SHAWNEE COUNTY—Local law enforcement and the FBI are investigating a pair of ATM burglaries in Topeka.

Just after 4a.m. March 30, police responded to Community National Bank, 5431 SW 29th Street and just after 3a.m. Friday, police responded to Core First Bank and Trust, 2021 SE 29th Street both in Topeka after reports of ATM burglaries, according to police spokesperson Rachel Nichols.

Investigators believe the burglaries are connected and are working to find two vehicles involved. Police released security camera images of the suspect vehicles.

 Anyone with information on the crimes is asked to contact police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680295603072.png" alt="One of the ATMs involved in the burglaries -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>One of the ATMs involved in the burglaries -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Local law enforcement and the FBI are investigating a pair of ATM burglaries in Topeka.Just after 4a.m. March 30, police responded to Community National Bank, 5431 SW 29th Street and just after 3a.m. Friday, police responded to Core First Bank and Trust, 2021 SE 29th Street both in Topeka after reports of ATM burglaries, according to police spokesperson Rachel Nichols.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680295630388.png" alt="Security camera images Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera images Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680295953834.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Investigators believe the burglaries are connected and are working to find two vehicles involved. Police released security camera images of the suspect vehicles. Anyone with information on the crimes is asked to contact police.

FBI still working to locate suspect in Kan. ATM burglaries

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/kansas-house-agrees-to-raise-legal-smoking-age-to-21/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas lawmakers passed a tax cut package in the early Friday morning hours that fuses a flat tax rate for individual income with an accelerated reduction in the state sales tax on food, corporate tax breaks and residential property tax relief.

The policies assembled into&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb169/">Senate Bill 169</a>&nbsp;add up to $1.3 billion in decreased state tax collections over the next three years, with more than half of the cost associated with the flat tax. The bill eliminates the sales tax on food at the start of next year.

“To me, it’s always a priority to get it back to taxpayers instead of growing government, and that’s that this bill does, and it does it very nicely,” said Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican who chairs the Senate tax committee. “It considers everybody, from low income tax to everybody.”

Legislators worked past 4 a.m. to finalize a long list of last-minute deals before taking a three-week break. They will return at the end of April to attempt an override of any legislation vetoed by Gov. Laura Kelly, and to put the final touches on state spending and other policy ideas.

The Democratic governor has indicated she would veto an expensive flat tax plan. Lawmakers have debated various proposals this year that would replace a three-tier system — depending on income level, Kansans currently pay 3.1%, 5.25% or 5.7% — with a single rate. The new deal installs a 5.15% rate to all income after $6,150 for an individual or $12,300 for a married couple.

The Department of Revenue estimated the new rate would cost the state about $330 million annually.

House Minority Leader Vic Miller, a Topeka Democrat, said he previously voted in favor of a tax plan that contained a 5.25% flat tax, even though the governor asked him not to.

“I thought it was likely to be the best deal we were going to get, and I think I’m right,” Miller said.

The earlier plan also included more property tax relief and other measurers that were changed during negotiations between the House and Senate.

Rep. Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, said the lowering of the proposed flat tax rate adds up to $80 million in annual revenue.

“That $80 million difference? All of that additional cost goes to higher income,” Sawyer said. “Every single penny of that goes to higher income taxpayers.”

Sawyer said other changes in the bill also benefit the wealthiest Kansans.

Rep. Adam Smith, a Weskan Republican who chairs the House Taxation Committee, said Sawyer’s analysis was accurate.

“I’m not going to try to get up here and persuade you differently,” Smith said. “… If you study the numbers, if you look at the way that plays out, it does benefit primarily the upper incomes.”

The House passed the bill on an 85-35 vote that fell along party lines. The Senate, which debated the bill after 2 a.m., passed the package on a 24-13 vote with two Republicans joining Democrats in opposition and three Republicans absent. The totals indicate veto-proof support from the GOP supermajority.

Under the tax package, revenues are projected to decline by $302.7 million in the fiscal year that starts in July. The following fiscal year, the revenue loss is $569.3 million, followed by $480.8 million in fiscal year 2026.

Sen. Tom Holland, a Baldwin City Democrat, said the bill “hearkens back to the good ol’ Sam days,” a reference to former Gov. Sam Brownback and the so-called “tax experiment” the Legislature passed in 2012. The policy cratered state revenues before it was largely overturned in 2017.

As Holland put it, “it was a very bad scene.”

Holland objected to creating a flat tax rate where “the vast majority” of savings go to people making more than $100,000 per year. And he objected to a claim by Tyson that putting money back into people’s pockets would actually generate more tax dollars.

“This is the same bill of goods that was sold during 2012 when we went down the Brownback path,” Holland said. “As much as people wanted to talk about the expected multiplier effect of additional dollars rolling through the economy, it never did.”

Tyson dusted off&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/state/2018/03/25/report-refutes-brownback-claim-that-rural-recession-caused-budget-woes/12917779007/">a debunked narrative</a>&nbsp;that blamed the failure of Brownback’s tax cuts on an economic downturn.

“It was the perfect storm,” Tyson said. “You had tax cuts, you had increased spending, and then we took a hit in oil and gas, aviation, and agriculture. So that sound byte is not reality. It is a major red herring. This is a very thoughtful process.”

Among other provisions, the bill accelerates the elimination of the state sales tax on food by wiping it out entirely on Jan. 1, 2024, instead of gradually phasing out the tax a year later.

Another provision accelerates planned reductions in the corporate income tax rate from 4% to 3%. Those reductions were attached to legislation authorizing economic development deals for Panasonic to build an electric vehicle battery plant in De Soto and Integra Technologies to expand computer chip manufacturing in the Wichita area. The change is projected to reduce state revenues by about $40 million annually.

Banks and other financial institutions would get a tax cut amounting to about $7 million annually.

The bill also increases the amount of residential property value exempt from the state 20 mill levy from $40,000 to $60,000. The mill levy is used to help fund K-12 public schools.

The increased exemption amounts to a $40 million annual property tax cut.

The standard deduction for individual income taxes would increase through an inflation adjustment every year. The change will reduce state revenues by $15 million in fiscal year 2025 and $25 million the following year.

An exemption on Social Security benefits will increase from $75,000 to $100,000 in income, reducing state revenues by about $22 million annually. The exemption will increase by $5,000 every year.

The House also passed by 76-43 vote an additional tax package contained in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb8/">Senate Bill 8</a>, which bundles numerous pieces of legislation dealing with property, sales and income taxes. Those changes would total about $80 million a year in revenue loss for the state. The Senate didn’t take action on the bill before adjourning around 4:20 a.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/P4060100-1024x576.jpg" alt="- House Minority Leader Vic Miller leads a meeting April 6, 2023, of House Democrats to review legislation they would vote on. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>- House Minority Leader Vic Miller leads a meeting April 6, 2023, of House Democrats to review legislation they would vote on. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/kansas-house-agrees-to-raise-legal-smoking-age-to-21/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas lawmakers passed a tax cut package in the early Friday morning hours that fuses a flat tax rate for individual income with an accelerated reduction in the state sales tax on food, corporate tax breaks and residential property tax relief.The policies assembled into&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb169/">Senate Bill 169</a>&nbsp;add up to $1.3 billion in decreased state tax collections over the next three years, with more than half of the cost associated with the flat tax. The bill eliminates the sales tax on food at the start of next year.“To me, it’s always a priority to get it back to taxpayers instead of growing government, and that’s that this bill does, and it does it very nicely,” said Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican who chairs the Senate tax committee. “It considers everybody, from low income tax to everybody.”Legislators worked past 4 a.m. to finalize a long list of last-minute deals before taking a three-week break. They will return at the end of April to attempt an override of any legislation vetoed by Gov. Laura Kelly, and to put the final touches on state spending and other policy ideas.The Democratic governor has indicated she would veto an expensive flat tax plan. Lawmakers have debated various proposals this year that would replace a three-tier system — depending on income level, Kansans currently pay 3.1%, 5.25% or 5.7% — with a single rate. The new deal installs a 5.15% rate to all income after $6,150 for an individual or $12,300 for a married couple.The Department of Revenue estimated the new rate would cost the state about $330 million annually.House Minority Leader Vic Miller, a Topeka Democrat, said he previously voted in favor of a tax plan that contained a 5.25% flat tax, even though the governor asked him not to.“I thought it was likely to be the best deal we were going to get, and I think I’m right,” Miller said.The earlier plan also included more property tax relief and other measurers that were changed during negotiations between the House and Senate.Rep. Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, said the lowering of the proposed flat tax rate adds up to $80 million in annual revenue.“That $80 million difference? All of that additional cost goes to higher income,” Sawyer said. “Every single penny of that goes to higher income taxpayers.”Sawyer said other changes in the bill also benefit the wealthiest Kansans.Rep. Adam Smith, a Weskan Republican who chairs the House Taxation Committee, said Sawyer’s analysis was accurate.“I’m not going to try to get up here and persuade you differently,” Smith said. “… If you study the numbers, if you look at the way that plays out, it does benefit primarily the upper incomes.”The House passed the bill on an 85-35 vote that fell along party lines. The Senate, which debated the bill after 2 a.m., passed the package on a 24-13 vote with two Republicans joining Democrats in opposition and three Republicans absent. The totals indicate veto-proof support from the GOP supermajority.Under the tax package, revenues are projected to decline by $302.7 million in the fiscal year that starts in July. The following fiscal year, the revenue loss is $569.3 million, followed by $480.8 million in fiscal year 2026.Sen. Tom Holland, a Baldwin City Democrat, said the bill “hearkens back to the good ol’ Sam days,” a reference to former Gov. Sam Brownback and the so-called “tax experiment” the Legislature passed in 2012. The policy cratered state revenues before it was largely overturned in 2017.As Holland put it, “it was a very bad scene.”Holland objected to creating a flat tax rate where “the vast majority” of savings go to people making more than $100,000 per year. And he objected to a claim by Tyson that putting money back into people’s pockets would actually generate more tax dollars.“This is the same bill of goods that was sold during 2012 when we went down the Brownback path,” Holland said. “As much as people wanted to talk about the expected multiplier effect of additional dollars rolling through the economy, it never did.”Tyson dusted off&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/state/2018/03/25/report-refutes-brownback-claim-that-rural-recession-caused-budget-woes/12917779007/">a debunked narrative</a>&nbsp;that blamed the failure of Brownback’s tax cuts on an economic downturn.“It was the perfect storm,” Tyson said. “You had tax cuts, you had increased spending, and then we took a hit in oil and gas, aviation, and agriculture. So that sound byte is not reality. It is a major red herring. This is a very thoughtful process.”Among other provisions, the bill accelerates the elimination of the state sales tax on food by wiping it out entirely on Jan. 1, 2024, instead of gradually phasing out the tax a year later.Another provision accelerates planned reductions in the corporate income tax rate from 4% to 3%. Those reductions were attached to legislation authorizing economic development deals for Panasonic to build an electric vehicle battery plant in De Soto and Integra Technologies to expand computer chip manufacturing in the Wichita area. The change is projected to reduce state revenues by about $40 million annually.Banks and other financial institutions would get a tax cut amounting to about $7 million annually.The bill also increases the amount of residential property value exempt from the state 20 mill levy from $40,000 to $60,000. The mill levy is used to help fund K-12 public schools.The increased exemption amounts to a $40 million annual property tax cut.The standard deduction for individual income taxes would increase through an inflation adjustment every year. The change will reduce state revenues by $15 million in fiscal year 2025 and $25 million the following year.An exemption on Social Security benefits will increase from $75,000 to $100,000 in income, reducing state revenues by about $22 million annually. The exemption will increase by $5,000 every year.The House also passed by 76-43 vote an additional tax package contained in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb8/">Senate Bill 8</a>, which bundles numerous pieces of legislation dealing with property, sales and income taxes. Those changes would total about $80 million a year in revenue loss for the state. The Senate didn’t take action on the bill before adjourning around 4:20 a.m.

