HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Court records show Rachel M. Perkins, the former director of the Hutchinson Kids Wrestling Club, has been charged with one count of theft by deception involving an alleged loss of between $1,500 and $25,000.

According to Reno County booking records, Perkins was booked into the Reno County Detention Center on Jan. 2. She made her first appearance in Reno County District Court on Jan. 9. As of now, no additional court date has been announced.

Charging documents allege Perkins stole approximately $10,000 from the wrestling club. Further details surrounding the allegations were not immediately available in court filings.

She met the requirement for bond and is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768498994656.png" alt="Perkins photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>Perkins photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>MARC JACOBS Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Court records show Rachel M. Perkins, the former director of the Hutchinson Kids Wrestling Club, has been charged with one count of theft by deception involving an alleged loss of between $1,500 and $25,000.According to Reno County booking records, Perkins was booked into the Reno County Detention Center on Jan. 2. She made her first appearance in Reno County District Court on Jan. 9. As of now, no additional court date has been announced.Charging documents allege Perkins stole approximately $10,000 from the wrestling club. Further details surrounding the allegations were not immediately available in court filings.She met the requirement for bond and is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.

Former director accused of theft from kids wrestling club in Kansas

By:<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/author/max-nesterak/">Max Nesterak</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/author/alyssachen/">Alyssa Chen</a> <a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/">Minnesota Reformer</a>

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday morning to send the military into Minnesota to stop protests, following another shooting by immigration agents that injured one person, seven days after an agent fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis.

Writing on his own social media platform, Trump said he would invoke the Insurrection Act, a 19th-century law empowering the government to deploy the military domestically to “repress insurrections and repel invasions.”

“If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT, which many Presidents have done before me, and quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great State. Thank you for you attention to this matter! President DJT,” Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/115899252938886431" target="_blank">wrote</a>&nbsp;on Truth Social.

The law grants an exception to the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits the military from performing domestic law enforcement.

The Insurrection Act was last invoked in 1992 under President George H. W. Bush in response to civil unrest that included the deaths of 63 people, following the acquittal of four white police officers charged with beating to death Black driver Rodney King. The statute has been used about 30 times since the country’s founding, according to records kept by the Brennan Center for Justice.

Protests erupted across the Twin Cities after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Jonathan Ross&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/07/ice-officer-fatally-shoots-driver-through-car-window-in-minneapolis/">shot and killed</a>&nbsp;37-year-old Renee Good in south Minneapolis on Jan. 7.

The demonstrations escalated Wednesday night after a federal immigration agent shot and injured a man in north Minneapolis.&nbsp;

According to a statement issued by the Department of Homeland Security, a man crashed his vehicle and ran away as agents were “conducting a targeted traffic stop” at 6:50 p.m. Central time. An agent fired “a defensive shot to defend his life” after the man and two bystanders “attacked the law enforcement officer with a snow shovel and broom handle,” according to the statement.&nbsp;

The agent shot the man in the leg, according to the department. The statement described the man as “an illegal alien from Venezuela who was released into the country by Joe Biden in 2022.”

States Newsroom’s Minnesota Reformer was unable to confirm the account.&nbsp;

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said in a late-night press conference that the man was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Reformer&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/14/second-person-in-a-week-shot-by-federal-immigration-agent-in-minneapolis/">reported</a>&nbsp;that scores of demonstrators arrived at the scene, sparking a back-and-forth with agents, who deployed tear gas and flash bangs. Agents detained at least two people after someone threw fireworks at the agents. At least two vehicles believed to be used by federal officers were vandalized. The clashes largely stopped by 11:30 p.m., according to the Reformer.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey asked for calm and reiterated his call for the Trump administration to remove ICE from the city.

Trump surged more ICE agents to Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of Good, bringing the total to roughly 3,000 — far outnumbering the city’s 600 local police officers.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768497897095.jpeg" alt="Federal Bureau of Prisons officers on the scene where a federal immigration agent shot a man Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in north Minneapolis. (Photo by Max Nesterak/Minnesota Reformer)" />
 <figcaption>Federal Bureau of Prisons officers on the scene where a federal immigration agent shot a man Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in north Minneapolis. (Photo by Max Nesterak/Minnesota Reformer)</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/author/max-nesterak/">Max Nesterak</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/author/alyssachen/">Alyssa Chen</a> <a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/">Minnesota Reformer</a>WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday morning to send the military into Minnesota to stop protests, following another shooting by immigration agents that injured one person, seven days after an agent fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768498113412.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Writing on his own social media platform, Trump said he would invoke the Insurrection Act, a 19th-century law empowering the government to deploy the military domestically to “repress insurrections and repel invasions.”“If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT, which many Presidents have done before me, and quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great State. Thank you for you attention to this matter! President DJT,” Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/115899252938886431" target="_blank">wrote</a>&nbsp;on Truth Social.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/EFBOPpNluy">pic.twitter.com/EFBOPpNluy</a>&mdash; Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovTimWalz/status/2011832759522615367?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The law grants an exception to the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits the military from performing domestic law enforcement.The Insurrection Act was last invoked in 1992 under President George H. W. Bush in response to civil unrest that included the deaths of 63 people, following the acquittal of four white police officers charged with beating to death Black driver Rodney King. The statute has been used about 30 times since the country’s founding, according to records kept by the Brennan Center for Justice.Protests erupted across the Twin Cities after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Jonathan Ross&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/07/ice-officer-fatally-shoots-driver-through-car-window-in-minneapolis/">shot and killed</a>&nbsp;37-year-old Renee Good in south Minneapolis on Jan. 7.The demonstrations escalated Wednesday night after a federal immigration agent shot and injured a man in north Minneapolis.&nbsp;According to a statement issued by the Department of Homeland Security, a man crashed his vehicle and ran away as agents were “conducting a targeted traffic stop” at 6:50 p.m. Central time. An agent fired “a defensive shot to defend his life” after the man and two bystanders “attacked the law enforcement officer with a snow shovel and broom handle,” according to the statement.&nbsp;The agent shot the man in the leg, according to the department. The statement described the man as “an illegal alien from Venezuela who was released into the country by Joe Biden in 2022.”States Newsroom’s Minnesota Reformer was unable to confirm the account.&nbsp;Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said in a late-night press conference that the man was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.The Reformer&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/14/second-person-in-a-week-shot-by-federal-immigration-agent-in-minneapolis/">reported</a>&nbsp;that scores of demonstrators arrived at the scene, sparking a back-and-forth with agents, who deployed tear gas and flash bangs. Agents detained at least two people after someone threw fireworks at the agents. At least two vehicles believed to be used by federal officers were vandalized. The clashes largely stopped by 11:30 p.m., according to the Reformer.Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey asked for calm and reiterated his call for the Trump administration to remove ICE from the city.Trump surged more ICE agents to Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of Good, bringing the total to roughly 3,000 — far outnumbering the city’s 600 local police officers.&nbsp;

President Trump threatens to use Insurrection Act, deploy military in Minnesota

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. forces in the Caribbean Sea have seized another sanctioned oil tanker the Trump administration says has ties to Venezuela, part of a broader U.S. effort to take control of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-us-explosions-caracas-ca712a67aaefc30b1831f5bf0b50665e">the South American country’s oil</a>.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote Thursday on social media, “Motor Tanker Veronica had previously passed through Venezuelan waters, and was operating in defiance of President Trump’s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean.”

A social media post from U.S. Southern Command on the capture said that Marines and sailors launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to make the capture while Noem’s post noted that, like in previous raids, a U.S. Coast Guard tactical team conducted the boarding and seizure.

Noem posted a brief video that appeared to show part of the ship’s capture. The black-and-white footage showed helicopters hovering over the deck of a merchant vessel while armed troops dropped down on the deck by rope.

The Veronica is the sixth tanker that has been seized by U.S. forces as part of the effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to control the production, refining and global distribution of Venezuela’s oil products, and the fourth since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-us-maduro-what-to-know-a57528ff315a7f70ed51a1721f5e0bc2">the U.S. ouster of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro</a>&nbsp;in a surprise nighttime raid almost two weeks ago.

Noem, in her social media post, said that the raid was carried out with “close coordination with our colleagues” in the military as well as the State and Justice departments.

“Our heroic Coast Guard men and women once again ensured a flawlessly executed operation, in accordance with international law,” Noem added.

As with prior posts, Noem and the military framed the seizure as part of an effort to enforce the law. Noem argued that the multiple captures show that “there is no outrunning or escaping American justice.”

However, other officials in Trump's Republican administration have made clear they see it as a way to generate cash as they seek to rebuild Venezuela’s battered oil industry and restore its economy.

