SALINE COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 9p.m. Monday in Saline County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Freightliner semi driven by&nbsp;Deol, Gurmeet S. Deol, 36, Fresno, California, was eastbound on Kansas 143 at Old 81 Highway.

The semi traveled off the right edge of the roadway through the T intersection and entered the ditch on the East side of Old 81.

Deol was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported Ryan's Funeral Home. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672752285424.png" alt="Photo Kansas Highway Patrol" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas Highway Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 9p.m. Monday in Saline County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Freightliner semi driven by&nbsp;Deol, Gurmeet S. Deol, 36, Fresno, California, was eastbound on Kansas 143 at Old 81 Highway.The semi traveled off the right edge of the roadway through the T intersection and entered the ditch on the East side of Old 81.Deol was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported Ryan's Funeral Home. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Driver dies after semi crash on Kansas highway

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Nearly 1,600 death row inmates have been put to death in the U.S. since 1977, but an execution scheduled for Tuesday in Missouri would be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legal-proceedings-st-louis-missouri-crime-mississippi-river-c2d0f65a1d20393998dc2b0ada2d0aeb">first of an openly transgender woman</a>.

Amber McLaughlin, 49, is set to die for stalking a former girlfriend and stabbing her to death nearly 20 years ago. With no legal appeals planned, McLaughlin's fate rests with Republican Gov. Mike Parson, who is weighing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-b88f2b102ac82e8c44190e20631749ab">clemency request.</a>

A database for the anti-execution Death Penalty Information Center shows 1,558 people have been executed since the death penalty was reinstated in the mid-1970s. All but 17 of them were men, and the center said there are no known previous cases in which an openly transgender inmate was executed.

A clemency petition cited McLaughlin’s traumatic childhood and mental health issues, which the jury never heard at her trial. A foster parent rubbed feces in her face when she was a toddler and her adoptive father used a stun gun on her, according to the petition, which also cited severe depression resulting in multiple suicide attempts, both as a child and as an adult.

The petition also included reports citing a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, a condition causing anguish and other symptoms as a result of a disparity between a person’s gender identity and their assigned sex at birth. But McLaughlin’s sexual identity is “not the main focus” of the clemency request, said her attorney, Larry Komp.

In 2003, long before transitioning, McLaughlin was in a relationship with Beverly Guenther. After they stopped dating, McLaughlin would appear at the suburban St. Louis office where Guenther worked, sometimes hiding inside the building, according to court records. Guenther obtained a restraining order and police officers occasionally escorted her to her car after work.

Guenther’s neighbors called police on the night of Nov. 20, 2003, when she failed to return home. Officers went to the office building, where they found a broken knife handle near her car and a trail of blood. A day later, McLaughlin led police to a location near the Mississippi River in St. Louis where the body had been dumped.

McLaughlin was convicted of first-degree murder in 2006. A judge sentenced McLaughlin to death after a jury deadlocked on the sentence. Komp said Missouri and Indiana are the only states that allow a judge, rather than a jury, to sentence someone to death.

A court in 2016 ordered a new sentencing hearing, but a federal appeals court panel reinstated the death penalty in 2021.

McLaughlin began transitioning about three years ago, recalled Jessica Hicklin. Hicklin, 43,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fd9c93c831454338b0ff185726617d61">sued the Missouri Department of Corrections</a>, challenging a policy that prohibited hormone therapy for inmates who weren’t receiving it before being incarcerated. She won the lawsuit in 2018 and became a mentor to other transgender inmates, including McLaughlin.

Hicklin, who spent 26 years in prison for a drug-related killing before being released a year ago, described McLaughlin as a painfully shy person who came out of her shell after deciding to transition.

“She always had a smile and a dad joke," Hicklin said. "If you ever talked to her, it was always with the dad jokes.”

The Bureau of Justice Statistics has estimated there are 3,200 transgender inmates in the nation’s prisons and jails.

Perhaps the best-known case of a transgender prisoner seeking hormone therapy was that of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/chelsea-manning">Chelsea Manning</a>, the former Army intelligence analyst who served seven years in federal prison for leaking government documents to Wikileaks until President Barack Obama commuted the sentence in 2017. The Army agreed to pay for hormone treatments for Manning in 2015.

McLaughlin has not had hormone treatments, Komp said.

The U.S. Department of Justice wrote in a 2015 court filing that state prison officials must treat an inmate’s gender identity condition just as they would treat other medical or mental health conditions, regardless of when the diagnosis occurred.

The only woman ever executed in Missouri was Bonnie B. Heady, who was put to death on Dec. 18, 1953, for kidnapping and killing a 6-year-old boy. Heady was executed in the gas chamber alongside the other kidnapper and killer, Carl Austin Hall.

Nationally, 18 people were executed in 2022, including two in Missouri.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-news-alert-st-louis-missouri-ae9febd877dcb197fedf0825c635e780">Kevin Johnson</a>&nbsp;was put to death in November for the ambush killing of a Kirkwood, Missouri, police officer.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-executions-st-louis-sentencing-missouri-30fa4991720e49efc6690f4c99244061">Carman Deck</a>&nbsp;was executed in May for killing James and Zelma Long during a robbery at their home in De Soto, Missouri.

Another Missouri inmate, Leonard Taylor, is scheduled to die Feb. 7. He was convicted of killing his girlfriend and her three young children.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Unless Missouri Gov. Mike Parson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-b88f2b102ac82e8c44190e20631749ab">grants clemency</a>, Amber McLaughlin, 49, will become the first openly transgender woman executed in the U.S. She is scheduled to die by injection Tuesday for killing a former girlfriend in 2003.

McLaughlin’s attorney, Larry Komp, said there are no court appeals pending.

The clemency request focuses on several issues, including McLaughlin’s traumatic childhood and mental health issues, which the jury never heard in her trial. A foster parent rubbed feces in her face when she was a toddler and her adoptive father used a stun gun on her, according to the clemency petition. It says she suffers from depression and attempted suicide multiple times.

The petition also includes reports citing a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, a condition that causes anguish and other symptoms as a result of a disparity between a person’s gender identity and their assigned sex at birth.

“We think Amber has demonstrated incredible courage because I can tell you there’s a lot of hate when it comes to that issue," her attorney, Larry Komp, said Monday. But, he said, McLaughlin's sexual identity is “not the main focus” of the clemency request.

Parson's spokesperson, Kelli Jones, said the review process for the clemency request is still underway.

There is no known case of an openly transgender inmate being executed in the U.S. before, according to the anti-execution Death Penalty Information Center. A friend in prison says she saw McLaughlin's personality blossom during her gender transition.

Before transitioning, McLaughlin was in a relationship with girlfriend Beverly Guenther. McLaughlin would show up at the suburban St. Louis office where the 45-year-old Guenther worked, sometimes hiding inside the building, according to court records. Guenther obtained a restraining order, and police officers occasionally escorted her to her car after work.

Guenther’s neighbors called police the night of Nov. 20, 2003, when she failed to return home. Officers went to the office building, where they found a broken knife handle near her car and a trail of blood. A day later, McLaughlin led police to a location near the Mississippi River in St. Louis, where the body had been dumped.

McLaughlin was convicted of first-degree murder in 2006. A judge sentenced McLaughlin to death after a jury deadlocked on the sentence. A court in 2016 ordered a new sentencing hearing, but a federal appeals court panel reinstated the death penalty in 2021.

One person who knew Amber before she transitioned is Jessica Hicklin, 43, who spent 26 years in prison for a drug-related killing in western Missouri in 1995. She was 16. Because of her age when the crime occurred, she was granted release in January 2022.

Hicklin, 43, began transitioning while in prison and in 2016 sued the Missouri Department of Corrections, challenging a policy that prohibited hormone therapy for inmates who weren’t receiving it before being incarcerated. She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fd9c93c831454338b0ff185726617d61">won the lawsuit in 2018</a>&nbsp;and became a mentor to other transgender inmates, including McLaughlin.

Though imprisoned together for around a decade, Hicklin said McLaughlin was so shy they rarely interacted. But as McLaughlin began transitioning about three years ago, she turned to Hicklin for guidance on issues such as mental health counseling and getting help to ensure her safety inside a male-dominated maximum-security prison.

“There's always paperwork and bureaucracy, so I spent time helping her learn to file the right things and talk to the right people," Hicklin said.

“We would sit down once a week and have what I referred to as girl talk,” Hicklin said. "She always had a smile and a dad joke. If you ever talked to her, it was always with the dad jokes.”

They also discussed the challenges a transgender inmate faces in a male prison — things like how to obtain feminine items, dealing with rude comments, and staying safe.

McLaughlin still had insecurities, especially about her well-being, Hicklin said.

“Definitely a vulnerable person," Hicklin said. “Definitely afraid of being assaulted or victimized, which is more common for trans folks in Department of Corrections.”

The only woman ever executed in Missouri was Bonnie B. Heady, put to death on Dec. 18, 1953, for kidnapping and killing a 6-year-old boy. Heady was executed in the gas chamber, side by side with the other kidnapper and killer, Carl Austin Hall.

