Nita Constant, 62, passed away January 26, 2024 at her home in Larned.

She was born October 9, 1961 in Liberal, the daughter of Charles Ray and Juanita Mathews Norton.

A longtime area resident, she was of the Christian faith. She was a cook at Country Living of Larned and liked to sew.

Survivors include: her parents, Ray and Juanita Norton; son, Brandon (Kelsey) Constant, Hoyt, Kansas; daughter, Adriane (Jace) Ewalt, Lone Jack, Missouri; two brothers, Eddie Norton, Satanta, David Norton, Larned; and four grandchildren, Leah, Lawson, Owen and Olivia.

Cremation has taken place and services will be announced at a later date by Beckwith Mortuary, PO Box 477, Larned, Kansas 67550.

Nita Constant, 62, passed away January 26, 2024 at her home in Larned.She was born October 9, 1961 in Liberal, the daughter of Charles Ray and Juanita Mathews Norton.A longtime area resident, she was of the Christian faith. She was a cook at Country Living of Larned and liked to sew.Survivors include: her parents, Ray and Juanita Norton; son, Brandon (Kelsey) Constant, Hoyt, Kansas; daughter, Adriane (Jace) Ewalt, Lone Jack, Missouri; two brothers, Eddie Norton, Satanta, David Norton, Larned; and four grandchildren, Leah, Lawson, Owen and Olivia.Cremation has taken place and services will be announced at a later date by Beckwith Mortuary, PO Box 477, Larned, Kansas 67550.

Nita Constant

Timothy Lee Morelock, 64, of Topeka, passed away Saturday, January 20, 2024.

He was born September 28, 1959, in Topeka, Kansas, the son of James and Ruth (Gayle) Morelock. He graduated from Hays High School in 1979. He joined the Army National Guard while still in High School.

Tim later attended Pierce College and earned his Associates Degree in Technology in 1991.

Tim later joined the United States Army. He attended Warrant Officer School and graduated in 1996. Tim achieved the distinguished rank of CW4. He had many decorated medals including the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2nd Award), Army Commendation Medal (3rd Award), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal (7th Award), Joint Meritorious Unit Award (3rd Award), Army Good Conduct Medal (2nd Award), the Southwest Asia Service Medal with Bronze Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal and many more awards. He served in various countries including, Jordan, Germany, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. He proudly served his country for 31 years and retired in October 2010.

He married Susan Lohmeyer on December 18, 1982 in Hays, KS at the Trinity Lutheran Church. They had two daughters, Megan and Madalyn. They later divorced but stayed very close friends through the years.

He was the best girl dad and loved his daughters. Later Tim earned the title of Grandpa and cherished the time he spent with his grandsons. He enjoyed fast cars, especially his Mustangs. Tim took pride in his cars and enjoyed keeping them clean and washed. He was a member of the CSRA Mustang and Ford Club, Augusta, Georgia. Tim enjoyed fishing, watching moves and listening to rock music, especially ACDC and Metallica. He liked to draw and was a good artist.

Survivors include his daughters, Megan (Tyler) Pfannenstiel and Madalyn (Brigham) Morelock; former spouse, Sue Morelock; his grandsons, Nicholas Pfannenstiel and Nolan Pfannenstiel; siblings, Tom (Kristi) Morelock and Traci Coulson; and step mother, Lois Morelock. He was preceded in death by his Mother, Ruth E. Morelock and Father, James H. Morelock.

A memorial service with Military Honors will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, February 10, 2024, at Penwell Gabel Funeral Home, 1321 SW 10th Avenue, Topeka, Kansas 66604. Memorial contributions may be made to Huntington's Disease Society of America, 505 Eighth Avenue, Suite 902, New York, NY 10018.



Timothy Lee Morelock, 64, of Topeka, passed away Saturday, January 20, 2024.He was born September 28, 1959, in Topeka, Kansas, the son of James and Ruth (Gayle) Morelock. He graduated from Hays High School in 1979. He joined the Army National Guard while still in High School.Tim later attended Pierce College and earned his Associates Degree in Technology in 1991.Tim later joined the United States Army. He attended Warrant Officer School and graduated in 1996. Tim achieved the distinguished rank of CW4. He had many decorated medals including the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2nd Award), Army Commendation Medal (3rd Award), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal (7th Award), Joint Meritorious Unit Award (3rd Award), Army Good Conduct Medal (2nd Award), the Southwest Asia Service Medal with Bronze Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal and many more awards. He served in various countries including, Jordan, Germany, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. He proudly served his country for 31 years and retired in October 2010.He married Susan Lohmeyer on December 18, 1982 in Hays, KS at the Trinity Lutheran Church. They had two daughters, Megan and Madalyn. They later divorced but stayed very close friends through the years.He was the best girl dad and loved his daughters. Later Tim earned the title of Grandpa and cherished the time he spent with his grandsons. He enjoyed fast cars, especially his Mustangs. Tim took pride in his cars and enjoyed keeping them clean and washed. He was a member of the CSRA Mustang and Ford Club, Augusta, Georgia. Tim enjoyed fishing, watching moves and listening to rock music, especially ACDC and Metallica. He liked to draw and was a good artist.Survivors include his daughters, Megan (Tyler) Pfannenstiel and Madalyn (Brigham) Morelock; former spouse, Sue Morelock; his grandsons, Nicholas Pfannenstiel and Nolan Pfannenstiel; siblings, Tom (Kristi) Morelock and Traci Coulson; and step mother, Lois Morelock. He was preceded in death by his Mother, Ruth E. Morelock and Father, James H. Morelock.A memorial service with Military Honors will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, February 10, 2024, at Penwell Gabel Funeral Home, 1321 SW 10th Avenue, Topeka, Kansas 66604. Memorial contributions may be made to Huntington's Disease Society of America, 505 Eighth Avenue, Suite 902, New York, NY 10018.

Timothy Lee Morelock

JERUSALEM (AP) — The crew aboard a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker hit by a missile launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels extinguished an hourslong fire onboard the stricken vessel Saturday sparked by the strike, authorities said.

The attack on the Marlin Luanda further complicated the Red Sea crisis caused by the Iranian-backed rebels' attacks over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>. The tanker carried Russian-produced naphtha, a flammable oil, drawing Moscow further into a conflict that so far it had blamed on the U.S.

Early Saturday, U.S. forces conducted a strike against a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed at the Red Sea and prepared to launch, the U.S. military’s Central Command said. That attack came after the USS Carney, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-gulf-aden-shipping-british-military-7fafd1cfb3e04209b97a0d0f2abd5c26">had to shoot down a Houthi missile targeting it</a>.

The Marlin Luanda burned for hours in the Gulf of Aden until being extinguished Saturday, said Trafigura, a Singapore-based trading firm. Its crew of 25 Indian nationals and two Sri Lankans were still trying to battle the blaze sparked by the missile strike, it said. No one was injured by the blast, it added.

“We are pleased to confirm that all crew on board the Marlin Luanda are safe and the fire in the cargo tank has been fully extinguished,” Trafigura said. “The vessel is now sailing towards a safe harbor.”

The Indian navy said its guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam was assisting the Marlin Luanda's crew in fighting the fire. It posted images showing the blaze still raging Saturday, likely fueled by the naphtha on board.

The ship, managed by a British firm, is carrying the Russian naphtha bound for Singapore, the company said. It described the flammable oil as being purchased below the price caps set by G7 sanctions placed on Russia over its ongoing war on Ukraine. It wasn't clear what environmental impact the attack had caused.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed the attack on the Marlin Luanda in a prerecorded statement late Friday, describing it as a “British oil ship.” He insisted such attacks would continue.

Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea over Israel’s offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe.

Since the airstrike campaign began, the rebels now say they’ll target American and British ships as well. On Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-ship-attacks-israel-hamas-war-gaza-ef0b83ef2a7ca8c727288b50037287e5">two American-flagged ships carrying cargo for the U.S. Defense and State departments came under attack by the Houthis</a>, forcing an escorting U.S. Navy warship to shoot some of the projectiles down.

China, which relies on the seaborne trade through the area, has called for calm. The U.S. had sought to get China to apply pressure on Iran, as Beijing remains a major buyer of Western-sanctioned Iranian oil.

But Russia so far has condemned the U.S. and the United Kingdom for carrying out its strikes targeting the Houthis, while also meeting with the rebel group in Moscow in recent days.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-navy-houthi-attacks-red-sea-shipping-iran-8e55669e4d18cbc7007654640fa5fdc1">The U.S. Navy’s top Mideast commander told the AP</a>&nbsp;on Monday that the Houthi attacks were the worst since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ceb6e7a86bf14a9a8d8ecf81c9dcc7ef">the so-called Tanker War of the 1980s</a>. It culminated in a one-day naval battle between Washington and Tehran and also saw the U.S. Navy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de425ed9833b4bdaa03306f37182995f">accidentally shoot down an Iranian passenger jet</a>, killing 290 people in 1988.

Meanwhile Saturday, authorities reported a separate incident in which a vessel in the Arabian Sea reported seeing people armed with assault rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade off their vessel.

“The small craft approached within 300 meters (about 985 feet),” the British military's United Kingdom Trade Operations agency said. “The onboard security team fired warning shots and post an exchange of fire, the small craft then retreated.”

It said all those onboard were safe. The private security firm Ambrey described the incident as involving a “Somali-style” small boat aided by a larger mothership. As the Houthi attacks have escalated, there's been an increase in suspected Somali pirate activity as well.

JERUSALEM (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;launched a missile Friday at a United States warship patrolling the Gulf of Aden, forcing it to shoot down the projectile, and struck a British vessel as their aggressive attacks on maritime traffic continue.

The attack on the U.S. warship, the destroyer USS Carney, marked a further escalation in the biggest confrontation at sea the U.S. Navy has seen in the Middle East in decades, as Houthi missile fire set another commercial vessel ablaze Friday night.

Early Saturday local time, U.S. forces conducted a strike against a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed into the Red Sea and prepared to launch, the U.S. military's Central Command said.

The Houthis’ Al-Masirah satellite news channel said the strikes happened near the port city of Hodeida, but offered no assessment of their damage.

The Carney attack represents the first time the Houthis directly targeted a U.S. warship since the rebels began their assaults on shipping in October, a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity because no authorization had been given to discuss the incident.

Later Friday, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Operations, which oversees Mideast waterways, acknowledged a vessel had been struck by a missile and was on fire in the Gulf of Aden.

Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree did not acknowledge the Carney attack, but claimed the missile attack on the commercial vessel that set it ablaze. He identified the vessel as the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Marlin Luanda.

Central Command late Friday confirmed the Marlin Luanda was struck by a single anti-ship ballistic missile fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen. The Carney and other coalition ships responded and were rendering assistance toward the stricken ship. Central Command said no injuries were reported.

The Houthis' now direct attacks on U.S. warships are the most aggressive escalation of its campaign in the Red Sea since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;broke out. The U.S. has tried to temper its descriptions of the Houthis' strikes, and said it is difficult to determine what exactly the Houthis are trying to hit in part try to prevent the conflict from becoming a wider regional war.

