The City of Manhattan has announced that beginning&nbsp;Tuesday, February 17, The Anderson Avenue project will transitioning to a new construction phase resulting in a switch in traffic control configuration.

Crews will switch traffic onto the new concrete pavement on the south side of Anderson Avenue between Connecticut Avenue and Timberlane Drive (Phase 1A) so that work can begin on the north side (Phase 1B). &nbsp;A crossover will be present just east of Timberlane Drive.

Please use extreme caution when traveling through the work zone on Anderson Avenue or find another route on&nbsp;Tuesday, February 17&nbsp;for the safety of construction crews modifying the traffic control.&nbsp;

This is a multi-phased project that will continue through the anticipated completion date in 2027. For updated project timelines, maps, and detours, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cityofmhk.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=e92cc4cc1e09dc1dafa7ba9da&amp;id=3917b09f6d&amp;e=8c33f27c6f">andersonwaterstorm.com</a>.

Traffic Impacts:Expect light to moderate traffic and some delays on Anderson Avenue, College Avenue, College Heights Road, Connecticut Avenue.

Timeline:The estimate for Phase 1B is&nbsp;3-4 months&nbsp;to complete this work, depending on the weather.

Anderson Avenue new construction phase

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.&nbsp;

Riley County Arrest Report February 13

**Photos by Junction City Fire Department

The damage estimate from a house fire Thursday at 602 Stone Ridge in Junction City has been placed in the $300,000 to $500, 000 dollar range. Fire Chief Jason Lankas noted Friday that the house is now not believed to be a total loss. It's value was listed at $1.2 million dollars.&nbsp;

The resident was identified as Sue Ann Magana.

Lankas also confirmed new information on Friday morning that the blaze began in a burn barrel on a neighbor's property and then spread through tall grass to the house that was damaged.

The fire cause has been determined to be unintentional accidental.

Assisting in battling the fire were multiple agencies including Junction City, Geary County, Fort Riley, Grandview Plaza and with a drone the Junction City Police Department.

Fire Chief Jason Lankas confirmed early Thursday evening that the fire was out. The blaze began near an outdoor shed and then spread through tall grass to the house. There were not any injuries.

The Red Cross and a State Fire Marshall's Office were called in to assist. The female resident of the house received private help.

Junction City Fire Department, Geary County Rural Fire, Fort Riley Fire, and Grandview Plaza Fire Department on Thursday worked a large house fire located just southeast of K-18 and U.S. 77 in Junction City.

As of 2:15 p.m., the fire was under control, according to Geary County Rural Fire Chief Garry Berges. Approximately 50 personnel were on scene assisting with fire suppression and overhaul operations. Firefighters expected to remain on scene for the next several hours to monitor the structure and ensure the fire is fully extinguished.

**K-18 off U.S. 77 into Junction City is currently shut down due to the fire, and to allow responding agencies to bring in water. Motorists are encouraged to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.

Additional information will be released as it becomes available.

Several local Fire Departments worked a house fire in Junction City on Thursday

On Sunday, December 7 Sunset Zoo welcomed a new resident when Kivuli, the black-and-white colobus monkey, gave birth to a bouncing baby boy. 

Kivuli has been an excellent mother from the start, and the baby is healthy and growing steadily.At two months, the baby is starting to venture away from mom for short periods of time and munching on bits of solid food.

While born all white, his dark hair is starting to grow in as he slowly morphs into a striking, adult black-and-white colobus monkey.&nbsp;While he is meeting all his developmental milestones, this little monkey still needs a name.

Sunset Zoo is asking for the public’s help in naming our newest resident. All the options are words or names in Swahili, the most common language in Eastern and Central Africa where black-and-white colobus naturally occur. The troop’s caretakers have narrowed down the choices to three names:

Nuru (new-roo) – means “light” in Swahili, in contrast to his mother’s name, Kivuli, which means “shadow”

Kiatu (key-ah-too) – means “shoe” in Swahili, a tribute to Sunset Zoo’s recently retired director, Scott Shoemaker•&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Kiongozi (key-own-go-zee) – means “leader” in Swahili, also in honor of Scott Shoemaker

<a href="https://friendsofsunsetzoo.ticketspice.com/sunsetzootinyprimatepoll?utm_source=News+Release&amp;utm_campaign=eca19327ea-Brew+at+the+Zoo+Ticket+Sales+2017_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_afbe83d3a1-eca19327ea-[LIST_EMAIL_ID]&amp;mc_cid=eca19327ea&amp;mc_eid=ae94a9aa01">Click here to cast your vote</a> and donate any amount you wish towards their favorite name.

