-77-24-63</li><li>+98-21-22-54-21-78</li><li>+98-21-22-56-52-73</li><li>+98-21-22-77-24-63</li><li>Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:tehran.fi@eda.admin.ch">tehran.fi@eda.admin.ch</a></li>
 </ul>

 U.S. State Department issues security alert for Iran

KANSAS CITY—Police are investigating a second homicide this week in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just after 7:30a.m. Monday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 2500 block of NE 78th Street, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

As officers arrived they located a a man lying in the street, suffering from gunshot wounds. KCFD Medics responded simultaneously and began performing life saving measures. However, the victim was pronounced deceased on scene.

This is being investigated as a homicide. A subject of interest was taken into custody by patrol officers on scene. The preliminary investigation revealed there was a dispute between two individuals that were known to one another. A physical altercation ensued, which led to shots being fired and the victim being struck. Investigator canvassed the area for witnesses, physical evidence, and any possible surveillance footage.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768268746489.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Police are investigating a second homicide this week in Kansas City, Missouri.Just after 7:30a.m. Monday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 2500 block of NE 78th Street, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.As officers arrived they located a a man lying in the street, suffering from gunshot wounds. KCFD Medics responded simultaneously and began performing life saving measures. However, the victim was pronounced deceased on scene.This is being investigated as a homicide. A subject of interest was taken into custody by patrol officers on scene. The preliminary investigation revealed there was a dispute between two individuals that were known to one another. A physical altercation ensued, which led to shots being fired and the victim being struck. Investigator canvassed the area for witnesses, physical evidence, and any possible surveillance footage.

Homicide: Suspect in custody after deadly KC neighborhood fight

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas is suffering from the worst outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the country, with nearly 414,000 birds affected, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.&nbsp;

HPAI, an umbrella term for avian influenza that includes highly contagious strains such as H5 and H7, is considered a low public health risk, although it can pass to humans through birds and dairy products from infected cattle, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“H5 bird flu is widespread in wild birds worldwide and is causing outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows with sporadic human cases in U.S. dairy and poultry workers,” according to CDC.&nbsp;

As of Friday, there are four affected commercial flocks and six affected backyard flocks reported in Kansas,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/commercial-backyard-flocks" target="_blank">according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture</a>. Avian influenza kills almost 100% of the birds it infects.

The bulk of the infected birds, about 380,000, in Kansas were reported to be in a commercial operation in Pottawatomie County, USDA reports said.

In a map highlighting outbreaks across the nation, Kansas is the only state showing the most severe reports during the past 30 days. It is followed by Indiana, with about 87,000 birds affected, including two commercial flocks and five backyard flocks.&nbsp;

Kansas has not had a reported instance of avian bird flu in a human,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/index.html" target="_blank">according to CDC records</a>. Since 2024, there have been 74 reported bird flu cases in humans and two deaths.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733747978622.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas is suffering from the worst outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the country, with nearly 414,000 birds affected, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768243501453.png" alt="This U.S. Department of Agriculture map highlights the cases of avian influenza reported in commercial flocks throughout the country. Kansas is the only state to rank at the severe end of the scale. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from U.S. Department of Agriculture website)" />
 <figcaption>This U.S. Department of Agriculture map highlights the cases of avian influenza reported in commercial flocks throughout the country. Kansas is the only state to rank at the severe end of the scale. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from U.S. Department of Agriculture website)</figcaption>
 </figure>HPAI, an umbrella term for avian influenza that includes highly contagious strains such as H5 and H7, is considered a low public health risk, although it can pass to humans through birds and dairy products from infected cattle, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.“H5 bird flu is widespread in wild birds worldwide and is causing outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows with sporadic human cases in U.S. dairy and poultry workers,” according to CDC.&nbsp;As of Friday, there are four affected commercial flocks and six affected backyard flocks reported in Kansas,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/commercial-backyard-flocks" target="_blank">according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture</a>. Avian influenza kills almost 100% of the birds it infects.The bulk of the infected birds, about 380,000, in Kansas were reported to be in a commercial operation in Pottawatomie County, USDA reports said.In a map highlighting outbreaks across the nation, Kansas is the only state showing the most severe reports during the past 30 days. It is followed by Indiana, with about 87,000 birds affected, including two commercial flocks and five backyard flocks.&nbsp;Kansas has not had a reported instance of avian bird flu in a human,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/index.html" target="_blank">according to CDC records</a>. Since 2024, there have been 74 reported bird flu cases in humans and two deaths.

Kansas bird flu outbreak is worst in nation

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

The Missouri Attorney General’s Office renewed its attempts to access abortion patient records as the state tries to build a case in favor of strict abortion regulations

KANSAS CITY — Attorneys for Missouri’s only abortion provider presented a timeline Monday of two decades of restrictions on the procedure, laid out for a crowded courtroom across four easels.

On the opening day of what promises to be a 10-day trial over which regulations should remain in place under Missouri’s voter-approved abortion rights amendment, lawyers for Planned Parenthood argued the restrictions were “petty, demanding and increasingly aggressive,” and became increasingly so as more anti-abortion lawmakers were elected to the statehouse.

“The most consistent thing about abortion provisions in Missouri is that it’s been inconsistent,” Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates clinics in Columbia and the Kansas City area, testified Monday.&nbsp;

As the trial kicked off in a Jackson County courtroom, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office renewed its plea for access to abortion patient records, including patient complaints and ER transfers. So far, a judge has denied the state’s attempt to access these records.

“We’ve had to fight tooth and nail to find smoking gun evidence,” Peter Donohue, an assistant attorney general, said Monday after appealing the court’s decision to allow Planned Parenthood to submit a summary chart of patient complications rather than records.

