A 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team “Devil" Brigade Welcome Home Ceremony will be held at Fort Riley on Saturday. It is scheduled at 8:30 p.m., 

Approcimately 200+ Devil Brigade Soldiers, Big Red One and Fort Riley Leaders are included. 1ABCT is returning from a nine-month deployment to Europe in support of V

Welcome Home Ceremonies are fluid events based upon flight arrival times and administrative processing of returning Soldiers. Not all ceremonies will start on time, and some may start early. Flexibility and patience are required for these events. 

There are currently two more ceremonies scheduled in March for Devil Brigade, one with a 5:15 p.m. ceremony and another with a 12:15 p.m. ceremony. Further details will precede these ceremonies by at least 24 hours.&nbsp;

 Since April 2014, U.S. Army Europe and Africa has led the Department of War's Atlantic Resolve land efforts. Atlantic Resolve provides rotational deployments of combat-credible forces to Europe to show our commitment to NATO while building readiness, increasing interoperability and enhancing the bonds between ally and partner militaries.&nbsp;

Welcome Home Ceremony scheduled for Soldiers on Saturday

Average gas prices are $2.92 in Kansas and $2.98 in Missouri. California tops the nation at $5.20 per gallon.

By Ashley Murray <a href="https://www.kcur.org/">Missouri Independent</a>

WASHINGTON — Americans are paying more for gas as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran chokes off a significant route for roughly one-fifth of the world’s petroleum products.

Global prices for Brent crude oil, the international standard, climbed over $100 a barrel. Prices were just above $70 a barrel in the days before the U.S. and Israel launched a surprise Feb. 28 attack on Iran, killing the regime’s top leader and other powerful government figures.

The spike, which peaked at $119.50 per barrel early Monday, caused ricochets throughout markets, with major stock indexes falling worldwide. Oil prices have not reached costs above $100 per barrel&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=55079#:~:text=Crude%20oil%20prices%20increased%20in%20the%20first,2022%20price%2C%20at%20$75/b%2C%20on%20December%208." target="_blank">since mid-2022</a>&nbsp;after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in Ukraine.

Following the Feb. 28 strikes, Iranian officials effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, threatening and reportedly attacking vessels attempting to cross the narrow passage.

Iran’s top security official,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dw.com/en/who-is-ali-larijani-the-unofficial-strongman-in-iran/a-76202526" target="_blank">Ali Larijani</a>, reinforced on the social media platform X on Monday that vessels trying to cross the Strait of Hormuz are not guaranteed safety as the conflict continues.

“It is unlikely that any security will be achieved in the Strait of Hormuz amid the fires of the war ignited by the United States and Israel in the region,” Larijani&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/alilarijani_ir/status/2031017694468747369?s=20" target="_blank">wrote</a>.

President Donald Trump defended the price spike late Sunday in a&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/116196014942465383" target="_blank">post</a>&nbsp;on his online platform, Truth Social.

“Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace. ONLY FOOLS WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY! President DJT,” he wrote.

The national average for gasoline in the U.S. rose to $3.48 per gallon Monday, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/state-gas-price-averages/" target="_blank">AAA gasoline price survey</a>. That’s up from $3.25 per gallon on March 5, according to the survey.

AAA data shows consumers in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Illinois experienced the highest prices in the Midwest and eastern U.S., with average retail prices ranging from $3.52 to nearly $3.60 for a gallon of regular gas.

Western states, which tend to pay higher gas prices already, saw an average gallon of regular surpass $4. California topped the nation’s list at $5.20 per gallon.

The price to fill up in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma remained the lowest, hovering between $2.92 to $2.99. That’s up from a week ago when prices averaged $2.47 in Oklahoma, $2.57 in Kansas and $2.61 in Arkansas.

GasBuddy, a platform that helps users find the cheapest gas prices in their area, put the national average Monday of regular at $3.45, and diesel at just over $4.59.

“In just a week, consumers have seen gasoline prices surge at one of the fastest rates in years after oil prices spiked following U.S. strikes on Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said.

De Haan added in a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GasBuddyGuy/status/2030994428605640833?s=20" target="_blank">blog post</a>&nbsp;Monday that the reason behind oil prices pushing past $100 a barrel for the first time in years is “fuel markets are now rapidly recalibrating to the risk of prolonged disruption to global supply flows.”

“As a result, gasoline prices in many states could climb another 20 to 50 cents per gallon this week, with price-cycling markets potentially seeing increases as early as today,” De Haan said.

Prior to the war, average U.S. gas prices sat just under $3, with expectations for seasonal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/iran-war-drives-gas-price-uncertainty-ahead-busy-summer-season" target="_blank">increases</a>&nbsp;as warmer weather triggers more demand and refineries produce pricier summer blends.

