KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting on Father's Day in Wyandotte County and have a suspect in custody.

Just after 2p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to reported shooting at a home in the 300 block of North 8th Street, according to a media release.

When officers arrived, they discovered a girl in her late teens. EMS transported her to an area hospital. She died just after 7:30p.m.

Police have not released the name of the suspect or the teen victim.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting on Father's Day in Wyandotte County and have a suspect in custody.Just after 2p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to reported shooting at a home in the 300 block of North 8th Street, according to a media release.When officers arrived, they discovered a girl in her late teens. EMS transported her to an area hospital. She died just after 7:30p.m.Police have not released the name of the suspect or the teen victim.

Police: Kansas girl dies after shooting on Father's Day

WICHITA – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment last week charging a Kansas man with one count of bank robbery.

According to court documents, on June 2, Roland K. Vandenberg, 55, allegedly robbed Emprise Bank in the 4800 Block of South Broadway Street in Wichita.

Officers learned that a suspect had entered the bank, demanded money, then left the bank northbound on Broadway.

Officers located a man matching the suspect description in the area. He was identified as Vandenberg.&nbsp; Police&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20073955">booked him into&nbsp;</a>the Sedgwick County Jail on a requested charge of robbery. He is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654270638745.png" alt="Police at the scene of the bank robbery photo courtesy KAKE" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the bank robbery photo courtesy KAKE</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment last week charging a Kansas man with one count of bank robbery.According to court documents, on June 2, Roland K. Vandenberg, 55, allegedly robbed Emprise Bank in the 4800 Block of South Broadway Street in Wichita.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654270498298.png" alt="Vandenberg-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Vandenberg-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers learned that a suspect had entered the bank, demanded money, then left the bank northbound on Broadway.Officers located a man matching the suspect description in the area. He was identified as Vandenberg.&nbsp; Police&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20073955">booked him into&nbsp;</a>the Sedgwick County Jail on a requested charge of robbery. He is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.

Feds charge Kansas man with bank robbery 

KANSAS CITY —Former Missouri governor and now candidate for the United State's Senate Eric Greitens has a new television ad that is getting attention from all over the state.

In the ad that features soldiers storming a house, Greitens asks voters to "join the MAGA crew and get a RINO hunting permit."

In March, Greitens, speaking to reporters in Jefferson City after filing for the primary, said he doesn't need the support of “RINOs” — Republicans In Name Only — to win the nomination.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655732886943.png" alt="Eric Greitens&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Eric Greitens&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Former Missouri governor and now candidate for the United State's Senate Eric Greitens has a new television ad that is getting attention from all over the state.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are sick and tired of the Republicans in Name Only surrendering to Joe Biden &amp; the radical Left. Order your RINO Hunting Permit today! <a href="https://t.co/XLMdJnAzSK">pic.twitter.com/XLMdJnAzSK</a>&mdash; Eric Greitens (@EricGreitens) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricGreitens/status/1538876823978713089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 20, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In the ad that features soldiers storming a house, Greitens asks voters to "join the MAGA crew and get a RINO hunting permit."In March, Greitens, speaking to reporters in Jefferson City after filing for the primary, said he doesn't need the support of “RINOs” — Republicans In Name Only — to win the nomination.

🎥 U.S. Senate candidate Greitens goes RINO hunting in new ad

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say two people have died and a third has been injured in a house fire in suburban Kansas City, Kansas. The Overland Park Fire Department says in a news release that fire crews from Overland Park and Lenexa were called to the home around 1:30 a.m. Monday and found the home ablaze. 

Firefighters also learned that people were trapped inside. Firefighters immediately searched the home while working to extinguish the fire and found two people inside who had died and third person injured. 

The injured person was rushed to a hospital and later listed in stable condition. Officials have not released the names of those killed and injured. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655737246758.png" alt="The cause of the fire in still under investigation -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>The cause of the fire in still under investigation -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say two people have died and a third has been injured in a house fire in suburban Kansas City, Kansas. The Overland Park Fire Department says in a news release that fire crews from Overland Park and Lenexa were called to the home around 1:30 a.m. Monday and found the home ablaze. Firefighters also learned that people were trapped inside. Firefighters immediately searched the home while working to extinguish the fire and found two people inside who had died and third person injured. The injured person was rushed to a hospital and later listed in stable condition. Officials have not released the names of those killed and injured. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

Officials: 2 killed in suburban Kansas City house fire

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. on Saturday opened COVID-19 vaccines to infants, toddlers and preschoolers.

The shots will become available this week, expanding the nation’s vaccination campaign to children as young as 6 months.

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for vaccine info</a> from the Kansas Department of Health

Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the vaccines for the littlest children, and the final signoff came hours later from Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the agency’s director.

While the Food and Drug Administration approves vaccines, it’s the CDC that decides who should get them.

The shots offer young children protection from hospitalization, death and possible long-term complications that are still not clearly understood, the CDC’s advisory panel said.

The government has already been gearing up for the vaccine expansion, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-government-and-politics-152ad81fe8b76025772f0659e521acee">millions of doses ordered</a>&nbsp;for distribution to doctors, hospitals and community health clinics around the country.

Roughly 18 million kids will be eligible, but it remains to be seen how many will ultimately get the vaccines. Less than a third of children ages 5 to 11 have done so since vaccination opened up to them last November.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fda-authorizes-covid-vaccines-infants-preschoolers-735da3ee3dbc0d9d79f2ab37106ad7c1">Two brands — Pfizer and Moderna — got the green light Friday from the FDA</a>&nbsp;and Saturday from the CDC. The vaccines use the same technology but are being offered at different dose sizes and number of shots for the youngest kids.

Pfizer’s vaccine is for children 6 months to 4 years old. The dose is one-tenth of the adult dose, and three shots are needed. The first two are given three weeks apart, and the last at least two months later.

Moderna’s is two shots, each a quarter of its adult dose, given about four weeks apart for kids 6 months through 5 years old. The FDA also approved a third dose, at least a month after the second shot, for children with immune conditions that make them more vulnerable to serious illness.

In studies, vaccinated youngsters developed levels of virus-fighting antibodies as strong as young adults, suggesting that the kid-size doses protect against coronavirus infections.

However, exactly how well they work is hard to pin down, especially when it comes to the Pfizer vaccine.

Two doses of Moderna appeared to be only about 40% effective at preventing milder infections at a time when the omicron variant was causing most COVID-19 illnesses. Pfizer presented study information suggesting the company saw 80% with its three shots. But the Pfizer data was so limited — and based on such a small number of cases — that experts and federal officials say they don’t feel there is a reliable estimate yet.

Yes, according to the CDC. While COVID-19 has been the most dangerous for older adults, younger people, including children, can also get very sick.

Hospitalizations surged during the omicron wave. Since the start of the pandemic, about 480 children under age 5 are counted among the nation’s more than 1 million COVID-19 deaths, according to federal data.

“It is worth vaccinating even though the number of deaths are relatively rare, because these deaths are preventable through vaccination,” said Dr. Matthew Daley, a Kaiser Permanente Colorado researcher who sits on the CDC’s advisory committee.

In a statement Saturday, President Joe Biden urged parents to get them for their young children as soon as possible.

Either one, said Dr. Peter Marks, the FDA’s vaccine chief.

“Whatever vaccine your health care provider, pediatrician has, that’s what I would give my child,” Marks said Friday.

The doses haven’t been tested against each other, so experts say there’s no way to tell if one is better.

One consideration: It takes roughly three months to complete the Pfizer three-shot series, but just one month for Moderna’s two shots. So families eager to get children protected quickly might want Moderna.

Pediatricians, other primary care physicians and children’s hospitals are planning to provide the vaccines. Limited drugstores will offer them for at least some of the under-5 group.

U.S. officials expect most shots to take place at pediatricians’ offices. Many parents may be more comfortable getting the vaccine for their kids at their regular doctor, White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said. He predicted the pace of vaccination will be far slower than it was for older populations.

