TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The operator of a pipeline that spilled about 14,000 bathtubs' worth of heavy crude oil into a northeastern Kansas creek said Friday that it has permission from U.S. government regulators to reopen the repaired segment where the rupture occurred.

Canada-based TC Energy did not say exactly when it would reopen the section of its Keystone pipeline system from Steele City near the Nebraska-Kansas border to Cushing in northern Oklahoma. The company said it will have crews working through the Christmas holiday and also conducting “rigorous testing and inspections.”

“This will take several days,” the company said in a statement. “We will continue to prioritize the safety of people and the environment.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-canada-kansas-34d8391337583fc242407141d24d66c2">The Dec. 7 spill</a>&nbsp;forced the company to shut down the Keystone system and dumped about 14,000 barrels of crude into a creek running through rural pastureland in Washington County, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City. Each barrel is 42 gallons, the size of a household bathtub.

The company and government officials have said drinking water supplies were not affected, and no one was evacuated. However, Kansas City's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-12-22/pipeline-company-says-kansas-oil-spill-contained-but-chemicals-found-downstream">KCUR-FM reported</a>&nbsp;this week that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment found chemicals from the spill downstream past two earthen dams constructed to contain the oil, potentially endangering animals that ingest it.

TC Energy reopened most of the 2,700-mile (4,345-kilometer) Keystone system last week. The system carries crude oil extracted from tar sands in western Canada to the Gulf Coast, with a spur also moving crude to south-central Illinois.

The Kansas spill was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-kansas-us-environmental-protection-agency-eda391fc0924b34a08ff840615a7bc58">the largest onshore in nine years</a>&nbsp;and larger than 22 previous spills on the Keystone system combined, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data. The company received permission to reopen the pipeline across Kansas and into northern Oklahoma from the Department of Transportation's pipeline safety arm.

Concerns that spills could pollute waterways spurred opposition to plans by TC Energy to build another crude oil pipeline in the same system, the 1,200-mile (1,900-kilometer) Keystone XL, across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. President Joe Biden’s cancelation of a permit for the project led the company to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-keystone-pipeline-canada-environment-and-nature-141eabd7cca6449dfbd2dab8165812f2">pull the plug last year.</a>

The company has not identified the Kansas spill's cause. Zack Pistora, who lobbies at the Kansas Statehouse for the Sierra Club, said the pipeline segment shouldn't reopen until the cause is known.

“Isn't the next spill just an accident waiting to happen?” he said in an interview Friday.

The company said it has removed the ruptured pipeline section and sent it to an independent lab for analysis. It also said it had recovered almost 7,600 barrels of oil, a little more than half of what was leaked.

Meanwhile, some Democrats in the Republican-controlled Legislature want to reconsider the state's policy of exempting companies from local property taxes for 10 years if they build pipelines through Kansas to spur energy development. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/state/2022/12/23/kansas-could-revisit-pipeline-tax-exemption-after-keystone-oil-spill/69745205007/">told The Topeka Capital-Journal</a>&nbsp;in an interview this week that the policy was “a big mistake” and should have been reconsidered “a long time ago.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670881926358.png" alt="photo courtesy U.S. Environmental Protection Agency" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy U.S. Environmental Protection Agency</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The operator of a pipeline that spilled about 14,000 bathtubs' worth of heavy crude oil into a northeastern Kansas creek said Friday that it has permission from U.S. government regulators to reopen the repaired segment where the rupture occurred.Canada-based TC Energy did not say exactly when it would reopen the section of its Keystone pipeline system from Steele City near the Nebraska-Kansas border to Cushing in northern Oklahoma. The company said it will have crews working through the Christmas holiday and also conducting “rigorous testing and inspections.”“This will take several days,” the company said in a statement. “We will continue to prioritize the safety of people and the environment.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-canada-kansas-34d8391337583fc242407141d24d66c2">The Dec. 7 spill</a>&nbsp;forced the company to shut down the Keystone system and dumped about 14,000 barrels of crude into a creek running through rural pastureland in Washington County, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City. Each barrel is 42 gallons, the size of a household bathtub.The company and government officials have said drinking water supplies were not affected, and no one was evacuated. However, Kansas City's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-12-22/pipeline-company-says-kansas-oil-spill-contained-but-chemicals-found-downstream">KCUR-FM reported</a>&nbsp;this week that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment found chemicals from the spill downstream past two earthen dams constructed to contain the oil, potentially endangering animals that ingest it.TC Energy reopened most of the 2,700-mile (4,345-kilometer) Keystone system last week. The system carries crude oil extracted from tar sands in western Canada to the Gulf Coast, with a spur also moving crude to south-central Illinois.The Kansas spill was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-kansas-us-environmental-protection-agency-eda391fc0924b34a08ff840615a7bc58">the largest onshore in nine years</a>&nbsp;and larger than 22 previous spills on the Keystone system combined, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data. The company received permission to reopen the pipeline across Kansas and into northern Oklahoma from the Department of Transportation's pipeline safety arm.Concerns that spills could pollute waterways spurred opposition to plans by TC Energy to build another crude oil pipeline in the same system, the 1,200-mile (1,900-kilometer) Keystone XL, across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. President Joe Biden’s cancelation of a permit for the project led the company to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-keystone-pipeline-canada-environment-and-nature-141eabd7cca6449dfbd2dab8165812f2">pull the plug last year.</a>The company has not identified the Kansas spill's cause. Zack Pistora, who lobbies at the Kansas Statehouse for the Sierra Club, said the pipeline segment shouldn't reopen until the cause is known.“Isn't the next spill just an accident waiting to happen?” he said in an interview Friday.The company said it has removed the ruptured pipeline section and sent it to an independent lab for analysis. It also said it had recovered almost 7,600 barrels of oil, a little more than half of what was leaked.Meanwhile, some Democrats in the Republican-controlled Legislature want to reconsider the state's policy of exempting companies from local property taxes for 10 years if they build pipelines through Kansas to spur energy development. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/state/2022/12/23/kansas-could-revisit-pipeline-tax-exemption-after-keystone-oil-spill/69745205007/">told The Topeka Capital-Journal</a>&nbsp;in an interview this week that the policy was “a big mistake” and should have been reconsidered “a long time ago.”

Company: Regulators OK reopening of Kansas pipeline segment

SHANNON COUNTY, Mo.—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 11a.m. Friday in Shannon County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Toyota Corolla driven by Krishi V. Panchal, 20, Wichita, was eastbound on Highway 60 two miles east of Winona.

The the car traveled off the road, overturned and ejected a passenger.&nbsp;Shrey Patel, 23, Wichita, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Yarber Funeral Home in Mountain View. 

EMS transported Panchal and a passenger Yatrik J. Patel, 21, Wichita, to Popular Bluff Regional Medical Center. Shrey Patel was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

SHANNON COUNTY, Mo.—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 11a.m. Friday in Shannon County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Toyota Corolla driven by Krishi V. Panchal, 20, Wichita, was eastbound on Highway 60 two miles east of Winona.The the car traveled off the road, overturned and ejected a passenger.&nbsp;Shrey Patel, 23, Wichita, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Yarber Funeral Home in Mountain View. EMS transported Panchal and a passenger Yatrik J. Patel, 21, Wichita, to Popular Bluff Regional Medical Center. Shrey Patel was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

Kansas man dies, 2 injured after rollover crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — A $1.7 trillion spending bill financing federal agencies through September and providing more aid to a devastated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine</a>&nbsp;cleared the House on Friday as lawmakers race to finish their work for the year and avoid a partial government shutdown.

The bill passed mostly along party lines, 225-201. It now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.

Passage of the bill represented a closing act for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Rep. Nancy Pelosi's</a>&nbsp;second stint as House speaker, and for the Democratic majority she led back to power in the 2018 election. Republicans will take control of the House next year and Rep. Kevin McCarthy is campaigning to replace her.

He is appealing for support from staunch conservatives in his caucus who have largely trashed the size of the bill and many of the priorities it contains. He spoke with a raised voice for about 25 minutes, assailing the bill for spending too much and doing too little to curb illegal immigration and the flow of fentanyl across the U.S.-Mexico border.

“This is a monstrosity that is one of the most shameful acts I've ever seen in this body," McCarthy said of the legislation.

The speech prompted a quick quip from Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., who said “after listening to that, it's clear he doesn't have the votes yet," a reference to McCarthy's campaign to become speaker.

Pelosi said “we have a big bill here because we had big needs for the country," then turned her focus to McCarthy:

“It was sad to hear the minority leader say that this legislation is the most shameful thing to be seen on the House floor in this Congress," Pelosi said. “I can't help but wonder, had he forgotten January 6th?”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-4ce3cf1ee887747b13fe8d007b8ffd75">Senate passed the defense-heavy measure</a>&nbsp;with significant bipartisan support on Thursday, but the vote was much more split in the House. Some 30 GOP lawmakers promised to block any legislative priority that comes from those Republican senators who voted for the bill and leadership urged a no vote.

