SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and looking for a suspect.

Just before 3 a.m. on Sunday, police responded to the report of a shooting at 1215 N. Westview in the city of Derby, according to a statement from the city.

Officers located several witnesses to the shooting and one adult male who was suffering from a gunshot wound. EMS transported the victim to a local hospital where he died.

Police are looking for a suspect described as a Black male, approximately mid 20s, with a slender build. He has a street name of “D” or possibly “Dee”. &nbsp;

Anyone who knows the identity of this person should contact the Derby Police&nbsp; at 788-1557, 911 or Crime Stoppers at 267-2111. Please do not try to approach or apprehend this person. &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661726235566.png" alt="Dee-photo City of Derby" />
 <figcaption>Dee-photo City of Derby</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and looking for a suspect.Just before 3 a.m. on Sunday, police responded to the report of a shooting at 1215 N. Westview in the city of Derby, according to a statement from the city.Officers located several witnesses to the shooting and one adult male who was suffering from a gunshot wound. EMS transported the victim to a local hospital where he died.Police are looking for a suspect described as a Black male, approximately mid 20s, with a slender build. He has a street name of “D” or possibly “Dee”. &nbsp;Anyone who knows the identity of this person should contact the Derby Police&nbsp; at 788-1557, 911 or Crime Stoppers at 267-2111. Please do not try to approach or apprehend this person. &nbsp;

Police search for suspect after killing at Kansas home

JOHNSON COUNTY—Authorities are working to determine the cause of a fire at a horse stable in northeast Kansas.

Just after 4p.m. Sunday, crews from, Overland Park, Olathe and Johnson County Fire District 1 responded to a fire in a large horse stable and arena in the 12600 Block of West 183rd Street.&nbsp;

As crews arrived they found heavy smoke. People and horses had evacuated. Crews attacked the large fire on the east side of the facility where the stables were located.

A second alarm was called due to the size of the fire and extreme heat conditions. It took firefighters two hours to bring the fire under control. The horse stable was completely destroyed. The arena suffered moderate fire and smoke damage.There were no injuries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661768592945.png" alt="Photos courtesy Overland Park Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photos courtesy Overland Park Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—Authorities are working to determine the cause of a fire at a horse stable in northeast Kansas.Just after 4p.m. Sunday, crews from, Overland Park, Olathe and Johnson County Fire District 1 responded to a fire in a large horse stable and arena in the 12600 Block of West 183rd Street.&nbsp;As crews arrived they found heavy smoke. People and horses had evacuated. Crews attacked the large fire on the east side of the facility where the stables were located.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661768619297.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>A second alarm was called due to the size of the fire and extreme heat conditions. It took firefighters two hours to bring the fire under control. The horse stable was completely destroyed. The arena suffered moderate fire and smoke damage.There were no injuries.

2 alarm fire destroys horse stable in Kansas

Unjustified backtracking leaves families on wrong side of digital divide 

WASHINGTON — In a recent move, FCC leadership abruptly reversed the agency’s decision to issue Elon Musk’s Starlink an $885 million infrastructure award that Starlink had won at an FCC auction in 2020, and it did so without a vote or authorization from the agency’s Commissioners. 

 As the winning bidder, Starlink had a commitment to provide high-speed Internet service to 642,925 unserved rural homes and businesses across 35 states.  Instead, many of those families and communities will now be stuck waiting on the wrong the side of the digital divide.  While the agency had limited remit to review the 2020 award, its decision here plainly exceeds the scope of that authority.  More broadly, this agency action mirrors a broader set of infrastructure missteps by the Administration—ones that Carr has previously highlighted.

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr issued the following statement:

“I was surprised to find out by an FCC press release issued earlier this month that agency leadership had suddenly reversed course on an $885 million infrastructure award that Elon Musk’s Starlink won in 2020 to provide high-speed Internet service to unconnected Americans.  The agency’s decision here mirrors the Administration’s broader set of infrastructure missteps by costing taxpayer dollars while leaving rural communities behind.

“As an initial matter, this a very curious outcome because the reasons the agency offers for backtracking on this infrastructure decision do not withstand even casual scrutiny.  Indeed, the reversal constitutes clear error and plainly exceeds agency authority.

“First, the FCC’s announcement claims that the agency is acting to ‘avoid extensive delays in providing needed service to rural areas.’  Yet that is exactly the outcome that this decision ensures.  The FCC’s 2020 award to Starlink secured a commitment for the delivery of high-speed Internet service to 642,925 unserved rural homes and businesses across 35 states.  By reversing course, the FCC has just chosen to vaporize that commitment and replace it with .&nbsp;.&nbsp;. nothing.  That’s a decision to leave families waiting on the wrong side of the digital divide when we have the technology to get them high-speed service today.

“Second, the agency decision casts aspersion on the Starlink system in turning heel on the Commission’s 2020 award—calling the technology “risky” and “still developing.”  But those arguments do not bear out.  To start, the one set of speed test data the FCC cites shows that Starlink’s speeds have increased significantly year over year, not decreased over that time period.  And in any event, the relevant speed benchmarks that the full Commission imposed in 2020 on Starlink and all other infrastructure award winners do not kick in for another three years.  Particularly given the speeds Starlink is already offering and the pace with which it is continuing to launch satellites, the FCC’s decision offers no reasoned basis for determining that Starlink was incapable of meeting its regulatory obligations.  In fact, Starlink is already exceeding those benchmark speeds in other countries where their services are online.  Indeed, the skepticism the FCC expresses here is odd because it is in direct conflict with the confidence expressed by other components of the federal government—including the Air Force, which just inked a nearly $2 million deal with Starlink to deliver high-speed Internet service to military bases.  In the end, this action reads as an untimely and improper effort to revisit the full Commission’s 2020 decision to allow satellite providers to compete for awards, rather than the limited review authorized.

“Third, the agency cites Starlink’s price point in denying it this universal service award.  Yet right now, the FCC is providing universal service awards for far slower Internet services that cost consumers far more.  Indeed, when I learned about the FCC’s decision while on a work trip to Napakiak, Alaska, I heard from residents there and in surrounding villages that are paying hundreds of dollars every single month for services supported by the FCC’s universal service awards that deliver speeds less than 1/10th of Starlink’s.  Moreover, the 2020 Commission-level decision governing the Starlink award and similar ones did not authorize staff to deny a winning bid based on equipment price point considerations—let alone based on an arbitrary one selectively applied to one winner.  As such, the denial here is without a lawful basis.

“Fourth, this agency decision will hit taxpayers in their pocketbooks.  To the extent the federal government ever makes another commitment to serve these communities, it will cost us orders of magnitude more money to do so.  Indeed, while the Commission’s 2020 award secured a deal to bring high-speed service to all of these areas for $885 million in support, extending high-speed fiber lines to these same areas will likely cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $3 billion based on past bidding patterns and analysis—more once you start accounting for inflation.

“The problems compound from there.  After all, there is a limited pot of federal infrastructure dollars, and we are now far more likely to exhaust those resources before getting every American connected. 

“More broadly, though, this decision reflects many of the same missteps that the Administration has been making as it implements federal broadband infrastructure programs.  We should correct course, adopt a technology neutral approach, and in doing so ensure that we prioritize the needs of Americans that remain unserved today.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/9/1569445831519.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Unjustified backtracking leaves families on wrong side of digital divide </h2>WASHINGTON — In a recent move, FCC leadership abruptly reversed the agency’s decision to issue Elon Musk’s Starlink an $885 million infrastructure award that Starlink had won at an FCC auction in 2020, and it did so without a vote or authorization from the agency’s Commissioners. As the winning bidder, Starlink had a commitment to provide high-speed Internet service to 642,925 unserved rural homes and businesses across 35 states. Instead, many of those families and communities will now be stuck waiting on the wrong the side of the digital divide. While the agency had limited remit to review the 2020 award, its decision here plainly exceeds the scope of that authority. More broadly, this agency action mirrors a broader set of infrastructure missteps by the Administration—ones that Carr has previously highlighted.FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr issued the following statement:“I was surprised to find out by an FCC press release issued earlier this month that agency leadership had suddenly reversed course on an $885 million infrastructure award that Elon Musk’s Starlink won in 2020 to provide high-speed Internet service to unconnected Americans. The agency’s decision here mirrors the Administration’s broader set of infrastructure missteps by costing taxpayer dollars while leaving rural communities behind.“As an initial matter, this a very curious outcome because the reasons the agency offers for backtracking on this infrastructure decision do not withstand even casual scrutiny. Indeed, the reversal constitutes clear error and plainly exceeds agency authority.“First, the FCC’s announcement claims that the agency is acting to ‘avoid extensive delays in providing needed service to rural areas.’ Yet that is exactly the outcome that this decision ensures. The FCC’s 2020 award to Starlink secured a commitment for the delivery of high-speed Internet service to 642,925 unserved rural homes and businesses across 35 states. By reversing course, the FCC has just chosen to vaporize that commitment and replace it with .&nbsp;.&nbsp;. nothing. That’s a decision to leave families waiting on the wrong side of the digital divide when we have the technology to get them high-speed service today.“Second, the agency decision casts aspersion on the Starlink system in turning heel on the Commission’s 2020 award—calling the technology “risky” and “still developing.” But those arguments do not bear out. To start, the one set of speed test data the FCC cites shows that Starlink’s speeds have increased significantly year over year, not decreased over that time period. And in any event, the relevant speed benchmarks that the full Commission imposed in 2020 on Starlink and all other infrastructure award winners do not kick in for another three years. Particularly given the speeds Starlink is already offering and the pace with which it is continuing to launch satellites, the FCC’s decision offers no reasoned basis for determining that Starlink was incapable of meeting its regulatory obligations. In fact, Starlink is already exceeding those benchmark speeds in other countries where their services are online. Indeed, the skepticism the FCC expresses here is odd because it is in direct conflict with the confidence expressed by other components of the federal government—including the Air Force, which just inked a nearly $2 million deal with Starlink to deliver high-speed Internet service to military bases. In the end, this action reads as an untimely and improper effort to revisit the full Commission’s 2020 decision to allow satellite providers to compete for awards, rather than the limited review authorized.“Third, the agency cites Starlink’s price point in denying it this universal service award. Yet right now, the FCC is providing universal service awards for far slower Internet services that cost consumers far more. Indeed, when I learned about the FCC’s decision while on a work trip to Napakiak, Alaska, I heard from residents there and in surrounding villages that are paying hundreds of dollars every single month for services supported by the FCC’s universal service awards that deliver speeds less than 1/10th of Starlink’s. Moreover, the 2020 Commission-level decision governing the Starlink award and similar ones did not authorize staff to deny a winning bid based on equipment price point considerations—let alone based on an arbitrary one selectively applied to one winner. As such, the denial here is without a lawful basis.“Fourth, this agency decision will hit taxpayers in their pocketbooks. To the extent the federal government ever makes another commitment to serve these communities, it will cost us orders of magnitude more money to do so. Indeed, while the Commission’s 2020 award secured a deal to bring high-speed service to all of these areas for $885 million in support, extending high-speed fiber lines to these same areas will likely cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $3 billion based on past bidding patterns and analysis—more once you start accounting for inflation.“The problems compound from there. After all, there is a limited pot of federal infrastructure dollars, and we are now far more likely to exhaust those resources before getting every American connected. “More broadly, though, this decision reflects many of the same missteps that the Administration has been making as it implements federal broadband infrastructure programs. We should correct course, adopt a technology neutral approach, and in doing so ensure that we prioritize the needs of Americans that remain unserved today.”

