PAWNEE COUNTY —A semi truck driver accused of drug crimes after an accident avoided a trial this week and changed his plea in Pawnee County.

&nbsp;Javier Rubio Montoya, 45 of Horizon City, Texas, pleaded Guilty to Possession of Methamphetamine and Improper Stopping or Parking on a Roadway, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.

In exchange for the plea, the state agreed to dismiss charges of Fleeing and Eluding resulting in an accident and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

In support of the plea, McNett advised the Court that had the matter proceeded to trial the evidence would have shown that at around 3:00 a.m. on February 18, 2022, law enforcement dispatch received a 911 call from a concerned citizen that there was a semi-tractor trailer with its lights on parked in the southbound lane of US Highway 183 in northern Pawnee County. 

A Pawnee County Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched to the location. Montoya was discovered to be the sole occupant of the semi.

The deputy requested Montoya follow the deputy to a flatter location so that their vehicles could be more easily seen by any oncoming traffic. When the officer pulled over, however, the semi continued southbound. 

The deputy activated his emergency lights and began following the semi. After several miles the semi began weaving erratically, striking guardrails on both sides of the roadway, and ultimately came to rest in the west ditch. No one was injured in the accident. 

The deputy arrested Montoya at the scene without incident. Montoya advised the deputy he had fallen asleep. Law enforcement conducted an inventory search prior to the semi being towed away, and a small quantity of methamphetamine was found in the Montoya’s belongings.

Montoya is scheduled for sentencing on May 18, 2023. He remains free on bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677019482972.png" alt="Montoya-photo Pawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Montoya-photo Pawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>PAWNEE COUNTY —A semi truck driver accused of drug crimes after an accident avoided a trial this week and changed his plea in Pawnee County.&nbsp;Javier Rubio Montoya, 45 of Horizon City, Texas, pleaded Guilty to Possession of Methamphetamine and Improper Stopping or Parking on a Roadway, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.In exchange for the plea, the state agreed to dismiss charges of Fleeing and Eluding resulting in an accident and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.In support of the plea, McNett advised the Court that had the matter proceeded to trial the evidence would have shown that at around 3:00 a.m. on February 18, 2022, law enforcement dispatch received a 911 call from a concerned citizen that there was a semi-tractor trailer with its lights on parked in the southbound lane of US Highway 183 in northern Pawnee County. A Pawnee County Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched to the location. Montoya was discovered to be the sole occupant of the semi.The deputy requested Montoya follow the deputy to a flatter location so that their vehicles could be more easily seen by any oncoming traffic. When the officer pulled over, however, the semi continued southbound. The deputy activated his emergency lights and began following the semi. After several miles the semi began weaving erratically, striking guardrails on both sides of the roadway, and ultimately came to rest in the west ditch. No one was injured in the accident. The deputy arrested Montoya at the scene without incident. Montoya advised the deputy he had fallen asleep. Law enforcement conducted an inventory search prior to the semi being towed away, and a small quantity of methamphetamine was found in the Montoya’s belongings.Montoya is scheduled for sentencing on May 18, 2023. He remains free on bond.

Texas semi driver enters plea in Kansas drug arrest

LINN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a vehicle theft have recovered the vehicle with the help of&nbsp;Kansas Game Wardens.

According to a social media report from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens, " You never know what they may come across when on patrol."&nbsp; Two game wardens found a stolen vehicle on the LaCygne Wildlife Area. 

The wardens used some extra effort to recover the vehicle which was stolen recently in Cass County, Missouri.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677180132225.png" alt="photo KDWP Game Wardens" />
 <figcaption>photo KDWP Game Wardens</figcaption>
 </figure>LINN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a vehicle theft have recovered the vehicle with the help of&nbsp;Kansas Game Wardens.According to a social media report from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens, " You never know what they may come across when on patrol."&nbsp; Two game wardens found a stolen vehicle on the LaCygne Wildlife Area. The wardens used some extra effort to recover the vehicle which was stolen recently in Cass County, Missouri.

Kansas game wardens recover vehicle stolen out of state

KANSAS CITY, KS&nbsp;– On Thursday at the Hollywood Casino in Kansas City, Kansas, Governor Laura Kelly cashed in on Kansas' first legal sports bet, her September wager on the Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl. 

According to a media release from her office, Governor Kelly will be donating the $150 she won, in addition to her original $15 bet, to Chiefs quarterback and Super Bowl LVII MVP Patrick Mahomes’ charity, 15 and the Mahomies Foundation. The PENN Entertainment Foundation is donating an additional $1,500 to the charity as well.&nbsp;

“I was thrilled to be in Kansas City today to cash in on our state’s first legal sports bet, and to send my winnings to such a great cause,”&nbsp;said Governor Laura Kelly. “I can’t think of a better way to honor the Chiefs and Super Bowl LVII MVP Patrick Mahomes than by giving my wins to his foundation, which is doing so much good for our children. I’m grateful to the PENN Entertainment Foundation for joining me in supporting 15 and the Mahomies with such a generous donation.”

“We are very proud to support Patrick and the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation,"&nbsp;said Amanda Garber, Executive Director of the PENN Entertainment Foundation.&nbsp;"Patrick&nbsp;is a quintessential leader, whether it be at the helm of the Chiefs winning another Super Bowl or caring for the health and wellness of communities in need here in Kansas City and across the country."&nbsp;

Mahomes’ organization, 15 and the Mahomies Foundation, is dedicated to improving the lives of children by enacting initiatives that target health and wellness in communities in need. The foundation’s signature program, 15 for 15, supports 15 initiatives that focus on youth academics, science, the arts, classroom supplies, athletics, children with disabilities, after-school programs, and more.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677183879921.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, KS&nbsp;– On Thursday at the Hollywood Casino in Kansas City, Kansas, Governor Laura Kelly cashed in on Kansas' first legal sports bet, her September wager on the Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl. According to a media release from her office, Governor Kelly will be donating the $150 she won, in addition to her original $15 bet, to Chiefs quarterback and Super Bowl LVII MVP Patrick Mahomes’ charity, 15 and the Mahomies Foundation. The PENN Entertainment Foundation is donating an additional $1,500 to the charity as well.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677183951487.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>“I was thrilled to be in Kansas City today to cash in on our state’s first legal sports bet, and to send my winnings to such a great cause,”&nbsp;said Governor Laura Kelly. “I can’t think of a better way to honor the Chiefs and Super Bowl LVII MVP Patrick Mahomes than by giving my wins to his foundation, which is doing so much good for our children. I’m grateful to the PENN Entertainment Foundation for joining me in supporting 15 and the Mahomies with such a generous donation.”“We are very proud to support Patrick and the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation,"&nbsp;said Amanda Garber, Executive Director of the PENN Entertainment Foundation.&nbsp;"Patrick&nbsp;is a quintessential leader, whether it be at the helm of the Chiefs winning another Super Bowl or caring for the health and wellness of communities in need here in Kansas City and across the country."&nbsp;Mahomes’ organization, 15 and the Mahomies Foundation, is dedicated to improving the lives of children by enacting initiatives that target health and wellness in communities in need. The foundation’s signature program, 15 for 15, supports 15 initiatives that focus on youth academics, science, the arts, classroom supplies, athletics, children with disabilities, after-school programs, and more.

Gov. Kelly cashes out her winning  Super Bowl bet

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal hit-and run involving a motorcycle at a Wichita intersection have identified the victim as 48-year-old Kristine Sheffield from Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20071435">Chase Faimon, 21, Valley Center</a> turned himself in after police released security camera images of the suspect on a motorcycle, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.&nbsp;

Just after 7 p.m. Monday, police responded to the intersection of 11th Street North and Broadway for an injury hit-and-run collision, according to Rebolledo.

First responders located Sheffield in the street unresponsive. EMS transported her to a local hospital where she was pronounced deceased.

During the investigation, officers learned Sheffield was struck by a black dirt bike while crossing the street. After the collision, the driver of the motorcycle left the scene northbound on Broadway.

Faimon is being held on requested charges of murder in the 2nd degree, unintentional but reckless, no valid drivers license and failure to stop and an injury accident, according to online jail records.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal hit-and run involving a motorcycle at a Wichita intersection have identified the victim as 48-year-old Kristine Sheffield from Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677064202271.png" alt="Faimon-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Faimon-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20071435">Chase Faimon, 21, Valley Center</a> turned himself in after police released security camera images of the suspect on a motorcycle, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676999156108.png" alt="photos Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>photos Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 7 p.m. Monday, police responded to the intersection of 11th Street North and Broadway for an injury hit-and-run collision, according to Rebolledo.First responders located Sheffield in the street unresponsive. EMS transported her to a local hospital where she was pronounced deceased.During the investigation, officers learned Sheffield was struck by a black dirt bike while crossing the street. After the collision, the driver of the motorcycle left the scene northbound on Broadway.Faimon is being held on requested charges of murder in the 2nd degree, unintentional but reckless, no valid drivers license and failure to stop and an injury accident, according to online jail records.

