BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — During moments of near silence among the Catholic archbishop of Kansas City and hundreds of people gathered in prayer inside the Assumption Church in Topeka, chants, shouts and sometimes sirens penetrated the church doors.

While competing religious protests clashed on the Capitol grounds across the street, as many as 400 people convened in the church to participate in prayer, ceremony and a mass that was meant to be an “antidote” to the “unbelieving secular society.”

The services were part of a series of counterefforts planned in response to a “black mass.” The black mass, planned by a nonprofit organization not affiliated with the Satanist Temple, the Satanic Grotto. After the event’s announcement on Facebook in February, outrage ensued.&nbsp;

Leading up to Friday’s satanic protest, Christian counterprotests and Catholic services, the archbishop, Joseph Naumann, sued the grotto’s president, Michael Stewart, who was arrested Friday around 11:30 a.m. after entering the Statehouse. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and legislative leadership tried in advance to limit the protest through modifications to Stewart’s permit to gather and new restrictions on Capitol building rules. A handful of Republican legislators attended the mass.

Naumann gave a sermon condemning the protests that were meant to cause “confusion” and “chaos,” he said. The efforts fostered confrontation and conflict, he said, and were designed to be “provocative.”

“What I do not understand is why we are giving our Capitol as a venue for what truly is hate speech,” he said.

He drew a connection between satanists and atheists after dissecting Stewart’s previous claims of religiosity, calling him a “so-called satanic worshiper but really an atheist.”

“The group — who is really pro-choice, pro-abortion and atheist — present their abortion advocacy as part of their fake religion so that they can claim religious rights are being violated by any efforts to provide protection to the unborn and their mothers,” Naumann said.

The antidote to the religious conflict unfolding in Topeka, Naumann said, was allowing people to see their faith.

“It’s sad, those who are trying to desecrate the Capitol today, desecrate symbols of faith — Bibles and crucifixes. Thank God, we don’t believe they have a consecrated host, but this is a sad state of life for them to be in. We need to pray for them,” he said.

Naumann’s lawsuit, which was dropped soon after it was filed, revolved around false claims that Stewart had obtained a consecrated host.

Inside and outside the church, law enforcement officers stood on watch as throngs of people gathered and moved on the Capitol grounds while those inside the church stayed mostly still.

Natalie Rowe, a 68-year-old lifelong Catholic, said she traveled Friday morning to Topeka from Wichita to be part of a strong showing. Before the mass began, she attended the archbishop’s eucharistic adoration, which involves praying before a consecrated host.

“The universe is very important to me,” she said. “My faith is very important to me.”

Then she crossed the street to join the demonstrations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743192871509.png" alt=" Archbishop of Kansas City Joseph Naumann performs a Catholic mass on March 28, 2025, in Topeka as religious protesters clashed on the Capitol grounds across the street. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Archbishop of Kansas City Joseph Naumann performs a Catholic mass on March 28, 2025, in Topeka as religious protesters clashed on the Capitol grounds across the street. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — During moments of near silence among the Catholic archbishop of Kansas City and hundreds of people gathered in prayer inside the Assumption Church in Topeka, chants, shouts and sometimes sirens penetrated the church doors.While competing religious protests clashed on the Capitol grounds across the street, as many as 400 people convened in the church to participate in prayer, ceremony and a mass that was meant to be an “antidote” to the “unbelieving secular society.”The services were part of a series of counterefforts planned in response to a “black mass.” The black mass, planned by a nonprofit organization not affiliated with the Satanist Temple, the Satanic Grotto. After the event’s announcement on Facebook in February, outrage ensued.&nbsp;Leading up to Friday’s satanic protest, Christian counterprotests and Catholic services, the archbishop, Joseph Naumann, sued the grotto’s president, Michael Stewart, who was arrested Friday around 11:30 a.m. after entering the Statehouse. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and legislative leadership tried in advance to limit the protest through modifications to Stewart’s permit to gather and new restrictions on Capitol building rules. A handful of Republican legislators attended the mass.Naumann gave a sermon condemning the protests that were meant to cause “confusion” and “chaos,” he said. The efforts fostered confrontation and conflict, he said, and were designed to be “provocative.”“What I do not understand is why we are giving our Capitol as a venue for what truly is hate speech,” he said.He drew a connection between satanists and atheists after dissecting Stewart’s previous claims of religiosity, calling him a “so-called satanic worshiper but really an atheist.”“The group — who is really pro-choice, pro-abortion and atheist — present their abortion advocacy as part of their fake religion so that they can claim religious rights are being violated by any efforts to provide protection to the unborn and their mothers,” Naumann said.The antidote to the religious conflict unfolding in Topeka, Naumann said, was allowing people to see their faith.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743192821594.png" alt=" Archbishop of Kansas City Joseph Naumann gives a sermon during a Catholic mass on March 28, 2025, in Topeka. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Archbishop of Kansas City Joseph Naumann gives a sermon during a Catholic mass on March 28, 2025, in Topeka. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“It’s sad, those who are trying to desecrate the Capitol today, desecrate symbols of faith — Bibles and crucifixes. Thank God, we don’t believe they have a consecrated host, but this is a sad state of life for them to be in. We need to pray for them,” he said.Naumann’s lawsuit, which was dropped soon after it was filed, revolved around false claims that Stewart had obtained a consecrated host.Inside and outside the church, law enforcement officers stood on watch as throngs of people gathered and moved on the Capitol grounds while those inside the church stayed mostly still.Natalie Rowe, a 68-year-old lifelong Catholic, said she traveled Friday morning to Topeka from Wichita to be part of a strong showing. Before the mass began, she attended the archbishop’s eucharistic adoration, which involves praying before a consecrated host.“The universe is very important to me,” she said. “My faith is very important to me.”Then she crossed the street to join the demonstrations.

KC archbishop preaches against satanism, atheism in prayerful ceremonies

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Wichita Police Department has issued a felony pick-up for 18-year-old Jaden Watts in connection with a weekend homicide in Wichita.

Just before 4 a.m. March 22, police responded to an EMS call at a residence in the 14000 block of E. Twinlake Drive in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Reboledo.

First responders located a victim later identified as 24-year-old Demarc Burgess, according to police. Burgess had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.

Jaden Watts is wanted for questioning regarding this case and may have pertinent information, according to police.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the incident occurred during a gathering at the residence, where a disturbance broke out between a suspect and Burgess, which ultimately led to the shooting. The individuals involved are known to each other, and this is not believed to be a random act of violence.&nbsp;

If you have information about Watts whereabouts, please call 911 immediately or contact WPD Investigators at 316-268-4407. 

If you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742835831698.png" alt="Watts photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Watts photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Wichita Police Department has issued a felony pick-up for 18-year-old Jaden Watts in connection with a weekend homicide in Wichita.Just before 4 a.m. March 22, police responded to an EMS call at a residence in the 14000 block of E. Twinlake Drive in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Reboledo.First responders located a victim later identified as 24-year-old Demarc Burgess, according to police. Burgess had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.Jaden Watts is wanted for questioning regarding this case and may have pertinent information, according to police.Preliminary investigations indicate that the incident occurred during a gathering at the residence, where a disturbance broke out between a suspect and Burgess, which ultimately led to the shooting. The individuals involved are known to each other, and this is not believed to be a random act of violence.&nbsp;If you have information about Watts whereabouts, please call 911 immediately or contact WPD Investigators at 316-268-4407. If you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Kan. teen wanted in connection with murder still hiding from police

BANGKOK (AP) — A powerful earthquake&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/shock-and-surprise-at-strong-earthquake-that-shook-capital-of-thailand-d2d9d690b92b4f62bded074235e31969">rocked Myanmar and neighboring Thailand</a>&nbsp;on Friday, destroying buildings, a bridge and a dam. At least 144 people were killed in Myanmar, where photos and video from two hard-hit cities showed extensive damage. At least eight died in the Thai capital, where a high-rise under construction collapsed.

The 7.7 magnitude quake, with an epicenter near Mandalay,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/scenes-of-damage-caused-by-strong-earthquake-in-myanmar-capital-of-naypyitaw-6eb56cd6144b4c9f8acf7c369590ee57">Myanmar</a>&nbsp;'s second largest city, struck at midday and was followed by a strong 6.4 magnitude aftershock.

The full extent of death, injury and destruction was not immediately clear — particularly in Myanmar, one of the world's poorest countries. It is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/myanmar-civil-war-militia-1027-offensive-takeaways-63b33397204b8ff78ede24f1e699ceef">embroiled in a civil war</a>&nbsp;and information is tightly controlled.

The head of Myanmar’s military government said in the televised speech on Friday evening that at least 144 people were killed and 730 others were injured.

