SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man accused in the abduction of a 14-year-old girl from Arkansas made his first court appearance on Monday.

David Roark, 35, Wichita, was charged with kidnapping, abuse of a child, 5 counts of rape or in the alternative 5 counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, electronic solicitation, and 8 counts of sexual exploitation of a child, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after midnight Dec. 14, a detective with the White County, Arkansas Sheriff’s Office contacted Wichita Police requesting assistance locating a missing child from their jurisdiction, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

&nbsp; A 14-year-old girl had left her home in Arkansas in early November and not returned.&nbsp; A follow-up investigation by White County detectives revealed she had been <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=466582265583859&amp;set=pcb.461551719420247">seen in a convenience store</a> with a man before leaving in a vehicle with the same man later identified as 35-year-old&nbsp;David E. Roark of Wichita. Police also learned Roark was wanted on two warrants from the state of Kentucky.

Additional information provided by White County suggested that Roark was possibly in the Wichita area. 

The Wichita Police Exploited and Missing Child Unit and the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit began investigating and located an address in the 1800 block of N. Litchfield in Wichita, where they believed Roark was staying. 

Police observed Roark leaving the home and took him into custody. Officers then found the missing girl in a closet inside the house. Police took both of them for additional interviews, where it was discovered further crimes had occurred in Wichita.

A search warrant for the residence was completed, and David Roark was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail. He is being held on&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20080133">$1.5 million dollar bond</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671221717558.png" alt="Roark-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Roark-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man accused in the abduction of a 14-year-old girl from Arkansas made his first court appearance on Monday.David Roark, 35, Wichita, was charged with kidnapping, abuse of a child, 5 counts of rape or in the alternative 5 counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, electronic solicitation, and 8 counts of sexual exploitation of a child, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671545735044.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Just after midnight Dec. 14, a detective with the White County, Arkansas Sheriff’s Office contacted Wichita Police requesting assistance locating a missing child from their jurisdiction, according to Officer Chad Ditch.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671287383491.png" alt="Security camera image White County, Arkansas sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image White County, Arkansas sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp; A 14-year-old girl had left her home in Arkansas in early November and not returned.&nbsp; A follow-up investigation by White County detectives revealed she had been <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=466582265583859&amp;set=pcb.461551719420247">seen in a convenience store</a> with a man before leaving in a vehicle with the same man later identified as 35-year-old&nbsp;David E. Roark of Wichita. Police also learned Roark was wanted on two warrants from the state of Kentucky.Additional information provided by White County suggested that Roark was possibly in the Wichita area. The Wichita Police Exploited and Missing Child Unit and the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit began investigating and located an address in the 1800 block of N. Litchfield in Wichita, where they believed Roark was staying. Police observed Roark leaving the home and took him into custody. Officers then found the missing girl in a closet inside the house. Police took both of them for additional interviews, where it was discovered further crimes had occurred in Wichita.A search warrant for the residence was completed, and David Roark was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail. He is being held on&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20080133">$1.5 million dollar bond</a>.

Kansas man charged after abducted 14-year-old rescued from closet

NEW YORK (AP) — The Republican Party quickly and forcefully rallied behind Donald Trump in the hours after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-9e8d683afe87389407950af7ccfdbdd6">federal agents seized classified documents</a>&nbsp;from his Florida estate this summer.

Four months later, that sense of intensity and urgency was missing — at least for now — after the Jan. 6 House committee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/january-6-final-hearing-investigation-wraps-0bceb95826c1c836023d2810ccbeccca?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">voted to recommend</a>&nbsp;the Justice Department bring criminal charges against him. Leading Republicans largely avoided the historic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-donald-trump-1b38ff48d28c08edd005454836efed44">criminal referral</a>&nbsp;Monday, while others pressed to weigh in offered muted defenses — or none at all.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Trump critic who suggested the former president likely benefited — politically, at least — from the FBI’s summertime search of his Florida home, said Trump was at least partly responsible for the deadly attack on the Capitol.

“No man is above the law,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/larry-hogan-maryland-ap-interview-aedd3c96fc4c8cfde31cef65dada580f">Hogan told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;shortly before the committee’s vote.

The divergent responses are a sign of how quickly the political landscape has shifted for Trump as he faces a new legal threat and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-updates-cd5339d48064a149527e8f9a1aa7614e">mounts a third bid for the presidency</a>. It’s a marked change for a party that has been defined, above all, by its unconditional loyalty to Trump under any and all circumstances for the last six years.

Monday’s hearing of the Jan. 6 House committee, comprised of seven Democrats and two Republican Trump critics, likely marks Congress’ final attempt to hold the former president accountable for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">attack on the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;by hundreds of his loyalists as elected officials worked to certify President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory. The criminal referral, which is nonbinding, is the culmination of a yearlong investigation that included more than 1,000 witnesses, 10 televised public hearing and over 1 million documents.

The committee, which Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy boycotted and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-government-and-politics-capitol-siege-93956045f7ab96c331a1ad515e3eca19">dismissed as a “sham process,”</a>&nbsp;will formally disband on Jan. 3 as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-79475a4fc11e4375cd0dded651b9eede">Republicans take over the House majority</a>.

Ever defiant, Trump predicted the criminal referral would ultimately help him.

“These folks don’t get it that when they come after me, people who love freedom rally around me. It strengthens me. What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger,” Trump said in a statement posted on his social network, condemning the criminal referral as “a partisan attempt to sideline me and the Republican Party.”

This week’s vote comes just one month after Trump formally launched his 2024 White House campaign. He had hoped that his status as an announced candidate might give him new leverage in his many legal entanglements while warding off potential Republican primary challengers.

Such hopes have yet to materialize. Early polls suggest the 76-year-old former president is no lock to win the 2024 nomination as emboldened Republican rivals prepare to line up to run against him.

Already weakened, Trump is also bracing for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-donald-trump-richard-neal-c697c4e300948a9e2638d0d9fbbe2f96">potential release of his tax returns</a>, which he has worked for years to keep out of the public eye. The House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday was scheduled to consider the release of six years of Trump’s taxes, as well as those related to his businesses, although it wasn’t immediately clear when any documents might be available to the public.

Trump’s greatest liability heading into the next presidential election may have little to do with his legal challenges, however. Republicans are increasingly worried about his ability to win.

The GOP’s concerns about Trump’s electability intensified after the November midterm elections, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-00c770068d8b82f165a9f4871eee983b">Trump’s hand-picked candidates in several high-profile contests</a>&nbsp;were defeated. The setbacks followed deeper Republican losses in the two previous national elections under Trump’s leadership.

Indeed, the initial weeks of Trump’s third presidential campaign are going so poorly that some Trump allies are privately wondering whether he’s serious about his 2024 ambitions at all.

Trump faced Republican demands to apologize for his decision last month to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-kanye-west-entertainment-donald-trump-21ea30fc30a9a97074581015b25e18bf">share a private meal with noted white supremacist Nick Fuentes</a>. Days later, Trump called for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-donald-trump-8e6e2f0a092135428c82c0cfa6598444">“termination” of parts of the Constitution</a>&nbsp;over his lie that the 2020 election was stolen. And days after that, his hand-picked candidate in Georgia’s high-stakes Senate race, former football star Herschel Walker,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-walker-warnock-runoff-3d4e4d1ab1760792454e1cbd618ce332">lost his runoff election</a>.

Trump has not held a single campaign event.

At the same time, Trump’s legal challenges are mounting.

Attorney General Merrick Garland last month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-donald-trump-merrick-garland-government-and-550c01de053c08db4d53ca57f315feb6">appointed a special counsel</a>&nbsp;to oversee the Justice Department’s investigation into the presence of classified documents at Trump’s Florida estate as well as key aspects of a separate probe involving the insurrection and efforts to undo the 2020 election. The Fulton County, Georgia, district attorney is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-georgia-atlanta-f8222a15b5af7a789a77e8cee372c7b4">separately investigatin</a>&nbsp;g attempts to overturn that state’s 2020 election results.

It’s impossible to predict how much longer the investigations will last or whether the DOJ will take the unprecedented step of indicting a former president and current candidate. But Trump is no longer shielded from prosecution the way he was as president.

And his party is becoming less willing to stand behind him.

The Republican National Committee announced it would stop paying some of Trump’s legal bills after he launched his 2024 presidential campaign.

Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell called for “an immediate and thorough explanation” after the FBI executed a search warrant at Trump’s estate in August. On Monday, he told reporters he had only one “immediate observation” about the criminal referral: “The entire nation knows who is responsible for that day.”

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., called for Garland’s resignation over the summer, but on Monday, he was silent on the committee’s referral, focusing instead on alleged FBI missteps.

Former Vice President Mike Pence, a 2024 presidential prospect himself who aggressively condemned the FBI after it seized classified documents from Trump’s estate, offered somewhat muted criticism of the Jan. 6 committee when given the chance.

“As I wrote in my book, the president’s actions and words on Jan. 6 were reckless. But I don’t know that it’s criminal to take bad advice from lawyers,” Pence told Fox News. He added, “When it comes to the Justice Department’s decision about bringing charges in the future, I would hope that they would not bring charges against the former president.”

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is also considering a 2024 White House campaign, acknowledged Trump’s role in Jan. 6 but said the criminal referral “isn’t helpful” to the DOJ’s investigation.

“The record is clear that former Pres. Trump is responsible for what happened on January 6, but accountability is most likely to come from the American people who are ready for our country to move beyond the events of January 6,” he tweeted.

So far, only a handful of members of Congress have endorsed Trump’s 2024 bid.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elise-stefanik-a6db4f53af168be7f8483f29495eaba1">One of them</a>, No. 3 House Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, called the Democratic-led committee “unconstitutional and illegitimate.” She said Trump was well positioned heading into the 2024 presidential contest.

