WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday upheld a 1991 law that bars robocalls to cellphones.

The case, argued by telephone in May because of the coronavirus pandemic, only arose after Congress in 2015 created an exception in the law that allows the automated calls for collection of government debt.

Political consultants and pollsters were among those asking the Supreme Court to strike down the 1991 law that bars them from making robocalls to cellphones as a violation of their free speech rights under the Constitution. The issue was whether, by allowing one kind of speech but not others, the exception made the whole law unconstitutional.

The court threw out the exception for government-debt collection and preserved the broader prohibition.

During arguments, Justice Stephen Breyer got cut off when someone tried calling him. Breyer said after he rejoined the court’s arguments: “The telephone started to ring, and it cut me off the call and I don’t think it was a robocall.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday upheld a 1991 law that bars robocalls to cellphones.The case, argued by telephone in May because of the coronavirus pandemic, only arose after Congress in 2015 created an exception in the law that allows the automated calls for collection of government debt.Political consultants and pollsters were among those asking the Supreme Court to strike down the 1991 law that bars them from making robocalls to cellphones as a violation of their free speech rights under the Constitution. The issue was whether, by allowing one kind of speech but not others, the exception made the whole law unconstitutional.The court threw out the exception for government-debt collection and preserved the broader prohibition.During arguments, Justice Stephen Breyer got cut off when someone tried calling him. Breyer said after he rejoined the court’s arguments: “The telephone started to ring, and it cut me off the call and I don’t think it was a robocall.”

Supreme Court upholds ban on robocalls to your cellphone 

JACKSON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a&nbsp; UTV accident and have identified the fatality victim as&nbsp;Iziah Ansley Martinez, 13, Fargo, North Dakota.

Just after 2 a.m. Sunday, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a report from the Horton Police Department Dispatch Center of an accident involving a UTV one half mile west of S. Road on 318th&nbsp;Road in northern Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

Upon arrival, a deputy sheriff and a passenger administered CPR to&nbsp; Martinez who had been ejected and who was later pronounced deceased. Five of the other surviving occupants were transported to Stormont Vail in Topeka and Sabetha Hospital with life-threatening and non-life-threatening injuries.

The initial investigation determined that the driver had been operating a 2020 Honda &nbsp;UTV traveling westbound on 318th Road from S. Road running along the side of another UTV. 

The driver lost control of the 2020 Honda UTV on the low maintenance road, according to Morse.&nbsp; The UTV left the roadway overturned, ejecting Martinez who the front seat passenger. 

The Sheriff’s Office is investigating whether alcohol was a contributing factor to the accident. 

Netawaka, Whiting, and Holton Fire Departments and Jackson County EMS, PBPN EMS, and Horton EMS responded to the scene.&nbsp; The incident remains under investigation by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.

JACKSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 2a.m. Sunday in Jackson County.

Two UTVs were traveling beside one another westbound on 318th Road &nbsp;one half mile west of S. Road in northern Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

&nbsp;One of the UTVs occupied by six individuals ran off the road, overturned and ejected a 13 year-old boy.&nbsp; 

He was pronounced dead on the scene, according to Morse.

EMS transported&nbsp; four of the occupants to Stormont Vail Medical Center in Topeka and patient was transported to Sabetha Hospital.&nbsp;

The sheriff didn't release the 13-year-old's name pending the notification of family.&nbsp; 

The&nbsp;incident&nbsp;remains under investigation, according to Morse.

JACKSON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a&nbsp; UTV accident and have identified the fatality victim as&nbsp;Iziah Ansley Martinez, 13, Fargo, North Dakota.Just after 2 a.m. Sunday, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a report from the Horton Police Department Dispatch Center of an accident involving a UTV one half mile west of S. Road on 318th&nbsp;Road in northern Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.Upon arrival, a deputy sheriff and a passenger administered CPR to&nbsp; Martinez who had been ejected and who was later pronounced deceased. Five of the other surviving occupants were transported to Stormont Vail in Topeka and Sabetha Hospital with life-threatening and non-life-threatening injuries.The initial investigation determined that the driver had been operating a 2020 Honda &nbsp;UTV traveling westbound on 318th Road from S. Road running along the side of another UTV. The driver lost control of the 2020 Honda UTV on the low maintenance road, according to Morse.&nbsp; The UTV left the roadway overturned, ejecting Martinez who the front seat passenger. The Sheriff’s Office is investigating whether alcohol was a contributing factor to the accident. Netawaka, Whiting, and Holton Fire Departments and Jackson County EMS, PBPN EMS, and Horton EMS responded to the scene.&nbsp; The incident remains under investigation by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.--------JACKSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 2a.m. Sunday in Jackson County.Two UTVs were traveling beside one another westbound on 318th Road &nbsp;one half mile west of S. Road in northern Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.&nbsp;One of the UTVs occupied by six individuals ran off the road, overturned and ejected a 13 year-old boy.&nbsp; He was pronounced dead on the scene, according to Morse.EMS transported&nbsp; four of the occupants to Stormont Vail Medical Center in Topeka and patient was transported to Sabetha Hospital.&nbsp;The sheriff didn't release the 13-year-old's name pending the notification of family.&nbsp; The&nbsp;incident&nbsp;remains under investigation, according to Morse.

Update: 13-year-old dead, 5 hospitalized after Kan. UTV crash

WICHITA, Kansas —&nbsp;A month ago, the University of Kansas Hospital had as few as nine of its beds occupied by COVID-19 patients. Now, it’s about twice that.

When the coronavirus-driven statewide shutdown began to go away in mid-May, clinicians in Kansas were confirming about 100 new infections a day. Now,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas" target="_blank">that number has tripled</a>.

The unsettling surge in Kansas — it mimics a frightening&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/covidview/index.html" target="_blank">national upswing</a>&nbsp;in cases — prompted Gov. Laura Kelly to issue an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/2020-07-02/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-mask-mandate-in-kansas" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;effective Friday telling everybody to wear masks.

In fact, medical professionals say too many people seem to have become prematurely casual about a killer pandemic that’s striking more victims by the day. The best defense, they contend, comes from taking the annoying precautions that have made 2020 so odd. Things like obsessive hand-washing, wearing masks in public and keeping your distance from other people.

The governor’s mask order could change behavior simply by shifting public attitudes. But county officials hold the power to impose even tighter rules — or to ditch any mask mandate.

Before Kelly told everybody to cover their nose and mouth, officials in Wyandotte and Douglas counties had already imposed mask orders. Within hours of her executive order, county commissions in Johnson and Sedgwick county debated whether to go along<a>.</a>

“My mask protects you,” Hunter Darling told the Johnson County Commission when it considered what to do on Thursday. “Your mask protects me. This is fact. Not using a mask during a global pandemic is unacceptable.”

Those Johnson County officials decided to stick with the governor’s mask-up rules.

Before Johnson County commissioners came to that decision,&nbsp;its health officer said much of the latest rise in cases could have been avoided if more people heeded public health advice and just wore masks.

“We’re seeing lots and lots of examples around the county where that’s not happening,” Joseph LeMasters said. “Especially indoor spaces.”

And now, cases are on the rise again. And not just in Johnson County.

Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka has also seen a troubling increase in patients over the past two weeks. Doctors there are already preparing for an even bigger surge in hospitalizations in the coming weeks.

“It’s heartbreaking,” said Clifton Jones, an infectious disease physician at the hospital. “It hasn’t even happened yet and it’s already something that I, a lot of us are kind of obsessing about right now.”

One thing helping hospitals is that younger people make up a larger portion of the newest cases. But Kansas Health Secretary Lee Norman said those younger people will eventually spread it to their parents and grandparents.

Norman also said he’s worried that even if counties don’t overturn Gov. Kelly’s mask mandate, it might not change real-world behavior.

“Ideally people would comply with this willingly,” Norman said. “We’ve seen, obviously, that that’s not the case. The best advice has not necessarily led to that.”

Part of the issue is that, for many, wearing a mask is a political statement. President Donald Trump often moved in close quarters at public events without wearing a mask and said it made him look unpresidential. He hosted an indoor political rally where most people didn’t wear masks. But this week, he said he would wear one if he was in a close group of people.

