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

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

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

SCAM ALERT: Geary County Emergency Managemwnt said that the Kansas Dept of Motor Vehicles will never send you a text message about an outstanding citation on your vehicle.  If you have grandparents, elderly parents or anyone not tech savvy help them understand to never respond to these messages or payment.  

These messages are going over cellular devices.

Scam alert

RILEY COUNTY—Three people were injured in two separate accident on Tuesday in Riley County.

Just before 11:30a.m.,&nbsp;a 2023 Hyundai Tucson driven by Dennis Ortbals, 74, of Manhattan, struck a 2024 Nissan Sentra driven by Aubrey Heier-Gonzalez, 17, of Manhattan&nbsp;in the 400 block of E. Highway 24, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

Pottawatomie County EMS transported Ortbals, and a passenger in the Hyundia, Marilyn Ortbals, 72, of Manhattan, to Via Christi Hospital. Dennis Ortbals was also issued a citation for failure to yield at a stop sign.

Just after 10:30p.m., a 2015 Chevy Impala driven by Alexis Trimble, 24, of Marysville, hit two guardrails in the 17000 block of Tuttle Creek Blvd. 

Trimble was transported to Via Christi Hospital by Riley County EMS for her injuries. The RCPD released no additional details.

3 hospitalized after 2 separate accidents in Riley County

I.C.A.R.E. announced that 16-year-old Sean Mueller has joined The I.C.A.R.E. Organization’s board of directors. Sean’s involvement will support&nbsp; expanding initiatives to build positive relationships between youth and older adults through intergenerational interaction.

I.C.A.R.E. announces a new board member

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.

“There is growing demand for affordable housing in rural communities in Kansas and across the country, underscoring the importance of practical and innovative solutions to help meet that need,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“This legislation will streamline rural housing programs, reduce unnecessary bureaucratic barriers and help expand access to affordable housing for rural families. I urge the House of Representatives to pass this legislation and send it to the President to be signed into law so we can continue to strengthen rural America and improve access to affordable housing.”

“We have a housing shortage all across America,” said Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who worked with Republicans to win overwhelming support from both parties for the legislation. “We need more housing of every kind. More housing for first-time home buyers, more housing for renters, more housing for seniors, more housing for people with disabilities, more rural housing, more urban housing, more, more, and more."

The legislation, she said, "will help drive down prices.”

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., led the effort with Warren. He said ahead of the vote that the Senate would “do what so many people failed to do in this legislative body for the last few decades, and that is pass consequential legislation that makes it easier to become a homeowner.”

Despite the bipartisan vote in the Senate and a shared eagerness to pass the legislation ahead of the midterm elections, It’s unclear whether the House will take up the bill again — or if President Donald Trump will sign it.

Trump has backed the legislation through the bipartisan negotiations, but he has also slowed its momentum with a declaration last weekend that he won’t sign any new measures unless Congress passes legislation that would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-save-america-act-congress-voting-midterms-e4223827fff131d9b8f0afabccd56325">require voters to show proof of citizenship</a>&nbsp;and end most mail-in balloting. The Senate is expected to begin consideration of that bill next week, but it is unlikely to pass as all Democrats oppose it.

At the same time, House leaders have indicated that they are unlikely to accept the Senate version of the housing legislation and have suggested they could launch a formal conference process to negotiate a final deal between the chambers — a process that could take months.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said ahead of the bill’s passage that conference negotiations are a possibility, “but obviously the quickest way to do this would be to pick up the Senate bill and pass it.”

If the White House wants that to happen, he said, “they’ll probably have to make that argument to House leadership.”

House Financial Services Chairman French Hill, R-Ark., said in a statement that Senate passage is “an important step” but added that, “it is critical we get the details right and mitigate some of the concerns raised by House members with the Senate bill.”

Both Republicans and Democrats have embraced the legislation as there has been a national shortage of home construction and as prices have climbed faster than incomes. The bill would give local governments more power on housing issues, allow banks to invest more in affordable housing and lift limits on the number of public housing units that can receive private financing through Section 8 funding to rehabilitate properties.