“We’re going see vaccinations ramp up over weeks and even potentially over a couple of months,” Jha said.

CAN CHILDREN GET OTHER VACCINES AT THE SAME TIME?

It’s common for little kids to get more than one vaccine during a doctor’s visit.

In studies of the Moderna and Pfizer shots in infants and toddlers, other vaccinations were not given at the same time so there is no data on potential side effects when that happens.

But problems have not been identified in older children or adults when COVID-19 shots and other vaccinations were given together, and the CDC is advising that it’s safe for younger children as well.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-covid-infections-kids-baefa22555970245f0ff939e7bbc7c80">About three-quarters of children</a>&nbsp;of all ages are estimated to have been infected at some point. For older ages, the CDC has recommended vaccination anyway to lower the chances of reinfection.

Experts have noted re-infections among previously infected people and say the highest levels of protection occur in those who were both vaccinated and previously infected.

The CDC has said people may consider waiting about three months after an infection to be vaccinated.

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. on Saturday opened COVID-19 vaccines to infants, toddlers and preschoolers.The shots will become available this week, expanding the nation’s vaccination campaign to children as young as 6 months.<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for vaccine info</a> from the Kansas Department of HealthAdvisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the vaccines for the littlest children, and the final signoff came hours later from Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the agency’s director.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Following the CDC&#39;s recommendation for vaccines for kids under 5, for the first time, virtually every American can now access the protections from these lifesaving vaccines. Dr. Ashish Jha explains further: <a href="https://t.co/qcKHZLRVPL">pic.twitter.com/qcKHZLRVPL</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1538261581284397056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>While the Food and Drug Administration approves vaccines, it’s the CDC that decides who should get them.The shots offer young children protection from hospitalization, death and possible long-term complications that are still not clearly understood, the CDC’s advisory panel said.The government has already been gearing up for the vaccine expansion, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-government-and-politics-152ad81fe8b76025772f0659e521acee">millions of doses ordered</a>&nbsp;for distribution to doctors, hospitals and community health clinics around the country.Roughly 18 million kids will be eligible, but it remains to be seen how many will ultimately get the vaccines. Less than a third of children ages 5 to 11 have done so since vaccination opened up to them last November.Here are some things to know:WHAT KINDS ARE AVAILABLE?<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fda-authorizes-covid-vaccines-infants-preschoolers-735da3ee3dbc0d9d79f2ab37106ad7c1">Two brands — Pfizer and Moderna — got the green light Friday from the FDA</a>&nbsp;and Saturday from the CDC. The vaccines use the same technology but are being offered at different dose sizes and number of shots for the youngest kids.Pfizer’s vaccine is for children 6 months to 4 years old. The dose is one-tenth of the adult dose, and three shots are needed. The first two are given three weeks apart, and the last at least two months later.Moderna’s is two shots, each a quarter of its adult dose, given about four weeks apart for kids 6 months through 5 years old. The FDA also approved a third dose, at least a month after the second shot, for children with immune conditions that make them more vulnerable to serious illness.HOW WELL DO THEY WORK?In studies, vaccinated youngsters developed levels of virus-fighting antibodies as strong as young adults, suggesting that the kid-size doses protect against coronavirus infections.However, exactly how well they work is hard to pin down, especially when it comes to the Pfizer vaccine.Two doses of Moderna appeared to be only about 40% effective at preventing milder infections at a time when the omicron variant was causing most COVID-19 illnesses. Pfizer presented study information suggesting the company saw 80% with its three shots. But the Pfizer data was so limited — and based on such a small number of cases — that experts and federal officials say they don’t feel there is a reliable estimate yet.SHOULD MY LITTLE ONE BE VACCINATED?Yes, according to the CDC. While COVID-19 has been the most dangerous for older adults, younger people, including children, can also get very sick.Hospitalizations surged during the omicron wave. Since the start of the pandemic, about 480 children under age 5 are counted among the nation’s more than 1 million COVID-19 deaths, according to federal data.“It is worth vaccinating even though the number of deaths are relatively rare, because these deaths are preventable through vaccination,” said Dr. Matthew Daley, a Kaiser Permanente Colorado researcher who sits on the CDC’s advisory committee.In a statement Saturday, President Joe Biden urged parents to get them for their young children as soon as possible.WHICH VACCINE SHOULD MY CHILD GET?Either one, said Dr. Peter Marks, the FDA’s vaccine chief.“Whatever vaccine your health care provider, pediatrician has, that’s what I would give my child,” Marks said Friday.The doses haven’t been tested against each other, so experts say there’s no way to tell if one is better.One consideration: It takes roughly three months to complete the Pfizer three-shot series, but just one month for Moderna’s two shots. So families eager to get children protected quickly might want Moderna.WHO’S GIVING THE SHOTS?Pediatricians, other primary care physicians and children’s hospitals are planning to provide the vaccines. Limited drugstores will offer them for at least some of the under-5 group.U.S. officials expect most shots to take place at pediatricians’ offices. Many parents may be more comfortable getting the vaccine for their kids at their regular doctor, White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said. He predicted the pace of vaccination will be far slower than it was for older populations.“We’re going see vaccinations ramp up over weeks and even potentially over a couple of months,” Jha said.CAN CHILDREN GET OTHER VACCINES AT THE SAME TIME?It’s common for little kids to get more than one vaccine during a doctor’s visit.In studies of the Moderna and Pfizer shots in infants and toddlers, other vaccinations were not given at the same time so there is no data on potential side effects when that happens.But problems have not been identified in older children or adults when COVID-19 shots and other vaccinations were given together, and the CDC is advising that it’s safe for younger children as well.WHAT IF MY CHILD RECENTLY HAD COVID-19?<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-covid-infections-kids-baefa22555970245f0ff939e7bbc7c80">About three-quarters of children</a>&nbsp;of all ages are estimated to have been infected at some point. For older ages, the CDC has recommended vaccination anyway to lower the chances of reinfection.Experts have noted re-infections among previously infected people and say the highest levels of protection occur in those who were both vaccinated and previously infected.The CDC has said people may consider waiting about three months after an infection to be vaccinated.___

🎥 COVID vaccine for the youngest available this week

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have a suspect in custody.

Just after 3a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 700 block of SE Branner Street in Topeka in reference to a shooting, according to Police&nbsp; Lt. Ronnie Connell.

Officers found one victim identified as Alfredo Campa-Vasquez, 28, of Topeka. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

As a result of the investigation police arrested 30-year-old Nancy Cervantes of Topeka and booked her on a requested charge of Reckless 2nd Degree Murder.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655584843360.png" alt="Cerantes-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Cerantes-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have a suspect in custody.Just after 3a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 700 block of SE Branner Street in Topeka in reference to a shooting, according to Police&nbsp; Lt. Ronnie Connell.Officers found one victim identified as Alfredo Campa-Vasquez, 28, of Topeka. He was pronounced dead at the scene.As a result of the investigation police arrested 30-year-old Nancy Cervantes of Topeka and booked her on a requested charge of Reckless 2nd Degree Murder.Police released no additional details.

Police: Kansas woman accused of reckless 2nd degree murder

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Health officials said Saturday that they had identified what is likely to be the first case of monkeypox in Missouri.

Officials said the probable case of monkeypox was found in a Kansas City resident who had recently traveled out of state. That person didn't need to be hospitalized.

State and local health officials are waiting for the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to confirm the results. Meanwhile, officials are notifying people who may have been in contact with the infected person.

The disease that first causes flu-like symptoms before progressing to a rash on the face and body is commonly found in parts of central and west Africa. But this year, 1,880 infections have been reported in more than 30 countries where monkeypox isn't typically found.

