By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">Morgan Chilson</a><br><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/"><i>Kansas Reflector</i></a>

TOPEKA — CoreCivic argued Tuesday for the right to begin holding prisoners in its closed Leavenworth facility, even as the company is working through a local permit process that could make the court case irrelevant.

CoreCivic challenged an injunction in the Kansas Court of Appeals that was made last year by the Leavenworth County District Court. The injunction kept the private prison from taking detainees from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement while CoreCivic and the City of Leavenworth fought in court about reopening the company’s prison facility.

Complicating the issue, the two are now working through the city’s planning process as CoreCivic has applied for a special use permit that would allow it to reopen.&nbsp;

“This is a difficult case because it feels like there are all of these slippery parts that are not part of the matter before us,” said Chief Judge Sarah Warner. “There’s a separate lawsuit. There are ongoing administrative proceedings.”&nbsp;

CoreCivic operated a private prison in Leavenworth until 2021 when it lost a contract with the U.S. Department of Justice. In 2025, the company announced it planned to reopen the prison as the Midwest Regional Detention Center and house ICE detainees.&nbsp;

The city required CoreCivic to obtain a special use permit through its planning and zoning process before reopening, which is where the court cases originated last year. The two entities have been fighting it out in court, with CoreCivic insisting it did not need a permit.&nbsp;

After losses in Kansas district court, CoreCivic bowed to the city’s demands and began the process of obtaining the permit. Last week, the city’s planning commission&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/03/corecivic-receives-leavenworth-planning-commission-approval-in-contentious-meeting/" target="_blank">approved the permit</a>&nbsp;and sent it to the city commission for a final determination.&nbsp;

Although one court case between the two ended and one remains open but inactive, the Nashville-based private prison company continued its appeal Tuesday to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/06/04/leavenworth-wins-restraining-order-barring-corecivic-from-taking-ice-detainees/" target="_blank">argue the injunction prohibiting</a>&nbsp;it from taking prisoners immediately should be reversed.

Sara Fevurly, an attorney for CoreCivic, said the district court didn’t properly grant the injunction, and even if the decision were rendered moot after the permit was approved, the company may be entitled to fees and damages associated with an improper temporary injunction.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In the short hearing focused on legal technicalities of the case, both sides argued about the definition of “irreparable harm” and whether CoreCivic abandoned use of its property because it did not house prisoners there for about three years.&nbsp;

Joseph Hatley, an attorney for Leavenworth, told the court it was difficult to determine what “irreparable harm” would mean for the city, listing challenges the city had with CoreCivic during its operations before 2021. Those included not alerting local police to crimes at the facility and public works issues created by sewage.&nbsp;

Fevurly argued that past behavior cannot be used to determine harm.&nbsp;

“I don’t know how you calculate damages based on the police inability to investigate crimes,” Hatley said. “There are people who get hurt by that, there are victims in the facility who are hurt by that. Irreparable harm is the inability to calculate damages, and that’s what we have here.”

Warner said the judges would render a written opinion as soon as they could.&nbsp;

CoreCivic will know by March 10 whether the city will approve its special use permit to reopen the prison, Hatley said after the hearing. That will be the city commission’s second consideration of the permit, with the first consideration occurring Feb. 24. A public hearing is held as part of the process.&nbsp;

David Waters, the Leavenworth city attorney, said after the hearing that the public’s input is “certainly” part of determining whether the permit goes through.&nbsp;

“That is why we hold a public hearing,” he said. “The planning commission holds that public hearing to get the citizen input on that. It’s one of the most important parts of the zoning and planning process is to get that input from the residents as to what is best for the public health and safety and welfare of the community.”

Waters said CoreCivic has the option to appeal to the district court if the city commission refuses to grant the permit.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770836020066.png" alt=" From left, Kansas Court of Appeals Judges Thomas Malone, Sarah Warner and Stephen Hill hear arguments on Feb. 10, 2026, about reversing an injunction against CoreCivic (Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)" />
                        <figcaption> From left, Kansas Court of Appeals Judges Thomas Malone, Sarah Warner and Stephen Hill hear arguments on Feb. 10, 2026, about reversing an injunction against CoreCivic (Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">Morgan Chilson</a><br><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/"><i>Kansas Reflector</i></a></p><p>TOPEKA — CoreCivic argued Tuesday for the right to begin holding prisoners in its closed Leavenworth facility, even as the company is working through a local permit process that could make the court case irrelevant.</p><p>CoreCivic challenged an injunction in the Kansas Court of Appeals that was made last year by the Leavenworth County District Court. The injunction kept the private prison from taking detainees from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement while CoreCivic and the City of Leavenworth fought in court about reopening the company’s prison facility.</p><p>Complicating the issue, the two are now working through the city’s planning process as CoreCivic has applied for a special use permit that would allow it to reopen.&nbsp;</p><p>“This is a difficult case because it feels like there are all of these slippery parts that are not part of the matter before us,” said Chief Judge Sarah Warner. “There’s a separate lawsuit. There are ongoing administrative proceedings.”&nbsp;</p><p>CoreCivic operated a private prison in Leavenworth until 2021 when it lost a contract with the U.S. Department of Justice. In 2025, the company announced it planned to reopen the prison as the Midwest Regional Detention Center and house ICE detainees.&nbsp;</p><p>The city required CoreCivic to obtain a special use permit through its planning and zoning process before reopening, which is where the court cases originated last year. The two entities have been fighting it out in court, with CoreCivic insisting it did not need a permit.&nbsp;</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770835927566.png" alt="Sara Fevurly, attorney for CoreCivic, considers opponent’s arguments during a Feb. 10, 2026, Kansas Court of Appeals hearing about reversing an injunction against the private prison company. (Photo by Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)" />
                        <figcaption>Sara Fevurly, attorney for CoreCivic, considers opponent’s arguments during a Feb. 10, 2026, Kansas Court of Appeals hearing about reversing an injunction against the private prison company. (Photo by Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>After losses in Kansas district court, CoreCivic bowed to the city’s demands and began the process of obtaining the permit. Last week, the city’s planning commission&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/03/corecivic-receives-leavenworth-planning-commission-approval-in-contentious-meeting/" target="_blank">approved the permit</a>&nbsp;and sent it to the city commission for a final determination.&nbsp;</p><p>Although one court case between the two ended and one remains open but inactive, the Nashville-based private prison company continued its appeal Tuesday to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/06/04/leavenworth-wins-restraining-order-barring-corecivic-from-taking-ice-detainees/" target="_blank">argue the injunction prohibiting</a>&nbsp;it from taking prisoners immediately should be reversed.</p><p>Sara Fevurly, an attorney for CoreCivic, said the district court didn’t properly grant the injunction, and even if the decision were rendered moot after the permit was approved, the company may be entitled to fees and damages associated with an improper temporary injunction.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>In the short hearing focused on legal technicalities of the case, both sides argued about the definition of “irreparable harm” and whether CoreCivic abandoned use of its property because it did not house prisoners there for about three years.&nbsp;</p><p>Joseph Hatley, an attorney for Leavenworth, told the court it was difficult to determine what “irreparable harm” would mean for the city, listing challenges the city had with CoreCivic during its operations before 2021. Those included not alerting local police to crimes at the facility and public works issues created by sewage.&nbsp;</p><p>Fevurly argued that past behavior cannot be used to determine harm.&nbsp;</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770835965549.png" alt="Sara Fevurly, attorney for CoreCivic, considers opponent’s arguments during a Feb. 10, 2026, Kansas Court of Appeals hearing about reversing an injunction against the private prison company. (Photo by Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)" />
                        <figcaption>Sara Fevurly, attorney for CoreCivic, considers opponent’s arguments during a Feb. 10, 2026, Kansas Court of Appeals hearing about reversing an injunction against the private prison company. (Photo by Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>“I don’t know how you calculate damages based on the police inability to investigate crimes,” Hatley said. “There are people who get hurt by that, there are victims in the facility who are hurt by that. Irreparable harm is the inability to calculate damages, and that’s what we have here.”</p><p>Warner said the judges would render a written opinion as soon as they could.&nbsp;</p><p>CoreCivic will know by March 10 whether the city will approve its special use permit to reopen the prison, Hatley said after the hearing. That will be the city commission’s second consideration of the permit, with the first consideration occurring Feb. 24. A public hearing is held as part of the process.&nbsp;</p><p>David Waters, the Leavenworth city attorney, said after the hearing that the public’s input is “certainly” part of determining whether the permit goes through.&nbsp;</p><p>“That is why we hold a public hearing,” he said. “The planning commission holds that public hearing to get the citizen input on that. It’s one of the most important parts of the zoning and planning process is to get that input from the residents as to what is best for the public health and safety and welfare of the community.”</p><p>Waters said CoreCivic has the option to appeal to the district court if the city commission refuses to grant the permit.</p>

CoreCivic argues to overturn injunction keeping it from housing ICE detainees in Kansas prison

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.

