MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating five suspects on multiple drug allegations after a drug bust in southeast Kansas.

On January 17, sheriff's deputies executed a narcotics search warrant at a home located at 630 E. 9th Street in Cherryvale, Kansas, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Ron Wade.

Deputies made contact with the homeowner, identified as 37-year-old Rae Rash, and conducted a search of the residence. During the search, deputies located five additional individuals inside the residence, including one juvenile. All individuals were detained while the search was conducted.

As a result of the search, deputies located and seized approximately 172 grams of suspected methamphetamine, 280 grams of suspected marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.

The following adult subjects were taken into custody and transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections, where they were booked on the listed charges:

Rae Rash is being held on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, Distribution of methamphetamine,&nbsp;&nbsp;Distribution of marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Aggravated endangering a child

Jeffrey Mayberry, Cherryvale, is being held on requested charges of Aggravated endangering a child, Possession of marijuana and Interference with a law enforcement officer.

Clayton Harper, Cherryvale, is being held on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, Distribution of methamphetamine, Distribution of marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school,&nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravated endangering a child, Interference with a law enforcement officer and Possession of drug paraphernalia

Brandy Barnett is jailed on requested charges of Cherryvale on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, Distribution of marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school, Aggravated endangering a child , Interference with a law enforcement officer and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

Brandi Welch of Cherryvale, is being held on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school,&nbsp; Distribution of methamphetamine,&nbsp; Distribution of marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Aggravated endangering a child.

The juvenile located inside the residence was taken into protective custody for their safety.

Sheriff Ron Wade stated, “Drug distribution, especially in close proximity to schools and involving children, will not be tolerated in Montgomery County. Our deputies will continue to work diligently to protect our communities and ensure the safety of our children.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768961029824.png" alt="Welch-photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Welch-photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating five suspects on multiple drug allegations after a drug bust in southeast Kansas.On January 17, sheriff's deputies executed a narcotics search warrant at a home located at 630 E. 9th Street in Cherryvale, Kansas, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Ron Wade.Deputies made contact with the homeowner, identified as 37-year-old Rae Rash, and conducted a search of the residence. During the search, deputies located five additional individuals inside the residence, including one juvenile. All individuals were detained while the search was conducted.As a result of the search, deputies located and seized approximately 172 grams of suspected methamphetamine, 280 grams of suspected marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.The following adult subjects were taken into custody and transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections, where they were booked on the listed charges:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768960992542.png" alt="Rash photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Rash photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>Rae Rash is being held on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, Distribution of methamphetamine,&nbsp;&nbsp;Distribution of marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Aggravated endangering a child<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768961172607.png" alt="Mayberry photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Mayberry photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>Jeffrey Mayberry, Cherryvale, is being held on requested charges of Aggravated endangering a child, Possession of marijuana and Interference with a law enforcement officer.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768961126724.png" alt="Harper photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Harper photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>Clayton Harper, Cherryvale, is being held on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, Distribution of methamphetamine, Distribution of marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school,&nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravated endangering a child, Interference with a law enforcement officer and Possession of drug paraphernalia<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768961071258.png" alt="Barnett-photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Barnett-photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>Brandy Barnett is jailed on requested charges of Cherryvale on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, Distribution of marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school, Aggravated endangering a child , Interference with a law enforcement officer and Possession of drug paraphernalia.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768961029824.png" alt="Welch-photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Welch-photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>Brandi Welch of Cherryvale, is being held on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school,&nbsp; Distribution of methamphetamine,&nbsp; Distribution of marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Aggravated endangering a child.The juvenile located inside the residence was taken into protective custody for their safety.Sheriff Ron Wade stated, “Drug distribution, especially in close proximity to schools and involving children, will not be tolerated in Montgomery County. Our deputies will continue to work diligently to protect our communities and ensure the safety of our children.”

Sheriff: Suspects were selling drugs from Kan. home where children lived

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — A former police officer was acquitted Wednesday evening of charges he failed in his duties to confront the gunman at an Uvalde, Texas, elementary school during the critical opening minutes of what would become one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history.

Jurors deliberated for more than seven hours before finding former Uvalde schools police officer Adrian Gonzalez, 52, not guilty in the first trial over the hesitant law enforcement response to the attack that killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022.

Flanked by his lawyers, Gonzales appeared to be fighting back tears after the verdict was read out in court.

The trial was a rare case in the U.S. of an officer facing criminal charges on accusations of failing to stop a crime and protect lives. Gonzales had faced the possiblity of up to two years in prison if he had been convicted.

The nearly three-week trial included emotional testimony from teachers who were shot and survived. Prosecutors had argued in laying out their case that Gonzales abandoned his training and did nothing to stop or interrupt the teenage gunman before he entered the school.

At least 370 law enforcement officers ultimately rushed to the school, where 77 minutes passed before a tactical team finally entered the classroom to confront and kill the gunman. Gonzales was one of just two officers indicted, angering some victim’s families who had said they wanted more officers held accountable for the law enforcement response.

Gonzales had been charged with 29 counts of child abandonment and endangerment — each count representing the 19 students who were killed and 10 others who were injured.

During the trial, jurors heard a medical examiner describe the fatal wounds to the children, some of whom were shot more than a dozen times. Several parents of victims described sending their children to school for an awards ceremony and the panic that ensued as the attack unfolded.

Gonzales’ lawyers argued he arrived upon a chaotic scene of rifle shots echoing on school grounds and never saw the gunman before the attacker went inside the school. They also insisted that three other officers who arrived seconds later had a better chance to stop the gunman.

They argued to jurors that Gonzales risked his life when he joined a group of five officers who tried to reach the classroom before they were driven back by rifle fire. Defense attorneys also said Gonzales helped evacuate children from other classrooms before the gunman was killed.

Gonzales and former Uvalde schools Police Chief Pete Arredondo are the only two responding officers that day to face charges. Arredondo’s trial has not yet been set.

Gonzales’ trial was tightly focused on his actions in the early moments of the attack, but prosecutors also presented the graphic and emotional testimony as the result of police failures.

State and federal reviews of the shooting cited&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-justice-department-report-police-16b59efa5c5015d685d917c3f0f26256">cascading problems</a>&nbsp;in law enforcement training, communication, leadership and technology, and questioned why officers waited so long.

Prosecutors faced a high bar to win a conviction. Juries are often reluctant to convict law enforcement officers for inaction, as seen after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/parkland-florida-school-shooting">Parkland, Florida, school massacre in 2018</a>. A sheriff’s deputy was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/parkland-florida-school-shooting-deputy-91dfe6054944fa3a8399ee18f05d2171">acquitted by a jury</a>&nbsp;after being charged with failing to confront the shooter in that attack — the first such prosecution in the U.S. for an on-campus shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705598723648.png" alt="Photo U.S. Department of Justice" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Department of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — A former police officer was acquitted Wednesday evening of charges he failed in his duties to confront the gunman at an Uvalde, Texas, elementary school during the critical opening minutes of what would become one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history.Jurors deliberated for more than seven hours before finding former Uvalde schools police officer Adrian Gonzalez, 52, not guilty in the first trial over the hesitant law enforcement response to the attack that killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022.Flanked by his lawyers, Gonzales appeared to be fighting back tears after the verdict was read out in court.The trial was a rare case in the U.S. of an officer facing criminal charges on accusations of failing to stop a crime and protect lives. Gonzales had faced the possiblity of up to two years in prison if he had been convicted.The nearly three-week trial included emotional testimony from teachers who were shot and survived. Prosecutors had argued in laying out their case that Gonzales abandoned his training and did nothing to stop or interrupt the teenage gunman before he entered the school.At least 370 law enforcement officers ultimately rushed to the school, where 77 minutes passed before a tactical team finally entered the classroom to confront and kill the gunman. Gonzales was one of just two officers indicted, angering some victim’s families who had said they wanted more officers held accountable for the law enforcement response.Gonzales had been charged with 29 counts of child abandonment and endangerment — each count representing the 19 students who were killed and 10 others who were injured.During the trial, jurors heard a medical examiner describe the fatal wounds to the children, some of whom were shot more than a dozen times. Several parents of victims described sending their children to school for an awards ceremony and the panic that ensued as the attack unfolded.Gonzales’ lawyers argued he arrived upon a chaotic scene of rifle shots echoing on school grounds and never saw the gunman before the attacker went inside the school. They also insisted that three other officers who arrived seconds later had a better chance to stop the gunman.They argued to jurors that Gonzales risked his life when he joined a group of five officers who tried to reach the classroom before they were driven back by rifle fire. Defense attorneys also said Gonzales helped evacuate children from other classrooms before the gunman was killed.Gonzales and former Uvalde schools Police Chief Pete Arredondo are the only two responding officers that day to face charges. Arredondo’s trial has not yet been set.Gonzales’ trial was tightly focused on his actions in the early moments of the attack, but prosecutors also presented the graphic and emotional testimony as the result of police failures.State and federal reviews of the shooting cited&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-justice-department-report-police-16b59efa5c5015d685d917c3f0f26256">cascading problems</a>&nbsp;in law enforcement training, communication, leadership and technology, and questioned why officers waited so long.Prosecutors faced a high bar to win a conviction. Juries are often reluctant to convict law enforcement officers for inaction, as seen after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/parkland-florida-school-shooting">Parkland, Florida, school massacre in 2018</a>. A sheriff’s deputy was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/parkland-florida-school-shooting-deputy-91dfe6054944fa3a8399ee18f05d2171">acquitted by a jury</a>&nbsp;after being charged with failing to confront the shooter in that attack — the first such prosecution in the U.S. for an on-campus shooting.

