WYANDOTTE COUNTY - A jury last week found a suspect guilty in Kansas cold case murder.

&nbsp;Gary Dion Davis,54, was convicted&nbsp;of second-degree murder in the November 1996 death of Pearl Davis, also known as Sameemah Mussawir, according to the Wyandott County District Attorney's office.

Police had found the victim’s body in a house on Lafayette Avenue in Kanas City, Kansas, and the case went unsolved for decades.

Davis&nbsp;had also been charged with killing Christina King two years later in December 1998, but the jury found him not guilty of her murder.

Davis worked as a long-haul truck driver. The district attorney's office said it is possible that Davis could be responsible for other crimes across the country because of his job.

Davis is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 26, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768250377586.png" alt="Davis photo Wyandotte County" />
 <figcaption>Davis photo Wyandotte County</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY - A jury last week found a suspect guilty in Kansas cold case murder.&nbsp;Gary Dion Davis,54, was convicted&nbsp;of second-degree murder in the November 1996 death of Pearl Davis, also known as Sameemah Mussawir, according to the Wyandott County District Attorney's office.Police had found the victim’s body in a house on Lafayette Avenue in Kanas City, Kansas, and the case went unsolved for decades.Davis&nbsp;had also been charged with killing Christina King two years later in December 1998, but the jury found him not guilty of her murder.Davis worked as a long-haul truck driver. The district attorney's office said it is possible that Davis could be responsible for other crimes across the country because of his job.Davis is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 26, according to the district attorney's office.

Jury: Man guilty in cold case murder of Kansas woman

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

Just before 2a.m. January 11, police conducted a traffic stop in the 2000 Block of Heizer Street in Great Bend, according to a media release.

 Contact was made with the driver and multiple occupants of the vehicle. During the stop, K9 NEO was deployed for a free air sniff of the vehicle, subsequently indicating to the odor of narcotics. 

The back seat passenger identified as 31-year-old Christopher Hutchins-Hernandez was found to have marijuana on his person. During the subsequent search of the vehicle, Officers located Methamphetamine, Marijuana, and Drug Paraphernalia, as well as a stolen firearm. 

Police arrested Hutchins-Hernandez on requested charges of&nbsp; Distribution of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia,  Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Possession of Stolen Property, and No Drug Tax Stamp.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768341900079.png" alt="Hutchins-Hernandez" />
 <figcaption>Hutchins-Hernandez</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just before 2a.m. January 11, police conducted a traffic stop in the 2000 Block of Heizer Street in Great Bend, according to a media release. Contact was made with the driver and multiple occupants of the vehicle. During the stop, K9 NEO was deployed for a free air sniff of the vehicle, subsequently indicating to the odor of narcotics. The back seat passenger identified as 31-year-old Christopher Hutchins-Hernandez was found to have marijuana on his person. During the subsequent search of the vehicle, Officers located Methamphetamine, Marijuana, and Drug Paraphernalia, as well as a stolen firearm. Police arrested Hutchins-Hernandez on requested charges of&nbsp; Distribution of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Possession of Stolen Property, and No Drug Tax Stamp.&nbsp;

Police: Alleged Kan. meth dealer had a stolen firearm

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly delivered her final State of the State address to the Kansas Legislature on Tuesday evening. Click below to watch the replay.

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly delivered her final State of the State address to the Kansas Legislature on Tuesday evening. Click below to watch the replay.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2z1hGpld4ok?si=nXH6be1QMZm0xTeQ" 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>

🎥Governor Laura Kelly's final State of the State address

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Emmy Award-winning actor Timothy Busfield turned himself in to authorities Tuesday and vowed to fight charges of child sex abuse stemming from allegations that he inappropriately touched a minor on the set of a TV series he was directing in New Mexico.

His apprehension comes after authorities in Albuquerque&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/timothy-busfield-child-sex-abuse-charge-83c82a8c5dbfabd4880f3c8af02fb523">issued a warrant for his arrest</a>&nbsp;on Friday on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. A criminal complaint alleges the acts occurred on the set of the series “The Cleaning Lady,” which was filmed in Albuquerque.

Busfield, who is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-celebrity-9ba7c27a8ae04a3993864eea8508f2f3">married to actor Melissa Gilbert</a>, is known for appearances in “The West Wing,” “Field of Dreams” and “Thirtysomething,” the latter of which won him an Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series in 1991.

“Tim voluntarily appeared before New Mexico authorities after traveling across the country to confront these false and deeply troubling allegations,” said Stanton Stein, an attorney for Busfield. “He is innocent and is determined to clear his name.”

Busfield was booked by Albuquerque police on the charges, said Gilbert Gallegos, spokesperson for the city police department. A first appearance in court was scheduled for Wednesday.

NBC shelved an episode of “Law &amp; Order: Special Victims Unit” that featured Busfield and was set to air Thursday, a network spokesperson confirmed Tuesday to The Associated Press. Busfield was guest-starring as the judge on the long-running show, which focuses on sex crimes.

The criminal complaint filed by an investigator with the police department says the boy reported that he was 7 years old when Busfield touched him three or four times on private areas over his clothing. Busfield allegedly touched him five or six times on another occasion when he was 8, the complaint said.

Busfield denied the allegations when interviewed by authorities last fall as part of an investigation, according to the complaint.

The complaint also says the child was reportedly afraid to tell anyone because Busfield was the director and he feared he would get mad at him.

The boy's twin brother told authorities he was touched by Busfield but did not specify where. He said he didn't say anything because he didn't want to get in trouble.

When he was interviewed by authorities as part of the investigation, Busfield suggested that the boys' mother was seeking revenge for her children being replaced on the series — an argument echoed Tuesday by Busfield's attorney. Busfield also previously said he likely would have picked up and tickled the boys, saying the set was a playful environment.

Lawyer says Warner Bros. investigation unable to corroborate complaint

On Tuesday, Stein invoked the results of a private investigation by Warner Bros. to assert that the allegations are false. The investigator hired by Warner Bros. could not immediately be contacted by phone or email.

Authorities say the Warner Bros. investigation was unable to corroborate details of an anonymous complaint to a union workplace hotline after its private investigator “was not able to talk with anyone who would support evidence that Timothy Busfield engaged in this behavior.”

A video obtained by TMZ showed Busfield in front of a window with the Albuquerque skyline in the backdrop. He said he arrived in the city after driving 2,000 miles (3,219 kilometers).

“I’m going to confront these lies. They’re horrible. They’re all lies,” Busfield said.

Marshals Service involved in search for Busfield

The search for Busfield involved the U.S. Marshals Service and extended to New York before Busfield appeared in the video and arrived at a metropolitan detention center, Gallegos said.

“We had the U.S. Marshals' office looking in New York in particular, and other cities,” Gallegos said.

The mother of the twins — who are identified only by their initials in court records — reported to Child Protective Services that the abuse occurred between November 2022 and spring 2024, the complaint said.

Busfield’s wife, Gilbert, indicated through a publicist that she won’t speak publicly at the request of attorneys for Busfield while the legal process unfolds.

“Her focus is on supporting and caring for their very large family,” publicist Ame Van Iden said in a statement. “Melissa stands with and supports her husband and will address the public at an appropriate time.”

The investigation began in November 2024, when the investigator responded to a call from a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. The boys' parents had gone there at the recommendation of a law firm, the complaint said.

According to the complaint, one of the boys has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. A social worker documented him saying he has had nightmares about Busfield touching him.

“The Cleaning Lady” aired for four seasons on Fox, ending in 2025. The show was produced by Warner Bros., which according to the complaint conducted its own investigation into the abuse allegations but was unable to corroborate them.

