HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Even though the Kansas Legislature passed the so-called APEX bill and it was signed by Governor Laura Kelly in February, we still don't know if the state will get the super secret project.

"I don't know if we've lost out completely, or if they are still in the courting process," said Rep. Jason Probst. "The way these economic, especially these big economic development deals can sometimes work is, they've got two or three suitors on the line and they're trying to see who gives them the sweetest deal or the biggest dowry. It seems that's what the case is here. They came to Kansas, they got us to put a lot of money on the table. Then, from everything I've read, they've gone down to Oklahoma to see if they could get a sweeter deal down there."

Neither Oklahoma or Kansas is authorized to say who the project is for, but speculation is that it would be for a Panasonic battery plant for electric vehicles. Panasonic is a supplier for Tesla. Whichever state wins the plant would likely see it start producing as soon as fiscal 2024.

Panasonic already jointly operates a battery plant with Tesla in Nevada.

Hutchinson Chamber CEO Debra Teufel joined several economic development professionals from across Kansas in urging the legislature to pass the APEX bill back in February.

All APEX offers are subject to the approval of the State Finance Council.

Panasonic told Nikkei Asia earlier this month the decision on whether or not to build the plant at all will be based on the profitability of the new lithium-ion batteries that Panasonic will produce at its plant in Japan's Wakayama Prefecture starting in fiscal year 2023.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1654012074347.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Even though the Kansas Legislature passed the so-called APEX bill and it was signed by Governor Laura Kelly in February, we still don't know if the state will get the super secret project."I don't know if we've lost out completely, or if they are still in the courting process," said Rep. Jason Probst. "The way these economic, especially these big economic development deals can sometimes work is, they've got two or three suitors on the line and they're trying to see who gives them the sweetest deal or the biggest dowry. It seems that's what the case is here. They came to Kansas, they got us to put a lot of money on the table. Then, from everything I've read, they've gone down to Oklahoma to see if they could get a sweeter deal down there."Neither Oklahoma or Kansas is authorized to say who the project is for, but speculation is that it would be for a Panasonic battery plant for electric vehicles. Panasonic is a supplier for Tesla. Whichever state wins the plant would likely see it start producing as soon as fiscal 2024.Panasonic already jointly operates a battery plant with Tesla in Nevada.Hutchinson Chamber CEO Debra Teufel joined several economic development professionals from across Kansas in urging the legislature to pass the APEX bill back in February.All APEX offers are subject to the approval of the State Finance Council.Panasonic told Nikkei Asia earlier this month the decision on whether or not to build the plant at all will be based on the profitability of the new lithium-ion batteries that Panasonic will produce at its plant in Japan's Wakayama Prefecture starting in fiscal year 2023.

Will Kansas get the super secret project approved in APEX bill?

WASHINGTON (AP).—U.S. and Canadian regulators are investigating a hepatitis outbreak that may be linked to fresh organic strawberries.

In a joint weekend statement, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Public Health Agency of Canada said illnesses in Minnesota, California and Canada occurred after people consumed FreshKampo and H-E-B brand strawberries.

The <a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-hepatitis-virus-strawberries-may-2022">agencies said the </a>strawberries were purchased between March 5 and April 25. They were sold at various U.S. retailers, including Walmart, Kroger, Aldi, Safeway and Trader Joe’s.&nbsp;

The potentially affected strawberries are past their shelf life, but health officials say consumers who purchased them and froze them to eat later should throw them away.

There have been 17 illnesses and 12 hospitalizations reported in the U.S., the FDA said. Ten cases and four hospitalizations have been reported in Canada.

Mexico-based FreshKampo, which grew the strawberries, said in a statement Sunday that it is working with regulators to determine how the problem occurred. FreshKampo said the label on the containers of potentially affected strawberries would have said “Product of Mexico” or “Distributed by Meridien Foods.”

In a statement on its website, Texas grocer H-E-B said it has not received or sold organic strawberries from the supplier in question since April 16. H-E-B said anyone who still has the strawberries should throw them away or return them to the store where they were purchased.

Hepatitis A is a virus that can cause liver disease and, in rare cases, liver failure and death. Illness usually occurs within 15 to 50 days after eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Symptoms include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and jaundice.

Consumers who ate the potentially affected berries in the last two weeks and have not been vaccinated against hepatitis A should immediately consult with a physician, the FDA said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1654005740950.png" alt="Hepatitis A-image FDA" />
 <figcaption>Hepatitis A-image FDA</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP).—U.S. and Canadian regulators are investigating a hepatitis outbreak that may be linked to fresh organic strawberries.In a joint weekend statement, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Public Health Agency of Canada said illnesses in Minnesota, California and Canada occurred after people consumed FreshKampo and H-E-B brand strawberries.The <a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-hepatitis-virus-strawberries-may-2022">agencies said the </a>strawberries were purchased between March 5 and April 25. They were sold at various U.S. retailers, including Walmart, Kroger, Aldi, Safeway and Trader Joe’s.&nbsp;The potentially affected strawberries are past their shelf life, but health officials say consumers who purchased them and froze them to eat later should throw them away.There have been 17 illnesses and 12 hospitalizations reported in the U.S., the FDA said. Ten cases and four hospitalizations have been reported in Canada.Mexico-based FreshKampo, which grew the strawberries, said in a statement Sunday that it is working with regulators to determine how the problem occurred. FreshKampo said the label on the containers of potentially affected strawberries would have said “Product of Mexico” or “Distributed by Meridien Foods.”In a statement on its website, Texas grocer H-E-B said it has not received or sold organic strawberries from the supplier in question since April 16. H-E-B said anyone who still has the strawberries should throw them away or return them to the store where they were purchased.Hepatitis A is a virus that can cause liver disease and, in rare cases, liver failure and death. Illness usually occurs within 15 to 50 days after eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Symptoms include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and jaundice.Consumers who ate the potentially affected berries in the last two weeks and have not been vaccinated against hepatitis A should immediately consult with a physician, the FDA said.

US regulators tie hepatitis cases to strawberries

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal Saturday shooting have made an arrest.

Just before 10p.m., Saturday officers responded to a shooting at an apartment complex&nbsp;in the 4900 block of East Harry. Upon their arrival, they located 30-year-old Emmanuel Hardy of Wichita outside of the residence with gunshot wounds, according to Office Paul Cruz. EMS transported Hardy&nbsp;to an area hospital where he died.

The investigation revealed 27-year-old Roger Gale and Hardy were in a verbal disturbance that&nbsp;stemmed from a prior verbal argument while Gale was walking his dog, according to Cruz.&nbsp; 

During the disturbance Gale fired several shots at a 39-year-old woman and Hardy. Hardy was shot several times which caused his fatal injuries.

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20064899">Gale remains jailed </a>on requested charges of first degree murder and aggravated assault on a $250,000 bond, according to online jail records.

