Hutch Post, in partnership with Steve Harmon and the Conard-Harmon Collection, is proud to present Throwback Thursday. Enjoy a weekly release from Steve Harmon as he presents the "Hutch - Then &amp; Now Collection."

STEVE HARMON Hutch Post Contributor

Today's "Throwback Thursday Collection" takes us to the 100 block of North Halstead on the east side.

In 1908, a group of investors came together to form the Western Straw Products Co. with a capital stock of $100,000. It was born on May, 17, 1909. The first photo shows the original plant in a split view in 1910.

From 1909 to 1913, the company struggled.

In 1913, Emerson Carey took over the plant and named it the Hutchinson Boxboard &amp; Paper Co.  Emerson placed his son Charles Carey as plant manager.

In 1919, they added wallboard products to the line and renamed the company Carey Fibre Products. The second photo is a 1920's aerial showing the plant with all the straw bales out front.

The third photo is a 1930 aerial showing how the plant had grown.

In 1931, nine companies came together to form the Central Fibre Products Co. The fourth photo shows the plant during that era in 1957.

The fifth photo shows the plant about 1950 with their signage of Atlas &amp; Bison Wallboard.

In 1959, the company went public and the Packaging Corporation of America bought the plant.

In 1983, one of Packaging Corp's largest customers, Republic Gypsum, purchased the plant.

Then, in 2001, the Sonoco Corporation purchased the Republic Paperboard Group. The sixth photo shows the Sonoco plant during that time frame.

In 2023, Sonoco closed the facility, and dismantled and scrapped the equipment so no competitor could use it. The seventh photo shows the property today at 100 N. Halstead, sitting idle, and now owned by Murdock Properties L.L.C. out of Park City.

To purchase a photo print, contact:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:sharmon5@cox.net">sharmon5@cox.net</a>.

Throwback Thursday is brought to you by:

<a href="https://www.hutchchamber.com/">Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce</a> <a href="https://underkansas.org/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_KHt9Zeq_QIVwRPUAR3CTwTSEAAYASAAEgJDJPD_BwE">STRATACA Kansas Underground Salt Museum</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/anchorinnhutch">Anchor Inn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Anchorawayhutch/">Anchor Away</a>

📷 Throwback Thursday: 100 N. Halstead - Vol. 165

HARVEY COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 9a.m. Thursday in Harvey County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2024 Ford F600 driven by&nbsp;Andrew Tyler Williams Andrew, 30, Vallley Center, was westbound on U.S. 50 one half mile east of Ridge Road. The driver had a medical emergency. The vehicle traveled off the roadway, through a KDOT fence and came to a stop in a field.

EMS transported the driver to Newton Medical Center. A passenger was not injured. Both were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas man had a medical emergency before truck crash

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — An unusually mild winter has led to an early and active tick season in Kansas, prompting veterinarians to urge pet owners to begin prevention measures sooner than normal.

Dr. Jon Austin of Hutchinson Small Animal Hospital said ticks have been especially active since early February, weeks earlier than many Kansas pet owners typically expect.

“Once the nights stop freezing, they come out,” Austin said. “The people that live in the sand hills to the north, where they’re really prevalent, have been seeing them since early February.”

Austin said a hard freeze, with temperatures near 18 degrees, could temporarily reduce tick activity, but he said the warm winter has allowed pests to emerge sooner and in greater numbers.

“Anyone who’s born and raised here like I was knows this is not a normal winter,” Austin said. “We’ve had way too many beautiful days, way too many 60- and 70-degree days through this winter. That’s wonderful for us, but it doesn’t let the normal cycles of nature happen the way they should.”

He said extended cold stretches typically help control weeds and insects, benefiting both people and pets. Without that cold, Kansas conditions can begin to resemble southern states where fleas and ticks remain active year-round.

“When we have this warm weather, we begin to start to have environments a whole lot more like South Texas or Louisiana, the places where we have fleas and ticks year-round,” Austin said.

Austin said older over-the-counter flea and tick products may no longer be as effective because pests can develop resistance over time. He encouraged owners to consult veterinarians about newer prescription options, including oral medications, topicals and longer-lasting injectables.

“The products that were the first generation of the good products, like Frontline, those products still work, but they only work for about a week,” Austin said. “They don’t work for a month anymore.”

