SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a drug bust.

On Wednesday, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrants in the 1500 Block SW Tyler Street related to an ongoing investigation, according to Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.

While conducting the search warrant, officers located marijuana, drug paraphernalia, stolen property and a firearm.

As a result, Dyllon Tucker, 31, was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections and booked on requested charges of Criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, Possession of stolen property and Possession of paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670529572944.png" alt="Tucker-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Tucker-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a drug bust.On Wednesday, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrants in the 1500 Block SW Tyler Street related to an ongoing investigation, according to Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.While conducting the search warrant, officers located marijuana, drug paraphernalia, stolen property and a firearm.As a result, Dyllon Tucker, 31, was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections and booked on requested charges of Criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, Possession of stolen property and Possession of paraphernalia.

Kansas felon caught with stolen property, firearm and drugs

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A ruptured pipe dumped enough oil this week into a northeastern Kansas creek to nearly fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool, becoming the largest onshore crude pipeline spill in nine years and surpassing all the previous ones on the same pipeline system combined, according to federal data.

The Keystone pipeline&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-canada-kansas-34d8391337583fc242407141d24d66c2">spill in a creek</a>&nbsp;running through rural pastureland in Washington County, Kansas, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City, also was the biggest in the system's history, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data. The operator, Canada-based TC Energy, said the pipeline that runs from Canada to Oklahoma lost about 14,000 barrels, or 588,000 gallons.

The spill raised questions for environmentalists and safety advocates about whether TC Energy should keep a federal government permit that has allowed the pressure inside parts of its Keystone system — including the stretch through Kansas — to exceed the typical maximum permitted levels. With Congress facing a potential debate on reauthorizing regulatory programs, the chair of a House subcommittee on pipeline safety took note of the spill Friday.

A U.S. Government Accountability Office&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-21-588.pdf">report last year</a>&nbsp;said there had been 22 previous spills along the Keystone system since it began operating in 2010, most of them on TC Energy property and fewer than 20 barrels. The total from those 22 events was a little less than 12,000 barrels, the report said.

“I’m watching this situation closely to learn more about this latest oil leak and inform ways to prevent future releases and protect public safety and the environment,” Democratic U.S. Rep. Donald Payne Jr., of New Jersey,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/RepDonaldPayne/status/1601213879794954240">tweeted.</a>

TC Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the spill has been contained. The EPA said the company built an earthen dam across the creek about 4 miles downstream from the pipeline rupture to prevent the oil from moving into larger waterways.

Randy Hubbard, the county's emergency management director, said the oil traveled only about a quarter mile and there didn't appear to be any wildlife deaths.

The company said it is doing around-the-clock air-quality checks and other environmental monitoring. It also was using multiple trucks that amount to giant wet vacuums to suck up the oil.

Past Keystone spills have led to outages that lasted about two weeks, and the company said it still is evaluating when it can reopen the system.

The EPA said no drinking water wells were affected and oil-removal efforts will continue into next week. No one was evacuated, but the Kansas Department of Health and Environment warned people not to go into the creek or allow animals to wade in.

“At the time of the incident, the pipeline was operating within its design and regulatory approval requirements,” the company said in a statement.

The nearly 2,700-mile (4345-kilometer) Keystone pipeline carries thick, Canadian tar-sands oil to refineries in Illinois, Oklahoma and Texas, with about 600,000 barrels moving per day from Canada to Cushing, Oklahoma. Concerns about spills fouling water helped spur opposition to a new, 1,200 mile (1,900 kilometers) Keystone XL pipeline, and the company&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-keystone-pipeline-canada-environment-and-nature-141eabd7cca6449dfbd2dab8165812f2">pulled the plug last year</a>&nbsp;after President Joe Biden canceled a permit for it.

Environmentalists said the heavier tar sands oil is not only more toxic than lighter crude but can sink in water instead of floating on top. Bill Caram, executive director of the advocacy Pipeline Safety Trust, said cleanup even sometimes can include scrubbing individual rocks in a creek bed.

“This is going to be months, maybe even years before we get the full handle on this disaster and know the extent of the damage and get it all cleaned up,” said Zack Pistora, a lobbyist for the Sierra Club at the Kansas Statehouse.

Pipelines often are considered safer than shipping oil by railcar or truck, but large spills can create significant environmental damage. The American Petroleum Institute said Friday that companies have robust monitoring to detect leaks, cracks, corrosion and other problems, not only through control centers but with employees who walk alongside pipelines.

Still, in September 2013, a Tesoro Corp. pipeline in North Dakota ruptured and spilled 20,600 barrels, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data.

A more expensive spill happened in July 2010, when an Enbridge Inc. pipeline in Michigan ruptured and spilled more than 20,000 barrels into Talmadge Creek and the Kalamazoo River. Hundreds of homes and businesses were evacuated.

The Keystone pipeline's previous largest spill came in 2017, when more than 6,500 barrels spilled near Amherst, South Dakota, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report released last year. The second largest, 4,515 barrels, was in 2019 near Edinburg, North Dakota.

The Petroleum Institute said pipelines go through tests before opening using pressures that exceed the company's planned levels and are designed to account for what they'll carry and changes in the ground they cover. An arm of the U.S. Department of Transportation oversees pipeline safety and permitted TC Energy to have greater pressures on the Keystone system because the company used pipe made from better steel.

But Caram said: “When we see multiple failures like this of such large size and a relatively short amount of time after that pressure has increased, I think it’s time to question that.”

In its report last year to Congress, the GAO said Keystone’s accident history was similar to other oil pipelines, but spills have gotten larger in recent years. Investigations ordered by regulators found that the four worst spills were caused by flaws in design or pipe manufacturing during construction.

TC Energy's permit included more than 50 special conditions, mostly for its design, construction and operation, the GAO report said. The company said in response to the 2021 report that it took "decisive action” in recent years to improve safety, including developing new technology for detecting cracks and an independent review of its pipeline integrity program.

The company said Friday that it would conduct a full investigation into the causes of the spill.

The spill caused a brief surge in crude prices Thursday. Benchmark U.S. oil was up more modestly -- about 1% — on Friday morning as fears of a supply disruption were overshadowed by bigger concerns about an economic downturn in the U.S. and other major countries that would reduce demand for oil.

The pipeline runs through Chris and Bill Pannbacker’s family farm. Bill Pannbacker, a farmer and stockman, said the company told him that the issues with the pipeline there probably will not be resolved until after the Christmas and New Year's holidays.

