WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve extended its fight against high inflation Wednesday by raising its key interest rate by a quarter-point, its eighth hike since March. And the Fed signaled that even though inflation is easing, it remains high enough to require further rate hikes.

Though smaller than its previous hike — and even larger rate increases before that — the Fed's latest move will likely further raise the costs of many consumer and business loans and the risk of a recession.

In a statement, Fed officials repeated language they've used before that says, “ongoing increases in the (interest rate) target range will be appropriate.” That is seen as a signal that they intend to raise their benchmark rate again when they next meet in March and perhaps in May as well.

The Fed’s hike was announced one day after the government reported that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-wage-growth-slows-4d4a328c345dd4a2e04fbc222d101ac7">pay and benefits for America’s workers grew more slowly</a>&nbsp;in the final three months of 2022, the third straight slowdown. That report might help reassure the Fed that wage gains won’t fuel higher inflation.

Though the Fed kept language in its statement Wednesday suggesting that more rate hikes are in store, it did note for the first time that price pressures are cooling. The statement also hinted that it will likely stick with modest quarter-point hikes in coming months and is considering when to eventually suspend them altogether.

But the Fed's overall message Wednesday was that it isn't done raising rates.

“We will need substantially more evidence to be confident that inflation is on a long, sustained downward path, Chair Jerome Powell said at a news conference.

“It would be very premature to declare victory or think that we really got this," Powell added. “We have to complete the job.”

Speculation is widespread, though, among Wall Street investors and many economists that with inflation continuing to cool, the Fed may soon decide to halt its aggressive drive to tighten credit. When they last met in December, the Fed’s policymakers forecast that they would eventually raise their benchmark rate to a level that would require two additional quarter-point hikes.

Yet Wall Street investors have priced in only one more hike. Collectively, in fact, they expect the Fed to reverse course and actually cut rates by the end of this year. That optimism has helped drive stock prices up and bond yields down, easing credit and pushing in the opposite direction that the Fed would prefer.

The divide between the Fed and financial markets is important because rate hikes need to work through markets to affect the economy. The Fed directly controls its key short-term rate. But it has only indirect control over borrowing rates that people and businesses actually pay — for mortgages, corporate bonds, auto loans and many others.

The consequences can be seen in housing. The average fixed rate on a 30-year mortgage soared after the Fed first began hiking rates. Eventually, it topped 7%, more than twice where it had stood before the hiking began.

Yet since the fall, the average mortgage rate has eased to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-system-business-mortgages-ebfaa51802a8f32d93470ce3d3bcc806">6.13%, the lowest level since September</a>. And while home sales fell further in December, a measure of signed contracts to buy homes actually rose. That suggested that lower rates might be drawing some home buyers back to the market.

At his news conference Wednesday, Powell brushed aside the concern that the Fed will end up tightening credit too much and trigger a recession.

“I still think there is a path to getting inflation down to 2%," the Fed's target level, “without a significant economic decline or significant increase in unemployment,” he said.

Over the past several months, the Fed’s officials have reduced the size of their rate increases, from four unusually large three-quarter-point hikes in a row last year to a half-point increase in December to Wednesday’s quarter-point hike.

The more gradual pace is intended to help the Fed navigate what will be a high-risk series of decisions this year. The central bank’s latest move put its benchmark rate in a range of 4.5% to 4.75%, its highest level in about 15 years.

The slowdown in inflation suggests that its rate hikes have started to achieve their goal. But inflation is still far above the central bank’s 2% target. The risk is that with some sectors of the economy weakening, ever-higher borrowing costs could tip the economy into a downturn later this year.

Retail sales, for example, have fallen for two straight months, suggesting that consumers are becoming more cautious about spending. Manufacturing output has fallen for two months. On the other hand, the nation’s job market – the most important pillar of the economy – remains strong, with the unemployment rate at a 53-year low at 3.5%.

The Fed’s latest policy statement indicated that the central bank no longer regards COVID-19 as a driver of higher prices. It removed from its statement a reference to the pandemic as a cause of supply shocks that have heightened inflation.

Over the past year, with businesses sharply raising pay to try to attract and keep enough workers, Powell has expressed concern that wage growth in the labor-intensive service sector would keep inflation too high. Businesses typically pass their increased labor costs on to their customers by charging higher prices, thereby perpetuating inflation pressures.

But recent gauges show that wage growth is slowing. And in December, overall inflation eased to 6.5% in December from a year earlier, down from a four-decade peak of 9.1% in June. The decline has been driven in part by cheaper gas, which has tumbled to&nbsp;<a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">$3.50 a gallon, on average</a>, nationwide, from $5 in June.

Supply chain backups have also largely been cleared, leading to a drop in prices for manufactured goods. Used car prices, having skyrocketed in the pandemic amid an auto shortage, have now fallen for several months.

Other major central banks are also fighting high inflation with rate hikes. The European Central Bank is expected to raise its benchmark rate by a half-point when it meets Thursday. Inflation in Europe, though slowing, remains high,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-inflation-european-union-europe-business-d7821ae6021fdd4f52ef669ad6467858">at 8.5% in January</a>&nbsp;compared with a year earlier.

The Bank of England is forecast to lift its rate at a meeting Thursday as well. Inflation has reached 10.5% in the United Kingdom. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-international-monetary-fund-china-economy-business-b38530a50416d0356fec60d30da97b61">International Monetary Fund has forecast</a>&nbsp;that the U.K. economy will likely enter recession this year.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve extended its fight against high inflation Wednesday by raising its key interest rate by a quarter-point, its eighth hike since March. And the Fed signaled that even though inflation is easing, it remains high enough to require further rate hikes.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Fed Chair Jerome Powell: &quot;Today the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FOMC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FOMC</a> raised our policy interest rate by 25 basis points. We continue to anticipate that ongoing increases will be appropriate...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/7GQEWEMW6n">pic.twitter.com/7GQEWEMW6n</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1620874948645425176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Though smaller than its previous hike — and even larger rate increases before that — the Fed's latest move will likely further raise the costs of many consumer and business loans and the risk of a recession.In a statement, Fed officials repeated language they've used before that says, “ongoing increases in the (interest rate) target range will be appropriate.” That is seen as a signal that they intend to raise their benchmark rate again when they next meet in March and perhaps in May as well.The Fed’s hike was announced one day after the government reported that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-wage-growth-slows-4d4a328c345dd4a2e04fbc222d101ac7">pay and benefits for America’s workers grew more slowly</a>&nbsp;in the final three months of 2022, the third straight slowdown. That report might help reassure the Fed that wage gains won’t fuel higher inflation.Though the Fed kept language in its statement Wednesday suggesting that more rate hikes are in store, it did note for the first time that price pressures are cooling. The statement also hinted that it will likely stick with modest quarter-point hikes in coming months and is considering when to eventually suspend them altogether.But the Fed's overall message Wednesday was that it isn't done raising rates.“We will need substantially more evidence to be confident that inflation is on a long, sustained downward path, Chair Jerome Powell said at a news conference.“It would be very premature to declare victory or think that we really got this," Powell added. “We have to complete the job.”Speculation is widespread, though, among Wall Street investors and many economists that with inflation continuing to cool, the Fed may soon decide to halt its aggressive drive to tighten credit. When they last met in December, the Fed’s policymakers forecast that they would eventually raise their benchmark rate to a level that would require two additional quarter-point hikes.Yet Wall Street investors have priced in only one more hike. Collectively, in fact, they expect the Fed to reverse course and actually cut rates by the end of this year. That optimism has helped drive stock prices up and bond yields down, easing credit and pushing in the opposite direction that the Fed would prefer.The divide between the Fed and financial markets is important because rate hikes need to work through markets to affect the economy. The Fed directly controls its key short-term rate. But it has only indirect control over borrowing rates that people and businesses actually pay — for mortgages, corporate bonds, auto loans and many others.The consequences can be seen in housing. The average fixed rate on a 30-year mortgage soared after the Fed first began hiking rates. Eventually, it topped 7%, more than twice where it had stood before the hiking began.Yet since the fall, the average mortgage rate has eased to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-system-business-mortgages-ebfaa51802a8f32d93470ce3d3bcc806">6.13%, the lowest level since September</a>. And while home sales fell further in December, a measure of signed contracts to buy homes actually rose. That suggested that lower rates might be drawing some home buyers back to the market.At his news conference Wednesday, Powell brushed aside the concern that the Fed will end up tightening credit too much and trigger a recession.“I still think there is a path to getting inflation down to 2%," the Fed's target level, “without a significant economic decline or significant increase in unemployment,” he said.Over the past several months, the Fed’s officials have reduced the size of their rate increases, from four unusually large three-quarter-point hikes in a row last year to a half-point increase in December to Wednesday’s quarter-point hike.The more gradual pace is intended to help the Fed navigate what will be a high-risk series of decisions this year. The central bank’s latest move put its benchmark rate in a range of 4.5% to 4.75%, its highest level in about 15 years.The slowdown in inflation suggests that its rate hikes have started to achieve their goal. But inflation is still far above the central bank’s 2% target. The risk is that with some sectors of the economy weakening, ever-higher borrowing costs could tip the economy into a downturn later this year.Retail sales, for example, have fallen for two straight months, suggesting that consumers are becoming more cautious about spending. Manufacturing output has fallen for two months. On the other hand, the nation’s job market – the most important pillar of the economy – remains strong, with the unemployment rate at a 53-year low at 3.5%.The Fed’s latest policy statement indicated that the central bank no longer regards COVID-19 as a driver of higher prices. It removed from its statement a reference to the pandemic as a cause of supply shocks that have heightened inflation.Over the past year, with businesses sharply raising pay to try to attract and keep enough workers, Powell has expressed concern that wage growth in the labor-intensive service sector would keep inflation too high. Businesses typically pass their increased labor costs on to their customers by charging higher prices, thereby perpetuating inflation pressures.But recent gauges show that wage growth is slowing. And in December, overall inflation eased to 6.5% in December from a year earlier, down from a four-decade peak of 9.1% in June. The decline has been driven in part by cheaper gas, which has tumbled to&nbsp;<a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">$3.50 a gallon, on average</a>, nationwide, from $5 in June.Supply chain backups have also largely been cleared, leading to a drop in prices for manufactured goods. Used car prices, having skyrocketed in the pandemic amid an auto shortage, have now fallen for several months.Other major central banks are also fighting high inflation with rate hikes. The European Central Bank is expected to raise its benchmark rate by a half-point when it meets Thursday. Inflation in Europe, though slowing, remains high,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-inflation-european-union-europe-business-d7821ae6021fdd4f52ef669ad6467858">at 8.5% in January</a>&nbsp;compared with a year earlier.The Bank of England is forecast to lift its rate at a meeting Thursday as well. Inflation has reached 10.5% in the United Kingdom. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-international-monetary-fund-china-economy-business-b38530a50416d0356fec60d30da97b61">International Monetary Fund has forecast</a>&nbsp;that the U.K. economy will likely enter recession this year.