Austin said veterinarians now have options that last from one month to three months, and an injectable product introduced late last year can provide protection for up to a year.

Tick-borne disease remains a concern in Kansas, he said, though Lyme disease is not the most common diagnosis seen in dogs locally. Austin said his clinic more frequently finds ehrlichia, a tick-borne illness that can damage the liver and kidneys if left untreated.

“We certainly see more ehrlichia than we do Lyme disease,” Austin said. “Thankfully, it’s treatable. If you don’t treat it, it can be a slow-burn disease.”

Austin said his clinic tests dogs annually for heartworm and four common tick-borne illnesses, including Lyme disease, ehrlichia, anaplasmosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

He said the best defense is consistent annual veterinary care, blood testing and reliable preventatives.

“Heartworm prevention, flea and tick control, and your animal won’t have any issues,” Austin said. “Go see your veterinarian every year, get that physical, get that blood test, and then use the good preventatives.”

Beyond tick concerns, Austin said his clinic has also seen an unusual increase in gastrointestinal illness in both dogs and cats over the past several months, with cases involving unexplained vomiting and diarrhea.

“This has been kind of an unusual last four months,” Austin said. “We’ve just seen a heightened frequency of kind of unknown vomiting and diarrhea for dogs and cats.”

He said most pets recover with supportive care, including fluids and nausea control, though some cases have been severe enough to involve bloody stools. Parvovirus tests have been negative, leaving the cause uncertain.

Austin also used the radio appearance to remind pet owners about broader responsibilities, including pet-proofing homes, grooming long-haired animals appropriately, spaying and neutering pets, and planning for long-term care.

“It’s a lifetime commitment,” Austin said. “It changes your daily schedule. It requires time every day to address the needs of that animal, just like if you were having a child.”

Austin, who has practiced alongside his father at the East 30th Avenue clinic, also said veterinary medicine remains a strong career path, especially in rural Kansas, where both veterinarians and veterinary technicians are in short supply.

He said scholarship and loan-forgiveness programs can help students willing to serve in underserved rural communities.

“It’s a wonderful profession. It’s an honorable profession,” Austin said. “We need more people to do it.”

Mild winter fuels early tick season in Kansas

Residents across central and south central Kansas are being urged to avoid outdoor burning Thursday as the National Weather Service in Wichita has issued a Red Flag Warning for extreme grassland fire danger.

The warning will be in effect from noon until 8 p.m. Thursday, when weather conditions are expected to create a high risk for rapidly spreading wildfires.

Forecasters say southwest winds of 25 to 35 miles per hour, with gusts reaching up to 45 mph, combined with relative humidity levels dropping as low as 20 percent, will create dangerous fire conditions across the region.

Under these conditions, any fires that start could spread quickly and behave erratically, making them difficult for firefighters to control.

A Red Flag Warning indicates that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring or expected to develop soon. The combination of strong winds, dry air and warm temperatures can allow fires to grow rapidly, especially in dry grassland areas common across Kansas.

Officials are urging residents to avoid outdoor burning and activities that could spark a fire, such as burning brush, welding outdoors or discarding cigarettes improperly.

Red Flag Warning issued

Hutchinson and Reno County residents are reporting fraudulent text messages and phone calls claiming they owe money for traffic tickets. Many of these messages falsely identify the sender as the “Kansas Department of Motor Vehicles,” a court, or another government-related agency. These messages are scams.

At this time, the messages being reported do not specifically reference Hutchinson Municipal Court or other local courts; however, our Municipal Court has received numerous calls from residents asking whether the messages are legitimate. If you receive a similar text message or phone call, do not respond. If it is a call, hang up immediately.

Residents should be especially cautious of any message that creates urgency, threatens arrest, suspension of a driver’s license, a warrant, or increased fines if payment is not made right away. Government agencies and courts do not demand immediate payment by text message, and they do not require payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency, peer-to-peer payment apps, or “click-to-pay” links sent via unsolicited messages. Do not click any links or open attachments. Never provide personal or financial information such as your date of birth, Social Security number, driver’s license number, bank information, or card numbers in response to an unexpected message.

