DOUGLAS COUNTY—The Kansas Highway Patrol has identified those involved in a fatal crash that occurred just after 1:30p.m. Wednesday in Douglas County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 GMC Sierra driven by&nbsp; Lowell A.&nbsp;Neitzel, 43, Lawrence, was&nbsp;eastbound on U.S. 24 near north 2100 Road.

The pickup struck a westbound 2010 Kia Soul driven by&nbsp;Milano, Ronald L. Milano, 70, Bennet, Nebraska, head-on.

Milano and two passengers identified as 39-year-old Joshua Z.&nbsp;Milano and 33-year-old Patricia A. Milano both of Lincoln Nebraska were pronounced dead and transported to&nbsp;Frontier Forensics.

The KHP indicated Neitzel was transported to Lawrence Memorial Hospital but not injured.&nbsp; The drivers were wearing seat belts, according to the KHP. The KHP did not have seat belt usage details on the passengers in the Kia.

DOUGLAS COUNTY—The Kansas Highway Patrol has identified those involved in a fatal crash that occurred just after 1:30p.m. Wednesday in Douglas County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 GMC Sierra driven by&nbsp; Lowell A.&nbsp;Neitzel, 43, Lawrence, was&nbsp;eastbound on U.S. 24 near north 2100 Road.The pickup struck a westbound 2010 Kia Soul driven by&nbsp;Milano, Ronald L. Milano, 70, Bennet, Nebraska, head-on.Milano and two passengers identified as 39-year-old Joshua Z.&nbsp;Milano and 33-year-old Patricia A. Milano both of Lincoln Nebraska were pronounced dead and transported to&nbsp;Frontier Forensics.The KHP indicated Neitzel was transported to Lawrence Memorial Hospital but not injured.&nbsp; The drivers were wearing seat belts, according to the KHP. The KHP did not have seat belt usage details on the passengers in the Kia.

KHP IDs three who died in Kansas head-on crash

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a drug related death in Manhattan and have made an arrest.

Just before 5:30p.m. Tuesday officers with the Riley County Police Department arrested 22-year-old Daron Marsean Island Jones in connection to an incident from June 2023, where RCPD officers investigated the overdose death of a 25-year-old in Manhattan.

Jones was jailed on requested charges of distribution of opiates in quantities surpassing 10 units, dissemination of a controlled substance resulting in fatality, and the utilization of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug violation.

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a drug related death in Manhattan and have made an arrest.Just before 5:30p.m. Tuesday officers with the Riley County Police Department arrested 22-year-old Daron Marsean Island Jones in connection to an incident from June 2023, where RCPD officers investigated the overdose death of a 25-year-old in Manhattan.Jones was jailed on requested charges of distribution of opiates in quantities surpassing 10 units, dissemination of a controlled substance resulting in fatality, and the utilization of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug violation.

Kansas man accused in fentanyl overdose death

By MIKE COURSON&nbsp;Great Bend Post

Smiles, energy, and enthusiasm. As it turns out, those are the ingredients for "Wheel of Fortune" fans to become contestants. Doing just that has been a longtime dream for Great Bend native Kiley Klug, now an English teacher at Hoisington Middle School. Those dreams came true after one of Klug's many attempts to get on the show finally panned out. Her show will air on Friday, April 5 on NBC.

"I have been a 'Wheel of Fortune' nerd as far back as I can remember," she said. "I applied online in my 20s and never heard anything. Probably between a year and a half to two years ago, they started with post-COVID and they weren't traveling anymore, and they had video applications."

Then the waiting game began. One day, Klug was teaching her class when an email from the show popped up. Unable to wait, Klug had her paraprofessional, Cassie Morales, check it out.

"I told her, 'I just got an email from "Wheel of Fortune,"' Klug said. "'There's no way. It has to be spam. It has to be a prank or a hoax.'"

Morales reported that everything seemed legitimate. Klug confirmed that she was moving on to the next stage of the audition process, which would be a meeting via Zoom.

"I was devastated the first time around," said Klug. "I was stalking my email and they never sent me the Zoom look. I thought that was it. My name would get lost and nothing would ever come of it. I tried to forget about it."

But a month later, another email popped up. "I tried not to get my hopes up," Klug said. "I had told everybody. I told my boss. I told everybody in the school, then nothing came of it. I looked kind of foolish."

This time, everything worked out. Klug was provided a link for a Zoom meeting the next day. She got permission from her principal to leave the classroom for a few minutes. In the five-minute meeting, a producer reminded Klug to bring her smile, energy, and enthusiasm. She immediately qualified for a second audition, but only if she promised to bring more of that personality.

"I'm telling you, 'Wheel of Fortune,' yes there's a bit of puzzle solving and strategy, but No. 1, they are looking for smile, energy, enthusiasm, and they tell you that at every turn. They want somebody fun to watch."

The second audition included another potential contestant from Illinois. They solved three toss-up puzzles, with Klug winning two of the games. In a breakout session that followed, Klug was less confident after solving about half of the 16 puzzles presented.

"At the end, the producer comes on and says, 'Okay, we're done. Bye!'" Klug said. "That was it. I didn't get a good vibe from that at all."

The waiting game began anew. Klug Google searched information from others who have auditioned. She was checking her email two dozen times a day for good news or bad. Finally, five weeks later, a last-minute check of the email before going to bed revealed the best of news.

"I briefly saw my taping date was two weeks from that day," she said. "I started screaming. The second I started screaming, my husband knew exactly what happened."

The email informed Klug her taping date would be Feb. 22 at the Sony Picture Studios in Culver City, Calif., a suburb of Los Angeles. She had to pay for her own accommodations to get there but if she was selected for a taping, the show would provide a $1,000 stipend.

There was a caveat: 21 potential contestants were invited to record six shows that day. With just three contestants on each show, that meant three would remain as alternates. Out-of-state alternates were given just a $750 travel stipend.

Klug traveled with her husband, Gavin, her sister, Rachel, and two of her three sons. She arrived at the studio at 6:15 a.m., 30 minutes early to demonstrate some enthusiasm. The contestants were ushered into the "Jeopardy" studio where Vanna White stopped in to introduce herself.

"She came in and told us all good morning and tried to hype us up a little bit," said Klug. "She's everything she is on TV. She's super-sweet and so kind."

While in the "Jeopardy" studio, the potential contestants watched a video on possible strategies and categories that may be included in a taping. All morning long, producers reminded the group to keep up their smiles, energy, and enthusiasm.

In a strange bit of fate, Klug had posted about her upcoming trip to Los Angeles on social media. One of her husband's friends sent her a message: one of his friends from Holton would also be making the trip. Klug was able to meet that contestant who also made the show.

From the "Jeopardy" set, the contestants moved to the "Wheel of Fortune" set where they practiced spinning the wheel. They were grouped and played a single round of the game. Contestants were then named three at a time and a ping pong ball was drawn to determine which taping those contestants would attend. Klug was one of the final contestants named and her group drew the fourth taping.

Klug had to give up her phone when she arrived at the studio. Her family was allowed into the "Wheel of Fortune" studio at 11 a.m., but contestants were sat on the opposite side of the studio and the two sides were to have no contact.

"My husband, my sister, my kids, they're all trying to get my attention," Klug said. "I had to straight-up ignore them."

Just days before the group departed Kansas, Klug's husband had overheard a conversation with producers that three alternates would be selected. They anxiously awaited Klug to make her appearance on the stage with no knowledge she would be in the fourth taping. They sat through three tapings with no sign of Kiley, then had to break for lunch.

"They leave and they are beside themselves," Klug said. "They are down. They are depressed. They are thinking this isn't going to happen. She's going to be an alternate and we're going to stay here all day until 7 p.m. for nothing. They were so upset."

With everyone back in the studio after lunch, the family no longer saw Klug in her bright pink blazer sitting on the other side of the room. Sure enough, they exploded with excitement as she made her way onto the stage.

Then it was introduction time. Klug graduated from Great Bend High School but lives in Odin. "They were very, very interested in the fact that I was from a town with 100 people," she said.

Klug had promised her students she would give them a shoutout during the introduction. A producer told her she would have to leave that bit behind.

"It ended up being too confusing to include that I was both from a town of 100 people and that I had around 100 students at Hoisington Middle School," Klug said. "We had to nix the part of my introduction where I gave my school and kids a shoutout. I was really bummed about that."

Then it was showtime. "Wheel of Fortune" is 22 minutes of actual airtime on NBC. Klug estimated the average taping took approximately 40 minutes.

"On my show, for some reason or another, a puzzle was compromised and we were in the middle of a round," she said. "We all had to turn around and it took a while for them to get it all figured out."

Klug said the taping of the show otherwise resembled exactly what viewers see on TV. She never had the stage fright many gameshow players often describe.

"I was 100 percent shocked at how calm and collected I felt up there," she said. "It was so bizarre. I've always been so nervous; nervous about public speaking. Obviously, after so long, I've gotten better about it. I was not nervous at all. It was so surreal and bizarre. I really felt like I was solving puzzles at home. I know not a lot of people wouldn't agree with me on that. I know some other contestants were very nervous and froze."

Klug has proven she can keep a secret. Strict rules prohibit her from releasing any details about the outcome of the game prior to its air date. She thinks that actually adds to the fun.