“As of today — he announced a few weeks ago at this point — the only candidate is Donald Trump, and he is winning significantly against the field,” Stefanik told The Associated Press on Monday. “So, we’ll see what happens. But I think he’s in a very strong position.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671542816891.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The Republican Party quickly and forcefully rallied behind Donald Trump in the hours after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-9e8d683afe87389407950af7ccfdbdd6">federal agents seized classified documents</a>&nbsp;from his Florida estate this summer.Four months later, that sense of intensity and urgency was missing — at least for now — after the Jan. 6 House committee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/january-6-final-hearing-investigation-wraps-0bceb95826c1c836023d2810ccbeccca?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">voted to recommend</a>&nbsp;the Justice Department bring criminal charges against him. Leading Republicans largely avoided the historic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-donald-trump-1b38ff48d28c08edd005454836efed44">criminal referral</a>&nbsp;Monday, while others pressed to weigh in offered muted defenses — or none at all.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671542965902.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Trump critic who suggested the former president likely benefited — politically, at least — from the FBI’s summertime search of his Florida home, said Trump was at least partly responsible for the deadly attack on the Capitol.“No man is above the law,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/larry-hogan-maryland-ap-interview-aedd3c96fc4c8cfde31cef65dada580f">Hogan told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;shortly before the committee’s vote.The divergent responses are a sign of how quickly the political landscape has shifted for Trump as he faces a new legal threat and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-updates-cd5339d48064a149527e8f9a1aa7614e">mounts a third bid for the presidency</a>. It’s a marked change for a party that has been defined, above all, by its unconditional loyalty to Trump under any and all circumstances for the last six years.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671478126439.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Monday’s hearing of the Jan. 6 House committee, comprised of seven Democrats and two Republican Trump critics, likely marks Congress’ final attempt to hold the former president accountable for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">attack on the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;by hundreds of his loyalists as elected officials worked to certify President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory. The criminal referral, which is nonbinding, is the culmination of a yearlong investigation that included more than 1,000 witnesses, 10 televised public hearing and over 1 million documents.The committee, which Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy boycotted and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-government-and-politics-capitol-siege-93956045f7ab96c331a1ad515e3eca19">dismissed as a “sham process,”</a>&nbsp;will formally disband on Jan. 3 as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-79475a4fc11e4375cd0dded651b9eede">Republicans take over the House majority</a>.Ever defiant, Trump predicted the criminal referral would ultimately help him.“These folks don’t get it that when they come after me, people who love freedom rally around me. It strengthens me. What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger,” Trump said in a statement posted on his social network, condemning the criminal referral as “a partisan attempt to sideline me and the Republican Party.”This week’s vote comes just one month after Trump formally launched his 2024 White House campaign. He had hoped that his status as an announced candidate might give him new leverage in his many legal entanglements while warding off potential Republican primary challengers.Such hopes have yet to materialize. Early polls suggest the 76-year-old former president is no lock to win the 2024 nomination as emboldened Republican rivals prepare to line up to run against him.Already weakened, Trump is also bracing for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-donald-trump-richard-neal-c697c4e300948a9e2638d0d9fbbe2f96">potential release of his tax returns</a>, which he has worked for years to keep out of the public eye. The House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday was scheduled to consider the release of six years of Trump’s taxes, as well as those related to his businesses, although it wasn’t immediately clear when any documents might be available to the public.Trump’s greatest liability heading into the next presidential election may have little to do with his legal challenges, however. Republicans are increasingly worried about his ability to win.The GOP’s concerns about Trump’s electability intensified after the November midterm elections, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-00c770068d8b82f165a9f4871eee983b">Trump’s hand-picked candidates in several high-profile contests</a>&nbsp;were defeated. The setbacks followed deeper Republican losses in the two previous national elections under Trump’s leadership.Indeed, the initial weeks of Trump’s third presidential campaign are going so poorly that some Trump allies are privately wondering whether he’s serious about his 2024 ambitions at all.Trump faced Republican demands to apologize for his decision last month to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-kanye-west-entertainment-donald-trump-21ea30fc30a9a97074581015b25e18bf">share a private meal with noted white supremacist Nick Fuentes</a>. Days later, Trump called for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-donald-trump-8e6e2f0a092135428c82c0cfa6598444">“termination” of parts of the Constitution</a>&nbsp;over his lie that the 2020 election was stolen. And days after that, his hand-picked candidate in Georgia’s high-stakes Senate race, former football star Herschel Walker,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-walker-warnock-runoff-3d4e4d1ab1760792454e1cbd618ce332">lost his runoff election</a>.Trump has not held a single campaign event.At the same time, Trump’s legal challenges are mounting.Attorney General Merrick Garland last month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-donald-trump-merrick-garland-government-and-550c01de053c08db4d53ca57f315feb6">appointed a special counsel</a>&nbsp;to oversee the Justice Department’s investigation into the presence of classified documents at Trump’s Florida estate as well as key aspects of a separate probe involving the insurrection and efforts to undo the 2020 election. The Fulton County, Georgia, district attorney is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-georgia-atlanta-f8222a15b5af7a789a77e8cee372c7b4">separately investigatin</a>&nbsp;g attempts to overturn that state’s 2020 election results.It’s impossible to predict how much longer the investigations will last or whether the DOJ will take the unprecedented step of indicting a former president and current candidate. But Trump is no longer shielded from prosecution the way he was as president.And his party is becoming less willing to stand behind him.The Republican National Committee announced it would stop paying some of Trump’s legal bills after he launched his 2024 presidential campaign.Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell called for “an immediate and thorough explanation” after the FBI executed a search warrant at Trump’s estate in August. On Monday, he told reporters he had only one “immediate observation” about the criminal referral: “The entire nation knows who is responsible for that day.”Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., called for Garland’s resignation over the summer, but on Monday, he was silent on the committee’s referral, focusing instead on alleged FBI missteps.Former Vice President Mike Pence, a 2024 presidential prospect himself who aggressively condemned the FBI after it seized classified documents from Trump’s estate, offered somewhat muted criticism of the Jan. 6 committee when given the chance.“As I wrote in my book, the president’s actions and words on Jan. 6 were reckless. But I don’t know that it’s criminal to take bad advice from lawyers,” Pence told Fox News. He added, “When it comes to the Justice Department’s decision about bringing charges in the future, I would hope that they would not bring charges against the former president.”Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is also considering a 2024 White House campaign, acknowledged Trump’s role in Jan. 6 but said the criminal referral “isn’t helpful” to the DOJ’s investigation.“The record is clear that former Pres. Trump is responsible for what happened on January 6, but accountability is most likely to come from the American people who are ready for our country to move beyond the events of January 6,” he tweeted.So far, only a handful of members of Congress have endorsed Trump’s 2024 bid.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elise-stefanik-a6db4f53af168be7f8483f29495eaba1">One of them</a>, No. 3 House Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, called the Democratic-led committee “unconstitutional and illegitimate.” She said Trump was well positioned heading into the 2024 presidential contest.“As of today — he announced a few weeks ago at this point — the only candidate is Donald Trump, and he is winning significantly against the field,” Stefanik told The Associated Press on Monday. “So, we’ll see what happens. But I think he’s in a very strong position.”___

Trump responds to Jan. 6 panel’s criminal referral

Today is Tuesday, Dec. 20, the 354th day of 2022. There are 11 days left in the year.

On Dec. 20, 1803, the Louisiana Purchase was completed as ownership of the territory was formally transferred from France to the United States.

In 1860, South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union as all 169 delegates to a special convention in Charleston voted in favor of separation.

In 1864, Confederate forces evacuated Savannah, Georgia, as Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman nearly completed his "March to the Sea."

In 1945, the Office of Price Administration announced the end of tire rationing, effective Jan. 1, 1946.

In 1963, the Berlin Wall was opened for the first time to West Berliners, who were allowed one-day visits to relatives in the Eastern sector for the holidays.

In 1987, more than 4,300 people were killed when the Dona Paz, a Philippine passenger ship, collided with the tanker Vector off Mindoro island.

In 1989, the United States launched Operation Just Cause, sending troops into Panama to topple the government of Gen. Manuel Noriega.

In 1995, an American Airlines Boeing 757 en route to Cali, Colombia, slammed into a mountain, killing all but four of the 163 people aboard. In Bosnia-Herzegovina, NATO began its peacekeeping mission, taking over from the United Nations.

In 1999, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that homosexual couples were entitled to the same benefits and protections as wedded heterosexual couples.

In 2001, the U.N. Security Council authorized a multinational force for Afghanistan.

In 2002, Trent Lott resigned as Senate Republican leader two weeks after igniting a political firestorm with racially charged remarks.

In 2005, a federal judge ruled that "intelligent design" could not be mentioned in biology classes in a Pennsylvania public school district, delivering a stinging attack on the Dover Area School Board.

In 2016, President Barack Obama designated the bulk of U.S.-owned waters in the Arctic Ocean and certain areas in the Atlantic Ocean as indefinitely off limits to future oil and gas leasing. Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova was injured in her playing hand by a knife-wielding attacker at her Czech Republic home and underwent surgery. (The attacker was sentenced to 11 years in prison.)

Ten years ago: The State Department acknowledged major weaknesses in security and errors in judgment exposed in a scathing independent report on the deadly Sept. 11, 2012 assault on a U.S. diplomatic mission in Libya. The National Hockey League, in a labor fight with its players, announced the cancellation of the 2012-13 regular-season schedule through Jan. 14, 2013.

Five years ago: The House gave final congressional approval to a $1.5 trillion tax overhaul, the biggest package of tax changes in a generation and the first major legislative achievement of President Donald Trump and House and Senate Republicans; some Republicans warned of a potential backlash against an overhaul that offered corporations and wealthy taxpayers the biggest benefits. Cardinal Bernard Law, the disgraced former archbishop of Boston, died in Rome at the age of 86; his failure to stop child molesters in the priesthood had triggered a crisis in American Catholicism.

One year ago: In a major step to fight climate change, the Biden administration raised vehicle mileage standards to significantly reduce emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases. Warning that extremism in the ranks was increasing, Pentagon officials issued detailed new rules prohibiting service members from actively engaging in extremist activities. Federal health officials said the omicron variant had accounted for an estimated 73% of new U.S. coronavirus infections in the preceding week. CBS and Universal Television said actor Chris Noth would no longer be part of the CBS series "The Equalizer" in the wake of sexual assault allegations against him; Noth had vehemently denied the allegations.

Today's Birthdays: Original Mouseketeer Tommy Cole (TV: "The Mickey Mouse Club") is 81. R&amp;B singer-musician Walter "Wolfman" Washington is 79. Rock musician-music producer Bobby Colomby is 78. Rock musician Peter Criss is 77. Former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is 76. Psychic/illusionist Uri Geller is 76. Producer Dick Wolf ("Law &amp; Order") is 76. Rock musician Alan Parsons is 74. Actor Jenny Agutter is 70. Actor Michael Badalucco is 68. Actor Blanche Baker is 66. Rock singer Billy Bragg is 65. Rock singer-musician Mike Watt (The Secondmen, Minutemen, fIREHOSE) is 65. Actor Joel Gretsch is 59. Country singer Kris Tyler is 58. Rock singer Chris Robinson is 56. Actor Nicole deBoer is 52. Movie director Todd Phillips is 52. Singer David Cook ("American Idol") is 40. Actor Jonah Hill is 39. Actor Bob Morley is 38. Singer JoJo is 32. Actor Colin Woodell is 31.

