BARTON COUNTY—Firefighters found two dogs dead in fire at a home in Great Bend.

On Friday afternoon, fire crews responded to a fire in the 1800 block of Broadway Avenue just east of the Barton County Sheriff's Office, according to a media release.

Upon arrival a large amount of smoke and fire were coming from an attached garage with fire spreading to the attic of the house. Initial crews made an aggressive interior fire attack to find heavy fire, smoke, and heat throughout the house and garage.&nbsp;

Crews made a search of the structure and found no occupants inside the residence. During this search two dogs were discovered deceased. Due to the amount of fire and the size of the structure, a mutual aid request was made to the Ellinwood Fire Department who responded with an Engine and firefighters to assist. 

The home suffered extensive heat and smoke damage with fire damage contained to the garage and attic space at the rear of the structure.&nbsp; &nbsp;The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental in nature and was investigated by fire investigators from the Great Bend Fire Department, Kansas State Fire Marshal Office, and Great Bend Police detectives.&nbsp; Several streets were blocked off in the area due to smoke and fire hoses crossing roads.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676665207536.jpeg" alt="The home suffered extensive heat and smoke damage with fire damage contained to the garage and attic space at the rear of the structure.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The home suffered extensive heat and smoke damage with fire damage contained to the garage and attic space at the rear of the structure.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY—Firefighters found two dogs dead in fire at a home in Great Bend.On Friday afternoon, fire crews responded to a fire in the 1800 block of Broadway Avenue just east of the Barton County Sheriff's Office, according to a media release.Upon arrival a large amount of smoke and fire were coming from an attached garage with fire spreading to the attic of the house. Initial crews made an aggressive interior fire attack to find heavy fire, smoke, and heat throughout the house and garage.&nbsp; Crews made a search of the structure and found no occupants inside the residence. During this search two dogs were discovered deceased. Due to the amount of fire and the size of the structure, a mutual aid request was made to the Ellinwood Fire Department who responded with an Engine and firefighters to assist. The home suffered extensive heat and smoke damage with fire damage contained to the garage and attic space at the rear of the structure.&nbsp; &nbsp;The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental in nature and was investigated by fire investigators from the Great Bend Fire Department, Kansas State Fire Marshal Office, and Great Bend Police detectives.&nbsp; Several streets were blocked off in the area due to smoke and fire hoses crossing roads.

Two dogs killed in fire at Kansas home

MANHATTAN, KAN—Law enforcement authorities are investigating investigating the origins of a social media message that prompted the lockdown at Manhattan High School West campus, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.

Police cleared the school around 4:40 p.m. Friday afternoon after the graffiti message that was found in a school bathroom circulated over Snapchat causing the school to go on lockdown. The message was perceived as a threat to a planned pep rally.

Shortly before 2:00 p.m. Friday, the School Resource Officer at the school and the principal were made aware of the message being amplified over the social media platform. School officials quickly put the school on lockdown and multiple officers responded to investigate the situation.

The officers quickly determined the message was not credible and the students were not in any danger. It was decided that the building would be evacuated room by room by officers to ensure the safety of all students and staff.

Police don’t believe there is any threat to the school.

This incident was not connected to Wednesday's events or the arrest of Samuel Osenga in any way. Police arrested him after several incidents involving schools in USD 383.

MANHATTAN—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with an incident involving schools in USD 383 Manhattan.

Just after 7:30a.m. Thursday, police were called to Susan B. Anthony Middle School, 2501 Browning Ave. in Manhattan, for the report of a suspicious man in the building during the arrival time of students, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.

This person was stopped by school staff, directed to the office, was asked to leave the school and refused.

Ultimately, the school staff did the right thing and called police to come and investigate this person. During this time, students were held in their classrooms until the situation was resolved.

Before officers arrived at the school, the man ended up leaving the building and driving away. He was found a short time later in the parking lot of University Christian Church, 2800 Claflin Road in Manhattan, which also operates as a preschool.

The man made comments to officers that he was searching for his father. During this time, the man was respectful and cordial. At the request of the USD 383 Superintendent, the man was prohibited from going into all USD 383 property and or attending activities.

Around 9:30 a.m., police were called to Amanda Arnold Elementary School, 1435 Hudson Avenue in Manhattan. The school staff reported the man was at the school. Officers quickly arrived and arrested Samuel Osenga, 22, of Manhattan without incident for criminal trespass.

Osenga was not in possession of any weapons at the time of his arrest and police have no reason to believe he had any intention of harming students at any school.

The RCPD said they want to emphasize that if officers believe there is a threat at any of the schools, "we will respond as quickly as possible and parents will be notified."&nbsp;

"We continue to have a strong working relationship with all of our schools and their staff, and appreciate their cooperation in any investigations or incidents that occur. The safety of our community's children is and will remain a top priority at RCPD."

MANHATTAN, KAN—Law enforcement authorities are investigating investigating the origins of a social media message that prompted the lockdown at Manhattan High School West campus, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.Police cleared the school around 4:40 p.m. Friday afternoon after the graffiti message that was found in a school bathroom circulated over Snapchat causing the school to go on lockdown. The message was perceived as a threat to a planned pep rally.Shortly before 2:00 p.m. Friday, the School Resource Officer at the school and the principal were made aware of the message being amplified over the social media platform. School officials quickly put the school on lockdown and multiple officers responded to investigate the situation.The officers quickly determined the message was not credible and the students were not in any danger. It was decided that the building would be evacuated room by room by officers to ensure the safety of all students and staff.Police don’t believe there is any threat to the school.This incident was not connected to Wednesday's events or the arrest of Samuel Osenga in any way. Police arrested him after several incidents involving schools in USD 383.----------------MANHATTAN—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with an incident involving schools in USD 383 Manhattan.Just after 7:30a.m. Thursday, police were called to Susan B. Anthony Middle School, 2501 Browning Ave. in Manhattan, for the report of a suspicious man in the building during the arrival time of students, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.This person was stopped by school staff, directed to the office, was asked to leave the school and refused.Ultimately, the school staff did the right thing and called police to come and investigate this person. During this time, students were held in their classrooms until the situation was resolved.Before officers arrived at the school, the man ended up leaving the building and driving away. He was found a short time later in the parking lot of University Christian Church, 2800 Claflin Road in Manhattan, which also operates as a preschool.The man made comments to officers that he was searching for his father. During this time, the man was respectful and cordial. At the request of the USD 383 Superintendent, the man was prohibited from going into all USD 383 property and or attending activities.Around 9:30 a.m., police were called to Amanda Arnold Elementary School, 1435 Hudson Avenue in Manhattan. The school staff reported the man was at the school. Officers quickly arrived and arrested Samuel Osenga, 22, of Manhattan without incident for criminal trespass.Osenga was not in possession of any weapons at the time of his arrest and police have no reason to believe he had any intention of harming students at any school.The RCPD said they want to emphasize that if officers believe there is a threat at any of the schools, "we will respond as quickly as possible and parents will be notified."&nbsp;"We continue to have a strong working relationship with all of our schools and their staff, and appreciate their cooperation in any investigations or incidents that occur. The safety of our community's children is and will remain a top priority at RCPD."

Kan. high school evacuated after reported social media threat

SEDGWICK COUNTY- A former Kansas teacher accused of sex crimes involving a 13-year-old student has entered a plea.

This week, Christin Covel, 32, pleaded no contest to two counts of aggravated indecent solicitation of a child, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In Jan. of 2022, police in Oklahoma arrested Covel, a teacher at Edison Preparatory Schools in Tulsa, on complaints out of Sedgewick County accusing her of having inappropriate relations with a boy while working at Mead Middle School&nbsp;2601 E Skinner Street in Wichita, according to the Tulsa Police Department.&nbsp;

The incidents involving the boy happened between 2018 and 2019, according to police. Covel worked in the district from 2015 to 2020, according to USD 259.

The Tulsa school district sent a letter to parents Jan. 4 to inform them of her arrest, according to the district web site.