"My mother is not very excited that I can't tell her anything," she said. "But I don't want to cheat them out of seeing all this for the first time. I feel like it's just so entertaining. Whether I win or lose, I want them to experience this the first time when they watch it for the first time. I feel like it would ruin the whole experience if they learned anything about it."

Klug will make her big television debut at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 5.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710422086057.jpeg" alt="Watch for the pink blazer on the April 5 airing of 'Wheel of Fortune.' Great Bend native Kiley Klug (right) will fulfill a longtime dream as a contestant on the show after taping in February. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Watch for the pink blazer on the April 5 airing of 'Wheel of Fortune.' Great Bend native Kiley Klug (right) will fulfill a longtime dream as a contestant on the show after taping in February. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON&nbsp;Great Bend PostSmiles, energy, and enthusiasm. As it turns out, those are the ingredients for "Wheel of Fortune" fans to become contestants. Doing just that has been a longtime dream for Great Bend native Kiley Klug, now an English teacher at Hoisington Middle School. Those dreams came true after one of Klug's many attempts to get on the show finally panned out. Her show will air on Friday, April 5 on NBC."I have been a 'Wheel of Fortune' nerd as far back as I can remember," she said. "I applied online in my 20s and never heard anything. Probably between a year and a half to two years ago, they started with post-COVID and they weren't traveling anymore, and they had video applications."Then the waiting game began. One day, Klug was teaching her class when an email from the show popped up. Unable to wait, Klug had her paraprofessional, Cassie Morales, check it out."I told her, 'I just got an email from "Wheel of Fortune,"' Klug said. "'There's no way. It has to be spam. It has to be a prank or a hoax.'"Morales reported that everything seemed legitimate. Klug confirmed that she was moving on to the next stage of the audition process, which would be a meeting via Zoom."I was devastated the first time around," said Klug. "I was stalking my email and they never sent me the Zoom look. I thought that was it. My name would get lost and nothing would ever come of it. I tried to forget about it."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710422249917.jpeg" alt="-Klug made the trip to California with her husband, Gavin, and two sons. Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>-Klug made the trip to California with her husband, Gavin, and two sons. Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>But a month later, another email popped up. "I tried not to get my hopes up," Klug said. "I had told everybody. I told my boss. I told everybody in the school, then nothing came of it. I looked kind of foolish."This time, everything worked out. Klug was provided a link for a Zoom meeting the next day. She got permission from her principal to leave the classroom for a few minutes. In the five-minute meeting, a producer reminded Klug to bring her smile, energy, and enthusiasm. She immediately qualified for a second audition, but only if she promised to bring more of that personality."I'm telling you, 'Wheel of Fortune,' yes there's a bit of puzzle solving and strategy, but No. 1, they are looking for smile, energy, enthusiasm, and they tell you that at every turn. They want somebody fun to watch."The second audition included another potential contestant from Illinois. They solved three toss-up puzzles, with Klug winning two of the games. In a breakout session that followed, Klug was less confident after solving about half of the 16 puzzles presented."At the end, the producer comes on and says, 'Okay, we're done. Bye!'" Klug said. "That was it. I didn't get a good vibe from that at all."The waiting game began anew. Klug Google searched information from others who have auditioned. She was checking her email two dozen times a day for good news or bad. Finally, five weeks later, a last-minute check of the email before going to bed revealed the best of news."I briefly saw my taping date was two weeks from that day," she said. "I started screaming. The second I started screaming, my husband knew exactly what happened."The email informed Klug her taping date would be Feb. 22 at the Sony Picture Studios in Culver City, Calif., a suburb of Los Angeles. She had to pay for her own accommodations to get there but if she was selected for a taping, the show would provide a $1,000 stipend.There was a caveat: 21 potential contestants were invited to record six shows that day. With just three contestants on each show, that meant three would remain as alternates. Out-of-state alternates were given just a $750 travel stipend.Klug traveled with her husband, Gavin, her sister, Rachel, and two of her three sons. She arrived at the studio at 6:15 a.m., 30 minutes early to demonstrate some enthusiasm. The contestants were ushered into the "Jeopardy" studio where Vanna White stopped in to introduce herself."She came in and told us all good morning and tried to hype us up a little bit," said Klug. "She's everything she is on TV. She's super-sweet and so kind."While in the "Jeopardy" studio, the potential contestants watched a video on possible strategies and categories that may be included in a taping. All morning long, producers reminded the group to keep up their smiles, energy, and enthusiasm.In a strange bit of fate, Klug had posted about her upcoming trip to Los Angeles on social media. One of her husband's friends sent her a message: one of his friends from Holton would also be making the trip. Klug was able to meet that contestant who also made the show.From the "Jeopardy" set, the contestants moved to the "Wheel of Fortune" set where they practiced spinning the wheel. They were grouped and played a single round of the game. Contestants were then named three at a time and a ping pong ball was drawn to determine which taping those contestants would attend. Klug was one of the final contestants named and her group drew the fourth taping.Klug had to give up her phone when she arrived at the studio. Her family was allowed into the "Wheel of Fortune" studio at 11 a.m., but contestants were sat on the opposite side of the studio and the two sides were to have no contact."My husband, my sister, my kids, they're all trying to get my attention," Klug said. "I had to straight-up ignore them."Just days before the group departed Kansas, Klug's husband had overheard a conversation with producers that three alternates would be selected. They anxiously awaited Klug to make her appearance on the stage with no knowledge she would be in the fourth taping. They sat through three tapings with no sign of Kiley, then had to break for lunch."They leave and they are beside themselves," Klug said. "They are down. They are depressed. They are thinking this isn't going to happen. She's going to be an alternate and we're going to stay here all day until 7 p.m. for nothing. They were so upset."With everyone back in the studio after lunch, the family no longer saw Klug in her bright pink blazer sitting on the other side of the room. Sure enough, they exploded with excitement as she made her way onto the stage.Then it was introduction time. Klug graduated from Great Bend High School but lives in Odin. "They were very, very interested in the fact that I was from a town with 100 people," she said.Klug had promised her students she would give them a shoutout during the introduction. A producer told her she would have to leave that bit behind."It ended up being too confusing to include that I was both from a town of 100 people and that I had around 100 students at Hoisington Middle School," Klug said. "We had to nix the part of my introduction where I gave my school and kids a shoutout. I was really bummed about that."Then it was showtime. "Wheel of Fortune" is 22 minutes of actual airtime on NBC. Klug estimated the average taping took approximately 40 minutes."On my show, for some reason or another, a puzzle was compromised and we were in the middle of a round," she said. "We all had to turn around and it took a while for them to get it all figured out."Klug said the taping of the show otherwise resembled exactly what viewers see on TV. She never had the stage fright many gameshow players often describe."I was 100 percent shocked at how calm and collected I felt up there," she said. "It was so bizarre. I've always been so nervous; nervous about public speaking. Obviously, after so long, I've gotten better about it. I was not nervous at all. It was so surreal and bizarre. I really felt like I was solving puzzles at home. I know not a lot of people wouldn't agree with me on that. I know some other contestants were very nervous and froze."Klug has proven she can keep a secret. Strict rules prohibit her from releasing any details about the outcome of the game prior to its air date. She thinks that actually adds to the fun."My mother is not very excited that I can't tell her anything," she said. "But I don't want to cheat them out of seeing all this for the first time. I feel like it's just so entertaining. Whether I win or lose, I want them to experience this the first time when they watch it for the first time. I feel like it would ruin the whole experience if they learned anything about it."Klug will make her big television debut at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 5.

Kansas teacher appearing on 'Wheel of Fortune' Friday

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly explosion and fire in Wichita.

Just before noon Thursday, 911 received a call of an explosion at an apartment complex in the 8400 block of E Harry, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.

First responders from Wichita Police and the Wichita Fire Department located a garage on fire and a man who was deceased. 

&nbsp;Wichita Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, officials with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives&nbsp; and other partners as well as mental health professionals were on scene.&nbsp;

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712262626265.png" alt="Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly explosion and fire in Wichita.Just before noon Thursday, 911 received a call of an explosion at an apartment complex in the 8400 block of E Harry, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.First responders from Wichita Police and the Wichita Fire Department located a garage on fire and a man who was deceased. &nbsp;Wichita Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, officials with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives&nbsp; and other partners as well as mental health professionals were on scene.&nbsp;Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Police: One dead in Kan. apartment complex explosion, fire

ELLSWORTH COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating vandalism in Ellsworth County.

Vandals used a chainsaw to cut down power poles in an attempt to steal copper, according to a social media report from Western Cooperative Electric Association.

Vandals did not know there was no copper on these poles and "their effort is not only wrong but incredibly dangerous."

"Luckily for the would-be thieves, these power lines were not electrified at the time of the vandalism; otherwise, there may have been a loss of life."