This story was first published by States Newsroom and the Missouri Independent.

Gas prices in Kansas, Missouri are among nation's lowest as they spike amid Iran war

🎥Message from new K-State men's basketball coach

TOPEKA&nbsp;– The Kansas Department of Revenue’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Division (ABC) on Friday announced the results of a multi-county enforcement operation targeting the unlawful sale of alcoholic products disguised as kratom extract “shots” in retail stores across the state.

The action underscores ABC’s commitment to protecting public health and safety, educating consumers, and ensuring businesses comply with Kansas law.

The investigation began in September 2025 following a formal complaint alleging that O.P.M.S. Kratom Extract liquid products—commonly marketed as “shots”—contained alcohol and were being sold without proper licensing.

These products were available in small bottles intended for human consumption and were sold in stores not authorized to sell alcoholic beverages.

ABC enforcement agents initiated a comprehensive investigation, locating the products in multiple Kansas retail locations and purchasing samples of O.P.M.S Black Kratom Extract liquid and O.P.M.S. Gold Kratom Extract liquid.

The products underwent field testing and were submitted to a federal forensic laboratory for chemical analysis. Laboratory results confirmed that the products contained between 15.7% and 16.1% ethanol alcohol, classifying them as alcoholic beverages under Kansas law.

The investigation determined that these unlicensed alcoholic products were being sold primarily in vape shops and similar businesses lacking the required alcoholic beverage licenses.

Working in coordination with county attorneys, ABC agents obtained search warrants for 12 business locations across Kansas, including:

At 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 11, ABC agents simultaneously executed the search warrants. A total of 1,006 bottles of the illegal alcoholic products were seized. All 12 businesses were found to be in possession of the unlawful beverages.

Criminal charges will be submitted to the respective county attorney’s offices for review and prosecution.

“Sales of unlawful alcoholic beverages by unlicensed businesses pose a clear risk to consumers and undermine the integrity of Kansas’ regulated marketplace,” said ABC Director Debbi Beavers. “This operation demonstrates our ongoing commitment to safeguarding the public and ensuring that all businesses follow state law.”

ABC encourages consumers to report suspected violations to help protect Kansas communities from unsafe or unlawfully sold products.

Potential violations can be reported at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.ksrevenue.gov%2Fabcindex.html/1/0101019ce810fdb4-112e0dca-5e76-43b1-940f-c0425d56b406-000000/sIURXLVdwlF0RwPX-J-C7D8sOKRnlw_s1mSSr1tnmJY=448">www.ksrevenue.gov/abcindex.html</a>

State announces action against unlicensed businesses selling alcohol

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman talks with Kathleen Cook, Fort Hays State University Director of Academic Success about the Schmidt Foundation Scholarships.

🎥  Forward Ever: FHSU director of Academic Success

ABILENE, KAN. — Kansas Trails Inc. hosted Trail Appreciation Day at the Kansas State Capitol on March 5 to celebrate trail development, stewardship, and the individuals whose volunteer leadership has made lasting contributions to communities across the state.

During the event, Joe Minick of Abilene, Kansas received the Kansas Trailblazer Award&nbsp;from Lt. Governor David Toland in recognition of his extraordinary volunteer leadership and decades of service advancing heritage tourism, outdoor recreation, and historic preservation.

Minick played an instrumental role in the development of the Iron Horse Trail, Kansas’ only rails with trails project. His lifelong commitment to community service helped transform a local vision into a project with a statewide impact. In addition to the Trailblazer recognition, Minick was also honored with the 2026 Kansas Recreation and Parks Association Distinguished Volunteer Award.

Governor Laura Kelly proclaimed March 5, 2026, as Trail Appreciation Day in the State of Kansas, encouraging Kansans to recognize the importance of trails and the volunteers who help make them possible. In the proclamation, the governor recognized Minick for his exemplary volunteer service and lasting contributions to trails, recreation, and historic preservation in Kansas.

The five-mile Iron Horse Trail, which opened in fall 2025, connects the communities of Abilene and Enterprise along the Abilene &amp; Smoky Valley Railroad, Kansas’ official state heritage railroad. The trail offers residents and visitors the opportunity to walk, run, or bike while enjoying the scenic beauty of Dickinson County.

Minick’s leadership and dedication helped bring the project to life, creating a new outdoor asset that supports tourism, encourages healthy lifestyles, and celebrates the region’s rail heritage.

For more information about the Iron Horse Trail visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/IronHorseTrailKS">www.Facebook.com/IronHorseTrailKS</a>.