Nationally, 18 people were executed in 2022, including two in Missouri.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-executions-st-louis-missouri-7d4caf03a8eec955deb54a4b2f68a50b">Kevin Johnson</a>, 37, was put to death Nov. 29 for the ambush killing of a Kirkwood, Missouri, police officer.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-executions-st-louis-sentencing-missouri-30fa4991720e49efc6690f4c99244061">Carmen Deck</a>&nbsp;was executed in May for killing James and Zelma Long during a robbery at their home in De Soto, Missouri.

Another Missouri inmate,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-executions-st-louis-missouri-2e5d771c48604b2ee62e328275b027ff">Leonard Taylor</a>, is scheduled to die Feb. 7 for killing his girlfriend and her three young children.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671065135902.png" alt="McLaughlin-photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>McLaughlin-photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. LOUIS (AP) — Nearly 1,600 death row inmates have been put to death in the U.S. since 1977, but an execution scheduled for Tuesday in Missouri would be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legal-proceedings-st-louis-missouri-crime-mississippi-river-c2d0f65a1d20393998dc2b0ada2d0aeb">first of an openly transgender woman</a>.Amber McLaughlin, 49, is set to die for stalking a former girlfriend and stabbing her to death nearly 20 years ago. With no legal appeals planned, McLaughlin's fate rests with Republican Gov. Mike Parson, who is weighing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-b88f2b102ac82e8c44190e20631749ab">clemency request.</a>A database for the anti-execution Death Penalty Information Center shows 1,558 people have been executed since the death penalty was reinstated in the mid-1970s. All but 17 of them were men, and the center said there are no known previous cases in which an openly transgender inmate was executed.A clemency petition cited McLaughlin’s traumatic childhood and mental health issues, which the jury never heard at her trial. A foster parent rubbed feces in her face when she was a toddler and her adoptive father used a stun gun on her, according to the petition, which also cited severe depression resulting in multiple suicide attempts, both as a child and as an adult.The petition also included reports citing a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, a condition causing anguish and other symptoms as a result of a disparity between a person’s gender identity and their assigned sex at birth. But McLaughlin’s sexual identity is “not the main focus” of the clemency request, said her attorney, Larry Komp.In 2003, long before transitioning, McLaughlin was in a relationship with Beverly Guenther. After they stopped dating, McLaughlin would appear at the suburban St. Louis office where Guenther worked, sometimes hiding inside the building, according to court records. Guenther obtained a restraining order and police officers occasionally escorted her to her car after work.Guenther’s neighbors called police on the night of Nov. 20, 2003, when she failed to return home. Officers went to the office building, where they found a broken knife handle near her car and a trail of blood. A day later, McLaughlin led police to a location near the Mississippi River in St. Louis where the body had been dumped.McLaughlin was convicted of first-degree murder in 2006. A judge sentenced McLaughlin to death after a jury deadlocked on the sentence. Komp said Missouri and Indiana are the only states that allow a judge, rather than a jury, to sentence someone to death.A court in 2016 ordered a new sentencing hearing, but a federal appeals court panel reinstated the death penalty in 2021.McLaughlin began transitioning about three years ago, recalled Jessica Hicklin. Hicklin, 43,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fd9c93c831454338b0ff185726617d61">sued the Missouri Department of Corrections</a>, challenging a policy that prohibited hormone therapy for inmates who weren’t receiving it before being incarcerated. She won the lawsuit in 2018 and became a mentor to other transgender inmates, including McLaughlin.Hicklin, who spent 26 years in prison for a drug-related killing before being released a year ago, described McLaughlin as a painfully shy person who came out of her shell after deciding to transition.“She always had a smile and a dad joke," Hicklin said. "If you ever talked to her, it was always with the dad jokes.”The Bureau of Justice Statistics has estimated there are 3,200 transgender inmates in the nation’s prisons and jails.Perhaps the best-known case of a transgender prisoner seeking hormone therapy was that of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/chelsea-manning">Chelsea Manning</a>, the former Army intelligence analyst who served seven years in federal prison for leaking government documents to Wikileaks until President Barack Obama commuted the sentence in 2017. The Army agreed to pay for hormone treatments for Manning in 2015.McLaughlin has not had hormone treatments, Komp said.The U.S. Department of Justice wrote in a 2015 court filing that state prison officials must treat an inmate’s gender identity condition just as they would treat other medical or mental health conditions, regardless of when the diagnosis occurred.The only woman ever executed in Missouri was Bonnie B. Heady, who was put to death on Dec. 18, 1953, for kidnapping and killing a 6-year-old boy. Heady was executed in the gas chamber alongside the other kidnapper and killer, Carl Austin Hall.Nationally, 18 people were executed in 2022, including two in Missouri.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-news-alert-st-louis-missouri-ae9febd877dcb197fedf0825c635e780">Kevin Johnson</a>&nbsp;was put to death in November for the ambush killing of a Kirkwood, Missouri, police officer.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-executions-st-louis-sentencing-missouri-30fa4991720e49efc6690f4c99244061">Carman Deck</a>&nbsp;was executed in May for killing James and Zelma Long during a robbery at their home in De Soto, Missouri.Another Missouri inmate, Leonard Taylor, is scheduled to die Feb. 7. He was convicted of killing his girlfriend and her three young children.-------------ST. LOUIS (AP) — Unless Missouri Gov. Mike Parson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-b88f2b102ac82e8c44190e20631749ab">grants clemency</a>, Amber McLaughlin, 49, will become the first openly transgender woman executed in the U.S. She is scheduled to die by injection Tuesday for killing a former girlfriend in 2003.McLaughlin’s attorney, Larry Komp, said there are no court appeals pending.The clemency request focuses on several issues, including McLaughlin’s traumatic childhood and mental health issues, which the jury never heard in her trial. A foster parent rubbed feces in her face when she was a toddler and her adoptive father used a stun gun on her, according to the clemency petition. It says she suffers from depression and attempted suicide multiple times.The petition also includes reports citing a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, a condition that causes anguish and other symptoms as a result of a disparity between a person’s gender identity and their assigned sex at birth.“We think Amber has demonstrated incredible courage because I can tell you there’s a lot of hate when it comes to that issue," her attorney, Larry Komp, said Monday. But, he said, McLaughlin's sexual identity is “not the main focus” of the clemency request.Parson's spokesperson, Kelli Jones, said the review process for the clemency request is still underway.There is no known case of an openly transgender inmate being executed in the U.S. before, according to the anti-execution Death Penalty Information Center. A friend in prison says she saw McLaughlin's personality blossom during her gender transition.Before transitioning, McLaughlin was in a relationship with girlfriend Beverly Guenther. McLaughlin would show up at the suburban St. Louis office where the 45-year-old Guenther worked, sometimes hiding inside the building, according to court records. Guenther obtained a restraining order, and police officers occasionally escorted her to her car after work.Guenther’s neighbors called police the night of Nov. 20, 2003, when she failed to return home. Officers went to the office building, where they found a broken knife handle near her car and a trail of blood. A day later, McLaughlin led police to a location near the Mississippi River in St. Louis, where the body had been dumped.McLaughlin was convicted of first-degree murder in 2006. A judge sentenced McLaughlin to death after a jury deadlocked on the sentence. A court in 2016 ordered a new sentencing hearing, but a federal appeals court panel reinstated the death penalty in 2021.One person who knew Amber before she transitioned is Jessica Hicklin, 43, who spent 26 years in prison for a drug-related killing in western Missouri in 1995. She was 16. Because of her age when the crime occurred, she was granted release in January 2022.Hicklin, 43, began transitioning while in prison and in 2016 sued the Missouri Department of Corrections, challenging a policy that prohibited hormone therapy for inmates who weren’t receiving it before being incarcerated. She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fd9c93c831454338b0ff185726617d61">won the lawsuit in 2018</a>&nbsp;and became a mentor to other transgender inmates, including McLaughlin.Though imprisoned together for around a decade, Hicklin said McLaughlin was so shy they rarely interacted. But as McLaughlin began transitioning about three years ago, she turned to Hicklin for guidance on issues such as mental health counseling and getting help to ensure her safety inside a male-dominated maximum-security prison.“There's always paperwork and bureaucracy, so I spent time helping her learn to file the right things and talk to the right people," Hicklin said.In the process, a friendship developed.“We would sit down once a week and have what I referred to as girl talk,” Hicklin said. "She always had a smile and a dad joke. If you ever talked to her, it was always with the dad jokes.”They also discussed the challenges a transgender inmate faces in a male prison — things like how to obtain feminine items, dealing with rude comments, and staying safe.McLaughlin still had insecurities, especially about her well-being, Hicklin said.“Definitely a vulnerable person," Hicklin said. “Definitely afraid of being assaulted or victimized, which is more common for trans folks in Department of Corrections.”The only woman ever executed in Missouri was Bonnie B. Heady, put to death on Dec. 18, 1953, for kidnapping and killing a 6-year-old boy. Heady was executed in the gas chamber, side by side with the other kidnapper and killer, Carl Austin Hall.Nationally, 18 people were executed in 2022, including two in Missouri.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-executions-st-louis-missouri-7d4caf03a8eec955deb54a4b2f68a50b">Kevin Johnson</a>, 37, was put to death Nov. 29 for the ambush killing of a Kirkwood, Missouri, police officer.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-executions-st-louis-sentencing-missouri-30fa4991720e49efc6690f4c99244061">Carmen Deck</a>&nbsp;was executed in May for killing James and Zelma Long during a robbery at their home in De Soto, Missouri.Another Missouri inmate,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-executions-st-louis-missouri-2e5d771c48604b2ee62e328275b027ff">Leonard Taylor</a>, is scheduled to die Feb. 7 for killing his girlfriend and her three young children.

