For parents of high school students, SAT scores are a huge deal. With
 college admissions and scholarships on the line, paying for tutors and 
test prep materials may be worth the price. But watch out for con 
artists eager to take advantage of this. Scammers – with access to kids’
 names and school information – are tricking parents into paying for 
bogus SAT prep materials.&nbsp; &nbsp;

You get an unsolicited call from a person claiming to be from <a href="https://privacy.collegeboard.org/important-information-about-telemarketing-internet-scams" target="_blank">the College Board</a>,
 the company responsible for SAT tests, or another educational 
organization. The caller claims to be confirming your address, so they 
can send test prep materials, such as books, CDs, or videos, that your 
child requested at school.

It seems so believable! Several victims reported to <a href="http://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a> that the caller even had their child’s name, phone number, and/or school information.

Of course, there’s a catch. The caller needs you to pay a deposit, 
sometimes several hundred dollars, for the materials. They claim it will
 be refunded when the materials are returned. &nbsp;Unfortunately, if you 
provide your address and credit card details, the materials will never 
arrive, and your deposit will never be refunded. Scammers now have your 
credit card number and other personal information.

To learn more ways to protect yourself, read about <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/21686-who-is-really-contacting-you" target="_blank">impostor scams</a>. Also, the <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2018/10/college-test-prep-scams-are-happening" target="_blank">Federal Trade Commission’s alert</a> about test prep cons.

If you’ve spotted a scam (whether or not you’ve lost money), report it to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>. Your report can help others avoid falling victim to scams. Find more information about scams and how to avoid them at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/8767-bbb-tips-10-steps-to-avoid-scams" target="_blank">BBB.org/AvoidScams</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBFor parents of high school students, SAT scores are a huge deal. With
 college admissions and scholarships on the line, paying for tutors and 
test prep materials may be worth the price. But watch out for con 
artists eager to take advantage of this. Scammers – with access to kids’
 names and school information – are tricking parents into paying for 
bogus SAT prep materials.&nbsp; &nbsp;<h2>How the scam works</h2>You get an unsolicited call from a person claiming to be from <a href="https://privacy.collegeboard.org/important-information-about-telemarketing-internet-scams" target="_blank">the College Board</a>,
 the company responsible for SAT tests, or another educational 
organization. The caller claims to be confirming your address, so they 
can send test prep materials, such as books, CDs, or videos, that your 
child requested at school.It seems so believable! Several victims reported to <a href="http://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a> that the caller even had their child’s name, phone number, and/or school information.Of course, there’s a catch. The caller needs you to pay a deposit, 
sometimes several hundred dollars, for the materials. They claim it will
 be refunded when the materials are returned. &nbsp;Unfortunately, if you 
provide your address and credit card details, the materials will never 
arrive, and your deposit will never be refunded. Scammers now have your 
credit card number and other personal information.<h2>How to avoid test prep scams</h2><ul>
 <li>Always be wary of unsolicited callers. If someone 
calls out of the blue, always research their organization before you 
share personal information or agree to receive services or products. 
Look up the business they claim to represent at BBB.org. Search the name
 along with the words “scam” or “complaint” to find out if other 
consumers have had negative experiences. Check <a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a> to see if anyone else has filed a report about the company. </li><li>Double check with your child. If scammers say they 
are calling because of a service your child requested, tell them you 
need to check with your child and hang up. Make sure their claims are 
legitimate before you call back or accept a return call. The same is <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/16918-bbb-tip-emergency-scams" target="_blank">true for emergency scams</a>. </li><li>Understand the College Board’s practices. The 
College Board will never ask you for bank or credit card information 
over the phone or via email. If a caller suggests otherwise, hang up. 
Learn <a href="https://privacy.collegeboard.org/important-information-about-telemarketing-internet-scams" target="_blank">more about the College Board’s policies</a>. </li><li>Use your credit card when possible. Credit cards 
may refund your money if they spot a fraudulent charge or if you report 
one in a timely manner. You may not be offered the same protection if 
you pay with your debit card or other payment options. Never agree to 
pay a stranger with a money wire, prepaid cards, or <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/13038-how-to-avoid-digital-wallet-scams-on-paypal-venmo-and-other-services" target="_blank">digital wallet</a>, such as Cash App or Venmo.</li>
 </ul><h2>For more information</h2>To learn more ways to protect yourself, read about <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/21686-who-is-really-contacting-you" target="_blank">impostor scams</a>. Also, the <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2018/10/college-test-prep-scams-are-happening" target="_blank">Federal Trade Commission’s alert</a> about test prep cons.If you’ve spotted a scam (whether or not you’ve lost money), report it to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>. Your report can help others avoid falling victim to scams. Find more information about scams and how to avoid them at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/8767-bbb-tips-10-steps-to-avoid-scams" target="_blank">BBB.org/AvoidScams</a>.&nbsp;

Scam alert: Watch out for SAT prep scams

By SARA WILSON <a href="https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/u-s-supreme-court-will-hear-colorado-case-over-whether-web-designer-can-deny-service-to-gay-couples/">Colorado Newsline</a>

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to hear a Colorado case over 
whether the state’s anti-discrimination law can compel a Christian 
graphic designer to create wedding websites for same-sex couples, even 
if doing so contradicts her religious viewpoint.

The court will consider the case, 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, later 
this year. It will specifically consider “whether applying a 
public-accommodation law to compel an artist to speak or stay silent 
violates the free speech clause of the First Amendment.”

Lorie Smith is the owner of 303 Creative and wants to put a 
disclaimer on her website that she will not accept same-sex clients for 
wedding website commissions because of her Christian beliefs.

In July 2021, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ca10.uscourts.gov/sites/ca10/files/opinions/010110553596.pdf">rejected Smith’s First Amendment challenge</a>
 to the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act. That act makes it illegal for 
someone to withhold services based on another person’s race, sexual 
orientation, disability, or national origin, among other 
characteristics. The court ruled that Smith’s intended statement would 
violate the Colorado law and that the law itself&nbsp; is constitutional.

Now, the country’s highest court will consider the question of 
whether the anti-discrimination law violates the free speech protection 
within the First Amendment.

“The U.S. Supreme Court has consistently held that 
anti-discrimination laws, like Colorado’s, apply to all businesses 
selling goods and services,” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said 
in a statement. “Companies cannot turn away LGBTQ customers just because
 of who they are. We will vigorously defend Colorado’s laws, which 
protect all Coloradans by preventing discrimination and upholding free 
speech.”

This case is different than Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/04/us/politics/supreme-court-sides-with-baker-who-turned-away-gay-couple.html">the 2018 matter</a>
 in which a Lakewood baker was sued after refusing to make a wedding 
cake for a same-sex couple. The Supreme Court sided in a narrow ruling 
with the baker. Smith wants a legal guarantee that she can turn down 
commissions from same-sex couples in the future, as she has not yet 
refused service.

Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian litigation 
organization, will represent Smith in court. ADF has been designated an 
anti-LGBTQ hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

In a <a target="_blank" href="https://adflegal.org/press-release/us-supreme-court-hear-case-artist-threatened-under-orwellian-colorado-law">statement</a>,
 ADF said the Colorado anti-discrimination law “censors and coerces the 
speech of creative professionals whose religious beliefs do not conform 
to state orthodoxy,” and it directly references the 2018 cake case.

“Colorado has weaponized its law to silence speech it disagrees with,
 to compel speech it approves of, and to punish anyone who dares to 
dissent. Colorado’s law — and others like it — are a clear and present 
danger to every American’s constitutionally protected freedoms and the 
very existence of a diverse and free nation,” Smith’s attorney, Kristen 
Waggoner, said.

On the other side, the national legal organization Lambda Legal <a target="_blank" href="https://www.lambdalegal.org/blog/co_20220222_ll-urges-scotus-to-affirm-definitively-that-religion-does-not-grant-license-to-discriminate">wrote in a statement</a> that First Amendment protections are not basis for discrimination.

“The Supreme Court here has the opportunity to do what the justices 
should have done three-and-a-half years ago in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. 
Colorado Civil Rights Commission: Reaffirm and apply longstanding 
constitutional precedent that our freedoms of religion and speech are 
not a license to discriminate when operating a business. It is time once
 and for all to put to rest these businesses’ attempts to undermine the 
civil rights of LGBTQ people in the name of religion,” senior counsel 
Jennifer Pizer said.

Last July, the appellate court ruled against Smith 2-1.

“Colorado has a compelling interest in protecting both the dignity 
interests of members of marginalized groups and their material interests
 in accessing the commercial marketplace,” the two justices wrote in 
their majority opinion. They wrote that while Smith’s free speech rights
 are compelling, so is Colorado’s interest in protecting its citizens 
from discrimination.

The dissenter from that ruling, Judge Timothy Tymkovich, called the 
Colorado anti-discrimination law an “Orwellian diktat” that relies on 
the subjective experience of customers.

By forcing Smith to accept same-sex clients, Tymkovich wrote that the
 government would unfairly use its anti-discrimination public 
accommodation law to compel Smith to speak a “government-approved 
message against her religious beliefs.”