Whichever name receives the most donations by March 1st will be the winner and the new monkey moniker.

All proceeds will go towards animal enrichment and conservation.&nbsp;In addition to voting for a baby name, you can also help support the new mother and baby by visiting the Sunset Zoo gift shop and purchasing an item off the enrichment tree.

Mother and baby are often on view in the Ballard Primate Viewing Gallery or in their outside habitat on warmer days. The troop does have access to off-view dens; if you don’t see mom and baby, check back later in the day! Sunset Zoo is open from noon to 5 PM daily.

Help Sunset Zoo name the Colobus Monkey baby

The 2026 K-State College Rodeo will be held Feb. 19-22 at the Bilbrey Family Event Center, north of the Manhattan campus.

Showtimes are at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21 and 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Rodeo is scheduled at K-State

A Kansas Department of Transportation project that will replace two bridges on K-63 is scheduled to begin on Monday, Feb. 16, conditions permitting. The bridges over Bartlett Creek and the Union Pacific railroad tracks are located just north of Emmett in Pottawatomie County.

New bridges will be built next to the existing structures. Traffic impacts should be minimal to none during this phase of the project, with most work taking place along the roadway’s shoulders.

Work will occur during daylight hours Monday through Friday, and Saturdays if needed.

Hawkins Construction Co., of Omaha, Nebraska, is the prime contractor on the $12.9 million project, which is anticipated to be complete in June 20.

Two K-63 bridges to be replaced in Pottawatomie County

WASHINGTON&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, on Wednesday led a committee hearing with Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) to discuss proposed changes to VA’s community care program, according to a media release from the Senator's office.

In December 2025, VA issued the Community Care Network Next Generation Request for Proposals (CCN NextGen RFP), which aims to modernize the delivery of care in the community, increase competition and innovation within VA’s community care program and deliver higher quality care to veterans.

“In many ways, these procurements reflect a welcome focus on innovation, competition and accountability,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“They also signal long-overdue progress toward upholding industry standards, embracing value-based care, strengthening program integrity and addressing persistent challenges—such as the timely return of medical documentation—that have frustrated veterans, providers and policymakers alike.”

This is the first major acquisition effort to support VA’s community care program since the passage of the&nbsp;MISSION Act&nbsp;in 2018. The proposed CCN Next Gen RFP contracts would not change underlying veteran eligibility for community care.

“These contracts must do more than look good on paper,”&nbsp;continued Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“Instead, they must deliver results for veterans, VA staff, community care providers and taxpayers by leading to real, measurable improvements in access, choice, outcomes and costs.”

🎥Moran leads hearing to review VA’s modernization efforts 

Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. — The Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to celebrate the graduation of the 2025–2026 LEAD JC class, marking the completion of a seven-month leadership journey designed to strengthen community awareness, inspire civic engagement, and cultivate the next generation of leaders in Junction City and Geary County.

LEAD JC brings together professionals from diverse industries who share a common goal — investing in the future of the community. Throughout the program, participants gain firsthand insight into the partnerships, challenges, and opportunities that shape the region.

Over the course of the experience, the cohort explored several key areas essential to a thriving community, including:

The program concluded with a graduation ceremony at the C.L. Hoover Opera House, where participants reflected on their experiences and the strengths they bring to their organizations and the broader community.

“LEAD JC is more than a program — it is an investment in the future of Junction City,” said Kelly Cook, Membership Director of the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce. “When leaders understand their community and build strong relationships, they are better equipped to create meaningful impact.”

Mandi Gaudian, Administrative Marketing Specialist for the Geary County Convention and Visitors Bureau and a member of the 2025–2026 class, shared how the program shaped her perspective.

“LEAD JC helped me better understand the importance and benefits of being an active participant in our community,” Gaudian said. “Through this experience, I gained insight into how the community functions, its history, and what it takes to support positive progress moving forward. The instructor’s thoughtful selection of materials, along with their ability to draw on the diverse backgrounds of participants to provide exceptional examples of leadership, made the experience especially impactful.”

Graduates leave the program with deeper connections, increased knowledge of regional assets, and a renewed commitment to community involvement. Many alumni go on to serve on local boards, volunteer for civic initiatives, and champion projects that enhance the vitality of Geary County and Junction City.

The Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce remains committed to developing leaders who will help move the community forward. Applications for the next LEAD JC class will open later this year.