Kan. Legislature packages new flat tax rate with quicker end to food tax

WASHINGTON (AP) — Access to the most commonly used method of abortion in the U.S. plunged into uncertainty Friday following conflicting court rulings over the legality of the abortion medication mifepristone that has been widely available for more than 20 years. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk ordered a hold on federal approval of mifepristone in a decision that overruled decades of scientific approval.&nbsp;

President Biden criticized&nbsp;Kacsmaryk's decision. In a statement from the White House, Biden said, "a single federal district judge in Texas ruled that a prescription medication that has been available for more than 22 years, approved by the FDA and used safely and effectively by millions of women here and around the world, should no longer be approved in the United States."

"The Court in this case has substituted its judgment for FDA, the expert agency that approves drugs. If this ruling were to stand, then there will be virtually no prescription, approved by the FDA, that would be safe from these kinds of political, ideological attacks." "The prescription medication in question in this case is used for medication abortion, and medication abortion accounts for over half the abortions in America.&nbsp; The lawsuit, and this ruling, is another unprecedented step in taking away basic freedoms from women and putting their health at risk.&nbsp; This does not just affect women in Texas – if it stands, it would prevent women in every state from accessing the medication, regardless of whether abortion is legal in a state.&nbsp; It is the next big step toward the national ban on abortion that Republican elected officials have vowed to make law in America." "My Administration will fight this ruling.&nbsp; The Department of Justice has already filed an appeal and will seek an immediate stay of the decision.&nbsp; But let’s be clear – the only way to stop those who are committed to taking away women’s rights and freedoms in every state is to elect a Congress who will pass a law restoring Roe versus Wade."&nbsp;

"I will continue to lead the fight to protect a woman’s right to an abortion, and to make her own decisions about her own health.&nbsp; That is our commitment."

Vice President Kamala Harris issued a similar statement, "Each person in our nation should have the right to access safe and effective medication which has been approved by the FDA. In the face of attacks on a woman’s right to access an abortion, our Administration will continue to fight to protect reproductive freedom and the ability of all Americans to make health care decisions with their doctors free from political interference."

Kacsmaryk's decision in Texas came at nearly the same time that U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice, an Obama appointee, essentially&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-abortion-pills-lawsuit-fda-1857d1a4fd356c61ad76e00621e93b44">ordered the opposite</a>&nbsp;and directed U.S. authorities not to make any changes that would restrict access to the drug in at least 17 states where Democrats sued in an effort to protect availability.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680967457500.png" alt="Boxes of the drug mifepristone.&nbsp;About 60% of abortions in Kansas involve the abortion pill. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed, File)" />
 <figcaption>Boxes of the drug mifepristone.&nbsp;About 60% of abortions in Kansas involve the abortion pill. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Access to the most commonly used method of abortion in the U.S. plunged into uncertainty Friday following conflicting court rulings over the legality of the abortion medication mifepristone that has been widely available for more than 20 years. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk ordered a hold on federal approval of mifepristone in a decision that overruled decades of scientific approval.&nbsp;President Biden criticized&nbsp;Kacsmaryk's decision. In a statement from the White House, Biden said, "a single federal district judge in Texas ruled that a prescription medication that has been available for more than 22 years, approved by the FDA and used safely and effectively by millions of women here and around the world, should no longer be approved in the United States.""The Court in this case has substituted its judgment for FDA, the expert agency that approves drugs. If this ruling were to stand, then there will be virtually no prescription, approved by the FDA, that would be safe from these kinds of political, ideological attacks." "The prescription medication in question in this case is used for medication abortion, and medication abortion accounts for over half the abortions in America.&nbsp; The lawsuit, and this ruling, is another unprecedented step in taking away basic freedoms from women and putting their health at risk.&nbsp; This does not just affect women in Texas – if it stands, it would prevent women in every state from accessing the medication, regardless of whether abortion is legal in a state.&nbsp; It is the next big step toward the national ban on abortion that Republican elected officials have vowed to make law in America." "My Administration will fight this ruling.&nbsp; The Department of Justice has already filed an appeal and will seek an immediate stay of the decision.&nbsp; But let’s be clear – the only way to stop those who are committed to taking away women’s rights and freedoms in every state is to elect a Congress who will pass a law restoring Roe versus Wade."&nbsp; "I will continue to lead the fight to protect a woman’s right to an abortion, and to make her own decisions about her own health.&nbsp; That is our commitment."Vice President Kamala Harris issued a similar statement, "Each person in our nation should have the right to access safe and effective medication which has been approved by the FDA. In the face of attacks on a woman’s right to access an abortion, our Administration will continue to fight to protect reproductive freedom and the ability of all Americans to make health care decisions with their doctors free from political interference." Kacsmaryk's decision in Texas came at nearly the same time that U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice, an Obama appointee, essentially&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-abortion-pills-lawsuit-fda-1857d1a4fd356c61ad76e00621e93b44">ordered the opposite</a>&nbsp;and directed U.S. authorities not to make any changes that would restrict access to the drug in at least 17 states where Democrats sued in an effort to protect availability.

Biden vows to fight controversial ruling on access to abortion pill

KANSAS CITY —A jury this week convicted Byron Fowler, 32, of multiple felony charges in connection with the November 2021 fatal shooting of Edmon E. Alexander outside a market near 43rd and Cleveland Avenue in Kansas City, according Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

The jury covicted Fowler of Murder 2nd Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and two counts of Armed Criminal Action charges.

According to court records, on Nov. 26, 2021, Kansas City police were dispatched to the Blue Valley Market at 43rd and Cleveland on a reported shooting. They found the victim, Edmon E. Alexander, suffering from gunshot wounds. He would die later at the hospital. 

Police determined the shooting was captured on surveillance video that showed shots fired from the passenger side and from the backseat of one vehicle into a second vehicle. 

One defendant confirmed for police that the he and the co-defendants were at the market and had an altercation with the victim. He said they fired shots only after the victim shot at them.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680863926395.png" alt="Fowler-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Fowler-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A jury this week convicted Byron Fowler, 32, of multiple felony charges in connection with the November 2021 fatal shooting of Edmon E. Alexander outside a market near 43rd and Cleveland Avenue in Kansas City, according Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.The jury covicted Fowler of Murder 2nd Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and two counts of Armed Criminal Action charges.According to court records, on Nov. 26, 2021, Kansas City police were dispatched to the Blue Valley Market at 43rd and Cleveland on a reported shooting. They found the victim, Edmon E. Alexander, suffering from gunshot wounds. He would die later at the hospital. Police determined the shooting was captured on surveillance video that showed shots fired from the passenger side and from the backseat of one vehicle into a second vehicle. One defendant confirmed for police that the he and the co-defendants were at the market and had an altercation with the victim. He said they fired shots only after the victim shot at them.

Jury convicts man for deadly shooting outside KC market

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged drug crimes.

Following an investigation that included the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, sheriff's deputies in Jackson County arrested Derrick Michael Hainline, 35, of Holton, on a District Court Warrant, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The investigation alleges Hainline sold “Dirty 30s”, which are believed to be counterfeit Oxycodone pills with fentanyl in the Holton area.

