JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects on a variety of charges after a weekend traffic stop.

Just after 8 P.M. Saturday, a sheriff's deputy stopped a 2006 Chevy Trailblazer near 134th and U.S. Highway 75 for an alleged traffic violation, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

Further investigation into the traffic stop led to the arrest of Rusty James Potts, 32, of Mayetta, Simone Alexandra Noriega, 26, of Mayetta and Cass Ellen Cadue, 26, of Mayetta.

  Potts was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of interference with law enforcement and two counts of aggravated endangerment of a child.

Noriega was booked into the Jail on requested charges of interference with law enforcement, two counts of aggravated endangerment of a child, no child restraint seat, and driving while suspended.

Cadue was booked into the Jail on a requested charge of possession of cocaine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug and drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658744668824.png" alt="Potts-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Potts-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects on a variety of charges after a weekend traffic stop.Just after 8 P.M. Saturday, a sheriff's deputy stopped a 2006 Chevy Trailblazer near 134th and U.S. Highway 75 for an alleged traffic violation, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658744734257.png" alt="Cadue" />
 <figcaption>Cadue</figcaption>
 </figure>Further investigation into the traffic stop led to the arrest of Rusty James Potts, 32, of Mayetta, Simone Alexandra Noriega, 26, of Mayetta and Cass Ellen Cadue, 26, of Mayetta. Potts was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of interference with law enforcement and two counts of aggravated endangerment of a child.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658744646142.png" alt="Noriega-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Noriega-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Noriega was booked into the Jail on requested charges of interference with law enforcement, two counts of aggravated endangerment of a child, no child restraint seat, and driving while suspended.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658744734257.png" alt="Cadue-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Cadue-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Cadue was booked into the Jail on a requested charge of possession of cocaine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug and drug paraphernalia.

Kan. suspects were traveling with kids, cocaine, no car seats

NEOSHO COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Chanute Police Department are investigating a homicide that occurred early Monday morning in Chanute, according to a media release from the agency.

&nbsp;Just before 12:30 a.m., a woman called 911 after hearing a gunshot. When officers responded to the area they found a man conducting CPR on a man who had been shot in an alley, east of 1706 S. Highland in Chanute.

EMS took over life-saving measures. The victim was later identified as 34-year-old Blake A. Pearson, of Topeka. EMS transported Pearson to Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center, but he was pronounced deceased.

Anyone with information about this homicide is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME, or the Chanute Police Department at (620) 431-5768. Tips can also be submitted online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar" target="_blank">https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658783444413.png" alt="Pearson had bonded out of the Neosho County Jail last Tuesday, according to online jail records. Photo from a February arrest in Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Pearson had bonded out of the Neosho County Jail last Tuesday, according to online jail records. Photo from a February arrest in Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>NEOSHO COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Chanute Police Department are investigating a homicide that occurred early Monday morning in Chanute, according to a media release from the agency.&nbsp;Just before 12:30 a.m., a woman called 911 after hearing a gunshot. When officers responded to the area they found a man conducting CPR on a man who had been shot in an alley, east of 1706 S. Highland in Chanute.EMS took over life-saving measures. The victim was later identified as 34-year-old Blake A. Pearson, of Topeka. EMS transported Pearson to Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center, but he was pronounced deceased.Anyone with information about this homicide is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME, or the Chanute Police Department at (620) 431-5768. Tips can also be submitted online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar" target="_blank">https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar</a>.An autopsy has been scheduled.

KBI: 34-year-old Kansas man found shot in an alley

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with a stabbing at a Kansas home.

Just before 6p.m. July 22, police were sent to the area of NE Seward Avenue and NE Grattan Street Topeka after reports that a man who had been stabbed, according to Lt. Ron Ekis.

First responders found a victim who was transported by ambulance to a locate hospital for serious, but non-life threatening injuries.&nbsp;

As a result of the investigation police arrested Thomas J. McNorton, 29, of Topeka booked him into to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Burglary, Domestic Battery and Battery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658745390121.png" alt="McNorton photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>McNorton photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with a stabbing at a Kansas home.Just before 6p.m. July 22, police were sent to the area of NE Seward Avenue and NE Grattan Street Topeka after reports that a man who had been stabbed, according to Lt. Ron Ekis.First responders found a victim who was transported by ambulance to a locate hospital for serious, but non-life threatening injuries.&nbsp;As a result of the investigation police arrested Thomas J. McNorton, 29, of Topeka booked him into to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Burglary, Domestic Battery and Battery.

Kansas man jailed after knife fight sends man to the hospital

WASHINGTON (AP) — As President Joe Biden continues to recover from his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-karine-jean-pierre-government-and-politics-d9dbee6cc390f648396c46dd504c31c3">coronavirus infection</a>, the White House plans to hold a summit on Tuesday to discuss developing a new generation of vaccines that could more effectively guard against contagious variants.

The summit, which involves top administration officials, scientists and pharmaceutical executives, comes as the country faces a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-rochelle-walensky-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-government-politics-0bd2ccf19f1c27379f312b9edf5f3634">surge of infections</a>&nbsp;from BA.5, a variant that’s an offshoot of the omicron strain.

Although the current generation of vaccines, plus antiviral drugs, have helped prevent hospitalizations and deaths, there are hopes that new versions could provide more durable protection against disruptive infections.

Biden was likely infected by the BA.5 variant, and he tested positive on Thursday.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/22120743-biden-covid-update" target="_blank">A new note</a>&nbsp;from his doctor, released on Monday, said his symptoms have “almost completely resolved.”

Although he still has some nasal congestion and hoarseness, his vital signs remain “absolutely normal,” wrote Dr. Kevin O’Connor.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-government-and-politics-e7a24a9dfb0cacd26937286cb0a2b625">Biden has been taking</a>&nbsp;the antiviral drug Paxlovid, and he plans to remain isolated in the White House residence.

“He continues to be very specifically conscientious to protect any of the Executive Residence, White House, Secret Service and other staff whose duties require any (albeit socially distanced) proximity to him,” O’Connor wrote.

On Monday afternoon, Biden is scheduled to deliver virtual remarks to the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives conference in Orlando, Fla. He’s also expected to participate in a virtual meeting with business executives and labor leaders to discuss the Chips Act, a proposal to bolster domestic manufacturing.

Biden has held no public events since Friday, when he held another virtual meeting with economic advisers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658779255130.png" alt="President Biden took some calls Monday morning "with man’s best co-worker."-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden took some calls Monday morning "with man’s best co-worker."-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — As President Joe Biden continues to recover from his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-karine-jean-pierre-government-and-politics-d9dbee6cc390f648396c46dd504c31c3">coronavirus infection</a>, the White House plans to hold a summit on Tuesday to discuss developing a new generation of vaccines that could more effectively guard against contagious variants.The summit, which involves top administration officials, scientists and pharmaceutical executives, comes as the country faces a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-rochelle-walensky-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-government-politics-0bd2ccf19f1c27379f312b9edf5f3634">surge of infections</a>&nbsp;from BA.5, a variant that’s an offshoot of the omicron strain.Although the current generation of vaccines, plus antiviral drugs, have helped prevent hospitalizations and deaths, there are hopes that new versions could provide more durable protection against disruptive infections.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658779236763.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Biden was likely infected by the BA.5 variant, and he tested positive on Thursday.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/22120743-biden-covid-update" target="_blank">A new note</a>&nbsp;from his doctor, released on Monday, said his symptoms have “almost completely resolved.”Although he still has some nasal congestion and hoarseness, his vital signs remain “absolutely normal,” wrote Dr. Kevin O’Connor.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-government-and-politics-e7a24a9dfb0cacd26937286cb0a2b625">Biden has been taking</a>&nbsp;the antiviral drug Paxlovid, and he plans to remain isolated in the White House residence.“He continues to be very specifically conscientious to protect any of the Executive Residence, White House, Secret Service and other staff whose duties require any (albeit socially distanced) proximity to him,” O’Connor wrote.On Monday afternoon, Biden is scheduled to deliver virtual remarks to the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives conference in Orlando, Fla. He’s also expected to participate in a virtual meeting with business executives and labor leaders to discuss the Chips Act, a proposal to bolster domestic manufacturing.Biden has held no public events since Friday, when he held another virtual meeting with economic advisers.

White House: COVID-19 vaccine summit while Biden recovers

RENO COUNTY— A man wanted in connection with a homicide in San Antonio, Texas has been captured in Hutchinson.&nbsp;

Just after 1a.m. Monday, police arrested 20-year-old Aaron Trevino after officers were notified on Sunday evening he was in Hutchinson.