The hill where the breach happened was a landmark to locals and used to be a popular destination for hayrides, Pannbacker said.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A ruptured pipe dumped enough oil this week into a northeastern Kansas creek to nearly fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool, becoming the largest onshore crude pipeline spill in nine years and surpassing all the previous ones on the same pipeline system combined, according to federal data.The Keystone pipeline&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-canada-kansas-34d8391337583fc242407141d24d66c2">spill in a creek</a>&nbsp;running through rural pastureland in Washington County, Kansas, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City, also was the biggest in the system's history, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data. The operator, Canada-based TC Energy, said the pipeline that runs from Canada to Oklahoma lost about 14,000 barrels, or 588,000 gallons.The spill raised questions for environmentalists and safety advocates about whether TC Energy should keep a federal government permit that has allowed the pressure inside parts of its Keystone system — including the stretch through Kansas — to exceed the typical maximum permitted levels. With Congress facing a potential debate on reauthorizing regulatory programs, the chair of a House subcommittee on pipeline safety took note of the spill Friday.A U.S. Government Accountability Office&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-21-588.pdf">report last year</a>&nbsp;said there had been 22 previous spills along the Keystone system since it began operating in 2010, most of them on TC Energy property and fewer than 20 barrels. The total from those 22 events was a little less than 12,000 barrels, the report said.“I’m watching this situation closely to learn more about this latest oil leak and inform ways to prevent future releases and protect public safety and the environment,” Democratic U.S. Rep. Donald Payne Jr., of New Jersey,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/RepDonaldPayne/status/1601213879794954240">tweeted.</a>TC Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the spill has been contained. The EPA said the company built an earthen dam across the creek about 4 miles downstream from the pipeline rupture to prevent the oil from moving into larger waterways.Randy Hubbard, the county's emergency management director, said the oil traveled only about a quarter mile and there didn't appear to be any wildlife deaths.The company said it is doing around-the-clock air-quality checks and other environmental monitoring. It also was using multiple trucks that amount to giant wet vacuums to suck up the oil.Past Keystone spills have led to outages that lasted about two weeks, and the company said it still is evaluating when it can reopen the system.The EPA said no drinking water wells were affected and oil-removal efforts will continue into next week. No one was evacuated, but the Kansas Department of Health and Environment warned people not to go into the creek or allow animals to wade in.“At the time of the incident, the pipeline was operating within its design and regulatory approval requirements,” the company said in a statement.The nearly 2,700-mile (4345-kilometer) Keystone pipeline carries thick, Canadian tar-sands oil to refineries in Illinois, Oklahoma and Texas, with about 600,000 barrels moving per day from Canada to Cushing, Oklahoma. Concerns about spills fouling water helped spur opposition to a new, 1,200 mile (1,900 kilometers) Keystone XL pipeline, and the company&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-keystone-pipeline-canada-environment-and-nature-141eabd7cca6449dfbd2dab8165812f2">pulled the plug last year</a>&nbsp;after President Joe Biden canceled a permit for it.Environmentalists said the heavier tar sands oil is not only more toxic than lighter crude but can sink in water instead of floating on top. Bill Caram, executive director of the advocacy Pipeline Safety Trust, said cleanup even sometimes can include scrubbing individual rocks in a creek bed.“This is going to be months, maybe even years before we get the full handle on this disaster and know the extent of the damage and get it all cleaned up,” said Zack Pistora, a lobbyist for the Sierra Club at the Kansas Statehouse.Pipelines often are considered safer than shipping oil by railcar or truck, but large spills can create significant environmental damage. The American Petroleum Institute said Friday that companies have robust monitoring to detect leaks, cracks, corrosion and other problems, not only through control centers but with employees who walk alongside pipelines.Still, in September 2013, a Tesoro Corp. pipeline in North Dakota ruptured and spilled 20,600 barrels, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data.A more expensive spill happened in July 2010, when an Enbridge Inc. pipeline in Michigan ruptured and spilled more than 20,000 barrels into Talmadge Creek and the Kalamazoo River. Hundreds of homes and businesses were evacuated.The Keystone pipeline's previous largest spill came in 2017, when more than 6,500 barrels spilled near Amherst, South Dakota, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report released last year. The second largest, 4,515 barrels, was in 2019 near Edinburg, North Dakota.The Petroleum Institute said pipelines go through tests before opening using pressures that exceed the company's planned levels and are designed to account for what they'll carry and changes in the ground they cover. An arm of the U.S. Department of Transportation oversees pipeline safety and permitted TC Energy to have greater pressures on the Keystone system because the company used pipe made from better steel.But Caram said: “When we see multiple failures like this of such large size and a relatively short amount of time after that pressure has increased, I think it’s time to question that.”In its report last year to Congress, the GAO said Keystone’s accident history was similar to other oil pipelines, but spills have gotten larger in recent years. Investigations ordered by regulators found that the four worst spills were caused by flaws in design or pipe manufacturing during construction.TC Energy's permit included more than 50 special conditions, mostly for its design, construction and operation, the GAO report said. The company said in response to the 2021 report that it took "decisive action” in recent years to improve safety, including developing new technology for detecting cracks and an independent review of its pipeline integrity program.The company said Friday that it would conduct a full investigation into the causes of the spill.The spill caused a brief surge in crude prices Thursday. Benchmark U.S. oil was up more modestly -- about 1% — on Friday morning as fears of a supply disruption were overshadowed by bigger concerns about an economic downturn in the U.S. and other major countries that would reduce demand for oil.The pipeline runs through Chris and Bill Pannbacker’s family farm. Bill Pannbacker, a farmer and stockman, said the company told him that the issues with the pipeline there probably will not be resolved until after the Christmas and New Year's holidays.The hill where the breach happened was a landmark to locals and used to be a popular destination for hayrides, Pannbacker said.

Federal data: Kansas oil spill biggest in Keystone history

WASHINGTON —Kansas 3rd District Representative Sharice Davids on Thursday applauded bipartisan passage of legislation she help introduce to enshrine marriage equality in federal law. 

The&nbsp;<a href="https://rules.house.gov/sites/democrats.rules.house.gov/files/BILLS-117HR8404IH.pdf">Respect for Marriage Act</a>&nbsp;passed in the House 258-169 with almost 40 Republican votes. It also protects interracial unions by requiring states to recognize legal marriages regardless of “sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin.” Congresswoman Davids was the only member of the Kansas House delegation to vote in favor of the bill. Representatives Tracey Mann, Ron Estes and Jake LaTurner voted against the measure in addition to Missouri Representatives Sam Graves, Vicky Hartzler, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Billy Long and Jason Smith.

The Senate passed the bill last week with 12 Republican votes. Kansas Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall and Missouri Senator Josh Hawley voted against the bill. Retiring Missouri Senator Roy Blunt voted with the Democrats.&nbsp; The legislation now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

In July Davids joined her colleagues to introduce the&nbsp;Respect for Marriage Act&nbsp;following Justice Clarence Thomas’ concurring opinion in&nbsp;Dobbs v Jackson,&nbsp;in which he stated that the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/06/24/thomas-constitutional-rights-00042256">“should reconsider”</a>&nbsp;previous rulings codifying same-sex marriage protections.&nbsp;The&nbsp;Respect for Marriage Act&nbsp;repeals the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and provides additional legal protections from attempts to undermine marriage equality at the state level.

“After the&nbsp;Dobbs&nbsp;decision, people across Kansas and the entire country felt fear and anxiety as many of our individual freedoms were called into question or outright stripped away. That includes marriage equality for same-sex couples, which was explicitly threatened by Justice Thomas,” said&nbsp;Davids. “I’m proud to have introduced legislation that will help lessen that fear and provide stability to so many families, and I applaud the bipartisan group of lawmakers who joined me to stand up for our rights.”

The&nbsp;Respect for Marriage Act&nbsp;will:

The&nbsp;Respect for Marriage Act&nbsp;is&nbsp;<a href="https://judiciary.house.gov/newsroom/respectformarriagesupport/">strongly supported by leading national organizations</a>&nbsp;including: ACLU, Center for American Progress, Equality Federation, Family Equality, Freedom for All Americans, GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal, National Black Justice Coalition, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Center for Transgender Equality, National LGBTQ Task Force, National Women’s Law Center, and PFLAG National.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670540217091.png" alt="Rep. Davids celebrate passage of HR 8404, the Respect for Marriage Act.-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Davids celebrate passage of HR 8404, the Respect for Marriage Act.-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —Kansas 3rd District Representative Sharice Davids on Thursday applauded bipartisan passage of legislation she help introduce to enshrine marriage equality in federal law. The&nbsp;<a href="https://rules.house.gov/sites/democrats.rules.house.gov/files/BILLS-117HR8404IH.pdf">Respect for Marriage Act</a>&nbsp;passed in the House 258-169 with almost 40 Republican votes. It also protects interracial unions by requiring states to recognize legal marriages regardless of “sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin.” Congresswoman Davids was the only member of the Kansas House delegation to vote in favor of the bill. Representatives Tracey Mann, Ron Estes and Jake LaTurner voted against the measure in addition to Missouri Representatives Sam Graves, Vicky Hartzler, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Billy Long and Jason Smith.The Senate passed the bill last week with 12 Republican votes. Kansas Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall and Missouri Senator Josh Hawley voted against the bill. Retiring Missouri Senator Roy Blunt voted with the Democrats.&nbsp; The legislation now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law.In July Davids joined her colleagues to introduce the&nbsp;Respect for Marriage Act&nbsp;following Justice Clarence Thomas’ concurring opinion in&nbsp;Dobbs v Jackson,&nbsp;in which he stated that the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/06/24/thomas-constitutional-rights-00042256">“should reconsider”</a>&nbsp;previous rulings codifying same-sex marriage protections.&nbsp;The&nbsp;Respect for Marriage Act&nbsp;repeals the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and provides additional legal protections from attempts to undermine marriage equality at the state level.“After the&nbsp;Dobbs&nbsp;decision, people across Kansas and the entire country felt fear and anxiety as many of our individual freedoms were called into question or outright stripped away. That includes marriage equality for same-sex couples, which was explicitly threatened by Justice Thomas,” said&nbsp;Davids. “I’m proud to have introduced legislation that will help lessen that fear and provide stability to so many families, and I applaud the bipartisan group of lawmakers who joined me to stand up for our rights.”The&nbsp;Respect for Marriage Act&nbsp;will:<ul>
 <li>Repeal DOMA.&nbsp;The Supreme Court effectively rendered DOMA inactive with its landmark decisions in&nbsp;United States v. Windsor&nbsp;and&nbsp;Obergefell v. Hodges, but it did not repeal it, meaning the unconstitutional and discriminatory law still officially remains on the books.&nbsp;With passage of the&nbsp;Respect for Marriage Act, DOMA will finally be repealed.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Enshrine Marriage Equality for Federal Law Purposes. The&nbsp;Respect for Marriage Act&nbsp;requires, for federal law purposes, that an individual be considered married if the marriage was valid in the state where it was performed, even if that state is not where the individual lives permanently. This gives same sex and interracial couples additional certainty that they will enjoy their Constitutional right to equal treatment under federal law—regardless of where they live.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Provide Additional Legal Protections from Individuals Seeking to Undermine Marriage Equality While Acting Under Color of State Law. The bill prohibits any person acting under color of state law from denying full faith and credit to an out-of-state marriage based on the sex, race, ethnicity or national origin of the individuals in the marriage, provides the Attorney General with the authority to pursue enforcement actions, and creates a private right of action for any individual harmed by a violation of this provision.</li>
 </ul>The&nbsp;Respect for Marriage Act&nbsp;is&nbsp;<a href="https://judiciary.house.gov/newsroom/respectformarriagesupport/">strongly supported by leading national organizations</a>&nbsp;including: ACLU, Center for American Progress, Equality Federation, Family Equality, Freedom for All Americans, GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal, National Black Justice Coalition, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Center for Transgender Equality, National LGBTQ Task Force, National Women’s Law Center, and PFLAG National.