FCC commissioner: Starlink reversal leaves underserved behind

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man who injured two United States deputy marshals by crashing into them while attempting to flee in a stolen truck was sentenced in federal court today for forcibly resisting federal law enforcement officers, according to the United State's Attorney.

Ray E. Clevenger, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole.

On Jan. 5, 2022, Clevenger pleaded guilty to two counts of forcibly resisting a federal law enforcement officer.

Law enforcement officers located Clevenger, who was being sought on a state felony arrest warrant, at a Quality Inn in Kansas City, Mo., on Dec. 30, 2020. Clevenger left his hotel room shortly after noon with a woman and got into a Ford Explorer, which was later identified as stolen. Officers activated their flashing multi-colored police emergency lights and sirens as they approached Clevenger.

Clevenger quickly accelerated the Explorer from the parking space it had been backed into, and struck the front of a police vehicle. Clevenger continued to attempt to escape while recklessly driving the Explorer at a high rate of speed. Clevenger drove across the hotel’s parking lot with his tires squealing and drove near the exit on the west side of the property. A federal deputy marshal attempted to prevent Clevenger from leaving the parking lot by positioning his police vehicle in front of the exit and striking the Ford Explorer, causing Clevenger to lose control of his vehicle. Clevenger regained control of the vehicle, then fled across the hotel’s lawn and sidewalk toward the east side of the property. Another deputy marshal struck Clevenger’s vehicle on the passenger rear wheel well to prevent his escape. Clevenger continued to flee and returned to the west side of the property, where he rammed one of the police vehicles for the second time with enough force to push the SUV into a fence that surrounded the parking lot. Clevenger pushed the police vehicle with enough force that it also struck another police vehicle, which in turn struck a deputy marshal who was on foot.

Clevenger’s vehicle then stopped, and he was arrested. Officers searched Clevenger’s stolen vehicle and found a Springfield .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun that had been reported stolen, loaded with an extended magazine, a makeup case that contained approximately 69 grams of methamphetamine and marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.

The two deputy marshals suffered physical injuries because of Clevenger’s reckless driving while attempting to avoid arrest. Those injuries required one of the deputy marshals to be treated by emergency medical officials at the scene. The other deputy marshal was provided medical care and instructed to seek follow-up medical care.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641484652823.png" alt="Clevenger photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Clevenger photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man who injured two United States deputy marshals by crashing into them while attempting to flee in a stolen truck was sentenced in federal court today for forcibly resisting federal law enforcement officers, according to the United State's Attorney.Ray E. Clevenger, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole.On Jan. 5, 2022, Clevenger pleaded guilty to two counts of forcibly resisting a federal law enforcement officer.Law enforcement officers located Clevenger, who was being sought on a state felony arrest warrant, at a Quality Inn in Kansas City, Mo., on Dec. 30, 2020. Clevenger left his hotel room shortly after noon with a woman and got into a Ford Explorer, which was later identified as stolen. Officers activated their flashing multi-colored police emergency lights and sirens as they approached Clevenger.Clevenger quickly accelerated the Explorer from the parking space it had been backed into, and struck the front of a police vehicle. Clevenger continued to attempt to escape while recklessly driving the Explorer at a high rate of speed. Clevenger drove across the hotel’s parking lot with his tires squealing and drove near the exit on the west side of the property. A federal deputy marshal attempted to prevent Clevenger from leaving the parking lot by positioning his police vehicle in front of the exit and striking the Ford Explorer, causing Clevenger to lose control of his vehicle. Clevenger regained control of the vehicle, then fled across the hotel’s lawn and sidewalk toward the east side of the property. Another deputy marshal struck Clevenger’s vehicle on the passenger rear wheel well to prevent his escape. Clevenger continued to flee and returned to the west side of the property, where he rammed one of the police vehicles for the second time with enough force to push the SUV into a fence that surrounded the parking lot. Clevenger pushed the police vehicle with enough force that it also struck another police vehicle, which in turn struck a deputy marshal who was on foot.Clevenger’s vehicle then stopped, and he was arrested. Officers searched Clevenger’s stolen vehicle and found a Springfield .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun that had been reported stolen, loaded with an extended magazine, a makeup case that contained approximately 69 grams of methamphetamine and marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.The two deputy marshals suffered physical injuries because of Clevenger’s reckless driving while attempting to avoid arrest. Those injuries required one of the deputy marshals to be treated by emergency medical officials at the scene. The other deputy marshal was provided medical care and instructed to seek follow-up medical care.

KC man sentenced for crash in stolen SUV into U.S Marshals

MITCHELL COUNTY —A small earthquake shook portions of north-central Kansas Sunday.

The quake just before 2p.m. measured a magnitude 2.7, according to the U.S. Geological Survey and was centered approximately 3 miles northwest of Cawker City. The Kansas Geological Survey initially reported the quake a magnitude 3.3.

There were no reports of damage or injury, according to the Mitchell County sheriff's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661736593179.png" alt="Location of the quake-Image U.S. Geological Survey" />
 <figcaption>Location of the quake-Image U.S. Geological Survey</figcaption>
 </figure>MITCHELL COUNTY —A small earthquake shook portions of north-central Kansas Sunday.The quake just before 2p.m. measured a magnitude 2.7, according to the U.S. Geological Survey and was centered approximately 3 miles northwest of Cawker City. The Kansas Geological Survey initially reported the quake a magnitude 3.3.There were no reports of damage or injury, according to the Mitchell County sheriff's office.

Small earthquake shakes north-central Kansas

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges after a traffic stop.

Just after 1a.m. Friday, a sheriff's deputy stopped a 2009 Jeep Compass near 150th and Q. Road for an alleged traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

An occupant of the vehicle, allegedly attempted to discard a meth pipe in the ditch during the stop.

 A  search of the Jeep led to the discovery of more contraband.&nbsp; Deputies arrested and booked Barbara Michelle Morris, 39, of Olathe into the Jackson County Jail for distribution of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia, and interference with law enforcement.

 Jason Wayne Alexander, 41, of Ottawa, was arrested booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of Tramadol and drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661545275705.png" alt="Alexander-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Alexander-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges after a traffic stop.Just after 1a.m. Friday, a sheriff's deputy stopped a 2009 Jeep Compass near 150th and Q. Road for an alleged traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.An occupant of the vehicle, allegedly attempted to discard a meth pipe in the ditch during the stop.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661545183805.png" alt="Morris-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Morris-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> A search of the Jeep led to the discovery of more contraband.&nbsp; Deputies arrested and booked Barbara Michelle Morris, 39, of Olathe into the Jackson County Jail for distribution of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia, and interference with law enforcement. Jason Wayne Alexander, 41, of Ottawa, was arrested booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of Tramadol and drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff: Kan. suspect tried to discard meth pipe during traffic stop

By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-08-23/kansas-mental-health-hospitals-are-so-overcrowded-that-patients-have-to-wait-in-hallways">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA — Patients facing mental health crises are waiting in a Wichita hospital hallway because psychiatric wards are full.

Inmates in the Sedgwick County Jail wait up to a year to get transferred to the Larned State Hospital simply for evaluations.

And hospital workers get choked, kicked or yelled at by people who can’t get intensive mental health care.

Hospital
 administrators told lawmakers at a hearing Tuesday that a lack of 
mental health services and overcrowding puts both patients and health 
care workers in danger at hospitals in south and central Kansas.

“The
 money we’ve spent and the space we have created has been grossly 
overwhelmed in recent years with the need,” said Robyn Chadwick, 
president of the Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph Hospital in Wichita. 
“We do need help.”

Chadwick urged lawmakers to expand the capacity
 of mental health beds in Kansas. She spoke to the Special Committee on 
Mental Health Beds Tuesday morning and said her hospital is stretched 
thin.

The St. Joseph hospital has spent millions to expand 
capacity in its emergency room but it can’t keep up, Chadwick said. She 
added that rural hospitals don’t have the resources to handle these 
patients. St. Joseph could send patients to a state hospital, but the 
waitlists are so long and the health system already cares for around 11 
people who are otherwise state-hospital eligible.

