ELLSWORTH COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating vandalism in Ellsworth County.

Vandals used a chainsaw to cut down power poles in an attempt to steal copper, according to a social media report from Western Cooperative Electric Association.

Vandals did not know there was no copper on these poles and "their effort is not only wrong but incredibly dangerous."

"Luckily for the would-be thieves, these power lines were not electrified at the time of the vandalism; otherwise, there may have been a loss of life."

 Western Cooperative Electric Association reported they recently have seen an uptick in damages in Ellsworth County.&nbsp; Anytime and anywhere you see suspicious activity near power equipment, please report it to the county Sheriff. "It's for their own safety."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712226182707.png" alt="Photo&nbsp;Western Cooperative Electric Association." />
 <figcaption>Photo&nbsp;Western Cooperative Electric Association.</figcaption>
 </figure>ELLSWORTH COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating vandalism in Ellsworth County.Vandals used a chainsaw to cut down power poles in an attempt to steal copper, according to a social media report from Western Cooperative Electric Association.Vandals did not know there was no copper on these poles and "their effort is not only wrong but incredibly dangerous."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712226145235.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"Luckily for the would-be thieves, these power lines were not electrified at the time of the vandalism; otherwise, there may have been a loss of life." Western Cooperative Electric Association reported they recently have seen an uptick in damages in Ellsworth County.&nbsp; Anytime and anywhere you see suspicious activity near power equipment, please report it to the county Sheriff. "It's for their own safety."

Attempted copper theft: Chainsaw cut down power poles in Kansas

NEW YORK (AP) — More and more businesses are taking advantage of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/solar-eclipse-2024">total solar eclipse</a>&nbsp;set to dim skies across North America&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/total-solar-eclipse-sun-moon-7beea0599f2b829d322f0ec3c71648a6">on Monday</a>.

In the snacks department alone, Krispy Kreme is teaming up with Oreo to sell a limited doughnut-cookie creation. Sonic Drive-In is selling a <a href="https://www.sonicdrivein.com/menu/featured/blackout-slush-float/">“Blackout Slush Float.</a>” And Frito-Lay's SunChips has unveiled a new flavor that will only be available during the celestial event's nearly 4 and a half minutes of totality.

MoonPie also kicked off a “Sun vs. Moon” smackdown-themed campaign as the chocolate snack maker promotes its “eclipse survival kit,” made up of four mini MoonPies and two pairs of eclipse glasses.

Meanwhile, airlines like Southwest and Delta have advertised eclipse-viewing flight paths. And beyond promotions from big-name brands, small businesses&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwL2gEt66no">along the 115 mile (185 kilometer)-wide prime path</a>&nbsp;are leading the charge to meet the incoming tourist demand.

Some towns and local vendors have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/total-solar-eclipse-promotions-beer-food-c2e881062d0c366ab72b5d6ca1db3b59">anticipating the celestial event</a>&nbsp;and its huge crowds for years. There are oodles of special eclipse safety glasses for sale, along with T-shirts emblazoned with clever slogans and more astronomical souvenirs. Other offerings include eclipse-themed beer, specialty dining packages and watch parties at amusement parks, wineries and zoos.

Marketing tied to rare spectacles, like the sun’s disappearing act behind the moon, isn’t new.

In 2017, the last time the U.S. saw a big slice of a total solar eclipse, scores of companies tapped into the action — including Krispy Kreme.

The Charlotte, North Carolina-based company previously rolled out limited-edition chocolate glazed doughnuts for the 2017 eclipse, and those treats have made a few returns since. But that might not be the case for this year's "Total Solar Eclipse Doughnut." The Krispy Kreme-Oreo combo is set to be available from Friday through Monday, according to an announcement from the chain this week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712247708219.png" alt="Sonic Blackout Slush Float inspired by the eclipse" />
 <figcaption>Sonic Blackout Slush Float inspired by the eclipse</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — More and more businesses are taking advantage of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/solar-eclipse-2024">total solar eclipse</a>&nbsp;set to dim skies across North America&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/total-solar-eclipse-sun-moon-7beea0599f2b829d322f0ec3c71648a6">on Monday</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712085263547.png" alt="Image Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>Image Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>In the snacks department alone, Krispy Kreme is teaming up with Oreo to sell a limited doughnut-cookie creation. Sonic Drive-In is selling a <a href="https://www.sonicdrivein.com/menu/featured/blackout-slush-float/">“Blackout Slush Float.</a>” And Frito-Lay's SunChips has unveiled a new flavor that will only be available during the celestial event's nearly 4 and a half minutes of totality.MoonPie also kicked off a “Sun vs. Moon” smackdown-themed campaign as the chocolate snack maker promotes its “eclipse survival kit,” made up of four mini MoonPies and two pairs of eclipse glasses.Meanwhile, airlines like Southwest and Delta have advertised eclipse-viewing flight paths. And beyond promotions from big-name brands, small businesses&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwL2gEt66no">along the 115 mile (185 kilometer)-wide prime path</a>&nbsp;are leading the charge to meet the incoming tourist demand.Some towns and local vendors have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/total-solar-eclipse-promotions-beer-food-c2e881062d0c366ab72b5d6ca1db3b59">anticipating the celestial event</a>&nbsp;and its huge crowds for years. There are oodles of special eclipse safety glasses for sale, along with T-shirts emblazoned with clever slogans and more astronomical souvenirs. Other offerings include eclipse-themed beer, specialty dining packages and watch parties at amusement parks, wineries and zoos.Marketing tied to rare spectacles, like the sun’s disappearing act behind the moon, isn’t new.In 2017, the last time the U.S. saw a big slice of a total solar eclipse, scores of companies tapped into the action — including Krispy Kreme.The Charlotte, North Carolina-based company previously rolled out limited-edition chocolate glazed doughnuts for the 2017 eclipse, and those treats have made a few returns since. But that might not be the case for this year's "Total Solar Eclipse Doughnut." The Krispy Kreme-Oreo combo is set to be available from Friday through Monday, according to an announcement from the chain this week.

From Sonic to SunChips, companies roll out total solar eclipse promotions

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

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Top Republican legislators and the Democratic governor in Kansas have brokered a deal on cutting taxes after GOP leaders gave up on moving the state to a single-rate personal income tax that the governor strongly opposed.

But signs of trouble emerged Thursday as top Republicans and Gov. Laura Kelly tried to sell the new plan to lawmakers. During a meeting of skeptical House Democrats, Kelly touted it as a big victory. Many of them saw it as favoring wealthier taxpayers.

“I can guarantee that the other side has gone as far as — a lot farther than — they wanted to go,” Kelly told them. "We should be embracing this and taking credit for it."

Both the Senate and the House were expected to vote on the package Thursday or Friday. The plan would save taxpayers about $1.4 billion over the next three years, but it is smaller than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-legislature-budget-tax-cuts-disability-diversity-40fe17614b20b0ade7fa6ed0833fbe67">separate plans approved last month</a>&nbsp;by each chamber and smaller than one&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-income-tax-cuts-budget-8fbaf4d7aa99b0b23f38daddd7dc2c28">passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature</a>&nbsp;in January that Kelly vetoed.

GOP leaders wanted to move Kansas to a single personal income tax rate from the three current rates and cut the top rate from its current 5.7%, which Kelly said would benefit the “super wealthy.” The same dispute&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-cuts-kansas-gop-infighting-3fcfeb252137bdda907655ae7f7fd69e">thwarted major tax cuts</a>&nbsp;in 2023, when a dozen other states cut income tax rates, according to the conservative Tax Foundation.

The Kansas deal came two weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-brian-kemp-corporate-income-tax-cuts-7a414376871e7baf20bfb2ea12bb7260">Georgia’s Republican-controlled Legislature passed</a>&nbsp;personal and corporate income tax cuts that GOP Gov. Brian Kemp favored. Like Georgia, Kansas has a big budget surplus — still projected at more than $4 billion for the end of June 2025.

The compromise plan in Kansas preserves three personal income tax rates but cuts the top rate to 5.5%. Republican leaders didn't have the two-thirds majorities necessary to override a Kelly veto of a single-rate plan,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-income-tax-cuts-budget-4b53850ab4aa72febec4fb728ccbc9b1">thanks to Republican defectors</a>&nbsp;who, as state Senate President Ty Masterson put it Wednesday, “chained themselves to the tree of progressive taxation.”

“So, you know what?” We're just going to cut the tree off on the top," said Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican. “Everything else is a win.”

The bill also would eliminate state income taxes on retirees' Social Security benefits, which kick in once a person receives $75,000 a year. It would also increase the state's standard personal income tax deductions, increase an income tax credit for child care expenses, reduce property taxes the state imposes to raise money for public schools and end an expiring 2% sales tax on groceries six months early, on July 1.

Republican leaders wavered on a single-rate income tax in recent weeks as they grew less willing to chance having no cuts enacted this year. All 40 state Senate seats and 125 House seats are up for election this year.

“We’ve got to get something, and this is a compromise,” said House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican. “We need to get it done and get out of here.”

But bipartisan grumbling about the plan began immediately.