Vanessa Pai-Thompson, an attorney with Planned Parenthood Federation of America, called the state’s continued efforts “a last-ditch attempt to find a there there.”&nbsp;

Assistant Solicitor General Alexandria Overcash painted for the judge a picture of a hypothetical woman faced with an unintended pregnancy. Maybe she’s young and lacks a strong safety net. Maybe she can’t afford a baby, or is unsure if she is ready to be a mother.

Then Overcash detailed a world where the woman goes to an abortion provider and is shown an ultrasound. A state-mandated informed consent booklet is handed to her with other options and she is required to wait 72-hours before she can get an abortion.&nbsp;

This scenario, Overcash said, exists if the state’s current abortion regulations are upheld as part of a system designed to protect women in “emotionally fraught and medically-risky circumstances.”&nbsp;

But the first two witnesses in the case, called by Planned Parenthood, said dozens of unnecessary restrictions ensure access to abortion remains limited, if not impossible. As a result,<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/05/missouri-abortion-legal-access-hinges-courts-rebuilding/">&nbsp;only a few dozen in-clinic abortions</a>&nbsp;were performed in recent years, as restrictions continued to pile up, compared to more than 20,000 a few decades earlier. Medication abortion remains inaccessible.

These restrictions came to a head in 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion and Missouri’s trigger law banning nearly all abortions went into effect.&nbsp;

Two years later,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/05/missouri-legalized-abortion-1-year-ago-ban/">52% of Missourians voted to add reproductive health care protections</a>, including access to abortion up to the point of fetal viability, into the state constitution. The amendment prevents the state from denying, interfering with or otherwise restricting abortion.&nbsp;

Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Missouri sued the state a day after the vote, asking that a few dozen abortion regulations, commonly referred to as “targeted regulation of abortion providers” or TRAP laws, be struck down as unconstitutional under the new amendment.

The regulations, which will be dissected in court over the next two weeks, include:&nbsp;

If the courts decide to strike down these regulations, Missourians will be able to access abortion closer to home and earlier in pregnancy, Dr. Margaret Baum, chief medical officer with Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, based in eastern Missouri, Springfield and Illinois, testified Monday.

The regulations being challenged in the lawsuit caused frustration for patients and made it difficult to hire and retain staff, Wales testified, especially for providers under the threat of criminalization.&nbsp;

“I felt under a microscope. I felt targeted. This is nothing like what I’ve experienced in a nursing home or hospital,” Wales recalls clinic staff saying.

The trial will resume Tuesday morning, when several more Planned Parenthood employees are expected to testify.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768301874356.png" alt=" Dr. Margaret Baum (center), chief medical officer with Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, speaks to reporters following the opening day of a trial litigating Missouri’s abortion regulations on Monday, Jan. 12, 2025, in front of the Jackson County courthouse in Kansas City (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Dr. Margaret Baum (center), chief medical officer with Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, speaks to reporters following the opening day of a trial litigating Missouri’s abortion regulations on Monday, Jan. 12, 2025, in front of the Jackson County courthouse in Kansas City (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>The Missouri Attorney General’s Office renewed its attempts to access abortion patient records as the state tries to build a case in favor of strict abortion regulations</h2>KANSAS CITY — Attorneys for Missouri’s only abortion provider presented a timeline Monday of two decades of restrictions on the procedure, laid out for a crowded courtroom across four easels.On the opening day of what promises to be a 10-day trial over which regulations should remain in place under Missouri’s voter-approved abortion rights amendment, lawyers for Planned Parenthood argued the restrictions were “petty, demanding and increasingly aggressive,” and became increasingly so as more anti-abortion lawmakers were elected to the statehouse.“The most consistent thing about abortion provisions in Missouri is that it’s been inconsistent,” Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates clinics in Columbia and the Kansas City area, testified Monday.&nbsp;As the trial kicked off in a Jackson County courtroom, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office renewed its plea for access to abortion patient records, including patient complaints and ER transfers. So far, a judge has denied the state’s attempt to access these records.“We’ve had to fight tooth and nail to find smoking gun evidence,” Peter Donohue, an assistant attorney general, said Monday after appealing the court’s decision to allow Planned Parenthood to submit a summary chart of patient complications rather than records.Vanessa Pai-Thompson, an attorney with Planned Parenthood Federation of America, called the state’s continued efforts “a last-ditch attempt to find a there there.”&nbsp;Assistant Solicitor General Alexandria Overcash painted for the judge a picture of a hypothetical woman faced with an unintended pregnancy. Maybe she’s young and lacks a strong safety net. Maybe she can’t afford a baby, or is unsure if she is ready to be a mother.Then Overcash detailed a world where the woman goes to an abortion provider and is shown an ultrasound. A state-mandated informed consent booklet is handed to her with other options and she is required to wait 72-hours before she can get an abortion.&nbsp;This scenario, Overcash said, exists if the state’s current abortion regulations are upheld as part of a system designed to protect women in “emotionally fraught and medically-risky circumstances.”&nbsp;But the first two witnesses in the case, called by Planned Parenthood, said dozens of unnecessary restrictions ensure access to abortion remains limited, if not impossible. As a result,<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/05/missouri-abortion-legal-access-hinges-courts-rebuilding/">&nbsp;only a few dozen in-clinic abortions</a>&nbsp;were performed in recent years, as restrictions continued to pile up, compared to more than 20,000 a few decades earlier. Medication abortion remains inaccessible.These restrictions came to a head in 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion and Missouri’s trigger law banning nearly all abortions went into effect.&nbsp;Two years later,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/05/missouri-legalized-abortion-1-year-ago-ban/">52% of Missourians voted to add reproductive health care protections</a>, including access to abortion up to the point of fetal viability, into the state constitution. The amendment prevents the state from denying, interfering with or otherwise restricting abortion.&nbsp;Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Missouri sued the state a day after the vote, asking that a few dozen abortion regulations, commonly referred to as “targeted regulation of abortion providers” or TRAP laws, be struck down as unconstitutional under the new amendment.The regulations, which will be dissected in court over the next two weeks, include:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>The state’s near-total abortion ban, as well as gestational limits on abortion.</li><li>The required distribution of&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/womenshealth/pregnancyassistance/pdf/Mo.InformedConsentBooklet-Revisedpgs.12-15August2019jkOGCReviewed.pdf" target="_blank">Missouri’s informed consent booklet&nbsp;</a>prior to an abortion.</li><li>A 72-hour waiting period between an initial appointment and an abortion.</li><li>A requirement that the same doctor who saw the patient at the initial appointment also provide the abortion.</li><li>A ban on prescribing medication abortion to patients via telemedicine.</li><li>A requirement that only doctors be able to provide abortions.</li><li>Abortion facility licensing requirements, including building specifications.</li><li>Mandatory pelvic exams prior to the administration of medication abortion.</li><li>Admitting privileges and a written transfer agreement at a nearby hospital.</li><li><a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/11/laws-regulations-medication-abortion-mifepristone-misoprostol-missouri/">Complication plan for medication abortion</a>&nbsp;that must be approved by the state health department.&nbsp;</li><li>Providers who prescribe medication abortion must carry tail insurance that is effective for 21 years after the abortion takes place.&nbsp;</li><li>All pregnancy tissue removed during procedural abortions must be submitted to a pathologist for review.</li>
 </ul>If the courts decide to strike down these regulations, Missourians will be able to access abortion closer to home and earlier in pregnancy, Dr. Margaret Baum, chief medical officer with Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, based in eastern Missouri, Springfield and Illinois, testified Monday.The regulations being challenged in the lawsuit caused frustration for patients and made it difficult to hire and retain staff, Wales testified, especially for providers under the threat of criminalization.&nbsp;“I felt under a microscope. I felt targeted. This is nothing like what I’ve experienced in a nursing home or hospital,” Wales recalls clinic staff saying.The trial will resume Tuesday morning, when several more Planned Parenthood employees are expected to testify.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Opening day of Missouri abortion-rights trial focuses on decades of state restrictions