The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s office. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653857468279.png" alt="Gale-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Gale-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal Saturday shooting have made an arrest.Just before 10p.m., Saturday officers responded to a shooting at an apartment complex&nbsp;in the 4900 block of East Harry. Upon their arrival, they located 30-year-old Emmanuel Hardy of Wichita outside of the residence with gunshot wounds, according to Office Paul Cruz. EMS transported Hardy&nbsp;to an area hospital where he died.The investigation revealed 27-year-old Roger Gale and Hardy were in a verbal disturbance that&nbsp;stemmed from a prior verbal argument while Gale was walking his dog, according to Cruz.&nbsp; During the disturbance Gale fired several shots at a 39-year-old woman and Hardy. Hardy was shot several times which caused his fatal injuries.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20064899">Gale remains jailed </a>on requested charges of first degree murder and aggravated assault on a $250,000 bond, according to online jail records.The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s office.

Dispute while Kansas man walked his dog led to murder

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Local officials expressed frustration with issues of lack of communication, lack of transportation and lack of beds that have led to long waiting periods for adults and juveniles needing inpatient psychiatric care in western Kansas.

High Plains Mental Health sponsored a meeting with the Scott Brunner, deputy director of the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services; Andy Brown, commissioner for Behavioral Health Services at KDADS; Bobby Eklofe, president KVC Hospitals; and K.C. Johnson, president of HealthSource, Thursday in Hays.

About 70 audience members joined in the discussion, including members of law enforcement, mental health providers, emergency care and hospital staff, and educators. 

Citing the need for infection control and difficulty with staffing, Larned State Hospital has not operated at full capacity since 2020. They have 74 beds available at this time. 

Walt Hill, director of High Plains Mental Health Center, said in February the waitlist for the state hospital was up to 35 people and the average wait was 67 hours.

Brunner said the waitlist was down to 19 people for the month of May. 

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d3de94af-2857-447a-955b-b0cacf3adeda">KVC closed its acute care beds in Hays in 2019 but has plans to reopen 14 acute care beds in a new location in January. The facility will also have residential psychiatric care for juveniles.</a>

In addition to taking children from Kansas, KVC is also taking calls from Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado and Oklahoma.

Nationwide crisis for child psychiatric care

Brown said the nation is in crisis in terms of children's psychiatric care. There is more demand for care and children presenting with more severe needs, he said.

The latest state budget included more funding for youth residential treatment facilities to help with staffing issues, Brown said.

Eklofe said KVC may have a licensed capacity, but the actual capacity may vary depending on staffing. Eklofe said KVC lost staff during the pandemic and is trying to recruit them to come back.

He said KVC has seen about a 20 percent turnover rate in the last couple of years and has struggled to fill all of the positions.

It is not just the number of staff needed, it's also the specialty staff that is needed, he said.

Beyond staffing, Eklofe said KVC also looks at the safety of children when deciding how to prioritize admissions. A child who is sitting in an office may take priority over a child that is waiting in a hospital room or emergency department for safety reasons.

Area hospital staff expressed frustration about waits and the screening process for juveniles. One worker said a youth was at her facility for 10 days and had to be screened multiple times because of the long wait.

Brunner said the state hospital draws as many employees it can from Larned and the surrounding area but struggled to find enough qualified employees even before the pandemic.

The hospital is working with contract agencies to bring nurses to the facility.

Brunner said he did not have specific numbers on the number of staffing vacancies at the Larned currently.

"Our primary focus is to keep our staff and our patients safe," he said.

The hospital keeps workers over for extra hours or extra shifts or calls workers back to work to meet the needs of the hospitals.

"It's a constant, dynamic, moving thing every single day," he said.

The severity of the patients' illnesses and their need for one-on-one or two-on-one staffing can also alter the number of staff members needed.

Patients wait in ERs, local hospitals without medication

HealthSource works with most of the state's community mental health centers to do screenings to determine if people need to be admitted to psychiatric hospitals.

Those screenings are done through telemedicine. The average response time for these telemedicine screenings is an hour and 41 minutes. However, people have had to wait as long as seven hours.

It also works with the state to manage the state's mental hospital waiting lists. Twenty-one percent of more than 400 screenings in the High Plains Mental Health catchment area met the criteria for involuntary commitment to a state hospital.

Over the last six months, HealthSource has handled 1,200 calls to its crisis line. The average wait is 17 minutes, but Johnson admitted often waits are longer. Johnson said the agency is constantly working with staffing to cut those wait times.

Fifty-nine percent of their calls were from people who were suicidal. Nineteen percent of the calls were from people experiencing violent thoughts. 

Johnson said the agency works with community providers like High Plains Mental Health to try to keep people out of the hospital when possible. 

HealthSource also administers the State Institue Alternative plan, which pays private hospitals to care for people with acute mental illnesses.

Johnson said HealthSource is looking at investing in a system that would allow law enforcement or hospital officials to see the progress HealthSource is making to place someone.

Audience members, including Ellis County Sheriff Scott Braun said there is confusion as to whether all patients admitted to a state hospital needed to be medically cleared.

Braun said he was being told they did, so they were all being taken to HaysMed for that clearance. This is taking time away from ER and hospital staff.

Johnson said not all patients need to be medically cleared.

Some ER physicians are reluctant to prescribe any psychiatric medication to patients who have come in off the street. This results in patients waiting days in a local hospital for admittance to a psychiatric hospital without any treatment.

"It's like having a broken leg and not getting it set," one ER staff member said.

Change in statute considered for out-of-state patients

Thomas County Undersheriff Eric Smith said as a result of Interstate 70 going through his county, law enforcement deals with many individuals who Have mental health issues who are not from the local area and have no plan to stay in Kansas after they are released from the hospital.

He said there is confusion on who should be responsible for those patients.

Brunner said the statute doesn't give officials a clear path for those patients. He said state officials are aware of the problem and hope to propose legislation to deal with the issue.

Officials express concerns about potentially suicidal, violent individuals being released into community

Lt. Tim Greenwood of the Hays Police Department, as well as other members of the audience, said they were concerned about the screening process. He said he felt the screeners were only talking to patients and not to law enforcement officers who may have spent hours with a patient.

He was concerned some patients are being released into the community with safety plans who have been violent or suicidal.

"We don't ever want to do things that would ever put people in danger," Johnson said. "We might have criteria that this person doesn't meet certain expectations, but this is still really scary. What are the things we can do? You can get a second opinion."

Hill said High Plains Mental Health is the only community mental health center in the state that has an automatic secondary review of screenings for inpatient psychiatric admissions. 

Johnson said he will work with his team to ensure law enforcement officers and medical professionals have opportunities to report their observations to screeners.

"It's not about us, it's about patient safety," he said.

Finding secure transportation to get patients from rural hospitals to state psychiatric hospitals has also been a challenge.

Sometimes law enforcement will transport patients. However, that may depend on the willingness of the agency to do so and their available staffing.

Transporting someone with a mental illness handcuffed in the back of a police car may be traumatic for the person with the illness, Hill said.

HaysMed has trained staff to complete these transports. Some suggested expanding such a service to other areas of the state.

