By ERIC THOMAS <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/06/january-ushers-in-covid-19-turning-points-year-after-year-in-kansas/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>

The COVID-19 pandemic has crafted 
many of its dark landmarks during recent Januarys. The last three 
installments have brought perhaps the most significant events related to
 the virus: the month that introduced COVID-19 to Kansas, two months 
that contained the two most deadly and contagious surges, and also a 
month that introduced widespread vaccination.

Three years into the pandemic, it’s 
tempting to think that we know everything about this cataclysm that 
interrupted our lives — and then gave our lives back to us. Looking 
back, as my history teachers have instructed me, revealed what I 
couldn’t remember, and what I never knew.

In writing this column, some of what I
 learned (or relearned) came from scrolling back through the YouTube 
channel of the University of Kansas Health System, featuring chief 
medical officer Steven Stites. The updates that he, his colleagues and 
his staff posted so dutifully are like dispatches from the pandemic 
past, complete with the emotions of the moment and vital statistics from
 people who worked the front lines.

The last three years tested us as Kansans in dramatic ways. January provided the decisive moments.

Many of us think of March 2020 as the
 beginning of the pandemic in Kansas, because that is when we heard 
about the first cases of COVID-19 in the state, followed rapidly by the 
dramatic closures of almost all public institutions, notably schools.

However, two months earlier, in January 2020, the first Kansan died from COVID-19, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/08/24/first-covid-19-death-in-kansas-now-believed-to-be-from-early-january-2020/">a death certificate that was publicized more than a year later.</a>

As reported by the San Jose Mercury 
News, Lovell “Cookie” Brown, a grandmother from Leavenworth County, was 
the first Kansan whose death was attributed to the virus. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/09/02/exclusive-how-did-a-kansas-grandmother-just-become-the-first-u-s-covid-death-not-even-her-family-knew-until-this-week/">The Mercury News also reported</a>
 how Brown’s death appeared “to turn the clock back on the virus’ 
arrival in the U.S. but also suggest that it had surfaced much sooner in
 America’s heartland, far beyond the country’s early coastal hotspots.”

Anecdotally, many of us knew this to 
be true: The virus was present long before medical experts could prove 
it. For instance, one of my friends was devastated by fever, chills and 
coughing fits after traveling with me in January 2020. Months later, he 
tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, with no other sickness to 
explain them. He likely had COVID-19 during that first January.

COVID-19 was lurking, undetected, in Kansas well before we were aware.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/museum/timeline/covid19.html">Also during January 2020</a>:
 The Chinese city of Wuhan was locked down by the Chinese government. 
The virus was confirmed — for the first time contemporaneously — in the 
United States.&nbsp;

The deadliest time for Kansans 
fighting the COVID-19 virus ran right through January two years ago. 
Buttressed by a surge in December on one side and a frantic peak in 
February on the other, four weeks in January witnessed the death of 949 
Kansans, according to the CDC. A deadly January fed an even more lethal 
February.

According to the CDC, about 100,000 
tests were being performed each week, one of the most active times of 
testing for the entire pandemic.

However, January 2021 was distinct 
because of the battle beginning between virus and vaccine. More than 
four times as many Kansans were vaccinated during that month (more than 
214,000) than had been vaccinated during the previous month. The 
recovery had already begun.

Those January days were a clear 
turning point. The virus would kill almost 6,000 additional Kansans (and
 counting) in the following years, but vaccination slowed the 
infections. It was dazzling how much happened in 12 months.

“A year ago, we were just hearing the
 rumblings about what was going on across the ocean, and now look where 
we are at,” Stites said on a January episode of his YouTube series. That
 month, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsPHedUF9g4">Stites happily rolled up his sleeve</a> for a vaccination.

Seeing that reminded me of the 
urgency of those vaccinations. At that point, we asked ourselves, “Can I
 continue social distancing, masking and quarantine for just a bit 
longer, until I get the vaccine? Can I stay safe for a few more weeks?”

I recall how eager I was to get the 
vaccine, both to safeguard myself and to feel like I was helping slow 
the infection rate that was so deadly and so steadily climbing.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/museum/timeline/covid19.html">Also in January 2021</a>: The CDC required face masks on public transportation and inside transportation hubs.

After Omicron was <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-kansas-f539218dc9d3c0500691c74a09c00b25">confirmed in Kansas in December 2021</a>,
 the new year was a viral extravaganza. During the week that started 
Jan. 19, 2022, more than 79,000 people in Kansas tested positive. The 
state had not seen that many positive cases — in total — during the 
first six months of the pandemic.

If you search for the top four weeks 
of positive infections in Kansas, three of those weeks were in January 
2022. We struggled to locate enough tests, staking out pharmacies and 
trading tips with friends about where to get tested.

The number of resulting deaths was 
both infuriating and heartbreaking. Many Kansans died in hospital ICUs 
after refusing vaccination out of stubbornness or misinformation. Others
 died from underlying conditions that doomed them, once combined with 
the virus.

The conference call of regional medical experts that month was partially and ominously titled, “From Bad to Worse.”

Stites’ guests sighed and dispatched 
the latest news from their hospitals, where blood supplies were low, 
morgues were full and ventilators were tenuous.

“I would start by saying that the COVID blizzard continues.”

“I wish we could paint a different picture, but it’s not here.”

“Even when we try to prepare, it hits us pretty hard, and that’s where we are right now.”

Reacting to 17 recent deaths at the 
Kansas Medical Center and staring at a nationwide map of COVID-19 cases,
 Stites observed: “This is really a difficult map to see right now. I’ve
 never seen the country all be so purple at the same time. If you look 
at Kansas and Missouri, that’s really difficult.”

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/museum/timeline/covid19.html">Also in January 2022</a>: Nationwide, the news was similar; the U.S. had almost 1 million new infections, more than any other nation.

This January, however, we Kansans 
largely find ourselves less wondering what will happen next and more 
confident that the pandemic is simply over. That’s not to say that we 
are free from risk.

On his most recent COVID-19 update, 
Stites said: “I think that surge that we are going to see with everyone 
inside, with the Christmas and New Year’s Eve parties and get togethers,
 we will see how that plays out.”

Jennifer Schrimsher of Lawrence Memorial Hospital and Douglas County said: “COVID is still here. It still kills people.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

However, the conversations between 
the medical officers on Stites’ conference call sound more reflective 
than their previous urgency.

“I’m brought to a focus on how 
chronic this disease has become,” said Kevin Dishman, chief medical and 
quality officer at Stormont Vail Health in Topeka. “And we are all 
starting to use that word, which I think we are hearing both from 
doctors at academic centers and also across the state, and also now 
nationally, that the chronicity of this disease is going to be a 
challenge going forward.”

Dishman said on the conference call that the Topeka media center had consistently cared for 15 to 17 COVID-19 patients recently.

“If you think that, a few years ago 
we didn’t have anyone in the hospital like this,” Stites added. “And now
 10 to 15 percent of our hospital beds are taken up with one disease 
entity — one viral entity.”

Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association, a nonprofit that supports student journalism throughout the state. He also teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Kansas in Lawrence.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673024619311.png" alt="Steven Stites, chief medical officer of the University of Kansas Health System, said January 2022 was the most difficult moment in the COVID-19 pandemic for medical care providers. (Screen capture by Kansas Reflector from University of Kansas Health System video)" />
 <figcaption>Steven Stites, chief medical officer of the University of Kansas Health System, said January 2022 was the most difficult moment in the COVID-19 pandemic for medical care providers. (Screen capture by Kansas Reflector from University of Kansas Health System video)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ERIC THOMAS <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/06/january-ushers-in-covid-19-turning-points-year-after-year-in-kansas/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>The COVID-19 pandemic has crafted 
many of its dark landmarks during recent Januarys. The last three 
installments have brought perhaps the most significant events related to
 the virus: the month that introduced COVID-19 to Kansas, two months 
that contained the two most deadly and contagious surges, and also a 
month that introduced widespread vaccination.So it is that we arrive in January 2023.Three years into the pandemic, it’s 
tempting to think that we know everything about this cataclysm that 
interrupted our lives — and then gave our lives back to us. Looking 
back, as my history teachers have instructed me, revealed what I 
couldn’t remember, and what I never knew.In writing this column, some of what I
 learned (or relearned) came from scrolling back through the YouTube 
channel of the University of Kansas Health System, featuring chief 
medical officer Steven Stites. The updates that he, his colleagues and 
his staff posted so dutifully are like dispatches from the pandemic 
past, complete with the emotions of the moment and vital statistics from
 people who worked the front lines.The last three years tested us as Kansans in dramatic ways. January provided the decisive moments.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673024693260.png" alt="A Jayhawk statue at the University of Kansas in Lawrence sports a face mask in the later months of 2020. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>A Jayhawk statue at the University of Kansas in Lawrence sports a face mask in the later months of 2020. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>January 2020: The start</h2>Many of us think of March 2020 as the
 beginning of the pandemic in Kansas, because that is when we heard 
about the first cases of COVID-19 in the state, followed rapidly by the 
dramatic closures of almost all public institutions, notably schools.However, two months earlier, in January 2020, the first Kansan died from COVID-19, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/08/24/first-covid-19-death-in-kansas-now-believed-to-be-from-early-january-2020/">a death certificate that was publicized more than a year later.</a>As reported by the San Jose Mercury 
News, Lovell “Cookie” Brown, a grandmother from Leavenworth County, was 
the first Kansan whose death was attributed to the virus. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/09/02/exclusive-how-did-a-kansas-grandmother-just-become-the-first-u-s-covid-death-not-even-her-family-knew-until-this-week/">The Mercury News also reported</a>
 how Brown’s death appeared “to turn the clock back on the virus’ 
arrival in the U.S. but also suggest that it had surfaced much sooner in
 America’s heartland, far beyond the country’s early coastal hotspots.”Anecdotally, many of us knew this to 
be true: The virus was present long before medical experts could prove 
it. For instance, one of my friends was devastated by fever, chills and 
coughing fits after traveling with me in January 2020. Months later, he 
tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, with no other sickness to 
explain them. He likely had COVID-19 during that first January.COVID-19 was lurking, undetected, in Kansas well before we were aware.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/museum/timeline/covid19.html">Also during January 2020</a>:
 The Chinese city of Wuhan was locked down by the Chinese government. 
The virus was confirmed — for the first time contemporaneously — in the 
United States.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673024735476.png" alt="A participant looks away at the moment a COVID-19 vaccine needle makes contact during a temporary clinic at Topeka High School in 2021. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>A participant looks away at the moment a COVID-19 vaccine needle makes contact during a temporary clinic at Topeka High School in 2021. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>January 2021: The battle</h2>The deadliest time for Kansans 
fighting the COVID-19 virus ran right through January two years ago. 
Buttressed by a surge in December on one side and a frantic peak in 
February on the other, four weeks in January witnessed the death of 949 
Kansans, according to the CDC. A deadly January fed an even more lethal 
February.According to the CDC, about 100,000 
tests were being performed each week, one of the most active times of 
testing for the entire pandemic.However, January 2021 was distinct 
because of the battle beginning between virus and vaccine. More than 
four times as many Kansans were vaccinated during that month (more than 
214,000) than had been vaccinated during the previous month. The 
recovery had already begun.Those January days were a clear 
turning point. The virus would kill almost 6,000 additional Kansans (and
 counting) in the following years, but vaccination slowed the 
infections. It was dazzling how much happened in 12 months.“A year ago, we were just hearing the
 rumblings about what was going on across the ocean, and now look where 
we are at,” Stites said on a January episode of his YouTube series. That
 month, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsPHedUF9g4">Stites happily rolled up his sleeve</a> for a vaccination.Seeing that reminded me of the 
urgency of those vaccinations. At that point, we asked ourselves, “Can I
 continue social distancing, masking and quarantine for just a bit 
longer, until I get the vaccine? Can I stay safe for a few more weeks?”I recall how eager I was to get the 
vaccine, both to safeguard myself and to feel like I was helping slow 
the infection rate that was so deadly and so steadily climbing.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/museum/timeline/covid19.html">Also in January 2021</a>: The CDC required face masks on public transportation and inside transportation hubs.<h2>January 2022: The peak</h2>After Omicron was <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-kansas-f539218dc9d3c0500691c74a09c00b25">confirmed in Kansas in December 2021</a>,
 the new year was a viral extravaganza. During the week that started 
Jan. 19, 2022, more than 79,000 people in Kansas tested positive. The 
state had not seen that many positive cases — in total — during the 
first six months of the pandemic.If you search for the top four weeks 
of positive infections in Kansas, three of those weeks were in January 
2022. We struggled to locate enough tests, staking out pharmacies and 
trading tips with friends about where to get tested.The number of resulting deaths was 
both infuriating and heartbreaking. Many Kansans died in hospital ICUs 
after refusing vaccination out of stubbornness or misinformation. Others
 died from underlying conditions that doomed them, once combined with 
the virus.The conference call of regional medical experts that month was partially and ominously titled, “From Bad to Worse.”Stites’ guests sighed and dispatched 
the latest news from their hospitals, where blood supplies were low, 
morgues were full and ventilators were tenuous.“I would start by saying that the COVID blizzard continues.”“This has been a difficult time.”“I wish we could paint a different picture, but it’s not here.”“Even when we try to prepare, it hits us pretty hard, and that’s where we are right now.”Reacting to 17 recent deaths at the 
Kansas Medical Center and staring at a nationwide map of COVID-19 cases,
 Stites observed: “This is really a difficult map to see right now. I’ve
 never seen the country all be so purple at the same time. If you look 
at Kansas and Missouri, that’s really difficult.”<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/museum/timeline/covid19.html">Also in January 2022</a>: Nationwide, the news was similar; the U.S. had almost 1 million new infections, more than any other nation.<h2>January 2023: The hope</h2>This January, however, we Kansans 
largely find ourselves less wondering what will happen next and more 
confident that the pandemic is simply over. That’s not to say that we 
are free from risk.On his most recent COVID-19 update, 
Stites said: “I think that surge that we are going to see with everyone 
inside, with the Christmas and New Year’s Eve parties and get togethers,
 we will see how that plays out.”Jennifer Schrimsher of Lawrence Memorial Hospital and Douglas County said: “COVID is still here. It still kills people.”&nbsp;&nbsp;However, the conversations between 
the medical officers on Stites’ conference call sound more reflective 
than their previous urgency.“I’m brought to a focus on how 
chronic this disease has become,” said Kevin Dishman, chief medical and 
quality officer at Stormont Vail Health in Topeka. “And we are all 
starting to use that word, which I think we are hearing both from 
doctors at academic centers and also across the state, and also now 
nationally, that the chronicity of this disease is going to be a 
challenge going forward.”Dishman said on the conference call that the Topeka media center had consistently cared for 15 to 17 COVID-19 patients recently.“If you think that, a few years ago 
we didn’t have anyone in the hospital like this,” Stites added. “And now
 10 to 15 percent of our hospital beds are taken up with one disease 
entity — one viral entity.”Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association, a nonprofit that supports student journalism throughout the state. He also teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Kansas in Lawrence.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

OPINION: January ushers in COVID turning points year after year

LANSING, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Kansas Department of Corrections are investigating a homicide that occurred Friday night at the Lansing Correctional Facility.

&nbsp;Just before 8:30 p.m., Friday corrections officers from the Lansing Correctional Facility were summoned to a two-person cell by a 25-year-old male inmate in the cell, according to a media release from the KBI.

When they arrived they found the other occupant, 62-year-old Gary Raburn, unresponsive inside the cell. He appeared to have been attacked and strangled.

Corrections officers entered the cell and attempted life-saving measures. EMS responded and continued attempts to revive Raburn, however, he was declared deceased at approximately 9:30 p.m, according to the KBI.

Raburn was serving a sentence from Sedgwick County for two counts of violating the Kansas Offender Registration Act and was admitted to the facility on March 14, 2022.&nbsp; His underlying offenses are from Neosho County for one count of aggravated kidnapping in 2005 and a 2017 Sedgwick County violation of the Kansas Offender Registration Act.&nbsp;

An autopsy will be conducted. A suspect has been identified, but charges are pending, according to the KBI.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673107757931.png" alt="Raburn-photo KBI Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Raburn-photo KBI Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>LANSING, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Kansas Department of Corrections are investigating a homicide that occurred Friday night at the Lansing Correctional Facility.&nbsp;Just before 8:30 p.m., Friday corrections officers from the Lansing Correctional Facility were summoned to a two-person cell by a 25-year-old male inmate in the cell, according to a media release from the KBI.When they arrived they found the other occupant, 62-year-old Gary Raburn, unresponsive inside the cell. He appeared to have been attacked and strangled.Corrections officers entered the cell and attempted life-saving measures. EMS responded and continued attempts to revive Raburn, however, he was declared deceased at approximately 9:30 p.m, according to the KBI.Raburn was serving a sentence from Sedgwick County for two counts of violating the Kansas Offender Registration Act and was admitted to the facility on March 14, 2022.&nbsp; His underlying offenses are from Neosho County for one count of aggravated kidnapping in 2005 and a 2017 Sedgwick County violation of the Kansas Offender Registration Act.&nbsp;An autopsy will be conducted. A suspect has been identified, but charges are pending, according to the KBI.

