BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges. Just before 2:30p.m. Jan. 24,&nbsp; the Great Bend Police Department responded to The Reserves at Trail Ridge Apartments located at 811 Grant Street in Great Bend in reference an ongoing narcotics investigation.

Upon arrival, the Great Bend Police Department executed a narcotics search warrant inside apartment #221, where Elijah Cheney, age 22, resides. During a thorough search of the apartment, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and items of evidence for distribution were located inside of the apartment.

Steven Sexton II, age 31, and Cheney were located at the apartment and placed under arrest. A third individual identified as a 17-year-old was&nbsp; and arrested as well.&nbsp;

Great Bend Police Department K-9 Officer, along with K-9 Menta responded to the scene to assist. Menta indicated to an odor of illegal narcotics coming from Sexton's vehicle. The vehicle was secured and a second search warrant for the vehicle was executed for illegal narcotics.

During the execution of the vehicle search, Great Bend Police detectives located marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a firearm.

Cheney and Sexton were transported to the Barton County Detention Center and booked in lieu of bond. The juvenile female was arrested and later released to Juvenile Intake.

The investigation is still ongoing. Anyone with any information in reference to this case is urged to contact the Great Bend Police Department at 620-793-4120 or Crime Stoppers at 620-792-1300.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580154439770.png" alt="Elijah Cheney -photo Barton County" />
 <figcaption>Elijah Cheney -photo Barton County</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges. Just before 2:30p.m. Jan. 24,&nbsp; the Great Bend Police Department responded to The Reserves at Trail Ridge Apartments located at 811 Grant Street in Great Bend in reference an ongoing narcotics investigation.Upon arrival, the Great Bend Police Department executed a narcotics search warrant inside apartment #221, where Elijah Cheney, age 22, resides. During a thorough search of the apartment, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and items of evidence for distribution were located inside of the apartment.Steven Sexton II, age 31, and Cheney were located at the apartment and placed under arrest. A third individual identified as a 17-year-old was&nbsp; and arrested as well.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580154480098.png" alt="Steven Sexton II" />
 <figcaption>Steven Sexton II</figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend Police Department K-9 Officer, along with K-9 Menta responded to the scene to assist. Menta indicated to an odor of illegal narcotics coming from Sexton's vehicle. The vehicle was secured and a second search warrant for the vehicle was executed for illegal narcotics.During the execution of the vehicle search, Great Bend Police detectives located marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a firearm.Cheney and Sexton were transported to the Barton County Detention Center and booked in lieu of bond. The juvenile female was arrested and later released to Juvenile Intake.The investigation is still ongoing. Anyone with any information in reference to this case is urged to contact the Great Bend Police Department at 620-793-4120 or Crime Stoppers at 620-792-1300.

2 adults, teen arrested during drug bust at Great Bend apartment

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial enters a pivotal week as his defense team resumes its case and senators face a critical vote on whether to hear witnesses or proceed directly to a vote that is widely expected to end in his acquittal. The articles of impeachment charge Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

Click here <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?468552-1/senate-impeachment-trial-day-7">to watch day 7 of the trial</a>

Those decisions on witnesses may be complicated by reports that Trump said he wanted to maintain a freeze on military assistance to Ukraine until it aided political investigations into his Democratic rivals, That’s from former national security adviser John Bolton in a draft of his forthcoming book. The report by The New York Times was later confirmed by The Associated Press. The revelation challenges the defense offered up by Trump and his attorneys in his impeachment trial.

The Capitol Hill maneuvering will be complemented by high-stakes efforts on both sides of the aisle to claim political advantage from the proceedings as the presidential nominating season kicks off in Iowa on Feb. 3.

After a two-hour opening argument Saturday, Trump’s defense team will lay out its case in depth beginning Monday. White House counsel Pat Cipollone said Trump’s lawyers don’t expect to take the full 24 hours allotted to them, but there will be arguments from some familiar faces.

Harvard law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz, former independent counsel Ken Starr and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi will speak on specific topics.

Dershowitz said Sunday he would argue that the charges against Trump are too minor to warrant the president’s removal from office under the Constitution. “Even if true, they did not allege impeachable offenses,” Dershowitz told “Fox News Sunday.”

The Trump team has also teased the notion that it would draw attention to Joe Biden and his son Hunter, who served on the board of a Ukraine gas company Burisma, while the elder Biden was vice president. An extended focus on Joe Biden, one of the leading Democratic presidential contenders, could mean blowback from even some of the GOP members of the Senate.

Once Trump’s team concludes, senators will have 16 hours to ask questions of both the House impeachment prosecutors and the president’s legal team. Their questions must be in writing.

Chief Justice John Roberts will read the questions aloud. He is expected to alternate between both sides of the aisle. Many senators have been talking copious notes throughout the trial in preparation for the question-and-answer time.

Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., told reporters Saturday that Republicans expected to get together on Monday to start formulating a list of questions. “We will meet as a conference and decide what questions we want to pose, what the order may be of those of those questions,” he said.

Under the Senate rules passed last week, senators will vote whether to consider new witnesses and evidence after the Q&amp;A time is elapsed. Four Republicans would have to break ranks to join Democrats in the GOP-controlled Senate to extend the trial for an undetermined amount of time.

If that happens, expect a bitter fight over which witnesses might be called and which documents might be subpoenaed. Democrats have called for testimony from Trump’s former national security adviser, John Bolton, and his acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney. An attempt to call either probably would lead to a showdown with the White House, which claims both men have “absolute immunity” from being called to testify before the Senate, even in an impeachment trial. Still, Bolton has said he would appear if issued a subpoena by the Senate.

While Republicans have hoped for a speedy trial, Trump has called for the testimony of the Bidens and the intelligence community whistleblower whose summer complaint about Trump’s July telephone call with Ukraine’s leader instigated the impeachment inquiry.

But some Republicans, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., have expressed resistance to calling those witnesses.

If the vote fails, the Senate could move swiftly to its vote on whether to remove or acquit Trump, giving the president the result he’s been looking for as soon as the end of the week.

Trump’s lawyers argued Saturday that no one knows what Trump’s motives were on holding up military assistance to Ukraine. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b8f3620a62c633658199f1fe85fe4647">recording</a>&nbsp;obtained by The Associated Press hours later suggests the president well understood that assistance was a point of leverage over Ukraine.

The recording is of 2018 meeting at the Trump Hotel in Washington that Trump had with donors. including two now-indicted associates of his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani. The audio portion includes Trump inquiring about Ukraine, “How long would they last in a fight with Russia?” He later calls for the firing of the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch.

The recording contradicts the president’s statements that he didn’t know the Giuliani associations, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman. They are key figures in the investigation who were indicted last year on campaign finance charges.

If new evidence and witnesses are allowed, the recording could take center stage in the Senate proceedings.

The trial is resuming with one week to go until the Iowa caucuses, and is again keeping four Democratic contenders — Sens. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Michael Bennet and Amy Klobuchar — in Washington instead of campaigning at a critical point in the race.

While they are trapped in Washington, Trump will venture outside the capital as he seeks both to exert political retribution on Democrats who impeached him and reward a party-switching lawmaker who backed him in the House.

Trump will hold a rally Tuesday in New Jersey to repay the favor to Rep. Jeff Van Drew, who became a Republican last month after voting against the articles of impeachment as a Democrat. And Trump is set to appear in Iowa on Thursday, days before the caucuses.

Meanwhile, Trump is already looking ahead to his likely acquittal, whenever it may come, promising that Democrats will face consequences for trying to remove him from office. “Shifty Adam Schiff is a CORRUPT POLITICIAN, and probably a very sick man,” Trump tweeted Sunday. “He has not paid the price, yet, for what he has done to our Country!”

Schiff, D-Calif., is chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and the lead impeachment manager. Asked on NBC’s ``Meet the Press″ whether he viewed the tweet as a threat, Schiff replied, “I think it’s intended to be.″

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, one of the House managers for the Senate trial, will miss Monday’s proceedings because of his wife’s illness.