“No case has ever gone so far,” he wrote. “Though I am loathe to 
reference Orwell, the majority’s opinion endorses substantial government
 interference in matters of speech, religion, and conscience.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645642395982.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By SARA WILSON <a href="https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/u-s-supreme-court-will-hear-colorado-case-over-whether-web-designer-can-deny-service-to-gay-couples/">Colorado Newsline</a>The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to hear a Colorado case over 
whether the state’s anti-discrimination law can compel a Christian 
graphic designer to create wedding websites for same-sex couples, even 
if doing so contradicts her religious viewpoint.The court will consider the case, 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, later 
this year. It will specifically consider “whether applying a 
public-accommodation law to compel an artist to speak or stay silent 
violates the free speech clause of the First Amendment.”Lorie Smith is the owner of 303 Creative and wants to put a 
disclaimer on her website that she will not accept same-sex clients for 
wedding website commissions because of her Christian beliefs.In July 2021, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ca10.uscourts.gov/sites/ca10/files/opinions/010110553596.pdf">rejected Smith’s First Amendment challenge</a>
 to the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act. That act makes it illegal for 
someone to withhold services based on another person’s race, sexual 
orientation, disability, or national origin, among other 
characteristics. The court ruled that Smith’s intended statement would 
violate the Colorado law and that the law itself&nbsp; is constitutional.Now, the country’s highest court will consider the question of 
whether the anti-discrimination law violates the free speech protection 
within the First Amendment.“The U.S. Supreme Court has consistently held that 
anti-discrimination laws, like Colorado’s, apply to all businesses 
selling goods and services,” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said 
in a statement. “Companies cannot turn away LGBTQ customers just because
 of who they are. We will vigorously defend Colorado’s laws, which 
protect all Coloradans by preventing discrimination and upholding free 
speech.”This case is different than Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/04/us/politics/supreme-court-sides-with-baker-who-turned-away-gay-couple.html">the 2018 matter</a>
 in which a Lakewood baker was sued after refusing to make a wedding 
cake for a same-sex couple. The Supreme Court sided in a narrow ruling 
with the baker. Smith wants a legal guarantee that she can turn down 
commissions from same-sex couples in the future, as she has not yet 
refused service.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645642455064.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian litigation 
organization, will represent Smith in court. ADF has been designated an 
anti-LGBTQ hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.In a <a target="_blank" href="https://adflegal.org/press-release/us-supreme-court-hear-case-artist-threatened-under-orwellian-colorado-law">statement</a>,
 ADF said the Colorado anti-discrimination law “censors and coerces the 
speech of creative professionals whose religious beliefs do not conform 
to state orthodoxy,” and it directly references the 2018 cake case.“Colorado has weaponized its law to silence speech it disagrees with,
 to compel speech it approves of, and to punish anyone who dares to 
dissent. Colorado’s law — and others like it — are a clear and present 
danger to every American’s constitutionally protected freedoms and the 
very existence of a diverse and free nation,” Smith’s attorney, Kristen 
Waggoner, said.On the other side, the national legal organization Lambda Legal <a target="_blank" href="https://www.lambdalegal.org/blog/co_20220222_ll-urges-scotus-to-affirm-definitively-that-religion-does-not-grant-license-to-discriminate">wrote in a statement</a> that First Amendment protections are not basis for discrimination.“The Supreme Court here has the opportunity to do what the justices 
should have done three-and-a-half years ago in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. 
Colorado Civil Rights Commission: Reaffirm and apply longstanding 
constitutional precedent that our freedoms of religion and speech are 
not a license to discriminate when operating a business. It is time once
 and for all to put to rest these businesses’ attempts to undermine the 
civil rights of LGBTQ people in the name of religion,” senior counsel 
Jennifer Pizer said.Last July, the appellate court ruled against Smith 2-1.“Colorado has a compelling interest in protecting both the dignity 
interests of members of marginalized groups and their material interests
 in accessing the commercial marketplace,” the two justices wrote in 
their majority opinion. They wrote that while Smith’s free speech rights
 are compelling, so is Colorado’s interest in protecting its citizens 
from discrimination.The dissenter from that ruling, Judge Timothy Tymkovich, called the 
Colorado anti-discrimination law an “Orwellian diktat” that relies on 
the subjective experience of customers.By forcing Smith to accept same-sex clients, Tymkovich wrote that the
 government would unfairly use its anti-discrimination public 
accommodation law to compel Smith to speak a “government-approved 
message against her religious beliefs.”“No case has ever gone so far,” he wrote. “Though I am loathe to 
reference Orwell, the majority’s opinion endorses substantial government
 interference in matters of speech, religion, and conscience.”

High court will hear case over whether web designer can deny service to gay couples

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/22/kansas-house-advances-constitutional-amendment-requiring-elected-sheriffs/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Rep. Eric Smith 
encouraged House members Tuesday to support a constitutional amendment 
requiring counties to elect sheriffs, rather than risk the possibility 
of a county commission gaining authority to appoint the position.

Smith, a Republican from Burlington who said his “real job” as a 
deputy sheriff for Coffee County supports his political hobby, joined 
other supporters of the proposal in arguing it is important to shield 
top law enforcement officers from the scrutiny of other elected 
officials.

“I just want want you to consider the idea that when you have an 
elected sheriff out there, that individual serves you and serves your 
constituents as an individual who has to uphold those values that they 
were elected on, and you can hold them accountable for that,” Smith 
said.

The House advanced <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hcr5022/">the constitutional amendment</a>
 on a voice vote. If two-thirds of the members of both the House and 
Senate approve the resolution, voters will get to decide the issue in 
November. In additional to requiring counties to elect sheriffs every 
four years, the amendment specifies that a sheriff can only be removed 
from office by a recall vote or legal action by the attorney general.

Supporters of the amendment, including Rep. John Resman, a retired 
deputy sheriff and Republican from Olathe, raised concerns about 
discussions by the Johnson County Charter Commission as the basis for 
needing the amendment. Opponents included a Republican and Democratic 
representative from Riley County, which is served by a countywide police
 department.

Resman said he was personally involved in investigations in Johnson 
County that involved city or county government officials who conducted 
criminal activity and were charged with crimes.

“I think this is extremely important that the people realize or 
understand that the sheriff has the ultimate authority for investigating
 these types of crimes,” Resman said. “And there won’t be any 
interference by bureaucrats or by the county commissioners.”

Rep. Stephanie Clayton, D-Overland Park, said she favored “local 
control” and a community’s ability to determine the system that works 
best.

“I don’t generally support the entire state imposing their will on Johnson County,” Clayton said.

Rep. Ken Collins, R-Mulberry, speaking in favor of the elected 
sheriff requirement, said the position of county sheriff holds a 
“special place” in the way of life for many Kansans.

“I could go back to my home district and ask someone who their state 
representative is, and they might know that it’s me,” Collins said. “I 
could ask someone to name their county commissioners, their mayor or 
their city officials, and they might or might not know. But ask them to 
name their sheriff, and I would venture to guess that a majority would 
give you the correct answer without having to think about it.”

Currently, Riley County is the lone outlier among the state’s 105 counties. The other 104 have a sheriff who is elected.

Rep. Michael Dodson, R-Manhattan, said the county’s unique 
arrangement saves taxpayers money. There is one jail, one training 
complex, one emergency response team, one set of mental health 
specialists, and consolidated dispatch. The police force can&nbsp;send an 
officer off to a six-month training course because others are available 
to cover necessary shifts.

Every county should be able to choose the system that works best, Dodson said.

“If a county wishes to have a sheriff, that’s a great choice,” Dodson
 said. “Likewise, if a county wishes to consolidate, they should be able
 to do that.”

Rep. Sydney Carlin, D-Manhattan, also opposed the amendment.

Rep. Tatum Lee, R-Ness City, thanked the law enforcement officers who
 watched the debate from the public gallery. Addressing the gallery 
violates&nbsp;chamber rules.

“The power should always be with the people. Always, always be with 
the people,” Lee said. “And the fact that we would try to give some 
committee in some county board somewhere control of that is just crazy 
to me.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645569763098.png" alt="Rep. Eric Smith, a Burlington Republican and deputy sheriff for Coffee County, asked lawmakers to consider the implications of a board-controlled law enforcement leader. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Eric Smith, a Burlington Republican and deputy sheriff for Coffee County, asked lawmakers to consider the implications of a board-controlled law enforcement leader. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/22/kansas-house-advances-constitutional-amendment-requiring-elected-sheriffs/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Rep. Eric Smith 
encouraged House members Tuesday to support a constitutional amendment 
requiring counties to elect sheriffs, rather than risk the possibility 
of a county commission gaining authority to appoint the position.Smith, a Republican from Burlington who said his “real job” as a 
deputy sheriff for Coffee County supports his political hobby, joined 
other supporters of the proposal in arguing it is important to shield 
top law enforcement officers from the scrutiny of other elected 
officials.“I just want want you to consider the idea that when you have an 
elected sheriff out there, that individual serves you and serves your 
constituents as an individual who has to uphold those values that they 
were elected on, and you can hold them accountable for that,” Smith 
said.The House advanced <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hcr5022/">the constitutional amendment</a>
 on a voice vote. If two-thirds of the members of both the House and 
Senate approve the resolution, voters will get to decide the issue in 
November. In additional to requiring counties to elect sheriffs every 
four years, the amendment specifies that a sheriff can only be removed 
from office by a recall vote or legal action by the attorney general.Supporters of the amendment, including Rep. John Resman, a retired 
deputy sheriff and Republican from Olathe, raised concerns about 
discussions by the Johnson County Charter Commission as the basis for 
needing the amendment. Opponents included a Republican and Democratic 
representative from Riley County, which is served by a countywide police
 department.Resman said he was personally involved in investigations in Johnson 
County that involved city or county government officials who conducted 
criminal activity and were charged with crimes.“I think this is extremely important that the people realize or 
understand that the sheriff has the ultimate authority for investigating
 these types of crimes,” Resman said. “And there won’t be any 
interference by bureaucrats or by the county commissioners.”Rep. Stephanie Clayton, D-Overland Park, said she favored “local 
control” and a community’s ability to determine the system that works 
best.“I don’t generally support the entire state imposing their will on Johnson County,” Clayton said.Rep. Ken Collins, R-Mulberry, speaking in favor of the elected 
sheriff requirement, said the position of county sheriff holds a 
“special place” in the way of life for many Kansans.“I could go back to my home district and ask someone who their state 
representative is, and they might know that it’s me,” Collins said. “I 
could ask someone to name their county commissioners, their mayor or 
their city officials, and they might or might not know. But ask them to 
name their sheriff, and I would venture to guess that a majority would 
give you the correct answer without having to think about it.”Currently, Riley County is the lone outlier among the state’s 105 counties. The other 104 have a sheriff who is elected.Rep. Michael Dodson, R-Manhattan, said the county’s unique 
arrangement saves taxpayers money. There is one jail, one training 
complex, one emergency response team, one set of mental health 
specialists, and consolidated dispatch. The police force can&nbsp;send an 
officer off to a six-month training course because others are available 
to cover necessary shifts.Every county should be able to choose the system that works best, Dodson said.“If a county wishes to have a sheriff, that’s a great choice,” Dodson
 said. “Likewise, if a county wishes to consolidate, they should be able
 to do that.”Rep. Sydney Carlin, D-Manhattan, also opposed the amendment.Rep. Tatum Lee, R-Ness City, thanked the law enforcement officers who
 watched the debate from the public gallery. Addressing the gallery 
violates&nbsp;chamber rules.“The power should always be with the people. Always, always be with 
the people,” Lee said. “And the fact that we would try to give some 
committee in some county board somewhere control of that is just crazy 
to me.”