Associated Press journalist Mallika Sen in New York contributed to this report. Lee contributed from Santa Fe, New Mexico.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768347111074.png" alt="Busfield photo&nbsp;Albuquerque Metro Detention Facility" />
 <figcaption>Busfield photo&nbsp;Albuquerque Metro Detention Facility</figcaption>
 </figure>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Emmy Award-winning actor Timothy Busfield turned himself in to authorities Tuesday and vowed to fight charges of child sex abuse stemming from allegations that he inappropriately touched a minor on the set of a TV series he was directing in New Mexico.His apprehension comes after authorities in Albuquerque&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/timothy-busfield-child-sex-abuse-charge-83c82a8c5dbfabd4880f3c8af02fb523">issued a warrant for his arrest</a>&nbsp;on Friday on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. A criminal complaint alleges the acts occurred on the set of the series “The Cleaning Lady,” which was filmed in Albuquerque.Busfield, who is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-celebrity-9ba7c27a8ae04a3993864eea8508f2f3">married to actor Melissa Gilbert</a>, is known for appearances in “The West Wing,” “Field of Dreams” and “Thirtysomething,” the latter of which won him an Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series in 1991.“Tim voluntarily appeared before New Mexico authorities after traveling across the country to confront these false and deeply troubling allegations,” said Stanton Stein, an attorney for Busfield. “He is innocent and is determined to clear his name.”Busfield was booked by Albuquerque police on the charges, said Gilbert Gallegos, spokesperson for the city police department. A first appearance in court was scheduled for Wednesday.NBC shelved an episode of “Law &amp; Order: Special Victims Unit” that featured Busfield and was set to air Thursday, a network spokesperson confirmed Tuesday to The Associated Press. Busfield was guest-starring as the judge on the long-running show, which focuses on sex crimes.The criminal complaint filed by an investigator with the police department says the boy reported that he was 7 years old when Busfield touched him three or four times on private areas over his clothing. Busfield allegedly touched him five or six times on another occasion when he was 8, the complaint said.<h2>Busfield has denied the allegations</h2>Busfield denied the allegations when interviewed by authorities last fall as part of an investigation, according to the complaint.The complaint also says the child was reportedly afraid to tell anyone because Busfield was the director and he feared he would get mad at him.The boy's twin brother told authorities he was touched by Busfield but did not specify where. He said he didn't say anything because he didn't want to get in trouble.When he was interviewed by authorities as part of the investigation, Busfield suggested that the boys' mother was seeking revenge for her children being replaced on the series — an argument echoed Tuesday by Busfield's attorney. Busfield also previously said he likely would have picked up and tickled the boys, saying the set was a playful environment.<h2>Lawyer says Warner Bros. investigation unable to corroborate complaint</h2>On Tuesday, Stein invoked the results of a private investigation by Warner Bros. to assert that the allegations are false. The investigator hired by Warner Bros. could not immediately be contacted by phone or email.Authorities say the Warner Bros. investigation was unable to corroborate details of an anonymous complaint to a union workplace hotline after its private investigator “was not able to talk with anyone who would support evidence that Timothy Busfield engaged in this behavior.”A video obtained by TMZ showed Busfield in front of a window with the Albuquerque skyline in the backdrop. He said he arrived in the city after driving 2,000 miles (3,219 kilometers).“I’m going to confront these lies. They’re horrible. They’re all lies,” Busfield said.<h2>Marshals Service involved in search for Busfield</h2>The search for Busfield involved the U.S. Marshals Service and extended to New York before Busfield appeared in the video and arrived at a metropolitan detention center, Gallegos said.“We had the U.S. Marshals' office looking in New York in particular, and other cities,” Gallegos said.The mother of the twins — who are identified only by their initials in court records — reported to Child Protective Services that the abuse occurred between November 2022 and spring 2024, the complaint said.Busfield’s wife, Gilbert, indicated through a publicist that she won’t speak publicly at the request of attorneys for Busfield while the legal process unfolds.“Her focus is on supporting and caring for their very large family,” publicist Ame Van Iden said in a statement. “Melissa stands with and supports her husband and will address the public at an appropriate time.”The investigation began in November 2024, when the investigator responded to a call from a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. The boys' parents had gone there at the recommendation of a law firm, the complaint said.According to the complaint, one of the boys has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. A social worker documented him saying he has had nightmares about Busfield touching him.“The Cleaning Lady” aired for four seasons on Fox, ending in 2025. The show was produced by Warner Bros., which according to the complaint conducted its own investigation into the abuse allegations but was unable to corroborate them.___Associated Press journalist Mallika Sen in New York contributed to this report. Lee contributed from Santa Fe, New Mexico.

'West Wing' actor turns himself in to face child sex abuse allegations

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating a wekend homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 28-year-old De’Ontez&nbsp;Denson, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

Just before 6:30p.m. Sunday, polie were dispatched to an apartment in the 6400 block of Manchester Avenue in Kansas City on a report of a disturbance, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

Upon arrival, officers responded to the dispatched apartment unit where they located Denson inside suffering from apparent gunshot trauma. Officers checked for signs of life just as EMS was responding. EMS declared him was deceased at the scene.

Preliminary investigation reveals there was an argument between Denson and an adult male suspect. That argument escalated into gunfire and resulted in the victim being struck. The adult male suspect has not been identified at this time and left the scene prior to officer arrival.&nbsp;

Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel responded to the scene to canvass the area for evidence and collecting witness statements. This incident is being investigated as a homicide, according to Gonzalez.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768218129826.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating a wekend homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 28-year-old De’Ontez&nbsp;Denson, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.Just before 6:30p.m. Sunday, polie were dispatched to an apartment in the 6400 block of Manchester Avenue in Kansas City on a report of a disturbance, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez.Upon arrival, officers responded to the dispatched apartment unit where they located Denson inside suffering from apparent gunshot trauma. Officers checked for signs of life just as EMS was responding. EMS declared him was deceased at the scene.Preliminary investigation reveals there was an argument between Denson and an adult male suspect. That argument escalated into gunfire and resulted in the victim being struck. The adult male suspect has not been identified at this time and left the scene prior to officer arrival.&nbsp;Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel responded to the scene to canvass the area for evidence and collecting witness statements. This incident is being investigated as a homicide, according to Gonzalez.

Police ID homicide victim found in Kansas City apartment

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bill-clinton">Bill Clinton</a>&nbsp;and former Secretary of State&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hillary-clinton">Hillary Clinton</a>&nbsp;said Tuesday that they will refuse to comply with a congressional subpoena to testify in a House committee's investigation of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>&nbsp;even as Republican lawmakers prepare contempt of Congress proceedings against them.

The Clintons, in&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/BillClinton/status/2011098958236697021?s=20">a letter</a>&nbsp;released on social media, slammed the House Oversight probe as “legally invalid” and wrote that the chair of the House Oversight Committee, Republican Rep. James Comer, is on the cusp of a process “literally designed to result in our imprisonment.”

“We will forcefully defend ourselves,” wrote the Clintons, who are Democrats. They accused Comer of allowing other former officials to provide written statements about Epstein to the committee, while selectively&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bill-clinton-justice-department-jeffrey-epstein-4a55e83b62b5a037c431e36cfa87f0dc">enforcing subpoenas</a>&nbsp;against them.

The intensifying clash adds another dimension to the fight over Epstein, raising new questions about the limits of congressional power to compel testimony. It also comes when Republicans are grappling with the Justice Department’s delayed release of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/release-epstein-files-justice-department-trump-f919d9dc9c3957cb2bd2c9c1a14b533c">the Epstein files</a>&nbsp;after a bipartisan push for their release.

Possible contempt of Congress proceedings

Comer said he’ll begin contempt of Congress proceedings next week. It potentially starts a complicated and politically messy process that Congress has rarely reached for and could result in prosecution from the Justice Department.

“No one’s accusing the Clintons of any wrongdoing. We just have questions," Comer told reporters after Bill Clinton, a onetime Epstein friend, did not show up for a scheduled deposition at House offices Tuesday.

He added, “Anyone would admit they spent a lot of time together.”

Clinton has never been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein but had a well-documented friendship with the wealthy financier throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bill-clinton-justice-department-jeffrey-epstein-4a55e83b62b5a037c431e36cfa87f0dc">Republicans have zeroed</a>&nbsp;in on that relationship as they wrestle with demands for a full accounting of Epstein's wrongdoing.

“We have tried to give you the little information we have. We’ve done so because Mr. Epstein’s crimes were horrific,” the Clintons wrote in the letter.

Epstein was arrested in 2019&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f995d90cbfd943169f74a0dbb3b1eadc">on federal sex trafficking</a>&nbsp;and conspiracy charges. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-politics-new-york-business-suicides-4ff27f28f32d446795b65ac7dd8cc4ac">killed himself in a New York jail cell</a>&nbsp;while awaiting trial.

Multiple former presidents have voluntarily testified before Congress, but none has been compelled to do so. That history was invoked by President Donald Trump in 2022, between his first and second terms, when he faced a subpoena by the House committee investigating the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, riot by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">a mob of his supporters</a>&nbsp;at the U.S. Capitol.

Trump's lawyers cited decades of legal precedent they said shielded an ex-president from being ordered to appear before Congress. The committee ultimately withdrew its subpoena.

Comer also indicated that the Oversight committee would not attempt to compel testimony from Trump about Epstein, saying that it could not force a sitting president to testify.

Trump, a Republican, was also friends with Epstein. He has said he cut off that relationship before Epstein was accused of sexual abuse.

Comer cast the subpoena for the Clintons as a bipartisan effort. But when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-trump-congress-subpoena-clintons-a02749e1fe6f0de0c385c7fac186d3ba">a subcommittee of the Oversight panel</a>&nbsp;initiated its overall investigation into Epstein in August, it adopted the subpoenas for the Clintons without allowing Democrats to cast individual votes.

The Justice Department also has not completely fulfilled the committee's subpoena for its files on Epstein.

Meanwhile, the congressional co-sponsors of legislation that forced the public release of investigative documents in the sex trafficking probe of Epstein and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell asked a New York judge in a letter to appoint a neutral expert to oversee release of the materials. The letter, dated Jan. 8, was delivered to the judge Monday night.

U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, and Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, told U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer they had “urgent and grave concerns” that the Justice Department has failed to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which required the files to be released last month. They said they believed “criminal violations have taken place” in the release process.

Engelmayer presides over the Maxwell case. Maxwell, a former Epstein girlfriend, is serving a 20-year prison sentence after her 2021 sex trafficking conviction for recruiting girls and women to be abused by Epstein and for sometimes joining in the abuse. Last month, Maxwell sought to set aside her conviction, saying new evidence had emerged proving constitutional violations spoiled her trial.

Justice Department officials, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday, have said the files' release was slowed by redactions required to protect the identities of abuse victims.

In their letter, Khanna and Massie wrote that the Department of Justice's release of 12,000 documents out of more than 2 million documents being reviewed was a “flagrant violation” of the law's release requirements and had caused “serious trauma to survivors.”

“Put simply, the DOJ cannot be trusted with making mandatory disclosures under the Act,” the congressmen said as they asked for the appointment of an independent monitor to ensure all documents and electronically stored information are immediately made public.

They also recommended that a court-appointed monitor be given authority to notify and prepare reports about the true nature and extent of the document production and whether improper redactions or conduct have taken place.

Engelmayer directed the Justice Department and Maxwell, if she wishes, to respond to the allegations from the congressmen by Friday.

