More than 6,000 United Methodist congregations — a fifth of the U.S. total — have now received permission to leave the denomination&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-gay-rights-f3fc3ec9e1f39501495d227d5a0963f8">amid a schism</a>&nbsp;over theology and the role of LGBTQ people in the nation's second-largest Protestant denomination.

Those figures emerge following the close of regular meetings in June for the denomination's regional bodies, known as annual conferences. The departures began with a trickle in 2019 — when the church created a four-year window of opportunity for U.S. congregations to depart over LGBTQ-related issues — and cascaded to its highest level this year.

Church law forbids the marriage or ordination of “self-avowed, practicing homosexuals,” but many conservatives have chosen to leave amid a growing defiance of those bans in many U.S. churches and conferences.

Many of the departing congregations are joining the Global Methodist Church, a denomination created last year by conservatives breaking from the UMC, while others are going independent or joining different denominations.

Some 6,182 congregations have received approval to disaffiliate since 2019, according to an unofficial&nbsp;<a href="https://www.umnews.org/en/news/disaffiliations-approved-by-annual-conferences">tally by United Methodist News Service</a>, which has been tracking votes by annual conferences. That figure is 4,172 for this year alone, it reported.

Some annual conferences may approve more departures at special sessions later this year, according to the Rev. Jay Therrell, president of the Wesleyan Covenant Association, a conservative caucus that has advocated for the exiting churches. While most UMC congregations are remaining, many of the departing congregations are large, and denominational officials are bracing for significant budget cuts in 2024.

The numbers of exiting churches are higher than conservatives originally estimated, Therrell said.

Legal wrangles have largely been resolved over how much compensation the departing congregations must pay for their property and other financial obligations.

“For the most part, bishops and other annual conference leaders have been very gracious, and I deeply appreciate that,” Therrell said. “There have been some small exceptions to that, and those are unfortunate, but we’re grateful that cooler and calmer heads have prevailed.”

Bishop Thomas Bickerton, president of the UMC’s Council of Bishops, said the departures were disappointing.

“I don’t think any of us want to see any of our churches leave,” he said. “We're called to be the body of Christ, we're called to be unified. There’s never been a time when the church has not been without conflict, but there’s been a way we’ve worked through that.”

But for those who want “to go and live out their Christian faith in a new expression, we wish God’s blessings on them,” he said.

The split has been long in the making, mirroring controversies that have led to splits in other mainline Protestant denominations. United Methodist legislative bodies, known as general conferences, have repeatedly reinforced bans on LGBTQ marriage and ordination, on the strength of coalitions of conservatives in U.S. and overseas churches.

But amid increased defiance of those bans in many U.S. churches, many conservatives decided to launch the separate Global Methodist Church, saying they believed the sexuality issues reflected deeper theological differences.

The departures have been particularly large in the South and Midwest, with states such as Texas, Alabama, Kentucky and Ohio each losing hundreds of congregations.

In some areas, United Methodists have designated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodists-schism-disaffiliation-lgbtq-44fd14d471124d23e1fd5677a8f2b1d9">“lighthouse” or similarly named congregations,</a>&nbsp;with a mission for receiving members who wanted to stay United Methodists but whose churches were leaving. The GMC has begun planting new churches, including in areas where United Methodist congregations have remained in that denomination.

With these departures, progressives are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-gay-rights-marriage-1ed8df15ecbb36700cbe638b29dc6617">expected to propose changing church law</a>&nbsp;at the next General Conference in 2024 to allow for same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBTQ people.

The United Methodist Church has about 6.5 million members in the United States and at least that many abroad, according to its website. The U.S. membership has been in steady decline, while the overseas membership has grown, particularly in Africa.

Therrell said there will be efforts at the 2024 General Conference to provide overseas churches a legal way to disaffiliate, similar to what U.S. congregations have had.

The GMC says about 3,000 churches so far have affiliated with the new denomination, with more expected.

Bickerton said it's time for United Methodists remaining in the denomination to refocus their work.

“Quite often, when you’re pressed, you begin to exhibit creativity,” he said. “We’re pivoting away from what we were into what our next expression is going to be." Budgets will be smaller, but "this is our opportunity to refashion the church for relevance in the 21st century and really focus on evangelism.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688661428812.png" alt="Photo Asbury United Methodist Church in Prairie Village, Kansas" />
 <figcaption>Photo Asbury United Methodist Church in Prairie Village, Kansas</figcaption>
 </figure>By PETER SMITH Associated PressMore than 6,000 United Methodist congregations — a fifth of the U.S. total — have now received permission to leave the denomination&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-gay-rights-f3fc3ec9e1f39501495d227d5a0963f8">amid a schism</a>&nbsp;over theology and the role of LGBTQ people in the nation's second-largest Protestant denomination.Those figures emerge following the close of regular meetings in June for the denomination's regional bodies, known as annual conferences. The departures began with a trickle in 2019 — when the church created a four-year window of opportunity for U.S. congregations to depart over LGBTQ-related issues — and cascaded to its highest level this year.Church law forbids the marriage or ordination of “self-avowed, practicing homosexuals,” but many conservatives have chosen to leave amid a growing defiance of those bans in many U.S. churches and conferences.Many of the departing congregations are joining the Global Methodist Church, a denomination created last year by conservatives breaking from the UMC, while others are going independent or joining different denominations.Some 6,182 congregations have received approval to disaffiliate since 2019, according to an unofficial&nbsp;<a href="https://www.umnews.org/en/news/disaffiliations-approved-by-annual-conferences">tally by United Methodist News Service</a>, which has been tracking votes by annual conferences. That figure is 4,172 for this year alone, it reported.Some annual conferences may approve more departures at special sessions later this year, according to the Rev. Jay Therrell, president of the Wesleyan Covenant Association, a conservative caucus that has advocated for the exiting churches. While most UMC congregations are remaining, many of the departing congregations are large, and denominational officials are bracing for significant budget cuts in 2024.The numbers of exiting churches are higher than conservatives originally estimated, Therrell said.Legal wrangles have largely been resolved over how much compensation the departing congregations must pay for their property and other financial obligations.“For the most part, bishops and other annual conference leaders have been very gracious, and I deeply appreciate that,” Therrell said. “There have been some small exceptions to that, and those are unfortunate, but we’re grateful that cooler and calmer heads have prevailed.”Bishop Thomas Bickerton, president of the UMC’s Council of Bishops, said the departures were disappointing.“I don’t think any of us want to see any of our churches leave,” he said. “We're called to be the body of Christ, we're called to be unified. There’s never been a time when the church has not been without conflict, but there’s been a way we’ve worked through that.”But for those who want “to go and live out their Christian faith in a new expression, we wish God’s blessings on them,” he said.The split has been long in the making, mirroring controversies that have led to splits in other mainline Protestant denominations. United Methodist legislative bodies, known as general conferences, have repeatedly reinforced bans on LGBTQ marriage and ordination, on the strength of coalitions of conservatives in U.S. and overseas churches.But amid increased defiance of those bans in many U.S. churches, many conservatives decided to launch the separate Global Methodist Church, saying they believed the sexuality issues reflected deeper theological differences.The departures have been particularly large in the South and Midwest, with states such as Texas, Alabama, Kentucky and Ohio each losing hundreds of congregations.In some areas, United Methodists have designated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodists-schism-disaffiliation-lgbtq-44fd14d471124d23e1fd5677a8f2b1d9">“lighthouse” or similarly named congregations,</a>&nbsp;with a mission for receiving members who wanted to stay United Methodists but whose churches were leaving. The GMC has begun planting new churches, including in areas where United Methodist congregations have remained in that denomination.With these departures, progressives are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-gay-rights-marriage-1ed8df15ecbb36700cbe638b29dc6617">expected to propose changing church law</a>&nbsp;at the next General Conference in 2024 to allow for same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBTQ people.The United Methodist Church has about 6.5 million members in the United States and at least that many abroad, according to its website. The U.S. membership has been in steady decline, while the overseas membership has grown, particularly in Africa.Therrell said there will be efforts at the 2024 General Conference to provide overseas churches a legal way to disaffiliate, similar to what U.S. congregations have had.The GMC says about 3,000 churches so far have affiliated with the new denomination, with more expected.Bickerton said it's time for United Methodists remaining in the denomination to refocus their work.“Quite often, when you’re pressed, you begin to exhibit creativity,” he said. “We’re pivoting away from what we were into what our next expression is going to be." Budgets will be smaller, but "this is our opportunity to refashion the church for relevance in the 21st century and really focus on evangelism.”___

LGBTQ bans: United Methodists lose a fifth of US churches 

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that occurred in the 2500 block of Vivion Road in the Kansas City suburb of Northmoor at the Vivion West Shopping Center. 

