SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that fatally injured a man and woman and critically injured two other men all from Wichita.

Just before 10p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 900 block of South Mission in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Robelledo

At the scene, police located two victims,&nbsp;a 22-year-0ld man and a 42-year-old man, with multiple gunshot wounds. EMS transported them to an area hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The victims underwent surgery and on Saturday afternoon, police reported they were reported in stable condition.

During the initial contact, officers learned that two additional victims were inside an apartment near where the two men had been shot. Officers entered the apartment and located a man and woman unconscious and not breathing. They were pronounced deceased on the scene.

Due to the lack of cooperation from some of the victims and witnesses, investigators have not been able to fully determine the circumstances leading up to the shooting. This was not a random incident, according to Robelledo.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671918579268.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that fatally injured a man and woman and critically injured two other men all from Wichita.Just before 10p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 900 block of South Mission in Wichita, according to Officer Juan RobelledoAt the scene, police located two victims,&nbsp;a 22-year-0ld man and a 42-year-old man, with multiple gunshot wounds. EMS transported them to an area hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The victims underwent surgery and on Saturday afternoon, police reported they were reported in stable condition.During the initial contact, officers learned that two additional victims were inside an apartment near where the two men had been shot. Officers entered the apartment and located a man and woman unconscious and not breathing. They were pronounced deceased on the scene.Due to the lack of cooperation from some of the victims and witnesses, investigators have not been able to fully determine the circumstances leading up to the shooting. This was not a random incident, according to Robelledo.

Police: Victims not cooperating; 2 dead, 2 injured in Kan. shooting

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

GREAT BEND — Randy Smith 
made a life of law enforcement. It may come as a surprise, but he also 
made it as a Santa. Since 1968, Smith has donned the red and white 
costume of the jolly fellow for local Christmas celebrations. Now 54 
years and many Christmas wishes later, this will likely be his last year
 playing Santa Claus.

"It all started way back when my wife was 
working at Alco," Smith said. "Sunflower Early Education wanted to do a 
fundraiser, and they needed a Santa Claus to take pictures. That's when 
it started."

Smith was a reserve officer with the Great Bend 
Police Department in 1968. While law enforcement proved to be his 
calling, he also wanted to follow the path of his uncle, Ray Smith, who 
also dressed as Santa. Once he started playing the role, it just took 
off.

"My first outfit came from Alco," he said. "I bought it from them for
 $10. It was corduroy. It was about eight years later that I ended up 
buying an expensive suit for both me and my wife. It just kept growing 
and growing."

Smith worked for the Great Bend Police Department 
for 13 years, then worked as an agent with the Kansas Bureau of 
Investigation for 26 years. He spent 14 years as an instructor at Barton
 Community College, and now works part-time for the sheriff's office. 
The law enforcement community allowed him to be someone else each 
December. 

"I had a Santa's Workshop on a Friday night, and I was 
working with the KBI at the time," he recalls. "We were working a crime 
scene in Ness County. They let me leave to come back and do that, then 
go back and do the crime scene. Everybody worked with us."

Being Santa grew and grew over the years. Smith worked the Santa's 
Workshop at the Great Bend Rec Center for many years. All the while, he 
never did it for the money, and often helped raise money for others. "I 
think maybe we'd take $20 out for gas, but the rest of it all went to 
somebody that needed it," he said.

One of Smith's favorite Santa 
memories involved going into a local store. He knew many of the 
shoppers, but no one knew who was behind the beard. Even his 
granddaughters and great-granddaughters, who would eventually become 
elves, were kept in the dark.

"My oldest granddaughter, Kenda, was
 working at Dillons, and Dillons had me in there," he said. "It was so 
much fun, me knowing the people in Great Bend, them not knowing who I 
was, and being able to pick on them. It was so much fun."

Over the
 years, Smith cannot recall a single incident of a child getting sick or
 having an accident while on his lap. Once his late wife, Sandy, became 
Mrs. Claus, she took the crying children and warmed them up to the idea 
of meeting Santa. The Christmas wishes ranged from the trending new toy 
to far more noble ideas.

"You would be surprised to know that every year, at least four or 
five kids would ask that there be peace on earth," said Smith. 
"Amazingly, there were several individuals with disabilities that wanted
 everyone to love one another."

But dressing up for Christmas, 
like all things, has to end sometime. Sandy passed away in June 2020, 
just after the couple's 55th wedding anniversary. Randy recently donated
 her Mrs. Claus costume to the Santas Around the World display in 
downtown Great Bend. Randy was diagnosed with lung cancer last December,
 and had surgery to remove the cancer in February.

Smith may be hanging up his Santa suit for good after the 2022 season, but it has provided him with a lifetime of memories.

"To
 me the greatest gift of all is love and a hug," he said. "It's not the 
presents, it's not all of that. It's families smiling, it's the 
laughter. We're celebrating Jesus' birthday, but each one of us is a 
child of God, and we each celebrate our birthdays. It's kind of a family
 affair is the way I look at Christmas. It's family, it's friends, it's 
everybody enjoying one another."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671724140502.png" alt="Randy Smith has spent the last 54 years listening to the Christmas wishes of children, including a great-granddaughter, as Santa Claus. (photo by Amy Stein Photography)" />
 <figcaption>Randy Smith has spent the last 54 years listening to the Christmas wishes of children, including a great-granddaughter, as Santa Claus. (photo by Amy Stein Photography)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostGREAT BEND — Randy Smith 
made a life of law enforcement. It may come as a surprise, but he also 
made it as a Santa. Since 1968, Smith has donned the red and white 
costume of the jolly fellow for local Christmas celebrations. Now 54 
years and many Christmas wishes later, this will likely be his last year
 playing Santa Claus."It all started way back when my wife was 
working at Alco," Smith said. "Sunflower Early Education wanted to do a 
fundraiser, and they needed a Santa Claus to take pictures. That's when 
it started."Smith was a reserve officer with the Great Bend 
Police Department in 1968. While law enforcement proved to be his 
calling, he also wanted to follow the path of his uncle, Ray Smith, who 
also dressed as Santa. Once he started playing the role, it just took 
off.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671724189007.png" alt="Randy as a child with his uncle, Ray Smith, who also dressed as Santa. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Randy as a child with his uncle, Ray Smith, who also dressed as Santa. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>"My first outfit came from Alco," he said. "I bought it from them for
 $10. It was corduroy. It was about eight years later that I ended up 
buying an expensive suit for both me and my wife. It just kept growing 
and growing."Smith worked for the Great Bend Police Department 
for 13 years, then worked as an agent with the Kansas Bureau of 
Investigation for 26 years. He spent 14 years as an instructor at Barton
 Community College, and now works part-time for the sheriff's office. 
The law enforcement community allowed him to be someone else each 
December. "I had a Santa's Workshop on a Friday night, and I was 
working with the KBI at the time," he recalls. "We were working a crime 
scene in Ness County. They let me leave to come back and do that, then 
go back and do the crime scene. Everybody worked with us."Being Santa grew and grew over the years. Smith worked the Santa's 
Workshop at the Great Bend Rec Center for many years. All the while, he 
never did it for the money, and often helped raise money for others. "I 
think maybe we'd take $20 out for gas, but the rest of it all went to 
somebody that needed it," he said.One of Smith's favorite Santa 
memories involved going into a local store. He knew many of the 
shoppers, but no one knew who was behind the beard. Even his 
granddaughters and great-granddaughters, who would eventually become 
elves, were kept in the dark."My oldest granddaughter, Kenda, was
 working at Dillons, and Dillons had me in there," he said. "It was so 
much fun, me knowing the people in Great Bend, them not knowing who I 
was, and being able to pick on them. It was so much fun."Over the
 years, Smith cannot recall a single incident of a child getting sick or
 having an accident while on his lap. Once his late wife, Sandy, became 
Mrs. Claus, she took the crying children and warmed them up to the idea 
of meeting Santa. The Christmas wishes ranged from the trending new toy 
to far more noble ideas."You would be surprised to know that every year, at least four or 
five kids would ask that there be peace on earth," said Smith. 
"Amazingly, there were several individuals with disabilities that wanted
 everyone to love one another."But dressing up for Christmas, 
like all things, has to end sometime. Sandy passed away in June 2020, 
just after the couple's 55th wedding anniversary. Randy recently donated
 her Mrs. Claus costume to the Santas Around the World display in 
downtown Great Bend. Randy was diagnosed with lung cancer last December,
 and had surgery to remove the cancer in February.Smith may be hanging up his Santa suit for good after the 2022 season, but it has provided him with a lifetime of memories."To
 me the greatest gift of all is love and a hug," he said. "It's not the 
presents, it's not all of that. It's families smiling, it's the 
laughter. We're celebrating Jesus' birthday, but each one of us is a 
child of God, and we each celebrate our birthdays. It's kind of a family
 affair is the way I look at Christmas. It's family, it's friends, it's 
everybody enjoying one another."

54 years of Santa: Kansas man recalls a life in red and white

NEW YORK (AP) — It took less than a day for the Jan. 6 report to go from public unveiling to the bestseller list on Amazon.com.

By late Friday, three editions of the Congressional probe of the 2021 siege of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump were in the top 30 on Amazon.

<a href="https://january6th.house.gov/sites/democrats.january6th.house.gov/files/Report_FinalReport_Jan6SelectCommittee.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the report&nbsp;

The editions include one with a foreword by MSNBC anchor Ari Melber, published by Harper Paperbacks; A Celadon Books release with a foreword by New Yorker editor David Remnick and an epilogue by Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat and member of the House Select Committee; and a volume by the Hachette Book Group imprint Twelve, published in coordination with The New York Times.

The 814-page document, released late Thursday, is not copyrighted, can be published by anyone and is otherwise available for free on various government and media web sites. Previous government publications, from the Sept. 11 commission report to Robert Mueller's probe into Trump's ties to Russian officials when he ran for president in 2016, have been bestsellers. The Sept. 11 report was even a finalist in 2004 for the National Book Award.