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/jesse-bedayn">JESSE BEDAYN</a> Associated Press

A new video shows more of what happened before a federal immigration officer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-ice-shooting-immigration-842b1d92cb93f2326171f139686e8b0f">shot and killed</a>&nbsp;a woman during an enforcement operation in Minneapolis, adding&nbsp;<a href="https://us-immigration-enforcement-minnesota/" target="_blank">context</a>&nbsp;to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-minnesota-ice-shooting-protest-cad39aa94829e1e11468e3e345af2826">shooting</a>&nbsp;that has sparked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/ice-federal-officers-shooting-updates-1-9-2026">national debate</a>&nbsp;on whether the officer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-enforcement-crackdown-woman-shot-1aeabfaf747eff0162c15216bf41c9e7">acted in self-defense or recklessly</a>.

<a href="https://x.com/DHSgov/status/2010367128524730533" target="_blank">The video</a>, which is 3 1/2 minutes long and was filmed by a bystander, was posted Sunday by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on X. It shows federal officers and vehicles on a snowy street as a car horn blares on and off, with the sounds of whistles adding to the cacophony.

The camera swings to the left, showing a red SUV sitting perpendicular and blocking part of the road, the woman inside,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">Renee Good</a>, pressing the horn repeatedly. After over a minute, Good pulled the SUV back slightly, unblocking part of the road and appears to wave at cars to pass. Two vehicles drive past her down the street.

Good’s wife is seen outside the red SUV, but the video doesn’t clearly show where she was in the proceeding minutes. Then, after a blare from sirens, a dark truck with a small flashing light pulls to a stop a few feet from Good’s SUV. Two officers exit the truck and walk toward Good’s car just before the video goes dark.

Bystander videos released last week, shot from multiple angles, show what happened next.

A video filmed by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-minnesota-jonathan-ross-b9ce88da676d74ec6a1ab36aa55fbda1">the officer who fired at Good</a>&nbsp;shows one officer ask Good to get out of the car and another tries to open her door. The officer who is filming circles around to the front of the vehicle.

Good reverses briefly, which places the officer who is filming in front of the driver’s side of the vehicle. Good then turns the steering wheel toward the passenger side as an officer says again, “get out of the car.” Almost simultaneously, her wife, standing on the passenger side and trying to open the door, shouts, “drive, baby, drive!”

The SUV pulls forward, the video veers up toward the sky and gunshots are heard.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-minnesota-ice-shooting-protest-cad39aa94829e1e11468e3e345af2826">Other footage</a>&nbsp;of the shooting shows the officer who fired holstering his gun, then a few seconds of silence before Good’s SUV crashes into a parked car.

A woman who appears to be Good’s wife runs toward the crash, as the officer who fired walks in the same direction. Bystanders begin screaming.