Hill said high liability insurance may be a barrier for agencies to provide this type of service.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostLocal officials expressed frustration with issues of lack of communication, lack of transportation and lack of beds that have led to long waiting periods for adults and juveniles needing inpatient psychiatric care in western Kansas.High Plains Mental Health sponsored a meeting with the Scott Brunner, deputy director of the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services; Andy Brown, commissioner for Behavioral Health Services at KDADS; Bobby Eklofe, president KVC Hospitals; and K.C. Johnson, president of HealthSource, Thursday in Hays.About 70 audience members joined in the discussion, including members of law enforcement, mental health providers, emergency care and hospital staff, and educators. Citing the need for infection control and difficulty with staffing, Larned State Hospital has not operated at full capacity since 2020. They have 74 beds available at this time. Walt Hill, director of High Plains Mental Health Center, said in February the waitlist for the state hospital was up to 35 people and the average wait was 67 hours.Brunner said the waitlist was down to 19 people for the month of May. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647894493283.jpeg" alt="The future home of KVC Hospital in Hays. File photo " />
 <figcaption>The future home of KVC Hospital in Hays. File photo </figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d3de94af-2857-447a-955b-b0cacf3adeda">KVC closed its acute care beds in Hays in 2019 but has plans to reopen 14 acute care beds in a new location in January. The facility will also have residential psychiatric care for juveniles.</a>In addition to taking children from Kansas, KVC is also taking calls from Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado and Oklahoma.<h2>Nationwide crisis for child psychiatric care</h2>Brown said the nation is in crisis in terms of children's psychiatric care. There is more demand for care and children presenting with more severe needs, he said.The latest state budget included more funding for youth residential treatment facilities to help with staffing issues, Brown said.Eklofe said KVC may have a licensed capacity, but the actual capacity may vary depending on staffing. Eklofe said KVC lost staff during the pandemic and is trying to recruit them to come back.<h2>Hospitals struggle to find staff</h2>He said KVC has seen about a 20 percent turnover rate in the last couple of years and has struggled to fill all of the positions.It is not just the number of staff needed, it's also the specialty staff that is needed, he said.Beyond staffing, Eklofe said KVC also looks at the safety of children when deciding how to prioritize admissions. A child who is sitting in an office may take priority over a child that is waiting in a hospital room or emergency department for safety reasons. Area hospital staff expressed frustration about waits and the screening process for juveniles. One worker said a youth was at her facility for 10 days and had to be screened multiple times because of the long wait. Brunner said the state hospital draws as many employees it can from Larned and the surrounding area but struggled to find enough qualified employees even before the pandemic.The hospital is working with contract agencies to bring nurses to the facility.Brunner said he did not have specific numbers on the number of staffing vacancies at the Larned currently."Our primary focus is to keep our staff and our patients safe," he said.The hospital keeps workers over for extra hours or extra shifts or calls workers back to work to meet the needs of the hospitals. "It's a constant, dynamic, moving thing every single day," he said. The severity of the patients' illnesses and their need for one-on-one or two-on-one staffing can also alter the number of staff members needed.<h2>Patients wait in ERs, local hospitals without medication </h2>HealthSource works with most of the state's community mental health centers to do screenings to determine if people need to be admitted to psychiatric hospitals. Those screenings are done through telemedicine. The average response time for these telemedicine screenings is an hour and 41 minutes. However, people have had to wait as long as seven hours.It also works with the state to manage the state's mental hospital waiting lists. Twenty-one percent of more than 400 screenings in the High Plains Mental Health catchment area met the criteria for involuntary commitment to a state hospital. Over the last six months, HealthSource has handled 1,200 calls to its crisis line. The average wait is 17 minutes, but Johnson admitted often waits are longer. Johnson said the agency is constantly working with staffing to cut those wait times. Fifty-nine percent of their calls were from people who were suicidal. Nineteen percent of the calls were from people experiencing violent thoughts. Johnson said the agency works with community providers like High Plains Mental Health to try to keep people out of the hospital when possible. HealthSource also administers the State Institue Alternative plan, which pays private hospitals to care for people with acute mental illnesses.Johnson said HealthSource is looking at investing in a system that would allow law enforcement or hospital officials to see the progress HealthSource is making to place someone.Audience members, including Ellis County Sheriff Scott Braun said there is confusion as to whether all patients admitted to a state hospital needed to be medically cleared.Braun said he was being told they did, so they were all being taken to HaysMed for that clearance. This is taking time away from ER and hospital staff.Johnson said not all patients need to be medically cleared.Some ER physicians are reluctant to prescribe any psychiatric medication to patients who have come in off the street. This results in patients waiting days in a local hospital for admittance to a psychiatric hospital without any treatment."It's like having a broken leg and not getting it set," one ER staff member said.<h2>Change in statute considered for out-of-state patients</h2>Thomas County Undersheriff Eric Smith said as a result of Interstate 70 going through his county, law enforcement deals with many individuals who Have mental health issues who are not from the local area and have no plan to stay in Kansas after they are released from the hospital.He said there is confusion on who should be responsible for those patients.Brunner said the statute doesn't give officials a clear path for those patients. He said state officials are aware of the problem and hope to propose legislation to deal with the issue.<h2>Officials express concerns about potentially suicidal, violent individuals being released into community</h2>Lt. Tim Greenwood of the Hays Police Department, as well as other members of the audience, said they were concerned about the screening process. He said he felt the screeners were only talking to patients and not to law enforcement officers who may have spent hours with a patient.He was concerned some patients are being released into the community with safety plans who have been violent or suicidal."We don't ever want to do things that would ever put people in danger," Johnson said. "We might have criteria that this person doesn't meet certain expectations, but this is still really scary. What are the things we can do? You can get a second opinion."Hill said High Plains Mental Health is the only community mental health center in the state that has an automatic secondary review of screenings for inpatient psychiatric admissions. Johnson said he will work with his team to ensure law enforcement officers and medical professionals have opportunities to report their observations to screeners."It's not about us, it's about patient safety," he said.<h2>Secure transportation</h2>Finding secure transportation to get patients from rural hospitals to state psychiatric hospitals has also been a challenge.Sometimes law enforcement will transport patients. However, that may depend on the willingness of the agency to do so and their available staffing.Transporting someone with a mental illness handcuffed in the back of a police car may be traumatic for the person with the illness, Hill said. HaysMed has trained staff to complete these transports. Some suggested expanding such a service to other areas of the state.Hill said high liability insurance may be a barrier for agencies to provide this type of service.

Mental patients stuck in ERs without treatment; screeners not getting full picture group says

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting at a weekend graduation party that fatally injured 17-year-old Boisy D. Barefield of Wichita followed by a fatal hit and run crash have identified the victim the girl who died as 15-year-old&nbsp; Jaxson Hunt of Wichita, according to Office Paul Cruz.

Just before 11:30 p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a shooting at The Banquet Hall located in the 3100 block of East 25th&nbsp;Street in Wichita, according to Officer Paul Cruz.

 Upon arriving at the scene, they located Boisy inside with a gunshot wound. EMS transported Boisy to an area hospital where he died from his injuries.

The initial investigation revealed there was a graduation party with several people in attendance. During the party, a disturbance ensued between two groups that led to shots being fired striking Boisy.

Hunt was fleeing the gunfire at the party and was struck at the intersection of 25th&nbsp;Street North and Estelle, by 18-year-old Samara Rockmore, who fled the pedestrian accident in her vehicle. 