<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, Dec. 20, the 354th day of 2022. There are 11 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On Dec. 20, 1803, the Louisiana Purchase was completed as ownership of the territory was formally transferred from France to the United States.On this date:In 1860, South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union as all 169 delegates to a special convention in Charleston voted in favor of separation.In 1864, Confederate forces evacuated Savannah, Georgia, as Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman nearly completed his "March to the Sea."In 1945, the Office of Price Administration announced the end of tire rationing, effective Jan. 1, 1946.In 1963, the Berlin Wall was opened for the first time to West Berliners, who were allowed one-day visits to relatives in the Eastern sector for the holidays.In 1987, more than 4,300 people were killed when the Dona Paz, a Philippine passenger ship, collided with the tanker Vector off Mindoro island.In 1989, the United States launched Operation Just Cause, sending troops into Panama to topple the government of Gen. Manuel Noriega.In 1995, an American Airlines Boeing 757 en route to Cali, Colombia, slammed into a mountain, killing all but four of the 163 people aboard. In Bosnia-Herzegovina, NATO began its peacekeeping mission, taking over from the United Nations.In 1999, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that homosexual couples were entitled to the same benefits and protections as wedded heterosexual couples.In 2001, the U.N. Security Council authorized a multinational force for Afghanistan.In 2002, Trent Lott resigned as Senate Republican leader two weeks after igniting a political firestorm with racially charged remarks.In 2005, a federal judge ruled that "intelligent design" could not be mentioned in biology classes in a Pennsylvania public school district, delivering a stinging attack on the Dover Area School Board.In 2016, President Barack Obama designated the bulk of U.S.-owned waters in the Arctic Ocean and certain areas in the Atlantic Ocean as indefinitely off limits to future oil and gas leasing. Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova was injured in her playing hand by a knife-wielding attacker at her Czech Republic home and underwent surgery. (The attacker was sentenced to 11 years in prison.)Ten years ago: The State Department acknowledged major weaknesses in security and errors in judgment exposed in a scathing independent report on the deadly Sept. 11, 2012 assault on a U.S. diplomatic mission in Libya. The National Hockey League, in a labor fight with its players, announced the cancellation of the 2012-13 regular-season schedule through Jan. 14, 2013.Five years ago: The House gave final congressional approval to a $1.5 trillion tax overhaul, the biggest package of tax changes in a generation and the first major legislative achievement of President Donald Trump and House and Senate Republicans; some Republicans warned of a potential backlash against an overhaul that offered corporations and wealthy taxpayers the biggest benefits. Cardinal Bernard Law, the disgraced former archbishop of Boston, died in Rome at the age of 86; his failure to stop child molesters in the priesthood had triggered a crisis in American Catholicism.One year ago: In a major step to fight climate change, the Biden administration raised vehicle mileage standards to significantly reduce emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases. Warning that extremism in the ranks was increasing, Pentagon officials issued detailed new rules prohibiting service members from actively engaging in extremist activities. Federal health officials said the omicron variant had accounted for an estimated 73% of new U.S. coronavirus infections in the preceding week. CBS and Universal Television said actor Chris Noth would no longer be part of the CBS series "The Equalizer" in the wake of sexual assault allegations against him; Noth had vehemently denied the allegations.Today's Birthdays: Original Mouseketeer Tommy Cole (TV: "The Mickey Mouse Club") is 81. R&amp;B singer-musician Walter "Wolfman" Washington is 79. Rock musician-music producer Bobby Colomby is 78. Rock musician Peter Criss is 77. Former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is 76. Psychic/illusionist Uri Geller is 76. Producer Dick Wolf ("Law &amp; Order") is 76. Rock musician Alan Parsons is 74. Actor Jenny Agutter is 70. Actor Michael Badalucco is 68. Actor Blanche Baker is 66. Rock singer Billy Bragg is 65. Rock singer-musician Mike Watt (The Secondmen, Minutemen, fIREHOSE) is 65. Actor Joel Gretsch is 59. Country singer Kris Tyler is 58. Rock singer Chris Robinson is 56. Actor Nicole deBoer is 52. Movie director Todd Phillips is 52. Singer David Cook ("American Idol") is 40. Actor Jonah Hill is 39. Actor Bob Morley is 38. Singer JoJo is 32. Actor Colin Woodell is 31.

Today in History - December 20

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the death of a man whose body was found in rural Sumner County have&nbsp; suspects in custody. A tip from CrimeStoppers helped officer make a second arrest Thursday afternoon, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

On November 29, police were contacted by a 69-year-old man who reported 41-year-old Brent Boone, of Wichita, missing under unusual circumstances.

Boone was last seen on November 24, 2022, at 9:30 pm at his residence in the 1300 block of N. Pershing in Wichita before leaving in a vehicle with two individuals – identified as Valenciana and 19- year-old Tehya Turner, both of Wichita.

It is believed that an altercation occurred inside the car, during which Boone was killed.

On Wednesday, November 30, follow-up investigation led officers to a crime scene in the 9300 block of S. Pattie in Haysville, where they began processing evidence. Police located the vehicle on December 1, near 21st and Ridge, abandoned, according to Ditch.

Further investigation led officers to a rural area Southwest of Clearwater, one mile west of N Clearwater Road and 140th Ave N, where a body was located. Investigators with WPD and members of the Sumner County Sheriff's Office are working to confirm the body's identity, but at this time, it is believed to be Boone.

Police took Turner into custody Dec. 2 and she is being held on a $1 million dollar bond charged with first degree murder, burglary and possession of marijuana, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On Thursday, a Crime Stoppers tip identified a possible vehicle associated with Valenciana. Just after noon Thursday, police located the car near Wilma and Bluffview in Wichita, according to Macy. Officers attempted a traffic stop, resulting in a short pursuit. The pursuit ended when the vehicle crashed near Harry and Pinecrest, and the driver, 35-year-old Jeremy Moen of Wichita, was arrested and booked for traffic charges and a state parole warrant.

Further investigation revealed that Saul Valenciana was possibly inside a residence in the 1600 block of S. Parkwood. Units established a perimeter, made contact with Valenciana via phone, and began negotiations for his surrender.

Neighboring homes were evacuated as a precaution, and the WPD Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team and WPD crisis negotiators were called to the scene to assist. They made contact with another male inside the residence, and he was able to exit safely. Valenciana exited the home at approximately 3:23 p.m. and was taken into custody without incident.

During negotiations, information was received about potential explosive devices inside the residence. As a precaution, the WPD Bomb Squad was called in to assess the situation. The scene was deemed safe, and released to investigators.

Valenciana <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=366093">was booked into the</a> Sedgwick county jail and has been charged with murder, burglary, and theft, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671195110870.png" alt="Valenciana-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Valenciana-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the death of a man whose body was found in rural Sumner County have&nbsp; suspects in custody. A tip from CrimeStoppers helped officer make a second arrest Thursday afternoon, according to Officer Trevor Macy.On November 29, police were contacted by a 69-year-old man who reported 41-year-old Brent Boone, of Wichita, missing under unusual circumstances.Boone was last seen on November 24, 2022, at 9:30 pm at his residence in the 1300 block of N. Pershing in Wichita before leaving in a vehicle with two individuals – identified as Valenciana and 19- year-old Tehya Turner, both of Wichita.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670173983028.png" alt="-Turner-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>-Turner-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>It is believed that an altercation occurred inside the car, during which Boone was killed.On Wednesday, November 30, follow-up investigation led officers to a crime scene in the 9300 block of S. Pattie in Haysville, where they began processing evidence. Police located the vehicle on December 1, near 21st and Ridge, abandoned, according to Ditch.Further investigation led officers to a rural area Southwest of Clearwater, one mile west of N Clearwater Road and 140th Ave N, where a body was located. Investigators with WPD and members of the Sumner County Sheriff's Office are working to confirm the body's identity, but at this time, it is believed to be Boone.Police took Turner into custody Dec. 2 and she is being held on a $1 million dollar bond charged with first degree murder, burglary and possession of marijuana, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671201025906.png" alt="Moen-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Moen-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>On Thursday, a Crime Stoppers tip identified a possible vehicle associated with Valenciana. Just after noon Thursday, police located the car near Wilma and Bluffview in Wichita, according to Macy. Officers attempted a traffic stop, resulting in a short pursuit. The pursuit ended when the vehicle crashed near Harry and Pinecrest, and the driver, 35-year-old Jeremy Moen of Wichita, was arrested and booked for traffic charges and a state parole warrant.Further investigation revealed that Saul Valenciana was possibly inside a residence in the 1600 block of S. Parkwood. Units established a perimeter, made contact with Valenciana via phone, and began negotiations for his surrender.Neighboring homes were evacuated as a precaution, and the WPD Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team and WPD crisis negotiators were called to the scene to assist. They made contact with another male inside the residence, and he was able to exit safely. Valenciana exited the home at approximately 3:23 p.m. and was taken into custody without incident.During negotiations, information was received about potential explosive devices inside the residence. As a precaution, the WPD Bomb Squad was called in to assess the situation. The scene was deemed safe, and released to investigators.Valenciana <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=366093">was booked into the</a> Sedgwick county jail and has been charged with murder, burglary, and theft, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney.

Crime Stoppers tip helped police catch Kansas murder suspect

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man jailed on a <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20080133">$1.5 million dollar bond</a> in connection with the abduction of a girl from Arkansas is expected in court in Wichita Monday afternoon, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

A search warrant for the residence was completed, and David Roark was <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20080133">booked into the Sedgwick County Jail </a>on local requested charges of criminal restraint, aggravated indecent liberties with a child, abuse of a child and the two Kentucky warrants. The girl has been reunited with her family, according to Ditch.&nbsp;

Police presented the case to the District Attorney’s Office Friday morning, ahead of his court appearance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671221717558.png" alt="Roark-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Roark-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man jailed on a <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20080133">$1.5 million dollar bond</a> in connection with the abduction of a girl from Arkansas is expected in court in Wichita Monday afternoon, according to Officer Chad Ditch.Just after midnight Dec. 14, a detective with the White County, Arkansas Sheriff’s Office contacted Wichita Police requesting assistance locating a missing child from their jurisdiction, according to Officer Chad Ditch.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671287383491.png" alt="Security camera image White County, Arkansas sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image White County, Arkansas sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp; A 14-year-old girl had left her home in Arkansas in early November and not returned.&nbsp; A follow-up investigation by White County detectives revealed she had been <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=466582265583859&amp;set=pcb.461551719420247">seen in a convenience store</a> with a man before leaving in a vehicle with the same man later identified as 35-year-old&nbsp;David E. Roark of Wichita. Police also learned Roark was wanted on two warrants from the state of Kentucky.Additional information provided by White County suggested that Roark was possibly in the Wichita area. The Wichita Police Exploited and Missing Child Unit and the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit began investigating and located an address in the 1800 block of N. Litchfield in Wichita, where they believed Roark was staying. Police observed Roark leaving the home and took him into custody. Officers then found the missing girl in a closet inside the house. Police took both of them for additional interviews, where it was discovered further crimes had occurred in Wichita.A search warrant for the residence was completed, and David Roark was <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20080133">booked into the Sedgwick County Jail </a>on local requested charges of criminal restraint, aggravated indecent liberties with a child, abuse of a child and the two Kentucky warrants. The girl has been reunited with her family, according to Ditch.&nbsp;Police presented the case to the District Attorney’s Office Friday morning, ahead of his court appearance.

