(Radio Iowa ) - This Thursday is the legal deadline for the legislature to decide how much the state will spend on K-12 schools next year. 

That deadline is routinely missed, however. And House Republicans have yet to reveal their initial offer in the negotiations. In January, Governor Reynolds suggested a state funding increase of two percent. Last week, Senate Republicans suggested slightly less. 

The Iowa State Education Association -- the union that represents public school teachers -- is calling for a five percent increase.

<p>(Radio Iowa ) - This Thursday is the legal deadline for the legislature to decide how much the state will spend on K-12 schools next year. </p><p>That deadline is routinely missed, however. And House Republicans have yet to reveal their initial offer in the negotiations. In January, Governor Reynolds suggested a state funding increase of two percent. Last week, Senate Republicans suggested slightly less. </p><p>The Iowa State Education Association -- the union that represents public school teachers -- is calling for a five percent increase.</p>

Iowa lawmakers will again miss deadline for making education funding decision

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating an officer-involved shooting in Kansas City.

Just before 2:30a.m., Kansas City police officers responded to reports of a burglary at 9500 Blue Ridge Boulevard, according to a media release.&nbsp; The report was of multiple suspects breaking into a building and storage container.

At the scene, KCPD officers found three people who ran.&nbsp; Two tried to get into a vehicle where an altercation occurred as officers attempted to take the two suspects into custody.&nbsp; During the altercation, one officer fired their duty weapon.

The gunfire struck the 35-year-old female in the driver's seat of the car. She was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.&nbsp; Another male suspect at the vehicle was arrested.

Officers took the third suspect into custody several blocks away.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Control is in charge of investigating the officer involved shooting. KCPD is investigating the burglary.

<p>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating an officer-involved shooting in Kansas City.</p><p>Just before 2:30a.m., Kansas City police officers responded to reports of a burglary at 9500 Blue Ridge Boulevard, according to a media release.&nbsp; The report was of multiple suspects breaking into a building and storage container.</p><p>At the scene, KCPD officers found three people who ran.&nbsp; Two tried to get into a vehicle where an altercation occurred as officers attempted to take the two suspects into custody.&nbsp; During the altercation, one officer fired their duty weapon.</p><p>The gunfire struck the 35-year-old female in the driver's seat of the car. She was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.&nbsp; Another male suspect at the vehicle was arrested.</p><p>Officers took the third suspect into custody several blocks away.</p><p>The Missouri State Highway Patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Control is in charge of investigating the officer involved shooting. KCPD is investigating the burglary.</p>

Woman burglary suspect wounded in KC officer shooting 

JOHNSON COUNTY—Eight families were displaced after a weekend fire in Overland Park.

Just after 8:30p.m. Saturday, crews&nbsp;were dispatched to the Colonial Gardens Apartments at 87th and Broadmoor, according to a media release.

First units found heavy smoke and fire showing from the building, prompting crews to immediately call a second alarm and bring reinforcements to help control the blaze.

Firefighters attacked the fire in the attic while additional crews searched the building to ensure all residents were evacuated safely. One cat was rescued and returned to its owner.

The fire was knocked down in approximately 20 minutes, with crews spending about an hour putting out hot spots before declaring the blaze under control. There were no injuries reported.

Apartment management and the American Red Cross are assisting the displaced residents. The cause&nbsp; of the fire remains under investigation.

The Consolidated Fire District #2, Lenexa Fire, Shawnee Fire, Johnson County Med-ACT, and Overland Park Police assisted at the scene.

<p>JOHNSON COUNTY—Eight families were displaced after a weekend fire in Overland Park.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Firefighters made a quick knockdown on an attic fire at the Colonial Gardens Apts. at 87th and Broadmoor just after 8:30 p.m. No injures are reported. Residents from 8 apartments are displaced. Red Cross is assisting. Cause of the Fire is under investigation. <a href="https://t.co/tS6xDzObMo">pic.twitter.com/tS6xDzObMo</a></p>&mdash; Overland Park Fire Department (@OverlandParkFD) <a href="https://twitter.com/OverlandParkFD/status/2020363418738278774?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Just after 8:30p.m. Saturday, crews&nbsp;were dispatched to the Colonial Gardens Apartments at 87th and Broadmoor, according to a media release.</p><p>First units found heavy smoke and fire showing from the building, prompting crews to immediately call a second alarm and bring reinforcements to help control the blaze.</p><p>Firefighters attacked the fire in the attic while additional crews searched the building to ensure all residents were evacuated safely. One cat was rescued and returned to its owner.</p><p>The fire was knocked down in approximately 20 minutes, with crews spending about an hour putting out hot spots before declaring the blaze under control. There were no injuries reported.</p><p>Apartment management and the American Red Cross are assisting the displaced residents. The cause&nbsp; of the fire remains under investigation.</p><p>The Consolidated Fire District #2, Lenexa Fire, Shawnee Fire, Johnson County Med-ACT, and Overland Park Police assisted at the scene.</p>

8 residents displaced after 2-alarm Kan. apartment building  fire

BUTLER COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 6:40p.m. Sunday in Butler County

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Dodge Ram driven by a 45-year-old Harviell man was southbound on U.S. 67 two miles south of Poplar Bluff. The pickup rear-ended a moped driven by a 40-year-old Poplar Bluff man. The driver of the moped was ejected then was struck by a car, a semi and a an SUV. The car then rear-ended the SUV.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The moped driver was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the county morgue.&nbsp; The drivers of the car and SUV were transported to Poplar Bluff Regional Hospital.&nbsp; The MSHP no longer releases names of accident victims.

<p>BUTLER COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 6:40p.m. Sunday in Butler County</p><p>The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Dodge Ram driven by a 45-year-old Harviell man was southbound on U.S. 67 two miles south of Poplar Bluff. The pickup rear-ended a moped driven by a 40-year-old Poplar Bluff man. The driver of the moped was ejected then was struck by a car, a semi and a an SUV. The car then rear-ended the SUV.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The moped driver was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the county morgue.&nbsp; The drivers of the car and SUV were transported to Poplar Bluff Regional Hospital.&nbsp; The MSHP no longer releases names of accident victims.</p>

Mo. man killed after ejected from moped, struck by 4 vehicles

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man arrested in Missouri for a&nbsp;deadly shooting in Wichita is now in a Kansas Jail.

On Thursday, 27-year-old Donny J. Harris of Springfield, Missouri was booked into the Sedgwick County jail, according to online jail records. He made his first court appearance and is charged with first degree murder.

Just after 8a.m. Jan. 26., police were dispatched to the&nbsp;the 900 block of East Indianapolis in Wichita&nbsp;for a reported welfare check after receiving information about a man down, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

Upon arrival, officers located a man suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Wichita police officers and detectives conducted a thorough and comprehensive investigation, working through challenging weather conditions and utilizing multiple departmental resources.

Officers from multiple WPD sections, Crime Scene Investigators,&nbsp;K-9 Mantra, and&nbsp;Flock technology&nbsp;were utilized to canvass the area, locate evidence, and develop investigative leads.&nbsp;K-9 Mantra located multiple shell casings in the snow during the search.

As a result of this coordinated effort, detectives were able to quickly identify a suspect identified as Harris and establish probable cause. An arrest warrant was issued for first-degree murder.

