SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on felony allegations following a traffic sto.

Just before 3a.m. Dec. 20,&nbsp;a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop near NW Gordon Street and NW Jackson Street on a gray 2013 Audi A4 passenger car for a traffic violation, according to Deputy Abigail Christian During the investigation, a firearm and illegal narcotics were located.

The driver, Jonathan T. Sibert, 21, of Topeka, was arrested on scene, booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, transporting an open container, vehicle registration violations and failing to properly signal turn.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671751359315.png" alt="Sibert-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Sibert-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on felony allegations following a traffic sto.Just before 3a.m. Dec. 20,&nbsp;a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop near NW Gordon Street and NW Jackson Street on a gray 2013 Audi A4 passenger car for a traffic violation, according to Deputy Abigail Christian During the investigation, a firearm and illegal narcotics were located.The driver, Jonathan T. Sibert, 21, of Topeka, was arrested on scene, booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, transporting an open container, vehicle registration violations and failing to properly signal turn.

Kansas felon caught transporting drugs, firearm

K-State Salina Communications and Marketing

Students, faculty, staff and administration at&nbsp;<a href="http://salina.ksu.edu/" target="_blank">Kansas State University Salina Aerospace and Technology Campus</a>&nbsp;helped contribute gifts to local families in the campus's first student-led Giving Tree project.&nbsp;

Students involved with K-State Salina's Student Governing Association helped create and lead the Giving Tree project, which raised more than $1,500 to put toward gifts for four different families of students who attend Sunset Elementary School in Salina. The gifts included everything from necessities—including towels, hats, gloves and cleaning supplies—to fun items for kids, such as toys, coloring books and crafts. Two K-State Salina students helped organize the project, with assistance from&nbsp;the Student Governing Association and a team effort from all parts of campus. Roxana Linares,&nbsp;junior,&nbsp;Arkansas City, and Charlie Kiehlbauch,&nbsp;sophomore,&nbsp;Fort Worth, Texas,&nbsp;both led and organized the campus's&nbsp;inaugural&nbsp;Giving Tree project. "We wanted to help the community in some way,"&nbsp;Linares said.&nbsp;"Charlie and&nbsp;I&nbsp;really have an interest in service to our community,&nbsp;and this was a great opportunity to help people have a little more holiday cheer." Kiehlbauch also credits the K-State Salina Student Governing Association's efforts in getting to be more involved with the Salina&nbsp;community. Thanks to this persistence, the school was able to build a relationship with the Sunset Parent-Teacher Organization, which&nbsp;notified the students of the opportunity. "I think the Giving Tree project went really well&nbsp;… our&nbsp;faculty and staff supported us,"&nbsp;said Kielbauch.&nbsp;"From giving gifts to donating money to wrapping, our campus had great buy-in. It means everything to me that our campus could achieve this to help the families." While other community service projects ask for the community's help, the Giving Tree&nbsp;project&nbsp;only relied on the K-State Salina campus to rally around the families. Only K-State Salina students, faculty, staff and administration pitched in to raise funds. Some&nbsp;even helped&nbsp;wrap&nbsp;gifts to ensure a true&nbsp;holiday feel for the families. "Students and staff have felt more of a responsibility to get involved and give back to the Salina community,"&nbsp;said Alysia Starkey, K-State Salina CEO and dean.&nbsp;"I'm proud of the response this student-led project invoked in members of our campus. This is a great example of how leadership is viewed at our campus: where it doesn't matter one's title; anybody can lead at any time.&nbsp;Thanks to the leadership showcased by our SGA, we were able to come through for local families." Recently, the K-State Salina campus has been involved with many aspects of community involvement, including a new on-campus community art appreciation&nbsp;mural,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/2022-07/birds-feather-mural71922.html" target="_blank">"Birds of a Feather,"</a>&nbsp;a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/2022-07/bots-united-way72822.html" target="_blank">community fundraiser</a>&nbsp;for the Salina Area United Way&nbsp;and a volunteering campaign for the campus's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/2022-08/fall-kickoff81722.html" target="_blank">annual Fall Kickoff</a>&nbsp;in August.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671655255841.jpeg" alt="K-State Salina students Roxana Linares (left) and Charlie Kiehlbauch helped lead and organize K-State Salina's Giving Tree project, which helped contribute gifts to four families of students who attend Sunset Elementary School in Salina. Photo courtesy K-State Salina" />
 <figcaption>K-State Salina students Roxana Linares (left) and Charlie Kiehlbauch helped lead and organize K-State Salina's Giving Tree project, which helped contribute gifts to four families of students who attend Sunset Elementary School in Salina. Photo courtesy K-State Salina</figcaption>
 </figure>K-State Salina Communications and MarketingStudents, faculty, staff and administration at&nbsp;<a href="http://salina.ksu.edu/" target="_blank">Kansas State University Salina Aerospace and Technology Campus</a>&nbsp;helped contribute gifts to local families in the campus's first student-led Giving Tree project.&nbsp;Students involved with K-State Salina's Student Governing Association helped create and lead the Giving Tree project, which raised more than $1,500 to put toward gifts for four different families of students who attend Sunset Elementary School in Salina. The gifts included everything from necessities—including towels, hats, gloves and cleaning supplies—to fun items for kids, such as toys, coloring books and crafts. Two K-State Salina students helped organize the project, with assistance from&nbsp;the Student Governing Association and a team effort from all parts of campus. Roxana Linares,&nbsp;junior,&nbsp;Arkansas City, and Charlie Kiehlbauch,&nbsp;sophomore,&nbsp;Fort Worth, Texas,&nbsp;both led and organized the campus's&nbsp;inaugural&nbsp;Giving Tree project. "We wanted to help the community in some way,"&nbsp;Linares said.&nbsp;"Charlie and&nbsp;I&nbsp;really have an interest in service to our community,&nbsp;and this was a great opportunity to help people have a little more holiday cheer." Kiehlbauch also credits the K-State Salina Student Governing Association's efforts in getting to be more involved with the Salina&nbsp;community. Thanks to this persistence, the school was able to build a relationship with the Sunset Parent-Teacher Organization, which&nbsp;notified the students of the opportunity. "I think the Giving Tree project went really well&nbsp;… our&nbsp;faculty and staff supported us,"&nbsp;said Kielbauch.&nbsp;"From giving gifts to donating money to wrapping, our campus had great buy-in. It means everything to me that our campus could achieve this to help the families." While other community service projects ask for the community's help, the Giving Tree&nbsp;project&nbsp;only relied on the K-State Salina campus to rally around the families. Only K-State Salina students, faculty, staff and administration pitched in to raise funds. Some&nbsp;even helped&nbsp;wrap&nbsp;gifts to ensure a true&nbsp;holiday feel for the families. "Students and staff have felt more of a responsibility to get involved and give back to the Salina community,"&nbsp;said Alysia Starkey, K-State Salina CEO and dean.&nbsp;"I'm proud of the response this student-led project invoked in members of our campus. This is a great example of how leadership is viewed at our campus: where it doesn't matter one's title; anybody can lead at any time.&nbsp;Thanks to the leadership showcased by our SGA, we were able to come through for local families." Recently, the K-State Salina campus has been involved with many aspects of community involvement, including a new on-campus community art appreciation&nbsp;mural,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/2022-07/birds-feather-mural71922.html" target="_blank">"Birds of a Feather,"</a>&nbsp;a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/2022-07/bots-united-way72822.html" target="_blank">community fundraiser</a>&nbsp;for the Salina Area United Way&nbsp;and a volunteering campaign for the campus's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/2022-08/fall-kickoff81722.html" target="_blank">annual Fall Kickoff</a>&nbsp;in August.

