BAGHDAD (AP) — A U.S. airstrike on the headquarters of an Iran-backed militia in central Baghdad on Thursday killed a high-ranking militia commander, militia officials said.

Thursday’s strike comes amid mounting regional tensions fueled by the Israel-Hamas war and fears that it could spill over into surrounding countries. It also coincides with a push by Iraqi officials for US-led coalition forces to leave the country.

The Popular Mobilization Force, or PMF, a coalition of militias that is nominally under the control of the Iraqi military, announced in a statement that its deputy head of operations in Baghdad, Mushtaq Taleb al-Saidi, or “Abu Taqwa,” had been killed “as a result of brutal American aggression.”

A U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide information that has not yet been publicly released confirmed that U.S. forces conducted a strike on a vehicle in Baghdad on Monday against the group Harakat al-Nujaba. The group, one of the militias within PMF, was designated a terrorist organization by Washington in 2019.

Iraqi military spokesman Yehia Rasool said in a statement that the Iraqi army blames the U.S.-led International Coalition Forces for the “unprovoked attack on an Iraqi security body operating in accordance with the powers granted to it by” the Iraqi military.

The primary mission of the U.S.-led coalition is to fight the Islamic State, the Sunni extremist militant group that continues to carry out periodic attacks in Iraq despite having lost its hold on the territory it once controlled in 2017. Since then, the coalition has transitioned from a combat role to an advisory and training mission.

The PMF, a group of Iranian-backed, primarily Shiite militias, were also key in the fight against Islamic State after it overran much of Iraq in 2014. The PMF is officially under the command of the Iraqi army, but in practice the militias operate independently.

Thursday’s strike killed two people and wounded five, according to two militia officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

One of the officials said al-Saidi was driving into the garage of the headquarters affiliated with the Harakat al-Nujaba militia, along with another militia official, when the car was hit, killing both.

Heavy security was deployed around the location of the strike on Baghdad’s Palestine Street, and Iraqi war planes could be seen flying overhead. An Associated Press photographer was eventually allowed access to the scene of the strike, where he saw the remains of the charred car.

Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, a group of Iranian-backed militias calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has carried out more than 100 attacks on bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria.

The group has said the attacks are in retaliation for Washington’s support of Israel in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war" target="_blank">war against Hamas</a>&nbsp;that has killed more than 20,000 people in Gaza, and that they aim to push U.S. forces out of Iraq.

Thursday’s strike is likely to increase calls for a U.S. departure.

Last week, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani — who came to power with the backing of Iran-linked political factions but has also attempted to maintain good relations with the U.S. — said that his government is “is proceeding to end the presence of the international coalition forces.”

The strike also comes two days after a suspected&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-03-2024-fc2394531bef8238e86879dd98ea435b" target="_blank">Israeli drone strike</a>&nbsp;in the suburbs of Beirut killed Hamas deputy leader Saleh Arouri.

Asked whether Israel had involvement in Thursday’s strike in Baghdad, an Israeli military spokesperson declined to comment.

BAGHDAD (AP) — A U.S. airstrike on the headquarters of an Iran-backed militia in central Baghdad on Thursday killed a high-ranking militia commander, militia officials said.Thursday’s strike comes amid mounting regional tensions fueled by the Israel-Hamas war and fears that it could spill over into surrounding countries. It also coincides with a push by Iraqi officials for US-led coalition forces to leave the country.The Popular Mobilization Force, or PMF, a coalition of militias that is nominally under the control of the Iraqi military, announced in a statement that its deputy head of operations in Baghdad, Mushtaq Taleb al-Saidi, or “Abu Taqwa,” had been killed “as a result of brutal American aggression.”A U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide information that has not yet been publicly released confirmed that U.S. forces conducted a strike on a vehicle in Baghdad on Monday against the group Harakat al-Nujaba. The group, one of the militias within PMF, was designated a terrorist organization by Washington in 2019.Iraqi military spokesman Yehia Rasool said in a statement that the Iraqi army blames the U.S.-led International Coalition Forces for the “unprovoked attack on an Iraqi security body operating in accordance with the powers granted to it by” the Iraqi military.The primary mission of the U.S.-led coalition is to fight the Islamic State, the Sunni extremist militant group that continues to carry out periodic attacks in Iraq despite having lost its hold on the territory it once controlled in 2017. Since then, the coalition has transitioned from a combat role to an advisory and training mission.The PMF, a group of Iranian-backed, primarily Shiite militias, were also key in the fight against Islamic State after it overran much of Iraq in 2014. The PMF is officially under the command of the Iraqi army, but in practice the militias operate independently.Thursday’s strike killed two people and wounded five, according to two militia officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.One of the officials said al-Saidi was driving into the garage of the headquarters affiliated with the Harakat al-Nujaba militia, along with another militia official, when the car was hit, killing both.Heavy security was deployed around the location of the strike on Baghdad’s Palestine Street, and Iraqi war planes could be seen flying overhead. An Associated Press photographer was eventually allowed access to the scene of the strike, where he saw the remains of the charred car.Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, a group of Iranian-backed militias calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has carried out more than 100 attacks on bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria.The group has said the attacks are in retaliation for Washington’s support of Israel in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war" target="_blank">war against Hamas</a>&nbsp;that has killed more than 20,000 people in Gaza, and that they aim to push U.S. forces out of Iraq.Thursday’s strike is likely to increase calls for a U.S. departure.Last week, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani — who came to power with the backing of Iran-linked political factions but has also attempted to maintain good relations with the U.S. — said that his government is “is proceeding to end the presence of the international coalition forces.”The strike also comes two days after a suspected&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-03-2024-fc2394531bef8238e86879dd98ea435b" target="_blank">Israeli drone strike</a>&nbsp;in the suburbs of Beirut killed Hamas deputy leader Saleh Arouri.Asked whether Israel had involvement in Thursday’s strike in Baghdad, an Israeli military spokesperson declined to comment.————

U.S. airstrike kills militia leader blamed for Iraq attacks 

PERRY, Iowa (AP) — Police in Perry, Iowa, say multiple people were shot at the city's high school Thursday, early on students' first day back in classes after their annual winter break.

Two gunshot victims were taken by ambulance to Iowa Methodist Medical Center in the state capital of Des Moines, about 40 miles&nbsp; southeast of Perry, a community of about 8,000 people. Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante said the shooting occurred before school was set to start, so there were few students and faculty in Perry High School.

The suspect in the shooting has died of what investigators believe is a self-inflicted gunshot wound, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity.

The shooting occurred in the backdrop of the Iowa caucuses and not far from where Republican presidential candidates were campaigning.

An active shooter was reported at 7:37 a.m. Thursday morning and officers arrived seven minutes later, Infante said. He added during a news conference that officers located multiple people with injuries, but couldn't confirm how many there were or their conditions. A spokeperson for UnityPoint Health, which operates the Des Moines hospital, confirmed the two gunshot victims arriving there.

An enormous number of emergency vehicles surrounded the building that houses both the town's middle school and high school.

Zander Shelley, 15, was in a hallway waiting for the school day to start when he heard gunshots and dashed into a classroom, according to his father, Kevin Shelley. Zander was grazed twice and hid in the classroom before texting his father at 7:36 a.m.

Kevin Shelley, who drives a garbage truck, told his boss he had to run. “It was the most scared I’ve been in my entire life,” he said.

Rachael Kares, an 18-year-old senior, was wrapping up jazz band practice when she and her bandmates heard what she described as four gunshots, spaced apart.

“We all just jumped,” Kares said. “My band teacher looked at us and yelled, ‘Run!’ So we ran.”

Kares and many others from the school ran out past the football field, as she heard people yelling, “Get out! Get out!” She said she heard additional shots as she ran, but didn’t know how many. She was more concerned about getting home to her 3-year-old son.

“At that moment I didn’t care about anything except getting out because I had to get home with my son,” she said.

FBI agents from the Omaha-Des Moines office were on scene to help with the investigation led by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

“There are a bunch of speculative numbers floating around,” said Dirk Cavanaugh, Perry’s mayor. “We have no confirmed numbers of who was involved yet.”

Erica Jolliff said that her daughter, a ninth grader, reported getting rushed from the school grounds at 7:45 am. Distraught, Jolliff was still looking for her son Amir, a sixth grader, one hour later.

“I just want to know that he’s safe and OK,” Jolliff said. “They won’t tell me nothing.”

Jasmine Augustine, 18, was at the high school shortly after everything happened Thursday morning. She said she was dropping off a friend at the high school and his brother, who goes to the town's elementary school about a mile (1.61 kilometers) away.

“I was at Casey’s convenience store and saw one car speed by. I thought it was just someone getting pulled over," she said.