For more information about LEAD JC or upcoming Chamber programs, please contact the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce.

Local Leaders Graduate from Chamber’s LEAD JC Program

Riley County Arrest Report February 12

The City Commission reviewed conceptual options for the future reconstruction of Moro Street in Aggieville from 11th Street to N. Manhattan Ave. this week. Four refined concepts were provided within the 60-foot right-of-way between storefronts on Moro that generally feature angled parking on one side of the street, a 20-foot driving lane, and the potential for mid-block pedestrian crossings and other landscaping and pedestrian amenities.

Mayor Susan Adamcheck summarized some of the ideas from the commission including parking on the north with access to a remaining public parking lot, carry through consistency from nearby North Manhattan Avenue and 12th Street, and a desire for some amenities.

Staff anticipates returning to the City Commission with a recommended delivery approach, and a more detailed 30% design of the project with updated cost estimates for the two-block project.&nbsp;

Other points also ranged from the reduction of parking spaces in the two blocks of Moro to the need for a parking lot on the east end. There was&nbsp; also a note that Aggieville is due for a parking upgrade.&nbsp;

Manhattan City Commissioners discuss design options for Moro Street in Aggieville 

KSU Division of Communication and Marketing

MANHATTAN — Following a national search, the Office of the Provost has appointed Ashfaq Khokhar as dean of Kansas State University’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://engg.k-state.edu/">Carl R. Ice College of Engineering</a>, effective Aug. 2.“Dr. Khokhar brings exceptional leadership experience, growth-minded vision and high-quality teaching, research&nbsp;and engagement&nbsp;to K-State in the role of dean for the Carl R. Ice College of Engineering,” said Jesse Perez Mendez, provost and executive vice president.&nbsp;“I look forward to working with him to advance the college and university’s strategic vision.”

As the chief academic and administrative officer for the college, and LeRoy C. and Aileen H. Paslay Chair in Engineering, Khokhar will provide leadership, strategic vision and direction for the college, and support and promote the academic mission of the university. Khokhar will work to grow the college’s excellence in teaching, research, service, extension and engagement; promote a collaborative leadership approach; and cultivate internal and external partnerships to advance the university’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.k-state.edu/next-gen/plan/">Next-Gen K-State strategic plan</a>.

"Since 2017, Khokhar has served as the Palmer Department Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Iowa State University. During his tenure, he oversaw an increase in the department’s research expenditures from $13.2 million in 2016 to $19 million in 2024 and more than $20 million new research projects funded in 2024; the development and launch of several new undergraduate and graduate degree programs; and he spearheaded the development of a five-year strategic plan, among many other accomplishments.&nbsp;

 Ashfaq Khokhar named dean of K-State’s Carl R. Ice College of Engineering

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">Anna Kaminski</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly plans to attend a business meeting at the White House this week, which comes after President Donald Trump flip-flopped on invitations and Democrats promised to boycott.

Kelly’s office said she will attend a bipartisan working meeting on Feb. 20, but she will not partake in the White House’s black-tie dinner that is expected to follow. She has not attended the White House dinner since 2019 and does not plan to this year, said spokesperson Grace Hoge.

“She recognizes the utility of meeting with the president, Cabinet secretaries and other federal officials, alongside her colleagues, to discuss ways states and the federal government can partner on behalf of all Americans,” Hoge said. “She decided to attend the meeting once the White House invitation included all governors, regardless of party.”

The plans leading up to next week’s events in Washington, D.C., have fluctuated. Trump at first refused to invite Democrats to the White House. Then he backtracked after Republican Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt announced the National Governors Association, of which he is the chair, would no longer facilitate the meeting.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/09/repub/trump-shuts-out-democratic-governors-from-traditional-white-house-gatherings/">White House confirmed Trump’s decision</a>&nbsp;to exclude some Democratic governors from the dinner.

“Many Democrats were invited to dinner at the White House, and others were not. These are White House events and the President reserves the right to invite whomever he wants,” a White House official told States Newsroom, Kansas Reflector’s parent organization.

Members of the Democratic Governors Association, including Kelly, said Tuesday they wouldn’t attend the White House dinner, and accused Trump of creating chaos and division.

“If the reports are true that not all governors are invited to these events, which have historically been productive and bipartisan opportunities for collaboration, we will not be attending the White House dinner this year,” the Democratic governors’ statement said.

Trump wrote in a Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/116054089500353661" target="_blank">post to Truth Social</a>&nbsp;that he only declined to invite two Democratic governors to the dinner — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, the vice chair of the national association and the country’s only Black governor.

