BY STEPHAN BISAHA <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-teachers-could-owe-their-schools-thousands-if-they-quit-over-coronavirus-concerns">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA — Kansas teachers that don’t feel 
safe going back to crowded hallways as schools reopen could take medical
 leave or teach online. But at the many districts that don’t have those 
options, teachers eye another choice: quitting.

Resigning would 
mean more than losing steady paychecks during a recession and insurance 
during a pandemic. Teachers that leave now must pay their districts 
thousands of dollars.

Most Kansas public teachers must retire or 
resign early in the summer or pay their school district to find a 
replacement. Unless a district or a teacher says otherwise, contracts 
roll over into the new year.

It’s usually a routine thing. 
Notably, the upcoming school year looks much the same when those 
contracts are signed as when kids return for the fall semester.

But
 heading back to school seemed a lot safer before the resignation 
deadlines that came a few months ago. At the deadlines, the coronavirus 
outbreak appeared nearly under control. Some educators now say it’s 
unfair to charge teachers for escaping their contracts if they no longer
 feel safe returning to the classroom. And forcing teachers to pay now 
could lead to more teachers quitting eventually.

“You can claw 
back as much money as you want, but if you’re not careful, then what you
 end up with is a district with no teachers,” said Marcus Baltzell, head
 of communications for the Kansas National Education Association.

In
 May, the worst of the pandemic in Kansas seemed over. The state 
reported its lowest number of new coronavirus cases in two months and 
businesses were slowly reopening. Before the end of the month, most 
Kansas schools required teachers to decide if they were coming back.

Kelly
 Smith, a special education teacher at Leavenworth High School, felt 
pretty good about returning. The state still hadn’t released guidelines 
for what reopening schools should look like, but a task force made up of
 educators and health officials were working on that.

“I was 
absolutely confident that with all the contributors that they would come
 up with the absolute best plan that they could in completely unknown 
waters,” Smith said.

Today, coronavirus cases have climbed back up. Several counties, like <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/sedgwick-county-commission-reinstates-curfew-bar-restaurants" target="_blank">Sedgwick</a>, began ordering bars to close and reinstated gathering size limits. Some educators are now saying reopening schools safely is <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/08/01/schools-reopening-coronavirus-arizona-superintendent/?arc404=true" target="_blank">not possible</a>. Gov. Laura Kelly’s plan to delay reopening schools was overturned by the state school board, making that a local decision.

Smith said she’s now terrified. She would consider quitting, but she’d have to pay her district <a href="https://www.usd453.org/jobs/negotiated_agreement" target="_blank">$2,000 dollars for resigning in August</a>. She said that doesn’t leave her much choice other than going back to work.

“For me, that’s just shy of a month’s paycheck,” Smith said. “That would hurt.”

Penalties
 for backing out of a contract are meant to help districts find 
replacements, something that’s much harder the closer it gets to the 
first day of classes. By then, many teachers have already accepted jobs 
elsewhere.

Usually, districts ask for around $2,000, depending on
 how late a teacher leaves. But some schools want more. Emporia Public 
Schools asks for <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hL_rJfraEde6ITnTDUhFyBgSNSzbmOpt/view" target="_blank">$5,000 after August</a>. The Syracuse school district near the Colorado border asks for <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/scschoolfiles/361/negotiated_agreement.pdf" target="_blank">$10,000</a>.

Courts
 have upheld these clauses, but schools must prove that they’re actually
 based on the cost of replacing that teacher. It can’t be an arbitrary 
amount just meant to punish teachers. A rural district like Syracuse can
 argue that it’s much harder to recruit teachers, so they need more 
money from a teacher who’s backing out.

Despite the potential of teachers paying thousands of dollars, teachers unions often support these clauses.

Late
 resignations hurt other teachers who have to pick up the slack — and 
extra students — until a replacement can be found. That can take a while
 with the long-standing <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/09/15/493808213/frustration-burnout-attrition-its-time-to-address-the-national-teacher-shortage" target="_blank">national teacher shortage</a>.
 And without these clauses, teachers risk losing their teaching licenses
 for quitting too close to the start of the school year. The contracts 
give them a buyout option.

“Honestly, the association sees this 
as protection for teachers as well,” said Erica Huggard, the president 
of the Emporia chapter of the National Education Association.

Teachers still have plenty of questions about how their districts plan on reopening safely, like how <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-governor-says-masks-are-non-negotiable-schools-and-pleads-delaying-classes" target="_blank">mask requirements and daily temperature checks</a>&nbsp;will be enforced.

“Teachers
 are planners and right now we can’t plan anything,” said Kimberly 
Howard, president of the United Teachers of Wichita. She said Wichita 
should let teachers resign without penalty.

Wichita Public 
Schools said retiring teachers no longer need to pay. But while the 
district reserves the right to waive the fee on a case-by-case basis, it
 generally still plans on enforcing the rule.

Other districts 
have a similar position. They say they’re facing plenty of uncertainty 
because of the pandemic, making it essential they know how many teachers
 they’ll have to start the school year.

“It’s one of the most 
important things that we deal with every year, this year in particular,”
 said Eryn Wright, executive director of human resources at Salina 
Public Schools. “Knowing how many teachers we have is fundamental.”

All
 the unknowns could change whether or not courts enforce the buyout 
clauses. Indiana University business law professor Julie Manning Magid 
said many of the contracts were signed nearly a year ago. So much about 
teaching today has changed since then that courts could decide the 
contracts are no longer binding.

But the coronavirus could also 
bolster a school district’s argument that teachers should pay even some 
of the highest fees. It’s easier to justify those replacement costs 
because it’s that much harder — and expensive — today to find someone 
willing to teach in a school building.

“The current pandemic 
situation and trying to reopen schools is a new wrinkle in a way,” Magid
 said, “that I’m sure these clauses have never been tested.”