Augustine said that when she pulled in at the high school, someone told her there was an active shooter “and then we hurried up and left.”

“After that, there’s just tons and tons and tons of cops who came,” said Augustine, whose sister attends the high school but wasn’t near what happened. Jasmine and her dad picked up her sister from the armory afterward.

The high school is part of the 1,785-student Perry Community School District. The town of Perry is more diverse than Iowa as a whole, with census figures showing that 31% of the residents are Hispanic, compared to less than 7% for the state. Those figures also show that nearly 19% of the town's residents were born outside the U.S.

The shooting occurred in the backdrop of the Iowa caucuses and not far from where Republican candidates were campaigning.

Phone messages left with the Perry School Board’s president and vice president, and an email message left with Superintendent Clark Wicks, were not immediately returned

PERRY, Iowa (AP) — Police in Perry, Iowa, say multiple people were injured in a shooting at the city's high school, on students' first day back in classes after their annual winter break.

An active shooter was reported at Perry High School at 7:37 a.m. Thursday morning and officers arrived seven minutes later, according to Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante. Infante said officers located multiple people with injuries, but couldn't confirm how many there were or their conditions.

Rachael Kares, an 18-year-old senior, was wrapping up jazz band practice at 8:37 a.m. — she had just looked at her watch — when she and her bandmates heard what she described as four gunshots, spaced apart.

The high school is part of the 1,785-student Perry Community School District. Perry, with about 8,000 residents, is about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northwest of the state capital of Des Moines.

Phone messages left with the Perry School Board’s president and vice president, and an email message left with Superintendent Clark Wicks, were not immediately returned.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704382094941.png" alt="First responders at the scene early Thursday photo courtesy KCCI TV" />
 <figcaption>First responders at the scene early Thursday photo courtesy KCCI TV</figcaption>
 </figure>PERRY, Iowa (AP) — Police in Perry, Iowa, say multiple people were shot at the city's high school Thursday, early on students' first day back in classes after their annual winter break.Two gunshot victims were taken by ambulance to Iowa Methodist Medical Center in the state capital of Des Moines, about 40 miles&nbsp; southeast of Perry, a community of about 8,000 people. Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante said the shooting occurred before school was set to start, so there were few students and faculty in Perry High School.The suspect in the shooting has died of what investigators believe is a self-inflicted gunshot wound, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity.The shooting occurred in the backdrop of the Iowa caucuses and not far from where Republican presidential candidates were campaigning.An active shooter was reported at 7:37 a.m. Thursday morning and officers arrived seven minutes later, Infante said. He added during a news conference that officers located multiple people with injuries, but couldn't confirm how many there were or their conditions. A spokeperson for UnityPoint Health, which operates the Des Moines hospital, confirmed the two gunshot victims arriving there.An enormous number of emergency vehicles surrounded the building that houses both the town's middle school and high school.Zander Shelley, 15, was in a hallway waiting for the school day to start when he heard gunshots and dashed into a classroom, according to his father, Kevin Shelley. Zander was grazed twice and hid in the classroom before texting his father at 7:36 a.m.Kevin Shelley, who drives a garbage truck, told his boss he had to run. “It was the most scared I’ve been in my entire life,” he said.Rachael Kares, an 18-year-old senior, was wrapping up jazz band practice when she and her bandmates heard what she described as four gunshots, spaced apart.“We all just jumped,” Kares said. “My band teacher looked at us and yelled, ‘Run!’ So we ran.”Kares and many others from the school ran out past the football field, as she heard people yelling, “Get out! Get out!” She said she heard additional shots as she ran, but didn’t know how many. She was more concerned about getting home to her 3-year-old son.“At that moment I didn’t care about anything except getting out because I had to get home with my son,” she said.FBI agents from the Omaha-Des Moines office were on scene to help with the investigation led by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.“There are a bunch of speculative numbers floating around,” said Dirk Cavanaugh, Perry’s mayor. “We have no confirmed numbers of who was involved yet.”Erica Jolliff said that her daughter, a ninth grader, reported getting rushed from the school grounds at 7:45 am. Distraught, Jolliff was still looking for her son Amir, a sixth grader, one hour later.“I just want to know that he’s safe and OK,” Jolliff said. “They won’t tell me nothing.”Jasmine Augustine, 18, was at the high school shortly after everything happened Thursday morning. She said she was dropping off a friend at the high school and his brother, who goes to the town's elementary school about a mile (1.61 kilometers) away.“I was at Casey’s convenience store and saw one car speed by. I thought it was just someone getting pulled over," she said.Augustine said that when she pulled in at the high school, someone told her there was an active shooter “and then we hurried up and left.”“After that, there’s just tons and tons and tons of cops who came,” said Augustine, whose sister attends the high school but wasn’t near what happened. Jasmine and her dad picked up her sister from the armory afterward.The high school is part of the 1,785-student Perry Community School District. The town of Perry is more diverse than Iowa as a whole, with census figures showing that 31% of the residents are Hispanic, compared to less than 7% for the state. Those figures also show that nearly 19% of the town's residents were born outside the U.S.The shooting occurred in the backdrop of the Iowa caucuses and not far from where Republican candidates were campaigning.Phone messages left with the Perry School Board’s president and vice president, and an email message left with Superintendent Clark Wicks, were not immediately returned-----------------------PERRY, Iowa (AP) — Police in Perry, Iowa, say multiple people were injured in a shooting at the city's high school, on students' first day back in classes after their annual winter break.An active shooter was reported at Perry High School at 7:37 a.m. Thursday morning and officers arrived seven minutes later, according to Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante. Infante said officers located multiple people with injuries, but couldn't confirm how many there were or their conditions.An enormous number of emergency vehicles surrounded the building that houses both the town's middle school and high school.Zander Shelley, 15, was in a hallway waiting for the school day to start when he heard gunshots and dashed into a classroom, according to his father, Kevin Shelley. Zander was grazed twice and hid in the classroom before texting his father at 7:36 a.m.Kevin Shelley, who drives a garbage truck, told his boss he had to run. “It was the most scared I’ve been in my entire life,” he said.Rachael Kares, an 18-year-old senior, was wrapping up jazz band practice at 8:37 a.m. — she had just looked at her watch — when she and her bandmates heard what she described as four gunshots, spaced apart.“We all just jumped,” Kares said. “My band teacher looked at us and yelled, ‘Run!’ So we ran.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">All DMACC Campuses and Centers - Perry Center closed today Thu Jan 4, 2024 DMACC is aware of an active violence situation that occurred at Perry High School this morning. The DMACC Perry Center is closed and classes are cancelled for today. Reports are that all DMACC personnel <a href="https://t.co/Kl6tcbTorY">pic.twitter.com/Kl6tcbTorY</a>&mdash; DMACC (@DMACC_Bears) <a href="https://twitter.com/DMACC_Bears/status/1742918910947504470?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Kares and many others from the school ran out past the football field, as she heard people yelling, “Get out! Get out!” She said she heard additional shots as she ran, but didn’t know how many. She was more concerned about getting home to her 3-year-old son.“At that moment I didn’t care about anything except getting out because I had to get home with my son,” she said.FBI agents from the Omaha-Des Moines office were on scene to help with the investigation led by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.“There are a bunch of speculative numbers floating around,” said Dirk Cavanaugh, Perry’s mayor. “We have no confirmed numbers of who was involved yet.”Erica Jolliff said that her daughter, a ninth grader, reported getting rushed from the school grounds at 7:45 am. Distraught, Jolliff was still looking for her son Amir, a sixth grader, one hour later.“I just want to know that he’s safe and OK,” Jolliff said. “They won’t tell me nothing.”Jasmine Augustine, 18, was at the high school shortly after everything happened Thursday morning. She said she was dropping off a friend at the high school and his brother, who goes to the town's elementary school about a mile (1.61 kilometers) away.“I was at Casey’s convenience store and saw one car speed by. I thought it was just someone getting pulled over," she said.Augustine said that when she pulled in at the high school, someone told her there was an active shooter “and then we hurried up and left.”“After that, there’s just tons and tons and tons of cops who came,” said Augustine, whose sister attends the high school but wasn’t near what happened. Jasmine and her dad picked up her sister from the armory afterward.The high school is part of the 1,785-student Perry Community School District. Perry, with about 8,000 residents, is about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northwest of the state capital of Des Moines.The shooting occurred in the backdrop of the Iowa caucuses and not far from where Republican candidates were campaigning.Phone messages left with the Perry School Board’s president and vice president, and an email message left with Superintendent Clark Wicks, were not immediately returned.

Officials: Suspect in shooting at high school in Iowa is dead

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a suspicious death have made an arrest.

Just before 6p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a welfare check in the 600 Block of SW 14th Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.