As with other government releases, publishers have rushed to get their books out quickly to capitalize on public interest. All three bestselling editions will be out within the next two weeks, along with books from Random House and Melville House Books.

The Jan. 6 report culminates an 18-month investigation, which included more than 1,000 witness interviews and more than a million pages of source material. The committee of seven Democrats and two Republicans blamed the insurrection on Trump, finding a “multi-part conspiracy” orchestrated by the president and his closest allies in an effort to overturn his loss to Democrat Joe Biden. Trump, a Republican, has already announced his candidacy for 2024.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671793283931.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — It took less than a day for the Jan. 6 report to go from public unveiling to the bestseller list on Amazon.com.By late Friday, three editions of the Congressional probe of the 2021 siege of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump were in the top 30 on Amazon.<a href="https://january6th.house.gov/sites/democrats.january6th.house.gov/files/Report_FinalReport_Jan6SelectCommittee.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the report&nbsp;The editions include one with a foreword by MSNBC anchor Ari Melber, published by Harper Paperbacks; A Celadon Books release with a foreword by New Yorker editor David Remnick and an epilogue by Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat and member of the House Select Committee; and a volume by the Hachette Book Group imprint Twelve, published in coordination with The New York Times.The 814-page document, released late Thursday, is not copyrighted, can be published by anyone and is otherwise available for free on various government and media web sites. Previous government publications, from the Sept. 11 commission report to Robert Mueller's probe into Trump's ties to Russian officials when he ran for president in 2016, have been bestsellers. The Sept. 11 report was even a finalist in 2004 for the National Book Award.As with other government releases, publishers have rushed to get their books out quickly to capitalize on public interest. All three bestselling editions will be out within the next two weeks, along with books from Random House and Melville House Books.The Jan. 6 report culminates an 18-month investigation, which included more than 1,000 witness interviews and more than a million pages of source material. The committee of seven Democrats and two Republicans blamed the insurrection on Trump, finding a “multi-part conspiracy” orchestrated by the president and his closest allies in an effort to overturn his loss to Democrat Joe Biden. Trump, a Republican, has already announced his candidacy for 2024.

Editions of Jan. 6 report already on Amazon best seller list

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting have a suspect in custody.

On Dec. 20, police&nbsp;responded to report of a shooting in the 200 Block of SW Fillmore in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks.

&nbsp;Responding officer located a man who was involved in the incident. Officers then made contact with another subject involved identified as 33-year-old Dylan McDaniel of Topeka, at a local hospital, who was suffering from a non-life-threatening gun shot wound.

As a result of the investigation police transported McDaniel to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of aggravated assault.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671806665257.png" alt="McDaniel-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>McDaniel-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting have a suspect in custody.On Dec. 20, police&nbsp;responded to report of a shooting in the 200 Block of SW Fillmore in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks.&nbsp;Responding officer located a man who was involved in the incident. Officers then made contact with another subject involved identified as 33-year-old Dylan McDaniel of Topeka, at a local hospital, who was suffering from a non-life-threatening gun shot wound.As a result of the investigation police transported McDaniel to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of aggravated assault.

Police found Kan. suspect with gunshot wound at the hospital

JACKSON COUNTY —A Kansas woman died from injuries an accident that occurred just after 7p.m. Wednesday in Jackson County.

A 2008 Honda Civid driven by&nbsp;Sydney Prine, 23, of Holton, was northbound on U.S. 75 Highway near 214th Road south of Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

She lost control of the car on the ice covered road.&nbsp; The Honda struck a truck belonging to a first responder who was already on the scene along with other responders of an earlier accident caused from the slick conditions. 

Jackson County EMS transported Prine was to Stormont Vail Regional Medical Center where she died.&nbsp; The sheriff's office released no additional details.

JACKSON COUNTY —A Kansas woman died from injuries an accident that occurred just after 7p.m. Wednesday in Jackson County.A 2008 Honda Civid driven by&nbsp;Sydney Prine, 23, of Holton, was northbound on U.S. 75 Highway near 214th Road south of Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.She lost control of the car on the ice covered road.&nbsp; The Honda struck a truck belonging to a first responder who was already on the scene along with other responders of an earlier accident caused from the slick conditions. Jackson County EMS transported Prine was to Stormont Vail Regional Medical Center where she died.&nbsp; The sheriff's office released no additional details.

Kan. woman dies after car strikes first responder's vehicle

CASS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged animal cruelty.&nbsp;

Just after 3p.m. Thursday, deputies with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, executed a search warrant on Roush Road in rural Pleasant Hill, according to a media release. A Cass County Judge had issued a search warrant for the property. 

 Sheriff Jeff Weber activated the Disaster Emergency Response Team, as well as the Criminal Apprehension Units to assist in the operation in temperatures near zero.

With assistance from the Harrisonville and Raymore Animal Control Officers, 30 dogs were collected.&nbsp; All animals were seen by veterinarians, who were on scene during the operation, prior to being transported to a local shelter for safekeeping.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The sheriff's office released no additional details and have not reported an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671890688109.png" alt="The dogs were seized in frigid temperatures on Thursday -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>The dogs were seized in frigid temperatures on Thursday -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>CASS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged animal cruelty.&nbsp;Just after 3p.m. Thursday, deputies with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, executed a search warrant on Roush Road in rural Pleasant Hill, according to a media release. A Cass County Judge had issued a search warrant for the property. Sheriff Jeff Weber activated the Disaster Emergency Response Team, as well as the Criminal Apprehension Units to assist in the operation in temperatures near zero.With assistance from the Harrisonville and Raymore Animal Control Officers, 30 dogs were collected.&nbsp; All animals were seen by veterinarians, who were on scene during the operation, prior to being transported to a local shelter for safekeeping.&nbsp;&nbsp;The sheriff's office released no additional details and have not reported an arrest.

Deputies rescue 30 dogs from rural home near Kansas City

WASHINGTON—President Biden delivered a Christmas address to the nation. Click below to watch or read the transcript below the video.

THE PRESIDENT:&nbsp; Good afternoon.&nbsp; “How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is given.” There is a certain stillness at the center of the Christmas story.&nbsp; A silent night when all the world goes quiet and all the glamour, all the noise, everything that divides us, everything that pits us against one another, everything — everything that seems so important but really isn’t, this all fades away in stillness of the winter’s evening.&nbsp; And we look to the sky, to a lone star, shining brighter than all the rest, guiding us to the birth of a child — a child Christians believe to be the son of God; miraculously now, here among us on Earth, bringing hope, love and peace and joy to the world.