“You’ve got many provisions in this bill that stop treating the U.S. like one single housing market and start giving local leaders the tools they need to fix their unique regional puzzle,” said Peter Carroll with Cotality, a company that tracks housing data.

The bill aims to make homebuilding easier by streamlining some regulations that require environmental reviews and inspections. It also lifts a limit on a grant for emergency shelter beds and street homelessness outreach.

As many affordable housing developers are leaning on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3d-printing-homes-manufactured-modular-housing-crisis-b61a54e0caee09f221b859fd99b18a43">manufactured and modular homes</a>&nbsp;that can be transported to areas that need housing, the legislation also would eliminate the requirement that they have to be built on a permanent chassis, reducing costs and making them easier to build and design.

One of the more contested provisions of the bill would bar institutional investors from buying single-family homes — a top priority for Trump.

The bill defines such investors as any that directly or indirectly own 350 or more single-family homes. Investors of any size would not be required to sell single-family homes bought before the date that the bill becomes a law.

They would still be allowed to buy or build single-family homes if they rent them out, but would be required to sell them to an individual homebuyer after seven years.

Trump has pushed the ban as he has been under pressure to address&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-high-prices-inflation-angry-voters-e6e65165deaf9dfc8dbb986f43b1a61a">voters’ concerns about affordability</a>&nbsp;ahead of the midterm elections. “People live in homes, not corporations,” Trump said in a social media post in January, calling on Congress to act.

Critics of the bill’s limits on large institutional investors say it will lead to less rental housing inventory and higher rents as landlords face less competition. At the same time, it’s unclear how a ban that targets institutional investors that own 350 or more single-family homes would meaningfully reduce competition that ordinary homebuyers may face when they shop for a home.

The U.S. housing market has been in a slump dating back to 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows.

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes have been hovering close to a 4-million annual pace now going back to 2023 — well short of the 5.2-million annual pace that’s historically been the norm. They slowed last year to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-home-sales-real-estate-home-prices-d14d4f80bb90d6031292d1f0c377d708">a 30-year low and</a>&nbsp;have remained sluggish so far this year, declining in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-home-sales-real-estate-home-prices-c284d47896979530871c1660b0e05ca6">January</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-home-sales-real-estate-home-prices-29d84f7fa22d4b8ccc2d2906e9e58618">February</a>&nbsp;versus a year earlier.

A sharp run-up in home prices, especially in the early years of this decade, and a chronic shortage of homes nationally worsened by years of below-average home construction have left many aspiring homeowners priced out of the market.

Meanwhile, while the median U.S. monthly rent has been declining for more than two years, it was still 15.2% higher in January than it was at the start of 2020, according to data from Realtor.com.

Kramon reported from Atlanta and Veiga reported from Los Angeles.

Senate passes Kan. U.S. Senator's housing bill to improve access, affordability

NEW YORK (AP) — With no clear end in sight, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-us-march-12-2026-oil-prices-90e17dbf7354d1e9428994ab2a036506">war with Iran</a>&nbsp;sent oil prices back to $100 per barrel on Thursday, and stocks sank worldwide.

The S&amp;P 500 fell 1.5% and resumed its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-stock-markets-iran-war-458890210407eb0cba85c7e1a684c890">sharp swings</a>&nbsp;following a couple days of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-oil-iran-trump-9015cbc7db4569fddd124659acfcaf86">relative calm</a>. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 739 points, or 1.6%, and the Nasdaq composite lost 1.8%.

The center of action was again the oil market, where the price of a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, climbed 9.2% to settle at $100.46. Worries are worsening that the war could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-war-hormuz-oil-shipping-49a1901c35cf2507830776a29706cf98">block the production of oil</a>&nbsp;in the Persian Gulf for a long time and cause a debilitating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-war-oil-prices-gasoline-economy-consumers-a5b47c09f83406adf2a00616382003f6">surge of inflation</a>&nbsp;for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-war-trump-economy-oil-gas-66806b02a000235f1979e591279b6554">global economy</a>.