Hutch Police warn of fraudulent texts and phone calls

Here’s the latest booking activity from the Reno County Jail. This information is provided by the Reno County Sheriff’s Office and is not criminal history. The Hutch Post assumes no legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, or completeness, of this information. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. ——————————————

Todd	James	Lloyd		3/11/2026 10:11&nbsp;AM	In Transit From-To Other Agency

Roy	Allen	Crosson		3/11/2026 8:41&nbsp;AM	Lewd and lascivious; Exposing to person =&gt;16,					Harassment by Telephone; Calling to harass or threaten

Simon	Matthew	Hernandez		3/11/2026 12:22&nbsp;PM	Criminal Threat; with Intent to Terrorize or cause Evacuation,					Domestic Battery; Knowing or Reckless Bodily Harm (1st conviction),					Battery; Knowing/recklessly causing bodily harm,					Interfere w/ LEO; unknown circumstance,					Criminal Trespass; Posted or Locked Premises,					Disorderly Conduct; Fighting words or noisy conduct,					Poss of marijuana; 2 or more prior convictions,					Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body

William	Arthur	McMurry	Jr	3/11/2026 3:39&nbsp;PM	Probation Violation

Gayle	Lee	Benitez		3/11/2026 3:52&nbsp;PM	Interfere w/ LEO; unknown circ; felony

David		Villarreal		3/11/2026 6:02&nbsp;PM	Probation Violation

Samuel	Clyde	Martin		3/11/2026 6:57&nbsp;PM	Distr heroin/certain stim/fent;3.5 - &lt;100grams,					Drugs; Arrange sale/purchase of controlled substance using a communication facility,					Distrib heroin/certain stim/fentanyl; &gt;100grams,					Drugs; Arrange sale/purchase of controlled substance using a communication facility,					Distr heroin/certain stim/fent;3.5 - &lt;100grams,					Drugs; Arrange sale/purchase of controlled substance using a communication facility

Daily Bookings

The Reno County Commission voted Wednesday to approve a job incentive request from Superior Boiler Works following a second review of the proposal.

Commissioners previously denied authorization of a letter of intent for the incentive at an earlier meeting, but the item was brought back to the agenda after commissioners requested another look at the request.

The company is seeking incentives under the county’s job incentive policy as it plans to create up to 100 new jobs. Under the program, businesses that create positions paying more than $21 per hour may qualify for an incentive of $1,500 per job.

County staff noted that funds are already budgeted within the county’s economic development incentive line item for projects like this.

The letter of intent allows the county and company to begin working on a formal development agreement, which will be brought back to commissioners for final approval at a future meeting.

Commissioners also discussed the need to review and potentially update the county’s job incentive program, noting the policy has been adjusted before and may need additional revisions to reflect current workforce and economic conditions.

During public comment, Hutchinson resident Don Rogers spoke in support of the request, noting Superior Boiler’s long history in the community and its role as a neighbor near the airport.

“We spend a lot of time trying to attract businesses we don’t know a lot about,” Rogers said. “Superior has been here for decades and has expanded, cleaned up the area and been a good neighbor.”

Rogers also pointed to the company’s community involvement, including a recent project in which the company helped replace a boiler at the historic Fox Theatre.

Superior Boiler President and CEO Don Whitman also addressed the commission, thanking members for reconsidering the proposal and highlighting the company’s hiring efforts.

Whitman said the company recently held a job fair and hired 39 local employees with an average starting wage of about $24 per hour. He also noted the company provides full insurance benefits for employees and their families.

“Employees are important to us,” Whitman said. “It’s important for us to grow this business and make Hutch proud of us.”

Commissioners debated the role of incentives, with some members expressing concerns about providing taxpayer dollars to private businesses, especially when some county employees earn less than the wages required for the incentive program.

Others said maintaining competitive incentives is important to help retain and expand local employers and prevent businesses from relocating to other communities.

Ultimately, the commission approved the incentive through a motion that limits the use of multiple incentives for a single job position, ensuring that one job cannot qualify for more than one incentive.

Commissioners also directed county administration to review the current job incentive policy and bring back potential updates for consideration at a future meeting.

County Commission approves job incentive for Superior Boiler

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/weather">Click here for the KSStorm.info forecast.</a>

Three-day Outlook

UPDATE: Engineers were able to fix the issue and get KWBW's AM signal back on the air Wednesday at 6:04 p.m.