Kelly, who is in her last term, is a former chair of the Democratic Governors Association. Kansas is not a member of the National Governors Association, so she also does not plan to attend the three-day national conference, her office said.

Kansas governor plans to attend White House meeting

EDWARDS COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 3:30p.m. Saturday in Edwards County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Honda Civic driven by Aaron JG&nbsp;Pineda, 29, Garden City,&nbsp;was stuck on the railroad tracks on 310th Avenue just north of U.S. 50.&nbsp; An eastbound Amtrak train struck the car.

Pineda was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;McKillip Funeral Home.&nbsp; The conductor, engineer and an additional 113 occupants on board the train were not injured.

Kan. man dead after Amtrak train strikes car stuck on the tracks 

&nbsp;DAMASCUS —U.S. forces conducted 10 strikes against more than 30 ISIS targets in Syria, Feb. 3 – 12, to sustain relentless military pressure on remnants from the terrorist network, according to a statement from the U.S&gt; Central Command.

U.S. forces struck ISIS infrastructure and weapons storage targets with precision munitions delivered by fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and unmanned aircraft.

U.S. forces previously conducted five strikes against an ISIS communication site, critical logistics node, and weapons storage facilities, Jan. 27 – Feb. 2.

Operation Hawkeye Strike was launched in response to a Dec. 13 attack on U.S. and Syrian forces in Palmyra. The ISIS ambush resulted in the death of two U.S. service members and an American interpreter.

More than 50 ISIS terrorists have been killed or captured and over 100 ISIS infrastructure targets have been struck with hundreds of precision munitions during two months of targeted operations.

U.S. forces continue strikes on ISIS targets in Syria

KANSAS CITY —A Missouri inmate has been charged &nbsp;in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred at an apartment complex in 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2807/HillDemetrius-Warrant-Packet-1">Demetrius S. Hill</a>&nbsp;, 27, faces one count of 2nd Degree Murder, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

According to court records, Kansas City police responded to a shooting at an apartment complex parking lot on August 9, 2019, and located the victim in the driver’s seat of a gray Dodge Durango suffering from apparent trauma. He was declared deceased at the scene.

Surveillance video captured a suspect wearing a red shirt over his head arriving at the parking lot in a gray Ford Escape. The victim then arrived in a Dodge Durango with the defendant in the front passenger seat. The suspect with the red shirt approached the victim’s vehicle and engaged in a brief conversation. As he walked away, he turned back and fired shots at the vehicle. The defendant then exited the Durango and fled with the suspect in the red shirt in the Ford Escape.

Detectives identified both suspects based on witness reports and anonymous tips to the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline.

Investigators believe the defendant fired at the victim while inside the Durango. The defendant’s DNA matched a cigarillo collected from inside the victim’s vehicle.

The suspect with the red shirt was killed in a homicide in 2023.

Hill is currently in custody of the Missouri Department of Corrections for convictions that include unlawful use of a weapon, resisting arrest, tampering with a witness and tampering with a vehicle, according to online records.

Inmate's DNA found on cigarillo at scene of Kansas City killing

HOUSTON – A 51-year-old resident of Sedgwick County, Kansas, has been ordered to federal prison for making false, fictitious and fraudulent statements and representations to law enforcement, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Heather Worden pleaded guilty Nov. 14, 2025.U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now sentenced Worden to three months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. The court also ordered Worden to pay $210,000 in restitution.&nbsp;

At the hearing, the court heard evidence that Worden falsely accused her former spouse of illegally accessing her bank account from the International Space Station while the couple was going through a divorce. Even after an internal investigation exonerated the former spouse, Worden continued promoting the false claim to news outlets and hired a media consultant to amplify the claim. The evidence further showed Worden publicly released her former spouse’s personal information.

In July 2019, Worden alleged her estranged spouse had guessed her password and illegally accessed her bank account while deployed to the International Space Station. &nbsp;However, the investigation revealed Worden opened her bank account in April 2018, and both parties accessed it until January 2019, when Worden changed the account credentials. Investigators also determined Worden had granted her spouse access to her bank records, including login credentials, as early as 2015.&nbsp;Worden was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.The National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard D. Hanes and Brandon Fyffe prosecuted the case.

Prison for Kan. woman over false crime in space claim against NASA astronaut

ALLEN COUNTY —The Allen County Attorney has filed a charge of Battery against a former Allen County Sheriff’s Office civilian employee Stephanie Vest, according to a media release from the Allen County Sheriff.

