WASHINGTON (AP) —President Joe Biden on Friday signed a short-term spending bill that keeps the federal government operating until early March.

The bill averts what would’ve been a partial government shutdown starting Saturday. It does not address additional aid for Ukraine, which remains in limbo as key legislators&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-speaker-johnson-border-security-ukraine-government-shutdown-fa505e84f1ffd1767eb01a250a161393" target="_blank">continue to negotiate</a>&nbsp;a border security measure that would go in tandem with more support for Kyiv.

Congress, ahead of the winter snowstorm that struck Washington, D.C., on Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/budget-spending-congress-extend-shutdown-fa6958e60fd2c08880b21e091f108215" target="_blank">passed the short-term bill</a>&nbsp;with large bipartisan majorities on Thursday. The vote was 77-18 in the Senate and 314-108 in the House.

Under the bill, funding for agencies overseeing agriculture, veterans affairs, energy, transportation and housing runs through March 1. Funding for the rest of the federal government now runs through March 8. It’s meant to buy lawmakers extra time to draft full-year spending bills through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., will continue to face pressure from House conservatives who want him to abandon a bipartisan agreement that sets overall spending levels for those full-year bills at $1.66 trillion. Those conservatives say that is too much money, but Democrats and moderate Republicans say Congress must abide by that deal and avoid legislative dysfunction during an election year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705691803663.png" alt="President Biden during a campaign stop Thursday in North Carolina-image from the White House video" />
 <figcaption>President Biden during a campaign stop Thursday in North Carolina-image from the White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —President Joe Biden on Friday signed a short-term spending bill that keeps the federal government operating until early March.The bill averts what would’ve been a partial government shutdown starting Saturday. It does not address additional aid for Ukraine, which remains in limbo as key legislators&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-speaker-johnson-border-security-ukraine-government-shutdown-fa505e84f1ffd1767eb01a250a161393" target="_blank">continue to negotiate</a>&nbsp;a border security measure that would go in tandem with more support for Kyiv.Congress, ahead of the winter snowstorm that struck Washington, D.C., on Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/budget-spending-congress-extend-shutdown-fa6958e60fd2c08880b21e091f108215" target="_blank">passed the short-term bill</a>&nbsp;with large bipartisan majorities on Thursday. The vote was 77-18 in the Senate and 314-108 in the House.Under the bill, funding for agencies overseeing agriculture, veterans affairs, energy, transportation and housing runs through March 1. Funding for the rest of the federal government now runs through March 8. It’s meant to buy lawmakers extra time to draft full-year spending bills through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., will continue to face pressure from House conservatives who want him to abandon a bipartisan agreement that sets overall spending levels for those full-year bills at $1.66 trillion. Those conservatives say that is too much money, but Democrats and moderate Republicans say Congress must abide by that deal and avoid legislative dysfunction during an election year.

Biden signs bill to avoid a partial government shutdown

TOKYO (AP) — Japan became the fifth country in history to reach the moon when its spacecraft landed on the lunar surface early Saturday, officials said. But an issue with the power supply means that the mission could be in jeopardy.

Officials also said they needed more time to analyze whether the spacecraft, which wasn't carrying astronauts, made a pinpoint landing — one of the priorities of the mission.

Hitoshi Kuninaka, head of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, said they believe that rovers were launched and data were being transmitted back to Earth from the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, or SLIM.

But he said that SLIM's solar battery wasn't generating power and the battery life of the spacecraft would only last a few more hours. He said that the priority now was for the craft to gather as much moon data as possible on the remaining battery.

Japan follows the United States, the Soviet Union, China and India in reaching the moon.

Kuninaka said he believes that Japan's space program at least achieved “minimum” success.

SLIM landed on the moon at about 12:20 a.m. Tokyo time on Saturday (1520 GMT Friday).

There was a tense wait for news after the Japan space agency's mission control initially said that SLIM was on the lunar surface, but that it was still “checking its status.” No further details were given until a news conference nearly two hours later.

For the mission to be considered fully successful, space officials need to confirm whether SLIM made a pinpoint landing. Kuninaka said while more time is needed, he personally thinks it was most likely achieved, based on his observation of data showing the spacecraft's movement until the landing.

SLIM, which was aiming to hit a very small target, is a lightweight spacecraft about the size of a passenger vehicle. It was using “pinpoint landing” technology that promises far greater control than any previous moon landing.

While most previous probes have used landing zones about 10 kilometers (six miles) wide, SLIM was aiming at a target of just 100 meters (330 feet).

The project was the fruit of two decades of work on precision technology by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA.

As the spacecraft descended, JAXA's mission control said that everything was going as planned and later said that SLIM was on the lunar surface. But there was no mention of whether the landing was successful. Mission control kept repeating that it was “checking its status" and that more information would be given at the news conference.

SLIM, nicknamed "the Moon Sniper," started its descent at midnight Saturday, and within 15 minutes it was down to about 10 kilometers (six miles) above the lunar surface, according to the space agency, which is known as JAXA.

At an altitude of five kilometers (three miles), the lander was in a vertical descent mode, then at 50 meters (165 feet) above the surface, SLIM was supposed to make a parallel movement to find a safe landing spot, JAXA said.

The mission's main goal is to test new landing technology that would allow moon missions to land “where we want to, rather than where it is easy to land,” JAXA has said. The spacecraft is supposed to seek clues about the origin of the moon, including analyzing minerals with a special camera.

The SLIM, equipped with a pad to cushion impact, was aiming to land near the Shioli crater, near a region covered in volcanic rock.

The closely watched mission came only 10 days after a moon mission by a U.S. private company failed when the spacecraft&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/private-moon-lander-earth-reentry-e59645ffd5dc43f80f25a8ec34c0f449">developed a fuel leak</a>&nbsp;hours after the launch.

SLIM was launched on a Mitsubishi Heavy H2A rocket in September. It initially orbited Earth and entered lunar orbit on Dec. 25.

Japan hopes to regain confidence for its space technology after a number of failures. A spacecraft designed by a Japanese company&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/moon-lunar-landing-crash-japan-32230ba28a3c41824ec4ee9ed7d6ed4c">crashed during a lunar landing attempt</a>&nbsp;in April, and a new flagship rocket&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-space-rocket-h3-failure-observation-satellite-dc137cb55bb4b72537508f1319989ce1">failed its debut launch in March</a>.

JAXA has a track record with difficult landings. Its Hayabusa2 spacecraft, launched in 2014, touched down twice on the 900-meter-long (3,000-foot-long) asteroid Ryugu, collecting samples that were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5309328972d9456bbe0522b88c81c6bc">returned to Earth</a>.

Experts say a success of SLIM's pinpoint landing, especially on the moon, would raise Japan's profile in the global space technology race.

Takeshi Tsuchiya, aeronautics professor at the Graduate School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo, said it was important to confirm the accuracy of landing on a targeted area for the future of moon explorations.

“It is necessary to show the world that Japan has the appropriate technology in order to be able to properly assert Japan's position in lunar development,” he said. The moon is important from the perspective of explorations of resources, and it can also be used as a base to go to other planets, like Mars, he said.

SLIM is carrying two small autonomous probes — lunar excursion vehicles LEV-1 and LEV-2, which will be released just before landing.

LEV-1, equipped with an antenna and a camera, is tasked with recording SLIM's landing. LEV-2, is a ball-shaped rover equipped with two cameras, developed by JAXA together with Sony, toymaker Tomy and Doshisha University.