Stephan Bisaha reports on education and young adult life for KMUW and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveBisaha" target="_blank">@stevebisaha</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597165212301.jpeg" alt=" Stephan Bisaha / Kansas News Service " />
 <figcaption> Stephan Bisaha / Kansas News Service </figcaption>
 </figure>BY STEPHAN BISAHA <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-teachers-could-owe-their-schools-thousands-if-they-quit-over-coronavirus-concerns">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA — Kansas teachers that don’t feel 
safe going back to crowded hallways as schools reopen could take medical
 leave or teach online. But at the many districts that don’t have those 
options, teachers eye another choice: quitting.Resigning would 
mean more than losing steady paychecks during a recession and insurance 
during a pandemic. Teachers that leave now must pay their districts 
thousands of dollars.Most Kansas public teachers must retire or 
resign early in the summer or pay their school district to find a 
replacement. Unless a district or a teacher says otherwise, contracts 
roll over into the new year.It’s usually a routine thing. 
Notably, the upcoming school year looks much the same when those 
contracts are signed as when kids return for the fall semester.But
 heading back to school seemed a lot safer before the resignation 
deadlines that came a few months ago. At the deadlines, the coronavirus 
outbreak appeared nearly under control. Some educators now say it’s 
unfair to charge teachers for escaping their contracts if they no longer
 feel safe returning to the classroom. And forcing teachers to pay now 
could lead to more teachers quitting eventually.“You can claw 
back as much money as you want, but if you’re not careful, then what you
 end up with is a district with no teachers,” said Marcus Baltzell, head
 of communications for the Kansas National Education Association.<h2>May decision</h2>In
 May, the worst of the pandemic in Kansas seemed over. The state 
reported its lowest number of new coronavirus cases in two months and 
businesses were slowly reopening. Before the end of the month, most 
Kansas schools required teachers to decide if they were coming back.Kelly
 Smith, a special education teacher at Leavenworth High School, felt 
pretty good about returning. The state still hadn’t released guidelines 
for what reopening schools should look like, but a task force made up of
 educators and health officials were working on that.“I was 
absolutely confident that with all the contributors that they would come
 up with the absolute best plan that they could in completely unknown 
waters,” Smith said.Today, coronavirus cases have climbed back up. Several counties, like <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/sedgwick-county-commission-reinstates-curfew-bar-restaurants" target="_blank">Sedgwick</a>, began ordering bars to close and reinstated gathering size limits. Some educators are now saying reopening schools safely is <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/08/01/schools-reopening-coronavirus-arizona-superintendent/?arc404=true" target="_blank">not possible</a>. Gov. Laura Kelly’s plan to delay reopening schools was overturned by the state school board, making that a local decision.Smith said she’s now terrified. She would consider quitting, but she’d have to pay her district <a href="https://www.usd453.org/jobs/negotiated_agreement" target="_blank">$2,000 dollars for resigning in August</a>. She said that doesn’t leave her much choice other than going back to work.“For me, that’s just shy of a month’s paycheck,” Smith said. “That would hurt.”Penalties
 for backing out of a contract are meant to help districts find 
replacements, something that’s much harder the closer it gets to the 
first day of classes. By then, many teachers have already accepted jobs 
elsewhere.Usually, districts ask for around $2,000, depending on
 how late a teacher leaves. But some schools want more. Emporia Public 
Schools asks for <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hL_rJfraEde6ITnTDUhFyBgSNSzbmOpt/view" target="_blank">$5,000 after August</a>. The Syracuse school district near the Colorado border asks for <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/scschoolfiles/361/negotiated_agreement.pdf" target="_blank">$10,000</a>.Courts
 have upheld these clauses, but schools must prove that they’re actually
 based on the cost of replacing that teacher. It can’t be an arbitrary 
amount just meant to punish teachers. A rural district like Syracuse can
 argue that it’s much harder to recruit teachers, so they need more 
money from a teacher who’s backing out.Despite the potential of teachers paying thousands of dollars, teachers unions often support these clauses.Late
 resignations hurt other teachers who have to pick up the slack — and 
extra students — until a replacement can be found. That can take a while
 with the long-standing <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/09/15/493808213/frustration-burnout-attrition-its-time-to-address-the-national-teacher-shortage" target="_blank">national teacher shortage</a>.
 And without these clauses, teachers risk losing their teaching licenses
 for quitting too close to the start of the school year. The contracts 
give them a buyout option.“Honestly, the association sees this 
as protection for teachers as well,” said Erica Huggard, the president 
of the Emporia chapter of the National Education Association.<h2>Uncertain year</h2>Teachers still have plenty of questions about how their districts plan on reopening safely, like how <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-governor-says-masks-are-non-negotiable-schools-and-pleads-delaying-classes" target="_blank">mask requirements and daily temperature checks</a>&nbsp;will be enforced.“Teachers
 are planners and right now we can’t plan anything,” said Kimberly 
Howard, president of the United Teachers of Wichita. She said Wichita 
should let teachers resign without penalty.Wichita Public 
Schools said retiring teachers no longer need to pay. But while the 
district reserves the right to waive the fee on a case-by-case basis, it
 generally still plans on enforcing the rule.Other districts 
have a similar position. They say they’re facing plenty of uncertainty 
because of the pandemic, making it essential they know how many teachers
 they’ll have to start the school year.“It’s one of the most 
important things that we deal with every year, this year in particular,”
 said Eryn Wright, executive director of human resources at Salina 
Public Schools. “Knowing how many teachers we have is fundamental.”All
 the unknowns could change whether or not courts enforce the buyout 
clauses. Indiana University business law professor Julie Manning Magid 
said many of the contracts were signed nearly a year ago. So much about 
teaching today has changed since then that courts could decide the 
contracts are no longer binding.But the coronavirus could also 
bolster a school district’s argument that teachers should pay even some 
of the highest fees. It’s easier to justify those replacement costs 
because it’s that much harder — and expensive — today to find someone 
willing to teach in a school building.“The current pandemic 
situation and trying to reopen schools is a new wrinkle in a way,” Magid
 said, “that I’m sure these clauses have never been tested.”Stephan Bisaha reports on education and young adult life for KMUW and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveBisaha" target="_blank">@stevebisaha</a>.

Kan. teachers could owe schools thousands if they quit over virus

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a stop on Interstate 70 Monday night.

Just after 10 p.m. Monday, a deputy stopped a 2010 Ford Explorer just west of Solomon for traveling at 93 mph in a 75 mph zone, according&nbsp;Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.

Upon making contact with the driver, Terrence Szczepaniak, 25, of Salina, the deputy noticed a small amount of marijuana in the console of the SUV.

During a search of the vehicle, the deputy reported finding 20 grams of marijuana, 55 grams of methamphetamine and a drug pipe. 

The deputy arrested Szczepaniak on suspicion of&nbsp; speeding, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, no tax stamp, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Soldan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597162831275.jpeg" alt="Terrence Szczepaniak has numerous previous drug convictions dating back to 2014, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.- photo Saline County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Terrence Szczepaniak has numerous previous drug convictions dating back to 2014, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.- photo Saline County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a stop on Interstate 70 Monday night.Just after 10 p.m. Monday, a deputy stopped a 2010 Ford Explorer just west of Solomon for traveling at 93 mph in a 75 mph zone, according&nbsp;Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.Upon making contact with the driver, Terrence Szczepaniak, 25, of Salina, the deputy noticed a small amount of marijuana in the console of the SUV.During a search of the vehicle, the deputy reported finding 20 grams of marijuana, 55 grams of methamphetamine and a drug pipe. The deputy arrested Szczepaniak on suspicion of&nbsp; speeding, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, no tax stamp, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Soldan.

Sheriff: Kan. felon was driving 93 mph on I-70 with drugs

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A school district was wrong when it forced a transgender high school student to either use the girls bathroom or a single-stall gender neutral bathroom, a federal appeals court ruled.

The ruling sides with Drew Adams, who sued the St. Johns County Florida School District because he wasn’t allowed to use the boys restroom. 

It could have a wide-ranging impact on how schools treat transgender students. Though his assigned gender was female at birth, Adams began the transition to become a male before he enrolled in Allen D. Nease High School in Ponte Vedra Beach.

The school district, however, pointed to forms filled out when Adams was in fourth grade that listed him as a girl, and said he couldn’t use the boys bathroom. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected that in a 2-1 decision.

“A public school may not punish its students for gender nonconformity. Neither may a public school harm transgender students by establishing arbitrary, separate rules for their restroom use. The evidence at trial confirms that Mr. Adams suffered both these indignities,” the court wrote in its opinion.

Adams has since graduated from the high school and attends the University of Central Florida.

“I’m really grateful the court agreed that trans rights are human rights,” Adams said in a phone interview Monday.

The ruling would cover schools in Florida, Georgia and Alabama, and could carry the issue to the U.S. Supreme Court. But the victory is considered a milestone for transgender rights that will resonate beyond high school bathroom use.

“I definitely hope that seeing me, an actual trans person, and seeing me just as a normal person, I hope that has a lasting impact,” Adams said. “I really think that ignorance and misunderstanding is really the root of a lot of transphobia in this country.”

The ruling noted that Adams had already undergone physical transitions, including a removal of breast tissue and hormones that promoted secondary male characteristics and a deepening of his voice.

The ruling dismissed school board claims that male students’ privacy would be compromised if he used the boys restroom and that some boys might claim to be “gender fluid” in order to be voyeurs in the girls restroom. The court said there was no evidence that either was the case.

“Were Mr. Adams to use the school’s restroom for girls, as the School Board maintains he could, his masculine physiology would present many of the same anatomical differences the School Board fears if non-transgender boys used the girls’ restroom,” the ruling said.

Paul Castillo, a lawyer for Lambda Legal, an organization that fights for LGBTQ rights, said the ruling, though immediately affecting a few states, could have a national impact.

“I could not be more impressed with his resolve over the years and his steadfast commitment for LGBTQ equality, particularly for transgender youth,” Castillo said. “Even though he’s graduated, he continues to put himself, through his case, in a position to help thousands of transgender youth across the country.”

