JUNCTION CITY, Kansas — The Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual dinner Thursday night, bringing together business leaders, community members, and regional partners to celebrate the individuals and organizations making a lasting impact in Junction City and Geary County.

The evening recognized outstanding contributions in economic development, business leadership, tourism, military-community partnership, and community service. Each award highlights the dedication and collaboration that continue to strengthen the Flint Hills region.

Eldon L. Hoyle Economic Development Award

Presented in honor of former community leader Eldon L. Hoyle, this award recognizes organizations that make significant investments in the growth and future of Junction City and Geary County.

The 2026 recipient, Stormont Vail Health Flint Hills Campus, was recognized for its remarkable expansion and commitment to rural healthcare. Over the past three years, the campus has grown from 175 full-time employees to more than 326, including 14 new providers. The facility has expanded access to specialized care and introduced advanced medical technologies, bringing high-quality healthcare closer to home for residents throughout the region.

The Business Excellence Award honors a local business that demonstrates superior service, leadership, and commitment to the community.

This year’s recipient, Blu Restaurant and Bar, has become a destination for both residents and visitors. Known for its diverse menu, exceptional service, and welcoming atmosphere, Blu has also provided an important gathering space for community meetings, celebrations, and events. Their active involvement in community initiatives continues to make them a valued part of Junction City’s business landscape.

Seitz Family Military Community Award

The Seitz Family Military Community Award recognizes individuals whose leadership strengthens the bond between the civilian community and the military population connected to Fort Riley.

The 2026 award honored three recipients for their continued dedication to military families and community engagement:

· Master Sergeant (Ret.) Joshua A. Sandlin

· Command Sergeant Major (Ret.) Rob Wilson

Sandlin currently serves as Executive Director of the Society of the First Infantry Division and remains deeply involved in strengthening connections between soldiers and the Junction City community.

Rob Wilson, who served 30 years in the U.S. Army, continues to support the region as Military Affairs Director while remaining active in several organizations serving soldiers and veterans. Nina Wilson has also made a lasting impact through her volunteer leadership and scholarship fundraising efforts that support military families and students.

Presented jointly by the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce and the Geary County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Tourism Advocate Award honors those who elevate Junction City as a regional destination.

The 2026 recipient, Freedom Fest Junction City, was recognized for creating the community’s largest annual celebration. Established in 2021, the Independence Day event now attracts more than 50,000 visitors annually and generates significant economic impact for local businesses, hospitality providers, and retailers throughout the five-day celebration.

The Chamber’s highest individual honor, the Outstanding Citizen Award, recognizes a resident whose lifelong commitment to service has strengthened the community in meaningful ways.

This year’s recipient, Ron Johnson, was recognized for decades of leadership and volunteer service. Johnson has contributed his time to numerous organizations including the Junction City Breakfast Optimist Club, Junction City Baseball Club, the C. L. Hoover Opera House, and the Geary County Schools USD 475 Board of Education. Through his steady leadership, volunteerism, and commitment to youth, education, and community improvement, Johnson exemplifies the spirit of service that defines Junction City.

Throughout the evening, Chamber leaders emphasized the strong partnerships between businesses, community organizations, and military leaders that continue to drive progress across Junction City and Geary County.

“The individuals and organizations recognized tonight represent the very best of our community,” said Kelly Cook, Director of Member Relations for the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce. “Their leadership, innovation, and dedication are helping shape a stronger future for Junction City.”

For more information about the Chamber and upcoming events, visit the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce.

Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce Celebrates Community Excellence at Annual Dinner

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investing alleged fraud in Riley County.

Just after noon Thursday, officers filed a report of fraud in the 1000 block of S. Seth Child Road, according to the Riley County Police Department acivity report. A 38-year-old man reported a known 39-year-old woman removed money from banking accounts without his permission. The total estimated loss associated with this case is $6,000.&nbsp;

RCPD: Man lost $6,000 in alleged bank fraud

On Thursday night at 8:29 p.m.,&nbsp; Deputies from the Geary County Sheriff's Office responded to the K-18 Bypass mile marker 177 for a multiple vehicle accident. Trisha Kiser of Delphos, KS was traveling east in a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox when she struck Jenee Martin of Manhattan, KS in a 2022 Buick Encore. The collision caused Martin to strike Rodney Young of Junction City in a 2014 Ford F-150. Martin and Young were stopped awaiting a vehicle turning left onto I-70. 