The U.S. and allies had also held off for weeks on striking Houthi weapons sites in Yemen, but they are now taking regular action, often destroying launch sites that are armed but have not fired, and are deemed an imminent threat.

Despite the Carney being directly targeted, Central Command said the Houthis fired “toward” the Carney. The Carney shot down the anti-ship ballistic missile, it said.

Acknowledging Friday’s assault as a direct attack on a U.S. warship is important, said Brad Bowman, a senior director at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

“They’re now finally calling a spade a spade, and saying that, yeah, they’re trying to attack our forces, they’re trying to kill us,” he said.

Tempering the language and response, while aimed at preventing a wider war, has had the opposite effect of further emboldening the Houthis, Bowman said.

The attacks were the latest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-ship-attacks-israel-hamas-war-gaza-ef0b83ef2a7ca8c727288b50037287e5">assaults by the rebels</a>&nbsp;in their campaign against ships traveling through the Red Sea and surrounding waters, which has disrupted global trade amid Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The U.S. and Britain have launched multiple rounds of airstrikes since the Houthi attacks began targeting Houthi missile depots and launcher sites in Yemen, a country that's been wracked by conflict since the rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014.

Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging Israel’s offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703990687604.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) — The crew aboard a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker hit by a missile launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels extinguished an hourslong fire onboard the stricken vessel Saturday sparked by the strike, authorities said.The attack on the Marlin Luanda further complicated the Red Sea crisis caused by the Iranian-backed rebels' attacks over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>. The tanker carried Russian-produced naphtha, a flammable oil, drawing Moscow further into a conflict that so far it had blamed on the U.S.Early Saturday, U.S. forces conducted a strike against a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed at the Red Sea and prepared to launch, the U.S. military’s Central Command said. That attack came after the USS Carney, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-gulf-aden-shipping-british-military-7fafd1cfb3e04209b97a0d0f2abd5c26">had to shoot down a Houthi missile targeting it</a>.The Marlin Luanda burned for hours in the Gulf of Aden until being extinguished Saturday, said Trafigura, a Singapore-based trading firm. Its crew of 25 Indian nationals and two Sri Lankans were still trying to battle the blaze sparked by the missile strike, it said. No one was injured by the blast, it added.“We are pleased to confirm that all crew on board the Marlin Luanda are safe and the fire in the cargo tank has been fully extinguished,” Trafigura said. “The vessel is now sailing towards a safe harbor.”The Indian navy said its guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam was assisting the Marlin Luanda's crew in fighting the fire. It posted images showing the blaze still raging Saturday, likely fueled by the naphtha on board.The ship, managed by a British firm, is carrying the Russian naphtha bound for Singapore, the company said. It described the flammable oil as being purchased below the price caps set by G7 sanctions placed on Russia over its ongoing war on Ukraine. It wasn't clear what environmental impact the attack had caused.Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed the attack on the Marlin Luanda in a prerecorded statement late Friday, describing it as a “British oil ship.” He insisted such attacks would continue.Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea over Israel’s offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe.Since the airstrike campaign began, the rebels now say they’ll target American and British ships as well. On Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-ship-attacks-israel-hamas-war-gaza-ef0b83ef2a7ca8c727288b50037287e5">two American-flagged ships carrying cargo for the U.S. Defense and State departments came under attack by the Houthis</a>, forcing an escorting U.S. Navy warship to shoot some of the projectiles down.China, which relies on the seaborne trade through the area, has called for calm. The U.S. had sought to get China to apply pressure on Iran, as Beijing remains a major buyer of Western-sanctioned Iranian oil.But Russia so far has condemned the U.S. and the United Kingdom for carrying out its strikes targeting the Houthis, while also meeting with the rebel group in Moscow in recent days.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-navy-houthi-attacks-red-sea-shipping-iran-8e55669e4d18cbc7007654640fa5fdc1">The U.S. Navy’s top Mideast commander told the AP</a>&nbsp;on Monday that the Houthi attacks were the worst since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ceb6e7a86bf14a9a8d8ecf81c9dcc7ef">the so-called Tanker War of the 1980s</a>. It culminated in a one-day naval battle between Washington and Tehran and also saw the U.S. Navy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de425ed9833b4bdaa03306f37182995f">accidentally shoot down an Iranian passenger jet</a>, killing 290 people in 1988.Meanwhile Saturday, authorities reported a separate incident in which a vessel in the Arabian Sea reported seeing people armed with assault rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade off their vessel.“The small craft approached within 300 meters (about 985 feet),” the British military's United Kingdom Trade Operations agency said. “The onboard security team fired warning shots and post an exchange of fire, the small craft then retreated.”It said all those onboard were safe. The private security firm Ambrey described the incident as involving a “Somali-style” small boat aided by a larger mothership. As the Houthi attacks have escalated, there's been an increase in suspected Somali pirate activity as well.___JERUSALEM (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;launched a missile Friday at a United States warship patrolling the Gulf of Aden, forcing it to shoot down the projectile, and struck a British vessel as their aggressive attacks on maritime traffic continue.The attack on the U.S. warship, the destroyer USS Carney, marked a further escalation in the biggest confrontation at sea the U.S. Navy has seen in the Middle East in decades, as Houthi missile fire set another commercial vessel ablaze Friday night.Early Saturday local time, U.S. forces conducted a strike against a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed into the Red Sea and prepared to launch, the U.S. military's Central Command said.The Houthis’ Al-Masirah satellite news channel said the strikes happened near the port city of Hodeida, but offered no assessment of their damage.The Carney attack represents the first time the Houthis directly targeted a U.S. warship since the rebels began their assaults on shipping in October, a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity because no authorization had been given to discuss the incident.Later Friday, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Operations, which oversees Mideast waterways, acknowledged a vessel had been struck by a missile and was on fire in the Gulf of Aden.Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree did not acknowledge the Carney attack, but claimed the missile attack on the commercial vessel that set it ablaze. He identified the vessel as the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Marlin Luanda.Central Command late Friday confirmed the Marlin Luanda was struck by a single anti-ship ballistic missile fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen. The Carney and other coalition ships responded and were rendering assistance toward the stricken ship. Central Command said no injuries were reported.The Houthis' now direct attacks on U.S. warships are the most aggressive escalation of its campaign in the Red Sea since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;broke out. The U.S. has tried to temper its descriptions of the Houthis' strikes, and said it is difficult to determine what exactly the Houthis are trying to hit in part try to prevent the conflict from becoming a wider regional war.The U.S. and allies had also held off for weeks on striking Houthi weapons sites in Yemen, but they are now taking regular action, often destroying launch sites that are armed but have not fired, and are deemed an imminent threat.Despite the Carney being directly targeted, Central Command said the Houthis fired “toward” the Carney. The Carney shot down the anti-ship ballistic missile, it said.Acknowledging Friday’s assault as a direct attack on a U.S. warship is important, said Brad Bowman, a senior director at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.“They’re now finally calling a spade a spade, and saying that, yeah, they’re trying to attack our forces, they’re trying to kill us,” he said.Tempering the language and response, while aimed at preventing a wider war, has had the opposite effect of further emboldening the Houthis, Bowman said.The attacks were the latest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-ship-attacks-israel-hamas-war-gaza-ef0b83ef2a7ca8c727288b50037287e5">assaults by the rebels</a>&nbsp;in their campaign against ships traveling through the Red Sea and surrounding waters, which has disrupted global trade amid Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.The U.S. and Britain have launched multiple rounds of airstrikes since the Houthi attacks began targeting Houthi missile depots and launcher sites in Yemen, a country that's been wracked by conflict since the rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014.Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging Israel’s offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe.Since the airstrike campaign began, the rebels now say they’ll target American and British ships as well. On Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-ship-attacks-israel-hamas-war-gaza-ef0b83ef2a7ca8c727288b50037287e5">two American-flagged ships carrying cargo for the U.S. Defense and State departments came under attack by the Houthis</a>, forcing an escorting U.S. Navy warship to shoot some of the projectiles down.

U.S. conducts strike against anti-ship missile after oil tanker attacked

JERUSALEM (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;launched a missile Friday at a U.S. warship patrolling the Gulf of Aden, forcing it to shoot down the projectile, and struck a British vessel as their aggressive attacks on maritime traffic continue.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree did not acknowledge the Carney attack, but claimed the missile attack on the commercial vessel that set it ablaze. He identified the vessel as the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Marlin Luanda.

A U.S. military official confirmed the vessel was struck by a single anti-ship ballistic missile fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen. The Carney was sailing toward the stricken ship to provide assistance but had not reached it as of Friday evening.

The Houthi's now direct attacks on U.S. warships are the most aggressive escalation of it's campaign in the Red Sea since the Israel-Hamas war broke out. The U.S. has tried to temper its descriptions of the Houthi's strikes, and said it is difficult to determine what exactly the Houthis are trying to hit in part try to prevent the conflict from becoming a wider regional war.

Despite the Carney being directly targeted, a statement by the U.S. military's Central Command Friday said the Houthis fired “toward” the Carney.

In Friday’s attack, an anti-ship ballistic missile came near the USS Carney, an Arleigh-Burke class destroyer that’s been involved in American operations to try to stop the Houthi campaign since November, Central Command said.

“The missile was successfully shot down by USS Carney,” it said. “There were no injuries or damage reported.”

The attacks were the latest assaults by the rebels in their campaign against ships traveling through the Red Sea and surrounding waters, which has disrupted global trade amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-navy-houthi-attacks-red-sea-shipping-iran-8e55669e4d18cbc7007654640fa5fdc1">The U.S. Navy’s top Mideast commander told the AP</a>&nbsp;on Monday that the Houthi attacks were the worst since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ceb6e7a86bf14a9a8d8ecf81c9dcc7ef">the so-called Tanker War of the 1980s</a>. It culminated in a one-day naval battle between Washington and Tehran, and also saw the U.S. Navy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de425ed9833b4bdaa03306f37182995f">accidentally shoot down an Iranian passenger jet</a>, killing 290 people in 1988.

JERUSALEM (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;launched a missile Friday at a U.S. warship patrolling the Gulf of Aden, forcing it to shoot down the projectile, the U.S. military said Friday.

The attack on the destroyer USS Carney marked a further escalation in the biggest confrontation at sea the U.S. Navy has seen in the Middle East in decades, as Houthi missile fire set another commercial vessel ablaze Friday night.

That contradicted a statement by the U.S. military's Central Command, which said the Houthis fired “toward” the Carney. As it has in previous strikes, the Pentagon said it was difficult to determine what exactly the Houthis were trying to hit.

Ever since the Israel-Hamas war broke out, the U.S. has tried to temper its descriptions of the strikes targeting its bases and warships to try to prevent the conflict from becoming a wider regional war.

Acknowledging Friday's assault as a direct attack on a U.S. warship is important, said Brad Bowman, a senior director at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

Tempering the language, while aimed at preventing a wider war, has had the opposite effect of further enabling the Houthis, he said.