JAXA will broadcast a livestream of the landing, while space fans will gather to watch the historic moment on a big screen at the agency's Sagamihara campus southwest of Tokyo.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705690562751.png" alt="&nbsp;Animation of the lander courtesy Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Animation of the lander courtesy Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency</figcaption>
 </figure>TOKYO (AP) — Japan became the fifth country in history to reach the moon when its spacecraft landed on the lunar surface early Saturday, officials said. But an issue with the power supply means that the mission could be in jeopardy.Officials also said they needed more time to analyze whether the spacecraft, which wasn't carrying astronauts, made a pinpoint landing — one of the priorities of the mission.Hitoshi Kuninaka, head of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, said they believe that rovers were launched and data were being transmitted back to Earth from the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, or SLIM.But he said that SLIM's solar battery wasn't generating power and the battery life of the spacecraft would only last a few more hours. He said that the priority now was for the craft to gather as much moon data as possible on the remaining battery.Japan follows the United States, the Soviet Union, China and India in reaching the moon.Kuninaka said he believes that Japan's space program at least achieved “minimum” success.SLIM landed on the moon at about 12:20 a.m. Tokyo time on Saturday (1520 GMT Friday).There was a tense wait for news after the Japan space agency's mission control initially said that SLIM was on the lunar surface, but that it was still “checking its status.” No further details were given until a news conference nearly two hours later.For the mission to be considered fully successful, space officials need to confirm whether SLIM made a pinpoint landing. Kuninaka said while more time is needed, he personally thinks it was most likely achieved, based on his observation of data showing the spacecraft's movement until the landing.SLIM, which was aiming to hit a very small target, is a lightweight spacecraft about the size of a passenger vehicle. It was using “pinpoint landing” technology that promises far greater control than any previous moon landing.While most previous probes have used landing zones about 10 kilometers (six miles) wide, SLIM was aiming at a target of just 100 meters (330 feet).The project was the fruit of two decades of work on precision technology by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA.As the spacecraft descended, JAXA's mission control said that everything was going as planned and later said that SLIM was on the lunar surface. But there was no mention of whether the landing was successful. Mission control kept repeating that it was “checking its status" and that more information would be given at the news conference.SLIM, nicknamed "the Moon Sniper," started its descent at midnight Saturday, and within 15 minutes it was down to about 10 kilometers (six miles) above the lunar surface, according to the space agency, which is known as JAXA.At an altitude of five kilometers (three miles), the lander was in a vertical descent mode, then at 50 meters (165 feet) above the surface, SLIM was supposed to make a parallel movement to find a safe landing spot, JAXA said.The mission's main goal is to test new landing technology that would allow moon missions to land “where we want to, rather than where it is easy to land,” JAXA has said. The spacecraft is supposed to seek clues about the origin of the moon, including analyzing minerals with a special camera.The SLIM, equipped with a pad to cushion impact, was aiming to land near the Shioli crater, near a region covered in volcanic rock.The closely watched mission came only 10 days after a moon mission by a U.S. private company failed when the spacecraft&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/private-moon-lander-earth-reentry-e59645ffd5dc43f80f25a8ec34c0f449">developed a fuel leak</a>&nbsp;hours after the launch.SLIM was launched on a Mitsubishi Heavy H2A rocket in September. It initially orbited Earth and entered lunar orbit on Dec. 25.Japan hopes to regain confidence for its space technology after a number of failures. A spacecraft designed by a Japanese company&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/moon-lunar-landing-crash-japan-32230ba28a3c41824ec4ee9ed7d6ed4c">crashed during a lunar landing attempt</a>&nbsp;in April, and a new flagship rocket&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-space-rocket-h3-failure-observation-satellite-dc137cb55bb4b72537508f1319989ce1">failed its debut launch in March</a>.JAXA has a track record with difficult landings. Its Hayabusa2 spacecraft, launched in 2014, touched down twice on the 900-meter-long (3,000-foot-long) asteroid Ryugu, collecting samples that were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5309328972d9456bbe0522b88c81c6bc">returned to Earth</a>.Experts say a success of SLIM's pinpoint landing, especially on the moon, would raise Japan's profile in the global space technology race.Takeshi Tsuchiya, aeronautics professor at the Graduate School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo, said it was important to confirm the accuracy of landing on a targeted area for the future of moon explorations.“It is necessary to show the world that Japan has the appropriate technology in order to be able to properly assert Japan's position in lunar development,” he said. The moon is important from the perspective of explorations of resources, and it can also be used as a base to go to other planets, like Mars, he said.SLIM is carrying two small autonomous probes — lunar excursion vehicles LEV-1 and LEV-2, which will be released just before landing.LEV-1, equipped with an antenna and a camera, is tasked with recording SLIM's landing. LEV-2, is a ball-shaped rover equipped with two cameras, developed by JAXA together with Sony, toymaker Tomy and Doshisha University.JAXA will broadcast a livestream of the landing, while space fans will gather to watch the historic moment on a big screen at the agency's Sagamihara campus southwest of Tokyo.

Japan joins elite club by landing on the moon

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of armed robberies and are asking the public for help to identify suspects.

On Thursday Kansas City Police released video of a suspect who has&nbsp;robbed four McDonald’s, armed with a knife. He climbs through drive-through windows, opens registers, takes cash and re-enters an SUV through the rear driver-side window. Someone else is the driver.

These crimes began in November and took place most recently, last week. They occurred in South Kansas City in the 11000 block of Holmes Road; the 7700 block of E 87 Street; the 7800 block of State Line and in the 1300 block of W 103 Street.

If you can help stop these crimes. Call Detective Oxler at 816-234-5230 or provide information anonymously at&nbsp;<a href="https://t.co/uj9Il6CQAa" target="_blank">https://kccrimestoppers.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705615654798.png" alt="Photos KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Photos KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of armed robberies and are asking the public for help to identify suspects.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705616018080.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>On Thursday Kansas City Police released video of a suspect who has&nbsp;robbed four McDonald’s, armed with a knife. He climbs through drive-through windows, opens registers, takes cash and re-enters an SUV through the rear driver-side window. Someone else is the driver.These crimes began in November and took place most recently, last week. They occurred in South Kansas City in the 11000 block of Holmes Road; the 7700 block of E 87 Street; the 7800 block of State Line and in the 1300 block of W 103 Street.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705616039093.png" alt="Vehicle used in the crimes-photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Vehicle used in the crimes-photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>If you can help stop these crimes. Call Detective Oxler at 816-234-5230 or provide information anonymously at&nbsp;<a href="https://t.co/uj9Il6CQAa" target="_blank">https://kccrimestoppers.com</a>

KCPD: Drive-thru window thief at 4 McDonalds 

&nbsp;WASHINGTON —The Justice Department joined 10 states and the District of Columbia on Thursday in a civil antitrust lawsuit challenging the National Collegiate Athletics Association’s (NCAA) Transfer Eligibility Rule, according to a media release from the department of justice.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1334371/dl?inline">Click here to read </a>the complaint

The amended complaint alleges that the NCAA unreasonably restricts college athletes’ freedom to transfer between academic institutions by limiting their eligibility to participate in intercollegiate contests if they transfer more than once during their college careers. By deterring transfers, the rule also denies athletes educational opportunities.

Last month, the states of Ohio, Colorado, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia filed this lawsuit in the Northern District of West Virginia. Shortly after filing, the court granted the states’ request for a temporary restraining order, finding the NCAA’s Transfer Eligibility Rule likely violates Section 1 of the Sherman Act. Today, plaintiffs filed an amended complaint adding the United States, the states of Minnesota, Mississippi and Virginia and the District of Columbia as co-plaintiffs.

“We are proud to stand with our state law enforcement partners on behalf of college athletes across the nation,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “NCAA Division I institutions compete with each other not just on the playing field or in the arena, but to recruit and retain college athletes. College athletes should be able to freely choose the institutions that best meet their academic, personal and professional development needs without anticompetitive restrictions that limit their mobility by sacrificing a year of athletic competition.”

The amended complaint alleges that the NCAA’s one-time-transfer rule unreasonably restrains competition in the markets for athletic services in men’s and women’s Division I basketball and Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) football, as well as for athletic services in all other men’s and women’s Division I sports. The rule forces college athletes who transfer more than once to sit on the sidelines for an entire season before they are eligible to compete in NCAA athletic competitions at their new school. The amended complaint further alleges that the restriction limits college athletes’ bargaining power and harms both their educational and athletic experiences.

&nbsp;WASHINGTON —The Justice Department joined 10 states and the District of Columbia on Thursday in a civil antitrust lawsuit challenging the National Collegiate Athletics Association’s (NCAA) Transfer Eligibility Rule, according to a media release from the department of justice.<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1334371/dl?inline">Click here to read </a>the complaintThe amended complaint alleges that the NCAA unreasonably restricts college athletes’ freedom to transfer between academic institutions by limiting their eligibility to participate in intercollegiate contests if they transfer more than once during their college careers. By deterring transfers, the rule also denies athletes educational opportunities.Last month, the states of Ohio, Colorado, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia filed this lawsuit in the Northern District of West Virginia. Shortly after filing, the court granted the states’ request for a temporary restraining order, finding the NCAA’s Transfer Eligibility Rule likely violates Section 1 of the Sherman Act. Today, plaintiffs filed an amended complaint adding the United States, the states of Minnesota, Mississippi and Virginia and the District of Columbia as co-plaintiffs.“We are proud to stand with our state law enforcement partners on behalf of college athletes across the nation,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “NCAA Division I institutions compete with each other not just on the playing field or in the arena, but to recruit and retain college athletes. College athletes should be able to freely choose the institutions that best meet their academic, personal and professional development needs without anticompetitive restrictions that limit their mobility by sacrificing a year of athletic competition.”The amended complaint alleges that the NCAA’s one-time-transfer rule unreasonably restrains competition in the markets for athletic services in men’s and women’s Division I basketball and Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) football, as well as for athletic services in all other men’s and women’s Division I sports. The rule forces college athletes who transfer more than once to sit on the sidelines for an entire season before they are eligible to compete in NCAA athletic competitions at their new school. The amended complaint further alleges that the restriction limits college athletes’ bargaining power and harms both their educational and athletic experiences.

Justice Dept, more states join lawsuit over NCAA athlete transfers

&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly shooting have made an arrest and continue to search for another suspect.

Just after 5 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a 911 call reporting gunshots in the 1000 block of S. Market, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.&nbsp; 

In the 900 block of S. Market Street, first responders discovered 35-year-old Ladonte Ostrander with a gunshot wound to his lower extremities. Sedgwick County EMS transported him in critical condition to an area hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=397415">According to online arrest</a> records 37-year-old Yancy Hermosillo is being held on<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=397415"> requested charges </a>of murder and interference with law enforcement in connection with the death.