Working in close coordination with the Springfield Police Department, Harris was located and arrested on the evening of Jan. 26, in Springfield, Missouri.&nbsp;

Harris is being held on a $500,000 bond. Police have not released the name of the victim.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769461383611.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
                        <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man arrested in Missouri for a&nbsp;deadly shooting in Wichita is now in a Kansas Jail.</p><p>On Thursday, 27-year-old Donny J. Harris of Springfield, Missouri was booked into the Sedgwick County jail, according to online jail records. He made his first court appearance and is charged with first degree murder.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770477271747.png" alt="Harris photo Sedgwick County" />
                        <figcaption>Harris photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Just after 8a.m. Jan. 26., police were dispatched to the&nbsp;the 900 block of East Indianapolis in Wichita&nbsp;for a reported welfare check after receiving information about a man down, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.</p><p>Upon arrival, officers located a man suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene.</p><p>Wichita police officers and detectives conducted a thorough and comprehensive investigation, working through challenging weather conditions and utilizing multiple departmental resources.</p><p>Officers from multiple WPD sections, Crime Scene Investigators,&nbsp;K-9 Mantra, and&nbsp;Flock technology&nbsp;were utilized to canvass the area, locate evidence, and develop investigative leads.&nbsp;K-9 Mantra located multiple shell casings in the snow during the search.</p><p>As a result of this coordinated effort, detectives were able to quickly identify a suspect identified as Harris and establish probable cause. An arrest warrant was issued for first-degree murder.</p><p>Working in close coordination with the Springfield Police Department, Harris was located and arrested on the evening of Jan. 26, in Springfield, Missouri.&nbsp;</p><p>Harris is being held on a $500,000 bond. Police have not released the name of the victim.</p>

Missouri man accused of murder is now in a Kansas jail

STILLWATER — Oklahoma State men's basketball team overcame a stellar performance by freshman sensation AJ Dybantsa to beat 16th-ranked BYU 99-92 on Wednesday night. Now the Oklahoma State University is facing a reprimand from the Big 12 Conference.&nbsp;

On Sunday, the conference announce on their social media account, "in accordance with the Big 12 Conference Principles and Standards of Sportsmanship, the Conference has issued Oklahoma State University a $50,000 fine following its investigation into inappropriate chants which referenced the Mormon religion that occurred during Wednesday’s men’s basketball game."

"The Big 12 Conference will not tolerate any behavior that targets or demeans others."

<p>STILLWATER — Oklahoma State men's basketball team overcame a stellar performance by freshman sensation AJ Dybantsa to beat 16th-ranked BYU 99-92 on Wednesday night. Now the Oklahoma State University is facing a reprimand from the Big 12 Conference.&nbsp;</p><p>On Sunday, the conference announce on their social media account, "in accordance with the Big 12 Conference Principles and Standards of Sportsmanship, the Conference has issued Oklahoma State University a $50,000 fine following its investigation into inappropriate chants which referenced the Mormon religion that occurred during Wednesday’s men’s basketball game."</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Statement from Oklahoma State University <a href="https://t.co/QZcY0Zpxzw">pic.twitter.com/QZcY0Zpxzw</a></p>&mdash; Oklahoma State Athletics (@OSUAthletics) <a href="https://twitter.com/OSUAthletics/status/2020575712839663820?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>"The Big 12 Conference will not tolerate any behavior that targets or demeans others."</p>

Big 12 Conference fines school for chants which referenced Mormons 

Bill voids decades of regulatory decisions amid concern about investigatory process

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>

TOPEKA — Lacey Grogan, Joshua Conner and Melissa Vaughn recounted traumatic nursing regulatory experiences in Kansas House testimony supporting an extraordinary bill written to force administrative changes at the Kansas State Board of Nursing.

The bill, if signed into law, would void state Board of Nursing disciplinary actions executed between Jan. 1, 2005, and July 1, 2026, including cases of licensure renewal and unprofessional conduct. Documents in the deleted cases would be sealed from the Kansas Open Records Act. Steps would be taken to remove from national databases information on nurses sanctioned by the Board of Nursing during the period.

A revised definition of unprofessional conduct for nurses — intended to rein in the Board of Nursing — would be retroactively applied to 2025. The definition would focus on alleged misconduct performed intentionally or carelessly but no longer include issues related to failure to timely renewal of a license.

In addition, the Board of Nursing would be required to adhere to a higher standard of proof in nurse disciplinary cases. It would shift from a preponderance of evidence to the more rigorous clear and convincing evidence.

Appointees of the Kansas governor to the Board of Nursing would undergo Senate confirmation. No member of the Legislature or the attorney general or a governor could serve on the board.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/documents/fisc_note_hb2528_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">House Bill 2528 would make a series of other changes</a>&nbsp;at the Board of Nursing applicable to the 74,000 nursing professionals licensed in Kansas.

The House Health and Human Services Committee gathered testimony Thursday from critics and champions of the Board of Nursing. The&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/08/07/kansas-legislators-alarmed-nurses-suffer-draconian-penalty-for-license-renewal-errors/">Board of Nursing came under intense scrutiny by the Legislature in&nbsp;</a>mid-2025 as allegations of regulatory abuse became public.

Grogan, a registered nurse for 20 years who lives in St. Francis, told legislators she welcomed change at the Board of Nursing. While working at an understaffed rural Kansas hospital, Grogan said, she complied with professional standards by reporting a patient fall. The hospital’s administration retaliated by filing complaints against her with the Board of Nursing. Two were promptly dismissed, she said, but a third “lacking substantiated evidence was nevertheless pursued” by the Board of Nursing.

“I was denied a meaningful opportunity to speak on my own behalf without legal representation, pressured into signing a consent agreement for conduct I did not commit and ultimately fined and stripped of my nursing license,” Grogan said. “My name was included in a disciplinary mailer distributed to nurses statewide. Once reported to the national database, my licensure was called into question in nearly every other state where I held licensure.”

During emotional testimony, Grogan told legislators the “future of nursing depends on the decisions made in this room” to deal with the state regulatory board.

More than 25 people submitted testimony in support of the 23-page House bill. Seven individuals declared opposition.

Carol Moreland, executive administrator of the Board of Nursing since 2017, said provisions of HB 2528 could violate federal mandates and increased the risk of nurses harming the public. She questioned the Legislature’s heavy-handed approach to modifying authority of the Board of Nursing.

“No other regulatory board in Kansas is under this scrutiny and is being asked to make these unprecedented changes,” she said.

She objected to wiping out disciplinary decisions of the Board of Nursing for a period of two decades. She said that part of the bill would reverse sanctions against a school nurse who engaged in sexually inappropriate conduct with a student, a nurse who solicited prostitution at work and a nurse who stole credit cards from a patient and made purchases after the patient died.

“It’s not clear to us at the Board of Nursing what really happens next. If it’s voided, do they automatically have their license back?” Moreland said.

Another flaw in the bill required the Board of Nursing to send a flurry of notices to nurses approaching their two-year license renewal date, said Carol Moore, a retired advance practice nurse and former associate dean of Baker University’s nursing program. The bill would mandate renewal notices go out 90 days, 60 days, 30 days and seven days prior to the deadline, on the renewal date and seven days after that date.

“How much handholding does an educated professional require?” Moore said. “I do not see anything as written in this bill to enhance the care of patients nor to advance the stature of nursing.”

Topeka registered nurse Kelly Sommers said the Legislature should “put a stop to this embarrassment” of a bill. She said reforms in the bill appeared to be crafted in a way “to satisfy a handful of nurses who refuse to accept personal responsibility.”

Joshua Connor, an opponent of the bill, said he worked for a decade with elderly adults as a licensed practical nurse. He lived in Manhattan before taking a job in Florida. He said he didn’t renew his Kansas nursing license because his job didn’t require the credential.

Connor was subsequently diagnosed with cancer requiring surgery, but his employer didn’t want to accommodate his absence from work. He was fired and won a wrongful termination lawsuit. He considered returning to Kansas to resume his nursing career. After contacting the Board of Nursing to renew his license, the agency put him under investigation for allegedly working in Florida without a nursing license.

“My real nightmare began,” said Connor, who eventually secured a new Kansas nursing license. “I was coerced to sign a consent agreement that labeled me with unprofessional conduct.”

The Board of Nursing placed his name in a database for nurses guilty of unprofessional conduct. His request to have Florida recognize his nursing license was rejected because he was disciplined in Kansas.

“I am working over 60 hours a week now at 7-11 to support my family,” he said. “KSBN’s draconian actions have cost me thousands of dollars in lost wages and attorney fees. The emotional toll is indescribable.”

Melissa Vaughn, a Kansas registered nurse from Kansas City, Missouri, has worked the past five years as a Hy-Vee floral designer. She shared with legislators her “unimaginable experience” with staff at the Board of Nursing. Her career in nursing began in 1996. She graduated from nursing school at University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2012.