At 9:30p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to the 1300 block of E. Armour Blvd. in Kansas City, Missouri, on a sound of shots call, according to KCPD Sergeant Jake Becchina.

Multiple callers reported the sound of gunfire from behind an apartment building there. On arrival officers were directed to a parking lot in the back of an apartment building where they located a vehicle with two shooting victims, a man and woman, unresponsive inside.&nbsp;

Officers called for EMS who declared both victims deceased at the scene.&nbsp;Homicide detectives responded to the scene to conduct their investigation along with crime scene investigators who are processing the scene for available evidence.&nbsp; Police did not release any suspect information or the names of the victims.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770822843585.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KMBC" />
                        <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.</p><p>At 9:30p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to the 1300 block of E. Armour Blvd. in Kansas City, Missouri, on a sound of shots call, according to KCPD Sergeant Jake Becchina.</p><p>Multiple callers reported the sound of gunfire from behind an apartment building there. On arrival officers were directed to a parking lot in the back of an apartment building where they located a vehicle with two shooting victims, a man and woman, unresponsive inside.&nbsp;</p><p>Officers called for EMS who declared both victims deceased at the scene.&nbsp;Homicide detectives responded to the scene to conduct their investigation along with crime scene investigators who are processing the scene for available evidence.&nbsp; Police did not release any suspect information or the names of the victims.</p>

Homicide: Man, woman found dead in car behind KC apartment building

The FAA lifted the restrictions hours after they were put in place. Rep. Veronica Escobar stressed there is no threat to El Paso or the surrounding areas.

by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/author/terri-langford/">Terri Langford</a><br><a href="https://www.texastribune.org/">Texas Tribune</a>

The Federal Aviation Administration suddenly shut down airspace over El Paso and part of southern New Mexico because of an impasse with the Department of Defense over the use of unmanned military aircraft, according to an industry official who had been briefed on the matter by the FAA in a morning call.&nbsp;

The FAA later reopened airspace on Wednesday morning, just hours after the notice shutting it down was issued.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal,” the FAA shared on X.

The Defense Department has been operating unmanned aircrafts, or drones, against drug cartel operations from a base near El Paso’s airport without sharing information with the FAA, the source, who asked not to be identified, told The Texas Tribune early Wednesday.&nbsp;

“It has to do with the FAA’s inability to predict where [unmanned aircraft systems] might be flying,” the official told the Tribune. “They have been operating outside the normal flight paths.”

A Trump official said the closure occurred because Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones, the official said, and both the FAA and the military have now determined there is no threat to commercial travel.

The unexplained notices late Tuesday closed airspace over El Paso and a large patch of southern New Mexico west of Santa Teresa for 10 days. El Paso International Airport was set to be closed to all flights, the city had said. The orders closed off all air travel in the affected area, which could cause massive disruption in the nation’s 23rd-largest city.

Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, said her office has been told there’s no imminent threat to El Paso.

The Tribune was unable to immediately reach Fort Bliss officials for comment.&nbsp;

The Federal Aviation Administration issued notices late Tuesday, closing airspace over El Paso and a large patch of southern New Mexico west of Santa Teresa for 10 days. El Paso International Airport is closed to all flights, the city said.&nbsp;

The orders close off all air travel in the affected area, which could cause massive disruption in the nation’s 23rd largest city.

Pilots who do not adhere may be intercepted and detained, the notices said. The government could use deadly force if the aircraft poses an “imminent security threat.”

The notices, known as Notice to Air Missions, or NOTAM, took effect at 11:30 p.m. Mountain Time Tuesday, and expire at 11:30 p.m. Feb. 20. The announcement caught officials with local government agencies and Fort Bliss by surprise, multiple sources told El Paso Matters.

The El Paso city government issued an advisory early Wednesday that flights at El Paso International Airport are canceled.

“The FAA, on short notice, issued a temporary flight restriction halting all flights to and from El Paso and our neighboring community, Santa Teresa, NM. The restriction prohibits all aircraft operations (including commercial, cargo and general aviation) and is effective from February 10 at 11:30 PM (MST) to February 20 at 11:30PM (MST),” the city said in a news release.

“Airport staff has reached out to the FAA, and we are pending additional guidance.&nbsp; In the meanwhile, commercial airlines operating out of El Paso are being informed of the restriction, which appears to be security related. Travelers are encouraged to contact their airlines to get the latest information on their flight status.”

Closing off airspace over a major U.S. city is a rare action, and officials with the Federal Aviation Administration didn’t immediately respond to questions from El Paso Matters on the reasons for the action.

A person familiar with the notices, who asked not to be identified because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly, said the action to close airspace over a major U.S. for security reasons over an extended period hasn’t happened since immediately after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

“All air traffic has been halted in a 10 nautical mile range around the airport, so encompassing El Paso and Fort Bliss, from the ground to 17,000 feet. So no aircraft in or out, regardless of what they are, whether it’s air carriers, military, medevac helicopters, law enforcement. Nobody can fly as this thing is written up,” the person said.

The notices include a phone number at the FAA’s Special Operations Support Center to call for more information. A man identifying himself as Eric spoke briefly to El Paso Matters late Tuesday and said he couldn’t explain the reason for the notices.

“Not really, not because I won’t, it’s because I don’t know. I mean, this is just the office that publishes. So we’re handed the sheets and they say go with it,” Eric said.

The restricted airspace covers most of El Paso County, but doesn’t include Mexican airspace, according to information provided by the FAA.

It also includes a large area of southern New Mexico west of San Teresa, but not the airport in the suburb west of El Paso. The restricted New Mexico airspace goes from the Mexican border on the south to the Organ Mountains-Desert Peak National Monument to the north.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

