KANSAS CITY —Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced charges against a man in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred in northeast Kansas City over the Christmas weekend.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2790/Ryan-Hawk-Complaint--PC">Ryan J. Hawk</a>, 29,&nbsp;faces 2nd Degree Murder, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and 1st Degree Tampering with a Motor Vehicle.&nbsp;

According to court records, Kansas City police responded to a residence on Dec. 27 regarding a shooting and located the victim lying face down on the sidewalk. Police observed an apparent gunshot wound to the victim’s lower back. He was pronounced deceased at a local hospital.&nbsp;

Detectives recovered eight shell casings near the front door of the residence and a shattered front window.&nbsp;

In an interview with detectives, the defendant said he was at the residence and the victim, who he said had a history of threatening behavior, was present. He said the victim broke the front window and then ran away toward his vehicle. As the victim’s back was turned, Hawk fired multiple rounds at the victim. Hawk then took the victim’s vehicle and fled.&nbsp;

A Jackson County judge set the defendant’s bond at $250,000 cash-only.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767131758535.png" alt="Hawk -photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Hawk -photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced charges against a man in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred in northeast Kansas City over the Christmas weekend.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2790/Ryan-Hawk-Complaint--PC">Ryan J. Hawk</a>, 29,&nbsp;faces 2nd Degree Murder, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and 1st Degree Tampering with a Motor Vehicle.&nbsp;According to court records, Kansas City police responded to a residence on Dec. 27 regarding a shooting and located the victim lying face down on the sidewalk. Police observed an apparent gunshot wound to the victim’s lower back. He was pronounced deceased at a local hospital.&nbsp;Detectives recovered eight shell casings near the front door of the residence and a shattered front window.&nbsp;In an interview with detectives, the defendant said he was at the residence and the victim, who he said had a history of threatening behavior, was present. He said the victim broke the front window and then ran away toward his vehicle. As the victim’s back was turned, Hawk fired multiple rounds at the victim. Hawk then took the victim’s vehicle and fled.&nbsp;A Jackson County judge set the defendant’s bond at $250,000 cash-only.&nbsp;

KC man accused in killing on Christmas weekend

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just before 10:30.m. on Saturday an officer on patrol stopped a Saturn Ion in the 600 block South 7th Street in Atchison for a traffic violation, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

 During the stop the driver, 25-year-old Carly Helton, was found to be in possession of controlled substances.&nbsp; &nbsp;In addition to drug and traffic charges she was also accused of interference with law enforcement for providing false information as to her identity.

She was booked into the Atchison County Jail on requested charges of driving while suspended, misuse of state tag, interference with law enforcement, and possession of cocaine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767572073926.png" alt="Helton photo Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>Helton photo Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.Just before 10:30.m. on Saturday an officer on patrol stopped a Saturn Ion in the 600 block South 7th Street in Atchison for a traffic violation, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. During the stop the driver, 25-year-old Carly Helton, was found to be in possession of controlled substances.&nbsp; &nbsp;In addition to drug and traffic charges she was also accused of interference with law enforcement for providing false information as to her identity.She was booked into the Atchison County Jail on requested charges of driving while suspended, misuse of state tag, interference with law enforcement, and possession of cocaine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;

Police: Drug suspect gave Kan. officers a fake name

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a shooting in Topeka.

Just after 2p.m. Saturday, police responded to the 800 block of SW Tyler for a possible shooting. EMS transported one victim to an area hospital for treatment of potentially life-threatening injuries.&nbsp; 

Police have not reported an arrest of any additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767483631260.png" alt="Photo courtesy WIBW" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WIBW</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a shooting in Topeka.Just after 2p.m. Saturday, police responded to the 800 block of SW Tyler for a possible shooting. EMS transported one victim to an area hospital for treatment of potentially life-threatening injuries.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest of any additional details.

Police: One hospitalized after Kansas shooting

A number of member of Congress from both major parties have announced they are heading for the exits, either because they are seeking higher office, are not running again or are leaving early before the 2026 elections.

Midterms are historically tough on the party of the sitting president. With Republicans holding a razor-thin margin in the House, tracking Republicans who are set to leave, including some of President Donald Trump's top Capitol Hill allies, can provide a window into what work the party has ahead of it in angling to maintain control.

For Democrats, retirement announcements by Republicans are a window of opportunity.

Congressional retirements can be a key barometer before the midterm elections, an indicator of how much churn could be coming to Capitol Hill in the coming cycle.

Here's where things stand in the House ahead of 2026, with the members who have announced they're not planning to return:

Wyoming’s lone U.S. representative, Hageman became the first to announce to launch her Senate campaign after Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis announced her retirement. Hageman — who within hours had Trump's endorsement — is best known for beating Republican Rep. Liz Cheney by a wide margin in 2022.

Among 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump after the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, Newhouse withstood a challenge from a Trump-backed opponent last year en route to his sixth term. His departure now only leaves one House GOP backer of impeachment who could be returning after the 2026 midterms: Rep. David Valadao of California, who is running for reelection.

He was first elected to the House in 2012. His district is among those redrawn as more friendly to Republicans in a rare mid-decade effort recently upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court for use in the 2026 midterm elections. Veasey said he would pursue a judicial position in Tarrant County; he has since dropped out of that race.

Crockett, one of Congress’ most outspoken Democrats, a frequent target of GOP attacks and a Trump target,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-senate-race-colin-allred-jasmine-crockett-5849d3ca44a733ce016300070788eec3">jumped into the race</a>&nbsp;on the final day of qualifying in Texas, hours after former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-us-senate-cornyn-allred-8d219b9bd7adceec7c82509693561e12">Rep. Colin Allred</a>&nbsp;ended his own campaign for the Democratic nomination in favor of attempting a House comeback bid. Crockett is seeking the Senate seat held by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-cornyn">Republican John Cornyn</a>, who is running for reelection in the GOP-dominated state.

Doggett, who has represented an Austin-based district for more than three decades, said that he would be departing the House after the end of his current term, citing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-redistricting-texas-trump-02b07b477b153f23ed5c387f2f9ae0c4">U.S. Supreme Court’s decision</a>&nbsp;upholding the state’s new district map merging two Austin-area districts favorable to Democrats. In 2024, Doggett was the first sitting lawmaker in the party to publicly call for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;to step down as the party’s nominee for president, citing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debate-trump-biden-presidential-campaign-44e71c900a1c4af2bed93041fdfe923d">Biden’s debate performance</a>&nbsp;against Trump failing to “effectively defend his many accomplishments.”

In his announcement, Nehls shared he would be retiring from Congress after three terms and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/troy-nehls-retiring-congress-texas-2bb5c018388359472c3a774c1a06724e">endorsed his twin brother Trever</a>&nbsp;to succeed him. Nehls was first elected to represent the district southwest of Houston in 2020, and was a staunch ally of Trump’s. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-government-and-politics-capitol-siege-7d6e299976b5579eab77d26eb5b0b60b">was tapped</a>&nbsp;by then-House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy to sit on a select committee probing the Capitol riot, though McCarthy later pulled all his picks when Democrats refused to seat some of his choices.

Greene’s transformation from Trump loyalist to one of his harshest critics culminated in her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marjorie-taylor-green-congress-resigns-trump-maga-5f42d4893343babc8e87da1491a0de2b">surprise announcement</a>&nbsp;that she would end her congressional career in January 2026. Greene’s resignation followed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-marjorie-taylor-greene-republicans-maga-feud-f4b0dffe06440dfed16d336d08a05422">public falling-out with Trump</a>&nbsp;in recent months, as the congresswoman criticized him for his stance on files related to Jeffrey Epstein, along with foreign policy and health care. First elected to represent a deeply conservative seat in northwest Georgia in 2020, she spent her first few terms closely tied to the “Make America Great Again” movement.