She presented House members a detailed outline of her licensing renewal battle with the Board of Nursing that came to a head in 2013.

“I pursued my case honestly with the mindset that if KSBN is doing this to me I have no doubt they are doing it to other nurses,” she said.

In 2013, Vaughn accidently checked a box on her renewal application indicating she hadn’t completed 30 hours of mandatory continuing education. She corrected her application. At one point, the Board of Nursing accepted documentation showing she met the requirement. She later received a letter from the Board of Nursing indicating her application was being audited. Another letter said her case was referred to a disciplinary attorney “for further disposition.”

Vaughn’s alleged offense: She applied for renewal of her license on March 18, 2013, before the 30-hour continuing education credit was affirmed by the Board of Nursing on April 16, 2013. It was a confusing development, she said, because her Kansas nursing license was, at that moment, still valid and wouldn’t lapse until May 31, 2013.

The Board of Nursing offered her a diversion agreement declaring she broke state licensing regulations with a flawed application. She said she rejected the plea deal because the agreement’s “statement of facts” included false information. An assistant attorney general at the Board of Nursing threatened her with license revocation for alleged “unprofessional conduct by fraud or deceit in practicing nursing.”

The Board of Nursing issued a 15-day license suspension but later reversed the order. She paid a $250 fine for failure to exhibit a “cooperative attitude toward the disciplinary proceedings.”

More than a decade later, Vaughn said, she was grateful introduction of the House bill offered her an opportunity to advocate for reform that addressed “a sickening mix of KSBN’s schemes, incompetence, ignorance and greed.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770553162779.png" alt=" Kansas nurse Lacey Grogan testifies to a Kansas House committee in support of a bill making sweeping changes to administrative power of the Kansas State Board of Nursing (Photo by Grace Hills for Kansas Reflector)" />
                        <figcaption> Kansas nurse Lacey Grogan testifies to a Kansas House committee in support of a bill making sweeping changes to administrative power of the Kansas State Board of Nursing (Photo by Grace Hills for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
                    </figure><h2>Bill voids decades of regulatory decisions amid concern about investigatory process</h2><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><p>TOPEKA — Lacey Grogan, Joshua Conner and Melissa Vaughn recounted traumatic nursing regulatory experiences in Kansas House testimony supporting an extraordinary bill written to force administrative changes at the Kansas State Board of Nursing.</p><p>The bill, if signed into law, would void state Board of Nursing disciplinary actions executed between Jan. 1, 2005, and July 1, 2026, including cases of licensure renewal and unprofessional conduct. Documents in the deleted cases would be sealed from the Kansas Open Records Act. Steps would be taken to remove from national databases information on nurses sanctioned by the Board of Nursing during the period.</p><p>A revised definition of unprofessional conduct for nurses — intended to rein in the Board of Nursing — would be retroactively applied to 2025. The definition would focus on alleged misconduct performed intentionally or carelessly but no longer include issues related to failure to timely renewal of a license.</p><p>In addition, the Board of Nursing would be required to adhere to a higher standard of proof in nurse disciplinary cases. It would shift from a preponderance of evidence to the more rigorous clear and convincing evidence.</p><p>Appointees of the Kansas governor to the Board of Nursing would undergo Senate confirmation. No member of the Legislature or the attorney general or a governor could serve on the board.</p><p><a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/documents/fisc_note_hb2528_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">House Bill 2528 would make a series of other changes</a>&nbsp;at the Board of Nursing applicable to the 74,000 nursing professionals licensed in Kansas.</p><p>The House Health and Human Services Committee gathered testimony Thursday from critics and champions of the Board of Nursing. The&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/08/07/kansas-legislators-alarmed-nurses-suffer-draconian-penalty-for-license-renewal-errors/">Board of Nursing came under intense scrutiny by the Legislature in&nbsp;</a>mid-2025 as allegations of regulatory abuse became public.</p><p>Grogan, a registered nurse for 20 years who lives in St. Francis, told legislators she welcomed change at the Board of Nursing. While working at an understaffed rural Kansas hospital, Grogan said, she complied with professional standards by reporting a patient fall. The hospital’s administration retaliated by filing complaints against her with the Board of Nursing. Two were promptly dismissed, she said, but a third “lacking substantiated evidence was nevertheless pursued” by the Board of Nursing.</p><p>“I was denied a meaningful opportunity to speak on my own behalf without legal representation, pressured into signing a consent agreement for conduct I did not commit and ultimately fined and stripped of my nursing license,” Grogan said. “My name was included in a disciplinary mailer distributed to nurses statewide. Once reported to the national database, my licensure was called into question in nearly every other state where I held licensure.”</p><p>During emotional testimony, Grogan told legislators the “future of nursing depends on the decisions made in this room” to deal with the state regulatory board.</p><p>More than 25 people submitted testimony in support of the 23-page House bill. Seven individuals declared opposition.</p><h2>Board’s viewpoint</h2><p>Carol Moreland, executive administrator of the Board of Nursing since 2017, said provisions of HB 2528 could violate federal mandates and increased the risk of nurses harming the public. She questioned the Legislature’s heavy-handed approach to modifying authority of the Board of Nursing.</p><p>“No other regulatory board in Kansas is under this scrutiny and is being asked to make these unprecedented changes,” she said.</p><p>She objected to wiping out disciplinary decisions of the Board of Nursing for a period of two decades. She said that part of the bill would reverse sanctions against a school nurse who engaged in sexually inappropriate conduct with a student, a nurse who solicited prostitution at work and a nurse who stole credit cards from a patient and made purchases after the patient died.</p><p>“It’s not clear to us at the Board of Nursing what really happens next. If it’s voided, do they automatically have their license back?” Moreland said.</p><p>Another flaw in the bill required the Board of Nursing to send a flurry of notices to nurses approaching their two-year license renewal date, said Carol Moore, a retired advance practice nurse and former associate dean of Baker University’s nursing program. The bill would mandate renewal notices go out 90 days, 60 days, 30 days and seven days prior to the deadline, on the renewal date and seven days after that date.</p><p>“How much handholding does an educated professional require?” Moore said. “I do not see anything as written in this bill to enhance the care of patients nor to advance the stature of nursing.”</p><p>Topeka registered nurse Kelly Sommers said the Legislature should “put a stop to this embarrassment” of a bill. She said reforms in the bill appeared to be crafted in a way “to satisfy a handful of nurses who refuse to accept personal responsibility.”</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770553123130.png" alt="The Kansas House Health and Human Service Committee’s hearing Feb. 5, 2026, attracted a large crowd for testimony on a bill making comprehensive change to administrative powers of the Kansas State Board of Nursing. The bill is a response to allegations by nursing professionals that the Board of Nursing abusively handles licensing and professional conduct cases. (Photo by Grace Hills for Kansas Reflector)" />
                        <figcaption>The Kansas House Health and Human Service Committee’s hearing Feb. 5, 2026, attracted a large crowd for testimony on a bill making comprehensive change to administrative powers of the Kansas State Board of Nursing. The bill is a response to allegations by nursing professionals that the Board of Nursing abusively handles licensing and professional conduct cases. (Photo by Grace Hills for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
                    </figure><h2>Case histories</h2><p>Joshua Connor, an opponent of the bill, said he worked for a decade with elderly adults as a licensed practical nurse. He lived in Manhattan before taking a job in Florida. He said he didn’t renew his Kansas nursing license because his job didn’t require the credential.</p><p>Connor was subsequently diagnosed with cancer requiring surgery, but his employer didn’t want to accommodate his absence from work. He was fired and won a wrongful termination lawsuit. He considered returning to Kansas to resume his nursing career. After contacting the Board of Nursing to renew his license, the agency put him under investigation for allegedly working in Florida without a nursing license.</p><p>“My real nightmare began,” said Connor, who eventually secured a new Kansas nursing license. “I was coerced to sign a consent agreement that labeled me with unprofessional conduct.”</p><p>The Board of Nursing placed his name in a database for nurses guilty of unprofessional conduct. His request to have Florida recognize his nursing license was rejected because he was disciplined in Kansas.</p><p>“I am working over 60 hours a week now at 7-11 to support my family,” he said. “KSBN’s draconian actions have cost me thousands of dollars in lost wages and attorney fees. The emotional toll is indescribable.”</p><p>Melissa Vaughn, a Kansas registered nurse from Kansas City, Missouri, has worked the past five years as a Hy-Vee floral designer. She shared with legislators her “unimaginable experience” with staff at the Board of Nursing. Her career in nursing began in 1996. She graduated from nursing school at University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2012.</p><p>She presented House members a detailed outline of her licensing renewal battle with the Board of Nursing that came to a head in 2013.</p><p>“I pursued my case honestly with the mindset that if KSBN is doing this to me I have no doubt they are doing it to other nurses,” she said.</p><p>In 2013, Vaughn accidently checked a box on her renewal application indicating she hadn’t completed 30 hours of mandatory continuing education. She corrected her application. At one point, the Board of Nursing accepted documentation showing she met the requirement. She later received a letter from the Board of Nursing indicating her application was being audited. Another letter said her case was referred to a disciplinary attorney “for further disposition.”</p><p>Vaughn’s alleged offense: She applied for renewal of her license on March 18, 2013, before the 30-hour continuing education credit was affirmed by the Board of Nursing on April 16, 2013. It was a confusing development, she said, because her Kansas nursing license was, at that moment, still valid and wouldn’t lapse until May 31, 2013.</p><p>The Board of Nursing offered her a diversion agreement declaring she broke state licensing regulations with a flawed application. She said she rejected the plea deal because the agreement’s “statement of facts” included false information. An assistant attorney general at the Board of Nursing threatened her with license revocation for alleged “unprofessional conduct by fraud or deceit in practicing nursing.”</p><p>The Board of Nursing issued a 15-day license suspension but later reversed the order. She paid a $250 fine for failure to exhibit a “cooperative attitude toward the disciplinary proceedings.”</p><p>More than a decade later, Vaughn said, she was grateful introduction of the House bill offered her an opportunity to advocate for reform that addressed “a sickening mix of KSBN’s schemes, incompetence, ignorance and greed.”</p>