The warrant is for distribution of opiate opium narcotic or certain stimulant within 1000 feet of a school in Holton, possession of opiate opium narcotic or certain stimulant and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Morse.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680819177451.png" alt="Hainline-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Hainline-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged drug crimes.Following an investigation that included the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, sheriff's deputies in Jackson County arrested Derrick Michael Hainline, 35, of Holton, on a District Court Warrant, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.The investigation alleges Hainline sold “Dirty 30s”, which are believed to be counterfeit Oxycodone pills with fentanyl in the Holton area.The warrant is for distribution of opiate opium narcotic or certain stimulant within 1000 feet of a school in Holton, possession of opiate opium narcotic or certain stimulant and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Morse.

Sheriff: Kansas man sold 'Dirty 30s' tablets laced with fentanyl

WASHINGTON&nbsp;&nbsp;– A Kansas sailor who died during the attack on Pearl Harbor more than 80 years ago has finally been identified and will finally be laid to rest.

On Thursday, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) confirmed that Navy Electrician’s Mate 3rd Class Cecil E. Barncord, 24, Topeka, Kansas,&nbsp;killed during World War II, was accounted for on Oct. 14, 2016.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Barncord was assigned to the battleship USS&nbsp;Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS&nbsp;Oklahoma&nbsp;sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Barncord.&nbsp;

From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.

In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS&nbsp;Oklahoma&nbsp;at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Barncord.

Between June and November 2015, DPAA personnel exhumed the USS&nbsp;Oklahoma&nbsp;Unknowns from the Punchbowl for analysis.

To identify Barncord’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Research-and-Innovation/Armed-Forces-Medical-Examiner-System/DoD-DNA-Registry" target="_blank">Armed Forces Medical Examiner System</a>&nbsp;used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.

Barncord’s&nbsp;name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Barncord will be buried on date yet to be determined in Mossy Rock, Washington.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680802546770.png" alt="Barncord-photo courtesy Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency" />
 <figcaption>Barncord-photo courtesy Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON&nbsp;&nbsp;– A Kansas sailor who died during the attack on Pearl Harbor more than 80 years ago has finally been identified and will finally be laid to rest.On Thursday, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) confirmed that Navy Electrician’s Mate 3rd Class Cecil E. Barncord, 24, Topeka, Kansas,&nbsp;killed during World War II, was accounted for on Oct. 14, 2016.On Dec. 7, 1941, Barncord was assigned to the battleship USS&nbsp;Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS&nbsp;Oklahoma&nbsp;sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Barncord.&nbsp;From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS&nbsp;Oklahoma&nbsp;at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Barncord.Between June and November 2015, DPAA personnel exhumed the USS&nbsp;Oklahoma&nbsp;Unknowns from the Punchbowl for analysis.To identify Barncord’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Research-and-Innovation/Armed-Forces-Medical-Examiner-System/DoD-DNA-Registry" target="_blank">Armed Forces Medical Examiner System</a>&nbsp;used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.Barncord’s&nbsp;name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.Barncord will be buried on date yet to be determined in Mossy Rock, Washington.

Kansas sailor who died  at Pearl Harbor to be laid to rest

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>

OLATHE — Crystal Tucker’s 22-year-old son suffered chronic back and 
chest pain from an old skateboarding accident and decided to buy four 
oxycodone pills on the black market in an attempt to find temporary 
relief.

At 11:49 p.m. March 3, 2020, Lantz texted a friend to say the aches 
were severe and he was desperate for restful sleep. His text said he’d 
decided to try one of the pills before going to bed.

“The next day I went in to wake him up for work and found that he was
 completely lifeless,” Tucker said. “I used to be an EMT, so I knew 
right away it was far too late. We had no idea what happened.”

Tucker said her son didn’t have a drug addiction. She was curious if 
he had an undiagnosed heart condition. And, she agonized about never 
securing the right combination of health care to lower her son’s pain to
 a tolerable level.

“It wasn’t until 12 weeks later that we got the toxicology report 
that said Lantz died of a fentanyl overdose,” Tucker said. “He only took
 one pill. One time, one pill.”

Tucker, speaking during a panel discussion Wednesday with Gov. Laura 
Kelly on the opioid crisis in Kansas, said she appreciated work done to 
help heal people with addictions. She said more could be invested on the
 prevention side to make youth and young adults keenly aware drugs could
 be adulterated by fentanyl — a synthetic drug up to 100 times more 
potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin.

She urged the Kansas Legislature to decriminalize fentanyl test 
strips so individuals who choose to take drugs had a tool to shield 
themselves from accidental poisoning or death. Kansas law recognizes 
fentanyl test strips as drug paraphernalia, making them out of bounds.

“I have absolutely no doubt that if fentanyl test strips were legal 
and easily accessible, Lantz would have had them and I know he would 
have used them,” she said. “If it spares one momma from burying their 
baby, then it will have been worth it. We’ve got to do something. This 
epidemic is killing our kids.”

Kelly, joined for the roundtable discussion by health care, 
addiction, counseling and research professionals, said urgency of the 
situation dictated Kansas move ahead with decriminalization of fentanyl 
test strips.

“We are experiencing an incredible opioid crisis. It has hit Kansas 
and hit Kansas hard,” the governor said. “Communities across our state 
are hurting. We must join the many states across the country that have 
made fentanyl test strips and other tools available to prevent exposure 
to fentanyl long before it kills.”

She said Senate Bill 174, subject to negotiations by the House and 
Senate, included language to make test strips accessible. She said the 
approach had been adopted this year in Mississippi, Georgia and North 
Dakota — states led by Republican governors.

Douglas County Sheriff Jay Armbrister endorsed the reform idea 
because it would be a step toward making community members safer from 
the curse of fentanyl.

“Opponents of this lifesaving policy must ask themselves: Are you 
afraid these test strips may save a life you disagree with or find 
little value in saving? Are you willing to stand in front of a mother 
and tell her that her son’s or daughter’s life was not worth saving?” 
the sheriff said.

Kevin Kufeldt, clinical director of addiction services at the Johnson
 County Mental Health Center, said the incidence of opioid addiction 
among youth entering a residential program had grown from 7% in 2021 to 
35% in 2022. The trend in 2023 suggested the figure could escalate to 
50%, he said.

He said the state’s harm-reduction strategies ought to include access
 to fentanyl test strips so people could reasonably test substances for 
opioids.

“As the rate of opioid-related deaths continues to rise,
 we owe it to our fellow Kansans to equip them with the necessary tools 
to make cognizant decisions about their use,” he said. “Fentanyl test 
strips help a person who uses drugs be more informed, while reducing 
their risk of overdose and providing them with additional opportunities 
to seek treatment for their substance use disorder.”

Kufeldt said lawmakers should be open to different 
strategies because it wasn’t rational to believe a state could arrest 
and incarcerate its way out of the overdose problem.

Zijun Wang, assistant professor of pharmacology and 
toxicology at the University of Kansas, said it was important to 
appreciate the potency of fentanyl. She said a fatal dose of fentanyl 
was 2 milligrams, perhaps equivalent to no more than 10 grains of table 
salt.

“It is very important to know that whatever they’re 
taking is fentanyl free,” Wang said. “That will help them to want to 
shape their behavior, to be more responsible … for their own lives.”

She said research indicated youth were more likely to 
engage in risky behaviors because their prefrontal cortex, which 
controls decision making, had yet to fully develop. Other factors, 
including genetics, contributed to whether people became addicted to 
drugs, she said.

Drug addiction should be regarded as a disease rather than some sort of moral failing, she said.

Zahra Nasrazadani, an emergency medical clinical 
pharmacist at the Salina Regional Health Center, said it didn’t take 
long for a tainted batch of drugs to leave a mark on the community.

“I can tell you that when there is a bad batch going 
around we know about it pretty quickly and we start to see those 
patients in the emergency room,” she said.

She said a comprehensive response would include drug 
test strips, but also investment in psychosocial services, which would 
include mental, emotional, social and spiritual needs of patients and 
families. She said child care could be important to people fighting 
addiction. Naloxone and other medicines capable of reversing an opioid 
overdose should be available over-the-counter at no cost, Nasrazadani 
said.

In addition, she recommended implementation of syringe 
programs that could serve to draw people in for treatment of infectious 
diseases and other health challenges.

Erika Holliday, substance use coordinator in the public 
health department of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and 
Kansas City, Kansas, said influx of black-market pharmaceuticals 
necessitated legalization of test strips.

“We have youth overdosing more than ever because of 
counterfeit pills. They go to a party and try a pill to experiment. Now 
these pills have fentanyl,” she said.

Holliday said allowing health centers to legally 
distribute test strips would benefit chronic drug users who faced 
greater likelihood of overdose because manufacturers blend fentanyl with
 methamphetamine, cocaine or heroin to make the drug concoction more 
powerful and cheaper to make.

“It would be such a helpful tool,” she said. “Not only 
save lives, but be a bridge to engage with folks to say, ‘Hey, the 
health department is a trusting agency. They’re give us these strips to 
help save our lives.'”

