By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/06/kansas-top-election-officer-releases-plan-for-new-legislation-emphasizes-voter-security/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA
 — Kansas election laws may be overhauled again this year with new 
legislation geared toward clearing up confusion with state voting 
processes.

Secretary of State Scott Schwab, the 
state’s top elections officer, said he planned to introduce legislation 
to update state election codes and simplify state election laws this 
year, following confusion over rules and regulation in past elections.

“Over the past year, our agency has 
reviewed lessons learned from past elections and best practices from 
other states,” Schwab said in a news release. “This legislation will 
improve election administration processes, reduce the burden on county 
election staff and protect election integrity and transparency.”

Schwab said voting privacy and 
security would also be priorities for him in the upcoming legislative 
session. He plans to propose legislation that would determine standards 
for criminal election activities, firm up ballot privacy measures and 
better define voter intimidation.

Davis Hammet, founder of the voter 
advocacy group Loud Light, said Schwab’s legislative agenda could mean 
anything at this point, because the wording of Schwab’s agenda isn’t 
specific.

“It is sort of so generic that it can
 mean a lot of things,” Hammet said. “It can mean things that aren’t 
problematic at all, or it could mean things that are extremely 
problematic. And we’ll just have to wait to actually see that bill 
language.”

Kansas election security has been an 
increasingly controversial subject in the past few years, with 
Republicans on a national and local level denying the results of the 
2020 elections and casting doubts on Kansas’ own election security.

Schwab has bucked this trend by 
repeatedly upholding the security of Kansas elections, including in the 
2022 midterm elections. Other Kansas Republicans have called for more 
stringent voting security measures, despite a lack of evidence 
confirming widespread voter fraud.

Kansans have expressed discontent 
with recent more restrictive legislation and redistricting that many 
felt blocked voting access. Voters said 2021 legislation, specifically 
House Bills <a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2183/">2183</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2332/">2332</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/20/kansas-voters-with-disabilities-blocked-by-restrictive-legislation-voting-rights-advocates-say/">blocked voting access</a>.

HB2183 made it illegal for one person to deliver more than 10 advance voting ballots on behalf of other voters.

The bill also made handling a voter’s
 ballot a misdemeanor crime for people who aren’t election officials, 
unless it’s on behalf of a family member, and prohibits people from 
delivering advance voting ballots on behalf of other people without a 
signed written statement and signature verification.

HB2332 requires voters to have a residential address meeting certain requirements in order to register to vote.

Hammet said Kansas election laws had 
been damaged by recent election fraud fears, and he expects to see a 
continued distrust in the electoral process reflected in statewide 
legislation.

“We started making some modest 
improvements in election laws, really pro-voter improvements, until 
about two years ago, and then after the 2020 Big Lie, everything got 
bizarre,” Hammet said. “And I expect that to continue, unfortunately. I 
think there’s a lot of legitimate issues in Kansas election law that 
need to be addressed, but it’s going to be hard to address them when all
 the oxygen is taken out by sort of conspiracy theories like we’ve seen 
the last two years.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673020008792.png" alt="Kansas election security has been questioned by residents who believe the 2020 presidential election was rigged. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas election security has been questioned by residents who believe the 2020 presidential election was rigged. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/06/kansas-top-election-officer-releases-plan-for-new-legislation-emphasizes-voter-security/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA
 — Kansas election laws may be overhauled again this year with new 
legislation geared toward clearing up confusion with state voting 
processes.Secretary of State Scott Schwab, the 
state’s top elections officer, said he planned to introduce legislation 
to update state election codes and simplify state election laws this 
year, following confusion over rules and regulation in past elections.“Over the past year, our agency has 
reviewed lessons learned from past elections and best practices from 
other states,” Schwab said in a news release. “This legislation will 
improve election administration processes, reduce the burden on county 
election staff and protect election integrity and transparency.”Schwab said voting privacy and 
security would also be priorities for him in the upcoming legislative 
session. He plans to propose legislation that would determine standards 
for criminal election activities, firm up ballot privacy measures and 
better define voter intimidation.Davis Hammet, founder of the voter 
advocacy group Loud Light, said Schwab’s legislative agenda could mean 
anything at this point, because the wording of Schwab’s agenda isn’t 
specific.“It is sort of so generic that it can
 mean a lot of things,” Hammet said. “It can mean things that aren’t 
problematic at all, or it could mean things that are extremely 
problematic. And we’ll just have to wait to actually see that bill 
language.”Kansas election security has been an 
increasingly controversial subject in the past few years, with 
Republicans on a national and local level denying the results of the 
2020 elections and casting doubts on Kansas’ own election security.Schwab has bucked this trend by 
repeatedly upholding the security of Kansas elections, including in the 
2022 midterm elections. Other Kansas Republicans have called for more 
stringent voting security measures, despite a lack of evidence 
confirming widespread voter fraud.Kansans have expressed discontent 
with recent more restrictive legislation and redistricting that many 
felt blocked voting access. Voters said 2021 legislation, specifically 
House Bills <a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2183/">2183</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2332/">2332</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/20/kansas-voters-with-disabilities-blocked-by-restrictive-legislation-voting-rights-advocates-say/">blocked voting access</a>.HB2183 made it illegal for one person to deliver more than 10 advance voting ballots on behalf of other voters.The bill also made handling a voter’s
 ballot a misdemeanor crime for people who aren’t election officials, 
unless it’s on behalf of a family member, and prohibits people from 
delivering advance voting ballots on behalf of other people without a 
signed written statement and signature verification.HB2332 requires voters to have a residential address meeting certain requirements in order to register to vote.Hammet said Kansas election laws had 
been damaged by recent election fraud fears, and he expects to see a 
continued distrust in the electoral process reflected in statewide 
legislation.“We started making some modest 
improvements in election laws, really pro-voter improvements, until 
about two years ago, and then after the 2020 Big Lie, everything got 
bizarre,” Hammet said. “And I expect that to continue, unfortunately. I 
think there’s a lot of legitimate issues in Kansas election law that 
need to be addressed, but it’s going to be hard to address them when all
 the oxygen is taken out by sort of conspiracy theories like we’ve seen 
the last two years.”

Sec. of State releases plan to modernize Kansas election laws

LAURIE, Mo. (AP) — A central Missouri man has died after being shot by a police officer during a confrontation at a home, police said.

Brian Mummert, 44, of Sunrise Beach, was shot and killed Thursday night by a Laurie police officer, the Laurie police department said in a news release.

When the department was called to a report of domestic assault at a Laurie home, the officer approached Mummert on the porch and asked him to comply with orders after noticing a gun.

The officer fired a shot when Mummert began to draw his weapon, according to police.

The officer was not injured. The Missouri State Highway Patrol will investigate the shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673031281668.png" alt="The Missouri State Highway Patrol is in charge of the investigation -Photo courtesy KYTV" />
 <figcaption>The Missouri State Highway Patrol is in charge of the investigation -Photo courtesy KYTV</figcaption>
 </figure>LAURIE, Mo. (AP) — A central Missouri man has died after being shot by a police officer during a confrontation at a home, police said.Brian Mummert, 44, of Sunrise Beach, was shot and killed Thursday night by a Laurie police officer, the Laurie police department said in a news release.When the department was called to a report of domestic assault at a Laurie home, the officer approached Mummert on the porch and asked him to comply with orders after noticing a gun.The officer fired a shot when Mummert began to draw his weapon, according to police.The officer was not injured. The Missouri State Highway Patrol will investigate the shooting.

Patrol: Missouri man dies after being shot by police officer

KANSAS CITY —The Kansas City Zoo announced Thursday a new baby&nbsp; arrived.&nbsp; Zuri, a critically endangered eastern black rhinoceros, gave birth to an adorable calf in the early morning hours on December 31.

The rhinos’ animal care specialists report the calf is walking, nursing, and even playing spar, and that Zuri is a patient and attentive first-time mother. 

The barn is being kept quiet with limited human interaction to allow them plenty of time to bond, which is a very important process. Once mother and calf have had that bonding time, a neonatal exam will be performed in the coming weeks to confirm gender and overall health. 

The zoo will report the gender then, and there will be an opportunity for the public to participate in naming the calf.

There are only about 740 of this type of rhino left in the wild so this birth is also important for the subspecies as a whole. We are thrilled to introduce this new arrival to Kansas City!Photo by Julia, Senior Animal Care Specialist

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673023011586.png" alt="Photo by Julia, Senior Animal Care Specialist, courtesy Kansas City Zoo" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Julia, Senior Animal Care Specialist, courtesy Kansas City Zoo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —The Kansas City Zoo announced Thursday a new baby&nbsp; arrived.&nbsp; Zuri, a critically endangered eastern black rhinoceros, gave birth to an adorable calf in the early morning hours on December 31.The rhinos’ animal care specialists report the calf is walking, nursing, and even playing spar, and that Zuri is a patient and attentive first-time mother. The barn is being kept quiet with limited human interaction to allow them plenty of time to bond, which is a very important process. Once mother and calf have had that bonding time, a neonatal exam will be performed in the coming weeks to confirm gender and overall health. The zoo will report the gender then, and there will be an opportunity for the public to participate in naming the calf.There are only about 740 of this type of rhino left in the wild so this birth is also important for the subspecies as a whole. We are thrilled to introduce this new arrival to Kansas City!Photo by Julia, Senior Animal Care Specialist

Critically endangered rhino calf born at Kansas City Zoo

By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-05/douglas-county-halts-prosecution-of-murder-case-that-defense-attorney-says-used-junk-science">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA — The Douglas County district attorney will not
 retry a Eudora woman for murder after questionable conclusions from a 
medical examiner led to concern that she was improperly convicted.

Carrody
 Buchhorn, a day care worker, was convicted in 2018 for killing 
9-month-old Ollie Ortiz while in Buchhorn’s care. The case hinged on 
testimony from medical examiner Dr. Erik Mitchell. He said Buchhorn had 
stomped on the baby's head. But lawyers for Buchhorn say Mitchell’s 
theory is based on junk science because the baby had no signs of brain 
trauma.