Kan. man accused of kidnapping 14-year-old is due in court

Today is Monday, Dec. 19, the 353rd day of 2022. There are 12 days left in the year.

On Dec. 19, 1998, President Bill Clinton was impeached by the Republican-controlled House for perjury and obstruction of justice. (Clinton was subsequently acquitted by the Senate.)

In 1777, during the American Revolutionary War, Gen. George Washington led his army of about 11,000 men to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, to camp for the winter.

In 1907, 239 workers died in a coal mine explosion in Jacobs Creek, Pennsylvania.

In 1946, war broke out in Indochina as troops under Ho Chi Minh launched widespread attacks against the French.

In 1950, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower was named commander of the military forces of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

In 1960, fire broke out on the hangar deck of the nearly completed aircraft carrier USS Constellation at the New York Naval Shipyard; 50 civilian workers were killed.

In 1972, Apollo 17 splashed down in the Pacific, winding up the Apollo program of manned lunar landings.

In 2001, the fires that had burned beneath the ruins of the World Trade Center in New York City for the previous three months were declared extinguished except for a few scattered hot spots.

In 2002, Secretary of State Colin Powell declared Iraq in "material breach" of a U.N. disarmament resolution.

In 2003, design plans were unveiled for the signature skyscraper — a 1,776-foot glass tower — at the site of the World Trade Center in New York City.

In 2008, citing imminent danger to the national economy, President George W. Bush ordered an emergency bailout of the U.S. auto industry.

In 2011, North Korea announced the death two days earlier of leader Kim Jong Il; North Koreans marched by the thousands to mourn their "Dear Leader" while state media proclaimed his youngest son, Kim Jong Un, a "Great Successor."

In 2016, a truck rammed into a crowded Christmas market in central Berlin, killing 12 people in an attack claimed by Islamic State. (The suspected attacker was killed in a police shootout four days later.) A Turkish policeman fatally shot Russian ambassador Andrei Karlov at a photo exhibit in Ankara. (The assailant was later killed in a police shootout.)

Ten years ago: Four State Department officials resigned under pressure, less than a day after a damning report blamed management failures for a lack of security at the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, where militants killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans. Park Geun-hye, daughter of late South Korean President Park Chung-hee, was elected the country's first female president.

Five years ago: A bus carrying cruise ship passengers on an excursion to Mayan ruins in southeastern Mexico flipped over on a narrow highway, killing 11 travelers and their guide and injuring about 20 others; eight Americans were among those killed. U.S. health officials approved the nation's first gene therapy for an inherited disease, a treatment that improves the sight of patients with a rare form of blindness. David Wright, a Massachusetts man who was convicted of leading a plot inspired by the Islamic State to behead conservative blogger Pamela Geller, was sentenced in Boston to 28 years in prison.

One year ago: Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia said he could not support his party's signature $2 trillion social and environment bill, dealing a seemingly fatal blow to President Joe Biden's leading domestic initiative. (Congress would approve a smaller but still substantive compromise measure in August 2022.) The NHL and its players association temporarily clamped down on teams crossing the Canadian border and shut down operations of two more teams in hopes of salvaging the season as COVID-19 outbreaks spread across the league. Gabriel Boric, a leftist millennial who rose to prominence during anti-government protests, was elected Chile's next president. Despite rising concerns over the omicron variant, "Spider-Man: No Way Home" achieved the third-best opening of all time; studio estimates showed that the Sony and Marvel blockbuster grossed $253 million in ticket sales in North America.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Elaine Joyce is 79. Actor Tim Reid is 78. Musician John McEuen is 77. Singer Janie Fricke is 75. Jazz musician Lenny White is 73. Actor Mike Lookinland is 62. Actor Scott Cohen is 61. Actor Jennifer Beals is 59. Actor Robert MacNaughton is 56. Magician Criss Angel is 55. Rock musician Klaus Eichstadt (Ugly Kid Joe) is 55. Actor Ken Marino is 54. Actor Elvis Nolasco is 54. Actor Kristy Swanson is 53. Model Tyson Beckford is 52. Actor Amy Locane is 51. Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Sapp is 50. Actor Rosa Blasi is 50. Actor Alyssa Milano is 50. Actor Tara Summers is 43. Actor Jake Gyllenhaal is 42. Actor Marla Sokoloff is 42. Rapper Lady Sovereign is 37. Journalist Ronan Farrow is 35. Actor Nik Dodani is 29.

<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, Dec. 19, the 353rd day of 2022. There are 12 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On Dec. 19, 1998, President Bill Clinton was impeached by the Republican-controlled House for perjury and obstruction of justice. (Clinton was subsequently acquitted by the Senate.)On this date:In 1777, during the American Revolutionary War, Gen. George Washington led his army of about 11,000 men to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, to camp for the winter.In 1907, 239 workers died in a coal mine explosion in Jacobs Creek, Pennsylvania.In 1946, war broke out in Indochina as troops under Ho Chi Minh launched widespread attacks against the French.In 1950, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower was named commander of the military forces of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.In 1960, fire broke out on the hangar deck of the nearly completed aircraft carrier USS Constellation at the New York Naval Shipyard; 50 civilian workers were killed.In 1972, Apollo 17 splashed down in the Pacific, winding up the Apollo program of manned lunar landings.In 2001, the fires that had burned beneath the ruins of the World Trade Center in New York City for the previous three months were declared extinguished except for a few scattered hot spots.In 2002, Secretary of State Colin Powell declared Iraq in "material breach" of a U.N. disarmament resolution.In 2003, design plans were unveiled for the signature skyscraper — a 1,776-foot glass tower — at the site of the World Trade Center in New York City.In 2008, citing imminent danger to the national economy, President George W. Bush ordered an emergency bailout of the U.S. auto industry.In 2011, North Korea announced the death two days earlier of leader Kim Jong Il; North Koreans marched by the thousands to mourn their "Dear Leader" while state media proclaimed his youngest son, Kim Jong Un, a "Great Successor."In 2016, a truck rammed into a crowded Christmas market in central Berlin, killing 12 people in an attack claimed by Islamic State. (The suspected attacker was killed in a police shootout four days later.) A Turkish policeman fatally shot Russian ambassador Andrei Karlov at a photo exhibit in Ankara. (The assailant was later killed in a police shootout.)Ten years ago: Four State Department officials resigned under pressure, less than a day after a damning report blamed management failures for a lack of security at the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, where militants killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans. Park Geun-hye, daughter of late South Korean President Park Chung-hee, was elected the country's first female president.Five years ago: A bus carrying cruise ship passengers on an excursion to Mayan ruins in southeastern Mexico flipped over on a narrow highway, killing 11 travelers and their guide and injuring about 20 others; eight Americans were among those killed. U.S. health officials approved the nation's first gene therapy for an inherited disease, a treatment that improves the sight of patients with a rare form of blindness. David Wright, a Massachusetts man who was convicted of leading a plot inspired by the Islamic State to behead conservative blogger Pamela Geller, was sentenced in Boston to 28 years in prison.One year ago: Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia said he could not support his party's signature $2 trillion social and environment bill, dealing a seemingly fatal blow to President Joe Biden's leading domestic initiative. (Congress would approve a smaller but still substantive compromise measure in August 2022.) The NHL and its players association temporarily clamped down on teams crossing the Canadian border and shut down operations of two more teams in hopes of salvaging the season as COVID-19 outbreaks spread across the league. Gabriel Boric, a leftist millennial who rose to prominence during anti-government protests, was elected Chile's next president. Despite rising concerns over the omicron variant, "Spider-Man: No Way Home" achieved the third-best opening of all time; studio estimates showed that the Sony and Marvel blockbuster grossed $253 million in ticket sales in North America.Today's Birthdays: Actor Elaine Joyce is 79. Actor Tim Reid is 78. Musician John McEuen is 77. Singer Janie Fricke is 75. Jazz musician Lenny White is 73. Actor Mike Lookinland is 62. Actor Scott Cohen is 61. Actor Jennifer Beals is 59. Actor Robert MacNaughton is 56. Magician Criss Angel is 55. Rock musician Klaus Eichstadt (Ugly Kid Joe) is 55. Actor Ken Marino is 54. Actor Elvis Nolasco is 54. Actor Kristy Swanson is 53. Model Tyson Beckford is 52. Actor Amy Locane is 51. Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Sapp is 50. Actor Rosa Blasi is 50. Actor Alyssa Milano is 50. Actor Tara Summers is 43. Actor Jake Gyllenhaal is 42. Actor Marla Sokoloff is 42. Rapper Lady Sovereign is 37. Journalist Ronan Farrow is 35. Actor Nik Dodani is 29.

Today in History - December 19

Today is Sunday, Dec. 18, the 352nd day of 2022. There are 13 days left in the year.

On Dec. 18, 2019, the U.S. House impeached President Donald Trump on two charges, sending his case to the Senate for trial; the articles of impeachment accused him of abusing the power of the presidency to investigate rival Joe Biden ahead of the 2020 election and then obstructing Congress' investigation. (It was the first of two Trump impeachment trials that would end in acquittal by the Senate.)

In 1865, the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, abolishing slavery, was declared in effect by Secretary of State William H. Seward.

In 1892, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet "The Nutcracker" publicly premiered in St. Petersburg, Russia; although now considered a classic, it received a generally negative reception from critics.

In 1917, Congress passed the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibiting "the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors" and sent it to the states for ratification.

In 1940, Adolf Hitler signed a secret directive ordering preparations for a Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union. (Operation Barbarossa was launched in June 1941.)