Upon arrival, the Officers located an individual who was found deceased. On Wednesday, police reported they were&nbsp; investigating this death as a homicide and investigators believe the incident occurred sometime on December 28. 

Police identified a suspect and arrested 22-year-old as Daniel V. Hesler of Topeka and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges: 1st Degree Murder and robbery, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704317558256.png" alt="Hesler photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Hesler photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a suspicious death have made an arrest.Just before 6p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a welfare check in the 600 Block of SW 14th Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.Upon arrival, the Officers located an individual who was found deceased. On Wednesday, police reported they were&nbsp; investigating this death as a homicide and investigators believe the incident occurred sometime on December 28. Police identified a suspect and arrested 22-year-old as Daniel V. Hesler of Topeka and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges: 1st Degree Murder and robbery, according to online jail records.

Suspect accused in Dec. 28 murder at Kansas home

MEADE COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), with assistance from the Iola Police Department, the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP), and the Drug Enforcement Administration arrested two suspects who possessed two pounds of methamphetamine and approximately 2,500 pills presumed to contain fentanyl, according to a media release from the KBI.

In September 2023, information was developed by the Iola Police Department about methamphetamine being distributed in southeast Kansas by subjects in Wichita. The Iola Police Department and the KBI began investigating.

On Wednesday, Jan. 3, KBI agents located the subjects they believed were involved. KHP troopers initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle occupied by the suspects. The traffic stop took place on U.S. Highway 54 in Meade County, Kansas. The fentanyl pills and methamphetamine were located soon after.

On Jan. 3, at approximately 8 a.m., Jeffrey A. Filley, 47, of Wichita and Theresa R. West, 32, of Wichita, were arrested on requested charges that incloude distribution of methamphetamine, distribution of fentanyl, possession of drug paraphernalia, distribution or possession of a controlled substance using a communication facility, and conspiracy. West was also booked for driving while suspended and for committing several traffic violations.

The suspects were booked into the Meade County Jail.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704332315677.png" alt="Filley-photo Meade Co." />
 <figcaption>Filley-photo Meade Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>MEADE COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), with assistance from the Iola Police Department, the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP), and the Drug Enforcement Administration arrested two suspects who possessed two pounds of methamphetamine and approximately 2,500 pills presumed to contain fentanyl, according to a media release from the KBI.In September 2023, information was developed by the Iola Police Department about methamphetamine being distributed in southeast Kansas by subjects in Wichita. The Iola Police Department and the KBI began investigating.On Wednesday, Jan. 3, KBI agents located the subjects they believed were involved. KHP troopers initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle occupied by the suspects. The traffic stop took place on U.S. Highway 54 in Meade County, Kansas. The fentanyl pills and methamphetamine were located soon after.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704332247132.png" alt="West-photo Meade County" />
 <figcaption>West-photo Meade County</figcaption>
 </figure>On Jan. 3, at approximately 8 a.m., Jeffrey A. Filley, 47, of Wichita and Theresa R. West, 32, of Wichita, were arrested on requested charges that incloude distribution of methamphetamine, distribution of fentanyl, possession of drug paraphernalia, distribution or possession of a controlled substance using a communication facility, and conspiracy. West was also booked for driving while suspended and for committing several traffic violations.The suspects were booked into the Meade County Jail.&nbsp;

Kansas couple accused of selling fentanyl and meth

THOMAS COUNTY, Kan. —One person died in an accident just before 2p.m. Wednesday in Thomas County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1992 Ford LNB driven by Yancy J. Sowers, 45, Oberlin, was northbound on U.S highway 83 at the Interstate 70 Junction. 

A 2024 Peterbilt semi driven by John W. Adier, 48, West Plains, Missouri&nbsp;was exiting westbound Interstate 70.

Adier failed to yield to traffic on U.S. Highway 83 and pulled out in front of the Ford.&nbsp; The Ford struck the Peterbilt's cattle trailer.

Sowers was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Baalman Mortuary in Colby.&nbsp;Adier was not injured. The KHP had incomplete seat belt usage information.

THOMAS COUNTY, Kan. —One person died in an accident just before 2p.m. Wednesday in Thomas County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1992 Ford LNB driven by Yancy J. Sowers, 45, Oberlin, was northbound on U.S highway 83 at the Interstate 70 Junction. A 2024 Peterbilt semi driven by John W. Adier, 48, West Plains, Missouri&nbsp;was exiting westbound Interstate 70.Adier failed to yield to traffic on U.S. Highway 83 and pulled out in front of the Ford.&nbsp; The Ford struck the Peterbilt's cattle trailer.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704365886893.png" alt="Image courtesy Trooper Tod Heilman KHP" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Trooper Tod Heilman KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>Sowers was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Baalman Mortuary in Colby.&nbsp;Adier was not injured. The KHP had incomplete seat belt usage information.

Man dies after crash with semi driven by Missouri man

NEW YORK (AP) — Amid great hype, a court began to release a new batch of previously secret court documents late Wednesday related to Jeffrey Epstein, the jet-setting financier who killed himself in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.

<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24253239-1324-epstein-documents-943-pages">Click here to read</a> the documents (caution: adult content)

Social media has been rife in recent weeks with posts speculating that the documents would include a list of rich and powerful men who were Epstein’s “clients” or “co-conspirators.”

There was no such list. The initial collection of around 40 documents made public largely contained material that had been released previously, or exhaustively been covered in nearly two decades’ worth of newspaper stories, TV documentaries, interviews, books about the Epstein scandal.

Still, the records — which included transcripts of interviews with some of Epstein’s victims — included reminders that Epstein surrounded himself with famous and powerful figures, including a few who have also been accused of misconduct.

They included mentions of Epstein’s past friendship with Bill Clinton — who is not accused of any wrongdoing — and of Britain’s Prince Andrew, who previously settled a lawsuit accusing him of having sex with a 17-year-old girl who traveled with Epstein.

The documents being unsealed are related to a lawsuit filed in 2015 by one of Epstein’s victims,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-entertainment-lifestyle-virginia-prince-andrew-60348f70fd605c26c26615ffc5ed5f14">Virginia Giuffre</a>. She is one of the dozens of women who sued Epstein saying he had abused them at his homes in Florida, New York, the U.S. Virgin Islands and New Mexico. This particular suit was against Epstein’s former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 of helping recruit Epstein’s victims and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-jeffrey-epstein-sentencing-aeac127f9cc3811d975ce8e10d171260">serving a 20-year prison term</a>.

Epstein, a millionaire known for associating with celebrities, politicians, billionaires and academic stars, killed himself in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on a sex trafficking charge.

Giuffre’s lawsuit against Maxwell was settled in 2017, but the court had kept some court documents blacked-out or sealed because of concerns about the privacy rights of Epstein’s victims and other people whose names had come up during the legal battle.

Only around 40 of those documents were made public Wednesday. More will be released in the coming days.

The records included the depositions of several of Epstein's victims, many of whom have told their stories publicly previously.

Giuffre said the summer she turned 17, she was lured away from a job as a spa attendant at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club to become a “masseuse” for Epstein — a job that involved performing sexual acts.

She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prince-andrew-virginia-giuffre-lawsuit-settlement-8b04c775aa46f761d81c05ef12e3a94f">settled a lawsuit against Prince Andrew</a>&nbsp;in 2022 in which she claimed he had sexually abused her during a trip to London. That same year, Giuffre withdrew an accusation she had made against Epstein’s former attorney, the law professor Alan Dershowitz, saying she “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-new-york-lawsuits-prince-andrew-jeffrey-epstein-2a7202e552c38ed03c5fe39d6a29721b">may have made a mistake</a>” in identifying him as an abuser.

The <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24253239-1324-epstein-documents-943-pages">records released Wednesday</a> included many references to Jean-Luc Brunel, a French modeling agent close to Epstein who was awaiting trial on charges that he raped underage girls when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-arts-and-entertainment-paris-jeffrey-epstein-edfbdb84c6cdd5f736ac7e1c2bac657b">killed himself in a Paris jail</a>&nbsp;in 2022. Giuffre was among the women who had accused Brunel of sexual abuse.

Clinton's name came up because Guiffre was questioned by Maxwell’s lawyers about inaccuracies in newspaper stories about her time with Epstein, including a story quoting her as saying she had ridden in a helicopter with Clinton and flirted with Donald Trump. Giuffre said neither of those things actually happened.

The judge said a handful of names should remain blacked out in the documents because they would identify people who were sexually abused. The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they decide to tell their stories publicly, as Giuffre has done.

Even before the documents were released, misinformation about what was in them abounded.&nbsp;

The judge hasn’t set a target for when all of the documents should be made public, but more documents are expected to come in the next few days.