Last week, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-oil-chevron-exxonmobil-conocophillips-0e0619a991e92fd546504f1a613161e7">met with executives from oil companies</a>&nbsp;to discuss his goal of investing $100 billion in Venezuela to repair and upgrade its oil production and distribution. His administration has said it expects to sell at least&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-trump-democrats-9d16138866bebdc2644eb009c6326066">30 million to 50 million barrels</a>&nbsp;of sanctioned Venezuelan oil.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. forces in the Caribbean Sea have seized another sanctioned oil tanker the Trump administration says has ties to Venezuela, part of a broader U.S. effort to take control of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-us-explosions-caracas-ca712a67aaefc30b1831f5bf0b50665e">the South American country’s oil</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Through <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OpSouthernSpear?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OpSouthernSpear</a>, the Department of War is unwavering in its mission to crush illicit activity in the Western Hemisphere in partnership with <a href="https://twitter.com/USCG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USCG</a> through <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DHSgov</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/TheJusticeDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheJusticeDept</a>. In another pre-dawn action, Marines and Sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear,… <a href="https://t.co/brxO9xXUu3">pic.twitter.com/brxO9xXUu3</a>&mdash; U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/Southcom/status/2011798070816612578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote Thursday on social media, “Motor Tanker Veronica had previously passed through Venezuelan waters, and was operating in defiance of President Trump’s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean.”A social media post from U.S. Southern Command on the capture said that Marines and sailors launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to make the capture while Noem’s post noted that, like in previous raids, a U.S. Coast Guard tactical team conducted the boarding and seizure.Noem posted a brief video that appeared to show part of the ship’s capture. The black-and-white footage showed helicopters hovering over the deck of a merchant vessel while armed troops dropped down on the deck by rope.The Veronica is the sixth tanker that has been seized by U.S. forces as part of the effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to control the production, refining and global distribution of Venezuela’s oil products, and the fourth since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-us-maduro-what-to-know-a57528ff315a7f70ed51a1721f5e0bc2">the U.S. ouster of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro</a>&nbsp;in a surprise nighttime raid almost two weeks ago.Noem, in her social media post, said that the raid was carried out with “close coordination with our colleagues” in the military as well as the State and Justice departments.“Our heroic Coast Guard men and women once again ensured a flawlessly executed operation, in accordance with international law,” Noem added.As with prior posts, Noem and the military framed the seizure as part of an effort to enforce the law. Noem argued that the multiple captures show that “there is no outrunning or escaping American justice.”However, other officials in Trump's Republican administration have made clear they see it as a way to generate cash as they seek to rebuild Venezuela’s battered oil industry and restore its economy.Last week, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-oil-chevron-exxonmobil-conocophillips-0e0619a991e92fd546504f1a613161e7">met with executives from oil companies</a>&nbsp;to discuss his goal of investing $100 billion in Venezuela to repair and upgrade its oil production and distribution. His administration has said it expects to sell at least&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-trump-democrats-9d16138866bebdc2644eb009c6326066">30 million to 50 million barrels</a>&nbsp;of sanctioned Venezuelan oil.___

🎥  US seizes in Caribbean Sea another sanctioned oil tanker

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man charged in the death of his pregnant girlfriend is scheduled to return to court.

On Thursday, 20-year-old Matthew Wayne Criscenzo will attend a preliminary hearing in Judge Jeffrey Goering's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In September, Criscenzo pleaded not guilty to charges of 1st degree murder and aggravated battery, in the shooting death of 20-year-old Naomi Oglesby.

On May 25, police arrested&nbsp; Criscenzo in the 700 Block of Laura Street in Wichita in connection with the shooting death. At the time of the incident,&nbsp;Oglesby was pregnant, according to Wichita Police Officer Rick Pena. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, she was pronounced deceased.

Doctors were able to deliver her infant who was transported to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at a Wichita hospital.&nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748340707658.png" alt="Naomi Oglesby photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Naomi Oglesby photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man charged in the death of his pregnant girlfriend is scheduled to return to court.On Thursday, 20-year-old Matthew Wayne Criscenzo will attend a preliminary hearing in Judge Jeffrey Goering's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748259337812.png" alt="Criscenzo photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Criscenzo photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>In September, Criscenzo pleaded not guilty to charges of 1st degree murder and aggravated battery, in the shooting death of 20-year-old Naomi Oglesby.On May 25, police arrested&nbsp; Criscenzo in the 700 Block of Laura Street in Wichita in connection with the shooting death. At the time of the incident,&nbsp;Oglesby was pregnant, according to Wichita Police Officer Rick Pena. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, she was pronounced deceased.Doctors were able to deliver her infant who was transported to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at a Wichita hospital.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Kan. man accused of killing pregnant girlfriend is due back in court

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) is aware of a recent event where a skimming device was used in a Wichita store resulting in the theft of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from 46 Kansas households, according to a media release from the agency.

&nbsp;An investigation by DCF, it was discovered a skimming device had been placed on a point of sale terminal at a Wichita store to steal Kansas Benefits Card (electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card) information. That stolen information was then used to drain the SNAP benefits from the cards. 

The impacted cards were all used at the same store.Currently, this event is affecting 46 SNAP recipients with a total of approximately $9,800 in stolen SNAP benefits.

On Jan. 5, 2026, DCF received notification from several Kansans that their benefits were being used in Pennsylvania. 

DCF immediately began investigating and deactivating cards that had been used at a suspected location as a precaution to prevent additional theft of benefits.Further investigation by DCF indicates possible skimming activity associated with Kansas Benefits Cards (electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards) in the Kansas City, Kansas area. 

The investigation is ongoing and DCF is working with law enforcement on this case.

Affected cardholders should receive notice in the mail. Cardholders with Self-Service Portal (SSP) accounts who have opted in to receive communications will also get a text message or email prompting them to review a message in the portal.​ Affected cardholders will receive new Kansas Benefits Cards mailed to their homes.

<a href="https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams/skimming" target="_blank">Skimmers</a>&nbsp;are devices criminals use to steal data from credit, debit and EBT cards. These devices are illegally placed on point-of-sale terminals to capture card data. The criminals then use the data to create fake cards and make illegal purchases. Criminals may use the stolen card information to make purchases in other states because skimming events are often part of a larger theft ring.

How to help prevent EBT card theft

Stolen benefits cannot be replaced. DCF strongly encourages cardholders to use the free ebtEDGE app from DCF’s EBT contractor, Fidelity Information Services (FIS), or the ebtEDGE Cardholder Portal at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ebtedge.com/gov/portal/PortalHome.do" target="_blank">ebtedge.com</a>&nbsp;to monitor their account and help further safeguard their benefits by using the following features:

Third-party EBT apps do not provide the same protection features as ebtEDGE. The ebtEDGE app can be accessed in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

Cardholders are also encouraged to beware of phishing attempts, and they should not share their card info or the PIN over the phone or via text message. DCF and FIS will never call or text cardholders and explicitly ask for their card number or PIN. 

Learn more about protecting EBT cards at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/ees/Pages/EBT-Online.aspx" target="_blank">ebtcards.dcf.ks.gov</a>.What should cardholders do if they suspect their card has been compromised?If a cardholder suspects their EBT card has been compromised,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ebtedge.com/gov/portal/PortalHome.do" target="_blank">ebtedge.com</a>.Will stolen benefits be replaced?Federally funded replacement for stolen SNAP and TANF benefits ended in December 2024. In addition, there is no state money available for reimbursement. This means stolen SNAP and TANF benefits cannot be replaced.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739672428485.png" alt="Image DCF" />
 <figcaption>Image DCF</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA – The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) is aware of a recent event where a skimming device was used in a Wichita store resulting in the theft of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from 46 Kansas households, according to a media release from the agency.&nbsp;An investigation by DCF, it was discovered a skimming device had been placed on a point of sale terminal at a Wichita store to steal Kansas Benefits Card (electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card) information. That stolen information was then used to drain the SNAP benefits from the cards. The impacted cards were all used at the same store.Currently, this event is affecting 46 SNAP recipients with a total of approximately $9,800 in stolen SNAP benefits.On Jan. 5, 2026, DCF received notification from several Kansans that their benefits were being used in Pennsylvania. DCF immediately began investigating and deactivating cards that had been used at a suspected location as a precaution to prevent additional theft of benefits.Further investigation by DCF indicates possible skimming activity associated with Kansas Benefits Cards (electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards) in the Kansas City, Kansas area. The investigation is ongoing and DCF is working with law enforcement on this case.Affected cardholders should receive notice in the mail. Cardholders with Self-Service Portal (SSP) accounts who have opted in to receive communications will also get a text message or email prompting them to review a message in the portal.​ Affected cardholders will receive new Kansas Benefits Cards mailed to their homes.<a href="https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams/skimming" target="_blank">Skimmers</a>&nbsp;are devices criminals use to steal data from credit, debit and EBT cards. These devices are illegally placed on point-of-sale terminals to capture card data. The criminals then use the data to create fake cards and make illegal purchases. Criminals may use the stolen card information to make purchases in other states because skimming events are often part of a larger theft ring.How to help prevent EBT card theftStolen benefits cannot be replaced. DCF strongly encourages cardholders to use the free ebtEDGE app from DCF’s EBT contractor, Fidelity Information Services (FIS), or the ebtEDGE Cardholder Portal at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ebtedge.com/gov/portal/PortalHome.do" target="_blank">ebtedge.com</a>&nbsp;to monitor their account and help further safeguard their benefits by using the following features:<ol>
 <li>Freeze the EBT card when not using it. Cardholders must unfreeze the card when they are ready to make a purchase.</li><li>​Block out-of-state and online transactions. Cardholders will have to unblock these transactions when they want to make an out-of-state or online purchase.</li><li>Regularly change the four-digit PIN and use number combinations that are not easy for others to figure out. For example, don’t use birthdays or anniversaries.​​</li>
 </ol>Third-party EBT apps do not provide the same protection features as ebtEDGE. The ebtEDGE app can be accessed in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.Cardholders are also encouraged to beware of phishing attempts, and they should not share their card info or the PIN over the phone or via text message. DCF and FIS will never call or text cardholders and explicitly ask for their card number or PIN. Learn more about protecting EBT cards at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/ees/Pages/EBT-Online.aspx" target="_blank">ebtcards.dcf.ks.gov</a>.What should cardholders do if they suspect their card has been compromised?If a cardholder suspects their EBT card has been compromised,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ebtedge.com/gov/portal/PortalHome.do" target="_blank">ebtedge.com</a>.Will stolen benefits be replaced?Federally funded replacement for stolen SNAP and TANF benefits ended in December 2024. In addition, there is no state money available for reimbursement. This means stolen SNAP and TANF benefits cannot be replaced.-------

DCF investigating EBT card skimming across Kansas

JOHNSON COUNTY—Police are asking help in identifying an individual in connection with a burglary spree in Lenexa.