In a statement, the New York Democrat said he would be in New York that day to discuss with doctors his wife’s ongoing treatment for pancreatic cancer. As chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Nadler has been a key member of the Democratic team investigating and prosecuting the case against the president.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580151753124.png" alt="Ken Starr who pushed for the impeachment of President Clinton is now an attorney defending President Trump during the impeachment trial Tuesday in the Senate image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Ken Starr who pushed for the impeachment of President Clinton is now an attorney defending President Trump during the impeachment trial Tuesday in the Senate image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial enters a pivotal week as his defense team resumes its case and senators face a critical vote on whether to hear witnesses or proceed directly to a vote that is widely expected to end in his acquittal. The articles of impeachment charge Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.Click here <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?468552-1/senate-impeachment-trial-day-7">to watch day 7 of the trial</a>Those decisions on witnesses may be complicated by reports that Trump said he wanted to maintain a freeze on military assistance to Ukraine until it aided political investigations into his Democratic rivals, That’s from former national security adviser John Bolton in a draft of his forthcoming book. The report by The New York Times was later confirmed by The Associated Press. The revelation challenges the defense offered up by Trump and his attorneys in his impeachment trial.The Capitol Hill maneuvering will be complemented by high-stakes efforts on both sides of the aisle to claim political advantage from the proceedings as the presidential nominating season kicks off in Iowa on Feb. 3.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580129771255.png" alt="President Trump's personal attorney Jay Sekulow during the opening defense in the impeachment trial -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Trump's personal attorney Jay Sekulow during the opening defense in the impeachment trial -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>STAR TURN IN DEFENSEAfter a two-hour opening argument Saturday, Trump’s defense team will lay out its case in depth beginning Monday. White House counsel Pat Cipollone said Trump’s lawyers don’t expect to take the full 24 hours allotted to them, but there will be arguments from some familiar faces.Harvard law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz, former independent counsel Ken Starr and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi will speak on specific topics.Dershowitz said Sunday he would argue that the charges against Trump are too minor to warrant the president’s removal from office under the Constitution. “Even if true, they did not allege impeachable offenses,” Dershowitz told “Fox News Sunday.”The Trump team has also teased the notion that it would draw attention to Joe Biden and his son Hunter, who served on the board of a Ukraine gas company Burisma, while the elder Biden was vice president. An extended focus on Joe Biden, one of the leading Democratic presidential contenders, could mean blowback from even some of the GOP members of the Senate.QUESTION TIMEOnce Trump’s team concludes, senators will have 16 hours to ask questions of both the House impeachment prosecutors and the president’s legal team. Their questions must be in writing.Chief Justice John Roberts will read the questions aloud. He is expected to alternate between both sides of the aisle. Many senators have been talking copious notes throughout the trial in preparation for the question-and-answer time.Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., told reporters Saturday that Republicans expected to get together on Monday to start formulating a list of questions. “We will meet as a conference and decide what questions we want to pose, what the order may be of those of those questions,” he said.___WILL THEY OR WON’T THEYUnder the Senate rules passed last week, senators will vote whether to consider new witnesses and evidence after the Q&amp;A time is elapsed. Four Republicans would have to break ranks to join Democrats in the GOP-controlled Senate to extend the trial for an undetermined amount of time.If that happens, expect a bitter fight over which witnesses might be called and which documents might be subpoenaed. Democrats have called for testimony from Trump’s former national security adviser, John Bolton, and his acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney. An attempt to call either probably would lead to a showdown with the White House, which claims both men have “absolute immunity” from being called to testify before the Senate, even in an impeachment trial. Still, Bolton has said he would appear if issued a subpoena by the Senate.While Republicans have hoped for a speedy trial, Trump has called for the testimony of the Bidens and the intelligence community whistleblower whose summer complaint about Trump’s July telephone call with Ukraine’s leader instigated the impeachment inquiry.But some Republicans, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., have expressed resistance to calling those witnesses.If the vote fails, the Senate could move swiftly to its vote on whether to remove or acquit Trump, giving the president the result he’s been looking for as soon as the end of the week.___A NEW TAPETrump’s lawyers argued Saturday that no one knows what Trump’s motives were on holding up military assistance to Ukraine. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b8f3620a62c633658199f1fe85fe4647">recording</a>&nbsp;obtained by The Associated Press hours later suggests the president well understood that assistance was a point of leverage over Ukraine.The recording is of 2018 meeting at the Trump Hotel in Washington that Trump had with donors. including two now-indicted associates of his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani. The audio portion includes Trump inquiring about Ukraine, “How long would they last in a fight with Russia?” He later calls for the firing of the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch.The recording contradicts the president’s statements that he didn’t know the Giuliani associations, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman. They are key figures in the investigation who were indicted last year on campaign finance charges.If new evidence and witnesses are allowed, the recording could take center stage in the Senate proceedings.___THE POLITICSThe trial is resuming with one week to go until the Iowa caucuses, and is again keeping four Democratic contenders — Sens. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Michael Bennet and Amy Klobuchar — in Washington instead of campaigning at a critical point in the race.While they are trapped in Washington, Trump will venture outside the capital as he seeks both to exert political retribution on Democrats who impeached him and reward a party-switching lawmaker who backed him in the House.Trump will hold a rally Tuesday in New Jersey to repay the favor to Rep. Jeff Van Drew, who became a Republican last month after voting against the articles of impeachment as a Democrat. And Trump is set to appear in Iowa on Thursday, days before the caucuses.Meanwhile, Trump is already looking ahead to his likely acquittal, whenever it may come, promising that Democrats will face consequences for trying to remove him from office. “Shifty Adam Schiff is a CORRUPT POLITICIAN, and probably a very sick man,” Trump tweeted Sunday. “He has not paid the price, yet, for what he has done to our Country!”Schiff, D-Calif., is chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and the lead impeachment manager. Asked on NBC’s ``Meet the Press″ whether he viewed the tweet as a threat, Schiff replied, “I think it’s intended to be.″___NADLER ABSENTRep. Jerrold Nadler, one of the House managers for the Senate trial, will miss Monday’s proceedings because of his wife’s illness.In a statement, the New York Democrat said he would be in New York that day to discuss with doctors his wife’s ongoing treatment for pancreatic cancer. As chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Nadler has been a key member of the Democratic team investigating and prosecuting the case against the president.

🎥 Defense resumes its case in Trump impeachment trial

Today is Monday, Jan. 27, the 27th day of 2020. There are 339 days left in the year.

On Jan. 27, 1981, President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy, greeted the 52 former American hostages released by Iran at the White House.

In 1756, composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria.

In 1832, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, who wrote "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" under the pen name Lewis Carroll, was born in Cheshire, England.

In 1880, Thomas Edison received a patent for his electric incandescent lamp.

In 1943, some 50 bombers struck Wilhelmshaven in the first all-American air raid against Germany during World War II.

In 1945, during World War II, Soviet troops liberated the Nazi concentration camps Auschwitz and Birkenau in Poland.

In 1967, astronauts Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, Edward H. White and Roger B. Chaffee died in a flash fire during a test aboard their Apollo spacecraft.

In 1972, "Queen of Gospel" Mahalia Jackson, 60, died in Evergreen Park, Ill.

In 1973, the Vietnam peace accords were signed in Paris.

In 1984, singer Michael Jackson suffered serious burns to his scalp when pyrotechnics set his hair on fire during the filming of a Pepsi-Cola TV commercial at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

In 1998, first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, on NBC's "Today" show, charged the sexual misconduct allegations against her husband, President Bill Clinton, were the work of a "vast right-wing conspiracy."

In 2001, Jennifer Capriati upset three-time winner Martina Hingis 6-4, 6-3 to win the Australian Open title and her first Grand Slam tournament championship.

In 2003, the Bush administration dismissed Iraq's response to U.N. disarmament demands as inadequate. Meanwhile, chief U.N. inspector Hans Blix charged that Iraq had never genuinely accepted U.N. resolutions demanding its disarmament and warned that "cooperation on substance" was necessary for a peaceful solution.

Ten years ago: Acknowledging that "change has not come fast enough," President Barack Obama vowed in his State of the Union address to get jobless millions back to work while fighting for ambitious overhauls of health care, energy and education. Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad tablet computer during a presentation in San Francisco. J.D. Salinger, the reclusive author of "The Catcher in the Rye," died in Cornish, New Hampshire, at age 91. Actress Zelda Rubinstein died in Los Angeles at age 76.

Five years ago: European leaders gathered in Poland to mark the 70th anniversary of the Soviet liberation the Auschwitz death camp; amid tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin stayed away, sending his chief of staff instead. A National Weather Service forecaster apologized for predicting that the area from New York to Philadelphia would see a foot or two of snow. Instead, the storm moved farther east and piled more than 2 feet of snow on parts of New England.

One year ago: "Black Panther" took the top prize at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, topping the leading Oscar nominees "Roma" and "The Favourite." Novak Djokovic overwhelmed Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 to win a record seventh Australian Open championship and a third consecutive Grand Slam title.

Today's Birthdays: Actor James Cromwell is 80. Rock musician Nick Mason (Pink Floyd) is 76. Rhythm-and-blues singer Nedra Talley (The Ronettes) is 74. Ballet star Mikhail Baryshnikov is 72. Latin singer-songwriter Djavan is 71. Chief U.S. Justice John Roberts is 65. Country singer Cheryl White is 65. Country singer-musician Richard Young (The Kentucky Headhunters) is 65. Actress Mimi Rogers is 64. Rock musician Janick Gers (Iron Maiden) is 63. Actress Susanna Thompson is 62. Political and sports commentator Keith Olbermann is 61. Rock singer Margo Timmins (Cowboy Junkies) is 59. Rock musician Gillian Gilbert is 59. Actress Tamlyn Tomita is 57. Actress Bridget Fonda is 56. Actor Alan Cumming is 55. Country singer Tracy Lawrence is 52. Rock singer Mike Patton is 52. Rapper Tricky is 52. Rock musician Michael Kulas (James) is 51. Actor-comedian Patton Oswalt is 51. Actor Josh Randall is 48. Country singer Kevin Denney is 42. Tennis player Marat Safin is 40. Neo-soul musician Andrew Lee (St. Paul &amp; the Broken Bones) is 34. Rock musician Matt Sanchez (American Authors) is 34. Actor Braeden Lemasters is 24.