In Friday’s attack, an anti-ship ballistic missile came near the USS Carney, an Arleigh-Burke class destroyer that’s been involved in American operations to try and stop the Houthi campaign since November, Central Command said.

The attack was the latest assault by the rebels in their campaign against ships traveling through the Red Sea and surrounding waters, which has disrupted global trade amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree did not acknowledge the Carney attack, but claimed a missile attack on a commercial vessel that set it ablaze. He identified the vessel as the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Marlin Luanda. The Associated Press could not immediately reach the ship's British managers.

The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Operations, which oversees Mideast waterways, acknowledged a vessel had been struck by a missile and was on fire in the Gulf of Aden. It wasn't immediately clear if anyone had been hurt.

Meanwhile, the death toll from the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip surpassed 26,000 on Friday as the International Court of Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-genocide-court-south-africa-27cf84e16082cde798395a95e9143c06">ordered Israel</a>&nbsp;to limit deaths and damage but stopped short of demanding a cease-fire in the Palestinian territory.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry</a>&nbsp;in Hamas-ruled Gaza said that 26,083 people have been killed and more than 64,400 wounded since Oct. 7, the day militants from the territory launched a surprise attack in southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages.

South Africa has accused Israel of genocide and asked the world court in The Hague, Netherlands, to impose interim measures as the case proceeds. The requested measures included ordering Israel to stop its offensive, to allow Gaza residents access to aid and to take “reasonable measures” to prevent genocide.

Israel has denied committing genocide and asked the court to throw out the case, which the panel of 17 judges refused to do.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697765298614.png" alt="U.S. Carney -photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Carney -photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;launched a missile Friday at a U.S. warship patrolling the Gulf of Aden, forcing it to shoot down the projectile, and struck a British vessel as their aggressive attacks on maritime traffic continue.The attack on the U.S. warship, the destroyer USS Carney, marked a further escalation in the biggest confrontation at sea the U.S. Navy has seen in the Middle East in decades, as Houthi missile fire set another commercial vessel ablaze Friday night.The Carney attack represents the first time the Houthis directly targeted a U.S. warship since the rebels began their assaults on shipping in October, a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity because no authorization had been given to discuss the incident.Later Friday, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Operations, which oversees Mideast waterways, acknowledged a vessel had been struck by a missile and was on fire in the Gulf of Aden.Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree did not acknowledge the Carney attack, but claimed the missile attack on the commercial vessel that set it ablaze. He identified the vessel as the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Marlin Luanda.A U.S. military official confirmed the vessel was struck by a single anti-ship ballistic missile fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen. The Carney was sailing toward the stricken ship to provide assistance but had not reached it as of Friday evening.The Houthi's now direct attacks on U.S. warships are the most aggressive escalation of it's campaign in the Red Sea since the Israel-Hamas war broke out. The U.S. has tried to temper its descriptions of the Houthi's strikes, and said it is difficult to determine what exactly the Houthis are trying to hit in part try to prevent the conflict from becoming a wider regional war.The U.S. and allies had also held off for weeks on striking Houthi weapons sites in Yemen, but they are now taking regular action, often destroying launch sites that are armed but have not fired, and are deemed an imminent threat.Despite the Carney being directly targeted, a statement by the U.S. military's Central Command Friday said the Houthis fired “toward” the Carney.Acknowledging Friday’s assault as a direct attack on a U.S. warship is important, said Brad Bowman, a senior director at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.“They’re now finally calling a spade a spade, and saying that, yeah, they’re trying to attack our forces, they’re trying to kill us,” he said.Tempering the language and response, while aimed at preventing a wider war, has had the opposite effect of further emboldening the Houthis, Bowman said.In Friday’s attack, an anti-ship ballistic missile came near the USS Carney, an Arleigh-Burke class destroyer that’s been involved in American operations to try to stop the Houthi campaign since November, Central Command said.“The missile was successfully shot down by USS Carney,” it said. “There were no injuries or damage reported.”The attacks were the latest assaults by the rebels in their campaign against ships traveling through the Red Sea and surrounding waters, which has disrupted global trade amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>.The U.S. and Britain have launched multiple rounds of airstrikes since the Houthi attacks began targeting Houthi missile depots and launcher sites in Yemen, a country that's been wracked by conflict since the rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014.Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging Israel’s offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe.Since the airstrike campaign began, the rebels now say they’ll target American and British ships as well. On Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-ship-attacks-israel-hamas-war-gaza-ef0b83ef2a7ca8c727288b50037287e5">two American-flagged ships carrying cargo for the U.S. Defense and State departments came under attack by the Houthis</a>, forcing an escorting U.S. Navy warship to shoot some of the projectiles down.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-navy-houthi-attacks-red-sea-shipping-iran-8e55669e4d18cbc7007654640fa5fdc1">The U.S. Navy’s top Mideast commander told the AP</a>&nbsp;on Monday that the Houthi attacks were the worst since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ceb6e7a86bf14a9a8d8ecf81c9dcc7ef">the so-called Tanker War of the 1980s</a>. It culminated in a one-day naval battle between Washington and Tehran, and also saw the U.S. Navy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de425ed9833b4bdaa03306f37182995f">accidentally shoot down an Iranian passenger jet</a>, killing 290 people in 1988.----------------JERUSALEM (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;launched a missile Friday at a U.S. warship patrolling the Gulf of Aden, forcing it to shoot down the projectile, the U.S. military said Friday.The attack on the destroyer USS Carney marked a further escalation in the biggest confrontation at sea the U.S. Navy has seen in the Middle East in decades, as Houthi missile fire set another commercial vessel ablaze Friday night.The Carney attack represents the first time the Houthis directly targeted a U.S. warship since the rebels began their assaults on shipping in October, a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity because no authorization had been given to discuss the incident.That contradicted a statement by the U.S. military's Central Command, which said the Houthis fired “toward” the Carney. As it has in previous strikes, the Pentagon said it was difficult to determine what exactly the Houthis were trying to hit.Ever since the Israel-Hamas war broke out, the U.S. has tried to temper its descriptions of the strikes targeting its bases and warships to try to prevent the conflict from becoming a wider regional war.Acknowledging Friday's assault as a direct attack on a U.S. warship is important, said Brad Bowman, a senior director at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.“They’re now finally calling a spade a spade, and saying that, yeah, they’re trying to attack our forces, they’re trying to kill us,” he said.Tempering the language, while aimed at preventing a wider war, has had the opposite effect of further enabling the Houthis, he said.In Friday’s attack, an anti-ship ballistic missile came near the USS Carney, an Arleigh-Burke class destroyer that’s been involved in American operations to try and stop the Houthi campaign since November, Central Command said.“The missile was successfully shot down by USS Carney,” it said. “There were no injuries or damage reported.”The attack was the latest assault by the rebels in their campaign against ships traveling through the Red Sea and surrounding waters, which has disrupted global trade amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>.Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree did not acknowledge the Carney attack, but claimed a missile attack on a commercial vessel that set it ablaze. He identified the vessel as the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Marlin Luanda. The Associated Press could not immediately reach the ship's British managers.The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Operations, which oversees Mideast waterways, acknowledged a vessel had been struck by a missile and was on fire in the Gulf of Aden. It wasn't immediately clear if anyone had been hurt.The U.S. and Britain have launched multiple rounds of airstrikes since the Houthi attacks began targeting Houthi missile depots and launcher sites in Yemen, a country that's been wracked by conflict since the rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014.Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging Israel’s offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe.Since the airstrike campaign began, the rebels now say they’ll target American and British ships as well. On Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-ship-attacks-israel-hamas-war-gaza-ef0b83ef2a7ca8c727288b50037287e5">two American-flagged ships carrying cargo for the U.S. Defense and State departments came under attack by the Houthis</a>, forcing an escorting U.S. Navy warship to shoot some of the projectiles down.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-navy-houthi-attacks-red-sea-shipping-iran-8e55669e4d18cbc7007654640fa5fdc1">The U.S. Navy’s top Mideast commander told the AP</a>&nbsp;on Monday that the Houthi attacks were the worst since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ceb6e7a86bf14a9a8d8ecf81c9dcc7ef">the so-called Tanker War of the 1980s</a>. It culminated in a one-day naval battle between Washington and Tehran, and also saw the U.S. Navy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de425ed9833b4bdaa03306f37182995f">accidentally shoot down an Iranian passenger jet</a>, killing 290 people in 1988.Meanwhile, the death toll from the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip surpassed 26,000 on Friday as the International Court of Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-genocide-court-south-africa-27cf84e16082cde798395a95e9143c06">ordered Israel</a>&nbsp;to limit deaths and damage but stopped short of demanding a cease-fire in the Palestinian territory.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry</a>&nbsp;in Hamas-ruled Gaza said that 26,083 people have been killed and more than 64,400 wounded since Oct. 7, the day militants from the territory launched a surprise attack in southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages.South Africa has accused Israel of genocide and asked the world court in The Hague, Netherlands, to impose interim measures as the case proceeds. The requested measures included ordering Israel to stop its offensive, to allow Gaza residents access to aid and to take “reasonable measures” to prevent genocide.Israel has denied committing genocide and asked the court to throw out the case, which the panel of 17 judges refused to do.

Terrorists fire missile at a US warship, escalating Mideast sea conflict 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The maker of Robitussin cough syrup is recalling several lots of products containing honey due to contamination that could pose a serious risk to people with weakened immune systems.

<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/haleon-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-robitussin-honey-cf-max-day-adult-and-robitussin-honey-cf">Click here </a>to read the USDA advisory

Haleon’s recall covers eight lots of Robitussin Honey CF Max Day Adult and Robitussin Honey CF Max Nighttime Adult, which were distributed to stores and pharmacy suppliers. The Food and Drug Administration posted the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/haleon-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-robitussin-honey-cf-max-day-adult-and-robitussin-honey-cf">company's announcement</a>&nbsp;to its website Wednesday.

The products may contain dangerously high levels of yeast, the company said in an emailed message Thursday. Yeast is a natural component of honey, but the levels detected by the company were “beyond allowed measurements,” Haleon said.

Ingestion of the contaminated syrup could result in severe fungal infections that would be potentially dangerous for people with weakened immune systems, such as organ transplant recipients or those with HIV. Several million people in the U.S. have conditions that impair the immune system’s ability to fight off infections.

For most healthy individuals, any infections resulting from the products are unlikely to be serious, said the company, which is based in the U.K. and has its U.S. headquarters in New Jersey.

Haleon said it has not received any reports of injury or infection linked to the products, which have expiration dates ranging from October 2025 to June 2026.