KWBW is experiencing issues with our AM transmitter.&nbsp; Because of that the over the air signal at 1450 AM is off the air.&nbsp;

Engineers are working to restore the signal, but in the meantime you can still hear KWBW over the air at 98.5 FM or via our KWBW app available on the Apple App Store or Google Play.&nbsp;&nbsp;

You can also hear it at <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">KWBWRadio.com</a>.

Transmitter issues cause loss of KWBW AM signal 

KIM BALDWIN &nbsp;McPherson County farmer and rancher

My family recently celebrated the life of my husband’s grandmother. We were incredibly lucky to have Grandma Irene in our lives for so many years. 

I don’t know a lot of people who knew a great-grandparent, but our son and daughter are old enough to remember her. While she lived three hours from us, she was very much aware of what we were all doing between our visits by keeping up with us on Facebook or through reading this column in her local paper. 

She kept us up-to-date by writing letters that she’d put into cards and send to arrive just in time for birthdays and holidays. You always knew to be on the lookout for an envelope in the mailbox from her a few days before those special days.

Sometimes Grandma Irene would send a handwritten letter just because and include a news clipping or pages from her daily devotionals that reminded her of us.

She had raised her family on a farm as well and knew what living in the country and raising crops and kids entailed. She loved seeing pictures of her great-grandkids holding lambs, working cattle, riding in a tractor or enjoying a meal in the field during harvest.

A handful of years ago, she moved into an assisted living facility in her small town in Southeast Kansas. She’d write us letters telling us about her days.

She stayed busy with her sewing and piano playing and eating out with family on Sundays. She’d write about the games she and the other residents would play and would mention on occasion that she’d outlived another one of her friends.

Regardless of the topic of her letters, we always knew she was staying active within her church and social circle. We also knew she was always praying for us and loved us immensely.

Her funeral was well attended for a woman who had outlived so many of her friends. Aside from family, the seats were filled with those who knew her from church or the community. 

At one point during her funeral, those in attendance were encouraged to share their memories of her. It took quite a while for the microphone to be passed around. 

It was evident that Grandma Irene loved a lot of people. Whether it was memories of her helping with 4-H projects, sewing quilts or gifting dish scrubs, writing letters, serving in her church or keeping a stash of cinnamon flavored candy and oatmeal cream pies in the pantry for her grandkids, the shared memories truly celebrated her and the work she did.

This is the time of the year when I’d normally find a blue, yellow or purple envelope in our mailbox containing a card and personalized handwritten letter inside letting us know she was thinking of us as we prepared for all of the spring work required on the farm.

I’ll miss those letters from Grandma Irene. They were simple, yet intentional, acts that let her loved ones know that she was thinking of them from afar. Those simple, intentional acts are what will remind me of Grandma Irene and the life she lived loving others.

"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.

Insight: Letters from Grandma

Developers, State Officials Highlight Data-Center Opportunities for Rural Kansas at Hutchinson Forum

Rural communities like Reno County could play a significant role in the rapidly expanding artificial-intelligence infrastructure industry, according to speakers at a data-center development forum held Wednesday in Hutchinson.

The event brought together technology developers, state economic-development officials and utility representatives to discuss how growing demand for artificial-intelligence computing could shape economic development across Kansas.

Sergi Gerasymovych, founder of AI infrastructure developer Ramiform AI, said demand for computing power has surged as artificial intelligence becomes integrated into everyday technology.

AI data centers, he explained, are large facilities filled with powerful computers that process and store massive amounts of data, allowing users to access AI tools through phones, computers and other connected devices. The facilities operate continuously and require significant electrical power and cooling systems.

Gerasymovych said investment in AI infrastructure has accelerated dramatically since the rise of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT. He noted that major technology companies collectively committed roughly $500 billion toward AI infrastructure projects in 2025 alone, with additional growth expected in the coming years.

For communities that attract data-center development, he said the projects can create a wide range of economic benefits.

Large data-center campuses can generate thousands of temporary construction jobs and dozens to more than 100 permanent technical positions. Those jobs often pay $80,000 or more annually.

The facilities also typically operate for decades and sign long-term power agreements with utilities, generating property-tax revenue that can support schools, infrastructure and other local services.