A former presidential candidate, Swalwell joined a crowded race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. Swalwell, who also served as a House manager in Trump’s second impeachment trial, has represented a northern district that falls east of San Francisco since 2013. His current district’s boundary lines&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-redistricting-prop-50-gavin-newsom-839193bfc2a817086acca7365315f26f">will change slightly due to mid cycle redistricting</a>&nbsp;approved by voters last month, but remains heavily Democratic.

Velázquez is the second-longest serving member of the New York U.S. House delegation (and only by a technicality; fellow retiring representative Jerry Nadler was also first elected in 1992 but took his seat a few months early due to his predecessor’s death). The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nydia-velazquez-congress-new-york-retirement-reelection-1f06b2a22ac252a7fdbda0af41d438f9">first Puerto Rican woman to serve in Congress</a>, Velázquez has represented a heavily Democratic district that includes northeast Brooklyn and western Queens. She has a reputation for mentoring progressive lawmakers, and most recently was among the early backers of New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist. She cited the need for generational change in her announcement.

Despite already receiving Trump’s endorsement for his reelection campaign, Arrington announced shortly after the 2025 general election that he would be retiring from Congress. Arrington, a fiscal hawk, is the chair of the House Budget Committee and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-big-beautiful-gop-taxes-ced365c347de9320eef2ccb8df16dda2">played a key role</a>&nbsp;in passing Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a large-scale tax and spending bill. He was first elected to a sprawling conservative Texas district that contains Lubbock and Abilene in 2016.

A fixture in New Jersey politics, Watson Coleman announced her sixth term would be her last. The first Black woman elected to represent New Jersey in the U.S. House, Watson Coleman has served the district around the state capital of Trenton and the tony college town of Princeton sine 2014, after spending almost two decades representing part of the region in the state legislature. Her seat votes reliably Democratic.

Dates of announcement: Nov. 7 and Dec. 19

Reason: Running for governor, then retiring

Stefanik made her challenge to Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul official shortly after the 2025 general election but ultimately announced that she would neither run for governor nor return to the House, bowing out of what was expected to be a bruising Republican gubernatorial primary. Elected to represent a conservative upstate New York district in 2014, Stefanik&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elise-stefanik-liz-cheney-house-republicans-b22be9dc6cdd3be5cbb5adf2587c3a20">rose to be the third-ranking</a>&nbsp;House Republican,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ny-state-wire-donald-trump-election-2020-government-and-politics-1d5f980f186ddcf1680fbc720a9fc70a">shedding her earlier reputation as a moderate</a>&nbsp;as she embraced Trump. Nominated to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in 2025, her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elise-stefanik-united-nations-ambassador-trump-96ef705d7498f080f9f399416b647f99">nomination was withdrawn</a>&nbsp;over concerns about Republicans’ narrow House majority. Since then, she has more openly discussed her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-republicans-troubles-midterms-trump-7a4a88479807ea15a8050129dbe19c0d">displeasure with the Republican conference</a>, and specifically House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Garcia turned in nominating petitions for the 2026 primary in October but confirmed right when the filing period ended that he would not seek a fifth term in his western Chicago seat. His late announcement left only one other candidate who had submitted the necessary paperwork: his chief of staff. The eyebrow-raising maneuver led&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chuy-garcia-illinois-democrat-038871c38ed3ca7353ec125a407aaead">the House to reprimand Garcia</a>&nbsp;last month. Garcia cited the health of himself and his wife, who has multiple sclerosis, as among the reasons for why he would not seek reelection.

The first female House speaker said her career in Congress would come to an end after nearly 40 years in office. Pelosi represented San Francisco but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pelosi-reelection-announcement-fd95c18815fdabdaabaf26b8c2f0bafc">made her mark on the national stage</a>, ushering through impactful legislation like the Affordable Care Act and keeping an unruly Democratic caucus in line throughout the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/nancy-pelosi-photo-gallery-89f4946616c6b87e118397ef17608886">Obama, Trump and Biden administrations.</a>&nbsp;She played key roles in both impeaching Trump and encouraging Biden to end his 2024 reelection campaign.

After a half-decade of narrow reelections, Golden announced he would be stepping down from one of the most competitive districts in the country. He cited incivility in Congress and threats against his family in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bangordailynews.com/2025/11/05/opinion/opinion-contributor/jared-golden-why-i-wont-seek-reelection-column/">story in the Bangor Daily News</a>&nbsp;announcing his retirement. Golden, first elected in 2018, is one of the most moderate Democrats in Congress and has shown his willingness to break with his party on issues&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-elections-international-news-politics-0756fda2b5143891c5da1c6897001cee">ranging from impeaching Trump</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/golden-votes-to-reopen-government-continue-bipartisan-negotiations-on-renewing-aca-tax-credits">reopening the government</a>&nbsp;during this fall’s shutdown.

Iowa’s congressional delegation is reshuffling in light of surprise announcements from Gov. Kim Reynolds and Sen. Joni Ernst that neither was seeking reelection in 2026. Between Reynolds’ April announcement and Feenstra’s official announcement, the representative&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-governor-race-2026-randy-feenstra-election-a8f4d14ff0034a060a2c50ea4c67931b">announced millions of dollars in fundraising</a>. Feenstra has represented the state’s northwest quadrant since 2021, after he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-iowa-us-news-ap-top-news-steve-king-35e758667dc25e37a79d6db9996fd305">toppled controversial incumbent Rep. Steve King</a>&nbsp;in the primary. Feenstra’s district is among the most conservative in the state, though Democrats have a few other races they’re eying.

The six-term representative&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/seth-moulton-massachusetts-senate-2026-edward-markey-8334d0d2cd329ab9ef58143a368832f5">cited the need for generational change</a>&nbsp;in announcing his challenge to Sen. Ed Markey. Moulton currently represents the northeastern corner of Massachusetts, and has drawn nominal opposition in his heavily Democratic district. Markey beat back a similar challenge from Rep. Joe Kennedy in 2020.

Hunt drew ire from Senate Republican leadership for taking on Cornyn in what party leaders fear will become an expensive, messy primary. Cornyn’s cool relationship with Trump has drawn another candidate beyond the two-term Houston-area congressman, controversial Texas attorney general Ken Paxton. Both are running on their relationship to Trump. Hunt’s runs deep: He was the first Republican to endorse him after the former president’s 2022 comeback campaign announcement, and he gave&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/rnc-day-1-trump-biden-election-updates#00000190-b8d7-d267-ab98-b8f77f140000">a prime-time speech</a>&nbsp;on opening night of the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. He also campaigned 17 times for Trump in 2024, more than any other Republican surrogate.

Schweikert&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-governor-schweikert-hobbs-76855d0a00c931f78e49ed13b160d4e7">cited the dysfunction in the Congress</a>&nbsp;as motivation for seeking the governorship. First elected to the House in 2010, Schweikert has in recent years won incredibly narrow reelection campaigns in his suburban Phoenix district. Democrats are again targeting his seat in 2026. A budget hawk, Schweikert has consistently backed Trump’s agenda. Still, according to his campaign consultant, he hopped into a Republican field against the White House’s wishes that already included two Trump-backed candidates, housing developer Karrin Taylor Robson and House Freedom Caucus member U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs. The winner will take on Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs.

Tiffany announced he would join one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-governor-tom-tiffany-trump-ce8cac8802ca1b1118637c28dfb07d6d">most competitive governor’s races</a>&nbsp;in the country after serving three terms in Congress. The office held by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has been hotly contested in the last few cycles. The Trump loyalist received the president’s endorsement in all of his previous campaigns for the House, but Trump has not yet made an endorsement in the Republican primary. Tiffany’s district, which includes a large swath of the state’s rural north, consistently supports Republicans.

McCaul offered an ominous warning about Russian aggression when he announced his retirement&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccaul-ukraine-texas-trump-russia-poland-nato-bbe5fa808569842178879549d6ec2d9c">in an interview earlier this year</a>. A former anti-terrorism prosecutor and past chairman of the House Homeland Security and Foreign Affairs committees, McCaul, is part of an older generation of foreign policy hawks who’ve tried to counter a younger crop of Republicans who are more skeptical about U.S. intervention elsewhere in the world. McCaul was first elected in 2004. His district, which stretches from Houston to Austin, consistently backs Republican candidates.