Hermosillo has previous felony convictions for domestic battery, criminal threat,&nbsp; and aggravated interference with parental custody, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp;

The Wichita Police is actively seeking another individual related to the case who may have information or involvement. Anyone with information is urged to contact Wichita Police Investigators at (316) 268-4407.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705588462988.png" alt="Hermosillo-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Hermosillo-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly shooting have made an arrest and continue to search for another suspect.Just after 5 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a 911 call reporting gunshots in the 1000 block of S. Market, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.&nbsp; In the 900 block of S. Market Street, first responders discovered 35-year-old Ladonte Ostrander with a gunshot wound to his lower extremities. Sedgwick County EMS transported him in critical condition to an area hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=397415">According to online arrest</a> records 37-year-old Yancy Hermosillo is being held on<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=397415"> requested charges </a>of murder and interference with law enforcement in connection with the death.Hermosillo has previous felony convictions for domestic battery, criminal threat,&nbsp; and aggravated interference with parental custody, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp;The Wichita Police is actively seeking another individual related to the case who may have information or involvement. Anyone with information is urged to contact Wichita Police Investigators at (316) 268-4407.

Homicide: Police make 1 arrest, search for 2nd Kansas suspect

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress sent President Joe Biden a short-term spending bill on Thursday that would avert a looming partial government shutdown and fund federal agencies into March.

The House approved the measure by a vote of 314-108, with opposition coming mostly from the more conservative members of the Republican conference. Shortly before the vote, the House Freedom Caucus announced it “strongly opposes" the measure because it would facilitate more spending than they support.

Nevertheless, about half of Republicans joined with Democrats in passing the third stopgap funding measure in recent months. Two members of the Kansas House delegation, Republic Jake LaTurner and Democrat Sharice Davids voted for the resolution. Republicans Ron Estes and Tracey Mann voted against it.

 The action came a few hours after the Senate had voted overwhelmingly to pass the bill by a vote of 77-18. Kansas Senior Senator Jerry Moran voted for the bill. The Junior Senator from Kansas Roger Marshall along with both Senators from Missouri Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt voted to cut spending and rejected the measure.

Senators Barrasso, Graham, Grassley, Kennedy and Scott of Florida did not vote.

The measure extends current spending levels and buys time for the two chambers to work out their differences over full-year spending bills for the fiscal year that began in October.

The temporary measure will run to March 1 for some federal agencies. Their funds were set to run out Friday. It extends the remainder of government operations to March 8.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the president would sign the resolution and urged Republicans to quit wasting time on partisan spending bills.

“House Republicans must finally do their job and work across the aisle to pass full-year funding bills that deliver for the American people and address urgent domestic and national security priorities by passing the President’s supplemental request,” Jean-Pierre said.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has been under pressure from his right flank to scrap a $1.66 trillion budget price tag he reached with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer earlier this month for the spending bills. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said the continuing resolution passed Thursday will facilitate that agreement, and urged colleagues to vote against it.

“It's Groundhog Day in the House chamber all the time, every day, yet again spending money we don't have,” Roy said.

Johnson has insisted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-shutdown-speaker-johnson-freedom-caucus-a9683a7381563499e0ba10987e93fb92">he will stick with the deal</a>, and centrists in the party have stood behind him. They say that changing course now would be going back on his word and would weaken the speaker in future negotiations.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said Americans expect Congress to govern and work in a bipartisan fashion.

“Some of my colleagues would see that this government would shut down and don't care how hurtful that would be,” DeLauro said.

House Republicans have fought bitterly over budget levels and policy since taking the majority at the start of 2023. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">ousted by his caucus</a>&nbsp;in October after striking an agreement with Democrats to extend current spending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-congress-republicans-732baaa19c91f981e492fd0e6a76aba8">the first time</a>. Johnson has also come under criticism as he has wrestled with how to appease his members and avoid a government shutdown in an election year.

“We just needed a little more time on the calendar to do it and now that’s where we are,” Johnson said Tuesday about the decision to extend federal funding yet again. “We’re not going to get everything we want.”

Most House Republicans have so far refrained from saying that Johnson’s job is in danger. But a revolt of even a handful of Republicans could endanger his position in the narrowly divided House.

Virginia Rep. Bob Good, one of eight Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy, has been pushing Johnson to reconsider the deal with Schumer.

“If your opponent in negotiation knows that you fear the consequence of not reaching an agreement more than they fear the consequence of not reaching an agreement, you will lose every time,” Good said this week.

Other Republicans acknowledge Johnson is in a tough spot. “The speaker was dealt with the hand he was dealt,” said Kentucky Rep. Andy Barr, noting the constraints imposed by the party's slim majority.

In Thursday afternoon's vote, 107 House Republicans voted to keep federal agencies funded and 106 voted against the measure. To almost lose the majority of his conference underscores the challenges facing the new speaker and signals the difficulty he will have in striking a deal that will not alienate many of his GOP colleagues. They are clamoring for deeper non-defense spending cuts and myriad conservative policy mandates.

Meanwhile, 207 Democrats voted for the resolution and only two voted against.

The short-term measure comes amid negotiations on a separate spending package that would provide wartime dollars to Ukraine and Israel and strengthen security at the U.S.-Mexico border. Johnson is also under pressure from the right not to accept a deal that is any weaker than a House-passed border measure that has no Democratic support.

Johnson, Schumer and other congressional leaders and committee heads&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-speaker-johnson-border-security-ukraine-government-shutdown-fa505e84f1ffd1767eb01a250a161393">visited the White House</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday to discuss that spending legislation. Johnson used the meeting to push for stronger border security measures while Biden and Democrats detailed Ukraine’s security needs as it continues to fight Russia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705615858646.png" alt="The U.S Capitol is seen on a sunny day in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. ( AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)" />
 <figcaption>The U.S Capitol is seen on a sunny day in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. ( AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress sent President Joe Biden a short-term spending bill on Thursday that would avert a looming partial government shutdown and fund federal agencies into March.The House approved the measure by a vote of 314-108, with opposition coming mostly from the more conservative members of the Republican conference. Shortly before the vote, the House Freedom Caucus announced it “strongly opposes" the measure because it would facilitate more spending than they support.Nevertheless, about half of Republicans joined with Democrats in passing the third stopgap funding measure in recent months. Two members of the Kansas House delegation, Republic Jake LaTurner and Democrat Sharice Davids voted for the resolution. Republicans Ron Estes and Tracey Mann voted against it. The action came a few hours after the Senate had voted overwhelmingly to pass the bill by a vote of 77-18. Kansas Senior Senator Jerry Moran voted for the bill. The Junior Senator from Kansas Roger Marshall along with both Senators from Missouri Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt voted to cut spending and rejected the measure.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/v0qyRZFzYA">pic.twitter.com/v0qyRZFzYA</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1748109531324780556?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Senators Barrasso, Graham, Grassley, Kennedy and Scott of Florida did not vote.The measure extends current spending levels and buys time for the two chambers to work out their differences over full-year spending bills for the fiscal year that began in October.The temporary measure will run to March 1 for some federal agencies. Their funds were set to run out Friday. It extends the remainder of government operations to March 8.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the president would sign the resolution and urged Republicans to quit wasting time on partisan spending bills.“House Republicans must finally do their job and work across the aisle to pass full-year funding bills that deliver for the American people and address urgent domestic and national security priorities by passing the President’s supplemental request,” Jean-Pierre said.Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has been under pressure from his right flank to scrap a $1.66 trillion budget price tag he reached with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer earlier this month for the spending bills. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said the continuing resolution passed Thursday will facilitate that agreement, and urged colleagues to vote against it.“It's Groundhog Day in the House chamber all the time, every day, yet again spending money we don't have,” Roy said.Johnson has insisted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-shutdown-speaker-johnson-freedom-caucus-a9683a7381563499e0ba10987e93fb92">he will stick with the deal</a>, and centrists in the party have stood behind him. They say that changing course now would be going back on his word and would weaken the speaker in future negotiations.Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said Americans expect Congress to govern and work in a bipartisan fashion.“Some of my colleagues would see that this government would shut down and don't care how hurtful that would be,” DeLauro said.House Republicans have fought bitterly over budget levels and policy since taking the majority at the start of 2023. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">ousted by his caucus</a>&nbsp;in October after striking an agreement with Democrats to extend current spending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-congress-republicans-732baaa19c91f981e492fd0e6a76aba8">the first time</a>. Johnson has also come under criticism as he has wrestled with how to appease his members and avoid a government shutdown in an election year.“We just needed a little more time on the calendar to do it and now that’s where we are,” Johnson said Tuesday about the decision to extend federal funding yet again. “We’re not going to get everything we want.”Most House Republicans have so far refrained from saying that Johnson’s job is in danger. But a revolt of even a handful of Republicans could endanger his position in the narrowly divided House.Virginia Rep. Bob Good, one of eight Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy, has been pushing Johnson to reconsider the deal with Schumer.“If your opponent in negotiation knows that you fear the consequence of not reaching an agreement more than they fear the consequence of not reaching an agreement, you will lose every time,” Good said this week.Other Republicans acknowledge Johnson is in a tough spot. “The speaker was dealt with the hand he was dealt,” said Kentucky Rep. Andy Barr, noting the constraints imposed by the party's slim majority.In Thursday afternoon's vote, 107 House Republicans voted to keep federal agencies funded and 106 voted against the measure. To almost lose the majority of his conference underscores the challenges facing the new speaker and signals the difficulty he will have in striking a deal that will not alienate many of his GOP colleagues. They are clamoring for deeper non-defense spending cuts and myriad conservative policy mandates.Meanwhile, 207 Democrats voted for the resolution and only two voted against.The short-term measure comes amid negotiations on a separate spending package that would provide wartime dollars to Ukraine and Israel and strengthen security at the U.S.-Mexico border. Johnson is also under pressure from the right not to accept a deal that is any weaker than a House-passed border measure that has no Democratic support.Johnson, Schumer and other congressional leaders and committee heads&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-speaker-johnson-border-security-ukraine-government-shutdown-fa505e84f1ffd1767eb01a250a161393">visited the White House</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday to discuss that spending legislation. Johnson used the meeting to push for stronger border security measures while Biden and Democrats detailed Ukraine’s security needs as it continues to fight Russia.