As calls for a 
new hospital intensified, lawmakers on the committee questioned whether a
 private or state-run facility is best. Rep. Henry Helgerson, an 
Eastborough Democrat, said he’s seen more private beds than public beds 
in the last decade. But Chadwick was not excited by more 
privately-funded rooms because she’s seen those facilities close down.

New
 hospitals are on the horizon. Gov. Laura Kelly toured the 
soon-to-be-completed youth facility in Hays last week. Once it’s 
completed in January, it will be the state's only facility west of 
Wichita to offer acute care for kids with severe mental health needs.

Kelly was also in Wichita last week to push for a 50-bed facility in Sedgwick County.

“When
 I came into office, one of my highest priorities was strengthening our 
mental health system,” Kelly said last week. “Even though we have come a
 long way over the last four years, I know there is still so much we 
need to do.”

Sedgwick County has tried to build a mental health 
hospital since 2018, but nothing has materialized. The state has 
allocated $15 million for the hospital and Kelly wants to see another 
$25 million in COVID relief funds sent toward the project. Sedgwick 
County applied for $40 million in federal economic stimulus money for 
construction.

“It’s essential,” Kelly said, “It’s overdue, and we don’t have time to wait.”

Chadwick
 worries finding workers to staff a hospital will prove daunting. She 
said a new hospital would siphon off employees from St. Joseph. Fewer 
employees would mean fewer beds available and Chadwick said opening the 
new hospital could have no impact on the state’s overall capacity.

State
 officials said the Larned State Hospital could take in more people, but
 the hospital lacks the staff to expand its capacity.

She recommended lawmakers create tuition forgiveness programs or offer in-state tuition to out-of-state health students.

“We will stay in this business,” Chadwick said, “but we need your help to do it.”

Blaise
 Mesa reports on criminal justice and social services for the Kansas 
News Service in Topeka. You can follow him on Twitter @Blaise_Mesa or 
email him at blaise@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661350078164.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly is pushing for additional mental health beds. David Condos / Kansas News Service " />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly is pushing for additional mental health beds. David Condos / Kansas News Service </figcaption>
 </figure>By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-08-23/kansas-mental-health-hospitals-are-so-overcrowded-that-patients-have-to-wait-in-hallways">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA — Patients facing mental health crises are waiting in a Wichita hospital hallway because psychiatric wards are full.Inmates in the Sedgwick County Jail wait up to a year to get transferred to the Larned State Hospital simply for evaluations.And hospital workers get choked, kicked or yelled at by people who can’t get intensive mental health care.Hospital
 administrators told lawmakers at a hearing Tuesday that a lack of 
mental health services and overcrowding puts both patients and health 
care workers in danger at hospitals in south and central Kansas.“The
 money we’ve spent and the space we have created has been grossly 
overwhelmed in recent years with the need,” said Robyn Chadwick, 
president of the Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph Hospital in Wichita. 
“We do need help.”Chadwick urged lawmakers to expand the capacity
 of mental health beds in Kansas. She spoke to the Special Committee on 
Mental Health Beds Tuesday morning and said her hospital is stretched 
thin.The St. Joseph hospital has spent millions to expand 
capacity in its emergency room but it can’t keep up, Chadwick said. She 
added that rural hospitals don’t have the resources to handle these 
patients. St. Joseph could send patients to a state hospital, but the 
waitlists are so long and the health system already cares for around 11 
people who are otherwise state-hospital eligible.As calls for a 
new hospital intensified, lawmakers on the committee questioned whether a
 private or state-run facility is best. Rep. Henry Helgerson, an 
Eastborough Democrat, said he’s seen more private beds than public beds 
in the last decade. But Chadwick was not excited by more 
privately-funded rooms because she’s seen those facilities close down.New
 hospitals are on the horizon. Gov. Laura Kelly toured the 
soon-to-be-completed youth facility in Hays last week. Once it’s 
completed in January, it will be the state's only facility west of 
Wichita to offer acute care for kids with severe mental health needs.Kelly was also in Wichita last week to push for a 50-bed facility in Sedgwick County.“When
 I came into office, one of my highest priorities was strengthening our 
mental health system,” Kelly said last week. “Even though we have come a
 long way over the last four years, I know there is still so much we 
need to do.”Sedgwick County has tried to build a mental health 
hospital since 2018, but nothing has materialized. The state has 
allocated $15 million for the hospital and Kelly wants to see another 
$25 million in COVID relief funds sent toward the project. Sedgwick 
County applied for $40 million in federal economic stimulus money for 
construction.“It’s essential,” Kelly said, “It’s overdue, and we don’t have time to wait.”Chadwick
 worries finding workers to staff a hospital will prove daunting. She 
said a new hospital would siphon off employees from St. Joseph. Fewer 
employees would mean fewer beds available and Chadwick said opening the 
new hospital could have no impact on the state’s overall capacity.State
 officials said the Larned State Hospital could take in more people, but
 the hospital lacks the staff to expand its capacity.She recommended lawmakers create tuition forgiveness programs or offer in-state tuition to out-of-state health students.“We will stay in this business,” Chadwick said, “but we need your help to do it.”Blaise
 Mesa reports on criminal justice and social services for the Kansas 
News Service in Topeka. You can follow him on Twitter @Blaise_Mesa or 
email him at blaise@kcur.org.

Kan. mental health hospitals so overcrowded patients wait in halls

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple charges after a an arrest.

Just after 5a.m. Friday, a citizen called the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center regarding a suspicious vehicle parked in her driveway with a male driver, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

A Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) deputy observed a 2003 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck near SE Croco Road and SE 53rd Street that matched the description of the suspicious vehicle. 

The DRE deputy conducted a traffic stop when the Chevrolet failed to signal a right turn. During the investigation, it was determined that the driver was too impaired to drive and illegal narcotics were located.

The deputy arrested Tyler E. Schrock, 35, of Topeka and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of driving under the influence, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, transporting an open container of liquor and making an improper turn.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661545539407.png" alt="Schrock-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Schrock-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple charges after a an arrest.Just after 5a.m. Friday, a citizen called the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center regarding a suspicious vehicle parked in her driveway with a male driver, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.A Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) deputy observed a 2003 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck near SE Croco Road and SE 53rd Street that matched the description of the suspicious vehicle. The DRE deputy conducted a traffic stop when the Chevrolet failed to signal a right turn. During the investigation, it was determined that the driver was too impaired to drive and illegal narcotics were located.The deputy arrested Tyler E. Schrock, 35, of Topeka and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of driving under the influence, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, transporting an open container of liquor and making an improper turn.

Woman found Kan. drug suspect parked in her driveway

By TERRI FRIEDLINE, DOMINIQUE BAKER and JOHN W. DIAMOND <a href="https://theconversation.com/student-loan-forgiveness-experts-on-banking-public-spending-and-education-policy-look-at-the-impact-of-bidens-plan-189352">The Conversation</a>

President Joe Biden announced a <a href="https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief-announcement/">program to provide student debt relief</a>
 to millions of borrowers of federal loans. The plan would offer up to 
US$10,000 in forgiveness for people who earn less than $125,000 – 
$250,000 for couples – and up to $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients. 
Biden also extended the pause on repaying federal student loan debt 
through Dec. 31, 2022, and has proposed a cap on income that can be used
 to calculate how much borrowers repay through income-driven repayment.

We asked three experts to explain the decision and its impact.

Relief makes real difference but ignores structural issues

Terri Friedline, Associate Professor of Social Work, University of Michigan

The Biden administration’s plan is an important step that I believe will make a real difference in many people’s lives. The <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/24/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-student-loan-relief-for-borrowers-who-need-it-most/">White House estimates</a> that about 20 million of the nation’s <a href="https://www.forbes.com/advisor/student-loans/average-student-loan-statistics/">roughly 43 million student debt holders</a> will see their entire balance canceled.

Despite this considerable impact, the plan is still limited. I hope 
it’s just the beginning in much-needed policy conversations about debt 
and education in the United States. 

For one thing, Biden’s plan <a href="https://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2022/04/who-are-the-federal-student-loan-borrowers-and-who-benefits-from-forgiveness/">cuts less than 20%</a> of America’s $1.75 trillion student debt tab.

In addition, the income cap of $125,000 focuses on borrowers’ socioeconomic class while ignoring the roles <a href="https://www.marketplace.org/2020/10/27/student-loan-debt-adds-to-racial-wealth-disparities-research-finds">structural racism</a> and sexism play in terms of who borrows and how much. For example, <a href="https://www.aauw.org/issues/education/student-debt/">Black women borrow</a>
 about $38,000 on average to finance their education, compared with 
$30,000 for white men. And because interest on student loans quickly 
accumulates, most Black female borrowers <a href="https://heller.brandeis.edu/iere/pdfs/racial-wealth-equity/racial-wealth-gap/stallingdreams-how-student-debt-is-disrupting-lifechances.pdf">still owe</a>
 their original balance 20 years after enrolling in school. By 
comparison, most white borrowers have paid off their loans completely 
within that time period.

The Biden administration will have to do more if it aims to 
adequately address these and the many other remaining structural 
problems with debt and education. 

Plan extends much-needed relief to Black borrowers

Dominique Baker, Assistant Professor of Education Policy, Southern Methodist University

When approximately 10,000 student loan borrowers had their private 
student loans randomly canceled from 2010 to 2017, researchers found 
that it ultimately enabled them to <a href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w25810">more easily move, change jobs and earn more money</a>. The borrowers were also 11% less likely to default on credit cards or other loans.

I expect similar outcomes will flow from the Biden administration’s 
decision to cancel federal student loans. And the decision to cancel up 
to $20,000 for those who received Pell Grants means that <a href="https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/more-targeted-approach-student-loan-forgiveness">even more relief may flow to borrowers who are Black</a>.

