BY NATE KING Salina Post

Schwan’s Company, a leading food producer in the United States, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday to celebrate the completion of a 400,000-square-foot expansion of its Salina pizza manufacturing facility.

Company leaders joined government and civic officials in Salina — including Lieutenant Governor David Toland, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran and U.S. Representative Tracey Mann — to celebrate completion of a project that took more than two years to complete.

“We are excited to complete this bold expansion project which gives us the ability to continue leading the industry in growth in the pizza category,” said Smyrnios. “This expansion gives us more capacity and capability to bring America’s favorite pizza products to millions of families for decades to come and continue innovating to deliver new delicious products we know consumers will love.”

Schwan’s Company, a subsidiary of South Korean food maker, CJ CheilJedang, is investing in the Salina facility to support its growth initiatives in the retail and food-service markets in the U.S. and abroad.

In 2020, the company announced plans to expand its pizza plant and add approximately 225 jobs to the community. The project includes state-of-the-art pizza-production lines capable of making 100 million pizzas a year, shipping and receiving docks, and office space.

Schwan’s first began operating a pizza plant in Salina in April 1970, when it acquired the Tony’s® pizza brand and plant from a Salina businessman. Employees at the facility continue to produce Tony’s® and Red Baron® pizza for grocery stores nationwide, as well as pizzas for food-service venues such as schools.

During Schwan’s ownership of the plant, the facility has grown from just 18,000 square feet to nearly one million square feet. The facility has seen more than 80 additions over the past five decades, making Schwan's plant in Salina the "largest pizza manufacturing plant in the world."

The company has no plans to slow its growth in Salina. In November, Schwan’s announced its intention to more than double the size of its distribution center space in Salina. The new 140,000-square-foot distribution center project, which began this year and is expected to be completed in early 2025, will expand the total distribution center space at the facility to 245,000 square feet.

The new distribution center will be used to store food produced by employees at the company’s pizza plant. The state-of-the-art facility will include a 38,000-pallet-position racking system with three automated pallet cranes. The company’s overall manufacturing facility and distribution center space combined in Salina will exceed one million square feet upon completion.

Burns &amp; McDonnell, a 100 percent employee-owned engineering and construction company, has led the architecture, engineering and construction of the expansions.

To help facilitate the project, Schwan’s has worked with various federal, state and local public agencies and officials in Kansas, including the offices of Governor Laura Kelly and U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, the Kansas departments of Commerce and Transportation, the Salina Community Economic Development Organization, the City of Salina, the Salina Airport Authority, Saline County and Salina Area Chamber of Commerce on economic development and incentive opportunities.

“On behalf of everyone at Schwan’s and our parent company, CJ, I thank the Salina community and federal, state and local officials in Kansas for helping us make this expansion a success. Most especially, I thank our employees at the facility for their contributions to the success of this project and for continuing to make the highest-quality foods,"Smyrnios said.&nbsp;

Hoppock said he is thoroughly pleased to be the mayor of "The Pizza Capital of the World" now that the Schwan's plant is the largest pizza manufacturing plant in the world.&nbsp;

"We've worked on whatever we could as far as some ordinances. We vacated some right of ways," Hoppock said. "We've worked really close with the economic development organization and the Salina Airport Authority."

Hoppock added that much like what the city did with the Kubota expansion, the Schwan's expansion was not a guaranteed "slam dunk."

"There's a lot of other communities across the country that would love to have Schwan's in their backyard. So with the help of the state and federal government, and locally, we've done what we could to keep them here because it's an important part of Salina," Hoppock said.&nbsp;

In total, there have been 80 expansions at the Schwan's facility since 1970, when Schwan's founder and owner, Marvin Schwan, placed an ad in the Wall Street Journal with a simple headline: "Wanted: Frozen Pizza Manufacturer." The ad led to the purchase of the original, 18,000 sq. foot plant in Salina.&nbsp;

Hoppock, who has lived in Salina for 44 years, said he hasn't seen 80 separate expansions, but one continuous expansion, one iteration after the next.&nbsp;

&nbsp;"I'm not sure how you can tell there's 80 expansion, I think it's been one continuous expansion. If you were out here, there's always a construction crew adding on," Hoppock said. "This is just a continuation of that and obviously the largest expansion they've done but a very important one to the community."

With the addition of 225 jobs, Hoppock said the important next step is supplying housing options for those employees and their families.&nbsp;

"One of the things that we're doing now, is a group of us went to the state to get money for housing," Hoppock said. "Today, we have the facility that we need to make sure we get the workers and a lot of that comes down to having housing for both owner occupied and rental properties."&nbsp;

&nbsp;Moran said he was very "pleased" being back in Salina.&nbsp;

"I just came from the nation's capital, I'm much more pleased to be in the Pizza Capital of the World," Moran said "This does not happen without community leadership, But I also want to make sure that we never forget that none of this happens when we don't have people who are willing to go to work. If people don't get up in the morning and say 'I'm going to work, I'm gonna do the best job I know how to do and I'm gonna do my job well, I'm gonna earn a paycheck for that."

"Salina, Kansas, is a place where people still know the value of work, and for the future of our state, the future of our country. We have role models here in Kansas, and here in Salina, and here at Tony's that go to work every day and work hard, and in that opportunity they create opportunities for themselves and others."&nbsp;

Before offering his remarks Mann reminisced on memories of his time in high school in Quinter.&nbsp;

"I realize fully that you all did not come here to hear speeches, you all came here to eat frozen pizza," Mann said. "I was driving here thinking- I grew up in Quinter, Kansas, but I remember, once a month on Friday at the Quinter High School was frozen pizza day. That was always a highlight of the year."&nbsp;

"In Congress, I serve on the House Agriculture, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Small Business committees. And I feel like today is bringing all of those things together for me," Mann said. "It feels like a perfect example of all three of those issues coming together to create jobs, strengthen our economy and keep our community thriving. This updated state of the our facility will create 225 new jobs and serve as an economic driver of our community for a long time."

Although Governor Laura Kelly was not present at the ribbon cutting event, Lieutenant Governor David Toland was. 

Toland, who also serves as state commerce secretary, said there is an "economic&nbsp;renaissance" occurring in Salina and Kansas.&nbsp;

"From the first conversation that we had about the concept of this being built in Kansas to seeing and being able to experience the new pizza plant smell here today, it's a wonderful thing," Toland said." If you look at what is happening with this company, in this community, it is an incredible thing. There is a renaissance that has occurred in Salina and in this region. It's being driven by proactive and purposeful economic development that's led at the local level, by our partners, Tim, with the airport authority, my goodness, we've had many of those late night calls on this project and others to make sure that we can get it done."

During his remarks, Toland praised the work of&nbsp;Randi Tveitaraas Jack, deputy director for the international division within the Kansas Department of Commerce.&nbsp;

"Once upon a time we had 14 people in the international division at the Kansas Department of Commerce and then we had some difficult years," Toland said. "And by the time I came along, Governor Kelly and I, there were two people in the international division. One of them was Randi. And Randi has doggedly worked this project here and she likes to stay in the background, but I'll tell you, this wouldn't have happened without Randi's work. And so I'm grateful to her."

Toland went on to thank the entire delegation of elected officials from Senator Moran down to the city and local entities who made the project possible.&nbsp;