K-State Salina students lead Giving Tree project, donate gifts to 4 families

Today is Thursday, Dec. 22, the 356th day of 2022. There are nine days left in the year.

On Dec. 22, 1990, Lech Walesa took the oath of office as Poland's first popularly elected president.

In 1858, opera composer Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca, Italy.

In 1894, French army officer Alfred Dreyfus was convicted of treason in a court-martial that triggered worldwide charges of anti-Semitism. (Dreyfus was eventually vindicated.)

In 1941, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrived in Washington for a wartime conference with President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

In 1944, during the World War II Battle of the Bulge, U.S. Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe rejected a German demand for surrender, writing "Nuts!" in his official reply.

In 1984, New York City resident Bernhard Goetz shot and wounded four youths on a Manhattan subway, claiming they were about to rob him.

In 1989, Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu, the last of Eastern Europe's hard-line Communist rulers, was toppled from power in a popular uprising.

In 1992, a Libyan Boeing 727 jetliner crashed after a midair collision with a MiG fighter, killing all 157 aboard the jetliner, and both crew members of the fighter jet.

In 1995, actor Butterfly McQueen, who'd played the scatterbrained slave Prissy in "Gone with the Wind," died in Augusta, Georgia, at age 84.

In 2001, Richard C. Reid, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami, tried to ignite explosives in his shoes, but was subdued by flight attendants and fellow passengers. (Reid is serving a life sentence in federal prison.)

In 2003, a federal judge ruled the Pentagon couldn't enforce mandatory anthrax vaccinations for military personnel.

In 2010, President Barack Obama signed a law allowing gays for the first time in history to serve openly in America's military, repealing the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

In 2020, President Donald Trump unexpectedly released two videos, one falsely declaring that he had won the election in a "landslide," and the other urging lawmakers to increase direct payments for most individuals to $2,000 in a COVID relief package, a move opposed by most Republicans.

Ten years ago: The late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye was praised as a humble leader who embodied honor, dignity and duty during a public visitation at Hawaii's state Capitol, five days after his death at age 88. Egypt's Islamist-backed constitution received a "yes" majority in a final round of voting on a referendum that saw a low voter turnout.

Five years ago: The wildfire that had burned its way through communities and wilderness northwest of Los Angeles became the largest blaze ever officially recorded in California; it had scorched 273,400 acres and destroyed more than 700 homes. iPhone owners from several states sued Apple for not disclosing sooner that it issued software updates deliberately slowing older-model phones so aging batteries would last longer. President Donald Trump signed the $1.5 trillion tax overhaul into law. The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved tough new sanctions against North Korea in response to its latest launch of a ballistic missile that Pyongyang said was capable of reaching anywhere on the U.S. mainland.