Jury acquits officer of charges he failed duty to confront gunman in school shooting

ATCHISON COUNTY—A suspect wanted following an investigation by police and the KBI in June is in custody facing additional allegaions.

Shortly before 7p.m. on Tuesday an officer on patrol observed a vehicle being driven by Robert ‘Jamie’ Ford who the officer knew was wanted on outstanding warrants, according to Atchison Police Chef Mike Wilson.

The officer stopped the vehicle in the 600 block North 11th Street in Atchison where Ford was taken into custody on two District Court warrants and new traffic charges. 

He was subsequently found to be in possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia. The District Court warrant charging him with possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia is in connection to a June 2025 Atchison Police/Kansas Bureau of Investigation joint investigation. Ford was taken to the County Jail.

He is being held on requested charges that include possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while suspended, no vehicle insurance, expired tag, transporting an open container and District Court warrants charging him with possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while suspended, and probation violation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769010357891.png" alt="Ford photo Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>Ford photo Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—A suspect wanted following an investigation by police and the KBI in June is in custody facing additional allegaions.Shortly before 7p.m. on Tuesday an officer on patrol observed a vehicle being driven by Robert ‘Jamie’ Ford who the officer knew was wanted on outstanding warrants, according to Atchison Police Chef Mike Wilson.The officer stopped the vehicle in the 600 block North 11th Street in Atchison where Ford was taken into custody on two District Court warrants and new traffic charges. He was subsequently found to be in possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia. The District Court warrant charging him with possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia is in connection to a June 2025 Atchison Police/Kansas Bureau of Investigation joint investigation. Ford was taken to the County Jail.He is being held on requested charges that include possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while suspended, no vehicle insurance, expired tag, transporting an open container and District Court warrants charging him with possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while suspended, and probation violation.

Wanted Kansas suspect was in possession of cocaine

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/josh-boak">JOSH BOAK</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/will-weissert">WILL WEISSERT</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/aamer-madhani">AAMER MADHANI</a>

DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;announced Wednesday that he was canceling his planned tariff on U.S. allies in Europe over US control of Greenland after he and the leader of NATO agreed to a ‘framework of a future deal’ on Arctic security.

The abrupt about-face emerged hours after Trump had insisted that he wants to “get Greenland, including right, title and ownership,” but said he would not use force to do so while deriding European allies and vowing that NATO should not try to block U.S. expansionism.

In an extraordinary speech at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/world-economic-forum">the World Economic Forum</a>, the president said he was asking for territory that was “cold and poorly located.” He said the U.S. had effectively saved Europe during World War II and even declared of NATO: “It’s a very small ask compared to what we have given them for many, many decades.”

“We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be frankly unstoppable. But I won’t do that, OK?” Trump said, later adding, “I don’t have to” and “I don’t want to use force.”

Trump often tries to increase pressure on the other side when he believes it can lead to a favorable deal, and he seemed happy to do so ahead of the forum in Davos.

The implications of his remarks were enormous, potentially rupturing an alliance that has held firm since the dawn of the Cold War and seemed among the globe’s most unshakable pacts.

NATO was founded by leading European nations, the U.S. and Canada to form a bloc to counter the Soviet Union. Its other members have been steadfast in saying Greenland is not for sale and cannot be wrested from Denmark, meaning Trump’s comments could yet mark the beginning of a larger geopolitical standoff.

The president has long said the U.S. will get control of Greenland no matter what it takes, arguing that Washington needs the world’s largest island to counter threats in the surrounding Arctic Ocean from Russia and China. That’s despite America already having a large military base there.

A Danish government official told The Associated Press after Trump’s speech that Copenhagen is ready to discuss U.S. security concerns. But the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, underscored the government’s position that “red lines”— namely Denmark’s sovereignty — must be respected.

Greenland’s government responded by telling its citizens to be prepared. It has published a handbook in English and Greenlandic on what to do in a crisis that urges residents to ensure they have sufficient food, water, fuel and supplies at home to survive for five days.

“We just went to the grocery store and bought the supplies,” said Tony Jakobsen in Greenland’s capital Nuuk said, showing off the contents of bags that included candles, snacks and toilet paper.

Jakobsen said he thought Trump’s rhetoric towards Greenland was “just threats... but it’s better to be ready than not ready.”

Trump, meanwhile, urged Denmark and the rest of NATO to stand aside, adding an ominous warning.

“We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won’t give it,” Trump said. “You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no, and we will remember.”

He also called for opening “immediate negotiations” for the U.S. to acquire Greenland. In subsequent comments to reporters, he declined to name a price that might be paid, saying only, “There’s a bigger price, and that’s the price of safety and security and national security and international security.”

Trump suggests Europe is fizzling while U.S. booms

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said he was encouraged by Trump’s comment about not using U.S. military force but called other parts of the speech “a way of thinking about territorial integrity that does not match the institutions we have.”

“Greenland is part of NATO. Denmark is part of NATO, and we can exercise our sovereignty in Greenland,” Løkke Rasmussen said.

In his remarks, Trump also argued that the U.S. is booming and its economy is strong, in sharp contrast to Europe.

“I want to see Europe go good, but it’s not heading in the right direction,” said Trump, who also noted, “We want strong allies, not seriously weakened ones.” He said of European economies, “You all follow us down, and you follow us up.”

His arrival was delayed after a minor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-air-force-one-electrical-issue-c3044b52b792a8c12f6211718d94f8fe">electrical problem on Air Force One</a>&nbsp;forced a return to Washington to switch aircraft. As Trump’s motorcade headed down a narrow road to the speech site, onlookers — including some skiers — lined the route. Some made obscene gestures, and one held up a paper cursing the president.

Billionaires and top executives packed inside the forum’s Congress Hall, which held around 1,000, for Trump’s keynote address. The space was filled to standing room only. Attendees used headsets to listen in six languages besides English, and the reaction was mostly polite applause.

Afterward, Trump met with the leaders of Poland, Belgium and Egypt and again repeated that the U.S. would not be invading Greenland.

“Military is not on the table,” Trump said, suggesting that the parties involved would use better judgment.

Potentially deepening the crisis are Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denmark-greenland-us-trump-4ad99ea3975a8b62d37bd04961feda55">threats to impose steep U.S. import taxes on Denmark and seven other allies</a>&nbsp;unless they negotiate a transfer of the semi-autonomous territory — some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greenland-denmark-us-trump-eu-tariffs-4e63efa690604004c69fc89a7c14e7c2">European say they won’t do</a>.

Trump said the tariffs would start at 10% next month and climb to 25% in June.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed during his weekly questioning in the House of Commons, “Britain will not yield on our principles and values about the future of Greenland under threats of tariffs, and that is my clear position.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that should Trump move forward with the tariffs, the bloc’s response “will be unflinching, united and proportional.”

Experts and economists are warning that Trump’s Greenland tariff threat could disrupt the U.S. economy if it blows up the trade truce reached last summer between the U.S. and the EU. But the U.S. stock market largely recovered on Wednesday from its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-trump-greenland-inflation-58a6fed13a1e04afd57f0a22a2c9cfb0">worst day since October</a>&nbsp;after Trump’s talk of Greenland-related tariffs spooked investors.

Trump’s was supposed to focus on how to lower U.S. housing prices — part of a larger effort to bring down the cost of living, which could prove a liability for the president’s party of November’s midterm elections.

Greenland instead carried the day, with Trump lashing out at Denmark for being “ungrateful” for the U.S. protection of the Arctic island during the Second World War. He also mistakenly referred to Iceland, mixing up that country with Greenland four times during his speech and for the fifth time since Tuesday.

“This enormous unsecured island is actually part of North America,” Trump said. “That’s our territory.”