Since the first of the year, multiple work vehicles at local businesses have been broken into, with tools and equipment stolen. These crimes don’t just result in stolen property—they also cause vehicle damage and disrupt daily business operations. The burglaries occurred in the 8100 Lenexa Drive, in the 8200 block of Melrose, at 95th and Pflumm at 10100 Marshall among other locations, according to police.

If you recognize this person or have information about their identity, please contact our detective at 913-825-8120.

The suspect has been seen driving a dark Honda CR-V, which is shown at the end of this video.

JOHNSON COUNTY—Police are asking help in identifying an individual in connection with a burglary spree in Lenexa.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">We’re asking for the public’s help in identifying this individual in connection with a burglary spree in Lenexa. Since the first of the year, multiple work vehicles at local businesses have been broken into, with tools and equipment stolen. These crimes don’t just result in… <a href="https://t.co/zkLXFwXYCN">pic.twitter.com/zkLXFwXYCN</a>&mdash; Lenexa Police (@LenexaPolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/LenexaPolice/status/2011540208941220131?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Since the first of the year, multiple work vehicles at local businesses have been broken into, with tools and equipment stolen. These crimes don’t just result in stolen property—they also cause vehicle damage and disrupt daily business operations. The burglaries occurred in the 8100 Lenexa Drive, in the 8200 block of Melrose, at 95th and Pflumm at 10100 Marshall among other locations, according to police.If you recognize this person or have information about their identity, please contact our detective at 913-825-8120.The suspect has been seen driving a dark Honda CR-V, which is shown at the end of this video.

Police ask for help to ID Kansas burglary suspect

THOMAS COUNTY—Law enforcement in northwest Kansas are investigating six suspects on multiple drug allegations after a drug enforcement investigation.

On Tuesday, the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office concluded a six-month investigation into the trafficking and distribution of narcotics in Thomas County, according to&nbsp;Sheriff Joel Nickols.

 As part of this investigation, deputies executed a total of five residential search warrants within Thomas County during December 2025. As the investigation progressed, the Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI). 

On January 13, 2026, the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office executed two additional search warrants in Colby, Kansas. Deputies served a search warrant on multiple storage units located within the city limits of Colby, while the Kansas Bureau of Investigation simultaneously executed a search warrant at a residence also located in Colby.

As a result of these investigations, multiple pounds of controlled substances were seized. Items recovered included large quantities of methamphetamine, marijuana, THC products, psilocybin mushrooms, Suboxone, and other illicit opiates and stimulants. 

A total of six suspects have been arrested in connection with these cases. The sheriff office did not release the names of the suspects or possible charges in the case.

THOMAS COUNTY—Law enforcement in northwest Kansas are investigating six suspects on multiple drug allegations after a drug enforcement investigation.On Tuesday, the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office concluded a six-month investigation into the trafficking and distribution of narcotics in Thomas County, according to&nbsp;Sheriff Joel Nickols. As part of this investigation, deputies executed a total of five residential search warrants within Thomas County during December 2025. As the investigation progressed, the Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI). On January 13, 2026, the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office executed two additional search warrants in Colby, Kansas. Deputies served a search warrant on multiple storage units located within the city limits of Colby, while the Kansas Bureau of Investigation simultaneously executed a search warrant at a residence also located in Colby.As a result of these investigations, multiple pounds of controlled substances were seized. Items recovered included large quantities of methamphetamine, marijuana, THC products, psilocybin mushrooms, Suboxone, and other illicit opiates and stimulants. A total of six suspects have been arrested in connection with these cases. The sheriff office did not release the names of the suspects or possible charges in the case.

Sheriff: 6 arrested after large drug bust in northwest Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans voted to dismiss a war powers resolution Wednesday that would have limited&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;ability to conduct further attacks on Venezuela after two GOP senators reversed course on supporting the legislation.

Trump put intense pressure on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-war-powers-venezuela-trump-maduro-greenland-e1c5c8390eb2331779504b710fe85025">five Republican senators</a>&nbsp;who joined with Democrats to advance the resolution last week and ultimately prevailed in heading off passage of the legislation. Two of the Republicans — Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Todd Young of Indiana — flipped under the pressure.

Vice President JD Vance had to break the 50-50 deadlock in the Senate on a Republican motion to dismiss the bill.&nbsp; Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall also voted to dismiss the bill.

The outcome of the high-profile vote demonstrated how Trump still has command over much of the Republican conference, yet the razor-thin vote tally also showed the growing concern on Capitol Hill over the president’s aggressive foreign policy ambitions.

Democrats forced the debate after U.S. troops captured Venezuelan leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-capture-trump-attack-military-ceb21da088f0a06b1813e66922def9a3">Nicolás Maduro</a>&nbsp;in a surprise nighttime raid earlier this month

“Here we have one of the most successful attacks ever and they find a way to be against it. It’s pretty amazing. And it’s a shame,” Trump said at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-michigan-manufacturing-8843cdb26cdfcdf9bf8c8273823c6d84">speech in Michigan</a>&nbsp;Tuesday. He also hurled insults at several of the Republicans who advanced the legislation, calling Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky a “stone cold loser” and Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine “disasters.” Those three Republicans stuck to their support for the legislation.

Trump’s latest comments followed earlier phone calls with the senators, which they described as terse. The president’s fury underscored how the war powers vote had taken on new political significance as Trump also threatens military action to accomplish his goal of possessing Greenland.

The legislation, even if it had cleared the Senate, had virtually no chance of becoming law because it would eventually need to be signed by Trump himself. But it represented both a test of GOP loyalty to the president and a marker for how much&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-strikes-congress-6c0061bf5a9c417e66f76fcc6ee57405">leeway the Republican-controlled Senate</a>&nbsp;is willing to give Trump to use the military abroad. Republican angst over his recent foreign policy moves — especially threats of using military force to seize Greenland from a NATO ally — is still running high in Congress.

Hawley, who helped advance the war powers resolution last week, said Trump’s message during a phone call was that the legislation “really ties my hands.” The senator said he had a follow-up phone call with Secretary of State&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/marco-rubio">Marco Rubio</a>&nbsp;Monday and was told “point blank, we’re not going to do ground troops.”

The senator added that he also received assurances that the Trump administration will follow constitutional requirements if it becomes necessary to deploy troops again to the South American country.

“We’re getting along very well with Venezuela,” Trump told reporters at a ceremony for the signing of an unrelated bill Wednesday.

As senators went to the floor for the vote Wednesday evening, Young also told reporters he was no longer in support. He said that he had extensive conversations with Rubio and received assurances that the secretary of state will appear at a public hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Young also shared a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.young.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/APNSA-Rubio-Letter-to-Sen.-Young_01.14.26.pdf" target="_blank">letter from Rubio</a>&nbsp;that stated the president will “seek congressional authorization in advance (circumstances permitting)” if he engaged in “major military operations” in Venezuela.

The senators also said his efforts were also instrumental in pushing the administration to release Wednesday a 22-page Justice Department memo laying out the legal justification for the snatch-and-grab operation against Maduro.

That memo, which was heavily redacted, indicates that the administration, for now, has no plans to ramp up military operations in Venezuela.

“We were assured that there is no contingency plan to engage in any substantial and sustained operation that would amount to a constitutional war,” according to the memo signed by Assistant Attorney General Elliot Gaiser.

Trump’s shifting rationale for military intervention

Trump has used a series of legal arguments for his campaign against Maduro.

As he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-drug-cartels-military-timeline-91e242e5c56eec39b6b7d72bf55dbd2d">built up a naval force</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean and destroyed vessels that were allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela, the Trump administration tapped wartime powers under the global war on terror by designating drug cartels as terrorist organizations.

The administration has claimed the capture of Maduro himself was actually a law enforcement operation, essentially to extradite the Venezuelan president to stand trial for charges in the U.S. that were filed in 2020.

Paul criticized the administration for first describing its military build-up in Caribbean as a counternarcotics operation but now floating Venezuela’s vast oil reserves as a reason for maintaining pressure.

“The bait and switch has already happened,” he said.

