Today is Wednesday, Feb. 22, the 53rd day of 2023. There are 312 days left in the year.

On Feb. 22, 2021, the number of U.S. deaths from COVID-19 topped 500,000, according to Johns Hopkins University.

In 1630, English colonists in the Massachusetts Bay Colony first sampled popcorn brought to them by a Native American named Quadequina for their Thanksgiving celebration.

In 1732, the first president of the United States, George Washington, was born in Westmoreland County in the Virginia Colony.

In 1784, a U.S. merchant ship, the Empress of China, left New York for the Far East to trade goods with China.

In 1935, it became illegal for airplanes to fly over the White House.

In 1959, the inaugural Daytona 500 race was held; although Johnny Beauchamp was initially declared the winner, the victory was later awarded to Lee Petty.

In 1967, more than 25,000 U.S. and South Vietnamese troops launched Operation Junction City, aimed at smashing a Vietcong stronghold near the Cambodian border. (Although the communists were driven out, they later returned.)

In 1980, the "Miracle on Ice" took place in Lake Placid, New York, as the United States Olympic hockey team upset the Soviets, 4-3. (The U.S. team went on to win the gold medal.)

In 1987, pop artist Andy Warhol died at a New York City hospital at age 58.

In 1997, scientists in Scotland announced they had succeeded in cloning an adult mammal, producing a lamb named "Dolly." (Dolly, however, was later put down after a short life marred by premature aging and disease.)

In 2010, Najibullah Zazi, accused of buying beauty supplies to make bombs for an attack on New York City subways, pleaded guilty to charges including conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction. (Zazi faced up to life in prison but spent nearly a decade after his arrest helping the U.S. identify and prosecute terrorists; he was given a 10-year sentence followed by supervised release.)

In 2016, the City Council of Charlotte, North Carolina, voted 7-4 to pass a new law allowing transgender people to choose public bathrooms that corresponded to their gender identity.

In 2020, Bernie Sanders scored a resounding win in Nevada's presidential caucuses, cementing his status as the Democrats' front-runner.

Ten years ago: The Justice Department joined a lawsuit against disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong alleging the former seven-time Tour de France champion had concealed his use of performance-enhancing drugs and defrauded his longtime sponsor, the U.S. Postal Service.

Five years ago: Defying his supporters in the National Rifle Association, President Donald Trump said the nation should keep assault rifles out of the hands of anyone under 21. Authorities announced that the armed officer who was on duty at the Parkland, Florida school where a shooter killed 17 people never went into the building to engage the gunman. The U.S. women's hockey team won the gold medal at the Winter Olympics in South Korea, beating Canada 3-2 after a shootout tiebreaker.

One year ago: The East-West faceoff over Ukraine escalated dramatically, with Russian lawmakers authorizing President Vladimir Putin to use military force outside his country and U.S. President Joe Biden and European leaders responding by slapping sanctions on Russian oligarchs and banks. (Russia would invade Ukraine two days later.) In Georgia, the three white men convicted of murder in Ahmaud Arbery's fatal shooting are found guilty of federal hate crimes for violating Arbery's civil rights and targeting him because he was Black. U.S. women soccer players reached a landmark agreement with the sport's American governing body to end a six-year legal battle over equal pay.

Today's birthdays: Actor Paul Dooley is 95. Actor James Hong is 94. Actor John Ashton is 75. Actor Miou-Miou is 73. Actor Julie Walters is 73. Basketball Hall of Famer Julius Erving is 73. Actor Ellen Greene is 72. Former Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., is 71. Former White House adviser David Axelrod is 68. Actor Kyle MacLachlan is 64. World Golf Hall of Famer Vijay Singh is 60. Actor-comedian Rachel Dratch is 57. Actor Paul Lieberstein is 56. Actor Jeri Ryan is 55. Actor Thomas Jane is 54. TV host Clinton Kelly is 54. Actor Tamara Mello is 53. Actor-singer Lea Salonga is 52. Actor Jose Solano is 52. International Tennis Hall of Famer Michael Chang is 51. Rock musician Scott Phillips is 50. Singer James Blunt is 49. Actor Drew Barrymore is 48. Actor Liza Huber is 48. Rock singer Tom Higgenson (Plain White T's) is 44. Rock musician Joe Hottinger (Halestorm) is 41. Actor Zach Roerig is 38.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Wednesday, Feb. 22, the 53rd day of 2023. There are 312 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On Feb. 22, 2021, the number of U.S. deaths from COVID-19 topped 500,000, according to Johns Hopkins University.On this date:In 1630, English colonists in the Massachusetts Bay Colony first sampled popcorn brought to them by a Native American named Quadequina for their Thanksgiving celebration.In 1732, the first president of the United States, George Washington, was born in Westmoreland County in the Virginia Colony.In 1784, a U.S. merchant ship, the Empress of China, left New York for the Far East to trade goods with China.In 1935, it became illegal for airplanes to fly over the White House.In 1959, the inaugural Daytona 500 race was held; although Johnny Beauchamp was initially declared the winner, the victory was later awarded to Lee Petty.In 1967, more than 25,000 U.S. and South Vietnamese troops launched Operation Junction City, aimed at smashing a Vietcong stronghold near the Cambodian border. (Although the communists were driven out, they later returned.)In 1980, the "Miracle on Ice" took place in Lake Placid, New York, as the United States Olympic hockey team upset the Soviets, 4-3. (The U.S. team went on to win the gold medal.)In 1987, pop artist Andy Warhol died at a New York City hospital at age 58.In 1997, scientists in Scotland announced they had succeeded in cloning an adult mammal, producing a lamb named "Dolly." (Dolly, however, was later put down after a short life marred by premature aging and disease.)In 2010, Najibullah Zazi, accused of buying beauty supplies to make bombs for an attack on New York City subways, pleaded guilty to charges including conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction. (Zazi faced up to life in prison but spent nearly a decade after his arrest helping the U.S. identify and prosecute terrorists; he was given a 10-year sentence followed by supervised release.)In 2016, the City Council of Charlotte, North Carolina, voted 7-4 to pass a new law allowing transgender people to choose public bathrooms that corresponded to their gender identity.In 2020, Bernie Sanders scored a resounding win in Nevada's presidential caucuses, cementing his status as the Democrats' front-runner.Ten years ago: The Justice Department joined a lawsuit against disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong alleging the former seven-time Tour de France champion had concealed his use of performance-enhancing drugs and defrauded his longtime sponsor, the U.S. Postal Service.Five years ago: Defying his supporters in the National Rifle Association, President Donald Trump said the nation should keep assault rifles out of the hands of anyone under 21. Authorities announced that the armed officer who was on duty at the Parkland, Florida school where a shooter killed 17 people never went into the building to engage the gunman. The U.S. women's hockey team won the gold medal at the Winter Olympics in South Korea, beating Canada 3-2 after a shootout tiebreaker.One year ago: The East-West faceoff over Ukraine escalated dramatically, with Russian lawmakers authorizing President Vladimir Putin to use military force outside his country and U.S. President Joe Biden and European leaders responding by slapping sanctions on Russian oligarchs and banks. (Russia would invade Ukraine two days later.) In Georgia, the three white men convicted of murder in Ahmaud Arbery's fatal shooting are found guilty of federal hate crimes for violating Arbery's civil rights and targeting him because he was Black. U.S. women soccer players reached a landmark agreement with the sport's American governing body to end a six-year legal battle over equal pay.Today's birthdays: Actor Paul Dooley is 95. Actor James Hong is 94. Actor John Ashton is 75. Actor Miou-Miou is 73. Actor Julie Walters is 73. Basketball Hall of Famer Julius Erving is 73. Actor Ellen Greene is 72. Former Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., is 71. Former White House adviser David Axelrod is 68. Actor Kyle MacLachlan is 64. World Golf Hall of Famer Vijay Singh is 60. Actor-comedian Rachel Dratch is 57. Actor Paul Lieberstein is 56. Actor Jeri Ryan is 55. Actor Thomas Jane is 54. TV host Clinton Kelly is 54. Actor Tamara Mello is 53. Actor-singer Lea Salonga is 52. Actor Jose Solano is 52. International Tennis Hall of Famer Michael Chang is 51. Rock musician Scott Phillips is 50. Singer James Blunt is 49. Actor Drew Barrymore is 48. Actor Liza Huber is 48. Rock singer Tom Higgenson (Plain White T's) is 44. Rock musician Joe Hottinger (Halestorm) is 41. Actor Zach Roerig is 38.

Today in History - Feb. 22

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement were able to safely arrest a Kansas man after witnesses say he went to his former place of employment and brandished a weapon.

Just before 1p.m. Feb. 17,&nbsp; police were called to a business in the 1100 block of Horizon Drive in Lawrence, according to police spokesperson Laura McCabae.&nbsp; 

The suspect, employees say, was recently terminated and came in making threatening remarks, showed them he had a gun, and left after seeing that the woman he believed was responsible for his termination wasn’t there.

Officers with the Lawrence Police Department and dispatchers attempted to make phone contact with the suspect, but the line disconnected or went to voicemail.&nbsp; Officers learned where the man was and attempted to arrest him in the hallway of the apartment complex.&nbsp; The man physically resisted arrest and attempted to retreat back inside the apartment.

To deter further escalation, or injury to the officers or innocent occupants, one officer deployed his taser and the team was able to detain him and make a safe arrest.&nbsp; Officers were able to recover the weapon suspected in the incident.&nbsp; The man was taken to the hospital to be checked out then booked into the Douglas County Jail. Police have not released his name or place of employment.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement were able to safely arrest a Kansas man after witnesses say he went to his former place of employment and brandished a weapon.Just before 1p.m. Feb. 17,&nbsp; police were called to a business in the 1100 block of Horizon Drive in Lawrence, according to police spokesperson Laura McCabae.&nbsp; The suspect, employees say, was recently terminated and came in making threatening remarks, showed them he had a gun, and left after seeing that the woman he believed was responsible for his termination wasn’t there.Officers with the Lawrence Police Department and dispatchers attempted to make phone contact with the suspect, but the line disconnected or went to voicemail.&nbsp; Officers learned where the man was and attempted to arrest him in the hallway of the apartment complex.&nbsp; The man physically resisted arrest and attempted to retreat back inside the apartment.To deter further escalation, or injury to the officers or innocent occupants, one officer deployed his taser and the team was able to detain him and make a safe arrest.&nbsp; Officers were able to recover the weapon suspected in the incident.&nbsp; The man was taken to the hospital to be checked out then booked into the Douglas County Jail. Police have not released his name or place of employment.

Kan. man arrested after alleged threat at former place of employment

Today is Tuesday, Feb. 21, the 52nd day of 2023. There are 313 days left in the year.

On Feb. 21, 1975, former Attorney General John N. Mitchell and former White House aides H.R. Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman were sentenced to 2 1/2 to 8 years in prison for their roles in the Watergate cover-up (each ended up serving 1 1/2 years).

In 1437, James I, King of Scots, was assassinated; his 6-year-old son succeeded him as James II.

