WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita State University is conducting an internal investigation into allegations that men’s basketball coach Gregg Marshall mistreated players, the school and Marshall have confirmed.

<a href="https://watchstadium.com/sources-wichita-states-gregg-marshall-punched-player-choked-assistant-10-08-2020/">Stadium</a>, a multiplatform sports network, said the inquiry began after the university learned it was conducting an investigation in which it interviewed 36 players and former coaches.

Former Wichita State forward Shaq Morris told Stadium he was punched twice by Marshall, the school’s all-time winningest coach, during an October 2015 practice, and former guard Ty Taylor said he saw it happen.

They were the only players who agreed to be identified; the others said they feared retribution and community backlash because Marshall’s winning record has made him popular, Stadium reported.

“I love my teammates, the city and Wichita State,” said Morris, who played at Wichita State from 2014-18. “But if I could go back to that day when he punched me, I would have left.”

Taylor transferred to the University of North Carolina Wilmington after the 2015-16 season.

Last spring, six scholarship Shockers players plus a walk-on also transferred. In addition, 2020 commit Ja’Dun Michael asked out of his letter of intent.

Wichita State said in a statement Friday that it “acknowledges the allegations within its Men’s Basketball program brought forth by media” and that the investigation was being handled in an “expeditious and deliberate manner.”

“We have received full cooperation from university staff, coaches, and current student-athletes, and Coach Gregg Marshall and support any individual who chooses to participate in order to conduct a fair, impartial and thorough investigation,” the statement said, adding that team activities will continue as scheduled while the probe is underway.

Marshall on Thursday wrote in a text message to&nbsp;<a href="https://theathletic.com/2123302/2020/10/08/gregg-marshall-under-investigation-by-wichita-state-for-allegations-of-misconduct/">The Athletic</a>, a subscription-based sports website, that he was fully participating in the process.

“I look forward to having it wrapped up as I continue to focus my energy on our team,” said Marshall, the school’s all-time winningest coach. He did not immediately respond to an email from the AP to his assistant or a phone message seeking comment.

Michelle Basi, an attorney at Tueth Keeney, the St. Louis-based law firm handling the inquiry, didn’t immediately return a phone message from the AP.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita State men's basketball coach Gregg Marshall has confirmed that the school is conducting an internal investigation amid allegations he mistreated players.

“I’m aware the university conducted interviews and I fully participated in the process. I look forward to having it wrapped up as I continue to focus my energy on our team," Marshall, the school's all-time winningest coach, wrote in a text message to&nbsp;<a href="https://theathletic.com/2123302/2020/10/08/gregg-marshall-under-investigation-by-wichita-state-for-allegations-of-misconduct/">The Athletic,&nbsp;</a>a subscription-based sports website.

Former Wichita State forward Shaq Morris told Stadium he was punched twice by Marshall during an October 2015 practice, and former guard Ty Taylor said he saw it happen.

They were the only players who agreed to be identified; the others said they feared retribution and community backlash because Marshall's winning record has made him popular, Stadium reported.

Last spring, six scholarship Shockers players plus a walk-on also transferred. In addition, 2020 commit Ja’Dun Michael asked out of his letter of intent, according to The Athletic.

Team spokesman Bryan Holmgren didn’t immediately return a phone message or email from The Associated Press seeking comment. Marshall also didn’t immediately respond to an email from the AP to his assistant or a phone message seeking comment.

Stadium reported that the St. Louis law firm Tueth Keeney was hired to handle the inquiry. Michelle Basi, an attorney at the firm, didn't immediately return a phone message from the AP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602261953575.png" alt="Coach Gregg Marshall -photo courtesy Wichita State Athletics&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Coach Gregg Marshall -photo courtesy Wichita State Athletics&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita State University is conducting an internal investigation into allegations that men’s basketball coach Gregg Marshall mistreated players, the school and Marshall have confirmed.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Wichita State University acknowledges the allegations within its Men’s Basketball program brought forth by media. The university is in the process of an independent investigation conducted by Tueth Keeney, a St. Louis-based law firm. Read more: <a href="https://t.co/rj5wEkELoN">https://t.co/rj5wEkELoN</a>&mdash; Wichita State (@WichitaState) <a href="https://twitter.com/WichitaState/status/1314617374969077766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://watchstadium.com/sources-wichita-states-gregg-marshall-punched-player-choked-assistant-10-08-2020/">Stadium</a>, a multiplatform sports network, said the inquiry began after the university learned it was conducting an investigation in which it interviewed 36 players and former coaches.Former Wichita State forward Shaq Morris told Stadium he was punched twice by Marshall, the school’s all-time winningest coach, during an October 2015 practice, and former guard Ty Taylor said he saw it happen.They were the only players who agreed to be identified; the others said they feared retribution and community backlash because Marshall’s winning record has made him popular, Stadium reported.“I love my teammates, the city and Wichita State,” said Morris, who played at Wichita State from 2014-18. “But if I could go back to that day when he punched me, I would have left.”Taylor transferred to the University of North Carolina Wilmington after the 2015-16 season.Last spring, six scholarship Shockers players plus a walk-on also transferred. In addition, 2020 commit Ja’Dun Michael asked out of his letter of intent.Wichita State said in a statement Friday that it “acknowledges the allegations within its Men’s Basketball program brought forth by media” and that the investigation was being handled in an “expeditious and deliberate manner.”“We have received full cooperation from university staff, coaches, and current student-athletes, and Coach Gregg Marshall and support any individual who chooses to participate in order to conduct a fair, impartial and thorough investigation,” the statement said, adding that team activities will continue as scheduled while the probe is underway.Marshall on Thursday wrote in a text message to&nbsp;<a href="https://theathletic.com/2123302/2020/10/08/gregg-marshall-under-investigation-by-wichita-state-for-allegations-of-misconduct/">The Athletic</a>, a subscription-based sports website, that he was fully participating in the process.“I look forward to having it wrapped up as I continue to focus my energy on our team,” said Marshall, the school’s all-time winningest coach. He did not immediately respond to an email from the AP to his assistant or a phone message seeking comment.Michelle Basi, an attorney at Tueth Keeney, the St. Louis-based law firm handling the inquiry, didn’t immediately return a phone message from the AP.--------WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita State men's basketball coach Gregg Marshall has confirmed that the school is conducting an internal investigation amid allegations he mistreated players.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Wichita State University acknowledges the allegations within its Men’s Basketball program brought forth by media. The university is in the process of an independent investigation conducted by Tueth Keeney, a St. Louis-based law firm. Read more: <a href="https://t.co/rj5wEkELoN">https://t.co/rj5wEkELoN</a>&mdash; Wichita State (@WichitaState) <a href="https://twitter.com/WichitaState/status/1314617374969077766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“I’m aware the university conducted interviews and I fully participated in the process. I look forward to having it wrapped up as I continue to focus my energy on our team," Marshall, the school's all-time winningest coach, wrote in a text message to&nbsp;<a href="https://theathletic.com/2123302/2020/10/08/gregg-marshall-under-investigation-by-wichita-state-for-allegations-of-misconduct/">The Athletic,&nbsp;</a>a subscription-based sports website.<a href="https://watchstadium.com/sources-wichita-states-gregg-marshall-punched-player-choked-assistant-10-08-2020/">Stadium</a>, a multiplatform sports network, said the inquiry began after the university learned it was conducting an investigation in which it interviewed 36 players and former coaches.Former Wichita State forward Shaq Morris told Stadium he was punched twice by Marshall during an October 2015 practice, and former guard Ty Taylor said he saw it happen.They were the only players who agreed to be identified; the others said they feared retribution and community backlash because Marshall's winning record has made him popular, Stadium reported.“I love my teammates, the city and Wichita State,” said Morris, who played at Wichita State from 2014-18. “But if I could go back to that day when he punched me, I would have left.”Taylor transferred to the University of North Carolina Wilmington after the 2015-16 season.Last spring, six scholarship Shockers players plus a walk-on also transferred. In addition, 2020 commit Ja’Dun Michael asked out of his letter of intent, according to The Athletic.Team spokesman Bryan Holmgren didn’t immediately return a phone message or email from The Associated Press seeking comment. Marshall also didn’t immediately respond to an email from the AP to his assistant or a phone message seeking comment.Stadium reported that the St. Louis law firm Tueth Keeney was hired to handle the inquiry. Michelle Basi, an attorney at the firm, didn't immediately return a phone message from the AP.