The statement came the same day&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/30/style/mask-america-freedom-coronavirus.html" target="_blank">new cases of the coronavirus in the United States topped 50,000</a>&nbsp;in a single day for the first time ever.

“It behooves us as a community to not just urge and recommend, but require the use of facemasks,” said Erin Sorell, an immunologist and researcher at the&nbsp;<a href="https://ghss.georgetown.edu/people/sorrell/" target="_blank">Center for Global Health Science and Security</a>&nbsp;at Georgetown University.

She said many other countries have acted nationally. And seen good results. U.S. public health effectively plays out at the state and county levels. Normally, that works great. It lets officials address specific community issues. But in a global pandemic? Not as much. It results in a hodge-podge of rules, and outsized infection rates.

She also said experts know what to do, and have been telling the public that for months.

That starts with more testing and contact tracing. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/06/30/883703403/as-coronavirus-surges-how-much-testing-does-your-state-need-to-subdue-the-virus?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_term=nprnews&amp;utm_campaign=npr" target="_blank">new analysis from Harvard researchers for NPR</a>&nbsp;shows that Kansas would need to increase its daily average testing to more than 12,500 tests a day if it hopes to reduce the size of the outbreak and keep it there.

But Kansas averages only 3,100 tests a day. The Harvard research indicates that’s not enough to keep the outbreak from just getting worse.

“This is something that’s going to move whether you want it to or not,” Sorrell said. “So we have to make decisions, really, as a nation to make sure that we’re stemming this outbreak.”

Celia Llopis-Jepsen of the Kansas News Service contributed to this article.

Brian Grimmett reports on the environment, energy and natural resources for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en">@briangrimmett</a>&nbsp;or email him at grimmett (at) kmuw (dot) org. The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593783696411.png" alt="Jill Stimatze wears a mask at her booth at the Kansas Grown Farmers Market in Wichita.&nbsp;&nbsp;BRIAN GRIMMETT / KANSAS NEWS SERVICE" />
 <figcaption>Jill Stimatze wears a mask at her booth at the Kansas Grown Farmers Market in Wichita.&nbsp;&nbsp;BRIAN GRIMMETT / KANSAS NEWS SERVICE</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRIAN GRIMMETT / KANSAS NEWS SERVICEWICHITA, Kansas —&nbsp;A month ago, the University of Kansas Hospital had as few as nine of its beds occupied by COVID-19 patients. Now, it’s about twice that.When the coronavirus-driven statewide shutdown began to go away in mid-May, clinicians in Kansas were confirming about 100 new infections a day. Now,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas" target="_blank">that number has tripled</a>.The unsettling surge in Kansas — it mimics a frightening&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/covidview/index.html" target="_blank">national upswing</a>&nbsp;in cases — prompted Gov. Laura Kelly to issue an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/2020-07-02/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-mask-mandate-in-kansas" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;effective Friday telling everybody to wear masks.In fact, medical professionals say too many people seem to have become prematurely casual about a killer pandemic that’s striking more victims by the day. The best defense, they contend, comes from taking the annoying precautions that have made 2020 so odd. Things like obsessive hand-washing, wearing masks in public and keeping your distance from other people.The governor’s mask order could change behavior simply by shifting public attitudes. But county officials hold the power to impose even tighter rules — or to ditch any mask mandate.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">As you celebrate Independence Day this weekend, please remember: We are at war with COVID-19. Do your civic duty and wear a mask to keep your families and neighbors healthy and keep Kansas open for business. <a href="https://t.co/sZOaDenaWK">pic.twitter.com/sZOaDenaWK</a>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1279067990454079489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Before Kelly told everybody to cover their nose and mouth, officials in Wyandotte and Douglas counties had already imposed mask orders. Within hours of her executive order, county commissions in Johnson and Sedgwick county debated whether to go along<a>.</a>“My mask protects you,” Hunter Darling told the Johnson County Commission when it considered what to do on Thursday. “Your mask protects me. This is fact. Not using a mask during a global pandemic is unacceptable.”Those Johnson County officials decided to stick with the governor’s mask-up rules.Before Johnson County commissioners came to that decision,&nbsp;its health officer said much of the latest rise in cases could have been avoided if more people heeded public health advice and just wore masks.“We’re seeing lots and lots of examples around the county where that’s not happening,” Joseph LeMasters said. “Especially indoor spaces.”And now, cases are on the rise again. And not just in Johnson County.Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka has also seen a troubling increase in patients over the past two weeks. Doctors there are already preparing for an even bigger surge in hospitalizations in the coming weeks.“It’s heartbreaking,” said Clifton Jones, an infectious disease physician at the hospital. “It hasn’t even happened yet and it’s already something that I, a lot of us are kind of obsessing about right now.”One thing helping hospitals is that younger people make up a larger portion of the newest cases. But Kansas Health Secretary Lee Norman said those younger people will eventually spread it to their parents and grandparents.Norman also said he’s worried that even if counties don’t overturn Gov. Kelly’s mask mandate, it might not change real-world behavior.“Ideally people would comply with this willingly,” Norman said. “We’ve seen, obviously, that that’s not the case. The best advice has not necessarily led to that.”Part of the issue is that, for many, wearing a mask is a political statement. President Donald Trump often moved in close quarters at public events without wearing a mask and said it made him look unpresidential. He hosted an indoor political rally where most people didn’t wear masks. But this week, he said he would wear one if he was in a close group of people.The statement came the same day&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/30/style/mask-america-freedom-coronavirus.html" target="_blank">new cases of the coronavirus in the United States topped 50,000</a>&nbsp;in a single day for the first time ever.“It behooves us as a community to not just urge and recommend, but require the use of facemasks,” said Erin Sorell, an immunologist and researcher at the&nbsp;<a href="https://ghss.georgetown.edu/people/sorrell/" target="_blank">Center for Global Health Science and Security</a>&nbsp;at Georgetown University.She said many other countries have acted nationally. And seen good results. U.S. public health effectively plays out at the state and county levels. Normally, that works great. It lets officials address specific community issues. But in a global pandemic? Not as much. It results in a hodge-podge of rules, and outsized infection rates.She also said experts know what to do, and have been telling the public that for months.That starts with more testing and contact tracing. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/06/30/883703403/as-coronavirus-surges-how-much-testing-does-your-state-need-to-subdue-the-virus?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_term=nprnews&amp;utm_campaign=npr" target="_blank">new analysis from Harvard researchers for NPR</a>&nbsp;shows that Kansas would need to increase its daily average testing to more than 12,500 tests a day if it hopes to reduce the size of the outbreak and keep it there.But Kansas averages only 3,100 tests a day. The Harvard research indicates that’s not enough to keep the outbreak from just getting worse.“This is something that’s going to move whether you want it to or not,” Sorrell said. “So we have to make decisions, really, as a nation to make sure that we’re stemming this outbreak.”Celia Llopis-Jepsen of the Kansas News Service contributed to this article.Brian Grimmett reports on the environment, energy and natural resources for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en">@briangrimmett</a>&nbsp;or email him at grimmett (at) kmuw (dot) org. The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.

Kan. doctors: Wear a mask or brace for coronavirus numbers to keep going up

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities who had to shoot and kill a dog while investigating a shooting&nbsp; have made an arrest.

Just after 5:30 a.m. Friday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a Topeka hospital for a male victim who had arrived with a non-life threating gunshot injury, according to Lt. Manual Munoz.

Officers determined that the shooting was the result of a domestic dispute that had taken place at 103 SE Market in Topeka.&nbsp;

 Officers went to the address on SE Market for further investigation.

Once officers arrived at the residence, officers at the front of the case address observed a window that was wide open. As other officers were going to the rear of the residence, a dog jumped out the window that was open. The dog charged and bit one of the officers, according to Munoz.

As a result, the officer discharged his department issued firearm, striking the dog. The dog died at the scene.

The officer was transported to a local hospital for treatment of for his injuries.

