JACKSON COUNTY— Authorities are crediting a Kansas sheriff's deputy with saving a man's life over the weekend.

Just after 8:30p.m. Saturday,&nbsp; the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from a residence at 13027 134th&nbsp;Road, according to&nbsp;Sheriff Tim Morse. The caller reported that a car fell on his dad who was stuck beneath the vehicle. 

Family members attempted to free the man, however, they were unsuccessful. It was reported that the victim was barely breathing due to the weight of the car on his chest. Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy Chad Ballenger arrived on scene and was able to use a jack to lift the vehicle off the victim. 

Hoyt and Mayetta Fire Departments and Jackson County EMS responded to the scene as well as the Kansas Highway Patrol.&nbsp; EMS transported the victim to a Topeka hospital and has since been released, according to Morse.

&nbsp;“The outcome of this incident could have turned very tragic, I am very appreciative of Deputy Ballenger’s quick thinking and the calmness he brought to a very tense situation. 

Deputy Ballenger was able to provide lifesaving instructions to those on the scene, communicate with the victim at the same time, and rescue the victim from death. Deputy Ballenger is an example of the brave men and women of the sheriff’s office who put their lives on the line each and every day for their community,” said Morse.

JACKSON COUNTY— Authorities are crediting a Kansas sheriff's deputy with saving a man's life over the weekend.Just after 8:30p.m. Saturday,&nbsp; the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from a residence at 13027 134th&nbsp;Road, according to&nbsp;Sheriff Tim Morse. The caller reported that a car fell on his dad who was stuck beneath the vehicle. Family members attempted to free the man, however, they were unsuccessful. It was reported that the victim was barely breathing due to the weight of the car on his chest. Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy Chad Ballenger arrived on scene and was able to use a jack to lift the vehicle off the victim. Hoyt and Mayetta Fire Departments and Jackson County EMS responded to the scene as well as the Kansas Highway Patrol.&nbsp; EMS transported the victim to a Topeka hospital and has since been released, according to Morse.&nbsp;“The outcome of this incident could have turned very tragic, I am very appreciative of Deputy Ballenger’s quick thinking and the calmness he brought to a very tense situation. Deputy Ballenger was able to provide lifesaving instructions to those on the scene, communicate with the victim at the same time, and rescue the victim from death. Deputy Ballenger is an example of the brave men and women of the sheriff’s office who put their lives on the line each and every day for their community,” said Morse.

Sheriff: Kansas deputy saved a life after car falls on victim

By LISA RODRIGUEZ <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-07-20/census-workers-hit-the-streets-in-kansas-and-missouri-to-combat-lackluster-response-rates">Kansas News Service</a>

The impact of the 2020 Census is hard to overstate. According to <a href="https://gwipp.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs2181/f/downloads/Counting%20for%20Dollars%202020%20Brief%207A%20-%20Comprehensive%20Accounting.pdf" target="_blank">a study by George Washington University</a>,
 federal spending programs recently used 2010 Census data to distribute 
more than $1.5 trillion to state and local governments, nonprofits, 
businesses, and households nationwide.

But in much of Kansas and Missouri, the response so far has been underwhelming.

In Kansas City, Missouri, where <a href="https://2020census.gov/en/response-rates.html" target="_blank">the response rate</a>
 is just 56%, census workers started going door-to-door July 16, looking
 to get a jump on a national operation beginning in August to follow-up 
on non-responses.

Kansas City councilwoman Ryana Parks-Shaw organized a press conference last week to push for a complete count. 

“The 2020 Census will dictate the next decade of our lives in real and compelling ways,” she said.

For
 example, the government didn’t directly give Kansas City coronavirus 
relief funding, in part, because that money was distributed based on 
2010 Census data, and Kansas City fell short of the population 
requirement.

In much of Kansas, the response isn't much better. Census enumerators will be deployed throughout most of the state this week.

Local
 groups, like the Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City Public Schools
 and the Mid America Regional Council started preparing for the 2020 
Census years ago, only to be thwarted by the global coronavirus 
pandemic.

Outreach efforts decimated by the coronavirus

Jenny Garmon is with the Kansas City Public Library, which has been preparing for this year’s census for at least three years.

“I
 was really excited. We were going to have Representative (Emanuel) 
Cleaver II at the central library to do a public forum discussion about 
it and all of that just had to be shelved because it wasn't safe any 
longer with COVID-19,” Garmon said.

When Kansas City shut down due
 to the virus, the library and other regional partners tried to get the 
word out about the census through billboards, signage on buses and 
mailers.

In Wichita, census officials say they had car parades every Saturday to encourage people to fill out the form online.

With cities re-opening businesses, advocates are holding in-person events outdoors.

But contacting hard-to-reach communities continues to be an uphill battle.

At
 an event at Seven Oaks Park in Kansas City last week, Garmon only 
talked to one person about filling out the census. The park, located at 
37th Street and Kensington, is in a census tract with the 
lowest response rates, and a third of homes there aren't connected to 
the internet.

Garmon said the low-turnout was disappointing, 
particularly because it’s exactly the kind of neighborhood that could 
benefit most from an accurate count.

“I'd love to talk with more 
people about the census and why it's important, then how easy it is to 
respond to it. I would love that,” Garmon said.

“So it's hard not to have that interaction, but it's also just a learning experience for me too, about being patient.”

Communities are still suffering from COVID-19

Many
 of the areas in Kansas and Missouri where responses have been the 
lowest are the same neighborhoods hit hardest by the coronavirus.

In southwest Kansas, areas with high Latino populations have seen low participation. COVID-19 outbreaks <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-05-04/despite-meatpacking-plants-efforts-kansas-workers-say-were-right-next-to-each-other" target="_blank">at meatpacking plants have taken a toll</a> in that region.

Plus,
 a proposed question about citizenship status that was ultimately 
removed from the 2020 Census stoked fears in the diverse community about
 how personal information might be used.

Emily Kelley, the U.S. 
Census Bureau partnership coordinator for Kansas, says they’re trying to
 assure people that census data is secure.

“We have partners 
working diligently in those areas to engage people…so there's an 
understanding of why we do the census — that it's easy, safe, and 
important,” Kelley said.

Kelley says college towns like Manhattan,
 Kansas, have also seen lower response rates because many students 
returned home during the pandemic. That could result in an low count for
 those areas.

In Kansas City, Missouri, low-income areas, 
immigrant communities and predominantly Black communities in the third, 
fourth and fifth city council districts are showing lower rates than the
 rest of the city.

Those are also the same areas with<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/departments/health/coronavirus-covid-19/covid-19-totals" target="_blank"> the highest numbers of COVID-19 cases</a>.

Using the census to fight for racial equity

Rick
 Usher, who’s leading census efforts for Kansas City, Missouri, says 
people in many neighborhoods are struggling to make ends meet. He says 
areas with low response rates also correlate with neighborhoods internet
 access is limited.

“The pandemic has brought greater awareness to these disparities that have existed in the community for decades,” Usher said.

Kansas
 City Councilwoman Melissa Robinson said that’s exactly why it’s so 
important for the most distressed parts of the city to make sure they’re
 counted.

As Black Lives Matter demonstrations ripple across the 
country, Robinson says filling out the census is a crucial part of the 
fight for racial justice.

“Because oftentimes in the community as 
elected leaders, we hear the tale of two cities — they have, we don't 
have,” Robinson said.

She said being able to prove that inequity 
with statistics and data allows government officials to identify 
disparities and work to close the gaps.

“But foundational in that is to say, ‘I'm here, I'm present,’” Robinson said.

Robinson also said it’s an important way to make sure black and brown voices are represented in public office.

“And
 so if you want people that represent your neighborhood to be able to 
speak to your needs, then you need to respond to the census,” Robinson 
said.

But with coronavirus cases on the rise again, more people may be wary of in-person interactions — and the October 31st deadline is nearing. Households can still fill out the form online at <a href="https://my2020census.gov/" target="_blank">my2020census.gov</a>.