Transgender inmate scheduled to be executed Tuesday

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman for alleged drug violations.&nbsp;

Just before 1a.m. December 29,&nbsp; a sheriff’s deputy stopped a 2005 Chevy Impala near 142nd and U.S. Highway 75 for an alleged traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 The vehicle contained two occupants. The driver, later identified as 32-year-old Chloe Noelle Graham of Pomona, Kansas, allegedly fled the scene on foot. 

 A Jackson County Sheriff Drone was used to locate her. She was taken into custody and is being held in the the Jackson County Jail on requested charges that include possession of fentanyl, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, two counts of felony interference with law enforcement.  Graham also was wanted on an outstanding warrant out of Douglas County for drug charges. PBPN Police assisted with the incident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672417766443.png" alt="Graham-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Graham-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman for alleged drug violations.&nbsp;Just before 1a.m. December 29,&nbsp; a sheriff’s deputy stopped a 2005 Chevy Impala near 142nd and U.S. Highway 75 for an alleged traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. The vehicle contained two occupants. The driver, later identified as 32-year-old Chloe Noelle Graham of Pomona, Kansas, allegedly fled the scene on foot. A Jackson County Sheriff Drone was used to locate her. She was taken into custody and is being held in the the Jackson County Jail on requested charges that include possession of fentanyl, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, two counts of felony interference with law enforcement. Graham also was wanted on an outstanding warrant out of Douglas County for drug charges. PBPN Police assisted with the incident.

Deputies use drone to catch Kan. woman transporting fentanyl

WICHITA&nbsp;– A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with crimes related to drug trafficking and firearms, according to the United State's Attorney.

According to court documents, Clinton Bruner, 49, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a stolen firearm.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671658565944.png" alt="Bruner from an earlier arrest in Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Bruner from an earlier arrest in Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA&nbsp;– A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with crimes related to drug trafficking and firearms, according to the United State's Attorney.According to court documents, Clinton Bruner, 49, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a stolen firearm.The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case.

Kansas man accused of selling cocaine

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/21/kbi-investigation-of-alleged-catholic-clergy-abuse-in-kansas-approaches-four-year-milestone/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Susan Leighnor expressed
 frustration on as state law enforcement agencies have yet to 
release findings of an investigation launched nearly four years ago by 
the attorney general into alleged sexual misconduct by members of the 
Catholic clergy in Kansas.

Leighnor, who said she was abused as a child by two Catholic priests,
 said she had spoken to Kansas Bureau of Investigation agents regarding 
her memories of what transpired at the rectory and school at Church of 
the Holy Cross in Hutchinson. She also has testified before the Kansas 
and Colorado legislatures on her experiences.

In an interview, she said a Catholic priest warned her as a child 
disclosing the abuse would condemn her to hell because the situation was
 like a person talking to a priest at confession. Confession in the 
Catholic church is a sacrament in which the penitent seek forgiveness 
for offenses against God and others.

Leighnor said she was worried political calculations or religious 
loyalties would interfere with the inquiry. She said it was troubling 
Attorney General Derek Schmidt and KBI director Kirk Thompson were 
leaving those jobs in early January with an inconclusive investigation.

She said information collected by KBI agents ought to be publicly 
disclosed, but a Kansas senator said it was likely findings of the probe
 would emerge in redacted form.

“I demand accountability. They’re protecting the Catholic church,” 
said Leighnor, who lives in Colorado. “I am heartbroken by the cruelty 
and indifference shown by the state of Kansas.”

The KBI released an update on work of the task force 
that has been investigating allegations of clergy misconduct since 
February 2019.

“The investigation is ongoing,” the KBI statement said. “The task force expects the investigation to be lengthy.”

Schmidt requested the KBI initiate the investigation in November 
2018. The KBI announced three months later it was interested in talking 
to people who were victimized by anyone associated with the four 
Catholic dioceses of Kansas. That could include members of the clergy, 
church employees, church volunteers or others in positions of authority 
within a Catholic church, the KBI said.

The KBI said it received 119 reports from individuals alleging sexual
 abuse by clergy members. The KBI authorized 74 investigations in 33 
Kansas counties. In 2021, however, a KBI official told state legislators
 the investigation had produced 215 abuse reports and triggered 122 
cases.

The state law enforcement agency, which is under control of the 
attorney general, said task force members would work with prosecutors 
and law enforcement officers to determine if sexual abuse incidents 
should be considered for prosecution. On Jan. 9, Attorney General-elect 
Kris Kobach is to be sworn into office. He’s nominated former federal 
prosecutor Tony Mattivi to serve as KBI director.

Sen. Cindy Holscher, an Overland Park Democrat, said she had spoken 
to the KBI director and was informed it was his intent to release a 
report on the task force’s investigation. She believes the report would 
redact personally identifiable information about Catholic clergy subject
 to allegations.

“I’m a little concerned that what we’re going to get here is not a lot of information,” Holscher said.

She intends to introduce in January a bill that would remove the 
statute of limitations on child sexual abuse crimes in terms of civil 
cases. She proposed a comparable bill prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 
but was disappointed the Senate Judiciary Committee didn’t take up the 
measure during the 2022 session.

Holscher said Kansas law ought to be amended so claims for damages 
suffered because of childhood sexual abuse occurring after July 1984 
could be revived. The statute also could be changed to eliminate a 
requirement that claimants carry the burden of providing evidence of 
injury from abuse.

In Kansas, the Catholic church maintains diocese in Wichita, Salina, Dodge City and Kansas City, Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671662670194.png" alt="Kansas Bureau of Investigation director Kirk Thompson, center, said the ongoing inquiry into alleged abuse by Catholic clergy in Kansas prompted opening of 74 cases in 33 counties since initiated in February 2019. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Bureau of Investigation director Kirk Thompson, center, said the ongoing inquiry into alleged abuse by Catholic clergy in Kansas prompted opening of 74 cases in 33 counties since initiated in February 2019. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/21/kbi-investigation-of-alleged-catholic-clergy-abuse-in-kansas-approaches-four-year-milestone/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Susan Leighnor expressed
 frustration on as state law enforcement agencies have yet to 
release findings of an investigation launched nearly four years ago by 
the attorney general into alleged sexual misconduct by members of the 
Catholic clergy in Kansas.Leighnor, who said she was abused as a child by two Catholic priests,
 said she had spoken to Kansas Bureau of Investigation agents regarding 
her memories of what transpired at the rectory and school at Church of 
the Holy Cross in Hutchinson. She also has testified before the Kansas 
and Colorado legislatures on her experiences.In an interview, she said a Catholic priest warned her as a child 
disclosing the abuse would condemn her to hell because the situation was
 like a person talking to a priest at confession. Confession in the 
Catholic church is a sacrament in which the penitent seek forgiveness 
for offenses against God and others.Leighnor said she was worried political calculations or religious 
loyalties would interfere with the inquiry. She said it was troubling 
Attorney General Derek Schmidt and KBI director Kirk Thompson were 
leaving those jobs in early January with an inconclusive investigation.She said information collected by KBI agents ought to be publicly 
disclosed, but a Kansas senator said it was likely findings of the probe
 would emerge in redacted form.“I demand accountability. They’re protecting the Catholic church,” 
said Leighnor, who lives in Colorado. “I am heartbroken by the cruelty 
and indifference shown by the state of Kansas.”The KBI released an update on work of the task force 
that has been investigating allegations of clergy misconduct since 
February 2019.“The investigation is ongoing,” the KBI statement said. “The task force expects the investigation to be lengthy.”Schmidt requested the KBI initiate the investigation in November 
2018. The KBI announced three months later it was interested in talking 
to people who were victimized by anyone associated with the four 
Catholic dioceses of Kansas. That could include members of the clergy, 
church employees, church volunteers or others in positions of authority 
within a Catholic church, the KBI said.The KBI said it received 119 reports from individuals alleging sexual
 abuse by clergy members. The KBI authorized 74 investigations in 33 
Kansas counties. In 2021, however, a KBI official told state legislators
 the investigation had produced 215 abuse reports and triggered 122 
cases.The state law enforcement agency, which is under control of the 
attorney general, said task force members would work with prosecutors 
and law enforcement officers to determine if sexual abuse incidents 
should be considered for prosecution. On Jan. 9, Attorney General-elect 
Kris Kobach is to be sworn into office. He’s nominated former federal 
prosecutor Tony Mattivi to serve as KBI director.Sen. Cindy Holscher, an Overland Park Democrat, said she had spoken 
to the KBI director and was informed it was his intent to release a 
report on the task force’s investigation. She believes the report would 
redact personally identifiable information about Catholic clergy subject
 to allegations.“I’m a little concerned that what we’re going to get here is not a lot of information,” Holscher said.She intends to introduce in January a bill that would remove the 
statute of limitations on child sexual abuse crimes in terms of civil 
cases. She proposed a comparable bill prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 
but was disappointed the Senate Judiciary Committee didn’t take up the 
measure during the 2022 session.Holscher said Kansas law ought to be amended so claims for damages 
suffered because of childhood sexual abuse occurring after July 1984 
could be revived. The statute also could be changed to eliminate a 
requirement that claimants carry the burden of providing evidence of 
injury from abuse.In Kansas, the Catholic church maintains diocese in Wichita, Salina, Dodge City and Kansas City, Kansas.