3 Kan. lawmakers voted against spending deal to keep government open

JOHNSON COUNTY—One person injured in a fire on Tuesday in Johnson County has died.

Just before 1:30p.m. Tuesday crews responded to a house fire in 21300 block of W 51st Street in the city of Shawnee, according to a media release.

Fist responders found a large amount of smoke and a working fire. Firefighters located and rescued a woman identified as 65-year-old Patricia Stevenson from inside of the home. She was transported to an area hospital in critical condition and later died.

An investigation determined that the fire was accidental and caused by unattended cooking. Fire investigators also did not find any working smoke alarms inside the home.

"Working smoke alarms can save lives. We encourage everyone to test and maintain working smoke alarms and stay with food while cooking. "

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705507408808.png" alt="Photos Shawnee Fire Dept." />
 <figcaption>Photos Shawnee Fire Dept.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—One person injured in a fire on Tuesday in Johnson County has died.Just before 1:30p.m. Tuesday crews responded to a house fire in 21300 block of W 51st Street in the city of Shawnee, according to a media release.Fist responders found a large amount of smoke and a working fire. Firefighters located and rescued a woman identified as 65-year-old Patricia Stevenson from inside of the home. She was transported to an area hospital in critical condition and later died.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705507364048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>An investigation determined that the fire was accidental and caused by unattended cooking. Fire investigators also did not find any working smoke alarms inside the home."Working smoke alarms can save lives. We encourage everyone to test and maintain working smoke alarms and stay with food while cooking. "

Kansas woman critically injured in house fire has died

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities continue investigating a shooting at Crown Center in Kansas City that injured multiple people.

The shooting around 5:45 p.m. Wednesday at Crown Center left shattered glass inside the mall. Two of the six injured were found in a food court area on the lower level. Police later learned four other people went to a hospital in a private vehicle. All six are expected to survive, police spokesperson Sgt. Jake Becchina said.

Most of the injured were in their late teens or early 20s, but police said one victim was at least 50. It wasn’t immediately known if some or all of the injured were involved in the dispute or if they were bystanders.

Witnesses told police that a verbal argument between two groups led to the shooting that damaged some businesses inside the mall. Witness John Gaston told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kctv5.com/2024/01/18/kansas-citys-crown-center-closed-after-4-people-struck-shooting-near-food-court/">KCTV-TV</a>&nbsp;he heard gunfire, then saw chaos.

“Pretty much everybody was just screaming, running,” Gaston said.

Several people were detained for questioning at the scene, Becchina said, but police have not yet announced any arrests.&nbsp; Crown Center had a delayed opening Thursday and is referring all questions about the incident to police.

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705578003872.png" alt="-Several people were detained for questioning at the scene, according to police but they have not yet announced any arrests-.Photo courtesy KMBC TV" />
 <figcaption>-Several people were detained for questioning at the scene, according to police but they have not yet announced any arrests-.Photo courtesy KMBC TV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities continue investigating a shooting at Crown Center in Kansas City that injured multiple people.The shooting around 5:45 p.m. Wednesday at Crown Center left shattered glass inside the mall. Two of the six injured were found in a food court area on the lower level. Police later learned four other people went to a hospital in a private vehicle. All six are expected to survive, police spokesperson Sgt. Jake Becchina said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705578148945.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>Most of the injured were in their late teens or early 20s, but police said one victim was at least 50. It wasn’t immediately known if some or all of the injured were involved in the dispute or if they were bystanders.Witnesses told police that a verbal argument between two groups led to the shooting that damaged some businesses inside the mall. Witness John Gaston told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kctv5.com/2024/01/18/kansas-citys-crown-center-closed-after-4-people-struck-shooting-near-food-court/">KCTV-TV</a>&nbsp;he heard gunfire, then saw chaos.“Pretty much everybody was just screaming, running,” Gaston said.Several people were detained for questioning at the scene, Becchina said, but police have not yet announced any arrests.&nbsp; Crown Center had a delayed opening Thursday and is referring all questions about the incident to police.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Search continues for suspects in shooting at Crown Center in Kansas City

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. forces on Thursday conducted a fifth strike against Iranian-backed Houthi rebel military sites in Yemen as President Joe Biden acknowledged that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">the American and British bombardment</a>&nbsp;had yet to stop the militants' attacks on vessels in the Red Sea that have disrupted global shipping.

The latest strikes destroyed two Houthi anti-ship missiles that “were aimed into the southern Red Sea and prepared to launch,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter. They were conducted by Navy F/A-18 fighter aircraft, the Pentagon said.

Biden said the U.S. would continue the strikes, even though so far they have not stopped the Houthis from continuing to harass commercial and military vessels.

“When you say working, are they stopping the Houthis, no. Are they going to continue, yes," Biden said in an exchange with reporters before departing the White House for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-north-carolina-internet-election-270a1edc65ebad44cec44baf1f8f4f8b">a domestic policy speech</a>&nbsp;in North Carolina.

Hours after Biden spoke, Houthi Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said in a prerecorded statement that its forces had carried out another missile attack against the Marshall Islands-flagged, U.S.-owned cargo ship Chem Ranger. Saree said the attack took place in the Gulf of Aden, the waters just south of Yemen.

Earlier Thursday evening, the British military warned of a new attack on shipping some 160 kilometers (100 miles) off the coast of Yemen, also in the Gulf of Aden. The Pentagon was not immediately able to confirm the strikes but has cautioned that it anticipates the Houthis will continue their attacks.

The continued harassment of the ships has driven the U.S. and international partners to take extraordinary steps to defend them through a joint mission named Operation Prosperity Guardian, in which the consortium is trying to create a protective umbrella for the vessels by intercepting any missiles or drones that target them. It has also led the U.S. and British militaries to take measures to knock out missile sites, radars and air defense systems to try to tamp down the Houthis' ability to attack.

On Wednesday the U.S. military fired another wave of ship- and submarine-launch missile strikes against 14&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11">Houthi-controlled sites</a>. That same day, the administration put the Houthis back on its list of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.state.gov/executive-order-13224/">specially designated global terrorists</a>. The sanctions that come with the formal designation are meant to sever violent extremist groups from their sources of financing, while also allowing vital humanitarian aid to continue flowing to impoverished Yemenis.

“These strikes will continue for as long as they need to continue,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Thursday, adding, “I’m not going to telegraph punches one way or another.”

Despite sanctions and military strikes, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">large-scale operation</a>&nbsp;carried out Friday by U.S. and British warships and warplanes that hit more than 60 targets across Yemen, the Houthis keep harassing commercial and military ships. The U.S. has strongly warned Iran to cease providing weapons to the Houthis.

“We never said the Houthis would immediately stop,” the Pentagon's deputy press secretary, Sabrina Singh, said at a briefing, when asked why the strikes have not seemed to stop the Houthis. Since the joint U.S. and British operation got underway last Friday, hitting 28 locations and struck more than 60 targets in that initial round, the Houthis' attacks have been “lower scale,” Singh said.

For months, the Houthis have claimed attacks on ships in the Red Sea that they say are either linked to Israel or heading to Israeli ports. They say their attacks aim to end the Israeli air-and-ground offensive in the Gaza Strip that was triggered by the Palestinian militant group Hamas’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel</a>. But the links to the ships targeted in the rebel assaults have grown more tenuous as the attacks continue.

