SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a possible accident that fatally injured a 34-year-old man.

Just after 8:30 a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to the alley of the 1800 block of South Spruce in Wichita regarding a dead body found, according to Officer&nbsp;Juan Rebolledo.

At the scene, officers located a 34-year-old man, who was pronounced deceased, at the scene.

The investigation revealed that the 34-year-old man was possible run over by a vehicle.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call detectives at 316-268-4407, the See Something Say Something Hotline at 316-519-2282, or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a possible accident that fatally injured a 34-year-old man.Just after 8:30 a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to the alley of the 1800 block of South Spruce in Wichita regarding a dead body found, according to Officer&nbsp;Juan Rebolledo.At the scene, officers located a 34-year-old man, who was pronounced deceased, at the scene.The investigation revealed that the 34-year-old man was possible run over by a vehicle.Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call detectives at 316-268-4407, the See Something Say Something Hotline at 316-519-2282, or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Police: Kan. man found dead in street possibly run over by vehicle

KANSAS CITY—Authorities have canceled an Amber Alert for two girls abducted Sunday by their biological father, a homicide suspect.

The girls are safe, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Authorities also recovered the vehicle. The suspect 27-year-old Jordon Owsley is still missing.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities have issued an Amber Alert for two Kansas City girls.&nbsp; Marlaya and Cassiah Owsley were last seen in the 1300 Block of 89th Street in Kansas City in a white Kia Optima, license plate VF2E2B. The children were abducted after the suspect, their biological father, committed a homicide, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661131710867.png" alt="Jordan Owsley-photo MSHP" />
 <figcaption>Jordan Owsley-photo MSHP</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Authorities have canceled an Amber Alert for two girls abducted Sunday by their biological father, a homicide suspect.The girls are safe, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Authorities also recovered the vehicle. The suspect 27-year-old Jordon Owsley is still missing.---------KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities have issued an Amber Alert for two Kansas City girls.&nbsp; Marlaya and Cassiah Owsley were last seen in the 1300 Block of 89th Street in Kansas City in a white Kia Optima, license plate VF2E2B. The children were abducted after the suspect, their biological father, committed a homicide, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661128229001.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661128414914.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Amber Alert canceled: 2 girls safe; KC homicide suspect still at large

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A decisive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">statewide vote</a>&nbsp;in favor of abortion rights in traditionally conservative Kansas was confirmed with a partial hand recount, with fewer than 100 votes changing after the last county reported results Sunday.

Nine of the state’s 105 counties recounted their votes at the request of Melissa Leavitt, who has pushed for tighter election laws. A longtime anti-abortion activist, Mark Gietzen, is covering most of the costs. Gietzen acknowledged in an interview that it was unlikely to change the outcome.

A no vote in the referendum signaled a desire to keep existing abortion protections and a yes vote was for allowing the Legislature to tighten restrictions or ban abortion. After the recounts, “no” votes lost 87 votes and “yes” gained 6 votes.

Eight of the counties&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-health-election-recounts-constitutions-f4062be36f3d72ca6e8aef5585324fdb">reported their results</a>&nbsp;by the state's Saturday deadline, but Sedgwick County delayed releasing its final count until Sunday because spokeswoman Nicole Gibbs said some of the ballots weren't separated into the correct precincts during the initial recount and had to be resorted Saturday. She said the number of votes cast overall didn't change.

A larger than expected turnout of voters on Aug. 2 rejected a ballot measure that would have removed protections for abortion rights from the Kansas Constitution and given to the Legislature the right to further restrict or ban abortion. It failed by 18 percentage points, or 165,000 votes statewide.

The vote drew broad attention because it was the first state referendum on abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June.

Gietzen, of Wichita, and Leavitt, of Colby, in far northwestern Kansas, have both suggested there might have been problems without pointing to many examples.

Recounts increasingly are tools to encourage supporters of a candidate or cause to believe an election was stolen rather than lost. A wave of candidates who have echoed former President Donald Trump’s lie that the 2020 election was rigged have called for recounts after losing their own Republican primaries.

Kansas law requires a recount if those who ask for it prove they can cover the counties’ costs. The counties pay only if the outcome changes.

Leavitt and Gietzen provided credit cards to pay for the nearly $120,000 cost, according to the secretary of state’s office. Leavitt has an online fundraising page. Gietzen also said he is getting donations from a network built over three decades in the anti-abortion movement.

Gietzen said Sunday he doesn’t accept the results of the Sedgwick County recount because of the discrepancy about the way the ballots were sorted and because some of the recount happened Saturday without outside observers present to watch.

“We still don't know what happened in Sedgwick County. I won't pay for Sedgwick County,” he said.

He said he’s also concerned about the results statewide because of a report out of Cherokee county in southeast Kansas about the results of one county election being transposed between two candidates when the results were transferred on a thumb drive from one voting machine to a tabulating machine.

Gietzen said he plans to file a lawsuit Monday seeking a full statewide recall.

Gietzen said he won’t publicly report the names of private donors helping him finance the recount, even though a state ethics official says it’s required. Gietzen, who leads a small GOP group, the Kansas Republican Assembly, argues that he’s not campaigning for the anti-abortion measure but is instead promoting election integrity.

Votes were recounted in Douglas County, home to the University of Kansas’ main campus; Johnson County, in suburban Kansas City; Sedgwick County, home to Wichita, Shawnee County, home to Topeka; and Crawford, Harvey, Jefferson, Lyon and Thomas counties. Abortion opponents lost all of those counties except Thomas.

In Jefferson County, the margin remained the same, with the pro- and anti-amendment totals declining by four votes each. Linda Buttron, the county clerk, blamed the change on things like ovals not being darkened and “the challenges of hand counting ballots.”

In Lyon County, the anti-amendment group lost a vote. County Clerk and Election Officer Tammy Vopat said she wasn’t sure the reason. But she noted: “You have to factor in human error.”

Johnson County, the most populous in Kansas, faced the biggest recounting challenge because it had the most ballots. It pulled in workers from different departments to help. The sorting process took so long that the actual counting didn’t begin until Thursday afternoon.

“This is almost like doing an Ironman triathlon and having to add on another marathon at the end,” said Fred Sherman, the county’s Election Commissioner. “So it is quite a gargantuan process.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661035438136.png" alt="Vote recount in Johnson County -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Vote recount in Johnson County -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A decisive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">statewide vote</a>&nbsp;in favor of abortion rights in traditionally conservative Kansas was confirmed with a partial hand recount, with fewer than 100 votes changing after the last county reported results Sunday.Nine of the state’s 105 counties recounted their votes at the request of Melissa Leavitt, who has pushed for tighter election laws. A longtime anti-abortion activist, Mark Gietzen, is covering most of the costs. Gietzen acknowledged in an interview that it was unlikely to change the outcome.A no vote in the referendum signaled a desire to keep existing abortion protections and a yes vote was for allowing the Legislature to tighten restrictions or ban abortion. After the recounts, “no” votes lost 87 votes and “yes” gained 6 votes.Eight of the counties&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-health-election-recounts-constitutions-f4062be36f3d72ca6e8aef5585324fdb">reported their results</a>&nbsp;by the state's Saturday deadline, but Sedgwick County delayed releasing its final count until Sunday because spokeswoman Nicole Gibbs said some of the ballots weren't separated into the correct precincts during the initial recount and had to be resorted Saturday. She said the number of votes cast overall didn't change.A larger than expected turnout of voters on Aug. 2 rejected a ballot measure that would have removed protections for abortion rights from the Kansas Constitution and given to the Legislature the right to further restrict or ban abortion. It failed by 18 percentage points, or 165,000 votes statewide.The vote drew broad attention because it was the first state referendum on abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June.Gietzen, of Wichita, and Leavitt, of Colby, in far northwestern Kansas, have both suggested there might have been problems without pointing to many examples.Recounts increasingly are tools to encourage supporters of a candidate or cause to believe an election was stolen rather than lost. A wave of candidates who have echoed former President Donald Trump’s lie that the 2020 election was rigged have called for recounts after losing their own Republican primaries.Kansas law requires a recount if those who ask for it prove they can cover the counties’ costs. The counties pay only if the outcome changes.Leavitt and Gietzen provided credit cards to pay for the nearly $120,000 cost, according to the secretary of state’s office. Leavitt has an online fundraising page. Gietzen also said he is getting donations from a network built over three decades in the anti-abortion movement.Gietzen said Sunday he doesn’t accept the results of the Sedgwick County recount because of the discrepancy about the way the ballots were sorted and because some of the recount happened Saturday without outside observers present to watch.“We still don't know what happened in Sedgwick County. I won't pay for Sedgwick County,” he said.He said he’s also concerned about the results statewide because of a report out of Cherokee county in southeast Kansas about the results of one county election being transposed between two candidates when the results were transferred on a thumb drive from one voting machine to a tabulating machine.Gietzen said he plans to file a lawsuit Monday seeking a full statewide recall.Gietzen said he won’t publicly report the names of private donors helping him finance the recount, even though a state ethics official says it’s required. Gietzen, who leads a small GOP group, the Kansas Republican Assembly, argues that he’s not campaigning for the anti-abortion measure but is instead promoting election integrity.Votes were recounted in Douglas County, home to the University of Kansas’ main campus; Johnson County, in suburban Kansas City; Sedgwick County, home to Wichita, Shawnee County, home to Topeka; and Crawford, Harvey, Jefferson, Lyon and Thomas counties. Abortion opponents lost all of those counties except Thomas.In Jefferson County, the margin remained the same, with the pro- and anti-amendment totals declining by four votes each. Linda Buttron, the county clerk, blamed the change on things like ovals not being darkened and “the challenges of hand counting ballots.”In Lyon County, the anti-amendment group lost a vote. County Clerk and Election Officer Tammy Vopat said she wasn’t sure the reason. But she noted: “You have to factor in human error.”Johnson County, the most populous in Kansas, faced the biggest recounting challenge because it had the most ballots. It pulled in workers from different departments to help. The sorting process took so long that the actual counting didn’t begin until Thursday afternoon.“This is almost like doing an Ironman triathlon and having to add on another marathon at the end,” said Fred Sherman, the county’s Election Commissioner. “So it is quite a gargantuan process.”