1 member of the Kan. delegation voted to protect same-sex marriage

&nbsp;KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal pedestrian accident have identified the victim as 47-year-old Troy J. Callahan.

Just after 8:30p.m. Wednesday, Callahan was attempting to cross the southbound lanes of SW Trafficway, south of Clark Avenue in the Westport district when he was initially struck by a Chrysler mini-van, according to Police Captain Leslie Foreman.

A short time later, a Honda CRV struck Callahan. EMS transported him to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Both drivers stopped at the scene and cooperated during the investigation. Police released no additional details.

&nbsp;KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal pedestrian accident have identified the victim as 47-year-old Troy J. Callahan.Just after 8:30p.m. Wednesday, Callahan was attempting to cross the southbound lanes of SW Trafficway, south of Clark Avenue in the Westport district when he was initially struck by a Chrysler mini-van, according to Police Captain Leslie Foreman.A short time later, a Honda CRV struck Callahan. EMS transported him to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Both drivers stopped at the scene and cooperated during the investigation. Police released no additional details.

Man crossing the street struck by two vehicles in Kansas City

TOPEKA —A federal grand jury in Topeka returned an indictment charging a Kansas woman and three Florida residents in connection with a scheme to defraud Medicare, according to the United State's Attorney.

According to court documents, Steven A. Churchill, 36, of Boca Raton, Florida, Samson K. Solomon, 25, of Margate, Florida, Elaine J. Balsamo, 58, of Boca Raton, Florida, and Fawn J. Lickteig, 42, of Lawrence, Kansas, are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, mail fraud, and wire fraud; eight counts of health care fraud; six counts of mail fraud; and four counts of wire fraud.

Churchill and Balsamo are also charged with four counts of money laundering.

Despite claiming to be a retail pharmacy, the defendants are accused of establishing a fraudulent mail order pharmacy. Between February 2020 and February 2021, the defendants allegedly used Freestate Pharmacy to submit false claims to Medicare for prescriptions for patients who had not spoken with the doctor and who had not requested the medication.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are investigating the case.

TOPEKA —A federal grand jury in Topeka returned an indictment charging a Kansas woman and three Florida residents in connection with a scheme to defraud Medicare, according to the United State's Attorney.According to court documents, Steven A. Churchill, 36, of Boca Raton, Florida, Samson K. Solomon, 25, of Margate, Florida, Elaine J. Balsamo, 58, of Boca Raton, Florida, and Fawn J. Lickteig, 42, of Lawrence, Kansas, are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, mail fraud, and wire fraud; eight counts of health care fraud; six counts of mail fraud; and four counts of wire fraud.Churchill and Balsamo are also charged with four counts of money laundering.Despite claiming to be a retail pharmacy, the defendants are accused of establishing a fraudulent mail order pharmacy. Between February 2020 and February 2021, the defendants allegedly used Freestate Pharmacy to submit false claims to Medicare for prescriptions for patients who had not spoken with the doctor and who had not requested the medication.The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are investigating the case.

Indictment: 4 used Kansas pharmacy to defraud Medicare

WASHINGTON —The Department of Defense (DoD) announces the authorization of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance valued at up to $275 million to meet Ukraine's critical security and defense needs, according to a statement from the agency on Friday evening.

This authorization is the Biden Administration's twenty-seventh drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021.&nbsp; &nbsp; This security assistance package will provide Ukraine with new capabilities to boost its air defenses in addition to providing critical equipment that Ukraine is using so effectively to defend itself on the battlefield. &nbsp; Capabilities in this package include: &nbsp; •&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS); •&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;80,000 155mm artillery rounds; •&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems equipment; •&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Counter air defense capability; •&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs) Ambulances and medical equipment; •&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Approximately 150 generators; •&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Field equipment.&nbsp; &nbsp; To meet Ukraine's evolving battlefield requirements, the United States will continue to work with its Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with key capabilities.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661277535073.png" alt="-Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from his social media page on August 15-" />
 <figcaption>-Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from his social media page on August 15-</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —The Department of Defense (DoD) announces the authorization of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance valued at up to $275 million to meet Ukraine's critical security and defense needs, according to a statement from the agency on Friday evening. This authorization is the Biden Administration's twenty-seventh drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021.&nbsp; &nbsp; This security assistance package will provide Ukraine with new capabilities to boost its air defenses in addition to providing critical equipment that Ukraine is using so effectively to defend itself on the battlefield. &nbsp; Capabilities in this package include: &nbsp; •&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS); •&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;80,000 155mm artillery rounds; •&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems equipment; •&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Counter air defense capability; •&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs) Ambulances and medical equipment; •&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Approximately 150 generators; •&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Field equipment.&nbsp; &nbsp; To meet Ukraine's evolving battlefield requirements, the United States will continue to work with its Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with key capabilities.

US to spend another $275M to aid Ukraine in war with Russia

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The impact of the pipeline outage resulting from the leak in Kansas on Wednesday isn't known yet, according to Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas.

"The closure in the Keystone pipeline that we've seen the last few days due to the leak in northern Kansas has certainly got the industry watching," Steward said. "We're not sure exactly what the impact of that will be yet. It will certainly depend on how long that pipeline is shut down."

Before the leak, fundamentals were looking really good to keep gas prices dropping across the country.

"Demand has been low for a while," Steward said. "We're at about 7% lower than where we were a year ago in terms of gasoline demand. Total domestic gasoline stocks rose significantly in the most recent reporting period. You couple those things together and you're seeing a pretty strong decline in gas prices over the last month or two. We're at $2.94 a gallon on average in Kansas today, that's down five cents just from Monday."

The drop in demand is what was typical pre-pandemic.

"That's what we're seeing this year," Steward said. "We tend to have fewer people out driving, especially when we start seeing winter weather. We haven't seen much of that yet in Kansas."

<a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">Click here to find</a> gas prices where you live.

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — The impact of the pipeline outage resulting from the leak in Kansas on Wednesday isn't known yet, according to Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas."The closure in the Keystone pipeline that we've seen the last few days due to the leak in northern Kansas has certainly got the industry watching," Steward said. "We're not sure exactly what the impact of that will be yet. It will certainly depend on how long that pipeline is shut down."Before the leak, fundamentals were looking really good to keep gas prices dropping across the country."Demand has been low for a while," Steward said. "We're at about 7% lower than where we were a year ago in terms of gasoline demand. Total domestic gasoline stocks rose significantly in the most recent reporting period. You couple those things together and you're seeing a pretty strong decline in gas prices over the last month or two. We're at $2.94 a gallon on average in Kansas today, that's down five cents just from Monday."The drop in demand is what was typical pre-pandemic."That's what we're seeing this year," Steward said. "We tend to have fewer people out driving, especially when we start seeing winter weather. We haven't seen much of that yet in Kansas."<a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">Click here to find</a> gas prices where you live.

AAA: Pipeline leak in Kansas hasn't reached pumps yet

WINFIELD, KAN. –&nbsp;Winfield Correctional Facility (WCF) resident Juan Manuel Torres died Thursday, according to a statement from the Kansas Department of Corrections. 