People who have used the product should contact a health provider if they think they're experiencing any problem related to the recall. They can also report the problem to the FDA's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch-fda-safety-information-and-adverse-event-reporting-program/reporting-serious-problems-fda">online system</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706209128138.png" alt="FDA image" />
 <figcaption>FDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The maker of Robitussin cough syrup is recalling several lots of products containing honey due to contamination that could pose a serious risk to people with weakened immune systems.<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/haleon-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-robitussin-honey-cf-max-day-adult-and-robitussin-honey-cf">Click here </a>to read the USDA advisoryHaleon’s recall covers eight lots of Robitussin Honey CF Max Day Adult and Robitussin Honey CF Max Nighttime Adult, which were distributed to stores and pharmacy suppliers. The Food and Drug Administration posted the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/haleon-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-robitussin-honey-cf-max-day-adult-and-robitussin-honey-cf">company's announcement</a>&nbsp;to its website Wednesday.The products may contain dangerously high levels of yeast, the company said in an emailed message Thursday. Yeast is a natural component of honey, but the levels detected by the company were “beyond allowed measurements,” Haleon said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706209168223.png" alt="Location of Lot/Expiration -FDA image" />
 <figcaption>Location of Lot/Expiration -FDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>Ingestion of the contaminated syrup could result in severe fungal infections that would be potentially dangerous for people with weakened immune systems, such as organ transplant recipients or those with HIV. Several million people in the U.S. have conditions that impair the immune system’s ability to fight off infections.For most healthy individuals, any infections resulting from the products are unlikely to be serious, said the company, which is based in the U.K. and has its U.S. headquarters in New Jersey.Haleon said it has not received any reports of injury or infection linked to the products, which have expiration dates ranging from October 2025 to June 2026.People who have used the product should contact a health provider if they think they're experiencing any problem related to the recall. They can also report the problem to the FDA's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch-fda-safety-information-and-adverse-event-reporting-program/reporting-serious-problems-fda">online system</a>.

Robitussin maker recalls several lots of cough syrup

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced today to 57 months in prison for making counterfeit United States currency.

According to court documents, Joseph Bulis, 38, of Wichita pleaded guilty in October 2023, to one count of manufacturing counterfeit currency and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.

In July 2022, law enforcement went to Bulis’ hotel room in Wichita where they discovered a printer and paraphernalia used to manufacture counterfeit currency. They also found $3,000 in counterfeit money in the forms of $100 and $20 bills. Bulis fled when law enforcement arrived. 

When he was later apprehended, he had a backpack containing drawing paper, uncut counterfeit bills, and cutting tools.

In a separate incident, Bulis was contacted by law enforcement during a traffic stop and found to have a gun in the vehicle. He is prohibited from having a firearm because of a prior felony conviction. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706110555613.png" alt="Bulis is being held in Butler County" />
 <figcaption>Bulis is being held in Butler County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced today to 57 months in prison for making counterfeit United States currency.According to court documents, Joseph Bulis, 38, of Wichita pleaded guilty in October 2023, to one count of manufacturing counterfeit currency and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.In July 2022, law enforcement went to Bulis’ hotel room in Wichita where they discovered a printer and paraphernalia used to manufacture counterfeit currency. They also found $3,000 in counterfeit money in the forms of $100 and $20 bills. Bulis fled when law enforcement arrived. When he was later apprehended, he had a backpack containing drawing paper, uncut counterfeit bills, and cutting tools.In a separate incident, Bulis was contacted by law enforcement during a traffic stop and found to have a gun in the vehicle. He is prohibited from having a firearm because of a prior felony conviction.

Man was printing counterfeit cash in his Kansas hotel room

&nbsp;At the start of the day on December 24th the angels escorted Victor Lee Michel on his heavenly journey. The entire family had gathered around for a very special remembrance of his life.

Victor was born in Kearny County, Kansas on April 5th in the year 1940, the first born to Leo &amp; Gladys Michel. The family resided on a farm north of Lakin, Ks. Victor lived a full and exciting life that lasted 83 years and reached into the lives of many in the community.Early in life Victor met and fell in love with Vivian McStay on a double date with Vic’s cousin Gale, they were married October 10, 1960 in Sharon Springs Kansas. There time together sometimes involved severe obstacles, and with God’s grace, Vic and Viv just celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary in October. To this union they added 4 Children, Colleen, Charles, Tami, and Troy.

Victor attended Trade School in Kansas City where he mastered the art of repairing anything. This gift of repair started early in life, guiding his career through farming and ranching, an officer of law with the Lakin Police Department, founding and operating Michel Repair and Equipment. He completed his career at the Kansas State Hwy Dept as the District Shop Superintendent, retiring from that position in 2003. During retirement he enjoyed wood working, making delicious jerky and helping Vivian out with her many projects. Over the years Victor had many opportunities to step in and help out anyone with whatever was required, he never met a stranger, becoming a friend of everyone along the way.

Victor had many passions and interests. He loved being Involved with 4-H, the ability to guide and teach the next generations was very important. He sat on the Kearney County Fair board, Wheat belt Credit Union Board, a Free Mason with the Eastern Star. The Shriners was probable his favorite, he very much enjoyed the people, the parades and most of all helping children.

Victor was a kind and gracious man, devoted and loving husband, father, Grandfather and Great-Grandfather; he truly and deeply loved his family. Victor is survived by his wife Vivian Michel, Lakin Ks, sister Linda (Rex) Puckett Lakin Ks, Children Colleen (Joe) Eskelund Deerfield Ks, Charles (Chris Coffey) Michel Louisburg Ks, Tami Rodd, Troy (Amanda) Michel Lakin Ks, 6 grand children, 12 great grand children and many cousins, nieces and nephews. Preceding him on the heavenly journey are his parents Leo &amp; Gladys Michel, brother and sister n law Dennis and Marsha Michel. We will all forever miss and cherish the memories of our patriarch.

Victor requested no service be held and the urn be entombed with Vivian at a later date. A celebration of his life will be held January 27th at the United Methodist Church in Lakin Ks at 1:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, our family requests donations in Victors Honor are given to the Shriners in care of Garnand Funeral Home, po box 91, Lakin, Kansas 67860. Condolences may be given at garnandfuneralhomes.com.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706137235607.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;At the start of the day on December 24th the angels escorted Victor Lee Michel on his heavenly journey. The entire family had gathered around for a very special remembrance of his life.Victor was born in Kearny County, Kansas on April 5th in the year 1940, the first born to Leo &amp; Gladys Michel. The family resided on a farm north of Lakin, Ks. Victor lived a full and exciting life that lasted 83 years and reached into the lives of many in the community.Early in life Victor met and fell in love with Vivian McStay on a double date with Vic’s cousin Gale, they were married October 10, 1960 in Sharon Springs Kansas. There time together sometimes involved severe obstacles, and with God’s grace, Vic and Viv just celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary in October. To this union they added 4 Children, Colleen, Charles, Tami, and Troy.Victor attended Trade School in Kansas City where he mastered the art of repairing anything. This gift of repair started early in life, guiding his career through farming and ranching, an officer of law with the Lakin Police Department, founding and operating Michel Repair and Equipment. He completed his career at the Kansas State Hwy Dept as the District Shop Superintendent, retiring from that position in 2003. During retirement he enjoyed wood working, making delicious jerky and helping Vivian out with her many projects. Over the years Victor had many opportunities to step in and help out anyone with whatever was required, he never met a stranger, becoming a friend of everyone along the way.Victor had many passions and interests. He loved being Involved with 4-H, the ability to guide and teach the next generations was very important. He sat on the Kearney County Fair board, Wheat belt Credit Union Board, a Free Mason with the Eastern Star. The Shriners was probable his favorite, he very much enjoyed the people, the parades and most of all helping children.Victor was a kind and gracious man, devoted and loving husband, father, Grandfather and Great-Grandfather; he truly and deeply loved his family. Victor is survived by his wife Vivian Michel, Lakin Ks, sister Linda (Rex) Puckett Lakin Ks, Children Colleen (Joe) Eskelund Deerfield Ks, Charles (Chris Coffey) Michel Louisburg Ks, Tami Rodd, Troy (Amanda) Michel Lakin Ks, 6 grand children, 12 great grand children and many cousins, nieces and nephews. Preceding him on the heavenly journey are his parents Leo &amp; Gladys Michel, brother and sister n law Dennis and Marsha Michel. We will all forever miss and cherish the memories of our patriarch.Victor requested no service be held and the urn be entombed with Vivian at a later date. A celebration of his life will be held January 27th at the United Methodist Church in Lakin Ks at 1:00 p.m.In lieu of flowers, our family requests donations in Victors Honor are given to the Shriners in care of Garnand Funeral Home, po box 91, Lakin, Kansas 67860. Condolences may be given at garnandfuneralhomes.com.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Victor Lee Michel

Delores Elaine (Popp) DeWald Hanhardt, 98, La Crosse, Kansas, passed away Saturday, January 20, 2024, at Rush County Memorial Hospital Intermediate Swing Bed, La Crosse, Kansas.

Delores was born December 16, 1925, in rural Susank, Barton County, Kansas, the eldest of five children born to Wilhelm and Olinda (Schwartzkopf) Popp. &nbsp;She was baptized and confirmed in the faith of Schoenfeld Evangelical Church, northwest of Susank, Kansas. &nbsp;A 1944 graduate of Hoisington High School, Hoisington, Kansas, she received her teaching certificate from Fort Hays Kansas State College, Hays, Kansas. &nbsp;She taught two years at North Star District #62, Barton County, Kansas.

On May 12, 1946, she married Harlan DeWald at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Millberger, Kansas. &nbsp;They made their home on a farm near Galatia, Kansas. &nbsp;In 1952 they moved to a farm northwest of La Crosse, Kansas. &nbsp;Harlan preceded her in death October 9, 1986.

On December 11, 1993, she married Robert D. Hanhardt at Trinity Lutheran Church, Hays, Kansas. &nbsp;He preceded her in death October 2, 2017.

She was a member of First Lutheran Church, La Crosse, Kansas. &nbsp;Through the years she taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and was a member of WELCA.

Her interests as a homemaker were spent with her children’s 4-H projects. &nbsp;She enjoyed needlework, sewing, crocheting afghans for family members, and oil painting.

Delores was a devoted wife and homemaker. &nbsp;She helped with farmwork in addition to being a cook for La Crosse High School, La Crosse, Kansas, and a part time cook for Locust Grove Village, La Crosse, Kansas. &nbsp;Students and residents loved her food, especially the breads she baked. &nbsp;After her marriage to Robert, she was active in the Hanhardt Tax Service, La Crosse, Kansas. &nbsp;She and Robert were able to travel, something they both enjoyed, before he preceded her in death.