Police ID Kan. woman who died in hit-and-run motorcycle crash

Limits on doctors treating gender identity also advance

By DYLAN LYSEN and SAMANTHA HORTON <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-02-23/kansas-lawmakers-vote-to-restrict-transgender-athletes-and-doctors-treating-gender-identity">Kansas News Service</a>

The Republican-dominated Kansas Legislature on Thursday approved a 
group of bills targeting transgender people and gender-affirming health 
care.

(Click below to watch Rep. Barb Wasinger's comments on the bill)

The GOP-backed bills will likely be <a href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2022-04-16/kansas-gov-laura-kelly-vetoes-transgender-sports-ban-parental-bill-of-rights-touted-by-republicans" target="_blank">vetoed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly</a>
 should they make it to her desk. That would set up a political fight to
 override her opposition later in the session. In all three votes, the 
lawmakers came close to — but did not not surpass — the two-thirds 
majority needed to override Kelly.

Two bills approved by the Senate would<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb233/" target="_blank"> ban doctors from providing gender-affirming</a> care to children and create <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb180/" target="_blank">the so-called “women’s bill of rights</a>”
 that legally defines a person’s sex as the sex they were assigned at 
birth. The senators voted 26-11 and 26-10, respectively. The bills now 
head to the House for consideration.

Under the first bill, doctors could <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-02-14/some-kansas-lawmakers-want-to-punish-doctors-who-help-transgender-kids-transition" target="_blank">lose their licenses and be subject to lawsuits</a>
 if they provide health care such as prescribing estrogen or 
testosterone to help a young person transition their gender. It could 
effectively stifle the treatments in Kansas.

Republican Sen. Mark 
Steffen likened gender-affirming care for children to “mutilation.” And 
Republican Sen. Mike Thompson argued the bill will protect children from
 doctors who put them on the path to a gender transition that they may 
later regret.

“We cannot bury our heads in the sand and pretend 
it’s not happening,” Thompson said. “The future of this state is at risk
 if we do not protect our progeny.”

But Democratic senators argued
 the bill goes against medical science and would harm children facing 
hardships because they feel a mismatch between their sex and gender 
identity.

Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes said children in 
Kansas deserve the chance to receive health care that would help them 
survive those hardships.

“Let’s stop attacking the transgender 
community, including their support systems, just because we don’t 
understand them,” Sykes said.

In the House, the representatives voted 82-40 to approve a bill that <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2238/" target="_blank">bans transgender girls and women from participating in girls' and women’s sports</a>. The bill now heads to the Senate.

Supporters
 argued men’s biological advantages over women are unfair and that 
women’s locker rooms need protection. Republican Rep. Barb Wasinger said
 allowing transgender women to participate means women’s sports are 
being threatened.

“For all the feminists in this body, let me ask 
you,” Wasinger said, “when did it become politically correct to 
discriminate against women?”

Opponents said the bill does not 
protect fairness in sports, but amounts to extremist and hateful views 
on transgender people. Democratic Rep. Jerry Stogsdill said the bill 
would also be bad for the state’s economy.

“A lot of companies,” 
Stogsdill said, “have policies that would prevent them from locating or 
expanding in a state that promotes prejudice against members of the 
LGBTQ community.”

The Legislature tried and failed to override vetoes of similar bills by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly the past two years. So far, <a href="https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/sports_participation_bans" target="_blank">18 states have passed</a> similar legislation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677179071703.png" alt="Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Limits on doctors treating gender identity also advance</h2>By DYLAN LYSEN and SAMANTHA HORTON <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-02-23/kansas-lawmakers-vote-to-restrict-transgender-athletes-and-doctors-treating-gender-identity">Kansas News Service</a>The Republican-dominated Kansas Legislature on Thursday approved a 
group of bills targeting transgender people and gender-affirming health 
care.(Click below to watch Rep. Barb Wasinger's comments on the bill)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KGAzsPA9Vqg?start=26325" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The GOP-backed bills will likely be <a href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2022-04-16/kansas-gov-laura-kelly-vetoes-transgender-sports-ban-parental-bill-of-rights-touted-by-republicans" target="_blank">vetoed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly</a>
 should they make it to her desk. That would set up a political fight to
 override her opposition later in the session. In all three votes, the 
lawmakers came close to — but did not not surpass — the two-thirds 
majority needed to override Kelly.Two bills approved by the Senate would<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb233/" target="_blank"> ban doctors from providing gender-affirming</a> care to children and create <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb180/" target="_blank">the so-called “women’s bill of rights</a>”
 that legally defines a person’s sex as the sex they were assigned at 
birth. The senators voted 26-11 and 26-10, respectively. The bills now 
head to the House for consideration.Under the first bill, doctors could <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-02-14/some-kansas-lawmakers-want-to-punish-doctors-who-help-transgender-kids-transition" target="_blank">lose their licenses and be subject to lawsuits</a>
 if they provide health care such as prescribing estrogen or 
testosterone to help a young person transition their gender. It could 
effectively stifle the treatments in Kansas.Republican Sen. Mark 
Steffen likened gender-affirming care for children to “mutilation.” And 
Republican Sen. Mike Thompson argued the bill will protect children from
 doctors who put them on the path to a gender transition that they may 
later regret.“We cannot bury our heads in the sand and pretend 
it’s not happening,” Thompson said. “The future of this state is at risk
 if we do not protect our progeny.”But Democratic senators argued
 the bill goes against medical science and would harm children facing 
hardships because they feel a mismatch between their sex and gender 
identity.Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes said children in 
Kansas deserve the chance to receive health care that would help them 
survive those hardships.“Let’s stop attacking the transgender 
community, including their support systems, just because we don’t 
understand them,” Sykes said.In the House, the representatives voted 82-40 to approve a bill that <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2238/" target="_blank">bans transgender girls and women from participating in girls' and women’s sports</a>. The bill now heads to the Senate.Supporters
 argued men’s biological advantages over women are unfair and that 
women’s locker rooms need protection. Republican Rep. Barb Wasinger said
 allowing transgender women to participate means women’s sports are 
being threatened.“For all the feminists in this body, let me ask 
you,” Wasinger said, “when did it become politically correct to 
discriminate against women?”Opponents said the bill does not 
protect fairness in sports, but amounts to extremist and hateful views 
on transgender people. Democratic Rep. Jerry Stogsdill said the bill 
would also be bad for the state’s economy.“A lot of companies,” 
Stogsdill said, “have policies that would prevent them from locating or 
expanding in a state that promotes prejudice against members of the 
LGBTQ community.”The Legislature tried and failed to override vetoes of similar bills by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly the past two years. So far, <a href="https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/sports_participation_bans" target="_blank">18 states have passed</a> similar legislation.

🎥Kansas lawmakers vote to restrict transgender athletes

RENO COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 10a.m. Thursday in Reno County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Chevy Silverado driven by&nbsp; &nbsp;Bryon Michael Young, 27, Hutchinson, was eastbound on K96 three miles east of Haven.

The pickup rear-ended a 2013 Peterbilt semi driven by Robert Francis&nbsp;Heimerman, 57, Conway Springs., who slowed to make a right turn onto Worthington Road.

A passenger in the pickup identified as Brian Lee&nbsp;Garza, 43, Hutchinson, was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported young to&nbsp;Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. Heimerman was not injured. The KHP had incomplete seatbelt usage information.

RENO COUNTY— One person died in an accident just before 10a.m. Thursday on K-96 at Worthington just east of Haven in Reno County

According to Kansas Highway Patrol, Lt. Aaron McGuire, the truck rear-ended an eastbound semi was who slowed to make a turn onto southbound Worthington.

A passenger in the truck died. EMS transported the pickup driver to a local hospital. The semi driver was not injured.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677187189547.png" alt="First responders at the scene of the crash-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>First responders at the scene of the crash-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 10a.m. Thursday in Reno County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Chevy Silverado driven by&nbsp; &nbsp;Bryon Michael Young, 27, Hutchinson, was eastbound on K96 three miles east of Haven.The pickup rear-ended a 2013 Peterbilt semi driven by Robert Francis&nbsp;Heimerman, 57, Conway Springs., who slowed to make a right turn onto Worthington Road.A passenger in the pickup identified as Brian Lee&nbsp;Garza, 43, Hutchinson, was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported young to&nbsp;Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. Heimerman was not injured. The KHP had incomplete seatbelt usage information.----------------RENO COUNTY— One person died in an accident just before 10a.m. Thursday on K-96 at Worthington just east of Haven in Reno CountyAccording to Kansas Highway Patrol, Lt. Aaron McGuire, the truck rear-ended an eastbound semi was who slowed to make a turn onto southbound Worthington.A passenger in the truck died. EMS transported the pickup driver to a local hospital. The semi driver was not injured.