Associated Press writers Michael R. Sisak and Larry Neumeister in New York contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768333370632.png" alt="File image-Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hillary-clinton">Hillary Clinton</a>&nbsp; -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File image-Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hillary-clinton">Hillary Clinton</a>&nbsp; -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bill-clinton">Bill Clinton</a>&nbsp;and former Secretary of State&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hillary-clinton">Hillary Clinton</a>&nbsp;said Tuesday that they will refuse to comply with a congressional subpoena to testify in a House committee's investigation of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>&nbsp;even as Republican lawmakers prepare contempt of Congress proceedings against them.The Clintons, in&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/BillClinton/status/2011098958236697021?s=20">a letter</a>&nbsp;released on social media, slammed the House Oversight probe as “legally invalid” and wrote that the chair of the House Oversight Committee, Republican Rep. James Comer, is on the cusp of a process “literally designed to result in our imprisonment.”“We will forcefully defend ourselves,” wrote the Clintons, who are Democrats. They accused Comer of allowing other former officials to provide written statements about Epstein to the committee, while selectively&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bill-clinton-justice-department-jeffrey-epstein-4a55e83b62b5a037c431e36cfa87f0dc">enforcing subpoenas</a>&nbsp;against them.The intensifying clash adds another dimension to the fight over Epstein, raising new questions about the limits of congressional power to compel testimony. It also comes when Republicans are grappling with the Justice Department’s delayed release of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/release-epstein-files-justice-department-trump-f919d9dc9c3957cb2bd2c9c1a14b533c">the Epstein files</a>&nbsp;after a bipartisan push for their release.<h2>Possible contempt of Congress proceedings</h2>Comer said he’ll begin contempt of Congress proceedings next week. It potentially starts a complicated and politically messy process that Congress has rarely reached for and could result in prosecution from the Justice Department.“No one’s accusing the Clintons of any wrongdoing. We just have questions," Comer told reporters after Bill Clinton, a onetime Epstein friend, did not show up for a scheduled deposition at House offices Tuesday.He added, “Anyone would admit they spent a lot of time together.”Clinton has never been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein but had a well-documented friendship with the wealthy financier throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bill-clinton-justice-department-jeffrey-epstein-4a55e83b62b5a037c431e36cfa87f0dc">Republicans have zeroed</a>&nbsp;in on that relationship as they wrestle with demands for a full accounting of Epstein's wrongdoing.“We have tried to give you the little information we have. We’ve done so because Mr. Epstein’s crimes were horrific,” the Clintons wrote in the letter.Epstein was arrested in 2019&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f995d90cbfd943169f74a0dbb3b1eadc">on federal sex trafficking</a>&nbsp;and conspiracy charges. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-politics-new-york-business-suicides-4ff27f28f32d446795b65ac7dd8cc4ac">killed himself in a New York jail cell</a>&nbsp;while awaiting trial.<h2>Subpoenas for former presidents</h2>Multiple former presidents have voluntarily testified before Congress, but none has been compelled to do so. That history was invoked by President Donald Trump in 2022, between his first and second terms, when he faced a subpoena by the House committee investigating the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, riot by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">a mob of his supporters</a>&nbsp;at the U.S. Capitol.Trump's lawyers cited decades of legal precedent they said shielded an ex-president from being ordered to appear before Congress. The committee ultimately withdrew its subpoena.Comer also indicated that the Oversight committee would not attempt to compel testimony from Trump about Epstein, saying that it could not force a sitting president to testify.Trump, a Republican, was also friends with Epstein. He has said he cut off that relationship before Epstein was accused of sexual abuse.Comer cast the subpoena for the Clintons as a bipartisan effort. But when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-trump-congress-subpoena-clintons-a02749e1fe6f0de0c385c7fac186d3ba">a subcommittee of the Oversight panel</a>&nbsp;initiated its overall investigation into Epstein in August, it adopted the subpoenas for the Clintons without allowing Democrats to cast individual votes.The Justice Department also has not completely fulfilled the committee's subpoena for its files on Epstein.<h2>Lawmakers want the Epstein files</h2>Meanwhile, the congressional co-sponsors of legislation that forced the public release of investigative documents in the sex trafficking probe of Epstein and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell asked a New York judge in a letter to appoint a neutral expert to oversee release of the materials. The letter, dated Jan. 8, was delivered to the judge Monday night.U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, and Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, told U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer they had “urgent and grave concerns” that the Justice Department has failed to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which required the files to be released last month. They said they believed “criminal violations have taken place” in the release process.Engelmayer presides over the Maxwell case. Maxwell, a former Epstein girlfriend, is serving a 20-year prison sentence after her 2021 sex trafficking conviction for recruiting girls and women to be abused by Epstein and for sometimes joining in the abuse. Last month, Maxwell sought to set aside her conviction, saying new evidence had emerged proving constitutional violations spoiled her trial.Justice Department officials, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday, have said the files' release was slowed by redactions required to protect the identities of abuse victims.In their letter, Khanna and Massie wrote that the Department of Justice's release of 12,000 documents out of more than 2 million documents being reviewed was a “flagrant violation” of the law's release requirements and had caused “serious trauma to survivors.”“Put simply, the DOJ cannot be trusted with making mandatory disclosures under the Act,” the congressmen said as they asked for the appointment of an independent monitor to ensure all documents and electronically stored information are immediately made public.They also recommended that a court-appointed monitor be given authority to notify and prepare reports about the true nature and extent of the document production and whether improper redactions or conduct have taken place.Engelmayer directed the Justice Department and Maxwell, if she wishes, to respond to the allegations from the congressmen by Friday.___Associated Press writers Michael R. Sisak and Larry Neumeister in New York contributed to this report.

Clintons refuse to testify in congressional Epstein probe

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 schools that opt to use a gun detection software program supported by the attorney general could receive a cut of $10 million from the state.

Attorney General Kris Kobach promoted an artificial intelligence-driven, unconcealed firearm detection and situational awareness software that can be applied to existing security cameras. He announced Monday that his office is accepting applications to integrate the program into K-12 public schools.

AI gun detection software purports to halt and prevent gun violence. Its implementation in schools has grown in popularity as technology has advanced and school shootings and mass shootings have increased in frequency.

The attorney general uses a product from the Pennsylvania-based company ZeroEyes, which sent lobbyists to the Kansas Legislature in 2024 to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/05/09/kansas-bill-dangles-cash-to-persuade-k-12-school-districts-to-hire-a-specific-gun-detection-vendor/">push for a contract</a>&nbsp;with schools. The technology can analyze more than 36,000 images per second from security camera video feeds, according to the company’s website.

If the software identifies a gun in school, images are immediately shared with the ZeroEyes Operations Center, an in-house hub staffed 24/7 by military and law enforcement veterans, according to ZeroEyes. The company claims security teams and law enforcement can be notified of a threat as quickly as three to five seconds from the point the software detects a firearm. Operation center staff review software images and determine whether a threat is valid. They can then send alerts equipped with information such as a description, gun type and last known location.

The chief strategy officer for ZeroEyes, Kieran Carroll, said in 2024 that installing the software in 1,300 school buildings in Kansas and enabling 24-hour surveillance of two dozen cameras per school would cost the state $8.5 million annually. That same year, Gov. Laura Kelly line-item vetoed a budget measure that allocated $5 million to a program that favored ZeroEyes. The governor called it “a no-bid contract,” criticizing the lack of consideration for other companies.

A $10 million earmark made it through the Legislature in 2025, and in November, the Legislature’s special budget committee said&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/11/26/kansas-looking-at-three-bidders-for-10-million-contract-relying-on-ai-to-find-guns-in-schools/">the state was considering three bidders</a>&nbsp;for a gun-detection software contract. ZeroEyes beat out companies based in Wichita and Springfield, Missouri.

Funding will be dispersed equally across Kansas’ four congressional districts, and grants are available on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768323069675.png" alt=" Kris Kobach speaks to reporters at a news conference on Oct. 1, 2025, in Topeka, Kansas. He released the details Monday of a new grant program for K-12 public schools interested in using AI-powered firearm detection software to prevent potential acts of gun violence. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kris Kobach speaks to reporters at a news conference on Oct. 1, 2025, in Topeka, Kansas. He released the details Monday of a new grant program for K-12 public schools interested in using AI-powered firearm detection software to prevent potential acts of gun violence. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/29/kansan-returns-to-the-catholic-church-as-the-states-first-woman-priest/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas schools that opt to use a gun detection software program supported by the attorney general could receive a cut of $10 million from the state.Attorney General Kris Kobach promoted an artificial intelligence-driven, unconcealed firearm detection and situational awareness software that can be applied to existing security cameras. He announced Monday that his office is accepting applications to integrate the program into K-12 public schools.AI gun detection software purports to halt and prevent gun violence. Its implementation in schools has grown in popularity as technology has advanced and school shootings and mass shootings have increased in frequency.The attorney general uses a product from the Pennsylvania-based company ZeroEyes, which sent lobbyists to the Kansas Legislature in 2024 to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/05/09/kansas-bill-dangles-cash-to-persuade-k-12-school-districts-to-hire-a-specific-gun-detection-vendor/">push for a contract</a>&nbsp;with schools. The technology can analyze more than 36,000 images per second from security camera video feeds, according to the company’s website.If the software identifies a gun in school, images are immediately shared with the ZeroEyes Operations Center, an in-house hub staffed 24/7 by military and law enforcement veterans, according to ZeroEyes. The company claims security teams and law enforcement can be notified of a threat as quickly as three to five seconds from the point the software detects a firearm. Operation center staff review software images and determine whether a threat is valid. They can then send alerts equipped with information such as a description, gun type and last known location.The chief strategy officer for ZeroEyes, Kieran Carroll, said in 2024 that installing the software in 1,300 school buildings in Kansas and enabling 24-hour surveillance of two dozen cameras per school would cost the state $8.5 million annually. That same year, Gov. Laura Kelly line-item vetoed a budget measure that allocated $5 million to a program that favored ZeroEyes. The governor called it “a no-bid contract,” criticizing the lack of consideration for other companies.A $10 million earmark made it through the Legislature in 2025, and in November, the Legislature’s special budget committee said&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/11/26/kansas-looking-at-three-bidders-for-10-million-contract-relying-on-ai-to-find-guns-in-schools/">the state was considering three bidders</a>&nbsp;for a gun-detection software contract. ZeroEyes beat out companies based in Wichita and Springfield, Missouri.Funding will be dispersed equally across Kansas’ four congressional districts, and grants are available on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

Kobach opens up funding for AI gun detection software in Kansas public schools

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating alleged fraud in Manhattan.