They contend, and independent reports say, the baby died of natural causes and Buchhorn tried to give CPR.

This
 case went to trial and a jury convicted Buchhorn of reckless 
second-degree murder before Douglas County DA Suzanne Valdez won 
election to office. Buchhorn appealed and her conviction was later 
overturned.

The Douglas County DA requested time to bring in an 
independent expert to review the case to see if it was worth pursuing 
again. That report found conflicting information, which convinced the 
DA’s office to back off of prosecution.

“While there are 
conflicting findings between the state’s two retained experts, as well 
as other evidence to support prosecution, we do not believe the evidence
 is likely to meet our burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable 
doubt,” Valdez said in a news release.

Mitchell has spent a decade
 testifying in just under a dozen Kansas counties, and his testimony has
 helped lead to murder convictions. But news articles, defendants and 
others have argued he doesn't always get it right. In the Ortiz case, 
the state argued that Buchhorn had her day in court and the jury found 
Mitchell’s theory more believable. But other cases Mitchell worked on 
have been overturned.

In 2021, the <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/melinda-henneberger/article253637688.html" target="_blank">Kansas City Star</a>
 reported that one of Mitchell’s autopsies misidentified an injury, 
which was an important piece of evidence used to wrongly convict someone
 of murder. That person has since been freed.

In 1993, Mitchell 
agreed to resign as the Onondaga County, New York, medical examiner 
because he removed organs without consent and improperly stored 
skeletons, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/20/nyregion/syracuse-medical-examiner-agrees-to-quit-after-inquiry.html" target="_blank">the New York Times reported then</a>.

Valdez
 said the DA’s office sought out an independent medical expert because 
of Mitchell’s checkered past. While Mitchell is able to testify in 
cases, Valdez said her office has never asked him to do so.

“I 
chose not to use Dr. Mitchell as a witness of any sort due to his 
questionable professional reputation,” Valdez said. “If there is any 
consolation to be had by those who mourn the loss of Ollie, it can be 
found in the fact that many trained professionals worked tirelessly to 
pursue justice, and Ollie will never be forgotten.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672955037881.png" alt="Arguments before the Kansas Supreme Court in Buchhorn v. State of Kansas. Screenshot" />
 <figcaption>Arguments before the Kansas Supreme Court in Buchhorn v. State of Kansas. Screenshot</figcaption>
 </figure>By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-05/douglas-county-halts-prosecution-of-murder-case-that-defense-attorney-says-used-junk-science">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA — The Douglas County district attorney will not
 retry a Eudora woman for murder after questionable conclusions from a 
medical examiner led to concern that she was improperly convicted.Carrody
 Buchhorn, a day care worker, was convicted in 2018 for killing 
9-month-old Ollie Ortiz while in Buchhorn’s care. The case hinged on 
testimony from medical examiner Dr. Erik Mitchell. He said Buchhorn had 
stomped on the baby's head. But lawyers for Buchhorn say Mitchell’s 
theory is based on junk science because the baby had no signs of brain 
trauma.They contend, and independent reports say, the baby died of natural causes and Buchhorn tried to give CPR.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1628968195734.png" alt="Buchhorn-photo Kansas Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Buchhorn-photo Kansas Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>This
 case went to trial and a jury convicted Buchhorn of reckless 
second-degree murder before Douglas County DA Suzanne Valdez won 
election to office. Buchhorn appealed and her conviction was later 
overturned.The Douglas County DA requested time to bring in an 
independent expert to review the case to see if it was worth pursuing 
again. That report found conflicting information, which convinced the 
DA’s office to back off of prosecution.“While there are 
conflicting findings between the state’s two retained experts, as well 
as other evidence to support prosecution, we do not believe the evidence
 is likely to meet our burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable 
doubt,” Valdez said in a news release.Mitchell has spent a decade
 testifying in just under a dozen Kansas counties, and his testimony has
 helped lead to murder convictions. But news articles, defendants and 
others have argued he doesn't always get it right. In the Ortiz case, 
the state argued that Buchhorn had her day in court and the jury found 
Mitchell’s theory more believable. But other cases Mitchell worked on 
have been overturned.In 2021, the <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/melinda-henneberger/article253637688.html" target="_blank">Kansas City Star</a>
 reported that one of Mitchell’s autopsies misidentified an injury, 
which was an important piece of evidence used to wrongly convict someone
 of murder. That person has since been freed.In 1993, Mitchell 
agreed to resign as the Onondaga County, New York, medical examiner 
because he removed organs without consent and improperly stored 
skeletons, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/20/nyregion/syracuse-medical-examiner-agrees-to-quit-after-inquiry.html" target="_blank">the New York Times reported then</a>.Valdez
 said the DA’s office sought out an independent medical expert because 
of Mitchell’s checkered past. While Mitchell is able to testify in 
cases, Valdez said her office has never asked him to do so.“I 
chose not to use Dr. Mitchell as a witness of any sort due to his 
questionable professional reputation,” Valdez said. “If there is any 
consolation to be had by those who mourn the loss of Ollie, it can be 
found in the fact that many trained professionals worked tirelessly to 
pursue justice, and Ollie will never be forgotten.”

'Junk science' claim derails Kansas trial over baby's death

By JASON HANCOCK <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/01/06/democrat-lucas-kunce-says-hell-challenge-josh-hawley-in-2024-missouri-senate-race/">Missouri Independent</a>

Marine
 veteran Lucas Kunce announced Friday that he plans to challenge 
Republican Josh Hawley in the 2024 race for U.S. Senate in Missouri.&nbsp;

Kunce, 40, chose the second 
anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection to make his announcement. 
Hawley received fierce criticism for his actions on the day of the 
insurrection, from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2022-03-21/josh-hawley-refuses-to-stop-selling-merchandise-featuring-his-pre-riot-jan-6-fist-pump">pumping his fist at in support of protesters</a> before a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol to his decision to<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/01/07/after-rioting-mob-is-driven-from-the-capitol-congress-certifies-biden-victory-of-objections-from-josh-hawley/"> contest President Joe Biden’s victory</a> after the riot was quelled.&nbsp;

In a video posted to social media announcing his campaign, Kunce highlights the fist pump, as well as video of Hawley <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EIeHq9P3q4">running through the Capitol fleeing the violent, pro-Trump mob</a>.

“On Jan. 6, 2021, Josh Hawley showed us he’s a fraud and a coward,” Kunce said in <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/LucasKunceMO/status/1611350445028708358">announcing his campaign</a>. “Missourians deserve a U.S. Senator who’s willing to stand and fight. That’s why I’ve decided to take him on.”

Hawley has defended his actions on that day, arguing in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.semissourian.com/story/2859441.html">an op-ed</a>
 that he was trying to “have a debate on the issue of election 
integrity.” He even began raising money using the image of the fist 
pump.

Kunce ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate last year, finishing a close second to <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/08/02/beer-heiress-trudy-bucsh-valentine-captures-missouri-democratic-nomination-for-u-s-senate/">Anheuser-Busch heiress Trudy Busch Valentine</a>.

During the race Kunce’s populist style and Ivy League résumé won him national attention, including profiles in the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2022/06/20/he-man-politics/">Washington Post Magazine</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/11/24/lucas-kunce-missouri-populist-democrat-521862">POLITICO</a> and appearances and spots on MSNBC and FOX News.&nbsp;

And until Valentine joined the race and began pouring her own fortune into the campaign, Kunce raised <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/10/19/top-fundraiser-in-missouri-senate-race-last-quarter-was-democrat-lucas-kunce/">more money than any other candidate</a>
 — Republican or Democrat — despite a refusal to accept donations from 
pharmaceutical executives, corporate political action committees and 
federal lobbyists.

All told, Kunce managed to raise nearly $6 million.

Now he’s hoping a populist message 
and small-dollar donors that fueled his 2022 campaign will help him 
topple Hawley in a state that has just <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/11/08/eric-schmitt-defeats-trudy-busch-valentine-in-missouri-u-s-senate-race/">elected Republican Eric Schmitt to the U.S. Senate by 13 percentage points</a>.&nbsp;President Joe Biden lost Missouri by 15 percentage points in 2020.

“When things get tough, Missourians 
deserve someone who will stand up for them, not run for the nearest 
exit,” Kunce said. “Our politicians have betrayed Missouri. They’ve 
forgotten that their job is not only to defend our democracy, but also 
to fight for the people in it.”

Kunce grew up in Jefferson City and 
is a graduate of&nbsp; Yale University and the University of Missouri Law 
School. He currently lives in Independence and works for the American 
Economic Liberties Project, a think tank that according to its website 
works to “challenge monopolies’ dominance over markets and society.”

Hawley was elected Missouri attorney general in 2016. He launched his <a target="_blank" href="https://rollcall.com/2017/08/02/missouris-josh-hawley-forms-exploratory-committee-for-senate-bid/">bid for the U.S. Senate</a> a year later, eventually <a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/story/2018/11/06/claire-mccaskill-vs-josh-hawley-missouri-senate-race-results-2018-963520">beating Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill 51% to 45%</a>.&nbsp;

Last year, Hawley endorsed U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler in the GOP Senate primary. She went on <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-missouri-senate-b1a514d69210c507c0f4812550aeb80f">to lose to Schmitt</a> by more than 20 percentage points.He is currently writing a book called “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Manhood-Masculine-Virtues-America-Needs/dp/168451357X/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1659014038&amp;refinements=p_27%3AJosh+Hawley&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1">Manhood</a>” that argues “a republic depends on certain masculine virtues.”