Most of those cases have been found in Europe, but the CDC said Saturday that 113 cases of monkeypox have been found in the United States.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655678482994.png" alt="Monkeypox Photo Credit: NHS England High Consequence Infectious Diseases Network-CDC" />
 <figcaption>Monkeypox Photo Credit: NHS England High Consequence Infectious Diseases Network-CDC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Health officials said Saturday that they had identified what is likely to be the first case of monkeypox in Missouri.Officials said the probable case of monkeypox was found in a Kansas City resident who had recently traveled out of state. That person didn't need to be hospitalized.State and local health officials are waiting for the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to confirm the results. Meanwhile, officials are notifying people who may have been in contact with the infected person.The disease that first causes flu-like symptoms before progressing to a rash on the face and body is commonly found in parts of central and west Africa. But this year, 1,880 infections have been reported in more than 30 countries where monkeypox isn't typically found.Most of those cases have been found in Europe, but the CDC said Saturday that 113 cases of monkeypox have been found in the United States.

Officials find first case of monkeypox in a Kansas City resident 

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just after 9p.m.&nbsp; Sunday in Leavenworth County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Jeep Renegade driven by Eric Lee&nbsp;Karpierz, 19, Lansing, was eastbound in 18000 Block Eisenhower Road five and and one half miles west of Lansing.

&nbsp;The Jeep traveled left of center at a high rate of speed and struck a westbound 2012 Suzuki 250X driven by Eric Lee Chappell, 40, Leavenworth. 

Both vehicles traveled to the east and came to a rest in the ditch north of Eisenhower Road.

Chappell was pronounced dead at the scene. Karpierz and a 17-year-old passenger in the Jeep were properly restrained and not injured.&nbsp;Chappell was not wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just after 9p.m.&nbsp; Sunday in Leavenworth County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Jeep Renegade driven by Eric Lee&nbsp;Karpierz, 19, Lansing, was eastbound in 18000 Block Eisenhower Road five and and one half miles west of Lansing.&nbsp;The Jeep traveled left of center at a high rate of speed and struck a westbound 2012 Suzuki 250X driven by Eric Lee Chappell, 40, Leavenworth. Both vehicles traveled to the east and came to a rest in the ditch north of Eisenhower Road.Chappell was pronounced dead at the scene. Karpierz and a 17-year-old passenger in the Jeep were properly restrained and not injured.&nbsp;Chappell was not wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after Jeep, motorcycle crash

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Authorities are working to determine the cause of a fire that destroyed a Kansas home.

Just before 7p.m. Sunday, fire crews were dispatched to a house fire 509 NE Paramore Street in Topeka, according to Fire Marshal Alan Stahl.

As they arrived, fire crews observed heavy fire and smoke coming from several sides of the home. Crews initially started a defensive fire attack and eventually transitioning to an offensive fire attack.&nbsp;

The occupants were not home.&nbsp; The estimated total damage is $26,390 a total loss; $25,890 loss. There were no injuries. There were no working smoke detectors in the home, according to Stahl.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655731686284.png" alt="As they arrived, fire crews observed heavy fire and smoke coming from several sides of the home-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>As they arrived, fire crews observed heavy fire and smoke coming from several sides of the home-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Authorities are working to determine the cause of a fire that destroyed a Kansas home.Just before 7p.m. Sunday, fire crews were dispatched to a house fire 509 NE Paramore Street in Topeka, according to Fire Marshal Alan Stahl.As they arrived, fire crews observed heavy fire and smoke coming from several sides of the home. Crews initially started a defensive fire attack and eventually transitioning to an offensive fire attack.&nbsp;The occupants were not home.&nbsp; The estimated total damage is $26,390 a total loss; $25,890 loss. There were no injuries. There were no working smoke detectors in the home, according to Stahl.

Kansas home a total loss after fire on Father's Day 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas felon faces new allegations from the United State's Attorney.

Eric Salsbery,63, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession of counterfeit currency, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case.

Salsbery has previous convictions that include forgery, drugs, endangering a child, criminal use of a weapon, DUI and driving while suspended, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655402435903.png" alt="Salsbery has previous convictions that include forgery, drugs, endangering a child, criminal use of a weapon, DUI and driving while suspended, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections." />
 <figcaption>Salsbery has previous convictions that include forgery, drugs, endangering a child, criminal use of a weapon, DUI and driving while suspended, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas felon faces new allegations from the United State's Attorney.Eric Salsbery,63, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession of counterfeit currency, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case.Salsbery has previous convictions that include forgery, drugs, endangering a child, criminal use of a weapon, DUI and driving while suspended, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Kan. felon accused of selling cocaine, having counterfeit cash

BUTLER COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities and emergency crews on Sunday located the body of a woman reported missing along the Walnut River after an ATV crash in Butler County, according to a statement from the sheriff's office.

Just before 3:30 a.m., Saturday, friends and family reported 21-year-old Carley Bullard was missing when an ATV she was on traveled off a bank near the Walnut River south of Augusta.

Authorities have released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655674253233.png" alt="Google map" />
 <figcaption>Google map</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities and emergency crews on Sunday located the body of a woman reported missing along the Walnut River after an ATV crash in Butler County, according to a statement from the sheriff's office.Just before 3:30 a.m., Saturday, friends and family reported 21-year-old Carley Bullard was missing when an ATV she was on traveled off a bank near the Walnut River south of Augusta.Authorities have released no additional details.

Sheriff: Kan. woman's body recovered after ATV crash near river 

KANSAS CITY (AP) — As the Supreme Court appears on track to overturn the constitutional right to abortion, progressive prosecutors around the U.S. are declaring they won't enforce some of the most restrictive and punitive anti-abortion laws that GOP-led states have waited years to implement.

The move is sure to rankle Republican lawmakers and governors, with about half the states poised to ban abortion if Roe v. Wade — the 1973 decision establishing a constitutional right to abortion — is weakened or overturned. Many of those Republican-led states have abortion clinics nestled in the large metro areas represented by Democratic district attorneys.

Anti-abortion laws in the U.S. largely shy away from explicitly punishing pregnant women and instead tend to target physicians, who could face loss of their medical license and lengthy prison sentences for performing the procedure illegally. But some abortion restrictions would penalize those who assist in an abortion and others could require women who secured the procedure to testify against those who helped her.

Yet enforcement of these laws will fall largely onto the shoulders of district attorneys, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-tampa-tennessee-nashville-787cae9774f5fa36797ce89bb25932a7">wield wide discretion</a>&nbsp;over whom to charge with crimes. Currently, it's not unusual for prosecutors elected in Democratic counties to voice their resistance to bringing charges under various GOP-backed mandates— ranging from voting restrictions, limits on certain protest activity, laws aimed at LGBTQ people, and restrictions on mask requirements throughout the COVID-19 outbreak.

In 2020, more than 70 prosecutors from blue districts around the country publicized that they wouldn’t bring charges under increasingly stringent laws that states have passed against abortion because they “should not and will not criminalize healthcare decisions.”

And so far, a growing number of prosecutors elected in Democratic counties are promising they won’t pursue the criminal charges that have been tucked inside the harshest of abortion restrictions.

Michigan has become a particular battleground over who will enforce the state's abortion laws. Seven Democratic prosecutors there have vowed they won't enforce the state's long-dormant ban on the procedure, while two Republican prosecutors have joined abortion opponents in seeking to overturn the recent suspension of the 1931 statute.

The law, which makes it a crime to assist in an abortion, has had no practical effect for decades since abortion was legalized nationwide.

“Those archaic statutes are unconstitutionally and dangerously vague, leaving open the potential for criminalizing doctors, nurses, anesthetists, health care providers, office receptionists — virtually anyone who either performs or assists in performing these medical procedures. Even the patient herself could face criminal liability under these statutes,” the prosecutors from the Detroit, Lansing, Flint and Ann Arbor areas wrote in a letter.

In GOP-controlled Tennessee, Nashville's Democratic District Attorney Glenn Funk issued a statement just hours after the leaked draft opinion was published in early May. Funk promised he would stand by his previous position not to prosecute medical practitioners who perform an abortion nor any pregnant woman seeking the procedure.