In addition to being KCUR's afternoon newscaster, Lisa Rodriguez covers city hall and other news around Kansas City. Follow her on Twitter @larodrig.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595259374096.png" alt="Jenny Garmon is leading census outreach for the Kansas City Public Library, but the pandemic has made it difficult to reach many communities. Lisa Rodriguez / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>Jenny Garmon is leading census outreach for the Kansas City Public Library, but the pandemic has made it difficult to reach many communities. Lisa Rodriguez / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>By LISA RODRIGUEZ <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-07-20/census-workers-hit-the-streets-in-kansas-and-missouri-to-combat-lackluster-response-rates">Kansas News Service</a>The impact of the 2020 Census is hard to overstate. According to <a href="https://gwipp.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs2181/f/downloads/Counting%20for%20Dollars%202020%20Brief%207A%20-%20Comprehensive%20Accounting.pdf" target="_blank">a study by George Washington University</a>,
 federal spending programs recently used 2010 Census data to distribute 
more than $1.5 trillion to state and local governments, nonprofits, 
businesses, and households nationwide.But in much of Kansas and Missouri, the response so far has been underwhelming.In Kansas City, Missouri, where <a href="https://2020census.gov/en/response-rates.html" target="_blank">the response rate</a>
 is just 56%, census workers started going door-to-door July 16, looking
 to get a jump on a national operation beginning in August to follow-up 
on non-responses.Kansas City councilwoman Ryana Parks-Shaw organized a press conference last week to push for a complete count. “The 2020 Census will dictate the next decade of our lives in real and compelling ways,” she said.For
 example, the government didn’t directly give Kansas City coronavirus 
relief funding, in part, because that money was distributed based on 
2010 Census data, and Kansas City fell short of the population 
requirement.In much of Kansas, the response isn't much better. Census enumerators will be deployed throughout most of the state this week.Local
 groups, like the Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City Public Schools
 and the Mid America Regional Council started preparing for the 2020 
Census years ago, only to be thwarted by the global coronavirus 
pandemic.Outreach efforts decimated by the coronavirusJenny Garmon is with the Kansas City Public Library, which has been preparing for this year’s census for at least three years.“I
 was really excited. We were going to have Representative (Emanuel) 
Cleaver II at the central library to do a public forum discussion about 
it and all of that just had to be shelved because it wasn't safe any 
longer with COVID-19,” Garmon said.When Kansas City shut down due
 to the virus, the library and other regional partners tried to get the 
word out about the census through billboards, signage on buses and 
mailers.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595259444373.png" alt="A Kansas City resident registers to vote at one of the Kansas City Library's census outreach events at Swope Health Center. Lisa Rodriguez / KCUR 89.3 " />
 <figcaption>A Kansas City resident registers to vote at one of the Kansas City Library's census outreach events at Swope Health Center. Lisa Rodriguez / KCUR 89.3 </figcaption>
 </figure>In Wichita, census officials say they had car parades every Saturday to encourage people to fill out the form online.With cities re-opening businesses, advocates are holding in-person events outdoors.But contacting hard-to-reach communities continues to be an uphill battle.At
 an event at Seven Oaks Park in Kansas City last week, Garmon only 
talked to one person about filling out the census. The park, located at 
37th Street and Kensington, is in a census tract with the 
lowest response rates, and a third of homes there aren't connected to 
the internet.Garmon said the low-turnout was disappointing, 
particularly because it’s exactly the kind of neighborhood that could 
benefit most from an accurate count.“I'd love to talk with more 
people about the census and why it's important, then how easy it is to 
respond to it. I would love that,” Garmon said.“So it's hard not to have that interaction, but it's also just a learning experience for me too, about being patient.”Communities are still suffering from COVID-19Many
 of the areas in Kansas and Missouri where responses have been the 
lowest are the same neighborhoods hit hardest by the coronavirus.In southwest Kansas, areas with high Latino populations have seen low participation. COVID-19 outbreaks <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-05-04/despite-meatpacking-plants-efforts-kansas-workers-say-were-right-next-to-each-other" target="_blank">at meatpacking plants have taken a toll</a> in that region.Plus,
 a proposed question about citizenship status that was ultimately 
removed from the 2020 Census stoked fears in the diverse community about
 how personal information might be used.Emily Kelley, the U.S. 
Census Bureau partnership coordinator for Kansas, says they’re trying to
 assure people that census data is secure.“We have partners 
working diligently in those areas to engage people…so there's an 
understanding of why we do the census — that it's easy, safe, and 
important,” Kelley said.Kelley says college towns like Manhattan,
 Kansas, have also seen lower response rates because many students 
returned home during the pandemic. That could result in an low count for
 those areas.In Kansas City, Missouri, low-income areas, 
immigrant communities and predominantly Black communities in the third, 
fourth and fifth city council districts are showing lower rates than the
 rest of the city.Those are also the same areas with<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/departments/health/coronavirus-covid-19/covid-19-totals" target="_blank"> the highest numbers of COVID-19 cases</a>.Using the census to fight for racial equityRick
 Usher, who’s leading census efforts for Kansas City, Missouri, says 
people in many neighborhoods are struggling to make ends meet. He says 
areas with low response rates also correlate with neighborhoods internet
 access is limited.“The pandemic has brought greater awareness to these disparities that have existed in the community for decades,” Usher said.Kansas
 City Councilwoman Melissa Robinson said that’s exactly why it’s so 
important for the most distressed parts of the city to make sure they’re
 counted.As Black Lives Matter demonstrations ripple across the 
country, Robinson says filling out the census is a crucial part of the 
fight for racial justice.“Because oftentimes in the community as 
elected leaders, we hear the tale of two cities — they have, we don't 
have,” Robinson said.She said being able to prove that inequity 
with statistics and data allows government officials to identify 
disparities and work to close the gaps.“But foundational in that is to say, ‘I'm here, I'm present,’” Robinson said.Robinson also said it’s an important way to make sure black and brown voices are represented in public office.“And
 so if you want people that represent your neighborhood to be able to 
speak to your needs, then you need to respond to the census,” Robinson 
said.But with coronavirus cases on the rise again, more people may be wary of in-person interactions — and the October 31st deadline is nearing. Households can still fill out the form online at <a href="https://my2020census.gov/" target="_blank">my2020census.gov</a>.In addition to being KCUR's afternoon newscaster, Lisa Rodriguez covers city hall and other news around Kansas City. Follow her on Twitter @larodrig.&nbsp;

Kan., Mo. Census workers hit the streets to combat lackluster response rates

SALINE COUNTY —Authorities say a pickup reported stole in Salina&nbsp; was found burning west of town on Friday night.

&nbsp;Just before 10:30p.m., deputies and firefighters from Rural Fire District No. 3 were sent to the 400 block of South Muir Road for the report of a vehicle on fire. A resident who lived nearby noticed the fire while he was on his way home and notified authorities, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.

When emergency personnel arrived, they found a 2012 Dodge pickup valued at $25,000 fully engulfed in flames.

According to Soldan, the pickup was last seen at 7 a.m. Friday when it was parked in a lot in the 1500 block of West North Street.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595258733306.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Authorities say a pickup reported stole in Salina&nbsp; was found burning west of town on Friday night.&nbsp;Just before 10:30p.m., deputies and firefighters from Rural Fire District No. 3 were sent to the 400 block of South Muir Road for the report of a vehicle on fire. A resident who lived nearby noticed the fire while he was on his way home and notified authorities, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.When emergency personnel arrived, they found a 2012 Dodge pickup valued at $25,000 fully engulfed in flames.According to Soldan, the pickup was last seen at 7 a.m. Friday when it was parked in a lot in the 1500 block of West North Street.

Sheriff: Pickup reported stolen from Salina found burning 

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Four people were rushed to hospitals in St. Louis on Sunday after being struck by lightning in a park, officials said.

The incident happened around 8 p.m. Sunday as thunderstorms rolled through the city. Andrea Ford lives near Marquette Park where the people were injured. 