Minor injuries were reported. Kiser and a juvenile were transported to Stormont Vail Health Flint Hills Campus in Junction City for medical treatment. The Buick and Chevrolet were removed by Bud’s Wrecker.

Only Minor injuries reported in Multi-Vehicle accident Thursday night

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.

Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.

Landen Dorsey, Failure to give information or render aid, arrested 02/27

Jordan Brackeen, Cancelled/suspended/revoked driver's license, arrested 02/27

Shanice Shelley, Theft-all other (Two counts), arrested 02/27

Gavin Mitchiner, Transporting open container of alcohol; DUI-Liquor/Drugs, arrested 02/28

Zane Smith, Reckless driving; Duty to give information-unattended vehicle or property; DUI-Liquor/Drugs, arrested 02/28

Alex Williams, Failure to appear, arrested 02/28

JC Hunt, Arrest by LEO; Warrant, arrested 02/28

Danny Madrigal, Failure to appear, arrested 03/01

Michael Rivera-Robles, Theft &gt; $1,500 &lt; $25,000 (pocket picking) Two counts, arrested 03/01

Jose Garcia-Feliciano, DUI-Liquor/Drugs; Operate a motor vehicle without a valid license, arrested 03/01

Deborah Ocean, Outside warrant; Failure to appear, arrested 03/01

Jerrod Warmack, Failure to appear, arrested 03/01

Dominic Schubert, Failure to appear, arrested 03/01

Brielle Culbertson, Failure to appear, arrested 03/02

Leigha Goff, Arrest by LEO; Warrant arrest, arrested 03/03

Derek Williams, Failure to appear, arrested 03/04

Austin Martin, Failure to appear, arrested 03/04

Quinten Williams, Probation violation, arrested 03/04

Darius Lewis, Failure to appear, arrested 03/04

Robert Johnson, Arrest by LEO; Warrant arrest, arrested 03/04

Samantha Cahill, Transporting an open container; Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; Possession of controlled substance, arrested 03/04

Breianna Richardson, Traffic contraband into correctional facility; Possession of controlled substance; Pedestrians under influence of alcohol or drugs, arrested 03/05

Naikalee Pagan-Galarza, Failure to appear, arrested 03/05

Cody Davis, Arrest by LEO; Probable cause of warrant in state or other jurisdiction, arrested 03/05

Luis Dominguez, Possession of marijuana (2 or more prior convictions); Criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, arrested 03/05

Liam Price, Transporting an open container of alcohol; Minor in possession/consumption of alcoholic beverage; Reckless driving; DUI-Liquor/Drugs, arrested 03/06

Mikaela Green, Failure to appear, arrested 03/06

David Galaviz, Failure to appear, arrested 03/07

Damarko Nash, Domestic battery, arrested 03/07

Joria Lindsey, Cancelled/suspended/revoked driver's license; DUI-Liquor/Drugs, arrested 03/08

Leonardo Ngiraidong, DUI-Liquor/Drugs, arrested 03/08

Donshae Taborn, Possession of marijuana; Transporting an open container, arrested 03/08

Keandre Yarbrough,&nbsp;Possession of marijuana; Transporting an open container, arrested 03/08

Trevon Carter, Transporting an open container; Criminal littering (public property); Possession of marijuana; Interference with LEO; Conceal/alter/destroy evidence, arrested 03/08

Ashton Gatica, Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol, arrested 03/08

Calvin Clark, Cancelled/suspended/revoked driver's license, arrested 03/08

Sean Harvey, Unlawful restraint, arrested 03/09

Chazaya Ruffin, Aggravated violate offender registration act; Violate offender registration act, arrested 03/10

Bruce Sparks, Interference with LEO; Operate a motor vehicle without a valid license, arrested 03/11