The bill runs for 4,155 pages, not including amendments the Senate added. It contains about a 6% percent increase in spending for domestic initiatives, to $772.5 billion. Spending on defense programs will increase by about 10% to $858 billion.

The bill's passage came only hours before financing for federal agencies expires. Lawmakers have passed two stopgap spending measures to keep the government operating so far for this budget year and a third was set to pass Friday as well to ensure services continue until Biden could sign the full-year measure, called an omnibus, into law.

The massive bill wraps together 12 appropriations bills, aid to Ukraine and disaster relief for communities recovering from hurricanes, flooding and wildfires. It also contains scores of policy changes that lawmakers worked to include in the final major bill being considered by the current Congress.

Lawmakers provided roughly $45 billion for Ukraine and NATO allies, more than even Biden requested, an acknowledgment that future rounds of funding are not guaranteed with a new GOP-led House.

In a dramatic address to a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday night,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-biden-68c65b3274e552f36f16853f24fedbb9">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;told lawmakers that the aid was not charity, but an investment in global security and democracy.

Though Ukraine aid has largely had bipartisan support, some House Republicans have been critical of the effort, arguing the money is better spent on priorities in the U.S.

“How can we send an additional $47 BILLION to Ukraine for security while terrorists, drugs, and criminals flood our southern border?” tweeted Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont.

“$100 billion to Ukraine. Let’s put that in perspective,” tweeted Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who included past rounds of aid in his count. “That’s more than $200 million this year from each Congressional district. What could your congressman have done for your district with $200 million?”

McCarthy has warned that Republicans would not write a “blank check” for Ukraine in the next Congress. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after Thursday's vote he’s having trouble understanding the concerns.

“I’m just befuddled by some of these right-wing Republicans who don’t want to help Ukraine,” Schumer said. “It’s always been, the more hard right you were, the more anti-Soviet you were, but all of a sudden, they’re pro. I hope it’s not a residue of Trump.”

The Senate passed the funding package Thursday by a vote of 68-29 but it takes time for the Senate clerk's office to review the bill and include amendments that were added that day. As a result, the bill ended up passing with a half-empty House chamber. More than 220 lawmakers sought the option to vote by proxy, and many raced to get out of town before risking canceled flights and spending Christmas in Washington.

Republicans have vowed that abolishing the practice of remote voting will be among their first acts in the majority next year.

The funding bill also contains roughly $40 billion in emergency spending in the U.S., mostly to assist communities across the country recovering from drought, hurricanes and other natural disasters.

And it has scores of policy changes largely unrelated to spending that lawmakers worked furiously behind the scenes to include, else they start from scratch next year in a divided Congress where Republicans will be returning to the majority in the House.

One of the most notable examples was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-susan-collins-west-virginia-c9c15562ad910bbc0ba6ef1eecbfc158">historic revision</a>&nbsp;to federal election law that aims to prevent any future presidents or presidential candidates from trying to overturn an election.

The bipartisan overhaul of the Electoral Count Act is in direct response to former President Donald Trump’s efforts to persuade Republican lawmakers and then-Vice President Mike Pence to object to the certification of Biden’s victory on Jan. 6, 2021.

Among the spending increases Democrats emphasized: a $500 increase in the maximum size of Pell grants for low-income college students, a $100 million increase in block grants to states for substance abuse prevention and treatment programs, a 22% increase in spending on VA medical care and $3.7 billion to provide emergency relief to farmers and ranchers hit by natural disasters, just to name a few.

The bill also provides roughly $15.3 billion for more than 7,200 projects that lawmakers sought for their home states and districts. Under revamped rules for community project funding, also referred to as earmarks, lawmakers must post their requests online and attest they have no financial interest in the projects. Still, many fiscal conservatives criticize the earmarking as leading to unnecessary spending.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671663729826.png" alt="The bill passed mostly along party lines, 225-201. It now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.-photo courtesy Architect of the Capitol" />
 <figcaption>The bill passed mostly along party lines, 225-201. It now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.-photo courtesy Architect of the Capitol</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A $1.7 trillion spending bill financing federal agencies through September and providing more aid to a devastated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine</a>&nbsp;cleared the House on Friday as lawmakers race to finish their work for the year and avoid a partial government shutdown.The bill passed mostly along party lines, 225-201. It now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.Passage of the bill represented a closing act for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Rep. Nancy Pelosi's</a>&nbsp;second stint as House speaker, and for the Democratic majority she led back to power in the 2018 election. Republicans will take control of the House next year and Rep. Kevin McCarthy is campaigning to replace her.He is appealing for support from staunch conservatives in his caucus who have largely trashed the size of the bill and many of the priorities it contains. He spoke with a raised voice for about 25 minutes, assailing the bill for spending too much and doing too little to curb illegal immigration and the flow of fentanyl across the U.S.-Mexico border.“This is a monstrosity that is one of the most shameful acts I've ever seen in this body," McCarthy said of the legislation.The speech prompted a quick quip from Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., who said “after listening to that, it's clear he doesn't have the votes yet," a reference to McCarthy's campaign to become speaker.Pelosi said “we have a big bill here because we had big needs for the country," then turned her focus to McCarthy:“It was sad to hear the minority leader say that this legislation is the most shameful thing to be seen on the House floor in this Congress," Pelosi said. “I can't help but wonder, had he forgotten January 6th?”The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-4ce3cf1ee887747b13fe8d007b8ffd75">Senate passed the defense-heavy measure</a>&nbsp;with significant bipartisan support on Thursday, but the vote was much more split in the House. Some 30 GOP lawmakers promised to block any legislative priority that comes from those Republican senators who voted for the bill and leadership urged a no vote.The bill runs for 4,155 pages, not including amendments the Senate added. It contains about a 6% percent increase in spending for domestic initiatives, to $772.5 billion. Spending on defense programs will increase by about 10% to $858 billion.The bill's passage came only hours before financing for federal agencies expires. Lawmakers have passed two stopgap spending measures to keep the government operating so far for this budget year and a third was set to pass Friday as well to ensure services continue until Biden could sign the full-year measure, called an omnibus, into law.The massive bill wraps together 12 appropriations bills, aid to Ukraine and disaster relief for communities recovering from hurricanes, flooding and wildfires. It also contains scores of policy changes that lawmakers worked to include in the final major bill being considered by the current Congress.Lawmakers provided roughly $45 billion for Ukraine and NATO allies, more than even Biden requested, an acknowledgment that future rounds of funding are not guaranteed with a new GOP-led House.In a dramatic address to a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday night,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-biden-68c65b3274e552f36f16853f24fedbb9">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;told lawmakers that the aid was not charity, but an investment in global security and democracy.Though Ukraine aid has largely had bipartisan support, some House Republicans have been critical of the effort, arguing the money is better spent on priorities in the U.S.“How can we send an additional $47 BILLION to Ukraine for security while terrorists, drugs, and criminals flood our southern border?” tweeted Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont.“$100 billion to Ukraine. Let’s put that in perspective,” tweeted Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who included past rounds of aid in his count. “That’s more than $200 million this year from each Congressional district. What could your congressman have done for your district with $200 million?”McCarthy has warned that Republicans would not write a “blank check” for Ukraine in the next Congress. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after Thursday's vote he’s having trouble understanding the concerns.“I’m just befuddled by some of these right-wing Republicans who don’t want to help Ukraine,” Schumer said. “It’s always been, the more hard right you were, the more anti-Soviet you were, but all of a sudden, they’re pro. I hope it’s not a residue of Trump.”The Senate passed the funding package Thursday by a vote of 68-29 but it takes time for the Senate clerk's office to review the bill and include amendments that were added that day. As a result, the bill ended up passing with a half-empty House chamber. More than 220 lawmakers sought the option to vote by proxy, and many raced to get out of town before risking canceled flights and spending Christmas in Washington.Republicans have vowed that abolishing the practice of remote voting will be among their first acts in the majority next year.The funding bill also contains roughly $40 billion in emergency spending in the U.S., mostly to assist communities across the country recovering from drought, hurricanes and other natural disasters.And it has scores of policy changes largely unrelated to spending that lawmakers worked furiously behind the scenes to include, else they start from scratch next year in a divided Congress where Republicans will be returning to the majority in the House.One of the most notable examples was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-susan-collins-west-virginia-c9c15562ad910bbc0ba6ef1eecbfc158">historic revision</a>&nbsp;to federal election law that aims to prevent any future presidents or presidential candidates from trying to overturn an election.The bipartisan overhaul of the Electoral Count Act is in direct response to former President Donald Trump’s efforts to persuade Republican lawmakers and then-Vice President Mike Pence to object to the certification of Biden’s victory on Jan. 6, 2021.Among the spending increases Democrats emphasized: a $500 increase in the maximum size of Pell grants for low-income college students, a $100 million increase in block grants to states for substance abuse prevention and treatment programs, a 22% increase in spending on VA medical care and $3.7 billion to provide emergency relief to farmers and ranchers hit by natural disasters, just to name a few.The bill also provides roughly $15.3 billion for more than 7,200 projects that lawmakers sought for their home states and districts. Under revamped rules for community project funding, also referred to as earmarks, lawmakers must post their requests online and attest they have no financial interest in the projects. Still, many fiscal conservatives criticize the earmarking as leading to unnecessary spending.