Abilene’s Joe Minick Receives Kansas Trailblazer Award

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investing alleged fraud in Riley County.

Just after noon Thursday, officers filed a report of fraud in the 1000 block of S. Seth Child Road, according to the Riley County Police Department acivity report. A 38-year-old man reported a known 39-year-old woman removed money from banking accounts without his permission. The total estimated loss associated with this case is $6,000.&nbsp;

RCPD: Man lost $6,000 in alleged bank fraud

The following is a summary of arrests, citations by the Riley County Police Department. Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Riley County Arrest Report March 13

On Thursday night at 8:29 p.m.,&nbsp; Deputies from the Geary County Sheriff's Office responded to the K-18 Bypass mile marker 177 for a multiple vehicle accident. Trisha Kiser of Delphos, KS was traveling east in a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox when she struck Jenee Martin of Manhattan, KS in a 2022 Buick Encore. The collision caused Martin to strike Rodney Young of Junction City in a 2014 Ford F-150. Martin and Young were stopped awaiting a vehicle turning left onto I-70. 

Minor injuries were reported. Kiser and a juvenile were transported to Stormont Vail Health Flint Hills Campus in Junction City for medical treatment. The Buick and Chevrolet were removed by Bud’s Wrecker.

Only Minor injuries reported in Multi-Vehicle accident Thursday night

Riley County Police Department Victim Advocate Melissa Mosher and Corporal Pate spoke with the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority earlier this month about victim services, general safety, and local laws and ordinances as part of RCPD's Operation Greek. 

The RCPD said Operation Greek is an opportunity for students to interact with police for a casual question-and-answer meeting. Though this program was named after its original audience, it has expanded past just the Greek community at Kansas State. Sports teams, academic societies, large study groups, and any other gathering of 20 or more college-aged community members are encouraged to participate. W

. More information can be found on the RCPD website: <a href="https://loom.ly/bDdXnus?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExUGU5Rnk5OG96VmFKQkJkWXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR4LHQQQrdhm3Qz80QR5uGPje6eFbi9XXcJ30OhtlB1NSc-p_HmMUfdCZmQ9cQ_aem_fNpA37B465SxDoETGwFuhw" target="_blank">https://loom.ly/bDdXnus</a>

Operation Greek

Abilene, Kan.&nbsp;-&nbsp;The Eisenhower Presidential Library will host the Lunch &amp; Learn program, "Alaska, Hawaii, and the Politics of Statehood," on March 26, 2026, at 12 p.m. CDT. The hybrid program will take place in the Library building indoor courtyard and will be available online via<a target="_blank" href="https://hcmbltcab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001NpFK6tpivE1mZW7ZENd0_mN9EPDWC-a-kB0MejCvzKQQeOYQjzd9iOsDl0gaurqm6plh62GIC7zBxVMKARLnw3HMc2f2E98UBCN8G3CkOIrRO47qLlK9p1fh4Yt9Navh51err5db8oVpKXeqIyu-14iCxfV0krCcdGoTWi_jHOsKWIvmws-g7V7hsj_1mBcT&amp;c=7GmztVcsyeKXy1zuY58FtJRoOHdbnEfOhu70Y4cIZxHwt9mxcy8hfA==&amp;ch=6eDcvz5UuBW6yK-mWFuYs3GYMVwwZc_Hw6V0yqZBDKGGunkZPpaPdQ==">&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://hcmbltcab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001NpFK6tpivE1mZW7ZENd0_mN9EPDWC-a-kB0MejCvzKQQeOYQjzd9iOsDl0gaurqm6plh62GIC7zBxVMKARLnw3HMc2f2E98UBCN8G3CkOIrRO47qLlK9p1fh4Yt9Navh51err5db8oVpKXeqIyu-14iCxfV0krCcdGoTWi_jHOsgsa0QbF30YvT0dxka7ixw&amp;c=7GmztVcsyeKXy1zuY58FtJRoOHdbnEfOhu70Y4cIZxHwt9mxcy8hfA==&amp;ch=6eDcvz5UuBW6yK-mWFuYs3GYMVwwZc_Hw6V0yqZBDKGGunkZPpaPdQ==">YouTube Livestream</a>. Guests attending in person should arrive by 11:45 a.m. The library will provide a light box-lunch on a first-come, first-served basis.

Dr. C. Lawrence Evans, the Newton Family Professor of Government at William &amp; Mary, will join the program virtually to discuss the political debate surrounding the admission of Alaska and Hawaii as states.