House Taxation Committee Chair Adam Smith said before either chamber voted that he didn't know whether he would support the deal — even though it was his job to explain it to colleagues and he would normally promote a plan backed by GOP leaders.

“I’m hearing a lot of dissent,” said Smith, a western Kansas Republican. “I've got to carry the bill, and it’s bad when I don’t even know if I’m going to vote for it.”

Republicans wanted to cut taxes by between $500 million and $600 million annually or between $1.5 billion and $1.8 billion over three years. The new plan, worth about $430 million annually, is less generous than either the House or Senate plans in increasing standard deductions, which helps poorer families.

Some lawmakers also said the new plan doesn't cut property taxes enough amid rising home values and local levies. For the owner of a home at the Kansas median value of $210,000, the annual savings would be about $140. A home’s appraised value can easily rise enough in a year to wipe out the cut.

“This, to me, doesn’t cut it,” said northeastern Kansas Sen. Tom Holland, who represented Democratic senators in tax negotiations. “There are monster increases every year.”

Another problem for many Democrats: The plan would keep a tax rate of 5.2% on a married couples' income between $30,000 and $60,000 and impose the 5.5% rate after that.

Rep. Rui Xu, a Kansas City-area Democrat, told Kelly the proposal is "pretty close to a flat tax.” Masterson made the same argument in touting it during an interview Wednesday evening.

Kelly suggested later that House Democrats' reaction showed that many lawmakers didn't expect her and GOP leaders to be able to compromise.

“I’m not surprised that some people were shocked that we got something at all,” she said.

The Kansas House and Senate were expected to vote on the compromise package Thursday or Friday, and Gov. Laura Kelly was expected to sign it if it reached her desk. The plan would save taxpayers about $1.4 billion over the next three years, but it is smaller than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-legislature-budget-tax-cuts-disability-diversity-40fe17614b20b0ade7fa6ed0833fbe67">separate plans approved last month</a>&nbsp;by each chamber and smaller than one&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-income-tax-cuts-budget-8fbaf4d7aa99b0b23f38daddd7dc2c28">passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature</a>&nbsp;in January that Kelly vetoed.

The compromise plan preserves three personal income tax rates but cuts the top rate to 5.5%. Republican leaders didn't have the two-thirds majorities necessary to override a Kelly veto of a single-rate plan,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-income-tax-cuts-budget-4b53850ab4aa72febec4fb728ccbc9b1">thanks to Republican defectors</a>&nbsp;who, as state Senate President Ty Masterson put it Wednesday, “chained themselves to the tree of progressive taxation.”

The bill also would eliminate state income taxes on retirees' Social Security benefits, which kick in once a person receives $75,000 a year. It would also increase the state's standard personal income tax deductions, increase an income tax credit for child care expenses, reduce property taxes the state imposes to raise money for public schools and end the state's already expiring 2% sales tax on groceries six months early, on July 1.

Still, the final deal inspired bipartisan grumbling. Kelly's office and GOP leaders worked it out privately instead of three House and three Senate negotiators drafting a plan, with some discussions in public.

House Taxation Committee Chair Adam Smith said before either chamber voted that he didn't know whether he'd support the deal — even though it was his job to explain it to colleagues and he'd normally promote a plan backed by GOP leaders.

Republicans had wanted to cut taxes by between $500 million and $600 million annually or between $1.5 billion and $1.8 billion over three years. The new plan, worth about $430 million annually, is less generous in increasing standard deductions than the Senate's plan, which boosted the one for married couples to $22,000 to help lower-income families.

Some lawmakers also said the new plan doesn't cut property taxes enough amid rising home values and local levies. For the owner of a home at the Kansas median value of $210,000, the annual savings would be about $140.

“This, to me, doesn't cut it,” said northeastern Kansas Sen. Tom Holland, who represented Democratic senators in tax negotiations. “There are monster increases every year.”

The deal in Kansas came two weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-brian-kemp-corporate-income-tax-cuts-7a414376871e7baf20bfb2ea12bb7260">Georgia's Republican-controlled Legislature passed</a>&nbsp;personal and corporate income tax cuts that GOP Gov. Brian Kemp favored. Like Georgia, Kansas has a big budget surplus — still projected at more than $4 billion for the end of June 2025.

But tax debates in Kansas are fraught because of a nationally notorious experiment in cutting income taxes in 2012 and 2013 under GOP Gov. Sam Brownback. Large budget shortfalls followed and persisted until bipartisan legislative majorities&nbsp;<a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2017/06/07/kansas-brownback-tax-veto-override/">reversed most of the cuts</a>&nbsp;in 2017 over Brownback's opposition.

Kelly won the first of her two terms in 2018&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/gubernatorial-elections-f5741d8d0d8c40979857c9d2d6afae9f">by running against</a>&nbsp;Brownback's fiscal policies, and she still cites them in criticizing Republican proposals. She called the GOP plan she vetoed in January fiscally reckless.

Republican leaders said repeatedly that they weren't repeating the mistakes of 2012 and 2013 and that, with its huge surplus, Kansas could sustain their proposed cuts.

But, unable to override a Kelly veto, they became less willing to chance having no cuts enacted this year. All 40 state Senate seats and 125 House seats are up for election this year.