Kan. House advances constitutional amendment requiring elected sheriffs

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon has approved the deployment of 700 unarmed National Guard troops to the nation’s capital as it prepares for trucker convoys that are planning protests against pandemic restrictions beginning next week.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved the request Tuesday from the District of Columbia government and the U.S. Capitol Police, the Pentagon said in a statement Tuesday night.

The troops would be used to assist with traffic control during demonstrations expected in the city in the coming days, the Pentagon said. Four hundred Guard members from the District of Columbia Guard will be joined by 300 Guard members from other states, according to the statement.

Guard members will not carry firearms or take part in law enforcement or domestic-surveillance activities, the Pentagon said.

Modeled after recent trucker protests in Canada, separate truck convoys have been planned through online forums with names like the People’s Convoy and the American Truckers Freedom Fund — all with different starting points, departure dates and routes. Some are scheduled to arrive in time for President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on March 1, though others may arrive afterward.

The convoys follow the recent Canadian truckers’ protest which shut down the busiest U.S. Canadian border crossing and besieged the streets of the capital, Ottawa, for weeks to protest government pandemic restrictions. The multiple blockades were broken up by police last week, with more than 100 arrests.

It remains to be seen if any of the U.S. convoys would seek to actively shut down Washington’s streets, the way their Canadian counterparts did in Ottawa. Some convoy organizers have spoken of plans to briefly roll through the city, then focus on shutting down the Beltway, which encircles the capital.

A statement from the People’s Convoy specifically says the trucks “will NOT be going into DC proper.” That convoy is planning to embark Wednesday from southern California and arrive in D.C. around March 5.

The U.S. convoys seek an immediate lifting of what they say are heavy-handed government pandemic restrictions like mask mandates and vaccine requirements. The American Truckers Freedom Fund website says the group is protesting “the unscientific, unconstitutional overreach of the federal government.”

Vaccines have proven highly effective at preventing COVID-19 infections, especially serious illness and death, and high-quality masks offer strong protection against spreading or contracting the disease. Public sentiment, especially among conservatives, has been shifting against government mandates as the pandemic heads into its third year.

People’s Convoy organizer Mike Landis, in a video testimonial on the group’s website, said the current COVID vaccine “is not proven yet” but supported individual choice on whether to take it or not. Landis said the convoy was open to all vehicles and said the primary goal was to pressure Biden to lift the national state of emergency.

“We want this government to bring back the Constitution,” Landis said. “We do not want to be under a dictatorship communism-style regime, like where we are right now.”

A state of emergency in the U.S. was declared by President Donald Trump in March 2020. Last week, Biden announced his intention to extend it beyond the current March 1 expiration date.

The websites organizing the American trucker convoys directly reference the inspiration of the Canadian movement. A statement on the People’s Convoy website pays homage to “our brave and courageous neighbors to the north — our Canadian brothers and sisters who led the charge.”

Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert Contee said Friday that his department was closely monitoring the shifting information and would be devoting additional police manhours in a rolling state of heightened alert over the next few weeks. In the meantime, he warned D.C. residents to stay alert for unexpected traffic snarls.

“There will be disruptions to traffic, that kind of thing,” Contee said. “I think we need to be very candid with the public about what some of the expectations, based upon what we’ve seen in Ottawa, that we might see here in the District.”

Contee called the Ottawa standoff “an incredible situation — one that we have not seen here in the District of Columbia.”

Contee and Mayor Muriel Bowser memorably predicted unrest several days before the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol Building. They warned residents to stay indoors and called for additional resources, but the Capitol Police and National Guard were still caught unprepared when crowds of Trump supporters overran the building, resulting in several deaths and numerous injuries.

Lingering memories of that debacle have fueled a heightened sense of anxiety and speculation over the coming convoys. But Bowser said she wasn’t yet warning residents to avoid the Capitol area or the National Mall.

“We’re not at a point to give specific instructions to residents just yet. We will,” Bowser said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645615380398.png" alt="The troops would be used to assist with traffic control during demonstrations expected in the city in the coming days, according to the Pentagon.-photo courtesy WJLA TV" />
 <figcaption>The troops would be used to assist with traffic control during demonstrations expected in the city in the coming days, according to the Pentagon.-photo courtesy WJLA TV</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon has approved the deployment of 700 unarmed National Guard troops to the nation’s capital as it prepares for trucker convoys that are planning protests against pandemic restrictions beginning next week.Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved the request Tuesday from the District of Columbia government and the U.S. Capitol Police, the Pentagon said in a statement Tuesday night.The troops would be used to assist with traffic control during demonstrations expected in the city in the coming days, the Pentagon said. Four hundred Guard members from the District of Columbia Guard will be joined by 300 Guard members from other states, according to the statement.Guard members will not carry firearms or take part in law enforcement or domestic-surveillance activities, the Pentagon said.Modeled after recent trucker protests in Canada, separate truck convoys have been planned through online forums with names like the People’s Convoy and the American Truckers Freedom Fund — all with different starting points, departure dates and routes. Some are scheduled to arrive in time for President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on March 1, though others may arrive afterward.The convoys follow the recent Canadian truckers’ protest which shut down the busiest U.S. Canadian border crossing and besieged the streets of the capital, Ottawa, for weeks to protest government pandemic restrictions. The multiple blockades were broken up by police last week, with more than 100 arrests.It remains to be seen if any of the U.S. convoys would seek to actively shut down Washington’s streets, the way their Canadian counterparts did in Ottawa. Some convoy organizers have spoken of plans to briefly roll through the city, then focus on shutting down the Beltway, which encircles the capital.A statement from the People’s Convoy specifically says the trucks “will NOT be going into DC proper.” That convoy is planning to embark Wednesday from southern California and arrive in D.C. around March 5.The U.S. convoys seek an immediate lifting of what they say are heavy-handed government pandemic restrictions like mask mandates and vaccine requirements. The American Truckers Freedom Fund website says the group is protesting “the unscientific, unconstitutional overreach of the federal government.”Vaccines have proven highly effective at preventing COVID-19 infections, especially serious illness and death, and high-quality masks offer strong protection against spreading or contracting the disease. Public sentiment, especially among conservatives, has been shifting against government mandates as the pandemic heads into its third year.People’s Convoy organizer Mike Landis, in a video testimonial on the group’s website, said the current COVID vaccine “is not proven yet” but supported individual choice on whether to take it or not. Landis said the convoy was open to all vehicles and said the primary goal was to pressure Biden to lift the national state of emergency.“We want this government to bring back the Constitution,” Landis said. “We do not want to be under a dictatorship communism-style regime, like where we are right now.”A state of emergency in the U.S. was declared by President Donald Trump in March 2020. Last week, Biden announced his intention to extend it beyond the current March 1 expiration date.The websites organizing the American trucker convoys directly reference the inspiration of the Canadian movement. A statement on the People’s Convoy website pays homage to “our brave and courageous neighbors to the north — our Canadian brothers and sisters who led the charge.”Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert Contee said Friday that his department was closely monitoring the shifting information and would be devoting additional police manhours in a rolling state of heightened alert over the next few weeks. In the meantime, he warned D.C. residents to stay alert for unexpected traffic snarls.“There will be disruptions to traffic, that kind of thing,” Contee said. “I think we need to be very candid with the public about what some of the expectations, based upon what we’ve seen in Ottawa, that we might see here in the District.”Contee called the Ottawa standoff “an incredible situation — one that we have not seen here in the District of Columbia.”Contee and Mayor Muriel Bowser memorably predicted unrest several days before the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol Building. They warned residents to stay indoors and called for additional resources, but the Capitol Police and National Guard were still caught unprepared when crowds of Trump supporters overran the building, resulting in several deaths and numerous injuries.Lingering memories of that debacle have fueled a heightened sense of anxiety and speculation over the coming convoys. But Bowser said she wasn’t yet warning residents to avoid the Capitol area or the National Mall.“We’re not at a point to give specific instructions to residents just yet. We will,” Bowser said.

Pentagon deploys National Guard ahead trucker convoys in DC

FORD COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a juvenile for bringing weapons to school.

On Tuesday, the Comanche Middle School Resource Officer was notified of a situation by school staff that an 11-year old male student brought a weapon to school on February 18, according to a media release.

The student admitted to bringing a knife on the 18th and said there was currently a gun in his bag. 