Kansas recount confirms results in favor of abortion rights

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A federal grand jury in Wichita indicted a Kansas man on multiple charges for alleged crimes related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which is a federal law providing financial relief to businesses suffering economic losses because of the COVIID-19 pandemic, according to the United State's Attorney.

Under the CARES Act, the Small Business Administration (SBA) is authorized to grant businesses forgivable loans for payroll, utilities, rent, and other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

According to court documents, Timothy Dale Warren, 58, of Haysville is charged with four counts of bank fraud, two counts of money laundering, and four counts of false statements. Warren, a chiropractor, is accused as owner of Titan Medical Center LLC of fraudulently obtaining PPP loans totaling approximately $145,800 from two banks then allegedly using a third bank to conceal the proceeds.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A federal grand jury in Wichita indicted a Kansas man on multiple charges for alleged crimes related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which is a federal law providing financial relief to businesses suffering economic losses because of the COVIID-19 pandemic, according to the United State's Attorney.Under the CARES Act, the Small Business Administration (SBA) is authorized to grant businesses forgivable loans for payroll, utilities, rent, and other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).According to court documents, Timothy Dale Warren, 58, of Haysville is charged with four counts of bank fraud, two counts of money laundering, and four counts of false statements. Warren, a chiropractor, is accused as owner of Titan Medical Center LLC of fraudulently obtaining PPP loans totaling approximately $145,800 from two banks then allegedly using a third bank to conceal the proceeds.

Kan. chiropractor accused of Paycheck Protection loan fraud

HARVEY COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident Saturday afternoon in Harvey County.

According to the Harvey County Sheriff, a car driven by Timothy Rutherford, 37, Buhler, was wesbound in the 23600 Block of West Dutch Avenue in northwest Harvey County.

The car crossed the center line and struck an eastbound SUV.&nbsp;&nbsp;Rutherford was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;

There were four occupants in the SUV. All received non-life-threatening injuries, according to the sheriff's office. EMS transported&nbsp; one occupant&nbsp; to a local hospital for treatment. The sheriff's office released no additional details.

HARVEY COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident Saturday afternoon in Harvey County.According to the Harvey County Sheriff, a car driven by Timothy Rutherford, 37, Buhler, was wesbound in the 23600 Block of West Dutch Avenue in northwest Harvey County.The car crossed the center line and struck an eastbound SUV.&nbsp;&nbsp;Rutherford was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;There were four occupants in the SUV. All received non-life-threatening injuries, according to the sheriff's office. EMS transported&nbsp; one occupant&nbsp; to a local hospital for treatment. The sheriff's office released no additional details.

Sheriff IDs Kansas man who died in 2-vehicle crash

By NOMIN UJIYEDIIN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2022-08-17/one-kansas-city-man-has-dedicated-his-life-to-the-dying-art-of-fur-coats">Kansas News Service</a>

Bart Atkins has worked on thousands of fur coats, but he has only 
ever made one coat for himself, out of long beaver fur. He doesn’t wear 
it anymore because he didn’t like the attention it got in the grocery 
store – everyone wants to touch fur when they see it.

Atkins, 64, 
keeps the coat in a temperature-controlled basement vault filled with 
thousands of others. The vault adjoins his workshop at Overland 
Park-based Alaskan Fur, where he’s worked for more than 40 years.

As
 a furrier, he designs coats and accessories, made to customers’ 
measurements, out of notoriously difficult and expensive material. He’s 
done it long enough to call himself a master at the trade.

“How to
 sew, how to cut, how to design patterns — you can’t just know how to do
 one thing,” Atkins said. “There’s so many parts of this that you have 
to learn.”

It’s a rare skill, and getting rarer. He doesn’t like to blow his own
 horn, but Atkins thinks he’s one of the few people in the U.S. still 
doing this kind of intensive, custom work with furs. He’s traveled the 
country to design for customers.

As people buy fewer fur items, 
much of his work involves repairing or recycling family heirlooms into 
new clothes, accessories or even teddy bears.

“You can't put a 
price on sentimental,” he said. “I think that's why my business is so 
good. You wouldn't believe it, I always have more work than I can do.”

A
 coat begins with cutting, wetting and stretching furs. Atkins can 
stretch a six-inch-by-eight-inch mink skin into a strip 51 inches long 
and two inches wide. The entire process can take two weeks. Wet furs 
must be stapled to a table, sometimes with thousands of staples that are
 inserted and later removed by hand.

After that, the strips are sewn together to make a coat. Unlike 
fabric sewing machines, which hold and sew pieces horizontally, fur 
sewing machines hold pieces vertically between two wheels. The sewer 
must move the wheels at the same pace, or the fur will wrinkle.

And
 unlike cloth, fur pieces require more precision because they must be 
sewn together at their very edges. Then, the seams must be rubbed by 
hand until they’re flat.

Atkins says it took him two years to 
learn to sew fur properly. The workers who help him finish the coats use
 needles with a triangular point much sharper than those on regular 
sewing needles. The process is laborious and sometimes dangerous.

“You
 have to learn to use a thimble so well, or you’ll put that needle 
straight through your fingers,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of people come 
here to work that sewed their whole life. They didn’t make it a week 
because the material that you’re sewing through is very hard.”

Atkins estimates he works on 60 to 120 coats a year, many of them 
mink. A typical price for his work is $1,600 to $1,800. Many younger 
people want to transform outdated coats inherited from their 
grandparents into contemporary pieces. Atkins declines to work on 
heirlooms that are in complete disrepair.

“If he thinks the coat 
won't hold a stitch, he won't take the job,” said Phil Wang, whose 
grandfather founded Alaskan Fur almost 100 years ago. “So he has a lot 
of integrity.”

Instead, Atkins offers to remake worn-out pieces into accessories like cuffs or decorative items like blankets or pillows.

He did the same with a fur coat from his mother, who died 20 years ago.

“She
 didn't have much money. She just had a little muskrat coat, but I made a
 throw and a blanket out of it to go across the couch in my living 
room,” Atkins said. “It means the world to me. Every time I feel like I 
need Mom, I can go stick my nose in it, and I still smell Mom.”

Atkins
 grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, where he currently lives in his 
childhood home. His mother worked for the Social Security Administration
 and was one of the few Black women at the time to have a master’s 
degree. His father ran the Standard Club, where Atkins began mopping the
 floors at age 9.

“My dad trained me,” he said. “I don’t think I had a childhood because I always worked.”

He
 went to Kansas City, Kansas Community College, where he trained to be a
 tailor, but quickly realized he couldn’t make much money sewing. 
Through the Standard Club, Atkins met an owner of Alaskan Fur, Myer 
Finkel, who offered him a job in 1981.

Atkins spent his first year as a cleaner before being trained under furriers like Oscar Donahue.

“The only reason why I’m as good as I am today is because the 
original furriers I worked with were master furriers, and they knew 
every bit of the business,” Atkins said. “And at that time, it was the 
most difficult work to do – the big Joan Crawford shoulders, the big 
puffy sleeves.”

Atkins credits his time at Alaskan Fur with paying
 off a mountain of medical debt and putting his two daughters through 
college. He used to work about 70 hours a week for the company because 
they paid him hourly.

Now, he’s pared that down to a more standard
 workweek, although he still comes into work around 6 a.m. and leaves in
 the early afternoon. What kept him going, he said, was the work ethic 
he learned from his mother.

“My mother always told me, no matter 
who you work for, you give a hundred percent,” he said. “If you don’t 
like where you work at, you don’t own the company. Go somewhere else and
 give a hundred percent.”

There’s
 not much information about the American fur industry readily available 
to the public. The country’s leading fur industry group, the <a href="https://www.fur.org/" target="_blank">American Fur Council</a>, did not respond to interview requests.

But Vogue Business reports that <a href="https://www.voguebusiness.com/sustainability/materials-fur-industry-faux-vegan-prada-chanel-yoox-net-a-porter-burberry" target="_blank">sales of real fur have declined</a>
 in recent years as faux fur and other vegan products gain popularity. 
The New York Times reports that many major fashion brands have <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/29/style/the-end-of-the-mink-coat.html" target="_blank">stopped using fur entirely</a>.