In 1885, the Washington Monument was dedicated.

In 1911, composer Gustav Mahler, despite a fever, conducted the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall in what turned out to be his final concert (he died the following May).

In 1964, the first shipment of U.S. wheat purchased by the Soviet Union arrived in the port of Odessa.

In 1965, minister and civil rights activist Malcolm X, 39, was shot to death inside Harlem's Audubon Ballroom in New York. (Three men identified as members of the Nation of Islam were convicted of murder and imprisoned; all were eventually paroled. The convictions of two of the men were dismissed in November 2021; prosecutors said new evidence had undermined the case against them.)

In 1972, President Richard M. Nixon began his historic visit to China as he and his wife, Pat, arrived in Beijing.

In 1973, Israeli fighter planes shot down Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114 over the Sinai Desert, killing all but five of the 113 people on board.

In 1992, Kristi Yamaguchi of the United States won the gold medal in ladies' figure skating at the Albertville Olympics; Midori Ito of Japan won the silver, Nancy Kerrigan of the U.S. the bronze.

In 1995, Chicago adventurer Steve Fossett became the first person to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean by balloon, landing in Leader, Saskatchewan, Canada.

In 2019, teachers in Oakland, California, went on strike in the latest in a wave of teacher activism that had included walkouts in Denver, Los Angeles and West Virginia.

In 2020, a temporary truce between the United States and the Taliban in Afghanistan took effect, setting the stage for the two sides to sign a peace deal the following week.

Ten years ago: Opposition activists said at least 31 people were killed in a car bomb attack in Damascus near the headquarters of the ruling Baath party and the Russian Embassy. Drew Peterson, the Chicago-area police officer who gained notoriety after his much-younger fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, vanished in 2007, was sentenced to 38 years in prison for murdering his third wife, Kathleen Savio.

Five years ago: The Rev. Billy Graham, a confidant of presidents and the most widely heard Christian evangelist in history, died at his North Carolina home at age 99. A week after the Florida school shooting, President Donald Trump met with teen survivors of school violence and parents of slain children; Trump promised to be "very strong on background checks" and suggested he supported letting some teachers and other school employees carry weapons. Thousands of protesters swarmed the Florida state Capitol, calling for changes to gun laws, a ban on assault-type weapons and improved care for the mentally ill. The NBA fined Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban $600,000 for saying he had recently told some of his players that "losing is our best option." (The Mavericks had one of the league's worst records, putting them in position to land a high draft pick.)

One year ago: Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered forces to "maintain peace" in separatist regions of eastern Ukraine, hours after the Kremlin recognized the area's independence. The announcement raised fears that an invasion was imminent. (It would come three days later.) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson scrapped the last domestic coronavirus restrictions in England, including the requirement for people with COVID-19 to self-isolate. Italy's Mount Etna roared back to spectacular action after months of relative quiet.

Today's birthdays: Actor Gary Lockwood is 86. Actor-director Richard Beymer is 84. Actor Peter McEnery is 83. Film/music company executive David Geffen is 80. Actor Tyne Daly is 77. Actor Anthony Daniels is 77. Tricia Nixon Cox is 77. Former Sen. Olympia J. Snowe, R-Maine, is 76. Rock musician Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads) is 74. Actor Christine Ebersole is 70. Actor William Petersen is 70. Actor Kelsey Grammer is 68. Singer/guitarist Larry Campbell is 68. Country singer Mary Chapin Carpenter is 65. Actor Kim Coates is 65. Actor Jack Coleman is 65. Actor Christopher Atkins is 62. Actor William Baldwin is 60. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., is 59. Rock musician Michael Ward is 56. Actor Aunjanue Ellis is 54. Blues musician Corey Harris is 54. Country singer Eric Heatherly is 53. Rock musician Eric Wilson is 53. Rock musician Tad Kinchla (Blues Traveler) is 50. Singer Rhiannon Giddens (Carolina Chocolate Drops) is 46. Actor Tituss Burgess is 44. Actor Jennifer Love Hewitt is 44. Comedian-actor Jordan Peele is 44. Actor Brendan Sexton III is 43. Singer Charlotte Church is 37. Actor Ashley Greene is 36. Actor Elliot Page is 36. Actor Corbin Bleu is 34. Actor Hayley Orrantia is 29. Actor Sophie Turner is 27.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Tuesday, Feb. 21, the 52nd day of 2023. There are 313 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On Feb. 21, 1975, former Attorney General John N. Mitchell and former White House aides H.R. Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman were sentenced to 2 1/2 to 8 years in prison for their roles in the Watergate cover-up (each ended up serving 1 1/2 years).On this date:In 1437, James I, King of Scots, was assassinated; his 6-year-old son succeeded him as James II.In 1885, the Washington Monument was dedicated.In 1911, composer Gustav Mahler, despite a fever, conducted the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall in what turned out to be his final concert (he died the following May).In 1964, the first shipment of U.S. wheat purchased by the Soviet Union arrived in the port of Odessa.In 1965, minister and civil rights activist Malcolm X, 39, was shot to death inside Harlem's Audubon Ballroom in New York. (Three men identified as members of the Nation of Islam were convicted of murder and imprisoned; all were eventually paroled. The convictions of two of the men were dismissed in November 2021; prosecutors said new evidence had undermined the case against them.)In 1972, President Richard M. Nixon began his historic visit to China as he and his wife, Pat, arrived in Beijing.In 1973, Israeli fighter planes shot down Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114 over the Sinai Desert, killing all but five of the 113 people on board.In 1992, Kristi Yamaguchi of the United States won the gold medal in ladies' figure skating at the Albertville Olympics; Midori Ito of Japan won the silver, Nancy Kerrigan of the U.S. the bronze.In 1995, Chicago adventurer Steve Fossett became the first person to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean by balloon, landing in Leader, Saskatchewan, Canada.In 2019, teachers in Oakland, California, went on strike in the latest in a wave of teacher activism that had included walkouts in Denver, Los Angeles and West Virginia.In 2020, a temporary truce between the United States and the Taliban in Afghanistan took effect, setting the stage for the two sides to sign a peace deal the following week.Ten years ago: Opposition activists said at least 31 people were killed in a car bomb attack in Damascus near the headquarters of the ruling Baath party and the Russian Embassy. Drew Peterson, the Chicago-area police officer who gained notoriety after his much-younger fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, vanished in 2007, was sentenced to 38 years in prison for murdering his third wife, Kathleen Savio.Five years ago: The Rev. Billy Graham, a confidant of presidents and the most widely heard Christian evangelist in history, died at his North Carolina home at age 99. A week after the Florida school shooting, President Donald Trump met with teen survivors of school violence and parents of slain children; Trump promised to be "very strong on background checks" and suggested he supported letting some teachers and other school employees carry weapons. Thousands of protesters swarmed the Florida state Capitol, calling for changes to gun laws, a ban on assault-type weapons and improved care for the mentally ill. The NBA fined Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban $600,000 for saying he had recently told some of his players that "losing is our best option." (The Mavericks had one of the league's worst records, putting them in position to land a high draft pick.)One year ago: Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered forces to "maintain peace" in separatist regions of eastern Ukraine, hours after the Kremlin recognized the area's independence. The announcement raised fears that an invasion was imminent. (It would come three days later.) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson scrapped the last domestic coronavirus restrictions in England, including the requirement for people with COVID-19 to self-isolate. Italy's Mount Etna roared back to spectacular action after months of relative quiet.Today's birthdays: Actor Gary Lockwood is 86. Actor-director Richard Beymer is 84. Actor Peter McEnery is 83. Film/music company executive David Geffen is 80. Actor Tyne Daly is 77. Actor Anthony Daniels is 77. Tricia Nixon Cox is 77. Former Sen. Olympia J. Snowe, R-Maine, is 76. Rock musician Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads) is 74. Actor Christine Ebersole is 70. Actor William Petersen is 70. Actor Kelsey Grammer is 68. Singer/guitarist Larry Campbell is 68. Country singer Mary Chapin Carpenter is 65. Actor Kim Coates is 65. Actor Jack Coleman is 65. Actor Christopher Atkins is 62. Actor William Baldwin is 60. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., is 59. Rock musician Michael Ward is 56. Actor Aunjanue Ellis is 54. Blues musician Corey Harris is 54. Country singer Eric Heatherly is 53. Rock musician Eric Wilson is 53. Rock musician Tad Kinchla (Blues Traveler) is 50. Singer Rhiannon Giddens (Carolina Chocolate Drops) is 46. Actor Tituss Burgess is 44. Actor Jennifer Love Hewitt is 44. Comedian-actor Jordan Peele is 44. Actor Brendan Sexton III is 43. Singer Charlotte Church is 37. Actor Ashley Greene is 36. Actor Elliot Page is 36. Actor Corbin Bleu is 34. Actor Hayley Orrantia is 29. Actor Sophie Turner is 27.

Today in History - Feb. 21

Dennis "Joe" Pflaum, age 75 of Hays, Kansas, passed away Thursday, February 16, 2023, at HaysMed. Joe was born on November 5, 1947, in Falls City, Nebraska to Albert and Leola (Wissman) Pflaum. On October 5, 1969, he married Vicki (Furnas) in the Falls City Methodist Church. Joe was the owner of Brown’s Shoe Fit in Hays for 41 years. In addition to owning the store he drove an Athletic Bus for Fort Hays State, drove a flagger vehicle for Hess Services moving oilfield tanks, as well as helping with car transports for local car dealerships. Joe was an avid outdoorsman particularly hunting and fishing and enjoyed traveling the country. His greatest joy was being able to attend his grandchildren’s sporting events.&nbsp; He is survived by his wife, Vicki Pflaum of Hays; his son, Aaron Matthew Pflaum and significant other, Stacy Budig and his children, twin girls, Brooke and Brittany and his son, Blake all of Hays; his daughter, Lindsay Hart and husband Jamie and their son, Braxton all of Hays; two sisters, Rosie Wanchisen of Denver, Colorado and Joyce Neilsen and husband Jim of Broomfield, Colorado as well as his nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents,; a brother, Kenny Pflaum and his wife Lori; and a brother-in-law, Tom Wanchisen. Funeral services will be&nbsp;1:00 PM Wednesday, February 22, 2023, at the First United Methodist Church of Hays with pastor Troy Miller officiating. Private family burial will take place in Falls City. Memorial contributions are suggested to HaysMed Hospice, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks or the Cancer Council of Ellis County. Donations made payable to the organization may be sent in care of Keithley Funeral Homes,&nbsp;PO Box 86 Hays, KS 67601. Condolences may be left by guest book at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com/" target="_blank">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a> Arrangements in care of Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and Crematory, 2509 Vine, Hays, KS 67601.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676738039574.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Dennis "Joe" Pflaum, age 75 of Hays, Kansas, passed away Thursday, February 16, 2023, at HaysMed. Joe was born on November 5, 1947, in Falls City, Nebraska to Albert and Leola (Wissman) Pflaum. On October 5, 1969, he married Vicki (Furnas) in the Falls City Methodist Church. Joe was the owner of Brown’s Shoe Fit in Hays for 41 years. In addition to owning the store he drove an Athletic Bus for Fort Hays State, drove a flagger vehicle for Hess Services moving oilfield tanks, as well as helping with car transports for local car dealerships. Joe was an avid outdoorsman particularly hunting and fishing and enjoyed traveling the country. His greatest joy was being able to attend his grandchildren’s sporting events.&nbsp; He is survived by his wife, Vicki Pflaum of Hays; his son, Aaron Matthew Pflaum and significant other, Stacy Budig and his children, twin girls, Brooke and Brittany and his son, Blake all of Hays; his daughter, Lindsay Hart and husband Jamie and their son, Braxton all of Hays; two sisters, Rosie Wanchisen of Denver, Colorado and Joyce Neilsen and husband Jim of Broomfield, Colorado as well as his nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents,; a brother, Kenny Pflaum and his wife Lori; and a brother-in-law, Tom Wanchisen. Funeral services will be&nbsp;1:00 PM Wednesday, February 22, 2023, at the First United Methodist Church of Hays with pastor Troy Miller officiating. Private family burial will take place in Falls City. Memorial contributions are suggested to HaysMed Hospice, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks or the Cancer Council of Ellis County. Donations made payable to the organization may be sent in care of Keithley Funeral Homes,&nbsp;PO Box 86 Hays, KS 67601. Condolences may be left by guest book at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com/" target="_blank">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a> Arrangements in care of Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and Crematory, 2509 Vine, Hays, KS 67601.