Survivors include: &nbsp;one son, Mark DeWald, Great Bend, Kansas; one daughter, Janice Huthoefer (Don), Sierra Vista, Arizona; four grandchildren, Jessica Riebel (Chase), Jonathan DeWald (Julie), Katie Harrelson, and Daniel Huthoefer; 10 great grandchildren, Mathew Huthoefer, Jacob Riebel, Abigail Nilges (Sam), Alexandria Langworthy (Coleton), Anastasia Riebel, Ashley Riebel, Flint Riebel, Tinesha DeWald, Reuben DeWald, and Heaven DeWald; two great great grandchildren, Pompey Nilges, and Samantha Nilges; two sisters, Theresa Dietz (Emil), and Shirley Maier (Robert); one step son, Ron Hanhardt (Juanita); one step daughter in law, Shelley Hanhardt; two sisters in law, Alice Michaelis, and Shirley DeWald; step grandchildren; step great grandchildren; step great great grandchildren.&nbsp;

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands; an infant son, Stephen Dale DeWald (January 30, 1950); one daughter in law, Enid “E. J.” DeWald (August 19, 2020); a grandson, Daniel Huthoefer (March 15, 2006); &nbsp;a granddaughter, Justina Elizabeth DeWald (March 15, 1986); one step son, Jim Hanhardt; twin step grandsons, Matthew Hanhardt, and Luke Hanhardt; one brother, Vernon Popp; and a sister and brother in law, LoRee and Elroy Dietz.&nbsp;

Per Delores’ wishes, the family has chosen cremation. &nbsp;A memorial service will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers or plants, the family requests memorials to First Lutheran Church, La Crosse, Kansas, or Rush County Memorial Hospital Intermediate Swing Bed, La Crosse, Kansas.

Condolences or remembrances may be left for the family at www.janousekfuneralhome.com.

Arrangements were by Janousek Funeral Home, 719 Pine Street, P O Box 550, La Crosse, Kansas 67548, 785/222-2517.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706137089616.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Delores Elaine (Popp) DeWald Hanhardt, 98, La Crosse, Kansas, passed away Saturday, January 20, 2024, at Rush County Memorial Hospital Intermediate Swing Bed, La Crosse, Kansas.Delores was born December 16, 1925, in rural Susank, Barton County, Kansas, the eldest of five children born to Wilhelm and Olinda (Schwartzkopf) Popp. &nbsp;She was baptized and confirmed in the faith of Schoenfeld Evangelical Church, northwest of Susank, Kansas. &nbsp;A 1944 graduate of Hoisington High School, Hoisington, Kansas, she received her teaching certificate from Fort Hays Kansas State College, Hays, Kansas. &nbsp;She taught two years at North Star District #62, Barton County, Kansas.On May 12, 1946, she married Harlan DeWald at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Millberger, Kansas. &nbsp;They made their home on a farm near Galatia, Kansas. &nbsp;In 1952 they moved to a farm northwest of La Crosse, Kansas. &nbsp;Harlan preceded her in death October 9, 1986.On December 11, 1993, she married Robert D. Hanhardt at Trinity Lutheran Church, Hays, Kansas. &nbsp;He preceded her in death October 2, 2017.She was a member of First Lutheran Church, La Crosse, Kansas. &nbsp;Through the years she taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and was a member of WELCA.Her interests as a homemaker were spent with her children’s 4-H projects. &nbsp;She enjoyed needlework, sewing, crocheting afghans for family members, and oil painting.Delores was a devoted wife and homemaker. &nbsp;She helped with farmwork in addition to being a cook for La Crosse High School, La Crosse, Kansas, and a part time cook for Locust Grove Village, La Crosse, Kansas. &nbsp;Students and residents loved her food, especially the breads she baked. &nbsp;After her marriage to Robert, she was active in the Hanhardt Tax Service, La Crosse, Kansas. &nbsp;She and Robert were able to travel, something they both enjoyed, before he preceded her in death.Survivors include: &nbsp;one son, Mark DeWald, Great Bend, Kansas; one daughter, Janice Huthoefer (Don), Sierra Vista, Arizona; four grandchildren, Jessica Riebel (Chase), Jonathan DeWald (Julie), Katie Harrelson, and Daniel Huthoefer; 10 great grandchildren, Mathew Huthoefer, Jacob Riebel, Abigail Nilges (Sam), Alexandria Langworthy (Coleton), Anastasia Riebel, Ashley Riebel, Flint Riebel, Tinesha DeWald, Reuben DeWald, and Heaven DeWald; two great great grandchildren, Pompey Nilges, and Samantha Nilges; two sisters, Theresa Dietz (Emil), and Shirley Maier (Robert); one step son, Ron Hanhardt (Juanita); one step daughter in law, Shelley Hanhardt; two sisters in law, Alice Michaelis, and Shirley DeWald; step grandchildren; step great grandchildren; step great great grandchildren.&nbsp;She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands; an infant son, Stephen Dale DeWald (January 30, 1950); one daughter in law, Enid “E. J.” DeWald (August 19, 2020); a grandson, Daniel Huthoefer (March 15, 2006); &nbsp;a granddaughter, Justina Elizabeth DeWald (March 15, 1986); one step son, Jim Hanhardt; twin step grandsons, Matthew Hanhardt, and Luke Hanhardt; one brother, Vernon Popp; and a sister and brother in law, LoRee and Elroy Dietz.&nbsp;Per Delores’ wishes, the family has chosen cremation. &nbsp;A memorial service will be held at a later date.In lieu of flowers or plants, the family requests memorials to First Lutheran Church, La Crosse, Kansas, or Rush County Memorial Hospital Intermediate Swing Bed, La Crosse, Kansas.Condolences or remembrances may be left for the family at www.janousekfuneralhome.com.Arrangements were by Janousek Funeral Home, 719 Pine Street, P O Box 550, La Crosse, Kansas 67548, 785/222-2517.

Delores Elaine (Popp) DeWald Hanhardt

Rosemary L. Steinle, 78, of Russell, Kansas, died on Sunday, December 17, 2023, at the Russell Regional Hospital.

Rosemary was born on January 28, 1945, in New Orleans, Louisiana, the daughter of Jerome and Rose Marie (Marino) Liuzza.&nbsp; She grew up in New Orleans and graduated from Warren Eston High School in New Orleans in 1963.&nbsp; She graduated in 1967, from the University of New Orleans with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and worked as an elementary school teacher until she retired in 1995.&nbsp; She met, fell in love, and was united in marriage to Roy Neil Steinle on October 10, 1970, in New Orleans, Louisiana.&nbsp; From this union Rosemary and Roy were blessed with two sons David and Jason.&nbsp; After the devastating hurricane Katrina in August 2005, they decided to move to Russell, Kansas to be closer to Roy’s father, Elmer Steinle.&nbsp; Rosemary quickly made several friends in Russell, joining the Wednesday chapter of TOPS and the American Legion Auxiliary Post 99. She was also invited to join a group of Russell ladies that got together on Wednesdays for lunch. Rosemary later left TOPS and the “lunch bunch” disbanded, but Rosemary stayed in contact with many of the people from both groups. She devoted much of her time to the American Legion Post 99 Auxiliary. She met with young ladies of RHS each year that had interest in attending Girls State, helped prepare meals for stag/stagette each fourth Thursday of the month, tended bar at the Post, and took care of Auxiliary memberships and finances. Rosemary made it a routine for her and two of her best friends to meet every Wednesday morning for coffee and laughs. She also enjoyed cooking, watching Louisiana State University and Notre Dame sports, and was a various book reader visiting the Russell Library on a weekly basis.&nbsp; Most of all she enjoyed spending time with her husband Roy, 2 sons and 3 grandchildren.

Surviving family are her husband Roy of the home; sons David Steinle of Russell, Kansas and Jason Steinle and wife Kim of Nolensville, Tennessee; brother Jerry Liuzza and wife Kerri of Gulfport, Mississippi and 3 grandchildren Alister Shoulders, Luke and Jack Steinle.

She was preceded in death by her parents and brothers Joe, Nick and Roy Liuzza. A memorial graveside service will be held at 11 A.M. on Monday, January 29, 2024, at the St. Mary Catholic Cemetery in Russell, Kansas.&nbsp; Family will greet guests on the day of the graveside service.&nbsp; Cremation has been chosen by the family.&nbsp; Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703646164734.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Rosemary L. Steinle, 78, of Russell, Kansas, died on Sunday, December 17, 2023, at the Russell Regional Hospital.Rosemary was born on January 28, 1945, in New Orleans, Louisiana, the daughter of Jerome and Rose Marie (Marino) Liuzza.&nbsp; She grew up in New Orleans and graduated from Warren Eston High School in New Orleans in 1963.&nbsp; She graduated in 1967, from the University of New Orleans with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and worked as an elementary school teacher until she retired in 1995.&nbsp; She met, fell in love, and was united in marriage to Roy Neil Steinle on October 10, 1970, in New Orleans, Louisiana.&nbsp; From this union Rosemary and Roy were blessed with two sons David and Jason.&nbsp; After the devastating hurricane Katrina in August 2005, they decided to move to Russell, Kansas to be closer to Roy’s father, Elmer Steinle.&nbsp; Rosemary quickly made several friends in Russell, joining the Wednesday chapter of TOPS and the American Legion Auxiliary Post 99. She was also invited to join a group of Russell ladies that got together on Wednesdays for lunch. Rosemary later left TOPS and the “lunch bunch” disbanded, but Rosemary stayed in contact with many of the people from both groups. She devoted much of her time to the American Legion Post 99 Auxiliary. She met with young ladies of RHS each year that had interest in attending Girls State, helped prepare meals for stag/stagette each fourth Thursday of the month, tended bar at the Post, and took care of Auxiliary memberships and finances. Rosemary made it a routine for her and two of her best friends to meet every Wednesday morning for coffee and laughs. She also enjoyed cooking, watching Louisiana State University and Notre Dame sports, and was a various book reader visiting the Russell Library on a weekly basis.&nbsp; Most of all she enjoyed spending time with her husband Roy, 2 sons and 3 grandchildren.Surviving family are her husband Roy of the home; sons David Steinle of Russell, Kansas and Jason Steinle and wife Kim of Nolensville, Tennessee; brother Jerry Liuzza and wife Kerri of Gulfport, Mississippi and 3 grandchildren Alister Shoulders, Luke and Jack Steinle.She was preceded in death by her parents and brothers Joe, Nick and Roy Liuzza. A memorial graveside service will be held at 11 A.M. on Monday, January 29, 2024, at the St. Mary Catholic Cemetery in Russell, Kansas.&nbsp; Family will greet guests on the day of the graveside service.&nbsp; Cremation has been chosen by the family.&nbsp; Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

Rosemary L. Steinle

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Dozens of Kansas lawmakers launched an effort Tuesday to direct the state's attorney general to release information from an investigation into a police&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marion-kansas-newspaper-raid-aca057365ea3925328a69acd615c9893">raid last year on a weekly newspaper</a>, but it wasn't clear that their measure would get a hearing in the Republican-controlled Legislature.

Thirty-five Democrats and 10 Republicans in the Kansas House introduced a resolution condemning the Aug. 11 raid of the Marion County Record's offices, the home of its publisher and the home of a city council member in Marion in central Kansas. The resolution would direct Attorney General Kris Kobach to provide a report on whether the investigation found that people's civil rights were violated.