 Western Cooperative Electric Association reported they recently have seen an uptick in damages in Ellsworth County.&nbsp; Anytime and anywhere you see suspicious activity near power equipment, please report it to the county Sheriff. "It's for their own safety."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712226182707.png" alt="Photo&nbsp;Western Cooperative Electric Association." />
 <figcaption>Photo&nbsp;Western Cooperative Electric Association.</figcaption>
 </figure>ELLSWORTH COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating vandalism in Ellsworth County.Vandals used a chainsaw to cut down power poles in an attempt to steal copper, according to a social media report from Western Cooperative Electric Association.Vandals did not know there was no copper on these poles and "their effort is not only wrong but incredibly dangerous."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712226145235.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"Luckily for the would-be thieves, these power lines were not electrified at the time of the vandalism; otherwise, there may have been a loss of life." Western Cooperative Electric Association reported they recently have seen an uptick in damages in Ellsworth County.&nbsp; Anytime and anywhere you see suspicious activity near power equipment, please report it to the county Sheriff. "It's for their own safety."

Attempted copper theft: Chainsaw cut down power poles in Kansas

NEW YORK (AP) — More and more businesses are taking advantage of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/solar-eclipse-2024">total solar eclipse</a>&nbsp;set to dim skies across North America&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/total-solar-eclipse-sun-moon-7beea0599f2b829d322f0ec3c71648a6">on Monday</a>.

In the snacks department alone, Krispy Kreme is teaming up with Oreo to sell a limited doughnut-cookie creation. Sonic Drive-In is selling a <a href="https://www.sonicdrivein.com/menu/featured/blackout-slush-float/">“Blackout Slush Float.</a>” And Frito-Lay's SunChips has unveiled a new flavor that will only be available during the celestial event's nearly 4 and a half minutes of totality.

MoonPie also kicked off a “Sun vs. Moon” smackdown-themed campaign as the chocolate snack maker promotes its “eclipse survival kit,” made up of four mini MoonPies and two pairs of eclipse glasses.

Meanwhile, airlines like Southwest and Delta have advertised eclipse-viewing flight paths. And beyond promotions from big-name brands, small businesses&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwL2gEt66no">along the 115 mile (185 kilometer)-wide prime path</a>&nbsp;are leading the charge to meet the incoming tourist demand.

Some towns and local vendors have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/total-solar-eclipse-promotions-beer-food-c2e881062d0c366ab72b5d6ca1db3b59">anticipating the celestial event</a>&nbsp;and its huge crowds for years. There are oodles of special eclipse safety glasses for sale, along with T-shirts emblazoned with clever slogans and more astronomical souvenirs. Other offerings include eclipse-themed beer, specialty dining packages and watch parties at amusement parks, wineries and zoos.

Marketing tied to rare spectacles, like the sun’s disappearing act behind the moon, isn’t new.

In 2017, the last time the U.S. saw a big slice of a total solar eclipse, scores of companies tapped into the action — including Krispy Kreme.

The Charlotte, North Carolina-based company previously rolled out limited-edition chocolate glazed doughnuts for the 2017 eclipse, and those treats have made a few returns since. But that might not be the case for this year's "Total Solar Eclipse Doughnut." The Krispy Kreme-Oreo combo is set to be available from Friday through Monday, according to an announcement from the chain this week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712247708219.png" alt="Sonic Blackout Slush Float inspired by the eclipse" />
 <figcaption>Sonic Blackout Slush Float inspired by the eclipse</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — More and more businesses are taking advantage of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/solar-eclipse-2024">total solar eclipse</a>&nbsp;set to dim skies across North America&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/total-solar-eclipse-sun-moon-7beea0599f2b829d322f0ec3c71648a6">on Monday</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712085263547.png" alt="Image Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>Image Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>In the snacks department alone, Krispy Kreme is teaming up with Oreo to sell a limited doughnut-cookie creation. Sonic Drive-In is selling a <a href="https://www.sonicdrivein.com/menu/featured/blackout-slush-float/">“Blackout Slush Float.</a>” And Frito-Lay's SunChips has unveiled a new flavor that will only be available during the celestial event's nearly 4 and a half minutes of totality.MoonPie also kicked off a “Sun vs. Moon” smackdown-themed campaign as the chocolate snack maker promotes its “eclipse survival kit,” made up of four mini MoonPies and two pairs of eclipse glasses.Meanwhile, airlines like Southwest and Delta have advertised eclipse-viewing flight paths. And beyond promotions from big-name brands, small businesses&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwL2gEt66no">along the 115 mile (185 kilometer)-wide prime path</a>&nbsp;are leading the charge to meet the incoming tourist demand.Some towns and local vendors have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/total-solar-eclipse-promotions-beer-food-c2e881062d0c366ab72b5d6ca1db3b59">anticipating the celestial event</a>&nbsp;and its huge crowds for years. There are oodles of special eclipse safety glasses for sale, along with T-shirts emblazoned with clever slogans and more astronomical souvenirs. Other offerings include eclipse-themed beer, specialty dining packages and watch parties at amusement parks, wineries and zoos.Marketing tied to rare spectacles, like the sun’s disappearing act behind the moon, isn’t new.In 2017, the last time the U.S. saw a big slice of a total solar eclipse, scores of companies tapped into the action — including Krispy Kreme.The Charlotte, North Carolina-based company previously rolled out limited-edition chocolate glazed doughnuts for the 2017 eclipse, and those treats have made a few returns since. But that might not be the case for this year's "Total Solar Eclipse Doughnut." The Krispy Kreme-Oreo combo is set to be available from Friday through Monday, according to an announcement from the chain this week.

From Sonic to SunChips, companies roll out total solar eclipse promotions

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20HANNA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;</a>

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Top Republican legislators and the Democratic governor in Kansas have brokered a deal on cutting taxes after GOP leaders gave up on moving the state to a single-rate personal income tax that the governor strongly opposed.

But signs of trouble emerged Thursday as top Republicans and Gov. Laura Kelly tried to sell the new plan to lawmakers. During a meeting of skeptical House Democrats, Kelly touted it as a big victory. Many of them saw it as favoring wealthier taxpayers.

“I can guarantee that the other side has gone as far as — a lot farther than — they wanted to go,” Kelly told them. "We should be embracing this and taking credit for it."

Both the Senate and the House were expected to vote on the package Thursday or Friday. The plan would save taxpayers about $1.4 billion over the next three years, but it is smaller than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-legislature-budget-tax-cuts-disability-diversity-40fe17614b20b0ade7fa6ed0833fbe67">separate plans approved last month</a>&nbsp;by each chamber and smaller than one&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-income-tax-cuts-budget-8fbaf4d7aa99b0b23f38daddd7dc2c28">passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature</a>&nbsp;in January that Kelly vetoed.

GOP leaders wanted to move Kansas to a single personal income tax rate from the three current rates and cut the top rate from its current 5.7%, which Kelly said would benefit the “super wealthy.” The same dispute&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-cuts-kansas-gop-infighting-3fcfeb252137bdda907655ae7f7fd69e">thwarted major tax cuts</a>&nbsp;in 2023, when a dozen other states cut income tax rates, according to the conservative Tax Foundation.

The Kansas deal came two weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-brian-kemp-corporate-income-tax-cuts-7a414376871e7baf20bfb2ea12bb7260">Georgia’s Republican-controlled Legislature passed</a>&nbsp;personal and corporate income tax cuts that GOP Gov. Brian Kemp favored. Like Georgia, Kansas has a big budget surplus — still projected at more than $4 billion for the end of June 2025.

The compromise plan in Kansas preserves three personal income tax rates but cuts the top rate to 5.5%. Republican leaders didn't have the two-thirds majorities necessary to override a Kelly veto of a single-rate plan,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-income-tax-cuts-budget-4b53850ab4aa72febec4fb728ccbc9b1">thanks to Republican defectors</a>&nbsp;who, as state Senate President Ty Masterson put it Wednesday, “chained themselves to the tree of progressive taxation.”

“So, you know what?” We're just going to cut the tree off on the top," said Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican. “Everything else is a win.”

The bill also would eliminate state income taxes on retirees' Social Security benefits, which kick in once a person receives $75,000 a year. It would also increase the state's standard personal income tax deductions, increase an income tax credit for child care expenses, reduce property taxes the state imposes to raise money for public schools and end an expiring 2% sales tax on groceries six months early, on July 1.

Republican leaders wavered on a single-rate income tax in recent weeks as they grew less willing to chance having no cuts enacted this year. All 40 state Senate seats and 125 House seats are up for election this year.

“We’ve got to get something, and this is a compromise,” said House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican. “We need to get it done and get out of here.”

But bipartisan grumbling about the plan began immediately.

House Taxation Committee Chair Adam Smith said before either chamber voted that he didn't know whether he would support the deal — even though it was his job to explain it to colleagues and he would normally promote a plan backed by GOP leaders.

“I’m hearing a lot of dissent,” said Smith, a western Kansas Republican. “I've got to carry the bill, and it’s bad when I don’t even know if I’m going to vote for it.”

Republicans wanted to cut taxes by between $500 million and $600 million annually or between $1.5 billion and $1.8 billion over three years. The new plan, worth about $430 million annually, is less generous than either the House or Senate plans in increasing standard deductions, which helps poorer families.

Some lawmakers also said the new plan doesn't cut property taxes enough amid rising home values and local levies. For the owner of a home at the Kansas median value of $210,000, the annual savings would be about $140. A home’s appraised value can easily rise enough in a year to wipe out the cut.