Callie Keener, Bond violation, arrested 03/11

Jason Wooten, Failure to appear, arrested 03/11

Jade Edwards, Driving while license cancelled/suspended/revoked; Criminal use of weapons; Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; Possession of marijuana, arrested 03/11

Kevin Geiger, Operate a motor vehicle without a valid license, arrested 03/11

Geary County Booking Photos Feb. 28-March 12

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/saintxrams?__cft__[0]=AZaRqZ2z_6dbTtgLp4ue6Tv7abFBHeFr-rYZ1HzV2Q__ZKgVQU8Gvp4DCQxfWTSYgsY69QDxnKfsWKwHtqGu6LWoht2rqFSNxe4bYTWs4pctlH3fM1vd0hHm8qxP0EsiG9LELn1deGu2XcEJDCWUfucDmuLAEaJujX3l_B8G9fRSw5-Hxhwcg9Qt4ff6ZJ8b370T4jYiA_L76QFCxW4QgL6c2Rp83U3FkEcS-yhXg_mKnQ&amp;__tn__=-]K-y-R">St. Francis Xavier Catholic School</a>&nbsp;has been recognized by the Kansas State Board of Education as a Kansas Purple Star School, becoming the first private school in Kansas to apply for and receive this honor

.St. Francis Xavier School serves a community where more than **60% of students come from military families. That means welcoming new students throughout the year, helping families transition into a new community, and ensuring every child feels known, and supported.

Kansas Purple Star School recognition

Abilene, Kan.&nbsp;-&nbsp;The Eisenhower Presidential Library will host the Lunch &amp; Learn program, "Alaska, Hawaii, and the Politics of Statehood," on March 26, 2026, at 12 p.m. CDT. The hybrid program will take place in the Library building indoor courtyard and will be available online via<a target="_blank" href="https://hcmbltcab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001NpFK6tpivE1mZW7ZENd0_mN9EPDWC-a-kB0MejCvzKQQeOYQjzd9iOsDl0gaurqm6plh62GIC7zBxVMKARLnw3HMc2f2E98UBCN8G3CkOIrRO47qLlK9p1fh4Yt9Navh51err5db8oVpKXeqIyu-14iCxfV0krCcdGoTWi_jHOsKWIvmws-g7V7hsj_1mBcT&amp;c=7GmztVcsyeKXy1zuY58FtJRoOHdbnEfOhu70Y4cIZxHwt9mxcy8hfA==&amp;ch=6eDcvz5UuBW6yK-mWFuYs3GYMVwwZc_Hw6V0yqZBDKGGunkZPpaPdQ==">&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://hcmbltcab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001NpFK6tpivE1mZW7ZENd0_mN9EPDWC-a-kB0MejCvzKQQeOYQjzd9iOsDl0gaurqm6plh62GIC7zBxVMKARLnw3HMc2f2E98UBCN8G3CkOIrRO47qLlK9p1fh4Yt9Navh51err5db8oVpKXeqIyu-14iCxfV0krCcdGoTWi_jHOsgsa0QbF30YvT0dxka7ixw&amp;c=7GmztVcsyeKXy1zuY58FtJRoOHdbnEfOhu70Y4cIZxHwt9mxcy8hfA==&amp;ch=6eDcvz5UuBW6yK-mWFuYs3GYMVwwZc_Hw6V0yqZBDKGGunkZPpaPdQ==">YouTube Livestream</a>. Guests attending in person should arrive by 11:45 a.m. The library will provide a light box-lunch on a first-come, first-served basis.

Dr. C. Lawrence Evans, the Newton Family Professor of Government at William &amp; Mary, will join the program virtually to discuss the political debate surrounding the admission of Alaska and Hawaii as states.

"The granting of statehood to Alaska and Hawaii constituted one of the definitive political disputes of the immediate post World War II era," Evans notes. The presentation will clarify why admission took nearly 15 years after strong public support emerged and will highlight President Eisenhower's pivotal role. Evans will also examine the implications for current statehood discussions regarding the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Alaska, Hawaii, and the Politics of Statehood﻿ ﻿Celebrating America 250! Lunch & Learn Series

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. - The Junction City High School USD 475 HOSA-Future Health Professionals Chapter had a banner week at the State Leadership Conference&nbsp;in Wichita as the Blue Jays not only had three individuals qualify for nationals, but also saw junior Catherine Dee be named a HOSA state officer.