Here’s what we know about the documents:

A millionaire known for associating with celebrities, politicians, billionaires and academic stars, Epstein was initially arrested in Palm Beach, Florida, in 2005 after he was accused of paying a 14-year-old girl for sex.

Dozens of other underage girls described similar sexual abuse, but prosecutors ultimately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-florida-e2a4431f7319afd037023d9a586aa291">allowed the financier to plead guilty</a>&nbsp;in 2008 to a charge involving a single victim. He served 13 months in a jail work-release program.

Some famous acquaintances abandoned Epstein after his conviction, including former presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, but many did not. Epstein continued to mingle with the rich and famous for another decade, often through philanthropic work.

Reporting by the Miami Herald renewed interest in the scandal, and federal prosecutors in New York charged Epstein in 2019 with sex trafficking. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-suicide-department-of-justice-investigation-50c229b7953096f0301bfa1e7f0b7703">killed himself in jail</a>&nbsp;while awaiting trial.

The U.S. attorney in Manhattan then prosecuted Epstein’s former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, for helping recruit his underage victims. She was convicted in 2021 and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-jeffrey-epstein-sentencing-aeac127f9cc3811d975ce8e10d171260">serving a 20-year prison term</a>.

The documents being unsealed are part of a lawsuit filed against Maxwell in 2015 by one of Epstein’s victims,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-entertainment-lifestyle-virginia-prince-andrew-60348f70fd605c26c26615ffc5ed5f14">Virginia Giuffre</a>. She is one of the dozens of women who sued Epstein saying he had abused them at his homes in Florida, New York, the U.S. Virgin Islands and New Mexico.

Giuffre also claimed she was pressured into having sex with men in Epstein's social orbit, most famously with Britain's Prince Andrew. All of those men said her accounts were fabricated. She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prince-andrew-virginia-giuffre-lawsuit-settlement-8b04c775aa46f761d81c05ef12e3a94f">settled a lawsuit against Prince Andrew</a>&nbsp;in 2022. That same year, Giuffre withdrew an accusation she had made against Epstein's former attorney, the law professor Alan Dershowitz, saying she “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-new-york-lawsuits-prince-andrew-jeffrey-epstein-2a7202e552c38ed03c5fe39d6a29721b">may have made a mistake</a>&nbsp;” in identifying him as an abuser.

Giuffre’s lawsuit against Maxwell was settled in 2017, but the Miami Herald went to court to access court papers initially filed under seal, including transcripts of interviews the lawyers did with potential witnesses.

About 2,000 pages were unsealed by a court in 2019. Additional documents were released in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

This next batch of around 250 records had sections that were blacked out or were sealed entirely because of concerns about the privacy rights of Epstein’s victims and other people whose names had come up during the legal battle but weren’t complicit in his crimes.

U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska, who evaluated the documents to decide what should be unsealed, said in her December order that she was ordering the records released because much of the information within them is already public.

Some records have been released, either in part or in full, in other court cases. Much of the rest involve topics and people who have been exhaustively covered in nearly two decades' worth of newspaper stories, TV documentaries, interviews, books and testimony at Maxwell’s criminal trial.

The people named in the records include many of Epstein's accusers, members of his staff who told their stories to tabloid newspapers, people who served as witnesses at Maxwell's trial, people who were mentioned in passing during depositions but aren't accused of anything salacious, and people who investigated Epstein, including prosecutors, a journalist and a detective.

There are also boldface names of public figures known to have associated with Epstein over the years, but whose relationships with him have already been well documented elsewhere, the judge said.

One of them is Jean-Luc Brunel, a French modeling agent close to Epstein who was awaiting trial on charges that he raped underage girls when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-arts-and-entertainment-paris-jeffrey-epstein-edfbdb84c6cdd5f736ac7e1c2bac657b">killed himself in a Paris jail</a>&nbsp;in 2022. Giuffre was among the women who had accused Brunel of sexual abuse.

Clinton and Trump both factor in the court file, partly because Giuffre was questioned by Maxwell's lawyers about inaccuracies in newspaper stories about her time with Epstein. One story quoted her as saying she had ridden in a helicopter with Clinton and flirted with Trump. Giuffre said neither of those things actually happened. She hasn't accused either former president of wrongdoing.

On Dec. 18, the judge gave the people whose names appear in the records 14 days to appeal, then directed the lawyers to confer, prepare the documents for unsealing and post them on the docket.

Two people whose name appears in the records have been given additional time to make arguments to the court as to why their names should stay redacted.