From the standpoint of racial justice, I believe this additional relief for Black borrowers is necessary because of <a href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674251489">centuries of</a> <a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/When-Affirmative-Action-Was-White/">systemic inequities</a>. Such inequities include accumulating education debt through “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/2329496516686620">predatory inclusion</a>,”
 a practice in which Black people are offered access to things like 
college or buying a house but on exploitative financial terms that have 
long-term negative effects.

Black student loan borrowers are also often the <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/research/the-looming-student-loan-default-crisis-is-worse-than-we-thought/">most</a> <a href="https://www.americanprogress.org/article/continued-student-loan-crisis-black-borrowers/">burdened</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/2332649218790989">by</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858419860153">student</a> <a href="https://www.luminafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/borrowers-of-color-2.pdf">loan</a> <a href="https://www2.ed.gov/policy/highered/reg/hearulemaking/2021/raceandloans.pdf">debt</a>. As <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/research/the-looming-student-loan-default-crisis-is-worse-than-we-thought/">one example</a>,
 Black bachelor’s degree earners are more likely to default on their 
student loans than white students who earn a bachelor’s degree – 21% 
versus 4%, respectively. Even more startling, Black bachelor’s degree 
recipients default at a higher rate than white students who leave 
college with no degree – 21% versus 18%, respectively.

The Biden administration also has <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/24/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-student-loan-relief-for-borrowers-who-need-it-most/#:%7E:text=President%20Biden%20believes%20that%20a,deprives%20them%20of%20that%20opportunity">proposed changes to the income-driven repayment plan</a>,
 which should help future undergraduate borrowers by reducing the 
monthly percentage of discretionary income borrowers would pay from 10% 
to 5% and increasing what counts as nondiscretionary income. That means 
borrowers will have more money that will not be used to calculate the 
percentage they owe each month.

I’d argue there is still work to be done to create an affordable college education. But today was an excellent start.

John W. Diamond, Director of the Baker Institute’s Center for Public Finance, Rice University

The price tag for Biden’s debt forgiveness plan is estimated <a href="https://budgetmodel.wharton.upenn.edu/issues/2022/8/23/forgiving-student-loans">at a little more than $300 billion</a>.

While it will provide direct financial benefits for some people who 
currently owe money on federal student loans, I believe there will be 
another cost: higher inflation. 

U.S. inflation is already rising at just below the <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIAUCSL">fastest annual pace in 40 years</a>, prompting the Federal Reserve to <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-hawkish-fed-signals-further-rate-hikes-and-sees-a-slowing-economy-but-not-recession-187758">aggressively hike interest rates</a> to reduce it, even at the risk of recession. Biden’s plan will make the central bank’s job tougher.

The upward pressure on inflation will result from increased spending 
by those who see their student debts reduced, as well as from the 
continuing moratorium on federal loan repayments. This higher demand for
 consumer goods – relative to a world without debt relief or a repayment
 moratorium – has the effect of driving up prices for current goods and 
services.

The <a href="https://www.crfb.org/blogs/cancelling-student-debt-would-undermine-inflation-reduction-act">Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget</a> found that a similar though more modest version of debt forgiveness would lead to a measurable increase in <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PCE">spending on personal consumption</a>,
 which would have the effect of driving up prices for all consumers. 
That was based on a plan to spend roughly $230 billion on debt 
forgiveness – at least $70 billion less than Biden’s plan.

Another side effect could be that Biden’s debt relief offers incentives to students entering or currently in college to <a href="https://www.crfb.org/blogs/how-long-cancelled-student-debt-would-return">take on additional debt</a> in anticipation of future rounds of forgiveness. Economists call this <a href="http://investopedia.com/terms/m/moralhazard.asp">moral hazard</a>. Other research found that increases in student borrowing <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/rfs/hhy069">can result in bigger tuition increases</a>.

Some research has pointed to <a href="http://www.doi.org/10.3386/w25810">positive economic outcomes</a>
 for those who receive debt relief, such as less future indebtedness, 
greater job mobility and higher salaries. But these effects are based on
 a full discharge of student debt and not an incremental reduction like 
the one Biden announced.

Ultimately, loan forgiveness – whatever its merits – will likely lead
 to larger federal deficits and higher inflation. While it benefits 
those with student loan debt, those benefits should be weighed against 
the costs it imposes on others and the economy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661452644608.jpg" alt="Pixabay photo" />
 <figcaption>Pixabay photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By TERRI FRIEDLINE, DOMINIQUE BAKER and JOHN W. DIAMOND <a href="https://theconversation.com/student-loan-forgiveness-experts-on-banking-public-spending-and-education-policy-look-at-the-impact-of-bidens-plan-189352">The Conversation</a>President Joe Biden announced a <a href="https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief-announcement/">program to provide student debt relief</a>
 to millions of borrowers of federal loans. The plan would offer up to 
US$10,000 in forgiveness for people who earn less than $125,000 – 
$250,000 for couples – and up to $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients. 
Biden also extended the pause on repaying federal student loan debt 
through Dec. 31, 2022, and has proposed a cap on income that can be used
 to calculate how much borrowers repay through income-driven repayment.We asked three experts to explain the decision and its impact.<h2>Relief makes real difference but ignores structural issues</h2>Terri Friedline, Associate Professor of Social Work, University of MichiganThe Biden administration’s plan is an important step that I believe will make a real difference in many people’s lives. The <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/24/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-student-loan-relief-for-borrowers-who-need-it-most/">White House estimates</a> that about 20 million of the nation’s <a href="https://www.forbes.com/advisor/student-loans/average-student-loan-statistics/">roughly 43 million student debt holders</a> will see their entire balance canceled. Despite this considerable impact, the plan is still limited. I hope 
it’s just the beginning in much-needed policy conversations about debt 
and education in the United States. For one thing, Biden’s plan <a href="https://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2022/04/who-are-the-federal-student-loan-borrowers-and-who-benefits-from-forgiveness/">cuts less than 20%</a> of America’s $1.75 trillion student debt tab. In addition, the income cap of $125,000 focuses on borrowers’ socioeconomic class while ignoring the roles <a href="https://www.marketplace.org/2020/10/27/student-loan-debt-adds-to-racial-wealth-disparities-research-finds">structural racism</a> and sexism play in terms of who borrows and how much. For example, <a href="https://www.aauw.org/issues/education/student-debt/">Black women borrow</a>
 about $38,000 on average to finance their education, compared with 
$30,000 for white men. And because interest on student loans quickly 
accumulates, most Black female borrowers <a href="https://heller.brandeis.edu/iere/pdfs/racial-wealth-equity/racial-wealth-gap/stallingdreams-how-student-debt-is-disrupting-lifechances.pdf">still owe</a>
 their original balance 20 years after enrolling in school. By 
comparison, most white borrowers have paid off their loans completely 
within that time period.The Biden administration will have to do more if it aims to 
adequately address these and the many other remaining structural 
problems with debt and education. <h2>Plan extends much-needed relief to Black borrowers</h2>Dominique Baker, Assistant Professor of Education Policy, Southern Methodist UniversityWhen approximately 10,000 student loan borrowers had their private 
student loans randomly canceled from 2010 to 2017, researchers found 
that it ultimately enabled them to <a href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w25810">more easily move, change jobs and earn more money</a>. The borrowers were also 11% less likely to default on credit cards or other loans.I expect similar outcomes will flow from the Biden administration’s 
decision to cancel federal student loans. And the decision to cancel up 
to $20,000 for those who received Pell Grants means that <a href="https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/more-targeted-approach-student-loan-forgiveness">even more relief may flow to borrowers who are Black</a>.From the standpoint of racial justice, I believe this additional relief for Black borrowers is necessary because of <a href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674251489">centuries of</a> <a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/When-Affirmative-Action-Was-White/">systemic inequities</a>. Such inequities include accumulating education debt through “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/2329496516686620">predatory inclusion</a>,”
 a practice in which Black people are offered access to things like 
college or buying a house but on exploitative financial terms that have 
long-term negative effects.Black student loan borrowers are also often the <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/research/the-looming-student-loan-default-crisis-is-worse-than-we-thought/">most</a> <a href="https://www.americanprogress.org/article/continued-student-loan-crisis-black-borrowers/">burdened</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/2332649218790989">by</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858419860153">student</a> <a href="https://www.luminafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/borrowers-of-color-2.pdf">loan</a> <a href="https://www2.ed.gov/policy/highered/reg/hearulemaking/2021/raceandloans.pdf">debt</a>. As <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/research/the-looming-student-loan-default-crisis-is-worse-than-we-thought/">one example</a>,
 Black bachelor’s degree earners are more likely to default on their 
student loans than white students who earn a bachelor’s degree – 21% 
versus 4%, respectively. Even more startling, Black bachelor’s degree 
recipients default at a higher rate than white students who leave 
college with no degree – 21% versus 18%, respectively.The Biden administration also has <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/24/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-student-loan-relief-for-borrowers-who-need-it-most/#:%7E:text=President%20Biden%20believes%20that%20a,deprives%20them%20of%20that%20opportunity">proposed changes to the income-driven repayment plan</a>,
 which should help future undergraduate borrowers by reducing the 
monthly percentage of discretionary income borrowers would pay from 10% 
to 5% and increasing what counts as nondiscretionary income. That means 
borrowers will have more money that will not be used to calculate the 
percentage they owe each month. I’d argue there is still work to be done to create an affordable college education. But today was an excellent start.<h2>Loan forgiveness could fuel inflation</h2>John W. Diamond, Director of the Baker Institute’s Center for Public Finance, Rice UniversityThe price tag for Biden’s debt forgiveness plan is estimated <a href="https://budgetmodel.wharton.upenn.edu/issues/2022/8/23/forgiving-student-loans">at a little more than $300 billion</a>.While it will provide direct financial benefits for some people who 
currently owe money on federal student loans, I believe there will be 
another cost: higher inflation. U.S. inflation is already rising at just below the <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIAUCSL">fastest annual pace in 40 years</a>, prompting the Federal Reserve to <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-hawkish-fed-signals-further-rate-hikes-and-sees-a-slowing-economy-but-not-recession-187758">aggressively hike interest rates</a> to reduce it, even at the risk of recession. Biden’s plan will make the central bank’s job tougher. The upward pressure on inflation will result from increased spending 
by those who see their student debts reduced, as well as from the 
continuing moratorium on federal loan repayments. This higher demand for
 consumer goods – relative to a world without debt relief or a repayment
 moratorium – has the effect of driving up prices for current goods and 
services.The <a href="https://www.crfb.org/blogs/cancelling-student-debt-would-undermine-inflation-reduction-act">Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget</a> found that a similar though more modest version of debt forgiveness would lead to a measurable increase in <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PCE">spending on personal consumption</a>,
 which would have the effect of driving up prices for all consumers. 
That was based on a plan to spend roughly $230 billion on debt 
forgiveness – at least $70 billion less than Biden’s plan.Another side effect could be that Biden’s debt relief offers incentives to students entering or currently in college to <a href="https://www.crfb.org/blogs/how-long-cancelled-student-debt-would-return">take on additional debt</a> in anticipation of future rounds of forgiveness. Economists call this <a href="http://investopedia.com/terms/m/moralhazard.asp">moral hazard</a>. Other research found that increases in student borrowing <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/rfs/hhy069">can result in bigger tuition increases</a>. Some research has pointed to <a href="http://www.doi.org/10.3386/w25810">positive economic outcomes</a>
 for those who receive debt relief, such as less future indebtedness, 
greater job mobility and higher salaries. But these effects are based on
 a full discharge of student debt and not an incremental reduction like 
the one Biden announced. Ultimately, loan forgiveness – whatever its merits – will likely lead
 to larger federal deficits and higher inflation. While it benefits 
those with student loan debt, those benefits should be weighed against 
the costs it imposes on others and the economy.<div><iframe src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/189352/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" width="1" height="1"></iframe></div>