The School Resource Officer searched the student’s bag and located what appeared to be a firearm and a magazine. 

Upon examination, the firearm was determined to be an Airsoft style gun and the magazine contained live firearm ammunition. There was no compatibility with the toy gun and the ammunition for the firearm to function. 

We have no information that the student displayed or threatened anyone with any of the mentioned weapons. The student was placed into police custody without incident and removed from the school. 

This investigation is still pending and no further information will be released. We do not believe the student had a plan of harming anyone at the school.

FORD COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a juvenile for bringing weapons to school.On Tuesday, the Comanche Middle School Resource Officer was notified of a situation by school staff that an 11-year old male student brought a weapon to school on February 18, according to a media release.The student admitted to bringing a knife on the 18th and said there was currently a gun in his bag. The School Resource Officer searched the student’s bag and located what appeared to be a firearm and a magazine. Upon examination, the firearm was determined to be an Airsoft style gun and the magazine contained live firearm ammunition. There was no compatibility with the toy gun and the ammunition for the firearm to function. We have no information that the student displayed or threatened anyone with any of the mentioned weapons. The student was placed into police custody without incident and removed from the school. This investigation is still pending and no further information will be released. We do not believe the student had a plan of harming anyone at the school.

Police: 11-year-old brought knife, firearm to Kan. middle school

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A former Kansas City detective convicted of fatally shooting a Black man will remain free on bond while his conviction is appealed, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Jackson County Circuit Court Presiding Judge J. Dale Youngs ruled that Eric DeValkenaere, who is white, can stay out of prison during the appeal of his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-race-and-ethnicity-kansas-city-933d3aba9b37c83145fba5818d557c02">conviction for second-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal</a>&nbsp;action in the death of 26-year-old Cameron Lamb.

DeValkenaere’s attorney, Molly Hastings argued at an earlier hearing that he should be allowed to remain out of prison during his appeals because he is not a flight risk and the judge found “no evidence of malice” in DeValkenaere’s conduct.

Youngs, who convicted the former detective in a bench trial in November, said in a hearing in January that he had never in 13 years on the bench allowed a defendant to remain free on bond after they were convicted.

But in his ruling Tuesday, Youngs said “the defendant’s incarceration without bond or other conditions that I might impose on him is not necessary to ensure his appearance at future proceedings,” KSHB-TV&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/crime/kcpd-detective-who-killed-cameron-lamb-will-be-granted-bond-on-appeal" target="_blank">reported</a>.

DeValkenaere has remained free on $30,000 bond since he was convicted.

DeValkenaere is schedule to be sentenced March 4. Youngs’ ruling means the former detective will not be jailed immediately but would serve whatever sentence the judge imposes if his appeal fails. He faces up to four years in prison on the manslaughter charge and at least three years for armed criminal action.

Lamb was shot while backing a pickup truck into his garage on Dec. 3, 2019, after chasing his girlfriend’s convertible in a stolen pickup truck.

DeValkenaere&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-race-and-ethnicity-kansas-city-933d3aba9b37c83145fba5818d557c02">testified at his trial</a>&nbsp;in November that he fired after he saw Lamb point a gun at his partner, Troy Schwalm.

Prosecutors argued police did not have a legal reason to be on the property and had staged the shooting scene to support their claims that Lamb was armed.

When he convicted DeValkenaere, Youngs said the officers violated Lamb’s constitutional rights because they had no probable cause to believe he had committed a crime, had no warrant for Lamb’s arrest and had no search warrant or consent to be on the property. He did not address the allegations that evidence had been planted.

DeVlakenaere was suspended from the police force after his conviction and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-kansas-city-2af535a9a637024a23b3530c1c20cc2e">left the force in January.</a>&nbsp;Police have not said if he was fired, resigned or retired.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592994941014.png" alt="DeValkenaere photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>DeValkenaere photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A former Kansas City detective convicted of fatally shooting a Black man will remain free on bond while his conviction is appealed, a judge ruled Tuesday.Jackson County Circuit Court Presiding Judge J. Dale Youngs ruled that Eric DeValkenaere, who is white, can stay out of prison during the appeal of his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-race-and-ethnicity-kansas-city-933d3aba9b37c83145fba5818d557c02">conviction for second-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal</a>&nbsp;action in the death of 26-year-old Cameron Lamb.DeValkenaere’s attorney, Molly Hastings argued at an earlier hearing that he should be allowed to remain out of prison during his appeals because he is not a flight risk and the judge found “no evidence of malice” in DeValkenaere’s conduct.Youngs, who convicted the former detective in a bench trial in November, said in a hearing in January that he had never in 13 years on the bench allowed a defendant to remain free on bond after they were convicted.But in his ruling Tuesday, Youngs said “the defendant’s incarceration without bond or other conditions that I might impose on him is not necessary to ensure his appearance at future proceedings,” KSHB-TV&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/crime/kcpd-detective-who-killed-cameron-lamb-will-be-granted-bond-on-appeal" target="_blank">reported</a>.DeValkenaere has remained free on $30,000 bond since he was convicted.DeValkenaere is schedule to be sentenced March 4. Youngs’ ruling means the former detective will not be jailed immediately but would serve whatever sentence the judge imposes if his appeal fails. He faces up to four years in prison on the manslaughter charge and at least three years for armed criminal action.Lamb was shot while backing a pickup truck into his garage on Dec. 3, 2019, after chasing his girlfriend’s convertible in a stolen pickup truck.DeValkenaere&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-race-and-ethnicity-kansas-city-933d3aba9b37c83145fba5818d557c02">testified at his trial</a>&nbsp;in November that he fired after he saw Lamb point a gun at his partner, Troy Schwalm.Prosecutors argued police did not have a legal reason to be on the property and had staged the shooting scene to support their claims that Lamb was armed.When he convicted DeValkenaere, Youngs said the officers violated Lamb’s constitutional rights because they had no probable cause to believe he had committed a crime, had no warrant for Lamb’s arrest and had no search warrant or consent to be on the property. He did not address the allegations that evidence had been planted.DeVlakenaere was suspended from the police force after his conviction and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-kansas-city-2af535a9a637024a23b3530c1c20cc2e">left the force in January.</a>&nbsp;Police have not said if he was fired, resigned or retired.

Ex-KC officer remains free amid manslaughter appeal

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a hit and run accident continue asking the public for help to locate a&nbsp; silver 2012-2018 Ford Focus, according to Sheriff's Deputy Abigail Christian.

Just before 2p.m. Monday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding a vehicle versus a bicycle accident in the 5500 block of SW Burlingame Road. 

The driver of the vehicle fled the scene southbound after striking the bicyclist.&nbsp;The bicyclist was transported to a local hospital by American Medical Response with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Sheriff’s Office is attempting to locate the driver of the silver Ford Focus.&nbsp;The vehicle is missing the passenger side mirror. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office (785-251-2200)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645568563830.png" alt="The Ford Focus, pictured here driving southbound on SW Burlingame Road, is now missing the passenger side mirror.-photo Shawnee Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>The Ford Focus, pictured here driving southbound on SW Burlingame Road, is now missing the passenger side mirror.-photo Shawnee Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a hit and run accident continue asking the public for help to locate a&nbsp; silver 2012-2018 Ford Focus, according to Sheriff's Deputy Abigail Christian.Just before 2p.m. Monday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding a vehicle versus a bicycle accident in the 5500 block of SW Burlingame Road. The driver of the vehicle fled the scene southbound after striking the bicyclist.&nbsp;The bicyclist was transported to a local hospital by American Medical Response with non-life-threatening injuries.The Sheriff’s Office is attempting to locate the driver of the silver Ford Focus.&nbsp;The vehicle is missing the passenger side mirror. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office (785-251-2200)

Sheriff: Search continues for car that struck Kan. bicyclist 

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple charges after a weekend incident at a Kansas home.

Just before 2a.m. February 20, police were dispatched to the north part of Garden City for a battery-in-progress, according to a media release.

Officers met with a woman who alleged a physical altercation had occurred between her and a man known to her. 

The investigation revealed that the woman and the man, identified as 31-year-old Victor Roman Viurquez&nbsp; of Garden City got into an argument, and Viurquez told the woman to leave the residence. 

As the woman attempted to leave, Viurquez allegedly became upset and forcefully removed a bracelet from the woman, injuring her wrist and preventing her from leaving. Viurquez also allegedly broke the woman’s phone and damaged the windshield of her vehicle.

Officers attempted to speak with Viurquez, but he refused to exit his residence and surrender to police. The Garden City/Finney County SWAT team responded to the area to assist. After nearly 6 hours, Victor surrendered to police and was taken into custody without incident. 

Viurquez is being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges for Domestic Battery, Robbery, Criminal Damage and Criminal Restraint.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645549689299.png" alt="Viurquez-photo Finney County" />
 <figcaption>Viurquez-photo Finney County</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple charges after a weekend incident at a Kansas home.Just before 2a.m. February 20, police were dispatched to the north part of Garden City for a battery-in-progress, according to a media release.Officers met with a woman who alleged a physical altercation had occurred between her and a man known to her. The investigation revealed that the woman and the man, identified as 31-year-old Victor Roman Viurquez&nbsp; of Garden City got into an argument, and Viurquez told the woman to leave the residence. As the woman attempted to leave, Viurquez allegedly became upset and forcefully removed a bracelet from the woman, injuring her wrist and preventing her from leaving. Viurquez also allegedly broke the woman’s phone and damaged the windshield of her vehicle.Officers attempted to speak with Viurquez, but he refused to exit his residence and surrender to police. The Garden City/Finney County SWAT team responded to the area to assist. After nearly 6 hours, Victor surrendered to police and was taken into custody without incident. Viurquez is being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges for Domestic Battery, Robbery, Criminal Damage and Criminal Restraint.