KBI's Catholic clergy abuse investigation continues

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Mark Tallman with the Kansas Association of School Boards is embracing a new role with the agency in 2023.

"This is something I'm pretty excited about, after 40 years of lobbying, having a little bit of a different focus," Tallman said. "It's really to try to look more in depth at, what are the issues around trying to do improvement of our schools, meeting the goals of the Kansans can vision that the state board has set out, trying to do a little more deeper research into, what are our challenges, what things are working?"

Part of that research is already happening with visits to schools, including one here in central Kansas.

"One of the things that I did over the last month or so was visit our three Kansas Blue Ribbon schools," Tallman said. "That's a national designation of being a Blue Ribbon School in Kansas. I visited Cottonwood Elementary in Andover, R.L. Wright in Sedgwick, which is in southern Harvey County and then Morris Hill school, which is actually on the base at Fort Riley. I talked to school leaders there about what they think drove the fact that they were recognized for high achievement."

One emphasis for Tallman in his new role will be learning more about the needs of Kansas schools before kids enter kindergarten.

"One of the most important things that we can do to help kids succeed, particularly if they come from kind of disadvantaged backgrounds is stronger early childhood education programs," Tallman said. "Before the holiday break, the SPARK committee in state government, with some of the federal COVID dollars that they have to spend, has recommended millions of dollars to go into some efforts around early childhood education. I want to do a little more exploring about what that's going to mean, some of the work our state has done. We've had a federal grant to try to develop and expand early childhood programs. I want to look at some of the things that districts are doing in that area."

The main statehouse lobbying efforts for KASB will be led by Leah Fliter, a long-time lobbyist and former school board member.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582221969260.jpeg" alt="Mark Tallman Kansas Association of School Boards" />
 <figcaption>Mark Tallman Kansas Association of School Boards</figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Mark Tallman with the Kansas Association of School Boards is embracing a new role with the agency in 2023."This is something I'm pretty excited about, after 40 years of lobbying, having a little bit of a different focus," Tallman said. "It's really to try to look more in depth at, what are the issues around trying to do improvement of our schools, meeting the goals of the Kansans can vision that the state board has set out, trying to do a little more deeper research into, what are our challenges, what things are working?"Part of that research is already happening with visits to schools, including one here in central Kansas."One of the things that I did over the last month or so was visit our three Kansas Blue Ribbon schools," Tallman said. "That's a national designation of being a Blue Ribbon School in Kansas. I visited Cottonwood Elementary in Andover, R.L. Wright in Sedgwick, which is in southern Harvey County and then Morris Hill school, which is actually on the base at Fort Riley. I talked to school leaders there about what they think drove the fact that they were recognized for high achievement."One emphasis for Tallman in his new role will be learning more about the needs of Kansas schools before kids enter kindergarten."One of the most important things that we can do to help kids succeed, particularly if they come from kind of disadvantaged backgrounds is stronger early childhood education programs," Tallman said. "Before the holiday break, the SPARK committee in state government, with some of the federal COVID dollars that they have to spend, has recommended millions of dollars to go into some efforts around early childhood education. I want to do a little more exploring about what that's going to mean, some of the work our state has done. We've had a federal grant to try to develop and expand early childhood programs. I want to look at some of the things that districts are doing in that area."The main statehouse lobbying efforts for KASB will be led by Leah Fliter, a long-time lobbyist and former school board member.

Tallman begins new role with Kan. Association of School Boards

WASHINGTON (AP) — With security threats to Supreme Court justices still fresh memories, Chief Justice John Roberts on Saturday praised programs that protect judges, saying that “we must support judges by ensuring their safety.”

Roberts and other conservative&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;justices were the subject of protests, some at their homes, after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-draft-opinion-07439f9fc4542f1500ab78dfd34036b1">May leak</a>&nbsp;of the court's decision that ultimately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">stripped away constitutional protections for abortion</a>. Justice Samuel Alito has said that the leak made conservative justices&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-elena-kagan-samuel-alito-government-and-politics-10bf92ae6830573054da5f756a029d1c">“targets for assassination."</a>&nbsp;And in June, a man carrying a gun, knife and zip ties was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-brett-kavanaugh-district-of-columbia-maryland-government-and-politics-179d18e7f933b3decbaddb542ceb0b29">arrested near Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s house</a>&nbsp;after threatening to kill the justice, whose vote was key to overturning the court's Roe v. Wade decision.

Roberts, writing in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/publicinfo/year-end/2022year-endreport.pdf">annual year-end report</a>&nbsp;about the federal judiciary, did not specifically mention the abortion decision, but the case and the reaction to it seemed clearly on his mind.

“Judicial opinions speak for themselves, and there is no obligation in our free country to agree with them. Indeed, we judges frequently dissent — sometimes strongly — from our colleagues’ opinions, and we explain why in public writings about the cases before us," Roberts wrote.

Polls following the abortion decision show public trust in the court is at historic lows. And two of Roberts' liberal colleagues who dissented in the abortion case,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-elena-kagan-government-and-politics-55227b14975d1c6266eab8712c0dd482">Justices Elena Kagan</a>&nbsp;and Sonia Sotomayor, have said the court needs to be concerned about overturning precedent and appearing political.

After the leak and threat to Kavanaugh, lawmakers passed legislation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-brett-kavanaugh-government-and-politics-d2507dd3b67efd64e52c2feab91b0eeb">increasing security protection</a>&nbsp;for the justices and their families. Separately, in December, lawmakers passed legislation protecting the personal information of federal judges including their addresses.

The law is named for the son of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas, 20-year-old Daniel Anderl, who was killed at the family's New Jersey home by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-us-news-ap-top-news-ca-state-wire-new-jersey-4dad37bb3ff60bfbde5bf75d369d8f96">man who previously had a case before her</a>.

Roberts thanked members of Congress "who are attending to judicial security needs.” And he said programs that protect judges are “essential to run a system of courts.”

In writing about judicial security, Roberts told the story of Judge Ronald N. Davies, who in September 1957 ordered the integration of Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas. Davies' decision followed the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education ruling that segregated schools were unconstitutional and rejected Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus' attempt to stop school integration.

Davies “was physically threatened for following the law," but the judge was “uncowed," Roberts said.

“A judicial system cannot and should not live in fear. The events of Little Rock teach about the importance of rule by law instead of by mob,” he wrote.

Roberts noted that officials are currently working to replicate the courtroom Davies presided over in 1957. Roberts said the judge's bench used by Davies and other artifacts from the courtroom have been preserved and will be installed in the re-created courtroom in a federal courthouse in Little Rock "so that these important artifacts will be used to hold court once again."

Before that happens, however, the judge's bench will be on display as part of an exhibit at the Supreme Court beginning in the fall and for the next several years, he said.

“The exhibit will introduce visitors to how the system of federal courts works, to the history of racial segregation and desegregation in our country, and to Thurgood Marshall’s towering contributions as an advocate," Roberts said. Marshall, who argued Brown v. Board of Education, became the Supreme Court's first Black justice in 1967.

The Supreme Court is still grappling with complicated issues involving race.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-ketanji-brown-jackson-us-supreme-court-college-admissions-affirmative-action-196ab930c799bcdc8b2a4a220641dd48">Two cases this term deal with affirmative action</a>, and the court's conservative majority is expected to use them to reverse decades of decisions that allow colleges to take account of race in admissions. In another case, the justices could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-ketanji-brown-jackson-us-supreme-court-race-and-ethnicity-f274ce05a19da4a3d48648f82df174e2">weaken the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965</a>, the crown jewel of the civil rights movement.