🎥 Interest rates jump again and more hikes expected 

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Wamego Police Department, and the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the death of a man identified as Justin L. Meyer 47, of Wamego after his body was found Sunday afternoon at a residence in Wamego

Just after 1 p.m., on Sunday, a man called 911 after finding Meyer dead inside a residence at 1001 Ash St., Lot 29, in Wamego, according to a media release from the KBI.

When officers from the Wamego Police Department arrived, they located Meyer on the floor of the bathroom. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. As the case unfolded, the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office and the KBI were asked to assist in the investigation.

At this time, evidence is not suggesting that foul play occurred, but investigators are awaiting the final autopsy report, according to the KBI.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675120537689.jpeg" alt="-Wamego Police Department outside residence at 1001 Ash St. in Wamego, picture submitted by a community member" />
 <figcaption>-Wamego Police Department outside residence at 1001 Ash St. in Wamego, picture submitted by a community member</figcaption>
 </figure>POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Wamego Police Department, and the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the death of a man identified as Justin L. Meyer 47, of Wamego after his body was found Sunday afternoon at a residence in WamegoJust after 1 p.m., on Sunday, a man called 911 after finding Meyer dead inside a residence at 1001 Ash St., Lot 29, in Wamego, according to a media release from the KBI.When officers from the Wamego Police Department arrived, they located Meyer on the floor of the bathroom. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. As the case unfolded, the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office and the KBI were asked to assist in the investigation.At this time, evidence is not suggesting that foul play occurred, but investigators are awaiting the final autopsy report, according to the KBI.

KBI identifies man found dead at Kansas home

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;Health reported&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">2,163 new</a> coronavirus cases in Kansas from Jan. 25 to Feb. 2, for a total of 928,185 cases.&nbsp;&nbsp;The state reported 2,148 cases the previous week.

On Wednesday, <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">the state reported&nbsp;</a>25 additional COVID-19 deaths since the report on Jan. 25, for a total of 9,969

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;about the COVID-19 vaccine.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.

Kansas is providing fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly formally declared that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.&nbsp;The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

The state continues to support access to free COVID-19 testing, works to ensure that vulnerable populations can get vaccinated, see that providers serve a broad population and give “comprehensive guidance” about the virus. She called the new phase “endemic normalcy.”

The health department updates data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;Health reported&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">2,163 new</a> coronavirus cases in Kansas from Jan. 25 to Feb. 2, for a total of 928,185 cases.&nbsp;&nbsp;The state reported 2,148 cases the previous week.On Wednesday, <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">the state reported&nbsp;</a>25 additional COVID-19 deaths since the report on Jan. 25, for a total of 9,969<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.Kansas is providing fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly formally declared that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.&nbsp;The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.The state continues to support access to free COVID-19 testing, works to ensure that vulnerable populations can get vaccinated, see that providers serve a broad population and give “comprehensive guidance” about the virus. She called the new phase “endemic normalcy.”The health department updates data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

KDHE reports slight increase in COVID cases, 25 more deaths

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI searched President Joe Biden's vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on Wednesday without finding any&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/classified-documents">classified documents</a>, the president's attorney said. Agents did take some handwritten notes and other materials relating to Biden's time as vice president for review.

The search, disclosed by Biden's personal lawyer, was the latest discomfiting moment for a president who has sought to contrast his sensitivity to rule-following with that of his predecessor Donald Trump, who faces a criminal investigation into his handling of classified documents.

Wednesday's search, the third for a Biden home or office, shows that an investigation that had simmered quietly for weeks was continuing rather than fading away as Biden, who has said he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-district-of-columbia-us-department-justice-a45855907a73acb256bb7c4dd5a91610">surprised</a>&nbsp;by an earlier records discovery, presumably hoped.

The attorney, Bob Bauer, said FBI agents spent three and a half hours searching the home and that, “No documents with classified markings were found.”

Biden's attorneys revealed last month that they had undertaken their search of the home without turning up classified materials. The fact the FBI did its own search reflected the Justice Department's determination to retrieve any and all possible classified items rather than rely on assurances that such documents had been located.

Bauer, sought to portray the president and his team as fully transparent and cooperative. He described the search as “planned” and “a further step in a thorough and timely DOJ process we will continue to fully support and facilitate.”

He did not mention Trump by name, but the statement seemed aimed at juxtaposing the Biden investigation with the Trump case, where months of fruitless Justice Department efforts to recover all the classified records taken to the former president's Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-6bd103a8e418166b17a34d77e8d9102d">culminated in an August search warrant</a>&nbsp;and the removal of roughly three dozen boxes of documents and other items.

Searches of Biden's former office and Delaware homes, by contrast, have all been done voluntarily and without a warrant.

The latest search follows the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-delaware-0827b59ee141b33af95023377713e075">FBI's 13-hour, top-to-bottom check of his Wilmington, Delaware, home</a>, where agents located documents with classified markings from his time as a vice president and senator and also took possession of some of his handwritten notes.

One week earlier, Biden's personal lawyers revealed that they had found a document bearing classified markings&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-united-states-government-district-of-columbia-0574fd762159e8cb5f31c85205df3dc0">while searching the Wilmington property</a>&nbsp;but said they had not found others during a separate inspection of the Rehoboth Beach home.

The White House did not disclose the Justice Department's investigation until last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-812ef44a5333f6d93423a67a683fa024">when it acknowledged the Nov. 2 discovery</a>&nbsp;of a “small number” of classified documents by Biden lawyers as they closed an office at the Penn Biden Center, a think tank affiliated with the Ivy League school.

Though officials did not say so at the time, The Associated Press and other news organizations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-us-federal-bureau-of-investigation-wilmington-d0a50aeadd57893f9bbbc0b33e23c4fe">reported on Tuesday</a>&nbsp;that the FBI had conducted a voluntary search of that office later that month.

The Justice Department declined comment on the Wednesday search.