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/jesse-bedayn">JESSE BEDAYN</a> Associated PressA new video shows more of what happened before a federal immigration officer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-ice-shooting-immigration-842b1d92cb93f2326171f139686e8b0f">shot and killed</a>&nbsp;a woman during an enforcement operation in Minneapolis, adding&nbsp;<a href="https://us-immigration-enforcement-minnesota/" target="_blank">context</a>&nbsp;to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-minnesota-ice-shooting-protest-cad39aa94829e1e11468e3e345af2826">shooting</a>&nbsp;that has sparked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/ice-federal-officers-shooting-updates-1-9-2026">national debate</a>&nbsp;on whether the officer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-enforcement-crackdown-woman-shot-1aeabfaf747eff0162c15216bf41c9e7">acted in self-defense or recklessly</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Let’s check the tape. For more than 3 minutes the anti-ICE agitator impeded a law enforcement operation with her vehicle. <a href="https://t.co/o2Lb0SQIvS">https://t.co/o2Lb0SQIvS</a> <a href="https://t.co/CQ2nxP6UHE">pic.twitter.com/CQ2nxP6UHE</a>&mdash; Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/2010367128524730533?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://x.com/DHSgov/status/2010367128524730533" target="_blank">The video</a>, which is 3 1/2 minutes long and was filmed by a bystander, was posted Sunday by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on X. It shows federal officers and vehicles on a snowy street as a car horn blares on and off, with the sounds of whistles adding to the cacophony.The camera swings to the left, showing a red SUV sitting perpendicular and blocking part of the road, the woman inside,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">Renee Good</a>, pressing the horn repeatedly. After over a minute, Good pulled the SUV back slightly, unblocking part of the road and appears to wave at cars to pass. Two vehicles drive past her down the street.Good’s wife is seen outside the red SUV, but the video doesn’t clearly show where she was in the proceeding minutes. Then, after a blare from sirens, a dark truck with a small flashing light pulls to a stop a few feet from Good’s SUV. Two officers exit the truck and walk toward Good’s car just before the video goes dark.Bystander videos released last week, shot from multiple angles, show what happened next.A video filmed by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-minnesota-jonathan-ross-b9ce88da676d74ec6a1ab36aa55fbda1">the officer who fired at Good</a>&nbsp;shows one officer ask Good to get out of the car and another tries to open her door. The officer who is filming circles around to the front of the vehicle.Good reverses briefly, which places the officer who is filming in front of the driver’s side of the vehicle. Good then turns the steering wheel toward the passenger side as an officer says again, “get out of the car.” Almost simultaneously, her wife, standing on the passenger side and trying to open the door, shouts, “drive, baby, drive!”The SUV pulls forward, the video veers up toward the sky and gunshots are heard.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-minnesota-ice-shooting-protest-cad39aa94829e1e11468e3e345af2826">Other footage</a>&nbsp;of the shooting shows the officer who fired holstering his gun, then a few seconds of silence before Good’s SUV crashes into a parked car.A woman who appears to be Good’s wife runs toward the crash, as the officer who fired walks in the same direction. Bystanders begin screaming.

New video shows the minutes before ICE officer fatally shoots woman in Minneapolis

KANSAS CITY—Officials are investigating the cause of a building fire in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just before 5p.m. crews responded to a reported commercial fire located in the 3100 block of Troost Avenue, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.

 Crews reported heavy smoke showing on arrival, and initiated an offensive fire attack with two hand lines advanced into the building. Companies on scene conducted searches throughout the building, which came back all clear.&nbsp;The fire was placed under control at 5:06 p.m. Crews completed overhaul operations and extinguished hot spots through the evening.

 No injuries werfe reported at this incident.&nbsp;The cause of the fire is under investigation by KCFD. Dangerous Buildings and City Planning has been requested.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768268133408.png" alt="Photo KCFD" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCFD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Officials are investigating the cause of a building fire in Kansas City, Missouri.Just before 5p.m. crews responded to a reported commercial fire located in the 3100 block of Troost Avenue, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan. Crews reported heavy smoke showing on arrival, and initiated an offensive fire attack with two hand lines advanced into the building. Companies on scene conducted searches throughout the building, which came back all clear.&nbsp;The fire was placed under control at 5:06 p.m. Crews completed overhaul operations and extinguished hot spots through the evening. No injuries werfe reported at this incident.&nbsp;The cause of the fire is under investigation by KCFD. Dangerous Buildings and City Planning has been requested.&nbsp;

Cause of commercial building fire in KC under investigation

KANSAS CITY — Kansas man has been charged for his role in a fatal shooting that occurred on East Interstate 70 Highway in 2022.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2797/Daimon-Benson-Complaint--PC">Daimon Benson</a>&nbsp;faces one count of 2nd Degree Murder, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, and one count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon – Shoot at/from Motor Vehicle, at Person, Motor Vehicle or Building, Resulting in Death or Injury, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

On October 21, 2022, Kansas City police responded to a shooting on East Interstate 70 at Interstate 29 and located a crashed white Toyota Camry. Officers found a female victim in the driver’s seat suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the head. She was later pronounced deceased at a nearby hospital, according to court records.

Based on several investigative leads, detectives determined a gray Dodge Charger began chasing the Toyota at a high rate of speed after the Toyota cut off the Charger. An individual in the passenger seat of the Charger, later determined to be Benson allegedly fired into the Toyota. The Toyota crashed and the Charger fled the scene.

Benson told detectives he did not remember having any involvement in the 2022 shooting but estimated to have shot about 400 people. He estimated he has shot about ten people every month from inside a vehicle.&nbsp;

The defendant was a juvenile at the time of the shooting and was certified&nbsp; in Family Court.

He is being held on a $100,000 cash-only bond. The defendant is a SAVE KC client and did not attend a call-in.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767908026852.png" alt="Benson-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Benson-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY — Kansas man has been charged for his role in a fatal shooting that occurred on East Interstate 70 Highway in 2022.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2797/Daimon-Benson-Complaint--PC">Daimon Benson</a>&nbsp;faces one count of 2nd Degree Murder, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, and one count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon – Shoot at/from Motor Vehicle, at Person, Motor Vehicle or Building, Resulting in Death or Injury, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.On October 21, 2022, Kansas City police responded to a shooting on East Interstate 70 at Interstate 29 and located a crashed white Toyota Camry. Officers found a female victim in the driver’s seat suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the head. She was later pronounced deceased at a nearby hospital, according to court records.Based on several investigative leads, detectives determined a gray Dodge Charger began chasing the Toyota at a high rate of speed after the Toyota cut off the Charger. An individual in the passenger seat of the Charger, later determined to be Benson allegedly fired into the Toyota. The Toyota crashed and the Charger fled the scene.Benson told detectives he did not remember having any involvement in the 2022 shooting but estimated to have shot about 400 people. He estimated he has shot about ten people every month from inside a vehicle.&nbsp;The defendant was a juvenile at the time of the shooting and was certified&nbsp; in Family Court.He is being held on a $100,000 cash-only bond. The defendant is a SAVE KC client and did not attend a call-in.&nbsp;

Kansas man shot and killed woman driver on I-70 

MIAMI COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas felon on multiple drug allegations after a drug bust at a property in northeast Kansas.