She also said closure of the county’s only in-patient 
treatment center intensified the challenge of grappling with addiction. 
More addicts in recovery should be hired to work as counselors because a
 peer workforce was more effective in connecting with people, she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680803055199.png" alt="Olathe resident Crystal Tucker described during a forum with Gov. Laura Kelly the agony of losing her son, Lantz, to an accidental opioid overdose in March 2022. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Olathe resident Crystal Tucker described during a forum with Gov. Laura Kelly the agony of losing her son, Lantz, to an accidental opioid overdose in March 2022. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</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>OLATHE — Crystal Tucker’s 22-year-old son suffered chronic back and 
chest pain from an old skateboarding accident and decided to buy four 
oxycodone pills on the black market in an attempt to find temporary 
relief.At 11:49 p.m. March 3, 2020, Lantz texted a friend to say the aches 
were severe and he was desperate for restful sleep. His text said he’d 
decided to try one of the pills before going to bed.“The next day I went in to wake him up for work and found that he was
 completely lifeless,” Tucker said. “I used to be an EMT, so I knew 
right away it was far too late. We had no idea what happened.”Tucker said her son didn’t have a drug addiction. She was curious if 
he had an undiagnosed heart condition. And, she agonized about never 
securing the right combination of health care to lower her son’s pain to
 a tolerable level.“It wasn’t until 12 weeks later that we got the toxicology report 
that said Lantz died of a fentanyl overdose,” Tucker said. “He only took
 one pill. One time, one pill.”Tucker, speaking during a panel discussion Wednesday with Gov. Laura 
Kelly on the opioid crisis in Kansas, said she appreciated work done to 
help heal people with addictions. She said more could be invested on the
 prevention side to make youth and young adults keenly aware drugs could
 be adulterated by fentanyl — a synthetic drug up to 100 times more 
potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin.She urged the Kansas Legislature to decriminalize fentanyl test 
strips so individuals who choose to take drugs had a tool to shield 
themselves from accidental poisoning or death. Kansas law recognizes 
fentanyl test strips as drug paraphernalia, making them out of bounds.“I have absolutely no doubt that if fentanyl test strips were legal 
and easily accessible, Lantz would have had them and I know he would 
have used them,” she said. “If it spares one momma from burying their 
baby, then it will have been worth it. We’ve got to do something. This 
epidemic is killing our kids.”<h2>Testing the idea</h2>Kelly, joined for the roundtable discussion by health care, 
addiction, counseling and research professionals, said urgency of the 
situation dictated Kansas move ahead with decriminalization of fentanyl 
test strips.“We are experiencing an incredible opioid crisis. It has hit Kansas 
and hit Kansas hard,” the governor said. “Communities across our state 
are hurting. We must join the many states across the country that have 
made fentanyl test strips and other tools available to prevent exposure 
to fentanyl long before it kills.”She said Senate Bill 174, subject to negotiations by the House and 
Senate, included language to make test strips accessible. She said the 
approach had been adopted this year in Mississippi, Georgia and North 
Dakota — states led by Republican governors.Douglas County Sheriff Jay Armbrister endorsed the reform idea 
because it would be a step toward making community members safer from 
the curse of fentanyl.“Opponents of this lifesaving policy must ask themselves: Are you 
afraid these test strips may save a life you disagree with or find 
little value in saving? Are you willing to stand in front of a mother 
and tell her that her son’s or daughter’s life was not worth saving?” 
the sheriff said.Kevin Kufeldt, clinical director of addiction services at the Johnson
 County Mental Health Center, said the incidence of opioid addiction 
among youth entering a residential program had grown from 7% in 2021 to 
35% in 2022. The trend in 2023 suggested the figure could escalate to 
50%, he said.He said the state’s harm-reduction strategies ought to include access
 to fentanyl test strips so people could reasonably test substances for 
opioids.“As the rate of opioid-related deaths continues to rise,
 we owe it to our fellow Kansans to equip them with the necessary tools 
to make cognizant decisions about their use,” he said. “Fentanyl test 
strips help a person who uses drugs be more informed, while reducing 
their risk of overdose and providing them with additional opportunities 
to seek treatment for their substance use disorder.”Kufeldt said lawmakers should be open to different 
strategies because it wasn’t rational to believe a state could arrest 
and incarcerate its way out of the overdose problem.<h2>Psychosocial issues</h2>Zijun Wang, assistant professor of pharmacology and 
toxicology at the University of Kansas, said it was important to 
appreciate the potency of fentanyl. She said a fatal dose of fentanyl 
was 2 milligrams, perhaps equivalent to no more than 10 grains of table 
salt.“It is very important to know that whatever they’re 
taking is fentanyl free,” Wang said. “That will help them to want to 
shape their behavior, to be more responsible … for their own lives.”She said research indicated youth were more likely to 
engage in risky behaviors because their prefrontal cortex, which 
controls decision making, had yet to fully develop. Other factors, 
including genetics, contributed to whether people became addicted to 
drugs, she said.Drug addiction should be regarded as a disease rather than some sort of moral failing, she said.Zahra Nasrazadani, an emergency medical clinical 
pharmacist at the Salina Regional Health Center, said it didn’t take 
long for a tainted batch of drugs to leave a mark on the community.“I can tell you that when there is a bad batch going 
around we know about it pretty quickly and we start to see those 
patients in the emergency room,” she said.She said a comprehensive response would include drug 
test strips, but also investment in psychosocial services, which would 
include mental, emotional, social and spiritual needs of patients and 
families. She said child care could be important to people fighting 
addiction. Naloxone and other medicines capable of reversing an opioid 
overdose should be available over-the-counter at no cost, Nasrazadani 
said.In addition, she recommended implementation of syringe 
programs that could serve to draw people in for treatment of infectious 
diseases and other health challenges.<h2>Building that bridge</h2>Erika Holliday, substance use coordinator in the public 
health department of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and 
Kansas City, Kansas, said influx of black-market pharmaceuticals 
necessitated legalization of test strips.“We have youth overdosing more than ever because of 
counterfeit pills. They go to a party and try a pill to experiment. Now 
these pills have fentanyl,” she said.Holliday said allowing health centers to legally 
distribute test strips would benefit chronic drug users who faced 
greater likelihood of overdose because manufacturers blend fentanyl with
 methamphetamine, cocaine or heroin to make the drug concoction more 
powerful and cheaper to make.“It would be such a helpful tool,” she said. “Not only 
save lives, but be a bridge to engage with folks to say, ‘Hey, the 
health department is a trusting agency. They’re give us these strips to 
help save our lives.'”She also said closure of the county’s only in-patient 
treatment center intensified the challenge of grappling with addiction. 
More addicts in recovery should be hired to work as counselors because a
 peer workforce was more effective in connecting with people, she said.

Grieving mom’s to Kan. lawmakers: ‘This epidemic is killing our kids’

DETROIT (AP) — Nearly 43,000 people died in U.S. traffic crashes in 2021, the highest number in 16 years with deaths due to speeding and impaired or distracted driving on the rise.

The 2021 final numbers,&nbsp;<a href="https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813435">released Monday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration</a>, confirmed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-government-and-politics-pandemics-transportation-8388d8ca4b1ad141939fe07ce00f9c7f">earlier estimates by the agency</a>&nbsp;showing a 10.5% increase in deaths over 2020. That's the highest number since 2005 and the largest percentage increase since 1975.

Data shows a 12% rise in fatal crashes involving at least one distracted driver, with 3,522 people killed. That prompted the agency to kick off a $5 million advertising campaign in an effort to keep drivers focused on the road. Agency officials said such cases likely are under-reported by police.

The number of pedestrians killed rose 13%, and cyclist fatalities were up 2% for the year. The number of unbelted passengers killed rose 8.1%, while fatalities involving alcohol-impaired driving were up 14%.

Speeding-related deaths increased 7.9%, while crash deaths involving large trucks weighing over 10,000 pounds were up 17%.

At a news conference Monday in Seattle, NHTSA focused on distracted driving fatalities, which speakers said are entirely preventable if people stop using their cell phones, eating, or doing other things that divert attention from the road.

“Remember it only takes a moment to change your life forever,” said Sophie Shulman, NHTSA deputy administrator.

Steve Kiefer, a retired General Motors executive whose son, Mitchel, was killed in a 2016 distracted driving crash, said cell phones are a primary cause of distraction. But technology is available to prevent it including “do not disturb” modes, as well as apps and in-car systems that watch drivers to make sure they're paying attention.

“All of this technology is available today, and there's no reason we can't use it and roll it out quickly,” Kiefer said.

Distracted driving deaths are related to America's addiction to cell phones, said Kiefer, who started a foundation with the goal of ending distracted driving. He said 90% of people are aware of the danger of distracted driving, yet 80% admit to doing it. In 25 states with laws against hand-held cell phone use, traffic deaths, crashes and insurance rates have dropped, he said.

"We believe that legislation will change behavior," Kiefer said.

Mitchel Kiefer was driving from home to Michigan State University on Interstate 96 when traffic slowed and his car was hit from behind by a driver who was distracted by her phone, Kiefer said. His car was knocked across the median and into oncoming traffic, where he was killed instantly.

The crash was not reported as involving a distracted driver, illustrating how distracted driving deaths are under-reported, Kiefer said.

Part of the increase in crash deaths is due to people driving more as the coronavirus pandemic waned. NHTSA reported that the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled increased 2.2% to 1.37 in 2021.

NHTSA also estimates that 2.5 million people were injured in crashes during 2021, up 9.4% from 2020.