Biden's lawyers have described the retention of the records as a “mistake." The Justice Department has historically brought criminal charges related to mishandling of classified records only when it can establish, among other things, that a person acted knowingly in improperly removing or storing sensitive records.

The Biden documents probe is being handled by a special counsel,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/classified-documents-biden-home-wilmington-33479d12c7cf0a822adb2f44c32b88fd">Robert Hur,</a>&nbsp;a former senior Justice Department official during the Trump administration who served as the top federal prosecutor in Baltimore. He is starting his work this week, inheriting a months-long investigation already undertaken by FBI agents and Justice Department prosecutors.

Attorney General Merrick Garland had assigned the U.S. attorney in Chicago, John Lausch, to conduct an initial review before announcing Hur's appointment last month,

In a separate effort that preceded the Biden probe,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=jack+smith+eric+tucker+apnews&amp;rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS1038US1038&amp;oq=jack+smith+eric+tucker+apnews&amp;aqs=chrome.0.69i59.2801j1j4&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;is investigating the retention by Trump of roughly 300 documents with classified markings that were taken from the White House to Mar-a-Lago. Agents last August obtained a search warrant to recover classified documents following what the Justice Department said were months of resistance by Trump and his representatives to return the records to the government.

Investigators in the Biden case have already conducted interviews, including of Biden's former executive assistant who helped oversee the packing of boxes that went to the Penn Biden Center. It is not yet clear if and when the Justice Department might look to question Biden himself.

The Bidens purchased their Rehoboth Beach home, which overlooks a state park adjacent to the beach, in June 2017, months after he left the vice presidency.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI was conducting a planned search Wednesday of President Joe Biden's Rehoboth Beach, Delaware home as part of its investigation into the potential mishandling of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/classified-documents">classified documents,</a>&nbsp;the president's personal lawyer said.

The search follows a 13-hour, top-to-bottom review of his Wilmington, Delaware home on Jan. 20, when agents located additional documents with classified markings and also took possession of some of his handwritten notes.

The president has been voluntarily allowing the Justice Department into his residences as investigators seek to determine how classified documents from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-us-democratic-party-donald-trump-d758b30c5c88aaf0014c2baf3d46a882">Biden's time as vice president and a senator</a>&nbsp;wound up in his home and office. The probe followed the Nov. 2 discovery of documents with classified markings by Biden's lawyers as they closed up an office&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-classified-documents-think-tanks-14fd693c967e4422b0f6328e03cea189">at the Penn Biden Center,</a>&nbsp;a think tank affiliated with the Ivy League school.

Documents were also found at his Wilmington home by his personal lawyers, who initiated a search after the Penn Biden center documents were discovered. The FBI also searched the Penn Biden Center in November following the initial discovery of documents there, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

“Under DOJ’s standard procedures, in the interests of operational security and integrity, it sought to do this work without advance public notice, and we agreed to cooperate,” said the statement from Biden's lawyer, Bob Bauer. "The search today is a further step in a thorough and timely DOJ process we will continue to fully support and facilitate. We will have further information at the conclusion of today’s search."

An FBI spokeswoman referred comment to the Justice Department. A spokesman there did not immediately return a message seeking comment. It was not immediately clear whether any additional classified documents were found.

The Biden documents probe is being handled by a special counsel, Robert Hur, the former top federal prosecutor in Baltimore. He is starting his work this week, inheriting a months-long investigation already undertaken by FBI agents and Justice Department prosecutors.

The Bidens purchased the home, which overlooks a state park adjacent to the beach, in June 2017, months after he left the vice presidency.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI searched President Joe Biden's vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on Wednesday without finding any&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/classified-documents">classified documents</a>, the president's attorney said. Agents did take some handwritten notes and other materials relating to Biden's time as vice president for review.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/IanSams46?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IanSams46</a> speaks to media outside White House regarding classified documents: &quot;I think we&#39;ve been pretty transparent from the very beginning with providing information as it occurs throughout this process.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/7JGufX5XdW">pic.twitter.com/7JGufX5XdW</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1620866501195571201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The search, disclosed by Biden's personal lawyer, was the latest discomfiting moment for a president who has sought to contrast his sensitivity to rule-following with that of his predecessor Donald Trump, who faces a criminal investigation into his handling of classified documents.Wednesday's search, the third for a Biden home or office, shows that an investigation that had simmered quietly for weeks was continuing rather than fading away as Biden, who has said he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-district-of-columbia-us-department-justice-a45855907a73acb256bb7c4dd5a91610">surprised</a>&nbsp;by an earlier records discovery, presumably hoped.The attorney, Bob Bauer, said FBI agents spent three and a half hours searching the home and that, “No documents with classified markings were found.”Biden's attorneys revealed last month that they had undertaken their search of the home without turning up classified materials. The fact the FBI did its own search reflected the Justice Department's determination to retrieve any and all possible classified items rather than rely on assurances that such documents had been located.Bauer, sought to portray the president and his team as fully transparent and cooperative. He described the search as “planned” and “a further step in a thorough and timely DOJ process we will continue to fully support and facilitate.”He did not mention Trump by name, but the statement seemed aimed at juxtaposing the Biden investigation with the Trump case, where months of fruitless Justice Department efforts to recover all the classified records taken to the former president's Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-6bd103a8e418166b17a34d77e8d9102d">culminated in an August search warrant</a>&nbsp;and the removal of roughly three dozen boxes of documents and other items.Searches of Biden's former office and Delaware homes, by contrast, have all been done voluntarily and without a warrant.The latest search follows the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-delaware-0827b59ee141b33af95023377713e075">FBI's 13-hour, top-to-bottom check of his Wilmington, Delaware, home</a>, where agents located documents with classified markings from his time as a vice president and senator and also took possession of some of his handwritten notes.One week earlier, Biden's personal lawyers revealed that they had found a document bearing classified markings&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-united-states-government-district-of-columbia-0574fd762159e8cb5f31c85205df3dc0">while searching the Wilmington property</a>&nbsp;but said they had not found others during a separate inspection of the Rehoboth Beach home.The White House did not disclose the Justice Department's investigation until last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-812ef44a5333f6d93423a67a683fa024">when it acknowledged the Nov. 2 discovery</a>&nbsp;of a “small number” of classified documents by Biden lawyers as they closed an office at the Penn Biden Center, a think tank affiliated with the Ivy League school.Though officials did not say so at the time, The Associated Press and other news organizations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-us-federal-bureau-of-investigation-wilmington-d0a50aeadd57893f9bbbc0b33e23c4fe">reported on Tuesday</a>&nbsp;that the FBI had conducted a voluntary search of that office later that month.The Justice Department declined comment on the Wednesday search.Biden's lawyers have described the retention of the records as a “mistake." The Justice Department has historically brought criminal charges related to mishandling of classified records only when it can establish, among other things, that a person acted knowingly in improperly removing or storing sensitive records.The Biden documents probe is being handled by a special counsel,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/classified-documents-biden-home-wilmington-33479d12c7cf0a822adb2f44c32b88fd">Robert Hur,</a>&nbsp;a former senior Justice Department official during the Trump administration who served as the top federal prosecutor in Baltimore. He is starting his work this week, inheriting a months-long investigation already undertaken by FBI agents and Justice Department prosecutors.Attorney General Merrick Garland had assigned the U.S. attorney in Chicago, John Lausch, to conduct an initial review before announcing Hur's appointment last month,In a separate effort that preceded the Biden probe,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=jack+smith+eric+tucker+apnews&amp;rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS1038US1038&amp;oq=jack+smith+eric+tucker+apnews&amp;aqs=chrome.0.69i59.2801j1j4&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;is investigating the retention by Trump of roughly 300 documents with classified markings that were taken from the White House to Mar-a-Lago. Agents last August obtained a search warrant to recover classified documents following what the Justice Department said were months of resistance by Trump and his representatives to return the records to the government.Investigators in the Biden case have already conducted interviews, including of Biden's former executive assistant who helped oversee the packing of boxes that went to the Penn Biden Center. It is not yet clear if and when the Justice Department might look to question Biden himself.The Bidens purchased their Rehoboth Beach home, which overlooks a state park adjacent to the beach, in June 2017, months after he left the vice presidency.----------WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI was conducting a planned search Wednesday of President Joe Biden's Rehoboth Beach, Delaware home as part of its investigation into the potential mishandling of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/classified-documents">classified documents,</a>&nbsp;the president's personal lawyer said.The search follows a 13-hour, top-to-bottom review of his Wilmington, Delaware home on Jan. 20, when agents located additional documents with classified markings and also took possession of some of his handwritten notes.The president has been voluntarily allowing the Justice Department into his residences as investigators seek to determine how classified documents from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-us-democratic-party-donald-trump-d758b30c5c88aaf0014c2baf3d46a882">Biden's time as vice president and a senator</a>&nbsp;wound up in his home and office. The probe followed the Nov. 2 discovery of documents with classified markings by Biden's lawyers as they closed up an office&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-classified-documents-think-tanks-14fd693c967e4422b0f6328e03cea189">at the Penn Biden Center,</a>&nbsp;a think tank affiliated with the Ivy League school.Documents were also found at his Wilmington home by his personal lawyers, who initiated a search after the Penn Biden center documents were discovered. The FBI also searched the Penn Biden Center in November following the initial discovery of documents there, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Tuesday.“Under DOJ’s standard procedures, in the interests of operational security and integrity, it sought to do this work without advance public notice, and we agreed to cooperate,” said the statement from Biden's lawyer, Bob Bauer. "The search today is a further step in a thorough and timely DOJ process we will continue to fully support and facilitate. We will have further information at the conclusion of today’s search."An FBI spokeswoman referred comment to the Justice Department. A spokesman there did not immediately return a message seeking comment. It was not immediately clear whether any additional classified documents were found.The Biden documents probe is being handled by a special counsel, Robert Hur, the former top federal prosecutor in Baltimore. He is starting his work this week, inheriting a months-long investigation already undertaken by FBI agents and Justice Department prosecutors.The Bidens purchased the home, which overlooks a state park adjacent to the beach, in June 2017, months after he left the vice presidency.