The raid put Marion, a town of about 1,900 residents about 150 miles (241 kilometers) southwest of Kansas City, at the center of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marion-county-record-kansas-newspaper-raid-f1e49c4e542ddb3cf19c9ca02a0a21fb">a national debate</a>&nbsp;over press freedom. It also focused an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-newspaper-raid-police-chief-resigns-e4ddf5a06defbb702bc23650827e53fd">intense spotlight on the police chief</a>&nbsp;who led the raid because the paper had been looking into his past.

The 98-year-old mother of Publisher Eric Meyer died the day after the raid, something he attributed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-newspaper-mother-raid-video-4427af3241da82767deb76028836cffd">the stress it caused,</a>&nbsp;and within days the local prosecutor declared there wasn't enough evidence to support the raid. Legal experts said it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-newspaper-raid-marion-county-record-bead3f49d323c784d40154067141dc7c">likely violated state or federal law,</a>&nbsp;and then-Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody resigned in early October.

“This is something that happened in Kansas that garnered international attention and concern about the state of our free press in the world and very particularly here in Kansas,” said state Rep. Mary Lynn Poskin, a Kansas City-area Democrat and a leading sponsor of the resolution. “I felt it was really important for the Kansas House to send a strong message.”

The resolution is likely to go to the House Judiciary Committee. Chair Susan Humphries, a Wichita Republican, said she needs to review the measure, adding, “I can't say for sure that I'm going to have a hearing.”

Kobach, an elected Republican, said that if anyone is charged with a crime, information will come out during the legal proceedings.

He said when no one is charged with a crime, "Then our system has a preference for not throwing everything on the table.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/newspaper-raid-kansas-affidavit-07d9c856894892bff13cb014248ec866">Cody has said</a>&nbsp;he was investigating whether the newspaper and city council member had illegally violated a local business owner's privacy or committed other crimes by obtaining her driving record, which included a past drunken driving offense. Meyer has said the newspaper only verified the information's authenticity, and no criminal charges have been filed.

Kobach oversees the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, which took over the investigation into the newspaper and the city council member. Later, Kansas officials asked the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to look into the circumstances surrounding the raid.

Meyer said Tuesday that he'd like to have a formal statement from authorities that the newspaper or its staff is no longer under investigation. He said making information public would be “a first step,” but there are questions about why the raid was necessary and about how search warrants are issued in Kansas.

The lead sponsors of the resolution are Poskin and another Democrat, Rep. Boog Highberger, of Lawrence. Meyer said it could be “the kiss of death” for the measure.

“You know, if a Democrat said the sun is going to rise in the east in the morning, the Republicans would deny it — and vice versa, I might add,” he said.

Several legislators and staffers said the resolution drew criticism from some Republicans for explicitly linking the raid to the death of Meyer's mother, Joan Meyer, the paper's co-owner.

The resolution also declares that the raid undermined "the role of journalism in encouraging engaged, civic-minded, critical thinkers.”

Asked about the resolution, House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said in an emailed statement that it would go through “the normal committee process” — which gives a committee chair wide discretion in what measures to consider.

“Freedom of speech and law and order are two very important considerations here,” Hawkins said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692219843330.png" alt="photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Dozens of Kansas lawmakers launched an effort Tuesday to direct the state's attorney general to release information from an investigation into a police&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marion-kansas-newspaper-raid-aca057365ea3925328a69acd615c9893">raid last year on a weekly newspaper</a>, but it wasn't clear that their measure would get a hearing in the Republican-controlled Legislature.Thirty-five Democrats and 10 Republicans in the Kansas House introduced a resolution condemning the Aug. 11 raid of the Marion County Record's offices, the home of its publisher and the home of a city council member in Marion in central Kansas. The resolution would direct Attorney General Kris Kobach to provide a report on whether the investigation found that people's civil rights were violated.The raid put Marion, a town of about 1,900 residents about 150 miles (241 kilometers) southwest of Kansas City, at the center of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marion-county-record-kansas-newspaper-raid-f1e49c4e542ddb3cf19c9ca02a0a21fb">a national debate</a>&nbsp;over press freedom. It also focused an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-newspaper-raid-police-chief-resigns-e4ddf5a06defbb702bc23650827e53fd">intense spotlight on the police chief</a>&nbsp;who led the raid because the paper had been looking into his past.The 98-year-old mother of Publisher Eric Meyer died the day after the raid, something he attributed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-newspaper-mother-raid-video-4427af3241da82767deb76028836cffd">the stress it caused,</a>&nbsp;and within days the local prosecutor declared there wasn't enough evidence to support the raid. Legal experts said it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-newspaper-raid-marion-county-record-bead3f49d323c784d40154067141dc7c">likely violated state or federal law,</a>&nbsp;and then-Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody resigned in early October.“This is something that happened in Kansas that garnered international attention and concern about the state of our free press in the world and very particularly here in Kansas,” said state Rep. Mary Lynn Poskin, a Kansas City-area Democrat and a leading sponsor of the resolution. “I felt it was really important for the Kansas House to send a strong message.”The resolution is likely to go to the House Judiciary Committee. Chair Susan Humphries, a Wichita Republican, said she needs to review the measure, adding, “I can't say for sure that I'm going to have a hearing.”Kobach, an elected Republican, said that if anyone is charged with a crime, information will come out during the legal proceedings.He said when no one is charged with a crime, "Then our system has a preference for not throwing everything on the table.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/newspaper-raid-kansas-affidavit-07d9c856894892bff13cb014248ec866">Cody has said</a>&nbsp;he was investigating whether the newspaper and city council member had illegally violated a local business owner's privacy or committed other crimes by obtaining her driving record, which included a past drunken driving offense. Meyer has said the newspaper only verified the information's authenticity, and no criminal charges have been filed.Kobach oversees the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, which took over the investigation into the newspaper and the city council member. Later, Kansas officials asked the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to look into the circumstances surrounding the raid.Meyer said Tuesday that he'd like to have a formal statement from authorities that the newspaper or its staff is no longer under investigation. He said making information public would be “a first step,” but there are questions about why the raid was necessary and about how search warrants are issued in Kansas.The lead sponsors of the resolution are Poskin and another Democrat, Rep. Boog Highberger, of Lawrence. Meyer said it could be “the kiss of death” for the measure.“You know, if a Democrat said the sun is going to rise in the east in the morning, the Republicans would deny it — and vice versa, I might add,” he said.Several legislators and staffers said the resolution drew criticism from some Republicans for explicitly linking the raid to the death of Meyer's mother, Joan Meyer, the paper's co-owner.The resolution also declares that the raid undermined "the role of journalism in encouraging engaged, civic-minded, critical thinkers.”Asked about the resolution, House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said in an emailed statement that it would go through “the normal committee process” — which gives a committee chair wide discretion in what measures to consider.“Freedom of speech and law and order are two very important considerations here,” Hawkins said.

Kan. lawmakers want report on last year's police raid of newspaper

&nbsp;WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is out of money for Ukraine, unable to send the ammunition and missiles that the government in Kyiv needs to fend off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia's invasion</a>.

(click below to watch Austin's statement to the allies)

With the aid caught up in domestic politics, the Biden administration on Tuesday came empty-handed for the first time as host of the monthly meeting of about 50 nations that coordinate support for Ukraine. The group was established by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in April 2022.

While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-speaker-johnson-border-security-ukraine-government-shutdown-fa505e84f1ffd1767eb01a250a161393">waiting for Congress to</a>&nbsp;approve more money for Ukraine’s fight, Washington will look to allies to keep bridging the gap.

“I urge this group to dig deep to provide Ukraine with more lifesaving ground-based air defense systems and interceptors,” Austin said in opening remarks broadcast from his home, where he is recuperating after prostate cancer surgery.

The opening statement by video was the first public appearance from Austin, 70, who appeared slightly gaunt. He was hospitalized for two weeks after complications from the surgery.

After the meeting, Celeste Wallander, assistant defense secretary for international affairs, told reporters that Ukraine's ministry of defense is getting reports from its front lines that “units are not do not have the stocks and the stores of ammunition that they require."

Wallander added, “That is one of the reasons we have been focusing on the need to answer Congress’ questions, so that they are able to move forward on a decision to pass” legislation with the aid.

While Ukraine waits to see what Congress will do, European allies are moving ahead with new measures to support Ukraine.

In Brussels, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-nato-artillery-shells-59663a6a14ad180be86bc79a86cea07b">$1.2 billion joint contract</a>&nbsp;to buy more than 222,000 rounds of 155 mm ammunition. The rounds are some of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/155mm-howitzer-ukraine-ammunition-russia-7d966c85046b73db2b013f93c51af2a5">most heavily used</a>&nbsp;munitions in the war, and the contract will be used to backfill allies that have pushed their own reserves to Kyiv.

While the conflict between Israel and Hamas has dominated headlines since October, Russia's onslaught against Ukraine has continued.

Russia on Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-kyiv-missile-kharkiv-7c360faaeec27ac169b2abf4865a4522">launched a barrage</a>&nbsp;of more than 40 ballistic, cruise, anti-aircraft and guided missiles into Ukraine’s two biggest cities, damaging apartment buildings and killing at least five people. The assault came a day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-united-states-clash-peace-gaza-united-nations-aeebfd51edbacb6b82550ebe3b47f2ac">Moscow shunned any deal backed by Kyiv</a>&nbsp;and its Western allies to end the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">almost two-year war</a>.

Ukraine's air defenses were able to intercept at least 21 of the missiles. But the attacks injured at least 20 people in four districts of Kyiv, the capital.

The Pentagon announced its last security assistance for Ukraine on Dec. 27, a $250 million package that included 155 mm rounds, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and other high-demand items drawn from existing U.S. stockpiles.

The U.S. has not been able to provide additional munitions since then because the money for replenishing those stockpiles has run out and Congress has yet to approve more funds.

More than $110 billion in aid for both Ukraine and Israel is stalled over disagreements between Congress and the White House over other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-speaker-johnson-border-security-ukraine-government-shutdown-fa505e84f1ffd1767eb01a250a161393">policy priorities,</a>&nbsp;including additional security for the U.S.-Mexico border.

Senators are trying for a bipartisan deal that would include nearly $61 billion in aid for Ukraine and make changes in border policy. But Republicans are renewing a push to scale back the amount of assistance for Ukraine, targeting money that would go to Ukraine’s civil sector and arguing that European nations could step in to fund those needs.

“Personally speaking, I’d like to see portions pared down,” Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the second-ranking Republican senator, told reporters Tuesday. “I think the number is really high and there are a lot of things funded in there.”

But even if a deal can be reached in the Senate, the package faces even more opposition in the House, where many Republicans have voted repeatedly against the Ukrainian war effort.

The U.S. has provided Ukraine more than $44.2 billion in security assistance since Russia invaded in February 2022. About $23.6 billion of that was pulled from existing military stockpiles and almost $19 billion was sent in the form of longer-term military contracts, for items that will take months to procure. So even though funds have run out, some previously purchased weapons will continue to flow in. An additional $1.7 billion has been provided by the U.S. State Department in the form of foreign military financing.