The agency said it will release preliminary 2022 traffic death data in the coming weeks. NHTSA estimates that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/recessions-and-depressions-accidents-detroit-business-34890b827ea0d3cf3e4eff8f3a8df6b6">31,785 people were killed in crashes from January through September last year,</a>&nbsp;down 0.2% from the same period of 2021.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640619556891.png" alt="-A Kansas man died in a crash on Christmas Day 2021 in Sedgwick County. Speed was a contributing factor, according to Officer Charley Davidson -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>-A Kansas man died in a crash on Christmas Day 2021 in Sedgwick County. Speed was a contributing factor, according to Officer Charley Davidson -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>DETROIT (AP) — Nearly 43,000 people died in U.S. traffic crashes in 2021, the highest number in 16 years with deaths due to speeding and impaired or distracted driving on the rise.The 2021 final numbers,&nbsp;<a href="https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813435">released Monday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration</a>, confirmed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-government-and-politics-pandemics-transportation-8388d8ca4b1ad141939fe07ce00f9c7f">earlier estimates by the agency</a>&nbsp;showing a 10.5% increase in deaths over 2020. That's the highest number since 2005 and the largest percentage increase since 1975.Data shows a 12% rise in fatal crashes involving at least one distracted driver, with 3,522 people killed. That prompted the agency to kick off a $5 million advertising campaign in an effort to keep drivers focused on the road. Agency officials said such cases likely are under-reported by police.The number of pedestrians killed rose 13%, and cyclist fatalities were up 2% for the year. The number of unbelted passengers killed rose 8.1%, while fatalities involving alcohol-impaired driving were up 14%.Speeding-related deaths increased 7.9%, while crash deaths involving large trucks weighing over 10,000 pounds were up 17%.At a news conference Monday in Seattle, NHTSA focused on distracted driving fatalities, which speakers said are entirely preventable if people stop using their cell phones, eating, or doing other things that divert attention from the road.“Remember it only takes a moment to change your life forever,” said Sophie Shulman, NHTSA deputy administrator.Steve Kiefer, a retired General Motors executive whose son, Mitchel, was killed in a 2016 distracted driving crash, said cell phones are a primary cause of distraction. But technology is available to prevent it including “do not disturb” modes, as well as apps and in-car systems that watch drivers to make sure they're paying attention.“All of this technology is available today, and there's no reason we can't use it and roll it out quickly,” Kiefer said.Distracted driving deaths are related to America's addiction to cell phones, said Kiefer, who started a foundation with the goal of ending distracted driving. He said 90% of people are aware of the danger of distracted driving, yet 80% admit to doing it. In 25 states with laws against hand-held cell phone use, traffic deaths, crashes and insurance rates have dropped, he said."We believe that legislation will change behavior," Kiefer said.Mitchel Kiefer was driving from home to Michigan State University on Interstate 96 when traffic slowed and his car was hit from behind by a driver who was distracted by her phone, Kiefer said. His car was knocked across the median and into oncoming traffic, where he was killed instantly.The crash was not reported as involving a distracted driver, illustrating how distracted driving deaths are under-reported, Kiefer said.Part of the increase in crash deaths is due to people driving more as the coronavirus pandemic waned. NHTSA reported that the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled increased 2.2% to 1.37 in 2021.NHTSA also estimates that 2.5 million people were injured in crashes during 2021, up 9.4% from 2020.The agency said it will release preliminary 2022 traffic death data in the coming weeks. NHTSA estimates that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/recessions-and-depressions-accidents-detroit-business-34890b827ea0d3cf3e4eff8f3a8df6b6">31,785 people were killed in crashes from January through September last year,</a>&nbsp;down 0.2% from the same period of 2021.

Report: 2021 saw the highest number of traffic deaths in years

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities made five arrests Friday stemming from a narcotics investigation.

Just after 5:30a.m. Friday, a narcotics search warrant was executed by the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team after the Patrol South Community Response Team developed information that a residence in the 6000 block of South Hydraulic in Wichita was involved in the distribution of Methamphetamines, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

The assistance of the Patrol West Community Response Team was also used to execute the warrant.

Investigators seized 9 pounds of Methamphetamines, 300 grams of cocaine, 2 ounces of marijuana, 7 rifles, 4 handguns, two reported stolen, and over $68,000 in cash from the residence.

Police arrested 61-year-old Timothy Finley on requested charges&nbsp; of distribution of methamphetamines and cocaine, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of two stolen firearms, possession of paraphernalia, and two Sedgwick County warrants.

John Doub, 58, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamines, possession of paraphernalia and a city warrant.

Sherri Horkavy is being held on requested charges of possession of methamphetamines and possession of paraphernalia

Carlos Moran, 35,&nbsp;is being held on requested charges of possession of methamphetamines, possession of paraphernalia and two city warrants.

Kara Horkavy was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamines, possession of paraphernalia and a city warrant.

&nbsp;Melissa Bingham, 23, being held on requested charges of possession of methamphetamines, possession of cocaine and possession of paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680888116534.png" alt="Photos Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Photos Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities made five arrests Friday stemming from a narcotics investigation.Just after 5:30a.m. Friday, a narcotics search warrant was executed by the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team after the Patrol South Community Response Team developed information that a residence in the 6000 block of South Hydraulic in Wichita was involved in the distribution of Methamphetamines, according to Officer Chad Ditch.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680888162401.png" alt="-photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>-photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>The assistance of the Patrol West Community Response Team was also used to execute the warrant.Investigators seized 9 pounds of Methamphetamines, 300 grams of cocaine, 2 ounces of marijuana, 7 rifles, 4 handguns, two reported stolen, and over $68,000 in cash from the residence.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680903940373.png" alt="Finley-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Finley-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Police arrested 61-year-old Timothy Finley on requested charges&nbsp; of distribution of methamphetamines and cocaine, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of two stolen firearms, possession of paraphernalia, and two Sedgwick County warrants.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680903972602.png" alt="Doub-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Doub-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>John Doub, 58, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamines, possession of paraphernalia and a city warrant.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680904032935.png" alt="Sherri Horkavy-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Sherri Horkavy-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Sherri Horkavy is being held on requested charges of possession of methamphetamines and possession of paraphernalia<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680904070033.png" alt="Moran-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Moran-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Carlos Moran, 35,&nbsp;is being held on requested charges of possession of methamphetamines, possession of paraphernalia and two city warrants.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680904147467.png" alt="Kara Horkavy&nbsp;-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Kara Horkavy&nbsp;-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Kara Horkavy was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamines, possession of paraphernalia and a city warrant.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680916128424.png" alt="Bingham-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Bingham-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Melissa Bingham, 23, being held on requested charges of possession of methamphetamines, possession of cocaine and possession of paraphernalia.

Police seize rifles, $68K in cash and drugs from Kan. home

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Access to the most commonly used method of abortion in the U.S. plunged into uncertainty Friday following conflicting court rulings over the legality of the abortion medication mifepristone that has been widely available for more than 20 years.

For now, the drug the Food and Drug Administration approved in 2000 appeared to remain at least immediately available in wake of two separate rulings that were issued just minutes apart by federal judges in Texas and Washington.

U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a Trump appointee, ordered a hold on federal approval of mifepristone in a decision that overruled decades of scientific approval. But that decision came at nearly same time that U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice, an Obama appointee, essentially&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-abortion-pills-lawsuit-fda-1857d1a4fd356c61ad76e00621e93b44">ordered the opposite</a>&nbsp;and directed U.S. authorities not to make any changes that would restrict access to the drug in at least 17 states where Democrats sued in an effort to protect availability.

The extraordinary timing of the competing orders revealed the high stakes surrounding the drug nearly a year after the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;and curtailed access to abortion across the country.

“FDA is under one order that says you can do nothing and another that says in seven days I’m going to require you to vacate the approval of mifepristone,” said Glenn Cohen of Harvard Law School.

The abortion drug has been widely used in the U.S. since securing FDA approval and there is essentially no precedent for a lone judge overruling the medical decisions of the Food and Drug Administration. Mifepristone is one of two drugs used for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-medication-abortion-works-f913375ec6f8ebcb1f1055e57a3aef63?utm_source=apnews&amp;utm_medium=relatedcontentmodule">medication abortion</a>&nbsp;in the United States, along with misoprostol, which is also used to treat other medical conditions.

Kacsmaryk signed an injunction directing the FDA to stay mifepristone’s approval while a lawsuit challenging the safety and approval of the drug continues. His 67-page order gave the government seven days to appeal.

“Simply put, FDA stonewalled judicial review — until now,” Kacsmaryk wrote.

He didn’t go as far as the plaintiffs wanted by withdrawing or suspending approval of the chemical abortion drug and removing it from the list of approved drugs.

Federal lawyers representing the FDA are expected to swiftly appeal. The White House was reviewing the decision.

Clinics and doctors that prescribe the two-drug combination have said that if mifepristone were pulled from the market, they would switch to using only the second drug, misoprostol. That single-drug approach has a slightly lower rate of effectiveness in ending pregnancies, but it is widely used in countries where mifepristone is illegal or unavailable.

Mifepristone is part of a two-drug regimen that has long been the standard for medication abortion in the U.S. Clinics and doctors that prescribe the combination have said they plan to switch to using only misoprostol. The single-drug approach is slightly less effective at ending pregnancies.

The lawsuit in the Texas case was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-food-and-drug-administration-donald-trump-texas-medication-bdd99c39613c71f62d10dfc2f2d1bf07">filed by the Alliance Defending Freedom</a>, which was also involved in the Mississippi case that led to Roe v. Wade being overturned. At the core of the lawsuit is the allegation that the FDA’s initial approval of mifepristone was flawed because it did not adequately review its safety risks.

Courts have long deferred to the FDA on issues of drug safety and effectiveness. But the agency’s authority faces new challenges in a post-Roe legal environment in which abortions are banned or unavailable in 14 states, while 16 states have laws specifically targeting abortion medications.

Democrats and abortion rights groups slammed the ruling out of Texas.

“Abortion is still legal and accessible here in California and we won’t stand by as fundamental freedoms are stripped away," California Gov. Gavin Newsom said.

Legal experts warned that the ruling could upend decades of precedent, setting the stage for political groups to overturn other FDA approvals of controversial drugs and vaccines.

“This has never happened before in history — it’s a huge deal,” said Greer Donley, a professor specializing in reproductive health care at the University of Pittsburgh Law School. “You have a federal judge who has zero scientific background second guessing every scientific decision that the FDA made."

Still, because of the contradictory nature of the rulings, Greer and other experts said there would be little immediate impact.

“In the short term, nothing’s going to change,” Greer said. “This is the time to be preparing for the fact that in a week, potentially, mifepristone becomes an unapproved drug in this country.”