During the investigation, a suspect was developed, and an attempt to locate was issued.&nbsp;

Just after 9:30 p.m. Faith Morgan, 25, was located in Scranton, Kansas. Police&nbsp;arrested and transported her back to Topeka. She was later booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Battery and Criminal Possession of a Firearm by a Felon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593950950466.png" alt="Morgan photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Morgan photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities who had to shoot and kill a dog while investigating a shooting&nbsp; have made an arrest.Just after 5:30 a.m. Friday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a Topeka hospital for a male victim who had arrived with a non-life threating gunshot injury, according to Lt. Manual Munoz.Officers determined that the shooting was the result of a domestic dispute that had taken place at 103 SE Market in Topeka.&nbsp; Officers went to the address on SE Market for further investigation.Once officers arrived at the residence, officers at the front of the case address observed a window that was wide open. As other officers were going to the rear of the residence, a dog jumped out the window that was open. The dog charged and bit one of the officers, according to Munoz.As a result, the officer discharged his department issued firearm, striking the dog. The dog died at the scene.The officer was transported to a local hospital for treatment of for his injuries.During the investigation, a suspect was developed, and an attempt to locate was issued.&nbsp;Just after 9:30 p.m. Faith Morgan, 25, was located in Scranton, Kansas. Police&nbsp;arrested and transported her back to Topeka. She was later booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Battery and Criminal Possession of a Firearm by a Felon.

Update: Kansas officer attacked by dog during shooting investigation

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas county Republican Party chairman who owns a weekly newspaper apologized Sunday for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f1cb4583752e02f4984b19ec9c3e7363">a cartoon</a>&nbsp;posted on the paper’s Facebook page that equated the Democratic governor’s coronavirus-inspired order for people to wear masks in public with the mass murder of Jews by the Nazis during the Holocaust.

Dane Hicks, owner and publisher of The Anderson County Review, said in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/acreview1865/photos/rpp.119702454743881/3019922051388559/?type=3&amp;theater" target="_blank">a statement</a>&nbsp;on Facebook that he was removing the cartoon after “some heartfelt and educational conversations with Jewish leaders in the U.S. and abroad.” The newspaper posted the cartoon Friday, and it drew dozens of critical responses and international attention. A blog post by Hicks on Saturday defending it also drew critical responses.

Hicks is the GOP chairman for Anderson County in eastern Kansas. The state party chairman deemed the cartoon “inappropriate.” Gov. Laura Kelly, who is Catholic, called for it to be removed and she and other critics called it anti-Semitic.

“I can acknowledge the imagery in my recent editorial cartoon describing state government overreach in Kansas with images of the Holocaust was deeply hurtful to members of a culture who’ve been dealt plenty of hurt throughout history — people to whom I never desired to be hurtful in the illustration of my point,” Hicks said in his statement.

The cartoon depicted Kelly wearing a mask with a Jewish Star of David on it, next to a digitally altered image of people being loaded onto train cars. Its caption is, “Lockdown Laura says: Put on your mask ... and step onto the cattle car.”

Hicks said Saturday that he put the images together and planned to publish the cartoon in the paper’s next edition Tuesday.

His newspaper is based in the Anderson County seat of Garnett, about 65 miles southwest of Kansas City and has a circulation of about 2,100, according to the Kansas Press Association.

Kelly did not immediately respond to Hicks’a apology, but her office said she could address the issue during a news conference Monday.

The governor issued&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200702093130003.pdf" target="_blank">the mask order</a>&nbsp;because of resurgence in reported coronavirus cases that increased the state’s total to nearly 16,000 as of Friday, when Kansas finished&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f492431f603ac1ad9610ccc32bb2c0c2">its worst two-week spike</a>&nbsp;since the pandemic began.

State law allows counties to opt out of her mask mandate, and Anderson County has done so. It has about 7,900 residents in a conservative swath of eastern Kansas, and President Donald Trump carried it with nearly 73% of the vote in 2016. The state health department has reported only four coronavirus cases for Anderson County, all of them since May 8.

State and local officials across the U.S. have faced resistance to mask requirements from Trump’s supporters. Fritzie Fritzshall, a survivor of the Auschwitz death camp and president of the Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie, north of Chicago, said anti-mask protesters have often compared government actions during the pandemic to those of the Nazi regime. She called it “ignorant and offensive.”

“In this time of uncertainty and fear, imagery and slogans can be used to unite us in a common desire to return to civil discourse or divide us in ways that give a voice to hate and divisiveness,” she said in a statement.

Biff Rubin, a small business owner in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, Kansas, who is Jewish, said the cartoon was painful for his family and the state’s Jewish community. He said he appreciated Hicks’ apology and is thankful that the U.S. is “in a time of learning and reflection.”

Rubin’s hometown was the site of three fatal shootings at a Jewish community center and retirement home in April 2014 by an avowed anti-Semite who was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/article/20151110/NEWS/311109414" target="_blank">sentenced to death</a>&nbsp;for the crimes.

Rubin said the backlash against Hicks’ use of Holocaust imagery reflects “the impact the suffering will always have in our society.”

“I hope the voices being heard on this subject provoke empathy and persuade others to keep their heart open to change,” he texted The Associated Press.

Hicks had initially defended the posting as an example of how political cartoons are “gross over-caricatures designed to provoke debate” and “fodder for the marketplace of ideas.” He said the issue was the “governmental overreach” of Kelly’s administration.

But Hicks said in his statement Sunday that “it’s clear I should have chosen a less hurtful theme.”

“It is not my intention to heap more grief onto this historical burden, and it’s apparent I previously lacked an adequate understanding of the severity of their experience and the pain of its images,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593513419144.png" alt="Kansas Governor Laura Kelly photo by Jim McLean, Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Governor Laura Kelly photo by Jim McLean, Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas county Republican Party chairman who owns a weekly newspaper apologized Sunday for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f1cb4583752e02f4984b19ec9c3e7363">a cartoon</a>&nbsp;posted on the paper’s Facebook page that equated the Democratic governor’s coronavirus-inspired order for people to wear masks in public with the mass murder of Jews by the Nazis during the Holocaust.Dane Hicks, owner and publisher of The Anderson County Review, said in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/acreview1865/photos/rpp.119702454743881/3019922051388559/?type=3&amp;theater" target="_blank">a statement</a>&nbsp;on Facebook that he was removing the cartoon after “some heartfelt and educational conversations with Jewish leaders in the U.S. and abroad.” The newspaper posted the cartoon Friday, and it drew dozens of critical responses and international attention. A blog post by Hicks on Saturday defending it also drew critical responses.Hicks is the GOP chairman for Anderson County in eastern Kansas. The state party chairman deemed the cartoon “inappropriate.” Gov. Laura Kelly, who is Catholic, called for it to be removed and she and other critics called it anti-Semitic.“I can acknowledge the imagery in my recent editorial cartoon describing state government overreach in Kansas with images of the Holocaust was deeply hurtful to members of a culture who’ve been dealt plenty of hurt throughout history — people to whom I never desired to be hurtful in the illustration of my point,” Hicks said in his statement.The cartoon depicted Kelly wearing a mask with a Jewish Star of David on it, next to a digitally altered image of people being loaded onto train cars. Its caption is, “Lockdown Laura says: Put on your mask ... and step onto the cattle car.”Hicks said Saturday that he put the images together and planned to publish the cartoon in the paper’s next edition Tuesday.His newspaper is based in the Anderson County seat of Garnett, about 65 miles southwest of Kansas City and has a circulation of about 2,100, according to the Kansas Press Association.Kelly did not immediately respond to Hicks’a apology, but her office said she could address the issue during a news conference Monday.The governor issued&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200702093130003.pdf" target="_blank">the mask order</a>&nbsp;because of resurgence in reported coronavirus cases that increased the state’s total to nearly 16,000 as of Friday, when Kansas finished&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f492431f603ac1ad9610ccc32bb2c0c2">its worst two-week spike</a>&nbsp;since the pandemic began.State law allows counties to opt out of her mask mandate, and Anderson County has done so. It has about 7,900 residents in a conservative swath of eastern Kansas, and President Donald Trump carried it with nearly 73% of the vote in 2016. The state health department has reported only four coronavirus cases for Anderson County, all of them since May 8.State and local officials across the U.S. have faced resistance to mask requirements from Trump’s supporters. Fritzie Fritzshall, a survivor of the Auschwitz death camp and president of the Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie, north of Chicago, said anti-mask protesters have often compared government actions during the pandemic to those of the Nazi regime. She called it “ignorant and offensive.”“In this time of uncertainty and fear, imagery and slogans can be used to unite us in a common desire to return to civil discourse or divide us in ways that give a voice to hate and divisiveness,” she said in a statement.Biff Rubin, a small business owner in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, Kansas, who is Jewish, said the cartoon was painful for his family and the state’s Jewish community. He said he appreciated Hicks’ apology and is thankful that the U.S. is “in a time of learning and reflection.”Rubin’s hometown was the site of three fatal shootings at a Jewish community center and retirement home in April 2014 by an avowed anti-Semite who was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/article/20151110/NEWS/311109414" target="_blank">sentenced to death</a>&nbsp;for the crimes.Rubin said the backlash against Hicks’ use of Holocaust imagery reflects “the impact the suffering will always have in our society.”“I hope the voices being heard on this subject provoke empathy and persuade others to keep their heart open to change,” he texted The Associated Press.Hicks had initially defended the posting as an example of how political cartoons are “gross over-caricatures designed to provoke debate” and “fodder for the marketplace of ideas.” He said the issue was the “governmental overreach” of Kelly’s administration.But Hicks said in his statement Sunday that “it’s clear I should have chosen a less hurtful theme.”“It is not my intention to heap more grief onto this historical burden, and it’s apparent I previously lacked an adequate understanding of the severity of their experience and the pain of its images,” he said.