The Houston-area congressman announced his second term would be his last, marking yet another departure for the Texas GOP congressional delegation. Luttrell cited a desire to spend more time in Texas,&nbsp;<a href="https://luttrell.house.gov/media/press-releases/statement-congressman-morgan-luttrell">describing this summer’s deadly</a>&nbsp;central Texas flooding as a “moment of clarity.” His current district’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-8-20-2025">boundary lines will change slightly</a>&nbsp;due to mid cycle redistricting but remains heavily Republican.

Hinson is vacating a seat in Iowa’s northeastern corner to seek the seat held by Sen. Joni Ernst. Ernst’s surprise retirement came after she drew&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ernst-hegseth-nominee-trump-vetting-assault-pentagon-138c79c9199c8525d43b77417674d81e">heavy criticism for her hesitation</a>&nbsp;on one of Trump’s cabinet picks; in a radio interview that served as her official campaign announcement,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2026-iowa-senate-ernst-5f1fcb82ed73f83a8342683efed847f0">Hinson said</a>&nbsp;she was running to be “President Trump’s top ally in the United States Senate.” Hinson flipped her district in 2020 and won her relatively split district by larger margins in 2022 and 2024. Democrats had already indicated they put her district on its list of potential pickups.

Tracking the retirement announcements of members of Congress

Abortion bans, restrictions in nearby states continues driving demand in Kansas

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

TOPEKA — The number of abortions performed in Kansas during 2024 surpassed 19,000 for the second consecutive year in wake of judicial and political decisions in other states restricting access to the medical procedure.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported clinics and hospitals in Kansas conducted a record 19,811 abortions in 2024, up from 19,467 in 2023, 12,319 in 2022 and 7,849 in 2021. Of the 2024 total, 4,763 were provided to residents of Kansas. Demand for abortion among Kansans increased 9.3% from 4,356 in 2023 and was above the 3,844 reported in 2022 and 3,937 in 2021.

In 2024, 15,048 abortions in Kansas were provided to out-of-state residents. That was a slight decline from the 15,111 nonresident abortions in 2023 and a significant increase from 8,475 in 2022 and 3,912 in 2021 among people living outside Kansas.

Three-fourths of abortions in Kansas the past two years were for patients residing in other states, primarily Texas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Here was a state-by-state breakdown in terms of Kansas abortions in 2024 for nonresidents: Texas, 6,736; Missouri, 3,760; Oklahoma, 3,141; Arkansas, 851; Louisiana, 206; and Nebraska, 138.

In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide for nearly 50 years. Reversing that precedent returned authority to prohibit or regulate the procedure to individual states.

The Kansas Supreme Court had issued a decision in 2019 that found the Kansas Constitution guaranteed individuals bodily autonomy in health care decisions, including a woman’s right to end a pregnancy. The state court’s decision preserved abortion rights in Kansas after the U.S. Supreme Court severed federal constitutional protections.

In Missouri, abortion was legal only in cases of medical emergency from 2022 to 2024. However, Missouri voters in 2024 approved a constitutional amendment restoring broader reproductive freedoms. Other states in the Midwest responded to the U.S. Supreme Court by imposing bans on abortion, including Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. Oklahoma has allowed abortions only to preserve the life of a pregnant person. Nebraska enforces a 12-week abortion ban.

Mackenzie Ayers, a spokeswoman for the anti-abortion organization Kansans for Life, said the state health department should have more promptly released information on 2024 abortions in Kansas. The state’s latest report was posted online at the end of December 2025 as part of a larger annual&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/53419/Kansas-Annual-Summary-of-Vital-Statistics-2024-PDF" target="_blank">summary of vital statistics on Kansas</a>.

“By waiting until the final hours of the year to release Kansas’ 2024 abortion statistics, Gov. Laura Kelly has made it clear she hoped these numbers would go unnoticed,” Ayers said.

Ayers said Kansans for Life believed young females were obtaining abortions in Kansas without parental consent. She said the organization would be “pursuing every legal option to restore some form of informed consent protections for women in 2026 and continue to sound the alarms about parental consent laws being potentially ignored.”

Janet Stanek, secretary of the state Department of Health and Environment, said the latest annual report provided an overview of information on the health status of Kansans.

“Public health statistics are essential to governmental agencies, businesses, industries and citizens for effective health policy decisions and program planning. KDHE is committed to ensuring accessibility,” Stanek’s report said.

KDHE’s report said 85.8% of all abortions performed in the state during 2024 were for unmarried women. KDHE said 77.1% of Kansas resident abortions in 2024 occurred prior to nine weeks of gestational age. Nearly 93% were prior to the 13th week of gestation and 2.8% came after 16 weeks gestation, the state health department said.

KDHE said there 140.3 abortions per 1,000 live births among Kansas residents in 2024. That was 9.6% higher than the ratio of 128 abortions per 1,000 live births in 2023.

The highest abortion ratio among Kansans residents on 2024 was for females 15 to 19 years of age, who had a rate of 341.9 abortions for every 1,000 live births. The lowest ratio — 80.4 abortions per 1,000 births — was for women 30 to 34 years of age, KDHE said. There was variation among Black, white and Hispanic women. The ratios: white non-Hispanics, 85 abortions per 1,000 live births; Black non-Hispanics, 402 abortions per 1,000 births; and Hispanics, 211.6 abortions per 1,000 births.

During 2024, KDHE said, there were 33,956 live births to residents of Kansas for a rate of 11.4 per 1,000 people. The agency said that was the lowest Kansas birth rate since 1912. The rate in 2024 represented a decline of 0.2% from 34,041 births in 2023. Here was the age breakdown of these Kansas mothers: under age 20, 4.5%; 20 to 29 years of age, 51.2%; 30 to 39 year of age, 41.5%; and aged 40 and over, 2.8%;