EMS transported the 15-year-old girl to an area hospital where she later died from her injuries, according to Cruz.

Rockmore was later located and arrested and booked for felony hit and run.&nbsp;

Investigators are still trying to determine what led up to the shooting. Lack of cooperation has made the investigation difficult to determine all the details of the case, according to Cruz.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that fatally injured 17-year-old Boisy D. Barefield of Wichita, and a hit and run that fatally injured 15-year-old female of Wichita.

At approximately 11:20 p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a shooting at The Banquet Hall located in the 3100 block of East 25th&nbsp;Street in Wichita, according to Officer Paul Cruz.

The initial investigation revealed there was a graduation party with several people in attendance. During the party, a disturbance ensued between two groups that led to shots being fired striking Boisy. 

A 15-year-old girl who was fleeing the gunfire at the party was struck at the intersection of 25th&nbsp;Street North and Estelle, by 18-year-old Samara Rockmore, who fled the pedestrian accident in her vehicle. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653961867307.png" alt="Police at the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting at a weekend graduation party that fatally injured 17-year-old Boisy D. Barefield of Wichita followed by a fatal hit and run crash have identified the victim the girl who died as 15-year-old&nbsp; Jaxson Hunt of Wichita, according to Office Paul Cruz.Just before 11:30 p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a shooting at The Banquet Hall located in the 3100 block of East 25th&nbsp;Street in Wichita, according to Officer Paul Cruz. Upon arriving at the scene, they located Boisy inside with a gunshot wound. EMS transported Boisy to an area hospital where he died from his injuries.The initial investigation revealed there was a graduation party with several people in attendance. During the party, a disturbance ensued between two groups that led to shots being fired striking Boisy.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653858499131.png" alt="Rockmore-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Rockmore-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Hunt was fleeing the gunfire at the party and was struck at the intersection of 25th&nbsp;Street North and Estelle, by 18-year-old Samara Rockmore, who fled the pedestrian accident in her vehicle. EMS transported the 15-year-old girl to an area hospital where she later died from her injuries, according to Cruz.Rockmore was later located and arrested and booked for felony hit and run.&nbsp;Investigators are still trying to determine what led up to the shooting. Lack of cooperation has made the investigation difficult to determine all the details of the case, according to Cruz.-----SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that fatally injured 17-year-old Boisy D. Barefield of Wichita, and a hit and run that fatally injured 15-year-old female of Wichita.At approximately 11:20 p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a shooting at The Banquet Hall located in the 3100 block of East 25th&nbsp;Street in Wichita, according to Officer Paul Cruz. Upon arriving at the scene, they located Boisy inside with a gunshot wound. EMS transported Boisy to an area hospital where he died from his injuries.The initial investigation revealed there was a graduation party with several people in attendance. During the party, a disturbance ensued between two groups that led to shots being fired striking Boisy. A 15-year-old girl who was fleeing the gunfire at the party was struck at the intersection of 25th&nbsp;Street North and Estelle, by 18-year-old Samara Rockmore, who fled the pedestrian accident in her vehicle. EMS transported the 15-year-old girl to an area hospital where she later died from her injuries, according to Cruz.Rockmore was later located and arrested and booked for felony hit and run.&nbsp;Investigators are still trying to determine what led up to the shooting. Lack of cooperation has made the investigation difficult to determine all the details of the case, according to Cruz.

Police ID Kan. girl who died running from fatal shooting at grad party

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal appeals court is being asked to reconsider its decision allowing the Biden administration to require that federal employees get vaccinated against COVID-19.

A panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-donald-trump-new-orleans-5dfec69e95363b4bc4e94228c2de5729">vacated</a>&nbsp;a lower court ruling blocking the mandate and ordered dismissal of a lawsuit challenging the policy, which was ordered by President Joe Biden in September.

However, that 2-1 ruling by the appellate panel doesn’t take effect until May 31. Opponents of the mandate, led by a group called Feds for Medical Freedom, filed a petition asking that the April ruling be vacated and that the full 17-member court hear new arguments in the case.

The 5th Circuit asked the government to respond by June 2; it was unclear if the court would take any action before then.

Biden issued an order Sept. 9 that more than 3.5 million federal executive branch workers undergo vaccination, with no option to get regularly tested instead, unless they secured approved medical or religious exemptions.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown, who was appointed to the District Court for the Southern District of Texas by then-President Donald Trump, issued a nationwide injunction against the requirement in January. At the time, the White House said 98% of federal workers were already vaccinated.

In February, one 5th Circuit panel refused to block Brown’s ruling pending appeal. After hearing arguments in March, a different panel ruled 2-1 that Brown didn’t have jurisdiction in the case and those challenging the requirement could have pursued administrative remedies under Civil Service law.

Judges Carl Stewart and James Dennis, both nominated to the court by Democratic President Bill Clinton, were in the majority. Judge Rhesa Barksdale, a senior judge nominated by Republican President George H.W. Bush, dissented, saying the relief the challengers sought does not fall under the Civil Service Reform Act cited by the administration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648688148561.png" alt="Biden issued an order Sept. 9 that more than 3.5 million federal executive branch workers undergo vaccination, with no option to get regularly tested instead, unless they secured approved medical or religious exemptions-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Biden issued an order Sept. 9 that more than 3.5 million federal executive branch workers undergo vaccination, with no option to get regularly tested instead, unless they secured approved medical or religious exemptions-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal appeals court is being asked to reconsider its decision allowing the Biden administration to require that federal employees get vaccinated against COVID-19.A panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-donald-trump-new-orleans-5dfec69e95363b4bc4e94228c2de5729">vacated</a>&nbsp;a lower court ruling blocking the mandate and ordered dismissal of a lawsuit challenging the policy, which was ordered by President Joe Biden in September.However, that 2-1 ruling by the appellate panel doesn’t take effect until May 31. Opponents of the mandate, led by a group called Feds for Medical Freedom, filed a petition asking that the April ruling be vacated and that the full 17-member court hear new arguments in the case.The 5th Circuit asked the government to respond by June 2; it was unclear if the court would take any action before then.Biden issued an order Sept. 9 that more than 3.5 million federal executive branch workers undergo vaccination, with no option to get regularly tested instead, unless they secured approved medical or religious exemptions.U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown, who was appointed to the District Court for the Southern District of Texas by then-President Donald Trump, issued a nationwide injunction against the requirement in January. At the time, the White House said 98% of federal workers were already vaccinated.In February, one 5th Circuit panel refused to block Brown’s ruling pending appeal. After hearing arguments in March, a different panel ruled 2-1 that Brown didn’t have jurisdiction in the case and those challenging the requirement could have pursued administrative remedies under Civil Service law.Judges Carl Stewart and James Dennis, both nominated to the court by Democratic President Bill Clinton, were in the majority. Judge Rhesa Barksdale, a senior judge nominated by Republican President George H.W. Bush, dissented, saying the relief the challengers sought does not fall under the Civil Service Reform Act cited by the administration.