Kan. county GOP chairman: Sorry for equating mask rule to Holocaust

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two brothers have been charged with second-degree murder and other crimes in the shooting death of a man in a south Kansas City park, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced Friday.

The shooting happened around 8 p.m. Tuesday near Ruskin Way Park, Kansas City police said. Officers called to the scene found 25-year-old Quindell Burrell lying on the ground with an apparent gunshot wound and unresponsive. He was declared dead at the scene after first responders tried to resuscitate him.

Terry L. Williams, 29, and Tyree L. Williams, 20, are charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action and attempted distribution of a controlled substance, among other charges.

A witness told police she had gone with Burrell to the park to meet Terry and Tyree Williams for a drug transaction. According to charging documents, the witness said she left and went to the store, and when she returned to pick up Burrell he had been shot.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594031288657.png" alt="Tyree Williams" />
 <figcaption>Tyree Williams</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two brothers have been charged with second-degree murder and other crimes in the shooting death of a man in a south Kansas City park, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced Friday.The shooting happened around 8 p.m. Tuesday near Ruskin Way Park, Kansas City police said. Officers called to the scene found 25-year-old Quindell Burrell lying on the ground with an apparent gunshot wound and unresponsive. He was declared dead at the scene after first responders tried to resuscitate him.Terry L. Williams, 29, and Tyree L. Williams, 20, are charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action and attempted distribution of a controlled substance, among other charges.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594031221846.png" alt="Terry Williams" />
 <figcaption>Terry Williams</figcaption>
 </figure>A witness told police she had gone with Burrell to the park to meet Terry and Tyree Williams for a drug transaction. According to charging documents, the witness said she left and went to the store, and when she returned to pick up Burrell he had been shot.

Brothers charged in death during drug deal in Kansas City park

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Court of Appeals on Thursday overturned a second-degree murder conviction and vacated the nearly 19-year sentence of a man who killed one person outside a Eurdora bar and tried to kill two others.

Danny Queen, 39, of Eudora, was convicted of killing 32-year-old Bo Hopson outside D-Dubs Bar and Grill in Eudora in June 2017. He also was sentenced for attempted second-degree murder and attempted voluntary manslaughter for trying to kill two other bar patrons.

The court ruled the Douglas County District Court incorrectly believed, and the Douglas County prosecutor incorrectly confirmed, that the deadline to give Queen a speedy trial was a month later than it was, The Lawrence Journal-World&nbsp;<a href="https://www2.ljworld.com/news/public-safety/2020/jul/02/court-of-appeals-dismisses-danny-queen/" target="_blank">reported.</a>

Under state law Queen cannot be retried. But Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson said Thursday he will petition the Kansas Supreme Court for a review of this case.

Queen was kicked out of the bar after making offensive comments to women. When Hopson offered to find Queen a ride home, Queen instead pulled a gun and shot Hopson, who was the bar’s security guard.

Queen could seek an appellate bond, but otherwise he will remain in prison at least until the Kansas Supreme Court has reviewed the appellate court’s decision.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593800232225.png" alt="Queen photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Queen photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Court of Appeals on Thursday overturned a second-degree murder conviction and vacated the nearly 19-year sentence of a man who killed one person outside a Eurdora bar and tried to kill two others.Danny Queen, 39, of Eudora, was convicted of killing 32-year-old Bo Hopson outside D-Dubs Bar and Grill in Eudora in June 2017. He also was sentenced for attempted second-degree murder and attempted voluntary manslaughter for trying to kill two other bar patrons.The court ruled the Douglas County District Court incorrectly believed, and the Douglas County prosecutor incorrectly confirmed, that the deadline to give Queen a speedy trial was a month later than it was, The Lawrence Journal-World&nbsp;<a href="https://www2.ljworld.com/news/public-safety/2020/jul/02/court-of-appeals-dismisses-danny-queen/" target="_blank">reported.</a>Under state law Queen cannot be retried. But Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson said Thursday he will petition the Kansas Supreme Court for a review of this case.Queen was kicked out of the bar after making offensive comments to women. When Hopson offered to find Queen a ride home, Queen instead pulled a gun and shot Hopson, who was the bar’s security guard.Queen could seek an appellate bond, but otherwise he will remain in prison at least until the Kansas Supreme Court has reviewed the appellate court’s decision.

Appeals court overturns verdict in fatal Kansas bar shooting 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will consider ending a lawsuit that claims Nestle and Cargill facilitated the use of child slave labor on cocoa farms in Ivory Coast, a case that could further limit access to U.S. courts by victims of human rights abuses abroad.

The justices said Thursday they will review an appeals court decision that revived the lawsuit filed by former child laborers who say they were taken from Mali and held in slavery on cocoa plantations in Ivory Coast. Arguments will be held during the term that begins in October.

The court has been paring back a strategy begun in the 1970s by human rights lawyers to use an 18th-century law, the Alien Tort Statute, to pursue individuals who may be responsible for torture and other atrocities, as well as companies with operations in countries with poor records in the area of human rights.

The Alien Tort Statute, adopted in part to deal with piracy claims, went unused for most of American history. The Supreme Court cautiously endorsed the use of the law in 2004, but left unanswered precisely who could be held liable and in what circumstances.

In 2013, the justices ruled that people or entities sued under the Alien Tort Statute must have a real connection to the United States. Two years ago, the court held that foreign businesses cannot be sued under the law.

In the current case, the American arm of Switzerland-based Nestle and the agribusiness concern Cargill are asking the court to rule out suits against U.S. companies as well.

Lawyers for the workers who are suing say slave labor remains an endemic problem in Ivory Coast and that Nestle and Cargill maintain “an unusual degree of control over the cocoa market” in the country because they buy so much cocoa.

Cargill and Nestle say they have taken steps to combat forced child labor.