🎥FBI found no classified docs in search of Biden's beach home 

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a theft of guns in Riley County have made an arrest.

On Tuesday, police arrested 24-year-old Kansas inmate Brandon Welty, of Manhattan after he was transported from the Lansing Correction Facility to the Riley County Jail on a Riley County District Court warrant for burglary and three counts of theft, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

The warrant stems from a February 23, 2022, incident in the 11900 block of Crooked Creek Road where it was reported 13 guns and other miscellaneous items were stolen from a home. 

A 39-year-old man and a 51-year-old man were listed as the victims in the case. Welty remains confined in the Riley County Jail with a total bond of $25,000. Welty has previous convictions in 2020 for obstruction and marijuana possession, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675264812204.png" alt="Welty has previous convictions for obstruction and marijuana possession, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections." />
 <figcaption>Welty has previous convictions for obstruction and marijuana possession, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a theft of guns in Riley County have made an arrest.On Tuesday, police arrested 24-year-old Kansas inmate Brandon Welty, of Manhattan after he was transported from the Lansing Correction Facility to the Riley County Jail on a Riley County District Court warrant for burglary and three counts of theft, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.The warrant stems from a February 23, 2022, incident in the 11900 block of Crooked Creek Road where it was reported 13 guns and other miscellaneous items were stolen from a home. A 39-year-old man and a 51-year-old man were listed as the victims in the case. Welty remains confined in the Riley County Jail with a total bond of $25,000. Welty has previous convictions in 2020 for obstruction and marijuana possession, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Kansas inmate accused in theft of guns from rural home

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend crash have identified the woman who died as 22-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/funeral-expenses-for-konstance-harris">Konstance Harris</a> of Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

Just after 7:30a.m. Sunday, a 2012 Honda Accord driven by Harris was westbound on Kellogg near Washington Street, according to Ditch.

The car struck the concrete wall, traveled over the wall and landed on Washington Street.

First responders found the Harris unconscious and not breathing inside the car. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp; There were no other vehicles or people involved.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675266683865.png" alt="Harris photo <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/funeral-expenses-for-konstance-harris">courtesy GoFundMe</a>" />
 <figcaption>Harris photo <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/funeral-expenses-for-konstance-harris">courtesy GoFundMe</a></figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend crash have identified the woman who died as 22-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/funeral-expenses-for-konstance-harris">Konstance Harris</a> of Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch.Just after 7:30a.m. Sunday, a 2012 Honda Accord driven by Harris was westbound on Kellogg near Washington Street, according to Ditch.The car struck the concrete wall, traveled over the wall and landed on Washington Street.First responders found the Harris unconscious and not breathing inside the car. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp; There were no other vehicles or people involved.

Police ID Kan. woman who died after car strikes, vaults concrete wall

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tom Brady, who won a record seven Super Bowls for New England and Tampa, has announced his retirement.

Brady — the most successful quarterback in NFL history, and one of the greatest athletes in team sports — posted the announcement on social media Wednesday morning, a brief video lasting just under one minute.

“Good morning guys. I'll get to the point right away," Brady says as the message begins. “I'm retiring. For good."

He briefly retired after the 2021 season but wound up coming back for one more year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He retires at age 45, the owner of numerous passing records in an unprecedented 23-year career.

A year ago when he retired, it was in the form of a long Instagram post. But about six weeks later, he decided to come back for one more run. The Buccaneers — with whom he won a Super Bowl two seasons ago — made the playoffs again this season, losing in their playoff opener. And at the time, it begged the question about whether Brady would play again.

Only a couple of weeks later, he has given the answer.

“I know the process was a pretty big deal last time, so when I woke up this morning, I figured I’d just press record and let you guys know first," Brady says in the video. “I won’t be long-winded. You only get one super emotional retirement essay and I used mine up last year.

“I really thank you guys so much, to every single one of you for supporting me. My family, my friends, teammates, my competitors. I could go on forever. There’s too many. Thank you guys for allowing me to live my absolute dream. I wouldn’t change a thing. Love you all."

Brady is the NFL’s career leader in yards passing (89,214) and touchdowns (649). He is the only player to win more than five Super Bowls and has been MVP of the game five times.

Brady announced his retirement one day after attending the premiere of “80 for Brady" — which comes out Friday — in Los Angeles. The movie tells the story of four lifelong friends, played by Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno and Sally Field, who went to a Super Bowl to see Brady play.

He was asked Tuesday night whether he felt a connection working with women — the four stars range in age from 76 to 91 — who don’t want to retire.

“They’re working hard and they love it. So good for them," Brady told The Associated Press. “You know, it’s just that’s what life is about. You got to, you know, wake up every day with a purpose. And when you find something you love to do, you know, it’s hard to stop. You really enjoy it. And there’s a lot of aspects that you do enjoy. So they still bring it at this age. It’s really unbelievable to watch them on set and how much energy they have. And I certainly was inspired by them and learned a lot of lessons on this whole experience.”

Famously underrated coming into the NFL — he was picked 199th in the 2000 draft by the Patriots, behind six other quarterbacks, three kickers and a punter — Brady certainly wasn’t expected to become synonymous with greatness. He played in one game as a rookie, completing one of three passes for six yards.

Brady took over as the Patriots’ starter, the team beat the St. Louis Rams in the Super Bowl that capped the 2001 season and he and New England coach Bill Belichick were well on their way to becoming the most successful coach-QB duo in football history.

More Super Bowl wins came after the 2003 and 2004 seasons. The Patriots returned to football’s mountaintop for a fourth time in Brady’s era a decade later to cap the 2014 season, the start of three more titles in a span of five years.

In 2020, he joined the Buccaneers and won his seventh Super Bowl. He spent his last three years with Tampa Bay, getting them to the playoffs in each of those seasons.

“I think I’ve been on the record dozens of times saying there’s no quarterback I’d rather have than Tom Brady, and I still feel that way," Belichick said in 2021 — shortly before Tampa Bay, with Brady, came to New England and beat the Patriots in a game dubbed “The Return." “I was very lucky to have Tom as the quarterback, to coach him, and he was as good as any coach could ever ask for."

Brady has won three NFL MVP awards, has been a first-team All-Pro three times and was selected to the Pro Bowl 15 times.

Brady and model Gisele Bündchen finalized their divorce this past fall, during the Bucs' season. It ended a 13-year marriage between two superstars who respectively reached the pinnacles of football and fashion.