Kansas man dies after pickup rear-ends a semi 

WASHINGTON—The United States has not yet seen China giving lethal aid to Russia in its illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, but the Chinese also haven't taken that aid off the table, according to Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh in a briefing of the media at the Pentagon Wednesday, according to a media release from&nbsp;David Vergun with U.S. Department of Defense.

(Click below to listen to the Pentagon press briefing)

There would&nbsp;be consequences for doing so, she emphasized.&nbsp;

Separately, regarding the U.S.-Russia New START treaty, which Russia just suspended, Singh said: "Well, we certainly think it's unfortunate ... [and] we think it's irresponsible. Any nuclear power has to behave in a responsible manner. And we certainly take our obligations under the New START Treaty seriously."

Regarding satellite links for Ukraine, Singh said the U.S. is providing Ukraine with satellite communications and Starlink is still operating over the nation.&nbsp;

Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by SpaceX.

About the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Singh said: "Let me just make this very clear. We're not at war with Russia. We're not fighting with Russia. We are supporting the Ukrainians in [the] war that Russia started. So, let's just be clear about that. I think it's important to remember that. Again: Ukraine was invaded by Russia. This administration has been committed to standing with Ukraine for as long as it takes. And that's what we're going to continue to do."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677173692127.png" alt="Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh speaks during an on-camera press briefing at the Pentagon Wednesday." />
 <figcaption>Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh speaks during an on-camera press briefing at the Pentagon Wednesday.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON—The United States has not yet seen China giving lethal aid to Russia in its illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, but the Chinese also haven't taken that aid off the table, according to Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh in a briefing of the media at the Pentagon Wednesday, according to a media release from&nbsp;David Vergun with U.S. Department of Defense.(Click below to listen to the Pentagon press briefing)<div><iframe width='500' height='300' scrolling='no' frameborder='0' style='border: none; overflow: hidden; width: 500px; height: 300px;' allowtransparency='true' src='https://www.dvidshub.net/video/embed/874211'></iframe></div>There would&nbsp;be consequences for doing so, she emphasized.&nbsp;Separately, regarding the U.S.-Russia New START treaty, which Russia just suspended, Singh said: "Well, we certainly think it's unfortunate ... [and] we think it's irresponsible. Any nuclear power has to behave in a responsible manner. And we certainly take our obligations under the New START Treaty seriously."Regarding satellite links for Ukraine, Singh said the U.S. is providing Ukraine with satellite communications and Starlink is still operating over the nation.&nbsp;Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by SpaceX.About the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Singh said: "Let me just make this very clear. We're not at war with Russia. We're not fighting with Russia. We are supporting the Ukrainians in [the] war that Russia started. So, let's just be clear about that. I think it's important to remember that. Again: Ukraine was invaded by Russia. This administration has been committed to standing with Ukraine for as long as it takes. And that's what we're going to continue to do."

🎥 Pentagon issues another warning to China over arming Russia

LYON COUNTY—There were no serious injuries after a&nbsp;chlorine gas leak in Emporia Wednesday.

Just after 4p.m., the Emporia Fire Department was dispatched to the water treatment plant, 2910 W 24th Avenue in Emporia for a reported chlorine leak, according to Batallion Chief Ryan Conley.

A&nbsp; 1-ton chlorine cylinder had a damaged valve that was leaking during a standard cylinder replacement procedure. The on scene water treatment plant staff were able to stop the leak quickly.

The Emporia Fire Department deployed their haz-mat team to isolate the valve and monitor the building and surrounding area for any impact to public safety.&nbsp;EMS treated one employee on scene and they were released, according Fire Chief Jesse Taylor.

All safety measures worked appropriately and there was no chlorine exposure outside of the containment building.&nbsp; EMS treated one person on scene and they were released, according Fire Chief Jesse Taylor.

Water service was uninterrupted and there was no impact to public safety. The cause was determined to be an accidental release from a faulty valve.

LYON COUNTY—There were no serious injuries after a&nbsp;chlorine gas leak in Emporia Wednesday.Just after 4p.m., the Emporia Fire Department was dispatched to the water treatment plant, 2910 W 24th Avenue in Emporia for a reported chlorine leak, according to Batallion Chief Ryan Conley.A&nbsp; 1-ton chlorine cylinder had a damaged valve that was leaking during a standard cylinder replacement procedure. The on scene water treatment plant staff were able to stop the leak quickly.The Emporia Fire Department deployed their haz-mat team to isolate the valve and monitor the building and surrounding area for any impact to public safety.&nbsp;EMS treated one employee on scene and they were released, according Fire Chief Jesse Taylor.All safety measures worked appropriately and there was no chlorine exposure outside of the containment building.&nbsp; EMS treated one person on scene and they were released, according Fire Chief Jesse Taylor.Water service was uninterrupted and there was no impact to public safety. The cause was determined to be an accidental release from a faulty valve.

Crews contain chlorine gas leak at Kan. water treatment plant

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' ethics commission has been investigating Republican campaign activities for at least a year, and the GOP-controlled Legislature is moving to reduce the agency's power and legalize practices apparently under scrutiny.

Republicans backing a bill to overhaul&nbsp;<a href="https://ethics.kansas.gov/">the state Governmental Ethics Commission</a>&nbsp;and rewrite campaign finance laws said Wednesday they're trying to ensure fair treatment of the people and groups scrutinized by the commission. But lawmakers drafted this year's measure amid a court battle over the commission's demand for documents from Kansas Republican Party officials, and critics see the bill as an effort to kneecap the agency.

Documents filed in court over subpoenas issued by the commission indicate that it has been investigating whether Republicans funneled national GOP funds through various committees to legislative candidates in 2020 to avoid contribution limits. One commission report made public in October includes transactions involving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-wichita-elections-topeka-b356a78372fd6db9d62ac996459ea641">Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-topeka-wichita-dan-hawkins-00703940e631419a6347afeee59e342a">House Speaker Dan Hawkins,</a>&nbsp;both Wichita-area Republicans, before they took over those offices. The report does not specifically allege wrongdoing by them, however, and the commission has yet to file any complaints over such issues.

It was not lost on the bill's older critics that this year marks the 50th anniversary of investigations into Watergate, the political dirty tricks and obstruction of justice scandal that later forced then-President Richard Nixon to resign. Those scandals prompted Kansas lawmakers to create the ethics commission and enact campaign, lobbying and ethics laws.

“Perhaps we’ve forgotten what happens when government runs amok in the darkness of the night,” said Democratic state Rep. John Carmichael, of Wichita, a lawyer in his mid-60s.

Republicans argue that the ethics commission is engaged in an unwarranted fishing expedition and lawmakers need to see that people's right to due legal process is protected.

Masterson told reporters earlier this month that the commission had asked about his communications but “they’ve since dropped that.” Hawkins said Wednesday that he has not been subpoenaed.

“It’s like you’re guilty until proven innocent, like you’re guilty of something. I didn’t do anything,” Masterson said. “I’m not worried about any of it.”

The GOP-dominated House Elections Committee approved the bill Tuesday on an 8-4 party-line vote, sending it to the full House for a debate as early as this week.

Committee Chair Pat Proctor, a Kansas City-area Republican, said Wednesday that because the bill is not retroactive, it wouldn't interfere with the commission's current investigation. He argued that money represents speech when it’s used for political purposes, making the ethics commission an agency that regulates speech, so that warrants scrutiny.

“It’s a spurious argument that we are not allowed to talk about ethics because there may or may not be some investigation going on,” Proctor said.

This year's bill would limit commission fines and require the commission to get a state district court judge's permission to issue a subpoena. A judge could sanction the commission for subpoenas deemed to create “an undue burden or expense” and the subjects of complaints could have their hearings handled by an outside administrative judge instead of the commission.

It would no longer be illegal in most instances for one donor to give money to a person or group specifically to pass along to the first donor's favored candidate — making it easier to evade contribution limits. Restrictions would be removed on candidates funneling contributions meant for their campaigns to other candidates, party groups or political action committees.

Critics say such changes would render the state's campaign finance laws meaningless. After the bill cleared committee, Skoglund told reporters the measure “stands exactly for the premise that if you are powerful enough, you just change the law to make what you are doing legal.”

State Rep. Cindy Neighbor, a Kansas City-area Democrat, said Wednesday, “This to me is more of a witch hunt and trying to tear down something because I didn't like the outcome.”

In February 2020, the commission issued subpoenas to at least seven Kansas Republican Party officials, seeking all communications — including emails, texts and social media messages — between them and at least 20 other people, including Masterson, for the last seven months of 2020.

In April, a Kansas Chamber of Commerce lobbyist told reporters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-campaigns-legislature-kansas-elections-a0e42fb5eb9b235f49946747ce644e50">the group also had received a subpoena.</a>&nbsp;His disclosure came as GOP lawmakers sought for a few hours to rewrite laws organizing the commission so that Skoglund no longer would be qualified for his job.