Homicide: Registered Kan. offender strangled in prison cell

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas water experts are sounding an alarm decades in the making: Farmers and ranchers in the state's western half must stop pumping more water out of a vast aquifer than nature puts back each year or risk the economic collapse of a region important to the U.S. food supply.

That warning is setting up a big and messy fight for the annual session of the Kansas Legislature set to open Monday.

The Kansas Water Authority is telling lawmakers that Kansas needs to break sharply with its decades long policy of slowing depletion while still allowing water levels to drop in the Ogallala Aquifer. The aquifer covers roughly 175,000 square miles in the western and Great Plains states of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming and South Dakota.

Most of those states have areas where depletion is a problem, but the call in Kansas to “halt” the declines has farmers, ranchers and politically influential agriculture groups preparing to battle proposals that would give them less control over water and possibly could force them to cultivate fewer acres, buy expensive new equipment or turn on a dime to grow different crops.

Imposing the Water Authority's policy means agribusinesses that drive the region's economy would have to consume less water — perhaps as much as 30% less in some areas. Lawmakers also would have to decide whether local officials would keep driving conservation efforts or if the state would be in charge.

“The easy part was making the statement. That didn’t cost anybody anything,” said Clay Scott, who farms in southwestern Kansas. “We’re going to have to start paying for it, and we have to decide how that gets divvied up.”

Kansas produces more than 20% of the nation's wheat and has about 18% of the cattle being fed in the U.S. The western third of Kansas, home to most of its portion of the Ogallala, accounts for 60% of the value of all Kansas crops and livestock. That's possible because of the water.

<a href="https://kwo.ks.gov/docs/default-source/kansas-water-authority-page/annual-report-2023-draft.pdf?sfvrsn=ed658e14_2">The recommendation</a>&nbsp;on the Ogallala from the water authority, a planning and advisory commission, is a response to data showing that since widespread pumping began around 1940, much of the Ogallala&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/OFR/2022/OFR2022-27.pdf">has lost at least 30% of</a><a href="https://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/OFR/2022/OFR2022-27.pdf">its available water</a>&nbsp;and more than 60% in places in western Kansas. The Kansas Geological Survey had a team in western Kansas this week to measure well depths for updated figures.

“There are wells that are starting to run dry already, so this isn’t a distant problem in some areas,” said Tom Buller, executive director of the Kansas Rural Center, a nonprofit that promotes sustainable agriculture and family farming. “There isn’t a lot of time to solve the problem.”

The Water Authority's recommendation comes as much of the western U.S. continues to suffer through a megadrought fueled by climate change. Parts of Kansas have had drought conditions for a year, and more than half the state has been in extreme drought since mid-September.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is currently working on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/colorado-river-droughts-climate-and-environment-c04cbad0ef3758f8f2f39460b575e911">a plan to cut water use</a>&nbsp;from the Colorado River in western states by 15%, and Arizona is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-arizona-kansas-kingman-climate-and-environment-3930e382b67255333a8172f044da2609">restricting large-scale farming.</a>&nbsp;Nebraska last year launched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-colorado-river-droughts-8948b3bc74335b94ba86fd9f3b631e02">a $500 million canal project</a>&nbsp;to divert water from the South Platte River in Colorado.

“We are told that the future, due to climate change, is going to get warmer and drier in western Kansas,” said Connie Owen, director of the Kansas Water Office, which oversees long-term plans for preserving water. “That is making things worse, which is all the more reason that we have to deal with this now.”

There's broad agreement, including among powerful agriculture groups and nervous farmers and ranchers, that Kansas needs to extend the aquifer's life.

But the path forward isn't yet clear for Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and the Republican-controlled Legislature.

In a pre-session interview, Kelly promised only to get affected parties together to negotiate a comprehensive solution. She added that following her narrow reelection in November, “I’ve got some political capital to spend to deal with what will be a very contentious issue.”

Depletion of the Ogallala was one reason that in the Kansas House, the Water Committee last year considered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-environment-and-nature-kansas-topeka-water-management-1df02b1fe32b37c7a090a7f5768c6dc4">a 283-page bipartisan proposal</a>&nbsp;to set aside $49 million a year for conservation efforts and other programs. The measure also would have reorganized those programs and made the official who grants rights to use water independent of the state Department of Agriculture. In addition, it would have curbed the power of big irrigators in local districts that manage groundwater use, including from the Ogallala.

Opponents included the Kansas Farm Bureau and the Kansas Livestock Association. Nothing ultimately passed after critics accused supporters of drafting it largely in secret. The committee's chair later retired.

The new Water Committee chair, Republican Rep. Jim Minnix, a southwestern Kansas farmer, said he hopes to work on incentives for local officials to be more aggressive about water conservation.

The state allows local districts to set restrictions, and one in northwest Kansas gets high marks from water experts and officials for cutting water use. In one area of 99 square miles (256 square kilometers), it set water-use rules, sought to cut consumption 20% and reduced it 35% over the past decade, according to Manager Shannon Kenyon.

Kenyon prizes local control but said the state should take charge where local officials haven't pursued enough conservation.

If local officials allow the water dry up, she said, “They are going to kill the economy in the state of Kansas,” Kenyon said.

Some western Kansas farmers argue that the state's best move is to ramp up education about ways to conserve water and provide incentives to help farmers adopt them. Several of them, as well as local water officials, said agriculture has become more careful with water over the past several decades through new technology, new crop varieties and better farming practices.

Lee Reeve, whose family has farmed near Garden City in southwest Kansas for more than 100 years and now operates a cattle feed yard and ethanol plant, sees the Water Authority's language on halting depletion as “toxic,” noting that farmers already are suspicious of government programs.