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) — Washington state has purchased a three-year supply of a leading abortion medication in anticipation of a court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medication-abortion-pill-texas-judge-f2ffc6fca3ad4b8cd8171eef65a9c29e">ruling that could limit its availability</a>, Gov. Jay Inslee said Tuesday.

The Democratic governor said he ordered the Department of Corrections, which has a pharmacy license, to buy 30,000 doses of the generic version of mifepristone at a cost of about $1.28 million, or $42.50 per pill. The shipment arrived in late March.

A two-pill combination of mifepristone and misoprostol is the most common form of abortion in the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-medication-abortion-783874945633">Research shows</a>&nbsp;that medication-induced abortions are safe and effective. They were approved by the Food and Drug Administration over 20 years ago.

The awaited ruling in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-texas-fda-roe-wade-5306714113f3be4233a9e11a84a992aa">Texas lawsuit</a>&nbsp;brought by a Christian group — in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision last year to strip away the constitutional right to end a pregnancy — would affect states where abortion is legal as well as those that outlaw it.

“This Texas lawsuit is a clear and present danger to patients and providers all across the country," Inslee said in a statement. “Washington will not sit by idly and risk the devastating consequences of inaction.”

Former President Donald Trump-appointed Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk heard debate in March over the Alliance Defending Freedom’s request to revoke or suspend the FDA’s approval of mifepristone. The conservative group claims it was improperly approved.

Kacsmaryk said he would rule “as soon as possible” without giving any clear indication of how he might decide.

The bulk pill purchase also comes as Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson pursues the issue from another angle: He's helping to lead a multistate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ag-ferguson-challenges-fda-over-unlawful-unnecessary-restrictions-medication#:~:text=In%20the%20lawsuit%2C%20Ferguson%20notes,Washington%20state%20were%20medication%20abortions.">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;in federal court meant to further ease restrictions to the medication.

The lawsuit filed with Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum in February against the FDA accuses it of singling out mifepristone for excessively burdensome regulation despite evidence that the drug is safer than Tylenol, Ferguson said in a statement at the time.

The lawsuit asks the court to find certain FDA restrictions unlawful and to stop the federal agency from enforcing or applying them to mifepristone.

State lawmakers are also bringing legislation that will authorize the state Department of Corrections to sell or distribute the drug stockpile to licensed providers in Washington.

The bill's co-sponsor, Sen. Karen Keiser, of Des Moines, said the last year has made it clear that they can't be complacent when it comes to reproductive health.

“The Legislature is taking a number of crucial steps this session to protect abortion rights," Keiser said, “but those rights are meaningless without access to care.”

Several moves have been made in Washington to strengthen abortion access, including a directive from Inslee instructing the Washington State Patrol not to cooperate with out-of-state abortion investigations. Other abortion and gender-affirming care bills are expected to pass the Washington Legislature this session.

Abortion has been legal in Washington since a 1970 statewide ballot referendum.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680709134368.png" alt="Washington state has purchased a three-year supply of a leading abortion medication in anticipation of the court&nbsp;ruling, Gov. Jay Inslee said Tuesday.-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Washington state has purchased a three-year supply of a leading abortion medication in anticipation of the court&nbsp;ruling, Gov. Jay Inslee said Tuesday.-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Access to the most commonly used method of abortion in the U.S. plunged into uncertainty Friday following conflicting court rulings over the legality of the abortion medication mifepristone that has been widely available for more than 20 years.For now, the drug the Food and Drug Administration approved in 2000 appeared to remain at least immediately available in wake of two separate rulings that were issued just minutes apart by federal judges in Texas and Washington.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581004285984.jpeg" alt=" About 60% of abortions in Kansas involve the abortion pill. Credit Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> About 60% of abortions in Kansas involve the abortion pill. Credit Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a Trump appointee, ordered a hold on federal approval of mifepristone in a decision that overruled decades of scientific approval. But that decision came at nearly same time that U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice, an Obama appointee, essentially&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-abortion-pills-lawsuit-fda-1857d1a4fd356c61ad76e00621e93b44">ordered the opposite</a>&nbsp;and directed U.S. authorities not to make any changes that would restrict access to the drug in at least 17 states where Democrats sued in an effort to protect availability.The extraordinary timing of the competing orders revealed the high stakes surrounding the drug nearly a year after the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;and curtailed access to abortion across the country.“FDA is under one order that says you can do nothing and another that says in seven days I’m going to require you to vacate the approval of mifepristone,” said Glenn Cohen of Harvard Law School.The abortion drug has been widely used in the U.S. since securing FDA approval and there is essentially no precedent for a lone judge overruling the medical decisions of the Food and Drug Administration. Mifepristone is one of two drugs used for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-medication-abortion-works-f913375ec6f8ebcb1f1055e57a3aef63?utm_source=apnews&amp;utm_medium=relatedcontentmodule">medication abortion</a>&nbsp;in the United States, along with misoprostol, which is also used to treat other medical conditions.Kacsmaryk signed an injunction directing the FDA to stay mifepristone’s approval while a lawsuit challenging the safety and approval of the drug continues. His 67-page order gave the government seven days to appeal.“Simply put, FDA stonewalled judicial review — until now,” Kacsmaryk wrote.He didn’t go as far as the plaintiffs wanted by withdrawing or suspending approval of the chemical abortion drug and removing it from the list of approved drugs.Federal lawyers representing the FDA are expected to swiftly appeal. The White House was reviewing the decision.Clinics and doctors that prescribe the two-drug combination have said that if mifepristone were pulled from the market, they would switch to using only the second drug, misoprostol. That single-drug approach has a slightly lower rate of effectiveness in ending pregnancies, but it is widely used in countries where mifepristone is illegal or unavailable.Mifepristone is part of a two-drug regimen that has long been the standard for medication abortion in the U.S. Clinics and doctors that prescribe the combination have said they plan to switch to using only misoprostol. The single-drug approach is slightly less effective at ending pregnancies.The lawsuit in the Texas case was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-food-and-drug-administration-donald-trump-texas-medication-bdd99c39613c71f62d10dfc2f2d1bf07">filed by the Alliance Defending Freedom</a>, which was also involved in the Mississippi case that led to Roe v. Wade being overturned. At the core of the lawsuit is the allegation that the FDA’s initial approval of mifepristone was flawed because it did not adequately review its safety risks.Courts have long deferred to the FDA on issues of drug safety and effectiveness. But the agency’s authority faces new challenges in a post-Roe legal environment in which abortions are banned or unavailable in 14 states, while 16 states have laws specifically targeting abortion medications.Democrats and abortion rights groups slammed the ruling out of Texas.“Abortion is still legal and accessible here in California and we won’t stand by as fundamental freedoms are stripped away," California Gov. Gavin Newsom said.Legal experts warned that the ruling could upend decades of precedent, setting the stage for political groups to overturn other FDA approvals of controversial drugs and vaccines.“This has never happened before in history — it’s a huge deal,” said Greer Donley, a professor specializing in reproductive health care at the University of Pittsburgh Law School. “You have a federal judge who has zero scientific background second guessing every scientific decision that the FDA made."Still, because of the contradictory nature of the rulings, Greer and other experts said there would be little immediate impact.“In the short term, nothing’s going to change,” Greer said. “This is the time to be preparing for the fact that in a week, potentially, mifepristone becomes an unapproved drug in this country.”___BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) — Washington state has purchased a three-year supply of a leading abortion medication in anticipation of a court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medication-abortion-pill-texas-judge-f2ffc6fca3ad4b8cd8171eef65a9c29e">ruling that could limit its availability</a>, Gov. Jay Inslee said Tuesday.The Democratic governor said he ordered the Department of Corrections, which has a pharmacy license, to buy 30,000 doses of the generic version of mifepristone at a cost of about $1.28 million, or $42.50 per pill. The shipment arrived in late March.A two-pill combination of mifepristone and misoprostol is the most common form of abortion in the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-medication-abortion-783874945633">Research shows</a>&nbsp;that medication-induced abortions are safe and effective. They were approved by the Food and Drug Administration over 20 years ago.The awaited ruling in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-texas-fda-roe-wade-5306714113f3be4233a9e11a84a992aa">Texas lawsuit</a>&nbsp;brought by a Christian group — in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision last year to strip away the constitutional right to end a pregnancy — would affect states where abortion is legal as well as those that outlaw it.“This Texas lawsuit is a clear and present danger to patients and providers all across the country," Inslee said in a statement. “Washington will not sit by idly and risk the devastating consequences of inaction.”Former President Donald Trump-appointed Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk heard debate in March over the Alliance Defending Freedom’s request to revoke or suspend the FDA’s approval of mifepristone. The conservative group claims it was improperly approved.Kacsmaryk said he would rule “as soon as possible” without giving any clear indication of how he might decide.The bulk pill purchase also comes as Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson pursues the issue from another angle: He's helping to lead a multistate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ag-ferguson-challenges-fda-over-unlawful-unnecessary-restrictions-medication#:~:text=In%20the%20lawsuit%2C%20Ferguson%20notes,Washington%20state%20were%20medication%20abortions.">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;in federal court meant to further ease restrictions to the medication.The lawsuit filed with Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum in February against the FDA accuses it of singling out mifepristone for excessively burdensome regulation despite evidence that the drug is safer than Tylenol, Ferguson said in a statement at the time.The lawsuit asks the court to find certain FDA restrictions unlawful and to stop the federal agency from enforcing or applying them to mifepristone.State lawmakers are also bringing legislation that will authorize the state Department of Corrections to sell or distribute the drug stockpile to licensed providers in Washington.The bill's co-sponsor, Sen. Karen Keiser, of Des Moines, said the last year has made it clear that they can't be complacent when it comes to reproductive health.“The Legislature is taking a number of crucial steps this session to protect abortion rights," Keiser said, “but those rights are meaningless without access to care.”Several moves have been made in Washington to strengthen abortion access, including a directive from Inslee instructing the Washington State Patrol not to cooperate with out-of-state abortion investigations. Other abortion and gender-affirming care bills are expected to pass the Washington Legislature this session.Abortion has been legal in Washington since a 1970 statewide ballot referendum.