Thought for Today: "The most beautiful thing in the world is, of course, the world itself." — Wallace Stevens, American poet and author (1879-1955).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy&nbsp;<a href="http://shutterstock.com/">shutterstock.com</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy&nbsp;<a href="http://shutterstock.com/">shutterstock.com</a></figcaption>
 </figure>Today is Monday, Jan. 27, the 27th day of 2020. There are 339 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On Jan. 27, 1981, President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy, greeted the 52 former American hostages released by Iran at the White House.On this date:In 1756, composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria.In 1832, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, who wrote "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" under the pen name Lewis Carroll, was born in Cheshire, England.In 1880, Thomas Edison received a patent for his electric incandescent lamp.In 1943, some 50 bombers struck Wilhelmshaven in the first all-American air raid against Germany during World War II.In 1945, during World War II, Soviet troops liberated the Nazi concentration camps Auschwitz and Birkenau in Poland.In 1967, astronauts Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, Edward H. White and Roger B. Chaffee died in a flash fire during a test aboard their Apollo spacecraft.In 1972, "Queen of Gospel" Mahalia Jackson, 60, died in Evergreen Park, Ill.In 1973, the Vietnam peace accords were signed in Paris.In 1984, singer Michael Jackson suffered serious burns to his scalp when pyrotechnics set his hair on fire during the filming of a Pepsi-Cola TV commercial at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.In 1998, first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, on NBC's "Today" show, charged the sexual misconduct allegations against her husband, President Bill Clinton, were the work of a "vast right-wing conspiracy."In 2001, Jennifer Capriati upset three-time winner Martina Hingis 6-4, 6-3 to win the Australian Open title and her first Grand Slam tournament championship.In 2003, the Bush administration dismissed Iraq's response to U.N. disarmament demands as inadequate. Meanwhile, chief U.N. inspector Hans Blix charged that Iraq had never genuinely accepted U.N. resolutions demanding its disarmament and warned that "cooperation on substance" was necessary for a peaceful solution.Ten years ago: Acknowledging that "change has not come fast enough," President Barack Obama vowed in his State of the Union address to get jobless millions back to work while fighting for ambitious overhauls of health care, energy and education. Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad tablet computer during a presentation in San Francisco. J.D. Salinger, the reclusive author of "The Catcher in the Rye," died in Cornish, New Hampshire, at age 91. Actress Zelda Rubinstein died in Los Angeles at age 76.Five years ago: European leaders gathered in Poland to mark the 70th anniversary of the Soviet liberation the Auschwitz death camp; amid tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin stayed away, sending his chief of staff instead. A National Weather Service forecaster apologized for predicting that the area from New York to Philadelphia would see a foot or two of snow. Instead, the storm moved farther east and piled more than 2 feet of snow on parts of New England.One year ago: "Black Panther" took the top prize at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, topping the leading Oscar nominees "Roma" and "The Favourite." Novak Djokovic overwhelmed Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 to win a record seventh Australian Open championship and a third consecutive Grand Slam title.Today's Birthdays: Actor James Cromwell is 80. Rock musician Nick Mason (Pink Floyd) is 76. Rhythm-and-blues singer Nedra Talley (The Ronettes) is 74. Ballet star Mikhail Baryshnikov is 72. Latin singer-songwriter Djavan is 71. Chief U.S. Justice John Roberts is 65. Country singer Cheryl White is 65. Country singer-musician Richard Young (The Kentucky Headhunters) is 65. Actress Mimi Rogers is 64. Rock musician Janick Gers (Iron Maiden) is 63. Actress Susanna Thompson is 62. Political and sports commentator Keith Olbermann is 61. Rock singer Margo Timmins (Cowboy Junkies) is 59. Rock musician Gillian Gilbert is 59. Actress Tamlyn Tomita is 57. Actress Bridget Fonda is 56. Actor Alan Cumming is 55. Country singer Tracy Lawrence is 52. Rock singer Mike Patton is 52. Rapper Tricky is 52. Rock musician Michael Kulas (James) is 51. Actor-comedian Patton Oswalt is 51. Actor Josh Randall is 48. Country singer Kevin Denney is 42. Tennis player Marat Safin is 40. Neo-soul musician Andrew Lee (St. Paul &amp; the Broken Bones) is 34. Rock musician Matt Sanchez (American Authors) is 34. Actor Braeden Lemasters is 24.Thought for Today: "The most beautiful thing in the world is, of course, the world itself." — Wallace Stevens, American poet and author (1879-1955).Copyright 2020, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Today in History -- Jan. 27

JACKSON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged drug distribution.

Just after 6p.m. Saturday, sheriff's deputies conducted a drug investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine in Jackson County, according to sheriff Tim Morse.

As a result of the investigation, deputies conducted a traffic stop on a&nbsp; suspect in the 300 block of Vermont Street in Holton. The suspect, Jordan Thomas Monaghan, 24, of Holton, had been driving a 1986 Mazda pickup truck. A quantity of methamphetamine was found in his possession. 

Monaghan was arrested by Jackson County Sheriff deputies and transported to the Jackson County Jail. Monaghan was booked into the jail on requested charges that include possession of methamphetamine, distribution and attempting to distribute methamphetamine, use of communication facility; in the commission of a felony drug crime, attempted use of communication facility; in the commission of a felony drug crime and possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580076319188.png" alt="Jordan Thomas Monaghan photo Jackson Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Jordan Thomas Monaghan photo Jackson Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged drug distribution.Just after 6p.m. Saturday, sheriff's deputies conducted a drug investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine in Jackson County, according to sheriff Tim Morse.As a result of the investigation, deputies conducted a traffic stop on a&nbsp; suspect in the 300 block of Vermont Street in Holton. The suspect, Jordan Thomas Monaghan, 24, of Holton, had been driving a 1986 Mazda pickup truck. A quantity of methamphetamine was found in his possession. Monaghan was arrested by Jackson County Sheriff deputies and transported to the Jackson County Jail. Monaghan was booked into the jail on requested charges that include possession of methamphetamine, distribution and attempting to distribute methamphetamine, use of communication facility; in the commission of a felony drug crime, attempted use of communication facility; in the commission of a felony drug crime and possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;

Sheriff's deputies arrest Kansas man for alleged drug distribution

MARYSVILLE, Missouri – Landing two school records, one meet record, one field house record, and six national qualifying marks, the Cloud County Community College women's track and field team would take home first in three events to close out day two of the Northwest Missouri State Bearcat Invitational in Marysville, Missouri on Saturday.

Overall, the T-Birds would earn eight top-10 finishes in a meet that would feature a mix of NCAA Division II, NAIA, and NJCAA competition.

School-records would be set in the 60-meter hurdles by Aliya Hattan (9.06) and&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/sports/wtrack/2019-20/bios/ntia-obong_mercy_djk9" target="_blank">Mercy Ntia-Obong</a>&nbsp;in the 200 meters (24.00) with Ntia-Obong's time topping the 67-runner field while Hattan would take eighth in her event. Both times would also serve as national qualifying marks for the pair, with Hattan also running the lead leg of a national qualifying time in the 4x400 meter relay team consisting of Hattan,&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/sports/wtrack/2019-20/bios/samuels_shackera_j2p3" target="_blank">Shackera Samuels</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/sports/wtrack/2019-20/bios/milano_pamela_vg3v" target="_blank">Pamela Milano</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/sports/wtrack/2019-20/bios/harcum_tanya_8ynb" target="_blank">Tanya Harcum</a>&nbsp;(4:03.69).

Ntia-Obong would also win the 60 meters, running a time of 7.48 seconds which would set a meet record and top the 48-runner field while&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/sports/wtrack/2019-20/bios/pokuaah_jacqueline_59vf" target="_blank">Jacqueline Pokuaah</a>&nbsp;would take first in the long jump with a field house record and national qualifying mark of 6.01 meters (19 ft. – 8.75 in.) and fourth in the 60 meters (national qualifying time of 7.68 seconds). Pokuaah would also take fourth in the 200 meters (25.20 seconds) while&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/sports/wtrack/2019-20/bios/mbenoun_maryse_jzdo" target="_blank">Maryse Mbenoun</a>&nbsp;added a ninth-place finish in the 600-yard run for the T-Birds (1:29.01).

With two weeks now in the books, Cloud County will close out the month of January by staying in-state to compete in the Wichita State Invitational which will begin on Thursday. Thursday will feature the multi-events with Friday featuring a full day of both running and field events.

MARYSVILLE, Missouri – Landing two school records, one meet record, one field house record, and six national qualifying marks, the Cloud County Community College women's track and field team would take home first in three events to close out day two of the Northwest Missouri State Bearcat Invitational in Marysville, Missouri on Saturday.Overall, the T-Birds would earn eight top-10 finishes in a meet that would feature a mix of NCAA Division II, NAIA, and NJCAA competition.School-records would be set in the 60-meter hurdles by Aliya Hattan (9.06) and&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/sports/wtrack/2019-20/bios/ntia-obong_mercy_djk9" target="_blank">Mercy Ntia-Obong</a>&nbsp;in the 200 meters (24.00) with Ntia-Obong's time topping the 67-runner field while Hattan would take eighth in her event. Both times would also serve as national qualifying marks for the pair, with Hattan also running the lead leg of a national qualifying time in the 4x400 meter relay team consisting of Hattan,&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/sports/wtrack/2019-20/bios/samuels_shackera_j2p3" target="_blank">Shackera Samuels</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/sports/wtrack/2019-20/bios/milano_pamela_vg3v" target="_blank">Pamela Milano</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/sports/wtrack/2019-20/bios/harcum_tanya_8ynb" target="_blank">Tanya Harcum</a>&nbsp;(4:03.69).Ntia-Obong would also win the 60 meters, running a time of 7.48 seconds which would set a meet record and top the 48-runner field while&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/sports/wtrack/2019-20/bios/pokuaah_jacqueline_59vf" target="_blank">Jacqueline Pokuaah</a>&nbsp;would take first in the long jump with a field house record and national qualifying mark of 6.01 meters (19 ft. – 8.75 in.) and fourth in the 60 meters (national qualifying time of 7.68 seconds). Pokuaah would also take fourth in the 200 meters (25.20 seconds) while&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/sports/wtrack/2019-20/bios/mbenoun_maryse_jzdo" target="_blank">Maryse Mbenoun</a>&nbsp;added a ninth-place finish in the 600-yard run for the T-Birds (1:29.01).What's nextWith two weeks now in the books, Cloud County will close out the month of January by staying in-state to compete in the Wichita State Invitational which will begin on Thursday. Thursday will feature the multi-events with Friday featuring a full day of both running and field events.

Records fall for Cloud County women's track at Bearcat Open

Today is Sunday, Jan. 26, the 26th day of 2020. There are 340 days left in the year.

On Jan. 26, 2005, a U.S. Marine helicopter crashed in western Iraq, killing 30 Marines and a Navy medic aboard. A man parked his SUV on railroad tracks in Glendale, California, setting off a crash of two commuter trains that killed 11 people. (The SUV's driver, Juan Alvarez, was convicted of murder and sentenced to 11 consecutive life terms.)