This&nbsp;<a href="https://elpasomatters.org/2026/02/11/unexplained-faa-order-shuts-down-el-paso-southern-new-mexico-airspace-for-10-days/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://elpasomatters.org/" target="_blank">El Paso Matters</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595949508667.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The FAA lifted the restrictions hours after they were put in place. Rep. Veronica Escobar stressed there is no threat to El Paso or the surrounding areas.</p><p>by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/author/terri-langford/">Terri Langford</a><br><a href="https://www.texastribune.org/">Texas Tribune</a></p><p>The Federal Aviation Administration suddenly shut down airspace over El Paso and part of southern New Mexico because of an impasse with the Department of Defense over the use of unmanned military aircraft, according to an industry official who had been briefed on the matter by the FAA in a morning call.&nbsp;</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal.</p>&mdash; The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FAANews/status/2021583720465969421?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The FAA later reopened airspace on Wednesday morning, just hours after the notice shutting it down was issued.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal,” the FAA shared on X.</p><p>The Defense Department has been operating unmanned aircrafts, or drones, against drug cartel operations from a base near El Paso’s airport without sharing information with the FAA, the source, who asked not to be identified, told The Texas Tribune early Wednesday.&nbsp;</p><p>“It has to do with the FAA’s inability to predict where [unmanned aircraft systems] might be flying,” the official told the Tribune. “They have been operating outside the normal flight paths.”</p><p>A Trump official said the closure occurred because Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones, the official said, and both the FAA and the military have now determined there is no threat to commercial travel.</p><p>The unexplained notices late Tuesday closed airspace over El Paso and a large patch of southern New Mexico west of Santa Teresa for 10 days. El Paso International Airport was set to be closed to all flights, the city had said. The orders closed off all air travel in the affected area, which could cause massive disruption in the nation’s 23rd-largest city.</p><p>Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, said her office has been told there’s no imminent threat to El Paso.</p><p>The Tribune was unable to immediately reach Fort Bliss officials for comment.&nbsp;</p><p>-----------------</p><p>The Federal Aviation Administration issued notices late Tuesday, closing airspace over El Paso and a large patch of southern New Mexico west of Santa Teresa for 10 days. El Paso International Airport is closed to all flights, the city said.&nbsp;</p><p>The orders close off all air travel in the affected area, which could cause massive disruption in the nation’s 23rd largest city.</p><p>Pilots who do not adhere may be intercepted and detained, the notices said. The government could use deadly force if the aircraft poses an “imminent security threat.”</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We have urged the FAA to immediately lift the Temporary Flight Restrictions placed on the El Paso area.<br><br>I will continue to make information public as I learn it.</p>&mdash; Rep. Veronica Escobar (@RepEscobar) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepEscobar/status/2021569956844839020?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The notices, known as Notice to Air Missions, or NOTAM, took effect at 11:30 p.m. Mountain Time Tuesday, and expire at 11:30 p.m. Feb. 20. The announcement caught officials with local government agencies and Fort Bliss by surprise, multiple sources told El Paso Matters.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770816430122.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The El Paso city government issued an advisory early Wednesday that flights at El Paso International Airport are canceled.</p><p>“The FAA, on short notice, issued a temporary flight restriction halting all flights to and from El Paso and our neighboring community, Santa Teresa, NM. The restriction prohibits all aircraft operations (including commercial, cargo and general aviation) and is effective from February 10 at 11:30 PM (MST) to February 20 at 11:30PM (MST),” the city said in a news release.</p><p>“Airport staff has reached out to the FAA, and we are pending additional guidance.&nbsp; In the meanwhile, commercial airlines operating out of El Paso are being informed of the restriction, which appears to be security related. Travelers are encouraged to contact their airlines to get the latest information on their flight status.”</p><p>Closing off airspace over a major U.S. city is a rare action, and officials with the Federal Aviation Administration didn’t immediately respond to questions from El Paso Matters on the reasons for the action.</p><p>A person familiar with the notices, who asked not to be identified because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly, said the action to close airspace over a major U.S. for security reasons over an extended period hasn’t happened since immediately after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.</p><p>“All air traffic has been halted in a 10 nautical mile range around the airport, so encompassing El Paso and Fort Bliss, from the ground to 17,000 feet. So no aircraft in or out, regardless of what they are, whether it’s air carriers, military, medevac helicopters, law enforcement. Nobody can fly as this thing is written up,” the person said.</p><p>The notices include a phone number at the FAA’s Special Operations Support Center to call for more information. A man identifying himself as Eric spoke briefly to El Paso Matters late Tuesday and said he couldn’t explain the reason for the notices.</p><p>“Not really, not because I won’t, it’s because I don’t know. I mean, this is just the office that publishes. So we’re handed the sheets and they say go with it,” Eric said.</p><p>The restricted airspace covers most of El Paso County, but doesn’t include Mexican airspace, according to information provided by the FAA.</p><p>It also includes a large area of southern New Mexico west of San Teresa, but not the airport in the suburb west of El Paso. The restricted New Mexico airspace goes from the Mexican border on the south to the Organ Mountains-Desert Peak National Monument to the north.</p><p>This is a developing story and will be updated.</p><p>This&nbsp;<a href="https://elpasomatters.org/2026/02/11/unexplained-faa-order-shuts-down-el-paso-southern-new-mexico-airspace-for-10-days/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://elpasomatters.org/" target="_blank">El Paso Matters</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.</p>

Security Alert: El Paso airspace briefly closed after impasse between FAA, Defense Dept.

Kansas City —A Jackson County sheriff's deputy struck by a car while investigating an accident continues to improve.

&nbsp; Deputy Westphal sustained numerous serious injuries that required multiple surgeries. He was released from the hospital on Christmas Eve and on Tuesday&nbsp;returned to the&nbsp; Jackson County Sheriff's office for a short visit, according to Jackson County Sheriff Daryl Forte'.

Just after 6p.m. December 17, a 2012 Mercedes driven by a 69-year-old Lee's Summit woman was southbound at South Buckner Tarsney at E. Ryan Road. The vehicle traveled into the crash scene and struck the the 53-year-old deputy, according to the MSHP.

Central Jackson County EMS transported the deputy to Centerpoint Medical Center where he underwnt several medical procedures.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770776003940.png" alt="Westphal photo Sheriff Daryl Forte" />
                        <figcaption>Westphal photo Sheriff Daryl Forte</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Kansas City —A Jackson County sheriff's deputy struck by a car while investigating an accident continues to improve.</p><p>&nbsp; Deputy Westphal sustained numerous serious injuries that required multiple surgeries. He was released from the hospital on Christmas Eve and on Tuesday&nbsp;returned to the&nbsp; Jackson County Sheriff's office for a short visit, according to Jackson County Sheriff Daryl Forte'.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770775795506.png" alt="Westphal&nbsp; photo Sheriff Daryl Forte" />
                        <figcaption>Westphal&nbsp; photo Sheriff Daryl Forte</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Just after 6p.m. December 17, a 2012 Mercedes driven by a 69-year-old Lee's Summit woman was southbound at South Buckner Tarsney at E. Ryan Road. The vehicle traveled into the crash scene and struck the the 53-year-old deputy, according to the MSHP.</p><p>Central Jackson County EMS transported the deputy to Centerpoint Medical Center where he underwnt several medical procedures.</p>

Deputy struck by a car  at scene of earlier crash continues to improve

Four years ago, Congress created the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program to help bridge the digital divide and connect all Americans with reliable broadband, especially rural communities.



However, not a single BEAD project has been completed. On Tuesday, Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran chaired an Appropriations Subcommittee hearing with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick&nbsp;on the roadblocks to implementing the program and ensuring the funding for the program will be used according to congressional intent.

<p>Four years ago, Congress created the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program to help bridge the digital divide and connect all Americans with reliable broadband, especially rural communities.
</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Four years ago, Congress created the Broadband Equity, Access, &amp; Deployment (BEAD) program to help bridge the digital divide &amp; connect all Americans with reliable broadband, especially rural communities.<br><br>However, not a single BEAD project has been completed. Today, I chaired an… <a href="https://t.co/JMcLDIXPfB">pic.twitter.com/JMcLDIXPfB</a></p>&mdash; Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/2021324485492695547?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>
However, not a single BEAD project has been completed. On Tuesday, Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran chaired an Appropriations Subcommittee hearing with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick&nbsp;on the roadblocks to implementing the program and ensuring the funding for the program will be used according to congressional intent.</p>

🎥Moran grills Commerce Secy. on spending for broadband in rural communities

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Subject detained in connection to Nancy Guthrie investigation. <a href="https://t.co/B2pgIwqODt">pic.twitter.com/B2pgIwqODt</a></p>&mdash; Pima County Sheriff&#39;s Department (@PimaSheriff) <a href="https://twitter.com/PimaSheriff/status/2021424732676280546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">New video in the search for Nancy Guthrie: Over the last eight days, the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department have been working closely with our private sector partners to continue to recover any images or video footage from Nancy Guthrie’s home that may have been lost,… <a href="https://t.co/XCEvkA5eJ6">pic.twitter.com/XCEvkA5eJ6</a></p>&mdash; FBI Phoenix (@FBIPhoenix) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIPhoenix/status/2021303417914753471?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FBI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FBI</a> is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the recovery of Nancy Guthrie and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance. New images released today show an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at… <a href="https://t.co/WH76eefgcZ">pic.twitter.com/WH76eefgcZ</a></p>&mdash; FBI Most Wanted (@FBIMostWanted) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIMostWanted/status/2021290662830764541?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Person detained after FBI released photos in Nancy Guthrie case

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man was sentenced to 34 years in prison last week after being convicted of multiple child exploitation charges.

Judge Kevin Smith handed down the 408-month sentence to Steven K. Davis following a jury trial. On Oct. 8, 2025, a Sedgwick County jury found Davis guilty on six counts of sexual exploitation of a child, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

During the trial, Davis’ parole officer testified that he discovered numerous images on Davis’ phone following an arrest for a parole violation. Davis had been taken into custody for contacting minors, a violation of his post-release conditions.

At the time of the new offenses, Davis was on post-release supervision for two prior convictions of aggravated indecent liberties with a child in 2022, according to the district attorney's office. Smith imposed the sentence after determining Davis is a persistent sex offender under Kansas law.