"The reason Salina is winning is because of this local team," Toland said. "You've got committed local government partners, economic development professionals, the Salina Chamber of Commerce, everybody's rowing in the same direction. And so in the end, this recipe that is based on collaboration has led to something that is truly transformational here. And we're most proud that Kansans themselves are the most important ingredient in all of this."&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684517478762.png" alt="Pictured starting left, Salina Mayor Mike Hoppock, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann, Lieutenant Governor/Commerce Secretary David Toland, Schwan's COO Julie Francis, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran,&nbsp;Schwan’s Company CEO Dimitrios Smyrnios, Chris Wiseman, Schwan's senior director of manufacturing, Tony Puri, executive vice president of strategic capital. Photos by Nate King/Salina Post" />
 <figcaption>Pictured starting left, Salina Mayor Mike Hoppock, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann, Lieutenant Governor/Commerce Secretary David Toland, Schwan's COO Julie Francis, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran,&nbsp;Schwan’s Company CEO Dimitrios Smyrnios, Chris Wiseman, Schwan's senior director of manufacturing, Tony Puri, executive vice president of strategic capital. Photos by Nate King/Salina Post</figcaption>
 </figure>BY NATE KING Salina PostSchwan’s Company, a leading food producer in the United States, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday to celebrate the completion of a 400,000-square-foot expansion of its Salina pizza manufacturing facility.Company leaders joined government and civic officials in Salina — including Lieutenant Governor David Toland, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran and U.S. Representative Tracey Mann — to celebrate completion of a project that took more than two years to complete.“We are excited to complete this bold expansion project which gives us the ability to continue leading the industry in growth in the pizza category,” said Smyrnios. “This expansion gives us more capacity and capability to bring America’s favorite pizza products to millions of families for decades to come and continue innovating to deliver new delicious products we know consumers will love.”<h2>Investing for growth</h2>Schwan’s Company, a subsidiary of South Korean food maker, CJ CheilJedang, is investing in the Salina facility to support its growth initiatives in the retail and food-service markets in the U.S. and abroad.In 2020, the company announced plans to expand its pizza plant and add approximately 225 jobs to the community. The project includes state-of-the-art pizza-production lines capable of making 100 million pizzas a year, shipping and receiving docks, and office space.Schwan’s first began operating a pizza plant in Salina in April 1970, when it acquired the Tony’s® pizza brand and plant from a Salina businessman. Employees at the facility continue to produce Tony’s® and Red Baron® pizza for grocery stores nationwide, as well as pizzas for food-service venues such as schools.During Schwan’s ownership of the plant, the facility has grown from just 18,000 square feet to nearly one million square feet. The facility has seen more than 80 additions over the past five decades, making Schwan's plant in Salina the "largest pizza manufacturing plant in the world."<h2>Distribution center project</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667500547504.jpeg" alt="Project rendering for the new distribution center scheduled for completion in 2025. Image courtesy Schwan's&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Project rendering for the new distribution center scheduled for completion in 2025. Image courtesy Schwan's&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>The company has no plans to slow its growth in Salina. In November, Schwan’s announced its intention to more than double the size of its distribution center space in Salina. The new 140,000-square-foot distribution center project, which began this year and is expected to be completed in early 2025, will expand the total distribution center space at the facility to 245,000 square feet.The new distribution center will be used to store food produced by employees at the company’s pizza plant. The state-of-the-art facility will include a 38,000-pallet-position racking system with three automated pallet cranes. The company’s overall manufacturing facility and distribution center space combined in Salina will exceed one million square feet upon completion.Burns &amp; McDonnell, a 100 percent employee-owned engineering and construction company, has led the architecture, engineering and construction of the expansions.<h2>Working with Kansas public officials</h2>To help facilitate the project, Schwan’s has worked with various federal, state and local public agencies and officials in Kansas, including the offices of Governor Laura Kelly and U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, the Kansas departments of Commerce and Transportation, the Salina Community Economic Development Organization, the City of Salina, the Salina Airport Authority, Saline County and Salina Area Chamber of Commerce on economic development and incentive opportunities.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684524800652.png" alt="Hoppock and Mann speak with Roberto Rios, chief marketing officer for Schwan's." />
 <figcaption>Hoppock and Mann speak with Roberto Rios, chief marketing officer for Schwan's.</figcaption>
 </figure>“On behalf of everyone at Schwan’s and our parent company, CJ, I thank the Salina community and federal, state and local officials in Kansas for helping us make this expansion a success. Most especially, I thank our employees at the facility for their contributions to the success of this project and for continuing to make the highest-quality foods,"Smyrnios said.&nbsp;Hoppock said he is thoroughly pleased to be the mayor of "The Pizza Capital of the World" now that the Schwan's plant is the largest pizza manufacturing plant in the world.&nbsp;"We've worked on whatever we could as far as some ordinances. We vacated some right of ways," Hoppock said. "We've worked really close with the economic development organization and the Salina Airport Authority."Hoppock added that much like what the city did with the Kubota expansion, the Schwan's expansion was not a guaranteed "slam dunk.""There's a lot of other communities across the country that would love to have Schwan's in their backyard. So with the help of the state and federal government, and locally, we've done what we could to keep them here because it's an important part of Salina," Hoppock said.&nbsp;In total, there have been 80 expansions at the Schwan's facility since 1970, when Schwan's founder and owner, Marvin Schwan, placed an ad in the Wall Street Journal with a simple headline: "Wanted: Frozen Pizza Manufacturer." The ad led to the purchase of the original, 18,000 sq. foot plant in Salina.&nbsp;Hoppock, who has lived in Salina for 44 years, said he hasn't seen 80 separate expansions, but one continuous expansion, one iteration after the next.&nbsp;&nbsp;"I'm not sure how you can tell there's 80 expansion, I think it's been one continuous expansion. If you were out here, there's always a construction crew adding on," Hoppock said. "This is just a continuation of that and obviously the largest expansion they've done but a very important one to the community."With the addition of 225 jobs, Hoppock said the important next step is supplying housing options for those employees and their families.&nbsp;"One of the things that we're doing now, is a group of us went to the state to get money for housing," Hoppock said. "Today, we have the facility that we need to make sure we get the workers and a lot of that comes down to having housing for both owner occupied and rental properties."&nbsp;&nbsp;Moran said he was very "pleased" being back in Salina.&nbsp;"I just came from the nation's capital, I'm much more pleased to be in the Pizza Capital of the World," Moran said "This does not happen without community leadership, But I also want to make sure that we never forget that none of this happens when we don't have people who are willing to go to work. If people don't get up in the morning and say 'I'm going to work, I'm gonna do the best job I know how to do and I'm gonna do my job well, I'm gonna earn a paycheck for that."Moran continued."Salina, Kansas, is a place where people still know the value of work, and for the future of our state, the future of our country. We have role models here in Kansas, and here in Salina, and here at Tony's that go to work every day and work hard, and in that opportunity they create opportunities for themselves and others."&nbsp;Before offering his remarks Mann reminisced on memories of his time in high school in Quinter.&nbsp;"I realize fully that you all did not come here to hear speeches, you all came here to eat frozen pizza," Mann said. "I was driving here thinking- I grew up in Quinter, Kansas, but I remember, once a month on Friday at the Quinter High School was frozen pizza day. That was always a highlight of the year."&nbsp;"In Congress, I serve on the House Agriculture, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Small Business committees. And I feel like today is bringing all of those things together for me," Mann said. "It feels like a perfect example of all three of those issues coming together to create jobs, strengthen our economy and keep our community thriving. This updated state of the our facility will create 225 new jobs and serve as an economic driver of our community for a long time."Although Governor Laura Kelly was not present at the ribbon cutting event, Lieutenant Governor David Toland was. Toland, who also serves as state commerce secretary, said there is an "economic&nbsp;renaissance" occurring in Salina and Kansas.&nbsp;"From the first conversation that we had about the concept of this being built in Kansas to seeing and being able to experience the new pizza plant smell here today, it's a wonderful thing," Toland said." If you look at what is happening with this company, in this community, it is an incredible thing. There is a renaissance that has occurred in Salina and in this region. It's being driven by proactive and purposeful economic development that's led at the local level, by our partners, Tim, with the airport authority, my goodness, we've had many of those late night calls on this project and others to make sure that we can get it done."During his remarks, Toland praised the work of&nbsp;Randi Tveitaraas Jack, deputy director for the international division within the Kansas Department of Commerce.&nbsp;"Once upon a time we had 14 people in the international division at the Kansas Department of Commerce and then we had some difficult years," Toland said. "And by the time I came along, Governor Kelly and I, there were two people in the international division. One of them was Randi. And Randi has doggedly worked this project here and she likes to stay in the background, but I'll tell you, this wouldn't have happened without Randi's work. And so I'm grateful to her."Toland went on to thank the entire delegation of elected officials from Senator Moran down to the city and local entities who made the project possible.&nbsp;"The reason Salina is winning is because of this local team," Toland said. "You've got committed local government partners, economic development professionals, the Salina Chamber of Commerce, everybody's rowing in the same direction. And so in the end, this recipe that is based on collaboration has led to something that is truly transformational here. And we're most proud that Kansans themselves are the most important ingredient in all of this."&nbsp;

'Pizza Capital of the World': Schwan’s celebrates Kan. plant expansion

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —&nbsp;Detectives with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department announced Thursday that two suspects have been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the May 3 shooting death of 6 year-old Sir’Antonio Brown, according to a media release from police.&nbsp;A third, unidentified suspect remains at large.

Agents with the FBI assisted the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department in taking 21-year-old Lakevis Sloan and a 17-year-old boy into custody Tuesday evening as they exited a Greyhound bus in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Both suspects are residents of Kansas City, Kan. They remain in custody in South Dakota as they await extradition back to Kansas where the Wyandotte County District Attorney has charged them each with second-degree murder.

“We want Sir’Antonio’s family and our community to know that we are not slowing down the pace of this investigation,” Detective Mark Bundy, KCKPD, said. 

“Somebody out there knows who this third suspect is, and where he is. Now is the time to make the call. Don’t wait any longer, because we will arrest anybody and everybody who is housing or covering for this child killer.

On May 4, police confirmed they had located the vehicle involved in the killing and on May 10, police arrested 18-year-old&nbsp;Cassandra Sledge a resident of Kansas City, Kansas for obstructing prosecution in the case. 

Charges are based on the fact that Sledge who owns the vehicle suspects used to commit the murder, knowingly provided false statements to law enforcement to obstruct prosecution of the suspects. 