He was found unresponsive in his housing unit. Staff began life-saving measures immediately and continued after emergency medical services arrived. The cause of death is pending the results of an independent autopsy. A preliminary assessment indicates the death was not related to COVID-19.

Torres, 31, was serving a 63-month sentence, based on convictions in Ford County, Kansas of Possession of drugs, Fleeing law enforcement, DUI – 2nd&nbsp;conviction, and two counts of Violation of the Kansas Offender Registration Act. He was registered as a violent offender for convictions in 2013 of violent crimes in aid of racketeering, attempted murder.

Per protocol, when a resident dies in the custody of the KDOC, the death is under investigation by the KDOC and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.&nbsp;

The Winfield Correctional Facility's (WCF) capacity is&nbsp;632 minimum-security adult male residents.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670603859504.png" alt="Torres-photo KBI Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Torres-photo KBI Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>WINFIELD, KAN. –&nbsp;Winfield Correctional Facility (WCF) resident Juan Manuel Torres died Thursday, according to a statement from the Kansas Department of Corrections. He was found unresponsive in his housing unit. Staff began life-saving measures immediately and continued after emergency medical services arrived. The cause of death is pending the results of an independent autopsy. A preliminary assessment indicates the death was not related to COVID-19.Torres, 31, was serving a 63-month sentence, based on convictions in Ford County, Kansas of Possession of drugs, Fleeing law enforcement, DUI – 2nd&nbsp;conviction, and two counts of Violation of the Kansas Offender Registration Act. He was registered as a violent offender for convictions in 2013 of violent crimes in aid of racketeering, attempted murder.Per protocol, when a resident dies in the custody of the KDOC, the death is under investigation by the KDOC and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.&nbsp;The Winfield Correctional Facility's (WCF) capacity is&nbsp;632 minimum-security adult male residents.&nbsp;

Violent registered Kansas offender found dead in prison

KANSAS CITY —Just after 7p.m. Friday, police thanked the public for t assistance and they had been able to identify the injured, unconscious individual hospitalized in a Kansas City-area hospital.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are seeking the public's assistance in identifying a Hispanic male who was injured late Thursday night and transported to an area hospital, according to a statement from the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department.

He is currently unconscious and has no identification. He is described as being between 17 to 25 years-old with brown eyes and approximately 5-foot-8 and 170 pounds. 

He has a tattoo on his right forearm . It appears to be the initials L.L.D. in red ink.

Anyone who believes they know the identity of this individual should call KCKPD Non-Emergency at 913-596-3000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670624989101.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Just after 7p.m. Friday, police thanked the public for t assistance and they had been able to identify the injured, unconscious individual hospitalized in a Kansas City-area hospital.----------KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are seeking the public's assistance in identifying a Hispanic male who was injured late Thursday night and transported to an area hospital, according to a statement from the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department.He is currently unconscious and has no identification. He is described as being between 17 to 25 years-old with brown eyes and approximately 5-foot-8 and 170 pounds. He has a tattoo on his right forearm . It appears to be the initials L.L.D. in red ink.Anyone who believes they know the identity of this individual should call KCKPD Non-Emergency at 913-596-3000.

KCPD asks for help to ID hospitalized, unconscious man

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Administrators at Valley Center and Topeka high schools issued a joint statement Friday about the&nbsp; investigation of alleged racial taunting during the Dec. 3 basketball game at Valley Center.

Topeka High School Coach Geo Lyons said his team was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-basketball-education-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-2e222bee3a9bbf91fa6d42b1d39c8700">subjected to “racial slurs, threats and disgusting taunts"</a>&nbsp;by students from Valley Center High School at the game. He also said Valley Center students taunted his team with a naked Black baby doll.

According to the statement from Valley Center principal&nbsp;Bruce Lolling and Topeka High principal Rebecca Morrisey,&nbsp; administrators from both schools thoroughly investigated reports following the game that included reviewing game&nbsp;footage and collecting statements from attendees, and the information was shared between the two schools. 

After&nbsp;conducting the investigations, several students at Valley Center received consequences for their behavior. Federal&nbsp;law (FERPA) prohibits the sharing of specific details regarding those consequences.

Valley Center High School and Topeka High School recognized the student-athletes for the manner in which&nbsp;they handled themselves during and immediately following the game given the circumstances. 

Additionally, Valley Center&nbsp;High School apologized for the students in the student section who acted&nbsp;inappropriately.&nbsp;

Both schools acknowledge that although some information that began circulating following the game was factual, there&nbsp;have been numerous reports that are exaggerated and/or inaccurate.

"This has led to responses from both communities&nbsp;that have become inflamed and disappointing. This is not appropriate, does not provide for a productive environment&nbsp;where true change can occur, and is currently being addressed by the schools and communities appropriately."

"Valley Center and Topeka High Schools are committed to work together to repair the harm that has been done, and to&nbsp;take actions both separately and together that will lead to positive and productive change with regards to addressing&nbsp;sportsmanship and racism."

"We truly believe that this incident can be used by both schools and communities, to provide an opportunity for&nbsp;education, growth and partnership."

WICHITA (AP) —Two Kansas high schools are investigating after students at one school reportedly yelled racist and offensive taunts at the other school's basketball team.

Topeka High School's team was subjected to “racial slurs, threats and disgusting taunts,” during a game on Saturday with Valley Center High School, Coach Geo Lyons said in a Change.org petition. He also said Valley Center students used a Black baby doll to taunt his team during the game.

Lyons has started a petition asking that Valley Center High School fans be removed from sporting events.

Lyons told KSN-TV that his son was shooting a free throw when the Valley Center student section chanted an expletive. He also alleged that racial epithets were used and his team was told they were going to be hanged.

"I had a down locker room, I’m talking about tears were flowing in that locker room,” Lyons said.

Valley Center officials issued an apology Monday to Topeka High School for “inappropriate language and behavior” by students during the game.

The district said in a statement that Topeka and Valley Center officials spent much of the weekend studying videos and interviewing people in attendance. As of Tuesday, the officials had not found evidence of specifically racist taunts but Valley Center acknowledged that students acted inappropriately.

It said students who chanted the expletive at the Topeka student were immediately removed and Valley Center officials worked to prevent any other negative interactions when the game ended.

The Black baby doll was part of a class assignment that requires students to “parent” the baby for a few days, the district said. It was not brought to the game intentionally to taunt Topeka High School but “without context, seeing the baby and images of the ‘baby’ caused hurt and concern to many, and for that we are very sorry,” the statement said.

Valley Center Superintendent Cory Gibson had a “fruitful” conversation about the incident with representatives of the NAACP on Tuesday, spokeswoman Amy Pavlacka said. Gibson and Valley Center High School Principal Bruce Lolling also visited with patrons from both cities to discuss the situation.

“As a district, we sent a letter to all VCHS families and students explaining there would be follow-up consequences for those students involved, and that we, as a community, should learn and grow from this experience,” the statement said.

On Tuesday, Valley Center called off school for Wednesday, Dec. 7 as a result of threats. "Out of an abundance of caution for all of our students and staff and after consulting with local law enforcement, all USD 262 buildings and schools will be closed, and all activities will be canceled, according to a statement sent from Dr. Gibson."&nbsp;

"Staff members are not to report to work unless specifically requested by their supervisor.&nbsp;The difficult decision to close our schools was a result of online threats received by our district this evening. Law enforcement is investigating these threats."

Topeka schools Superintendent Tiffany Anderson said in a letter to district patrons that the incident has been reported to the Kansas State High School Activities Association.

She said the Topeka district appreciated Valley Center's apology but they hope the district will take appropriate steps to address what occurred with those involved.