“This, to me, doesn’t cut it,” said northeastern Kansas Sen. Tom Holland, who represented Democratic senators in tax negotiations. “There are monster increases every year.”

Another problem for many Democrats: The plan would keep a tax rate of 5.2% on a married couples' income between $30,000 and $60,000 and impose the 5.5% rate after that.

Rep. Rui Xu, a Kansas City-area Democrat, told Kelly the proposal is "pretty close to a flat tax.” Masterson made the same argument in touting it during an interview Wednesday evening.

Kelly suggested later that House Democrats' reaction showed that many lawmakers didn't expect her and GOP leaders to be able to compromise.

“I’m not surprised that some people were shocked that we got something at all,” she said.

The Kansas House and Senate were expected to vote on the compromise package Thursday or Friday, and Gov. Laura Kelly was expected to sign it if it reached her desk. The plan would save taxpayers about $1.4 billion over the next three years, but it is smaller than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-legislature-budget-tax-cuts-disability-diversity-40fe17614b20b0ade7fa6ed0833fbe67">separate plans approved last month</a>&nbsp;by each chamber and smaller than one&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-income-tax-cuts-budget-8fbaf4d7aa99b0b23f38daddd7dc2c28">passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature</a>&nbsp;in January that Kelly vetoed.

The compromise plan preserves three personal income tax rates but cuts the top rate to 5.5%. Republican leaders didn't have the two-thirds majorities necessary to override a Kelly veto of a single-rate plan,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-income-tax-cuts-budget-4b53850ab4aa72febec4fb728ccbc9b1">thanks to Republican defectors</a>&nbsp;who, as state Senate President Ty Masterson put it Wednesday, “chained themselves to the tree of progressive taxation.”

The bill also would eliminate state income taxes on retirees' Social Security benefits, which kick in once a person receives $75,000 a year. It would also increase the state's standard personal income tax deductions, increase an income tax credit for child care expenses, reduce property taxes the state imposes to raise money for public schools and end the state's already expiring 2% sales tax on groceries six months early, on July 1.

Still, the final deal inspired bipartisan grumbling. Kelly's office and GOP leaders worked it out privately instead of three House and three Senate negotiators drafting a plan, with some discussions in public.

House Taxation Committee Chair Adam Smith said before either chamber voted that he didn't know whether he'd support the deal — even though it was his job to explain it to colleagues and he'd normally promote a plan backed by GOP leaders.

Republicans had wanted to cut taxes by between $500 million and $600 million annually or between $1.5 billion and $1.8 billion over three years. The new plan, worth about $430 million annually, is less generous in increasing standard deductions than the Senate's plan, which boosted the one for married couples to $22,000 to help lower-income families.

Some lawmakers also said the new plan doesn't cut property taxes enough amid rising home values and local levies. For the owner of a home at the Kansas median value of $210,000, the annual savings would be about $140.

“This, to me, doesn't cut it,” said northeastern Kansas Sen. Tom Holland, who represented Democratic senators in tax negotiations. “There are monster increases every year.”

The deal in Kansas came two weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-brian-kemp-corporate-income-tax-cuts-7a414376871e7baf20bfb2ea12bb7260">Georgia's Republican-controlled Legislature passed</a>&nbsp;personal and corporate income tax cuts that GOP Gov. Brian Kemp favored. Like Georgia, Kansas has a big budget surplus — still projected at more than $4 billion for the end of June 2025.

But tax debates in Kansas are fraught because of a nationally notorious experiment in cutting income taxes in 2012 and 2013 under GOP Gov. Sam Brownback. Large budget shortfalls followed and persisted until bipartisan legislative majorities&nbsp;<a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2017/06/07/kansas-brownback-tax-veto-override/">reversed most of the cuts</a>&nbsp;in 2017 over Brownback's opposition.

Kelly won the first of her two terms in 2018&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/gubernatorial-elections-f5741d8d0d8c40979857c9d2d6afae9f">by running against</a>&nbsp;Brownback's fiscal policies, and she still cites them in criticizing Republican proposals. She called the GOP plan she vetoed in January fiscally reckless.

Republican leaders said repeatedly that they weren't repeating the mistakes of 2012 and 2013 and that, with its huge surplus, Kansas could sustain their proposed cuts.

But, unable to override a Kelly veto, they became less willing to chance having no cuts enacted this year. All 40 state Senate seats and 125 House seats are up for election this year.

“We've got to get something, and this is a compromise,” said House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican. “We need to get it done and get out of here.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712235275411.png" alt="Members of the conference committee on Senate and House Taxation during a Wednesday meeting- image from Kansas Legislature YouTube" />
 <figcaption>Members of the conference committee on Senate and House Taxation during a Wednesday meeting- image from Kansas Legislature YouTube</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20HANNA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;</a>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Top Republican legislators and the Democratic governor in Kansas have brokered a deal on cutting taxes after GOP leaders gave up on moving the state to a single-rate personal income tax that the governor strongly opposed.But signs of trouble emerged Thursday as top Republicans and Gov. Laura Kelly tried to sell the new plan to lawmakers. During a meeting of skeptical House Democrats, Kelly touted it as a big victory. Many of them saw it as favoring wealthier taxpayers.“I can guarantee that the other side has gone as far as — a lot farther than — they wanted to go,” Kelly told them. "We should be embracing this and taking credit for it."Both the Senate and the House were expected to vote on the package Thursday or Friday. The plan would save taxpayers about $1.4 billion over the next three years, but it is smaller than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-legislature-budget-tax-cuts-disability-diversity-40fe17614b20b0ade7fa6ed0833fbe67">separate plans approved last month</a>&nbsp;by each chamber and smaller than one&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-income-tax-cuts-budget-8fbaf4d7aa99b0b23f38daddd7dc2c28">passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature</a>&nbsp;in January that Kelly vetoed.GOP leaders wanted to move Kansas to a single personal income tax rate from the three current rates and cut the top rate from its current 5.7%, which Kelly said would benefit the “super wealthy.” The same dispute&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-cuts-kansas-gop-infighting-3fcfeb252137bdda907655ae7f7fd69e">thwarted major tax cuts</a>&nbsp;in 2023, when a dozen other states cut income tax rates, according to the conservative Tax Foundation.The Kansas deal came two weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-brian-kemp-corporate-income-tax-cuts-7a414376871e7baf20bfb2ea12bb7260">Georgia’s Republican-controlled Legislature passed</a>&nbsp;personal and corporate income tax cuts that GOP Gov. Brian Kemp favored. Like Georgia, Kansas has a big budget surplus — still projected at more than $4 billion for the end of June 2025.The compromise plan in Kansas preserves three personal income tax rates but cuts the top rate to 5.5%. Republican leaders didn't have the two-thirds majorities necessary to override a Kelly veto of a single-rate plan,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-income-tax-cuts-budget-4b53850ab4aa72febec4fb728ccbc9b1">thanks to Republican defectors</a>&nbsp;who, as state Senate President Ty Masterson put it Wednesday, “chained themselves to the tree of progressive taxation.”“So, you know what?” We're just going to cut the tree off on the top," said Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican. “Everything else is a win.”The bill also would eliminate state income taxes on retirees' Social Security benefits, which kick in once a person receives $75,000 a year. It would also increase the state's standard personal income tax deductions, increase an income tax credit for child care expenses, reduce property taxes the state imposes to raise money for public schools and end an expiring 2% sales tax on groceries six months early, on July 1.Republican leaders wavered on a single-rate income tax in recent weeks as they grew less willing to chance having no cuts enacted this year. All 40 state Senate seats and 125 House seats are up for election this year.“We’ve got to get something, and this is a compromise,” said House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican. “We need to get it done and get out of here.”But bipartisan grumbling about the plan began immediately.House Taxation Committee Chair Adam Smith said before either chamber voted that he didn't know whether he would support the deal — even though it was his job to explain it to colleagues and he would normally promote a plan backed by GOP leaders.“I’m hearing a lot of dissent,” said Smith, a western Kansas Republican. “I've got to carry the bill, and it’s bad when I don’t even know if I’m going to vote for it.”Republicans wanted to cut taxes by between $500 million and $600 million annually or between $1.5 billion and $1.8 billion over three years. The new plan, worth about $430 million annually, is less generous than either the House or Senate plans in increasing standard deductions, which helps poorer families.Some lawmakers also said the new plan doesn't cut property taxes enough amid rising home values and local levies. For the owner of a home at the Kansas median value of $210,000, the annual savings would be about $140. A home’s appraised value can easily rise enough in a year to wipe out the cut.“This, to me, doesn’t cut it,” said northeastern Kansas Sen. Tom Holland, who represented Democratic senators in tax negotiations. “There are monster increases every year.”Another problem for many Democrats: The plan would keep a tax rate of 5.2% on a married couples' income between $30,000 and $60,000 and impose the 5.5% rate after that.Rep. Rui Xu, a Kansas City-area Democrat, told Kelly the proposal is "pretty close to a flat tax.” Masterson made the same argument in touting it during an interview Wednesday evening.Kelly suggested later that House Democrats' reaction showed that many lawmakers didn't expect her and GOP leaders to be able to compromise.“I’m not surprised that some people were shocked that we got something at all,” she said.--------TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Top Republican legislators and the Democratic governor in Kansas have brokered a deal on cutting taxes after GOP leaders gave up on moving the state to a single-rate personal income tax that the governor strongly opposed.The Kansas House and Senate were expected to vote on the compromise package Thursday or Friday, and Gov. Laura Kelly was expected to sign it if it reached her desk. The plan would save taxpayers about $1.4 billion over the next three years, but it is smaller than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-legislature-budget-tax-cuts-disability-diversity-40fe17614b20b0ade7fa6ed0833fbe67">separate plans approved last month</a>&nbsp;by each chamber and smaller than one&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-income-tax-cuts-budget-8fbaf4d7aa99b0b23f38daddd7dc2c28">passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature</a>&nbsp;in January that Kelly vetoed.GOP leaders wanted to move Kansas to a single personal income tax rate from the three current rates and cut the top rate from its current 5.7%, which Kelly said would benefit the “super wealthy.” The same dispute&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-cuts-kansas-gop-infighting-3fcfeb252137bdda907655ae7f7fd69e">thwarted major tax cuts</a>&nbsp;in 2023, when a dozen other states cut income tax rates, according to the conservative Tax Foundation.The compromise plan preserves three personal income tax rates but cuts the top rate to 5.5%. Republican leaders didn't have the two-thirds majorities necessary to override a Kelly veto of a single-rate plan,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-income-tax-cuts-budget-4b53850ab4aa72febec4fb728ccbc9b1">thanks to Republican defectors</a>&nbsp;who, as state Senate President Ty Masterson put it Wednesday, “chained themselves to the tree of progressive taxation.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706447481513.png" alt="File photo Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, and Gov. Laura Kelly photo Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>File photo Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, and Gov. Laura Kelly photo Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>“So, you know what?” We're just going to cut the tree off on the top," said Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican. “Everything else is a win.”The bill also would eliminate state income taxes on retirees' Social Security benefits, which kick in once a person receives $75,000 a year. It would also increase the state's standard personal income tax deductions, increase an income tax credit for child care expenses, reduce property taxes the state imposes to raise money for public schools and end the state's already expiring 2% sales tax on groceries six months early, on July 1.Still, the final deal inspired bipartisan grumbling. Kelly's office and GOP leaders worked it out privately instead of three House and three Senate negotiators drafting a plan, with some discussions in public.House Taxation Committee Chair Adam Smith said before either chamber voted that he didn't know whether he'd support the deal — even though it was his job to explain it to colleagues and he'd normally promote a plan backed by GOP leaders.“I’m hearing a lot of dissent,” said Smith, a western Kansas Republican. “I've got to carry the bill, and it’s bad when I don’t even know if I’m going to vote for it.”Republicans had wanted to cut taxes by between $500 million and $600 million annually or between $1.5 billion and $1.8 billion over three years. The new plan, worth about $430 million annually, is less generous in increasing standard deductions than the Senate's plan, which boosted the one for married couples to $22,000 to help lower-income families.Some lawmakers also said the new plan doesn't cut property taxes enough amid rising home values and local levies. For the owner of a home at the Kansas median value of $210,000, the annual savings would be about $140.“This, to me, doesn't cut it,” said northeastern Kansas Sen. Tom Holland, who represented Democratic senators in tax negotiations. “There are monster increases every year.”The deal in Kansas came two weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-brian-kemp-corporate-income-tax-cuts-7a414376871e7baf20bfb2ea12bb7260">Georgia's Republican-controlled Legislature passed</a>&nbsp;personal and corporate income tax cuts that GOP Gov. Brian Kemp favored. Like Georgia, Kansas has a big budget surplus — still projected at more than $4 billion for the end of June 2025.But tax debates in Kansas are fraught because of a nationally notorious experiment in cutting income taxes in 2012 and 2013 under GOP Gov. Sam Brownback. Large budget shortfalls followed and persisted until bipartisan legislative majorities&nbsp;<a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2017/06/07/kansas-brownback-tax-veto-override/">reversed most of the cuts</a>&nbsp;in 2017 over Brownback's opposition.Kelly won the first of her two terms in 2018&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/gubernatorial-elections-f5741d8d0d8c40979857c9d2d6afae9f">by running against</a>&nbsp;Brownback's fiscal policies, and she still cites them in criticizing Republican proposals. She called the GOP plan she vetoed in January fiscally reckless.Republican leaders said repeatedly that they weren't repeating the mistakes of 2012 and 2013 and that, with its huge surplus, Kansas could sustain their proposed cuts.But, unable to override a Kelly veto, they became less willing to chance having no cuts enacted this year. All 40 state Senate seats and 125 House seats are up for election this year.“We've got to get something, and this is a compromise,” said House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican. “We need to get it done and get out of here.”