In 1944, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the government's wartime evacuation of people of Japanese descent from the West Coast while at the same time ruling that "concededly loyal" Americans of Japanese ancestry could not continue to be detained.

In 1957, the Shippingport Atomic Power Station in Pennsylvania, the first nuclear facility to generate electricity in the United States, went on line. (It was taken out of service in 1982.)

In 1958, the world's first communications satellite, SCORE (Signal Communication by Orbiting Relay Equipment), nicknamed "Chatterbox," was launched by the United States aboard an Atlas rocket.

In 1969, Britain's House of Lords joined the House of Commons in making permanent a 1965 ban on the death penalty for murder.

In 1992, Kim Young-sam was elected South Korea's first civilian president in three decades.

In 2003, two federal appeals courts ruled the U.S. military could not indefinitely hold prisoners without access to lawyers or American courts.

In 2011, the last convoy of heavily armored U.S. troops left Iraq, crossing into Kuwait in darkness in the final moments of a nine-year war. Vaclav Havel, 75, the dissident playwright who became Czechoslovakia's first democratically elected president, died in the northern Czech Republic.

In 2020, the U.S. added a second COVID-19 vaccine to its arsenal, as the Food and Drug Administration authorized an emergency rollout of the vaccine developed by Moderna Inc. and the National Institutes of Health; a vaccine from Pfizer Inc. and Germany's BioNTech was already being dispensed.

Ten years ago: Classes resumed in Newtown, Connecticut, except at Sandy Hook Elementary School, the scene of a massacre four days earlier. Two bank robbers pulled off a daring escape from downtown Chicago's high-rise jail by scaling down 17 stories using a makeshift rope. (Kenneth Conley and Jose Banks were later recaptured.) Texas A&amp;M quarterback Johnny Manziel became the first freshman to be voted The Associated Press Player of the Year in college football.

Five years ago: An Amtrak train making the first-ever run along a faster route hurtled off an overpass south of Seattle and spilled some of its cars onto the highway below; three people were killed and dozens were hurt. (Investigators found that the train was traveling 80 mph in a 30 mph zone.) A fire and blackout at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world's busiest, forced the cancellation of more than 1,500 flights just days before the start of the Christmas rush; airlines said some of the grounded travelers would have to wait days before there would be available seats on flights. The Los Angeles Lakers retired numbers 8 and 24, both of the jersey numbers worn by Kobe Bryant, the leading scorer in franchise history.

One year ago: Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said all of the people reported missing in Kentucky after tornadoes swept through the state a week earlier had been accounted for; more than 90 people were confirmed dead in five states, including 81 in Kentucky. Nations across Europe moved to reimpose tougher measures to stem a new wave of COVID-19 infections spurred by the highly transmissible omicron variant, with the Netherlands leading the way by imposing a nationwide lockdown. "Saturday Night Live" aired without a live audience, and with only limited cast and crew, due to a recent spike in the omicron variant.

Today's Birthdays: Rock musician Keith Richards is 79. Writer-director Alan Rudolph is 79. Movie producer-director Steven Spielberg is 76. Blues artist Rod Piazza is 75. Movie director Gillian Armstrong is 72. Movie reviewer Leonard Maltin is 72. Rock musician Elliot Easton is 69. Comedian Ron White is 66. R&amp;B singer Angie Stone is 61. Actor Brad Pitt is 59. Professional wrestler-turned-actor "Stone Cold" Steve Austin is 58. Actor Shawn Christian is 57. Actor Rachel Griffiths is 54. Singer Alejandro Sanz is 54. Actor Casper Van Dien is 54. Country/rap singer Cowboy Troy is 52. International Tennis Hall of Famer Arantxa Sanchez Vicario is 51. DJ Lethal (Limp Bizkit) is 50. Pop singer Sia is 47. Country singer Randy Houser is 46. Actor Josh Dallas is 44. Actor Katie Holmes is 44. Actor Ravi Patel is 44. Singer Christina Aguilera is 42. Actor Ashley Benson is 33. NHL defenseman Victor Hedman is 32. Actor-singer Bridgit Mendler is 30. MLB outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. is 25. Electro-pop singer Billie Eilish is 21. Actor Isabella Crovetti is 18.

<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, Dec. 18, the 352nd day of 2022. There are 13 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On Dec. 18, 2019, the U.S. House impeached President Donald Trump on two charges, sending his case to the Senate for trial; the articles of impeachment accused him of abusing the power of the presidency to investigate rival Joe Biden ahead of the 2020 election and then obstructing Congress' investigation. (It was the first of two Trump impeachment trials that would end in acquittal by the Senate.)On this date:In 1865, the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, abolishing slavery, was declared in effect by Secretary of State William H. Seward.In 1892, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet "The Nutcracker" publicly premiered in St. Petersburg, Russia; although now considered a classic, it received a generally negative reception from critics.In 1917, Congress passed the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibiting "the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors" and sent it to the states for ratification.In 1940, Adolf Hitler signed a secret directive ordering preparations for a Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union. (Operation Barbarossa was launched in June 1941.)In 1944, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the government's wartime evacuation of people of Japanese descent from the West Coast while at the same time ruling that "concededly loyal" Americans of Japanese ancestry could not continue to be detained.In 1957, the Shippingport Atomic Power Station in Pennsylvania, the first nuclear facility to generate electricity in the United States, went on line. (It was taken out of service in 1982.)In 1958, the world's first communications satellite, SCORE (Signal Communication by Orbiting Relay Equipment), nicknamed "Chatterbox," was launched by the United States aboard an Atlas rocket.In 1969, Britain's House of Lords joined the House of Commons in making permanent a 1965 ban on the death penalty for murder.In 1992, Kim Young-sam was elected South Korea's first civilian president in three decades.In 2003, two federal appeals courts ruled the U.S. military could not indefinitely hold prisoners without access to lawyers or American courts.In 2011, the last convoy of heavily armored U.S. troops left Iraq, crossing into Kuwait in darkness in the final moments of a nine-year war. Vaclav Havel, 75, the dissident playwright who became Czechoslovakia's first democratically elected president, died in the northern Czech Republic.In 2020, the U.S. added a second COVID-19 vaccine to its arsenal, as the Food and Drug Administration authorized an emergency rollout of the vaccine developed by Moderna Inc. and the National Institutes of Health; a vaccine from Pfizer Inc. and Germany's BioNTech was already being dispensed.Ten years ago: Classes resumed in Newtown, Connecticut, except at Sandy Hook Elementary School, the scene of a massacre four days earlier. Two bank robbers pulled off a daring escape from downtown Chicago's high-rise jail by scaling down 17 stories using a makeshift rope. (Kenneth Conley and Jose Banks were later recaptured.) Texas A&amp;M quarterback Johnny Manziel became the first freshman to be voted The Associated Press Player of the Year in college football.Five years ago: An Amtrak train making the first-ever run along a faster route hurtled off an overpass south of Seattle and spilled some of its cars onto the highway below; three people were killed and dozens were hurt. (Investigators found that the train was traveling 80 mph in a 30 mph zone.) A fire and blackout at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world's busiest, forced the cancellation of more than 1,500 flights just days before the start of the Christmas rush; airlines said some of the grounded travelers would have to wait days before there would be available seats on flights. The Los Angeles Lakers retired numbers 8 and 24, both of the jersey numbers worn by Kobe Bryant, the leading scorer in franchise history.One year ago: Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said all of the people reported missing in Kentucky after tornadoes swept through the state a week earlier had been accounted for; more than 90 people were confirmed dead in five states, including 81 in Kentucky. Nations across Europe moved to reimpose tougher measures to stem a new wave of COVID-19 infections spurred by the highly transmissible omicron variant, with the Netherlands leading the way by imposing a nationwide lockdown. "Saturday Night Live" aired without a live audience, and with only limited cast and crew, due to a recent spike in the omicron variant.Today's Birthdays: Rock musician Keith Richards is 79. Writer-director Alan Rudolph is 79. Movie producer-director Steven Spielberg is 76. Blues artist Rod Piazza is 75. Movie director Gillian Armstrong is 72. Movie reviewer Leonard Maltin is 72. Rock musician Elliot Easton is 69. Comedian Ron White is 66. R&amp;B singer Angie Stone is 61. Actor Brad Pitt is 59. Professional wrestler-turned-actor "Stone Cold" Steve Austin is 58. Actor Shawn Christian is 57. Actor Rachel Griffiths is 54. Singer Alejandro Sanz is 54. Actor Casper Van Dien is 54. Country/rap singer Cowboy Troy is 52. International Tennis Hall of Famer Arantxa Sanchez Vicario is 51. DJ Lethal (Limp Bizkit) is 50. Pop singer Sia is 47. Country singer Randy Houser is 46. Actor Josh Dallas is 44. Actor Katie Holmes is 44. Actor Ravi Patel is 44. Singer Christina Aguilera is 42. Actor Ashley Benson is 33. NHL defenseman Victor Hedman is 32. Actor-singer Bridgit Mendler is 30. MLB outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. is 25. Electro-pop singer Billie Eilish is 21. Actor Isabella Crovetti is 18.

Today in History - December 18

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man in connection with the abduction of a girl from Arkansas.

Police presented the case to the District Attorney’s Office Friday morning. Roark is expected to make a first appearance in court on Monday. <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20080133">He is being held on </a>a $1.5 million dollar bond, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671221717558.png" alt="Roark-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Roark-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man in connection with the abduction of a girl from Arkansas.Just after midnight Dec. 14, a detective with the White County, Arkansas Sheriff’s Office contacted Wichita Police requesting assistance locating a missing child from their jurisdiction, according to Officer Chad Ditch.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671287383491.png" alt="Security camera image White County, Arkansas sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image White County, Arkansas sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp; A 14-year-old girl had left her home in Arkansas in early November and not returned.&nbsp; A follow-up investigation by White County detectives revealed she had been <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=466582265583859&amp;set=pcb.461551719420247">seen in a convenience store</a> with a man before leaving in a vehicle with the same man later identified as 35-year-old&nbsp;David E. Roark of Wichita. Police also learned Roark was wanted on two warrants from the state of Kentucky.Additional information provided by White County suggested that Roark was possibly in the Wichita area. The Wichita Police Exploited and Missing Child Unit and the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit began investigating and located an address in the 1800 block of N. Litchfield in Wichita, where they believed Roark was staying. Police observed Roark leaving the home and took him into custody. Officers then found the missing girl in a closet inside the house. Police took both of them for additional interviews, where it was discovered further crimes had occurred in Wichita.A search warrant for the residence was completed, and David Roark was <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20080133">booked into the Sedgwick County Jail </a>on local requested charges of criminal restraint, aggravated indecent liberties with a child, abuse of a child and the two Kentucky warrants. The girl has been reunited with her family, according to Ditch.&nbsp;Police presented the case to the District Attorney’s Office Friday morning. Roark is expected to make a first appearance in court on Monday. <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20080133">He is being held on </a>a $1.5 million dollar bond, according to online jail records.

Missing 14-year-old Arkansas girl found in closet in Kansas

Today is Saturday, Dec. 17, the 351st day of 2022. There are 14 days left in the year.

On Dec. 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright of Dayton, Ohio, conducted the first successful manned powered-airplane flights near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, using their experimental craft, the Wright Flyer.

In 1777, France recognized American independence.

In 1933, in the inaugural NFL championship football game, the Chicago Bears defeated the New York Giants, 23-21, at Wrigley Field.

In 1944, the U.S. War Department announced it was ending its policy of excluding people of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast.

In 1957, the United States successfully test-fired the Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time.

In 1969, the U.S. Air Force closed its Project "Blue Book" by concluding there was no evidence of extraterrestrial spaceships behind thousands of UFO sightings.

In 1975, Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme was sentenced in Sacramento, California, to life in prison for her attempt on the life of President Gerald R. Ford. (She was paroled in Aug. 2009.)

In 1979, Arthur McDuffie, a Black insurance executive, was beaten by police after leading them on a chase with his motorcycle in Miami. McDuffie died in a hospital four days later. (Four white police officers accused of beating McDuffie were later acquitted, sparking riots.)

In 1992, President George H.W. Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari signed the North American Free Trade Agreement in separate ceremonies. (After President Donald Trump demanded a new deal, the three countries signed a replacement agreement in 2018.)

In 2011, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il died after more than a decade of iron rule; he was 69, according to official records, but some reports indicated he was 70.

In 2014, the United States and Cuba restored diplomatic relations, sweeping away one of the last vestiges of the Cold War.

In 2018, a report from the Senate intelligence committee found that Russia's political disinformation campaign on U.S. social media was more far-reaching than originally thought, with troll farms working to discourage Black voters and "blur the lines between reality and fiction" to help elect Donald Trump.

In 2020, a government advisory panel endorsed a second COVID-19 vaccine, paving the way for the shot from Moderna and the National Institutes of Health to be added to the U.S. vaccination campaign.

Ten years ago: Newtown, Connecticut, began laying its dead to rest, holding funerals for two 6-year-old boys, the first of the 20 children killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre. A pair of NASA spacecraft, named Ebb and Flow, were deliberately crashed into a mountain near the moon's north pole, ending a mission that peered into the lunar interior. Longtime Democratic U.S. senator and World War II hero Daniel Inouye of Hawaii died in Bethesda, Maryland, at age 88.

Five years ago: Facing an investigation of allegations of sexual misconduct and using racist language, Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson announced that he would sell the NFL team after the season. "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" took in $220 million in its debut weekend in North America, good for the second-best opening ever and behind only its predecessor, "The Force Awakens." French sailor Francois Gabart broke the record for sailing around the world alone, circumnavigating the planet in just 42 days and 16 hours.

One year ago: A federal appeals court panel ruled that President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate for larger private employers could take effect. (Weeks later, the Supreme Court rejected that mandate.) A Florida man, 54-year-old Robert Palmer, who had attacked police officers trying to hold back the angry mob at the Capitol on Jan. 6, was sentenced to more than five years behind bars. The National Labor Relations Board confirmed a vote to form a union at a Starbucks store in Buffalo; the coffee retailer, for the first time, would have to bargain with organized labor at a company-owned U.S. store. A fire that spread from a fourth-floor mental clinic in an eight-story building in downtown Osaka in western Japan left 25 dead. (A clinic patient suspected of starting the fire died two weeks later at a hospital where he was being treated for burns and smoke inhalation.)

Today's Birthdays: Actor Armin Mueller-Stahl is 92. Pope Francis is 86. Singer-actor Tommy Steele is 86. Actor Bernard Hill is 78. Actor Ernie Hudson is 77. Comedian-actor Eugene Levy is 76. Actor Marilyn Hassett is 75. Actor Wes Studi is 75. Pop musician Jim Bonfanti (The Raspberries) is 74. Actor Joel Brooks is 73. Rock singer Paul Rodgers is 73. R&amp;B singer Wanda Hutchinson Vaughn (The Emotions) is 71. Actor Bill Pullman is 69. Actor Barry Livingston is 69. Country singer Sharon White is 69. Producer-director-writer Peter Farrelly is 66. Rock musician Mike Mills (R.E.M.) is 64. Pop singer Sarah Dallin (Bananarama) is 61. Country singer Tracy Byrd is 56. Country musician Duane Propes is 56. Actor Laurie Holden is 53. DJ Homicide (Sugar Ray) is 52. Actor Sean Patrick Thomas is 52. Actor Claire Forlani is 51. Pop-rock musician Eddie Fisher (OneRepublic) is 49. Actor Sarah Paulson is 48. Actor Marissa Ribisi is 48. Actor Giovanni Ribisi is 48. Actor Milla Jovovich is 47. Singer Bree Sharp is 47. Singer-songwriter Ben Goldwasser (MGMT) is 40. Rock singer Mikky Ekko is 39. Actor Shannon Woodward is 38. Actor Emma Bell is 36. Actor Vanessa Zima is 36. Rock musician Taylor York (Paramore) is 33. Actor Graham Rogers is 32. Actor-singer Nat Wolff is 28.

<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 Saturday, Dec. 17, the 351st day of 2022. There are 14 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On Dec. 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright of Dayton, Ohio, conducted the first successful manned powered-airplane flights near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, using their experimental craft, the Wright Flyer.On this date:In 1777, France recognized American independence.In 1933, in the inaugural NFL championship football game, the Chicago Bears defeated the New York Giants, 23-21, at Wrigley Field.In 1944, the U.S. War Department announced it was ending its policy of excluding people of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast.In 1957, the United States successfully test-fired the Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time.In 1969, the U.S. Air Force closed its Project "Blue Book" by concluding there was no evidence of extraterrestrial spaceships behind thousands of UFO sightings.In 1975, Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme was sentenced in Sacramento, California, to life in prison for her attempt on the life of President Gerald R. Ford. (She was paroled in Aug. 2009.)In 1979, Arthur McDuffie, a Black insurance executive, was beaten by police after leading them on a chase with his motorcycle in Miami. McDuffie died in a hospital four days later. (Four white police officers accused of beating McDuffie were later acquitted, sparking riots.)In 1992, President George H.W. Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari signed the North American Free Trade Agreement in separate ceremonies. (After President Donald Trump demanded a new deal, the three countries signed a replacement agreement in 2018.)In 2011, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il died after more than a decade of iron rule; he was 69, according to official records, but some reports indicated he was 70.In 2014, the United States and Cuba restored diplomatic relations, sweeping away one of the last vestiges of the Cold War.In 2018, a report from the Senate intelligence committee found that Russia's political disinformation campaign on U.S. social media was more far-reaching than originally thought, with troll farms working to discourage Black voters and "blur the lines between reality and fiction" to help elect Donald Trump.In 2020, a government advisory panel endorsed a second COVID-19 vaccine, paving the way for the shot from Moderna and the National Institutes of Health to be added to the U.S. vaccination campaign.Ten years ago: Newtown, Connecticut, began laying its dead to rest, holding funerals for two 6-year-old boys, the first of the 20 children killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre. A pair of NASA spacecraft, named Ebb and Flow, were deliberately crashed into a mountain near the moon's north pole, ending a mission that peered into the lunar interior. Longtime Democratic U.S. senator and World War II hero Daniel Inouye of Hawaii died in Bethesda, Maryland, at age 88.Five years ago: Facing an investigation of allegations of sexual misconduct and using racist language, Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson announced that he would sell the NFL team after the season. "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" took in $220 million in its debut weekend in North America, good for the second-best opening ever and behind only its predecessor, "The Force Awakens." French sailor Francois Gabart broke the record for sailing around the world alone, circumnavigating the planet in just 42 days and 16 hours.One year ago: A federal appeals court panel ruled that President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate for larger private employers could take effect. (Weeks later, the Supreme Court rejected that mandate.) A Florida man, 54-year-old Robert Palmer, who had attacked police officers trying to hold back the angry mob at the Capitol on Jan. 6, was sentenced to more than five years behind bars. The National Labor Relations Board confirmed a vote to form a union at a Starbucks store in Buffalo; the coffee retailer, for the first time, would have to bargain with organized labor at a company-owned U.S. store. A fire that spread from a fourth-floor mental clinic in an eight-story building in downtown Osaka in western Japan left 25 dead. (A clinic patient suspected of starting the fire died two weeks later at a hospital where he was being treated for burns and smoke inhalation.)Today's Birthdays: Actor Armin Mueller-Stahl is 92. Pope Francis is 86. Singer-actor Tommy Steele is 86. Actor Bernard Hill is 78. Actor Ernie Hudson is 77. Comedian-actor Eugene Levy is 76. Actor Marilyn Hassett is 75. Actor Wes Studi is 75. Pop musician Jim Bonfanti (The Raspberries) is 74. Actor Joel Brooks is 73. Rock singer Paul Rodgers is 73. R&amp;B singer Wanda Hutchinson Vaughn (The Emotions) is 71. Actor Bill Pullman is 69. Actor Barry Livingston is 69. Country singer Sharon White is 69. Producer-director-writer Peter Farrelly is 66. Rock musician Mike Mills (R.E.M.) is 64. Pop singer Sarah Dallin (Bananarama) is 61. Country singer Tracy Byrd is 56. Country musician Duane Propes is 56. Actor Laurie Holden is 53. DJ Homicide (Sugar Ray) is 52. Actor Sean Patrick Thomas is 52. Actor Claire Forlani is 51. Pop-rock musician Eddie Fisher (OneRepublic) is 49. Actor Sarah Paulson is 48. Actor Marissa Ribisi is 48. Actor Giovanni Ribisi is 48. Actor Milla Jovovich is 47. Singer Bree Sharp is 47. Singer-songwriter Ben Goldwasser (MGMT) is 40. Rock singer Mikky Ekko is 39. Actor Shannon Woodward is 38. Actor Emma Bell is 36. Actor Vanessa Zima is 36. Rock musician Taylor York (Paramore) is 33. Actor Graham Rogers is 32. Actor-singer Nat Wolff is 28.

Today in History - December 17

Ivan R. Edsall, age 76 of Victoria, Kansas, passed away Thursday, December 15, 2022, at Brookdale Assisted Living Center of Salina.

He was born October 19, 1946, at Hays, Kansas, to Theron C. and Anna Barbara (Weber) Edsall. &nbsp;He married Kathleen Ann (Braun)-Spiess {his favorite fishing partner} on March 23, 1996, at Hays, Kansas. &nbsp;She preceded him in death on December 16, 2017.

He retired from Dreiling Oil of Victoria, Kansas, in 2018, as production foreman. &nbsp;He worked for Dreiling Oil for over 45 years, and prior to the oil division he worked on the Dreiling’s farm for ten years. &nbsp;Ivan grew up on the family farm North of Victoria, was a graduate of Victoria High School, and a member of The Basilica of St. Fidelis.

Survivors include his stepchildren, Jason Spiess, Paradise, KS; Kelly Wellbrock and husband, Brett, Salina, KS; Melanie Dennis and husband, Travis, Salina, KS; his step grandchildren, Sophia,&nbsp;Gage, and&nbsp;Jace&nbsp;Spiess; &nbsp;Carson and Julia Wellbrock; James and&nbsp;Michael Dennis; and his four legged friend, Coco.

Ivan was preceded in death by his parents, Claude and Anna;&nbsp;his wife, Kathy;&nbsp;his brothers, Frank and Daniel Edsall. &nbsp;

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 A.M. Thursday, December 22, 2022, at The Basilica of St. Fidelis, Victoria, Kansas with Father James Moster O.F.M. Cap. &nbsp;officiation. &nbsp;Inurnment will be in &nbsp;St. Fidelis Cemetery, Victoria, Kansas.

A vigil service and rosary will be at 6:30 P.M. Wednesday, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary,&nbsp;412 Main&nbsp;Street,&nbsp;Victoria, Kansas&nbsp;67671.

Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Wednesday, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, Victoria, Kansas 67671, and from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M. Thursday, at The Basilica of St. Fidelis.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials made payable to:&nbsp;Interim Healthcare of Salina (Hospice) in care of the mortuary.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Condolences can be sent via e-mail to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:clinesmortuary@eaglecom.net">clinesmortuary@eaglecom.net</a>&nbsp;or can be left at guest book at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com/">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671246804458.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Ivan R. Edsall, age 76 of Victoria, Kansas, passed away Thursday, December 15, 2022, at Brookdale Assisted Living Center of Salina.He was born October 19, 1946, at Hays, Kansas, to Theron C. and Anna Barbara (Weber) Edsall. &nbsp;He married Kathleen Ann (Braun)-Spiess {his favorite fishing partner} on March 23, 1996, at Hays, Kansas. &nbsp;She preceded him in death on December 16, 2017.He retired from Dreiling Oil of Victoria, Kansas, in 2018, as production foreman. &nbsp;He worked for Dreiling Oil for over 45 years, and prior to the oil division he worked on the Dreiling’s farm for ten years. &nbsp;Ivan grew up on the family farm North of Victoria, was a graduate of Victoria High School, and a member of The Basilica of St. Fidelis.Survivors include his stepchildren, Jason Spiess, Paradise, KS; Kelly Wellbrock and husband, Brett, Salina, KS; Melanie Dennis and husband, Travis, Salina, KS; his step grandchildren, Sophia,&nbsp;Gage, and&nbsp;Jace&nbsp;Spiess; &nbsp;Carson and Julia Wellbrock; James and&nbsp;Michael Dennis; and his four legged friend, Coco.Ivan was preceded in death by his parents, Claude and Anna;&nbsp;his wife, Kathy;&nbsp;his brothers, Frank and Daniel Edsall. &nbsp;Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 A.M. Thursday, December 22, 2022, at The Basilica of St. Fidelis, Victoria, Kansas with Father James Moster O.F.M. Cap. &nbsp;officiation. &nbsp;Inurnment will be in &nbsp;St. Fidelis Cemetery, Victoria, Kansas.A vigil service and rosary will be at 6:30 P.M. Wednesday, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary,&nbsp;412 Main&nbsp;Street,&nbsp;Victoria, Kansas&nbsp;67671.Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Wednesday, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, Victoria, Kansas 67671, and from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M. Thursday, at The Basilica of St. Fidelis.In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials made payable to:&nbsp;Interim Healthcare of Salina (Hospice) in care of the mortuary.&nbsp;&nbsp;Condolences can be sent via e-mail to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:clinesmortuary@eaglecom.net">clinesmortuary@eaglecom.net</a>&nbsp;or can be left at guest book at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com/">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>

Ivan R. Edsall

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and have made an arrest.

Just before 8:30p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;Wednesday,&nbsp; police responded to the 4300 block of SW 15th Street in Topeka after reports of gunshots, according to Lt. Donna Eubanks.

Moments later, police received the report of a shooting in the 4400 block of SW 34th Street where officers found a woman with a non-life threatening gunshot wound. She was transported to a local hospital.&nbsp;

As a result of the investigation, police arrested 20-year-old Alize Joy Lay of Topeka on a requested charge of Aggravated Assault. She posted bond and is no longer in custody, according to online booking records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671191474474.png" alt="Lay-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Lay-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and have made an arrest.Just before 8:30p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;Wednesday,&nbsp; police responded to the 4300 block of SW 15th Street in Topeka after reports of gunshots, according to Lt. Donna Eubanks.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671112083003.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Moments later, police received the report of a shooting in the 4400 block of SW 34th Street where officers found a woman with a non-life threatening gunshot wound. She was transported to a local hospital.&nbsp;As a result of the investigation, police arrested 20-year-old Alize Joy Lay of Topeka on a requested charge of Aggravated Assault. She posted bond and is no longer in custody, according to online booking records.

Kan. woman accused of shooting that sent woman to the hospital

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A 25-year veteran was chosen Thursday to lead the Kansas City police department, which is embroiled in internal and external controversies.

The Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners chose Stacey Graves, the current acting deputy chief, making her the first woman to become the permanent police chief in the department's nearly 150-year history. Two other women have served as interim chiefs.

Graves takes over a department under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-discrimination-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-7a3d4c84f6e3ba8bb97b5c49e5287408">federal investigation</a>&nbsp;for possible racial discrimination in its hiring practices. And the board of commissioners announced this week that it will hire an outside investigator to examine a former city attorney's whistleblower complaint that the department hid criminal case evidence and denied public records requests.

That comes after years of complaints from civil rights groups about officer misconduct and the department's often secretive handling of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-kansas-city-missouri-2b9c7ba78d664bb1d4d7a953e47f9530">excessive force complaints</a>, leading to a strained relationship with the public in a city where about 28% of its 508,000 residents are Black.

The department also faces a shortage of officers at a time when Kansas City has a high rate of violent crime and homicides.

Graves replaces Joseph Mabin, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-police-kansas-city-missouri-7491694fde16266905a51496c470cc5e">appointed interim police</a>&nbsp;chief when the embattled former chief, Rick Smith, left the department amid controversy in April 2021.

Graves said during a news conference that one of her first steps as chief will be to build bridges so the department, city leaders and community members can work together to make Kansas City safe.

She also promised the department will be “an open book” while dealing with the U.S. Department of Justice investigation and other issues.

“I will be that front-facing communicator that this city wants and needs,” Graves said. “If there's something that we're doing wrong, the motto is ‘mess up, ’fess up and move on.' And the ‘move on’ isn't forget about it. It's learn from it and move forward in a better way.”

Pastor Darron Edwards, one of several community activists who has criticized the department, said Thursday that Graves was the right choice to “hit the ground running” and address the community's concerns.

“I believe she will be a communicator and a collaborator, which this city hasn't seen from the police department in the last five years,” Edwards said. “The board, which I have criticized in the past, got this right.”

Graves joined the Kansas City police force in 1997 as a civilian in the records department. She had since held several positions including patrol officer, detective, internal affairs, spokeswoman and division commander.

Graves was the only Kansas City officer among the three finalists for the job. Mayor Quinton Lucas said Thursday that was not a deciding factor in choosing Graves.

He said the board focused on the candidates' plans for making the city safer, a long-term vision to address violent crime, and ensuring any changes will have support from officers and community members.

Graves has a track record of working with community organizations, fellow officers, prosecutors and others, Lucas said.

“She's somebody's who's going to do the work to make sure that past any personalities and any politics, we're trying to get things done,” Lucas said. “And I think in connection with the DOJ investigation, any lawsuits, anything that comes up, you'll see this department be as open as it can.”

Edwards said he hoped Graves would meet with consenting and dissenting voices to work on making the city safer in every zip code, ridding the department of “bad apples,” and changing the department's culture, starting with her choices for four deputy chief positions.

“She has a big challenge,” Edwards said. “But I believe many people at the executive level are ready to help her move the department forward and away from (Smith's) legacy.”

Tension also exists because Kansas City is the largest city in the U.S. that is controlled by a board of police commissioners, with is comprised of the mayor and four members appointed by the governor.

In November, Missouri voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-race-and-ethnicity-legislature-reform-029d30c14cef9f500ed98f82d3569552">approved a constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;pushed by GOP lawmakers that gave the Legislature more authority over funding of the city's department. The amendment accompanied a law passed during the last session that requires Kansas City to increase the amount of general revenue it spends on the police department from 20% to 25%.