On December 17, the Allen County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) for assistance regarding allegations of misconduct toward an inmate made against a Sheriff’s Office employee. 

 The KBI conducted an investigation and presented its findings to Allen County Attorney Brandon Cameron, who then filed the charge in Allen County District Court.

The alleged incident(s) occurred in 2024 and 2025 at the Allen County Jail, where Vest was a civilian employee.  She was placed on administrative leave while the investigation was conducted and was later terminated.

Kan. sheriff's office employee charged with misconduct toward inmate

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/kaitlyn-huamani">KAITLYN HUAMANI</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/barbara-ortutay">BARBARA ORTUTAY</a>

LOS ANGELES (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-mark-zuckerberg-richard-blumenthal-facebook-c242e1cd4ded5f09a6830eb232f2d8a3">Adam Mosseri</a>, the head of Meta’s Instagram, testified Wednesday during a landmark social media trial in Los Angeles that he disagrees with the idea that people can be clinically addicted to social media platforms.

The question of addiction is a key pillar of the case, where plaintiffs seek to hold social media companies responsible for harms to children who use their platforms. Meta Platforms and Google’s YouTube are the two remaining defendants in the case, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-trial-kids-addiction-meta-tiktok-youtube-d3a6bf617f2d11521675412ffb275031">TikTok and Snap have settled.</a>

At the core of the Los Angeles case is a 20-year-old identified only by the initials “KGM,” whose lawsuit could determine how thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies would play out. She and two other plaintiffs have been selected for bellwether trials — essentially test cases for both sides to see how their arguments play out before a jury.

Mosseri, who’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-90e00b307301468e9349a6642d68dc21">headed Instagram since 2018</a>&nbsp;said it’s important to differentiate between clinical addiction and what he called problematic use. The plaintiff’s lawyer, however, presented quotes directly from Mosseri in a podcast interview a few years ago where he used the term addiction in relation to social media use, but he clarified that he was probably using the term “too casually,” as people tend to do.

Mosseri said he was not claiming to be a medical expert when questioned about his qualifications to comment on the legitimacy of social media addiction, but said someone “very close” to him has experienced serious clinical addiction, which is why he said he was “being careful with my words.”

He said he and his colleagues use the term “problematic use” to refer to “someone spending more time on Instagram than they feel good about, and that definitely happens.”

It’s “not good for the company, over the long run, to make decisions that profit for us but are poor for people’s well-being,” Mosseri said.

Mosseri and the plaintiff’s lawyer, Mark Lanier, engaged in a lengthy back-and-forth about cosmetic filters on Instagram that changed people’s appearance in a way that seemed to promote plastic surgery.

“We are trying to be as safe as possible but also censor as little as possible,” Mosseri said.

In the courtroom, bereaved parents of children who have had social media struggles seemed visibly upset during a discussion around body dysmorphia and cosmetic filters. Meta shut down all&nbsp;<a href="https://spark.meta.com/blog/meta-spark-announcement" target="_blank">third-party augmented reality filters</a>&nbsp;in January 2025. The judge made an announcement to members of the public on Wednesday after the displays of emotion, reminding them not to make any indication of agreement or disagreement with testimony, saying that it would be “improper to indicate some position.”

During cross examination, Mosseri and Meta lawyer Phyllis Jones tried to reframe the idea that Lanier was suggesting in his questioning that the company is looking to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-meta-instagram-revenue-teens-harvard-cc9bf875d6f7259ba2aee8805ccdaf3d">profit off of teens</a>&nbsp;specifically.

Mosseri said Instagram makes “less money from teens than from any other demographic on the app,” noting that teens don’t tend to click on ads and many don’t have disposable income that they spend on products from ads they receive. During his opportunity to question Mosseri for a second time, Lanier was quick to point to research that shows people who join social media platforms at a young age are more likely to stay on the platforms longer, which he said makes teen users prime for meaningful long-term profit.

“Often people try to frame things as you either prioritize safety or you prioritize revenue,” Mosseri said. “It’s really hard to imagine any instance where prioritizing safety isn’t good for revenue.”

Meta CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mark-zuckerberg">Mark Zuckerberg</a>&nbsp;is expected to take the stand next week.