Police later booked Covel into the Sedgwick County Jail. She is not currently in custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642006082049.png" alt="Covel-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Covel-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY- A former Kansas teacher accused of sex crimes involving a 13-year-old student has entered a plea.This week, Christin Covel, 32, pleaded no contest to two counts of aggravated indecent solicitation of a child, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In Jan. of 2022, police in Oklahoma arrested Covel, a teacher at Edison Preparatory Schools in Tulsa, on complaints out of Sedgewick County accusing her of having inappropriate relations with a boy while working at Mead Middle School&nbsp;2601 E Skinner Street in Wichita, according to the Tulsa Police Department.&nbsp;The incidents involving the boy happened between 2018 and 2019, according to police. Covel worked in the district from 2015 to 2020, according to USD 259.The Tulsa school district sent a letter to parents Jan. 4 to inform them of her arrest, according to the district web site.Police later booked Covel into the Sedgwick County Jail. She is not currently in custody.

Teacher arrested in Okla. enters plea to sex crimes in Kansas

SYRIA—Thursday night, during a partnered U.S. and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) helicopter raid in northeastern Syria, an explosion on target resulted in four U.S. service members and one working dog wounded, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

The targeted ISIS senior leader, Hamza al-Homsi, was killed. The U.S. service members and working dog are receiving treatment in a U.S. medical facility in Iraq.

Officials with the U.S. Central Command released no additional details Friday.

SYRIA—Thursday night, during a partnered U.S. and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) helicopter raid in northeastern Syria, an explosion on target resulted in four U.S. service members and one working dog wounded, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.The targeted ISIS senior leader, Hamza al-Homsi, was killed. The U.S. service members and working dog are receiving treatment in a U.S. medical facility in Iraq.Officials with the U.S. Central Command released no additional details Friday.

4 U.S. service members injured in raid that killed ISIS leader in Syria

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — One of the country's largest cleaning services for food processing companies employed more than 100 children in dangerous jobs at 13 meatpacking plants across the country, the U.S. Department of Labor said Friday as it announced over $1.5 million in civil penalties.

The investigation into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-minnesota-nebraska-b611b39f035036c236809fae06eab0ad">Packers Sanitation Services Inc.</a>, or PSSI, began last summer. Department officials searched three meatpacking plants owned by JBS USA and Turkey Valley Farms in Nebraska and Minnesota, and found 31 underage workers as young as 13. They also searched PSSI's headquarters in Kieler, Wisconsin. Underage workers were found at plants in eight states.

The department went on to review records for 55 locations where PSSI provided cleaning services and found even more violations, involving children ages 13 to 17. The agency obtained a temporary restraining order in November and a permanent injunction in December, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-nebraska-child-labor-641d536028e41527bea382042cd81f43">PSSI entered into a consent judgment</a>&nbsp;that committed the company to no longer employ minors illegally.

Over the past three years, children were found to be using caustic cleaning chemicals and cleaning “dangerous power-driven equipment, like skull-splitters and razor-sharp bone saws," Jessica Looman, principal deputy administrator of the department’s Wage and Hour Division, told reporters.

At least three of those minors, including a 13-year-old, suffered burns from the chemicals used for cleaning at the JBS plant in Grand Island, Nebraska, officials said.

Some of the children worked overnight shifts and were also enrolled in schools during the day, department spokeswoman Rhonda Burke said in an email.

The fine PSSI paid on Thursday, $15,138 for each minor, is the maximum allowed under federal law. But investigators believe the company actually employed many more than the 102 children they verified. Under the consent judgment, Looman said, PSSI must identify and remove them from dangerous work.

“Make no mistake, this is no clerical error, or actions of rogue individuals or bad managers," Looman said. "These findings represent a systemic failure across PSSI's entire organization to ensure that children were not working in violation of the law. PSSI's systems in many cases flagged that these children were too young to work, and yet they were still employed at these facilities."

The company's vice president of marketing, Gina Swenson, said in a statement Friday that the company has "a zero-tolerance policy against employing anyone under the age of 18.”

As soon as PSSI became aware of the allegations, she said, it conducted audits and hired an outside law firm to help strengthen its policies. PSSI has also conducted additional training for hiring managers, including on spotting identity theft, she said.

None of the minors identified by federal investigators still work for PSSI, and the Department of Labor “has also not identified any managers aware of improper conduct that are currently employed" by the company, Swenson added.

PSSI has said it employs about 17,000 people working at more than 700 locations nationwide, making it one of the largest food-processing-plant cleaning companies.

The 13 plants&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/whd/whd20230217-1">where violations were found</a>&nbsp;were in Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Tennessee and Texas. The ones with the most violations were the JBS plant in Grand Island, Nebraska, where PSSI employed 27 minors; the Cargill plant in Dodge City, Kansas, where 26 children worked; and a JBS plant in Worthington, Minnesota, where 22 minors worked. The Labor Department also searched a Tyson facility in Sedalia, Missouri, but found no verifiable violations there.

Asked about the immigration status of the children, Labor Department solicitor Seema Nanda said the department focuses only on whether they are minors.

And because the department is a civil law enforcement agency, officials can't comment on whether any of the plants might face criminal charges or whether any of the children were victims of labor trafficking, said Michael Lazzeri, regional administrator of the department's Wage and Hour Division. He said any detected trafficking is referred to other agencies.

Looman said the Wage and Hour Division has seen around a 50% increase in child labor violations since 2018, including minors working more hours than permitted in otherwise legal jobs, using types of equipment they shouldn’t while doing legal jobs, and children working where they should never be employed in the first place.

“Nobody under 18 should be working in a meat processing plant,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588533087480.png" alt="Cargill beef-processing plant in Dodge City, Kansas- Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Cargill beef-processing plant in Dodge City, Kansas- Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — One of the country's largest cleaning services for food processing companies employed more than 100 children in dangerous jobs at 13 meatpacking plants across the country, the U.S. Department of Labor said Friday as it announced over $1.5 million in civil penalties.The investigation into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-minnesota-nebraska-b611b39f035036c236809fae06eab0ad">Packers Sanitation Services Inc.</a>, or PSSI, began last summer. Department officials searched three meatpacking plants owned by JBS USA and Turkey Valley Farms in Nebraska and Minnesota, and found 31 underage workers as young as 13. They also searched PSSI's headquarters in Kieler, Wisconsin. Underage workers were found at plants in eight states.The department went on to review records for 55 locations where PSSI provided cleaning services and found even more violations, involving children ages 13 to 17. The agency obtained a temporary restraining order in November and a permanent injunction in December, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-nebraska-child-labor-641d536028e41527bea382042cd81f43">PSSI entered into a consent judgment</a>&nbsp;that committed the company to no longer employ minors illegally.Over the past three years, children were found to be using caustic cleaning chemicals and cleaning “dangerous power-driven equipment, like skull-splitters and razor-sharp bone saws," Jessica Looman, principal deputy administrator of the department’s Wage and Hour Division, told reporters.At least three of those minors, including a 13-year-old, suffered burns from the chemicals used for cleaning at the JBS plant in Grand Island, Nebraska, officials said.Some of the children worked overnight shifts and were also enrolled in schools during the day, department spokeswoman Rhonda Burke said in an email.The fine PSSI paid on Thursday, $15,138 for each minor, is the maximum allowed under federal law. But investigators believe the company actually employed many more than the 102 children they verified. Under the consent judgment, Looman said, PSSI must identify and remove them from dangerous work.“Make no mistake, this is no clerical error, or actions of rogue individuals or bad managers," Looman said. "These findings represent a systemic failure across PSSI's entire organization to ensure that children were not working in violation of the law. PSSI's systems in many cases flagged that these children were too young to work, and yet they were still employed at these facilities."The company's vice president of marketing, Gina Swenson, said in a statement Friday that the company has "a zero-tolerance policy against employing anyone under the age of 18.”As soon as PSSI became aware of the allegations, she said, it conducted audits and hired an outside law firm to help strengthen its policies. PSSI has also conducted additional training for hiring managers, including on spotting identity theft, she said.None of the minors identified by federal investigators still work for PSSI, and the Department of Labor “has also not identified any managers aware of improper conduct that are currently employed" by the company, Swenson added.PSSI has said it employs about 17,000 people working at more than 700 locations nationwide, making it one of the largest food-processing-plant cleaning companies.The 13 plants&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/whd/whd20230217-1">where violations were found</a>&nbsp;were in Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Tennessee and Texas. The ones with the most violations were the JBS plant in Grand Island, Nebraska, where PSSI employed 27 minors; the Cargill plant in Dodge City, Kansas, where 26 children worked; and a JBS plant in Worthington, Minnesota, where 22 minors worked. The Labor Department also searched a Tyson facility in Sedalia, Missouri, but found no verifiable violations there.Asked about the immigration status of the children, Labor Department solicitor Seema Nanda said the department focuses only on whether they are minors.And because the department is a civil law enforcement agency, officials can't comment on whether any of the plants might face criminal charges or whether any of the children were victims of labor trafficking, said Michael Lazzeri, regional administrator of the department's Wage and Hour Division. He said any detected trafficking is referred to other agencies.Looman said the Wage and Hour Division has seen around a 50% increase in child labor violations since 2018, including minors working more hours than permitted in otherwise legal jobs, using types of equipment they shouldn’t while doing legal jobs, and children working where they should never be employed in the first place.“Nobody under 18 should be working in a meat processing plant,” she said.