“The death toll and injuries are expected to rise,” Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said.

Photos from the capital of Naypyidaw showed multiple buildings used to house civil servants destroyed by the quake, and rescue crews pulling victims from the rubble.

Myanmar's government said blood was in high demand in the hardest-hit areas. Images of buckled and cracked roads in Mandalay and damaged highways as well as the collapse of a bridge and dam raised further concerns about how rescuers would even reach some areas in a country already enduring a widespread humanitarian crisis.

Near Bangkok’s popular Chatuchak market, a 33-story building under construction, with a crane on top, crumpled into a cloud of dust, and onlookers could be seen screaming and running in a video posted on social media.

The sound of sirens echoed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/deaths-reported-as-building-collapses-during-strong-earthquake-in-thailand-capital-f5607688885b46a4a685275e44bf851e">throughout central Bangkok</a>&nbsp;and vehicles filled the streets, leaving some of the city’s already congested streets gridlocked. The elevated rapid transit system and subway shut down.

While the area where the quake struck is prone to earthquakes, they are usually not so big and it is rare for them to be felt in the Thai capital, which sits on a river delta and is at moderate risk for quakes.

April Kanichawanakul, who works in an office building in Bangkok, initially didn’t even realize it was an earthquake, the first she’d ever experienced. “I just thought I was dizzy,” she said.

She and her colleagues ran downstairs from the 10th floor of their building and waited outside for a signal that it was safe to go back in.

Crane-topped building collapsed in a cloud of dust

In Bangkok, at least three people were killed in the building collapse and 90 were missing, according to Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. He offered no more details about the ongoing rescue efforts but first responders said that seven people had been rescued so far from the area.

At least two of the dead were construction workers who were killed by falling rubble or debris, rescue worker Songwut Wangpon told reporters. The building was being built by the China Railway Construction Corporation for Thailand’s government auditor general.

Elsewhere, people in Bangkok evacuated from their buildings were cautioned to stay outside in case there were more aftershocks.

The U.S. Geological Survey and Germany’s GFZ center for geosciences said the earthquake was a shallow 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), according to preliminary reports. Shallower earthquakes tend to cause more damage.

Bangkok's city hall declared the city a disaster area to facilitate the response. The greater metropolitan area is home to more than 17 million people, many of whom live in high-rise apartments.

“All of a sudden the whole building began to move. Immediately there was screaming and a lot of panic,” said Fraser Morton, a tourist from Scotland, who was in one of Bangkok's many malls.

“I just started walking calmly at first but then the building started really moving, yeah, a lot of screaming, a lot of panic, people running the wrong way down the escalators.”

Like Morton, thousands of people poured into Benjasiri Park from nearby shopping malls, high rises and apartment buildings along Bangkok’s busy Sukhumvit Road.

Many were on phones trying to reach loved ones as others sought shade from the hot early afternoon sun.

Voranoot Thirawat, a lawyer working in central Bangkok, said her first indication that something was wrong came when she saw a light swinging back and forth. Then she heard the building creaking as it moved back and forth.

She and her colleagues ran down 12 flights of stairs. “In my lifetime, there was no earthquake like this in Bangkok,” she said.

Paul Vincent, a tourist visiting from England, was at a streetside bar when the quake struck.

As he came onto the street himself, he said he saw a high-rise building swaying and water falling from a rooftop pool.

“There was people crying in the streets and, you know, the panic was horrendous really,” he said.

Bridge and monastery collapse and dam bursts in Myanmar

In Mandalay, the earthquake reportedly brought down multiple buildings, including the Ma Soe Yane monastery, one of the largest in the city, and damaged the former royal palace. Meanwhile, Christian Aid said its partners and colleagues on the ground reported that a dam burst in the city, causing water levels to rise in the lowland areas in the area.

A video posted online showed robed monks in the street shooting video of the multistory monastery before it suddenly fell into the ground. It was not immediately clear whether anyone was harmed.

In the Sagaing region just southwest of the city, a 90-year-old bridge collapsed, and some sections of the highway connecting Mandalay and Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon, were also damaged.

The military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, and is now involved in a bloody civil war with long-established militias and newly formed pro-democracy ones.

Government forces have lost control of much of Myanmar, and many places are incredibly dangerous to access or simply out of reach for aid groups. More than 3 million people have been displaced by the fighting and nearly 20 million are in need, according to the United Nations.

The Red Cross said downed power lines added to challenges for their teams trying to reach several hard-hit areas.

“This disaster will have left people devastated and in need of drinking water, food and shelter," said Julie Mehigan, head of Asia, Middle East &amp; Europe for Christian Aid. “Myanmar is one of the least developed countries in the world. Even before this heartbreaking earthquake, we know conflict and displacement has left countless people in real need.”

Myanmar’s government declared a state of emergency in six regions and states including the capital Naypyitaw and Mandalay. It was not clear what the declaration meant since the entire country has been under a state of emergency since 2021.

Residents in Yangon rushed out of their homes when the quake struck. In the capital Naypyitaw, the quake damaged some homes and religious shrines, sending parts toppling to the ground.

To the northeast, the earthquake was felt in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces in China and caused damage to houses and injuries in the city of Ruili on the border with Myanmar, according to Chinese media reports.

Videos that one outlet said it had received from a person in Ruili showed building debris littering a street and a person being wheeled in a stretcher toward an ambulance.

The shaking in Mangshi, a Chinese city about 100 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of Ruili, was so strong that people couldn’t stand, one resident told The Paper, an online media outlet.