Trump’s foreign policy worries Congress

Lawmakers, including a significant number of Republicans, have been alarmed by Trump’s recent foreign policy talk. In recent weeks, he has pledged that the U.S. will “run” Venezuela for years to come, threatened military action to take&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greenland-denmark-trump-china-nato-arctic-law-5d92b9439ffa9027598af4be695e6415">possession of Greenland</a>&nbsp;and told Iranians protesting their government that “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-trump-80f937dfbb3e04e5322dae30db3ad4b3">help is on its way</a>.”

Senior Republicans have tried to massage the relationship between Trump and Denmark, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-greenland-trump-denmark-threat-annex-4907c132b499531d8d5fe6cd549c0beb">NATO ally</a>&nbsp;that holds Greenland as a semi-autonomous territory. But Danish officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greenland-united-states-denmark-trump-vance-rubio-meeting-cc278af4f3daf725029101966ba03568">emerged from a meeting</a>&nbsp;with Vance and Rubio Wednesday saying a “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland remains.

“What happened tonight is a roadmap to another endless war,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said at a news conference following the vote.

More than half of U.S. adults believe President Donald Trump has “gone too far” in using the U.S. military to intervene in other countries, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/poll-trump-venezuela-foreign-policy-approval-ce8d92a1461abb354f8c799e6b487e49">new AP-NORC poll</a>.

How Republican leaders dismissed the bill

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-war-powers-venezuela-trump-maduro-greenland-e1c5c8390eb2331779504b710fe85025">Last week’s procedural vote</a>&nbsp;on the war powers resolution was supposed to set up hours of debate and a vote on final passage. But Republican leaders began searching for a way to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republicans-split-trump-midterms-obamacare-venezuela-greenland-bafc2793a8d78d530ac424532e426283">defuse the conflict</a>&nbsp;between their members and Trump as well as move on quickly to other business.

Once Hawley and Young changed their support for the bill, Republicans were able to successfully challenge whether it was appropriate when the Trump administration has said U.S. troops are not currently deployed in Venezuela.

“We’re not currently conducting military operations there,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune in a floor speech. “But Democrats are taking up this bill because their anti-Trump hysteria knows no bounds.”

Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, who has brought a series of war powers resolutions this year, accused Republicans of burying a debate about the merits of an ongoing campaign of attacks and threats against Venezuela.

“If this cause and if this legal basis were so righteous, the administration and its supporters would not be afraid to have this debate before the public and the United States Senate,” he said in a floor speech.

Kaine vowed to force votes on war powers resolutions that would apply to a number of potential military conflicts, including Greenland. House Democrats have also filed a similar war powers resolution and can force a vote on it as soon as next week.

Associated Press writers Josh Goodman, Lisa Mascaro, Mary Clare Jalonick and Joey Cappelletti in Washington and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768440674495.png" alt="Vice President JD Vance had to break the 50-50 deadlock in the Senate on a Republican motion to dismiss the bill.&nbsp; -image&nbsp; courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Vice President JD Vance had to break the 50-50 deadlock in the Senate on a Republican motion to dismiss the bill.&nbsp; -image&nbsp; courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans voted to dismiss a war powers resolution Wednesday that would have limited&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;ability to conduct further attacks on Venezuela after two GOP senators reversed course on supporting the legislation.Trump put intense pressure on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-war-powers-venezuela-trump-maduro-greenland-e1c5c8390eb2331779504b710fe85025">five Republican senators</a>&nbsp;who joined with Democrats to advance the resolution last week and ultimately prevailed in heading off passage of the legislation. Two of the Republicans — Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Todd Young of Indiana — flipped under the pressure.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">🚨 BREAKING: Vice President JD VANCE just DEFEATED the anti-Trump War Powers vote in the Senate on Venezuela, casting the tie-breaking vote, 51-50 The resolution has officially FAILED. THANK YOU JD! You can always rely on VP Vance! 🇺🇸 Trump wins again 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/8f7Eprt1Jg">pic.twitter.com/8f7Eprt1Jg</a>&mdash; Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2011584816203121105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Vice President JD Vance had to break the 50-50 deadlock in the Senate on a Republican motion to dismiss the bill.&nbsp; Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall also voted to dismiss the bill.The outcome of the high-profile vote demonstrated how Trump still has command over much of the Republican conference, yet the razor-thin vote tally also showed the growing concern on Capitol Hill over the president’s aggressive foreign policy ambitions.Democrats forced the debate after U.S. troops captured Venezuelan leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-capture-trump-attack-military-ceb21da088f0a06b1813e66922def9a3">Nicolás Maduro</a>&nbsp;in a surprise nighttime raid earlier this month“Here we have one of the most successful attacks ever and they find a way to be against it. It’s pretty amazing. And it’s a shame,” Trump said at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-michigan-manufacturing-8843cdb26cdfcdf9bf8c8273823c6d84">speech in Michigan</a>&nbsp;Tuesday. He also hurled insults at several of the Republicans who advanced the legislation, calling Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky a “stone cold loser” and Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine “disasters.” Those three Republicans stuck to their support for the legislation.Trump’s latest comments followed earlier phone calls with the senators, which they described as terse. The president’s fury underscored how the war powers vote had taken on new political significance as Trump also threatens military action to accomplish his goal of possessing Greenland.The legislation, even if it had cleared the Senate, had virtually no chance of becoming law because it would eventually need to be signed by Trump himself. But it represented both a test of GOP loyalty to the president and a marker for how much&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-strikes-congress-6c0061bf5a9c417e66f76fcc6ee57405">leeway the Republican-controlled Senate</a>&nbsp;is willing to give Trump to use the military abroad. Republican angst over his recent foreign policy moves — especially threats of using military force to seize Greenland from a NATO ally — is still running high in Congress.<h2>Two Republicans reconsider</h2>Hawley, who helped advance the war powers resolution last week, said Trump’s message during a phone call was that the legislation “really ties my hands.” The senator said he had a follow-up phone call with Secretary of State&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/marco-rubio">Marco Rubio</a>&nbsp;Monday and was told “point blank, we’re not going to do ground troops.”The senator added that he also received assurances that the Trump administration will follow constitutional requirements if it becomes necessary to deploy troops again to the South American country.“We’re getting along very well with Venezuela,” Trump told reporters at a ceremony for the signing of an unrelated bill Wednesday.As senators went to the floor for the vote Wednesday evening, Young also told reporters he was no longer in support. He said that he had extensive conversations with Rubio and received assurances that the secretary of state will appear at a public hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.Young also shared a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.young.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/APNSA-Rubio-Letter-to-Sen.-Young_01.14.26.pdf" target="_blank">letter from Rubio</a>&nbsp;that stated the president will “seek congressional authorization in advance (circumstances permitting)” if he engaged in “major military operations” in Venezuela.The senators also said his efforts were also instrumental in pushing the administration to release Wednesday a 22-page Justice Department memo laying out the legal justification for the snatch-and-grab operation against Maduro.That memo, which was heavily redacted, indicates that the administration, for now, has no plans to ramp up military operations in Venezuela.“We were assured that there is no contingency plan to engage in any substantial and sustained operation that would amount to a constitutional war,” according to the memo signed by Assistant Attorney General Elliot Gaiser.<h2>Trump’s shifting rationale for military intervention</h2>Trump has used a series of legal arguments for his campaign against Maduro.As he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-drug-cartels-military-timeline-91e242e5c56eec39b6b7d72bf55dbd2d">built up a naval force</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean and destroyed vessels that were allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela, the Trump administration tapped wartime powers under the global war on terror by designating drug cartels as terrorist organizations.The administration has claimed the capture of Maduro himself was actually a law enforcement operation, essentially to extradite the Venezuelan president to stand trial for charges in the U.S. that were filed in 2020.Paul criticized the administration for first describing its military build-up in Caribbean as a counternarcotics operation but now floating Venezuela’s vast oil reserves as a reason for maintaining pressure.“The bait and switch has already happened,” he said.<h2>Trump’s foreign policy worries Congress</h2>Lawmakers, including a significant number of Republicans, have been alarmed by Trump’s recent foreign policy talk. In recent weeks, he has pledged that the U.S. will “run” Venezuela for years to come, threatened military action to take&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greenland-denmark-trump-china-nato-arctic-law-5d92b9439ffa9027598af4be695e6415">possession of Greenland</a>&nbsp;and told Iranians protesting their government that “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-trump-80f937dfbb3e04e5322dae30db3ad4b3">help is on its way</a>.”Senior Republicans have tried to massage the relationship between Trump and Denmark, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-greenland-trump-denmark-threat-annex-4907c132b499531d8d5fe6cd549c0beb">NATO ally</a>&nbsp;that holds Greenland as a semi-autonomous territory. But Danish officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greenland-united-states-denmark-trump-vance-rubio-meeting-cc278af4f3daf725029101966ba03568">emerged from a meeting</a>&nbsp;with Vance and Rubio Wednesday saying a “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland remains.“What happened tonight is a roadmap to another endless war,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said at a news conference following the vote.More than half of U.S. adults believe President Donald Trump has “gone too far” in using the U.S. military to intervene in other countries, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/poll-trump-venezuela-foreign-policy-approval-ce8d92a1461abb354f8c799e6b487e49">new AP-NORC poll</a>.<h2>How Republican leaders dismissed the bill</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-war-powers-venezuela-trump-maduro-greenland-e1c5c8390eb2331779504b710fe85025">Last week’s procedural vote</a>&nbsp;on the war powers resolution was supposed to set up hours of debate and a vote on final passage. But Republican leaders began searching for a way to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republicans-split-trump-midterms-obamacare-venezuela-greenland-bafc2793a8d78d530ac424532e426283">defuse the conflict</a>&nbsp;between their members and Trump as well as move on quickly to other business.Once Hawley and Young changed their support for the bill, Republicans were able to successfully challenge whether it was appropriate when the Trump administration has said U.S. troops are not currently deployed in Venezuela.“We’re not currently conducting military operations there,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune in a floor speech. “But Democrats are taking up this bill because their anti-Trump hysteria knows no bounds.”Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, who has brought a series of war powers resolutions this year, accused Republicans of burying a debate about the merits of an ongoing campaign of attacks and threats against Venezuela.“If this cause and if this legal basis were so righteous, the administration and its supporters would not be afraid to have this debate before the public and the United States Senate,” he said in a floor speech.Kaine vowed to force votes on war powers resolutions that would apply to a number of potential military conflicts, including Greenland. House Democrats have also filed a similar war powers resolution and can force a vote on it as soon as next week.___Associated Press writers Josh Goodman, Lisa Mascaro, Mary Clare Jalonick and Joey Cappelletti in Washington and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.