When he finally did mention housing in his speech, Trump suggested he did not support a measure to encourage affordability. He said bringing down rising home prices hurts property values and makes homeowners who once felt wealthy because of the equity in their houses feel poorer.

‘You have to be prepared for almost anything’

In Nuuk, resident Johnny Hedemann said it was “insulting” that Trump “talks about the Greenlandic people and the Greenlandic nation as just an ice cube.” He spoke while heading out to buy a camping stove and instant mashed potatoes.

“Living in this nature, you have to be prepared for almost anything. And now there’s another threat — and that’s Trump,” Hedemann said.

He added: “With this lunatic, you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. He can make things very bad for everyone.”

Weissert and Madhani reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Emma Burrows in Nuuk, Greenland, Jamey Keaten in Davos and Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769004214648.png" alt="President Trump speaking Wednesday at Davos-Photo by Margo Martin, Special Assistant to the President" />
 <figcaption>President Trump speaking Wednesday at Davos-Photo by Margo Martin, Special Assistant to the President</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/josh-boak">JOSH BOAK</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/will-weissert">WILL WEISSERT</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/aamer-madhani">AAMER MADHANI</a>DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;announced Wednesday that he was canceling his planned tariff on U.S. allies in Europe over US control of Greenland after he and the leader of NATO agreed to a ‘framework of a future deal’ on Arctic security.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on Greenland: &quot;The deal is going to be put out pretty soon... it gets us everything we needed to get.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/S3X95XCm1S">pic.twitter.com/S3X95XCm1S</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2014069502615466111?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 <a href="https://t.co/3FM8el4RAe">pic.twitter.com/3FM8el4RAe</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2014057541215408154?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on Greenland: &quot;Well, we have a concept of a deal. I think it’s going to be a very good deal for the United States, also for them, and we&#39;re going to work together on something having to do with the arctic as a whole... it has to do with the security — great security.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/hpCQNmcAjV">pic.twitter.com/hpCQNmcAjV</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2014071312797278380?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The abrupt about-face emerged hours after Trump had insisted that he wants to “get Greenland, including right, title and ownership,” but said he would not use force to do so while deriding European allies and vowing that NATO should not try to block U.S. expansionism.In an extraordinary speech at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/world-economic-forum">the World Economic Forum</a>, the president said he was asking for territory that was “cold and poorly located.” He said the U.S. had effectively saved Europe during World War II and even declared of NATO: “It’s a very small ask compared to what we have given them for many, many decades.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Red carpet arrival for President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> in Davos! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/YB2iph2C6m">pic.twitter.com/YB2iph2C6m</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2013962623658713373?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Governor Gavin Newsom reacts to President Trump&#39;s remarks on California at World Economic Forum. <a href="https://t.co/DiVtb5qH8r">pic.twitter.com/DiVtb5qH8r</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2013988263174836698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be frankly unstoppable. But I won’t do that, OK?” Trump said, later adding, “I don’t have to” and “I don’t want to use force.”Trump often tries to increase pressure on the other side when he believes it can lead to a favorable deal, and he seemed happy to do so ahead of the forum in Davos.The implications of his remarks were enormous, potentially rupturing an alliance that has held firm since the dawn of the Cold War and seemed among the globe’s most unshakable pacts.NATO was founded by leading European nations, the U.S. and Canada to form a bloc to counter the Soviet Union. Its other members have been steadfast in saying Greenland is not for sale and cannot be wrested from Denmark, meaning Trump’s comments could yet mark the beginning of a larger geopolitical standoff.The president has long said the U.S. will get control of Greenland no matter what it takes, arguing that Washington needs the world’s largest island to counter threats in the surrounding Arctic Ocean from Russia and China. That’s despite America already having a large military base there.A Danish government official told The Associated Press after Trump’s speech that Copenhagen is ready to discuss U.S. security concerns. But the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, underscored the government’s position that “red lines”— namely Denmark’s sovereignty — must be respected.Greenland’s government responded by telling its citizens to be prepared. It has published a handbook in English and Greenlandic on what to do in a crisis that urges residents to ensure they have sufficient food, water, fuel and supplies at home to survive for five days.“We just went to the grocery store and bought the supplies,” said Tony Jakobsen in Greenland’s capital Nuuk said, showing off the contents of bags that included candles, snacks and toilet paper.Jakobsen said he thought Trump’s rhetoric towards Greenland was “just threats... but it’s better to be ready than not ready.”Trump, meanwhile, urged Denmark and the rest of NATO to stand aside, adding an ominous warning.“We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won’t give it,” Trump said. “You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no, and we will remember.”He also called for opening “immediate negotiations” for the U.S. to acquire Greenland. In subsequent comments to reporters, he declined to name a price that might be paid, saying only, “There’s a bigger price, and that’s the price of safety and security and national security and international security.”<h2>Trump suggests Europe is fizzling while U.S. booms</h2>Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said he was encouraged by Trump’s comment about not using U.S. military force but called other parts of the speech “a way of thinking about territorial integrity that does not match the institutions we have.”“Greenland is part of NATO. Denmark is part of NATO, and we can exercise our sovereignty in Greenland,” Løkke Rasmussen said.In his remarks, Trump also argued that the U.S. is booming and its economy is strong, in sharp contrast to Europe.“I want to see Europe go good, but it’s not heading in the right direction,” said Trump, who also noted, “We want strong allies, not seriously weakened ones.” He said of European economies, “You all follow us down, and you follow us up.”His arrival was delayed after a minor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-air-force-one-electrical-issue-c3044b52b792a8c12f6211718d94f8fe">electrical problem on Air Force One</a>&nbsp;forced a return to Washington to switch aircraft. As Trump’s motorcade headed down a narrow road to the speech site, onlookers — including some skiers — lined the route. Some made obscene gestures, and one held up a paper cursing the president.Billionaires and top executives packed inside the forum’s Congress Hall, which held around 1,000, for Trump’s keynote address. The space was filled to standing room only. Attendees used headsets to listen in six languages besides English, and the reaction was mostly polite applause.Afterward, Trump met with the leaders of Poland, Belgium and Egypt and again repeated that the U.S. would not be invading Greenland.“Military is not on the table,” Trump said, suggesting that the parties involved would use better judgment.<h2>Tariff threat looms large</h2>Potentially deepening the crisis are Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denmark-greenland-us-trump-4ad99ea3975a8b62d37bd04961feda55">threats to impose steep U.S. import taxes on Denmark and seven other allies</a>&nbsp;unless they negotiate a transfer of the semi-autonomous territory — some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greenland-denmark-us-trump-eu-tariffs-4e63efa690604004c69fc89a7c14e7c2">European say they won’t do</a>.Trump said the tariffs would start at 10% next month and climb to 25% in June.British Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed during his weekly questioning in the House of Commons, “Britain will not yield on our principles and values about the future of Greenland under threats of tariffs, and that is my clear position.”European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that should Trump move forward with the tariffs, the bloc’s response “will be unflinching, united and proportional.”Experts and economists are warning that Trump’s Greenland tariff threat could disrupt the U.S. economy if it blows up the trade truce reached last summer between the U.S. and the EU. But the U.S. stock market largely recovered on Wednesday from its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-trump-greenland-inflation-58a6fed13a1e04afd57f0a22a2c9cfb0">worst day since October</a>&nbsp;after Trump’s talk of Greenland-related tariffs spooked investors.<h2>Trump’s housing plan overshadowed</h2>Trump’s was supposed to focus on how to lower U.S. housing prices — part of a larger effort to bring down the cost of living, which could prove a liability for the president’s party of November’s midterm elections.Greenland instead carried the day, with Trump lashing out at Denmark for being “ungrateful” for the U.S. protection of the Arctic island during the Second World War. He also mistakenly referred to Iceland, mixing up that country with Greenland four times during his speech and for the fifth time since Tuesday.“This enormous unsecured island is actually part of North America,” Trump said. “That’s our territory.”When he finally did mention housing in his speech, Trump suggested he did not support a measure to encourage affordability. He said bringing down rising home prices hurts property values and makes homeowners who once felt wealthy because of the equity in their houses feel poorer.<h2>‘You have to be prepared for almost anything’</h2>In Nuuk, resident Johnny Hedemann said it was “insulting” that Trump “talks about the Greenlandic people and the Greenlandic nation as just an ice cube.” He spoke while heading out to buy a camping stove and instant mashed potatoes.“Living in this nature, you have to be prepared for almost anything. And now there’s another threat — and that’s Trump,” Hedemann said.He added: “With this lunatic, you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. He can make things very bad for everyone.”___Weissert and Madhani reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Emma Burrows in Nuuk, Greenland, Jamey Keaten in Davos and Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.