"The granting of statehood to Alaska and Hawaii constituted one of the definitive political disputes of the immediate post World War II era," Evans notes. The presentation will clarify why admission took nearly 15 years after strong public support emerged and will highlight President Eisenhower's pivotal role. Evans will also examine the implications for current statehood discussions regarding the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Alaska, Hawaii, and the Politics of Statehood﻿ ﻿Celebrating America 250! Lunch & Learn Series

KANSAS CITY – A Missouri man has been indicted with two counts of willful transmission of national defense information.&nbsp; The indictment was returned by a grand jury under seal and was made public this week after the arrest and initial appearance of the defendant, according to the United State's Attorney.

Seth Chambers, 35, a former United States Marine Corps. Intelligence Analyst, was employed as a civilian contractor and stationed in Iraq during the time frame alleged in the indictment.&nbsp;The indictment states that, as part of his duties, he held a security clearance that authorized him to view classified material up to a TOP SECRET level and therefore had access to national defense and classified information.

According to court documents, on two separate occasions, the defendant willfully transmitted SECRET level documents to two separate individuals who were not entitled or authorized to receive it.&nbsp; 

The first transmission occurred on Dec. 10, 2022, when the defendant transmitted a white paper containing verbatim and near verbatim excerpts from classified U.S. government documents and was sent to an individual in Maryland.&nbsp; The second transmission of a document containing verbatim and near verbatim excerpts from classified U.S. government documents occurred on April 20, 2023, and was sent to an individual believed to be in the People’s Republic of China.

If convicted, under federal statutes, Chambers is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole on each count. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Kelleher and Trial Attorneys Nicolas Hunter and Sean O’Dowd of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. It was investigated by FBI Kansas City Field Office.&nbsp;

Former U.S. intelligence analyst accused of sending classified info to China

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/jaimie-ding">JAIMIE DING</a>

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Math nerds and dessert enthusiasts unite to celebrate Pi Day every March 14, the date that represents the first three digits of the mathematical constant pi.

Representing the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, pi is approximately equal to 3.14159 — but its digits go on forever. In school, you might have used it to calculate the area of a circle or the volume of a cylinder. But the applications of pi are endless and part of every corner of our world.

The holiday was created in 1988 by Larry Shaw, a physicist at the Exploratorium science museum in San Francisco.

“He had a very open and expansive view of the world and saw an opportunity with this number, mathematical concept, to invite people into the joy of mathematical learning,” said Sam Sharkland, program director of public programs at the museum, who worked with Shaw before he died in 2017.

While it began as a small staff celebration featuring pie, it soon turned into a grand procession where hundreds of visitors marched around the pi shrine, each carrying a digit. Attendees often show up early to claim their favorite digit for the parade. One woman who has the symbol tattooed on her neck comes every year and marches near the front with a pi flag, Sharkland said.

The celebration begins at 1:59 p.m., signifying the next three digits of pi.

Here are a few ways pi is being used on the cutting edge of science.

In Artur Davoyan’s field of mechanical and aerospace engineering, pi is so fundamental that it would be hard to pinpoint one use case for it, he said.

Pi is part of “literally every single formula that you would use to do any calculation, like for spacecraft motion, for materials and how they work, or propulsion systems,” said Davoyan, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Anything that is round or has cyclical or repeating properties — such as radio waves — involves pi. Even squares or irregular blobs can be broken down into a series of progressively smaller circles and calculated using pi, Davoyan said.

Davoyan’s research looks at how to create new propulsion systems to send spacecrafts more quickly to the far reaches of the solar system to gather and send back information to Earth. He pointed to NASA’s Voyager 1 and 2, which launched in 1977 but didn’t reach interstellar space until 2012 and 2018.

To send a signal to those space probes, NASA must calculate Earth’s exact position in orbit around the sun and design antennas for communication using pi. Then scientists use pi once more when receiving and breaking down complex signals that are being beamed back to Earth.

“Say aliens send something to us, something that we don’t know how to deal with,” Davoyan said. “So the very first thing that you would do, you would try to split it into simple functions... and turns out that when you do this operation, you will naturally have pis in it.”

Pi also comes up frequently when studying small amounts of fluids.

Dino Di Carlo, chair of the bioengineering department at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, conducts research that involves creating little particles out of polymers that act as tiny test tubes for cells. This is used as an important tool to examine cells closely and learn about their functions and what’s inside them.

The pi constant is used in calculating how to form those droplets, surface tension calculations that define how droplets can break up, and how researchers can control the size of those volumes, Di Carlo said.

Di Carlo is using this technique to find antibodies — small proteins that fight diseases in your body — that could block signals put out by cancer cells.

Pi is also an important part of calculations when looking at how liquids flow through tubes and barriers. One example is when the fluid sample slowly flows sideways in a take-home COVID-19 test.