“I am so grateful for our coaches, principal (Rebecca) Morrisey and the mighty Trojans at Topeka High who modeled the conduct we expect from our students and we hope that it sets the example of what excellence looks like for others to learn from moving forward,” Anderson wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670380837123.png" alt="-Image from the Saturday, Dec. 3 game courtesy Valley Center High School YouTube" />
 <figcaption>-Image from the Saturday, Dec. 3 game courtesy Valley Center High School YouTube</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Administrators at Valley Center and Topeka high schools issued a joint statement Friday about the&nbsp; investigation of alleged racial taunting during the Dec. 3 basketball game at Valley Center.Topeka High School Coach Geo Lyons said his team was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-basketball-education-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-2e222bee3a9bbf91fa6d42b1d39c8700">subjected to “racial slurs, threats and disgusting taunts"</a>&nbsp;by students from Valley Center High School at the game. He also said Valley Center students taunted his team with a naked Black baby doll.According to the statement from Valley Center principal&nbsp;Bruce Lolling and Topeka High principal Rebecca Morrisey,&nbsp; administrators from both schools thoroughly investigated reports following the game that included reviewing game&nbsp;footage and collecting statements from attendees, and the information was shared between the two schools. After&nbsp;conducting the investigations, several students at Valley Center received consequences for their behavior. Federal&nbsp;law (FERPA) prohibits the sharing of specific details regarding those consequences.Valley Center High School and Topeka High School recognized the student-athletes for the manner in which&nbsp;they handled themselves during and immediately following the game given the circumstances. Additionally, Valley Center&nbsp;High School apologized for the students in the student section who acted&nbsp;inappropriately.&nbsp;Both schools acknowledge that although some information that began circulating following the game was factual, there&nbsp;have been numerous reports that are exaggerated and/or inaccurate."This has led to responses from both communities&nbsp;that have become inflamed and disappointing. This is not appropriate, does not provide for a productive environment&nbsp;where true change can occur, and is currently being addressed by the schools and communities appropriately.""Valley Center and Topeka High Schools are committed to work together to repair the harm that has been done, and to&nbsp;take actions both separately and together that will lead to positive and productive change with regards to addressing&nbsp;sportsmanship and racism.""We truly believe that this incident can be used by both schools and communities, to provide an opportunity for&nbsp;education, growth and partnership."---------WICHITA (AP) —Two Kansas high schools are investigating after students at one school reportedly yelled racist and offensive taunts at the other school's basketball team.Topeka High School's team was subjected to “racial slurs, threats and disgusting taunts,” during a game on Saturday with Valley Center High School, Coach Geo Lyons said in a Change.org petition. He also said Valley Center students used a Black baby doll to taunt his team during the game.Lyons has started a petition asking that Valley Center High School fans be removed from sporting events.Lyons told KSN-TV that his son was shooting a free throw when the Valley Center student section chanted an expletive. He also alleged that racial epithets were used and his team was told they were going to be hanged."I had a down locker room, I’m talking about tears were flowing in that locker room,” Lyons said.Valley Center officials issued an apology Monday to Topeka High School for “inappropriate language and behavior” by students during the game.The district said in a statement that Topeka and Valley Center officials spent much of the weekend studying videos and interviewing people in attendance. As of Tuesday, the officials had not found evidence of specifically racist taunts but Valley Center acknowledged that students acted inappropriately.It said students who chanted the expletive at the Topeka student were immediately removed and Valley Center officials worked to prevent any other negative interactions when the game ended.The Black baby doll was part of a class assignment that requires students to “parent” the baby for a few days, the district said. It was not brought to the game intentionally to taunt Topeka High School but “without context, seeing the baby and images of the ‘baby’ caused hurt and concern to many, and for that we are very sorry,” the statement said.Valley Center Superintendent Cory Gibson had a “fruitful” conversation about the incident with representatives of the NAACP on Tuesday, spokeswoman Amy Pavlacka said. Gibson and Valley Center High School Principal Bruce Lolling also visited with patrons from both cities to discuss the situation.“As a district, we sent a letter to all VCHS families and students explaining there would be follow-up consequences for those students involved, and that we, as a community, should learn and grow from this experience,” the statement said.On Tuesday, Valley Center called off school for Wednesday, Dec. 7 as a result of threats. "Out of an abundance of caution for all of our students and staff and after consulting with local law enforcement, all USD 262 buildings and schools will be closed, and all activities will be canceled, according to a statement sent from Dr. Gibson."&nbsp;"Staff members are not to report to work unless specifically requested by their supervisor.&nbsp;The difficult decision to close our schools was a result of online threats received by our district this evening. Law enforcement is investigating these threats."Topeka schools Superintendent Tiffany Anderson said in a letter to district patrons that the incident has been reported to the Kansas State High School Activities Association.She said the Topeka district appreciated Valley Center's apology but they hope the district will take appropriate steps to address what occurred with those involved.“I am so grateful for our coaches, principal (Rebecca) Morrisey and the mighty Trojans at Topeka High who modeled the conduct we expect from our students and we hope that it sets the example of what excellence looks like for others to learn from moving forward,” Anderson wrote.

Students disciplined for offensive chants at Kan. high school game

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged vandalism at a church in Riley County.

Around 5:00pm on Thursday, the Riley County Police Department was called to investigate a report of vandalism at the Sedalia Community Church on N. 52nd Street in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

An unknown suspect entered the annex building and spray painted the walls and other property inside the building. The estimated total loss associated with this is $6,000.&nbsp;

Anyone with information can contact RCPD or the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=353#">Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers</a>. Using the Crime Stoppers service can allow you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670618027619.png" alt="Sedalia Community Church-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Sedalia Community Church-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged vandalism at a church in Riley County.Around 5:00pm on Thursday, the Riley County Police Department was called to investigate a report of vandalism at the Sedalia Community Church on N. 52nd Street in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.An unknown suspect entered the annex building and spray painted the walls and other property inside the building. The estimated total loss associated with this is $6,000.&nbsp;Anyone with information can contact RCPD or the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=353#">Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers</a>. Using the Crime Stoppers service can allow you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Police: Suspects spray painted walls inside Kansas church

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden's administration on Thursday announced the infusion of nearly $36 billion to shore up a financially troubled union pension plan, preventing severe cuts to the retirement incomes of about 350,000 Teamster workers and retirees across the United States.

“It’s about everything you worked for,” Biden said, with union officials standing behind him. “It’s about finding a dignified retirement.”

The money for the Central States Pension Fund is the largest amount of federal aid provided for a pension plan, the Biden administration said. It comes from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-business-health-congress-310542ef5cddc914104960a00ae356e0">the American Rescue Plan,</a>&nbsp;a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package that he signed into law in 2021.

“This matters,” Biden said. “This matters for workers ... This matters for their spouses, this matters for their mothers and fathers who they're taking care of ... It matters for the country.”

Many union retirement plans have experienced financial pressure because of underfunding and other issues. Without the federal assistance, Teamster members could have seen their benefits reduced by an average of 60% starting within a couple of years.

“Union workers and their families are finally able to breathe a huge sigh of relief, knowing that their hard-earned retirement savings have been rescued from steep cuts,” said Lisa Gomez, assistant labor secretary for employee benefits security.

While bargaining for contracts in past years, union members chose to forgo raises and other benefits on the assumption they would would have “a prosperous retirement,” Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien said in a written statement. But when the retirement fund faltered, union members turned to lobbying the federal government for help.

“This is an issue of fairness — of this country keeping its word to hardworking, honest people who did everything they were supposed to do in life,” O'Brien said.

Multiemployer pension funds are created by agreements between unions and companies and are partially insured by the federal government's Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. The insurance program was on track to become insolvent in 2026, but the pandemic relief money is expected to keep it on firm footing through 2051.

Biden traveled to Ohio in July to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ohio-donald-trump-cleveland-bdef01e8e39628951433ea0f984e4133">highlight the final rules for the pension relief program</a>. Before Thursday, the program had awarded aid to 36 troubled pension plans, but none of those had received more than about $1.2 billion.

The amount going to the Central States Pension Fund represents somewhere between one-third and one-half of the total estimated cost of the federal aid program.

The retirement plan has participants in almost every state, with the largest concentration in the Midwest. There are about 40,000 participants in both Michigan and Ohio, nearly 28,000 in Missouri, 25,000 in Illinois and about 22,000 each in Texas and Wisconsin, according to figures provided by the White House.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden's administration on Thursday announced the infusion of nearly $36 billion to shore up a financially troubled union pension plan, preventing severe cuts to the retirement incomes of about 350,000 Teamster workers and retirees across the United States.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F669233211499331%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=247" 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>“It’s about everything you worked for,” Biden said, with union officials standing behind him. “It’s about finding a dignified retirement.”The money for the Central States Pension Fund is the largest amount of federal aid provided for a pension plan, the Biden administration said. It comes from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-business-health-congress-310542ef5cddc914104960a00ae356e0">the American Rescue Plan,</a>&nbsp;a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package that he signed into law in 2021.“This matters,” Biden said. “This matters for workers ... This matters for their spouses, this matters for their mothers and fathers who they're taking care of ... It matters for the country.”Many union retirement plans have experienced financial pressure because of underfunding and other issues. Without the federal assistance, Teamster members could have seen their benefits reduced by an average of 60% starting within a couple of years.“Union workers and their families are finally able to breathe a huge sigh of relief, knowing that their hard-earned retirement savings have been rescued from steep cuts,” said Lisa Gomez, assistant labor secretary for employee benefits security.While bargaining for contracts in past years, union members chose to forgo raises and other benefits on the assumption they would would have “a prosperous retirement,” Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien said in a written statement. But when the retirement fund faltered, union members turned to lobbying the federal government for help.“This is an issue of fairness — of this country keeping its word to hardworking, honest people who did everything they were supposed to do in life,” O'Brien said.Multiemployer pension funds are created by agreements between unions and companies and are partially insured by the federal government's Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. The insurance program was on track to become insolvent in 2026, but the pandemic relief money is expected to keep it on firm footing through 2051.Biden traveled to Ohio in July to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ohio-donald-trump-cleveland-bdef01e8e39628951433ea0f984e4133">highlight the final rules for the pension relief program</a>. Before Thursday, the program had awarded aid to 36 troubled pension plans, but none of those had received more than about $1.2 billion.The amount going to the Central States Pension Fund represents somewhere between one-third and one-half of the total estimated cost of the federal aid program.The retirement plan has participants in almost every state, with the largest concentration in the Midwest. There are about 40,000 participants in both Michigan and Ohio, nearly 28,000 in Missouri, 25,000 in Illinois and about 22,000 each in Texas and Wisconsin, according to figures provided by the White House.___

🎥Biden releases nearly $36B to aid pensions of union workers

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities arrested a suspect in the 1980 homicide of 23-year-old Mary Robin Walter, according to Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

The suspect, Steven L. Hanks, 68, Burden, Kansas, is being held on a $500,000 bond and is expect to make his first court appearance Friday.&nbsp; Authorities&nbsp; arrested him Thursday at Oxford in Sumner County.  Hanks has previous convictions in 1983 for rape, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary and aggravated battery, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Just before 7p.m. January 24, 1980, the Barton Co. Sheriff’s Office received a call from an individual reporting a homicide at the Nelson Trailer Park, RR1 Lot 9, according to Bellendir.&nbsp;

The location of the incident was at that time was near the intersection of SW. 40th Ave. and Anchor Way adjacent to the Great Bend Municipal Airport complex. The trailer park no longer exists.

&nbsp;This was about 10 years before there was a 911 system or locator addresses in Barton County.&nbsp;

Deputies and investigators located the body of&nbsp; Mary Robin Walter who had been shot multiple times. She was married with one child and a nursing student at Barton County Community College.

Hanks was a person of interest in the case, according to Belendir.

Over the years, numerous detectives have looked at the case and were not able to obtain information that would assist in prosecution.

In April 2022, while recovering from Covid, Detective Sgt. Adam Hales of the Barton County Sheriff’s Office reopened the Mary Robin Walter homicide case.

 After taking a fresh look at the case, it became evident that some information had been initially overlooked and some had been added at a later date. This was unknown to the original investigators. 

After reviewing the case with Sgt. Hales, Bellendir directed that the other two detectives, Detective Alex Lomas, Detective Bryan Volkel as well as patrol Sgt. Travis Doze be assigned to the case as time allowed. 

Lieutenant David Paden supervised the operation. The Sheriff’s office tracked down numerous individuals that had been involved in the case in the 1980s and many interviews were conducted as far away as the Pacific Northwest. Several meetings were held with the KBI who assisted with this investigation.

In October of this year, new evidence was obtained that allowed the Sheriff’s Office to submit the case to Barton County Attorney Levi Morris for review. After approximately four weeks of review, Morris obtained an arrest warrant for murder in the 2nd degree for Hanks arrest.&nbsp; He was a neighbor to the victim at the time.

At 42-years and 10 months, Bellendir believes this is the oldest homicide arrest in the State of Kansas, it may be one the oldest homicides cleared by arrest in the United States. This also clears the last known homicide in a non-incorporated area under the jurisdiction of the Barton County Sheriff’s Office.

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities have arrested a&nbsp;suspect in&nbsp;the 1980 homicide of&nbsp;Mary Robin Walter, according to Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir. The suspect, Steven L. Hanks, age 68, Burden, Kansas, is being transported to Barton County at this time.&nbsp;Hanks was arrested at Oxford in Sumner County.&nbsp; Hanks has previous convictions in 1983 for rape, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary and aggravated battery&nbsp;

The Barton County Sheriff’s Office, Barton County Attorney’s Office and the Kansas Bureau of&nbsp;Investigation will release more information on the case Friday morning.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670608379475.png" alt="Mary Robin Walter-photo courtesy Barton Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Mary Robin Walter-photo courtesy Barton Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities arrested a suspect in the 1980 homicide of 23-year-old Mary Robin Walter, according to Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir.The suspect, Steven L. Hanks, 68, Burden, Kansas, is being held on a $500,000 bond and is expect to make his first court appearance Friday.&nbsp; Authorities&nbsp; arrested him Thursday at Oxford in Sumner County. Hanks has previous convictions in 1983 for rape, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary and aggravated battery, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670609613326.jpeg" alt="Hanks-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Hanks-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 7p.m. January 24, 1980, the Barton Co. Sheriff’s Office received a call from an individual reporting a homicide at the Nelson Trailer Park, RR1 Lot 9, according to Bellendir.&nbsp;The location of the incident was at that time was near the intersection of SW. 40th Ave. and Anchor Way adjacent to the Great Bend Municipal Airport complex. The trailer park no longer exists.&nbsp;This was about 10 years before there was a 911 system or locator addresses in Barton County.&nbsp;Deputies and investigators located the body of&nbsp; Mary Robin Walter who had been shot multiple times. She was married with one child and a nursing student at Barton County Community College.Hanks was a person of interest in the case, according to Belendir.Over the years, numerous detectives have looked at the case and were not able to obtain information that would assist in prosecution.In April 2022, while recovering from Covid, Detective Sgt. Adam Hales of the Barton County Sheriff’s Office reopened the Mary Robin Walter homicide case. After taking a fresh look at the case, it became evident that some information had been initially overlooked and some had been added at a later date. This was unknown to the original investigators. After reviewing the case with Sgt. Hales, Bellendir directed that the other two detectives, Detective Alex Lomas, Detective Bryan Volkel as well as patrol Sgt. Travis Doze be assigned to the case as time allowed. Lieutenant David Paden supervised the operation. The Sheriff’s office tracked down numerous individuals that had been involved in the case in the 1980s and many interviews were conducted as far away as the Pacific Northwest. Several meetings were held with the KBI who assisted with this investigation.In October of this year, new evidence was obtained that allowed the Sheriff’s Office to submit the case to Barton County Attorney Levi Morris for review. After approximately four weeks of review, Morris obtained an arrest warrant for murder in the 2nd degree for Hanks arrest.&nbsp; He was a neighbor to the victim at the time.At 42-years and 10 months, Bellendir believes this is the oldest homicide arrest in the State of Kansas, it may be one the oldest homicides cleared by arrest in the United States. This also clears the last known homicide in a non-incorporated area under the jurisdiction of the Barton County Sheriff’s Office.----------BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities have arrested a&nbsp;suspect in&nbsp;the 1980 homicide of&nbsp;Mary Robin Walter, according to Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir. The suspect, Steven L. Hanks, age 68, Burden, Kansas, is being transported to Barton County at this time.&nbsp;Hanks was arrested at Oxford in Sumner County.&nbsp; Hanks has previous convictions in 1983 for rape, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary and aggravated battery&nbsp; The Barton County Sheriff’s Office, Barton County Attorney’s Office and the Kansas Bureau of&nbsp;Investigation will release more information on the case Friday morning.&nbsp;

Sheriff updates details of arrest in Kan. cold case homicide

By JOHN HANNA, HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH, and JOSH FUNK

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An oil spill in a creek in northeastern Kansas shut down a major pipeline that carries oil from Canada to the Texas Gulf Coast, briefly causing oil prices to rise Thursday.

Canada-based TC Energy said it shut down its Keystone system Wednesday night following a drop in pipeline pressure. It said oil spilled into a creek in Washington County, Kansas, about 150 miles northwest of Kansas City.

The company on Thursday estimated the spill's size at about 14,000 barrels and said the affected pipeline segment had been "isolated" and the oil contained at the site with booms, or barriers. It did not say how the spill occurred.

"People are sometimes not aware of of the havoc that these things can wreak until the disaster happens," said Zack Pistora, who lobbies the Kansas Legislature for the Sierra Club's state chapter.

Concerns that spills could pollute waterways spurred opposition to plans by TC Energy to build another crude oil pipeline in the Keystone system, the 1,200-mile (1,900-kilometer) Keystone XL, which would have cut across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. Critics also argued that using crude from western Canada's oil sands would worsen climate change, and President Joe Biden's cancelation of a U.S. permit for the project led the company to pull the plug last year.

In 2019, the Keystone pipeline leaked an estimated 383,000 gallons (1.4 million liters) of oil in eastern North Dakota.

Janet Kleeb, who founded the Bold Nebraska environmental and landowner rights group that campaigned against the Keystone XL, said there have been at least 22 spills along the original Keystone pipeline since it began service in 2010. She said federal studies have shown the type of heavy tar sands oil the pipeline carries can be especially difficult to clean up in water because it tends to sink.

"All oil spills are difficult, but tar sands in particular are very toxic and very difficult, so I'm awfully concerned," said Kleeb, who is also the Nebraska Democratic Party's chair.

But the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said there were no known effects yet on drinking water wells or the public, and the oil didn't move from the creek to larger waterways. Randy Hubbard, the Washington County Emergency Management coordinator, said there were no evacuations ordered because the break occurred in rural pastureland.

TC Energy said it had set up environmental monitoring at the site, including around-the-clock air quality monitoring.

"Our primary focus right now is the health and safety of onsite staff and personnel, the surrounding community, and mitigating risk to the environment," a company statement said.

Oil prices briefly surged at midday Thursday amid news of the spill, with the cost of a barrel of oil for near-term contracts rising by nearly 5%, and above the cost of oil contracts further into the future. That typically suggests anxiety in the market over immediate supply.

A U.S. Energy Information Administration spokesperson said the Keystone pipeline moves about 600,000 barrels of oil per day from Canada to Cushing, Oklahoma, where it can connect to another pipeline to the Gulf Coast. That's compared to the total of 3.5 million to 4 million barrels of Canadian oil imported into the U.S. every day.

Past Keystone spills have led to outages that lasted about two weeks, but this outage could possibly be longer because it involves a body of water, said analysts at RBC Capital Markets in a note to investors. Depending on the spill's location, it's possible that a portion of the pipeline could restart sooner, they said.

"It's something to keep an eye on," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, which tracks gasoline prices. "It could eventually impact oil supplies to refiners, which could be severe if it lasts more than a few days."

The spill was 5 miles (8 kilometers) northeast of Washington, the county seat of about 1,100 residents. Paul Stewart, an area farmer, said part of it was contained on his land using yellow booms and a dam of dirt. The spill occurred in Mill Creek, which flows into the Little Blue River.

The Little Blue feeds the Big Blue River, which flows into Tuttle Creek Lake, north of Manhattan, home of Kansas State University. The EPA said the oil did not affect the Little Blue.

Dan Thalmann, publisher and editor of The Washington County News, a weekly publication, said crews were creating a rock path to the creek because recent rains made fields too soft to move in heavy machinery.

"Gosh, the traffic past my house is unbelievable — trucks after trucks after trucks," said Stewart, who took down an electric fence he'd finished putting up Wednesday, fearing it might be knocked down and dragged into a field.

Chris Pannbacker said the pipeline runs through her family's farm. She and her husband drove north of their farmhouse and across a bridge over Mill Creek.

"We looked at it from both sides, and it was black on both sides," said Pannbacker, a reporter for the Marysville Advocate newspaper.

Junior Roop, the sexton of a cemetery near the spill site, said people could smell the oil in town.

"It was about like driving by a refinery," he said.

Hollingsworth reported from Mission, Kansas, and Funk reported from Omaha, Nebraska. AP Business Writer Cathy Bussewitz contributed reporting from New York.

Follow John Hanna on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apjdhanna

By JOHN HANNA, HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH, and JOSH FUNKTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An oil spill in a creek in northeastern Kansas shut down a major pipeline that carries oil from Canada to the Texas Gulf Coast, briefly causing oil prices to rise Thursday.Canada-based TC Energy said it shut down its Keystone system Wednesday night following a drop in pipeline pressure. It said oil spilled into a creek in Washington County, Kansas, about 150 miles northwest of Kansas City.The company on Thursday estimated the spill's size at about 14,000 barrels and said the affected pipeline segment had been "isolated" and the oil contained at the site with booms, or barriers. It did not say how the spill occurred."People are sometimes not aware of of the havoc that these things can wreak until the disaster happens," said Zack Pistora, who lobbies the Kansas Legislature for the Sierra Club's state chapter.Concerns that spills could pollute waterways spurred opposition to plans by TC Energy to build another crude oil pipeline in the Keystone system, the 1,200-mile (1,900-kilometer) Keystone XL, which would have cut across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. Critics also argued that using crude from western Canada's oil sands would worsen climate change, and President Joe Biden's cancelation of a U.S. permit for the project led the company to pull the plug last year.In 2019, the Keystone pipeline leaked an estimated 383,000 gallons (1.4 million liters) of oil in eastern North Dakota.Janet Kleeb, who founded the Bold Nebraska environmental and landowner rights group that campaigned against the Keystone XL, said there have been at least 22 spills along the original Keystone pipeline since it began service in 2010. She said federal studies have shown the type of heavy tar sands oil the pipeline carries can be especially difficult to clean up in water because it tends to sink."All oil spills are difficult, but tar sands in particular are very toxic and very difficult, so I'm awfully concerned," said Kleeb, who is also the Nebraska Democratic Party's chair.But the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said there were no known effects yet on drinking water wells or the public, and the oil didn't move from the creek to larger waterways. Randy Hubbard, the Washington County Emergency Management coordinator, said there were no evacuations ordered because the break occurred in rural pastureland.TC Energy said it had set up environmental monitoring at the site, including around-the-clock air quality monitoring."Our primary focus right now is the health and safety of onsite staff and personnel, the surrounding community, and mitigating risk to the environment," a company statement said.Oil prices briefly surged at midday Thursday amid news of the spill, with the cost of a barrel of oil for near-term contracts rising by nearly 5%, and above the cost of oil contracts further into the future. That typically suggests anxiety in the market over immediate supply.A U.S. Energy Information Administration spokesperson said the Keystone pipeline moves about 600,000 barrels of oil per day from Canada to Cushing, Oklahoma, where it can connect to another pipeline to the Gulf Coast. That's compared to the total of 3.5 million to 4 million barrels of Canadian oil imported into the U.S. every day.Past Keystone spills have led to outages that lasted about two weeks, but this outage could possibly be longer because it involves a body of water, said analysts at RBC Capital Markets in a note to investors. Depending on the spill's location, it's possible that a portion of the pipeline could restart sooner, they said."It's something to keep an eye on," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, which tracks gasoline prices. "It could eventually impact oil supplies to refiners, which could be severe if it lasts more than a few days."The spill was 5 miles (8 kilometers) northeast of Washington, the county seat of about 1,100 residents. Paul Stewart, an area farmer, said part of it was contained on his land using yellow booms and a dam of dirt. The spill occurred in Mill Creek, which flows into the Little Blue River.The Little Blue feeds the Big Blue River, which flows into Tuttle Creek Lake, north of Manhattan, home of Kansas State University. The EPA said the oil did not affect the Little Blue.Dan Thalmann, publisher and editor of The Washington County News, a weekly publication, said crews were creating a rock path to the creek because recent rains made fields too soft to move in heavy machinery."Gosh, the traffic past my house is unbelievable — trucks after trucks after trucks," said Stewart, who took down an electric fence he'd finished putting up Wednesday, fearing it might be knocked down and dragged into a field.Chris Pannbacker said the pipeline runs through her family's farm. She and her husband drove north of their farmhouse and across a bridge over Mill Creek."We looked at it from both sides, and it was black on both sides," said Pannbacker, a reporter for the Marysville Advocate newspaper.Junior Roop, the sexton of a cemetery near the spill site, said people could smell the oil in town."It was about like driving by a refinery," he said.____Hollingsworth reported from Mission, Kansas, and Funk reported from Omaha, Nebraska. AP Business Writer Cathy Bussewitz contributed reporting from New York.___Follow John Hanna on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apjdhanna

Oil spill in rural Kan. creek that shut down pipeline is contained

KANSAS CITY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide and asking for help to identify suspects.

&nbsp;On Thursday, police released images of persons of interest in a homicide that occurred shortly after midnight on November 13, outside Club Nereidas, 48 Kansas Avenue, Kansas and Berger near the Kansas/Missouri state line.