Just before 10:30a.m. Monday, officers filed a report of fraud in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

 A 77-year-old man reported he purchased a dog on Facebook from two suspects unknown to him and never received the dog. The total estimated loss associated with this case is $1,200.

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating alleged fraud in Manhattan.Just before 10:30a.m. Monday, officers filed a report of fraud in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report. A 77-year-old man reported he purchased a dog on Facebook from two suspects unknown to him and never received the dog. The total estimated loss associated with this case is $1,200.

Police: Kan. man lost $1,200 in online dog purchase scam

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mark-kennedy">MARK KENNEDY</a>

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/scott-adams">Scott Adams,</a>&nbsp;whose popular comic strip “Dilbert” captured the frustration of beleaguered, white-collar cubicle workers and satirized the ridiculousness of modern office culture until he was abruptly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/animation-and-comics-business-e2266a2356d4159b7f43fdc095be9fcb">dropped from syndication in 2023</a>&nbsp;for racist remarks, has died. He was 68.

His first ex-wife, Shelly Miles, announced the death Tuesday on a livestream posted on Adams’ social media accounts. “He’s not with us right anymore,” she said. Adams revealed in 2025 that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dilbert-scott-adams-biden-prostate-cancer-8f3edf0a108f55344138ceb4b27e02b9">had prostate cancer</a>&nbsp;that had spread to his bones. Miles had said he was in hospice care in his Northern California home on Monday.

“I had an amazing life,” the statement said in part. “I gave it everything I had.”

At its height, “Dilbert,” with its mouthless, bespectacled hero in a white short-sleeved shirt and a perpetually curled red tie, appeared in 2,000 newspapers worldwide in at least 70 countries and 25 languages.

Adams was the 1997 recipient of the National Cartoonist Society’s Reuben Award, considered one of the most prestigious awards for cartoonists. That same year, “Dilbert” became the first fictional character to make Time magazine’s list of the most influential Americans.

“We are rooting for him because he is our mouthpiece for the lessons we have accumulated — but are too afraid to express — in our effort to avoid cubicular homicide,” the magazine said.

“Dilbert” strips were routinely photocopied, pinned up, emailed and posted online, a popularity that would spawn bestselling books, merchandise, commercials for Office Depot and an animated TV series, with Daniel Stern voicing Dilbert.

It all collapsed quickly in 2023 when Adams, who was white, repeatedly referred to Black people as members of a “hate group” and said he would no longer “help Black Americans.” He later said he was being hyperbolic, yet continued to defend his stance.

Almost immediately, newspapers dropped “Dilbert” and his distributor, Andrews McMeel Universal, severed ties with the cartoonist. The Sun Chronicle in Attleboro, Massachusetts, decided to keep the “Dilbert” space blank for a while “as a reminder of the racism that pervades our society.” A planned book was scrapped.

“He’s not being canceled. He’s experiencing the consequences of expressing his views,” Bill Holbrook, the creator of the strip “On the Fastrack,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dilbert-scott-adams-cartoonists-respond-109cb1a6dea03e931e2e6e3814bc743a">told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;at the time. “I am in full support with him saying anything he wants to, but then he has to own the consequences of saying them.”

Adams relaunched the same daily comic strip under the name Dilbert Reborn via the video platform Rumble, popular with conservatives and far-right groups. He also hosted a podcast, “Real Coffee,” where talked about various political and social issues.

After Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show on ABC was suspended in September in the wake of the host’s comments on the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Adams stood for free speech.

“Would I like some revenge?” Adams said. “Yes. Yes, I would enjoy that. But that doesn’t mean I get it. That doesn’t mean I should pursue it. Doesn’t mean the world’s a better place if it happens.”

Adams, who earned a bachelor’s degree from Hartwick College and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley, was working a corporate job at the Pacific Bell telephone company in the 1980s, sharing his cartoons to amuse co-workers. He drew Dilbert as a computer programmer and engineer for a high-tech company and mailed a batch to cartoon syndicators.

“The take on office life was new and on target and insightful,” Sarah Gillespie, who helped discover “Dilbert” in the 1980s at United Media, told The Washington Post. “I looked first for humor and only secondarily for art, which with ‘Dilbert’ was a good thing, as the art is universally acknowledged to be… not great.”

The first “Dilbert” comic strip officially appeared April 16, 1989, long before such workplace comedies as “Office Space” and “The Office.” It portrayed corporate culture&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/severance-finale-season-2-ben-stiller-adam-scott-51f1c1e8665ef8915d9b3bb5c7370bd8">as a “Severance”-like,</a>&nbsp;Kafkaesque world of heavy bureaucracy and pointless benchmarks, where employee effort and skill were underappreciated.

The strip would introduce the “Dilbert Principle”: The most ineffective workers will be systematically moved to the place where they can do the least damage — management.

“Throughout history, there have always been times when it’s very clear that the managers have all the power and the workers have none,” Adams told Time. “Through ‘Dilbert,’ I would think the balance of power has slightly changed.”

Other strip characters included Dilbert’s pointy-haired boss; Asok, a young, naive intern; Wally, a middle-aged slacker; and Alice, a worker so frustrated that she was prone to frequent outbursts of rage. Then there was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travel-museums-entertainment-arts-and-entertainment-lifestyle-22fc64a793f93191dd09f5c0531e607e">Dilbert’s pet, Dogbert,</a>&nbsp;a megalomaniac.

“There’s a certain amount of anger you need to draw ‘Dilbert’ comics,” Adams told the Contra Costa Times in 2009.

In 1993, Adams became the first syndicated cartoonist to include his email address in his strip. That triggered a dialogue between the artist and his fans, giving Adams a fountain of ideas for the strip.

“Dilbert” was also known for generating aphorisms, like “All rumors are true — especially if your boss denies them” and “OK, let’s get this preliminary pre-meeting going.”

“If you can come to peace with the fact that you’re surrounded by idiots, you’ll realize that resistance is futile, your tension will dissipate, and you can sit back and have a good laugh at the expense of others,” Adams wrote in his 1996 book “The Dilbert Principle.”

In one real-life case, an Iowa worker was fired from the Catfish Bend Casino in 2007 for posting a “Dilbert” comic strip on the office bulletin board. In the strip, Adams wrote: “Why does it seem as if most of the decisions in my workplace are made by drunken lemurs?” A judge later sided with the worker; Adams helped find him a new job.

While Adams’ career&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-business-d1d88fe02461930d9c2ad70e1f55b136">fall seemed swift, careful readers of “Dilbert”</a>&nbsp;saw a gradual darkening of the strip’s tone and its creator’s descent into misogyny, anti-immigration and racism.

He attracted attention for controversial comments, including saying in 2011 that women are treated differently by society for the same reason as children and the mentally disabled — “it’s just easier this way for everyone.” In a blog post from 2006, he questioned the death toll of the Holocaust.

In June 2020, Adams tweeted that when the “Dilbert” TV show ended in 2000 after just two seasons, it was “the third job I lost for being white.” But, at the time, he blamed it on lower viewership and time slot changes.

Adams’ beliefs began bleeding into his strips. In one in 2022, a boss says that traditional performance reviews would be replaced by a “wokeness” score. When an employee complains that could be subjective, the boss said, “That’ll cost you two points off your wokeness score, bigot.”

Adams put a brave face on his fall from grace, tweeting in 2023: “Only the dying leftist Fake News industry canceled me (for out-of-context news of course). Social media and banking unaffected. Personal life improved. Never been more popular in my life. Zero pushback in person. Black and White conservatives solidly supporting me.”

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump remembered Adams as a “Great Influencer.”