The U.S. and approximately 30 international partners are also continuing to train Ukrainian forces, and to date have trained a total of 118,000 Ukrainians at locations around the world, said Col. Marty O’Donnell, spokesman for U.S. Army Europe and Africa.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706044056961.png" alt="Austin in his first public appearance since his secret hospitalization urged&nbsp; the group to "dig deep to provide Ukraine with more lifesaving ground-based air defense systems and interceptors."" />
 <figcaption>Austin in his first public appearance since his secret hospitalization urged&nbsp; the group to "dig deep to provide Ukraine with more lifesaving ground-based air defense systems and interceptors."</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is out of money for Ukraine, unable to send the ammunition and missiles that the government in Kyiv needs to fend off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia's invasion</a>.(click below to watch Austin's statement to the allies)<div><iframe width='500' height='300' scrolling='no' frameborder='0' style='border: none; overflow: hidden; width: 500px; height: 300px;' allowtransparency='true' src='https://www.dvidshub.net/video/embed/910925'></iframe></div>With the aid caught up in domestic politics, the Biden administration on Tuesday came empty-handed for the first time as host of the monthly meeting of about 50 nations that coordinate support for Ukraine. The group was established by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in April 2022.While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-speaker-johnson-border-security-ukraine-government-shutdown-fa505e84f1ffd1767eb01a250a161393">waiting for Congress to</a>&nbsp;approve more money for Ukraine’s fight, Washington will look to allies to keep bridging the gap.“I urge this group to dig deep to provide Ukraine with more lifesaving ground-based air defense systems and interceptors,” Austin said in opening remarks broadcast from his home, where he is recuperating after prostate cancer surgery.The opening statement by video was the first public appearance from Austin, 70, who appeared slightly gaunt. He was hospitalized for two weeks after complications from the surgery.After the meeting, Celeste Wallander, assistant defense secretary for international affairs, told reporters that Ukraine's ministry of defense is getting reports from its front lines that “units are not do not have the stocks and the stores of ammunition that they require."Wallander added, “That is one of the reasons we have been focusing on the need to answer Congress’ questions, so that they are able to move forward on a decision to pass” legislation with the aid.While Ukraine waits to see what Congress will do, European allies are moving ahead with new measures to support Ukraine.In Brussels, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-nato-artillery-shells-59663a6a14ad180be86bc79a86cea07b">$1.2 billion joint contract</a>&nbsp;to buy more than 222,000 rounds of 155 mm ammunition. The rounds are some of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/155mm-howitzer-ukraine-ammunition-russia-7d966c85046b73db2b013f93c51af2a5">most heavily used</a>&nbsp;munitions in the war, and the contract will be used to backfill allies that have pushed their own reserves to Kyiv.While the conflict between Israel and Hamas has dominated headlines since October, Russia's onslaught against Ukraine has continued.Russia on Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-kyiv-missile-kharkiv-7c360faaeec27ac169b2abf4865a4522">launched a barrage</a>&nbsp;of more than 40 ballistic, cruise, anti-aircraft and guided missiles into Ukraine’s two biggest cities, damaging apartment buildings and killing at least five people. The assault came a day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-united-states-clash-peace-gaza-united-nations-aeebfd51edbacb6b82550ebe3b47f2ac">Moscow shunned any deal backed by Kyiv</a>&nbsp;and its Western allies to end the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">almost two-year war</a>.Ukraine's air defenses were able to intercept at least 21 of the missiles. But the attacks injured at least 20 people in four districts of Kyiv, the capital.The Pentagon announced its last security assistance for Ukraine on Dec. 27, a $250 million package that included 155 mm rounds, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and other high-demand items drawn from existing U.S. stockpiles.The U.S. has not been able to provide additional munitions since then because the money for replenishing those stockpiles has run out and Congress has yet to approve more funds.More than $110 billion in aid for both Ukraine and Israel is stalled over disagreements between Congress and the White House over other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-speaker-johnson-border-security-ukraine-government-shutdown-fa505e84f1ffd1767eb01a250a161393">policy priorities,</a>&nbsp;including additional security for the U.S.-Mexico border.Senators are trying for a bipartisan deal that would include nearly $61 billion in aid for Ukraine and make changes in border policy. But Republicans are renewing a push to scale back the amount of assistance for Ukraine, targeting money that would go to Ukraine’s civil sector and arguing that European nations could step in to fund those needs.“Personally speaking, I’d like to see portions pared down,” Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the second-ranking Republican senator, told reporters Tuesday. “I think the number is really high and there are a lot of things funded in there.”But even if a deal can be reached in the Senate, the package faces even more opposition in the House, where many Republicans have voted repeatedly against the Ukrainian war effort.The U.S. has provided Ukraine more than $44.2 billion in security assistance since Russia invaded in February 2022. About $23.6 billion of that was pulled from existing military stockpiles and almost $19 billion was sent in the form of longer-term military contracts, for items that will take months to procure. So even though funds have run out, some previously purchased weapons will continue to flow in. An additional $1.7 billion has been provided by the U.S. State Department in the form of foreign military financing.The U.S. and approximately 30 international partners are also continuing to train Ukrainian forces, and to date have trained a total of 118,000 Ukrainians at locations around the world, said Col. Marty O’Donnell, spokesman for U.S. Army Europe and Africa.

🎥 U.S. has no more money for Ukraine, asks allies for support 

BAGHDAD(AP) —The U.S. military struck three facilities in Iraq and two anti-ship missiles in Yemen operated by Iranian-backed militias that have attacked U.S. personnel and ships in the region as the United States tries to keep the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;from spilling over into a wider conflict.

Both the strikes in Iraq and Yemen late on Tuesday targeted sites that the U.S. has said are involved in the attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria and were threatening U.S. military and commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the strikes in Iraq were at the direction of President Joe Biden and targeted facilities used by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-kataib-hezbollah-drone-strike-us-military-injured-b4b4480e2cae6e7ad26e88eb625ab397">Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia</a>&nbsp;and other Iran-affiliated groups in Iraq.

“These precision strikes are in direct response to a series of escalatory attacks against U.S. and Coalition personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-sponsored militias," Austin said. Those strikes hit militia facilities in Jurf al-Sakhar, which is south of Baghdad, al-Qaim and another unnamed site in western Iraq, two U.S. officials said.

Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said the strikes “blatantly violate Iraq’s sovereignty" and contribute to an "irresponsible escalation," according to a statement from his office. The statement, signed by military spokesman Yahya Rasool, said Iraq considers the strikes “hostile acts” and is taking measures to protect the lives of Iraqis.

The Popular Mobilization Forces, or PMF, a coalition of armed mostly Shiite groups only nominally under Iraqi military authority, said the strike near the Syrian border killed one of its fighters and wounded two, while the strike south of Baghdad caused material damage.

The U.S. Central Command announced it had also struck two anti-ship missiles belonging to the Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels that were being prepared for launch and were aimed at the southern part of the Red Sea.

“U.S. forces identified the missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the U.S. Navy ships in the region,” Central Command said.

Both fronts — land attacks in Iraq and Syria, and sea attacks originating from Yemen — have seen a significant uptick in launches and counterstrikes over the last few days.

The U.S. strikes on the Kataib Hezbollah sites in Iraq came hours after the U.S. said militiamen fired two one-way attack drones at al-Asad Air Base, injuring U.S. service members and damaging infrastructure. And they followed the militia's most serious attack this year on the air base, when it launched multiple ballistic missiles on Saturday.

U.S. Central Command said it targeted Kataib Hezbollah headquarters, storage, and training locations for rocket, missile, and one-way attack drone capabilities.

In the drone attacks against al-Asad earlier Tuesday, U.S. defenses were able to intercept the first drone but it crashed on base while the second drone hit the base, U.S. officials said. Injuries, including traumatic brain injuries and smoke inhalation, were reported to be minor. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details that had not been announced publicly.

The strikes on the Houthi missile launch sites in Yemen followed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-british-strikes-houthi-yemen-4ca86a7c0f484fcdf9c386cd752c1878">joint operation on Monday night</a>&nbsp;where the U.S. and Britain used warship- and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets to take out Houthi missile storage sites, drones and launchers.

On both fronts, the Iranian-backed militias have employed ballistic missiles to target U.S. bases and ships, which marks an escalation, said Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies who specializes in Iran.

The militias have typically used drones and rockets to attack. Tehran supplied Shiite militias in Iraq with short-range and close-range ballistic missiles in 2019, Taleblu said, but they had not been used until November’s attacks.

During Saturday’s larger-scale attack, multiple ballistic missiles and rockets launched by Iranian-backed militias targeted al-Asad, but most were intercepted by air defense systems there, Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh told reporters on Monday. She said other munitions hit the base.

Al-Asad is a large air base in western Iraq where U.S. troops have trained Iraqi security forces and now coordinate operations to counter the militant Islamic State group.

Singh said Saturday’s attack was a “barrage” — the first time since Nov. 20 that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iraq-airstrike-military-iran-d93d861feeef90cfeac3ba85f1f2f36d">Iranian proxy forces in Iraq had fired ballistic missiles at U.S. bases</a>&nbsp;there.

A coalition of militias calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has taken credit for a number of the attacks on U.S. forces. Kataib Hezbollah is one of the groups within that umbrella organization.

Iran has also supplied the Houthis with ballistic missiles, and that group is the first Iranian proxy to fire medium-range ballistic missiles and anti-ship ballistic missiles, Taleblu said. “With Yemen, think of it as an intensification of the problem.”

Saturday’s ballistic missile attack on al-Asad injured four U.S. service members, all of whom have returned to duty. One member of the Iraqi security forces was also injured.

Since the Israel-Hamas war began in early October, there have been more than 151 attacks on U.S. facilities in Syria and Iraq. According to the Pentagon, two attacks took place on Monday and included multiple rockets fired at U.S. and coalition troops at Mission Support Site Euphrates in Syria and a single rocket fired at the Rumalyn Landing Zone in Syria. Neither attack resulted in casualties or damage.

The U.S. struck back at the militia groups late last month, ordering a round of retaliatory strikes after three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-iran-us-gaza-israel-hamas-0b99659922bf1174f86e390808e5bfde">U.S. service members were injured in a drone attack in northern Iraq.</a>&nbsp;Kataib Hezbollah claimed credit for the attack, carried out by a one-way attack drone.

The U.S., in response, hit three sites, destroying facilities and likely killing a number of the militia, the White House said at the time.