Gerasymovych addressed common concerns raised by communities considering data-center projects, including electricity demand, water usage and grid reliability. He said many modern facilities rely on closed-loop cooling systems designed to limit water consumption and include backup power systems to prevent outages from affecting surrounding communities.

He also emphasized that data centers do not necessarily need to be located in large metropolitan areas and can be built on larger tracts of land outside city limits.

Kansas, he said, offers several advantages for developers, including available land, strong wind-energy resources and access to regional electric-transmission infrastructure.

“If a data center doesn’t come here, it will go somewhere else,” Gerasymovych said. “Communities that prepare for it have the opportunity to capture the investment, the jobs and the infrastructure that comes with it.”

Paul Hughes, who works on large-scale development projects for the Kansas Department of Commerce, said communities considering data-center recruitment should first understand how the industry operates.

Unlike traditional economic-development projects that are measured by building size or number of employees, data centers are typically defined by the amount of electricity they consume.

Smaller facilities may operate at five to 10 megawatts of power, while “hyperscale” centers operated by companies such as Google, Meta and Oracle can require significantly more.

Kansas currently has about 20 data centers statewide, Hughes said. That number trails states such as Texas and Virginia, which have spent years building infrastructure and workforce pipelines designed to attract the industry.

However, interest in Kansas has increased recently as the state upgrades its electric-transmission system and adopts policies aimed at attracting data-center investment.

Hughes pointed to Senate Bill 98, which provides a sales-tax exemption for equipment used in qualifying large facilities and created an intelligence-fusion process designed to review potential operators and protect the state’s electric grid.

Water consumption is often one of the first concerns raised when communities evaluate potential projects, Hughes said. While traditional evaporative cooling systems can require several million gallons of water per day for a large facility, newer air-cooled and liquid-cooling technologies can reduce those needs significantly.

Construction of a data center can temporarily boost local economies through construction employment and spending at hotels, restaurants and other businesses. Once operational, Hughes said the facilities typically employ fewer workers but offer highly technical positions paying roughly $60,000 to more than $100,000 annually.

He added that Kansas law requires developers of large projects to pay for the electric-infrastructure upgrades needed to serve their facilities, meaning those costs cannot be passed on to residential customers.

Hughes encouraged communities to plan ahead by identifying industrial areas that could accommodate large projects and working with utilities to understand where power capacity exists. The Kansas Department of Commerce also offers free cost-benefit analyses to help communities determine whether a proposed project would provide a positive economic impact.

“Sites that meet all the requirements for data centers are difficult to find,” Hughes said. “Communities ultimately decide whether they want to pursue them.”

Growing interest from data centers and other large industrial users is also reshaping energy planning across Kansas and the Midwest.

Jason Klindt, senior director of external affairs for Evergy, said requests from companies seeking large amounts of electricity have increased sharply in recent years.

Projects requiring at least 10 megawatts of power have doubled annually since the early 2000s, he said, reflecting broader economic shifts such as advanced manufacturing, semiconductor production and companies relocating supply chains to the United States.

“We’re seeing more and more large users,” Klindt said. “What used to be a rare project is now something we’re tracking constantly because of the number and size of requests.”

Evergy serves approximately 1.5 million residential customers, 200,000 commercial customers and about 6,100 industrial users across Kansas and Missouri. Hutchinson and Reno County are part of the utility’s Kansas Central service area.

Klindt said the electric industry is undergoing a major transition. While coal once dominated Evergy’s power portfolio, the company now relies on a mix of resources that includes wind, natural gas and nuclear power generated at the Wolf Creek station near Burlington.

Maintaining a diverse portfolio is critical for reliability, he said, noting that severe winter storms have affected nearly every type of energy source.

“We had problems with nearly every fuel type during winter storms,” Klindt said. “That’s why it makes sense to have a mix of resources rather than relying on one.”

Evergy currently has about 10 gigawatts of potential projects in its development pipeline — roughly equal to the electricity needed to power the entire Evergy system today.

To prepare for that demand, the company is expanding generation capacity with new natural-gas facilities in Kansas and additional solar projects.

Klindt said large power users such as data centers can also generate significant revenue for communities through franchise fees, which cities collect as a percentage of electricity sales.

“These projects can generate tens of millions of dollars in new revenue for cities through the franchise fee alone,” he said.