With the cooperation of the San Antonio Police Department, an arrest warrant was obtained and Trevino was taken into custody on a requested charge of capital murder. He is being held without bail.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658783845645.png" alt="Trevino-photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>Trevino-photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY— A man wanted in connection with a homicide in San Antonio, Texas has been captured in Hutchinson.&nbsp;Just after 1a.m. Monday, police arrested 20-year-old Aaron Trevino after officers were notified on Sunday evening he was in Hutchinson.With the cooperation of the San Antonio Police Department, an arrest warrant was obtained and Trevino was taken into custody on a requested charge of capital murder. He is being held without bail.Police released no additional details.

Texas murder suspect captured in Kansas

KIOWA COUNTY –A Kansas man has died from injuries in an accident that occurred just after 6:30p.m. Saturday in Kiowa County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Toyota Tundra driven by&nbsp; Gage L.&nbsp; Hosheit, 33, Greensburg, was southbound on 33rd&nbsp; Avenue five miles north of U.S. 54.

The SUV traveled off the right side of the road, re-entered the roadway, traveled across both lanes of traffic and rolled.

EMS transported Hosheit to&nbsp;Kiowa County Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

KIOWA COUNTY –A Kansas man has died from injuries in an accident that occurred just after 6:30p.m. Saturday in Kiowa County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Toyota Tundra driven by&nbsp; Gage L.&nbsp; Hosheit, 33, Greensburg, was southbound on 33rd&nbsp; Avenue five miles north of U.S. 54.The SUV traveled off the right side of the road, re-entered the roadway, traveled across both lanes of traffic and rolled.EMS transported Hosheit to&nbsp;Kiowa County Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies from injuries in rollover crash

Kansas voters at forefront of national debate

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/25/kansas-governor-warns-passage-of-constitutional-amendment-will-invite-wave-of-abortion-restrictions/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly warned passage of <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/19/anti-abortion-groups-make-dubious-claims-as-kansas-amendment-vote-nears/">an amendment removing the right to abortion</a>
 from the Kansas Constitution would prompt an emboldened Republican-led 
Legislature to pass new restraints on the right of women to control 
their reproductive health.

“The amendment is written in such a way that the proponents of the 
amendment want to suggest that this would just leave things as they are 
in Kansas. But that’s not true,” Kelly said during the Kansas Reflector 
podcast. “What would happen if that amendment would pass is that the 
Legislature would immediately come back with some very severe 
restrictions on a woman’s ability to control her own fate.”

Kelly said she was voting against the amendment because it was 
essential to reinforce the right of women to maintain bodily autonomy. 
She expected the statewide vote to be “very close.” It follows the June 
reversal by the U.S. Supreme Court of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision 
that affirmed nationwide the right to abortion.

Voting in Kansas closes Aug. 2 on the amendment, which was drafted by
 opponents of abortion and approved by two-thirds majorities in the 
House and Senate. Campaign finance reports show <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/19/organization-leading-fight-against-abortion-amendment-tops-6-5-million-in-donations/">more than $11 million has been spent</a> to influence public opinion on the amendment.

Kelly said she was confident in the security and accuracy of voting 
in this and future Kansas elections, because state and local officials 
took their duties seriously.

“You know, I think if you want to have a voice in what happens in 
your life in your world, then it’s important that you take the time, 
make the effort to go to the polls and elect people you think will truly
 represent your values,” the governor said.

Kelly is seeking reelection as governor in November. She will be 
competing against Republican Derek Schmidt, the state’s attorney general
 and a former colleague of Kelly’s in the Kansas Senate. In addition, 
state Sen. Dennis Pyle, a conservative Republican from Hiawatha, is <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/22/pyle-pushes-ahead-with-hunt-for-5k-signatures-to-join-november-ballot-in-kansas-governors-race/">collecting petition signatures</a> in an attempt to get on the Nov. 8 ballot as an independent candidate for governor.

Kelly said during the podcast interview she would focus her campaign 
on “bread-and-butter” issues of education, transportation, health care, 
tax relief, the social safety net, economic development and stability of
 the state budget. She was elected in 2018 following eight years with 
Republican Govs. Jeff Colyer and Sam Brownback at the helm.

“Our budget was a mess when I came into office,” Kelly said. “We have
 now fully funded our schools for the last four years. That was 
incredibly important to Kansans. Not only have we been able to fully 
fund, you know, basic essential services in the state, we’ve also been 
able to eliminate the sales tax on food. And we are now sitting on the 
largest ending balance in the state’s history. We’ve got about $1.5 
billion in our ending balance.”

In the 2022 legislative session, Kelly and legislators set aside 
nearly $1 billion in a rainy day fund for future use by the state and 
invested more than $1 billion in the state’s pension system. State 
lawmakers adopted an unprecedented economic development incentive 
program relied upon by the Kelly administration to leverage $829 million
 to <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/13/kansas-wins-panasonic-competition-for-worlds-largest-vehicle-battery-manufacturing-plant/">attract a $4 billion Panasonic vehicle battery plant</a> to Johnson County.

Kelly said growth in the state’s economy during her term was 
important to recovery from Brownback-era tax policies that starved the 
state treasury. Funding was cannibalized from government agencies, 
including the Kansas Department of Transportation, as revenue plummeted.
 The Brownback income tax “experiment,” as he referred to it, was 
largely repealed in 2017 by the Legislature.

“If I wanted to be able to fund the services that I felt essential — 
our roads, our schools, our foster care system — that I was going to 
have to grow this economy and do it quickly,” said Kelly, a Democrat. “I
 have no interest in raising taxes. I think our property taxes are too 
high. And, obviously I wanted to eliminate food sales tax. So the only 
other way to accomplish my goals was to grow the economy and increase 
the amount of revenue coming into the state.”

With the Panasonic development, which includes 4,000 direct new jobs,
 Kelly said the state had benefitted from $13.5 billion in capital 
investments and creation or preservation of 50,000 jobs since she became
 governor.

“We looked back at the last administration to see what had happened 
over their eight years, and they brought in less new capital investment 
in eight years than we have done in three and a half,” Kelly said.

Kelly predicted that following her reelection in November the 
Legislature would pass a bill expanding eligibility for Medicaid 
services to lower-income Kansans. The Legislature approved expansion in 
2017, but Brownback vetoed the measure. Since then, the House and Senate
 haven’t agreed on an expansion plan.

“I presented four different proposals for Medicaid expansion,” Kelly 
said. “I think that leadership will finally let the rank and file vote 
on it. You know, our rural hospitals desperately need this, but even our
 urban hospitals. They’re taking care of a lot of uncompensated care 
patients.”

Kelly signed a bill this year eliminating the state’s 6.5% sales tax 
on groceries over a three-year period starting in 2023. She had proposed
 repeal of the food sales tax effective July 1. If reelected, Kelly said
 she would again seek immediate end of the state sales tax on groceries.