Dennis 'Joe' Pflaum

ABILENE - The upcoming Lunch &amp; Learn program will take a look at President Dwight D. Eisenhower's achievements after World War II and into the early part of the Cold War and the development of United States foreign policy.

The program, either in-person or online, is scheduled for noon Thursday. Those attending in person are encouraged to arrive in the library building courtyard by 11:45 a.m. and park in the south parking lot nearest the library building. A light box lunch will be served on a first-come, first-served basis. For those wishing to join remotely, the program is scheduled to stream live on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAIv1lBmMGE">YouTube</a>.

The guest speaker is scheduled to be Jeremy Black, professor of history at Exeter University, who will join the program remotely. Black puts Eisenhower’s achievements into the context of the shorter term of WWII aftermath and early stages of the Cold War paired with the longer term development of American foreign policy.

About the speaker courtesy the Eisenhower Presidential Library Black is a prolific lecturer and writer, the author of more than 100 books. Many concern aspects of eighteenth-century British, European, and American political, diplomatic, and military history. He has also broadened his perspective, both temporally and geographically, and published on the history of the press, cartography, warfare, and culture and on the nature and uses of history itself.

The Lunch &amp; Learn is made possible by the Eisenhower Foundation and the Jeffcoat Memorial Foundation.

About the Eisenhower Presidential Library The Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum is one of 15 Presidential Libraries operated by the National Archives and Records Administration. Presidential libraries promote understanding of the presidency and the American experience. They preserve and provide access to historical materials, support research, and create interactive programs and exhibits that educate and inspire. To learn more, visit <a href="http://eisenhowerlibrary.gov">eisenhowerlibrary.gov</a>.

By SALINA POSTABILENE - The upcoming Lunch &amp; Learn program will take a look at President Dwight D. Eisenhower's achievements after World War II and into the early part of the Cold War and the development of United States foreign policy.The program, either in-person or online, is scheduled for noon Thursday. Those attending in person are encouraged to arrive in the library building courtyard by 11:45 a.m. and park in the south parking lot nearest the library building. A light box lunch will be served on a first-come, first-served basis. For those wishing to join remotely, the program is scheduled to stream live on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAIv1lBmMGE">YouTube</a>.The guest speaker is scheduled to be Jeremy Black, professor of history at Exeter University, who will join the program remotely. Black puts Eisenhower’s achievements into the context of the shorter term of WWII aftermath and early stages of the Cold War paired with the longer term development of American foreign policy.About the speaker courtesy the Eisenhower Presidential Library Black is a prolific lecturer and writer, the author of more than 100 books. Many concern aspects of eighteenth-century British, European, and American political, diplomatic, and military history. He has also broadened his perspective, both temporally and geographically, and published on the history of the press, cartography, warfare, and culture and on the nature and uses of history itself.The Lunch &amp; Learn is made possible by the Eisenhower Foundation and the Jeffcoat Memorial Foundation.About the Eisenhower Presidential Library The Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum is one of 15 Presidential Libraries operated by the National Archives and Records Administration. Presidential libraries promote understanding of the presidency and the American experience. They preserve and provide access to historical materials, support research, and create interactive programs and exhibits that educate and inspire. To learn more, visit <a href="http://eisenhowerlibrary.gov">eisenhowerlibrary.gov</a>.

Lunch & Learn: Eisenhower, Cold War, American role

Today is Monday, Feb. 21, the 51st day of 2023. There are 314 days left in the year.

On Feb. 20, 1962, astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth as he flew aboard Project Mercury's Friendship 7 spacecraft, which circled the globe three times in a flight lasting 4 hours, 55 minutes and 23 seconds before splashing down safely in the Atlantic Ocean 800 miles southeast of Bermuda.

In 1792, President George Washington signed an act creating the United States Post Office Department.

In 1862, William Wallace Lincoln, the 11-year-old son of President Abraham Lincoln and first lady Mary Todd Lincoln, died at the White House, apparently of typhoid fever.

In 1905, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Jacobson v. Massachusetts, upheld, 7-2, compulsory vaccination laws intended to protect the public's health.

In 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt signed an immigration act which excluded "idiots, imbeciles, feebleminded persons, epileptics, insane persons" from being admitted to the United States.

In 1933, Congress proposed the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to repeal Prohibition.

In 1938, Anthony Eden resigned as British foreign secretary following Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's decision to negotiate with Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.

In 1965, America's Ranger 8 spacecraft crashed on the moon, as planned, after sending back thousands of pictures of the lunar surface.

In 1987, a bomb left by Unabomber Ted Kaczynski exploded behind a computer store in Salt Lake City, seriously injuring store owner Gary Wright.

In 1998, Tara Lipinski of the U.S. won the ladies' figure skating gold medal at the Nagano Olympics; Michelle Kwan won the silver.

In 2003, a fire sparked by pyrotechnics broke out during a concert by the group Great White at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, killing 100 people and injuring about 200 others.

In 2005, death claimed actor Sandra Dee at age 62; musical actor John Raitt at age 88; and counterculture writer Hunter S. Thompson at age 67.

In 2020, a poll by the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found more Americans expressing some concern about catching the flu than about catching the coronavirus.

Ten years ago: The Obama administration announced a broad new effort to fight the growing theft of American trade secrets following fresh evidence linking cyber-stealing to China's military. Former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., entered a guilty plea in federal court to criminal charges that he'd engaged in a scheme to spend $750,000 in campaign funds on personal items; his wife, Sandra Jackson, pleaded guilty to filing false joint federal income tax returns.

Five years ago: Students who survived a Parkland, Florida school shooting traveled to Tallahassee to urge state lawmakers to prevent another massacre, but procedural moves in the legislature effectively halted any effort to ban assault-style rifles like the one used in the attack. President Donald Trump directed the Justice Department to move to ban devices like the rapid-fire bump stocks used in the Las Vegas massacre. Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir became the most decorated figure skaters in history, capturing the gold medal in ice dancing on Day 11 of the Winter Olympics in South Korea.

One year ago: Russia extended military drills near Ukraine's northern borders after two days of sustained shelling along the contact line between Ukrainian soldiers and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine's president appealed for a cease-fire. (Russia would invade four days later.) The White House said President Joe Biden would nominate a Black woman with "impeccable experience" for a vacancy on the Supreme Court. (Biden would nominate Ketanji Brown Jackson for the seat on Feb. 25.) In his former home arena in Cleveland, LeBron James led his team to a 163-160 victory over a team led by Kevin Durant in the NBA All-Star Game.