“There’s just enough of this scare stuff out there that it's hard to get through to people that, ‘Hey, there are things we can do,’” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614111337746.jpeg" alt="photo Kansas Geological Survey" />
 <figcaption>photo Kansas Geological Survey</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas water experts are sounding an alarm decades in the making: Farmers and ranchers in the state's western half must stop pumping more water out of a vast aquifer than nature puts back each year or risk the economic collapse of a region important to the U.S. food supply.That warning is setting up a big and messy fight for the annual session of the Kansas Legislature set to open Monday.The Kansas Water Authority is telling lawmakers that Kansas needs to break sharply with its decades long policy of slowing depletion while still allowing water levels to drop in the Ogallala Aquifer. The aquifer covers roughly 175,000 square miles in the western and Great Plains states of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming and South Dakota.Most of those states have areas where depletion is a problem, but the call in Kansas to “halt” the declines has farmers, ranchers and politically influential agriculture groups preparing to battle proposals that would give them less control over water and possibly could force them to cultivate fewer acres, buy expensive new equipment or turn on a dime to grow different crops.Imposing the Water Authority's policy means agribusinesses that drive the region's economy would have to consume less water — perhaps as much as 30% less in some areas. Lawmakers also would have to decide whether local officials would keep driving conservation efforts or if the state would be in charge.“The easy part was making the statement. That didn’t cost anybody anything,” said Clay Scott, who farms in southwestern Kansas. “We’re going to have to start paying for it, and we have to decide how that gets divvied up.”Kansas produces more than 20% of the nation's wheat and has about 18% of the cattle being fed in the U.S. The western third of Kansas, home to most of its portion of the Ogallala, accounts for 60% of the value of all Kansas crops and livestock. That's possible because of the water.<a href="https://kwo.ks.gov/docs/default-source/kansas-water-authority-page/annual-report-2023-draft.pdf?sfvrsn=ed658e14_2">The recommendation</a>&nbsp;on the Ogallala from the water authority, a planning and advisory commission, is a response to data showing that since widespread pumping began around 1940, much of the Ogallala&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/OFR/2022/OFR2022-27.pdf">has lost at least 30% of</a><a href="https://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/OFR/2022/OFR2022-27.pdf">its available water</a>&nbsp;and more than 60% in places in western Kansas. The Kansas Geological Survey had a team in western Kansas this week to measure well depths for updated figures.“There are wells that are starting to run dry already, so this isn’t a distant problem in some areas,” said Tom Buller, executive director of the Kansas Rural Center, a nonprofit that promotes sustainable agriculture and family farming. “There isn’t a lot of time to solve the problem.”The Water Authority's recommendation comes as much of the western U.S. continues to suffer through a megadrought fueled by climate change. Parts of Kansas have had drought conditions for a year, and more than half the state has been in extreme drought since mid-September.The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is currently working on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/colorado-river-droughts-climate-and-environment-c04cbad0ef3758f8f2f39460b575e911">a plan to cut water use</a>&nbsp;from the Colorado River in western states by 15%, and Arizona is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-arizona-kansas-kingman-climate-and-environment-3930e382b67255333a8172f044da2609">restricting large-scale farming.</a>&nbsp;Nebraska last year launched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-colorado-river-droughts-8948b3bc74335b94ba86fd9f3b631e02">a $500 million canal project</a>&nbsp;to divert water from the South Platte River in Colorado.“We are told that the future, due to climate change, is going to get warmer and drier in western Kansas,” said Connie Owen, director of the Kansas Water Office, which oversees long-term plans for preserving water. “That is making things worse, which is all the more reason that we have to deal with this now.”There's broad agreement, including among powerful agriculture groups and nervous farmers and ranchers, that Kansas needs to extend the aquifer's life.But the path forward isn't yet clear for Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and the Republican-controlled Legislature.In a pre-session interview, Kelly promised only to get affected parties together to negotiate a comprehensive solution. She added that following her narrow reelection in November, “I’ve got some political capital to spend to deal with what will be a very contentious issue.”Depletion of the Ogallala was one reason that in the Kansas House, the Water Committee last year considered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-environment-and-nature-kansas-topeka-water-management-1df02b1fe32b37c7a090a7f5768c6dc4">a 283-page bipartisan proposal</a>&nbsp;to set aside $49 million a year for conservation efforts and other programs. The measure also would have reorganized those programs and made the official who grants rights to use water independent of the state Department of Agriculture. In addition, it would have curbed the power of big irrigators in local districts that manage groundwater use, including from the Ogallala.Opponents included the Kansas Farm Bureau and the Kansas Livestock Association. Nothing ultimately passed after critics accused supporters of drafting it largely in secret. The committee's chair later retired.The new Water Committee chair, Republican Rep. Jim Minnix, a southwestern Kansas farmer, said he hopes to work on incentives for local officials to be more aggressive about water conservation.The state allows local districts to set restrictions, and one in northwest Kansas gets high marks from water experts and officials for cutting water use. In one area of 99 square miles (256 square kilometers), it set water-use rules, sought to cut consumption 20% and reduced it 35% over the past decade, according to Manager Shannon Kenyon.Kenyon prizes local control but said the state should take charge where local officials haven't pursued enough conservation.If local officials allow the water dry up, she said, “They are going to kill the economy in the state of Kansas,” Kenyon said.Some western Kansas farmers argue that the state's best move is to ramp up education about ways to conserve water and provide incentives to help farmers adopt them. Several of them, as well as local water officials, said agriculture has become more careful with water over the past several decades through new technology, new crop varieties and better farming practices.Lee Reeve, whose family has farmed near Garden City in southwest Kansas for more than 100 years and now operates a cattle feed yard and ethanol plant, sees the Water Authority's language on halting depletion as “toxic,” noting that farmers already are suspicious of government programs.“There’s just enough of this scare stuff out there that it's hard to get through to people that, ‘Hey, there are things we can do,’” he said.

Warning about aquifer's decline sets up big fight in Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide and asking the public for help with information.

Just before 4:30a.m. January 1, police responded to an Assist Fire Department call in the 5200 block of W. 8th Street North in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

 Fire crews has responded to the scene after a man called 911 to report that he believed his friend was dead inside a residence at that location.

 Fire crews located the body of 44-year-old Ricky Beans inside the home and pronounced him deceased.

Investigators responded and observed Beans with gunshot wounds.&nbsp; They also learned that Beans was at the location with several others attending a gathering at the home when an altercation occurred inside the residence which led to Beans being shot. 

This is believed to have occurred in the early morning hours of January 1.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide and asking the public for help with information.Just before 4:30a.m. January 1, police responded to an Assist Fire Department call in the 5200 block of W. 8th Street North in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy. Fire crews has responded to the scene after a man called 911 to report that he believed his friend was dead inside a residence at that location. Fire crews located the body of 44-year-old Ricky Beans inside the home and pronounced him deceased.Investigators responded and observed Beans with gunshot wounds.&nbsp; They also learned that Beans was at the location with several others attending a gathering at the home when an altercation occurred inside the residence which led to Beans being shot. This is believed to have occurred in the early morning hours of January 1.

Police: Man found dead in Kansas house fire had been shot

KANSAS CITY —An 18-year-old faces felony criminal charges in connection with the Dec. 11, fatal shooting of Robert Butler outside a Kansas City-area residence, according to Jackson County Prosuctor Jean Peters Baker.

Vyshon D. Wilson of Independence faces Murder in the 2nd Degree and Armed Criminal Action charges.

Wilson is not in custody but police have asked the public for help in locating him.

According to court records, on Dec. 11, police were dispatched to the 4600 block of Brentwood regarding a shooting. Officers found the victim, later identified as Robert G. Butler Jr, in front of the residence. 

He had suffered multiple gunshot wounds. A witness told police who shot the victim. Other witnesses at the scene verified the suspect identified as Wilson had been at the residence for a small party. After the suspect shot the victim, he fled the scene and dropped a cell phone at the scene.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673101839993.png" alt="Vyshon D. Wilson-photo Independence Police" />
 <figcaption>Vyshon D. Wilson-photo Independence Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —An 18-year-old faces felony criminal charges in connection with the Dec. 11, fatal shooting of Robert Butler outside a Kansas City-area residence, according to Jackson County Prosuctor Jean Peters Baker.Vyshon D. Wilson of Independence faces Murder in the 2nd Degree and Armed Criminal Action charges.Wilson is not in custody but police have asked the public for help in locating him.According to court records, on Dec. 11, police were dispatched to the 4600 block of Brentwood regarding a shooting. Officers found the victim, later identified as Robert G. Butler Jr, in front of the residence. He had suffered multiple gunshot wounds. A witness told police who shot the victim. Other witnesses at the scene verified the suspect identified as Wilson had been at the residence for a small party. After the suspect shot the victim, he fled the scene and dropped a cell phone at the scene.&nbsp;

Police ask for help to locate suspect in KC-area party killing

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;was elected House speaker on a historic post-midnight 15th ballot early Saturday, overcoming holdouts from his own ranks and floor tensions that boiled over after a chaotic week that tested the new GOP majority’s ability to govern.

“My father always told me, it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish,” McCarthy told cheering fellow Republicans.

Eager to confront President Joe Biden and the Democrats, he promised subpoenas and investigations. “Now the hard work begins," the California Republican declared. He credited former President Donald Trump for standing with him and for making late calls “helping get those final votes.”

Republicans roared in celebration when his victory was announced, chanting “USA! USA!”

Finally elected, McCarthy took the oath of office, and the House was finally able to swear in newly elected lawmakers who had been waiting all week for the chamber to formally open and the 2023-24 session to begin.

After four days of grueling ballots, McCarthy flipped more than a dozen conservative holdouts to become supporters, including the chairman of the chamber’s Freedom Caucus.

He fell one vote short on the 14th ballot, and the chamber became raucous, unruly.

McCarthy strode to the back of the chamber to confront Republican Matt Gaetz, sitting with Lauren Boebert and other holdouts. Fingers were pointed, words exchanged and violence apparently just averted.

At one point, Republican Mike Rogers of Alabama, shouting, approached Gaetz before another Republican, Richard Hudson, physically pulled him back.

Order restored, the Republicans fell in line to give McCarthy the post he had fought so hard to gain, House speaker, second in the line of succession to the presidency.