🎥Trump agrees to 'framework' deal on Greenland, drops tariff threat

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City and working to determine how the victim died.

Just after&nbsp;9pm Tuesday, police responded to an apartment in the 2500 block of Benton in Kansas City, Missouri, on an EMS call.

The caller saw a person in a neighboring apartment who appeared to be injured and needed medical attention. On arrival officers were led to an apartment inside the building where they located a man unresponsive with unknown injuries. Officers called for EMS who responded and rendered aid before ultimately declaring the victim deceased at the scene.

Based on the preliminary circumstances Detectives are investigating this case as a homicide. They will be working with crime scene investigators to gather evidence and canvass for any witnesses

Detectives will also work with medical examiners to determine cause and manner of death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769002460203.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City and working to determine how the victim died.Just after&nbsp;9pm Tuesday, police responded to an apartment in the 2500 block of Benton in Kansas City, Missouri, on an EMS call.The caller saw a person in a neighboring apartment who appeared to be injured and needed medical attention. On arrival officers were led to an apartment inside the building where they located a man unresponsive with unknown injuries. Officers called for EMS who responded and rendered aid before ultimately declaring the victim deceased at the scene.Based on the preliminary circumstances Detectives are investigating this case as a homicide. They will be working with crime scene investigators to gather evidence and canvass for any witnessesDetectives will also work with medical examiners to determine cause and manner of death.

Homicide: KCPD working to determine man's cause of death

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/29/kansan-returns-to-the-catholic-church-as-the-states-first-woman-priest/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Tony Mattivi, director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, described a high school wrestling coach, a paraprofessional, a speech pathologist and a bus driver who all had at least two things in common.

None was required to submit to a criminal history and background check before working in proximity to school-age children, and all were accused or convicted of criminal acts against children they worked near.

“I believe the public would be stunned to know how many people may come in contact with their child in the educational process during a school day who have not been subject to mandatory fingerprint-based criminal history and background checks,” Mattivi said at a Tuesday hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Mattivi urged approval of a bill that would require state and national fingerprint-based criminal history background checks for all employees and volunteers at public and private schools every five years. He characterized the absence of a requirement as a gap in public safety.

The Kansas State Department of Education already requires licensed teachers to undergo fingerprint-based background checks, but the bill would solidify that requirement in state law.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb246/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 246</a>&nbsp;also proposes a new fingerprinted background check requirement for other school employees and contractors, such as janitors, cooks, coaches, therapists, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, volunteers and some administrators.

Those positions, Mattivi said, sometimes have greater and more private access to students than teachers do.

Applicants would have to foot the cost of a background check, or a school district could cover it.

Nicole Maddox, information services director at the KBI, said the $57 fee for fingerprint-based background checks covers processing costs for both the KBI and the FBI.

Sen. Mike Argabright, an Olpe Republican, was concerned with turnaround time. Many school boards only meet once a month, especially in rural areas, he said, and the bill as written could create a potential time crunch for the KBI to quickly run checks so schools can onboard the appropriate staff or volunteers.

The KBI currently promises a turnaround for background checks within 7-10 business days. The current average response time, Maddox said, is 9 hours.

The bill’s requirements would apply to approximately 44,000 teachers and 32,000 non-licensed staff each year, according to a fiscal note attached to the bill. If the cost per background check remains at $57, the state education department would receive an additional $4.3 million annually.

The bill is backed by multiple state agencies, and it was introduced last February at the behest of Steven Anderson, the state’s inspector general. It had no opponents.

In a 2023&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ag.ks.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/22666/638597681756200000" target="_blank">audit</a>, Anderson recommended almost exactly what the bill proposes, cementing in state law that fingerprint-based criminal background checks be performed in a five year cycle for all school employees.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769027077083.png" alt="KBI Director Tony Mattivi appears at a press conference on Oct. 1, 2025, in Topeka, Kansas. He spoke to a legislative committee in January 2026, encouraging lawmakers to advance a bill that requires all school employees to submit to fingerprint-based background checks. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>KBI Director Tony Mattivi appears at a press conference on Oct. 1, 2025, in Topeka, Kansas. He spoke to a legislative committee in January 2026, encouraging lawmakers to advance a bill that requires all school employees to submit to fingerprint-based background checks. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/29/kansan-returns-to-the-catholic-church-as-the-states-first-woman-priest/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Tony Mattivi, director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, described a high school wrestling coach, a paraprofessional, a speech pathologist and a bus driver who all had at least two things in common.None was required to submit to a criminal history and background check before working in proximity to school-age children, and all were accused or convicted of criminal acts against children they worked near.“I believe the public would be stunned to know how many people may come in contact with their child in the educational process during a school day who have not been subject to mandatory fingerprint-based criminal history and background checks,” Mattivi said at a Tuesday hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.Mattivi urged approval of a bill that would require state and national fingerprint-based criminal history background checks for all employees and volunteers at public and private schools every five years. He characterized the absence of a requirement as a gap in public safety.The Kansas State Department of Education already requires licensed teachers to undergo fingerprint-based background checks, but the bill would solidify that requirement in state law.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb246/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 246</a>&nbsp;also proposes a new fingerprinted background check requirement for other school employees and contractors, such as janitors, cooks, coaches, therapists, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, volunteers and some administrators.Those positions, Mattivi said, sometimes have greater and more private access to students than teachers do.Applicants would have to foot the cost of a background check, or a school district could cover it.Nicole Maddox, information services director at the KBI, said the $57 fee for fingerprint-based background checks covers processing costs for both the KBI and the FBI.Sen. Mike Argabright, an Olpe Republican, was concerned with turnaround time. Many school boards only meet once a month, especially in rural areas, he said, and the bill as written could create a potential time crunch for the KBI to quickly run checks so schools can onboard the appropriate staff or volunteers.The KBI currently promises a turnaround for background checks within 7-10 business days. The current average response time, Maddox said, is 9 hours.The bill’s requirements would apply to approximately 44,000 teachers and 32,000 non-licensed staff each year, according to a fiscal note attached to the bill. If the cost per background check remains at $57, the state education department would receive an additional $4.3 million annually.The bill is backed by multiple state agencies, and it was introduced last February at the behest of Steven Anderson, the state’s inspector general. It had no opponents.In a 2023&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ag.ks.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/22666/638597681756200000" target="_blank">audit</a>, Anderson recommended almost exactly what the bill proposes, cementing in state law that fingerprint-based criminal background checks be performed in a five year cycle for all school employees.

KBI director urges mandatory background checks for school employees to fill public safety gaps

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/kelcie-moseley-morris/">Kelcie Moseley-Morris</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">Anna Spoerre</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

Two Missouri women who had abortions 50 years ago testified Tuesday to mental health effects they suffered from the procedure

KANSAS CITY — The first slate of witnesses from the Missouri Attorney General’s office in the fight to uphold statewide abortion regulations offered testimony that professionals and scientific studies have long disputed, including claims about mental health outcomes and abortion medication.&nbsp;

It’s the second week of a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/09/missouri-abortion-regulations-trial-access-trap-laws/">10-day bench trial&nbsp;</a>that will be decided by Jackson County Judge Jerri Zhang. Missouri’s Planned Parenthood affiliates, along with the ACLU of Missouri, filed the lawsuit over Missouri’s few dozen&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/12/missouri-abortion-rights-trial-focuses-on-two-decades-of-state-restrictions/">Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers, or TRAP, laws,</a>&nbsp;claiming they are now unconstitutional under the state’s reproductive rights amendment approved by voters in 2024.

Advocates say those laws made abortion almost completely inaccessible in the years leading up to 2022, when a near-total ban was implemented across the state.&nbsp;

The state constitution now prohibits the state from denying, delaying or interfering with abortion access unless it demonstrates “a compelling governmental interest achieved by the least restrictive means.”

A majority of the testimony on Tuesday focused on mental health, including two women who took the stand to talk about their own abortions more than 50 years ago.&nbsp;

Linda Raymond, who grew up in St. Louis, said she had an abortion when she was 18 after pressure from her mother, who she said was embarrassed and angry that her daughter had gotten pregnant. Raymond testified that her mother beat her when she discovered she was pregnant.

The nurse and doctors at the Planned Parenthood she went to in 1976 didn’t inform her about the risks or potential complications of abortion, she said, or about the alternatives of adoption or parenting.

“If I had those things in front of me, I would have reconsidered,” Raymond said. “I would have pushed back on my mother.”

Since then, Raymond has become an anti-abortion activist, testifying that she has prayed outside of a Planned Parenthood Great Rivers clinic and tries to talk to people going inside.&nbsp;

“I don’t want other women and families to make the choice that I ultimately made,” she said.