The attacks have also raised questions as to whether the conflict between Israel and Hamas has already expanded into a wider regional war.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705112808392.png" alt="View of aircraft launch for the attack Jan. 11 -image U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>View of aircraft launch for the attack Jan. 11 -image U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. forces on Thursday conducted a fifth strike against Iranian-backed Houthi rebel military sites in Yemen as President Joe Biden acknowledged that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">the American and British bombardment</a>&nbsp;had yet to stop the militants' attacks on vessels in the Red Sea that have disrupted global shipping.The latest strikes destroyed two Houthi anti-ship missiles that “were aimed into the southern Red Sea and prepared to launch,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter. They were conducted by Navy F/A-18 fighter aircraft, the Pentagon said.Biden said the U.S. would continue the strikes, even though so far they have not stopped the Houthis from continuing to harass commercial and military vessels.“When you say working, are they stopping the Houthis, no. Are they going to continue, yes," Biden said in an exchange with reporters before departing the White House for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-north-carolina-internet-election-270a1edc65ebad44cec44baf1f8f4f8b">a domestic policy speech</a>&nbsp;in North Carolina.Hours after Biden spoke, Houthi Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said in a prerecorded statement that its forces had carried out another missile attack against the Marshall Islands-flagged, U.S.-owned cargo ship Chem Ranger. Saree said the attack took place in the Gulf of Aden, the waters just south of Yemen.Earlier Thursday evening, the British military warned of a new attack on shipping some 160 kilometers (100 miles) off the coast of Yemen, also in the Gulf of Aden. The Pentagon was not immediately able to confirm the strikes but has cautioned that it anticipates the Houthis will continue their attacks.The continued harassment of the ships has driven the U.S. and international partners to take extraordinary steps to defend them through a joint mission named Operation Prosperity Guardian, in which the consortium is trying to create a protective umbrella for the vessels by intercepting any missiles or drones that target them. It has also led the U.S. and British militaries to take measures to knock out missile sites, radars and air defense systems to try to tamp down the Houthis' ability to attack.On Wednesday the U.S. military fired another wave of ship- and submarine-launch missile strikes against 14&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11">Houthi-controlled sites</a>. That same day, the administration put the Houthis back on its list of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.state.gov/executive-order-13224/">specially designated global terrorists</a>. The sanctions that come with the formal designation are meant to sever violent extremist groups from their sources of financing, while also allowing vital humanitarian aid to continue flowing to impoverished Yemenis.“These strikes will continue for as long as they need to continue,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Thursday, adding, “I’m not going to telegraph punches one way or another.”Despite sanctions and military strikes, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">large-scale operation</a>&nbsp;carried out Friday by U.S. and British warships and warplanes that hit more than 60 targets across Yemen, the Houthis keep harassing commercial and military ships. The U.S. has strongly warned Iran to cease providing weapons to the Houthis.“We never said the Houthis would immediately stop,” the Pentagon's deputy press secretary, Sabrina Singh, said at a briefing, when asked why the strikes have not seemed to stop the Houthis. Since the joint U.S. and British operation got underway last Friday, hitting 28 locations and struck more than 60 targets in that initial round, the Houthis' attacks have been “lower scale,” Singh said.For months, the Houthis have claimed attacks on ships in the Red Sea that they say are either linked to Israel or heading to Israeli ports. They say their attacks aim to end the Israeli air-and-ground offensive in the Gaza Strip that was triggered by the Palestinian militant group Hamas’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel</a>. But the links to the ships targeted in the rebel assaults have grown more tenuous as the attacks continue.The attacks have also raised questions as to whether the conflict between Israel and Hamas has already expanded into a wider regional war.

US forces strike rebels again; bombing hasn't stopped ship attacks

JOHNSON COUNTY —A man injured in an accident has died as a result of his injuries.

On December 21, the Overland Park Police Department responded to an accident at 123rd St. and Antioch, according to Officer John Lacy.  The driver passed away on December 27.

On Thursday, the Police Department received notification from the Medical Examiner that the driver identified as 74-year-old Dennis Cotton of Overland Park died from injuries sustained from the collision.&nbsp;

JOHNSON COUNTY —A man injured in an accident has died as a result of his injuries.On December 21, the Overland Park Police Department responded to an accident at 123rd St. and Antioch, according to Officer John Lacy. The driver passed away on December 27.On Thursday, the Police Department received notification from the Medical Examiner that the driver identified as 74-year-old Dennis Cotton of Overland Park died from injuries sustained from the collision.&nbsp;

Police: Kansas man dies from injuries in December crash

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations after a high-speed chase.

A speeding truck led a short chase in North Douglas Co. before the driver, who is known to start violent pursuits, rammed into a patrol vehicle, lost control of his pickup and was soon arrested.

Just before 1:30 a.m. on Monday, police attempted to stop a Chevrolet pickup truck after the driver later identified as 48-year-old Steven Drake had been seen speeding near E. 1600 Road and Highway 24, according to a media release.

Drake initially slowed the truck and then immediately began to accelerate again and the prompted a pursuit.

During the pursuit, deputies successfully implemented a tactical-vehicle-intervention maneuver. However, Drake was able to recover and head east on the highway.

As deputies attempted to identify the driver, he rammed into a patrol vehicle which caused the truck to veer into the ditch and break off the wheel at the axle.

Deputies then took Drake into custody and booked him into the Douglas County jail on requested charges of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement. There were no injuries reported.

In June of 2022, police asked the&nbsp; public for help to locate Drake after he led police on two vehicle pursuits within a week.

Drake has previous felony convictions that include forgery, assault, theft, aggravated endangering a child, obstruction, aggravated interference with parental control, driving while suspended and three convictions for fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654253731903.png" alt="Drake-photo Lawrence Police" />
 <figcaption>Drake-photo Lawrence Police</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations after a high-speed chase.A speeding truck led a short chase in North Douglas Co. before the driver, who is known to start violent pursuits, rammed into a patrol vehicle, lost control of his pickup and was soon arrested.Just before 1:30 a.m. on Monday, police attempted to stop a Chevrolet pickup truck after the driver later identified as 48-year-old Steven Drake had been seen speeding near E. 1600 Road and Highway 24, according to a media release.Drake initially slowed the truck and then immediately began to accelerate again and the prompted a pursuit.During the pursuit, deputies successfully implemented a tactical-vehicle-intervention maneuver. However, Drake was able to recover and head east on the highway.As deputies attempted to identify the driver, he rammed into a patrol vehicle which caused the truck to veer into the ditch and break off the wheel at the axle.Deputies then took Drake into custody and booked him into the Douglas County jail on requested charges of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement. There were no injuries reported.In June of 2022, police asked the&nbsp; public for help to locate Drake after he led police on two vehicle pursuits within a week.Drake has previous felony convictions that include forgery, assault, theft, aggravated endangering a child, obstruction, aggravated interference with parental control, driving while suspended and three convictions for fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp;

Driver rams Kan. patrol vehicle during high-speed chase

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jackson County Executive Frank White vetoed an ordinance Thursday that would have put a 3/8th-cent sales tax renewal on the April ballot to fund sports stadiums for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals.

“This proposed sales tax would generate over $2 billion from our residents, yet there is no clear understanding or assurance regarding the teams’ commitments and contributions to the county,” White said in a news release, the Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/article284418645.html">reported</a>. “It’s not a good deal for taxpayers and I cannot support an agreement that is not in their best interest.”

Shortly after the veto announcement, four county legislators said they sided with White. In order to override White's veto, the County Legislature — which has nine members — would need six votes. They are approaching a Jan. 23 deadline to put the stadium tax decision in front of voters this spring.

The Royals and Chiefs released a joint statement after White's veto that said, “We respect the County Executive’s veto authority. We will continue working with the legislators to ensure that this ordinance is on the ballot on April 2 so that Jackson County voters have the opportunity to decide on the extension of the current 3/8th-cent sales tax.”

The Royals are seeking to use the sales tax to help fund&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-kansas-city-stadium-c3c3745c5d54d5c59df1f7776f0b04b3">building a new downtown ballpark,</a>&nbsp;though they have not yet announced their location. The Chiefs have consistently stated their intentions to renovate Arrowhead Stadium.

The current stadium leases at the Truman Sports Complex expire in 2031. Although some legislators pointed out Thursday that April isn’t the only ballot in 2024 or in the years ahead of that expiration date, both teams have targeted April for the measure. They are said to have support from the current governor’s office, which has pushed their urgency.