The few remaining Republican holdouts began voting present, dropping the tally he needed. It was the end of a bitter standoff that had shown the strengths and fragility of American democracy.

The tally was 216-212 with Democrats voting for leader Hakeem Jeffries, and six Republican holdouts to McCarthy simply voting present.

The night's stunning turn of events came after McCarthy agreed to many of the detractors’ demands — including the reinstatement of a longstanding House rule that would allow any single member to call a vote to oust him from office.

Even as McCarthy secured the votes he needs, he will emerge as a weakened speaker, having given away some powers and constantly under the threat of being booted by his detractors.

But he could also be emboldened as a survivor of one of the more brutal fights for the gavel in U.S. history. Not since the Civil War era has a speaker's vote dragged through so many rounds of voting.

The showdown that has stymied the new Congress came against the backdrop of the second anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, which shook the country when a mob of Trump’s supporters tried to stop Congress from certifying the Republican’s 2020 election defeat to Biden.

At a Capitol event Friday, some lawmakers, all but one of them Democrats, observed a moment of silence and praised officers who helped protect Congress on that day. And at the White House, Biden handed out medals to officers and others who fought the attackers.

“America is a land of laws, not chaos,” he said.

At the afternoon speaker's vote, a number of Republicans tiring of the spectacle temporarily walked out when one of McCarthy's most ardent challengers, Gaetz, railed against the GOP leader.

Contours of a deal with conservative holdouts who had been blocking McCarthy's rise had emerged the night before, and took hold after four dismal days and 14 failed votes in an intraparty standoff&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-house-of-representatives-kentucky-kevin-mccarthy-e177c4405ef9b8a7b38641a15855764c">unseen in modern times</a>.

One significant former holdout — Republican Scott Perry, chairman of the conservative Freedom Caucus, who had been a leader of Trump's efforts to challenge the 2020 election — tweeted after his switched vote for McCarthy, “We're at a turning point.”

Another Republican holdout, Byron Donalds of Florida, who was repeatedly nominated as an alternative candidate for speaker, switched Friday too, voting for McCarthy.

Trump may have played a role in swaying some holdouts — calling into a meeting of Republican freshmen the night before, and calling other members ahead of voting. He had urged Republicans to wrap up their public dispute.

As Republican Mike Garcia nominated McCarthy on Friday, he also thanked the U.S. Capitol Police who were given a standing ovation for protecting lawmakers and the legislative seat of democracy on Jan. 6.

But in nominating the Democratic leader Jeffries, Democrat Jim Clyburn recalled the horror of that day and told his colleagues, “The eyes of the country are on us today.”

Electing a speaker is normally an easy, joyous task for a party that has just won majority control. But not this time: About 200 Republicans were stymied by 20 far-right colleagues who said McCarthy was not conservative enough.

The House adjourned Friday until late in the night, giving time for last-minute negotiations and allowing two absent Republican colleagues to return to Washington.

Newly elected Wesley Hunt of Texas arrived to vote for McCarthy — to applause, days after his wife had given birth — as did Ken Buck of Colorado.

The disorganized start to the new Congress pointed to difficulties ahead with Republicans now in control of the House, much the way that some past Republican speakers, including John Boehner, had trouble leading a rebellious right flank. The result: government shutdowns, standoffs and Boehner’s early retirement when conservatives threatened to oust him.

The agreement McCarthy presented to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-mccarthy-hard-right-foes-5edc1d9468e606a3f1230e98702d9a23">the holdouts</a>&nbsp;from the Freedom Caucus and others centers around rules changes they have been seeking for months. Those changes would shrink the power of the speaker’s office and give rank-and-file lawmakers more influence in drafting and passing legislation.

At the core of the emerging deal was the reinstatement of a House rule that would allow a single lawmaker to make a motion to “vacate the chair,” essentially calling a vote to oust the speaker. McCarthy had resisted allowing a return to the longstanding rule that former Speaker Nancy Pelosi had done away with, because it had been held over the head of Boehner. But it appears McCarthy had no other choice.

Other wins for the holdouts are more obscure and include provisions in the proposed deal to expand the number of seats available on the House Rules Committee; to mandate 72 hours for bills to be posted before votes; and to promise to try for a constitutional amendment that would impose federal limits on the number of terms a person could serve in the House and Senate.

Before Friday's ballots, Democratic leader Jeffries of New York had won the most votes on every ballot but also remained short of a majority. McCarthy had run second, gaining no ground.

The longest fight for the gavel started in late 1855 and dragged on for two months, with 133 ballots, during debates over slavery in the run-up to the Civil War.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673095339769.png" alt="After four days of grueling ballots, McCarthy flipped more than a dozen conservative holdouts to become supporters, including the chairman of the chamber’s Freedom Caucus-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>After four days of grueling ballots, McCarthy flipped more than a dozen conservative holdouts to become supporters, including the chairman of the chamber’s Freedom Caucus-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;was elected House speaker on a historic post-midnight 15th ballot early Saturday, overcoming holdouts from his own ranks and floor tensions that boiled over after a chaotic week that tested the new GOP majority’s ability to govern.“My father always told me, it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish,” McCarthy told cheering fellow Republicans.Eager to confront President Joe Biden and the Democrats, he promised subpoenas and investigations. “Now the hard work begins," the California Republican declared. He credited former President Donald Trump for standing with him and for making late calls “helping get those final votes.”Republicans roared in celebration when his victory was announced, chanting “USA! USA!”Finally elected, McCarthy took the oath of office, and the House was finally able to swear in newly elected lawmakers who had been waiting all week for the chamber to formally open and the 2023-24 session to begin.After four days of grueling ballots, McCarthy flipped more than a dozen conservative holdouts to become supporters, including the chairman of the chamber’s Freedom Caucus.He fell one vote short on the 14th ballot, and the chamber became raucous, unruly.McCarthy strode to the back of the chamber to confront Republican Matt Gaetz, sitting with Lauren Boebert and other holdouts. Fingers were pointed, words exchanged and violence apparently just averted.At one point, Republican Mike Rogers of Alabama, shouting, approached Gaetz before another Republican, Richard Hudson, physically pulled him back.“Stay civil!” someone shouted.Order restored, the Republicans fell in line to give McCarthy the post he had fought so hard to gain, House speaker, second in the line of succession to the presidency.The few remaining Republican holdouts began voting present, dropping the tally he needed. It was the end of a bitter standoff that had shown the strengths and fragility of American democracy.The tally was 216-212 with Democrats voting for leader Hakeem Jeffries, and six Republican holdouts to McCarthy simply voting present.The night's stunning turn of events came after McCarthy agreed to many of the detractors’ demands — including the reinstatement of a longstanding House rule that would allow any single member to call a vote to oust him from office.Even as McCarthy secured the votes he needs, he will emerge as a weakened speaker, having given away some powers and constantly under the threat of being booted by his detractors.But he could also be emboldened as a survivor of one of the more brutal fights for the gavel in U.S. history. Not since the Civil War era has a speaker's vote dragged through so many rounds of voting.The showdown that has stymied the new Congress came against the backdrop of the second anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, which shook the country when a mob of Trump’s supporters tried to stop Congress from certifying the Republican’s 2020 election defeat to Biden.At a Capitol event Friday, some lawmakers, all but one of them Democrats, observed a moment of silence and praised officers who helped protect Congress on that day. And at the White House, Biden handed out medals to officers and others who fought the attackers.“America is a land of laws, not chaos,” he said.At the afternoon speaker's vote, a number of Republicans tiring of the spectacle temporarily walked out when one of McCarthy's most ardent challengers, Gaetz, railed against the GOP leader.Contours of a deal with conservative holdouts who had been blocking McCarthy's rise had emerged the night before, and took hold after four dismal days and 14 failed votes in an intraparty standoff&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-house-of-representatives-kentucky-kevin-mccarthy-e177c4405ef9b8a7b38641a15855764c">unseen in modern times</a>.One significant former holdout — Republican Scott Perry, chairman of the conservative Freedom Caucus, who had been a leader of Trump's efforts to challenge the 2020 election — tweeted after his switched vote for McCarthy, “We're at a turning point.”Another Republican holdout, Byron Donalds of Florida, who was repeatedly nominated as an alternative candidate for speaker, switched Friday too, voting for McCarthy.Trump may have played a role in swaying some holdouts — calling into a meeting of Republican freshmen the night before, and calling other members ahead of voting. He had urged Republicans to wrap up their public dispute.As Republican Mike Garcia nominated McCarthy on Friday, he also thanked the U.S. Capitol Police who were given a standing ovation for protecting lawmakers and the legislative seat of democracy on Jan. 6.But in nominating the Democratic leader Jeffries, Democrat Jim Clyburn recalled the horror of that day and told his colleagues, “The eyes of the country are on us today.”Electing a speaker is normally an easy, joyous task for a party that has just won majority control. But not this time: About 200 Republicans were stymied by 20 far-right colleagues who said McCarthy was not conservative enough.The House adjourned Friday until late in the night, giving time for last-minute negotiations and allowing two absent Republican colleagues to return to Washington.Newly elected Wesley Hunt of Texas arrived to vote for McCarthy — to applause, days after his wife had given birth — as did Ken Buck of Colorado.The disorganized start to the new Congress pointed to difficulties ahead with Republicans now in control of the House, much the way that some past Republican speakers, including John Boehner, had trouble leading a rebellious right flank. The result: government shutdowns, standoffs and Boehner’s early retirement when conservatives threatened to oust him.The agreement McCarthy presented to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-mccarthy-hard-right-foes-5edc1d9468e606a3f1230e98702d9a23">the holdouts</a>&nbsp;from the Freedom Caucus and others centers around rules changes they have been seeking for months. Those changes would shrink the power of the speaker’s office and give rank-and-file lawmakers more influence in drafting and passing legislation.At the core of the emerging deal was the reinstatement of a House rule that would allow a single lawmaker to make a motion to “vacate the chair,” essentially calling a vote to oust the speaker. McCarthy had resisted allowing a return to the longstanding rule that former Speaker Nancy Pelosi had done away with, because it had been held over the head of Boehner. But it appears McCarthy had no other choice.Other wins for the holdouts are more obscure and include provisions in the proposed deal to expand the number of seats available on the House Rules Committee; to mandate 72 hours for bills to be posted before votes; and to promise to try for a constitutional amendment that would impose federal limits on the number of terms a person could serve in the House and Senate.Before Friday's ballots, Democratic leader Jeffries of New York had won the most votes on every ballot but also remained short of a majority. McCarthy had run second, gaining no ground.The longest fight for the gavel started in late 1855 and dragged on for two months, with 133 ballots, during debates over slavery in the run-up to the Civil War.