KDHE reported Kansas residents had 2,656 low-birth-weight infants, representing 7.8% of total births, in 2024. There were 197 infant deaths among Kansas residents, an increase of 8.2% from 182 deaths in 2023.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767483770307.jpeg" alt=" Janet Stanek, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, published a 2024 summary of health statistics on Kansas, including information on abortion, at the end of December. Kansans for Life, an organization opposed to abortion rights, says KDHE ought to have released the report long ago. In this 2023 image, Stanek attends a legislative hearing. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Janet Stanek, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, published a 2024 summary of health statistics on Kansas, including information on abortion, at the end of December. Kansans for Life, an organization opposed to abortion rights, says KDHE ought to have released the report long ago. In this 2023 image, Stanek attends a legislative hearing. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Abortion bans, restrictions in nearby states continues driving demand in Kansas</h2>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The number of abortions performed in Kansas during 2024 surpassed 19,000 for the second consecutive year in wake of judicial and political decisions in other states restricting access to the medical procedure.The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported clinics and hospitals in Kansas conducted a record 19,811 abortions in 2024, up from 19,467 in 2023, 12,319 in 2022 and 7,849 in 2021. Of the 2024 total, 4,763 were provided to residents of Kansas. Demand for abortion among Kansans increased 9.3% from 4,356 in 2023 and was above the 3,844 reported in 2022 and 3,937 in 2021.In 2024, 15,048 abortions in Kansas were provided to out-of-state residents. That was a slight decline from the 15,111 nonresident abortions in 2023 and a significant increase from 8,475 in 2022 and 3,912 in 2021 among people living outside Kansas.Three-fourths of abortions in Kansas the past two years were for patients residing in other states, primarily Texas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Here was a state-by-state breakdown in terms of Kansas abortions in 2024 for nonresidents: Texas, 6,736; Missouri, 3,760; Oklahoma, 3,141; Arkansas, 851; Louisiana, 206; and Nebraska, 138.In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide for nearly 50 years. Reversing that precedent returned authority to prohibit or regulate the procedure to individual states.The Kansas Supreme Court had issued a decision in 2019 that found the Kansas Constitution guaranteed individuals bodily autonomy in health care decisions, including a woman’s right to end a pregnancy. The state court’s decision preserved abortion rights in Kansas after the U.S. Supreme Court severed federal constitutional protections.In Missouri, abortion was legal only in cases of medical emergency from 2022 to 2024. However, Missouri voters in 2024 approved a constitutional amendment restoring broader reproductive freedoms. Other states in the Midwest responded to the U.S. Supreme Court by imposing bans on abortion, including Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. Oklahoma has allowed abortions only to preserve the life of a pregnant person. Nebraska enforces a 12-week abortion ban.Mackenzie Ayers, a spokeswoman for the anti-abortion organization Kansans for Life, said the state health department should have more promptly released information on 2024 abortions in Kansas. The state’s latest report was posted online at the end of December 2025 as part of a larger annual&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/53419/Kansas-Annual-Summary-of-Vital-Statistics-2024-PDF" target="_blank">summary of vital statistics on Kansas</a>.“By waiting until the final hours of the year to release Kansas’ 2024 abortion statistics, Gov. Laura Kelly has made it clear she hoped these numbers would go unnoticed,” Ayers said.Ayers said Kansans for Life believed young females were obtaining abortions in Kansas without parental consent. She said the organization would be “pursuing every legal option to restore some form of informed consent protections for women in 2026 and continue to sound the alarms about parental consent laws being potentially ignored.”Janet Stanek, secretary of the state Department of Health and Environment, said the latest annual report provided an overview of information on the health status of Kansans.“Public health statistics are essential to governmental agencies, businesses, industries and citizens for effective health policy decisions and program planning. KDHE is committed to ensuring accessibility,” Stanek’s report said.KDHE’s report said 85.8% of all abortions performed in the state during 2024 were for unmarried women. KDHE said 77.1% of Kansas resident abortions in 2024 occurred prior to nine weeks of gestational age. Nearly 93% were prior to the 13th week of gestation and 2.8% came after 16 weeks gestation, the state health department said.KDHE said there 140.3 abortions per 1,000 live births among Kansas residents in 2024. That was 9.6% higher than the ratio of 128 abortions per 1,000 live births in 2023.The highest abortion ratio among Kansans residents on 2024 was for females 15 to 19 years of age, who had a rate of 341.9 abortions for every 1,000 live births. The lowest ratio — 80.4 abortions per 1,000 births — was for women 30 to 34 years of age, KDHE said. There was variation among Black, white and Hispanic women. The ratios: white non-Hispanics, 85 abortions per 1,000 live births; Black non-Hispanics, 402 abortions per 1,000 births; and Hispanics, 211.6 abortions per 1,000 births.During 2024, KDHE said, there were 33,956 live births to residents of Kansas for a rate of 11.4 per 1,000 people. The agency said that was the lowest Kansas birth rate since 1912. The rate in 2024 represented a decline of 0.2% from 34,041 births in 2023. Here was the age breakdown of these Kansas mothers: under age 20, 4.5%; 20 to 29 years of age, 51.2%; 30 to 39 year of age, 41.5%; and aged 40 and over, 2.8%;KDHE reported Kansas residents had 2,656 low-birth-weight infants, representing 7.8% of total births, in 2024. There were 197 infant deaths among Kansas residents, an increase of 8.2% from 182 deaths in 2023.

Out-of-state patients make up three-fourths of 19,000 Kansas abortions performed in 2024

NEW YORK (AP) —The U.S. Department of Justice on Saturday released a new indictment of Nicolas Maduro and his wife.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1422326/dl">Click here to read the new indictment</a>

The indictment accuses Maduro of leading a “a corrupt, illegitimate government that, for decades, has leveraged government power to protect and promote illegal activity, including drug trafficking.” It alleges that the drug trafficking efforts “enriched and entrenched Venezuela’s political and military elite.”

U.S. authorities allege that Maduro partnered with “some of the most violent and prolific drug traffickers and narco-terrorists in the world” to bring tons of cocaine into the U.S., according to the indictment.

Authorities estimate that as much as 250 tons of cocaine were trafficked through Venezuela by 2020, according to the indictment. The drugs were moved on go-fast vessels, fishing boats and container ships or via planes from clandestine airstrips, authorities allege.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767457047521.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —The U.S. Department of Justice on Saturday released a new indictment of Nicolas Maduro and his wife.<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1422326/dl">Click here to read the new indictment</a>The indictment accuses Maduro of leading a “a corrupt, illegitimate government that, for decades, has leveraged government power to protect and promote illegal activity, including drug trafficking.” It alleges that the drug trafficking efforts “enriched and entrenched Venezuela’s political and military elite.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Perp walked.<a href="https://t.co/34iIsFUDdG">pic.twitter.com/34iIsFUDdG</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2007631142200189289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>U.S. authorities allege that Maduro partnered with “some of the most violent and prolific drug traffickers and narco-terrorists in the world” to bring tons of cocaine into the U.S., according to the indictment.Authorities estimate that as much as 250 tons of cocaine were trafficked through Venezuela by 2020, according to the indictment. The drugs were moved on go-fast vessels, fishing boats and container ships or via planes from clandestine airstrips, authorities allege.

Read the new indictment against Venezuelan leader, wife

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/lauran-neergaard">LAURAN NEERGAARD</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — Flu is rising rapidly across the U.S., driven by a new variant of the virus — and cases are expected to keep growing with holiday travel.

That variant, known as “subclade K,” led to early outbreaks in the United Kingdom, Japan and Canada. In the U.S., flu&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flu-rsv-covid-cdc-a343a9991a9e116252be4bd331dba6d1">typically begins</a>&nbsp;its winter march in December. On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported high or very high levels of illness in more than half the states.

The CDC estimated there have been at least 7.5 million illnesses, 81,000 hospitalizations and 3,100 deaths from flu so far this season. That includes at least eight child deaths — and is based on data as of Dec. 20, before major holiday gatherings.

Some states are particularly hard-hit. New York’s health department said the week ending Dec. 20 marked the most flu cases the state had recorded in a single week since 2004: 71,000.

It’s far too soon to know if this flu season will be as severe as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flu-vaccine-shot-flumist-04144eb736ad1adced5252dae0c4985b">last winter’s.</a>

But it’s not too late to get a flu shot, which health experts say can still prevent severe illness even if someone gets infected. While this year’s vaccine isn’t a perfect match to the subclade K strain,&nbsp;<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12639273/" target="_blank">a preliminary analysis from the U.K.</a>&nbsp;found it offered at least partial protection, lowering people’s risk of hospitalization.

According to the CDC, only about 42% of adults and children have gotten a flu vaccination so far this year.

The flu virus is a shape-shifter, constantly mutating, and it comes in multiple forms. There are two subtypes of Type A flu, and subclade K is a mutated version of one of them, named H3N2. That H3N2 strain is always harsh, especially for older adults.

Subclade K’s mutations aren’t enough of a change to be considered an entirely new kind of flu.

But they’re different enough to evade some of the protection from this year’s vaccine, said Andrew Pekosz, a virus expert at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The CDC said it’s too soon to know how severe this season will be.

Flu seasons dominated by any version of H3N2 tend to be bad, with more infections overall and more people becoming seriously ill. But Hopkins’ Pekosz cautioned it will take time to tease apart whether this subclade K version simply spreads more easily or also is more dangerous.

That question aside, the CDC notes there are some prescription medicines to treat flu — usually recommended for people at high risk of complications. But they generally need to be started a day or two after symptoms begin.