Di Carlo used these properties to devise a new test for Lyme disease that can be completed in 20 minutes, rather than days or weeks like previously.

“As an engineer and scientist, (pi) is just a part of life,” Di Carlo said. “Maybe I’ve taken it for granted.”

Pi Day 2026: How the number pi is embedded in our lives

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA —&nbsp;Advocates, medical providers and recipients of public assistance programs rallied Thursday at the Statehouse with a clear message: restricting access to these programs would hurt Kansans.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb363/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 363</a>&nbsp;imposes a&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/10/kansas-senate-bill-may-add-17m-to-oversight-of-health-and-welfare-programs/">sweeping set of steps</a>&nbsp;to verify Kansans’ eligibility for the state’s medical and food assistance programs. April Holman, executive director for Alliance for a Healthy Kansas, said opponents disapprove of the whole bill, but have stronger concerns for two elements.&nbsp;

The first is eliminating self-attestation. That means applicants no longer could self-attest their income, residency, age, household composition, caretaker relative status or other coverage. State agencies would have to verify those claims.

Income and residency are already verified by state agencies, but Holman said the bill would ask the agencies to verify things like household size, which she said are difficult to identify.&nbsp;

“The first is the self-attestation, the prohibition,” Holman said. “The second tends to be the thing that we are most concerned about.”&nbsp;

The second thing is the quarterly redetermination process, a switch-up from the current one-year reapplication.&nbsp;

“We know that all of the people who are in the Medicaid program in Kansas, because we don’t have expansion, tend to be very vulnerable,” Holman said. “They are people who have a disability that’s been determined by the Social Security Administration. So it’s very difficult to get determination.”

Amendments to the bill would exempt pregnant people, seniors, those younger than 19 years old, and those on home and community-based service waivers from the quarterly redetermination.&nbsp;

The bill still applies to people with mental illness.&nbsp;

Angela Watson, a mental health provider from Wichita who spoke at the rally, said she is a Medicaid success story. She was on Medicaid for 13 years.

“This proposal to move Medicaid eligibility checks to quarterly redeterminations may sound like a single administrative change,” Watson said. “For people living with serious mental illness, it has the potential to create very harmful consequences.”&nbsp;

She said the red tape of managing paperwork can be difficult for people with severe depression, anxiety, trauma, psychosis or delusions.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Changing this process to every three months means quadrupling the chances that someone will lose coverage simply because a form was missed, a letter arrived late, or a document wasn’t submitted in time,” Watson said.&nbsp;

“This doesn’t mean they’re no longer eligible. It means they got lost in the system,” she added. “And when people lose Medicaid coverage, even temporarily, the consequences are immediate. Mental health treatment depends on continuity of care.”

Kari Rinker, who represents the American Heart Association, said she has a masters degree and has spent years navigating paperwork. She helped her son fill out the public assistance programs’ paperwork after he suffered a life-altering car crash.&nbsp;

“I found myself overwhelmed,” Rinker said. “It is complex. We would receive paperwork well past deadlines and feel abject panic.”

Her son would be subject to the quarterly redeterminations.&nbsp;

After the rally, opponents of the bill flooded Thursday’s House Welfare Reform Committee.&nbsp;

Along with ending self-attestation and implementing quarterly redeterminations, the bill would:&nbsp;

The process would cost the state an estimated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/documents/fisc_note_sb363_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">$17 million</a>. Republicans in both the Senate and House raised their eyebrows at that.&nbsp;

The Florida-based FGA Action, the lobbying arm of the conservative Foundation for Government Accountability, which is dedicated to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/05/06/nx-s1-5387527/fga-foundation-for-government-accountability-states-snap-work-requirements" target="_blank">limiting government benefits</a>, brought forward the sole two proponents of the bill — who said it would eventually pay for itself. They also said it would bring Kansas in step with President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“That’s not the case,” Holman said.&nbsp;

Holman said federal law would control what happens in Kansas regardless of if it is codified in Kansas law. But she said there are two elements of the bill that go beyond federal law that would hurt both Kansans on public assistance programs and the departments that administer those.&nbsp;

In an interview, vice chair of the House committee Rep. Dale Helwig, a Republican from Columbus, said he believes the bill brings Kansas into compliance with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which is also called H.R. 1.&nbsp;

“There are some things that probably are a little more restrictive than H.R. 1, which we need to work through, but I think we will. We do need to get rid of the self attestation on some of this stuff,” Helwig said.&nbsp;