One of the laws at issue requires patients to be given a copy of Missouri’s informed consent booklet prior to an abortion — a<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/womenshealth/pregnancyassistance/pdf/Mo.InformedConsentBooklet-Revisedpgs.12-15August2019jkOGCReviewed.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;26-page pamphlet</a>&nbsp;that begins with a statement that human life begins at conception and “abortion will terminate the life of a separate, unique, living human being.”&nbsp;

It also includes information about fetal pain beginning at 16 weeks or earlier, even though the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says that a multitude of studies have established that fetuses cannot feel pain until<a href="https://www.acog.org/advocacy/facts-are-important/gestational-development-capacity-for-pain" target="_blank">&nbsp;closer to viability</a>, around 24 weeks of pregnancy.

The law also mandates a 72-hour waiting period between an initial appointment and the procedure, when a doctor or other qualified professional must inform the patient of the “immediate and long-term medical risks to her and possible adverse psychological effects associated with the abortion.”&nbsp;

Attorneys for the state have previously emphasized the need for a “reflection period” for women before they move forward with an abortion. Those who testified for Planned Parenthood last week said it put a huge burden on patients, especially those who had to take time off work, arrange child care or travel long distances to get to the clinic.&nbsp;

Having a wanted abortion isn’t linked to mental health issues, but being denied a wanted abortion is, according to the<a href="https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/09/news-facts-abortion-mental-health" target="_blank">&nbsp;American Psychological Institute.</a>&nbsp;Dr. Daniel Grossman, who was called to testify last week by Planned Parenthood’s attorneys, told the court he regularly reviews literature on abortion and mental health and hasn’t seen any evidence of abortion increasing the risk of mental health problems.

But more recent studies, like the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ansirh.org/research/ongoing/turnaway-study" target="_blank">Turnaway Study,</a>&nbsp;paint a better reality, he said. That study, led by one of Grossman’s colleagues at University of California San Francisco, where he serves as ​​director of Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, focused on 1,000 women who sought abortions between 2008 and 2010 years, and then followed them for five years after they either received an abortion or were unable to get one, including because of state laws banning or limiting abortion.

This study, Grossman testified, found anxiety rates were higher among women who had just been denied abortions. But after five years, he said, there was no difference in the mental health of the groups who had abortions versus those turned away. Grossman is also a liaison to Planned Parenthood’s National Medical Committee.

According to Missouri public records, post-abortion complication reports from 2018 to 2022 show no patients with a diagnosable psychiatric condition listed as a complication.

Stephanie Jacobson, who was a Missouri resident until about four years ago, had an abortion when she was 16 in 1978, and another when she was 18. Jacobson went on to have five children, but testified Tuesday that the abortions “ravaged” her and left her with depression and anxiety that lingered until she went through an abortion recovery program less than a decade ago.

Now Jacobson is a coach for an abortion recovery hotline, though she said that has exacerbated her mental health issues.&nbsp;

During her testimony, she recounted one “intense” call from a woman who was panicked and screaming after having a medication abortion at home. Jacobson said while she was trying to talk the woman through what she could do with the fetal remains that were sitting on a cloth on the counter, the woman said her cat started eating them.

Attorneys for the plaintiff immediately objected to Jacobson’s testimony as hearsay, and Zhang agreed to strike it from the record. However, the state opted to bring Jacobson back to the stand later in the afternoon to tell the same story again with more detail “on proffer,” which means it won’t be considered as evidence in this trial but could be considered on appeal.

The state also called Dr. Monique Wubbenhorst, who practiced as an OBGYN for more than 30 years but has never performed an abortion and is against abortion in all circumstances except to save the pregnant patient’s life. Her testimony included many of the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/19/abortion-safety-missouri-amendment-trial-jackson-county/">same arguments</a>&nbsp;that were already discussed in the first week of the trial, such as the safety of medication abortion.

Wubbenhorst’s testimony will conclude Wednesday morning, and the trial is expected to end on Monday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769022321846.png" alt=" Connie Gerling, with 40 Days for Life, prays outside the Columbia Planned Parenthood clinic on March 3, 2025 as the clinic restarted procedural abortions for the first time in years. A sign beside her reads: "We Care. We can Help" (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Connie Gerling, with 40 Days for Life, prays outside the Columbia Planned Parenthood clinic on March 3, 2025 as the clinic restarted procedural abortions for the first time in years. A sign beside her reads: "We Care. We can Help" (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/kelcie-moseley-morris/">Kelcie Moseley-Morris</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">Anna Spoerre</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>Two Missouri women who had abortions 50 years ago testified Tuesday to mental health effects they suffered from the procedure</h2>KANSAS CITY — The first slate of witnesses from the Missouri Attorney General’s office in the fight to uphold statewide abortion regulations offered testimony that professionals and scientific studies have long disputed, including claims about mental health outcomes and abortion medication.&nbsp;It’s the second week of a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/09/missouri-abortion-regulations-trial-access-trap-laws/">10-day bench trial&nbsp;</a>that will be decided by Jackson County Judge Jerri Zhang. Missouri’s Planned Parenthood affiliates, along with the ACLU of Missouri, filed the lawsuit over Missouri’s few dozen&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/12/missouri-abortion-rights-trial-focuses-on-two-decades-of-state-restrictions/">Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers, or TRAP, laws,</a>&nbsp;claiming they are now unconstitutional under the state’s reproductive rights amendment approved by voters in 2024.Advocates say those laws made abortion almost completely inaccessible in the years leading up to 2022, when a near-total ban was implemented across the state.&nbsp;The state constitution now prohibits the state from denying, delaying or interfering with abortion access unless it demonstrates “a compelling governmental interest achieved by the least restrictive means.”A majority of the testimony on Tuesday focused on mental health, including two women who took the stand to talk about their own abortions more than 50 years ago.&nbsp;Linda Raymond, who grew up in St. Louis, said she had an abortion when she was 18 after pressure from her mother, who she said was embarrassed and angry that her daughter had gotten pregnant. Raymond testified that her mother beat her when she discovered she was pregnant.The nurse and doctors at the Planned Parenthood she went to in 1976 didn’t inform her about the risks or potential complications of abortion, she said, or about the alternatives of adoption or parenting.“If I had those things in front of me, I would have reconsidered,” Raymond said. “I would have pushed back on my mother.”Since then, Raymond has become an anti-abortion activist, testifying that she has prayed outside of a Planned Parenthood Great Rivers clinic and tries to talk to people going inside.&nbsp;“I don’t want other women and families to make the choice that I ultimately made,” she said.One of the laws at issue requires patients to be given a copy of Missouri’s informed consent booklet prior to an abortion — a<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/womenshealth/pregnancyassistance/pdf/Mo.InformedConsentBooklet-Revisedpgs.12-15August2019jkOGCReviewed.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;26-page pamphlet</a>&nbsp;that begins with a statement that human life begins at conception and “abortion will terminate the life of a separate, unique, living human being.”&nbsp;It also includes information about fetal pain beginning at 16 weeks or earlier, even though the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says that a multitude of studies have established that fetuses cannot feel pain until<a href="https://www.acog.org/advocacy/facts-are-important/gestational-development-capacity-for-pain" target="_blank">&nbsp;closer to viability</a>, around 24 weeks of pregnancy.The law also mandates a 72-hour waiting period between an initial appointment and the procedure, when a doctor or other qualified professional must inform the patient of the “immediate and long-term medical risks to her and possible adverse psychological effects associated with the abortion.”&nbsp;Attorneys for the state have previously emphasized the need for a “reflection period” for women before they move forward with an abortion. Those who testified for Planned Parenthood last week said it put a huge burden on patients, especially those who had to take time off work, arrange child care or travel long distances to get to the clinic.&nbsp;Having a wanted abortion isn’t linked to mental health issues, but being denied a wanted abortion is, according to the<a href="https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/09/news-facts-abortion-mental-health" target="_blank">&nbsp;American Psychological Institute.</a>&nbsp;Dr. Daniel Grossman, who was called to testify last week by Planned Parenthood’s attorneys, told the court he regularly reviews literature on abortion and mental health and hasn’t seen any evidence of abortion increasing the risk of mental health problems.But more recent studies, like the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ansirh.org/research/ongoing/turnaway-study" target="_blank">Turnaway Study,</a>&nbsp;paint a better reality, he said. That study, led by one of Grossman’s colleagues at University of California San Francisco, where he serves as ​​director of Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, focused on 1,000 women who sought abortions between 2008 and 2010 years, and then followed them for five years after they either received an abortion or were unable to get one, including because of state laws banning or limiting abortion.This study, Grossman testified, found anxiety rates were higher among women who had just been denied abortions. But after five years, he said, there was no difference in the mental health of the groups who had abortions versus those turned away. Grossman is also a liaison to Planned Parenthood’s National Medical Committee.According to Missouri public records, post-abortion complication reports from 2018 to 2022 show no patients with a diagnosable psychiatric condition listed as a complication.Stephanie Jacobson, who was a Missouri resident until about four years ago, had an abortion when she was 16 in 1978, and another when she was 18. Jacobson went on to have five children, but testified Tuesday that the abortions “ravaged” her and left her with depression and anxiety that lingered until she went through an abortion recovery program less than a decade ago.Now Jacobson is a coach for an abortion recovery hotline, though she said that has exacerbated her mental health issues.&nbsp;During her testimony, she recounted one “intense” call from a woman who was panicked and screaming after having a medication abortion at home. Jacobson said while she was trying to talk the woman through what she could do with the fetal remains that were sitting on a cloth on the counter, the woman said her cat started eating them.Attorneys for the plaintiff immediately objected to Jacobson’s testimony as hearsay, and Zhang agreed to strike it from the record. However, the state opted to bring Jacobson back to the stand later in the afternoon to tell the same story again with more detail “on proffer,” which means it won’t be considered as evidence in this trial but could be considered on appeal.The state also called Dr. Monique Wubbenhorst, who practiced as an OBGYN for more than 30 years but has never performed an abortion and is against abortion in all circumstances except to save the pregnant patient’s life. Her testimony included many of the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/19/abortion-safety-missouri-amendment-trial-jackson-county/">same arguments</a>&nbsp;that were already discussed in the first week of the trial, such as the safety of medication abortion.Wubbenhorst’s testimony will conclude Wednesday morning, and the trial is expected to end on Monday.