On Jan. 8, county legislators voted 8-1 to approve ballot language for the new 3/8th-cent sales tax to replace the current one that expires in September 2031. White wasn’t in favor of that at the time and wanted more time to get additional concessions from the teams for the county in the deal.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jackson County Executive Frank White vetoed an ordinance Thursday that would have put a 3/8th-cent sales tax renewal on the April ballot to fund sports stadiums for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Without robust, binding agreements in place, I have vetoed Ordinance 5822, a proposal for a substantial sales tax to retain the Royals and Chiefs in Jackson County. Full press release, veto message &amp; statement supporting veto from three legislators below ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/4HzNfLVjVe">pic.twitter.com/4HzNfLVjVe</a>&mdash; Frank White (@JCEFrankWhite) <a href="https://twitter.com/JCEFrankWhite/status/1748088760611312023?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“This proposed sales tax would generate over $2 billion from our residents, yet there is no clear understanding or assurance regarding the teams’ commitments and contributions to the county,” White said in a news release, the Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/article284418645.html">reported</a>. “It’s not a good deal for taxpayers and I cannot support an agreement that is not in their best interest.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/qFyYkZryGc">pic.twitter.com/qFyYkZryGc</a>&mdash; Kansas City Royals (@Royals) <a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1748110666395762723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Shortly after the veto announcement, four county legislators said they sided with White. In order to override White's veto, the County Legislature — which has nine members — would need six votes. They are approaching a Jan. 23 deadline to put the stadium tax decision in front of voters this spring.The Royals and Chiefs released a joint statement after White's veto that said, “We respect the County Executive’s veto authority. We will continue working with the legislators to ensure that this ordinance is on the ballot on April 2 so that Jackson County voters have the opportunity to decide on the extension of the current 3/8th-cent sales tax.”The Royals are seeking to use the sales tax to help fund&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-kansas-city-stadium-c3c3745c5d54d5c59df1f7776f0b04b3">building a new downtown ballpark,</a>&nbsp;though they have not yet announced their location. The Chiefs have consistently stated their intentions to renovate Arrowhead Stadium.The current stadium leases at the Truman Sports Complex expire in 2031. Although some legislators pointed out Thursday that April isn’t the only ballot in 2024 or in the years ahead of that expiration date, both teams have targeted April for the measure. They are said to have support from the current governor’s office, which has pushed their urgency.On Jan. 8, county legislators voted 8-1 to approve ballot language for the new 3/8th-cent sales tax to replace the current one that expires in September 2031. White wasn’t in favor of that at the time and wanted more time to get additional concessions from the teams for the county in the deal.

County official vetoes stadium tax for April ballot, affecting Royals, Chiefs

BUTLER COUNTY —Emergency crews rescued a horse from a frozen pond in Butler County.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Butler County Animal Response Team received a mutual aid request from Andover Fire-Rescue for a horse last seen on Tuesday evening that was stuck out on the ice on a pond, according to a social media report.

 The three year old 1800 pound draft mare was 15-20 feet out on the pond but had not broken through the ice. She was discovered around noon Wednesday.

Andover Fire-Rescue was able to move her off the ice onto the shore.  The horse was unable to stand on her own.

At 1:30p.m., the Butler County Animal Response Team arrived on scene and a veterinarian sedated the horse and secured the animal on a rescue glide so she could be moved away from the pond and onto level, and drier, ground.

Rescuers gave the horse fluids and she was blanketed, and allowed to rest and recover.  When she was unable to stand, a Becker Sling was applied, and with the assistance of a skip loader,  she was raised to a standing position.

After a period of recovery, several attempts were made to have her bear weight.  She was unable to stand and lowered back to the ground.  The veterinarian remained on scene administering treatment and she was covered and allowed to further rest and recover.

&nbsp; The Butler County Animal Response Team is comprised of volunteers from all over&nbsp;Butler County. They were on scene about 90 minutes after request for assistance.&nbsp;

"Andover Fire's actions and care were a crucial component in getting her to the safety of solid ground. Once we were able to provide the necessary large animal equipment, and trained large animal rescue volunteers, we were able to move her safely away to level and dry ground."

"The owner of the horse, a borrowed skid loader, and veterinarian on site were also important to effecting the rescue."

"Please keep this sweet girl in your thoughts and prayers that she makes a successful recovery."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705591777989.png" alt="Photos Butler County Animal Response Team" />
 <figcaption>Photos Butler County Animal Response Team</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY —Emergency crews rescued a horse from a frozen pond in Butler County.On Wednesday afternoon, the Butler County Animal Response Team received a mutual aid request from Andover Fire-Rescue for a horse last seen on Tuesday evening that was stuck out on the ice on a pond, according to a social media report. The three year old 1800 pound draft mare was 15-20 feet out on the pond but had not broken through the ice. She was discovered around noon Wednesday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705591833380.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Andover Fire-Rescue was able to move her off the ice onto the shore. The horse was unable to stand on her own.At 1:30p.m., the Butler County Animal Response Team arrived on scene and a veterinarian sedated the horse and secured the animal on a rescue glide so she could be moved away from the pond and onto level, and drier, ground.Rescuers gave the horse fluids and she was blanketed, and allowed to rest and recover. When she was unable to stand, a Becker Sling was applied, and with the assistance of a skip loader, she was raised to a standing position.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705591809396.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>After a period of recovery, several attempts were made to have her bear weight. She was unable to stand and lowered back to the ground. The veterinarian remained on scene administering treatment and she was covered and allowed to further rest and recover.&nbsp; The Butler County Animal Response Team is comprised of volunteers from all over&nbsp;Butler County. They were on scene about 90 minutes after request for assistance.&nbsp;"Andover Fire's actions and care were a crucial component in getting her to the safety of solid ground. Once we were able to provide the necessary large animal equipment, and trained large animal rescue volunteers, we were able to move her safely away to level and dry ground.""The owner of the horse, a borrowed skid loader, and veterinarian on site were also important to effecting the rescue.""Please keep this sweet girl in your thoughts and prayers that she makes a successful recovery."

Horse rescued from frozen Kansas pond 

UVALDE, Texas (AP) — Police officials who responded to the deadly Uvalde, Texas, elementary school shooting waited far too long to confront the gunman, acted with “no urgency” in establishing a command post and communicated inaccurate information to grieving families, according to a Justice Department report released Thursday that identifies “cascading failures” in law enforcement's handling of the massacre.

<a href="https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov/resourcecenter/content.ashx/cops-r1141-pub.pdf">Click here to read </a>the 600 page report

<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24366914-uvalde-report">The Justice Department report,</a>&nbsp;the most comprehensive federal accounting of the maligned police response to the May 24, 2022, shooting at Robb Elementary School, catalogs a sweeping array of training, communication, leadership and technology problems that federal officials say contributed to the crisis lasting far longer than necessary. All the while, the report says, terrified students inside the classrooms called 911 and agonized parents begged officers to go in.

“Had law enforcement agencies followed generally accepted practices in active shooter situations and gone right after the shooter and stopped him, lives would have been saved and people would have survived,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday at a news conference in Uvalde after Justice Department officials briefed family members on their findings. The Uvalde victims, he said, "deserved better."

Even for a mass shooting that has already been the subject of intense scrutiny and in-depth examinations — an earlier report by Texas lawmakers, for instance, faulted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-texas-education-violence-school-31aa135678f8118ed96d893ea77cf8ea">law enforcement at every level</a>&nbsp;with failing “to prioritize saving innocent lives over their own safety" — the nearly 600-page Justice Department report adds to the public understanding of how officers failed to stop an attack that killed 19 children and two staff members.

The flawed initial response was compounded in the following days by an ineptitude that added to family members' anguish, according to the report. One family member spent hours pulling glass out of an injured son's body because the surviving children were not screened for medical problems.

A county district attorney told families that they would need to wait for autopsy reports before death notifications were made, prompting some to yell: “What, our kids are dead? No, no!” Untrained hospital staff told family members that their loved ones had died, while in other cases, families were incorrectly told that a child had survived when they had not. At one point, an official told waiting families that another bus of survivors was coming, but that was untrue.

“Mirroring the failures of the law enforcement response, state and local agencies failed to coordinate, leading to inaccurate and incomplete information being provided to anxious family and community members and the public,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta.

The problems began almost immediately with a flawed assumption by officers at the scene that the shooter was barricaded, or otherwise contained, even as he continued to fire shots. That “mindset permeated throughout much of the incident response" as police, rather than rushing inside the classrooms to end the carnage, waited more than an hour to confront the gunman in what the report called a costly “lack of urgency.”

The gunman, Salvador Ramos, was killed roughly 77 minutes after police arrived on the scene, when a tactical team finally went into the classroom to take him down.

“An active shooter with access to victims should never be considered and treated as a barricaded subject,” the report says, with the word “never” emphasized in italics.

In other errors, the report says, police acted with “no urgency” in establishing a command center at the school, creating confusion among police about who was in charge. The then-school district police chief, Pete Arredondo, discarded his radios on arrival because he deemed them unnecessary. Though he tried to communicate by phone with officers in the school hallway, “unfortunately, on multiple occasions, he directed officers intending to gain entry into the classrooms to stop, because he appeared to determine that other victims should first be removed from nearby classrooms to prevent further injury.”

Uvalde, a community of more than 15,000 about 85 miles (140 kilometers) southwest of San Antonio, continues to struggle with the trauma left by the killings and remains divided on the issue of accountability. Uvalde County District Attorney Christina Mitchell has said she’s still considering whether to bring criminal charges.

Asked about the report and the possibility of charges Thursday, President Joe Biden said he was briefed by his staff “but I don’t know that there’s any criminal liability.”

In Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott initially praised the officers’ courage, saying the reason the shooting was "not worse is because law enforcement officials did what they do" and that they had been brave in "running toward gunfire for the singular purpose of trying to save lives.

But that narrative crumbled under scrutiny, as a report from a panel of state lawmakers and investigations by journalists laid bare how a mass of officers went in and out of the school with weapons drawn but didn’t enter the classroom where the shooting was taking place.