Kan. Gov. and GOP leaders have deal on tax cuts but lawmakers are grumbling

GEARY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a man found at a rest stop in Geary County.

Just before 6:30 a.m. Thursday, the Geary County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to the I-70 eastbound rest stop just before&nbsp;Moritz Road reference to a check welfare, according to a media release.

Deputies located a deceased man in the driver’s seat of a gold in color van. The name of the subject is not being released at this time until notification can be made to his family.

This case is still under investigation and the Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone that may have information on this case to call 785-238-2261.

GEARY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a man found at a rest stop in Geary County.Just before 6:30 a.m. Thursday, the Geary County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to the I-70 eastbound rest stop just before&nbsp;Moritz Road reference to a check welfare, according to a media release.Deputies located a deceased man in the driver’s seat of a gold in color van. The name of the subject is not being released at this time until notification can be made to his family.This case is still under investigation and the Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone that may have information on this case to call 785-238-2261.

Sheriff: Man found dead at rest stop on I-70

HUTCHINSON — There hasn't been much change in the past week in gas prices, according to Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas.

"We have settled in a little bit, it seems like, in the past couple of weeks," Steward said. "Haven't seen any big increases, but, from a month ago, we're up here in Kansas, a little more than 20 cents a gallon. We're at $3.17 a gallon on average across the state. The good news is, it's 39 cents lower than the national average and seventh cheapest in the nation."

The fundamentals suggest that we may be looking at increases going forward, however.

"We're moving into, seasonally, typically a higher demand time of the year where more people are out driving," Steward said. "We're headed toward summer driving season and the demand is likely going to be increasing as we head into summer. We've seen some issues on the crude oil market, OPEC production limits, geopolitical issues with Russia, tensions in the Middle East."

Brent Crude was over $89 a barrel as of Thursday morning.

"It's quite a bit higher than we were earlier this year," Steward said. "We've seen that jump here in the past few weeks."

According to <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/u-s-refiners-still-have-gas-in-the-tank-commodities-roundup-a1fe3332?mod=mw_quote_news">Marketwatch.com</a>, shares of Marathon Petroleum are up 45% year to date, while Valero and Phillips 66 are up 39% and 30%, respectively.

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON — There hasn't been much change in the past week in gas prices, according to Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas."We have settled in a little bit, it seems like, in the past couple of weeks," Steward said. "Haven't seen any big increases, but, from a month ago, we're up here in Kansas, a little more than 20 cents a gallon. We're at $3.17 a gallon on average across the state. The good news is, it's 39 cents lower than the national average and seventh cheapest in the nation."The fundamentals suggest that we may be looking at increases going forward, however."We're moving into, seasonally, typically a higher demand time of the year where more people are out driving," Steward said. "We're headed toward summer driving season and the demand is likely going to be increasing as we head into summer. We've seen some issues on the crude oil market, OPEC production limits, geopolitical issues with Russia, tensions in the Middle East."Brent Crude was over $89 a barrel as of Thursday morning."It's quite a bit higher than we were earlier this year," Steward said. "We've seen that jump here in the past few weeks."According to <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/u-s-refiners-still-have-gas-in-the-tank-commodities-roundup-a1fe3332?mod=mw_quote_news">Marketwatch.com</a>, shares of Marathon Petroleum are up 45% year to date, while Valero and Phillips 66 are up 39% and 30%, respectively.

AAA: Gas prices flat in short term, but likely headed up

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for a series of armed robberies.

Just before 11p.m. March 1, police responded to a reported robbery in the 600 block of SE Lime Street in Topeka. Upon arrival, it was alleged that an individual&nbsp; with a firearm robbed two individuals and left prior to officers arrival.

Just after 10:30 a.m. March 3, police responded to another reported robbery in the 700 block of SE Lawrence Street in Topeka. Upon arrival, it was alleged that an individual matching the description from the incident on March 1, used a firearm to rob an individual and left prior to officers arrival.

Just after 2p.m. April 3, police located the wanted alleged robbery offender, identified as Deon K. Ikner, 19, of Topeka, in the 200 block of SE 7th Street in Topeka. Ikner was later arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp;2 x Aggravated Robbery; Armed w/dangerous weapon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712237535781.png" alt="Ikner-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Ikner-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for a series of armed robberies.Just before 11p.m. March 1, police responded to a reported robbery in the 600 block of SE Lime Street in Topeka. Upon arrival, it was alleged that an individual&nbsp; with a firearm robbed two individuals and left prior to officers arrival.Just after 10:30 a.m. March 3, police responded to another reported robbery in the 700 block of SE Lawrence Street in Topeka. Upon arrival, it was alleged that an individual matching the description from the incident on March 1, used a firearm to rob an individual and left prior to officers arrival.Just after 2p.m. April 3, police located the wanted alleged robbery offender, identified as Deon K. Ikner, 19, of Topeka, in the 200 block of SE 7th Street in Topeka. Ikner was later arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp;2 x Aggravated Robbery; Armed w/dangerous weapon.