Adam Schreck, Haruka Naga, Jerry Harmer, Grant Peck and Penny Wang in Bangkok, Jamey Keaten in Geneva and Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743173070607.png" alt="USGS image of the location of the quake" />
 <figcaption>USGS image of the location of the quake</figcaption>
 </figure>BANGKOK (AP) — A powerful earthquake&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/shock-and-surprise-at-strong-earthquake-that-shook-capital-of-thailand-d2d9d690b92b4f62bded074235e31969">rocked Myanmar and neighboring Thailand</a>&nbsp;on Friday, destroying buildings, a bridge and a dam. At least 144 people were killed in Myanmar, where photos and video from two hard-hit cities showed extensive damage. At least eight died in the Thai capital, where a high-rise under construction collapsed.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">A powerful earthquake rocked Myanmar and neighboring Thailand on Friday, killing at least three people in Bangkok and burying dozens when a high-rise building under construction collapsed. <a href="https://t.co/wOb65quagE">pic.twitter.com/wOb65quagE</a>&mdash; The Associated Press (@AP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AP/status/1905635759484198924?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The 7.7 magnitude quake, with an epicenter near Mandalay,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/scenes-of-damage-caused-by-strong-earthquake-in-myanmar-capital-of-naypyitaw-6eb56cd6144b4c9f8acf7c369590ee57">Myanmar</a>&nbsp;'s second largest city, struck at midday and was followed by a strong 6.4 magnitude aftershock.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743174433121.jpeg" alt="Rescuers work at the site a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)" />
 <figcaption>Rescuers work at the site a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)</figcaption>
 </figure>The full extent of death, injury and destruction was not immediately clear — particularly in Myanmar, one of the world's poorest countries. It is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/myanmar-civil-war-militia-1027-offensive-takeaways-63b33397204b8ff78ede24f1e699ceef">embroiled in a civil war</a>&nbsp;and information is tightly controlled.The head of Myanmar’s military government said in the televised speech on Friday evening that at least 144 people were killed and 730 others were injured.“The death toll and injuries are expected to rise,” Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said.Photos from the capital of Naypyidaw showed multiple buildings used to house civil servants destroyed by the quake, and rescue crews pulling victims from the rubble.Myanmar's government said blood was in high demand in the hardest-hit areas. Images of buckled and cracked roads in Mandalay and damaged highways as well as the collapse of a bridge and dam raised further concerns about how rescuers would even reach some areas in a country already enduring a widespread humanitarian crisis.Near Bangkok’s popular Chatuchak market, a 33-story building under construction, with a crane on top, crumpled into a cloud of dust, and onlookers could be seen screaming and running in a video posted on social media.The sound of sirens echoed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/deaths-reported-as-building-collapses-during-strong-earthquake-in-thailand-capital-f5607688885b46a4a685275e44bf851e">throughout central Bangkok</a>&nbsp;and vehicles filled the streets, leaving some of the city’s already congested streets gridlocked. The elevated rapid transit system and subway shut down.While the area where the quake struck is prone to earthquakes, they are usually not so big and it is rare for them to be felt in the Thai capital, which sits on a river delta and is at moderate risk for quakes.April Kanichawanakul, who works in an office building in Bangkok, initially didn’t even realize it was an earthquake, the first she’d ever experienced. “I just thought I was dizzy,” she said.She and her colleagues ran downstairs from the 10th floor of their building and waited outside for a signal that it was safe to go back in.<h2>Crane-topped building collapsed in a cloud of dust</h2>In Bangkok, at least three people were killed in the building collapse and 90 were missing, according to Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. He offered no more details about the ongoing rescue efforts but first responders said that seven people had been rescued so far from the area.At least two of the dead were construction workers who were killed by falling rubble or debris, rescue worker Songwut Wangpon told reporters. The building was being built by the China Railway Construction Corporation for Thailand’s government auditor general.Elsewhere, people in Bangkok evacuated from their buildings were cautioned to stay outside in case there were more aftershocks.The U.S. Geological Survey and Germany’s GFZ center for geosciences said the earthquake was a shallow 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), according to preliminary reports. Shallower earthquakes tend to cause more damage.<h2>Screaming and panic as buildings swayed</h2>Bangkok's city hall declared the city a disaster area to facilitate the response. The greater metropolitan area is home to more than 17 million people, many of whom live in high-rise apartments.“All of a sudden the whole building began to move. Immediately there was screaming and a lot of panic,” said Fraser Morton, a tourist from Scotland, who was in one of Bangkok's many malls.“I just started walking calmly at first but then the building started really moving, yeah, a lot of screaming, a lot of panic, people running the wrong way down the escalators.”Like Morton, thousands of people poured into Benjasiri Park from nearby shopping malls, high rises and apartment buildings along Bangkok’s busy Sukhumvit Road.Many were on phones trying to reach loved ones as others sought shade from the hot early afternoon sun.Voranoot Thirawat, a lawyer working in central Bangkok, said her first indication that something was wrong came when she saw a light swinging back and forth. Then she heard the building creaking as it moved back and forth.She and her colleagues ran down 12 flights of stairs. “In my lifetime, there was no earthquake like this in Bangkok,” she said.Paul Vincent, a tourist visiting from England, was at a streetside bar when the quake struck.As he came onto the street himself, he said he saw a high-rise building swaying and water falling from a rooftop pool.“There was people crying in the streets and, you know, the panic was horrendous really,” he said.<h2>Bridge and monastery collapse and dam bursts in Myanmar</h2>In Mandalay, the earthquake reportedly brought down multiple buildings, including the Ma Soe Yane monastery, one of the largest in the city, and damaged the former royal palace. Meanwhile, Christian Aid said its partners and colleagues on the ground reported that a dam burst in the city, causing water levels to rise in the lowland areas in the area.A video posted online showed robed monks in the street shooting video of the multistory monastery before it suddenly fell into the ground. It was not immediately clear whether anyone was harmed.In the Sagaing region just southwest of the city, a 90-year-old bridge collapsed, and some sections of the highway connecting Mandalay and Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon, were also damaged.The military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, and is now involved in a bloody civil war with long-established militias and newly formed pro-democracy ones.Government forces have lost control of much of Myanmar, and many places are incredibly dangerous to access or simply out of reach for aid groups. More than 3 million people have been displaced by the fighting and nearly 20 million are in need, according to the United Nations.The Red Cross said downed power lines added to challenges for their teams trying to reach several hard-hit areas.“This disaster will have left people devastated and in need of drinking water, food and shelter," said Julie Mehigan, head of Asia, Middle East &amp; Europe for Christian Aid. “Myanmar is one of the least developed countries in the world. Even before this heartbreaking earthquake, we know conflict and displacement has left countless people in real need.”Myanmar’s government declared a state of emergency in six regions and states including the capital Naypyitaw and Mandalay. It was not clear what the declaration meant since the entire country has been under a state of emergency since 2021.Residents in Yangon rushed out of their homes when the quake struck. In the capital Naypyitaw, the quake damaged some homes and religious shrines, sending parts toppling to the ground.<h2>Injuries reported in China</h2>To the northeast, the earthquake was felt in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces in China and caused damage to houses and injuries in the city of Ruili on the border with Myanmar, according to Chinese media reports.Videos that one outlet said it had received from a person in Ruili showed building debris littering a street and a person being wheeled in a stretcher toward an ambulance.The shaking in Mangshi, a Chinese city about 100 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of Ruili, was so strong that people couldn’t stand, one resident told The Paper, an online media outlet._____Adam Schreck, Haruka Naga, Jerry Harmer, Grant Peck and Penny Wang in Bangkok, Jamey Keaten in Geneva and Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this report.

🎥Dozens dead: Powerful earthquake rocks Myanmar and Thailand

JOHNSON COUNTY —A teen who admitted bringing a gun to a high school in Kansas is going to remain in custody.

On Wednesday, Judge Brenda Cameron sentenced 16-year-old Derek Reyna-Mendez to 12 months in the juvenile correctional facility, according to the Johnson Count District Attorney's office.&nbsp; He was originally charged with Firearm possession by a felon, Juvenile possession of firearm and interference with law enforcement.

In February, Reyna-Mendez pleaded guilty to firearm possession by a felon.&nbsp; In December of 2024 arrested him for bringing a gun to Shawnee Mission South High School.

JOHNSON COUNTY —A teen who admitted bringing a gun to a high school in Kansas is going to remain in custody.On Wednesday, Judge Brenda Cameron sentenced 16-year-old Derek Reyna-Mendez to 12 months in the juvenile correctional facility, according to the Johnson Count District Attorney's office.&nbsp; He was originally charged with Firearm possession by a felon, Juvenile possession of firearm and interference with law enforcement.In February, Reyna-Mendez pleaded guilty to firearm possession by a felon.&nbsp; In December of 2024 arrested him for bringing a gun to Shawnee Mission South High School.

Kansas teen sentenced for bringing gun to school

TOPEKA — Two tax bills will head to the Kansas governor’s desk after clearing the Senate Thursday, but Republicans and Democrats differed on whether the tax relief made good on their campaign promises to Kansans.&nbsp;

Senate Democrats condemned the legislation in back-to-back debates as lawmakers worked into the night to finalize the remaining legislation of the 2025 regular session.

The Democrats spoke of broken promises as the chamber considered&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb35/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 35</a>, which cuts state property taxes, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb269/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 269</a>, which reduces income tax rates.&nbsp;

The House advanced SB 35 bill Wednesday in a 96-26 vote. It passed the Senate unanimously, despite criticism from Democrats, in a 40-0 vote.

The bill eliminates the statewide levy of 1 mills for the state education building fund and the .5 mills levy for the state institution building fund.&nbsp;

“Promises, promises, promises,” said Topeka Democrat Sen. Patrick Schmidt. “And this is what we’re going to get. One-and-a-half mills.”

“Kansans, you get scraps from this majority,” Schmidt added, referring to Republicans.

State General Fund dollars would replace the lost revenue from eliminated tax collections. In fiscal year 2027, which begins June 2026, the state education building fund would receive about $56 million and the institutional building fund would receive about $25 million from the State General Fund.

Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican who presented the property tax relief bill, said she was proud of the work the Senate had done in attempting to limit taxable property values, among other tax break measures.

“We can go home and hold our heads high (knowing) that we worked for our constituents,” she said.

SB 269 is designed to reduce the individual and corporate income tax rates to 4% and bank rates could drop as low as 2.6%. However, the cuts are contingent on maintaining the state’s budget stabilization fund.&nbsp;

House lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/26/kansas-house-passes-bill-to-trigger-income-tax-cuts-as-long-as-state-has-surplus-funds/">advanced the bill Wednesday</a>&nbsp;in an 84-38 vote after debate from only Democrats. The Senate approved it in a 30-10 vote, with Republican Sen. Rick Billinger of Goodland joining Democrats in opposition.&nbsp;

Tyson characterized the bill as a way to combat “out-of-control” government spending, although she acknowledged that taxpayers won’t immediately see its impact.

“Instead of continuing to grow government and feed the beast, we’re going to reign that growth in by creating a step-down,” she said.

The changes would go into effect in 2025, and taxpayers could see effects if the State General Fund revenue exceeds the previous fiscal year’s revenue, adjusted for inflation.&nbsp;

The budget director would make that determination by Aug. 15, and the secretary of revenue would calculate tax rate reductions starting with individual income taxes.

Once individual rates in both the lower and higher tax brackets reach 4%, rate reductions for corporations and financial institutions would be triggered. Reductions would continue until the combined rate for corporations reaches 4%, the combined rate for banks reaches 2.6% and the combined rate for other financial institutions reaches 2.62%.

Sen. Ethan Corson, a Fairway Democrat, pushed the point that taxpayers won’t see immediate relief.