Calls to the St. Johns School County School District seeking comment went unanswered.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A school district was wrong when it forced a transgender high school student to either use the girls bathroom or a single-stall gender neutral bathroom, a federal appeals court ruled.The ruling sides with Drew Adams, who sued the St. Johns County Florida School District because he wasn’t allowed to use the boys restroom. It could have a wide-ranging impact on how schools treat transgender students. Though his assigned gender was female at birth, Adams began the transition to become a male before he enrolled in Allen D. Nease High School in Ponte Vedra Beach.The school district, however, pointed to forms filled out when Adams was in fourth grade that listed him as a girl, and said he couldn’t use the boys bathroom. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected that in a 2-1 decision.“A public school may not punish its students for gender nonconformity. Neither may a public school harm transgender students by establishing arbitrary, separate rules for their restroom use. The evidence at trial confirms that Mr. Adams suffered both these indignities,” the court wrote in its opinion.Adams has since graduated from the high school and attends the University of Central Florida.“I’m really grateful the court agreed that trans rights are human rights,” Adams said in a phone interview Monday.The ruling would cover schools in Florida, Georgia and Alabama, and could carry the issue to the U.S. Supreme Court. But the victory is considered a milestone for transgender rights that will resonate beyond high school bathroom use.“I definitely hope that seeing me, an actual trans person, and seeing me just as a normal person, I hope that has a lasting impact,” Adams said. “I really think that ignorance and misunderstanding is really the root of a lot of transphobia in this country.”The ruling noted that Adams had already undergone physical transitions, including a removal of breast tissue and hormones that promoted secondary male characteristics and a deepening of his voice.The ruling dismissed school board claims that male students’ privacy would be compromised if he used the boys restroom and that some boys might claim to be “gender fluid” in order to be voyeurs in the girls restroom. The court said there was no evidence that either was the case.“Were Mr. Adams to use the school’s restroom for girls, as the School Board maintains he could, his masculine physiology would present many of the same anatomical differences the School Board fears if non-transgender boys used the girls’ restroom,” the ruling said.Paul Castillo, a lawyer for Lambda Legal, an organization that fights for LGBTQ rights, said the ruling, though immediately affecting a few states, could have a national impact.“I could not be more impressed with his resolve over the years and his steadfast commitment for LGBTQ equality, particularly for transgender youth,” Castillo said. “Even though he’s graduated, he continues to put himself, through his case, in a position to help thousands of transgender youth across the country.”Calls to the St. Johns School County School District seeking comment went unanswered.

Federal court rules for transgender man in bathroom case

WICHITA, KAN. – A man who murdered another man over two years ago at a nightclub in Wichita has been sentenced to life in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

District Judge Eric Williams sentenced Brandon Evans, 38 of Wichita, on Friday.

Evans shot and killed Isaac Lewis, 37 of Wichita, on June 10th, 2018 outside Daiquiri’s Club at 7007 E. Harry. A 28 year old woman was shot in the arm. Evans was arrested after police saw him running from the club with a pistol in his hand.

On August 12, 2019, a jury found Evans guilty of 1st degree murder, aggravated battery, and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.

At the sentencing hearing August 7,&nbsp; Evans claimed he suffered from a mental disease and shot Mr. Lewis after he threatened to kill Evans and his family.

Judge Williams disagreed with the defendant’s claim and sentenced him to life with no parole eligibility for 789 months. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597077458818.png" alt="Evans photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Evans photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A man who murdered another man over two years ago at a nightclub in Wichita has been sentenced to life in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.District Judge Eric Williams sentenced Brandon Evans, 38 of Wichita, on Friday.Evans shot and killed Isaac Lewis, 37 of Wichita, on June 10th, 2018 outside Daiquiri’s Club at 7007 E. Harry. A 28 year old woman was shot in the arm. Evans was arrested after police saw him running from the club with a pistol in his hand.On August 12, 2019, a jury found Evans guilty of 1st degree murder, aggravated battery, and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.At the sentencing hearing August 7,&nbsp; Evans claimed he suffered from a mental disease and shot Mr. Lewis after he threatened to kill Evans and his family.Judge Williams disagreed with the defendant’s claim and sentenced him to life with no parole eligibility for 789 months.

Life in prison for man in fatal Kan. nightclub shooting

TOPEKA —President Trump issued an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/memorandum-authorizing-needs-assistance-program-major-disaster-declarations-related-coronavirus-disease-2019/">executive memorandum </a>Saturday hoping to restart the&nbsp;Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program at a rate of $400 per week, instead of the previous $600 amount.

However, the memorandum is broad and there are concerns around its legality, according to a statement from the Kansas Department of Labor.

The agency is waiting on additional guidance from&nbsp; federal partners, in order to evaluate if this temporary program extension is possible.

"We know Kansans are hurting and we want to provide as much certainty as possible to families during this difficult time. The only way to ensure that certainty is for Congress to act by passing a permanent, bipartisan solution that states can implement."

In addition, the National <a href="https://www.nga.org/news/press-releases/national-governors-association-leaders-call-on-congress-to-come-together-on-coronavirus-relief/">Governor's Association </a>on Monday said that while they appreciate the White House’s&nbsp;proposals to provide additional&nbsp;solutions to address economic challenges,&nbsp; "we are concerned&nbsp;about the&nbsp;significant&nbsp;administrative burdens and costs this&nbsp;latest action would&nbsp;place on the states."

“The best way forward is for the Congress and the Administration to get back to the negotiating table and come up with a workable solution, which should provide meaningful additional relief for American families."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593457222137.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —President Trump issued an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/memorandum-authorizing-needs-assistance-program-major-disaster-declarations-related-coronavirus-disease-2019/">executive memorandum </a>Saturday hoping to restart the&nbsp;Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program at a rate of $400 per week, instead of the previous $600 amount. However, the memorandum is broad and there are concerns around its legality, according to a statement from the Kansas Department of Labor.The agency is waiting on additional guidance from&nbsp; federal partners, in order to evaluate if this temporary program extension is possible."We know Kansans are hurting and we want to provide as much certainty as possible to families during this difficult time. The only way to ensure that certainty is for Congress to act by passing a permanent, bipartisan solution that states can implement."In addition, the National <a href="https://www.nga.org/news/press-releases/national-governors-association-leaders-call-on-congress-to-come-together-on-coronavirus-relief/">Governor's Association </a>on Monday said that while they appreciate the White House’s&nbsp;proposals to provide additional&nbsp;solutions to address economic challenges,&nbsp; "we are concerned&nbsp;about the&nbsp;significant&nbsp;administrative burdens and costs this&nbsp;latest action would&nbsp;place on the states."“The best way forward is for the Congress and the Administration to get back to the negotiating table and come up with a workable solution, which should provide meaningful additional relief for American families."&nbsp;

Kan. Dept. of Labor delays start of new $400 jobless benefit

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Republican leader in the Kansas Legislature on Monday accused Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s top public health administrator of using a misleading presentation to bolster their argument for requiring people to wear masks in public as a debate rages over imposing mandates to get the coronavirus under control.

House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins’ criticism of Dr. Lee Norman, head of the state Department of Health and Environment, came after the CEO of the small-government, free-market Kansas Policy Institute think tank suggested in&nbsp;<a href="https://sentinelksmo.org/kdhe-doctored-a-covid-case-chart-to-justify-mask-mandates/" target="_blank">an online article</a>&nbsp;that Norman had “deceptively doctored”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1411/Kansas-COVID-19-7-Day-Rolling-Average-of-Daily-Cases-Per-100K-Population-002" target="_blank">a chart</a>&nbsp;used in a news conference last week “to justify mask mandates.” Norman acknowledged in an interview that the chart might have caused confusion but said the central point — that requiring masks checks the virus’s spread — remains valid.

Republican leaders in the GOP-controlled Legislature have been at odds with Kelly for months over her handling the pandemic and have successfully pressured her into allowing the state’s 105 counties to set the rules for businesses and public gatherings. Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f492431f603ac1ad9610ccc32bb2c0c2">issued an order</a>&nbsp;July 2 to require people to wear masks in public, but a law enacted in June allows counties to opt out of her health orders, and most have opted out of the mask mandate.

Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, has pushed to put local officials in charge, opposed mask mandates and told reporters that he dislikes wearing a mask himself because they’re uncomfortable. He tried to raise questions about Norman’s presentation last week on masks during a public Zoom meeting Monday between Kelly and eight top lawmakers, only to have her cut him off, telling him that his comments weren’t relevant to the unrelated issues they were discussing.

“Your administration has a problem with transparency,” Hawkins told Kelly. “You have agencies that are giving out not-so-good information.”

The state health department reported Monday that Kansas has had 31,730 confirmed and probable coronavirus virus cases as of Monday, up 3.6% or 1,092 cases since Friday. The department also reported another seven COVID-19-related deaths to bring the total to 387.

Norman called criticism of his presentation last week “kind of killing the messenger.”

“Let’s not lose sight of what the goal is,” Norman said. “Hopefully that we can push all the numbers down in mask and no-mask counties — that’s the goal.”

Norman said during a news conference Wednesday that was live-streamed on his department’s Facebook page that counties that have imposed a mask mandate collectively have seen their growth in new coronavirus cases slow down while counties with no mandate have not.

He cited a chart showing that counties with mask mandates had seen the average number of new cases per 100,000 residents drop significantly while counties without mask mandates saw the figure hold relatively steady. The chart combined two graphics starting their scales at different points.

Kansas Policy Institute CEO Dave Trabert said in his article that the chart suggested visually that mask-mandate counties had fewer overall new cases per day, when they did not. Hawkins called the presentation “incredibly misleading.”