Update: Wichita State investigating conduct of coach Marshall

CRAWFORD COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), and the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office have identified the skeletal remains of a man found on August 10 north of K-126 on 80th&nbsp;Street in western Crawford County, according to a media release from the agency.

The deceased man has been identified as 19-year-old Joseph Ruttgen. On July 1, Ruttgen was reported missing by a family member to the Erie Police Department. He was last seen in Parsons, Kansas.

Assisting in the identification of Ruttgen was forensic anthropologist, Dr. Alexandra Klales, and forensic scientists from the KBI forensic science laboratory. Due to the condition of the remains, DNA was used to positively identify Ruttgen.

Ruttgen was the victim of a homicide.Anyone with information about the circumstances of his murder is asked to contact the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME, or the Parsons Police Department at 620-421-7060. Tips can also be submitted online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar" target="_blank">https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar</a>.

CRAWFORD COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), and the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office have identified the skeletal remains of a man found on August 10 north of K-126 on 80th&nbsp;Street in western Crawford County, according to a media release from the agency.The deceased man has been identified as 19-year-old Joseph Ruttgen. On July 1, Ruttgen was reported missing by a family member to the Erie Police Department. He was last seen in Parsons, Kansas.Assisting in the identification of Ruttgen was forensic anthropologist, Dr. Alexandra Klales, and forensic scientists from the KBI forensic science laboratory. Due to the condition of the remains, DNA was used to positively identify Ruttgen.Ruttgen was the victim of a homicide.Anyone with information about the circumstances of his murder is asked to contact the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME, or the Parsons Police Department at 620-421-7060. Tips can also be submitted online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar" target="_blank">https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar</a>.

KBI IDs homicide victim as 19-year-old Kan. man

Gov. Kelly says nonpartisan commission should oversee redistricting

By SHERMAN SMITH and TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/09/senate-president-susan-wagle-embraces-gerrymandering-to-benefit-gop-in-kansas/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Democrats blasted
 Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle on Friday for recent comments she 
made about the desire to redraw legislative and congressional district 
boundaries in Kansas to favor Republicans.

Wagle, a Republican from 
Wichita who is retiring from the Legislature after withdrawing from the 
U.S. Senate race, told a gathering of Republicans last month that the 
party needs to secure a supermajority in the Legislature to craft new 
maps in 2022 that would keep her seat in GOP hands and prevent Democrats
 from maintaining a foothold in the 3rd congressional district.

The comments enflamed 
Democrats who have accused Republicans of exploiting their political 
power to gerrymander political boundaries. Gov. Laura Kelly said the 
comments are an indication that Kansas should form a nonpartisan 
commission to make the maps.

Wagle said recasting the 
congressional districts would inhibit the ability of Democratic U.S. 
Rep. Sharice Davids to retain her seat. Additionally, Wagle’s own 
district has shifted to the left, the senate president explained. If 
Republican state Rep. Renee Erickson can defeat Democrat Melissa Gregory
 for Wagle’s seat, Wagle said, the Republican will need help to hang 
onto it.

“During redistricting, I 
need to give her some more Republican neighborhoods in order to make 
sure she stays elected,” Wagle said. “So redistricting, it’s right 
around the corner. And if Governor Kelly can veto a Republican bill that
 gives us four Republican congressmen, that takes out Sharice Davids up 
in the 3rd — we can do that. I guarantee you we can draw four Republican
 congressional maps. But we can’t do it unless we have a two-thirds 
majority in the Senate and House.”

Davis Hammet, a voting rights activist, <a href="https://twitter.com/Davis_Hammet/status/1314566887230054402?s=20">published on social media Friday</a> a video of Wagle’s comments, which were made during a Sept. 25 speech at the Pachyderm Club in Wichita.

Davids, who is seeking 
re-election in the 3rd District anchored by Johnson and Wyandotte 
counties, said Kansas would benefit from a nonpartisan redistricting 
process. She is competing against GOP nominee Amanda Adkins.

“Corrupt politicians are 
using partisan gerrymandering to manipulate our already broken political
 system so it benefits their extreme agenda, not hardworking Kansans,” 
Davids said. “I believe every elected official should be accountable to 
the people they represent. That means we need a redistricting process 
that’s independent, non-partisan and creates truly representative 
districts.”

Outcome of the state 
Senate race between Erickson and Gregory will be decided Nov. 3. 
Erickson didn’t respond to a request for comment, but Gregory said 
residents of the east Wichita district were weary of the “extremism of 
Susan Wagle and her handpicked replacement, Renee Erickson.”

The redistricting flap was one more reason the election is critical to Kansas’ future, Gregory said.

“To move Kansas forward, 
we need bipartisan cooperation to create a map that is best for Kansans,
 not one that is best for the extremists of either political party,” she
 said. “We need to expand Medicaid to 150,000 Kansans, protect coverage 
for their pre-existing conditions and restore jobs in a way that keeps 
us all safe and healthy. But that won’t happen if politicians get to 
choose their voters.”

Redistricting is performed
 each decade following completion of the U.S. Census. The population 
count is relied upon to set boundaries of U.S. House districts, which 
there are four in Kansas, as well as the 165 state legislative districts
 and the 10 state Board of Education districts.

Vicki Hiatt, chairwoman of
 the Kansas Democratic Party, called the video “a cynical and extremely 
disappointing display of the extremist, obstructionist politics that 
have marked Republican leadership in the Kansas Legislature.”

“Susan Wagle just said the
 quiet part of Republicans’ strategy to manipulate our districts out 
loud,” Hiatt said. “By promising to gerrymander districts in the Kansas 
Legislature and write Rep. Sharice Davids out of office, Republican 
leadership just made it clear they intend to undermine the voices of 
hardworking Kansans.”

Kelly responded to the 
Wagle’s comments by revealing her intention to urge legislative leaders 
to support her idea for a nonpartisan voting commission to oversee 
redistricting, rather than leave the map making up to the Legislature.

“A 
democracy means voters choose their elected officials — not elected 
officials choosing their voters,” Kelly said. “Kansans deserve to know 
where their leaders stand on an issue that will impact our state for the
 next decade.”

C.J. Grover, spokesman for
 the Kansas Republican Party, said Kansans should vote for Republicans 
in the upcoming election to ensure fair maps that reflect the will of 
the majority. He said it was laughable to suggest a duly elected 
supermajority of the Legislature could undermine the will of the people.

Following news reports 
about Wagle’s comments on redistricting, the Senate president said in a 
statement that the Democratic governor was certain to seek district maps
 beneficial to liberal unless the GOP checked her power to veto 
GOP-drawn maps.

Wagle doubled down on her belief political boundaries ought to reflect interests of those who win elections.

“Elections have 
consequences and there is no question reapportionment is a political 
process as it sets the table for both Congress and our Kansas 
Legislature for the next 10 years,” Wagle said. “I’m working tirelessly 
for the next 25 days to make sure Republicans keep control of the state 
Legislature as a check on Governor Kelly’s liberal policies and to make 
sure we have a powerful seat at the reapportionment table.”

Members of the Kansas Legislature draw the maps, which are subject to veto by the state’s governor.

In 2012, the House and 
Senate in Kansas failed to adopt a new district maps. Conflict between 
moderate and conservative Republicans in the Senate led to stalemate 
that triggered a lawsuit.

A three-judge panel in 
U.S. District Court intervened to draw the congressional and state 
legislative districts in June 2012. The federal judges wrote in an 
unsigned order they redrew the maps after weighing the proposals of 27 
individuals allowed to intervene in the case.

“Most of the interveners 
have unabashedly political reasons for intervening and they seek to 
advance their respective political agendas,” the judges wrote.

Hammet said the U.S. 
Supreme Court recognized last year that political gerrymandering is 
unjust but deferred to Congress and the states to fix the problem. 
Wagle’s comments, Hammet said, make it clear that “some Kansas leaders 
plan to exploit the problem.”

“Everyone knows that 
gerrymandering goes against the core values of the United States,” 
Hammet said. “It’s a dirty trick to circumvent and undermine the will of
 voters.”