In response, Tyson listed a number of income tax reductions, praising the Legislature’s work in recent years. She then turned to Democrats.

“You can’t stand in one breath and say it’s not tax cuts and then in the second breath say ‘Oh, we’re going to lose $260 million of school funding,’ ” Tyson said. “You can’t have it both ways, guys. It’s either tax cuts, or it’s not.”

Corson said that Kansans have been “crying out” for property tax relief. Last year, during the special session, lawmakers passed income tax relief, and then legislators underwent election season campaigning on delivering property tax relief this session, Corson said.

“Well, here we are … on day 74 of the legislative session, and the only property tax relief we delivered is a measly one-and-a-half mills,” he said. “I was frankly surprised, Mr. President, that the majority party was able to even put that bill on the floor with a straight face.”

Harking back to SB 35, he said under the proposal, owners of a $150,000 home would save $25.88, and owners of a $230,000 home would save $39.68.

“You know, as my grandpa used to say, ‘Don’t spend it all in one place,’ ” Corson said.&nbsp;

He compared the Legislature to Charlie Brown’s Lucy with a football.

“We keep promising property tax relief for Kansans, and then we yank it away,” he said.&nbsp;

“Oh my gosh,” she said. “Turn down your W-I-F-M station: What’s In it For Me. This is for the taxpayers. This is for us stopping government growth. This is absolutely needed.”

The Senate adjourned around 9:40 p.m. and will not meet again until the veto session begins April 10.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743163246709.png" alt=" Fairway Democrat Sen. Ethan Corson, shown here on March 26, 2025, rebuked Republicans’ “measly” efforts to reduce property taxes. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Fairway Democrat Sen. Ethan Corson, shown here on March 26, 2025, rebuked Republicans’ “measly” efforts to reduce property taxes. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Two tax bills will head to the Kansas governor’s desk after clearing the Senate Thursday, but Republicans and Democrats differed on whether the tax relief made good on their campaign promises to Kansans.&nbsp;Senate Democrats condemned the legislation in back-to-back debates as lawmakers worked into the night to finalize the remaining legislation of the 2025 regular session.The Democrats spoke of broken promises as the chamber considered&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb35/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 35</a>, which cuts state property taxes, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb269/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 269</a>, which reduces income tax rates.&nbsp;The House advanced SB 35 bill Wednesday in a 96-26 vote. It passed the Senate unanimously, despite criticism from Democrats, in a 40-0 vote.The bill eliminates the statewide levy of 1 mills for the state education building fund and the .5 mills levy for the state institution building fund.&nbsp;“Promises, promises, promises,” said Topeka Democrat Sen. Patrick Schmidt. “And this is what we’re going to get. One-and-a-half mills.”“Kansans, you get scraps from this majority,” Schmidt added, referring to Republicans.State General Fund dollars would replace the lost revenue from eliminated tax collections. In fiscal year 2027, which begins June 2026, the state education building fund would receive about $56 million and the institutional building fund would receive about $25 million from the State General Fund.Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican who presented the property tax relief bill, said she was proud of the work the Senate had done in attempting to limit taxable property values, among other tax break measures.“We can go home and hold our heads high (knowing) that we worked for our constituents,” she said.SB 269 is designed to reduce the individual and corporate income tax rates to 4% and bank rates could drop as low as 2.6%. However, the cuts are contingent on maintaining the state’s budget stabilization fund.&nbsp;House lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/26/kansas-house-passes-bill-to-trigger-income-tax-cuts-as-long-as-state-has-surplus-funds/">advanced the bill Wednesday</a>&nbsp;in an 84-38 vote after debate from only Democrats. The Senate approved it in a 30-10 vote, with Republican Sen. Rick Billinger of Goodland joining Democrats in opposition.&nbsp;Tyson characterized the bill as a way to combat “out-of-control” government spending, although she acknowledged that taxpayers won’t immediately see its impact.“Instead of continuing to grow government and feed the beast, we’re going to reign that growth in by creating a step-down,” she said.The changes would go into effect in 2025, and taxpayers could see effects if the State General Fund revenue exceeds the previous fiscal year’s revenue, adjusted for inflation.&nbsp;The budget director would make that determination by Aug. 15, and the secretary of revenue would calculate tax rate reductions starting with individual income taxes.Once individual rates in both the lower and higher tax brackets reach 4%, rate reductions for corporations and financial institutions would be triggered. Reductions would continue until the combined rate for corporations reaches 4%, the combined rate for banks reaches 2.6% and the combined rate for other financial institutions reaches 2.62%.Sen. Ethan Corson, a Fairway Democrat, pushed the point that taxpayers won’t see immediate relief.In response, Tyson listed a number of income tax reductions, praising the Legislature’s work in recent years. She then turned to Democrats.“You can’t stand in one breath and say it’s not tax cuts and then in the second breath say ‘Oh, we’re going to lose $260 million of school funding,’ ” Tyson said. “You can’t have it both ways, guys. It’s either tax cuts, or it’s not.”Corson said that Kansans have been “crying out” for property tax relief. Last year, during the special session, lawmakers passed income tax relief, and then legislators underwent election season campaigning on delivering property tax relief this session, Corson said.“Well, here we are … on day 74 of the legislative session, and the only property tax relief we delivered is a measly one-and-a-half mills,” he said. “I was frankly surprised, Mr. President, that the majority party was able to even put that bill on the floor with a straight face.”Harking back to SB 35, he said under the proposal, owners of a $150,000 home would save $25.88, and owners of a $230,000 home would save $39.68.“You know, as my grandpa used to say, ‘Don’t spend it all in one place,’ ” Corson said.&nbsp;He compared the Legislature to Charlie Brown’s Lucy with a football.“We keep promising property tax relief for Kansans, and then we yank it away,” he said.&nbsp;Tyson pushed back.&nbsp;“Oh my gosh,” she said. “Turn down your W-I-F-M station: What’s In it For Me. This is for the taxpayers. This is for us stopping government growth. This is absolutely needed.”The Senate adjourned around 9:40 p.m. and will not meet again until the veto session begins April 10.

Kan. Legislature passes tax relief with talk of broken promises and out-of-control spending

FORD COUNTY —The Dodge City Police Department’s Special Operations Division successfully executed a search warrant in the 900 block of Otero on Tuesday, leading to the discovery of a significant marijuana distribution operation and the seizure of a large quantity of illegal drugs and firearms.

The search warrant was executed following an extensive investigation sparked by a tip received via Tip411. The anonymous report alerted authorities to individuals involved in the sale of large quantities of THC vape cartridges. 

Further investigation revealed a juvenile male was not only advertising and distributing THC products but also attempting to sell firearms on a social media platform. 

Authorities arrested two juvenile males and sent them to a juvenile detention facility. They face requested charges including Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Using a Telecommunication Facility to Arrange a Felony Drug Violation, and No Drug Tax Stamp..

During the investigation, detectives recovered over 400 THC vape cartridges, multiple ounces of THC concentrate, raw marijuana, over four pounds of marijuana edibles, a small amount of cocaine, over $1000.00 in cash, and ten firearms, including an AK47 pistol and an SKS rifle.

 The total estimated weight of the THC products seized exceeded 4100 grams. The THC vape cartridges alone have a street value of approximately $14,000.00.&nbsp;

In addition to the juvenile arrests, two adults in the home were also arrested. 39-year-old Sara Myers and 40-year-old Juan Perez Tapia both residents of the house, are facing requsted charges of multiple counts of Aggravated Child Endangerment, Endangerment of a Child, and Contributing to a Child’s Misconduct. 

They were booked into the Ford County Jail and are being held on $100,000 bond.

The investigation remains active, possibly leading to additional arrests and cases being filed with the Ford County Attorney’s Office. 