“He was a fantastic guy, who liked and respected me when it wasn’t fashionable to do so. He bravely fought a long battle against a terrible disease,” the president posted on his social media platform Truth Social.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768322319966.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mark-kennedy">MARK KENNEDY</a><a href="https://apnews.com/hub/scott-adams">Scott Adams,</a>&nbsp;whose popular comic strip “Dilbert” captured the frustration of beleaguered, white-collar cubicle workers and satirized the ridiculousness of modern office culture until he was abruptly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/animation-and-comics-business-e2266a2356d4159b7f43fdc095be9fcb">dropped from syndication in 2023</a>&nbsp;for racist remarks, has died. He was 68.His first ex-wife, Shelly Miles, announced the death Tuesday on a livestream posted on Adams’ social media accounts. “He’s not with us right anymore,” she said. Adams revealed in 2025 that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dilbert-scott-adams-biden-prostate-cancer-8f3edf0a108f55344138ceb4b27e02b9">had prostate cancer</a>&nbsp;that had spread to his bones. Miles had said he was in hospice care in his Northern California home on Monday.“I had an amazing life,” the statement said in part. “I gave it everything I had.”At its height, “Dilbert,” with its mouthless, bespectacled hero in a white short-sleeved shirt and a perpetually curled red tie, appeared in 2,000 newspapers worldwide in at least 70 countries and 25 languages.Adams was the 1997 recipient of the National Cartoonist Society’s Reuben Award, considered one of the most prestigious awards for cartoonists. That same year, “Dilbert” became the first fictional character to make Time magazine’s list of the most influential Americans.“We are rooting for him because he is our mouthpiece for the lessons we have accumulated — but are too afraid to express — in our effort to avoid cubicular homicide,” the magazine said.“Dilbert” strips were routinely photocopied, pinned up, emailed and posted online, a popularity that would spawn bestselling books, merchandise, commercials for Office Depot and an animated TV series, with Daniel Stern voicing Dilbert.<h2>The collapse of ‘Dilbert’ empire</h2>It all collapsed quickly in 2023 when Adams, who was white, repeatedly referred to Black people as members of a “hate group” and said he would no longer “help Black Americans.” He later said he was being hyperbolic, yet continued to defend his stance.Almost immediately, newspapers dropped “Dilbert” and his distributor, Andrews McMeel Universal, severed ties with the cartoonist. The Sun Chronicle in Attleboro, Massachusetts, decided to keep the “Dilbert” space blank for a while “as a reminder of the racism that pervades our society.” A planned book was scrapped.“He’s not being canceled. He’s experiencing the consequences of expressing his views,” Bill Holbrook, the creator of the strip “On the Fastrack,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dilbert-scott-adams-cartoonists-respond-109cb1a6dea03e931e2e6e3814bc743a">told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;at the time. “I am in full support with him saying anything he wants to, but then he has to own the consequences of saying them.”Adams relaunched the same daily comic strip under the name Dilbert Reborn via the video platform Rumble, popular with conservatives and far-right groups. He also hosted a podcast, “Real Coffee,” where talked about various political and social issues.After Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show on ABC was suspended in September in the wake of the host’s comments on the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Adams stood for free speech.“Would I like some revenge?” Adams said. “Yes. Yes, I would enjoy that. But that doesn’t mean I get it. That doesn’t mean I should pursue it. Doesn’t mean the world’s a better place if it happens.”<h2>How ‘Dilbert’ got its start</h2>Adams, who earned a bachelor’s degree from Hartwick College and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley, was working a corporate job at the Pacific Bell telephone company in the 1980s, sharing his cartoons to amuse co-workers. He drew Dilbert as a computer programmer and engineer for a high-tech company and mailed a batch to cartoon syndicators.“The take on office life was new and on target and insightful,” Sarah Gillespie, who helped discover “Dilbert” in the 1980s at United Media, told The Washington Post. “I looked first for humor and only secondarily for art, which with ‘Dilbert’ was a good thing, as the art is universally acknowledged to be… not great.”The first “Dilbert” comic strip officially appeared April 16, 1989, long before such workplace comedies as “Office Space” and “The Office.” It portrayed corporate culture&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/severance-finale-season-2-ben-stiller-adam-scott-51f1c1e8665ef8915d9b3bb5c7370bd8">as a “Severance”-like,</a>&nbsp;Kafkaesque world of heavy bureaucracy and pointless benchmarks, where employee effort and skill were underappreciated.The strip would introduce the “Dilbert Principle”: The most ineffective workers will be systematically moved to the place where they can do the least damage — management.“Throughout history, there have always been times when it’s very clear that the managers have all the power and the workers have none,” Adams told Time. “Through ‘Dilbert,’ I would think the balance of power has slightly changed.”Other strip characters included Dilbert’s pointy-haired boss; Asok, a young, naive intern; Wally, a middle-aged slacker; and Alice, a worker so frustrated that she was prone to frequent outbursts of rage. Then there was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travel-museums-entertainment-arts-and-entertainment-lifestyle-22fc64a793f93191dd09f5c0531e607e">Dilbert’s pet, Dogbert,</a>&nbsp;a megalomaniac.“There’s a certain amount of anger you need to draw ‘Dilbert’ comics,” Adams told the Contra Costa Times in 2009.In 1993, Adams became the first syndicated cartoonist to include his email address in his strip. That triggered a dialogue between the artist and his fans, giving Adams a fountain of ideas for the strip.“Dilbert” was also known for generating aphorisms, like “All rumors are true — especially if your boss denies them” and “OK, let’s get this preliminary pre-meeting going.”“If you can come to peace with the fact that you’re surrounded by idiots, you’ll realize that resistance is futile, your tension will dissipate, and you can sit back and have a good laugh at the expense of others,” Adams wrote in his 1996 book “The Dilbert Principle.”In one real-life case, an Iowa worker was fired from the Catfish Bend Casino in 2007 for posting a “Dilbert” comic strip on the office bulletin board. In the strip, Adams wrote: “Why does it seem as if most of the decisions in my workplace are made by drunken lemurs?” A judge later sided with the worker; Adams helped find him a new job.<h2>A gradual darkening</h2>While Adams’ career&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-business-d1d88fe02461930d9c2ad70e1f55b136">fall seemed swift, careful readers of “Dilbert”</a>&nbsp;saw a gradual darkening of the strip’s tone and its creator’s descent into misogyny, anti-immigration and racism.He attracted attention for controversial comments, including saying in 2011 that women are treated differently by society for the same reason as children and the mentally disabled — “it’s just easier this way for everyone.” In a blog post from 2006, he questioned the death toll of the Holocaust.In June 2020, Adams tweeted that when the “Dilbert” TV show ended in 2000 after just two seasons, it was “the third job I lost for being white.” But, at the time, he blamed it on lower viewership and time slot changes.Adams’ beliefs began bleeding into his strips. In one in 2022, a boss says that traditional performance reviews would be replaced by a “wokeness” score. When an employee complains that could be subjective, the boss said, “That’ll cost you two points off your wokeness score, bigot.”Adams put a brave face on his fall from grace, tweeting in 2023: “Only the dying leftist Fake News industry canceled me (for out-of-context news of course). Social media and banking unaffected. Personal life improved. Never been more popular in my life. Zero pushback in person. Black and White conservatives solidly supporting me.”On Tuesday, President Donald Trump remembered Adams as a “Great Influencer.”“He was a fantastic guy, who liked and respected me when it wasn’t fashionable to do so. He bravely fought a long battle against a terrible disease,” the president posted on his social media platform Truth Social.

Scott Adams, whose comic strip 'Dilbert' ridiculed white-collar office life, dies at 68

FINNEY COUNTY —A Colorado man arrested for a December 15, shooting that occurred in Garden City is now being held in a Kansas Jail.

 Finney County Sheriff’s Investigators learned that 33-year-old Jordan Deloach of Lamar, Colorado had traveled to Garden City and became involved in a confrontation with the victim. 

This led to Deloach going to the victim’s residence and shooting through the residential door, striking the victim. Deloach returned to Colorado where he was located by the Prowers County Sheriff’s Office.

 Finney County Sheriff’s Investigators met with Prowers County Sheriff’s Office to assist with further investigation. Investigators applied for and were granted a Finney County arrest warrant for Deloach. Deputies arrested him and he was held in Prowers County on a $250,000 warrant on requested charges of Attempted 1st Degree Murder· Criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon until his transfer to the Finney County jail over the weekend, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768303501970.png" alt="Deloach photo Finney County" />
 <figcaption>Deloach photo Finney County</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —A Colorado man arrested for a December 15, shooting that occurred in Garden City is now being held in a Kansas Jail. Finney County Sheriff’s Investigators learned that 33-year-old Jordan Deloach of Lamar, Colorado had traveled to Garden City and became involved in a confrontation with the victim. This led to Deloach going to the victim’s residence and shooting through the residential door, striking the victim. Deloach returned to Colorado where he was located by the Prowers County Sheriff’s Office. Finney County Sheriff’s Investigators met with Prowers County Sheriff’s Office to assist with further investigation. Investigators applied for and were granted a Finney County arrest warrant for Deloach. Deputies arrested him and he was held in Prowers County on a $250,000 warrant on requested charges of Attempted 1st Degree Murder· Criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon until his transfer to the Finney County jail over the weekend, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

Colorado man jailed in SW Kansas for alleged attempted murder

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">The Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is hearing arguments Tuesday over state laws barring transgender girls and women from playing on school athletic teams.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-38">Click here to listen to a replay of the argument in Little vs. Hecox</a>

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-43">Click here to listen to a replay of the argument in West Virginia vs. B.P.J.</a>

Lower courts ruled for the transgender athletes in Idaho and West Virginia who challenged the state bans, but the conservative-dominated Supreme Court might not follow suit.

In just the past year, the justices ruled in favor state bans on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-health-care-trump-79fc6f3bbdab2e92d6f0184201a468a9">gender-affirming care for transgender youths</a>&nbsp;and allowed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-transgender-nonbinary-passport-sex-marker-5040c6412e06a072889af30cfae97462">multiple restrictions</a>&nbsp;on transgender people to be enforced.

The legal fight is playing out amid a broad effort by President Donald Trump to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-sex-gender-transgender-dei-order-245350b97e0c4dcc221fefc49ef44699">target transgender Americans</a>, beginning on the first day of his second term and including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-troops-ban-military-trump-9c3018034a2608a28f6146fe17f0fe4b">the ouster of transgender people</a>&nbsp;from the military and declaring that gender is immutable and determined at birth.

The culture war cases come from Idaho and West Virginia, among the first of the more than two dozen Republican-led states that have banned transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s teams.

The justices are evaluating claims of sex discrimination lodged by transgender people versus the need for fair competition for women and girls, the main argument made by the states.

In the first case, Lindsay Hecox, 25, sued over Idaho’s first-in-the-nation ban for the chance to try out for the women’s track and cross-country teams at Boise State University in Idaho. She didn’t make either squad but competed in club-level soccer and running.

Becky Pepper-Jackson, a 15-year-old high school sophomore, has been taking puberty-blocking medication, publicly identified&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-athletes-k12-schools-state-restrictions-ec0b1d2ea162855131264c88bb992e2e">as a girl</a>&nbsp;since age 8 and has been issued a West Virginia birth certificate recognizing her as female. She is the only transgender person who has sought to compete in girls’ sports in West Virginia.