“We've got to get something, and this is a compromise,” said House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican. “We need to get it done and get out of here.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712235275411.png" alt="Members of the conference committee on Senate and House Taxation during a Wednesday meeting- image from Kansas Legislature YouTube" />
 <figcaption>Members of the conference committee on Senate and House Taxation during a Wednesday meeting- image from Kansas Legislature YouTube</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20HANNA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;</a>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Top Republican legislators and the Democratic governor in Kansas have brokered a deal on cutting taxes after GOP leaders gave up on moving the state to a single-rate personal income tax that the governor strongly opposed.But signs of trouble emerged Thursday as top Republicans and Gov. Laura Kelly tried to sell the new plan to lawmakers. During a meeting of skeptical House Democrats, Kelly touted it as a big victory. Many of them saw it as favoring wealthier taxpayers.“I can guarantee that the other side has gone as far as — a lot farther than — they wanted to go,” Kelly told them. "We should be embracing this and taking credit for it."Both the Senate and the House were expected to vote on the package Thursday or Friday. The plan would save taxpayers about $1.4 billion over the next three years, but it is smaller than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-legislature-budget-tax-cuts-disability-diversity-40fe17614b20b0ade7fa6ed0833fbe67">separate plans approved last month</a>&nbsp;by each chamber and smaller than one&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-income-tax-cuts-budget-8fbaf4d7aa99b0b23f38daddd7dc2c28">passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature</a>&nbsp;in January that Kelly vetoed.GOP leaders wanted to move Kansas to a single personal income tax rate from the three current rates and cut the top rate from its current 5.7%, which Kelly said would benefit the “super wealthy.” The same dispute&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-cuts-kansas-gop-infighting-3fcfeb252137bdda907655ae7f7fd69e">thwarted major tax cuts</a>&nbsp;in 2023, when a dozen other states cut income tax rates, according to the conservative Tax Foundation.The Kansas deal came two weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-brian-kemp-corporate-income-tax-cuts-7a414376871e7baf20bfb2ea12bb7260">Georgia’s Republican-controlled Legislature passed</a>&nbsp;personal and corporate income tax cuts that GOP Gov. Brian Kemp favored. Like Georgia, Kansas has a big budget surplus — still projected at more than $4 billion for the end of June 2025.The compromise plan in Kansas preserves three personal income tax rates but cuts the top rate to 5.5%. Republican leaders didn't have the two-thirds majorities necessary to override a Kelly veto of a single-rate plan,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-income-tax-cuts-budget-4b53850ab4aa72febec4fb728ccbc9b1">thanks to Republican defectors</a>&nbsp;who, as state Senate President Ty Masterson put it Wednesday, “chained themselves to the tree of progressive taxation.”“So, you know what?” We're just going to cut the tree off on the top," said Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican. “Everything else is a win.”The bill also would eliminate state income taxes on retirees' Social Security benefits, which kick in once a person receives $75,000 a year. It would also increase the state's standard personal income tax deductions, increase an income tax credit for child care expenses, reduce property taxes the state imposes to raise money for public schools and end an expiring 2% sales tax on groceries six months early, on July 1.Republican leaders wavered on a single-rate income tax in recent weeks as they grew less willing to chance having no cuts enacted this year. All 40 state Senate seats and 125 House seats are up for election this year.“We’ve got to get something, and this is a compromise,” said House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican. “We need to get it done and get out of here.”But bipartisan grumbling about the plan began immediately.House Taxation Committee Chair Adam Smith said before either chamber voted that he didn't know whether he would support the deal — even though it was his job to explain it to colleagues and he would normally promote a plan backed by GOP leaders.“I’m hearing a lot of dissent,” said Smith, a western Kansas Republican. “I've got to carry the bill, and it’s bad when I don’t even know if I’m going to vote for it.”Republicans wanted to cut taxes by between $500 million and $600 million annually or between $1.5 billion and $1.8 billion over three years. The new plan, worth about $430 million annually, is less generous than either the House or Senate plans in increasing standard deductions, which helps poorer families.Some lawmakers also said the new plan doesn't cut property taxes enough amid rising home values and local levies. For the owner of a home at the Kansas median value of $210,000, the annual savings would be about $140. A home’s appraised value can easily rise enough in a year to wipe out the cut.“This, to me, doesn’t cut it,” said northeastern Kansas Sen. Tom Holland, who represented Democratic senators in tax negotiations. “There are monster increases every year.”Another problem for many Democrats: The plan would keep a tax rate of 5.2% on a married couples' income between $30,000 and $60,000 and impose the 5.5% rate after that.Rep. Rui Xu, a Kansas City-area Democrat, told Kelly the proposal is "pretty close to a flat tax.” Masterson made the same argument in touting it during an interview Wednesday evening.Kelly suggested later that House Democrats' reaction showed that many lawmakers didn't expect her and GOP leaders to be able to compromise.“I’m not surprised that some people were shocked that we got something at all,” she said.--------TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Top Republican legislators and the Democratic governor in Kansas have brokered a deal on cutting taxes after GOP leaders gave up on moving the state to a single-rate personal income tax that the governor strongly opposed.The Kansas House and Senate were expected to vote on the compromise package Thursday or Friday, and Gov. Laura Kelly was expected to sign it if it reached her desk. The plan would save taxpayers about $1.4 billion over the next three years, but it is smaller than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-legislature-budget-tax-cuts-disability-diversity-40fe17614b20b0ade7fa6ed0833fbe67">separate plans approved last month</a>&nbsp;by each chamber and smaller than one&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-income-tax-cuts-budget-8fbaf4d7aa99b0b23f38daddd7dc2c28">passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature</a>&nbsp;in January that Kelly vetoed.GOP leaders wanted to move Kansas to a single personal income tax rate from the three current rates and cut the top rate from its current 5.7%, which Kelly said would benefit the “super wealthy.” The same dispute&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-cuts-kansas-gop-infighting-3fcfeb252137bdda907655ae7f7fd69e">thwarted major tax cuts</a>&nbsp;in 2023, when a dozen other states cut income tax rates, according to the conservative Tax Foundation.The compromise plan preserves three personal income tax rates but cuts the top rate to 5.5%. Republican leaders didn't have the two-thirds majorities necessary to override a Kelly veto of a single-rate plan,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-income-tax-cuts-budget-4b53850ab4aa72febec4fb728ccbc9b1">thanks to Republican defectors</a>&nbsp;who, as state Senate President Ty Masterson put it Wednesday, “chained themselves to the tree of progressive taxation.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706447481513.png" alt="File photo Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, and Gov. Laura Kelly photo Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>File photo Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, and Gov. Laura Kelly photo Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>“So, you know what?” We're just going to cut the tree off on the top," said Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican. “Everything else is a win.”The bill also would eliminate state income taxes on retirees' Social Security benefits, which kick in once a person receives $75,000 a year. It would also increase the state's standard personal income tax deductions, increase an income tax credit for child care expenses, reduce property taxes the state imposes to raise money for public schools and end the state's already expiring 2% sales tax on groceries six months early, on July 1.Still, the final deal inspired bipartisan grumbling. Kelly's office and GOP leaders worked it out privately instead of three House and three Senate negotiators drafting a plan, with some discussions in public.House Taxation Committee Chair Adam Smith said before either chamber voted that he didn't know whether he'd support the deal — even though it was his job to explain it to colleagues and he'd normally promote a plan backed by GOP leaders.“I’m hearing a lot of dissent,” said Smith, a western Kansas Republican. “I've got to carry the bill, and it’s bad when I don’t even know if I’m going to vote for it.”Republicans had wanted to cut taxes by between $500 million and $600 million annually or between $1.5 billion and $1.8 billion over three years. The new plan, worth about $430 million annually, is less generous in increasing standard deductions than the Senate's plan, which boosted the one for married couples to $22,000 to help lower-income families.Some lawmakers also said the new plan doesn't cut property taxes enough amid rising home values and local levies. For the owner of a home at the Kansas median value of $210,000, the annual savings would be about $140.“This, to me, doesn't cut it,” said northeastern Kansas Sen. Tom Holland, who represented Democratic senators in tax negotiations. “There are monster increases every year.”The deal in Kansas came two weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-brian-kemp-corporate-income-tax-cuts-7a414376871e7baf20bfb2ea12bb7260">Georgia's Republican-controlled Legislature passed</a>&nbsp;personal and corporate income tax cuts that GOP Gov. Brian Kemp favored. Like Georgia, Kansas has a big budget surplus — still projected at more than $4 billion for the end of June 2025.But tax debates in Kansas are fraught because of a nationally notorious experiment in cutting income taxes in 2012 and 2013 under GOP Gov. Sam Brownback. Large budget shortfalls followed and persisted until bipartisan legislative majorities&nbsp;<a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2017/06/07/kansas-brownback-tax-veto-override/">reversed most of the cuts</a>&nbsp;in 2017 over Brownback's opposition.Kelly won the first of her two terms in 2018&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/gubernatorial-elections-f5741d8d0d8c40979857c9d2d6afae9f">by running against</a>&nbsp;Brownback's fiscal policies, and she still cites them in criticizing Republican proposals. She called the GOP plan she vetoed in January fiscally reckless.Republican leaders said repeatedly that they weren't repeating the mistakes of 2012 and 2013 and that, with its huge surplus, Kansas could sustain their proposed cuts.But, unable to override a Kelly veto, they became less willing to chance having no cuts enacted this year. All 40 state Senate seats and 125 House seats are up for election this year.“We've got to get something, and this is a compromise,” said House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican. “We need to get it done and get out of here.”

Kan. Gov. and GOP leaders have deal on tax cuts but lawmakers are grumbling

GEARY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a man found at a rest stop in Geary County.

Just before 6:30 a.m. Thursday, the Geary County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to the I-70 eastbound rest stop just before&nbsp;Moritz Road reference to a check welfare, according to a media release.

Deputies located a deceased man in the driver’s seat of a gold in color van. The name of the subject is not being released at this time until notification can be made to his family.

This case is still under investigation and the Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone that may have information on this case to call 785-238-2261.

GEARY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a man found at a rest stop in Geary County.Just before 6:30 a.m. Thursday, the Geary County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to the I-70 eastbound rest stop just before&nbsp;Moritz Road reference to a check welfare, according to a media release.Deputies located a deceased man in the driver’s seat of a gold in color van. The name of the subject is not being released at this time until notification can be made to his family.This case is still under investigation and the Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone that may have information on this case to call 785-238-2261.

Sheriff: Man found dead at rest stop on I-70

HUTCHINSON — There hasn't been much change in the past week in gas prices, according to Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas.

"We have settled in a little bit, it seems like, in the past couple of weeks," Steward said. "Haven't seen any big increases, but, from a month ago, we're up here in Kansas, a little more than 20 cents a gallon. We're at $3.17 a gallon on average across the state. The good news is, it's 39 cents lower than the national average and seventh cheapest in the nation."

The fundamentals suggest that we may be looking at increases going forward, however.

"We're moving into, seasonally, typically a higher demand time of the year where more people are out driving," Steward said. "We're headed toward summer driving season and the demand is likely going to be increasing as we head into summer. We've seen some issues on the crude oil market, OPEC production limits, geopolitical issues with Russia, tensions in the Middle East."

Brent Crude was over $89 a barrel as of Thursday morning.

"It's quite a bit higher than we were earlier this year," Steward said. "We've seen that jump here in the past few weeks."

According to <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/u-s-refiners-still-have-gas-in-the-tank-commodities-roundup-a1fe3332?mod=mw_quote_news">Marketwatch.com</a>, shares of Marathon Petroleum are up 45% year to date, while Valero and Phillips 66 are up 39% and 30%, respectively.

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON — There hasn't been much change in the past week in gas prices, according to Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas."We have settled in a little bit, it seems like, in the past couple of weeks," Steward said. "Haven't seen any big increases, but, from a month ago, we're up here in Kansas, a little more than 20 cents a gallon. We're at $3.17 a gallon on average across the state. The good news is, it's 39 cents lower than the national average and seventh cheapest in the nation."The fundamentals suggest that we may be looking at increases going forward, however."We're moving into, seasonally, typically a higher demand time of the year where more people are out driving," Steward said. "We're headed toward summer driving season and the demand is likely going to be increasing as we head into summer. We've seen some issues on the crude oil market, OPEC production limits, geopolitical issues with Russia, tensions in the Middle East."Brent Crude was over $89 a barrel as of Thursday morning."It's quite a bit higher than we were earlier this year," Steward said. "We've seen that jump here in the past few weeks."According to <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/u-s-refiners-still-have-gas-in-the-tank-commodities-roundup-a1fe3332?mod=mw_quote_news">Marketwatch.com</a>, shares of Marathon Petroleum are up 45% year to date, while Valero and Phillips 66 are up 39% and 30%, respectively.

AAA: Gas prices flat in short term, but likely headed up

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for a series of armed robberies.