“That’s precisely what I would want to do,” Kelly said. “I’ll come 
back with my original proposal. There’s really no reason not to go ahead
 and just do it.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658765675627.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat seeking reelection in 2022, urged Kansans to participate in the Aug. 2 primary election and vote against a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that would remove the right of women to seek an abortion. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat seeking reelection in 2022, urged Kansans to participate in the Aug. 2 primary election and vote against a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that would remove the right of women to seek an abortion. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Kansas voters at forefront of national debate</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/25/kansas-governor-warns-passage-of-constitutional-amendment-will-invite-wave-of-abortion-restrictions/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly warned passage of <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/19/anti-abortion-groups-make-dubious-claims-as-kansas-amendment-vote-nears/">an amendment removing the right to abortion</a>
 from the Kansas Constitution would prompt an emboldened Republican-led 
Legislature to pass new restraints on the right of women to control 
their reproductive health.“The amendment is written in such a way that the proponents of the 
amendment want to suggest that this would just leave things as they are 
in Kansas. But that’s not true,” Kelly said during the Kansas Reflector 
podcast. “What would happen if that amendment would pass is that the 
Legislature would immediately come back with some very severe 
restrictions on a woman’s ability to control her own fate.”<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1311048079&color=%232b7fb4&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast" title="Reflector Podcast" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Reflector Podcast</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast/governor-laura-kelly" title="Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly on her time in office and reelection campaign" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly on her time in office and reelection campaign</a></div></div>Kelly said she was voting against the amendment because it was 
essential to reinforce the right of women to maintain bodily autonomy. 
She expected the statewide vote to be “very close.” It follows the June 
reversal by the U.S. Supreme Court of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision 
that affirmed nationwide the right to abortion.Voting in Kansas closes Aug. 2 on the amendment, which was drafted by
 opponents of abortion and approved by two-thirds majorities in the 
House and Senate. Campaign finance reports show <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/19/organization-leading-fight-against-abortion-amendment-tops-6-5-million-in-donations/">more than $11 million has been spent</a> to influence public opinion on the amendment.Kelly said she was confident in the security and accuracy of voting 
in this and future Kansas elections, because state and local officials 
took their duties seriously.“You know, I think if you want to have a voice in what happens in 
your life in your world, then it’s important that you take the time, 
make the effort to go to the polls and elect people you think will truly
 represent your values,” the governor said.Kelly is seeking reelection as governor in November. She will be 
competing against Republican Derek Schmidt, the state’s attorney general
 and a former colleague of Kelly’s in the Kansas Senate. In addition, 
state Sen. Dennis Pyle, a conservative Republican from Hiawatha, is <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/22/pyle-pushes-ahead-with-hunt-for-5k-signatures-to-join-november-ballot-in-kansas-governors-race/">collecting petition signatures</a> in an attempt to get on the Nov. 8 ballot as an independent candidate for governor.Kelly said during the podcast interview she would focus her campaign 
on “bread-and-butter” issues of education, transportation, health care, 
tax relief, the social safety net, economic development and stability of
 the state budget. She was elected in 2018 following eight years with 
Republican Govs. Jeff Colyer and Sam Brownback at the helm.“Our budget was a mess when I came into office,” Kelly said. “We have
 now fully funded our schools for the last four years. That was 
incredibly important to Kansans. Not only have we been able to fully 
fund, you know, basic essential services in the state, we’ve also been 
able to eliminate the sales tax on food. And we are now sitting on the 
largest ending balance in the state’s history. We’ve got about $1.5 
billion in our ending balance.”In the 2022 legislative session, Kelly and legislators set aside 
nearly $1 billion in a rainy day fund for future use by the state and 
invested more than $1 billion in the state’s pension system. State 
lawmakers adopted an unprecedented economic development incentive 
program relied upon by the Kelly administration to leverage $829 million
 to <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/13/kansas-wins-panasonic-competition-for-worlds-largest-vehicle-battery-manufacturing-plant/">attract a $4 billion Panasonic vehicle battery plant</a> to Johnson County.Kelly said growth in the state’s economy during her term was 
important to recovery from Brownback-era tax policies that starved the 
state treasury. Funding was cannibalized from government agencies, 
including the Kansas Department of Transportation, as revenue plummeted.
 The Brownback income tax “experiment,” as he referred to it, was 
largely repealed in 2017 by the Legislature.“If I wanted to be able to fund the services that I felt essential — 
our roads, our schools, our foster care system — that I was going to 
have to grow this economy and do it quickly,” said Kelly, a Democrat. “I
 have no interest in raising taxes. I think our property taxes are too 
high. And, obviously I wanted to eliminate food sales tax. So the only 
other way to accomplish my goals was to grow the economy and increase 
the amount of revenue coming into the state.”With the Panasonic development, which includes 4,000 direct new jobs,
 Kelly said the state had benefitted from $13.5 billion in capital 
investments and creation or preservation of 50,000 jobs since she became
 governor.“We looked back at the last administration to see what had happened 
over their eight years, and they brought in less new capital investment 
in eight years than we have done in three and a half,” Kelly said.Kelly predicted that following her reelection in November the 
Legislature would pass a bill expanding eligibility for Medicaid 
services to lower-income Kansans. The Legislature approved expansion in 
2017, but Brownback vetoed the measure. Since then, the House and Senate
 haven’t agreed on an expansion plan.“I presented four different proposals for Medicaid expansion,” Kelly 
said. “I think that leadership will finally let the rank and file vote 
on it. You know, our rural hospitals desperately need this, but even our
 urban hospitals. They’re taking care of a lot of uncompensated care 
patients.”Kelly signed a bill this year eliminating the state’s 6.5% sales tax 
on groceries over a three-year period starting in 2023. She had proposed
 repeal of the food sales tax effective July 1. If reelected, Kelly said
 she would again seek immediate end of the state sales tax on groceries.“That’s precisely what I would want to do,” Kelly said. “I’ll come 
back with my original proposal. There’s really no reason not to go ahead
 and just do it.”

Kan. governor: Amendment will invite wave of abortion restrictions

RENO COUNTY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of a fire at&nbsp; the Central Kansas Gun Club at 7804 N. Lorraine in Hutchinson, according to a media release.

Just before 8:30a.m. crews responded to report of the fire and found a pole style barn burning at the rear of the structure. 

Extra units were called in to fight the fire before it was eventually brought under control. The building is a total loss. The fire marshal was on the scene. There were no injuries.

RENO COUNTY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of a fire at&nbsp; the Central Kansas Gun Club at 7804 N. Lorraine in Hutchinson, according to a media release.Just before 8:30a.m. crews responded to report of the fire and found a pole style barn burning at the rear of the structure. Extra units were called in to fight the fire before it was eventually brought under control. The building is a total loss. The fire marshal was on the scene. There were no injuries.

Fire destroys clubhouse at Kansas gun club

By MIKE COURSON <a href="https://greatbendpost.com/">Great Bend Post</a>

GREAT BEND — Each 
September, Kansas is witness to one of the most impressive migrations in
 all of nature. Millions of monarch butterflies, weighing less than a 
gram but still able to travel up to 30 miles an hour, travel through the
 Midwest on the way from Canada to Mexico. The annual migration, which 
includes between three and five generations of butterflies, is a natural
 phenomenon.

University of Kansas Professor Chip Taylor studies 
monarchs and founded Monarch Watch. The Kansas Wetlands Education Center
 at Cheyenne Bottoms has participated in the organization's monarch 
tagging program each year since its inception.

"Kansas is
 monarch central because Chip Taylor is one of the top monarch 
researchers in the world," said Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks 
Educator Pam Martin. "What he's determining is how the migration works, 
what's happening and why, so we can stabilize the migration." 

Now
 the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has 
placed the monarch butterfly on its "red list" as an endangered species.
 Unlike the U.S. Endangered Species List, the IUCN list carries no legal
 weight, but it does indicate great peril for the species.

"The 
monarch goes through three countries: Canada, the United States, and 
Mexico," said Martin. "Those three countries have an agreement to 
promote the monarch butterfly and save habitat. That's the big one. 
Habitat loss is major. By planting native and planting milkweed, you're 
helping to mitigate some of that habitat loss."

IUCN estimates 
monarch numbers have declined between 22 percent and 72 percent over the
 past decade, depending on the measurement method. Numbers may be down 
by as much as 85 or 95 percent east of the Rockies over the last 30 
years. Along with loss of habitat, climate change and pesticide use are 
two other possible factors in declining numbers.

"It's 
everything," said Martin. "It's a perfect storm. In a way, they're an 
indicator species. Monarch butterflies are beautiful and they're 
wonderful - they're one of my favorite insects. But they're not the only
 insect this is happening to. We're losing bumble bee species and other 
pollinator species. They call it the 'insect apocalypse.'"

Martin 
said there are things people can do to help boost monarch numbers, 
namely planting native wildflowers and limiting pesticide use. Milkweed 
is the most important native plant as it is the monarch's only 
caterpillar host plant.

Not only are monarchs a beautiful 
component of nature, but as pollinators that travel across the borders 
of three countries and many more states, their survival is essential to 
many ecosystems. 