Iran’s new supreme leader released his first statement Thursday since succeeding his late father, saying his country would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-03-12-2026">keep up attacks</a>&nbsp;on Gulf Arab neighbors and use the effective closure of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strait-hormuz-iran-energy-war-5b60e82ef2fc68e2b43aa570a32404dd">Strait of Hormuz</a>&nbsp;as leverage against the United States and Israel. A fifth of the world’s oil typically sails through the strait, and oil producers in the region are cutting production because their crude has nowhere to go.

Countries around the world are trying to make up for that, and the International Energy Agency said Wednesday that its members would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-oil-europe-reserve-release-eaf0cf9988cd7e06f0dc2a8ee800762e">release a record amount of oil</a>, 400 million barrels, from stockpiles built for such emergencies.

But such moves are short-term fixes, and they do not clear the long-term risks. Analysts have said that if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, oil prices could jump to $150.

To be sure, the U.S. stock market has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/investors-iran-war-stock-market-panic-c4aaaec1ed1055f45f401cc5d7be59ec">history of bouncing back</a>&nbsp;relatively quickly from military conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, as long as oil prices don’t stay too high for too long. Even with all the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-iran-oil-trump-c9a42448cbc7afc35e959dd444614aa0">up-</a>&nbsp;and-&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-oil-iran-1f7bf89b783a9ba731f4b25564bf80f8">down</a>&nbsp;swings of the last couple weeks, many rocking markets&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-oil-gold-iran-trump-25fd9bfa1b20549a6cbbdee61b2ea05f">hour to hour</a>, the S&amp;P 500 is just 4.4% below its all-time high set in January.

What’s made this jump for oil prices frightening is not only the degree — prices jumped near $120 this week to their highest level since 2022 — but that they’re occurring during an uncertain time for the economy.

Last month’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-inflation-trump-tariffs-075a0d33e0794b7c93b9b8a7302dab98">hiring by U.S. employers was surprisingly weak</a>, which raised worries about a possible worst-case scenario for the economy called “stagflation.” That’s where economic growth stagnates while inflation remains high, and it’s a miserable mix that the Federal Reserve has no good tools to fix.

A more encouraging signal arrived Thursday. A report said that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unemployment-benefits-jobless-claims-layoffs-labor-7d7482b3fe6d8a3957b9abf386c66019">number of U.S. workers applying for unemployment benefits</a>&nbsp;inched lower last week. That’s a sign that layoffs are potentially remaining low around the country.

Dollar General, meanwhile, reported better profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. But the retailer with relatively low prices, whose customers often have the least cushion to absorb higher gasoline prices, gave forecasts for revenue this upcoming year that indicated a potential slowdown in growth. Its stock fell 6.1%.

Some of Wall Street’s worst losses again hit companies with big fuel bills. Cruise-ship operator Carnival fell 7.9%, and United Airlines sank 4.6%.

Worries about the private-credit industry also continued to hurt the market. Investors have been pulling their money out of some funds and companies that have lent to businesses whose profits are under threat. Many of the worries are focused on business that may not pay back their loans because of competition from AI-powered rivals.

Morgan Stanley fell 4.1% after its North Haven Private Income Fund said it allowed investors to redeem 5% of its total shares instead of the nearly 11% they had requested. That 5% cap is the advertised limit.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 103.18 points to 6,672.62. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 739.42 to 46,677.85, and the Nasdaq composite sank 404.16 to 22,311.98.

In stock markets abroad, indexes fell across Europe and Asia.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped 1%, and France’s CAC 40 sank 0.7% for two of the world’s bigger moves.

In the bond market, Treasury yields continued to climb because of upward pressure from rising oil prices. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.26% from 4.21% late Wednesday and from just 3.97% before the war started.

Higher yields make all kinds of borrowing more expensive, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-a411c97f2ac6b5da22f3e6479944af66">mortgages</a>&nbsp;for potential U.S. homebuyers and bond offerings for companies looking to expand. They also push down on prices for all kinds of investments, from stocks to crypto.

Because of the spike for oil prices, traders have pushed back forecasts for when the Fed could resume its cuts to interest rates. President Donald Trump has been angrily calling for such cuts, which would give the economy and job market a boost but also potentially worsen inflation.

A barrel of benchmark U.S. crude rose 9.7% to settle at $95.73.

AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.