Kansas House responds to complaints, unveils bill revamping Board of Nursing’s authority

CHEROKEE COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with several local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, conducted a two-day enforcement operation this week targeting individuals who solicit minors for sex, according to a media release from the KBI.

The operation, which concluded Feb. 6, resulted in the arrest of five suspects on various charges, such as commercial sexual exploitation of a child, unlawful use of a communication facility, aggravated human trafficking, attempted aggravated indecent liberties, and electronic solicitation of a child.

The following individuals were taken into custody and booked into the Cherokee County Jail: Darin Price, 52, of Anderson, Missouri; Nicholes Reginal, 28, of Jackson, Mississippi;&nbsp; Trevor Porter, 34, of Pittsburg, Kansas; Nicolas Perez-Paxtor, 38, of Neosho, Missouri and Derek McKenney, 31, of Sarcoxie, Missouri.

The investigation was a collaborative effort to identify and apprehend predators who utilize digital platforms to prey upon underage victims. Following the arrests, case files were submitted to the Cherokee County Attorney’s Office for formal prosecution.

The KBI and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office were assisted in this operation by the Cherokee County Attorney’s Office, the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office, the Ray County (Missouri) Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770497248969.png" alt="Porter photo Crawford Co." />
                        <figcaption>Porter photo Crawford Co.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>CHEROKEE COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with several local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, conducted a two-day enforcement operation this week targeting individuals who solicit minors for sex, according to a media release from the KBI.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770497184303.png" alt="Price photo Crawford Co." />
                        <figcaption>Price photo Crawford Co.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The operation, which concluded Feb. 6, resulted in the arrest of five suspects on various charges, such as commercial sexual exploitation of a child, unlawful use of a communication facility, aggravated human trafficking, attempted aggravated indecent liberties, and electronic solicitation of a child.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770497184303.png" alt="Price photo Crawford Co." />
                        <figcaption>Price photo Crawford Co.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The following individuals were taken into custody and booked into the Cherokee County Jail: Darin Price, 52, of Anderson, Missouri; Nicholes Reginal, 28, of Jackson, Mississippi;&nbsp; Trevor Porter, 34, of Pittsburg, Kansas; Nicolas Perez-Paxtor, 38, of Neosho, Missouri and Derek McKenney, 31, of Sarcoxie, Missouri.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770497277669.png" alt="Perez-Paxtor photo Crawford Co." />
                        <figcaption>Perez-Paxtor photo Crawford Co.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The investigation was a collaborative effort to identify and apprehend predators who utilize digital platforms to prey upon underage victims. Following the arrests, case files were submitted to the Cherokee County Attorney’s Office for formal prosecution.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770497216786.png" alt="Reginal photo Crawford County" />
                        <figcaption>Reginal photo Crawford County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The KBI and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office were assisted in this operation by the Cherokee County Attorney’s Office, the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office, the Ray County (Missouri) Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)</p>

KBI: 3 Mo. men jailed after allegedly soliciting minors for sex

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770317606483.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
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🎥'Today' show host's new video plea to kidnapper: We will pay

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an alleged violent incident at a Kansas home.

Just before 10:30a.m. Feb. 5, sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a reported domestic disturbance in the 6600 block of SW Montara Northway, according to Shawnee County Deputy Abigail Christian.

Upon arrival, deputies determined the adult male suspect identified as 39-year-old Stephon S. Taylor had left the residence. 

A search of the area began, utilizing K-9 units, drones, and additional personnel from law enforcement agencies. Stephon S. Taylor, 39, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department

of Corrections (SNDOC) on the requested charges of Aggravated battery; knowingly use physical contact in angry/rude manner with a weapon

The sheriff's department thanked the Auburn Police Department, Auburn-Washburn Unified School District 437 Police Department, Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority, Kansas Highway Patrol, Shawnee Heights Fire District and American Medical Response for their assistance.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770491531362.png" alt="Taylor photo Shawnee County" />
                        <figcaption>Taylor photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an alleged violent incident at a Kansas home.</p><p>Just before 10:30a.m. Feb. 5, sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a reported domestic disturbance in the 6600 block of SW Montara Northway, according to Shawnee County Deputy Abigail Christian.</p><p>Upon arrival, deputies determined the adult male suspect identified as 39-year-old Stephon S. Taylor had left the residence. </p><p>A search of the area began, utilizing K-9 units, drones, and additional personnel from law enforcement agencies. Stephon S. Taylor, 39, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department</p><p>of Corrections (SNDOC) on the requested charges of Aggravated battery; knowingly use physical contact in angry/rude manner with a weapon</p><p>The sheriff's department thanked the Auburn Police Department, Auburn-Washburn Unified School District 437 Police Department, Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority, Kansas Highway Patrol, Shawnee Heights Fire District and American Medical Response for their assistance.</p>

Drone, K9 help track down Kan. domestic violence suspect

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/marysanchez/">Mary Sanchez</a>

The images have become ubiquitous in the Trump administration’s campaign for mass deportations of immigrants.

Masked agents, swathed in tactical gear and carrying semiautomatic firearms, menace protesters with chemical sprays and smash car windows while dragging immigrants from their vehicles.

Critics label the aggressive actions by unidentifiable agents as a calculated effort by the Department of Homeland Security to send a paramilitary force into select American cities.

But the cheapest and most basic part of federal agents’ gear — face coverings of knit and cloth masks — is the focus of legislation at the federal level, in statehouses and smaller municipalities across the nation, including in Jackson County.

“We’re going to have to deal with the issue before the issue deals with us,” said Jackson County Legislature Chair Manny Abarca IV.

Abarca introduced a proposal requiring law enforcement to keep their faces and badges visible and is backing an amendment narrowing the focus to federal agents conducting immigration enforcement within the county.

County legislators are scheduled to hear public comments at 3 p.m. on Feb. 9.