Pepper-Jackson has progressed from a back-of-the-pack cross-country runner in middle school to a statewide third-place finish in the discus in just her first year of high school.

Prominent women in sports have weighed in on both sides. Tennis champion Martina Navratilova, swimmers Summer Sanders and Donna de Varona and beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh-Jennings are supporting the state bans. Soccer stars Megan Rapinoe and Becky Sauerbrunn and basketball players Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart back the transgender athletes.

The high-court arguments are expected to focus on whether the sports bans violate the Constitution or the landmark federal law known as Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in education.

In 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/courts-supreme-courts-mi-state-wire-neil-gorsuch-ap-top-news-5a7b0e41a47a3c571dda69194758e7b1">the Supreme Court ruled</a>&nbsp;LGBTQ people are protected by a landmark federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in the workplace, finding that “sex plays an unmistakable role” in employers’ decisions to punish transgender people for traits and behavior they otherwise tolerate.

But last year, the six conservative justices on the nine-member court declined to apply the same sort of analysis when they upheld state bans on gender-affirming care for transgender minors.

The states supporting the prohibitions on transgender athletes argue there is no reason to extend the ruling barring workplace discrimination to Title IX, which dramatically increased opportunities for girls and women in school sports.

Lawyers for Pepper-Jackson argue that the law protects people like their client from discrimination. They are asking for a ruling that would apply to the unique circumstances of her early transition. In Hecox’s case, her lawyers want the court to dismiss the case because she has forsworn trying to play on women’s teams.

Despite the small numbers of transgender athletes, the issue has taken on outsize importance. The NCAA and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/olympics-transgender-athlete-ban-2e10a02fea22583ea00403c57a3567b9">banned transgender women</a>&nbsp;from women’s sports after Trump, a Republican, signed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-transgender-athletes-3606411fc12efffec95a893351624e1b">an executive order</a>&nbsp;aimed at barring their participation.

The public generally is supportive of the limits.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP-NORC-October-2025-Topline.pdf" target="_blank">An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll</a>&nbsp;conducted in October 2025 found that about 6 in 10 U.S. adults “strongly” or “somewhat” favored requiring transgender children and teenagers to only compete on sports teams that match the sex they were assigned at birth, not the gender they identify with, while about 2 in 10 were “strongly” or “somewhat” opposed and about one-quarter did not have an opinion.

About 2.1 million adults, or 0.8%, and 724,000 people age 13 to 17, or 3.3%, identify as transgender in the U.S., according to the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768315435044.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARK SHERMAN&nbsp;WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">The Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is hearing arguments Tuesday over state laws barring transgender girls and women from playing on school athletic teams.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-38">Click here to listen to a replay of the argument in Little vs. Hecox</a><a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-43">Click here to listen to a replay of the argument in West Virginia vs. B.P.J.</a>Lower courts ruled for the transgender athletes in Idaho and West Virginia who challenged the state bans, but the conservative-dominated Supreme Court might not follow suit.In just the past year, the justices ruled in favor state bans on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-health-care-trump-79fc6f3bbdab2e92d6f0184201a468a9">gender-affirming care for transgender youths</a>&nbsp;and allowed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-transgender-nonbinary-passport-sex-marker-5040c6412e06a072889af30cfae97462">multiple restrictions</a>&nbsp;on transgender people to be enforced.The legal fight is playing out amid a broad effort by President Donald Trump to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-sex-gender-transgender-dei-order-245350b97e0c4dcc221fefc49ef44699">target transgender Americans</a>, beginning on the first day of his second term and including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-troops-ban-military-trump-9c3018034a2608a28f6146fe17f0fe4b">the ouster of transgender people</a>&nbsp;from the military and declaring that gender is immutable and determined at birth.The culture war cases come from Idaho and West Virginia, among the first of the more than two dozen Republican-led states that have banned transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s teams.The justices are evaluating claims of sex discrimination lodged by transgender people versus the need for fair competition for women and girls, the main argument made by the states.In the first case, Lindsay Hecox, 25, sued over Idaho’s first-in-the-nation ban for the chance to try out for the women’s track and cross-country teams at Boise State University in Idaho. She didn’t make either squad but competed in club-level soccer and running.Becky Pepper-Jackson, a 15-year-old high school sophomore, has been taking puberty-blocking medication, publicly identified&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-athletes-k12-schools-state-restrictions-ec0b1d2ea162855131264c88bb992e2e">as a girl</a>&nbsp;since age 8 and has been issued a West Virginia birth certificate recognizing her as female. She is the only transgender person who has sought to compete in girls’ sports in West Virginia.Pepper-Jackson has progressed from a back-of-the-pack cross-country runner in middle school to a statewide third-place finish in the discus in just her first year of high school.Prominent women in sports have weighed in on both sides. Tennis champion Martina Navratilova, swimmers Summer Sanders and Donna de Varona and beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh-Jennings are supporting the state bans. Soccer stars Megan Rapinoe and Becky Sauerbrunn and basketball players Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart back the transgender athletes.The high-court arguments are expected to focus on whether the sports bans violate the Constitution or the landmark federal law known as Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in education.In 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/courts-supreme-courts-mi-state-wire-neil-gorsuch-ap-top-news-5a7b0e41a47a3c571dda69194758e7b1">the Supreme Court ruled</a>&nbsp;LGBTQ people are protected by a landmark federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in the workplace, finding that “sex plays an unmistakable role” in employers’ decisions to punish transgender people for traits and behavior they otherwise tolerate.But last year, the six conservative justices on the nine-member court declined to apply the same sort of analysis when they upheld state bans on gender-affirming care for transgender minors.The states supporting the prohibitions on transgender athletes argue there is no reason to extend the ruling barring workplace discrimination to Title IX, which dramatically increased opportunities for girls and women in school sports.Lawyers for Pepper-Jackson argue that the law protects people like their client from discrimination. They are asking for a ruling that would apply to the unique circumstances of her early transition. In Hecox’s case, her lawyers want the court to dismiss the case because she has forsworn trying to play on women’s teams.Despite the small numbers of transgender athletes, the issue has taken on outsize importance. The NCAA and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/olympics-transgender-athlete-ban-2e10a02fea22583ea00403c57a3567b9">banned transgender women</a>&nbsp;from women’s sports after Trump, a Republican, signed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-transgender-athletes-3606411fc12efffec95a893351624e1b">an executive order</a>&nbsp;aimed at barring their participation.The public generally is supportive of the limits.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AP-NORC-October-2025-Topline.pdf" target="_blank">An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll</a>&nbsp;conducted in October 2025 found that about 6 in 10 U.S. adults “strongly” or “somewhat” favored requiring transgender children and teenagers to only compete on sports teams that match the sex they were assigned at birth, not the gender they identify with, while about 2 in 10 were “strongly” or “somewhat” opposed and about one-quarter did not have an opinion.About 2.1 million adults, or 0.8%, and 724,000 people age 13 to 17, or 3.3%, identify as transgender in the U.S., according to the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law.A decision is expected by early summer.___

🎧Transgender athlete bans get Supreme Court review in landmark case

Annual session begins with questions about congressional redistricting, property taxes and more

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">Anna Kaminski</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">Sherman Smith</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The 2026 session of the Kansas Legislature burst to life Monday as Republicans and Democrats staked out public policy priorities, welcomed members to fill unexpired terms of the departed and awaited the upcoming final State of the State speech by Gov. Laura Kelly.

Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, gaveled in the Senate and House in what could be the final legislative session for both. Masterson is competing in a crowded field for the GOP nomination for governor, while Hawkins tossed his hat into the ring in the race for state insurance commissioner.

In brief remarks with reporters, Masterson said his mind was on finding ways to control rising property taxes, embracing the One, Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Donald Trump and, possibly, redrawing the state’s congressional district boundaries for benefit of Republican candidates for Congress.

“A constitutional amendment to cap property tax, at least authorizing the ‘big, beautiful bill’ and parental freedom in education. Like to do a little tort reform. Obviously, get a budget passed,” Masterson said.

In terms of redistricting, the Senate president said he would “love to” advance a bill that shifted boundaries of the state’s four U.S. House districts to give GOP candidates a distinct edge over Democratic candidates. The idea would be to make it difficult for U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, to win reelection.

The original plan was to convene a special session of the Legislature in November to consider a new congressional map. The required two-thirds majority in the Senate signed a petition calling a special session, but Hawkins was unable to convince two-thirds of Republican peers in the House to sign a special-session petition.

“If we get it from the House, we’re going to take it up,” said Masterson, who would appear to have the easier task of securing enough votes to thwart a veto by Kelly.

The first order of business Monday was for Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Rosen to swear into office the Senate’s newcomers. Sen. Scott Hill, R-Abilene, and Sen. Silas Miller, D-Wichita, were drafted from the House to fill vacancies in the Senate. Hill replaced Sen. J.R. Claeys, a Salina Republican who went to work for the Trump administration. Miller took the seat left open by Sen. Mary Ware, who&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-senator-from-wichita-retires-opening-democratic-seat-ahead-of-legislative-session/" target="_blank">announced her retirement</a>&nbsp;in November.

At the front of the Senate chamber, Rosen turned to Hill and began reciting the oath: “Do you, Silas Miller …”

The gaffe was noted, and Rosen affirmed: “Not a good start.” He replaced Miller’s name in the script with Hill’s, and the perfunctory ceremonies for both were completed.

House and Senate committees begin meeting Tuesday. Kelly, a Democrat in the final year of her two terms as governor, is scheduled to deliver the annual State of the State speech to a joint session of the Legislature at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Hawkins, a Republican insurance executive, marked his “last first day” of the session after 14 years in the House and three years as speaker. While he’s running for insurance commissioner, all 125 seats in the House will be up for election in November. The Senate won’t do likewise until 2028.