To protect existing customers from higher costs, Evergy recently implemented a special “large load” tariff for customers requiring 75 megawatts or more of electricity. Those customers pay premium rates that are 15 to 20 percent higher than standard industrial rates and commit to long-term contracts lasting up to 17 years.

According to Klindt, the additional revenue helps offset system costs and reduce pressure on rates for residential and small-business customers.

“Those large users are paying a premium, and that helps protect everyone else on the system,” he said.

Speakers at the forum said the growing demand for digital infrastructure is likely to continue reshaping economic-development strategies nationwide — and could create new opportunities for rural and mid-sized communities willing to prepare for the industry.

Developers, state officials highlight trends in data-center devlopment

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>

Passengers at a handful of airports this week waited in hours-long security lines as the government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security dragged on.

Though Transportation Security Administration officers are required by law to work during a lapse in funding, more than usual have been absent after receiving only a partial paycheck during the most recent pay period. TSA officers will miss an entire paycheck this weekend if the shutdown is still in effect then.&nbsp;

No end to the shutdown appeared imminent Wednesday, as the U.S. Senate rejected a bill that would have funded TSA and other agencies in DHS that are not related to immigration enforcement.

In the meantime, TSA officers are not being paid.&nbsp;

Most live paycheck-to-paycheck, said Johnny Jones, the secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 100, which represents TSA agents.

The lack of pay has contributed to absenteeism, Jones added. The union does not condone coordinated “sick-outs,” which are illegal.&nbsp;

But individual officers miss work for one of three reasons during a shutdown, he said: pre-planned time off, legitimate illness or personal emergencies, and those calling in sick but seeking other work to pay bills.

“If you’re normally receiving a paycheck, you wouldn’t have that third group,” he said.

Some of those who are working are going without lunch or making other sacrifices, Jones added. And he said two colleagues were evicted during the most recent shutdown last fall, which lasted for 43 days.

The U.S. war against Iran, which has an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trumps-iran-war-estimated-cost-billions-already-no-end-sight" target="_blank">estimated price</a>&nbsp;in the billions of dollars in just its first two weeks, has also driven resentment among TSA workers, Jones said.

“One of the things that I’ve heard from the colleagues is that, man, we got plenty of money to go fight wars and bomb Iran, but we can’t pay our own employees,” he said.

No exceptionally long wait times were reported Wednesday, but the previous few days saw several examples of snarled security lines.

Security lines&nbsp;<a href="http://houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/trending/article/government-shutdown-hobby-airport-21963811.php" target="_blank">topped three hours</a>&nbsp;at Houston’s William P. Hobby International Airport on Monday and Tuesday.&nbsp;

Lines at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport were up to two hours Monday and the airport’s social media drew a direct line to the shutdown.

“Due to impacts from the federal government’s partial shutdown, there continues to be a shortage of TSA workers at the security checkpoint … which is causing longer-than-average lines,” the airport’s X account&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/flyneworleans/status/2030952799811355119?s=20" target="_blank">posted</a>.

Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport also urged passengers to leave extra time to account for factors including “TSA staffing constraints.”

CBS News&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tsa-absences-double-shutdown-300-quit-airport-security-lines/" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;Wednesday that more than 300 TSA agents have left their jobs since the shutdown began. TSA officials did not respond to messages seeking confirmation of that figure.

The top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, Washington’s Patty Murray, sought unanimous consent Wednesday for the Senate to approve a bill that would fund all of DHS other than Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and the secretary’s office.

Sen. Katie Britt, an Alabama Republican who chairs the subcommittee on Homeland Security funding, objected.

Murray’s bill “would effectively defund our law enforcement officers that are charged with keeping Americans safe,” Britt said.

Each party blamed the other for the impasse, which has been unbreachable since the department’s funding lapsed Feb. 14.

Following the January fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by immigration officers in Minneapolis, Democrats are demanding changes to immigration agencies’ conduct as a condition of funding the department.

Republicans have said they are willing to negotiate the issue, but the parties disagree on what to do for the department, which also includes the Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, in the meantime.

Republican leaders sought to pass a short-term continuing resolution to fund the entire department, but Democrats rejected it, saying it would allow the operation of immigration agencies without adding accountability measures.