Kansas teen accused in series of armed robberies

By RUDI KELLER,&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

The “antics” of “far right wingers” are why Republicans haven’t achieved more in Congress, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer said during a radio interview Monday where he endorsed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/former-boone-county-senator-files-to-run-in-3rd-district-congressional-gop-primary/">former state Sen. Kurt Schaefer</a>&nbsp;to be his replacement in the 3rd Congressional District.

Luetkemeyer, a Republican in office since 2009, praised Schaefer’s work in the Missouri Senate. Schaefer, of Columbia, is one of eight candidates seeking the GOP nomination in a race that also has two Democrats in a primary and a Libertarian Party candidate.

“I am very excited about Kurt picking up the mantle of this office and running with it,” Luetkemeyer said on the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://939theeagle.com/listen-u-s-rep-blaine-luetkemeyer-r-st-elizabeth-discusses-speaker-johnson-and-missouris-third-district-primary-on-wake-up-mid-missouri/">Wake Up Mid-Missouri show</a>&nbsp;on Columbia’s 93.9 FM.&nbsp;The 3rd District is an open seat for the first time since it was reshaped during redistricting in 2022. The district that covers all or part of 16 counties, including Boone, Cole, St. Charles and Jefferson, is weighted more toward central Missouri, where Luetkemeyer lives in Miller County, than it was previously.

With the pivot of state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/republican-senator-leaves-congressional-race-to-run-for-missouri-secretary-of-state/">to the secretary of state’s race</a>, Schaefer’s top early rival for the nomination is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/former-republican-legislator-bob-onder-jumps-into-congressional-race/">former state Sen. Bob Onder</a>&nbsp;of Lake St. Louis.

Onder and Schaefer both served two terms in the Missouri Senate and both have failed in campaigns for other offices. Onder lost to Luetkemeyer the 2008 GOP primary in the old 9th Congressional District and Schaefer lost to Josh Hawley in the 2016 primary for attorney general.&nbsp;Schaefer won his state Senate seat the same year Luetkemeyer won his seat in Congress.

Other candidates in the Republican primary are Arnie C. AC Arn Dienoff of O’Fallon, a perennial candidate; Chad Bicknell of O’Fallon, who lost a primary to Luetkemeyer in 2018; Kyle Bone of DeSoto, who lost a 2018 primary for a Missouri House seat; Brandon Wilkinson of Fenton, who lost to Luetkemeyer in the 2020 and 2022 GOP primaries; state Rep. Justin Hicks of Lake St. Louis, an attorney and first-term lawmaker; and Bruce A. Bowman, a Jefferson City businessman.

Filing&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/late-withdrawals-mean-more-time-to-file-for-lieutenant-governor-other-missouri-offices/">remains open this week</a>&nbsp;for the seat because of Coleman’s late withdrawal. Luetkemeyer said he would issue an official endorsement after filing closes.

In the radio interview, Luetkemeyer said he supports House Speaker Mike Johnson in his battles with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/02/freedom-caucuses-push-for-conservative-state-laws-but-getting-attention-is-their-big-success/?emci=3381f094-59f0-ee11-aaf0-002248223794&amp;emdi=8fe5f825-e0f0-ee11-aaf2-002248223353&amp;ceid=126356">the Freedom Caucus</a>&nbsp;and blamed the factional group for a dwindling GOP majority.

“He’s doing what he has to do to lead us out of this mess, part of what is created by the far right of our party,” Luetkemeyer said. “They don’t understand how to govern, they don’t understand how to structure legislation, and even if you allow them to structure legislation they turn around and vote against the very legislation they structured themselves.”

The tactics, including the motion to remove Johnson filed by U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, are designed to get attention, not govern or win elections, Luetkemeyer said.

“That is all this is with Majorie,” Luetkemeyer said. “This is a media moment for her. She gets to be the media star for a couple of weeks here with this motion to vacate the chair.”

Legislative leaders in Missouri have complained that the Freedom Caucus, through its state chapter, has brought its disruptive brand of politics to the General Assembly. Onder left office before the state chapter was formed but he was a key member of what was called the conservative caucus that engaged in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/02/08/filibuster-continues-after-missouri-senate-rejects-7-1-redistricting-plan/">similar stall tactics and factional disputes</a>.

In Congress, Luetkemeyer said, mainstream Republicans have been backed into a corner by the Freedom Caucus.

“They don’t understand tactics,” Luetkemeyer said. “They don’t understand the political geometry of how you play these things against each other. They’ve got themselves backed into a corner now that they are ready to hand the House over to the Democrats.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704462906692.png" alt="&nbsp;U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer of Missouri&nbsp; photo CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer of Missouri&nbsp; photo CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By RUDI KELLER,&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>The “antics” of “far right wingers” are why Republicans haven’t achieved more in Congress, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer said during a radio interview Monday where he endorsed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/former-boone-county-senator-files-to-run-in-3rd-district-congressional-gop-primary/">former state Sen. Kurt Schaefer</a>&nbsp;to be his replacement in the 3rd Congressional District.Luetkemeyer, a Republican in office since 2009, praised Schaefer’s work in the Missouri Senate. Schaefer, of Columbia, is one of eight candidates seeking the GOP nomination in a race that also has two Democrats in a primary and a Libertarian Party candidate.“I am very excited about Kurt picking up the mantle of this office and running with it,” Luetkemeyer said on the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://939theeagle.com/listen-u-s-rep-blaine-luetkemeyer-r-st-elizabeth-discusses-speaker-johnson-and-missouris-third-district-primary-on-wake-up-mid-missouri/">Wake Up Mid-Missouri show</a>&nbsp;on Columbia’s 93.9 FM.&nbsp;The 3rd District is an open seat for the first time since it was reshaped during redistricting in 2022. The district that covers all or part of 16 counties, including Boone, Cole, St. Charles and Jefferson, is weighted more toward central Missouri, where Luetkemeyer lives in Miller County, than it was previously.With the pivot of state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/republican-senator-leaves-congressional-race-to-run-for-missouri-secretary-of-state/">to the secretary of state’s race</a>, Schaefer’s top early rival for the nomination is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/former-republican-legislator-bob-onder-jumps-into-congressional-race/">former state Sen. Bob Onder</a>&nbsp;of Lake St. Louis.Onder and Schaefer both served two terms in the Missouri Senate and both have failed in campaigns for other offices. Onder lost to Luetkemeyer the 2008 GOP primary in the old 9th Congressional District and Schaefer lost to Josh Hawley in the 2016 primary for attorney general.&nbsp;Schaefer won his state Senate seat the same year Luetkemeyer won his seat in Congress.Other candidates in the Republican primary are Arnie C. AC Arn Dienoff of O’Fallon, a perennial candidate; Chad Bicknell of O’Fallon, who lost a primary to Luetkemeyer in 2018; Kyle Bone of DeSoto, who lost a 2018 primary for a Missouri House seat; Brandon Wilkinson of Fenton, who lost to Luetkemeyer in the 2020 and 2022 GOP primaries; state Rep. Justin Hicks of Lake St. Louis, an attorney and first-term lawmaker; and Bruce A. Bowman, a Jefferson City businessman.Filing&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/late-withdrawals-mean-more-time-to-file-for-lieutenant-governor-other-missouri-offices/">remains open this week</a>&nbsp;for the seat because of Coleman’s late withdrawal. Luetkemeyer said he would issue an official endorsement after filing closes.In the radio interview, Luetkemeyer said he supports House Speaker Mike Johnson in his battles with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/02/freedom-caucuses-push-for-conservative-state-laws-but-getting-attention-is-their-big-success/?emci=3381f094-59f0-ee11-aaf0-002248223794&amp;emdi=8fe5f825-e0f0-ee11-aaf2-002248223353&amp;ceid=126356">the Freedom Caucus</a>&nbsp;and blamed the factional group for a dwindling GOP majority.“He’s doing what he has to do to lead us out of this mess, part of what is created by the far right of our party,” Luetkemeyer said. “They don’t understand how to govern, they don’t understand how to structure legislation, and even if you allow them to structure legislation they turn around and vote against the very legislation they structured themselves.”The tactics, including the motion to remove Johnson filed by U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, are designed to get attention, not govern or win elections, Luetkemeyer said.“That is all this is with Majorie,” Luetkemeyer said. “This is a media moment for her. She gets to be the media star for a couple of weeks here with this motion to vacate the chair.”Legislative leaders in Missouri have complained that the Freedom Caucus, through its state chapter, has brought its disruptive brand of politics to the General Assembly. Onder left office before the state chapter was formed but he was a key member of what was called the conservative caucus that engaged in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/02/08/filibuster-continues-after-missouri-senate-rejects-7-1-redistricting-plan/">similar stall tactics and factional disputes</a>.In Congress, Luetkemeyer said, mainstream Republicans have been backed into a corner by the Freedom Caucus.“They don’t understand tactics,” Luetkemeyer said. “They don’t understand the political geometry of how you play these things against each other. They’ve got themselves backed into a corner now that they are ready to hand the House over to the Democrats.”