Christmas: House OKs $1.7 trillion spending bill; $45 billion for Ukraine 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The drawn-out saga of Title 42, the set of emergency powers that allows border officials to quickly turn away migrants, has been chaotic at the U.S.-Mexico border. In Washington, it hasn't unfolded much better.

The Supreme Court is weighing whether to keep the powers in place following months of legal battles brought on by Republican-led states after President Joe Biden's administration moved to end the Trump-era policy, which was set to lapse this week until the court agreed to take it up.

The administration has yet to lay out any systemic changes to manage an expected surge of migrants if the restrictions end. And a bipartisan immigration bill in Congress has been buried just as Republicans are set to take control of the House.

In short, America is right back where it has been. A divided nation is unable to agree on what a longer-term fix to the immigration system should look like. Basic questions — for example, should more immigrants be allowed in, or fewer? — are unanswered. Meantime the asylum system continues to strain under increasing numbers of migrants.

The Biden administration has been reluctant to take hardline measures that would resemble those of his predecessor. That's resulted in a barrage of criticism from Republicans who are using Title 42 to hammer the president as ineffective on border security. The rules were introduced as an emergency health measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“The Democrats have lost the messaging war on this," said Charles Foster, a longtime immigration attorney in Texas who served as an immigration policy adviser to Republican George W. Bush but now considers himself independent. "The tragedy is, Democrats more than anyone should focus on this issue, because unless and until it can be fixed, and the perception changes, we’ll get nothing ever through Congress."

Anyone who comes to the U.S. has the right to ask for asylum, but laws are narrow on who actually gets it. Under Biden, migrants arriving at the border are often let into the country and allowed to work while their cases progress. That process takes years because of a 2-million-case backlog in the immigration court system that was exacerbated by Trump-era rules.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-mexico-2d6872921b9d21347175b50f30d31539">Title 42 allows border officials</a>&nbsp;to deny people the right to seek asylum, and they have done so 2.5 million times since March 2020. The emergency health authority has been applied disproportionately to those from countries that Mexico agreed to take back: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and more recently Venezuela, in addition to Mexico.

“There is not going to be a good moment, politically speaking,” to end the restrictions, said Jorge Loweree of the American Immigration Council. The administration should have been preparing all along to create a better system for asylum seekers," Loweree said.

“It has allowed the other side to weaponize this issue. And the longer it remains in place, the longer the weapon will remain effective.”

The authority was first invoked at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic by President Donald Trump, whose immigration policies were aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-politics-f106b3351f6148a98f8f24c536f464ed">keeping out as many migrants as possible</a>. He also drastically reduced the number of refugees allowed into the country, added restrictions to the asylum process&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/courts-az-state-wire-tx-state-wire-ma-state-wire-ut-state-wire-7851364613cf0afbf67cf7930949f7d3">that clogged the system and kept migrants in detention</a>, and reduced legal immigration pathways.

Biden has been working to expand legal immigration and has undone some of the most restrictive Trump policies. But the administration kept the policy in place until this spring, and even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-venezuela-donald-trump-mexico-409a67bb33d547bc5438a4d7160576f6">expanded its use</a>&nbsp;after announcing it would end.

Republican say there will be even more chaos if it's lifted. But even with Title 42 in place, border officials have been encountering more migrants than ever before. In the budget year that ended Sept. 30, migrants were stopped 2.38 million times, up 37% from 1.73 million times the year before.

“I don’t know why it’s taking them so long to get serious about deterrence,” Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia said of the Biden administration. Capito is an incoming member of the Senate Republican leadership and the top GOP senator on the committee that oversees money for Homeland Security, the federal agency that manages border security.

Border officials have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-28ce8e9b1cb7b99d73c8043badbbe270">braced for an expected increase</a>, and migrants who have arrived are unsure of how asylum processes will work when the policy ends. Homeland Security officials have reported faster processing for migrants in custody on the border, more temporary detention tents, staffing increases and more criminal prosecutions of smugglers.

They say progress has been made on a plan announced in April but large-scale changes are needed. Meanwhile, the Senate's Republican leadership killed a bipartisan immigration bill that would have addressed some of these issues.

The split isn't just inside Congress.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-2022-midterm-elections-covid-health-media-2ebbd3849ca35ec76f0f91120639d9d4">One in 3 U.S. adults believes</a>&nbsp;an effort is underway to replace native-born Americans with immigrants for electoral gains, according to an AP-NORC survey.

Biden and his aides have said they are working to divert migrants coming out of Central America and helping provide aid to poorer nations that are bleeding people headed for the U.S. But the president is limited without action from Congress.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the administration is surging assistance to the border and will continue to do so. But “the removal of Title 42 does not mean the border is open,” she said. "Anyone who suggests otherwise is simply doing the work of these smugglers who again are spreading misinformation, which is very dangerous.”

A year-long appropriations bill passed the Senate on Thursday that would give the Border Patrol 17% more money, as well as 13% more for the Justice Department to develop an electronic case management system for immigration courts.

But Citizenship and Immigration Services, central in the asylum process, only got one third of what Biden had proposed to speed up the system.

Democrats, for their part, say they want policies that reflect America's reputation as a haven for those fleeing persecution. But they can’t agree on what that looks like.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., has been working on the issue for 20 years. This week, he stood on the Senate floor, sounding dejected as he talked about how Congress couldn't push through reform.

“It is a humanitarian and security nightmare that is only getting worse,” he said. “We're being flooded at the border by people who want to be in the United States, safely in the United States.”

Why, he asked, can't Washington figure out a better way?

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632317817548.png" alt="The Supreme Court is weighing whether to keep the powers in place following months of legal battles-photo Rep. Tony Gonzales" />
 <figcaption>The Supreme Court is weighing whether to keep the powers in place following months of legal battles-photo Rep. Tony Gonzales</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The drawn-out saga of Title 42, the set of emergency powers that allows border officials to quickly turn away migrants, has been chaotic at the U.S.-Mexico border. In Washington, it hasn't unfolded much better.The Supreme Court is weighing whether to keep the powers in place following months of legal battles brought on by Republican-led states after President Joe Biden's administration moved to end the Trump-era policy, which was set to lapse this week until the court agreed to take it up.The administration has yet to lay out any systemic changes to manage an expected surge of migrants if the restrictions end. And a bipartisan immigration bill in Congress has been buried just as Republicans are set to take control of the House.In short, America is right back where it has been. A divided nation is unable to agree on what a longer-term fix to the immigration system should look like. Basic questions — for example, should more immigrants be allowed in, or fewer? — are unanswered. Meantime the asylum system continues to strain under increasing numbers of migrants.The Biden administration has been reluctant to take hardline measures that would resemble those of his predecessor. That's resulted in a barrage of criticism from Republicans who are using Title 42 to hammer the president as ineffective on border security. The rules were introduced as an emergency health measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19.“The Democrats have lost the messaging war on this," said Charles Foster, a longtime immigration attorney in Texas who served as an immigration policy adviser to Republican George W. Bush but now considers himself independent. "The tragedy is, Democrats more than anyone should focus on this issue, because unless and until it can be fixed, and the perception changes, we’ll get nothing ever through Congress."Anyone who comes to the U.S. has the right to ask for asylum, but laws are narrow on who actually gets it. Under Biden, migrants arriving at the border are often let into the country and allowed to work while their cases progress. That process takes years because of a 2-million-case backlog in the immigration court system that was exacerbated by Trump-era rules.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-mexico-2d6872921b9d21347175b50f30d31539">Title 42 allows border officials</a>&nbsp;to deny people the right to seek asylum, and they have done so 2.5 million times since March 2020. The emergency health authority has been applied disproportionately to those from countries that Mexico agreed to take back: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and more recently Venezuela, in addition to Mexico.“There is not going to be a good moment, politically speaking,” to end the restrictions, said Jorge Loweree of the American Immigration Council. The administration should have been preparing all along to create a better system for asylum seekers," Loweree said.“It has allowed the other side to weaponize this issue. And the longer it remains in place, the longer the weapon will remain effective.”The authority was first invoked at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic by President Donald Trump, whose immigration policies were aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-politics-f106b3351f6148a98f8f24c536f464ed">keeping out as many migrants as possible</a>. He also drastically reduced the number of refugees allowed into the country, added restrictions to the asylum process&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/courts-az-state-wire-tx-state-wire-ma-state-wire-ut-state-wire-7851364613cf0afbf67cf7930949f7d3">that clogged the system and kept migrants in detention</a>, and reduced legal immigration pathways.Biden has been working to expand legal immigration and has undone some of the most restrictive Trump policies. But the administration kept the policy in place until this spring, and even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-venezuela-donald-trump-mexico-409a67bb33d547bc5438a4d7160576f6">expanded its use</a>&nbsp;after announcing it would end.Republican say there will be even more chaos if it's lifted. But even with Title 42 in place, border officials have been encountering more migrants than ever before. In the budget year that ended Sept. 30, migrants were stopped 2.38 million times, up 37% from 1.73 million times the year before.“I don’t know why it’s taking them so long to get serious about deterrence,” Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia said of the Biden administration. Capito is an incoming member of the Senate Republican leadership and the top GOP senator on the committee that oversees money for Homeland Security, the federal agency that manages border security.Border officials have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-28ce8e9b1cb7b99d73c8043badbbe270">braced for an expected increase</a>, and migrants who have arrived are unsure of how asylum processes will work when the policy ends. Homeland Security officials have reported faster processing for migrants in custody on the border, more temporary detention tents, staffing increases and more criminal prosecutions of smugglers.They say progress has been made on a plan announced in April but large-scale changes are needed. Meanwhile, the Senate's Republican leadership killed a bipartisan immigration bill that would have addressed some of these issues.The split isn't just inside Congress.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-2022-midterm-elections-covid-health-media-2ebbd3849ca35ec76f0f91120639d9d4">One in 3 U.S. adults believes</a>&nbsp;an effort is underway to replace native-born Americans with immigrants for electoral gains, according to an AP-NORC survey.Biden and his aides have said they are working to divert migrants coming out of Central America and helping provide aid to poorer nations that are bleeding people headed for the U.S. But the president is limited without action from Congress.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the administration is surging assistance to the border and will continue to do so. But “the removal of Title 42 does not mean the border is open,” she said. "Anyone who suggests otherwise is simply doing the work of these smugglers who again are spreading misinformation, which is very dangerous.”A year-long appropriations bill passed the Senate on Thursday that would give the Border Patrol 17% more money, as well as 13% more for the Justice Department to develop an electronic case management system for immigration courts.But Citizenship and Immigration Services, central in the asylum process, only got one third of what Biden had proposed to speed up the system.Democrats, for their part, say they want policies that reflect America's reputation as a haven for those fleeing persecution. But they can’t agree on what that looks like.Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., has been working on the issue for 20 years. This week, he stood on the Senate floor, sounding dejected as he talked about how Congress couldn't push through reform.“It is a humanitarian and security nightmare that is only getting worse,” he said. “We're being flooded at the border by people who want to be in the United States, safely in the United States.”Why, he asked, can't Washington figure out a better way?