“The actions of the responding officers, combined with the ‘heroic’ storyline that started with (a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety) and continued the next day during the Governor’s and director’s news conference, dealt a serious blow to public confidence in local and state law enforcement,” the report states.

The city of Uvalde said in a statement that it had requested and fully cooperated with the federal investigation and had “already implemented changes in leadership, new personnel, new training, and new equipment.”

The report intentionally omits the identity of the gunman or any explanation of a possible motive. But it does include page-long remembrances of each of the victims, including 10-year-old Jose Flores Jr., who loved cars and the Houston Astros, and Amerie Jo Garza, who on the morning of the shooting had celebrated her appointment to the honor roll.

And it highlights anguished and panicked quotes from a 911 call by students trapped in the classroom — “Help!” “Help!” “Help!” “I don't want to die. My teacher is dead” — experiencing “unimaginable horror” while officers stood just outside in the hallway.

“I hope that the failures end today,” said Kimberly Rubio, whose daughter Lexi Rubio was killed in the shooting. “My child, our children are named in this report because they are dead.” Of the officers who failed that day, she added: "They should be named.”

Velma Lisa Duran, whose sister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-shootings-texas-education-dd7031b2ce60283a3769ebdb669fa5d2">Irma Garcia</a>&nbsp;was one of the teachers killed, said before the release of the report that she was daunted by the prospect of reliving the circumstances of her sister’s death and what she really wanted was criminal charges.

“A report doesn’t matter when there are no consequences for actions that are so vile and murderous and evil,” said Duran. “What do you want us to do with another report? ... Bring it to court,” she said.

The federal review was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-school-shooting-justice-department-reviewing-response-ed6ea4160d723c2a25cde1c909d31fa7">launched</a>&nbsp;just days after the shooting. Since then, how police respond to mass shootings around the country has come under closer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lewiston-maine-shooting-warning-signs-robert-card-e154aac79b4f9d42a5381c20cd6618dd">scrutiny</a>.

The families of some of the Uvalde victims have blasted police as cowards and demanded resignations. At least five officers have lost their jobs, including two Department of Public Safety officers and the on-site commander, Arredondo.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705594680900.png" alt="Photo U.S. Department of Justicd" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Department of Justicd</figcaption>
 </figure>UVALDE, Texas (AP) — Police officials who responded to the deadly Uvalde, Texas, elementary school shooting waited far too long to confront the gunman, acted with “no urgency” in establishing a command post and communicated inaccurate information to grieving families, according to a Justice Department report released Thursday that identifies “cascading failures” in law enforcement's handling of the massacre.<a href="https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov/resourcecenter/content.ashx/cops-r1141-pub.pdf">Click here to read </a>the 600 page report<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24366914-uvalde-report">The Justice Department report,</a>&nbsp;the most comprehensive federal accounting of the maligned police response to the May 24, 2022, shooting at Robb Elementary School, catalogs a sweeping array of training, communication, leadership and technology problems that federal officials say contributed to the crisis lasting far longer than necessary. All the while, the report says, terrified students inside the classrooms called 911 and agonized parents begged officers to go in.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Attorney General Merrick Garland: &quot;Within minutes of arriving inside the school, officials on scene transitioned from treating the scene as an active shooter situation to treating the shooter as a barricaded subject. This was the most significant failure.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/wt392AWJsW">pic.twitter.com/wt392AWJsW</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1748095943851806971?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Had law enforcement agencies followed generally accepted practices in active shooter situations and gone right after the shooter and stopped him, lives would have been saved and people would have survived,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday at a news conference in Uvalde after Justice Department officials briefed family members on their findings. The Uvalde victims, he said, "deserved better."Even for a mass shooting that has already been the subject of intense scrutiny and in-depth examinations — an earlier report by Texas lawmakers, for instance, faulted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-texas-education-violence-school-31aa135678f8118ed96d893ea77cf8ea">law enforcement at every level</a>&nbsp;with failing “to prioritize saving innocent lives over their own safety" — the nearly 600-page Justice Department report adds to the public understanding of how officers failed to stop an attack that killed 19 children and two staff members.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Attorney General Merrick Garland: &quot;The chaos and confusion that defined the law enforcement response while the shooter remained a threat also defined the aftermath...Some families were told that their family members had survived, when they had not.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/XUebqxTIa7">pic.twitter.com/XUebqxTIa7</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1748085414022332585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The flawed initial response was compounded in the following days by an ineptitude that added to family members' anguish, according to the report. One family member spent hours pulling glass out of an injured son's body because the surviving children were not screened for medical problems.A county district attorney told families that they would need to wait for autopsy reports before death notifications were made, prompting some to yell: “What, our kids are dead? No, no!” Untrained hospital staff told family members that their loved ones had died, while in other cases, families were incorrectly told that a child had survived when they had not. At one point, an official told waiting families that another bus of survivors was coming, but that was untrue.“Mirroring the failures of the law enforcement response, state and local agencies failed to coordinate, leading to inaccurate and incomplete information being provided to anxious family and community members and the public,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta.The problems began almost immediately with a flawed assumption by officers at the scene that the shooter was barricaded, or otherwise contained, even as he continued to fire shots. That “mindset permeated throughout much of the incident response" as police, rather than rushing inside the classrooms to end the carnage, waited more than an hour to confront the gunman in what the report called a costly “lack of urgency.”The gunman, Salvador Ramos, was killed roughly 77 minutes after police arrived on the scene, when a tactical team finally went into the classroom to take him down.“An active shooter with access to victims should never be considered and treated as a barricaded subject,” the report says, with the word “never” emphasized in italics.In other errors, the report says, police acted with “no urgency” in establishing a command center at the school, creating confusion among police about who was in charge. The then-school district police chief, Pete Arredondo, discarded his radios on arrival because he deemed them unnecessary. Though he tried to communicate by phone with officers in the school hallway, “unfortunately, on multiple occasions, he directed officers intending to gain entry into the classrooms to stop, because he appeared to determine that other victims should first be removed from nearby classrooms to prevent further injury.”Uvalde, a community of more than 15,000 about 85 miles (140 kilometers) southwest of San Antonio, continues to struggle with the trauma left by the killings and remains divided on the issue of accountability. Uvalde County District Attorney Christina Mitchell has said she’s still considering whether to bring criminal charges.Asked about the report and the possibility of charges Thursday, President Joe Biden said he was briefed by his staff “but I don’t know that there’s any criminal liability.”In Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott initially praised the officers’ courage, saying the reason the shooting was "not worse is because law enforcement officials did what they do" and that they had been brave in "running toward gunfire for the singular purpose of trying to save lives.But that narrative crumbled under scrutiny, as a report from a panel of state lawmakers and investigations by journalists laid bare how a mass of officers went in and out of the school with weapons drawn but didn’t enter the classroom where the shooting was taking place.“The actions of the responding officers, combined with the ‘heroic’ storyline that started with (a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety) and continued the next day during the Governor’s and director’s news conference, dealt a serious blow to public confidence in local and state law enforcement,” the report states.The city of Uvalde said in a statement that it had requested and fully cooperated with the federal investigation and had “already implemented changes in leadership, new personnel, new training, and new equipment.”The report intentionally omits the identity of the gunman or any explanation of a possible motive. But it does include page-long remembrances of each of the victims, including 10-year-old Jose Flores Jr., who loved cars and the Houston Astros, and Amerie Jo Garza, who on the morning of the shooting had celebrated her appointment to the honor roll.And it highlights anguished and panicked quotes from a 911 call by students trapped in the classroom — “Help!” “Help!” “Help!” “I don't want to die. My teacher is dead” — experiencing “unimaginable horror” while officers stood just outside in the hallway.“I hope that the failures end today,” said Kimberly Rubio, whose daughter Lexi Rubio was killed in the shooting. “My child, our children are named in this report because they are dead.” Of the officers who failed that day, she added: "They should be named.”Velma Lisa Duran, whose sister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-shootings-texas-education-dd7031b2ce60283a3769ebdb669fa5d2">Irma Garcia</a>&nbsp;was one of the teachers killed, said before the release of the report that she was daunted by the prospect of reliving the circumstances of her sister’s death and what she really wanted was criminal charges.“A report doesn’t matter when there are no consequences for actions that are so vile and murderous and evil,” said Duran. “What do you want us to do with another report? ... Bring it to court,” she said.The federal review was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-school-shooting-justice-department-reviewing-response-ed6ea4160d723c2a25cde1c909d31fa7">launched</a>&nbsp;just days after the shooting. Since then, how police respond to mass shootings around the country has come under closer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lewiston-maine-shooting-warning-signs-robert-card-e154aac79b4f9d42a5381c20cd6618dd">scrutiny</a>.The families of some of the Uvalde victims have blasted police as cowards and demanded resignations. At least five officers have lost their jobs, including two Department of Public Safety officers and the on-site commander, Arredondo.

🎥Read new revelations in DOJ report on Uvalde school shooting

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican lawmakers in Kansas on Thursday passed a broad package of tax cuts promoted as widespread relief that the Democratic governor is likely to veto because she says it favors the wealthy and threatens the state’s budget in the future.