This story has been corrected to say that Senate President Susan Wagle withdrew from the U.S. Senate race.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602270800776.png" alt="Senate President Susan Wagle said Republicans could redraw self-serving legislative and congressional districts as long as they have a two-thirds majority in the Statehouse to override a veto by Gov. Laura Kelly. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Senate President Susan Wagle said Republicans could redraw self-serving legislative and congressional districts as long as they have a two-thirds majority in the Statehouse to override a veto by Gov. Laura Kelly. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Gov. Kelly says nonpartisan commission should oversee redistricting</h2>By SHERMAN SMITH and TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/09/senate-president-susan-wagle-embraces-gerrymandering-to-benefit-gop-in-kansas/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Democrats blasted
 Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle on Friday for recent comments she 
made about the desire to redraw legislative and congressional district 
boundaries in Kansas to favor Republicans.Wagle, a Republican from 
Wichita who is retiring from the Legislature after withdrawing from the 
U.S. Senate race, told a gathering of Republicans last month that the 
party needs to secure a supermajority in the Legislature to craft new 
maps in 2022 that would keep her seat in GOP hands and prevent Democrats
 from maintaining a foothold in the 3rd congressional district.The comments enflamed 
Democrats who have accused Republicans of exploiting their political 
power to gerrymander political boundaries. Gov. Laura Kelly said the 
comments are an indication that Kansas should form a nonpartisan 
commission to make the maps.Wagle said recasting the 
congressional districts would inhibit the ability of Democratic U.S. 
Rep. Sharice Davids to retain her seat. Additionally, Wagle’s own 
district has shifted to the left, the senate president explained. If 
Republican state Rep. Renee Erickson can defeat Democrat Melissa Gregory
 for Wagle’s seat, Wagle said, the Republican will need help to hang 
onto it.“During redistricting, I 
need to give her some more Republican neighborhoods in order to make 
sure she stays elected,” Wagle said. “So redistricting, it’s right 
around the corner. And if Governor Kelly can veto a Republican bill that
 gives us four Republican congressmen, that takes out Sharice Davids up 
in the 3rd — we can do that. I guarantee you we can draw four Republican
 congressional maps. But we can’t do it unless we have a two-thirds 
majority in the Senate and House.”Davis Hammet, a voting rights activist, <a href="https://twitter.com/Davis_Hammet/status/1314566887230054402?s=20">published on social media Friday</a> a video of Wagle’s comments, which were made during a Sept. 25 speech at the Pachyderm Club in Wichita.Davids, who is seeking 
re-election in the 3rd District anchored by Johnson and Wyandotte 
counties, said Kansas would benefit from a nonpartisan redistricting 
process. She is competing against GOP nominee Amanda Adkins.“Corrupt politicians are 
using partisan gerrymandering to manipulate our already broken political
 system so it benefits their extreme agenda, not hardworking Kansans,” 
Davids said. “I believe every elected official should be accountable to 
the people they represent. That means we need a redistricting process 
that’s independent, non-partisan and creates truly representative 
districts.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602270876929.png" alt="U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, a Kansas Democrat seeking re-election in the 3rd District, said “corrupt politicians are using partisan gerrymandering to manipulate our already broken political system so it benefits their extreme agenda.”(Submitted/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, a Kansas Democrat seeking re-election in the 3rd District, said “corrupt politicians are using partisan gerrymandering to manipulate our already broken political system so it benefits their extreme agenda.”(Submitted/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Outcome of the state 
Senate race between Erickson and Gregory will be decided Nov. 3. 
Erickson didn’t respond to a request for comment, but Gregory said 
residents of the east Wichita district were weary of the “extremism of 
Susan Wagle and her handpicked replacement, Renee Erickson.”The redistricting flap was one more reason the election is critical to Kansas’ future, Gregory said.“To move Kansas forward, 
we need bipartisan cooperation to create a map that is best for Kansans,
 not one that is best for the extremists of either political party,” she
 said. “We need to expand Medicaid to 150,000 Kansans, protect coverage 
for their pre-existing conditions and restore jobs in a way that keeps 
us all safe and healthy. But that won’t happen if politicians get to 
choose their voters.”Redistricting is performed
 each decade following completion of the U.S. Census. The population 
count is relied upon to set boundaries of U.S. House districts, which 
there are four in Kansas, as well as the 165 state legislative districts
 and the 10 state Board of Education districts.Vicki Hiatt, chairwoman of
 the Kansas Democratic Party, called the video “a cynical and extremely 
disappointing display of the extremist, obstructionist politics that 
have marked Republican leadership in the Kansas Legislature.”“Susan Wagle just said the
 quiet part of Republicans’ strategy to manipulate our districts out 
loud,” Hiatt said. “By promising to gerrymander districts in the Kansas 
Legislature and write Rep. Sharice Davids out of office, Republican 
leadership just made it clear they intend to undermine the voices of 
hardworking Kansans.”Kelly responded to the 
Wagle’s comments by revealing her intention to urge legislative leaders 
to support her idea for a nonpartisan voting commission to oversee 
redistricting, rather than leave the map making up to the Legislature.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602270904109.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly said a nonpartisan commission should be appointed to handle redrawing of political boundaries for legislative, congressional and state education board districts rather than leave the work to the Legislature and governor. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly said a nonpartisan commission should be appointed to handle redrawing of political boundaries for legislative, congressional and state education board districts rather than leave the work to the Legislature and governor. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“A 
democracy means voters choose their elected officials — not elected 
officials choosing their voters,” Kelly said. “Kansans deserve to know 
where their leaders stand on an issue that will impact our state for the
 next decade.”C.J. Grover, spokesman for
 the Kansas Republican Party, said Kansans should vote for Republicans 
in the upcoming election to ensure fair maps that reflect the will of 
the majority. He said it was laughable to suggest a duly elected 
supermajority of the Legislature could undermine the will of the people.Following news reports 
about Wagle’s comments on redistricting, the Senate president said in a 
statement that the Democratic governor was certain to seek district maps
 beneficial to liberal unless the GOP checked her power to veto 
GOP-drawn maps.Wagle doubled down on her belief political boundaries ought to reflect interests of those who win elections.“Elections have 
consequences and there is no question reapportionment is a political 
process as it sets the table for both Congress and our Kansas 
Legislature for the next 10 years,” Wagle said. “I’m working tirelessly 
for the next 25 days to make sure Republicans keep control of the state 
Legislature as a check on Governor Kelly’s liberal policies and to make 
sure we have a powerful seat at the reapportionment table.”Members of the Kansas Legislature draw the maps, which are subject to veto by the state’s governor.In 2012, the House and 
Senate in Kansas failed to adopt a new district maps. Conflict between 
moderate and conservative Republicans in the Senate led to stalemate 
that triggered a lawsuit.A three-judge panel in 
U.S. District Court intervened to draw the congressional and state 
legislative districts in June 2012. The federal judges wrote in an 
unsigned order they redrew the maps after weighing the proposals of 27 
individuals allowed to intervene in the case.“Most of the interveners 
have unabashedly political reasons for intervening and they seek to 
advance their respective political agendas,” the judges wrote.Hammet said the U.S. 
Supreme Court recognized last year that political gerrymandering is 
unjust but deferred to Congress and the states to fix the problem. 
Wagle’s comments, Hammet said, make it clear that “some Kansas leaders 
plan to exploit the problem.”“Everyone knows that 
gerrymandering goes against the core values of the United States,” 
Hammet said. “It’s a dirty trick to circumvent and undermine the will of
 voters.”This story has been corrected to say that Senate President Susan Wagle withdrew from the U.S. Senate race.

Senate President Wagle embraces gerrymandering to benefit Kan. GOP

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man has been charged with a felony after a 6-year-old boy was shot in August at a friend’s home.

The Douglas County Attorney’s office charged Rashun B. Lewis&nbsp; of Lawrence with aggravated endangering a child, which alleges he allowed a child to be in a situation where his life and health were endangered, according to the charging document.

The child, Tayshawn Mack Harris, was flown to a Kansas City-area hospital in critical condition after he was shot on Aug. 5.

Lawrence police have not released any details of the shooting but have said they do not suspect foul play.

Tayshawn’s mother, Tyeisha Bell, told the media previously that he was shot in the right side of his head while visiting a friend’s house, and she wasn’t sure how it happened.

His aunt established a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/tayshawn-is-a-fighter">GoFundMe</a>&nbsp;to assist the boy and his mother.