“I am appalled that this assault on a woman’s personal health decisions is in jeopardy. I stand by my prior statement," Funk said, a day before he won the Democratic primary election against two opponents who declined to state whether they would charge doctors.

Funk's longtime resistance to enforcing the state's abortion laws, as well as several others, has already sparked pushback from Tennessee Republican leaders. Late last year, the General Assembly passed a law allowing the attorney general to intervene in local cases — which includes abortion charges. The law permits the state’s legal chief to ask the Tennessee Supreme Court to appoint a temporary prosecutor when the district attorney has “peremptorily and categorically” refused to charge a case.

To date, the attorney general's office says it has not exercised the new law. Meanwhile, the state's top Republican leaders — who oversee every major political office — have remained mum on Funk's defiant stance, and his office has declined to answer follow up questions.

The National Right to Life Committee, which advocates for abortion restrictions, has developed model legislation in the event Roe is overturned that would, among things, authorize state attorneys general to file charges in abortion cases if local prosecutors refuse.

Chief prosecutors who represent some of Texas' most populated counties recently released a joint statement urging elected prosecutors to resist advancing charges that would “criminalize personal healthcare decisions.”

Like Tennessee, Texas is among the 13 states that have so-called trigger laws — measures that would ban most abortions and take effect almost automatically, should the nation’s highest court overturn the Roe. That ruling is expected to be released by late June or early July.

“Many of these enactments have the potential to fuel attempts by some to criminalize patients, medical professionals, healthcare providers, and others who assist in these medical procedures,” the prosecutors wrote, whose reach include Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and parts of Houston.

The statement came just weeks after a Texas woman was arrested after a grand jury indicted her for murder for allegedly causing “the death of an individual ... by self-induced abortion.” Starr County District Attorney Gocha Allen Ramirez quickly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-texas-arrests-8bb3d77d2fe745e12860ff5d4d668cec">moved to dismiss the charges,</a>&nbsp;pointing out the woman hadn't violated any state laws. Still, the incident only further cemented abortion rights advocates' warnings that prosecutors will be key in how anti-abortion laws are exercised on the local level.

Such decisions come as these lawyers must often win elections in order to take over the top prosecutorial role in their community. While many Republican hopefuls have publicly stated their intention to fully enforce the strictest anti-abortion laws, Democratic candidates are hoping their resistance will be enough to woo enough voters in key states.

In Arizona, Democrat Julie Gunningle quickly announced that she would not prioritize prosecuting doctors or pregnant women in her bid to become Maricopa County attorney, which encompasses the metro Phoenix area. Kris Mayes, the only Democrat running for Arizona attorney general, has also promised she wouldn’t prosecute abortion cases in a state that has both a pre-statehood law that makes all abortion illegal and a new law signed by Republican Gov. Doug Ducey that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Both seats were previously held by Republicans.

In Missouri, which has just one clinic — based in St. Louis — that provides abortions for the entire state, progressive prosecutors have shied away from issuing public statements promising to defy anti-abortion laws enacted by Republican state lawmakers. Instead, they warn that the state's trigger law will cause a "slippery slope.

If Roe v. Wade is struck down, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell, a Democrat, said “it’s going to be open season and it’s going to have a disproportionate effect on poor folks — Black and brown but even poor white folks."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634041318695.png" alt="Photo Planned Parenthood" />
 <figcaption>Photo Planned Parenthood</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — As the Supreme Court appears on track to overturn the constitutional right to abortion, progressive prosecutors around the U.S. are declaring they won't enforce some of the most restrictive and punitive anti-abortion laws that GOP-led states have waited years to implement.The move is sure to rankle Republican lawmakers and governors, with about half the states poised to ban abortion if Roe v. Wade — the 1973 decision establishing a constitutional right to abortion — is weakened or overturned. Many of those Republican-led states have abortion clinics nestled in the large metro areas represented by Democratic district attorneys.Anti-abortion laws in the U.S. largely shy away from explicitly punishing pregnant women and instead tend to target physicians, who could face loss of their medical license and lengthy prison sentences for performing the procedure illegally. But some abortion restrictions would penalize those who assist in an abortion and others could require women who secured the procedure to testify against those who helped her.Yet enforcement of these laws will fall largely onto the shoulders of district attorneys, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-tampa-tennessee-nashville-787cae9774f5fa36797ce89bb25932a7">wield wide discretion</a>&nbsp;over whom to charge with crimes. Currently, it's not unusual for prosecutors elected in Democratic counties to voice their resistance to bringing charges under various GOP-backed mandates— ranging from voting restrictions, limits on certain protest activity, laws aimed at LGBTQ people, and restrictions on mask requirements throughout the COVID-19 outbreak.In 2020, more than 70 prosecutors from blue districts around the country publicized that they wouldn’t bring charges under increasingly stringent laws that states have passed against abortion because they “should not and will not criminalize healthcare decisions.”And so far, a growing number of prosecutors elected in Democratic counties are promising they won’t pursue the criminal charges that have been tucked inside the harshest of abortion restrictions.Michigan has become a particular battleground over who will enforce the state's abortion laws. Seven Democratic prosecutors there have vowed they won't enforce the state's long-dormant ban on the procedure, while two Republican prosecutors have joined abortion opponents in seeking to overturn the recent suspension of the 1931 statute.The law, which makes it a crime to assist in an abortion, has had no practical effect for decades since abortion was legalized nationwide.“Those archaic statutes are unconstitutionally and dangerously vague, leaving open the potential for criminalizing doctors, nurses, anesthetists, health care providers, office receptionists — virtually anyone who either performs or assists in performing these medical procedures. Even the patient herself could face criminal liability under these statutes,” the prosecutors from the Detroit, Lansing, Flint and Ann Arbor areas wrote in a letter.In GOP-controlled Tennessee, Nashville's Democratic District Attorney Glenn Funk issued a statement just hours after the leaked draft opinion was published in early May. Funk promised he would stand by his previous position not to prosecute medical practitioners who perform an abortion nor any pregnant woman seeking the procedure.“I am appalled that this assault on a woman’s personal health decisions is in jeopardy. I stand by my prior statement," Funk said, a day before he won the Democratic primary election against two opponents who declined to state whether they would charge doctors.Funk's longtime resistance to enforcing the state's abortion laws, as well as several others, has already sparked pushback from Tennessee Republican leaders. Late last year, the General Assembly passed a law allowing the attorney general to intervene in local cases — which includes abortion charges. The law permits the state’s legal chief to ask the Tennessee Supreme Court to appoint a temporary prosecutor when the district attorney has “peremptorily and categorically” refused to charge a case.To date, the attorney general's office says it has not exercised the new law. Meanwhile, the state's top Republican leaders — who oversee every major political office — have remained mum on Funk's defiant stance, and his office has declined to answer follow up questions.The National Right to Life Committee, which advocates for abortion restrictions, has developed model legislation in the event Roe is overturned that would, among things, authorize state attorneys general to file charges in abortion cases if local prosecutors refuse.Chief prosecutors who represent some of Texas' most populated counties recently released a joint statement urging elected prosecutors to resist advancing charges that would “criminalize personal healthcare decisions.”Like Tennessee, Texas is among the 13 states that have so-called trigger laws — measures that would ban most abortions and take effect almost automatically, should the nation’s highest court overturn the Roe. That ruling is expected to be released by late June or early July.“Many of these enactments have the potential to fuel attempts by some to criminalize patients, medical professionals, healthcare providers, and others who assist in these medical procedures,” the prosecutors wrote, whose reach include Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and parts of Houston.The statement came just weeks after a Texas woman was arrested after a grand jury indicted her for murder for allegedly causing “the death of an individual ... by self-induced abortion.” Starr County District Attorney Gocha Allen Ramirez quickly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-texas-arrests-8bb3d77d2fe745e12860ff5d4d668cec">moved to dismiss the charges,</a>&nbsp;pointing out the woman hadn't violated any state laws. Still, the incident only further cemented abortion rights advocates' warnings that prosecutors will be key in how anti-abortion laws are exercised on the local level.Such decisions come as these lawyers must often win elections in order to take over the top prosecutorial role in their community. While many Republican hopefuls have publicly stated their intention to fully enforce the strictest anti-abortion laws, Democratic candidates are hoping their resistance will be enough to woo enough voters in key states.In Arizona, Democrat Julie Gunningle quickly announced that she would not prioritize prosecuting doctors or pregnant women in her bid to become Maricopa County attorney, which encompasses the metro Phoenix area. Kris Mayes, the only Democrat running for Arizona attorney general, has also promised she wouldn’t prosecute abortion cases in a state that has both a pre-statehood law that makes all abortion illegal and a new law signed by Republican Gov. Doug Ducey that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Both seats were previously held by Republicans.In Missouri, which has just one clinic — based in St. Louis — that provides abortions for the entire state, progressive prosecutors have shied away from issuing public statements promising to defy anti-abortion laws enacted by Republican state lawmakers. Instead, they warn that the state's trigger law will cause a "slippery slope.If Roe v. Wade is struck down, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell, a Democrat, said “it’s going to be open season and it’s going to have a disproportionate effect on poor folks — Black and brown but even poor white folks."___