One year ago: U.S. health regulators authorized the first pill against COVID-19, a Pfizer drug that Americans would be able to take at home to head off the worst effects of the virus. A New York man, Matthew Greene, pleaded guilty to storming the U.S. Capitol with fellow members of the far-right Proud Boys; he was the first Proud Boys member to publicly plead guilty to conspiring with other members to stop Congress from certifying the Electoral College vote. The Department of Homeland Security announced that 100 children, mostly from Central America, had been reunited with their families after being separated under President Donald Trump's zero-tolerance border policy. The NHL announced that players would not be able to participate in the Beijing Olympics; the league would spend the previously scheduled Olympic break making up games postponed because of COVID-19 protocols.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Hector Elizondo is 86. Country singer Red Steagall is 84. Former World Bank Group President Paul Wolfowitz is 79. Baseball Hall of Famer Steve Carlton is 78. Former ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer is 77. Rock singer-musician Rick Nielsen (Cheap Trick) is 74. Rock singer-musician Michael Bacon is 74. Baseball All-Star Steve Garvey is 74. Golfer Jan Stephenson is 71. Actor BernNadette Stanis is 69. Rapper Luther "Luke" Campbell is 62. Actor Ralph Fiennes is 60. Actor Lauralee Bell is 54. Country singer Lori McKenna is 54. Actor Dina Meyer is 54. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is 52. Actor Heather Donahue is 49. Actor Chris Carmack is 42. Actor Harry Ford is 40. Actor Greg Finley is 38. Actor Logan Huffman is 33. R&amp;B singer Jordin Sparks is 33. Pop singer Meghan Trainor is 29. Norwegian tennis player Casper Ruud is 24.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://Shutterstock.com">Shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://Shutterstock.com">Shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Thursday, Dec. 22, the 356th day of 2022. There are nine days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On Dec. 22, 1990, Lech Walesa took the oath of office as Poland's first popularly elected president.On this date:In 1858, opera composer Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca, Italy.In 1894, French army officer Alfred Dreyfus was convicted of treason in a court-martial that triggered worldwide charges of anti-Semitism. (Dreyfus was eventually vindicated.)In 1941, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrived in Washington for a wartime conference with President Franklin D. Roosevelt.In 1944, during the World War II Battle of the Bulge, U.S. Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe rejected a German demand for surrender, writing "Nuts!" in his official reply.In 1984, New York City resident Bernhard Goetz shot and wounded four youths on a Manhattan subway, claiming they were about to rob him.In 1989, Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu, the last of Eastern Europe's hard-line Communist rulers, was toppled from power in a popular uprising.In 1992, a Libyan Boeing 727 jetliner crashed after a midair collision with a MiG fighter, killing all 157 aboard the jetliner, and both crew members of the fighter jet.In 1995, actor Butterfly McQueen, who'd played the scatterbrained slave Prissy in "Gone with the Wind," died in Augusta, Georgia, at age 84.In 2001, Richard C. Reid, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami, tried to ignite explosives in his shoes, but was subdued by flight attendants and fellow passengers. (Reid is serving a life sentence in federal prison.)In 2003, a federal judge ruled the Pentagon couldn't enforce mandatory anthrax vaccinations for military personnel.In 2010, President Barack Obama signed a law allowing gays for the first time in history to serve openly in America's military, repealing the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.In 2020, President Donald Trump unexpectedly released two videos, one falsely declaring that he had won the election in a "landslide," and the other urging lawmakers to increase direct payments for most individuals to $2,000 in a COVID relief package, a move opposed by most Republicans.Ten years ago: The late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye was praised as a humble leader who embodied honor, dignity and duty during a public visitation at Hawaii's state Capitol, five days after his death at age 88. Egypt's Islamist-backed constitution received a "yes" majority in a final round of voting on a referendum that saw a low voter turnout.Five years ago: The wildfire that had burned its way through communities and wilderness northwest of Los Angeles became the largest blaze ever officially recorded in California; it had scorched 273,400 acres and destroyed more than 700 homes. iPhone owners from several states sued Apple for not disclosing sooner that it issued software updates deliberately slowing older-model phones so aging batteries would last longer. President Donald Trump signed the $1.5 trillion tax overhaul into law. The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved tough new sanctions against North Korea in response to its latest launch of a ballistic missile that Pyongyang said was capable of reaching anywhere on the U.S. mainland.One year ago: U.S. health regulators authorized the first pill against COVID-19, a Pfizer drug that Americans would be able to take at home to head off the worst effects of the virus. A New York man, Matthew Greene, pleaded guilty to storming the U.S. Capitol with fellow members of the far-right Proud Boys; he was the first Proud Boys member to publicly plead guilty to conspiring with other members to stop Congress from certifying the Electoral College vote. The Department of Homeland Security announced that 100 children, mostly from Central America, had been reunited with their families after being separated under President Donald Trump's zero-tolerance border policy. The NHL announced that players would not be able to participate in the Beijing Olympics; the league would spend the previously scheduled Olympic break making up games postponed because of COVID-19 protocols.Today's Birthdays: Actor Hector Elizondo is 86. Country singer Red Steagall is 84. Former World Bank Group President Paul Wolfowitz is 79. Baseball Hall of Famer Steve Carlton is 78. Former ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer is 77. Rock singer-musician Rick Nielsen (Cheap Trick) is 74. Rock singer-musician Michael Bacon is 74. Baseball All-Star Steve Garvey is 74. Golfer Jan Stephenson is 71. Actor BernNadette Stanis is 69. Rapper Luther "Luke" Campbell is 62. Actor Ralph Fiennes is 60. Actor Lauralee Bell is 54. Country singer Lori McKenna is 54. Actor Dina Meyer is 54. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is 52. Actor Heather Donahue is 49. Actor Chris Carmack is 42. Actor Harry Ford is 40. Actor Greg Finley is 38. Actor Logan Huffman is 33. R&amp;B singer Jordin Sparks is 33. Pop singer Meghan Trainor is 29. Norwegian tennis player Casper Ruud is 24.

Today in History - December 22

Today is Wednesday, Dec. 21, the 355th day of 2022. There are 10 days left in the year. Winter begins at 4:48 p.m. EST.

On Dec. 21, 1864, during the Civil War, Union forces led by Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman concluded their "March to the Sea" as they captured Savannah, Georgia.