Incumbent Luetkemeyer backs Kurt Schaefer in Missouri 3rd District primary

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen was injured Wednesday in a gun accident.

On Wednesday afternoon, police responded to report of a shooting in the 1100 block of South Dodge in Wichita, according to Wichita Police spokesman Andrew Ford.

First responders found a 17-year-old who sustained non-threatening injuries after accidentally shooting himself in the hand and leg while handling a firearm. He was transported for treatment.&nbsp;Police released no additional details on his condition late Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712180839889.png" alt="First responders at the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>First responders at the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen was injured Wednesday in a gun accident.On Wednesday afternoon, police responded to report of a shooting in the 1100 block of South Dodge in Wichita, according to Wichita Police spokesman Andrew Ford.First responders found a 17-year-old who sustained non-threatening injuries after accidentally shooting himself in the hand and leg while handling a firearm. He was transported for treatment.&nbsp;Police released no additional details on his condition late Wednesday.

Kansas teen hospitalized after gun accident

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Lansing Police Department have identified the human skeletal remains found Feb. 18, in a wooded area in Lansing.

The deceased man has been identified as Derrick U. Collins. He was reported missing from Leavenworth in June of 2022, when he was 59-years-old.

No trauma was noted during the autopsy. At this time there is no evidence of foul play in Collins’ death. Final autopsy results are pending.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712180540389.png" alt="Derrick U. Collins-photo Leavenworth County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Derrick U. Collins-photo Leavenworth County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>LEAVENWORTH COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Lansing Police Department have identified the human skeletal remains found Feb. 18, in a wooded area in Lansing.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708379586107.png" alt="-Just after 5 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 18, subjects were walking along a creek bed in the 900 block of N. Main Street in Lansing, when they found skeletal remains. " />
 <figcaption>-Just after 5 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 18, subjects were walking along a creek bed in the 900 block of N. Main Street in Lansing, when they found skeletal remains. </figcaption>
 </figure>The deceased man has been identified as Derrick U. Collins. He was reported missing from Leavenworth in June of 2022, when he was 59-years-old.No trauma was noted during the autopsy. At this time there is no evidence of foul play in Collins’ death. Final autopsy results are pending.

Police ID skeletal remains found near Kansas creek

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Powerball jackpot has increased to an estimated $1.23 billion after another drawing without a big winner Wednesday night.

The numbers selected were: 11, 38, 41, 62, 65 and the Powerball 15.

The jackpot, which now ranks as the eighth-largest in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lottery-jackpots-mega-millions-powerball-80fcb836622ba8e18883ce778786c1cc">U.S. lottery history</a>, has been growing for more than three months,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-lottery-us-news-ap-top-news-ia-state-wire-b5572da1e5d74f6e974bea45c707b5cb">reflecting the long odds</a>&nbsp;of 1 in 292.2 million of winning the top prize. Since the last player won the jackpot Jan. 1, there have been 40 consecutive drawings without anyone matching all six numbers and hitting it rich.

Lottery officials note that thousands of people have won smaller prizes, which range from $2 to $2 million.

The $1.23 billion prize is for a sole winner who chooses to be paid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99">through an annuity</a>&nbsp;with 30 annual payments. Winners almost always prefer the cash option, which for the next drawing Saturday night would be an estimated $595.1 million.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Powerball jackpot has increased to an estimated $1.23 billion after another drawing without a big winner Wednesday night.The numbers selected were: 11, 38, 41, 62, 65 and the Powerball 15.The jackpot, which now ranks as the eighth-largest in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lottery-jackpots-mega-millions-powerball-80fcb836622ba8e18883ce778786c1cc">U.S. lottery history</a>, has been growing for more than three months,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-lottery-us-news-ap-top-news-ia-state-wire-b5572da1e5d74f6e974bea45c707b5cb">reflecting the long odds</a>&nbsp;of 1 in 292.2 million of winning the top prize. Since the last player won the jackpot Jan. 1, there have been 40 consecutive drawings without anyone matching all six numbers and hitting it rich.Lottery officials note that thousands of people have won smaller prizes, which range from $2 to $2 million.The $1.23 billion prize is for a sole winner who chooses to be paid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99">through an annuity</a>&nbsp;with 30 annual payments. Winners almost always prefer the cash option, which for the next drawing Saturday night would be an estimated $595.1 million.

Powerball jackpot jumps to $1.23 billion, 8th largest in U.S. lottery history

WASHINGTON (AP) — Shortly after an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">airstrike widely attributed to Israel destroyed an Iranian consulate building in Syria</a>, the United States had an urgent message for Iran: We had nothing to do with it.

But that may not be enough for the U.S. to avoid retaliation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">targeting its forces in the region.</a>&nbsp;A top U.S. commander warned on Wednesday of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthi-attacks-ships-red-sea-7b86941c985a934281c68d6624baff1b">danger to American troops.</a>

And if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent broadening of targeted strikes on adversaries around the region to include Iranian security operatives and leaders deepens regional hostilities, analysts say, it's not clear the United States can avoid being pulled into deeper regional conflict as well.

The Biden administration insists it had no advance knowledge of the airstrike Monday. But the United States is closely tied to Israel's military regardless. The U.S. remains Israel’s indispensable ally and unstinting supplier of weapons, responsible for some 70% of Israeli weapon imports and an estimated 15% of Israel's defense budget. That includes providing the kind of advanced aircraft and munitions that appear to have been employed in the attack.

Israel hasn’t acknowledged a role in the airstrike, but Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said Tuesday that the U.S. has assessed Israel was responsible.

Multiple arms of Iran's government served notice that they would hold the United States accountable for the fiery attack. The strike, in the Syrian capital of Damascus, killed senior commanders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for Syria and Lebanon, an officer of the powerful Iran-allied Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, and others.

American forces in Syria and Iraq already are frequent targets when Iran and its regional allies seek retaliation for strikes by Israelis, notes Charles Lister, the Syria program director for the Middle East Institute.

“What the Iranians have always done for years when they have felt most aggressively targeted by Israel is not to hit back at Israelis, but Americans,” seeing them as soft targets in the region, Lister said.

On Wednesday in Washington, the top U.S. Air Force commander for the Middle East, Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, said Iran’s assertion that the U.S. bears responsibility for Israeli actions could bring an end to a pause in militia attacks on U.S. forces that has lasted since early February.

He said he sees no specific threat to U.S. troops right now, but “I am concerned because of the Iranian rhetoric talking about the U.S., that there could be a risk to our forces."

U.S. officials have recorded more than 150 attacks by Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria on U.S. forces at bases in those countries since war between Hamas and Israel began on Oct. 7.

One, in late January, killed three U.S. service members and injured dozens more at a base in Jordan.

In retaliation, the U.S. launched a massive air assault, hitting more than 85 targets at seven locations in Iraq and Syria, including command and control headquarters, drone and ammunition storage sites and other facilities connected to the militias or the IRGC’s Quds Force, the Guard’s expeditionary unit that handles Tehran’s relationship with and arming of regional militias. There have been no publicly reported attacks on U.S. troops in the region since that response.

Grynkewich told reporters the U.S. is watching and listening carefully to what Iran is saying and doing to evaluate how Tehran might respond.

Analysts and diplomats cite a range of ways Iran could retaliate.

Since Oct. 7, Iran and the regional militias allied to it in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen have followed a strategy of calibrated attacks that stop short of triggering an all-out conflict that could subject Iran’s homeland forces or Hezbollah to full-blown war with Israel or the United States.

Beyond strikes on U.S. troops, possibilities for Iranian retaliation could include a limited missile strike directly from Iranian soil to Israel, Lister said. That would reciprocate for Israel's strike on what under international law was sovereign Iranian soil, at the Iranian diplomatic building in Damascus.

A concentrated attack on a U.S. position abroad on the scale of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-marines-bombing-beirut-1983-hezbollah-israel-hamas-iran-34f61ac47909c52de800dd35b375e782">1983 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Beirut</a>&nbsp;is possible, but seems unlikely given the scale of U.S. retaliation that would draw, analysts say. Iran also could escalate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-sanctions-treasury-terrorism-bolton-soleimani-rushdie-a3b96b9008b0f4d64c8279717d1f4dea">an existing effort to kill Trump-era officials</a>&nbsp;behind the United States' 2020 drone killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.

How far any other retaliation and potential escalation goes may depend on two things out of U.S. control: Whether Iran wants to keep regional hostilities at their current level or escalate, and whether Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's far-right government does.

Sina Toossi, a fellow at the Center for International Policy, said analysts in Iran are among those trying to read Netanyahu's mind since the attack, struggling to choose between two competing narratives for Israel's objective.

“One perceives Israel’s actions as a deliberate provocation of war that Iran should respond to with restraint,” Toossi wrote in the U.S.-based think tank's journal. “The other suggests that Israel is capitalizing on Iran’s typically restrained responses,” and that failing to respond in kind will only embolden Israel.