Outside the club, police found they found&nbsp; 38-year-old Apolonio O. Enriquez of Kansas City inside a vehicle with a life-threatening gunshot wound. EMS transported him to an area hospital where he later died.

The suspects may have left the scene in a black, four-door sedan, according to Kansas City, Kansas police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670596410119.png" alt="images KCK Police" />
 <figcaption>images KCK Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide and asking for help to identify suspects.&nbsp;On Thursday, police released images of persons of interest in a homicide that occurred shortly after midnight on November 13, outside Club Nereidas, 48 Kansas Avenue, Kansas and Berger near the Kansas/Missouri state line.Outside the club, police found they found&nbsp; 38-year-old Apolonio O. Enriquez of Kansas City inside a vehicle with a life-threatening gunshot wound. EMS transported him to an area hospital where he later died.The suspects may have left the scene in a black, four-door sedan, according to Kansas City, Kansas police.

Police working to ID suspects in homicide outside Kan. nightclub

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona announced Friday that she now has registered as an independent, but she does not plan to caucus with Republicans, ensuring Democrats will retain their narrow voting majority in the Senate.

Sinema has modeled her political approach on the renegade style of the late Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, and has frustrated Democratic colleagues at times with her overtures to Republicans and opposition to Democratic priorities Rather than assailing the Democratic Party in her statement, she said she was “declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington.”

While unusual for a sitting senator to switch party affiliation, the move appears to hold more impact on Sinema’s own political brand than the operations of the Senate.

In a video explaining her decision, she said: “Registering as an independent and showing up to work with the title of independent is a reflection of who I’ve always been. ... Nothing’s going to change for me.’’

The first-term senator wrote in The Arizona Republic that she came into office pledging “to be independent and work with anyone to achieve lasting results. I committed I would not demonize people I disagreed with, engage in name-calling, or get distracted by political drama. I promised I would never bend to party pressure.”

She wrote that her approach is “rare in Washington and has upset partisans in both parties” but “has delivered lasting results for Arizona.” Sinema also said that she has “never fit perfectly in either national party.”

While bold and to some extent rare to have a senator switch party affiliation, the move appears to hold more impact on Sinema’s own political brand than the operations of the Senate.

Before Sinema's announcement, Democrats were set to hold a 51-49 edge in the new Senate come January after the victory Tuesday by Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock in Georgia's runoff election. Until then, the Senate will remain even, with Vice President Kamala Harris the tiebreaking vote for Democrats.

Sinema told Politico in an interview that she will not caucus with Republicans and that she plans to keep voting as she has since winning election to the Senate in 2018 after three House terms.

She is expected to maintain her committee assignments through the Democratic majority, according to a Senate Democratic aide. Two current independents, Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine, caucus with Democrats and gain their committee seniority through the Democrats.

She is facing reelection in 2024 and is likely to be matched against a well-funded primary challenger after angering much of the Democratic base by blocking or watering down progressive priorities such as a minimum wage increase and President Joe Biden’s big social spending initiatives. She has not said whether she plans to seek another term.

Sinema’s most prominent potential primary challenger is Rep. Ruben Gallego, who has a long history of feuding with her.

The senator wrote that she was joining "the growing numbers of Arizonans who reject party politics by declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington.”

Sinema bemoaned “the national parties' rigid partisanship” and said “pressures in both parties pull leaders to the edges — allowing the loudest, most extreme voices to determine their respective parties’ priorities, and expecting the rest of us to fall in line.”

“In catering to the fringes, neither party has demonstrated much tolerance for diversity of thought. Bipartisan compromise is seen as a rarely acceptable last resort, rather than the best way to achieve lasting progress,” she wrote.

She added: “My approach is rare in Washington, and has upset partisans in both parties."

Along with West Virginia's Joe Manchin, she has been one of two moderate Democrats in the 50-50 Senate, and her willingness to buck the rest of her party has at times limited the ambitions of Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Sinema is a staunch defender of the filibuster, a Senate rule effectively requiring 60 votes to pass most legislation in the 100-member Senate. Many Democrats, including Biden, say the filibuster leads to gridlock by giving a minority of lawmakers the ability to veto.

Last January, leaders of the Arizona Democratic Party voted to censure Sinema, citing “her failure to do whatever it takes to ensure the health of our democracy″ — namely her refusal to go along with fellow Democrats to alter the Senate rule so they could overcome Republican opposition to a voting rights bill.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670587177855.png" alt="Senator Krysten Sinema-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Senator Krysten Sinema-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona announced Friday that she now has registered as an independent, but she does not plan to caucus with Republicans, ensuring Democrats will retain their narrow voting majority in the Senate.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">In a natural extension of my service since I was first elected to Congress, I have joined the growing numbers of Arizonans who reject party politics by declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington and formally registering as an Arizona Independent. 1/3 <a href="https://t.co/jUQHAeuxym">pic.twitter.com/jUQHAeuxym</a>&mdash; Kyrsten Sinema (@kyrstensinema) <a href="https://twitter.com/kyrstensinema/status/1601170136781664256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>Sinema has modeled her political approach on the renegade style of the late Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, and has frustrated Democratic colleagues at times with her overtures to Republicans and opposition to Democratic priorities Rather than assailing the Democratic Party in her statement, she said she was “declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington.”While unusual for a sitting senator to switch party affiliation, the move appears to hold more impact on Sinema’s own political brand than the operations of the Senate.In a video explaining her decision, she said: “Registering as an independent and showing up to work with the title of independent is a reflection of who I’ve always been. ... Nothing’s going to change for me.’’The first-term senator wrote in The Arizona Republic that she came into office pledging “to be independent and work with anyone to achieve lasting results. I committed I would not demonize people I disagreed with, engage in name-calling, or get distracted by political drama. I promised I would never bend to party pressure.”She wrote that her approach is “rare in Washington and has upset partisans in both parties” but “has delivered lasting results for Arizona.” Sinema also said that she has “never fit perfectly in either national party.”While bold and to some extent rare to have a senator switch party affiliation, the move appears to hold more impact on Sinema’s own political brand than the operations of the Senate.Before Sinema's announcement, Democrats were set to hold a 51-49 edge in the new Senate come January after the victory Tuesday by Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock in Georgia's runoff election. Until then, the Senate will remain even, with Vice President Kamala Harris the tiebreaking vote for Democrats.Sinema told Politico in an interview that she will not caucus with Republicans and that she plans to keep voting as she has since winning election to the Senate in 2018 after three House terms.She is expected to maintain her committee assignments through the Democratic majority, according to a Senate Democratic aide. Two current independents, Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine, caucus with Democrats and gain their committee seniority through the Democrats.She is facing reelection in 2024 and is likely to be matched against a well-funded primary challenger after angering much of the Democratic base by blocking or watering down progressive priorities such as a minimum wage increase and President Joe Biden’s big social spending initiatives. She has not said whether she plans to seek another term.Sinema’s most prominent potential primary challenger is Rep. Ruben Gallego, who has a long history of feuding with her.The senator wrote that she was joining "the growing numbers of Arizonans who reject party politics by declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington.”Sinema bemoaned “the national parties' rigid partisanship” and said “pressures in both parties pull leaders to the edges — allowing the loudest, most extreme voices to determine their respective parties’ priorities, and expecting the rest of us to fall in line.”“In catering to the fringes, neither party has demonstrated much tolerance for diversity of thought. Bipartisan compromise is seen as a rarely acceptable last resort, rather than the best way to achieve lasting progress,” she wrote.She added: “My approach is rare in Washington, and has upset partisans in both parties."Along with West Virginia's Joe Manchin, she has been one of two moderate Democrats in the 50-50 Senate, and her willingness to buck the rest of her party has at times limited the ambitions of Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.Sinema is a staunch defender of the filibuster, a Senate rule effectively requiring 60 votes to pass most legislation in the 100-member Senate. Many Democrats, including Biden, say the filibuster leads to gridlock by giving a minority of lawmakers the ability to veto.Last January, leaders of the Arizona Democratic Party voted to censure Sinema, citing “her failure to do whatever it takes to ensure the health of our democracy″ — namely her refusal to go along with fellow Democrats to alter the Senate rule so they could overcome Republican opposition to a voting rights bill.While that rebuke was symbolic, it came only a few years since Sinema was heralded for bringing the Arizona Senate seat back into the Democratic fold for the first time in a generation. The move also previewed the persistent opposition that Sinema was likely face within her own party in 2024.