In August, the commission went to state district court in Shawnee County, home to Kansas' capital of Topeka, to get subpoenas enforced. An attorney for several recipients made theirs public, along with the commission's related “Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law.”

In late December, a judge heard arguments on quashing the subpoenas and she indicated from the bench that she was considering whether they were too broad. She had not ruled as of Wednesday.

By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' ethics commission has been investigating Republican campaign activities for at least a year, and the GOP-controlled Legislature is moving to reduce the agency's power and legalize practices apparently under scrutiny.Republicans backing a bill to overhaul&nbsp;<a href="https://ethics.kansas.gov/">the state Governmental Ethics Commission</a>&nbsp;and rewrite campaign finance laws said Wednesday they're trying to ensure fair treatment of the people and groups scrutinized by the commission. But lawmakers drafted this year's measure amid a court battle over the commission's demand for documents from Kansas Republican Party officials, and critics see the bill as an effort to kneecap the agency.Documents filed in court over subpoenas issued by the commission indicate that it has been investigating whether Republicans funneled national GOP funds through various committees to legislative candidates in 2020 to avoid contribution limits. One commission report made public in October includes transactions involving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-wichita-elections-topeka-b356a78372fd6db9d62ac996459ea641">Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-topeka-wichita-dan-hawkins-00703940e631419a6347afeee59e342a">House Speaker Dan Hawkins,</a>&nbsp;both Wichita-area Republicans, before they took over those offices. The report does not specifically allege wrongdoing by them, however, and the commission has yet to file any complaints over such issues.It was not lost on the bill's older critics that this year marks the 50th anniversary of investigations into Watergate, the political dirty tricks and obstruction of justice scandal that later forced then-President Richard Nixon to resign. Those scandals prompted Kansas lawmakers to create the ethics commission and enact campaign, lobbying and ethics laws.“Perhaps we’ve forgotten what happens when government runs amok in the darkness of the night,” said Democratic state Rep. John Carmichael, of Wichita, a lawyer in his mid-60s.Republicans argue that the ethics commission is engaged in an unwarranted fishing expedition and lawmakers need to see that people's right to due legal process is protected.Masterson told reporters earlier this month that the commission had asked about his communications but “they’ve since dropped that.” Hawkins said Wednesday that he has not been subpoenaed.“It’s like you’re guilty until proven innocent, like you’re guilty of something. I didn’t do anything,” Masterson said. “I’m not worried about any of it.”The GOP-dominated House Elections Committee approved the bill Tuesday on an 8-4 party-line vote, sending it to the full House for a debate as early as this week.Committee Chair Pat Proctor, a Kansas City-area Republican, said Wednesday that because the bill is not retroactive, it wouldn't interfere with the commission's current investigation. He argued that money represents speech when it’s used for political purposes, making the ethics commission an agency that regulates speech, so that warrants scrutiny.“It’s a spurious argument that we are not allowed to talk about ethics because there may or may not be some investigation going on,” Proctor said.This year's bill would limit commission fines and require the commission to get a state district court judge's permission to issue a subpoena. A judge could sanction the commission for subpoenas deemed to create “an undue burden or expense” and the subjects of complaints could have their hearings handled by an outside administrative judge instead of the commission.It would no longer be illegal in most instances for one donor to give money to a person or group specifically to pass along to the first donor's favored candidate — making it easier to evade contribution limits. Restrictions would be removed on candidates funneling contributions meant for their campaigns to other candidates, party groups or political action committees.Critics say such changes would render the state's campaign finance laws meaningless. After the bill cleared committee, Skoglund told reporters the measure “stands exactly for the premise that if you are powerful enough, you just change the law to make what you are doing legal.”State Rep. Cindy Neighbor, a Kansas City-area Democrat, said Wednesday, “This to me is more of a witch hunt and trying to tear down something because I didn't like the outcome.”In February 2020, the commission issued subpoenas to at least seven Kansas Republican Party officials, seeking all communications — including emails, texts and social media messages — between them and at least 20 other people, including Masterson, for the last seven months of 2020.In April, a Kansas Chamber of Commerce lobbyist told reporters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-campaigns-legislature-kansas-elections-a0e42fb5eb9b235f49946747ce644e50">the group also had received a subpoena.</a>&nbsp;His disclosure came as GOP lawmakers sought for a few hours to rewrite laws organizing the commission so that Skoglund no longer would be qualified for his job.In August, the commission went to state district court in Shawnee County, home to Kansas' capital of Topeka, to get subpoenas enforced. An attorney for several recipients made theirs public, along with the commission's related “Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law.”In late December, a judge heard arguments on quashing the subpoenas and she indicated from the bench that she was considering whether they were too broad. She had not ruled as of Wednesday.

Amid probe, Kansas lawmakers move to overhaul ethics agency

SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person died in a fire Thursday morning in Topeka.

Just after 2a.m. Thursday, fire crews were dispatched to a fire at in a detached garage behind a home at 1435 NW Jackson Street in Topeka, according to city spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.&nbsp;

Crews found heavy fire and smoke coming from the garage and while&nbsp;performing an offensive fire attack, found an adult victim inside the garage who was deceased.

 The fire was quickly contained and no other structures were damaged.

The garage was converted into a make shift residence and the victim was living in the space. Authorities have not released the victim's name or possible cause of the fire.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677152894823.png" alt="The garage was converted into a make shift residence and the victim was living in the space.-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>The garage was converted into a make shift residence and the victim was living in the space.-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person died in a fire Thursday morning in Topeka.Just after 2a.m. Thursday, fire crews were dispatched to a fire at in a detached garage behind a home at 1435 NW Jackson Street in Topeka, according to city spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.&nbsp;Crews found heavy fire and smoke coming from the garage and while&nbsp;performing an offensive fire attack, found an adult victim inside the garage who was deceased. The fire was quickly contained and no other structures were damaged.The garage was converted into a make shift residence and the victim was living in the space. Authorities have not released the victim's name or possible cause of the fire.

One dead after Kan. fire in garage converted to living space 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;seemed skeptical Wednesday of a lawsuit trying to hold social media companies responsible for a terrorist attack at a Turkish nightclub that killed 39 people.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2022/21-1496">Click here to</a> listen to arguments in&nbsp;Twitter, Inc. v. Taamneh

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2022/21-1333">Click here to&nbsp;</a>listen to arguments in&nbsp;Gonzalez v. Google LLC

During arguments at the high court several justices underscored that there was no evidence linking Twitter, Facebook and Google directly to the 2017 attack on the Reina nightclub in Istanbul. The family of a man killed in the attack says the companies aided and abetted the attack because they assisted in the growth of the Islamic State group, which claimed responsibility for the attack . A lower court let the lawsuit go forward.

What the court does with Wednesday’s case and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-technology-crime-business-internet-6e4551a3f39461e77a82ff577e24e6e7">a related one it heard a day earlier</a>&nbsp;is important, particularly because the companies have been shielded from liability on the internet, allowing them to grow into global giants.

If the court bars the lawsuit involving the attack in Turkey from going forward it could avoid a major ruling on the companies' legal immunity. That outcome would leave the current system in place, but also leave open the possibility that the justices could take up the issue again in a later case.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett was among the members of the court who suggested that the suit against the companies lacks the kind of facts required under a federal anti-terrorism law to hold platforms responsible.

Barrett suggested that a lawsuit against a company such as Twitter would need to have more, such as direct messages, comment threads or other evidence that the platform was being used to coordinate activities for a terrorist attack, “not just general recruitment or radicalizing people.”

Justice Neil Gorsuch, participating remotely for a second straight day because of illness, said he was having difficulty with the argument of a lawyer for the family of Nawras Alassaf, who was killed in the nightclub attack. Gorsuch told lawyer Eric Schnapper that he was "struggling with how your complaint lines up with the three requirements of the statute” that the companies knowingly helped a person commit a terrorist act.

The justices seemed more willing to accept the arguments of a lawyer for Twitter, Facebook and Google, Seth Waxman. At one point during two and a half hours of arguments, Justice Sonia Sotomayor told Waxman to help her sketch out what an opinion would look like if the court ruled for his clients. “Write it for me,” she said.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh summarized Waxman's argument this way: “When there’s a legitimate business that provides services on a widely available basis ... it’s not going to be liable under this statute even if it knows bad people use its services for bad things.”

Seeming to agree with that idea, Justice Samuel Alito suggested that it would be outlandish if telephone companies were held responsible for criminal activity of people using their phones. What if, he said, the phone company “knows that a particular person is -- has a criminal background and is probably engaging in criminal activity and is using the phone to communicate with other members of that person’s gang. Is that aiding and abetting the crimes that they commit?”

The law the case involves is the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, which allows Americans injured by a terrorist attack abroad to sue for money damages in federal court.