She&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kmov.com/news/4-people-struck-by-lightning-in-south-city-1-in-critical-condition/article_0ed5a50e-ca2a-11ea-ac15-2747040eed96.html">told&nbsp;</a>television station KMOV she had seen several people playing in a grassy area at the park as the storm came in. She then heard several loud claps of thunder, and when she looked out the window again, she saw two people down on the ground.

Medics responded and were performing CPR on victims before they were taken to hospitals, Ford said.

At least one person was in critical condition, officials said. The names of the victims had not been released by Monday morning.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595254224132.png" alt="Security camera images moments after the lightning strike -image courtesy KMOV TV" />
 <figcaption>Security camera images moments after the lightning strike -image courtesy KMOV TV</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. LOUIS (AP) — Four people were rushed to hospitals in St. Louis on Sunday after being struck by lightning in a park, officials said.The incident happened around 8 p.m. Sunday as thunderstorms rolled through the city. Andrea Ford lives near Marquette Park where the people were injured. She&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kmov.com/news/4-people-struck-by-lightning-in-south-city-1-in-critical-condition/article_0ed5a50e-ca2a-11ea-ac15-2747040eed96.html">told&nbsp;</a>television station KMOV she had seen several people playing in a grassy area at the park as the storm came in. She then heard several loud claps of thunder, and when she looked out the window again, she saw two people down on the ground.Medics responded and were performing CPR on victims before they were taken to hospitals, Ford said.At least one person was in critical condition, officials said. The names of the victims had not been released by Monday morning.

4 hospitalized after being struck by lightning in Missouri

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ Republican-controlled state school board is facing pressure from conservatives to scuttle Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s plan to delay the reopening of K-12 schools, even as a resurgence in coronavirus cases intensifies.

The elected, 10-member State Board of Education can block Kelly’s plan under a law enacted last month as a compromise between Kelly and a GOP-controlled Legislature often critical of her handling of the pandemic. Kelly plans to issue an order Monday to delay the reopening of schools for 519,000 elementary, middle and high school students for three weeks, from mid-August until after Labor Day. The board is expected to meet within days.

Senate President Susan Wagle, a conservative Wichita Republican, has publicly called on people to urge the board to reject Kelly’s proposed delay. The small-government, free-market Kansas Policy Institute think tank, influential with GOP conservatives, also urged similar action Friday, saying a delayed school start would hurt children.

Kelly cited the continued growth in confirmed coronavirus cases in announcing her plan this week. The state reported its worst seven-day spike in cases since the pandemic began on Friday when the Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported more than 1,000 confirmed new cases in just two days, bringing the total for the pandemic close to 22,000.

“We’re going in the wrong direction,” said Ashley Jones-Wisner, the state health department’s spokeswoman.

Kelly’s announcement came only hours after the State Board of Education approved 1,100 pages of guidelines for reopening K-12 schools safely, including recommendations for all staff to wear masks, as well as students in middle and high school. But they weren’t mandates, reflecting the state’s longstanding tradition of leaving decisions about building operations to local school boards.

Republicans have an 8-2 majority on the state board. Kelly does not yet appear to have the necessary six votes for approval of her order. Seven board members — including the two Democrats — told The Associated Press as of Friday that they hadn’t decided how to vote.

They said they needed to see the text of Kelly’s order and were conferring with teachers, superintendents, locals school board members and public health officials. They also said they were getting inundated with calls and emails, from all points of view.

Board member Jim Porter, a Fredonia Republican, said local boards should make such decisions, but he recognizes that Kansas faces “a very serious health concern.”

“I am conflicted,” Porter said. ”I personally have a medically fragile granddaughter.”

The Kansas Policy Institute cited guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly advocating that reopening plans start “with a goal of having students physically present in school.” The KPI said long times away from schools and their associated support services often results in social isolation, hampering efforts to address learning deficits and physical and mental health.

Educators and state and local officials argue that children benefit from interacting with each other and that in-person classes generally are better for instruction than online classes. Also, the state had reported no COVID-19-related deaths in children under 18 as of Friday, with 8.4% of the state’s total cases in minors.

State school board member Janet Waugh, a Kansas City, Kansas, Democrat, said she’s heard from teachers who miss their students but also from teachers “who are making their wills and revising their wills.”

The state health department said Kansas has had a total of 21,965 reported novel coronavirus cases, up 1,032 or 4.9% from Wednesday. Infections are thought to be far more numerous because many people have not been tested, and people can be infected without feeling sick.

The health department reported no change in the number of COVID-19-related deaths, making it still 299 for the pandemic. However, Johns Hopkins University put the tally at 305.

Kansas has seen an increase in coronavirus cases with 3,354 during the seven days ending Friday, a jump of 18%. The daily average for new cases during the period was 479. COVID-19-related deaths and hospitalizations have grown more slowly.

After weeks of pressure from Republican legislators, Kelly lifted statewide restrictions on businesses and public gatherings May 26, leaving decisions to the state’s 105 counties. Counties also have the power to opt out of an order Kelly issued July 2 to require people to wear masks in public and at their workplaces, and most have, exempting about 40% of the state’s population.

“The counties have been opening up,” said Barbara Mitchell, a spokeswoman for the health department in Johnson County, the state’s most populous county, where a mask mandate is in place. “So there’s a lot of people going back to work and doing activities.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594844891982.png" alt="On Monday, Kansas governor Laura Kelly is expected to sign an executive order to delay reopening K-12 schools until after Labor Day." />
 <figcaption>On Monday, Kansas governor Laura Kelly is expected to sign an executive order to delay reopening K-12 schools until after Labor Day.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ Republican-controlled state school board is facing pressure from conservatives to scuttle Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s plan to delay the reopening of K-12 schools, even as a resurgence in coronavirus cases intensifies.The elected, 10-member State Board of Education can block Kelly’s plan under a law enacted last month as a compromise between Kelly and a GOP-controlled Legislature often critical of her handling of the pandemic. Kelly plans to issue an order Monday to delay the reopening of schools for 519,000 elementary, middle and high school students for three weeks, from mid-August until after Labor Day. The board is expected to meet within days.Senate President Susan Wagle, a conservative Wichita Republican, has publicly called on people to urge the board to reject Kelly’s proposed delay. The small-government, free-market Kansas Policy Institute think tank, influential with GOP conservatives, also urged similar action Friday, saying a delayed school start would hurt children.Kelly cited the continued growth in confirmed coronavirus cases in announcing her plan this week. The state reported its worst seven-day spike in cases since the pandemic began on Friday when the Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported more than 1,000 confirmed new cases in just two days, bringing the total for the pandemic close to 22,000.“We’re going in the wrong direction,” said Ashley Jones-Wisner, the state health department’s spokeswoman.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594844055627.png" alt="Kansas Commissioner of Education Randy Watson during the governor's July 15 news conference" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Commissioner of Education Randy Watson during the governor's July 15 news conference</figcaption>
 </figure>Kelly’s announcement came only hours after the State Board of Education approved 1,100 pages of guidelines for reopening K-12 schools safely, including recommendations for all staff to wear masks, as well as students in middle and high school. But they weren’t mandates, reflecting the state’s longstanding tradition of leaving decisions about building operations to local school boards.Republicans have an 8-2 majority on the state board. Kelly does not yet appear to have the necessary six votes for approval of her order. Seven board members — including the two Democrats — told The Associated Press as of Friday that they hadn’t decided how to vote.They said they needed to see the text of Kelly’s order and were conferring with teachers, superintendents, locals school board members and public health officials. They also said they were getting inundated with calls and emails, from all points of view.Board member Jim Porter, a Fredonia Republican, said local boards should make such decisions, but he recognizes that Kansas faces “a very serious health concern.”“I am conflicted,” Porter said. ”I personally have a medically fragile granddaughter.”The Kansas Policy Institute cited guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly advocating that reopening plans start “with a goal of having students physically present in school.” The KPI said long times away from schools and their associated support services often results in social isolation, hampering efforts to address learning deficits and physical and mental health.Educators and state and local officials argue that children benefit from interacting with each other and that in-person classes generally are better for instruction than online classes. Also, the state had reported no COVID-19-related deaths in children under 18 as of Friday, with 8.4% of the state’s total cases in minors.State school board member Janet Waugh, a Kansas City, Kansas, Democrat, said she’s heard from teachers who miss their students but also from teachers “who are making their wills and revising their wills.”The state health department said Kansas has had a total of 21,965 reported novel coronavirus cases, up 1,032 or 4.9% from Wednesday. Infections are thought to be far more numerous because many people have not been tested, and people can be infected without feeling sick.The health department reported no change in the number of COVID-19-related deaths, making it still 299 for the pandemic. However, Johns Hopkins University put the tally at 305.Kansas has seen an increase in coronavirus cases with 3,354 during the seven days ending Friday, a jump of 18%. The daily average for new cases during the period was 479. COVID-19-related deaths and hospitalizations have grown more slowly.After weeks of pressure from Republican legislators, Kelly lifted statewide restrictions on businesses and public gatherings May 26, leaving decisions to the state’s 105 counties. Counties also have the power to opt out of an order Kelly issued July 2 to require people to wear masks in public and at their workplaces, and most have, exempting about 40% of the state’s population.“The counties have been opening up,” said Barbara Mitchell, a spokeswoman for the health department in Johnson County, the state’s most populous county, where a mask mandate is in place. “So there’s a lot of people going back to work and doing activities.”____

Kansas Board of Education faces pressure to reopen schools

GARDNER, Kan. (AP) — Police in the Kansas City suburb of Gardner, Kansas, say a 19-year-old man has died in a crash there. Television station WDAF reports that the crash happened around 2:30 a.m. Sunday on Interstate 35.

 Investigators say the man's northbound car missed an exit, launched into a grassy area and rolled. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Police had not released his name by Monday morning. An investigation into the crash continues.

GARDNER, Kan. (AP) — Police in the Kansas City suburb of Gardner, Kansas, say a 19-year-old man has died in a crash there. Television station WDAF reports that the crash happened around 2:30 a.m. Sunday on Interstate 35. Investigators say the man's northbound car missed an exit, launched into a grassy area and rolled. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Police had not released his name by Monday morning. An investigation into the crash continues.

Officials: 19-year-old Kansas man killed in rollover crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — Top Republicans in Congress are expected to meet Monday with President Donald Trump at the White House on the next&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">COVID-19&nbsp;</a>aid package as the crisis many hoped would have improved has dramatically worsened, just as emergency relief is expiring.

New divisions between the Senate GOP majority and the White House posed fresh challenges. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was prepared to roll out the $1 trillion package in a matter of days. But administration panned more virus testing money and interjected other priorities that could complicate quick passage.

Trump insisted again Sunday that the virus would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/02b0c7bb496a21d9e09abb1d01cecf1a">“disappear,”&nbsp;</a>but the president’s view did not at all match projections from the leading health professionals straining to halt the U.S.’s alarming caseloads and death toll.

Lawmakers were returning to a Capitol still off-limits to tourists, another sign of the nation’s difficulty containing the coronavirus. Rather than easing, the pandemic’s devastating cycle was happening all over again, leaving Congress little choice but to engineer another costly rescue. Businesses were shutting down again, schools could not fully reopen and jobs were disappearing, all while federal aid expired.

Without a successful federal strategy, lawmakers are trying to draft one.

“It’s not going to magically disappear,” said a somber McConnell, R-Ky., last week during a visit to a hospital in his home state to thank front-line workers.

McConnell and House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy were set to meet with Trump and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin “to fine-tune” the legislation, acting chief of staff Mark Meadows said on Fox News.

The political stakes were high for all sides before the November election, but even more so for the nation, which now registered more coronavirus infections and a higher death count of 140,500 than any other country.

The package from McConnell had been quietly crafted behind closed doors for weeks and was expected to include $75 billion to help schools reopen, reduced unemployment benefits alongside a fresh round of direct $1,200 cash payments to Americans, and a sweeping five-year liability shield against coronavirus lawsuits.

But as the White House weighed in, the administration was panning some $25 billion in proposed new funds for testing and tracing, said one Republican familiar with the discussions. The administration’s objections were first reported by The Washington Post.

Trump was also reviving his push for a payroll tax break, which was being seriously considered, said another Republican. Both spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private talks.

The new push from the White House put the administration at odds with GOP allies in Congress, a disconnect that threatened to upend an already difficult legislative process. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi already passed Democrats’ vast&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/55887a1d2b734020c8dae29004f087d6">$3 trillion proposal</a>&nbsp;and virus cases and deaths had only increased since.

Trump raised alarms on Capitol Hill when he suggested last month at a rally in Oklahoma that he wanted to slow virus testing. Some of Trump’s GOP allies wanted new money to help test and track the virus to contain its spread. Senate Democrats were investigating why the Trump administration had not yet spent some of $25 billion previously allocated for testing in an earlier aid bill.

The payroll tax Trump wanted also divided his party. Senate Republicans in particular opposed the payroll tax break as an insufficient response to millions of out-of-work Americans, especially as they tried to keep the total price tag of the aid package at no more than $1 trillion.

Trump said Sunday in the Fox News interview that he would consider not signing any bill unless it included the payroll tax break, which many GOP senators opposed.

As McConnell prepared to roll out his $1 trillion-plus proposal, he acknowledged it would not have full support. This would be the fifth virus aid package, after the $2.2 trillion bill passed in March, the largest U.S. intervention of its kind.

Just as the pandemic’s ferocious cycle was starting again, the first round of aid was running out.

A federal $600-a-week boost to regular unemployment benefits would expire at the end of the month. So, too, would the federal ban on evictions on millions of rental units.

With 17 straight weeks of unemployment claims topping 1 million — usually about 200,000 — many households were facing a cash crunch and losing employer-backed health insurance coverage.

Despite flickers of an economic upswing as states eased stay-at-home orders in May and June, the jobless rate remained at double digits, higher than it ever was in the last decade’s Great Recession.

Pelosi’s bill, approved in May, included $75 billion for testing and tracing to try to get a handle on the virus spread, funneled $100 billion to schools to safely reopen and called for $1 trillion to be sent to cash-strapped states to pay essential workers and prevent layoffs. The measure would give cash stipends to Americans, and bolster rental and mortgage and other safety net protections.

In the two months since Pelosi’s bill passed, the U.S. had 50,000 more deaths and 2 million more infections.

“If we don’t invest the money now, it will be much worse,” Pelosi said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589232058595.png" alt="President Trump during a Coronavirus Task Force briefing at the White House Rose Garden in May-image courtesy White. House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump during a Coronavirus Task Force briefing at the White House Rose Garden in May-image courtesy White. House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Top Republicans in Congress are expected to meet Monday with President Donald Trump at the White House on the next&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">COVID-19&nbsp;</a>aid package as the crisis many hoped would have improved has dramatically worsened, just as emergency relief is expiring.New divisions between the Senate GOP majority and the White House posed fresh challenges. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was prepared to roll out the $1 trillion package in a matter of days. But administration panned more virus testing money and interjected other priorities that could complicate quick passage.Trump insisted again Sunday that the virus would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/02b0c7bb496a21d9e09abb1d01cecf1a">“disappear,”&nbsp;</a>but the president’s view did not at all match projections from the leading health professionals straining to halt the U.S.’s alarming caseloads and death toll.Lawmakers were returning to a Capitol still off-limits to tourists, another sign of the nation’s difficulty containing the coronavirus. Rather than easing, the pandemic’s devastating cycle was happening all over again, leaving Congress little choice but to engineer another costly rescue. Businesses were shutting down again, schools could not fully reopen and jobs were disappearing, all while federal aid expired.Without a successful federal strategy, lawmakers are trying to draft one.“It’s not going to magically disappear,” said a somber McConnell, R-Ky., last week during a visit to a hospital in his home state to thank front-line workers.McConnell and House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy were set to meet with Trump and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin “to fine-tune” the legislation, acting chief of staff Mark Meadows said on Fox News.The political stakes were high for all sides before the November election, but even more so for the nation, which now registered more coronavirus infections and a higher death count of 140,500 than any other country.The package from McConnell had been quietly crafted behind closed doors for weeks and was expected to include $75 billion to help schools reopen, reduced unemployment benefits alongside a fresh round of direct $1,200 cash payments to Americans, and a sweeping five-year liability shield against coronavirus lawsuits.But as the White House weighed in, the administration was panning some $25 billion in proposed new funds for testing and tracing, said one Republican familiar with the discussions. The administration’s objections were first reported by The Washington Post.Trump was also reviving his push for a payroll tax break, which was being seriously considered, said another Republican. Both spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private talks.The new push from the White House put the administration at odds with GOP allies in Congress, a disconnect that threatened to upend an already difficult legislative process. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi already passed Democrats’ vast&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/55887a1d2b734020c8dae29004f087d6">$3 trillion proposal</a>&nbsp;and virus cases and deaths had only increased since.Trump raised alarms on Capitol Hill when he suggested last month at a rally in Oklahoma that he wanted to slow virus testing. Some of Trump’s GOP allies wanted new money to help test and track the virus to contain its spread. Senate Democrats were investigating why the Trump administration had not yet spent some of $25 billion previously allocated for testing in an earlier aid bill.The payroll tax Trump wanted also divided his party. Senate Republicans in particular opposed the payroll tax break as an insufficient response to millions of out-of-work Americans, especially as they tried to keep the total price tag of the aid package at no more than $1 trillion.Trump said Sunday in the Fox News interview that he would consider not signing any bill unless it included the payroll tax break, which many GOP senators opposed.“I want to see it,” he said.As McConnell prepared to roll out his $1 trillion-plus proposal, he acknowledged it would not have full support. This would be the fifth virus aid package, after the $2.2 trillion bill passed in March, the largest U.S. intervention of its kind.Just as the pandemic’s ferocious cycle was starting again, the first round of aid was running out.A federal $600-a-week boost to regular unemployment benefits would expire at the end of the month. So, too, would the federal ban on evictions on millions of rental units.With 17 straight weeks of unemployment claims topping 1 million — usually about 200,000 — many households were facing a cash crunch and losing employer-backed health insurance coverage.Despite flickers of an economic upswing as states eased stay-at-home orders in May and June, the jobless rate remained at double digits, higher than it ever was in the last decade’s Great Recession.Pelosi’s bill, approved in May, included $75 billion for testing and tracing to try to get a handle on the virus spread, funneled $100 billion to schools to safely reopen and called for $1 trillion to be sent to cash-strapped states to pay essential workers and prevent layoffs. The measure would give cash stipends to Americans, and bolster rental and mortgage and other safety net protections.In the two months since Pelosi’s bill passed, the U.S. had 50,000 more deaths and 2 million more infections.“If we don’t invest the money now, it will be much worse,” Pelosi said.

GOP leaders, Trump to discuss virus aid as crisis deepens

HUTCHINSON. — A domestic dispute on Friday night turned into a standoff on Saturday in Reno County.

&nbsp;Justin Mario Kidd, 47, rural Hutchinson, was involved in a domestic dispute between himself and his spouse around 8 p.m. Friday. This resulted in criminal charges being sent to the District Attorney for prosecution. The Sheriff’s Office exhausted resources that evening attempting to locate him while the spouse was placed into a shelter.

Late morning on Saturday, Kidd began to text his spouse again with suicidal threats. Deputies attempted to contact Justin at his residence and he walked into the street and fired twice at deputies. No injuries or damage to property occurred.

It took until just after 5 p.m. for the Reno County Emergency Response Team to talk him into coming out peacefully. Local neighbors were evacuated.

Kidd was booked on aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon and criminal threat charges. His bond is set at over $100,000.

Deputies executed a search warrant over the weekend at Kidd's residence and seized Eight firearms and ammunition.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595241791854.png" alt="Multiple agencies responded to the scene on Saturday in Reno County -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Multiple agencies responded to the scene on Saturday in Reno County -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON. — A domestic dispute on Friday night turned into a standoff on Saturday in Reno County.&nbsp;Justin Mario Kidd, 47, rural Hutchinson, was involved in a domestic dispute between himself and his spouse around 8 p.m. Friday. This resulted in criminal charges being sent to the District Attorney for prosecution. The Sheriff’s Office exhausted resources that evening attempting to locate him while the spouse was placed into a shelter.Late morning on Saturday, Kidd began to text his spouse again with suicidal threats. Deputies attempted to contact Justin at his residence and he walked into the street and fired twice at deputies. No injuries or damage to property occurred.It took until just after 5 p.m. for the Reno County Emergency Response Team to talk him into coming out peacefully. Local neighbors were evacuated.Kidd was booked on aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon and criminal threat charges. His bond is set at over $100,000.Deputies executed a search warrant over the weekend at Kidd's residence and seized Eight firearms and ammunition.

 47-year-old Kan. man arrested after firing at deputies Saturday

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects on drug charges after a traffic stop.

&nbsp;Just before 3p.m. Friday, a sheriff’s deputy stopped a 2001 Chevy Blazer near 110th and U.S. Highway 75 for a traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The traffic stop resulted in the arrest of the driver and two occupants. 

The driver, Jimmy Clinton Lininger, 30, of Topeka was arrested on requested charges of criminal use of a weapon and he had an outstanding felony Shawnee County warrant. 

Annette Marie Martin, 52, of Topeka was arrested on a requested charge of distribution of heroin, possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. 

Rebecca Ellen Pollock, 46, of Topeka was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia. All three subjects are being held in the Jackson County Jail.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595089698125.png" alt="Pollock photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Pollock photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects on drug charges after a traffic stop.&nbsp;Just before 3p.m. Friday, a sheriff’s deputy stopped a 2001 Chevy Blazer near 110th and U.S. Highway 75 for a traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.The traffic stop resulted in the arrest of the driver and two occupants. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595089780153.png" alt="Lininger photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Lininger photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>The driver, Jimmy Clinton Lininger, 30, of Topeka was arrested on requested charges of criminal use of a weapon and he had an outstanding felony Shawnee County warrant. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595089730413.png" alt="Martin photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Martin photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>Annette Marie Martin, 52, of Topeka was arrested on a requested charge of distribution of heroin, possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Rebecca Ellen Pollock, 46, of Topeka was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia. All three subjects are being held in the Jackson County Jail.

Kansas woman accused of heroin distribution after traffic stop

WICHITA, KAN. (AP) — A Kansas man charged with shooting at police during protests last month told a co-worker that he “emptied a whole clip” on officers after his sister was hit with a rubber bullet while holding a baby.

An arrest affidavit released Friday in the criminal case against 28-year-old Henry Parker of Wichita says he admitted to the co-worker that he’d fired on officers early on June 2 but told her “don't tell on me."

Parker, who has denied any involvement in the shooting, is charged with 19 counts of aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, two counts of aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer and one count of criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.

None of the officers was shot, but police said one officer’s helmet was hit by bullet pieces that had ricocheted near the officers.

Police Chief Gordon Ramsay has previously said officers fired tear gas, smoke rounds, flash grenades and foam bullets into the crowd that morning after rioters threw objects at police and refused to leave. The unrest followed a mostly peaceful protest calling for the end of police brutality in response to the May 25 death of George Floyd.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591371389592.png" alt="Parker photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Parker photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. (AP) — A Kansas man charged with shooting at police during protests last month told a co-worker that he “emptied a whole clip” on officers after his sister was hit with a rubber bullet while holding a baby.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591210505871.png" alt="Parker as seen from police body camera -photo courtesy Wichita police" />
 <figcaption>Parker as seen from police body camera -photo courtesy Wichita police</figcaption>
 </figure>An arrest affidavit released Friday in the criminal case against 28-year-old Henry Parker of Wichita says he admitted to the co-worker that he’d fired on officers early on June 2 but told her “don't tell on me."Parker, who has denied any involvement in the shooting, is charged with 19 counts of aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, two counts of aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer and one count of criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.None of the officers was shot, but police said one officer’s helmet was hit by bullet pieces that had ricocheted near the officers.Police Chief Gordon Ramsay has previously said officers fired tear gas, smoke rounds, flash grenades and foam bullets into the crowd that morning after rioters threw objects at police and refused to leave. The unrest followed a mostly peaceful protest calling for the end of police brutality in response to the May 25 death of George Floyd.

Affidavit: Kan. protest suspect said he 'emptied a whole clip' at police

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and have a suspect in custody.&nbsp;

Just after 9:30a.m. Friday,&nbsp; Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office personnel, including all six K9 officers and their K9 partners, along with members of the Kansas Highway Patrol responded to a call of a suspicious vehicle seen at a vacant building in the 500 block of SE Dupont Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

 A citizen reported two male subjects arrived in a truck and forced entry into the building. Upon arrival the deputies found the truck still parked at the address but the two suspects were no longer on scene. 

The truck was found to be a stolen vehicle from Topeka.

The witness gave sufficient details to responding officers that led them to a residence in the 4400 block of SE Weekley Court.

After three hours of attempting to make contact with the suspect, a search warrant was granted and the suspect was located inside the residence. Deputies took Cecil C. North, 40, of Topeka&nbsp;into custody and transported him to the Law Enforcement Center for further questioning.

North was later booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of burglary, theft and interference with law enforcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594986251234.png" alt="North photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>North photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and have a suspect in custody.&nbsp;Just after 9:30a.m. Friday,&nbsp; Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office personnel, including all six K9 officers and their K9 partners, along with members of the Kansas Highway Patrol responded to a call of a suspicious vehicle seen at a vacant building in the 500 block of SE Dupont Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. A citizen reported two male subjects arrived in a truck and forced entry into the building. Upon arrival the deputies found the truck still parked at the address but the two suspects were no longer on scene. The truck was found to be a stolen vehicle from Topeka.The witness gave sufficient details to responding officers that led them to a residence in the 4400 block of SE Weekley Court.After three hours of attempting to make contact with the suspect, a search warrant was granted and the suspect was located inside the residence. Deputies took Cecil C. North, 40, of Topeka&nbsp;into custody and transported him to the Law Enforcement Center for further questioning.North was later booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of burglary, theft and interference with law enforcement.

Six K-9 officers, partners help arrest Kansas burglary suspect

BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — A gun range violated the civil rights of a Muslim woman by not allowing her to shoot unless she removed a religious head covering, an advocacy group said Thursday.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations asked the U.S. Department of Justice&nbsp;in a letter&nbsp;for a civil rights probe into the denial of services by Frontier Justice during an incident earlier this year at one of their gun ranges located in the suburban Kansas City, Missouri, metropolitan area.

<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6990099-Missouri-Gun-Range-Letter.html">Click here </a>to read the letter

“The law demands equal access to public accommodations regardless of your race, color, religion and national origin," said CAIR attorney Zanah Ghalawanji. “So Frontier Justice has disregarded and violated the civil rights protections by actively excluding Muslim women who wear the hijab from their business.”

The company, which touts on its&nbsp;<a href="https://frontier-justice.com/about-frontier-justice/">website</a>&nbsp;its core values of “Faith, Family and Freedom,” has facilities in Lee's Summit, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas. It said in an email that head coverings are a safety risk because they could catch the hot brass when firing a firearm.

“It saddens us that anyone would say we are not inclusive, given that we serve all races and religions every single day in all of our stores,” Frontier Justice President Bren Brown said in a statement. “We pride ourselves on this fact, and we strongly believe in America and the second amendment that is for every single American.”

Rania Barakat recounted during a Facebook Live news conference Thursday an incident that unfolded on Jan. 1 at the Frontier Justice gun range in Missouri when she went with her husband there to shoot.

The couple waited in line for an hour that day, she said, and when they approached the cashier to pay she was told that she must remove her hijab in order to use the facilities. Barakat said she had shot at other gun ranges without having to remove her hijab.

Frontier Justice employees cited the company's dress code policy, which is posted on its website: "Hats, caps, bandanas, or any other head covering will be removed in the facility, except baseball caps facing forward.”

Barakat said she was told by the range's manager that it was “a safety issue." She said they left when it became clear they weren't going to let them shoot.

“I've encountered racism before, but it was never to the point someone told me I had to remove my scarf in order to enter a facility or do any type of activity like this,” she said. “It was very shocking to both my husband and I.”

She later discovered online reviews about Frontier Justice that were written by other Muslim women who had also been told they needed to remove their hijabs to shoot.

“To have this happen to me personally, it was very sad and, you know, frustrating," Barakat said. “And I would never want anyone to go through what I went through.”

Moussa Elbayoumy, chairman of the CAIR's Kansas board, said the local chapter had received a number of reports around the same time about that same facility from other Muslim women who were also told they had to remove their hijabs to shoot.

He contended the range's policy is not based on any legitimate safety concerns, but is meant to exclude Muslim women.

“Frontier Justice, you know, says they value faith, family and freedom,” Ghalawanji said. “That appears to be their motto, but, however, their actions tell us that they have shown otherwise.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594984731375.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — A gun range violated the civil rights of a Muslim woman by not allowing her to shoot unless she removed a religious head covering, an advocacy group said Thursday.The Council on American-Islamic Relations asked the U.S. Department of Justice&nbsp;in a letter&nbsp;for a civil rights probe into the denial of services by Frontier Justice during an incident earlier this year at one of their gun ranges located in the suburban Kansas City, Missouri, metropolitan area.<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6990099-Missouri-Gun-Range-Letter.html">Click here </a>to read the letter“The law demands equal access to public accommodations regardless of your race, color, religion and national origin," said CAIR attorney Zanah Ghalawanji. “So Frontier Justice has disregarded and violated the civil rights protections by actively excluding Muslim women who wear the hijab from their business.”The company, which touts on its&nbsp;<a href="https://frontier-justice.com/about-frontier-justice/">website</a>&nbsp;its core values of “Faith, Family and Freedom,” has facilities in Lee's Summit, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas. It said in an email that head coverings are a safety risk because they could catch the hot brass when firing a firearm.“It saddens us that anyone would say we are not inclusive, given that we serve all races and religions every single day in all of our stores,” Frontier Justice President Bren Brown said in a statement. “We pride ourselves on this fact, and we strongly believe in America and the second amendment that is for every single American.”Rania Barakat recounted during a Facebook Live news conference Thursday an incident that unfolded on Jan. 1 at the Frontier Justice gun range in Missouri when she went with her husband there to shoot.The couple waited in line for an hour that day, she said, and when they approached the cashier to pay she was told that she must remove her hijab in order to use the facilities. Barakat said she had shot at other gun ranges without having to remove her hijab.Frontier Justice employees cited the company's dress code policy, which is posted on its website: "Hats, caps, bandanas, or any other head covering will be removed in the facility, except baseball caps facing forward.”Barakat said she was told by the range's manager that it was “a safety issue." She said they left when it became clear they weren't going to let them shoot.“I've encountered racism before, but it was never to the point someone told me I had to remove my scarf in order to enter a facility or do any type of activity like this,” she said. “It was very shocking to both my husband and I.”She later discovered online reviews about Frontier Justice that were written by other Muslim women who had also been told they needed to remove their hijabs to shoot.“To have this happen to me personally, it was very sad and, you know, frustrating," Barakat said. “And I would never want anyone to go through what I went through.”Moussa Elbayoumy, chairman of the CAIR's Kansas board, said the local chapter had received a number of reports around the same time about that same facility from other Muslim women who were also told they had to remove their hijabs to shoot.He contended the range's policy is not based on any legitimate safety concerns, but is meant to exclude Muslim women.“Frontier Justice, you know, says they value faith, family and freedom,” Ghalawanji said. “That appears to be their motto, but, however, their actions tell us that they have shown otherwise.”

Muslim woman says gun range in KC ordered her to remove hijab

GRAY COUNTY – A Gray County sheriff’s deputy was shot early Saturday morning when responding to the report of a domestic dispute, and the suspect was later discovered dead inside the home.

Just after 1a.m. Saturday, the Gray County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI). KBI agents, the High Risk Warrant Team and the Crime Scene Response Team responded, according to a media release from the KBI.

Preliminary information indicates that at approximately 10:50 p.m., Friday, July 17, Gray County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence at 609 E. Ave. A in Cimarron, Kan. after a domestic dispute was reported at the location. When they responded to the home, they observed two subjects exiting the residence. After questioning them, deputies became concerned for the safety of the homeowner still inside, 49-year-old Kevin Trahern.

At approximately 12:30 a.m. on Saturday, three deputies from the Gray County Sheriff’s Office entered the house to try to locate Trahern. They entered through the back door, and a deputy started down the basement stairs when Trahern fired shots through the basement door, striking the deputy three times. The deputy returned fire, and all deputies retreated to safety.

Deputies rendered aid to the injured deputy who had been shot in his legs and foot. EMS transported the deputy to Western Plains Regional Hospital where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries. He has since been released from the hospital.

Following the shooting, a standoff at the residence ensued. Multiple agencies assisted including the KBI High Risk Warrant Team, the Dodge City Police Department tactical team, the Garden City Police Department tactical team, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Ford County Sheriff’s

Office, and the Hodgeman County Sheriff’s Office.

At approximately 1:40 p.m. Saturday afternoon, law enforcement officers entered the residence

and found Trahern deceased inside, from what is believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

An autopsy will be performed. The KBI will conduct an independent and complete investigation into this incident.

The investigation is ongoing. Nothing further will be released at this time.

GRAY COUNTY — The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is investigating after a Kansas sheriff's deputy was shot and wounded during an investigation of an alleged domestic disturbance Saturday in Gray County.

According to the Gray County Sheriff's office, deputies responded early Saturday to the&nbsp; 600 block of East Avenue A near Cimarron in southwest Kansas.

A woman reported&nbsp; that a man may have injured himself with a firearm. While law enforcement was investigating, shots were fired from the basement of the home injuring one officer in the lower leg.&nbsp;

EMS transported the deputy to&nbsp;Western Plains Regional hospital in Dodge City, and his injuries are not considered life-threatening, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. The suspect barricaded himself in the home.

Just after 1:30pm. Saturday, deputies broke into the home and found the suspect dead.

GRAY COUNTY — A Kansas sheriff's deputy was shot and wounded during an investigation of an alleged domestic disturbance Saturday in Gray County.

A woman reported&nbsp; that a man may have injured himself with a firearm. While law enforcement was investigating, shots were fired from the basement of the home injuring one officer in the lower leg.&nbsp;He was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and is in stable condition. 

The suspect was still believed to be barricaded inside his residence.&nbsp;

 Special Agents from the KBI and members of their Tactical Team, KHP Troopers, Ford County Sheriff’s Office Command Staff and Deputies along with members of the Dodge City PD SWAT Unit, Garden City PD SWAT Unit and the Hodgeman County Sheriff’s Office as well as Gray and Ford County EMS were on the scene.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595185296179.png" alt="SWAT team on the scene of the standoff photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>SWAT team on the scene of the standoff photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>GRAY COUNTY – A Gray County sheriff’s deputy was shot early Saturday morning when responding to the report of a domestic dispute, and the suspect was later discovered dead inside the home.Just after 1a.m. Saturday, the Gray County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI). KBI agents, the High Risk Warrant Team and the Crime Scene Response Team responded, according to a media release from the KBI.Preliminary information indicates that at approximately 10:50 p.m., Friday, July 17, Gray County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence at 609 E. Ave. A in Cimarron, Kan. after a domestic dispute was reported at the location. When they responded to the home, they observed two subjects exiting the residence. After questioning them, deputies became concerned for the safety of the homeowner still inside, 49-year-old Kevin Trahern.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595109786144.png" alt="Near the scene of the standoff Saturday in southwest Kansas -photo by Grand Demars courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Near the scene of the standoff Saturday in southwest Kansas -photo by Grand Demars courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>At approximately 12:30 a.m. on Saturday, three deputies from the Gray County Sheriff’s Office entered the house to try to locate Trahern. They entered through the back door, and a deputy started down the basement stairs when Trahern fired shots through the basement door, striking the deputy three times. The deputy returned fire, and all deputies retreated to safety.Deputies rendered aid to the injured deputy who had been shot in his legs and foot. EMS transported the deputy to Western Plains Regional Hospital where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries. He has since been released from the hospital.Following the shooting, a standoff at the residence ensued. Multiple agencies assisted including the KBI High Risk Warrant Team, the Dodge City Police Department tactical team, the Garden City Police Department tactical team, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Ford County Sheriff’sOffice, and the Hodgeman County Sheriff’s Office.At approximately 1:40 p.m. Saturday afternoon, law enforcement officers entered the residenceand found Trahern deceased inside, from what is believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.An autopsy will be performed. The KBI will conduct an independent and complete investigation into this incident.The investigation is ongoing. Nothing further will be released at this time.GRAY COUNTY — The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is investigating after a Kansas sheriff's deputy was shot and wounded during an investigation of an alleged domestic disturbance Saturday in Gray County.According to the Gray County Sheriff's office, deputies responded early Saturday to the&nbsp; 600 block of East Avenue A near Cimarron in southwest Kansas.A woman reported&nbsp; that a man may have injured himself with a firearm. While law enforcement was investigating, shots were fired from the basement of the home injuring one officer in the lower leg.&nbsp;EMS transported the deputy to&nbsp;Western Plains Regional hospital in Dodge City, and his injuries are not considered life-threatening, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. The suspect barricaded himself in the home.Just after 1:30pm. Saturday, deputies broke into the home and found the suspect dead.---------GRAY COUNTY — A Kansas sheriff's deputy was shot and wounded during an investigation of an alleged domestic disturbance Saturday in Gray County.According to the Gray County Sheriff's office, deputies responded early Saturday to the&nbsp; 600 block of East Avenue A near Cimarron in southwest Kansas.A woman reported&nbsp; that a man may have injured himself with a firearm. While law enforcement was investigating, shots were fired from the basement of the home injuring one officer in the lower leg.&nbsp;He was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and is in stable condition. The suspect was still believed to be barricaded inside his residence.&nbsp; Special Agents from the KBI and members of their Tactical Team, KHP Troopers, Ford County Sheriff’s Office Command Staff and Deputies along with members of the Dodge City PD SWAT Unit, Garden City PD SWAT Unit and the Hodgeman County Sheriff’s Office as well as Gray and Ford County EMS were on the scene.The Associated Press contributed to this report.

KBI: Wounded SW Kan. sheriff's deputy released from the hospital

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Spirit AeroSystems sent some employees notices about voluntary layoffs, citing the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and the grounding of the 737 Max. 

The five-page notice that went out Friday says both reduced overall demand for new commercial airplanes, and that  as a result, “production rates for commercial aircraft have fallen from historic highs to much lower volumes. 