Police arrest suspect after 6-hour standoff at SW Kansas home

MOSCOW (AP) — President Joe Biden ordered heavy U.S. financial sanctions against Russian banks and oligarchs on Tuesday, stepping up the West’s confrontation with Moscow, even as Russian lawmakers authorized President Vladimir Putin to use military force outside their country.

Biden, in a brief address from the White House, accused Putin of flagrantly violating international law in what he called the “beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine,” and promised that more sanctions would be coming if Putin proceeds further.

The president joined the 27 European Union members who unanimously agreed on Tuesday to levy their own initial set of sanctions targeting Russian officials over their actions in Ukraine. Germany also announced it was halting the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia — a lucrative deal long sought by Moscow but criticized by the U.S. for increasing Europe’s reliance on Russian energy.

“None of us will be fooled” by Putin’s claims about Ukraine, the U.S. President said.

Biden said he was also moving additional U.S. troops to the Baltic states on NATO’s eastern flank bordering Russia. The prime minster of Estonia and presidents of Latvia and Lithuania on Friday had made a direct plea to Vice President Kamala Harris for the U.S. to step up its presence in the Baltics.

Biden said the U.S. would impose “full blocking” on two large Russian financial institutions and “comprehensive sanctions” on Russian debt.

“That means we’ve cut off Russia’s government from Western finance,” Biden said. “It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either.”

The president announced what he called a first tranche of sanctions as Russian troops rolled into rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine after Putin said he was recognizing the areas’ independence on Monday. It was unclear how large the Russian deployment was, and Ukraine and its Western allies have long said Russian troops were already fighting in the region, allegations that Moscow always denied.

Members of Russia’s upper house, the Federation Council, voted unanimously to allow Putin to use military force outside the country — effectively formalizing a Russian military deployment to the rebel regions, where an eight-year conflict has killed nearly 14,000 people.

Shortly after, Putin laid out three conditions to end the crisis that has threatened to plunge Europe back into war, raising the specter of massive casualties,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-climate-business-russia-europe-a4e956253d3640084f8bdfaa2c901be8">energy shortages across the continent</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-asia-tokyo-europe-e6b1a6678833d81272b2dd7b130aa25a">economic chaos around the globe</a>.

Putin said the crisis could be resolved if Kyiv recognizes Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014, renounces its bid to join NATO and partially demilitarizes. The West has decried the annexation of Crimea as a violation of international law and has previously flatly rejected permanently barring Ukraine from NATO.

Asked whether he has sent any Russian troops into Ukraine and how far they could go, Putin responded: “I haven’t said that the troops will go there right now.” He added that “it’s impossible to forecast a specific pattern of action –- it will depend on a concrete situation as it takes shape on the ground.”

The European Union soon followed, with a first set of sanctions aimed at the 351 Russian lawmakers who voted for recognizing separatist regions in Ukraine, as well as 27 other Russian officials and institutions from the defense and banking world. They also sought to limit Moscow’s access to EU capital and financial markets.

With tensions rising and a broader conflict looking more likely, the White House began referring to the Russian deployments in the region known as the Donbas as an “invasion” after initially hesitating to use the term — a red line that President Biden had said would result in severe sanctions against Moscow.

“We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia’s latest invasion into Ukraine,” said Jon Finer, principal deputy national security adviser, said on CNN. “An invasion is an invasion, and that is what is underway.”

The Biden administration’s rhetoric hardened considerably in less than 24 hours. The White House announced limited sanctions targeting the rebel-region Monday evening soon after Putin said he was sending troops to eastern Ukraine. A senior Biden administration official, who briefed reporters about the sanctions targeting the breakaway region, noted “that Russia has occupied these regions since 2014” and that “Russian troops moving into Donbas would not itself be a new step.”

The administration initially resisted calling the deployment an invasion because the White House wanted to see what Russia was actually going to do. After assessing Russian troop movements, it became clear it was a new invasion, according to a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

Biden on Tuesday said he was authorizing the redeployment of some U.S. troops who are already stationed in Europe to bolster the security of NATO’s Baltic allies, particularly in light of Russia’s troop build-up in Belarus.

Biden said, “These are totally defensive moves on our part” and the U.S. has no intention of deploying its forces in non-NATO-member Ukraine. But Biden also said the U.S. and its allies “will defend every inch of NATO territory and abide by the commitments we made to NATO.” The organization’s mutual-defense pact considers an attack on one member to be an attack against all.

For weeks, Western powers have been bracing as Russia massed an estimated 150,000 troops on three sides of neighboring Ukraine.

Western leaders have long warned Moscow would look for cover to invade — and just such a pretext appeared to come Monday, when Putin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-joe-biden-boris-johnson-europe-emmanuel-macron-2b7c2949ae3168effce9d0cb2584bb32">recognized as independent two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine</a>, where government troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-vladimir-putin-moscow-bcd0c04a2aa146e76b7e757f482f27bb">have fought Russia-backed rebels</a>. The Kremlin then raised the stakes further Tuesday, by saying that recognition extends even to the large parts now held by Ukrainian forces.

Putin said Russia has recognized the rebel regions’ independence in the borders that existed when they declared their independence in 2014 — broad territories that extend far beyond the areas now under separatist control and that include the major Azov Sea port of Mariupol. He added, however, that the rebels should eventually negotiate with Ukraine.

Condemnation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-asia-europe-united-nations-881717d75ad21662562dec7b5c8f43b0">from around the world was quick.</a>&nbsp;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would consider breaking diplomatic ties with Russia and Kyiv recalled its ambassador in Moscow.

But confusion over what exactly was happening in eastern Ukraine threatened to hobble a Western response. While Washington clearly called it an invasion, some other allies hedged.

“Russian troops have entered in Donbas,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in Paris. “We consider Donbas part of Ukraine.”

But he added: “I wouldn’t say that (it is) a fully fledged invasion, but Russian troops are on Ukrainian soil.”

Poland’s Defense Ministry and British Health Secretary Sajid Javid also said Russian forces had entered eastern Ukraine, with Javid telling Sky News that “the invasion of Ukraine has begun.”

Not all in Europe saw it that way. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares noted “if Russia uses force against Ukraine, sanctions will be massive.”

The Kremlin hasn’t confirmed any troop deployments to the rebel east, saying it will depend on the security situation. Vladislav Brig, a member of the separatist local council in Donetsk, told reporters the Russian troops already had moved in, but more senior rebel leaders didn’t confirm that. Late Monday, convoys of armored vehicles were seen rolling across the separatist-controlled territories. It wasn’t immediately clear if they were Russian.

The White House issued an executive order to prohibit U.S. investment and trade in the separatist regions, and additional measures — likely sanctions — were to be announced Tuesday. Those sanctions are independent of what Washington has prepared in the event of a Russian invasion, according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity.

The Russian moves&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-germany-europe-berlin-79e3dafb0d231f6a033613b7dab78cdf">pushed Germany</a>&nbsp;to suspend the certification process for Nord Stream 2 pipeline that was to bring natural gas from Russia. The pipeline was built to help Germany meet its energy needs, particularly as it switches off its last three nuclear power plants and phases out the use of coal, and it has resisted calls by the U.S. and others to halt the project.

If Putin pushes further into Ukraine, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg insisted the West would move in lockstep. “If Russia decides once again to use force against Ukraine, there will be even stronger sanctions, even a higher price to pay,” he said.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the U.K. would slap sanctions on five Russian banks and three wealthy individuals. He warned a full-scale offensive would bring “further powerful sanctions.”

Even as alarm spread across the globe, Zelenskyy sought to project calm, saying in an address overnight: “We are not afraid of anyone or anything. We don’t owe anyone anything. And we won’t give anything to anyone.”

His foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, is in Washington to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the State Department said.

Russia has long denied it has any plans to invade Ukraine, instead blaming the U.S. and its allies for the crisis and describing Ukraine’s bid to join NATO as an existential challenge to Russia. Putin reiterated those accusations in an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-poland-vladimir-putin-f00872897f338dbedd857cd1d880e9d3">hourlong televised speech</a>&nbsp;on Monday, when he announced that Russia would recognize the rebels.