Mo. leans on disputed mental health claims in defense of strict abortion laws

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/fatima-hussein">FATIMA HUSSEIN</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — Days before the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/treasury-irs-tax-season-5e939f5e271086d4ba51f24dc5200651">2026 tax filing season</a>&nbsp;begins, the head of the IRS announced a shake-up Tuesday, saying the personnel and operational changes are intended to improve taxpayer service and modernize the agency.

The timing of the announcement coincides with a critical moment for the agency, as the IRS prepares to process millions of tax returns while simultaneously implementing major tax law changes under the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/one-big-beautiful-bill-provisions" target="_blank">tax and spending package</a>&nbsp;President Donald Trump signed into law last summer. There are new tax relief provisions for tips and overtime, and new deductions for qualifying older Americans.

In a letter addressed to the agency’s 74,000 employees and viewed by The Associated Press, Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano announced new priorities and a reorganization of IRS executive leadership.

Notably, Gary Shapley, the whistleblower who testified publicly about investigations into Hunter Biden’s taxes and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-irs-tax-policy-biden-shapley-b60455836992c078f1177f6802755b91">served just two days as IRS Commissioner</a>&nbsp;last year, was named deputy chief of the Criminal Investigation division.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-tax-immigration-criminal-investigations-2f0ab7111f121bbcb7d653528a954017">Guy Ficco</a>, the head of Criminal Investigation, is set to retire and will be replaced by Jarod Koopman, who will also serve as chief tax compliance officer alongside Bisignano.

Joseph Ziegler, another Hunter Biden whistleblower, was named chief of internal consulting, the letter said.

Bisignano said in the letter that he is “confident that with this new team in place, the IRS is well-prepared to deliver a successful tax filing season for the American public.”

The June&nbsp;<a href="https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/" target="_blank">National Taxpayer Advocate</a>&nbsp;report to Congress warned that the 2026 season could be rocky after a series of mass layoffs last year brought on by the Department of Government Efficiency.

“With the IRS workforce reduced by 26% and significant tax law changes on the horizon, there are risks to next year’s filing season,” said Erin M. Collins, who leads the organization assigned to protect taxpayers’ rights.

Bisignano, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-irs-bessent-bisignano-e58cfaf2c88299e728d9783c8f5476fa">named to his job in October</a>, also serves as the commissioner of the Social Security Administration.

His main priorities for the IRS in 2026 include enhancing customer service, improving tax collections and safeguarding taxpayer privacy.

The IRS expects to receive roughly 164 million individual income tax returns this year, which is on par with what it received last year.

The average refund amount last year was $3,167, according to IRS data. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said on several occasions that the effects of Republican tax law will result in bigger refunds in 2026.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690229574211.png" alt="Photo AP" />
 <figcaption>Photo AP</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/fatima-hussein">FATIMA HUSSEIN</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — Days before the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/treasury-irs-tax-season-5e939f5e271086d4ba51f24dc5200651">2026 tax filing season</a>&nbsp;begins, the head of the IRS announced a shake-up Tuesday, saying the personnel and operational changes are intended to improve taxpayer service and modernize the agency.The timing of the announcement coincides with a critical moment for the agency, as the IRS prepares to process millions of tax returns while simultaneously implementing major tax law changes under the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/one-big-beautiful-bill-provisions" target="_blank">tax and spending package</a>&nbsp;President Donald Trump signed into law last summer. There are new tax relief provisions for tips and overtime, and new deductions for qualifying older Americans.In a letter addressed to the agency’s 74,000 employees and viewed by The Associated Press, Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano announced new priorities and a reorganization of IRS executive leadership.Notably, Gary Shapley, the whistleblower who testified publicly about investigations into Hunter Biden’s taxes and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-irs-tax-policy-biden-shapley-b60455836992c078f1177f6802755b91">served just two days as IRS Commissioner</a>&nbsp;last year, was named deputy chief of the Criminal Investigation division.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-tax-immigration-criminal-investigations-2f0ab7111f121bbcb7d653528a954017">Guy Ficco</a>, the head of Criminal Investigation, is set to retire and will be replaced by Jarod Koopman, who will also serve as chief tax compliance officer alongside Bisignano.Joseph Ziegler, another Hunter Biden whistleblower, was named chief of internal consulting, the letter said.Bisignano said in the letter that he is “confident that with this new team in place, the IRS is well-prepared to deliver a successful tax filing season for the American public.”The June&nbsp;<a href="https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/" target="_blank">National Taxpayer Advocate</a>&nbsp;report to Congress warned that the 2026 season could be rocky after a series of mass layoffs last year brought on by the Department of Government Efficiency.“With the IRS workforce reduced by 26% and significant tax law changes on the horizon, there are risks to next year’s filing season,” said Erin M. Collins, who leads the organization assigned to protect taxpayers’ rights.Bisignano, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-irs-bessent-bisignano-e58cfaf2c88299e728d9783c8f5476fa">named to his job in October</a>, also serves as the commissioner of the Social Security Administration.His main priorities for the IRS in 2026 include enhancing customer service, improving tax collections and safeguarding taxpayer privacy.The IRS expects to receive roughly 164 million individual income tax returns this year, which is on par with what it received last year.The average refund amount last year was $3,167, according to IRS data. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said on several occasions that the effects of Republican tax law will result in bigger refunds in 2026.

IRS head announces a shake-up on the eve of the 2026 tax season

ATCHISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 8p.m. Tuesday in Atchison.

A 2017 Dodge Ram pickup&nbsp; driven by Matthew Carr, 40, Atchison, was northbound on 10th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

The pickup turned west onto U.S.59, crossed the median and left the roadway on the south side of U.S.59.&nbsp; The vehicle continued southbound down an embankment, across a parking lot and then struck the north side of Hotel Eastin,&nbsp;401 S 10th Street.&nbsp;

The hotel room that was struck was unoccupied. 

EMS transported Matthew Carr, the only occupant in the vehicle, to Amberwell Hospital for examination. It is believed that the driver suffered some type of medical episode prior to the accident, according to Wilson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769009819295.jpeg" alt="-Photo Atchison Police" />
 <figcaption>-Photo Atchison Police</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 8p.m. Tuesday in Atchison.A 2017 Dodge Ram pickup&nbsp; driven by Matthew Carr, 40, Atchison, was northbound on 10th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.The pickup turned west onto U.S.59, crossed the median and left the roadway on the south side of U.S.59.&nbsp; The vehicle continued southbound down an embankment, across a parking lot and then struck the north side of Hotel Eastin,&nbsp;401 S 10th Street.&nbsp;The hotel room that was struck was unoccupied. EMS transported Matthew Carr, the only occupant in the vehicle, to Amberwell Hospital for examination. It is believed that the driver suffered some type of medical episode prior to the accident, according to Wilson.

Kan. man hospitalized after pickup crash into hotel room

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just before 4a.m. January 19, a sheriff's deputy&nbsp;conducted a traffic stop on a white 2005 Cadillac SUV near SW 17th Street and SW Washburn Avenue in Topeka, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.&nbsp; It was determined that the driver did not have a valid driver’s license. He also had a misdemeanor warrant for his arrest. During the investigation, illegal narcotics were located.