A decision in the case — Twitter v. Taamneh, 21-1496 — is expected by the end of June before the court recesses for its summer break.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669216816189.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;seemed skeptical Wednesday of a lawsuit trying to hold social media companies responsible for a terrorist attack at a Turkish nightclub that killed 39 people.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2022/21-1496">Click here to</a> listen to arguments in&nbsp;Twitter, Inc. v. Taamneh<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2022/21-1333">Click here to&nbsp;</a>listen to arguments in&nbsp;Gonzalez v. Google LLCDuring arguments at the high court several justices underscored that there was no evidence linking Twitter, Facebook and Google directly to the 2017 attack on the Reina nightclub in Istanbul. The family of a man killed in the attack says the companies aided and abetted the attack because they assisted in the growth of the Islamic State group, which claimed responsibility for the attack . A lower court let the lawsuit go forward.What the court does with Wednesday’s case and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-technology-crime-business-internet-6e4551a3f39461e77a82ff577e24e6e7">a related one it heard a day earlier</a>&nbsp;is important, particularly because the companies have been shielded from liability on the internet, allowing them to grow into global giants.If the court bars the lawsuit involving the attack in Turkey from going forward it could avoid a major ruling on the companies' legal immunity. That outcome would leave the current system in place, but also leave open the possibility that the justices could take up the issue again in a later case.Justice Amy Coney Barrett was among the members of the court who suggested that the suit against the companies lacks the kind of facts required under a federal anti-terrorism law to hold platforms responsible.Barrett suggested that a lawsuit against a company such as Twitter would need to have more, such as direct messages, comment threads or other evidence that the platform was being used to coordinate activities for a terrorist attack, “not just general recruitment or radicalizing people.”Justice Neil Gorsuch, participating remotely for a second straight day because of illness, said he was having difficulty with the argument of a lawyer for the family of Nawras Alassaf, who was killed in the nightclub attack. Gorsuch told lawyer Eric Schnapper that he was "struggling with how your complaint lines up with the three requirements of the statute” that the companies knowingly helped a person commit a terrorist act.The justices seemed more willing to accept the arguments of a lawyer for Twitter, Facebook and Google, Seth Waxman. At one point during two and a half hours of arguments, Justice Sonia Sotomayor told Waxman to help her sketch out what an opinion would look like if the court ruled for his clients. “Write it for me,” she said.Justice Brett Kavanaugh summarized Waxman's argument this way: “When there’s a legitimate business that provides services on a widely available basis ... it’s not going to be liable under this statute even if it knows bad people use its services for bad things.”Seeming to agree with that idea, Justice Samuel Alito suggested that it would be outlandish if telephone companies were held responsible for criminal activity of people using their phones. What if, he said, the phone company “knows that a particular person is -- has a criminal background and is probably engaging in criminal activity and is using the phone to communicate with other members of that person’s gang. Is that aiding and abetting the crimes that they commit?”The law the case involves is the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, which allows Americans injured by a terrorist attack abroad to sue for money damages in federal court.A decision in the case — Twitter v. Taamneh, 21-1496 — is expected by the end of June before the court recesses for its summer break.___

🎤Court seems to favor tech giants in case that could reshape internet

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — President Joe Biden closed out his wartime visit to Europe on Wednesday, working to shore up partnerships with allies on NATO's perilous eastern flank — even as Russia's Vladimir&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-china-ties-54c4a6f1346371b6deab08dcea723aa0">Putin was drawing closer to China</a>&nbsp;for help as his invasion of Ukraine neared the one-year mark.

(Click below to watch President Biden's comments to allied leaders)

Biden’s meeting with leaders of the Bucharest Nine nations in Warsaw came at the conclusion of a whirlwind, four-day visit to Ukraine and Poland meant to reassure allies that U.S. support in fending off Russia isn’t at risk of waning.

In dramatic counterpoint, Putin on Wednesday played host in Moscow to Wang Yi, the Chinese Communist Party’s most senior foreign policy official, as U.S. intelligence warned that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-nato-politics-jens-stoltenberg-e8874580698b31cdfac96a60f13eef5b">Beijing is considering supplying arms and ammunition</a>&nbsp;to the worn-down Russian military.

The flexing of alliances was a fresh indication that both sides are digging in for prolonged conflict in Ukraine with the fighting expected to intensify with the arrival of spring.

Biden's trip had provided yet another moment of telling counterprogramming on Tuesday when he delivered a ringing speech on Western unity in Warsaw, a day after he swept into Kyiv unannounced for a visit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. As Biden spoke in Poland, Putin announced that Russia was suspending its participation in the last remaining U.S.-Russia nuclear arms control treaty.

Biden called that departure “a big mistake.” The exit is expected to have an immediate impact on U.S. awareness of Russian nuclear activities. However, the pact — known as New START — was already on life support following Moscow’s cancellation late last year of talks that had been intended to salvage an agreement that each side has accused the other of violating.

Biden met Wednesday with leaders of the Bucharest Nine, the nations in the easternmost parts of the NATO alliance that came together in response to Putin’s 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. They include Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

“You’re the frontlines of our collective defense,” Biden told them. “And you know, better than anyone, what’s at stake in this conflict. Not just for Ukraine, but for the freedom of democracies throughout Europe and around the world.”

These countries have worried that Putin could move to take military action against them next if he’s successful in Ukraine. Biden responded to that anxiety by pledging that NATO’s mutual defense pact is “sacred” and that “we will defend literally every inch of NATO.”

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who attended the meeting, pointed to past Russian actions in Georgia and Ukraine and said, “We cannot allow Russia to continue to chip away at European security. We must break the cycle of Russian aggression.”

It was unclear how the U.S. and its allies aimed to do that, other than by continuing to arm Ukraine’s military with the Western and aging Soviet arms that have allowed it retake about half of the territory it lost in the opening days of the war.

Biden returned to Washington late Wednesday night.

After the Russian military’s battlefield shortcomings were revealed at the start of the conflict, Putin, too, has been seeking rearmament, drawing on Iran and North Korea for assistance — and potentially China.

Administration officials don’t yet have an indication that China has decided to move forward on sending Moscow weaponry, but Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week it would be a “serious problem” should Beijing follow through.

Throughout the conflict, China has cautiously weighed the pros and cons of directly aiding Russia. But a year into the war, Beijing now seems increasingly concerned that Russia — one of its closest allies — is teetering toward something that could approximate a loss in Ukraine.

The U.S. and its allies have threatened secondary sanctions on countries that support the Russian war effort. But there was no consensus this week on potentially steeper sanctions for China, which could have global economic implications, should it decide to rearm Putin’s forces.

One European official described the intelligence regarding Chinese consideration of supplying Russia with weapons as “unambiguous.” Western officials do not know whether the possibility is currently being studied only by China’s military or some other single branch of the government, or by the Chinese government as a whole, the official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the West’s intelligence on the matter.

Western intelligence indicates that the kind of supplies China is considering giving Russia would be aimed at backfilling stocks of weapons that Russia was losing, or wasting, on the battlefield in Ukraine, the European official said.

From the intelligence signals thus far, Western officials don’t believe China’s supply of weapons to Russia would be sufficient to change the trajectory of the year-old war.

But Chinese cooperation on military supplies for Russia’s war in Ukraine would be a significant sign of Beijing's current appetite for risk-taking when it comes to allying with Russia in a stand against the West.

Li Mingjiang, an associate professor in international relations at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, said at an event hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace last week that Beijing was weighing the value of creating “a situation in which the U.S. will have to now deal with really two potential enemies and challengers and that will help divert a bit of America's attention and resources from the Asia Pacific region.”