Experts look at the impact of Biden’s student loan plan

CAMDEN COUNTY—One person drowned in an accident just after 4:30p.m. Saturday at Lake of the Ozarks.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Sylvan Pontoon driven by 31-year-old Favian Estrada of Kansas City, was westbound at the 13 mile mark of the main channel at Lake of the Ozarks.

A passenger identified as 29-year-old Daniel E. Cortez of Kansas City was ejected as the vessel struck a wake. The vessel then struck Cortez. 

He was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Camden County Medical Examiner and transported to Allee Holman-Howe Funeral Home. Estrada was not injured. They were not wearing life-jackets, according to the MSHP.

CAMDEN COUNTY—One person drowned in an accident just after 4:30p.m. Saturday at Lake of the Ozarks.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Sylvan Pontoon driven by 31-year-old Favian Estrada of Kansas City, was westbound at the 13 mile mark of the main channel at Lake of the Ozarks.A passenger identified as 29-year-old Daniel E. Cortez of Kansas City was ejected as the vessel struck a wake. The vessel then struck Cortez. He was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Camden County Medical Examiner and transported to Allee Holman-Howe Funeral Home. Estrada was not injured. They were not wearing life-jackets, according to the MSHP.

Kansas City man drowns after ejected from boat

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis elevated 20 more churchmen to the rank of cardinal on Saturday, formally expanding those now eligible to vote for his successor in case he dies or resigns — the latter a step he has said he’d consider if the need arises.

Of the churchmen being named new cardinals in the consistory ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica, 16 are younger than 80 and thus eligible to participate in a conclave — the ritual-shrouded, locked-door assembly of cardinals who cast paper ballots to elect a new pontiff.

The 85-year-old Francis has now named 83 of the 132 cardinals currently young enough to join a conclave. The others were appointed by the previous two popes, St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI, whose unexpected retirement in 2013 paved the way for Francis to be elected.

With the eight batches of cardinals Francis has named, prospects are boosted that whoever becomes the next pontiff will share his vision for the future of the church.

Francis reminded the cardinals of their mission, which he said includes “an openness to all peoples, to the horizons of the world, to the peripheries as yet unknown.”

Underlining Francis' attention to those on society's margins, among the new cardinals is Archbishop Anthony Poola of Hyderabad, India. The prelate, 60, is the first member of the Dalit community, considered the lowest rung of India's caste system, to become a cardinal.

One by one, the newest cardinals, whose red cassocks and headgear symbolizes the blood they must be prepared to shed if necessary in their mission, knelt before Francis, who placed on their head the prestigious biretta, as the three-peaked hat is known.

That intimate moment was a chance to exchange a few words with Francis, who smiled to put them at ease. At times, the seated Francis, himself hobbled by mobility problems, lent his own arms to help kneeling cardinals stand up.

In choosing San Diego Bishop Robert Walter McElroy, Francis passed over U.S. churchmen leading traditionally more prestigious dioceses, including San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone.

McElroy has been among a minority of American bishops who opposed to a campaign to deny Communion to Catholic politicians who support abortion rights. Cordileone has said he'd no long allow U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to receive Communion for her defense of abortion rights.

While staunchly against abortion as a grave sin, Francis has also decried what he calls the weaponization of Communion.

McElroy last year was also among a small group of U.S. bishops signing a statement denouncing the bullying that is often directed at LGBTQ youth.

Francis has tried to make gay Catholics feel welcome in the church, whose teaching holds that same-sex intercourse is a sin.

Among the newest cardinals is Bishop Richard Kuuia Baawobr from Wa, Ghana, who has spoken out against LGBTQ rights. The African prelate felt ill when he arrived in Rome on Friday and was hospitalized for a heart problem, the pope told the other cardinals, asking them to pray “for this brother who should have been here.”

Asked by The Associated Press about such contrasting views among church leaders, McElroy replied that “there are always cultural differences within the life of the church as there is within in the human family. And different cultures approach these questions in different ways.”

McElroy added: "My own view is that we have an obligation in the church to make the LGBT persons feel equally welcome in the life of the church, as everyone else.”

With electing future pontiffs a key role for cardinals, McElroy, 68, was asked what he thought of Francis' saying that resignation for popes is a valid option.

“In principle, I think it is a good idea at a particular moment when they feel they can no longer carry the burdens of that office, but I think this pope is far from that moment," the U.S. prelate said. “I believe he sees himself as far from that moment. What he has is a mobility issue, but it has not affected his mind. I can tell you he is still on top of things."

Archbishop Ulrich Steiner of Manaus, Brazil, became the first cardinal from the Amazon, the vast, environmentally-vulnerable region in South America on the Argentine-born pontiff’s home continent. In remarks to The AP, Steiner expressed concern about increasing violence in the Amazon.

“But this violence was not born there, it came from outside,'' Steiner, 71, said. ”It is always violence related to money. Concessions, deforestation, also with the mines, also with the fishing."

At 48, the youngest member among the cardinals' ranks is an Italian missionary in Mongolia, where Catholics number some 1,300. Francis "knows how important it is supporting these little communities,'' said the new cardinal, Giorgio Marengo.

Originally, the pope had picked 21 new cardinals. But retired Belgian Bishop Luc Van Looy declined the honor, citing his own inadequate handling of cases of sexually abusive priests while he led the Ghent diocese from 2004-2020.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661652969163.png" alt="Pope Francis prays in front of new Cardinals during consistory inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022. Pope Francis has chosen 20 men to become the Catholic Church's newest cardinals. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)" />
 <figcaption>Pope Francis prays in front of new Cardinals during consistory inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022. Pope Francis has chosen 20 men to become the Catholic Church's newest cardinals. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)</figcaption>
 </figure>VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis elevated 20 more churchmen to the rank of cardinal on Saturday, formally expanding those now eligible to vote for his successor in case he dies or resigns — the latter a step he has said he’d consider if the need arises.Of the churchmen being named new cardinals in the consistory ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica, 16 are younger than 80 and thus eligible to participate in a conclave — the ritual-shrouded, locked-door assembly of cardinals who cast paper ballots to elect a new pontiff.The 85-year-old Francis has now named 83 of the 132 cardinals currently young enough to join a conclave. The others were appointed by the previous two popes, St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI, whose unexpected retirement in 2013 paved the way for Francis to be elected.With the eight batches of cardinals Francis has named, prospects are boosted that whoever becomes the next pontiff will share his vision for the future of the church.Francis reminded the cardinals of their mission, which he said includes “an openness to all peoples, to the horizons of the world, to the peripheries as yet unknown.”Underlining Francis' attention to those on society's margins, among the new cardinals is Archbishop Anthony Poola of Hyderabad, India. The prelate, 60, is the first member of the Dalit community, considered the lowest rung of India's caste system, to become a cardinal.One by one, the newest cardinals, whose red cassocks and headgear symbolizes the blood they must be prepared to shed if necessary in their mission, knelt before Francis, who placed on their head the prestigious biretta, as the three-peaked hat is known.That intimate moment was a chance to exchange a few words with Francis, who smiled to put them at ease. At times, the seated Francis, himself hobbled by mobility problems, lent his own arms to help kneeling cardinals stand up.In choosing San Diego Bishop Robert Walter McElroy, Francis passed over U.S. churchmen leading traditionally more prestigious dioceses, including San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone.McElroy has been among a minority of American bishops who opposed to a campaign to deny Communion to Catholic politicians who support abortion rights. Cordileone has said he'd no long allow U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to receive Communion for her defense of abortion rights.While staunchly against abortion as a grave sin, Francis has also decried what he calls the weaponization of Communion.McElroy last year was also among a small group of U.S. bishops signing a statement denouncing the bullying that is often directed at LGBTQ youth.Francis has tried to make gay Catholics feel welcome in the church, whose teaching holds that same-sex intercourse is a sin.Among the newest cardinals is Bishop Richard Kuuia Baawobr from Wa, Ghana, who has spoken out against LGBTQ rights. The African prelate felt ill when he arrived in Rome on Friday and was hospitalized for a heart problem, the pope told the other cardinals, asking them to pray “for this brother who should have been here.”Asked by The Associated Press about such contrasting views among church leaders, McElroy replied that “there are always cultural differences within the life of the church as there is within in the human family. And different cultures approach these questions in different ways.”McElroy added: "My own view is that we have an obligation in the church to make the LGBT persons feel equally welcome in the life of the church, as everyone else.”With electing future pontiffs a key role for cardinals, McElroy, 68, was asked what he thought of Francis' saying that resignation for popes is a valid option.“In principle, I think it is a good idea at a particular moment when they feel they can no longer carry the burdens of that office, but I think this pope is far from that moment," the U.S. prelate said. “I believe he sees himself as far from that moment. What he has is a mobility issue, but it has not affected his mind. I can tell you he is still on top of things."Archbishop Ulrich Steiner of Manaus, Brazil, became the first cardinal from the Amazon, the vast, environmentally-vulnerable region in South America on the Argentine-born pontiff’s home continent. In remarks to The AP, Steiner expressed concern about increasing violence in the Amazon.“But this violence was not born there, it came from outside,'' Steiner, 71, said. ”It is always violence related to money. Concessions, deforestation, also with the mines, also with the fishing."At 48, the youngest member among the cardinals' ranks is an Italian missionary in Mongolia, where Catholics number some 1,300. Francis "knows how important it is supporting these little communities,'' said the new cardinal, Giorgio Marengo.Originally, the pope had picked 21 new cardinals. But retired Belgian Bishop Luc Van Looy declined the honor, citing his own inadequate handling of cases of sexually abusive priests while he led the Ghent diocese from 2004-2020.___