In recent years, Instagram has added a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/instagram-teens-kids-pg13-safety-f3001b877a0b576be3e5723a5acd0ff1">slew of features</a>&nbsp;and tools it says have made the platform safer for young people. But this does not always work. A&nbsp;<a href="https://fairplayforkids.org/instagram-teen-accounts-fail-to-protect-children-safety-tools-testing-reveals/" target="_blank">report last year</a>, for instance, found that teen accounts researchers created were recommended age-inappropriate sexual content, including “graphic sexual descriptions, the use of cartoons to describe demeaning sexual acts, and brief displays of nudity.”

In addition, Instagram also recommended a “range of self-harm, self-injury, and body image content” on teen accounts that the report says “would be reasonably likely to result in adverse impacts for young people, including teenagers experiencing poor mental health, or self-harm and suicidal ideation and behaviors.” Meta called the report “misleading, dangerously speculative” and said it misrepresents its efforts on teen safety.

Meta is also facing a separate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/meta-new-mexico-child-exploitation-trial-19195fc680dba782fb971d68082e11a4">trial in New Mexico</a>&nbsp;that began this week.

Instagram chief does not believe people can get clinically addicted to social media

PAWNEE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 2a.m. Saturday in Pawnee County&nbsp;

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Chrysler 300 driven by Jon Myles Woelk&nbsp; Blakely, 36, Rozell, was westbound on K156 Highway three miles west of the U.S. 183 Junction. The car traveled off the roadway to the left and the driver corrected.&nbsp; The vehicle returned to the road and rolled into the ditch.

&nbsp;Blakely was pronoumced dead at the scene and was transported to Beckwith Mortuary. He was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after car rolls into a ditch

An Arizona sheriff's department got more than 4,000 calls within 24 hours after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-mom-missing-arizona-b765fed6b9669441383b75860263ac99">release of videos</a>&nbsp;of a masked person on Nancy Guthrie's porch. Many tips will be worthless. Others could have merit. Experts say one thing's certain: They can't be ignored.

Tips can solve crimes — big or small — and eerie images of a mysterious male covered head to toe have been the most significant clues shared with the public during Guthrie's nearly 2-week-old disappearance in the Tucson area.

“It's a tremendous amount of work,” said Roberto Villaseñor, a former Tucson police chief.

“In a situation like this, you really cannot do what's been done without tips and public input,” he said. “They have processed the scene. But once that’s done and exhausted, it's hard to move forward without additional information coming in.”

The Pima County sheriff and the FBI announced&nbsp;<a href="https://pimasheriff.org/">phone numbers</a>&nbsp;and a&nbsp;<a href="https://tips.fbi.gov/home">website</a>&nbsp;to offer tips about the apparent kidnapping of Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC “Today” co-anchor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/savannah-guthrie">Savannah Guthrie</a>. Several hundred detectives and agents have been assigned to the case, the sheriff's department said.

The FBI said it has collected more than 13,000 tips since Feb. 1, the day Guthrie was reported missing. The sheriff's department, meanwhile, said it has taken at least 18,000 calls.

"Every tip is reviewed for credibility, relevance, and information that can be acted upon by law enforcement," the FBI said Thursday on X, adding that the effort is a 24-hour operation. It said it won't comment on the tips received.

Meanwhile, many people stopped Friday at KVOA-TV in Tucson, an NBC affiliate, to sign a large outdoor banner with a photo of Nancy Guthrie and the message “Bring her home.”

“They're like family, you know,” said Sandy Bryant, referring to her yearslong enjoyment of the “Today” show and the Guthrie family's local ties. “It's painful. It's scary, very scary.”

Major U.S. crimes for years have been cracked with a tip. In 1995, the brother and sister-in-law of Ted Kaczynski recognized certain tones in an anonymous, widely published anti-technology manifesto. Known by the FBI as the “Unabomber,” Kaczynski was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ted-kaczynski-unabomber-dies-federal-prison-95fdd4f398fbfe20aaadf5d53a91dc26">found living in a shack</a>&nbsp;in Montana and subsequently admitted to committing 16 bombings over 17 years, killing three people.

The 1989 murders of an Ohio woman and two teen daughters in Florida were solved three years later when St. Petersburg police asked the public if they recognized handwriting found in the victims' car. A former neighbor led investigators to Oba Chandler.

Retired Detroit homicide investigator Ira Todd recalled how images from a gas station camera solved the disappearance and death of a 3-month-old baby — and stopped authorities from pursuing the wrong person in 2001. “A niece of this guy saw it on TV and says, ‘That’s my uncle,’” he said.

The murders of four University of Idaho students in 2022 generated nearly 40,000 tips to state and federal authorities. None had a direct role in the capture of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bryan-kohberger">Bryan Kohberger</a>, but the public's involvement nonetheless was “absolutely” important, said Lt. Darren Gilbertson of the Idaho State Police.