Just before 8:30a.m. January 8, police executed a narcotics search warrant at 140 14th Street in Osawatomie, according to a media release from police. The residence had been under investigation for several months following reports to law enforcement alleging the sale of narcotics by an individual who lived at the residence.

After establishing probable cause that narcotics were sold on the property, investigators, with their approved search warrant, took 61-year-old Gary L. Burnett into custody. He was living in the detached garage located behind the main residence.&nbsp;

A search of the garage resulted in the seizure of meth, scales, a firearm, drug paraphernalia and additional items related to the&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;pachaging and sale of narcotics.

Barnett is being held in the Miami County Jail on requested charges that include distribution of meth within 1000 feet of a school, using a phone to arrange the sale of narcotics, no drug tax stamp affixed,&nbsp; possession of meth with intent to distribute, felony possession of a firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767958734182.png" alt="Photo Osawatomie Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Osawatomie Police</figcaption>
 </figure>MIAMI COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas felon on multiple drug allegations after a drug bust at a property in northeast Kansas.Just before 8:30a.m. January 8, police executed a narcotics search warrant at 140 14th Street in Osawatomie, according to a media release from police. The residence had been under investigation for several months following reports to law enforcement alleging the sale of narcotics by an individual who lived at the residence.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767958719594.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>After establishing probable cause that narcotics were sold on the property, investigators, with their approved search warrant, took 61-year-old Gary L. Burnett into custody. He was living in the detached garage located behind the main residence.&nbsp;A search of the garage resulted in the seizure of meth, scales, a firearm, drug paraphernalia and additional items related to the&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;pachaging and sale of narcotics.Barnett is being held in the Miami County Jail on requested charges that include distribution of meth within 1000 feet of a school, using a phone to arrange the sale of narcotics, no drug tax stamp affixed,&nbsp; possession of meth with intent to distribute, felony possession of a firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;

Police: Kan. felon was selling drugs from garage on property

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s feud with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has escalated into a Department of Justice investigation, raising alarm bells among some Republicans in the Senate, where Trump will need broad backing from GOP lawmakers to get his choice for the next Fed chairman approved after Powell’s term ends in May.

Retiring North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, who sits on the narrowly divided Banking Committee that will hold hearings on the next nominee, wrote in a statement he won’t approve anyone to fill Powell’s seat if Trump or administration officials try to further erode its independence.&nbsp;

“If there were any remaining doubt whether advisers within the Trump Administration are actively pushing to end the independence of the Federal Reserve, there should now be none,” Tillis wrote. “It is now the independence and credibility of the Department of Justice that are in question.”

Tillis added he plans to “oppose the confirmation of any nominee for the Fed—including the upcoming Fed Chair vacancy—until this legal matter is fully resolved.”

Trump has criticized Powell repeatedly since retaking the Oval Office in January, pressing him to reduce interest rates faster and signaling he wanted to fire him.&nbsp;

Powell said in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/powell20260111a.htm" target="_blank">a video</a>&nbsp;released this weekend that Justice Department officials on Friday “served the Federal Reserve with grand jury subpoenas, threatening a criminal indictment related to my testimony before the Senate Banking Committee last June.”

Powell alleged the DOJ investigation is not purely about oversight of the multi-year renovation project at the Fed’s offices in Washington, D.C., but “a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the president.”

“This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions—or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation,” Powell said.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-nomination-jerome-powell-chairman-board-governors-federal-reserve-system/" target="_blank">first nominated</a>&nbsp;Powell to be chairman of the Federal Reserve in November 2017 for a four-year term that began in February 2018, writing in a statement that Powell had “demonstrated steady leadership, sound judgment, and policy expertise.”

“Mr. Powell will bring to the Federal Reserve a unique background of Government service and business experience,” Trump wrote. “He previously served as Under Secretary at the Department of Treasury in the administration of President George H.W. Bush. Mr. Powell also has nearly three decades of business experience.”

The Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1152/vote_115_2_00019.htm" target="_blank">voted 84-13</a>&nbsp;in January 2018 to confirm Powell to the role.&nbsp;

President Joe Biden re-nominated Powell in November 2021 for another four-year term that began in May 2022 after the Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1172/vote_117_2_00176.htm" target="_blank">voted 80-19</a>&nbsp;to confirm him for a second time.&nbsp;

Trump hasn’t said publicly whom he will nominate to succeed Powell as Fed chairman, but whoever he picks will need to move past the Senate Banking Committee in order to receive a confirmation vote on the floor and actually take on the role.&nbsp;

The Banking Committee holds 13 Republicans and 11 Democrats, giving Tillis considerable leverage to block any Trump nominee from advancing if all of the Democrats on the panel also vote against reporting that person to the floor.&nbsp;

Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, ranking member on the committee, wrote in a statement that “Trump is abusing the authorities of the Department of Justice like a wannabe dictator so the Fed serves his interests, along with his billionaire friends.”&nbsp;

“As Donald Trump prepares to nominate a new Fed Chair, he wants to push Jerome Powell off the Fed Board for good and install another sock puppet to complete his corrupt takeover of America’s central bank,” Warren wrote. “This Committee and the Senate should not move forward with any Trump nominee for the Fed, including Fed Chair.”

Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., had not released any public statements about the Department of Justice investigation into Powell as of Monday morning.&nbsp;

Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who isn’t on the committee, released a written statement after speaking with Powell on Monday morning, saying “it’s clear the administration’s investigation is nothing more than an attempt at coercion.”&nbsp;

“If the Department of Justice believes an investigation into Chair Powell is warranted based on project cost overruns—which are not unusual—then Congress needs to investigate the Department of Justice,” Murkowski wrote. “The stakes are too high to look the other way: if the Federal Reserve loses its independence, the stability of our markets and the broader economy will suffer. My colleague, Senator Tillis, is right in blocking any Federal Reserve nominees until this is resolved.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote in a statement the Justice Department’s actions represent “the kind of bullying that we’ve all come to expect from Donald Trump and his cronies.”&nbsp;

“Anyone who is independent and doesn’t just fall in line behind Trump gets investigated,” Schumer wrote. “Jay Powell and the Fed aren’t the reason Trump’s economy and his poll numbers are in the toilet. If he’s looking for the person who caused that he should look in the mirror.”

Former Federal Reserve chairmen, Treasury secretaries and White House economic advisers released&nbsp;<a href="https://jointstatement.substack.com/p/statement-on-the-federal-reserve" target="_blank">a written statement</a>&nbsp;that the Fed’s “independence and the public’s perception of that independence are critical for economic performance, including achieving the goals Congress has set for the Federal Reserve of stable prices, maximum employment, and moderate long-term interest rates.”

“The reported criminal inquiry into Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell is an unprecedented attempt to use prosecutorial attacks to undermine that independence,” they wrote. “This is how monetary policy is made in emerging markets with weak institutions, with highly negative consequences for inflation and the functioning of their economies more broadly. It has no place in the United States whose greatest strength is the rule of law, which is at the foundation of our economic success.”

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s feud with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has escalated into a Department of Justice investigation, raising alarm bells among some Republicans in the Senate, where Trump will need broad backing from GOP lawmakers to get his choice for the next Fed chairman approved after Powell’s term ends in May.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Video message from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell: <a href="https://t.co/5dfrkByGyX">https://t.co/5dfrkByGyX</a> <a href="https://t.co/O4ecNaYaGH">pic.twitter.com/O4ecNaYaGH</a>&mdash; Federal Reserve (@federalreserve) <a href="https://twitter.com/federalreserve/status/2010510130970849338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Retiring North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, who sits on the narrowly divided Banking Committee that will hold hearings on the next nominee, wrote in a statement he won’t approve anyone to fill Powell’s seat if Trump or administration officials try to further erode its independence.&nbsp;“If there were any remaining doubt whether advisers within the Trump Administration are actively pushing to end the independence of the Federal Reserve, there should now be none,” Tillis wrote. “It is now the independence and credibility of the Department of Justice that are in question.”Tillis added he plans to “oppose the confirmation of any nominee for the Fed—including the upcoming Fed Chair vacancy—until this legal matter is fully resolved.”<h2>Powell fights back in a video</h2>Trump has criticized Powell repeatedly since retaking the Oval Office in January, pressing him to reduce interest rates faster and signaling he wanted to fire him.&nbsp;Powell said in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/powell20260111a.htm" target="_blank">a video</a>&nbsp;released this weekend that Justice Department officials on Friday “served the Federal Reserve with grand jury subpoenas, threatening a criminal indictment related to my testimony before the Senate Banking Committee last June.”Powell alleged the DOJ investigation is not purely about oversight of the multi-year renovation project at the Fed’s offices in Washington, D.C., but “a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the president.”“This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions—or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation,” Powell said.Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-nomination-jerome-powell-chairman-board-governors-federal-reserve-system/" target="_blank">first nominated</a>&nbsp;Powell to be chairman of the Federal Reserve in November 2017 for a four-year term that began in February 2018, writing in a statement that Powell had “demonstrated steady leadership, sound judgment, and policy expertise.”“Mr. Powell will bring to the Federal Reserve a unique background of Government service and business experience,” Trump wrote. “He previously served as Under Secretary at the Department of Treasury in the administration of President George H.W. Bush. Mr. Powell also has nearly three decades of business experience.”The Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1152/vote_115_2_00019.htm" target="_blank">voted 84-13</a>&nbsp;in January 2018 to confirm Powell to the role.&nbsp;President Joe Biden re-nominated Powell in November 2021 for another four-year term that began in May 2022 after the Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1172/vote_117_2_00176.htm" target="_blank">voted 80-19</a>&nbsp;to confirm him for a second time.&nbsp;<h2>Tillis leverage on committee</h2>Trump hasn’t said publicly whom he will nominate to succeed Powell as Fed chairman, but whoever he picks will need to move past the Senate Banking Committee in order to receive a confirmation vote on the floor and actually take on the role.&nbsp;The Banking Committee holds 13 Republicans and 11 Democrats, giving Tillis considerable leverage to block any Trump nominee from advancing if all of the Democrats on the panel also vote against reporting that person to the floor.&nbsp;Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, ranking member on the committee, wrote in a statement that “Trump is abusing the authorities of the Department of Justice like a wannabe dictator so the Fed serves his interests, along with his billionaire friends.”&nbsp;“As Donald Trump prepares to nominate a new Fed Chair, he wants to push Jerome Powell off the Fed Board for good and install another sock puppet to complete his corrupt takeover of America’s central bank,” Warren wrote. “This Committee and the Senate should not move forward with any Trump nominee for the Fed, including Fed Chair.”Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., had not released any public statements about the Department of Justice investigation into Powell as of Monday morning.&nbsp;<h2>Murkowski sees ‘attempt at coercion’</h2>Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who isn’t on the committee, released a written statement after speaking with Powell on Monday morning, saying “it’s clear the administration’s investigation is nothing more than an attempt at coercion.”&nbsp;“If the Department of Justice believes an investigation into Chair Powell is warranted based on project cost overruns—which are not unusual—then Congress needs to investigate the Department of Justice,” Murkowski wrote. “The stakes are too high to look the other way: if the Federal Reserve loses its independence, the stability of our markets and the broader economy will suffer. My colleague, Senator Tillis, is right in blocking any Federal Reserve nominees until this is resolved.”Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote in a statement the Justice Department’s actions represent “the kind of bullying that we’ve all come to expect from Donald Trump and his cronies.”&nbsp;“Anyone who is independent and doesn’t just fall in line behind Trump gets investigated,” Schumer wrote. “Jay Powell and the Fed aren’t the reason Trump’s economy and his poll numbers are in the toilet. If he’s looking for the person who caused that he should look in the mirror.”Former Federal Reserve chairmen, Treasury secretaries and White House economic advisers released&nbsp;<a href="https://jointstatement.substack.com/p/statement-on-the-federal-reserve" target="_blank">a written statement</a>&nbsp;that the Fed’s “independence and the public’s perception of that independence are critical for economic performance, including achieving the goals Congress has set for the Federal Reserve of stable prices, maximum employment, and moderate long-term interest rates.”“The reported criminal inquiry into Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell is an unprecedented attempt to use prosecutorial attacks to undermine that independence,” they wrote. “This is how monetary policy is made in emerging markets with weak institutions, with highly negative consequences for inflation and the functioning of their economies more broadly. It has no place in the United States whose greatest strength is the rule of law, which is at the foundation of our economic success.”