The Jackson County ordinance mirrors efforts nationally, carving out exceptions for SWAT and other specialty teams, undercover work and the use of helmets with shields for officer safety. Those efforts have gained momentum since the recent shooting deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Macklin Good during an ongoing immigration enforcement crackdown in Minneapolis.

Supporters believe mask bans will help deescalate tensions between the community and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement by ensuring that immigration agents are identifiable and accountable.

Decades of social science research supports the contention that masking a person can facilitate aggressive behavior. Outcomes have been studied with children, in law enforcement, in the military and in conflicts around the world.

Homeland Security is pushing back against local and state bans.

Primarily, the government cites the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, which guards against state laws that conflict with federal.

Legal experts disagree on the legality of banning mask-wearing by law enforcement.

They are split on whether the Supremacy Clause is a full shield for an immigration agent’s use of masks while detaining immigrants.

In Jackson County, legal counsel is continuing to study the issue, acknowledging that this is a new type of law.

National policing agencies are also weighing in, at times moderating prior messaging. They seek to strike a balance between maintaining public trust by having officers identifiable and supporting officer safety in an era of doxing.

Municipal police have long worked to differentiate themselves from federal immigration agents. They emphasize that members of immigrant communities can be perpetrators of crime, witnesses or victims. Maintaining trust and relationships is imperative.

Police departments have a tradition of requiring identifiable uniforms, badges and having the officer’s name prominently displayed.

<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2026-02-02/jackson-county-sheriff-mask-ban-ice" target="_blank">Jackson County Sheriff Darryl Forté</a>&nbsp;believes the proposed ordinance is unenforceable.

Forté is concerned about scenarios where his deputies would be required to issue citations to federal agents. He doesn’t want deputies accused of interfering with federal investigations, noting “it could create a situation where both deputies and federal agents attempt to detain one another, leading to a dangerous confrontation.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theiacp.org/resources/document/face-coverings-and-police-community-engagement" target="_blank">International Association of Chiefs of Police</a>&nbsp;recently issued a statement underscoring that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility.

The organization cautioned officers during COVID to be aware of the impact of masks, noting that facial coverings, even surgical ones for health reasons, can be intimidating and diminish transparency to the public.

The organization hasn’t backed off from that stance.

“The use of face coverings and the absence of visible identification during enforcement operations can create confusion, fear and mistrust among community members and responding agencies, potentially increasing operational risks and eroding public confidence,” a recent statement read.

But the association is also addressing doxing fears and suggests substituting officer names in some cases for alphanumeric codes or badge numbers.

In late January, the association&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theiacp.org/news/official-statements/iacp-calls-on-white-house-to-convene-joint-federal-state-local-discussion" target="_blank">asked the White House to convene&nbsp;</a>national, state and local policing representatives for policy discussions to find “a constructive path forward.”

Democrats, in recent budget talks, demanded that immigration agents stop masking in exchange for votes to end a partial federal government shutdown.

U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri quickly replied to the demand in a video posted on social media.

“There is no way in hell we’re going to let Democrats kneecap law enforcement and stop deportations in exchange for funding DHS,” Schmitt said.

Public trust balanced against threat of doxing&nbsp;&nbsp;

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/washington-state-senate-passes-mask-ban-to-curb-federal-immigration-enforcement-tactics" target="_blank">Washington state</a>, proposed legislation to ban law enforcement’s use of masks has passed out of the Senate. Washington is among at least six states that have or are considering banning masks for law enforcement, including Massachusetts, New York, Illinois, Tennessee and Michigan.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/01/29/kansas-democrats-tout-bill-requiring-ice-to-display-ids-shed-masks-and-forego-warrantless-searches/" target="_blank">A mask ban is included in a Democrat-backed measure in the Republican-controlled Kansas House.</a>

California was the first state to pass a law in 2025. The No Secret Police Act bans the use of face masks by law enforcement in California. Exceptions include health considerations, such as a face covering to protect officers against fumes or dangerous chemicals.

The California measure was quickly challenged in November 2025 with a lawsuit by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice.

The federal government said the California law is unconstitutional, anti-cop and a danger to law enforcement.

DHS stresses that agents clearly identify themselves as police, usually by their vests, which are marked “ICE/ERO” or “Homeland Security.”

“The sanctuary politicians of California want to make it easier for violent political extremists to target our brave men and women of federal law enforcement for enforcing immigration laws and keeping the American people safe,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

“This demonization is going to get somebody killed.”

Threats to public officials, both elected and law enforcement, were underscored with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/pr/two-kansans-indicted-making-threats-against-federal-officials-separate-unrelated" target="_blank">two indictments returned by a federal grand jury in late January.</a>

A 23-year-old Wichita man was accused of posting a video on social media threatening to assault and murder federal ICE agents working in Wichita.

In a separate case, the same grand jury also returned an indictment for a 60-year-old Wichita man who is accused of stating his intention to murder U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.

<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-were-learning-about-the-man-arrested-in-the-attack-on-rep-ilhan-omar" target="_blank">Omar, a vocal opponent of President Donald Trump</a>, was rushed and sprayed with a liquid by a man during a town hall on Jan. 27.

Her attacker was tackled, taken into custody and has since been charged in the incident. Omar was unharmed.

U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser issued a statement along with the two Kansas indictments, underscoring an intolerance to political violence, no matter the target.

“In a democracy, we settle our differences at the ballot box after robust public debate,” Kriegshauser said. “For our system of government to work, it’s vital that certain lines are not crossed when it comes to self-expression. Threats of political violence destabilize the very core of our system of governance.”

Gaiters, simple tubular pieces of cloth that cover the neck and face, can be purchased in packs of two for less than $10.

Balaclavas, which also cover the head, are similarly affordable.

Both garments are commonly used to protect hunters and others from cold and sun. But they have been adopted by federal agents detaining immigrants for deportation.

Gas masks are often worn also, further obscuring the agents’ faces.

Supporters see the bans on such apparel as a method to help deescalate tensions, forcing the agents to be identifiable and accountable for actions like shoving people or spraying them with chemical irritants.

Anonymity, a reprieve from being held accountable for individual actions, has long been studied.

The process that researchers study is deindividualization. They attempt to measure how shielding identity can make people less self-conscious and more vulnerable to groupthink and has an impact on the ego.

The research looks at what types of things can change a person’s psychological state so that they are more likely to inflict harm on other people, said Lauren Yan, a Kansas City resident.

Yan was among more than 150 people who testified at a recent town hall on Jackson County’s proposed ordinance.

Yan’s own research on migration has taken her around the world. Her dissertation focused on Syrian refugees living in Jordan.

“Anthropologists have looked at this across cultures comparing war practices,” Yan said. “The groups that changed their appearance before battle, either using paint or masks or something similar, tended to inflict higher aggression in many ways.”

A Harvard study, “Investigation Into Deindividuation Using a Cross-Cultural Survey Technique,” found that self-control can be lost with “a feeling of anonymity and a consequent lack of concern over social evaluation which allows the individual to act aggressively.”

Other studies have focused on specific conflicts, like Ireland.

And some were completed in lab conditions. Researchers measured actions when people wore lab coats with hoods to conceal their faces and were asked to administer electric shocks to other people. The victims were portrayed as nice or obnoxious.

The hooded participants were much more likely to administer the shocks than people whose identities were not hidden.

Even supporters of the Jackson County proposal question whether the county’s efforts will result in a failed, and expensive, legal challenge.

The point was made repeatedly at the recent town hall.

The Supremacy Clause instructs that federal law takes precedence over conflicting state laws.

The State Democracy Research Initiative at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has been studying the issue.

In January, it updated a deep legal analysis first issued in October 2025, reflecting new ordinances being proposed to counter ICE.

“Because the legal doctrine is murky, it is difficult to predict how legal challenges to mask bans might play out,” according to the paper, “<a href="https://statedemocracy.law.wisc.edu/featured/2025/explainer-states-prohibit-federal-law-enforcement-masking-on-the-job/" target="_blank">Can States Prohibit Federal Law Enforcement From Masking on the Job?</a>”

The Supremacy Clause says states can’t interfere with or control the operations of the federal government, an obvious hurdle for any ban.