SW Kan. plant among facilities illegally cleaned by minors

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has finished efforts to recover the remnants of the large balloon that was shot down off the coast of South Carolina, and analysis of the debris so far reinforces conclusions that it was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chinese-balloon-military-involvement-e45c759cb00294e83989fa35970935bc">Chinese spy balloon</a>, U.S. officials said Friday.

Officials said the U.S. believes that Navy, Coast Guard and FBI personnel collected all of the balloon debris off the ocean floor, which included key equipment from the payload that could reveal what information it was able to monitor and collect. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said a significant amount of debris was recovered and it included “electronics and optics” from the payload. He declined to say what, if anything, the U.S. has learned from the wreckage so far.

U.S. Northern Command said in a statement that the recovery operations ended Thursday and the final pieces are on their way to the FBI lab in Virginia for analysis. It said air and maritime restrictions off South Carolina have been lifted.

The announcement capped three dramatic weeks that saw U.S. fighter jets shoot down four airborne objects — the large Chinese balloon on Feb. 4 and three much smaller objects about a week later over Canada, Alaska and Lake Huron. They are the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-charles-schumer-jake-sullivan-china-acc1a333326c50ee9649760c569c300f">first known peacetime shootdowns</a>&nbsp;of unauthorized objects in U.S. airspace.

The officials also said the search for the small airborne object that was shot down over Lake Huron has stopped, and nothing has been recovered. U.S. officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations. The U.S. and Canada have also failed to recover any debris so far from the other two objects which were shot down over the Yukon and northern Alaska.

While the military is confident the balloon shot down off South Carolina was a surveillance airship operated by China, the Biden administration has admitted that the three smaller objects were likely civilian-owned balloons that were targeted during the heightened response, after U.S. homeland defense radars were recalibrated to detect slower moving airborne items.

Due to their small size and the remote areas where they were shot down, officials acknowledge that recovering any debris is difficult and probably unlikely. Those last two searches, however, have not been formally called off.

Much of the Chinese balloon fell into about 50 feet (15 meters) of water, and the Navy was able to collect remnants floating on the surface, and divers and unmanned naval vessels pulled up the rest from the bottom of the ocean. Northern Command said Friday that all of the Navy and Coast Guard ships have left the area.

On Thursday, President Joe Biden directed national security adviser Jake Sullivan to lead an interagency team&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-guam-karine-jean-pierre-6457aaf3e7322dd24e2b7274c3ba4813">to establish “sharper rules”</a>&nbsp;to track, monitor and potentially shoot down unknown aerial objects.

Meanwhile, key questions about the Chinese balloon remain unanswered, including what, if any, intelligence it was able to collect as it flew over sensitive military sites in the United States, and whether it was able to transmit anything back to China.

The U.S. tracked it for several days after it left China, said a U.S. official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence. It appears to have been blown off its initial trajectory, which was toward the U.S. territory of Guam, and ultimately flew over the continental U.S., the official said.

Balloons and other unidentified objects have been previously spotted over Guam, a strategic hub for the U.S. Navy and Air Force in the western Pacific.

It’s unclear how much control China retained over the balloon once it veered from its original trajectory. A second U.S. official said the balloon could have been externally maneuvered or directed to loiter over a specific target, but it’s unclear whether Chinese forces did so.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676045566817.png" alt="Officials said the U.S. believes that Navy, Coast Guard and FBI personnel collected all of the balloon debris off the ocean floor-photo courtesy FBI" />
 <figcaption>Officials said the U.S. believes that Navy, Coast Guard and FBI personnel collected all of the balloon debris off the ocean floor-photo courtesy FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has finished efforts to recover the remnants of the large balloon that was shot down off the coast of South Carolina, and analysis of the debris so far reinforces conclusions that it was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chinese-balloon-military-involvement-e45c759cb00294e83989fa35970935bc">Chinese spy balloon</a>, U.S. officials said Friday.Officials said the U.S. believes that Navy, Coast Guard and FBI personnel collected all of the balloon debris off the ocean floor, which included key equipment from the payload that could reveal what information it was able to monitor and collect. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said a significant amount of debris was recovered and it included “electronics and optics” from the payload. He declined to say what, if anything, the U.S. has learned from the wreckage so far.U.S. Northern Command said in a statement that the recovery operations ended Thursday and the final pieces are on their way to the FBI lab in Virginia for analysis. It said air and maritime restrictions off South Carolina have been lifted.The announcement capped three dramatic weeks that saw U.S. fighter jets shoot down four airborne objects — the large Chinese balloon on Feb. 4 and three much smaller objects about a week later over Canada, Alaska and Lake Huron. They are the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-charles-schumer-jake-sullivan-china-acc1a333326c50ee9649760c569c300f">first known peacetime shootdowns</a>&nbsp;of unauthorized objects in U.S. airspace.The officials also said the search for the small airborne object that was shot down over Lake Huron has stopped, and nothing has been recovered. U.S. officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations. The U.S. and Canada have also failed to recover any debris so far from the other two objects which were shot down over the Yukon and northern Alaska.While the military is confident the balloon shot down off South Carolina was a surveillance airship operated by China, the Biden administration has admitted that the three smaller objects were likely civilian-owned balloons that were targeted during the heightened response, after U.S. homeland defense radars were recalibrated to detect slower moving airborne items.Due to their small size and the remote areas where they were shot down, officials acknowledge that recovering any debris is difficult and probably unlikely. Those last two searches, however, have not been formally called off.Much of the Chinese balloon fell into about 50 feet (15 meters) of water, and the Navy was able to collect remnants floating on the surface, and divers and unmanned naval vessels pulled up the rest from the bottom of the ocean. Northern Command said Friday that all of the Navy and Coast Guard ships have left the area.On Thursday, President Joe Biden directed national security adviser Jake Sullivan to lead an interagency team&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-guam-karine-jean-pierre-6457aaf3e7322dd24e2b7274c3ba4813">to establish “sharper rules”</a>&nbsp;to track, monitor and potentially shoot down unknown aerial objects.Meanwhile, key questions about the Chinese balloon remain unanswered, including what, if any, intelligence it was able to collect as it flew over sensitive military sites in the United States, and whether it was able to transmit anything back to China.The U.S. tracked it for several days after it left China, said a U.S. official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence. It appears to have been blown off its initial trajectory, which was toward the U.S. territory of Guam, and ultimately flew over the continental U.S., the official said.Balloons and other unidentified objects have been previously spotted over Guam, a strategic hub for the U.S. Navy and Air Force in the western Pacific.It’s unclear how much control China retained over the balloon once it veered from its original trajectory. A second U.S. official said the balloon could have been externally maneuvered or directed to loiter over a specific target, but it’s unclear whether Chinese forces did so.____

U.S. military finishes recovering Chinese spy balloon debris

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA. —Pennsylvania's 48th Governor Josh Shapiro is a man of his word. 

In November, Shapiro made history as the highest vote-getter in Pennsylvania gubernatorial history. He was not as successful in February with Super Bowl 57 bets against Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and Missouri Governor Mike Parson.

Since the Chiefs beat the Eagle, Shapiro promised and did fly a Kansas City Chiefs flag signed by Parson in his office.

Shapiro also sent Kelly soft pretzels from Philly Style Hand Twisted Soft Pretzel Bakery, cheesesteaks from Tony Luke’s and mini Eagles doughnuts from Collegeville Italian Bakery.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA. —Pennsylvania's 48th Governor Josh Shapiro is a man of his word. In November, Shapiro made history as the highest vote-getter in Pennsylvania gubernatorial history. He was not as successful in February with Super Bowl 57 bets against Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and Missouri Governor Mike Parson.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It wasn’t fun looking at a Chiefs’ flag in my office today, and I sure wish I had some snacks from Kansas — but a bet is a bet.⁰⁰Congratulations <a href="https://twitter.com/GovParsonMO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovParsonMO</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovLauraKelly</a> your win — but I&#39;m ready for next year, <a href="https://twitter.com/Eagles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Eagles</a>! <a href="https://t.co/Pclmwqfo2V">pic.twitter.com/Pclmwqfo2V</a>&mdash; Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovernorShapiro/status/1625970632432254976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Since the Chiefs beat the Eagle, Shapiro promised and did fly a Kansas City Chiefs flag signed by Parson in his office.Shapiro also sent Kelly soft pretzels from Philly Style Hand Twisted Soft Pretzel Bakery, cheesesteaks from Tony Luke’s and mini Eagles doughnuts from Collegeville Italian Bakery.