Yes, it’s a story that’s 2,000 years old, but it’s still very much alive today.&nbsp; Just look into the eyes of a child on Christmas morning, or listen to the laughter of a family together this holiday season after years — after years of being apart.&nbsp; Just feel the hope rising in your chest as you sing “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” even though you’ve sung the countless times before. Yes, even after 2,000 years, Christmas still has the power to lift us up, to bring us together, to change lives, to change the world. The Christmas story is at the heart of the Christmas — Christian faith.&nbsp; But the message of hope, love, peace, and joy, they’re also universal. It speaks to all of us, whether we’re Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, or any other faith, or no faith at all.&nbsp; It speaks to all of us as human beings who are here on this Earth to care for one another, to look out for one another, to love one another. The message of Christmas is always important, but it’s especially important through tough times, like the ones we’ve been through the past few years. The pandemic has taken so much from us.&nbsp; We’ve lost so much time with one another.&nbsp; We’ve lost so many people — people we loved.&nbsp; Over a million lives lost in America alone.&nbsp; That’s a million empty chairs breaking hearts in homes all across the country. Our politics has gotten so angry, so mean, so partisan.&nbsp; And too often we see each other as enemies, not as neighbors; as Democrats or Republicans, not as fellow Americans.&nbsp; We’ve become too divided. But as tough as these times have been, if we look a little closer, we see bright spots all across the country: the strength, the determination, the resilience that’s long defined America. We’re surely making progress.&nbsp; Things are getting better.&nbsp; COVID lon- — no longer controls our lives.&nbsp; Our kids are back in school.&nbsp; People are back to work.&nbsp; In fact, more people are working than ever before. Americans are building again, innovating again, dreaming again. So my hope this Christmas season is that we take a few moments of quiet reflection and find that stillness in the heart of Christmas — that’s at the heart of Christmas, and look — really look at each other, not as Democrats or Republicans, not as members of “Team Red” or “Team Blue,” but as who we really are: fellow Americans.&nbsp; Fellow human beings worthy of being treated with dignity and respect. I sincerely hope this holiway [sic] se- — this holiday season will drain the poison that has infected our politics and set us against one another. I hope this Christmas season marks a fresh start for our nation, because there is so much that unites us as Americans, so much more that unites us than divides us. We’re truly blessed to live in this nation.&nbsp; And I truly hope we take the time to look out — look out for one another.&nbsp;&nbsp; Not at one — for one another. So many people struggle at Christmas.&nbsp; It can be a time of great pain and terrible loneliness.&nbsp; I know, like many of you know.&nbsp; It was 50 years ago this week that I lost my first wife and my infant daughter in a car accident, and my two sons were badly injured, when they were out shopping for a Christmas tree.&nbsp; I know how hard this time of year can be. But here’s what I learned long ago: No one — no one can ever know what someone else is going through, what’s really going on in their life, what they’re struggling with, what they’re trying to overcome. That’s why sometimes the smallest act of kindness can mean so much.&nbsp; A simple smile.&nbsp; A hug.&nbsp; An unexpected phone call.&nbsp; A quiet cup of coffee.&nbsp; Simple acts of kindness that can lift a spirit, provide compo- — comfort, and perhaps maybe even save a life. So, this Christmas, let’s spread a little kindness. This Christmas, let’s be that — that helping hand, that strong shoulder, that friendly voice when no one else seems to care for those who are struggling, in trouble, in need.&nbsp; It just might be the best gift you can ever give. And let’s be sure to remember the brave women and men in uniform who defend and protect our nation.&nbsp; Many of them — many of them are away from their families at this time of year.&nbsp; Let’s keep them in our prayers. You know, and I believe Christmas is a season of hope.&nbsp; And throughout the life of this country, it’s been during the weeks of December — even in the midst of some of our toughest days — that some of the best chapters of our story have been written. It was during these weeks back in 1862 that President Lincoln prepared the Emancipation Proclamation, which he issued on New Year’s Day. At Christmas 1941, in the week — weeks after Pearl Harbor, Franklin Delano Roosevelt hosted Winston Churchill in this White House.&nbsp; Together, they planned the Allied strategy to defeat fascism and autocracy. And it was 1968 that the most terrible year — of years — a year of assassination and riot, of war and chaos — that the astronauts of Apollo 8 circled the Moon and spoke to us here on Earth. From the silence of space, on a silent night on a Christmas Eve, they read the story of Christmas — Creation from the King James Bible.&nbsp; It went: “In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth.&nbsp; And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” That light is still with us, illuminating our way forward as Americans and as citizens of the world.&nbsp; A light that burned in the beginning and at Bethlehem.&nbsp; A light that shines still today in our own time, our own lives. As we sing “O’ Holy Night” — “His law is love, and His Gospel is peace” — may I wish you and for you, and for our nation, now and always, is that we’ll live in the light — the light of liberty and hope, of love and generosity, of kindness and compassion, of dignity and decency. So, from the Biden family, we wish you and your family peace, joy, health, and happiness. Merry Christmas.&nbsp; Happy Holidays.&nbsp; And all the best in the New Year. God bless you all.&nbsp; And may God protect our troops.&nbsp; Thank you.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671757062612.png" alt="White House photo" />
 <figcaption>White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON—President Biden delivered a Christmas address to the nation. Click below to watch or read the transcript below the video.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F588586266408213%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=5" 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 PRESIDENT:&nbsp; Good afternoon.&nbsp; “How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is given.” There is a certain stillness at the center of the Christmas story.&nbsp; A silent night when all the world goes quiet and all the glamour, all the noise, everything that divides us, everything that pits us against one another, everything — everything that seems so important but really isn’t, this all fades away in stillness of the winter’s evening.&nbsp; And we look to the sky, to a lone star, shining brighter than all the rest, guiding us to the birth of a child — a child Christians believe to be the son of God; miraculously now, here among us on Earth, bringing hope, love and peace and joy to the world.Yes, it’s a story that’s 2,000 years old, but it’s still very much alive today.&nbsp; Just look into the eyes of a child on Christmas morning, or listen to the laughter of a family together this holiday season after years — after years of being apart.&nbsp; Just feel the hope rising in your chest as you sing “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” even though you’ve sung the countless times before. Yes, even after 2,000 years, Christmas still has the power to lift us up, to bring us together, to change lives, to change the world. The Christmas story is at the heart of the Christmas — Christian faith.&nbsp; But the message of hope, love, peace, and joy, they’re also universal. It speaks to all of us, whether we’re Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, or any other faith, or no faith at all.&nbsp; It speaks to all of us as human beings who are here on this Earth to care for one another, to look out for one another, to love one another. The message of Christmas is always important, but it’s especially important through tough times, like the ones we’ve been through the past few years. The pandemic has taken so much from us.&nbsp; We’ve lost so much time with one another.&nbsp; We’ve lost so many people — people we loved.&nbsp; Over a million lives lost in America alone.&nbsp; That’s a million empty chairs breaking hearts in homes all across the country. Our politics has gotten so angry, so mean, so partisan.&nbsp; And too often we see each other as enemies, not as neighbors; as Democrats or Republicans, not as fellow Americans.&nbsp; We’ve become too divided. But as tough as these times have been, if we look a little closer, we see bright spots all across the country: the strength, the determination, the resilience that’s long defined America. We’re surely making progress.&nbsp; Things are getting better.&nbsp; COVID lon- — no longer controls our lives.&nbsp; Our kids are back in school.&nbsp; People are back to work.&nbsp; In fact, more people are working than ever before. Americans are building again, innovating again, dreaming again. So my hope this Christmas season is that we take a few moments of quiet reflection and find that stillness in the heart of Christmas — that’s at the heart of Christmas, and look — really look at each other, not as Democrats or Republicans, not as members of “Team Red” or “Team Blue,” but as who we really are: fellow Americans.&nbsp; Fellow human beings worthy of being treated with dignity and respect. I sincerely hope this holiway [sic] se- — this holiday season will drain the poison that has infected our politics and set us against one another. I hope this Christmas season marks a fresh start for our nation, because there is so much that unites us as Americans, so much more that unites us than divides us. We’re truly blessed to live in this nation.&nbsp; And I truly hope we take the time to look out — look out for one another.&nbsp;&nbsp; Not at one — for one another. So many people struggle at Christmas.&nbsp; It can be a time of great pain and terrible loneliness.&nbsp; I know, like many of you know.&nbsp; It was 50 years ago this week that I lost my first wife and my infant daughter in a car accident, and my two sons were badly injured, when they were out shopping for a Christmas tree.&nbsp; I know how hard this time of year can be. But here’s what I learned long ago: No one — no one can ever know what someone else is going through, what’s really going on in their life, what they’re struggling with, what they’re trying to overcome. That’s why sometimes the smallest act of kindness can mean so much.&nbsp; A simple smile.&nbsp; A hug.&nbsp; An unexpected phone call.&nbsp; A quiet cup of coffee.&nbsp; Simple acts of kindness that can lift a spirit, provide compo- — comfort, and perhaps maybe even save a life. So, this Christmas, let’s spread a little kindness. This Christmas, let’s be that — that helping hand, that strong shoulder, that friendly voice when no one else seems to care for those who are struggling, in trouble, in need.&nbsp; It just might be the best gift you can ever give. And let’s be sure to remember the brave women and men in uniform who defend and protect our nation.&nbsp; Many of them — many of them are away from their families at this time of year.&nbsp; Let’s keep them in our prayers. You know, and I believe Christmas is a season of hope.&nbsp; And throughout the life of this country, it’s been during the weeks of December — even in the midst of some of our toughest days — that some of the best chapters of our story have been written. It was during these weeks back in 1862 that President Lincoln prepared the Emancipation Proclamation, which he issued on New Year’s Day. At Christmas 1941, in the week — weeks after Pearl Harbor, Franklin Delano Roosevelt hosted Winston Churchill in this White House.&nbsp; Together, they planned the Allied strategy to defeat fascism and autocracy. And it was 1968 that the most terrible year — of years — a year of assassination and riot, of war and chaos — that the astronauts of Apollo 8 circled the Moon and spoke to us here on Earth. From the silence of space, on a silent night on a Christmas Eve, they read the story of Christmas — Creation from the King James Bible.&nbsp; It went: “In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth.&nbsp; And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” That light is still with us, illuminating our way forward as Americans and as citizens of the world.&nbsp; A light that burned in the beginning and at Bethlehem.&nbsp; A light that shines still today in our own time, our own lives. As we sing “O’ Holy Night” — “His law is love, and His Gospel is peace” — may I wish you and for you, and for our nation, now and always, is that we’ll live in the light — the light of liberty and hope, of love and generosity, of kindness and compassion, of dignity and decency. So, from the Biden family, we wish you and your family peace, joy, health, and happiness. Merry Christmas.&nbsp; Happy Holidays.&nbsp; And all the best in the New Year. God bless you all.&nbsp; And may God protect our troops.&nbsp; Thank you.

🎥President Biden urges unity in Christmas address

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Sedgwick County District Attorney's office has charged a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s deputy with misdemeanor Disorderly Conduct, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.

The charge stems from an incident with a citizen that occurred while the deputy 28-year-old Cameron Zane was working an approved off-duty job as a uniformed Sheriff’s deputy.

&nbsp;Zane has been employed by the Sheriff’s Office for 3 years. In addition to the criminal case, the Professional Standards Unit of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is also conducting an investigation.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Sedgwick County District Attorney's office has charged a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s deputy with misdemeanor Disorderly Conduct, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.The charge stems from an incident with a citizen that occurred while the deputy 28-year-old Cameron Zane was working an approved off-duty job as a uniformed Sheriff’s deputy.&nbsp;Zane has been employed by the Sheriff’s Office for 3 years. In addition to the criminal case, the Professional Standards Unit of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is also conducting an investigation.

Kan. sheriff's deputy charged with disorderly conduct

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces multiple felony charges in connection with the Dec. 14, fatal shooting of Curtis Henderson in the 3600 block of Jefferson Street in Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Francisco J. Enriquez, 51, faces Murder 2nd Degree, two Unlawful Use of a Weapon charges and two Armed Criminal Action charges.

According to court records, Kansas City police on Dec. 14, 2022, were dispatched to the 3600 block of Jefferson Street and found the victim 58-year-old Curtis Henderson on the front porch of the residence. He had been shot. KCPD detectives found video from the residence showing the victim and the defendant arguing. 

When the victim put his hands up in a boxing stance, the defendant pulled out a gun and fired a shot, hitting the victim. The defendant fired a second shot in the general direction of the house. Spent shell casings were found at the scene.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671574237996.png" alt=" Enriquez-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption> Enriquez-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces multiple felony charges in connection with the Dec. 14, fatal shooting of Curtis Henderson in the 3600 block of Jefferson Street in Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Francisco J. Enriquez, 51, faces Murder 2nd Degree, two Unlawful Use of a Weapon charges and two Armed Criminal Action charges.According to court records, Kansas City police on Dec. 14, 2022, were dispatched to the 3600 block of Jefferson Street and found the victim 58-year-old Curtis Henderson on the front porch of the residence. He had been shot. KCPD detectives found video from the residence showing the victim and the defendant arguing. When the victim put his hands up in a boxing stance, the defendant pulled out a gun and fired a shot, hitting the victim. The defendant fired a second shot in the general direction of the house. Spent shell casings were found at the scene.