Davis will be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.

The case was investigated by the Wichita Police Department’s Exploited and Missing Children’s Unit, led by Detectives Jonathan Elledge and Hans Asmussen.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770329069310.png" alt="Davis-photo Kansas Sex Offender Registry" />
                        <figcaption>Davis-photo Kansas Sex Offender Registry</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man was sentenced to 34 years in prison last week after being convicted of multiple child exploitation charges.</p><p>Judge Kevin Smith handed down the 408-month sentence to Steven K. Davis following a jury trial. On Oct. 8, 2025, a Sedgwick County jury found Davis guilty on six counts of sexual exploitation of a child, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.</p><p>During the trial, Davis’ parole officer testified that he discovered numerous images on Davis’ phone following an arrest for a parole violation. Davis had been taken into custody for contacting minors, a violation of his post-release conditions.</p><p>At the time of the new offenses, Davis was on post-release supervision for two prior convictions of aggravated indecent liberties with a child in 2022, according to the district attorney's office. Smith imposed the sentence after determining Davis is a persistent sex offender under Kansas law.</p><p>Davis will be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.</p><p>The case was investigated by the Wichita Police Department’s Exploited and Missing Children’s Unit, led by Detectives Jonathan Elledge and Hans Asmussen.</p>

Parole officer found inappropriate images on Kan. sex offender's phone

JOHNSON COUNTY —A man who admitted his role in the drug deal death of a Kansas woman on February 14, 2023 is going to prison.

Last week, Johnson County Judge Jason Billam sentenced 21-year-old Treger Melique Samuels to 84-months in prison, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;

Samuels pleaded guilty to charges of distributing drugs causing the death of 20-year-old Ericka Grisby of Olathe.&nbsp; In June of 2025, police booked Samuels into the Johnson County Jail, according to online records.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770391832501.png" alt="Samuels-Johnson County Jail" />
                        <figcaption>Samuels-Johnson County Jail</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>JOHNSON COUNTY —A man who admitted his role in the drug deal death of a Kansas woman on February 14, 2023 is going to prison.</p><p>Last week, Johnson County Judge Jason Billam sentenced 21-year-old Treger Melique Samuels to 84-months in prison, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770392373467.png" alt="Ericka Grigsby -photo courtesy Dignity Memorial" />
                        <figcaption>Ericka Grigsby -photo courtesy Dignity Memorial</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Samuels pleaded guilty to charges of distributing drugs causing the death of 20-year-old Ericka Grisby of Olathe.&nbsp; In June of 2025, police booked Samuels into the Johnson County Jail, according to online records.</p>

Prison time for drug deal death of 20-year-old Kansas woman

KANSAS CITY —One person was injured in a fire at a home in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just before 9p.m. Monday, Kansas City Fire Department&nbsp;companies were dispatched to a reported fire in the 3900 block of Wabash in Kansas City, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.

First crew on scene reported heavy smoke and fire showing from a 2-story house and initiated a defensive fire attack using their deck to gain control of the main body of fire.

&nbsp;Once this was accomplished, they transitioned to an offensive fire attack with companies entering the structure with multiple hose lines. The fire was brought under control at 9:32 p.m.

Red Cross was contacted to assist with 2 adults and a dog.&nbsp;One occupant of the house was transported to a local hospital by ambulance for smoke inhalation..&nbsp;A second patient, who was not involved in the incident, approached on scene personnel for medical assistance and was also transported by ambulance to a local hospital, according to Riley.&nbsp;The cause of the fire is under investigation by KCFD.

<p>KANSAS CITY —One person was injured in a fire at a home in Kansas City, Missouri.</p><p>Just before 9p.m. Monday, Kansas City Fire Department&nbsp;companies were dispatched to a reported fire in the 3900 block of Wabash in Kansas City, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.</p><p>First crew on scene reported heavy smoke and fire showing from a 2-story house and initiated a defensive fire attack using their deck to gain control of the main body of fire.</p><p>&nbsp;Once this was accomplished, they transitioned to an offensive fire attack with companies entering the structure with multiple hose lines. The fire was brought under control at 9:32 p.m.</p><p>Red Cross was contacted to assist with 2 adults and a dog.&nbsp;One occupant of the house was transported to a local hospital by ambulance for smoke inhalation..&nbsp;A second patient, who was not involved in the incident, approached on scene personnel for medical assistance and was also transported by ambulance to a local hospital, according to Riley.&nbsp;The cause of the fire is under investigation by KCFD.</p>

1 hospitalized after fire at home in Kansas City

TOPEKA —On Monday, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach&nbsp; asked a Senate legislative committee to pass legislation to protect Kansas kids from AI chatbots. 

"We can't wait for Congress. I don’t have any confidence that they will act soon. And who knows how many children will be harmed as we wait."

<p>TOPEKA —On Monday, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach&nbsp; asked a Senate legislative committee to pass legislation to protect Kansas kids from AI chatbots. </p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This morning, I asked a Senate <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ksleg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ksleg</a> committee to pass legislation to protect Kansas kids from AI chatbots. We can&#39;t wait for Congress. I don’t have any confidence that they will act soon. And who knows how many children will be harmed as we wait. <a href="https://t.co/kizmchINbR">pic.twitter.com/kizmchINbR</a></p>&mdash; Kansas AG&#39;s Office (@KSAGOffice) <a href="https://twitter.com/KSAGOffice/status/2020972543465918636?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>"We can't wait for Congress. I don’t have any confidence that they will act soon. And who knows how many children will be harmed as we wait."</p>

🎥Kan. AG asks lawmakers to protect Kan. kids from AI chatbots

TUCSON —Over the last eight days, the FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department have been working closely with our private sector partners to continue to&nbsp;recover any images or video footage from Nancy Guthrie’s home that may have been lost, corrupted, or inaccessible due to a variety of factors - including the removal of recording devices, according to a statement from the FBI.

 The video was recovered from residual data located in backend systems.
&nbsp;
Working with our partners - as of Tuesday morning, law enforcement&nbsp; uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed&nbsp;individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door&nbsp;the morning&nbsp;of her disappearance.
&nbsp;

Anyone with information, please contact 1-800-CALL-FBI&nbsp;or visit <a href="https://t.co/m55w5cqC7Y" target="_blank">http://tips.fbi.gov</a>

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770749564250.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>TUCSON —Over the last eight days, the FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department have been working closely with our private sector partners to continue to&nbsp;recover any images or video footage from Nancy Guthrie’s home that may have been lost, corrupted, or inaccessible due to a variety of factors - including the removal of recording devices, according to a statement from the FBI.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: The FBI has released new videos of the suspect involved in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. <a href="https://t.co/H7ZWzfHQSe">pic.twitter.com/H7ZWzfHQSe</a></p>&mdash; Resist Times (@ResistWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/ResistWire/status/2021287372105884078?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770746386987.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p> The video was recovered from residual data located in backend systems.
&nbsp;
Working with our partners - as of Tuesday morning, law enforcement&nbsp; uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed&nbsp;individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door&nbsp;the morning&nbsp;of her disappearance.
&nbsp;</p><p>Anyone with information, please contact 1-800-CALL-FBI&nbsp;or visit <a href="https://t.co/m55w5cqC7Y" target="_blank">http://tips.fbi.gov</a></p>

🎥FBI: Video from Guthrie home shows masked person

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas man on drug allegations.

Just after 8p.m. Feb. 7, a Sheriffs Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Ford pickup truck on U.S. Highway 75 near 126th Road for a traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.&nbsp; Deputies arrested the passenger, 61-year-old Daniel Lorann Hysten, of Topeka on a requested charge of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug and possession of drug paraphernalia. 