Just before 11p.m. March 1, police responded to a reported robbery in the 600 block of SE Lime Street in Topeka. Upon arrival, it was alleged that an individual&nbsp; with a firearm robbed two individuals and left prior to officers arrival.

Just after 10:30 a.m. March 3, police responded to another reported robbery in the 700 block of SE Lawrence Street in Topeka. Upon arrival, it was alleged that an individual matching the description from the incident on March 1, used a firearm to rob an individual and left prior to officers arrival.

Just after 2p.m. April 3, police located the wanted alleged robbery offender, identified as Deon K. Ikner, 19, of Topeka, in the 200 block of SE 7th Street in Topeka. Ikner was later arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp;2 x Aggravated Robbery; Armed w/dangerous weapon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712237535781.png" alt="Ikner-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Ikner-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for a series of armed robberies.Just before 11p.m. March 1, police responded to a reported robbery in the 600 block of SE Lime Street in Topeka. Upon arrival, it was alleged that an individual&nbsp; with a firearm robbed two individuals and left prior to officers arrival.Just after 10:30 a.m. March 3, police responded to another reported robbery in the 700 block of SE Lawrence Street in Topeka. Upon arrival, it was alleged that an individual matching the description from the incident on March 1, used a firearm to rob an individual and left prior to officers arrival.Just after 2p.m. April 3, police located the wanted alleged robbery offender, identified as Deon K. Ikner, 19, of Topeka, in the 200 block of SE 7th Street in Topeka. Ikner was later arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp;2 x Aggravated Robbery; Armed w/dangerous weapon.

Kansas teen accused in series of armed robberies

ELLIS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a 5-month old boy in Hays.

Just after noon on Tuesday emergency personnel were dispatched to the Roadway Inn - Room #206, 3404 Vine Street, Hays, for a child not breathing, according to a media release.

Hays Police Officers arrived after EMS and observed EMS staff performing CPR on a 5-month-old infant.&nbsp; The child was transported to Hays Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased. 

&nbsp;The death of the infant is under investigation by the Hays Police Department and the Ellis County Coroner’s Office. Police did not release the name of the child.

Anyone with information relating to the incident at the motel should call Detective J.B. Burkholder at (785) 625-1030.

ELLIS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a 5-month old boy in Hays.Just after noon on Tuesday emergency personnel were dispatched to the Roadway Inn - Room #206, 3404 Vine Street, Hays, for a child not breathing, according to a media release.Hays Police Officers arrived after EMS and observed EMS staff performing CPR on a 5-month-old infant.&nbsp; The child was transported to Hays Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased. &nbsp;The death of the infant is under investigation by the Hays Police Department and the Ellis County Coroner’s Office. Police did not release the name of the child.Anyone with information relating to the incident at the motel should call Detective J.B. Burkholder at (785) 625-1030.

Police investigating death of 5-month old in Hays

RAWLINS COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Rawlins County Sheriff’s Office arrested two subjects after a search warrant was executed in McDonald, Kansas, according to a media release from the KBI.

Just after noon Tuesday KBI agents and deputies from the Rawlins County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at 204 Decatur Avenue in McDonald.&nbsp; Methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia were located during the search.

Claudine Valles, 48, of McDonald, was arrested for unlawful distribution of a controlled substance within 1000 feet of a school, possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, and possession of drug paraphernalia. She is being held on a $50,000 bond, according to online jail records.

Allen Statley, 36, of McDonald, was arrested for possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, possession of drug paraphernalia, and multiple violations of the Kansas Offender Registration Act. He is being held on a $125,000 bond.

Also assisting in this operation were the Atwood Police Department and the Cheyenne County Sheriff’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712233592413.png" alt="Statley-photo Thomas Co." />
 <figcaption>Statley-photo Thomas Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>RAWLINS COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Rawlins County Sheriff’s Office arrested two subjects after a search warrant was executed in McDonald, Kansas, according to a media release from the KBI.Just after noon Tuesday KBI agents and deputies from the Rawlins County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at 204 Decatur Avenue in McDonald.&nbsp; Methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia were located during the search.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712233566702.png" alt="Valles-photo Thomas Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Valles-photo Thomas Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>Claudine Valles, 48, of McDonald, was arrested for unlawful distribution of a controlled substance within 1000 feet of a school, possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, and possession of drug paraphernalia. She is being held on a $50,000 bond, according to online jail records.Allen Statley, 36, of McDonald, was arrested for possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, possession of drug paraphernalia, and multiple violations of the Kansas Offender Registration Act. He is being held on a $125,000 bond.Also assisting in this operation were the Atwood Police Department and the Cheyenne County Sheriff’s Office.

KBI makes 2 arrests after drug bust at NW Kansas home

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen was injured Wednesday in a gun accident.

On Wednesday afternoon, police responded to report of a shooting in the 1100 block of South Dodge in Wichita, according to Wichita Police spokesman Andrew Ford.

First responders found a 17-year-old who sustained non-threatening injuries after accidentally shooting himself in the hand and leg while handling a firearm. He was transported for treatment.&nbsp;Police released no additional details on his condition late Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712180839889.png" alt="First responders at the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>First responders at the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen was injured Wednesday in a gun accident.On Wednesday afternoon, police responded to report of a shooting in the 1100 block of South Dodge in Wichita, according to Wichita Police spokesman Andrew Ford.First responders found a 17-year-old who sustained non-threatening injuries after accidentally shooting himself in the hand and leg while handling a firearm. He was transported for treatment.&nbsp;Police released no additional details on his condition late Wednesday.

Kansas teen hospitalized after gun accident

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Lansing Police Department have identified the human skeletal remains found Feb. 18, in a wooded area in Lansing.

The deceased man has been identified as Derrick U. Collins. He was reported missing from Leavenworth in June of 2022, when he was 59-years-old.

No trauma was noted during the autopsy. At this time there is no evidence of foul play in Collins’ death. Final autopsy results are pending.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712180540389.png" alt="Derrick U. Collins-photo Leavenworth County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Derrick U. Collins-photo Leavenworth County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>LEAVENWORTH COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Lansing Police Department have identified the human skeletal remains found Feb. 18, in a wooded area in Lansing.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708379586107.png" alt="-Just after 5 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 18, subjects were walking along a creek bed in the 900 block of N. Main Street in Lansing, when they found skeletal remains. " />
 <figcaption>-Just after 5 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 18, subjects were walking along a creek bed in the 900 block of N. Main Street in Lansing, when they found skeletal remains. </figcaption>
 </figure>The deceased man has been identified as Derrick U. Collins. He was reported missing from Leavenworth in June of 2022, when he was 59-years-old.No trauma was noted during the autopsy. At this time there is no evidence of foul play in Collins’ death. Final autopsy results are pending.

Police ID skeletal remains found near Kansas creek

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Powerball jackpot has increased to an estimated $1.23 billion after another drawing without a big winner Wednesday night.

The numbers selected were: 11, 38, 41, 62, 65 and the Powerball 15.

The jackpot, which now ranks as the eighth-largest in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lottery-jackpots-mega-millions-powerball-80fcb836622ba8e18883ce778786c1cc">U.S. lottery history</a>, has been growing for more than three months,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-lottery-us-news-ap-top-news-ia-state-wire-b5572da1e5d74f6e974bea45c707b5cb">reflecting the long odds</a>&nbsp;of 1 in 292.2 million of winning the top prize. Since the last player won the jackpot Jan. 1, there have been 40 consecutive drawings without anyone matching all six numbers and hitting it rich.

Lottery officials note that thousands of people have won smaller prizes, which range from $2 to $2 million.

The $1.23 billion prize is for a sole winner who chooses to be paid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99">through an annuity</a>&nbsp;with 30 annual payments. Winners almost always prefer the cash option, which for the next drawing Saturday night would be an estimated $595.1 million.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Powerball jackpot has increased to an estimated $1.23 billion after another drawing without a big winner Wednesday night.The numbers selected were: 11, 38, 41, 62, 65 and the Powerball 15.The jackpot, which now ranks as the eighth-largest in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lottery-jackpots-mega-millions-powerball-80fcb836622ba8e18883ce778786c1cc">U.S. lottery history</a>, has been growing for more than three months,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-lottery-us-news-ap-top-news-ia-state-wire-b5572da1e5d74f6e974bea45c707b5cb">reflecting the long odds</a>&nbsp;of 1 in 292.2 million of winning the top prize. Since the last player won the jackpot Jan. 1, there have been 40 consecutive drawings without anyone matching all six numbers and hitting it rich.Lottery officials note that thousands of people have won smaller prizes, which range from $2 to $2 million.The $1.23 billion prize is for a sole winner who chooses to be paid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99">through an annuity</a>&nbsp;with 30 annual payments. Winners almost always prefer the cash option, which for the next drawing Saturday night would be an estimated $595.1 million.

Powerball jackpot jumps to $1.23 billion, 8th largest in U.S. lottery history

WASHINGTON (AP) — Shortly after an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">airstrike widely attributed to Israel destroyed an Iranian consulate building in Syria</a>, the United States had an urgent message for Iran: We had nothing to do with it.