In 1620, Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower went ashore for the first time at present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts.

In 1891, the first basketball game, devised by James Naismith, is believed to have been played at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts. (The final score of this experimental game: 1-0.)

In 1913, the first newspaper crossword puzzle, billed as a "Word-Cross Puzzle," was published in the New York World.

In 1914, the U.S. government began requiring passport applicants to provide photographs of themselves.

In 1945, U.S. Army Gen. George S. Patton, 60, died in Heidelberg, Germany, 12 days after being seriously injured in a car accident.

In 1976, the Liberian-registered tanker Argo Merchant broke apart near Nantucket Island off Massachusetts almost a week after running aground, spilling 7.5 million gallons of oil into the North Atlantic.

In 1988, 270 people were killed when a terrorist bomb exploded aboard a Pam Am Boeing 747 over Lockerbie, Scotland, sending wreckage crashing to the ground.

In 1991, eleven of the 12 former Soviet republics proclaimed the birth of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the death of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

In 1995, the city of Bethlehem passed from Israeli to Palestinian control.

In 2009, the Obama administration imposed a 3-hour limit on how long airlines can keep passengers waiting inside planes delayed on the ground.

In 2015, the nation's three-decade-old ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men was formally lifted, but major restrictions continued to limit who could give blood in the U.S.

In 2020, President-elect Joe Biden received his first dose of the coronavirus vaccine on live television as part of a growing effort to convince the American public the inoculations were safe. The Vatican declared it "morally acceptable" for Roman Catholics to receive COVID-19 vaccines based on research that used fetal tissue from abortions.

Ten years ago: The National Rifle Association said guns and police officers were needed in all American schools to stop the next killer "waiting in the wings," taking a no-retreat stance in the face of growing calls for gun control after the Newtown, Connecticut, shootings that claimed the lives of 26 children and school staff. President Barack Obama nominated Sen. John Kerry as his next secretary of state.

Five years ago: The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to denounce President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, largely ignoring Trump's threat to cut off aid to any country that went against him. Papa John's announced that founder John Schnatter would step down as CEO; the company had apologized for his comments criticizing the NFL leadership over protests by players who knelt during the national anthem.

One year ago: In an effort to fight the omicron coronavirus variant surging through the country, President Joe Biden announced that the government would provide 500 million free rapid home-testing kits, increase support for hospitals under strain and redouble vaccination and boosting efforts. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the nation's third-largest city would start requiring proof of coronavirus vaccination at restaurants, bars, gyms and other indoor venues. Figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau showed that U.S. population growth dipped to its lowest rate since the nation's founding during the first year of the pandemic.