"The fact that they can migrate over 2,000 
miles, and do this with the information stored in their heads, is 
unbelievable," Martin said. "It would be devastating to lose that 
migration behavior. It's a wonder of the natural world."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658763799966.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON <a href="https://greatbendpost.com/">Great Bend Post</a>GREAT BEND — Each 
September, Kansas is witness to one of the most impressive migrations in
 all of nature. Millions of monarch butterflies, weighing less than a 
gram but still able to travel up to 30 miles an hour, travel through the
 Midwest on the way from Canada to Mexico. The annual migration, which 
includes between three and five generations of butterflies, is a natural
 phenomenon.University of Kansas Professor Chip Taylor studies 
monarchs and founded Monarch Watch. The Kansas Wetlands Education Center
 at Cheyenne Bottoms has participated in the organization's monarch 
tagging program each year since its inception."Kansas is
 monarch central because Chip Taylor is one of the top monarch 
researchers in the world," said Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks 
Educator Pam Martin. "What he's determining is how the migration works, 
what's happening and why, so we can stabilize the migration." Now
 the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has 
placed the monarch butterfly on its "red list" as an endangered species.
 Unlike the U.S. Endangered Species List, the IUCN list carries no legal
 weight, but it does indicate great peril for the species."The 
monarch goes through three countries: Canada, the United States, and 
Mexico," said Martin. "Those three countries have an agreement to 
promote the monarch butterfly and save habitat. That's the big one. 
Habitat loss is major. By planting native and planting milkweed, you're 
helping to mitigate some of that habitat loss."IUCN estimates 
monarch numbers have declined between 22 percent and 72 percent over the
 past decade, depending on the measurement method. Numbers may be down 
by as much as 85 or 95 percent east of the Rockies over the last 30 
years. Along with loss of habitat, climate change and pesticide use are 
two other possible factors in declining numbers."It's 
everything," said Martin. "It's a perfect storm. In a way, they're an 
indicator species. Monarch butterflies are beautiful and they're 
wonderful - they're one of my favorite insects. But they're not the only
 insect this is happening to. We're losing bumble bee species and other 
pollinator species. They call it the 'insect apocalypse.'"Martin 
said there are things people can do to help boost monarch numbers, 
namely planting native wildflowers and limiting pesticide use. Milkweed 
is the most important native plant as it is the monarch's only 
caterpillar host plant.Not only are monarchs a beautiful 
component of nature, but as pollinators that travel across the borders 
of three countries and many more states, their survival is essential to 
many ecosystems. "The fact that they can migrate over 2,000 
miles, and do this with the information stored in their heads, is 
unbelievable," Martin said. "It would be devastating to lose that 
migration behavior. It's a wonder of the natural world."

Endangered monarch butterflies no stranger to Kansas skies

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a violent attack in southwest Kansas.

Just before 7p.m. July 20, police were dispatched to the 1700 block of Windy View Drive in Garden City for an Aggravated Battery, according to a media release.

 Upon arrival, Officers located a man lying in the parking lot with a head injury. 

The investigation revealed that the man was walking with his two children to their residence when he was approached by another man carrying a handgun. 

The suspect, identified as Isaac Salas, 21, Garden City, KS, allegedly pointed the handgun at the man before a physical altercation occurred in the presence of the children. 

Salas allegedly kicked and struck the man with the handgun several times before fleeing the scene. The man was transported to St. Catherine Hospital for treatment of his injuries. Witnesses saw Salas running westbound before getting into a vehicle and leaving the area.

Officers observed the vehicle in the 2800 block of Fleming Street and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. Salas refused to stop, and a brief vehicle pursuit ensued, after which Officers believed Salas returned to his residence. 

A search warrant was obtained and served by the Garden City/Finney County SWAT team at 407 W. Chestnut Street. Inside the residence, evidence of the crime was located. With assistance from the Finney County Sheriff’s Office and Kansas Highway Patrol, traffic was diverted from the area for approximately five hours.

Just after 8p.m. July 21, police arrested Salas on requested charges of&nbsp;Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Child Endangerment, Interference with LEO, Flee and Elude; Reckless Driving&nbsp; and Various Traffic Charges

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658516059883.png" alt="Salas photo Finney Co." />
 <figcaption>Salas photo Finney Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a violent attack in southwest Kansas.Just before 7p.m. July 20, police were dispatched to the 1700 block of Windy View Drive in Garden City for an Aggravated Battery, according to a media release. Upon arrival, Officers located a man lying in the parking lot with a head injury. The investigation revealed that the man was walking with his two children to their residence when he was approached by another man carrying a handgun. The suspect, identified as Isaac Salas, 21, Garden City, KS, allegedly pointed the handgun at the man before a physical altercation occurred in the presence of the children. Salas allegedly kicked and struck the man with the handgun several times before fleeing the scene. The man was transported to St. Catherine Hospital for treatment of his injuries. Witnesses saw Salas running westbound before getting into a vehicle and leaving the area.Officers observed the vehicle in the 2800 block of Fleming Street and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. Salas refused to stop, and a brief vehicle pursuit ensued, after which Officers believed Salas returned to his residence. A search warrant was obtained and served by the Garden City/Finney County SWAT team at 407 W. Chestnut Street. Inside the residence, evidence of the crime was located. With assistance from the Finney County Sheriff’s Office and Kansas Highway Patrol, traffic was diverted from the area for approximately five hours.Just after 8p.m. July 21, police arrested Salas on requested charges of&nbsp;Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Child Endangerment, Interference with LEO, Flee and Elude; Reckless Driving&nbsp; and Various Traffic Charges

Kan. man jailed for alleged violent attack in front of children

An Oregon, Missouri man drowned in the Missouri River this weekend
after coming to the aid of his brother.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports 18-year-old Alexander
Harris attempted to assist another swimmer identified as his brother in the Missouri River, but went
under and didn’t resurface.

The patrol reports Harris and the other boy were swimming
in the Missouri River Saturday afternoon about a half mile north of Payne’s
Landing in Holt County.

A Facebook post from the family stated Harris kept his younger brother afloat until his mother could save him. The Holt County Coroner pronounced Harris dead at the scene.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostAn Oregon, Missouri man drowned in the Missouri River this weekend
after coming to the aid of his brother.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Ftyson.r.harris%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02G1VtBsrr2HsgNtiKGozaCxrzM44BJnm9xoCEBd83yMf1gDCrhxMiBiX9LcasqywFl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="524" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports 18-year-old Alexander
Harris attempted to assist another swimmer identified as his brother in the Missouri River, but went
under and didn’t resurface.The patrol reports Harris and the other boy were swimming
in the Missouri River Saturday afternoon about a half mile north of Payne’s
Landing in Holt County.A Facebook post from the family stated Harris kept his younger brother afloat until his mother could save him. The Holt County Coroner pronounced Harris dead at the scene.

Teen drowns while saving his brother in Missouri River

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a major security breach at the Sedgwick County Jail and have&nbsp; identified a connection with an uprising at the Lansing Correctional Facility that sent one prisoner to the hospital and left at least three corrections employees injured.

On July 17, authorities at the Sedgwick County jail learned that inmates had removed a pipe from a&nbsp; sink&nbsp; in a day room. They used the pipe to pound on a window in a cell to create a fist sized hole in the window, according to Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter.

The inmates later lowered a sheet through the hole to a person outside the jail who was contacted through the facility's phone system. That person delivered&nbsp; cell phones and marijuana to the inmates.

&nbsp;Through additional investigation, the sheriff's office learned the inmates expected three more deliveries that day. The deliveries included the introduction of a handgun into the jail, according to Easter.

Investigators also learned that almost twenty shanks, or improvised weapons, had been created inside the jail this month. Much of the activity was in conjunction with violence that prompted the lockdown of the Lansing Correctional Facility on July 15, according to Easter. 

The incident sent a prisoner to the hospital. Three corrections employees were injured. Two leaders of a gang at&nbsp;Lansing, the state's largest and oldest prison for adult men, used to be in the Sedgwick County Jail.

Several inmates, affiliated with the same gang and still housed in Sedgwick County were planning similar violence, according to Easter.

While investigating the incident in Sedgwick County, the on-duty deputy in that area of the jail observed inmates break the window, bring the contraband into the facility and didn't stop it or inform anyone it occurred. He also did not give investigators the full story about the incident when confronted about it, according to Easter.&nbsp;

After further investigation of the jail deputy identified as 22-year-old Dustin Burnett of Maize was arrested and on Friday was charged with two counts of official misconduct, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. Both are felonies.&nbsp; Burnett had been employed by the jail since January and was terminated upon his arrest.

On Wednesday, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office conducted a mass search of the entire 1,226 bed Adult Detention Facility after receiving creditable information about the contraband being introduced to the facility.​ A team comprised of 169 members of the Sheriff’s Office took over six hours to complete the search.

During the search deputies found fentanyl pills, shanks or items that could be made into dangerous weapons, a handcuff key, possible K2 and a butane lighter.