But that may not be enough for the U.S. to avoid retaliation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">targeting its forces in the region.</a>&nbsp;A top U.S. commander warned on Wednesday of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthi-attacks-ships-red-sea-7b86941c985a934281c68d6624baff1b">danger to American troops.</a>

And if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent broadening of targeted strikes on adversaries around the region to include Iranian security operatives and leaders deepens regional hostilities, analysts say, it's not clear the United States can avoid being pulled into deeper regional conflict as well.

The Biden administration insists it had no advance knowledge of the airstrike Monday. But the United States is closely tied to Israel's military regardless. The U.S. remains Israel’s indispensable ally and unstinting supplier of weapons, responsible for some 70% of Israeli weapon imports and an estimated 15% of Israel's defense budget. That includes providing the kind of advanced aircraft and munitions that appear to have been employed in the attack.

Israel hasn’t acknowledged a role in the airstrike, but Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said Tuesday that the U.S. has assessed Israel was responsible.

Multiple arms of Iran's government served notice that they would hold the United States accountable for the fiery attack. The strike, in the Syrian capital of Damascus, killed senior commanders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for Syria and Lebanon, an officer of the powerful Iran-allied Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, and others.

American forces in Syria and Iraq already are frequent targets when Iran and its regional allies seek retaliation for strikes by Israelis, notes Charles Lister, the Syria program director for the Middle East Institute.

“What the Iranians have always done for years when they have felt most aggressively targeted by Israel is not to hit back at Israelis, but Americans,” seeing them as soft targets in the region, Lister said.

On Wednesday in Washington, the top U.S. Air Force commander for the Middle East, Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, said Iran’s assertion that the U.S. bears responsibility for Israeli actions could bring an end to a pause in militia attacks on U.S. forces that has lasted since early February.

He said he sees no specific threat to U.S. troops right now, but “I am concerned because of the Iranian rhetoric talking about the U.S., that there could be a risk to our forces."

U.S. officials have recorded more than 150 attacks by Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria on U.S. forces at bases in those countries since war between Hamas and Israel began on Oct. 7.

One, in late January, killed three U.S. service members and injured dozens more at a base in Jordan.

In retaliation, the U.S. launched a massive air assault, hitting more than 85 targets at seven locations in Iraq and Syria, including command and control headquarters, drone and ammunition storage sites and other facilities connected to the militias or the IRGC’s Quds Force, the Guard’s expeditionary unit that handles Tehran’s relationship with and arming of regional militias. There have been no publicly reported attacks on U.S. troops in the region since that response.

Grynkewich told reporters the U.S. is watching and listening carefully to what Iran is saying and doing to evaluate how Tehran might respond.

Analysts and diplomats cite a range of ways Iran could retaliate.

Since Oct. 7, Iran and the regional militias allied to it in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen have followed a strategy of calibrated attacks that stop short of triggering an all-out conflict that could subject Iran’s homeland forces or Hezbollah to full-blown war with Israel or the United States.

Beyond strikes on U.S. troops, possibilities for Iranian retaliation could include a limited missile strike directly from Iranian soil to Israel, Lister said. That would reciprocate for Israel's strike on what under international law was sovereign Iranian soil, at the Iranian diplomatic building in Damascus.

A concentrated attack on a U.S. position abroad on the scale of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-marines-bombing-beirut-1983-hezbollah-israel-hamas-iran-34f61ac47909c52de800dd35b375e782">1983 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Beirut</a>&nbsp;is possible, but seems unlikely given the scale of U.S. retaliation that would draw, analysts say. Iran also could escalate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-sanctions-treasury-terrorism-bolton-soleimani-rushdie-a3b96b9008b0f4d64c8279717d1f4dea">an existing effort to kill Trump-era officials</a>&nbsp;behind the United States' 2020 drone killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.

How far any other retaliation and potential escalation goes may depend on two things out of U.S. control: Whether Iran wants to keep regional hostilities at their current level or escalate, and whether Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's far-right government does.

Sina Toossi, a fellow at the Center for International Policy, said analysts in Iran are among those trying to read Netanyahu's mind since the attack, struggling to choose between two competing narratives for Israel's objective.

“One perceives Israel’s actions as a deliberate provocation of war that Iran should respond to with restraint,” Toossi wrote in the U.S.-based think tank's journal. “The other suggests that Israel is capitalizing on Iran’s typically restrained responses,” and that failing to respond in kind will only embolden Israel.

Ultimately, Iran’s sense that it is already winning its strategic goals as the Hamas-Israel war continues — elevating the Palestinian cause and costing Israel friends globally — may go the furthest in persuading Iranian leaders not to risk open warfare with Israel or U.S. in whatever response they make to Monday’s airstrike, some analysts and diplomats say.

Shira Efron, a director of policy research at the U.S.-based Israel Policy Forum, rejected suggestions that Netanyahu was actively trying with attacks like the one in Damascus to draw the U.S. into a potentially decisive conflict alongside Israel against their common rivals, at least for now.

“First, the risk of escalation has increased. No doubt,” Efron said.

“I don't think Netanyahu is interested in full-blown war though,” she said. “And whereas in the past Israel was thought to be interested in drawing the U.S. into a greater conflict, even if the desire still exists in some circles, it is not more than wishful thinking at the moment.”

U.S. President Joe Biden is facing pressure from the other direction.

So far he's resisting calls from growing numbers of Democratic lawmakers and voters to limit the flow of American arms to Israel as a way to press Netanyahu to ease Israeli military killing of civilians in Gaza and to heed other U.S. appeals.

As criticism has grown of U.S. military support of Israel’s war in Gaza, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller has increasingly pointed to Israel’s longer-term need for weapons — to defend itself against Iran and Iranian-allied Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The U.S. is ″always concerned about anything that would be escalatory,” Miller said after the attack in Damascus. “It has been one of the goals of this administration since October 7th to keep the conflict from spreading, recognizing that Israel has the right to defend itself from adversaries that are sworn to its destruction.''

Israel for years has hit at Iranian proxies and their sites in the region, knocking back their ability to build strength and cause trouble for Israelis.

Since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, one of a network of Iran-aligned militias in the region, that shattered Israel’s sense of security, Netanyahu’s government has increasingly added Iranian security operatives and leaders to target lists in the region, Lister notes.

The U.S. military already has deepened engagement from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea since the Hamas-Israel war opened — deploying aircraft carriers to the region to discourage rear-guard attacks against Israel, opening airstrikes to quell attacks on shipping by Iran-allied Houthis in Yemen.