A
 November 2021 report from market research group IBIS World states the 
decline is a result of “the public's concern over the welfare of 
fur-bearing animals” and “competition from inexpensively produced 
artificial fur products.” For decades, animal rights activists have 
called fur garments cruel and unnecessary.

In 2019, there were 
about 1,500 fur workers remaining in the U.S., with about two-thirds of 
them in the New York area, said Charlie Ross, general manager of auction
 house Saga Furs North America. He’s not sure how that number has 
changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Compare that to about 10,000 fur workers in New York alone in the 
’80s, when Ross started in the fur business. But the rise of cheap 
overseas labor during that decade moved most fashion manufacturing 
abroad, including furs.

Ross estimates the average fur worker is now in their 50s or 60s and is nearing retirement.

“We
 do regular outreaches to students because we need to bring down the 
average age of the labor,” he said. “The entire fashion industry is in 
the same crisis.”

There are very few places in the U.S. for people
 to learn how to sew and design fur, said Kylee Alexander, a designer 
and professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

At 
her design company, Alexander has taught people to work with fur, often 
vintage or repurposed. Some only want to work with fake fur, but that 
still requires the same tools and skills as working with real fur. 
Because real fur is both long-lasting and biodegradable, Alexander sees 
it as more environmentally friendly than made-made fur.

“We think about it as a luxury, but there’s a lot of use for discarded fur garments that can be repurposed,” she said.

Alexander
 learned fur design at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, the 
only school she knows of that still teaches the subject. She says the 
only other opportunities to learn are directly from working furriers, 
many of whom have closed up shop in recent years.

“It’s really 
kind of scary that these traditions aren’t being passed on,” she said. 
“I think we’re going to see an industry largely disappear.”

In the ’80s, Alaskan Fur had three stores in Kansas City. The vaults 
were full of customers’ coats. Now, the company has one store in the 
area and the vaults sit half-empty.

Atkins doesn’t know who will 
replace him when he retires. Right now, he’s so busy that he doesn’t 
have time to train someone new.

“I’m in a trade that is a dying trade,” he said. “As long as I stay healthy, I’ll continue to do it because I enjoy it.”

But
 he has arthritis in both hands. He got COVID-19 in 2020, and he’s 
worried about getting it again because he works so closely with 
customers. He wants to play golf and spend more time with his 
grandchildren.

For now, he’ll stay at Alaskan Fur, because he still loves working with customers and figuring out what makes them happy.

“And
 that just comes from trial and error,” he said. “I’m no better than 
anyone else. All the things that I do very well come from just doing it 
for so long.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660757838862.png" alt="Bart Atkins, 64, has worked at Alaskan Fur in Overland Park for more than 40 years. Nomin Ujiyediin / KCUR" />
 <figcaption>Bart Atkins, 64, has worked at Alaskan Fur in Overland Park for more than 40 years. Nomin Ujiyediin / KCUR</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOMIN UJIYEDIIN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2022-08-17/one-kansas-city-man-has-dedicated-his-life-to-the-dying-art-of-fur-coats">Kansas News Service</a>Bart Atkins has worked on thousands of fur coats, but he has only 
ever made one coat for himself, out of long beaver fur. He doesn’t wear 
it anymore because he didn’t like the attention it got in the grocery 
store – everyone wants to touch fur when they see it.Atkins, 64, 
keeps the coat in a temperature-controlled basement vault filled with 
thousands of others. The vault adjoins his workshop at Overland 
Park-based Alaskan Fur, where he’s worked for more than 40 years.As
 a furrier, he designs coats and accessories, made to customers’ 
measurements, out of notoriously difficult and expensive material. He’s 
done it long enough to call himself a master at the trade.“How to
 sew, how to cut, how to design patterns — you can’t just know how to do
 one thing,” Atkins said. “There’s so many parts of this that you have 
to learn.”It’s a rare skill, and getting rarer. He doesn’t like to blow his own
 horn, but Atkins thinks he’s one of the few people in the U.S. still 
doing this kind of intensive, custom work with furs. He’s traveled the 
country to design for customers.As people buy fewer fur items, 
much of his work involves repairing or recycling family heirlooms into 
new clothes, accessories or even teddy bears.“You can't put a 
price on sentimental,” he said. “I think that's why my business is so 
good. You wouldn't believe it, I always have more work than I can do.”<h2>How to make a fur coat</h2>A
 coat begins with cutting, wetting and stretching furs. Atkins can 
stretch a six-inch-by-eight-inch mink skin into a strip 51 inches long 
and two inches wide. The entire process can take two weeks. Wet furs 
must be stapled to a table, sometimes with thousands of staples that are
 inserted and later removed by hand.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660757932153.png" alt="Bart Atkins sews two pieces of mink fur on a specialized fur sewing machine. Nomin Ujiyediin / KCUR" />
 <figcaption>Bart Atkins sews two pieces of mink fur on a specialized fur sewing machine. Nomin Ujiyediin / KCUR</figcaption>
 </figure>After that, the strips are sewn together to make a coat. Unlike 
fabric sewing machines, which hold and sew pieces horizontally, fur 
sewing machines hold pieces vertically between two wheels. The sewer 
must move the wheels at the same pace, or the fur will wrinkle.And
 unlike cloth, fur pieces require more precision because they must be 
sewn together at their very edges. Then, the seams must be rubbed by 
hand until they’re flat.Atkins says it took him two years to 
learn to sew fur properly. The workers who help him finish the coats use
 needles with a triangular point much sharper than those on regular 
sewing needles. The process is laborious and sometimes dangerous.“You
 have to learn to use a thimble so well, or you’ll put that needle 
straight through your fingers,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of people come 
here to work that sewed their whole life. They didn’t make it a week 
because the material that you’re sewing through is very hard.”Atkins estimates he works on 60 to 120 coats a year, many of them 
mink. A typical price for his work is $1,600 to $1,800. Many younger 
people want to transform outdated coats inherited from their 
grandparents into contemporary pieces. Atkins declines to work on 
heirlooms that are in complete disrepair.“If he thinks the coat 
won't hold a stitch, he won't take the job,” said Phil Wang, whose 
grandfather founded Alaskan Fur almost 100 years ago. “So he has a lot 
of integrity.”Instead, Atkins offers to remake worn-out pieces into accessories like cuffs or decorative items like blankets or pillows.He did the same with a fur coat from his mother, who died 20 years ago.“She
 didn't have much money. She just had a little muskrat coat, but I made a
 throw and a blanket out of it to go across the couch in my living 
room,” Atkins said. “It means the world to me. Every time I feel like I 
need Mom, I can go stick my nose in it, and I still smell Mom.”<h2>Beginnings</h2>Atkins
 grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, where he currently lives in his 
childhood home. His mother worked for the Social Security Administration
 and was one of the few Black women at the time to have a master’s 
degree. His father ran the Standard Club, where Atkins began mopping the
 floors at age 9.“My dad trained me,” he said. “I don’t think I had a childhood because I always worked.”He
 went to Kansas City, Kansas Community College, where he trained to be a
 tailor, but quickly realized he couldn’t make much money sewing. 
Through the Standard Club, Atkins met an owner of Alaskan Fur, Myer 
Finkel, who offered him a job in 1981.Atkins spent his first year as a cleaner before being trained under furriers like Oscar Donahue.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660757985931.png" alt="To make a mink coat, six-inch-by-eight-inch mink skins are stretched into strips 51 inches long and two inches wide. Then, they are sewn together. Nomin Ujiyediin / KCUR" />
 <figcaption>To make a mink coat, six-inch-by-eight-inch mink skins are stretched into strips 51 inches long and two inches wide. Then, they are sewn together. Nomin Ujiyediin / KCUR</figcaption>
 </figure>“The only reason why I’m as good as I am today is because the 
original furriers I worked with were master furriers, and they knew 
every bit of the business,” Atkins said. “And at that time, it was the 
most difficult work to do – the big Joan Crawford shoulders, the big 
puffy sleeves.”Atkins credits his time at Alaskan Fur with paying
 off a mountain of medical debt and putting his two daughters through 
college. He used to work about 70 hours a week for the company because 
they paid him hourly.Now, he’s pared that down to a more standard
 workweek, although he still comes into work around 6 a.m. and leaves in
 the early afternoon. What kept him going, he said, was the work ethic 
he learned from his mother.“My mother always told me, no matter 
who you work for, you give a hundred percent,” he said. “If you don’t 
like where you work at, you don’t own the company. Go somewhere else and
 give a hundred percent.”<h2>A declining industry</h2>There’s
 not much information about the American fur industry readily available 
to the public. The country’s leading fur industry group, the <a href="https://www.fur.org/" target="_blank">American Fur Council</a>, did not respond to interview requests.But Vogue Business reports that <a href="https://www.voguebusiness.com/sustainability/materials-fur-industry-faux-vegan-prada-chanel-yoox-net-a-porter-burberry" target="_blank">sales of real fur have declined</a>
 in recent years as faux fur and other vegan products gain popularity. 
The New York Times reports that many major fashion brands have <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/29/style/the-end-of-the-mink-coat.html" target="_blank">stopped using fur entirely</a>.A
 November 2021 report from market research group IBIS World states the 
decline is a result of “the public's concern over the welfare of 
fur-bearing animals” and “competition from inexpensively produced 
artificial fur products.” For decades, animal rights activists have 
called fur garments cruel and unnecessary.In 2019, there were 
about 1,500 fur workers remaining in the U.S., with about two-thirds of 
them in the New York area, said Charlie Ross, general manager of auction
 house Saga Furs North America. He’s not sure how that number has 
changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660758029750.png" alt="Bart Aktins measures Cara Baeres for a coat alteration. Baeres' mother works at Alaskan Fur and she has modeled for the store. Nomin Ujiyediin / KCUR" />
 <figcaption>Bart Aktins measures Cara Baeres for a coat alteration. Baeres' mother works at Alaskan Fur and she has modeled for the store. Nomin Ujiyediin / KCUR</figcaption>
 </figure>Compare that to about 10,000 fur workers in New York alone in the 
’80s, when Ross started in the fur business. But the rise of cheap 
overseas labor during that decade moved most fashion manufacturing 
abroad, including furs.Ross estimates the average fur worker is now in their 50s or 60s and is nearing retirement.“We
 do regular outreaches to students because we need to bring down the 
average age of the labor,” he said. “The entire fashion industry is in 
the same crisis.”There are very few places in the U.S. for people
 to learn how to sew and design fur, said Kylee Alexander, a designer 
and professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.At 
her design company, Alexander has taught people to work with fur, often 
vintage or repurposed. Some only want to work with fake fur, but that 
still requires the same tools and skills as working with real fur. 
Because real fur is both long-lasting and biodegradable, Alexander sees 
it as more environmentally friendly than made-made fur.“We think about it as a luxury, but there’s a lot of use for discarded fur garments that can be repurposed,” she said.Alexander
 learned fur design at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, the 
only school she knows of that still teaches the subject. She says the 
only other opportunities to learn are directly from working furriers, 
many of whom have closed up shop in recent years.“It’s really 
kind of scary that these traditions aren’t being passed on,” she said. 
“I think we’re going to see an industry largely disappear.”<h2>Futures</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660758088447.png" alt="Bart Atkins in his beaver coat, the only coat he has ever made for himself. Nomin Ujiyediin / KCUR" />
 <figcaption>Bart Atkins in his beaver coat, the only coat he has ever made for himself. Nomin Ujiyediin / KCUR</figcaption>
 </figure>In the ’80s, Alaskan Fur had three stores in Kansas City. The vaults 
were full of customers’ coats. Now, the company has one store in the 
area and the vaults sit half-empty.Atkins doesn’t know who will 
replace him when he retires. Right now, he’s so busy that he doesn’t 
have time to train someone new.“I’m in a trade that is a dying trade,” he said. “As long as I stay healthy, I’ll continue to do it because I enjoy it.”But
 he has arthritis in both hands. He got COVID-19 in 2020, and he’s 
worried about getting it again because he works so closely with 
customers. He wants to play golf and spend more time with his 
grandchildren.For now, he’ll stay at Alaskan Fur, because he still loves working with customers and figuring out what makes them happy.“And
 that just comes from trial and error,” he said. “I’m no better than 
anyone else. All the things that I do very well come from just doing it 
for so long.”