The opposing viewpoints kept the two sides locked in a political impasse as the window for meaningful tax cuts narrows.

The GOP-supermajority Legislature approved a plan to cut income, sales and property taxes by a total of nearly $1.6 billion over the next three years. But Gov. Laura Kelly is expected to veto the bill because it would move Kansas to a single personal income tax rate of 5.25% to replace three rates that now top out at 5.7%.

The measure cleared the Legislature on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20240118120353_952601/">an 81-37 vote</a>&nbsp;in the House after the Senate approved it Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20240117171712_681644/">25-11.</a>&nbsp;While Republicans appeared to have the two-thirds majority in the House to override a veto, the defections of two Republicans and a conservative independent in the Senate appear to leave them at least a vote short there.

A similar dispute&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-cuts-kansas-gop-infighting-3fcfeb252137bdda907655ae7f7fd69e">thwarted big tax cuts</a>&nbsp;last year, when a dozen other states cut taxes, according to the conservative-leaning Tax Foundation.

Kelly's office wasn't commenting Thursday, but she's been public about her strong opposition to the “flat” tax proposal, viewing it as a boon to the state's “super wealthy.” Also, her office released a projection Thursday showing that the GOP plan would cause a budget shortfall in 2029.

Democratic state Rep. Henry Helgerson of Wichita argued during Thursday's debate that lawmakers cannot enact the Republicans' tax cuts without committing to budget cuts first.

“Right now, I don't see it,” he said.

The figures released by Kelly's office didn't show what assumptions it used for growth in spending or revenues over time, and Republicans dismissed them. Senate President Ty Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican, said he agrees that the state faces future budget problems if Kelly wants to “spend like a drunken sailor.”

“However, if the state engages in basic fiscal responsibility, there will continue to be ample money available to deliver ongoing and meaningful tax reductions to Kansans,” Masterson said in an emailed statement Thursday.

Republicans also defended their package as fair because it contains provisions that will exempt roughly 310,000 additional Kansas residents from income taxes, on top of the 40,000 or so poorest ones. The plan included provisions that would exempt the first $20,300 of a married couple’s income from state taxes — more if they have children, with the amounts rising with inflation after 2025.

Republican leaders married the income tax proposals to a proposal from Kelly to eliminate the state’s 2% sales tax on groceries starting April 1 and proposals she embraced to exempt all of retirees’ Social Security income from taxes and to lower homeowners’ property taxes.

“It's a great package,” Republican state Sen. Caryn Tyson, the Senate tax committee's chair, said before Wednesday's vote in her chamber. “It's got a little something for everybody.”

The impasse last year over taxes had Kansas projecting that it will have nearly $4.5 billion in surplus cash at the end of June, equal to 17% of the state’s current $25 billion budget.

Yet Kansas also is debating tax cuts at a time when the nationwide tax-cutting trend could be slowing as a revenue surge fueled by federal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-missouri-state-government-minnesota-jefferson-city-oregon-d1119c7dea604eeb51bc14b8ed260e95?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">spending and inflation</a>&nbsp;recedes.

Kansas' state tax collections are in line with last year's but about 1.1% below projections. Monthly collections have fallen short of expectations each of the past three months; that happened only five times in the previous six years.

“This is a time when state revenues and surpluses, we're seeing, are starting to flatten across the country,” said Neva Butkus, a state policy analyst for the left-leaning Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.

Butkus also said that, even with its provisions aimed at helping poor families, the GOP package would widen the gap between the poorest, who already pay a higher percentage of their incomes in taxes, and the wealthiest.

Figures from the Kansas Department of Revenue show that with the proposed single-rate tax, a little more than half of the raw dollar savings would go to the 3.8% of filers from Kansas earning more than $250,000 a year. That group pays 41% of the personal income taxes collected from Kansas residents.

The smallest cuts, both in terms of raw dollars and the average percentage, would go to Kansas residents earning between $50,000 and $75,000 a year.

“Not only does it help the wealthy, it does nothing for the middle class,” said state Rep. Tom Sawyer, another Wichita Democrat.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705603081567.png" alt="Kansas Senate Tax Committee Chair Caryn Tyson, Republican,&nbsp; Parker, during a hearing this week -photo Kan. legislature YouTube" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Senate Tax Committee Chair Caryn Tyson, Republican,&nbsp; Parker, during a hearing this week -photo Kan. legislature YouTube</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican lawmakers in Kansas on Thursday passed a broad package of tax cuts promoted as widespread relief that the Democratic governor is likely to veto because she says it favors the wealthy and threatens the state’s budget in the future.The opposing viewpoints kept the two sides locked in a political impasse as the window for meaningful tax cuts narrows.The GOP-supermajority Legislature approved a plan to cut income, sales and property taxes by a total of nearly $1.6 billion over the next three years. But Gov. Laura Kelly is expected to veto the bill because it would move Kansas to a single personal income tax rate of 5.25% to replace three rates that now top out at 5.7%.The measure cleared the Legislature on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20240118120353_952601/">an 81-37 vote</a>&nbsp;in the House after the Senate approved it Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20240117171712_681644/">25-11.</a>&nbsp;While Republicans appeared to have the two-thirds majority in the House to override a veto, the defections of two Republicans and a conservative independent in the Senate appear to leave them at least a vote short there.A similar dispute&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-cuts-kansas-gop-infighting-3fcfeb252137bdda907655ae7f7fd69e">thwarted big tax cuts</a>&nbsp;last year, when a dozen other states cut taxes, according to the conservative-leaning Tax Foundation.Kelly's office wasn't commenting Thursday, but she's been public about her strong opposition to the “flat” tax proposal, viewing it as a boon to the state's “super wealthy.” Also, her office released a projection Thursday showing that the GOP plan would cause a budget shortfall in 2029.Democratic state Rep. Henry Helgerson of Wichita argued during Thursday's debate that lawmakers cannot enact the Republicans' tax cuts without committing to budget cuts first.“Right now, I don't see it,” he said.The figures released by Kelly's office didn't show what assumptions it used for growth in spending or revenues over time, and Republicans dismissed them. Senate President Ty Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican, said he agrees that the state faces future budget problems if Kelly wants to “spend like a drunken sailor.”“However, if the state engages in basic fiscal responsibility, there will continue to be ample money available to deliver ongoing and meaningful tax reductions to Kansans,” Masterson said in an emailed statement Thursday.Republicans also defended their package as fair because it contains provisions that will exempt roughly 310,000 additional Kansas residents from income taxes, on top of the 40,000 or so poorest ones. The plan included provisions that would exempt the first $20,300 of a married couple’s income from state taxes — more if they have children, with the amounts rising with inflation after 2025.Republican leaders married the income tax proposals to a proposal from Kelly to eliminate the state’s 2% sales tax on groceries starting April 1 and proposals she embraced to exempt all of retirees’ Social Security income from taxes and to lower homeowners’ property taxes.“It's a great package,” Republican state Sen. Caryn Tyson, the Senate tax committee's chair, said before Wednesday's vote in her chamber. “It's got a little something for everybody.”The impasse last year over taxes had Kansas projecting that it will have nearly $4.5 billion in surplus cash at the end of June, equal to 17% of the state’s current $25 billion budget.Yet Kansas also is debating tax cuts at a time when the nationwide tax-cutting trend could be slowing as a revenue surge fueled by federal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-missouri-state-government-minnesota-jefferson-city-oregon-d1119c7dea604eeb51bc14b8ed260e95?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">spending and inflation</a>&nbsp;recedes.Kansas' state tax collections are in line with last year's but about 1.1% below projections. Monthly collections have fallen short of expectations each of the past three months; that happened only five times in the previous six years.“This is a time when state revenues and surpluses, we're seeing, are starting to flatten across the country,” said Neva Butkus, a state policy analyst for the left-leaning Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.Butkus also said that, even with its provisions aimed at helping poor families, the GOP package would widen the gap between the poorest, who already pay a higher percentage of their incomes in taxes, and the wealthiest.Figures from the Kansas Department of Revenue show that with the proposed single-rate tax, a little more than half of the raw dollar savings would go to the 3.8% of filers from Kansas earning more than $250,000 a year. That group pays 41% of the personal income taxes collected from Kansas residents.The smallest cuts, both in terms of raw dollars and the average percentage, would go to Kansas residents earning between $50,000 and $75,000 a year.“Not only does it help the wealthy, it does nothing for the middle class,” said state Rep. Tom Sawyer, another Wichita Democrat.But many Republicans argued that a simpler income tax system is fairer and said Kansas needs to become more competitive with other states. The Tax Foundation said in a 2022 report that Kansas residents pay more of their incomes in taxes than residents of most surrounding states.In 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-of-the-union-address-business-iowa-kim-reynolds-des-moines-45161d72ab4d0e62f9bb81aa7b07a8cd">Iowa moved to a flat tax,</a>&nbsp;initially set at 4.4% but scheduled to drop eventually to 3.9%. Now, GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds is pushing to cut the rate to $3.65% for this year.Masterson said retaining an income tax with multiple rates would keep Kansas “behind the eight ball” economically.“It's not the future,” he said.