SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating after a police officer was injured in Wichita.

Just after&nbsp;&nbsp;1:30 a.m. Sunday, officers were at 100 N. Mosley in Old Town, according to a media release.

Someone threw a bottle that struck an officer in the face, causing a laceration. 

If you have any video or photos that can help in the investigation, please upload it to the following link: <a href="https://t.co/8W0aKvsZVG?amp=1" target="_blank">https://WichitaPD.evidence.com/axon/citizen/public/20c035576</a>

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating after a police officer was injured in Wichita.Just after&nbsp;&nbsp;1:30 a.m. Sunday, officers were at 100 N. Mosley in Old Town, according to a media release.Someone threw a bottle that struck an officer in the face, causing a laceration. If you have any video or photos that can help in the investigation, please upload it to the following link: <a href="https://t.co/8W0aKvsZVG?amp=1" target="_blank">https://WichitaPD.evidence.com/axon/citizen/public/20c035576</a>

Kan. police officer injured when someone throws bottle 

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, is backing an ordinance that would strike possession of marijuana from the municipal code, a move that would eliminate even fines for those who possess marijuana.

Mayor Quinton Lucas said in a news release Thursday that he would introduce the ordinance with all four black members of the City Council. Lucas said eliminating laws that disproportionately affect black people can help “improve police-community relations."

Missourians voted in 2018 to legalize medical marijuana, but recreational use of the drug remains illegal. In Kansas City, voters in 2017 decided to reduce the penalties for possession to a $25 fine.

Although black and white people have comparable rates of usage, black people are 3.6 times more likely than whites to be arrested for possession of marijuana, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

The news release described the move as one of many taken by Lucas and the City Council to create a “more equitable community.” Earlier this year, the mayor's office launched a pardon program for past nonviolent, minor municipal marijuana offenses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587061762964.png" alt="Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — The mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, is backing an ordinance that would strike possession of marijuana from the municipal code, a move that would eliminate even fines for those who possess marijuana.Mayor Quinton Lucas said in a news release Thursday that he would introduce the ordinance with all four black members of the City Council. Lucas said eliminating laws that disproportionately affect black people can help “improve police-community relations."Missourians voted in 2018 to legalize medical marijuana, but recreational use of the drug remains illegal. In Kansas City, voters in 2017 decided to reduce the penalties for possession to a $25 fine.Although black and white people have comparable rates of usage, black people are 3.6 times more likely than whites to be arrested for possession of marijuana, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.The news release described the move as one of many taken by Lucas and the City Council to create a “more equitable community.” Earlier this year, the mayor's office launched a pardon program for past nonviolent, minor municipal marijuana offenses.

KC mayor wants to stop penalizing marijuana possession

KANSAS CITY&nbsp; (AP) — Police are investigating the death of a person whose body was pulled from a lake south of Kansas City.

The body was pulled from Terrace Lake early Thursday morning.

Police responded shortly after 5:45 a.m. to the lake after a caller to 911 reported seeing the body in the lake.

Police had not released any other details, including the identity of the person or how the person ended up in the lake, by midmorning on Thursday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592495165210.png" alt="First responders on the scene early Thursday photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene early Thursday photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY&nbsp; (AP) — Police are investigating the death of a person whose body was pulled from a lake south of Kansas City.The body was pulled from Terrace Lake early Thursday morning.Police responded shortly after 5:45 a.m. to the lake after a caller to 911 reported seeing the body in the lake.Police had not released any other details, including the identity of the person or how the person ended up in the lake, by midmorning on Thursday.

Police: Body pulled from lake near Kansas City

ANDERSON COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a small plane crash that occurred just before 3p.m. Wednesday in Anderson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1966 Beech single engine fixed wing aircraft piloted by James Earl Robinson, 75, Cotuit, Massachusetts was attempting to land on runway 1 of Garnett Municipal Airport. 

Upon landing, the aircraft rolled over the end of the landing strip into a ditch.

Robinson and a passenger Becky L.&nbsp;Robinson, 75, Cotuit, Massachusetts, were not injured.&nbsp; The NTSB is in charge of the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592488581455.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>ANDERSON COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a small plane crash that occurred just before 3p.m. Wednesday in Anderson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1966 Beech single engine fixed wing aircraft piloted by James Earl Robinson, 75, Cotuit, Massachusetts was attempting to land on runway 1 of Garnett Municipal Airport. Upon landing, the aircraft rolled over the end of the landing strip into a ditch.Robinson and a passenger Becky L.&nbsp;Robinson, 75, Cotuit, Massachusetts, were not injured.&nbsp; The NTSB is in charge of the investigation.

KHP: Small plane rolls into ditch during landing

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Kansas-based hunting advocacy group filed a lawsuit Wednesday seeking to force the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to restart in-person hunter education courses.

Wisconsin law requires anyone born after Jan. 1, 1973, to complete a hunter education course to obtain a hunting license and hunt alone. DNR officials&nbsp;<a href="https://gowild.wi.gov/customers/safetyedclass" target="_blank">canceled department-sponsored in-person courses</a>&nbsp;in March as the coronavirus pandemic seized the country and have refused to recognize completion certificates as part of the state’s push to slow the virus’ spread through social distancing.

“Defendants’ actions ... greatly restrict or outright eliminate the options for Wisconsinites to become licensed hunters, putting our state’s proud hunting heritage — a heritage that has helped sustain our state for generations — at risk,” Hunter Nation’s lawsuit argues.

Hunter Nation is based in Mission, Kansas. Its constitution calls for promoting the right to hunt and hunting as a way of life. The group’s website states that it will work to restore hunters to “their rightful place as America’s truest conservationists.”

The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, a conservative activist law firm, filed the lawsuit on the group’s behalf in Marathon County Circuit Court.

The hunting group alleges that the DNR is denying people the right to hunt and lacks the authority to cancel in-person educational courses. The state constitution guarantees the right to hunt and state law requires the DNR make hunter safety courses available to the public, the lawsuit argues. The state Supreme Court struck down Democratic Gov. Tony Evers stay-at-home order in May and the governor’s state of emergency declaration expired that same month, the lawsuit adds.

The DNR is offering online courses, but students under 18 still must attend an in-person field day and take a written test, which they can’t do under the DNR’s “ban” on in-person education, the lawsuit argues.

Aduts can take the online course without attending a field day or taking a written test, but the DNR’s website makes it clear that an online course isn’t adequate for adults who lack hunting or firearms experience, the lawsuit contends.

DNR spokeswoman Sarah Hoye declined to comment on the lawsuit. Officials from the agency said in a statement before the lawsuit was filed that they have put hunter safety courses “on pause” but haven’t suspended them for the remainder of the year. They said they’re waiting for the state Department of Public Instruction to post guidelines for schools on returning to in-person instruction before deciding whether to restart the courses.

DNR Hunter Education Administrator Jon King said no one in Wisconsin operates hunter safety courses that aren’t sanctioned by the department. He said classes were “paused” around March 11. Instructors who felt their students were ready to be certified at that point have been submitting rosters and the DNR has been certifying them, he said.

Wisconsin law allows adults to become certified by taking an online class without any field training, King confirmed, but the DNR encourages hands-on training. He added that anyone of any age can hunt without a license if they go out with a licensed mentor hunter and stay within arm’s reach.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Kansas-based hunting advocacy group filed a lawsuit Wednesday seeking to force the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to restart in-person hunter education courses.Wisconsin law requires anyone born after Jan. 1, 1973, to complete a hunter education course to obtain a hunting license and hunt alone. DNR officials&nbsp;<a href="https://gowild.wi.gov/customers/safetyedclass" target="_blank">canceled department-sponsored in-person courses</a>&nbsp;in March as the coronavirus pandemic seized the country and have refused to recognize completion certificates as part of the state’s push to slow the virus’ spread through social distancing.“Defendants’ actions ... greatly restrict or outright eliminate the options for Wisconsinites to become licensed hunters, putting our state’s proud hunting heritage — a heritage that has helped sustain our state for generations — at risk,” Hunter Nation’s lawsuit argues.Hunter Nation is based in Mission, Kansas. Its constitution calls for promoting the right to hunt and hunting as a way of life. The group’s website states that it will work to restore hunters to “their rightful place as America’s truest conservationists.”<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FHunterNationUSA%2Fvideos%2F730309461054879%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, a conservative activist law firm, filed the lawsuit on the group’s behalf in Marathon County Circuit Court.The hunting group alleges that the DNR is denying people the right to hunt and lacks the authority to cancel in-person educational courses. The state constitution guarantees the right to hunt and state law requires the DNR make hunter safety courses available to the public, the lawsuit argues. The state Supreme Court struck down Democratic Gov. Tony Evers stay-at-home order in May and the governor’s state of emergency declaration expired that same month, the lawsuit adds.The DNR is offering online courses, but students under 18 still must attend an in-person field day and take a written test, which they can’t do under the DNR’s “ban” on in-person education, the lawsuit argues.Aduts can take the online course without attending a field day or taking a written test, but the DNR’s website makes it clear that an online course isn’t adequate for adults who lack hunting or firearms experience, the lawsuit contends.DNR spokeswoman Sarah Hoye declined to comment on the lawsuit. Officials from the agency said in a statement before the lawsuit was filed that they have put hunter safety courses “on pause” but haven’t suspended them for the remainder of the year. They said they’re waiting for the state Department of Public Instruction to post guidelines for schools on returning to in-person instruction before deciding whether to restart the courses.DNR Hunter Education Administrator Jon King said no one in Wisconsin operates hunter safety courses that aren’t sanctioned by the department. He said classes were “paused” around March 11. Instructors who felt their students were ready to be certified at that point have been submitting rosters and the DNR has been certifying them, he said.Wisconsin law allows adults to become certified by taking an online class without any field training, King confirmed, but the DNR encourages hands-on training. He added that anyone of any age can hunt without a license if they go out with a licensed mentor hunter and stay within arm’s reach.___