The justices will hear their first arguments of 2023 on Jan. 9.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672235865420.png" alt="Supreme Court Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States" />
 <figcaption>Supreme Court Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — With security threats to Supreme Court justices still fresh memories, Chief Justice John Roberts on Saturday praised programs that protect judges, saying that “we must support judges by ensuring their safety.”Roberts and other conservative&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;justices were the subject of protests, some at their homes, after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-draft-opinion-07439f9fc4542f1500ab78dfd34036b1">May leak</a>&nbsp;of the court's decision that ultimately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">stripped away constitutional protections for abortion</a>. Justice Samuel Alito has said that the leak made conservative justices&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-elena-kagan-samuel-alito-government-and-politics-10bf92ae6830573054da5f756a029d1c">“targets for assassination."</a>&nbsp;And in June, a man carrying a gun, knife and zip ties was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-brett-kavanaugh-district-of-columbia-maryland-government-and-politics-179d18e7f933b3decbaddb542ceb0b29">arrested near Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s house</a>&nbsp;after threatening to kill the justice, whose vote was key to overturning the court's Roe v. Wade decision.Roberts, writing in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/publicinfo/year-end/2022year-endreport.pdf">annual year-end report</a>&nbsp;about the federal judiciary, did not specifically mention the abortion decision, but the case and the reaction to it seemed clearly on his mind.“Judicial opinions speak for themselves, and there is no obligation in our free country to agree with them. Indeed, we judges frequently dissent — sometimes strongly — from our colleagues’ opinions, and we explain why in public writings about the cases before us," Roberts wrote.Polls following the abortion decision show public trust in the court is at historic lows. And two of Roberts' liberal colleagues who dissented in the abortion case,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-elena-kagan-government-and-politics-55227b14975d1c6266eab8712c0dd482">Justices Elena Kagan</a>&nbsp;and Sonia Sotomayor, have said the court needs to be concerned about overturning precedent and appearing political.After the leak and threat to Kavanaugh, lawmakers passed legislation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-brett-kavanaugh-government-and-politics-d2507dd3b67efd64e52c2feab91b0eeb">increasing security protection</a>&nbsp;for the justices and their families. Separately, in December, lawmakers passed legislation protecting the personal information of federal judges including their addresses.The law is named for the son of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas, 20-year-old Daniel Anderl, who was killed at the family's New Jersey home by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-us-news-ap-top-news-ca-state-wire-new-jersey-4dad37bb3ff60bfbde5bf75d369d8f96">man who previously had a case before her</a>.Roberts thanked members of Congress "who are attending to judicial security needs.” And he said programs that protect judges are “essential to run a system of courts.”In writing about judicial security, Roberts told the story of Judge Ronald N. Davies, who in September 1957 ordered the integration of Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas. Davies' decision followed the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education ruling that segregated schools were unconstitutional and rejected Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus' attempt to stop school integration.Davies “was physically threatened for following the law," but the judge was “uncowed," Roberts said.“A judicial system cannot and should not live in fear. The events of Little Rock teach about the importance of rule by law instead of by mob,” he wrote.Roberts noted that officials are currently working to replicate the courtroom Davies presided over in 1957. Roberts said the judge's bench used by Davies and other artifacts from the courtroom have been preserved and will be installed in the re-created courtroom in a federal courthouse in Little Rock "so that these important artifacts will be used to hold court once again."Before that happens, however, the judge's bench will be on display as part of an exhibit at the Supreme Court beginning in the fall and for the next several years, he said.“The exhibit will introduce visitors to how the system of federal courts works, to the history of racial segregation and desegregation in our country, and to Thurgood Marshall’s towering contributions as an advocate," Roberts said. Marshall, who argued Brown v. Board of Education, became the Supreme Court's first Black justice in 1967.The Supreme Court is still grappling with complicated issues involving race.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-ketanji-brown-jackson-us-supreme-court-college-admissions-affirmative-action-196ab930c799bcdc8b2a4a220641dd48">Two cases this term deal with affirmative action</a>, and the court's conservative majority is expected to use them to reverse decades of decisions that allow colleges to take account of race in admissions. In another case, the justices could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-ketanji-brown-jackson-us-supreme-court-race-and-ethnicity-f274ce05a19da4a3d48648f82df174e2">weaken the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965</a>, the crown jewel of the civil rights movement.The justices will hear their first arguments of 2023 on Jan. 9.

Chief justice: Judges' safety 'essential' to court system

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with a robbery.

Just after t 11:30 a.m December 29, police responded to an aggravated robbery at 8th and Topeka, according Police Lt. Donna Eubanks.

 The victim provided officers with information that lead them to the 1100 Block of SW Plass in Topeka, where a search warrant was served.

As a result of the investigation, police arrested Alanna M. Ramirez, 29, of Topeka. She remains jailed on a requested charge of&nbsp;Aggravated Robbery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672406555759.png" alt="Ramirez-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Ramirez-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with a robbery.Just after t 11:30 a.m December 29, police responded to an aggravated robbery at 8th and Topeka, according Police Lt. Donna Eubanks. The victim provided officers with information that lead them to the 1100 Block of SW Plass in Topeka, where a search warrant was served.As a result of the investigation, police arrested Alanna M. Ramirez, 29, of Topeka. She remains jailed on a requested charge of&nbsp;Aggravated Robbery.

Kansas woman jailed for alleged aggravated robbery

&nbsp;JOHNSON COUNTY —Just after 11a.m. on New Year's Day, firefighters responded to a call from a person who saw a deer treading water in Cedar Lake, on Lone Elm Road between 151st Street and 159th Street.&nbsp;

Firefighters broke some ice and made a path for deer. 

Once to shore, the buck rested and eventually trotted off.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672673293972.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JOHNSON COUNTY —Just after 11a.m. on New Year's Day, firefighters responded to a call from a person who saw a deer treading water in Cedar Lake, on Lone Elm Road between 151st Street and 159th Street.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olathe?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olathe</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Firefighters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Firefighters</a> broke some <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ice?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ice</a> and made a path for a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/deer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#deer</a> that was stranded in Cedar Lake near 155th St &amp; Lone Elm Rd. The call came in around 11 am from a person who spotted the deer treading water in the lake. Once to shore, the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/buck?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#buck</a> rested and eventually trotted off. <a href="https://t.co/3Yg1Mlixex">pic.twitter.com/3Yg1Mlixex</a>&mdash; Olathe Fire Dept. (@OlatheFire) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlatheFire/status/1609637053947588609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Firefighters broke some ice and made a path for deer. Once to shore, the buck rested and eventually trotted off.

🎥 Firefighters rescue deer stranded in frozen Kansas lake

ATCHISON COUNTY— One person died and three&nbsp; were injured in an accident just after 2a.m. Monday in Atchison County.

According to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson, an&nbsp;officer on patrol observed a vehicle driving recklessly at 6th and U.S.59 Highway. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle and the vehicle fled north on 4th Street. 

The officer lost sight of the vehicle but subsequently located the vehicle which had left and road and landed on its top in a residential in 900 block North 4th Street.

One passenger identified as&nbsp; Jacey Paris, 20, Atchison, died in the accident, according to Wilson.

&nbsp;EMS transported the driver of the vehicle, Brandon Mann, 22, Atchison, and two passengers, age 15 and 16, to area hospitals.&nbsp; Mann and Paris were not wearing seat belts, according to the Kansas Kansas Highway.

ATCHISON COUNTY— One person died and three&nbsp; were injured in an accident just after 2a.m. Monday in Atchison County.According to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson, an&nbsp;officer on patrol observed a vehicle driving recklessly at 6th and U.S.59 Highway. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle and the vehicle fled north on 4th Street. The officer lost sight of the vehicle but subsequently located the vehicle which had left and road and landed on its top in a residential in 900 block North 4th Street.One passenger identified as&nbsp; Jacey Paris, 20, Atchison, died in the accident, according to Wilson.&nbsp;EMS transported the driver of the vehicle, Brandon Mann, 22, Atchison, and two passengers, age 15 and 16, to area hospitals.&nbsp; Mann and Paris were not wearing seat belts, according to the Kansas Kansas Highway.

1 dead, 3 injured after crash while fleeing Kansas officer

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for a weekend shooting incident.

&nbsp;Just after 7p.m. Friday, a suspect identified a 20-year-old Junah Sisney allegedly&nbsp;fired multiple rounds from a handgun at an establishment called <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BullpenBaldwinCity/">The Bullpen</a>, 811 Eighth Street in Baldwin City, according to a media release from police.

He then drove around the block and fired multiple rounds into an occupied vehicle parked in front of the Baldwin City Public Library, 700 Eighth Street Street. Sisney continued around the block and fired additional multiple rounds into the bar before fleeing.

Timely and accurate information submitted by victims who called the report in, combined with the actions of two Baldwin City Police Officers, culminated in Sisney's arrest at the intersection of High Street and Lawrence Street. Police do not believe the violent actions were directed to any one specific person or location. Police reported no injuries.

Sisney remains in the Douglas County Jail on requested felony charges of attempted capital murder, fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, criminal use of a weapon, and 3 counts of aggravated assault.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672670839132.png" alt="Photo courtesy The Bullpen" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy The Bullpen</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for a weekend shooting incident.&nbsp;Just after 7p.m. Friday, a suspect identified a 20-year-old Junah Sisney allegedly&nbsp;fired multiple rounds from a handgun at an establishment called <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BullpenBaldwinCity/">The Bullpen</a>, 811 Eighth Street in Baldwin City, according to a media release from police.He then drove around the block and fired multiple rounds into an occupied vehicle parked in front of the Baldwin City Public Library, 700 Eighth Street Street. Sisney continued around the block and fired additional multiple rounds into the bar before fleeing.Timely and accurate information submitted by victims who called the report in, combined with the actions of two Baldwin City Police Officers, culminated in Sisney's arrest at the intersection of High Street and Lawrence Street. Police do not believe the violent actions were directed to any one specific person or location. Police reported no injuries.Sisney remains in the Douglas County Jail on requested felony charges of attempted capital murder, fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, criminal use of a weapon, and 3 counts of aggravated assault.