It was announced last year that when Brady retires from playing, he would join Fox Sports as a television analyst in a 10-year, $375 million deal.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tom Brady, who won a record seven Super Bowls for New England and Tampa, has announced his retirement.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Truly grateful on this day. Thank you 🙏🏻❤️ <a href="https://t.co/j2s2sezvSS">pic.twitter.com/j2s2sezvSS</a>&mdash; Tom Brady (@TomBrady) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomBrady/status/1620772095889403905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Brady — the most successful quarterback in NFL history, and one of the greatest athletes in team sports — posted the announcement on social media Wednesday morning, a brief video lasting just under one minute.“Good morning guys. I'll get to the point right away," Brady says as the message begins. “I'm retiring. For good."He briefly retired after the 2021 season but wound up coming back for one more year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He retires at age 45, the owner of numerous passing records in an unprecedented 23-year career.A year ago when he retired, it was in the form of a long Instagram post. But about six weeks later, he decided to come back for one more run. The Buccaneers — with whom he won a Super Bowl two seasons ago — made the playoffs again this season, losing in their playoff opener. And at the time, it begged the question about whether Brady would play again.Only a couple of weeks later, he has given the answer.“I know the process was a pretty big deal last time, so when I woke up this morning, I figured I’d just press record and let you guys know first," Brady says in the video. “I won’t be long-winded. You only get one super emotional retirement essay and I used mine up last year.“I really thank you guys so much, to every single one of you for supporting me. My family, my friends, teammates, my competitors. I could go on forever. There’s too many. Thank you guys for allowing me to live my absolute dream. I wouldn’t change a thing. Love you all."Brady is the NFL’s career leader in yards passing (89,214) and touchdowns (649). He is the only player to win more than five Super Bowls and has been MVP of the game five times.Brady announced his retirement one day after attending the premiere of “80 for Brady" — which comes out Friday — in Los Angeles. The movie tells the story of four lifelong friends, played by Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno and Sally Field, who went to a Super Bowl to see Brady play.He was asked Tuesday night whether he felt a connection working with women — the four stars range in age from 76 to 91 — who don’t want to retire.“They’re working hard and they love it. So good for them," Brady told The Associated Press. “You know, it’s just that’s what life is about. You got to, you know, wake up every day with a purpose. And when you find something you love to do, you know, it’s hard to stop. You really enjoy it. And there’s a lot of aspects that you do enjoy. So they still bring it at this age. It’s really unbelievable to watch them on set and how much energy they have. And I certainly was inspired by them and learned a lot of lessons on this whole experience.”Famously underrated coming into the NFL — he was picked 199th in the 2000 draft by the Patriots, behind six other quarterbacks, three kickers and a punter — Brady certainly wasn’t expected to become synonymous with greatness. He played in one game as a rookie, completing one of three passes for six yards.The next year, it all changed.Brady took over as the Patriots’ starter, the team beat the St. Louis Rams in the Super Bowl that capped the 2001 season and he and New England coach Bill Belichick were well on their way to becoming the most successful coach-QB duo in football history.More Super Bowl wins came after the 2003 and 2004 seasons. The Patriots returned to football’s mountaintop for a fourth time in Brady’s era a decade later to cap the 2014 season, the start of three more titles in a span of five years.In 2020, he joined the Buccaneers and won his seventh Super Bowl. He spent his last three years with Tampa Bay, getting them to the playoffs in each of those seasons.“I think I’ve been on the record dozens of times saying there’s no quarterback I’d rather have than Tom Brady, and I still feel that way," Belichick said in 2021 — shortly before Tampa Bay, with Brady, came to New England and beat the Patriots in a game dubbed “The Return." “I was very lucky to have Tom as the quarterback, to coach him, and he was as good as any coach could ever ask for."Brady has won three NFL MVP awards, has been a first-team All-Pro three times and was selected to the Pro Bowl 15 times.Brady and model Gisele Bündchen finalized their divorce this past fall, during the Bucs' season. It ended a 13-year marriage between two superstars who respectively reached the pinnacles of football and fashion.It was announced last year that when Brady retires from playing, he would join Fox Sports as a television analyst in a 10-year, $375 million deal.___

🎥Tom Brady retires, insisting this time it's for good

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the murder of a woman at hotel in Johnson County.

Just before noon Sunday, police were dispatched to a hotel in the 20600 block of West 151st&nbsp;Street in reference to a welfare check involving a hotel guest who failed to check out of the hotel, according to Olathe Police.

Officers arrived and discovered a deceased 53-year-old woman later identified as Rhoda Morgan of Gardner inside the room.&nbsp; Cause of death is currently under investigation.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call the Olathe Police Department at (913) 971-6363 or the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477.&nbsp;

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the murder of a woman at hotel in Johnson County.Just before noon Sunday, police were dispatched to a hotel in the 20600 block of West 151st&nbsp;Street in reference to a welfare check involving a hotel guest who failed to check out of the hotel, according to Olathe Police.Officers arrived and discovered a deceased 53-year-old woman later identified as Rhoda Morgan of Gardner inside the room.&nbsp; Cause of death is currently under investigation.Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call the Olathe Police Department at (913) 971-6363 or the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477.&nbsp;

Homicide: Police ID Kansas woman found dead in hotel room

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The new $1.5 billion Kansas City International Airport will officially open Feb. 28, with a Southwest flight to Chicago Midway International Airport at 5 a.m. as the first flight out, city and airport officials said.

At more than 1 million square feet, the single-terminal airport is the largest single infrastructure project in the city’s history. It replaces a three-terminal airport that opened in 1972.

The grand opening comes nearly four years after the city broke ground on the project, which faced a contentious fight before receiving approval.

During a news conference on Monday, Mayor Quinton Lucas said the terminal is being completed on time and on budget.

The new airport has 40 gates, with expansion possible to 50 gates. It will provide up to 50 places to eat and shop. Concession operators are tying to fill at least 800 retail, food and beverage jobs by the time the new terminal opens.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The new $1.5 billion Kansas City International Airport will officially open Feb. 28, with a Southwest flight to Chicago Midway International Airport at 5 a.m. as the first flight out, city and airport officials said.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K8vQz8eFCvs" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>At more than 1 million square feet, the single-terminal airport is the largest single infrastructure project in the city’s history. It replaces a three-terminal airport that opened in 1972.The grand opening comes nearly four years after the city broke ground on the project, which faced a contentious fight before receiving approval.During a news conference on Monday, Mayor Quinton Lucas said the terminal is being completed on time and on budget.The new airport has 40 gates, with expansion possible to 50 gates. It will provide up to 50 places to eat and shop. Concession operators are tying to fill at least 800 retail, food and beverage jobs by the time the new terminal opens.

🎥Kansas City to open new $1.5 billion airport this month

WILSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 6p.m. Tuesday in Wilson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Chevy Malibu driven by James R. White, Jr., 54, Parsons, was eastbound on U.S. 400 just east of Kansas 39 Highway.

The Malibu&nbsp; crossed the center line into the westbound lanes of traffic. 

A westbound 2008 Dodge Ram driven by Korey W.&nbsp;Ladenburger, 23, Larned, attempted to avoid the collision by entering the eastbound lanes, but the Malibu crossed back into the eastbound lanes and struck the Dodge head-on.

White was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. EMS transported&nbsp;Ladenburger to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. The KHP had incomplete seat belt usage information.

WILSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 6p.m. Tuesday in Wilson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Chevy Malibu driven by James R. White, Jr., 54, Parsons, was eastbound on U.S. 400 just east of Kansas 39 Highway.The Malibu&nbsp; crossed the center line into the westbound lanes of traffic. A westbound 2008 Dodge Ram driven by Korey W.&nbsp;Ladenburger, 23, Larned, attempted to avoid the collision by entering the eastbound lanes, but the Malibu crossed back into the eastbound lanes and struck the Dodge head-on.White was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. EMS transported&nbsp;Ladenburger to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. The KHP had incomplete seat belt usage information.

Kansas man dies after head-on pickup, car crash

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas teen on multiple allegations after a chase and crash in a stolen SUV.

Just after 3p.m. Monday, police in Wellington using a Flock tag reader identified a stolen SUV from Wichita with a tag from another Wichita location, according to&nbsp;Clearwater Police Chief Kirk Ives.

Officers attempted to stop the vehicle and the driver refused to stop. That prompted a chase. After a few miles, Wellington police discontinued the chase as officers in Conway Springs took over.

A police officer deployed stop sticks. In attempt to avoid the device, the driver later identified as 18-year-old Owen Legleiter allegedly swerved at the officer. The officer fired his service revolver four times as the SUV continued on a flattened back tire.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Due to the time of day, officers were concerned that the chase would impact school busses preparing to pick up students, according to Ives. However, the chase traveled south of the school and the SUV ultimately rolled just southeast of Clearwater.