Kansas City man dedicates his life to the dying art of fur coats

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Attorney General's Office has asked Kansas Lottery officials to review some proposed regulations needed before legalized sports gambling can begin in the state.

The attorney general's office approved three proposed regulations but returned others to the Kansas Lottery after “identifying specific shortcomings that must be remedied,” John Milburn, a spokesman for Attorney General Derek Schmidt, said in a news release Friday.

The returned regulations generally involve such things as legal definitions, marketing agreements and advertising rules.

Kansas officials announced Thursday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-legislature-betting-dodge-city-3dd926041924c63c3cdbf4ba950b1d98">legalized sports betting would begin</a>&nbsp;at four state-owned casinos on Sept. 1.

Kansas Lottery Executive Director Stephen Durrell told KSHB-TV on Friday that he is confident the revisions will be made in time for the Sept. 1 target date.

When Kansas lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-nfl-sports-professional-football-0f896b5eff7b9fdd0f0ca0b19e5825f1">approved sports wagering this year</a>, they removed oversight of proposed regulations from other state agencies, leaving only the attorney general's office to check for errors made "in the hurried drafting of regulations that affect millions of dollars in wagering activity, and we take that responsibility seriously,” Milburn said in the statement.

The attorney general's office is expediting its review of proposed regulations submitted by the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission, Milburn said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661008759652.png" alt="Kansas Lottery Executive Director Stephen Durrell told KSHB-TV on Friday that he is confident the revisions will be made in time for the Sept. 1 target date." />
 <figcaption>Kansas Lottery Executive Director Stephen Durrell told KSHB-TV on Friday that he is confident the revisions will be made in time for the Sept. 1 target date.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Attorney General's Office has asked Kansas Lottery officials to review some proposed regulations needed before legalized sports gambling can begin in the state.The attorney general's office approved three proposed regulations but returned others to the Kansas Lottery after “identifying specific shortcomings that must be remedied,” John Milburn, a spokesman for Attorney General Derek Schmidt, said in a news release Friday.The returned regulations generally involve such things as legal definitions, marketing agreements and advertising rules.Kansas officials announced Thursday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-legislature-betting-dodge-city-3dd926041924c63c3cdbf4ba950b1d98">legalized sports betting would begin</a>&nbsp;at four state-owned casinos on Sept. 1.Kansas Lottery Executive Director Stephen Durrell told KSHB-TV on Friday that he is confident the revisions will be made in time for the Sept. 1 target date.When Kansas lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-nfl-sports-professional-football-0f896b5eff7b9fdd0f0ca0b19e5825f1">approved sports wagering this year</a>, they removed oversight of proposed regulations from other state agencies, leaving only the attorney general's office to check for errors made "in the hurried drafting of regulations that affect millions of dollars in wagering activity, and we take that responsibility seriously,” Milburn said in the statement.The attorney general's office is expediting its review of proposed regulations submitted by the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission, Milburn said.

Kansas Lottery told to redo some sports betting regulations

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces felony charges for firing a weapon from one vehicle into another, injuring a passenger, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Jeremy D. Brown Jr. faces Unlawful Use of a Weapon and &nbsp;Armed Criminal Action charges.

According to court records, police officers responded on Aug. 15, on a reported shooting in Lee's Summit. On arrival, they contacted the juvenile victim, who was shot in the back. The victim was transported to the hospital. A witness told police that Brown was in confrontation with a group of people. That led to a chase and during that chase Brown fired a weapon from the vehicle into another vehicle. Detectives interviewed Brown who told them he fired up to eight shots from a vehicle. He stated he had no intention of hurting anyone but wanted to scare them.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660688455965.png" alt="Brown photo Lee's Summit Police" />
 <figcaption>Brown photo Lee's Summit Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces felony charges for firing a weapon from one vehicle into another, injuring a passenger, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Jeremy D. Brown Jr. faces Unlawful Use of a Weapon and &nbsp;Armed Criminal Action charges.According to court records, police officers responded on Aug. 15, on a reported shooting in Lee's Summit. On arrival, they contacted the juvenile victim, who was shot in the back. The victim was transported to the hospital. A witness told police that Brown was in confrontation with a group of people. That led to a chase and during that chase Brown fired a weapon from the vehicle into another vehicle. Detectives interviewed Brown who told them he fired up to eight shots from a vehicle. He stated he had no intention of hurting anyone but wanted to scare them.&nbsp;Prosecutors requested a bond of $75,000.

Kansas City man charged for firing a weapon into a vehicle

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Strict anti-abortion laws that took effect in Oklahoma this year led to the quick shuttering of every abortion facility in the state, but left questions for those who work directly with women who may seek their advice or help getting an abortion out of state.

Beyond the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-science-health-medication-lupus-e4042947e4cc0c45e38837d394199033">profound repercussions</a>&nbsp;the abortion laws are having on medical care, especially reproductive medicine, clergy members, social workers and even librarians have raised concerns about being exposed to criminal or civil liability for just discussing the topic.

Those fears are well-founded, says Joseph Thai, a professor at the University of Oklahoma who teaches about constitutional law and the Supreme Court. He described Oklahoma's new anti-abortion laws, which include both criminal and civil penalties, as the strictest in the nation so far and sweeping in both substance and scope.

The U.S. Supreme Court's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">decision in June</a>&nbsp;to overturn Roe v. Wade and remove women's constitutional right to abortion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-of-the-united-states-oklahoma-bills-courts-supreme-courts-e1618c050c757894c0579b1fb9143e2a">immediately triggered</a>&nbsp;a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=69402">1910 Oklahoma law</a>&nbsp;that makes it a felony, punishable by two to five years in prison, for every person who “advises" or provides any other means for a woman to procure an abortion. That law allows abortion only to save the mother's life.

“That all-encompassing language can make anyone and everyone who helps a woman get an abortion or provides information about access to abortion — including a spouse, another family member, a friend, a classmate or co-worker, a librarian, or even an Uber driver — a felon," Thai said. “Likewise, employers who have pledged to pay for their employees' abortions as part of their reproductive health coverage and their insurance companies face criminal liability."