"This operation also brings attention to the growing epidemic of THC vape use among high school students in Dodge City and across the nation. In recent years, the use of THC vapes has become a significant problem within our schools, with many students turning to these easily concealable devices as a means to consume marijuana. The prevalence of THC vapes among high school students poses serious health risks, including potential addiction, respiratory issues, and exposure to unregulated substances, as many of these cartridges are sold on the black market without proper testing or safety standards." "The Dodge City Police Department is urging parents and guardians to talk to their children about the dangers of THC vapes and to be vigilant about any suspicious behavior."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743113236066.png" alt="Myers-Photo Ford County" />
 <figcaption>Myers-Photo Ford County</figcaption>
 </figure>FORD COUNTY —The Dodge City Police Department’s Special Operations Division successfully executed a search warrant in the 900 block of Otero on Tuesday, leading to the discovery of a significant marijuana distribution operation and the seizure of a large quantity of illegal drugs and firearms.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743113161232.jpeg" alt="Photo&nbsp; Dodge City Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo&nbsp; Dodge City Police</figcaption>
 </figure>The search warrant was executed following an extensive investigation sparked by a tip received via Tip411. The anonymous report alerted authorities to individuals involved in the sale of large quantities of THC vape cartridges. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743113260666.png" alt="Tapia photo Ford County" />
 <figcaption>Tapia photo Ford County</figcaption>
 </figure>Further investigation revealed a juvenile male was not only advertising and distributing THC products but also attempting to sell firearms on a social media platform. Authorities arrested two juvenile males and sent them to a juvenile detention facility. They face requested charges including Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Using a Telecommunication Facility to Arrange a Felony Drug Violation, and No Drug Tax Stamp..During the investigation, detectives recovered over 400 THC vape cartridges, multiple ounces of THC concentrate, raw marijuana, over four pounds of marijuana edibles, a small amount of cocaine, over $1000.00 in cash, and ten firearms, including an AK47 pistol and an SKS rifle. The total estimated weight of the THC products seized exceeded 4100 grams. The THC vape cartridges alone have a street value of approximately $14,000.00.&nbsp;In addition to the juvenile arrests, two adults in the home were also arrested. 39-year-old Sara Myers and 40-year-old Juan Perez Tapia both residents of the house, are facing requsted charges of multiple counts of Aggravated Child Endangerment, Endangerment of a Child, and Contributing to a Child’s Misconduct. They were booked into the Ford County Jail and are being held on $100,000 bond.The investigation remains active, possibly leading to additional arrests and cases being filed with the Ford County Attorney’s Office. "This operation also brings attention to the growing epidemic of THC vape use among high school students in Dodge City and across the nation. In recent years, the use of THC vapes has become a significant problem within our schools, with many students turning to these easily concealable devices as a means to consume marijuana. The prevalence of THC vapes among high school students poses serious health risks, including potential addiction, respiratory issues, and exposure to unregulated substances, as many of these cartridges are sold on the black market without proper testing or safety standards." "The Dodge City Police Department is urging parents and guardians to talk to their children about the dangers of THC vapes and to be vigilant about any suspicious behavior."

Police alert parents: Juveniles, adults arrested in drug bust

GRANT COUNTY —Lightning is believed to have caused three grass fires on Thursday in Grant County.

Just after 4:30p.m. crews responded to the fires along East Hampton Road between South Road L and South Road M, according to the Grant County Rural Fire.

District Fire Management Officer, Aaron Williams and the Kansas Forest Service contracted Single Engine Air Tankers assisted in fighting the fires, according to a social media report from the Forest Service.

Departments from five surrounding counties also assisted with the fires. 

The wind diminished, and the forward progression of the fire was stopped at approximately 9p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

 Acreages have not been determined but they are expected to be significant. Fire resources remained engaged on fires near homes patrolling for embers and spot fires overnight.&nbsp; There were no injuries reported.

GRANT COUNTY —Lightning is believed to have caused three grass fires on Thursday in Grant County.Just after 4:30p.m. crews responded to the fires along East Hampton Road between South Road L and South Road M, according to the Grant County Rural Fire.District Fire Management Officer, Aaron Williams and the Kansas Forest Service contracted Single Engine Air Tankers assisted in fighting the fires, according to a social media report from the Forest Service.Departments from five surrounding counties also assisted with the fires. The wind diminished, and the forward progression of the fire was stopped at approximately 9p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp; Acreages have not been determined but they are expected to be significant. Fire resources remained engaged on fires near homes patrolling for embers and spot fires overnight.&nbsp; There were no injuries reported.

Lightning sparked large grass fires in southwest Kansas

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City have identified the latest victim as 21-year-old Tracy Williams, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

Just before&nbsp;7:30p.m. Wednesday, patrol&nbsp;officers were dispatched to a shooting in the&nbsp;3700&nbsp;block&nbsp;of&nbsp;St.&nbsp;John, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte.

First responders were directed to the parking lot&nbsp;of&nbsp;a convenience&nbsp;store at the corner&nbsp;of&nbsp;St.&nbsp;John&nbsp;and Monroe. They found Williams suffering from gunshot wounds. They immediately began performing life saving measures and summoned emergency medical personnel to the scene. EMS pronounced Williams deceased on scene.

This is being investigated as a homicide. Preliminary investigation revealed an interaction between individuals in the parking lot&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;store just before the victim was shot. Detectives are reviewing surveillance footage and canvassing the area for witnesses. Crime scene personnel are processing the scene for any available physical evidence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743107951249.png" alt="Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City have identified the latest victim as 21-year-old Tracy Williams, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino.Just before&nbsp;7:30p.m. Wednesday, patrol&nbsp;officers were dispatched to a shooting in the&nbsp;3700&nbsp;block&nbsp;of&nbsp;St.&nbsp;John, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743105949880.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>First responders were directed to the parking lot&nbsp;of&nbsp;a convenience&nbsp;store at the corner&nbsp;of&nbsp;St.&nbsp;John&nbsp;and Monroe. They found Williams suffering from gunshot wounds. They immediately began performing life saving measures and summoned emergency medical personnel to the scene. EMS pronounced Williams deceased on scene.This is being investigated as a homicide. Preliminary investigation revealed an interaction between individuals in the parking lot&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;store just before the victim was shot. Detectives are reviewing surveillance footage and canvassing the area for witnesses. Crime scene personnel are processing the scene for any available physical evidence.

Police ID man killed in KC convenience store parking lot

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Suspected U.S. airstrikes pummeled sites across Yemen controlled by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;early Friday, including neighborhoods in the capital, Sanaa.

The extent of the damage and possible casualties wasn't immediately clear, though the number of strikes appeared particularly intense compared to other days in the campaign that began March 15.

<a href="https://apnews.com/278d07bc5aad75bb32e57f99a78cbe88">An Associated Press review</a>&nbsp;has found the new American operation under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;appears more more extensive than those under former President Joe Biden, as the U.S. moves from solely targeting launch sites to firing at ranking personnel as well as dropping bombs in cities.

Initial reports from the Houthis described at least seven people being hurt in the attacks Friday in Sanaa, Yemen's capital that the rebels have held since 2014. Other strikes hit around the Red Sea port city of Hodeida, the rebel's stronghold of Saada and in Yemen's al-Jawf, Amran and Marib governorates.

The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge what at those sites had been targeted, other than Sanaa International Airport, which is used for both civilian and military traffic. Neighborhoods in the capital also are home to military and intelligence service sites — as well as crowded with civilians.

An Associated Press video showed one bomb dropping into Sanaa, with a huge plume of smoke rising into the night sky as many people were awake in the final days of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan.

Other areas hit included mountainous terrain north of Sanaa in Amran, where military camps and other installations are believed to be. The Houthis' al-Masirah satellite news network described communication networks going down after the attacks, which included at least 19 strikes there alone.

The U.S. military's Central Command, which now has authority from the White House to strike offensively in Yemen without pre-approval, did not immediately acknowledge conducting any strikes. The command, which under Biden offered details on individual strikes, has not provided that information in this campaign.

The new campaign of airstrikes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-us-strikes-iran-447f4abb39cc12c7f2f5596f0e33407b">which the Houthis say have killed at least 57 people</a>, started after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-israel-hamas-war-gaza-aid-ship-attacks-0da6c2453fe2c4e5f81923c84c7d3f3a">the rebels threatened to begin targeting “Israeli” ships</a>&nbsp;again over Israel blocking aid entering the Gaza Strip. The rebels in the past have had a loose definition of what constitutes an Israeli ship, meaning other vessels could be targeted as well.

The Houthis had targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthi-rebels-ship-attack-red-sea-yemen-bfa7d321e55c5bb59b268b82ef3c56ba">sinking two vessels</a>&nbsp;and killing four sailors during their campaign targeting ships from November 2023 until January of this year. They also launched attacks targeting American warships, though none have been hit so far.