Legleiter was not injured. A passenger identified as Legleiter's 16-year-old girlfriend had a minor arm injury, according to Ives. The teen's 16-month-old daughter was not injured.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The officer who fired his weapon was placed on administrative leave. "We have not found he did anything incorrect," according to Ives. He's been with the department for three years.

Legleiter is being held on requested charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, aggravated child endangerment, criminal restraint, flee and elude, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of a stolen tag, criminal use of weapons and driving while suspended, according to Ives.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675185361118.png" alt="Legleiter-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Legleiter-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas teen on multiple allegations after a chase and crash in a stolen SUV.Just after 3p.m. Monday, police in Wellington using a Flock tag reader identified a stolen SUV from Wichita with a tag from another Wichita location, according to&nbsp;Clearwater Police Chief Kirk Ives.Officers attempted to stop the vehicle and the driver refused to stop. That prompted a chase. After a few miles, Wellington police discontinued the chase as officers in Conway Springs took over.A police officer deployed stop sticks. In attempt to avoid the device, the driver later identified as 18-year-old Owen Legleiter allegedly swerved at the officer. The officer fired his service revolver four times as the SUV continued on a flattened back tire.&nbsp;&nbsp;Due to the time of day, officers were concerned that the chase would impact school busses preparing to pick up students, according to Ives. However, the chase traveled south of the school and the SUV ultimately rolled just southeast of Clearwater.Legleiter was not injured. A passenger identified as Legleiter's 16-year-old girlfriend had a minor arm injury, according to Ives. The teen's 16-month-old daughter was not injured.&nbsp;&nbsp;The officer who fired his weapon was placed on administrative leave. "We have not found he did anything incorrect," according to Ives. He's been with the department for three years.Legleiter is being held on requested charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, aggravated child endangerment, criminal restraint, flee and elude, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of a stolen tag, criminal use of weapons and driving while suspended, according to Ives.

Kansas teen with girlfriend and toddler rolls stolen SUV 

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man has been charged in an assault of a police officer after the defendant caused the officer to fall down stairs and break an ankle, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Twann J. McGill Jr. 42,, faces Assault 2nd Degree and Resisting Arrest.

According to court records, Raytown police were dispatched on a reported domestic disturbance in an apartment on Raytown Road. Upon arrival police heard a man yell, "'I'm going to beat your ass again." 

Officers knocked on the door and announced their presence. The defendant cracked the door open and told the police officer to go away. 

Other officers arrived after the defendant continued to refuse to open the door. They took the defendant into custody and were walking him down stairs in the apartment complex when the defendant lunged and pushed into the officer, causing the officer to fall down the stairs and break his ankle.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674915210555.png" alt="McGill-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>McGill-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man has been charged in an assault of a police officer after the defendant caused the officer to fall down stairs and break an ankle, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Twann J. McGill Jr. 42,, faces Assault 2nd Degree and Resisting Arrest.According to court records, Raytown police were dispatched on a reported domestic disturbance in an apartment on Raytown Road. Upon arrival police heard a man yell, "'I'm going to beat your ass again." Officers knocked on the door and announced their presence. The defendant cracked the door open and told the police officer to go away. Other officers arrived after the defendant continued to refuse to open the door. They took the defendant into custody and were walking him down stairs in the apartment complex when the defendant lunged and pushed into the officer, causing the officer to fall down the stairs and break his ankle.

KC man pushed police officer down stairs, broke his ankle

PHILLIPS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with a meth lab.

On Monday, deputies made an arrest in connection to a search warrant executed on July 16, 2022, in the 800 block of Third Avenue West in Glade, Kansas, according to a media release from the Phillips Co. Sheriff.

During the execution of the search warrant, items were located that indicated they may be components of a methamphetamine lab. Kansas Bureau of Investigation Clandestine Laboratory Response Team responded and collected the items of concern. Those items were transported to the KBI for analysis which revealed they were, as suspected, meth lab components.

On Monday, deputies served an arrest warrant on Jimmie C. Lamb, 40, Glade, and took him into custody without incident.

Lamb was arrested on suspicion of unlawful manufacture of a controlled substance, possession of precursors, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

 Lamb is being held in the Phillips County jail with a $250,000 bond.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675194629717.png" alt="-Lamb / Phillips County photo" />
 <figcaption>-Lamb / Phillips County photo</figcaption>
 </figure>PHILLIPS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with a meth lab.On Monday, deputies made an arrest in connection to a search warrant executed on July 16, 2022, in the 800 block of Third Avenue West in Glade, Kansas, according to a media release from the Phillips Co. Sheriff.During the execution of the search warrant, items were located that indicated they may be components of a methamphetamine lab. Kansas Bureau of Investigation Clandestine Laboratory Response Team responded and collected the items of concern. Those items were transported to the KBI for analysis which revealed they were, as suspected, meth lab components.On Monday, deputies served an arrest warrant on Jimmie C. Lamb, 40, Glade, and took him into custody without incident.Lamb was arrested on suspicion of unlawful manufacture of a controlled substance, possession of precursors, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Lamb is being held in the Phillips County jail with a $250,000 bond.&nbsp;

KBI confirms deputies found a meth lab in northwest Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Top Republican legislators in Kansas are focusing on helping conservative parents remove their children from public schools over what's taught about gender and sexuality rather than pursuing a version of what critics call Florida's “Don't Say Gay” law.

A proposal to allow parents to use state tax dollars to pay for private or home schooling was to be available online Tuesday, a day after a committee on K-12 spending introduced the measure in the House.

The introduction comes as funding and lesson plans for public schools have become hot button issues for conservative politicians nationwide.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-florida-nebraska-kim-reynolds-iowa-1fdab7c898730873b8c3b880223c5306">Lawmakers in Iowa</a>&nbsp;approved a similar law last week and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-state-government-arizona-iowa-south-carolina-kansas-091e6094fcea2852ec279fedf11759d8">at least a dozen states</a>&nbsp;are considering similar legislation.

Funneling public funds toward private schools is not a new idea, but it picked up fresh steam following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic partly because of parents' concerns over masks and vaccines. The issue also has been driven by opposition to how some schools conduct lessons about topics such as gender, sexuality and race.

Critics of the bills say they siphon much-needed money away from public schools.

When Kansas' Republican-controlled Legislature opened its annual session earlier this month, GOP leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-kansas-city-state-government-gender-7f11f63aaf26e193aa9d30d935747002">planned to tackle</a>&nbsp;what Senate President Ty Masterson called “the sexualized woke agenda” in how public schools discuss sexuality and gender identity.

Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican, said he wanted to pursue a measure that would spell out what schools could teach or discuss on those topics by grade level, much like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-dont-say-gay-law-signed-56aee61f075a12663f25990c7b31624d">the Florida law</a>&nbsp;enacted last year.

But last week when he was asked about such a measure, Masterson appeared to shift direction: “We're talking about school choice.” He told The Associated Press on Monday: “Probably the only way to ultimately handle it, right, is to have choices for parents."

The proposal introduced in the House is the brainchild of its K-12 spending committee chair, state Rep. Kristey Williams, another Wichita-area Republican. She said she hopes to hold hearings next week.

Her bill would allow parents to apply to set up a state-sponsored education savings account for each of their children, with the state setting aside the current amount of its base aid per student for public schools. That's $5,103 for the 2023-24 school year, an amount that would increase as the state boosts its aid. Parents would receive 95% and the state would use the rest to cover administrative costs.

Kansas already grants income tax credits for donations to funds providing scholarships so academically at-risk students can attend private schools, which is a program Republican lawmakers want to expand. But across the U.S., conservative lawmakers argue tax dollars should be tied to students, not “systems.”

Williams also called her plan “the perfect answer” for parents frustrated over what public schools teach about gender, sexuality or the influence of racism in U.S. history. Currently, she said, parents can't change schools unless they can afford the extra costs.

“But with choice, it gives freedom to choose the best and most appropriate education, the best and most appropriate type of environment," she said.

Public education groups and Democratic lawmakers argue that such proposals will take money away from the state's K-12 schools for the benefit of private and home schools. They reject Masterson's characterization of public schools as becoming "factories for a radical social agenda,” and argue that GOP conservatives are trying to dismantle public education.

State Rep. Jarrod Ousley, a Kansas City-area Democrat whose wife serves on a local school board, said public schools help build communities.