The lawsuit was originally filed in 2005 and was twice dismissed by a federal judge before a panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in San Francisco, revived it. Archer Daniels Midland, once named as a defendant, has been dismissed from the suit.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will consider ending a lawsuit that claims Nestle and Cargill facilitated the use of child slave labor on cocoa farms in Ivory Coast, a case that could further limit access to U.S. courts by victims of human rights abuses abroad.The justices said Thursday they will review an appeals court decision that revived the lawsuit filed by former child laborers who say they were taken from Mali and held in slavery on cocoa plantations in Ivory Coast. Arguments will be held during the term that begins in October.The court has been paring back a strategy begun in the 1970s by human rights lawyers to use an 18th-century law, the Alien Tort Statute, to pursue individuals who may be responsible for torture and other atrocities, as well as companies with operations in countries with poor records in the area of human rights.The Alien Tort Statute, adopted in part to deal with piracy claims, went unused for most of American history. The Supreme Court cautiously endorsed the use of the law in 2004, but left unanswered precisely who could be held liable and in what circumstances.In 2013, the justices ruled that people or entities sued under the Alien Tort Statute must have a real connection to the United States. Two years ago, the court held that foreign businesses cannot be sued under the law.In the current case, the American arm of Switzerland-based Nestle and the agribusiness concern Cargill are asking the court to rule out suits against U.S. companies as well.Lawyers for the workers who are suing say slave labor remains an endemic problem in Ivory Coast and that Nestle and Cargill maintain “an unusual degree of control over the cocoa market” in the country because they buy so much cocoa.Cargill and Nestle say they have taken steps to combat forced child labor.The lawsuit was originally filed in 2005 and was twice dismissed by a federal judge before a panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in San Francisco, revived it. Archer Daniels Midland, once named as a defendant, has been dismissed from the suit.

Court could end claims Cargill, Nestle abetted child labor

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Protesters who oppose a city ordinance requiring that masks be worn in public to prevent the spread of the coronavirus gathered outside Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple’s home Saturday.

The Wichita City Council voted 4-3 Friday in a special meeting called by Whipple to require masks in public. The Sedgwick County Commission had voted Thursday to opt out of a statewide mask mandate from Gov. Laura Kelly, which the law allows them to do.

The ordinance requires people to wear masks in public places where 6-foot social distancing is not possible.

The roughly eight protesters didn’t wear masks and didn’t meet the 6-feet social distancing guideline, which means they could have been fined $25.

Three Wichita officers stood near the protesters.

“... At this time we are choosing education over enforcement. Especially because it is a new ordinance,” Sgt. Brian Mock said.

Others around Wichita on Saturday weren’t wearing masks, either.

At a Kwik Shop near Whipple’s home, two of 12 people wore masks. One of two employees wore a mask. The one who did said she couldn’t force customers to wear masks and the employee not wearing a mask was her boss.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Protesters who oppose a city ordinance requiring that masks be worn in public to prevent the spread of the coronavirus gathered outside Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple’s home Saturday.The Wichita City Council voted 4-3 Friday in a special meeting called by Whipple to require masks in public. The Sedgwick County Commission had voted Thursday to opt out of a statewide mask mandate from Gov. Laura Kelly, which the law allows them to do.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A protest has been organized at our home today over the mask ordinance. The FB event has over 100 RSVPs. I am thankful for the right to protest. For those gathering, please stay safe. We stocked a cooler with drinks for you. Stay hydrated. Happy Independence Day everyone! 🙂🇺🇲 <a href="https://t.co/DMotWpGgJl">pic.twitter.com/DMotWpGgJl</a>&mdash; Dr. Brandon Whipple (@BWhippleKS) <a href="https://twitter.com/BWhippleKS/status/1279461559224414209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The ordinance requires people to wear masks in public places where 6-foot social distancing is not possible.The roughly eight protesters didn’t wear masks and didn’t meet the 6-feet social distancing guideline, which means they could have been fined $25.Three Wichita officers stood near the protesters.“... At this time we are choosing education over enforcement. Especially because it is a new ordinance,” Sgt. Brian Mock said.Others around Wichita on Saturday weren’t wearing masks, either.At a Kwik Shop near Whipple’s home, two of 12 people wore masks. One of two employees wore a mask. The one who did said she couldn’t force customers to wear masks and the employee not wearing a mask was her boss.

Mask opponents protest at Wichita mayor's home

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City police officer who was shot in the head during an exchange of gunfire that left a suspect dead was in critical condition Saturday and the family is optimistic, police said.

Police Spokeswoman Officer Doaa El-Ashkar said in an email that critical care doctors say the officer is progressing as expected based on his condition and he remains in the intensive care unit.

Police are not identifying the officer and say his family is asking for privacy.

Highway patrol officials said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/36e5b57d359e8e1cd08bd08f8da9b061">police were called shortly before 5 p.m.</a>&nbsp;Thursday to a McDonald’s restaurant where the suspect in the shooting, 31-year-old Ky Johnson of Grandview, was waving a gun, then fled on foot. The officers chased him, and he turned and opened fire on them, striking one. A second officer fired back, highway patrol officials said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593774968015.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation Thursday -photo courtesy KMBC TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation Thursday -photo courtesy KMBC TV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City police officer who was shot in the head during an exchange of gunfire that left a suspect dead was in critical condition Saturday and the family is optimistic, police said.Police Spokeswoman Officer Doaa El-Ashkar said in an email that critical care doctors say the officer is progressing as expected based on his condition and he remains in the intensive care unit.Police are not identifying the officer and say his family is asking for privacy.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593788857025.png" alt="Johnson" />
 <figcaption>Johnson</figcaption>
 </figure>Highway patrol officials said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/36e5b57d359e8e1cd08bd08f8da9b061">police were called shortly before 5 p.m.</a>&nbsp;Thursday to a McDonald’s restaurant where the suspect in the shooting, 31-year-old Ky Johnson of Grandview, was waving a gun, then fled on foot. The officers chased him, and he turned and opened fire on them, striking one. A second officer fired back, highway patrol officials said.

Kansas City police: Officer shot in head remains in critical condition

By DAVID CRARY and ELANA SCHOR, Associated Press

The Supreme Court elated religious freedom advocates and alarmed secular groups with its Tuesday ruling on public funding for religious education, a decision whose long-term effect on the separation of church and state remains to be seen.

In Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, the high court ruled 5-4 that states must give religious schools the same access to public funding that other private schools receive, preserving a Montana scholarship program that had largely benefited students at religious institutions.

It prompted a jubilant reaction from the reelection campaign of President Donald Trump, who counts religious conservatives as a core part of his base. The campaign lauded the decision as “a victory for educational freedom,” underscoring its importance for a White House that often spotlights religious liberty.

Sister Dale McDonald, public policy director for the National Catholic Educational Association, said the ruling has the potential to stem nationwide enrollment declines at Roman Catholic schools that are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4fe7bd56c238888d9842760236502453">forcing the closure</a>&nbsp;of hundreds of institutions.

“This is a chance to get public schools and religious schools on equal footing,” McDonald said, adding that the extent of change would depend on how many state legislatures opt to expand tuition assistance.

Critics assailed the decision as another in a series of setbacks for a principle with long roots in the U.S. legal system.

It is “the latest in a disturbing line of Supreme Court cases attacking the very foundations of the separation of church and state,” said Daniel Mach, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s freedom of religion program.

Tuesday’s ruling focused on a program that offered indirect tuition assistance through tax credits rather than direct state aid to religious schools. The court left unresolved the extent to which religious schools may use public funding for explicitly religious activities, such as worship services and religious-education courses. Mach said that issue likely would be the focus of future litigation, given that many religious schools consider doctrinal education to be at the core of their mission.

Others tracking the Montana case stopped short of predicting a major expansion of state funding for religious education.

Douglas Laycock, a law professor at the University of Virginia who co-authored a brief supporting the plaintiffs on behalf of multiple religious groups, described the decision as “incremental” and “building cautiously” on a 2017 case that ruled a Missouri church could use a state grant to resurface its playground.

“But incremental moves have been accumulating since 1986, and what would pretty clearly have been unconstitutional in the ’70s and early ’80s is now, sometimes, constitutionally required,” Laycock wrote in an email.

At least two faith-based organizations joined secular counterparts in opposing the ruling on principles of church-state separation, saying public money for religious education forces people to fund faiths to which they do not subscribe.

“Government funding to religious schools requires taxpayers to support religious institutions and beliefs that may violate their own, something the First Amendment was intended to avoid,” Rabbi Jonah Pesner, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, said in a statement.