Video shows KC murder suspect, victim arguing before gunshots

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a body found in rural Shawnee County have confirmed the identity as 43-year-old Cari Allen, according to the Douglas County Nebraska Sheriff's office.&nbsp;She was last seen Saturday, Nov. 19 at 11 p.m.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, officials with the Douglas County Nebraska Sheriff's office contacted the Shawnee County Kansas Sheriff's Office for assistance in the case, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Just before 3p.m. Wednesday, law enforcement officers with the Shawnee County Criminal Investigations Division began an investigation in the 2200 block of SW 57th Street.

 A search warrant was executed after a human body was discovered.&nbsp;

On December 6, authorities in Caye Caulker, an island off the coast of Belize in the Caribbean, arrested 47-year-old Aldrick Scott of Topeka, according to the Douglas County Nebraska sheriff's office in connection with Allen's disappearance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671675110683.png" alt="Photo Shawnee Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Shawnee Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a body found in rural Shawnee County have confirmed the identity as 43-year-old Cari Allen, according to the Douglas County Nebraska Sheriff's office.&nbsp;She was last seen Saturday, Nov. 19 at 11 p.m.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669587276863.png" alt="Cari Allen-photo Douglas Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Cari Allen-photo Douglas Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>On Wednesday, officials with the Douglas County Nebraska Sheriff's office contacted the Shawnee County Kansas Sheriff's Office for assistance in the case, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.Just before 3p.m. Wednesday, law enforcement officers with the Shawnee County Criminal Investigations Division began an investigation in the 2200 block of SW 57th Street.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671675092235.png" alt="Photo Shawnee Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Shawnee Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure> A search warrant was executed after a human body was discovered.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669652492930.png" alt="Scott-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Scott-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>On December 6, authorities in Caye Caulker, an island off the coast of Belize in the Caribbean, arrested 47-year-old Aldrick Scott of Topeka, according to the Douglas County Nebraska sheriff's office in connection with Allen's disappearance.

Sheriff confirms body of missing woman found in Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The operator of a pipeline that spilled about 14,000 bathtubs' worth of heavy crude oil into a northeastern Kansas creek said Friday that it has permission from U.S. government regulators to reopen the repaired segment where the rupture occurred.

Canada-based TC Energy did not say exactly when it would reopen the section of its Keystone pipeline system from Steele City near the Nebraska-Kansas border to Cushing in northern Oklahoma. The company said it will have crews working through the Christmas holiday and also conducting “rigorous testing and inspections.”

“This will take several days,” the company said in a statement. “We will continue to prioritize the safety of people and the environment.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-canada-kansas-34d8391337583fc242407141d24d66c2">The Dec. 7 spill</a>&nbsp;forced the company to shut down the Keystone system and dumped about 14,000 barrels of crude into a creek running through rural pastureland in Washington County, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City. Each barrel is 42 gallons, the size of a household bathtub.

The company and government officials have said drinking water supplies were not affected, and no one was evacuated. However, Kansas City's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-12-22/pipeline-company-says-kansas-oil-spill-contained-but-chemicals-found-downstream">KCUR-FM reported</a>&nbsp;this week that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment found chemicals from the spill downstream past two earthen dams constructed to contain the oil, potentially endangering animals that ingest it.

TC Energy reopened most of the 2,700-mile (4,345-kilometer) Keystone system last week. The system carries crude oil extracted from tar sands in western Canada to the Gulf Coast, with a spur also moving crude to south-central Illinois.

The Kansas spill was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-kansas-us-environmental-protection-agency-eda391fc0924b34a08ff840615a7bc58">the largest onshore in nine years</a>&nbsp;and larger than 22 previous spills on the Keystone system combined, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data. The company received permission to reopen the pipeline across Kansas and into northern Oklahoma from the Department of Transportation's pipeline safety arm.

Concerns that spills could pollute waterways spurred opposition to plans by TC Energy to build another crude oil pipeline in the same system, the 1,200-mile (1,900-kilometer) Keystone XL, across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. President Joe Biden’s cancelation of a permit for the project led the company to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-keystone-pipeline-canada-environment-and-nature-141eabd7cca6449dfbd2dab8165812f2">pull the plug last year.</a>

The company has not identified the Kansas spill's cause. Zack Pistora, who lobbies at the Kansas Statehouse for the Sierra Club, said the pipeline segment shouldn't reopen until the cause is known.

“Isn't the next spill just an accident waiting to happen?” he said in an interview Friday.

The company said it has removed the ruptured pipeline section and sent it to an independent lab for analysis. It also said it had recovered almost 7,600 barrels of oil, a little more than half of what was leaked.

Meanwhile, some Democrats in the Republican-controlled Legislature want to reconsider the state's policy of exempting companies from local property taxes for 10 years if they build pipelines through Kansas to spur energy development. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/state/2022/12/23/kansas-could-revisit-pipeline-tax-exemption-after-keystone-oil-spill/69745205007/">told The Topeka Capital-Journal</a>&nbsp;in an interview this week that the policy was “a big mistake” and should have been reconsidered “a long time ago.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670881926358.png" alt="photo courtesy U.S. Environmental Protection Agency" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy U.S. Environmental Protection Agency</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The operator of a pipeline that spilled about 14,000 bathtubs' worth of heavy crude oil into a northeastern Kansas creek said Friday that it has permission from U.S. government regulators to reopen the repaired segment where the rupture occurred.Canada-based TC Energy did not say exactly when it would reopen the section of its Keystone pipeline system from Steele City near the Nebraska-Kansas border to Cushing in northern Oklahoma. The company said it will have crews working through the Christmas holiday and also conducting “rigorous testing and inspections.”“This will take several days,” the company said in a statement. “We will continue to prioritize the safety of people and the environment.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-canada-kansas-34d8391337583fc242407141d24d66c2">The Dec. 7 spill</a>&nbsp;forced the company to shut down the Keystone system and dumped about 14,000 barrels of crude into a creek running through rural pastureland in Washington County, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City. Each barrel is 42 gallons, the size of a household bathtub.The company and government officials have said drinking water supplies were not affected, and no one was evacuated. However, Kansas City's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-12-22/pipeline-company-says-kansas-oil-spill-contained-but-chemicals-found-downstream">KCUR-FM reported</a>&nbsp;this week that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment found chemicals from the spill downstream past two earthen dams constructed to contain the oil, potentially endangering animals that ingest it.TC Energy reopened most of the 2,700-mile (4,345-kilometer) Keystone system last week. The system carries crude oil extracted from tar sands in western Canada to the Gulf Coast, with a spur also moving crude to south-central Illinois.The Kansas spill was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-kansas-us-environmental-protection-agency-eda391fc0924b34a08ff840615a7bc58">the largest onshore in nine years</a>&nbsp;and larger than 22 previous spills on the Keystone system combined, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data. The company received permission to reopen the pipeline across Kansas and into northern Oklahoma from the Department of Transportation's pipeline safety arm.Concerns that spills could pollute waterways spurred opposition to plans by TC Energy to build another crude oil pipeline in the same system, the 1,200-mile (1,900-kilometer) Keystone XL, across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. President Joe Biden’s cancelation of a permit for the project led the company to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-keystone-pipeline-canada-environment-and-nature-141eabd7cca6449dfbd2dab8165812f2">pull the plug last year.</a>The company has not identified the Kansas spill's cause. Zack Pistora, who lobbies at the Kansas Statehouse for the Sierra Club, said the pipeline segment shouldn't reopen until the cause is known.“Isn't the next spill just an accident waiting to happen?” he said in an interview Friday.The company said it has removed the ruptured pipeline section and sent it to an independent lab for analysis. It also said it had recovered almost 7,600 barrels of oil, a little more than half of what was leaked.Meanwhile, some Democrats in the Republican-controlled Legislature want to reconsider the state's policy of exempting companies from local property taxes for 10 years if they build pipelines through Kansas to spur energy development. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/state/2022/12/23/kansas-could-revisit-pipeline-tax-exemption-after-keystone-oil-spill/69745205007/">told The Topeka Capital-Journal</a>&nbsp;in an interview this week that the policy was “a big mistake” and should have been reconsidered “a long time ago.”

Company: Regulators OK reopening of Kansas pipeline segment

SHANNON COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 11a.m. Friday in Shannon County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Toyota Corolla driven by Krishi V. Panchal, 20, Wichita, was eastbound on Highway 60 two miles east of Winona.

The the car traveled off the road, overturned and ejected a passenger.&nbsp;Shrey Patel, 23, Wichita, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Yarber Funeral Home in Mountain View. 

EMS transported Panchal and a passenger Yatrik J. Patel, 21, Wichita, to Popular Bluff Regional Medical Center. Shrey Patel was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

SHANNON COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 11a.m. Friday in Shannon County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Toyota Corolla driven by Krishi V. Panchal, 20, Wichita, was eastbound on Highway 60 two miles east of Winona.The the car traveled off the road, overturned and ejected a passenger.&nbsp;Shrey Patel, 23, Wichita, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Yarber Funeral Home in Mountain View. EMS transported Panchal and a passenger Yatrik J. Patel, 21, Wichita, to Popular Bluff Regional Medical Center. Shrey Patel was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

Kansas man dies after rollover crash on Missouri highway

WASHINGTON (AP) — A $1.7 trillion spending bill financing federal agencies through September and providing more aid to a devastated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine</a>&nbsp;cleared the House on Friday as lawmakers race to finish their work for the year and avoid a partial government shutdown.

The bill passed mostly along party lines, 225-201. It now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.

Passage of the bill represented a closing act for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Rep. Nancy Pelosi's</a>&nbsp;second stint as House speaker, and for the Democratic majority she led back to power in the 2018 election. Republicans will take control of the House next year and Rep. Kevin McCarthy is campaigning to replace her.