The notice says there is “no expectation for a quick recovery.” It is unclear how many employees are affected. The announcement follows months of layoffs and furloughs in the aviation industry.&nbsp;

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Spirit AeroSystems sent some employees notices about voluntary layoffs, citing the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and the grounding of the 737 Max. The five-page notice that went out Friday says both reduced overall demand for new commercial airplanes, and that as a result, “production rates for commercial aircraft have fallen from historic highs to much lower volumes. The notice says there is “no expectation for a quick recovery.” It is unclear how many employees are affected. The announcement follows months of layoffs and furloughs in the aviation industry.&nbsp;

Kansas aircraft parts maker seeks voluntary layoffs

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — Daniel Lewis Lee, a condemned man and convicted murderer, was asked if he wanted to make a final statement from the execution chamber, with its institutional green-tiled walls and plate-glass interior window, moments before he too would die.

He did. He leaned his head up and we locked eyes.

“You’re killing an innocent man,” Lee said, looking directly at me.

Those were his last words. He said them to me.

Lee’s execution, one of two that I witnessed this past week at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana, played out slowly, after painstaking hours of final, futile legal appeals, before prison officials administered a lethal injection and the federal government carried out capital punishment for the first time in almost two decades. A third execution came later in the week.

Before the lethal injection for Lee, there had been a lot of waiting. Prison officials searched me extensively each time I arrived, then sent me back to my hotel during the legal maneuvering, only to call me back to the maximum-security facility.

As part of a small group of other reporters, I was an official witness to Lee’s death, one that took place in the middle of a pandemic.

Lee, who was convicted of killing an Arkansas gun dealer, his wife and young daughter in the late 1990s, was scheduled to be executed Monday at 4 p.m. EDT.

But there would be a long wait as his legal appeals made their way to the Supreme Court. Along with other reporters, I was lodged inside a former bowling alley that was now a prison staff training center. It was guarded by heavily armed prison officers. We were all wearing blue surgical masks. Our temperatures were taken.

We could carry only identification into the prison as we loaded into two unmarked white vans that took us a short distance down “Justice Drive” to the penitentiary building for a security screening.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574950995361.png" alt="&nbsp;Wesley Purkey from Kansas was convicted of kidnapping and killing a 16-year-old girl before dismembering, burning and dumping her body in a septic pond. He also was convicted in a state court in Kansas after using a claw hammer to kill an 80-year-old woman who had polio." />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Wesley Purkey from Kansas was convicted of kidnapping and killing a 16-year-old girl before dismembering, burning and dumping her body in a septic pond. He also was convicted in a state court in Kansas after using a claw hammer to kill an 80-year-old woman who had polio.</figcaption>
 </figure> By MICHAEL BALSAMOTERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — Daniel Lewis Lee, a condemned man and convicted murderer, was asked if he wanted to make a final statement from the execution chamber, with its institutional green-tiled walls and plate-glass interior window, moments before he too would die.He did. He leaned his head up and we locked eyes.“You’re killing an innocent man,” Lee said, looking directly at me.Those were his last words. He said them to me.Lee’s execution, one of two that I witnessed this past week at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana, played out slowly, after painstaking hours of final, futile legal appeals, before prison officials administered a lethal injection and the federal government carried out capital punishment for the first time in almost two decades. A third execution came later in the week.Before the lethal injection for Lee, there had been a lot of waiting. Prison officials searched me extensively each time I arrived, then sent me back to my hotel during the legal maneuvering, only to call me back to the maximum-security facility.As part of a small group of other reporters, I was an official witness to Lee’s death, one that took place in the middle of a pandemic.Lee, who was convicted of killing an Arkansas gun dealer, his wife and young daughter in the late 1990s, was scheduled to be executed Monday at 4 p.m. EDT.But there would be a long wait as his legal appeals made their way to the Supreme Court. Along with other reporters, I was lodged inside a former bowling alley that was now a prison staff training center. It was guarded by heavily armed prison officers. We were all wearing blue surgical masks. Our temperatures were taken.We could carry only identification into the prison as we loaded into two unmarked white vans that took us a short distance down “Justice Drive” to the penitentiary building for a security screening.Inside, correction officers outfitted in full protective gear — N95 masks, face shields, gloves and paper gowns — told us we’d be going through the equivalent of a souped-up airport screening. They even took my glasses to X-ray them.But then came another delay. Officials told us to grab dinner, so we did, then returned to the prison and waited. By midnight, all of us left again for our hotels nearby.At 2:10 a.m. the Supreme Court ruled the execution could proceed. About a minute or so later, a Bureau of Prisons official was on the phone saying the execution was scheduled for 4:15 a.m.We rushed back to the prison. The clock in the van read 4:16 when we hopped out and headed into the execution chamber.Lee was already there — strapped to a gurney.We were brought into a small witness room. There were plastic chairs facing the window, a notepad, a pen, small bottle of hand sanitizer and a single sanitizing wipe on each seat. A correction officer pulled the large metal door closed and a booming click echoed through the room. We were locked in.The curtain was shut, but I could hear noises coming from the other side of the wall. We couldn’t make small talk. A man, albeit a convicted murderer, who was supposed to die soon could probably hear us.We were all uncomfortable. A reporter next to me scribbled “legal issue?” on his notepad and gestured to me. “I guess so,” I replied.There was no clock in the room. We lost track of how long we had been in there. Eventually someone asked if anyone knew what time it was. When a correction officer replied it was 6:10 a.m., there was a collective gasp of surprise.At 7:46 a.m. the curtain began to rise slowly. By that time we’d been locked in the room with Lee just on the other side of the glass, strapped in, for nearly four hours.There he was. His arms were strapped down and a light blue sheet covered most of his body. I was annoyed with one of the reporters who was moving around vying for a better view. Of a man’s death. It bothered me somehow, even though we were all there.A U.S. marshal inside the room with Lee picked up a black phone hanging on the green tiled wall.“This is the marshal inside the execution chamber,” he said. Washington headquarters was on the other end. The marshal asked if there were any legal impediments that would prohibit the execution. He listened, then said, “I understand there are no impediments.”And then Lee said those last words, looking right at me.He rested his head back down and the drug quickly did its deadly work. His lips turned blue. His chest stopped moving. He was pronounced dead.I rushed back to my computer and filed my story.It wouldn’t sink in until later that I had just watched a man die. My face was one of the last he saw. I’ve been a crime reporter for years, but this felt different. It was clinical. It was like watching someone go to sleep.And there wasn’t much time to dwell on the experience, because another execution was scheduled for the next day.Wesley Ira Purkey was convicted of kidnapping a 16-year-old girl from her Kansas neighborhood, raping and killing her in the late 1990s and also killing an 80-year-old.But his time to die too was already delayed well into the evening. We arrived at the staff training center at 4 p.m. But this time we weren’t allowed to leave.As the hours ticked by, everyone became more anxious, at times pacing in circles.By 10 p.m., the Bureau of Prisons officials offered us peanuts and chips. They didn’t want to let us go back to the hotels because it would take too long to bring us all back through security.Just before midnight came more food — Lunchables, dug out from a prison fridge somewhere.At 2:45 a.m. — about 11 hours after we arrived — we were told to leave our electronics and loaded back into the vans. This time we stopped just outside of the execution chamber.And we sat there for five hours. I dozed off for a bit in my seat.Eventually, after Purkey’s legal avenues were exhausted, we were brought into the witness room. The curtain rose at 7:55 a.m. We were again looking into the execution chamber. The same officials were standing beside Purkey, his arms strapped down with black restraints. He apologized to the family of the teenage girl he killed and to his own daughter.“I deeply regret the pain and suffering I caused to Jennifer’s family,” he said. “I am deeply sorry. I deeply regret the pain I caused to my daughter, who I love so very much. This sanitized murder really does not serve no purpose whatsoever. Thank you.”&nbsp;I glanced over at his spiritual adviser — a Zen Buddhist priest who had sued the Bureau of Prisons to try to stop the execution because of fears over the coronavirus. He was wearing a mask under a face shield and appeared to be praying. I wondered if he was afraid he’d get the virus. I wondered if I would get the virus.A few minutes later, Purkey was declared dead. The curtain came down.In one week, I had spent more than 32 hours inside a prison. And watched two men die.___