The CDC and major medical societies all recommend a flu vaccine for just about everyone age 6 months and older. Despite lots of recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/monarez-cdc-vaccines-kennedy-rfk-jr-194fd4336aaa74cb6e7c715d0605b47e">misinformation</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rfk-vaccine-flu-covid-shot-9efed9b468c849a3db1f793dd7effae6">confusion</a>&nbsp;about vaccines, the flu recommendations haven’t changed.

Flu is particularly dangerous for people 65 and older, pregnant women, young children and people of any age who have chronic health problems, including asthma, diabetes, heart disease and weak immune systems.

The vaccines are brewed to protect against three influenza strains. Despite concern over that new H3N2 variant, they appear to be a good match against H1N1 and Type B flu that may also circulate this year, Pekosz said.

There are shots for all ages, as well as the nasal spray FluMist for ages 2 to 49. For the first time this year, some people may be eligible to vaccinate themselves with FluMist at home.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767138155902.png" alt="The most recently released CDD flu map" />
 <figcaption>The most recently released CDD flu map</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/lauran-neergaard">LAURAN NEERGAARD</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — Flu is rising rapidly across the U.S., driven by a new variant of the virus — and cases are expected to keep growing with holiday travel.That variant, known as “subclade K,” led to early outbreaks in the United Kingdom, Japan and Canada. In the U.S., flu&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flu-rsv-covid-cdc-a343a9991a9e116252be4bd331dba6d1">typically begins</a>&nbsp;its winter march in December. On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported high or very high levels of illness in more than half the states.The CDC estimated there have been at least 7.5 million illnesses, 81,000 hospitalizations and 3,100 deaths from flu so far this season. That includes at least eight child deaths — and is based on data as of Dec. 20, before major holiday gatherings.Some states are particularly hard-hit. New York’s health department said the week ending Dec. 20 marked the most flu cases the state had recorded in a single week since 2004: 71,000.It’s far too soon to know if this flu season will be as severe as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flu-vaccine-shot-flumist-04144eb736ad1adced5252dae0c4985b">last winter’s.</a>But it’s not too late to get a flu shot, which health experts say can still prevent severe illness even if someone gets infected. While this year’s vaccine isn’t a perfect match to the subclade K strain,&nbsp;<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12639273/" target="_blank">a preliminary analysis from the U.K.</a>&nbsp;found it offered at least partial protection, lowering people’s risk of hospitalization.According to the CDC, only about 42% of adults and children have gotten a flu vaccination so far this year.<h2>What is subclade K flu?</h2>The flu virus is a shape-shifter, constantly mutating, and it comes in multiple forms. There are two subtypes of Type A flu, and subclade K is a mutated version of one of them, named H3N2. That H3N2 strain is always harsh, especially for older adults.Subclade K’s mutations aren’t enough of a change to be considered an entirely new kind of flu.But they’re different enough to evade some of the protection from this year’s vaccine, said Andrew Pekosz, a virus expert at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.<h2>Will subclade K make people sicker?</h2>The CDC said it’s too soon to know how severe this season will be.Flu seasons dominated by any version of H3N2 tend to be bad, with more infections overall and more people becoming seriously ill. But Hopkins’ Pekosz cautioned it will take time to tease apart whether this subclade K version simply spreads more easily or also is more dangerous.That question aside, the CDC notes there are some prescription medicines to treat flu — usually recommended for people at high risk of complications. But they generally need to be started a day or two after symptoms begin.<h2>Who needs a flu vaccine?</h2>The CDC and major medical societies all recommend a flu vaccine for just about everyone age 6 months and older. Despite lots of recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/monarez-cdc-vaccines-kennedy-rfk-jr-194fd4336aaa74cb6e7c715d0605b47e">misinformation</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rfk-vaccine-flu-covid-shot-9efed9b468c849a3db1f793dd7effae6">confusion</a>&nbsp;about vaccines, the flu recommendations haven’t changed.Flu is particularly dangerous for people 65 and older, pregnant women, young children and people of any age who have chronic health problems, including asthma, diabetes, heart disease and weak immune systems.The vaccines are brewed to protect against three influenza strains. Despite concern over that new H3N2 variant, they appear to be a good match against H1N1 and Type B flu that may also circulate this year, Pekosz said.There are shots for all ages, as well as the nasal spray FluMist for ages 2 to 49. For the first time this year, some people may be eligible to vaccinate themselves with FluMist at home.—-The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Flu is rising rapidly nationwide driven by a new variant

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>

WASHINGTON — States must now provide “justification” that federal child care funds they receive are spent on “legitimate” providers in order to get those dollars, President Donald Trump’s administration announced.&nbsp;

The Tuesday shift in policy came following<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2025/12/31/minnesota-child-care-providers-say-trumps-funding-freeze-will-shut-down-their-businesses/" target="_blank">&nbsp;allegations of fraud in Minnesota’s child care programs,&nbsp;</a>which prompted the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to freeze all child care payments to the state.&nbsp;

HHS could not offer many specifics on how the review process will play out for other states, but clarified that the money in question is provided through the multibillion-dollar federal Child Care and Development Fund, or CCDF.&nbsp;

“States will be required to provide documentation, such as written justification, receipts, or photographic evidence, demonstrating that funds are supporting legitimate child care providers,” Emily Hilliard, a spokesperson for HHS, said in a statement to States Newsroom on Wednesday.&nbsp;

CCDF provides federal funding to states, territories and tribes to help low-income families obtain child care.&nbsp;

The program, administered within the Office of Child Care under HHS’ Administration for Children and Families, combines funding from the Child Care and Development Block Grant, or CCDBG, and the Child Care Entitlement to States, or CCES.&nbsp;

Funding for CCDF in&nbsp;<a href="https://acf.gov/occ/data/gy-2025-ccdf-allocations-based-appropriations" target="_blank">fiscal year 2025</a>&nbsp;stood at roughly $12.3 billion — comprising $8.75 billion from CCDBG and $3.55 billion from CCES.&nbsp;

Head Start — a separate program that provides early childhood education, nutritious meals, health screenings and other support services to low-income families — does not appear to be affected.&nbsp;

In a Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HHS_Jim/status/2006136004294664464" target="_blank">social media post</a>&nbsp;announcing the move, Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill said he had “activated our defend the spend system for all ACF payments” and “starting today, all ACF payments across America will require a justification and a receipt or photo evidence before we send money to a state.”&nbsp;

He clarified in a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HHS_Jim/status/2006152183863972241" target="_blank">separate post</a>&nbsp;shortly after that “funds will be released only when states prove they are being spent legitimately.”&nbsp;

“Federal funding enables millions of parents in every state and Congressional district to access and afford quality child care,” Sarah Rittling, executive director of First Five Years Fund, a federal advocacy group, said in a Wednesday statement.&nbsp;

Rittling added that “these funds are essential to the nation’s well-being, allowing parents to work while ensuring their children are cared for and safe.”   

She also described the reports of potential fraud as “deeply concerning” and pointed out that “state oversight through regular audits is required by law to ensure that every dollar intended to protect and support young children is used properly and effectively.”&nbsp;