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — President Joe Biden closed out his wartime visit to Europe on Wednesday, working to shore up partnerships with allies on NATO's perilous eastern flank — even as Russia's Vladimir&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-china-ties-54c4a6f1346371b6deab08dcea723aa0">Putin was drawing closer to China</a>&nbsp;for help as his invasion of Ukraine neared the one-year mark.(Click below to watch President Biden's comments to allied leaders)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F1367806580642817%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=523" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Biden’s meeting with leaders of the Bucharest Nine nations in Warsaw came at the conclusion of a whirlwind, four-day visit to Ukraine and Poland meant to reassure allies that U.S. support in fending off Russia isn’t at risk of waning.In dramatic counterpoint, Putin on Wednesday played host in Moscow to Wang Yi, the Chinese Communist Party’s most senior foreign policy official, as U.S. intelligence warned that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-nato-politics-jens-stoltenberg-e8874580698b31cdfac96a60f13eef5b">Beijing is considering supplying arms and ammunition</a>&nbsp;to the worn-down Russian military.The flexing of alliances was a fresh indication that both sides are digging in for prolonged conflict in Ukraine with the fighting expected to intensify with the arrival of spring.Biden's trip had provided yet another moment of telling counterprogramming on Tuesday when he delivered a ringing speech on Western unity in Warsaw, a day after he swept into Kyiv unannounced for a visit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. As Biden spoke in Poland, Putin announced that Russia was suspending its participation in the last remaining U.S.-Russia nuclear arms control treaty.Biden called that departure “a big mistake.” The exit is expected to have an immediate impact on U.S. awareness of Russian nuclear activities. However, the pact — known as New START — was already on life support following Moscow’s cancellation late last year of talks that had been intended to salvage an agreement that each side has accused the other of violating.Biden met Wednesday with leaders of the Bucharest Nine, the nations in the easternmost parts of the NATO alliance that came together in response to Putin’s 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. They include Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.“You’re the frontlines of our collective defense,” Biden told them. “And you know, better than anyone, what’s at stake in this conflict. Not just for Ukraine, but for the freedom of democracies throughout Europe and around the world.”These countries have worried that Putin could move to take military action against them next if he’s successful in Ukraine. Biden responded to that anxiety by pledging that NATO’s mutual defense pact is “sacred” and that “we will defend literally every inch of NATO.”NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who attended the meeting, pointed to past Russian actions in Georgia and Ukraine and said, “We cannot allow Russia to continue to chip away at European security. We must break the cycle of Russian aggression.”It was unclear how the U.S. and its allies aimed to do that, other than by continuing to arm Ukraine’s military with the Western and aging Soviet arms that have allowed it retake about half of the territory it lost in the opening days of the war.Biden returned to Washington late Wednesday night.After the Russian military’s battlefield shortcomings were revealed at the start of the conflict, Putin, too, has been seeking rearmament, drawing on Iran and North Korea for assistance — and potentially China.Administration officials don’t yet have an indication that China has decided to move forward on sending Moscow weaponry, but Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week it would be a “serious problem” should Beijing follow through.Throughout the conflict, China has cautiously weighed the pros and cons of directly aiding Russia. But a year into the war, Beijing now seems increasingly concerned that Russia — one of its closest allies — is teetering toward something that could approximate a loss in Ukraine.The U.S. and its allies have threatened secondary sanctions on countries that support the Russian war effort. But there was no consensus this week on potentially steeper sanctions for China, which could have global economic implications, should it decide to rearm Putin’s forces.One European official described the intelligence regarding Chinese consideration of supplying Russia with weapons as “unambiguous.” Western officials do not know whether the possibility is currently being studied only by China’s military or some other single branch of the government, or by the Chinese government as a whole, the official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the West’s intelligence on the matter.Western intelligence indicates that the kind of supplies China is considering giving Russia would be aimed at backfilling stocks of weapons that Russia was losing, or wasting, on the battlefield in Ukraine, the European official said.From the intelligence signals thus far, Western officials don’t believe China’s supply of weapons to Russia would be sufficient to change the trajectory of the year-old war.But Chinese cooperation on military supplies for Russia’s war in Ukraine would be a significant sign of Beijing's current appetite for risk-taking when it comes to allying with Russia in a stand against the West.Li Mingjiang, an associate professor in international relations at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, said at an event hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace last week that Beijing was weighing the value of creating “a situation in which the U.S. will have to now deal with really two potential enemies and challengers and that will help divert a bit of America's attention and resources from the Asia Pacific region.”___

🎥Biden home from Europe as Putin digs in on Ukraine

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities and USD 457 are investigating an alleged school threat in Finney County.

On Wednesday, police were notified of a possible criminal threat toward students at Charles O. Stones Intermediate Center,&nbsp;401 N Jennie Barker Road in Garden City, according to a media release.

The investigation revealed that a 17-year-old boy made threatening statements toward a student through social media. 

The 17-year-old&nbsp; is a former student of Garden City Public Schools. The Garden City Police Department has filed an affidavit with the Finney County Attorney’s Office requesting charges of Criminal Threat on the 17-year-old boy.

The Garden City Police Department and USD 457 encouraged parents to remind children to "immediately report any information about any school safety-related incidents to administrators/staff and/or police.

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities and USD 457 are investigating an alleged school threat in Finney County.On Wednesday, police were notified of a possible criminal threat toward students at Charles O. Stones Intermediate Center,&nbsp;401 N Jennie Barker Road in Garden City, according to a media release.The investigation revealed that a 17-year-old boy made threatening statements toward a student through social media. The 17-year-old&nbsp; is a former student of Garden City Public Schools. The Garden City Police Department has filed an affidavit with the Finney County Attorney’s Office requesting charges of Criminal Threat on the 17-year-old boy.The Garden City Police Department and USD 457 encouraged parents to remind children to "immediately report any information about any school safety-related incidents to administrators/staff and/or police.

Police: 17-year-old accused of threat against SW Kan. school 

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A man has been sentenced for a crash that killed his 14-year-old daughter in October of 2020.

Jensen Lay was sentenced to&nbsp;60 days in jail and 3-years probation, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Just after 11:30a.m. on October 28, 2020, police responded to an injury accident in the 1000 block of North Tyler Road in Wichita, according to Officer Kevin Wheeler. They found 14-year-old Aryana Lay trapped in a Pontiac G6. Emergency crews attempted lifesaving measures, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;

Investigators learned the teen's father Jensen Lay was driving the Pontiac southbound on Tyler Road at a high rate of speed, according to Wheeler. He lost control of the car. It spun into two northbound Ford F150 pickups. The other two drivers were not seriously injured.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676892461985.png" alt="Lay-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Lay-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A man has been sentenced for a crash that killed his 14-year-old daughter in October of 2020.Jensen Lay was sentenced to&nbsp;60 days in jail and 3-years probation, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677016602515.png" alt="Scene of the fatal 2020 crash-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Scene of the fatal 2020 crash-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 11:30a.m. on October 28, 2020, police responded to an injury accident in the 1000 block of North Tyler Road in Wichita, according to Officer Kevin Wheeler. They found 14-year-old Aryana Lay trapped in a Pontiac G6. Emergency crews attempted lifesaving measures, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;Investigators learned the teen's father Jensen Lay was driving the Pontiac southbound on Tyler Road at a high rate of speed, according to Wheeler. He lost control of the car. It spun into two northbound Ford F150 pickups. The other two drivers were not seriously injured.&nbsp;&nbsp;------------

Father sentenced in Kan. crash that killed 14-year-old daughter

RENO COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; 21-year-old man in connection with a shooting in Hutchinson.

On Tuesday, police booked Nathan Plum into the Reno County jail on a $500,000 bond.

According to Hutchinson Police Lt. Dustin Loepp, this was a warrant arrest from a shooting that occurred on December 2, 2021.

In December 2021, police located a 38-year-old man near the alley behind 322 E 2nd Street in Hutchinson with multiple gunshot wounds, according to Police Lt. Dustin Loepp. The victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment and survived.

The suspect fled the state and was taken into custody on unrelated charges in Oklahoma. He had some other legal obligations before he could be brought back to Kansas, so that’s why there was an extended period of time.&nbsp; Authorities have not released charges against Plum.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677086468065.png" alt="Plumb-photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>Plumb-photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; 21-year-old man in connection with a shooting in Hutchinson.On Tuesday, police booked Nathan Plum into the Reno County jail on a $500,000 bond.According to Hutchinson Police Lt. Dustin Loepp, this was a warrant arrest from a shooting that occurred on December 2, 2021.In December 2021, police located a 38-year-old man near the alley behind 322 E 2nd Street in Hutchinson with multiple gunshot wounds, according to Police Lt. Dustin Loepp. The victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment and survived.The suspect fled the state and was taken into custody on unrelated charges in Oklahoma. He had some other legal obligations before he could be brought back to Kansas, so that’s why there was an extended period of time.&nbsp; Authorities have not released charges against Plum.

Suspect in Kansas shooting moved from Oklahoma jail

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly announced Wednesday that the Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP) is open to applications from qualifying parents and guardians of Kansas students, according to a media release from the governor.