If Roe falls, some DAs won't enforce anti-abortion laws

WASHINGTON (AP) — Record-low mortgages are long gone. Credit card rates will likely rise. So will the cost of an auto loan. Savers may finally see a noticeable return.

The unusually large t&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fed-interest-rates-inflation-be1b698e48327d3a33847be25aba3e3d">hree-quarter point hike in its benchmark short-term rate</a>&nbsp;that the Federal Reserve announced Wednesday won’t, by itself, have a huge effect on most Americans’ finances. But combined with earlier rate hikes and additional large increases to come, economists and investors foresee the fastest pace of rate increases since 1989.

The result is increasingly higher borrowing costs as the Fed fights the most painfully high inflation in four decades and ends a decades-long era of historically low rates.

Chair Jerome Powell hopes that by making borrowing more expensive, the Fed will succeed in cooling demand for homes, cars and other goods and services and slow inflation.

Yet the risks are high. With inflation likely to stay elevated, the Fed may have to drive borrowing costs even higher than it now expects. A series of higher rates could tip the U.S. economy into recession. That would mean higher unemployment, rising layoffs and continued pressure on stock prices.

How will it affect your finances? These are some of the most common questions being asked about the impacts of the rate hike.

I’M CONSIDERING BUYING A HOUSE. WILL MORTGAGE RATES KEEP GOING UP?

Rates on home loans have soared in the past few months, mostly in anticipation of the Fed’s moves, and will probably keep rising.

Mortgage rates don’t necessarily move up in tandem with the Fed’s rate increases. Sometimes, they even move in the opposite direction. Long-term mortgages tend to track the yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which, in turn, is influenced by a variety of factors. These include investors’ expectations for future inflation and global demand for U.S. Treasurys.

For now, though, faster inflation and strong U.S. economic growth are sending the 10-year Treasury rate up sharply. As a consequence, the national average for a 30-year fixed mortgage has jumped from 3% at the start of the year to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prices-business-mortgages-mortgage-rates-8a19f374e463e52379fc8e5b29f750cc">well above 5%</a>&nbsp;now.

In part, the jump in mortgage rates reflects expectations that the Fed will keep raising its key rate. But its forthcoming hikes aren’t likely fully priced in yet. If the Fed jacks up its key rate even higher, as expected, the 10-year Treasury yield will go much higher, too, and mortgages will become more expensive.

If you’re looking to buy a home and are frustrated by the lack of available houses, which has triggered bidding wars and eye-watering prices, that may get a little easier soon.

Economists say that higher mortgage rates will discourage some would-be purchasers. And average home prices, which have been soaring at about a 20% annual rate, could at least rise at a slower pace.

Sales of existing homes have fallen for six straight months. New home sales have also slumped. Those trends are modestly boosting the supply of available properties.

Fed rate hikes can make auto loans more expensive. But other factors also affect these rates, including competition among car makers that can sometimes lower borrowing costs.

Rates for buyers with lower credit ratings are most likely to rise as a result of the Fed’s hikes. Because used vehicle prices, on average, are rising, monthly payments will rise too.

For users of credit cards, home equity lines of credit and other variable-interest debt, rates would rise by roughly the same amount as the Fed hike, usually within one or two billing cycles. That’s because those rates are based in part on banks’ prime rate, which moves in tandem with the Fed.

Those who don’t qualify for low-rate credit cards might be stuck paying higher interest on their balances. The rates on their cards would rise as the prime rate does.

The Fed’s rate increases have already sent credit card borrowing rates above 20% for the first time in at least four years, according to LendingTree, which has tracked the data since 2018.

You may earn a bit more, though not likely by very much. And it depends on where your savings, if you have any, are parked.

Savings, certificates of deposit and money market accounts don’t typically track the Fed’s changes. Instead, banks tend to capitalize on a higher-rate environment to try to increase their profits. They do so by imposing higher rates on borrowers, without necessarily offering any juicer rates to savers.

This is particularly true for large banks now. They’ve been flooded with savings as a result of government financial aid and reduced spending by many wealthier Americans during the pandemic. They won’t need to raise savings rates to attract more deposits or CD buyers.

But online banks and others with high-yield savings accounts could be an exception. These accounts are known for aggressively competing for depositors. The only catch is that they typically require significant deposits.

Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin could become a little less attractive to many investors.

While bitcoin prices were mostly unchanged after the Fed’s announcement, crypto prices had declined in the days leading up to the central bank’s move. They dropped by a third in seven days.

Higher interest rates mean that safe assets like bonds and Treasuries become more attractive to investors because their yields are now higher. That, in turn, makes risky assets like technology stocks and cryptocurrencies less attractive.

All that said, bitcoin is suffering from its own problems that are separate from economic policy. Two major crypto firms have failed in the span of a month. The shaken confidence of crypto investors is not being helped by the fact the safest place you can park money now — bonds — seems like a safer move.

Right now, payments on federal student loans are paused until August 31 as part of an emergency measure put into place during the pandemic. Inflation means loan-holders have less disposable income to make payments, but a slowed economy that reduces inflation could bring some relief by fall.