The paper doesn’t downplay the challenges of the Supremacy Clause.

But the research also points out that states — or in this case a county — have their own constitutionally grounded powers and interests, including interests in safeguarding the well-being of their residents and preventing federal overreach.

The courts will likely weigh whether masking is necessary for federal agents to do their work, and whether a ban would equate to a state trying to regulate the federal function of immigration enforcement.

The paper also cites Erwin Chemerinsky, a constitutional scholar and dean of University of California Berkeley School of Law. Chemerinsky&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/article311087665.html" target="_blank">has written opinion articles</a>&nbsp;assessing the constitutionality of the California law that is now before a court.

In addition to deep legal analysis, he also points to how ICE agents have operated under previous administrations.

“ICE agents have never before worn masks when apprehending people, and that never has posed a problem,” Chemerinsky wrote.

This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2026/02/04/masks-ice-jackson-county-immigration/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</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/2026/2/1770432344015.png" alt=" Protesters carrying signs and the American flag at Mill Creek Park near the Country Club Plaza (Mary Sanchez/The Beacon)." />
                        <figcaption> Protesters carrying signs and the American flag at Mill Creek Park near the Country Club Plaza (Mary Sanchez/The Beacon).</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/marysanchez/">Mary Sanchez</a></p><p>The images have become ubiquitous in the Trump administration’s campaign for mass deportations of immigrants.</p><p>Masked agents, swathed in tactical gear and carrying semiautomatic firearms, menace protesters with chemical sprays and smash car windows while dragging immigrants from their vehicles.</p><p>Critics label the aggressive actions by unidentifiable agents as a calculated effort by the Department of Homeland Security to send a paramilitary force into select American cities.</p><p>But the cheapest and most basic part of federal agents’ gear — face coverings of knit and cloth masks — is the focus of legislation at the federal level, in statehouses and smaller municipalities across the nation, including in Jackson County.</p><p>“We’re going to have to deal with the issue before the issue deals with us,” said Jackson County Legislature Chair Manny Abarca IV.</p><p>Abarca introduced a proposal requiring law enforcement to keep their faces and badges visible and is backing an amendment narrowing the focus to federal agents conducting immigration enforcement within the county.</p><p>County legislators are scheduled to hear public comments at 3 p.m. on Feb. 9.</p><p>The Jackson County ordinance mirrors efforts nationally, carving out exceptions for SWAT and other specialty teams, undercover work and the use of helmets with shields for officer safety. Those efforts have gained momentum since the recent shooting deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Macklin Good during an ongoing immigration enforcement crackdown in Minneapolis.</p><p>Supporters believe mask bans will help deescalate tensions between the community and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement by ensuring that immigration agents are identifiable and accountable.</p><p>Decades of social science research supports the contention that masking a person can facilitate aggressive behavior. Outcomes have been studied with children, in law enforcement, in the military and in conflicts around the world.</p><p>Homeland Security is pushing back against local and state bans.</p><p>Primarily, the government cites the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, which guards against state laws that conflict with federal.</p><p>Legal experts disagree on the legality of banning mask-wearing by law enforcement.</p><p>They are split on whether the Supremacy Clause is a full shield for an immigration agent’s use of masks while detaining immigrants.</p><p>In Jackson County, legal counsel is continuing to study the issue, acknowledging that this is a new type of law.</p><p>National policing agencies are also weighing in, at times moderating prior messaging. They seek to strike a balance between maintaining public trust by having officers identifiable and supporting officer safety in an era of doxing.</p><p>Municipal police have long worked to differentiate themselves from federal immigration agents. They emphasize that members of immigrant communities can be perpetrators of crime, witnesses or victims. Maintaining trust and relationships is imperative.</p><p>Police departments have a tradition of requiring identifiable uniforms, badges and having the officer’s name prominently displayed.</p><p><a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2026-02-02/jackson-county-sheriff-mask-ban-ice" target="_blank">Jackson County Sheriff Darryl Forté</a>&nbsp;believes the proposed ordinance is unenforceable.</p><p>Forté is concerned about scenarios where his deputies would be required to issue citations to federal agents. He doesn’t want deputies accused of interfering with federal investigations, noting “it could create a situation where both deputies and federal agents attempt to detain one another, leading to a dangerous confrontation.”</p><p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theiacp.org/resources/document/face-coverings-and-police-community-engagement" target="_blank">International Association of Chiefs of Police</a>&nbsp;recently issued a statement underscoring that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility.</p><p>The organization cautioned officers during COVID to be aware of the impact of masks, noting that facial coverings, even surgical ones for health reasons, can be intimidating and diminish transparency to the public.</p><p>The organization hasn’t backed off from that stance.</p><p>“The use of face coverings and the absence of visible identification during enforcement operations can create confusion, fear and mistrust among community members and responding agencies, potentially increasing operational risks and eroding public confidence,” a recent statement read.</p><p>But the association is also addressing doxing fears and suggests substituting officer names in some cases for alphanumeric codes or badge numbers.</p><p>In late January, the association&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theiacp.org/news/official-statements/iacp-calls-on-white-house-to-convene-joint-federal-state-local-discussion" target="_blank">asked the White House to convene&nbsp;</a>national, state and local policing representatives for policy discussions to find “a constructive path forward.”</p><p>Democrats, in recent budget talks, demanded that immigration agents stop masking in exchange for votes to end a partial federal government shutdown.</p><p>U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri quickly replied to the demand in a video posted on social media.</p><p>“There is no way in hell we’re going to let Democrats kneecap law enforcement and stop deportations in exchange for funding DHS,” Schmitt said.</p><h2>Public trust balanced against threat of doxing&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2><p>In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/washington-state-senate-passes-mask-ban-to-curb-federal-immigration-enforcement-tactics" target="_blank">Washington state</a>, proposed legislation to ban law enforcement’s use of masks has passed out of the Senate. Washington is among at least six states that have or are considering banning masks for law enforcement, including Massachusetts, New York, Illinois, Tennessee and Michigan.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/01/29/kansas-democrats-tout-bill-requiring-ice-to-display-ids-shed-masks-and-forego-warrantless-searches/" target="_blank">A mask ban is included in a Democrat-backed measure in the Republican-controlled Kansas House.</a></p><p>California was the first state to pass a law in 2025. The No Secret Police Act bans the use of face masks by law enforcement in California. Exceptions include health considerations, such as a face covering to protect officers against fumes or dangerous chemicals.</p><p>The California measure was quickly challenged in November 2025 with a lawsuit by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice.</p><p>The federal government said the California law is unconstitutional, anti-cop and a danger to law enforcement.</p><p>DHS stresses that agents clearly identify themselves as police, usually by their vests, which are marked “ICE/ERO” or “Homeland Security.”</p><p>“The sanctuary politicians of California want to make it easier for violent political extremists to target our brave men and women of federal law enforcement for enforcing immigration laws and keeping the American people safe,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.</p><p>“This demonization is going to get somebody killed.”</p><p>Threats to public officials, both elected and law enforcement, were underscored with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/pr/two-kansans-indicted-making-threats-against-federal-officials-separate-unrelated" target="_blank">two indictments returned by a federal grand jury in late January.</a></p><p>A 23-year-old Wichita man was accused of posting a video on social media threatening to assault and murder federal ICE agents working in Wichita.</p><p>In a separate case, the same grand jury also returned an indictment for a 60-year-old Wichita man who is accused of stating his intention to murder U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.</p><p><a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-were-learning-about-the-man-arrested-in-the-attack-on-rep-ilhan-omar" target="_blank">Omar, a vocal opponent of President Donald Trump</a>, was rushed and sprayed with a liquid by a man during a town hall on Jan. 27.</p><p>Her attacker was tackled, taken into custody and has since been charged in the incident. Omar was unharmed.</p><p>U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser issued a statement along with the two Kansas indictments, underscoring an intolerance to political violence, no matter the target.</p><p>“In a democracy, we settle our differences at the ballot box after robust public debate,” Kriegshauser said. “For our system of government to work, it’s vital that certain lines are not crossed when it comes to self-expression. Threats of political violence destabilize the very core of our system of governance.”</p><h2>Gaiters, balaclavas and gas masks</h2><p>Gaiters, simple tubular pieces of cloth that cover the neck and face, can be purchased in packs of two for less than $10.</p><p>Balaclavas, which also cover the head, are similarly affordable.</p><p>Both garments are commonly used to protect hunters and others from cold and sun. But they have been adopted by federal agents detaining immigrants for deportation.</p><p>Gas masks are often worn also, further obscuring the agents’ faces.</p><p>Supporters see the bans on such apparel as a method to help deescalate tensions, forcing the agents to be identifiable and accountable for actions like shoving people or spraying them with chemical irritants.</p><p>Research supports that contention.</p><p>Anonymity, a reprieve from being held accountable for individual actions, has long been studied.</p><p>The process that researchers study is deindividualization. They attempt to measure how shielding identity can make people less self-conscious and more vulnerable to groupthink and has an impact on the ego.</p><p>The research looks at what types of things can change a person’s psychological state so that they are more likely to inflict harm on other people, said Lauren Yan, a Kansas City resident.</p><p>Yan was among more than 150 people who testified at a recent town hall on Jackson County’s proposed ordinance.</p><p>Yan’s own research on migration has taken her around the world. Her dissertation focused on Syrian refugees living in Jordan.</p><p>“Anthropologists have looked at this across cultures comparing war practices,” Yan said. “The groups that changed their appearance before battle, either using paint or masks or something similar, tended to inflict higher aggression in many ways.”</p><p>A Harvard study, “Investigation Into Deindividuation Using a Cross-Cultural Survey Technique,” found that self-control can be lost with “a feeling of anonymity and a consequent lack of concern over social evaluation which allows the individual to act aggressively.”</p><p>Other studies have focused on specific conflicts, like Ireland.</p><p>And some were completed in lab conditions. Researchers measured actions when people wore lab coats with hoods to conceal their faces and were asked to administer electric shocks to other people. The victims were portrayed as nice or obnoxious.</p><p>The hooded participants were much more likely to administer the shocks than people whose identities were not hidden.</p><h2>Pondering the Supremacy Clause</h2><p>Even supporters of the Jackson County proposal question whether the county’s efforts will result in a failed, and expensive, legal challenge.</p><p>The point was made repeatedly at the recent town hall.</p><p>The Supremacy Clause instructs that federal law takes precedence over conflicting state laws.</p><p>The State Democracy Research Initiative at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has been studying the issue.</p><p>In January, it updated a deep legal analysis first issued in October 2025, reflecting new ordinances being proposed to counter ICE.</p><p>“Because the legal doctrine is murky, it is difficult to predict how legal challenges to mask bans might play out,” according to the paper, “<a href="https://statedemocracy.law.wisc.edu/featured/2025/explainer-states-prohibit-federal-law-enforcement-masking-on-the-job/" target="_blank">Can States Prohibit Federal Law Enforcement From Masking on the Job?</a>”</p><p>The Supremacy Clause says states can’t interfere with or control the operations of the federal government, an obvious hurdle for any ban.</p><p>The paper doesn’t downplay the challenges of the Supremacy Clause.</p><p>But the research also points out that states — or in this case a county — have their own constitutionally grounded powers and interests, including interests in safeguarding the well-being of their residents and preventing federal overreach.</p><p>The courts will likely weigh whether masking is necessary for federal agents to do their work, and whether a ban would equate to a state trying to regulate the federal function of immigration enforcement.</p><p>The paper also cites Erwin Chemerinsky, a constitutional scholar and dean of University of California Berkeley School of Law. Chemerinsky&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/article311087665.html" target="_blank">has written opinion articles</a>&nbsp;assessing the constitutionality of the California law that is now before a court.</p><p>In addition to deep legal analysis, he also points to how ICE agents have operated under previous administrations.</p><p>“ICE agents have never before worn masks when apprehending people, and that never has posed a problem,” Chemerinsky wrote.</p><p>This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2026/02/04/masks-ice-jackson-county-immigration/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</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>