Kansas man faces felony charges for wild incident with a gun

VATICAN CITY (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-benedict-xvi">Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI</a>&nbsp;'s body, his head resting on a pair of crimson pillows, lay in state in St. Peter's Basilica on Monday as tens of thousands queued to pay tribute to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-vatican-city-language-99d97bf69b8d1b3b16e919183d0a551c">the pontiff who shocked the world by retiring</a>&nbsp;a decade ago.

On the eve of the first of three days of viewing, Italian security officials had said at least 25,000-30,000 people would come on Monday. But by mid-afternoon, around six hours after the basilica's doors opened to the public, Vatican police estimated that about 40,000 had filed by the body, the Holy See said.

As daylight broke, 10 white-gloved Papal Gentlemen — lay assistants to pontiffs and papal households — carried the body on a cloth-covered wooden stretcher after its arrival at the basilica to its resting place in front of the main altar under Bernini's towering bronze canopy.

A Swiss Guard saluted as Benedict's body was brought in through a side door after it was transferred in a van from the chapel of the monastery grounds where the increasingly frail,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-benedict-xvi-dead-9d486fd9b12eab1177b9eb8ab7be22f4">95-year-old former pontiff died</a>&nbsp;on Saturday morning.

His longtime secretary, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, and a handful of consecrated laywomen who served in Benedict's household, followed the van by foot for a few hundred yards in a silent procession toward the basilica. Some of the women stretched out a hand to touch the body with respect.

Before the rank-and-file faithful were allowed into the basilica, prayers were recited and the basilica's archpriest, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, sprinkled holy water over the body, and a small cloud of incense was released near the bier. Benedict's hands were clasped, a rosary around his fingers.

Just after 9 a.m. (0800 GMT), the doors of the basilica were swung open so the public, some of whom had waited for hours in the pre-dawn damp, could pay their respects to the late pontiff,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-vatican-city-language-99d97bf69b8d1b3b16e919183d0a551c">who retired from the papacy in 2013 —</a>&nbsp;the first pope to do so in 600 years.

Faithful and curious, the public strode briskly up the center aisle to pass by the bier with its cloth draping after waiting in a line that by midmorning snaked around St. Peter's Square.

Benedict's body was dressed with a miter, the peaked headgear of a bishop, and a red cloak.

Filippo Tuccio, 35, said he came from Venice on an overnight train to view Benedict's body.

“I wanted to pay homage to Benedict because he had a key role in my life and my education,” Tuccio said.

“When I was young I participated in World Youth Days,'' he said, referring to the jamborees of young faithful held periodically and attended by pontiffs. Tuccio added that he had studied theology, and “his pontificate accompanied me during my university years.”

“He was very important for me: for what I am, my way of thinking, my values," Tuccio continued.

Among those coming to the basilica viewing was Cardinal Walter Kasper, like Benedict, a German theologian. Kasper served as head of the Vatican’s Christian unity office during Benedict's papacy.

Benedict left an “important mark” on theology and spirituality, but also on the history of the papacy with his courage to step aside, Kasper told The Associated Press.

“This resignation wasn’t a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength, a greatness because he saw that he was no longer up to the challenges of being pope,” Kasper said.

Kasper, who was among the cardinals who elected Benedict to the papacy in 2005, added that the resignation gave "a more human vision to the papacy: that the pope is a man and is dependent on his physical and mental strengths.”

Public viewing was set for 10 hours on Monday, and 12 hours each on Tuesday and Wednesday before Thursday morning’s funeral, which will be led by Pope Francis, at St. Peter’s Square.

As Benedict desired, the funeral will marked by simplicity, the Vatican said when announcing the death on Saturday.

Workers on Monday were setting up an altar in the square for the funeral Mass. Also being arranged were rows of chairs for the faithful who want to attend the funeral. Authorities said they expected about 60,000 to come for the Mass.

On Monday, the Vatican confirmed widely reported burial plans. In keeping with his wishes, Benedict’s tomb will be in the crypt of the grotto under the basilica that was last used by St. John Paul II, before the saint’s body was moved upstairs into the main basilica ahead of his 2011 beatification, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.

At two sides of the piazza's colonnade, viewers went through the usual security measures required for tourists entering the basilica — passing through metal detectors and screening bags through an X-ray machine.

“I think his main legacy was teaching us how to be free,” she said. “He had a special intelligence in saying what was essential in his faith and that was contagious” for other faithful. “The thing I thought when he died was that I would like to be as free as he was.”

While venturing that the shy, bookworm German churchman and theologian and the current Argentine-born pontiff had different temperaments, Ferrante said: “I believe there’s a continuity between him and Pope Francis and whoever understands the real relationship between them and Christ can see that."

An American man who lives in Rome called the opportunity to view the body “an amazing experience.” Mountain Butorac, 47, who is originally from Atlanta, said he arrived 90 minutes before dawn.

"I loved Benedict, I loved him as a cardinal (Joseph Ratzinger), when he was elected pope and also after he retired,” Butorac said. “I think he was a sort of people’s grandfather living in the Vatican.”

With an organ and choir’s soft rendition of “Kyrie Eleison” ("Lord, have mercy" in ancient Greek) in the background, ushers moved well-wishers along at a steady clip down the basilica’s center aisle.. Someone left a red rose.

A few VIPs had a moment before the general public to pay their respects, including Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, the far-right leader who in the past has professed admiration for the conservative leanings of Benedict.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella also came to view the body. The Vatican has said only two nations' official delegations — from Italy and from Benedict's native Germany — were invited formally to the funeral, since the pope emeritus was no longer head of state.

Sister Regina Brand was among the mourners who came to the square before dawn.

“He’s a German pope and I am from Germany," she said. "And I am here to express my gratitude and love, and I want to pray for him and to see him.”

VATICAN CITY (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-benedict-xvi">Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI</a>&nbsp;'s body, his head resting on a pair of crimson pillows, lay in state in St. Peter's Basilica on Monday as thousands of people filed by to pay tribute to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-vatican-city-language-99d97bf69b8d1b3b16e919183d0a551c">the pontiff who shocked the world by retiring</a>&nbsp;a decade ago.

A Swiss Guard had saluted as the body was brought in via a side door after Benedict's remains, placed in a van, were transferred from the chapel of the monastery grounds where the increasingly frail,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-benedict-xvi-dead-9d486fd9b12eab1177b9eb8ab7be22f4">95-year-old former pontiff had passed away</a>&nbsp;on Saturday morning.

His longtime secretary, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, and a handful of consecrated laywomen who served in Benedict's household, followed the van by foot for a few hundred yards (meters) in a silent procession toward the basilica. Some of the women stretched out a hand to touch the body with respect.

Just after 9 a.m. (0800 GMT), the doors of the basilica were swung open so the public, some of whom had waited for hours in the dampness before dawn, could pay their respects to the late pontiff,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-vatican-city-language-99d97bf69b8d1b3b16e919183d0a551c">who retired from the papacy in 2013</a>&nbsp;to become the first pope to do so in 600 years.

“I wanted to pay homage to Benedict because he had a key role in my life and my education. I arrived here at around 7:30, after leaving Venice last night," Tuccio said.

“When I was young I participated in World Youth Days,'' said the pilgrim, referring to the jamborees of young faithful held periodically and attended by pontiffs. Tuccio added that he had studied theology, and “his pontificate accompanied me during my university years.”

"He was very important for me: for what I am, my way of thinking, my values. This is why I wanted to say goodbye today.”

Kasper, who was among the cardinals who elected Benedict to the papacy in 2005, added that the resignation decision gave "a more human vision to the papacy: that the pope is a man and is dependent on his physical and mental strengths.”

Public viewing lasts for 10 hours on Monday in St. Peter’s Basilica. Twelve hours of viewing are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday before Thursday morning’s funeral, which will be led by Pope Francis, at St. Peter’s Square.

On Monday, the Vatican confirmed widely reported burial plans. In keeping with his wishes, Benedict’s tomb will be in the crypt of the grotto under the basilica that was last used by St. John Paul II, before the saint’s body was moved upstairs into the main basilica before his 2011 beatification, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.

Security officials expected at least 25,000 people to pass by the body on the first day of viewing. Italian state television said around 10,000 had viewed Benedict's body after about four hours.

Marina Ferrante, 62, was among them. The Roman arrived an hour before the doors were opened, and she grew emotional when she explained why she came.

While venturing that the shy, bookworm German churchman and theologian and the current Argentine-born pontiff had different temperaments, “I believe there’s a continuity between him and Pope Francis and whoever understands the real relationship between them and Christ can see that," Ferrante said.

An American man who lives in Rome called the opportunity to view the body “an amazing experience.” Mountain Butorac, 47, who is originally from Atlanta, said he arrived 90 minutes before the dawn opening and left the basilica a half-hour after it opened.