“That's one of the things that kept us going for weeks,” he said, while authorities awaited DNA and other evidence.

Gilbertson said much of the early vetting in the Idaho murders was done by the FBI. He said agents and analysts who were screening tips had a good grasp of what information could be spiked and what should be handed up to key investigators. Some tips arrived by regular mail.

“Aliens to bears to crazy conspiratorial ideas — don't even pass that along,” Gilbertson said.

Nancy Guthrie was last seen Jan. 31 and was reported missing the following day. Hours before her family knew she was gone, a porch camera recorded video of a person with a backpack who was wearing a ski mask, long pants, jacket and gloves — images that were released by the FBI along with a public plea for help.

The FBI on Thursday said the person, now a suspect, is a man about 5 feet, 9 inches tall with a medium build. The agency also named the brand and model of the backpack.

Neighborhood resident Laura Gargano said she's tried to be helpful. She recommended that authorities look at an underground tank at Guthrie’s home, which was checked last weekend. She also told them that a rental house, not typical for the neighborhood, had recently been vacated.

“I noticed the cars were gone,” she told The Associated Press. “It could have been nothing, it could have been coincidental, but it was a change.”

The sheriff's department has not said whether any tips from the videos have advanced the investigation.

“I'm hopeful,” said Villaseñor, the former Tucson chief. “I have seen cases where simpler and less detailed information has helped bring somebody about. Maybe someone recognizes clothing, maybe the bag. You never know what someone will key on.”

Anyone with information: (800) 225-5324; (520) 351-4900;&nbsp;<a href="https://t.co/8PjMoU17mh">http://tips.fbi.gov</a>

Sorting through tips in cases like the Nancy Guthrie mystery

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/alex-veiga">ALEX VEIGA</a> Associated Press

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell sharply in January as higher home prices and possibly harsh winter weather kept many prospective homebuyers on the sidelines despite easing mortgage rates.

Existing home sales sank 8.4% last month from December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.91 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. That’s the biggest monthly decline in nearly four years and the slowest annualized sales pace in more than two years.

Sales fell 4.4% compared with January last year. The latest sales figure fell short of the 4.105 million pace economists were expecting, according to FactSet.

“The decrease in sales is disappointing,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. “The below-normal temperatures and above-normal precipitation this January make it harder than usual to assess the underlying driver of the decrease and determine if this month’s numbers are an aberration.”

Home sales slowed sharply across the Northeast, Midwest, South and West. But sales had their biggest annual and monthly drop in the West, which wasn’t as affected by last month’s winter storm as the other regions of the country. Plus, there’s usually a month or two lag between a contract signing and when the sale is finalized, so many of January’s sales reflect contracts signed late last year.

Despite the sharp drop in sales, home prices continued to climb last month. The national median sales price increased 0.9% in January from a year earlier to $396,800. Home prices have risen on an annual basis for 31 months in a row.

The U.S. housing market has been in a sales slump dating back to 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. The combination of higher mortgage rates, years of skyrocketing home prices and a chronic shortage of homes nationally following more than a decade of below-average home construction have left many aspiring homeowners priced out of the market.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-home-sales-real-estate-home-prices-d14d4f80bb90d6031292d1f0c377d708">Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes remained stuck last year at 30-year lows.</a>

Sales have been hovering close to a 4-million annual pace now going back to 2023. That’s well short of the 5.2-million annual pace that’s historically been the norm.

Still, mortgage rates have been trending lower for months, which helped give home sales a boost in December and brightened the outlook for the upcoming spring home-buying season — at least for home shoppers who can afford to buy at current rates.

Many of the homes purchased last month likely went under contract in November and December, when mortgage rates eased to their lowest levels of the year.

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage briefly dropped last month to 6.06%, the lowest level since September 2022, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. It has since inched higher, remaining this week at just&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-8078c72e225e45b9298e0bf3e0d2236f">above 6%</a>, but close to a percentage point lower than a year ago.

Even so, affordability remains a challenge for many aspiring homeowners, especially first-time buyers who don’t have equity from an existing home to put toward a new home purchase. They accounted for 31% of homes sales last month. Historically, they made up 40% of home sales.

“Today we have minimal foreclosures, housing wealth continues to build out, it’s just that renters who want to become homeowners are finding difficulty,” Yun said.

Uncertainty over the job market is also likely keeping many would-be buyers on the sidelines.