Norman said the graph’s presentation of data was “not unheard of” but added, “I think a learned lesson is that it probably is better to separate it out.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597143480721.png" alt="Dr. Lee Norman explains the chart during his August 5 news conference-KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Lee Norman explains the chart during his August 5 news conference-KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Republican leader in the Kansas Legislature on Monday accused Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s top public health administrator of using a misleading presentation to bolster their argument for requiring people to wear masks in public as a debate rages over imposing mandates to get the coronavirus under control.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596718264258.png" alt="Dr. Lee Norman's chart courtesy Kansas Dept. of Health" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Lee Norman's chart courtesy Kansas Dept. of Health</figcaption>
 </figure>House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins’ criticism of Dr. Lee Norman, head of the state Department of Health and Environment, came after the CEO of the small-government, free-market Kansas Policy Institute think tank suggested in&nbsp;<a href="https://sentinelksmo.org/kdhe-doctored-a-covid-case-chart-to-justify-mask-mandates/" target="_blank">an online article</a>&nbsp;that Norman had “deceptively doctored”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1411/Kansas-COVID-19-7-Day-Rolling-Average-of-Daily-Cases-Per-100K-Population-002" target="_blank">a chart</a>&nbsp;used in a news conference last week “to justify mask mandates.” Norman acknowledged in an interview that the chart might have caused confusion but said the central point — that requiring masks checks the virus’s spread — remains valid.Republican leaders in the GOP-controlled Legislature have been at odds with Kelly for months over her handling the pandemic and have successfully pressured her into allowing the state’s 105 counties to set the rules for businesses and public gatherings. Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f492431f603ac1ad9610ccc32bb2c0c2">issued an order</a>&nbsp;July 2 to require people to wear masks in public, but a law enacted in June allows counties to opt out of her health orders, and most have opted out of the mask mandate.Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, has pushed to put local officials in charge, opposed mask mandates and told reporters that he dislikes wearing a mask himself because they’re uncomfortable. He tried to raise questions about Norman’s presentation last week on masks during a public Zoom meeting Monday between Kelly and eight top lawmakers, only to have her cut him off, telling him that his comments weren’t relevant to the unrelated issues they were discussing.“Your administration has a problem with transparency,” Hawkins told Kelly. “You have agencies that are giving out not-so-good information.”The state health department reported Monday that Kansas has had 31,730 confirmed and probable coronavirus virus cases as of Monday, up 3.6% or 1,092 cases since Friday. The department also reported another seven COVID-19-related deaths to bring the total to 387.Norman called criticism of his presentation last week “kind of killing the messenger.”“Let’s not lose sight of what the goal is,” Norman said. “Hopefully that we can push all the numbers down in mask and no-mask counties — that’s the goal.”Norman said during a news conference Wednesday that was live-streamed on his department’s Facebook page that counties that have imposed a mask mandate collectively have seen their growth in new coronavirus cases slow down while counties with no mandate have not.He cited a chart showing that counties with mask mandates had seen the average number of new cases per 100,000 residents drop significantly while counties without mask mandates saw the figure hold relatively steady. The chart combined two graphics starting their scales at different points.Kansas Policy Institute CEO Dave Trabert said in his article that the chart suggested visually that mask-mandate counties had fewer overall new cases per day, when they did not. Hawkins called the presentation “incredibly misleading.”Norman said the graph’s presentation of data was “not unheard of” but added, “I think a learned lesson is that it probably is better to separate it out.”

GOP leader says Kansas health chief misled public on masks

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an aggravated burglary that occurred at a residence in the 300 block Parallel Street in Atchison and are looking for a suspect.

In the early morning hours on August 6, a 45-year-old victim was at home and sustained injuries from the intruder, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

The victim was familiar with who the suspect was. Police are not certain what vehicle the suspect was in on August 6, but in the past he was known to drive an older model black Toyota 4 Runner with Pennsylvania tags.

The victim sustained injuries from being struck with an object that was in the suspect's hand. The victim was treated and released from hospital care.

Police have identified and are searching for a 30-year-old male suspect. A case file has been presented to the County Attorney’s Office for prosecution, according to Wilson.

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an aggravated burglary that occurred at a residence in the 300 block Parallel Street in Atchison and are looking for a suspect.In the early morning hours on August 6, a 45-year-old victim was at home and sustained injuries from the intruder, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.The victim was familiar with who the suspect was. Police are not certain what vehicle the suspect was in on August 6, but in the past he was known to drive an older model black Toyota 4 Runner with Pennsylvania tags.The victim sustained injuries from being struck with an object that was in the suspect's hand. The victim was treated and released from hospital care.Police have identified and are searching for a 30-year-old male suspect. A case file has been presented to the County Attorney’s Office for prosecution, according to Wilson.

Police: Homeowner injured during Kansas burglary

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

Just before 2:30a.m. Monday, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2003 GMC Yukon for a traffic infraction near 118th and US Highwy 75, according to sheriff Tim Morse.

  The traffic investigation resulted in the arrest of Amber Dawn Gillaspie, 31, of Topeka.  Gillaspie was booked into the Jackson County Jail for possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597058262732.png" alt=" Gillaspie" />
 <figcaption> Gillaspie</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after a traffic stop.Just before 2:30a.m. Monday, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2003 GMC Yukon for a traffic infraction near 118th and US Highwy 75, according to sheriff Tim Morse. The traffic investigation resulted in the arrest of Amber Dawn Gillaspie, 31, of Topeka. Gillaspie was booked into the Jackson County Jail for possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Deputies find meth in Kansas woman's SUV

BARBER COUNTY–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Medicine Lodge Police Department, and the Barber County Sheriff’s Office are requesting the public’s help to locate Clinton Rogers, a person of interest connected to a homicide that occurred in Medicine Lodge.

Just before 2 p.m., July 27, a family member called 911 after finding 61-year-old Joyce A. Foulkrod deceased inside her home at 3 Whitney Lane., in Medicine Lodge.

Clinton Rogers is a 34-year-old white male with hazel eyes. He is 6-foot-1 in. tall, and weighs approximately 270 pounds.

Clinton W. Rogers, 34, stole a dark red 1995 Chevrolet Camaro with t-tops in Kingman County on Sunday. It is possible that the Camaro is still bearing Kansas license plate, 870JUK. Rogers is no longer traveling in the white F-150 pickup truck.

Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Clint Rogers, or encounters him or the Camaro, is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME. Tips related to this case can also be submitted online at:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar" target="_blank">https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar</a>.

BARBER COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Medicine Lodge Police Department, and the Barber County Sheriff’s Office are requesting the public’s help to locate a person of interest connected to a homicide that occurred in Medicine Lodge on Monday.

Just before 2p.m. July 27, a family member called 911 after finding 61-year-old Joyce A. Foulkrod deceased inside her home at 3 Whitney Lane., in Medicine Lodge.

Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Clint Rogers, or sees his white F-150 pickup truck, is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME. Tips related to this case can also be submitted online at:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar" target="_blank">https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar</a>.

BARBER COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Medicine Lodge Police Department, and the Barber County Sheriff’s Office are investigating after a Medicine Lodge woman was found dead Monday afternoon, according to a media release from the KBI.

The Medicine Lodge Police Department requested KBI assistance at approximately 2 p.m. on Monday, July 27. Special agents and the Crime Scene Response Team responded.

Just before 1:50 p.m., a family member called 911 after finding 61-year-old Joyce A. Foulkrod deceased inside her home at 3 Whitney Lane., in Medicine Lodge.

EMS, the Medicine Lodge Police Department, and the Barber County Sheriff’s Office responded. EMS pronounced her dead at the scene.