Lewis has been issued a summons and his first court appearance was scheduled for Nov. 5.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597321578203.png" alt="Tyshawn photo courtesy GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Tyshawn photo courtesy GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man has been charged with a felony after a 6-year-old boy was shot in August at a friend’s home.The Douglas County Attorney’s office charged Rashun B. Lewis&nbsp; of Lawrence with aggravated endangering a child, which alleges he allowed a child to be in a situation where his life and health were endangered, according to the charging document.The child, Tayshawn Mack Harris, was flown to a Kansas City-area hospital in critical condition after he was shot on Aug. 5.Lawrence police have not released any details of the shooting but have said they do not suspect foul play.Tayshawn’s mother, Tyeisha Bell, told the media previously that he was shot in the right side of his head while visiting a friend’s house, and she wasn’t sure how it happened.His aunt established a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/tayshawn-is-a-fighter">GoFundMe</a>&nbsp;to assist the boy and his mother.Lewis has been issued a summons and his first court appearance was scheduled for Nov. 5.

Man charged after 6-year-old Kan. boy shot in the head 

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1,855 to a total of 65,807 the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 763, an increase of 40.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1,855 to a total of 65,807 the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 763, an increase of 40.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602263997717.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

BARTON COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just before 11:30p.m. Thursday in Barton County.

A 1986 Ford Mustang convertible driven by Jason Bitter, 33, Great Bend, was northbound on U.S. 281 at a high rate of speed, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

The Mustang rear-ended a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Carlos Orozco age 22 of Leoti, Kansas, who had been stopped at the bridge construction site when the light turned green and began to proceed north. &nbsp;

The impact caused Pontiac to strike the construction site crash barriers and spin into the east ditch.&nbsp;

Both drivers were transported to the hospital in Great Bend and they were later flown to Wichita area hospitals in serious condition.

Barton County 911 had received a reckless driving complaint on the Mustang a few minutes prior to the reported collision.

The sheriff’s office believes alcohol was a contributing factor in the accident. "We will pursue criminal charges upon further investigation and toxicology reports, according to Bellendir.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602262741272.png" alt="1986 Mustang involved in Thursday's crash photo Barton Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>1986 Mustang involved in Thursday's crash photo Barton Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just before 11:30p.m. Thursday in Barton County.A 1986 Ford Mustang convertible driven by Jason Bitter, 33, Great Bend, was northbound on U.S. 281 at a high rate of speed, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.The Mustang rear-ended a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Carlos Orozco age 22 of Leoti, Kansas, who had been stopped at the bridge construction site when the light turned green and began to proceed north. &nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602262309114.png" alt="Pontiac Grand Prix involved the crash-photo Barton Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Pontiac Grand Prix involved the crash-photo Barton Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>The impact caused Pontiac to strike the construction site crash barriers and spin into the east ditch.&nbsp;Both drivers were transported to the hospital in Great Bend and they were later flown to Wichita area hospitals in serious condition.Barton County 911 had received a reckless driving complaint on the Mustang a few minutes prior to the reported collision.The sheriff’s office believes alcohol was a contributing factor in the accident. "We will pursue criminal charges upon further investigation and toxicology reports, according to Bellendir.

Sheriff: Alcohol a possible factor in violent Kan. crash

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-10-08/clues-from-the-blood-of-kansans-suggest-the-coronavirus-pandemic-could-stick-around-for-a-long-time">Kansas News Service</a>

Perhaps two in every 50 Kansans have <a href="https://www.livescience.com/antibodies.html" target="_blank">antibodies</a> swimming in their bloodstream that show they’ve had COVID-19.

That relatively low number — based on the assumption that <a href="https://www.redcross.org/give-blood.html" target="_blank">blood donors</a>
 reflect the broader population — suggests a gloomy reality. Kansas is 
still in the early days of this pandemic and it's looking at a future 
likely to bring many more cases than it has so far seen.

“Absolutely,”
 said Roger Shapiro, an immunologist at Harvard University’s School of 
Public Health. “When you look at these figures, you realize how far we 
are from herd immunity.”

The overwhelming number of Kansans, perhaps more than 95%, haven’t yet experienced the virus that has killed more than <a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality" target="_blank">200,000 Americans</a>.

So
 medical pros say the only thing to do is sit tight, keep your masks on 
and stay away from other people, until we have a vaccine.

“This
 is not the time to play a guessing game of, ‘Do I have the flu or do I 
have COVID?’” said Gigi Gronvall, an immunologist at Johns Hopkins’ 
Center for Health Security.

Many people still can’t get fast 
coronavirus tests that would let them isolate in time to stop the 
disease from spreading further, and hospitals remain at risk of getting 
overwhelmed by coronavirus and flu cases this fall.

The
 human body produces antibodies when exposed to a disease, to fend it 
off. And those microscopic defenders can stick around after recovery.

So the American Red Cross screens blood donations for antibodies against <a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/technical-guidance/naming-the-coronavirus-disease-(covid-2019)-and-the-virus-that-causes-it" target="_blank">SARS-CoV-2</a>, the virus behind COVID-19. It then sends <a href="https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=160&amp;ContentID=37" target="_blank">plasma</a>
 with the specialized proteins to hospitals treating coronavirus 
patients, and it reports how often it detects the antibodies to state 
health agencies trying to piece together the bigger picture.

Nationally, the <a href="https://www.redcross.org/give-blood.html" target="_blank">Red Cross</a> has tested about 1.2 million blood donations for the antibodies.

From
 mid-June to mid-September, it found them in about 2% of donations 
nationally. The same was true for Kansas donors. It’s not known how well
 that statistic might reflect the broader population.

Weekly 
tallies suggest the number of people carrying the antibodies has ticked 
upward in Kansas, as elsewhere. In recent weeks, the Red Cross reported 
antibodies in 4% to 5% of Kansas donations.

Could someone with 
antibodies catch the virus again a year from now and get seriously sick?
 How about two years from now? Or could they catch it, not show any 
symptoms, and spread the virus anyway? Scientists can’t yet say.

“This
 is not a get-out-of-jail-free card,” Gronvall said. If a test shows you
 have antibodies, she said, you should still wear a mask and follow 
social distancing rules.

Recent reports of a few patients catching the novel coronavirus <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2020/08/28/covid-19-reinfection-implications/" target="_blank">more than once</a>
 in a relatively short time may not signal what to expect for most 
people, but leave open the possibility that one infection doesn’t 
protect you against another.

The Red Cross reported in <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2770771" target="_blank">a medical journal</a>
 last month that blood donations from people of color test positive for 
the antibodies at a higher rate than blood from white donors.

That matches <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/expert-answers/coronavirus-infection-by-race/faq-20488802" target="_blank">other research</a>
 that shows communities of color bearing the brunt of the pandemic. It 
likely reflects broader social and economic disparities, such as lower 
incomes and a greater likelihood of working high-risk jobs that involve 
in-person contact with many customers or colleagues in a single day.

The virus spread fast in crowded Kansas <a href="https://www.hppr.org/post/emails-show-kansas-agencies-helped-keep-meatpacking-plants-open-despite-concerns-about" target="_blank">meatpacking plants</a>, for example, that rely heavily on the labor of people of color in southwest Kansas.

Some
 studies and modeling point to higher antibody rates nationally and 
globally than the Red Cross has seen among blood donors, but still don’t
 offer good news.

“The (World Health Organization) just came out with an estimate that maybe <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/10-worlds-people-infected-virus-73427817" target="_blank">up to 10%</a>
 of the world has been infected,” Shapiro said. “But even at that 
number, we’re still so far from achieving herd immunity. … We really 
need to create immunity with a vaccine.”

Vaccines <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/conversations/downloads/vacsafe-understand-color-office.pdf" target="_blank">mimic natural infections</a>. They kick a person’s immune system into gear so that it churns out antibodies and stores viral information in <a href="https://askabiologist.asu.edu/memory-b-cell" target="_blank">memory cells</a>
 that could defend us even after those antibodies fade. (Researchers 
have found SARS-CoV-2 antibodies triggered by natural infection two or 
even three months after infection, and say it varies from person to 
person.)

Ongoing coronavirus vaccine trials aim to check how 
protective these immune responses will prove long-term, and whether 
people will need booster shots over time to keep their defenses up.

Part
 of the benefit from vaccines will ultimately come from the sheer number
 of people who would gain some level of protection at once.

“As we
 get to high enough vaccine levels, the herd immunity will actually just
 lower the amount of virus that’s circulating,” Shapiro said. “There 
will be just less virus around. This is our hope.”

The Red Cross’ free antibody tests serve three functions.

They
 gather the information that helps public health experts studying the 
virus’ spread, and they allow the Red Cross to flag plasma with 
antibodies for hospitals.

Scientists <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/513405-science-inconclusive-on-use-of-convalescent-plasma-in-covid-19-patients" target="_blank">still can’t say</a> whether the donated plasma works for treating COVID-19. A separate, <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/09/provocative-results-boost-hopes-antibody-treatment-covid-19" target="_blank">lab-based approach</a>, may prove more effective.