While the economy has been registering solid growth, the labor market has been sluggish for months.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-labor-economy-ai-layoffs-1304701fb238015de750a931c4175579">U.S. job openings fell in December</a>&nbsp;to the lowest level in more than five years. And while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-economy-unemployment-labor-c760d3f86988833bc9ccb3936d44d61b">hiring by U.S. employers was surprisingly strong in January,</a>&nbsp;government revisions reduced the number of jobs created last year to the weakest total since 2020, when the pandemic began.

The sales slowdown means more homes are staying on the market longer.

There were 1.22 million unsold homes at the end of January, down 0.8% from December and up 3.4% from January last year, NAR said. That’s still well short of the roughly 2 million homes for sale that was typical before the COVID-19 pandemic.

January’s month-end inventory translates to a 3.7-month supply at the current sales pace. Traditionally, a 5- to 6-month supply is considered a balanced market between buyers and sellers.

More homes traditionally go on the market ahead of the spring home-buying season, which could give prospective buyers a wider selection.

“Buyers will find a more favorable market as we head into spring,” said Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist at Bright MLS. “More inventory, lower rates and slower price growth will give buyers more room for negotiation.”

Why US homes sales fell sharply in January

HOUSTON (AP) — Emanuel Sharp had 23 points and six rebounds as No. 3 Houston rallied from an early deficit to beat Kansas State 78-64 on Saturday for the Cougars’ sixth straight win.

Sharp scored 14 points on 4 of 10 shooting in the first half as Houston (23-2, 11-1 Big 12) built a 33-19 halftime lead.

Milos Uzan added 12 points and eight assists, and Kingston Flemings finished with 12 points and seven rebounds for the Cougars, which won their 18th straight at home.

P.J. Haggerty scored 23 points to lead Kansas State (10-15, 1-11). Haggerty surpassed 2,000 points in his collegiate career in the first half, becoming the fifth current Division I player to achieve the milestone.

Nate Johnson had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Taj Manning added 10 points for Kansas State. The Wildcats shot 35% from the field, 8 of 26 (31%) from 3-point range, and made 16 of 25 (64%) from the free-throw line.

The Wildcats raced to a 15-6 lead about 8 ½ minutes into the game on a 3-pointer by Haggerty, but Houston responded to finish the half on a 27-4 run. Sharp had nine points and Uzan added seven points in the spurt. Kansas State shot 1 for 15 from the floor to end the half.

Kansas State got no closer than 10 points in the second half.

The Wildcats have lost six consecutive games overall and have lost six straight on the road. Kansas State dropped to 0-6 against ranked teams this season.

Houston: Plays Monday at No. 5 Iowa State, the first of three straight games against Top-10 opponents.

🏀 Sharp scores 23 as Houston downs Kansas State 

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Milan Momcilovic scored 18 points and No. 5 Iowa State shook off a slow start to defeat No. 9 Kansas 74-56 on Saturday, snapping the Jayhawks’ eight-game winning streak.

The Cyclones (22-3, 9-3 Big 12), coming off Tuesday’s 62-55 loss at TCU, began a five-game stretch in which they play four ranked teams by taking control of this game in the first half despite struggling to make shots in the opening minutes.

Iowa State led 37-27 at halftime, then went on a 20-7 run in the opening 5 1/2 minutes of the second half, a stretch in which the Cyclones made six consecutive 3-pointers.

Their defense held Kansas (19-6, 9-3) to 31.6% shooting from the field in the second half, including 1 of 8 in 3-pointers. The Jayhawks shot 37.3% for the game while committing 13 turnovers, 10 in the first half.

Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson, Blake Buchanan and Jamarion Bateman each had 11 points for Iowa State.

Melvin Council Jr. led the Jayhawks with 15 points. Flory Bidunga had 11.

Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson started after missing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-kansas-t25-score-f9889466ae45491d08e069cb241100f3">Monday’s 82-78 win over top-ranked Arizona</a>. He had 10 points in 24 minutes.

Kansas’ winning streak started with an 84-63 victory over Iowa State on Jan. 13 and included wins over BYU, Texas Tech and Arizona.

The Cyclones made just one of their first 10 shots to open the game but because of their defense were down only 6-2 in that stretch. Once the offense got going, Iowa State went on a 20-2 run over a span of five minutes later in the first half to take a 36-22 lead with 1:37 to play.

Saturday’s game was the seventh top-10 game in the series between the Cyclones and Jayhawks, with the teams splitting the previous six.

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