Also during the search,&nbsp;a medical emergency occurred in one of the housing units where an inmate was found unresponsive in the housing unit gymnasium.​ Medical staff responded quickly and was able to revive the inmate after administering four doses of Narcan.​ As a precaution the inmate was transported to a local area hospital for treatment, but has since been returned to the Detention Facility.​

While the inmate was being treated in the housing unit he was found in possession of the six pills believed to be fentanyl. ​ The 26-year-old white male is being held on Aggravated Assault, Criminal Poss of a Firearm, Flee and Elude Law Enforcement and Drug Charges​

Burnett is scheduled for a return to court August 1, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658429257903.png" alt="Jail deputy Dustin Burnett made a first court appearance Friday and was charged with two counts of official misconduct -photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Jail deputy Dustin Burnett made a first court appearance Friday and was charged with two counts of official misconduct -photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a major security breach at the Sedgwick County Jail and have&nbsp; identified a connection with an uprising at the Lansing Correctional Facility that sent one prisoner to the hospital and left at least three corrections employees injured.On July 17, authorities at the Sedgwick County jail learned that inmates had removed a pipe from a&nbsp; sink&nbsp; in a day room. They used the pipe to pound on a window in a cell to create a fist sized hole in the window, according to Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FSedgwickCountySheriff%2Fvideos%2F5513627518658845%2F&show_text=false&width=267&t=35" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The inmates later lowered a sheet through the hole to a person outside the jail who was contacted through the facility's phone system. That person delivered&nbsp; cell phones and marijuana to the inmates.&nbsp;Through additional investigation, the sheriff's office learned the inmates expected three more deliveries that day. The deliveries included the introduction of a handgun into the jail, according to Easter.Investigators also learned that almost twenty shanks, or improvised weapons, had been created inside the jail this month. Much of the activity was in conjunction with violence that prompted the lockdown of the Lansing Correctional Facility on July 15, according to Easter. The incident sent a prisoner to the hospital. Three corrections employees were injured. Two leaders of a gang at&nbsp;Lansing, the state's largest and oldest prison for adult men, used to be in the Sedgwick County Jail.Several inmates, affiliated with the same gang and still housed in Sedgwick County were planning similar violence, according to Easter.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658430002977.png" alt="Outlet cover sharpened into a shank​" />
 <figcaption>Outlet cover sharpened into a shank​</figcaption>
 </figure>While investigating the incident in Sedgwick County, the on-duty deputy in that area of the jail observed inmates break the window, bring the contraband into the facility and didn't stop it or inform anyone it occurred. He also did not give investigators the full story about the incident when confronted about it, according to Easter.&nbsp;After further investigation of the jail deputy identified as 22-year-old Dustin Burnett of Maize was arrested and on Friday was charged with two counts of official misconduct, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. Both are felonies.&nbsp; Burnett had been employed by the jail since January and was terminated upon his arrest.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658429970384.png" alt="Pen sharpened down into a shank" />
 <figcaption>Pen sharpened down into a shank</figcaption>
 </figure>On Wednesday, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office conducted a mass search of the entire 1,226 bed Adult Detention Facility after receiving creditable information about the contraband being introduced to the facility.​ A team comprised of 169 members of the Sheriff’s Office took over six hours to complete the search.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658430090733.png" alt="Suspected Fentanyl Laced Pills found during the search -photo Sedgwick Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Suspected Fentanyl Laced Pills found during the search -photo Sedgwick Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>During the search deputies found fentanyl pills, shanks or items that could be made into dangerous weapons, a handcuff key, possible K2 and a butane lighter.Also during the search,&nbsp;a medical emergency occurred in one of the housing units where an inmate was found unresponsive in the housing unit gymnasium.​ Medical staff responded quickly and was able to revive the inmate after administering four doses of Narcan.​ As a precaution the inmate was transported to a local area hospital for treatment, but has since been returned to the Detention Facility.​While the inmate was being treated in the housing unit he was found in possession of the six pills believed to be fentanyl. ​ The 26-year-old white male is being held on Aggravated Assault, Criminal Poss of a Firearm, Flee and Elude Law Enforcement and Drug Charges​Burnett is scheduled for a return to court August 1, according to the district attorney's office.

🎥Inmates planned violence similar to attack at Kansas prison

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 34-year-old&nbsp; Kirk Sexton 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 34-year-old&nbsp; Kirk Sexton 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.

Police: Search continues for Kansas murder suspect

BOURBON COUNTY—Two juveniles were injured in an accident just before 11:30a.m. Sunday in Bourbon County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Polaris Razor driven by 13-year-old Landon Greenway of Bronson was southbound on Kansas 3 Highway a mile and a half north of Bronson.

The passenger side tires dropped off of the southbound edge of the highway. The driver overcorrected and the ATV overturned.

EMS transported Greenway to Children's Mercy in Kansas City and an 8-year-old passenger to&nbsp;Via Christi in Fort Scott.&nbsp;&nbsp;

BOURBON COUNTY—Two juveniles were injured in an accident just before 11:30a.m. Sunday in Bourbon County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Polaris Razor driven by 13-year-old Landon Greenway of Bronson was southbound on Kansas 3 Highway a mile and a half north of Bronson.The passenger side tires dropped off of the southbound edge of the highway. The driver overcorrected and the ATV overturned.EMS transported Greenway to Children's Mercy in Kansas City and an 8-year-old passenger to&nbsp;Via Christi in Fort Scott.&nbsp;&nbsp;

13, 8-year-old Kan. boys hospitalized after ATV overturns

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden continues to “improve significantly” despite a lingering sore throat from his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boris-johnson-biden-covid-health-government-and-politics-fec6b4a56384b1f2bf7582aecb46aa36">coronavirus infection</a>, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Update-7.24.pdf">an update Sunday</a>&nbsp;from his doctor.

“The president is responding to therapy as expected,” wrote Dr. Kevin O’Connor in his latest note. Biden has been taking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-pfizer-medication-f5f65e7e61d6aa9c7dfa193053e8878a">Paxlovid</a>, an antiviral drug that helps reduce the chance of severe illness.

O’Connor wrote that Biden still has a sore throat, though other symptoms, including a cough, runny nose and body aches, “have diminished considerably."

Biden tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday morning. O'Connor said Saturday that the president likely became infected with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-united-states-pandemics-72462053f8d60fd548cf34377864100b">highly contagious variant, known as BA.5</a>, that is spreading throughout the country, and Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 response coordinator, said Sunday, “It is the BA.5 variant.”

"Thank goodness our vaccines and therapeutics work well against it, which is why I think the president's doing well," Jha told CBS' “Face the Nation."

Jha also gave a positive update on the president's health.

“I checked in with his team late last night. He was feeling well. He had a good day yesterday,” Jha said.

That variant is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-rochelle-walensky-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-government-politics-0bd2ccf19f1c27379f312b9edf5f3634">an offshoot of the omicron strain</a>&nbsp;that emerged late last year. It is believed responsible for the vast majority of coronavirus cases in the country. He has been isolating in the White House residence since then.

Administration officials have emphasized that his symptoms are mild because he has received four vaccine doses, and he started taking the antiviral drug Paxlovid after becoming infected.

The White House has not released any photos or video of Biden since Friday, when the media watched him participate in a virtual meeting with economic advisers.

Jha pledged that the White House would keep giving updates on the president's condition and whether he might have long-term symptoms.

“We think it’s really important for the American people to know how well their president is doing,” he said.

“Obviously if he has persistent symptoms, obviously if any of them interfere with his ability to carry out his duties, we will disclose that early and often with the American people. But I suspect that this is going to be a course of COVID that we've seen in many Americans who have ben fully vaccinated, double boosted, getting treated with those tools in hand,” Jha said. "The president’s been doing well and we’re going to expect that he's going to continue to do so.’’

Biden's press secretary has said 17 people, including members of the president's senior staff and at least one member of Congress, were determined to have been in close contact with Biden when he might have been contagious. None has tested positive so far, Jha said on “Fox News Sunday.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658710265970.png" alt="Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 response coordinator, said, "The White House would keep giving updates on the president's condition and whether he might have long-term symptoms." />
 <figcaption>Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 response coordinator, said, "The White House would keep giving updates on the president's condition and whether he might have long-term symptoms.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden continues to “improve significantly” despite a lingering sore throat from his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boris-johnson-biden-covid-health-government-and-politics-fec6b4a56384b1f2bf7582aecb46aa36">coronavirus infection</a>, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Update-7.24.pdf">an update Sunday</a>&nbsp;from his doctor.“The president is responding to therapy as expected,” wrote Dr. Kevin O’Connor in his latest note. Biden has been taking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-pfizer-medication-f5f65e7e61d6aa9c7dfa193053e8878a">Paxlovid</a>, an antiviral drug that helps reduce the chance of severe illness.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658710001474.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>O’Connor wrote that Biden still has a sore throat, though other symptoms, including a cough, runny nose and body aches, “have diminished considerably."Biden tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday morning. O'Connor said Saturday that the president likely became infected with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-united-states-pandemics-72462053f8d60fd548cf34377864100b">highly contagious variant, known as BA.5</a>, that is spreading throughout the country, and Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 response coordinator, said Sunday, “It is the BA.5 variant.”"Thank goodness our vaccines and therapeutics work well against it, which is why I think the president's doing well," Jha told CBS' “Face the Nation."Jha also gave a positive update on the president's health.“I checked in with his team late last night. He was feeling well. He had a good day yesterday,” Jha said.That variant is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-rochelle-walensky-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-government-politics-0bd2ccf19f1c27379f312b9edf5f3634">an offshoot of the omicron strain</a>&nbsp;that emerged late last year. It is believed responsible for the vast majority of coronavirus cases in the country. He has been isolating in the White House residence since then.Administration officials have emphasized that his symptoms are mild because he has received four vaccine doses, and he started taking the antiviral drug Paxlovid after becoming infected.The White House has not released any photos or video of Biden since Friday, when the media watched him participate in a virtual meeting with economic advisers.Jha pledged that the White House would keep giving updates on the president's condition and whether he might have long-term symptoms.“We think it’s really important for the American people to know how well their president is doing,” he said.“Obviously if he has persistent symptoms, obviously if any of them interfere with his ability to carry out his duties, we will disclose that early and often with the American people. But I suspect that this is going to be a course of COVID that we've seen in many Americans who have ben fully vaccinated, double boosted, getting treated with those tools in hand,” Jha said. "The president’s been doing well and we’re going to expect that he's going to continue to do so.’’Biden's press secretary has said 17 people, including members of the president's senior staff and at least one member of Congress, were determined to have been in close contact with Biden when he might have been contagious. None has tested positive so far, Jha said on “Fox News Sunday.”

White House: Biden doing well due to 4 COVID vaccine doses

ELLIS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating 3 suspects after an armed robbery in Hays on Sunday.

&nbsp;Just after 10:30 a.m. officers received the first 911 call regarding an armed robbery at the Dollar General store at 1208 E. 27th street in Hays, according to a media release.

 The cashier reported a black male with a handgun robbed the store of money and left the building. The cashier reported that no one was injured. Officers responded to the scene and began searching the area. 

Through further investigation it was learned that there were three suspects that left the scene in a black Ford pickup truck with a topper. At 12:09 p.m. dispatch put out an Attempt to Locate (ATL) for the three suspects in a black Ford Ranger or mid-sized pickup with a topper and silver running boards, unknown tag. They were considered armed and dangerous.

A KHP Lieutenant located the suspect vehicle at the Sonic in Oakley, Kansas.

 The suspects fled and a vehicle pursuit ensued. During the pursuit, the suspect vehicle drove west bound in the east bound lane on Interstate 70 putting the public in harm’s way. The KHP Trooper performed a Tactical Vehicle Intervention (TVI) and both vehicles rolled trapping the trooper in his vehicle. The trooper sustained minor injuries. 

At 12:29 p.m. KHP took all three suspects into custody. The female suspect was taken to the hospital in Oakley for injuries sustained in the roll over. The two male suspects were transported to the Ellis County Jail and are being held for armed robbery. 

A member of the Hays Police Department Investigation Division responded to the scene to assist in processing the suspect vehicle and to collect evidence of the robbery. The firearm used in the robbery and other evidence were discarded from the suspect vehicle during the pursuit. These items were located along the highway and have been recovered. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658699443984.jpeg" alt="Hays police responded to a report of an armed robbery at 10:40 a.m. Sunday at the 27th Street Dollar General in Hays. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Hays police responded to a report of an armed robbery at 10:40 a.m. Sunday at the 27th Street Dollar General in Hays. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>ELLIS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating 3 suspects after an armed robbery in Hays on Sunday.&nbsp;Just after 10:30 a.m. officers received the first 911 call regarding an armed robbery at the Dollar General store at 1208 E. 27th street in Hays, according to a media release. The cashier reported a black male with a handgun robbed the store of money and left the building. The cashier reported that no one was injured. Officers responded to the scene and began searching the area. Through further investigation it was learned that there were three suspects that left the scene in a black Ford pickup truck with a topper. At 12:09 p.m. dispatch put out an Attempt to Locate (ATL) for the three suspects in a black Ford Ranger or mid-sized pickup with a topper and silver running boards, unknown tag. They were considered armed and dangerous.A KHP Lieutenant located the suspect vehicle at the Sonic in Oakley, Kansas. The suspects fled and a vehicle pursuit ensued. During the pursuit, the suspect vehicle drove west bound in the east bound lane on Interstate 70 putting the public in harm’s way. The KHP Trooper performed a Tactical Vehicle Intervention (TVI) and both vehicles rolled trapping the trooper in his vehicle. The trooper sustained minor injuries. At 12:29 p.m. KHP took all three suspects into custody. The female suspect was taken to the hospital in Oakley for injuries sustained in the roll over. The two male suspects were transported to the Ellis County Jail and are being held for armed robbery. A member of the Hays Police Department Investigation Division responded to the scene to assist in processing the suspect vehicle and to collect evidence of the robbery. The firearm used in the robbery and other evidence were discarded from the suspect vehicle during the pursuit. These items were located along the highway and have been recovered.

Armed robbery suspects captured after wrong-way I-70 crash

OTTAWA COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on multiple charges.

Earlier this month, the United State's attorney indicted 26-year-old Jonathan Bonilla, 26, on three counts of possession of counterfeit currency.&nbsp; The U.S. Secret Service is investigating the case. 

In April, authorities arrested Bonilla on requested charges of Burglary, criminal possession of a firearm, unlawful use of a financial card along with parole and probation violations. He is being held without bond in Harvey County, according to online jail records.&nbsp; He had a previous conviction for burglary, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections and an arrest in Ottawa County.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657998047338.png" alt="Bonilla photo Sedgwick County." />
 <figcaption>Bonilla photo Sedgwick County.</figcaption>
 </figure>OTTAWA COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on multiple charges.Earlier this month, the United State's attorney indicted 26-year-old Jonathan Bonilla, 26, on three counts of possession of counterfeit currency.&nbsp; The U.S. Secret Service is investigating the case. In April, authorities arrested Bonilla on requested charges of Burglary, criminal possession of a firearm, unlawful use of a financial card along with parole and probation violations. He is being held without bond in Harvey County, according to online jail records.&nbsp; He had a previous conviction for burglary, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections and an arrest in Ottawa County.

Kansas felon accused of using counterfeit cash

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect and three teens in connection with a high speed chase in a reported stolen 2010 Ford Escape.

Just after 8:30p.m. July 20, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center&nbsp;received notification that the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) was in pursuit of a stolen vehicle, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Shawnee County deputies assisted KHP near 24 Highway and North Kansas Avenue. As that pursuit entered neighborhoods, that pursuit was terminated.

Shortly after, the stolen SUV was located again near NW Goodyear Road and 24 Highway. Deputies attempted to stop the stolen vehicle, the driver refused, initiating a subsequent pursuit. The suspect left 24 Highway and proceeded northbound onto NW Goodyear Road. At NW 25th Street, the suspect made a U-turn and continued southbound towards 24 Highway. The suspect continued eastbound on 24 Highway then southbound on NW Topeka Boulevard. 

At NW Studer Street, the suspect vehicle struck a concrete curb and Toyota RAV4 and suffered a flat tire which led to the end of the pursuit near NW Paramore Street.

At 9pm, the driver, Dominic Romano Gale Clark, 19, of Kansas City, Kan., was taken into custody. The black 2010 Ford Escape was stolen out of the City of Topeka. 

Clark was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of felony flee and elude, three counts of aggravated endangering a child, possession of stolen property, reckless driving, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, speeding, operating a vehicle without a valid license and failure to maintain a single lane. Three 17-year-old passengers were also in the vehicle.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658486843846.png" alt="Clark photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Clark photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect and three teens in connection with a high speed chase in a reported stolen 2010 Ford Escape.Just after 8:30p.m. July 20, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center&nbsp;received notification that the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) was in pursuit of a stolen vehicle, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.Shawnee County deputies assisted KHP near 24 Highway and North Kansas Avenue. As that pursuit entered neighborhoods, that pursuit was terminated.Shortly after, the stolen SUV was located again near NW Goodyear Road and 24 Highway. Deputies attempted to stop the stolen vehicle, the driver refused, initiating a subsequent pursuit. The suspect left 24 Highway and proceeded northbound onto NW Goodyear Road. At NW 25th Street, the suspect made a U-turn and continued southbound towards 24 Highway. The suspect continued eastbound on 24 Highway then southbound on NW Topeka Boulevard. At NW Studer Street, the suspect vehicle struck a concrete curb and Toyota RAV4 and suffered a flat tire which led to the end of the pursuit near NW Paramore Street.At 9pm, the driver, Dominic Romano Gale Clark, 19, of Kansas City, Kan., was taken into custody. The black 2010 Ford Escape was stolen out of the City of Topeka. Clark was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of felony flee and elude, three counts of aggravated endangering a child, possession of stolen property, reckless driving, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, speeding, operating a vehicle without a valid license and failure to maintain a single lane. Three 17-year-old passengers were also in the vehicle.

Kansas man captured after high-speed chase in stolen SUV

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' top elections official violated the state's open records law when he had office computer software altered so that it could no longer produce data sought by a voting-rights advocate, the state Court of Appeals ruled Friday.

The decision directed a trial court judge to order Secretary of State Scott Schwab to reverse the software change in the state's voter registration system so that it can again produce a statewide report on provisional ballots. Voters receive provisional ballots if they don’t appear to be registered, fail to present required identification or try to vote at the wrong polling place. Their ballots are set aside to be reviewed later by local officials, who determine whether they will be counted.

Davis Hammett is founder of the voting-rights group Loud Light, which helps voters fix issues that led them to cast provisional ballots so that their votes are counted. It also researches voting-rights issues and lobbies the Legislature.

Hammett first sought the information after the 2018 general election, then again repeatedly in 2020. Schwab's office provided it free of charge until the fall of 2020, when Schwab had the vendor maintaining the voter registration system&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-government-and-politics-elections-lawsuits-software-e8c0013f40f64bcb39747317ec256c2e">turn off the feature</a>&nbsp;that produces the reports.

“The report feature may have been of no use to the Secretary but it was useful to Hammet and the public,” Judge Stephen Hill wrote for the three-member appeals panel. “And that is the point of open public records."

Concerns from voting-rights advocates about how provisional and mail-in ballots are handled grew during the tenure of Schwab's predecessor, conservative Republican Kris Kobach, an advocate of strict voter ID laws. In 2016, Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-elections-a369ae2a8087463abddd85990270806c">threw out at least three times as many</a>&nbsp;ballots as similarly sized states.

A political outcry over hundreds of discarded mail-in ballots statewide in the 2018 primary — when Kobach won the GOP nomination for governor by 343 votes — led to a 2019 law requiring election officials to notify voters before their mail-in ballots are thrown out because of problems with signatures.

While Hammet praised Friday's ruling and predicted it will help others seeking state documents, he said it was frustrating to have to go to court to get records that help his group pinpoint potential problems in how provisional ballots are handled.

“It helps us create better state laws,” Hammet said. “We were shut off from doing that.”

Schwab is running in the Aug. 2 Republican primary against a challenger from his right who promotes baseless election fraud theories and accuses Schwab of not being transparent. A Schwab spokesperson said in email that his office was reviewing the decision.

The secretary of state argued in 2019 that provisional ballot reports contained confidential information and were not public records. Hammet sued him, and District Judge Teresa Watson in Shawnee County declared the reports public records. Schwab turned reports over to Hammet multiple times.

The secretary of state had the voter registration system's software altered in September 2020. When Hammett requested another report about three weeks later, Schwab's office suggested he get the data from the vendor — at a cost of $522.

When Hammet sued Schwab again,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-voting-rights-elections-voting-lawsuits-1d70389224a8e0accff00568623690f7">Watson sided with Schwab</a>&nbsp;and declared that the ability to produce the report was not a public record itself.

But the Court of Appeals panel said the change didn't result from a software upgrade or malfunction and Schwab was “choosing to conceal rather than reveal public records.”

While Schwab has discretion in running his office, the appeals panel said, “Public officials must also respect the public policy formulated by the Legislature.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596032048786.png" alt="Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab -photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab -photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' top elections official violated the state's open records law when he had office computer software altered so that it could no longer produce data sought by a voting-rights advocate, the state Court of Appeals ruled Friday.The decision directed a trial court judge to order Secretary of State Scott Schwab to reverse the software change in the state's voter registration system so that it can again produce a statewide report on provisional ballots. Voters receive provisional ballots if they don’t appear to be registered, fail to present required identification or try to vote at the wrong polling place. Their ballots are set aside to be reviewed later by local officials, who determine whether they will be counted.Davis Hammett is founder of the voting-rights group Loud Light, which helps voters fix issues that led them to cast provisional ballots so that their votes are counted. It also researches voting-rights issues and lobbies the Legislature.Hammett first sought the information after the 2018 general election, then again repeatedly in 2020. Schwab's office provided it free of charge until the fall of 2020, when Schwab had the vendor maintaining the voter registration system&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-government-and-politics-elections-lawsuits-software-e8c0013f40f64bcb39747317ec256c2e">turn off the feature</a>&nbsp;that produces the reports.“The report feature may have been of no use to the Secretary but it was useful to Hammet and the public,” Judge Stephen Hill wrote for the three-member appeals panel. “And that is the point of open public records."Concerns from voting-rights advocates about how provisional and mail-in ballots are handled grew during the tenure of Schwab's predecessor, conservative Republican Kris Kobach, an advocate of strict voter ID laws. In 2016, Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-elections-a369ae2a8087463abddd85990270806c">threw out at least three times as many</a>&nbsp;ballots as similarly sized states.A political outcry over hundreds of discarded mail-in ballots statewide in the 2018 primary — when Kobach won the GOP nomination for governor by 343 votes — led to a 2019 law requiring election officials to notify voters before their mail-in ballots are thrown out because of problems with signatures.While Hammet praised Friday's ruling and predicted it will help others seeking state documents, he said it was frustrating to have to go to court to get records that help his group pinpoint potential problems in how provisional ballots are handled.“It helps us create better state laws,” Hammet said. “We were shut off from doing that.”Schwab is running in the Aug. 2 Republican primary against a challenger from his right who promotes baseless election fraud theories and accuses Schwab of not being transparent. A Schwab spokesperson said in email that his office was reviewing the decision.The secretary of state argued in 2019 that provisional ballot reports contained confidential information and were not public records. Hammet sued him, and District Judge Teresa Watson in Shawnee County declared the reports public records. Schwab turned reports over to Hammet multiple times.The secretary of state had the voter registration system's software altered in September 2020. When Hammett requested another report about three weeks later, Schwab's office suggested he get the data from the vendor — at a cost of $522.When Hammet sued Schwab again,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-voting-rights-elections-voting-lawsuits-1d70389224a8e0accff00568623690f7">Watson sided with Schwab</a>&nbsp;and declared that the ability to produce the report was not a public record itself.But the Court of Appeals panel said the change didn't result from a software upgrade or malfunction and Schwab was “choosing to conceal rather than reveal public records.”While Schwab has discretion in running his office, the appeals panel said, “Public officials must also respect the public policy formulated by the Legislature.”

Court: Kansas election chief's software change violated law

WASHINGTON&nbsp;– A year after a new federal law aimed at fighting robocalls, the number of phone companies that have adopted the required technology has quadrupled and the volume of scam robocalls has dropped in half, according to a media release from&nbsp;<a href="https://uspirg.org/">U.S. PIRG an</a> advocate for the public interest.

Spam texts have increased more than tenfold as con artists and identity thieves find alternative ways to steal Americans’ personal information and money.

“Too often, we hear stories about elderly people who lose their life savings after responding to someone they think is from their bank,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://uspirgedfund.org/staff/usp/teresa-murray">Teresa Murray</a>, consumer watchdog with the U.S. PIRG Education Fund.&nbsp;”I’d like to see regulators, lawmakers and executives from phone companies explain to each family why they haven’t done more to help their grandma or grandpa.”