Pope expands ranks of cardinals who'll likely pick successor

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal July 16 shooting continue asking the public for help to locate a Kansas felon.

Just after 9:30 p.m. July 16, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 900 Block of SW 8th Street in Topeka, according to Police LT Ronnie Connell.

First responders found <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/bv3sq?member=20743751&amp;sharetype=teams&amp;utm_campaign=p_na+share-sheet&amp;utm_medium=copy_link&amp;utm_source=customer">34-year-old&nbsp; Kirk Sexton </a>suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The Topeka Police Department wants to speak with Emmanuel Rashad Walker, 35, of Topeka in reference to this homicide investigation.

 Walker has previous convictions for aggravated assault in 2009 and for, obstruction and drug possession in 2019, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Emmanuel Rashad Walker should call police or 911.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658512386623.png" alt="&nbsp;Emmanuel Rashad Walker has previous convictions for aggravated assault, obstruction and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections -photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Emmanuel Rashad Walker has previous convictions for aggravated assault, obstruction and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections -photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal July 16 shooting continue asking the public for help to locate a Kansas felon.Just after 9:30 p.m. July 16, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 900 Block of SW 8th Street in Topeka, according to Police LT Ronnie Connell.First responders found <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/bv3sq?member=20743751&amp;sharetype=teams&amp;utm_campaign=p_na+share-sheet&amp;utm_medium=copy_link&amp;utm_source=customer">34-year-old&nbsp; Kirk Sexton </a>suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.The Topeka Police Department wants to speak with Emmanuel Rashad Walker, 35, of Topeka in reference to this homicide investigation. Walker has previous convictions for aggravated assault in 2009 and for, obstruction and drug possession in 2019, according to the Kansas Department of CorrectionsAnyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Emmanuel Rashad Walker should call police or 911.

Search continues for Kansas murder suspect

By GARETH DORRIAN <a href="https://theconversation.com/artemis-1-maiden-flight-of-spacecraft-set-to-take-humans-back-to-the-moon-heres-what-needs-to-go-right-189081">The Conversation</a>

A launch window – the period during which a rocket must be launched 
to reach its destination – opens on August 29 for the first flight to 
the Moon since 1972 by a spacecraft designed to carry humans there. If 
all goes well, the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/">Artemis project</a> will be on track to meet its goal of putting humans back on the Moon in 2025.

Project Artemis, the namesake of the sister of Apollo and daughter of
 Zeus in ancient Greek mythology, is designed to establish a long-term 
human presence on our nearest celestial neighbour, and to ultimately 
explore even further afield. <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-1">Artemis 1</a> is the first of several missions. It consists of Nasa’s new super-heavy rocket, the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/index.html">Space Launch System (SLS)</a>, which has never been launched before, and the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/orion/about/index.html">Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (or Orion MPCV)</a>, which has only flown in space once.

Unlike the <a href="https://moon.nasa.gov/resources/112/apollo-11-command-and-service-modules/">Command Service Modules of the Apollo missions</a>,
 which were powered by hydrogen fuel cells, the Orion MPCV is a 
solar-powered craft. Its distinctive X-wing style solar arrays can be 
swept forward or backward to reduce stress on the probe during 
high-thrust manoeuvres. It is capable of carrying six astronauts for up 
to 21 days in space. The imminent, uncrewed <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-1">Artemis 1</a> mission, however, may last as long as 42 days.

Also unlike Apollo, Artemis is an international project. The Orion MPCV consists of a US-built capsule for the astronauts and a <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Keywords/System/Orion_MPCV/(result_type)/videos">European-built</a> service module containing supplies of fuel, water, air, solar-arrays and rocket thrusters.

The reliance on the Sun for power places some restrictions on when 
Artemis-1 can launch as the geometry of the Earth and Moon have to be 
such that the Orion spacecraft is not in shadow from the Sun for over 90
 minutes at any point during the flight. The earliest launch window 
opens at 08.33 EST on August 29, with further windows on September 2 and
 5. 

The SLS will put Orion into Earth orbit, where its core stage will be
 discarded – dropped into the ocean. Most of the energy required to fly a
 spacecraft to the Moon is used in this first phase of the flight, just 
to reach low-Earth orbit. Orion will then be pushed out of Earth orbit 
and onto a lunar-bound trajectory by the second stage of the SLS, called
 the interim cryogenic propulsion stage (<a href="https://www.ulalaunch.com/interim-cryogenic-propulsion-stage-(icps)">ICPS</a>).

Orion will then separate from the ICPS and spend the next several 
days coasting to the Moon. The launch is typically one of the riskiest 
parts of any spaceflight, especially for a new rocket. If Artemis-1 
successfully reaches Earth orbit it will be a significant milestone for 
the project. 

During the mission, Orion will also deploy <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/launching-science-and-technology-on-nasa-s-artemis-i-mission.html">ten mini satellites</a>
 known as CubeSats. One of these, BioSentinel, will contain yeast to 
observe how the microgravity and radiation environment on the Moon 
affect the growth of microorganisms. Another, NEA Scout, will deploy a 
solar sail and then fly to a nearby asteroid for a close-up examination.
 Meanwhile, IceCube will orbit the Moon and search for ice deposits on 
or near the surface, which may be used by future astronauts.

Entry into lunar orbit will occur just 60 miles above the lunar 
surface. Orion will fire its onboard thrusters to slow the spacecraft 
and allow the Moon’s gravity to capture it into orbit. It will orbit the
 Moon in an unusual, distant retrograde orbit – in the opposite 
direction to the Moon’s spin. This particular orbit was originally 
chosen to flight test Orion as part of a now-cancelled <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/content/what-is-nasa-s-asteroid-redirect-mission">mission to learn to redirect asteroids</a>.

During this phase, Orion will travel up to 70,000 km from the Moon 
and reach the furthest distance from Earth ever for a human-capable 
spacecraft. If astronauts were onboard, they would have a grand view of 
the distant Earth and the Moon. 

Orion will spend between six and 23 days in lunar orbit, after which 
it will fire its onboard thrusters once again to accelerate out of lunar
 orbit and place itself on a return to Earth trajectory. 

The surface of the Moon can reach 120°C during the day and drop to 
-170°C at night. Such large temperature changes can cause significant 
thermal expansion and contraction of materials, so the Orion spacecraft 
had to be built with materials able to withstand significant thermal 
stress without failing. One goal of the mission is to check this, and 
crucially, ensure that the breathable atmosphere inside the capsule is 
maintained throughout.

At the distances of the Moon, astronauts would also be outside of the
 Earth’s magnetic field, which normally protects us from cosmic 
radiation. Deep <a href="https://srag.jsc.nasa.gov/SpaceRadiation/What/What.cfm">space radiation</a>
 is a serious concern for any future human missions to the Moon. The 
longest Apollo mission (Apollo 17) lasted 12 and a half days – Orion 
will be in deep space for three to four times as long. Engineers will, 
therefore, also keep a close eye on the radiation environment inside the
 capsule.

On returning to Earth, the Orion crew capsule will separate from the 
service module, which will be discarded, and then enter the atmosphere 
protected by its heat shield. It will descend and deploy parachutes to 
land at sea. In fact, this is the most crucial part of the mission: to 
ensure that the capsule can survive the high re-entry speeds of a 
spacecraft returning from the Moon and then make a safe landing. To do 
so, the heat shield must endure temperatures of 2,750°C while Orion 
decelerates from 24,500 miles per hour – that’s significantly hotter 
than the temperatures encountered when spacecraft return from low-Earth 
orbit.

Assuming a successful launch on August 29, the splashdown would be on Oct. 10.

Artemis-2, currently slated for launch in 2024, will carry four 
astronauts on a lunar flyby some 9,000km above the Moon’s surface. The 
astronauts on Artemis-2 will become the record holders for the greatest 
distance from Earth ever reached by humans. 

Nasa has also just announced a <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-identifies-candidate-regions-for-landing-next-americans-on-moon">short list</a>
 of landing sites near the Moon’s South Pole for the first lunar landing
 mission, Artemis-3, aiming to land humans there in 2025. Whether they 
reach that goal will ultimately depend on how things go for Artemis-1.