A small batch of documents was made available publicly on Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704330351229.png" alt="Jeffrey Epstein New York Sex Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Jeffrey Epstein New York Sex Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Amid great hype, a court began to release a new batch of previously secret court documents late Wednesday related to Jeffrey Epstein, the jet-setting financier who killed himself in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24253239-1324-epstein-documents-943-pages">Click here to read</a> the documents (caution: adult content)Social media has been rife in recent weeks with posts speculating that the documents would include a list of rich and powerful men who were Epstein’s “clients” or “co-conspirators.”There was no such list. The initial collection of around 40 documents made public largely contained material that had been released previously, or exhaustively been covered in nearly two decades’ worth of newspaper stories, TV documentaries, interviews, books about the Epstein scandal.Still, the records — which included transcripts of interviews with some of Epstein’s victims — included reminders that Epstein surrounded himself with famous and powerful figures, including a few who have also been accused of misconduct.They included mentions of Epstein’s past friendship with Bill Clinton — who is not accused of any wrongdoing — and of Britain’s Prince Andrew, who previously settled a lawsuit accusing him of having sex with a 17-year-old girl who traveled with Epstein.The documents being unsealed are related to a lawsuit filed in 2015 by one of Epstein’s victims,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-entertainment-lifestyle-virginia-prince-andrew-60348f70fd605c26c26615ffc5ed5f14">Virginia Giuffre</a>. She is one of the dozens of women who sued Epstein saying he had abused them at his homes in Florida, New York, the U.S. Virgin Islands and New Mexico. This particular suit was against Epstein’s former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 of helping recruit Epstein’s victims and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-jeffrey-epstein-sentencing-aeac127f9cc3811d975ce8e10d171260">serving a 20-year prison term</a>.Epstein, a millionaire known for associating with celebrities, politicians, billionaires and academic stars, killed himself in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on a sex trafficking charge.Giuffre’s lawsuit against Maxwell was settled in 2017, but the court had kept some court documents blacked-out or sealed because of concerns about the privacy rights of Epstein’s victims and other people whose names had come up during the legal battle.Only around 40 of those documents were made public Wednesday. More will be released in the coming days.The records included the depositions of several of Epstein's victims, many of whom have told their stories publicly previously.Giuffre said the summer she turned 17, she was lured away from a job as a spa attendant at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club to become a “masseuse” for Epstein — a job that involved performing sexual acts.She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prince-andrew-virginia-giuffre-lawsuit-settlement-8b04c775aa46f761d81c05ef12e3a94f">settled a lawsuit against Prince Andrew</a>&nbsp;in 2022 in which she claimed he had sexually abused her during a trip to London. That same year, Giuffre withdrew an accusation she had made against Epstein’s former attorney, the law professor Alan Dershowitz, saying she “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-new-york-lawsuits-prince-andrew-jeffrey-epstein-2a7202e552c38ed03c5fe39d6a29721b">may have made a mistake</a>” in identifying him as an abuser.The <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24253239-1324-epstein-documents-943-pages">records released Wednesday</a> included many references to Jean-Luc Brunel, a French modeling agent close to Epstein who was awaiting trial on charges that he raped underage girls when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-arts-and-entertainment-paris-jeffrey-epstein-edfbdb84c6cdd5f736ac7e1c2bac657b">killed himself in a Paris jail</a>&nbsp;in 2022. Giuffre was among the women who had accused Brunel of sexual abuse.Clinton's name came up because Guiffre was questioned by Maxwell’s lawyers about inaccuracies in newspaper stories about her time with Epstein, including a story quoting her as saying she had ridden in a helicopter with Clinton and flirted with Donald Trump. Giuffre said neither of those things actually happened.The judge said a handful of names should remain blacked out in the documents because they would identify people who were sexually abused. The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they decide to tell their stories publicly, as Giuffre has done.Even before the documents were released, misinformation about what was in them abounded.&nbsp;The judge hasn’t set a target for when all of the documents should be made public, but more documents are expected to come in the next few days.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704331774729.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Here’s what we know about the documents:WHO IS JEFFREY EPSTEIN?A millionaire known for associating with celebrities, politicians, billionaires and academic stars, Epstein was initially arrested in Palm Beach, Florida, in 2005 after he was accused of paying a 14-year-old girl for sex.Dozens of other underage girls described similar sexual abuse, but prosecutors ultimately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-florida-e2a4431f7319afd037023d9a586aa291">allowed the financier to plead guilty</a>&nbsp;in 2008 to a charge involving a single victim. He served 13 months in a jail work-release program.Some famous acquaintances abandoned Epstein after his conviction, including former presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, but many did not. Epstein continued to mingle with the rich and famous for another decade, often through philanthropic work.Reporting by the Miami Herald renewed interest in the scandal, and federal prosecutors in New York charged Epstein in 2019 with sex trafficking. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-suicide-department-of-justice-investigation-50c229b7953096f0301bfa1e7f0b7703">killed himself in jail</a>&nbsp;while awaiting trial.The U.S. attorney in Manhattan then prosecuted Epstein’s former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, for helping recruit his underage victims. She was convicted in 2021 and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-jeffrey-epstein-sentencing-aeac127f9cc3811d975ce8e10d171260">serving a 20-year prison term</a>.WHAT ARE THESE RECORDS ABOUT?The documents being unsealed are part of a lawsuit filed against Maxwell in 2015 by one of Epstein’s victims,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-entertainment-lifestyle-virginia-prince-andrew-60348f70fd605c26c26615ffc5ed5f14">Virginia Giuffre</a>. She is one of the dozens of women who sued Epstein saying he had abused them at his homes in Florida, New York, the U.S. Virgin Islands and New Mexico.Giuffre said the summer she turned 17, she was lured away from a job as a spa attendant at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club to become a “masseuse” for Epstein — a job that involved performing sexual acts.Giuffre also claimed she was pressured into having sex with men in Epstein's social orbit, most famously with Britain's Prince Andrew. All of those men said her accounts were fabricated. She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prince-andrew-virginia-giuffre-lawsuit-settlement-8b04c775aa46f761d81c05ef12e3a94f">settled a lawsuit against Prince Andrew</a>&nbsp;in 2022. That same year, Giuffre withdrew an accusation she had made against Epstein's former attorney, the law professor Alan Dershowitz, saying she “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-new-york-lawsuits-prince-andrew-jeffrey-epstein-2a7202e552c38ed03c5fe39d6a29721b">may have made a mistake</a>&nbsp;” in identifying him as an abuser.Giuffre’s lawsuit against Maxwell was settled in 2017, but the Miami Herald went to court to access court papers initially filed under seal, including transcripts of interviews the lawyers did with potential witnesses.About 2,000 pages were unsealed by a court in 2019. Additional documents were released in 2020, 2021 and 2022.This next batch of around 250 records had sections that were blacked out or were sealed entirely because of concerns about the privacy rights of Epstein’s victims and other people whose names had come up during the legal battle but weren’t complicit in his crimes.WHAT CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE?U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska, who evaluated the documents to decide what should be unsealed, said in her December order that she was ordering the records released because much of the information within them is already public.Some records have been released, either in part or in full, in other court cases. Much of the rest involve topics and people who have been exhaustively covered in nearly two decades' worth of newspaper stories, TV documentaries, interviews, books and testimony at Maxwell’s criminal trial.The people named in the records include many of Epstein's accusers, members of his staff who told their stories to tabloid newspapers, people who served as witnesses at Maxwell's trial, people who were mentioned in passing during depositions but aren't accused of anything salacious, and people who investigated Epstein, including prosecutors, a journalist and a detective.There are also boldface names of public figures known to have associated with Epstein over the years, but whose relationships with him have already been well documented elsewhere, the judge said.One of them is Jean-Luc Brunel, a French modeling agent close to Epstein who was awaiting trial on charges that he raped underage girls when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-arts-and-entertainment-paris-jeffrey-epstein-edfbdb84c6cdd5f736ac7e1c2bac657b">killed himself in a Paris jail</a>&nbsp;in 2022. Giuffre was among the women who had accused Brunel of sexual abuse.Clinton and Trump both factor in the court file, partly because Giuffre was questioned by Maxwell's lawyers about inaccuracies in newspaper stories about her time with Epstein. One story quoted her as saying she had ridden in a helicopter with Clinton and flirted with Trump. Giuffre said neither of those things actually happened. She hasn't accused either former president of wrongdoing.The judge said a handful of names should remain blacked out in the documents because they would identify people who were sexually abused. The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they decide to tell their stories publicly, as Giuffre has done.WHEN WILL THE DOCUMENTS BE MADE PUBLIC?On Dec. 18, the judge gave the people whose names appear in the records 14 days to appeal, then directed the lawyers to confer, prepare the documents for unsealing and post them on the docket.Two people whose name appears in the records have been given additional time to make arguments to the court as to why their names should stay redacted.A small batch of documents was made available publicly on Wednesday.

Read the unsealed Jeffrey Epstein court documents 

JERUSALEM (AP) —The Israeli military says a hostage taken captive by Hamas was killed in a failed rescue attempt in Gaza.

The hostage, 25-year-old Sahar Baruch, had been previously reported to have been killed, but Israel initially blamed Hamas, while Hamas said Israeli forces killed him in a raid.

The military said Wednesday it was not possible to determine whether Baruch died from Israeli fire or from Hamas in the rescue mission, which took place in early December.

The announcement about Baruch comes weeks after Israel said its forces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-12-15-2023-072436cece0f2351fadfed892e985554">accidentally killed three hostages</a>&nbsp;in the Gaza Strip. Some relatives of hostages have said the protracted fighting puts the remaining captives at risk.

Following a hostage release deal in late November, some 129 hostages remain, although about 20 are said to have died in captivity.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704314489369.png" alt="Baruch&nbsp; photo courtesy&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.bringthemhomenow.net/">Hostages and Missing Families Forum</a>" />
 <figcaption>Baruch&nbsp; photo courtesy&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.bringthemhomenow.net/">Hostages and Missing Families Forum</a></figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) —The Israeli military says a hostage taken captive by Hamas was killed in a failed rescue attempt in Gaza.The hostage, 25-year-old Sahar Baruch, had been previously reported to have been killed, but Israel initially blamed Hamas, while Hamas said Israeli forces killed him in a raid.The military said Wednesday it was not possible to determine whether Baruch died from Israeli fire or from Hamas in the rescue mission, which took place in early December.The announcement about Baruch comes weeks after Israel said its forces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-12-15-2023-072436cece0f2351fadfed892e985554">accidentally killed three hostages</a>&nbsp;in the Gaza Strip. Some relatives of hostages have said the protracted fighting puts the remaining captives at risk.Following a hostage release deal in late November, some 129 hostages remain, although about 20 are said to have died in captivity.

Israel: Hostage killed in failed rescue attempt in Gaza 

MEADE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities in southwest Kansas are recognizing their hard working K9 officer Zero after a traffic stop.

On, January 2, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079481046822&amp;__cft__[0]=AZVglGbR5PubkEWGoyrnwCkGfs7H5qTZsMIO-D-HqspH0HMk2-g4qhpyyIuyfg7ArCjzg8KjG5ZWd0wFUg_SNI1gtI3TFR4ujIRIr5aifgHewxOw99MsgbYYmJKxycqW3L3XHfBJi1B2UTCWPlopYrE_LOK7p8-XbMt3Crt8fobUJPx-7zM1ba0Gm-py1jJvxR4&amp;__tn__=-]K*F">Meade County Kansas Sheriff</a>'s Office K-9 Zero indicated on a pickup truck that there were illegal narcotics inside, according to a social media report.

The K9's effort led to a search warrant and the discovery of approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine.

The sheriff's office did not report the name of suspects or possible charges in the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704316005464.png" alt="Photo Meade Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Meade Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>MEADE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities in southwest Kansas are recognizing their hard working K9 officer Zero after a traffic stop.On, January 2, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079481046822&amp;__cft__[0]=AZVglGbR5PubkEWGoyrnwCkGfs7H5qTZsMIO-D-HqspH0HMk2-g4qhpyyIuyfg7ArCjzg8KjG5ZWd0wFUg_SNI1gtI3TFR4ujIRIr5aifgHewxOw99MsgbYYmJKxycqW3L3XHfBJi1B2UTCWPlopYrE_LOK7p8-XbMt3Crt8fobUJPx-7zM1ba0Gm-py1jJvxR4&amp;__tn__=-]K*F">Meade County Kansas Sheriff</a>'s Office K-9 Zero indicated on a pickup truck that there were illegal narcotics inside, according to a social media report.The K9's effort led to a search warrant and the discovery of approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine.The sheriff's office did not report the name of suspects or possible charges in the case.

Kan. sheriff's K9 helps deputies discover 20 pounds of meth

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on child sex allegations.