Title 42 border rules confound Washington, migrants alike

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Authorities are investigating a fatal fire that occurred Friday morning in north Topeka.

Just before 4 a.m., crews responded to the report of an outdoor fire located along the Kansas River levy, according to Police Spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

 The fire was discovered by an officer from the Topeka Police Department (TPD) doing routine patrol.

Upon arrival, fire crews found heavy smoke and fire coming from a campsite. Crews were able to put out the fire. While searching the area, firefighters located one deceased individual.&nbsp; Personnel from the Shawnee County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene and are working to identify the victim. 

Investigators from Topeka Fire and the Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal responded to the scene to determine the cause of the fire.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671818516202.png" alt="The scene of the fatal fire in Topeka -photo courtesy WIBW-TV" />
 <figcaption>The scene of the fatal fire in Topeka -photo courtesy WIBW-TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Authorities are investigating a fatal fire that occurred Friday morning in north Topeka.Just before 4 a.m., crews responded to the report of an outdoor fire located along the Kansas River levy, according to Police Spokesperson Gretchen Spiker. The fire was discovered by an officer from the Topeka Police Department (TPD) doing routine patrol.Upon arrival, fire crews found heavy smoke and fire coming from a campsite. Crews were able to put out the fire. While searching the area, firefighters located one deceased individual.&nbsp; Personnel from the Shawnee County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene and are working to identify the victim. Investigators from Topeka Fire and the Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal responded to the scene to determine the cause of the fire.

One dead after fire at Kansas homeless campsite

WASHINGTON (AP) — A measure of inflation closely watched by the Federal Reserve slowed last month, another sign that a long surge in consumer prices seems to be easing.

Friday's report from the Commerce Department showed that prices rose 5.5% in November from a year earlier, down from a revise 6.1% increase in October. Excluding volatile food and energy prices, so-called core inflation was up 4.7% over the previous year.

On a month-to-month basis, prices rose 0.1% from October to November after rising 0.4% the previous month. Core prices rose 0.2%.

The Fed is believed to monitor the Commerce Department's inflation gauge that was issued Friday, called the personal consumption expenditures price index, even more closely than it does the Labor Department's better-known consumer price index. CPI rose 7.1% in November from 12 months earlier, down from June’s 9.1% year-over-year increase, which had been the biggest such jump in four decades.

The PCE index tends to show a lower inflation rate than CPI. In part, that is because rents, which have soared, carry double the weight in the CPI that they do in the PCE.

The PCE price index also seeks to account for changes in how people shop when inflation jumps. As a result, it can capture, for example, when consumers switch from pricey national brands to cheaper store brands.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671814441174.png" alt="On a month-to-month basis, prices rose 0.1% from October to November after rising 0.4% the previous month. Core prices rose 0.2%.-Google image" />
 <figcaption>On a month-to-month basis, prices rose 0.1% from October to November after rising 0.4% the previous month. Core prices rose 0.2%.-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A measure of inflation closely watched by the Federal Reserve slowed last month, another sign that a long surge in consumer prices seems to be easing.Friday's report from the Commerce Department showed that prices rose 5.5% in November from a year earlier, down from a revise 6.1% increase in October. Excluding volatile food and energy prices, so-called core inflation was up 4.7% over the previous year.On a month-to-month basis, prices rose 0.1% from October to November after rising 0.4% the previous month. Core prices rose 0.2%.The Fed is believed to monitor the Commerce Department's inflation gauge that was issued Friday, called the personal consumption expenditures price index, even more closely than it does the Labor Department's better-known consumer price index. CPI rose 7.1% in November from 12 months earlier, down from June’s 9.1% year-over-year increase, which had been the biggest such jump in four decades.The PCE index tends to show a lower inflation rate than CPI. In part, that is because rents, which have soared, carry double the weight in the CPI that they do in the PCE.The PCE price index also seeks to account for changes in how people shop when inflation jumps. As a result, it can capture, for example, when consumers switch from pricey national brands to cheaper store brands.

Report: Inflation is slowing according Fed's preferred measure

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman for alleged child endangerment.

Just before 1p.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to a Domestic Violence call in the 4400 block of East Bayley in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch. 

While approaching the address, officers observed a 4-year-old boy&nbsp;on the porch of a different address crying. Believing the child was locked out of his home officers opened the door and a large amount of smoke exited the house. 

Officers observed a 2-year-old boy on the couch and a fire in the kitchen. One officer removed the 2-year-old from the residence and the other officer entered and checked for any other people in the home. 

The officer located a 3-month-child in a back bedroom. All three children were quickly put into a warm patrol vehicle as Wichita Fire Dept and EMS crews were responding to control the fire.

Officers remained with the children until a parent arrived on the scene approximately 45 minutes later.&nbsp; The investigation revealed 24-year-old <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20070158">Dekilah Sellers </a>left her three children alone in the residence to go get Christmas presents.

The 4-year-old and 2-year-old boys were treated on the scene for smoke inhalation. The 3-month-old girl was transported to a local hospital for treatment and was to be released Thursday, according to Ditch.

Fire and EMS on the scene noted that the two children that were in the home would have died from smoke inhalation if not for the help of the 4-year-old boy and the swift response of police officers.

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20070158">Sellers remains in custody</a> on requested charges of aggravated endangering a child, failure to comply, disorderly conduct and several vehicle violations, according to online booking records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671740760578.png" alt="Sellers-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Sellers-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman for alleged child endangerment.Just before 1p.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to a Domestic Violence call in the 4400 block of East Bayley in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch. While approaching the address, officers observed a 4-year-old boy&nbsp;on the porch of a different address crying. Believing the child was locked out of his home officers opened the door and a large amount of smoke exited the house. Officers observed a 2-year-old boy on the couch and a fire in the kitchen. One officer removed the 2-year-old from the residence and the other officer entered and checked for any other people in the home. The officer located a 3-month-child in a back bedroom. All three children were quickly put into a warm patrol vehicle as Wichita Fire Dept and EMS crews were responding to control the fire.Officers remained with the children until a parent arrived on the scene approximately 45 minutes later.&nbsp; The investigation revealed 24-year-old <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20070158">Dekilah Sellers </a>left her three children alone in the residence to go get Christmas presents.The 4-year-old and 2-year-old boys were treated on the scene for smoke inhalation. The 3-month-old girl was transported to a local hospital for treatment and was to be released Thursday, according to Ditch.Fire and EMS on the scene noted that the two children that were in the home would have died from smoke inhalation if not for the help of the 4-year-old boy and the swift response of police officers.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20070158">Sellers remains in custody</a> on requested charges of aggravated endangering a child, failure to comply, disorderly conduct and several vehicle violations, according to online booking records.

Home alone: Children saved from Kansas house fire

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas knows that for the over 1 million Kansans estimated to do their year end holiday travel by car in 2022, they'll pay less at the pump than they did last year at this time.