“Unhinged liberal Lucas Kunce will grift millions from coastal 
elites, then lose,” said Mike Berg, communications director for the 
National Republican Senatorial Committee. “Just like when he ran last 
election.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673020655670.png" alt="Lucas Kunce talks to Jim Martin, chair of the Perry County Democratic committee, before giving a campaign speech in Perryville in July 2022 (Allison Kite/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Lucas Kunce talks to Jim Martin, chair of the Perry County Democratic committee, before giving a campaign speech in Perryville in July 2022 (Allison Kite/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>By JASON HANCOCK <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/01/06/democrat-lucas-kunce-says-hell-challenge-josh-hawley-in-2024-missouri-senate-race/">Missouri Independent</a>Marine
 veteran Lucas Kunce announced Friday that he plans to challenge 
Republican Josh Hawley in the 2024 race for U.S. Senate in Missouri.&nbsp;Kunce, 40, chose the second 
anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection to make his announcement. 
Hawley received fierce criticism for his actions on the day of the 
insurrection, from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2022-03-21/josh-hawley-refuses-to-stop-selling-merchandise-featuring-his-pre-riot-jan-6-fist-pump">pumping his fist at in support of protesters</a> before a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol to his decision to<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/01/07/after-rioting-mob-is-driven-from-the-capitol-congress-certifies-biden-victory-of-objections-from-josh-hawley/"> contest President Joe Biden’s victory</a> after the riot was quelled.&nbsp;In a video posted to social media announcing his campaign, Kunce highlights the fist pump, as well as video of Hawley <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EIeHq9P3q4">running through the Capitol fleeing the violent, pro-Trump mob</a>.“On Jan. 6, 2021, Josh Hawley showed us he’s a fraud and a coward,” Kunce said in <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/LucasKunceMO/status/1611350445028708358">announcing his campaign</a>. “Missourians deserve a U.S. Senator who’s willing to stand and fight. That’s why I’ve decided to take him on.”Hawley has defended his actions on that day, arguing in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.semissourian.com/story/2859441.html">an op-ed</a>
 that he was trying to “have a debate on the issue of election 
integrity.” He even began raising money using the image of the fist 
pump.Kunce ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate last year, finishing a close second to <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/08/02/beer-heiress-trudy-bucsh-valentine-captures-missouri-democratic-nomination-for-u-s-senate/">Anheuser-Busch heiress Trudy Busch Valentine</a>.During the race Kunce’s populist style and Ivy League résumé won him national attention, including profiles in the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2022/06/20/he-man-politics/">Washington Post Magazine</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/11/24/lucas-kunce-missouri-populist-democrat-521862">POLITICO</a> and appearances and spots on MSNBC and FOX News.&nbsp;And until Valentine joined the race and began pouring her own fortune into the campaign, Kunce raised <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/10/19/top-fundraiser-in-missouri-senate-race-last-quarter-was-democrat-lucas-kunce/">more money than any other candidate</a>
 — Republican or Democrat — despite a refusal to accept donations from 
pharmaceutical executives, corporate political action committees and 
federal lobbyists.All told, Kunce managed to raise nearly $6 million.Now he’s hoping a populist message 
and small-dollar donors that fueled his 2022 campaign will help him 
topple Hawley in a state that has just <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/11/08/eric-schmitt-defeats-trudy-busch-valentine-in-missouri-u-s-senate-race/">elected Republican Eric Schmitt to the U.S. Senate by 13 percentage points</a>.&nbsp;President Joe Biden lost Missouri by 15 percentage points in 2020.“When things get tough, Missourians 
deserve someone who will stand up for them, not run for the nearest 
exit,” Kunce said. “Our politicians have betrayed Missouri. They’ve 
forgotten that their job is not only to defend our democracy, but also 
to fight for the people in it.”Kunce grew up in Jefferson City and 
is a graduate of&nbsp; Yale University and the University of Missouri Law 
School. He currently lives in Independence and works for the American 
Economic Liberties Project, a think tank that according to its website 
works to “challenge monopolies’ dominance over markets and society.”Hawley was elected Missouri attorney general in 2016. He launched his <a target="_blank" href="https://rollcall.com/2017/08/02/missouris-josh-hawley-forms-exploratory-committee-for-senate-bid/">bid for the U.S. Senate</a> a year later, eventually <a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/story/2018/11/06/claire-mccaskill-vs-josh-hawley-missouri-senate-race-results-2018-963520">beating Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill 51% to 45%</a>.&nbsp;Last year, Hawley endorsed U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler in the GOP Senate primary. She went on <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-missouri-senate-b1a514d69210c507c0f4812550aeb80f">to lose to Schmitt</a> by more than 20 percentage points.He is currently writing a book called “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Manhood-Masculine-Virtues-America-Needs/dp/168451357X/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1659014038&amp;refinements=p_27%3AJosh+Hawley&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1">Manhood</a>” that argues “a republic depends on certain masculine virtues.”“Unhinged liberal Lucas Kunce will grift millions from coastal 
elites, then lose,” said Mike Berg, communications director for the 
National Republican Senatorial Committee. “Just like when he ran last 
election.”

Mo. Democrat announces plan to challenge Hawley in 2024

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating alleged kidnappings involving three juveniles near a Kansas elementary school have identified the suspect as 21-year-old Manasseh Ward of Wichita.

Just before 4pm Wednesday, a teenage girl reported being kidnapped by a bi-racial man driving a blue vehicle in the 6600 block of East Boston in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

 The man attempted to sexually assault the girl in the car. The man let the child go and she reported the incident to a family member.

Just before 9a.m. Thursday, two elementary-aged children, a boy and girl, left their home on foot in the 900 block of South Drury to head to Clark Elementary School at 650 S Apache in Wichita.

A man in a blue vehicle kidnapped the children. The suspect put both kids in his vehicle and then drove away. A short time later he dropped the boy victim off and left with the girl..

While gathering information officers were patrolling the area and located the suspect vehicle and attempted to stop it. &nbsp;A brief foot pursuit occurred and officers took Ward into custody in the 6600 block of East Boston.&nbsp; He is being held <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20063339">on requested charges</a> of&nbsp;aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated indecent liberties, aggravated assault and criminal threat, according to online jail records.

In September, police arrested Ward on requested charges of of aggravated domestic battery, according to Sedgwick County booking report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673010286685.png" alt="Ward-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Ward-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating alleged kidnappings involving three juveniles near a Kansas elementary school have identified the suspect as 21-year-old Manasseh Ward of Wichita.Just before 4pm Wednesday, a teenage girl reported being kidnapped by a bi-racial man driving a blue vehicle in the 6600 block of East Boston in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch. The man attempted to sexually assault the girl in the car. The man let the child go and she reported the incident to a family member.Just before 9a.m. Thursday, two elementary-aged children, a boy and girl, left their home on foot in the 900 block of South Drury to head to Clark Elementary School at 650 S Apache in Wichita.A man in a blue vehicle kidnapped the children. The suspect put both kids in his vehicle and then drove away. A short time later he dropped the boy victim off and left with the girl..While gathering information officers were patrolling the area and located the suspect vehicle and attempted to stop it. &nbsp;A brief foot pursuit occurred and officers took Ward into custody in the 6600 block of East Boston.&nbsp; He is being held <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20063339">on requested charges</a> of&nbsp;aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated indecent liberties, aggravated assault and criminal threat, according to online jail records.In September, police arrested Ward on requested charges of of aggravated domestic battery, according to Sedgwick County booking report.

Kan. man accused of kidnapping, assault of children near school

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rest easy, America ... we got this. What others see as dysfunction and chaos, many of Rep. Kevin McCarthy's opponents see as democracy at work. It's the longest fight for control of the House gavel since&nbsp; 1855 when it dragged on for two months, with 133 ballots, during the run-up to the Civil War.

Now some of the roughly 20 Republicans declining to vote for McCarthy as the next House speaker are reveling in the moment, depicting their intransigence as a historic chance to correct the balance of power in Washington and give rank-and-file members more say in shaping legislation.

And while most House members are frustrated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-mccarthy-vote-updates-7657a07f1545bf53079c9c9f6cef3a45?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">with the repeating ballots</a>&nbsp;for speaker, fearing what it may portend for the next two years of Republican control, the lawmakers opposing McCarthy show no signs of giving up. In fact, they appear to be enjoying themselves.

“This is actually, a really beautiful thing," said Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., one of those opposing McCarthy, as the House prepared Thursday to take its ninth vote on who should be the chamber's next speaker.

Boebert said the action on the House floor was the most debate she's seen in her two years in Congress, “and I love it."

Moments earlier, Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., shared her enthusiasm.

“We have had more discussion and debate over the last three days than I have participated in on this floor for the past two years," Rosendale said. “And it's healthy. It absolutely promotes the collegiality that everyone is striving to obtain."

But the vast majority of members-elect — they still can't take the oath of office — are ready to move on. For them, this week's logjam in the House is preventing the chamber from focusing on the kind of kitchen table issues that voters sent them to Washington to solve. Many fear it could be the start of a new normal filled with gridlock and failure to get bills passed.

Republicans who served in the military gathered Wednesday to voice their frustrations. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, said there are a variety of missions some of the veterans serving in Congress want to accomplish, from cutting the flow of fentanyl to cutting spending.

“I don't think that the American people care about any of the so-called missions happening this week — rules changes, who gets more power, who serves on what committee. I can't think of one American who gives a damn about any of that," Crenshaw said.

Republicans expected to lead House committees focused on defense and homeland security issued a joint statement saying the impasse was harming national security.

“The Biden administration is going unchecked and there is no oversight of the White House, State Department, Department of Defense, or the intelligence community. We cannot let personal politics place the safety and security of the United States at risk," said the statement from Republican Reps. Michael McCaul of Texas, Mike Rogers of Alabama and Mike Turner of Ohio.

And that was just from the Republican side. Democratic lawmakers were just as unsparing.

“First time in 100 years that there is no Congress because of ambition, or power grabs, or dysfunction,” said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-pelosi-hakeem-jeffries-congress-government-and-politics-e6dee438b2cfd776b70ff29495072ab5">who will be the chamber’s top-ranking Democrat.</a>&nbsp;“This is not a partisan criticism. Understand this. It’s embarrassing. It’s dysfunction. It’s dangerous. It’s stupid. Those are words that Republican have used to describe what’s going on in the House Republican conference right now.”

McCarthy's opponents are taking the criticism in stride. They keep finding different people to float for speaker as they enthusiastically force one vote after another.

Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., said his message to constituents is this: “If you think the challenges to America are maybe even existential, are really bad, this is exactly what you should want to see happen."

McCarthy's struggle so far marks the first time in 100 years that no nominee for House speaker could win the gavel on the first vote. Back in 1923, members of the Republican Party's progressive wing agreed to vote for Rep. Frederick Gillett of Massachusetts on the 9th ballot only after GOP leaders agreed to accept various procedural reforms those members favored.

Few seem to have enjoyed this week’s battles over legislative process more than Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas. He said the House is working just as it should, pointing to the success that some Republicans had a century ago in generating rule changes through fights over the speakership.

“The idea that we're having multiple rounds of votes on the speaker, it was commonplace in the 19th century," Roy said.

Roy has long complained that lawmakers don't have the chance to amend bills on the House floor, which often leaves them with the choice of voting yes or no on a product put together by a select few legislative leaders. He said changes being sought by the McCarthy holdouts are “all about tools of empowerment” for the rank-and-file in Congress.

“I am open to whatever will give me the power to defend my constituents against this God-forsaken city,” Roy said.

The House Freedom Caucus, which generally is made up of the GOP's most conservative members, has proposed that all legislation on the floor be open to amendment votes. That would dramatically slow the legislative process, possibly requiring the House to spend days or weeks focused on a bill.

The group has demanded that, if amendments are limited to some degree, that any Republican amendment supported by at least 10% of the Republican conference be allowed to be debated and voted upon.

McCarthy opponents are also wanting to restore a House rule that would allow any member to offer a “motion to vacate the chair," a procedure that forces a vote on whether to remove the speaker. They say it promotes accountability. McCarthy, seeking support from some conservatives, countered with a proposal that would allow such a vote with the support of five members.

The low threshold is troubling for some. Giving one lawmaker the power to force a vote on removing the speaker could become a common occurrence, predicted Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb.

“How would you like to do this every week?" Bacon said, referring to the voting drama on the House floor. “I think that's the future with a few of these individuals."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672959722290.png" alt="The scene following Thursday's tenth vote to decide House speaker -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>The scene following Thursday's tenth vote to decide House speaker -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Rest easy, America ... we got this. What others see as dysfunction and chaos, many of Rep. Kevin McCarthy's opponents see as democracy at work. It's the longest fight for control of the House gavel since&nbsp; 1855 when it dragged on for two months, with 133 ballots, during the run-up to the Civil War.Now some of the roughly 20 Republicans declining to vote for McCarthy as the next House speaker are reveling in the moment, depicting their intransigence as a historic chance to correct the balance of power in Washington and give rank-and-file members more say in shaping legislation.And while most House members are frustrated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-mccarthy-vote-updates-7657a07f1545bf53079c9c9f6cef3a45?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">with the repeating ballots</a>&nbsp;for speaker, fearing what it may portend for the next two years of Republican control, the lawmakers opposing McCarthy show no signs of giving up. In fact, they appear to be enjoying themselves.“This is actually, a really beautiful thing," said Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., one of those opposing McCarthy, as the House prepared Thursday to take its ninth vote on who should be the chamber's next speaker.Boebert said the action on the House floor was the most debate she's seen in her two years in Congress, “and I love it."Moments earlier, Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., shared her enthusiasm.“We have had more discussion and debate over the last three days than I have participated in on this floor for the past two years," Rosendale said. “And it's healthy. It absolutely promotes the collegiality that everyone is striving to obtain."But the vast majority of members-elect — they still can't take the oath of office — are ready to move on. For them, this week's logjam in the House is preventing the chamber from focusing on the kind of kitchen table issues that voters sent them to Washington to solve. Many fear it could be the start of a new normal filled with gridlock and failure to get bills passed.Republicans who served in the military gathered Wednesday to voice their frustrations. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, said there are a variety of missions some of the veterans serving in Congress want to accomplish, from cutting the flow of fentanyl to cutting spending.“I don't think that the American people care about any of the so-called missions happening this week — rules changes, who gets more power, who serves on what committee. I can't think of one American who gives a damn about any of that," Crenshaw said.Republicans expected to lead House committees focused on defense and homeland security issued a joint statement saying the impasse was harming national security.“The Biden administration is going unchecked and there is no oversight of the White House, State Department, Department of Defense, or the intelligence community. We cannot let personal politics place the safety and security of the United States at risk," said the statement from Republican Reps. Michael McCaul of Texas, Mike Rogers of Alabama and Mike Turner of Ohio.And that was just from the Republican side. Democratic lawmakers were just as unsparing.“First time in 100 years that there is no Congress because of ambition, or power grabs, or dysfunction,” said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-pelosi-hakeem-jeffries-congress-government-and-politics-e6dee438b2cfd776b70ff29495072ab5">who will be the chamber’s top-ranking Democrat.</a>&nbsp;“This is not a partisan criticism. Understand this. It’s embarrassing. It’s dysfunction. It’s dangerous. It’s stupid. Those are words that Republican have used to describe what’s going on in the House Republican conference right now.”McCarthy's opponents are taking the criticism in stride. They keep finding different people to float for speaker as they enthusiastically force one vote after another.Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., said his message to constituents is this: “If you think the challenges to America are maybe even existential, are really bad, this is exactly what you should want to see happen."McCarthy's struggle so far marks the first time in 100 years that no nominee for House speaker could win the gavel on the first vote. Back in 1923, members of the Republican Party's progressive wing agreed to vote for Rep. Frederick Gillett of Massachusetts on the 9th ballot only after GOP leaders agreed to accept various procedural reforms those members favored.Few seem to have enjoyed this week’s battles over legislative process more than Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas. He said the House is working just as it should, pointing to the success that some Republicans had a century ago in generating rule changes through fights over the speakership.“The idea that we're having multiple rounds of votes on the speaker, it was commonplace in the 19th century," Roy said.Roy has long complained that lawmakers don't have the chance to amend bills on the House floor, which often leaves them with the choice of voting yes or no on a product put together by a select few legislative leaders. He said changes being sought by the McCarthy holdouts are “all about tools of empowerment” for the rank-and-file in Congress.“I am open to whatever will give me the power to defend my constituents against this God-forsaken city,” Roy said.The House Freedom Caucus, which generally is made up of the GOP's most conservative members, has proposed that all legislation on the floor be open to amendment votes. That would dramatically slow the legislative process, possibly requiring the House to spend days or weeks focused on a bill.The group has demanded that, if amendments are limited to some degree, that any Republican amendment supported by at least 10% of the Republican conference be allowed to be debated and voted upon.McCarthy opponents are also wanting to restore a House rule that would allow any member to offer a “motion to vacate the chair," a procedure that forces a vote on whether to remove the speaker. They say it promotes accountability. McCarthy, seeking support from some conservatives, countered with a proposal that would allow such a vote with the support of five members.The low threshold is troubling for some. Giving one lawmaker the power to force a vote on removing the speaker could become a common occurrence, predicted Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb.“How would you like to do this every week?" Bacon said, referring to the voting drama on the House floor. “I think that's the future with a few of these individuals."

House speaker's election now longest since before Civil War

SHAWNEE COUNTY— Fire crews worked two house fires on Thursday afternoon in Topeka that were intentionally started by trespassers.

Just before noon, crews responded to a house fire located at 722 SW Buchanan Street, according to city of Topeka spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

The fire was extinguished, but not before the house sustained heavy fire damage.&nbsp;A preliminary investigation indicates the cause of the fire as incendiary; likely associated with trespassers.&nbsp;The total damage is estimated to be $20,000.

Just before 1p.m. crews responded to a house fire at 516 SW Lincoln Street. The house sustained heavy fire damage. Nearby homes were not damaged.&nbsp; The cause of the fire was Undetermined; likely associated with trespassers. The total damage is estimated to be $16,000, all of which is associated with the structure.

Investigators did not find working smoke detectors in either home. There were no injuries in the fires. The Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal assisted with this investigation of the fire SW Lincoln.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673006030882.png" alt="House fire on SW Lincoln-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>House fire on SW Lincoln-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY— Fire crews worked two house fires on Thursday afternoon in Topeka that were intentionally started by trespassers.Just before noon, crews responded to a house fire located at 722 SW Buchanan Street, according to city of Topeka spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.The fire was extinguished, but not before the house sustained heavy fire damage.&nbsp;A preliminary investigation indicates the cause of the fire as incendiary; likely associated with trespassers.&nbsp;The total damage is estimated to be $20,000.Just before 1p.m. crews responded to a house fire at 516 SW Lincoln Street. The house sustained heavy fire damage. Nearby homes were not damaged.&nbsp; The cause of the fire was Undetermined; likely associated with trespassers. The total damage is estimated to be $16,000, all of which is associated with the structure.Investigators did not find working smoke detectors in either home. There were no injuries in the fires. The Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal assisted with this investigation of the fire SW Lincoln.

Two Kansas house fires on Thursday started by trespassers

CHRISTIAN COUNTY —A Missouri man died in an accident just after 10a.m. Thursday in Christian County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Ford Focus driven by Brian D. Baker, 59, Branson, was eastbound on MO 14 two and one half miles east of Bruner.&nbsp;

The car traveled off the road and struck a tree. Baker was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the county coroner's office in Ozark. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

CHRISTIAN COUNTY —A Missouri man died in an accident just after 10a.m. Thursday in Christian County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Ford Focus driven by Brian D. Baker, 59, Branson, was eastbound on MO 14 two and one half miles east of Bruner.&nbsp;The car traveled off the road and struck a tree. Baker was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the county coroner's office in Ozark. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

Missouri man dies after car strikes a tree

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Thursday the U.S. would immediately begin turning away Cubans, Haitians and Nicaraguans who cross the border from Mexico illegally, his boldest move yet to confront the arrivals of migrants that have spiraled since he took office two years ago.

(Click below to watch the President's comments)

The new rules expand on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-health-venezuela-caribbean-united-states-d251abc69009e89447cdddf058c162e7">an existing effort to stop Venezuelans</a>&nbsp;attempting to enter the U.S., which began in October and led to a dramatic drop in Venezuelans coming to the southern border. Together, they represent a major change to immigration rules that will stand even if the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-42-immigration-limits-supreme-court-updates-0494c30834fad66ce9c6057ea1605d89">Supreme Court ends a Trump-era public health</a>&nbsp;law that allows U.S. authorities to turn away asylum-seekers.

“Do not, do not just show up at the border,” Biden said as he announced the changes, even as he acknowledged the hardships that lead many families to make the dangerous journey north.

“Stay where you are and apply legally from there,” he advised.

Biden made the announcement just days before a planned visit to El Paso, Texas, on Sunday for his first trip to the southern border as president. From there, he will travel on to Mexico City to meet with North American leaders on Monday and Tuesday.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-donald-trump-ap-top-news-guatemala-politics-23f6b9a087e841188c5484cd5cf04f3d">Homeland Security officials said they would begin</a>&nbsp;denying asylum to those who circumvent legal pathways and do not first ask for asylum in the country they traveled through en route to the U.S.

Instead, the U.S. will accept 30,000 people per month from the four nations for two years and offer the ability to work legally, as long as they come legally, have eligible sponsors and pass vetting and background checks. Border crossings by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mexico-john-roberts-9620ffd2acea851c5a6957eab0af763e">migrants from those four nations</a>&nbsp;have risen most sharply, with no easy way to quickly return them to their home countries.

“This new process is orderly,” Biden said. “It’s safe and humane, and it works.”

The move, while not unexpected, drew swift criticism from asylum and immigration advocates, who have had a rocky relationship with the president.

“President Biden correctly recognized today that seeking asylum is a legal right and spoke sympathetically about people fleeing persecution," said Jonathan Blazer, the American Civil Liberties Union’s director of border strategies. “But the plan he announced further ties his administration to the poisonous anti-immigrant policies of the Trump era instead of restoring fair access to asylum protections.”

Even with the health law restrictions in place, the president has seen the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mexico-us-customs-and-border-protection-cuba-immigration-8fbba5bde9afca3f404eaa96bcfd136a">numbers of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border</a>&nbsp;rise dramatically during his two years in office; there were more than 2.38 million stops during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the first time the number topped 2 million. The administration has struggled to clamp down on crossings, reluctant to take hard-line measures that would resemble those of the Trump administration.

That’s resulted in relentless criticism from Republicans who say the Democratic president is ineffective on border security, and the newly minted Republican House majority has promised congressional investigations on the matter.

The new policy could result in 360,000 people from these four nations lawfully entering the U.S. in a year, a huge number. But far more people from those countries have been attempting to cross into the U.S. on foot, by boat or swimming; migrants from those four countries were stopped 82,286 times in November alone.

Enyer Valbuena, a Venezuelan who was living in Tijuana, Mexico, after crossing the border illegally, said Thursday’s announcement came as no surprise but a blow nonetheless.

“This was coming. It’s getting more difficult all the time,” he said by text message.

Some Venezuelans waiting on Mexico’s border with the U.S. have been talking among themselves if Canada is an option, Valbuena said. He had been waiting for the outcome of the pandemic-related asylum ban before trying to enter the U.S. again and is seeking asylum in Mexico, which offers a much better future than Venezuela.

“If it becomes more difficult (to reach the U.S.), the best path is to get papers in Mexico,” said Valbuena, who currently works at a Tijuana factory.

Mexico has agreed to accept up to 30,000 migrants each month from the four countries who attempt to walk or swim across the U.S.-Mexico border and are turned back. Normally, these migrants would be returned to their country of origin, but the U.S. can not easily send back people from those four countries for a variety of reasons that include relations with the governments there.

Anyone coming to the U.S. is allowed to claim asylum, regardless of how they crossed the border, and migrants seeking a better life in the U.S. often pay smugglers the equivalent of thousands of dollars to deliver them across the dangerous Darien Gap.

But the requirements for granting asylum are narrow, and only about 30% of applications are granted. That has created a system in which migrants try to cross between ports of entry and are allowed into the U.S. to wait out their cases. But there is a 2 million-case immigration court backlog, so cases often are not heard for years.

The only lasting way to change the system is through Congress, but a bipartisan congressional effort on new immigration laws failed shortly before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-79475a4fc11e4375cd0dded651b9eede">Republicans took the House majority.</a>

“The actions we’re announcing will make things better, but will not fix the border problem completely," Biden said, in pressing lawmakers to act.

Under then-President Donald Trump, the U.S. required asylum seekers to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-immigration-government-and-politics-5c7bb29c829d7f0711b23f9beb18755d">wait across the border in Mexico</a>. But clogs in the immigration system created long delays, leading to fetid, dangerous camps over the border where migrants were forced to wait. That system was ended under Biden, and the migrants who are returned to Mexico under the new rules will not be eligible for asylum.

Biden will also triple the number of refugees accepted to the U.S. from the Western Hemisphere, to 20,000 from Latin America and Caribbean, over the next two years. Refugees and asylum-seekers have to meet the same criteria to be allowed into the country, but they arrive through different means.

Border officials are also creating an online appointment portal to help reduce wait times at U.S. ports of entry for those coming legally. It will allow people to set up an appointment to come and ask to be allowed into the country.

At the U.S.-Mexico border, migrants have been denied a chance to seek asylum 2.5 million times since March 2020 under the Title 42 restrictions, introduced as an emergency health measure by Trump to prevent the spread of COVID-19. But there always has been criticism that the restrictions were used as a pretext by the Republican to seal off the border.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-covid-health-mexico-united-states-e9c70f098e0ec0ed7d2403f7cce4a30f">Biden moved to end the Title 42 restrictions</a>, and Republicans sued to keep them. The U.S. Supreme Court has kept the rules in place for now. White House officials say they still believe the restrictions should end, but they maintain they can continue to turn away migrants under immigration law.

The four nationalities that Biden addressed Thursday now make up the majority of those crossing the border illegally. Cubans, who are leaving the island nation in their largest numbers in six decades, were stopped 34,675 times at the U.S. border with Mexico in November, up 21% from October. Nicaraguans, a large reason why El Paso has become the busiest corridor for illegal crossings, were stopped 34,209 times in November, up 65% from October.

But Venezuelans were seen far less at the border after Mexico agreed on Oct. 12 to begin accepting those expelled from the United States. They were stopped 7,931 times, down 64% from October.

Venezuelans have said the changes have been difficult, particularly with finding a sponsor who has the financial resources to demonstrate the ability to support them. And even if they find a sponsor, sometimes they delay their arrival because they don’t have the economic resources to pay for the flight to the U.S. For some, the Venezuelan passport that they need has expired, and they cannot afford to pay for the renewal.

Spagat reported from San Diego. Associated Press writers Rebecca Santana in Washington and Gisela Salomon in Miami contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672938289244.png" alt="President Biden made the announcement just days before a planned visit to El Paso, Texas, on Sunday-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden made the announcement just days before a planned visit to El Paso, Texas, on Sunday-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Thursday the U.S. would immediately begin turning away Cubans, Haitians and Nicaraguans who cross the border from Mexico illegally, his boldest move yet to confront the arrivals of migrants that have spiraled since he took office two years ago.(Click below to watch the President's comments)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F669572838202564%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=1" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The new rules expand on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-health-venezuela-caribbean-united-states-d251abc69009e89447cdddf058c162e7">an existing effort to stop Venezuelans</a>&nbsp;attempting to enter the U.S., which began in October and led to a dramatic drop in Venezuelans coming to the southern border. Together, they represent a major change to immigration rules that will stand even if the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-42-immigration-limits-supreme-court-updates-0494c30834fad66ce9c6057ea1605d89">Supreme Court ends a Trump-era public health</a>&nbsp;law that allows U.S. authorities to turn away asylum-seekers.“Do not, do not just show up at the border,” Biden said as he announced the changes, even as he acknowledged the hardships that lead many families to make the dangerous journey north.“Stay where you are and apply legally from there,” he advised.Biden made the announcement just days before a planned visit to El Paso, Texas, on Sunday for his first trip to the southern border as president. From there, he will travel on to Mexico City to meet with North American leaders on Monday and Tuesday.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-donald-trump-ap-top-news-guatemala-politics-23f6b9a087e841188c5484cd5cf04f3d">Homeland Security officials said they would begin</a>&nbsp;denying asylum to those who circumvent legal pathways and do not first ask for asylum in the country they traveled through en route to the U.S.Instead, the U.S. will accept 30,000 people per month from the four nations for two years and offer the ability to work legally, as long as they come legally, have eligible sponsors and pass vetting and background checks. Border crossings by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mexico-john-roberts-9620ffd2acea851c5a6957eab0af763e">migrants from those four nations</a>&nbsp;have risen most sharply, with no easy way to quickly return them to their home countries.“This new process is orderly,” Biden said. “It’s safe and humane, and it works.”The move, while not unexpected, drew swift criticism from asylum and immigration advocates, who have had a rocky relationship with the president.“President Biden correctly recognized today that seeking asylum is a legal right and spoke sympathetically about people fleeing persecution," said Jonathan Blazer, the American Civil Liberties Union’s director of border strategies. “But the plan he announced further ties his administration to the poisonous anti-immigrant policies of the Trump era instead of restoring fair access to asylum protections.”Even with the health law restrictions in place, the president has seen the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mexico-us-customs-and-border-protection-cuba-immigration-8fbba5bde9afca3f404eaa96bcfd136a">numbers of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border</a>&nbsp;rise dramatically during his two years in office; there were more than 2.38 million stops during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the first time the number topped 2 million. The administration has struggled to clamp down on crossings, reluctant to take hard-line measures that would resemble those of the Trump administration.That’s resulted in relentless criticism from Republicans who say the Democratic president is ineffective on border security, and the newly minted Republican House majority has promised congressional investigations on the matter.The new policy could result in 360,000 people from these four nations lawfully entering the U.S. in a year, a huge number. But far more people from those countries have been attempting to cross into the U.S. on foot, by boat or swimming; migrants from those four countries were stopped 82,286 times in November alone.Enyer Valbuena, a Venezuelan who was living in Tijuana, Mexico, after crossing the border illegally, said Thursday’s announcement came as no surprise but a blow nonetheless.“This was coming. It’s getting more difficult all the time,” he said by text message.Some Venezuelans waiting on Mexico’s border with the U.S. have been talking among themselves if Canada is an option, Valbuena said. He had been waiting for the outcome of the pandemic-related asylum ban before trying to enter the U.S. again and is seeking asylum in Mexico, which offers a much better future than Venezuela.“If it becomes more difficult (to reach the U.S.), the best path is to get papers in Mexico,” said Valbuena, who currently works at a Tijuana factory.Mexico has agreed to accept up to 30,000 migrants each month from the four countries who attempt to walk or swim across the U.S.-Mexico border and are turned back. Normally, these migrants would be returned to their country of origin, but the U.S. can not easily send back people from those four countries for a variety of reasons that include relations with the governments there.Anyone coming to the U.S. is allowed to claim asylum, regardless of how they crossed the border, and migrants seeking a better life in the U.S. often pay smugglers the equivalent of thousands of dollars to deliver them across the dangerous Darien Gap.But the requirements for granting asylum are narrow, and only about 30% of applications are granted. That has created a system in which migrants try to cross between ports of entry and are allowed into the U.S. to wait out their cases. But there is a 2 million-case immigration court backlog, so cases often are not heard for years.The only lasting way to change the system is through Congress, but a bipartisan congressional effort on new immigration laws failed shortly before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-79475a4fc11e4375cd0dded651b9eede">Republicans took the House majority.</a>“The actions we’re announcing will make things better, but will not fix the border problem completely," Biden said, in pressing lawmakers to act.Under then-President Donald Trump, the U.S. required asylum seekers to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-immigration-government-and-politics-5c7bb29c829d7f0711b23f9beb18755d">wait across the border in Mexico</a>. But clogs in the immigration system created long delays, leading to fetid, dangerous camps over the border where migrants were forced to wait. That system was ended under Biden, and the migrants who are returned to Mexico under the new rules will not be eligible for asylum.Biden will also triple the number of refugees accepted to the U.S. from the Western Hemisphere, to 20,000 from Latin America and Caribbean, over the next two years. Refugees and asylum-seekers have to meet the same criteria to be allowed into the country, but they arrive through different means.Border officials are also creating an online appointment portal to help reduce wait times at U.S. ports of entry for those coming legally. It will allow people to set up an appointment to come and ask to be allowed into the country.At the U.S.-Mexico border, migrants have been denied a chance to seek asylum 2.5 million times since March 2020 under the Title 42 restrictions, introduced as an emergency health measure by Trump to prevent the spread of COVID-19. But there always has been criticism that the restrictions were used as a pretext by the Republican to seal off the border.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-covid-health-mexico-united-states-e9c70f098e0ec0ed7d2403f7cce4a30f">Biden moved to end the Title 42 restrictions</a>, and Republicans sued to keep them. The U.S. Supreme Court has kept the rules in place for now. White House officials say they still believe the restrictions should end, but they maintain they can continue to turn away migrants under immigration law.The four nationalities that Biden addressed Thursday now make up the majority of those crossing the border illegally. Cubans, who are leaving the island nation in their largest numbers in six decades, were stopped 34,675 times at the U.S. border with Mexico in November, up 21% from October. Nicaraguans, a large reason why El Paso has become the busiest corridor for illegal crossings, were stopped 34,209 times in November, up 65% from October.But Venezuelans were seen far less at the border after Mexico agreed on Oct. 12 to begin accepting those expelled from the United States. They were stopped 7,931 times, down 64% from October.Venezuelans have said the changes have been difficult, particularly with finding a sponsor who has the financial resources to demonstrate the ability to support them. And even if they find a sponsor, sometimes they delay their arrival because they don’t have the economic resources to pay for the flight to the U.S. For some, the Venezuelan passport that they need has expired, and they cannot afford to pay for the renewal.___Spagat reported from San Diego. Associated Press writers Rebecca Santana in Washington and Gisela Salomon in Miami contributed to this report.

🎥Biden to migrants: Do not just show up at the border

PITTSBURG, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man after they found a runaway girl in the trunk of a stolen vehicle.

On December 27, police took a report from a Yvonne Timko, regarding her son, 18-year-old Rylie M. Timko, of Pittsburg, Kansas taking her vehicle from her residence without permission, according to a media release.

On December 28, 2022, police in Pittsburg received information from the Fort Scott, Kansas, Police Department, regarding a 14-year-old&nbsp; runaway girl, who was likely in the company of Rylie Timko in the Pittsburg area.

The two were reportedly involved in a dating relationship. 

On Dec. 31, police were checking a vehicle, which matched the description of the missing vehicle, in the 400 block of E. 27th Street in Pittsburg.&nbsp; Officers determined it to be the missing vehicle and officers located the 14-year-old runaway hiding in the trunk of the vehicle. 

Police took her into custody without incident and was transported to the police station for processing with juvenile intake.&nbsp; Officers later located Rylie Timko at his mother’s residence and arrested him on requested charges of&nbsp; felony Contributing to a Child’s Misconduct. He is currently being held on $10,000 bond, according to online jail records. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672918265145.png" alt="Timko-photo Crawford County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Timko-photo Crawford County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>PITTSBURG, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man after they found a runaway girl in the trunk of a stolen vehicle.On December 27, police took a report from a Yvonne Timko, regarding her son, 18-year-old Rylie M. Timko, of Pittsburg, Kansas taking her vehicle from her residence without permission, according to a media release.On December 28, 2022, police in Pittsburg received information from the Fort Scott, Kansas, Police Department, regarding a 14-year-old&nbsp; runaway girl, who was likely in the company of Rylie Timko in the Pittsburg area.The two were reportedly involved in a dating relationship. On Dec. 31, police were checking a vehicle, which matched the description of the missing vehicle, in the 400 block of E. 27th Street in Pittsburg.&nbsp; Officers determined it to be the missing vehicle and officers located the 14-year-old runaway hiding in the trunk of the vehicle. Police took her into custody without incident and was transported to the police station for processing with juvenile intake.&nbsp; Officers later located Rylie Timko at his mother’s residence and arrested him on requested charges of&nbsp; felony Contributing to a Child’s Misconduct. He is currently being held on $10,000 bond, according to online jail records.

Police find Kansas runaway in trunk of car, arrest boyfriend

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho police pieced together DNA evidence, cellphone data and surveillance video to charge a criminology graduate student with the November slaying of four University of Idaho undergraduates, according to an <a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23564673/122922-affidavit-exhibit-a-statement-of-brett-payne_redacted.pdf">affidavit</a> unsealed Thursday.

<a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23564673/122922-affidavit-exhibit-a-statement-of-brett-payne_redacted.pdf">Click here to read </a>the full&nbsp;unsealed affidavit, which explains the basis for Kohberger's arrest,&nbsp;

The <a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23564673/122922-affidavit-exhibit-a-statement-of-brett-payne_redacted.pdf">affidavit</a> says DNA matching that of 28-year-old Bryan Kohberger was found on a knife sheath recovered at the crime scene, just a short drive across the state border where he is a criminal justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/university-of-idaho-students-killings-arrest-b3b1ffd8138827f0bdad16d20e17cf83">doctoral student at Washington State University.</a>

The affidavit also says that a cellphone belonging to Kohberger was near the victims’ home on a dozen occasions prior to the killings, and that while it was apparently turned off around the time of the early-morning attack, cell tower data place his phone in that region of Idaho shortly afterwards.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/idaho-indiana-crime-b3f0d08e8d750a602429cc728e9a639e">Kohberger made his first appearance</a>&nbsp;Thursday in an Idaho court, where he faces four charges of first-degree murder. He did not enter a plea, and was ordered held without bail.

The affidavit details a chilling encounter between one of the victims' surviving roommates and a masked intruder the night of the stabbings in Moscow, Idaho. But many questions remain unanswered, including whether Kohberger and any of the victims knew each other, and why police weren’t alerted until nearly eight hours after the killings likely occurred.

Traces of DNA from a lone male later determined to be Kohberger were found on the button of a leather knife sheath found in the rental home where the victims were killed, according to the affidavit written by Brett Payne, a police corporal in Moscow. Investigators later closely matched the DNA on the sheath to DNA found in trash taken from Kohberger’s parents’ home in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested last week.

The sheath had a U.S. Marine Corps insignia on it, though there's no record of Kohberger having served in the military.

The attack that occurred in the early morning hours of an off-campus home had spread fear throughout the university and surrounding area for weeks, as authorities seemed stumped by the brutal stabbings.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/idaho-boise-1c4c6ada3ef434d9b81d5b3717c00f2a">Investigators made a breakthrough, however, after searching for a white sedan</a>&nbsp;that was seen near the crime scene around the time of the killings.

Surveillance footage captured near the off-campus house showed that a white sedan — later identified as a Hyundai Elantra — drove by the home three times in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, returning a fourth time at about 4:04 a.m. The car was next spotted on surveillance cameras leaving the victims home 16 minutes later “at a high rate of speed,” according to the affidavit. The same car was later spotted on a different camera headed toward Pullman, Washington — the town where Washington State University and Kohberger’s apartment are located.

The affidavit connects some of the dots between the surveillance footage and cellphone data. Kohberger’s phone pinged communications towers in the region at the same time and in the same areas that the white Elantra was seen driving in the hours after the killings, the affidavit says.

The cellphone data included another chilling detail, the affidavit said: It pinged a cell tower near the victims’ neighborhood hours after the attack, around 9 a.m.

Latah County prosecutors have said they believe Kohberger broke into the home with the intention of killing the victims: Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20. But investigators have made no public statements about a possible motive, or whether any weapons have been found.

Two other housemates were at home during the Nov. 13 killings, but were not physically harmed.

One of the uninjured housemates told investigators that she was awoken by noises at about 4 a.m., and thought she heard another housemate say something like, “there’s someone here.” She looked outside her bedroom and didn’t see anything. Later she thought she heard crying coming from Kernodle’s room and looked outside again. That’s when she said she heard a male voice say something to the effect of, “it’s OK, I’m going to help you,” according to the affidavit.

She later opened her door a third time and saw a masked man in black clothing whom she did not recognize walking toward her and stood in “frozen shock” as he walked past her toward a sliding glass door, the affidavit said. She went back in her room and locked the door.

Investigators believe the suspect then left the home. The document does not say what happened next at the home, or why police were not alerted for several more hours.

Mental health experts say common physiological responses to frightening or traumatic experiences include an urge to fight, an urge to flee, or an urge to freeze.

Location data from Kohberger’s cellphone showed he had traveled to the area of the victims’ residence at least a dozen times between late June and the night of the killings, authorities said.

Those apparent visits to the victims’ neighborhood all occurred late in the evening or in the early morning, the affidavit said. Investigators also obtained location data from the night of the killings, showing that Kohberger’s phone was near his home in Pullman until about 2:42 a.m.

Five minutes later, the phone started using cellular resources located southeast of the home -- consistent with Kohberger traveling south, the affidavit said. There was no other location data available from the phone until 4:48 a.m. — from a cellphone tower south of Moscow — suggesting Kohberger may have turned his phone off during the attack, the affidavit said.

At that point, the phone began taking a roundabout route back to Pullman, traveling south to Genesee, Idaho, then west to Uniontown, Washington and north to Pullman just before 5:30 a.m. -- around the same time the white sedan showed up on surveillance cameras in town.

An FBI expert identified the vehicle as a 2011-2016 Hyundai Elantra; Kohberger was driving a 2015 white Elantra during traffic stops in August and in October, the affidavit said.

At the time,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/videos-605ac2becd6f449a848add3d6ce63828">Kohberger's vehicle had a Pennsylvania license plate</a>&nbsp;and was registered in that state. That registration was set to expire on Nov. 30, however. On Nov. 18 — five days after the killings — Kohberger registered the car in the state of Washington, getting a new license plate.

Kohberger had applied to become an intern with the Pullman Police Department sometime in the fall of 2022, writing in his application essay that he wanted to help rural law enforcement agencies collect and analyze technical data in public safety operations, according to the affidavit. The document does not say if Kohberger was granted the internship.

The Pullman Police Department did not immediately respond to a message from The Associated Press asking if Kohberger ever became an intern with the department.

During Thursday's court hearing, Kohberger appeared with his attorney in an orange jumpsuit and remained silent while the magistrate ordered him not to have contact with the victims’ families. His next hearing was set for Jan. 12.

Some of Goncalves' family members attended the hearing.

“It's obviously an emotional time for the family, seeing the defendant for the first time,” the Goncalves family attorney, Shanon Gray, said outside the courthouse. “This is the beginning of the criminal justice system and the family will be here for the long haul.”

Kohberger's defense attorney, Anne Taylor, did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday. A magistrate judge has placed the attorneys and others involved in the case under a sweeping gag order barring them from talking publicly about the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672924870681.png" alt="Kohberger-photo Latah Co." />
 <figcaption>Kohberger-photo Latah Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho police pieced together DNA evidence, cellphone data and surveillance video to charge a criminology graduate student with the November slaying of four University of Idaho undergraduates, according to an <a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23564673/122922-affidavit-exhibit-a-statement-of-brett-payne_redacted.pdf">affidavit</a> unsealed Thursday.<a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23564673/122922-affidavit-exhibit-a-statement-of-brett-payne_redacted.pdf">Click here to read </a>the full&nbsp;unsealed affidavit, which explains the basis for Kohberger's arrest,&nbsp;The <a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23564673/122922-affidavit-exhibit-a-statement-of-brett-payne_redacted.pdf">affidavit</a> says DNA matching that of 28-year-old Bryan Kohberger was found on a knife sheath recovered at the crime scene, just a short drive across the state border where he is a criminal justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/university-of-idaho-students-killings-arrest-b3b1ffd8138827f0bdad16d20e17cf83">doctoral student at Washington State University.</a>The affidavit also says that a cellphone belonging to Kohberger was near the victims’ home on a dozen occasions prior to the killings, and that while it was apparently turned off around the time of the early-morning attack, cell tower data place his phone in that region of Idaho shortly afterwards.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/idaho-indiana-crime-b3f0d08e8d750a602429cc728e9a639e">Kohberger made his first appearance</a>&nbsp;Thursday in an Idaho court, where he faces four charges of first-degree murder. He did not enter a plea, and was ordered held without bail.The affidavit details a chilling encounter between one of the victims' surviving roommates and a masked intruder the night of the stabbings in Moscow, Idaho. But many questions remain unanswered, including whether Kohberger and any of the victims knew each other, and why police weren’t alerted until nearly eight hours after the killings likely occurred.Traces of DNA from a lone male later determined to be Kohberger were found on the button of a leather knife sheath found in the rental home where the victims were killed, according to the affidavit written by Brett Payne, a police corporal in Moscow. Investigators later closely matched the DNA on the sheath to DNA found in trash taken from Kohberger’s parents’ home in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested last week.The sheath had a U.S. Marine Corps insignia on it, though there's no record of Kohberger having served in the military.The attack that occurred in the early morning hours of an off-campus home had spread fear throughout the university and surrounding area for weeks, as authorities seemed stumped by the brutal stabbings.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/idaho-boise-1c4c6ada3ef434d9b81d5b3717c00f2a">Investigators made a breakthrough, however, after searching for a white sedan</a>&nbsp;that was seen near the crime scene around the time of the killings.Surveillance footage captured near the off-campus house showed that a white sedan — later identified as a Hyundai Elantra — drove by the home three times in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, returning a fourth time at about 4:04 a.m. The car was next spotted on surveillance cameras leaving the victims home 16 minutes later “at a high rate of speed,” according to the affidavit. The same car was later spotted on a different camera headed toward Pullman, Washington — the town where Washington State University and Kohberger’s apartment are located.The affidavit connects some of the dots between the surveillance footage and cellphone data. Kohberger’s phone pinged communications towers in the region at the same time and in the same areas that the white Elantra was seen driving in the hours after the killings, the affidavit says.The cellphone data included another chilling detail, the affidavit said: It pinged a cell tower near the victims’ neighborhood hours after the attack, around 9 a.m.Latah County prosecutors have said they believe Kohberger broke into the home with the intention of killing the victims: Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20. But investigators have made no public statements about a possible motive, or whether any weapons have been found.Two other housemates were at home during the Nov. 13 killings, but were not physically harmed.One of the uninjured housemates told investigators that she was awoken by noises at about 4 a.m., and thought she heard another housemate say something like, “there’s someone here.” She looked outside her bedroom and didn’t see anything. Later she thought she heard crying coming from Kernodle’s room and looked outside again. That’s when she said she heard a male voice say something to the effect of, “it’s OK, I’m going to help you,” according to the affidavit.She later opened her door a third time and saw a masked man in black clothing whom she did not recognize walking toward her and stood in “frozen shock” as he walked past her toward a sliding glass door, the affidavit said. She went back in her room and locked the door.Investigators believe the suspect then left the home. The document does not say what happened next at the home, or why police were not alerted for several more hours.Mental health experts say common physiological responses to frightening or traumatic experiences include an urge to fight, an urge to flee, or an urge to freeze.Location data from Kohberger’s cellphone showed he had traveled to the area of the victims’ residence at least a dozen times between late June and the night of the killings, authorities said.Those apparent visits to the victims’ neighborhood all occurred late in the evening or in the early morning, the affidavit said. Investigators also obtained location data from the night of the killings, showing that Kohberger’s phone was near his home in Pullman until about 2:42 a.m.Five minutes later, the phone started using cellular resources located southeast of the home -- consistent with Kohberger traveling south, the affidavit said. There was no other location data available from the phone until 4:48 a.m. — from a cellphone tower south of Moscow — suggesting Kohberger may have turned his phone off during the attack, the affidavit said.At that point, the phone began taking a roundabout route back to Pullman, traveling south to Genesee, Idaho, then west to Uniontown, Washington and north to Pullman just before 5:30 a.m. -- around the same time the white sedan showed up on surveillance cameras in town.An FBI expert identified the vehicle as a 2011-2016 Hyundai Elantra; Kohberger was driving a 2015 white Elantra during traffic stops in August and in October, the affidavit said.At the time,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/videos-605ac2becd6f449a848add3d6ce63828">Kohberger's vehicle had a Pennsylvania license plate</a>&nbsp;and was registered in that state. That registration was set to expire on Nov. 30, however. On Nov. 18 — five days after the killings — Kohberger registered the car in the state of Washington, getting a new license plate.Kohberger had applied to become an intern with the Pullman Police Department sometime in the fall of 2022, writing in his application essay that he wanted to help rural law enforcement agencies collect and analyze technical data in public safety operations, according to the affidavit. The document does not say if Kohberger was granted the internship.The Pullman Police Department did not immediately respond to a message from The Associated Press asking if Kohberger ever became an intern with the department.During Thursday's court hearing, Kohberger appeared with his attorney in an orange jumpsuit and remained silent while the magistrate ordered him not to have contact with the victims’ families. His next hearing was set for Jan. 12.Some of Goncalves' family members attended the hearing.“It's obviously an emotional time for the family, seeing the defendant for the first time,” the Goncalves family attorney, Shanon Gray, said outside the courthouse. “This is the beginning of the criminal justice system and the family will be here for the long haul.”Kohberger's defense attorney, Anne Taylor, did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday. A magistrate judge has placed the attorneys and others involved in the case under a sweeping gag order barring them from talking publicly about the case.___

Read the full police affidavit in the Idaho college murders

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-05/crews-are-diverting-a-kansas-creek-as-they-race-to-clean-an-oil-spill-and-prevent-further-pollution">Kansas News Service</a>

Canadian company TC Energy has temporarily diverted a north-central 
Kansas stream to isolate a four-mile stretch fouled by its busted 
Keystone oil pipeline.