Gareth Dorrian is a Post Doctoral Research Fellow in Space Science at the University of Birmingham.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661535588535.png" alt=" Artist’s impression of Orion at the Moon. NASA/Liam Yanulis " />
 <figcaption> Artist’s impression of Orion at the Moon. NASA/Liam Yanulis </figcaption>
 </figure>By GARETH DORRIAN <a href="https://theconversation.com/artemis-1-maiden-flight-of-spacecraft-set-to-take-humans-back-to-the-moon-heres-what-needs-to-go-right-189081">The Conversation</a>A launch window – the period during which a rocket must be launched 
to reach its destination – opens on August 29 for the first flight to 
the Moon since 1972 by a spacecraft designed to carry humans there. If 
all goes well, the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/">Artemis project</a> will be on track to meet its goal of putting humans back on the Moon in 2025.Project Artemis, the namesake of the sister of Apollo and daughter of
 Zeus in ancient Greek mythology, is designed to establish a long-term 
human presence on our nearest celestial neighbour, and to ultimately 
explore even further afield. <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-1">Artemis 1</a> is the first of several missions. It consists of Nasa’s new super-heavy rocket, the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/index.html">Space Launch System (SLS)</a>, which has never been launched before, and the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/orion/about/index.html">Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (or Orion MPCV)</a>, which has only flown in space once.Unlike the <a href="https://moon.nasa.gov/resources/112/apollo-11-command-and-service-modules/">Command Service Modules of the Apollo missions</a>,
 which were powered by hydrogen fuel cells, the Orion MPCV is a 
solar-powered craft. Its distinctive X-wing style solar arrays can be 
swept forward or backward to reduce stress on the probe during 
high-thrust manoeuvres. It is capable of carrying six astronauts for up 
to 21 days in space. The imminent, uncrewed <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-1">Artemis 1</a> mission, however, may last as long as 42 days.Also unlike Apollo, Artemis is an international project. The Orion MPCV consists of a US-built capsule for the astronauts and a <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Keywords/System/Orion_MPCV/(result_type)/videos">European-built</a> service module containing supplies of fuel, water, air, solar-arrays and rocket thrusters.The reliance on the Sun for power places some restrictions on when 
Artemis-1 can launch as the geometry of the Earth and Moon have to be 
such that the Orion spacecraft is not in shadow from the Sun for over 90
 minutes at any point during the flight. The earliest launch window 
opens at 08.33 EST on August 29, with further windows on September 2 and
 5. <h2>Pioneering flight</h2>The SLS will put Orion into Earth orbit, where its core stage will be
 discarded – dropped into the ocean. Most of the energy required to fly a
 spacecraft to the Moon is used in this first phase of the flight, just 
to reach low-Earth orbit. Orion will then be pushed out of Earth orbit 
and onto a lunar-bound trajectory by the second stage of the SLS, called
 the interim cryogenic propulsion stage (<a href="https://www.ulalaunch.com/interim-cryogenic-propulsion-stage-(icps)">ICPS</a>). Orion will then separate from the ICPS and spend the next several 
days coasting to the Moon. The launch is typically one of the riskiest 
parts of any spaceflight, especially for a new rocket. If Artemis-1 
successfully reaches Earth orbit it will be a significant milestone for 
the project. During the mission, Orion will also deploy <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/launching-science-and-technology-on-nasa-s-artemis-i-mission.html">ten mini satellites</a>
 known as CubeSats. One of these, BioSentinel, will contain yeast to 
observe how the microgravity and radiation environment on the Moon 
affect the growth of microorganisms. Another, NEA Scout, will deploy a 
solar sail and then fly to a nearby asteroid for a close-up examination.
 Meanwhile, IceCube will orbit the Moon and search for ice deposits on 
or near the surface, which may be used by future astronauts. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661535556252.png" alt=" Artist’s concept of Artemis-1 upper stage separation. NASA/Liam Yanulis " />
 <figcaption> Artist’s concept of Artemis-1 upper stage separation. NASA/Liam Yanulis </figcaption>
 </figure>Entry into lunar orbit will occur just 60 miles above the lunar 
surface. Orion will fire its onboard thrusters to slow the spacecraft 
and allow the Moon’s gravity to capture it into orbit. It will orbit the
 Moon in an unusual, distant retrograde orbit – in the opposite 
direction to the Moon’s spin. This particular orbit was originally 
chosen to flight test Orion as part of a now-cancelled <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/content/what-is-nasa-s-asteroid-redirect-mission">mission to learn to redirect asteroids</a>. During this phase, Orion will travel up to 70,000 km from the Moon 
and reach the furthest distance from Earth ever for a human-capable 
spacecraft. If astronauts were onboard, they would have a grand view of 
the distant Earth and the Moon. Orion will spend between six and 23 days in lunar orbit, after which 
it will fire its onboard thrusters once again to accelerate out of lunar
 orbit and place itself on a return to Earth trajectory. The surface of the Moon can reach 120°C during the day and drop to 
-170°C at night. Such large temperature changes can cause significant 
thermal expansion and contraction of materials, so the Orion spacecraft 
had to be built with materials able to withstand significant thermal 
stress without failing. One goal of the mission is to check this, and 
crucially, ensure that the breathable atmosphere inside the capsule is 
maintained throughout.At the distances of the Moon, astronauts would also be outside of the
 Earth’s magnetic field, which normally protects us from cosmic 
radiation. Deep <a href="https://srag.jsc.nasa.gov/SpaceRadiation/What/What.cfm">space radiation</a>
 is a serious concern for any future human missions to the Moon. The 
longest Apollo mission (Apollo 17) lasted 12 and a half days – Orion 
will be in deep space for three to four times as long. Engineers will, 
therefore, also keep a close eye on the radiation environment inside the
 capsule.On returning to Earth, the Orion crew capsule will separate from the 
service module, which will be discarded, and then enter the atmosphere 
protected by its heat shield. It will descend and deploy parachutes to 
land at sea. In fact, this is the most crucial part of the mission: to 
ensure that the capsule can survive the high re-entry speeds of a 
spacecraft returning from the Moon and then make a safe landing. To do 
so, the heat shield must endure temperatures of 2,750°C while Orion 
decelerates from 24,500 miles per hour – that’s significantly hotter 
than the temperatures encountered when spacecraft return from low-Earth 
orbit.Assuming a successful launch on August 29, the splashdown would be on Oct. 10.Artemis-2, currently slated for launch in 2024, will carry four 
astronauts on a lunar flyby some 9,000km above the Moon’s surface. The 
astronauts on Artemis-2 will become the record holders for the greatest 
distance from Earth ever reached by humans. Nasa has also just announced a <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-identifies-candidate-regions-for-landing-next-americans-on-moon">short list</a>
 of landing sites near the Moon’s South Pole for the first lunar landing
 mission, Artemis-3, aiming to land humans there in 2025. Whether they 
reach that goal will ultimately depend on how things go for Artemis-1.Gareth Dorrian is a Post Doctoral Research Fellow in Space Science at the University of Birmingham.<div><iframe src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/189081/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" width="1" height="1"></iframe></div>

Back to the moon? Here's what needs to go right for NASA rocket

HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt wants to bring everyone together on special education funding in the next session of the Legislature, if he is elected governor in November.

"I think special ed funding is the next area," Schmidt said. "We have to bring policy makers, educators, families together and say, what are we going to do? I would much rather we do that through leadership from the governor and the legislature than wait around, not do it and wind up in the next lawsuit and end up having to deal with that in court. I do think it's critical to step up."

Schmidt admits that it isn't just the state level that has dropped the ball on special education funding.

"Congress has never fulfilled its obligation on the federal funding side," Schmidt said. "The federal promise has been to fund special education at 40%. I don't think they've ever gotten over about 15 or maybe the high teens, somewhere in that range. That, of course, is the elephant in the room. If Congress would only do half of what it promised, this problem would largely evaporate in states like Kansas, but it hasn't and so, as a result, the state has stepped in and also has really struggled to fill that gap."

Because of the unfunded federal mandates regarding special education, every underfunded dollar is being taken out of the general fund for everybody and shifted to special education, so, theoretically speaking at least, if the Kansas Supreme Court wanted to, they could weigh in on the issue through telling the legislature that they haven't really fulfilled Gannon until they stop this dollar shift from happening, since they have retained jurisdiction, though politically that isn't very likely.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583409290272.jpeg" alt="Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt wants to bring everyone together on special education funding in the next session of the Legislature, if he is elected governor in November."I think special ed funding is the next area," Schmidt said. "We have to bring policy makers, educators, families together and say, what are we going to do? I would much rather we do that through leadership from the governor and the legislature than wait around, not do it and wind up in the next lawsuit and end up having to deal with that in court. I do think it's critical to step up."Schmidt admits that it isn't just the state level that has dropped the ball on special education funding."Congress has never fulfilled its obligation on the federal funding side," Schmidt said. "The federal promise has been to fund special education at 40%. I don't think they've ever gotten over about 15 or maybe the high teens, somewhere in that range. That, of course, is the elephant in the room. If Congress would only do half of what it promised, this problem would largely evaporate in states like Kansas, but it hasn't and so, as a result, the state has stepped in and also has really struggled to fill that gap."Because of the unfunded federal mandates regarding special education, every underfunded dollar is being taken out of the general fund for everybody and shifted to special education, so, theoretically speaking at least, if the Kansas Supreme Court wanted to, they could weigh in on the issue through telling the legislature that they haven't really fulfilled Gannon until they stop this dollar shift from happening, since they have retained jurisdiction, though politically that isn't very likely.