Although Alabama, Arizona and Texas have laws prohibiting “aiding and abetting" a woman in getting an abortion, Oklahoma's is the strictest and the only one currently in effect, said Elizabeth Nash, a state policy analyst for the abortion-rights supporting Guttmacher Institute.

While former providers in Oklahoma may have halted abortions, they haven't stopped giving advice.

Emily Wales, CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said giving a pregnant woman information about abortion care is guarded under free speech protections in the Constitution.

“We’ve heard from providers who aren’t sure if they can make referrals, if they can even tell people to go to Planned Parenthood’s website or abortionfinder.com,” Wales said. “We don’t think there’s any controversy about being able to tell people what their options are and that they can access care in another state.”

Others, however, are more concerned. No charges have been filed in the seven weeks since the law against advising or helping a woman get an abortion went into effect and it's not known whether anyone is being investigated. Messages left with several Oklahoma prosecutors about how they plan to enforce the anti-abortion laws were not returned, and the head of the state's District Attorneys Council, Kathryn Boyle Brewer, said the issue hasn't been formally discussed by prosecutors at its regular meetings.

Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, an Oklahoma City Republican who wrote the trigger law, said he believes those who help a woman get an abortion should be prosecuted, although he said it's unlikely prosecutors would go after a pregnant woman's family members.

“Absolutely, if you’re going to aid and abet in a felony, you should be held responsible," Treat said. “Where the bigger issue is is where these corporations are offering to pay $4,000 to help you kill an unborn life and knowingly go around Oklahoma’s statutes.

“Since this has been in effect, there haven’t been any prosecutions. The good news is people are not having abortions in Oklahoma, and thus far there has not been a case where someone is aiding and abetting in such a way that can be prosecuted."

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-texas-oklahoma-ad37e8db8a0f3fd9f4fcd215f8a3ed0a">A separate law</a>&nbsp;passed by Oklahoma's Republican-controlled Legislature this year that was modeled on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-texas-courts-bills-health-adaf9baabf57a425c8596454286842d0">Texas law</a>&nbsp;allows anyone to sue “any person" who aids and abets a woman in getting an abortion and collect a minimum $10,000 award plus attorney fees.

“Notably, none of these criminal or civil laws limit their language to abortions performed in Oklahoma," Thai added. “So anyone in Oklahoma who helps a woman get an abortion outside of Oklahoma, such as in neighboring Kansas, arguably could be prosecuted or sued under these sweeping laws."

The Rev. Lori Walke, senior minister at Mayflower Congregational Church in Oklahoma City, said that's left some religious leaders wondering about their potential legal exposure for helping women navigate abortion services.

“Among my colleagues the conversation has been: `This is a risk we have to be willing to take because abortion bans are against our religion,' to put it directly," Walke said, adding that sometimes advocacy work by faith leaders includes the possibility of arrest and incarceration.

Similar concerns are being raised by social workers, many of whom believe a prohibition on advising women about abortion services conflicts with their code of ethics that requires them to respect a client's wishes, said Steven Pharris, head of Oklahoma's chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.

“The changes in laws have kind of criminalized a big part of what we do, so it's changed our role with clients," Pharris said. “It's created a chilling effect on what we can and can't say."

At one point,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/4axwqw/oklahoma-threatens-librarians-dont-use-the-word-abortion">librarians in Oklahoma City</a>&nbsp;were warned not to even say the word “abortion,” though that changed after the city library system’s team reviewed the laws, said Larry White, the system’s head.

White says staff has since been instructed to handle requests for information about abortion like any other reference question, where they provide factual, sourced information and answer questions about the subject. Some staffers remain uneasy, though.

“There are a lot of unknowns," White said. “We do not want to put our staff in any way in any danger of receiving civil liabilities under this law if we can prevent it. We also have an obligation to protect them and the organization from civil liability."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659746749113.png" alt="Emily Wales, CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said giving a pregnant woman information about abortion care is guarded under free speech protections in the Constitution." />
 <figcaption>Emily Wales, CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said giving a pregnant woman information about abortion care is guarded under free speech protections in the Constitution.</figcaption>
 </figure>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Strict anti-abortion laws that took effect in Oklahoma this year led to the quick shuttering of every abortion facility in the state, but left questions for those who work directly with women who may seek their advice or help getting an abortion out of state.Beyond the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-science-health-medication-lupus-e4042947e4cc0c45e38837d394199033">profound repercussions</a>&nbsp;the abortion laws are having on medical care, especially reproductive medicine, clergy members, social workers and even librarians have raised concerns about being exposed to criminal or civil liability for just discussing the topic.Those fears are well-founded, says Joseph Thai, a professor at the University of Oklahoma who teaches about constitutional law and the Supreme Court. He described Oklahoma's new anti-abortion laws, which include both criminal and civil penalties, as the strictest in the nation so far and sweeping in both substance and scope.The U.S. Supreme Court's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">decision in June</a>&nbsp;to overturn Roe v. Wade and remove women's constitutional right to abortion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-of-the-united-states-oklahoma-bills-courts-supreme-courts-e1618c050c757894c0579b1fb9143e2a">immediately triggered</a>&nbsp;a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=69402">1910 Oklahoma law</a>&nbsp;that makes it a felony, punishable by two to five years in prison, for every person who “advises" or provides any other means for a woman to procure an abortion. That law allows abortion only to save the mother's life.“That all-encompassing language can make anyone and everyone who helps a woman get an abortion or provides information about access to abortion — including a spouse, another family member, a friend, a classmate or co-worker, a librarian, or even an Uber driver — a felon," Thai said. “Likewise, employers who have pledged to pay for their employees' abortions as part of their reproductive health coverage and their insurance companies face criminal liability."Although Alabama, Arizona and Texas have laws prohibiting “aiding and abetting" a woman in getting an abortion, Oklahoma's is the strictest and the only one currently in effect, said Elizabeth Nash, a state policy analyst for the abortion-rights supporting Guttmacher Institute.While former providers in Oklahoma may have halted abortions, they haven't stopped giving advice.Emily Wales, CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said giving a pregnant woman information about abortion care is guarded under free speech protections in the Constitution.“We’ve heard from providers who aren’t sure if they can make referrals, if they can even tell people to go to Planned Parenthood’s website or abortionfinder.com,” Wales said. “We don’t think there’s any controversy about being able to tell people what their options are and that they can access care in another state.”Others, however, are more concerned. No charges have been filed in the seven weeks since the law against advising or helping a woman get an abortion went into effect and it's not known whether anyone is being investigated. Messages left with several Oklahoma prosecutors about how they plan to enforce the anti-abortion laws were not returned, and the head of the state's District Attorneys Council, Kathryn Boyle Brewer, said the issue hasn't been formally discussed by prosecutors at its regular meetings.Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, an Oklahoma City Republican who wrote the trigger law, said he believes those who help a woman get an abortion should be prosecuted, although he said it's unlikely prosecutors would go after a pregnant woman's family members.“Absolutely, if you’re going to aid and abet in a felony, you should be held responsible," Treat said. “Where the bigger issue is is where these corporations are offering to pay $4,000 to help you kill an unborn life and knowingly go around Oklahoma’s statutes.“Since this has been in effect, there haven’t been any prosecutions. The good news is people are not having abortions in Oklahoma, and thus far there has not been a case where someone is aiding and abetting in such a way that can be prosecuted."<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-texas-oklahoma-ad37e8db8a0f3fd9f4fcd215f8a3ed0a">A separate law</a>&nbsp;passed by Oklahoma's Republican-controlled Legislature this year that was modeled on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-texas-courts-bills-health-adaf9baabf57a425c8596454286842d0">Texas law</a>&nbsp;allows anyone to sue “any person" who aids and abets a woman in getting an abortion and collect a minimum $10,000 award plus attorney fees.“Notably, none of these criminal or civil laws limit their language to abortions performed in Oklahoma," Thai added. “So anyone in Oklahoma who helps a woman get an abortion outside of Oklahoma, such as in neighboring Kansas, arguably could be prosecuted or sued under these sweeping laws."The Rev. Lori Walke, senior minister at Mayflower Congregational Church in Oklahoma City, said that's left some religious leaders wondering about their potential legal exposure for helping women navigate abortion services.“Among my colleagues the conversation has been: `This is a risk we have to be willing to take because abortion bans are against our religion,' to put it directly," Walke said, adding that sometimes advocacy work by faith leaders includes the possibility of arrest and incarceration.Similar concerns are being raised by social workers, many of whom believe a prohibition on advising women about abortion services conflicts with their code of ethics that requires them to respect a client's wishes, said Steven Pharris, head of Oklahoma's chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.“The changes in laws have kind of criminalized a big part of what we do, so it's changed our role with clients," Pharris said. “It's created a chilling effect on what we can and can't say."At one point,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/4axwqw/oklahoma-threatens-librarians-dont-use-the-word-abortion">librarians in Oklahoma City</a>&nbsp;were warned not to even say the word “abortion,” though that changed after the city library system’s team reviewed the laws, said Larry White, the system’s head.White says staff has since been instructed to handle requests for information about abortion like any other reference question, where they provide factual, sourced information and answer questions about the subject. Some staffers remain uneasy, though.“There are a lot of unknowns," White said. “We do not want to put our staff in any way in any danger of receiving civil liabilities under this law if we can prevent it. We also have an obligation to protect them and the organization from civil liability."