He pointed to the recent state audit that estimated Kansas subsidized&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/01/20/kansas-house-studies-free-lunch-enrollment-audit-implications-of-at-risk-overpayment-to-schools/">a jarring amount</a>&nbsp;of free-and-reduced lunches that shouldn’t have been.&nbsp;

Rep. Clarke Sanders, a Republican from Salina also on the House Welfare Reform Committee, said he isn’t a fan of self-attestation either.&nbsp;

“The problem, of course, is that’s gonna take more people to get that done. And we probably don’t have enough as it is now,” Sanders said in an interview.&nbsp;

Both are apprehensive about the quarterly redetermination process for different reasons. Helwig said it could be more efficient — there was a five-minute long conversation during the committee about state agencies’ use of fax machines.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sanders thinks redetermination once a year is enough. He thinks there will be amendments proposed when the committee works the bill.&nbsp;

“I think once those get on, I’ll be able to support it,” Sanders said.&nbsp;

Kansans rally against restrictions to public assistance programs 

KANSAS CITY —Three people were injured in an accident involving a car crash into a building.

Just before noon Thursday, Kansas City Fire Department crews responded to a reported car into a building in the 4200 block of 31 Street in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

First responders found two vehicles had been involved in a motor vehicle accident with one of the vehicles crashing into the building located on the corner. 

Three patients were transported to local hospitals for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.&nbsp;The building houses an automotive shop nad sustained significant damage, according to Hopkins.

Dangerous Buildings and City Planning were requested to the scene. No other injuries were reported at this incident other than the three occupants of the vehicles.&nbsp;

Three hospitalized after car crash into a building in Kansas City

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a violent incident in Great Bend.

Just before 7:30 p.m. Thursday, the Great Bend Police Department (GBPD) was dispatched to 3318 24th&nbsp;Street in response to reports there was a subject in the area with a rifle who had fired&nbsp;multiple shots, according to a media release.

 The initial complaint was that he may have been firing in the air and then possibly shooting towards a neighbor.&nbsp;The individual&nbsp;with the gun&nbsp;was later identified as 35-year-old Ryan Lang.

Upon the first officer's arrival, Lang shot in their direction, striking a tree and the patrol vehicle. Additional officers quickly arrived on scene, blocking nearby roads and establishing a perimeter around the property. Lang shot approximately three more times. The first round struck a civilian vehicle parked in the 2300 block of Polk Street. A second shot was aimed at an officer setting the perimeter at the intersection of 24th and Polk, and the round passed just over the top of their patrol vehicle. A third shot was believed to be fired into the air.

While on scene, officers learned Lang had also shot and struck at least two other vehicles that&nbsp;had&nbsp;driven through the area prior to officers’ arrival. Lang continued moving around the property with the rifle, circulating between the front yard, porch and inside the residence as&nbsp;GBPD officers and&nbsp;Barton County Sheriff’s Office deputies maintained the perimeter.

After an approximately 90-minute standoff, Lang was seen exiting the house without the rifle. Officers,&nbsp;deputies, and a K-9 from the Barton County Sheriff's Office advanced toward Lang, but he retreated inside the residence. Officers and&nbsp;deputies followed Lang inside where he was taken into custody after a Taser was utilized to temporarily immobilize him.

Lang was transported to the Barton County Jail where he was booked and confined on requested charges of Attempted&nbsp;Murder,&nbsp;Aggravated&nbsp;Assault of a&nbsp;Law&nbsp;Enforcement&nbsp;Officer (LEO),&nbsp;Criminal&nbsp;Discharge of a&nbsp;Firearm,&nbsp;Criminal&nbsp;Damage to&nbsp;Property,&nbsp;Interference with LEO and&nbsp;Possession of a&nbsp;Controlled&nbsp;Substance.&nbsp;

Officers returned to the scene Friday to canvass for any additional damage. Citizens who live in or who drove through the area last night and sustained damage to their property are encouraged to contact the GBPD. The police department was assisted on this incident by the Barton County Sheriff's Office and the Great Bend Fire Department.

Police: Man jailed after shooting rifle at Kansas officers 

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — President Donald Trump said the U.S. bombed military sites Friday on an island vital to Iran's oil network, while an American official said 2,500 more Marines and an amphibious assault ship are being sent to the Middle East&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/iran">nearly two weeks into the war with the Islamic Republic</a>.

Trump said U.S. forces “obliterated” targets on Iran’s Kharg Island — home to the primary terminal that handles the country's oil exports — and warned that the island's oil infrastructure could be next. Just a day before, the speaker of the Iranian parliament said such a strike would provoke a new level of retaliation.