Today's birthdays: Racing Hall of Famer Roger Penske is 86. Singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie is 82. Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Esposito is 81. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is 81. Movie director Mike Leigh is 80. Actor Brenda Blethyn is 77. Actor Sandy Duncan is 77. Actor Peter Strauss is 76. Rock musician Billy Zoom (X) is 75. Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is 72. Actor John Voldstad is 72. Newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst is 69. Actor Anthony Head is 69. Country singer Leland Martin is 66. Actor James Wilby is 65. Rock musician Sebastian Steinberg is 64. Comedian Joel Hodgson is 63. Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley is 60. Rock musician Ian Brown (Stone Roses) is 60. Actor French Stewart is 59. Actor Ron Eldard is 58. Model Cindy Crawford is 57. Actor Andrew Shue is 56. Actor Lili Taylor is 56. Actor Andrea Savage is 50. Singer Brian Littrell is 48. Actor Lauren Ambrose is 45. Actor Jay Hernandez is 45. Actor Chelsea Peretti is 45. Country musician Coy Bowles is 44. Actor Michael Zegen is 44. Actor Majandra Delfino is 42. Actor Jocko Sims is 42. Singer-musician Chris Thile is 42. Actor-singer Jessie Mueller is 40. MLB All-Star pitcher Justin Verlander is 40. Comedian Trevor Noah is 39. Actor Jake Richardson is 38. Actor Daniella Pineda is 36. Actor Miles Teller is 36. Singer Rihanna is 35. Actor Jack Falahee is 34.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://Shutterstock.com">Shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://Shutterstock.com">Shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Monday, Feb. 21, the 51st day of 2023. There are 314 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On Feb. 20, 1962, astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth as he flew aboard Project Mercury's Friendship 7 spacecraft, which circled the globe three times in a flight lasting 4 hours, 55 minutes and 23 seconds before splashing down safely in the Atlantic Ocean 800 miles southeast of Bermuda.On this date:In 1792, President George Washington signed an act creating the United States Post Office Department.In 1862, William Wallace Lincoln, the 11-year-old son of President Abraham Lincoln and first lady Mary Todd Lincoln, died at the White House, apparently of typhoid fever.In 1905, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Jacobson v. Massachusetts, upheld, 7-2, compulsory vaccination laws intended to protect the public's health.In 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt signed an immigration act which excluded "idiots, imbeciles, feebleminded persons, epileptics, insane persons" from being admitted to the United States.In 1933, Congress proposed the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to repeal Prohibition.In 1938, Anthony Eden resigned as British foreign secretary following Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's decision to negotiate with Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.In 1965, America's Ranger 8 spacecraft crashed on the moon, as planned, after sending back thousands of pictures of the lunar surface.In 1987, a bomb left by Unabomber Ted Kaczynski exploded behind a computer store in Salt Lake City, seriously injuring store owner Gary Wright.In 1998, Tara Lipinski of the U.S. won the ladies' figure skating gold medal at the Nagano Olympics; Michelle Kwan won the silver.In 2003, a fire sparked by pyrotechnics broke out during a concert by the group Great White at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, killing 100 people and injuring about 200 others.In 2005, death claimed actor Sandra Dee at age 62; musical actor John Raitt at age 88; and counterculture writer Hunter S. Thompson at age 67.In 2020, a poll by the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found more Americans expressing some concern about catching the flu than about catching the coronavirus.Ten years ago: The Obama administration announced a broad new effort to fight the growing theft of American trade secrets following fresh evidence linking cyber-stealing to China's military. Former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., entered a guilty plea in federal court to criminal charges that he'd engaged in a scheme to spend $750,000 in campaign funds on personal items; his wife, Sandra Jackson, pleaded guilty to filing false joint federal income tax returns.Five years ago: Students who survived a Parkland, Florida school shooting traveled to Tallahassee to urge state lawmakers to prevent another massacre, but procedural moves in the legislature effectively halted any effort to ban assault-style rifles like the one used in the attack. President Donald Trump directed the Justice Department to move to ban devices like the rapid-fire bump stocks used in the Las Vegas massacre. Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir became the most decorated figure skaters in history, capturing the gold medal in ice dancing on Day 11 of the Winter Olympics in South Korea.One year ago: Russia extended military drills near Ukraine's northern borders after two days of sustained shelling along the contact line between Ukrainian soldiers and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine's president appealed for a cease-fire. (Russia would invade four days later.) The White House said President Joe Biden would nominate a Black woman with "impeccable experience" for a vacancy on the Supreme Court. (Biden would nominate Ketanji Brown Jackson for the seat on Feb. 25.) In his former home arena in Cleveland, LeBron James led his team to a 163-160 victory over a team led by Kevin Durant in the NBA All-Star Game.Today's birthdays: Racing Hall of Famer Roger Penske is 86. Singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie is 82. Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Esposito is 81. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is 81. Movie director Mike Leigh is 80. Actor Brenda Blethyn is 77. Actor Sandy Duncan is 77. Actor Peter Strauss is 76. Rock musician Billy Zoom (X) is 75. Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is 72. Actor John Voldstad is 72. Newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst is 69. Actor Anthony Head is 69. Country singer Leland Martin is 66. Actor James Wilby is 65. Rock musician Sebastian Steinberg is 64. Comedian Joel Hodgson is 63. Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley is 60. Rock musician Ian Brown (Stone Roses) is 60. Actor French Stewart is 59. Actor Ron Eldard is 58. Model Cindy Crawford is 57. Actor Andrew Shue is 56. Actor Lili Taylor is 56. Actor Andrea Savage is 50. Singer Brian Littrell is 48. Actor Lauren Ambrose is 45. Actor Jay Hernandez is 45. Actor Chelsea Peretti is 45. Country musician Coy Bowles is 44. Actor Michael Zegen is 44. Actor Majandra Delfino is 42. Actor Jocko Sims is 42. Singer-musician Chris Thile is 42. Actor-singer Jessie Mueller is 40. MLB All-Star pitcher Justin Verlander is 40. Comedian Trevor Noah is 39. Actor Jake Richardson is 38. Actor Daniella Pineda is 36. Actor Miles Teller is 36. Singer Rihanna is 35. Actor Jack Falahee is 34.

Today in History - Feb. 20

SHAWNEE COUNTY —A Kansas teen injured in an accident February 15 in Shawnee County has died.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported that just after 9:30p.m. on Feb. 15, a 2010 Chevy Impala driven by 40-year-old Anthony Ray Tugwell of Scranton, was northbound in the southbound lanes of U.S. 75 just north of 97th Street. 

The Chevy struck a 1995 Dodge Intrepid driven by Alyssa Marie Lee, 16, Carbondale, head-on.

EMS transported Lee and Tugwell to Stormont Vail.&nbsp; Lee died on Friday, according to the KHP. Tugwell was treated, released and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. He was initially jailed on requested charges of&nbsp;Aggravated battery; DUI causing great bodily harm/disfigurement, Driving Under Influence of Alcohol or Drugs; Misdemeanor and&nbsp;Driving Opposite Direction On Divided Highway, according to online jail records that were not updated since Lee's death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676743284999.png" alt="Tugwell-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Tugwell-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —A Kansas teen injured in an accident February 15 in Shawnee County has died.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported that just after 9:30p.m. on Feb. 15, a 2010 Chevy Impala driven by 40-year-old Anthony Ray Tugwell of Scranton, was northbound in the southbound lanes of U.S. 75 just north of 97th Street. The Chevy struck a 1995 Dodge Intrepid driven by Alyssa Marie Lee, 16, Carbondale, head-on.EMS transported Lee and Tugwell to Stormont Vail.&nbsp; Lee died on Friday, according to the KHP. Tugwell was treated, released and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. He was initially jailed on requested charges of&nbsp;Aggravated battery; DUI causing great bodily harm/disfigurement, Driving Under Influence of Alcohol or Drugs; Misdemeanor and&nbsp;Driving Opposite Direction On Divided Highway, according to online jail records that were not updated since Lee's death.

Man arrested; Kan. teen dies from injuries in wrong-way crash

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-decision-58d01ef8bd48e816d5f8761ffa84e3e8">A landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;on the Second Amendment is upending gun laws across the country, dividing judges and sowing confusion over what firearm restrictions can remain on the books.

The high court's ruling that set new standards for evaluating gun laws left open many questions, experts say, resulting in an increasing number of conflicting decisions as lower court judges struggle to figure out how to apply it.

The Supreme Court’s so-called Bruen decision changed the test that lower courts had long used for evaluating challenges to firearm restrictions. Judges should no longer consider whether the law serves public interests like enhancing public safety, the justices said.

Under the Supreme Court's new test, the government that wants to uphold a gun restriction must look back into history to show it is consistent with the country’s “historical tradition of firearm regulation."

Courts in recent months have declared unconstitutional federal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-politics-crime-texas-violence-6d2af127ca14c65ca9a925645a5ee546">laws designed to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers,</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-texas-donald-trump-gun-politics-indictments-8f33eb6f21597e6ee63272aa64d32520">felony defendants</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-oklahoma-state-government-new-orleans-city-c79d6fedc97ba657d2cab17f59354a95">people who use marijuana</a>. Judges have shot down a federal ban on possessing guns with serial numbers removed and gun restrictions for young adults in Texas and have blocked the enforcement of Delaware's ban on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-gun-politics-delaware-dover-39cc2a436ba0df094e9474ebd8d3d75d">possession of homemade “ghost guns."</a>

In several instances, judges looking at the same laws have come down on opposite sides on whether they are constitutional in the wake of the conservative Supreme Court majority's ruling. The legal turmoil caused by the first major gun ruling in a decade will likely force the Supreme Court to step in again soon to provide more guidance for judges.

"There’s confusion and disarray in the lower courts because not only are they not reaching the same conclusions, they’re just applying different methods or applying Bruen's method differently," said Jacob Charles, a professor at Pepperdine University's law school who focuses on firearms law.

“What it means is that not only are new laws being struck down ... but also laws that have been on the books for over 60 years, 40 years in some cases, those are being struck down — where prior to Bruen — courts were unanimous that those were constitutional," he said.

The legal wrangling is playing out as mass shootings continue to plague the country awash in guns and as law enforcement officials across the U.S. work to combat an uptick in violent crime.

This week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-mississippi-town-arkabutla-caf3fbdbfcb31a3f8e4e3c3e777089ee?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">six people were fatally shot at multiple locations in a small town in rural Mississippi</a>&nbsp;and a gunman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/colleges-and-universities-michigan-education-shootings-153ab68bc4f108c2019bb138de2dc8fb?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">killed three students and critically wounded five others at Michigan State University</a>&nbsp;before killing himself.

Dozens of people have died in mass shootings so far in 2023, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/monterey-park-shooting-victims-98c7124322ca58ad5911f26b2b8efbf8">in California, where 11 people were killed</a>&nbsp;as they welcomed the Lunar New Year at a dance hall popular with older Asian Americans. Last year, more than 600 mass shootings occurred in the U.S. in which at least four people were killed or wounded, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

The decision opened the door to a wave of legal challenges from gun-rights activists who saw an opportunity to undo laws on everything from age limits to AR-15-style semi-automatic weapons. For gun rights supporters, the Bruen decision was a welcome development that removed what they see as unconstitutional restraints on Second Amendment rights.

“It’s a true reading of what the Constitution and the Bill of Rights tells us,” said Mark Oliva, a spokesman for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. “It absolutely does provide clarity to the lower courts on how the constitution should be applied when it comes to our fundamental rights."

Gun control groups are raising alarm after a federal appeals court this month said that under the Supreme Court's new standards, the government can’t stop people who have domestic violence restraining orders against them from owning guns.

The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals acknowledged that the law “embodies salutary policy goals meant to protect vulnerable people in our society." But the judges concluded that the government failed to point to a precursor from early American history that is comparable enough to the modern law. Attorney General Merrick Garland has said the government will seek further review of that decision.

Gun control activists have decried the Supreme Court's historical test, but say they remain confident that many gun restrictions will survive challenges. Since the decision, for example, judges have consistently upheld the federal ban on convicted felons from possessing guns.

The Supreme Court noted that cases dealing with “unprecedented societal concerns or dramatic technological changes may require a more nuanced approach.” And the justices clearly emphasized that the right to bear arms is limited to law-abiding citizens, said Shira Feldman, litigation counsel for Brady, the gun control group.

The Supreme Court's test has raised questions about whether judges are suited to be poring over history and whether it makes sense to judge modern laws based on regulations — or a lack thereof— from the past.

“We are not experts in what white, wealthy, and male property owners thought about firearms regulation in 1791. Yet we are now expected to play historian in the name of constitutional adjudication,” wrote Mississippi U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves, who was appointed by President Barack Obama.

Some judges are “really parsing the history very closely and saying ‘these laws aren’t analogous because the historical law worked in a slightly different fashion than the modern law’,” said Andrew Willinger, executive director of the Duke Center for Firearms Law.

Others, he said, "have done a much more flexible inquiry and are trying to say ‘look, what is the purpose of this historical law as best I can understand it?'"

Firearm rights and gun control groups are closely watching many pending cases, including several challenging state laws banning certain semi-automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines.

A federal judge in Chicago on Friday denied a bid to block an Illinois law that bans the sale of so-called assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, finding the law to be constitutional under the Supreme Court's new test. A state court, however, already has partially blocked the law — allowing some gun dealers to continue selling the weapons —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-illinois-state-government-chicago-2df41f8cb43bf3ca28d7396b0b66b439">amid a separate legal challenge.</a>

Already, some gun laws passed in the wake of the Supreme Court decision have been shot down. A judge declared&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-new-york-gun-politics-syracuse-kathy-hochul-42523648662363126eccf9095a0f1678">multiple portions of New York’s new gun law unconstitutional</a>, including rules that restrict carrying firearms in public parks and places of worship. An appeals court later put that ruling on hold while it considers the case. And the Supreme Court has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-politics-new-york-city-f5dc99fc3c348456beb8b9694948e18e">allowed New York to enforce the law for now.</a>

Some judges have upheld a law banning people under indictment for felonies from buying guns while others have declared it unconstitutional.