The attacks greatly raised the Houthis’ profile as they faced economic problems and launched a crackdown targeting any dissent and aid workers at home amid Yemen’s decadelong stalemated war that has torn apart the Arab world’s poorest nation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743128029425.png" alt="Image U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Image U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Suspected U.S. airstrikes pummeled sites across Yemen controlled by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;early Friday, including neighborhoods in the capital, Sanaa.The extent of the damage and possible casualties wasn't immediately clear, though the number of strikes appeared particularly intense compared to other days in the campaign that began March 15.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743128074626.png" alt="Image U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Image U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://apnews.com/278d07bc5aad75bb32e57f99a78cbe88">An Associated Press review</a>&nbsp;has found the new American operation under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;appears more more extensive than those under former President Joe Biden, as the U.S. moves from solely targeting launch sites to firing at ranking personnel as well as dropping bombs in cities.Initial reports from the Houthis described at least seven people being hurt in the attacks Friday in Sanaa, Yemen's capital that the rebels have held since 2014. Other strikes hit around the Red Sea port city of Hodeida, the rebel's stronghold of Saada and in Yemen's al-Jawf, Amran and Marib governorates.The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge what at those sites had been targeted, other than Sanaa International Airport, which is used for both civilian and military traffic. Neighborhoods in the capital also are home to military and intelligence service sites — as well as crowded with civilians.An Associated Press video showed one bomb dropping into Sanaa, with a huge plume of smoke rising into the night sky as many people were awake in the final days of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan.Other areas hit included mountainous terrain north of Sanaa in Amran, where military camps and other installations are believed to be. The Houthis' al-Masirah satellite news network described communication networks going down after the attacks, which included at least 19 strikes there alone.The U.S. military's Central Command, which now has authority from the White House to strike offensively in Yemen without pre-approval, did not immediately acknowledge conducting any strikes. The command, which under Biden offered details on individual strikes, has not provided that information in this campaign.The new campaign of airstrikes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-us-strikes-iran-447f4abb39cc12c7f2f5596f0e33407b">which the Houthis say have killed at least 57 people</a>, started after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-israel-hamas-war-gaza-aid-ship-attacks-0da6c2453fe2c4e5f81923c84c7d3f3a">the rebels threatened to begin targeting “Israeli” ships</a>&nbsp;again over Israel blocking aid entering the Gaza Strip. The rebels in the past have had a loose definition of what constitutes an Israeli ship, meaning other vessels could be targeted as well.The Houthis had targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthi-rebels-ship-attack-red-sea-yemen-bfa7d321e55c5bb59b268b82ef3c56ba">sinking two vessels</a>&nbsp;and killing four sailors during their campaign targeting ships from November 2023 until January of this year. They also launched attacks targeting American warships, though none have been hit so far.The attacks greatly raised the Houthis’ profile as they faced economic problems and launched a crackdown targeting any dissent and aid workers at home amid Yemen’s decadelong stalemated war that has torn apart the Arab world’s poorest nation.-------------

Suspected US strikes pummel Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen

SHAWNEE COUNTY – A Topeka man has been arrested following a residential burglary investigation in Topeka.

Just before 4p.m. March 18, police responded to a&nbsp;reported burglary in the 1200 block of SW Hillsdale Street, according police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.

 It was reported someone had damaged property and entered a residence. On March 20, around 5:30 p.m., officers responded to the same residence for the report of a second burglary, property damage and items that had been stolen.

On March 25, 2025, around 10 a.m., officers observed a person matching the description of the suspect in the 4100 block of SW Huntoon Street. The man was later identified as Jeremy Boone Rath, 25, of Topeka.

As a result of the investigation, Rath was later arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Burglary; Dwelling to commit felony, theft, DV, or sexually motivated crime, Stalking; Reckless Conduct Causing Fear Person/Family, Theft &lt;$1,500 From Building, Criminal damage to property; Without consent value &lt; $1,000 and Use/possess w/intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743021000200.png" alt="Rath photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Rath photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY – A Topeka man has been arrested following a residential burglary investigation in Topeka.Just before 4p.m. March 18, police responded to a&nbsp;reported burglary in the 1200 block of SW Hillsdale Street, according police spokesperson Rosie Nichols. It was reported someone had damaged property and entered a residence. On March 20, around 5:30 p.m., officers responded to the same residence for the report of a second burglary, property damage and items that had been stolen.On March 25, 2025, around 10 a.m., officers observed a person matching the description of the suspect in the 4100 block of SW Huntoon Street. The man was later identified as Jeremy Boone Rath, 25, of Topeka.As a result of the investigation, Rath was later arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Burglary; Dwelling to commit felony, theft, DV, or sexually motivated crime, Stalking; Reckless Conduct Causing Fear Person/Family, Theft &lt;$1,500 From Building, Criminal damage to property; Without consent value &lt; $1,000 and Use/possess w/intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body.

Kan. man accused of stalking, home burglary 

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A man accused in the domestic violence murder of a Wichita woman was in&nbsp;Judge Jeffrey Goering's courtroom on Monday for a bench trial.

Carlos Anderson-Honeycutt, 26, Wichita, was found guilty of the murder of&nbsp; Britnee Wicker, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. 

On November, 19, 2023 police were dispatched to a shooting at a home in the 2300 block of S. Belmont in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.&nbsp;

First responders located 24-year-old Brittnee Wicker inside her home with a fatal gunshot wound. She would be pronounced deceased on the scene.

On Tuesday, the Wichita Police Department made significant progress in the investigation into the homicide.

On Monday the Sedgwick County District Attorney was presented with evidence, leading to the charging Anderson-Honeycutt with 1st Degree Murder in the case, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Following a thorough collaborative effort with law enforcement agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the Wichita Police Department discovered that&nbsp;Anderson-Honeycutt was in the State of Texas. Coordinating with partners in Texas, particularly the United States Customs and Border Patrol, an arrest was successfully made near Brownsville, Texas.&nbsp;

On Nov. 15, 2023 authorities booked Anderson-Honeycutt into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp; He is now scheduled for sentencing in May, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700924495261.png" alt="Anderson-Honeycutt photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Anderson-Honeycutt photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A man accused in the domestic violence murder of a Wichita woman was in&nbsp;Judge Jeffrey Goering's courtroom on Monday for a bench trial.Carlos Anderson-Honeycutt, 26, Wichita, was found guilty of the murder of&nbsp; Britnee Wicker, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. On November, 19, 2023 police were dispatched to a shooting at a home in the 2300 block of S. Belmont in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700926072292.png" alt="Britnee Wicker-photo Affinity Mortuary" />
 <figcaption>Britnee Wicker-photo Affinity Mortuary</figcaption>
 </figure>First responders located 24-year-old Brittnee Wicker inside her home with a fatal gunshot wound. She would be pronounced deceased on the scene.On Tuesday, the Wichita Police Department made significant progress in the investigation into the homicide.On Monday the Sedgwick County District Attorney was presented with evidence, leading to the charging Anderson-Honeycutt with 1st Degree Murder in the case, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.Following a thorough collaborative effort with law enforcement agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the Wichita Police Department discovered that&nbsp;Anderson-Honeycutt was in the State of Texas. Coordinating with partners in Texas, particularly the United States Customs and Border Patrol, an arrest was successfully made near Brownsville, Texas.&nbsp;On Nov. 15, 2023 authorities booked Anderson-Honeycutt into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp; He is now scheduled for sentencing in May, according to the district attorney's office.

Man captured at the Mexico border guilty of Kan. woman's murder

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOSH%20FUNK%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOSH FUNK Associated Press</a>

The head of the Federal Aviation Administration told Congress during a hearing Thursday about a midair collision over Washington, D.C.,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-crash-62adba7fb1f546b4cf1716e42b86482b">that killed 67 people</a>&nbsp;that the agency must do more to ensure flying remains safe.

Click below to watch the entire hearing led by Kansas U.S. Senator Moran

The FAA's artificial intelligence-led review aimed at identifying safety threats at other airports with similar helicopter-airplane congestion should be finished in a couple weeks, said Chris Rocheleau, the agency’s acting administrator.

During the hearing, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board and members of Congress again questioned how the FAA hadn’t noticed an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-crash-investigation-ntsb-faa-near-misses-53cc37d586a981c3382462a07b3d99ec">alarming number of close calls</a>&nbsp;near Ronald Reagan National Airport and addressed the problem before the January collision between an Army helicopter and a jetliner. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-plane-crash-investigation-ntsb-faa-9da42d267bf44049ecc57763961b0ac4">collision over the Potomac River</a>&nbsp;was the nation's deadliest plane crash&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-crashes-history-washington-ee55776ea0c5f9e322fc77ea1ea452d1">since November 2001.</a>

“We have to do better,” Rocheleau said. “We have to identify trends, we have to get smarter about how we use data, and when we put corrective actions in place, we must execute them.”

The FAA is using AI to dig into the millions of reports it collects to assess other places with busy helicopter traffic including: Boston, New York, Baltimore-Washington, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and along the Gulf Coast.

Investigators have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-crash-investigation-american-airlines-helicopter-ntsb-b78bce07efa055aa6f9c04e580ffe24e">highlighted 85 close calls</a>&nbsp;around Reagan airport in the three years before the crash that should have signaled a growing safety problem. Rocheleau told the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation that every close call is investigated and the data was reviewed before, but this alarming trend was missed.

NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said there clearly was an issue with identifying trends in the data the FAA collects.

Dailey Crofton, whose brother Casey Crofton died in the collision, attended the hearing.

“I was surprised at the lapses of safety protocols that led to this crash,” he said in a statement afterward.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said he learned that the Secret Service and U.S. Navy triggered a rash of collision alarms in planes around Reagan Airport on March 1 while testing anti-drone technology that used a similar frequency to the one used by planes' warning systems. Cruz said that happened despite a warning from the FAA against doing it.

“This is deeply disturbing that just a month after 67 people died while on approach to DCA (Reagan Airport), that the Secret Service and Pentagon would inadvertently cause multiple flights to receive urgent cockpit alerts recommending evasive action,” Cruz said.

Helicopter traffic around Reagan National has been restricted since January any time planes use the same runway the American Airlines plane that crashed was approaching when it collided with the helicopter. At the NTSB's urging, the FAA&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-crash-investigation-faa-helicopter-restrictions-3590d713589559aa55ced29e00c79fa4">permanently banned</a>&nbsp;that particular helicopter route under most circumstances. If a helicopter does use the route, planes are prohibited from taking off or landing on that runway.

The U.S. Army’s head of aviation Brig. Gen. Matthew Braman acknowledged that helicopters are still flying over the nation's capital with a key system broadcasting their locations turned off during missions. The “ADS-B out data” is designed to let air traffic controllers track a helicopter's location.

Cruz said this is “shocking and unacceptable.”

The Army says the helicopters' highest-priority mission is evacuating top government officials in the event of an attack. Braman said the military has changed its policies governing when aircraft must transmit their location, but many helicopters still fly without the system on.

There were exceptions in the airspace above Washington that allowed Army and other government aircraft to fly without transmitting, or fly in a mode that allowed less information to be transmitted to avoid broadcasting potentially sensitive missions to the public. Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell highlighted a letter from the Department of Homeland Security saying that all Customs and Border Protection flights in the region were also covered by the exceptions.

Rocheleau said FAA plans to now require all aircraft flying immediately around Reagan National to broadcast their locations. But Homendy said it is also important to inspect that equipment to make sure it actually works.

Braman also said the policies governing those different transmission modes — and the level of seniority needed in the Army to waive the transmissions — has since been elevated.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOSH%20FUNK%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOSH FUNK Associated Press</a>The head of the Federal Aviation Administration told Congress during a hearing Thursday about a midair collision over Washington, D.C.,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-crash-62adba7fb1f546b4cf1716e42b86482b">that killed 67 people</a>&nbsp;that the agency must do more to ensure flying remains safe.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The 67 lives that were lost on January 29th were taken prematurely in an accident that by all indications should have been avoided. <a href="https://t.co/b0m5WqPAVa">pic.twitter.com/b0m5WqPAVa</a>&mdash; Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/1905278458478870766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Click below to watch the entire hearing led by Kansas U.S. Senator Moran<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fkXXRf3sXvw?si=QEmLM9TnZjC5_jAn&amp;start=940" 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>The FAA's artificial intelligence-led review aimed at identifying safety threats at other airports with similar helicopter-airplane congestion should be finished in a couple weeks, said Chris Rocheleau, the agency’s acting administrator.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/NTSB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NTSB</a> Chair <a href="https://twitter.com/JenniferHomendy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JenniferHomendy</a>: &quot;Between October 2021 and December 2024 there were over 15,000 close proximity events between commercial aircraft and helicopters at DCA.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/PoWWf8mTqk">pic.twitter.com/PoWWf8mTqk</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1905273119197065683?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>During the hearing, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board and members of Congress again questioned how the FAA hadn’t noticed an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-crash-investigation-ntsb-faa-near-misses-53cc37d586a981c3382462a07b3d99ec">alarming number of close calls</a>&nbsp;near Ronald Reagan National Airport and addressed the problem before the January collision between an Army helicopter and a jetliner. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-plane-crash-investigation-ntsb-faa-9da42d267bf44049ecc57763961b0ac4">collision over the Potomac River</a>&nbsp;was the nation's deadliest plane crash&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-crashes-history-washington-ee55776ea0c5f9e322fc77ea1ea452d1">since November 2001.</a>“We have to do better,” Rocheleau said. “We have to identify trends, we have to get smarter about how we use data, and when we put corrective actions in place, we must execute them.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738703092495.png" alt="The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, working with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USCGMidAtlantic?__cft__[0]=AZVaKqPNSiwSuKRH01L03JB8k_89iOrQZOlRWtfzOBsAJCt3z8QQvEYQa8XpseNu6lXA2LDrRWcHbQW3Fa1vXPGXU-T_5Dh2wbhpnKG7qo382L0qE0fMgmG5jv5Z_FFWJHRL1dX62558wBmmNSH_sOYY5t0GOUldAsRj2QW9WelwbsHdhaP3oE4VMMl2yUaEBbw&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">U.S. Coast Guard Mid-Atlantic</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USNavy?__cft__[0]=AZVaKqPNSiwSuKRH01L03JB8k_89iOrQZOlRWtfzOBsAJCt3z8QQvEYQa8XpseNu6lXA2LDrRWcHbQW3Fa1vXPGXU-T_5Dh2wbhpnKG7qo382L0qE0fMgmG5jv5Z_FFWJHRL1dX62558wBmmNSH_sOYY5t0GOUldAsRj2QW9WelwbsHdhaP3oE4VMMl2yUaEBbw&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">U.S. Navy</a>&nbsp;Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), began wreckage removal operations at the site of the Potomac River Aviation Incident near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Phoso U.S. Army Corps of Engineers" />
 <figcaption>The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, working with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USCGMidAtlantic?__cft__[0]=AZVaKqPNSiwSuKRH01L03JB8k_89iOrQZOlRWtfzOBsAJCt3z8QQvEYQa8XpseNu6lXA2LDrRWcHbQW3Fa1vXPGXU-T_5Dh2wbhpnKG7qo382L0qE0fMgmG5jv5Z_FFWJHRL1dX62558wBmmNSH_sOYY5t0GOUldAsRj2QW9WelwbsHdhaP3oE4VMMl2yUaEBbw&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">U.S. Coast Guard Mid-Atlantic</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USNavy?__cft__[0]=AZVaKqPNSiwSuKRH01L03JB8k_89iOrQZOlRWtfzOBsAJCt3z8QQvEYQa8XpseNu6lXA2LDrRWcHbQW3Fa1vXPGXU-T_5Dh2wbhpnKG7qo382L0qE0fMgmG5jv5Z_FFWJHRL1dX62558wBmmNSH_sOYY5t0GOUldAsRj2QW9WelwbsHdhaP3oE4VMMl2yUaEBbw&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">U.S. Navy</a>&nbsp;Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), began wreckage removal operations at the site of the Potomac River Aviation Incident near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Phoso U.S. Army Corps of Engineers</figcaption>
 </figure>The FAA is using AI to dig into the millions of reports it collects to assess other places with busy helicopter traffic including: Boston, New York, Baltimore-Washington, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and along the Gulf Coast.Investigators have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-crash-investigation-american-airlines-helicopter-ntsb-b78bce07efa055aa6f9c04e580ffe24e">highlighted 85 close calls</a>&nbsp;around Reagan airport in the three years before the crash that should have signaled a growing safety problem. Rocheleau told the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation that every close call is investigated and the data was reviewed before, but this alarming trend was missed.NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said there clearly was an issue with identifying trends in the data the FAA collects.Dailey Crofton, whose brother Casey Crofton died in the collision, attended the hearing.“I was surprised at the lapses of safety protocols that led to this crash,” he said in a statement afterward.Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said he learned that the Secret Service and U.S. Navy triggered a rash of collision alarms in planes around Reagan Airport on March 1 while testing anti-drone technology that used a similar frequency to the one used by planes' warning systems. Cruz said that happened despite a warning from the FAA against doing it.“This is deeply disturbing that just a month after 67 people died while on approach to DCA (Reagan Airport), that the Secret Service and Pentagon would inadvertently cause multiple flights to receive urgent cockpit alerts recommending evasive action,” Cruz said.Helicopter traffic around Reagan National has been restricted since January any time planes use the same runway the American Airlines plane that crashed was approaching when it collided with the helicopter. At the NTSB's urging, the FAA&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-crash-investigation-faa-helicopter-restrictions-3590d713589559aa55ced29e00c79fa4">permanently banned</a>&nbsp;that particular helicopter route under most circumstances. If a helicopter does use the route, planes are prohibited from taking off or landing on that runway.The U.S. Army’s head of aviation Brig. Gen. Matthew Braman acknowledged that helicopters are still flying over the nation's capital with a key system broadcasting their locations turned off during missions. The “ADS-B out data” is designed to let air traffic controllers track a helicopter's location.Cruz said this is “shocking and unacceptable.”The Army says the helicopters' highest-priority mission is evacuating top government officials in the event of an attack. Braman said the military has changed its policies governing when aircraft must transmit their location, but many helicopters still fly without the system on.There were exceptions in the airspace above Washington that allowed Army and other government aircraft to fly without transmitting, or fly in a mode that allowed less information to be transmitted to avoid broadcasting potentially sensitive missions to the public. Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell highlighted a letter from the Department of Homeland Security saying that all Customs and Border Protection flights in the region were also covered by the exceptions.Rocheleau said FAA plans to now require all aircraft flying immediately around Reagan National to broadcast their locations. But Homendy said it is also important to inspect that equipment to make sure it actually works.Braman also said the policies governing those different transmission modes — and the level of seniority needed in the Army to waive the transmissions — has since been elevated.___