Preliminary information leads investigators to believe Foulkrod’s death was a homicide. An autopsy will be conducted Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596104355298.png" alt="The Camaro is possibly still bearing Kansas license plate, 870JUK.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The Camaro is possibly still bearing Kansas license plate, 870JUK.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>BARBER COUNTY–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Medicine Lodge Police Department, and the Barber County Sheriff’s Office are requesting the public’s help to locate Clinton Rogers, a person of interest connected to a homicide that occurred in Medicine Lodge.Just before 2 p.m., July 27, a family member called 911 after finding 61-year-old Joyce A. Foulkrod deceased inside her home at 3 Whitney Lane., in Medicine Lodge.Clinton Rogers is a 34-year-old white male with hazel eyes. He is 6-foot-1 in. tall, and weighs approximately 270 pounds.Clinton W. Rogers, 34, stole a dark red 1995 Chevrolet Camaro with t-tops in Kingman County on Sunday. It is possible that the Camaro is still bearing Kansas license plate, 870JUK. Rogers is no longer traveling in the white F-150 pickup truck.Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Clint Rogers, or encounters him or the Camaro, is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME. Tips related to this case can also be submitted online at:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar" target="_blank">https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar</a>.------BARBER COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Medicine Lodge Police Department, and the Barber County Sheriff’s Office are requesting the public’s help to locate a person of interest connected to a homicide that occurred in Medicine Lodge on Monday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596053633735.png" alt="Rogers" />
 <figcaption>Rogers</figcaption>
 </figure>Clinton Rogers is a 34-year-old white male with hazel eyes. He is 6-foot-1 in. tall, and weighs approximately 270 pounds.Just before 2p.m. July 27, a family member called 911 after finding 61-year-old Joyce A. Foulkrod deceased inside her home at 3 Whitney Lane., in Medicine Lodge.Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Clint Rogers, or sees his white F-150 pickup truck, is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME. Tips related to this case can also be submitted online at:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar" target="_blank">https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596053857791.png" alt="Crime scene tape at the home of the homicide investigation-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Crime scene tape at the home of the homicide investigation-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>--------BARBER COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Medicine Lodge Police Department, and the Barber County Sheriff’s Office are investigating after a Medicine Lodge woman was found dead Monday afternoon, according to a media release from the KBI.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596053687495.png" alt="Rogers' 2002 Ford F-150 -with possible Kansas license plate 870JUK" />
 <figcaption>Rogers' 2002 Ford F-150 -with possible Kansas license plate 870JUK</figcaption>
 </figure>The Medicine Lodge Police Department requested KBI assistance at approximately 2 p.m. on Monday, July 27. Special agents and the Crime Scene Response Team responded.Just before 1:50 p.m., a family member called 911 after finding 61-year-old Joyce A. Foulkrod deceased inside her home at 3 Whitney Lane., in Medicine Lodge.EMS, the Medicine Lodge Police Department, and the Barber County Sheriff’s Office responded. EMS pronounced her dead at the scene.Preliminary information leads investigators to believe Foulkrod’s death was a homicide. An autopsy will be conducted Tuesday.

Search continues for suspect in death of Kansas woman

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump was abruptly escorted by a U.S. Secret Service agent out of the White House briefing room as he was beginning a coronavirus briefing Monday afternoon. He returned minutes later, saying there was a “shooting” outside the White House that was “under control.”

“There was an actual shooting and somebody’s been taken to the hospital,” Trump said. The president said the shots were fired by law enforcement, saying he believed the individual who was shot was armed. “It was the suspect who was shot,” Trump said.

Trump said he was escorted to the Oval Office by the agent. The White House was placed on lockdown following the incident.

The shooting took place near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue just blocks from the White House, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation who were not authorized to speak publicly about it. Law enforcement officials were still trying to determine the suspect’s motive.

The suspect was transferred to a local hospital, and the District of Columbia fire department said the man suffered serious or possibly critical injuries. Authorities were investigating whether the individual has a history of mental illness.

Trump praised the work of Secret Service personnel for their work in keeping him safe. Asked if he was shaken by the incident, Trump asked reporters: “I don’t know. Do I seem rattled?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597098216508.png" alt="Secret Service agent interrupts President Trump's press briefing Monday afternoon -image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Secret Service agent interrupts President Trump's press briefing Monday afternoon -image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump was abruptly escorted by a U.S. Secret Service agent out of the White House briefing room as he was beginning a coronavirus briefing Monday afternoon. He returned minutes later, saying there was a “shooting” outside the White House that was “under control.”“There was an actual shooting and somebody’s been taken to the hospital,” Trump said. The president said the shots were fired by law enforcement, saying he believed the individual who was shot was armed. “It was the suspect who was shot,” Trump said.Trump said he was escorted to the Oval Office by the agent. The White House was placed on lockdown following the incident.The shooting took place near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue just blocks from the White House, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation who were not authorized to speak publicly about it. Law enforcement officials were still trying to determine the suspect’s motive.The suspect was transferred to a local hospital, and the District of Columbia fire department said the man suffered serious or possibly critical injuries. Authorities were investigating whether the individual has a history of mental illness.Trump praised the work of Secret Service personnel for their work in keeping him safe. Asked if he was shaken by the incident, Trump asked reporters: “I don’t know. Do I seem rattled?”

Trump escorted from briefing after shooting near White House

COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal December shooting have a suspect in custody.

Authorities in Northern California arrested Deuntae Markese Markham, 21, Wichita, on a Cowley County District Court warrant, according Cowley County Sheriff Dave Faletti.

Markham is being held without bond in San Francisco in connection with the fatal shooting of 32-year-old Gabriel Luna in the early morning hours of December 18, 2019 at&nbsp; the Honor Apartments at Southwestern College in the 1700 Block of Fowler in Winfield.

EMS transported Luna to the emergency room at William Newton Memorial Hospital and he was then transported by air ambulance to a Wichita area hospital and died December 20.

Markham, who is being held on requested charges of 2nd degree murder is scheduled for a hearing this week, according to online jail records.

Depending on whether Markham fights extradition, Faletti expects to have him transported to Kansas "in a timely manner."&nbsp;

COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and are asking the public for help with information.

Just after 1 a.m. December 18, Winfield Fire/EMS and Winfield Police Department responded to the Honor Apartments at Southwestern College in the 1700 Block of Fowler for a report of a gunshot victim, according to Chris Hood with the city of Winfield.

Upon investigation, it was determined that the resident of the apartment later identified as 32-year-old Gabriel Luna was the victim of the gunshot wound. He was transported to the emergency room at William Newton Memorial Hospital and then transported by air ambulance to a Wichita Kansas area hospital.&nbsp; On Friday Luna died of his injuries, according to Hood.

The shooting is now being investigating as a homicide.

Anyone who has knowledge about the shooting or who may have witnessed the shooting to contact the Winfield Police Department at (620)221-5555 or Cowley County Crime Stoppers at either 221-7777 or through their website which may be accessed through the Cowley County website.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597081657197.png" alt="Honor apartments photo courtesy Southwestern College" />
 <figcaption>Honor apartments photo courtesy Southwestern College</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal December shooting have a suspect in custody.Authorities in Northern California arrested Deuntae Markese Markham, 21, Wichita, on a Cowley County District Court warrant, according Cowley County Sheriff Dave Faletti.Markham is being held without bond in San Francisco in connection with the fatal shooting of 32-year-old Gabriel Luna in the early morning hours of December 18, 2019 at&nbsp; the Honor Apartments at Southwestern College in the 1700 Block of Fowler in Winfield.EMS transported Luna to the emergency room at William Newton Memorial Hospital and he was then transported by air ambulance to a Wichita area hospital and died December 20.Markham, who is being held on requested charges of 2nd degree murder is scheduled for a hearing this week, according to online jail records.Depending on whether Markham fights extradition, Faletti expects to have him transported to Kansas "in a timely manner."&nbsp;-------COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and are asking the public for help with information.Just after 1 a.m. December 18, Winfield Fire/EMS and Winfield Police Department responded to the Honor Apartments at Southwestern College in the 1700 Block of Fowler for a report of a gunshot victim, according to Chris Hood with the city of Winfield.Upon investigation, it was determined that the resident of the apartment later identified as 32-year-old Gabriel Luna was the victim of the gunshot wound. He was transported to the emergency room at William Newton Memorial Hospital and then transported by air ambulance to a Wichita Kansas area hospital.&nbsp; On Friday Luna died of his injuries, according to Hood.The shooting is now being investigating as a homicide.Anyone who has knowledge about the shooting or who may have witnessed the shooting to contact the Winfield Police Department at (620)221-5555 or Cowley County Crime Stoppers at either 221-7777 or through their website which may be accessed through the Cowley County website.&nbsp;------------

Suspect jailed in Calif. for deadly shooting at Kan. college apartments

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/10/kansas-dials-up-plan-to-spend-60-million-in-covid-19-aid-on-broadband-expansion/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly 
and a bipartisan majority of the State Finance Council voted Monday to 
allocate $60 million in federal COVID-19 aid to expansion of broadband 
in underserved areas of Kansas for benefit of business, telemedicine and
 education services.

Kansas Department of 
Commerce secretary David Toland said high-speed internet had to be 
viewed as an essential expenditure rather than a luxury investment due 
to inadequacies exposed during the pandemic. He urged the council to 
authorize the spending by arguing action at this time on rural broadband
 was akin to rural electrification programs in the 1930s.

“It’s critical if we are to grow as a state,” Toland said. “It’s simply a matter of practicality and common sense.”