Quamell C-C Eteeyan, 30, Topeka was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County on requested charges of Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia and traffic violations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768950271191.png" alt="Eteeyan-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Eteeyan-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just before 4a.m. January 19, a sheriff's deputy&nbsp;conducted a traffic stop on a white 2005 Cadillac SUV near SW 17th Street and SW Washburn Avenue in Topeka, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.&nbsp; It was determined that the driver did not have a valid driver’s license. He also had a misdemeanor warrant for his arrest. During the investigation, illegal narcotics were located.Quamell C-C Eteeyan, 30, Topeka was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County on requested charges of Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia and traffic violations.

Kan. man without a driver's license was transporting drugs

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement continue investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting in Wichita and are expected to release a full report late this week.

Just after 1a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a 911 call at an apartment complex in the 2300 block of North Woodlawn in Wichita, acccording to an online statement from Wichita police.

Officers "did not hear loud yelling" but&nbsp; heard individuals inside the apartment and knocked on the door. Officers identified themselves as police. A man inside the apartment stated he was going to get his gun. Officers knocked on the door again and a man inside stated again he was going to get his gun and was threatening to shoot the officers.

Officers took a defensive stance and retreated from the apartment doorway. The man stepped out of the apartment and had a firearm in his hand. The man pointed a firearm at the officers. One officer returned fire and struck the man. The officer immediately ran to get his medical kit bag to provide medical aid to the man.&nbsp;

The man was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; No officers were injured. Police took one other individual from the apartment into custody.

The Sedgwick County Sheriff's office will be in charge of the investigation and a full report is expected by Friday, according to Wichita police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768907728573.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement continue investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting in Wichita and are expected to release a full report late this week.Just after 1a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a 911 call at an apartment complex in the 2300 block of North Woodlawn in Wichita, acccording to an online statement from Wichita police.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWichitaPolice%2Fvideos%2F870466718917621%2F&show_text=true&width=267&t=0" width="267" height="591" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Officers "did not hear loud yelling" but&nbsp; heard individuals inside the apartment and knocked on the door. Officers identified themselves as police. A man inside the apartment stated he was going to get his gun. Officers knocked on the door again and a man inside stated again he was going to get his gun and was threatening to shoot the officers.Officers took a defensive stance and retreated from the apartment doorway. The man stepped out of the apartment and had a firearm in his hand. The man pointed a firearm at the officers. One officer returned fire and struck the man. The officer immediately ran to get his medical kit bag to provide medical aid to the man.&nbsp;The man was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; No officers were injured. Police took one other individual from the apartment into custody.The Sedgwick County Sheriff's office will be in charge of the investigation and a full report is expected by Friday, according to Wichita police.

Investigation of deadly Kansas officer shooting continues

State auditors urged Legislature to find new way of determining at-risk student aid

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Members of the Kansas House Welfare Reform Committee debated Tuesday implications of a jarring state audit that estimated 54% to 72% of Kansas students who qualified for the free-lunch program through a national application process were likely ineligible during the 2023-2024 academic year.

If that assessment was accurate, the Legislature’s auditors said, the U.S. Department of Agriculture overpaid Kansas school districts $10 million to $14 million during that year for meals that shouldn’t have been subsidized. The report held implications beyond the cost of school meals, because enrollment in Kansas’ free-lunch program determined how much the state paid school districts to deliver services to at-risk students. Auditors said $38 million to $53 million in extra at-risk funding was apparently distributed to school districts due to enrollment problems with the free-lunch program.

Rep. Francis Awerkamp, a St. Marys Republican and chairman of the committee, said the audit would be useful to the committee as it sorted out questions about oversight and fraud in state or federal programs.

“One of the discussions we often have is, you know, should there be more oversight on welfare programs or less oversight? If there is fraud or is there not fraud?” he said.

The state auditors issued one recommendation for the Legislature: Consider an alternate method of calculating how much at-risk student aid should be paid annually to K-12 districts. Auditors concluded that figures of the children taking part in the free-lunch program “may no longer be an accurate measure for determining the number of students at risk of academic failure in a district.”

Rep. Charlotte Esau, R-Olathe, said that as a child her family probably would have qualified for a school lunch program, but her father refused to apply. She said she wasn’t an at-risk student, despite being part of a lower-income family. She told House colleagues it made sense to find a new method of calculating state appropriations for students struggling academically.

“I’m seeing your conclusion makes logical sense to me,” Esau told auditors.

Under existing Kansas law, no mechanism exists to claw back from school districts any overpayment of at-risk dollars. In most cases, individual school districts didn’t have access to information that would confirmed which students qualified for the free-lunch program. The state’s ability to evaluate applicants was constrained by accuracy of information gathered by several state agencies and rules enforced by the USDA limiting annual auditing to 3% of a district’s student applications or a maximum of 3,000 students in a district.

Rep. Alexis Simmons, D-Topeka, warned House colleagues eager to reform the at-risk funding formula for schools by relying on a different metric of poverty and need. She said there was a strong connection between feeding students during the school day and the ability to learn in the classroom.

Simmons said it would be a mistake to assume fraud when state auditors said it was challenging to verify whether students were eligible for free lunches at school.

State auditor Heidi Zimmerman said the report published in July outlined federal overpayments to school districts for the free lunch program. The audit also linked that idea to state overpayments to school districts for at-risk education, she said.

“We cannot claim there was fraud,” Zimmerman said. “We can tell you there are students who are ineligible. Ineligibility is not the same as fraud. Fraud requires a specific intent. You might have just made a mistake. That’s not fraud. So, this report does not claim that we found fraud anywhere.”

“Very much appreciate that clarification,” Simmons said.

Rep. Wanda Brownlee Paige, D-Kansas City, said the audit didn’t take into account the lower literacy rate among some parents expected to fill out school lunch program applications. She said the Kansas minimum wage of $7.25 per hour — less than half the $15 per hour minimum wage in Missouri — exacerbated financial hardships faced by families desperate for government assistance in providing nutritional meals to their school-age children.

“I can see a whole lot of people struggling,” she said. “The kids are hungry.”

Rep. Brian Bergkamp, R-Wichita, asked Frank Harwood, deputy commissioner of the Kansas Department of Education, to provide the committee with statistics on the quantity of food thrown away in Kansas public school cafeterias. He said the amount was more than most people might realize.

Harwood said USDA reimbursed school districts only for meals served to an eligible student. Under federal law, he said, children automatically qualified for free meals if they were in a household receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Medicaid or food distribution programs on an Indian reservation.