To find out gas prices along your route, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">gasprices.aaa.com</a>.

"The average today in Kansas is $2.76 a gallon," Steward said Thursday. "That's down 50 cents just in the last month. If we look back to where we were a year ago, it was at $2.98, so we're 20, 22 cents less than that. It's certainly a good trend that we've been seeing for drivers, in terms of saving money."

The national average as of Thursday was $3.10 a gallon. Area counties are, as usual on both sides of the state average.

"We've got some competing factors going on right now," Steward said. "Projections of a lot of people traveling for the holidays, but people may be delaying those trips a day or two because of this weather."

Making sure your car is ready for your holiday trip is important.

"If you can, make sure that you get your car in and you get it checked out before you hit the road," Steward said. "Pay special attention to the battery, your tires, make sure your tires are properly inflated and have good tread, so you have traction if there is bad weather. Check systems like antifreeze, make sure that's in good shape, hoses and belts.&nbsp; Make sure your vehicle is in overall good shape."

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas knows that for the over 1 million Kansans estimated to do their year end holiday travel by car in 2022, they'll pay less at the pump than they did last year at this time.To find out gas prices along your route, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">gasprices.aaa.com</a>."The average today in Kansas is $2.76 a gallon," Steward said Thursday. "That's down 50 cents just in the last month. If we look back to where we were a year ago, it was at $2.98, so we're 20, 22 cents less than that. It's certainly a good trend that we've been seeing for drivers, in terms of saving money."The national average as of Thursday was $3.10 a gallon. Area counties are, as usual on both sides of the state average."We've got some competing factors going on right now," Steward said. "Projections of a lot of people traveling for the holidays, but people may be delaying those trips a day or two because of this weather."Making sure your car is ready for your holiday trip is important."If you can, make sure that you get your car in and you get it checked out before you hit the road," Steward said. "Pay special attention to the battery, your tires, make sure your tires are properly inflated and have good tread, so you have traction if there is bad weather. Check systems like antifreeze, make sure that's in good shape, hoses and belts.&nbsp; Make sure your vehicle is in overall good shape."

AAA: Gas prices in Kansas down from last Christmas

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Jan. 6 committee's final report asserts that Donald Trump criminally engaged in a "multi-part conspiracy" to overturn the lawful results of the 2020 presidential election and failed to act to stop his supporters from attacking the Capitol, concluding an extraordinary 18-month investigation into the former president and the violent insurrection two years ago.

<a href="https://january6th.house.gov/sites/democrats.january6th.house.gov/files/Report_FinalReport_Jan6SelectCommittee.pdf">Click here to read</a> the report

Trump "lit that fire," the committee's chairman, Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, writes.

The 814-page report released Thursday comes after the panel interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses, held 10 hearings and obtained more than a million pages of documents. The witnesses — ranging from many of Trump's closest aides to law enforcement to some of the rioters themselves — detailed Trump's "premeditated" actions in the weeks ahead of the attack and how his wide-ranging efforts to overturn his defeat directly influenced those who brutally pushed past the police and smashed through the windows and doors of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The central cause was "one man," the report says: Trump.

The insurrection gravely threatened democracy and "put the lives of American lawmakers at risk," the bipartisan nine-member panel concluded, offering so far the most definitive account of a dark chapter in modern American history. It functions not only as a compendium of the most dramatic moments of testimony from months of hearings, but also as a document meant to be preserved for future generations.

In a foreword to the report, outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the findings should be a "clarion call to all Americans: to vigilantly guard our Democracy and to give our vote only to those dutiful in their defense of our Constitution."

The report's eight chapters tell the story largely as the panel's hearings did this summer — describing the many facets of the remarkable plan that Trump and his advisers devised to try and void President Joe Biden's victory. The lawmakers describe the former president's pressure on states, federal officials, lawmakers and Vice President Mike Pence to game the system or break the law.

In the two months between the election and the insurrection, the report says, "President Trump or his inner circle engaged in at least 200 apparent acts of public or private outreach, pressure, or condemnation, targeting either State legislators or State or local election administrators, to overturn State election results."

Trump's repeated, false claims of widespread voter fraud resonated with his supporters, the committee said, and were amplified on social media, building on the distrust of government he had fostered for his four years in office. And he did little to stop them when they resorted to violence and stormed the Capitol, interrupting the certification of Biden's victory.

The massive, damning report comes as Trump is running again for the presidency and also facing multiple federal investigations, including probes of his role in the insurrection and the presence of classified documents at his Florida estate. This week is particularly fraught for him, as a House committee said it will release his tax returns after he has fought for years to keep them private. And Trump has been blamed by Republicans for a worse-than-expected showing in the midterm elections, leaving him in his most politically vulnerable state since he was elected in 2016.

In a series of policy recommendations, the seven Democrats and two Republicans on the committee suggest that Trump should be barred from future office, noting that the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution holds that anyone who has taken an oath to uphold the Constitution can be prevented from holding office for engaging in insurrection or rebellion.

"He is unfit for any office," writes the committee's vice chairwoman, Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming.

Posting on his social media site, Trump called the report "highly partisan" and falsely claimed it didn't include his statement on Jan. 6 that his supporters should protest "peacefully and patriotically." The committee did include that statement, though, and noted that he followed that comment with election falsehoods and charged language exhorting the crowd to "fight like hell."

The report details a multitude of failings by law enforcement and intelligence agencies, noting that many of the rioters came with weapons and had openly planned for violence online. "The failure to sufficiently share and act upon that intelligence jeopardized the lives of the police officers defending the Capitol and everyone in it," the report says.

At the same time, the committee makes an emphatic point that security failures are not the primary cause for the insurrection.

"The President of the United States inciting a mob to march on the Capitol and impede the work of Congress is not a scenario our intelligence and law enforcement communities envisioned for this country," Thompson wrote.

"Donald Trump lit that fire," Thompson writes. "But in the weeks beforehand, the kindling he ultimately ignited was amassed in plain sight."

The report details Trump's inaction as his loyalists were storming the building, detailing the hours when he watched the violence on television but did nothing to stop it.

A White House photographer snapped a picture of Trump at 1:21 p.m., learning of the riot from the employee after he returned to the White House after his speech — and after his own security officials had rebuffed his efforts to go to the Capitol himself. "By that time, if not sooner, he had been made aware of the violent riot," the report states.

In total, 187 minutes elapsed between the time Trump finished his speech at the Ellipse and his first effort to get the rioters to disperse, through an eventual video message in which he asked his supporters to go home even as he reassured them, "We love you, you're very special."

That inaction was a "dereliction of duty," the report says, noting that Trump had more power than any other person as the nation's commander-in-chief. "He willfully remained idle even as others, including his own Vice President, acted."

During those hours, Pence huddled in the Capitol, begging security officials for a quicker National Guard response as rioters outside called for his hanging because he would not illegally try to thwart Biden's win. And inside the White House, dozens of staffers and associates pleaded with Trump to make a forceful statement.

"We all look like domestic terrorists now," longtime aide Hope Hicks texted Julie Radford, who served as Ivanka Trump's chief of staff, in the aftermath.

The report says "virtually everyone on the White House staff" interviewed by the committee condemned a tweet by Trump at 2:24 p.m. that day — just as the rioters were first breaking into the Capitol — that Vice President Mike Pence "didn't have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution."

"Attacking the VP? Wtf is wrong with him," Hicks texted another colleague that evening.

The investigation's release is a final act for House Democrats who are ceding power to Republicans in less than two weeks, and have spent much of their four years in power investigating Trump. Democrats impeached Trump twice, the second time a week after the insurrection. He was acquitted by the Senate both times. Other Democratic-led probes investigated his finances, his businesses, his foreign ties and his family.

On Monday, the panel officially passed their investigation to the Justice Department, recommending the department investigate the former president on four crimes, including aiding an insurrection. While the criminal referrals have no legal standing, they are a final statement from the committee after its extensive, year-and-a-half-long probe.

The committee has also begun to release hundreds of transcripts of its interviews. On Thursday, the panel released transcripts of two closed-door interviews with former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who testified in person at one of the televised hearings over the summer and described in vivid detail Trump's actions and inaction inside the White House.

In the two interviews, both conducted after her June appearance at the hearing, Hutchinson described how many of Trump's allies, including her lawyer, pressured her not to say too much in her committee interviews.