🎥Governor fulfills Super Bowl bet with Kelly, Parson

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The agreement for the new Foundation Event Venue for the Kansas State Fairgrounds was passed by the Kansas State Fair Board.

"It will be a food and beverage venue during the fair," said James Fisher with the Fairgrounds Foundation. "Non-Fair times, it's going to be available for rent for special events and activities that the fair puts on, the foundation puts on, as well as other businesses and things in the community. Large weddings, corporate events, meetings, it will have a really nice catering kitchen. It's not going to have a full cooking kitchen it, but we have been visiting with some of the top caterers in Hutchinson, as well as ones out of Wichita, giving us ideas on what they would want and expect when they walk into the door from a catering standpoint, also knowing that we are going to need to use that kitchen to prepare food during the 10 days of the Fair."

The new building will be where the current old Fine Arts building is and&nbsp;will be an open floor plan with a permanent stage, bar counter and the catering kitchen, and it will be temperature controlled. It will have a liquor license.

"The Foundation will manage that during the fair," Fisher said. "One of the cool things is that all of the money the Foundation makes actually gets invested back into the fair. It doesn't leave the Fairgrounds. It gets put right back into improvements and things on the fairgrounds. Rather than the percentage that a normal vendor would take and that would be a part of their income for the year that money will be invested back into the fair to do additional improvements."

The venue is expected to generate up to $200,000 a year, and the initial startup cost is significant.

"The Foundation Board and the State Fair Board have agreed upon, we have a budget of not to exceed $5.6 million on this project. It's bigger than what we'd originally talked about, but we're also having to do some other additional things to make the facility what we want it to be and to make it stand out from other venues in the area."

The hope is to get smaller acts in for concerts in the venue, too.

"It should seat about 1000 people, theater style," Fisher said. "We will be able to put in a stage, bring in lighting and sound and do a great event from that standpoint, with small concerts, people coming through the region that we want to bring in, non-Fair, as well."

The goal is to have the event venue open before the 2024 State Fair.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The agreement for the new Foundation Event Venue for the Kansas State Fairgrounds was passed by the Kansas State Fair Board."It will be a food and beverage venue during the fair," said James Fisher with the Fairgrounds Foundation. "Non-Fair times, it's going to be available for rent for special events and activities that the fair puts on, the foundation puts on, as well as other businesses and things in the community. Large weddings, corporate events, meetings, it will have a really nice catering kitchen. It's not going to have a full cooking kitchen it, but we have been visiting with some of the top caterers in Hutchinson, as well as ones out of Wichita, giving us ideas on what they would want and expect when they walk into the door from a catering standpoint, also knowing that we are going to need to use that kitchen to prepare food during the 10 days of the Fair."The new building will be where the current old Fine Arts building is and&nbsp;will be an open floor plan with a permanent stage, bar counter and the catering kitchen, and it will be temperature controlled. It will have a liquor license."The Foundation will manage that during the fair," Fisher said. "One of the cool things is that all of the money the Foundation makes actually gets invested back into the fair. It doesn't leave the Fairgrounds. It gets put right back into improvements and things on the fairgrounds. Rather than the percentage that a normal vendor would take and that would be a part of their income for the year that money will be invested back into the fair to do additional improvements."The venue is expected to generate up to $200,000 a year, and the initial startup cost is significant."The Foundation Board and the State Fair Board have agreed upon, we have a budget of not to exceed $5.6 million on this project. It's bigger than what we'd originally talked about, but we're also having to do some other additional things to make the facility what we want it to be and to make it stand out from other venues in the area."The hope is to get smaller acts in for concerts in the venue, too."It should seat about 1000 people, theater style," Fisher said. "We will be able to put in a stage, bring in lighting and sound and do a great event from that standpoint, with small concerts, people coming through the region that we want to bring in, non-Fair, as well."The goal is to have the event venue open before the 2024 State Fair.

Kan. State Fair Board approves new venue for the fairgrounds

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/15/kansas-school-administrators-question-bill-adding-school-board-members-to-district-payroll/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The hypothetical cost of implementing a Kansas House bill 
enabling local school districts to pay elected board members $20 per 
hour for a commitment of less than two hours a week would cost taxpayers
 $2.8 million annually.

Adopting the change would break a 50-year precedent in Kansas law 
that made local school board members volunteers without a salary, but 
the idea seemed to make sense to Rep. Kristey Williams, chair of the 
House K-12 Budget Committee. She said during a Tuesday hearing the 
legislation could serve as a token of appreciation for board members and
 affirm the value placed on work to improve education of children in 
public schools.

“We don’t have this restriction on municipalities or counties,” 
Williams said. “Do you think paying someone could at least give them the
 sense that they have a greater obligation to be informed?”

She addressed the question to Jim Karleskint, a former state legislator and Holton school superintendent who testified about <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2261_00_0000.pdf">House Bill 2261</a>
 on behalf of the United School Administrators of Kansas. He said impact
 of the reform on school board members would depend on the salary, but 
argued most board members ran for that public office to make a solid 
contribution to the education of students rather than to make money.

He said the school administrator organization was officially neutral 
on the bill, but he did raise with the committee a series of concerns.

“In many school districts,” he said, “the superintendent is selected 
as the chief negotiator for the board. In years of limited fiscal 
resources, the board and the teacher’s association would be even more at
 odds when board members are receiving pay for serving on the board. We 
would envision board members would receive pay for days they are on 
board business. It is our concern this could be taken advantage of and 
resented by the community.”

Karleskint said another consideration was the difference in the 
workload among the board members working with the state’s 286 districts.
 Some of the seven-member school boards in Kansas had multiple 
commitments during a month, while others convened only once a month.

“I can see where a school board member might want to be paid, because of the involvement,” he said.

Currently, Kansas law prohibited individuals serving on local school 
boards from receiving pay for that work. The House bill would leave the 
amount of compensation provided school board members to the local 
district. Funding that compensation would be responsibility of local 
school districts.

The Kansas State Department of Education estimated it would cost a 
total of $2.8 million each year if the state’s 2,000 school board 
members were paid $20 per hour and worked 71 hours each year.

The bill was introduced two weeks ago by Rep. Rebecca Schmoe, an 
Ottawa Republican and a member of the House K-12 Budget Committee. The 
panel didn’t take action on the bill.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676477591141.png" alt="Former Kansas school superintendent and state Rep. Jim Karleskint, who lobbies for the Kansas United School Administrators of Kansas, raised questions about a House bill allowing local school districts to pay salaries to school board members. State law has forbidden compensation for 50 years. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature YouTube channel)" />
 <figcaption>Former Kansas school superintendent and state Rep. Jim Karleskint, who lobbies for the Kansas United School Administrators of Kansas, raised questions about a House bill allowing local school districts to pay salaries to school board members. State law has forbidden compensation for 50 years. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature YouTube channel)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/15/kansas-school-administrators-question-bill-adding-school-board-members-to-district-payroll/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The hypothetical cost of implementing a Kansas House bill 
enabling local school districts to pay elected board members $20 per 
hour for a commitment of less than two hours a week would cost taxpayers
 $2.8 million annually.Adopting the change would break a 50-year precedent in Kansas law 
that made local school board members volunteers without a salary, but 
the idea seemed to make sense to Rep. Kristey Williams, chair of the 
House K-12 Budget Committee. She said during a Tuesday hearing the 
legislation could serve as a token of appreciation for board members and
 affirm the value placed on work to improve education of children in 
public schools.“We don’t have this restriction on municipalities or counties,” 
Williams said. “Do you think paying someone could at least give them the
 sense that they have a greater obligation to be informed?”She addressed the question to Jim Karleskint, a former state legislator and Holton school superintendent who testified about <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2261_00_0000.pdf">House Bill 2261</a>
 on behalf of the United School Administrators of Kansas. He said impact
 of the reform on school board members would depend on the salary, but 
argued most board members ran for that public office to make a solid 
contribution to the education of students rather than to make money.He said the school administrator organization was officially neutral 
on the bill, but he did raise with the committee a series of concerns.“In many school districts,” he said, “the superintendent is selected 
as the chief negotiator for the board. In years of limited fiscal 
resources, the board and the teacher’s association would be even more at
 odds when board members are receiving pay for serving on the board. We 
would envision board members would receive pay for days they are on 
board business. It is our concern this could be taken advantage of and 
resented by the community.”Karleskint said another consideration was the difference in the 
workload among the board members working with the state’s 286 districts.
 Some of the seven-member school boards in Kansas had multiple 
commitments during a month, while others convened only once a month.“I can see where a school board member might want to be paid, because of the involvement,” he said.Currently, Kansas law prohibited individuals serving on local school 
boards from receiving pay for that work. The House bill would leave the 
amount of compensation provided school board members to the local 
district. Funding that compensation would be responsibility of local 
school districts.The Kansas State Department of Education estimated it would cost a 
total of $2.8 million each year if the state’s 2,000 school board 
members were paid $20 per hour and worked 71 hours each year.The bill was introduced two weeks ago by Rep. Rebecca Schmoe, an 
Ottawa Republican and a member of the House K-12 Budget Committee. The 
panel didn’t take action on the bill.