In addition, he said, a child was eligible for free meals at public schools if determined to be homeless, a runaway or migrant child, in foster care or enrolled in Head Start.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769003997815.png" alt="Rep. Wanda Brownlee Paige, D-Kansas City, left, and Rep. Dale Helwig, R-Columbus, gather insights Tuesday during a House committee discussion about an audit of student enrollment in the free-lunch program at public schools and implications for how much the state allocates to districts to serve needs of at-risk students. (Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Wanda Brownlee Paige, D-Kansas City, left, and Rep. Dale Helwig, R-Columbus, gather insights Tuesday during a House committee discussion about an audit of student enrollment in the free-lunch program at public schools and implications for how much the state allocates to districts to serve needs of at-risk students. (Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>State auditors urged Legislature to find new way of determining at-risk student aid</h2>By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Members of the Kansas House Welfare Reform Committee debated Tuesday implications of a jarring state audit that estimated 54% to 72% of Kansas students who qualified for the free-lunch program through a national application process were likely ineligible during the 2023-2024 academic year.If that assessment was accurate, the Legislature’s auditors said, the U.S. Department of Agriculture overpaid Kansas school districts $10 million to $14 million during that year for meals that shouldn’t have been subsidized. The report held implications beyond the cost of school meals, because enrollment in Kansas’ free-lunch program determined how much the state paid school districts to deliver services to at-risk students. Auditors said $38 million to $53 million in extra at-risk funding was apparently distributed to school districts due to enrollment problems with the free-lunch program.Rep. Francis Awerkamp, a St. Marys Republican and chairman of the committee, said the audit would be useful to the committee as it sorted out questions about oversight and fraud in state or federal programs.“One of the discussions we often have is, you know, should there be more oversight on welfare programs or less oversight? If there is fraud or is there not fraud?” he said.The state auditors issued one recommendation for the Legislature: Consider an alternate method of calculating how much at-risk student aid should be paid annually to K-12 districts. Auditors concluded that figures of the children taking part in the free-lunch program “may no longer be an accurate measure for determining the number of students at risk of academic failure in a district.”Rep. Charlotte Esau, R-Olathe, said that as a child her family probably would have qualified for a school lunch program, but her father refused to apply. She said she wasn’t an at-risk student, despite being part of a lower-income family. She told House colleagues it made sense to find a new method of calculating state appropriations for students struggling academically.“I’m seeing your conclusion makes logical sense to me,” Esau told auditors.Under existing Kansas law, no mechanism exists to claw back from school districts any overpayment of at-risk dollars. In most cases, individual school districts didn’t have access to information that would confirmed which students qualified for the free-lunch program. The state’s ability to evaluate applicants was constrained by accuracy of information gathered by several state agencies and rules enforced by the USDA limiting annual auditing to 3% of a district’s student applications or a maximum of 3,000 students in a district.Rep. Alexis Simmons, D-Topeka, warned House colleagues eager to reform the at-risk funding formula for schools by relying on a different metric of poverty and need. She said there was a strong connection between feeding students during the school day and the ability to learn in the classroom.Simmons said it would be a mistake to assume fraud when state auditors said it was challenging to verify whether students were eligible for free lunches at school.State auditor Heidi Zimmerman said the report published in July outlined federal overpayments to school districts for the free lunch program. The audit also linked that idea to state overpayments to school districts for at-risk education, she said.“We cannot claim there was fraud,” Zimmerman said. “We can tell you there are students who are ineligible. Ineligibility is not the same as fraud. Fraud requires a specific intent. You might have just made a mistake. That’s not fraud. So, this report does not claim that we found fraud anywhere.”“Very much appreciate that clarification,” Simmons said.Rep. Wanda Brownlee Paige, D-Kansas City, said the audit didn’t take into account the lower literacy rate among some parents expected to fill out school lunch program applications. She said the Kansas minimum wage of $7.25 per hour — less than half the $15 per hour minimum wage in Missouri — exacerbated financial hardships faced by families desperate for government assistance in providing nutritional meals to their school-age children.“I can see a whole lot of people struggling,” she said. “The kids are hungry.”Rep. Brian Bergkamp, R-Wichita, asked Frank Harwood, deputy commissioner of the Kansas Department of Education, to provide the committee with statistics on the quantity of food thrown away in Kansas public school cafeterias. He said the amount was more than most people might realize.Harwood said USDA reimbursed school districts only for meals served to an eligible student. Under federal law, he said, children automatically qualified for free meals if they were in a household receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Medicaid or food distribution programs on an Indian reservation.In addition, he said, a child was eligible for free meals at public schools if determined to be homeless, a runaway or migrant child, in foster care or enrolled in Head Start.

Kansas House studies free-lunch enrollment audit, implications of at-risk overpayment to schools

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a southwest Kansas man on multiple allegations a

Just after 8:30p.m. January 18, police responded to a reported robbery that occurred in the southwest part of Garden City, according to a media release.

Officers spoke with a woman who reported an altercation with a man known to her, identified as 37-year-old Enrique Rodriguez Hevia. The investigation revealed an argument between the two turned physical, after which Rodriguez Hevia took several of the woman’s possessions and refused to return them until she drove him to his vehicle. 

The woman attempted to drive to the police department, but Rodriguez Hevia got into the vehicle and interfered with her ability to leave by placing the vehicle into different gears and restraining the steering wheel. 

When the victim called out to nearby neighbors for help, Rodriguez Hevia fled the area with her possessions. Rodriguez Hevia later turned himself in at the Finney County Law Enforcement Center, where he was arrested and booked into jail on requested charges of Aggravated Auto Burglary, Robbery, and Domestic Battery.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768950568679.png" alt="Hevia-photo FInney County" />
 <figcaption>Hevia-photo FInney County</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a southwest Kansas man on multiple allegations aJust after 8:30p.m. January 18, police responded to a reported robbery that occurred in the southwest part of Garden City, according to a media release.Officers spoke with a woman who reported an altercation with a man known to her, identified as 37-year-old Enrique Rodriguez Hevia. The investigation revealed an argument between the two turned physical, after which Rodriguez Hevia took several of the woman’s possessions and refused to return them until she drove him to his vehicle. The woman attempted to drive to the police department, but Rodriguez Hevia got into the vehicle and interfered with her ability to leave by placing the vehicle into different gears and restraining the steering wheel. When the victim called out to nearby neighbors for help, Rodriguez Hevia fled the area with her possessions. Rodriguez Hevia later turned himself in at the Finney County Law Enforcement Center, where he was arrested and booked into jail on requested charges of Aggravated Auto Burglary, Robbery, and Domestic Battery.&nbsp;

SW Kansas robbery, domestic battery suspect turns himself in

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s plane, Air Force One, returned to Joint Base Andrews about an hour after departing for Switzerland on Tuesday evening.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the decision to return was made after takeoff when the crew aboard Air Force One identified “a minor electrical issue” and, out of an abundance of caution, decided to turn around.

A reporter on board said the lights in the press cabin of the aircraft went out briefly after takeoff, but no explanation was immediately offered. About half an hour into the flight reporters were told the plane would be turning around.

Trump boarded another aircraft, an Air Force C-32, a modified Boeing 757 normally used by the president for domestic trips to smaller airports, and continued on with his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos shortly after midnight.&nbsp;Air Force One touched down in Zurich a little after 12:30 p.m. local time, nearly two hours after he was originally scheduled to arrive.

Rubio says he slept at a table on Air Force One

The U.S. secretary of state joked with reporters as he picked up a coffee toward the end of the flight and said he tried to get some rest at a conference table aboard the aircraft.

Marco Rubio joked that the accommodations were still nicer than the plane he travels on for State Department business.

The two planes currently used as Air Force One have been flying for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-qatar-air-force-one-2ef13d87b71185bde547abe6840b098c">nearly four decades</a>. Boeing has been working on replacements, but the program has faced a series of delays. The planes are heavily modified with survivability capabilities for the president for a range of contingencies, including radiation shielding and antimissile technology. They also include a variety of communications systems to allow the president to remain in contact with the military and issue orders from anywhere in the world.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s plane, Air Force One, returned to Joint Base Andrews about an hour after departing for Switzerland on Tuesday evening.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> is on the ground — a few hours late due to the plane change — in Zurich, Switzerland 🇺🇸🇨🇭 He&#39;ll take Marine One for the flight to Davos. <a href="https://t.co/2xqpvxlGCk">pic.twitter.com/2xqpvxlGCk</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2013948850587816378?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">After takeoff, the AF1 crew identified a minor electrical issue. Out of an abundance of caution, AF1 is returning to Joint Base Andrews. The President and team will board a different aircraft and continue on to Switzerland. <a href="https://t.co/pJ3Jc9NNbS">https://t.co/pJ3Jc9NNbS</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2013820148776399351?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the decision to return was made after takeoff when the crew aboard Air Force One identified “a minor electrical issue” and, out of an abundance of caution, decided to turn around.A reporter on board said the lights in the press cabin of the aircraft went out briefly after takeoff, but no explanation was immediately offered. About half an hour into the flight reporters were told the plane would be turning around.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> is wheels down in Switzerland and walks to board Marine One 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/XL0LDAhCSS">pic.twitter.com/XL0LDAhCSS</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2013949312481579384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump boarded another aircraft, an Air Force C-32, a modified Boeing 757 normally used by the president for domestic trips to smaller airports, and continued on with his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos shortly after midnight.&nbsp;Air Force One touched down in Zurich a little after 12:30 p.m. local time, nearly two hours after he was originally scheduled to arrive.<h2>Rubio says he slept at a table on Air Force One</h2>The U.S. secretary of state joked with reporters as he picked up a coffee toward the end of the flight and said he tried to get some rest at a conference table aboard the aircraft.Marco Rubio joked that the accommodations were still nicer than the plane he travels on for State Department business.-----------------The two planes currently used as Air Force One have been flying for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-qatar-air-force-one-2ef13d87b71185bde547abe6840b098c">nearly four decades</a>. Boeing has been working on replacements, but the program has faced a series of delays. The planes are heavily modified with survivability capabilities for the president for a range of contingencies, including radiation shielding and antimissile technology. They also include a variety of communications systems to allow the president to remain in contact with the military and issue orders from anywhere in the world.Last year, the ruling family of Qatar gifted Trump a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet to be added into the Air Force One fleet, a move that faced great scrutiny. That plane is currently being retrofitted to meet security requirements.Leavitt joked to reporters on Air Force One Tuesday night that a Qatari jet was sounding “much better” right now.Last February, an Air Force plane carrying Secretary of State&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rubio-plane-mechanical-issue-munich-conference-031928b920ff8e8d495d1590d508e1e5">Marco Rubio to Germany</a>&nbsp;had to return to Washington because of a mechanical issue. In October, a military plane carrying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had to make an emergency landing in United Kingdom due to a crack in the windshield.