Sledge remains in the Wyandotte County Jail on a $40,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683336213432.png" alt="Sir’Antonio Brown -photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Sir’Antonio Brown -photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —&nbsp;Detectives with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department announced Thursday that two suspects have been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the May 3 shooting death of 6 year-old Sir’Antonio Brown, according to a media release from police.&nbsp;A third, unidentified suspect remains at large.Agents with the FBI assisted the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department in taking 21-year-old Lakevis Sloan and a 17-year-old boy into custody Tuesday evening as they exited a Greyhound bus in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684443186141.png" alt="Sloan is being held in&nbsp;Minnehaha County" />
 <figcaption>Sloan is being held in&nbsp;Minnehaha County</figcaption>
 </figure>Both suspects are residents of Kansas City, Kan. They remain in custody in South Dakota as they await extradition back to Kansas where the Wyandotte County District Attorney has charged them each with second-degree murder.“We want Sir’Antonio’s family and our community to know that we are not slowing down the pace of this investigation,” Detective Mark Bundy, KCKPD, said. “Somebody out there knows who this third suspect is, and where he is. Now is the time to make the call. Don’t wait any longer, because we will arrest anybody and everybody who is housing or covering for this child killer.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683755832986.png" alt="Sledge-photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Sledge-photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>On May 4, police confirmed they had located the vehicle involved in the killing and on May 10, police arrested 18-year-old&nbsp;Cassandra Sledge a resident of Kansas City, Kansas for obstructing prosecution in the case. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683195327042.png" alt="Photo KCK Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCK Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Charges are based on the fact that Sledge who owns the vehicle suspects used to commit the murder, knowingly provided false statements to law enforcement to obstruct prosecution of the suspects. Sledge remains in the Wyandotte County Jail on a $40,000 bond.----------------

One suspect in murder of Kan. boy playing in front yard is still at large

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Legislature on Friday approved a 12-week abortion ban and restrictions on gender-affirming care for children in a move so contentious that lawmakers on both sides have said they may be unable to work together in the future.

Conservative lawmakers wrangled just enough votes to end a filibuster and pass a bill with both measures. Republican Gov. Jim Pillen, who pushed for the bill and met with various lawmakers to shore up support, has promised to sign it into law.

The mood in the Nebraska Capitol has been volatile since lawmakers on Tuesday advanced by a single vote the hybrid measure that ties together restrictions that Republicans across the U.S. have been pushing. Nebraska's lawmakers have traded insults and promises of retribution, while protesters have loudly voiced their displeasure.

Friday's debate was briefly stopped when protesters in a chamber balcony stood and yelled obscenities at conservative lawmakers while throwing what appeared to be bloody tampons onto the floor. Security arrested at least one person and cleared the balconies. As lawmakers began voting, chants of "Shame! Shame! Shame! Shame!" could be heard coming from outside the chamber.

North Carolina also passed a 12-week abortion ban this week, among a slew of restrictions enacted in states after the U.S. Supreme Court last year struck down the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that established a nationwide right to abortion. Fourteen states now have bans throughout pregnancy.

Nebraska, which currently prohibits abortion starting around 20 weeks of pregnancy, had not passed a new ban. The 12-week ban includes exceptions for rape, incest and to save the life of the mother.

The bill also would prevent transgender people under 19 from receiving any gender-confirming surgery. The state's chief medical officer — a political appointee who is currently an ear, nose and throat doctor — would set rules for puberty blockers and hormone therapies. There would be some exceptions for minors who were already receiving treatment before the ban was enacted.

At least 17 states have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for minors, and proposals are pending before the governors of Texas and Missouri. Medical groups and advocates say such restrictions are further marginalizing transgender youth and threatening their health.

Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh led an effort to filibuster nearly every bill this session — even ones she supported — to protest the proposed restrictions on gender-affirming care. She railed against conservatives who voted for the hybrid bill and warned that people, medical professionals and businesses will leave the state over it.

Cavanaugh declared in early March that she would "burn the session to the ground over this bill," and she and a handful of progressive allies followed through. They introduced hundreds of amendments and motions to slow every bill at each stage of debate, impeding the work of the Legislature and sending leadership scrambling to prioritize which bills to push through.

After lawmakers merged the abortion limits with the transgender health bill, Cavanaugh clashed with Sen. Julie Slama, who insinuated that conservatives were supporting the restrictions on gender-affirming care to retaliate against Cavanaugh. Slama noted that the restrictions did not initially have the 33 votes needed to survive.

"But then Machaela Cavanaugh got up and ran her mouth because she was just overjoyed that the national media was here to give her some more attention," Slama said. "So that gave us 33 votes."

Cavanaugh responded that it would "cost" conservatives with just days left in the session for lawmakers to pass bills.

"I am going to take all of the time. Every single, solitary minute of it to make sure the speaker has to decide what actually gets scheduled in these last handful of days," she said.

Conservatives in the one-house, officially nonpartisan Legislature announced early this month that they would amend the trans health bill to squeeze in the abortion restrictions. That unconventional move came after conservatives failed to advance a bill that would have banned abortion once cardiac activity can be detected — generally around six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant.

Legislative rules state that a bill failing to defeat a filibuster must be tabled for the year. So opponents were surprised when conservatives announced a plan for a 12-week ban. Progressive lawmakers say it was an underhanded way to ramrod through a ban after the issue already failed. Conservatives say the ban is as a compromise.

Because an emergency clause is attached to the bill, it will take effect once the governor signs it.

By MARGERY A. BECKLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Legislature on Friday approved a 12-week abortion ban and restrictions on gender-affirming care for children in a move so contentious that lawmakers on both sides have said they may be unable to work together in the future.Conservative lawmakers wrangled just enough votes to end a filibuster and pass a bill with both measures. Republican Gov. Jim Pillen, who pushed for the bill and met with various lawmakers to shore up support, has promised to sign it into law.The mood in the Nebraska Capitol has been volatile since lawmakers on Tuesday advanced by a single vote the hybrid measure that ties together restrictions that Republicans across the U.S. have been pushing. Nebraska's lawmakers have traded insults and promises of retribution, while protesters have loudly voiced their displeasure.Friday's debate was briefly stopped when protesters in a chamber balcony stood and yelled obscenities at conservative lawmakers while throwing what appeared to be bloody tampons onto the floor. Security arrested at least one person and cleared the balconies. As lawmakers began voting, chants of "Shame! Shame! Shame! Shame!" could be heard coming from outside the chamber.North Carolina also passed a 12-week abortion ban this week, among a slew of restrictions enacted in states after the U.S. Supreme Court last year struck down the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that established a nationwide right to abortion. Fourteen states now have bans throughout pregnancy.Nebraska, which currently prohibits abortion starting around 20 weeks of pregnancy, had not passed a new ban. The 12-week ban includes exceptions for rape, incest and to save the life of the mother.The bill also would prevent transgender people under 19 from receiving any gender-confirming surgery. The state's chief medical officer — a political appointee who is currently an ear, nose and throat doctor — would set rules for puberty blockers and hormone therapies. There would be some exceptions for minors who were already receiving treatment before the ban was enacted.At least 17 states have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for minors, and proposals are pending before the governors of Texas and Missouri. Medical groups and advocates say such restrictions are further marginalizing transgender youth and threatening their health.Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh led an effort to filibuster nearly every bill this session — even ones she supported — to protest the proposed restrictions on gender-affirming care. She railed against conservatives who voted for the hybrid bill and warned that people, medical professionals and businesses will leave the state over it.Cavanaugh declared in early March that she would "burn the session to the ground over this bill," and she and a handful of progressive allies followed through. They introduced hundreds of amendments and motions to slow every bill at each stage of debate, impeding the work of the Legislature and sending leadership scrambling to prioritize which bills to push through.After lawmakers merged the abortion limits with the transgender health bill, Cavanaugh clashed with Sen. Julie Slama, who insinuated that conservatives were supporting the restrictions on gender-affirming care to retaliate against Cavanaugh. Slama noted that the restrictions did not initially have the 33 votes needed to survive."But then Machaela Cavanaugh got up and ran her mouth because she was just overjoyed that the national media was here to give her some more attention," Slama said. "So that gave us 33 votes."Cavanaugh responded that it would "cost" conservatives with just days left in the session for lawmakers to pass bills."I am going to take all of the time. Every single, solitary minute of it to make sure the speaker has to decide what actually gets scheduled in these last handful of days," she said.Conservatives in the one-house, officially nonpartisan Legislature announced early this month that they would amend the trans health bill to squeeze in the abortion restrictions. That unconventional move came after conservatives failed to advance a bill that would have banned abortion once cardiac activity can be detected — generally around six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant.Legislative rules state that a bill failing to defeat a filibuster must be tabled for the year. So opponents were surprised when conservatives announced a plan for a 12-week ban. Progressive lawmakers say it was an underhanded way to ramrod through a ban after the issue already failed. Conservatives say the ban is as a compromise.Because an emergency clause is attached to the bill, it will take effect once the governor signs it.

Nebraska lawmakers pass 12-week abortion ban, restrictions on gender-affirming care 

NEW YORK (AP) —Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Brown, the unstoppable running back who retired at the peak of his brilliant career to become an actor as well as a prominent civil rights advocate during the 1960s, has died. He was 87.

A spokeswoman for Brown’s family said he passed away peacefully in his Los Angeles home on Thursday night with his wife, Monique, by his side.

One of the greatest players in football history and one of the game’s first superstars, Brown was chosen the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1965 and shattered the league’s record books in a short career spanning 1957-65.

Brown led the Cleveland Browns to their last NFL title in 1964 before retiring in his prime after the ’65 season to become an actor. He appeared in more than 30 films, including “Any Given Sunday” and “The Dirty Dozen.”

An unstoppable runner with power, speed and endurance, Brown’s arrival sparked the game’s burgeoning popularity on television.

As Black Americans fought for equality, Brown used his platform and voice to advance their cause.