Rachel Laser, president of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, contended that many of the religious schools participating in Montana’s program had discriminatory policies.

“Members of the faith should fund those religious schools, not the taxpayers,” said Laser, who is Jewish. “It would offend my religious freedom to fund a school that requires belief that Jesus Christ is necessary for my salvation.”

Another attorney who co-authored a brief supporting the plaintiffs, Becket Fund for Religious Liberty vice president and senior counsel Eric Baxter, predicted the ruling will not result in significant new funds flowing to religious schools.

“Legislatures are not compelled to provide this funding,” Baxter said, pointing to language in Chief Justice John Roberts’ majority opinion saying most states with provisions barring aid to religious schools still let them participate in public scholarship programs.

“If they do provide this funding to the private sphere,” Baxter said of states, “then they just have to treat everybody equally.”

Institute of Justice vice president Tim Keller, whose group represented the plaintiffs, told reporters that Idaho, Texas, South Dakota and Missouri were among the states most likely to create school choice programs that include religious education.

Arizona has had such programs in place for several years, enabling Catholic schools there to reverse enrollment declines that were due at least in part to parents’ inability to afford tuition.

McDonald, of the Catholic educational association, also predicted that the ruling would bring swift changes in Maine and Vermont, where parents have been able to get public funds for tuition at secular private schools, but not at faith-based schools.

By DAVID CRARY and ELANA SCHOR, Associated PressThe Supreme Court elated religious freedom advocates and alarmed secular groups with its Tuesday ruling on public funding for religious education, a decision whose long-term effect on the separation of church and state remains to be seen.In Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, the high court ruled 5-4 that states must give religious schools the same access to public funding that other private schools receive, preserving a Montana scholarship program that had largely benefited students at religious institutions.It prompted a jubilant reaction from the reelection campaign of President Donald Trump, who counts religious conservatives as a core part of his base. The campaign lauded the decision as “a victory for educational freedom,” underscoring its importance for a White House that often spotlights religious liberty.Sister Dale McDonald, public policy director for the National Catholic Educational Association, said the ruling has the potential to stem nationwide enrollment declines at Roman Catholic schools that are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4fe7bd56c238888d9842760236502453">forcing the closure</a>&nbsp;of hundreds of institutions.“This is a chance to get public schools and religious schools on equal footing,” McDonald said, adding that the extent of change would depend on how many state legislatures opt to expand tuition assistance.Critics assailed the decision as another in a series of setbacks for a principle with long roots in the U.S. legal system.It is “the latest in a disturbing line of Supreme Court cases attacking the very foundations of the separation of church and state,” said Daniel Mach, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s freedom of religion program.Tuesday’s ruling focused on a program that offered indirect tuition assistance through tax credits rather than direct state aid to religious schools. The court left unresolved the extent to which religious schools may use public funding for explicitly religious activities, such as worship services and religious-education courses. Mach said that issue likely would be the focus of future litigation, given that many religious schools consider doctrinal education to be at the core of their mission.Others tracking the Montana case stopped short of predicting a major expansion of state funding for religious education.Douglas Laycock, a law professor at the University of Virginia who co-authored a brief supporting the plaintiffs on behalf of multiple religious groups, described the decision as “incremental” and “building cautiously” on a 2017 case that ruled a Missouri church could use a state grant to resurface its playground.“But incremental moves have been accumulating since 1986, and what would pretty clearly have been unconstitutional in the ’70s and early ’80s is now, sometimes, constitutionally required,” Laycock wrote in an email.At least two faith-based organizations joined secular counterparts in opposing the ruling on principles of church-state separation, saying public money for religious education forces people to fund faiths to which they do not subscribe.“Government funding to religious schools requires taxpayers to support religious institutions and beliefs that may violate their own, something the First Amendment was intended to avoid,” Rabbi Jonah Pesner, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, said in a statement.Rachel Laser, president of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, contended that many of the religious schools participating in Montana’s program had discriminatory policies.“Members of the faith should fund those religious schools, not the taxpayers,” said Laser, who is Jewish. “It would offend my religious freedom to fund a school that requires belief that Jesus Christ is necessary for my salvation.”Another attorney who co-authored a brief supporting the plaintiffs, Becket Fund for Religious Liberty vice president and senior counsel Eric Baxter, predicted the ruling will not result in significant new funds flowing to religious schools.“Legislatures are not compelled to provide this funding,” Baxter said, pointing to language in Chief Justice John Roberts’ majority opinion saying most states with provisions barring aid to religious schools still let them participate in public scholarship programs.“If they do provide this funding to the private sphere,” Baxter said of states, “then they just have to treat everybody equally.”Institute of Justice vice president Tim Keller, whose group represented the plaintiffs, told reporters that Idaho, Texas, South Dakota and Missouri were among the states most likely to create school choice programs that include religious education.Arizona has had such programs in place for several years, enabling Catholic schools there to reverse enrollment declines that were due at least in part to parents’ inability to afford tuition.McDonald, of the Catholic educational association, also predicted that the ruling would bring swift changes in Maine and Vermont, where parents have been able to get public funds for tuition at secular private schools, but not at faith-based schools.

High court sparks new battle over church-state separation

COWLEY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 10p.m. Saturday in Cowley County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Chevy Traverse driven by&nbsp; &nbsp;Kaitlyn Michelle Keeling, 26, Belle Plaine, was westbound in the 11000 block of 82nd Road. 

The vehicle crossed the center line and struck a 1982 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Chase Edward Augur, 18,&nbsp; Augusta.&nbsp;

Augur was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Miles Funeral Home.&nbsp;

Keeling was not injured and properly restrained at the time of the accident. Augur was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

COWLEY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 10p.m. Saturday in Cowley County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Chevy Traverse driven by&nbsp; &nbsp;Kaitlyn Michelle Keeling, 26, Belle Plaine, was westbound in the 11000 block of 82nd Road. The vehicle crossed the center line and struck a 1982 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Chase Edward Augur, 18,&nbsp; Augusta.&nbsp;Augur was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Miles Funeral Home.&nbsp;Keeling was not injured and properly restrained at the time of the accident. Augur was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

Kansas teen dies after motorcycle struck by SUV

TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court issued an administrative order Thursday requiring district and appellate courts to comply with the governor's order requiring people to wear face coverings in public areas to help stop the spread of COVID-19, according to a media release from the&nbsp;Office of Judicial Administration.

<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7jk188vUZz6-K1Lf0nivS0CgeyLZJAKMppTVKd5stP8" target="_blank">Administrative Order 2020-PR-090</a>, effective July 3, requires district and appellate courts to comply with Gov. Laura Kelly's&nbsp;<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7jk188vUZz6-K1Lf0nivSwbD7oHs4AV6NccjwqceyLI" target="_blank">Executive Order No. 20-52</a>&nbsp;requiring the use of face coverings in public, even though the governor's order exempts court proceedings.

Courts are required to comply even if local county commissions opt out of the governor's executive order.

The Supreme Court order requires all court employees, judicial officers, and members of the public to wear a face covering in any courtroom, court office, or other facility used for a court proceeding. Face coverings must also be worn in any nonpublic court office unless physical shields are in place.

"We must protect the health and safety of court users, staff, and judicial officers during this pandemic," Chief Justice Marla Luckert said. "The use of face coverings, hygiene practices, protective shielding, and social distancing will allow us to do that as we conduct court proceedings across the state."

The Supreme Court order allows a judge to waive the face covering requirement under certain circumstances set out in the order.

TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court issued an administrative order Thursday requiring district and appellate courts to comply with the governor's order requiring people to wear face coverings in public areas to help stop the spread of COVID-19, according to a media release from the&nbsp;Office of Judicial Administration.<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7jk188vUZz6-K1Lf0nivS0CgeyLZJAKMppTVKd5stP8" target="_blank">Administrative Order 2020-PR-090</a>, effective July 3, requires district and appellate courts to comply with Gov. Laura Kelly's&nbsp;<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/7jk188vUZz6-K1Lf0nivSwbD7oHs4AV6NccjwqceyLI" target="_blank">Executive Order No. 20-52</a>&nbsp;requiring the use of face coverings in public, even though the governor's order exempts court proceedings.Courts are required to comply even if local county commissions opt out of the governor's executive order.The Supreme Court order requires all court employees, judicial officers, and members of the public to wear a face covering in any courtroom, court office, or other facility used for a court proceeding. Face coverings must also be worn in any nonpublic court office unless physical shields are in place."We must protect the health and safety of court users, staff, and judicial officers during this pandemic," Chief Justice Marla Luckert said. "The use of face coverings, hygiene practices, protective shielding, and social distancing will allow us to do that as we conduct court proceedings across the state."The Supreme Court order allows a judge to waive the face covering requirement under certain circumstances set out in the order.

Kan. Supreme Court:  No opting out of face coverings in district, appellate court proceedings

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The former Property and Evidence Supervisor at the Sedgwick County Sheriff's office made his first court appearance Wednesday in connection with&nbsp; an internal theft at the sheriff's office Property and Evidence storage site, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On June 26, Robert White, the former Property and Evidence Supervisor, was booked into the Sedgwick County Detention Facility on requested charges for Distribution of Cocaine, Felony Official Misconduct, 2 counts of Felony Theft, 3 counts of Misdemeanor Theft, and 10 counts of Possession with Intent, according to Sheriff's Lt. Tim Myers. He is spending the holiday weekend in custody, <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20066796">according to online jail records.</a>

On January 24, 2020, an administrative investigation was initiated on&nbsp; Property and Evidence Technician&nbsp;Marc Gordon. He was being investigated for not following proper procedures and policy violations. Gordon was suspended from work on February and arrested July 1.

On February 5, White was reassigned to another function of the Sheriff’s Office. On February 26, the investigation turned from an administrative investigation to a criminal investigation.&nbsp;

While conducting the internal audit, evidence was found to be missing. During the audit it was discovered that items set for destruction were missing. The time line stretches of effected cases goes back several years.&nbsp;

Since February 26th, authorities have been trying to identify any and all evidence that has been stolen and auditing evidence that is still in the sheriff's office possession. During this same time frame the criminal investigation has been progressing. Over 50,000 pieces of evidence are stored in Property and Evidence. Currently, officials know that approximately $145,000 in money, drugs, seven guns, and power tools were stolen. One of the stolen guns has been recovered.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593632614654.png" alt="White-photo Sedgwick County Jail" />
 <figcaption>White-photo Sedgwick County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —The former Property and Evidence Supervisor at the Sedgwick County Sheriff's office made his first court appearance Wednesday in connection with&nbsp; an internal theft at the sheriff's office Property and Evidence storage site, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.On June 26, Robert White, the former Property and Evidence Supervisor, was booked into the Sedgwick County Detention Facility on requested charges for Distribution of Cocaine, Felony Official Misconduct, 2 counts of Felony Theft, 3 counts of Misdemeanor Theft, and 10 counts of Possession with Intent, according to Sheriff's Lt. Tim Myers. He is spending the holiday weekend in custody, <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20066796">according to online jail records.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593632950182.png" alt="Gordon" />
 <figcaption>Gordon</figcaption>
 </figure>On January 24, 2020, an administrative investigation was initiated on&nbsp; Property and Evidence Technician&nbsp;Marc Gordon. He was being investigated for not following proper procedures and policy violations. Gordon was suspended from work on February and arrested July 1.On February 5, White was reassigned to another function of the Sheriff’s Office. On February 26, the investigation turned from an administrative investigation to a criminal investigation.&nbsp;While conducting the internal audit, evidence was found to be missing. During the audit it was discovered that items set for destruction were missing. The time line stretches of effected cases goes back several years.&nbsp;Since February 26th, authorities have been trying to identify any and all evidence that has been stolen and auditing evidence that is still in the sheriff's office possession. During this same time frame the criminal investigation has been progressing. Over 50,000 pieces of evidence are stored in Property and Evidence. Currently, officials know that approximately $145,000 in money, drugs, seven guns, and power tools were stolen. One of the stolen guns has been recovered.

Evidence supervisor remains in Kan. jail after  guns, drugs and cash missing

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The Department of Veterans Affairs is making significant progress in its efforts to change a culture that has been beset by complaints from veterans and low employee morale, the leader of the agency said Thursday.

Robert Wilkie, secretary of Veterans Affairs, made his comments after touring the Kansas City VA Medical Center, which has been the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/bad821ff8c4722015975a5bcbce4958d">target</a>&nbsp;of complaints, lawsuits and protests alleging that minority employees have faced discrimination and harassment for years.

Wilkie said the agency has improved its culture across the country after years of complaints about inadequate care for veterans and that improvements in Kansas City have occurred since David Isaacks was brought in to be medical center director in September 2019.

He praised Isaacks for bringing employees together through a new diversity inclusion council and by promising their complaints will be heard and administrators will be held accountable for problems.

“We are emphasizing accountability, we are emphasizing listening to those who work for us and that is part of a culture change that has seen a transformation across the VA in the last three years,” said Wilkie, who added surveys show employees and patient satisfaction has increased in Kansas City and across the country.

Wilkie’s optimistic assessment comes as U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican, and several civil rights organizations demanded changes at the Kansas City hospital.

Moran, who in March sought 10 years of information from the hospital and a plan to address the problems, said in a statement Thursday that he appreciated the time Wilkie had spent addressing the ongoing complaints. He said he plans a roundtable discussion with minority veterans and employees on July 22 to encourage more discussion on the topic.

Black employees at the hospital have complained for years of a hostile work environment and the allegations have drawn new attention since March, when several employees met with the NAACP to discuss their concerns. At least two lawsuits have been filed and more are expected.

In the lawsuits and several internal hospital complaints, Black employees said they were the targets of pervasive discrimination, such as hearing frequent racial epithets, being denied promotions that were awarded to lesser-qualified white employees, being monitored more closely than white employees and receiving no support when they complained.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The Department of Veterans Affairs is making significant progress in its efforts to change a culture that has been beset by complaints from veterans and low employee morale, the leader of the agency said Thursday.Robert Wilkie, secretary of Veterans Affairs, made his comments after touring the Kansas City VA Medical Center, which has been the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/bad821ff8c4722015975a5bcbce4958d">target</a>&nbsp;of complaints, lawsuits and protests alleging that minority employees have faced discrimination and harassment for years.Wilkie said the agency has improved its culture across the country after years of complaints about inadequate care for veterans and that improvements in Kansas City have occurred since David Isaacks was brought in to be medical center director in September 2019.ADVERTISEMENTHe praised Isaacks for bringing employees together through a new diversity inclusion council and by promising their complaints will be heard and administrators will be held accountable for problems.“We are emphasizing accountability, we are emphasizing listening to those who work for us and that is part of a culture change that has seen a transformation across the VA in the last three years,” said Wilkie, who added surveys show employees and patient satisfaction has increased in Kansas City and across the country.Wilkie’s optimistic assessment comes as U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican, and several civil rights organizations demanded changes at the Kansas City hospital.Moran, who in March sought 10 years of information from the hospital and a plan to address the problems, said in a statement Thursday that he appreciated the time Wilkie had spent addressing the ongoing complaints. He said he plans a roundtable discussion with minority veterans and employees on July 22 to encourage more discussion on the topic.Black employees at the hospital have complained for years of a hostile work environment and the allegations have drawn new attention since March, when several employees met with the NAACP to discuss their concerns. At least two lawsuits have been filed and more are expected.In the lawsuits and several internal hospital complaints, Black employees said they were the targets of pervasive discrimination, such as hearing frequent racial epithets, being denied promotions that were awarded to lesser-qualified white employees, being monitored more closely than white employees and receiving no support when they complained.

Veterans Affairs says agency is changing troubled culture

MANHATTAN — The Kansas Department of Agriculture Division of Animal Health is responding to an outbreak of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) that has continued to spread in horses across south central Kansas. 