Kan. administrators question wisdom of paying school board members

JACKSON COUNTY —A Kansas teen in connection with a crash on Wednesday night that took the life of a Kansas City patrol officer, a pedestrian and the officer's K-9 Champ, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Jerron Allen Lightfoot, 18, Tonganoxie, faces two counts of Involuntary Manslaughter 1st Degree.

According to court records filed Thursday evening, Kansas City police officers responded to East Truman Road and Benton Blvd. on a vehicular crash. 

Arriving officers saw a man standing by a white Ford Fusion, one of the crashed vehicles. The man was later identified as Jerron Allen Lightfoot, the driver and sole occupant of the white Ford vehicle. 

The other vehicle in the crash was a marked police car. The police officer, James M. Muhlbauer, was in the driver's seat, unconscious. He was wearing a seatbelt. The police K-9 Champ was deceased in the back second row of the police car. The officer was transported to an area hospital and later pronounced deceased. Police found a second deceased man under the police vehicle.

Video from the area of the crash, according to court records, showed the police officer was traveling eastbound at E. Truman Road and had a green light at the intersection. The white Ford was traveling southbound on Benton Boulevard at a high rate of speed and failed to stop at the traffic signal just prior to striking the police vehicle. 

In addition, the police officer's dash cam showed he had a green light as he went through the intersection just prior to the crash.

Lightfoot told officers he tried to stop but his car's brakes did not work, prosecutors said. Lightfoot said he felt “a lot of vibration” when he applied the brakes.

A check of the white Ford's electronic ACM system showed the vehicle's brakes were working just prior to the crash and the vehicle was traveling at 85 mph or more just before impact.

Muhlbauer, who was married and a father, was a 20-year veteran of the force. Champ had been a K-9 with the force for a year.

In 2014, Muhlbauer arrested Brandon Howell, a suspect in the deaths of five people in a Kansas City neighborhood, said Jackson County prosecutor Jean Peters Baker. Howell, who previously was acquitted in the killings of two Kansas teens, is serving multiple life terms, with no chance of parole, in the quintuple homicide.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker issued the following statement:

"My office spoke Thursday evening with the family of our officer victim. We have not yet been able to meet with the family of our pedestrian victim prior to this filing, but we will meet soon with that victim's family. We extend our condolences to both grieving families and the police department. We are grateful for the pace of the police department's investigative work that allowed us to file these charges so quickly."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676644200134.png" alt="Lightfoot-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Lightfoot-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —A Kansas teen in connection with a crash on Wednesday night that took the life of a Kansas City patrol officer, a pedestrian and the officer's K-9 Champ, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Jerron Allen Lightfoot, 18, Tonganoxie, faces two counts of Involuntary Manslaughter 1st Degree.According to court records filed Thursday evening, Kansas City police officers responded to East Truman Road and Benton Blvd. on a vehicular crash. Arriving officers saw a man standing by a white Ford Fusion, one of the crashed vehicles. The man was later identified as Jerron Allen Lightfoot, the driver and sole occupant of the white Ford vehicle. The other vehicle in the crash was a marked police car. The police officer, James M. Muhlbauer, was in the driver's seat, unconscious. He was wearing a seatbelt. The police K-9 Champ was deceased in the back second row of the police car. The officer was transported to an area hospital and later pronounced deceased. Police found a second deceased man under the police vehicle.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676573009736.png" alt="Officer Muhlbauer and Champ-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Officer Muhlbauer and Champ-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Video from the area of the crash, according to court records, showed the police officer was traveling eastbound at E. Truman Road and had a green light at the intersection. The white Ford was traveling southbound on Benton Boulevard at a high rate of speed and failed to stop at the traffic signal just prior to striking the police vehicle. In addition, the police officer's dash cam showed he had a green light as he went through the intersection just prior to the crash.Lightfoot told officers he tried to stop but his car's brakes did not work, prosecutors said. Lightfoot said he felt “a lot of vibration” when he applied the brakes.A check of the white Ford's electronic ACM system showed the vehicle's brakes were working just prior to the crash and the vehicle was traveling at 85 mph or more just before impact.Muhlbauer, who was married and a father, was a 20-year veteran of the force. Champ had been a K-9 with the force for a year.In 2014, Muhlbauer arrested Brandon Howell, a suspect in the deaths of five people in a Kansas City neighborhood, said Jackson County prosecutor Jean Peters Baker. Howell, who previously was acquitted in the killings of two Kansas teens, is serving multiple life terms, with no chance of parole, in the quintuple homicide.Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker issued the following statement:"My office spoke Thursday evening with the family of our officer victim. We have not yet been able to meet with the family of our pedestrian victim prior to this filing, but we will meet soon with that victim's family. We extend our condolences to both grieving families and the police department. We are grateful for the pace of the police department's investigative work that allowed us to file these charges so quickly."

Kan. teen charged in crash that killed officer, pedestrian, K-9

OTTAWA COUNTY—Salina Regional Health Center and <a href="http://www.ottawacountyhealthcenter.com/">Ottawa County Health Center </a>have entered into an agreement that will transition ownership of the COMCARE Minneapolis clinic to Ottawa County Health Center, according to a media release from Salina Regional Health Center.

The clinic, which had leased space at Ottawa County Health Center, will become better operationally aligned with Ottawa County Health Center – improving financial performance and streamlining patient care within the organization. The move supports a number of operational efficiencies to be gained, improved communication between the clinic and hospital, and the opportunity to utilize one patient health record.

The transition will occur on July 1, 2023. The effort also allows <a href="http://www.ottawacountyhealthcenter.com/">Ottawa County Health Cente</a>r to apply for Rural Health Clinic status, which receives enhanced reimbursement from government sponsored health insurance.

“The effort aims to create a sustainable model for healthcare in Minneapolis so people in Ottawa County can be assured access to services locally,” said Robert Freelove, M.D., senior vice president/chief medical officer at SRHC. “The goal is to hand over a fully intact, operational health clinic to Ottawa County Health Center. All current employees will keep their job, whether it be with OCHC or within Salina Regional Health Center’s system of clinics.”

Drs. Kenneth and Kermit Wedel started operating a clinic in Minneapolis in the 1960s that would later expand to provide services in Salina and eventually became COMCARE. COMCARE grew to become one of the largest family medicine clinics in the state. In 2013 COMCARE became an affiliate of Salina Regional Health Center.

“Our goal is to continue the long tradition of healthcare in Minneapolis by providing our community with access to necessary healthcare services in both the hospital and the clinic. This transition presents us with an opportunity to streamline and improve the patient experience and create a sustainable healthcare model to ensure services are available locally for the residents of Ottawa County. Both the hospital and clinic appreciate the support from our patients, and we look forward to continuing to serve our community,” said Jody Parks, Ottawa County Health Center administrator.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676652137893.jpeg" alt="The COMCARE clinic entrance in Minneapolis.&nbsp;Photo courtesy SRHC" />
 <figcaption>The COMCARE clinic entrance in Minneapolis.&nbsp;Photo courtesy SRHC</figcaption>
 </figure>OTTAWA COUNTY—Salina Regional Health Center and <a href="http://www.ottawacountyhealthcenter.com/">Ottawa County Health Center </a>have entered into an agreement that will transition ownership of the COMCARE Minneapolis clinic to Ottawa County Health Center, according to a media release from Salina Regional Health Center.The clinic, which had leased space at Ottawa County Health Center, will become better operationally aligned with Ottawa County Health Center – improving financial performance and streamlining patient care within the organization. The move supports a number of operational efficiencies to be gained, improved communication between the clinic and hospital, and the opportunity to utilize one patient health record.The transition will occur on July 1, 2023. The effort also allows <a href="http://www.ottawacountyhealthcenter.com/">Ottawa County Health Cente</a>r to apply for Rural Health Clinic status, which receives enhanced reimbursement from government sponsored health insurance.“The effort aims to create a sustainable model for healthcare in Minneapolis so people in Ottawa County can be assured access to services locally,” said Robert Freelove, M.D., senior vice president/chief medical officer at SRHC. “The goal is to hand over a fully intact, operational health clinic to Ottawa County Health Center. All current employees will keep their job, whether it be with OCHC or within Salina Regional Health Center’s system of clinics.”Drs. Kenneth and Kermit Wedel started operating a clinic in Minneapolis in the 1960s that would later expand to provide services in Salina and eventually became COMCARE. COMCARE grew to become one of the largest family medicine clinics in the state. In 2013 COMCARE became an affiliate of Salina Regional Health Center.“Our goal is to continue the long tradition of healthcare in Minneapolis by providing our community with access to necessary healthcare services in both the hospital and the clinic. This transition presents us with an opportunity to streamline and improve the patient experience and create a sustainable healthcare model to ensure services are available locally for the residents of Ottawa County. Both the hospital and clinic appreciate the support from our patients, and we look forward to continuing to serve our community,” said Jody Parks, Ottawa County Health Center administrator.

Transition will allow Ottawa hospital apply for enhanced reimbursement

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged rape at Kansas State University.

Just after 3 p.m. Thursday, an 18-year-old student turned himself into police for his Riley County District Court warrant for rape and aggravated sexual battery, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

The original incident is a Kansas State University Police Department case, according to the RCPD.&nbsp; The student was issued a total bond of $10,000 and is no longer in custody. The charges were later dismissed in Riley County District Court.

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged rape at Kansas State University.Just after 3 p.m. Thursday, an 18-year-old student turned himself into police for his Riley County District Court warrant for rape and aggravated sexual battery, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.The original incident is a Kansas State University Police Department case, according to the RCPD.&nbsp; The student was issued a total bond of $10,000 and is no longer in custody. The charges were later dismissed in Riley County District Court.

Suspect in alleged rape at K-State turns himself in to police

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects on multiple narcotics related allegations. On Feb. 15,&nbsp; the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), as part of the Shawnee County Drug Enforcement Task Force, and the Fugitive Warrant Unit executed a narcotics search warrant in the 3500 block of SW Westport Court in Topeka, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. During the investigation, illegal narcotics and three individuals with felony warrants were located.

John K. Oppermann, 57, Joshua L. Fosso, 43, and Porsche L. Shelden, 34, all of Topeka, were arrested on scene and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. Opperman had a felony warrant for his arrest out of Shawnee County for a previous narcotic investigation and was additionally charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Shelden had a felony warrant out of another state for her arrest and was additionally charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Fosso had a felony warrant for his arrest out of another state and was additionally charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Two additional subjects were released, pending further investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676585484277.png" alt="Oppermann-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Oppermann-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects on multiple narcotics related allegations. On Feb. 15,&nbsp; the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), as part of the Shawnee County Drug Enforcement Task Force, and the Fugitive Warrant Unit executed a narcotics search warrant in the 3500 block of SW Westport Court in Topeka, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. During the investigation, illegal narcotics and three individuals with felony warrants were located.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676585590777.png" alt="Foss-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Foss-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>John K. Oppermann, 57, Joshua L. Fosso, 43, and Porsche L. Shelden, 34, all of Topeka, were arrested on scene and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. Opperman had a felony warrant for his arrest out of Shawnee County for a previous narcotic investigation and was additionally charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676585519142.png" alt="Sheldon-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Sheldon-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> Shelden had a felony warrant out of another state for her arrest and was additionally charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Fosso had a felony warrant for his arrest out of another state and was additionally charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Two additional subjects were released, pending further investigation.

 3 wanted suspects captured during Kansas drug bust

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Banning TikTok from government devices enjoys bipartsan support across the U.S., but a few Democratic legislators in Kansas object to expanding one imposed by their party's governor because they don't want a state law to target a company by name.

The Republican-controlled Kansas House&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230216115700_314767/">voted 109-12</a>&nbsp;on Thursday to pass&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2314_01_0000.pdf">a bill</a>&nbsp;to prohibit any electronic device owned or issued to a state employee from accessing TikTok. The measure appears to have bipartisan support in the GOP-dominated state Senate.

In late December,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-tik-tok-ban-explainer-83ef9bc3ff44d90e7b0f54bd8f5228cb">Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly responded</a>&nbsp;to concerns about the popular social media app's Chinese ownership with&nbsp;<a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/KSOG/2022/12/28/file_attachments/2365344/EO%2022-10%20TikTok%20Ban%20-%20Signed%20&amp;%20Filed.pdf">an executive order</a>&nbsp;to keep it off state devices. However, a new law would cover agencies or institutions not under her direct control, such as state universities or the Insurance Department.

And during a brief debate, House members added language to also apply the ban to any app or website owned by ByteDance Ltd., the private Chinese company owning TikTok, as well as any subsidiary, successor company or firm “directly or indirectly controlled” by ByteDance.

Congress and more than half of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-politics-kentucky-state-government-083bf53c8471e94303bcd35acc6eaacd">U.S. states</a>&nbsp;have banned TikTok from government devices. Most of the Kansas House critics were Democrats, and they questioned listing companies by name in a law — something Kansas typically doesn't do, even in creating taxpayer-funded incentives to lure a single company's project to the state.

“What’s next, right? Today it's TikTok. Tomorrow it's Twitter or Facebook,” said state Rep. Brandon Woodard, a Kansas City-area Democrat. “It’s important for us to be able to communicate with our constituents however we want to.”

TikTok is consumed by two-thirds of American teens. But there’s long been bipartisan concern in Washington that China could use its legal and regulatory power to seize American user data or try to push misinformation or narratives favoring China.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/g-20-summit-politics-united-states-government-china-antony-blinken-0a0469109e8776f1676d7b813e46854f">Tensions between Washington and Beijing</a>&nbsp;increased with the discovery of a suspected Chinese spy balloon over the U.S. and its shooting down earlier this month. It's also intensified interest in Congress and in U.S. states, including Kansas, in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-grand-forks-wyoming-state-government-north-dakota-montana-3d6a2f9a1bb06ab40b18a08cbf7c175d">restricting foreign ownership of property,</a>&nbsp;particularly agricultural land.

“If I had my way, we would ban every piece of mobile application or website coming out of China, but we'll address that another day,” said Rep. Stephen Owens, a Republican from central Kansas.

In Arizona, a state House committee on Wednesday unanimously approved a Republican proposal to ban TikTok on government devices after no one voiced opposition.

The measure doesn't name TikTok but describes a “covered application” in such a way that it applies to the app. Its sponsor, Republican Rep. Matt Gress, of Phoenix, said legislative rules don't allow the company's name to be used.

Gress said his measure addresses concerns with the ability of China's ruling Communist Party to capture "crucial details about personal, private internet activity.”

TikTok spokesman Jamal Brown said it is working to “meaningfully address” security concerns from U.S. and state officials and said states' bans do not improve security.

“State legislatures are pressing ahead with bans of TikTok based on nothing more than the hypothetical concerns they’ve heard on the news," Brown said in email to The Associated Press.

Despite TikTok's popularity among young people, some public university systems also are banning TikTok on their devices. The Kansas Board of Regents has done so at its main offices, but the state universities under its supervision have not. Regents CEO Blake Flanders said Thursday that such a step is “much more complicated.”

“There are so many users,” he said. “You have thousands of devices at residence halls.”

Woodard and other critics of the Kansas bill said Kelly's executive order on TikTok is sufficient to address concerns about the app.

State Rep. JoElla Hoye, a fellow Kansas City-area Democrat, suggested that naming a specific company in Kansas law is at odds with the name of the sponsor of the bill — the House Committee on Legislative Modernization.

She said after voting no, “How many decades from now will we even know what TikTok is?”

By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Banning TikTok from government devices enjoys bipartsan support across the U.S., but a few Democratic legislators in Kansas object to expanding one imposed by their party's governor because they don't want a state law to target a company by name.The Republican-controlled Kansas House&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230216115700_314767/">voted 109-12</a>&nbsp;on Thursday to pass&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2314_01_0000.pdf">a bill</a>&nbsp;to prohibit any electronic device owned or issued to a state employee from accessing TikTok. The measure appears to have bipartisan support in the GOP-dominated state Senate.In late December,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-tik-tok-ban-explainer-83ef9bc3ff44d90e7b0f54bd8f5228cb">Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly responded</a>&nbsp;to concerns about the popular social media app's Chinese ownership with&nbsp;<a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/KSOG/2022/12/28/file_attachments/2365344/EO%2022-10%20TikTok%20Ban%20-%20Signed%20&amp;%20Filed.pdf">an executive order</a>&nbsp;to keep it off state devices. However, a new law would cover agencies or institutions not under her direct control, such as state universities or the Insurance Department.And during a brief debate, House members added language to also apply the ban to any app or website owned by ByteDance Ltd., the private Chinese company owning TikTok, as well as any subsidiary, successor company or firm “directly or indirectly controlled” by ByteDance.Congress and more than half of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-politics-kentucky-state-government-083bf53c8471e94303bcd35acc6eaacd">U.S. states</a>&nbsp;have banned TikTok from government devices. Most of the Kansas House critics were Democrats, and they questioned listing companies by name in a law — something Kansas typically doesn't do, even in creating taxpayer-funded incentives to lure a single company's project to the state.“What’s next, right? Today it's TikTok. Tomorrow it's Twitter or Facebook,” said state Rep. Brandon Woodard, a Kansas City-area Democrat. “It’s important for us to be able to communicate with our constituents however we want to.”TikTok is consumed by two-thirds of American teens. But there’s long been bipartisan concern in Washington that China could use its legal and regulatory power to seize American user data or try to push misinformation or narratives favoring China.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/g-20-summit-politics-united-states-government-china-antony-blinken-0a0469109e8776f1676d7b813e46854f">Tensions between Washington and Beijing</a>&nbsp;increased with the discovery of a suspected Chinese spy balloon over the U.S. and its shooting down earlier this month. It's also intensified interest in Congress and in U.S. states, including Kansas, in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-grand-forks-wyoming-state-government-north-dakota-montana-3d6a2f9a1bb06ab40b18a08cbf7c175d">restricting foreign ownership of property,</a>&nbsp;particularly agricultural land.“If I had my way, we would ban every piece of mobile application or website coming out of China, but we'll address that another day,” said Rep. Stephen Owens, a Republican from central Kansas.In Arizona, a state House committee on Wednesday unanimously approved a Republican proposal to ban TikTok on government devices after no one voiced opposition.The measure doesn't name TikTok but describes a “covered application” in such a way that it applies to the app. Its sponsor, Republican Rep. Matt Gress, of Phoenix, said legislative rules don't allow the company's name to be used.Gress said his measure addresses concerns with the ability of China's ruling Communist Party to capture "crucial details about personal, private internet activity.”TikTok spokesman Jamal Brown said it is working to “meaningfully address” security concerns from U.S. and state officials and said states' bans do not improve security.“State legislatures are pressing ahead with bans of TikTok based on nothing more than the hypothetical concerns they’ve heard on the news," Brown said in email to The Associated Press.Despite TikTok's popularity among young people, some public university systems also are banning TikTok on their devices. The Kansas Board of Regents has done so at its main offices, but the state universities under its supervision have not. Regents CEO Blake Flanders said Thursday that such a step is “much more complicated.”“There are so many users,” he said. “You have thousands of devices at residence halls.”Woodard and other critics of the Kansas bill said Kelly's executive order on TikTok is sufficient to address concerns about the app.State Rep. JoElla Hoye, a fellow Kansas City-area Democrat, suggested that naming a specific company in Kansas law is at odds with the name of the sponsor of the bill — the House Committee on Legislative Modernization.She said after voting no, “How many decades from now will we even know what TikTok is?”

Amid US TikTok bans, a few balk at writing its name into law

LINCOLN, NE — A man who had been missing since early February has been located deceased, according to a statement from the Nebraska State Patrol.

 Jamie Balluch, 43, was last seen on Feb. 2 at his place of employment, Bruning Grain and Feed Company , 417 West Railway Street in Bruning, Nebraska.&nbsp;

After preliminary searches of the property were unable to locate Balluch, the Thayer County Sheriff’s Office requested patrol assistance in the case. 

On Wednesday, Balluch was located deceased inside one of the grain bins on the property. Next of kin has been notified, according to the patrol.

An autopsy has been scheduled for Friday. The investigation remains ongoing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676584178848.png" alt="Balluch photo courtesy Thayer Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Balluch photo courtesy Thayer Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, NE — A man who had been missing since early February has been located deceased, according to a statement from the Nebraska State Patrol. Jamie Balluch, 43, was last seen on Feb. 2 at his place of employment, Bruning Grain and Feed Company , 417 West Railway Street in Bruning, Nebraska.&nbsp;After preliminary searches of the property were unable to locate Balluch, the Thayer County Sheriff’s Office requested patrol assistance in the case. On Wednesday, Balluch was located deceased inside one of the grain bins on the property. Next of kin has been notified, according to the patrol.An autopsy has been scheduled for Friday. The investigation remains ongoing.

 Body of missing man found in grain bin where he worked

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a woman's murder in Kansas have a suspect in custody.

On January 27, police found 19-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/independence-mo/adhel-deng-11139575">Adhel R. Deng </a>of Olathe dead in her vehicle the 6100 block of Haskell Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas.

On Thursday, police reported they had arrested the suspect last week and 25-year-old&nbsp; Brandon Wallace of Kansas City, Kansas has been charged with 1st degree murder by the Wyandotte County District Attorney. 

Wallace is being held in the Wyandotte County Jail on a $250,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676600328102.png" alt="Wallace-Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Wallace-Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a woman's murder in Kansas have a suspect in custody.On January 27, police found 19-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/independence-mo/adhel-deng-11139575">Adhel R. Deng </a>of Olathe dead in her vehicle the 6100 block of Haskell Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676635018684.png" alt="Adhel R. Deng-<a href="https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/independence-mo/adhel-deng-11139575">courtesy photo&nbsp;</a>" />
 <figcaption>Adhel R. Deng-<a href="https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/independence-mo/adhel-deng-11139575">courtesy photo&nbsp;</a></figcaption>
 </figure>On Thursday, police reported they had arrested the suspect last week and 25-year-old&nbsp; Brandon Wallace of Kansas City, Kansas has been charged with 1st degree murder by the Wyandotte County District Attorney. Wallace is being held in the Wyandotte County Jail on a $250,000 bond.

Suspect charged in murder of 19-year-old Kansas woman

WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite testing positive twice last year for the coronavirus, President&nbsp;Joe Biden&nbsp;has no long-term symptoms and has been declared “healthy, vigorous” and “fit” to handle his White House responsibilities, according to a routine medical checkup performed Thursday.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Health-Summary-2.16.pdf">Click here to read the Doctor</a> summary on the President's health

The findings were contained in a memo by Biden's doctor, summarizing the exams conducted during a three-hour stay at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

The conclusions reached by Dr. Kevin O'Connor, the president's personal physician since 2009, are likely to be highly scrutinized as the oldest president in history makes plans for an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-us-republican-party-democratic-b6a4d89a5629e768e92485067a220797">expected reelection campaign</a>.

O'Connor concluded in a five-page memo that Biden “remains a healthy, vigorous 80-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency." But the doctor did not speculate about where Biden's health might be at age 86, when a second term might end.

The president had a lesion removed from his chest that is undergoing a traditional biopsy. But Thursday's results largely matched the findings after the president's last exam in November 2021, which said his coughing was due to acid reflux and his stiffened gait was the result of spinal arthritis, a previously broken foot and neuropathy in his feet.

The memo generally labeled Biden's health as “stable" compared to his last exam, though it noted that his calves and hamstrings had possibly tightened.

Biden tested positive in July for COVID-19 and experienced “very mild symptoms,” according to the White House. He also had a rebound infection and ultimately tested negative on Aug. 6 of last year. The president continued to work even as he isolated himself in the White House.

“Well, everything really went well," Biden told NBC News on Thursday about the exam ahead of the memo's release.

Many people, including Democrats, have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-norc-poll-biden-2024-presidential-prospects-c843c5af6775b4c8a0cff8e2b1db03f6">expressed reservations about Biden</a>&nbsp;seeking a second term in 2024. Only 37% of Democrats say Biden should pursue reelection, down from 52% before last November's elections, according to a recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Overall, 22% of U.S. adults said he ought to run again.

Follow-up interviews with people in the survey indicated that Biden's age was a major concern. They took note of his coughing, a greater sense of fragility in his walking and moments when he misspoke.

Biden had a colonoscopy in 2021, in which a 3-millimeter “benign-appearing polyp” was identified and removed. He did not undergo a colonoscopy during Thursday's checkup.

Asked in a recent PBS interview about his age and ability to be president, Biden responded with what has become his stock line: “Watch me. It's all I can say.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676592591396.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite testing positive twice last year for the coronavirus, President&nbsp;Joe Biden&nbsp;has no long-term symptoms and has been declared “healthy, vigorous” and “fit” to handle his White House responsibilities, according to a routine medical checkup performed Thursday.<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Health-Summary-2.16.pdf">Click here to read the Doctor</a> summary on the President's health<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676592751907.png" alt="Asked in a recent PBS interview about his age and ability to be president, Biden responded with what has become his stock line: “Watch me. It's all I can say.”-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Asked in a recent PBS interview about his age and ability to be president, Biden responded with what has become his stock line: “Watch me. It's all I can say.”-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The findings were contained in a memo by Biden's doctor, summarizing the exams conducted during a three-hour stay at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.The conclusions reached by Dr. Kevin O'Connor, the president's personal physician since 2009, are likely to be highly scrutinized as the oldest president in history makes plans for an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-us-republican-party-democratic-b6a4d89a5629e768e92485067a220797">expected reelection campaign</a>.O'Connor concluded in a five-page memo that Biden “remains a healthy, vigorous 80-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency." But the doctor did not speculate about where Biden's health might be at age 86, when a second term might end.The president had a lesion removed from his chest that is undergoing a traditional biopsy. But Thursday's results largely matched the findings after the president's last exam in November 2021, which said his coughing was due to acid reflux and his stiffened gait was the result of spinal arthritis, a previously broken foot and neuropathy in his feet.The memo generally labeled Biden's health as “stable" compared to his last exam, though it noted that his calves and hamstrings had possibly tightened.Biden tested positive in July for COVID-19 and experienced “very mild symptoms,” according to the White House. He also had a rebound infection and ultimately tested negative on Aug. 6 of last year. The president continued to work even as he isolated himself in the White House.“Well, everything really went well," Biden told NBC News on Thursday about the exam ahead of the memo's release.Many people, including Democrats, have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-norc-poll-biden-2024-presidential-prospects-c843c5af6775b4c8a0cff8e2b1db03f6">expressed reservations about Biden</a>&nbsp;seeking a second term in 2024. Only 37% of Democrats say Biden should pursue reelection, down from 52% before last November's elections, according to a recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Overall, 22% of U.S. adults said he ought to run again.Follow-up interviews with people in the survey indicated that Biden's age was a major concern. They took note of his coughing, a greater sense of fragility in his walking and moments when he misspoke.Biden had a colonoscopy in 2021, in which a 3-millimeter “benign-appearing polyp” was identified and removed. He did not undergo a colonoscopy during Thursday's checkup.Asked in a recent PBS interview about his age and ability to be president, Biden responded with what has become his stock line: “Watch me. It's all I can say.”

Read the doctor's report following Biden's annual physical

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a series of oilfield thefts have captured a suspect.

Just after 10 a.m. Tuesday, a sheriff's deputy stopped a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by 42-year-old Lori Fiscus, according to Bardon County Sheriff Brian Bellendir. After a routine check, it was discovered Fiscus had outstanding warrants from Saline County for a probation violation. 

The passenger in the vehicle, identified as 29-year-old Kurt Woods, had outstanding warrants for failure to appear and contempt of court in Barton County and the City of Great Bend.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Woods had been sought in connection with several oilfield thefts involving brass valves from tank batteries. Further investigation located methamphetamine inside the vehicle.

Deputies arrested Fiscus on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of methamphetamine and the warrant from Saline County. There is no bond on the Saline County warrant and a $10,000 bond on the possession of methamphetamine charge, according to Bellendir.

Woods was arrested on the two local warrants and requested charges of possession of methamphetamine as well as felony theft related to the oilfield incidents. Woods is being held on a $10,000 bond for the methamphetamine charge, $10,000 bond for felony theft, a warrant from the City of Great Bend for $1,642 and a warrant for Barton County District Court with a bond set at $500, according to Bellendir.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676573873868.jpeg" alt="Lori Fiscus-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Lori Fiscus-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a series of oilfield thefts have captured a suspect.Just after 10 a.m. Tuesday, a sheriff's deputy stopped a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by 42-year-old Lori Fiscus, according to Bardon County Sheriff Brian Bellendir. After a routine check, it was discovered Fiscus had outstanding warrants from Saline County for a probation violation. The passenger in the vehicle, identified as 29-year-old Kurt Woods, had outstanding warrants for failure to appear and contempt of court in Barton County and the City of Great Bend.&nbsp;&nbsp;Woods had been sought in connection with several oilfield thefts involving brass valves from tank batteries. Further investigation located methamphetamine inside the vehicle.Deputies arrested Fiscus on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of methamphetamine and the warrant from Saline County. There is no bond on the Saline County warrant and a $10,000 bond on the possession of methamphetamine charge, according to Bellendir.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676573864061.jpeg" alt="Woods-photo Barton County" />
 <figcaption>Woods-photo Barton County</figcaption>
 </figure>Woods was arrested on the two local warrants and requested charges of possession of methamphetamine as well as felony theft related to the oilfield incidents. Woods is being held on a $10,000 bond for the methamphetamine charge, $10,000 bond for felony theft, a warrant from the City of Great Bend for $1,642 and a warrant for Barton County District Court with a bond set at $500, according to Bellendir.

Deputies capture suspect in series of Kansas oilfield thefts

KANSAS CITY (AP) —A third person who played a role in an internet romance scam that cheated multiple victims across the country out of a total of about $3.2 million has pleaded guilty, federal prosecutors said.

Sadae Mills, 28, of Houston, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence on Wednesday to conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Mills' role in the scheme was to receive payments that she knew had been fraudulently obtained through internet and app-based romance scams, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

Over a three-month period in 2018, she took the payments, mostly in the form of money orders, cash, or wire transfers, and deposited them into her bank account. She then withdrew or transferred the money when directed to do so by one of her accomplices, prosecutors said.

The victims were from Rhode Island, New York, Arkansas, Colorado, North Carolina, Missouri and Florida, prosecutors said.

Two other participants in the conspiracy previously pleaded guilty.

Dominique Golden, 31, of Houston, pleaded guilty in September and was sentenced last month to more than six years in prison. Breauna Williams, 29, of Jacksonville, North Carolina, awaits sentencing in April after pleading guilty last month.

KANSAS CITY (AP) —A third person who played a role in an internet romance scam that cheated multiple victims across the country out of a total of about $3.2 million has pleaded guilty, federal prosecutors said.Sadae Mills, 28, of Houston, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence on Wednesday to conspiracy to commit money laundering.Mills' role in the scheme was to receive payments that she knew had been fraudulently obtained through internet and app-based romance scams, according to the U.S. attorney's office.Over a three-month period in 2018, she took the payments, mostly in the form of money orders, cash, or wire transfers, and deposited them into her bank account. She then withdrew or transferred the money when directed to do so by one of her accomplices, prosecutors said.The victims were from Rhode Island, New York, Arkansas, Colorado, North Carolina, Missouri and Florida, prosecutors said.Mills faces sentencing on May 23.Two other participants in the conspiracy previously pleaded guilty.Dominique Golden, 31, of Houston, pleaded guilty in September and was sentenced last month to more than six years in prison. Breauna Williams, 29, of Jacksonville, North Carolina, awaits sentencing in April after pleading guilty last month.Two other suspects await trial.