Lucas and a community activist have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-lawsuits-legislature-kansas-city-0c2820c1421022dec9038d49d9ab4433">sued over the arrangement</a>, which has been in place since the 1930s, claiming it is steeped in racism and represents “taxation without representation.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A 25-year veteran was chosen Thursday to lead the Kansas City police department, which is embroiled in internal and external controversies.<div> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Stacey Graves is KCPD’s new Chief of Police, sworn in this morning before a large crowd at police headquarters. Graves began as a records clerk in 1997 and became the first woman at KCPD to be named permanent Chief of Police. In attendance at today’s announcement… 1/2 <a href="https://t.co/P9UNuxLmWv">pic.twitter.com/P9UNuxLmWv</a>&mdash; kcpolice (@kcpolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/kcpolice/status/1603496278398230542?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Concluding a nationwide search that encompassed the majority of 2022, the Board of Police Commissioners today appointed KCPD Acting Deputy Chief Stacey Graves as the new Chief of Police. Graves will be sworn in later today. 1/5 <a href="https://t.co/VYSpvo6EVM">pic.twitter.com/VYSpvo6EVM</a>&mdash; kcpolice (@kcpolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/kcpolice/status/1603427035715616774?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners chose Stacey Graves, the current acting deputy chief, making her the first woman to become the permanent police chief in the department's nearly 150-year history. Two other women have served as interim chiefs.Graves takes over a department under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-discrimination-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-7a3d4c84f6e3ba8bb97b5c49e5287408">federal investigation</a>&nbsp;for possible racial discrimination in its hiring practices. And the board of commissioners announced this week that it will hire an outside investigator to examine a former city attorney's whistleblower complaint that the department hid criminal case evidence and denied public records requests.That comes after years of complaints from civil rights groups about officer misconduct and the department's often secretive handling of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-kansas-city-missouri-2b9c7ba78d664bb1d4d7a953e47f9530">excessive force complaints</a>, leading to a strained relationship with the public in a city where about 28% of its 508,000 residents are Black.The department also faces a shortage of officers at a time when Kansas City has a high rate of violent crime and homicides.Graves replaces Joseph Mabin, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-police-kansas-city-missouri-7491694fde16266905a51496c470cc5e">appointed interim police</a>&nbsp;chief when the embattled former chief, Rick Smith, left the department amid controversy in April 2021.Graves said during a news conference that one of her first steps as chief will be to build bridges so the department, city leaders and community members can work together to make Kansas City safe.She also promised the department will be “an open book” while dealing with the U.S. Department of Justice investigation and other issues.“I will be that front-facing communicator that this city wants and needs,” Graves said. “If there's something that we're doing wrong, the motto is ‘mess up, ’fess up and move on.' And the ‘move on’ isn't forget about it. It's learn from it and move forward in a better way.”Pastor Darron Edwards, one of several community activists who has criticized the department, said Thursday that Graves was the right choice to “hit the ground running” and address the community's concerns.“I believe she will be a communicator and a collaborator, which this city hasn't seen from the police department in the last five years,” Edwards said. “The board, which I have criticized in the past, got this right.”Graves joined the Kansas City police force in 1997 as a civilian in the records department. She had since held several positions including patrol officer, detective, internal affairs, spokeswoman and division commander.Graves was the only Kansas City officer among the three finalists for the job. Mayor Quinton Lucas said Thursday that was not a deciding factor in choosing Graves.He said the board focused on the candidates' plans for making the city safer, a long-term vision to address violent crime, and ensuring any changes will have support from officers and community members.Graves has a track record of working with community organizations, fellow officers, prosecutors and others, Lucas said.“She's somebody's who's going to do the work to make sure that past any personalities and any politics, we're trying to get things done,” Lucas said. “And I think in connection with the DOJ investigation, any lawsuits, anything that comes up, you'll see this department be as open as it can.”Edwards said he hoped Graves would meet with consenting and dissenting voices to work on making the city safer in every zip code, ridding the department of “bad apples,” and changing the department's culture, starting with her choices for four deputy chief positions.“She has a big challenge,” Edwards said. “But I believe many people at the executive level are ready to help her move the department forward and away from (Smith's) legacy.”Tension also exists because Kansas City is the largest city in the U.S. that is controlled by a board of police commissioners, with is comprised of the mayor and four members appointed by the governor.In November, Missouri voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-race-and-ethnicity-legislature-reform-029d30c14cef9f500ed98f82d3569552">approved a constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;pushed by GOP lawmakers that gave the Legislature more authority over funding of the city's department. The amendment accompanied a law passed during the last session that requires Kansas City to increase the amount of general revenue it spends on the police department from 20% to 25%.Lucas and a community activist have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-lawsuits-legislature-kansas-city-0c2820c1421022dec9038d49d9ab4433">sued over the arrangement</a>, which has been in place since the 1930s, claiming it is steeped in racism and represents “taxation without representation.”

Veteran Kansas City officer chosen to lead police department

Ronald Ray Bettenbrock, 74, passed away December 14, 2022, at 
Medicalodges of Great Bend. He was born on May 26, 1948, in Ellsworth to
 Arthur &amp; Esther (Manchester) Bettenbrock.

Ronald was a current Great Bend resident. He enjoyed comic books and 
superheroes, especially Spider-Man and Superman. Ronald's brothers would
 like to extend their heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the staff of 
ResCare Pathways of Great Bend for their love, care and support over the
 years.

Survivors include, three brothers, Darrell Bettenbrock, Kenneth 
Bettenbrock and Dwight Bettenbrock, all of Salina. He was preceded in 
death by his parents.

Visitation will be held from 1:00 to 8:00 p.m., Sunday, December 18, 
2022, at Bryant Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 
a.m., Monday, December 19, 2022, at Bryant Funeral Home, with Chaplain 
Jeffrey Owen presiding. Interment will be in Ellsworth Memorial 
Cemetery, Ellsworth, Kan. 

Memorials have been designated to the Storm of
 Great Bend Special Olympics Team, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.

Ronald Ray Bettenbrock, 74, passed away December 14, 2022, at 
Medicalodges of Great Bend. He was born on May 26, 1948, in Ellsworth to
 Arthur &amp; Esther (Manchester) Bettenbrock.Ronald was a current Great Bend resident. He enjoyed comic books and 
superheroes, especially Spider-Man and Superman. Ronald's brothers would
 like to extend their heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the staff of 
ResCare Pathways of Great Bend for their love, care and support over the
 years.Survivors include, three brothers, Darrell Bettenbrock, Kenneth 
Bettenbrock and Dwight Bettenbrock, all of Salina. He was preceded in 
death by his parents.Visitation will be held from 1:00 to 8:00 p.m., Sunday, December 18, 
2022, at Bryant Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 
a.m., Monday, December 19, 2022, at Bryant Funeral Home, with Chaplain 
Jeffrey Owen presiding. Interment will be in Ellsworth Memorial 
Cemetery, Ellsworth, Kan. Memorials have been designated to the Storm of
 Great Bend Special Olympics Team, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.

Ronald Ray Bettenbrock

Today is Thursday, Dec. 15, the 349th day of 2022. There are 16 days left in the year.

On Dec. 15, 1791, the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, went into effect following ratification by Virginia.

In 1890, Sioux Indian Chief Sitting Bull and 11 other tribe members were killed in Grand River, South Dakota, during a confrontation with Indian police.

In 1939, the Civil War motion picture epic "Gone with the Wind," starring Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable, had its world premiere in Atlanta.

In 1944, a single-engine plane carrying bandleader Glenn Miller, a major in the U.S. Army Air Forces, disappeared over the English Channel while en route to Paris.

In 1967, the Silver Bridge between Gallipolis, Ohio, and Point Pleasant, West Virginia, collapsed into the Ohio River, killing 46 people.

In 1978, President Jimmy Carter announced he would grant diplomatic recognition to Communist China on New Year's Day and sever official relations with Taiwan.

<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 Thursday, Dec. 15, the 349th day of 2022. There are 16 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On Dec. 15, 1791, the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, went into effect following ratification by Virginia.On this date:In 1890, Sioux Indian Chief Sitting Bull and 11 other tribe members were killed in Grand River, South Dakota, during a confrontation with Indian police.In 1939, the Civil War motion picture epic "Gone with the Wind," starring Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable, had its world premiere in Atlanta.In 1944, a single-engine plane carrying bandleader Glenn Miller, a major in the U.S. Army Air Forces, disappeared over the English Channel while en route to Paris.In 1967, the Silver Bridge between Gallipolis, Ohio, and Point Pleasant, West Virginia, collapsed into the Ohio River, killing 46 people.In 1978, President Jimmy Carter announced he would grant diplomatic recognition to Communist China on New Year's Day and sever official relations with Taiwan.In 1989, a popular uprising began in Romania that resulted in the downfall of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.In 2000, the long-troubled Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine was closed for good.In 2001, with a crash and a large dust cloud, a 50-foot tall section of steel — the last standing piece of the World Trade Center's facade — was brought down in New York.In 2011, the flag used by U.S. forces in Iraq was lowered in a low-key Baghdad airport ceremony marking the end of a war that had left 4,500 Americans and 110,000 Iraqis dead and cost more than $800 billion.In 2013, Nelson Mandela was laid to rest in his childhood hometown, ending a 10-day mourning period for South Africa's first Black president.In 2016, a federal jury in Charleston, South Carolina, convicted Dylann Roof of slaughtering nine Black church members who had welcomed him to their Bible study.In 2020, the Food and Drug Administration cleared the first kit that consumers could buy without a prescription to test themselves for COVID-19 entirely at home. After weeks of holding out, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Joe Biden on winning the presidential election.Ten years ago: A day after the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, investigators worked to understand what led the 20-year-old gunman to slaughter 26 children and adults after also killing his mother and before taking his own life. In his Saturday radio address, President Barack Obama declared that "every parent in America has a heart heavy with hurt" and said it was time to "take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this."Five years ago: Republicans revealed the details of their huge national tax rewrite; the 35 percent tax rate on corporations would fall to 21 percent, and the measure would repeal the requirement under President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act that all Americans have health insurance or face a penalty. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the middle class would "get skewered" under the GOP tax measure, while the wealthy and corporations would "make out like bandits."One year ago: Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin pleaded guilty to a federal charge of violating George Floyd's civil rights, admitting for the first time that he held his knee across Floyd's neck and kept it there even after Floyd became unresponsive, resulting in the Black man's death. A federal appeals court panel lifted a nationwide ban against President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate for health care workers, instead blocking the requirement in only certain states and setting the stage for patchwork enforcement across the country. New York City Mayor-elect Eric Adams named Keechant Sewell, a Long Island police official, as the city's next police commissioner, making her the first woman to lead the nation's largest police force.Today's Birthdays: Singer Cindy Birdsong (The Supremes) is 83. Rock musician Dave Clark (The Dave Clark Five) is 80. Rock musician Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge) is 76. Actor Don Johnson is 73. Actor Melanie Chartoff is 72. Movie director Julie Taymor is 70. Movie director Alex Cox is 68. Rock musician Paul Simonon (The Clash) is 67. Movie director John Lee Hancock is 66. Democratic Party activist Donna Brazile is 63. Country singer Doug Phelps (Brother Phelps; Kentucky Headhunters) is 62. Movie producer-director Reginald Hudlin is 61. Actor Helen Slater is 59. Actor Paul Kaye (TV: "Game of Thrones") is 58. Actor Molly Price is 57. Actor Garrett Wang is 54. Actor Michael Shanks is 52. Actor Stuart Townsend is 50. Figure skater Surya Bonaly is 49. Actor Geoff Stults is 46. Actor Adam Brody is 43. Actor Michelle Dockery is 41. Actor George O. Gore II is 40. Actor Camilla Luddington is 39. Rock musician and actor Alana Haim is 31. Actor Maude Apatow is 25. Actor Stefania Owen is 25.