VSV was first confirmed in Butler County on June 16 and has now been confirmed by testing on more than 30 premises in four counties in the region.

All premises with confirmed cases of VSV in horses have been quarantined; in addition, any premises with animals showing clinical signs consistent with VSV are placed on quarantine. 

More than 60 premises are currently under quarantine in Butler, Cowley, Sedgwick and Sumner counties. 

A quarantine for VSV lasts for at least 14 days from the onset of symptoms on the last animal on the premises. Quarantines are not lifted until a veterinarian has examined all susceptible animals on the premises.

VSV is a viral disease which primarily affects horses, but can also affect cattle, sheep, goats, swine, llamas and alpacas.&nbsp;<a>At this time, all confirmed cases of VSV in Kansas are horses, although some cattle have shown clinical signs and confirmatory laboratory results are pending.</a>

“This outbreak is still very active in south central Kansas, and we encourage all owners of horses and other livestock to continue to be vigilant,” Dr. Justin Smith, Animal Health Commissioner said. “Monitor your animals for symptoms of VSV, and be in communication with your veterinarian if you see anything of concern. The most effective way to slow the spread of this virus is to take aggressive steps to limit exposure to insects that are the primary source of infection.”

In horses, VSV is typically characterized by lesions which appear as crusting scabs on the muzzle, lips, ears, coronary bands, or ventral abdomen. Other clinical signs of the disease include fever and the formation of blister-like lesions in the mouth and on the dental pad, tongue, lips, nostrils, ears, hooves and teats. Infected animals may refuse to eat and drink, which can lead to weight loss. Vesicular stomatitis can be painful for infected animals and costly to their owners.&nbsp;Although it is rare, humans can also become infected with the disease when handling affected animals, and can develop flu-like symptoms.

The primary way the virus is transmitted is from biting insects like black flies, sand flies and midges. Owners should institute robust measures to reduce flies and other insects where animals are housed. VSV can also be spread by nose-to-nose contact between animals. The virus itself usually runs its course in five to seven days, and it can take up to an additional seven days for the infected animal to recover from the symptoms. There are no approved vaccines for VSV.&nbsp;

KDA has developed guidelines to assist organizations which are hosting shows and fairs across the state, and have worked with many of them to consider how they can protect the health and safety of animals attending their events.

Kansas was the fourth state in the U.S. to have confirmed cases of VSV this year; VSV has also been confirmed in Arizona, Nebraska, New Mexico and Texas. 

Because of the confirmed cases in Kansas, other states and Canada are likely to increase restrictions on livestock imports.

 Animal health officials strongly encourage all livestock owners and veterinarians to call the animal health authority in the destination location for the most current import requirements prior to travel.

Information about VSV can be found on the KDA website at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.agriculture.ks.gov%2FVSV&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Ca6c53515bd14410181dc08d81d309a95%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637291442540610288&amp;sdata=%2B%2FZNnLYTbkr%2Bt0PxCYKBeyOlaBfTadd4D3YmN7cOlMI%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.agriculture.ks.gov/VSV</a>,&nbsp;including:

VSV is considered a reportable disease in Kansas. If you observe clinical signs among your animals, contact your veterinarian right away. For questions about VSV in Kansas, please contact the KDA Division of Animal Health at 785-564-6601.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593728584981.jpeg" alt="A horse with VSV is examined. (Photo credit: Dr. Greg Farrand, D.V.M.)" />
 <figcaption>A horse with VSV is examined. (Photo credit: Dr. Greg Farrand, D.V.M.)</figcaption>
 </figure>KDAMANHATTAN — The Kansas Department of Agriculture Division of Animal Health is responding to an outbreak of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) that has continued to spread in horses across south central Kansas. VSV was first confirmed in Butler County on June 16 and has now been confirmed by testing on more than 30 premises in four counties in the region.All premises with confirmed cases of VSV in horses have been quarantined; in addition, any premises with animals showing clinical signs consistent with VSV are placed on quarantine. More than 60 premises are currently under quarantine in Butler, Cowley, Sedgwick and Sumner counties. A quarantine for VSV lasts for at least 14 days from the onset of symptoms on the last animal on the premises. Quarantines are not lifted until a veterinarian has examined all susceptible animals on the premises.VSV is a viral disease which primarily affects horses, but can also affect cattle, sheep, goats, swine, llamas and alpacas.&nbsp;<a>At this time, all confirmed cases of VSV in Kansas are horses, although some cattle have shown clinical signs and confirmatory laboratory results are pending.</a>“This outbreak is still very active in south central Kansas, and we encourage all owners of horses and other livestock to continue to be vigilant,” Dr. Justin Smith, Animal Health Commissioner said. “Monitor your animals for symptoms of VSV, and be in communication with your veterinarian if you see anything of concern. The most effective way to slow the spread of this virus is to take aggressive steps to limit exposure to insects that are the primary source of infection.”In horses, VSV is typically characterized by lesions which appear as crusting scabs on the muzzle, lips, ears, coronary bands, or ventral abdomen. Other clinical signs of the disease include fever and the formation of blister-like lesions in the mouth and on the dental pad, tongue, lips, nostrils, ears, hooves and teats. Infected animals may refuse to eat and drink, which can lead to weight loss. Vesicular stomatitis can be painful for infected animals and costly to their owners.&nbsp;Although it is rare, humans can also become infected with the disease when handling affected animals, and can develop flu-like symptoms.The primary way the virus is transmitted is from biting insects like black flies, sand flies and midges. Owners should institute robust measures to reduce flies and other insects where animals are housed. VSV can also be spread by nose-to-nose contact between animals. The virus itself usually runs its course in five to seven days, and it can take up to an additional seven days for the infected animal to recover from the symptoms. There are no approved vaccines for VSV.&nbsp;KDA has developed guidelines to assist organizations which are hosting shows and fairs across the state, and have worked with many of them to consider how they can protect the health and safety of animals attending their events.Kansas was the fourth state in the U.S. to have confirmed cases of VSV this year; VSV has also been confirmed in Arizona, Nebraska, New Mexico and Texas. Because of the confirmed cases in Kansas, other states and Canada are likely to increase restrictions on livestock imports. Animal health officials strongly encourage all livestock owners and veterinarians to call the animal health authority in the destination location for the most current import requirements prior to travel.Information about VSV can be found on the KDA website at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.agriculture.ks.gov%2FVSV&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Ca6c53515bd14410181dc08d81d309a95%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637291442540610288&amp;sdata=%2B%2FZNnLYTbkr%2Bt0PxCYKBeyOlaBfTadd4D3YmN7cOlMI%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.agriculture.ks.gov/VSV</a>,&nbsp;including:<ul>
 <li>Documents describing symptoms of VSV</li><li>Recommendations for fly control practices</li><li>Guidelines for shows and fairs</li><li>Materials from a webinar with K-State Research and Extension in Butler County</li><li>Current state and national situation reports</li>
 </ul>VSV is considered a reportable disease in Kansas. If you observe clinical signs among your animals, contact your veterinarian right away. For questions about VSV in Kansas, please contact the KDA Division of Animal Health at 785-564-6601.

KDA: VSV continues spreading among horses in south-central Kansas

TOPEKA –Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing at a fireworks stand and have made an arrest.

Just after 9p.m. Thursday, police&nbsp; were called to a fireworks stand located near 21st and Fairlawn Road for a stabbing, according to police Lt. Matt Danielson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593776022658.png" alt="Langley photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Langley photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA –Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing at a fireworks stand and have made an arrest.Just after 9p.m. Thursday, police&nbsp; were called to a fireworks stand located near 21st and Fairlawn Road for a stabbing, according to police Lt. Matt Danielson.Officers located the victim, who was an employee of the fireworks stand, and multiple witnesses who stated that a man had come up behind the victim and stabbed him. The suspect then left the area on foot. Witnesses relayed his whereabouts to law enforcement, and he was soon taken into custody a few blocks away.As a result of the investigation, police arrested Austin Langley, 40, of Topeka, and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on a requested charge of Attempted Murder, according to Danielson.