Earlier Friday in the Iranian capital, a large explosion rocked a central square where thousands of people gathered for an annual state-organized rally to support the Palestinians and call for Israel’s demise. Israel had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-03-13-2026">warned that it would target the area</a>&nbsp;in central Tehran.

There were no reports of casualties. The decision to proceed with the demonstration attended by some senior government officials, and Israel’s threat to target it, underscored the fierce determination on both sides in a war that has rattled the global economy and shows no sign of letting up.

Iran has continued to launch widespread missile and drone attacks on Israel and neighboring Gulf states, and has effectively closed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/what-to-know-about-strategic-straight-of-hormuz-ap-explains-b7883bdeeea8497b8d239e967510e24d">Strait of Hormuz</a>, through which a fifth of the world's traded oil passes, even as U.S. and Israeli warplanes pummel military and other targets across Iran.

The humanitarian crisis in Lebanon deepened, with nearly 800 people killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/lebanon-shelter-hezbollah-israel-war-487792d7f62cfc2c5d9d20a2fd62fea1">and 850,000 displaced</a>&nbsp;as Israel launched waves of strikes against Iran-backed Hezbollah militants and warned there would be no let up.

In an interview with Fox News, Trump said the war would end “when I feel it in my bones.” He was also more measured about whether Iranians could topple the Islamic government.

“So I really think that’s a big hurdle to climb for people that don’t have weapons,” Trump said, citing Iran's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-middle-east-577c596775fb9a78d78107004d29d0f9">paramilitary Basij</a>&nbsp;force, which has played a central role in crushing recent nationwide protests.

Marines and assault ship will add to US forces

Elements from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli have been ordered to the Middle East, according to the U.S. official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military plans.

Marine Expeditionary Units are able to conduct amphibious landings, but they also specialize in bolstering security at embassies, evacuating civilians and disaster relief. The deployment does not necessarily indicate that a ground operation is imminent or will take place.

The new Marine deployment was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, as well as the Tripoli and other amphibious assault ships carrying the Marines, are based in Japan and have been in the Pacific Ocean for several days, according to images released by the military. The Tripoli was spotted by commercial satellites sailing alone near Taiwan, putting it more than a week away from the waters off Iran.

Earlier in the week, the Navy had 12 ships, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and eight destroyers, operating in the Arabian Sea. Should the Tripoli join this flotilla, it would be the second-largest ship behind the Lincoln in the region.

While the total number of U.S. service members on the ground in the Middle East is not clear, Al-Udeid Air Base alone, one of the largest in the region, typically houses some 8,000 U.S. troops in Qatar.

🎥Trump: US struck military targets on Iran's key oil export hub island

KANSAS CITY — A Kansas City man faces charges connection with the fatal shooting of a teenage boy that occurred in 2023.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2824/AndersonTaron-Complaint-Packet-1">Taron Anderson</a>, 21,&nbsp;faces 2nd Degree Murder and Unlawful Use of Weapon; shooting at a person, according&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

 Anderson was a juvenile at the time of the shooting. Family Court certified him to stand trial as an adult and the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office then officially charged him.&nbsp;

According to court records, a shooting victim was transported to the hospital on January 8, 2023, and was pronounced deceased. The shooting originally occurred in front of a residence in south Kansas City. &nbsp;

Based on witness reports and doorbell video footage, detectives determined the shooting occurred when Anderson attempted to rob the victim at gunpoint during a marijuana sale. Anderson agreed to purchase marijuana from the victim. Anderson pulled out a firearm and fired several shots at the victim and then fled.&nbsp;

A Jackson County judge set the defendant’s bond at $150,000 cash only.

KC man allegedly killed teen during marijuana sale

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.&nbsp;

Just after 3a.m.&nbsp;March 9, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop of a Chevy Malibu for a traffic violation near U.S. Highway 75 and 150th Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. The passenger of the vehicle was identified as Toni Jo Messenger, 48, of Keokuk, Iowa. 

During the course of the traffic stop, a Jackson County Sheriff K-9 detected the odor of illegal drugs or narcotics inside the vehicle. A probable cause search resulted in the discovery of illegal drugs or narcotics.

Messenger was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for requested charge that include Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic, or certain stimulant (methamphetamine),&nbsp;Possession of controlled substance and&nbsp;Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Sheriff: Passenger in Kansas traffic stop caught with meth

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating after a body was found at a car dealership in Wichita have positively identified the victim as 44-year-old Justin M. White of Wichita, according to a statement from Wichita Police.

Just after 2p.m. Wednesday, police responded to make a welfare check on a body found in the parking lot of the dealership in the 400 Block of N. West Street.