“This group did awesome and I am so proud of their efforts,” said Melissa Thurman, HOSA advisor.Earning first place honors in their respective divisions and advancing to HOSA's International Leadership Conference, which will take place on June 17-20 in Indianapolis, Ind., were Steven Berrey in Nursing Assisting and Migyelle Buentipo Ganuelas in Healthy Living. Senior Grady Oentrich also qualified for nationals by claiming runner-up accolades in Nursing Assisting.

JCHS had four other individuals or teams place in the top 10 in their respective events, including Irene Koo (Dental Terminology) and Buentipo Ganuelas (World Health Disparities). The teams of Aniela Adjei, Alena Franquiz and Giovanna Morales Vitello, as well as Madison Groenendal and Skylar Chiodo claimed top 10 showings in Mental Health Promotion and EMT, respectively, to round out the Blue Jays top marks for the week.

Overall, Junction City High School had 18 students attend the leadership conference, which took&nbsp;place at the Hyatt Regency in Wichita. During the week, students not only took part in informational sessions, but were also able to sharpen their skills through different skill training sessions.&nbsp;&nbsp;

OSA Shines at State Leadership Conference

Beginning Thursday there will be Junction City employees and volunteers conducting a low to moderate income survey in the community. They are taking this action to collect informaion for a federal community development block grant application, which could involve funding through HUD. The City's Public Information Officer Katie O'Shea said, This provides significant funding for infrastructure projects in small cities."&nbsp;

A total of 816 low to moderate income households have been randomly identified&nbsp; for the effort. At least 408 survey responses are needed for the City to qualify to move forward with the CDBG grant application. So far 162 usable responses have been received.

The City employees and volunteers will be knocking on doors Thursday. O'Shea said that they will have flyers with all of the information regarding the surveys and the process to submit it. Options include:

--Call in to submit your information. The telephone number is listed on the flyer.

--Drop it off at the Customer Service Department in the Municipal Building or if it is not during the 8 to 5 time frame there is a drop box outside of that building.&nbsp;

The questions will require yes or no answers and will take a short time.

O'Shea said, "If we don't receive responses we're potentially leaving millions of dollars on the table each year in outside funding for the city."

City will conduct a low to moderate income survey

SALINE COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just before 7:30a.m. Wednesday in Saline County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Hyundai Elantra driven by&nbsp; Joseph Doss, 15, Junction City, was actively fleeing law enforcement in a stolen vehicle. The teen driver turned northbound onto Ohio from the Interstate 70 westbound entrance.&nbsp; The car continued northbound on Ohio one half mile North of Thatcher Road, where the asphalt turns to gravel. The driver&nbsp; lost control of the car. It traveled off the the roadway to the right, struck an embankment and rolled onto its&nbsp; top in the roadway.

EMS transported&nbsp;&nbsp;Doss and a passenger Landon L.&nbsp;Alexander, 18, Junction City, to Salina Regional Health Center. The driver was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.&nbsp; The Patrol did not report possible charges the teens face.

Junction City teens hospitalized after police chase, crash in stolen car

RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON THROUGH 8 PM THURSDAY.

THIS MEANS NO BURNS PERIOD.  NO BURNING OF TRASH, CONTROLLED BURNS, AND YOU SHOULD AVOID OUTDOOR FIRE PITS AND MORE IN GEARY COUNTY.

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY, STRONG WIND GUSTS, AND DRY FUELS FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL KS...

The National Weather Service in Topeka has issued a Red Flag

Warning for low relative humidity, strong wind gusts, and dry

fuels for northeast, north central, and portions of east central

KS, which is in effect from noon to 8 PM CDT Thursday. The Fire

Red Flag Warning for Thursday

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just after 2p.m. Tuesday, officers executed a search warrant in the 1700 block of Winne Drive, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

After their investigation, police arrested 25-year-old&nbsp;DeShell Patterson of Manhattan, was arrested at approximately 5:05 p.m. on requested charges that include three counts of possession of opiate/opium/narcotic or certain stimulant and one count each for distribution/possession with intent to distribute heroin/certain stimulants/fentanyl (3.5-100 grams), distribute material containing fentanyl, distribute or possess with intent to distribute drug paraphernalia for illegal use, use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body, and aggravated endangering of a child.