A federal judge issued an order barring Delaware from enforcing provisions of a new law outlawing the manufacture and possession of so-called “ghost guns" that don't have serial numbers and can be nearly impossible for law enforcement officials to trace. But another judge rejected a challenge to California's “ghost gun" regulations.

In the California case, U.S. District Judge George Wu, who was nominated by President George W. Bush, appeared to take a dig at how other judges are interpreting the Supreme Court's guidance.

The company that brought the challenge —“and apparently certain other courts" — would like to treat the Supreme Court’s decision “as a ‘word salad,’ choosing an ingredient from one side of the ‘plate’ and an entirely-separate ingredient from the other, until there is nothing left whatsoever other than an entirely-bulletproof and unrestrained Second Amendment,” Wu wrote in his ruling.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-decision-58d01ef8bd48e816d5f8761ffa84e3e8">A landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;on the Second Amendment is upending gun laws across the country, dividing judges and sowing confusion over what firearm restrictions can remain on the books.The high court's ruling that set new standards for evaluating gun laws left open many questions, experts say, resulting in an increasing number of conflicting decisions as lower court judges struggle to figure out how to apply it.The Supreme Court’s so-called Bruen decision changed the test that lower courts had long used for evaluating challenges to firearm restrictions. Judges should no longer consider whether the law serves public interests like enhancing public safety, the justices said.Under the Supreme Court's new test, the government that wants to uphold a gun restriction must look back into history to show it is consistent with the country’s “historical tradition of firearm regulation."Courts in recent months have declared unconstitutional federal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-politics-crime-texas-violence-6d2af127ca14c65ca9a925645a5ee546">laws designed to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers,</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-texas-donald-trump-gun-politics-indictments-8f33eb6f21597e6ee63272aa64d32520">felony defendants</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-oklahoma-state-government-new-orleans-city-c79d6fedc97ba657d2cab17f59354a95">people who use marijuana</a>. Judges have shot down a federal ban on possessing guns with serial numbers removed and gun restrictions for young adults in Texas and have blocked the enforcement of Delaware's ban on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-gun-politics-delaware-dover-39cc2a436ba0df094e9474ebd8d3d75d">possession of homemade “ghost guns."</a>In several instances, judges looking at the same laws have come down on opposite sides on whether they are constitutional in the wake of the conservative Supreme Court majority's ruling. The legal turmoil caused by the first major gun ruling in a decade will likely force the Supreme Court to step in again soon to provide more guidance for judges."There’s confusion and disarray in the lower courts because not only are they not reaching the same conclusions, they’re just applying different methods or applying Bruen's method differently," said Jacob Charles, a professor at Pepperdine University's law school who focuses on firearms law.“What it means is that not only are new laws being struck down ... but also laws that have been on the books for over 60 years, 40 years in some cases, those are being struck down — where prior to Bruen — courts were unanimous that those were constitutional," he said.The legal wrangling is playing out as mass shootings continue to plague the country awash in guns and as law enforcement officials across the U.S. work to combat an uptick in violent crime.This week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-mississippi-town-arkabutla-caf3fbdbfcb31a3f8e4e3c3e777089ee?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">six people were fatally shot at multiple locations in a small town in rural Mississippi</a>&nbsp;and a gunman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/colleges-and-universities-michigan-education-shootings-153ab68bc4f108c2019bb138de2dc8fb?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">killed three students and critically wounded five others at Michigan State University</a>&nbsp;before killing himself.Dozens of people have died in mass shootings so far in 2023, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/monterey-park-shooting-victims-98c7124322ca58ad5911f26b2b8efbf8">in California, where 11 people were killed</a>&nbsp;as they welcomed the Lunar New Year at a dance hall popular with older Asian Americans. Last year, more than 600 mass shootings occurred in the U.S. in which at least four people were killed or wounded, according to the Gun Violence Archive.The decision opened the door to a wave of legal challenges from gun-rights activists who saw an opportunity to undo laws on everything from age limits to AR-15-style semi-automatic weapons. For gun rights supporters, the Bruen decision was a welcome development that removed what they see as unconstitutional restraints on Second Amendment rights.“It’s a true reading of what the Constitution and the Bill of Rights tells us,” said Mark Oliva, a spokesman for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. “It absolutely does provide clarity to the lower courts on how the constitution should be applied when it comes to our fundamental rights."Gun control groups are raising alarm after a federal appeals court this month said that under the Supreme Court's new standards, the government can’t stop people who have domestic violence restraining orders against them from owning guns.The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals acknowledged that the law “embodies salutary policy goals meant to protect vulnerable people in our society." But the judges concluded that the government failed to point to a precursor from early American history that is comparable enough to the modern law. Attorney General Merrick Garland has said the government will seek further review of that decision.Gun control activists have decried the Supreme Court's historical test, but say they remain confident that many gun restrictions will survive challenges. Since the decision, for example, judges have consistently upheld the federal ban on convicted felons from possessing guns.The Supreme Court noted that cases dealing with “unprecedented societal concerns or dramatic technological changes may require a more nuanced approach.” And the justices clearly emphasized that the right to bear arms is limited to law-abiding citizens, said Shira Feldman, litigation counsel for Brady, the gun control group.The Supreme Court's test has raised questions about whether judges are suited to be poring over history and whether it makes sense to judge modern laws based on regulations — or a lack thereof— from the past.“We are not experts in what white, wealthy, and male property owners thought about firearms regulation in 1791. Yet we are now expected to play historian in the name of constitutional adjudication,” wrote Mississippi U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves, who was appointed by President Barack Obama.Some judges are “really parsing the history very closely and saying ‘these laws aren’t analogous because the historical law worked in a slightly different fashion than the modern law’,” said Andrew Willinger, executive director of the Duke Center for Firearms Law.Others, he said, "have done a much more flexible inquiry and are trying to say ‘look, what is the purpose of this historical law as best I can understand it?'"Firearm rights and gun control groups are closely watching many pending cases, including several challenging state laws banning certain semi-automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines.A federal judge in Chicago on Friday denied a bid to block an Illinois law that bans the sale of so-called assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, finding the law to be constitutional under the Supreme Court's new test. A state court, however, already has partially blocked the law — allowing some gun dealers to continue selling the weapons —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-illinois-state-government-chicago-2df41f8cb43bf3ca28d7396b0b66b439">amid a separate legal challenge.</a>Already, some gun laws passed in the wake of the Supreme Court decision have been shot down. A judge declared&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-new-york-gun-politics-syracuse-kathy-hochul-42523648662363126eccf9095a0f1678">multiple portions of New York’s new gun law unconstitutional</a>, including rules that restrict carrying firearms in public parks and places of worship. An appeals court later put that ruling on hold while it considers the case. And the Supreme Court has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-politics-new-york-city-f5dc99fc3c348456beb8b9694948e18e">allowed New York to enforce the law for now.</a>Some judges have upheld a law banning people under indictment for felonies from buying guns while others have declared it unconstitutional.A federal judge issued an order barring Delaware from enforcing provisions of a new law outlawing the manufacture and possession of so-called “ghost guns" that don't have serial numbers and can be nearly impossible for law enforcement officials to trace. But another judge rejected a challenge to California's “ghost gun" regulations.In the California case, U.S. District Judge George Wu, who was nominated by President George W. Bush, appeared to take a dig at how other judges are interpreting the Supreme Court's guidance.The company that brought the challenge —“and apparently certain other courts" — would like to treat the Supreme Court’s decision “as a ‘word salad,’ choosing an ingredient from one side of the ‘plate’ and an entirely-separate ingredient from the other, until there is nothing left whatsoever other than an entirely-bulletproof and unrestrained Second Amendment,” Wu wrote in his ruling.____

Turmoil in courts on gun laws in wake of Supreme Court ruling

Schools would be required to create online parent portals

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/17/kansas-parental-rights-legislation-folded-into-unrelated-bill/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA
 — A modified form of parental rights legislation would require school 
districts to create an online portal for parents and publish district 
curriculum yearly.&nbsp;

The legislation was advanced during a
 Wednesday K-12 Education Budget Committee hearing, despite questions 
from committee lawmakers. The legislation was added as an amendment to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2271/">House Bill 2271</a>, a separate bill about student enrollment regulations for districts.&nbsp;

“They just weren’t related,” Rep. 
Valendia Winn, a Kansas City Democrat, said about the original bill and 
the amendments. “That’s my issue. It’s clear they’re not related, but we
 can put anything in an amendment and you can get your majority votes.”

The amendment, introduced by Rep. 
Susan Estes, a Wichita Republican, stipulates that school districts 
statewide make parent portals and include copies of nonacademic tests, 
questionnaires, surveys or examinations.&nbsp;

Schools would also have to list 
district-wide curriculum, including textbooks and required reading, 
updating the information once a year, or whenever substantial changes 
had been made. Under the amendment, maintaining the information will be 
the school district’s responsibility, not that of individual teachers.&nbsp;

Rep. Mari-Lynn Poskin, a Leawood 
Democrat, said she objected to the amendment because members of the 
public weren’t given a chance to give their opinions.&nbsp;

“I am just concerned that it popped 
up out of nowhere and that we have not let districts weigh in on what 
kinds of issues or problems it might cause for them,” Poskin said.&nbsp;

Committee Chair Rep. Kristey 
Williams, an Augusta Republican, said she didn’t think anyone would 
object to the amendment, and felt the portal would actually simplify 
things for teachers.&nbsp;

“It’s having its discussion right 
now,” Williams said. “It’s not a complicated thought to have or post 
your curriculum. I don’t know any teacher or school district that 
wouldn’t want parents to know curriculum.”

The language of the bill is similar to previous attempts at a parental bill of rights. Last session, a <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/04/26/kansas-senate-overrides-veto-of-legislation-creating-parental-bill-of-rights-for-k-12-education/">form of the bill</a> was vetoed
 by Gov. Laura Kelly. The original form would have allowed parents to 
scrutinize classroom materials, speak at school board meetings and 
contest the use of library books.