“The first day of the session is always a happy day,” Hawkins said to an almost full chamber. “I tried for the House to be the best House there ever was, and I think, for the most part, we have done just that.”

He said he strived to promote mutual respect in the House “so that we listen, hopefully, more than we talk.”

Hawkins encouraged spirited debate on the House floor that avoided personal jabs.

“Be engaged, and put everything you have into this session. But don’t leave wishing you would have done something,” he said.

Ahead of the House’s more ordinary first-day business, Rosen swore in Rep. Abi Boatman, a Wichita-area Democrat, Air Force veteran and advocate who replaced Miller.

Boatman, who is Kansas’ second-ever transgender legislator, worked in advocacy and civic engagement for the past decade. She said her first moments in the Legislature were fast-paced as she received a warm welcome. She said the Legislature felt like “the next natural step.”

Rep. Steve Brunk, a Wichita Republican who served in the House from 2003 to 2015, was appointed to complete the unexpired term of Rep. Patrick Penn, who took a job in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. During the interim period, Brunk lobbied for a conservative policy organization opposed to abortion.

After checking with Capitol security at the visitor center to make certain the state’s conceal-carry gun law hadn’t changed in his absence, he discussed his reasons for returning to the House.

“I just felt like there was unfinished business here. I always liked the process,” he said.

Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat running for state insurance commissioner, said one of her top priorities would be to approve a refundable child tax credit. In the past, proposals have been made to offer a $25 to $600 per child income tax credit for low- and middle-income households to help families deal with escalating costs. She said it was unlikely the GOP-led Legislature would approve the bill.

“I would love to see child tax credits passed through, but I don’t think there’s a possible way for that,” Sykes said.

She said the Legislature ought to extend the existing K-12 school finance formula — due to expire in mid-2027 — for another year. That would allow the 2027 Legislature to craft a new formula that wouldn’t be implemented until 2028, she said.

Sen. Cindy Holscher, a Democrat seeking the party’s nomination for governor along with Sen. Ethan Corson, said she would take on a defensive mindset in an attempt to disrupt GOP legislation that she would view as harmful to the state’s most vulnerable people.

“I am always focused on things that will help the people,” she said. “We’ve been pushing things like Medicaid expansion for years. I’m going to look for ways to bring things good forward and push back against the bad stuff.”

After the House adjourned for the day, House Democrats gathered with reporters at the Capitol to highlight an agenda designed to benefit working families.

House Democrats proposed raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour, allowing renters to get 15% of their rent back in a tax rebate, providing universal school meals and addressing access to and the cost of child care. They also wanted to exempt $125,000 of a home’s value from the state property tax. The current threshold is $75,000.

House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, D-Lenexa, said Democrats were exploring ways to pay for their wish list. Legalizing recreational marijuana was on the table, he said, along with raising taxes for millionaires.

However, he said, cost of living was the No. 1 issue on Kansans’ minds. But their proposals would need support from Republicans to reach the minimum 63 votes for passage in the House.

“In the superminority, we have to go find friends, right?” Woodard said. “There’s only 37 of us, so we have to find 26 members that will work with us. The idea of coming up with our own agenda allows us to, one, tell Kansans what we stand for, but also, these are going to be floor amendments that you see on any of the bills that are introduced by Republicans.”

Rep. Dan Osman, D-Overland Park, said Kansas should be a place where growing families could afford child care, seniors could live in their homes on a fixed income, and young people could see a future instead of looking to other states.

“Families are doing everything right, working hard, budgeting correctly, planning for our future. Yet too many are still feeling squeezed,” Osman said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768312305100.png" alt=" Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, convenes the Kansas Senate at outset of the 2026 Kansas legislative session Monday Jan. 12. Masterson, who has served in the Kansas Legislature since 2005, is seeking the GOP nomination for governor in a crowded primary. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, convenes the Kansas Senate at outset of the 2026 Kansas legislative session Monday Jan. 12. Masterson, who has served in the Kansas Legislature since 2005, is seeking the GOP nomination for governor in a crowded primary. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Annual session begins with questions about congressional redistricting, property taxes and more</h2>By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">Anna Kaminski</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">Sherman Smith</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The 2026 session of the Kansas Legislature burst to life Monday as Republicans and Democrats staked out public policy priorities, welcomed members to fill unexpired terms of the departed and awaited the upcoming final State of the State speech by Gov. Laura Kelly.Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, gaveled in the Senate and House in what could be the final legislative session for both. Masterson is competing in a crowded field for the GOP nomination for governor, while Hawkins tossed his hat into the ring in the race for state insurance commissioner.In brief remarks with reporters, Masterson said his mind was on finding ways to control rising property taxes, embracing the One, Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Donald Trump and, possibly, redrawing the state’s congressional district boundaries for benefit of Republican candidates for Congress.“A constitutional amendment to cap property tax, at least authorizing the ‘big, beautiful bill’ and parental freedom in education. Like to do a little tort reform. Obviously, get a budget passed,” Masterson said.In terms of redistricting, the Senate president said he would “love to” advance a bill that shifted boundaries of the state’s four U.S. House districts to give GOP candidates a distinct edge over Democratic candidates. The idea would be to make it difficult for U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, to win reelection.The original plan was to convene a special session of the Legislature in November to consider a new congressional map. The required two-thirds majority in the Senate signed a petition calling a special session, but Hawkins was unable to convince two-thirds of Republican peers in the House to sign a special-session petition.“If we get it from the House, we’re going to take it up,” said Masterson, who would appear to have the easier task of securing enough votes to thwart a veto by Kelly.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768312263816.png" alt="Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Rosen swears in new senator Silas Miller, a Democrat from Wichita, on the first day of the 2026 legislative session. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Rosen swears in new senator Silas Miller, a Democrat from Wichita, on the first day of the 2026 legislative session. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>The first order of business Monday was for Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Rosen to swear into office the Senate’s newcomers. Sen. Scott Hill, R-Abilene, and Sen. Silas Miller, D-Wichita, were drafted from the House to fill vacancies in the Senate. Hill replaced Sen. J.R. Claeys, a Salina Republican who went to work for the Trump administration. Miller took the seat left open by Sen. Mary Ware, who&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-senator-from-wichita-retires-opening-democratic-seat-ahead-of-legislative-session/" target="_blank">announced her retirement</a>&nbsp;in November.At the front of the Senate chamber, Rosen turned to Hill and began reciting the oath: “Do you, Silas Miller …”The gaffe was noted, and Rosen affirmed: “Not a good start.” He replaced Miller’s name in the script with Hill’s, and the perfunctory ceremonies for both were completed.House and Senate committees begin meeting Tuesday. Kelly, a Democrat in the final year of her two terms as governor, is scheduled to deliver the annual State of the State speech to a joint session of the Legislature at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768312226199.png" alt="House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, speaks to a House colleague before convening the Kansas House on Monday Jan. 12, 2026. Hawkins is seeking the Republican nomination for state insurance commissioner, and that candidacy means he will be leaving the Legislature in January. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, speaks to a House colleague before convening the Kansas House on Monday Jan. 12, 2026. Hawkins is seeking the Republican nomination for state insurance commissioner, and that candidacy means he will be leaving the Legislature in January. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Last first day’</h2>Hawkins, a Republican insurance executive, marked his “last first day” of the session after 14 years in the House and three years as speaker. While he’s running for insurance commissioner, all 125 seats in the House will be up for election in November. The Senate won’t do likewise until 2028.“The first day of the session is always a happy day,” Hawkins said to an almost full chamber. “I tried for the House to be the best House there ever was, and I think, for the most part, we have done just that.”He said he strived to promote mutual respect in the House “so that we listen, hopefully, more than we talk.”Hawkins encouraged spirited debate on the House floor that avoided personal jabs.“Be engaged, and put everything you have into this session. But don’t leave wishing you would have done something,” he said.Ahead of the House’s more ordinary first-day business, Rosen swore in Rep. Abi Boatman, a Wichita-area Democrat, Air Force veteran and advocate who replaced Miller.Boatman, who is Kansas’ second-ever transgender legislator, worked in advocacy and civic engagement for the past decade. She said her first moments in the Legislature were fast-paced as she received a warm welcome. She said the Legislature felt like “the next natural step.”Rep. Steve Brunk, a Wichita Republican who served in the House from 2003 to 2015, was appointed to complete the unexpired term of Rep. Patrick Penn, who took a job in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. During the interim period, Brunk lobbied for a conservative policy organization opposed to abortion.After checking with Capitol security at the visitor center to make certain the state’s conceal-carry gun law hadn’t changed in his absence, he discussed his reasons for returning to the House.“I just felt like there was unfinished business here. I always liked the process,” he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768312174933.png" alt="Sen. Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, outlined personnel changes on the Senate Democratic office staff on the first day of the 2026 legislative session. Sykes is a candidate for state insurance commissioner. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, outlined personnel changes on the Senate Democratic office staff on the first day of the 2026 legislative session. Sykes is a candidate for state insurance commissioner. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Democrats’ agenda</h2>Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat running for state insurance commissioner, said one of her top priorities would be to approve a refundable child tax credit. In the past, proposals have been made to offer a $25 to $600 per child income tax credit for low- and middle-income households to help families deal with escalating costs. She said it was unlikely the GOP-led Legislature would approve the bill.“I would love to see child tax credits passed through, but I don’t think there’s a possible way for that,” Sykes said.She said the Legislature ought to extend the existing K-12 school finance formula — due to expire in mid-2027 — for another year. That would allow the 2027 Legislature to craft a new formula that wouldn’t be implemented until 2028, she said.Sen. Cindy Holscher, a Democrat seeking the party’s nomination for governor along with Sen. Ethan Corson, said she would take on a defensive mindset in an attempt to disrupt GOP legislation that she would view as harmful to the state’s most vulnerable people.“I am always focused on things that will help the people,” she said. “We’ve been pushing things like Medicaid expansion for years. I’m going to look for ways to bring things good forward and push back against the bad stuff.”After the House adjourned for the day, House Democrats gathered with reporters at the Capitol to highlight an agenda designed to benefit working families.House Democrats proposed raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour, allowing renters to get 15% of their rent back in a tax rebate, providing universal school meals and addressing access to and the cost of child care. They also wanted to exempt $125,000 of a home’s value from the state property tax. The current threshold is $75,000.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768312139983.png" alt="House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, a Democrat from Johnson County, speaks to reporters at a Jan. 12, 2026, news conference at the Statehouse where he outlines House Democrats’ ideas to address the rising cost of living. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, a Democrat from Johnson County, speaks to reporters at a Jan. 12, 2026, news conference at the Statehouse where he outlines House Democrats’ ideas to address the rising cost of living. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, D-Lenexa, said Democrats were exploring ways to pay for their wish list. Legalizing recreational marijuana was on the table, he said, along with raising taxes for millionaires.However, he said, cost of living was the No. 1 issue on Kansans’ minds. But their proposals would need support from Republicans to reach the minimum 63 votes for passage in the House.“In the superminority, we have to go find friends, right?” Woodard said. “There’s only 37 of us, so we have to find 26 members that will work with us. The idea of coming up with our own agenda allows us to, one, tell Kansans what we stand for, but also, these are going to be floor amendments that you see on any of the bills that are introduced by Republicans.”Rep. Dan Osman, D-Overland Park, said Kansas should be a place where growing families could afford child care, seniors could live in their homes on a fixed income, and young people could see a future instead of looking to other states.“Families are doing everything right, working hard, budgeting correctly, planning for our future. Yet too many are still feeling squeezed,” Osman said.