It is also moving to build a pier off Gaza to try to get more aid to Palestinian civilians despite obstacles that include Israel’s restrictions and attacks on aid deliveries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705969629635.png" alt="File photo from U.S. strikes in the Middle East in February-U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File photo from U.S. strikes in the Middle East in February-U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>By ELLEN KNICKMEYER and LOLITA C. BALDORWASHINGTON (AP) — Shortly after an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">airstrike widely attributed to Israel destroyed an Iranian consulate building in Syria</a>, the United States had an urgent message for Iran: We had nothing to do with it.But that may not be enough for the U.S. to avoid retaliation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">targeting its forces in the region.</a>&nbsp;A top U.S. commander warned on Wednesday of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthi-attacks-ships-red-sea-7b86941c985a934281c68d6624baff1b">danger to American troops.</a>And if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent broadening of targeted strikes on adversaries around the region to include Iranian security operatives and leaders deepens regional hostilities, analysts say, it's not clear the United States can avoid being pulled into deeper regional conflict as well.The Biden administration insists it had no advance knowledge of the airstrike Monday. But the United States is closely tied to Israel's military regardless. The U.S. remains Israel’s indispensable ally and unstinting supplier of weapons, responsible for some 70% of Israeli weapon imports and an estimated 15% of Israel's defense budget. That includes providing the kind of advanced aircraft and munitions that appear to have been employed in the attack.Israel hasn’t acknowledged a role in the airstrike, but Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said Tuesday that the U.S. has assessed Israel was responsible.Multiple arms of Iran's government served notice that they would hold the United States accountable for the fiery attack. The strike, in the Syrian capital of Damascus, killed senior commanders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for Syria and Lebanon, an officer of the powerful Iran-allied Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, and others.American forces in Syria and Iraq already are frequent targets when Iran and its regional allies seek retaliation for strikes by Israelis, notes Charles Lister, the Syria program director for the Middle East Institute.“What the Iranians have always done for years when they have felt most aggressively targeted by Israel is not to hit back at Israelis, but Americans,” seeing them as soft targets in the region, Lister said.On Wednesday in Washington, the top U.S. Air Force commander for the Middle East, Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, said Iran’s assertion that the U.S. bears responsibility for Israeli actions could bring an end to a pause in militia attacks on U.S. forces that has lasted since early February.He said he sees no specific threat to U.S. troops right now, but “I am concerned because of the Iranian rhetoric talking about the U.S., that there could be a risk to our forces."U.S. officials have recorded more than 150 attacks by Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria on U.S. forces at bases in those countries since war between Hamas and Israel began on Oct. 7.One, in late January, killed three U.S. service members and injured dozens more at a base in Jordan.In retaliation, the U.S. launched a massive air assault, hitting more than 85 targets at seven locations in Iraq and Syria, including command and control headquarters, drone and ammunition storage sites and other facilities connected to the militias or the IRGC’s Quds Force, the Guard’s expeditionary unit that handles Tehran’s relationship with and arming of regional militias. There have been no publicly reported attacks on U.S. troops in the region since that response.Grynkewich told reporters the U.S. is watching and listening carefully to what Iran is saying and doing to evaluate how Tehran might respond.Analysts and diplomats cite a range of ways Iran could retaliate.Since Oct. 7, Iran and the regional militias allied to it in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen have followed a strategy of calibrated attacks that stop short of triggering an all-out conflict that could subject Iran’s homeland forces or Hezbollah to full-blown war with Israel or the United States.Beyond strikes on U.S. troops, possibilities for Iranian retaliation could include a limited missile strike directly from Iranian soil to Israel, Lister said. That would reciprocate for Israel's strike on what under international law was sovereign Iranian soil, at the Iranian diplomatic building in Damascus.A concentrated attack on a U.S. position abroad on the scale of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-marines-bombing-beirut-1983-hezbollah-israel-hamas-iran-34f61ac47909c52de800dd35b375e782">1983 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Beirut</a>&nbsp;is possible, but seems unlikely given the scale of U.S. retaliation that would draw, analysts say. Iran also could escalate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-sanctions-treasury-terrorism-bolton-soleimani-rushdie-a3b96b9008b0f4d64c8279717d1f4dea">an existing effort to kill Trump-era officials</a>&nbsp;behind the United States' 2020 drone killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.How far any other retaliation and potential escalation goes may depend on two things out of U.S. control: Whether Iran wants to keep regional hostilities at their current level or escalate, and whether Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's far-right government does.Sina Toossi, a fellow at the Center for International Policy, said analysts in Iran are among those trying to read Netanyahu's mind since the attack, struggling to choose between two competing narratives for Israel's objective.“One perceives Israel’s actions as a deliberate provocation of war that Iran should respond to with restraint,” Toossi wrote in the U.S.-based think tank's journal. “The other suggests that Israel is capitalizing on Iran’s typically restrained responses,” and that failing to respond in kind will only embolden Israel.Ultimately, Iran’s sense that it is already winning its strategic goals as the Hamas-Israel war continues — elevating the Palestinian cause and costing Israel friends globally — may go the furthest in persuading Iranian leaders not to risk open warfare with Israel or U.S. in whatever response they make to Monday’s airstrike, some analysts and diplomats say.Shira Efron, a director of policy research at the U.S.-based Israel Policy Forum, rejected suggestions that Netanyahu was actively trying with attacks like the one in Damascus to draw the U.S. into a potentially decisive conflict alongside Israel against their common rivals, at least for now.“First, the risk of escalation has increased. No doubt,” Efron said.“I don't think Netanyahu is interested in full-blown war though,” she said. “And whereas in the past Israel was thought to be interested in drawing the U.S. into a greater conflict, even if the desire still exists in some circles, it is not more than wishful thinking at the moment.”U.S. President Joe Biden is facing pressure from the other direction.So far he's resisting calls from growing numbers of Democratic lawmakers and voters to limit the flow of American arms to Israel as a way to press Netanyahu to ease Israeli military killing of civilians in Gaza and to heed other U.S. appeals.As criticism has grown of U.S. military support of Israel’s war in Gaza, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller has increasingly pointed to Israel’s longer-term need for weapons — to defend itself against Iran and Iranian-allied Hezbollah in Lebanon.The U.S. is ″always concerned about anything that would be escalatory,” Miller said after the attack in Damascus. “It has been one of the goals of this administration since October 7th to keep the conflict from spreading, recognizing that Israel has the right to defend itself from adversaries that are sworn to its destruction.''Israel for years has hit at Iranian proxies and their sites in the region, knocking back their ability to build strength and cause trouble for Israelis.Since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, one of a network of Iran-aligned militias in the region, that shattered Israel’s sense of security, Netanyahu’s government has increasingly added Iranian security operatives and leaders to target lists in the region, Lister notes.The U.S. military already has deepened engagement from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea since the Hamas-Israel war opened — deploying aircraft carriers to the region to discourage rear-guard attacks against Israel, opening airstrikes to quell attacks on shipping by Iran-allied Houthis in Yemen.It is also moving to build a pier off Gaza to try to get more aid to Palestinian civilians despite obstacles that include Israel’s restrictions and attacks on aid deliveries.

US braces for retaliation after attack on Iran consulate

LYNCHBURG, Va. – A Kansas man, who told a 14-year-old girl he wanted to “take a kid’s virginity” after meeting her on Twitter, pled guilty this week to federal child exploitation charges, according to the United State's Attorney.

Andrew Kent, 22, a.k.a. “Leo” and “JeffThePumpkin,” from Manhattan, Kansas, pled guilty this week to one count of sexual exploitation of children. At sentencing, Kent faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years.

“This case demonstrates the importance of knowing not only what your children are doing online, but also with whom they are communicating,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “There are dangerous people on the Internet who specifically target children.&nbsp; We will use every tool we have to find those people and bring them to justice, but parents also perform a critical part in educating and monitoring their children’s online activity.”

According to court documents, in January 2023, Kent met a 14-year-old girl from Lynchburg, Virginia, on Twitter. Initially, Kent pretended to be a 20-year-old woman named “Tris.” He used this “Tris” persona to introduce his victim to a young man named “Leo.” In reality, both the “Tris” and “Leo” profiles were controlled by Kent.

Kent told his victim that he was from Roanoke, Virginia, and sent generic pictures of Roanoke in order to further convince her of their geographic proximity to each other.

When they began chatting, the victim informed Kent that she was only 14 years old. Kent told the her that he was 21 years old and that he was interested in meeting her someday in order to “take a kid’s virginity.”

As the conversations progressed, Kent told the 14-year-old that she needed to call him “Daddy,” “Sir,” or “Master,” and then warned her that he might punish her if she failed to do so. Kent also directed violent language at the victim, telling her he wanted to cut her and make her bleed.

After several weeks of chatting, Kent instructed the victim to send him nude photographs and videos of herself, to which she obliged.

On June 16, 2023, Kent was arrested by law enforcement and interviewed by agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. At that time, he admitted to using Twitter, Snapchat, and Discord to contact minor girls for the purpose of getting them to send him naked pictures. He often used the “Tris” persona because he found it was easier to get minor girls to talk to him if he pretended to be a young woman.

Kent estimated he solicited and received images of child sexual abuse material from approximately 200 minor girls.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, and the Lynchburg Police Department provided vital assistance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712173597895.png" alt="Kent photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Kent photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>LYNCHBURG, Va. – A Kansas man, who told a 14-year-old girl he wanted to “take a kid’s virginity” after meeting her on Twitter, pled guilty this week to federal child exploitation charges, according to the United State's Attorney.Andrew Kent, 22, a.k.a. “Leo” and “JeffThePumpkin,” from Manhattan, Kansas, pled guilty this week to one count of sexual exploitation of children. At sentencing, Kent faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years.“This case demonstrates the importance of knowing not only what your children are doing online, but also with whom they are communicating,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “There are dangerous people on the Internet who specifically target children.&nbsp; We will use every tool we have to find those people and bring them to justice, but parents also perform a critical part in educating and monitoring their children’s online activity.”According to court documents, in January 2023, Kent met a 14-year-old girl from Lynchburg, Virginia, on Twitter. Initially, Kent pretended to be a 20-year-old woman named “Tris.” He used this “Tris” persona to introduce his victim to a young man named “Leo.” In reality, both the “Tris” and “Leo” profiles were controlled by Kent.Kent told his victim that he was from Roanoke, Virginia, and sent generic pictures of Roanoke in order to further convince her of their geographic proximity to each other.When they began chatting, the victim informed Kent that she was only 14 years old. Kent told the her that he was 21 years old and that he was interested in meeting her someday in order to “take a kid’s virginity.”As the conversations progressed, Kent told the 14-year-old that she needed to call him “Daddy,” “Sir,” or “Master,” and then warned her that he might punish her if she failed to do so. Kent also directed violent language at the victim, telling her he wanted to cut her and make her bleed.After several weeks of chatting, Kent instructed the victim to send him nude photographs and videos of herself, to which she obliged.On June 16, 2023, Kent was arrested by law enforcement and interviewed by agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. At that time, he admitted to using Twitter, Snapchat, and Discord to contact minor girls for the purpose of getting them to send him naked pictures. He often used the “Tris” persona because he found it was easier to get minor girls to talk to him if he pretended to be a young woman.Kent estimated he solicited and received images of child sexual abuse material from approximately 200 minor girls.The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, and the Lynchburg Police Department provided vital assistance.

Kan. man used social media to get sexual photos from minors

RENO COUNTY —Hutchinson Correctional Facility (HCF) resident Watson Kevin Bradford, 51, died Wednesday, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Corrections.

 He was found unresponsive in his cell Wednesday afternoon. Staff began life-saving measures immediately and continued after emergency medical services arrived. Mr. Bradford was pronounced deceased by medical staff. The cause of death is pending the results of an independent autopsy.