Another bill heard this legislative session would <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/09/no-more-gender-unicorns-lawmakers-debate-new-parents-bill-of-rights-legislation/">allow parents to withdraw their children</a>
 from class or programs they felt were problematic without affecting the
 student’s academic records. That bill would allow parents to object to 
any educational materials or activities that they believe would harm the
 student or parents’ beliefs, values or principles.&nbsp;

Critics have said both forms of the 
legislation would make teachers’ jobs more stressful and promote 
distrust of school districts and public education.&nbsp;

Rep. Brad Boyd, an Olathe Democrat, questioned the&nbsp; need for the legislation.&nbsp;

“From my perspective, I just think 
this is a solution searching for a problem,” Boyd said. “I have kids at 
every level in school, high school, middle school and elementary, and I 
can tell you, our teachers and our parents, they do a really, really 
good job of communicating.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676649990202.png" alt="Rep. Kristey Williams said requiring school districts to list materials online yearly wouldn't harm teachers. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Kristey Williams said requiring school districts to list materials online yearly wouldn't harm teachers. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Schools would be required to create online parent portals</h2>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/17/kansas-parental-rights-legislation-folded-into-unrelated-bill/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA
 — A modified form of parental rights legislation would require school 
districts to create an online portal for parents and publish district 
curriculum yearly.&nbsp;The legislation was advanced during a
 Wednesday K-12 Education Budget Committee hearing, despite questions 
from committee lawmakers. The legislation was added as an amendment to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2271/">House Bill 2271</a>, a separate bill about student enrollment regulations for districts.&nbsp;“They just weren’t related,” Rep. 
Valendia Winn, a Kansas City Democrat, said about the original bill and 
the amendments. “That’s my issue. It’s clear they’re not related, but we
 can put anything in an amendment and you can get your majority votes.”The amendment, introduced by Rep. 
Susan Estes, a Wichita Republican, stipulates that school districts 
statewide make parent portals and include copies of nonacademic tests, 
questionnaires, surveys or examinations.&nbsp;Schools would also have to list 
district-wide curriculum, including textbooks and required reading, 
updating the information once a year, or whenever substantial changes 
had been made. Under the amendment, maintaining the information will be 
the school district’s responsibility, not that of individual teachers.&nbsp;Rep. Mari-Lynn Poskin, a Leawood 
Democrat, said she objected to the amendment because members of the 
public weren’t given a chance to give their opinions.&nbsp;“I am just concerned that it popped 
up out of nowhere and that we have not let districts weigh in on what 
kinds of issues or problems it might cause for them,” Poskin said.&nbsp;Committee Chair Rep. Kristey 
Williams, an Augusta Republican, said she didn’t think anyone would 
object to the amendment, and felt the portal would actually simplify 
things for teachers.&nbsp;“It’s having its discussion right 
now,” Williams said. “It’s not a complicated thought to have or post 
your curriculum. I don’t know any teacher or school district that 
wouldn’t want parents to know curriculum.”The language of the bill is similar to previous attempts at a parental bill of rights. Last session, a <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/04/26/kansas-senate-overrides-veto-of-legislation-creating-parental-bill-of-rights-for-k-12-education/">form of the bill</a> was vetoed
 by Gov. Laura Kelly. The original form would have allowed parents to 
scrutinize classroom materials, speak at school board meetings and 
contest the use of library books.Another bill heard this legislative session would <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/09/no-more-gender-unicorns-lawmakers-debate-new-parents-bill-of-rights-legislation/">allow parents to withdraw their children</a>
 from class or programs they felt were problematic without affecting the
 student’s academic records. That bill would allow parents to object to 
any educational materials or activities that they believe would harm the
 student or parents’ beliefs, values or principles.&nbsp;Critics have said both forms of the 
legislation would make teachers’ jobs more stressful and promote 
distrust of school districts and public education.&nbsp;Rep. Brad Boyd, an Olathe Democrat, questioned the&nbsp; need for the legislation.&nbsp;“From my perspective, I just think 
this is a solution searching for a problem,” Boyd said. “I have kids at 
every level in school, high school, middle school and elementary, and I 
can tell you, our teachers and our parents, they do a really, really 
good job of communicating.”

Kansas parental rights legislation folded into unrelated bill

Today is Sunday, Feb. 19, the 50th day of 2023. There are 315 days left in the year.

On Feb. 19, 2008, an ailing Fidel Castro resigned the Cuban presidency after nearly a half-century in power; his brother Raul was later named to succeed him.

In 1473, astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus was born in Torun, Poland.

In 1807, former Vice President Aaron Burr, accused of treason, was arrested in the Mississippi Territory, in present-day Alabama. (Burr was acquitted at trial.)

In 1878, Thomas Edison received a U.S. patent for "an improvement in phonograph or speaking machines."

In 1942, during World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which paved the way for the relocation and internment of people of Japanese ancestry, including U.S.-born citizens.

In 1945, Operation Detachment began during World War II as some 30,000 U.S. Marines began landing on Iwo Jima, where they commenced a successful month-long battle to seize control of the island from Japanese forces.

In 1959, an agreement was signed by Britain, Turkey and Greece granting Cyprus its independence.

In 1976, President Gerald R. Ford, calling the issuing of the internment order for people of Japanese ancestry in 1942 "a sad day in American history," signed a proclamation formally confirming its termination.

In 1985, the British soap opera "EastEnders" debuted on BBC Television.

In 1986, the U.S. Senate approved, 83-11, the Genocide Convention, an international treaty outlawing "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group," nearly 37 years after the pact was first submitted for ratification.

In 1997, Deng Xiaoping, the last of China's major Communist revolutionaries, died at age 92.

In 2003, an Iranian military plane carrying 275 members of the elite Revolutionary Guards crashed in southeastern Iran, killing all on board.

In 2017, three former elite U.S. gymnasts, including 2000 Olympian Jamie Dantzscher, appeared on CBS' "60 Minutes" to say they were sexually abused by Dr. Larry Nassar, a volunteer team physician for USA Gymnastics. (Nassar would be sentenced to decades in prison after hundreds of girls and women said he sexually abused them under the guise of medical treatment.)

In 2019, President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to develop plans for a new Space Force within the Air Force, accepting less than the full-fledged department he had wanted.

Ten years ago: The United Nations said the number of U.S. drone strikes in Afghanistan had risen sharply in 2012 compared with 2011. A bail hearing began in Pretoria, South Africa, for double-amputee Olympian Oscar Pistorius, charged with killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day; the defense said Pistorius had mistaken Steenkamp for an intruder while prosecutors said he had deliberately opened fire on Steenkamp as she cowered behind a locked bathroom door.

Five years ago: Syrian government forces began a bombing campaign in the northeastern suburbs of Damascus, the last major stronghold for rebels in the area of the capital; the campaign left hundreds dead. President Donald Trump endorsed Mitt Romney in Utah's Senate race, a sign that the two Republicans were burying the hatchet after a strained relationship. The U.S. women's Olympic hockey team reached the title game, shutting out Finland 5-0 in the semifinals.

One year ago: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, facing a sharp spike in violence in and around territory held by Russia-backed rebels and increasingly dire warnings that Russia plans to invade, called for Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet him and seek a resolution to the crisis. Vice President Kamala Harris says the world had arrived at "a decisive moment in history" and that the United States was committed to Ukraine's sovereignty against the threat of what the West called an imminent threat of invasion by Russia. (Russia would invade Ukraine on Feb. 24.) China's Sui Wenjing and Han Cong captured the Olympic gold medal that eluded them by a razor-thin margin four years earlier, edging Russian rivals Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov to win the pairs figure skating competition at the Beijing Games.

Today's birthdays: Singer Smokey Robinson is 83. Singer and actor Carlin Glynn is 83. Former Sony Corp. Chairman Howard Stringer is 81. Singer Lou Christie is 80. Rock musician Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath, Heaven and Hell) is 75. Actor Stephen Nichols is 72. Author Amy Tan is 71. Actor Jeff Daniels is 68. Rock singer-musician Dave Wakeling is 67. Talk show host Lorianne Crook is 66. Actor Ray Winstone is 66. Actor Leslie David Baker is 65. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is 64. Britain's Prince Andrew is 63. Tennis Hall of Famer Hana Mandlikova is 61. Singer Seal is 60. Actor Jessica Tuck is 60. Rock musician Jon Fishman (Phish) is 58. Actor Justine Bateman is 57. Actor Benicio Del Toro is 56. Actor Bellamy Young is 53. Rock musician Daniel Adair is 48. Pop singer-actor Haylie Duff is 38. Actor Arielle Kebbel is 38. Christian rock musician Seth Morrison (Skillet) is 35. Actor Luke Pasqualino is 33. Actor Victoria Justice is 30. Actor David Mazouz (TV: "Gotham") is 22. Actor Millie Bobby Brown is 19.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Sunday, Feb. 19, the 50th day of 2023. There are 315 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On Feb. 19, 2008, an ailing Fidel Castro resigned the Cuban presidency after nearly a half-century in power; his brother Raul was later named to succeed him.On this date:In 1473, astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus was born in Torun, Poland.In 1807, former Vice President Aaron Burr, accused of treason, was arrested in the Mississippi Territory, in present-day Alabama. (Burr was acquitted at trial.)In 1878, Thomas Edison received a U.S. patent for "an improvement in phonograph or speaking machines."In 1942, during World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which paved the way for the relocation and internment of people of Japanese ancestry, including U.S.-born citizens.In 1945, Operation Detachment began during World War II as some 30,000 U.S. Marines began landing on Iwo Jima, where they commenced a successful month-long battle to seize control of the island from Japanese forces.In 1959, an agreement was signed by Britain, Turkey and Greece granting Cyprus its independence.In 1976, President Gerald R. Ford, calling the issuing of the internment order for people of Japanese ancestry in 1942 "a sad day in American history," signed a proclamation formally confirming its termination.In 1985, the British soap opera "EastEnders" debuted on BBC Television.In 1986, the U.S. Senate approved, 83-11, the Genocide Convention, an international treaty outlawing "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group," nearly 37 years after the pact was first submitted for ratification.In 1997, Deng Xiaoping, the last of China's major Communist revolutionaries, died at age 92.In 2003, an Iranian military plane carrying 275 members of the elite Revolutionary Guards crashed in southeastern Iran, killing all on board.In 2017, three former elite U.S. gymnasts, including 2000 Olympian Jamie Dantzscher, appeared on CBS' "60 Minutes" to say they were sexually abused by Dr. Larry Nassar, a volunteer team physician for USA Gymnastics. (Nassar would be sentenced to decades in prison after hundreds of girls and women said he sexually abused them under the guise of medical treatment.)In 2019, President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to develop plans for a new Space Force within the Air Force, accepting less than the full-fledged department he had wanted.Ten years ago: The United Nations said the number of U.S. drone strikes in Afghanistan had risen sharply in 2012 compared with 2011. A bail hearing began in Pretoria, South Africa, for double-amputee Olympian Oscar Pistorius, charged with killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day; the defense said Pistorius had mistaken Steenkamp for an intruder while prosecutors said he had deliberately opened fire on Steenkamp as she cowered behind a locked bathroom door.Five years ago: Syrian government forces began a bombing campaign in the northeastern suburbs of Damascus, the last major stronghold for rebels in the area of the capital; the campaign left hundreds dead. President Donald Trump endorsed Mitt Romney in Utah's Senate race, a sign that the two Republicans were burying the hatchet after a strained relationship. The U.S. women's Olympic hockey team reached the title game, shutting out Finland 5-0 in the semifinals.One year ago: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, facing a sharp spike in violence in and around territory held by Russia-backed rebels and increasingly dire warnings that Russia plans to invade, called for Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet him and seek a resolution to the crisis. Vice President Kamala Harris says the world had arrived at "a decisive moment in history" and that the United States was committed to Ukraine's sovereignty against the threat of what the West called an imminent threat of invasion by Russia. (Russia would invade Ukraine on Feb. 24.) China's Sui Wenjing and Han Cong captured the Olympic gold medal that eluded them by a razor-thin margin four years earlier, edging Russian rivals Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov to win the pairs figure skating competition at the Beijing Games.Today's birthdays: Singer Smokey Robinson is 83. Singer and actor Carlin Glynn is 83. Former Sony Corp. Chairman Howard Stringer is 81. Singer Lou Christie is 80. Rock musician Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath, Heaven and Hell) is 75. Actor Stephen Nichols is 72. Author Amy Tan is 71. Actor Jeff Daniels is 68. Rock singer-musician Dave Wakeling is 67. Talk show host Lorianne Crook is 66. Actor Ray Winstone is 66. Actor Leslie David Baker is 65. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is 64. Britain's Prince Andrew is 63. Tennis Hall of Famer Hana Mandlikova is 61. Singer Seal is 60. Actor Jessica Tuck is 60. Rock musician Jon Fishman (Phish) is 58. Actor Justine Bateman is 57. Actor Benicio Del Toro is 56. Actor Bellamy Young is 53. Rock musician Daniel Adair is 48. Pop singer-actor Haylie Duff is 38. Actor Arielle Kebbel is 38. Christian rock musician Seth Morrison (Skillet) is 35. Actor Luke Pasqualino is 33. Actor Victoria Justice is 30. Actor David Mazouz (TV: "Gotham") is 22. Actor Millie Bobby Brown is 19.