BAGHDAD(AP) —The U.S. military struck three facilities in Iraq and two anti-ship missiles in Yemen operated by Iranian-backed militias that have attacked U.S. personnel and ships in the region as the United States tries to keep the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;from spilling over into a wider conflict.Both the strikes in Iraq and Yemen late on Tuesday targeted sites that the U.S. has said are involved in the attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria and were threatening U.S. military and commercial vessels in the Red Sea.U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the strikes in Iraq were at the direction of President Joe Biden and targeted facilities used by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-kataib-hezbollah-drone-strike-us-military-injured-b4b4480e2cae6e7ad26e88eb625ab397">Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia</a>&nbsp;and other Iran-affiliated groups in Iraq.“These precision strikes are in direct response to a series of escalatory attacks against U.S. and Coalition personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-sponsored militias," Austin said. Those strikes hit militia facilities in Jurf al-Sakhar, which is south of Baghdad, al-Qaim and another unnamed site in western Iraq, two U.S. officials said.Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said the strikes “blatantly violate Iraq’s sovereignty" and contribute to an "irresponsible escalation," according to a statement from his office. The statement, signed by military spokesman Yahya Rasool, said Iraq considers the strikes “hostile acts” and is taking measures to protect the lives of Iraqis.The Popular Mobilization Forces, or PMF, a coalition of armed mostly Shiite groups only nominally under Iraqi military authority, said the strike near the Syrian border killed one of its fighters and wounded two, while the strike south of Baghdad caused material damage.The U.S. Central Command announced it had also struck two anti-ship missiles belonging to the Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels that were being prepared for launch and were aimed at the southern part of the Red Sea.“U.S. forces identified the missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the U.S. Navy ships in the region,” Central Command said.Both fronts — land attacks in Iraq and Syria, and sea attacks originating from Yemen — have seen a significant uptick in launches and counterstrikes over the last few days.The U.S. strikes on the Kataib Hezbollah sites in Iraq came hours after the U.S. said militiamen fired two one-way attack drones at al-Asad Air Base, injuring U.S. service members and damaging infrastructure. And they followed the militia's most serious attack this year on the air base, when it launched multiple ballistic missiles on Saturday.U.S. Central Command said it targeted Kataib Hezbollah headquarters, storage, and training locations for rocket, missile, and one-way attack drone capabilities.In the drone attacks against al-Asad earlier Tuesday, U.S. defenses were able to intercept the first drone but it crashed on base while the second drone hit the base, U.S. officials said. Injuries, including traumatic brain injuries and smoke inhalation, were reported to be minor. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details that had not been announced publicly.The strikes on the Houthi missile launch sites in Yemen followed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-british-strikes-houthi-yemen-4ca86a7c0f484fcdf9c386cd752c1878">joint operation on Monday night</a>&nbsp;where the U.S. and Britain used warship- and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets to take out Houthi missile storage sites, drones and launchers.On both fronts, the Iranian-backed militias have employed ballistic missiles to target U.S. bases and ships, which marks an escalation, said Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies who specializes in Iran.The militias have typically used drones and rockets to attack. Tehran supplied Shiite militias in Iraq with short-range and close-range ballistic missiles in 2019, Taleblu said, but they had not been used until November’s attacks.During Saturday’s larger-scale attack, multiple ballistic missiles and rockets launched by Iranian-backed militias targeted al-Asad, but most were intercepted by air defense systems there, Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh told reporters on Monday. She said other munitions hit the base.Al-Asad is a large air base in western Iraq where U.S. troops have trained Iraqi security forces and now coordinate operations to counter the militant Islamic State group.Singh said Saturday’s attack was a “barrage” — the first time since Nov. 20 that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iraq-airstrike-military-iran-d93d861feeef90cfeac3ba85f1f2f36d">Iranian proxy forces in Iraq had fired ballistic missiles at U.S. bases</a>&nbsp;there.A coalition of militias calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has taken credit for a number of the attacks on U.S. forces. Kataib Hezbollah is one of the groups within that umbrella organization.Iran has also supplied the Houthis with ballistic missiles, and that group is the first Iranian proxy to fire medium-range ballistic missiles and anti-ship ballistic missiles, Taleblu said. “With Yemen, think of it as an intensification of the problem.”Saturday’s ballistic missile attack on al-Asad injured four U.S. service members, all of whom have returned to duty. One member of the Iraqi security forces was also injured.Since the Israel-Hamas war began in early October, there have been more than 151 attacks on U.S. facilities in Syria and Iraq. According to the Pentagon, two attacks took place on Monday and included multiple rockets fired at U.S. and coalition troops at Mission Support Site Euphrates in Syria and a single rocket fired at the Rumalyn Landing Zone in Syria. Neither attack resulted in casualties or damage.The U.S. struck back at the militia groups late last month, ordering a round of retaliatory strikes after three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-iran-us-gaza-israel-hamas-0b99659922bf1174f86e390808e5bfde">U.S. service members were injured in a drone attack in northern Iraq.</a>&nbsp;Kataib Hezbollah claimed credit for the attack, carried out by a one-way attack drone.The U.S., in response, hit three sites, destroying facilities and likely killing a number of the militia, the White House said at the time.

US strikes targets in Iraq, Yemen after American forces wounded

The 2024 legislative session began on Monday, January 8. The first week of session is usually ceremonial in nature with the State of the State and State of the Judiciary addresses before joint sessions of the legislature.

This year was slightly different as the Senate took up an important resolution that dealt with the horrific terrorist attacks that occurred in October. It was crucial for the Senate to speak clearly and without equivocation on such an important issue that impacts every single one of us. The resolution, SR 1729, makes it clear that the Kansas Senate unequivocally supports Israel’s right to exist, defend itself, and protect its citizens from terrorism and harm. We condemn the unprovoked attacks on the State of Israel, demand the unconditional safe return of hostages, and reject all forms of antisemitism, including threats against Jewish people and institutions, some of which have occurred in Kansas. This resolution passed the Senate 34-6 condemning the October 7, 2023, attacks on the State of Israel and reaffirming Kansas’ support and cooperation with the State of Israel.

Chief Justice Marla Luckett delivered the State of the Judiciary speech on Wednesday before a joint session of the legislature. Chief Justice Luckett discussed how a Russian-based ransomware group infiltrated the computer systems of the Kansas Judicial Branch on October 12, 2023. While she indicated the scope and source of the attack was not immediately apparent, they later learned that critical servers housed in the Kansas Judicial Center were inaccessible. The attack ultimately forced the shutdown of the e-filing system used by attorneys to file documents in cases. The attack also impacted case management systems that the district and appellate courts use to process cases.

On Wednesday evening, Governor Laura Kelly delivered her annual State of the State address. The governor devoted a large portion of her speech to promises about tax relief to the people of Kansas, when her veto is the very reason that taxpayers aren’t enjoying that relief today. Because of the veto, Kansas taxpayers are not receiving a reduction on their income tax, the state sales tax on food would have been eliminated and retirees would no longer be paying income tax on their Social Security benefits. These ideas are not new; we have been trying to pass these for years.

The Kansas House and Senate have both overwhelmingly passed bipartisan tax relief HB2284 and are now sending it to Governor Kelly’s desk for her to sign. 

Here is a brief explanation of the tax relief bill:

* It is a tax break for all Kansans, especially those who have been struggling to make ends meet. * Over 300,000 lower income Kansans will see their income tax eliminated. * Seniors receiving social security will see their income tax eliminated on their social security income. * All state sales tax on groceries will be eliminated. * Homeowners with homes under $100,000 will have their property tax eliminated from the states 20 mill levy. * All Kansas residential property will see an increased exemption from about $43,000 to $100,000, providing additional property&nbsp;tax relief. * This bill will also increase the personal exemption that hasn’t been changed in nearly thirty years.

My office has several dates available for 6th graders through high school to serve as a page. Working as a page in the Kansas Legislature is an excellent way to learn more about the legislative process. If your child is interested in being a page for my office the following dates are available: February 12, February 19, or March 11.

I am honored and grateful to represent the 40th Senate District in Kansas. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644852447177.jpeg" alt="Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist. Hays Post/Becky Kiser" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist. Hays Post/Becky Kiser</figcaption>
 </figure>January 23, 2024The 2024 legislative session began on Monday, January 8. The first week of session is usually ceremonial in nature with the State of the State and State of the Judiciary addresses before joint sessions of the legislature.This year was slightly different as the Senate took up an important resolution that dealt with the horrific terrorist attacks that occurred in October. It was crucial for the Senate to speak clearly and without equivocation on such an important issue that impacts every single one of us. The resolution, SR 1729, makes it clear that the Kansas Senate unequivocally supports Israel’s right to exist, defend itself, and protect its citizens from terrorism and harm. We condemn the unprovoked attacks on the State of Israel, demand the unconditional safe return of hostages, and reject all forms of antisemitism, including threats against Jewish people and institutions, some of which have occurred in Kansas. This resolution passed the Senate 34-6 condemning the October 7, 2023, attacks on the State of Israel and reaffirming Kansas’ support and cooperation with the State of Israel.Chief Justice Marla Luckett delivered the State of the Judiciary speech on Wednesday before a joint session of the legislature. Chief Justice Luckett discussed how a Russian-based ransomware group infiltrated the computer systems of the Kansas Judicial Branch on October 12, 2023. While she indicated the scope and source of the attack was not immediately apparent, they later learned that critical servers housed in the Kansas Judicial Center were inaccessible. The attack ultimately forced the shutdown of the e-filing system used by attorneys to file documents in cases. The attack also impacted case management systems that the district and appellate courts use to process cases.On Wednesday evening, Governor Laura Kelly delivered her annual State of the State address. The governor devoted a large portion of her speech to promises about tax relief to the people of Kansas, when her veto is the very reason that taxpayers aren’t enjoying that relief today. Because of the veto, Kansas taxpayers are not receiving a reduction on their income tax, the state sales tax on food would have been eliminated and retirees would no longer be paying income tax on their Social Security benefits. These ideas are not new; we have been trying to pass these for years.The Kansas House and Senate have both overwhelmingly passed bipartisan tax relief HB2284 and are now sending it to Governor Kelly’s desk for her to sign. Here is a brief explanation of the tax relief bill:* It is a tax break for all Kansans, especially those who have been struggling to make ends meet. * Over 300,000 lower income Kansans will see their income tax eliminated. * Seniors receiving social security will see their income tax eliminated on their social security income. * All state sales tax on groceries will be eliminated. * Homeowners with homes under $100,000 will have their property tax eliminated from the states 20 mill levy. * All Kansas residential property will see an increased exemption from about $43,000 to $100,000, providing additional property&nbsp;tax relief. * This bill will also increase the personal exemption that hasn’t been changed in nearly thirty years.My office has several dates available for 6th graders through high school to serve as a page. Working as a page in the Kansas Legislature is an excellent way to learn more about the legislative process. If your child is interested in being a page for my office the following dates are available: February 12, February 19, or March 11.I am honored and grateful to represent the 40th Senate District in Kansas. Please do not hesitate to contact me by email at rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov or call me with your questions or concerns. My office number is 785-296-7399 or my cell is 785-899-4700. If you are in Topeka, stop by my office at 545-S.Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, is senator of the 40th District which includes:Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Logan, Norton, Rawlins,&nbsp;Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, Trego and Wallace counties Phillips County: Cities: Logan, Long Island, Prairie View, Speed;&nbsp;Townships: Beaver, Belmont, Dayton, Granite, Logan, Long Island, Mound, Plainview, Prairie View,&nbsp;Solomon (part) and Towanda