In a new report by U.S. PIRG Education Fund,&nbsp;<a href="https://uspirgedfund.org/blogs/blog/usf/ringing-our-fears">“Ringing in our Fears,”</a>&nbsp;Our analysis of the Federal Communications Commission’s robocall mitigation database of 7,514 voice providers nationwide shows:

The phone companies’ actions appear to be helping, but clearly, incomplete compliance has not solved our national robocall problem. The number of monthly scam robocalls has dropped from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/just-over-4-4-billion-robocalls-in-june-mark-11-monthly-increase-says-youmail-robocall-index-301327740.html?tc=eml_cleartime">2.1 billion</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-phones-received-almost-4-billion-robocalls-in-may-says-youmail-robocall-index-301563887.html">1.1 billion</a>&nbsp;in the year since the law took effect, according to a leading robocall-filtering company. While robocalls may be ringing in our ears less often, excessive robotexts are now ringing in our fears of being scammed: Spam texts have increased from 1 billion to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.robokiller.com/spam-text-insights">12 billion a month</a>&nbsp;in the last year.

“I’ve focused on scam robocalls for 15 years and can’t believe we haven’t made more progress,” Murray said. “The FCC approves new rules, Congress passes new laws, yet we still have more than a billion scam robocalls and 12 times as many robotexts a month. Americans deserve better enforcement, and corporations need to take their share of&nbsp;responsibility.”

The report offers reasons for short-term optimism, including the FCC targeting both “gateway” providers that funnel scam calls from overseas and smaller providers that originally were exempt from the law until June 2023, but now must comply. Still, more needs to be done, including allowing public access to “traceback” data that shows which companies originate or allow scam robocalls on their lines.

“Research shows that 80 percent of us generally don’t answer calls from an unknown number,” Murray said. “We rely on our phones, we pay good money for our phones, but it’s become a hassle to use our phones the way we want to -- to answer calls and texts. And the tales of people whose lives are wrecked by scam calls and texts are gut-wrenching. It needs to stop.”

WASHINGTON&nbsp;– A year after a new federal law aimed at fighting robocalls, the number of phone companies that have adopted the required technology has quadrupled and the volume of scam robocalls has dropped in half, according to a media release from&nbsp;<a href="https://uspirg.org/">U.S. PIRG an</a> advocate for the public interest. Spam texts have increased more than tenfold as con artists and identity thieves find alternative ways to steal Americans’ personal information and money.“Too often, we hear stories about elderly people who lose their life savings after responding to someone they think is from their bank,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://uspirgedfund.org/staff/usp/teresa-murray">Teresa Murray</a>, consumer watchdog with the U.S. PIRG Education Fund.&nbsp;”I’d like to see regulators, lawmakers and executives from phone companies explain to each family why they haven’t done more to help their grandma or grandpa.”In a new report by U.S. PIRG Education Fund,&nbsp;<a href="https://uspirgedfund.org/blogs/blog/usf/ringing-our-fears">“Ringing in our Fears,”</a>&nbsp;Our analysis of the Federal Communications Commission’s robocall mitigation database of 7,514 voice providers nationwide shows:<ul>
 <li>1,932 have installed the industry-standard STIR/SHAKEN technology, up from 536 companies last year.</li><li>1,518 have partially adopted the STIR/SHAKEN technology, up from 817 companies last year.</li><li>3,062 have not installed STIR/SHAKEN but claim to be using their own robocall mitigation system. That compares with 1,710 companies last year. The increase reflects companies that didn’t report their status last year.</li><li>1,002 claimed they’re exempt from the requirements, almost all because they’re intermediate providers that don’t originate or complete calls.</li>
 </ul>The phone companies’ actions appear to be helping, but clearly, incomplete compliance has not solved our national robocall problem. The number of monthly scam robocalls has dropped from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/just-over-4-4-billion-robocalls-in-june-mark-11-monthly-increase-says-youmail-robocall-index-301327740.html?tc=eml_cleartime">2.1 billion</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-phones-received-almost-4-billion-robocalls-in-may-says-youmail-robocall-index-301563887.html">1.1 billion</a>&nbsp;in the year since the law took effect, according to a leading robocall-filtering company. While robocalls may be ringing in our ears less often, excessive robotexts are now ringing in our fears of being scammed: Spam texts have increased from 1 billion to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.robokiller.com/spam-text-insights">12 billion a month</a>&nbsp;in the last year.“I’ve focused on scam robocalls for 15 years and can’t believe we haven’t made more progress,” Murray said. “The FCC approves new rules, Congress passes new laws, yet we still have more than a billion scam robocalls and 12 times as many robotexts a month. Americans deserve better enforcement, and corporations need to take their share of&nbsp;responsibility.”The report offers reasons for short-term optimism, including the FCC targeting both “gateway” providers that funnel scam calls from overseas and smaller providers that originally were exempt from the law until June 2023, but now must comply. Still, more needs to be done, including allowing public access to “traceback” data that shows which companies originate or allow scam robocalls on their lines.“Research shows that 80 percent of us generally don’t answer calls from an unknown number,” Murray said. “We rely on our phones, we pay good money for our phones, but it’s become a hassle to use our phones the way we want to -- to answer calls and texts. And the tales of people whose lives are wrecked by scam calls and texts are gut-wrenching. It needs to stop.”

Report: Robotexts skyrocket 1 year after federal law to fight robocalls

JOHNSON COUNTY (AP) —A school resource officer who shot and wounded a Kansas high school student after the student shot him four times won’t face charges because he believed his life was in danger, a prosecutor announced Friday.

Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe said school resource officer Erik Clark shot Jaylon Elmore at Olathe East High School after Elmore&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-kansas-city-kansas-7056bd0ef98014e6166d1db226b90da8">shot him four times</a>&nbsp;inside an assistant principal’s office on March 4.

An assistant principal, Kaleb Stoppel, was shot and wounded during the exchange, “most likely” by two bullets fired by Clark, Howe said in a report.

Clark and Stoppel were released from the hospital the same day. Elmore was hospitalized for weeks before he was jailed on $1 million bond on an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-education-school-shootings-robbery-kansas-city-33b40af0c849eb7db2accd234dbbb2b7">attempted capital murder charge</a>. He pleaded not guilty.

“(Clark) believed that he was going to die when Jaylon Elmore drew a handgun and began firing at him,” Howe said in the release. “He watched the muzzle flashes and felt the bullets impact his body. This was a sudden burst of deadly violence without provocation.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646450835191.png" alt="Erik Clark-photo courtesy Olathe Police" />
 <figcaption>Erik Clark-photo courtesy Olathe Police</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY (AP) —A school resource officer who shot and wounded a Kansas high school student after the student shot him four times won’t face charges because he believed his life was in danger, a prosecutor announced Friday.Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe said school resource officer Erik Clark shot Jaylon Elmore at Olathe East High School after Elmore&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-kansas-city-kansas-7056bd0ef98014e6166d1db226b90da8">shot him four times</a>&nbsp;inside an assistant principal’s office on March 4.An assistant principal, Kaleb Stoppel, was shot and wounded during the exchange, “most likely” by two bullets fired by Clark, Howe said in a report.Clark and Stoppel were released from the hospital the same day. Elmore was hospitalized for weeks before he was jailed on $1 million bond on an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-education-school-shootings-robbery-kansas-city-33b40af0c849eb7db2accd234dbbb2b7">attempted capital murder charge</a>. He pleaded not guilty.“(Clark) believed that he was going to die when Jaylon Elmore drew a handgun and began firing at him,” Howe said in the release. “He watched the muzzle flashes and felt the bullets impact his body. This was a sudden burst of deadly violence without provocation.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652189950125.png" alt="Elmore-photo Johnson County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Elmore-photo Johnson County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>According to the report, Elmore was taken to the assistant principal’s office after rumors circulated that he might have brought a gun to school. After Elmore refused to allow Stoppel to search his backpack, Clark was summoned to the office, Howe said.When Elmore stood up and moved his backpack to his chest, Stoppel approached him. He heard shots being fired but did not see a weapon in Elmore’s hand until he tackled him, according to the report.Another assistant principal in the room saw Elmore take a pistol from the backpack and fire at Clark, Howe said. She was not injured.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646417385414.png" alt="Police on the scene of Olathe East High School Friday afternoon-photo courtesy KBMC -TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of Olathe East High School Friday afternoon-photo courtesy KBMC -TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Elmore shot Clark at point blank range before the officer was able to draw his weapon and return fire, according to the report. With Elmore subdued, Clark began treating his injuries and instructed others on how to treat Elmore’s wounds.Elmore and Clark each fired four shots. Clark was hit four times, including one bullet that destroyed a body worn camera on his chest. Elmore and Stoppel were both shot twice.Elmore used a Polymer 80 9mm gun, which is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-shootings-education-gun-politics-kansas-30b4539545d82d6fea59a006473e8c14">“ghost gun”</a>&nbsp;that can be made from a kit or individual parts often purchased online, the report said.