In 1788, the first European settlers in Australia, led by Capt. Arthur Phillip, landed in present-day Sydney.

In 1934, the 125th Street Apollo Theater opened in New York City's Harlem district.

In 1962, the United States launched Ranger 3 to land scientific instruments on the moon — but the probe ended up missing its target by more than 22,000 miles.

In 1973, actor Edward G. Robinson died in Los Angeles at age 79.

In 1988, Australians celebrated the 200th anniversary of their country as a grand parade of tall ships re-enacted the voyage of the first European settlers. The Andrew Lloyd Webber musical "Phantom of the Opera" opened at Broadway's Majestic Theater.

In 1992, Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton, appearing with his wife, Hillary, on CBS' "60 Minutes," acknowledged "causing pain in my marriage," but said past problems were not relevant to the campaign.

In 1993, Vaclav Havel was elected president of the newly formed Czech Republic.

In 1994, a scare occurred during a visit to Sydney, Australia, by Britain's Prince Charles as college student David Kang lunged at the prince, firing two blank shots from a starter's pistol. (Kang was later sentenced to 500 hours of community service.)

In 1998, President Bill Clinton forcefully denied having an affair with a former White House intern, telling reporters, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky."

In 2009, the impeachment trial of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich opened in Springfield, with Blagojevich refusing to take part, saying the rules were biased against him. Nadya Suleman gave birth at Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Medical Center in California to six boys and two girls, the world's longest-surviving set of octuplets. Criticism came after the public learned that the unemployed, single mother had gotten pregnant with the octuplets and six elder children through in vitro fertilization.

Ten years ago: Toyota suspended U.S. sales of several popular vehicle models to fix sticking accelerator pedals; the suspension was on top of a recall of 2.3 million vehicles. Louis Auchincloss, 92, a prolific author of fiction and nonfiction, died in New York.

Five years ago: Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid had surgery to remove a clot and blood from his right eye and repair broken facial bones suffered in an accident while exercising. A 2-foot-long drone flown by a hobbyist crashed on the White House grounds, raising questions about the president's security and a growing threat from the sky.

One year ago: Naomi Osaka won the Australian Open for a second consecutive Grand Slam title, edging Petra Kvitova; the win allowed the 21-year-old to become the first tennis player from Japan to reach No. 1 in the rankings. Flight operations at major airports returned to normal, and park rangers again greeted visitors at some national parks, a day after a partial government shutdown came to an end. Oscar-winning composer and pianist Michel Legrand died at the age of 86.

Today's Birthdays: Cartoonist Jules Feiffer is 91. Sportscaster-actor Bob Uecker is 85. Actor Scott Glenn is 81. Singer Jean Knight is 77. Activist Angela Davis is 76. Actor Richard Portnow is 73. Rock musician Corky Laing (Mountain) is 72. Actor David Strathairn is 71. Producer-director Mimi Leder is 68. Alt-country singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams is 67. Rock singer-musician Eddie Van Halen is 65. Reggae musician Norman Hassan (UB40) is 62. Actress-comedian-talk show host Ellen DeGeneres is 62. Rock musician Charlie Gillingham (Counting Crows) is 60. Hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky is 59. Musician Andrew Ridgeley is 57. Rhythm-and-blues singer Jazzie B. (Soul II Soul) is 57. Actor Paul Johansson is 56. Director Lenny Abrahamson is 54. Actor Bryan Callen is 53. Gospel singer Kirk Franklin is 50. Actor Nate Mooney is 48. Actress Jennifer Crystal is 47. Rock musician Chris Hesse (Hoobastank) is 46. Actress Matilda Szydagis is 46. Actor Gilles Marini is 44. Gospel singer Tye Tribbett is 44. NBA player Vince Carter is 43. Actress Sarah Rue is 42. Actor Colin O'Donoghue is 39. Country musician Michael Martin (Marshall Dyllon) is 37.

Thought for Today: "Time is not measured by the passing of years but by what one does, what one feels, and what one achieves." — Jawaharlal Nehru, Indian statesman (1889-1964).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy&nbsp;<a href="http://shutterstock.com/">shutterstock.com</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy&nbsp;<a href="http://shutterstock.com/">shutterstock.com</a></figcaption>
 </figure>Today is Sunday, Jan. 26, the 26th day of 2020. There are 340 days left in the year.Today's Highlights in History:On Jan. 26, 2005, a U.S. Marine helicopter crashed in western Iraq, killing 30 Marines and a Navy medic aboard. A man parked his SUV on railroad tracks in Glendale, California, setting off a crash of two commuter trains that killed 11 people. (The SUV's driver, Juan Alvarez, was convicted of murder and sentenced to 11 consecutive life terms.)On this date:In 1788, the first European settlers in Australia, led by Capt. Arthur Phillip, landed in present-day Sydney.In 1837, Michigan became the 26th state.In 1870, Virginia rejoined the Union.In 1934, the 125th Street Apollo Theater opened in New York City's Harlem district.In 1962, the United States launched Ranger 3 to land scientific instruments on the moon — but the probe ended up missing its target by more than 22,000 miles.In 1973, actor Edward G. Robinson died in Los Angeles at age 79.In 1988, Australians celebrated the 200th anniversary of their country as a grand parade of tall ships re-enacted the voyage of the first European settlers. The Andrew Lloyd Webber musical "Phantom of the Opera" opened at Broadway's Majestic Theater.In 1992, Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton, appearing with his wife, Hillary, on CBS' "60 Minutes," acknowledged "causing pain in my marriage," but said past problems were not relevant to the campaign.In 1993, Vaclav Havel was elected president of the newly formed Czech Republic.In 1994, a scare occurred during a visit to Sydney, Australia, by Britain's Prince Charles as college student David Kang lunged at the prince, firing two blank shots from a starter's pistol. (Kang was later sentenced to 500 hours of community service.)In 1998, President Bill Clinton forcefully denied having an affair with a former White House intern, telling reporters, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky."In 2009, the impeachment trial of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich opened in Springfield, with Blagojevich refusing to take part, saying the rules were biased against him. Nadya Suleman gave birth at Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Medical Center in California to six boys and two girls, the world's longest-surviving set of octuplets. Criticism came after the public learned that the unemployed, single mother had gotten pregnant with the octuplets and six elder children through in vitro fertilization.Ten years ago: Toyota suspended U.S. sales of several popular vehicle models to fix sticking accelerator pedals; the suspension was on top of a recall of 2.3 million vehicles. Louis Auchincloss, 92, a prolific author of fiction and nonfiction, died in New York.Five years ago: Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid had surgery to remove a clot and blood from his right eye and repair broken facial bones suffered in an accident while exercising. A 2-foot-long drone flown by a hobbyist crashed on the White House grounds, raising questions about the president's security and a growing threat from the sky.One year ago: Naomi Osaka won the Australian Open for a second consecutive Grand Slam title, edging Petra Kvitova; the win allowed the 21-year-old to become the first tennis player from Japan to reach No. 1 in the rankings. Flight operations at major airports returned to normal, and park rangers again greeted visitors at some national parks, a day after a partial government shutdown came to an end. Oscar-winning composer and pianist Michel Legrand died at the age of 86.Today's Birthdays: Cartoonist Jules Feiffer is 91. Sportscaster-actor Bob Uecker is 85. Actor Scott Glenn is 81. Singer Jean Knight is 77. Activist Angela Davis is 76. Actor Richard Portnow is 73. Rock musician Corky Laing (Mountain) is 72. Actor David Strathairn is 71. Producer-director Mimi Leder is 68. Alt-country singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams is 67. Rock singer-musician Eddie Van Halen is 65. Reggae musician Norman Hassan (UB40) is 62. Actress-comedian-talk show host Ellen DeGeneres is 62. Rock musician Charlie Gillingham (Counting Crows) is 60. Hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky is 59. Musician Andrew Ridgeley is 57. Rhythm-and-blues singer Jazzie B. (Soul II Soul) is 57. Actor Paul Johansson is 56. Director Lenny Abrahamson is 54. Actor Bryan Callen is 53. Gospel singer Kirk Franklin is 50. Actor Nate Mooney is 48. Actress Jennifer Crystal is 47. Rock musician Chris Hesse (Hoobastank) is 46. Actress Matilda Szydagis is 46. Actor Gilles Marini is 44. Gospel singer Tye Tribbett is 44. NBA player Vince Carter is 43. Actress Sarah Rue is 42. Actor Colin O'Donoghue is 39. Country musician Michael Martin (Marshall Dyllon) is 37.Thought for Today: "Time is not measured by the passing of years but by what one does, what one feels, and what one achieves." — Jawaharlal Nehru, Indian statesman (1889-1964).Copyright 2020, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Today in History -- Jan. 26

Today is Saturday, Jan. 25, the 25th day of 2020. There are 341 days left in the year.

On Jan. 25, 1915, America's first official transcontinental telephone call took place as Alexander Graham Bell, who was in New York, spoke to his former assistant, Thomas Watson, who was in San Francisco, over a line set up by American Telephone &amp; Telegraph.

In 1863, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln accepted Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside's resignation as commander of the Army of the Potomac and replaced him with Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker.

In 1924, the first Winter Olympic Games opened in Chamonix, France.

In 1945, the World War II Battle of the Bulge ended as German forces were pushed back to their original positions. Grand Rapids, Michigan, became the first community to add fluoride to its public water supply.

In 1947, gangster Al Capone died in Miami Beach, Florida, at age 48.

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy held the first presidential news conference to be carried live on radio and television.

In 1971, Charles Manson and three women followers were convicted in Los Angeles of murder and conspiracy in the 1969 slayings of seven people, including actress Sharon Tate.