🎥Moran, Marshall help Senate kill Venezuela War Powers resolution

KANSAS CITY—Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire in Kansas City.

Just after 10a.m. Wednesday, crews were dispatched to a reported fire in the 3300 block of Flora Avenue, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.

On arrival, crews reported heavy smoke and fire showing from a 1-story home. An offensive interior fire attack was initiated, and 2 hose lines were advanced to extinguish the fire. The fire was placed under controlat 10:18 a.m.&nbsp;Searches throughout the structure were performed and came back all clear.&nbsp; &nbsp;City Planning and Dangerous Buildings have been requested to the scene.&nbsp;No injuries have been reported from this incident. Red Cross has been requested to assist with 3 adults.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768412352357.png" alt="Photo KC Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo KC Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire in Kansas City.Just after 10a.m. Wednesday, crews were dispatched to a reported fire in the 3300 block of Flora Avenue, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768412329824.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>On arrival, crews reported heavy smoke and fire showing from a 1-story home. An offensive interior fire attack was initiated, and 2 hose lines were advanced to extinguish the fire. The fire was placed under controlat 10:18 a.m.&nbsp;Searches throughout the structure were performed and came back all clear.&nbsp; &nbsp;City Planning and Dangerous Buildings have been requested to the scene.&nbsp;No injuries have been reported from this incident. Red Cross has been requested to assist with 3 adults.

3 adults displaced after fire at home in Kansas City

By MARCIA DUNN &nbsp;AP Aerospace Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — An ailing astronaut returned to Earth with three others on Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-spacewalk-postponed-1a6f794035be86582025c196f8f9e7b5">ending their space station mission</a>&nbsp;more than a month early in NASA’s first medical evacuation.

SpaceX guided the capsule to a middle-of-the-night splashdown in the Pacific near San Diego, less than 11 hours&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-nasa-astronauts-d90068c27fff2ed2438d1776e0632443">after the astronauts</a>&nbsp;exited the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-spacex-contract-international-space-station-339c0b8313073fdf4d9fe22056f3d51c">International Space Station</a>.

“It’s so good to be home,” said NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, the capsule commander.

It was an unexpected finish to a mission that began in August and left the orbiting lab with only one American and two Russians on board. NASA and SpaceX said they would try to move up the launch of a fresh crew of four; liftoff is currently targeted for mid-February.

Cardman and NASA’s Mike Fincke were joined on the return by Japan’s Kimiya Yui and Russia’s Oleg Platonov. Officials have refused to identify the astronaut who developed the health problem last week or explain what happened, citing medical privacy.

While the astronaut was stable in orbit, NASA wanted them back on Earth as soon as possible to receive proper care and diagnostic testing. The entry and splashdown required no special changes or accommodations, officials said, and the recovery ship had its usual allotment of medical experts on board.

The astronauts will receive more in-depth medical checks at a local hospital before flying to their home base in Houston, NASA said. Platonov’s return to Moscow was unclear.

The astronauts emerged from the capsule, one by one, after it was aboard the recovery ship. They were helped onto reclining cots and then whisked away for standard medical checks, waving to the cameras.

Jared Isaacman, NASA’s new administrator, monitored the action from Mission Control in Houston.

NASA stressed repeatedly over the past week that this was not an emergency. The astronaut fell sick or was injured on Jan. 7, prompting NASA to call off the next day’s spacewalk by Cardman and Fincke, and ultimately resulting in the early return. It was the first time NASA cut short a spaceflight for medical reasons. The Russians had done so decades ago.

The space station has gotten by with three astronauts before, sometimes even with just two. NASA said it will be unable to perform a spacewalk, even for an emergency, until the arrival of the next crew, which has two Americans, one French and one Russian astronaut.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768444979570.png" alt="The official portrait of the four members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission aboard the International Space Station. From left, are Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut, and NASA astronaut Zena Cardman. NASA/Robert Markowitz" />
 <figcaption>The official portrait of the four members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission aboard the International Space Station. From left, are Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut, and NASA astronaut Zena Cardman. NASA/Robert Markowitz</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARCIA DUNN &nbsp;AP Aerospace WriterCAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — An ailing astronaut returned to Earth with three others on Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-spacewalk-postponed-1a6f794035be86582025c196f8f9e7b5">ending their space station mission</a>&nbsp;more than a month early in NASA’s first medical evacuation.SpaceX guided the capsule to a middle-of-the-night splashdown in the Pacific near San Diego, less than 11 hours&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-nasa-astronauts-d90068c27fff2ed2438d1776e0632443">after the astronauts</a>&nbsp;exited the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-spacex-contract-international-space-station-339c0b8313073fdf4d9fe22056f3d51c">International Space Station</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768445083052.png" alt="This photo provided by NASA shows clockwise from bottom left are, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui gathering for a crew portrait wearing their Dragon pressure suits during a suit verification check inside the International Space Station’s Kibo laboratory module, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026." />
 <figcaption>This photo provided by NASA shows clockwise from bottom left are, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui gathering for a crew portrait wearing their Dragon pressure suits during a suit verification check inside the International Space Station’s Kibo laboratory module, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026.</figcaption>
 </figure>“It’s so good to be home,” said NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, the capsule commander.It was an unexpected finish to a mission that began in August and left the orbiting lab with only one American and two Russians on board. NASA and SpaceX said they would try to move up the launch of a fresh crew of four; liftoff is currently targeted for mid-February.Cardman and NASA’s Mike Fincke were joined on the return by Japan’s Kimiya Yui and Russia’s Oleg Platonov. Officials have refused to identify the astronaut who developed the health problem last week or explain what happened, citing medical privacy.While the astronaut was stable in orbit, NASA wanted them back on Earth as soon as possible to receive proper care and diagnostic testing. The entry and splashdown required no special changes or accommodations, officials said, and the recovery ship had its usual allotment of medical experts on board.The astronauts will receive more in-depth medical checks at a local hospital before flying to their home base in Houston, NASA said. Platonov’s return to Moscow was unclear.The astronauts emerged from the capsule, one by one, after it was aboard the recovery ship. They were helped onto reclining cots and then whisked away for standard medical checks, waving to the cameras.Jared Isaacman, NASA’s new administrator, monitored the action from Mission Control in Houston.NASA stressed repeatedly over the past week that this was not an emergency. The astronaut fell sick or was injured on Jan. 7, prompting NASA to call off the next day’s spacewalk by Cardman and Fincke, and ultimately resulting in the early return. It was the first time NASA cut short a spaceflight for medical reasons. The Russians had done so decades ago.The space station has gotten by with three astronauts before, sometimes even with just two. NASA said it will be unable to perform a spacewalk, even for an emergency, until the arrival of the next crew, which has two Americans, one French and one Russian astronaut.___

Ailing astronaut returns to Earth early in NASA's first medical evacuation

SALINE COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire at an apartment complex in Salina.

A significant fire occured at the <a href="https://www.theridgesalina.com/">Ridge of Salina</a>&nbsp;apartments on Wednesday afternoon, as the investigation is ongoing within first responders to determine the cause of fire.

The fire occurred in the attic of one of the apartment building at Ridge of Salina apartments, 2363 Chapel Ridge Place, at around 3:00 p.m., according to&nbsp;Salina Fire Department Chief, Shane Pearson.

The interior of the building had significant amounts of smoke and water damage. Supervisor of the apartments, Edwin Rodriguez said nobody was injured and everyone is safe.&nbsp;

"We followed protocol and the maintenance guys did their job," he said. "Thank God nobody was hurt."

Pearson also confirmed there were no reported injuries.