Schmidt: Leaders need to 'step up' on special education

KANSAS CITY —A judge on Friday sentenced a Kansas City-area man to 30 years in prison for the the fatal 2020 shooting of his girlfriend, Camry A. Alonzo, in her home, according Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Deon D. Sanders, 28, pleaded guilty earlier to charges of 2nd degree murder.

According to court records, the defendant showed up at East Patrol in Kansas City and told police officers he had shot his girlfriend at a residence in Independence. 

Independence police entered that residence to check on the girlfriend and found her deceased in the bathroom. She had been fatally shot. A nearby resident said shots were heard about 6 a.m. &nbsp;Tuesday morning. The defendant told police he had shot her that morning after coming home in the early morning. 

He told police he found the front door open and the bathroom door locked. He called for the victim, then he fired shots into the &nbsp;door, he stated. He broke a hole into the door, opened it and found the victim. He then took their child to another residence, he stated, then went to KCPD’s East Patrol to turn himself in.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661540686877.png" alt="Sanders-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Sanders-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A judge on Friday sentenced a Kansas City-area man to 30 years in prison for the the fatal 2020 shooting of his girlfriend, Camry A. Alonzo, in her home, according Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Deon D. Sanders, 28, pleaded guilty earlier to charges of 2nd degree murder.According to court records, the defendant showed up at East Patrol in Kansas City and told police officers he had shot his girlfriend at a residence in Independence. Independence police entered that residence to check on the girlfriend and found her deceased in the bathroom. She had been fatally shot. A nearby resident said shots were heard about 6 a.m. &nbsp;Tuesday morning. The defendant told police he had shot her that morning after coming home in the early morning. He told police he found the front door open and the bathroom door locked. He called for the victim, then he fired shots into the &nbsp;door, he stated. He broke a hole into the door, opened it and found the victim. He then took their child to another residence, he stated, then went to KCPD’s East Patrol to turn himself in.

KC-area man shot his girlfriend who was locked in bathroom

OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on drug charges after a traffic stop.

Just before 2:30p.m. Thursday, an Osage County Sheriff’s K9 unit conducted a traffic stop at 125th and Topeka, near Carbondale, for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

During the stop, the deputy found illegal narcotics. The deputy arrested a passenger in the vehicle, Arthur C. Hanney, 62, of Topeka and transported him to the Osage County Jail on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661541145592.png" alt="Hanney-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Hanney-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on drug charges after a traffic stop.Just before 2:30p.m. Thursday, an Osage County Sheriff’s K9 unit conducted a traffic stop at 125th and Topeka, near Carbondale, for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.During the stop, the deputy found illegal narcotics. The deputy arrested a passenger in the vehicle, Arthur C. Hanney, 62, of Topeka and transported him to the Osage County Jail on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff's K9 Unit helps arrest 62-year-old Kan. drug suspect

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities on Friday issued a request for&nbsp; assistance in locating 38-year-old Sarah Marie Pettit who was last seen in the fall of 2020 in the Wichita area where she was living, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.

 Pettit, also known as Sarah Marie Hart was known to travel between Wichita and Denver frequently. Sarah is is described as 5-foot-6 and 130 pounds.

The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and Sarah’s family are trying to locate her. Detectives want to hear from anyone with any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem.

Anyone with information can call Detective Broussard 316-660-5308 or Detective Guthrie 316-660-5338. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111. www.wichitasedgwickcountycrimestoppers.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661527998081.png" alt="Photo Sedgwick County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sedgwick County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities on Friday issued a request for&nbsp; assistance in locating 38-year-old Sarah Marie Pettit who was last seen in the fall of 2020 in the Wichita area where she was living, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick. Pettit, also known as Sarah Marie Hart was known to travel between Wichita and Denver frequently. Sarah is is described as 5-foot-6 and 130 pounds.The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and Sarah’s family are trying to locate her. Detectives want to hear from anyone with any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem.Anyone with information can call Detective Broussard 316-660-5308 or Detective Guthrie 316-660-5338. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111. www.wichitasedgwickcountycrimestoppers.com

Sheriff asks for help to locate Kan. woman who vanished in 2020

KANSAS CITY (AP) —The online reviews site Yelp said this week it is rolling out a new feature to protect users seeking abortions from being misled about anti-abortion pregnancy centers listed on its platform.

Such centers are typically religiously affiliated and deter clients from having an abortion. On Tuesday, Yelp said it will place a consumer notice on the listings informing users that the centers “typically provide limited medical services and may not have licensed medical professionals onsite.”

In 2018, moderators for the San Francisco-based company began recategorizing listings for such organizations as “crisis pregnancy centers” or “faith-based crisis pregnancy centers.” The organizations had previously categorized themselves as reproductive health services, medical centers and other health and medical categories.

“It’s well-reported that crisis pregnancy centers do not offer abortion services, and it’s been shown that many provide misleading information in an attempt to steer people seeking abortion care to other options,” the company said in a post on its website detailing the change.

Yelp’s move might put more pressure on Google to do something similar with listings on its site. Last week, hundreds of Google employees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-technology-data-privacy-6ca91a6261f552fef9d7b119104d5fe1">released a petition</a>&nbsp;calling on the company to fix misleading search results for abortion services by removing “fake abortion providers” and halt its business with “publishers of disinformation related to abortion services.”

In June, Democratic lawmakers in Congress also urged the company to curb the appearance of the anti-abortion pregnancy centers for certain search results. But Republicans pushed back last month, warning the tech giant not to do so&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-technology-health-religion-061129531d9c180c290945997a10c9ca">in a letter sent by 17 conservative attorney generals</a>&nbsp;to Google CEO Sundar Pichai.

Google did not immediately reply to a request for comment on Tuesday.

In the past several months, Yelp said it has also been picking up on efforts to better match users searching for abortion clinics with those services and make it less likely those users will see anti-abortion pregnancy centers in search results. The company said it has evaluated roughly 33,500 listings this year and recategorized nearly 470 pages for the centers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656360664076.png" alt="Alliance for Life offices in the Kansas City suburb of Lee's Summit-Google image" />
 <figcaption>Alliance for Life offices in the Kansas City suburb of Lee's Summit-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —The online reviews site Yelp said this week it is rolling out a new feature to protect users seeking abortions from being misled about anti-abortion pregnancy centers listed on its platform.Such centers are typically religiously affiliated and deter clients from having an abortion. On Tuesday, Yelp said it will place a consumer notice on the listings informing users that the centers “typically provide limited medical services and may not have licensed medical professionals onsite.”In 2018, moderators for the San Francisco-based company began recategorizing listings for such organizations as “crisis pregnancy centers” or “faith-based crisis pregnancy centers.” The organizations had previously categorized themselves as reproductive health services, medical centers and other health and medical categories.“It’s well-reported that crisis pregnancy centers do not offer abortion services, and it’s been shown that many provide misleading information in an attempt to steer people seeking abortion care to other options,” the company said in a post on its website detailing the change.Yelp’s move might put more pressure on Google to do something similar with listings on its site. Last week, hundreds of Google employees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-technology-data-privacy-6ca91a6261f552fef9d7b119104d5fe1">released a petition</a>&nbsp;calling on the company to fix misleading search results for abortion services by removing “fake abortion providers” and halt its business with “publishers of disinformation related to abortion services.”In June, Democratic lawmakers in Congress also urged the company to curb the appearance of the anti-abortion pregnancy centers for certain search results. But Republicans pushed back last month, warning the tech giant not to do so&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-technology-health-religion-061129531d9c180c290945997a10c9ca">in a letter sent by 17 conservative attorney generals</a>&nbsp;to Google CEO Sundar Pichai.Google did not immediately reply to a request for comment on Tuesday.In the past several months, Yelp said it has also been picking up on efforts to better match users searching for abortion clinics with those services and make it less likely those users will see anti-abortion pregnancy centers in search results. The company said it has evaluated roughly 33,500 listings this year and recategorized nearly 470 pages for the centers.

Yelp to add more flags to anti-abortion pregnancy centers

Sports wagering in Kansas will begin with a soft launch starting at noon on Thursday, September 1, followed by a full opening on September 8th. In a media release Friday, the Kansas Lottery announced which sports wagering platforms will be available to the public on launch day.&nbsp;

Per Senate Bill 84, each state operated casino in Kansas will be able to offer both in-person sportsbooks and mobile sports betting on up to three platforms or applications. The partnerships are as follows:&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661623352678.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas Star Casino" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas Star Casino</figcaption>
 </figure>Sports wagering in Kansas will begin with a soft launch starting at noon on Thursday, September 1, followed by a full opening on September 8th. In a media release Friday, the Kansas Lottery announced which sports wagering platforms will be available to the public on launch day.&nbsp;Per Senate Bill 84, each state operated casino in Kansas will be able to offer both in-person sportsbooks and mobile sports betting on up to three platforms or applications. The partnerships are as follows:&nbsp;Hollywood Casino&nbsp;in Kansas City, Kansas will have both&nbsp;in-person sportsbook&nbsp;and&nbsp;mobile sports betting&nbsp;available through&nbsp;Barstool Sports.&nbsp;Kansas Star Casino&nbsp;in Mulvane will have both&nbsp;in-person sportsbook&nbsp;and&nbsp;mobile sports betting&nbsp;available through&nbsp;FanDuel.&nbsp;Boot Hill Casino and Resort&nbsp;in Dodge City will offer&nbsp;mobile sports betting&nbsp;through&nbsp;DraftKings, with an in-person sports wagering date to be announced in the near future. In the interim, players are still welcome to visit Boot Hill Casino and Resort and place wagers via a mobile application while there.&nbsp;Kansas Crossing Casino&nbsp;in Pittsburg will offer&nbsp;mobile sports betting&nbsp;through&nbsp;BetMGM,&nbsp;Caesars, and&nbsp;PointsBet, with an in-person sports wagering date to be announced in the near future.&nbsp;In the interim, players are still welcome to visit Kansas Crossing Casino and place wagers via a mobile application while there.