Follow the AP's coverage of the Capitol insurrection at https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671793065512.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Jan. 6 committee's final report asserts that Donald Trump criminally engaged in a "multi-part conspiracy" to overturn the lawful results of the 2020 presidential election and failed to act to stop his supporters from attacking the Capitol, concluding an extraordinary 18-month investigation into the former president and the violent insurrection two years ago.<a href="https://january6th.house.gov/sites/democrats.january6th.house.gov/files/Report_FinalReport_Jan6SelectCommittee.pdf">Click here to read</a> the reportTrump "lit that fire," the committee's chairman, Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, writes.The 814-page report released Thursday comes after the panel interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses, held 10 hearings and obtained more than a million pages of documents. The witnesses — ranging from many of Trump's closest aides to law enforcement to some of the rioters themselves — detailed Trump's "premeditated" actions in the weeks ahead of the attack and how his wide-ranging efforts to overturn his defeat directly influenced those who brutally pushed past the police and smashed through the windows and doors of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.The central cause was "one man," the report says: Trump.The insurrection gravely threatened democracy and "put the lives of American lawmakers at risk," the bipartisan nine-member panel concluded, offering so far the most definitive account of a dark chapter in modern American history. It functions not only as a compendium of the most dramatic moments of testimony from months of hearings, but also as a document meant to be preserved for future generations.In a foreword to the report, outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the findings should be a "clarion call to all Americans: to vigilantly guard our Democracy and to give our vote only to those dutiful in their defense of our Constitution."The report's eight chapters tell the story largely as the panel's hearings did this summer — describing the many facets of the remarkable plan that Trump and his advisers devised to try and void President Joe Biden's victory. The lawmakers describe the former president's pressure on states, federal officials, lawmakers and Vice President Mike Pence to game the system or break the law.In the two months between the election and the insurrection, the report says, "President Trump or his inner circle engaged in at least 200 apparent acts of public or private outreach, pressure, or condemnation, targeting either State legislators or State or local election administrators, to overturn State election results."Trump's repeated, false claims of widespread voter fraud resonated with his supporters, the committee said, and were amplified on social media, building on the distrust of government he had fostered for his four years in office. And he did little to stop them when they resorted to violence and stormed the Capitol, interrupting the certification of Biden's victory.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614042711157.png" alt="photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>The massive, damning report comes as Trump is running again for the presidency and also facing multiple federal investigations, including probes of his role in the insurrection and the presence of classified documents at his Florida estate. This week is particularly fraught for him, as a House committee said it will release his tax returns after he has fought for years to keep them private. And Trump has been blamed by Republicans for a worse-than-expected showing in the midterm elections, leaving him in his most politically vulnerable state since he was elected in 2016.In a series of policy recommendations, the seven Democrats and two Republicans on the committee suggest that Trump should be barred from future office, noting that the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution holds that anyone who has taken an oath to uphold the Constitution can be prevented from holding office for engaging in insurrection or rebellion."He is unfit for any office," writes the committee's vice chairwoman, Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming.Posting on his social media site, Trump called the report "highly partisan" and falsely claimed it didn't include his statement on Jan. 6 that his supporters should protest "peacefully and patriotically." The committee did include that statement, though, and noted that he followed that comment with election falsehoods and charged language exhorting the crowd to "fight like hell."The report details a multitude of failings by law enforcement and intelligence agencies, noting that many of the rioters came with weapons and had openly planned for violence online. "The failure to sufficiently share and act upon that intelligence jeopardized the lives of the police officers defending the Capitol and everyone in it," the report says.At the same time, the committee makes an emphatic point that security failures are not the primary cause for the insurrection."The President of the United States inciting a mob to march on the Capitol and impede the work of Congress is not a scenario our intelligence and law enforcement communities envisioned for this country," Thompson wrote."Donald Trump lit that fire," Thompson writes. "But in the weeks beforehand, the kindling he ultimately ignited was amassed in plain sight."The report details Trump's inaction as his loyalists were storming the building, detailing the hours when he watched the violence on television but did nothing to stop it.A White House photographer snapped a picture of Trump at 1:21 p.m., learning of the riot from the employee after he returned to the White House after his speech — and after his own security officials had rebuffed his efforts to go to the Capitol himself. "By that time, if not sooner, he had been made aware of the violent riot," the report states.In total, 187 minutes elapsed between the time Trump finished his speech at the Ellipse and his first effort to get the rioters to disperse, through an eventual video message in which he asked his supporters to go home even as he reassured them, "We love you, you're very special."That inaction was a "dereliction of duty," the report says, noting that Trump had more power than any other person as the nation's commander-in-chief. "He willfully remained idle even as others, including his own Vice President, acted."During those hours, Pence huddled in the Capitol, begging security officials for a quicker National Guard response as rioters outside called for his hanging because he would not illegally try to thwart Biden's win. And inside the White House, dozens of staffers and associates pleaded with Trump to make a forceful statement.But he did not."We all look like domestic terrorists now," longtime aide Hope Hicks texted Julie Radford, who served as Ivanka Trump's chief of staff, in the aftermath.The report says "virtually everyone on the White House staff" interviewed by the committee condemned a tweet by Trump at 2:24 p.m. that day — just as the rioters were first breaking into the Capitol — that Vice President Mike Pence "didn't have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution.""Attacking the VP? Wtf is wrong with him," Hicks texted another colleague that evening.The investigation's release is a final act for House Democrats who are ceding power to Republicans in less than two weeks, and have spent much of their four years in power investigating Trump. Democrats impeached Trump twice, the second time a week after the insurrection. He was acquitted by the Senate both times. Other Democratic-led probes investigated his finances, his businesses, his foreign ties and his family.On Monday, the panel officially passed their investigation to the Justice Department, recommending the department investigate the former president on four crimes, including aiding an insurrection. While the criminal referrals have no legal standing, they are a final statement from the committee after its extensive, year-and-a-half-long probe.The committee has also begun to release hundreds of transcripts of its interviews. On Thursday, the panel released transcripts of two closed-door interviews with former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who testified in person at one of the televised hearings over the summer and described in vivid detail Trump's actions and inaction inside the White House.In the two interviews, both conducted after her June appearance at the hearing, Hutchinson described how many of Trump's allies, including her lawyer, pressured her not to say too much in her committee interviews.___Follow the AP's coverage of the Capitol insurrection at https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege

Read the Jan. 6 panel's final report on the Capitol insurrection

DOUGLAS COUNTY—A police officer is recovering after responding just after 1a.m. Thursday to a fire at a home in the 2400 block of Brookside in the city of Lawrence.

 Arriving officers found a large working fire. Four officers entered the residence to try to find victims.&nbsp; Fortunately, no one was inside. One officer was transported to a local hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation.

There were no other serious injuries. Police credited Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical for taking care of the injured officer, and extinguishing the fire. Investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671793898011.png" alt="Image Lawrence Police" />
 <figcaption>Image Lawrence Police</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY—A police officer is recovering after responding just after 1a.m. Thursday to a fire at a home in the 2400 block of Brookside in the city of Lawrence.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This is a quick snippet of edited video from the body camera footage of responding officers at this morning&#39;s fire. The video has been heavily edited for time and privacy considerations. <a href="https://t.co/W6ws8lDFqz">pic.twitter.com/W6ws8lDFqz</a>&mdash; Lawrence Police (@LawrenceKS_PD) <a href="https://twitter.com/LawrenceKS_PD/status/1606028894485692416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div> Arriving officers found a large working fire. Four officers entered the residence to try to find victims.&nbsp; Fortunately, no one was inside. One officer was transported to a local hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671796812239.png" alt="Photo courtesy Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical</figcaption>
 </figure>There were no other serious injuries. Police credited Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical for taking care of the injured officer, and extinguishing the fire. Investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire.

🎥 Kansas officer recovering after responding to house fire

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">The White House</a>&nbsp;said Thursday that the Wagner Group, a private Russian military company, has taken delivery of an arms shipment from North Korea to help bolster its forces as it fights side-by-side with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russian troops in Ukraine.</a>&nbsp;Russia has also turned to Iran to provide drones to use against Ukraine.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said U.S. intelligence officials determined that North Korea completed an initial arms shipment that included rockets and missiles last month.

“We assess that the amount of material delivered to Wagner will not change battlefield dynamics in Ukraine,” Kirby said. “But we’re certainly concerned that North Korea is planning to deliver more military equipment."

The White House has expressed alarm about Wagner's growing involvement in the war as it has been particularly active in the eastern Donbas region. Kirby said in certain instances Russian military officials have even been “subordinate to Wagner's command."

Biden administration officials said with the arms sales to the private military group North Korea is violating U.N. sanctions that ban Pyongyang from importing or exporting weapons.

Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. envoy to the United Nations, called it “despicable” that Russia, a permanent veto-wielding member of the U.N. Security Council, which imposed the sanctions, is now using weapons procured from North Korea and Iran “to pursue its war of aggression against Ukraine.”

Kirby said the U.S. now assesses that Wagner has some 50,000 personnel fighting in Ukraine, including 10,000 contractors and 40,000 convicts that the company has recruited from prisons.

The U.S. assesses that Wagner, owned by Yevgeny Prigozhin, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is spending about $100 million a month in the fight, Kirby said.

Wagner Group mercenaries have also been accused by Western countries and UN experts of numerous human rights abuses throughout Africa, including in the Central African Republic, Libya and Mali. Earlier this month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced he had de&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/islamic-state-group-putin-religion-united-states-africa-61336a4ce8ca2ab1793a2b6d1b986493">signated the Wagner Group as an “entity of particular concern”</a>&nbsp;for its activities in the Central African Republic.

Wagner has faced U.S. sanctions since 2017. The Commerce Department on Wednesday unveiled new export restrictions targeting Wagner in a bid to further restrict its access to technology and supplies.