Just before 5:30 p.m. Saturday, members of the Riverside Police Department and the Platte County Sheriff's Office responded to a shooting at a restaurant, according to Sheriff Mark Owen.

A 24-year-old female employee of the restaurant had been injured after a single shot had been fired.

Preliminary investigation reveals that a fight broke out over a food order which resulted in employees of the restaurant being assaulted. As employees attempted to remove the involved individuals from the restaurant a single shot was fired from a handgun striking an employee in the foot. The injured employee was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

 Investigators spoke with a 29-year-old female and a 21-year-old female who are possible suspects.&nbsp;

Sheriff Mark Owen stated, “We never want to see this type of senseless behavior occur. Thankfully no one lost their life in this incident. Once again, the willingness of our citizens to&nbsp; come forward as witnesses and the cooperation between our law enforcement agencies has allowed us to conduct a thorough investigation and quickly apprehend suspects.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688904738719.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that occurred in the 2500 block of Vivion Road in the Kansas City suburb of Northmoor at the Vivion West Shopping Center. Just before 5:30 p.m. Saturday, members of the Riverside Police Department and the Platte County Sheriff's Office responded to a shooting at a restaurant, according to Sheriff Mark Owen.A 24-year-old female employee of the restaurant had been injured after a single shot had been fired.Preliminary investigation reveals that a fight broke out over a food order which resulted in employees of the restaurant being assaulted. As employees attempted to remove the involved individuals from the restaurant a single shot was fired from a handgun striking an employee in the foot. The injured employee was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Investigators spoke with a 29-year-old female and a 21-year-old female who are possible suspects.&nbsp;Sheriff Mark Owen stated, “We never want to see this type of senseless behavior occur. Thankfully no one lost their life in this incident. Once again, the willingness of our citizens to&nbsp; come forward as witnesses and the cooperation between our law enforcement agencies has allowed us to conduct a thorough investigation and quickly apprehend suspects.”

Sheriff: KC-area restaurant employee shot in fight over food order

MORGANTOWN (AP)—Bob Huggins says he never&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/huggins-arrested-dui-pittsburgh-west-virginia-fb441762888b47bade5efb1b4e247da0">resigned as West Virginia's basketball coach</a>&nbsp;following a drunken-driving arrest and wants his job back, according to a letter from his attorney to the university.

Huggins' Cleveland-based attorney, David A. Campbell, wrote to the university Friday that Huggins “never signed a resignation letter and never communicated a resignation to anyone at WVU,” according to the letter, which was obtained by The Associated Press on Saturday.

The letter threatens a lawsuit if Huggins isn’t reinstated. Huggins’ demands were first reported by West Virginia network MetroNews.

Huggins was charged with driving under the influence in Pittsburgh on June 16. A breath test determined Huggins’ blood-alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit. His resignation was announced by the university the following night. A week later,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-virginia-huggins-eilert-interim-94a2217e3fb59ec0d70b1f51afb12527">assistant coach Josh Eilert was promoted</a>&nbsp;to interim head coach for the 2023-24 season.

Campbell’s letter said the university announced Huggins’ resignation “based on a text message from Coach Huggins’ wife” to Steve Uryasz, West Virginia’s deputy athletic director.

The university responded to Campbell in a letter Saturday that read, in part: “We are frankly confused by the allegations within the letter.”

WVU said Huggins met with his players and members of the basketball staff on June 17 “to announce that he would no longer be coaching the team.” It said Huggins “clearly” communicated his resignation and retirement in writing and that “both parties have reasonably relied on that resignation and retirement notification in a number of ways since then.”

The university provided The AP with a copy of a notice sent by Huggins' wife, June, that same day. It read: “Please accept this correspondence as my formal notice of resignation as WVU Head Basketball Coach and as notice of my retirement from West Virginia University, effective immediately.”

The notice was sent from an email address associated with June Huggins, with a signature indicating it was sent via iPhone. It was sent to Uryasz's email address and did not appear to be a text message, as Campbell claimed.

West Virginia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-virginia-wren-baker-huggins-0cadbf17b240077c03fbe2ba6b1bf3cd">athletic director Wren Baker</a>&nbsp;responded an hour later by writing, “We accept your resignation and wish you the best in retirement. We appreciate your many years of dedication to WVU.”

Less than an hour after that, the university released two statements. One announced Huggins' resignation.

The other was titled “A Message from Bob Huggins to the WVU Community” and began, “Today, I have submitted a letter to President Gordon Gee and Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker informing them of my resignation and intention to retire as head men’s basketball coach at West Virginia University effective immediately.”

The resignation was announced a month after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/huggins-homophobic-slur-west-virginia-xavier-77ce70b41112a0062421ad9405558473">university gave Huggins a three-game suspension</a>&nbsp;for using an anti-gay slur while also denigrating Catholics during a radio interview.

Several of Huggins' players have already entered the transfer portal, and some have found new teams.

Campbell said Huggins’ contract required the coach to send a notice in writing by registered or certified mail to the athletic director and university general counsel.

Despite the threat of a lawsuit, Campbell’s letter said Huggins “does not desire litigation. Rather, he is simply looking for the correction of a clear breach of his employment agreement with WVU.”

The 69-year-old Huggins was the third-winningest coach all-time in Division I with 935 victories, trailing only Mike Krzyzewski of Duke (1,202) and Jim Boeheim of Syracuse (1,015), both of whom are retired.

Unlike the others, Huggins did not win a national title. He took Cincinnati to the Final Four in 1992 and West Virginia in 2010. Huggins entered the Basketball Hall of Fame last September. In 41 seasons, his teams went to 25 NCAA Tournaments and finished ranked in the AP top 10 seven times. The Mountaineers made 11 NCAA Tournament appearances under Huggins.

MORGANTOWN (AP)—Bob Huggins says he never&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/huggins-arrested-dui-pittsburgh-west-virginia-fb441762888b47bade5efb1b4e247da0">resigned as West Virginia's basketball coach</a>&nbsp;following a drunken-driving arrest and wants his job back, according to a letter from his attorney to the university.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688905122016.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688905144879.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Huggins' Cleveland-based attorney, David A. Campbell, wrote to the university Friday that Huggins “never signed a resignation letter and never communicated a resignation to anyone at WVU,” according to the letter, which was obtained by The Associated Press on Saturday.The letter threatens a lawsuit if Huggins isn’t reinstated. Huggins’ demands were first reported by West Virginia network MetroNews.Huggins was charged with driving under the influence in Pittsburgh on June 16. A breath test determined Huggins’ blood-alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit. His resignation was announced by the university the following night. A week later,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-virginia-huggins-eilert-interim-94a2217e3fb59ec0d70b1f51afb12527">assistant coach Josh Eilert was promoted</a>&nbsp;to interim head coach for the 2023-24 season.Campbell’s letter said the university announced Huggins’ resignation “based on a text message from Coach Huggins’ wife” to Steve Uryasz, West Virginia’s deputy athletic director.The university responded to Campbell in a letter Saturday that read, in part: “We are frankly confused by the allegations within the letter.”WVU said Huggins met with his players and members of the basketball staff on June 17 “to announce that he would no longer be coaching the team.” It said Huggins “clearly” communicated his resignation and retirement in writing and that “both parties have reasonably relied on that resignation and retirement notification in a number of ways since then.”The university provided The AP with a copy of a notice sent by Huggins' wife, June, that same day. It read: “Please accept this correspondence as my formal notice of resignation as WVU Head Basketball Coach and as notice of my retirement from West Virginia University, effective immediately.”The notice was sent from an email address associated with June Huggins, with a signature indicating it was sent via iPhone. It was sent to Uryasz's email address and did not appear to be a text message, as Campbell claimed.West Virginia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-virginia-wren-baker-huggins-0cadbf17b240077c03fbe2ba6b1bf3cd">athletic director Wren Baker</a>&nbsp;responded an hour later by writing, “We accept your resignation and wish you the best in retirement. We appreciate your many years of dedication to WVU.”Less than an hour after that, the university released two statements. One announced Huggins' resignation.The other was titled “A Message from Bob Huggins to the WVU Community” and began, “Today, I have submitted a letter to President Gordon Gee and Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker informing them of my resignation and intention to retire as head men’s basketball coach at West Virginia University effective immediately.”The resignation was announced a month after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/huggins-homophobic-slur-west-virginia-xavier-77ce70b41112a0062421ad9405558473">university gave Huggins a three-game suspension</a>&nbsp;for using an anti-gay slur while also denigrating Catholics during a radio interview.Several of Huggins' players have already entered the transfer portal, and some have found new teams.Campbell said Huggins’ contract required the coach to send a notice in writing by registered or certified mail to the athletic director and university general counsel.Despite the threat of a lawsuit, Campbell’s letter said Huggins “does not desire litigation. Rather, he is simply looking for the correction of a clear breach of his employment agreement with WVU.”The 69-year-old Huggins was the third-winningest coach all-time in Division I with 935 victories, trailing only Mike Krzyzewski of Duke (1,202) and Jim Boeheim of Syracuse (1,015), both of whom are retired.Unlike the others, Huggins did not win a national title. He took Cincinnati to the Final Four in 1992 and West Virginia in 2010. Huggins entered the Basketball Hall of Fame last September. In 41 seasons, his teams went to 25 NCAA Tournaments and finished ranked in the AP top 10 seven times. The Mountaineers made 11 NCAA Tournament appearances under Huggins.___

Read Bob Huggins letter demanding coaching job back; says he never resigned 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing that fatally injured 30-year-old Shawn Gomez of Wichita.