The government may choose to extend the emergency measure deferring payments at the end of summer, depending on the state of the economy. President Joe Biden is also considering some form of loan forgiveness. For those taking out new private student loans, prepare to pay more. Rates vary by lender, but are expected to increase.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614775839571.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Record-low mortgages are long gone. Credit card rates will likely rise. So will the cost of an auto loan. Savers may finally see a noticeable return.The unusually large t&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fed-interest-rates-inflation-be1b698e48327d3a33847be25aba3e3d">hree-quarter point hike in its benchmark short-term rate</a>&nbsp;that the Federal Reserve announced Wednesday won’t, by itself, have a huge effect on most Americans’ finances. But combined with earlier rate hikes and additional large increases to come, economists and investors foresee the fastest pace of rate increases since 1989.The result is increasingly higher borrowing costs as the Fed fights the most painfully high inflation in four decades and ends a decades-long era of historically low rates.Chair Jerome Powell hopes that by making borrowing more expensive, the Fed will succeed in cooling demand for homes, cars and other goods and services and slow inflation.Yet the risks are high. With inflation likely to stay elevated, the Fed may have to drive borrowing costs even higher than it now expects. A series of higher rates could tip the U.S. economy into recession. That would mean higher unemployment, rising layoffs and continued pressure on stock prices.How will it affect your finances? These are some of the most common questions being asked about the impacts of the rate hike.___I’M CONSIDERING BUYING A HOUSE. WILL MORTGAGE RATES KEEP GOING UP?Rates on home loans have soared in the past few months, mostly in anticipation of the Fed’s moves, and will probably keep rising.Mortgage rates don’t necessarily move up in tandem with the Fed’s rate increases. Sometimes, they even move in the opposite direction. Long-term mortgages tend to track the yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which, in turn, is influenced by a variety of factors. These include investors’ expectations for future inflation and global demand for U.S. Treasurys.For now, though, faster inflation and strong U.S. economic growth are sending the 10-year Treasury rate up sharply. As a consequence, the national average for a 30-year fixed mortgage has jumped from 3% at the start of the year to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prices-business-mortgages-mortgage-rates-8a19f374e463e52379fc8e5b29f750cc">well above 5%</a>&nbsp;now.In part, the jump in mortgage rates reflects expectations that the Fed will keep raising its key rate. But its forthcoming hikes aren’t likely fully priced in yet. If the Fed jacks up its key rate even higher, as expected, the 10-year Treasury yield will go much higher, too, and mortgages will become more expensive.WILL IT STILL BE TOUGH TO FIND A HOUSE?If you’re looking to buy a home and are frustrated by the lack of available houses, which has triggered bidding wars and eye-watering prices, that may get a little easier soon.Economists say that higher mortgage rates will discourage some would-be purchasers. And average home prices, which have been soaring at about a 20% annual rate, could at least rise at a slower pace.Sales of existing homes have fallen for six straight months. New home sales have also slumped. Those trends are modestly boosting the supply of available properties.I NEED A NEW CAR. SHOULD I BUY ONE NOW?Fed rate hikes can make auto loans more expensive. But other factors also affect these rates, including competition among car makers that can sometimes lower borrowing costs.Rates for buyers with lower credit ratings are most likely to rise as a result of the Fed’s hikes. Because used vehicle prices, on average, are rising, monthly payments will rise too.WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO MY CREDIT CARD?For users of credit cards, home equity lines of credit and other variable-interest debt, rates would rise by roughly the same amount as the Fed hike, usually within one or two billing cycles. That’s because those rates are based in part on banks’ prime rate, which moves in tandem with the Fed.Those who don’t qualify for low-rate credit cards might be stuck paying higher interest on their balances. The rates on their cards would rise as the prime rate does.The Fed’s rate increases have already sent credit card borrowing rates above 20% for the first time in at least four years, according to LendingTree, which has tracked the data since 2018.HOW WILL THIS AFFECT MY SAVINGS?You may earn a bit more, though not likely by very much. And it depends on where your savings, if you have any, are parked.Savings, certificates of deposit and money market accounts don’t typically track the Fed’s changes. Instead, banks tend to capitalize on a higher-rate environment to try to increase their profits. They do so by imposing higher rates on borrowers, without necessarily offering any juicer rates to savers.This is particularly true for large banks now. They’ve been flooded with savings as a result of government financial aid and reduced spending by many wealthier Americans during the pandemic. They won’t need to raise savings rates to attract more deposits or CD buyers.But online banks and others with high-yield savings accounts could be an exception. These accounts are known for aggressively competing for depositors. The only catch is that they typically require significant deposits.HOW WILL THE HIKE INFLUENCE CRYPTO?Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin could become a little less attractive to many investors.While bitcoin prices were mostly unchanged after the Fed’s announcement, crypto prices had declined in the days leading up to the central bank’s move. They dropped by a third in seven days.Higher interest rates mean that safe assets like bonds and Treasuries become more attractive to investors because their yields are now higher. That, in turn, makes risky assets like technology stocks and cryptocurrencies less attractive.All that said, bitcoin is suffering from its own problems that are separate from economic policy. Two major crypto firms have failed in the span of a month. The shaken confidence of crypto investors is not being helped by the fact the safest place you can park money now — bonds — seems like a safer move.WILL MY STUDENT LOAN PAYMENT GO UP?Right now, payments on federal student loans are paused until August 31 as part of an emergency measure put into place during the pandemic. Inflation means loan-holders have less disposable income to make payments, but a slowed economy that reduces inflation could bring some relief by fall.The government may choose to extend the emergency measure deferring payments at the end of summer, depending on the state of the economy. President Joe Biden is also considering some form of loan forgiveness. For those taking out new private student loans, prepare to pay more. Rates vary by lender, but are expected to increase.____

This is how the higher Fed interest rate could affect your finances

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-06-14/kansas-and-missouri-could-and-should-help-rein-in-medical-debt-researchers-say">Kansas News Service</a>

Kansas and Missouri don’t do enough to protect their residents from racking up medical bills, researchers say.

A new project from the University of Arizona and University of Utah and the Pew Charitable Trusts digs into <a href="https://medicaldebtpolicyscorecard.org/" target="_blank">consumer protections for people getting medical care</a>.

Both
 states have weak policies, the report says, leaving patients vulnerable
 to high bills from doctors, hospitals and laboratories that can quickly
 add up.

Gabriela Elizondo-Craig, a postgraduate fellow at the 
University of Arizona College of Law, says states don’t need to wait for
 Congress to act.

“There are so many important protections that 
can be put in place by the state legislatures,” she said. “Of all debt 
collection lawsuits, two out of three is a medical debt lawsuit in this 
country.”

A few things that Kansas and Missouri don’t do, that the researchers say would help:

The full list for Kansas is <a href="https://www.medicaldebtpolicyscorecard.org/state/KS" target="_blank">here</a>. The list for Missouri is <a href="https://www.medicaldebtpolicyscorecard.org/state/MO" target="_blank">here</a>.

Kansas
 also hasn’t expanded Medicaid, which the authors say would help. And it
 lacks any state-level protections against surprise bills, although a 
new federal law shields many people from that unwelcome phenomenon, <a href="https://khn.org/news/article/podcast-an-arm-and-a-leg-no-surprises-act-billing-rights/" target="_blank">with caveats</a>. In recent years, research suggested <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-01-07/getting-health-care-in-kansas-your-odds-may-be-worse-here-that-youll-get-a-surprise-bill" target="_blank">Kansans ran into surprise bills</a> more often than people in most other states.

Americans fear the unpredictable prices of medical care so much that many <a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2020/aug/looming-crisis-health-coverage-2020-biennial" target="_blank">forgo it</a>.

<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2782187" target="_blank">Debt from health care</a>
 now saddles so many people that researchers at Harvard and Stanford 
universities found it has become the main driver for the collections 
industry.

Living in the Midwest — which in many cases offers 
better living costs than the coasts — doesn’t shield Kansans from high 
prices.

This year, a Commonwealth Report found that Kansas and 
Missouri count among the five states where people with work-based 
insurance face average <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/health/2022-01-24/yes-more-and-more-of-your-paycheck-goes-to-health-care-in-kansas-and-missouri-heres-why" target="_blank">premiums and deductibles topping $9,000 a year</a>.

Year after year, American health care spending continues to grow at a fast clip — much faster than inflation. The <a href="https://healthcostinstitute.org/images/pdfs/HCCI_2019_Health_Care_Cost_and_Utilization_Report.pdf" target="_blank">Health Care Cost Institute</a>
 has found that the main reason is simply that hospitals and other 
places hike the prices. In other words, the increase in spending can’t 
be explained by Americans going to the doctor more often.

Meanwhile, the <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-09-25/employers-compared-notes-on-secret-prices-at-kansas-hospitals-to-boost-their-leverage-on-costs" target="_blank">RAND Corporation</a> think tank has found evidence of surprisingly high prices at some Kansas City hospitals — among the highest in the country.

New federal rules requiring hospitals to make their prices public are meant to help, but many Kansas hospitals have been <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-07-09/here-are-some-of-the-kansas-hospitals-flouting-a-federal-rule-to-publish-their-prices" target="_blank">slow to comply</a>.

Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health for the Kansas News 
Service. You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655233557043.png" alt="Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-06-14/kansas-and-missouri-could-and-should-help-rein-in-medical-debt-researchers-say">Kansas News Service</a>Kansas and Missouri don’t do enough to protect their residents from racking up medical bills, researchers say.A new project from the University of Arizona and University of Utah and the Pew Charitable Trusts digs into <a href="https://medicaldebtpolicyscorecard.org/" target="_blank">consumer protections for people getting medical care</a>.Both
 states have weak policies, the report says, leaving patients vulnerable
 to high bills from doctors, hospitals and laboratories that can quickly
 add up.Gabriela Elizondo-Craig, a postgraduate fellow at the 
University of Arizona College of Law, says states don’t need to wait for
 Congress to act.“There are so many important protections that 
can be put in place by the state legislatures,” she said. “Of all debt 
collection lawsuits, two out of three is a medical debt lawsuit in this 
country.”A few things that Kansas and Missouri don’t do, that the researchers say would help:<ul>
 <li>Preventing
 hospitals and others from sending a bill to collection agencies while a
 patient is still negotiating the amount, making incremental payments on
 it, or appealing an insurance decision.</li><li>Requiring hospitals to tell patients about <a href="https://khn.org/news/patients-eligible-for-charity-care-instead-get-big-bills/" target="_blank">charity care</a>. Journalists have found this often doesn’t happen.</li><li>Making
 clear that health care providers must wait for a specific period of 
time before suing a patient over outstanding balances.</li><li>Stopping health care providers from selling debt.</li><li>Regulating the prices of medically necessary care.</li>
 </ul>The full list for Kansas is <a href="https://www.medicaldebtpolicyscorecard.org/state/KS" target="_blank">here</a>. The list for Missouri is <a href="https://www.medicaldebtpolicyscorecard.org/state/MO" target="_blank">here</a>.Kansas
 also hasn’t expanded Medicaid, which the authors say would help. And it
 lacks any state-level protections against surprise bills, although a 
new federal law shields many people from that unwelcome phenomenon, <a href="https://khn.org/news/article/podcast-an-arm-and-a-leg-no-surprises-act-billing-rights/" target="_blank">with caveats</a>. In recent years, research suggested <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-01-07/getting-health-care-in-kansas-your-odds-may-be-worse-here-that-youll-get-a-surprise-bill" target="_blank">Kansans ran into surprise bills</a> more often than people in most other states.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1601308401778.png" alt="This story is part of the series, Bills of Health. Do you have a medical bill from Kansas that you want to share with a reporter? Email celia@kcur.org." />
 <figcaption>This story is part of the series, Bills of Health. Do you have a medical bill from Kansas that you want to share with a reporter? Email celia@kcur.org.</figcaption>
 </figure>Americans fear the unpredictable prices of medical care so much that many <a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2020/aug/looming-crisis-health-coverage-2020-biennial" target="_blank">forgo it</a>.<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2782187" target="_blank">Debt from health care</a>
 now saddles so many people that researchers at Harvard and Stanford 
universities found it has become the main driver for the collections 
industry.Living in the Midwest — which in many cases offers 
better living costs than the coasts — doesn’t shield Kansans from high 
prices.This year, a Commonwealth Report found that Kansas and 
Missouri count among the five states where people with work-based 
insurance face average <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/health/2022-01-24/yes-more-and-more-of-your-paycheck-goes-to-health-care-in-kansas-and-missouri-heres-why" target="_blank">premiums and deductibles topping $9,000 a year</a>.Year after year, American health care spending continues to grow at a fast clip — much faster than inflation. The <a href="https://healthcostinstitute.org/images/pdfs/HCCI_2019_Health_Care_Cost_and_Utilization_Report.pdf" target="_blank">Health Care Cost Institute</a>
 has found that the main reason is simply that hospitals and other 
places hike the prices. In other words, the increase in spending can’t 
be explained by Americans going to the doctor more often.Meanwhile, the <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-09-25/employers-compared-notes-on-secret-prices-at-kansas-hospitals-to-boost-their-leverage-on-costs" target="_blank">RAND Corporation</a> think tank has found evidence of surprisingly high prices at some Kansas City hospitals — among the highest in the country.New federal rules requiring hospitals to make their prices public are meant to help, but many Kansas hospitals have been <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-07-09/here-are-some-of-the-kansas-hospitals-flouting-a-federal-rule-to-publish-their-prices" target="_blank">slow to comply</a>.Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health for the Kansas News 
Service. You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia@kcur.org.

Researchers: Kansas, Missouri could help rein in medical debt

DOUGLAS COUNTY—Authorities and railroad officials are investigating a massive train derailment in Douglas County.

Just after 5p.m. Friday, coal cars detached from an engine on Union Pacific tracks at North 1900 Road, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's office.&nbsp;

“Using infrared technology, the Lawrence Police Department's UAV team was able to assist the Douglas County Sheriff’s aerial team in determining there were no dangerous hot spots or fires in the massive train derailment, according to a statement from the department.

 UAV pilots were also able to share a live link with Union Pacific personnel to help their teams coordinate a response and plan clean up strategies. 

Federal Aviation officials were very generous in helping to coordinate air space since this incident was so close to the Lawrence Airport.

 This valuable, and potentially lifesaving, view would not have been possible without UAV technology.&nbsp; According to Lawrence Police, thankfully, no serious injuries -- but a big mess.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655608289623.png" alt="Images courtesy Lawrence Police" />
 <figcaption>Images courtesy Lawrence Police</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY—Authorities and railroad officials are investigating a massive train derailment in Douglas County.Just after 5p.m. Friday, coal cars detached from an engine on Union Pacific tracks at North 1900 Road, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's office.&nbsp;“Using infrared technology, the Lawrence Police Department's UAV team was able to assist the Douglas County Sheriff’s aerial team in determining there were no dangerous hot spots or fires in the massive train derailment, according to a statement from the department.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655608266407.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure> UAV pilots were also able to share a live link with Union Pacific personnel to help their teams coordinate a response and plan clean up strategies. Federal Aviation officials were very generous in helping to coordinate air space since this incident was so close to the Lawrence Airport. This valuable, and potentially lifesaving, view would not have been possible without UAV technology.&nbsp; According to Lawrence Police, thankfully, no serious injuries -- but a big mess.”

Cleanup underway after massive Kansas train derailment

By MARGARET MELLOTT <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/06/16/death-by-1000-cuts-kansas-teachers-demoralized-by-current-environment/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Caught in a political 
crossfire and exhausted from the pandemic, Kansas teachers are putting 
down their books and leaving the profession.

In a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nea.org/about-nea/media-center/press-releases/nea-survey-massive-staff-shortages-schools-leading-educator">survey from the National Education Association</a>,
 55% of teachers indicated they were ready to leave the classroom. As of
 April 12, there were 1,381 teacher vacancies in Kansas, according to 
the Kansas State Board of Education, and this number is expected to 
rise.

A teacher of 27 years, Jeff Plinsky, 
has seen the steady decline of those entering the field. While there 
have been a multitude of reasons for this, Plinsky said, it started when
 former Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration focused on an efficiency 
model to cut public school spending while increasing teacher workloads.

“The best way to describe it is sort 
of the death by 1,000 cuts,” said Plinsky, outgoing vice president of 
the Lawrence Education Association and a teacher at Lawrence High 
School. “There are a multitude of things that have hit teachers really 
over the last decade and perhaps even longer.”

These issues became exacerbated after
 March 2020, when teachers had to adapt to virtual learning. Many 
teachers, though, weren’t extensively taught how to virtually teach, and
 they weren’t ready for the emotional toll of not being able to see 
their students.

“It was really hard because we 
couldn’t get a hold of some of those kids,” said Jessica Popescu, who 
left the teaching profession in May after nine years. “So you just kind 
of had to watch them sink and somehow get over it. That’s hard, 
especially if you care about your students.”

A 2013 graduate of Kansas State 
University, Popescu was recently hired as a student recruitment 
coordinator at the Research College of Nursing in Kansas City, Missouri.

“I got really tired of doing a lot of
 things that, one, I didn’t believe in,” Popescu said. “Or, two, that 
are just done to kind of check the box. As teachers, we’re always asking
 for more money, but then it felt like a lot of what we do isn’t taken 
seriously. I wanted to be taken seriously as an educator. I wanted to be
 seen as a professional.”