Oil price jumps, stocks sink worldwide with no end in sight for Iran war

SEDGWICK COUNTY -&nbsp;Tyrone Carter, 55, of Newton, was killed and a 21-year-old Wichita man was critically injured Wednesday night after a vehicle-pedestrian crash in south Wichita, according to the Wichita Police Department.

Just before 10p.m., police were dispatched to the 1200 block of South Topeka for a report of a vehicle crash and a man lying in the street. When they arrived, officers found a white Ford Focus that had collided with a parked vehicle. The 21-year-old driver was located inside the car and was transported to a local hospital in critical condition.

Carter was found lying in the roadway and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Wichita Police Department’s Critical Accident Team responded and is leading the investigation. Preliminary information indicates the driver was traveling south on Topeka when he struck Carter who was walking in the roadway, before crashing into a parked vehicle.

The driver was admitted to the hospital under police watch and custody. Upon release, he will be booked on a charge of second-degree murder.

Alcohol and speed are believed to be contributing factors.

Police: Alcohol a factor in crash that killed Kansas man

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>

Passengers at a handful of airports this week waited in hours-long security lines as the government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security dragged on.

Though Transportation Security Administration officers are required by law to work during a lapse in funding, more than usual have been absent after receiving only a partial paycheck during the most recent pay period. TSA officers will miss an entire paycheck this weekend if the shutdown is still in effect then.&nbsp;

No end to the shutdown appeared imminent Wednesday, as the U.S. Senate rejected a bill that would have funded TSA and other agencies in DHS that are not related to immigration enforcement.

In the meantime, TSA officers are not being paid.&nbsp;

Most live paycheck-to-paycheck, said Johnny Jones, the secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 100, which represents TSA agents.

The lack of pay has contributed to absenteeism, Jones added. The union does not condone coordinated “sick-outs,” which are illegal.&nbsp;

But individual officers miss work for one of three reasons during a shutdown, he said: pre-planned time off, legitimate illness or personal emergencies, and those calling in sick but seeking other work to pay bills.

“If you’re normally receiving a paycheck, you wouldn’t have that third group,” he said.

Some of those who are working are going without lunch or making other sacrifices, Jones added. And he said two colleagues were evicted during the most recent shutdown last fall, which lasted for 43 days.

The U.S. war against Iran, which has an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trumps-iran-war-estimated-cost-billions-already-no-end-sight" target="_blank">estimated price</a>&nbsp;in the billions of dollars in just its first two weeks, has also driven resentment among TSA workers, Jones said.

“One of the things that I’ve heard from the colleagues is that, man, we got plenty of money to go fight wars and bomb Iran, but we can’t pay our own employees,” he said.

No exceptionally long wait times were reported Wednesday, but the previous few days saw several examples of snarled security lines.

Security lines&nbsp;<a href="http://houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/trending/article/government-shutdown-hobby-airport-21963811.php" target="_blank">topped three hours</a>&nbsp;at Houston’s William P. Hobby International Airport on Monday and Tuesday.&nbsp;

Lines at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport were up to two hours Monday and the airport’s social media drew a direct line to the shutdown.

“Due to impacts from the federal government’s partial shutdown, there continues to be a shortage of TSA workers at the security checkpoint … which is causing longer-than-average lines,” the airport’s X account&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/flyneworleans/status/2030952799811355119?s=20" target="_blank">posted</a>.

Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport also urged passengers to leave extra time to account for factors including “TSA staffing constraints.”

CBS News&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tsa-absences-double-shutdown-300-quit-airport-security-lines/" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;Wednesday that more than 300 TSA agents have left their jobs since the shutdown began. TSA officials did not respond to messages seeking confirmation of that figure.

The top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, Washington’s Patty Murray, sought unanimous consent Wednesday for the Senate to approve a bill that would fund all of DHS other than Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and the secretary’s office.

Sen. Katie Britt, an Alabama Republican who chairs the subcommittee on Homeland Security funding, objected.

Murray’s bill “would effectively defund our law enforcement officers that are charged with keeping Americans safe,” Britt said.

Each party blamed the other for the impasse, which has been unbreachable since the department’s funding lapsed Feb. 14.