Just after 11a.m. Monday, a sheriff's deputy responded to a Topeka hospital on a report of a sexual crime that occurred in the 2100 Block of SE 102nd Street, according to Sheriff's Lt. Scott Wanamaker.

After a preliminary investigation at the hospital, investigators proceeded to the crime address in an attempt to locate suspect identified as 46-year-old Wayne&nbsp; Partridge of Berryton.&nbsp; Deputies found him there and took him into custody on requested charges of rape, indecent liberties with a child, aggravated indecent liberties with a child and aggravated criminal sodomy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704234357422.png" alt="Partridge-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Partridge-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on child sex allegations.Just after 11a.m. Monday, a sheriff's deputy responded to a Topeka hospital on a report of a sexual crime that occurred in the 2100 Block of SE 102nd Street, according to Sheriff's Lt. Scott Wanamaker.After a preliminary investigation at the hospital, investigators proceeded to the crime address in an attempt to locate suspect identified as 46-year-old Wayne&nbsp; Partridge of Berryton.&nbsp; Deputies found him there and took him into custody on requested charges of rape, indecent liberties with a child, aggravated indecent liberties with a child and aggravated criminal sodomy.

Call to Kansas hospital led to arrest of child sex crime suspect

Prosecutors in Kansas on Wednesday dismissed three felony charges related to accusations that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/patrick-mahomes-brother-charges-chiefs-812506d230c0964df8ff7feecf4c359f">Jackson Mahomes</a>&nbsp;— the younger brother of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes — grabbed a woman by the neck and kissed her against her will.

Johnson County Assistant District Attorney Megan Ahsens had filed a motion Tuesday to dismiss three counts of aggravated sexual battery. Jackson Mahomes appeared at a hearing Wednesday and the felony charges were dropped. A fourth charge — misdemeanor battery — remains, and Jackson Mahomes pleaded not guilty to that charge.

The court filing cited a lack of cooperation from the alleged victim.

Jackson Mahomes' attorney, Brandan Davies, said in a statement that his client “has done nothing wrong. We had full confidence that the truth of the matter would ultimately be revealed.”

The original charges accused Jackson Mahomes, a 23-year-old social media influencer, of crimes that occurred Feb. 25 at Aspens Restaurant and Lounge in Overland Park, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City.

Investigators said Mahomes shoved a waiter who tried to come into a room where he was with the restaurant's owner, Aspen Vaughn. After the waiter left, Mahomes grabbed Vaughn by the throat and forcefully kissed her three different times without her consent, prosecutors alleged.

Vaughn told police Mahomes was a friend of her stepdaughter, and had caused trouble and been asked to leave the restaurant in the past.

Vaughn closed the restaurant in August, saying her business suffered from the publicity associated with the case. She told the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/openings-closings/article277866288.html">Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;at the time that she endured death threats and harassment and the restaurant was vandalized in the aftermath of the charges.

Tuesday's court filing said prosecutors were presented with an affidavit from Vaughn's attorneys stating that she would refuse to testify. The filing said prosecutors still planned to move ahead with the case, noting that surveillance video captured the encounter.

But the filing also said subpoenas meant for Vaughn, who was referred to in court documents by her initials, were not delivered.

“Indeed, it has become clear to the State, through conversations with more than one person in contact with her, that A.R. is actively thwarting attempts to serve her to avoid coming to court,” Ahsens wrote.

The misdemeanor battery charge remains because that charge involved the alleged shoving of the waiter.

A spokesperson for the district attorney's office declined comment.

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Prosecutors in Kansas are asking a judge to drop three felony charges related to accusations that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/patrick-mahomes-brother-charges-chiefs-812506d230c0964df8ff7feecf4c359f">Jackson Mahomes</a>&nbsp;— the younger brother of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes — grabbed a woman by the neck and kissed her against her will.

Johnson County Assistant District Attorney Megan Ahsens on Tuesday filed a motion to dismiss three counts of aggravated sexual battery. A fourth charge — misdemeanor battery — would remain.

But the filing also said subpoenas meant for Vaughn, who was referred to in court documents by her initials, have not been delivered.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684270297047.png" alt="Mahomes was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/patrick-mahomes-brother-charges-chiefs-812506d230c0964df8ff7feecf4c359f">charged</a>&nbsp;with three counts of aggravated sexual battery and one count of battery after the incident at Aspens Restaurant and Lounge in Overland Park, Kansas, on Feb. 25.&nbsp;photo AP" />
 <figcaption>Mahomes was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/patrick-mahomes-brother-charges-chiefs-812506d230c0964df8ff7feecf4c359f">charged</a>&nbsp;with three counts of aggravated sexual battery and one count of battery after the incident at Aspens Restaurant and Lounge in Overland Park, Kansas, on Feb. 25.&nbsp;photo AP</figcaption>
 </figure>Prosecutors in Kansas on Wednesday dismissed three felony charges related to accusations that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/patrick-mahomes-brother-charges-chiefs-812506d230c0964df8ff7feecf4c359f">Jackson Mahomes</a>&nbsp;— the younger brother of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes — grabbed a woman by the neck and kissed her against her will.Johnson County Assistant District Attorney Megan Ahsens had filed a motion Tuesday to dismiss three counts of aggravated sexual battery. Jackson Mahomes appeared at a hearing Wednesday and the felony charges were dropped. A fourth charge — misdemeanor battery — remains, and Jackson Mahomes pleaded not guilty to that charge.The court filing cited a lack of cooperation from the alleged victim.Jackson Mahomes' attorney, Brandan Davies, said in a statement that his client “has done nothing wrong. We had full confidence that the truth of the matter would ultimately be revealed.”The original charges accused Jackson Mahomes, a 23-year-old social media influencer, of crimes that occurred Feb. 25 at Aspens Restaurant and Lounge in Overland Park, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City.Investigators said Mahomes shoved a waiter who tried to come into a room where he was with the restaurant's owner, Aspen Vaughn. After the waiter left, Mahomes grabbed Vaughn by the throat and forcefully kissed her three different times without her consent, prosecutors alleged.Vaughn told police Mahomes was a friend of her stepdaughter, and had caused trouble and been asked to leave the restaurant in the past.Vaughn closed the restaurant in August, saying her business suffered from the publicity associated with the case. She told the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/openings-closings/article277866288.html">Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;at the time that she endured death threats and harassment and the restaurant was vandalized in the aftermath of the charges.Tuesday's court filing said prosecutors were presented with an affidavit from Vaughn's attorneys stating that she would refuse to testify. The filing said prosecutors still planned to move ahead with the case, noting that surveillance video captured the encounter.But the filing also said subpoenas meant for Vaughn, who was referred to in court documents by her initials, were not delivered.“Indeed, it has become clear to the State, through conversations with more than one person in contact with her, that A.R. is actively thwarting attempts to serve her to avoid coming to court,” Ahsens wrote.The misdemeanor battery charge remains because that charge involved the alleged shoving of the waiter.A spokesperson for the district attorney's office declined comment.-------------------KANSAS CITY (AP) —Prosecutors in Kansas are asking a judge to drop three felony charges related to accusations that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/patrick-mahomes-brother-charges-chiefs-812506d230c0964df8ff7feecf4c359f">Jackson Mahomes</a>&nbsp;— the younger brother of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes — grabbed a woman by the neck and kissed her against her will.Johnson County Assistant District Attorney Megan Ahsens on Tuesday filed a motion to dismiss three counts of aggravated sexual battery. A fourth charge — misdemeanor battery — would remain.The court filing cited a lack of cooperation from the alleged victim.Jackson Mahomes' attorney, Brandan Davies, said in a statement that his client “has done nothing wrong. We had full confidence that the truth of the matter would ultimately be revealed.”The original charges accused Jackson Mahomes, a 23-year-old social media influencer, of crimes that occurred Feb. 25 at Aspens Restaurant and Lounge in Overland Park, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City.Investigators said Mahomes shoved a waiter who tried to come into a room where he was with the restaurant's owner, Aspen Vaughn. After the waiter left, Mahomes grabbed Vaughn by the throat and forcefully kissed her three different times without her consent, prosecutors alleged.Vaughn told police Mahomes was a friend of her stepdaughter, and had caused trouble and been asked to leave the restaurant in the past.Vaughn closed the restaurant in August, saying her business suffered from the publicity associated with the case. She told the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/openings-closings/article277866288.html">Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;at the time that she endured death threats and harassment and the restaurant was vandalized in the aftermath of the charges.Tuesday's court filing said prosecutors were presented with an affidavit from Vaughn's attorneys stating that she would refuse to testify. The filing said prosecutors still planned to move ahead with the case, noting that surveillance video captured the encounter.But the filing also said subpoenas meant for Vaughn, who was referred to in court documents by her initials, have not been delivered.“Indeed, it has become clear to the State, through conversations with more than one person in contact with her, that A.R. is actively thwarting attempts to serve her to avoid coming to court,” Ahsens wrote.The misdemeanor battery charge remains because that charge involved the alleged shoving of the waiter.A spokesperson for the district attorney's office declined comment.

Prosecutors drop felony charges against the brother of Patrick Mahomes

WASHINGTON — After 24 attacks against merchant shipping in the Southern Red Sea since Nov. 19, the White House&nbsp; and governments of Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom issues a joint statement Wednesday:

Recognizing the broad consensus as expressed by 44 countries around the world on December 19, 2023, as well as the statement by the UN Security Council on December 1, 2023, condemning Houthi attacks against commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea, and in light of ongoing attacks, including a significant escalation over the past week targeting&nbsp;commercial vessels,&nbsp;with missiles, small boats, and attempted hijackings,

We hereby reiterate the following and warn the Houthis against further attacks:

Ongoing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea are illegal,&nbsp;unacceptable, and profoundly destabilizing. There is no lawful justification for intentionally targeting civilian shipping and naval vessels. Attacks on&nbsp;vessels, including&nbsp;commercial vessels,&nbsp;using unmanned aerial vehicles, small boats, and missiles, including the first use of anti-ship ballistic missiles against such vessels, are a direct threat to the freedom of navigation that serves as the bedrock of global trade in one of the world’s most critical waterways.

These attacks threaten innocent lives from all over the world and constitute a significant international problem that demands collective action.&nbsp; Nearly 15 percent of global seaborne trade passes through the Red Sea, including 8 percent of global grain trade, 12 percent of seaborne-traded oil and 8 percent of the world’s liquefied natural gas trade. International shipping companies continue to reroute their vessels&nbsp;around the Cape of Good Hope, adding significant cost and weeks of delay to the delivery of goods,&nbsp;and&nbsp;ultimately jeopardizing the movement of critical food, fuel, and humanitarian assistance throughout the world.

Let our message now be clear: we call for the immediate end of&nbsp;these&nbsp;illegal attacks and release of unlawfully detained vessels and crews. &nbsp;The Houthis will bear the responsibility of the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy, and free flow of commerce in the region’s critical waterways.&nbsp;We remain committed to the international rules-based order and are determined to hold malign actors accountable for unlawful seizures and attacks.

Meanwhile, the United States is also calling on the U.N. Security Council to take urgent action against Yemen’s Houthi rebels for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-shipping-houthi-attacks-drones-missiles-1acc4ca5ebcaf6fee932a2061d451f59">attacking ships in the key Red Sea trade route</a>, and warning their longtime financier and weapons supplier Iran that it has a choice.

U.S. deputy ambassador Christopher Lu told an emergency council meeting on Wednesday that the Houthis have carried out more than 20 attacks since Nov. 19.

Lu said Iran has enabled these attacks and while “the United States does not seek confrontation with Iran” Tehran has a choice: It can continue its current course or withhold support from the Houthis which will leave the rebels struggling to track and strike vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The rebels have claimed attacks on ships in the Red Sea which it says are either linked to Israel or heading to Israeli ports. The hardline Shia force are staunch enemies of Israel.

However, the Israeli connections to each ship targeted by rebels have grown increasingly tenuous. In many cases there is no connection at all.

Many shipping companies are now avoiding the Red Sea and have been instead sailing around South Africa to reach ports in Europe and the Mideast, a significantly lengthier and more expensive trip.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699124273212.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — After 24 attacks against merchant shipping in the Southern Red Sea since Nov. 19, the White House&nbsp; and governments of Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom issues a joint statement Wednesday:Recognizing the broad consensus as expressed by 44 countries around the world on December 19, 2023, as well as the statement by the UN Security Council on December 1, 2023, condemning Houthi attacks against commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea, and in light of ongoing attacks, including a significant escalation over the past week targeting&nbsp;commercial vessels,&nbsp;with missiles, small boats, and attempted hijackings,We hereby reiterate the following and warn the Houthis against further attacks:Ongoing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea are illegal,&nbsp;unacceptable, and profoundly destabilizing. There is no lawful justification for intentionally targeting civilian shipping and naval vessels. Attacks on&nbsp;vessels, including&nbsp;commercial vessels,&nbsp;using unmanned aerial vehicles, small boats, and missiles, including the first use of anti-ship ballistic missiles against such vessels, are a direct threat to the freedom of navigation that serves as the bedrock of global trade in one of the world’s most critical waterways.These attacks threaten innocent lives from all over the world and constitute a significant international problem that demands collective action.&nbsp; Nearly 15 percent of global seaborne trade passes through the Red Sea, including 8 percent of global grain trade, 12 percent of seaborne-traded oil and 8 percent of the world’s liquefied natural gas trade. International shipping companies continue to reroute their vessels&nbsp;around the Cape of Good Hope, adding significant cost and weeks of delay to the delivery of goods,&nbsp;and&nbsp;ultimately jeopardizing the movement of critical food, fuel, and humanitarian assistance throughout the world.Let our message now be clear: we call for the immediate end of&nbsp;these&nbsp;illegal attacks and release of unlawfully detained vessels and crews. &nbsp;The Houthis will bear the responsibility of the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy, and free flow of commerce in the region’s critical waterways.&nbsp;We remain committed to the international rules-based order and are determined to hold malign actors accountable for unlawful seizures and attacks.Meanwhile, the United States is also calling on the U.N. Security Council to take urgent action against Yemen’s Houthi rebels for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-shipping-houthi-attacks-drones-missiles-1acc4ca5ebcaf6fee932a2061d451f59">attacking ships in the key Red Sea trade route</a>, and warning their longtime financier and weapons supplier Iran that it has a choice.U.S. deputy ambassador Christopher Lu told an emergency council meeting on Wednesday that the Houthis have carried out more than 20 attacks since Nov. 19.Lu said Iran has enabled these attacks and while “the United States does not seek confrontation with Iran” Tehran has a choice: It can continue its current course or withhold support from the Houthis which will leave the rebels struggling to track and strike vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.The rebels have claimed attacks on ships in the Red Sea which it says are either linked to Israel or heading to Israeli ports. The hardline Shia force are staunch enemies of Israel.However, the Israeli connections to each ship targeted by rebels have grown increasingly tenuous. In many cases there is no connection at all.Many shipping companies are now avoiding the Red Sea and have been instead sailing around South Africa to reach ports in Europe and the Mideast, a significantly lengthier and more expensive trip.

White House to terrorists: Stop ship attacks or face consequences

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

Just after 11:30p.m. Dec. 30, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on U.S. 75 Highway for a traffic violation, according to Osage County Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, illegal narcotics were located.

The driver of the vehicle, Trisha M. Garmany, 34, of Scranton was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of fentanyl, Possession of paraphernalia and a Warrant arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704142069060.png" alt="Garmany-photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Garmany-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just after 11:30p.m. Dec. 30, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on U.S. 75 Highway for a traffic violation, according to Osage County Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, illegal narcotics were located.The driver of the vehicle, Trisha M. Garmany, 34, of Scranton was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of fentanyl, Possession of paraphernalia and a Warrant arrest.

Sheriff: Kansas woman caught with fentanyl and meth

Editor's note: This story was updated at 2:57 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 3 with a comment from United Healthcare.

Some area residents are scrambling to find new health insurance after HaysMed was inaccurately listed as an in-network provider for the UnitedHealthcare Marketplace insurance.

Shae Veach, HaysMed vice president for regional operations, said UnitedHealthcare has a variety of plans. The Marketplace plan is new to the area.&nbsp; HaysMed was never in-network under the UnitedHealthcare Marketplace plan.

Other UnitedHealthcare plans, including commercial, employer, Medicaid and Medicare supplemental plans are not affected.

HaysMed was notified in late December it had been inaccurately listed as an in-network provider for the Marketplace insurance plan. On Friday, HaysMed published a press release on its website and Facebook page notifying people of the error and urging them to review their plans.

Veach said the hospital has no control over how it is listed on the Marketplace.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Hays Post reached out to corporate communications for UnitedHealthcare. A spokesperson for the insurance company responded Wednesday afternoon.

"We are currently negotiating with Hays Medical Center and making every effort to bring the health system in our network at rates that are affordable for our members and their families,” the spokesperson said in an email.

Veach said HaysMed continues to be in active negotiations with UnitedHealthcare to become a network provider for its Marketplace plan, but the negotiations are moving slowly. He said United has been unresponsive. Veach said those negotiations will continue into 2024.

Some local residents said the notification was too late.