The White House has repeatedly sought to spotlight intelligence findings that show Russia — struggling to maintain a steady supply of arms for its war in Ukraine and pinched by sanctions that are limiting access to key components for weapons manufacturing — has limited options to help it resupply weapons.

Russia has also turned to Iran to provide drones to use against Ukraine, and the Biden administration has expressed concern that Russia may seek to acquire additional advanced conventional weapons from Iran. The White House has previously said that Moscow turn to North Korea for artillery.

The British government also condemned Russia for Wagner arm's purchase.

“The fact that President Putin is turning to North Korea for help is a sign of Russia’s desperation and isolation," Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said in a statement. “We will work with our partners to ensure that North Korea pays a high price for supporting Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine.”

North Korea has sought to strengthen relations with Russia as much of Europe and the West has pulled away from Moscow.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have heightened because of concerns about North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The North has carried out a series of weapons demonstrations, while the U.S. and South Korea held stepped up joint defense exercises.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/linda-thomas-greenfield">Thomas-Greenfield</a>&nbsp;said Wagner's purchase “contributes to instability on the Korean Peninsula by giving the DPRK funds it can use to further develop its prohibited weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs.”

“Russia is not only defending the DPRK as it engages in unlawful and threatening behavior, Russia is now a partner to such behavior," Thomas-Greenfield added.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663760963726.jpeg" alt="Image from a video released by the Russian Presidential Press Service, Russian President Vladimir Putin (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)" />
 <figcaption>Image from a video released by the Russian Presidential Press Service, Russian President Vladimir Putin (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">The White House</a>&nbsp;said Thursday that the Wagner Group, a private Russian military company, has taken delivery of an arms shipment from North Korea to help bolster its forces as it fights side-by-side with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russian troops in Ukraine.</a>&nbsp;Russia has also turned to Iran to provide drones to use against Ukraine.White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said U.S. intelligence officials determined that North Korea completed an initial arms shipment that included rockets and missiles last month.“We assess that the amount of material delivered to Wagner will not change battlefield dynamics in Ukraine,” Kirby said. “But we’re certainly concerned that North Korea is planning to deliver more military equipment."The White House has expressed alarm about Wagner's growing involvement in the war as it has been particularly active in the eastern Donbas region. Kirby said in certain instances Russian military officials have even been “subordinate to Wagner's command."Biden administration officials said with the arms sales to the private military group North Korea is violating U.N. sanctions that ban Pyongyang from importing or exporting weapons.Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. envoy to the United Nations, called it “despicable” that Russia, a permanent veto-wielding member of the U.N. Security Council, which imposed the sanctions, is now using weapons procured from North Korea and Iran “to pursue its war of aggression against Ukraine.”Kirby said the U.S. now assesses that Wagner has some 50,000 personnel fighting in Ukraine, including 10,000 contractors and 40,000 convicts that the company has recruited from prisons.The U.S. assesses that Wagner, owned by Yevgeny Prigozhin, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is spending about $100 million a month in the fight, Kirby said.Wagner Group mercenaries have also been accused by Western countries and UN experts of numerous human rights abuses throughout Africa, including in the Central African Republic, Libya and Mali. Earlier this month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced he had de&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/islamic-state-group-putin-religion-united-states-africa-61336a4ce8ca2ab1793a2b6d1b986493">signated the Wagner Group as an “entity of particular concern”</a>&nbsp;for its activities in the Central African Republic.Wagner has faced U.S. sanctions since 2017. The Commerce Department on Wednesday unveiled new export restrictions targeting Wagner in a bid to further restrict its access to technology and supplies.The White House has repeatedly sought to spotlight intelligence findings that show Russia — struggling to maintain a steady supply of arms for its war in Ukraine and pinched by sanctions that are limiting access to key components for weapons manufacturing — has limited options to help it resupply weapons.Russia has also turned to Iran to provide drones to use against Ukraine, and the Biden administration has expressed concern that Russia may seek to acquire additional advanced conventional weapons from Iran. The White House has previously said that Moscow turn to North Korea for artillery.The British government also condemned Russia for Wagner arm's purchase.“The fact that President Putin is turning to North Korea for help is a sign of Russia’s desperation and isolation," Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said in a statement. “We will work with our partners to ensure that North Korea pays a high price for supporting Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine.”North Korea has sought to strengthen relations with Russia as much of Europe and the West has pulled away from Moscow.Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have heightened because of concerns about North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The North has carried out a series of weapons demonstrations, while the U.S. and South Korea held stepped up joint defense exercises.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/linda-thomas-greenfield">Thomas-Greenfield</a>&nbsp;said Wagner's purchase “contributes to instability on the Korean Peninsula by giving the DPRK funds it can use to further develop its prohibited weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs.”“Russia is not only defending the DPRK as it engages in unlawful and threatening behavior, Russia is now a partner to such behavior," Thomas-Greenfield added.

White House: Iran, North Korea give weapons to Russia

KANSAS CITY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting have identified the victim as 18-year-old Amir Terry of Missouri, according to a statement from police.

Just after 9:30p.m. Dec, 18, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 4000 block of Lloyd Street in Kansas City, Kansas.

At the scene, police discovered Terry with apparent gunshot wounds. EMS transported him to an area hospital, where he later died of his injuries.

The KCKPD Major Case Unit is in charge of the investigation. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). All tips remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.

KANSAS CITY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting have identified the victim as 18-year-old Amir Terry of Missouri, according to a statement from police.Just after 9:30p.m. Dec, 18, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 4000 block of Lloyd Street in Kansas City, Kansas.At the scene, police discovered Terry with apparent gunshot wounds. EMS transported him to an area hospital, where he later died of his injuries.The KCKPD Major Case Unit is in charge of the investigation. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). All tips remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.

Police ID teen victim in fatal Kansas shooting

TOPEKA — Former United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be the keynote speaker of the statewide advocacy organization’s&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001xMoaPPb5AT9gK2ZghUpLrO14qz0DBQpbFmB7BE_1-ZF8uCQlUzDwIOabe1nnc0E5MRoIUSZJP_4yvIjuNpeT-Hdd8tlLNFTcE3Rlu7lXZ2Jt87TYlTHgXRyfRNcpOLfNdKWDq9c67ApUVYW6uWs3WJl1OgGttOJagahR8vb9W_w=&amp;c=CLLBsFaC9_xMLxS4bZ9unIHFMnIYHkfVojbZw9NQ2VwUBQU1TFKevw==&amp;ch=t4DtqkqQrIuvzObwmmk7hh3QXEG-ky25_Nbk20HOa_UuXy-2Xbb9sw==" target="_blank">2023 Annual Dinne</a>r, according to a media release from the&nbsp;The Kansas Chamber. Presenting this year’s annual meeting is online retail and web service provider, Amazon.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Pompeo served as the former United States Secretary of State. He previously served as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and as the Congressman from Kansas 4th Congressional District.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001xMoaPPb5AT9gK2ZghUpLrO14qz0DBQpbFmB7BE_1-ZF8uCQlUzDwIOabe1nnc0E5MRoIUSZJP_4yvIjuNpeT-Hdd8tlLNFTcE3Rlu7lXZ2Jt87TYlTHgXRyfRNcpOLfNdKWDq9c67ApUVYW6uWs3WJl1OgGttOJagahR8vb9W_w=&amp;c=CLLBsFaC9_xMLxS4bZ9unIHFMnIYHkfVojbZw9NQ2VwUBQU1TFKevw==&amp;ch=t4DtqkqQrIuvzObwmmk7hh3QXEG-ky25_Nbk20HOa_UuXy-2Xbb9sw==" target="_blank">2023 Kansas Chamber Annual Dinner</a>&nbsp;is Wednesday, April 26 at the Stormont Vail Events Center in Topeka. The dinner is one of the largest annual statewide gatherings of business and political leaders in Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Pompeo has been rumored to be considering a run for President in 2024.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635265707672.png" alt="Mike Pompeo -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Mike Pompeo -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA — Former United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be the keynote speaker of the statewide advocacy organization’s&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001xMoaPPb5AT9gK2ZghUpLrO14qz0DBQpbFmB7BE_1-ZF8uCQlUzDwIOabe1nnc0E5MRoIUSZJP_4yvIjuNpeT-Hdd8tlLNFTcE3Rlu7lXZ2Jt87TYlTHgXRyfRNcpOLfNdKWDq9c67ApUVYW6uWs3WJl1OgGttOJagahR8vb9W_w=&amp;c=CLLBsFaC9_xMLxS4bZ9unIHFMnIYHkfVojbZw9NQ2VwUBQU1TFKevw==&amp;ch=t4DtqkqQrIuvzObwmmk7hh3QXEG-ky25_Nbk20HOa_UuXy-2Xbb9sw==" target="_blank">2023 Annual Dinne</a>r, according to a media release from the&nbsp;The Kansas Chamber. Presenting this year’s annual meeting is online retail and web service provider, Amazon.&nbsp;&nbsp;Pompeo served as the former United States Secretary of State. He previously served as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and as the Congressman from Kansas 4th Congressional District.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001xMoaPPb5AT9gK2ZghUpLrO14qz0DBQpbFmB7BE_1-ZF8uCQlUzDwIOabe1nnc0E5MRoIUSZJP_4yvIjuNpeT-Hdd8tlLNFTcE3Rlu7lXZ2Jt87TYlTHgXRyfRNcpOLfNdKWDq9c67ApUVYW6uWs3WJl1OgGttOJagahR8vb9W_w=&amp;c=CLLBsFaC9_xMLxS4bZ9unIHFMnIYHkfVojbZw9NQ2VwUBQU1TFKevw==&amp;ch=t4DtqkqQrIuvzObwmmk7hh3QXEG-ky25_Nbk20HOa_UuXy-2Xbb9sw==" target="_blank">2023 Kansas Chamber Annual Dinner</a>&nbsp;is Wednesday, April 26 at the Stormont Vail Events Center in Topeka. The dinner is one of the largest annual statewide gatherings of business and political leaders in Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;Pompeo has been rumored to be considering a run for President in 2024.