He is appealing for support from staunch conservatives in his caucus who have largely trashed the size of the bill and many of the priorities it contains. He spoke with a raised voice for about 25 minutes, assailing the bill for spending too much and doing too little to curb illegal immigration and the flow of fentanyl across the U.S.-Mexico border.

“This is a monstrosity that is one of the most shameful acts I've ever seen in this body," McCarthy said of the legislation.

The speech prompted a quick quip from Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., who said “after listening to that, it's clear he doesn't have the votes yet," a reference to McCarthy's campaign to become speaker.

Pelosi said “we have a big bill here because we had big needs for the country," then turned her focus to McCarthy:

“It was sad to hear the minority leader say that this legislation is the most shameful thing to be seen on the House floor in this Congress," Pelosi said. “I can't help but wonder, had he forgotten January 6th?”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-4ce3cf1ee887747b13fe8d007b8ffd75">Senate passed the defense-heavy measure</a>&nbsp;with significant bipartisan support on Thursday, but the vote was much more split in the House. Some 30 GOP lawmakers promised to block any legislative priority that comes from those Republican senators who voted for the bill and leadership urged a no vote.

The bill runs for 4,155 pages, not including amendments the Senate added. It contains about a 6% percent increase in spending for domestic initiatives, to $772.5 billion. Spending on defense programs will increase by about 10% to $858 billion.

The bill's passage came only hours before financing for federal agencies expires. Lawmakers have passed two stopgap spending measures to keep the government operating so far for this budget year and a third was set to pass Friday as well to ensure services continue until Biden could sign the full-year measure, called an omnibus, into law.

The massive bill wraps together 12 appropriations bills, aid to Ukraine and disaster relief for communities recovering from hurricanes, flooding and wildfires. It also contains scores of policy changes that lawmakers worked to include in the final major bill being considered by the current Congress.

Lawmakers provided roughly $45 billion for Ukraine and NATO allies, more than even Biden requested, an acknowledgment that future rounds of funding are not guaranteed with a new GOP-led House.

In a dramatic address to a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday night,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-biden-68c65b3274e552f36f16853f24fedbb9">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;told lawmakers that the aid was not charity, but an investment in global security and democracy.

Though Ukraine aid has largely had bipartisan support, some House Republicans have been critical of the effort, arguing the money is better spent on priorities in the U.S.

“How can we send an additional $47 BILLION to Ukraine for security while terrorists, drugs, and criminals flood our southern border?” tweeted Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont.

“$100 billion to Ukraine. Let’s put that in perspective,” tweeted Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who included past rounds of aid in his count. “That’s more than $200 million this year from each Congressional district. What could your congressman have done for your district with $200 million?”

McCarthy has warned that Republicans would not write a “blank check” for Ukraine in the next Congress. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after Thursday's vote he’s having trouble understanding the concerns.

“I’m just befuddled by some of these right-wing Republicans who don’t want to help Ukraine,” Schumer said. “It’s always been, the more hard right you were, the more anti-Soviet you were, but all of a sudden, they’re pro. I hope it’s not a residue of Trump.”

The Senate passed the funding package Thursday by a vote of 68-29 but it takes time for the Senate clerk's office to review the bill and include amendments that were added that day. As a result, the bill ended up passing with a half-empty House chamber. More than 220 lawmakers sought the option to vote by proxy, and many raced to get out of town before risking canceled flights and spending Christmas in Washington.

Republicans have vowed that abolishing the practice of remote voting will be among their first acts in the majority next year.

The funding bill also contains roughly $40 billion in emergency spending in the U.S., mostly to assist communities across the country recovering from drought, hurricanes and other natural disasters.

And it has scores of policy changes largely unrelated to spending that lawmakers worked furiously behind the scenes to include, else they start from scratch next year in a divided Congress where Republicans will be returning to the majority in the House.

One of the most notable examples was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-susan-collins-west-virginia-c9c15562ad910bbc0ba6ef1eecbfc158">historic revision</a>&nbsp;to federal election law that aims to prevent any future presidents or presidential candidates from trying to overturn an election.

The bipartisan overhaul of the Electoral Count Act is in direct response to former President Donald Trump’s efforts to persuade Republican lawmakers and then-Vice President Mike Pence to object to the certification of Biden’s victory on Jan. 6, 2021.

Among the spending increases Democrats emphasized: a $500 increase in the maximum size of Pell grants for low-income college students, a $100 million increase in block grants to states for substance abuse prevention and treatment programs, a 22% increase in spending on VA medical care and $3.7 billion to provide emergency relief to farmers and ranchers hit by natural disasters, just to name a few.

The bill also provides roughly $15.3 billion for more than 7,200 projects that lawmakers sought for their home states and districts. Under revamped rules for community project funding, also referred to as earmarks, lawmakers must post their requests online and attest they have no financial interest in the projects. Still, many fiscal conservatives criticize the earmarking as leading to unnecessary spending.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671663729826.png" alt="The bill passed mostly along party lines, 225-201. It now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.-photo courtesy Architect of the Capitol" />
 <figcaption>The bill passed mostly along party lines, 225-201. It now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.-photo courtesy Architect of the Capitol</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A $1.7 trillion spending bill financing federal agencies through September and providing more aid to a devastated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine</a>&nbsp;cleared the House on Friday as lawmakers race to finish their work for the year and avoid a partial government shutdown.The bill passed mostly along party lines, 225-201. It now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.Passage of the bill represented a closing act for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Rep. Nancy Pelosi's</a>&nbsp;second stint as House speaker, and for the Democratic majority she led back to power in the 2018 election. Republicans will take control of the House next year and Rep. Kevin McCarthy is campaigning to replace her.He is appealing for support from staunch conservatives in his caucus who have largely trashed the size of the bill and many of the priorities it contains. He spoke with a raised voice for about 25 minutes, assailing the bill for spending too much and doing too little to curb illegal immigration and the flow of fentanyl across the U.S.-Mexico border.“This is a monstrosity that is one of the most shameful acts I've ever seen in this body," McCarthy said of the legislation.The speech prompted a quick quip from Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., who said “after listening to that, it's clear he doesn't have the votes yet," a reference to McCarthy's campaign to become speaker.Pelosi said “we have a big bill here because we had big needs for the country," then turned her focus to McCarthy:“It was sad to hear the minority leader say that this legislation is the most shameful thing to be seen on the House floor in this Congress," Pelosi said. “I can't help but wonder, had he forgotten January 6th?”The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-4ce3cf1ee887747b13fe8d007b8ffd75">Senate passed the defense-heavy measure</a>&nbsp;with significant bipartisan support on Thursday, but the vote was much more split in the House. Some 30 GOP lawmakers promised to block any legislative priority that comes from those Republican senators who voted for the bill and leadership urged a no vote.The bill runs for 4,155 pages, not including amendments the Senate added. It contains about a 6% percent increase in spending for domestic initiatives, to $772.5 billion. Spending on defense programs will increase by about 10% to $858 billion.The bill's passage came only hours before financing for federal agencies expires. Lawmakers have passed two stopgap spending measures to keep the government operating so far for this budget year and a third was set to pass Friday as well to ensure services continue until Biden could sign the full-year measure, called an omnibus, into law.The massive bill wraps together 12 appropriations bills, aid to Ukraine and disaster relief for communities recovering from hurricanes, flooding and wildfires. It also contains scores of policy changes that lawmakers worked to include in the final major bill being considered by the current Congress.Lawmakers provided roughly $45 billion for Ukraine and NATO allies, more than even Biden requested, an acknowledgment that future rounds of funding are not guaranteed with a new GOP-led House.In a dramatic address to a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday night,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-biden-68c65b3274e552f36f16853f24fedbb9">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;told lawmakers that the aid was not charity, but an investment in global security and democracy.Though Ukraine aid has largely had bipartisan support, some House Republicans have been critical of the effort, arguing the money is better spent on priorities in the U.S.“How can we send an additional $47 BILLION to Ukraine for security while terrorists, drugs, and criminals flood our southern border?” tweeted Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont.“$100 billion to Ukraine. Let’s put that in perspective,” tweeted Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who included past rounds of aid in his count. “That’s more than $200 million this year from each Congressional district. What could your congressman have done for your district with $200 million?”McCarthy has warned that Republicans would not write a “blank check” for Ukraine in the next Congress. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after Thursday's vote he’s having trouble understanding the concerns.“I’m just befuddled by some of these right-wing Republicans who don’t want to help Ukraine,” Schumer said. “It’s always been, the more hard right you were, the more anti-Soviet you were, but all of a sudden, they’re pro. I hope it’s not a residue of Trump.”The Senate passed the funding package Thursday by a vote of 68-29 but it takes time for the Senate clerk's office to review the bill and include amendments that were added that day. As a result, the bill ended up passing with a half-empty House chamber. More than 220 lawmakers sought the option to vote by proxy, and many raced to get out of town before risking canceled flights and spending Christmas in Washington.Republicans have vowed that abolishing the practice of remote voting will be among their first acts in the majority next year.The funding bill also contains roughly $40 billion in emergency spending in the U.S., mostly to assist communities across the country recovering from drought, hurricanes and other natural disasters.And it has scores of policy changes largely unrelated to spending that lawmakers worked furiously behind the scenes to include, else they start from scratch next year in a divided Congress where Republicans will be returning to the majority in the House.One of the most notable examples was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-susan-collins-west-virginia-c9c15562ad910bbc0ba6ef1eecbfc158">historic revision</a>&nbsp;to federal election law that aims to prevent any future presidents or presidential candidates from trying to overturn an election.The bipartisan overhaul of the Electoral Count Act is in direct response to former President Donald Trump’s efforts to persuade Republican lawmakers and then-Vice President Mike Pence to object to the certification of Biden’s victory on Jan. 6, 2021.Among the spending increases Democrats emphasized: a $500 increase in the maximum size of Pell grants for low-income college students, a $100 million increase in block grants to states for substance abuse prevention and treatment programs, a 22% increase in spending on VA medical care and $3.7 billion to provide emergency relief to farmers and ranchers hit by natural disasters, just to name a few.The bill also provides roughly $15.3 billion for more than 7,200 projects that lawmakers sought for their home states and districts. Under revamped rules for community project funding, also referred to as earmarks, lawmakers must post their requests online and attest they have no financial interest in the projects. Still, many fiscal conservatives criticize the earmarking as leading to unnecessary spending.