KEEP provides a $1,000 award per student to pay for various educational goods and services that promote learning recovery and facilitate academic enrichment opportunities.&nbsp;

“This program will provide Kansas students with new opportunities and resources to help them thrive in the classroom,"&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“I encourage all families that qualify to apply for KEEP.”&nbsp;

KEEP funds may be used on various enrichment and educational activities, including:​&nbsp;

The funds are not eligible for private school tuition.&nbsp;

Eligibility for KEEP funds is determined by financial need, and funds will be distributed to actively enrolled K-12 Kansas students between the ages of 5-18. Students whose household income is less than 185% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines are eligible.&nbsp;

Subject to funding availability, future waves of funding may be provided with expanded household income eligibility parameters.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Families can learn if they qualify, apply for the program, read the full handbook of rules and instructions, and browse the marketplace of qualified service providers at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAyMjIuNzIwMjAwMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtlZXAua3MuZ292LyJ9.e_1DJmGd1e4OE7WIoZNGeNu4v9wG0-Xjj3UabrJf3eI/s/1303160919/br/154856672800-l" target="_blank">www.keep.ks.gov</a>.&nbsp;Program participants will have access to a web and mobile app for using their awarded funds.&nbsp;

Earlier this year, businesses that offer educational opportunities and services were invited to join the KEEP Marketplace to assist students and families. Parents and guardians can now search for those opportunities&nbsp;across Kansas on the KEEP Marketplace. Parents and guardians may also submit requests for additional businesses to be added to the Marketplace if they know of a business that would qualify.&nbsp;

KEEP is being offered through a contract between Merit International, Inc. and the Kansas Office of Recovery to provide educational activities and learning opportunities to students across Kansas to promote educational learning recovery in response to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is funded with American Rescue Plan Act dollars approved through the SPARK process.&nbsp;

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly announced Wednesday that the Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP) is open to applications from qualifying parents and guardians of Kansas students, according to a media release from the governor.KEEP provides a $1,000 award per student to pay for various educational goods and services that promote learning recovery and facilitate academic enrichment opportunities.&nbsp;“This program will provide Kansas students with new opportunities and resources to help them thrive in the classroom,"&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“I encourage all families that qualify to apply for KEEP.”&nbsp;KEEP funds may be used on various enrichment and educational activities, including:​&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Day and overnight camps with academic-related curriculum such as music, arts, science, technology, agriculture, mathematics, and engineering&nbsp;</li><li>Curriculum and educational materials, including certain technological devices&nbsp;</li><li>Language classes&nbsp;</li><li>Musical instruments and lessons&nbsp;</li><li>Tutoring&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>The funds are not eligible for private school tuition.&nbsp;Eligibility for KEEP funds is determined by financial need, and funds will be distributed to actively enrolled K-12 Kansas students between the ages of 5-18. Students whose household income is less than 185% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines are eligible.&nbsp;Subject to funding availability, future waves of funding may be provided with expanded household income eligibility parameters.&nbsp;&nbsp;Families can learn if they qualify, apply for the program, read the full handbook of rules and instructions, and browse the marketplace of qualified service providers at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAyMjIuNzIwMjAwMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtlZXAua3MuZ292LyJ9.e_1DJmGd1e4OE7WIoZNGeNu4v9wG0-Xjj3UabrJf3eI/s/1303160919/br/154856672800-l" target="_blank">www.keep.ks.gov</a>.&nbsp;Program participants will have access to a web and mobile app for using their awarded funds.&nbsp;Earlier this year, businesses that offer educational opportunities and services were invited to join the KEEP Marketplace to assist students and families. Parents and guardians can now search for those opportunities&nbsp;across Kansas on the KEEP Marketplace. Parents and guardians may also submit requests for additional businesses to be added to the Marketplace if they know of a business that would qualify.&nbsp;KEEP is being offered through a contract between Merit International, Inc. and the Kansas Office of Recovery to provide educational activities and learning opportunities to students across Kansas to promote educational learning recovery in response to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is funded with American Rescue Plan Act dollars approved through the SPARK process.&nbsp;

Gov. Kelly: $1,000 per student available for learning recovery

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

A 20-year-old Hays man pleaded guilty to a pair of lesser charges Wednesday after initially being charged with a pair of sex crimes involving a minor.

Robert Anthony Mewhinney, 20, Hays, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated burglary Wednesday in Ellis County District Court. Both are level five felonies on the Kansas Sentencing grid.

Mewhinney was initially charged with electronic solicitation and sexual exploitation of a child in September 2022. Both are level three felonies.

According to court documents, on September 16, 2022, Mewhinney, who was 19 at the time, solicited a minor, under the age of 16, via Snapchat to commit and engage in an unlawful act.

The level three felonies carry a required prison sentence of between 55 and 240 months in prison if convicted in Kansas.

As a result of the plea agreement, Mewhinney pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated burglary in an Alford Plea.

In the Alford Plea, Mewhinney agreed to plead guilty to the lesser charges even though he did not commit the crimes he pleaded guilty to.

The Alford Plea allows both the state and the defense to come to an agreed-upon sentence that does not fall into the sentencing guidelines.

Because Mewhinney pleaded guilty to the two level three felonies, he faces between 31 and 34 months on each count for a total of up to 68 months in prison. The sentencing also allows for the judge to grant probation instead of prison time.

According to the plea agreement both the state of Kansas and Mewhinney’s defense attorney are asking the judge to sentence him to 36 months probation, with the underlying prison sentence.

As a result of pleading guilty to the lesser charges he will not have to register as a sexual offender.

District Court Judge Glenn Braun ordered Mewhinney meet with court services to set up a plan for his release on supervised bond while awaiting sentencing.nSentencing is set for April 3.

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostA 20-year-old Hays man pleaded guilty to a pair of lesser charges Wednesday after initially being charged with a pair of sex crimes involving a minor.Robert Anthony Mewhinney, 20, Hays, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated burglary Wednesday in Ellis County District Court. Both are level five felonies on the Kansas Sentencing grid.Mewhinney was initially charged with electronic solicitation and sexual exploitation of a child in September 2022. Both are level three felonies.According to court documents, on September 16, 2022, Mewhinney, who was 19 at the time, solicited a minor, under the age of 16, via Snapchat to commit and engage in an unlawful act.The level three felonies carry a required prison sentence of between 55 and 240 months in prison if convicted in Kansas.As a result of the plea agreement, Mewhinney pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated burglary in an Alford Plea.In the Alford Plea, Mewhinney agreed to plead guilty to the lesser charges even though he did not commit the crimes he pleaded guilty to.The Alford Plea allows both the state and the defense to come to an agreed-upon sentence that does not fall into the sentencing guidelines.Because Mewhinney pleaded guilty to the two level three felonies, he faces between 31 and 34 months on each count for a total of up to 68 months in prison. The sentencing also allows for the judge to grant probation instead of prison time.According to the plea agreement both the state of Kansas and Mewhinney’s defense attorney are asking the judge to sentence him to 36 months probation, with the underlying prison sentence.As a result of pleading guilty to the lesser charges he will not have to register as a sexual offender.District Court Judge Glenn Braun ordered Mewhinney meet with court services to set up a plan for his release on supervised bond while awaiting sentencing.nSentencing is set for April 3.

Kansas man takes plea deal in criminal case involving a minor

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wants the nation’s freight railroads to immediately act to improve safety while regulators try to strengthen safety rules in the wake of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-ohio-evacuations-fires-5d399dc745f51ef746e22828083d8591">fiery derailment</a>&nbsp;in Ohio that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-updates-bf5a60de2243cd6f7f730096aa33294c">forced evacuations</a>&nbsp;when toxic chemicals were released and burned.

Buttigieg announced a package of reforms Tuesday — two days after he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/atlanta-mike-dewine-pete-buttigieg-ohio-business-26e700f86aaddc50065c461e4f6f61b4">warned</a>&nbsp;the railroad responsible for the derailment, Norfolk Southern, to fulfill its promises to clean up the mess just outside East Palestine, Ohio, and help the town recover. He said the Department of Transportation will hold the railroad accountable for any safety violations that contributed to the Feb. 3 crash near the Pennsylvania border.

“While ensuring the safety of those impacted by this crash is the immediate priority, we also have to recognize that this represents an important moment to redouble our efforts to make this far less likely to happen again in the future," Buttigieg said.

President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1628171390690918400?cxt=HHwWgICw-ZvQtpgtAAAA">said on Twitter</a>&nbsp;that the past pattern of railroads resisting safety regulations must change and that Congress should support the effort to improve safety.

“Rail companies have spent millions of dollars to oppose common-sense safety regulations. And it’s worked,” Biden tweeted. “This is more than a train derailment or a toxic waste spill – it’s years of opposition to safety measures coming home to roost.”

Even though government data shows that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinian-territories-ohio-canada-business-accidents-d57651e17b2f9e0163c50298106950a3">derailments have declined</a>&nbsp;in recent years, there were still 1,049 of them last year. Most are ordinary and don't cause any major problems, like the derailment in Nebraska on Tuesday morning that toppled more than two dozen Union Pacific railcars, spilled coal and blocked the tracks.

The head of the Environmental Protection Agency&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-epa-61ff5fec89c452f4ff7f56b5b8b4e44e">returned to the town</a>&nbsp;of 4,700 Tuesday along with the governors of Ohio and Pennsylvania and Norfolk Southern's CEO. Also on Tuesday, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-ohio-climate-and-environment-health-ad32648e67289166f9ae1e9d104ca53b">medical clinic</a>&nbsp;staffed by contamination experts opened to evaluate residents' complaints. State and federal officials have reiterated that their&nbsp;<a href="https://response.epa.gov/site/site_profile.aspx?site_id=15933">testing of air and water samples</a>&nbsp;doesn't show dangerous levels of any toxins, but some people have complained about constant headaches and irritated eyes as they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-bcc6198dfbde42feefdeca8f24ccaea8">worry</a>&nbsp;about returning to their homes.