In 1967, Brown organized a meeting in Cleveland of the nation’s top Black athletes, including Bill Russell and Lew Alcindor, who later became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, to support boxer Muhammad Ali’s fight against the war in Vietnam.

In later years, he worked to curb gang violence in LA and founded Amer-I-Can, a program to help disadvantaged inner-city youth and ex-convicts.

On the field, there was no one like Brown, who would blast through would-be tacklers, refusing to let one man take him down before sprinting away from linebackers and defensive backs. He was also famous for using a stiff arm to shed defenders in the open field or push them away like they were rag dolls.

“My arms were like my protectors and weapons,” Brown said during an interview with NFL Films.

Indeed, Brown was unlike any back before him, and some feel there has never been anyone better than Cleveland’s incomparable No. 32. At 6-foot-2, 230 pounds, he was dominant, relentless and without mercy, his highlight reels featuring runs around and right through opponents, fighting for every yard, dragging multiple defenders along or finding holes where none seemed to exist.

After Brown was tackled, he’d slowly rise and walk even more slowly back to the huddle — then dominate the defense when he got the ball again.

Off the field, Brown was a contentious character.

While he had a soft spot for those in need, and his generosity changed lives, he also was arrested a half-dozen times, mostly on charges of hitting women.

In June 1999, Brown’s wife, Monique, called 911, saying Brown had smashed her car with a shovel and threatened to kill her. During the trial, Monique Brown recanted. Jim Brown was acquitted of a charge of domestic threats but convicted of misdemeanor vandalism. The Los Angeles judge sentenced Brown to six months in jail when he refused to attend domestic violence counseling.

He also feuded with Browns coach Paul Brown and later with the team’s management, although he played his entire career with Cleveland.

When his playing days ended, Brown set off for Hollywood and eventually settled there. Brown advised Cleveland coach Blanton Collier of his retirement while the team was in training camp and he was on the set of “The Dirty Dozen” in England.

Among his films were “100 Rifles,” “Mars Attacks!” Spike Lee’s “He Got Game,” Oliver Stone’s “Any Given Sunday,” and the satire “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka,” in which he parodied the blaxploitation genre. In 2002, Brown was the subject of Lee’s HBO documentary “Jim Brown: All-American.”

In recent years, Brown’s relationship with the Browns was inconsistent. He served as an adviser to owner Randy Lerner and was hired to counsel the team’s younger players. However, in 2010, Brown parted ways with the team after having his role reduced by incoming team president Mike Holmgren. Brown felt slighted by the perceived demotion — when the club unveiled a “Ring of Honor” inside its downtown stadium, Brown didn’t attend the ceremony in protest.

Brown was an eight-time All-Pro and went to the Pro Bowl in each of his nine years in the league. When Brown walked away from the game at age 30, he held the league’s records for yards (12,312) and touchdowns (126).

And despite his bruising style, Browns never missed a game, playing in 118 straight.

“He told me, ‘Make sure when anyone tackles you he remembers how much it hurts,’” said Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey. “He lived by that philosophy and I always followed that advice.”

A two-sport star at Syracuse — some say he is the best lacrosse player in NCAA history — Brown endured countless racist taunts while playing at the virtually all-white school at the time. Still, he was an All-American in both sports, leading the nation in scoring, and lettered in basketball.

Brown was the sixth overall pick of the 1957 draft, joining a team that routinely played for the title. He was the Offensive Rookie of the Year that season.

Running behind an offensive line featuring Hall of Fame tackles Lou Groza and Mike McCormack, Brown set a league mark with 1,527 yards and scored 17 TDs on his way to the league’s Most Outstanding Player award — a precursor to the MVP — in 1958. Over the next three seasons, he never ran for less than 1,257 yards before picking up just 996 in 1962.

He led the NFL in rushing eight times, gaining a career-best 1,863 yards in 1963. He averaged 104 yards per game, scored 106 rushing touchdowns and averaged an astonishing 5.2 yards per carry. A dangerous receiver as well, Brown finished with 262 catches for 2,499 yards and another 20 TDs.

“I’ve said many times, and I will always say, Jim Brown is the best,” Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers once said, “and he will still be the best long after all his records are broken.”

Packers great Paul Hornung felt Brown was unstoppable.

“Give me Jim Brown over anybody — at anything,” he said.

Brown’s No. 32 was retired by the Browns in ’71, the same year he entered the Hall of Fame. But he rarely visited Cleveland during the 1970s and ’80s. He and Cleveland owner Art Modell were at odds over his sudden retirement; the two later patched up their differences and remained good friends.

Brown supported Modell’s decision to move Cleveland’s franchise to Baltimore in 1995. It was both a reflection of his loyalty to Modell and another sign of his fierce independence. Brown was one of the few former Browns players not angry with Modell for moving the team.

Many of the modern players couldn’t appreciate Brown or his impact on American sports.

“They have grown up in a different era,” former Browns coach Romeo Crennel said. “He’s one of the greatest players in NFL history and what he was able to accomplish in his time was tremendous. I don’t know that anybody could do what he did, the way he did it, under the circumstances that he had to operate and the things that he had to endure. And for him to go out on top, that’s something that not many guys are able to appreciate either.”

Born on Feb. 17, 1936, in St. Simons, Georgia, Brown was a multisport star at Manhasset High School on Long Island. He averaged 14.9 yards per carry in football and once scored 55 points in a game.

Brown later took up golf, and while playing with Jack Nicklaus in the 1963 Cleveland Pro-Am, he shot a 79.

Brown is survived by his second wife, Monique, and their child. He was divorced after 13 years of marriage from Sue Brown, with whom he had three children.

NEW YORK (AP) —Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Brown, the unstoppable running back who retired at the peak of his brilliant career to become an actor as well as a prominent civil rights advocate during the 1960s, has died. He was 87.A spokeswoman for Brown’s family said he passed away peacefully in his Los Angeles home on Thursday night with his wife, Monique, by his side.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Jim Brown Forever 🧡🤎♾️ Legend. Leader. Activist. Visionary. It’s impossible to describe the profound love and gratitude we feel for having the opportunity to be a small piece of Jim’s incredible life and legacy. We mourn his passing, but celebrate the indelible light he… <a href="https://t.co/F2rrTUnsc1">pic.twitter.com/F2rrTUnsc1</a>&mdash; Cleveland Browns (@Browns) <a href="https://twitter.com/Browns/status/1659643647032172563?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>One of the greatest players in football history and one of the game’s first superstars, Brown was chosen the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1965 and shattered the league’s record books in a short career spanning 1957-65.Brown led the Cleveland Browns to their last NFL title in 1964 before retiring in his prime after the ’65 season to become an actor. He appeared in more than 30 films, including “Any Given Sunday” and “The Dirty Dozen.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are heartbroken by the passing of the legendary Jim Brown. One of the greatest players in NFL history, a true pioneer and activist. Jim Brown’s legacy will live on forever. 🕊️ <a href="https://t.co/byBcZ0c7KG">pic.twitter.com/byBcZ0c7KG</a>&mdash; NFL (@NFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1659646973421715456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>An unstoppable runner with power, speed and endurance, Brown’s arrival sparked the game’s burgeoning popularity on television.As Black Americans fought for equality, Brown used his platform and voice to advance their cause.In 1967, Brown organized a meeting in Cleveland of the nation’s top Black athletes, including Bill Russell and Lew Alcindor, who later became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, to support boxer Muhammad Ali’s fight against the war in Vietnam.In later years, he worked to curb gang violence in LA and founded Amer-I-Can, a program to help disadvantaged inner-city youth and ex-convicts.On the field, there was no one like Brown, who would blast through would-be tacklers, refusing to let one man take him down before sprinting away from linebackers and defensive backs. He was also famous for using a stiff arm to shed defenders in the open field or push them away like they were rag dolls.“My arms were like my protectors and weapons,” Brown said during an interview with NFL Films.Indeed, Brown was unlike any back before him, and some feel there has never been anyone better than Cleveland’s incomparable No. 32. At 6-foot-2, 230 pounds, he was dominant, relentless and without mercy, his highlight reels featuring runs around and right through opponents, fighting for every yard, dragging multiple defenders along or finding holes where none seemed to exist.After Brown was tackled, he’d slowly rise and walk even more slowly back to the huddle — then dominate the defense when he got the ball again.Off the field, Brown was a contentious character.While he had a soft spot for those in need, and his generosity changed lives, he also was arrested a half-dozen times, mostly on charges of hitting women.In June 1999, Brown’s wife, Monique, called 911, saying Brown had smashed her car with a shovel and threatened to kill her. During the trial, Monique Brown recanted. Jim Brown was acquitted of a charge of domestic threats but convicted of misdemeanor vandalism. The Los Angeles judge sentenced Brown to six months in jail when he refused to attend domestic violence counseling.He also feuded with Browns coach Paul Brown and later with the team’s management, although he played his entire career with Cleveland.When his playing days ended, Brown set off for Hollywood and eventually settled there. Brown advised Cleveland coach Blanton Collier of his retirement while the team was in training camp and he was on the set of “The Dirty Dozen” in England.Among his films were “100 Rifles,” “Mars Attacks!” Spike Lee’s “He Got Game,” Oliver Stone’s “Any Given Sunday,” and the satire “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka,” in which he parodied the blaxploitation genre. In 2002, Brown was the subject of Lee’s HBO documentary “Jim Brown: All-American.”In recent years, Brown’s relationship with the Browns was inconsistent. He served as an adviser to owner Randy Lerner and was hired to counsel the team’s younger players. However, in 2010, Brown parted ways with the team after having his role reduced by incoming team president Mike Holmgren. Brown felt slighted by the perceived demotion — when the club unveiled a “Ring of Honor” inside its downtown stadium, Brown didn’t attend the ceremony in protest.Brown was an eight-time All-Pro and went to the Pro Bowl in each of his nine years in the league. When Brown walked away from the game at age 30, he held the league’s records for yards (12,312) and touchdowns (126).And despite his bruising style, Browns never missed a game, playing in 118 straight.“He told me, ‘Make sure when anyone tackles you he remembers how much it hurts,’” said Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey. “He lived by that philosophy and I always followed that advice.”A two-sport star at Syracuse — some say he is the best lacrosse player in NCAA history — Brown endured countless racist taunts while playing at the virtually all-white school at the time. Still, he was an All-American in both sports, leading the nation in scoring, and lettered in basketball.Brown was the sixth overall pick of the 1957 draft, joining a team that routinely played for the title. He was the Offensive Rookie of the Year that season.Running behind an offensive line featuring Hall of Fame tackles Lou Groza and Mike McCormack, Brown set a league mark with 1,527 yards and scored 17 TDs on his way to the league’s Most Outstanding Player award — a precursor to the MVP — in 1958. Over the next three seasons, he never ran for less than 1,257 yards before picking up just 996 in 1962.He led the NFL in rushing eight times, gaining a career-best 1,863 yards in 1963. He averaged 104 yards per game, scored 106 rushing touchdowns and averaged an astonishing 5.2 yards per carry. A dangerous receiver as well, Brown finished with 262 catches for 2,499 yards and another 20 TDs.“I’ve said many times, and I will always say, Jim Brown is the best,” Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers once said, “and he will still be the best long after all his records are broken.”Packers great Paul Hornung felt Brown was unstoppable.“Give me Jim Brown over anybody — at anything,” he said.Brown’s No. 32 was retired by the Browns in ’71, the same year he entered the Hall of Fame. But he rarely visited Cleveland during the 1970s and ’80s. He and Cleveland owner Art Modell were at odds over his sudden retirement; the two later patched up their differences and remained good friends.Brown supported Modell’s decision to move Cleveland’s franchise to Baltimore in 1995. It was both a reflection of his loyalty to Modell and another sign of his fierce independence. Brown was one of the few former Browns players not angry with Modell for moving the team.Many of the modern players couldn’t appreciate Brown or his impact on American sports.“They have grown up in a different era,” former Browns coach Romeo Crennel said. “He’s one of the greatest players in NFL history and what he was able to accomplish in his time was tremendous. I don’t know that anybody could do what he did, the way he did it, under the circumstances that he had to operate and the things that he had to endure. And for him to go out on top, that’s something that not many guys are able to appreciate either.”Born on Feb. 17, 1936, in St. Simons, Georgia, Brown was a multisport star at Manhasset High School on Long Island. He averaged 14.9 yards per carry in football and once scored 55 points in a game.Brown later took up golf, and while playing with Jack Nicklaus in the 1963 Cleveland Pro-Am, he shot a 79.Brown is survived by his second wife, Monique, and their child. He was divorced after 13 years of marriage from Sue Brown, with whom he had three children.___