Judge halts FDA approval of abortion pill; 2nd judge protects access

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. Navy has deployed a guided-missile submarine capable of carrying up to 154 Tomahawk missiles to the Middle East, a spokesman said Saturday, in what appeared to be a show of force toward Iran following recent tensions.

The Navy rarely acknowledges the location or deployment of submarines. Cmdr. Timothy Hawkins, a spokesman for the 5th Fleet based in the Gulf nation of Bahrain, declined to comment on the submarine's mission or what had prompted the deployment.

He said the nuclear-powered submarine, based out of Kings Bay, Georgia, passed through the Suez Canal on Friday. “It is capable of carrying up to 154 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles and is deployed to U.S. 5th Fleet to help ensure regional maritime security and stability,” Hawkins said.

The 5th Fleet patrols the crucial Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20% of all oil transits. Its region includes the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off Yemen and the Red Sea stretching up to the Suez Canal, the Egyptian waterway linking the Mideast to the Mediterranean Sea.

The U.S., the U.K. and Israel have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-business-iran-persian-gulf-tensions-419efc522acbd213a79696c9876af6dc">accused Iran of targeting oil tankers and commercial ships</a>&nbsp;in recent years, allegations denied by Tehran. The U.S. Navy has also reported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-iran-navy-dubai-abf52e1f3bc472239906a5ebaf4156f1">a series of tense encounters at sea</a>&nbsp;with Iranian forces that it said were being recklessly aggressive.

Last month, the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-syria-iran-db9ac72843a0a71c995d6ea04392cdbf">launched airstrikes</a>&nbsp;against Iran-backed forces in Syria after a rocket attack killed a U.S. contractor and wounded seven other Americans in that country's northeast.

Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from ships or submarines can hit targets up to 2,500 kilometers (1,500 miles away). They were famously employed during the opening hours of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-syria-ap-top-news-george-w-bush-cbe39f31fcc84dacbbc05fa1f8820c12">in response to a Syrian chemical weapons attack in 2018</a>.

U.S.-Iranian tensions have soared since then-President Donald Trump withdrew from a 2015 agreement with world powers that provided sanctions relief in return for Iran curbing its nuclear activities and placing them under enhanced surveillance.

The Biden administration's efforts to restore the agreement hit a wall last year. The tensions have worsened as Iran has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-europe-middle-east-dubai-united-arab-emirates-c1255814129259a97e301d84548a37bb">supplied attack drones to Russian forces</a>&nbsp;in Ukraine and as Israel and Iran have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-israel-strikes-iran-shadow-8c34143296c23593d35aa1078c2c6067">escalated their yearslong shadow war</a>&nbsp;in the Middle East.

In addition to drawing closer to Moscow, Tehran has sought improved relations with China, which brokered an agreement last month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-iran-saudi-diplomatic-relations-beijing-d12dc5dc4049052c6228caceaa2a2b9f">to restore diplomatic ties</a>&nbsp;between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. Navy has deployed a guided-missile submarine capable of carrying up to 154 Tomahawk missiles to the Middle East, a spokesman said Saturday, in what appeared to be a show of force toward Iran following recent tensions.The Navy rarely acknowledges the location or deployment of submarines. Cmdr. Timothy Hawkins, a spokesman for the 5th Fleet based in the Gulf nation of Bahrain, declined to comment on the submarine's mission or what had prompted the deployment.He said the nuclear-powered submarine, based out of Kings Bay, Georgia, passed through the Suez Canal on Friday. “It is capable of carrying up to 154 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles and is deployed to U.S. 5th Fleet to help ensure regional maritime security and stability,” Hawkins said.The 5th Fleet patrols the crucial Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20% of all oil transits. Its region includes the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off Yemen and the Red Sea stretching up to the Suez Canal, the Egyptian waterway linking the Mideast to the Mediterranean Sea.The U.S., the U.K. and Israel have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-business-iran-persian-gulf-tensions-419efc522acbd213a79696c9876af6dc">accused Iran of targeting oil tankers and commercial ships</a>&nbsp;in recent years, allegations denied by Tehran. The U.S. Navy has also reported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-iran-navy-dubai-abf52e1f3bc472239906a5ebaf4156f1">a series of tense encounters at sea</a>&nbsp;with Iranian forces that it said were being recklessly aggressive.Last month, the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-syria-iran-db9ac72843a0a71c995d6ea04392cdbf">launched airstrikes</a>&nbsp;against Iran-backed forces in Syria after a rocket attack killed a U.S. contractor and wounded seven other Americans in that country's northeast.Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from ships or submarines can hit targets up to 2,500 kilometers (1,500 miles away). They were famously employed during the opening hours of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-syria-ap-top-news-george-w-bush-cbe39f31fcc84dacbbc05fa1f8820c12">in response to a Syrian chemical weapons attack in 2018</a>.U.S.-Iranian tensions have soared since then-President Donald Trump withdrew from a 2015 agreement with world powers that provided sanctions relief in return for Iran curbing its nuclear activities and placing them under enhanced surveillance.The Biden administration's efforts to restore the agreement hit a wall last year. The tensions have worsened as Iran has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-europe-middle-east-dubai-united-arab-emirates-c1255814129259a97e301d84548a37bb">supplied attack drones to Russian forces</a>&nbsp;in Ukraine and as Israel and Iran have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-israel-strikes-iran-shadow-8c34143296c23593d35aa1078c2c6067">escalated their yearslong shadow war</a>&nbsp;in the Middle East.In addition to drawing closer to Moscow, Tehran has sought improved relations with China, which brokered an agreement last month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-iran-saudi-diplomatic-relations-beijing-d12dc5dc4049052c6228caceaa2a2b9f">to restore diplomatic ties</a>&nbsp;between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

US deploys guided-missile submarine amid tensions with Iran

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp;Maintaining his defense to the very end that he was drugged, raped, and shot at, Kyle V. Hardwick was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for the murders of Marion Edward “Ed” Bates, 56, and Phillip “Phil” D. Anstine, 58, both of Hutchinson, on April 7.&nbsp;

Kyle V. Hardwick was represented by Scott Loftis, an attorney from Ponca City, Oklahoma. Hardwick pled not guilty through the entire trial. &nbsp;

Two counts of intentional and premeditated murder in the first degree. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

One count of theft of property or services, valued at $1,500 to $25,000, and an alternating count of theft of property or services of a firearm with a value less than $25,000.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

One count of solicitation perjury; testify to material fact in felony proceeding.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

On Aug. 27, 2021 Reno County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to 1016 N. Palomino Trail in Reno County based on information they received&nbsp;regarding the owners of that property. &nbsp;

When they arrived at the scene, deputies spoke to three witnesses present at the property who were concerned because they had been unable to contact Ed Bates or Phil Anstine since the evening of Aug. 25, 2021. &nbsp;

A search of the property followed.&nbsp;They eventually discovered a body in a shallow and mostly dry pond on the property that had been covered by tree branches. A further check of the property resulted in the discovery of the badly burned and charred remains of a second body in a burn pit that had been covered by a pallet and metal sheeting.&nbsp;

A&nbsp;search warrant for the property, called “the compound,” was obtained and then executed on August 28, 2021. &nbsp;

Both bodies were recovered. Along with the charred body in the burn pit, other items such as the remains of a shotgun barrel were recovered. &nbsp;

Forensic investigation conducted by Dr. Scott Kipper with the Sedgwick County Forensic Center and Reno County District Attorney’s Office determined the bodies to be of Ed Bates and Phil Anstine. &nbsp;

Autopsies determined they were killed by a shotgun, and the manner of death was determined to be homicide.&nbsp;

Subsequent investigation led to the arrest of Kyle V. Hardwick on Sept. 1 in Maize, Kansas near a Dollar General where he had made purchases. Formal charges of premeditated intentional murder of each victim and two alternative counts of theft were filed in Reno County District Court by the Reno County District Attorney’s Office. &nbsp;

A count of solicitation to commit perjury was added to the complaint after a May 19, 2022, telephone conversation during which it was alleged that the defendant attempted to solicit perjury from a witness, identified as a woman intimately known to him as Sherry Reed. &nbsp;

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/03e0722b-52f8-4b48-9a71-cca42becd55a" target="_blank">A jury trial commenced on the complaint on Jan. 24, 2023</a>. &nbsp;

The Reno County District Attorney’s Office called approximately 60 witnesses and submitted more than 130 exhibits during the trial which lasted about two weeks. &nbsp;

The defendant, Hardwick, claimed at trial that he had killed Ed Bates and Phil Anstine in self-defense.&nbsp;