McCarthy elected House speaker in rowdy post-midnight vote

GEARY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a teen whose body was found in Junction City.

Just before 1:30 p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to the 2700 block of Forte Avenue in Junction City reference to a possible deceased individual, according to a media release.

Upon arrival, officers located Carson Simon, an 18-year-old man from Ogden deceased. This investigation has since been classified as a homicide. Police have not released details on the cause of death or additional details.

GEARY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a teen whose body was found in Junction City.Just before 1:30 p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to the 2700 block of Forte Avenue in Junction City reference to a possible deceased individual, according to a media release.Upon arrival, officers located Carson Simon, an 18-year-old man from Ogden deceased. This investigation has since been classified as a homicide. Police have not released details on the cause of death or additional details.

Homicide: Police ID teen victim after body found in Junction City

TOPEKA – Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt on Friday received and released the final report by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation concerning allegations of child sexual abuse by members of the clergy in Kansas.

<a href="https://ag.ks.gov/docs/default-source/documents/20230106-kbi-clergy-report.pdf?sfvrsn=695cbd1a_2">Click here to read the full</a> report

In November 2018, following the release of internal files and documents by the Catholic dioceses in Kansas concerning allegations of sexual abuse, Schmidt asked the KBI to assess this information and conduct any criminal investigation that may be appropriate. 

The KBI established an internal task force for this matter. The summary of that task force report was issued by the KBI to the attorney general.

The KBI reviewed documents, interviewed victims and conducted investigations, referring 30 cases to local county prosecutors for further consideration. Most of the files that were reviewed were several decades old.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673056007529.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA – Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt on Friday received and released the final report by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation concerning allegations of child sexual abuse by members of the clergy in Kansas.<a href="https://ag.ks.gov/docs/default-source/documents/20230106-kbi-clergy-report.pdf?sfvrsn=695cbd1a_2">Click here to read the full</a> reportIn November 2018, following the release of internal files and documents by the Catholic dioceses in Kansas concerning allegations of sexual abuse, Schmidt asked the KBI to assess this information and conduct any criminal investigation that may be appropriate. The KBI established an internal task force for this matter. The summary of that task force report was issued by the KBI to the attorney general.The KBI reviewed documents, interviewed victims and conducted investigations, referring 30 cases to local county prosecutors for further consideration. Most of the files that were reviewed were several decades old.

Read final KBI report on investigation of alleged clergy abuse 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will send Ukraine nearly $3 billion in military aid, in a massive new package that will for the first time include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-russia-ukraine-war-military-technology-united-states-government-82159048384ffdf2355736d0a0513544">several dozen Bradley fighting vehicles,</a>&nbsp;U.S. officials said Thursday, in the Biden administration's latest step to send&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-80ae774f3b7cbb3e1b88d1b728961079">increasingly lethal and powerful weapons</a>&nbsp;to help&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine beat back Russian forces.</a>

The aid — totaling about $2.85 billion — is the largest in a series of packages of military equipment that the Pentagon has pulled from its stockpiles to send to Ukraine. It is aimed at getting as much to the Ukrainian forces as possible during the winter months, before spring sets in and an expected increase in fighting begins.

An announcement is expected Friday, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the package have not been publicly announced.

President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz confirmed in a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/01/05/joint-press-statement-following-a-call-between-the-president-joe-biden-and-the-chancellor-of-the-federal-republic-of-germany-olaf-scholz/">joint statement </a>Thursday that the U.S. would provide Bradleys to Ukraine while Germany would provide Marder armored personnel carriers. The statement did not reveal the number of vehicles the countries intended to supply.

The Bradley fighting vehicles are medium-armored combat vehicles that can serve as a fortified troop carrier on the battlefield. It has tracks rather than wheels, but is lighter and more agile than a tank. It can carry about 10 personnel, and is seen as a critical way to move troops safely into battle.

Also included in the aid package will be HUMVEES, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, or MRAPs, and a large amount of missiles and other ammunition, according to U.S. officials.

The aid comes on the heels of Ukrainian&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-biden-68c65b3274e552f36f16853f24fedbb9">President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's dramatic visit</a>&nbsp;to Washington last month, when he slipped secretly out of his war-torn nation for the first time to thank America and predict that 2023 would be a “turning point” in the conflict. In urging more support for his country's war effort, he told Congress, “Your money is not charity,” and instead is ”an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.”

Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials have pressed Western leaders to provide more advanced weapons, including armored vehicles and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-patriot-missile-system-explainer-b16125509161de8a7a3b4c38022534c7">Patriot missile batteries.</a>&nbsp;The $1.85 billion aid package last month included for the first time a Patriot battery, the most advanced surface-to-air missile system the West has provided to Ukraine in the war effort. It also provided an undisclosed number of Joint Direct Attack Munitions kits, to modify massive bombs by adding tail fins and precision navigation systems so they can be guided to a target.