“I loved Benedict, I loved him as a cardinal (Joseph Ratzinger), when he was elected pope and also after he retired,” Butorac said. “I think he was a sort of people’s grandfather living in the Vatican.”

He came to the Vatican to pray for Benedict when he was ailing, “so I wanted to be here today to say goodbye. I think he and Francis were close, they cared for each other,” he said.

With an organ and choir’s soft rendition of “Kyrie Eleison” ("Lord, have mercy" in ancient Greek) in the background, ushers moved well-wishers along at a steady clip down the basilica’s center aisle and then nudged them gently forward, saying, in Italian, “avanti” (keep going) to keep the pace brisk. Someone left a red rose.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672667999600.png" alt="The body of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI laid out in state inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. Benedict XVI, the German theologian who will be remembered as the first pope in 600 years to resign, has died, the Vatican announced Saturday. He was 95. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)" />
 <figcaption>The body of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI laid out in state inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. Benedict XVI, the German theologian who will be remembered as the first pope in 600 years to resign, has died, the Vatican announced Saturday. He was 95. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)</figcaption>
 </figure>VATICAN CITY (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-benedict-xvi">Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI</a>&nbsp;'s body, his head resting on a pair of crimson pillows, lay in state in St. Peter's Basilica on Monday as tens of thousands queued to pay tribute to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-vatican-city-language-99d97bf69b8d1b3b16e919183d0a551c">the pontiff who shocked the world by retiring</a>&nbsp;a decade ago.On the eve of the first of three days of viewing, Italian security officials had said at least 25,000-30,000 people would come on Monday. But by mid-afternoon, around six hours after the basilica's doors opened to the public, Vatican police estimated that about 40,000 had filed by the body, the Holy See said.As daylight broke, 10 white-gloved Papal Gentlemen — lay assistants to pontiffs and papal households — carried the body on a cloth-covered wooden stretcher after its arrival at the basilica to its resting place in front of the main altar under Bernini's towering bronze canopy.A Swiss Guard saluted as Benedict's body was brought in through a side door after it was transferred in a van from the chapel of the monastery grounds where the increasingly frail,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-benedict-xvi-dead-9d486fd9b12eab1177b9eb8ab7be22f4">95-year-old former pontiff died</a>&nbsp;on Saturday morning.His longtime secretary, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, and a handful of consecrated laywomen who served in Benedict's household, followed the van by foot for a few hundred yards in a silent procession toward the basilica. Some of the women stretched out a hand to touch the body with respect.Before the rank-and-file faithful were allowed into the basilica, prayers were recited and the basilica's archpriest, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, sprinkled holy water over the body, and a small cloud of incense was released near the bier. Benedict's hands were clasped, a rosary around his fingers.Just after 9 a.m. (0800 GMT), the doors of the basilica were swung open so the public, some of whom had waited for hours in the pre-dawn damp, could pay their respects to the late pontiff,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-vatican-city-language-99d97bf69b8d1b3b16e919183d0a551c">who retired from the papacy in 2013 —</a>&nbsp;the first pope to do so in 600 years.Faithful and curious, the public strode briskly up the center aisle to pass by the bier with its cloth draping after waiting in a line that by midmorning snaked around St. Peter's Square.Benedict's body was dressed with a miter, the peaked headgear of a bishop, and a red cloak.Filippo Tuccio, 35, said he came from Venice on an overnight train to view Benedict's body.“I wanted to pay homage to Benedict because he had a key role in my life and my education,” Tuccio said.“When I was young I participated in World Youth Days,'' he said, referring to the jamborees of young faithful held periodically and attended by pontiffs. Tuccio added that he had studied theology, and “his pontificate accompanied me during my university years.”“He was very important for me: for what I am, my way of thinking, my values," Tuccio continued.Among those coming to the basilica viewing was Cardinal Walter Kasper, like Benedict, a German theologian. Kasper served as head of the Vatican’s Christian unity office during Benedict's papacy.Benedict left an “important mark” on theology and spirituality, but also on the history of the papacy with his courage to step aside, Kasper told The Associated Press.“This resignation wasn’t a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength, a greatness because he saw that he was no longer up to the challenges of being pope,” Kasper said.Kasper, who was among the cardinals who elected Benedict to the papacy in 2005, added that the resignation gave "a more human vision to the papacy: that the pope is a man and is dependent on his physical and mental strengths.”Public viewing was set for 10 hours on Monday, and 12 hours each on Tuesday and Wednesday before Thursday morning’s funeral, which will be led by Pope Francis, at St. Peter’s Square.As Benedict desired, the funeral will marked by simplicity, the Vatican said when announcing the death on Saturday.Workers on Monday were setting up an altar in the square for the funeral Mass. Also being arranged were rows of chairs for the faithful who want to attend the funeral. Authorities said they expected about 60,000 to come for the Mass.On Monday, the Vatican confirmed widely reported burial plans. In keeping with his wishes, Benedict’s tomb will be in the crypt of the grotto under the basilica that was last used by St. John Paul II, before the saint’s body was moved upstairs into the main basilica ahead of his 2011 beatification, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.At two sides of the piazza's colonnade, viewers went through the usual security measures required for tourists entering the basilica — passing through metal detectors and screening bags through an X-ray machine.Marina Ferrante, 62, was among them.“I think his main legacy was teaching us how to be free,” she said. “He had a special intelligence in saying what was essential in his faith and that was contagious” for other faithful. “The thing I thought when he died was that I would like to be as free as he was.”While venturing that the shy, bookworm German churchman and theologian and the current Argentine-born pontiff had different temperaments, Ferrante said: “I believe there’s a continuity between him and Pope Francis and whoever understands the real relationship between them and Christ can see that."An American man who lives in Rome called the opportunity to view the body “an amazing experience.” Mountain Butorac, 47, who is originally from Atlanta, said he arrived 90 minutes before dawn."I loved Benedict, I loved him as a cardinal (Joseph Ratzinger), when he was elected pope and also after he retired,” Butorac said. “I think he was a sort of people’s grandfather living in the Vatican.”With an organ and choir’s soft rendition of “Kyrie Eleison” ("Lord, have mercy" in ancient Greek) in the background, ushers moved well-wishers along at a steady clip down the basilica’s center aisle.. Someone left a red rose.A few VIPs had a moment before the general public to pay their respects, including Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, the far-right leader who in the past has professed admiration for the conservative leanings of Benedict.Italian President Sergio Mattarella also came to view the body. The Vatican has said only two nations' official delegations — from Italy and from Benedict's native Germany — were invited formally to the funeral, since the pope emeritus was no longer head of state.Sister Regina Brand was among the mourners who came to the square before dawn.“He’s a German pope and I am from Germany," she said. "And I am here to express my gratitude and love, and I want to pray for him and to see him.”-------------------VATICAN CITY (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-benedict-xvi">Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI</a>&nbsp;'s body, his head resting on a pair of crimson pillows, lay in state in St. Peter's Basilica on Monday as thousands of people filed by to pay tribute to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-vatican-city-language-99d97bf69b8d1b3b16e919183d0a551c">the pontiff who shocked the world by retiring</a>&nbsp;a decade ago.As daylight broke, 10 white-gloved Papal Gentlemen — lay assistants to pontiffs and papal households — carried the body on a cloth-covered wooden stretcher after its arrival at the basilica to its resting place in front of the main altar under Bernini's towering bronze canopy.A Swiss Guard had saluted as the body was brought in via a side door after Benedict's remains, placed in a van, were transferred from the chapel of the monastery grounds where the increasingly frail,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-benedict-xvi-dead-9d486fd9b12eab1177b9eb8ab7be22f4">95-year-old former pontiff had passed away</a>&nbsp;on Saturday morning.His longtime secretary, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, and a handful of consecrated laywomen who served in Benedict's household, followed the van by foot for a few hundred yards (meters) in a silent procession toward the basilica. Some of the women stretched out a hand to touch the body with respect.Before the rank-and-file faithful were allowed into the basilica, prayers were recited and the basilica's archpriest, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, sprinkled holy water over the body, and a small cloud of incense was released near the bier. Benedict's hands were clasped, a rosary around his fingers.Just after 9 a.m. (0800 GMT), the doors of the basilica were swung open so the public, some of whom had waited for hours in the dampness before dawn, could pay their respects to the late pontiff,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-vatican-city-language-99d97bf69b8d1b3b16e919183d0a551c">who retired from the papacy in 2013</a>&nbsp;to become the first pope to do so in 600 years.Faithful and curious, the public strode briskly up the center aisle to pass by the bier with its cloth draping after waiting in a line that by midmorning snaked around St. Peter's Square.Benedict's body was dressed with a miter, the peaked headgear of a bishop, and a red cloak.Filippo Tuccio, 35, said he came from Venice on an overnight train to view Benedict's body.“I wanted to pay homage to Benedict because he had a key role in my life and my education. I arrived here at around 7:30, after leaving Venice last night," Tuccio said.“When I was young I participated in World Youth Days,'' said the pilgrim, referring to the jamborees of young faithful held periodically and attended by pontiffs. Tuccio added that he had studied theology, and “his pontificate accompanied me during my university years.”"He was very important for me: for what I am, my way of thinking, my values. This is why I wanted to say goodbye today.”Among those coming to the basilica viewing was Cardinal Walter Kasper, like Benedict, a German theologian. Kasper served as head of the Vatican’s Christian unity office during Benedict's papacy.Benedict left an “important mark” on theology and spirituality, but also on the history of the papacy with his courage to step aside, Kasper told The Associated Press.“This resignation wasn’t a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength, a greatness because he saw that he was no longer up to the challenges of being pope,” Kasper said.Kasper, who was among the cardinals who elected Benedict to the papacy in 2005, added that the resignation decision gave "a more human vision to the papacy: that the pope is a man and is dependent on his physical and mental strengths.”Public viewing lasts for 10 hours on Monday in St. Peter’s Basilica. Twelve hours of viewing are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday before Thursday morning’s funeral, which will be led by Pope Francis, at St. Peter’s Square.As Benedict desired, the funeral will marked by simplicity, the Vatican said when announcing the death on Saturday.On Monday, the Vatican confirmed widely reported burial plans. In keeping with his wishes, Benedict’s tomb will be in the crypt of the grotto under the basilica that was last used by St. John Paul II, before the saint’s body was moved upstairs into the main basilica before his 2011 beatification, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.Security officials expected at least 25,000 people to pass by the body on the first day of viewing. Italian state television said around 10,000 had viewed Benedict's body after about four hours.At two sides of the piazza's colonnade, viewers went through the usual security measures required for tourists entering the basilica — passing through metal detectors and screening bags through an X-ray machine.Marina Ferrante, 62, was among them. The Roman arrived an hour before the doors were opened, and she grew emotional when she explained why she came.“I think his main legacy was teaching us how to be free,” she said. “He had a special intelligence in saying what was essential in his faith and that was contagious” for other faithful. “The thing I thought when he died was that I would like to be as free as he was.”While venturing that the shy, bookworm German churchman and theologian and the current Argentine-born pontiff had different temperaments, “I believe there’s a continuity between him and Pope Francis and whoever understands the real relationship between them and Christ can see that," Ferrante said.An American man who lives in Rome called the opportunity to view the body “an amazing experience.” Mountain Butorac, 47, who is originally from Atlanta, said he arrived 90 minutes before the dawn opening and left the basilica a half-hour after it opened.“I loved Benedict, I loved him as a cardinal (Joseph Ratzinger), when he was elected pope and also after he retired,” Butorac said. “I think he was a sort of people’s grandfather living in the Vatican.”He came to the Vatican to pray for Benedict when he was ailing, “so I wanted to be here today to say goodbye. I think he and Francis were close, they cared for each other,” he said.With an organ and choir’s soft rendition of “Kyrie Eleison” ("Lord, have mercy" in ancient Greek) in the background, ushers moved well-wishers along at a steady clip down the basilica’s center aisle and then nudged them gently forward, saying, in Italian, “avanti” (keep going) to keep the pace brisk. Someone left a red rose.A few VIPs had a moment before the general public to pay their respects, including Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, the far-right leader who in the past has professed admiration for the conservative leanings of Benedict.Italian President Sergio Mattarella also came to view the body. The Vatican has said only two nations' official delegations — from Italy and from Benedict's native Germany — were invited formally to the funeral, since the pope emeritus was no longer head of state.Sister Regina Brand was among the mourners who came to the square before dawn.“He’s a German pope and I am from Germany," she said. "And I am here to express my gratitude and love, and I want to pray for him and to see him.”