With no-masks proposal, Jackson County joins push to restrain ICE

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly put a signature to a bundled law enforcement bill Friday elevating consequences for conviction of buying sexual relations, misuse of a laser pointer and crimes of vehicle and gift-card theft.

The legislation was a holdover from the 2025 legislative session that required final negotiations by the House and Senate. The deal was passed in January by a 119-4 margin in the House and a vote of 39-0 in the Senate.

“This bipartisan&nbsp;bill&nbsp;takes reasonable steps to ensure that Kansans are safe and that crime is being addressed in our communities,” the Democratic governor said. “Enhancing public safety is essential to building a Kansas where businesses and families want to put down roots.”

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2347/" target="_blank">House Bill 2347</a>&nbsp;created the crime of unlawful use of a laser pointer so individuals could be charged with assault or battery if accused of knowingly directing a beam at law enforcement officers performing official duties or into the flight path or cabin of aircraft. Exemptions were added to the bill for aviation research, operations of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Department of Defense or for a person using a laser in an emergency.

A measure also increased criminal penalties for purchasing sexual relations and limited use by prosecutors and defendants of diversion agreements. The offense would be classified as a level nine felony, even on the first offense, and the minimum fine would rise from $1,200 to $2,000. Individuals convicted of the offense would be required after July 1, 2027, to participate in a treatment program approved by the office of the state attorney general.

Kansas statute was amended so gift cards would be on the list of financial cards for which a prosecutor could charge individuals for illegally obtaining money, goods or services.

The last piece of the bill, which was recommended by the Wichita Police Department, altered theft of a motor vehicle valued at $500 to $1,500 to target a person who “has reason to know” a vehicle was stolen rather than a person “knowing” the vehicle was stolen.

Rep. Dan Osman, D-Overland Park, said he supported the bipartisan legislation because it made broad reasonable changes to combat crime and make communities safer in Kansas.

Sen. Kenny Titus, R-Manhattan said the&nbsp;bill&nbsp;“will reduce the demand for human trafficking and allow for easier prosecution of scamsters using gift cards to take advantage of vulnerable Kansans.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770432118779.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, signed a bipartisan bill approved overwhelmingly by the House and Senate that alters state law on criminal offenses of purchasing sexual relations, use of laser pointers and theft of a vehicle or gift card. In this Jan. 14, 2026, image, Kelly speaks during a rally in the Kansas Capitol. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
                        <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, signed a bipartisan bill approved overwhelmingly by the House and Senate that alters state law on criminal offenses of purchasing sexual relations, use of laser pointers and theft of a vehicle or gift card. In this Jan. 14, 2026, image, Kelly speaks during a rally in the Kansas Capitol. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</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><p>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly put a signature to a bundled law enforcement bill Friday elevating consequences for conviction of buying sexual relations, misuse of a laser pointer and crimes of vehicle and gift-card theft.</p><p>The legislation was a holdover from the 2025 legislative session that required final negotiations by the House and Senate. The deal was passed in January by a 119-4 margin in the House and a vote of 39-0 in the Senate.</p><p>“This bipartisan&nbsp;bill&nbsp;takes reasonable steps to ensure that Kansans are safe and that crime is being addressed in our communities,” the Democratic governor said. “Enhancing public safety is essential to building a Kansas where businesses and families want to put down roots.”</p><p><a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2347/" target="_blank">House Bill 2347</a>&nbsp;created the crime of unlawful use of a laser pointer so individuals could be charged with assault or battery if accused of knowingly directing a beam at law enforcement officers performing official duties or into the flight path or cabin of aircraft. Exemptions were added to the bill for aviation research, operations of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Department of Defense or for a person using a laser in an emergency.</p><p>A measure also increased criminal penalties for purchasing sexual relations and limited use by prosecutors and defendants of diversion agreements. The offense would be classified as a level nine felony, even on the first offense, and the minimum fine would rise from $1,200 to $2,000. Individuals convicted of the offense would be required after July 1, 2027, to participate in a treatment program approved by the office of the state attorney general.</p><p>Kansas statute was amended so gift cards would be on the list of financial cards for which a prosecutor could charge individuals for illegally obtaining money, goods or services.</p><p>The last piece of the bill, which was recommended by the Wichita Police Department, altered theft of a motor vehicle valued at $500 to $1,500 to target a person who “has reason to know” a vehicle was stolen rather than a person “knowing” the vehicle was stolen.</p><p>Rep. Dan Osman, D-Overland Park, said he supported the bipartisan legislation because it made broad reasonable changes to combat crime and make communities safer in Kansas.</p><p>Sen. Kenny Titus, R-Manhattan said the&nbsp;bill&nbsp;“will reduce the demand for human trafficking and allow for easier prosecution of scamsters using gift cards to take advantage of vulnerable Kansans.”</p>

Gov. signs 4-piece crime bill raising penalty for buying sexual relations in Kansas

KANSAS CITY —A woman was rescued from a storm drain Wednesday near the Ameristar Casino in Kansas City. Fire crews released additional details on the pipe.