“Ukraine’s membership in NATO poses a direct threat to Russia’s security,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645558203900.png" alt="Biden on Tuesday said he was authorizing the redeployment of some U.S. troops who are already stationed in Europe to bolster the security of NATO’s Baltic allies, particularly in light of Russia’s troop build-up in Belarus-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Biden on Tuesday said he was authorizing the redeployment of some U.S. troops who are already stationed in Europe to bolster the security of NATO’s Baltic allies, particularly in light of Russia’s troop build-up in Belarus-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>MOSCOW (AP) — President Joe Biden ordered heavy U.S. financial sanctions against Russian banks and oligarchs on Tuesday, stepping up the West’s confrontation with Moscow, even as Russian lawmakers authorized President Vladimir Putin to use military force outside their country.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F491628512503524%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=145" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Biden, in a brief address from the White House, accused Putin of flagrantly violating international law in what he called the “beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine,” and promised that more sanctions would be coming if Putin proceeds further.The president joined the 27 European Union members who unanimously agreed on Tuesday to levy their own initial set of sanctions targeting Russian officials over their actions in Ukraine. Germany also announced it was halting the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia — a lucrative deal long sought by Moscow but criticized by the U.S. for increasing Europe’s reliance on Russian energy.“None of us will be fooled” by Putin’s claims about Ukraine, the U.S. President said.Biden said he was also moving additional U.S. troops to the Baltic states on NATO’s eastern flank bordering Russia. The prime minster of Estonia and presidents of Latvia and Lithuania on Friday had made a direct plea to Vice President Kamala Harris for the U.S. to step up its presence in the Baltics.Biden said the U.S. would impose “full blocking” on two large Russian financial institutions and “comprehensive sanctions” on Russian debt.“That means we’ve cut off Russia’s government from Western finance,” Biden said. “It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either.”The president announced what he called a first tranche of sanctions as Russian troops rolled into rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine after Putin said he was recognizing the areas’ independence on Monday. It was unclear how large the Russian deployment was, and Ukraine and its Western allies have long said Russian troops were already fighting in the region, allegations that Moscow always denied.Members of Russia’s upper house, the Federation Council, voted unanimously to allow Putin to use military force outside the country — effectively formalizing a Russian military deployment to the rebel regions, where an eight-year conflict has killed nearly 14,000 people.Shortly after, Putin laid out three conditions to end the crisis that has threatened to plunge Europe back into war, raising the specter of massive casualties,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-climate-business-russia-europe-a4e956253d3640084f8bdfaa2c901be8">energy shortages across the continent</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-asia-tokyo-europe-e6b1a6678833d81272b2dd7b130aa25a">economic chaos around the globe</a>.Putin said the crisis could be resolved if Kyiv recognizes Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014, renounces its bid to join NATO and partially demilitarizes. The West has decried the annexation of Crimea as a violation of international law and has previously flatly rejected permanently barring Ukraine from NATO.Asked whether he has sent any Russian troops into Ukraine and how far they could go, Putin responded: “I haven’t said that the troops will go there right now.” He added that “it’s impossible to forecast a specific pattern of action –- it will depend on a concrete situation as it takes shape on the ground.”The European Union soon followed, with a first set of sanctions aimed at the 351 Russian lawmakers who voted for recognizing separatist regions in Ukraine, as well as 27 other Russian officials and institutions from the defense and banking world. They also sought to limit Moscow’s access to EU capital and financial markets.With tensions rising and a broader conflict looking more likely, the White House began referring to the Russian deployments in the region known as the Donbas as an “invasion” after initially hesitating to use the term — a red line that President Biden had said would result in severe sanctions against Moscow.“We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia’s latest invasion into Ukraine,” said Jon Finer, principal deputy national security adviser, said on CNN. “An invasion is an invasion, and that is what is underway.”The Biden administration’s rhetoric hardened considerably in less than 24 hours. The White House announced limited sanctions targeting the rebel-region Monday evening soon after Putin said he was sending troops to eastern Ukraine. A senior Biden administration official, who briefed reporters about the sanctions targeting the breakaway region, noted “that Russia has occupied these regions since 2014” and that “Russian troops moving into Donbas would not itself be a new step.”The administration initially resisted calling the deployment an invasion because the White House wanted to see what Russia was actually going to do. After assessing Russian troop movements, it became clear it was a new invasion, according to a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.Biden on Tuesday said he was authorizing the redeployment of some U.S. troops who are already stationed in Europe to bolster the security of NATO’s Baltic allies, particularly in light of Russia’s troop build-up in Belarus.Biden said, “These are totally defensive moves on our part” and the U.S. has no intention of deploying its forces in non-NATO-member Ukraine. But Biden also said the U.S. and its allies “will defend every inch of NATO territory and abide by the commitments we made to NATO.” The organization’s mutual-defense pact considers an attack on one member to be an attack against all.For weeks, Western powers have been bracing as Russia massed an estimated 150,000 troops on three sides of neighboring Ukraine.Western leaders have long warned Moscow would look for cover to invade — and just such a pretext appeared to come Monday, when Putin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-joe-biden-boris-johnson-europe-emmanuel-macron-2b7c2949ae3168effce9d0cb2584bb32">recognized as independent two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine</a>, where government troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-vladimir-putin-moscow-bcd0c04a2aa146e76b7e757f482f27bb">have fought Russia-backed rebels</a>. The Kremlin then raised the stakes further Tuesday, by saying that recognition extends even to the large parts now held by Ukrainian forces.Putin said Russia has recognized the rebel regions’ independence in the borders that existed when they declared their independence in 2014 — broad territories that extend far beyond the areas now under separatist control and that include the major Azov Sea port of Mariupol. He added, however, that the rebels should eventually negotiate with Ukraine.Condemnation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-asia-europe-united-nations-881717d75ad21662562dec7b5c8f43b0">from around the world was quick.</a>&nbsp;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would consider breaking diplomatic ties with Russia and Kyiv recalled its ambassador in Moscow.But confusion over what exactly was happening in eastern Ukraine threatened to hobble a Western response. While Washington clearly called it an invasion, some other allies hedged.“Russian troops have entered in Donbas,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in Paris. “We consider Donbas part of Ukraine.”But he added: “I wouldn’t say that (it is) a fully fledged invasion, but Russian troops are on Ukrainian soil.”Poland’s Defense Ministry and British Health Secretary Sajid Javid also said Russian forces had entered eastern Ukraine, with Javid telling Sky News that “the invasion of Ukraine has begun.”Not all in Europe saw it that way. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares noted “if Russia uses force against Ukraine, sanctions will be massive.”The Kremlin hasn’t confirmed any troop deployments to the rebel east, saying it will depend on the security situation. Vladislav Brig, a member of the separatist local council in Donetsk, told reporters the Russian troops already had moved in, but more senior rebel leaders didn’t confirm that. Late Monday, convoys of armored vehicles were seen rolling across the separatist-controlled territories. It wasn’t immediately clear if they were Russian.The White House issued an executive order to prohibit U.S. investment and trade in the separatist regions, and additional measures — likely sanctions — were to be announced Tuesday. Those sanctions are independent of what Washington has prepared in the event of a Russian invasion, according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity.The Russian moves&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-germany-europe-berlin-79e3dafb0d231f6a033613b7dab78cdf">pushed Germany</a>&nbsp;to suspend the certification process for Nord Stream 2 pipeline that was to bring natural gas from Russia. The pipeline was built to help Germany meet its energy needs, particularly as it switches off its last three nuclear power plants and phases out the use of coal, and it has resisted calls by the U.S. and others to halt the project.If Putin pushes further into Ukraine, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg insisted the West would move in lockstep. “If Russia decides once again to use force against Ukraine, there will be even stronger sanctions, even a higher price to pay,” he said.British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the U.K. would slap sanctions on five Russian banks and three wealthy individuals. He warned a full-scale offensive would bring “further powerful sanctions.”Even as alarm spread across the globe, Zelenskyy sought to project calm, saying in an address overnight: “We are not afraid of anyone or anything. We don’t owe anyone anything. And we won’t give anything to anyone.”His foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, is in Washington to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the State Department said.Russia has long denied it has any plans to invade Ukraine, instead blaming the U.S. and its allies for the crisis and describing Ukraine’s bid to join NATO as an existential challenge to Russia. Putin reiterated those accusations in an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-poland-vladimir-putin-f00872897f338dbedd857cd1d880e9d3">hourlong televised speech</a>&nbsp;on Monday, when he announced that Russia would recognize the rebels.“Ukraine’s membership in NATO poses a direct threat to Russia’s security,” he said.

🎥 Biden: No justification for Russia's actions in Ukraine

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigated a suspicious package call inside of City Hall in downtown Kansas City late Tuesday afternoon, according to a media release from KCPD.

Officers worked with City Hall staff to evacuate the building. The Bomb and Arson Detectives responded and just before 6p.m. cleared the package and determined it to not be a threat. 

&nbsp;The investigation continues into the origin and nature of the package.

The streets surrounding City Hall, 11th and 12th / Oak to Locust, were blocked off in all directions during the investigation.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspicious package call inside of City Hall in downtown Kansas City, according to a media release from KCPD.

Officers are working with City Hall staff to evacuate the building. The Bomb and Arson Detectives responded and are investigating.

The streets surrounding City Hall, 11th and 12th / Oak to Locust, were blocked off in all directions. Police asked the public to void this area and be aware of potential traffic delays in the downtown area.

The Bomb and Arson command post bus was on the scene to provide detectives with all of their tools and resources to investigate and evaluate the package as safely as possible.&nbsp;Bomb and Arson detectives continue to use their resources to investigate the package.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigated a suspicious package call inside of City Hall in downtown Kansas City late Tuesday afternoon, according to a media release from KCPD.Officers worked with City Hall staff to evacuate the building. The Bomb and Arson Detectives responded and just before 6p.m. cleared the package and determined it to not be a threat. &nbsp;The investigation continues into the origin and nature of the package.The streets surrounding City Hall, 11th and 12th / Oak to Locust, were blocked off in all directions during the investigation.------------KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspicious package call inside of City Hall in downtown Kansas City, according to a media release from KCPD.Officers are working with City Hall staff to evacuate the building. The Bomb and Arson Detectives responded and are investigating.The streets surrounding City Hall, 11th and 12th / Oak to Locust, were blocked off in all directions. Police asked the public to void this area and be aware of potential traffic delays in the downtown area.The Bomb and Arson command post bus was on the scene to provide detectives with all of their tools and resources to investigate and evaluate the package as safely as possible.&nbsp;Bomb and Arson detectives continue to use their resources to investigate the package.

Update: KCMO City Hall evacuated due to suspicious package

SEDGWICK COUNTY — During a special Tuesday afternoon meeting, board members for USD 259-Wichita, the state's largest school district, voted to remove the mask mandate effective end of day Thursday, March 10. The district spring break is the following week.

In August, the board unanimously approved a mask mandate for all district buildings. It went into effect August 30.

During Tuesday's special meeting, board members listened to speakers in favor of and against the mandate.&nbsp;

The board voted on February 7 against a proposal to immediately remove the district's mask mandate and make masks optional.