Christmas: House OKs $1.7 trillion spending bill; $45 billion for Ukraine 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The drawn-out saga of Title 42, the set of emergency powers that allows border officials to quickly turn away migrants, has been chaotic at the U.S.-Mexico border. In Washington, it hasn't unfolded much better.

The Supreme Court is weighing whether to keep the powers in place following months of legal battles brought on by Republican-led states after President Joe Biden's administration moved to end the Trump-era policy, which was set to lapse this week until the court agreed to take it up.

The administration has yet to lay out any systemic changes to manage an expected surge of migrants if the restrictions end. And a bipartisan immigration bill in Congress has been buried just as Republicans are set to take control of the House.

In short, America is right back where it has been. A divided nation is unable to agree on what a longer-term fix to the immigration system should look like. Basic questions — for example, should more immigrants be allowed in, or fewer? — are unanswered. Meantime the asylum system continues to strain under increasing numbers of migrants.

The Biden administration has been reluctant to take hardline measures that would resemble those of his predecessor. That's resulted in a barrage of criticism from Republicans who are using Title 42 to hammer the president as ineffective on border security. The rules were introduced as an emergency health measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“The Democrats have lost the messaging war on this," said Charles Foster, a longtime immigration attorney in Texas who served as an immigration policy adviser to Republican George W. Bush but now considers himself independent. "The tragedy is, Democrats more than anyone should focus on this issue, because unless and until it can be fixed, and the perception changes, we’ll get nothing ever through Congress."

Anyone who comes to the U.S. has the right to ask for asylum, but laws are narrow on who actually gets it. Under Biden, migrants arriving at the border are often let into the country and allowed to work while their cases progress. That process takes years because of a 2-million-case backlog in the immigration court system that was exacerbated by Trump-era rules.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-mexico-2d6872921b9d21347175b50f30d31539">Title 42 allows border officials</a>&nbsp;to deny people the right to seek asylum, and they have done so 2.5 million times since March 2020. The emergency health authority has been applied disproportionately to those from countries that Mexico agreed to take back: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and more recently Venezuela, in addition to Mexico.

“There is not going to be a good moment, politically speaking,” to end the restrictions, said Jorge Loweree of the American Immigration Council. The administration should have been preparing all along to create a better system for asylum seekers," Loweree said.

“It has allowed the other side to weaponize this issue. And the longer it remains in place, the longer the weapon will remain effective.”

The authority was first invoked at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic by President Donald Trump, whose immigration policies were aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-politics-f106b3351f6148a98f8f24c536f464ed">keeping out as many migrants as possible</a>. He also drastically reduced the number of refugees allowed into the country, added restrictions to the asylum process&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/courts-az-state-wire-tx-state-wire-ma-state-wire-ut-state-wire-7851364613cf0afbf67cf7930949f7d3">that clogged the system and kept migrants in detention</a>, and reduced legal immigration pathways.

Biden has been working to expand legal immigration and has undone some of the most restrictive Trump policies. But the administration kept the policy in place until this spring, and even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-venezuela-donald-trump-mexico-409a67bb33d547bc5438a4d7160576f6">expanded its use</a>&nbsp;after announcing it would end.

Republican say there will be even more chaos if it's lifted. But even with Title 42 in place, border officials have been encountering more migrants than ever before. In the budget year that ended Sept. 30, migrants were stopped 2.38 million times, up 37% from 1.73 million times the year before.

“I don’t know why it’s taking them so long to get serious about deterrence,” Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia said of the Biden administration. Capito is an incoming member of the Senate Republican leadership and the top GOP senator on the committee that oversees money for Homeland Security, the federal agency that manages border security.

Border officials have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-28ce8e9b1cb7b99d73c8043badbbe270">braced for an expected increase</a>, and migrants who have arrived are unsure of how asylum processes will work when the policy ends. Homeland Security officials have reported faster processing for migrants in custody on the border, more temporary detention tents, staffing increases and more criminal prosecutions of smugglers.

They say progress has been made on a plan announced in April but large-scale changes are needed. Meanwhile, the Senate's Republican leadership killed a bipartisan immigration bill that would have addressed some of these issues.

The split isn't just inside Congress.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-2022-midterm-elections-covid-health-media-2ebbd3849ca35ec76f0f91120639d9d4">One in 3 U.S. adults believes</a>&nbsp;an effort is underway to replace native-born Americans with immigrants for electoral gains, according to an AP-NORC survey.

Biden and his aides have said they are working to divert migrants coming out of Central America and helping provide aid to poorer nations that are bleeding people headed for the U.S. But the president is limited without action from Congress.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the administration is surging assistance to the border and will continue to do so. But “the removal of Title 42 does not mean the border is open,” she said. "Anyone who suggests otherwise is simply doing the work of these smugglers who again are spreading misinformation, which is very dangerous.”

A year-long appropriations bill passed the Senate on Thursday that would give the Border Patrol 17% more money, as well as 13% more for the Justice Department to develop an electronic case management system for immigration courts.

But Citizenship and Immigration Services, central in the asylum process, only got one third of what Biden had proposed to speed up the system.

Democrats, for their part, say they want policies that reflect America's reputation as a haven for those fleeing persecution. But they can’t agree on what that looks like.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., has been working on the issue for 20 years. This week, he stood on the Senate floor, sounding dejected as he talked about how Congress couldn't push through reform.

“It is a humanitarian and security nightmare that is only getting worse,” he said. “We're being flooded at the border by people who want to be in the United States, safely in the United States.”

Why, he asked, can't Washington figure out a better way?

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632317817548.png" alt="The Supreme Court is weighing whether to keep the powers in place following months of legal battles-photo Rep. Tony Gonzales" />
 <figcaption>The Supreme Court is weighing whether to keep the powers in place following months of legal battles-photo Rep. Tony Gonzales</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The drawn-out saga of Title 42, the set of emergency powers that allows border officials to quickly turn away migrants, has been chaotic at the U.S.-Mexico border. In Washington, it hasn't unfolded much better.The Supreme Court is weighing whether to keep the powers in place following months of legal battles brought on by Republican-led states after President Joe Biden's administration moved to end the Trump-era policy, which was set to lapse this week until the court agreed to take it up.The administration has yet to lay out any systemic changes to manage an expected surge of migrants if the restrictions end. And a bipartisan immigration bill in Congress has been buried just as Republicans are set to take control of the House.In short, America is right back where it has been. A divided nation is unable to agree on what a longer-term fix to the immigration system should look like. Basic questions — for example, should more immigrants be allowed in, or fewer? — are unanswered. Meantime the asylum system continues to strain under increasing numbers of migrants.The Biden administration has been reluctant to take hardline measures that would resemble those of his predecessor. That's resulted in a barrage of criticism from Republicans who are using Title 42 to hammer the president as ineffective on border security. The rules were introduced as an emergency health measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19.“The Democrats have lost the messaging war on this," said Charles Foster, a longtime immigration attorney in Texas who served as an immigration policy adviser to Republican George W. Bush but now considers himself independent. "The tragedy is, Democrats more than anyone should focus on this issue, because unless and until it can be fixed, and the perception changes, we’ll get nothing ever through Congress."Anyone who comes to the U.S. has the right to ask for asylum, but laws are narrow on who actually gets it. Under Biden, migrants arriving at the border are often let into the country and allowed to work while their cases progress. That process takes years because of a 2-million-case backlog in the immigration court system that was exacerbated by Trump-era rules.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-mexico-2d6872921b9d21347175b50f30d31539">Title 42 allows border officials</a>&nbsp;to deny people the right to seek asylum, and they have done so 2.5 million times since March 2020. The emergency health authority has been applied disproportionately to those from countries that Mexico agreed to take back: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and more recently Venezuela, in addition to Mexico.“There is not going to be a good moment, politically speaking,” to end the restrictions, said Jorge Loweree of the American Immigration Council. The administration should have been preparing all along to create a better system for asylum seekers," Loweree said.“It has allowed the other side to weaponize this issue. And the longer it remains in place, the longer the weapon will remain effective.”The authority was first invoked at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic by President Donald Trump, whose immigration policies were aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-politics-f106b3351f6148a98f8f24c536f464ed">keeping out as many migrants as possible</a>. He also drastically reduced the number of refugees allowed into the country, added restrictions to the asylum process&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/courts-az-state-wire-tx-state-wire-ma-state-wire-ut-state-wire-7851364613cf0afbf67cf7930949f7d3">that clogged the system and kept migrants in detention</a>, and reduced legal immigration pathways.Biden has been working to expand legal immigration and has undone some of the most restrictive Trump policies. But the administration kept the policy in place until this spring, and even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-venezuela-donald-trump-mexico-409a67bb33d547bc5438a4d7160576f6">expanded its use</a>&nbsp;after announcing it would end.Republican say there will be even more chaos if it's lifted. But even with Title 42 in place, border officials have been encountering more migrants than ever before. In the budget year that ended Sept. 30, migrants were stopped 2.38 million times, up 37% from 1.73 million times the year before.“I don’t know why it’s taking them so long to get serious about deterrence,” Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia said of the Biden administration. Capito is an incoming member of the Senate Republican leadership and the top GOP senator on the committee that oversees money for Homeland Security, the federal agency that manages border security.Border officials have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-28ce8e9b1cb7b99d73c8043badbbe270">braced for an expected increase</a>, and migrants who have arrived are unsure of how asylum processes will work when the policy ends. Homeland Security officials have reported faster processing for migrants in custody on the border, more temporary detention tents, staffing increases and more criminal prosecutions of smugglers.They say progress has been made on a plan announced in April but large-scale changes are needed. Meanwhile, the Senate's Republican leadership killed a bipartisan immigration bill that would have addressed some of these issues.The split isn't just inside Congress.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-2022-midterm-elections-covid-health-media-2ebbd3849ca35ec76f0f91120639d9d4">One in 3 U.S. adults believes</a>&nbsp;an effort is underway to replace native-born Americans with immigrants for electoral gains, according to an AP-NORC survey.Biden and his aides have said they are working to divert migrants coming out of Central America and helping provide aid to poorer nations that are bleeding people headed for the U.S. But the president is limited without action from Congress.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the administration is surging assistance to the border and will continue to do so. But “the removal of Title 42 does not mean the border is open,” she said. "Anyone who suggests otherwise is simply doing the work of these smugglers who again are spreading misinformation, which is very dangerous.”A year-long appropriations bill passed the Senate on Thursday that would give the Border Patrol 17% more money, as well as 13% more for the Justice Department to develop an electronic case management system for immigration courts.But Citizenship and Immigration Services, central in the asylum process, only got one third of what Biden had proposed to speed up the system.Democrats, for their part, say they want policies that reflect America's reputation as a haven for those fleeing persecution. But they can’t agree on what that looks like.Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., has been working on the issue for 20 years. This week, he stood on the Senate floor, sounding dejected as he talked about how Congress couldn't push through reform.“It is a humanitarian and security nightmare that is only getting worse,” he said. “We're being flooded at the border by people who want to be in the United States, safely in the United States.”Why, he asked, can't Washington figure out a better way?