Former Sec. of State Pompeo to speak at Kansas Chamber dinner

TROY, Mo. (AP) — A former sheriff's deputy who investigated a murder case that became the subject of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arts-and-entertainment-new-york-renee-zellweger-0c8670bc85d728fa549369b42cdd8c66">NBC show starring Renee Zellweger</a>&nbsp;is now accused of harassing and stalking a detective who was investigating him for potential misconduct.

Mike Merkel, 42, was charged Tuesday and accused of photographing and sending threatening messages to the detective, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/former-investigator-in-pam-hupp-case-charged-with-stalking-head-of-corruption-probe/article_77d0f2cf-6c36-506f-bb6f-087f9b2f1af1.html?utm_source=stltoday.com&amp;utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletter-templates%2Flocal%2Ftrending&amp;utm_medium=PostUp&amp;utm_content=512db4a43bb9d36846d602e8f8abda4905e6dcb2">St. Louis Post-Dispatch</a>&nbsp;reported.

Merkel was among the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office detectives who initially interviewed Pamela Hupp after Hupp's friend, Elizabeth “Betsy” Faria was stabbed to death in 2011. The investigation resulted in a 2013 murder conviction for Faria's husband, Russell Faria. He was later acquitted and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-michael-brown-0a8cb30de974ff20f3dd4313a349305c">Hupp was charged</a>&nbsp;— a move that resulted in scrutiny of the initial investigation.

The case drew national attention and was the subject of “The Thing About Pam," which ran on NBC earlier this year.

Court records show that in addition to Merkel, his wife Becky and his brother Kevin Merkel — a Drug Enforcement Administration agent — also were charged with first-degree harassment and second-degree stalking of a law enforcement officer. It was not immediately clear whether they have attorneys who could comment.

Russell Faria served more than three years behind bars before being acquitted at his second trial in 2015.

Scrutiny of the botched case intensified in 2016 when Hupp fatally shot Louis Gumpenberger, 33, in her O’Fallon, Missouri, home. Hupp claimed Gumpenberger had tried to kidnap her at knifepoint, but her story quickly unraveled. She was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e6af4be707fd496ca1abee10016f6bb5">sentenced to life in prison.</a>

Wood, who was elected in 2018, charged Hupp in June 2021 with first-degree murder in Betsy Faria’s death. At the same time, Wood announced misconduct probes into the original investigations of the Faria case.

Prosecutors allege that Mike and Becky Merkel followed and photographed the Lincoln County detective leading the new investigation while he was at dinner March 14 at a Texas Roadhouse in Wentzville, Missouri. That night, the detective allegedly received texts and photos of himself at the restaurant from a masked number.

“I have video of you drinking and getting into your county car,” one read. “We are watching you closely. You should stop throwing stones at glass houses or yours will come down first and fast.”

Troy police said surveillance footage showed Mike and Becky Merkel taking photographs of the detective’s vehicle the night of the threats. Warrants revealed the texts were sent using a number-masking app from a phone issued by the DEA to Kevin Merkel, according to court documents.

“We take this seriously because I’m not going to tolerate people blackmailing my investigator,” Wood told the Post-Dispatch. He said his office found no evidence that the detective had any impairment when driving his department vehicle the night of the threats.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626115461659.png" alt="Hupp is serving a life sentence for killing a disabled man in 2016 -photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Hupp is serving a life sentence for killing a disabled man in 2016 -photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>TROY, Mo. (AP) — A former sheriff's deputy who investigated a murder case that became the subject of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arts-and-entertainment-new-york-renee-zellweger-0c8670bc85d728fa549369b42cdd8c66">NBC show starring Renee Zellweger</a>&nbsp;is now accused of harassing and stalking a detective who was investigating him for potential misconduct.Mike Merkel, 42, was charged Tuesday and accused of photographing and sending threatening messages to the detective, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/former-investigator-in-pam-hupp-case-charged-with-stalking-head-of-corruption-probe/article_77d0f2cf-6c36-506f-bb6f-087f9b2f1af1.html?utm_source=stltoday.com&amp;utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletter-templates%2Flocal%2Ftrending&amp;utm_medium=PostUp&amp;utm_content=512db4a43bb9d36846d602e8f8abda4905e6dcb2">St. Louis Post-Dispatch</a>&nbsp;reported.Merkel was among the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office detectives who initially interviewed Pamela Hupp after Hupp's friend, Elizabeth “Betsy” Faria was stabbed to death in 2011. The investigation resulted in a 2013 murder conviction for Faria's husband, Russell Faria. He was later acquitted and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-michael-brown-0a8cb30de974ff20f3dd4313a349305c">Hupp was charged</a>&nbsp;— a move that resulted in scrutiny of the initial investigation.The case drew national attention and was the subject of “The Thing About Pam," which ran on NBC earlier this year.Court records show that in addition to Merkel, his wife Becky and his brother Kevin Merkel — a Drug Enforcement Administration agent — also were charged with first-degree harassment and second-degree stalking of a law enforcement officer. It was not immediately clear whether they have attorneys who could comment.Russell Faria served more than three years behind bars before being acquitted at his second trial in 2015.Scrutiny of the botched case intensified in 2016 when Hupp fatally shot Louis Gumpenberger, 33, in her O’Fallon, Missouri, home. Hupp claimed Gumpenberger had tried to kidnap her at knifepoint, but her story quickly unraveled. She was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e6af4be707fd496ca1abee10016f6bb5">sentenced to life in prison.</a>Wood, who was elected in 2018, charged Hupp in June 2021 with first-degree murder in Betsy Faria’s death. At the same time, Wood announced misconduct probes into the original investigations of the Faria case.Prosecutors allege that Mike and Becky Merkel followed and photographed the Lincoln County detective leading the new investigation while he was at dinner March 14 at a Texas Roadhouse in Wentzville, Missouri. That night, the detective allegedly received texts and photos of himself at the restaurant from a masked number.“I have video of you drinking and getting into your county car,” one read. “We are watching you closely. You should stop throwing stones at glass houses or yours will come down first and fast.”Troy police said surveillance footage showed Mike and Becky Merkel taking photographs of the detective’s vehicle the night of the threats. Warrants revealed the texts were sent using a number-masking app from a phone issued by the DEA to Kevin Merkel, according to court documents.“We take this seriously because I’m not going to tolerate people blackmailing my investigator,” Wood told the Post-Dispatch. He said his office found no evidence that the detective had any impairment when driving his department vehicle the night of the threats.

Investigator in notorious murder case faces charges

GEARY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 7p.m. Wednesday in Geary County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Toyota Tacoma driven by&nbsp; Zachary P. Bealer,&nbsp; 33, Kansas City, Mo., was westbound on Interstate 70 at McDowell Creek Road

The driver lost control of the pickup. It spun across the median. An eastbound 2020 Chevy Silverado driven by Rhoda Yoder, 32, Trinidad, Colorado, rear-ended the Toyota.

An eastbound 2016 Dodge Ram driven by Kinsey Davidson, 32, Cleveland, Tennessee, struck the Chevy and then the Toyota.

After impact the Toyota came to rest approximately 80 feet down the embankment.

&nbsp;Bealer was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Johnson's Funeral Chapel.&nbsp; There were no other injuries. All were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

GEARY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 7p.m. Wednesday in Geary County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Toyota Tacoma driven by&nbsp; Zachary P. Bealer,&nbsp; 33, Kansas City, Mo., was westbound on Interstate 70 at McDowell Creek RoadThe driver lost control of the pickup. It spun across the median. An eastbound 2020 Chevy Silverado driven by Rhoda Yoder, 32, Trinidad, Colorado, rear-ended the Toyota.An eastbound 2016 Dodge Ram driven by Kinsey Davidson, 32, Cleveland, Tennessee, struck the Chevy and then the Toyota.After impact the Toyota came to rest approximately 80 feet down the embankment.&nbsp;Bealer was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Johnson's Funeral Chapel.&nbsp; There were no other injuries. All were properly restrained, according to the KHP.