Court may reconsider ruling on federal vaccine mandate 

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

&nbsp; Just after 9:30p.m. Sunday,&nbsp; a sheriff's deputy stopped a 1993 Ford F-150 for a traffic infraction&nbsp;near 142nd and U.S. Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 The driver of the vehicle, Jamie D. Perron, 50, of Topeka was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges that include possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The passenger, Stephenie Lee Anne Wagner, 29, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653993464980.png" alt="Perron-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Perron-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges after a traffic stop.&nbsp; Just after 9:30p.m. Sunday,&nbsp; a sheriff's deputy stopped a 1993 Ford F-150 for a traffic infraction&nbsp;near 142nd and U.S. Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. The driver of the vehicle, Jamie D. Perron, 50, of Topeka was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges that include possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug and possession of drug paraphernalia.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653993427798.png" alt="Wagner-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Wagner-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The passenger, Stephenie Lee Anne Wagner, 29, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kansas deputies catch couple transporting meth 

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man has been charged in the fatal crash that killed a pedestrian near Interstate 435 and Truman Road on Wednesday, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced today.

Corey M. Holloway, 22m faces Involuntary Manslaughter 1st Degree, Tampering With a Motor Vehicle 1st Degree, Resisting Arrest and Leaving the Scene of an Accident.

According to court records, a GMC vehicle stopped on Wednesday evening by Kansas City police on Independence Avenue drove forward striking a police car. 

The driver then attempted to elude police. The vehicle reached speeds up to 95 mph on residential streets. As the vehicle approached Independence Avenue and Interstate 435, it traveled southbound in the northbound lanes. 

At that time, officers terminated the pursuit. Other KCPD officers located the vehicle near Truman Road and Interested 435, where the GMC had been involved in a crash involving a signal box. A pedestrian was struck by the GMC and died of those injuries.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police in Kansas City are searching for a driver of a stolen pickup truck they say fatally hit a pedestrian as it fled from officers.

The chase began Wednesday afternoon on Kansas City’s east side when officers spotted the stolen pickup and tried to pull it over, police said in a news release. The truck fled, ramming a patrol car in the process.

Police said the officers called off the chase as the truck entered the northbound lanes of Interstate 435 traveling southbound. Less that a minute later, police found the body a man in the road that appeared to have been hit by the fleeing truck.

The truck was found a short distance away, and a woman who was a passenger in the truck was arrested. The driver of the truck fled on foot and, despite a search involving helicopters and police dogs, was not found, police said.

The name of the pedestrian killed was not immediately released.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653581203815.png" alt="First responders at the scene of the fatal pedestrian accident-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>First responders at the scene of the fatal pedestrian accident-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man has been charged in the fatal crash that killed a pedestrian near Interstate 435 and Truman Road on Wednesday, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced today.Corey M. Holloway, 22m faces Involuntary Manslaughter 1st Degree, Tampering With a Motor Vehicle 1st Degree, Resisting Arrest and Leaving the Scene of an Accident.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653703196685.png" alt="Holloway-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Holloway-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>According to court records, a GMC vehicle stopped on Wednesday evening by Kansas City police on Independence Avenue drove forward striking a police car. The driver then attempted to elude police. The vehicle reached speeds up to 95 mph on residential streets. As the vehicle approached Independence Avenue and Interstate 435, it traveled southbound in the northbound lanes. At that time, officers terminated the pursuit. Other KCPD officers located the vehicle near Truman Road and Interested 435, where the GMC had been involved in a crash involving a signal box. A pedestrian was struck by the GMC and died of those injuries.Prosecutors requested a $250,000 bond.----------KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police in Kansas City are searching for a driver of a stolen pickup truck they say fatally hit a pedestrian as it fled from officers.The chase began Wednesday afternoon on Kansas City’s east side when officers spotted the stolen pickup and tried to pull it over, police said in a news release. The truck fled, ramming a patrol car in the process.Police said the officers called off the chase as the truck entered the northbound lanes of Interstate 435 traveling southbound. Less that a minute later, police found the body a man in the road that appeared to have been hit by the fleeing truck.The truck was found a short distance away, and a woman who was a passenger in the truck was arrested. The driver of the truck fled on foot and, despite a search involving helicopters and police dogs, was not found, police said.The name of the pedestrian killed was not immediately released.

Man who fled KC traffic stop charged in fatal pedestrian crash

By LAURA SPENCER <a href="https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2022-05-25/best-bookstore-in-america-the-raven-in-lawrence-kansas">Kansas News Service</a>

On Tuesday, <a href="https://www.dannycaine.com/" target="_blank">Danny Caine</a>
 was in Bayfield, Wisconsin, for a spring meeting of the Midwest 
Independent Booksellers when he heard the news: Publishers Weekly named 
the <a href="https://www.ravenbookstore.com/" target="_blank">Raven Book Store</a> as Bookstore of the Year.

“It
 was a thrill,” said Caine, co-owner of the store and author of the book
 “How to Resist Amazon and Why” and three collections of poetry. 

“I'm up here surrounded by the bookstore community, which is wonderful,” he said.

RELATED: <a href="https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2021-10-09/a-lawrence-bookstore-tried-to-beat-amazon-at-its-own-game-and-survived-now-its-expanding" target="_blank">A Lawrence bookstore tried to beat Amazon at its own game, and survived. Now it's expanding</a>

Publishers Weekly <a href="https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/88765-pw-bookstore-rep-finalists-announced.html" target="_blank">announced the five finalists</a>
 in March, saying they “are not only beloved by writers and the 
publishing community but also play a significant role in their 
communities.”

During a virtual awards ceremony, Caine accepted the
 award on a split-screen with some of the Raven’s other co-owners in 
Lawrence, Kansas.

“This is the biggest book industry trade 
publication saying we're the country's bookstore of the year. That’s 
enough for us,” he said. “The real reward is getting to do this work 
with this team and trying to make our bookstore — and perhaps the world —
 a better place.”

According to Publishers Weekly, members of the 
book industry, including authors, publishing professionals, and other 
booksellers, stated that “with creativity and panache” the Raven 
“supported authors and books during the pandemic ... in fact, sustained 
the indie bookstore industry.”

The Raven (named after the <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48860/the-raven" target="_blank">Edgar Allan Poe poem</a>)
 first opened in 1987 in downtown Lawrence, specializing in mystery 
books. It morphed into a more general interest store after Caine bought 
it in 2017. Last year it moved into a larger space at 809 Massachusetts 
St.

Along with a new location, Caine also shares ownership of the store with his staff.

“In
 January, I sold about half the store to seven employees. So we’ve got 
seven employee-owners now in addition to me,” he said. “That's been 
really interesting and wonderful to try out the employee-owned model and
 just to try out a little bit more equitable of a structure for our 
business.”