&nbsp;The medical examiner has yet to determine White's cause of death. Police released no additional details in the case on Friday

Police ID body found in parking lot of Kan. car dealership

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/jon-gambrell">JON GAMBRELL</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/david-rising">DAVID RISING</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mike-corder">MIKE CORDER</a>

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The American military has ordered 2,500 Marines and an amphibious assault ship to the Middle East, a U.S. official said Friday, in a major addition of forces in the region after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/iran">nearly two weeks of war with Iran</a>.

Meanwhile in the Iranian capital, a large explosion rocked a central square where thousands were gathered for an annual state-organized rally to support the Palestinians and call for Israel’s demise. Israel had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-03-13-2026">warned that it would target the area</a>&nbsp;in central Tehran.

There were no reports of casualties. But the decision to proceed with the mass demonstration attended by some senior government officials, and Israel’s threat to target the area, underscored the fierce determination on both sides in a war that has rattled the global economy and shows no sign of letting up.

Iran has continued to launch widespread missile and drone attacks on Israel and neighboring Gulf states, and has effectively closed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/what-to-know-about-strategic-straight-of-hormuz-ap-explains-b7883bdeeea8497b8d239e967510e24d">Strait of Hormuz</a>, through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil passes, even as U.S. and Israeli warplanes pummel military and other targets across Iran.

In an interview with Fox News, U.S. President Donald Trump said the war would end “when I feel it in my bones.” He was also more measured about the prospect of opponents toppling the Islamic government.

“So I really think that’s a big hurdle to climb for people that don’t have weapons,” Trump said, citing Iran’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-middle-east-577c596775fb9a78d78107004d29d0f9">paramilitary Basij</a>&nbsp;force, which has played a central role in crushing recent nationwide protests.

The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, as well the Tripoli and other amphibious assault ships carrying the Marines, are based in Japan and have been in the Pacific Ocean for several days, according to images released by the military. The Tripoli was spotted by commercial satellites sailing alone near Taiwan, putting it more than a week away from the waters off Iran.

While the total number of U.S. service members on the ground in the Middle East is not clear, Al-Udeid Air Base alone, one of the largest in the region, typically houses some 8,000 U.S. troops.

Explosion rocks area of mass demonstration

The explosion in Tehran rocked the Ferdowsi Square area midday, where thousands had gathered for an annual Quds Day rally, chanting “death to Israel” and “death to America.”

Israel had issued a warning on a Farsi-language X account for people to clear the area shortly before the blast. But few Iranians would have seen it, as authorities have almost completely shut down the internet. Footage showed people chanting “God is greatest,” as smoke rose in the area.

The Israeli military later posted a second message in Farsi, noting the head of Iran’s judiciary was at the rally and criticizing Iran for blocking many from seeing their warning.

The hard-liner who leads Iran’s judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, was giving an interview on state television at the demonstration when the strike happened. His bodyguards encircled him, as he raised his fist and said Iran “under this rain and missiles will never withdraw.”

US says 15,000 targets struck in Iran since the start of the war

Israel earlier announced another wave of strikes in Iran targeting infrastructure, and said its air force had hit more than 200 targets in the last 24 hours, including missile launchers, defense systems and weapons production sites.

In Washington, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that over 15,000 enemy targets have been struck — more than 1,000 a day since the war began.

He also sought to address concerns about the bottling of the Strait of Hormuz, telling reporters: “We have been dealing with it and don’t need to worry about it.”

All six crew of US refueling plane confirmed dead after crash

The U.S. military confirmed on Friday that all six crew members of an American&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-iran-tanker-aircraft-crash-iraq-kc135-c337359a58be6280dc96fdbf1cb48a5b">KC-135 refueling plane</a>&nbsp;were killed when it crashed in Iraq, bringing the U.S. death toll to at least 13 service members.

U.S. Central Command said the crash wasn’t related to friendly or hostile fire, and that two aircraft were involved, including one that landed safely.

The KC-135 is the fourth publicly acknowledged aircraft to crash as part of the U.S. military’s operations against Iran. Last week, three American fighter jets were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-jets-downed-kuwait-friendly-fire-iran-f15-1151e092db4597e93e83c04f3b44bddc">mistakenly downed</a>&nbsp;by friendly Kuwaiti fire.

Iran continued its daily attacks on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-gas-infrastructure-iran-war-persian-gulf-24c4b439d2c6a5b571fea90e4d1227d8">oil and other infrastructure</a>&nbsp;across the Gulf. In Oman, two people were killed when two drones crashed in the Sohar region, the Oman News Agency reported.

The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Oscar Austin shot down an Iranian ballistic missile over Turkey on Friday, a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity in order to discuss ongoing military operations. It was the third such interception over the NATO member in the last two weeks.

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