Kansas Legislature jolts to life with newcomers and generation of new policy agendas

&nbsp;Protests across Iran are escalating and may turn violent, resulting in arrests and injuries.&nbsp;Increased security measures, road closures, public transportation disruptions, and internet blockages are ongoing.&nbsp;The Government of Iran has restricted access to mobile, landline, and national internet networks.&nbsp;Airlines continue to limit or cancel flights to and from Iran, with several suspending service until Friday, January 16.

U.S. citizens should expect continued internet outages, plan alternative means of communication, and, if safe to do so, consider departing Iran by land to Armenia or Türkiye.

U.S.-Iranian dual nationals&nbsp;must&nbsp;exit Iran on Iranian passports. &nbsp;The Iranian government does not recognize&nbsp;<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Ftravel.state.gov%2Fen%2Finternational-travel%2Fplanning%2Fpersonal-needs%2Fdual-nationality.html/1/0101019bb41844ac-eebb16c6-5ecb-42fe-8769-e4b2bec38e1c-000000/UFwE19dzLrxqMM2owcWBVy91WFujudbOfFb7r85b8-Q=439" target="_blank">dual nationality&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;and will treat U.S.-Iranian dual nationals solely as Iranian citizens.&nbsp;U.S. nationals are at significant risk of questioning, arrest, and detention in Iran.&nbsp;Showing a U.S. passport or demonstrating connections to the United States can be reason enough for Iranian authorities to detain someone.

The U.S. government cannot guarantee your safety if you choose to depart using the following options.&nbsp;You should leave only if you believe it is safe to do so.

As of Monday, January 12, the Armenian land border at Agarak/Norduz&nbsp;remains open.&nbsp;U.S. citizens entering Armenia from Iran need a valid U.S. passport and may stay for up to 180 days visa-free. &nbsp;U.S. citizens who require assistance&nbsp;should send the following to the&nbsp;U.S. Embassy Yerevan American Citizens Services Unit at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:ACSYerevan@state.gov">ACSYerevan@state.gov</a>:

&nbsp;Protests across Iran are escalating and may turn violent, resulting in arrests and injuries.&nbsp;Increased security measures, road closures, public transportation disruptions, and internet blockages are ongoing.&nbsp;The Government of Iran has restricted access to mobile, landline, and national internet networks.&nbsp;Airlines continue to limit or cancel flights to and from Iran, with several suspending service until Friday, January 16.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Iran: Protests across Iran are escalating. Increased security measures, road closures, public transportation disruptions, and internet blockages are ongoing. Airlines continue to limit or cancel flights to and from Iran, with several suspending service until Friday, January 16.… <a href="https://t.co/AneGPdfn6I">pic.twitter.com/AneGPdfn6I</a>&mdash; TravelGov (@TravelGov) <a href="https://twitter.com/TravelGov/status/2010830259177078931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>U.S. citizens should expect continued internet outages, plan alternative means of communication, and, if safe to do so, consider departing Iran by land to Armenia or Türkiye.Actions to Take:<ul>
 <li>Leave Iran now.&nbsp;Have a plan for departing Iran that does not rely on U.S. government help.</li><li>If you cannot leave, find a secure location within your residence or another safe building.&nbsp;Have a supply of food, water, medications, and other essential items.</li><li>Avoid demonstrations, keep a low profile, and stay aware of your surroundings.</li><li>Monitor local media for breaking news.&nbsp;Be prepared to adjust your plans.</li><li>Keep your phone charged and maintain communication with family and friends to inform them of your status.</li><li>Enroll in the&nbsp;<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fmytravel.state.gov%2Fs%2Fstep/1/0101019bb41844ac-eebb16c6-5ecb-42fe-8769-e4b2bec38e1c-000000/8tdhdWC4d9I3snKIoOKaEAq7jOeNNyDTNdyQ_n3axoE=439" target="_blank">Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)&nbsp;</a>to receive the latest updates on security in Iran.</li>
 </ul>If You Plan to Leave Iran:&nbsp;U.S.-Iranian dual nationals&nbsp;must&nbsp;exit Iran on Iranian passports. &nbsp;The Iranian government does not recognize&nbsp;<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Ftravel.state.gov%2Fen%2Finternational-travel%2Fplanning%2Fpersonal-needs%2Fdual-nationality.html/1/0101019bb41844ac-eebb16c6-5ecb-42fe-8769-e4b2bec38e1c-000000/UFwE19dzLrxqMM2owcWBVy91WFujudbOfFb7r85b8-Q=439" target="_blank">dual nationality&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;and will treat U.S.-Iranian dual nationals solely as Iranian citizens.&nbsp;U.S. nationals are at significant risk of questioning, arrest, and detention in Iran.&nbsp;Showing a U.S. passport or demonstrating connections to the United States can be reason enough for Iranian authorities to detain someone.The U.S. government cannot guarantee your safety if you choose to depart using the following options.&nbsp;You should leave only if you believe it is safe to do so.As of Monday, January 12, the Armenian land border at Agarak/Norduz&nbsp;remains open.&nbsp;U.S. citizens entering Armenia from Iran need a valid U.S. passport and may stay for up to 180 days visa-free. &nbsp;U.S. citizens who require assistance&nbsp;should send the following to the&nbsp;U.S. Embassy Yerevan American Citizens Services Unit at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:ACSYerevan@state.gov">ACSYerevan@state.gov</a>:<ul>
 <li>Name, DOB, passport information (number and dates of issue/expiration), border crossing, and a photograph of the passport biodata page</li>
 </ul>As of Monday, January 12, Turkish land border crossings with Iran remain open (Gürbulak/Bazargan, Kapıköy/Razi, and Esendere/Serow). &nbsp;For U.S. citizens seeking to depart Iran by land via these border gates:&nbsp;U.S.-Iranian dual nationals who plan to enter Türkiye on Iranian or Turkish passports do not require advance approval.&nbsp;U.S. citizens who plan to enter Türkiye using their U.S. passports&nbsp;and those who lack a valid travel document should send the following to the U.S. Embassy Ankara American Citizens Services Unit at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Ankara-ACS@state.gov">Ankara-ACS@state.gov</a>:<ul>
 <li>Name, DOB, passport information (number and dates of issue/expiration), border crossing, and a photograph of the passport biodata page</li>
 </ul>As of Monday, January 12, Turkmenistan’s land borders are open, but U.S. citizens need special authorization from the Government of Turkmenistan before approaching the border.&nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. Embassy Ashgabat must facilitate this approval. &nbsp;U.S. citizens who plan to request entry into Turkmenistan should send the following to the U.S. Embassy Ashgabat American Citizens Services Unit at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:AshgabatUScitizen@state.gov">AshgabatUScitizen@state.gov</a>:<ul>
 <li>Name, DOB, passport information (number and dates of issue/expiration), border crossing, and a photograph of the passport biodata page</li>
 </ul>U.S. citizens with an urgent need to depart Iran via Azerbaijan should be aware that entry into Azerbaijan from Iran has been restricted for U.S. citizens during periods of heightened tension, such as the June 2025 conflict between Iran and Israel.&nbsp;U.S. citizens should consider alternative routes for departure from Iran.&nbsp;U.S. citizens should not travel to Afghanistan, Iraq, or the Pakistan-Iran border area.The U.S. government does not have diplomatic or consular relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran.&nbsp;The Swiss government, acting through its embassy in Tehran, serves as the protecting power for U.S. interests in Iran.Embassy of Switzerland – Foreign Interests Section in Tehran:<ul>
 <li>Phone(s):+98-21-22-54-21-78+98-21-22-56-52-73+98-21-22-77-24-63</li><li>+98-21-22-54-21-78</li><li>+98-21-22-56-52-73</li><li>+98-21-22-77-24-63</li><li>Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:tehran.fi@eda.admin.ch">tehran.fi@eda.admin.ch</a></li>
 </ul>