Kan. group sues to restart DNR hunter education courses

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and have released a description of the suspect.

Just before 1:30 a.m. Wednesday officers responded to a shooting call at the Frontier Motel, 1623 S. Broadway in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Upon arrival, officers contacted a 51-year-old man who had a gunshot wound to his chest. He was transported to an area hospital for medical treatment of a non-life-threatening injury.

The investigation revealed the 51-year-old man and a 51-year-old woman were inside of one of the motel rooms, and a suspect began knocking on their door. The victim reported he did not know the suspect so he did not open the door. 

A verbal disturbance ensued between the victim and a suspect and the suspect fired multiple times through a window, striking the victim.

The suspect then fled the scene in a dark colored SUV.

The suspect is described as an unknown Hispanic male, 5-foot-8, 240 pounds, wearing a blue t-shirt and shorts.

Investigators were working to determine all the circumstances of the shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592426012718.png" alt="Police investigators at the scene early Wednesday -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police investigators at the scene early Wednesday -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and have released a description of the suspect.Just before 1:30 a.m. Wednesday officers responded to a shooting call at the Frontier Motel, 1623 S. Broadway in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.Upon arrival, officers contacted a 51-year-old man who had a gunshot wound to his chest. He was transported to an area hospital for medical treatment of a non-life-threatening injury.The investigation revealed the 51-year-old man and a 51-year-old woman were inside of one of the motel rooms, and a suspect began knocking on their door. The victim reported he did not know the suspect so he did not open the door. A verbal disturbance ensued between the victim and a suspect and the suspect fired multiple times through a window, striking the victim.The suspect then fled the scene in a dark colored SUV.The suspect is described as an unknown Hispanic male, 5-foot-8, 240 pounds, wearing a blue t-shirt and shorts.Investigators were working to determine all the circumstances of the shooting.

Police: Man fired gun through Kan. motel room window 

&nbsp;WASHINGTON DC—U.S. Senators Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran have joined as original cosponsors of Senator Tim Scott’s (R-S.C.) Just and Unifying Solutions to Invigorate Communities Everywhere (JUSTICE) Act, which addresses police reform, accountability, and transparency

“As a nation, we must always be on the road to improvement and ensure all citizens feel safe and protected. Unfortunately, the latter is not currently the case. Many police departments are doing the right thing, going above and beyond for their communities, while others need help. This bill provides applicable solutions that will effectively assist both police officers and the communities they serve and protect,”&nbsp;said Sen. Roberts.&nbsp;“I applaud Senator Scott for introducing this bill, and I am proud to be an original cosponsor.”said Roberts.

“Americans cannot look the other way after witnessing the actions that killed George Floyd,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.“Today, I joined Sen. Tim Scott and my colleagues in the Senate in introducing the JUSTICE Act aimed at making significant progress towards improving police and community relations across the country while also providing the accountability we expect from our police departments.”

“Kansas law enforcement officers work tirelessly to keep our communities safe, and the JUSTICE Act would reform police training and create more transparency and trust, which is critical to the health and wellbeing of our communities,”&nbsp;continued Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“As CJS Chairman, I am committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to fulfill the commitments made in the JUSTICE Act.”

The full text of the JUSTICE Act can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUVJjAQLWw4VpWRxnFYHYW1UBOkEtTLq6-2FcYVa5oDaxB5KNlDiE7JQ6tZkpi4-2F54T85HK1Ug8U93VxaPy5DSffhc-3D1ZPR_c1L74Z47G3nLSSW0714PgWvM8AoPA0l8trGVqdR4iPvBDBLzkXHTUIa5hhAk4-2B-2FQpMdwmtfBnb8sst8H59sbGJP9NMtck2kUXy3XkCvCfkcrRvDOBfmBo25SwkIgZKGpggYdhLoxWcqH7OcL3-2BoGDhfMSVUswxK1koeiMdIt0xn5ZRJy2fjsEIAg1JOx06QuHgt-2BnwB605g1BVyX-2BDTsavRBrBODvqbv08uh1I4gMcyeWLxxF36jpTbSERYvEMlL35e6kyBLm8iUhw8uvdjrzad8mW-2Ba7Isuhb2sLuuVB2gju-2BpC8V5Xez1HbacX4NsWigbGQCQockLXAXCKC4JAfqzAWrAVMR77Td5sDx2QO4u71hTFTxIV3mEpPxb5GRu7">here</a>. A section-by-section can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUVJjAQLWw4VpWRxnFYHYW1UBOkEtTLq6-2FcYVa5oDaxB5Qn8riwlBOjoB2JvWMIYPX-2BObR9zd32D9islNDY8NUn73LvDGFZam9bbf-2FNf-2Bx7khtCKWtmgzpbqXuIuBl6Xwog-3D-3DMO_x_c1L74Z47G3nLSSW0714PgWvM8AoPA0l8trGVqdR4iPvBDBLzkXHTUIa5hhAk4-2B-2FQpMdwmtfBnb8sst8H59sbGJP9NMtck2kUXy3XkCvCfkcrRvDOBfmBo25SwkIgZKGpggYdhLoxWcqH7OcL3-2BoGDhfMSVUswxK1koeiMdIt0xn5ZRJy2fjsEIAg1JOx06QuHgt-2BnwB605g1BVyX-2BDTsagsCizg-2FsX4-2FtmRR26DYKThCTDDQd1Z1NVEYVJoI11IRpvM6Oaf3zmtj1VNNNXhJ0UPsWWH8Xrt7cp1VVsgtua20GmZr27TzmfrP3SwSP-2BWA3O-2B3s-2FnIyPzht8cgXwcKmg6hRiCfb6Hf4haMqIx3QhmIAc45r-2FXyq-2F5SjSb6jAd0">here</a>.

&nbsp;WASHINGTON DC—U.S. Senators Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran have joined as original cosponsors of Senator Tim Scott’s (R-S.C.) Just and Unifying Solutions to Invigorate Communities Everywhere (JUSTICE) Act, which addresses police reform, accountability, and transparency“As a nation, we must always be on the road to improvement and ensure all citizens feel safe and protected. Unfortunately, the latter is not currently the case. Many police departments are doing the right thing, going above and beyond for their communities, while others need help. This bill provides applicable solutions that will effectively assist both police officers and the communities they serve and protect,”&nbsp;said Sen. Roberts.&nbsp;“I applaud Senator Scott for introducing this bill, and I am proud to be an original cosponsor.”said Roberts.“Americans cannot look the other way after witnessing the actions that killed George Floyd,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.“Today, I joined Sen. Tim Scott and my colleagues in the Senate in introducing the JUSTICE Act aimed at making significant progress towards improving police and community relations across the country while also providing the accountability we expect from our police departments.”“Kansas law enforcement officers work tirelessly to keep our communities safe, and the JUSTICE Act would reform police training and create more transparency and trust, which is critical to the health and wellbeing of our communities,”&nbsp;continued Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“As CJS Chairman, I am committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to fulfill the commitments made in the JUSTICE Act.”The full text of the JUSTICE Act can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUVJjAQLWw4VpWRxnFYHYW1UBOkEtTLq6-2FcYVa5oDaxB5KNlDiE7JQ6tZkpi4-2F54T85HK1Ug8U93VxaPy5DSffhc-3D1ZPR_c1L74Z47G3nLSSW0714PgWvM8AoPA0l8trGVqdR4iPvBDBLzkXHTUIa5hhAk4-2B-2FQpMdwmtfBnb8sst8H59sbGJP9NMtck2kUXy3XkCvCfkcrRvDOBfmBo25SwkIgZKGpggYdhLoxWcqH7OcL3-2BoGDhfMSVUswxK1koeiMdIt0xn5ZRJy2fjsEIAg1JOx06QuHgt-2BnwB605g1BVyX-2BDTsavRBrBODvqbv08uh1I4gMcyeWLxxF36jpTbSERYvEMlL35e6kyBLm8iUhw8uvdjrzad8mW-2Ba7Isuhb2sLuuVB2gju-2BpC8V5Xez1HbacX4NsWigbGQCQockLXAXCKC4JAfqzAWrAVMR77Td5sDx2QO4u71hTFTxIV3mEpPxb5GRu7">here</a>. A section-by-section can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUVJjAQLWw4VpWRxnFYHYW1UBOkEtTLq6-2FcYVa5oDaxB5Qn8riwlBOjoB2JvWMIYPX-2BObR9zd32D9islNDY8NUn73LvDGFZam9bbf-2FNf-2Bx7khtCKWtmgzpbqXuIuBl6Xwog-3D-3DMO_x_c1L74Z47G3nLSSW0714PgWvM8AoPA0l8trGVqdR4iPvBDBLzkXHTUIa5hhAk4-2B-2FQpMdwmtfBnb8sst8H59sbGJP9NMtck2kUXy3XkCvCfkcrRvDOBfmBo25SwkIgZKGpggYdhLoxWcqH7OcL3-2BoGDhfMSVUswxK1koeiMdIt0xn5ZRJy2fjsEIAg1JOx06QuHgt-2BnwB605g1BVyX-2BDTsagsCizg-2FsX4-2FtmRR26DYKThCTDDQd1Z1NVEYVJoI11IRpvM6Oaf3zmtj1VNNNXhJ0UPsWWH8Xrt7cp1VVsgtua20GmZr27TzmfrP3SwSP-2BWA3O-2B3s-2FnIyPzht8cgXwcKmg6hRiCfb6Hf4haMqIx3QhmIAc45r-2FXyq-2F5SjSb6jAd0">here</a>.

Kansas Senators express support for police reform 

Wichita police reported just before 9a.m. that Jose Antonio Rojas has been found and is safe.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement need&nbsp; help locating 67-year-old Jose Antonio Rojas of Wichita.&nbsp; 

He was last seen leaving his apartment in the 6500 block of East 34th&nbsp;Street North in Wichita at approximately 5 p.m. on Wednesday.&nbsp; 

Jose left in a 1993 Red Ford F-150 with a green right fender and a Kansas license plate 471MZW.&nbsp; 

He is described as 5-foot-8, 300 pounds, black hair and brown eyes.&nbsp; 

&nbsp;He has early-onset dementia, has been diagnosed with diabetes, and has other medical complications requiring him to need medication and assistance.

If you know the whereabouts of Jose, see him or see his vehicle, please call 911 immediately.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592480370457.png" alt="Jose Rojas photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Jose Rojas photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Wichita police reported just before 9a.m. that Jose Antonio Rojas has been found and is safe.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details.---------SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement need&nbsp; help locating 67-year-old Jose Antonio Rojas of Wichita.&nbsp; He was last seen leaving his apartment in the 6500 block of East 34th&nbsp;Street North in Wichita at approximately 5 p.m. on Wednesday.&nbsp; Jose left in a 1993 Red Ford F-150 with a green right fender and a Kansas license plate 471MZW.&nbsp; He is described as 5-foot-8, 300 pounds, black hair and brown eyes.&nbsp; &nbsp;He has early-onset dementia, has been diagnosed with diabetes, and has other medical complications requiring him to need medication and assistance.If you know the whereabouts of Jose, see him or see his vehicle, please call 911 immediately.

Police: Missing Kansas man found safe

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police say a woman has been arrested in a deadly hit-and-run crash over the weekend in Kansas City, Kansas. 

Police say 25-year-old Kendra Womack turned herself in shortly after fleeing the scene of the early Sunday crash. 

Investigators say Womack was driving a sport utility vehicle eastbound when she broadsided a car at an intersection. 

The driver of the car, 42-year-old Myron Gardner of Kansas City, Kansas, died at the scene, and two other adults and two children in the car were injured. 

Police say Womack fled the crash on foot. Womack has been charged with failure to stop at an accident resulting in death. She is being held in the Wyandotte County Jail on $100,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592401121376.png" alt="Womack photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Womack photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police say a woman has been arrested in a deadly hit-and-run crash over the weekend in Kansas City, Kansas. Police say 25-year-old Kendra Womack turned herself in shortly after fleeing the scene of the early Sunday crash. Investigators say Womack was driving a sport utility vehicle eastbound when she broadsided a car at an intersection. The driver of the car, 42-year-old Myron Gardner of Kansas City, Kansas, died at the scene, and two other adults and two children in the car were injured. Police say Womack fled the crash on foot. Womack has been charged with failure to stop at an accident resulting in death. She is being held in the Wyandotte County Jail on $100,000 bond.

Woman turns herself in after fleeing deadly Kansas crash

O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) — A white suburban St. Louis police detective who was captured on video apparently hitting a black suspect with a police SUV then kicking and punching the man was charged Wednesday with two counts of assault and armed criminal action.

Special Prosecutor Tim Lohmar announced the charges against Florissant Detective Joshua Smith, 31,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0fe99145d556b5687a881f6845fc7082">who was fired</a>&nbsp;June 10. The violent arrest June 2 came amid nationwide protests and unrest sparked by the police killing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0fe99145d556b5687a881f6845fc7082">George Floyd</a>&nbsp;in Minneapolis.

“It’s situations like this that good cops hate because it makes everybody look bad,” Lohmar said at a news conference.

About one-third of Florissant’s 51,000 residents are black. The St. Louis suburb is just north of Ferguson, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9aa32033692547699a3b61da8fd1fc62">Michael Brown’s death</a>&nbsp;at the hands of a white police officer in 2014 was a catalyst for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/347ceac3ea08978358c8c05a0d9ec37c">Black Lives Matter</a>&nbsp;movement. The St. Louis region has been the site of dozens of protests since Floyd’s May 25 death.

The arrest happened a day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/83b1ecab54f039bbd30346a218a4c994">four St. Louis police officers</a>&nbsp;were shot and a retired St. Louis police captain was fatally shot during a violent night in the city. Florissant Police Chief Timothy Fagan has said Smith was on duty because of civil unrest in the area.

Officers were pursuing a vehicle occupied by three men because it had been seen near an earlier shots-fired incident, Florissant Mayor Tim Lowery said. The pursuit ended on a residential street in nearby Dellwood.

What happened next was captured by a resident’s doorbell camera and posted online by media outlet Real STL News soon thereafter.

Attorneys for the 20-year-old man who was struck released a second video Tuesday, from another home’s security camera, closer and with a different angle. It shows a car slowing on a residential street. Two men in the front seat jump out of the still rolling car, before a third man jumps out of the back seat.

The unmarked police SUV appears from behind the car and drives across part of the front lawn, striking the third man and knocking him onto the driveway as he loudly cries out in pain. An officer gets out of the SUV and appears to kick and hit the man on the ground as the man yells out, “OK! OK! OK!” and repeatedly says, “I don’t have nothing.”

“When you see the second video it’s clear that he intentionally ran into him and used the vehicle as a weapon,” the man’s attorney, Jerryl T. Christmas, said. “It’s difficult to watch, and difficult to listen to the audio because of the way he’s screaming and hollering.”

One of the assault charges against Smith is a felony, the other a misdemeanor. The armed criminal action charge, a felony, was filed because the officer used the vehicle as a weapon, Lohmar said, calling it a “4,000-pound missile.”

The range of punishment for both felonies is 10 to 30 years in prison, Lohmar said. Anyone convicted of armed criminal action must serve a minimum of three years in prison.

Smith’s attorney, Scott Rosenblum, has said what happened was an accident. He did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday.

Smith's police report said the man darted in front of him and he tried to swerve to miss him, Lohmar said.

“The video evidence just proves that is patently false,” Lohmar said.

Fagan said the man was treated at the hospital for an ankle injury, but Christmas said his injuries were far worse. He said the man’s leg was “shattered” and required multiple surgeries.

“He was traumatized,” Christmas said.

Fagan said police are seeking municipal charges against all three men for possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest. No weapons were found on the men or in their car.

In addition to Lohmar’s investigation of the officer, U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen said his office, the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice and the FBI also are reviewing the case to determine if a federal response is warranted.

The arrest led to several&nbsp;<a href="https://time.com/5849983/missouri-police-strike-man-car/">peaceful protests</a>&nbsp;outside police headquarters in Florissant, including a “die-in” in which participants lay face down with their hands behind their backs. A few dozen protesters also gathered Monday outside Lohmar’s office urging prosecution of Smith.

Fagan called it “a sad day for the Florissant Police Department but an important day for the community.” He said he wanted the community to know that officers who break the law will be held accountable.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591611862505.png" alt="Image of the arrest captured on doorbell camera courtesy KSDK TV" />
 <figcaption>Image of the arrest captured on doorbell camera courtesy KSDK TV</figcaption>
 </figure>O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) — A white suburban St. Louis police detective who was captured on video apparently hitting a black suspect with a police SUV then kicking and punching the man was charged Wednesday with two counts of assault and armed criminal action.Special Prosecutor Tim Lohmar announced the charges against Florissant Detective Joshua Smith, 31,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0fe99145d556b5687a881f6845fc7082">who was fired</a>&nbsp;June 10. The violent arrest June 2 came amid nationwide protests and unrest sparked by the police killing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0fe99145d556b5687a881f6845fc7082">George Floyd</a>&nbsp;in Minneapolis.“It’s situations like this that good cops hate because it makes everybody look bad,” Lohmar said at a news conference.About one-third of Florissant’s 51,000 residents are black. The St. Louis suburb is just north of Ferguson, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9aa32033692547699a3b61da8fd1fc62">Michael Brown’s death</a>&nbsp;at the hands of a white police officer in 2014 was a catalyst for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/347ceac3ea08978358c8c05a0d9ec37c">Black Lives Matter</a>&nbsp;movement. The St. Louis region has been the site of dozens of protests since Floyd’s May 25 death.The arrest happened a day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/83b1ecab54f039bbd30346a218a4c994">four St. Louis police officers</a>&nbsp;were shot and a retired St. Louis police captain was fatally shot during a violent night in the city. Florissant Police Chief Timothy Fagan has said Smith was on duty because of civil unrest in the area.Officers were pursuing a vehicle occupied by three men because it had been seen near an earlier shots-fired incident, Florissant Mayor Tim Lowery said. The pursuit ended on a residential street in nearby Dellwood.What happened next was captured by a resident’s doorbell camera and posted online by media outlet Real STL News soon thereafter.Attorneys for the 20-year-old man who was struck released a second video Tuesday, from another home’s security camera, closer and with a different angle. It shows a car slowing on a residential street. Two men in the front seat jump out of the still rolling car, before a third man jumps out of the back seat.The unmarked police SUV appears from behind the car and drives across part of the front lawn, striking the third man and knocking him onto the driveway as he loudly cries out in pain. An officer gets out of the SUV and appears to kick and hit the man on the ground as the man yells out, “OK! OK! OK!” and repeatedly says, “I don’t have nothing.”“When you see the second video it’s clear that he intentionally ran into him and used the vehicle as a weapon,” the man’s attorney, Jerryl T. Christmas, said. “It’s difficult to watch, and difficult to listen to the audio because of the way he’s screaming and hollering.”One of the assault charges against Smith is a felony, the other a misdemeanor. The armed criminal action charge, a felony, was filed because the officer used the vehicle as a weapon, Lohmar said, calling it a “4,000-pound missile.”The range of punishment for both felonies is 10 to 30 years in prison, Lohmar said. Anyone convicted of armed criminal action must serve a minimum of three years in prison.Smith’s attorney, Scott Rosenblum, has said what happened was an accident. He did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday.Smith's police report said the man darted in front of him and he tried to swerve to miss him, Lohmar said.“The video evidence just proves that is patently false,” Lohmar said.Fagan said the man was treated at the hospital for an ankle injury, but Christmas said his injuries were far worse. He said the man’s leg was “shattered” and required multiple surgeries.“He was traumatized,” Christmas said.Fagan said police are seeking municipal charges against all three men for possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest. No weapons were found on the men or in their car.In addition to Lohmar’s investigation of the officer, U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen said his office, the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice and the FBI also are reviewing the case to determine if a federal response is warranted.The arrest led to several&nbsp;<a href="https://time.com/5849983/missouri-police-strike-man-car/">peaceful protests</a>&nbsp;outside police headquarters in Florissant, including a “die-in” in which participants lay face down with their hands behind their backs. A few dozen protesters also gathered Monday outside Lohmar’s office urging prosecution of Smith.Fagan called it “a sad day for the Florissant Police Department but an important day for the community.” He said he wanted the community to know that officers who break the law will be held accountable.

Police officer accused of striking man with SUV is charged

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — <a href="https://media.amtrak.com/2020/06/amtrak-encourages-safe-travel-during-national-safety-month/">Amtrak will cut service</a> later this year on most of its long-distance routes nationwide to three times a week instead of the current daily service because ridership has fallen significantly during the coronavirus pandemic.

Amtrak spokeswoman Kimberly Woods said Wednesday that the cuts will take effect Oct. 1 and remain in place until at least the summer of 2021, but daily service could be restored if demand improves along its long-distance routes.

Jim Mathews, president and chief executive of the Rail Passengers Association advocacy group, said he thinks the cuts are short-sighted and will hurt long-term demand for these routes.

“The long-distance services declined the least among Amtrak’s three business lines during the coronavirus-induced slowdown, and its services remain essential to the hundreds of small communities across the United States with fewer options than Philadelphia or Boston or New York City,” Mathews said.

The train routes being cut to three days a week include the Southwest Chief in Kansas, California Zephyr, Capitol Limited, City of New Orleans, Coast Starlight, Crescent, Empire Builder, Lake Shore Limited, Palmetto, and Texas Eagle. The Sunset Limited and Cardinal trains already operate three times a week.

Amtrak said its Auto Train, which runs from the Washington, D.C., suburbs to the Orlando, Florida, area, is the only long-distance route that will continue to operate daily.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592423924832.png" alt="Amtrak is requiring all customers and employees to wear facial coverings while in stations and on trains- photo courtesy Amtrak" />
 <figcaption>Amtrak is requiring all customers and employees to wear facial coverings while in stations and on trains- photo courtesy Amtrak</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — <a href="https://media.amtrak.com/2020/06/amtrak-encourages-safe-travel-during-national-safety-month/">Amtrak will cut service</a> later this year on most of its long-distance routes nationwide to three times a week instead of the current daily service because ridership has fallen significantly during the coronavirus pandemic.Amtrak spokeswoman Kimberly Woods said Wednesday that the cuts will take effect Oct. 1 and remain in place until at least the summer of 2021, but daily service could be restored if demand improves along its long-distance routes.Jim Mathews, president and chief executive of the Rail Passengers Association advocacy group, said he thinks the cuts are short-sighted and will hurt long-term demand for these routes.“The long-distance services declined the least among Amtrak’s three business lines during the coronavirus-induced slowdown, and its services remain essential to the hundreds of small communities across the United States with fewer options than Philadelphia or Boston or New York City,” Mathews said.The train routes being cut to three days a week include the Southwest Chief in Kansas, California Zephyr, Capitol Limited, City of New Orleans, Coast Starlight, Crescent, Empire Builder, Lake Shore Limited, Palmetto, and Texas Eagle. The Sunset Limited and Cardinal trains already operate three times a week.Amtrak said its Auto Train, which runs from the Washington, D.C., suburbs to the Orlando, Florida, area, is the only long-distance route that will continue to operate daily.

Amtrak to cut back on its longer routes because of virus

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has added three states to the quarantine list: Alabama, Arizona and Arkansas, and removed six states from the list: Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island. 

This is effective for persons returning June 17, and moving forward. The state will review and update this list on July 1.

A comprehensive list of those individuals in Kansas needing to quarantine for 14 days includes those who have:

Please note these quarantine orders do not apply to critical infrastructure sectors needed to continue operations during this pandemic. Public health, including hospitals, clinics, law enforcement, meatpacking supply, etc. need to have the staffing resources to continue serving Kansans. While KDHE strongly recommends these quarantine restrictions for everyone, we do recognize that services need to continue. KDHE encourages facilities to ensure they have updated their Emergency Preparedness Plans and implement protocols to ensure that no employee comes to work symptomatic.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit the KDHE website at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kdhe.ks.gov%2Fcoronavirus&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C49d9b41158f3415bd8f108d812f46e0d%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637280188485394564&amp;sdata=%2BzaTwQoN9rMoJ%2FYAe79aix7oB6pCRYReinHW%2F%2Bb%2BcQk%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.kdhe.ks.gov/coronavirus</a>.

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has added three states to the quarantine list: Alabama, Arizona and Arkansas, and removed six states from the list: Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island. This is effective for persons returning June 17, and moving forward. The state will review and update this list on July 1.A comprehensive list of those individuals in Kansas needing to quarantine for 14 days includes those who have:Traveled to:<ul>
 <li>Maryland on or after May 12.</li><li>Alabama, Arizona and Arkansas on or after June 17.</li><li>Been on a cruise ship or river cruise on or after March 15.</li><li>International travel on or after March 15.</li>
 </ul>Others needing to continue quarantining:<ul>
 <li>Received notification from public health officials (state or local) that you are a close contact of a laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19.</li>
 </ul>Please note these quarantine orders do not apply to critical infrastructure sectors needed to continue operations during this pandemic. Public health, including hospitals, clinics, law enforcement, meatpacking supply, etc. need to have the staffing resources to continue serving Kansans. While KDHE strongly recommends these quarantine restrictions for everyone, we do recognize that services need to continue. KDHE encourages facilities to ensure they have updated their Emergency Preparedness Plans and implement protocols to ensure that no employee comes to work symptomatic.For more information on COVID-19, please visit the KDHE website at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kdhe.ks.gov%2Fcoronavirus&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C49d9b41158f3415bd8f108d812f46e0d%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637280188485394564&amp;sdata=%2BzaTwQoN9rMoJ%2FYAe79aix7oB6pCRYReinHW%2F%2Bb%2BcQk%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.kdhe.ks.gov/coronavirus</a>.

3 states added to travel quarantine list in Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the victim as 53-year-old David Leddy of Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Just after 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, police responded to a disturbance with shots fired at a home in the 1200 block of North Pinecrest.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located Leddy in the front of the residence with a gunshot wound.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene.

The investigation revealed a disturbance ensued earlier in the day at the home between Leddy and a 19-year-old man who did not live there.&nbsp; During the disturbance, Leddy’s vehicle was damaged, and the 19-year-old was battered.

The 19-year-old’s 41-year-old mother and three friends, a 44-year-old woman, a 54-year-old man, and a 31-year-old woman, later arrived at the home.&nbsp; A disturbance then ensued in front of the house, and shots were fired that struck Leddy.

Investigators are currently working to locate additional individuals involved with this incident.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police say a shooting in northeast Wichita has left one man dead. Officials say the shooting happened around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday at a home in the Lambsdale neighborhood. 

Police say officers were called to the home for a report of a disturbance with a weapon, but when they arrived, they found a man in his 50s dead at the scene with a gunshot wound. 

Police say several people were at the home when officers arrived, and they were taken in for questioning. Police say they are also searching for another person. The victim's name has not yet been released.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592415145581.png" alt="Police on the scene early Wednesday -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene early Wednesday -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the victim as 53-year-old David Leddy of Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.Just after 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, police responded to a disturbance with shots fired at a home in the 1200 block of North Pinecrest.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located Leddy in the front of the residence with a gunshot wound.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene.The investigation revealed a disturbance ensued earlier in the day at the home between Leddy and a 19-year-old man who did not live there.&nbsp; During the disturbance, Leddy’s vehicle was damaged, and the 19-year-old was battered.The 19-year-old’s 41-year-old mother and three friends, a 44-year-old woman, a 54-year-old man, and a 31-year-old woman, later arrived at the home.&nbsp; A disturbance then ensued in front of the house, and shots were fired that struck Leddy.Investigators are currently working to locate additional individuals involved with this incident.-------------WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police say a shooting in northeast Wichita has left one man dead. Officials say the shooting happened around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday at a home in the Lambsdale neighborhood. Police say officers were called to the home for a report of a disturbance with a weapon, but when they arrived, they found a man in his 50s dead at the scene with a gunshot wound. Police say several people were at the home when officers arrived, and they were taken in for questioning. Police say they are also searching for another person. The victim's name has not yet been released.

Police ID man shot to death at Kansas home after disturbance

BOSTON (AP) — Gregory Minott came to the U.S. from his native Jamaica more than two decades ago on a student visa and was able to carve out a career in architecture thanks to temporary work visas.

Now a U.S. citizen and co-founder of a real estate development firm in Boston, the 43-year-old worries that new restrictions on student and work visas expected to be announced as early as this week will prevent others from following a similar path to the American dream.

“Innovation thrives when there is cultural, economic and racial diversity,” Minott said. “To not have peers from other countries collaborating side by side with Americans is going to be a setback for the country. We learned from Americans, but Americans also learn from us.”

Minott is among the business leaders and academic institutions large and small pleading with President Donald Trump to move cautiously as he eyes expanding the temporary visa restrictions he imposed in April.

They argue that cutting off access to talented foreign workers will only further disrupt the economy and stifle innovation at a time when it’s needed most. But influential immigration hard-liners normally aligned with Trump have been calling for stronger action after his prior visa restrictions didn’t go far enough for them.

Trump, who has used the coronavirus crisis to push through many of his stalled efforts to curb both legal and illegal immigration, imposed a 60-day pause on visas for foreigners seeking permanent residency on April 22. But the order included&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/849b0ba2875ec6f3c84f1af4d0b4b4d7">a long list of exemptions</a>&nbsp;and didn’t address the hundreds of thousands of temporary work and student visas issued each year.

Republican senators, including Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Ted Cruz of Texas, argue that all new guest worker visas should be suspended for at least 60 days or until unemployment has returned to normal levels.

“Given the extreme lack of available jobs,” the senators wrote in a letter to Trump last month, “it defies common sense to admit additional foreign guest workers to compete for such limited employment.”

Trump administration officials have been debating how long the forthcoming order should remain in place and which industries should be exempted, including those working in health care and food production.

But the White House has made it clear it’s considering suspending H-1B visas for high-skilled workers; H-2B visas for seasonal workers and L-1 visas for employees transferring within a company to the U.S.

In recent weeks, businesses and academic groups have also been voicing concern about possible changes to Optional Practical Training, a relatively obscure program that allows some 200,000 foreign students — mostly from China and India — to work in the country each year.

Created in the 1940s, OPT authorizes international students to work for up to one year during college or after graduation. Over the last decade, the program has been extended for those studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics so that they can now work for up to three years.

While congressional Republicans have been some of the strongest supporters of eliminating the program, 21 GOP House lawmakers argued&nbsp;<a href="https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/uw-s3-cdn/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/06/02130352/GOP-Int-Student-OPT-letter-06.02.2020.pdf" target="_blank">in a letter to the Trump administration</a>&nbsp;this month that OPT is necessary for the country to remain a destination for international students. They said foreign students and their families pump more than $40 billion annually into the economy even though the students represent just 5.5.% of U.S. college enrollments.

Companies and academic institutions also warn of a “reverse brain drain,” in which foreign students simply take their American education to benefit another nation’s economy.

Some critics say OPT gives companies a financial incentive to hire foreigners over Americans because they don’t have to pay certain federal payroll taxes.

The program also lacks oversight and has become a popular path for foreigners seeking to gain permanent legal status, said Jessica Vaughan, policy director at the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington group advocating for strict immigration limits.

“The government does not require that there be actual training, and no one checks on the employer or terms of employment,” she said. “Some of the participants are career ‘students,’ going back and forth between brief graduate degree programs and employment, just so they can stay here.”

Xujiao Wang, a Chinese national who has been part of the program for the past year, said she doesn’t see any fault in trying to build her family’s future in the U.S.

The 32-year-old, who earned her doctorate in geographic information science from Texas State University, is working as a data analyst for a software company in Milford, Massachusetts.

She’s two months pregnant and living in Rhode Island with her husband, a Chinese national also working on OPT, and their 2-year-old American-born daughter. The couple hopes to eventually earn permanent residency, but any change to OPT could send them back to China and an uncertain future, Wang said.

“China is developing fast, but it’s still not what our generation has come to expect in terms of freedom and choice,” she said. “So it makes us anxious. We’ve been step-by-step working towards our future in America.”

In Massachusetts, dismantling OPT would jeopardize a fundamental part of the state’s economy, which has been among the hardest hit by the pandemic, said Andrew Tarsy, co-founder of the Massachusetts Business Immigration Coalition.

The advocacy group sent a letter to Trump last week pleading for preservation of the program. It was signed by roughly 50 businesses and colleges, including TripAdvisor and the University of Massachusetts, as well as trade associations representing the state’s thriving life sciences industry centered around Harvard, MIT and other Boston-area institutions.

“We attract the brightest people in the world to study here, and this helps transition them into our workforce,” Tarsy said. “It’s led to the founding of many, many companies and the creation of new products and services. It’s the bridge for international students.”

Minott, the Boston architect, argues that the time and resources required to invest in legal foreign workers, including lawyers’ costs and visa processing fees, exceeds any tax savings firms might enjoy.

DREAM Collaborative, his 22-person firm, employs three people originally hired on OPT permits who are now on H-1B visas — the same path that Minott took early in his career.

“These programs enabled me to stay in this country, start a business and create a better future for my family,” said the father of two young American-born sons. “My kids are the next generation to benefit from that, and hopefully they’ll be great citizens of this country.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589452633094.png" alt="President Trump during a recent Rose Garden press briefing -photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump during a recent Rose Garden press briefing -photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>BOSTON (AP) — Gregory Minott came to the U.S. from his native Jamaica more than two decades ago on a student visa and was able to carve out a career in architecture thanks to temporary work visas.Now a U.S. citizen and co-founder of a real estate development firm in Boston, the 43-year-old worries that new restrictions on student and work visas expected to be announced as early as this week will prevent others from following a similar path to the American dream.“Innovation thrives when there is cultural, economic and racial diversity,” Minott said. “To not have peers from other countries collaborating side by side with Americans is going to be a setback for the country. We learned from Americans, but Americans also learn from us.”Minott is among the business leaders and academic institutions large and small pleading with President Donald Trump to move cautiously as he eyes expanding the temporary visa restrictions he imposed in April.They argue that cutting off access to talented foreign workers will only further disrupt the economy and stifle innovation at a time when it’s needed most. But influential immigration hard-liners normally aligned with Trump have been calling for stronger action after his prior visa restrictions didn’t go far enough for them.Trump, who has used the coronavirus crisis to push through many of his stalled efforts to curb both legal and illegal immigration, imposed a 60-day pause on visas for foreigners seeking permanent residency on April 22. But the order included&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/849b0ba2875ec6f3c84f1af4d0b4b4d7">a long list of exemptions</a>&nbsp;and didn’t address the hundreds of thousands of temporary work and student visas issued each year.Republican senators, including Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Ted Cruz of Texas, argue that all new guest worker visas should be suspended for at least 60 days or until unemployment has returned to normal levels.“Given the extreme lack of available jobs,” the senators wrote in a letter to Trump last month, “it defies common sense to admit additional foreign guest workers to compete for such limited employment.”Trump administration officials have been debating how long the forthcoming order should remain in place and which industries should be exempted, including those working in health care and food production.But the White House has made it clear it’s considering suspending H-1B visas for high-skilled workers; H-2B visas for seasonal workers and L-1 visas for employees transferring within a company to the U.S.In recent weeks, businesses and academic groups have also been voicing concern about possible changes to Optional Practical Training, a relatively obscure program that allows some 200,000 foreign students — mostly from China and India — to work in the country each year.Created in the 1940s, OPT authorizes international students to work for up to one year during college or after graduation. Over the last decade, the program has been extended for those studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics so that they can now work for up to three years.While congressional Republicans have been some of the strongest supporters of eliminating the program, 21 GOP House lawmakers argued&nbsp;<a href="https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/uw-s3-cdn/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/06/02130352/GOP-Int-Student-OPT-letter-06.02.2020.pdf" target="_blank">in a letter to the Trump administration</a>&nbsp;this month that OPT is necessary for the country to remain a destination for international students. They said foreign students and their families pump more than $40 billion annually into the economy even though the students represent just 5.5.% of U.S. college enrollments.Companies and academic institutions also warn of a “reverse brain drain,” in which foreign students simply take their American education to benefit another nation’s economy.Some critics say OPT gives companies a financial incentive to hire foreigners over Americans because they don’t have to pay certain federal payroll taxes.The program also lacks oversight and has become a popular path for foreigners seeking to gain permanent legal status, said Jessica Vaughan, policy director at the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington group advocating for strict immigration limits.“The government does not require that there be actual training, and no one checks on the employer or terms of employment,” she said. “Some of the participants are career ‘students,’ going back and forth between brief graduate degree programs and employment, just so they can stay here.”Xujiao Wang, a Chinese national who has been part of the program for the past year, said she doesn’t see any fault in trying to build her family’s future in the U.S.The 32-year-old, who earned her doctorate in geographic information science from Texas State University, is working as a data analyst for a software company in Milford, Massachusetts.She’s two months pregnant and living in Rhode Island with her husband, a Chinese national also working on OPT, and their 2-year-old American-born daughter. The couple hopes to eventually earn permanent residency, but any change to OPT could send them back to China and an uncertain future, Wang said.“China is developing fast, but it’s still not what our generation has come to expect in terms of freedom and choice,” she said. “So it makes us anxious. We’ve been step-by-step working towards our future in America.”In Massachusetts, dismantling OPT would jeopardize a fundamental part of the state’s economy, which has been among the hardest hit by the pandemic, said Andrew Tarsy, co-founder of the Massachusetts Business Immigration Coalition.The advocacy group sent a letter to Trump last week pleading for preservation of the program. It was signed by roughly 50 businesses and colleges, including TripAdvisor and the University of Massachusetts, as well as trade associations representing the state’s thriving life sciences industry centered around Harvard, MIT and other Boston-area institutions.“We attract the brightest people in the world to study here, and this helps transition them into our workforce,” Tarsy said. “It’s led to the founding of many, many companies and the creation of new products and services. It’s the bridge for international students.”Minott, the Boston architect, argues that the time and resources required to invest in legal foreign workers, including lawyers’ costs and visa processing fees, exceeds any tax savings firms might enjoy.DREAM Collaborative, his 22-person firm, employs three people originally hired on OPT permits who are now on H-1B visas — the same path that Minott took early in his career.“These programs enabled me to stay in this country, start a business and create a better future for my family,” said the father of two young American-born sons. “My kids are the next generation to benefit from that, and hopefully they’ll be great citizens of this country.”___

Businesses, colleges plead with Trump to preserve work visas

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 262 to a total of 11,681, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

<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 262 to a total of 11,681, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 247<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/2020/6/1592413557201.png" alt="Wednesday June 17, 2020 KDHE Image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday June 17, 2020 KDHE Image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

MONTGOMERY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a weekend homicide and continue to search for two persons of interest identified as Ethan Bellamy, 21, and Jonathan Hall, 22, both of Coffeyville.

Just after 1:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to the 600 block of East Third Street for a shooting where they located a gunshot victim identified as Otis Horner, 38, of Coffeyville, according to a media release from police.

EMS transported Horner to Coffeyville Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased.

Horner's family and friends gathered near the crime scene Sunday evening to release balloons to honor him.

Anyone with information should call Coffeyville Police at 620-252-6160 or Detective Kastler at 620-252-6145. Those wishing to remain anonymous can provide information to the Crime Tip Hotline at 620-252-6133.

Editor's note:&nbsp;An earlier version of this article included irrelevant information. The Post News Network apologizes for the oversight.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592420096554.png" alt="Photo courtesy KOAM-TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KOAM-TV</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a weekend homicide and continue to search for two persons of interest identified as Ethan Bellamy, 21, and Jonathan Hall, 22, both of Coffeyville.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592410590117.png" alt="Otis Horner / submitted photo" />
 <figcaption>Otis Horner / submitted photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 1:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to the 600 block of East Third Street for a shooting where they located a gunshot victim identified as Otis Horner, 38, of Coffeyville, according to a media release from police.EMS transported Horner to Coffeyville Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased.Horner's family and friends gathered near the crime scene Sunday evening to release balloons to honor him.Anyone with information should call Coffeyville Police at 620-252-6160 or Detective Kastler at 620-252-6145. Those wishing to remain anonymous can provide information to the Crime Tip Hotline at 620-252-6133.Editor's note:&nbsp;An earlier version of this article included irrelevant information. The Post News Network apologizes for the oversight.

Friends, family remember Kan. man who died in weekend shooting

By ELLE MOXLEY <a href="https://www.kcur.org/education/2020-06-16/longer-days-shorter-semesters-how-covid-19-will-change-campus-life-at-kansas-and-missouri-colleges">Kansas News Service</a>

Colleges and universities in Kansas and Missouri are rolling out 
plans for the fall semester, which will look very different because of 
COVID-19.

The University of Missouri-Kansas City plans to hold the
 majority of classes in-person but to limit class size to 25% of room 
capacity, a move that will require a longer school day.

“We expect
 most students to have a schedule that combines in-person classes with 
some blended or online courses, unless they specifically request all 
online,” Provost Jenny Lundgren wrote in an email to students, faculty 
and staff on Monday.

Meanwhile the University of Kansas is 
shortening the academic calendar, pending approval from the Kansas Board
 of Regents. Students will start classes as scheduled Aug. 24, but 
they’ll finish the fall semester before Thanksgiving break. The spring 
semester will be shorter, too – students will start classes two weeks 
later, on Feb. 1, in lieu of spring break.

Longer days will also 
be the norm at KU, which plans to schedule classes from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
 Monday through Friday, with the potential for Saturday classes as well.

<a href="https://coronavirus.ku.edu/#Housing" target="_blank">KU is also staggering move-in dates</a> in August “to reduce congestion and allow for physical distancing.”

At
 UMKC, students won’t be able to have guests that don’t live in their 
residence hall, and they’re being asked to respect their roommates’ risk
 tolerance for having other people in the room. Furniture will be 
arranged to maximize space between roommates, and study lounges will be 
closed.

William Jewell College in Liberty has said that any 
student who wants to live alone to minimize exposure to COVID-19 will 
get a single room without having to pay a surcharge.

Kansas State 
in Manhattan will prioritize single rooms for students with COVID-19 
medical needs. K-State is also extending the cancellation deadline for 
students who cannot live safely on campus because they are in a 
high-risk category.

“The shared living experience is an important 
opportunity for K-State students, and we want to make that experience 
possible in a way that prioritizes the health and wellness of our 
students,” said Thomas Lane, dean of students.

At the same time, 
K-State is also assuring students they’ll get a partial refund if dorms 
have to close because of the coronavirus this fall.

The
 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone older 
than 2 wear a face mask to help protect others from respiratory droplets
 in case you’re sick but not showing symptoms yet.

Widespread mask use could prevent a second wave of coronavirus this fall, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/06/11/875311079/how-the-widespread-mask-use-could-slow-the-coronavirus-pandemic" target="_blank">NPR has reported</a>.

Right now, as part of a phased campus reopening, K-State <a href="https://www.k-state.edu/covid-19/operations/reopening/phase-3/" target="_blank">is requiring individuals to wear masks</a> in situations where six feet of physical distance can’t be maintained.

KU
 hasn’t said yet whether students will be asked to wear masks on campus 
in the fall but has said that students will be asked to sign a social 
responsibility pledge that could include actions like wearing a mask and
 staying six feet apart.

But because wearing face masks has become <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/05/29/864515630/the-battle-between-the-masked-and-the-masked-nots-unveils-political-rifts" target="_blank">a political flashpoint</a>, some college administrators are reluctant to mandate them on campus.

“We
 will be recommending, but not mandating, that everyone wear masks,” 
UMKC’s Lundgren wrote, adding that the university would install 
Plexiglas barriers to protect employees in high-traffic areas.

KCUR
 is licensed to the University of Missouri Board of Curators and is an 
editorially independent community service of the University of 
Missouri-Kansas City.&nbsp;Elle Moxley covers education for KCUR. You can reach her on Twitter @ellemoxley.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592410981213.png" alt="The University of Kansas plans to shorten its fall and spring semesters and will also stagger dates when students can move back in in August to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Tristan Bowersox / Creative Commons-Flickr" />
 <figcaption>The University of Kansas plans to shorten its fall and spring semesters and will also stagger dates when students can move back in in August to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Tristan Bowersox / Creative Commons-Flickr</figcaption>
 </figure>By ELLE MOXLEY <a href="https://www.kcur.org/education/2020-06-16/longer-days-shorter-semesters-how-covid-19-will-change-campus-life-at-kansas-and-missouri-colleges">Kansas News Service</a>Colleges and universities in Kansas and Missouri are rolling out 
plans for the fall semester, which will look very different because of 
COVID-19.The University of Missouri-Kansas City plans to hold the
 majority of classes in-person but to limit class size to 25% of room 
capacity, a move that will require a longer school day.“We expect
 most students to have a schedule that combines in-person classes with 
some blended or online courses, unless they specifically request all 
online,” Provost Jenny Lundgren wrote in an email to students, faculty 
and staff on Monday.Meanwhile the University of Kansas is 
shortening the academic calendar, pending approval from the Kansas Board
 of Regents. Students will start classes as scheduled Aug. 24, but 
they’ll finish the fall semester before Thanksgiving break. The spring 
semester will be shorter, too – students will start classes two weeks 
later, on Feb. 1, in lieu of spring break.Longer days will also 
be the norm at KU, which plans to schedule classes from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
 Monday through Friday, with the potential for Saturday classes as well.<h2>Dorm life</h2><a href="https://coronavirus.ku.edu/#Housing" target="_blank">KU is also staggering move-in dates</a> in August “to reduce congestion and allow for physical distancing.”At
 UMKC, students won’t be able to have guests that don’t live in their 
residence hall, and they’re being asked to respect their roommates’ risk
 tolerance for having other people in the room. Furniture will be 
arranged to maximize space between roommates, and study lounges will be 
closed.William Jewell College in Liberty has said that any 
student who wants to live alone to minimize exposure to COVID-19 will 
get a single room without having to pay a surcharge.Kansas State 
in Manhattan will prioritize single rooms for students with COVID-19 
medical needs. K-State is also extending the cancellation deadline for 
students who cannot live safely on campus because they are in a 
high-risk category.“The shared living experience is an important 
opportunity for K-State students, and we want to make that experience 
possible in a way that prioritizes the health and wellness of our 
students,” said Thomas Lane, dean of students.At the same time, 
K-State is also assuring students they’ll get a partial refund if dorms 
have to close because of the coronavirus this fall.<h2>Face masks</h2>The
 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone older 
than 2 wear a face mask to help protect others from respiratory droplets
 in case you’re sick but not showing symptoms yet.Widespread mask use could prevent a second wave of coronavirus this fall, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/06/11/875311079/how-the-widespread-mask-use-could-slow-the-coronavirus-pandemic" target="_blank">NPR has reported</a>.Right now, as part of a phased campus reopening, K-State <a href="https://www.k-state.edu/covid-19/operations/reopening/phase-3/" target="_blank">is requiring individuals to wear masks</a> in situations where six feet of physical distance can’t be maintained.KU
 hasn’t said yet whether students will be asked to wear masks on campus 
in the fall but has said that students will be asked to sign a social 
responsibility pledge that could include actions like wearing a mask and
 staying six feet apart.But because wearing face masks has become <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/05/29/864515630/the-battle-between-the-masked-and-the-masked-nots-unveils-political-rifts" target="_blank">a political flashpoint</a>, some college administrators are reluctant to mandate them on campus.“We
 will be recommending, but not mandating, that everyone wear masks,” 
UMKC’s Lundgren wrote, adding that the university would install 
Plexiglas barriers to protect employees in high-traffic areas.KCUR
 is licensed to the University of Missouri Board of Curators and is an 
editorially independent community service of the University of 
Missouri-Kansas City.&nbsp;Elle Moxley covers education for KCUR. You can reach her on Twitter @ellemoxley.

How COVID-19 will change campus life at Kansas, Missouri colleges

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas teen on numerous charges after an arrest with the help of an alert citizen.

Just after 1:30p.m. Tuesday,&nbsp; deputies were in the area of a driving complaint in the city of Great Bend after a concerned citizen had called 911 reporting a vehicle driving recklessly in the area of 10th and McKinley, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

The vehicle was located at about 1:56 PM by a Deputy Sheriff in the 5800 block of 10th Street. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle at which point it fled. 

A short chase ensued and eventually the vehicle proceeded south on McKinley from 10th Street and the driver attempted to make a right- turn at 2nd and McKinley.

The driver lost control and ran over a stop sign. The driver then exited the vehicle while still moving and fled on foot. An alert citizen in the area saw the suspect fleeing from law enforcement and was able to intercept and restrain him until the deputies caught up.

Deputies arrested Brayden Powell-Rand age 19 of Great Bend and booked him on requested charges of felony attempt to flee and elude, numerous traffic violations and probation violation warrants. He is being held in lieu of a $30,000 bond, according to Bellendir.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592403806897.png" alt="Powell Rand" />
 <figcaption>Powell Rand</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas teen on numerous charges after an arrest with the help of an alert citizen.Just after 1:30p.m. Tuesday,&nbsp; deputies were in the area of a driving complaint in the city of Great Bend after a concerned citizen had called 911 reporting a vehicle driving recklessly in the area of 10th and McKinley, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.The vehicle was located at about 1:56 PM by a Deputy Sheriff in the 5800 block of 10th Street. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle at which point it fled. A short chase ensued and eventually the vehicle proceeded south on McKinley from 10th Street and the driver attempted to make a right- turn at 2nd and McKinley.The driver lost control and ran over a stop sign. The driver then exited the vehicle while still moving and fled on foot. An alert citizen in the area saw the suspect fleeing from law enforcement and was able to intercept and restrain him until the deputies caught up.Deputies arrested Brayden Powell-Rand age 19 of Great Bend and booked him on requested charges of felony attempt to flee and elude, numerous traffic violations and probation violation warrants. He is being held in lieu of a $30,000 bond, according to Bellendir.

Alert citizen holds suspect until Kan. deputies make arrest

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has set new dates to begin executing federal death-row inmates following a monthslong legal battle over the plan to resume the executions for the first time since 2003.

Attorney General William Barr directed the federal Bureau of Prisons to schedule the executions, beginning in mid-July, of four inmates convicted of killing children. Three of the men had been scheduled to be put to death&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1ab434fcc31e429089eb5e14de0d1324">when Barr announced</a>&nbsp;the federal government would resume executions last year, ending an informal moratorium on federal capital punishment as the issue receded from the public domain.

The Justice Department had scheduled five executions set to begin in December, but some of the inmates challenged the new procedures in court, arguing that the government was circumventing proper methods in order to wrongly execute inmates quickly.

The department wouldn’t say why the executions of two of the inmates scheduled in December hadn’t been rescheduled.

The move is likely to add a new front to the national conversation about criminal justice reform and raise interest in an issue that has largely lain dormant in recent years amid the culture battles that President Donald Trump already is waging on matters such as abortion and immigration in the lead-up to the 2020 elections.

The federal government’s initial effort was put on hold by a trial judge, and the federal appeals court in Washington and the Supreme Court both declined to step in late last year. But in April, the appeals court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0325168e7addc66bcb0cc8ce89f61cc2">threw out</a>&nbsp;the judge’s order. Lawyers for the inmates are asking the Supreme Court to order a halt to the process.

“The American people, acting through Congress and Presidents of both political parties, have long instructed that defendants convicted of the most heinous crimes should be subject to a sentence of death,” Barr said in a statement. “The four murderers whose executions are scheduled today have received full and fair proceedings under our Constitution and laws. We owe it to the victims of these horrific crimes, and to the families left behind, to carry forward the sentence imposed by our justice system.”

The resumption comes as the federal prison has struggled to combat the coronavirus pandemic behind bars, including at least one death at USP Terre Haute, where they will take place. One inmate there has died from COVID-19.

The inmates who will be executed are: Danny Lee, who was convicted in Arkansas of killing a family of three, including an 8-year-old; Wesley Ira Purkey, of Kansas, who raped and murdered a 16-year-old girl and killed an 80-year-old woman; Dustin Lee Honken, who killed five people in Iowa, including two children; and Keith Dwayne Nelson, who kidnapped a 10-year-old girl who was rollerblading in front of her Kansas home and raped her in a forest behind a church before strangling the young girl with a wire.

Three of the executions — for Lee, Purkley and Honken — are scheduled days apart beginning July 13. Nelson’s execution is scheduled for Aug. 28. The Justice Department said additional executions will be set at a later date.

Executions on the federal level have been rare and the government has put to death only three defendants since restoring the federal death penalty in 1988 — most recently in 2003, when Louis Jones was executed for the 1995 kidnapping, rape and murder of a young female soldier. Though there hasn’t been a federal execution since 2003, the Justice Department has continued to approve death penalty prosecutions and federal courts have sentenced defendants to death.

In 2014, following a botched state execution in Oklahoma, President Barack Obama&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1d3518af20dc4849804c21e58b46ae15">directed the Justice Department&nbsp;</a>to conduct a broad review of capital punishment and issues surrounding lethal injection drugs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/7/1564080385902.png" alt="Wesley Ira Purkey, of Kansas, who raped and murdered a 16-year-old girl and killed an 80-year-old woman is scheduled for execution next month" />
 <figcaption>Wesley Ira Purkey, of Kansas, who raped and murdered a 16-year-old girl and killed an 80-year-old woman is scheduled for execution next month</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has set new dates to begin executing federal death-row inmates following a monthslong legal battle over the plan to resume the executions for the first time since 2003.Attorney General William Barr directed the federal Bureau of Prisons to schedule the executions, beginning in mid-July, of four inmates convicted of killing children. Three of the men had been scheduled to be put to death&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1ab434fcc31e429089eb5e14de0d1324">when Barr announced</a>&nbsp;the federal government would resume executions last year, ending an informal moratorium on federal capital punishment as the issue receded from the public domain.The Justice Department had scheduled five executions set to begin in December, but some of the inmates challenged the new procedures in court, arguing that the government was circumventing proper methods in order to wrongly execute inmates quickly.The department wouldn’t say why the executions of two of the inmates scheduled in December hadn’t been rescheduled.The move is likely to add a new front to the national conversation about criminal justice reform and raise interest in an issue that has largely lain dormant in recent years amid the culture battles that President Donald Trump already is waging on matters such as abortion and immigration in the lead-up to the 2020 elections.The federal government’s initial effort was put on hold by a trial judge, and the federal appeals court in Washington and the Supreme Court both declined to step in late last year. But in April, the appeals court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0325168e7addc66bcb0cc8ce89f61cc2">threw out</a>&nbsp;the judge’s order. Lawyers for the inmates are asking the Supreme Court to order a halt to the process.“The American people, acting through Congress and Presidents of both political parties, have long instructed that defendants convicted of the most heinous crimes should be subject to a sentence of death,” Barr said in a statement. “The four murderers whose executions are scheduled today have received full and fair proceedings under our Constitution and laws. We owe it to the victims of these horrific crimes, and to the families left behind, to carry forward the sentence imposed by our justice system.”The resumption comes as the federal prison has struggled to combat the coronavirus pandemic behind bars, including at least one death at USP Terre Haute, where they will take place. One inmate there has died from COVID-19.The inmates who will be executed are: Danny Lee, who was convicted in Arkansas of killing a family of three, including an 8-year-old; Wesley Ira Purkey, of Kansas, who raped and murdered a 16-year-old girl and killed an 80-year-old woman; Dustin Lee Honken, who killed five people in Iowa, including two children; and Keith Dwayne Nelson, who kidnapped a 10-year-old girl who was rollerblading in front of her Kansas home and raped her in a forest behind a church before strangling the young girl with a wire.Three of the executions — for Lee, Purkley and Honken — are scheduled days apart beginning July 13. Nelson’s execution is scheduled for Aug. 28. The Justice Department said additional executions will be set at a later date.Executions on the federal level have been rare and the government has put to death only three defendants since restoring the federal death penalty in 1988 — most recently in 2003, when Louis Jones was executed for the 1995 kidnapping, rape and murder of a young female soldier. Though there hasn’t been a federal execution since 2003, the Justice Department has continued to approve death penalty prosecutions and federal courts have sentenced defendants to death.In 2014, following a botched state execution in Oklahoma, President Barack Obama&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1d3518af20dc4849804c21e58b46ae15">directed the Justice Department&nbsp;</a>to conduct a broad review of capital punishment and issues surrounding lethal injection drugs.The attorney general said last July that the Obama-era review had been completed, clearing the way for executions to resume. He approved a new procedure for lethal injections that replaces the three-drug combination previously used in federal executions with one drug, pentobarbital. This is similar to the procedure used in several states, including Georgia, Missouri and Texas, but not all.Barr&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d0ddb30f2b214bc19da9a03305ac44de">told the AP</a>&nbsp;in November that the federal Bureau of Prisons had been testing and conducting practice drills ahead of the first execution. He would not say where the drugs would come from.Those chosen were among inmates who had exhausted their appeals, and the cases were forwarded to senior Justice Department officials who reviewed the cases and made recommendations to him, Barr said.President Donald Trump has spoken often about capital punishment and his belief that executions serve as an effective deterrent and an appropriate punishment for some crimes, including mass shootings and the killings of police officers.Lawyers for the men decried the Justice Department’s decision to move ahead with the executions.Ruth Friedman, an attorney for Danny Lee, said the government relied on “junk science and false evidence” in his case and said he is trying to get a court to consider problems in his case. A federal judge denied Lee’s request for a new trial but noted that evidence presented by his attorneys “is reasonably likely” to have led to a different sentence.“Given all of these circumstances, it would be unconscionable for the government to execute Danny Lee,” Friedman said.Purkey’s attorney, Rebecca Woodman, said her client suffers from schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia and doesn’t understand why the government plans to execute him. “No execution should proceed unless and until the question of Wes’s competency is resolved,” she said.And an attorney for Honken, Shawn Nolan, said Honken’s trial and sentencing proceeding were “plagued by misconduct and the ineffectiveness of counsel” and said he was been denied a full and fair review of the alleged defects in the case. Nolan described Honken as a “deeply remorseful and devout Catholic and loving father of two children.”An attorney for Nelson did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.