The driver, Frank Newton, of Topeka, was arrested on an outstanding City of Topeka warrant.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770686510829.png" alt="Hysten photo Jackson County" />
                        <figcaption>Hysten photo Jackson County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas man on drug allegations.</p><p>Just after 8p.m. Feb. 7, a Sheriffs Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Ford pickup truck on U.S. Highway 75 near 126th Road for a traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.&nbsp; Deputies arrested the passenger, 61-year-old Daniel Lorann Hysten, of Topeka on a requested charge of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug and possession of drug paraphernalia. </p><p>The driver, Frank Newton, of Topeka, was arrested on an outstanding City of Topeka warrant.</p>

Pickup passenger caught with meth during Kan. traffic stop

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">When the <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DeptofWar</a> says quarantine, we mean it. Nothing will stop DoW from defending our Homeland — even in oceans halfway around the world.<br><br>Overnight, U.S. military forces conducted a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding on the Aquila II without incident in the… <a href="https://t.co/kYVAQC5io9">pic.twitter.com/kYVAQC5io9</a></p>&mdash; Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofWar/status/2020833550488965503?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥US military boards sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after pursuit

DOUGLAS COUNTY – Lawrence Douglas County Fire Medical (LDCFM) investigators and Lawrence Police Department (LKPD) detectives have arrested a suspect in connection with multiple aggravated arsons and burglaries that occurred between December 2025 and February 2026, according to a statement from Lawrence Police.

The suspect was taken into custody on February 7, following a joint investigation by investigators and police detectives. The investigators have identified the crimes took place at three separate apartment complexes involving four vacant dwelling units and two laundry rooms. Damage estimates are not available at this time.&nbsp; Police did not release the name of the suspect.

<p>DOUGLAS COUNTY – Lawrence Douglas County Fire Medical (LDCFM) investigators and Lawrence Police Department (LKPD) detectives have arrested a suspect in connection with multiple aggravated arsons and burglaries that occurred between December 2025 and February 2026, according to a statement from Lawrence Police.</p><p>The suspect was taken into custody on February 7, following a joint investigation by investigators and police detectives. The investigators have identified the crimes took place at three separate apartment complexes involving four vacant dwelling units and two laundry rooms. Damage estimates are not available at this time.&nbsp; Police did not release the name of the suspect.</p>

Police arrest suspect in multiple Kan. arson and burglaries

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ahanshaw/">Annelise Hanshaw</a><br><a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/"><i>Missouri Independent</i></a>

A&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1757&amp;year=2026&amp;code=R" target="_blank">bill</a>&nbsp;requiring public schools screen all students to determine if they qualify for gifted education by the time they reach the third grade passed the Missouri House on a 142-8 vote Monday.

It bolsters a state law requiring schools to provide gifted classes when at least 3% of its students are identified as gifted.

“When the legislation passed, we did not include how screening should take place and be completed,” said the bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Brenda Shields in a House debate last week.

Shields, a Republican from St. Joseph, said some schools are not reaching the 3% threshold because they are not screening students. She estimates that 20,000 students that should qualify are not offered a gifted class.

Of the state’s 554 school districts, 227 offer gifted education, the education department reported in the&nbsp;<a href="https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills261/fiscal/fispdf/5274H.02P.ORG.pdf" target="_blank">bill’s fiscal note</a>. Most of the districts that offer gifted services surround high population areas.

“These students have burdens. They are very young and different from their peers,” she said. “These are the students that want to dive deeper in a classroom activity, far beyond what the teacher or the rest of the class wants to do.”

The bill leaves flexibility for schools to assess students, directing them to look to a “body of evidence” showing a student’s intelligence, creativity or other gifted attributes. Three staff members trained in gifted education would review the information.

Lawmakers showed broad approval for the bill in initial discussions, with some concern surfacing about funding the screening process.

When the state’s formula for funding public schools was passed in 2005, gifted education funding changed from being a separate line item to part of the formula’s base calculation. As a result, the amount of state aid for gifted education is disconnected from the amount of students identified as gifted.

A committee is currently drafting changes to the public school funding formula and is considering adding additional funding per student identified as gifted. But changes are unlikely to take effect until fall 2028, so districts could have a minimum of two years with a new requirement and a formula that keeps gifted education funding largely flat.

The Lindbergh School District, in the bill’s fiscal note, estimated the cost of screening at $6.50 per student.

The bill is the fourth proposal approved by the House and in the hands of the Senate.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698860060134.jpg" alt="Image Pixaby" />
                        <figcaption>Image Pixaby</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ahanshaw/">Annelise Hanshaw</a><br><a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/"><i>Missouri Independent</i></a></p><p>A&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1757&amp;year=2026&amp;code=R" target="_blank">bill</a>&nbsp;requiring public schools screen all students to determine if they qualify for gifted education by the time they reach the third grade passed the Missouri House on a 142-8 vote Monday.</p><p>It bolsters a state law requiring schools to provide gifted classes when at least 3% of its students are identified as gifted.</p><p>“When the legislation passed, we did not include how screening should take place and be completed,” said the bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Brenda Shields in a House debate last week.</p><p>Shields, a Republican from St. Joseph, said some schools are not reaching the 3% threshold because they are not screening students. She estimates that 20,000 students that should qualify are not offered a gifted class.</p><p>Of the state’s 554 school districts, 227 offer gifted education, the education department reported in the&nbsp;<a href="https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills261/fiscal/fispdf/5274H.02P.ORG.pdf" target="_blank">bill’s fiscal note</a>. Most of the districts that offer gifted services surround high population areas.</p><p>“These students have burdens. They are very young and different from their peers,” she said. “These are the students that want to dive deeper in a classroom activity, far beyond what the teacher or the rest of the class wants to do.”</p><p>The bill leaves flexibility for schools to assess students, directing them to look to a “body of evidence” showing a student’s intelligence, creativity or other gifted attributes. Three staff members trained in gifted education would review the information.</p><p>Lawmakers showed broad approval for the bill in initial discussions, with some concern surfacing about funding the screening process.</p><p>When the state’s formula for funding public schools was passed in 2005, gifted education funding changed from being a separate line item to part of the formula’s base calculation. As a result, the amount of state aid for gifted education is disconnected from the amount of students identified as gifted.</p><p>A committee is currently drafting changes to the public school funding formula and is considering adding additional funding per student identified as gifted. But changes are unlikely to take effect until fall 2028, so districts could have a minimum of two years with a new requirement and a formula that keeps gifted education funding largely flat.</p><p>The Lindbergh School District, in the bill’s fiscal note, estimated the cost of screening at $6.50 per student.</p><p>The bill is the fourth proposal approved by the House and in the hands of the Senate.</p>

Bill to require gifted education screening in public schools passes Missouri House

JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —After a two-day search, law enforcement captured a stolen vehicle suspect.

Just before 10 p.m. Sunday, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a report from a caller who observed a pickup truck that had been reported stolen out of St. Mary’s, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 The caller observed the vehicle in western Jackson County.&nbsp; Jackson County Deputies located the vehicle near N. Road on 158th&nbsp;Road.&nbsp; A pursuit ensued eastbound.&nbsp; The vehicle turned into a driveway of a residence located at 15505 158th&nbsp;Road and crashed through a fence.&nbsp; The vehicle caught fire, deputies and fire crews extinguished the fire as the driver escaped into a thickly wooded area. Deputies and troopers searched the area with K-9s and drones and were not able to locate the suspect.

Just after 10 a.m. Monday, the Sheriff’s Office received a call from a citizen who reported finding a man wearing a brown Carhartt Jacket with blue jeans in his chicken house. Sheriff’s Office personnel quickly came on scene.&nbsp; Deputies, State Troopers and K.B.I. agents assisted with the search including K-9s, drones and aircraft.&nbsp; As of 2 p.m. today, the subject has not been located.

The Sheriff’s Office identified William Joseph Goetz, 43, of Saint George. Goetz as the suspect and reported he believed that Goetz was without a phone and would access buildings or vehicles to stay warm at night.&nbsp; Deputies continued to canvass the area.