&nbsp;Patterson is being held on a bond of $75,000.

Manhattan man accused of selling pills with fentanyl

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — All six crew members of a KC-135 refueling aircraft supporting operations against Iran are dead, the U.S. military said Friday, after their plane&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-aircraft-down-loss-iraq-6d182239315cf9d2a20c669c5ac8418d">crashed in western Iraq</a>.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PRESS-RELEASES/Press-Release-View/Article/4432850/loss-of-us-kc-135-over-iraq/">U.S. Central Command</a>, which oversees the Middle East, said the crash followed an unspecified incident involving two aircraft in “friendly airspace,” and that the other plane landed safely.

The crash brings the U.S. death toll in Operation Epic Fury to at least 13 service members, seven of whom were killed in combat. About 140 U.S. service members have been injured, including eight severely, the Pentagon said earlier this week.

Here’s what is known so far about the tanker, which is the fourth publicly acknowledged U.S. aircraft to crash during the war against Iran:

The U.S. Central Command said all six crew members on board the crashed KC-135 have been confirmed dead. It said the circumstances of the crash are under investigation but that the loss of the aircraft was “not due to hostile or friendly fire.”

A U.S. official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the developing situation, said the other plane involved was also a KC-135. Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the U.S., wrote on X that the other plane landed safely in Israel.

Yang said it would be rare for a refueling tanker to be downed by enemy fire because such operations are usually conducted in the rear of combat zones.

The crash came after three U.S. F-15E fighter jets were mistakenly downed last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-jets-downed-kuwait-friendly-fire-iran-f15-1151e092db4597e93e83c04f3b44bddc">by friendly Kuwaiti fire</a>.

The KC-135 is a long-serving tanker plane

The KC-135 Stratotanker is a U.S. Air Force aircraft used to refuel other planes in midair, allowing them to travel longer distances and maintain operations longer without landing. The plane is also used to transport wounded personnel during medical evacuations or conduct surveillance missions, according to military experts.

Based on the same design as the Boeing 707 passenger plane, the tanker has been in service for more than 60 years, supporting the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps as well as allied aircraft, according to an Air Force description. The aging plane is set to be gradually phased out as more of the next-generation KC-46A Pegasus tankers enter service.

Despite upgrades over the years, the KC-135s’ age has fueled concern about their reliability and durability.

“The last of these planes were produced in the 1960s,” said Yang Uk, a security expert at South Korea’s Asan Institute for Policy Studies. He added that the transition to the KC-46A has progressed more slowly than expected.

According to the Congressional Research Service, the Air Force last year had 376 KC-135s, including 151 on active duty, 163 in the Air National Guard and 62 in the Air Force Reserve.

A basic KC-135 crew has three people: a pilot, co-pilot and boom operator. Nurses and medical technicians are added in aeromedical evacuation missions.

Refueling typically happens at the back of the plane, where the boom operator is located. A fuel boom is lowered to connect with fighters, bombers or other aircraft. On many of the planes, the boom operator works lying face down while looking out of a window on the underside of the plane.

Some KC-135s can also refuel planes from pods on their wings. The tankers also have room to carry cargo or passengers if needed.

Refueling tankers could play an increasingly important role if the Iran war drags on, as U.S. aircraft may need to fly longer missions to pursue Iranian forces retreating deeper into the country, said Yang.

KC-135s have previously been involved in several fatal accidents. The most recent occurred on May 3, 2013, when a KC-135R crashed after takeoff south of Chaldovar, Kyrgyzstan, while supporting the war in Afghanistan.

In that crash, the crew experienced problems with the plane’s rudder, according to a U.S. Air Force investigation. While they struggled to stabilize the plane, the tail section broke away and the plane exploded midair, killing all three crewmembers onboard.