Despite Tuesday vote, the federal mandate still requires masks on school buses and school district transportation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645555754791.png" alt="Board members during Tuesday special meeting on masks-photo USD 259" />
 <figcaption>Board members during Tuesday special meeting on masks-photo USD 259</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — During a special Tuesday afternoon meeting, board members for USD 259-Wichita, the state's largest school district, voted to remove the mask mandate effective end of day Thursday, March 10. The district spring break is the following week.In August, the board unanimously approved a mask mandate for all district buildings. It went into effect August 30.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645556086875.png" alt="Photo USD 259" />
 <figcaption>Photo USD 259</figcaption>
 </figure>During Tuesday's special meeting, board members listened to speakers in favor of and against the mandate.&nbsp;The board voted on February 7 against a proposal to immediately remove the district's mask mandate and make masks optional.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645556151177.png" alt="Photo USD 259" />
 <figcaption>Photo USD 259</figcaption>
 </figure>Despite Tuesday vote, the federal mandate still requires masks on school buses and school district transportation.

State's largest school district delays end to mask mandate

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a new clash involving religion and the rights of LGBTQ people in the case of a Colorado web designer who says her religious beliefs prevent her from offering wedding website designs to gay couples.

The high court said Tuesday it would hear the case of Lorie Smith. The Denver-area designer offers graphic and website design services and wants to expand to wedding website services, but she says her religious beliefs would lead her to decline any request from a same-sex couple to design a wedding website. She also wants to post a statement on her website about her beliefs. Doing those things, however, would run afoul of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-phillips-colorado-discrimination-weddings-denver-960d0fbefb77ddb78de89780cf8b4881">a Colorado anti-discrimination law</a>. Smith had argued the law violates her free speech and religious rights.

The Supreme Court said in taking the case that it would look only at the free speech issue. It said it would decide whether a law that requires an artist to speak or stay silent violates the free speech clause of the First Amendment. The case is expected to be argued in the fall.

Smith’s attorney, Kristen Waggoner, said in a statement after the court agreed to hear the case that “Colorado has weaponized its law to silence speech it disagrees with, to compel speech it approves of, and to punish anyone who dares to dissent.”

In a 2-1 ruling last year, the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-colorado-b3892f44fe98711fdbfe9390c8836eff">denied Smith’s attempt</a>&nbsp;to overturn a lower court ruling throwing out her legal challenge. The panel said Colorado had a compelling interest in protecting the “dignity interests” of members of marginalized groups through its law, the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act.

The law, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, is the same one at issue in the case of Colorado baker Jack Phillips that was decided in 2018 by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The high court said at the time that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had acted with anti-religious bias against Phillips after he refused to bake a cake for two men who were getting married. But it did not rule on the larger issue of whether a business can invoke religious objections to refuse service to LGBTQ people.

The Arizona-based Alliance Defending Freedom represented Phillips and represents Smith.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a new clash involving religion and the rights of LGBTQ people in the case of a Colorado web designer who says her religious beliefs prevent her from offering wedding website designs to gay couples.The high court said Tuesday it would hear the case of Lorie Smith. The Denver-area designer offers graphic and website design services and wants to expand to wedding website services, but she says her religious beliefs would lead her to decline any request from a same-sex couple to design a wedding website. She also wants to post a statement on her website about her beliefs. Doing those things, however, would run afoul of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-phillips-colorado-discrimination-weddings-denver-960d0fbefb77ddb78de89780cf8b4881">a Colorado anti-discrimination law</a>. Smith had argued the law violates her free speech and religious rights.The Supreme Court said in taking the case that it would look only at the free speech issue. It said it would decide whether a law that requires an artist to speak or stay silent violates the free speech clause of the First Amendment. The case is expected to be argued in the fall.Smith’s attorney, Kristen Waggoner, said in a statement after the court agreed to hear the case that “Colorado has weaponized its law to silence speech it disagrees with, to compel speech it approves of, and to punish anyone who dares to dissent.”In a 2-1 ruling last year, the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-colorado-b3892f44fe98711fdbfe9390c8836eff">denied Smith’s attempt</a>&nbsp;to overturn a lower court ruling throwing out her legal challenge. The panel said Colorado had a compelling interest in protecting the “dignity interests” of members of marginalized groups through its law, the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act.The law, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, is the same one at issue in the case of Colorado baker Jack Phillips that was decided in 2018 by the U.S. Supreme Court.The high court said at the time that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had acted with anti-religious bias against Phillips after he refused to bake a cake for two men who were getting married. But it did not rule on the larger issue of whether a business can invoke religious objections to refuse service to LGBTQ people.The Arizona-based Alliance Defending Freedom represented Phillips and represents Smith.

High court takes case involving refusal to serve gay couples

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers are considering two proposals that would make it harder for police to seize and keep cash and property from people suspected in crimes.

One bill would require law enforcement to get a criminal conviction before seizing assets. A second bill would create a new process for criminal forfeiture of property worth less than $100,000 and prevent law enforcement from seizing less than $200 cash or vehicles worth less than $2,000.

Currently, law enforcement can go to civil court to get approval to take property officers believe is linked to a crime. Supporters of the process say it serves as a deterrent to crime and provides important funding for law enforcement.

The latest completed KBI report on the practice statewide said that in 2020 law enforcement agencies seized $5.1 million cash and $1.2 million in other property. Out of that, law enforcement agencies took $2.1 million in cash and nearly $800,000 in other property through the civil forfeiture process.

In one recent case,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-colorado-marijuana-medical-marijuana-6d41f1053f142075b735464107e3b0d5">a federal lawsuit</a>&nbsp;has been filed by a company that was transporting cash from legal medical marijuana dispensaries in Missouri challenging the seizure of nearly $166,000 last May. Law enforcement officials have defended the seizure because marijuana use remains illegal in Kansas.

Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter testified on behalf of the Kansas Sheriff’s Association that many seizures are related to traffic stops of couriers for drug dealers who often claim the money isn’t theirs.

“During these stops, probable cause exists to search the vehicles,” he said. “Large amount of money is seized and the mules do not claim the money as theirs, do not know how it got there and were only instructed to return the car to someone they do not know in Mexico.”

Jefferson County Attorney Joshua Ney supports forfeiture reform. He said the current law creates a potential for “profit motive” in law enforcement and prosecutor offices.

Jon Lueth with the Kansas chapter of Americans for Prosperity said police shouldn’t be able to claim property until after someone is convicted of a crime.

“A substantial portion of these seizures never results in criminal charges or a conviction,” he said. “This data reveals that law enforcement in Kansas is frequently using this power to seize the property of innocent Kansans without the necessary due process protections normally provided in our criminal justice system.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586208701830.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers are considering two proposals that would make it harder for police to seize and keep cash and property from people suspected in crimes.One bill would require law enforcement to get a criminal conviction before seizing assets. A second bill would create a new process for criminal forfeiture of property worth less than $100,000 and prevent law enforcement from seizing less than $200 cash or vehicles worth less than $2,000.Currently, law enforcement can go to civil court to get approval to take property officers believe is linked to a crime. Supporters of the process say it serves as a deterrent to crime and provides important funding for law enforcement.The latest completed KBI report on the practice statewide said that in 2020 law enforcement agencies seized $5.1 million cash and $1.2 million in other property. Out of that, law enforcement agencies took $2.1 million in cash and nearly $800,000 in other property through the civil forfeiture process.In one recent case,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-colorado-marijuana-medical-marijuana-6d41f1053f142075b735464107e3b0d5">a federal lawsuit</a>&nbsp;has been filed by a company that was transporting cash from legal medical marijuana dispensaries in Missouri challenging the seizure of nearly $166,000 last May. Law enforcement officials have defended the seizure because marijuana use remains illegal in Kansas.Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter testified on behalf of the Kansas Sheriff’s Association that many seizures are related to traffic stops of couriers for drug dealers who often claim the money isn’t theirs.“During these stops, probable cause exists to search the vehicles,” he said. “Large amount of money is seized and the mules do not claim the money as theirs, do not know how it got there and were only instructed to return the car to someone they do not know in Mexico.”Jefferson County Attorney Joshua Ney supports forfeiture reform. He said the current law creates a potential for “profit motive” in law enforcement and prosecutor offices.Jon Lueth with the Kansas chapter of Americans for Prosperity said police shouldn’t be able to claim property until after someone is convicted of a crime.“A substantial portion of these seizures never results in criminal charges or a conviction,” he said. “This data reveals that law enforcement in Kansas is frequently using this power to seize the property of innocent Kansans without the necessary due process protections normally provided in our criminal justice system.”

Kan. lawmakers may make it harder for police to seize cash

<a href="https://theconversation.com">By NAOMI SCHALIT</a> <a href="https://www.penncapital-star.com/commentary/crisis-in-ukraine-how-did-it-happen-where-is-it-going-five-essential-reads-analysis/">Courtesy the Pennsylvania Capital-Star</a>

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/21/russia-ukraine-updates/">a provocative address that could be construed as a pretext to war</a>,
 claimed on Feb. 21, 2022, that all of Ukraine belongs to Russia and 
formally recognized the independence of two breakaway regions in Ukraine
 that are largely controlled by Moscow-backed separatists. His 
government then <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/02/21/world/ukraine-russia-putin-biden/moscow-orders-troops-to-ukraines-breakaway-regions-for-peacekeeping-functions">ordered troops</a> to those regions.

The U.S. and European countries were quick to respond, with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/21/russia-ukraine-updates/#link-NSM6BHMVH5E2TOF7HE5XXONOBA">the Biden Administration announcing</a>
 that it “will prohibit new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. 
persons to, from, or in” the two regions, known since 2014 as the 
Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic.