Today's Birthdays: Talk show host Phil Donahue is 87. Actor Jane Fonda is 85. Actor Larry Bryggman is 84. Singer Carla Thomas is 80. Musician Albert Lee is 79. Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas is 78. Actor Josh Mostel is 76. Actor Samuel L. Jackson is 74. Rock singer Nick Gilder is 72. Movie producer Jeffrey Katzenberg is 72. Actor Dennis Boutsikaris is 70. International Tennis Hall of Famer Chris Evert is 68. Actor Jane Kaczmarek is 67. Country singer Lee Roy Parnell is 66. Former child actor Lisa Gerritsen is 65. Actor-comedian Ray Romano is 65. Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is 60. Country singer Christy Forester (The Forester Sisters) is 60. Rock musician Murph (The Lemonheads; Dinosaur Jr.) is 58. Actor-comedian Andy Dick is 57. Rock musician Gabrielle Glaser is 57. Actor Michelle Hurd is 56. Actor Kiefer Sutherland is 56. Actor Karri Turner is 56. Actor Khrystyne Haje is 54. Country singer Brad Warren (The Warren Brothers) is 54. Actor Julie Delpy is 53. Contemporary Christian singer Natalie Grant is 51. Actor Glenn Fitzgerald is 51. Singer-musician Brett Scallions is 51. World Golf Hall of Famer Karrie Webb is 48. Rock singer Lukas Rossi (Rock Star Supernova) is 46. French President Emmanuel Macron is 45. Actor Rutina Wesley is 44. Rock musician Anna Bulbrook (Airborne Toxic Event) is 40. Country singer Luke Stricklin is 40. Actor Steven Yeun is 39. Actor Kaitlyn Dever is 26.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Wednesday, Dec. 21, the 355th day of 2022. There are 10 days left in the year. Winter begins at 4:48 p.m. EST.Today's Highlight in History:On Dec. 21, 1864, during the Civil War, Union forces led by Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman concluded their "March to the Sea" as they captured Savannah, Georgia.On this date:In 1620, Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower went ashore for the first time at present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts.In 1891, the first basketball game, devised by James Naismith, is believed to have been played at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts. (The final score of this experimental game: 1-0.)In 1913, the first newspaper crossword puzzle, billed as a "Word-Cross Puzzle," was published in the New York World.In 1914, the U.S. government began requiring passport applicants to provide photographs of themselves.In 1945, U.S. Army Gen. George S. Patton, 60, died in Heidelberg, Germany, 12 days after being seriously injured in a car accident.In 1976, the Liberian-registered tanker Argo Merchant broke apart near Nantucket Island off Massachusetts almost a week after running aground, spilling 7.5 million gallons of oil into the North Atlantic.In 1988, 270 people were killed when a terrorist bomb exploded aboard a Pam Am Boeing 747 over Lockerbie, Scotland, sending wreckage crashing to the ground.In 1991, eleven of the 12 former Soviet republics proclaimed the birth of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the death of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.In 1995, the city of Bethlehem passed from Israeli to Palestinian control.In 2009, the Obama administration imposed a 3-hour limit on how long airlines can keep passengers waiting inside planes delayed on the ground.In 2015, the nation's three-decade-old ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men was formally lifted, but major restrictions continued to limit who could give blood in the U.S.In 2020, President-elect Joe Biden received his first dose of the coronavirus vaccine on live television as part of a growing effort to convince the American public the inoculations were safe. The Vatican declared it "morally acceptable" for Roman Catholics to receive COVID-19 vaccines based on research that used fetal tissue from abortions.Ten years ago: The National Rifle Association said guns and police officers were needed in all American schools to stop the next killer "waiting in the wings," taking a no-retreat stance in the face of growing calls for gun control after the Newtown, Connecticut, shootings that claimed the lives of 26 children and school staff. President Barack Obama nominated Sen. John Kerry as his next secretary of state.Five years ago: The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to denounce President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, largely ignoring Trump's threat to cut off aid to any country that went against him. Papa John's announced that founder John Schnatter would step down as CEO; the company had apologized for his comments criticizing the NFL leadership over protests by players who knelt during the national anthem.One year ago: In an effort to fight the omicron coronavirus variant surging through the country, President Joe Biden announced that the government would provide 500 million free rapid home-testing kits, increase support for hospitals under strain and redouble vaccination and boosting efforts. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the nation's third-largest city would start requiring proof of coronavirus vaccination at restaurants, bars, gyms and other indoor venues. Figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau showed that U.S. population growth dipped to its lowest rate since the nation's founding during the first year of the pandemic.Today's Birthdays: Talk show host Phil Donahue is 87. Actor Jane Fonda is 85. Actor Larry Bryggman is 84. Singer Carla Thomas is 80. Musician Albert Lee is 79. Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas is 78. Actor Josh Mostel is 76. Actor Samuel L. Jackson is 74. Rock singer Nick Gilder is 72. Movie producer Jeffrey Katzenberg is 72. Actor Dennis Boutsikaris is 70. International Tennis Hall of Famer Chris Evert is 68. Actor Jane Kaczmarek is 67. Country singer Lee Roy Parnell is 66. Former child actor Lisa Gerritsen is 65. Actor-comedian Ray Romano is 65. Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is 60. Country singer Christy Forester (The Forester Sisters) is 60. Rock musician Murph (The Lemonheads; Dinosaur Jr.) is 58. Actor-comedian Andy Dick is 57. Rock musician Gabrielle Glaser is 57. Actor Michelle Hurd is 56. Actor Kiefer Sutherland is 56. Actor Karri Turner is 56. Actor Khrystyne Haje is 54. Country singer Brad Warren (The Warren Brothers) is 54. Actor Julie Delpy is 53. Contemporary Christian singer Natalie Grant is 51. Actor Glenn Fitzgerald is 51. Singer-musician Brett Scallions is 51. World Golf Hall of Famer Karrie Webb is 48. Rock singer Lukas Rossi (Rock Star Supernova) is 46. French President Emmanuel Macron is 45. Actor Rutina Wesley is 44. Rock musician Anna Bulbrook (Airborne Toxic Event) is 40. Country singer Luke Stricklin is 40. Actor Steven Yeun is 39. Actor Kaitlyn Dever is 26.

Today in History - December 21

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trump has not held a single campaign event.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trump responds to Jan. 6 panel’s criminal referral

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Tuesday, Dec. 20, the 354th day of 2022. There are 11 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On Dec. 20, 1803, the Louisiana Purchase was completed as ownership of the territory was formally transferred from France to the United States.On this date:In 1860, South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union as all 169 delegates to a special convention in Charleston voted in favor of separation.In 1864, Confederate forces evacuated Savannah, Georgia, as Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman nearly completed his "March to the Sea."In 1945, the Office of Price Administration announced the end of tire rationing, effective Jan. 1, 1946.In 1963, the Berlin Wall was opened for the first time to West Berliners, who were allowed one-day visits to relatives in the Eastern sector for the holidays.In 1987, more than 4,300 people were killed when the Dona Paz, a Philippine passenger ship, collided with the tanker Vector off Mindoro island.In 1989, the United States launched Operation Just Cause, sending troops into Panama to topple the government of Gen. Manuel Noriega.In 1995, an American Airlines Boeing 757 en route to Cali, Colombia, slammed into a mountain, killing all but four of the 163 people aboard. In Bosnia-Herzegovina, NATO began its peacekeeping mission, taking over from the United Nations.In 1999, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that homosexual couples were entitled to the same benefits and protections as wedded heterosexual couples.In 2001, the U.N. Security Council authorized a multinational force for Afghanistan.In 2002, Trent Lott resigned as Senate Republican leader two weeks after igniting a political firestorm with racially charged remarks.In 2005, a federal judge ruled that "intelligent design" could not be mentioned in biology classes in a Pennsylvania public school district, delivering a stinging attack on the Dover Area School Board.In 2016, President Barack Obama designated the bulk of U.S.-owned waters in the Arctic Ocean and certain areas in the Atlantic Ocean as indefinitely off limits to future oil and gas leasing. Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova was injured in her playing hand by a knife-wielding attacker at her Czech Republic home and underwent surgery. (The attacker was sentenced to 11 years in prison.)Ten years ago: The State Department acknowledged major weaknesses in security and errors in judgment exposed in a scathing independent report on the deadly Sept. 11, 2012 assault on a U.S. diplomatic mission in Libya. The National Hockey League, in a labor fight with its players, announced the cancellation of the 2012-13 regular-season schedule through Jan. 14, 2013.Five years ago: The House gave final congressional approval to a $1.5 trillion tax overhaul, the biggest package of tax changes in a generation and the first major legislative achievement of President Donald Trump and House and Senate Republicans; some Republicans warned of a potential backlash against an overhaul that offered corporations and wealthy taxpayers the biggest benefits. Cardinal Bernard Law, the disgraced former archbishop of Boston, died in Rome at the age of 86; his failure to stop child molesters in the priesthood had triggered a crisis in American Catholicism.One year ago: In a major step to fight climate change, the Biden administration raised vehicle mileage standards to significantly reduce emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases. Warning that extremism in the ranks was increasing, Pentagon officials issued detailed new rules prohibiting service members from actively engaging in extremist activities. Federal health officials said the omicron variant had accounted for an estimated 73% of new U.S. coronavirus infections in the preceding week. CBS and Universal Television said actor Chris Noth would no longer be part of the CBS series "The Equalizer" in the wake of sexual assault allegations against him; Noth had vehemently denied the allegations.Today's Birthdays: Original Mouseketeer Tommy Cole (TV: "The Mickey Mouse Club") is 81. R&amp;B singer-musician Walter "Wolfman" Washington is 79. Rock musician-music producer Bobby Colomby is 78. Rock musician Peter Criss is 77. Former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is 76. Psychic/illusionist Uri Geller is 76. Producer Dick Wolf ("Law &amp; Order") is 76. Rock musician Alan Parsons is 74. Actor Jenny Agutter is 70. Actor Michael Badalucco is 68. Actor Blanche Baker is 66. Rock singer Billy Bragg is 65. Rock singer-musician Mike Watt (The Secondmen, Minutemen, fIREHOSE) is 65. Actor Joel Gretsch is 59. Country singer Kris Tyler is 58. Rock singer Chris Robinson is 56. Actor Nicole deBoer is 52. Movie director Todd Phillips is 52. Singer David Cook ("American Idol") is 40. Actor Jonah Hill is 39. Actor Bob Morley is 38. Singer JoJo is 32. Actor Colin Woodell is 31.