A resident who lives across from the building that was on fire stated they were simply relaxing inside their room, when they looked out of their window and suddenly saw the fire.&nbsp;

That same resident made the call at around 3:00 pm to let first responders know about the fire.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768427984816.png" alt="One of the buildings at the Ridge of Salina apartment complex caught on fire on Wednesday- Photo by Nicolas Fierro" />
 <figcaption>One of the buildings at the Ridge of Salina apartment complex caught on fire on Wednesday- Photo by Nicolas Fierro</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire at an apartment complex in Salina.A significant fire occured at the <a href="https://www.theridgesalina.com/">Ridge of Salina</a>&nbsp;apartments on Wednesday afternoon, as the investigation is ongoing within first responders to determine the cause of fire.The fire occurred in the attic of one of the apartment building at Ridge of Salina apartments, 2363 Chapel Ridge Place, at around 3:00 p.m., according to&nbsp;Salina Fire Department Chief, Shane Pearson.The interior of the building had significant amounts of smoke and water damage. Supervisor of the apartments, Edwin Rodriguez said nobody was injured and everyone is safe.&nbsp;"We followed protocol and the maintenance guys did their job," he said. "Thank God nobody was hurt."Pearson also confirmed there were no reported injuries.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F879450408053246%2F&show_text=false&width=267&t=0" width="267" height="476" 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><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1372421074114881%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>A resident who lives across from the building that was on fire stated they were simply relaxing inside their room, when they looked out of their window and suddenly saw the fire.&nbsp;That same resident made the call at around 3:00 pm to let first responders know about the fire.&nbsp;

Cause of Salina apartment fire under investigation 

President Trump signed the&nbsp;Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act on Wednesday in the Oval Office. &nbsp;The legislation restores healthy milk options in schools by reversing the Obama-era law that took whole milk out of school cafeterias.

Senator Roger Marshall wrote,&nbsp;“Our country is getting back to the basics when it comes to healthier living – eating real food – and the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act fits right in. This legislation is a win for our kids, ensuring they get the nutrients they need, and for the hardworking farmers who make it possible,”&nbsp;said Senator Marshall.&nbsp;“As a physician, there’s no drink I recommend more for growing kids than whole milk. I’m proud to have worked with Senator Peter Welch of Vermont on this bipartisan effort, and I was thrilled to see President Trump sign it into law today.”

The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf">Dietary Guidelines for Americans</a>&nbsp;(DGA) reports that nearly 90% of Americans do not meet their daily dairy intake recommendations. Specifically, Americans are lacking enough Calcium and Vitamin D, and whole milk is an excellent source of both vitamins. Leading nutritionists&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522012898?via%3Dihub">have found</a>&nbsp;that whole dairy fats have no negative effect on a diet, and may even reduce the risk of heart disease.

The legislation was first&nbsp;introduced&nbsp;by Senator Marshall in June of 2023. It was reintroduced in April of 2025 with numerous bipartisan sponsors and co-sponsors and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-marshalls-legislation-to-restore-whole-milk-in-schools-passes-senate-agriculture-committee/">passed</a>&nbsp;the Senate Agriculture Committee in June of 2025.

President Trump signed the&nbsp;Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act on Wednesday in the Oval Office. &nbsp;The legislation restores healthy milk options in schools by reversing the Obama-era law that took whole milk out of school cafeterias.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RogerMarshallMD</a>: On behalf of Kansas dairy farmers, thank you. Milk is the most wholesome, nutritious drink known to humankind... We have a whole generations of young adults who have osteoporosis because they never drank milk. Getting milk back in schools is going to give us… <a href="https://t.co/TpHmCymhrv">https://t.co/TpHmCymhrv</a> <a href="https://t.co/5itOc8LamB">pic.twitter.com/5itOc8LamB</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2011536557832839540?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 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> officially signs the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act into law — restoring whole and 2% milk our schools. MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN! 🥛 <a href="https://t.co/qLAy6AI5Cm">pic.twitter.com/qLAy6AI5Cm</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2011538795867619501?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“This legislation also allows parents to directly request a substitute for milk for children with dairy intolerance…We are allowing parents to choose what is best for their child!” <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> 🥛🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/3COIixhdos">pic.twitter.com/3COIixhdos</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2011538833150451844?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;We support the farmer. The farmer knows what&#39;s right better than anybody else.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/W0ePqplqjS">pic.twitter.com/W0ePqplqjS</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2011537966565601736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: Young boy explains to <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> where milk comes from ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/TpHmCymhrv">https://t.co/TpHmCymhrv</a> <a href="https://t.co/EcplwybBta">pic.twitter.com/EcplwybBta</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2011538550941012089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Senator Roger Marshall wrote,&nbsp;“Our country is getting back to the basics when it comes to healthier living – eating real food – and the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act fits right in. This legislation is a win for our kids, ensuring they get the nutrients they need, and for the hardworking farmers who make it possible,”&nbsp;said Senator Marshall.&nbsp;“As a physician, there’s no drink I recommend more for growing kids than whole milk. I’m proud to have worked with Senator Peter Welch of Vermont on this bipartisan effort, and I was thrilled to see President Trump sign it into law today.”The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf">Dietary Guidelines for Americans</a>&nbsp;(DGA) reports that nearly 90% of Americans do not meet their daily dairy intake recommendations. Specifically, Americans are lacking enough Calcium and Vitamin D, and whole milk is an excellent source of both vitamins. Leading nutritionists&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522012898?via%3Dihub">have found</a>&nbsp;that whole dairy fats have no negative effect on a diet, and may even reduce the risk of heart disease.The legislation was first&nbsp;introduced&nbsp;by Senator Marshall in June of 2023. It was reintroduced in April of 2025 with numerous bipartisan sponsors and co-sponsors and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-marshalls-legislation-to-restore-whole-milk-in-schools-passes-senate-agriculture-committee/">passed</a>&nbsp;the Senate Agriculture Committee in June of 2025.

🎥 Trump signs Kan. U.S. Senator's bill that returns whole milk to schools

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department said Wednesday it will suspend the processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Russia and Somalia, whose nationals the Trump administration has deemed likely to require public assistance while living in the United States.

The State Department, led by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-marco-rubio-secretary-of-state-nominee-39c378e19d0327a7f091f302daf8ca3e">Secretary of State Marco Rubio</a>, said it had instructed consular officers to halt immigrant visa applications from the countries affected in accordance with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-public-charge-trump-benefits-visas-0929b2c8f635479173929300cb683a27">a broader order</a>&nbsp;issued in November that tightened rules around potential immigrants who might become “public charges” in the U.S.

The step builds on earlier&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-travel-ban-countries-immigration-visas-border-9dde0aecb3ffe418266700d9eefef937">immigration and travel bans</a>&nbsp;by the administration on nearly 40 countries and is part of President Donald Trump’s ongoing efforts to tighten U.S. entry standards for foreigners.

“The Trump administration is bringing an end to the abuse of America’s immigration system by those who would extract wealth from the American people,” the department said in a statement. “Immigrant visa processing from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassess immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.”

The suspension, which will begin Jan. 21, will not apply to applicants seeking non-immigrant visas, or temporary tourist or business visas, who make up the vast majority of visa seekers. Demand for non-immigrant visas is expected to rise dramatically in the coming months and years due to the upcoming 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics both of which the U.S. will host or co-host.

Cable calls for screening of non-immigrant visa applicants

A separate notice sent to all U.S. embassies and consulates said that non-immigrant visa applicants should be screened for the possibility that they might seek public benefits in the United States.

“With the uncovering of massive public benefits fraud across the United States, the Trump administration is laser-focused on eliminating and preventing fraud in public benefits programs,” said the cable that referred specifically to most non-immigrant visa applications and was sent on Monday.

The cable, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, urged consular officers to ensure that foreigners wanting to travel to the U.S. “have been fully vetted and screened” for whether they may rely on public services before they are issued a visa.

The cable noted several times that it is up to the applicant to prove that they would not apply for public benefits while in the U.S. and said consular officers who suspect the applicant might apply should require them to fill out a form proving their financial bona fides.

President Donald Trump's administration has already severely restricted immigrant and non-immigrant visa processing for citizens of dozens of countries, many of them in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Consular officials must consider a range of personal details

The November guidance on which Wednesday's decision is based directed U.S. Embassy and consulate officials to comprehensively and thoroughly vet visa applicants to demonstrate that they will not need to rely on public benefits from the government any time after their admission in the U.S.

While federal law already required those seeking permanent residency or legal status to prove they wouldn’t be a public charge, Trump in his first term widened the range of benefit programs that could disqualify applicants, and the guidelines in the cable appear to go further in scope.

Immigrants seeking entry into the U.S. already undergo a medical exam by a physician who’s been approved by a U.S. Embassy. They are screened for communicable diseases, like tuberculosis, and asked to disclose any history of drug or alcohol use, mental health conditions or violence. They’re also required to have a number of vaccinations.

The new directive expanded those with more specific requirements. It said consular officials must consider a range of specific details about people seeking visas, including their age, health, family status, finances, education, skills and any past use of public assistance regardless of the country. It also said they should assess applicants’ English proficiency and can do so by conducting interviews in English.

Experts said at the time it could further limit who gets to enter the country at a time when the Republican administration is already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/refugees-admissions-cap-immigration-trump-administration-197a8ef1c9c219ce6167da4aba3f5a6e">tightening those rules</a>.