Title 42 border rules confound Washington, migrants alike

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Authorities are investigating a fatal fire that occurred Friday morning in north Topeka.

Just before 4 a.m., crews responded to the report of an outdoor fire located along the Kansas River levy, according to Police Spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

 The fire was discovered by an officer from the Topeka Police Department (TPD) doing routine patrol.

Upon arrival, fire crews found heavy smoke and fire coming from a campsite. Crews were able to put out the fire. While searching the area, firefighters located one deceased individual.&nbsp; Personnel from the Shawnee County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene and are working to identify the victim. 

Investigators from Topeka Fire and the Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal responded to the scene to determine the cause of the fire.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671818516202.png" alt="The scene of the fatal fire in Topeka -photo courtesy WIBW-TV" />
 <figcaption>The scene of the fatal fire in Topeka -photo courtesy WIBW-TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Authorities are investigating a fatal fire that occurred Friday morning in north Topeka.Just before 4 a.m., crews responded to the report of an outdoor fire located along the Kansas River levy, according to Police Spokesperson Gretchen Spiker. The fire was discovered by an officer from the Topeka Police Department (TPD) doing routine patrol.Upon arrival, fire crews found heavy smoke and fire coming from a campsite. Crews were able to put out the fire. While searching the area, firefighters located one deceased individual.&nbsp; Personnel from the Shawnee County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene and are working to identify the victim. Investigators from Topeka Fire and the Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal responded to the scene to determine the cause of the fire.

One dead after fire at Kansas homeless campsite

WASHINGTON (AP) — A measure of inflation closely watched by the Federal Reserve slowed last month, another sign that a long surge in consumer prices seems to be easing.

Friday's report from the Commerce Department showed that prices rose 5.5% in November from a year earlier, down from a revise 6.1% increase in October. Excluding volatile food and energy prices, so-called core inflation was up 4.7% over the previous year.

On a month-to-month basis, prices rose 0.1% from October to November after rising 0.4% the previous month. Core prices rose 0.2%.

The Fed is believed to monitor the Commerce Department's inflation gauge that was issued Friday, called the personal consumption expenditures price index, even more closely than it does the Labor Department's better-known consumer price index. CPI rose 7.1% in November from 12 months earlier, down from June’s 9.1% year-over-year increase, which had been the biggest such jump in four decades.

The PCE index tends to show a lower inflation rate than CPI. In part, that is because rents, which have soared, carry double the weight in the CPI that they do in the PCE.

The PCE price index also seeks to account for changes in how people shop when inflation jumps. As a result, it can capture, for example, when consumers switch from pricey national brands to cheaper store brands.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671814441174.png" alt="On a month-to-month basis, prices rose 0.1% from October to November after rising 0.4% the previous month. Core prices rose 0.2%.-Google image" />
 <figcaption>On a month-to-month basis, prices rose 0.1% from October to November after rising 0.4% the previous month. Core prices rose 0.2%.-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A measure of inflation closely watched by the Federal Reserve slowed last month, another sign that a long surge in consumer prices seems to be easing.Friday's report from the Commerce Department showed that prices rose 5.5% in November from a year earlier, down from a revise 6.1% increase in October. Excluding volatile food and energy prices, so-called core inflation was up 4.7% over the previous year.On a month-to-month basis, prices rose 0.1% from October to November after rising 0.4% the previous month. Core prices rose 0.2%.The Fed is believed to monitor the Commerce Department's inflation gauge that was issued Friday, called the personal consumption expenditures price index, even more closely than it does the Labor Department's better-known consumer price index. CPI rose 7.1% in November from 12 months earlier, down from June’s 9.1% year-over-year increase, which had been the biggest such jump in four decades.The PCE index tends to show a lower inflation rate than CPI. In part, that is because rents, which have soared, carry double the weight in the CPI that they do in the PCE.The PCE price index also seeks to account for changes in how people shop when inflation jumps. As a result, it can capture, for example, when consumers switch from pricey national brands to cheaper store brands.

Report: Inflation is slowing according Fed's preferred measure

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman for alleged child endangerment.

Just before 1p.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to a Domestic Violence call in the 4400 block of East Bayley in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch. 

While approaching the address, officers observed a 4-year-old boy&nbsp;on the porch of a different address crying. Believing the child was locked out of his home officers opened the door and a large amount of smoke exited the house. 

Officers observed a 2-year-old boy on the couch and a fire in the kitchen. One officer removed the 2-year-old from the residence and the other officer entered and checked for any other people in the home. 

The officer located a 3-month-child in a back bedroom. All three children were quickly put into a warm patrol vehicle as Wichita Fire Dept and EMS crews were responding to control the fire.

Officers remained with the children until a parent arrived on the scene approximately 45 minutes later.&nbsp; The investigation revealed 24-year-old <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20070158">Dekilah Sellers </a>left her three children alone in the residence to go get Christmas presents.

The 4-year-old and 2-year-old boys were treated on the scene for smoke inhalation. The 3-month-old girl was transported to a local hospital for treatment and was to be released Thursday, according to Ditch.

Fire and EMS on the scene noted that the two children that were in the home would have died from smoke inhalation if not for the help of the 4-year-old boy and the swift response of police officers.

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20070158">Sellers remains in custody</a> on requested charges of aggravated endangering a child, failure to comply, disorderly conduct and several vehicle violations, according to online booking records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671740760578.png" alt="Sellers-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Sellers-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman for alleged child endangerment.Just before 1p.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to a Domestic Violence call in the 4400 block of East Bayley in Wichita, according to Officer Chad Ditch. While approaching the address, officers observed a 4-year-old boy&nbsp;on the porch of a different address crying. Believing the child was locked out of his home officers opened the door and a large amount of smoke exited the house. Officers observed a 2-year-old boy on the couch and a fire in the kitchen. One officer removed the 2-year-old from the residence and the other officer entered and checked for any other people in the home. The officer located a 3-month-child in a back bedroom. All three children were quickly put into a warm patrol vehicle as Wichita Fire Dept and EMS crews were responding to control the fire.Officers remained with the children until a parent arrived on the scene approximately 45 minutes later.&nbsp; The investigation revealed 24-year-old <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20070158">Dekilah Sellers </a>left her three children alone in the residence to go get Christmas presents.The 4-year-old and 2-year-old boys were treated on the scene for smoke inhalation. The 3-month-old girl was transported to a local hospital for treatment and was to be released Thursday, according to Ditch.Fire and EMS on the scene noted that the two children that were in the home would have died from smoke inhalation if not for the help of the 4-year-old boy and the swift response of police officers.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20070158">Sellers remains in custody</a> on requested charges of aggravated endangering a child, failure to comply, disorderly conduct and several vehicle violations, according to online booking records.

Home alone: Children saved from Kansas house fire

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Jan. 6 committee's final report asserts that Donald Trump criminally engaged in a "multi-part conspiracy" to overturn the lawful results of the 2020 presidential election and failed to act to stop his supporters from attacking the Capitol, concluding an extraordinary 18-month investigation into the former president and the violent insurrection two years ago.

<a href="https://january6th.house.gov/sites/democrats.january6th.house.gov/files/Report_FinalReport_Jan6SelectCommittee.pdf">Click here to read</a> the report

Trump "lit that fire," the committee's chairman, Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, writes.

The 814-page report released Thursday comes after the panel interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses, held 10 hearings and obtained more than a million pages of documents. The witnesses — ranging from many of Trump's closest aides to law enforcement to some of the rioters themselves — detailed Trump's "premeditated" actions in the weeks ahead of the attack and how his wide-ranging efforts to overturn his defeat directly influenced those who brutally pushed past the police and smashed through the windows and doors of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The central cause was "one man," the report says: Trump.

The insurrection gravely threatened democracy and "put the lives of American lawmakers at risk," the bipartisan nine-member panel concluded, offering so far the most definitive account of a dark chapter in modern American history. It functions not only as a compendium of the most dramatic moments of testimony from months of hearings, but also as a document meant to be preserved for future generations.

In a foreword to the report, outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the findings should be a "clarion call to all Americans: to vigilantly guard our Democracy and to give our vote only to those dutiful in their defense of our Constitution."