Late Monday afternoon, the suspect allegedly stole a 2005 Ford F-250 pickup truck from a residence on U. Road.&nbsp; The suspect headed south on U. Road and only after 1/8th of a mile rolled the truck and fled again on foot.&nbsp; Law enforcement continued pursuing the suspect southeast to a lake located east of U. Road on 150th.&nbsp; Law enforcement finally apprehended Goetz who was hiding in another pickup truck.&nbsp; Goetz will be booked into the Jackson County Jail for numerous requested charges.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770686387795.png" alt="Goetz photo Jackson Co. Sheriff" />
                        <figcaption>Goetz photo Jackson Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —After a two-day search, law enforcement captured a stolen vehicle suspect.</p><p>Just before 10 p.m. Sunday, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a report from a caller who observed a pickup truck that had been reported stolen out of St. Mary’s, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.</p><p> The caller observed the vehicle in western Jackson County.&nbsp; Jackson County Deputies located the vehicle near N. Road on 158th&nbsp;Road.&nbsp; A pursuit ensued eastbound.&nbsp; The vehicle turned into a driveway of a residence located at 15505 158th&nbsp;Road and crashed through a fence.&nbsp; The vehicle caught fire, deputies and fire crews extinguished the fire as the driver escaped into a thickly wooded area. Deputies and troopers searched the area with K-9s and drones and were not able to locate the suspect.</p><p>Just after 10 a.m. Monday, the Sheriff’s Office received a call from a citizen who reported finding a man wearing a brown Carhartt Jacket with blue jeans in his chicken house. Sheriff’s Office personnel quickly came on scene.&nbsp; Deputies, State Troopers and K.B.I. agents assisted with the search including K-9s, drones and aircraft.&nbsp; As of 2 p.m. today, the subject has not been located.</p><p>The Sheriff’s Office identified William Joseph Goetz, 43, of Saint George. Goetz as the suspect and reported he believed that Goetz was without a phone and would access buildings or vehicles to stay warm at night.&nbsp; Deputies continued to canvass the area.</p><p>Late Monday afternoon, the suspect allegedly stole a 2005 Ford F-250 pickup truck from a residence on U. Road.&nbsp; The suspect headed south on U. Road and only after 1/8th of a mile rolled the truck and fled again on foot.&nbsp; Law enforcement continued pursuing the suspect southeast to a lake located east of U. Road on 150th.&nbsp; Law enforcement finally apprehended Goetz who was hiding in another pickup truck.&nbsp; Goetz will be booked into the Jackson County Jail for numerous requested charges.</p>

Kansas stolen vehicle suspect captured after 2-day search

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of house fire in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just before 3p.m. Monday, crews&nbsp;were dispatched to a reported house fire in the 300 block of Benton Blvd., according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.

On arrival, crews reported smoke showing from a 2-story house. An offensive fire attack was initiated and 2 hose lines advanced into the structure.&nbsp;

Searches throughout were performed and reported all clear. The fire was brought under controlat 3:19 p.m.. No injuries have been reported from this incident.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770676439726.png" alt="Photo KCFD" />
                        <figcaption>Photo KCFD</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of house fire in Kansas City, Missouri.</p><p>Just before 3p.m. Monday, crews&nbsp;were dispatched to a reported house fire in the 300 block of Benton Blvd., according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770676267543.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>On arrival, crews reported smoke showing from a 2-story house. An offensive fire attack was initiated and 2 hose lines advanced into the structure.&nbsp;</p><p>Searches throughout were performed and reported all clear. The fire was brought under controlat 3:19 p.m.. No injuries have been reported from this incident.</p>

Crews battle fire at 2-story Kansas City home

On Monday at the direction of U.S. Southern Command commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations, according to a social media report from the U.S. Southern Command.

 Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. 

Two narco-terrorists were killed and one survived the strike. Following the engagement, USSOUTHCOM immediately notified U.S. Coast Guard to activate the Search and Rescue system for the survivor.&nbsp;

<p>On Monday at the direction of U.S. Southern Command commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations, according to a social media report from the U.S. Southern Command.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">On Feb. 9, at the direction of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOUTHCOM?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOUTHCOM</a> commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking… <a href="https://t.co/fa5vppjcCy">pic.twitter.com/fa5vppjcCy</a></p>&mdash; U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/Southcom/status/2021023735881564262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p> Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. </p><p>Two narco-terrorists were killed and one survived the strike. Following the engagement, USSOUTHCOM immediately notified U.S. Coast Guard to activate the Search and Rescue system for the survivor.&nbsp;</p>

🎥Two dead after another US strike on a drug boat

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSK<br>I</a><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/29/kansan-returns-to-the-catholic-church-as-the-states-first-woman-priest/"><i>Kansas Reflector</i></a>

TOPEKA — Kansas Republicans preliminarily approved a symbolic resolution honoring the late conservative figure Charlie Kirk following an hourlong debate with Democrats on the House floor in a war of words over free speech and Kirk’s legacy.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/scr1615/" target="_blank">Senate Concurrent Resolution 1615</a>&nbsp;seeks to establish Charlie Kirk Free Speech Day on Oct. 14, 2026, Kirk’s birthday, and every Oct. 14 thereafter in Kansas. It was sponsored by Senate Republicans,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/01/28/kansas-senate-president-denounces-democrats-for-out-of-context-bs-comments-on-charlie-kirk/">passing that chamber</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 28 in a 30-9 vote along party lines.

Republican Rep. Megan Steele of Manhattan championed the resolution Monday in the House, praising Kirk’s unflinching commitment to free speech, open debate and family values. Democrats saw Kirk’s legacy differently, and they took Monday’s debate as an opportunity to question Republicans’ support for a controversial figure who was known for publicly making racist, sexist and bigoted remarks.

Since Kirk was&nbsp;<a href="https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/09/10/charlie-kirk-shot-during-event-at-utah-valley-university/" target="_blank">shot and killed on Sep. 10</a>&nbsp;while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, his reputation has become more complicated with Americans disagreeing over how he should be remembered. The debate in the Kansas House was only the latest example. Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA, a conservative nonprofit that hosts debates, which are often fodder for viral videos.

“His movement and his passion for truth and faith, family and liberty does not stop here,” Steele said.

Rep. Emil Bergquist, a Park City Republican, said Kirk represented the values of respectful discourse and debate. He said he was proud to vote in favor of the resolution, not because it idolized any one person but because it reminded him of his close-held belief of speaking up for what is right.

Democrats spent the hourlong debate illustrating their opposition to the resolution. They took particular issue with Kirk’s history of comments denigrating racial and religious groups, specifically Black people and Catholics.

Rep. Mari-Lynn Poskin, a Leawood Democrat, twice attempted to amend the resolution, modifying language to specify that Charlie Kirk Free Speech Day will only be commemorated in 2026 and adding language to bolster the definition of free speech. Both amendments failed.

Rep. Brooklynne Mosley, a Lawrence Democrat, rattled off income, hunger and health care statistics. She criticized Republicans for spending time on such a resolution instead of passing legislation to help their constituents.

Rep. Ford Carr, a Wichita Democrat, attempted to add Malcolm X as an honoree on Oct. 14.

Carr noted the irony in Republicans honoring free speech when&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/05/31/kansas-republicans-admonish-black-lawmaker-his-response-not-my-job-to-protect-your-feelings/">leadership formally reprimanded him</a>&nbsp;three years earlier for remarks on the House floor.

Carr, who is Black, used the term “house Negro” during a debate, indirectly referring to a fellow Black Democrat.

“Where was the freedom of speech on that day?” he asked.

The Legislature hasn’t historically embraced open discussions of racism within the body. Carr also was&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/25/at-tense-hearing-kansas-house-panel-reviews-evidence-in-complaint-against-outspoken-lawmaker/">formally investigated last year</a>&nbsp;after Republican Rep. Leah Howell of Derby filed a complaint against him for indecorous behavior. The&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/04/09/kansas-house-committee-punts-punishment-for-democratic-rep-ford-carr-opting-for-admonishment/">results of the investigation</a>&nbsp;were inconclusive. In 2015, Republicans filed a complaint against Kansas City, Kansas, Democratic Rep. Valdenia Winn, who is also Black, after she called a bill racist and sexist.

While Carr presented his amendment Monday, Steele refused his request to stand for a question from him. She had previously answered questions about the resolution’s format and contents from a white Democrat.

“That should tell you all you need to know,” Carr said. “Freedom of speech, yet she doesn’t want to speak.”

After that comment, Rep. Steven Howe, a Salina Republican, accused Carr of impugning Steele’s motives, an approach used by Republicans to halt perceived discordant comments, largely from Democrats.

Steele then challenged the germaneness of Carr’s amendment, questioning its relevance.

A rules committee made up of a handful of legislators from both parties decided it was, indeed, germane.

But that didn’t guarantee Carr’s amendment would make headway.

“I think this fits perfectly,” Carr said.

Both Malcom X and Kirk challenged the world with their speech, he said.

“They stretched and pushed the barrier with the things that they said, and, in the end, their lives were both ended with a gunshot,” he said.

The amendment failed in an 82-33 vote along party lines.

“I think that vote clearly represents the driving force behind this, and it has absolutely nothing to do with freedom of speech. I would exercise my freedom of speech and use terms like ‘racists’ and ‘bigots,’ ” Carr said, taking a pause, “but I digress.”

A majority of the House gave first-round approval to the Charlie Kirk Free Speech Day resolution, but final action is pending.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770677731727.png" alt=" Rep. Ford Carr, a Wichita Democrat, attempts to insert Malcolm X's name into a Republican-driven resolution honoring conservative activist Charlie Kirk. He appears here on the House floor on Jan. 28, 2026, in Topeka, Kansas. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
                        <figcaption> Rep. Ford Carr, a Wichita Democrat, attempts to insert Malcolm X's name into a Republican-driven resolution honoring conservative activist Charlie Kirk. He appears here on the House floor on Jan. 28, 2026, in Topeka, Kansas. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSK<br>I</a><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/29/kansan-returns-to-the-catholic-church-as-the-states-first-woman-priest/"><i>Kansas Reflector</i></a></p><p>TOPEKA — Kansas Republicans preliminarily approved a symbolic resolution honoring the late conservative figure Charlie Kirk following an hourlong debate with Democrats on the House floor in a war of words over free speech and Kirk’s legacy.</p><p><a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/scr1615/" target="_blank">Senate Concurrent Resolution 1615</a>&nbsp;seeks to establish Charlie Kirk Free Speech Day on Oct. 14, 2026, Kirk’s birthday, and every Oct. 14 thereafter in Kansas. It was sponsored by Senate Republicans,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/01/28/kansas-senate-president-denounces-democrats-for-out-of-context-bs-comments-on-charlie-kirk/">passing that chamber</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 28 in a 30-9 vote along party lines.</p><p>Republican Rep. Megan Steele of Manhattan championed the resolution Monday in the House, praising Kirk’s unflinching commitment to free speech, open debate and family values. Democrats saw Kirk’s legacy differently, and they took Monday’s debate as an opportunity to question Republicans’ support for a controversial figure who was known for publicly making racist, sexist and bigoted remarks.</p><p>Since Kirk was&nbsp;<a href="https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/09/10/charlie-kirk-shot-during-event-at-utah-valley-university/" target="_blank">shot and killed on Sep. 10</a>&nbsp;while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, his reputation has become more complicated with Americans disagreeing over how he should be remembered. The debate in the Kansas House was only the latest example. Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA, a conservative nonprofit that hosts debates, which are often fodder for viral videos.</p><p>“His movement and his passion for truth and faith, family and liberty does not stop here,” Steele said.</p><p>Rep. Emil Bergquist, a Park City Republican, said Kirk represented the values of respectful discourse and debate. He said he was proud to vote in favor of the resolution, not because it idolized any one person but because it reminded him of his close-held belief of speaking up for what is right.</p><p>Democrats spent the hourlong debate illustrating their opposition to the resolution. They took particular issue with Kirk’s history of comments denigrating racial and religious groups, specifically Black people and Catholics.</p><p>Rep. Mari-Lynn Poskin, a Leawood Democrat, twice attempted to amend the resolution, modifying language to specify that Charlie Kirk Free Speech Day will only be commemorated in 2026 and adding language to bolster the definition of free speech. Both amendments failed.</p><p>Rep. Brooklynne Mosley, a Lawrence Democrat, rattled off income, hunger and health care statistics. She criticized Republicans for spending time on such a resolution instead of passing legislation to help their constituents.</p><p>Rep. Ford Carr, a Wichita Democrat, attempted to add Malcolm X as an honoree on Oct. 14.</p><p>Carr noted the irony in Republicans honoring free speech when&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/05/31/kansas-republicans-admonish-black-lawmaker-his-response-not-my-job-to-protect-your-feelings/">leadership formally reprimanded him</a>&nbsp;three years earlier for remarks on the House floor.</p><p>Carr, who is Black, used the term “house Negro” during a debate, indirectly referring to a fellow Black Democrat.</p><p>“Where was the freedom of speech on that day?” he asked.</p><p>The Legislature hasn’t historically embraced open discussions of racism within the body. Carr also was&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/25/at-tense-hearing-kansas-house-panel-reviews-evidence-in-complaint-against-outspoken-lawmaker/">formally investigated last year</a>&nbsp;after Republican Rep. Leah Howell of Derby filed a complaint against him for indecorous behavior. The&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/04/09/kansas-house-committee-punts-punishment-for-democratic-rep-ford-carr-opting-for-admonishment/">results of the investigation</a>&nbsp;were inconclusive. In 2015, Republicans filed a complaint against Kansas City, Kansas, Democratic Rep. Valdenia Winn, who is also Black, after she called a bill racist and sexist.</p><p>While Carr presented his amendment Monday, Steele refused his request to stand for a question from him. She had previously answered questions about the resolution’s format and contents from a white Democrat.</p><p>“That should tell you all you need to know,” Carr said. “Freedom of speech, yet she doesn’t want to speak.”</p><p>After that comment, Rep. Steven Howe, a Salina Republican, accused Carr of impugning Steele’s motives, an approach used by Republicans to halt perceived discordant comments, largely from Democrats.</p><p>Steele then challenged the germaneness of Carr’s amendment, questioning its relevance.</p><p>A rules committee made up of a handful of legislators from both parties decided it was, indeed, germane.</p><p>But that didn’t guarantee Carr’s amendment would make headway.</p><p>“I think this fits perfectly,” Carr said.</p><p>Both Malcom X and Kirk challenged the world with their speech, he said.</p><p>“They stretched and pushed the barrier with the things that they said, and, in the end, their lives were both ended with a gunshot,” he said.</p><p>The amendment failed in an 82-33 vote along party lines.</p><p>“I think that vote clearly represents the driving force behind this, and it has absolutely nothing to do with freedom of speech. I would exercise my freedom of speech and use terms like ‘racists’ and ‘bigots,’ ” Carr said, taking a pause, “but I digress.”</p><p>A majority of the House gave first-round approval to the Charlie Kirk Free Speech Day resolution, but final action is pending.</p>

Kan. lawmakers debate right-wing activist’s legacy as Charlie Kirk day resolution advances

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating an alleged drive by shooting in Riley County.

Just before 9p.m. Saturday, officers filed a report of aggravated assault that occurred near mile marker 187 of Fort Riley Blvd., according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

A 23-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman reported an unknown suspect shot at their vehicle while driving on Fort Riley Blvd.

<p>RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating an alleged drive by shooting in Riley County.</p><p>Just before 9p.m. Saturday, officers filed a report of aggravated assault that occurred near mile marker 187 of Fort Riley Blvd., according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.</p><p>A 23-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman reported an unknown suspect shot at their vehicle while driving on Fort Riley Blvd.</p>

Police investigating Manhattan area drive by shooting

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770317606483.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUjPVoYEpci/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUjPVoYEpci/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUjPVoYEpci/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Savannah Guthrie (@savannahguthrie)</a></p></div></blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>

🎥'Today' show host's new video plea: Hour of desperation

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a><br><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/"><i>Kansas Reflector</i></a>

Bipartisan legislation reflects idea devices distract students, harm mental health

TOPEKA — Central Christian Academy and Atchison County Community Schools serve distinct K-12 populations, but superintendents of both oppose a proposed mandate by the Kansas Legislature to force private and public schools to ban personal cellphones and other electronic devices during school hours.

A House Education Committee hearing Friday generated criticism that such a state law would undermine local control of education. Supporters of reform said personal devices could be a classroom impediment to academic success and contributed to mental health challenges of students.

David Landis, superintendent of the 660-student private Christian school in Wichita, said the school’s leadership adopted several years ago nearly all the cellphone restrictions proposed in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2421/" target="_blank">House Bill 2421</a>. He objected to the Legislature mandating those policies from Topeka.

“We stand opposed to the state making financial and reporting policy decisions on behalf of any private school,” he said. “We ask that HB 2421 be rewritten to exclude all nonpublic schools.”

Andrew Gaddis, superintendent of the Atchison County district and its 500 students, said the bill was a departure from the state’s commitment to the principle of local control in public education. He said elected school boards collaborating with administrators, teachers and families were best suited to adopt policy respectful of local values and culture.

While many public school districts in Kansas previously enacted cellphone restrictions, Gaddis said, a one-size-fits-all law wouldn’t reflect diversity of thought on the in-school use of devices.

“Preserving local control allows districts to adjust practices as student needs change, technology evolves and community input is considered,” Gaddis said.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly endorsed the concept of an in-school ban on cellphones. Twenty-eight Republicans and Democrats in the Kansas Senate sponsored a bill creating a statewide ban. In the House, nine Republicans or Democrats did the same.

Under House and Senate versions of the bill, students attending accredited nonpublic and public elementary or secondary schools would be prohibited from using cellphones, smartwatches and earbuds during instructional time. The prohibition would include lunch breaks and gaps between classes.

The bills would require personal electronic communication devices owned by students and brought to school to be securely stored. The legislation wouldn’t allow storage in backpacks or lockers, but neither bill would provide state funding for schools to buy containers to sequester electronic devices. A legislative document outlining the bills say it could cost nearly $13.4 million for public schools to purchase $30 fabric pouches with locks for 446,000 students.

Exceptions to the ban would be made for students with personal medical issues. Exemptions would extend to students with an individualized education plan, or IEP, and those with a 504 plan outlining school accommodations designed to guarantee equal access to education. Students would be able to contact a parent or guardian with a school-owned telephone or device.

The legislation would forbid school district employees from communicating with students privately or directly through social media apps for official academic purposes.

The bills would direct local public school boards of education or governing bodies of accredited private schools to comply by Sept. 1, 2026. School administrators must report to the Kansas State Board of Education the average amount of time students in first through fourth grades spent on electronic devices with a screen during a typical school day.

A companion bill banning in-school use of personal communication devices was introduced as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb302/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 302</a>. The Senate Education Committee conducted a hearing on the bill in January.

Adrienne Olejnik, vice president of Kansas Action for Children, said schools implementing bell-to-bell cellphone restrictions contemplated in the legislation were beginning to see signs that children experienced better relationships, mental well-being and educational achievement.

“Digital devices interfere with so many critical aspects of children’s development and schools should thoughtfully consider how technology is integrated into a student’s day,” she said.

Olejnik said use of individual digital devices wasn’t intrinsically dangerous for children, but it was important schools step in to help young people find a healthy balance.

Kim Whitman, a Kansas leader of Smartphone Free Childhood US, said cellphones and social media platforms were designed to be addictive. A study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association said students spent an average of 70 minutes per school day on their phones. That added up to loss of the equivalent of 30 instructional days per year, she said.

“When devices are stored away, students focus better and teachers can teach instead of policing phones,” Whitman said.

She said change was necessary because an estimated 11% of Kansas public school students were enrolled in districts enforcing phone-free policies covering the entire school day.

Wichita school board member Ngoc Vuong, a doctoral student at Wichita State University, endorsed the legislation. Vuong urged Kansas lawmakers to respond to unhealthy relationships many children and adolescents had with smartphones and social media.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770659760548.png" alt=" Adrienne Olejnik, vice president of Kansas Action for Children, says cellphones and other personal technology interferes with ability of students to concentrate in school. She endorses a controversial bill introduced in the Kansas Legislature to impose a bell-to-bell ban on use of these devices in public schools and accredited private schools. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of Kansas Legislature video)" />
                        <figcaption> Adrienne Olejnik, vice president of Kansas Action for Children, says cellphones and other personal technology interferes with ability of students to concentrate in school. She endorses a controversial bill introduced in the Kansas Legislature to impose a bell-to-bell ban on use of these devices in public schools and accredited private schools. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of Kansas Legislature video)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a><br><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/"><i>Kansas Reflector</i></a></p><h2>Bipartisan legislation reflects idea devices distract students, harm mental health</h2><p>TOPEKA — Central Christian Academy and Atchison County Community Schools serve distinct K-12 populations, but superintendents of both oppose a proposed mandate by the Kansas Legislature to force private and public schools to ban personal cellphones and other electronic devices during school hours.</p><p>A House Education Committee hearing Friday generated criticism that such a state law would undermine local control of education. Supporters of reform said personal devices could be a classroom impediment to academic success and contributed to mental health challenges of students.</p><p>David Landis, superintendent of the 660-student private Christian school in Wichita, said the school’s leadership adopted several years ago nearly all the cellphone restrictions proposed in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2421/" target="_blank">House Bill 2421</a>. He objected to the Legislature mandating those policies from Topeka.</p><p>“We stand opposed to the state making financial and reporting policy decisions on behalf of any private school,” he said. “We ask that HB 2421 be rewritten to exclude all nonpublic schools.”</p><p>Andrew Gaddis, superintendent of the Atchison County district and its 500 students, said the bill was a departure from the state’s commitment to the principle of local control in public education. He said elected school boards collaborating with administrators, teachers and families were best suited to adopt policy respectful of local values and culture.</p><p>While many public school districts in Kansas previously enacted cellphone restrictions, Gaddis said, a one-size-fits-all law wouldn’t reflect diversity of thought on the in-school use of devices.</p><p>“Preserving local control allows districts to adjust practices as student needs change, technology evolves and community input is considered,” Gaddis said.</p><p>Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly endorsed the concept of an in-school ban on cellphones. Twenty-eight Republicans and Democrats in the Kansas Senate sponsored a bill creating a statewide ban. In the House, nine Republicans or Democrats did the same.</p><h2>What will bills do?</h2><p>Under House and Senate versions of the bill, students attending accredited nonpublic and public elementary or secondary schools would be prohibited from using cellphones, smartwatches and earbuds during instructional time. The prohibition would include lunch breaks and gaps between classes.</p><p>The bills would require personal electronic communication devices owned by students and brought to school to be securely stored. The legislation wouldn’t allow storage in backpacks or lockers, but neither bill would provide state funding for schools to buy containers to sequester electronic devices. A legislative document outlining the bills say it could cost nearly $13.4 million for public schools to purchase $30 fabric pouches with locks for 446,000 students.</p><p>Exceptions to the ban would be made for students with personal medical issues. Exemptions would extend to students with an individualized education plan, or IEP, and those with a 504 plan outlining school accommodations designed to guarantee equal access to education. Students would be able to contact a parent or guardian with a school-owned telephone or device.</p><p>The legislation would forbid school district employees from communicating with students privately or directly through social media apps for official academic purposes.</p><p>The bills would direct local public school boards of education or governing bodies of accredited private schools to comply by Sept. 1, 2026. School administrators must report to the Kansas State Board of Education the average amount of time students in first through fourth grades spent on electronic devices with a screen during a typical school day.</p><p>A companion bill banning in-school use of personal communication devices was introduced as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb302/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 302</a>. The Senate Education Committee conducted a hearing on the bill in January.</p><h2>Supporters of prohibition</h2><p>Adrienne Olejnik, vice president of Kansas Action for Children, said schools implementing bell-to-bell cellphone restrictions contemplated in the legislation were beginning to see signs that children experienced better relationships, mental well-being and educational achievement.</p><p>“Digital devices interfere with so many critical aspects of children’s development and schools should thoughtfully consider how technology is integrated into a student’s day,” she said.</p><p>Olejnik said use of individual digital devices wasn’t intrinsically dangerous for children, but it was important schools step in to help young people find a healthy balance.</p><p>Kim Whitman, a Kansas leader of Smartphone Free Childhood US, said cellphones and social media platforms were designed to be addictive. A study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association said students spent an average of 70 minutes per school day on their phones. That added up to loss of the equivalent of 30 instructional days per year, she said.</p><p>“When devices are stored away, students focus better and teachers can teach instead of policing phones,” Whitman said.</p><p>She said change was necessary because an estimated 11% of Kansas public school students were enrolled in districts enforcing phone-free policies covering the entire school day.</p><p>Wichita school board member Ngoc Vuong, a doctoral student at Wichita State University, endorsed the legislation. Vuong urged Kansas lawmakers to respond to unhealthy relationships many children and adolescents had with smartphones and social media.</p><p>“While I recognize and respect the local control argument, as a researcher and local school board member, I have come to the conclusion that, given the universality of problematic smartphone and social media use and its disproportionate impact on K-12 students, state-level action is necessary to mitigate its harms and promote more constructive, focused and engaging learning environments,” Vuong said.</p>