The most serious mid-air collision involving the plane happened in 1966, when a B-52 bomber carrying nuclear bombs struck a tanker near Palomares, Spain.

The accident caused the tanker to crash, killing four onboard. The disaster led to an extensive decontamination effort to clean up nuclear material dispersed when conventional explosives in the hydrogen bombs detonated after hitting the ground.

Schreck reported from Bangkok. AP writers Ben Finley and Konstantin Toropin in Washington contributed.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The U.S. military says a KC-135 refueling aircraft supporting operations against Iran&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-aircraft-down-loss-iraq-6d182239315cf9d2a20c669c5ac8418d">crashed in western Iraq</a>, killing four of its six crew members.

Despite upgrades over the years, the KC-135s' age has fueled concern about their reliability and durability.

Cause of crash and condition of crew not immediately known

The U.S. Central Command said four of the six crewmembers on board the crashed KC-135 have been confirmed dead and that rescue efforts are continuing. It said the circumstances of the crash are under investigation but that the loss of the aircraft was “not due to hostile or friendly fire.”

🎥New details: 6 aboard US military refueling plane killed in crash

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

TOPEKA — The Republican majority leader of the Kansas House and the chief of staff to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly worked Thursday to resolve objections to a bill designed to make the state’s three largest public universities more financially efficient by removing layers of administrative red tape.

The bipartisan messages from House Majority Leader Chris Croft and Kelly’s chief of staff, Will Lawrence, and their willingness to endorse two key amendments to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2798/" target="_blank">House Bill 2798</a>, were sufficient to convince the chairman of Kansas Board of Regents to offer qualified support for the legislation.

All three urged removal from the bill of a provision limiting the Board of Regents’ role in administering the University of Kansas, Wichita State University and Kansas State University to use of state-appropriated dollars. In addition, they agreed regulatory relief in the bill should be extended to Fort Hays State University, Pittsburg State University and Emporia State University. The House Higher Education Budget Committee took the recommendations under advisement, and the committee’s chairman indicated the panel would start work on amending the bill on Monday.

“With the two changes you heard about today, the Board of Regents would be supportive of HB 2798 and its goal of improving university processes and operational efficiency,” said Blake Benson, chair of the state Board of Regents. “Our goal is to preserve accountability for public assets while thoughtfully addressing operational issues across all state universities.”

On Wednesday, the Board of Regents unanimously voted to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/03/12/kansas-house-studies-bill-granting-unprecedented-administrative-autonomy-to-ku-k-state-and-wsu/">oppose the current version of the bill</a>&nbsp;because of concerns it significantly eroded the nine-member board’s authority over the three largest public universities in Kansas.

The legislation emerged from behind-the-scenes meetings that began last fall among House Speaker Dan Hawkins, Senate President Ty Masterson, Kelly, Croft and Lawrence that eventually were broadened to include other legislators, university administrators and the Board of Regents. Initially, the idea was to expand the conversation to include the three smaller state universities, but there wasn’t time to engage with those institutions.

“The goal was, how do we enable our research universities to operate at the speed of innovation and to drive that speed of innovation,” said Croft, an Overland Park Republican. “That’s the underlying thing in everything we were trying to do. It relieves the R1s (doctoral research universities) of costly, bureaucratic entanglements while applying the appropriate oversight. We recognize this wasn’t an end-all, be-all. This is a good-faith effort.”

Lawrence, the chief of staff to the governor and chair of the closed-door planning sessions for the bill, said the ad hoc group didn’t have time to bring ESU, PSU and FHSU into conversations about regulatory change. So, he said, the decision was made not to include those universities in the bill.

“Didn’t want to put them in the bill, have them learn about it from the bill, freak out, not know what this is. So, we kept it to the three research universities,” he said.

Lawrence said the Board of Regents and Kansas Legislature would maintain oversight of the university system. Changes contained in the bill would fall primarily on redundant business policies under jurisdiction of the Kansas Department of Administration. He said there was no effort made to modify the Legislature’s influence on the universities. He said some concerns expressed about the bill were “a little bit overblown.”