Just before 2p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a stabbing in the 2600 block of East Harry Street, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

First responders located Gomez bleeding from a stab wound to his upper chest. EMS transported him to an area hospital in critical condition. He was later pronounced deceased by hospital staff.

The investigation revealed that Gomez was in a physical altercation with an unknown male suspect when the suspect stabbed him before fleeing.

The investigation is still in its preliminary stages. The investigators are still working to fully determine what led up to the stabbing.

The Wichita Police Department is asking for anyone with any additional information on this case, please call WPD detectives at 316-268-4407, the See Something Say Something hotline at 316-519-2282, or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688903749109.png" alt="Police on the scene Saturday afternoon -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene Saturday afternoon -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing that fatally injured 30-year-old Shawn Gomez of Wichita.Just before 2p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a stabbing in the 2600 block of East Harry Street, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.First responders located Gomez bleeding from a stab wound to his upper chest. EMS transported him to an area hospital in critical condition. He was later pronounced deceased by hospital staff.The investigation revealed that Gomez was in a physical altercation with an unknown male suspect when the suspect stabbed him before fleeing.The investigation is still in its preliminary stages. The investigators are still working to fully determine what led up to the stabbing.The Wichita Police Department is asking for anyone with any additional information on this case, please call WPD detectives at 316-268-4407, the See Something Say Something hotline at 316-519-2282, or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Police: 30-year-old Kansas man dies in knife attack

New laws that went into effect this month in Kansas could have a significant impact on the lives of residents. But some may still face the scrutiny of a court challenge.

By DYLAN LYSEN&nbsp; <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-02-23/kansas-lawmakers-vote-to-restrict-transgender-athletes-and-doctors-treating-gender-identity">Kansas News Service</a>

New laws that range from the definition of male and female to testing for a lethal drug to abortion pill regulations took effect in Kansas this month.

It’s unclear how many of them will survive likely court challenges.

The fresh statutes reflect the Legislature’s increasingly aggressive approach to America’s culture wars — with a particular focus to restrict, rather than recognize, transgender rights — over Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s sometimes toothless objections.

But lawmakers also found some ways to find bipartisan bargains, like one change in law that legalized fentanyl test strips as a way to reduce overdose deaths.

Here are some of the most consequential new laws in Kansas:

Men and women are now defined by their sex assigned at birth.

But it appears the true ramifications of the law will need to be resolved in court.

Republican Attorney General Kris Kobach said he plans to sue Kelly’s administration after the governor announced the law would not change how Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Kansas Department or Revenue issue identification.

The state agencies will continue to allow residents&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/2023-06-29/kelly-kobach-split-over-what-a-new-law-means-for-transgender-kansans-ids" target="_blank">to change the gender on their birth certificates and IDs</a>. Kobach had previously said the new law meant the state must reverse gender changes on both.

However, the new law appears to contradict a 2019 federal ruling. In that case, the court ordered Kansas to allow transgender residents to change their IDs.

Transgender girls will no longer be allowed to participate in girls sports for schools and colleges.

Republican lawmakers argued the law was needed because student athletes assigned male at birth have a biological advantage in sports over girls. (Experts say that physical advantage&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/05/24/999897243/this-researcher-is-trying-to-settle-the-transgender-athlete-debate-using-science" target="_blank">subsides with hormone therapy</a>, particularly if it begins before puberty.)

Kelly initially vetoed the bill — the third time she’d rejected similar legislation in three years. But Republicans rallied enough votes — including one from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-05-25/this-kansas-democrat-helped-pass-transgender-restrictions-he-still-enjoys-support-in-his-district" target="_blank">Democratic Rep. Marvin Robinson</a>&nbsp;— to enact the law. But the law may also be challenged in court.

Meanwhile, the change is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-04-05/kansas-lawmakers-override-democratic-governors-veto-enacting-ban-on-transgender-athletes" target="_blank">not expected to have a widespread impact</a>&nbsp;on Kansas student athletes.

Jeremy Holaday, a spokesperson for the Kansas State High School Activities Association, said of the 106,000 students participating in the organization’s sports and activities during the 2022-23 school year, only one of the students would still be when it went into effect.

&nbsp;Fentanyl test strips are no longer considered drug paraphernalia. That allows them to be used to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-05-28/fentanyl-test-strips-will-finally-be-legal-in-kansas-helping-protect-people-from-a-deadly-poison" target="_blank">detect whether other drugs are laced with deadly fentanyl</a>.

Several attempts to legalize the test strips failed in recent years. But this year, lawmakers heard gut-wrenching testimony from Kansas parents who lost children to drug overdoses.

The change received broad bipartisan support. When the bill was signed into law, Republican Rep. Stephen Owens said the test strips can help save lives.

“These issues that are so critical,” Owens said, “can be bipartisan issues that we can move forward together to make Kansas a better place.”

Statute of limitations for child sex crimes

Prosecutions of child sex crimes no longer have a statute of limitations. Similar to murder and rape cases, prosecutors can now bring cases to trial decades after the crime.

Additionally, victims of child sex abuse have until they are 31 years old to pursue civil lawsuits against abusers. Previously, the state required those lawsuits to be filed before the victim turned 21 years old.

Lawmakers considered the change after a Kansas Bureau of Investigation report<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-06/report-finds-catholic-church-in-kansas-covered-up-sexual-abuse-of-children-by-priests-for-decades" target="_blank">&nbsp;documented decades of sexual abuse</a>&nbsp;by Catholic priests in the state. The agency also concluded that the state’s statute of limitations hindered criminal prosecutions.

The new law received unanimous support in the Legislature.

Doctors are now required to provide abortion patients with information about the reversibility of the abortion pill mifepristone. The information is medically unsubstantiated and medical groups argue studies supporting the idea are flawed.

Although the law is on the books, the state won’t enforce it until a court weighs in.

Kobcah reached an agreement with abortion providers to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-06-20/kobach-and-kansas-clinics-agree-to-delay-enforcement-of-abortion-pill-reversal-law" target="_blank">wait until the court rules on a request for a temporary injunction</a>. Abortion providers are challenging the law and several others for violating the state constitutional right to an abortion.

Laws restricting abortion access in Kansas are likely to face scrutiny from the Kansas Supreme Court, which ruled in 2019 that the state constitution protects the right to an abortion. Kansas voters also reaffirmed that ruling when they&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-08-02/kansas-voters-rejected-an-amendment-that-would-have-stripped-away-abortion-rights" target="_blank">overwhelmingly rejected a constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;last year that would have effectively reversed the court’s ruling.

