Kansas Department of Transportation

Kansas’ first express lanes, built as part of the U.S. 69 Expansion and Modernization project (69Express), will open to traffic by 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 21 in Overland Park. The project included reconstruction of U.S. 69 between 103rd and 151st Streets, widening the highway with one northbound and one southbound express lane and interchange improvements at U.S. 69/167th Street.

The 69Express lanes allow the Kansas Department of Transportation to manage congestion on the highway using tolls that vary based on traffic levels and time of day to keep express lane trips congestion-free. Drivers can choose to pay a toll to use the express lanes for a more reliable travel time through the corridor. The two general-purpose lanes in each direction on U.S. 69 will remain toll-free.

Drivers will be able to enter and exit the express lanes at three points on 69Express: 103rd&nbsp;Street, Blue Valley Parkway and 151st Street. Dynamic messaging signs at these entry points show the current toll rate to the driver’s destination. Rates shown on the sign apply to drivers with two-axle vehicles and a KTAG or compatible transponder. These drivers will pay the lowest toll rate on 69Express — expected to range from a baseline of $0.35 during low-traffic periods to approximately $1.50 during peak congestion — which is 50% lower than the rate for vehicles without a KTAG.

Express lanes will be separated from the general-purpose lanes by a 4-foot-wide buffer marked with solid white lines. Drivers should never cross the solid, double-white lines and should only enter or exit the express lanes at designated points marked with dashed white lines. Overland Park police will continue to enforce speed limits, unsafe lane changes, unlawful entering or exiting of the express lanes, distracted driving and other citable traffic violations on U.S. 69.

The Kansas Turnpike Authority is KDOT’s tolling partner for 69Express. Drivers are encouraged to visit DriveKS.com, Kansas’ toll payment system, to set up their accounts and order a free KTAG for use on 69Express and all other Kansas toll facilities, as well as on compatible systems in Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas and Florida.

Additional information about using the express lanes is available on the 69Express project website,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2F69express.ksdot.gov%2F%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/0101019c7be3e1bc-e05a971d-2c02-4bbf-921b-0e145490a515-000000/4EWvxMcB8AcFzfPmyQS8E1boXEoRSo_mPdS5y-oQmTE=445">69express.org</a>,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F69ExpressKS%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/0101019c7be3e1bc-e05a971d-2c02-4bbf-921b-0e145490a515-000000/eXVSnzsDhD_MJ-Mtn4dZbjrPX5IBwOBWVWv7yDaD_Go=445">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2F69ExpressKS%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/0101019c7be3e1bc-e05a971d-2c02-4bbf-921b-0e145490a515-000000/_OMdBZMAy6BJJpyO7Fkbyui_qVGaogLtTLDeZcqTFsk=445">X</a>.

Kansas’ first express lanes officially open to traffic 

CLOUD COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Friday in Cloud County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Chey Silverado driven by Sarah Jane&nbsp;Taylor, 69, Clyde was westbound on Rock Road at 260th The pickup slowed, but the driver failed to come to a complete stop, entered the intersection and struck a southbound 2010 Chevy Equinox driven by Steven Louis&nbsp;Sorrell, 76, Clyde.

EMS transported Sorrell to&nbsp;North Central Kansas Medical. Taylor was not injured. The drivers were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

Kansas man hospitalized after SUV, pickup crash

High School Sports LIVE STREAMS

According to the US National Weather Service, light snow will impact much of the central Kansas area Friday evening.&nbsp;Between 1-2 inches of snow is expected across central Kansas, with locally higher amounts possible.&nbsp;

Salina is in the area where it could receive 1 - 2 inches of snow. 

Use extra caution if traveling tonight as slick spots are possible, especially on elevated surfaces.

Additionally, wind chills are are expected to be in the single digits across central Kansas. 

Salina's chills could get as low as 5, with a 23 degree low temperature.

Stay updated with local weather on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/NWSWichita">US National Weather Service Wichita Kansas</a>&nbsp;Facebook page.

Monitor local weather updates frequently in multiple ways by listening to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/nwr/">NOAA Weather Radio</a>, checking local news and emergency notifications. You can also stay informed by following Saline County and the National Weather Service on social media.

For the latest forecast updates, visit the National Weather Service Wichita office at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/">https://www.weather.gov/ict/</a>. To check forecasts frequently, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/">weather.gov</a>.

Single digit wind chills, light snow across central Kansas Friday evening 

Lindsborg Old Mill &amp; Swedish Heritage Museum

LINDSBORG - Vintage and “throwback” foods are a popular trend, but the story behind a new product coming from the Lindsborg Old Mill &amp; Swedish Heritage Museum is like no other.

On March 21, the Museum will release “Smoky Valley Best Traditional Pancake Flour” to coincide with Lindsborg’s Swedish “Våffeldagen” waffle festival. It is based on an approximately 80-year-old recipe believed lost until only recently.

Adam Pracht, Marketing and Communications Director, said he was excited for the completion of this project that’s been in the works for years.

“We had no idea these decades-old recipes still existed anywhere,” he said. “Ever since we learned otherwise, it’s been a dream to bring this special mix back to the public.”

Operating from 1898 - 1955, the Smoky Valley Roller Mills on the banks of the Smoky Hill River in Lindsborg, Kansas, was central to the life of “Little Sweden, USA.” The last owners of the Old Mill - Clarence and Arthur Runbeck - ran the mill 1934-1955, and some of their most popular items were a variety of baking mixes, including for a Self-Rising Pancake Mix.

After the mill closed, it remained cold and dark until reopening in 1962 as part of a county museum. The Old Mill was restored to operable condition by 1981. Today the Mill - owned by an independent nonprofit in the Lindsborg Old Mill &amp; Swedish Heritage Museum - is the only historic flour mill of its kind in the Midwest with all its machinery fully operable. Guided tours are available the first Saturday every May as part of Millfest.

The recipe for the Runbecks’ special pancake mix, however, was lost to time. Or, at least, that is what everyone connected with the museum reasonably thought.

Then in January 2024, workers at a home restoration in Lindsborg found a threadbare notebook and brought it to the museum for donation. Its contents were a huge surprise - multiple flour mix recipes in industrial measurement sizes by the Runbeck Brothers from approximately the 1940s, including the Traditional Pancake Flour.

Museum staff knew that in order to bring back the recipe for the public to purchase, they would need to find a manufacturing partner. The Old Mill is operable but not FDA approved (Millfest is a “dry run” without grain), so it did not have the capacity to produce the mix itself. After a long search, museum staff found that Sunflower Food Co. out of Lenexa, Kansas, could produce custom

mixes to order. After working in partnership with Sunflower Food through the last few months to adapt the recipe to what’s possible with modern available ingredients, the museum will soon be able to make Smoky Valley Best Traditional Pancake Flour available for sale again!

Lauren Miller, vice president of Sunflower Food Co., said the opportunity to bring back the historic mix represented a bridge to the past.

“When Adam came to me with a vintage, handwritten pancake mix recipe, I was very excited to help the mill bring this recipe back to life,” Miller said. “These are the fun projects that really connect us back to our roots and remind me of the joy the kitchen brings. You will love the old-world inspired pancakes and waffles produced by this flour mix! Try one (or two!) for yourself.”

Customers will be able to buy 1 lb. packages of mix directly from the Museum gift shop in-person at 120 E. Mill St. in Lindsborg (9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Saturday) or through the online gift shop at www.oldmillmuseum.org/gift-shop, starting during the Våffeldagen festival on Saturday, March 21 for $9.95, plus sales tax. The mix will also be available at multiple partner retail locations in Lindsborg and the surrounding region, as well as pancakes and waffles made with the mix being potentially added to the menus of select area restaurants.

During the Våffeldagen festival only, the Museum will also be selling fresh-cooked waffles made with the new mix for $3 each to festival attendees in the Museum gift shop!

A significant portion of each sale directly supports the Lindsborg Old Mill &amp; Swedish Heritage Museum, which is a private nonprofit museum and not publicly owned or operated. This premium mix - with all-natural ingredients and an 18-24 month shelf life - represents common business priorities that encourage consumers to “Buy Local” and “Buy Kansas.”

By using Sunflower Food Co., the Museum is prioritizing offering this unique product revival as a “Made in the USA” product with a trusted and experienced manufacturer, staying true to its historical local Kansas roots.

The museum is still seeking to expand its retail, restaurant, and café partnerships for the product, so please contact the museum at 785-227-3595 or oldmillmuseum@gmail.com if interested in learning more about carrying this unique pancake flour mix product for sale. Businesses will only be able to acquire the flour mix wholesale via the Museum, and it is only being produced in small limited-run batches at a time.

Pracht emphasized that of all the ways to support this unique smalltown USA Museum, buying the newly revived Smoky Valley Best Traditional Pancake Flour is probably the most delicious.

“Museum staff and our families have been our in-house taste-testers while we brought this historic recipe into the modern day,” he said. “We knew we had our final version in round four when we spread butter on the fresh pancakes and drizzled it with syrup. Everyone trying it immediately made some version of a ‘Yummy’ noise and commented on how good they were. We hope people give them a try; we think they’ll agree these pancakes and waffles were worth waiting for.”

Learn more about the museum at <a href="http://www.oldmillmuseum.org">www.oldmillmuseum.org</a>

Lindsborg museum to release pancake, waffle flour based on historical 80-year old Smoky Valley recipe

Here is the lineup for the Saturday Morning Show with Dave Foor &amp; Nicolas Fierro on&nbsp;910 AM/107.5 FM KINA for&nbsp;February 21, 2026:

Megan Rico - Saline County Health Department; Food System Assessment &amp; "Community Health Matters"

Rolling Hills Zoo&nbsp;- Birth of Southern White Rhino Calf and updates

Bob Sears -&nbsp;&nbsp;Salina Senior Theatre Project; "Dinner at Seven, Panic at Nine" upcoming auditions

Salina Central Theatre&nbsp; - "Clue" performance selected to be presented at International Thespian Festival in Indiana&nbsp;

All episodes are recorded and uploaded on the&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/index.cfm?CFID=05fb1ecb-7d68-4542-adb3-9b7c11d9b5e5&amp;CFTOKEN=0&amp;stationCallSign=KINA&amp;onDemandAutoStart=true&amp;p92136680=true&amp;relocateURL=true">910 AM and 107.5 FM KINA website</a>, under the 'KINA Saturday Mornings'&nbsp;tab.

Saturday Morning Show lineup with Dave Foor & Nicolas Fierro, February 21, 2026

Salina Area United Way is honoring the life and service of longtime Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) volunteer Phil Bowman, who dedicated more than 12 years to helping local families navigate tax season through VITA.

Out of respect, VITA Intake will be closed on Monday, February 23.

All scheduled morning appointments will be rescheduled, and the United Way office will reopen at 1:00 pm. 

Staff and volunteers will be attending his funeral to pay their respects.

“Phil’s commitment to serving others made a lasting impact on our community,” said Christina Small, Executive Director of Salina Area United Way. “We are incredibly grateful for his years of dedication.”

For additional information about VITA services or to reschedule an appointment, please contact the Salina Area United Way office at 785-827-1312 or visit <a href="http://unitedwaysalina.org">unitedwaysalina.org</a>.

United Way honors life and longtime volunteer of income tax assistance program

The VFW Post 1432 in Salina (1108 W. Crawford) will host a gun, knife and ammo show and 100% of funds collected will support local veterans.

This two-day event will be on Saturday, February 21, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm &amp; Sunday, February 22, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm.

Admission is $5.00 each day and ages 12 - under w/ adult get in for free.

If anyone has any questions and wanting additional information, please reach out to Show Coordinator, Bob at: (785) 577-4819

VFW Post 1432 hosting gun show, 100% funds support local veterans

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/category/obituaries">HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.

Salina Post understands the importance of honoring the deceased and welcomes all submissions of obituaries with a full summary of their life, survivors, services, website of the funeral home and a photo.

You can email all obituaries:&nbsp;<a href="https://newstips@salinapost.com/">newstips@salinapost.com</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:nicolas.fierro@eaglemedia.com">nicolas.fierro@eaglemedia.com</a>&nbsp;and will be posted on the website within 24 business hours.

If you have an issue outside of business hours, if your obituary has not been published within 24 business hours, or if have any questions, please email:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://newstips@salinapost.com/">newstips@salinapost.com</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:nicolas.fierro@eaglemedia.com">nicolas.fierro@eaglemedia.com</a>

Recent obituaries and service times, how to submit an obituary

<a href="https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Salina&amp;state=KS&amp;site=ICT&amp;lat=38.8158&amp;lon=-97.6178">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three day weather forecast Salina, February 20 - February 22

Following is recent booking activity for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.salinecountyks.gov/Sheriff-Office/Online-search/Booking-Activities">Saline County Jail</a>, as provided by law enforcement. Photos, if provided, are courtesy of Saline County Jail. All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Theft of prop/services;Value $1,500 to $25,000

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Return for court testimony

REQUESTED CHARGE: Failure to appear

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Failure to appear

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Outside warrant/NCIC hit

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Theft of prop/serv;&lt;$1500 3 business in 72 hrs

*No image available for&nbsp;Orear,David Allan (34)*

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Assault of LEO; Properly identified on duty; Interference with LEO; knowingly flee by means other than motor vehicle for misdemeanor case; Criminal trespass; Remain in defiance of order by owner

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Interfere w/ LEO; unknown circ; misd; Criminal trespass; Remain in defiance of order by owner

NAME:&nbsp;Wilson-Mosher,Sarah Mae

Saline County Jail Bookings, February 20

Thursday's cold front is expected to cause flurries and wintry mix for Friday across Kansas.

According to the US National Weather Service, light snow or flurries will impact central Kansas Friday night with a rain/snow mix further south. 

Snow accumulations up to a dusting are possible as well.

Furthermore, the cold front that moved across the region Thursday will lead to much cooler temperatures and even a chance for some light snow. Friday's highs will generally be in the 40s and lows in the upper teens and 20s.

Weather: Cold front expected to cause flurries and wintry mix across Kansas 

Three day weather forecast Salina, February 18 - February 20

Gusty winds and dry conditions throughout central Kansas resulting in extreme grassland fire danger on Tuesday

According to the US National Weather Service, these gusty southwest winds will result in extreme grassland fire danger in the afternoon and evening throughout central Kansas.

Salina is in the area of the extreme grassland fire danger.

West winds are expected to increase late in the day gusting to around 45 mph at times in the region. 

However, clouds may limit fire weather concerns further east in south central and southeast Kansas although a very high grassland fire danger is still expected.

Gusty winds and dry conditions causing extreme grassland fire danger in central Kansas

Three day weather forecast Salina, February 16 - February 18

Three day weather forecast Salina, February 13 - February 15

Three day weather forecast Salina, February 11 - February 13

Three day weather forecast Salina, February 9 - February 11

Three day weather forecast Salina, February 6 - February 8

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Complex legislation two years in the making addresses market dominance of PBMs

TOPEKA — A bipartisan majority in the Kansas Senate passed a complex bill increasing state oversight of prescription drug middlemen companies accused of manipulating lax regulations to promote anti-competitive practices, monopolize the market for maximum profit, undermine local pharmacies and raise costs for consumers.

Thirty-five states have taken legislative steps to intensify regulation of pharmacy benefit managers that were created to work with drug manufacturers to lower costs for health insurance plans, pharmacies and customers. Advocates of reform asserted PBMs — CVS Caremark, Express Scripts and OptumRx control 80% of the U.S. market — stepped away from this fiduciary role and took command of the prescription drug market by negotiating mostly on their own behalf.

Under&nbsp;<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/documents/supp_note_sb360_02_0000.pdf" target="_blank">Senate Bill 360</a>, which advocates spent two years writing, the state insurance commissioner would have more tools to regulate PBMs in Kansas.

The bill would require transparency from PBMs in terms of pharmacy reimbursement and drug pricing. It would deal with PBMs giving their own retailers better deals by requiring all Kansas pharmacies to be reimbursed at or above the National Average Drug Acquisition Cost. A pharmacy dispensing fee would be implemented to better cover costs incurred by local or independent pharmacies, especially in rural communities.

Sen. Brenda Dietrich, a Topeka Republican who carried the bill on the Senate floor, said the time had come for Kansas to answer persistent complaints about pharmacy benefit companies operating in Kansas.

“I feel like this is a bit of a David versus Goliath situation with hometown pharmacies versus billion-dollar PBMs,” Dietrich said. “We’ve just got to stop feeding the beast. The imbalance of power and wealth is inherently unfair and frightening. SB 360 is about saving local pharmacies, fairness and transparency.”

Dietrich highlighted the harm of “spread pricing” in which PBMs charged health plans or insurers more for prescription drugs than PBMs paid a dispensing pharmacy. The PBMs simply retained the difference as profit, she said. The senator referred to spread pricing as “a big black box used by the PBMs to siphon millions from plans and patients with no actual benefit to the plan or patients.”

The bill addressed another state regulatory failing — PBMs have gotten away with auditing pharmacies but refused to allow auditing of their operations, Dietrich said.

“The PBMs are watching out for their exorbitant profit margins,” she said. “They are overcharging our health plans with hidden fees and costs through price spreading, keeping rebates and not reimbursing your local hometown pharmacies as much as they reimburse their own brick-and-mortar pharmacies or their mail-order pharmacies.”

Dietrich said Kansas was so far behind the PBM reform movement that even the federal government approved changes to the industry that would take effect in 2028 and 2029.

Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, said she welcomed the state Senate legislation because&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/10/kansas-pharmacists-fight-for-better-oversight-of-pharmacy-middleman-companies/">Kansas pharmacies are struggling</a>&nbsp;to keep their doors open and patients are unable to afford high prices for medications.

“Gigantic insurance monopolies are controlling every aspect of our health care system and they’re using their power to increase costs and eliminate competition,” she said.

The Senate bill was backed by pharmacies in Hoisington, Wichita, Downs, El Dorado, Galena, Winfield, Hesston, Hillsboro, Humboldt, Lawrence, Junction City, Coldwater, Mankato, Holton, Basehor, Phillipsburg, Mulvane, Oakley, Scott City and Baxter Springs. It was endorsed by Hy-Vee, Walgreens, the Independent Pharmacy Association of Kansas, the Kansas Hospital Association as well as individual pharmacists, pharmacy students and consumers.

The bill was derided by PBMs, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, as well as the Kansas Bankers Association and the Kansas Chamber because it could drive up the cost of health insurance.

“I fear this bill doesn’t consider the full potential cost shifting that will happen,” said Sen. Mike Thompson, R-Shawnee.

He echoed the message of BCBS of Kansas lobbyist Sarah Fertig, who said the bill incorrectly assumed business issues confronting Kansas pharmacies were the fault of PBMs. She said the bill would increase drug prices for Kansas consumers, but that assertion was criticized by the bill’s proponents.

“The reality is that making Kansans pay more for prescription drugs will not guarantee that all independent pharmacies can stay afloat,” she said. “Consumer choice, population shifts and other players in the drug distribution chain are more impactful to a pharmacy’s success.”

The legislation was approved Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/vote_view/je_20260218181550_042722/" target="_blank">on a vote of 32-8</a>&nbsp;and sent to the Kansas House. The Senate rejected amendments beneficial to PBMs. The measure included an amendment from Sen. Kellie Warren, R-Leawood, to forbid sharing protected, personal health information with the state insurance commissioner.

Sen. Beverly Gossage, the Eudora Republican, said PBM reform was the responsibility of Congress rather than state legislatures. She offered an amendment to remove a requirement that pharmacies receive a $10.50 prescription processing fee. Currently, local pharmacies were paid a fraction of the actual cost of handling prescriptions through PBMs.

Dietrich, the Topeka Republican, said about 20 states had a comparable fee to balance those business transactions.

Gossage’s amendment was blocked by the bipartisan majority, but the concept was supported by Sen. Jeff Klemp, R-Lansing, and Sen. TJ Rose, R-Olathe. It was Rose who said he supported the idea of deleting the “pill tax” fee, while Klemp said the Legislature needed to err on the side of fiscal responsibility when regulating PBMs.

“The government has no role in ensuring one private industry profits over another,” Klemp said. “The key to this is no other Kansas statute requires a business to pay another a fixed fee. We’re moving into uncharted waters.”

Klemp and others seeking to weaken the PBM bill found themselves facing a tidal wave of opposition from their Republican and Democratic brethren.

“Personally, my own pharmacy was closed because of PBMs and I’m sick of it,” said Sen. Bill Clifford, a Garden City Republican with 138 small pharmacies in his Senate district.

GOP Sen. Michael Murphy of Sylvia said he considered attempts to diminish the bill nothing more than a “PBM enrichment amendment.”

“It’s time to stop out-of-state middlemen companies and corporations from starving our pharmacists, especially our Main Street pharmacists,” said Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker.

Sen. Stephen Owens, R-Hesston, said the Senate bill should be placed in law despite the instinct to avoid government intrusion into the economy. He said PBMs operating in Kansas were “playing favorites” and placed local pharmacies at a heavy disadvantage.

“When the free market is no longer free, we as a government have got to step in,” Owens said.

He said Gossage was wrong to expect the federal government to promptly address the long list of shortcomings in the PBM-dominated drug market.

“If we’ve learned anything, it is we cannot have faith in our federal government to do what needs to be done when it needs to be done,” Owens said.

Sen. Scott Hill, R-Abilene, piled on. He said the rise of PBMs was destroying local pharmacies that were more to communities than places to pick up a prescription. He said anyone embracing the PBM model was naive.

“This is about price fixing,” he said. “This is about charging me, for my cancer drugs, $14,000 for a drug that costs $750. This is about gouging and increasing prices.”

He said more than 250 years ago colonists in America objected to a British company’s monopoly on tea.

“Pharmaceuticals have become the tea of our generation,” Hill said. “We have much to do on pharmacy reform as well as health care reform in general. This bill is a start, not an end.”

The bill was expected to receive a committee hearing in the House, but passage could be complicated given House Speaker Dan Hawkins of Wichita is a GOP candidate for state insurance commissioner.

Sen. Tim Shallenburger, a Baxter Springs Republican who worked for two years on drafting the bill, said the Legislature needed to push back against PBMs, including the PBM operated by BCBS of Kansas.

“This a terrible system we have,” Shallenburger said. “It’s not just transparency. We’re looking for equity. There is no reason a PBM should direct my benefit to an out-of-state pharmacy, pay them more money than they’re paying the Walker Pharmacy at home. It’s just not fair.”

He praised Senate President Ty Masterson and Senate Majority Leader Chase Blasi, both Republicans, for allowing the bill to come to the Senate floor for debate. Masterson and Blasi were among the eight GOP senators voting against the measure.

“Many times in this building good ideas don’t have a chance of a hearing. If they do have a hearing, they don’t have a vote,” Shallenburger said. “I hope the body across the rotunda takes the opportunity to have a hearing and a vote on this bill.”

Kansas Senate plunges ahead with bipartisan bill targeting prescription drug middlemen

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/michelle-l-price">MICHELLE L. PRICE</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Saturday that he was raising the global tariff he wants to impose to 15%, up from 10% he had announced a day earlier.

Trump said in a social media post that he was making the decision “Based on a thorough, detailed, and complete review of the ridiculous, poorly written, and extraordinarily anti-American decision on Tariffs issued yesterday,” by the U.S. Supreme Court.

After the court ruled he didn’t have the emergency power to impost many sweeping tariffs, Trump signed an executive order on Friday night that enabled him to bypass Congress and impose a 10% tax on imports from around the world. The catch is that those tariffs would be limited to just 150 days, unless they are extended legislatively.

Trump’s post significantly ratcheting up a global tax on imports to the U.S. yet again was the latest sign that despite the court’s check, the Republican president was intent on continuing to wield in an unpredictable manner his favorite tool to for the economy and to apply global pressure. Trump’s shifting announcements over the last year that he was raising and sometimes lowering tariffs with little notice jolted markets and rattled nations.

Under the order Trump signed Friday night, the 10% tariff was scheduled to take effect starting Feb. 24. The White House did not immediately respond to a message inquiring when the president would sign an updated order.

In addition to the temporary tariffs that Trump wants to set at 15%, the president said Friday that he was also pursuing tariffs through other sections of federal law which require an investigation by the Commerce Department.

President Trump to impose 15% tariff, up from 10% he announced after Supreme Court decision

Authorities trying to solve the disappearance of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/savannah-guthrie">Nancy Guthrie</a>&nbsp;say they might tap DNA genealogy databases, the same step that police took to unravel a decades-old series of murders in California and the fatal stabbings of four college students in Idaho.

The strategy could be fruitful: If unidentified DNA evidence can be connected to someone — even a distant relative — in a common genealogy database, it would give investigators more information and possibly lead to a suspect in Guthrie’s kidnapping in Arizona.

“It’s a fantastic tool,” said Ruth Ballard, a geneticist in California who specializes in DNA and has testified in hundreds of court cases. “If it’s a good quality sample and they’re able to get a profile, they could find a hit on that fairly quickly.”

The sheriff's department in Pima County, Arizona, said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-guthrie-missing-savannah-guthrie-aadbb20a613491c10373f55ba33d1831">DNA collected so far</a>&nbsp;in the investigation has not turned up any matches in a national criminal justice database known as CODIS, which has DNA profiles from convicted criminals and, in some states, people arrested for certain crimes.