🎥 Highlights of Kan. U.S. Senator's hearing on DCA midair collision

TOPEKA — Personal and corporate income taxes could see major breaks under Republican-led legislation that advanced Wednesday out of the Kansas House, but Democrats warned of repeating past mistakes.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/SB269/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 269</a>, also known as “the income tax trigger bill,” would reduce the individual and corporate income tax rates to as low as 4%. Bank rates could drop as low as 2.6%. However, the cuts are contingent on maintaining the state’s budget stabilization fund, also known as the rainy day fund.

House lawmakers advanced the bill Wednesday mostly along party lines in an 84-38 vote. The Senate still needs to give its stamp of approval in the two remaining days of the regular session.&nbsp;

No Republicans defended the bill, but Democrats called it “a ratchet” and “dangerous.”&nbsp;

Rep. Stephanie Sawyer Clayton, an Overland Park Democrat, argued the House was the final stopgap between “what is fairly dangerous tax policy” and constituents.&nbsp;

The cuts can only go into effect if the state budget stabilization fund maintains a 15% balance. Right now, the fund sits at around an 18% balance, or $1.75 billion.

Anytime the amount of state income tax collected exceeds the 15% balance threshold, as determined by the state budget director, an income tax rate “buydown” would be triggered under the law, Smith said. Legislative staff couldn’t estimate the exact financial impact of such a policy change.

The changes would go into effect in 2025. The budget director would determine by Aug. 15 whether the most recent fiscal year’s total State General Fund tax receipts exceeded the previous fiscal year’s amount, adjusted for inflation.&nbsp;

State personal income tax rates currently range from 5.2% to 5.58%, according to the Kansas Department of Revenue. Corporations solely in Kansas are taxed at 4% of their net income plus a 3% surtax on income above $50,000. Corporations with income in Kansas and outside of it are subject to rates based on sales, property and payroll.

Under SB 269, if receipts are greater than the previous year’s inflation-adjusted amount, the director of the secretary of revenue would calculate tax rate reductions, starting with individual income taxes.

Once individual rates in both the lower and higher tax brackets reach 4%, rate reductions for corporations and financial institutions would be triggered.

Reductions would continue until the combined rate for corporations reaches 4%, the combined rate for banks reaches 2.6% and the combined rate for other financial institutions reaches 2.62%.

Rep. Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, said the cuts put the state in a difficult situation. He said the policy takes all of the state’s excess income tax revenue and transforms it into a flat income tax, leaving no additional revenue to provide property tax relief.

“I have a problem with the whole ratchet situation,” Sawyer said.&nbsp;

He added that special education funding hasn’t been at its statutorily mandated level since 2010, and achieving full funding will be “very difficult” under the proposed cuts.

When — not if — a recession hits, Sawyer said, the hole left behind by income tax reductions will be much more difficult to fill.

“Those of us who were here in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 that had to deal with (trying) to dig ourselves out of a deep hole in the budget know what that’s like,” he said.

The cuts are reminiscent of former Gov. Sam Brownback’s tax experiment that gave hundreds of millions in tax cuts to corporations and “bankrupted” the state, Rep. Jerry Stogsdill, a Prairie Village Democrat, told Kansas Reflector. However, Brownback’s cuts were not contingent on the state’s surplus tax revenues.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743112903407.png" alt="Rep. Stephanie Clayton, an Overland Park Democrat, and Rep. Jerry Stogsdill, a Prairie Village Democrat, appear during a March 24, 2025, session of the House. On Wednesday, they voiced concerns with a plan to automatically lower income tax rates based on surplus funds. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Stephanie Clayton, an Overland Park Democrat, and Rep. Jerry Stogsdill, a Prairie Village Democrat, appear during a March 24, 2025, session of the House. On Wednesday, they voiced concerns with a plan to automatically lower income tax rates based on surplus funds. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Personal and corporate income taxes could see major breaks under Republican-led legislation that advanced Wednesday out of the Kansas House, but Democrats warned of repeating past mistakes.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/SB269/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 269</a>, also known as “the income tax trigger bill,” would reduce the individual and corporate income tax rates to as low as 4%. Bank rates could drop as low as 2.6%. However, the cuts are contingent on maintaining the state’s budget stabilization fund, also known as the rainy day fund.House lawmakers advanced the bill Wednesday mostly along party lines in an 84-38 vote. The Senate still needs to give its stamp of approval in the two remaining days of the regular session.&nbsp;No Republicans defended the bill, but Democrats called it “a ratchet” and “dangerous.”&nbsp;Rep. Stephanie Sawyer Clayton, an Overland Park Democrat, argued the House was the final stopgap between “what is fairly dangerous tax policy” and constituents.&nbsp;The cuts can only go into effect if the state budget stabilization fund maintains a 15% balance. Right now, the fund sits at around an 18% balance, or $1.75 billion.Anytime the amount of state income tax collected exceeds the 15% balance threshold, as determined by the state budget director, an income tax rate “buydown” would be triggered under the law, Smith said. Legislative staff couldn’t estimate the exact financial impact of such a policy change.The changes would go into effect in 2025. The budget director would determine by Aug. 15 whether the most recent fiscal year’s total State General Fund tax receipts exceeded the previous fiscal year’s amount, adjusted for inflation.&nbsp;State personal income tax rates currently range from 5.2% to 5.58%, according to the Kansas Department of Revenue. Corporations solely in Kansas are taxed at 4% of their net income plus a 3% surtax on income above $50,000. Corporations with income in Kansas and outside of it are subject to rates based on sales, property and payroll.Under SB 269, if receipts are greater than the previous year’s inflation-adjusted amount, the director of the secretary of revenue would calculate tax rate reductions, starting with individual income taxes.Once individual rates in both the lower and higher tax brackets reach 4%, rate reductions for corporations and financial institutions would be triggered.Reductions would continue until the combined rate for corporations reaches 4%, the combined rate for banks reaches 2.6% and the combined rate for other financial institutions reaches 2.62%.Rep. Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, said the cuts put the state in a difficult situation. He said the policy takes all of the state’s excess income tax revenue and transforms it into a flat income tax, leaving no additional revenue to provide property tax relief.“I have a problem with the whole ratchet situation,” Sawyer said.&nbsp;He added that special education funding hasn’t been at its statutorily mandated level since 2010, and achieving full funding will be “very difficult” under the proposed cuts.When — not if — a recession hits, Sawyer said, the hole left behind by income tax reductions will be much more difficult to fill.“Those of us who were here in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 that had to deal with (trying) to dig ourselves out of a deep hole in the budget know what that’s like,” he said.The cuts are reminiscent of former Gov. Sam Brownback’s tax experiment that gave hundreds of millions in tax cuts to corporations and “bankrupted” the state, Rep. Jerry Stogsdill, a Prairie Village Democrat, told Kansas Reflector. However, Brownback’s cuts were not contingent on the state’s surplus tax revenues.Democrats also have challenged whether Republicans are going to be able to muster meaningful property tax relief legislation, a campaign-trail promise from both parties.One of those property tax relief efforts passed the House before the income tax bill.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb35/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 35</a>&nbsp;eliminates the statewide levy of 1 mills for the state education building fund and the .5 mills levy for the state institution building fund.&nbsp;If implemented, the gap left behind in those two funds would be replaced with State General Fund dollars. In fiscal year 2027, which begins June 2026, the state education building fund would receive about $56 million and the institutional building fund would receive about $25 million from the State General Fund.SB 296 originally had to do with pending tax appeals fees, but during negotiations, the House inserted the contents of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2318/" target="_blank">House Bill 2318</a>, which contained the cuts.