Ultimately, Iran’s sense that it is already winning its strategic goals as the Hamas-Israel war continues — elevating the Palestinian cause and costing Israel friends globally — may go the furthest in persuading Iranian leaders not to risk open warfare with Israel or U.S. in whatever response they make to Monday’s airstrike, some analysts and diplomats say.

Shira Efron, a director of policy research at the U.S.-based Israel Policy Forum, rejected suggestions that Netanyahu was actively trying with attacks like the one in Damascus to draw the U.S. into a potentially decisive conflict alongside Israel against their common rivals, at least for now.

“First, the risk of escalation has increased. No doubt,” Efron said.

“I don't think Netanyahu is interested in full-blown war though,” she said. “And whereas in the past Israel was thought to be interested in drawing the U.S. into a greater conflict, even if the desire still exists in some circles, it is not more than wishful thinking at the moment.”

U.S. President Joe Biden is facing pressure from the other direction.

So far he's resisting calls from growing numbers of Democratic lawmakers and voters to limit the flow of American arms to Israel as a way to press Netanyahu to ease Israeli military killing of civilians in Gaza and to heed other U.S. appeals.

As criticism has grown of U.S. military support of Israel’s war in Gaza, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller has increasingly pointed to Israel’s longer-term need for weapons — to defend itself against Iran and Iranian-allied Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The U.S. is ″always concerned about anything that would be escalatory,” Miller said after the attack in Damascus. “It has been one of the goals of this administration since October 7th to keep the conflict from spreading, recognizing that Israel has the right to defend itself from adversaries that are sworn to its destruction.''

Israel for years has hit at Iranian proxies and their sites in the region, knocking back their ability to build strength and cause trouble for Israelis.

Since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, one of a network of Iran-aligned militias in the region, that shattered Israel’s sense of security, Netanyahu’s government has increasingly added Iranian security operatives and leaders to target lists in the region, Lister notes.

The U.S. military already has deepened engagement from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea since the Hamas-Israel war opened — deploying aircraft carriers to the region to discourage rear-guard attacks against Israel, opening airstrikes to quell attacks on shipping by Iran-allied Houthis in Yemen.

It is also moving to build a pier off Gaza to try to get more aid to Palestinian civilians despite obstacles that include Israel’s restrictions and attacks on aid deliveries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705969629635.png" alt="File photo from U.S. strikes in the Middle East in February-U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File photo from U.S. strikes in the Middle East in February-U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>By ELLEN KNICKMEYER and LOLITA C. BALDORWASHINGTON (AP) — Shortly after an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">airstrike widely attributed to Israel destroyed an Iranian consulate building in Syria</a>, the United States had an urgent message for Iran: We had nothing to do with it.But that may not be enough for the U.S. to avoid retaliation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">targeting its forces in the region.</a>&nbsp;A top U.S. commander warned on Wednesday of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthi-attacks-ships-red-sea-7b86941c985a934281c68d6624baff1b">danger to American troops.</a>And if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent broadening of targeted strikes on adversaries around the region to include Iranian security operatives and leaders deepens regional hostilities, analysts say, it's not clear the United States can avoid being pulled into deeper regional conflict as well.The Biden administration insists it had no advance knowledge of the airstrike Monday. But the United States is closely tied to Israel's military regardless. The U.S. remains Israel’s indispensable ally and unstinting supplier of weapons, responsible for some 70% of Israeli weapon imports and an estimated 15% of Israel's defense budget. That includes providing the kind of advanced aircraft and munitions that appear to have been employed in the attack.Israel hasn’t acknowledged a role in the airstrike, but Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said Tuesday that the U.S. has assessed Israel was responsible.Multiple arms of Iran's government served notice that they would hold the United States accountable for the fiery attack. The strike, in the Syrian capital of Damascus, killed senior commanders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for Syria and Lebanon, an officer of the powerful Iran-allied Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, and others.American forces in Syria and Iraq already are frequent targets when Iran and its regional allies seek retaliation for strikes by Israelis, notes Charles Lister, the Syria program director for the Middle East Institute.“What the Iranians have always done for years when they have felt most aggressively targeted by Israel is not to hit back at Israelis, but Americans,” seeing them as soft targets in the region, Lister said.On Wednesday in Washington, the top U.S. Air Force commander for the Middle East, Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, said Iran’s assertion that the U.S. bears responsibility for Israeli actions could bring an end to a pause in militia attacks on U.S. forces that has lasted since early February.He said he sees no specific threat to U.S. troops right now, but “I am concerned because of the Iranian rhetoric talking about the U.S., that there could be a risk to our forces."U.S. officials have recorded more than 150 attacks by Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria on U.S. forces at bases in those countries since war between Hamas and Israel began on Oct. 7.One, in late January, killed three U.S. service members and injured dozens more at a base in Jordan.In retaliation, the U.S. launched a massive air assault, hitting more than 85 targets at seven locations in Iraq and Syria, including command and control headquarters, drone and ammunition storage sites and other facilities connected to the militias or the IRGC’s Quds Force, the Guard’s expeditionary unit that handles Tehran’s relationship with and arming of regional militias. There have been no publicly reported attacks on U.S. troops in the region since that response.Grynkewich told reporters the U.S. is watching and listening carefully to what Iran is saying and doing to evaluate how Tehran might respond.Analysts and diplomats cite a range of ways Iran could retaliate.Since Oct. 7, Iran and the regional militias allied to it in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen have followed a strategy of calibrated attacks that stop short of triggering an all-out conflict that could subject Iran’s homeland forces or Hezbollah to full-blown war with Israel or the United States.Beyond strikes on U.S. troops, possibilities for Iranian retaliation could include a limited missile strike directly from Iranian soil to Israel, Lister said. That would reciprocate for Israel's strike on what under international law was sovereign Iranian soil, at the Iranian diplomatic building in Damascus.A concentrated attack on a U.S. position abroad on the scale of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-marines-bombing-beirut-1983-hezbollah-israel-hamas-iran-34f61ac47909c52de800dd35b375e782">1983 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Beirut</a>&nbsp;is possible, but seems unlikely given the scale of U.S. retaliation that would draw, analysts say. Iran also could escalate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-sanctions-treasury-terrorism-bolton-soleimani-rushdie-a3b96b9008b0f4d64c8279717d1f4dea">an existing effort to kill Trump-era officials</a>&nbsp;behind the United States' 2020 drone killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.How far any other retaliation and potential escalation goes may depend on two things out of U.S. control: Whether Iran wants to keep regional hostilities at their current level or escalate, and whether Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's far-right government does.Sina Toossi, a fellow at the Center for International Policy, said analysts in Iran are among those trying to read Netanyahu's mind since the attack, struggling to choose between two competing narratives for Israel's objective.“One perceives Israel’s actions as a deliberate provocation of war that Iran should respond to with restraint,” Toossi wrote in the U.S.-based think tank's journal. “The other suggests that Israel is capitalizing on Iran’s typically restrained responses,” and that failing to respond in kind will only embolden Israel.Ultimately, Iran’s sense that it is already winning its strategic goals as the Hamas-Israel war continues — elevating the Palestinian cause and costing Israel friends globally — may go the furthest in persuading Iranian leaders not to risk open warfare with Israel or U.S. in whatever response they make to Monday’s airstrike, some analysts and diplomats say.Shira Efron, a director of policy research at the U.S.-based Israel Policy Forum, rejected suggestions that Netanyahu was actively trying with attacks like the one in Damascus to draw the U.S. into a potentially decisive conflict alongside Israel against their common rivals, at least for now.“First, the risk of escalation has increased. No doubt,” Efron said.“I don't think Netanyahu is interested in full-blown war though,” she said. “And whereas in the past Israel was thought to be interested in drawing the U.S. into a greater conflict, even if the desire still exists in some circles, it is not more than wishful thinking at the moment.”U.S. President Joe Biden is facing pressure from the other direction.So far he's resisting calls from growing numbers of Democratic lawmakers and voters to limit the flow of American arms to Israel as a way to press Netanyahu to ease Israeli military killing of civilians in Gaza and to heed other U.S. appeals.As criticism has grown of U.S. military support of Israel’s war in Gaza, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller has increasingly pointed to Israel’s longer-term need for weapons — to defend itself against Iran and Iranian-allied Hezbollah in Lebanon.The U.S. is ″always concerned about anything that would be escalatory,” Miller said after the attack in Damascus. “It has been one of the goals of this administration since October 7th to keep the conflict from spreading, recognizing that Israel has the right to defend itself from adversaries that are sworn to its destruction.''Israel for years has hit at Iranian proxies and their sites in the region, knocking back their ability to build strength and cause trouble for Israelis.Since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, one of a network of Iran-aligned militias in the region, that shattered Israel’s sense of security, Netanyahu’s government has increasingly added Iranian security operatives and leaders to target lists in the region, Lister notes.The U.S. military already has deepened engagement from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea since the Hamas-Israel war opened — deploying aircraft carriers to the region to discourage rear-guard attacks against Israel, opening airstrikes to quell attacks on shipping by Iran-allied Houthis in Yemen.It is also moving to build a pier off Gaza to try to get more aid to Palestinian civilians despite obstacles that include Israel’s restrictions and attacks on aid deliveries.