Bradford was serving a life sentence, for convictions of first-degree murder, attempted robbery, and forgery committed in Leavenworth County, Kansas

Per protocol, when a resident dies in the custody of the KDOC, the death is under investigation by the KDOC and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. The investigation is currently ongoing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712186430976.png" alt="Bradford-photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Bradford-photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY —Hutchinson Correctional Facility (HCF) resident Watson Kevin Bradford, 51, died Wednesday, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Corrections. He was found unresponsive in his cell Wednesday afternoon. Staff began life-saving measures immediately and continued after emergency medical services arrived. Mr. Bradford was pronounced deceased by medical staff. The cause of death is pending the results of an independent autopsy.Bradford was serving a life sentence, for convictions of first-degree murder, attempted robbery, and forgery committed in Leavenworth County, KansasPer protocol, when a resident dies in the custody of the KDOC, the death is under investigation by the KDOC and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Inmate serving time for murder dies in Kansas prison

PAWNEE COUNTY—A man accused in a rural Pawnee County murder made his first court appearance Wednesday.

Michael EG Reynolds, 67 of Larned,&nbsp; was charged with Intentional Murder in the Second Degree, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, and Criminal Possession of a Firearm, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.

The charges stem from a joint investigation by the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Department, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and Coroner Dr. Lyle Noordhoek.&nbsp;

Just after 5:00 p.m., on Saturday, emergency dispatch was notified of a shooting that had just occurred at 1219 Kansas Highway 19 South, in rural Pawnee County. 

Emergency personnel discovered that <a href="https://www.beckwithmortuary.com/obituary/dr-tomas-garza">Dr. Tomas Garza, 52, of Larned</a>, had been shot multiple times during an argument with Michael Reynolds, 67, of Larned.

Garza was transported to an area hospital but died of his injuries. An individual that was with Garza at the time of the incident indicated the firearm in question had also been aimed at them. Reynolds was taken into custody at the scene without incident. It is the State’s position that Reynolds was not legally entitled to possess a firearm on the date in question due to an incident in 2015 involving a firearm, according to McNett.

Counsel was appointed to represent the defendant and a Preliminary Hearing was scheduled for April 16.

The Court granted the State’s request that Reynolds be held Without Bond due to community safety concerns. Reynolds remains in custody at the Pawnee County Jail

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712009351520.png" alt="Reynolds photo Pawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Reynolds photo Pawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>PAWNEE COUNTY—A man accused in a rural Pawnee County murder made his first court appearance Wednesday.Michael EG Reynolds, 67 of Larned,&nbsp; was charged with Intentional Murder in the Second Degree, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, and Criminal Possession of a Firearm, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.The charges stem from a joint investigation by the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Department, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and Coroner Dr. Lyle Noordhoek.&nbsp;Just after 5:00 p.m., on Saturday, emergency dispatch was notified of a shooting that had just occurred at 1219 Kansas Highway 19 South, in rural Pawnee County. Emergency personnel discovered that <a href="https://www.beckwithmortuary.com/obituary/dr-tomas-garza">Dr. Tomas Garza, 52, of Larned</a>, had been shot multiple times during an argument with Michael Reynolds, 67, of Larned. Garza was transported to an area hospital but died of his injuries. An individual that was with Garza at the time of the incident indicated the firearm in question had also been aimed at them. Reynolds was taken into custody at the scene without incident. It is the State’s position that Reynolds was not legally entitled to possess a firearm on the date in question due to an incident in 2015 involving a firearm, according to McNett.Counsel was appointed to represent the defendant and a Preliminary Hearing was scheduled for April 16.The Court granted the State’s request that Reynolds be held Without Bond due to community safety concerns. Reynolds remains in custody at the Pawnee County Jail

 Kansas man charged with killing doctor during an argument

TEXAS COUNTY, Okla. —&nbsp;Law enforcement authorities continue investigating the suspicious disappearance of two women from Hugoton, Kansas who have been missing since Saturday.

Based on the information obtained from the victim’s vehicle, investigators believe there was evidence to indicate foul play,&nbsp; according to a Wednesday afternoon statement from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

&nbsp;We are still searching for these victims and there are no arrests at this time. We ask that anyone with additional information to contact us.

On March 30, 2024, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/texascountysheriff?__cft__[0]=AZUN1RbenGKKSTbhUwrfs2POzCdB0jT1o_05xNnWDgxTOZM_kvYFhwzInEC_7C8da2AWdqEU2gV11pDpCTW1Mb3giHbODc12L4vGEmh7E5t8xvqag-qf2Mm9KZTsbAIg-4go4YlbXRBdW644Wiw2ID31O72PX0ulgCqL_gJRUQ9DEOk4GBSdNGTLD4p3iAeLs10&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Texas County Sheriff's Department</a>&nbsp;requested the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to investigate the suspicious disappearance of 27-year-old Veronica Butler and 39-year-old Jilian Kelley.

They were traveling together to pick up children when they went missing, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said in a statement.

They never made it to the pickup location, the OSBI&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=801154808712956&amp;set=a.297085712453204" target="_blank">advisory</a>&nbsp;said. Their car was located abandoned on the side of the road.

Their car was found abandoned near Highway 95 and Road L, south of Elkhart, Kansas, in rural Texas County.&nbsp; The Yarbrough Schools in Texas County, Oklahoma have been operating on a locked down status with additional safety measures in place due to the search in the area, according to an online statement from the school district.

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the OSBI at&nbsp;tips@osbi.ok.gov&nbsp;or 1-800-522-8017. This is still an ongoing investigation. The OSBI would like to thank the Texas County Sheriff’s Office,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Oklahoma.Highway.Patrol?__cft__[0]=AZUN1RbenGKKSTbhUwrfs2POzCdB0jT1o_05xNnWDgxTOZM_kvYFhwzInEC_7C8da2AWdqEU2gV11pDpCTW1Mb3giHbODc12L4vGEmh7E5t8xvqag-qf2Mm9KZTsbAIg-4go4YlbXRBdW644Wiw2ID31O72PX0ulgCqL_gJRUQ9DEOk4GBSdNGTLD4p3iAeLs10&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Oklahoma Highway Patrol</a>, and several other local agencies for assisting us with this case.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1711967700182.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TEXAS COUNTY, Okla. —&nbsp;Law enforcement authorities continue investigating the suspicious disappearance of two women from Hugoton, Kansas who have been missing since Saturday.Based on the information obtained from the victim’s vehicle, investigators believe there was evidence to indicate foul play,&nbsp; according to a Wednesday afternoon statement from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.&nbsp;We are still searching for these victims and there are no arrests at this time. We ask that anyone with additional information to contact us.On March 30, 2024, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/texascountysheriff?__cft__[0]=AZUN1RbenGKKSTbhUwrfs2POzCdB0jT1o_05xNnWDgxTOZM_kvYFhwzInEC_7C8da2AWdqEU2gV11pDpCTW1Mb3giHbODc12L4vGEmh7E5t8xvqag-qf2Mm9KZTsbAIg-4go4YlbXRBdW644Wiw2ID31O72PX0ulgCqL_gJRUQ9DEOk4GBSdNGTLD4p3iAeLs10&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Texas County Sheriff's Department</a>&nbsp;requested the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to investigate the suspicious disappearance of 27-year-old Veronica Butler and 39-year-old Jilian Kelley.They were traveling together to pick up children when they went missing, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said in a statement.They never made it to the pickup location, the OSBI&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=801154808712956&amp;set=a.297085712453204" target="_blank">advisory</a>&nbsp;said. Their car was located abandoned on the side of the road.Their car was found abandoned near Highway 95 and Road L, south of Elkhart, Kansas, in rural Texas County.&nbsp; The Yarbrough Schools in Texas County, Oklahoma have been operating on a locked down status with additional safety measures in place due to the search in the area, according to an online statement from the school district.Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the OSBI at&nbsp;tips@osbi.ok.gov&nbsp;or 1-800-522-8017. This is still an ongoing investigation. The OSBI would like to thank the Texas County Sheriff’s Office,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Oklahoma.Highway.Patrol?__cft__[0]=AZUN1RbenGKKSTbhUwrfs2POzCdB0jT1o_05xNnWDgxTOZM_kvYFhwzInEC_7C8da2AWdqEU2gV11pDpCTW1Mb3giHbODc12L4vGEmh7E5t8xvqag-qf2Mm9KZTsbAIg-4go4YlbXRBdW644Wiw2ID31O72PX0ulgCqL_gJRUQ9DEOk4GBSdNGTLD4p3iAeLs10&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Oklahoma Highway Patrol</a>, and several other local agencies for assisting us with this case.&nbsp;

OSBI: Evidence of foul play in case of 2 missing Kan. women

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Royals owner John Sherman and Chiefs president Mark Donovan stood on a small stage in the second-floor lounge of the historic J. Rieger &amp; Co. distillery in Kansas City on Tuesday night, acknowledging the will of voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-royals-kansas-city-stadiums-e9605296b85e91699441e4ba10e83212">who had rejected a sales tax initiative</a>&nbsp;that would have helped pay for a new downtown ballpark and renovations to Arrowhead Stadium.