The European Union’s executive branch leader, Ursula von der Leyen, 
condemned Putin’s action as a “blatant violation of international law.” 
And NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said, “I condemn Russia’s decision to 
extend recognition to the self-proclaimed ‘Donetsk People’s Republic’ 
and ‘Luhansk People’s Republic.’”

To help readers understand the background of these developments, here
 are five stories The Conversation has published about the 
centuries-long bad blood between Ukraine and Russia, manifested in 
everything from religion to political ideology.

1. Why Putin struggles to accept Ukrainian sovereignty

Putin’s announcement that Russia would recognize the independence of 
the two Ukrainian territories is a reflection of his view that Ukraine 
is part of Russia’s once-great empire, which at one time ranged from 
current-day Poland to the Russian Far East.

The Russian president is not alone in that view. Two scholars, <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jacob-lassin-1300277">Jacob Lassin</a> of Arizona State University and <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-channell-justice-1300279">Emily Channell-Justice</a> of Harvard University, <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/why-putin-has-such-a-hard-time-accepting-ukrainian-sovereignty-174029">write that “for centuries, within the Russian Empire, Ukraine was known as ‘Malorossiya’ or ‘Little Russia.’</a> The use of this term strengthened the idea that Ukraine was a junior member of the empire.”

Czarist policies from the 18th century forward, write Lassin and 
Channel-Justice, “suppressed the use of the Ukrainian language and 
culture. The intention of these policies was to establish a dominant 
Russia and later strip Ukraine of an identity as an independent, 
sovereign nation.”

2. The Soviet era added to resentment toward Russia

Lassin and Channel-Justice also write about how <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/famine-subjugation-and-nuclear-fallout-how-soviet-experience-helped-sow-resentment-among-ukrainians-toward-russia-175500">the shared history of Ukraine and Russia has bred ill will</a> among Ukrainians towards Russia.

Among the many historical grievances: The Soviet Union’s collectivist
 plans helped wreck the once-famed Ukrainian agricultural sector, 
leading to a widespread famine in 1932 and 1933, known as the Holodomor.

“Research estimates that some 3 million to 4 million Ukrainians died 
of the famine, around 13% of the population, though the true figure is 
impossible to establish because of Soviet efforts to hide the famine and
 its toll,” write Lassin and Channel-Justice. Soviet leader Josef Stalin
 prevented Ukrainian farmers from traveling in search of food, and 
severely punished anyone who took produce from collective farms, which 
made the famine much worse for Ukrainians. “As such, some scholars call 
the famine a genocide,” they write.

After Putin’s announcement, the Biden administration said it would <a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/02/21/statement-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-on-russian-announcement-on-eastern-ukraine/">impose economic sanctions</a>
 on those doing business in the eastern Ukraine provinces declared 
independent by Russia. Biden has also declared that “severe economic 
consequences” would follow a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645557931664.jpg" alt="Russian President Vladimir Putin / Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Russian President Vladimir Putin / Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://theconversation.com">By NAOMI SCHALIT</a> <a href="https://www.penncapital-star.com/commentary/crisis-in-ukraine-how-did-it-happen-where-is-it-going-five-essential-reads-analysis/">Courtesy the Pennsylvania Capital-Star</a>Russian President Vladimir Putin, in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/21/russia-ukraine-updates/">a provocative address that could be construed as a pretext to war</a>,
 claimed on Feb. 21, 2022, that all of Ukraine belongs to Russia and 
formally recognized the independence of two breakaway regions in Ukraine
 that are largely controlled by Moscow-backed separatists. His 
government then <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/02/21/world/ukraine-russia-putin-biden/moscow-orders-troops-to-ukraines-breakaway-regions-for-peacekeeping-functions">ordered troops</a> to those regions.The U.S. and European countries were quick to respond, with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/21/russia-ukraine-updates/#link-NSM6BHMVH5E2TOF7HE5XXONOBA">the Biden Administration announcing</a>
 that it “will prohibit new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. 
persons to, from, or in” the two regions, known since 2014 as the 
Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645558110453.png" alt="Via Twitter" />
 <figcaption>Via Twitter</figcaption>
 </figure>The European Union’s executive branch leader, Ursula von der Leyen, 
condemned Putin’s action as a “blatant violation of international law.” 
And NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said, “I condemn Russia’s decision to 
extend recognition to the self-proclaimed ‘Donetsk People’s Republic’ 
and ‘Luhansk People’s Republic.’”To help readers understand the background of these developments, here
 are five stories The Conversation has published about the 
centuries-long bad blood between Ukraine and Russia, manifested in 
everything from religion to political ideology.<h2>1. Why Putin struggles to accept Ukrainian sovereignty</h2>Putin’s announcement that Russia would recognize the independence of 
the two Ukrainian territories is a reflection of his view that Ukraine 
is part of Russia’s once-great empire, which at one time ranged from 
current-day Poland to the Russian Far East.The Russian president is not alone in that view. Two scholars, <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jacob-lassin-1300277">Jacob Lassin</a> of Arizona State University and <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-channell-justice-1300279">Emily Channell-Justice</a> of Harvard University, <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/why-putin-has-such-a-hard-time-accepting-ukrainian-sovereignty-174029">write that “for centuries, within the Russian Empire, Ukraine was known as ‘Malorossiya’ or ‘Little Russia.’</a> The use of this term strengthened the idea that Ukraine was a junior member of the empire.”Czarist policies from the 18th century forward, write Lassin and 
Channel-Justice, “suppressed the use of the Ukrainian language and 
culture. The intention of these policies was to establish a dominant 
Russia and later strip Ukraine of an identity as an independent, 
sovereign nation.”<h2>2. The Soviet era added to resentment toward Russia</h2>Lassin and Channel-Justice also write about how <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/famine-subjugation-and-nuclear-fallout-how-soviet-experience-helped-sow-resentment-among-ukrainians-toward-russia-175500">the shared history of Ukraine and Russia has bred ill will</a> among Ukrainians towards Russia.Among the many historical grievances: The Soviet Union’s collectivist
 plans helped wreck the once-famed Ukrainian agricultural sector, 
leading to a widespread famine in 1932 and 1933, known as the Holodomor.“Research estimates that some 3 million to 4 million Ukrainians died 
of the famine, around 13% of the population, though the true figure is 
impossible to establish because of Soviet efforts to hide the famine and
 its toll,” write Lassin and Channel-Justice. Soviet leader Josef Stalin
 prevented Ukrainian farmers from traveling in search of food, and 
severely punished anyone who took produce from collective farms, which 
made the famine much worse for Ukrainians. “As such, some scholars call 
the famine a genocide,” they write.<h2>3. Putin’s strategic pipelines</h2>After Putin’s announcement, the Biden administration said it would <a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/02/21/statement-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-on-russian-announcement-on-eastern-ukraine/">impose economic sanctions</a>
 on those doing business in the eastern Ukraine provinces declared 
independent by Russia. Biden has also declared that “severe economic 
consequences” would follow a Russian invasion of Ukraine.But it may be hard to get allied countries in Europe to go along with such sanctions, writes <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ryan-haddad-1313544">Ryan Haddad of the University of Maryland</a>. The reason: <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/how-russia-hooked-europe-on-its-oil-and-gas-and-overcame-us-efforts-to-prevent-energy-dependence-on-moscow-174518">the dependence of many European countries on Russian energy</a>.Russia has a long history of using energy to divide the U.S. and 
Europe, and Haddad writes that “Russian [natural] gas exports to Europe 
reached a record level in 2021. … Europe got a glimpse of the potential 
consequences of this dependence in December 2021, when Russia reduced 
its gas exports to Europe as the crisis involving Ukraine was heating 
up.”<h2>4. Russia has been at war with Ukraine for years – in cyberspace</h2>As the world awaits the possible start of war between Russia and Ukraine, scholar <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/maggie-smith-1312550">Maggie Smith at the United States Military Academy at West Point</a> says that <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/russia-has-been-at-war-with-ukraine-for-years-in-cyberspace-176221">Russia has been attacking Ukrainian government operations and infrastructure for years</a> via cyberspace.“Russia has interfered in Ukrainian elections, targeted its power 
grid, defaced its government websites and spread disinformation,” writes
 Smith. “Strategically, Russian cyber operations are designed to 
undermine the Ukrainian government and private sector organizations. 
Tactically, the operations aim to influence, scare and subdue the 
population.”All of those actions, writes Smith, “destabilize Ukraine’s political environment.”To understand the present, it helps to understand the past. The 
tensions between Russia and Ukraine are not just political in nature. <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/why-church-conflict-in-ukraine-reflects-historic-russian-ukrainian-tensions-175818">They’re also religious</a>, writes Arizona State University scholar <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/j-eugene-clay-1311417">J. Eugene Clay</a>.“Two different Orthodox churches claim to be the one true Ukrainian 
Orthodox Church for the Ukrainian people,” writes Clay. “The two 
churches offer strikingly different visions of the relationship between 
the Ukrainian and the Russian peoples.”The Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Moscow Patriarchate stresses “the 
powerful bonds that link the peoples of Ukraine and Russia.” The 
Orthodox Church of Ukraine, on the other hand, was formally recognized 
in January 2019 and is “the culmination of decades of efforts by 
Ukrainian believers who wanted their own national church, free from any 
foreign religious authority.”The two churches, writes Clay, reflect a fundamental question: Are Ukrainians and Russians one people or two separate nations?This analysis was compiled and edited by Naomi Schalit, Senior Editor, Politics + Society, for <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/ukraine-crisis-putin-recognizes-breakaway-regions-biden-orders-limited-sanctions-5-essential-reads-177508">The Conversation</a>, where it first appeared.