Today in History - December 20

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Crime Stoppers tip helped police catch Kansas murder suspect

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Monday, Dec. 19, the 353rd day of 2022. There are 12 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On Dec. 19, 1998, President Bill Clinton was impeached by the Republican-controlled House for perjury and obstruction of justice. (Clinton was subsequently acquitted by the Senate.)On this date:In 1777, during the American Revolutionary War, Gen. George Washington led his army of about 11,000 men to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, to camp for the winter.In 1907, 239 workers died in a coal mine explosion in Jacobs Creek, Pennsylvania.In 1946, war broke out in Indochina as troops under Ho Chi Minh launched widespread attacks against the French.In 1950, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower was named commander of the military forces of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.In 1960, fire broke out on the hangar deck of the nearly completed aircraft carrier USS Constellation at the New York Naval Shipyard; 50 civilian workers were killed.In 1972, Apollo 17 splashed down in the Pacific, winding up the Apollo program of manned lunar landings.In 2001, the fires that had burned beneath the ruins of the World Trade Center in New York City for the previous three months were declared extinguished except for a few scattered hot spots.In 2002, Secretary of State Colin Powell declared Iraq in "material breach" of a U.N. disarmament resolution.In 2003, design plans were unveiled for the signature skyscraper — a 1,776-foot glass tower — at the site of the World Trade Center in New York City.In 2008, citing imminent danger to the national economy, President George W. Bush ordered an emergency bailout of the U.S. auto industry.In 2011, North Korea announced the death two days earlier of leader Kim Jong Il; North Koreans marched by the thousands to mourn their "Dear Leader" while state media proclaimed his youngest son, Kim Jong Un, a "Great Successor."In 2016, a truck rammed into a crowded Christmas market in central Berlin, killing 12 people in an attack claimed by Islamic State. (The suspected attacker was killed in a police shootout four days later.) A Turkish policeman fatally shot Russian ambassador Andrei Karlov at a photo exhibit in Ankara. (The assailant was later killed in a police shootout.)Ten years ago: Four State Department officials resigned under pressure, less than a day after a damning report blamed management failures for a lack of security at the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, where militants killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans. Park Geun-hye, daughter of late South Korean President Park Chung-hee, was elected the country's first female president.Five years ago: A bus carrying cruise ship passengers on an excursion to Mayan ruins in southeastern Mexico flipped over on a narrow highway, killing 11 travelers and their guide and injuring about 20 others; eight Americans were among those killed. U.S. health officials approved the nation's first gene therapy for an inherited disease, a treatment that improves the sight of patients with a rare form of blindness. David Wright, a Massachusetts man who was convicted of leading a plot inspired by the Islamic State to behead conservative blogger Pamela Geller, was sentenced in Boston to 28 years in prison.One year ago: Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia said he could not support his party's signature $2 trillion social and environment bill, dealing a seemingly fatal blow to President Joe Biden's leading domestic initiative. (Congress would approve a smaller but still substantive compromise measure in August 2022.) The NHL and its players association temporarily clamped down on teams crossing the Canadian border and shut down operations of two more teams in hopes of salvaging the season as COVID-19 outbreaks spread across the league. Gabriel Boric, a leftist millennial who rose to prominence during anti-government protests, was elected Chile's next president. Despite rising concerns over the omicron variant, "Spider-Man: No Way Home" achieved the third-best opening of all time; studio estimates showed that the Sony and Marvel blockbuster grossed $253 million in ticket sales in North America.Today's Birthdays: Actor Elaine Joyce is 79. Actor Tim Reid is 78. Musician John McEuen is 77. Singer Janie Fricke is 75. Jazz musician Lenny White is 73. Actor Mike Lookinland is 62. Actor Scott Cohen is 61. Actor Jennifer Beals is 59. Actor Robert MacNaughton is 56. Magician Criss Angel is 55. Rock musician Klaus Eichstadt (Ugly Kid Joe) is 55. Actor Ken Marino is 54. Actor Elvis Nolasco is 54. Actor Kristy Swanson is 53. Model Tyson Beckford is 52. Actor Amy Locane is 51. Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Sapp is 50. Actor Rosa Blasi is 50. Actor Alyssa Milano is 50. Actor Tara Summers is 43. Actor Jake Gyllenhaal is 42. Actor Marla Sokoloff is 42. Rapper Lady Sovereign is 37. Journalist Ronan Farrow is 35. Actor Nik Dodani is 29.

Today in History - December 19

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Sunday, Dec. 18, the 352nd day of 2022. There are 13 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On Dec. 18, 2019, the U.S. House impeached President Donald Trump on two charges, sending his case to the Senate for trial; the articles of impeachment accused him of abusing the power of the presidency to investigate rival Joe Biden ahead of the 2020 election and then obstructing Congress' investigation. (It was the first of two Trump impeachment trials that would end in acquittal by the Senate.)On this date:In 1865, the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, abolishing slavery, was declared in effect by Secretary of State William H. Seward.In 1892, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet "The Nutcracker" publicly premiered in St. Petersburg, Russia; although now considered a classic, it received a generally negative reception from critics.In 1917, Congress passed the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibiting "the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors" and sent it to the states for ratification.In 1940, Adolf Hitler signed a secret directive ordering preparations for a Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union. (Operation Barbarossa was launched in June 1941.)In 1944, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the government's wartime evacuation of people of Japanese descent from the West Coast while at the same time ruling that "concededly loyal" Americans of Japanese ancestry could not continue to be detained.In 1957, the Shippingport Atomic Power Station in Pennsylvania, the first nuclear facility to generate electricity in the United States, went on line. (It was taken out of service in 1982.)In 1958, the world's first communications satellite, SCORE (Signal Communication by Orbiting Relay Equipment), nicknamed "Chatterbox," was launched by the United States aboard an Atlas rocket.In 1969, Britain's House of Lords joined the House of Commons in making permanent a 1965 ban on the death penalty for murder.In 1992, Kim Young-sam was elected South Korea's first civilian president in three decades.In 2003, two federal appeals courts ruled the U.S. military could not indefinitely hold prisoners without access to lawyers or American courts.In 2011, the last convoy of heavily armored U.S. troops left Iraq, crossing into Kuwait in darkness in the final moments of a nine-year war. Vaclav Havel, 75, the dissident playwright who became Czechoslovakia's first democratically elected president, died in the northern Czech Republic.In 2020, the U.S. added a second COVID-19 vaccine to its arsenal, as the Food and Drug Administration authorized an emergency rollout of the vaccine developed by Moderna Inc. and the National Institutes of Health; a vaccine from Pfizer Inc. and Germany's BioNTech was already being dispensed.Ten years ago: Classes resumed in Newtown, Connecticut, except at Sandy Hook Elementary School, the scene of a massacre four days earlier. Two bank robbers pulled off a daring escape from downtown Chicago's high-rise jail by scaling down 17 stories using a makeshift rope. (Kenneth Conley and Jose Banks were later recaptured.) Texas A&amp;M quarterback Johnny Manziel became the first freshman to be voted The Associated Press Player of the Year in college football.Five years ago: An Amtrak train making the first-ever run along a faster route hurtled off an overpass south of Seattle and spilled some of its cars onto the highway below; three people were killed and dozens were hurt. (Investigators found that the train was traveling 80 mph in a 30 mph zone.) A fire and blackout at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world's busiest, forced the cancellation of more than 1,500 flights just days before the start of the Christmas rush; airlines said some of the grounded travelers would have to wait days before there would be available seats on flights. The Los Angeles Lakers retired numbers 8 and 24, both of the jersey numbers worn by Kobe Bryant, the leading scorer in franchise history.One year ago: Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said all of the people reported missing in Kentucky after tornadoes swept through the state a week earlier had been accounted for; more than 90 people were confirmed dead in five states, including 81 in Kentucky. Nations across Europe moved to reimpose tougher measures to stem a new wave of COVID-19 infections spurred by the highly transmissible omicron variant, with the Netherlands leading the way by imposing a nationwide lockdown. "Saturday Night Live" aired without a live audience, and with only limited cast and crew, due to a recent spike in the omicron variant.Today's Birthdays: Rock musician Keith Richards is 79. Writer-director Alan Rudolph is 79. Movie producer-director Steven Spielberg is 76. Blues artist Rod Piazza is 75. Movie director Gillian Armstrong is 72. Movie reviewer Leonard Maltin is 72. Rock musician Elliot Easton is 69. Comedian Ron White is 66. R&amp;B singer Angie Stone is 61. Actor Brad Pitt is 59. Professional wrestler-turned-actor "Stone Cold" Steve Austin is 58. Actor Shawn Christian is 57. Actor Rachel Griffiths is 54. Singer Alejandro Sanz is 54. Actor Casper Van Dien is 54. Country/rap singer Cowboy Troy is 52. International Tennis Hall of Famer Arantxa Sanchez Vicario is 51. DJ Lethal (Limp Bizkit) is 50. Pop singer Sia is 47. Country singer Randy Houser is 46. Actor Josh Dallas is 44. Actor Katie Holmes is 44. Actor Ravi Patel is 44. Singer Christina Aguilera is 42. Actor Ashley Benson is 33. NHL defenseman Victor Hedman is 32. Actor-singer Bridgit Mendler is 30. MLB outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. is 25. Electro-pop singer Billie Eilish is 21. Actor Isabella Crovetti is 18.