Following the January fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by immigration officers in Minneapolis, Democrats are demanding changes to immigration agencies’ conduct as a condition of funding the department.

Republicans have said they are willing to negotiate the issue, but the parties disagree on what to do for the department, which also includes the Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, in the meantime.

Republican leaders sought to pass a short-term continuing resolution to fund the entire department, but Democrats rejected it, saying it would allow the operation of immigration agencies without adding accountability measures.

“Right now, TSA agents are going without pay because Republicans and the White House have decided they would rather shut down all of DHS than pass some very basic reforms to rein in ICE and Border Patrol,” Murray said. “We also want TSA and FEMA funded, but we are not going to be blackmailed into cutting a blank check for ICE to get it done.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, of South Dakota, said Democrats have stopped negotiating on DHS funding in a bid to keep the issue alive for the November midterm elections.&nbsp;

“The American people are tired,” he said. “Lines get longer at the airports because TSA isn’t funded. The American people want us to do our jobs. Republicans are at the table. We’re ready to work toward a solution. Democrats have walked away.”

Jones, the AFGE member and TSA officer, declined to say which approach to short-term funding was preferable, but said it was Congress’ job to fund the federal government.

“We all swear the same oath to the same Constitution,” he said. “Now my job function is a little different than theirs, so they need to do theirs so I can do mine.”

Long security lines pop up at airports as TSA officers go without pay

SEDGWICK COUNTY.—A man jailed on federal crime allegations who was arrested after a chase and crash will return to court Thursday.

Erik Harper, 37, is scheduled to attend a preliminary hearing in Judge Rodger Woods, courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In December, Wichita police, with help from the Kansas Highway Patrol and the U.S. Marshals Service, arrested Harper who was wanted on federal and state warrants after a pursuit and crash.

Just after 2p.m. December 30, officers spotted Harper driving a stolen 2004 GMC Sierra near East Central Avenue and North Oliver Avenue in Wichita, according to a media release from police.

Harper was wanted on a federal warrant and a felony state warrant for aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault. Officers followed the truck and requested assistance from the KHP Air Support Unit.

A Kansas Highway Patrol unit equipped with a grappler attempted a traffic stop near East Central Avenue and North Edgemoor Street. The grappler was deployed to prevent the suspect vehicle from fleeing, but Harper escaped. Shortly afterward, the Haper's vehicle collided with a 2024 Subaru Impreza in the westbound lanes near the 6800 block of East Central Avenue.

Officers took Harper into custody at 4:53 p.m.

The Subaru’s occupants, a 72-year-old man and a 66-year-old woman, were taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

Harper was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail and later transferred to Butler County Jail. He was charged with robbery, eluding police and aggravated battery.

Preliminary hearing for Kan. man captured after chase, crash

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

TOPEKA — Kansas legislators’ lineup of property tax relief legislation could chip away at state and local revenue, but some see the proposals as course correction, making up for years of rising property taxes.

One bill would phase out Kansans’ property taxes in favor of added sales taxes, and another would exempt seniors from paying property taxes that go toward funding school districts.

But legislators, who have eagerly pursued tax relief legislation in recent years, were conflicted about the proposals.

Sen. Mike Murphy, a Sylvia Republican, said Tuesday that the Legislature needs to look at property tax relief differently. Past measures haven’t made much of a dent, he said, and he often hears from constituents who are struggling to pay their property taxes.

“I look at property tax as a Titanic that’s hit the iceberg, and it’s going down,” Murphy said. “We can rearrange the deck chairs. We can ask the band director to play a little bit peppier song, but I don’t think it’s going to — we’re not going to be able to fix it.”

He propped up&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb488/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 488</a>, or the “Kansas property tax freedom act of 2026,” as a potential solution. The bill would phase out property tax payments over the next two years and eliminate property tax levies beginning in the 2028 tax year. Taxing jurisdictions such as school districts, counties and cities would make up for the lost revenue through sales tax surcharges on medicine, fuel, rent and mortgage payments, utilities, child care and K-12 tuition.

Murphy acknowledged during the Tuesday hearing before the Senate’s tax committee that the bill, as written, didn’t work.

Sen. Jeff Klemp, a Lansing Republican, agreed.

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