​​US Senate Republicans defend independence of the Fed after DOJ launches Powell probe

SEDGWICK COUNTY— The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office updated the investigation involving the recovery of a body from Lake Afton on Saturday, Jan. 10.

The Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center has positively identified the remains as those of 30-year-old Ian Alexander Shelton, who had been reported missing in the early morning hours of Dec. 3, 2025.

The cause of death is still under investigation, with additional testing pending. This case remains an open and active investigation.

The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office extends its condolences to the family and friends of Ian Alexander Shelton during this difficult time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768094465123.png" alt="Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office updated the investigation involving the recovery of a body from Lake Afton on Saturday, Jan. 10.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768259403835.png" alt="Image Sedgwick County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Image Sedgwick County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>The Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center has positively identified the remains as those of 30-year-old Ian Alexander Shelton, who had been reported missing in the early morning hours of Dec. 3, 2025.The cause of death is still under investigation, with additional testing pending. This case remains an open and active investigation.The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office extends its condolences to the family and friends of Ian Alexander Shelton during this difficult time.

Sheriff: Body found in lake identified as missing Kansas man

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating the death of an infant an have nade an arres.

Just after 7:30a.m. Monday, police&nbsp;&nbsp;responded to a single-family residence in central Salina for a medical call involving an unknown disturbance, according to Salina Police Lt. Andrew Ziegler.

Officers and Medics arrived and contacted the occupants of that home. Just prior to the call to police, one of those occupants had discovered their 5-month-old male unresponsive in their crib, according to Ziegler. 

Both adult occupants of the home were interviewed by Salina Police Detectives. Adyson Burr, 21 years of age and resident of that address, has been arrested on a requested charge with 1 count of 1st Degree Homicide and 1 count of Child Abuse.&nbsp;

An autopsy to be performed in Kansas City later this week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768257749993.png" alt="Burr photo Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Burr photo Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating the death of an infant an have nade an arres.Just after 7:30a.m. Monday, police&nbsp;&nbsp;responded to a single-family residence in central Salina for a medical call involving an unknown disturbance, according to Salina Police Lt. Andrew Ziegler.Officers and Medics arrived and contacted the occupants of that home. Just prior to the call to police, one of those occupants had discovered their 5-month-old male unresponsive in their crib, according to Ziegler. Both adult occupants of the home were interviewed by Salina Police Detectives. Adyson Burr, 21 years of age and resident of that address, has been arrested on a requested charge with 1 count of 1st Degree Homicide and 1 count of Child Abuse.&nbsp;An autopsy to be performed in Kansas City later this week.

Police: Kan. woman arrested in death of 5-month old boy

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street ticked to more records Monday after bouncing back from losses taken because of worries about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-powell-federal-reserve-d87eedf1e35195957f903f9963aeaf99">worsening feud</a>&nbsp;between the White House and the Federal Reserve, one that experts warn could lead to higher inflation in the future.

The S&amp;P 500 tacked 0.2% onto&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-trump-oil-ai-d6cf868b23a814a3a2038aca24a0de93">its prior all-time high</a>&nbsp;set on Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average recovered an early loss of nearly 500 points and added 86, or 0.2%, to its own record, while the Nasdaq composite gained 0.3%.

Some nervousness was still evident in the market, though, amid concern that the Fed may be on the path to less independence in setting interest rates to keep inflation under control. Prices for gold and other investments that tend to do well when investors are nervous rose, while the value of the U.S. dollar dipped against other currencies.

Walmart helped drive the U.S. stock market higher despite the worries. It climbed 3% after learning that its stock will join the widely followed Nasdaq 100 index. Google also said Sunday that it’s expanding the shopping features in its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-gemini-ai-shopping-checkout-walmart-f1679240ba93d40b90a97348b73039d3">AI chatbot by teaming up with Walmart</a>&nbsp;and several other big retailers.

Google’s parent company, Alphabet, rose 1% to bring its total market value above $4 trillion following a torrid run aided by its artificial-intelligence offerings.

They helped offset losses for a slight majority of stocks within the S&amp;P 500. Leading them all were credit card companies after President Donald&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-credit-cards-interest-rates-savings-banks-dba221f122789427c1c625ba873c9b71">Trump threatened moves</a>&nbsp;that could eat into their profit.

Synchrony Financial fell 8.4%, Capital One Financial sank 6.4% and American Express dropped 4.3%. They weakened after Trump said he wanted to put a 10% cap on credit card interest rates for a year.