Clergy, social workers fear fallout from new abortion laws

WASHINGTON (AP) —Instagram and Facebook suspended Children's Health Defense last week after the anti-vaccine group led by Robert Kennedy Jr. repeatedly violated rules prohibiting misinformation about COVID-19.

A nonprofit, Children's Health Defense is one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-pandemics-race-and-ethnicity-d140be878b1ef0c5a5cce3cfde71e69c">most influential anti-vaccine organizations</a>&nbsp;active on social media, where it has spread misleading claims about vaccines and other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-the-holocaust-anne-frank-51ff5b36a8d30636184ef3e6d2dce198">public health measures</a>&nbsp;designed to control the pandemic.

In a statement, Kennedy compared Facebook's actions to government censorship, even though Facebook is a private company that can set and enforce its own rules about misinformation.

“Facebook is acting here as a surrogate for the federal government’s crusade to silence all criticism of draconian government policies,” Kennedy said.

Children's Health Defense had hundreds of thousands of followers at the time of the suspension, according to a statement from the organization, which also noted that it has sued Facebook over its moderation policies.

Public health advocates and misinformation experts have criticized Facebook&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/the-facebook-papers-covid-vaccine-misinformation-c8bbc569be7cc2ca583dadb4236a0613">for not acting more swiftly</a>&nbsp;to contain potentially harmful misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines.

Karen Kornbluh, director of the Digital Innovation and Democracy Initiative at the German Marshall Fund, said too many groups like Children's Health Defense have been allowed to flourish on social media for too long. She noted that the group remains on Twitter.

“Today's step is too late and too little,” Kornbluh said, adding that tech companies must address the reasons misinformation spreads so readily on social media.

Facebook and Instagram confirmed the company action on Thursday in a statement to The Associated Press.

“We removed these accounts for repeatedly violating our policies,” a spokesman for Meta, Facebook and Instagram's parent company, told the AP. Under the platforms' policies, suspensions are typically only enforced after multiple violations.

Several state affiliates of Children’s Health Defense remain on Facebook and Instagram despite the ban of the national organization.&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/Thanks%20for%20reaching%20out.%20We%20removed%20these%20accounts%20for%20repeatedly%20violating%20our%20policies.">Kennedy was kicked off Instagram</a>&nbsp;last year but continues to keep an active account on Facebook.

WASHINGTON (AP) —Instagram and Facebook suspended Children's Health Defense last week after the anti-vaccine group led by Robert Kennedy Jr. repeatedly violated rules prohibiting misinformation about COVID-19.A nonprofit, Children's Health Defense is one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-pandemics-race-and-ethnicity-d140be878b1ef0c5a5cce3cfde71e69c">most influential anti-vaccine organizations</a>&nbsp;active on social media, where it has spread misleading claims about vaccines and other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-the-holocaust-anne-frank-51ff5b36a8d30636184ef3e6d2dce198">public health measures</a>&nbsp;designed to control the pandemic.In a statement, Kennedy compared Facebook's actions to government censorship, even though Facebook is a private company that can set and enforce its own rules about misinformation.“Facebook is acting here as a surrogate for the federal government’s crusade to silence all criticism of draconian government policies,” Kennedy said.Children's Health Defense had hundreds of thousands of followers at the time of the suspension, according to a statement from the organization, which also noted that it has sued Facebook over its moderation policies.Public health advocates and misinformation experts have criticized Facebook&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/the-facebook-papers-covid-vaccine-misinformation-c8bbc569be7cc2ca583dadb4236a0613">for not acting more swiftly</a>&nbsp;to contain potentially harmful misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines.Karen Kornbluh, director of the Digital Innovation and Democracy Initiative at the German Marshall Fund, said too many groups like Children's Health Defense have been allowed to flourish on social media for too long. She noted that the group remains on Twitter.“Today's step is too late and too little,” Kornbluh said, adding that tech companies must address the reasons misinformation spreads so readily on social media.Facebook and Instagram confirmed the company action on Thursday in a statement to The Associated Press.“We removed these accounts for repeatedly violating our policies,” a spokesman for Meta, Facebook and Instagram's parent company, told the AP. Under the platforms' policies, suspensions are typically only enforced after multiple violations.Several state affiliates of Children’s Health Defense remain on Facebook and Instagram despite the ban of the national organization.&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/Thanks%20for%20reaching%20out.%20We%20removed%20these%20accounts%20for%20repeatedly%20violating%20our%20policies.">Kennedy was kicked off Instagram</a>&nbsp;last year but continues to keep an active account on Facebook.

Anti-vaccine group kicked off Facebook, Instagram

WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with child pornography crimes.

Walter Haskin, 27, Cottonwood Falls, was indicted on one count of attempted distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, according to the United State's Attorney.

The Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force launched an investigation after Dropbox submitted a tip through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children hotline indicating the file sharing service said it had detected child pornography uploaded to an account, according to&nbsp; a criminal complaint.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Wichita Police Department are investigating the case.

In 2011, Haskin was convicted of criminal sexual assault in Illinois, according to the KBI offender registry.&nbsp; He has been listed as an offender since 2013.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660846648085.png" alt="Haskin-photo KBI Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Haskin-photo KBI Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with child pornography crimes.Walter Haskin, 27, Cottonwood Falls, was indicted on one count of attempted distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, according to the United State's Attorney.The Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force launched an investigation after Dropbox submitted a tip through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children hotline indicating the file sharing service said it had detected child pornography uploaded to an account, according to&nbsp; a criminal complaint.Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Wichita Police Department are investigating the case.In 2011, Haskin was convicted of criminal sexual assault in Illinois, according to the KBI offender registry.&nbsp; He has been listed as an offender since 2013.

Sex offender accused of child porn distribution in Kansas

SCOTT COUNTY—A Kansas teen died in an accident just before 11a.m. Saturday in Scott County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Mercury Mountaineer driven by Isaac Jeremiah Redburn, 18, Haviland, was southbound on Venison Road just north of Kansas 96.

The SUV entered the west ditch. The diver overcorrected, causing the vehicle to travel into the east ditch and roll.

The vehicle came to rest upside down after striking an irrigation motor.

Redburn was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp; Price and&nbsp; Sons Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

SCOTT COUNTY—A Kansas teen died in an accident just before 11a.m. Saturday in Scott County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Mercury Mountaineer driven by Isaac Jeremiah Redburn, 18, Haviland, was southbound on Venison Road just north of Kansas 96.The SUV entered the west ditch. The diver overcorrected, causing the vehicle to travel into the east ditch and roll.The vehicle came to rest upside down after striking an irrigation motor.Redburn was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp; Price and&nbsp; Sons Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas teen dies after SUV rollover crash

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Results from eight of nine Kansas counties that recounted ballots found fewer than 35 changed votes from the Aug. 2 election, when voters soundly rejected a proposed amendment that would have removed abortion rights from the state’s constitution.

The counties faced a 5 p.m. Saturday deadline to complete the hand recounts of ballots cast on Aug. 2. Eight counties finished on time but Sedgwick County officials said they would not meet the deadline.

Posted results for the eight counties found a total of 13 fewer votes for those favoring tighter abortion restrictions and 19 fewer votes for those wanting to keep existing abortion rights. Election officials attributed the changes to human error, such as voters making unclear marks on ballots.

A Sedgwick County spokeswoman said Saturday that after the counting was complete, the election commissioner found things she wanted to check again. It was unclear what the problems were or when the county would finish its recount.

The nine counties were required to hand recount the votes at the request of two anti-abortion activists who questioned election procedures but did not provide proof of any specific problems.

Initial statewide tallies showed the proposed amendment, which would have removed protections for abortion rights from the Kansas Constitution and allowed the Legislature to further restrict abortion or ban it, failed by 18 percentage points, or 165,000 votes.

Votes were recounted in Douglas County, home to the University of Kansas’ main campus; Johnson County, in suburban Kansas City; Sedgwick County, home to Wichita; Shawnee County, home to Topeka; and Crawford, Harvey, Jefferson, Lyon and Thomas counties. Abortion opponents lost all of those counties except Thomas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661035438136.png" alt="The nine counties were required to hand recount the votes at the request of two anti-abortion activists who questioned election procedures but did not provide proof of any specific problems.-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>The nine counties were required to hand recount the votes at the request of two anti-abortion activists who questioned election procedures but did not provide proof of any specific problems.-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Results from eight of nine Kansas counties that recounted ballots found fewer than 35 changed votes from the Aug. 2 election, when voters soundly rejected a proposed amendment that would have removed abortion rights from the state’s constitution.The counties faced a 5 p.m. Saturday deadline to complete the hand recounts of ballots cast on Aug. 2. Eight counties finished on time but Sedgwick County officials said they would not meet the deadline.Posted results for the eight counties found a total of 13 fewer votes for those favoring tighter abortion restrictions and 19 fewer votes for those wanting to keep existing abortion rights. Election officials attributed the changes to human error, such as voters making unclear marks on ballots.A Sedgwick County spokeswoman said Saturday that after the counting was complete, the election commissioner found things she wanted to check again. It was unclear what the problems were or when the county would finish its recount.The nine counties were required to hand recount the votes at the request of two anti-abortion activists who questioned election procedures but did not provide proof of any specific problems.Initial statewide tallies showed the proposed amendment, which would have removed protections for abortion rights from the Kansas Constitution and allowed the Legislature to further restrict abortion or ban it, failed by 18 percentage points, or 165,000 votes.Votes were recounted in Douglas County, home to the University of Kansas’ main campus; Johnson County, in suburban Kansas City; Sedgwick County, home to Wichita; Shawnee County, home to Topeka; and Crawford, Harvey, Jefferson, Lyon and Thomas counties. Abortion opponents lost all of those counties except Thomas.

Little change in Kansas abortion recall; 1 county missed deadline

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="http://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Rep. Gail Finney’s colleagues mourned her death Saturday and remembered the Wichita Democrat as a fierce advocate for child welfare, a warrior for justice, a champion for her community, and a shining example of a public servant.

Finney’s death was announced by fellow Democrats on social media. She was 63.

“Kansas lost a warrior today,” said Gov. Laura Kelly. “No one fought harder for her constituents, for her community, for justice and equity.”

House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer described Finney as “a real fighter,” noting that she continued to serve in the Legislature this past session while recovering from a kidney transplant. Sawyer, who is also a Wichita Democrat, said Finney’s “love for Wichita knew no bounds.”

“Finney was a shining example of a public servant,” Sawyer said. “Her ongoing work to ensure her community’s proper representation in Topeka reflected an admirable commitment to her neighbors and community.”

Finney had served in the House since 2009 and did not file for reelection this year. She was a member of committees that deal with criminal justice reform, financial institutions, rural development, and insurance and pensions.

Finney fought for foster care reforms,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/09/21/two-kansas-lawmakers-walking-long-road-to-legalizing-medicinal-marijuana/">decriminalizing marijuana</a>, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/01/13/kansas-bill-advocates-more-reporting-on-racial-elements-of-black-maternal-deaths/">improved accounting for maternal deaths</a>.

“My heart is breaking,” said&nbsp;Rep. Susan Concannon, a Beloit Republican who serves as chairwoman of the Children and Seniors Committee. “Rep. Finney was a fierce advocate for child welfare issues and a foster parent herself.”

Rep. Stephanie Clayton, an Overland Park Democrat, said Finney was “whip-smart, funny and tough,” and “a shining example of constituent advocacy.”

<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/14/the-kansas-legislatures-addiction-to-gut-and-go-should-make-everyone-sick/">Finney took on Evergy</a>&nbsp;after the utility giant replaced wooden poles directly in front of his constituents’ homes with massive metal ones, some five feet wide and 105 feet tall. Finney’s public scrutiny of the “big ass poles,” as she called them, led Evergy to renegotiate with property owners and make other investments in Finney’s district.

Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, said Finney championed her community and stood up for those who were overlooked in the legislative process.

“She was a wonderful colleague to all, a cherished friend to many, and an incomparable advocate for our state,” Sykes said.

Sen. Jeff Pittman, a Leavenworth Democrat who served with Finney in the House for four years, said Finney “understood what it meant to persevere through adversity.”

“I enjoyed working with her to make the world a more just place and will miss her,” Pittman said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661028918371.png" alt="Rep. Gail Finney, a Wichita Democrat, calls for improved accounting of maternal deaths during a news conference on Jan. 13, 2021, at the Statehouse in Topeka. Democrats announced Finney’s death on Saturday. She was 63. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Gail Finney, a Wichita Democrat, calls for improved accounting of maternal deaths during a news conference on Jan. 13, 2021, at the Statehouse in Topeka. Democrats announced Finney’s death on Saturday. She was 63. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="http://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Rep. Gail Finney’s colleagues mourned her death Saturday and remembered the Wichita Democrat as a fierce advocate for child welfare, a warrior for justice, a champion for her community, and a shining example of a public servant.Finney’s death was announced by fellow Democrats on social media. She was 63.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Kansas lost a warrior today. No one fought harder for her constituents, for her community, for justice and equity. Rest In Peace, Representative Finney. <a href="https://t.co/KPirkaQ9VJ">pic.twitter.com/KPirkaQ9VJ</a>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1560996677787734016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Kansas lost a warrior today,” said Gov. Laura Kelly. “No one fought harder for her constituents, for her community, for justice and equity.”House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer described Finney as “a real fighter,” noting that she continued to serve in the Legislature this past session while recovering from a kidney transplant. Sawyer, who is also a Wichita Democrat, said Finney’s “love for Wichita knew no bounds.”“Finney was a shining example of a public servant,” Sawyer said. “Her ongoing work to ensure her community’s proper representation in Topeka reflected an admirable commitment to her neighbors and community.”Finney had served in the House since 2009 and did not file for reelection this year. She was a member of committees that deal with criminal justice reform, financial institutions, rural development, and insurance and pensions.Finney fought for foster care reforms,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/09/21/two-kansas-lawmakers-walking-long-road-to-legalizing-medicinal-marijuana/">decriminalizing marijuana</a>, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/01/13/kansas-bill-advocates-more-reporting-on-racial-elements-of-black-maternal-deaths/">improved accounting for maternal deaths</a>.“My heart is breaking,” said&nbsp;Rep. Susan Concannon, a Beloit Republican who serves as chairwoman of the Children and Seniors Committee. “Rep. Finney was a fierce advocate for child welfare issues and a foster parent herself.”Rep. Stephanie Clayton, an Overland Park Democrat, said Finney was “whip-smart, funny and tough,” and “a shining example of constituent advocacy.”<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/14/the-kansas-legislatures-addiction-to-gut-and-go-should-make-everyone-sick/">Finney took on Evergy</a>&nbsp;after the utility giant replaced wooden poles directly in front of his constituents’ homes with massive metal ones, some five feet wide and 105 feet tall. Finney’s public scrutiny of the “big ass poles,” as she called them, led Evergy to renegotiate with property owners and make other investments in Finney’s district.Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, said Finney championed her community and stood up for those who were overlooked in the legislative process.“She was a wonderful colleague to all, a cherished friend to many, and an incomparable advocate for our state,” Sykes said.Sen. Jeff Pittman, a Leavenworth Democrat who served with Finney in the House for four years, said Finney “understood what it meant to persevere through adversity.”“I enjoyed working with her to make the world a more just place and will miss her,” Pittman said.

Kan. Rep. Gail Finney remembered as champion for Wichita, warrior for justice

By ELAINE S. POVICH <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2022/08/15/state-attorneys-general-unite-against-robocalls">Stateline</a>

Nothing has been able to kill scam robocalls — not federal 
regulation, not individual state lawsuits, not private software. Each 
effort has made a dent, but the unwanted calls keep on coming, much to 
the consternation of Americans on the receiving end.

Now, all 50 state attorneys general, Republicans and Democrats, have 
come together through a newly formed task force to go after U.S. 
telecommunications companies that allow robocalls originating overseas 
to reach their customers.

Stopping nuisance calls from foreign countries has been particularly 
challenging. The AGs have put telecom companies on notice that they must
 stop the scam calls before they go through to customers, or face 
prosecution. Experts say that strategy just might work. 

“Technology has advanced to the point so AGs can see when telecom 
carriers are carrying illegal traffic,” said Alex Quilici, CEO of 
YouMail, a robocall-blocking software company that keeps track of 
robocalling in the United States. 

“The problem has been that the [Federal Communications Commission] 
fines someone … one at a time, or one AG shuts down a carrier,” he said.
 “Now, it’s 50 going after them and 50 court proceedings and 50 fines. 
I’m optimistic that this will make some impact. Enforcement really is 
key.” 

Further, Quilici said, by coordinating lawsuits, the attorneys 
general make it more expensive for the robocaller companies, which 
earlier had calculated the cost of individual court cases into their 
cost of doing business. “The key thing you want to do is raise the cost 
for the robocaller,” he said.

As an example, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein in January 
sued telephone service provider Articul8 for allegedly facilitating 
illegal and fraudulent telemarketing phone calls in his state. Stein 
alleges the company sent 65 million fraud calls to his constituents in 
just a few months.

Now, Stein, a Democrat, and GOP attorneys general Todd Rokita of 
Indiana and Dave Yost of Ohio are leading the effort to coordinate 
similar suits against telecom providers on a 50-state (plus the District
 of Columbia) basis by forming an Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force. 

As its first act, the task force this month issued 20 investigative 
requests to 20 companies that are “allegedly responsible for a majority 
of foreign robocall traffic,” Stein said. 

Rokita, in a news release, pointed out that robocalls “aren't just a 
Hoosier problem. They are a nationwide problem.” He put the telecom 
industry on notice that if it “won't police itself, this unprecedented 
task force will."

State attorneys general have taken some coordinated actions in the 
past few years, such as calling on internet resellers like eBay Inc. <a href="https://www.naag.org/policy-letter/vaccination-cards/">to stop selling</a> fake COVID-19 vaccination cards and <a href="https://www.naag.org/policy-letter/attorneys-general-raise-concern-about-illegal-alcohol-sales-online">raising concerns</a> about illegal alcohol sales online. And together, they’ve <a href="https://www.naag.org/policy-letter/bipartisan-coalition-of-52-attorneys-general-send-ustelecom-letter-outlining-plan-to-strengthen-illegal-robocall-enforcement/">pushed companies</a> to beef up anti-robocalling technology.

But mostly the attorneys general have split along party lines. The 
Republican AGs association, for example, was on the winning side in its 
“friend of the court” brief <a href="https://republicanags.com/2021/06/17/republican-ags-win-unanimous-victory-for-religious-liberty-at-scotus/">supporting</a>
 a lawsuit in Pennsylvania arguing that religious institutions that ban 
same-sex foster parents should be allowed to take part in Philadelphia’s
 foster care system.

And the Democratic AGs issued a <a href="https://dems.ag/democratic-attorneys-general-praise-biden-harris-administrations-executive-order-on-reproductive-healthcare-access/">statement</a> this month praising President Joe Biden’s executive order aimed at protecting some abortion rights.

“I think we can give all the credit to the robocallers,” said former Maine Attorney General James Tierney, founder of <a href="https://www.stateag.org/">StateAG.org</a>,
 an educational group that studies the offices of state attorneys 
general. “They have been able to do the politically impossible feat: 
They have been able to unite the attorneys general when they don’t unite
 on anything else. I don’t know who they are, or what country they are 
in, but everybody hates robocallers.

“They [the AGs] are going to lose the pro-robocall vote, but I think 
they are willing to take the risk,” said Tierney, a Democrat. 

Some government actions have seemed to reduce the scourge a bit, but 
not enough to get rid of constituent hate for the scam calls. (There is 
some legitimate “opt-in” automatic calling, such as when schools notify 
parents of a snow day, for example.) 

The National Consumer Law Center and the Electronic Privacy Information Center <a href="https://www.nclc.org/issues/energy-utilities-a-communications/scam-robocalls-will-continue-until-telecom-providers-no-longer-profit-from-them.html">found</a> that in 2021, about 60 million Americans were bilked out of $29 billion by scam robocalls and texts.&nbsp;

YouMail reported that American phones got just over 3.8 billion 
robocalls in July, a nearly 12% decrease from June. That was due mostly 
to the July Fourth holiday and one extra weekend in the month, Quilici 
said. He said robocalling is notably down on weekends and holidays. 
Still, in July, there were an average 123.1 million calls a day, YouMail
 reported. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660916830378.png" alt="All 50 state attorneys general, Republicans and Democrats, have come together through a newly formed task force to go after U.S. telecommunications companies that allow robocalls originating overseas to reach their customers. That includes Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, pictured here in 2021 (photo courtesy of the Attorney General's office)." />
 <figcaption>All 50 state attorneys general, Republicans and Democrats, have come together through a newly formed task force to go after U.S. telecommunications companies that allow robocalls originating overseas to reach their customers. That includes Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, pictured here in 2021 (photo courtesy of the Attorney General's office).</figcaption>
 </figure>By ELAINE S. POVICH <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2022/08/15/state-attorneys-general-unite-against-robocalls">Stateline</a>Nothing has been able to kill scam robocalls — not federal 
regulation, not individual state lawsuits, not private software. Each 
effort has made a dent, but the unwanted calls keep on coming, much to 
the consternation of Americans on the receiving end.Now, all 50 state attorneys general, Republicans and Democrats, have 
come together through a newly formed task force to go after U.S. 
telecommunications companies that allow robocalls originating overseas 
to reach their customers.Stopping nuisance calls from foreign countries has been particularly 
challenging. The AGs have put telecom companies on notice that they must
 stop the scam calls before they go through to customers, or face 
prosecution. Experts say that strategy just might work. “Technology has advanced to the point so AGs can see when telecom 
carriers are carrying illegal traffic,” said Alex Quilici, CEO of 
YouMail, a robocall-blocking software company that keeps track of 
robocalling in the United States. “The problem has been that the [Federal Communications Commission] 
fines someone … one at a time, or one AG shuts down a carrier,” he said.
 “Now, it’s 50 going after them and 50 court proceedings and 50 fines. 
I’m optimistic that this will make some impact. Enforcement really is 
key.” Further, Quilici said, by coordinating lawsuits, the attorneys 
general make it more expensive for the robocaller companies, which 
earlier had calculated the cost of individual court cases into their 
cost of doing business. “The key thing you want to do is raise the cost 
for the robocaller,” he said.As an example, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein in January 
sued telephone service provider Articul8 for allegedly facilitating 
illegal and fraudulent telemarketing phone calls in his state. Stein 
alleges the company sent 65 million fraud calls to his constituents in 
just a few months.Now, Stein, a Democrat, and GOP attorneys general Todd Rokita of 
Indiana and Dave Yost of Ohio are leading the effort to coordinate 
similar suits against telecom providers on a 50-state (plus the District
 of Columbia) basis by forming an Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force. As its first act, the task force this month issued 20 investigative 
requests to 20 companies that are “allegedly responsible for a majority 
of foreign robocall traffic,” Stein said. Rokita, in a news release, pointed out that robocalls “aren't just a 
Hoosier problem. They are a nationwide problem.” He put the telecom 
industry on notice that if it “won't police itself, this unprecedented 
task force will."State attorneys general have taken some coordinated actions in the 
past few years, such as calling on internet resellers like eBay Inc. <a href="https://www.naag.org/policy-letter/vaccination-cards/">to stop selling</a> fake COVID-19 vaccination cards and <a href="https://www.naag.org/policy-letter/attorneys-general-raise-concern-about-illegal-alcohol-sales-online">raising concerns</a> about illegal alcohol sales online. And together, they’ve <a href="https://www.naag.org/policy-letter/bipartisan-coalition-of-52-attorneys-general-send-ustelecom-letter-outlining-plan-to-strengthen-illegal-robocall-enforcement/">pushed companies</a> to beef up anti-robocalling technology. But mostly the attorneys general have split along party lines. The 
Republican AGs association, for example, was on the winning side in its 
“friend of the court” brief <a href="https://republicanags.com/2021/06/17/republican-ags-win-unanimous-victory-for-religious-liberty-at-scotus/">supporting</a>
 a lawsuit in Pennsylvania arguing that religious institutions that ban 
same-sex foster parents should be allowed to take part in Philadelphia’s
 foster care system. And the Democratic AGs issued a <a href="https://dems.ag/democratic-attorneys-general-praise-biden-harris-administrations-executive-order-on-reproductive-healthcare-access/">statement</a> this month praising President Joe Biden’s executive order aimed at protecting some abortion rights. But they all hate robocalls. “I think we can give all the credit to the robocallers,” said former Maine Attorney General James Tierney, founder of <a href="https://www.stateag.org/">StateAG.org</a>,
 an educational group that studies the offices of state attorneys 
general. “They have been able to do the politically impossible feat: 
They have been able to unite the attorneys general when they don’t unite
 on anything else. I don’t know who they are, or what country they are 
in, but everybody hates robocallers.“They [the AGs] are going to lose the pro-robocall vote, but I think 
they are willing to take the risk,” said Tierney, a Democrat. Some government actions have seemed to reduce the scourge a bit, but 
not enough to get rid of constituent hate for the scam calls. (There is 
some legitimate “opt-in” automatic calling, such as when schools notify 
parents of a snow day, for example.) The National Consumer Law Center and the Electronic Privacy Information Center <a href="https://www.nclc.org/issues/energy-utilities-a-communications/scam-robocalls-will-continue-until-telecom-providers-no-longer-profit-from-them.html">found</a> that in 2021, about 60 million Americans were bilked out of $29 billion by scam robocalls and texts.&nbsp; YouMail reported that American phones got just over 3.8 billion 
robocalls in July, a nearly 12% decrease from June. That was due mostly 
to the July Fourth holiday and one extra weekend in the month, Quilici 
said. He said robocalling is notably down on weekends and holidays. 
Still, in July, there were an average 123.1 million calls a day, YouMail
 reported. But the reported decrease in calls in July might be misleading, 
YouMail said in its report, as many robocalls go undetected because of a
 regulatory quirk related to so-called spoofed numbers. &nbsp;A spoofed number appears to be a legitimate number, likely one with a
 local area code and exchange, but is actually falsified information 
showing on the Caller ID to disguise where the call is coming from. 
Quilici said the FCC’s Stir/Shaken program — a digital verification <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/call-authentication">system</a>
 that makes it easier to identify spoofed or fake numbers — is driving 
down the number of obvious spoofed calls, but there may be many others 
that are going undetected. Large carriers such as Verizon have implemented Stir/Shaken for a 
couple of years. The AGs are focusing on smaller carriers, such as the 
one Stein sued, which only came under the program in June, so its effect
 is not obvious yet. “Verizon is a strong advocate of tracking down and shutting down 
sources of illegal robocalls and we stand ready to help law enforcement 
with that goal,” Verizon spokesperson Rich Young said in an email to Stateline. Louis Jacobson, who writes about attorneys general for University of 
Virginia professor Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball website, said political 
polarization among attorneys general has increased in recent years. 
“There’s not as much cooperation, especially on high profile issues,” he
 said in a phone interview. “There is mostly partisan alignment.”
Still, he added: “While I think that general partisan division is still 
in force, robocall is the kind of thing that everyone can get behind 
stopping. There’s no political downside.”Stateline is an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts.