SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges following a traffic stop in northeast Kansas.

Just before 5p.m. January 14, a sheriff's deputy observed the driver of a red Chevy truck commit a traffic violation near NW Lyman Road and NW Eugene Street in Shawnee County, according to deputy Abigail Christian.

 The truck then fled at a high rate of speed south on Eugene Street. The deputy was able to catch up to the truck and observed it pull into a driveway of a residence in the 600 block of NW Shorey Place.

The deputy observed suspicious movements by both the driver and a passenger. The driver later identified as James A. Beatty, 31, of Topeka, quickly exited the vehicle despite commands from the deputy to stay in the truck. The deputy then instructed Beatty to get on the ground and he initially failed to comply. 

After several commands Beatty went to the ground and was restrained. The deputy was able to secure the scene until other officers arrived. 

Deputies found narcotics and drug paraphernalia on Beatty and a loaded gun in the vehicle near the driver’s seat.

The passenger, Lloyd A. Ratzloff, 48, of Topeka, was taken into custody and found to be in possession of illegal narcotics and drug paraphernalia, according to Christian.

Beatty and Ratzloff were transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges that include an&nbsp;Aggravated Weapons Violation by a Felon Criminal Use of a Weapon, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Obstruction of the Legal Process and Other traffic and registration violations

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610821622018.png" alt="Ratzloff -photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Ratzloff -photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges following a traffic stop in northeast Kansas.Just before 5p.m. January 14, a sheriff's deputy observed the driver of a red Chevy truck commit a traffic violation near NW Lyman Road and NW Eugene Street in Shawnee County, according to deputy Abigail Christian. The truck then fled at a high rate of speed south on Eugene Street. The deputy was able to catch up to the truck and observed it pull into a driveway of a residence in the 600 block of NW Shorey Place.The deputy observed suspicious movements by both the driver and a passenger. The driver later identified as James A. Beatty, 31, of Topeka, quickly exited the vehicle despite commands from the deputy to stay in the truck. The deputy then instructed Beatty to get on the ground and he initially failed to comply. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610821583061.png" alt="Beatty photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Beatty photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>After several commands Beatty went to the ground and was restrained. The deputy was able to secure the scene until other officers arrived. Deputies found narcotics and drug paraphernalia on Beatty and a loaded gun in the vehicle near the driver’s seat.The passenger, Lloyd A. Ratzloff, 48, of Topeka, was taken into custody and found to be in possession of illegal narcotics and drug paraphernalia, according to Christian.Beatty and Ratzloff were transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges that include an&nbsp;Aggravated Weapons Violation by a Felon Criminal Use of a Weapon, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Obstruction of the Legal Process and Other traffic and registration violations

Sheriff finds loaded gun, drugs during Kan. traffic stop

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A Lawrence police officer who has been accused of fracturing a skateboarder’s elbow during an arrest has resigned. 

Brad Williams’ resignation took effect Jan. 6. Police spokesperson Patrick Compton did not indicate a reason for the resignation. 

Williams arrested 45-year-old Duc Tran, of Lawrence, after encountering him skateboarding in the street in June 2019. The case against Tran’ later was thrown out, and his attorney alleges excessive force. 

A notice of claim sent to the city in September alleges that Tran suffered a fractured elbow, dislocated right shoulder, a chipped tooth, bruising and lacerations, emotional distress and more. It sought monetary damages of $3 million.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A Lawrence police officer who has been accused of fracturing a skateboarder’s elbow during an arrest has resigned. Brad Williams’ resignation took effect Jan. 6. Police spokesperson Patrick Compton did not indicate a reason for the resignation. Williams arrested 45-year-old Duc Tran, of Lawrence, after encountering him skateboarding in the street in June 2019. The case against Tran’ later was thrown out, and his attorney alleges excessive force. A notice of claim sent to the city in September alleges that Tran suffered a fractured elbow, dislocated right shoulder, a chipped tooth, bruising and lacerations, emotional distress and more. It sought monetary damages of $3 million.

Kan. officer accused of injuring skateboarder resigns

WASHINGTON (AP) — By the busload and planeload, National Guard troops were pouring into the nation’s capital, as governors answered the urgent pleas of U.S. defense officials for more troops to help safeguard Washington even as they keep anxious eyes on possible violent protests in their own states.

Military leaders spent chunks of Thursday evening and Friday calling states in an unprecedented appeal for more National Guard troops to help lock down much of the city in the days before President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration. In dribs and drabs, governors responded, some agreeing to send an extra dozen, 100 or even 1,000, while others said no.

Both Kansas and Missouri are sending National Guard troops to Washington, according to the Kansas Department of Emergency Management and Missouri Governor Mike Parson.

The calls reflect fears that violent extremist groups are targeting the city in the wake of the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. The threats range from armed insurgents to possible attempts to plant explosive devices at so-called soft targets. But as Washington begins to resemble an armed camp, with more than 25,000 Guard due in the city by early next week, concerns about violence at state capitals has grown.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said she turned down the federal request to send at least 100 more National Guard troops to D.C. “I didn’t think that we could safely fill that commitment,” Brown said. Oregon has already agreed to send 30 to Washington, but state leaders are worried about violence at the state capitol in Salem.

Others agreed, setting off a dizzying torrent of military flights and convoys into the region.

“The peaceful transfer of power is a central tenet of American democracy, and Connecticut stands ready to aid in the protection of our country.” said Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, who had initially approved sending 100 Guard and on Friday agreed to send 200 more.

All told, more than 130 U.S. Air Guard flights in the past 72 hours have carried at least 7,000 Guard troops to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, according to U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal numbers. Thousands more are in buses and military trucks, thundering up highways toward Washington.

Army Gen. Dan Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, called adjutants general around the country, and others, such as Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, called governors to seek help. McCarthy praised the states, saying defense and military officials are keenly aware of the threats they also are facing.

“The governors and the TAGs have been great. They helped us a lot,” McCarthy told The Associated Press. “That’s the thing — that in the midst of a really horrible situation you’re seeing the greatness of this country, everybody coming together and help each other get through this.”

What began in early January as a routine deployment of about 350 members of the D.C. National Guard to help with expected protests exploded over the past two weeks into a vastly greater operation to protect the inauguration and the U.S. Capitol, and to shut down access to the city and many of its historical monuments.

As protesters stampeded their way into the Capitol on Jan. 6, only a bit more than 100 National Guard were scattered around the city, guarding checkpoints and Metro entrances. Hours later, five people were dead, the Capitol was in shambles and all 1,100 of D.C.’s Guard had been activated.

By the next day, as information came in about more violence being planned, requests went out for 6,200 Guard members from the surrounding states.

By Thursday night, as law enforcement and defense officials poured over maps and staged security drills, they concluded they would need at least 25,000 to adequately lock down the Capitol grounds and a wide swath of D.C., including the National Mall. And they agreed that the bulk of those Guard will be armed.

At that point, the new round of calls to the state governors and military leaders began.

Many governors were willing to help, but they made it clear that their own state capitals were their priority. Some agreed to send more, while others couldn’t. And the numbers varied widely.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf doubled his initial commitment of 1,000 to 2,000. Other states were able to scrape up an additional dozen.

After reviewing the threats to its own state, Minnesota decided it could significantly increase its contribution and will send 850 Guard rather than the 130 initially tapped to go, according to the state’s adjutant general, Maj. Gen. Shawn Manke.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine had already agreed to send 700. On Friday, he announced he’d be sending 300 more — even as he ordered nearly 600 to secure the Ohio statehouse in Columbus. Similarly, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper initially agreed to send 200 Guard, and on Friday spokesman Ford Porter said the state will send 100 more. Iowa first said it was sending 250 and now the number is 265.

The vast military response comes as Congress and law enforcement authorities are trying to figure out how the U.S. Capitol was overrun so dramatically on Jan. 6. Leaders of four committees in the Democratic-controlled House sent a letter Saturday requesting briefings and documents from the FBI and other federal agencies as part of their review of the insurrection.

The appeals for more of America’s citizen soldiers also underscore the Pentagon’s limits on the use of active-duty troops. Under the law, they can’t be used for law enforcement, and officials are intent on avoiding the appearance of armed active-duty forces being used against U.S. citizens on American soil.

Active-duty forces are routinely prepared to respond to emergencies in Washington, such as flight violations in restricted airspace over D.C., and a quick reaction force is always on standby. Other active-duty units will take part in various inaugural ceremonies.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610835825899.png" alt="Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy meeting with National Guard Troops in Washington- Photo courtesy Secretary of the U.S. Army" />
 <figcaption>Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy meeting with National Guard Troops in Washington- Photo courtesy Secretary of the U.S. Army</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — By the busload and planeload, National Guard troops were pouring into the nation’s capital, as governors answered the urgent pleas of U.S. defense officials for more troops to help safeguard Washington even as they keep anxious eyes on possible violent protests in their own states.Military leaders spent chunks of Thursday evening and Friday calling states in an unprecedented appeal for more National Guard troops to help lock down much of the city in the days before President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration. In dribs and drabs, governors responded, some agreeing to send an extra dozen, 100 or even 1,000, while others said no.Both Kansas and Missouri are sending National Guard troops to Washington, according to the Kansas Department of Emergency Management and Missouri Governor Mike Parson.The calls reflect fears that violent extremist groups are targeting the city in the wake of the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. The threats range from armed insurgents to possible attempts to plant explosive devices at so-called soft targets. But as Washington begins to resemble an armed camp, with more than 25,000 Guard due in the city by early next week, concerns about violence at state capitals has grown.Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said she turned down the federal request to send at least 100 more National Guard troops to D.C. “I didn’t think that we could safely fill that commitment,” Brown said. Oregon has already agreed to send 30 to Washington, but state leaders are worried about violence at the state capitol in Salem.Others agreed, setting off a dizzying torrent of military flights and convoys into the region.“The peaceful transfer of power is a central tenet of American democracy, and Connecticut stands ready to aid in the protection of our country.” said Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, who had initially approved sending 100 Guard and on Friday agreed to send 200 more.All told, more than 130 U.S. Air Guard flights in the past 72 hours have carried at least 7,000 Guard troops to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, according to U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal numbers. Thousands more are in buses and military trucks, thundering up highways toward Washington.Army Gen. Dan Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, called adjutants general around the country, and others, such as Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, called governors to seek help. McCarthy praised the states, saying defense and military officials are keenly aware of the threats they also are facing.“The governors and the TAGs have been great. They helped us a lot,” McCarthy told The Associated Press. “That’s the thing — that in the midst of a really horrible situation you’re seeing the greatness of this country, everybody coming together and help each other get through this.”What began in early January as a routine deployment of about 350 members of the D.C. National Guard to help with expected protests exploded over the past two weeks into a vastly greater operation to protect the inauguration and the U.S. Capitol, and to shut down access to the city and many of its historical monuments.As protesters stampeded their way into the Capitol on Jan. 6, only a bit more than 100 National Guard were scattered around the city, guarding checkpoints and Metro entrances. Hours later, five people were dead, the Capitol was in shambles and all 1,100 of D.C.’s Guard had been activated.By the next day, as information came in about more violence being planned, requests went out for 6,200 Guard members from the surrounding states.By Thursday night, as law enforcement and defense officials poured over maps and staged security drills, they concluded they would need at least 25,000 to adequately lock down the Capitol grounds and a wide swath of D.C., including the National Mall. And they agreed that the bulk of those Guard will be armed.At that point, the new round of calls to the state governors and military leaders began.Many governors were willing to help, but they made it clear that their own state capitals were their priority. Some agreed to send more, while others couldn’t. And the numbers varied widely.Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf doubled his initial commitment of 1,000 to 2,000. Other states were able to scrape up an additional dozen.After reviewing the threats to its own state, Minnesota decided it could significantly increase its contribution and will send 850 Guard rather than the 130 initially tapped to go, according to the state’s adjutant general, Maj. Gen. Shawn Manke.Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine had already agreed to send 700. On Friday, he announced he’d be sending 300 more — even as he ordered nearly 600 to secure the Ohio statehouse in Columbus. Similarly, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper initially agreed to send 200 Guard, and on Friday spokesman Ford Porter said the state will send 100 more. Iowa first said it was sending 250 and now the number is 265.The vast military response comes as Congress and law enforcement authorities are trying to figure out how the U.S. Capitol was overrun so dramatically on Jan. 6. Leaders of four committees in the Democratic-controlled House sent a letter Saturday requesting briefings and documents from the FBI and other federal agencies as part of their review of the insurrection.The appeals for more of America’s citizen soldiers also underscore the Pentagon’s limits on the use of active-duty troops. Under the law, they can’t be used for law enforcement, and officials are intent on avoiding the appearance of armed active-duty forces being used against U.S. citizens on American soil.Active-duty forces are routinely prepared to respond to emergencies in Washington, such as flight violations in restricted airspace over D.C., and a quick reaction force is always on standby. Other active-duty units will take part in various inaugural ceremonies.——

Guard troops pour into Washington as states answer the call

WICHITA – A Kansas woman who pleaded guilty to stealing from an 88-year-old man was sentenced Thursday for one count of felony theft in Sedgwick County District Court. 

According to investigators, Laurie Nowlin, 60, Wichita, committed the crime after befriending the victim and becoming one of his primary caretakers.

Nowlin, who had no prior felonies on her record, was placed on 24 months probation, the presumption under Kansas law. As a condition of her plea, she was ordered to pay $60,900 in restitution to the victim’s family. 

Judge Eric Williams told Nowlin she would serve 13 months in prison if she violated her probation.

The charge alleges that Nowlin received multiple checks and cash withdrawals from the victim during a time that the victim likely lacked capacity due to late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Those checks were then deposited into Nowlin’s bank account where she transferred the money via Facebook and used the funds to take multiple trips. 

During the same timeframe, the victim also designated Nowlin as power of attorney and beneficiary on nearly all of his assets, removing his adult children from those designations.

Family members who spoke at the sentencing said Nowlin’s actions took a toll on their family and damaged their relationship with the victim. 

Nowlin stated during the sentencing hearing that she should not have accepted the pay from the victim but she loved him and he wanted her to have it. The victim has since passed away.

Nowlin’s probation may be extended to ensure that she pays restitution. Judge Williams also ordered Nowlin to not serve as a fiduciary for anyone else during the course of her probation.

WICHITA – A Kansas woman who pleaded guilty to stealing from an 88-year-old man was sentenced Thursday for one count of felony theft in Sedgwick County District Court. According to investigators, Laurie Nowlin, 60, Wichita, committed the crime after befriending the victim and becoming one of his primary caretakers.Nowlin, who had no prior felonies on her record, was placed on 24 months probation, the presumption under Kansas law. As a condition of her plea, she was ordered to pay $60,900 in restitution to the victim’s family. Judge Eric Williams told Nowlin she would serve 13 months in prison if she violated her probation.The charge alleges that Nowlin received multiple checks and cash withdrawals from the victim during a time that the victim likely lacked capacity due to late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Those checks were then deposited into Nowlin’s bank account where she transferred the money via Facebook and used the funds to take multiple trips. During the same timeframe, the victim also designated Nowlin as power of attorney and beneficiary on nearly all of his assets, removing his adult children from those designations.Family members who spoke at the sentencing said Nowlin’s actions took a toll on their family and damaged their relationship with the victim. Nowlin stated during the sentencing hearing that she should not have accepted the pay from the victim but she loved him and he wanted her to have it. The victim has since passed away.Nowlin’s probation may be extended to ensure that she pays restitution. Judge Williams also ordered Nowlin to not serve as a fiduciary for anyone else during the course of her probation.

Caretaker admits stealing from Kan. Alzheimer’s patient

By JULIE APPLEBY <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-01-14/private-practice-doctors-patients-wonder-when-its-their-turn-for-the-covid-19-vaccine">Kaiser Health News</a>

Dr. Andrew Carroll — a family doctor in Chandler, Arizona — wants to 
help his patients get immunized against covid, so he paid more than 
$4,000 to buy an ultra-low-temperature freezer from eBay needed to store
 the Pfizer vaccine.

But he’s not sure he’ll get a chance to use 
it, given health officials have so far not said when private doctor’s 
offices will get vaccine.

Not
 only are doctors having trouble getting vaccine for patients, but many 
of the community-based physicians and medical staff that aren’t employed
 by hospitals or health systems also report mixed results in getting 
inoculated. Some have had their shots, yet others are still waiting, 
even though health workers providing direct care to patients are in the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s top-priority group.

Many
 of these doctors say they don’t know when — or if — they will get doses
 for their patients, which will soon become a bigger issue as states 
attempt to vaccinate more people.

“The reason that’s important is 
patients trust their doctors when it comes to the vaccine,” said 
Carroll, who has complained on social media that his county hasn’t yet 
released plans on how primary care doctors will be brought into the 
loop.

Collectively, physicians in the county could vaccinate 
thousands of patients a day, he said, and might draw some who would 
otherwise be hesitant if they had to go to a large hospital, a 
fairground or another central site.

His concern comes as, 
nationally, the rollout of the vaccine is off to a slower start than 
expected, lagging far behind the initial goal of giving 20 million doses
 before the new year.

But Dr. Jen Brull, a family practice doctor 
in Plainville, Kansas, said her rural area has made good progress on the
 first phase of vaccinations, crediting close working relationships 
formed well before the pandemic.

This fall, before any doses 
became available, the local hospital, the health department and 
physician offices coordinated a sign-up list for medical workers who 
wanted the vaccine. So, when their county, with a population of 5,000, 
got its first 70 doses, they were ready to go. Another 80 doses came a 
week later.

“We’ll be able to vaccinate almost all the health care-associated folks who wanted it in the county” Brull said recently

Dr.
 Jason Goldman, an internist in Coral Springs, Florida, said he was able
 to get vaccinated at a local hospital that received the bulk of 
vaccines in his county and oversaw distribution.

In the weeks since, however, he said several of his front-line staff members still “don’t have access to the vaccine.”

Additionally,
 “a tremendous number” of patients are calling his office because 
Florida has relaxed distribution guidelines to include anyone over age 
65, Goldman said, asking when they can get the vaccine. He’s applied to 
officials about distributing the vaccines through his practice but has 
heard nothing back.

Patients “are frustrated that they do not have
 clear answers and that I am not being given clear answers to provide 
them,” he said. “We have no choice but to direct them to the health 
department and some of the hospital systems.”

Another troubling 
point for Goldman, who served as a liaison between the American College 
of Physicians and the expert panel drawing up the CDC distribution 
guidelines, is the tremendous variation in how those recommendations are
 being implemented in the states.

The CDC <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations-process.html" target="_blank">recommends</a>
 several phases, with front-line health care workers and nursing home 
residents and staff in the initial group. Then, in the second part of 
that phase, come people over 75 and non-health care front-line workers, 
which could include first responders, teachers and other designated 
essential workers.

States have the flexibility to design their own
 rollout schedule and priority groups. Florida, for example, is offering
 doses to anyone 65 and up. In some counties, older folks were told 
vaccines were available on a first-come, first-served basis, a move that
 has resulted in long lines.

“To say right now, 65-plus, when you 
haven’t even appropriately vaccinated all the health care workers, is 
negating the phasing,” said Goldman. “There needs to be a national 
standard. We have those guidelines. We need to come up with some 
oversight.”

On Thursday, the American Hospital Association echoed 
that concern in a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex 
Azar. Hospitals — along with health departments and large pharmacy 
chains — are doing the bulk of the vaccinations.

Calling for additional coordination by federal officials, the <a href="https://www.aha.org/system/files/media/file/2021/01/aha-hhs-leadership-actions-needed-expedite-administration-covid-19-vaccines-lettetr-1-7-20.pdf" target="_blank">letter</a>
 outlined what it would take to reach the goal of vaccinating 75% of 
Americans by the end of May: 1.8 million vaccinations every day. Noting 
there are 64 different rollout plans from states, cities and other 
jurisdictions, the letter asked whether HHS has “assessed whether these 
plans, taken as a whole, are capable of achieving this level of 
vaccination?”

Lack of direct national 
support or strategy means each county is essentially on its own, with 
success or failure affected by available resources and the experience of
 local officials. Most state and local health departments are 
underfunded and are under intense pressure because of the surging 
pandemic.

Still, the success of vaccination efforts depends on planning, preparation and clear communication.

In
 Lorain County, Ohio, population 310,000, local officials started 
practicing in October, said Mark Adams, deputy health commissioner. They
 set up mass vaccination clinics for influenza to study what would be 
needed for a covid vaccination effort. How many staff? What would the 
traffic flow be like? Could patients be kept 6 feet apart?

“That 
gave us an idea of what is good, what is bad and what needs to change,” 
said Adams, who has had previous experience coordinating mass 
vaccination efforts at a county level.

So, when the county got its
 first shipment of 500 doses Dec. 21, Adams had his plan ready. He 
called the fire chiefs to invite all emergency medical technicians and 
affiliated personnel to an ad hoc vaccination center set up at a large 
entertainment venue staffed by his health department. Upon arrival, 
people were greeted at the door and directed to spaced-apart “lanes” 
where they would get their shots, then to a monitoring area where they 
could wait for 15 minutes to make sure they didn’t have a reaction.

Right
 after Christmas, another 400 doses arrived — and the makeshift clinic 
opened again. This time, doses went to community-based physicians, 
dentists and other hands-on medical practitioners, 600 of whom had 
previously signed up. (Hospital workers and nursing home staff and 
residents are getting their vaccinations through their own 
institutions.)

As they move into the next phase — recipients 
include residents over 80, people with developmental disorders and 
school staff — the challenges will grow, he said. The county plans a 
multipronged approach to notify people when it’s their turn, including 
use of a website, the local media, churches, other organizations and 
word-of-mouth.

Adams shares the concerns of medical providers 
nationwide: He gets only two days’ notice of how many doses he’s going 
to receive and, at the current pace of 400 or 500 doses a week, it’s 
going to take a while before most residents in the county have a chance 
to get a shot, including the estimated 33,000 people 65 and older.

With
 10 nurses, his clinic can inject about 1,200 people a day. But many 
other health professionals have volunteered to administer the shots if 
he gets more doses.

“If I were to run three clinics, five days a 
week, I could do 15,000 vaccinations a week,” Adams said. “With all the 
volunteers, I could do almost six clinics, or 30,000 a week.”

Still,
 for those in the last public group, those age 18 and up without 
underlying medical conditions, “it could be summer,” Adams said.

<a href="http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/" target="_blank">Kaiser Health News</a>&nbsp;is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the <a href="http://www.kff.org/" target="_blank">Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation</a> which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

By JULIE APPLEBY <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-01-14/private-practice-doctors-patients-wonder-when-its-their-turn-for-the-covid-19-vaccine">Kaiser Health News</a>Dr. Andrew Carroll — a family doctor in Chandler, Arizona — wants to 
help his patients get immunized against covid, so he paid more than 
$4,000 to buy an ultra-low-temperature freezer from eBay needed to store
 the Pfizer vaccine.But he’s not sure he’ll get a chance to use 
it, given health officials have so far not said when private doctor’s 
offices will get vaccine.“I’m really angry,” said Carroll.Not
 only are doctors having trouble getting vaccine for patients, but many 
of the community-based physicians and medical staff that aren’t employed
 by hospitals or health systems also report mixed results in getting 
inoculated. Some have had their shots, yet others are still waiting, 
even though health workers providing direct care to patients are in the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s top-priority group.Many
 of these doctors say they don’t know when — or if — they will get doses
 for their patients, which will soon become a bigger issue as states 
attempt to vaccinate more people.“The reason that’s important is 
patients trust their doctors when it comes to the vaccine,” said 
Carroll, who has complained on social media that his county hasn’t yet 
released plans on how primary care doctors will be brought into the 
loop.Collectively, physicians in the county could vaccinate 
thousands of patients a day, he said, and might draw some who would 
otherwise be hesitant if they had to go to a large hospital, a 
fairground or another central site.His concern comes as, 
nationally, the rollout of the vaccine is off to a slower start than 
expected, lagging far behind the initial goal of giving 20 million doses
 before the new year.But Dr. Jen Brull, a family practice doctor 
in Plainville, Kansas, said her rural area has made good progress on the
 first phase of vaccinations, crediting close working relationships 
formed well before the pandemic.This fall, before any doses 
became available, the local hospital, the health department and 
physician offices coordinated a sign-up list for medical workers who 
wanted the vaccine. So, when their county, with a population of 5,000, 
got its first 70 doses, they were ready to go. Another 80 doses came a 
week later.“We’ll be able to vaccinate almost all the health care-associated folks who wanted it in the county” Brull said recently<h2>Gaps in the Rollout</h2>But that’s not the case everywhere.Dr.
 Jason Goldman, an internist in Coral Springs, Florida, said he was able
 to get vaccinated at a local hospital that received the bulk of 
vaccines in his county and oversaw distribution.In the weeks since, however, he said several of his front-line staff members still “don’t have access to the vaccine.”Additionally,
 “a tremendous number” of patients are calling his office because 
Florida has relaxed distribution guidelines to include anyone over age 
65, Goldman said, asking when they can get the vaccine. He’s applied to 
officials about distributing the vaccines through his practice but has 
heard nothing back.Patients “are frustrated that they do not have
 clear answers and that I am not being given clear answers to provide 
them,” he said. “We have no choice but to direct them to the health 
department and some of the hospital systems.”Another troubling 
point for Goldman, who served as a liaison between the American College 
of Physicians and the expert panel drawing up the CDC distribution 
guidelines, is the tremendous variation in how those recommendations are
 being implemented in the states.The CDC <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations-process.html" target="_blank">recommends</a>
 several phases, with front-line health care workers and nursing home 
residents and staff in the initial group. Then, in the second part of 
that phase, come people over 75 and non-health care front-line workers, 
which could include first responders, teachers and other designated 
essential workers.States have the flexibility to design their own
 rollout schedule and priority groups. Florida, for example, is offering
 doses to anyone 65 and up. In some counties, older folks were told 
vaccines were available on a first-come, first-served basis, a move that
 has resulted in long lines.“To say right now, 65-plus, when you 
haven’t even appropriately vaccinated all the health care workers, is 
negating the phasing,” said Goldman. “There needs to be a national 
standard. We have those guidelines. We need to come up with some 
oversight.”On Thursday, the American Hospital Association echoed 
that concern in a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex 
Azar. Hospitals — along with health departments and large pharmacy 
chains — are doing the bulk of the vaccinations.Calling for additional coordination by federal officials, the <a href="https://www.aha.org/system/files/media/file/2021/01/aha-hhs-leadership-actions-needed-expedite-administration-covid-19-vaccines-lettetr-1-7-20.pdf" target="_blank">letter</a>
 outlined what it would take to reach the goal of vaccinating 75% of 
Americans by the end of May: 1.8 million vaccinations every day. Noting 
there are 64 different rollout plans from states, cities and other 
jurisdictions, the letter asked whether HHS has “assessed whether these 
plans, taken as a whole, are capable of achieving this level of 
vaccination?”<h2>Making It Work</h2>Lack of direct national 
support or strategy means each county is essentially on its own, with 
success or failure affected by available resources and the experience of
 local officials. Most state and local health departments are 
underfunded and are under intense pressure because of the surging 
pandemic.Still, the success of vaccination efforts depends on planning, preparation and clear communication.In
 Lorain County, Ohio, population 310,000, local officials started 
practicing in October, said Mark Adams, deputy health commissioner. They
 set up mass vaccination clinics for influenza to study what would be 
needed for a covid vaccination effort. How many staff? What would the 
traffic flow be like? Could patients be kept 6 feet apart?“That 
gave us an idea of what is good, what is bad and what needs to change,” 
said Adams, who has had previous experience coordinating mass 
vaccination efforts at a county level.So, when the county got its
 first shipment of 500 doses Dec. 21, Adams had his plan ready. He 
called the fire chiefs to invite all emergency medical technicians and 
affiliated personnel to an ad hoc vaccination center set up at a large 
entertainment venue staffed by his health department. Upon arrival, 
people were greeted at the door and directed to spaced-apart “lanes” 
where they would get their shots, then to a monitoring area where they 
could wait for 15 minutes to make sure they didn’t have a reaction.Right
 after Christmas, another 400 doses arrived — and the makeshift clinic 
opened again. This time, doses went to community-based physicians, 
dentists and other hands-on medical practitioners, 600 of whom had 
previously signed up. (Hospital workers and nursing home staff and 
residents are getting their vaccinations through their own 
institutions.)As they move into the next phase — recipients 
include residents over 80, people with developmental disorders and 
school staff — the challenges will grow, he said. The county plans a 
multipronged approach to notify people when it’s their turn, including 
use of a website, the local media, churches, other organizations and 
word-of-mouth.Adams shares the concerns of medical providers 
nationwide: He gets only two days’ notice of how many doses he’s going 
to receive and, at the current pace of 400 or 500 doses a week, it’s 
going to take a while before most residents in the county have a chance 
to get a shot, including the estimated 33,000 people 65 and older.With
 10 nurses, his clinic can inject about 1,200 people a day. But many 
other health professionals have volunteered to administer the shots if 
he gets more doses.“If I were to run three clinics, five days a 
week, I could do 15,000 vaccinations a week,” Adams said. “With all the 
volunteers, I could do almost six clinics, or 30,000 a week.”Still,
 for those in the last public group, those age 18 and up without 
underlying medical conditions, “it could be summer,” Adams said.<a href="http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/" target="_blank">Kaiser Health News</a>&nbsp;is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the <a href="http://www.kff.org/" target="_blank">Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation</a> which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

Private practice docs, patients wonder when it’s their turn for vaccine 

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City and the state of Illinois filed a lawsuit Friday against a federal agency that awarded a license to an arms manufacturer that was sued last year for illegally selling guns and went bankrupt.

The lawsuit alleges the Bureau of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives awarded the license to JA Industries, renamed from Jimenez Arms, after it repeatedly broke federal firearms laws and contributed to gun trafficking. The lawsuit says the company's cheap firearms contribute to the rising violent crime in Kansas City and Chicago.

Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, a national gun safety advocacy group, joined the lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The plaintiffs want the ATF to revoke JA Industries' license.

“It is inexcusable that the regulators we rely on to enforce federal gun laws have failed to take action despite the clear evidence that Jimenez Arms contributed to gun trafficking,” Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said. “This effort is about accountability — and it’s also protecting Kansas City residents by addressing an ongoing threat to public safety in our city.”

Kansas City and Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund sued Jimenez Arms and several others&nbsp;<a href="https://hosted.ap.org/semissourian/article/81aa4e6a13da2ff07d069ed48e5b0a1b/7dc85522aa3508583c3e1c006cf972cb">a year ago</a>, alleging they contributed to surging gun violence in the Kansas City region by ignoring evidence that guns were being sold illegally in the area.

Jimenez Arms filed for bankruptcy about a month after that lawsuit was filed. The new lawsuit says the owner, Paul Jimenez, applied for a new license under the name JA Industries and that it took the ATF less than a month to award a license. Jimenez is not a defendant in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit contends that Jimenez makes tens of thousands of cheap handguns every year that have turned up at crime scenes in Kansas City and Chicago “at a rate disproportionate to the company’s market share.”

Alla Lefkowitz, director of affirmative litigation at Everytown Law, said it was an “appalling regulatory failure.”

“With so many red flags about this company in the ATF’s own records, it should never have even been a close call whether to allow it to continue selling guns under a new name,” Lefkowitz said in a statement.

The ATF said it “does not comment on pending or ongoing litigation."

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City and the state of Illinois filed a lawsuit Friday against a federal agency that awarded a license to an arms manufacturer that was sued last year for illegally selling guns and went bankrupt.The lawsuit alleges the Bureau of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives awarded the license to JA Industries, renamed from Jimenez Arms, after it repeatedly broke federal firearms laws and contributed to gun trafficking. The lawsuit says the company's cheap firearms contribute to the rising violent crime in Kansas City and Chicago.Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, a national gun safety advocacy group, joined the lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The plaintiffs want the ATF to revoke JA Industries' license.“It is inexcusable that the regulators we rely on to enforce federal gun laws have failed to take action despite the clear evidence that Jimenez Arms contributed to gun trafficking,” Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said. “This effort is about accountability — and it’s also protecting Kansas City residents by addressing an ongoing threat to public safety in our city.”Kansas City and Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund sued Jimenez Arms and several others&nbsp;<a href="https://hosted.ap.org/semissourian/article/81aa4e6a13da2ff07d069ed48e5b0a1b/7dc85522aa3508583c3e1c006cf972cb">a year ago</a>, alleging they contributed to surging gun violence in the Kansas City region by ignoring evidence that guns were being sold illegally in the area.Jimenez Arms filed for bankruptcy about a month after that lawsuit was filed. The new lawsuit says the owner, Paul Jimenez, applied for a new license under the name JA Industries and that it took the ATF less than a month to award a license. Jimenez is not a defendant in the lawsuit.The lawsuit contends that Jimenez makes tens of thousands of cheap handguns every year that have turned up at crime scenes in Kansas City and Chicago “at a rate disproportionate to the company’s market share.”Alla Lefkowitz, director of affirmative litigation at Everytown Law, said it was an “appalling regulatory failure.”“With so many red flags about this company in the ATF’s own records, it should never have even been a close call whether to allow it to continue selling guns under a new name,” Lefkowitz said in a statement.The ATF said it “does not comment on pending or ongoing litigation."

Kansas City sues ATF over arms manufacturer license

CLEVELAND —The United Church of Christ with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ucc.org/church-finder/">churches located nationwide</a>&nbsp;including many across Kansas and Missouri issued an alert Saturday.

The church wrote on <a href="https://www.ucc.org/">their web</a> site, "you may have seen our post urging caution to churches within the United Church of Christ. We are advising our congregations to be extra vigilant this week, to avoid gathering in their buildings after credible threats against government buildings and liberal institutions were received by a couple of Conference Ministers and one of our ecumenical partners."

"Mainline churches are among the entities that have been identified by law enforcement as potential targets."

"Erring on the side of caution and noting the previous attacks on our churches in the West and, in recent weeks, against like-minded churches in D.C.,  we decided to ask our congregations to be extra vigilant going into inauguration week."

"We do not want to cause undue alarm, but if the threats prove credible, this would be difficult to reconcile."

"Let us hold ourselves and our churches in prayer."

In addition to the United Church of Christ,&nbsp;Governors in some states have called out the National Guard, declared states of emergency and closed their capitol buildings over concerns about potentially violent demonstrations. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610823850526.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CLEVELAND —The United Church of Christ with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ucc.org/church-finder/">churches located nationwide</a>&nbsp;including many across Kansas and Missouri issued an alert Saturday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/R8uZUxqsb2">pic.twitter.com/R8uZUxqsb2</a>&mdash; United Church of Christ (@unitedchurch) <a href="https://twitter.com/unitedchurch/status/1350291725319860226?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The church wrote on <a href="https://www.ucc.org/">their web</a> site, "you may have seen our post urging caution to churches within the United Church of Christ. We are advising our congregations to be extra vigilant this week, to avoid gathering in their buildings after credible threats against government buildings and liberal institutions were received by a couple of Conference Ministers and one of our ecumenical partners.""Mainline churches are among the entities that have been identified by law enforcement as potential targets.""Erring on the side of caution and noting the previous attacks on our churches in the West and, in recent weeks, against like-minded churches in D.C., we decided to ask our congregations to be extra vigilant going into inauguration week.""We do not want to cause undue alarm, but if the threats prove credible, this would be difficult to reconcile.""Let us hold ourselves and our churches in prayer."In addition to the United Church of Christ,&nbsp;Governors in some states have called out the National Guard, declared states of emergency and closed their capitol buildings over concerns about potentially violent demonstrations.

Church issues national alert for alleged 'threat of attacks'

NEW YORK — Health officials say by March, a new and more infectious strain of coronavirus — first found in the United Kingdom — will likely become the dominant strain in the United States.

The UK variant currently is in 12 states but has been diagnosed in only 76 of the 23 million U.S. cases reported to date. However, it’s likely that version of the virus is more widespread in this country than is currently reported, according to scientists at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While it’s considered more infectious than the virus that’s been causing the bulk of U.S. cases so far, there’s no evidence that it causes more severe illness or is transmitted differently. Therefore, mask wearing, social distancing and hand washing and other prevention strategies can still work, the CDC says.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608566572342.png" alt="image courtesy GISAID" />
 <figcaption>image courtesy GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK — Health officials say by March, a new and more infectious strain of coronavirus — first found in the United Kingdom — will likely become the dominant strain in the United States.The UK variant currently is in 12 states but has been diagnosed in only 76 of the 23 million U.S. cases reported to date. However, it’s likely that version of the virus is more widespread in this country than is currently reported, according to scientists at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.While it’s considered more infectious than the virus that’s been causing the bulk of U.S. cases so far, there’s no evidence that it causes more severe illness or is transmitted differently. Therefore, mask wearing, social distancing and hand washing and other prevention strategies can still work, the CDC says.

CDC concerned virus variant may dominate in US

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a murder arrested 40-year-old Moses Joel Guerrero on Friday, according to Sgt. Lana Urteaga.

On Wednesday, police asked the public for help to locate Guerrero.&nbsp;

Just after 3:00 a.m. Jan. 11, police were dispatched to the area of 200 N. 9th Street in Garden City to assist Finney County EMS with an unresponsive man suffering from a head injury, according to Sgt. Lana Urteaga.

Upon arrival, officers found the man identified as Jose Adelaydo Gonzalez, 39, was not breathing and in addition to the head injury had been shot.&nbsp;

EMS transported Gonzalez to St. Catherine Hospital where he died, according to Urteaga.

The preliminary investigation determined Gonzalez had a small gathering at his residence. During the gathering, he was involved in a physical altercation and was shot. The alleged assailant later identified as Guerrero fled before officers arrived.&nbsp;

Guerrero has previous convictions for aggravated burglary, aggravated assault and aggravated battery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a murder and are asking the public for help to locate 40-year-old Moses Joel Guerrero.

Just after 3:00 a.m. Monday, police were dispatched to the area of 200 N. 9th Street in Garden City to assist Finney County EMS with an unresponsive man suffering from a head injury, according to Sgt. Lana Urteaga.

Guerrero is described as white, 5-foot-9 inches tall, weights 220 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes. He has a scars on the back of his head, on his chest, both arms and his forehead.

His last known address was in the 1800 Block of West Mary in Garden City. Police have a warrant for his arrest for first-degree murder.&nbsp; He is considered armed and dangerous.&nbsp;

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man's death in southwest Kansas.

EMS transported Gonzalez&nbsp; to St. Catherine Hospital where he died, according to Urteaga.

The preliminary investigation determined Gonzalez had a small gathering at his residence. During the gathering, he was involved in a physical altercation and was shot. The unknown assailant fled before officers arrived.&nbsp;

Police are requesting assistance from the community to locate a suspect.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610661801557.png" alt="Guerrero-photo Garden City Police" />
 <figcaption>Guerrero-photo Garden City Police</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a murder arrested 40-year-old Moses Joel Guerrero on Friday, according to Sgt. Lana Urteaga.On Wednesday, police asked the public for help to locate Guerrero.&nbsp;Just after 3:00 a.m. Jan. 11, police were dispatched to the area of 200 N. 9th Street in Garden City to assist Finney County EMS with an unresponsive man suffering from a head injury, according to Sgt. Lana Urteaga.Upon arrival, officers found the man identified as Jose Adelaydo Gonzalez, 39, was not breathing and in addition to the head injury had been shot.&nbsp;EMS transported Gonzalez to St. Catherine Hospital where he died, according to Urteaga.The preliminary investigation determined Gonzalez had a small gathering at his residence. During the gathering, he was involved in a physical altercation and was shot. The alleged assailant later identified as Guerrero fled before officers arrived.&nbsp;Guerrero has previous convictions for aggravated burglary, aggravated assault and aggravated battery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.-------FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a murder and are asking the public for help to locate 40-year-old Moses Joel Guerrero.Just after 3:00 a.m. Monday, police were dispatched to the area of 200 N. 9th Street in Garden City to assist Finney County EMS with an unresponsive man suffering from a head injury, according to Sgt. Lana Urteaga.Upon arrival, officers found the man identified as Jose Adelaydo Gonzalez, 39, was not breathing and in addition to the head injury had been shot.&nbsp;EMS transported Gonzalez to St. Catherine Hospital where he died, according to Urteaga.The preliminary investigation determined Gonzalez had a small gathering at his residence. During the gathering, he was involved in a physical altercation and was shot. The alleged assailant later identified as Guerrero fled before officers arrived.&nbsp;Guerrero is described as white, 5-foot-9 inches tall, weights 220 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes. He has a scars on the back of his head, on his chest, both arms and his forehead.His last known address was in the 1800 Block of West Mary in Garden City. Police have a warrant for his arrest for first-degree murder.&nbsp; He is considered armed and dangerous.&nbsp;Guerrero has previous convictions for aggravated burglary, aggravated assault and aggravated battery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.---------FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man's death in southwest Kansas.Just after 3:00 a.m. Monday, police were dispatched to the area of 200 N. 9th Street in Garden City to assist Finney County EMS with an unresponsive man suffering from a head injury, according to Sgt. Lana Urteaga.Upon arrival, officers found the man identified as Jose Adelaydo Gonzalez, 39, was not breathing and in addition to the head injury had been shot.&nbsp;EMS transported Gonzalez&nbsp; to St. Catherine Hospital where he died, according to Urteaga.The preliminary investigation determined Gonzalez had a small gathering at his residence. During the gathering, he was involved in a physical altercation and was shot. The unknown assailant fled before officers arrived.&nbsp;Police are requesting assistance from the community to locate a suspect.

Police arrest suspect in fatal SW Kan. party murder

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/01/15/bills-would-raise-legislators-salaries-increase-school-employees-contributions-to-kpers/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — State Rep. Ron 
Highland, R-Wamego, has seen several younger legislators leave Kansas 
for better-paying pastures since he was elected to the Legislature.

Highland
 said a lack of competitive pay is sapping the state of talented 
lawmakers who simply cannot afford to serve in the Legislature. To 
compensate for the salaries, lawmakers are offered a pension plan in the
 Kansas Public Employees Retirement System.

While
 that might work for those legislators already retired with banked funds
 to rely on, this is not a realistic option for younger legislators 
trying to get ahead in life, Highland said.

His solution? A bill that ends legislator participation in KPERS and establishes an annual salary structure for them.

“I
 looked into it, and I thought, what if we changed it and took 
legislators clear out of KPERS,” Highland said. “I also felt it was a 
bit of conflict of interest whenever a bill came before us to vote on 
because we are in KPERS.”

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/hb2043_00_0000.pdf">House Bill 2043</a>
 isn’t the only KPERS related bill Highland is championing. He has also 
filed a bill increasing the KPERS contribution rate for school district 
workers, one of the least funded parts of the state’s retirement system.

The issue of legislator pay in Kansas is not a new one. According to a 2019&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslpa.org/audit-report-library/special-study-salary-compensation-and-allowance-comparison/">report from the Legislature’s post-audit division</a>, a typical Kansas legislator only makes about $21,900 during the legislative session.

That is considerably less than Oklahoma and Missouri, where legislators earn $35,000 a year, plus living expenses. Highland’s bill suggests a salary of $35,000 per year.

“If
 you want to invest your money that’s on you. If you’re going to use 
that money to live on that’s your business,” Highland said.&nbsp;

The legislator participation bill&nbsp;was referred to the House Committee on Appropriations.

Highland
 said he received positive feedback from legislators on both sides of 
the aisle, but some legislators are concerned about public perception.

“We
 don’t get into public service for the money. You have to work other 
hours to pay the bills when you’re not in session,” said Rep. Ken 
Rahjes, an Agra Republican. “It’s definitely worth a conversation, but 
it’s very difficult in public service to vote yourself a raise.”&nbsp;

If
 passed, the legislation would have little effect on the total funded 
rate of the retirement fund system, said Alan Conroy, executive director
 of KPERS.

In
 1993, lawmakers put in place a 40-year payment plan to pay off decades 
of debt to KPERS. As of 2019, the unfunded actuarial liability sits at 
about $9 billion. That equates to a 70% funded ratio, still below the 
goal of 80%.

In a <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/12/02/lawmakers-signal-preemptive-strike-against-refinancing-of-kansas-pension-system/">December hearing</a>,
 Conroy said they would reach the 80% benchmark in 2026 and a 100% 
funded ratio in 2035 if all assumed contributions and return on 
investment predictions remain steady. Highland’s first KPERS bill would 
not change that.

“It
 really wouldn’t move the actuarial needle to any large extent,” Conroy 
said. “As a group, legislators are 0.08% of active KPERS members, and 
retired legislators are 0.16% of retired members, so very small groups.”

Highland’s second piece of KPERS legislation, House Bill 2044, likely would have a more notable impact on the funded rate. <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2044/">The bill</a> would increase the contributions school district employees pay into KPERS from the current 6% to 7.15%. In tandem, it would make
 an appropriation of roughly $40 million to the state Department of 
Education for a 1.15% raise public school employees in the retirement 
system.

In
 the early 1970s, the old school retirement system merged with KPERS. 
Since then, the funded rate has been the lowest KPERS group. The 2019 
valuation puts the school rate at 65%.

Conroy said this bill would aid in moving the total funded rate in the right direction.

“Any
 revenue coming in — whether on the investment side, the employer side 
or the employee side to the trust fund — is a positive thing,” Conroy 
said. “More money would be going in from the employee contribution, so 
that would ultimately provide for higher retirement benefits certainly 
for KPERS3 members.”

KPERS3 benefits are for those hired after 2015.

Highland had more confidence HB 2044 would pass.

Rep. Rui Xu, a Westwood Democrat, for one, liked the sound of the measure, but said he hadn’t examined it deeply.

“I support the concept,” Xu said. “Our teachers have, for a long time, beared the brunt of anything going on, and the pandemic.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610732802896.png" alt="Rep. Ron Highland, R-Wamego, hopes ending legislator participation in KPERS and setting an annual salary scale will help make the Kansas Legislature a more attractive career path. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Ron Highland, R-Wamego, hopes ending legislator participation in KPERS and setting an annual salary scale will help make the Kansas Legislature a more attractive career path. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/01/15/bills-would-raise-legislators-salaries-increase-school-employees-contributions-to-kpers/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — State Rep. Ron 
Highland, R-Wamego, has seen several younger legislators leave Kansas 
for better-paying pastures since he was elected to the Legislature.Highland
 said a lack of competitive pay is sapping the state of talented 
lawmakers who simply cannot afford to serve in the Legislature. To 
compensate for the salaries, lawmakers are offered a pension plan in the
 Kansas Public Employees Retirement System.While
 that might work for those legislators already retired with banked funds
 to rely on, this is not a realistic option for younger legislators 
trying to get ahead in life, Highland said.His solution? A bill that ends legislator participation in KPERS and establishes an annual salary structure for them.“I
 looked into it, and I thought, what if we changed it and took 
legislators clear out of KPERS,” Highland said. “I also felt it was a 
bit of conflict of interest whenever a bill came before us to vote on 
because we are in KPERS.”<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/hb2043_00_0000.pdf">House Bill 2043</a>
 isn’t the only KPERS related bill Highland is championing. He has also 
filed a bill increasing the KPERS contribution rate for school district 
workers, one of the least funded parts of the state’s retirement system.The issue of legislator pay in Kansas is not a new one. According to a 2019&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslpa.org/audit-report-library/special-study-salary-compensation-and-allowance-comparison/">report from the Legislature’s post-audit division</a>, a typical Kansas legislator only makes about $21,900 during the legislative session.That is considerably less than Oklahoma and Missouri, where legislators earn $35,000 a year, plus living expenses. Highland’s bill suggests a salary of $35,000 per year.“If
 you want to invest your money that’s on you. If you’re going to use 
that money to live on that’s your business,” Highland said.&nbsp;The legislator participation bill&nbsp;was referred to the House Committee on Appropriations.Highland
 said he received positive feedback from legislators on both sides of 
the aisle, but some legislators are concerned about public perception.“We
 don’t get into public service for the money. You have to work other 
hours to pay the bills when you’re not in session,” said Rep. Ken 
Rahjes, an Agra Republican. “It’s definitely worth a conversation, but 
it’s very difficult in public service to vote yourself a raise.”&nbsp;If
 passed, the legislation would have little effect on the total funded 
rate of the retirement fund system, said Alan Conroy, executive director
 of KPERS.In
 1993, lawmakers put in place a 40-year payment plan to pay off decades 
of debt to KPERS. As of 2019, the unfunded actuarial liability sits at 
about $9 billion. That equates to a 70% funded ratio, still below the 
goal of 80%.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610732857234.png" alt="KPERS executive director Alan Conroy said neither bill introduced by Rep. Ron Highland would solve the state’s debt to the KPERS system, but increasing employee contributions for school employees as one of the bills would do, would move the needle. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>KPERS executive director Alan Conroy said neither bill introduced by Rep. Ron Highland would solve the state’s debt to the KPERS system, but increasing employee contributions for school employees as one of the bills would do, would move the needle. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>In a <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/12/02/lawmakers-signal-preemptive-strike-against-refinancing-of-kansas-pension-system/">December hearing</a>,
 Conroy said they would reach the 80% benchmark in 2026 and a 100% 
funded ratio in 2035 if all assumed contributions and return on 
investment predictions remain steady. Highland’s first KPERS bill would 
not change that.“It
 really wouldn’t move the actuarial needle to any large extent,” Conroy 
said. “As a group, legislators are 0.08% of active KPERS members, and 
retired legislators are 0.16% of retired members, so very small groups.”Highland’s second piece of KPERS legislation, House Bill 2044, likely would have a more notable impact on the funded rate. <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2044/">The bill</a> would increase the contributions school district employees pay into KPERS from the current 6% to 7.15%. In tandem, it would make
 an appropriation of roughly $40 million to the state Department of 
Education for a 1.15% raise public school employees in the retirement 
system.In
 the early 1970s, the old school retirement system merged with KPERS. 
Since then, the funded rate has been the lowest KPERS group. The 2019 
valuation puts the school rate at 65%.Conroy said this bill would aid in moving the total funded rate in the right direction.“Any
 revenue coming in — whether on the investment side, the employer side 
or the employee side to the trust fund — is a positive thing,” Conroy 
said. “More money would be going in from the employee contribution, so 
that would ultimately provide for higher retirement benefits certainly 
for KPERS3 members.”KPERS3 benefits are for those hired after 2015.Highland had more confidence HB 2044 would pass.Rep. Rui Xu, a Westwood Democrat, for one, liked the sound of the measure, but said he hadn’t examined it deeply.“I support the concept,” Xu said. “Our teachers have, for a long time, beared the brunt of anything going on, and the pandemic.”

Kan. legislative pay raises, KPERS contribution changes on the table

HUTCHINSON— A Kansas man is in jail for the alleged physical abuse of a child under the age of 18.

On Thursday, police arrested&nbsp; 29, year-old Dillon Dixon of Hutchinson in connection with beating a child in September of 2020.&nbsp;A warrant was issued for his arrest following an investigation by law enforcement.&nbsp;

He is also being held on requested charges of suspicion of drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia, trafficking in contraband, and a violation of his parole from the state of Missouri after a burglary conviction, according to the Missouri Department of Corrections.

The possible drug counts came during his arrest, according to police. Dixon's bond has been set at $28,500.

His next court appearance is tentatively set for Feb. 22.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610747909188.jpeg" alt="Dixon photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>Dixon photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON— A Kansas man is in jail for the alleged physical abuse of a child under the age of 18.On Thursday, police arrested&nbsp; 29, year-old Dillon Dixon of Hutchinson in connection with beating a child in September of 2020.&nbsp;A warrant was issued for his arrest following an investigation by law enforcement.&nbsp;He is also being held on requested charges of suspicion of drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia, trafficking in contraband, and a violation of his parole from the state of Missouri after a burglary conviction, according to the Missouri Department of Corrections.The possible drug counts came during his arrest, according to police. Dixon's bond has been set at $28,500.His next court appearance is tentatively set for Feb. 22.

Kan. man on parole jailed for alleged child abuse

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Public health officials sounded the alarm for months, complaining that they did not have enough support or money to get COVID-19 vaccines quickly into arms. Now the slower-than-expected start to the largest vaccination effort in U.S. history is proving them right.

As they work to ramp up the shots, state and local public health departments across the U.S. cite a variety of obstacles, most notably a lack of leadership from the federal government. Many officials worry that they are losing precious time at the height of the pandemic, and the delays could cost lives.

States lament a lack of clarity on how many doses they will receive and when. They say more resources should have been devoted to education campaigns to ease concerns among people leery of getting the shots. And although the federal government recently approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-immunizations-coronavirus-pandemic-local-governments-09af97c9ab6a2a3db3f1983b3e467722">$8.7 billion for the vaccine effort</a>, it will take time to reach places that could have used the money months ago to prepare to deliver shots more efficiently.

Such complaints have become a common refrain in a nation where public health officials have been left largely on their own to solve complex problems.

“The recurring theme is the lack of a national strategy and the attempt to pass the buck down the line, lower and lower, until the poor people at the receiving end have nobody else that they can send the buck to,” said Gianfranco Pezzino, who was the public health officer in Shawnee County, Kansas, until retiring last month.

Operation Warp Speed, the federal vaccine program, had promised to distribute enough doses to immunize 20 million people in the U.S. in December. It&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-anthony-fauci-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-3db1583f627efcd7f06a1762209e6f36">missed that target</a>, and as of Friday, about 6.6 million people had received their first shot, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations" target="_blank">tracker</a>&nbsp;from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 22 million doses have been delivered to states.

The American Hospital Association has estimated that 1.8 million people need to be vaccinated daily from Jan. 1 to May 31 to reach widespread immunity by the summer. The current pace is more than 1 million people per day below that.

President-elect Joe Biden on Friday called the rollout a “travesty,” noting the lack of a national plan to get doses into arms and reiterating his commitment to administer 100 million shots in his first 100 days. He has not shared details and was expected to discuss the effort this week. His office announced a plan to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ap-top-news-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-f7bb372f73a4f204ec540d39a4409e18">release most doses right away</a>, rather than holding second doses in reserve, the more conservative approach taken by the Trump administration.

The Trump administration defined its primary role as developing coronavirus vaccines and delivering them to states, which would then take over and ensure that vaccine doses traveled “the last mile” into arms. Each state had to develop its own plan, including issuing guidelines for who gets vaccinated first. Several health experts complained about that approach, saying it led to confusion and a patchwork response.

“Let’s just say that I was disappointed how they handled testing, and the vaccine deployment has reminded me of how disappointed I was when they handled testing,” said Dr. Mysheika Roberts, health commissioner in Columbus, Ohio.

Several public health officials and experts say they believe some of the early glitches are smoothing out. Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, said the slow start should not be surprising given the immense scale of the task.

“It was not going to be seamless,” he said.

Still, Plescia said the federal government could have done more ahead of the rollout — such as releasing billions of dollars earlier to help with staffing, technology and other operational needs.

An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-tx-state-wire-minnesota-politics-underfunded-and-under-threat-33228796a8a66a50546c9e3ddacfef1b">ongoing investigation</a>&nbsp;by The Associated Press and Kaiser Health News detailed how state and local health departments have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-general-news-michael-pence-us-news-e28724a125a127f650a9b6f48f7bb938">underfunded for decades</a>. Public health officials have warned since the spring that they lacked the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-ms-state-wire-ap-top-news-ca-state-wire-az-state-wire-0a6a5ad94e6bfe8e57b01737347b8040">staff, money and tools</a>&nbsp;they needed to deploy a vaccine. The money was not approved until the end of December.

Vaccine distribution involves a long, complex chain of events. Every dose must be tracked. Providers need to know how much staffing they will need. Eligible people must be notified to schedule their shots, given the vaccine’s handling requirements and the need to observe people for 15 minutes after the shot — all while social distancing is observed.

It’s difficult to plan too far ahead because the number of doses the state receives can fluctuate. Hospitals cannot give all their workers shots on the same day because of possible side effects and staffing issues, so they must be spaced out.

Rhode Island health officials said it can take up to seven days to get doses out to people once they are received. Officials in several states, including Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and New Jersey, said the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-rhode-island-gina-raimondo-coronavirus-pandemic-beb86dd1c3838148868ce1470bf9f371">lack of supply</a>&nbsp;is one of the biggest obstacles to getting more people vaccinated.

Some communities have seen large numbers of medical workers put off getting the shot, even though they are first in line. Columbus, Ohio, has had lower-than-expected demand among top priority groups, including emergency medical workers.

A public education campaign could have helped address the hesitancy among health care workers that has slowed the rollout of the first shots, said James Garrow, a spokesman for the Philadelphia health department. Instead, officials for months talked about the speed at which they were developing the vaccines — which did not help alleviate concerns that it might not be safe.

“There just hasn’t been good messaging about the safety and the purposefulness of the safety protocols,” Garrow said.

The federal government has done little to provide information resources that local officials can tailor to their own communities, to address concerns of people such as pregnant women or Black men living in rural areas, said Dr. Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota, who is a member of Biden’s COVID-19 advisory board.

“You don’t need 50 different states trying to do this kind of work. What you want to have is a smorgasbord of information sources that address different populations that any one state can use,” Osterholm said. “That’s what we don’t have right now.”

Some states are getting creative. Oregon held a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-salem-coronavirus-pandemic-oregon-patrick-allen-e190ac97cba9169c6be9907da01c7a48">mass vaccination event</a>&nbsp;at the state fairgrounds with the help of the National Guard. The governor said it aimed to vaccinate 250 people per hour. New Jersey planned to open&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-new-jersey-a5141ff14a59faec5b2223b87817ef92">six vaccine “megasites”</a>&nbsp;where officials hope more than 2,000 people per day can eventually get their shots.

But without a federal plan, such efforts can amount to “throwing spaghetti at a wall to see what sticks,” said Chrissie Juliano of the Big Cities Health Coalition, which represents metropolitan health departments.

What’s needed is a national, wartime-type effort to get vaccines out to as many people as possible, multiple experts said. Medical emergencies can be covered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, said Pezzino, who is also a senior fellow at the Kansas Health Institute. Why not make vaccinations available on that schedule?

“It is possible. It is feasible,” he said. “I don’t see the level of urgency, the feeling of urgency in anybody around here. And that’s really, honestly, that’s the only thing that could make a difference.”

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Public health officials sounded the alarm for months, complaining that they did not have enough support or money to get COVID-19 vaccines quickly into arms. Now the slower-than-expected start to the largest vaccination effort in U.S. history is proving them right.As they work to ramp up the shots, state and local public health departments across the U.S. cite a variety of obstacles, most notably a lack of leadership from the federal government. Many officials worry that they are losing precious time at the height of the pandemic, and the delays could cost lives.States lament a lack of clarity on how many doses they will receive and when. They say more resources should have been devoted to education campaigns to ease concerns among people leery of getting the shots. And although the federal government recently approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-immunizations-coronavirus-pandemic-local-governments-09af97c9ab6a2a3db3f1983b3e467722">$8.7 billion for the vaccine effort</a>, it will take time to reach places that could have used the money months ago to prepare to deliver shots more efficiently.Such complaints have become a common refrain in a nation where public health officials have been left largely on their own to solve complex problems.“The recurring theme is the lack of a national strategy and the attempt to pass the buck down the line, lower and lower, until the poor people at the receiving end have nobody else that they can send the buck to,” said Gianfranco Pezzino, who was the public health officer in Shawnee County, Kansas, until retiring last month.Operation Warp Speed, the federal vaccine program, had promised to distribute enough doses to immunize 20 million people in the U.S. in December. It&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-anthony-fauci-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-3db1583f627efcd7f06a1762209e6f36">missed that target</a>, and as of Friday, about 6.6 million people had received their first shot, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations" target="_blank">tracker</a>&nbsp;from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 22 million doses have been delivered to states.The American Hospital Association has estimated that 1.8 million people need to be vaccinated daily from Jan. 1 to May 31 to reach widespread immunity by the summer. The current pace is more than 1 million people per day below that.President-elect Joe Biden on Friday called the rollout a “travesty,” noting the lack of a national plan to get doses into arms and reiterating his commitment to administer 100 million shots in his first 100 days. He has not shared details and was expected to discuss the effort this week. His office announced a plan to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ap-top-news-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-f7bb372f73a4f204ec540d39a4409e18">release most doses right away</a>, rather than holding second doses in reserve, the more conservative approach taken by the Trump administration.The Trump administration defined its primary role as developing coronavirus vaccines and delivering them to states, which would then take over and ensure that vaccine doses traveled “the last mile” into arms. Each state had to develop its own plan, including issuing guidelines for who gets vaccinated first. Several health experts complained about that approach, saying it led to confusion and a patchwork response.“Let’s just say that I was disappointed how they handled testing, and the vaccine deployment has reminded me of how disappointed I was when they handled testing,” said Dr. Mysheika Roberts, health commissioner in Columbus, Ohio.Several public health officials and experts say they believe some of the early glitches are smoothing out. Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, said the slow start should not be surprising given the immense scale of the task.“It was not going to be seamless,” he said.Still, Plescia said the federal government could have done more ahead of the rollout — such as releasing billions of dollars earlier to help with staffing, technology and other operational needs.An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-tx-state-wire-minnesota-politics-underfunded-and-under-threat-33228796a8a66a50546c9e3ddacfef1b">ongoing investigation</a>&nbsp;by The Associated Press and Kaiser Health News detailed how state and local health departments have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-general-news-michael-pence-us-news-e28724a125a127f650a9b6f48f7bb938">underfunded for decades</a>. Public health officials have warned since the spring that they lacked the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-ms-state-wire-ap-top-news-ca-state-wire-az-state-wire-0a6a5ad94e6bfe8e57b01737347b8040">staff, money and tools</a>&nbsp;they needed to deploy a vaccine. The money was not approved until the end of December.Vaccine distribution involves a long, complex chain of events. Every dose must be tracked. Providers need to know how much staffing they will need. Eligible people must be notified to schedule their shots, given the vaccine’s handling requirements and the need to observe people for 15 minutes after the shot — all while social distancing is observed.It’s difficult to plan too far ahead because the number of doses the state receives can fluctuate. Hospitals cannot give all their workers shots on the same day because of possible side effects and staffing issues, so they must be spaced out.Rhode Island health officials said it can take up to seven days to get doses out to people once they are received. Officials in several states, including Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and New Jersey, said the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-rhode-island-gina-raimondo-coronavirus-pandemic-beb86dd1c3838148868ce1470bf9f371">lack of supply</a>&nbsp;is one of the biggest obstacles to getting more people vaccinated.Some communities have seen large numbers of medical workers put off getting the shot, even though they are first in line. Columbus, Ohio, has had lower-than-expected demand among top priority groups, including emergency medical workers.A public education campaign could have helped address the hesitancy among health care workers that has slowed the rollout of the first shots, said James Garrow, a spokesman for the Philadelphia health department. Instead, officials for months talked about the speed at which they were developing the vaccines — which did not help alleviate concerns that it might not be safe.“There just hasn’t been good messaging about the safety and the purposefulness of the safety protocols,” Garrow said.The federal government has done little to provide information resources that local officials can tailor to their own communities, to address concerns of people such as pregnant women or Black men living in rural areas, said Dr. Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota, who is a member of Biden’s COVID-19 advisory board.“You don’t need 50 different states trying to do this kind of work. What you want to have is a smorgasbord of information sources that address different populations that any one state can use,” Osterholm said. “That’s what we don’t have right now.”Some states are getting creative. Oregon held a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-salem-coronavirus-pandemic-oregon-patrick-allen-e190ac97cba9169c6be9907da01c7a48">mass vaccination event</a>&nbsp;at the state fairgrounds with the help of the National Guard. The governor said it aimed to vaccinate 250 people per hour. New Jersey planned to open&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-new-jersey-a5141ff14a59faec5b2223b87817ef92">six vaccine “megasites”</a>&nbsp;where officials hope more than 2,000 people per day can eventually get their shots.But without a federal plan, such efforts can amount to “throwing spaghetti at a wall to see what sticks,” said Chrissie Juliano of the Big Cities Health Coalition, which represents metropolitan health departments.What’s needed is a national, wartime-type effort to get vaccines out to as many people as possible, multiple experts said. Medical emergencies can be covered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, said Pezzino, who is also a senior fellow at the Kansas Health Institute. Why not make vaccinations available on that schedule?“It is possible. It is feasible,” he said. “I don’t see the level of urgency, the feeling of urgency in anybody around here. And that’s really, honestly, that’s the only thing that could make a difference.”

Vaccine rollout confirms public health officials' warnings

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the victim as 42-year-old Oscar Acosta of Wichita.

Just after 1:30p.m. Thursday, police responded to report of a shooting&nbsp; on South Hydraulic in Wichita, according to Captain Jason Stephens.

When they arrived, officers found a victim later identified as Acosta with a gunshot wound. He later died of his injuries, according to Stephens.

Investigators have learned that the suspect identified as 26-year-old Adrian Nicholas Zongker of Wichita entered the&nbsp; Berrieria Tito restaurant and was rummaging through a trash can "looking for a personal item," according to Stephens. 

He was asked to continue the activity outside. Zongker did that and then dumped the trash can out and became involved in a verbal altercation with one of the restaurant employees, according to Stephens.

Acosta came out of the business and during the argument, Zongker shot him and fled on foot.&nbsp;

Officers quickly located Zongker thanks to witnesses who provided them with a description of the suspect and pointed them in the right direction, according to Stephens. As they were taking him into custody, officers found he was in possession of a firearm.

Zongker is being held on a requested charge of first-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm, according to Stephens. He was on parole through the Kansas Department of Corrections. He has five previous convictions that include&nbsp; assault and weapons violations.&nbsp;

Due to the investigation, Stephens did not detail exactly what Zongker was looking for in the trash. He also didn't know if Zongker had also been a patron of the business.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610726706910.png" alt="Zongker-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Zongker-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the victim as 42-year-old Oscar Acosta of Wichita.Just after 1:30p.m. Thursday, police responded to report of a shooting&nbsp; on South Hydraulic in Wichita, according to Captain Jason Stephens.When they arrived, officers found a victim later identified as Acosta with a gunshot wound. He later died of his injuries, according to Stephens.Investigators have learned that the suspect identified as 26-year-old Adrian Nicholas Zongker of Wichita entered the&nbsp; Berrieria Tito restaurant and was rummaging through a trash can "looking for a personal item," according to Stephens. He was asked to continue the activity outside. Zongker did that and then dumped the trash can out and became involved in a verbal altercation with one of the restaurant employees, according to Stephens.Acosta came out of the business and during the argument, Zongker shot him and fled on foot.&nbsp;Officers quickly located Zongker thanks to witnesses who provided them with a description of the suspect and pointed them in the right direction, according to Stephens. As they were taking him into custody, officers found he was in possession of a firearm.Zongker is being held on a requested charge of first-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm, according to Stephens. He was on parole through the Kansas Department of Corrections. He has five previous convictions that include&nbsp; assault and weapons violations.&nbsp;Due to the investigation, Stephens did not detail exactly what Zongker was looking for in the trash. He also didn't know if Zongker had also been a patron of the business.