Buttigieg said railroads and tank car owners should accelerate their plan to upgrade the tank cars that haul flammable liquids like crude oil and ethanol by 2025 instead of waiting to comply with the 2029 standard Congress ultimately approved after regulators suggested the earlier deadline. He also said freight railroads should reach more agreements to provide their employees with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/labor-unions-kansas-city-southern-strikes-business-6e66b66a99415e12c2c1fa642d6a842f">paid sick time</a>&nbsp;to help prevent fatigue.

Railroad unions have also raised concerns that car inspections are being rushed and preventative maintenance may be getting neglected after widespread job cuts in the industry in recent years that they say have made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-norfolk-business-aab7d3084a8d17d8d721d2cb750be323">railroads riskier</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677001115109.png" alt="Crews working a Union Pacific train derailment near Gothenburg, Nebraska early Tuesday -photo courtesy KNOP TV" />
 <figcaption>Crews working a Union Pacific train derailment near Gothenburg, Nebraska early Tuesday -photo courtesy KNOP TV</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wants the nation’s freight railroads to immediately act to improve safety while regulators try to strengthen safety rules in the wake of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-ohio-evacuations-fires-5d399dc745f51ef746e22828083d8591">fiery derailment</a>&nbsp;in Ohio that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-updates-bf5a60de2243cd6f7f730096aa33294c">forced evacuations</a>&nbsp;when toxic chemicals were released and burned.Buttigieg announced a package of reforms Tuesday — two days after he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/atlanta-mike-dewine-pete-buttigieg-ohio-business-26e700f86aaddc50065c461e4f6f61b4">warned</a>&nbsp;the railroad responsible for the derailment, Norfolk Southern, to fulfill its promises to clean up the mess just outside East Palestine, Ohio, and help the town recover. He said the Department of Transportation will hold the railroad accountable for any safety violations that contributed to the Feb. 3 crash near the Pennsylvania border.“While ensuring the safety of those impacted by this crash is the immediate priority, we also have to recognize that this represents an important moment to redouble our efforts to make this far less likely to happen again in the future," Buttigieg said.President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1628171390690918400?cxt=HHwWgICw-ZvQtpgtAAAA">said on Twitter</a>&nbsp;that the past pattern of railroads resisting safety regulations must change and that Congress should support the effort to improve safety.“Rail companies have spent millions of dollars to oppose common-sense safety regulations. And it’s worked,” Biden tweeted. “This is more than a train derailment or a toxic waste spill – it’s years of opposition to safety measures coming home to roost.”Even though government data shows that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinian-territories-ohio-canada-business-accidents-d57651e17b2f9e0163c50298106950a3">derailments have declined</a>&nbsp;in recent years, there were still 1,049 of them last year. Most are ordinary and don't cause any major problems, like the derailment in Nebraska on Tuesday morning that toppled more than two dozen Union Pacific railcars, spilled coal and blocked the tracks.The head of the Environmental Protection Agency&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-epa-61ff5fec89c452f4ff7f56b5b8b4e44e">returned to the town</a>&nbsp;of 4,700 Tuesday along with the governors of Ohio and Pennsylvania and Norfolk Southern's CEO. Also on Tuesday, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-ohio-climate-and-environment-health-ad32648e67289166f9ae1e9d104ca53b">medical clinic</a>&nbsp;staffed by contamination experts opened to evaluate residents' complaints. State and federal officials have reiterated that their&nbsp;<a href="https://response.epa.gov/site/site_profile.aspx?site_id=15933">testing of air and water samples</a>&nbsp;doesn't show dangerous levels of any toxins, but some people have complained about constant headaches and irritated eyes as they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-bcc6198dfbde42feefdeca8f24ccaea8">worry</a>&nbsp;about returning to their homes.Buttigieg said railroads and tank car owners should accelerate their plan to upgrade the tank cars that haul flammable liquids like crude oil and ethanol by 2025 instead of waiting to comply with the 2029 standard Congress ultimately approved after regulators suggested the earlier deadline. He also said freight railroads should reach more agreements to provide their employees with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/labor-unions-kansas-city-southern-strikes-business-6e66b66a99415e12c2c1fa642d6a842f">paid sick time</a>&nbsp;to help prevent fatigue.Railroad unions have also raised concerns that car inspections are being rushed and preventative maintenance may be getting neglected after widespread job cuts in the industry in recent years that they say have made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-norfolk-business-aab7d3084a8d17d8d721d2cb750be323">railroads riskier</a>.“I do think that there’s a moment to look in the mirror as an entire industry and decide what we can do better,” said Greg Regan, president of the AFL-CIO's Transportation Trades Department coalition. “I think the industry by and large has been reluctant to make the types of changes that are needed. They have obviously fought regulations in the past, but I think they are running out of excuses here.”Jeremy Ferguson, the president of the largest rail union that represents conductors, said railroads' reliance on longer trains and fewer employees since they started adopting this&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-aab7d3084a8d17d8d721d2cb750be323">new operating model</a>&nbsp;in 2017 is jeopardizing public safety.Ferguson said the pursuit of higher profits prompted “rail carriers to abandon fundamentally sound practices for haphazard, inherently dangerous, impetuous movements of freight and locomotives across America's rail system.”Buttigieg said regulators will try to revive a proposed rule the Trump administration dropped that would have required upgraded, electronically controlled brakes on certain trains filled with flammable liquids that are designated “high-hazardous flammable trains.” The rule was dropped after Congress directed regulators to use a strict cost-benefit analysis to evaluate the rule.Buttigieg said he'll ask Congress to “untie our hands here” on the braking rule, and regulators may look at expanding which trains are covered by the “high-hazardous” rules that were announced in 2015 after several fiery crude oil train derailments — the worst of which killed 47 people and decimated the Canadian town of Lac Mégantic in 2013. He also said Congress should raise the current $225,455 limit on railroad safety fines at least tenfold to create a better deterrent.Buttigieg criticized railroads for lobbying against the braking rule and challenging it in court. But railroad safety expert David Clarke, who previously led the Center for Transportation Research at the University of Tennessee, said the industry shouldn’t be criticized too heavily for pushing back against proposed regulations.“The fact that you couch those in terms of safety makes it seem like it’s, you know, mom, God and apple pie — anything safety related is sacred,” Clarke said. “But the bottom line is companies have to look at the benefits and the cost of any expenditure.”Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine was incredulous when he learned the Norfolk Southern train that derailed didn’t carry that “high-hazardous” designation, meaning that the railroad didn’t have to notify the state about the dangerous chemicals it was carrying.“This is absurd,” DeWine said. “Congress needs to take a look at how this is handled.”Regulators and the Association of American Railroads trade group say there are hundreds of pages of other rules railroads must follow when they transport any hazardous chemicals, whether it is the vinyl chloride that has gotten so much attention in this derailment, crude oil, nuclear materials or any of the hundreds of other dangerous chemicals that railroads routinely carry.It’s not clear whether the “high-hazardous” rules could have prevented this derailment. The National Transportation Safety Board is in the early stages of its investigation, although officials with that agency have said they believe the failure of an axle on one of the railcars not long after the train crew got a warning about a possible mechanical problem caused this crash.The head of the AAR trade group, Ian Jefferies, said regulators should let the findings of the NTSB investigation — not “politics and speculation” — guide their response and keep the focus for now on supporting East Palestine. He said railroads will address the cause of this accident once it is known.The Federal Railroad Administration will also work to finalize its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/588d6f7829c4836b9d2feff5c21a5097">proposed rule</a>&nbsp;to require two-person crews that Buttigieg pointed to as one of the Biden administration's main efforts to improve rail safety.The president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, Eddie Hall, said he believes the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-business-transportation-cce1888bacfb5b76a57a0b9843e21e82">freight railroads' efforts</a>&nbsp;to cut crews down to one person represent a clear safety threat.“Railroads in the United States largely self-regulate, and right now, rather than learn from their mistakes and improve oversight and safety, they are going in the opposite direction,” Hall said.Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw said Tuesday that he has spoken with Buttigieg several times since the derailment and that he's made the same commitment to Buttigieg that he made to the community of East Palestine: The railroad is committed to cleaning up the mess and helping the town rebuild. He acknowledged the railroad could do more to ensure safety because there is always room to do more and said Norfolk Southern will look to make changes once the NTSB investigation is complete.“It’s clear that our safety culture and our investments in safety were not enough to prevent this accident," Shaw said. "We’re going to learn from it. We’re going to improve. And we’re going to make Norfolk Southern a safer railroad.”Norfolk Southern has already committed $6.5 million to the community. That is likely just the start, as the EPA made clear Tuesday that Norfolk Southern will be responsible for the cleanup costs, and several&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legal-proceedings-pennsylvania-ohio-health-business-820cf081c0e068a47db2e141a3f988e6?utm_source=apnews&amp;utm_medium=relatedcontentmodule">lawsuits</a>&nbsp;have already been filed against the railroad.