The German government in a statement Thursday announced it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-united-states-government-olaf-scholz-germany-84fc07af2356d8d02adec2e987d06c0a">also provide Ukraine with a Patriot missile battery.</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will send Ukraine nearly $3 billion in military aid, in a massive new package that will for the first time include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-russia-ukraine-war-military-technology-united-states-government-82159048384ffdf2355736d0a0513544">several dozen Bradley fighting vehicles,</a>&nbsp;U.S. officials said Thursday, in the Biden administration's latest step to send&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-80ae774f3b7cbb3e1b88d1b728961079">increasingly lethal and powerful weapons</a>&nbsp;to help&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine beat back Russian forces.</a>The aid — totaling about $2.85 billion — is the largest in a series of packages of military equipment that the Pentagon has pulled from its stockpiles to send to Ukraine. It is aimed at getting as much to the Ukrainian forces as possible during the winter months, before spring sets in and an expected increase in fighting begins.An announcement is expected Friday, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the package have not been publicly announced.President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz confirmed in a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/01/05/joint-press-statement-following-a-call-between-the-president-joe-biden-and-the-chancellor-of-the-federal-republic-of-germany-olaf-scholz/">joint statement </a>Thursday that the U.S. would provide Bradleys to Ukraine while Germany would provide Marder armored personnel carriers. The statement did not reveal the number of vehicles the countries intended to supply.The Bradley fighting vehicles are medium-armored combat vehicles that can serve as a fortified troop carrier on the battlefield. It has tracks rather than wheels, but is lighter and more agile than a tank. It can carry about 10 personnel, and is seen as a critical way to move troops safely into battle.Also included in the aid package will be HUMVEES, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, or MRAPs, and a large amount of missiles and other ammunition, according to U.S. officials.The aid comes on the heels of Ukrainian&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-biden-68c65b3274e552f36f16853f24fedbb9">President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's dramatic visit</a>&nbsp;to Washington last month, when he slipped secretly out of his war-torn nation for the first time to thank America and predict that 2023 would be a “turning point” in the conflict. In urging more support for his country's war effort, he told Congress, “Your money is not charity,” and instead is ”an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.”Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials have pressed Western leaders to provide more advanced weapons, including armored vehicles and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-patriot-missile-system-explainer-b16125509161de8a7a3b4c38022534c7">Patriot missile batteries.</a>&nbsp;The $1.85 billion aid package last month included for the first time a Patriot battery, the most advanced surface-to-air missile system the West has provided to Ukraine in the war effort. It also provided an undisclosed number of Joint Direct Attack Munitions kits, to modify massive bombs by adding tail fins and precision navigation systems so they can be guided to a target.The German government in a statement Thursday announced it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-united-states-government-olaf-scholz-germany-84fc07af2356d8d02adec2e987d06c0a">also provide Ukraine with a Patriot missile battery.</a>

US sending Ukraine nearly $3 billion in new military aid package

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

A multitude of emergency responders converged on a work accident east of Salina South High School late Friday afternoon.

The responders, including rescue personnel, arrived at the site of a construction hole just west of Edward Street on the South High grounds before 5 p.m. Friday.

Jennifer Camien, public information director for the district said construction work was being done on the Salina South grounds, and that subcontractor personnel were involved in the accident. No USD 305 personnel were involved, she said.

The two men were rescued from the collapsed trench

Among the emergency vehicles on scene were the Salina Fire Department Heavy Rescue truck and the Technical Rescue Response trailer.  

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673053013351.jpeg" alt="Emergency responders at the scene of a construction accident east of Salina South late Friday afternoon. Photos by Leslie Eikleberry/Salina Post" />
 <figcaption>Emergency responders at the scene of a construction accident east of Salina South late Friday afternoon. Photos by Leslie Eikleberry/Salina Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostA multitude of emergency responders converged on a work accident east of Salina South High School late Friday afternoon.The responders, including rescue personnel, arrived at the site of a construction hole just west of Edward Street on the South High grounds before 5 p.m. Friday.Jennifer Camien, public information director for the district said construction work was being done on the Salina South grounds, and that subcontractor personnel were involved in the accident. No USD 305 personnel were involved, she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673054051778.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The two men were rescued from the collapsed trenchAmong the emergency vehicles on scene were the Salina Fire Department Heavy Rescue truck and the Technical Rescue Response trailer. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673053595660.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>

Emergency crews rescue 2 Kan. workers from trench collapse

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Following an arrest Thursday of a suspect for the alleged kidnapping and sexual assault of three children near a Wichita elementary school, police are investigating an incident that could have have a similar outcome.

Just before 10a.m. Friday, police were contacted by a mother who&nbsp; reported that on Thursday, her 13-year-old daughter was walking to school at approximately 6:30 a.m. near Douglas and West Street in Wichita.

An unknown man in a blue or green sedan approached and attempted to coerce her to get closer to his vehicle.

The 13-year-old ignored the man and continued walking, and reported the incident to her mother Thursday night.

Police investigators are working to identify the suspect in this case, and at this time it is not believed to be connected to the earlier incidents that took place in East Wichita on Wednesday and Thursday involving an abduction of three juveniles.

Police notified the school district and extra patrols have been assigned to the area.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Wichita Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Following an arrest Thursday of a suspect for the alleged kidnapping and sexual assault of three children near a Wichita elementary school, police are investigating an incident that could have have a similar outcome.Just before 10a.m. Friday, police were contacted by a mother who&nbsp; reported that on Thursday, her 13-year-old daughter was walking to school at approximately 6:30 a.m. near Douglas and West Street in Wichita.An unknown man in a blue or green sedan approached and attempted to coerce her to get closer to his vehicle.The 13-year-old ignored the man and continued walking, and reported the incident to her mother Thursday night.Police investigators are working to identify the suspect in this case, and at this time it is not believed to be connected to the earlier incidents that took place in East Wichita on Wednesday and Thursday involving an abduction of three juveniles.Police notified the school district and extra patrols have been assigned to the area.Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Wichita Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Police: Kansas teen reports man tried to coerce her into car

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden conferred high honors Friday on those who stood against the Jan. 6 Capitol mob two years ago and the menacing effort in state after state to upend the election, declaring “America is a land of laws, not chaos,” even as disarray rendered Congress dysfunctional for a fourth straight day.

(Click below to watch the honor ceremony)

Democrats at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue commemorated the police officers attacked that day and the local election workers and state officials who faced fierce intimidation from supporters of former President Donald Trump, who fought to keep him in office after his defeat.

“Our democracy held,” Biden said in awarding Presidential Citizens Medals to about a dozen recipients from across the country in the White House East Room. "We the people did not flinch."

Yet democracy's vulnerability was equally on display at the Capitol as Republicans struggled to break their stalemate over the next House speaker, leaving that chamber in limbo for what should have been the first week under a GOP majority.

A resolution to the immediate crisis may be near as GOP leadership continued negotiations to appease its hard-right flank. Rep. Kevin McCarthy flipped more than a dozen colleagues to support him in his quest to lead the chamber, finally showing progress but still short of a majority.

Hours earlier, lawmakers held a moment of silence to commemorate the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the building that drew mostly Democrats, with brief remarks from Democratic leaders past and incoming — Reps. Nancy Pelosi and Hakeem Jeffries — and none from the GOP.

The event was focused on the Capitol Police officers who protected the building that day and families of law enforcement officers who died after the riot. Jeffries said 140 officers were seriously injured and “many more will forever be scarred by the bloodthirsty violence of the insurrectionist mob. We stand here today with our democracy intact because of those officers.”

At the White House ceremony, Biden described the violence in evocative and at times graphic detail — the officer speared by a flagpole flying the American flag, the beatings, the bloodshed and racist screams from rioters who professed to be pro-law enforcement as they overran police and hunted for lawmakers.

“Sick insurrectionists,” he said. “We must say clearly with a united voice that there is no place ... for voter intimidation or election violence."

Although the horrors of that day came down on members of both parties, it is being remembered in a largely polarized fashion now, like other aspects of political life in a divided country.

Biden, in his afternoon remarks, played up the heroism of the honorees, whether in the face of the violent Capitol mob or the horde of Trump-inspired agitators who threatened election workers or otherwise sought to overturn the results.

But he couldn't ignore warning signs that it could happen again.

In the midterms, candidates who denied the outcome of 2020’s free and fair election were defeated for many pivotal statewide positions overseeing elections in battleground states, as were a number of election deniers seeking seats in Congress.

Yet many of the lawmakers who brought baseless claims of election fraud or excused the violence on Jan. 6 continue to serve and are newly empowered.

Trump’s 2024 candidacy has been slow off the starting blocks, but his war chest is full and some would-be rivals for the Republican presidential nomination have channeled his false claims about the 2020 race.

As well, several lawmakers who echoed his lies about a stolen election at the time are central in the effort to derail McCarthy’s ascension to speaker — unswayed by Trump’s appeals from afar to support him and end the fight.

The protracted struggle leaves the House leaderless, unable to pass bills and powerless to do much more than hold vote after vote for speaker until a majority is reached. Everything from national security briefings to helping their constituents navigate the federal bureaucracy is on pause because the members-elect can’t yet take their oath of office.

Some Democrats see a throughline from Jan. 6.

The chaos of the speaker’s election “is about destruction of an institution in a different way,” said Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, one of the lawmakers who fled the rioters two years ago.

Then, the insurrectionists trapped some lawmakers in the House chamber but never breached it. They held up national business for hours that day.

Now some have felt trapped in the same chamber by the repeated, fruitless votes for speaker and House business is held up for this week and perhaps longer.