“That's the fabric of our nation,” Ousley said.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-us-republican-party-kansas-144e13fa12a3ef79ae4a1dab5aee34a0">strongly opposes</a>&nbsp;a plan such as the one introduced in the House. Her big education initiative is phasing in a 61% increase over five years in spending on public K-12 programs for students with special needs.

Republicans have legislative supermajorities that would allow them to override a Kelly veto, though GOP leaders have found it difficult to keep Republicans united on education issues.

Meanwhile, advocates of private and home schooling argue that parents want more choices because they have been unhappy with remote schooling during the coronavirus pandemic.

Fallon Love, a Wichita resident who handles finances for restaurants in multiple states, has enrolled her 7-year-old son as a second grader at the Urban Preparatory Academy, run by the non-denominational Christian Faith Center in Wichita.

Love said she likes the academy's “intimate” learning environment and feels her son is learning positive character traits while getting opportunities like a trip last week to the Statehouse for a school choice rally.

“There are a lot of parents that aren’t fortunate to be able to decide where their kids go,” she said after that rally. “Everybody should have the right to decide where they want their child to go to get the best education.”

Wade Moore, one of the church's bishops, told the crowd at the rally that a school-choice law like the one in Iowa allows parents to avoid “crazy stuff” in public schools. After the rally, he said he meant both violence, such as fighting, and issues such as which bathrooms and locker rooms transgender students can use.

“A lot of these things are being forced upon children, upon families," he said after the rally.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675165502145.jpeg" alt="Private and home school students, their parents and advocates crowed part of the second floor of the Kansas Statehouse for a rally for giving parents tax dollars earmarked for public schools and allowing them to spend it how they choose on education, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, in Topeka, Kan.. Years of pandemic restrictions and curriculum battles have emboldened a push from Republican lawmakers and school choice advocates to funnel public funds to private and religious schools in at least a dozen statehouses. (AP Photo/John Hanna)" />
 <figcaption>Private and home school students, their parents and advocates crowed part of the second floor of the Kansas Statehouse for a rally for giving parents tax dollars earmarked for public schools and allowing them to spend it how they choose on education, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, in Topeka, Kan.. Years of pandemic restrictions and curriculum battles have emboldened a push from Republican lawmakers and school choice advocates to funnel public funds to private and religious schools in at least a dozen statehouses. (AP Photo/John Hanna)</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Top Republican legislators in Kansas are focusing on helping conservative parents remove their children from public schools over what's taught about gender and sexuality rather than pursuing a version of what critics call Florida's “Don't Say Gay” law.A proposal to allow parents to use state tax dollars to pay for private or home schooling was to be available online Tuesday, a day after a committee on K-12 spending introduced the measure in the House.The introduction comes as funding and lesson plans for public schools have become hot button issues for conservative politicians nationwide.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-florida-nebraska-kim-reynolds-iowa-1fdab7c898730873b8c3b880223c5306">Lawmakers in Iowa</a>&nbsp;approved a similar law last week and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-state-government-arizona-iowa-south-carolina-kansas-091e6094fcea2852ec279fedf11759d8">at least a dozen states</a>&nbsp;are considering similar legislation.Funneling public funds toward private schools is not a new idea, but it picked up fresh steam following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic partly because of parents' concerns over masks and vaccines. The issue also has been driven by opposition to how some schools conduct lessons about topics such as gender, sexuality and race.Critics of the bills say they siphon much-needed money away from public schools.When Kansas' Republican-controlled Legislature opened its annual session earlier this month, GOP leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-kansas-city-state-government-gender-7f11f63aaf26e193aa9d30d935747002">planned to tackle</a>&nbsp;what Senate President Ty Masterson called “the sexualized woke agenda” in how public schools discuss sexuality and gender identity.Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican, said he wanted to pursue a measure that would spell out what schools could teach or discuss on those topics by grade level, much like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-dont-say-gay-law-signed-56aee61f075a12663f25990c7b31624d">the Florida law</a>&nbsp;enacted last year.But last week when he was asked about such a measure, Masterson appeared to shift direction: “We're talking about school choice.” He told The Associated Press on Monday: “Probably the only way to ultimately handle it, right, is to have choices for parents."The proposal introduced in the House is the brainchild of its K-12 spending committee chair, state Rep. Kristey Williams, another Wichita-area Republican. She said she hopes to hold hearings next week.Her bill would allow parents to apply to set up a state-sponsored education savings account for each of their children, with the state setting aside the current amount of its base aid per student for public schools. That's $5,103 for the 2023-24 school year, an amount that would increase as the state boosts its aid. Parents would receive 95% and the state would use the rest to cover administrative costs.Kansas already grants income tax credits for donations to funds providing scholarships so academically at-risk students can attend private schools, which is a program Republican lawmakers want to expand. But across the U.S., conservative lawmakers argue tax dollars should be tied to students, not “systems.”Williams also called her plan “the perfect answer” for parents frustrated over what public schools teach about gender, sexuality or the influence of racism in U.S. history. Currently, she said, parents can't change schools unless they can afford the extra costs.“But with choice, it gives freedom to choose the best and most appropriate education, the best and most appropriate type of environment," she said.Public education groups and Democratic lawmakers argue that such proposals will take money away from the state's K-12 schools for the benefit of private and home schools. They reject Masterson's characterization of public schools as becoming "factories for a radical social agenda,” and argue that GOP conservatives are trying to dismantle public education.State Rep. Jarrod Ousley, a Kansas City-area Democrat whose wife serves on a local school board, said public schools help build communities.“That's the fabric of our nation,” Ousley said.Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-us-republican-party-kansas-144e13fa12a3ef79ae4a1dab5aee34a0">strongly opposes</a>&nbsp;a plan such as the one introduced in the House. Her big education initiative is phasing in a 61% increase over five years in spending on public K-12 programs for students with special needs.Republicans have legislative supermajorities that would allow them to override a Kelly veto, though GOP leaders have found it difficult to keep Republicans united on education issues.Meanwhile, advocates of private and home schooling argue that parents want more choices because they have been unhappy with remote schooling during the coronavirus pandemic.Fallon Love, a Wichita resident who handles finances for restaurants in multiple states, has enrolled her 7-year-old son as a second grader at the Urban Preparatory Academy, run by the non-denominational Christian Faith Center in Wichita.Love said she likes the academy's “intimate” learning environment and feels her son is learning positive character traits while getting opportunities like a trip last week to the Statehouse for a school choice rally.“There are a lot of parents that aren’t fortunate to be able to decide where their kids go,” she said after that rally. “Everybody should have the right to decide where they want their child to go to get the best education.”Wade Moore, one of the church's bishops, told the crowd at the rally that a school-choice law like the one in Iowa allows parents to avoid “crazy stuff” in public schools. After the rally, he said he meant both violence, such as fighting, and issues such as which bathrooms and locker rooms transgender students can use.“A lot of these things are being forced upon children, upon families," he said after the rally.___

'School choice' is culture-war focus for Kansas lawmakers

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a homicide at a home in Topeka have made an arrest.

Just before 9:30a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a medical emergency in the 400 Block of SW Tyler Street, according to Lt. Edward Stanley.

First responders found one victim, later identified as 48-year-old Jeremy Neal of Topeka, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp;

As a result of the investigation, Police arrested Skyler J.M. Wilson, 33, Topeka on requested charges of Murder in the 1st Degree, according to Lt. Stanley.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675030639545.png" alt="Police tape at the scene of the homicide investigation-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police tape at the scene of the homicide investigation-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a homicide at a home in Topeka have made an arrest.Just before 9:30a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a medical emergency in the 400 Block of SW Tyler Street, according to Lt. Edward Stanley.First responders found one victim, later identified as 48-year-old Jeremy Neal of Topeka, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675175589206.png" alt="Wilson-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Wilson-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>As a result of the investigation, Police arrested Skyler J.M. Wilson, 33, Topeka on requested charges of Murder in the 1st Degree, according to Lt. Stanley.

Police arrest suspect in weekend murder at Kansas home

SUMNER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating skimmers on gas pumps at Casey's in Oxford Kansas, according to a statement from the Sumner County Sheriff.

The skimming device is used to capture the magnetic strip containing a customer's personal information, name and credit card number.