But it was a separate move involving Washington that grabbed the most attention across financial markets. Over the weekend, the Federal Reserve’s chair said the U.S. Department of Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-trump-subpoena-bf4fc6c690fa248fbc531bc9bc7f1758">subpoenaed the Fed</a>&nbsp;and threatened a criminal indictment over his testimony about renovations at its headquarters.

Through an unusual video statement released on Sunday, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said his testimony and the renovations are “pretexts” for the threat of criminal charges, which he said is really “a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the President.”

The Fed has been locked in a feud with Trump, who has loudly called for lower interest rates to make borrowing cheaper for U.S. households and companies and give the economy a kickstart. The Fed did lower its main interest rate three times last year and indicated more cuts may arrive this year, but it’s moved deliberately enough that Trump has nicknamed Powell “Too Late.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday that Trump did not direct his Justice Department to investigate Powell.

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street ticked to more records Monday after bouncing back from losses taken because of worries about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-powell-federal-reserve-d87eedf1e35195957f903f9963aeaf99">worsening feud</a>&nbsp;between the White House and the Federal Reserve, one that experts warn could lead to higher inflation in the future.The S&amp;P 500 tacked 0.2% onto&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-trump-oil-ai-d6cf868b23a814a3a2038aca24a0de93">its prior all-time high</a>&nbsp;set on Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average recovered an early loss of nearly 500 points and added 86, or 0.2%, to its own record, while the Nasdaq composite gained 0.3%.Some nervousness was still evident in the market, though, amid concern that the Fed may be on the path to less independence in setting interest rates to keep inflation under control. Prices for gold and other investments that tend to do well when investors are nervous rose, while the value of the U.S. dollar dipped against other currencies.Walmart helped drive the U.S. stock market higher despite the worries. It climbed 3% after learning that its stock will join the widely followed Nasdaq 100 index. Google also said Sunday that it’s expanding the shopping features in its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-gemini-ai-shopping-checkout-walmart-f1679240ba93d40b90a97348b73039d3">AI chatbot by teaming up with Walmart</a>&nbsp;and several other big retailers.Google’s parent company, Alphabet, rose 1% to bring its total market value above $4 trillion following a torrid run aided by its artificial-intelligence offerings.They helped offset losses for a slight majority of stocks within the S&amp;P 500. Leading them all were credit card companies after President Donald&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-credit-cards-interest-rates-savings-banks-dba221f122789427c1c625ba873c9b71">Trump threatened moves</a>&nbsp;that could eat into their profit.Synchrony Financial fell 8.4%, Capital One Financial sank 6.4% and American Express dropped 4.3%. They weakened after Trump said he wanted to put a 10% cap on credit card interest rates for a year.But it was a separate move involving Washington that grabbed the most attention across financial markets. Over the weekend, the Federal Reserve’s chair said the U.S. Department of Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-trump-subpoena-bf4fc6c690fa248fbc531bc9bc7f1758">subpoenaed the Fed</a>&nbsp;and threatened a criminal indictment over his testimony about renovations at its headquarters.Through an unusual video statement released on Sunday, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said his testimony and the renovations are “pretexts” for the threat of criminal charges, which he said is really “a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the President.”The Fed has been locked in a feud with Trump, who has loudly called for lower interest rates to make borrowing cheaper for U.S. households and companies and give the economy a kickstart. The Fed did lower its main interest rate three times last year and indicated more cuts may arrive this year, but it’s moved deliberately enough that Trump has nicknamed Powell “Too Late.”White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday that Trump did not direct his Justice Department to investigate Powell.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-powell-trump-independence-5c2ec1a37dc4aca6a59544f8b4513a45">Fed has traditionally operated separately</a>&nbsp;from the rest of Washington, making its decisions without having to bend to political whims. Such independence, the thinking goes, gives it the freedom to keep interest rates high when necessary to drive down high inflation, even if it slows the economy and frustrates politicians looking to please voters.In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury briefly rose to 4.21%, up from 4.18% late Friday, amid concerns that a less independent Fed could lead to higher inflation over the longer term. But it later eased back to 4.18%.The worries also hit the value of the U.S. dollar, which slipped 0.4% against the euro and 0.6% against the Swiss franc.Analysts said financial markets shook off the concerns about the Fed’s independence for several potential reasons. Traders could see “a limitation to the White House’s success in getting its way,” according to Thierry Wizman, a strategist at Macquarie Group, because Congress could deny confirmation of any nominees for the Fed from the White House.“It is now the independence and credibility of the Department of Justice that are in question,” Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, said on social media. “I will oppose the confirmation of any nominee for the Fed—including the upcoming Fed Chair vacancy—until this legal matter is fully resolved.”Trump has already criticized the Fed sharply, and he’s trying at the moment to fire Fed Gov. Lisa Cook, but the Fed’s rate-setting committee still seems to be acting independently.Plus, this latest move could encourage Powell to stay on at the Fed as a governor until his term expires in 2028, even though his term as chair will end in May, said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management.“With the political pressure on the Fed, he may choose to stay on as a governor out of spite,” he said. “It would deprive President Trump of the ability to stack the board with another appointee.”On Wall Street, Abercrombie &amp; Fitch dropped 17.7% after the retailer gave a forecasted range for profit in the final quarter of 2025 whose midpoint fell short of analysts’ expectations. Its forecast for growth in revenue also fell shy of Wall Street’s.Other retailers that sell clothes in malls also struggled, including drops of 12.3% for Urban Outfitters and 3.5% for American Eagle Outfitters.All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 10.99 points to 6,977.27. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 86.13 to 49,590.20, and the Nasdaq composite gained 62.56 to 23,733.90.The price of gold rose 2.5% to a record settlement of $4,614.70 per ounce