Described by the state in their opening statement, the "compound" is a property east of Hutchinson, where Ed&nbsp;Bates and Phil Anstine would frequent. It had various other additions like buildings built on it, a camper, a dried-up pond, and burn pits. The two men would hang out there, shoot firearms, and overall hone their survival techniques. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630599777911.png" alt="Hardwick-photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>Hardwick-photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JUDD WEIL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp;Maintaining his defense to the very end that he was drugged, raped, and shot at, Kyle V. Hardwick was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for the murders of Marion Edward “Ed” Bates, 56, and Phillip “Phil” D. Anstine, 58, both of Hutchinson, on April 7.&nbsp;Kyle V. Hardwick was represented by Scott Loftis, an attorney from Ponca City, Oklahoma. Hardwick pled not guilty through the entire trial. &nbsp;He was initially charged with:&nbsp;Two counts of intentional and premeditated murder in the first degree. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;One count of theft of property or services, valued at $1,500 to $25,000, and an alternating count of theft of property or services of a firearm with a value less than $25,000.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;One count of solicitation perjury; testify to material fact in felony proceeding.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;On Aug. 27, 2021 Reno County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to 1016 N. Palomino Trail in Reno County based on information they received&nbsp;regarding the owners of that property. &nbsp;When they arrived at the scene, deputies spoke to three witnesses present at the property who were concerned because they had been unable to contact Ed Bates or Phil Anstine since the evening of Aug. 25, 2021. &nbsp;A search of the property followed.&nbsp;They eventually discovered a body in a shallow and mostly dry pond on the property that had been covered by tree branches. A further check of the property resulted in the discovery of the badly burned and charred remains of a second body in a burn pit that had been covered by a pallet and metal sheeting.&nbsp;A&nbsp;search warrant for the property, called “the compound,” was obtained and then executed on August 28, 2021. &nbsp;Both bodies were recovered. Along with the charred body in the burn pit, other items such as the remains of a shotgun barrel were recovered. &nbsp;Forensic investigation conducted by Dr. Scott Kipper with the Sedgwick County Forensic Center and Reno County District Attorney’s Office determined the bodies to be of Ed Bates and Phil Anstine. &nbsp;Autopsies determined they were killed by a shotgun, and the manner of death was determined to be homicide.&nbsp;Subsequent investigation led to the arrest of Kyle V. Hardwick on Sept. 1 in Maize, Kansas near a Dollar General where he had made purchases. Formal charges of premeditated intentional murder of each victim and two alternative counts of theft were filed in Reno County District Court by the Reno County District Attorney’s Office. &nbsp;A count of solicitation to commit perjury was added to the complaint after a May 19, 2022, telephone conversation during which it was alleged that the defendant attempted to solicit perjury from a witness, identified as a woman intimately known to him as Sherry Reed. &nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/03e0722b-52f8-4b48-9a71-cca42becd55a" target="_blank">A jury trial commenced on the complaint on Jan. 24, 2023</a>. &nbsp;The Reno County District Attorney’s Office called approximately 60 witnesses and submitted more than 130 exhibits during the trial which lasted about two weeks. &nbsp;The defendant, Hardwick, claimed at trial that he had killed Ed Bates and Phil Anstine in self-defense.&nbsp;Described by the state in their opening statement, the "compound" is a property east of Hutchinson, where Ed&nbsp;Bates and Phil Anstine would frequent. It had various other additions like buildings built on it, a camper, a dried-up pond, and burn pits. The two men would hang out there, shoot firearms, and overall hone their survival techniques. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Of the two male victims, Hardwick knew Phil Anstine.&nbsp;Hardwick did not know Marion Bates, but had a prior association with Phil Anstine through work that included building houses, akin to Habitat for Humanity. Anstine was said to have overseen much of the work, while Hardwick assisted with installation. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick called Anstine a friend and they were said to have a mutual interest in firearms. They were said to be close enough that they would travel to visit each other from time to time, but not frequently. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick’s last visit to see Anstine was said to be because of personal problems in his life. He wanted get out of Kansas City for a while. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick was said to have taken a Greyhound bus from Kansas City, Missouri to Hutchinson, Kansas to visit Anstine.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Loftis told the jury that Anstine had dropped off Hardwick at the compound with a set of keys. Hardwick was said to have permission to drive Anstine’s truck and had those keys as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Anstine then returned shortly after with Little Caesar’s pizza and Samuel Adams beer. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick’s defense by his attorney and by his own testimony, said he began to feel strange or ill after consuming some of the beer and the pizza.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick’s symptoms were described as&nbsp;stomach pains, light-headedness, and disorientation. Hardwick was said to have voiced his sudden illness to Anstine, and then went to the camper on the property where he passed out. Hardwick was said to not remember passing out in the camper. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick alleged he woke up the next day, still disoriented, face down on a bed in the camper with his pants down, and a pain in his anus.&nbsp;He said he&nbsp;surmised he was raped.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Upon leaving the camper to search for Anstine out of concern, Hardwick returned to the camper. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Anstine is said to have returned to the compound with a shotgun in his hands. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick said he&nbsp;tried to tell Anstine of his situation, but became suspicious when Anstine was said to have been dismissive. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When Hardwick then accused Anstine of raping him, Anstine cocked and aimed his shotgun at Hardwick.&nbsp;Hardwick said he wrestled the shotgun out of Anstine’s hands. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Anstine was said to have then pulled a .380 semiautomatic pistol and pointed it at Hardwick, causing Hardwick to fatally shoot him with the shotgun. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Still disoriented from the prior drugging and rape, the defense said that Hardwick then made his way to the pumphouse, north of the camper, for water. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Loftis described to the jury what happened next as, “one of the real tragedies of this case.” &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Another man, unknown to Hardwick, appeared and shot at Hardwick. Hardwick shot back with the shotgun he had taken from Anstine, striking the second man. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After a while, determining the man is dead, Hardwick approached the body and searched the man and discovered his identity as Ed&nbsp;Bates. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Loftis said, more than likely Bates was not part of Hardwick’s alleged rape, and only came to aid his friend, Anstine. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The state, consisting of District Attorney (DA) Thomas Stanton and Deputy District Attorney Andrew Davidson, called a number of witnesses, including friends of the victims, forensic analysts with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), and Sherry Reed herself, who corroborated the state’s opening statement that accused Hardwick of killing the pair for different reasons. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The KBI’s testimony mostly addressed the recovery and forensic testing of a red&nbsp;truck, which belonged to Phil Anstine, which was found at Pretty Prairie Road and Victory Road in October 2021. &nbsp;Hardwick’s DNA was found on multiple places on the truck as well as on items of evidence found in the truck. &nbsp;Sherry Reed was the key witness of the trial, having turned in numerous evidence to the Reno County Sheriff’s Office.&nbsp;During his testimony, Chase Mattingly, the boyfriend of Sherry Reed’s daughter, said he had overheard part of a phone conversation between Hardwick and Reed on Aug. 31,&nbsp;2021. &nbsp;&nbsp;He only understood part of the conversation, and said he had heard Hardwick tell Reed he had messed up. &nbsp;&nbsp;During cross-examination by the defense, Mattingly said he did not know what Hardwick was referring to at the time. &nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick’s&nbsp;additional count of solicitation to commit perjury stems from&nbsp;a FaceTime call between the defendant and Reed.&nbsp;&nbsp;The FaceTime call had been played in court prior when Hardwick was bound over in June 2022, and was played again on Jan. 27. &nbsp;&nbsp;In the recorded FaceTime conversation, Hardwick repeatedly tells Reed not to show up for the hearing and, if she did testify, to tell the court she was mentally unstable and on drugs. At one time he said, “Please don’t come,” and repeatedly said, “you don’t have to show up.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick was also noted as telling Reed to “just tell the truth.” &nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick is also quoted to have said that “Phil was a friend and he dropped like a martyr.”&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Reed grew to become inconsistent with her testimony, claiming to not remember things she said even when her prior testimonies were presented to her. &nbsp;Brought up during the case, Hardwick was said to have told Reed he would have to kill his mother. &nbsp;During his own testimony when cross-examined, Hardwick would also prove inconsistent and become frustrated to the point he would accuse the state of “putting words in his mouth.” &nbsp;Hardwick also told the jury he had thoughts of suicide when he arrived to Hutchinson. &nbsp;The presentation of evidence concluded on Feb. 1. &nbsp;It was determined that Hardwick was stealing various guns, ammunition, and other items when Ed Bates caught him, prompting Hardwick to shoot him and move his body. &nbsp;Phil Anstine later discovered Hardwick and was killed in an execution style in the burn pit. &nbsp;Closing statements were made to the jury, and the jury began its deliberations,&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/4ab76543-081a-4c03-b2e4-be61806d0e55" target="_blank">reaching one the morning of Feb. 2 at 10:45 a.m.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;The jury delivered a verdict of guilty in the case of the State of Kansas v. Kyle V. Hardwick. &nbsp;Hardwick was convicted of two counts of intentional and premeditated murder in the first degree and one count of theft of property or services, valued at $1,500 to $25,000, along with one count of theft of property or services of a firearm with a value less than $25,000 and a count of solicitation of perjury; testify to material fact in felony proceeding.&nbsp; &nbsp;During sentencing, two months later, the family and friends of Marion Edward “Ed” Bates and Phillip “Phil” D. Anstine delivered statements to Hardwick. &nbsp;They informed how Hardwick’s actions had impacted their lives. Many of them implored the court to hand down the maximum punishment. &nbsp;In the State of Kansas, the burden of proof on the prosecution is extremely high in murder cases and if there is an element of doubt in a defendant’s&nbsp;guilt, a jury will not be able to reach conviction. &nbsp;Judge Keith Schroeder reminded the jury and the gallery of this throughout the case. &nbsp;When sentencing Hardwick, Judge Schroeder made note of the lack of sympathy from Hardwick for his actions, and that he would return in kind. &nbsp;Stipulated with Hardwick’s life convictions, he will not receive good time credit. Additionally, he will be required to register as a violent offender. &nbsp;Concurrent with his life convictions, Hardwick will serve eight months for his third alternative count of theft and seven months for solicitation of perjury. &nbsp;“The Bates family is very satisfied with the outcome,” Ken Bates, brother of Ed Bates, said. “Justice is served.” &nbsp;