With just six years left before retirement, Plinsky said if he could retire tomorrow, he would.

“(I’d be just as happy at) some 
minimum wage job,” Plinsky said. “People don’t yell at you there about 
what a terrible human I am and what awful things I’m trying to do to 
their children while my colleagues are sheltering children’s bodies from
 flying bullets that no one seems to be able to stop.”

Janet Waugh, who represents northeast
 Kansas in the 1st District on the Kansas State Board of Education, said
 things did not get better for teachers once students were back in the 
classroom. Not only did they have to catch students up on their studies,
 teachers had other factors to deal with.

“Misinformation is one of the biggest
 and most dangerous things that we have that people are upset about,” 
Waugh said. “It’s sort of like (critical race theory), which is not in 
our standards. To my knowledge, there’s not a district teacher teaching 
it.”

“Parents were upset. The Legislature 
was upset,” Waugh added. “So many people were criticizing the teachers, 
that the teachers — first of all, they’re totally exhausted. They’re 
drained. The second thing is the way they’re treated. It’s just sad.”

Still, for many teachers, the joy in their job lies with their students, Waugh said.

“I believe teachers see this as a 
calling,” Waugh said. “They don’t see this as a job. They can make more 
money (elsewhere). … They love kids. They love to teach.”

Plinsky said new teachers need to be prepared for the political currents that come at them.

“(New teachers) need to make sure 
that they have a financial and psychological support network around 
them,” Plinsky said. “The blow, after body blow, after body blow that 
they take in education — if they don’t have that kind of support, they 
won’t survive.”

Joan Brewer, dean of the Teachers College at Emporia State University, said giving the power back to teachers is crucial.

“Listening to teachers, instead of 
just telling them, ‘This is what you have to do or what you need to 
do,’ ” Brewer said. “I think a big key with the Legislature is just 
really investing in teachers and letting them, in many ways, lead the 
way.”

To improve the system though, some believe it must first collapse before significant changes can be made.

“I don’t think we’ve hit the peak 
yet,” Popescu said. “I think you’re seeing it get worse and worse and 
worse. And I don’t know what’s going to tip it over the edge, but we 
haven’t hit that yet.”

Echoing Popescu’s sentiment, Plinsky 
said that though there are people doing their best, he has no confidence
 that those in power in Kansas are interested in preserving quality 
education.

“Maybe,” Plinsky said, “the whole 
thing has to collapse in a heap of ruins before the folks in power 
decide maybe they ought to fix it.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655487959501.png" alt="With the speech and debate nationals right around the corner, Jeff Plinsky helps a student practice an argument on June 8. Plinsky, a teacher and coach at Lawrence High School, said despite the environment for teachers right now, his students bring a bright spot to his job. (Margaret Mellott/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>With the speech and debate nationals right around the corner, Jeff Plinsky helps a student practice an argument on June 8. Plinsky, a teacher and coach at Lawrence High School, said despite the environment for teachers right now, his students bring a bright spot to his job. (Margaret Mellott/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARGARET MELLOTT <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/06/16/death-by-1000-cuts-kansas-teachers-demoralized-by-current-environment/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Caught in a political 
crossfire and exhausted from the pandemic, Kansas teachers are putting 
down their books and leaving the profession.In a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nea.org/about-nea/media-center/press-releases/nea-survey-massive-staff-shortages-schools-leading-educator">survey from the National Education Association</a>,
 55% of teachers indicated they were ready to leave the classroom. As of
 April 12, there were 1,381 teacher vacancies in Kansas, according to 
the Kansas State Board of Education, and this number is expected to 
rise.A teacher of 27 years, Jeff Plinsky, 
has seen the steady decline of those entering the field. While there 
have been a multitude of reasons for this, Plinsky said, it started when
 former Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration focused on an efficiency 
model to cut public school spending while increasing teacher workloads.“The best way to describe it is sort 
of the death by 1,000 cuts,” said Plinsky, outgoing vice president of 
the Lawrence Education Association and a teacher at Lawrence High 
School. “There are a multitude of things that have hit teachers really 
over the last decade and perhaps even longer.”These issues became exacerbated after
 March 2020, when teachers had to adapt to virtual learning. Many 
teachers, though, weren’t extensively taught how to virtually teach, and
 they weren’t ready for the emotional toll of not being able to see 
their students.“It was really hard because we 
couldn’t get a hold of some of those kids,” said Jessica Popescu, who 
left the teaching profession in May after nine years. “So you just kind 
of had to watch them sink and somehow get over it. That’s hard, 
especially if you care about your students.”A 2013 graduate of Kansas State 
University, Popescu was recently hired as a student recruitment 
coordinator at the Research College of Nursing in Kansas City, Missouri.“I got really tired of doing a lot of
 things that, one, I didn’t believe in,” Popescu said. “Or, two, that 
are just done to kind of check the box. As teachers, we’re always asking
 for more money, but then it felt like a lot of what we do isn’t taken 
seriously. I wanted to be taken seriously as an educator. I wanted to be
 seen as a professional.”With just six years left before retirement, Plinsky said if he could retire tomorrow, he would.“(I’d be just as happy at) some 
minimum wage job,” Plinsky said. “People don’t yell at you there about 
what a terrible human I am and what awful things I’m trying to do to 
their children while my colleagues are sheltering children’s bodies from
 flying bullets that no one seems to be able to stop.”Janet Waugh, who represents northeast
 Kansas in the 1st District on the Kansas State Board of Education, said
 things did not get better for teachers once students were back in the 
classroom. Not only did they have to catch students up on their studies,
 teachers had other factors to deal with.“Misinformation is one of the biggest
 and most dangerous things that we have that people are upset about,” 
Waugh said. “It’s sort of like (critical race theory), which is not in 
our standards. To my knowledge, there’s not a district teacher teaching 
it.”“Parents were upset. The Legislature 
was upset,” Waugh added. “So many people were criticizing the teachers, 
that the teachers — first of all, they’re totally exhausted. They’re 
drained. The second thing is the way they’re treated. It’s just sad.”Still, for many teachers, the joy in their job lies with their students, Waugh said.“I believe teachers see this as a 
calling,” Waugh said. “They don’t see this as a job. They can make more 
money (elsewhere). … They love kids. They love to teach.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655488024450.png" alt="Lawrence High School teacher Jeff Plinsky prepares a recent graduate for the 2022 National Speech and Debate Tournament. The tournament was hosted in Louisville, Kentucky, from June 12-17. (Margaret Mellott/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Lawrence High School teacher Jeff Plinsky prepares a recent graduate for the 2022 National Speech and Debate Tournament. The tournament was hosted in Louisville, Kentucky, from June 12-17. (Margaret Mellott/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Plinsky said new teachers need to be prepared for the political currents that come at them.“(New teachers) need to make sure 
that they have a financial and psychological support network around 
them,” Plinsky said. “The blow, after body blow, after body blow that 
they take in education — if they don’t have that kind of support, they 
won’t survive.”Joan Brewer, dean of the Teachers College at Emporia State University, said giving the power back to teachers is crucial.“Listening to teachers, instead of 
just telling them, ‘This is what you have to do or what you need to 
do,’ ” Brewer said. “I think a big key with the Legislature is just 
really investing in teachers and letting them, in many ways, lead the 
way.”To improve the system though, some believe it must first collapse before significant changes can be made.“I don’t think we’ve hit the peak 
yet,” Popescu said. “I think you’re seeing it get worse and worse and 
worse. And I don’t know what’s going to tip it over the edge, but we 
haven’t hit that yet.”Echoing Popescu’s sentiment, Plinsky 
said that though there are people doing their best, he has no confidence
 that those in power in Kansas are interested in preserving quality 
education.“Maybe,” Plinsky said, “the whole 
thing has to collapse in a heap of ruins before the folks in power 
decide maybe they ought to fix it.”