Just before 7:30p.m., Kansas City Fire Department crews&nbsp;responded to a reported confined space rescue at 3250 N. Ameristar Drive, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

On arrival crews reported a woman, in her forties, was stuck in a storm drain. She was trapped several hundred feet in the pipe.

KCFD's rescue division secured the scene and sent a team into the pipe to free and retrieve the victim.

After 90 minutes, at 9:30p.m. fire department crews were able to finally rescue the victim. The woman had been stuck for several hours and was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. 

On Friday,&nbsp; the Rescue Chief returned to the location and measured the length of the pipe to the rescue location, and it was significantly further than originally reported. The actual distance was 764 feet from the entrance to where the rescuer made contact with the victim.&nbsp;

Officials still do not have any information as to why she entered the pipe, according to Hopkins.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770288412885.png" alt="Photo courtesy KMBC&nbsp;" />
                        <figcaption>Photo courtesy KMBC&nbsp;</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>KANSAS CITY —A woman was rescued from a storm drain Wednesday near the Ameristar Casino in Kansas City. Fire crews released additional details on the pipe.</p><p>Just before 7:30p.m., Kansas City Fire Department crews&nbsp;responded to a reported confined space rescue at 3250 N. Ameristar Drive, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.</p><p>On arrival crews reported a woman, in her forties, was stuck in a storm drain. She was trapped several hundred feet in the pipe.</p><p>KCFD's rescue division secured the scene and sent a team into the pipe to free and retrieve the victim.</p><p>After 90 minutes, at 9:30p.m. fire department crews were able to finally rescue the victim. The woman had been stuck for several hours and was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. </p><p>On Friday,&nbsp; the Rescue Chief returned to the location and measured the length of the pipe to the rescue location, and it was significantly further than originally reported. The actual distance was 764 feet from the entrance to where the rescuer made contact with the victim.&nbsp;</p><p>Officials still do not have any information as to why she entered the pipe, according to Hopkins.</p>

New details on woman rescued from storm drain in Kansas City

WASHINGTON —President Donald Trump’s social media post featuring a video about election conspiracy theories and a racist depiction of former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-obama-racist-video-a48a6b8884a88f9ec30cd4913e352b51">primates in a jungle has been deleted</a>.

The Thursday night post was deleted Friday and blamed on a staffer after widespread backlash, from civil rights leaders to veteran Republican senators, for its treatment of the nation’s first Black president and first lady.

On his social media page, Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran was critical of the President's post.

The deletion of the post is a rare admission of a misstep by the White House and came hours after press secretary Karoline Leavitt said there was nothing offensive about the post. An Obama spokesperson said the former president, a Democrat, had no response.

The White House released audio of two statements from the Presdient on the controversy.

Trump said later Friday that he won’t apologize for the post. “I didn’t make a mistake,” he said.

-The Associated Press contributed to this report.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736438157279.png" alt="Former President Obama and President Trump at the memorial service for former President Jimmy Carter- image image courtesy CSPAN  video" />
                        <figcaption>Former President Obama and President Trump at the memorial service for former President Jimmy Carter- image image courtesy CSPAN  video</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON —President Donald Trump’s social media post featuring a video about election conspiracy theories and a racist depiction of former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-obama-racist-video-a48a6b8884a88f9ec30cd4913e352b51">primates in a jungle has been deleted</a>.</p><p>The Thursday night post was deleted Friday and blamed on a staffer after widespread backlash, from civil rights leaders to veteran Republican senators, for its treatment of the nation’s first Black president and first lady.</p><p>On his social media page, Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran was critical of the President's post.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The video has rightfully been removed from the President&#39;s social media. It should not have been posted in the first place. The content was racist and offensive and not who we are as a nation.</p>&mdash; Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/2019880479605059963?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The deletion of the post is a rare admission of a misstep by the White House and came hours after press secretary Karoline Leavitt said there was nothing offensive about the post. An Obama spokesperson said the former president, a Democrat, had no response.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I just looked at the first part. It was about voter fraud...2020 voter fraud...and I didn&#39;t see the whole thing...then I gave it to [my] people. Generally, they&#39;d look at the whole thing, but I guess somebody didn&#39;t...We took it down as soon as we found out about it.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/jwl0QnH0EZ">pic.twitter.com/jwl0QnH0EZ</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2019966002042110064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The White House released audio of two statements from the Presdient on the controversy.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Reporter: The WH says a staffer sent that video. Are you going to fire the staffer? <br><br>Trump: No. I looked at it. I didn’t see the whole thing. I gave it to the people, they posted it. <br><br>Reporter: Are you going to apologize?<br><br>Trump: No, I didn’t make a mistake. <a href="https://t.co/VH1qmEOmb2">pic.twitter.com/VH1qmEOmb2</a></p>&mdash; Acyn (@Acyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/2019934969146311081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 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">Trump: I’m the least racist president you’ve had in a long time. <a href="https://t.co/kG8ZrKSf6v">pic.twitter.com/kG8ZrKSf6v</a></p>&mdash; Acyn (@Acyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/2019937352748265889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Trump said later Friday that he won’t apologize for the post. “I didn’t make a mistake,” he said.</p><p>-The Associated Press contributed to this report.</p>

🎧Kan. U.S. Senator critical of Trump's racist post about Obamas 

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple drug allegations.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770236906332.png" alt="Roberts photo Jackson County" />
                        <figcaption>Roberts photo Jackson County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple drug allegations.</p><p>Just after 10:30p.m. Feb. 8,&nbsp;&nbsp;a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2015 Dodge Journey for multiple alleged traffic violations on U.S. Highway 75 near 118th&nbsp;Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.</p><p>&nbsp; The driver of the vehicle identified himself as Irving Dawayne Edwards, 26, of Topeka and the passenger was identified as Juantario Isia Roberts, 22, of Topeka.&nbsp;</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770236928763.png" alt="Edwards photo Jackson County" />
                        <figcaption>Edwards photo Jackson County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>During the course of the traffic stop, a Jackson County Sheriff’s K-9 (PSD) alerted to the presence of illegal drugs within the vehicle. A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted and resulted in the discovery of illegal drugs and narcotics.</p><p>Edwards was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested&nbsp; charges of Distribute Certain Stimulant; &lt;3.5 grams, Distribute Marijuana; 25&nbsp;-&lt; 450 grams, Distribute or possess with intent to distribute drug paraphernalia for illegal use, Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Possession of Marijuana; 1 prior conviction, Possession of Drug paraphernalia, Taxation; Drugs; No drug tax stamp for marijuana or controlled substance, Driving while suspended, Driving without vehicle insurance and License plates; Unlawful display; material affecting visibility or reflectivity.</p><p>Juantario was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of Distribute Certain Stimulant; &lt;3.5 grams, Distribute Marijuana; 25&nbsp;-&lt; 450 grams, Distribute or possess with intent to distribute drug paraphernalia for illegal use, Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Possession of Marijuana; 1 prior conviction, Possession of Drug paraphernalia and taxation; Drugs; No drug tax stamp for marijuana or controlled substance</p>