Today in History - December 18

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

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

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

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

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

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

In 1777, France recognized American independence.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Saturday, Dec. 17, the 351st day of 2022. There are 14 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On Dec. 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright of Dayton, Ohio, conducted the first successful manned powered-airplane flights near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, using their experimental craft, the Wright Flyer.On this date:In 1777, France recognized American independence.In 1933, in the inaugural NFL championship football game, the Chicago Bears defeated the New York Giants, 23-21, at Wrigley Field.In 1944, the U.S. War Department announced it was ending its policy of excluding people of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast.In 1957, the United States successfully test-fired the Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time.In 1969, the U.S. Air Force closed its Project "Blue Book" by concluding there was no evidence of extraterrestrial spaceships behind thousands of UFO sightings.In 1975, Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme was sentenced in Sacramento, California, to life in prison for her attempt on the life of President Gerald R. Ford. (She was paroled in Aug. 2009.)In 1979, Arthur McDuffie, a Black insurance executive, was beaten by police after leading them on a chase with his motorcycle in Miami. McDuffie died in a hospital four days later. (Four white police officers accused of beating McDuffie were later acquitted, sparking riots.)In 1992, President George H.W. Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari signed the North American Free Trade Agreement in separate ceremonies. (After President Donald Trump demanded a new deal, the three countries signed a replacement agreement in 2018.)In 2011, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il died after more than a decade of iron rule; he was 69, according to official records, but some reports indicated he was 70.In 2014, the United States and Cuba restored diplomatic relations, sweeping away one of the last vestiges of the Cold War.In 2018, a report from the Senate intelligence committee found that Russia's political disinformation campaign on U.S. social media was more far-reaching than originally thought, with troll farms working to discourage Black voters and "blur the lines between reality and fiction" to help elect Donald Trump.In 2020, a government advisory panel endorsed a second COVID-19 vaccine, paving the way for the shot from Moderna and the National Institutes of Health to be added to the U.S. vaccination campaign.Ten years ago: Newtown, Connecticut, began laying its dead to rest, holding funerals for two 6-year-old boys, the first of the 20 children killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre. A pair of NASA spacecraft, named Ebb and Flow, were deliberately crashed into a mountain near the moon's north pole, ending a mission that peered into the lunar interior. Longtime Democratic U.S. senator and World War II hero Daniel Inouye of Hawaii died in Bethesda, Maryland, at age 88.Five years ago: Facing an investigation of allegations of sexual misconduct and using racist language, Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson announced that he would sell the NFL team after the season. "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" took in $220 million in its debut weekend in North America, good for the second-best opening ever and behind only its predecessor, "The Force Awakens." French sailor Francois Gabart broke the record for sailing around the world alone, circumnavigating the planet in just 42 days and 16 hours.One year ago: A federal appeals court panel ruled that President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate for larger private employers could take effect. (Weeks later, the Supreme Court rejected that mandate.) A Florida man, 54-year-old Robert Palmer, who had attacked police officers trying to hold back the angry mob at the Capitol on Jan. 6, was sentenced to more than five years behind bars. The National Labor Relations Board confirmed a vote to form a union at a Starbucks store in Buffalo; the coffee retailer, for the first time, would have to bargain with organized labor at a company-owned U.S. store. A fire that spread from a fourth-floor mental clinic in an eight-story building in downtown Osaka in western Japan left 25 dead. (A clinic patient suspected of starting the fire died two weeks later at a hospital where he was being treated for burns and smoke inhalation.)Today's Birthdays: Actor Armin Mueller-Stahl is 92. Pope Francis is 86. Singer-actor Tommy Steele is 86. Actor Bernard Hill is 78. Actor Ernie Hudson is 77. Comedian-actor Eugene Levy is 76. Actor Marilyn Hassett is 75. Actor Wes Studi is 75. Pop musician Jim Bonfanti (The Raspberries) is 74. Actor Joel Brooks is 73. Rock singer Paul Rodgers is 73. R&amp;B singer Wanda Hutchinson Vaughn (The Emotions) is 71. Actor Bill Pullman is 69. Actor Barry Livingston is 69. Country singer Sharon White is 69. Producer-director-writer Peter Farrelly is 66. Rock musician Mike Mills (R.E.M.) is 64. Pop singer Sarah Dallin (Bananarama) is 61. Country singer Tracy Byrd is 56. Country musician Duane Propes is 56. Actor Laurie Holden is 53. DJ Homicide (Sugar Ray) is 52. Actor Sean Patrick Thomas is 52. Actor Claire Forlani is 51. Pop-rock musician Eddie Fisher (OneRepublic) is 49. Actor Sarah Paulson is 48. Actor Marissa Ribisi is 48. Actor Giovanni Ribisi is 48. Actor Milla Jovovich is 47. Singer Bree Sharp is 47. Singer-songwriter Ben Goldwasser (MGMT) is 40. Rock singer Mikky Ekko is 39. Actor Shannon Woodward is 38. Actor Emma Bell is 36. Actor Vanessa Zima is 36. Rock musician Taylor York (Paramore) is 33. Actor Graham Rogers is 32. Actor-singer Nat Wolff is 28.

Today in History - December 17

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

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

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

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

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

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