The plan adopted by the 
council earmarked $50 million to create more communication 
infrastructure and applied $10 million to support of connectivity in 
low-income homes. The money must be spent by the end of 2020 with 
priority given to shovel-ready projects and an emphasis on telehealth 
services. The broadband initiative had been temporarily blocked after 
several Republicans said they didn’t believe the Kelly administration 
had yet developed a workable plan.

“The $60 million we’re 
looking at today is not going to be enough,” said Rep. Troy Waymaster, a
 Bunker Hill Republican. “Obviously, to have this implemented through 
the entire state of Kansas is going to cost more.”

Kelly said she agreed 
available funding wouldn’t address requirements for linking students to 
schools, sick people to medical clinics and business owners to customers
 worldwide. She said a third phase of spending from federal CARES Act 
appropriations could provide an supplemental layer of aid for broadband.

“Plus we’re still waiting 
with baited breath to see what the feds do. Hopefully, we will be able 
to increase this amount significantly going forward,” the governor said.

A majority of Republicans 
and Democrats on the council approved a proposal from the Kelly 
administration to spend up to $5 million to hire an accounting firm 
capable of tracking $1 billion in CARES Act funding distributed by the 
state amid the pandemic. Kelly said it would have been difficult for the
 state to promptly hire a sufficient number of highly skilled personnel 
for an accounting and compliance job ending in less than five months.

Senate President Susan 
Wagle, a Republican from Wichita, said she wasn’t convinced $5 million 
was required to provide transparency and accountability of COVID-19 
expenditures.

“This seems an excessive 
amount of money,” Wagle said. “Did we look at trying to do this within 
our own Department of Administration? Five million dollars to dot the Is
 and cross the Ts?”

House Majority Leader Dan 
Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, was the lone vote against the broadband 
initiative, the accounting contract and a separate $4 million 
expenditure of COVID-19 funding. He did so to protest recent 
distribution of information about the pandemic by the Kansas Department 
of Health and Environment. He accused KDHE secretary Lee Norman of 
putting out a confusing chart about spread of disease in counties that 
adopted a mask mandate and counties that chose not to take that step.

“The chart was incredibly misleading,” said Hawkins, as he launched into a speech about about KDHE leadership.

“Representative Hawkins,” the governor said, “we are talking about agency reimbursements from the CARES Act.”

“If you would like to ask a
 question or make a statement related to that, you are welcome to do 
so,” said Kelly, who chairs the State Finance Council.

Hawkins chose not to pose a
 question at that juncture in the meeting. During voting on the 
broadband aid, Hawkins said: “Due to the fact that your administration 
has a problem with transparency, that you have agencies that are giving 
out not-so-good information, and the fact that you don’t want to allow 
me to speak, I vote no.”

Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597088565135.jpeg" alt="House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, right, a Republican from Wichita, voted against three COVID-19 funding proposals Monday to protest information he considered flawed that was distributed by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. (Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, right, a Republican from Wichita, voted against three COVID-19 funding proposals Monday to protest information he considered flawed that was distributed by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. (Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/10/kansas-dials-up-plan-to-spend-60-million-in-covid-19-aid-on-broadband-expansion/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly 
and a bipartisan majority of the State Finance Council voted Monday to 
allocate $60 million in federal COVID-19 aid to expansion of broadband 
in underserved areas of Kansas for benefit of business, telemedicine and
 education services.Kansas Department of 
Commerce secretary David Toland said high-speed internet had to be 
viewed as an essential expenditure rather than a luxury investment due 
to inadequacies exposed during the pandemic. He urged the council to 
authorize the spending by arguing action at this time on rural broadband
 was akin to rural electrification programs in the 1930s.“It’s critical if we are to grow as a state,” Toland said. “It’s simply a matter of practicality and common sense.”The plan adopted by the 
council earmarked $50 million to create more communication 
infrastructure and applied $10 million to support of connectivity in 
low-income homes. The money must be spent by the end of 2020 with 
priority given to shovel-ready projects and an emphasis on telehealth 
services. The broadband initiative had been temporarily blocked after 
several Republicans said they didn’t believe the Kelly administration 
had yet developed a workable plan.“The $60 million we’re 
looking at today is not going to be enough,” said Rep. Troy Waymaster, a
 Bunker Hill Republican. “Obviously, to have this implemented through 
the entire state of Kansas is going to cost more.”Kelly said she agreed 
available funding wouldn’t address requirements for linking students to 
schools, sick people to medical clinics and business owners to customers
 worldwide. She said a third phase of spending from federal CARES Act 
appropriations could provide an supplemental layer of aid for broadband.“Plus we’re still waiting 
with baited breath to see what the feds do. Hopefully, we will be able 
to increase this amount significantly going forward,” the governor said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597088626978.jpeg" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly said Monday she supported allocation of $60 million in federal funding for expansion of broadband services in Kansas and would endorse additional spending to help with education, business and health care services tied to the internet. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly said Monday she supported allocation of $60 million in federal funding for expansion of broadband services in Kansas and would endorse additional spending to help with education, business and health care services tied to the internet. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>A majority of Republicans 
and Democrats on the council approved a proposal from the Kelly 
administration to spend up to $5 million to hire an accounting firm 
capable of tracking $1 billion in CARES Act funding distributed by the 
state amid the pandemic. Kelly said it would have been difficult for the
 state to promptly hire a sufficient number of highly skilled personnel 
for an accounting and compliance job ending in less than five months.Senate President Susan 
Wagle, a Republican from Wichita, said she wasn’t convinced $5 million 
was required to provide transparency and accountability of COVID-19 
expenditures.“This seems an excessive 
amount of money,” Wagle said. “Did we look at trying to do this within 
our own Department of Administration? Five million dollars to dot the Is
 and cross the Ts?”House Majority Leader Dan 
Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, was the lone vote against the broadband 
initiative, the accounting contract and a separate $4 million 
expenditure of COVID-19 funding. He did so to protest recent 
distribution of information about the pandemic by the Kansas Department 
of Health and Environment. He accused KDHE secretary Lee Norman of 
putting out a confusing chart about spread of disease in counties that 
adopted a mask mandate and counties that chose not to take that step.“The chart was incredibly misleading,” said Hawkins, as he launched into a speech about about KDHE leadership.“Representative Hawkins,” the governor said, “we are talking about agency reimbursements from the CARES Act.”“I agree,” Hawkins replied.“If you would like to ask a
 question or make a statement related to that, you are welcome to do 
so,” said Kelly, who chairs the State Finance Council.Hawkins chose not to pose a
 question at that juncture in the meeting. During voting on the 
broadband aid, Hawkins said: “Due to the fact that your administration 
has a problem with transparency, that you have agencies that are giving 
out not-so-good information, and the fact that you don’t want to allow 
me to speak, I vote no.”Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

Kan. to spend $60M in COVID-19 aid on broadband expansion

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; are investigating a large disturbance involving firearms that occurred at Midnight Rodeo, 10001 E. Kellogg, on Saturday and involved a party bus.

Shortly before midnight August 8, officers responded to multiple 911 calls of a fight involving over 50 people with numerous guns involved, according to officer Charley Davidson.

When officers arrived, they found two victims in the parking lot who had been knocked unconscious and were treated for non-life-threatening injures.&nbsp; 

A third victim with minor injuries was later contacted at an area hospital.&nbsp; Officers learned that several suspects entered a party bus that left the scene before the officers arrived.

The bus was located and stopped at Kellogg and Washington.&nbsp;Approximately 40 passengers were contacted during the stop, and&nbsp;six handguns were found discarded on the bus.

Two additional handguns were found discarded in the parking lot of Midnight Rodeo.&nbsp;

WPD investigators are currently working to determine individuals involved in this incident and the circumstances of everything involved.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; are investigating a large disturbance involving firearms that occurred at Midnight Rodeo, 10001 E. Kellogg, on Saturday and involved a party bus.Shortly before midnight August 8, officers responded to multiple 911 calls of a fight involving over 50 people with numerous guns involved, according to officer Charley Davidson.When officers arrived, they found two victims in the parking lot who had been knocked unconscious and were treated for non-life-threatening injures.&nbsp; A third victim with minor injuries was later contacted at an area hospital.&nbsp; Officers learned that several suspects entered a party bus that left the scene before the officers arrived.The bus was located and stopped at Kellogg and Washington.&nbsp;Approximately 40 passengers were contacted during the stop, and&nbsp;six handguns were found discarded on the bus.Two additional handguns were found discarded in the parking lot of Midnight Rodeo.&nbsp;WPD investigators are currently working to determine individuals involved in this incident and the circumstances of everything involved.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest.