Today in History - Feb. 19

CRAWFORD COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Pittsburg Police Department, and the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office are conducting an investigation into the death of a man from Weir, Kansas, according to a media release from the KBI. Preliminary indications are the death is a result of homicide and two suspects are in custody.

Just after 2:30p.m. Friday, Pittsburg Police received a 911 call from Collin Pal Gebford, 43, reporting someone was shot. Police located the victim, David Duane Mays, 51, of Weir, Kan., in the roadway near 1023 N Main in Pittsburg. Mays suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the chest.

At approximately 3:00pm, the KBI Crime Scene Response Team and investigative was requested by the Crawford County Sheriff. During the course of the investigation, it was determined there was an altercation that resulted in gunfire.

Investigators identified another suspect who was questioned by police and released.

Police arrested Gebford on requested charges of attempted premeditated first degree murder and felony murder. Gebford is being held the Crawford Count Jail, according to the KBI.

Authorities also located and arrested&nbsp;Travis Blake Conness, 32, of Neosho, Mo. on requestged charges of attempted premeditated first degree murder and felony murder. Conness was arrested without incident and booked into the Crawford County Jail.

CRAWFORD COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Pittsburg Police Department, and the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office are conducting an investigation into the death of a man from Weir, Kansas, according to a media release from the KBI. Preliminary indications are the death is a result of homicide.

Travis Blake Conness, 32, of Neosho, Mo., is a suspect and wanted for questioning. Conness has not been located and is still at large. Anyone with information about the possible whereabouts of Conness should contact the Crawford County Sherriff’s Office at (620)724-8274 or the KBI at (800) KS-CRIME. An autopsy on Mays will be performed Tuesday, according to the KBI.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676742536466.png" alt="Travis Blake Conness, 32, of Neosho, Mo., is a suspect and wanted for questioning.-photo KBI" />
 <figcaption>Travis Blake Conness, 32, of Neosho, Mo., is a suspect and wanted for questioning.-photo KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>CRAWFORD COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Pittsburg Police Department, and the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office are conducting an investigation into the death of a man from Weir, Kansas, according to a media release from the KBI. Preliminary indications are the death is a result of homicide and two suspects are in custody.Just after 2:30p.m. Friday, Pittsburg Police received a 911 call from Collin Pal Gebford, 43, reporting someone was shot. Police located the victim, David Duane Mays, 51, of Weir, Kan., in the roadway near 1023 N Main in Pittsburg. Mays suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the chest.At approximately 3:00pm, the KBI Crime Scene Response Team and investigative was requested by the Crawford County Sheriff. During the course of the investigation, it was determined there was an altercation that resulted in gunfire.Investigators identified another suspect who was questioned by police and released.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676742578462.png" alt="Gebford-photo KBI" />
 <figcaption>Gebford-photo KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>Police arrested Gebford on requested charges of attempted premeditated first degree murder and felony murder. Gebford is being held the Crawford Count Jail, according to the KBI.Authorities also located and arrested&nbsp;Travis Blake Conness, 32, of Neosho, Mo. on requestged charges of attempted premeditated first degree murder and felony murder. Conness was arrested without incident and booked into the Crawford County Jail.-------CRAWFORD COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Pittsburg Police Department, and the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office are conducting an investigation into the death of a man from Weir, Kansas, according to a media release from the KBI. Preliminary indications are the death is a result of homicide.Just after 2:30p.m. Friday, Pittsburg Police received a 911 call from Collin Pal Gebford, 43, reporting someone was shot. Police located the victim, David Duane Mays, 51, of Weir, Kan., in the roadway near 1023 N Main in Pittsburg. Mays suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the chest.At approximately 3:00pm, the KBI Crime Scene Response Team and investigative was requested by the Crawford County Sheriff. During the course of the investigation, it was determined there was an altercation that resulted in gunfire.Investigators identified another suspect who was questioned by police and released.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676742578462.png" alt="Gebford-photo KBI" />
 <figcaption>Gebford-photo KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>Police arrested Gebford on requested charges of attempted premeditated first degree murder and felony murder. Gebford is being held the Crawford Count Jail, according to the KBI.Travis Blake Conness, 32, of Neosho, Mo., is a suspect and wanted for questioning. Conness has not been located and is still at large. Anyone with information about the possible whereabouts of Conness should contact the Crawford County Sherriff’s Office at (620)724-8274 or the KBI at (800) KS-CRIME. An autopsy on Mays will be performed Tuesday, according to the KBI.

KBI: Two suspects accused in Kansas man's murder

From the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salinapubliclibrary">Salina Public Library Facebook page</a>:

See what's new this week at the Salina Public Library at:

*** <a href="http://wowbrary.org/nu.aspx?fb&amp;p=5578-492&amp;fbclid=IwAR1jvZzUVF78obe-tE3D4Yi_H_R_GPz7b4nsO9-522CV4v2F1irzH7ivs_0" target="_blank">http://wowbrary.org/nu.aspx?fb&amp;p=5578-492</a> ***

There are three new bestsellers, 15 new movies, one new audiobook, and 141 other new books. The new bestsellers this week are "Go-To Dinners," "Happy Place," and "Homecoming." The new movies this week include "The Old Way," "Joe Pickett: Season One," and "House Party."&nbsp;&nbsp;

From the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salinapubliclibrary">Salina Public Library Facebook page</a>:See what's new this week at the Salina Public Library at:*** <a href="http://wowbrary.org/nu.aspx?fb&amp;p=5578-492&amp;fbclid=IwAR1jvZzUVF78obe-tE3D4Yi_H_R_GPz7b4nsO9-522CV4v2F1irzH7ivs_0" target="_blank">http://wowbrary.org/nu.aspx?fb&amp;p=5578-492</a> ***There are three new bestsellers, 15 new movies, one new audiobook, and 141 other new books. The new bestsellers this week are "Go-To Dinners," "Happy Place," and "Homecoming." The new movies this week include "The Old Way," "Joe Pickett: Season One," and "House Party."&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676736678400.jpeg" alt="what's new at SPL 2182023.jpg" />
 <figcaption>what's new at SPL 2182023.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>

Check out what's new at Salina Public Library

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/17/senate-adopts-bill-urging-kansas-public-schools-to-offer-nra-gun-safety-curriculum-in-grades-k-8/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Sen. John Doll voted with a heavy heart for a Kansas Senate 
bill requiring the state Board of Education to approve gun-safety 
curriculum standards tied to a National Rifle Association initiative and
 hunter education program of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and 
Parks.

He cherished memories of being taught to shoot by his father, and was
 convinced firearm safety should be part of parent-child bonding. He 
pointed with sorrow to statistics collected over the years on school 
shootings in the United States. One account listed 366 since the 
massacre at Columbine High School in Colorado on April 20, 1999. This 
national registry of horror included the death of 26 people in 
Connecticut at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012.

There were 42 U.S. school shootings in 2021 and 46 last year, more than any year since Columbine.

“I like to read,” said Doll, a Garden City Republican. “One of the 
toughest books I’ve ever had to read was ‘Sandy Hook.’ I had to put it 
down and cry about three times. Just killed me.”

Doll said he was apprehensive Senate Bill 116 — approved 30-8 by the 
Senate and forwarded to the House — would increase political pressure on
 local school boards to offer prescribed instruction on gun safety and 
contribute to blaming educators for tragedies in public schools 
involving gun violence.

“What I’m afraid is going to happen, if school shootings continue to happen, is we’re going to pin it on schools,” Doll said.

Sen. Chase Blasi, the Wichita Republican carrying his first bill on 
the Senate floor Thursday, said he was taught to shoot by his dad, but 
many Kansas children didn’t have an equivalent opportunity to learn 
about discharging firearms or what to do with an unsecured weapon. He 
said that reality affirmed need for standardized Kansas curriculum 
standards on gun safety argued for reliance on established programs 
sponsored by the NRA and the state wildlife agency.

Under the bill, the state Board of Education would be directed to 
adopt a curriculum guidelines — constitutional questions about such a 
mandate weren’t resolved — and local school boards would be left to 
decide whether to offer the curriculum to students. The NRA’s “Eddie 
Eagle” cartoon version of gun safety instruction would be available to 
K-8 students, while the state park training regime could be relied upon 
by students in grades 6-12. At least two organizations advocating for 
the Senate bill said it was an opportunity to market the culture of 
firearms or hunting to a new generation.

“Local school districts may provide these programs,” Blasi said. 
“This legislation does not require local school districts to provide the
 safety education courses.”

The Legislature adopted a comparable bill in 2021 vetoed by 
Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. She objected to the Legislature trampling 
curriculum authority held by the state Board of Education under the 
Kansas Constitution. She characterized as “legislative overreach” past 
actions by the House and Senate to implement a gun-safety curriculum.

Sen. Cindy Holscher, an Overland Park Democrat, had three amendments 
to the Senate gun bill blocked by colleagues. Her first would have 
delcared in state law no one delivering firearm instruction could bring a
 gun into a school. Blasi said addition of that language was 
unnecessary, and it was defeated 12-25.

“We don’t want any confusion for firearms instructors affiliated with
 this program to think because of this they’re allowed to bring guns 
in,” Holscher said.

Another of Holscher’s amendments would create crimes for unsafe 
storage of firearms, but it was ruled out of order by the Senate. Her 
final amendment, rejected on an unrecorded vote, would have prohibited 
classroom materials used in the gun-safety curriculum to link to 
information about the National Rifle Association, including the 
organization’s plea to join, donate or learn about political positions 
and candidate endorsements by the NRA.