The countries affected by the suspension announced on Wednesday are:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Congo, Cuba, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department said Wednesday it will suspend the processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Russia and Somalia, whose nationals the Trump administration has deemed likely to require public assistance while living in the United States.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768425685695.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The State Department, led by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-marco-rubio-secretary-of-state-nominee-39c378e19d0327a7f091f302daf8ca3e">Secretary of State Marco Rubio</a>, said it had instructed consular officers to halt immigrant visa applications from the countries affected in accordance with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-public-charge-trump-benefits-visas-0929b2c8f635479173929300cb683a27">a broader order</a>&nbsp;issued in November that tightened rules around potential immigrants who might become “public charges” in the U.S.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">The State Department will pause immigrant visa processing from 75 countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates. The freeze will remain active until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people.&mdash; Department of State (@StateDept) <a href="https://twitter.com/StateDept/status/2011478657680757214?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The step builds on earlier&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-travel-ban-countries-immigration-visas-border-9dde0aecb3ffe418266700d9eefef937">immigration and travel bans</a>&nbsp;by the administration on nearly 40 countries and is part of President Donald Trump’s ongoing efforts to tighten U.S. entry standards for foreigners.“The Trump administration is bringing an end to the abuse of America’s immigration system by those who would extract wealth from the American people,” the department said in a statement. “Immigrant visa processing from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassess immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.”The suspension, which will begin Jan. 21, will not apply to applicants seeking non-immigrant visas, or temporary tourist or business visas, who make up the vast majority of visa seekers. Demand for non-immigrant visas is expected to rise dramatically in the coming months and years due to the upcoming 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics both of which the U.S. will host or co-host.<h2>Cable calls for screening of non-immigrant visa applicants</h2>A separate notice sent to all U.S. embassies and consulates said that non-immigrant visa applicants should be screened for the possibility that they might seek public benefits in the United States.“With the uncovering of massive public benefits fraud across the United States, the Trump administration is laser-focused on eliminating and preventing fraud in public benefits programs,” said the cable that referred specifically to most non-immigrant visa applications and was sent on Monday.The cable, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, urged consular officers to ensure that foreigners wanting to travel to the U.S. “have been fully vetted and screened” for whether they may rely on public services before they are issued a visa.The cable noted several times that it is up to the applicant to prove that they would not apply for public benefits while in the U.S. and said consular officers who suspect the applicant might apply should require them to fill out a form proving their financial bona fides.President Donald Trump's administration has already severely restricted immigrant and non-immigrant visa processing for citizens of dozens of countries, many of them in Africa, Asia and Latin America.<h2>Consular officials must consider a range of personal details</h2>The November guidance on which Wednesday's decision is based directed U.S. Embassy and consulate officials to comprehensively and thoroughly vet visa applicants to demonstrate that they will not need to rely on public benefits from the government any time after their admission in the U.S.While federal law already required those seeking permanent residency or legal status to prove they wouldn’t be a public charge, Trump in his first term widened the range of benefit programs that could disqualify applicants, and the guidelines in the cable appear to go further in scope.Immigrants seeking entry into the U.S. already undergo a medical exam by a physician who’s been approved by a U.S. Embassy. They are screened for communicable diseases, like tuberculosis, and asked to disclose any history of drug or alcohol use, mental health conditions or violence. They’re also required to have a number of vaccinations.The new directive expanded those with more specific requirements. It said consular officials must consider a range of specific details about people seeking visas, including their age, health, family status, finances, education, skills and any past use of public assistance regardless of the country. It also said they should assess applicants’ English proficiency and can do so by conducting interviews in English.Experts said at the time it could further limit who gets to enter the country at a time when the Republican administration is already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/refugees-admissions-cap-immigration-trump-administration-197a8ef1c9c219ce6167da4aba3f5a6e">tightening those rules</a>.The countries affected by the suspension announced on Wednesday are:Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Congo, Cuba, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.

See the list: US suspends immigrant visa processing for these countries

RENO COUNTY —Due to a significant rise in student and staff illness, Fairfield USD 310 will be closed on Thursday, January 15th and Friday, January 16th and all after school activities have been cancelled for Wednesday, according to an online message from Richard Spencer, Superintendent of Schools

The basketball games scheduled for this Thursday and Friday at Skyline have been postponed to a later date as well and there will be no practices held on either of these days.

"The decision was made out of an abundance of caution to protect the health and well-being of our students, staff, and families."

"Our night custodian will be fogging the buildings to help disinfect any germs still hanging around and we will continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide updates as needed. Thank you for your understanding and continued support."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768428718325.png" alt="Fairfield USD 310" />
 <figcaption>Fairfield USD 310</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY —Due to a significant rise in student and staff illness, Fairfield USD 310 will be closed on Thursday, January 15th and Friday, January 16th and all after school activities have been cancelled for Wednesday, according to an online message from Richard Spencer, Superintendent of SchoolsThe basketball games scheduled for this Thursday and Friday at Skyline have been postponed to a later date as well and there will be no practices held on either of these days."The decision was made out of an abundance of caution to protect the health and well-being of our students, staff, and families.""Our night custodian will be fogging the buildings to help disinfect any germs still hanging around and we will continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide updates as needed. Thank you for your understanding and continued support."

Kansas school district cancels classes due to illness

Governor Laura Kelly issued a verbal state of disaster emergency proclamation Wednesday due to critical fire weather conditions and Red Flag warnings in Western Kansas beginning Thursday, Jan. 15 and continuing through the weekend. This declaration allows resources to be used to provide state assistance.

“Weather conditions are such that a high risk exists for wildland fires in the coming days,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I urge everyone across the state to use extreme caution and avoid burning. Follow your local burn bans and regulations. We all need to do our part to protect our neighbors and communities.”

High winds exceeding 40 mph and humidity levels below 20 percent are expected across the state from Friday through Saturday. These conditions are conducive to rapid fire growth. Unseasonably warm temperatures combined with strong winds will further dry vegetation, creating fire behavior that is not typical for this time of year. Areas of particular concern include northwest Kansas, where no significant precipitation has occurred in more than 50 days.

“The Kansas Forest Service is working closely with our partners to ensure resources are available to support local responders,” Bill Waln, Fire Management Officer, Kansas Forest Service said. “In some areas that recently received rainfall, responding vehicles may encounter difficult ground conditions and could become stuck. Wet soils, combined with receptive fuels, may also present challenges for ground resources during suppression efforts.”

The Kansas Division of Emergency Management will staff the State Emergency Operations Center with Emergency Support Function partners starting tomorrow to coordinate state assistance to support counties and local responders if requested

Governor Laura Kelly issued a verbal state of disaster emergency proclamation Wednesday due to critical fire weather conditions and Red Flag warnings in Western Kansas beginning Thursday, Jan. 15 and continuing through the weekend. This declaration allows resources to be used to provide state assistance.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Ongoing dry conditions and strong winds (gusts 45-55 mph) with afternoon humidity near 20% will create elevated fire weather conditions across parts of southwest Kansas. . Outdoor burning is not advised. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kswx</a> <a href="https://t.co/GrqKvQLnC0">pic.twitter.com/GrqKvQLnC0</a>&mdash; NWS Dodge City (@NWSDodgeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSDodgeCity/status/2011383621760786804?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A High Wind Watch continues for the entire area Friday morning through Friday afternoon. Northwest winds gusting 60-90 mph will develop early in the morning and continue through about sunset. Blowing dust and localized dust storms will be possible through the day. <a href="https://t.co/EEZuV8fYhf">pic.twitter.com/EEZuV8fYhf</a>&mdash; NWS Goodland (@NWSGoodland) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSGoodland/status/2011545293410431485?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A Red Flag Warning and Fire Weather Watch have been issued for Thursday. A Fire Weather Watch has been issued for Friday. Burning is not advised. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cowx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cowx</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/newx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#newx</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kswx</a> <a href="https://t.co/fIwkc8ST0V">pic.twitter.com/fIwkc8ST0V</a>&mdash; NWS Goodland (@NWSGoodland) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSGoodland/status/2011408994896613459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Weather conditions are such that a high risk exists for wildland fires in the coming days,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I urge everyone across the state to use extreme caution and avoid burning. Follow your local burn bans and regulations. We all need to do our part to protect our neighbors and communities.”High winds exceeding 40 mph and humidity levels below 20 percent are expected across the state from Friday through Saturday. These conditions are conducive to rapid fire growth. Unseasonably warm temperatures combined with strong winds will further dry vegetation, creating fire behavior that is not typical for this time of year. Areas of particular concern include northwest Kansas, where no significant precipitation has occurred in more than 50 days.“The Kansas Forest Service is working closely with our partners to ensure resources are available to support local responders,” Bill Waln, Fire Management Officer, Kansas Forest Service said. “In some areas that recently received rainfall, responding vehicles may encounter difficult ground conditions and could become stuck. Wet soils, combined with receptive fuels, may also present challenges for ground resources during suppression efforts.”The Kansas Division of Emergency Management will staff the State Emergency Operations Center with Emergency Support Function partners starting tomorrow to coordinate state assistance to support counties and local responders if requested

Kan. governor issues state of disaster emergency for wildland fires

House Speaker Dan Hawkins, in his final year in the Legislature, centers his rebuttal speech on budget, policy wins

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 — Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins underscored the force of the Republican supermajority and its 2025 policy wins in his response to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s final State of the State address.

Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, also promised solutions to cost of living issues, health care woes and academic outcomes in K-12 schools during the 2026 legislative session, where Republicans maintained an 88-37 advantage in the House and a 31-9 margin in the Senate.

Kelly’s State of the State speech was&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/01/13/kansas-governor-revels-in-triumphs-warns-against-succumbing-to-uncivilized-d-c-politics/">part victory lap, part warning</a>. Kelly, who will leave office at the end of 2026, celebrated enticing the Kansas City Chiefs, who will move from Missouri to play in a new stadium in five years, and her seven years in office. And she cautioned against accepting uncivil political discourse as the norm.

It’s Hawkins’ final State of the State response, too, which he prerecorded ahead of Kelly’s address Tuesday. He is running for state insurance commissioner. His&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/01/13/full-transcript-of-house-speaker-dan-hawkins-response-to-governors-state-of-the-state-address/">rebuttal</a>&nbsp;touted tax relief legislation, and he spoke of prioritizing quality K-12 schools, housing and roads.

Three things, he said, have made a difference in the state budget.

One: A focus on efficiency inspired by the Trump administration’s DOGE, or department of government efficiency. Two: Investing in government functions such as schools, roads, public safety and water. And three: Reducing state spending.

<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/10/full-transcript-of-kansas-house-speaker-dan-hawkins-response-to-the-state-of-the-state-speech/">His 2024 speech</a>&nbsp;was laden with critiques of Kelly and the Biden administration, and he vowed at the time to focus on shrinking government, reining in energy costs, improving civil services and cracking down on communist China.

Two years later, he threw fewer jabs. He criticized Kelly for “covering up waste, fraud and abuse” in the state budget and “massive” spending proposals. However, the Republican majority was, by its own authority, responsible in 2025 for proposing, negotiating and passing the state budget.

“The bottom line is we are focusing on the core services of government and doing those things right,” he said. “We’re putting people first, and it’s working. This past year alone, we reduced state spending by over $200 million.”

That figure is in contrast to the 2024-2025 state budget.

Republicans actually reduced spending by $38 million last year compared to the governor’s proposed 2025-2026 budget, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/08/25/kansas-house-speaker-wants-to-slash-200-million-from-state-budget-target-medicaid-for-cuts/#:~:text=Despite%20Republicans%20in%20the%20House,Hawkins%20told%20his%20ALEC%20audience.">numbers confirmed in August by his staff</a>.

Hawkins said schools were the Legislature’s No. 1 budget priority. Republicans historically have not always put forth proposals that fully fund public schools, however. He voiced support for a proposed bipartisan cellphone ban in K-12 schools, hypothesizing it could improve test scores.

Health care, he said, is another priority.

“It’s beyond frustrating to see enormous federal and state government funding pumped into the system, and yet costs keep skyrocketing, and middle class families are forced to keep paying more,” he said.

Hawkins has opposed Medicaid expansion in Kansas, which has shown in some states to lower state and consumer costs.

The solutions Hawkins sees include improving hospital reimbursements, enhancing telemedicine, improving hospital pricing transparency, lowering prescription costs and creating oversight for the Rural Health Transformation Fund, a $50 billion program established in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to offset the bill’s cuts to rural health providers. He said the fund, if used wisely, has the ability to rightsize health care for rural Kansas communities.”

“Payouts to big hospital systems and programs based on buzzwords instead of actual care, as some have suggested, are not going to cut it,” he said.

He said the 2026 Legislature, “as part of our people-first agenda,” will concentrate on cost of living concerns, including housing, insurance and utility costs.

Hawkins promised to modify tort law to lower insurance costs and deregulate single-family home building to lower housing costs. Quality and affordable housing was identified as a major need, especially in rural communities, in the state’s 2021 Housing Needs Assessment. A growing population and the compounded effects of the 2008 recession have created a housing shortage in Kansas. The Legislature last year passed legislation that will whittle down the state’s low-income housing tax credit program, which helped fund the construction and rehabilitation of low-income rental housing, until it is discontinued in 2028.

Hawkins, who has served 13 years in the Legislature, ended his response by committing Republicans to having Kansans’ backs.

“When I look out on our great state, I see the challenges we face,” he said. “But we’ve faced challenges before.”

Bleeding Kansas, grasshopper plagues, ice storms, prairie fires, tornadoes and the dust bowl, to name a few, he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768402895800.png" alt=" House Speaker Dan Hawkins presides over the House during a Jan. 12, 2026, session. The Wichita Republican delivered the GOP response to the governor’s State of the State speech. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> House Speaker Dan Hawkins presides over the House during a Jan. 12, 2026, session. The Wichita Republican delivered the GOP response to the governor’s State of the State speech. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>House Speaker Dan Hawkins, in his final year in the Legislature, centers his rebuttal speech on budget, policy wins</h2>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 — Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins underscored the force of the Republican supermajority and its 2025 policy wins in his response to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s final State of the State address.Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, also promised solutions to cost of living issues, health care woes and academic outcomes in K-12 schools during the 2026 legislative session, where Republicans maintained an 88-37 advantage in the House and a 31-9 margin in the Senate.Kelly’s State of the State speech was&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/01/13/kansas-governor-revels-in-triumphs-warns-against-succumbing-to-uncivilized-d-c-politics/">part victory lap, part warning</a>. Kelly, who will leave office at the end of 2026, celebrated enticing the Kansas City Chiefs, who will move from Missouri to play in a new stadium in five years, and her seven years in office. And she cautioned against accepting uncivil political discourse as the norm.It’s Hawkins’ final State of the State response, too, which he prerecorded ahead of Kelly’s address Tuesday. He is running for state insurance commissioner. His&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/01/13/full-transcript-of-house-speaker-dan-hawkins-response-to-governors-state-of-the-state-address/">rebuttal</a>&nbsp;touted tax relief legislation, and he spoke of prioritizing quality K-12 schools, housing and roads.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o3g2uj4ukaE?si=YobigTJFapiF6xTR" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Three things, he said, have made a difference in the state budget.One: A focus on efficiency inspired by the Trump administration’s DOGE, or department of government efficiency. Two: Investing in government functions such as schools, roads, public safety and water. And three: Reducing state spending.<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/10/full-transcript-of-kansas-house-speaker-dan-hawkins-response-to-the-state-of-the-state-speech/">His 2024 speech</a>&nbsp;was laden with critiques of Kelly and the Biden administration, and he vowed at the time to focus on shrinking government, reining in energy costs, improving civil services and cracking down on communist China.Two years later, he threw fewer jabs. He criticized Kelly for “covering up waste, fraud and abuse” in the state budget and “massive” spending proposals. However, the Republican majority was, by its own authority, responsible in 2025 for proposing, negotiating and passing the state budget.“The bottom line is we are focusing on the core services of government and doing those things right,” he said. “We’re putting people first, and it’s working. This past year alone, we reduced state spending by over $200 million.”That figure is in contrast to the 2024-2025 state budget.Republicans actually reduced spending by $38 million last year compared to the governor’s proposed 2025-2026 budget, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/08/25/kansas-house-speaker-wants-to-slash-200-million-from-state-budget-target-medicaid-for-cuts/#:~:text=Despite%20Republicans%20in%20the%20House,Hawkins%20told%20his%20ALEC%20audience.">numbers confirmed in August by his staff</a>.Hawkins said schools were the Legislature’s No. 1 budget priority. Republicans historically have not always put forth proposals that fully fund public schools, however. He voiced support for a proposed bipartisan cellphone ban in K-12 schools, hypothesizing it could improve test scores.Health care, he said, is another priority.“It’s beyond frustrating to see enormous federal and state government funding pumped into the system, and yet costs keep skyrocketing, and middle class families are forced to keep paying more,” he said.Hawkins has opposed Medicaid expansion in Kansas, which has shown in some states to lower state and consumer costs.The solutions Hawkins sees include improving hospital reimbursements, enhancing telemedicine, improving hospital pricing transparency, lowering prescription costs and creating oversight for the Rural Health Transformation Fund, a $50 billion program established in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to offset the bill’s cuts to rural health providers. He said the fund, if used wisely, has the ability to rightsize health care for rural Kansas communities.”“Payouts to big hospital systems and programs based on buzzwords instead of actual care, as some have suggested, are not going to cut it,” he said.He said the 2026 Legislature, “as part of our people-first agenda,” will concentrate on cost of living concerns, including housing, insurance and utility costs.Hawkins promised to modify tort law to lower insurance costs and deregulate single-family home building to lower housing costs. Quality and affordable housing was identified as a major need, especially in rural communities, in the state’s 2021 Housing Needs Assessment. A growing population and the compounded effects of the 2008 recession have created a housing shortage in Kansas. The Legislature last year passed legislation that will whittle down the state’s low-income housing tax credit program, which helped fund the construction and rehabilitation of low-income rental housing, until it is discontinued in 2028.Hawkins, who has served 13 years in the Legislature, ended his response by committing Republicans to having Kansans’ backs.“When I look out on our great state, I see the challenges we face,” he said. “But we’ve faced challenges before.”Bleeding Kansas, grasshopper plagues, ice storms, prairie fires, tornadoes and the dust bowl, to name a few, he said.“But Kansas remains undefeated,” he said. “We dust ourselves off, and we confront our problems head on, and we carry on.”