Last month’s spill primarily polluted that 
stretch of Mill Creek, though benzene and other chemicals turned up 
farther downstream in levels that could ultimately harm wildlife — but 
that remain too low to pose concerns for public drinking water. (No 
towns or cities draw their water from the immediate area.)

TC 
Energy and its contractor are using giant bladders filled with water to 
block off the four-mile stretch from the rest of creek — both upstream 
and downstream — and began bypassing that section on Thursday by pumping
 the clean water upstream of the spill through a 1.2-mile-long 
above-ground hose that empties back into the creek bed farther 
downstream.

This could mean carrying upward of 5,000 gallons of 
water per minute. (Streamflow varies seasonally and depending on the 
weather, TC Energy says.)

“We are committed to diverting the full 
flow of the creek and we’re able to add additional pumps and equipment 
as necessary,” the company wrote in an email.

Federal and state regulators overseeing the spill site say that diverting the Washington County creek will help.

“This
 will reduce the possibility of chemicals moving downstream and enhance 
oil recovery efforts,” the state health department said in an email. 
“Additionally, reducing the flow will allow the teams on-site to 
determine if the oil has sunk to the bottom of the creek.”

Searching
 for sunken oil is critical to a thorough cleanup because the Dec. 7 
Keystone accident in Washington County — estimated by TC Energy at 
nearly 600,000 gallons — was the second-largest <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-12-15/not-just-any-oil-spill-the-keystone-pipeline-dumped-notoriously-hard-to-clean-dilbit-in-kansas" target="_blank">spill of dilbit oil</a> on U.S. soil.

Dilbit, or diluted bitumen, comes from Canadian tar sands and doesn’t behave like conventional crude oil. Top scientists warned <a href="https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/21834/chapter/1" target="_blank">nearly a decade ago</a>
 that the federal government should pass special regulations to prepare 
for the particular difficulties of cleaning dilbit spills.

When dilbit pours into a river or stream, it soon starts sinking — 
flummoxing traditional cleanup methods that focus on containing and 
recovering floating oil.

This raised a risk that dilbit could flow
 through large, underwater holes in the two emergency dams that were set
 up to stop the huge slick of floating crude oil in Mill Creek from 
moving downstream.

A National Academies of Sciences study found 
little in the way of reliable options to detect dilbit once it begins 
moving below the water’s surface. The weathering process that causes the
 stuff to sink can start within a matter of days. The spill occurred 
nearly one month ago.

TC Energy hasn’t offered specifics on what 
methods it is using to check for sunken dilbit, but the EPA says it has 
heavy crude oil experts offering technical guidance and that “efforts to
 identify and contain submerged oil are being conducted.”

A scientist who worked on the 2016 National Academies study and advised the Environmental Protection Agency on <a href="https://www.epa.gov/enbridge-spill-michigan/enbridge-spill-response-timeline" target="_blank">a major dilbit spill in Michigan</a>
 suggested crews in Kansas could run tests for sunken dilbit in Mill 
Creek by placing fine meshes over the underwater holes for short periods
 of time in search of the stuff.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672958551473.png" alt="TC Energy installed floating booms and emergency dams on Mill Creek to hold back crude oil that spilled on Dec. 7. EPA photo" />
 <figcaption>TC Energy installed floating booms and emergency dams on Mill Creek to hold back crude oil that spilled on Dec. 7. EPA photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-05/crews-are-diverting-a-kansas-creek-as-they-race-to-clean-an-oil-spill-and-prevent-further-pollution">Kansas News Service</a>Canadian company TC Energy has temporarily diverted a north-central 
Kansas stream to isolate a four-mile stretch fouled by its busted 
Keystone oil pipeline.Last month’s spill primarily polluted that 
stretch of Mill Creek, though benzene and other chemicals turned up 
farther downstream in levels that could ultimately harm wildlife — but 
that remain too low to pose concerns for public drinking water. (No 
towns or cities draw their water from the immediate area.)TC 
Energy and its contractor are using giant bladders filled with water to 
block off the four-mile stretch from the rest of creek — both upstream 
and downstream — and began bypassing that section on Thursday by pumping
 the clean water upstream of the spill through a 1.2-mile-long 
above-ground hose that empties back into the creek bed farther 
downstream.This could mean carrying upward of 5,000 gallons of 
water per minute. (Streamflow varies seasonally and depending on the 
weather, TC Energy says.)“We are committed to diverting the full 
flow of the creek and we’re able to add additional pumps and equipment 
as necessary,” the company wrote in an email.Federal and state regulators overseeing the spill site say that diverting the Washington County creek will help.“This
 will reduce the possibility of chemicals moving downstream and enhance 
oil recovery efforts,” the state health department said in an email. 
“Additionally, reducing the flow will allow the teams on-site to 
determine if the oil has sunk to the bottom of the creek.”Searching
 for sunken oil is critical to a thorough cleanup because the Dec. 7 
Keystone accident in Washington County — estimated by TC Energy at 
nearly 600,000 gallons — was the second-largest <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-12-15/not-just-any-oil-spill-the-keystone-pipeline-dumped-notoriously-hard-to-clean-dilbit-in-kansas" target="_blank">spill of dilbit oil</a> on U.S. soil.Dilbit, or diluted bitumen, comes from Canadian tar sands and doesn’t behave like conventional crude oil. Top scientists warned <a href="https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/21834/chapter/1" target="_blank">nearly a decade ago</a>
 that the federal government should pass special regulations to prepare 
for the particular difficulties of cleaning dilbit spills.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672958610044.png" alt="This map shows where TC Energy will divert Mill Creek to avoid a four-mile stretch that needs intensive cleanup. TC Energy" />
 <figcaption>This map shows where TC Energy will divert Mill Creek to avoid a four-mile stretch that needs intensive cleanup. TC Energy</figcaption>
 </figure>When dilbit pours into a river or stream, it soon starts sinking — 
flummoxing traditional cleanup methods that focus on containing and 
recovering floating oil.This raised a risk that dilbit could flow
 through large, underwater holes in the two emergency dams that were set
 up to stop the huge slick of floating crude oil in Mill Creek from 
moving downstream.A National Academies of Sciences study found 
little in the way of reliable options to detect dilbit once it begins 
moving below the water’s surface. The weathering process that causes the
 stuff to sink can start within a matter of days. The spill occurred 
nearly one month ago.TC Energy hasn’t offered specifics on what 
methods it is using to check for sunken dilbit, but the EPA says it has 
heavy crude oil experts offering technical guidance and that “efforts to
 identify and contain submerged oil are being conducted.”A scientist who worked on the 2016 National Academies study and advised the Environmental Protection Agency on <a href="https://www.epa.gov/enbridge-spill-michigan/enbridge-spill-response-timeline" target="_blank">a major dilbit spill in Michigan</a>
 suggested crews in Kansas could run tests for sunken dilbit in Mill 
Creek by placing fine meshes over the underwater holes for short periods
 of time in search of the stuff.“But estimating the amount is 
much harder unless and until (sunken dilbit) settles out in some kind of
 slack water area and can be measured in sediment cores,” Steve 
Hamilton, a Michigan State University professor of ecology &amp; biogeochemistry, wrote in an email.Eventually,
 he said, crews searched successfully for sunken oil in the Kalamazoo 
River by disturbing the riverbed with special poles to release globules 
and sheen that floated to the surface.“(This) turned out to be 
the most practical indicator,” he said. “But it may take awhile for the 
(sunken) oil to produce a sheen. We do not understand what makes it more
 prone to float up at a later time.”Hamilton suspects sunken 
dilbit may bind to organic matter that only frees globules once it 
decomposes, but that theory remains untested. If it proves true, he 
said, that could mean dilbit that sinks now and attaches to organic 
matter in Mill Creek wouldn’t shake free and reveal a sheen until the 
creek water warms up months from now.TC Energy and environmental 
regulators haven’t publicly estimated how long the Mill Creek cleanup 
will take or how long they will divert the creek with pumps and an 
above-ground hose.“Once the remediation work is completed and the
 area has been tested,” the company said by email, “the creek and water 
will return to (their) normal flow route prior to the incident.”The
 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said in an email that the timeline
 for restoring normal flow would depend on water and sediment samples 
and work to rehabilitate the streambanks.State environment 
officials signaled weeks ago in an update to the Kansas Water Authority 
that diverting the stream could help prevent further environmental 
damage.“It’ll really help the stream quality further down(stream)
 on Mill Creek,” said Erich Glave, who directs the Bureau of 
Environmental Field Services at the Kansas Department of Health and 
Environment. “So we’re really hoping all that process gets done.”The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers confirmed that it knows about the plan and will help with permits as needed.“We
 are communicating with the (Kansas Department of Health and 
Environment) and EPA on whether regulatory support is needed in the form
 of any additional permits,” it said in an email.About 740 workers are on site in Washington County.Cold weather complicated the cleanup, requiring crews to apply indirect heat to prevent ice buildup.The
 EPA says more than 800,000 gallons of liquid have been pulled from the 
four-mile stretch of the contaminated creek so far — that includes water
 and oil.TC Energy finished pipeline repairs last week, putting 
the Keystone system back in service to all its delivery points. The 
Keystone transports oil from the Canadian tar sands in Alberta to 
facilities in the Midwest and as far as Houston, Texas.A federal order requires the pipeline to operate for now at a lower pressure than it did prior to the spill.