Skeptics challenged the wisdom of lowering guardrails on state university contracting, procurement, construction, capital planning, property management and other business functions. There were questions about the bill’s impact on student tuition, faculty tenure, bans on diversity, equity and inclusion policies, private equity firms in athletics, control over hiring university CEOs and taxpayer accountability. There were questions about universities selling cherished campus landmarks in context of putting KU’s Allen Fieldhouse up for sale.

“I’d just like assurance that this isn’t the beginning of the end for the Kansas Board of Regents,” said Rep. Kirk Haskins, D-Topeka.

“I think we have our work cut out for us,” said Rep. Adam Turk, a Shawnee Republican who chairs the House higher education committee. “This is a bill that requires work.”

Advocates for the bill said economic pressures on higher education institutions, including a decline in the college-age population and limitations of public funding for universities, required exploration of new avenues for efficiencies while continuing to meet high academic standards.

Doug Girod, chancellor at the University of Kansas, said the legislation would leave KU as a state-owned entity, a state agency and a state asset.

He said the nation’s higher education system was facing tremendous headwinds in terms of student enrollment, loss of federal research funding, the trend of declining state funding as a percentage of overall costs and wariness about substantial tuition increases. He said the House bill would benefit KU without destroying what Kansas taxpayers had spent more than a century building.

KU cut 140 jobs and $30 million from the budget, and since 2017, the university had found $145 million in efficiencies, Girod said. He said KU’s top goal was to find more resources to invest in faculty and staff salaries.

“It doesn’t matter if we have pretty buildings if there’s nobody in them and we can’t serve students,” Girod said.

Kansas champions of administrative reform at public universities offer concessions to calm skeptics

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a standoff at a rural Kansas home.

Just after 7p.m. Wednesday,&nbsp;deputies with the Osage County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a residence in rural Burlingame regarding a report of a possible barricaded subject who was reportedly involved in a verbal domestic disturbance where shots had been fired, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

Deputies responded to the scene and began working to safely resolve the situation. After approximately four hours of attempting to make contact with the individual inside the residence, Christopher Vales, 41, of Burlingame was safely taken into custody without further incident.

Vales was transported to the Osage County Law Enforcement Center where he was booked on requested charges Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Interference with Law Enforcement.

Suspect arrested after 4-hour standoff at rural Kansas home

PAWNEE COUNTY — A Kansas boy died in an accident just before 7:30p.m. Thursday in Pawnee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Honda CRF 150 driven by Gabriel Mull, 12, Larned, was southbound on 210th Avenue at Kansas 156.&nbsp; The dirt bike traveled into the path of an eastbound 2001 Ford F250 driven by Robert L. Seder, 55, Great Bend. The passenger side of the pickup struck the dirt bike.&nbsp;

Mull was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Beckwith Mortuary. Seder was properly restrained and not injured. Mull was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.&nbsp;

12-year-old Kansas boy dies in pickup, dirt bike crash

SHAWNEE COUNTY —A man was injured and later arrested after an incident at the law enforcement center in Topeka.

Just after 10 a.m. Thursday, Topeka Police Department officers responded to a medical call in the lobby of the Law Enforcement Center at 320 South Kansas Avenue, according to a media release.

 A man, later identified as 31-year-old Casey Eastman of Topeka, set his clothing on fire. The Topeka Fire Department, American Medical Response and Topeka Police Behavioral Health Unit also responded to the scene.

AMR transported Eastman to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.&nbsp; &nbsp;Eastman was treated and later booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Arson; No substantial risk to bodily harm and Criminal Damage to Property; Misdemeanor

Kan. man set his clothes on fire inside police headquarters

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan.– Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just afater 7p.m. March 6, Sheriff’s Deputies, with the assistance of the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, arrested Charles Weston Alford, 40, of Topeka, on a Jackson County District Court Warrant in the 3400 block of NE Happy Hollow Road, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.

Alford was arrested in connection with illegal methamphetamine sales, which allegedly took place during a multi-month drug investigation earlier this year in collaboration with the Kansas Bureau of Investigations.

Alford was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of Distribute methamphetamine, no drug tax stamp for controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff: Kansas man accused of selling meth

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri court has rejected a legal challenge to new U.S. House districts backed by President Donald Trump that are aimed at helping Republicans win an additional seat in the midterm elections.