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's body lies in state at Vatican

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two teens after a violent altercation with police.

Just before 7p.m. Saturday, officers working an off-duty job at a business in the 3200 block of S. Meridian were requested by the business to remove a disruptive guest from the facility, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

Management reported a 15-year-old girl had become upset and threatened staff at the business. Officers asked the girl to collect her belongings and leave. Still, she continued yelling threats toward employees and officers and refused to leave as a crowd gathered inside the business. 

Officers repeatedly asked the girl to leave the business, and she attempted to strike an officer but missed. The officer then tried to take her into custody, and a physical altercation ensued.

During the altercation, as another officer assisted with attempting to take her into custody, a 16-year-old boy intervened by striking the second officer in the back of the head. 

That officer then attempted to take the 16-year-old into custody, which resulted in an additional physical altercation. Officers requested additional patrol units to respond.

The 15-year-old and 16-year-old were both taken into custody and transported to Juvenile intake and assessment center.

The 15-year-old was booked on a requested charge of assault and one count of battery of a law enforcement officer, and one ordinance violation for aggressive and harassing contact. The 16- year-old was booked on a requested charge of battery of a law enforcement officer and two counts of obstruction, according to Macy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672660262307.png" alt="Image of the altercation from a video posted online" />
 <figcaption>Image of the altercation from a video posted online</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two teens after a violent altercation with police.Just before 7p.m. Saturday, officers working an off-duty job at a business in the 3200 block of S. Meridian were requested by the business to remove a disruptive guest from the facility, according to Officer Trevor Macy.Management reported a 15-year-old girl had become upset and threatened staff at the business. Officers asked the girl to collect her belongings and leave. Still, she continued yelling threats toward employees and officers and refused to leave as a crowd gathered inside the business. Officers repeatedly asked the girl to leave the business, and she attempted to strike an officer but missed. The officer then tried to take her into custody, and a physical altercation ensued.During the altercation, as another officer assisted with attempting to take her into custody, a 16-year-old boy intervened by striking the second officer in the back of the head. That officer then attempted to take the 16-year-old into custody, which resulted in an additional physical altercation. Officers requested additional patrol units to respond.The 15-year-old and 16-year-old were both taken into custody and transported to Juvenile intake and assessment center.The 15-year-old was booked on a requested charge of assault and one count of battery of a law enforcement officer, and one ordinance violation for aggressive and harassing contact. The 16- year-old was booked on a requested charge of battery of a law enforcement officer and two counts of obstruction, according to Macy.

Police: Kansas teens jailed after violent altercation with officers

KIOWA COUNTY—Two people died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Sunday in Kiowa County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Western Star semi driven by Omar A.&nbsp;Mohamoud, 38, Dodge City, was eastbound on U.S. 54 just west of 37th Avenue. 

The semi rear-ended a 2013 Kia Soul driven by&nbsp; Adrienne R.&nbsp;Deal, 40, Cheney, who was parked in the eastbound lane with lights off and possibly disabled at the time of the accident.

Deal and an infant passenger were pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; Mohamoud was not injured. The drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

KIOWA COUNTY—Two people died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Sunday in Kiowa County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Western Star semi driven by Omar A.&nbsp;Mohamoud, 38, Dodge City, was eastbound on U.S. 54 just west of 37th Avenue. The semi rear-ended a 2013 Kia Soul driven by&nbsp; Adrienne R.&nbsp;Deal, 40, Cheney, who was parked in the eastbound lane with lights off and possibly disabled at the time of the accident.Deal and an infant passenger were pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; Mohamoud was not injured. The drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman, baby dead after semi rear-ends disabled car

CASS COUNTY —The search for one of two inmates who escaped Dec. 12 from&nbsp;the jail in Cass County, Missouri south of Kansas City continues.

Authorities took 33-year-0ld Trevor Sparks of Kansas City into custody Dec. 30, in the 400 Block of Olive Street, according to the FBI.

The U.S. Marshals Service continues to offer a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads directly to the capture of 43-year-old Sergio Perez- Martinez of Panorama City, Calif.&nbsp; The FBI is also offering $10k for anyone who can provide information leading to his capture.&nbsp;

Perez Mertinez&nbsp; was being held for possession of dangerous drugs. Sparks was jailed on money laundering charges, according to the Cass County sheriff's office.

A third individual, Steven Lydell Williams, Sr., 64, Kansas City, has been charged&nbsp; with aiding or assisting in the escape.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670539649262.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CASS COUNTY —The search for one of two inmates who escaped Dec. 12 from&nbsp;the jail in Cass County, Missouri south of Kansas City continues.Authorities took 33-year-0ld Trevor Sparks of Kansas City into custody Dec. 30, in the 400 Block of Olive Street, according to the FBI.The U.S. Marshals Service continues to offer a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads directly to the capture of 43-year-old Sergio Perez- Martinez of Panorama City, Calif.&nbsp; The FBI is also offering $10k for anyone who can provide information leading to his capture.&nbsp;Perez Mertinez&nbsp; was being held for possession of dangerous drugs. Sparks was jailed on money laundering charges, according to the Cass County sheriff's office.A third individual, Steven Lydell Williams, Sr., 64, Kansas City, has been charged&nbsp; with aiding or assisting in the escape. Anyone with any information is urged to contact the Cass County Sheriff’s Office at (816) 380-5200, or call 911.&nbsp; Submit a tip to the Marshals<a href="https://www.usmarshals.gov/tips/index.htm?fbclid=IwAR2np8V0SoqQyr6Znkz_ykiw2FsK7SY3PkQN_uuUCJz41bCD_XDGusIXZJw"> here</a>&nbsp; or contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at <a href="https://t.co/49eEgggFOb" target="_blank">http://tips.fbi.gov</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;