But either way, donations remain as critical as ever to the nation’s blood supply.

And that’s a third reason for offering antibody tests. They attract people to <a href="https://www.redcross.org/give-blood.html" target="_blank">keep donating</a> amid the pandemic.

The
 Red Cross uses respected tests, and when a blood sample proves positive
 for antibodies, it double-checks with a second, high-quality process.

For
 people who had respiratory symptoms in recent months — but couldn’t get
 checked for COVID-19 because of the nationwide shortage of <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/testing-overview.html" target="_blank">viral tests</a> — that may satisfy their curiosity.

And
 that could help keep donations flowing as the pandemic hampers 
traditional blood drives, such as a major annual effort that would have 
attracted thousands of donors next week.

“The biggest blood
 drive the Red Cross does across the country is at the University of 
Missouri in Columbia,” said Joe Zydlo, a regional communications manager
 in St. Louis. “And that has been canceled.”

Meanwhile, Gronvall 
advises against buying an antibody test somewhere. After all, the 
information won’t help you medically, she said, and many products are 
unreliable anyway.

“There’s just been so many bad tests out there,” she said. “Right now I would not spend money on it.”

Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a> or email her at celia@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602251360190.png" alt=" Photo illustration by Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Photo illustration by Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-10-08/clues-from-the-blood-of-kansans-suggest-the-coronavirus-pandemic-could-stick-around-for-a-long-time">Kansas News Service</a>Perhaps two in every 50 Kansans have <a href="https://www.livescience.com/antibodies.html" target="_blank">antibodies</a> swimming in their bloodstream that show they’ve had COVID-19.That relatively low number — based on the assumption that <a href="https://www.redcross.org/give-blood.html" target="_blank">blood donors</a>
 reflect the broader population — suggests a gloomy reality. Kansas is 
still in the early days of this pandemic and it's looking at a future 
likely to bring many more cases than it has so far seen.“Absolutely,”
 said Roger Shapiro, an immunologist at Harvard University’s School of 
Public Health. “When you look at these figures, you realize how far we 
are from herd immunity.”The overwhelming number of Kansans, perhaps more than 95%, haven’t yet experienced the virus that has killed more than <a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality" target="_blank">200,000 Americans</a>.So
 medical pros say the only thing to do is sit tight, keep your masks on 
and stay away from other people, until we have a vaccine.That, and get a flu shot.“This
 is not the time to play a guessing game of, ‘Do I have the flu or do I 
have COVID?’” said Gigi Gronvall, an immunologist at Johns Hopkins’ 
Center for Health Security.Many people still can’t get fast 
coronavirus tests that would let them isolate in time to stop the 
disease from spreading further, and hospitals remain at risk of getting 
overwhelmed by coronavirus and flu cases this fall.<h2>Clues in the blood</h2>The
 human body produces antibodies when exposed to a disease, to fend it 
off. And those microscopic defenders can stick around after recovery.So the American Red Cross screens blood donations for antibodies against <a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/technical-guidance/naming-the-coronavirus-disease-(covid-2019)-and-the-virus-that-causes-it" target="_blank">SARS-CoV-2</a>, the virus behind COVID-19. It then sends <a href="https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=160&amp;ContentID=37" target="_blank">plasma</a>
 with the specialized proteins to hospitals treating coronavirus 
patients, and it reports how often it detects the antibodies to state 
health agencies trying to piece together the bigger picture.Nationally, the <a href="https://www.redcross.org/give-blood.html" target="_blank">Red Cross</a> has tested about 1.2 million blood donations for the antibodies.From
 mid-June to mid-September, it found them in about 2% of donations 
nationally. The same was true for Kansas donors. It’s not known how well
 that statistic might reflect the broader population.Weekly 
tallies suggest the number of people carrying the antibodies has ticked 
upward in Kansas, as elsewhere. In recent weeks, the Red Cross reported 
antibodies in 4% to 5% of Kansas donations.Could someone with 
antibodies catch the virus again a year from now and get seriously sick?
 How about two years from now? Or could they catch it, not show any 
symptoms, and spread the virus anyway? Scientists can’t yet say.“This
 is not a get-out-of-jail-free card,” Gronvall said. If a test shows you
 have antibodies, she said, you should still wear a mask and follow 
social distancing rules.Recent reports of a few patients catching the novel coronavirus <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2020/08/28/covid-19-reinfection-implications/" target="_blank">more than once</a>
 in a relatively short time may not signal what to expect for most 
people, but leave open the possibility that one infection doesn’t 
protect you against another.<h2>Greater risk</h2>The Red Cross reported in <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2770771" target="_blank">a medical journal</a>
 last month that blood donations from people of color test positive for 
the antibodies at a higher rate than blood from white donors.That matches <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/expert-answers/coronavirus-infection-by-race/faq-20488802" target="_blank">other research</a>
 that shows communities of color bearing the brunt of the pandemic. It 
likely reflects broader social and economic disparities, such as lower 
incomes and a greater likelihood of working high-risk jobs that involve 
in-person contact with many customers or colleagues in a single day.The virus spread fast in crowded Kansas <a href="https://www.hppr.org/post/emails-show-kansas-agencies-helped-keep-meatpacking-plants-open-despite-concerns-about" target="_blank">meatpacking plants</a>, for example, that rely heavily on the labor of people of color in southwest Kansas.<h2>The need for a vaccine</h2>Some
 studies and modeling point to higher antibody rates nationally and 
globally than the Red Cross has seen among blood donors, but still don’t
 offer good news.“The (World Health Organization) just came out with an estimate that maybe <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/10-worlds-people-infected-virus-73427817" target="_blank">up to 10%</a>
 of the world has been infected,” Shapiro said. “But even at that 
number, we’re still so far from achieving herd immunity. … We really 
need to create immunity with a vaccine.”Vaccines <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/conversations/downloads/vacsafe-understand-color-office.pdf" target="_blank">mimic natural infections</a>. They kick a person’s immune system into gear so that it churns out antibodies and stores viral information in <a href="https://askabiologist.asu.edu/memory-b-cell" target="_blank">memory cells</a>
 that could defend us even after those antibodies fade. (Researchers 
have found SARS-CoV-2 antibodies triggered by natural infection two or 
even three months after infection, and say it varies from person to 
person.)Ongoing coronavirus vaccine trials aim to check how 
protective these immune responses will prove long-term, and whether 
people will need booster shots over time to keep their defenses up.Part
 of the benefit from vaccines will ultimately come from the sheer number
 of people who would gain some level of protection at once.“As we
 get to high enough vaccine levels, the herd immunity will actually just
 lower the amount of virus that’s circulating,” Shapiro said. “There 
will be just less virus around. This is our hope.”<h2>Should you get an antibody test?</h2>The Red Cross’ free antibody tests serve three functions.They
 gather the information that helps public health experts studying the 
virus’ spread, and they allow the Red Cross to flag plasma with 
antibodies for hospitals.Scientists <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/513405-science-inconclusive-on-use-of-convalescent-plasma-in-covid-19-patients" target="_blank">still can’t say</a> whether the donated plasma works for treating COVID-19. A separate, <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/09/provocative-results-boost-hopes-antibody-treatment-covid-19" target="_blank">lab-based approach</a>, may prove more effective.But either way, donations remain as critical as ever to the nation’s blood supply.And that’s a third reason for offering antibody tests. They attract people to <a href="https://www.redcross.org/give-blood.html" target="_blank">keep donating</a> amid the pandemic.The
 Red Cross uses respected tests, and when a blood sample proves positive
 for antibodies, it double-checks with a second, high-quality process.For
 people who had respiratory symptoms in recent months — but couldn’t get
 checked for COVID-19 because of the nationwide shortage of <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/testing-overview.html" target="_blank">viral tests</a> — that may satisfy their curiosity.And
 that could help keep donations flowing as the pandemic hampers 
traditional blood drives, such as a major annual effort that would have 
attracted thousands of donors next week.“The biggest blood
 drive the Red Cross does across the country is at the University of 
Missouri in Columbia,” said Joe Zydlo, a regional communications manager
 in St. Louis. “And that has been canceled.”Meanwhile, Gronvall 
advises against buying an antibody test somewhere. After all, the 
information won’t help you medically, she said, and many products are 
unreliable anyway.“There’s just been so many bad tests out there,” she said. “Right now I would not spend money on it.”Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a> or email her at celia@kcur.org.

Antibody tests show 'we’re still so far from achieving herd immunity'

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday said it would for now continue to allow women to obtain an abortion pill by mail during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The action came over the dissent of two conservative justices who would have immediately granted a Trump administration request to reinstate the requirement that women must visit a hospital, clinic or medical office to obtain a pill.

The court did little more than defer its first action on an abortion-related issue since the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg last month. The court called for a lower-court judge to take a new look at the issue and rule within 40 days. That would put any further high court action after the Nov. 3 election.

The court said in an unsigned opinion that it was holding the administration’s appeal “in abeyance.”

The administration is asking to be allowed to enforce a U.S. Food and Drug Administration rule. The administration has suspended similar in-person visits for other drugs, including opioids in some cases, but refused to relax the rules for getting the abortion pill.

A federal judge in Maryland ruled in July that, during the public health emergency declared by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, health care providers can arrange for mifepristone to be mailed or delivered to patients. The FDA has approved mifepristone to be used in combination with a second drug, misoprostol, to end an early pregnancy or manage a miscarriage.

Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas said they would have granted the administration’s request. “Six weeks have passed since the application was submitted, but the Court refuses to rule,” Alito wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582813176978.jpeg" alt=" Mifepristone, commonly called the abortion pill, is the most common form of abortion in Kansas. Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Mifepristone, commonly called the abortion pill, is the most common form of abortion in Kansas. Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday said it would for now continue to allow women to obtain an abortion pill by mail during the COVID-19 pandemic.The action came over the dissent of two conservative justices who would have immediately granted a Trump administration request to reinstate the requirement that women must visit a hospital, clinic or medical office to obtain a pill.The court did little more than defer its first action on an abortion-related issue since the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg last month. The court called for a lower-court judge to take a new look at the issue and rule within 40 days. That would put any further high court action after the Nov. 3 election.The court said in an unsigned opinion that it was holding the administration’s appeal “in abeyance.”The administration is asking to be allowed to enforce a U.S. Food and Drug Administration rule. The administration has suspended similar in-person visits for other drugs, including opioids in some cases, but refused to relax the rules for getting the abortion pill.A federal judge in Maryland ruled in July that, during the public health emergency declared by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, health care providers can arrange for mifepristone to be mailed or delivered to patients. The FDA has approved mifepristone to be used in combination with a second drug, misoprostol, to end an early pregnancy or manage a miscarriage.Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas said they would have granted the administration’s request. “Six weeks have passed since the application was submitted, but the Court refuses to rule,” Alito wrote.

Supreme Court: Women can get abortion pill by mail, for now

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the 2019 shooting death of a Kansas teen have made an arrest.

Just after 3p.m. November 12, 2019, police were dispatched to the 2400 Block of SE Maryland in Topeka about a possible shooting, according to&nbsp;Lieutenant Jerry Monasmith.

On arrival, officers located the 15-year-old Owen Hughes suffering from life-threatening injuries. He was pronounced deceased by medical personnel on the scene.

On Thursday evening, the Topeka Police Department and Kansas Fugitive Apprehension Task Force arrested Darnell Tyree-Peppers, 23 of Topeka, and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of 1st Degree Murder, Attempted Aggravated Robbery and Aggravated Burglary, according to Monasmith.

Larry Huggins III, 19, remains in custody in connection with the crime. Police arrested him after he showed up at a hospital&nbsp; with a gunshot wound, three hours after Hughes and 21-year-old Reginald McKinney Jr. were fatally shot. Witnesses told police that they saw people running from the area after the shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602241521699.png" alt="Tyree-Peppers-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Tyree-Peppers-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the 2019 shooting death of a Kansas teen have made an arrest.Just after 3p.m. November 12, 2019, police were dispatched to the 2400 Block of SE Maryland in Topeka about a possible shooting, according to&nbsp;Lieutenant Jerry Monasmith.On arrival, officers located the 15-year-old Owen Hughes suffering from life-threatening injuries. He was pronounced deceased by medical personnel on the scene.On Thursday evening, the Topeka Police Department and Kansas Fugitive Apprehension Task Force arrested Darnell Tyree-Peppers, 23 of Topeka, and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of 1st Degree Murder, Attempted Aggravated Robbery and Aggravated Burglary, according to Monasmith.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573826322999.png" alt="Larry Huggins,III&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Larry Huggins,III&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Larry Huggins III, 19, remains in custody in connection with the crime. Police arrested him after he showed up at a hospital&nbsp; with a gunshot wound, three hours after Hughes and 21-year-old Reginald McKinney Jr. were fatally shot. Witnesses told police that they saw people running from the area after the shooting.

Task Force helps arrest Kan. man wanted for 2019 fatal shooting 

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Students are urging Washburn University officials to reconsider their decision to cancel spring break in an effort to minimize COVID-19 transmission.

The Washburn Student Government Association passed a resolution Wednesday calling on the administration to consider an alternative that would add three “mental health days” to the spring calendar.

The student leaders said they were blindsided by last week's announcement that students would go through 15 uninterrupted weeks of classes, with finals week one week earlier between May 1 and 7.

“We understand the need for safety, but we can’t sacrifice safety for mental health,” said student body president Victoria Smith.

JuliAnn Mazachek, vice president for academic affairs, said in an email late last week that spring break was being eliminated to protect the health and safety of faculty, staff and students.

“As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to grow both nationally and in our state, it is incumbent upon the university to design an academic schedule that minimizes opportunity for contraction and transmission of this virus,” Mazachek wrote.

The state Department of Health and Environment reported another 1,244 new confirmed and probable coronavirus cases from Monday to Wednesday to bring the pandemic total to 63,952.

Meanwhile, the health department in Shawnee County, which includes Topeka, announced Thursday that it was adding 26 coronavirus-related deaths to its count as the result of a review of records. That brings the total number of deaths in the county since the pandemic began to 60. Statewide, there had been 723 deaths as of Wednesday.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Students are urging Washburn University officials to reconsider their decision to cancel spring break in an effort to minimize COVID-19 transmission.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Here is the resolution that WSGA read and passed at last night’s meeting following the Public Forum concerning the elimination of all breaks during the 2021 Spring semester. <a href="https://t.co/EapBaM1TtV">pic.twitter.com/EapBaM1TtV</a>&mdash; Washburn Student Gov (@yourWSGA) <a href="https://twitter.com/yourWSGA/status/1314327086845362176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Washburn Student Government Association passed a resolution Wednesday calling on the administration to consider an alternative that would add three “mental health days” to the spring calendar.The student leaders said they were blindsided by last week's announcement that students would go through 15 uninterrupted weeks of classes, with finals week one week earlier between May 1 and 7.“We understand the need for safety, but we can’t sacrifice safety for mental health,” said student body president Victoria Smith.JuliAnn Mazachek, vice president for academic affairs, said in an email late last week that spring break was being eliminated to protect the health and safety of faculty, staff and students.“As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to grow both nationally and in our state, it is incumbent upon the university to design an academic schedule that minimizes opportunity for contraction and transmission of this virus,” Mazachek wrote.The state Department of Health and Environment reported another 1,244 new confirmed and probable coronavirus cases from Monday to Wednesday to bring the pandemic total to 63,952.Meanwhile, the health department in Shawnee County, which includes Topeka, announced Thursday that it was adding 26 coronavirus-related deaths to its count as the result of a review of records. That brings the total number of deaths in the county since the pandemic began to 60. Statewide, there had been 723 deaths as of Wednesday.

Students push back after school cancels spring break

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A nine-months-pregnant Black woman whose arrest by a Kansas City police officer sparked outrage and an occupation of City Hall grounds was so overcome with emotion Thursday that she was unable to address a rally to demand police reform.

Deja Stallings ended up on the ground with an officer's knee in her back during the Sept. 30 arrest that was captured on video. Civil rights organizations and others have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-kansas-city-health-kansas-racial-injustice-02d510348e588646ec876a492b281809">camped out at City Hall since</a>&nbsp;and have vowed not to leave until the officers involved and Police Chief Rick Smith are fired.

The protesters also want the city to redirect 50% of the police department’s budget to social services supporting the Black community.

On Thursday, Stallings struggled to walk from the car to the steps of City Hall, where she was expected to address the crowd. When her time to speak arrived, she managed to get out only a few words before she started to cry and had to sit down.

Stallings lawyer, Stacy Shaw, read her statement, in which she described the physical pain and a bruise that endures on her back a week after the arrest.

“I cry every day because I am scared for my baby,” she said. “My baby girl has not even been born yet and she is a victim of police brutality. I am trying to stay strong but I know my baby is a fighter. She needs to be the last child who is a victim of the KCPD. She needs the demands of this occupation to be met.”

Shaw said doctors have checked the unborn baby, named Dsyre, and she appears to be healthy.

Stallings was issued a municipal citation for hindering arrest after police said she interfered when they tried to arrest a man, and that she was put on the ground to be handcuffed because she resisted arrest.

Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Jean Peters-Baker is reviewing the arrest.

Police said in a statement Thursday that the officers involved remain on duty.

“We are reviewing the incident as well," spokesman Sgt. Jacob Becchina said, adding that police are cooperating with the prosecutors' investigation.

Civil rights groups have said for months that Smith should resign or be fired because his department is plagued by racism and does not investigate or respond to unnecessary force or fatal shootings of Black people by officers.

Smith has said repeatedly that he does not intend to resign but otherwise has made no statement since the arrest. Mayor Quinton Lucas has said he does not believe it is feasible to reduce the police budget by 50%.

“We have stated that we will occupy the seat of government, right here on this lawn, until our demands are met or we are forcibly and violently removed from the property,” Shaw said.

"And if we are violently removed, we'll be back the next day,” she said.

City Councilmen Brandon Ellington and Eric Bunch spoke in support of police reform and vowed to help the protesters achieve their goals.

Bunch said he would push the council to take the necessary action to “completely re-imagine what public safety means.”

He said the police department's $272 million budget this year is more than the combined budgets of several other departments, including parks, health, neighborhood services, indigent medical care and housing and homeless services. He noted that as the city continues to steer more money to police, violent crime and homicides keep increasing.

“We literally do not have the money to support the vital health care and quality of life issues precisely because we have resigned ourselves to a reality in which law enforcement is the only tool to address these complex issues," he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602239826442.png" alt="Deja Stallings spoke at Thursday's rally image courtesy KSHB TV" />
 <figcaption>Deja Stallings spoke at Thursday's rally image courtesy KSHB TV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A nine-months-pregnant Black woman whose arrest by a Kansas City police officer sparked outrage and an occupation of City Hall grounds was so overcome with emotion Thursday that she was unable to address a rally to demand police reform.Deja Stallings ended up on the ground with an officer's knee in her back during the Sept. 30 arrest that was captured on video. Civil rights organizations and others have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-kansas-city-health-kansas-racial-injustice-02d510348e588646ec876a492b281809">camped out at City Hall since</a>&nbsp;and have vowed not to leave until the officers involved and Police Chief Rick Smith are fired.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602239959620.png" alt="Tents for protesters at City Hall photo courtesy KSHB" />
 <figcaption>Tents for protesters at City Hall photo courtesy KSHB</figcaption>
 </figure>The protesters also want the city to redirect 50% of the police department’s budget to social services supporting the Black community.On Thursday, Stallings struggled to walk from the car to the steps of City Hall, where she was expected to address the crowd. When her time to speak arrived, she managed to get out only a few words before she started to cry and had to sit down.Stallings lawyer, Stacy Shaw, read her statement, in which she described the physical pain and a bruise that endures on her back a week after the arrest.“I cry every day because I am scared for my baby,” she said. “My baby girl has not even been born yet and she is a victim of police brutality. I am trying to stay strong but I know my baby is a fighter. She needs to be the last child who is a victim of the KCPD. She needs the demands of this occupation to be met.”Shaw said doctors have checked the unborn baby, named Dsyre, and she appears to be healthy.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601602944860.png" alt="Image from cell phone video of the arrest courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Image from cell phone video of the arrest courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>Stallings was issued a municipal citation for hindering arrest after police said she interfered when they tried to arrest a man, and that she was put on the ground to be handcuffed because she resisted arrest.Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Jean Peters-Baker is reviewing the arrest.Police said in a statement Thursday that the officers involved remain on duty.“We are reviewing the incident as well," spokesman Sgt. Jacob Becchina said, adding that police are cooperating with the prosecutors' investigation.Civil rights groups have said for months that Smith should resign or be fired because his department is plagued by racism and does not investigate or respond to unnecessary force or fatal shootings of Black people by officers.Smith has said repeatedly that he does not intend to resign but otherwise has made no statement since the arrest. Mayor Quinton Lucas has said he does not believe it is feasible to reduce the police budget by 50%.Shaw said the protesters are not swayed.“We have stated that we will occupy the seat of government, right here on this lawn, until our demands are met or we are forcibly and violently removed from the property,” Shaw said."And if we are violently removed, we'll be back the next day,” she said.City Councilmen Brandon Ellington and Eric Bunch spoke in support of police reform and vowed to help the protesters achieve their goals.Bunch said he would push the council to take the necessary action to “completely re-imagine what public safety means.”He said the police department's $272 million budget this year is more than the combined budgets of several other departments, including parks, health, neighborhood services, indigent medical care and housing and homeless services. He noted that as the city continues to steer more money to police, violent crime and homicides keep increasing.“We literally do not have the money to support the vital health care and quality of life issues precisely because we have resigned ourselves to a reality in which law enforcement is the only tool to address these complex issues," he said.

Pregnant Kansas City woman arrested by police attends rally

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Treating the sick and dying isn't even the toughest part for nurse Amelia Montgomery as the coronavirus surges in her corner of red America.

It's dealing with patients and relatives who don't believe the virus is real, refuse to wear masks and demand treatments like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b9b6dc204d780fac7e6a79c1dbf21b8d">hydroxychloroquine,</a>&nbsp;which President Donald Trump has championed even though experts say it is not effective against the scourge that has killed over 210,000 in the U.S.

Montgomery finds herself, like so many other doctors and nurses, in a world where the politics of the crisis are complicating treatment efforts, with some people even resisting getting tested.

It's unclear how&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-donald-trump-infectious-diseases-michael-pence-a037f5cf6d6f14f90313a3aa7cd58043">Trump’s&nbsp;</a>bout with the virus will affect the situation, but some doctors aren't optimistic. After a few days of treatment at a military hospital, the president tweeted Monday, “Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life. ... I feel better than I did 20 years ago!”

After one tough shift on the coronavirus unit at Cox South Hospital in Springfield, Montgomery went onto Facebook to vent her frustrations about caring for patients who didn't socially distance because they didn't believe the virus was real. The hospital later shared her post on its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coxhealth.com/newsroom/letter-heart-covid-19-nurse/">website</a>.

She complained that some people demand the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine and think the only patients who get really sick have underlying health problems.

“The majority of people don’t understand and can’t picture what we are seeing. That has been frustrating for all of us,” Montgomery said in an interview, adding: “It wears.”

Combating virus skeptics is a battle across the country.

In Georgia, at Augusta University Medical Center, visitors have tried to get around the mask requirement by wearing face coverings made of fishnet and other material with visible holes, something the hospital has dubbed “malicious compliance." People also have shown up with video cameras in an attempt to collect proof the virus is a hoax, said Dr. Phillip Coule, the health system's chief medical officer, who contracted the virus in July and has seen two staff members die.

“Just imagine that while you are caring for your own staff that are dying from this disease, and while you are trying to keep yourself safe, and you are trying to keep your family safe, and you are trying to deal with a disease that such little is known about, and then to have somebody tell you that it is all a hoax after you have been dealing with that all day," he said. “Imagine the emotional distress that that causes.”

He said most skeptics — including some who have argued with him on Facebook — are converted to believers when they get sick themselves. And he is starting to hear fewer people dismiss the virus entirely since the president was diagnosed.

“It is unfortunate that the president has contracted the disease, but it is difficult for groups who support the president to be out there saying it doesn’t exist," he said.

But he also said he fears people may draw the wrong lesson about the seriousness of the disease from what happened to Trump: "People may extrapolate that the risk for a 74 is low when the reality is the risk to a 74 year-old is quite high."

Dr. Beth Oller, who practices family medicine with her physician-husband in rural Kansas' Rooks County, isn't optimistic the president's diagnosis will change much in her community, where cases are on the rise, many resist masks, and weddings with hundreds of guests have been held in recent weeks.

“None of the things he did since he had it have helped us a bit, and, if anything, would fly in the face of it," she said, noting that the president took his mask off as soon as he returned to the White House. “All he did was continue to show people that the things we are saying to do are overblown and an overreaction. As a physician, it is so damn frustrating."

The issue has been a challenge in red states for months.