“The stream of continuity here is extremism, elements of Trumpism, norms don’t matter,” says Democratic Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois. “It’s not about governing, it’s about pontificating and advocating an extremist point of view.”

Democratic Rep. Annie Kuster of New Hampshire said, “It is a very small minority who want to throw this institution into chaos.”

At least nine people who were at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, died during or after the rioting, including a woman who was shot and killed by police as she tried to break into the House chamber and three other Trump supporters whom authorities said suffered medical emergencies.

Two officers, Howard Liebengood of the Capitol Police and Jeffrey Smith of the Metropolitan Police, were at the Capitol that Jan. 6 and died by suicide in the days following the attack. Biden honored both Friday with posthumous medals.

A third officer, Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, collapsed and died after engaging with the protesters. A medical examiner later determined he died of natural causes.

The Metropolitan Police announced months later that two more of their officers who had responded to the insurrection, Kyle DeFreytag and Gunther Hashida, had also died by suicide.

On Capitol Hill, the mostly Democratic lawmakers held a 140-second moment of silence in honor of those officers as some of their families said their names and a bell was rung in their honor.

“I wish we didn’t have to be here,” said Ken Sicknick, brother of Brian Sicknick, after the ceremony.

After the unsatisfying midterm election for Trump allies, the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack wrapped up its work with a recommendation to the Justice Department to prosecute the former president. A special counsel and ultimately Attorney General Merrick Garland will now decide whether to indict him.

While the congressional investigations have ended, the criminal cases are still very much continuing, both for the 950 arrested and charged in the violent attack and for Trump and his associates who remain under investigation. The second seditious conspiracy trial begins this week, for members of the far-right Proud Boys.

In a measured but significant step, Congress in December amended the Electoral Count Act to limit the role of the vice president in counting electoral votes, to make it harder for individual lawmakers to mount objections to properly certified election results and to eliminate “fake electors” like those deployed by Trump allies in a bid to overturn his defeat to Biden.

After all that, Biden, who made it a tentpole of his agenda to prove to the world that democracies can deliver for their citizens, said he hoped that this was “the first time we’re really getting through the whole issue relating to Jan. 6. Things are settling out.”

But then came the fight for speaker, rare in the annals of Congress.

“And now, for the first time in 100 years, we can’t move?” Biden said earlier this week. “It’s not a good look. It’s not a good thing.”

“Look,” he went on, “how do you think it looks to the rest of the world?”

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden conferred high honors Friday on those who stood against the Jan. 6 Capitol mob two years ago and the menacing effort in state after state to upend the election, declaring “America is a land of laws, not chaos,” even as disarray rendered Congress dysfunctional for a fourth straight day.(Click below to watch the honor ceremony)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F717552403405632%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=66" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Democrats at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue commemorated the police officers attacked that day and the local election workers and state officials who faced fierce intimidation from supporters of former President Donald Trump, who fought to keep him in office after his defeat.“Our democracy held,” Biden said in awarding Presidential Citizens Medals to about a dozen recipients from across the country in the White House East Room. "We the people did not flinch."Yet democracy's vulnerability was equally on display at the Capitol as Republicans struggled to break their stalemate over the next House speaker, leaving that chamber in limbo for what should have been the first week under a GOP majority.A resolution to the immediate crisis may be near as GOP leadership continued negotiations to appease its hard-right flank. Rep. Kevin McCarthy flipped more than a dozen colleagues to support him in his quest to lead the chamber, finally showing progress but still short of a majority.Hours earlier, lawmakers held a moment of silence to commemorate the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the building that drew mostly Democrats, with brief remarks from Democratic leaders past and incoming — Reps. Nancy Pelosi and Hakeem Jeffries — and none from the GOP.The event was focused on the Capitol Police officers who protected the building that day and families of law enforcement officers who died after the riot. Jeffries said 140 officers were seriously injured and “many more will forever be scarred by the bloodthirsty violence of the insurrectionist mob. We stand here today with our democracy intact because of those officers.”At the White House ceremony, Biden described the violence in evocative and at times graphic detail — the officer speared by a flagpole flying the American flag, the beatings, the bloodshed and racist screams from rioters who professed to be pro-law enforcement as they overran police and hunted for lawmakers.“Sick insurrectionists,” he said. “We must say clearly with a united voice that there is no place ... for voter intimidation or election violence."Although the horrors of that day came down on members of both parties, it is being remembered in a largely polarized fashion now, like other aspects of political life in a divided country.Biden, in his afternoon remarks, played up the heroism of the honorees, whether in the face of the violent Capitol mob or the horde of Trump-inspired agitators who threatened election workers or otherwise sought to overturn the results.But he couldn't ignore warning signs that it could happen again.In the midterms, candidates who denied the outcome of 2020’s free and fair election were defeated for many pivotal statewide positions overseeing elections in battleground states, as were a number of election deniers seeking seats in Congress.Yet many of the lawmakers who brought baseless claims of election fraud or excused the violence on Jan. 6 continue to serve and are newly empowered.Trump’s 2024 candidacy has been slow off the starting blocks, but his war chest is full and some would-be rivals for the Republican presidential nomination have channeled his false claims about the 2020 race.As well, several lawmakers who echoed his lies about a stolen election at the time are central in the effort to derail McCarthy’s ascension to speaker — unswayed by Trump’s appeals from afar to support him and end the fight.The protracted struggle leaves the House leaderless, unable to pass bills and powerless to do much more than hold vote after vote for speaker until a majority is reached. Everything from national security briefings to helping their constituents navigate the federal bureaucracy is on pause because the members-elect can’t yet take their oath of office.Some Democrats see a throughline from Jan. 6.The chaos of the speaker’s election “is about destruction of an institution in a different way,” said Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, one of the lawmakers who fled the rioters two years ago.Then, the insurrectionists trapped some lawmakers in the House chamber but never breached it. They held up national business for hours that day.Now some have felt trapped in the same chamber by the repeated, fruitless votes for speaker and House business is held up for this week and perhaps longer.“The stream of continuity here is extremism, elements of Trumpism, norms don’t matter,” says Democratic Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois. “It’s not about governing, it’s about pontificating and advocating an extremist point of view.”Democratic Rep. Annie Kuster of New Hampshire said, “It is a very small minority who want to throw this institution into chaos.”At least nine people who were at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, died during or after the rioting, including a woman who was shot and killed by police as she tried to break into the House chamber and three other Trump supporters whom authorities said suffered medical emergencies.Two officers, Howard Liebengood of the Capitol Police and Jeffrey Smith of the Metropolitan Police, were at the Capitol that Jan. 6 and died by suicide in the days following the attack. Biden honored both Friday with posthumous medals.A third officer, Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, collapsed and died after engaging with the protesters. A medical examiner later determined he died of natural causes.The Metropolitan Police announced months later that two more of their officers who had responded to the insurrection, Kyle DeFreytag and Gunther Hashida, had also died by suicide.On Capitol Hill, the mostly Democratic lawmakers held a 140-second moment of silence in honor of those officers as some of their families said their names and a bell was rung in their honor.“I wish we didn’t have to be here,” said Ken Sicknick, brother of Brian Sicknick, after the ceremony.After the unsatisfying midterm election for Trump allies, the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack wrapped up its work with a recommendation to the Justice Department to prosecute the former president. A special counsel and ultimately Attorney General Merrick Garland will now decide whether to indict him.While the congressional investigations have ended, the criminal cases are still very much continuing, both for the 950 arrested and charged in the violent attack and for Trump and his associates who remain under investigation. The second seditious conspiracy trial begins this week, for members of the far-right Proud Boys.In a measured but significant step, Congress in December amended the Electoral Count Act to limit the role of the vice president in counting electoral votes, to make it harder for individual lawmakers to mount objections to properly certified election results and to eliminate “fake electors” like those deployed by Trump allies in a bid to overturn his defeat to Biden.After all that, Biden, who made it a tentpole of his agenda to prove to the world that democracies can deliver for their citizens, said he hoped that this was “the first time we’re really getting through the whole issue relating to Jan. 6. Things are settling out.”But then came the fight for speaker, rare in the annals of Congress.“And now, for the first time in 100 years, we can’t move?” Biden said earlier this week. “It’s not a good look. It’s not a good thing.”“Look,” he went on, “how do you think it looks to the rest of the world?”