In 1981, the 52 Americans held hostage by Iran for 444 days arrived in the United States.

In 1990, an Avianca Boeing 707 ran out of fuel and crashed in Cove Neck, Long Island, New York; 73 of the 158 people aboard were killed. Actress Ava Gardner died in London at age 67.

In 1993, a gunman shot and killed two CIA employees outside agency headquarters in Virginia (Pakistani national Mir Aimal Kansi was later tried and convicted of the shootings, and executed). Sears announced that it would no longer publish its famous century-old catalog.

In 1994, maintaining his innocence, singer Michael Jackson settled a child molestation lawsuit against him; terms were confidential, although the monetary figure was reportedly $22 million.

In 1998, Pope John Paul II ended his historic journey to Cuba.

In 2017, President Donald Trump moved aggressively to tighten the nation's immigration controls, signing executive actions to jumpstart construction of his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall and cut federal grants for immigrant-protecting "sanctuary cities." Death claimed actress Mary Tyler Moore at age 80 and actor John Hurt at age 77.

Ten years ago: Iraq hanged Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as "Chemical Ali" for his role in gassing 5,000 people in a Kurdish village. An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 crashed into the Mediterranean after taking off from Beirut in a fierce thunderstorm; all 90 people aboard were killed. Director James Cameron's sci-fi spectacle "Avatar" overtook his shipwreck saga "Titanic" to become the world's highest-grossing film.

Five years ago: The radical left-wing Syriza party rode an anti-austerity platform to victory in Greece's parliamentary elections, setting the stage for a showdown with international creditors. Party leader Alexis Tsipras promised to end the "five years of humiliation and pain" that Greece had endured since an international bailout saved it from bankruptcy in 2010. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe offered condolences to the family and friends of Haruna Yukawa, a 42-year-old adventurer taken hostage in Syria, and said a video purporting to show that he had been killed was likely authentic. "Birdman" won best ensemble from the Screen Actors Guild, a day after winning the top honor at the Producer Guild Awards.

One year ago: President Donald Trump signed a bill to reopen the government for three weeks, backing down from his demand that Congress first give him money for his border wall. President Trump's confidant Roger Stone was arrested by the FBI in a pre-dawn raid at his Florida home and charged with lying about his pursuit of Russian-hacked emails damaging to Hillary Clinton's 2016 election bid. (Stone was convicted in November 2019, on charges including lying to Congress and witness tampering; he is awaiting sentencing in February.) A dam owned by a mining company collapsed in Brazil, unleashing a wave of toxic mud; more than 200 people were killed with dozens of others missing.

Today's Birthdays: Country singer Claude Gray is 88. Actress Leigh Taylor-Young is 76. Actress Jenifer Lewis is 63. Country musician Mike Burch (River Road) is 54. Rhythm-and-blues singer Kina is 51. Actress China Kantner is 49. Actress Ana Ortiz is 49. Drummer Joe Sirois (Mighty Mighty Bosstones) is 48. Musician Matt Odmark (Jars of Clay) is 46. Actress Mia Kirshner is 45. Actress Christine Lakin is 41. Rhythm-and-blues singer Alicia Keys is 40. Actor Michael Trevino is 35. Pop musician Calum Hood (5 Seconds to Summer) is 24. Actress Olivia Edward is 13.

Thought for Today: "A first-rate organizer is never in a hurry. He is never late. He always keeps up his sleeve a margin for the unexpected." — Arnold Bennett, English poet, author and critic (1867-1931).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy&nbsp;<a href="http://shutterstock.com/">shutterstock.com</a>." />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy&nbsp;<a href="http://shutterstock.com/">shutterstock.com</a>.</figcaption>
 </figure>Today is Saturday, Jan. 25, the 25th day of 2020. There are 341 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On Jan. 25, 1915, America's first official transcontinental telephone call took place as Alexander Graham Bell, who was in New York, spoke to his former assistant, Thomas Watson, who was in San Francisco, over a line set up by American Telephone &amp; Telegraph.On this date:In 1863, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln accepted Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside's resignation as commander of the Army of the Potomac and replaced him with Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker.In 1924, the first Winter Olympic Games opened in Chamonix, France.In 1945, the World War II Battle of the Bulge ended as German forces were pushed back to their original positions. Grand Rapids, Michigan, became the first community to add fluoride to its public water supply.In 1947, gangster Al Capone died in Miami Beach, Florida, at age 48.In 1961, President John F. Kennedy held the first presidential news conference to be carried live on radio and television.In 1971, Charles Manson and three women followers were convicted in Los Angeles of murder and conspiracy in the 1969 slayings of seven people, including actress Sharon Tate.In 1981, the 52 Americans held hostage by Iran for 444 days arrived in the United States.In 1990, an Avianca Boeing 707 ran out of fuel and crashed in Cove Neck, Long Island, New York; 73 of the 158 people aboard were killed. Actress Ava Gardner died in London at age 67.In 1993, a gunman shot and killed two CIA employees outside agency headquarters in Virginia (Pakistani national Mir Aimal Kansi was later tried and convicted of the shootings, and executed). Sears announced that it would no longer publish its famous century-old catalog.In 1994, maintaining his innocence, singer Michael Jackson settled a child molestation lawsuit against him; terms were confidential, although the monetary figure was reportedly $22 million.In 1998, Pope John Paul II ended his historic journey to Cuba.In 2017, President Donald Trump moved aggressively to tighten the nation's immigration controls, signing executive actions to jumpstart construction of his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall and cut federal grants for immigrant-protecting "sanctuary cities." Death claimed actress Mary Tyler Moore at age 80 and actor John Hurt at age 77.Ten years ago: Iraq hanged Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as "Chemical Ali" for his role in gassing 5,000 people in a Kurdish village. An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 crashed into the Mediterranean after taking off from Beirut in a fierce thunderstorm; all 90 people aboard were killed. Director James Cameron's sci-fi spectacle "Avatar" overtook his shipwreck saga "Titanic" to become the world's highest-grossing film.Five years ago: The radical left-wing Syriza party rode an anti-austerity platform to victory in Greece's parliamentary elections, setting the stage for a showdown with international creditors. Party leader Alexis Tsipras promised to end the "five years of humiliation and pain" that Greece had endured since an international bailout saved it from bankruptcy in 2010. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe offered condolences to the family and friends of Haruna Yukawa, a 42-year-old adventurer taken hostage in Syria, and said a video purporting to show that he had been killed was likely authentic. "Birdman" won best ensemble from the Screen Actors Guild, a day after winning the top honor at the Producer Guild Awards.One year ago: President Donald Trump signed a bill to reopen the government for three weeks, backing down from his demand that Congress first give him money for his border wall. President Trump's confidant Roger Stone was arrested by the FBI in a pre-dawn raid at his Florida home and charged with lying about his pursuit of Russian-hacked emails damaging to Hillary Clinton's 2016 election bid. (Stone was convicted in November 2019, on charges including lying to Congress and witness tampering; he is awaiting sentencing in February.) A dam owned by a mining company collapsed in Brazil, unleashing a wave of toxic mud; more than 200 people were killed with dozens of others missing.Today's Birthdays: Country singer Claude Gray is 88. Actress Leigh Taylor-Young is 76. Actress Jenifer Lewis is 63. Country musician Mike Burch (River Road) is 54. Rhythm-and-blues singer Kina is 51. Actress China Kantner is 49. Actress Ana Ortiz is 49. Drummer Joe Sirois (Mighty Mighty Bosstones) is 48. Musician Matt Odmark (Jars of Clay) is 46. Actress Mia Kirshner is 45. Actress Christine Lakin is 41. Rhythm-and-blues singer Alicia Keys is 40. Actor Michael Trevino is 35. Pop musician Calum Hood (5 Seconds to Summer) is 24. Actress Olivia Edward is 13.Thought for Today: "A first-rate organizer is never in a hurry. He is never late. He always keeps up his sleeve a margin for the unexpected." — Arnold Bennett, English poet, author and critic (1867-1931).Copyright 2020, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Today in History -- Jan. 25

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-lawmakers-want-block-right-abortion-changing-state-constitution#stream/0">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA ⁠— Lawmakers are fast-tracking a push
 to amend the state constitution and undo a Kansas Supreme Court ruling 
that said women have the right to abortion.

The goal, with 
voters’ approval in August, is to add a line to the state bill of rights
 saying abortion isn’t constitutionally protected ⁠— and that 
legislators can regulate abortions, including when a pregnancy results 
from rape or incest or threatens a woman’s life.

The proposal already is awaiting floor votes in both chambers, just over a week after the 2020 session began.&nbsp;

“It’s very important that we allow the citizens of Kansas a say in this,” House Speaker Ron Ryckman said.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/measures/documents/hcr5019_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">The bill</a>,
 he said, will be among the first to get a floor debate this session. 
House and Senate committees held a joint hearing Tuesday to speed the 
process, and the next day ⁠— the anniversary of Roe v. Wade ⁠— both 
passed the bill to their respective floors.

Critics are crying 
foul over Republicans’ move for a vote in August, which will see a 
competitive GOP primary for a U.S. Senate seat, rather than November, 
when the presidential election will draw far bigger crowds to the polls.

“They
 want to put it out when the lowest amount of people vote,” Democratic 
Rep. Stephanie Clayton said. “The rights of Kansans are not subject to a
 vote of the people.”

University of Kansas political scientist 
Patrick Miller said the August primary will see a “much smaller, much 
more skewed electorate” that could boost the amendment’s chances of 
passing.

That’s because middle-of-the-road voters tend to vote 
less in primaries, he said, and though polling on abortion isn’t 
extensive in Kansas, it suggests most residents have mixed feelings on 
the topic.

To be enshrined in
 the constitution, the proposal needs two-thirds majorities in the House
 and Senate, and more than half the ballots cast by the public.

In April, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-supreme-court-state-constitution-protects-abortion-rights">the Kansas Supreme Court concluded</a> women have the right to terminate a pregnancy under the state constitution, which says everyone has “<a href="https://kslib.info/826/Kansas-Bill-of-Rights">inalienable natural rights</a>.” Those include having control over our bodies and decisions about having a family, the justices wrote.

Kansas’
 abortion restrictions range from banning the procedure after 22 weeks 
of pregnancy for most women to blocking insurance companies from 
covering abortion unless a patient purchases a special policy rider.

Anti-abortion
 lawmakers and activists fear those restrictions, won over the course of
 years, will fall like dominoes if litigated under the April court 
ruling.

Passing the proposed amendment would prevent that from 
happening, said Chuck Weber, a lobbyist for the Kansas Catholic 
Conference, which represents the state’s four bishops and their 
dioceses.

“It's very, very reasonable — almost innocuous,” Weber 
said of the amendment. “I use the word ‘innocuous’ and I realize that 
that probably doesn't fly with some people, but really this just brings 
us back to what we were in Kansas prior to the ruling. So, it does not 
ban abortion.”

Rachel Sweet, a lobbyist for Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes, 
argued that anti-abortion groups won’t stop at the amendment.

Currently,
 Kansas abortion restrictions often include exceptions to save a 
mother's life, but generally not for rape or incest victims. Planned 
Parenthood argues the proposed Kansas amendment paves the way to make 
the procedure illegal in all circumstances.

“Kansans do not want 
politicians interfering in their personal medical decisions,” Sweet 
said. “If this (amendment) does get to the ballot, I'm confident that 
the voters of Kansas would reject this.”

A <a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/docking/Kansas-Speaks/kansas-speaks-2016-final-report.-with-bz-correction-to-fig-8-and-9" target="_blank">2016 survey by Fort Hays State University</a>
 found nearly half of Kansans were somewhere in the middle on abortion 
rights, saying it should be legal for most or at least some situations.

Two years later, a <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/midterms-2018/voter-analysis?filter=KS&amp;type=G" target="_blank">Fox News analysis</a>
 found a similarly complex picture. Four in five Kansans supported some 
level of legal abortion access, and four in five wanted some level of 
restrictions. As in the 2016 survey, Kansans were slightly more likely 
to believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases than illegal in
 all or most cases.

This complex picture means the messaging and 
campaigning for and against the constitutional amendment — and how 
Kansans ultimately interpret its implications — will determine whether 
it passes.

Kansas has four abortion clinics, two in Overland Park
 and two in Wichita. About 7,000 people got abortions in Kansas in 2018,
 about half came from other states. Neighboring Missouri’s only abortion
 clinic is in St. Louis.&nbsp;&nbsp;

President Donald Trump has 
appointed two conservative-leaning justices to the U.S. Supreme Court. 
Abortion rights activists say that could lead to justices overturning 
critical decisions like Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion nationwide
 in 1973.

Two decades later, in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the 
high court changed the bar to an “undue burden” test, which was 
generally viewed as giving states more leeway for restrictions.

Last
 year’s Kansas Supreme Court ruling set a “strict scrutiny” standard for
 figuring out whether an anti-abortion law violates the right to control
 one’s own body and reproductive decisions. That means abortion 
restrictions are only constitutional when the state can show it has a 
compelling interest, and tailored a law to that end.

It’s 
difficult to say which laws on the books in Kansas today might fail that
 strict scrutiny standard, according to Richard Levy, a constitutional 
law professor at the University of Kansas.

“With respect to 
informed consent and waiting, I think those would be vulnerable,” he 
said, referring to laws that make women wait 24 hours for an abortion 
and mandate doctors give women information designed to discourage 
abortion. “Yet, it's not 100% clear that the Kansas courts are supposed 
to follow the pre-Casey U.S. Supreme court precedents.”

Proponents of amending the Kansas Constitution have launched 
letter-writing campaigns and petitions. And dioceses have called on 
Catholics to appeal to the Virgin Mary.

John Holecek of McPherson
 is coordinating the Kansas Rosary Crusade to get as many Catholics as 
possible praying weekly for the amendment to pass.

“I don't think
 it's a slam dunk by any means,” Holecek said of the amendment’s 
chances, “although Kansas has a reputation of being pro-life.”

Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celialj_LJ</a> or email her at celia@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579810772710.jpeg" alt=" Anti-abortion marchers demonstrate at the Kansas Statehouse on Wednesday, 47 years after the Roe v. Wade decision. Daniel Caudill / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Anti-abortion marchers demonstrate at the Kansas Statehouse on Wednesday, 47 years after the Roe v. Wade decision. Daniel Caudill / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-lawmakers-want-block-right-abortion-changing-state-constitution#stream/0">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA ⁠— Lawmakers are fast-tracking a push
 to amend the state constitution and undo a Kansas Supreme Court ruling 
that said women have the right to abortion.The goal, with 
voters’ approval in August, is to add a line to the state bill of rights
 saying abortion isn’t constitutionally protected ⁠— and that 
legislators can regulate abortions, including when a pregnancy results 
from rape or incest or threatens a woman’s life.The proposal already is awaiting floor votes in both chambers, just over a week after the 2020 session began.&nbsp;“It’s very important that we allow the citizens of Kansas a say in this,” House Speaker Ron Ryckman said.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/measures/documents/hcr5019_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">The bill</a>,
 he said, will be among the first to get a floor debate this session. 
House and Senate committees held a joint hearing Tuesday to speed the 
process, and the next day ⁠— the anniversary of Roe v. Wade ⁠— both 
passed the bill to their respective floors.Critics are crying 
foul over Republicans’ move for a vote in August, which will see a 
competitive GOP primary for a U.S. Senate seat, rather than November, 
when the presidential election will draw far bigger crowds to the polls.“They
 want to put it out when the lowest amount of people vote,” Democratic 
Rep. Stephanie Clayton said. “The rights of Kansans are not subject to a
 vote of the people.”University of Kansas political scientist 
Patrick Miller said the August primary will see a “much smaller, much 
more skewed electorate” that could boost the amendment’s chances of 
passing.That’s because middle-of-the-road voters tend to vote 
less in primaries, he said, and though polling on abortion isn’t 
extensive in Kansas, it suggests most residents have mixed feelings on 
the topic.<h2>The details</h2>To be enshrined in
 the constitution, the proposal needs two-thirds majorities in the House
 and Senate, and more than half the ballots cast by the public.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579810571928.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In April, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-supreme-court-state-constitution-protects-abortion-rights">the Kansas Supreme Court concluded</a> women have the right to terminate a pregnancy under the state constitution, which says everyone has “<a href="https://kslib.info/826/Kansas-Bill-of-Rights">inalienable natural rights</a>.” Those include having control over our bodies and decisions about having a family, the justices wrote.Kansas’
 abortion restrictions range from banning the procedure after 22 weeks 
of pregnancy for most women to blocking insurance companies from 
covering abortion unless a patient purchases a special policy rider.Anti-abortion
 lawmakers and activists fear those restrictions, won over the course of
 years, will fall like dominoes if litigated under the April court 
ruling.Passing the proposed amendment would prevent that from 
happening, said Chuck Weber, a lobbyist for the Kansas Catholic 
Conference, which represents the state’s four bishops and their 
dioceses.“It's very, very reasonable — almost innocuous,” Weber 
said of the amendment. “I use the word ‘innocuous’ and I realize that 
that probably doesn't fly with some people, but really this just brings 
us back to what we were in Kansas prior to the ruling. So, it does not 
ban abortion.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579810604723.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Rachel Sweet, a lobbyist for Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes, 
argued that anti-abortion groups won’t stop at the amendment.Currently,
 Kansas abortion restrictions often include exceptions to save a 
mother's life, but generally not for rape or incest victims. Planned 
Parenthood argues the proposed Kansas amendment paves the way to make 
the procedure illegal in all circumstances.“Kansans do not want 
politicians interfering in their personal medical decisions,” Sweet 
said. “If this (amendment) does get to the ballot, I'm confident that 
the voters of Kansas would reject this.”A <a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/docking/Kansas-Speaks/kansas-speaks-2016-final-report.-with-bz-correction-to-fig-8-and-9" target="_blank">2016 survey by Fort Hays State University</a>
 found nearly half of Kansans were somewhere in the middle on abortion 
rights, saying it should be legal for most or at least some situations.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579810636168.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Two years later, a <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/midterms-2018/voter-analysis?filter=KS&amp;type=G" target="_blank">Fox News analysis</a>
 found a similarly complex picture. Four in five Kansans supported some 
level of legal abortion access, and four in five wanted some level of 
restrictions. As in the 2016 survey, Kansans were slightly more likely 
to believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases than illegal in
 all or most cases.This complex picture means the messaging and 
campaigning for and against the constitutional amendment — and how 
Kansans ultimately interpret its implications — will determine whether 
it passes.Kansas has four abortion clinics, two in Overland Park
 and two in Wichita. About 7,000 people got abortions in Kansas in 2018,
 about half came from other states. Neighboring Missouri’s only abortion
 clinic is in St. Louis.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579810665732.jpeg" alt="Staff at Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes in Overland Park calls Kansans Wednesday, asking them to contact their lawmakers about the constitutional amendment.&nbsp;Credit Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Staff at Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes in Overland Park calls Kansans Wednesday, asking them to contact their lawmakers about the constitutional amendment.&nbsp;Credit Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>State’s rights?</h2>President Donald Trump has 
appointed two conservative-leaning justices to the U.S. Supreme Court. 
Abortion rights activists say that could lead to justices overturning 
critical decisions like Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion nationwide
 in 1973.Two decades later, in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the 
high court changed the bar to an “undue burden” test, which was 
generally viewed as giving states more leeway for restrictions.Last
 year’s Kansas Supreme Court ruling set a “strict scrutiny” standard for
 figuring out whether an anti-abortion law violates the right to control
 one’s own body and reproductive decisions. That means abortion 
restrictions are only constitutional when the state can show it has a 
compelling interest, and tailored a law to that end.It’s 
difficult to say which laws on the books in Kansas today might fail that
 strict scrutiny standard, according to Richard Levy, a constitutional 
law professor at the University of Kansas.“With respect to 
informed consent and waiting, I think those would be vulnerable,” he 
said, referring to laws that make women wait 24 hours for an abortion 
and mandate doctors give women information designed to discourage 
abortion. “Yet, it's not 100% clear that the Kansas courts are supposed 
to follow the pre-Casey U.S. Supreme court precedents.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579810710373.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Proponents of amending the Kansas Constitution have launched 
letter-writing campaigns and petitions. And dioceses have called on 
Catholics to appeal to the Virgin Mary.John Holecek of McPherson
 is coordinating the Kansas Rosary Crusade to get as many Catholics as 
possible praying weekly for the amendment to pass.“I don't think
 it's a slam dunk by any means,” Holecek said of the amendment’s 
chances, “although Kansas has a reputation of being pro-life.”Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celialj_LJ</a> or email her at celia@kcur.org.

Kan. lawmakers want to block right to abortion by changing Constitution 

JACKSON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on numerous charges after a traffic stop.

On Wednesday afternoon,&nbsp; Jackson County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped a northbound 1999 Honda Civic near 214th Road south of Holton for a traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 A Jackson County Sheriff’s K-9 responded to the scene. The K-9 alerted on the vehicle, which resulted in the search of the vehicle. The investigation resulted in locating a quantity of marijuana and methamphetamine. 

The driver, Christina Ann Armstrong, 42, of Seneca was arrested by deputies. Armstrong was booked into the Jackson County Jail for the following: Felony possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and felony interference with law enforcement.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579813571536.png" alt="Christina A. Armstrong photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Christina A. Armstrong photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on numerous charges after a traffic stop.On Wednesday afternoon,&nbsp; Jackson County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped a northbound 1999 Honda Civic near 214th Road south of Holton for a traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. A Jackson County Sheriff’s K-9 responded to the scene. The K-9 alerted on the vehicle, which resulted in the search of the vehicle. The investigation resulted in locating a quantity of marijuana and methamphetamine. The driver, Christina Ann Armstrong, 42, of Seneca was arrested by deputies. Armstrong was booked into the Jackson County Jail for the following: Felony possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and felony interference with law enforcement.&nbsp;

Sheriff's K9 helps in arrest of Kansas drug suspect

TOPEKA, KAN. (AP) —Opposition from top Republican lawmakers in Kansas appears to have doomed Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's plan to tax streaming services, e-books, and movie and music downloads like most other states do.

Kelly and fellow Democrats pitch it as basic fairness. Consumers who buy or rent a DVD of their favorite “Star Wars” movie or go to the movie theater pay the state's 6.5% sales tax, but they don't if they stream or download the same movie.

The idea is hardly new: Thirty-three states have some form of such a tax, according to the Tax Foundation, a conservative-leaning Washington-based think tank.

But Republicans in the GOP-controlled Kansas Legislature strongly oppose the idea, arguing that such a tax would have little public support. The Republican Governors Association mocked Kelly this week as “Liberal Laura” and suggested she was “trailblazing” in finding new ways to pull dollars from people's pockets. Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning, a Kansas City-area Republican, said Thursday that Kelly's proposal is “dead on arrival.”

“Why would we tax Baby Yoda?” said Rep. Nick Hoheisel, a Wichita Republican, referring to the popular character from the Disney+ series “The Mandalorian.” “I would never do that to Baby Yoda.”

Kelly's proposed state budget assumes that Kansas would raise $29 million annually from the “Netflix tax.” Kelly proposed it after years of wrestling by Kansas and other states with how to adjust state revenue-raising laws to account for the rise in popularity of online shopping.

Under Kelly, the state Department of Revenue last year imposed the nation's most aggressive policy for collecting taxes from online sales. It declared that all online merchants are required to register, collect the tax and send the revenue to the state.

Yet for all that, the sales tax still isn't levied on digitally downloaded or streamed products. A consumer ordering a hardcover copy of Stephen King's latest novel online pays the tax, while someone who downloads the same novel as an e-book does not.

The proposed “Netflix tax” is only a small piece of Kelly's proposed $19.8 billion spending blueprint for the next budget year. It's not necessary to finance programs or keep the budget balanced, because Kansas expects to begin July with $1.1 billion in cash reserves.

Despite the Republican opposition, Kelly is sticking by her proposal.

'"It is a fairness issues for our Main Street brick-and-mortar kinds of businesses,” Kelly said. “If I go online and buy tickets to the theater up at Westridge (Mall, in Topeka, I go in, I watch the movie, I don't take that home, but I did pay sales tax on that ticket.”

Other Democrats smell partisan politics behind Republicans' opposition. Some GOP conservatives have argued that Kansas ought to close sales tax exemptions, though they would do it to keep the 6.5% rate in check or to even lower it.

House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, said the “Netflix tax” is not novel and, “It's something we need to do.”

"People are buying things differently than they used to and our sales tax system is antiquated,” he said. “The governor says it, so now all of a sudden, they're against it.”

Michael Lucci, the Tax Foundation's vice president for state projects, said he thinks Kelly's proposal is a step toward fairness broadening the base of what's taxed. But he said a bigger step would be broadening what's taxed "more holistically" instead of "one industry at a time.”

“Then you could bring down that (tax) rate, too,” he said. “That's how you're going to get to a better overall tax code.”

But in Kansas, the issue is simple for many Republicans.

First, said House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, “everybody streams” and would pay the tax. Furthermore, Kelly promised during her 2018 campaign for governor not to increase taxes even as she advocated higher spending on public schools and social services.

“It's a tax increase,” Hawkins said. “How many people want to vote for a tax increase? No."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579873689131.png" alt="Image courtesy Rep. Dan Hawkins twitter" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Rep. Dan Hawkins twitter</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, KAN. (AP) —Opposition from top Republican lawmakers in Kansas appears to have doomed Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's plan to tax streaming services, e-books, and movie and music downloads like most other states do.Kelly and fellow Democrats pitch it as basic fairness. Consumers who buy or rent a DVD of their favorite “Star Wars” movie or go to the movie theater pay the state's 6.5% sales tax, but they don't if they stream or download the same movie.The idea is hardly new: Thirty-three states have some form of such a tax, according to the Tax Foundation, a conservative-leaning Washington-based think tank.But Republicans in the GOP-controlled Kansas Legislature strongly oppose the idea, arguing that such a tax would have little public support. The Republican Governors Association mocked Kelly this week as “Liberal Laura” and suggested she was “trailblazing” in finding new ways to pull dollars from people's pockets. Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning, a Kansas City-area Republican, said Thursday that Kelly's proposal is “dead on arrival.”“Why would we tax Baby Yoda?” said Rep. Nick Hoheisel, a Wichita Republican, referring to the popular character from the Disney+ series “The Mandalorian.” “I would never do that to Baby Yoda.”Kelly's proposed state budget assumes that Kansas would raise $29 million annually from the “Netflix tax.” Kelly proposed it after years of wrestling by Kansas and other states with how to adjust state revenue-raising laws to account for the rise in popularity of online shopping.Under Kelly, the state Department of Revenue last year imposed the nation's most aggressive policy for collecting taxes from online sales. It declared that all online merchants are required to register, collect the tax and send the revenue to the state.Yet for all that, the sales tax still isn't levied on digitally downloaded or streamed products. A consumer ordering a hardcover copy of Stephen King's latest novel online pays the tax, while someone who downloads the same novel as an e-book does not.The proposed “Netflix tax” is only a small piece of Kelly's proposed $19.8 billion spending blueprint for the next budget year. It's not necessary to finance programs or keep the budget balanced, because Kansas expects to begin July with $1.1 billion in cash reserves.Despite the Republican opposition, Kelly is sticking by her proposal.'"It is a fairness issues for our Main Street brick-and-mortar kinds of businesses,” Kelly said. “If I go online and buy tickets to the theater up at Westridge (Mall, in Topeka, I go in, I watch the movie, I don't take that home, but I did pay sales tax on that ticket.”Other Democrats smell partisan politics behind Republicans' opposition. Some GOP conservatives have argued that Kansas ought to close sales tax exemptions, though they would do it to keep the 6.5% rate in check or to even lower it.House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, said the “Netflix tax” is not novel and, “It's something we need to do.”"People are buying things differently than they used to and our sales tax system is antiquated,” he said. “The governor says it, so now all of a sudden, they're against it.”Michael Lucci, the Tax Foundation's vice president for state projects, said he thinks Kelly's proposal is a step toward fairness broadening the base of what's taxed. But he said a bigger step would be broadening what's taxed "more holistically" instead of "one industry at a time.”“Then you could bring down that (tax) rate, too,” he said. “That's how you're going to get to a better overall tax code.”But in Kansas, the issue is simple for many Republicans.First, said House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, “everybody streams” and would pay the tax. Furthermore, Kelly promised during her 2018 campaign for governor not to increase taxes even as she advocated higher spending on public schools and social services.“It's a tax increase,” Hawkins said. “How many people want to vote for a tax increase? No."

GOP opposition likely to block new 'Netflix tax' in Kansas

Today is Friday, Jan. 24, the 24th day of 2020. There are 342 days left in the year.

On Jan. 24, 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill concluded a wartime conference in Casablanca, Morocco.

In 1848, James W. Marshall discovered a gold nugget at Sutter's Mill in northern California, a discovery that led to the gold rush of '49.

In 1935, beer was first sold in cans in Richmond, Virginia, by the Gottfried Krueger Brewing Co.

In 1939, at least 28,000 people were killed by an earthquake that devastated the city of Chillan in Chile.

In 1945, Associated Press war correspondent Joseph Morton was among a group of captives executed by the Germans at the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp in Austria.

In 1965, British statesman Winston Churchill died in London at age 90.

In 1984, Apple Computer began selling its first Macintosh model, which boasted a built-in 9-inch monochrome display, a clock rate of 8 megahertz and 128k of RAM.

In 1985, the space shuttle Discovery was launched from Cape Canaveral on the first secret, all-military shuttle mission.

In 1987, gunmen in Lebanon kidnapped educators Alann Steen, Jesse Turner, Robert Polhill, and Mitheleshwar Singh. (All were eventually released.)

In 1989, confessed serial killer Theodore Bundy was executed in Florida's electric chair.

In 1993, retired Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall died in Bethesda, Maryland, at age 84.

In 2003, former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge was sworn as the first secretary of the new Department of Homeland Security.

In 2018, former sports doctor Larry Nassar, who had admitted molesting some of the nation's top gymnasts for years under the guise of medical treatment, was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison. Singer Elton John announced that he would be retiring from the road after an upcoming three-year global tour.

Ten years ago: In an audio message, Osama bin Laden endorsed the failed attempt to blow up a U.S. airliner on Christmas Day and threatened new attacks against the United States. Afghanistan postponed parliamentary elections. The Indianapolis Colts beat the New York Jets 30-17 in the AFC championship game. The New Orleans Saints of the NFC made it to their first Super Bowl after battering the Minnesota Vikings 31-28 in overtime. Bowler Kelly Kulick became the first woman to win a PBA Tour title, beating Chris Barnes in the final of the 45th Tournament of Champions in Las Vegas. Actor Pernell Roberts, 81, died in Malibu, California.

Five years ago: President Barack Obama condemned the murder of Japanese hostage Haruna Yukawa by the Islamic State group and called for the immediate release of another Japanese hostage, journalist Kenji Goto (Goto was beheaded by his captors days later). Parts of the Northeast got their first real taste of winter as a storm dumped rain, sleet, and snow as it moved up the coast. "Birdman" received the Producers Guild of America's highest film award.

One year ago: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called home all Venezuelan diplomats from the United States and closed its embassy, a day after ordering all U.S. diplomats out of the country; the Trump administration had said the order wasn't legal because the U.S. now recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido, and not Maduro, as Venezuela's legitimate leader. The Senate voted down competing Democratic and Republican plans for ending a 34-day partial government shutdown, but the setbacks prompted bipartisan talks aimed at temporarily halting the longest-ever closure of federal agencies.

Today's Birthdays: Cajun musician Doug Kershaw is 84. Singer-songwriter Ray Stevens is 81. Singer-songwriter Neil Diamond is 79. Singer Aaron Neville is 79. Actor Michael Ontkean is 74. Actor Daniel Auteuil is 70. Country singer-songwriter Becky Hobbs is 70. Comedian Yakov Smirnoff is 69. South Korean President Moon Jae-in is 67. Actor William Allen Young is 66. Bandleader-musician Jools Holland is 62. Actress Nastassja Kinski is 59. Rhythm-and-blues singer Theo Peoples is 59. Country musician Keech Rainwater (Lonestar) is 57. Comedian Phil LaMarr is 53. Olympic gold medal gymnast Mary Lou Retton is 52. Rhythm-and-blues singer Sleepy Brown (Society of Soul) is 50. Actor Matthew Lillard is 50. Actress Merrilee McCommas is 49. Blues/rock singer Beth Hart is 48. Actor Ed Helms is 46. Actor Mark Hildreth is 42. Actress Christina Moses is 42. Actress Tatyana Ali is 41. Rock musician Mitchell Marlow (Filter) is 41. Actress Carrie Coon is 39. Actor Daveed Diggs is 38. Actor Justin Baldoni is 36. Actress Mischa Barton is 34.

Thought for Today: "I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom." — Bob Dylan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy&nbsp;<a href="http://shutterstock.com/">shutterstock.com</a>." />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy&nbsp;<a href="http://shutterstock.com/">shutterstock.com</a>.</figcaption>
 </figure>Today is Friday, Jan. 24, the 24th day of 2020. There are 342 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On Jan. 24, 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill concluded a wartime conference in Casablanca, Morocco.On this date:In 1848, James W. Marshall discovered a gold nugget at Sutter's Mill in northern California, a discovery that led to the gold rush of '49.In 1935, beer was first sold in cans in Richmond, Virginia, by the Gottfried Krueger Brewing Co.In 1939, at least 28,000 people were killed by an earthquake that devastated the city of Chillan in Chile.In 1945, Associated Press war correspondent Joseph Morton was among a group of captives executed by the Germans at the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp in Austria.In 1965, British statesman Winston Churchill died in London at age 90.In 1984, Apple Computer began selling its first Macintosh model, which boasted a built-in 9-inch monochrome display, a clock rate of 8 megahertz and 128k of RAM.In 1985, the space shuttle Discovery was launched from Cape Canaveral on the first secret, all-military shuttle mission.In 1987, gunmen in Lebanon kidnapped educators Alann Steen, Jesse Turner, Robert Polhill, and Mitheleshwar Singh. (All were eventually released.)In 1989, confessed serial killer Theodore Bundy was executed in Florida's electric chair.In 1993, retired Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall died in Bethesda, Maryland, at age 84.In 2003, former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge was sworn as the first secretary of the new Department of Homeland Security.In 2018, former sports doctor Larry Nassar, who had admitted molesting some of the nation's top gymnasts for years under the guise of medical treatment, was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison. Singer Elton John announced that he would be retiring from the road after an upcoming three-year global tour.Ten years ago: In an audio message, Osama bin Laden endorsed the failed attempt to blow up a U.S. airliner on Christmas Day and threatened new attacks against the United States. Afghanistan postponed parliamentary elections. The Indianapolis Colts beat the New York Jets 30-17 in the AFC championship game. The New Orleans Saints of the NFC made it to their first Super Bowl after battering the Minnesota Vikings 31-28 in overtime. Bowler Kelly Kulick became the first woman to win a PBA Tour title, beating Chris Barnes in the final of the 45th Tournament of Champions in Las Vegas. Actor Pernell Roberts, 81, died in Malibu, California.Five years ago: President Barack Obama condemned the murder of Japanese hostage Haruna Yukawa by the Islamic State group and called for the immediate release of another Japanese hostage, journalist Kenji Goto (Goto was beheaded by his captors days later). Parts of the Northeast got their first real taste of winter as a storm dumped rain, sleet, and snow as it moved up the coast. "Birdman" received the Producers Guild of America's highest film award.One year ago: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called home all Venezuelan diplomats from the United States and closed its embassy, a day after ordering all U.S. diplomats out of the country; the Trump administration had said the order wasn't legal because the U.S. now recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido, and not Maduro, as Venezuela's legitimate leader. The Senate voted down competing Democratic and Republican plans for ending a 34-day partial government shutdown, but the setbacks prompted bipartisan talks aimed at temporarily halting the longest-ever closure of federal agencies.Today's Birthdays: Cajun musician Doug Kershaw is 84. Singer-songwriter Ray Stevens is 81. Singer-songwriter Neil Diamond is 79. Singer Aaron Neville is 79. Actor Michael Ontkean is 74. Actor Daniel Auteuil is 70. Country singer-songwriter Becky Hobbs is 70. Comedian Yakov Smirnoff is 69. South Korean President Moon Jae-in is 67. Actor William Allen Young is 66. Bandleader-musician Jools Holland is 62. Actress Nastassja Kinski is 59. Rhythm-and-blues singer Theo Peoples is 59. Country musician Keech Rainwater (Lonestar) is 57. Comedian Phil LaMarr is 53. Olympic gold medal gymnast Mary Lou Retton is 52. Rhythm-and-blues singer Sleepy Brown (Society of Soul) is 50. Actor Matthew Lillard is 50. Actress Merrilee McCommas is 49. Blues/rock singer Beth Hart is 48. Actor Ed Helms is 46. Actor Mark Hildreth is 42. Actress Christina Moses is 42. Actress Tatyana Ali is 41. Rock musician Mitchell Marlow (Filter) is 41. Actress Carrie Coon is 39. Actor Daveed Diggs is 38. Actor Justin Baldoni is 36. Actress Mischa Barton is 34.Thought for Today: "I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom." — Bob Dylan.Copyright 2020, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Today in History -- Jan. 24

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a drug bust at a home in Great Bend.

On Thursday morning, officers sere dispatched to 2311 Prairie Rose Drive&nbsp; to assist Central Kansas Community Corrections. When officers arrived Community Corrections personnel advised officers of suspected drug paraphernalia that they observed while inside the residence, according to the Great Bend Police Department.

Police arreste 41-year-old Jason Kober at the scene on unrelated warrants before a search warrant was obtained where officers located methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Kober was booked into the Barton County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He has previous convictions for drugs and theft, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579841829254.png" alt="Jason Kober photo Barton County" />
 <figcaption>Jason Kober photo Barton County</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a drug bust at a home in Great Bend.On Thursday morning, officers sere dispatched to 2311 Prairie Rose Drive&nbsp; to assist Central Kansas Community Corrections. When officers arrived Community Corrections personnel advised officers of suspected drug paraphernalia that they observed while inside the residence, according to the Great Bend Police Department.Police arreste 41-year-old Jason Kober at the scene on unrelated warrants before a search warrant was obtained where officers located methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.Kober was booked into the Barton County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He has previous convictions for drugs and theft, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.