<h2>New laws that went into effect this month in Kansas could have a significant impact on the lives of residents. But some may still face the scrutiny of a court challenge.</h2>By DYLAN LYSEN&nbsp; <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-02-23/kansas-lawmakers-vote-to-restrict-transgender-athletes-and-doctors-treating-gender-identity">Kansas News Service</a>New laws that range from the definition of male and female to testing for a lethal drug to abortion pill regulations took effect in Kansas this month.It’s unclear how many of them will survive likely court challenges.The fresh statutes reflect the Legislature’s increasingly aggressive approach to America’s culture wars — with a particular focus to restrict, rather than recognize, transgender rights — over Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s sometimes toothless objections.But lawmakers also found some ways to find bipartisan bargains, like one change in law that legalized fentanyl test strips as a way to reduce overdose deaths.Here are some of the most consequential new laws in Kansas:<h2>Women’s Bill of Rights</h2>Men and women are now defined by their sex assigned at birth.But it appears the true ramifications of the law will need to be resolved in court.Republican Attorney General Kris Kobach said he plans to sue Kelly’s administration after the governor announced the law would not change how Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Kansas Department or Revenue issue identification.The state agencies will continue to allow residents&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/2023-06-29/kelly-kobach-split-over-what-a-new-law-means-for-transgender-kansans-ids" target="_blank">to change the gender on their birth certificates and IDs</a>. Kobach had previously said the new law meant the state must reverse gender changes on both.However, the new law appears to contradict a 2019 federal ruling. In that case, the court ordered Kansas to allow transgender residents to change their IDs.<h2>Fairness in Women’s Sports Act</h2>Transgender girls will no longer be allowed to participate in girls sports for schools and colleges.Republican lawmakers argued the law was needed because student athletes assigned male at birth have a biological advantage in sports over girls. (Experts say that physical advantage&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/05/24/999897243/this-researcher-is-trying-to-settle-the-transgender-athlete-debate-using-science" target="_blank">subsides with hormone therapy</a>, particularly if it begins before puberty.)Kelly initially vetoed the bill — the third time she’d rejected similar legislation in three years. But Republicans rallied enough votes — including one from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-05-25/this-kansas-democrat-helped-pass-transgender-restrictions-he-still-enjoys-support-in-his-district" target="_blank">Democratic Rep. Marvin Robinson</a>&nbsp;— to enact the law. But the law may also be challenged in court.Meanwhile, the change is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-04-05/kansas-lawmakers-override-democratic-governors-veto-enacting-ban-on-transgender-athletes" target="_blank">not expected to have a widespread impact</a>&nbsp;on Kansas student athletes.Jeremy Holaday, a spokesperson for the Kansas State High School Activities Association, said of the 106,000 students participating in the organization’s sports and activities during the 2022-23 school year, only one of the students would still be when it went into effect.<h2>Legalizing fentanyl test strips</h2>&nbsp;Fentanyl test strips are no longer considered drug paraphernalia. That allows them to be used to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-05-28/fentanyl-test-strips-will-finally-be-legal-in-kansas-helping-protect-people-from-a-deadly-poison" target="_blank">detect whether other drugs are laced with deadly fentanyl</a>.Several attempts to legalize the test strips failed in recent years. But this year, lawmakers heard gut-wrenching testimony from Kansas parents who lost children to drug overdoses.The change received broad bipartisan support. When the bill was signed into law, Republican Rep. Stephen Owens said the test strips can help save lives.“These issues that are so critical,” Owens said, “can be bipartisan issues that we can move forward together to make Kansas a better place.”<h2>Statute of limitations for child sex crimes</h2>Prosecutions of child sex crimes no longer have a statute of limitations. Similar to murder and rape cases, prosecutors can now bring cases to trial decades after the crime.Additionally, victims of child sex abuse have until they are 31 years old to pursue civil lawsuits against abusers. Previously, the state required those lawsuits to be filed before the victim turned 21 years old.Lawmakers considered the change after a Kansas Bureau of Investigation report<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-06/report-finds-catholic-church-in-kansas-covered-up-sexual-abuse-of-children-by-priests-for-decades" target="_blank">&nbsp;documented decades of sexual abuse</a>&nbsp;by Catholic priests in the state. The agency also concluded that the state’s statute of limitations hindered criminal prosecutions.The new law received unanimous support in the Legislature.<h2>Abortion pill reversal</h2>Doctors are now required to provide abortion patients with information about the reversibility of the abortion pill mifepristone. The information is medically unsubstantiated and medical groups argue studies supporting the idea are flawed.Although the law is on the books, the state won’t enforce it until a court weighs in.Kobcah reached an agreement with abortion providers to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-06-20/kobach-and-kansas-clinics-agree-to-delay-enforcement-of-abortion-pill-reversal-law" target="_blank">wait until the court rules on a request for a temporary injunction</a>. Abortion providers are challenging the law and several others for violating the state constitutional right to an abortion.Laws restricting abortion access in Kansas are likely to face scrutiny from the Kansas Supreme Court, which ruled in 2019 that the state constitution protects the right to an abortion. Kansas voters also reaffirmed that ruling when they&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-08-02/kansas-voters-rejected-an-amendment-that-would-have-stripped-away-abortion-rights" target="_blank">overwhelmingly rejected a constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;last year that would have effectively reversed the court’s ruling.

New abortion, gender and drug laws are now in effect in Kansas

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal accident that occurred just after 8:30 Friday in Kansas City.

According to Police Captain Corey Carlisle, a black Ford F150 was parked in the apartment complex parking lot at 8705 E. 61st Terrace with the vehicle left in drive. 

The driver of the pickup was partially inside the vehicle, when it suddenly accelerated out of the parking space and into a tree line.

The driver was pinned between a medium sized tree and the driver door of the pickup.&nbsp; The driver was pronounced deceased at the scene, according to Carlisle.&nbsp; Police have not released the driver's name or additional details.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal accident that occurred just after 8:30 Friday in Kansas City.According to Police Captain Corey Carlisle, a black Ford F150 was parked in the apartment complex parking lot at 8705 E. 61st Terrace with the vehicle left in drive. The driver of the pickup was partially inside the vehicle, when it suddenly accelerated out of the parking space and into a tree line.The driver was pinned between a medium sized tree and the driver door of the pickup.&nbsp; The driver was pronounced deceased at the scene, according to Carlisle.&nbsp; Police have not released the driver's name or additional details.

KCPD: Driver dies after pinned between pickup door and tree

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man who offered women rides and then sexually assaulted them has been sentenced. 

District Judge Seth Rundle sentenced Marlon Montoya, 41 of Wichita, to just over 7-years in prison.&nbsp; In April Montoya pled guilty&nbsp; to two counts of aggravated sexual battery.

On December 31, 2021, a 54-year-old woman said Montoya sexually assaulted her in a parking lot in northeast Wichita. The woman told police she had been walking and decided to get into Montoya’s car. Montoya drove to the lot in the 1000 block of N. Topeka and forced her to have sex at knifepoint.

In January of 2022, Montoya picked up a 63-year old-woman. He sexually assaulted her in a park on east 16th St. North.&nbsp;

On January 27, 2021, police located Montoya in 1000 block of E MacArthur in Wichita and took him into custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643404495160.png" alt="Montoya-photo KBI Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Montoya-photo KBI Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man who offered women rides and then sexually assaulted them has been sentenced. District Judge Seth Rundle sentenced Marlon Montoya, 41 of Wichita, to just over 7-years in prison.&nbsp; In April Montoya pled guilty&nbsp; to two counts of aggravated sexual battery.On December 31, 2021, a 54-year-old woman said Montoya sexually assaulted her in a parking lot in northeast Wichita. The woman told police she had been walking and decided to get into Montoya’s car. Montoya drove to the lot in the 1000 block of N. Topeka and forced her to have sex at knifepoint.In January of 2022, Montoya picked up a 63-year old-woman. He sexually assaulted her in a park on east 16th St. North.&nbsp;On January 27, 2021, police located Montoya in 1000 block of E MacArthur in Wichita and took him into custody.

Kan. man sentenced for rape of women he gave rides

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged drug distribution.&nbsp;

Just after 1p.m. Thursday, a deputy with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a black Lexus&nbsp;near&nbsp;SW 29th&nbsp;Street&nbsp;and SW Wanamaker Road for an improper turn, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. The driver had a suspended driver’s license.

During the investigation, the deputy found illegal narcotics.

Shortly before 2 pm, a subsequent narcotics related search warrant was executed in the 6100 block of SW 26th&nbsp;Court. Additional illegal narcotics and paraphernalia were located.

Deputies arrested Julian L. Williams, 55, of Topeka and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, driving while license suspended and improperly making a left turn.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688726133038.png" alt="Williams-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Williams-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged drug distribution.&nbsp;Just after 1p.m. Thursday, a deputy with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a black Lexus&nbsp;near&nbsp;SW 29th&nbsp;Street&nbsp;and SW Wanamaker Road for an improper turn, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. The driver had a suspended driver’s license.During the investigation, the deputy found illegal narcotics.Shortly before 2 pm, a subsequent narcotics related search warrant was executed in the 6100 block of SW 26th&nbsp;Court. Additional illegal narcotics and paraphernalia were located.Deputies arrested Julian L. Williams, 55, of Topeka and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, driving while license suspended and improperly making a left turn.

Kansas man accused of selling cocaine

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the July 2, mass shooting at the City Nightz club in Wichita's Old Town are asking the public for help to locate&nbsp;23-year-old Jaylen Thomas of Wichita for questioning in connection to the incident.

On Friday police arrested 19-year-old Ameir King-Ingram and booked him into the Sedgwick County jail for his role in the shooting.

Just before 1a.m. July 2, police responded to the club in the 200 Block of North Washington, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.

There were nine people with gunshot wounds and two people were trampled during the mass exodus out of the club.&nbsp;&nbsp;No one was killed but one person was critically injured.&nbsp; Police originally arrested a Missouri man as a suspect.&nbsp;He was released from jail after the Sedgwick County District Attorney determined he was acting in self defense.

The investigation indicates there were at least four firearms discharged inside the club. Police&nbsp; also seized an additional four firearms as part of the investigation.

The shooting victims included a 21-year-old man, 26-year-old man, 24-year-old woman, 34-year-old man, 21-year-old woman, 30-year-old man, 24-year-old man. The traumatic injury victims were a 31-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, according to Moses. Two additional gunshot victims checked into the hospital later Sunday.

King-Ingram is being held on requested charges that include two counts of aggravated battery and one count of criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688849063007.png" alt="Thomas-photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Thomas-photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the July 2, mass shooting at the City Nightz club in Wichita's Old Town are asking the public for help to locate&nbsp;23-year-old Jaylen Thomas of Wichita for questioning in connection to the incident.On Friday police arrested 19-year-old Ameir King-Ingram and booked him into the Sedgwick County jail for his role in the shooting.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688300318332.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation July 2, -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation July 2, -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 1a.m. July 2, police responded to the club in the 200 Block of North Washington, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.There were nine people with gunshot wounds and two people were trampled during the mass exodus out of the club.&nbsp;&nbsp;No one was killed but one person was critically injured.&nbsp; Police originally arrested a Missouri man as a suspect.&nbsp;He was released from jail after the Sedgwick County District Attorney determined he was acting in self defense.The investigation indicates there were at least four firearms discharged inside the club. Police&nbsp; also seized an additional four firearms as part of the investigation.The shooting victims included a 21-year-old man, 26-year-old man, 24-year-old woman, 34-year-old man, 21-year-old woman, 30-year-old man, 24-year-old man. The traumatic injury victims were a 31-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, according to Moses. Two additional gunshot victims checked into the hospital later Sunday.King-Ingram is being held on requested charges that include two counts of aggravated battery and one count of criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Police ask for help to locate Kan. man in mass shooting  investigation

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just after 9:30a.m.&nbsp; July 5, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop near 178th and U.S. Highway 75 on a 2013 Ford Focus for an alleged traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 During the course of the traffic stop, a deputy discovered items believed to be illegal drug contraband.  The driver, Heather Ann Stebbins, 36, of Lincoln, Nebraska was arrested by deputies and. her booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and endangering a child.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688677478262.png" alt="Stebbins-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Stebbins-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just after 9:30a.m.&nbsp; July 5, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop near 178th and U.S. Highway 75 on a 2013 Ford Focus for an alleged traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. During the course of the traffic stop, a deputy discovered items believed to be illegal drug contraband. The driver, Heather Ann Stebbins, 36, of Lincoln, Nebraska was arrested by deputies and. her booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and endangering a child.

Sheriff: Woman was transporting meth with kids in car

LABETTE COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Labette County Sheriff’s Office are conducting an investigation into the death of a man from Cherryvale, Kansas. The preliminary investigation indicates the death is the result of homicide, according to a media release from the KBI.

Just before 1:30p.m. Friday, Labette County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a shooting. Police located the victim, Thaine Lee Anderson, 74, of Cherryvale, Kansas, at his residence of 21079 Douglas Road. Anderson suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head.

During the course of the investigation, the suspect, a 14-year-old boy, was located and arrested on a requested charge of first-degree-murder. He was taken to the Southeast Kansas Regional Juvenile Center in Girard, Kansas.

The Kansas Wildlife and Parks also assisted with this investigation.

The case will be prosecuted by the Labette County Attorney.&nbsp;

LABETTE COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Labette County Sheriff’s Office are conducting an investigation into the death of a man from Cherryvale, Kansas. The preliminary investigation indicates the death is the result of homicide, according to a media release from the KBI.Just before 1:30p.m. Friday, Labette County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a shooting. Police located the victim, Thaine Lee Anderson, 74, of Cherryvale, Kansas, at his residence of 21079 Douglas Road. Anderson suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head.During the course of the investigation, the suspect, a 14-year-old boy, was located and arrested on a requested charge of first-degree-murder. He was taken to the Southeast Kansas Regional Juvenile Center in Girard, Kansas.The Kansas Wildlife and Parks also assisted with this investigation.The case will be prosecuted by the Labette County Attorney.&nbsp;

KBI: 14-year-old accused of 74-year-old man's murder

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are&nbsp;investigating a traffic collision that fatally injured 19-year-old Gavin Phillips of Wichita.

Just before 10:30 a.m. July 1, police responded to&nbsp; vehicle that struck a tree at the 2900 block of South Oliver in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

First responders located Phillips inside the vehicle unresponsive. EMS and Wichita Fire rendered emergency aid to Phillips and transported him to a local hospital with critical injuries. Phillips did not regain consciousness after the impact and was later pronounced deceased by medical staff.

Investigators learned that Phillips was driving southbound in a normal manner when, for unknown reasons, he took an erratic turn to the left and struck a tree. No other vehicles were involved.

Anyone who witnessed the collision is asked to contact detectives at 316-350-3687.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688775283681.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are&nbsp;investigating a traffic collision that fatally injured 19-year-old Gavin Phillips of Wichita.Just before 10:30 a.m. July 1, police responded to&nbsp; vehicle that struck a tree at the 2900 block of South Oliver in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.First responders located Phillips inside the vehicle unresponsive. EMS and Wichita Fire rendered emergency aid to Phillips and transported him to a local hospital with critical injuries. Phillips did not regain consciousness after the impact and was later pronounced deceased by medical staff.Investigators learned that Phillips was driving southbound in a normal manner when, for unknown reasons, he took an erratic turn to the left and struck a tree. No other vehicles were involved.Anyone who witnessed the collision is asked to contact detectives at 316-350-3687.

Police investigating crash that killed Kansas teen

By SAM BAILEY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Tissues clutched in her fist, Sherry Lesher stood before lawmakers Thursday with an urn containing the ashes of her 17-year-old son.

AJ, her son, died in 2017 from a drug overdose after years of trying to find help from the state. The day before AJ died in his sleep, Lesher begged that he be taken from her in the hopes of finding help after a recent drug test found Oxycontin in his system, but he was left in the home. Family Preservation services are used by the foster care system to keep children in homes and work with parents to solve issues while taking care of the child’s safety.&nbsp;

“Family Preservation’s goal was to keep him in the home,” Lesher said. ”He’ll be in the home forever now.”

Before his death, AJ lived with multiple diagnoses, including autism, and struggled with impulsive decision making, causing him to act like a young child. His family said that while he died of an overdose, he was not an addict but an unregulated kid who didn’t get the support he needed.

Lesher and Ashley Crego, AJ’s sister, joined others frustrated by the foster care system during a legislative committee on child welfare oversight Thursday. Many speakers shared frustrations with the system, and some came to the lectern fighting tears from hearing testimony.

The day before AJ died, Lesher stood in the kitchen arguing with him about a recent, failed drug test. During the argument, Lesher begged a therapist for Saint Francis Ministries, the state’s largest foster care contractor, to take AJ. But her son said he wouldn’t take drugs again, and the therapist left

“The next day, I go to wake my child up,” Lesher said. “He never woke up again.”

When AJ was alive, his family felt they didn’t get the support they needed. Lesher said the state wouldn’t provide mental health services to AJ through a psychiatric residential treatment facility, even though he ended up spending time at one for being a danger to himself due to his impulsive nature.

Even after his death, AJ’s family said they were still being hurt by the system. Lesher said the therapist who left her with AJ the night of his death continually called her, asking if the autopsy had come back yet, and would park his car on the road weeks afterward. Lesher said she had to file a cease and desist to get him to leave them alone.

Additionally, Saint Francis continued to bill the family after AJ died, including a bill for attending AJ’s funeral, even though no one from Saint Francis attended.

“The rail for my brother’s viewing was only large enough to hold about six people at a time,” Crego said. “Not only was I present the whole time, but I was also the last person to say goodbye to my little brother. I know who was there.”

Lesher said AJ’s death broke her family. Her grandchildren, close friends with AJ, could not visit their house two years after his death. Lesher and Crego also suffered tolls to their mental health, with Lesher attempting suicide on multiple occasions.

Lesher voiced her anger with the foster care system during her testimony before lawmakers. She said any trained professional should have seen what was happening to AJ.

“As long as they keep making those stakeholders happy, who cares about the kids? Who cares about AJ? It was only my child,” Lesher said.

Several other individuals spoke before the Legislature to vent their grievances with the foster care system, including a one-time foster parent who has no plans of returning to the system due to a lack of support.&nbsp;

Laura Howard, secretary of the Kansas Department for Children and Families, spoke after those who shared their stories and told lawmakers about various updates in DCF and statistics in foster care. When given the opportunity to respond to the speakers and share some comfort, she said she is always looking for the gaps in the system that need improvement.

“(I appreciate) the willingness of folks to comment and kind of share their pain in a public way really with the hope of seeing improvements in a system, because I think that’s what we all want to see,” Howard said.

Lesher said none of the entities who were supposed to care for AJ have apologized or shown any accountability for his death. After Howard spoke, Crego said she feels like the past five years she’s been “screaming to the void” to try and get someone to listen and acknowledge AJ existed.

“The only task more daunting than trying to breathe the entire essence of such a beautiful life into five minutes has been trying to hold the agencies who helped make his death a reality accountable for over five years to no avail,” Crego said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688314974546.png" alt=" Sherry Lesher holds up her son's ashes during a legislative committee on child welfare oversight Thursday. Her son AJ died in 2017 of an overdose after years of trying to get help from the state. (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Sherry Lesher holds up her son's ashes during a legislative committee on child welfare oversight Thursday. Her son AJ died in 2017 of an overdose after years of trying to get help from the state. (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SAM BAILEY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Tissues clutched in her fist, Sherry Lesher stood before lawmakers Thursday with an urn containing the ashes of her 17-year-old son.AJ, her son, died in 2017 from a drug overdose after years of trying to find help from the state. The day before AJ died in his sleep, Lesher begged that he be taken from her in the hopes of finding help after a recent drug test found Oxycontin in his system, but he was left in the home. Family Preservation services are used by the foster care system to keep children in homes and work with parents to solve issues while taking care of the child’s safety.&nbsp;“Family Preservation’s goal was to keep him in the home,” Lesher said. ”He’ll be in the home forever now.”Before his death, AJ lived with multiple diagnoses, including autism, and struggled with impulsive decision making, causing him to act like a young child. His family said that while he died of an overdose, he was not an addict but an unregulated kid who didn’t get the support he needed.Lesher and Ashley Crego, AJ’s sister, joined others frustrated by the foster care system during a legislative committee on child welfare oversight Thursday. Many speakers shared frustrations with the system, and some came to the lectern fighting tears from hearing testimony.The day before AJ died, Lesher stood in the kitchen arguing with him about a recent, failed drug test. During the argument, Lesher begged a therapist for Saint Francis Ministries, the state’s largest foster care contractor, to take AJ. But her son said he wouldn’t take drugs again, and the therapist left“The next day, I go to wake my child up,” Lesher said. “He never woke up again.”When AJ was alive, his family felt they didn’t get the support they needed. Lesher said the state wouldn’t provide mental health services to AJ through a psychiatric residential treatment facility, even though he ended up spending time at one for being a danger to himself due to his impulsive nature.Even after his death, AJ’s family said they were still being hurt by the system. Lesher said the therapist who left her with AJ the night of his death continually called her, asking if the autopsy had come back yet, and would park his car on the road weeks afterward. Lesher said she had to file a cease and desist to get him to leave them alone.Additionally, Saint Francis continued to bill the family after AJ died, including a bill for attending AJ’s funeral, even though no one from Saint Francis attended.“The rail for my brother’s viewing was only large enough to hold about six people at a time,” Crego said. “Not only was I present the whole time, but I was also the last person to say goodbye to my little brother. I know who was there.”Lesher said AJ’s death broke her family. Her grandchildren, close friends with AJ, could not visit their house two years after his death. Lesher and Crego also suffered tolls to their mental health, with Lesher attempting suicide on multiple occasions.Lesher voiced her anger with the foster care system during her testimony before lawmakers. She said any trained professional should have seen what was happening to AJ.“As long as they keep making those stakeholders happy, who cares about the kids? Who cares about AJ? It was only my child,” Lesher said.Several other individuals spoke before the Legislature to vent their grievances with the foster care system, including a one-time foster parent who has no plans of returning to the system due to a lack of support.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688314892298.png" alt="Laura Howard, Kansas Department of Children and Families secretary, speaks during the legislative committee on child welfare oversight. (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Laura Howard, Kansas Department of Children and Families secretary, speaks during the legislative committee on child welfare oversight. (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Laura Howard, secretary of the Kansas Department for Children and Families, spoke after those who shared their stories and told lawmakers about various updates in DCF and statistics in foster care. When given the opportunity to respond to the speakers and share some comfort, she said she is always looking for the gaps in the system that need improvement.“(I appreciate) the willingness of folks to comment and kind of share their pain in a public way really with the hope of seeing improvements in a system, because I think that’s what we all want to see,” Howard said.Lesher said none of the entities who were supposed to care for AJ have apologized or shown any accountability for his death. After Howard spoke, Crego said she feels like the past five years she’s been “screaming to the void” to try and get someone to listen and acknowledge AJ existed.“The only task more daunting than trying to breathe the entire essence of such a beautiful life into five minutes has been trying to hold the agencies who helped make his death a reality accountable for over five years to no avail,” Crego said.

Parents plead for accountability, support from Kansas foster care system

KANSAS CITY —A man wounded in a shooting last month in Kansas City has died.

Just after 7 pm June 30, police were dispatched to a shooting at 59th and Wabash in Kansas City, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle.

First responders found&nbsp; 25-year-old&nbsp;Donnell Epperson on the sidewalk in front of a residence.&nbsp;

EMS arrived on scene and transported him to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries.&nbsp; Several days later Epperson died of his injuries

Police have no one is custody at this time.&nbsp; The circumstances surrounding the homicide are still being investigated.

KANSAS CITY —A man wounded in a shooting last month in Kansas City has died.Just after 7 pm June 30, police were dispatched to a shooting at 59th and Wabash in Kansas City, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle.First responders found&nbsp; 25-year-old&nbsp;Donnell Epperson on the sidewalk in front of a residence.&nbsp;EMS arrived on scene and transported him to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries.&nbsp; Several days later Epperson died of his injuriesPolice have no one is custody at this time.&nbsp; The circumstances surrounding the homicide are still being investigated..&nbsp;&nbsp;

KCPD: Man wounded in shooting last month has died

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Republican attorney general of Kansas sued Friday to force the state to be among a few that prohibit transgender people from changing their sex on their driver's licenses and to repudiate the Democratic governor, who continues to allow such changes despite a new anti-trans law.

Attorney General Kris Kobach filed his lawsuit in state court, seeking an order to stop Gov. Laura Kelly, and agencies under her control, from letting transgender people change their licenses. Kobach contends a law that took effect Saturday prevents such changes and requires the state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-birth-certificates-kansas-df1e4120921749561ded2535263be223">to reverse any previous changes</a>&nbsp;in its records.

Kobach has argued that the law applies in the same way to birth certificates, but the lawsuit filed Friday doesn't address those documents. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/kansas-to-allow-trans-residents-to-change-birth-certificates-7409799fb2a144bca2fd90cd46b7ea6c">settlement of a 2018 federal lawsuit</a>&nbsp;requires Kansas to allow transgender people to change their birth certificates.

“The Governor cannot pick and choose which laws she will enforce and which laws she will ignore,” reads the lawsuit, filed in state district court in Shawnee County, home to the state capital, Topeka. It seeks to force the governor to enforce the law as he sees it and names as defendants two officials who oversee driver’s licenses.

While Kelly isn’t named as a defendant, the lawsuit holds her responsible for the policy on driver’s licenses.

“Governor Kelly is faithfully executing the laws of the state and has directed her administration to as well,” spokesperson Brianna Johnson said in a statement.

Even with a raft of measures targeting transgender people in statehouses across the U.S. this year, Kansas would be atypical for not allowing them to change sex or gender markers on birth certificates, driver's licenses or either. Montana and Tennessee also have policies against changing either document, and Oklahoma has a policy against changing birth certificates.

“The state has been doing just fine,” said Adam Kellogg, a 20-year-old transgender University of Kansas student. “The fact that this is an issue now for some reason is confusing, to say the least, when there hasn’t really been a problem.”

The dispute between Kobach and Kelly highlights an odd feature of their generally conservative state's modern politics. In the past 50 years, Republicans have won every U.S. Senate race, but Democrats have won half of the governor's races with support from GOP moderates. The Legislature has anti-abortion Republican supermajorities, but a statewide vote in August 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively affirmed abortion rights.</a>

Kelly won her first term as governor in 2018 by defeating Kobach, who was then the Kansas secretary of state. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-immigration-kansas-topeka-339a45795e1e479b7754e2fc7a8127ed">staged a political comeback</a>&nbsp;last year by winning the attorney general’s race as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-donald-trump-kansas-topeka-39afdff811fd2f30a212036d5ec6e3fa">she captured a second term,</a>&nbsp;both of them by slim margins.

More than 900 people in Kansas have changed the listing for sex on their birth certificates in the past four years. About 400 have changed their driver's licenses in that period,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-identities-attacked-bathroom-laws-kansas-e8fc5f209f03f8d55a7491c071283bfb">about four times as many</a>&nbsp;a month this year as previously. The number of driver's licenses changes accelerated in May and June as LGBTQ+ rights advocates encouraged people to do it ahead of the new law.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/sb180_enrolled.pdf">That new law</a>&nbsp;defines a person's sex as male or female, based on the “biological reproductive system” identified at birth, applying that definition to any state law or regulation. It also says that “important governmental objectives" of protecting people's privacy, health and safety justify single-sex spaces such as bathrooms and locker rooms.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-law-transgender-birth-certificates-driver-licenses-d5d3631b6e624f24733d0dbdedc9c35e">The governor's office</a>&nbsp;said last week that the state health department, which handles birth certificates, and the motor vehicle division, which issues driver's licenses, would continue allowing transgender people to change the markers for sex on those documents. Her office said lawyers in her administration had concluded that doing so doesn't violate the new law. Kelly is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/kansas-governor-expands-ban-on-anti-lgbt-bias-to-contractors-3ca7678ea8b747e38a495787cf046aee">strong supporter of LGBTQ+ rights</a>&nbsp;and vetoed the measure, but the Legislature&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-bathroom-law-kansas-b3d068afa2bc02bb15314ee04e8e3899">overrode her.</a>

But the governor's statements about the new law are at odds with descriptions from LGBTQ+ rights advocates before the Republican-controlled Legislature enacted it over Kelly's veto. The advocates predicted that it would prevent transgender people from changing their driver's licenses and amounted to a legal “erasure” of their identities, something Kobach confirmed as the intent when he issued his legal opinion.

Kansas is also among at least 10 states with a law against transgender people using facilities in line with their gender identities, though it includes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-bathroom-laws-enforcement-e96e94b8935eb6bd23a42562cdeeec6c">no enforcement mechanism.</a>

“For me to go into a bathroom and not have a marker that represents who I am, I was terrified. I was afraid I was going to get accosted or harassed,” said Ty Goeke, a 37-year-old transgender Topeka resident who changed both his birth certificate and driver’s license last month. “Now that I have the correct marker, I feel much better, feel more confident."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617726479094.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Republican attorney general of Kansas sued Friday to force the state to be among a few that prohibit transgender people from changing their sex on their driver's licenses and to repudiate the Democratic governor, who continues to allow such changes despite a new anti-trans law.Attorney General Kris Kobach filed his lawsuit in state court, seeking an order to stop Gov. Laura Kelly, and agencies under her control, from letting transgender people change their licenses. Kobach contends a law that took effect Saturday prevents such changes and requires the state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-birth-certificates-kansas-df1e4120921749561ded2535263be223">to reverse any previous changes</a>&nbsp;in its records.Kobach has argued that the law applies in the same way to birth certificates, but the lawsuit filed Friday doesn't address those documents. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/kansas-to-allow-trans-residents-to-change-birth-certificates-7409799fb2a144bca2fd90cd46b7ea6c">settlement of a 2018 federal lawsuit</a>&nbsp;requires Kansas to allow transgender people to change their birth certificates.“The Governor cannot pick and choose which laws she will enforce and which laws she will ignore,” reads the lawsuit, filed in state district court in Shawnee County, home to the state capital, Topeka. It seeks to force the governor to enforce the law as he sees it and names as defendants two officials who oversee driver’s licenses.While Kelly isn’t named as a defendant, the lawsuit holds her responsible for the policy on driver’s licenses.“Governor Kelly is faithfully executing the laws of the state and has directed her administration to as well,” spokesperson Brianna Johnson said in a statement.Even with a raft of measures targeting transgender people in statehouses across the U.S. this year, Kansas would be atypical for not allowing them to change sex or gender markers on birth certificates, driver's licenses or either. Montana and Tennessee also have policies against changing either document, and Oklahoma has a policy against changing birth certificates.“The state has been doing just fine,” said Adam Kellogg, a 20-year-old transgender University of Kansas student. “The fact that this is an issue now for some reason is confusing, to say the least, when there hasn’t really been a problem.”The dispute between Kobach and Kelly highlights an odd feature of their generally conservative state's modern politics. In the past 50 years, Republicans have won every U.S. Senate race, but Democrats have won half of the governor's races with support from GOP moderates. The Legislature has anti-abortion Republican supermajorities, but a statewide vote in August 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively affirmed abortion rights.</a>Kelly won her first term as governor in 2018 by defeating Kobach, who was then the Kansas secretary of state. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-immigration-kansas-topeka-339a45795e1e479b7754e2fc7a8127ed">staged a political comeback</a>&nbsp;last year by winning the attorney general’s race as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-donald-trump-kansas-topeka-39afdff811fd2f30a212036d5ec6e3fa">she captured a second term,</a>&nbsp;both of them by slim margins.More than 900 people in Kansas have changed the listing for sex on their birth certificates in the past four years. About 400 have changed their driver's licenses in that period,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-identities-attacked-bathroom-laws-kansas-e8fc5f209f03f8d55a7491c071283bfb">about four times as many</a>&nbsp;a month this year as previously. The number of driver's licenses changes accelerated in May and June as LGBTQ+ rights advocates encouraged people to do it ahead of the new law.<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/sb180_enrolled.pdf">That new law</a>&nbsp;defines a person's sex as male or female, based on the “biological reproductive system” identified at birth, applying that definition to any state law or regulation. It also says that “important governmental objectives" of protecting people's privacy, health and safety justify single-sex spaces such as bathrooms and locker rooms.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-law-transgender-birth-certificates-driver-licenses-d5d3631b6e624f24733d0dbdedc9c35e">The governor's office</a>&nbsp;said last week that the state health department, which handles birth certificates, and the motor vehicle division, which issues driver's licenses, would continue allowing transgender people to change the markers for sex on those documents. Her office said lawyers in her administration had concluded that doing so doesn't violate the new law. Kelly is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/kansas-governor-expands-ban-on-anti-lgbt-bias-to-contractors-3ca7678ea8b747e38a495787cf046aee">strong supporter of LGBTQ+ rights</a>&nbsp;and vetoed the measure, but the Legislature&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-bathroom-law-kansas-b3d068afa2bc02bb15314ee04e8e3899">overrode her.</a>But the governor's statements about the new law are at odds with descriptions from LGBTQ+ rights advocates before the Republican-controlled Legislature enacted it over Kelly's veto. The advocates predicted that it would prevent transgender people from changing their driver's licenses and amounted to a legal “erasure” of their identities, something Kobach confirmed as the intent when he issued his legal opinion.Kansas is also among at least 10 states with a law against transgender people using facilities in line with their gender identities, though it includes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-bathroom-laws-enforcement-e96e94b8935eb6bd23a42562cdeeec6c">no enforcement mechanism.</a>“For me to go into a bathroom and not have a marker that represents who I am, I was terrified. I was afraid I was going to get accosted or harassed,” said Ty Goeke, a 37-year-old transgender Topeka resident who changed both his birth certificate and driver’s license last month. “Now that I have the correct marker, I feel much better, feel more confident."

Court battle over transgender people in Kan. changing driver's licenses

PHILLIPS COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 10p.m. Friday in Phillips County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Dodge Journey driven by&nbsp; Kamryn A.&nbsp;Bruning, 15, Phillipsburg, was southbound on 1st Street just north of U.S. 36.

The driver noticed a pedestrian identified as David L. Rose, 72, Phillipsburg,&nbsp;walking northbound in the southbound lane of the street. 

The driver attempted an avoidance maneuver, steering to the left. The front passenger side of the SUV struck Rose and he came to rest in a driveway on the west side of the street.&nbsp; EMS&nbsp; transported Rose to the Phillips County Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;

Bruning was not injured an properly restrained, according to the KHP.

PHILLIPS COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 10p.m. Friday in Phillips County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Dodge Journey driven by&nbsp; Kamryn A.&nbsp;Bruning, 15, Phillipsburg, was southbound on 1st Street just north of U.S. 36.The driver noticed a pedestrian identified as David L. Rose, 72, Phillipsburg,&nbsp;walking northbound in the southbound lane of the street. The driver attempted an avoidance maneuver, steering to the left. The front passenger side of the SUV struck Rose and he came to rest in a driveway on the west side of the street.&nbsp; EMS&nbsp; transported Rose to the Phillips County Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;Bruning was not injured an properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kan. man dies after struck by SUV driven by 15-year-old

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the July 2, mass shooting at the City Nightz club in Wichita's Old Town arrested 19-year-old Ameir King-Ingram and booked him into the Sedgwick County jail just after noon Friday, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

Just before 1a.m. last Sunday, police responded to the club in the 200 Block of North Washington, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688816302231.png" alt="King-Ingram-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>King-Ingram-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the July 2, mass shooting at the City Nightz club in Wichita's Old Town arrested 19-year-old Ameir King-Ingram and booked him into the Sedgwick County jail just after noon Friday, according to online jail records.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688300318332.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation July 2, -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation July 2, -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 1a.m. last Sunday, police responded to the club in the 200 Block of North Washington, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.There were nine people with gunshot wounds and two people were trampled during the mass exodus out of the club.&nbsp;&nbsp;No one was killed but one person was critically injured.&nbsp; Police originally arrested a Missouri man as a suspect.&nbsp;He was released from jail after the Sedgwick County District Attorney determined he was acting in self defense.The investigation indicates there were at least four firearms discharged inside the club. Police&nbsp; also seized an additional four firearms as part of the investigation.The shooting victims included a 21-year-old man, 26-year-old man, 24-year-old woman, 34-year-old man, 21-year-old woman, 30-year-old man, 24-year-old man. The traumatic injury victims were a 31-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, according to Moses. Two additional gunshot victims checked into the hospital later Sunday.King-Ingram is being held on requested charges that include two counts of aggravated battery and one count of criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Police make arrest for mass shooting at Wichita night club

RICHMOND, Ky. (AP) — The last of the United States’ declared chemical weapons stockpile was destroyed at a sprawling military installation in eastern Kentucky, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell announced Friday, a milestone that closes a chapter of warfare dating back to World War I.

Workers at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky destroyed rockets filled with GB nerve agent, completing a decadeslong campaign to eliminate a stockpile that by the end of the Cold War totaled more than 30,000 tons.

“Chemical weapons are responsible for some of the most horrific episodes of human loss," McConnell said in a statement. "Though the use of these deadly agents will always be a stain on history, today our nation has finally fulfilled our promise to rid our arsenal of this evil.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688765216929.png" alt="Workers at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky destroyed rockets filled with GB nerve agent, completing a decadeslong campaign to eliminate a stockpile that by the end of the Cold War totaled more than 30,000 tons.-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Workers at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky destroyed rockets filled with GB nerve agent, completing a decadeslong campaign to eliminate a stockpile that by the end of the Cold War totaled more than 30,000 tons.-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>RICHMOND, Ky. (AP) — The last of the United States’ declared chemical weapons stockpile was destroyed at a sprawling military installation in eastern Kentucky, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell announced Friday, a milestone that closes a chapter of warfare dating back to World War I.Workers at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky destroyed rockets filled with GB nerve agent, completing a decadeslong campaign to eliminate a stockpile that by the end of the Cold War totaled more than 30,000 tons.“Chemical weapons are responsible for some of the most horrific episodes of human loss," McConnell said in a statement. "Though the use of these deadly agents will always be a stain on history, today our nation has finally fulfilled our promise to rid our arsenal of this evil.The weapons' destruction is a major watershed for Richmond, Kentucky and Pueblo, Colorado, where an Army depot destroyed the last of its chemical agents last month. It's also a defining moment for arms control efforts worldwide.The U.S. faced a Sept. 30 deadline to eliminate its remaining chemical weapons under the international Chemical Weapons Convention, which took effect in 1997 and was joined by 193 countries. The munitions being destroyed in Kentucky are the last of 51,000 M55 rockets with GB nerve agent — a deadly toxin also known as sarin — that have been stored at the depot since the 1940s.By destroying the munitions, the U.S. is officially underscoring that these types of weapons are no longer acceptable in the battlefield and sending a message to the handful of countries that haven't joined the agreement, military experts say.Friday’s announcement came as the Biden administration has also decided to provide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cluster-bombs-ukraine-biden-russia-unexploded-ordnance-cc16c482d86b34102ffeac6ee682a524">cluster munitions</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine, a weapon that two-thirds of NATO countries have banned because it can cause&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-afghanistan-israel-syria-europe-4ac7b012f2b63567ffde368f65283921">many civilian casualties</a>. National security adviser Jake Sullivan said Ukraine has promised to use the munitions — bombs that open in the air and release scores of smaller bomblets — carefully.Chemical weapons were first used in modern warfare in World War I, where they were estimated have killed at least 100,000. Despite their use being subsequently banned by the Geneva Convention, countries continued to stockpile the weapons until the treaty calling for their destruction.In southern Colorado, workers at the Army Pueblo Chemical Depot started destroying the weapons in 2016, and on June 22 completed their mission of neutralizing an entire cache of about 2,600 tons of mustard blister agent. The projectiles and mortars comprised about 8.5% of the country’s original chemical weapons stockpile of 30,610 tons of agent.Nearly 800,000 chemical munitions containing mustard agent were stored since the 1950s inside row after row of heavily guarded concrete and earthen bunkers that pock the landscape near a large swath of farmland east of Pueblo.The weapons' destruction alleviates a concern that civic leaders in Colorado and Kentucky admit was always in the back of their minds."Those (weapons) sitting out there were not a threat," Pueblo Mayor Nick Gradisar said. But, he added, “you always wondered what might happen with them.”In the 1980s, the community around Kentucky’s Blue Grass Army Depot rose up in opposition to the Army’s initial plan to incinerate the plant’s 520 tons of chemical weapons, leading to a decadeslong battle over how they would be disposed of. They were able to halt the planned incineration plant, and then, with help from lawmakers, prompted the Army to submit alternative methods to burning the weapons.Craig Williams, who became the leading voice of the community opposition and later a partner with political leadership and the military, said residents were concerned about potential toxic pollution from burning the deadly chemical agents.Williams noted that the military eliminated most of its existing stockpile by burning weapons at other, more remote sites such as Johnston Atoll in the Pacific Ocean or at a chemical depot in the middle of the Utah desert. But the Kentucky site was adjacent to Richmond and only a few dozen miles away from Lexington, the state’s second-largest city.“We had a middle school of over 600 kids a mile away from the (planned) smokestack,” Williams said.The Kentucky storage facility has housed mustard agent and the VX and sarin nerve agents, much of it inside rockets and other projectiles, since the 1940s. The state’s disposal plant was completed in 2015 and began destroying weapons in 2019. It uses a process called neutralization to dilute the deadly agents so they can be safely disposed of.The project, however, has been a boon for both communities, and facing the eventual loss of thousands of workers, both are pitching the pool of high-skilled laborers as a plus for companies looking to locate in their regions.Workers at the Pueblo site used heavy machinery to meticulously — and slowly — load aging weapons onto conveyor systems that fed into secure rooms where remote-controlled robots did the dirty and dangerous work of eliminating the toxic mustard agent, which was designed to blister the skin and cause inflammation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs.Robotic equipment removed the weapons' fuses and bursters before the mustard agent was neutralized with hot water and mixed with a caustic solution to prevent the reaction from reversing. The byproduct was further broken down in large tanks swimming with microbes, and the mortars and projectiles were decontaminated at 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit (538 degrees Celsius) and recycled as scrap metal.Problematic munitions that were leaky or overpacked were sent to an armored, stainless steel detonation chamber to be destroyed at about 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit (593 degrees Celsius).The Colorado and Kentucky sites were the last among several, including Utah and the Johnston Atoll, where the nation's chemical weapons had been stockpiled and destroyed. Other locations included facilities in Alabama, Arkansas and Oregon.Kingston Reif, an assistant U.S. secretary of defense for threat reduction and arms control, said the destruction of the last U.S. chemical weapon “will close an important chapter in military history, but one that we’re very much looking forward to closing.”Officials say the elimination of the U.S. stockpile is a major step forward for the Chemical Weapons Convention. Only three countries — Egypt, North Korea and South Sudan — have not signed the treaty. A fourth, Israel, has signed but not ratified the treaty.Reif noted that there remains concern that some parties to the convention, particularly Russia and Syria, possess undeclared chemical weapons stockpiles.Still, arms control advocates hope this final step by the U.S. could nudge the remaining countries to join. But they also hope it could be used as a model for eliminating other types of weapons.“It shows that countries can really ban a weapon of mass destruction,” said Paul F. Walker, vice chairman of the Arms Control Association and coordinator of the Chemical Weapons Convention Coalition. “If they want to do it, it just takes the political will and it takes a good verification system.”__