Police: Party bus left scene of large fight at Kan. club

SALINA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly joined Kansas Department of Commerce Secretary David Toland in Salina to celebrate Schwan's manufacturing expansion which will create 225 new jobs.&nbsp; Senator Jerry Moran also attended the announcement.

“Schwan’s has been a staple here in Salina for many years, and they’ve been making nationally recognized pizza brands for decades,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said. “From Day One, my administration has prioritized investing in and rebuilding Kansas’ foundation. This venture is a testament to our commitment to create good jobs for Kansans, especially at this critical time as we work to recover from the economic challenges brought on by COVID-19.”

The expansion includes 400,000 square foot addition to&nbsp; the Tony’s plant at 3019 Scanlan Avenue in Salina.

&nbsp;The announcement of the project comes as the company celebrates the 50th year of operating a pizza production facility in Salina.&nbsp;

“For 50 years, we have made steady investments in growing our operations in Salina, and our facility eventually became what we believe is the largest pizza production facility in the world,” said CEO Dimitrios Smyrnios. “This new investment in Salina will help ensure that we can achieve our growth plans and continue to provide delicious pizzas to millions of families for decades to come.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597093121564.png" alt="Kansas Governor Laura Kelly during Monday's celebration in Salina- photo office of Kan. governor" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Governor Laura Kelly during Monday's celebration in Salina- photo office of Kan. governor</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly joined Kansas Department of Commerce Secretary David Toland in Salina to celebrate Schwan's manufacturing expansion which will create 225 new jobs.&nbsp; Senator Jerry Moran also attended the announcement.“Schwan’s has been a staple here in Salina for many years, and they’ve been making nationally recognized pizza brands for decades,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said. “From Day One, my administration has prioritized investing in and rebuilding Kansas’ foundation. This venture is a testament to our commitment to create good jobs for Kansans, especially at this critical time as we work to recover from the economic challenges brought on by COVID-19.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597093815974.png" alt="photo courtesy Schwans" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy Schwans</figcaption>
 </figure>The expansion includes 400,000 square foot addition to&nbsp; the Tony’s plant at 3019 Scanlan Avenue in Salina.&nbsp;The announcement of the project comes as the company celebrates the 50th year of operating a pizza production facility in Salina.&nbsp;“For 50 years, we have made steady investments in growing our operations in Salina, and our facility eventually became what we believe is the largest pizza production facility in the world,” said CEO Dimitrios Smyrnios. “This new investment in Salina will help ensure that we can achieve our growth plans and continue to provide delicious pizzas to millions of families for decades to come.”

Gov.: 225 new jobs coming with Schwans expansion in Salina 

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a violent robbery and asking the public with help to locate two suspects.

Just before 10 a.m. Sunday, the Barton County Sheriff’s Office received a call at NW 30th Road. Area 4, Lot 2 in the All Seasons Mobile Home Park. The caller advised two subjects armed with handguns, had entered his home, and robbed him, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

Upon arrival Sheriff’s deputies contacted the resident who said he was pistol whipped about the head and face and tied to a chair. The assailants then broke into a gun cabinet took several firearms as well as cash from the residence.

Witnesses in the area saw a mid-90s, white, suburban type vehicle at about the time of the incident. The vehicle was seen leaving the area shortly after the incident.

A suspect has been developed in the case and is wanted for questioning. Howard Lee Johnson, age 24 of Wichita. Johnson is described as a black male, 5-foot-7, 135 pounds, black hair, brown eyes. Johnson has multiple tattoos. Johnson has multiple outstanding warrants in the Barton County District Court.

The second suspect is also described as a tall, heavyset, black male who was wearing a red bandanna at the time of the attack. No further description is available at this time, according to Bellendir.

Both suspects should be considered armed and dangerous. If you have information about the whereabouts of Johnson or the other suspect or any further information about this crime please contact the Barton County Sheriff’s Office at 620-793-1876 or you can call Crime Stoppers of Barton County at 620-792-1300

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597095582675.png" alt="Howard Johnson has previous convictions for driving while suspended, failure to remain at the scene of an accident, flee or attempt to elude law enforcement and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections." />
 <figcaption>Howard Johnson has previous convictions for driving while suspended, failure to remain at the scene of an accident, flee or attempt to elude law enforcement and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a violent robbery and asking the public with help to locate two suspects.Just before 10 a.m. Sunday, the Barton County Sheriff’s Office received a call at NW 30th Road. Area 4, Lot 2 in the All Seasons Mobile Home Park. The caller advised two subjects armed with handguns, had entered his home, and robbed him, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597092707068.jpeg" alt="Howard Johnson-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Howard Johnson-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Upon arrival Sheriff’s deputies contacted the resident who said he was pistol whipped about the head and face and tied to a chair. The assailants then broke into a gun cabinet took several firearms as well as cash from the residence.Witnesses in the area saw a mid-90s, white, suburban type vehicle at about the time of the incident. The vehicle was seen leaving the area shortly after the incident.A suspect has been developed in the case and is wanted for questioning. Howard Lee Johnson, age 24 of Wichita. Johnson is described as a black male, 5-foot-7, 135 pounds, black hair, brown eyes. Johnson has multiple tattoos. Johnson has multiple outstanding warrants in the Barton County District Court.The second suspect is also described as a tall, heavyset, black male who was wearing a red bandanna at the time of the attack. No further description is available at this time, according to Bellendir.Both suspects should be considered armed and dangerous. If you have information about the whereabouts of Johnson or the other suspect or any further information about this crime please contact the Barton County Sheriff’s Office at 620-793-1876 or you can call Crime Stoppers of Barton County at 620-792-1300

Sheriff: Kan. felon wanted for alleged violent robbery 

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police in Kansas City responded to six homicides in the city over the weekend, including the latest Sunday evening on the city’s west side.

Officers found a man with gunshot wounds in the parking lot of Tony Aguirre Community Center, police said. The victim died at a hospital. Earlier Sunday, officers found a woman dead in a home near Ward Parkway. Police did not detail how she was killed.

Minutes before the woman was discovered, police were called to a fatal shooting in a parking lot of the Kansas City Zoo, and early Sunday morning, man in his 20s was fatally shot inside a home.

Saturday evening, two unresponsive men with gunshot wounds were found in the backyard of a home in the Sterling Gardens neighborhood. Both were declared dead at the scene, police said.

Kansas City police are getting help investigating the deaths from federal agents with Operation Legend, a federal anti-crime program meant to assist city police in high-crime areas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597068055533.png" alt="Police on the scene of one homicide investigation in the 8100 block of Ward Parkway Plaza.-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of one homicide investigation in the 8100 block of Ward Parkway Plaza.-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police in Kansas City responded to six homicides in the city over the weekend, including the latest Sunday evening on the city’s west side.Officers found a man with gunshot wounds in the parking lot of Tony Aguirre Community Center, police said. The victim died at a hospital. Earlier Sunday, officers found a woman dead in a home near Ward Parkway. Police did not detail how she was killed.Minutes before the woman was discovered, police were called to a fatal shooting in a parking lot of the Kansas City Zoo, and early Sunday morning, man in his 20s was fatally shot inside a home.Saturday evening, two unresponsive men with gunshot wounds were found in the backyard of a home in the Sterling Gardens neighborhood. Both were declared dead at the scene, police said.Kansas City police are getting help investigating the deaths from federal agents with Operation Legend, a federal anti-crime program meant to assist city police in high-crime areas.

Kansas City police respond to 6 homicides over weekend

BY C.J. JANOVY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/10/what-kansas-legislators-could-learn-from-winfields-national-teacher-of-the-year/">Kansas Reflector</a>

<a href="https://kasb.org/kansas-tabatha-rosproy-named-2020-national-teacher-of-the-year/">Tabatha Rosproy</a> was making Kansas proud.

It was May 21. On “<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/2020-national-teacher-of-the-year-tabatha-rosproy/">CBS This Morning</a>,” an adorable segment announced that Rosproy, 33, had been named the National Teacher of the Year.

Rosproy teaches preschool 
in a Winfied retirement community and nursing home. On a split screen, 
she watched for nearly seven minutes as 4-year-olds and elderly nursing 
home residents made it obvious how well she does her job.

One kid, asked to name her favorite activity in Rosproy’s classroom, thought before concluding, “That’s a good question.”

An old man with a gravelly voice lauded “all of the aspects of learning that she has shown: equality, love, respect.”

What’s so beautiful about Rosproy’s program at <a href="https://cumbernauldvillage.com/">Cumbernauld Village</a>
 is how it affirms the broadest definition of family. The preschoolers 
call the residents who are their volunteer teachers “grandmas and 
grandpas.”