Opponents of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymander-trump-missouri-936e8daecadb32556fcfbd2eb9f7457b">the new districts</a>&nbsp;claimed they violated a state constitutional provision requiring districts to be compact. But Jackson County Circuit Judge Adam Caine rejected that in a ruling Thursday.

Although the decision marked a victory for Republicans, a separate legal challenge remains pending at the Missouri Supreme Court alleging that mid-decade redistricting is unconstitutional. Opponents also have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-redistricting-referendum-trump-gerrymandering-utah-14312a112b6e32d15e5ef36b83cdc6a7">submitted over 300,000 petition signatures</a>&nbsp;in an attempt to force a statewide vote on the new congressional map.

Missouri is one of several states targeted for congressional redistricting by Trump, who has been angling for an edge in the November elections as Republicans try to hold their narrow House majority. After&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-congress-house-republicans-texas-redistricting-d18e8280a32872d9eefcbb26f66a0331">Trump called on Texas Republicans</a>&nbsp;to redistrict, Democrats countered with new districts in California, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-congress-house-trump-gerrymander-2e5948055064f6e335170977bc4247f0">a redistricting battle</a>&nbsp;soon spread to other states.

Missouri currently is represented in the U.S. House by six Republicans and two Democrats under a map passed in 2022 based on the most recent census. At the time, Republican lawmakers turned back an attempt by some in the party to push a map giving Republicans a shot at winning seven seats. They cited concerns that it could spread Republicans too thin and backfire in losses if Democrats enjoyed a favorable election year.

But Republicans set aside those concerns last year under pressure from the White House to revise the districts for partisan advantage.

A new map passed during a September special legislative session is intended to help Republicans win a Kansas City-area seat currently held by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymander-missouri-trump-e5b75246cbee8eb674dfdb27381cc8ac">Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver</a>. It reassigns portions of Kansas City to two neighboring districts represented by Republicans and stretches the remainder of his 5th Congressional District eastward into Republican-heavy rural areas.

Court filings on behalf of suing voters asserted that the new map “radically departs” from historical norms by splitting apart and stretching out the 5th District, which previously had been more concentrated in Kansas City.

But attorneys for Republican Attorney General Catherine Hanaway countered that the new map actually is an improvement. Although the 5th District may be less compact, the state asserted that the map overall is more compact and splits fewer local governments among multiple districts. Caine agreed with that in his ruling.

The judge said the implicit argument of those suing is that rural voters don't belong in the same district as urban voters in Kansas City. But the judge cited other instances where rural and urban voters have been combined in congressional districts, including under a map used from from the 2012 through 2020 elections that merged Kansas City's central business district with rural areas to the east.

“The decision of what municipalities to split is a political and policy determination that is properly left in the hands of the General Assembly and Missouri’s political processes,” Caine wrote.

Groups representing the voters who sued criticized the court ruling but did not say whether they will appeal.

“If allowed to stand, it would represent a significant setback for fair representation in Missouri,” the American Civil Liberties Union and the Campaign Legal Center said in a joint statement.

Judge rules Missouri's new congressional map is constitutional

WASHINGTON —Two U.S. sailors are recovering after a fire on board an aircraft carrier in the Red Sea.

On March 12, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) experienced a fire that originated in the ship’s main laundry spaces, according to a statement fro&nbsp;U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet.

The cause of the fire was not combat-related and is contained.

There is no damage to the ship’s propulsion plant, and the aircraft carrier remains fully operational.

Two Sailors are currently receiving medical treatment for non-life-threatening injuries and are in stable condition. The U.S. Navy reported no additional details

The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is currently operating in the Red Sea in support of Operation Epic Fury.

2 injured after fire aboard aircraft carrier in support of Operation Epic Fury

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed a broad bill on Thursday to make U.S. housing more accessible and affordable, a rare bipartisan effort in Congress to address a growing national problem.

The bill, which passed 89-10, would reduce regulations, regulate corporate investors and expand how housing dollars can be used to build affordable homes and rentals. It will now head back to the House, which passed a similar bill earlier this year.

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