In Iowa, home health nurse Lisa Dockery was fired from her job caring for a boy with severe disabilities after arguing with his parents, who said COVID-19 is a “hoax.” The argument started because the parents refused to wear masks around Dockery and the boy, even though she told them their son's life was in danger because he has respiratory problems, relies on tube feedings and cannot walk, state unemployment records show.

The case ended with a judge ordering her former employer to pay her unemployment.

Dr. Gary LeRoy, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, said he isn’t surprised that it has been so hard to persuade the public, noting that there was also a lot of denial as the Spanish flu was sweeping across the world a century ago, killing tens of millions of people.

“When you look at human history, it is what happens in every situation," he said. “In war, in famine, in disease, there is going to be a population of people where the bombs are dropping all around them and they don’t believe that it exists.”

Dr. Brad Burmeister, an emergency medicine physician at Bellin Hospital in Green Bay, Wisconsin, said he has encountered a few patients who have declined to be tested for the coronavirus despite having possible symptoms.

“They say they don’t want to become a statistic or some kind of rhetoric like that," he said, adding that he thinks a shift might be coming, given what happened to Trump. “It just sort of shows how infectious COVID-19 is and how easily it can spread, that even when you are taking all of those precautions, you can still get infected with the virus."

Dr. Natasha Bhuyan, a family physician in Phoenix, said politics often come up in discussions with patients who come in asking whether the death toll is being inflated.

“It’s an info-demic as well as a pandemic,” she lamented.

Dr. Jay W. Lee, a family physician in Orange County, California, recalled a patient who demanded the “largest hydroxychloroquine prescription you can give me."

“If I didn’t have my mask on, he would have seen my mouth agape,” said Lee, chief of the Share Our Selves medical clinics, adding that a small number of patients “flat-out said this was a hoax."

He has found himself turning to&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/familydocwonk">social media</a>&nbsp;and meeting with elected leaders to combat some of the misinformation.

“I think part of it is we feel like we can’t just sit back and take it because silence is complicity,” he said.

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Treating the sick and dying isn't even the toughest part for nurse Amelia Montgomery as the coronavirus surges in her corner of red America.It's dealing with patients and relatives who don't believe the virus is real, refuse to wear masks and demand treatments like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b9b6dc204d780fac7e6a79c1dbf21b8d">hydroxychloroquine,</a>&nbsp;which President Donald Trump has championed even though experts say it is not effective against the scourge that has killed over 210,000 in the U.S.Montgomery finds herself, like so many other doctors and nurses, in a world where the politics of the crisis are complicating treatment efforts, with some people even resisting getting tested.It's unclear how&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-donald-trump-infectious-diseases-michael-pence-a037f5cf6d6f14f90313a3aa7cd58043">Trump’s&nbsp;</a>bout with the virus will affect the situation, but some doctors aren't optimistic. After a few days of treatment at a military hospital, the president tweeted Monday, “Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life. ... I feel better than I did 20 years ago!”After one tough shift on the coronavirus unit at Cox South Hospital in Springfield, Montgomery went onto Facebook to vent her frustrations about caring for patients who didn't socially distance because they didn't believe the virus was real. The hospital later shared her post on its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coxhealth.com/newsroom/letter-heart-covid-19-nurse/">website</a>.She complained that some people demand the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine and think the only patients who get really sick have underlying health problems.“The majority of people don’t understand and can’t picture what we are seeing. That has been frustrating for all of us,” Montgomery said in an interview, adding: “It wears.”Combating virus skeptics is a battle across the country.In Georgia, at Augusta University Medical Center, visitors have tried to get around the mask requirement by wearing face coverings made of fishnet and other material with visible holes, something the hospital has dubbed “malicious compliance." People also have shown up with video cameras in an attempt to collect proof the virus is a hoax, said Dr. Phillip Coule, the health system's chief medical officer, who contracted the virus in July and has seen two staff members die.“Just imagine that while you are caring for your own staff that are dying from this disease, and while you are trying to keep yourself safe, and you are trying to keep your family safe, and you are trying to deal with a disease that such little is known about, and then to have somebody tell you that it is all a hoax after you have been dealing with that all day," he said. “Imagine the emotional distress that that causes.”He said most skeptics — including some who have argued with him on Facebook — are converted to believers when they get sick themselves. And he is starting to hear fewer people dismiss the virus entirely since the president was diagnosed.“It is unfortunate that the president has contracted the disease, but it is difficult for groups who support the president to be out there saying it doesn’t exist," he said.But he also said he fears people may draw the wrong lesson about the seriousness of the disease from what happened to Trump: "People may extrapolate that the risk for a 74 is low when the reality is the risk to a 74 year-old is quite high."Dr. Beth Oller, who practices family medicine with her physician-husband in rural Kansas' Rooks County, isn't optimistic the president's diagnosis will change much in her community, where cases are on the rise, many resist masks, and weddings with hundreds of guests have been held in recent weeks.“None of the things he did since he had it have helped us a bit, and, if anything, would fly in the face of it," she said, noting that the president took his mask off as soon as he returned to the White House. “All he did was continue to show people that the things we are saying to do are overblown and an overreaction. As a physician, it is so damn frustrating."The issue has been a challenge in red states for months.In Iowa, home health nurse Lisa Dockery was fired from her job caring for a boy with severe disabilities after arguing with his parents, who said COVID-19 is a “hoax.” The argument started because the parents refused to wear masks around Dockery and the boy, even though she told them their son's life was in danger because he has respiratory problems, relies on tube feedings and cannot walk, state unemployment records show.The case ended with a judge ordering her former employer to pay her unemployment.Dr. Gary LeRoy, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, said he isn’t surprised that it has been so hard to persuade the public, noting that there was also a lot of denial as the Spanish flu was sweeping across the world a century ago, killing tens of millions of people.“When you look at human history, it is what happens in every situation," he said. “In war, in famine, in disease, there is going to be a population of people where the bombs are dropping all around them and they don’t believe that it exists.”Dr. Brad Burmeister, an emergency medicine physician at Bellin Hospital in Green Bay, Wisconsin, said he has encountered a few patients who have declined to be tested for the coronavirus despite having possible symptoms.“They say they don’t want to become a statistic or some kind of rhetoric like that," he said, adding that he thinks a shift might be coming, given what happened to Trump. “It just sort of shows how infectious COVID-19 is and how easily it can spread, that even when you are taking all of those precautions, you can still get infected with the virus."Dr. Natasha Bhuyan, a family physician in Phoenix, said politics often come up in discussions with patients who come in asking whether the death toll is being inflated.“It’s an info-demic as well as a pandemic,” she lamented.Dr. Jay W. Lee, a family physician in Orange County, California, recalled a patient who demanded the “largest hydroxychloroquine prescription you can give me."“If I didn’t have my mask on, he would have seen my mouth agape,” said Lee, chief of the Share Our Selves medical clinics, adding that a small number of patients “flat-out said this was a hoax."He has found himself turning to&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/familydocwonk">social media</a>&nbsp;and meeting with elected leaders to combat some of the misinformation.“I think part of it is we feel like we can’t just sit back and take it because silence is complicity,” he said.

'So frustrating': Doctors and nurses battle virus skeptics

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas woman was charged in connection to the weekend shooting of a Topeka man in his home, Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said Thursday.

Tishara Renee Moran, 27, is charged with felony first-degree murder and aggravated robbery linked to Saturday’s gunshot slaying of 28-year-old Christopher J. McMillon.

Police were called Saturday morning to McMillon’s home after a family member checking to see why he failed to appear at a youth basketball game&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-topeka-6f82581c039302cfcde2ea8f4e08afe9">found him dead.</a>

Neighbors reported they had heard gunshots about 12:50 a.m. that day, Kagay said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601981878313.png" alt="Moran-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Moran-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas woman was charged in connection to the weekend shooting of a Topeka man in his home, Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said Thursday.Tishara Renee Moran, 27, is charged with felony first-degree murder and aggravated robbery linked to Saturday’s gunshot slaying of 28-year-old Christopher J. McMillon.Police were called Saturday morning to McMillon’s home after a family member checking to see why he failed to appear at a youth basketball game&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-topeka-6f82581c039302cfcde2ea8f4e08afe9">found him dead.</a>Neighbors reported they had heard gunshots about 12:50 a.m. that day, Kagay said.“The subsequent investigation led law enforcement to believe Moran was involved in the homicide,” he said.Moran was arrested Monday and is being held in the Shawnee County Jail on a $1 million bond.