For those elders, Rosproy 
told me, “It really provides purpose and meaning in their lives in 
retirement, in their time where they thought what they were contributing
 was over — those are their words, that’s what they say to me. Now, 
every day when they wake up, they get to spend time with children. They 
read together, discover, go fishing, play bingo, stomp in puddles — 
anything we can get them involved in.”

It works both ways. 
Grandmas and grandpas invite the kids to their evening activities around
 the nursing home and to special performances by outside groups, like 
when people from the zoo come to visit.

This interaction, Rosproy said, helps her young students grow socially, emotionally and academically.

Thanks to individual 
attention like one-on-one reading time with the grandmas and grandpas, 
she notes, the kids “have grown to be so much more empathetic” than what
 she’s observed in other preschool students.

“They can relate to people who are different from them,” she said. “It’s really incredible.”

It’s tempting to make a 
joke, here, about members of the Kansas Legislature needing the kind of 
education Rosproy’s preschoolers get. But there’s nothing funny about 
what some senators and representatives were doing at the Capitol on the 
same day as Rosproy was on national television making Kansas proud.

On May 21, the last day of this year’s session, legislators <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/year2/measures/reports/laws_fr/">accomplished little</a>.
 Most notably, considering the ongoing public health disaster that 
followed, they failed to expand Medicaid even after Gov. Laura Kelly <a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/governor-senate-majority-leader-announce-compromise-proposal-to-lower-healthcare-costs-for-kansas-families/">worked out a compromise</a> with Republican Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning. The loudest politicians spent 24 hours in a<a href="https://www.mcphersonsentinel.com/news/20200521/protesters-fire-up-political-rhetoric-as-kansas-legislators-struggle-on-sessionrsquos-final-day"> display of partisan poop-flinging</a>. To call them whiny babies would be an insult to whiny babies.

Rosproy’s experience of 
Kansas is a striking contrast to what we often see in the Statehouse. 
People in Cowley County invested in the greater good, funding early 
childhood education for<a href="https://www.publicprek.com/co/ks-cowley"> every kid</a>.

“Any 4-year-old goes to school for free,” Rosproy said.

Rosproy graduated from 
Winfield’s Southwestern College in 2009 and taught in a Head Start 
program in Salina before coming back to the Winfield Early Learning 
Center in 2014. Now she’s working on her master’s in education from Fort
 Hays State University.

She’s watched over the past decade as Kansas failed to fully fund its public schools. The state is now in the early phases of a <a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20190404/kansas-lawmakers-adopt-school-funding-plan-hope-for-court-approval">court-approved school funding plan</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597083960721.jpeg" alt="Tabatha Rosproy, of Winfield, was named 2020 National Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers. (Kaydee Riggs Johnson)" />
 <figcaption>Tabatha Rosproy, of Winfield, was named 2020 National Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers. (Kaydee Riggs Johnson)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY C.J. JANOVY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/10/what-kansas-legislators-could-learn-from-winfields-national-teacher-of-the-year/">Kansas Reflector</a><a href="https://kasb.org/kansas-tabatha-rosproy-named-2020-national-teacher-of-the-year/">Tabatha Rosproy</a> was making Kansas proud.It was May 21. On “<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/2020-national-teacher-of-the-year-tabatha-rosproy/">CBS This Morning</a>,” an adorable segment announced that Rosproy, 33, had been named the National Teacher of the Year.Rosproy teaches preschool 
in a Winfied retirement community and nursing home. On a split screen, 
she watched for nearly seven minutes as 4-year-olds and elderly nursing 
home residents made it obvious how well she does her job.One kid, asked to name her favorite activity in Rosproy’s classroom, thought before concluding, “That’s a good question.”An old man with a gravelly voice lauded “all of the aspects of learning that she has shown: equality, love, respect.”<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l9aReAcNHrg"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>What’s so beautiful about Rosproy’s program at <a href="https://cumbernauldvillage.com/">Cumbernauld Village</a>
 is how it affirms the broadest definition of family. The preschoolers 
call the residents who are their volunteer teachers “grandmas and 
grandpas.”For those elders, Rosproy 
told me, “It really provides purpose and meaning in their lives in 
retirement, in their time where they thought what they were contributing
 was over — those are their words, that’s what they say to me. Now, 
every day when they wake up, they get to spend time with children. They 
read together, discover, go fishing, play bingo, stomp in puddles — 
anything we can get them involved in.”It works both ways. 
Grandmas and grandpas invite the kids to their evening activities around
 the nursing home and to special performances by outside groups, like 
when people from the zoo come to visit.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597084042843.jpeg" alt="2020 Teacher of the Year Tabatha Rosproy with her students and their “grandmas” at the Cumbernauld Village retirement communith. (Suzanne Lawrence)" />
 <figcaption>2020 Teacher of the Year Tabatha Rosproy with her students and their “grandmas” at the Cumbernauld Village retirement communith. (Suzanne Lawrence)</figcaption>
 </figure>This interaction, Rosproy said, helps her young students grow socially, emotionally and academically.Thanks to individual 
attention like one-on-one reading time with the grandmas and grandpas, 
she notes, the kids “have grown to be so much more empathetic” than what
 she’s observed in other preschool students.“They can relate to people who are different from them,” she said. “It’s really incredible.”It’s tempting to make a 
joke, here, about members of the Kansas Legislature needing the kind of 
education Rosproy’s preschoolers get. But there’s nothing funny about 
what some senators and representatives were doing at the Capitol on the 
same day as Rosproy was on national television making Kansas proud.On May 21, the last day of this year’s session, legislators <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/year2/measures/reports/laws_fr/">accomplished little</a>.
 Most notably, considering the ongoing public health disaster that 
followed, they failed to expand Medicaid even after Gov. Laura Kelly <a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/governor-senate-majority-leader-announce-compromise-proposal-to-lower-healthcare-costs-for-kansas-families/">worked out a compromise</a> with Republican Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning. The loudest politicians spent 24 hours in a<a href="https://www.mcphersonsentinel.com/news/20200521/protesters-fire-up-political-rhetoric-as-kansas-legislators-struggle-on-sessionrsquos-final-day"> display of partisan poop-flinging</a>. To call them whiny babies would be an insult to whiny babies.Rosproy’s experience of 
Kansas is a striking contrast to what we often see in the Statehouse. 
People in Cowley County invested in the greater good, funding early 
childhood education for<a href="https://www.publicprek.com/co/ks-cowley"> every kid</a>.“Any 4-year-old goes to school for free,” Rosproy said.Rosproy graduated from 
Winfield’s Southwestern College in 2009 and taught in a Head Start 
program in Salina before coming back to the Winfield Early Learning 
Center in 2014. Now she’s working on her master’s in education from Fort
 Hays State University.She’s watched over the past decade as Kansas failed to fully fund its public schools. The state is now in the early phases of a <a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20190404/kansas-lawmakers-adopt-school-funding-plan-hope-for-court-approval">court-approved school funding plan</a>.“Even with an education-friendly governor in office,” Rosproy said, “it’s still a battle getting the support we need.”Lawmakers could fund 
universal preschool across the state, she suggested, but “there’s always
 this tit-for-tat sort of thing: ‘This is our money — what are we 
getting if we put it into this.’ I don’t think there’s anything you can 
invest in and get a better return than the education of a child.”These days she’s fielding 
lots of questions about re-opening schools. She wouldn’t have been back 
at Cumbernauld Village for the next year anyway because of her National 
Teacher of the Year duties, but her pre-school kids will be learning 
separately from the old folks until it’s safe for everyone to be back 
together.“When the state Board of Education says to make those decisions based on <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/22/kansas-board-of-education-blocks-gov-laura-kellys-plan-to-delay-k-12-classes/">what’s happening in local communities</a>,”
 she noted, “they forget in that the numbers in rural Kansas are so low 
because we’re spread out.” But school is a mass gathering. If people 
aren’t spread out, the numbers won’t stay low.Rosproy has a national 
platform now. She doesn’t use it to tell people who to vote for. 
Instead, she says, “I think we need to look at what is good for 
everybody — not just what is best for me and mine, but how we can help 
everyone in our communities.”Some Kansas politicians would call that socialism. I’d call it being the adult in the room.C.J. Janovy is a veteran journalist with deep roots in the Midwest. Before joining the Kansas Reflector, she was an editor and reporter at Kansas City’s NPR affiliate, KCUR. Before that, she edited the city’s alt-weekly newspaper, The Pitch.