&nbsp;According to the sheriff, "it is unknown which pumps had the skimmers. They were placed on the inside of the gas pumps as well as the outside. "Please be cautious when paying at the pump with your debit card/credit card." "If you see the security seal has been broken or the lock on the pump has been tampered with, we suggest you do not pay at the pump, go inside and pay or just find another gas station." Anyone who was a victim in Oxford is asked to contact the Oxford Police Department to make a police report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675188505903.png" alt="photo Sumner County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>photo Sumner County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SUMNER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating skimmers on gas pumps at Casey's in Oxford Kansas, according to a statement from the Sumner County Sheriff.The skimming device is used to capture the magnetic strip containing a customer's personal information, name and credit card number.&nbsp;According to the sheriff, "it is unknown which pumps had the skimmers. They were placed on the inside of the gas pumps as well as the outside. "Please be cautious when paying at the pump with your debit card/credit card." "If you see the security seal has been broken or the lock on the pump has been tampered with, we suggest you do not pay at the pump, go inside and pay or just find another gas station." Anyone who was a victim in Oxford is asked to contact the Oxford Police Department to make a police report.

Sheriff: Skimmer found on another gas pump in Kansas

By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-31/kansas-might-tighten-criminal-penalties-for-kids-after-loosening-them-six-years-ago">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA, Kansas — Christina Smith says her son has threatened to kill her.

Smith
 was recovering from knee surgery when her child threw her against a 
wall because he didn’t want to go back to a psychiatric ward. She tried 
to call 911, but her son took her phone. Police have been to her house 
before, yet Smith said they didn’t do anything meaningful.

She 
testified to lawmakers earlier this month that efforts to reform the 
state’s juvenile justice system through Senate Bill 367 six years ago 
amounted to good intentions that came with some unintended, and often 
frustrating, consequences.

Critics of the existing law essentially
 argue that it’s become too hard to handle problem kids by ruling out 
penalties — including locking them up — that might be necessary even 
with children.

“We tried every service from therapy, mental health
 services, medication and the (serious emotional disturbance) waiver,” 
she said.

The law tried to spare kids from getting locked up so often but it also allowed kids to avoid treatment.

Smith
 and others said the law went too far in some ways that have made it 
harder to control, and help, children battling through serious 
behavioral and mental health problems.

“Bill 367 allows grace for 
juveniles that make mistakes,” she said, “but the law has put me in 
danger more times than I can count.”

Now, lawmakers are trying to 
retool the law to bring back more penalties for children who commit 
crimes. Supporters of the bill said it brings back accountability. 
Opponents see it as unforgiving and regressive.

Yet state Rep. 
Carl Maughan, a Colwich Republican, called SB 367 an “unmitigated 
disaster” and called for it to be repealed and completely reworked.

“I'm
 not in the camp of just lock them all up,” Maughan said. “But the 
current system under 367 is clearly not working and this tinkering 
around the edges seems to be a problem.”

Both supporters and opponents of the bill generally agreed on a need to find alternatives to criminal detention.

Lawmakers
 are pushing forward with expanding access to juvenile crisis centers. 
They would keep kids in mental health crises out of detention facilities
 and get them psychiatric help. They are generally a short-term 
solution. A bill offering a slight tweak in state law would allow those 
centers to accept children with behavioral health problems rather than 
just kids with mental health needs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675175890082.png" alt="A group of people walking at the Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex. Blaise Mesa / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>A group of people walking at the Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex. Blaise Mesa / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-31/kansas-might-tighten-criminal-penalties-for-kids-after-loosening-them-six-years-ago">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA, Kansas — Christina Smith says her son has threatened to kill her.Smith
 was recovering from knee surgery when her child threw her against a 
wall because he didn’t want to go back to a psychiatric ward. She tried 
to call 911, but her son took her phone. Police have been to her house 
before, yet Smith said they didn’t do anything meaningful.She 
testified to lawmakers earlier this month that efforts to reform the 
state’s juvenile justice system through Senate Bill 367 six years ago 
amounted to good intentions that came with some unintended, and often 
frustrating, consequences.Critics of the existing law essentially
 argue that it’s become too hard to handle problem kids by ruling out 
penalties — including locking them up — that might be necessary even 
with children.“We tried every service from therapy, mental health
 services, medication and the (serious emotional disturbance) waiver,” 
she said.The law tried to spare kids from getting locked up so often but it also allowed kids to avoid treatment.Smith
 and others said the law went too far in some ways that have made it 
harder to control, and help, children battling through serious 
behavioral and mental health problems.“Bill 367 allows grace for 
juveniles that make mistakes,” she said, “but the law has put me in 
danger more times than I can count.”Now, lawmakers are trying to 
retool the law to bring back more penalties for children who commit 
crimes. Supporters of the bill said it brings back accountability. 
Opponents see it as unforgiving and regressive.Yet state Rep. 
Carl Maughan, a Colwich Republican, called SB 367 an “unmitigated 
disaster” and called for it to be repealed and completely reworked.“I'm
 not in the camp of just lock them all up,” Maughan said. “But the 
current system under 367 is clearly not working and this tinkering 
around the edges seems to be a problem.”Both supporters and opponents of the bill generally agreed on a need to find alternatives to criminal detention.Lawmakers
 are pushing forward with expanding access to juvenile crisis centers. 
They would keep kids in mental health crises out of detention facilities
 and get them psychiatric help. They are generally a short-term 
solution. A bill offering a slight tweak in state law would allow those 
centers to accept children with behavioral health problems rather than 
just kids with mental health needs.Behavioral health still 
includes mental health, but it would allow centers to take in children 
without a psychiatric diagnosis. Kansas has a pool of money set aside to
 help create the centers, but <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-11/kansas-has-millions-of-dollars-to-spend-on-youth-crisis-centers-but-no-ones-using-it" target="_blank">the $6 million has remained untouched for over five years.</a>The
 bill would allow for kids to be detained on probation violations for 24
 hours for a first offense, 48 hours for a second offense and up to 15 
days for a third or subsequent offense — even if those offenses were 
technical violations or falling into contempt of court.It also doubles the time a juvenile can be detained per case, bumping it up to 90 days.Jen
 Christie, who has two decades of criminal justice experience, opposed 
the bill and said putting kids in detention is counterproductive. She 
said youth who were detained were 11% more likely to drop out of school,
 twice as likely to need public assistance and that 24% of kids detained
 in Oregon were suicidal.She said involvement in the criminal 
justice system only makes someone more likely to interact with it again.
 She worries detention for probation violations will trip kids up 
unnecessarily.“Detaining someone causes trauma,” Christie said. 
“It causes psychological damage. It causes mental health damage, and it 
does not improve situations.”Mike Fonkert, campaign director for 
the Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, said the bill will mean
 more Kansas kids being locked up.Fonkert said he would support 
the change in law if it removed its provisions around detention. The 
bill frees up money to invest in more kids, expands behavioral services 
and makes the Department for Children and Families and Kansas Department
 of Corrections work more closely together — including the ability to 
share confidential information.Fonkert said the bill throws 
together too many changes. He wants to see language around detention 
taken and studied more closely.“Look at facts, evidence and the wide breadth of research that exists on these topics,” he said.Fonkert
 said the changes approved six years ago are working. A vast majority of
 kids — as high as 90% in one estimation — get community programming. 
But there is growing concern that children are being left out.Changing
 state law to bring more penalties has support from district attorneys, 
judges and multiple foster care agencies. They told legislators that 
youth justice reform brought by Senate Bill 367 has created inadvertent 
gaps in the state’s response to behavioral health and the youth justice 
system.Supporters of the bill said kids have too few 
consequences, are less likely to enroll in services that can help – like
 substance abuse treatment – and even face a higher risk of being 
charged as adults.They argue the existing law and its limits on 
the amount of time they can be disciplined — locked up or some other 
consequence — is too soft. That, they say, can prompt kids to laugh off 
possible penalties.Linda Bass, president of foster care agency 
KVC Kansas, told lawmakers earlier this month previous legislation 
shifted problems from the criminal justice system to the foster care 
system.She said staff and foster homes didn’t get the right 
training. Bass said group homes bring poor health and life outcomes for 
kids and foster care placements can lack the structure and stability of 
the criminal justice system.“Child welfare was not prepared for the influx of these children,” Bass said.Around
 11% of youth sent to KVC Kansas have behavioral problems that would 
have been addressed by the youth justice system before the passage of 
the new law six years ago. Those kids are coming in with needs that 
exceed what some families can provide, said Angela Hedrick, vice 
president of operations for KVC Kansas.KVC is offering additional
 support to foster families, but some are still burned out and could opt
 not to renew their licenses rather than look after kids that would 
otherwise have been in a juvenile jail.