“Won a baseball game tonight,” said Sherman, whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-orioles-score-2c613ea12bd8fe9471d4426628c7c7a8">Royals had beaten the Orioles</a>, “but we didn't win this.”

The ballot measure didn't just lose, though. It lost decisively.

More than 58% of voters in Jackson County, Missouri, rejected the three-eighths of a cent sales tax. The Royals, who had promised $1 billion in private funding, wanted to use their share of the tax revenue to build a new ballpark as the centerpiece of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-kansas-city-mlb-ballpark-12fd8f2b405885461368ff8902a7a445">a $2 billion-plus downtown district</a>&nbsp;in a thriving arts neighborhood known as the Crossroads. The Chiefs, who had committed $300 million from their ownership, wanted to use their share for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-arrowhead-stadium-kansas-city-renovations-f63c4e33525cd1e616a3aad70107d958">an $800 million renovation of Arrowhead Stadium</a>.

“We will look to do what is in the best interest of our fans and organization as we move forward,” Donovan said Tuesday night.

Sherman and Donovan then walked off the stage and out a back door, leaving what had been an upbeat and festive watch party without taking questions, yet leaving many questions to be answered in the days and months ahead.

There was no single reason the tax failed;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-royals-stadiums-kansas-city-3077b9fdb88cdf20e17e587811c23645">rather an accumulation of factors</a>&nbsp;soured voters. Among them were the location of the downtown ballpark, the messaging from the franchises and the very nature of their construction plans.

Last fall, the Royals floated ballpark concepts east of downtown and in neighboring Clay County, Missouri, and said they would decide by September on one of the sites. But that self-imposed deadline passed, and it wasn't until February that the club said it would move instead to the Crossroads, leaving less than two months to sway voters on the location.

Yet the Royals experienced serious pushback from business owners in the area, some of whom would have had to sell their property and relocate. Compounding the problem was the lack of concrete plans — the Royals could not even produce a current ballpark rendering by Tuesday night after agreeing last week to keep open a street in the stadium footprint.

That was just the start of messaging problems that plagued the campaign.

Along with lacking transparency, the Royals and Chiefs shifted their approach at the insistence of political strategists running a committee to keep the teams in Jackson County. Their once-positive and collaborative messages were replaced by veiled threats that they would leave if the tax failed, and the "vote yes-or-else” message turned many voters away.

Then there was the plans themselves. In the case of the Chiefs, the renovation would have upgraded concourses, video boards and the parking at Arrowhead Stadium. But the everyday fan, who in many cases already has been priced out of games, balked at helping to pay for exclusive endzone clubs, renovated suits, sideline clubs and VIP entry points.

The Chiefs and Royals have said they would explore all options if the tax failed. And while they could still agree to a revised deal with Jackson County, they also could be courted by locales offering tax breaks and other financial benefits.

Officials in Kansas have not been shy about trying to woo the Chiefs across the state line, possibly to an area that includes Kansas Speedway and Children's Mercy Park, the home of MLS club Sporting Kansas City. Meanwhile, cities such as Nashville that desire a big league ballclub could promise the Royals the funding they desire.

The two teams are deeply woven into the fabric of Kansas City, though. Sherman said one of the reasons the late David Glass sold him the Royals in 2019 is that he entrusted the Kansas City businessman with keeping the baseball team in town, where fans have supported it through far more losing seasons than winning ones.

The most likely scenario is the Chiefs and Royals try again in Jackson County, though rather than work together, each could seek its own deal. Jackson County executive Frank White, a member of the Royals' Hall of Fame, had been a vocal critic of the tax yet said Tuesday night he was hopeful the teams would “come back to the table.”

Similar sentiments were echoed by Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, who endorsed the tax initiative only late last week.

“The people of Kansas City and Jackson County love the Chiefs and the Royals. They rejected plans and processes they found inadequate," Lucas said. "I look forward to working with the Chiefs and Royals to build a stronger, more open and collaborative process that will ensure the teams, their events and investments remain in Kansas City for generations to come.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712112786193.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals owner John Sherman, left, address the media while Kansas City Chiefs president Mark Donovan looks on during a news conference about a plan to extend a sales tax to provide funding to build a new stadium for the Royals and stadium improvement for the Chiefs Saturday, March 30, 2024, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Jackson County, Mo. residents will vote on the question Tuesday, April 2. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)." />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals owner John Sherman, left, address the media while Kansas City Chiefs president Mark Donovan looks on during a news conference about a plan to extend a sales tax to provide funding to build a new stadium for the Royals and stadium improvement for the Chiefs Saturday, March 30, 2024, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Jackson County, Mo. residents will vote on the question Tuesday, April 2. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel).</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Royals owner John Sherman and Chiefs president Mark Donovan stood on a small stage in the second-floor lounge of the historic J. Rieger &amp; Co. distillery in Kansas City on Tuesday night, acknowledging the will of voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-royals-kansas-city-stadiums-e9605296b85e91699441e4ba10e83212">who had rejected a sales tax initiative</a>&nbsp;that would have helped pay for a new downtown ballpark and renovations to Arrowhead Stadium.“Won a baseball game tonight,” said Sherman, whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-orioles-score-2c613ea12bd8fe9471d4426628c7c7a8">Royals had beaten the Orioles</a>, “but we didn't win this.”The ballot measure didn't just lose, though. It lost decisively.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712104528404.png" alt="photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>More than 58% of voters in Jackson County, Missouri, rejected the three-eighths of a cent sales tax. The Royals, who had promised $1 billion in private funding, wanted to use their share of the tax revenue to build a new ballpark as the centerpiece of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-kansas-city-mlb-ballpark-12fd8f2b405885461368ff8902a7a445">a $2 billion-plus downtown district</a>&nbsp;in a thriving arts neighborhood known as the Crossroads. The Chiefs, who had committed $300 million from their ownership, wanted to use their share for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-arrowhead-stadium-kansas-city-renovations-f63c4e33525cd1e616a3aad70107d958">an $800 million renovation of Arrowhead Stadium</a>.“We will look to do what is in the best interest of our fans and organization as we move forward,” Donovan said Tuesday night.Sherman and Donovan then walked off the stage and out a back door, leaving what had been an upbeat and festive watch party without taking questions, yet leaving many questions to be answered in the days and months ahead.WHY DID THE TAX FAIL?There was no single reason the tax failed;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-royals-stadiums-kansas-city-3077b9fdb88cdf20e17e587811c23645">rather an accumulation of factors</a>&nbsp;soured voters. Among them were the location of the downtown ballpark, the messaging from the franchises and the very nature of their construction plans.Last fall, the Royals floated ballpark concepts east of downtown and in neighboring Clay County, Missouri, and said they would decide by September on one of the sites. But that self-imposed deadline passed, and it wasn't until February that the club said it would move instead to the Crossroads, leaving less than two months to sway voters on the location.Yet the Royals experienced serious pushback from business owners in the area, some of whom would have had to sell their property and relocate. Compounding the problem was the lack of concrete plans — the Royals could not even produce a current ballpark rendering by Tuesday night after agreeing last week to keep open a street in the stadium footprint.That was just the start of messaging problems that plagued the campaign.Along with lacking transparency, the Royals and Chiefs shifted their approach at the insistence of political strategists running a committee to keep the teams in Jackson County. Their once-positive and collaborative messages were replaced by veiled threats that they would leave if the tax failed, and the "vote yes-or-else” message turned many voters away.Then there was the plans themselves. In the case of the Chiefs, the renovation would have upgraded concourses, video boards and the parking at Arrowhead Stadium. But the everyday fan, who in many cases already has been priced out of games, balked at helping to pay for exclusive endzone clubs, renovated suits, sideline clubs and VIP entry points.WHAT IS NEXT?The Chiefs and Royals have said they would explore all options if the tax failed. And while they could still agree to a revised deal with Jackson County, they also could be courted by locales offering tax breaks and other financial benefits.Officials in Kansas have not been shy about trying to woo the Chiefs across the state line, possibly to an area that includes Kansas Speedway and Children's Mercy Park, the home of MLS club Sporting Kansas City. Meanwhile, cities such as Nashville that desire a big league ballclub could promise the Royals the funding they desire.The two teams are deeply woven into the fabric of Kansas City, though. Sherman said one of the reasons the late David Glass sold him the Royals in 2019 is that he entrusted the Kansas City businessman with keeping the baseball team in town, where fans have supported it through far more losing seasons than winning ones.The most likely scenario is the Chiefs and Royals try again in Jackson County, though rather than work together, each could seek its own deal. Jackson County executive Frank White, a member of the Royals' Hall of Fame, had been a vocal critic of the tax yet said Tuesday night he was hopeful the teams would “come back to the table.”Similar sentiments were echoed by Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, who endorsed the tax initiative only late last week.“The people of Kansas City and Jackson County love the Chiefs and the Royals. They rejected plans and processes they found inadequate," Lucas said. "I look forward to working with the Chiefs and Royals to build a stronger, more open and collaborative process that will ensure the teams, their events and investments remain in Kansas City for generations to come.”