“Right now, TSA agents are going without pay because Republicans and the White House have decided they would rather shut down all of DHS than pass some very basic reforms to rein in ICE and Border Patrol,” Murray said. “We also want TSA and FEMA funded, but we are not going to be blackmailed into cutting a blank check for ICE to get it done.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, of South Dakota, said Democrats have stopped negotiating on DHS funding in a bid to keep the issue alive for the November midterm elections.&nbsp;

“The American people are tired,” he said. “Lines get longer at the airports because TSA isn’t funded. The American people want us to do our jobs. Republicans are at the table. We’re ready to work toward a solution. Democrats have walked away.”

Jones, the AFGE member and TSA officer, declined to say which approach to short-term funding was preferable, but said it was Congress’ job to fund the federal government.

“We all swear the same oath to the same Constitution,” he said. “Now my job function is a little different than theirs, so they need to do theirs so I can do mine.”

Long security lines pop up at airports as TSA officers go without pay

SEDGWICK COUNTY.—A man jailed on federal crime allegations who was arrested after a chase and crash will return to court Thursday.

Erik Harper, 37, is scheduled to attend a preliminary hearing in Judge Rodger Woods, courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In December, Wichita police, with help from the Kansas Highway Patrol and the U.S. Marshals Service, arrested Harper who was wanted on federal and state warrants after a pursuit and crash.

Just after 2p.m. December 30, officers spotted Harper driving a stolen 2004 GMC Sierra near East Central Avenue and North Oliver Avenue in Wichita, according to a media release from police.

Harper was wanted on a federal warrant and a felony state warrant for aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault. Officers followed the truck and requested assistance from the KHP Air Support Unit.

A Kansas Highway Patrol unit equipped with a grappler attempted a traffic stop near East Central Avenue and North Edgemoor Street. The grappler was deployed to prevent the suspect vehicle from fleeing, but Harper escaped. Shortly afterward, the Haper's vehicle collided with a 2024 Subaru Impreza in the westbound lanes near the 6800 block of East Central Avenue.

Officers took Harper into custody at 4:53 p.m.

The Subaru’s occupants, a 72-year-old man and a 66-year-old woman, were taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

Harper was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail and later transferred to Butler County Jail. He was charged with robbery, eluding police and aggravated battery.

Preliminary hearing for Kan. man captured after chase, crash

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/29/kansan-returns-to-the-catholic-church-as-the-states-first-woman-priest/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas legislators’ lineup of property tax relief legislation could chip away at state and local revenue, but some see the proposals as course correction, making up for years of rising property taxes.

One bill would phase out Kansans’ property taxes in favor of added sales taxes, and another would exempt seniors from paying property taxes that go toward funding school districts.

But legislators, who have eagerly pursued tax relief legislation in recent years, were conflicted about the proposals.

Sen. Mike Murphy, a Sylvia Republican, said Tuesday that the Legislature needs to look at property tax relief differently. Past measures haven’t made much of a dent, he said, and he often hears from constituents who are struggling to pay their property taxes.

“I look at property tax as a Titanic that’s hit the iceberg, and it’s going down,” Murphy said. “We can rearrange the deck chairs. We can ask the band director to play a little bit peppier song, but I don’t think it’s going to — we’re not going to be able to fix it.”

He propped up&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb488/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 488</a>, or the “Kansas property tax freedom act of 2026,” as a potential solution. The bill would phase out property tax payments over the next two years and eliminate property tax levies beginning in the 2028 tax year. Taxing jurisdictions such as school districts, counties and cities would make up for the lost revenue through sales tax surcharges on medicine, fuel, rent and mortgage payments, utilities, child care and K-12 tuition.

Murphy acknowledged during the Tuesday hearing before the Senate’s tax committee that the bill, as written, didn’t work.

Sen. Jeff Klemp, a Lansing Republican, agreed.

“It’s not ready for prime time on all the aspects of it, but I think it warrants a conversation, and I’m glad you brought it up,” Klemp said.

Both chambers would need to pass a resolution and a majority of voters would have to approve an amendment to the state constitution to phase out and eventually prohibit property tax levies before the act could go into effect.

For supporters, the bill was a silver bullet solution that they believed could provide near immediate property tax relief.

Tatum Lee, a former state legislator who represented a west-central district, said the bill was crucial to maintaining affordability for generations.

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