He added, “It just feels like an exciting way to take 
the store into the future and try to retain employees and help people 
start a career in the book business if they want to. It’s been really 
meaningful and rewarding for me — and I’m sure for all the other new 
owners, too."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653587535773.png" alt="The Raven Book Store's new location, as of 2021, at 809 Massachusetts St. in Lawrence, Kansas, is nestled among the downtown's mix of restaurants, shops and galleries. Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>The Raven Book Store's new location, as of 2021, at 809 Massachusetts St. in Lawrence, Kansas, is nestled among the downtown's mix of restaurants, shops and galleries. Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAURA SPENCER <a href="https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2022-05-25/best-bookstore-in-america-the-raven-in-lawrence-kansas">Kansas News Service</a>On Tuesday, <a href="https://www.dannycaine.com/" target="_blank">Danny Caine</a>
 was in Bayfield, Wisconsin, for a spring meeting of the Midwest 
Independent Booksellers when he heard the news: Publishers Weekly named 
the <a href="https://www.ravenbookstore.com/" target="_blank">Raven Book Store</a> as Bookstore of the Year.“It
 was a thrill,” said Caine, co-owner of the store and author of the book
 “How to Resist Amazon and Why” and three collections of poetry. “I'm up here surrounded by the bookstore community, which is wonderful,” he said.RELATED: <a href="https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2021-10-09/a-lawrence-bookstore-tried-to-beat-amazon-at-its-own-game-and-survived-now-its-expanding" target="_blank">A Lawrence bookstore tried to beat Amazon at its own game, and survived. Now it's expanding</a>Publishers Weekly <a href="https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/88765-pw-bookstore-rep-finalists-announced.html" target="_blank">announced the five finalists</a>
 in March, saying they “are not only beloved by writers and the 
publishing community but also play a significant role in their 
communities.”During a virtual awards ceremony, Caine accepted the
 award on a split-screen with some of the Raven’s other co-owners in 
Lawrence, Kansas.“This is the biggest book industry trade 
publication saying we're the country's bookstore of the year. That’s 
enough for us,” he said. “The real reward is getting to do this work 
with this team and trying to make our bookstore — and perhaps the world —
 a better place.”According to Publishers Weekly, members of the 
book industry, including authors, publishing professionals, and other 
booksellers, stated that “with creativity and panache” the Raven 
“supported authors and books during the pandemic ... in fact, sustained 
the indie bookstore industry.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653587602241.png" alt="In a virtual awards ceremony, Danny Caine shared a split-screen with other co-owners of the Raven Book Store to accept the bookstore of the year award from Publishers Weekly. " />
 <figcaption>In a virtual awards ceremony, Danny Caine shared a split-screen with other co-owners of the Raven Book Store to accept the bookstore of the year award from Publishers Weekly. </figcaption>
 </figure>The Raven (named after the <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48860/the-raven" target="_blank">Edgar Allan Poe poem</a>)
 first opened in 1987 in downtown Lawrence, specializing in mystery 
books. It morphed into a more general interest store after Caine bought 
it in 2017. Last year it moved into a larger space at 809 Massachusetts 
St.Along with a new location, Caine also shares ownership of the store with his staff.“In
 January, I sold about half the store to seven employees. So we’ve got 
seven employee-owners now in addition to me,” he said. “That's been 
really interesting and wonderful to try out the employee-owned model and
 just to try out a little bit more equitable of a structure for our 
business.”He added, “It just feels like an exciting way to take 
the store into the future and try to retain employees and help people 
start a career in the book business if they want to. It’s been really 
meaningful and rewarding for me — and I’m sure for all the other new 
owners, too."

Best bookstore in America? The Raven in Lawrence, Kansas

By JARED STRONG <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/05/26/usda-relaxes-conservation-program-rules-to-boost-crop-production/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>

Agricultural landowners who are not renewing their agreements this 
year with the federal government to keep their land out of production 
have the ability to put that land back to work earlier, a potential 
boost to wheat and other crop production amid global shortages, the U.S.
 Department of Agriculture announced Thursday.

Those who have land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program now 
have the option to terminate their contract early if they are in the 
final year of the contract. Under normal circumstances, landowners would
 have to wait until October to put the CRP land back into production or 
would be required to repay the money they’ve received from the program.

“They can now voluntarily terminate without penalty for those acres 
that are coming out of that program,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom 
Vilsack told a U.S. Senate committee on Thursday, “so that they’d be in a
 position to do work now on that land, to either prepare it for a crop 
or to potentially think about other crops that can be grown during the 
course of the winter.”

He said the equivalent of about 1 million acres of agricultural land 
is leaving the program this year — the difference between the acres that
 are expiring and the newly enrolled acres this year. In March, about 
22.1 million acres were actively enrolled, according to USDA data.

President Joe Biden <a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/05/11/biden-pledges-more-support-for-farmers-the-backbone-of-freedom/">has warned</a>
 that people “are going to starve to death” if millions of tons of wheat
 and corn in Ukraine is unable to be exported because of the ongoing 
Russian invasion, which began more than three months ago.

Ukraine is a significant producer and exporter of those crops, much 
of which is sold to African nations. Ukrainian officials have accused 
Russian troops of destroying farms and stealing grain and equipment. 
It’s not yet clear how much the war will affect Ukraine’s crop 
production this year.

Agriculture groups such as the American Farm Bureau Federation have 
been pining for months for the USDA to release CRP farmland back into 
production without penalty to help boost the global food supply.

In letters to CRP landowners this week, the USDA offered early terminations to those who hadn’t renewed their enrollment.

Russian President Vladimir “Putin’s unjustified invasion of Ukraine 
has cut off a critical source of wheat, corn, barley, oilseeds and 
cooking oil, and we’ve heard from many producers who want to better 
understand their options to help respond to global food needs,” Zach 
Ducheneaux, administrator of USDA’s Farm Service Agency, said in a press
 release Thursday. “This announcement will help producers make informed 
decisions about land use and conservation options.”

CRP contracts typically last for 10 to 15 years. Landowners set aside
 the land to reduce soil erosion and improve water quality and wildlife 
habitat, and the government pays them per acre. Those rental payments 
vary widely, depending on where the land is located.

Payments for Iowa land have the highest average at about $234 per 
acre, according to a recent USDA report. Payments for Nevada land were 
the lowest at about $10 per acre.

Landowners can end those contracts whenever they chose, but they must
 repay the rental payments with interest and face a potential additional
 penalty. The USDA periodically offers early termination without 
repayment or penalty. In 2017, the department offered it to certain 
landowners to encourage land sales to new farmers and ranchers.

“I think it’s a great step in the right direction, but I believe that
 we can do more,” U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Arkansas, told Vilsack 
during a Senate agriculture committee meeting Thursday, which was 
convened to address the challenges facing farmers and rural communities.

Boozman said early terminations should be more broadly offered to CRP
 participants to “allow potentially millions of acres to return to food 
production.”

Vilsack said the USDA is seeking to balance short-term and long-term 
global food concerns — especially as they pertain to climate change — 
and that CRP’s emphasis is on less desirable agricultural land.

“We basically have been focusing on highly erodible areas,” Vilsack said, “areas that are not particularly productive.”

Senator calls for supplemental crop insurance&nbsp;

Sen. John Hoeven, R-North Dakota, said the USDA should offer to 
supplement potential crop insurance payments to farmers who are late to 
plant this year.

Corn planting in North Dakota has been severely delayed this year by 
wet weather. Just 20% of the state’s corn had been planted as of Sunday,
 compared to the five-year average of 66%, according to a recent USDA 
report.

Wednesday was the final planting day to get full crop insurance 
coverage for most of the state’s counties. Hoeven worries that some 
farmers might not plant because it’s too financially risky.

“In a time of food inflation, we want as many of them as possible planting a crop,” he said.

Vilsack said he would consider the proposal.

USDA data show that corn planting in at least 11 states is behind the
 five-year average, including most of the top-producing states. Iowa 
leads the country in corn production and, thanks to a stretch of 
favorable weather, <a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/05/23/farmers-planting-crops-are-close-to-caught-up/">was close to catching up</a> with the five-year average on Sunday. Still, there are concerns that early planting delays will affect yield potential.

Minnesota, a major corn producer, had planted 60% of its corn 
compared with the five-year average of 86% as of Sunday. Soybean 
planting was also significantly delayed in that state and in North 
Dakota.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653658789976.png" alt="Certain landowners are paid by the government to remove their land from agricultural production (Photo courtesy of the Farm Service Agency)." />
 <figcaption>Certain landowners are paid by the government to remove their land from agricultural production (Photo courtesy of the Farm Service Agency).</figcaption>
 </figure>By JARED STRONG <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/05/26/usda-relaxes-conservation-program-rules-to-boost-crop-production/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>Agricultural landowners who are not renewing their agreements this 
year with the federal government to keep their land out of production 
have the ability to put that land back to work earlier, a potential 
boost to wheat and other crop production amid global shortages, the U.S.
 Department of Agriculture announced Thursday.Those who have land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program now 
have the option to terminate their contract early if they are in the 
final year of the contract. Under normal circumstances, landowners would
 have to wait until October to put the CRP land back into production or 
would be required to repay the money they’ve received from the program.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653658875639.jpeg" alt="U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack speaks to the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry on May 26, 2022. (Screenshot from U.S. Senate livestream)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack speaks to the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry on May 26, 2022. (Screenshot from U.S. Senate livestream)</figcaption>
 </figure>“They can now voluntarily terminate without penalty for those acres 
that are coming out of that program,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom 
Vilsack told a U.S. Senate committee on Thursday, “so that they’d be in a
 position to do work now on that land, to either prepare it for a crop 
or to potentially think about other crops that can be grown during the 
course of the winter.”He said the equivalent of about 1 million acres of agricultural land 
is leaving the program this year — the difference between the acres that
 are expiring and the newly enrolled acres this year. In March, about 
22.1 million acres were actively enrolled, according to USDA data.President Joe Biden <a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/05/11/biden-pledges-more-support-for-farmers-the-backbone-of-freedom/">has warned</a>
 that people “are going to starve to death” if millions of tons of wheat
 and corn in Ukraine is unable to be exported because of the ongoing 
Russian invasion, which began more than three months ago.Ukraine is a significant producer and exporter of those crops, much 
of which is sold to African nations. Ukrainian officials have accused 
Russian troops of destroying farms and stealing grain and equipment. 
It’s not yet clear how much the war will affect Ukraine’s crop 
production this year.Agriculture groups such as the American Farm Bureau Federation have 
been pining for months for the USDA to release CRP farmland back into 
production without penalty to help boost the global food supply.In letters to CRP landowners this week, the USDA offered early terminations to those who hadn’t renewed their enrollment.Russian President Vladimir “Putin’s unjustified invasion of Ukraine 
has cut off a critical source of wheat, corn, barley, oilseeds and 
cooking oil, and we’ve heard from many producers who want to better 
understand their options to help respond to global food needs,” Zach 
Ducheneaux, administrator of USDA’s Farm Service Agency, said in a press
 release Thursday. “This announcement will help producers make informed 
decisions about land use and conservation options.”CRP contracts typically last for 10 to 15 years. Landowners set aside
 the land to reduce soil erosion and improve water quality and wildlife 
habitat, and the government pays them per acre. Those rental payments 
vary widely, depending on where the land is located.Payments for Iowa land have the highest average at about $234 per 
acre, according to a recent USDA report. Payments for Nevada land were 
the lowest at about $10 per acre.Landowners can end those contracts whenever they chose, but they must
 repay the rental payments with interest and face a potential additional
 penalty. The USDA periodically offers early termination without 
repayment or penalty. In 2017, the department offered it to certain 
landowners to encourage land sales to new farmers and ranchers.“I think it’s a great step in the right direction, but I believe that
 we can do more,” U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Arkansas, told Vilsack 
during a Senate agriculture committee meeting Thursday, which was 
convened to address the challenges facing farmers and rural communities.Boozman said early terminations should be more broadly offered to CRP
 participants to “allow potentially millions of acres to return to food 
production.”Vilsack said the USDA is seeking to balance short-term and long-term 
global food concerns — especially as they pertain to climate change — 
and that CRP’s emphasis is on less desirable agricultural land.“We basically have been focusing on highly erodible areas,” Vilsack said, “areas that are not particularly productive.”<h2>Senator calls for supplemental crop insurance&nbsp;</h2>Sen. John Hoeven, R-North Dakota, said the USDA should offer to 
supplement potential crop insurance payments to farmers who are late to 
plant this year.Corn planting in North Dakota has been severely delayed this year by 
wet weather. Just 20% of the state’s corn had been planted as of Sunday,
 compared to the five-year average of 66%, according to a recent USDA 
report.Wednesday was the final planting day to get full crop insurance 
coverage for most of the state’s counties. Hoeven worries that some 
farmers might not plant because it’s too financially risky.“In a time of food inflation, we want as many of them as possible planting a crop,” he said.Vilsack said he would consider the proposal.USDA data show that corn planting in at least 11 states is behind the
 five-year average, including most of the top-producing states. Iowa 
leads the country in corn production and, thanks to a stretch of 
favorable weather, <a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/05/23/farmers-planting-crops-are-close-to-caught-up/">was close to catching up</a> with the five-year average on Sunday. Still, there are concerns that early planting delays will affect yield potential.Minnesota, a major corn producer, had planted 60% of its corn 
compared with the five-year average of 86% as of Sunday. Soybean 
planting was also significantly delayed in that state and in North 
Dakota.

USDA relaxes conservation program rules to boost crop production

HAYS, Kan. — Chris Hund is one of the youngest technicians in his profession.

At the beginning of the year, he and his wife bought Hays Organ Service from Steve Demuth, who had owned and operated the business for 48 years.

Demuth said organ technicians are a vanishing breed. Many are aging, have retired or passed away.

As this has happened, Hund's service area has expanded significantly. He services organs across Kansas and much of Nebraska. He and his wife, Laura, recently logged 1,200 miles in just two weeks of work.

When Demuth, 68, started the business, he was mostly working on home organs. Most organists had organs in their homes on which they practiced.

Today Hund's work primarily focuses on digital pianos and church organs, both traditional pipe organs and electronic instruments. Some of the pipe organs are as much as 100 years old.

Hund said maintaining the organs is essential to church culture.

"If you don't have music, you don't have a service, not in the same way," he said.

Hund took an unlikely path into the music world. He has a degree in electrical engineering from Kansas State University and worked for Midwest Energy for a time.