“At the same time, we must ensure that nothing takes away from making sure funds for child care continue to reach the children and families who depend on them,” she said.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767093694484.png" alt="DHS agents going door to door investigating fraud in Minnesota -image from Homeland Security video" />
 <figcaption>DHS agents going door to door investigating fraud in Minnesota -image from Homeland Security video</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>WASHINGTON — States must now provide “justification” that federal child care funds they receive are spent on “legitimate” providers in order to get those dollars, President Donald Trump’s administration announced.&nbsp;The Tuesday shift in policy came following<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2025/12/31/minnesota-child-care-providers-say-trumps-funding-freeze-will-shut-down-their-businesses/" target="_blank">&nbsp;allegations of fraud in Minnesota’s child care programs,&nbsp;</a>which prompted the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to freeze all child care payments to the state.&nbsp;HHS could not offer many specifics on how the review process will play out for other states, but clarified that the money in question is provided through the multibillion-dollar federal Child Care and Development Fund, or CCDF.&nbsp;“States will be required to provide documentation, such as written justification, receipts, or photographic evidence, demonstrating that funds are supporting legitimate child care providers,” Emily Hilliard, a spokesperson for HHS, said in a statement to States Newsroom on Wednesday.&nbsp;CCDF provides federal funding to states, territories and tribes to help low-income families obtain child care.&nbsp;The program, administered within the Office of Child Care under HHS’ Administration for Children and Families, combines funding from the Child Care and Development Block Grant, or CCDBG, and the Child Care Entitlement to States, or CCES.&nbsp;Funding for CCDF in&nbsp;<a href="https://acf.gov/occ/data/gy-2025-ccdf-allocations-based-appropriations" target="_blank">fiscal year 2025</a>&nbsp;stood at roughly $12.3 billion — comprising $8.75 billion from CCDBG and $3.55 billion from CCES.&nbsp;Head Start — a separate program that provides early childhood education, nutritious meals, health screenings and other support services to low-income families — does not appear to be affected.&nbsp;In a Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HHS_Jim/status/2006136004294664464" target="_blank">social media post</a>&nbsp;announcing the move, Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill said he had “activated our defend the spend system for all ACF payments” and “starting today, all ACF payments across America will require a justification and a receipt or photo evidence before we send money to a state.”&nbsp;He clarified in a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HHS_Jim/status/2006152183863972241" target="_blank">separate post</a>&nbsp;shortly after that “funds will be released only when states prove they are being spent legitimately.”&nbsp;<h2>Funds undergo ‘regular audits’</h2>“Federal funding enables millions of parents in every state and Congressional district to access and afford quality child care,” Sarah Rittling, executive director of First Five Years Fund, a federal advocacy group, said in a Wednesday statement.&nbsp;Rittling added that “these funds are essential to the nation’s well-being, allowing parents to work while ensuring their children are cared for and safe.”   She also described the reports of potential fraud as “deeply concerning” and pointed out that “state oversight through regular audits is required by law to ensure that every dollar intended to protect and support young children is used properly and effectively.”&nbsp;“At the same time, we must ensure that nothing takes away from making sure funds for child care continue to reach the children and families who depend on them,” she said.&nbsp;

After Minnesota fraud allegations, HHS orders states to justify child care spending

SALINE COUNTY —A boy injured in a shooting in Salina has died.&nbsp;Just before 9:30p.m. Saturday, the boy was pronounced deceased at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, according to&nbsp;Salina Police Lt. Andrew Ziegler.

On Friday evening, Salina Police Communications received a report of a shooting at a home in 100 block of Raleigh Street in Salina, according to a media release.

Officers responded and located a boy with a single gunshot wound. EMS transported the boy to the Salina Regional Health Center where he was listed in critical condition. The boy was later transported to a Wichita hospital.&nbsp; 

&nbsp;A 15 year-old male acquaintance of the victim was arrested and booked into the Juvenile Detention Center in Geary County on requested charges of Aggravated Battery and Criminal use of a Weapon, according to a statement from Salina Police.

 As the investigation into the incident continues the Salina Police Department will be working with the Saline County Attorney’s Office on additional charges.

In the interest of clarification and accuracy the Salina Police Department corrected earlier information provided regarding the location of the shooting incident. The incident occurred at a private single family residence located within the 100 block of Raleigh Street and was not associated with the Southwind Apartments complex in any way. The Police Department apologizes for any confusion or concern which arose from the previous information.

SALINE COUNTY —A boy injured in a shooting in Salina has died.&nbsp;Just before 9:30p.m. Saturday, the boy was pronounced deceased at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, according to&nbsp;Salina Police Lt. Andrew Ziegler.On Friday evening, Salina Police Communications received a report of a shooting at a home in 100 block of Raleigh Street in Salina, according to a media release.Officers responded and located a boy with a single gunshot wound. EMS transported the boy to the Salina Regional Health Center where he was listed in critical condition. The boy was later transported to a Wichita hospital.&nbsp; &nbsp;A 15 year-old male acquaintance of the victim was arrested and booked into the Juvenile Detention Center in Geary County on requested charges of Aggravated Battery and Criminal use of a Weapon, according to a statement from Salina Police. As the investigation into the incident continues the Salina Police Department will be working with the Saline County Attorney’s Office on additional charges.In the interest of clarification and accuracy the Salina Police Department corrected earlier information provided regarding the location of the shooting incident. The incident occurred at a private single family residence located within the 100 block of Raleigh Street and was not associated with the Southwind Apartments complex in any way. The Police Department apologizes for any confusion or concern which arose from the previous information.----------------

Boy injured in shooting in Salina has died; 15-year-old arrested

The United States successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday. Maduro along with his wife, was captured and flown out of the country, according to the White House. "This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement."

 Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas used his personal social media account to criticize the action.

&nbsp;Maduro arrived in the New York late Saturday, according to video released by the White House. He is expected to be arraigned in the coming days.

The United States successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday. Maduro along with his wife, was captured and flown out of the country, according to the White House. "This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement." Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas used his personal social media account to criticize the action.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A regime change war for oil. Simple as that given the President’s own steps, pardoning a narcotrafficker. Thousands of women and men from the Kansas City region serve our country in uniform. None should have to serve as world police in Venezuela with no US plans whatsoever.&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/2007511132064596211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>&nbsp;Maduro arrived in the New York late Saturday, according to video released by the White House. He is expected to be arraigned in the coming days.

Kansas City mayor critical of U.S. action in Venezuela 

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A man accused in a deadly home-invasion shooting on Christmas weekend has made his first court appearance.

&nbsp;On New Year's Eve, Matthew D. Morgan, 54, was charged with second-degree murder, according to the Sedgiwck County District Attorney's office.

Just before 8:30 p.m. December 27, police responded to a home&nbsp;in the 100 block of North Ash in Wichita, according to a media release. When officers arrived, they found a 52-year-old man and 67-year-old man inside the home with gunshot wounds. Both were transported to a local hospital, the 52-year-old was later pronounced deceased at the hospital. The 67-year-old remained in critical but stable condition.

Police arrested a neighbor identified in booking records as 54-year-old Matthew D. Morgan. An unknown suspect fled the residence on foot. The motive for the home invasion remains under investigation.

Morgan remains jailed on a&nbsp;$1 million bond, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767007817776.png" alt="Morgan photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Morgan photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A man accused in a deadly home-invasion shooting on Christmas weekend has made his first court appearance.&nbsp;On New Year's Eve, Matthew D. Morgan, 54, was charged with second-degree murder, according to the Sedgiwck County District Attorney's office.Just before 8:30 p.m. December 27, police responded to a home&nbsp;in the 100 block of North Ash in Wichita, according to a media release. When officers arrived, they found a 52-year-old man and 67-year-old man inside the home with gunshot wounds. Both were transported to a local hospital, the 52-year-old was later pronounced deceased at the hospital. The 67-year-old remained in critical but stable condition.Police arrested a neighbor identified in booking records as 54-year-old Matthew D. Morgan. An unknown suspect fled the residence on foot. The motive for the home invasion remains under investigation.Morgan remains jailed on a&nbsp;$1 million bond, according to the district attorney's office.

Neighbor accused in Kan. home invasion killing faced a judge

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

Shortly before midnight on Dec. 29,&nbsp; an officer with the Great Bend Police Department conducted a traffic stop in the 300 Block of 10th Street, Great Bend, according to a media release.&nbsp; Officers made contact with the driver, Gerald James, 46, and front passenger, Terra French, 40. Three children were observed in the back seats.

During the stop, K9 Rem from the Barton County Sheriff's Office was deployed, indicating to the odor of narcotics. Methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia were found during a search of the vehicle.

James was arrested on requested charges of Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Felony Interference, Child Endangerment, Driving while Suspended, and for multiple outstanding warrants for his arrest. French was arrested on a requested charges of Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Child Endangerment. Both were booked into the Barton County Jail

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767366759805.png" alt="James photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>James photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspect on drug allegations.Shortly before midnight on Dec. 29,&nbsp; an officer with the Great Bend Police Department conducted a traffic stop in the 300 Block of 10th Street, Great Bend, according to a media release.&nbsp; Officers made contact with the driver, Gerald James, 46, and front passenger, Terra French, 40. Three children were observed in the back seats.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767366698254.png" alt="French photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>French photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>During the stop, K9 Rem from the Barton County Sheriff's Office was deployed, indicating to the odor of narcotics. Methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia were found during a search of the vehicle.James was arrested on requested charges of Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Felony Interference, Child Endangerment, Driving while Suspended, and for multiple outstanding warrants for his arrest. French was arrested on a requested charges of Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Child Endangerment. Both were booked into the Barton County Jail

Kan. couple caught with meth had 3 children in the vehicle

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/meg-kinnard">MEG KINNARD</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/michelle-l-price">MICHELLE L. PRICE</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — For months, the U.S. military had been amassing a presence off Venezuela’s coast and conspicuously blowing up alleged drug trafficking boats and killing the occupants.

At the same time, U.S. intelligence agencies were carefully studying the country’s authoritarian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-capture-trump-attack-military-ceb21da088f0a06b1813e66922def9a3">Nicolás Maduro</a>, learning minute details such as his eating habits while special forces secretly rehearsed a plan to forcibly remove him.

Months of covert planning led to the brazen operation overnight, when President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-b6e272ee8e23636a1ab9618d8257ae59">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;gave an order authorizing Maduro’s capture. The U.S. plunged the South American country’s capital into darkness, infiltrated Maduro’s home and whisked him to the United States, where the Trump administration planned to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1422326/dl" target="_blank">put him on trial</a>.

Trump, during a news conference Saturday at his Florida home, laid out the details of the strike, after which he said Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were flown by helicopter to a U.S. warship.

The operation termed “Absolute Resolve” unfolded under the cover of darkness, with U.S. forces holding fast in the region, awaiting the ideal weather conditions to give pilots clear routes into Caracas. The extensive planning included practice on a replica of the presidential compound, as well as U.S. service members armed with what Trump said were “massive blowtorches” in the event the steel walls of a safe room needed to be cut open to extract the pair.

“He didn’t get that space closed. He was trying to get into it, but he got bum-rushed right so fast that he didn’t get into that,” Trump said an interview earlier Saturday morning on “Fox &amp; Friends Weekend.”

Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at Trump’s news conference that U.S. forces had rehearsed their maneuvers for months, learning everything about Maduro — where he was at certain hours as well as details of his pets and the clothes he wore.

“We think, we develop, we train, we rehearse, we debrief, we rehearse again, and again,” Caine said, saying his forces were “set” by early December. “Not to get it right, but to ensure we cannot get it wrong.”

Trump said on Fox that U.S. forces had practiced their extraction on a replica building.

“They actually built a house which was identical to the one they went into with all the same, all that steel all over the place,” Trump said.

Trump said in the television interview that U.S. forces held off on conducting the operation for days, waiting four days for cloud cover to pass. Caine said that on Friday night, “the weather broke just enough, clearing a path that only the most skilled aviators in the world could move through,” adding that helicopters flew low to the water to enter Venezuela and were covered above by protective U.S. aircraft.

Trump said the U.S. operation “was dark and it was deadly,” adding that “the lights of Caracas were largely turned off due to a certain expertise that we have,” but giving no further details.

The attack, which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described as part of “massive joint military and law enforcement raid,” lasted less than 30 minutes. At least seven explosions were heard in Caracas, and Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who under law takes power, said some Venezuelan civilians and members of the military were killed.

In a televised address later Saturday on state television, she demanded that the U.S. free Maduro and called him the country’s rightful leader. But Rodríguez also left open the door for a dialogue with the U.S. when she said, “We are willing to have respectful relations.”

Yanire Lucas, a Caracas resident whose house sits pressed up next to a Venezuelan military base struck overnight, said she began to hear explosions next to her house around 1:50 in the morning.

Trump said a few U.S. members in the operation were injured, but he believed no one was killed. Caine said one helicopter was struck by fire as it closed in on Maduro’s compound but it was able to safely fly on its return.

Trump said Maduro and Flores were flown by helicopter to a U.S. warship and would go on to New York to face charges. He posted on Truth Social a photo of the Venezuelan leader, wearing a gray sweatsuit, protective headphones and blindfold.

The raid was a dramatic escalation from a series of strikes the U.S. military has carried out on what Trump has said were drug-carrying boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean since early September. On Dec. 29, Trump said the U.S. struck a facility where boats accused of carrying drugs “load up.” The CIA was behind&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-facility-boat-strikes-0faff66145c6706e2861fcde36756fe4">the drone strike</a>&nbsp;at a docking area believed to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels, the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the U.S. began its strikes in September.

Few details about how the US will now run Venezuela

Though Trump had warned for months that the U.S. might conduct strikes in Venezuela, he gave little hint on Friday what was coming.

He spent the morning posting on social media defending his health and complaining about the impact of wind turbines on birds before he went shopping for marble and onyx for the ballroom he’s building at the White House and a visit to his golf club.

Privately, he was readying to give the go-ahead for a military mission that already has generated criticism in the U.S. and abroad. Now, the president said the U.S. will direct the path forward for Venezuela, as questions have emerged&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legal-questions-maduro-trump-venezuela-capture-congress-7c686106ae7ffc759e5a1726e1b85576">about the legality</a>&nbsp;of both those plans and Maduro’s capture.

Trump said at his news conference that the group of officials standing behind him, including Hegseth, Caine and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will “be a team that’s working with the people of Venezuela.”

The Republican president left open the possibility that U.S. troops would have a presence in the country. “We’re not afraid of boots on the ground if we have to,” he said, adding, “We had boots on the ground last night.”

The U.S. will now “run” the country until a new leader can be chosen, Trump said.

“We’re going to make sure that country is run properly. We’re not doing this in vain,” he said. “This is a very dangerous attack. This is an attack that could have gone very, very badly.”

Kinnard reported from Chapin, South Carolina. Associated Press reporters Regina Garcia Cano and Juan Arraez in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed to this report.

🎥 Details on how the US captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro

ATCHISON COUNTY —Police are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after he fled a traffic stop.

Just before 11a.m. on New Year's Eve, an officer on patrol observed a Mazda pickup truck speeding in the 900 block Unity Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. 

The officer attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver failed to stop and fled from the officer until finally stopping at K-7 and Harper Drive. The 19-year-old driver&nbsp;Caden J. Hetherington of Roach, Missouri, was taken into custody on requested charges including fleeing and attempting to elude, speeding, interference with law enforcement, driving while suspended, violation of tinted windows, and no proof of vehicle insurance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767366410036.png" alt="Hetherington photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Hetherington photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Police are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after he fled a traffic stop.Just before 11a.m. on New Year's Eve, an officer on patrol observed a Mazda pickup truck speeding in the 900 block Unity Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver failed to stop and fled from the officer until finally stopping at K-7 and Harper Drive. The 19-year-old driver&nbsp;Caden J. Hetherington of Roach, Missouri, was taken into custody on requested charges including fleeing and attempting to elude, speeding, interference with law enforcement, driving while suspended, violation of tinted windows, and no proof of vehicle insurance.

Missouri man jailed in Kansas after he fled traffic stop

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/matthew-brown">MATTHEW BROWN</a>

A solo hiker who authorities believe was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mountain-lion-attack-colorado-cf743ad2bcf5416276a2197e7f5c7e16">killed by a mountain lion</a>&nbsp;on a remote Colorado trail on New Year’s Day was not the first person to encounter one of the predators in the area in recent weeks.

Gary Messina said he was running along the same trail on a dark November morning when his headlamp caught the gleam of two eyes in the nearby brush. Messina used his phone to snap a quick photo before a mountain lion rushed him.

Messina said he threw the phone at the animal, kicked dirt and yelled as the lion kept trying to circle behind him. After a couple of harrowing minutes he broke a bat-sized stick off a downed log, hit the lion in the head with it and it ran off, he said.

The woman whose body was found Thursday on the same Crosier Mountain trail had “wounds consistent with a mountain lion attack,” said Kara Van Hoose with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. An autopsy is scheduled for next week, said Rafael Moreno with the Larimer County Coroner’s Office.

Prior warnings and the hunt for a culprit

Wildlife officials late Thursday tracked down and killed two mountain lions in the area — one at the scene and another nearby. A necropsy will help determine if either or both of those animals attacked the woman and whether they had neurological diseases such as rabies or avian flu.

A search for a third mountain lion reported in the area was ongoing Friday, Van Hoose said. Nearby trails remained closed while the hunt continued. Van Hoose said circumstances would dictate whether that lion is also killed.

Based on the aggressiveness of the animal that attacked him on Nov. 11, Messina suspects it could be the same one that killed the woman on New Year’s Day.

“I had to fight it off because it was basically trying to maul me,” Messina told The Associated Press. “I was scared for my life and I wasn’t able to escape. I tried backing up and it would try to lunge at me.”

The 32-year-old man from nearby Glen Haven, Colorado, reported his encounter to wildlife officials days later who posted signs to warn people about the animal along trails in the Crosier Mountain area northeast of Estes Park, Van Hoose said. The signs were later removed, she said.

Mountain lions don’t often attack humans

Mountain lion sightings in that area east of Rocky Mountain National Park are common, Van Hoose said, because it offers good habitat for the animals: It’s remote with thick forests, rocky outcroppings and lots of elevation changes.

Yet attacks on humans by the animals are rare, and the last suspected fatal encounter in Colorado was in 1999, when a 3-year-old boy disappeared in the wilderness and his tattered clothes were found more than three years later. In 1997, a 10-year-old boy was killed by a lion and dragged away while hiking with family members in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Two hikers on Thursday saw the victim’s body on the trail at around noon from about 100 yards (meters) away, Van Hoose said. A mountain lion was nearby and they threw rocks to scare it away. One of the hikers, a physician, attended to the victim but did not find a pulse, Van Hoose said.

The victim will be publicly identified following the autopsy by the coroner, who is also expected to provide a cause of death.

Mountain lions — also known as cougars, pumas or catamounts — can weigh 130 pounds (60 kilograms) and grow to more than 6 feet (1.8 meters) long. They primarily eat deer.

Colorado has an estimated 3,800 to 4,400 of the animals, which are classified as a big game species in the state and can be hunted.

Thursday’s killing would be the fourth fatal mountain lion attack in North America over the past decade, and the 30th since 1868, according to information from the California-based Mountain Lion Foundation. Not all of those deaths have been confirmed as mountain lion attacks.

Most attacks occur during the day and when humans are active in lion territories, indicating the animals are not seeking out the victims, according to the advocacy group. About 15% of attacks are fatal.

“As more people live, work, and recreate in areas that overlap wildlife habitat, interactions can increase, not because mountain lions are becoming more aggressive, but because overlap is growing,” said Byron Weckworth, chief conservation officer for the foundation.

To reduce the risk travel in groups, keep children close and avoid dawn and dusk when lions are most active, Weckworth said. During an encounter, maintain eye contact with the lion, make yourself appear larger and back away slowly; don’t run, he said.

Last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mountain-lion-kills-man-dc8f26db4da45bd32550eadce7cf496c">in Northern California</a>, two brothers were stalked and attacked by a lion that they tried to fight off. One of the brothers was killed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641514775695.jpg" alt="Image Pixaby" />
 <figcaption>Image Pixaby</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/matthew-brown">MATTHEW BROWN</a>A solo hiker who authorities believe was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mountain-lion-attack-colorado-cf743ad2bcf5416276a2197e7f5c7e16">killed by a mountain lion</a>&nbsp;on a remote Colorado trail on New Year’s Day was not the first person to encounter one of the predators in the area in recent weeks.Gary Messina said he was running along the same trail on a dark November morning when his headlamp caught the gleam of two eyes in the nearby brush. Messina used his phone to snap a quick photo before a mountain lion rushed him.Messina said he threw the phone at the animal, kicked dirt and yelled as the lion kept trying to circle behind him. After a couple of harrowing minutes he broke a bat-sized stick off a downed log, hit the lion in the head with it and it ran off, he said.The woman whose body was found Thursday on the same Crosier Mountain trail had “wounds consistent with a mountain lion attack,” said Kara Van Hoose with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. An autopsy is scheduled for next week, said Rafael Moreno with the Larimer County Coroner’s Office.<h2>Prior warnings and the hunt for a culprit</h2>Wildlife officials late Thursday tracked down and killed two mountain lions in the area — one at the scene and another nearby. A necropsy will help determine if either or both of those animals attacked the woman and whether they had neurological diseases such as rabies or avian flu.A search for a third mountain lion reported in the area was ongoing Friday, Van Hoose said. Nearby trails remained closed while the hunt continued. Van Hoose said circumstances would dictate whether that lion is also killed.Based on the aggressiveness of the animal that attacked him on Nov. 11, Messina suspects it could be the same one that killed the woman on New Year’s Day.“I had to fight it off because it was basically trying to maul me,” Messina told The Associated Press. “I was scared for my life and I wasn’t able to escape. I tried backing up and it would try to lunge at me.”The 32-year-old man from nearby Glen Haven, Colorado, reported his encounter to wildlife officials days later who posted signs to warn people about the animal along trails in the Crosier Mountain area northeast of Estes Park, Van Hoose said. The signs were later removed, she said.<h2>Mountain lions don’t often attack humans</h2>Mountain lion sightings in that area east of Rocky Mountain National Park are common, Van Hoose said, because it offers good habitat for the animals: It’s remote with thick forests, rocky outcroppings and lots of elevation changes.Yet attacks on humans by the animals are rare, and the last suspected fatal encounter in Colorado was in 1999, when a 3-year-old boy disappeared in the wilderness and his tattered clothes were found more than three years later. In 1997, a 10-year-old boy was killed by a lion and dragged away while hiking with family members in Rocky Mountain National Park.Two hikers on Thursday saw the victim’s body on the trail at around noon from about 100 yards (meters) away, Van Hoose said. A mountain lion was nearby and they threw rocks to scare it away. One of the hikers, a physician, attended to the victim but did not find a pulse, Van Hoose said.The victim will be publicly identified following the autopsy by the coroner, who is also expected to provide a cause of death.Mountain lions — also known as cougars, pumas or catamounts — can weigh 130 pounds (60 kilograms) and grow to more than 6 feet (1.8 meters) long. They primarily eat deer.Colorado has an estimated 3,800 to 4,400 of the animals, which are classified as a big game species in the state and can be hunted.<h2>Back away slowly. Do not run</h2>Thursday’s killing would be the fourth fatal mountain lion attack in North America over the past decade, and the 30th since 1868, according to information from the California-based Mountain Lion Foundation. Not all of those deaths have been confirmed as mountain lion attacks.Most attacks occur during the day and when humans are active in lion territories, indicating the animals are not seeking out the victims, according to the advocacy group. About 15% of attacks are fatal.“As more people live, work, and recreate in areas that overlap wildlife habitat, interactions can increase, not because mountain lions are becoming more aggressive, but because overlap is growing,” said Byron Weckworth, chief conservation officer for the foundation.To reduce the risk travel in groups, keep children close and avoid dawn and dusk when lions are most active, Weckworth said. During an encounter, maintain eye contact with the lion, make yourself appear larger and back away slowly; don’t run, he said.Last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mountain-lion-kills-man-dc8f26db4da45bd32550eadce7cf496c">in Northern California</a>, two brothers were stalked and attacked by a lion that they tried to fight off. One of the brothers was killed.