“Investigators are currently looking into additional investigative genetic genealogy options for DNA evidence to check for matches. CODIS is one option of many databases that are available,” the sheriff's department said Tuesday.

The department said Wednesday that biological evidence from Guthrie's Tucson-area home was being examined and that DNA profiles were at a lab for analysis.

Guthrie, the mother of NBC “Today” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, has been missing from her home since Feb. 1. The FBI said gloves found about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) away appeared to match those worn by a masked suspect who was recorded on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-guthrie-nest-camera-footage-kidnapper-bd5f1d886543e23f2d105535031c9445">porch camera</a>.

Genealogy sites Ancestry, 23andMe and MyHeritage say they can be asked to comply with court orders seeking information. Another site, GEDmatch, said its policy is to ask users if they want to opt in to allow police to look at their data. The Associated Press e-mailed the companies, asking if they have a role in the Guthrie investigation.

GEDmatch has been credited with helping solve the case of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-ca-state-wire-us-news-08a241b485d1d7be03f62293e2da3277">so-called Golden State Killer</a>. Police used DNA from crime scenes to find a distant relative and build a family tree that led to Joseph DeAngelo Jr. In 2020, he pleaded guilty to 13 killings and dozens of rapes in California in the 1970s and '80s. He is serving life in prison without possibility of parole.

Barbara Rae-Venter, an expert genealogist who worked on the DeAngelo case, said patience often is needed in high-tech sleuthing.

“I’ve solved cases in less than eight hours where people shared a lot of DNA with the suspect. Other cases, you’re still working on them two years later. This could take awhile,” Rae-Venter told CNN, referring to the Guthrie effort.

In Idaho, DNA from a knife sheath helped point to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/bryan-kohberger-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-without-parole-for-murdering-4-idaho-students-a5e895b16155474ea89d258bf450a84d">Bryan Kohberger</a>&nbsp;in the killings of four University of Idaho students in 2022. Investigators used genealogy sites to build a family tree and pulled trash from the Pennsylvania home of Kohberger's parents to make a connection. Kohberger pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison.

Ballard said the source and quality of the DNA evidence held by police can be factors when trying to find matches on genealogy sites.

“It does require a much better sample than CODIS searching does,” she said.

“There are a lot of unknowns when you go into these databases,” Ballard said. “The databases are not equal in terms of ethnic distribution. It’s comparatively easier to find a Caucasian because more have uploaded their data and there are more family trees to mine.”

Police in Nancy Guthrie mystery might tap DNA genealogy databases

Officers with the Hutchinson Police Department responded to a reported shooting near 4th Avenue and Whiteside Street shortly after 8:15 p.m. Friday.

Dayton Gates confirmed officers were dispatched to a shooting call in the area. When officers arrived at the K-Go convenience store, they located a female victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

The victim was transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. Her condition has not been released.

Police: Kan. woman wounded in shooting at convenience store

WASHINGTON —The Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s far-reaching global tariffs in a 6-3 decision on Friday.

On social media, Kansas Junior U.S. Senator Roger Marshall wrote, "President Trump’s tariffs secured 10 trade deals, brought supply chains back to America, and strengthened our national security. This decision is disappointing — but it won’t stop him from using every tool available to fight for American workers, rebuild U.S. manufacturing, and put America First."

During a press conference Friday afternoon, President Trump said he will impose a global 10% tariff as an alternative while pressing his trade policies by other means.&nbsp;

Kan. lawmakers react to court ruling on President Trump's tariffs

On Friday at the direction of U.S. Southern Command&nbsp; Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations, according to an online report from the U.S. Southern Command.

Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. Three male narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed.

🎥 3 more killed after new U.S. strike on a drug boat

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City man was charged with child pornography offenses in a now-unsealed federal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Missouri, according to the United State's Attorney.

Luis Leony Valentin, 34, was charged by federal criminal complaint with production of child pornography, receipt of child pornography over the internet, and possession of child pornography. Following his arrest Valentin had his first appearance in court.

An affidavit filed with the complaint alleges that Valentin communicated over the internet with a 14-year-old to obtain depictions of the minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Valentin possessed numerous videos of child pornography of minor females.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by the Kansas City Missouri Police Department and the FBI.

Sex crimes: KC man communicated online with 14-year-old

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/matt-brown">MATT BROWN</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/lisa-mascaro">LISA MASCARO</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — The late Rev. Jesse Jackson will not lie in honor in the United States Capitol Rotunda after a request for the commemoration was denied by the House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office due to past precedent.

Johnson’s office said it received a request from the family to have Jackson’s remains lie in honor at the Capitol, but the request was denied, because of the precedent that the space is typically reserved for former presidents, the military and select officials.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jesse-jackson-dies-43abb84d2ffc76d967f9a5596ebd0be1">civil rights leader died this week</a>&nbsp;at the age of 84. The family and some House Democrats had filed a request for Jackson to be honored at the U.S. Capitol.

Amid the country’s political divisions, there have been flare ups over who is memorialized at the Capitol with a service to lie in state, or honor, in the Rotunda. During such events, the public is generally allowed to visit the Capitol and pay their respects.

Recent requests had similarly been made, and denied, to honor Charlie Kirk, the slain conservative activist, and former Vice President Dick Cheney.

There is no specific rule about who qualifies for the honor, a decision that is controlled by concurrence from both the House and Senate.

The Jackson family&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jesse-jackson-memorial-funeral-south-carolina-washington-dc690a5153483549898d1dfc548015bb">has announced scheduled dates</a>&nbsp;for memorial services beginning next week that will honor the late reverend’s life in Chicago, Washington, D.C. and South Carolina. In a statement, the Jackson family said it had heard from leaders in both South Carolina, Jackson’s native state, and Washington offering for Jackson to be celebrated in both locations. Talks are ongoing with lawmakers about where those proceedings will take place. His final memorial services will be held in Chicago on March 6 and 7.

Typically, the Capitol and its Rotunda have been reserved for the “most eminent citizens,” according to the Architect of the Capitol’s website. It said government and military officials lay in state, while private citizens in honor.

In 2020, Congressman John Lewis, another veteran of the Civil Rights movement, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-ap-top-news-race-and-ethnicity-michael-pence-dc-wire-49f76cd3296678f9c5645250b6b8b13b">the first Black lawmaker to lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda</a>&nbsp;after a ceremony honoring his legacy was held outside on the Capitol steps due to pandemic restrictions at the time.

Later that year, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi allowed services for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the Capitol’s Statuary Hall after agreement could not be reached for services in the Capitol’s Rotunda.

It is rare for private citizens to be honored at the Capitol, but there is precedent – most notably Civil Rights icon Rosa Parks, in 2005, and the Reverend Billy Graham, in 2018.

A passionate civil rights leader and globally-minded humanitarian, Jackson’s fiery speeches and dual 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jesse-jackson-dead-8ed88b7da0b911ed842f3c219cee77e8">transformed American politics for generations</a>. Jackson’s organization, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, became a hub for progressive organizers across the country.

His unapologetic calls for a progressive economic agenda and more inclusive policies for all racial groups, religions, genders and orientations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jesse-jackson-legacy-politics-race-ethnicity-7c88b376fbfc94697f2b57797edb24bf">laid the groundwork for the progressive movement</a>&nbsp;within the Democratic Party.

Jackson also garnered a global reputation as a champion for human rights. He conducted the release of American hostages on multiple continents and argued for greater connections between civil rights movements around the world, most notably as a fierce critic of the policies of Apartheid South Africa.

Why the late Jesse Jackson will not lie in honor in the U.S. Capitol 

Just before 2p.m. Thursday, the Junction City Fire Department responded to reports of a fire at The Bluffs apartment complex, at 1810 Caroline Avenue, Building O in Junction City, according to a media release.

Upon arrival, crews observed heavy smoke and visible flames coming from second- and third-floor balconies on the front (east) side of the building. Fire had extended into the roof structure on the east side of the complex.

Due to the size and complexity of the incident, mutual aid was requested from Fort Riley Fire for a ladder truck, and Geary County Fire Dept. responded with an additional engine for support. Firefighters initiated an aggressive interior fire attack while additional crews conducted a primary search of the structure and assisted residents with evacuation. Because of the large apartment complex, Junction City Police Department personnel also assisted with precautionary evacuations on the non-fire side of the building.

The fire was brought under control at approximately 2:56 P.M.