However, he said he was interested in finding another career path that included more flexibility.

Demuth's daughter married Hund's brother and the two happened to discuss Demuth's impending retirement.

Demuth said he wasn't quite ready to retire, but a bout of COVID resulted in the loss of his high-range hearing, which is essential when tuning an organ.

Hund agreed to shadow Demuth on a job to see what the business was all about. That turned into about six months, and on Jan. 1, Hund and his wife officially assumed control over the business. Demuth has remained on with the business as a consultant.

"In this field, you have to have an electronic background, be mechanically capable and you've got to have some music skills," Demuth said. ... "And you have to like to travel because they don't bring the organs to you."

Pipe organs can be unique to the church or building into which they are installed with no manuals or training that can prepare you for that specific instrument.

This is why Demuth's continued assistance has been invaluable, Hund said.

The organ chests control the airflow with a rubber cloth or leather. Those can wear out over about 80 years and result in the instrument needing to be rebuilt, Demuth said.

For most churches, any type of replacement of an organ would be far too cost restrictive. Even the tuning of an organ takes hours of what Demuth explained as stretching and contortion to reach into the tight spaces that hold the pipes.

Tuning can greatly affect the sound of the music. Demuth said masters, such as Bach, composed for organs with different tuning than is generally used today. Modern organs can be adjusted to fit that tuning so the music matches the composer's intent.

Mice often make mischief in organs, especially those in older, rural churches. Demuth was once called to a church to repair an organ at a rural church near Larned. He suspected mice had damaged the organ based on the instrument's symptoms.

Demuth fixed the organ, but in two weeks, church officials called him complaining about problems with the organ.

He returned to find mice, in that short time, had filled one of the organ's boxes, which was about a cubic foot, with milo. Curiously, one of the church members told Demuth the nearest milo field was three-quarters of a mile away.

Not only is there a dwindling number of organ technicians, but there is also a lack of organists. Demuth said many churches are now sharing organists to keep up with the demand.

Playing the organ is similar, but yet different and more complex than playing the piano.

Organs have two keyboards plus pedals, whereas a piano only has damper pedals. Organs can have much larger ranges than pianos, and the sheet music is different.

"There are stops on an organ that are strictly an organ stop," Demuth said. "They are not borrowed from any other type of instrument. A trumpet stop is obviously a trumpet or oboe or anything like that. ... "The pipes are tailored to meet that tonal quality."

Hund said, "I can't think of any other instrument that you can play so many unique sounds all together by the press of a key. It is really a unique instrument, and I would hate to see it go away."

As the Hunds move forward with with the business, Chris said he hopes to work with churches to do preventive maintenance to reduce the number of hours and miles the couple is on the road.

The Hunds work out of a home office. Hays Organ Service can be reached at 785-261-1890 or by email at&nbsp;service@haysorganservice.org.&nbsp;You can also learn more on their website&nbsp;<a href="http://haysorganservice.com/">haysorganservice.com</a>&nbsp;or follow them on Facebook&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HaysOrganService/">@haysorganservice</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653504985520.jpeg" alt="Chris and Laura Hund are the new owners of Hays Organ Service. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Chris and Laura Hund are the new owners of Hays Organ Service. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostHAYS, Kan. — Chris Hund is one of the youngest technicians in his profession.At the beginning of the year, he and his wife bought Hays Organ Service from Steve Demuth, who had owned and operated the business for 48 years.Demuth said organ technicians are a vanishing breed. Many are aging, have retired or passed away.As this has happened, Hund's service area has expanded significantly. He services organs across Kansas and much of Nebraska. He and his wife, Laura, recently logged 1,200 miles in just two weeks of work.When Demuth, 68, started the business, he was mostly working on home organs. Most organists had organs in their homes on which they practiced.Today Hund's work primarily focuses on digital pianos and church organs, both traditional pipe organs and electronic instruments. Some of the pipe organs are as much as 100 years old.Hund said maintaining the organs is essential to church culture. "If you don't have music, you don't have a service, not in the same way," he said. Hund took an unlikely path into the music world. He has a degree in electrical engineering from Kansas State University and worked for Midwest Energy for a time.However, he said he was interested in finding another career path that included more flexibility.Demuth's daughter married Hund's brother and the two happened to discuss Demuth's impending retirement.Demuth said he wasn't quite ready to retire, but a bout of COVID resulted in the loss of his high-range hearing, which is essential when tuning an organ.Hund agreed to shadow Demuth on a job to see what the business was all about. That turned into about six months, and on Jan. 1, Hund and his wife officially assumed control over the business. Demuth has remained on with the business as a consultant."In this field, you have to have an electronic background, be mechanically capable and you've got to have some music skills," Demuth said. ... "And you have to like to travel because they don't bring the organs to you." Pipe organs can be unique to the church or building into which they are installed with no manuals or training that can prepare you for that specific instrument.This is why Demuth's continued assistance has been invaluable, Hund said.The organ chests control the airflow with a rubber cloth or leather. Those can wear out over about 80 years and result in the instrument needing to be rebuilt, Demuth said.For most churches, any type of replacement of an organ would be far too cost restrictive. Even the tuning of an organ takes hours of what Demuth explained as stretching and contortion to reach into the tight spaces that hold the pipes.Tuning can greatly affect the sound of the music. Demuth said masters, such as Bach, composed for organs with different tuning than is generally used today. Modern organs can be adjusted to fit that tuning so the music matches the composer's intent. Mice often make mischief in organs, especially those in older, rural churches. Demuth was once called to a church to repair an organ at a rural church near Larned. He suspected mice had damaged the organ based on the instrument's symptoms.Demuth fixed the organ, but in two weeks, church officials called him complaining about problems with the organ.He returned to find mice, in that short time, had filled one of the organ's boxes, which was about a cubic foot, with milo. Curiously, one of the church members told Demuth the nearest milo field was three-quarters of a mile away.Not only is there a dwindling number of organ technicians, but there is also a lack of organists. Demuth said many churches are now sharing organists to keep up with the demand.Playing the organ is similar, but yet different and more complex than playing the piano.Organs have two keyboards plus pedals, whereas a piano only has damper pedals. Organs can have much larger ranges than pianos, and the sheet music is different."There are stops on an organ that are strictly an organ stop," Demuth said. "They are not borrowed from any other type of instrument. A trumpet stop is obviously a trumpet or oboe or anything like that. ... "The pipes are tailored to meet that tonal quality."Hund said, "I can't think of any other instrument that you can play so many unique sounds all together by the press of a key. It is really a unique instrument, and I would hate to see it go away." As the Hunds move forward with with the business, Chris said he hopes to work with churches to do preventive maintenance to reduce the number of hours and miles the couple is on the road.The Hunds work out of a home office. Hays Organ Service can be reached at 785-261-1890 or by email at&nbsp;service@haysorganservice.org.&nbsp;You can also learn more on their website&nbsp;<a href="http://haysorganservice.com/">haysorganservice.com</a>&nbsp;or follow them on Facebook&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HaysOrganService/">@haysorganservice</a>.

New owners of organ repair business serve wide swath of Kan., Neb.

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