🏈 All-time NFL great running back, social activist Jim Brown dead at 87

SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an escape from custody and asking for help to locate a wanted Kansas felon.

On May 10, the Saline County Sheriff’s Office was attempting to arrest 25-year-od Byron Neef in the 1200 block of Talley Drive in Salina for outstanding felony warrants.

After the deputy got one handcuff on Neef, he struck the deputy in the head and took off running, according to Saline County CrimeStopopers.

 The deputy was treated by EMS at the scene.

Neef is wanted for the felony warrants and is facing new requested charges for obstruction and battery of a law enforcement officer. He has previous convictions for&nbsp;Violation of protective order issued from abuse, theft, criminal use of a weapon, criminal damage to property, drug and drug paraphernalia possession, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

If you have any information concerning who attempted to commit these crimes, call Crimestoppers at 825-TIPS, text SATIPS to CRIMES (274637), or visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pd.salina.org/">www.pd.salina.org</a>&nbsp;and follow Crimestoppers link to submit a web tip. You may receive a cash reward of up to $1000 and you are not required to give your name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684520162184.png" alt="Neef-photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Neef-photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an escape from custody and asking for help to locate a wanted Kansas felon.On May 10, the Saline County Sheriff’s Office was attempting to arrest 25-year-od Byron Neef in the 1200 block of Talley Drive in Salina for outstanding felony warrants.After the deputy got one handcuff on Neef, he struck the deputy in the head and took off running, according to Saline County CrimeStopopers. The deputy was treated by EMS at the scene.Neef is wanted for the felony warrants and is facing new requested charges for obstruction and battery of a law enforcement officer. He has previous convictions for&nbsp;Violation of protective order issued from abuse, theft, criminal use of a weapon, criminal damage to property, drug and drug paraphernalia possession, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.If you have any information concerning who attempted to commit these crimes, call Crimestoppers at 825-TIPS, text SATIPS to CRIMES (274637), or visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pd.salina.org/">www.pd.salina.org</a>&nbsp;and follow Crimestoppers link to submit a web tip. You may receive a cash reward of up to $1000 and you are not required to give your name.

Wanted Kansas felon struck deputy, ran from arrest

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas Democrat Sharice Davids clashed with state’s Republican delegation in the U.S. House on a bill raising the federal debt ceiling in exchange for a decade-long spending cap and deflation of President Joe Biden’s domestic agenda.

Biden vowed to veto federal debt legislation shaped to undercut his administration’s tax, health and climate policies while expanding fossil fuel production and broadening work mandates in social safety-net programs. That House GOP bill failed to gain traction in the U.S. Senate, but prompted negotiations in Washington, D.C., on a potential compromise to avoid default on the national debt.

Davids, who serves the 3rd District in the Kansas City area, said members of Congress on both sides of the aisle had to do a better job protecting taxpayers. Financially derailing the government and destabilizing the economy to accomplish that goal would be unacceptable, she said.

“Threatening Kansans’ Medicare, Social Security, veterans benefits and 401(k) savings is not an appropriate negotiating tactic,” she said. “If our country defaults on the national debt, programs like Social Security and Medicare that hard-working Kansans rely on would be slashed and retirement savings lost.”

U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, a Republican representing the Wichita-based 4th District, said the Limit, Save, Grow Act approved by the House was a step toward fiscal responsibility. It was wrong for the federal government to repeatedly careen toward self-imposed debt limits without addressing spending challenges, he said.

“Spending trillions of dollars each year while borrowing about $45,000 per second is dangerously unsustainable and puts our country in peril,” Estes said. “We can’t wait any longer. We have to start correcting the federal mismanagement of taxpayer dollars.”

On Tuesday, White House and congressional leadership were to delve into another round of meetings on debt and budget issues.

Republican U.S. Reps. Tracey Mann of the rural 1st District of western Kansas, Jake LaTurner of the 2nd District in eastern Kansas and Estes voted with the slim majority — 217 to 215 — that approved the House bill. Davids voted against it along with a few Republicans.

The legislation would increase the federal debt by $1.5 trillion or cover actual debt until March 31, 2024, whichever occurred first. It would impose budget limits on the federal government through 2033 with no more than 1% increases in annual spending. The package would rescind unobligated funding appropriated to the Internal Revenue Service and to address COVID-19.

The measure would repeal or modify tax credits for renewable and clean energy, alternative fuels and electric vehicles, but expedite oil, natural gas and mineral development, require additional oil and gas leasing and curtail royalties and fees. It featured work requirements for Medicaid and amplified work mandates for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.

The House legislation would nullify Biden administration actions to cancel federal student loan debt and require federal rules likely to result in a $100 million influence on the economy to be embraced by Congress prior to implementation.

Mann said the plan outlined by House Republicans would revoke Biden’s “no-limit credit card” while reducing the “federal regulatory state and promote pro-growth energy and economic policies.” He said the legislation would reduce American reliance on financial firepower of China, “defund the IRS expansion,” curb inflation, and protect Medicare, Social Security and the national defense.

“I voted ‘yes’ on this legislation because it’s the first step in a negotiation to get government spending under control,” Mann said.

LaTurner, who was elected to Congress in 2020, said he witnessed two years of Democrats “recklessly swiping America’s credit card with no regard for our skyrocketing national&nbsp;debt.”

He added: “It’s immoral and irresponsible to raise the&nbsp;debt&nbsp;limit without addressing our country’s unchecked federal spending.”

Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, said he was convinced the greatest long-term threat to the United States was the surging national debt. He said the $31 trillion debt was unsustainable and cost taxpayers $500 billion in interest during 2022.

“There is historical precedent for coupling spending reductions with increasing the debt limit,” Marshall said. “The president will not get permission from me to increase the debt limit without real substantive cuts to our spending.”

Davids warned of economic peril associated with default on the national debt, and the center-left think tank Third Way attempted to quantify consequences of a default on American families and businesses in every state.

Zach Moller, director of economic programs at Third Way, said default would cost an estimated 29,000 Kansans their jobs and force as many as 3 million Americans out of work.

Default would weaken the U.S. dollar, make imports more expensive, and negatively influence business lending and mortgage costs. The economic disruption could cost a Kansas homeowner as much as $80,000 over life of a new mortgage, he said.

He said it could result in 350,000 households in Kansas missing Social Security checks, while individuals nearing retirement could suffer losses in 401(k) accounts.

“Default is not a good option,” Moller said. “Policymakers need to come together to find a solution. We are hopeful that President Biden bringing congressional leaders together at the White House will make a difference.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672856507291.png" alt="-U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kansas, said Congress had to take a forceful step toward restraining federal spending and releasing the economy from excessive regulation in negotiations on raising the federal debt ceiling-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>-U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kansas, said Congress had to take a forceful step toward restraining federal spending and releasing the economy from excessive regulation in negotiations on raising the federal debt ceiling-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas Democrat Sharice Davids clashed with state’s Republican delegation in the U.S. House on a bill raising the federal debt ceiling in exchange for a decade-long spending cap and deflation of President Joe Biden’s domestic agenda.Biden vowed to veto federal debt legislation shaped to undercut his administration’s tax, health and climate policies while expanding fossil fuel production and broadening work mandates in social safety-net programs. That House GOP bill failed to gain traction in the U.S. Senate, but prompted negotiations in Washington, D.C., on a potential compromise to avoid default on the national debt.Davids, who serves the 3rd District in the Kansas City area, said members of Congress on both sides of the aisle had to do a better job protecting taxpayers. Financially derailing the government and destabilizing the economy to accomplish that goal would be unacceptable, she said.“Threatening Kansans’ Medicare, Social Security, veterans benefits and 401(k) savings is not an appropriate negotiating tactic,” she said. “If our country defaults on the national debt, programs like Social Security and Medicare that hard-working Kansans rely on would be slashed and retirement savings lost.”U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, a Republican representing the Wichita-based 4th District, said the Limit, Save, Grow Act approved by the House was a step toward fiscal responsibility. It was wrong for the federal government to repeatedly careen toward self-imposed debt limits without addressing spending challenges, he said.“Spending trillions of dollars each year while borrowing about $45,000 per second is dangerously unsustainable and puts our country in peril,” Estes said. “We can’t wait any longer. We have to start correcting the federal mismanagement of taxpayer dollars.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684270600140.png" alt="U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, said the federal government had to keep working to reduce wasteful spending but was worried debate on the national debt could push the government into default. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, said the federal government had to keep working to reduce wasteful spending but was worried debate on the national debt could push the government into default. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Kansas tally: 3-1</h2>On Tuesday, White House and congressional leadership were to delve into another round of meetings on debt and budget issues.Republican U.S. Reps. Tracey Mann of the rural 1st District of western Kansas, Jake LaTurner of the 2nd District in eastern Kansas and Estes voted with the slim majority — 217 to 215 — that approved the House bill. Davids voted against it along with a few Republicans.The legislation would increase the federal debt by $1.5 trillion or cover actual debt until March 31, 2024, whichever occurred first. It would impose budget limits on the federal government through 2033 with no more than 1% increases in annual spending. The package would rescind unobligated funding appropriated to the Internal Revenue Service and to address COVID-19.The measure would repeal or modify tax credits for renewable and clean energy, alternative fuels and electric vehicles, but expedite oil, natural gas and mineral development, require additional oil and gas leasing and curtail royalties and fees. It featured work requirements for Medicaid and amplified work mandates for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.The House legislation would nullify Biden administration actions to cancel federal student loan debt and require federal rules likely to result in a $100 million influence on the economy to be embraced by Congress prior to implementation.<h2>‘No-limit credit card’</h2>Mann said the plan outlined by House Republicans would revoke Biden’s “no-limit credit card” while reducing the “federal regulatory state and promote pro-growth energy and economic policies.” He said the legislation would reduce American reliance on financial firepower of China, “defund the IRS expansion,” curb inflation, and protect Medicare, Social Security and the national defense.“I voted ‘yes’ on this legislation because it’s the first step in a negotiation to get government spending under control,” Mann said.LaTurner, who was elected to Congress in 2020, said he witnessed two years of Democrats “recklessly swiping America’s credit card with no regard for our skyrocketing national&nbsp;debt.”He added: “It’s immoral and irresponsible to raise the&nbsp;debt&nbsp;limit without addressing our country’s unchecked federal spending.”Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, said he was convinced the greatest long-term threat to the United States was the surging national debt. He said the $31 trillion debt was unsustainable and cost taxpayers $500 billion in interest during 2022.“There is historical precedent for coupling spending reductions with increasing the debt limit,” Marshall said. “The president will not get permission from me to increase the debt limit without real substantive cuts to our spending.”<h2>A Kansas snapshot</h2>Davids warned of economic peril associated with default on the national debt, and the center-left think tank Third Way attempted to quantify consequences of a default on American families and businesses in every state.Zach Moller, director of economic programs at Third Way, said default would cost an estimated 29,000 Kansans their jobs and force as many as 3 million Americans out of work.Default would weaken the U.S. dollar, make imports more expensive, and negatively influence business lending and mortgage costs. The economic disruption could cost a Kansas homeowner as much as $80,000 over life of a new mortgage, he said.He said it could result in 350,000 households in Kansas missing Social Security checks, while individuals nearing retirement could suffer losses in 401(k) accounts.“Default is not a good option,” Moller said. “Policymakers need to come together to find a solution. We are hopeful that President Biden bringing congressional leaders together at the White House will make a difference.”

Kan. congressional delegation’s partisan division mirrors policy gap on debt, budget

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

Just before 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to the report of an Aggravated Robbery that had occurred in the area of the 1100 block of SW Washburn Avenue, according to Lt. Edward Stanley.

As a result of the investigation, Donald L. Davis, 32, of Topeka, was jailed in the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Assault,&nbsp;&nbsp;Criminal Possession of a weapon by a Felon, Kidnapping, Theft and Jackson County arrest warrant. He is no longer in custody in Shawnee County, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684327636250.png" alt="Davis-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Davis-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple charges after an arrest.Just before 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to the report of an Aggravated Robbery that had occurred in the area of the 1100 block of SW Washburn Avenue, according to Lt. Edward Stanley.As a result of the investigation, Donald L. Davis, 32, of Topeka, was jailed in the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Assault,&nbsp;&nbsp;Criminal Possession of a weapon by a Felon, Kidnapping, Theft and Jackson County arrest warrant. He is no longer in custody in Shawnee County, according to online jail records.

Police: Kansas man accused of kidnapping, armed robbery

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Five TikTok content creators have filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn Montana's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-montana-325a33578a2bbfbe53e9c251d528c5fb">first-in-the-nation ban</a>&nbsp;on the video sharing app, arguing the law is an unconstitutional violation of free speech rights.

The Montana residents also argued in the complaint, filed in federal court late Wednesday without public notice, that the state doesn't have any authority over matters of national security. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed the bill into law Wednesday and said it would protect Montana residents’ private data and personal information from being harvested by the Chinese government.

The ban is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

“The law takes the broadest possible approach to its objectives, restricting and banning the protected speech of all TikTok users in Montana to prevent the speculative and unsubstantiated possibility that the Chinese government might direct TikTok Inc., or its parent, to spy on some Montana users,” the complaint states.

“We expected a legal challenge and are fully prepared to defend the law,” said Emily Flower, spokeswoman for the Montana Department of Justice.

TikTok has argued the law infringes on people’s First Amendment rights.

However, spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter declined to comment on the lawsuit Thursday. She also declined to say whether the company helped coordinate the complaint.

The plaintiffs are Montana residents who use the video-sharing app for things like promoting a business, connecting with military veterans, sharing outdoor adventures or expressing their sense of humor. Two of them have more than 200,000 followers.

One content creator, Carly Ann Goddard, shares videos about living on a ranch, parenting, recipes and home decor. Her account has 97,000 followers and has allowed her to roughly triple her family's household income, the complaint states. TikTok creators can make money in several ways, including by being paid to advertise products to their followers.

The lawsuit — filed just hours after Gianforte signed the measure into law — states the ban would “immediately and permanently deprive Plaintiffs of their ability to express themselves and communicate with others.”

“Montana can no more ban its residents from viewing or posting to TikTok than it could ban the Wall Street Journal because of who owns it or the ideas it publishes,” the plaintiffs’ attorneys wrote.

The case could serve as a testing ground for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">TikTok-free America</a>&nbsp;many national lawmakers have envisioned. Cybersecurity experts say it could be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-montana-china-data-chinese-government-71143a3a87c9a0b692d927f72b6fec70">difficult to enforce.</a>

Some lawmakers, the FBI and officials at other agencies are concerned the video-sharing app, owned by ByteDance,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">could be used to allow the Chinese government to access information on U.S. citizens</a>&nbsp;or push pro-Beijing misinformation that could influence the public. TikTok says none of this has ever happened.

A former executive at ByteDance alleges the tech giant has served as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-china-government-data-bytedance-23233034319c2e1f84c384e5e8dc489c">a “propaganda tool"</a>&nbsp;for the Chinese government, a claim ByteDance says is baseless.

China passed laws in 2014 and 2017 that compel companies to cooperate with the country’s government for state intelligence work. TikTok says it has never been asked to hand over its data and it wouldn’t do so if asked.

“TikTok is spying on Americans. Period,” Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen told a legislative committee in March. “TikTok is a tool of the Chinese Communist Party. It is owned by a Chinese company, and under China law, if you are based in China, you will cooperate with the Chinese Communist Party. Period.”

More than half the U.S. states, including Montana, and the federal government have banned TikTok&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-is-tiktok-being-banned-7d2de01d3ac5ab2b8ec2239dc7f2b20d">from government-owned devices</a>.

Montana’s law would prohibit downloads of TikTok in the state and would fine any “entity” — an app store or TikTok — $10,000 per day for each time someone “is offered the ability” to access the social media platform or download the app. The penalties would not apply to users.

Opponents say Montana residents could easily circumvent the ban by using a virtual private network, a service that shields internet users by encrypting their data traffic, preventing others from observing their web browsing. Montana state officials say geofencing technology is used with online sports gambling apps, which are deactivated in states where online gambling is illegal.

The idea of a TikTok ban has been around since 2020, when then-President Donald Trump attempted to bar the company from operating in the U.S. through an executive order that was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-entertainment-pennsylvania-courts-3573972d3aa6bee78304e3195ffe4ade">halted in federal courts</a>. President Joe Biden’s administration initially shelved those plans, but more recently threatened to ban the app if the company’s Chinese owners don’t sell their stakes.

Montana's law would be nullified if the federal government placed a ban on TikTok or if it was sold to a company not based in a country that is federally designated as a foreign adversary, which currently includes China, Russia, North Korea, Iran and Cuba.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684459314177.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Five TikTok content creators have filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn Montana's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-montana-325a33578a2bbfbe53e9c251d528c5fb">first-in-the-nation ban</a>&nbsp;on the video sharing app, arguing the law is an unconstitutional violation of free speech rights.The Montana residents also argued in the complaint, filed in federal court late Wednesday without public notice, that the state doesn't have any authority over matters of national security. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed the bill into law Wednesday and said it would protect Montana residents’ private data and personal information from being harvested by the Chinese government.The ban is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2024.“The law takes the broadest possible approach to its objectives, restricting and banning the protected speech of all TikTok users in Montana to prevent the speculative and unsubstantiated possibility that the Chinese government might direct TikTok Inc., or its parent, to spy on some Montana users,” the complaint states.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680519366694.png" alt="-Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D NY) said during a March 22 rally, "Instead of banning TikTok we need comprehensive legislation to ensure social media users' data is safe and secure."-photo CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>-Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D NY) said during a March 22 rally, "Instead of banning TikTok we need comprehensive legislation to ensure social media users' data is safe and secure."-photo CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>“We expected a legal challenge and are fully prepared to defend the law,” said Emily Flower, spokeswoman for the Montana Department of Justice.TikTok has argued the law infringes on people’s First Amendment rights.However, spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter declined to comment on the lawsuit Thursday. She also declined to say whether the company helped coordinate the complaint.The plaintiffs are Montana residents who use the video-sharing app for things like promoting a business, connecting with military veterans, sharing outdoor adventures or expressing their sense of humor. Two of them have more than 200,000 followers.One content creator, Carly Ann Goddard, shares videos about living on a ranch, parenting, recipes and home decor. Her account has 97,000 followers and has allowed her to roughly triple her family's household income, the complaint states. TikTok creators can make money in several ways, including by being paid to advertise products to their followers.The lawsuit — filed just hours after Gianforte signed the measure into law — states the ban would “immediately and permanently deprive Plaintiffs of their ability to express themselves and communicate with others.”“Montana can no more ban its residents from viewing or posting to TikTok than it could ban the Wall Street Journal because of who owns it or the ideas it publishes,” the plaintiffs’ attorneys wrote.The case could serve as a testing ground for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">TikTok-free America</a>&nbsp;many national lawmakers have envisioned. Cybersecurity experts say it could be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-montana-china-data-chinese-government-71143a3a87c9a0b692d927f72b6fec70">difficult to enforce.</a>Some lawmakers, the FBI and officials at other agencies are concerned the video-sharing app, owned by ByteDance,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">could be used to allow the Chinese government to access information on U.S. citizens</a>&nbsp;or push pro-Beijing misinformation that could influence the public. TikTok says none of this has ever happened.A former executive at ByteDance alleges the tech giant has served as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-china-government-data-bytedance-23233034319c2e1f84c384e5e8dc489c">a “propaganda tool"</a>&nbsp;for the Chinese government, a claim ByteDance says is baseless.China passed laws in 2014 and 2017 that compel companies to cooperate with the country’s government for state intelligence work. TikTok says it has never been asked to hand over its data and it wouldn’t do so if asked.“TikTok is spying on Americans. Period,” Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen told a legislative committee in March. “TikTok is a tool of the Chinese Communist Party. It is owned by a Chinese company, and under China law, if you are based in China, you will cooperate with the Chinese Communist Party. Period.”More than half the U.S. states, including Montana, and the federal government have banned TikTok&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-is-tiktok-being-banned-7d2de01d3ac5ab2b8ec2239dc7f2b20d">from government-owned devices</a>.Montana’s law would prohibit downloads of TikTok in the state and would fine any “entity” — an app store or TikTok — $10,000 per day for each time someone “is offered the ability” to access the social media platform or download the app. The penalties would not apply to users.Opponents say Montana residents could easily circumvent the ban by using a virtual private network, a service that shields internet users by encrypting their data traffic, preventing others from observing their web browsing. Montana state officials say geofencing technology is used with online sports gambling apps, which are deactivated in states where online gambling is illegal.The idea of a TikTok ban has been around since 2020, when then-President Donald Trump attempted to bar the company from operating in the U.S. through an executive order that was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-entertainment-pennsylvania-courts-3573972d3aa6bee78304e3195ffe4ade">halted in federal courts</a>. President Joe Biden’s administration initially shelved those plans, but more recently threatened to ban the app if the company’s Chinese owners don’t sell their stakes.Montana's law would be nullified if the federal government placed a ban on TikTok or if it was sold to a company not based in a country that is federally designated as a foreign adversary, which currently includes China, Russia, North Korea, Iran and Cuba.

TikTok content creators file lawsuit against first-in-nation law banning app

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating an officer-involved shooting in Kansas City have identified the man who died as 40-year-old Tyrone L. Payne of Kansas City.

Just before 11:30p.m. Thursday, police responded to&nbsp;the 1800 block of West Pennway Street where a suspect later identified as Payne had fired a guns inside a residence, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

While officers were at the scene, the suspect fired near the officers prompting police to return fire.

A KCPD&nbsp; SWAT unit and a negotiations team responded to encourage Payne to surrender.&nbsp; He fired a weapon again at the officers, who returned fire and struck him outside the house, according to the MSHP. He&nbsp;was pronounced dead at the scene.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684503230062.png" alt="Investigators on the scene early Friday -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Investigators on the scene early Friday -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating an officer-involved shooting in Kansas City have identified the man who died as 40-year-old Tyrone L. Payne of Kansas City.Just before 11:30p.m. Thursday, police responded to&nbsp;the 1800 block of West Pennway Street where a suspect later identified as Payne had fired a guns inside a residence, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.While officers were at the scene, the suspect fired near the officers prompting police to return fire.A KCPD&nbsp; SWAT unit and a negotiations team responded to encourage Payne to surrender.&nbsp; He fired a weapon again at the officers, who returned fire and struck him outside the house, according to the MSHP. He&nbsp;was pronounced dead at the scene.

Patrol: Man dead in Kansas City officer-involved shooting

By JOHN HANNA and MARGARET STAFFORD&nbsp;

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' Democratic governor on Thursday vetoed parts of the Republican-backed $6 billion funding plan for the state's K-12 schools, setting up a likely legal battle that will test her office's powers.

Gov. Laura Kelly, who won reelection in the conservative state in November, issued a statement explaining her decision to take the unprecedented step of vetoing parts of the proposed education budget, saying she objected to one provision, in particular, that she says would cut funding for rural public schools, which have been dealing with declining enrollment.

“This provision pulls the rug out from rural school districts at the 11th hour,” Kelly said. “If the provision is enacted, it will bring dangerous and devastating consequences for our rural districts.”

Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, leaders of the GOP-controlled Legislature, quickly issued a joint statement criticizing Kelly, saying the state's constitution limits line-item vetoes to appropriations.

"We strongly encourage the Attorney General to immediately review this unconstitutional overreach,” they said.

The spending plan, which would provide the bulk of the money that the state's 286 school districts rely on, would also expand a program aimed at providing private school scholarships for low-income families. Although Kelly opposes that provision, she didn't veto it.

Kelly said that because the bill mixed policy with funding, the Kansas Constitution allows her to veto parts but not all of the bill, as it does with legislation setting the state's annual budgets. Top Republicans are likely to object and to challenge the assertion in court.

The issue has never been tested legally, creating uncertainty about how much money school districts might have and what policies they might face the next academic year.

In her statement, Kelly said the GOP-backed bill would change the way districts count their enrollment, which determines their funding. Currently, districts are allowed to use one of the two previous school years to determine how much money they will receive.

The new education bill requires districts to use the current or previous year's enrollment to determine appropriations. That provision would force districts with declining enrollments to immediately make changes to budgets they have already approved for the upcoming year, she said.

Kelly also noted that the Kansas Supreme Court has upheld the current method for determining enrollment, and she said changing the formula would raise questions over the state's compliance with that law.

Education groups had pushed Kelly to veto the bill even though it would increase the state’s total aid to districts by about 4% for the next school year. The increases would vary by district, with 29 — most with fewer than 700 students — receiving less aid than they did this school year.

Kelly has signed education bills with a similar marriage of funding and policy in the past. But she and top Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-ks-state-wire-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-health-7302d46eef675734fe1343f2640236f9">clashed repeatedly</a>&nbsp;over her handling of the coronavirus pandemic. GOP lawmakers forced her to accept a whittling away of the powers of her office and of local officials to close schools and businesses and impose mask mandates.

If Kelly had vetoed the entire bill, she would have forced a special legislative session to ensure that schools are funded for the next school year because lawmakers have adjourned for the year. If she were to lose a court battle over her vetoing parts of the bill, it's unclear if the entire bill would become law or if it would die altogether.

Educators also were upset that GOP lawmakers rejected Kelly’s proposal to phase in a 70% increase in funding for programs for students with physical or intellectual disabilities, or behavioral problems. It would have required an extra $72 million in the next state budget, but legislators only approved $7.5 million.

Kelly said she was disappointed that lawmakers didn't increase special education funding and that they need to “correct their mistake” when they return for next year's session.

In a statement Thursday, the Kansas Association of School Boards praised Kelly's line-item veto and also expressed disappointment in lawmakers' “inadequate response” to special education funding at a time when the state has a record budget surplus.

And educators opposed provisions that would expand an income tax credit program for donors to funds that provide annual private school scholarships of up to $8,000 annually to students from low-income families. Although the total credits would remain capped at $10 million a year, more students would be eligible for the scholarships.

Kelly said most Kansans don't support such policies, and she chastised lawmakers for “logrolling” them into the education funding bill rather than proposing them as separate bills.

Conservative Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-vouchers-public-education-funding-kansas-88f7d2a5793c100e732d5ec38278da26">wanted to pass a far broader plan</a>&nbsp;to use state education dollars to help parents pay for private or home schooling for their children, something GOP lawmakers have enacted in other states, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-florida-nebraska-kim-reynolds-iowa-1fdab7c898730873b8c3b880223c5306">Iowa,</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-vouchers-south-carolina-bill-signing-cf089d5b3fc42bd74a54f93abb1bf131">South Carolina</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-state-government-arizona-iowa-south-carolina-kansas-091e6094fcea2852ec279fedf11759d8">Utah.</a>

Kelly is strongly opposed to the idea, saying public funds should go to public schools. Republican legislators were split.

The state constitution says that if any bill “contains several items of appropriation of money,” the governor can veto one or more “such items” while signing the rest.

While lawmakers often set policy in the budget with provisions directing how money must be spent or prohibiting some spending, those provisions are in effect only for a year. In the past, it's been uncommon for lawmakers to mix spending with measures rewriting state laws permanently, so governors haven't previously taken actions similar to Kelly's.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683654581347.png" alt="Kelly said that because the bill mixed policy with funding, the Kansas Constitution allows her to veto parts but not all of the bill, as it does with legislation setting the state's annual budgets. photo Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>Kelly said that because the bill mixed policy with funding, the Kansas Constitution allows her to veto parts but not all of the bill, as it does with legislation setting the state's annual budgets. photo Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure> By JOHN HANNA and MARGARET STAFFORD&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' Democratic governor on Thursday vetoed parts of the Republican-backed $6 billion funding plan for the state's K-12 schools, setting up a likely legal battle that will test her office's powers.Gov. Laura Kelly, who won reelection in the conservative state in November, issued a statement explaining her decision to take the unprecedented step of vetoing parts of the proposed education budget, saying she objected to one provision, in particular, that she says would cut funding for rural public schools, which have been dealing with declining enrollment.“This provision pulls the rug out from rural school districts at the 11th hour,” Kelly said. “If the provision is enacted, it will bring dangerous and devastating consequences for our rural districts.”Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, leaders of the GOP-controlled Legislature, quickly issued a joint statement criticizing Kelly, saying the state's constitution limits line-item vetoes to appropriations."We strongly encourage the Attorney General to immediately review this unconstitutional overreach,” they said.The spending plan, which would provide the bulk of the money that the state's 286 school districts rely on, would also expand a program aimed at providing private school scholarships for low-income families. Although Kelly opposes that provision, she didn't veto it.Kelly said that because the bill mixed policy with funding, the Kansas Constitution allows her to veto parts but not all of the bill, as it does with legislation setting the state's annual budgets. Top Republicans are likely to object and to challenge the assertion in court.The issue has never been tested legally, creating uncertainty about how much money school districts might have and what policies they might face the next academic year.In her statement, Kelly said the GOP-backed bill would change the way districts count their enrollment, which determines their funding. Currently, districts are allowed to use one of the two previous school years to determine how much money they will receive.The new education bill requires districts to use the current or previous year's enrollment to determine appropriations. That provision would force districts with declining enrollments to immediately make changes to budgets they have already approved for the upcoming year, she said.Kelly also noted that the Kansas Supreme Court has upheld the current method for determining enrollment, and she said changing the formula would raise questions over the state's compliance with that law.Education groups had pushed Kelly to veto the bill even though it would increase the state’s total aid to districts by about 4% for the next school year. The increases would vary by district, with 29 — most with fewer than 700 students — receiving less aid than they did this school year.Kelly has signed education bills with a similar marriage of funding and policy in the past. But she and top Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-ks-state-wire-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-health-7302d46eef675734fe1343f2640236f9">clashed repeatedly</a>&nbsp;over her handling of the coronavirus pandemic. GOP lawmakers forced her to accept a whittling away of the powers of her office and of local officials to close schools and businesses and impose mask mandates.If Kelly had vetoed the entire bill, she would have forced a special legislative session to ensure that schools are funded for the next school year because lawmakers have adjourned for the year. If she were to lose a court battle over her vetoing parts of the bill, it's unclear if the entire bill would become law or if it would die altogether.Educators also were upset that GOP lawmakers rejected Kelly’s proposal to phase in a 70% increase in funding for programs for students with physical or intellectual disabilities, or behavioral problems. It would have required an extra $72 million in the next state budget, but legislators only approved $7.5 million.Kelly said she was disappointed that lawmakers didn't increase special education funding and that they need to “correct their mistake” when they return for next year's session.In a statement Thursday, the Kansas Association of School Boards praised Kelly's line-item veto and also expressed disappointment in lawmakers' “inadequate response” to special education funding at a time when the state has a record budget surplus.And educators opposed provisions that would expand an income tax credit program for donors to funds that provide annual private school scholarships of up to $8,000 annually to students from low-income families. Although the total credits would remain capped at $10 million a year, more students would be eligible for the scholarships.Kelly said most Kansans don't support such policies, and she chastised lawmakers for “logrolling” them into the education funding bill rather than proposing them as separate bills.Conservative Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-vouchers-public-education-funding-kansas-88f7d2a5793c100e732d5ec38278da26">wanted to pass a far broader plan</a>&nbsp;to use state education dollars to help parents pay for private or home schooling for their children, something GOP lawmakers have enacted in other states, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-florida-nebraska-kim-reynolds-iowa-1fdab7c898730873b8c3b880223c5306">Iowa,</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-vouchers-south-carolina-bill-signing-cf089d5b3fc42bd74a54f93abb1bf131">South Carolina</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-state-government-arizona-iowa-south-carolina-kansas-091e6094fcea2852ec279fedf11759d8">Utah.</a>Kelly is strongly opposed to the idea, saying public funds should go to public schools. Republican legislators were split.The state constitution says that if any bill “contains several items of appropriation of money,” the governor can veto one or more “such items” while signing the rest.While lawmakers often set policy in the budget with provisions directing how money must be spent or prohibiting some spending, those provisions are in effect only for a year. In the past, it's been uncommon for lawmakers to mix spending with measures rewriting state laws permanently, so governors haven't previously taken actions similar to Kelly's.___

Kan. Gov. faces likely legal battle with GOP after veto on school funding bill

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a crime scene that sent three people to the hospital.&nbsp;

Just before 11p.m. Thursday, police responded to report of a shooting at a home in the 2700 block of North 123rd Street in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.

First responders found three adult women outside with critical injuries. EMS transported them to a local hospital. One died, one was listed in critical condition and the other had non-life-threatening injuries. 

Inside the home, officers found the male suspect who was dead.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a crime scene that sent three people to the hospital.&nbsp;Just before 11p.m. Thursday, police responded to report of a shooting at a home in the 2700 block of North 123rd Street in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.First responders found three adult women outside with critical injuries. EMS transported them to a local hospital. One died, one was listed in critical condition and the other had non-life-threatening injuries. Inside the home, officers found the male suspect who was dead.Police released no additional details early Friday.