“Is this really about safety or about cultivating a new market?” Holscher said.

Sen. Mike Thompson, R-Shawnee, said a “clean” bill should be approved
 by the Senate without amendments, arguing tweaks could potentially 
weaken the legislation. He spoke against Holscher’s attempt to derail 
the NRA’s “gold standard” program on firearm safety instruction.

“This is the gold standard,” Thompson said. “Why would we not want 
this in our schools? This is a good program. I stand behind the bill as 
written.”

Holscher said claims about excellence of the NRA curriculum were 
misleading. She said a 2004 study of 2,000 children who completed the 
NRA program showed two-thirds of those tested picked up a gun, one-third
 pulled the trigger and one child who informed a teacher about finding a
 gun was teased by peers.

The NRA trademarked Eddie Eagle program was designed to convince 
students encountering an unattended gun to stop, don’t touch, run away 
and tell an adult. The NRA advertised Eddie Eagle as suitable for pre-K 
through fourth grades, but the Kansas bill envisioned Eddie Eagle 
working for students through the 8th grade.

Senate Democratic Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, offered an amendment 
to require parents receive notice from the school of gun safety 
instruction four months in advance. She also wanted parents to affirm 
through an opt-in process they wanted their children undergoing training
 on firearm safety at school. A similar opt-in approach was approved by 
the Legislature for participation in national opinion surveys of 
students, she said.

Her notification amendment went down 8-27 after Senate President Ty 
Masterson, R-Andover, said Sykes’ proposal singled out a particular 
curriculum subject for discrimination.

Sen. Usha Reddi, a Democrat from Manhattan, voted against the bill. 
She said Kansas was among states that didn’t require purchasers of 
firearms to complete a gun safety course. Kansas’ “constitutional carry”
 law enabled adults to carry concealed weapons without taking a gun 
education course.

“Schools and children are not the problem here,” Reddi said. “They’re
 not the ones who need to be trained. We live in a state that doesn’t 
require adults who are purchasing weapons to be trained.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676675296121.png" alt="Sen. John Doll, R-Garden City, voted for a Senate bill instructing the Kansas Board of Education adopt a gun-safety curriculum and urging local districts to incorporate an NRA-sponsored gun program for grades K-8 with the option of using a state hunting program in grades 6-12. The Senate voted 30-8 to send Senate Bill 116 to the House. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. John Doll, R-Garden City, voted for a Senate bill instructing the Kansas Board of Education adopt a gun-safety curriculum and urging local districts to incorporate an NRA-sponsored gun program for grades K-8 with the option of using a state hunting program in grades 6-12. The Senate voted 30-8 to send Senate Bill 116 to the House. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/17/senate-adopts-bill-urging-kansas-public-schools-to-offer-nra-gun-safety-curriculum-in-grades-k-8/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Sen. John Doll voted with a heavy heart for a Kansas Senate 
bill requiring the state Board of Education to approve gun-safety 
curriculum standards tied to a National Rifle Association initiative and
 hunter education program of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and 
Parks.He cherished memories of being taught to shoot by his father, and was
 convinced firearm safety should be part of parent-child bonding. He 
pointed with sorrow to statistics collected over the years on school 
shootings in the United States. One account listed 366 since the 
massacre at Columbine High School in Colorado on April 20, 1999. This 
national registry of horror included the death of 26 people in 
Connecticut at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012.There were 42 U.S. school shootings in 2021 and 46 last year, more than any year since Columbine.“I like to read,” said Doll, a Garden City Republican. “One of the 
toughest books I’ve ever had to read was ‘Sandy Hook.’ I had to put it 
down and cry about three times. Just killed me.”Doll said he was apprehensive Senate Bill 116 — approved 30-8 by the 
Senate and forwarded to the House — would increase political pressure on
 local school boards to offer prescribed instruction on gun safety and 
contribute to blaming educators for tragedies in public schools 
involving gun violence.“What I’m afraid is going to happen, if school shootings continue to happen, is we’re going to pin it on schools,” Doll said.<h2>Eddie Eagle flies high</h2>Sen. Chase Blasi, the Wichita Republican carrying his first bill on 
the Senate floor Thursday, said he was taught to shoot by his dad, but 
many Kansas children didn’t have an equivalent opportunity to learn 
about discharging firearms or what to do with an unsecured weapon. He 
said that reality affirmed need for standardized Kansas curriculum 
standards on gun safety argued for reliance on established programs 
sponsored by the NRA and the state wildlife agency.Under the bill, the state Board of Education would be directed to 
adopt a curriculum guidelines — constitutional questions about such a 
mandate weren’t resolved — and local school boards would be left to 
decide whether to offer the curriculum to students. The NRA’s “Eddie 
Eagle” cartoon version of gun safety instruction would be available to 
K-8 students, while the state park training regime could be relied upon 
by students in grades 6-12. At least two organizations advocating for 
the Senate bill said it was an opportunity to market the culture of 
firearms or hunting to a new generation.“Local school districts may provide these programs,” Blasi said. 
“This legislation does not require local school districts to provide the
 safety education courses.”The Legislature adopted a comparable bill in 2021 vetoed by 
Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. She objected to the Legislature trampling 
curriculum authority held by the state Board of Education under the 
Kansas Constitution. She characterized as “legislative overreach” past 
actions by the House and Senate to implement a gun-safety curriculum.Sen. Cindy Holscher, an Overland Park Democrat, had three amendments 
to the Senate gun bill blocked by colleagues. Her first would have 
delcared in state law no one delivering firearm instruction could bring a
 gun into a school. Blasi said addition of that language was 
unnecessary, and it was defeated 12-25.“We don’t want any confusion for firearms instructors affiliated with
 this program to think because of this they’re allowed to bring guns 
in,” Holscher said.Another of Holscher’s amendments would create crimes for unsafe 
storage of firearms, but it was ruled out of order by the Senate. Her 
final amendment, rejected on an unrecorded vote, would have prohibited 
classroom materials used in the gun-safety curriculum to link to 
information about the National Rifle Association, including the 
organization’s plea to join, donate or learn about political positions 
and candidate endorsements by the NRA.“Is this really about safety or about cultivating a new market?” Holscher said.<h2>The gold bullet?</h2>Sen. Mike Thompson, R-Shawnee, said a “clean” bill should be approved
 by the Senate without amendments, arguing tweaks could potentially 
weaken the legislation. He spoke against Holscher’s attempt to derail 
the NRA’s “gold standard” program on firearm safety instruction.“This is the gold standard,” Thompson said. “Why would we not want 
this in our schools? This is a good program. I stand behind the bill as 
written.”Holscher said claims about excellence of the NRA curriculum were 
misleading. She said a 2004 study of 2,000 children who completed the 
NRA program showed two-thirds of those tested picked up a gun, one-third
 pulled the trigger and one child who informed a teacher about finding a
 gun was teased by peers.The NRA trademarked Eddie Eagle program was designed to convince 
students encountering an unattended gun to stop, don’t touch, run away 
and tell an adult. The NRA advertised Eddie Eagle as suitable for pre-K 
through fourth grades, but the Kansas bill envisioned Eddie Eagle 
working for students through the 8th grade.Senate Democratic Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, offered an amendment 
to require parents receive notice from the school of gun safety 
instruction four months in advance. She also wanted parents to affirm 
through an opt-in process they wanted their children undergoing training
 on firearm safety at school. A similar opt-in approach was approved by 
the Legislature for participation in national opinion surveys of 
students, she said.Her notification amendment went down 8-27 after Senate President Ty 
Masterson, R-Andover, said Sykes’ proposal singled out a particular 
curriculum subject for discrimination.Sen. Usha Reddi, a Democrat from Manhattan, voted against the bill. 
She said Kansas was among states that didn’t require purchasers of 
firearms to complete a gun safety course. Kansas’ “constitutional carry”
 law enabled adults to carry concealed weapons without taking a gun 
education course.“Schools and children are not the problem here,” Reddi said. “They’re
 not the ones who need to be trained. We live in a state that doesn’t 
require adults who are purchasing weapons to be trained.”

Kansas Senate: Teach NRA gun safety in grades K-8

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

An idea that took root in 2021 has grown into a popular spring offering at the Salina Public Library.

Back for another spring planting season is Salina Public Library's seed library!

“I was inspired to start a seed library as an outside-of-the-box way to connect with the community and bring people closer together,” said Allyson Ronning, head of circulation and seed library mastermind. “This was a small gesture, strategically rolled out just before spring, to hopefully bring a little shared sunshine and happiness back to Salina.” 

The seed library is tucked into a nook in the main lobby area of the library, 301 W. Elm Street. A variety of seeds are available, including flower, fruit, vegetable, and herb seeds. Seeds are restocked as needed and vary from day to day.

Patrons are limited to four seed packets per visit and no checkout is required. Additionally, growing guides, both printed versions and those accessed via QR code, are available. Books about gardening also are nearby.

“The benefits of a seed library are many,” Ronning said. “It is a way to have fun, it can be used for educational purposes (at home or in the classroom), it provides a free and sustainable food source to patrons, builds community with fellow gardeners, and supports people who are new to the world of gardening.”

The popularity of the seed library soared in its first year, with more than 1,300 seed packets being picked up in the first month of the seed library being open. Last year, approximately 7,300 packets of seeds were distributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676691073855.jpeg" alt="Part of Salina Public Library's seed library. Photos by Leslie Eikleberry/Salina Post" />
 <figcaption>Part of Salina Public Library's seed library. Photos by Leslie Eikleberry/Salina Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostAn idea that took root in 2021 has grown into a popular spring offering at the Salina Public Library.Back for another spring planting season is Salina Public Library's seed library!“I was inspired to start a seed library as an outside-of-the-box way to connect with the community and bring people closer together,” said Allyson Ronning, head of circulation and seed library mastermind. “This was a small gesture, strategically rolled out just before spring, to hopefully bring a little shared sunshine and happiness back to Salina.” <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676691165815.jpeg" alt="Some of the flower seeds available" />
 <figcaption>Some of the flower seeds available</figcaption>
 </figure>The seed library is tucked into a nook in the main lobby area of the library, 301 W. Elm Street. A variety of seeds are available, including flower, fruit, vegetable, and herb seeds. Seeds are restocked as needed and vary from day to day.Patrons are limited to four seed packets per visit and no checkout is required. Additionally, growing guides, both printed versions and those accessed via QR code, are available. Books about gardening also are nearby.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676691247402.jpeg" alt="The seed library also includes vegetable and fruit seeds." />
 <figcaption>The seed library also includes vegetable and fruit seeds.</figcaption>
 </figure>“The benefits of a seed library are many,” Ronning said. “It is a way to have fun, it can be used for educational purposes (at home or in the classroom), it provides a free and sustainable food source to patrons, builds community with fellow gardeners, and supports people who are new to the world of gardening.”The popularity of the seed library soared in its first year, with more than 1,300 seed packets being picked up in the first month of the seed library being open. Last year, approximately 7,300 packets of seeds were distributed.