A young man who manages a small business in Hays, said his wife is pregnant and due Feb. 2. The man, who did not want his name used, is now facing expensive medical bills for his wife to see her HaysMed provider weekly.&nbsp;

He is working with his insurer broker to sign up for a different plan. Marketplace buyers have until Jan. 15 to change their plans.

However, his new effective date won't be until Feb. 1. If the baby comes early, his coverage for the delivery will be out-of-network.

"I should have insurance, and now it doesn't look like I'm going to," he said.

The man has filed for special consideration to make changes to his plan, but he said that could take 30 days.

A local woman, who also did not want her name published, said she had already enrolled in the UnitedHealthcare Marketplace plan, when she saw the announcement on Friday.

She said she plans to use a nearby hospital and doctor that is in-network.

Veach encouraged residents affected by the issue to reach out to their insurance broker, a Marketplace navigator and/or United Healthcare directly.

Peggy Ritter, Marketplace navigator, said she has been working with individuals since the announcement on Friday to make changes if they need them.

The open enrollment Marketplace deadline is Jan. 15. However, a change now would not go into effect until Feb. 1.

Ritter can assist people in reviewing their Marketplace plan and choosing a different plan if necessary. Her services are free.

The difference between in-network and out-of-network charges can be significant.&nbsp;

"When people thought they were getting a plan for zero dollars or $3 and now that whole company is out of network, it's really going to take a bite out of some people's paychecks," she said. "Whatever I can do, I am happy to."

Although Ritter lives in Dresden, she has also been affected. She also has UnitedHealthcare Marketplace insurance.

Ritter said the timing of the announcement was not ideal.&nbsp;

"There were doctors I looked for specific people back in the beginning of December, and they were in-network or I would call HaysMed and ask, 'Do you accept this?' and they would say, 'Oh, yeah.'&nbsp;

"And now to find that out on Friday at 9:30 at night... I just started calling and texting everybody and posting as much as I could. "

Veach said he could not comment on any phone inquiries to the hospital.

"It is confusing because UnitedHealthcare has a lot of different plans as does BlueCross as does others," Veach said.

Ritter said some people will not be affected.&nbsp;

The No Surprises Act came into effect in 2022. If you enter an emergency room that is in-network and then you are transferred to a hospital that is out-of-network, such as HaysMed, you are to be charged as if you were you were in-network, Ritter said.

"That is comforting to some," Ritter said.

Abby Staley, a licensed Marketplace insurance broker who lives in Hays, is also trying to help people who were affected by the mistake.&nbsp;

Staley said many people were caught off guard. She was out of town for the weekend and said she received calls from clients crying because they were so stunned.

Although people shopping for insurance on the Marketplace can do so on their own,&nbsp;Staley said the system is difficult to navigate. She said trying to apply for Marketplace insurance on your own is like trying to do your own taxes or serve as your own attorney. It's not recommended.

She urged people to seek the free assistance available from an agent.

"People don't need to panic," she said. "There are people who are licensed and trained to navigate these situations and help figure it out."

Although both Marketplace agents and navigators can help you research plans and help you fill out the forms, agents have insurance licenses. Navigators do not.

Editor's note: This story was updated at 2:57 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 3 with a comment from United Healthcare.By CRISTINA JANNEYHays PostSome area residents are scrambling to find new health insurance after HaysMed was inaccurately listed as an in-network provider for the UnitedHealthcare Marketplace insurance.Shae Veach, HaysMed vice president for regional operations, said UnitedHealthcare has a variety of plans. The Marketplace plan is new to the area.&nbsp; HaysMed was never in-network under the UnitedHealthcare Marketplace plan.Other UnitedHealthcare plans, including commercial, employer, Medicaid and Medicare supplemental plans are not affected.HaysMed was notified in late December it had been inaccurately listed as an in-network provider for the Marketplace insurance plan. On Friday, HaysMed published a press release on its website and Facebook page notifying people of the error and urging them to review their plans.Veach said the hospital has no control over how it is listed on the Marketplace.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Hays Post reached out to corporate communications for UnitedHealthcare. A spokesperson for the insurance company responded Wednesday afternoon."We are currently negotiating with Hays Medical Center and making every effort to bring the health system in our network at rates that are affordable for our members and their families,” the spokesperson said in an email.Veach said HaysMed continues to be in active negotiations with UnitedHealthcare to become a network provider for its Marketplace plan, but the negotiations are moving slowly. He said United has been unresponsive. Veach said those negotiations will continue into 2024.Some local residents said the notification was too late.A young man who manages a small business in Hays, said his wife is pregnant and due Feb. 2. The man, who did not want his name used, is now facing expensive medical bills for his wife to see her HaysMed provider weekly.&nbsp;He is working with his insurer broker to sign up for a different plan. Marketplace buyers have until Jan. 15 to change their plans.However, his new effective date won't be until Feb. 1. If the baby comes early, his coverage for the delivery will be out-of-network."I should have insurance, and now it doesn't look like I'm going to," he said.The man has filed for special consideration to make changes to his plan, but he said that could take 30 days.A local woman, who also did not want her name published, said she had already enrolled in the UnitedHealthcare Marketplace plan, when she saw the announcement on Friday.She said she plans to use a nearby hospital and doctor that is in-network.Veach encouraged residents affected by the issue to reach out to their insurance broker, a Marketplace navigator and/or United Healthcare directly.Peggy Ritter, Marketplace navigator, said she has been working with individuals since the announcement on Friday to make changes if they need them.The open enrollment Marketplace deadline is Jan. 15. However, a change now would not go into effect until Feb. 1.Ritter can assist people in reviewing their Marketplace plan and choosing a different plan if necessary. Her services are free.The difference between in-network and out-of-network charges can be significant.&nbsp;"When people thought they were getting a plan for zero dollars or $3 and now that whole company is out of network, it's really going to take a bite out of some people's paychecks," she said. "Whatever I can do, I am happy to."Although Ritter lives in Dresden, she has also been affected. She also has UnitedHealthcare Marketplace insurance.Ritter said the timing of the announcement was not ideal.&nbsp;"There were doctors I looked for specific people back in the beginning of December, and they were in-network or I would call HaysMed and ask, 'Do you accept this?' and they would say, 'Oh, yeah.'&nbsp;"And now to find that out on Friday at 9:30 at night... I just started calling and texting everybody and posting as much as I could. "Veach said he could not comment on any phone inquiries to the hospital."It is confusing because UnitedHealthcare has a lot of different plans as does BlueCross as does others," Veach said.Ritter said some people will not be affected.&nbsp;The No Surprises Act came into effect in 2022. If you enter an emergency room that is in-network and then you are transferred to a hospital that is out-of-network, such as HaysMed, you are to be charged as if you were you were in-network, Ritter said."That is comforting to some," Ritter said.Abby Staley, a licensed Marketplace insurance broker who lives in Hays, is also trying to help people who were affected by the mistake.&nbsp;Staley said many people were caught off guard. She was out of town for the weekend and said she received calls from clients crying because they were so stunned.Although people shopping for insurance on the Marketplace can do so on their own,&nbsp;Staley said the system is difficult to navigate. She said trying to apply for Marketplace insurance on your own is like trying to do your own taxes or serve as your own attorney. It's not recommended.She urged people to seek the free assistance available from an agent."People don't need to panic," she said. "There are people who are licensed and trained to navigate these situations and help figure it out."Although both Marketplace agents and navigators can help you research plans and help you fill out the forms, agents have insurance licenses. Navigators do not.Staley can be reached at abby@ictinsurance.com or at 785-269-7671 (cell) or&nbsp;620-266-3349.Ritter can be reached at peggyritterconsulting@gmail.com or by phone at 785-470-7896. She said it is easier to reach her by text.Below is the complete text of the press release posted on HaysMed website and Facebook page on Friday.Due to changes within UnitedHealthcare, Hays Medical Center is asking all local UnitedHealthcare (UHC) Marketplace plan beneficiaries to review their insurance plan coverage prior to Jan. 1, 2024, as HaysMed will be out-of-network for all Marketplace enrollees.HaysMed understands the potential impact this may have on its patients and encourages all UHC Marketplace plan owners to reach out to their healthcare insurance representative for more details to avoid paying higher out-of-network costs.“We aim to safeguard the established bond between our patients and their healthcare professionals, ensuring uninterrupted access to high-quality, in-network care. HaysMed is diligently working to minimize any inconvenience caused by this UHC plan change,” said Shae Veach, HaysMed VP for regional operations.UCH Marketplace is a new product to the Hays service area. Despite HaysMed efforts to reach a mutual agreement with UHC, HaysMed hospital is not currently in-network with any UnitedHealthcare Marketplace products in Kansas.HaysMed remains committed to providing comprehensive health care coverage and is working diligently to ensure its patients’ health and well-being is the top priority.