The report's eight chapters tell the story largely as the panel's hearings did this summer — describing the many facets of the remarkable plan that Trump and his advisers devised to try and void President Joe Biden's victory. The lawmakers describe the former president's pressure on states, federal officials, lawmakers and Vice President Mike Pence to game the system or break the law.

In the two months between the election and the insurrection, the report says, "President Trump or his inner circle engaged in at least 200 apparent acts of public or private outreach, pressure, or condemnation, targeting either State legislators or State or local election administrators, to overturn State election results."

Trump's repeated, false claims of widespread voter fraud resonated with his supporters, the committee said, and were amplified on social media, building on the distrust of government he had fostered for his four years in office. And he did little to stop them when they resorted to violence and stormed the Capitol, interrupting the certification of Biden's victory.

The massive, damning report comes as Trump is running again for the presidency and also facing multiple federal investigations, including probes of his role in the insurrection and the presence of classified documents at his Florida estate. This week is particularly fraught for him, as a House committee said it will release his tax returns after he has fought for years to keep them private. And Trump has been blamed by Republicans for a worse-than-expected showing in the midterm elections, leaving him in his most politically vulnerable state since he was elected in 2016.

In a series of policy recommendations, the seven Democrats and two Republicans on the committee suggest that Trump should be barred from future office, noting that the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution holds that anyone who has taken an oath to uphold the Constitution can be prevented from holding office for engaging in insurrection or rebellion.

"He is unfit for any office," writes the committee's vice chairwoman, Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming.

Posting on his social media site, Trump called the report "highly partisan" and falsely claimed it didn't include his statement on Jan. 6 that his supporters should protest "peacefully and patriotically." The committee did include that statement, though, and noted that he followed that comment with election falsehoods and charged language exhorting the crowd to "fight like hell."

The report details a multitude of failings by law enforcement and intelligence agencies, noting that many of the rioters came with weapons and had openly planned for violence online. "The failure to sufficiently share and act upon that intelligence jeopardized the lives of the police officers defending the Capitol and everyone in it," the report says.

At the same time, the committee makes an emphatic point that security failures are not the primary cause for the insurrection.

"The President of the United States inciting a mob to march on the Capitol and impede the work of Congress is not a scenario our intelligence and law enforcement communities envisioned for this country," Thompson wrote.

"Donald Trump lit that fire," Thompson writes. "But in the weeks beforehand, the kindling he ultimately ignited was amassed in plain sight."

The report details Trump's inaction as his loyalists were storming the building, detailing the hours when he watched the violence on television but did nothing to stop it.

A White House photographer snapped a picture of Trump at 1:21 p.m., learning of the riot from the employee after he returned to the White House after his speech — and after his own security officials had rebuffed his efforts to go to the Capitol himself. "By that time, if not sooner, he had been made aware of the violent riot," the report states.

In total, 187 minutes elapsed between the time Trump finished his speech at the Ellipse and his first effort to get the rioters to disperse, through an eventual video message in which he asked his supporters to go home even as he reassured them, "We love you, you're very special."

That inaction was a "dereliction of duty," the report says, noting that Trump had more power than any other person as the nation's commander-in-chief. "He willfully remained idle even as others, including his own Vice President, acted."

During those hours, Pence huddled in the Capitol, begging security officials for a quicker National Guard response as rioters outside called for his hanging because he would not illegally try to thwart Biden's win. And inside the White House, dozens of staffers and associates pleaded with Trump to make a forceful statement.

"We all look like domestic terrorists now," longtime aide Hope Hicks texted Julie Radford, who served as Ivanka Trump's chief of staff, in the aftermath.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671793065512.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Jan. 6 committee's final report asserts that Donald Trump criminally engaged in a "multi-part conspiracy" to overturn the lawful results of the 2020 presidential election and failed to act to stop his supporters from attacking the Capitol, concluding an extraordinary 18-month investigation into the former president and the violent insurrection two years ago.<a href="https://january6th.house.gov/sites/democrats.january6th.house.gov/files/Report_FinalReport_Jan6SelectCommittee.pdf">Click here to read</a> the reportTrump "lit that fire," the committee's chairman, Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, writes.The 814-page report released Thursday comes after the panel interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses, held 10 hearings and obtained more than a million pages of documents. The witnesses — ranging from many of Trump's closest aides to law enforcement to some of the rioters themselves — detailed Trump's "premeditated" actions in the weeks ahead of the attack and how his wide-ranging efforts to overturn his defeat directly influenced those who brutally pushed past the police and smashed through the windows and doors of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.The central cause was "one man," the report says: Trump.The insurrection gravely threatened democracy and "put the lives of American lawmakers at risk," the bipartisan nine-member panel concluded, offering so far the most definitive account of a dark chapter in modern American history. It functions not only as a compendium of the most dramatic moments of testimony from months of hearings, but also as a document meant to be preserved for future generations.In a foreword to the report, outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the findings should be a "clarion call to all Americans: to vigilantly guard our Democracy and to give our vote only to those dutiful in their defense of our Constitution."The report's eight chapters tell the story largely as the panel's hearings did this summer — describing the many facets of the remarkable plan that Trump and his advisers devised to try and void President Joe Biden's victory. The lawmakers describe the former president's pressure on states, federal officials, lawmakers and Vice President Mike Pence to game the system or break the law.In the two months between the election and the insurrection, the report says, "President Trump or his inner circle engaged in at least 200 apparent acts of public or private outreach, pressure, or condemnation, targeting either State legislators or State or local election administrators, to overturn State election results."Trump's repeated, false claims of widespread voter fraud resonated with his supporters, the committee said, and were amplified on social media, building on the distrust of government he had fostered for his four years in office. And he did little to stop them when they resorted to violence and stormed the Capitol, interrupting the certification of Biden's victory.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614042711157.png" alt="photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>The massive, damning report comes as Trump is running again for the presidency and also facing multiple federal investigations, including probes of his role in the insurrection and the presence of classified documents at his Florida estate. This week is particularly fraught for him, as a House committee said it will release his tax returns after he has fought for years to keep them private. And Trump has been blamed by Republicans for a worse-than-expected showing in the midterm elections, leaving him in his most politically vulnerable state since he was elected in 2016.In a series of policy recommendations, the seven Democrats and two Republicans on the committee suggest that Trump should be barred from future office, noting that the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution holds that anyone who has taken an oath to uphold the Constitution can be prevented from holding office for engaging in insurrection or rebellion."He is unfit for any office," writes the committee's vice chairwoman, Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming.Posting on his social media site, Trump called the report "highly partisan" and falsely claimed it didn't include his statement on Jan. 6 that his supporters should protest "peacefully and patriotically." The committee did include that statement, though, and noted that he followed that comment with election falsehoods and charged language exhorting the crowd to "fight like hell."The report details a multitude of failings by law enforcement and intelligence agencies, noting that many of the rioters came with weapons and had openly planned for violence online. "The failure to sufficiently share and act upon that intelligence jeopardized the lives of the police officers defending the Capitol and everyone in it," the report says.At the same time, the committee makes an emphatic point that security failures are not the primary cause for the insurrection."The President of the United States inciting a mob to march on the Capitol and impede the work of Congress is not a scenario our intelligence and law enforcement communities envisioned for this country," Thompson wrote."Donald Trump lit that fire," Thompson writes. "But in the weeks beforehand, the kindling he ultimately ignited was amassed in plain sight."The report details Trump's inaction as his loyalists were storming the building, detailing the hours when he watched the violence on television but did nothing to stop it.A White House photographer snapped a picture of Trump at 1:21 p.m., learning of the riot from the employee after he returned to the White House after his speech — and after his own security officials had rebuffed his efforts to go to the Capitol himself. "By that time, if not sooner, he had been made aware of the violent riot," the report states.In total, 187 minutes elapsed between the time Trump finished his speech at the Ellipse and his first effort to get the rioters to disperse, through an eventual video message in which he asked his supporters to go home even as he reassured them, "We love you, you're very special."That inaction was a "dereliction of duty," the report says, noting that Trump had more power than any other person as the nation's commander-in-chief. "He willfully remained idle even as others, including his own Vice President, acted."During those hours, Pence huddled in the Capitol, begging security officials for a quicker National Guard response as rioters outside called for his hanging because he would not illegally try to thwart Biden's win. And inside the White House, dozens of staffers and associates pleaded with Trump to make a forceful statement.But he did not."We all look like domestic terrorists now," longtime aide Hope Hicks texted Julie Radford, who served as Ivanka Trump's chief of staff, in the aftermath.The report says "virtually everyone on the White House staff" interviewed by the committee condemned a tweet by Trump at 2:24 p.m. that day — just as the rioters were first breaking into the Capitol — that Vice President Mike Pence "didn't have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution.""Attacking the VP? Wtf is wrong with him," Hicks texted another colleague that evening.The investigation's release is a final act for House Democrats who are ceding power to Republicans in less than two weeks, and have spent much of their four years in power investigating Trump. Democrats impeached Trump twice, the second time a week after the insurrection. He was acquitted by the Senate both times. Other Democratic-led probes investigated his finances, his businesses, his foreign ties and his family.On Monday, the panel officially passed their investigation to the Justice Department, recommending the department investigate the former president on four crimes, including aiding an insurrection. While the criminal referrals have no legal standing, they are a final statement from the committee after its extensive, year-and-a-half-long probe.The committee has also begun to release hundreds of transcripts of its interviews. On Thursday, the panel released transcripts of two closed-door interviews with former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who testified in person at one of the televised hearings over the summer and described in vivid detail Trump's actions and inaction inside the White House.In the two interviews, both conducted after her June appearance at the hearing, Hutchinson described how many of Trump's allies, including her lawyer, pressured her not to say too much in her committee interviews.___Follow the AP's coverage of the Capitol insurrection at https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege