TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Health reported&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;3,211 new coronavirus cases in Kansas from Wednesday May 25, to Wednesday June 1, for a total of 789,127 cases.

<a href="https://eaglepost.netlify.app/dashboard/littleapple/posts/e934d6dc-37db-451e-8c65-7278e0aa6cf0">The state reported</a>&nbsp;4 additional COVID-19 deaths in the past week for a total of 8,943.

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;about the COVID-19 vaccine.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.

Kansas is providing fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly formally declared that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.&nbsp;The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

The state continue to support access to free COVID-19 testing, work to ensure that vulnerable populations can get vaccinated, see that providers serve a broad population and give “comprehensive guidance” about the virus. She called the new phase “endemic normalcy.”

The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Health reported&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;3,211 new coronavirus cases in Kansas from Wednesday May 25, to Wednesday June 1, for a total of 789,127 cases.<a href="https://eaglepost.netlify.app/dashboard/littleapple/posts/e934d6dc-37db-451e-8c65-7278e0aa6cf0">The state reported</a>&nbsp;4 additional COVID-19 deaths in the past week for a total of 8,943.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654102771267.png" alt="Wednesday June 1, 2022-KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday June 1, 2022-KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.Kansas is providing fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly formally declared that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.&nbsp;The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.The state continue to support access to free COVID-19 testing, work to ensure that vulnerable populations can get vaccinated, see that providers serve a broad population and give “comprehensive guidance” about the virus. She called the new phase “endemic normalcy.”The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

KDHE: Latest COVID-19 numbers in Kansas

RENO COUNTY— Police arrested a Hutchinson man after he allegedly threatened to harm his co-workers at a business in Hutchinson business.

On Tuesday afternoon, police detained 24-year-old Andrew Patterson during a traffic stop after law enforcement received information that he had made the threatening comments, according to a media release.

During the stop, police found detailed plans in Patterson’s vehicle to carry out an act of mass violence against the employees. A search warrant was executed at his residence where additional evidence related to the plan was collected.

Patterson was taken into custody on requested charges of domestic terrorism. His bond has been set at $3,000,000. Formal charges are pending.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654095767992.jpeg" alt="Patterson-photo Reno County" />
 <figcaption>Patterson-photo Reno County</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY— Police arrested a Hutchinson man after he allegedly threatened to harm his co-workers at a business in Hutchinson business.On Tuesday afternoon, police detained 24-year-old Andrew Patterson during a traffic stop after law enforcement received information that he had made the threatening comments, according to a media release.During the stop, police found detailed plans in Patterson’s vehicle to carry out an act of mass violence against the employees. A search warrant was executed at his residence where additional evidence related to the plan was collected.Patterson was taken into custody on requested charges of domestic terrorism. His bond has been set at $3,000,000. Formal charges are pending.

Police: Kan. man had plan for mass violence against co-workers

TOPEKA —Republican candidate for governor Derek Schmidt has named Katie Sawyer, a member of U.S. Senator Roger Marshall's staff, as his running mate,&nbsp; according t<a href="https://schmidtforkansas.com/meet-katie/">o Schmidt's campaign website</a>.

Sawyer, 38, from Inman earned her bachelor’s degrees in communications and international studies from Pittsburg State University and a master’s degree in strategic communications from Purdue University in Fort Wayne, Indiana, according to a media release from the Schmidt campain.

She, along with her husband, is a fourth-generation owner and operator of their family farm in McPherson County. They are also the parents of two young sons.

&nbsp;Sawyer was a journalist and editor of the McPherson Sentinel prior to working for Marshall. She also worked at McPherson College in marketing and business development.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654094884608.png" alt="Derek Schmidt announces Katie Sawyer as his running mate&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Derek Schmidt announces Katie Sawyer as his running mate&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —Republican candidate for governor Derek Schmidt has named Katie Sawyer, a member of U.S. Senator Roger Marshall's staff, as his running mate,&nbsp; according t<a href="https://schmidtforkansas.com/meet-katie/">o Schmidt's campaign website</a>.Sawyer, 38, from Inman earned her bachelor’s degrees in communications and international studies from Pittsburg State University and a master’s degree in strategic communications from Purdue University in Fort Wayne, Indiana, according to a media release from the Schmidt campain.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Katie Sawyer will make an exceptional Lt. Gov. She has her finger on the pulse of kitchen table issues in Kansas and cares deeply about the future of Kansas families. I’m very excited for her. <a href="https://t.co/IX3eHrzFJG">https://t.co/IX3eHrzFJG</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1532004354278006784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>She, along with her husband, is a fourth-generation owner and operator of their family farm in McPherson County. They are also the parents of two young sons.&nbsp;Sawyer was a journalist and editor of the McPherson Sentinel prior to working for Marshall. She also worked at McPherson College in marketing and business development.

Schmidt names Senate staffer as running mate in race for governor

KANSAS CITY(AP) — A Kansas City woman accused of decapitating her 6-year-old son has been found mentally unfit to stand trial.

A Jackson County judge last week placed Tasha Haefs, 35, in the custody of the Missouri Department of Mental Health after finding her incompetent to stand trial,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article261971375.html">the Kansas City Star reported</a>. Haefs had been charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the killing of Karvel Stevens.

Officers who were called in February to a home in eastern Kansas City&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arrests-homicide-kansas-city-81a62a9b8fee5b718e5085688a8f1dff">found the boy and a family dog decapitated inside</a>&nbsp;and Haefs covered in blood. They also found bloody knives, and officials said Haefs told police she killed her son in the home's bathtub.

Police went to the home after a woman believed to be Haefs called and said the devil was trying to attack her. Haefs' family members later told the Star that she had struggled for years with drug addiction, depression, severe trauma and hallucinations.

A phone message left Wednesday morning with Haefs’ public defender, Laura O’Sullivan, seeking comment was not immediately returned.

Mike Mansur, a spokesman for the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, said Haefs' mental competence will be re-evaluated after several months of treatment to see if she can stand trial at a later date.

KANSAS CITY(AP) — A Kansas City woman who authorities said decapitated her 6-year-old son was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder, the Jackson County Prosecutor's office said.

Tasha Haefs, 35, was charged after officers found her son dead at their east Kansas City home late Tuesday, according to a probable cause statement. It was not immediately known if Haefs had an attorney to speak on her behalf.

Police said in an affidavit for a search warrant that a woman called from the house and said the devil was trying to attack her before she hung up, local media reported.

The statement said responding officers saw blood on the front steps of the home and apparent blood and hair on the front door and a severed head near the home's threshold. A woman inside refused to open the door.

After police were told other children lived in the house and had not been seen for several days, they forcibly entered the home. They found the boy's body and saw Haefs with blood on her and knives and a screwdriver with apparent blood throughout the home, according to the affidavit.

No other children were found in the home. A decapitated dog was found in the basement.

During a police interview, Haefs identified the victim as her son and admitted that she killed him in a bathtub and decapitated him, according to the affidavit written by Detective Zakary Glidewell.

It was not immediately clear where the other children in the home were.

Haefs, who was also charged with armed criminal action, was being held in the Jackson County Jail on no bond.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said in a statement that the child's gruesome death “takes our breath away.”

She said the death calls for law enforcement, public health, social services and all their partners to work to better protect Kansas City's children.

“Let’s also focus, Kansas City, on the violence among us," Peters Baker wrote. “It’s a challenge we can no longer ignore. We cannot become complacent with 180 or 170 or even 150 homicides per year and hundreds more shot but not killed. ... Going forward let’s keep a clear goal: Reduce our community’s violence and alert mental health professionals whenever we are aware of someone in need of intervention.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645066201034.png" alt="Haefs-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Haefs-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY(AP) — A Kansas City woman accused of decapitating her 6-year-old son has been found mentally unfit to stand trial.A Jackson County judge last week placed Tasha Haefs, 35, in the custody of the Missouri Department of Mental Health after finding her incompetent to stand trial,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article261971375.html">the Kansas City Star reported</a>. Haefs had been charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the killing of Karvel Stevens.Officers who were called in February to a home in eastern Kansas City&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arrests-homicide-kansas-city-81a62a9b8fee5b718e5085688a8f1dff">found the boy and a family dog decapitated inside</a>&nbsp;and Haefs covered in blood. They also found bloody knives, and officials said Haefs told police she killed her son in the home's bathtub.Police went to the home after a woman believed to be Haefs called and said the devil was trying to attack her. Haefs' family members later told the Star that she had struggled for years with drug addiction, depression, severe trauma and hallucinations.A phone message left Wednesday morning with Haefs’ public defender, Laura O’Sullivan, seeking comment was not immediately returned.Mike Mansur, a spokesman for the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, said Haefs' mental competence will be re-evaluated after several months of treatment to see if she can stand trial at a later date.---------------KANSAS CITY(AP) — A Kansas City woman who authorities said decapitated her 6-year-old son was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder, the Jackson County Prosecutor's office said.Tasha Haefs, 35, was charged after officers found her son dead at their east Kansas City home late Tuesday, according to a probable cause statement. It was not immediately known if Haefs had an attorney to speak on her behalf.Police said in an affidavit for a search warrant that a woman called from the house and said the devil was trying to attack her before she hung up, local media reported.The statement said responding officers saw blood on the front steps of the home and apparent blood and hair on the front door and a severed head near the home's threshold. A woman inside refused to open the door.After police were told other children lived in the house and had not been seen for several days, they forcibly entered the home. They found the boy's body and saw Haefs with blood on her and knives and a screwdriver with apparent blood throughout the home, according to the affidavit.No other children were found in the home. A decapitated dog was found in the basement.During a police interview, Haefs identified the victim as her son and admitted that she killed him in a bathtub and decapitated him, according to the affidavit written by Detective Zakary Glidewell.It was not immediately clear where the other children in the home were.Haefs, who was also charged with armed criminal action, was being held in the Jackson County Jail on no bond.Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said in a statement that the child's gruesome death “takes our breath away.”She said the death calls for law enforcement, public health, social services and all their partners to work to better protect Kansas City's children.“Let’s also focus, Kansas City, on the violence among us," Peters Baker wrote. “It’s a challenge we can no longer ignore. We cannot become complacent with 180 or 170 or even 150 homicides per year and hundreds more shot but not killed. ... Going forward let’s keep a clear goal: Reduce our community’s violence and alert mental health professionals whenever we are aware of someone in need of intervention.”

KC mom accused of decapitating 6-year-old son found unfit for trial

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to meet with infant formula manufacturers as his administration works to ease&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-formula-shortage-what-to-know-735cef06e68ed9c5a46233bdfcf0573d">nationwide shortages</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-53857b4ba1006a8bf85caad251517f4c">importing foreign supplies</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-df586c2e52b5e5865ea9f8091d4d1f80">using the Defense Production Act</a>&nbsp;to speed domestic production.

The White House said Biden would host a roundtable Wednesday with leaders of manufacturers ByHeart, Bubs Australia, Reckitt, Perrigo Co. and Gerber. The list is notable for who isn’t on it: Abbott Nutrition, the company whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-health-michigan-a4205025fc781b1fb902cdd9e1264b41">Michigan plant was shut down</a>&nbsp;in February over safety concerns, sparking the shortage in the United States.

Biden will be joined by Heath and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. The meeting is expected to provide an update on what the administration has dubbed Operation Fly Formula to import formula from overseas into the U.S. and deploy the Korean War-era production law to require suppliers of the formula manufacturers to prioritize their orders in a bid to ease any production bottlenecks.

Those measures will help but won’t immediately bring an end to formula supply shortages that have left&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-business-health-d3e32ba9e2381f77c299391e762abe21">people who depend on formula</a>&nbsp;facing empty shelves or limits on purchases.

The Food and Drug Administration began honing in on Abbott’s plant last fall while tracking several bacterial infections in infants who had consumed formula from the facility. The four cases occurred between September and January, causing hospitalizations and two deaths.

After detecting positive samples of rare but dangerous bacteria in multiple parts of the plant, the FDA closed the facility and Abbott announced a massive recall of its formula on Feb. 17.

U.S. regulators and Abbott announced an agreement last month that would help pave the way for reopening the plant, though production has not restarted.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on why Abbott was not included from Wednesday’s meeting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652447550275.png" alt="On May 12, President Biden spoke with retailers and manufacturers to discuss ways to do more to help families access infant formula." />
 <figcaption>On May 12, President Biden spoke with retailers and manufacturers to discuss ways to do more to help families access infant formula.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to meet with infant formula manufacturers as his administration works to ease&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-formula-shortage-what-to-know-735cef06e68ed9c5a46233bdfcf0573d">nationwide shortages</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-53857b4ba1006a8bf85caad251517f4c">importing foreign supplies</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-df586c2e52b5e5865ea9f8091d4d1f80">using the Defense Production Act</a>&nbsp;to speed domestic production.The White House said Biden would host a roundtable Wednesday with leaders of manufacturers ByHeart, Bubs Australia, Reckitt, Perrigo Co. and Gerber. The list is notable for who isn’t on it: Abbott Nutrition, the company whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-health-michigan-a4205025fc781b1fb902cdd9e1264b41">Michigan plant was shut down</a>&nbsp;in February over safety concerns, sparking the shortage in the United States.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My Administration is invoking the Defense Production Act for the third time in less than a week to help Cargill deliver the materials needed to maximize production of infant formula. We’re using the full power of the federal government to ramp up production and increase supply.&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1530543942424576000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden will be joined by Heath and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. The meeting is expected to provide an update on what the administration has dubbed Operation Fly Formula to import formula from overseas into the U.S. and deploy the Korean War-era production law to require suppliers of the formula manufacturers to prioritize their orders in a bid to ease any production bottlenecks.Those measures will help but won’t immediately bring an end to formula supply shortages that have left&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-business-health-d3e32ba9e2381f77c299391e762abe21">people who depend on formula</a>&nbsp;facing empty shelves or limits on purchases.The Food and Drug Administration began honing in on Abbott’s plant last fall while tracking several bacterial infections in infants who had consumed formula from the facility. The four cases occurred between September and January, causing hospitalizations and two deaths.After detecting positive samples of rare but dangerous bacteria in multiple parts of the plant, the FDA closed the facility and Abbott announced a massive recall of its formula on Feb. 17.U.S. regulators and Abbott announced an agreement last month that would help pave the way for reopening the plant, though production has not restarted.The White House did not respond to a request for comment on why Abbott was not included from Wednesday’s meeting.

Biden to meet with baby formula makers on easing shortage

KANSAS CITY —A police officer and his wife were indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday for a $99,000 wire fraud scheme in which they used debit cards from a local lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police, where they served as officers, for spending on personal items, according to the United State's Attorney.

Michael A. Hardin,&nbsp; 46, and his wife, Sarah J. Hardin, 42, were charged in a seven-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo.

Michael Hardin, an officer with the St. Joseph Police Department, was the president of the Fraternal Order of Police Northwest Missouri Lodge #3 for approximately 10 years. Sarah Hardin, formerly a deputy with the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department, was the treasurer of the lodge for approximately 10 years. The lodge, headquartered in St. Joseph, is a fraternity of approximately 300 law enforcement officers from police departments in nine northwest Missouri counties.

Tuesday’s indictment alleges the Hardins used debit cards linked to the bank accounts of the Fraternal Order of Police Northwest Missouri Lodge #3 to make $99,000 in purchases for their own personal gain over a four-year period from December 2015 to December 2019.

According to the indictment, Sarah Hardin used two debit cards to make purchases at Walmart, Menards, Party City, HyVee, and other businesses for personal items and expenses. Michael Hardin allegedly used one debit card to make purchases from various merchants, including Hampton Inn, for personal items and expenses.

The Hardins did not provide information about the fraudulent spending to the members of the lodge, the indictment says, nor did they seek approval to use lodge funds for personal items.

Tuesday’s indictment charges Sarah Hardin with four counts of wire fraud and Michael Hardin with three counts of wire fraud.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592845080777.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A police officer and his wife were indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday for a $99,000 wire fraud scheme in which they used debit cards from a local lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police, where they served as officers, for spending on personal items, according to the United State's Attorney.Michael A. Hardin,&nbsp; 46, and his wife, Sarah J. Hardin, 42, were charged in a seven-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo.Michael Hardin, an officer with the St. Joseph Police Department, was the president of the Fraternal Order of Police Northwest Missouri Lodge #3 for approximately 10 years. Sarah Hardin, formerly a deputy with the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department, was the treasurer of the lodge for approximately 10 years. The lodge, headquartered in St. Joseph, is a fraternity of approximately 300 law enforcement officers from police departments in nine northwest Missouri counties.Tuesday’s indictment alleges the Hardins used debit cards linked to the bank accounts of the Fraternal Order of Police Northwest Missouri Lodge #3 to make $99,000 in purchases for their own personal gain over a four-year period from December 2015 to December 2019.According to the indictment, Sarah Hardin used two debit cards to make purchases at Walmart, Menards, Party City, HyVee, and other businesses for personal items and expenses. Michael Hardin allegedly used one debit card to make purchases from various merchants, including Hampton Inn, for personal items and expenses.The Hardins did not provide information about the fraudulent spending to the members of the lodge, the indictment says, nor did they seek approval to use lodge funds for personal items.Tuesday’s indictment charges Sarah Hardin with four counts of wire fraud and Michael Hardin with three counts of wire fraud.The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.This case was investigated by the FBI.

Police officer, wife allegedly spent $99K in union funds for personal use

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration says it will send Ukraine a small number of high-tech, medium-range rocket systems, a critical weapon that Ukrainian leaders have been begging for as they struggle to stall Russian progress in the Donbas region.

The rocket systems are part of a new $700 million tranche of security assistance for Ukraine from the U.S. that will include helicopters, Javelin anti-tank weapon systems, tactical vehicles, spare parts and more, two senior administration officials said Tuesday. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the weapons package that will be formally unveiled on Wednesday.

The U.S. decision to provide the advance rocket systems tries to strike a balance between the desire to help Ukraine battle ferocious Russian artillery barrages while not providing arms that could allow Ukraine to hit targets deep inside Russia and trigger an escalation in the war.

In a guest essay published Tuesday evening in The New York Times, President Joe Biden confirmed that he’s decided to “provide the Ukrainians with more advanced rocket systems and munitions that will enable them to more precisely strike key targets on the battlefield in Ukraine.”

Biden had said Monday that the U.S. would not send Ukraine “rocket systems that can strike into Russia.” Any weapons system can shoot into Russia if it’s close enough to the border. The aid package expected to be unveiled Wednesday would send what the U.S. considers medium-range rockets — they generally can travel about 45 miles (70 kilometers), the officials said.

The Ukrainians have assured U.S. officials that they will not fire rockets into Russian territory, according to the senior administration officials. One official noted that the advanced rocket systems will give Ukrainian forces greater precision in targeting Russian assets inside Ukraine.

The expectation is that Ukraine could use the rockets in the eastern Donbas region, where they could both intercept Russian artillery and take out Russian positions in towns where fighting is intense, such as Sievierodonetsk.

Sievierodonetsk is important to Russian efforts to capture the Donbas before more Western arms arrive to bolster Ukraine’s defense. The city, which is 90 miles (145 kilometers) south of the Russian border, is in an area that is the last pocket under Ukrainian government control in the Luhansk region of the Donbas.

Biden in his New York Times’ essay added: “We are not encouraging or enabling Ukraine to strike beyond its borders. We do not want to prolong the war just to inflict pain on Russia.”

It’s the 11th package approved so far, and will be the first to tap the $40 billion in security and economic assistance recently passed by Congress. The rocket systems would be part of Pentagon drawdown authority, so would involve taking weapons from U.S. inventory and getting them into Ukraine quickly. Ukrainian troops would also need training on the new systems, which could take at least a week or two.

Officials said the plan is to send Ukraine the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, which is mounted on a truck and can carry a container with six rockets. The system can launch a medium-range rocket, which is the current plan, but is also capable of firing a longer-range missile, the Army Tactical Missile System, which has a range of about 190 miles (300 kilometers) and is not part of the plan.

Since the war began in February, the U.S. and its allies have tried to walk a narrow line: send Ukraine weapons needed to fight off Russia, but stop short of providing aid that will inflame Russian President Vladimir Putin and trigger a broader conflict that could spill over into other parts of Europe.

Over time, however, the U.S. and allies have amped up the weaponry going into Ukraine, as the fight has shifted from Russia’s broader campaign to take the capital, Kyiv, and other areas, to more close-contact skirmishes for small pieces of land in the east and south.

To that end, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pleading with the West to send multiple launch rocket systems to Ukraine as soon as possible to help stop Russia’s destruction of towns in the Donbas. The rockets have a longer range than the howitzer artillery systems that the U.S. has provided Ukraine. They would allow Ukrainian forces to strike Russian troops from a distance outside the range of Russia’s artillery systems.

“We are fighting for Ukraine to be provided with all the weapons needed to change the nature of the fighting and start moving faster and more confidently toward the expulsion of the occupiers,” Zelenskyy said in a recent address.

Ukraine needs multiple launch rocket systems, said Philip Breedlove, a retired U.S. Air Force general who was NATO’s top commander from 2013 to 2016.

“These are very important capabilities that we have not gotten them yet. And they not only need them, but they have been very vociferous in explaining they want them,” said Breedlove. “We need to get serious about supplying this army so that it can do what the world is asking it to do: fight a world superpower alone on the battlefield.”

U.S. and White House officials had no public comment on the specifics of the aid package.

“We continue to consider a range of systems that have the potential to be effective on the battlefield for our Ukrainian partners. But the point the president made is that we won’t be sending long-range rockets for use beyond the battlefield in Ukraine,” State Department Ned Price said Tuesday. “As the battle has shifted its dynamics, we have also shifted the type of security assistance that we are providing to them, in large part because they have asked us for the various systems that are going to be more effective in places like the Donbas.”

Russia has been making incremental progress in the Donbas, as it tries to take the remaining sections of the region not already controlled by Russian-backed separatists.

Putin has repeatedly warned the West against sending greater firepower to Ukraine. The Kremlin said Putin held an 80-minute telephone call Saturday with the leaders of France and Germany in which he warned against the continued transfers of Western weapons.

Overall, the United States has committed approximately $5 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden administration, including approximately $4.5 billion since the Russia invaded on Feb. 24.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647393225414.png" alt="Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy-photo CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy-photo CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration says it will send Ukraine a small number of high-tech, medium-range rocket systems, a critical weapon that Ukrainian leaders have been begging for as they struggle to stall Russian progress in the Donbas region.The rocket systems are part of a new $700 million tranche of security assistance for Ukraine from the U.S. that will include helicopters, Javelin anti-tank weapon systems, tactical vehicles, spare parts and more, two senior administration officials said Tuesday. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the weapons package that will be formally unveiled on Wednesday.The U.S. decision to provide the advance rocket systems tries to strike a balance between the desire to help Ukraine battle ferocious Russian artillery barrages while not providing arms that could allow Ukraine to hit targets deep inside Russia and trigger an escalation in the war.In a guest essay published Tuesday evening in The New York Times, President Joe Biden confirmed that he’s decided to “provide the Ukrainians with more advanced rocket systems and munitions that will enable them to more precisely strike key targets on the battlefield in Ukraine.”Biden had said Monday that the U.S. would not send Ukraine “rocket systems that can strike into Russia.” Any weapons system can shoot into Russia if it’s close enough to the border. The aid package expected to be unveiled Wednesday would send what the U.S. considers medium-range rockets — they generally can travel about 45 miles (70 kilometers), the officials said.The Ukrainians have assured U.S. officials that they will not fire rockets into Russian territory, according to the senior administration officials. One official noted that the advanced rocket systems will give Ukrainian forces greater precision in targeting Russian assets inside Ukraine.The expectation is that Ukraine could use the rockets in the eastern Donbas region, where they could both intercept Russian artillery and take out Russian positions in towns where fighting is intense, such as Sievierodonetsk.Sievierodonetsk is important to Russian efforts to capture the Donbas before more Western arms arrive to bolster Ukraine’s defense. The city, which is 90 miles (145 kilometers) south of the Russian border, is in an area that is the last pocket under Ukrainian government control in the Luhansk region of the Donbas.Biden in his New York Times’ essay added: “We are not encouraging or enabling Ukraine to strike beyond its borders. We do not want to prolong the war just to inflict pain on Russia.”It’s the 11th package approved so far, and will be the first to tap the $40 billion in security and economic assistance recently passed by Congress. The rocket systems would be part of Pentagon drawdown authority, so would involve taking weapons from U.S. inventory and getting them into Ukraine quickly. Ukrainian troops would also need training on the new systems, which could take at least a week or two.Officials said the plan is to send Ukraine the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, which is mounted on a truck and can carry a container with six rockets. The system can launch a medium-range rocket, which is the current plan, but is also capable of firing a longer-range missile, the Army Tactical Missile System, which has a range of about 190 miles (300 kilometers) and is not part of the plan.Since the war began in February, the U.S. and its allies have tried to walk a narrow line: send Ukraine weapons needed to fight off Russia, but stop short of providing aid that will inflame Russian President Vladimir Putin and trigger a broader conflict that could spill over into other parts of Europe.Over time, however, the U.S. and allies have amped up the weaponry going into Ukraine, as the fight has shifted from Russia’s broader campaign to take the capital, Kyiv, and other areas, to more close-contact skirmishes for small pieces of land in the east and south.To that end, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pleading with the West to send multiple launch rocket systems to Ukraine as soon as possible to help stop Russia’s destruction of towns in the Donbas. The rockets have a longer range than the howitzer artillery systems that the U.S. has provided Ukraine. They would allow Ukrainian forces to strike Russian troops from a distance outside the range of Russia’s artillery systems.“We are fighting for Ukraine to be provided with all the weapons needed to change the nature of the fighting and start moving faster and more confidently toward the expulsion of the occupiers,” Zelenskyy said in a recent address.Ukraine needs multiple launch rocket systems, said Philip Breedlove, a retired U.S. Air Force general who was NATO’s top commander from 2013 to 2016.“These are very important capabilities that we have not gotten them yet. And they not only need them, but they have been very vociferous in explaining they want them,” said Breedlove. “We need to get serious about supplying this army so that it can do what the world is asking it to do: fight a world superpower alone on the battlefield.”U.S. and White House officials had no public comment on the specifics of the aid package.“We continue to consider a range of systems that have the potential to be effective on the battlefield for our Ukrainian partners. But the point the president made is that we won’t be sending long-range rockets for use beyond the battlefield in Ukraine,” State Department Ned Price said Tuesday. “As the battle has shifted its dynamics, we have also shifted the type of security assistance that we are providing to them, in large part because they have asked us for the various systems that are going to be more effective in places like the Donbas.”Russia has been making incremental progress in the Donbas, as it tries to take the remaining sections of the region not already controlled by Russian-backed separatists.Putin has repeatedly warned the West against sending greater firepower to Ukraine. The Kremlin said Putin held an 80-minute telephone call Saturday with the leaders of France and Germany in which he warned against the continued transfers of Western weapons.Overall, the United States has committed approximately $5 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden administration, including approximately $4.5 billion since the Russia invaded on Feb. 24.

Ukraine promises not to fire new U.S. rocket systems into Russia

SEWARD COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating four suspect in connection with a home robbery in southwest Kansas.

Just before 7p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to report of an armed robbery at a home in the 900 Block of Milwood Circle in Liberal, according to a media release.

Investigators learned two men held a man at gunpoint and took several items from the residence.

Police quickly located the vehicle used in the robbery and followed the suspects. The chase continued into Beaver County, Oklahoma. Deputies in Oklahoma chased the suspects into Ochiltree County, Texas, where the getaway car ran out of gas. Two men and two women were arrested.

Deputies located property from the robbery and a handgun in the vehicle and along the highway.&nbsp; Deputies h

SEWARD COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating four suspect in connection with a home robbery in southwest Kansas.Just before 7p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to report of an armed robbery at a home in the 900 Block of Milwood Circle in Liberal, according to a media release.Investigators learned two men held a man at gunpoint and took several items from the residence.Police quickly located the vehicle used in the robbery and followed the suspects. The chase continued into Beaver County, Oklahoma. Deputies in Oklahoma chased the suspects into Ochiltree County, Texas, where the getaway car ran out of gas. Two men and two women were arrested.Deputies located property from the robbery and a handgun in the vehicle and along the highway.&nbsp; Deputies h

Suspects arrested for Kan. home robbery after 3-state chase

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service is encouraging taxpayers 
who have yet to file their 2021 tax return – including those who 
requested an extension of time – to file a complete and accurate return 
electronically as early as possible once they have all their information
 together. There's no need to wait until the October deadline.

Taxpayers who requested an extension have until October 17 this year 
to file their tax return. However, if a taxpayer has all the necessary 
information to file an accurate return, filing before summer vacation 
can be a win-win.

"IRS employees continue working hard to process tax returns and 
address our inventory issues," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "We 
continue to urge people to file electronically and do it as soon as 
possible. Even if people have an extension to file until October, 
sending the tax return as soon as possible can either help get them a 
refund quicker or it can save them money if they owe by avoiding 
additional interest and penalties."

Filing electronically as soon as possible can also help taxpayers who
 did not file an extension and missed the April deadline to avoid 
further penalties and interest if they owe taxes.

File electronically and choose direct deposit

Generally, people who choose not to file a tax return because they 
didn't earn enough money to be required to file won't receive a penalty 
if they are owed a refund. But they may miss out on receiving a refund 
if they don't file. The IRS advises individuals who still need to file a
 2021 tax return to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">file electronically</a> and, if due a refund, to choose <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>.

Filing electronically is fast, accurate and secure, and when an 
individual chooses direct deposit, their refund goes directly from the 
IRS into their bank or financial account getting them their refund in 
the fastest time possible. If they have a prepaid debit card, they may 
be able to have their refund applied to the card by providing the 
account and routing numbers to the IRS. The IRS processes most e-filed 
returns and issues direct deposit refunds in less than three weeks.

Here's a tip to help with e-filing a 2021 tax return for those still waiting on their 2020 tax return to be processed: To <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/electronic-filing-pin-request">validate and successfully submit an electronically filed tax return to the IRS</a>,
 taxpayers need their Adjusted Gross Income, or AGI, from their most 
recent tax return. Those waiting on their 2020 tax return can still file
 their 2021 return by entering $0 for their 2020 AGI on their 2021 tax 
return. Remember, if using the same tax preparation software as last 
year, this field will auto-populate.

Taxpayers who haven't filed a 2021 tax return yet – including 
extension filers – can file electronically any time before the October 
deadline and avoid the last-minute rush to file.

People may be waiting to file because they need help or more 
information, have a more complicated tax situation, or owe taxes. The 
IRS has resources to help taxpayers get the answers they need so they 
can file an accurate return. Take the time to file an accurate tax 
return, but don't wait until the last minute and risk missing the 
October deadline.

Tools on the IRS website are easy to use and available 24 hours a 
day. Millions of people use them to find information about their 
accounts, get answers to tax questions or file and pay taxes. The online
 tools include important, special steps related to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Economic Impact Payments</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">advance Child Tax Credit payments</a>.

IRS.gov has many <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/telephone-assistance">online tools and resources</a> ranging from tax preparation and refund tracking tools, to tax law research tools like the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita">Interactive Tax Assistant</a> and answers for <a href="https://www.irs.gov/faqs">Frequently Asked Questions</a> on dozens of subjects.

Submitting a tax return and paying any amount owed as soon as possible can help taxpayers avoid further interest and penalties.

Taxpayers who owe taxes can review all <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">payment options online</a>. These include paying taxes through an <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">Online Account</a> with <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">IRS Direct Pay</a> or paying by <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-your-taxes-by-debit-or-credit-card">debit card, credit card or digital wallet</a>. The IRS has <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/what-if-i-cant-pay-my-taxes">options for people who can't pay their taxes</a>, including <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/online-payment-agreement-application">applying for a payment plan</a> on IRS.gov.

Eligible individuals – including those who requested an extension to file – can use the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File program</a>
 to prepare and file their federal tax return for free. The program 
offers 70% of all taxpayers the choice of several brand-name tax 
preparation software packages to use at no cost. Those who earned less 
than $73,000 in 2021 can choose which package is best for them. Some 
even offer free state tax return preparation. Those that earned more 
have the option to use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-forms">IRS Free File Fillable Forms</a>.

<a href="https://www.militaryonesource.mil/miltax-software/">MilTax online software</a>
 is also available for members of the military and certain veterans, 
regardless of income. This software is offered through the Department of
 Defense. Eligible taxpayers can use MilTax to prepare and 
electronically file their federal tax returns and up to three state 
returns, for free.

The IRS's <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)</a>
 program still offers face-to-face help preparing taxes in some 
locations in communities across the country. It offers free basic tax 
return preparation to people who generally make $58,000 or less and 
people with disabilities or limited English-speaking taxpayers.

The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">VITA/TCE Site Locator</a>
 can help eligible taxpayers find the nearest community-based site 
staffed by IRS-trained and certified volunteers. Taxpayers can use the 
locator tool to see if there's an available site still open near them.

Many people use a trusted tax professional to help guide them through the process of doing their taxes and avoiding errors.

There are various types of tax return preparers, including certified 
public accountants, enrolled agents, attorneys and many others who don't
 have a professional credential.

Because tax professionals have access to an individual's personal and financial information, it's important to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tips-to-help-people-choose-a-reputable-tax-preparer">choose a tax preparer</a> wisely.

For taxpayers who want help with their taxes, this <a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf">online directory</a> can help them find a tax professional in their area.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service is encouraging taxpayers 
who have yet to file their 2021 tax return – including those who 
requested an extension of time – to file a complete and accurate return 
electronically as early as possible once they have all their information
 together. There's no need to wait until the October deadline.Taxpayers who requested an extension have until October 17 this year 
to file their tax return. However, if a taxpayer has all the necessary 
information to file an accurate return, filing before summer vacation 
can be a win-win."IRS employees continue working hard to process tax returns and 
address our inventory issues," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "We 
continue to urge people to file electronically and do it as soon as 
possible. Even if people have an extension to file until October, 
sending the tax return as soon as possible can either help get them a 
refund quicker or it can save them money if they owe by avoiding 
additional interest and penalties."Filing electronically as soon as possible can also help taxpayers who
 did not file an extension and missed the April deadline to avoid 
further penalties and interest if they owe taxes.<h2>File electronically and choose direct deposit</h2>Generally, people who choose not to file a tax return because they 
didn't earn enough money to be required to file won't receive a penalty 
if they are owed a refund. But they may miss out on receiving a refund 
if they don't file. The IRS advises individuals who still need to file a
 2021 tax return to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">file electronically</a> and, if due a refund, to choose <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>.Filing electronically is fast, accurate and secure, and when an 
individual chooses direct deposit, their refund goes directly from the 
IRS into their bank or financial account getting them their refund in 
the fastest time possible. If they have a prepaid debit card, they may 
be able to have their refund applied to the card by providing the 
account and routing numbers to the IRS. The IRS processes most e-filed 
returns and issues direct deposit refunds in less than three weeks.Here's a tip to help with e-filing a 2021 tax return for those still waiting on their 2020 tax return to be processed: To <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/electronic-filing-pin-request">validate and successfully submit an electronically filed tax return to the IRS</a>,
 taxpayers need their Adjusted Gross Income, or AGI, from their most 
recent tax return. Those waiting on their 2020 tax return can still file
 their 2021 return by entering $0 for their 2020 AGI on their 2021 tax 
return. Remember, if using the same tax preparation software as last 
year, this field will auto-populate.Taxpayers who haven't filed a 2021 tax return yet – including 
extension filers – can file electronically any time before the October 
deadline and avoid the last-minute rush to file.<h2>Find help on IRS.gov</h2>People may be waiting to file because they need help or more 
information, have a more complicated tax situation, or owe taxes. The 
IRS has resources to help taxpayers get the answers they need so they 
can file an accurate return. Take the time to file an accurate tax 
return, but don't wait until the last minute and risk missing the 
October deadline.Tools on the IRS website are easy to use and available 24 hours a 
day. Millions of people use them to find information about their 
accounts, get answers to tax questions or file and pay taxes. The online
 tools include important, special steps related to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Economic Impact Payments</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">advance Child Tax Credit payments</a>.IRS.gov has many <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/telephone-assistance">online tools and resources</a> ranging from tax preparation and refund tracking tools, to tax law research tools like the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita">Interactive Tax Assistant</a> and answers for <a href="https://www.irs.gov/faqs">Frequently Asked Questions</a> on dozens of subjects.<h2>Payment options</h2>Submitting a tax return and paying any amount owed as soon as possible can help taxpayers avoid further interest and penalties.Taxpayers who owe taxes can review all <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">payment options online</a>. These include paying taxes through an <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">Online Account</a> with <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">IRS Direct Pay</a> or paying by <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-your-taxes-by-debit-or-credit-card">debit card, credit card or digital wallet</a>. The IRS has <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/what-if-i-cant-pay-my-taxes">options for people who can't pay their taxes</a>, including <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/online-payment-agreement-application">applying for a payment plan</a> on IRS.gov.<h2>IRS Free File</h2>Eligible individuals – including those who requested an extension to file – can use the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File program</a>
 to prepare and file their federal tax return for free. The program 
offers 70% of all taxpayers the choice of several brand-name tax 
preparation software packages to use at no cost. Those who earned less 
than $73,000 in 2021 can choose which package is best for them. Some 
even offer free state tax return preparation. Those that earned more 
have the option to use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-forms">IRS Free File Fillable Forms</a>.<a href="https://www.militaryonesource.mil/miltax-software/">MilTax online software</a>
 is also available for members of the military and certain veterans, 
regardless of income. This software is offered through the Department of
 Defense. Eligible taxpayers can use MilTax to prepare and 
electronically file their federal tax returns and up to three state 
returns, for free.<h2>Volunteer Income Tax Assistance</h2>The IRS's <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)</a>
 program still offers face-to-face help preparing taxes in some 
locations in communities across the country. It offers free basic tax 
return preparation to people who generally make $58,000 or less and 
people with disabilities or limited English-speaking taxpayers.The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">VITA/TCE Site Locator</a>
 can help eligible taxpayers find the nearest community-based site 
staffed by IRS-trained and certified volunteers. Taxpayers can use the 
locator tool to see if there's an available site still open near them.<h2>Tax professionals</h2>Many people use a trusted tax professional to help guide them through the process of doing their taxes and avoiding errors.There are various types of tax return preparers, including certified 
public accountants, enrolled agents, attorneys and many others who don't
 have a professional credential.Because tax professionals have access to an individual's personal and financial information, it's important to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tips-to-help-people-choose-a-reputable-tax-preparer">choose a tax preparer</a> wisely.For taxpayers who want help with their taxes, this <a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf">online directory</a> can help them find a tax professional in their area.

Haven't filed your taxes yet? Don't wait, warns IRS

MIAMI COUNTY —A driver avoided serious injuries after an accident on a wet highway in northeast Kansas.

On Tuesday, sheriff's deputies were called to the area of 169 Highway and 255th Street in Miami County for a vehicle in high water, according to a media release.

With the assistance of Miami County EMS and Fire District #1 Of Johnson County, the driver was rescued from the vehicle.  At the time of the incident the water was up to the doors and the driver was unable to exit safely.

The vehicle was in a ravine on the east side of U.S. 169&nbsp; highway. Once the driver of the vehicle was assisted out of the vehicle, they were assessed for minor injuries on scene by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MiamiCoEMS?__cft__[0]=AZVy4c9pr_vsCq_7oAaZZa-kR2ChdStgKwYrnQzjXLvHyNkStXIKe4fz3eQjLf-uaTGyATu1TtxvCoghwrmivAP27-LYIJA8V3__JymGbAbpfKBVSEv_nBtIgjLazGspdXC1TYxYzHaHTwJ6s19FW8p9zT9sxFf8wmA64sMvS8cMN7YtgJvao6rBukgVZlbKKeM&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Miami County EMS</a>.&nbsp;The driver did not sustain any serious injuries.

The sheriff's department told drivers to remember to make sure that your vehicles equipment, headlights, wipers, and tires are properly maintained, working properly and slow your speeds during rain.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1654041235578.png" alt="The vehicle was in a ravine on the east side of U.S. 169 highway-Photo Miami Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>The vehicle was in a ravine on the east side of U.S. 169 highway-Photo Miami Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>MIAMI COUNTY —A driver avoided serious injuries after an accident on a wet highway in northeast Kansas.On Tuesday, sheriff's deputies were called to the area of 169 Highway and 255th Street in Miami County for a vehicle in high water, according to a media release.With the assistance of Miami County EMS and Fire District #1 Of Johnson County, the driver was rescued from the vehicle. At the time of the incident the water was up to the doors and the driver was unable to exit safely.The vehicle was in a ravine on the east side of U.S. 169&nbsp; highway. Once the driver of the vehicle was assisted out of the vehicle, they were assessed for minor injuries on scene by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MiamiCoEMS?__cft__[0]=AZVy4c9pr_vsCq_7oAaZZa-kR2ChdStgKwYrnQzjXLvHyNkStXIKe4fz3eQjLf-uaTGyATu1TtxvCoghwrmivAP27-LYIJA8V3__JymGbAbpfKBVSEv_nBtIgjLazGspdXC1TYxYzHaHTwJ6s19FW8p9zT9sxFf8wmA64sMvS8cMN7YtgJvao6rBukgVZlbKKeM&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Miami County EMS</a>.&nbsp;The driver did not sustain any serious injuries.The sheriff's department told drivers to remember to make sure that your vehicles equipment, headlights, wipers, and tires are properly maintained, working properly and slow your speeds during rain.

Water rescue after car hyroplanes on Kansas highway

WASHINGTON — To boost its workforce and better help taxpayers and 
businesses, the Internal Revenue Service announced today that it's 
looking to hire over 4,000 contact representative positions at several 
IRS offices nationwide this summer.

A contact representative provides administrative and technical 
assistance to individuals and businesses primarily over the phone, 
through written correspondence or in person. These full-time positions 
fall under a special hiring condition called <a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/direct-hire-authority/#url=Fact-Sheet">direct-hire authority</a>. Full-time, bilingual (Spanish) positions are also available. No prior tax experience is required.

"The IRS continues to increase its workforce in 2022 to improve the 
taxpayer experience," said IRS Taxpayer Experience Officer and Wage and 
Investment Commissioner Ken Corbin. "We have a variety of jobs available
 all over the country. Contact representatives, among other things, deal
 directly with taxpayers by helping them with their tax obligations."

The IRS offers competitive pay and benefits, on-the-job training, and
 opportunities for advancement. The pay range for these positions begin 
at a <a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2022/general-schedule/">GS-05</a>
 level. Shift availabilities vary by location but there are openings for
 day shift, (hours between 6 a.m. – 6 p.m.) mid shift (10 a.m. – 10 
p.m.) and swing shift (2 p.m. – 1:30 a.m.) in 22 cities nationwide, 
including Puerto Rico.

The agency is hosting virtual information sharing events in June 
where the IRS will explain the required qualifications and job duties 
for the contact representative position and provide tips for navigating 
the application process. Participants will also hear from employees who 
will provide insights about the work they do day-to-day.

In-person events will be held mostly in June, are open to the public 
and will be held in the following cities: Andover, Mass.; Atlanta, Ga.; 
Philadelphia, Pa.; Fresno and Oakland, Calif.; Brookhaven, N.Y.; 
Cincinnati, Ohio; Memphis, Tenn.; and Caguas, Puerto Rico. Registration 
for these and more can be found on the <a href="https://www.jobs.irs.gov/find-job/irs-events">IRS careers page</a>.

Interested job seekers are encouraged to bring their resumé and two 
forms of identification (i.e., state driver's license and/or state 
identification card, birth certificate, U.S. passport, military ID or 
Social Security card). Qualified applicants will receive tentative job 
offers at the in-person events.

Preregistration is recommended and social-distancing is required to 
attend the in-person job fairs. Per Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) guidelines, mask wear is optional for these job fair 
sites. For complete details on the virtual events and to register to 
attend one of the in-person events, visit: <a href="https://www.jobs.irs.gov/find-job/irs-events">jobs.irs.gov/events</a>.

The IRS is an equal opportunity employer. All employees must be U.S. 
citizens, pass an FBI fingerprint check and tax compliance verification,
 and meet the mandatory education, training, and experience 
qualification requirements.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — To boost its workforce and better help taxpayers and 
businesses, the Internal Revenue Service announced today that it's 
looking to hire over 4,000 contact representative positions at several 
IRS offices nationwide this summer.A contact representative provides administrative and technical 
assistance to individuals and businesses primarily over the phone, 
through written correspondence or in person. These full-time positions 
fall under a special hiring condition called <a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/direct-hire-authority/#url=Fact-Sheet">direct-hire authority</a>. Full-time, bilingual (Spanish) positions are also available. No prior tax experience is required."The IRS continues to increase its workforce in 2022 to improve the 
taxpayer experience," said IRS Taxpayer Experience Officer and Wage and 
Investment Commissioner Ken Corbin. "We have a variety of jobs available
 all over the country. Contact representatives, among other things, deal
 directly with taxpayers by helping them with their tax obligations."The IRS offers competitive pay and benefits, on-the-job training, and
 opportunities for advancement. The pay range for these positions begin 
at a <a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2022/general-schedule/">GS-05</a>
 level. Shift availabilities vary by location but there are openings for
 day shift, (hours between 6 a.m. – 6 p.m.) mid shift (10 a.m. – 10 
p.m.) and swing shift (2 p.m. – 1:30 a.m.) in 22 cities nationwide, 
including Puerto Rico.<h2>Virtual information-sharing events</h2>The agency is hosting virtual information sharing events in June 
where the IRS will explain the required qualifications and job duties 
for the contact representative position and provide tips for navigating 
the application process. Participants will also hear from employees who 
will provide insights about the work they do day-to-day.<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/349126194847">Register&nbsp;for&nbsp;Friday, June 3rd at 12 p.m. EST</a></li><li><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/349169223547">Register&nbsp;for&nbsp;Tuesday, June 7th at 3 p.m. EST</a>&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/349196976557">Register&nbsp;for&nbsp;Friday, June 10th at 6 p.m. EST</a></li><li><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/349270305887">Register&nbsp;for&nbsp;Tuesday, June 14th at 12 p.m. EST</a></li><li><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/350549120857">Register&nbsp;for&nbsp;Tuesday, June 21st at 3 p.m. EST</a></li><li><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/350579852777">Register&nbsp;for&nbsp;Friday, June 24th at 6 p.m. EST</a></li>
 </ul><h2>In-person events</h2>In-person events will be held mostly in June, are open to the public 
and will be held in the following cities: Andover, Mass.; Atlanta, Ga.; 
Philadelphia, Pa.; Fresno and Oakland, Calif.; Brookhaven, N.Y.; 
Cincinnati, Ohio; Memphis, Tenn.; and Caguas, Puerto Rico. Registration 
for these and more can be found on the <a href="https://www.jobs.irs.gov/find-job/irs-events">IRS careers page</a>.Interested job seekers are encouraged to bring their resumé and two 
forms of identification (i.e., state driver's license and/or state 
identification card, birth certificate, U.S. passport, military ID or 
Social Security card). Qualified applicants will receive tentative job 
offers at the in-person events.Preregistration is recommended and social-distancing is required to 
attend the in-person job fairs. Per Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) guidelines, mask wear is optional for these job fair 
sites. For complete details on the virtual events and to register to 
attend one of the in-person events, visit: <a href="https://www.jobs.irs.gov/find-job/irs-events">jobs.irs.gov/events</a>.The IRS is an equal opportunity employer. All employees must be U.S. 
citizens, pass an FBI fingerprint check and tax compliance verification,
 and meet the mandatory education, training, and experience 
qualification requirements.

IRS hiring thousands of workers this summer

KANSAS CITY—A&nbsp; Kansas City man has been charged in the shooting of a frisbee golfer participating in a frisbee golf tournament at Kessler Park on Saturday, according to&nbsp; Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Osman Igal,21,&nbsp; faces charges of Assault 1st Degree and Armed Criminal Action.

According to court records, Kansas City police officers were dispatched Saturday afternoon to the area of 2200 Cliff Drive regarding a shooting. They found a victim who had been shot in the back. He was transported to a hospital. Witnesses described a skinny man had approached them while on the frisbee golf course and fired shots. He took off running. Police found the suspect nearby with a gun. Prosecutors requested a $100,000 bond for Igal.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653993175234.png" alt="Igal-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Igal-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—A&nbsp; Kansas City man has been charged in the shooting of a frisbee golfer participating in a frisbee golf tournament at Kessler Park on Saturday, according to&nbsp; Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Osman Igal,21,&nbsp; faces charges of Assault 1st Degree and Armed Criminal Action.According to court records, Kansas City police officers were dispatched Saturday afternoon to the area of 2200 Cliff Drive regarding a shooting. They found a victim who had been shot in the back. He was transported to a hospital. Witnesses described a skinny man had approached them while on the frisbee golf course and fired shots. He took off running. Police found the suspect nearby with a gun. Prosecutors requested a $100,000 bond for Igal.

Man charged with shooting at Kansas City frisbee golf tournament

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

Just before 4a.m. Sunday,&nbsp; a sheriff’s deputy stopped a Honda passenger car near 142nd and U.S. Highway 75 for a traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The driver, Megan Michelle Brown, 26, of Dallas, Texas was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of cocaine and possession of a hallucinogenic drug.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653993738376.png" alt="Brown-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Brown-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Texas woman on drug charges after a traffic stop.Just before 4a.m. Sunday,&nbsp; a sheriff’s deputy stopped a Honda passenger car near 142nd and U.S. Highway 75 for a traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.The driver, Megan Michelle Brown, 26, of Dallas, Texas was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of cocaine and possession of a hallucinogenic drug.

Sheriff: Texas woman jailed in Kansas for transporting cocaine

SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp; —Law enforcement authorities are investigating numerous shooting incidents over the Memorial Day weekend in the Wichita area.&nbsp; Two incidents left victims dead including a shooting where a man who had been walking his dog shot and killed a 30-year-old man&nbsp;at an apartment complex in the 4900 block of East Harry, according to Office Paul Cruz.

Another fatal shooting occurred at a large graduation party late Saturday at the&nbsp; Banquet Hall in the 3100 block of East 25th Street in Wichita. A 17-year-old man died and a 15-year-old girl running from the violence was struck by a car and died.

The violence started just before 11:30 p.m. on Friday. Police reported hearing a volley of gunfire in the area of Planeview Park, 2800 block of South Dunkin in Wichita. Officers checked the area and located a crime scene. No victims or suspects were located.&nbsp;

At approximately 8:00 p.m., on Sunday police were dispatched to Wesley Hospital after officers contacted a 23-year-old male victim who arrived at the hospital with multiple gunshot wounds that were serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The investigation revealed the victim was in the area of 9th&nbsp;Street North and Grove in Wichita when he was shot several times by an unknown suspect.&nbsp;

At 8:30 p.m., Sunday, police were dispatched to a disturbance with a weapon at the QuikTrip in the 1600 block of South Olive in Wichita. A 43-year-old woman reports whiling pumping gas she observed an unknown female suspect point and fire one-time causing damage to her car windshield. The suspect fled the business in a dark-colored SUV.&nbsp; The suspect is described as an unknown heavy build black female. The victim was not injured in this incident, according to Cruz.

At 9:30 p.m., on Sunday, police were dispatched to a report of gunshots at a residence in the 2300 block of West Pawnee in Wichita. Upon the officer’s arrival, they located the scene of the shooting. A home in the area was struck, inside the home was a 41-year-old woman, a 22-year-old woman, a 17-year-old boy, a 50-year-old man,and an infant. No injuries were reported and it is unknown who the suspect is at this time.&nbsp;

At approximately the same time on Sunday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 900 block of North Volutsia in Wichita. Upon the officer’s arrival, they located a 27-year-old man with several gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to an area hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The investigation revealed the victim was inside his residence along with a 20-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man when an unknown suspect fired multiple gunshots, striking the home and the 27-year-old victim. The suspect fled the scene in a dark-colored SUV.&nbsp;

Just before 11 p.m. on Sunday, police were dispatched to a drive-by shooting call in the 500 block of North Dellrose. Upon the officer’s arrival, they contacted several witnesses who reported hearing several gunshots in the area. Officers located a scene in the 500 block of North Dellrose. No injuries were reported, and the suspect is unknown at this time.&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp; —Law enforcement authorities are investigating numerous shooting incidents over the Memorial Day weekend in the Wichita area.&nbsp; Two incidents left victims dead including a shooting where a man who had been walking his dog shot and killed a 30-year-old man&nbsp;at an apartment complex in the 4900 block of East Harry, according to Office Paul Cruz.Another fatal shooting occurred at a large graduation party late Saturday at the&nbsp; Banquet Hall in the 3100 block of East 25th Street in Wichita. A 17-year-old man died and a 15-year-old girl running from the violence was struck by a car and died.The violence started just before 11:30 p.m. on Friday. Police reported hearing a volley of gunfire in the area of Planeview Park, 2800 block of South Dunkin in Wichita. Officers checked the area and located a crime scene. No victims or suspects were located.&nbsp;At approximately 8:00 p.m., on Sunday police were dispatched to Wesley Hospital after officers contacted a 23-year-old male victim who arrived at the hospital with multiple gunshot wounds that were serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The investigation revealed the victim was in the area of 9th&nbsp;Street North and Grove in Wichita when he was shot several times by an unknown suspect.&nbsp;At 8:30 p.m., Sunday, police were dispatched to a disturbance with a weapon at the QuikTrip in the 1600 block of South Olive in Wichita. A 43-year-old woman reports whiling pumping gas she observed an unknown female suspect point and fire one-time causing damage to her car windshield. The suspect fled the business in a dark-colored SUV.&nbsp; The suspect is described as an unknown heavy build black female. The victim was not injured in this incident, according to Cruz.At 9:30 p.m., on Sunday, police were dispatched to a report of gunshots at a residence in the 2300 block of West Pawnee in Wichita. Upon the officer’s arrival, they located the scene of the shooting. A home in the area was struck, inside the home was a 41-year-old woman, a 22-year-old woman, a 17-year-old boy, a 50-year-old man,and an infant. No injuries were reported and it is unknown who the suspect is at this time.&nbsp;At approximately the same time on Sunday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 900 block of North Volutsia in Wichita. Upon the officer’s arrival, they located a 27-year-old man with several gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to an area hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The investigation revealed the victim was inside his residence along with a 20-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man when an unknown suspect fired multiple gunshots, striking the home and the 27-year-old victim. The suspect fled the scene in a dark-colored SUV.&nbsp;Just before 11 p.m. on Sunday, police were dispatched to a drive-by shooting call in the 500 block of North Dellrose. Upon the officer’s arrival, they contacted several witnesses who reported hearing several gunshots in the area. Officers located a scene in the 500 block of North Dellrose. No injuries were reported, and the suspect is unknown at this time.&nbsp;

Deadly weekend of gun violence across Wichita

By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-05-31/in-some-rural-parts-of-kansas-the-loss-of-even-one-foster-parent-leaves-a-huge-hole">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA, Kansas — More than half the counties in the state rely on 10 or fewer families to take in foster children.

Roughly one-tenth of the counties in Kansas rely on one licensed foster home each.

And
 those relatively few families looking after foster kids in its most 
remote corners struggle to get from court appointments to doctors’ 
visits to soccer practice where drives between appointments get measured
 not in minutes, but hours.

Consider what Rebecca Applebee’s move 
from Liberal, Kansas, means to her community. Already, about half of the
 foster children in Seward County are living elsewhere. When Applebee 
leaves, there will be one fewer foster homes in the county. And it can 
take more than a year for state agencies to find and license a foster 
home.

Recruiting foster families is hard in general, as is being a
 foster parent. The more rural you get, the harder the job can be — both
 to find foster families and to open your home to foster children.

“It's
 exhausting,” Applebee said. “And being in a rural location, sometimes 
we don't get the answers that we want. It's not just for lack of trying.
 It's because of a lack of resources, (a) lack of something local.”

Applebee is used to life in rural Kansas, but the requirements for foster parents add additional stressors to her life.

Foster
 children need to establish care with doctors within 30 days of 
placement. The children have Medicaid and Applebee needed to find an eye
 doctor who took that insurance, but she didn’t have time to call around
 to offices to see who accepted it. The only place that accepted the 
children’s insurance wouldn’t let her establish care until an 
outstanding bill was paid. The bill was from the biological family and 
it took additional time to settle that dispute.

“I could have just
 paid it myself,” Applebee said. “(But) I already do so much more than 
what I’m obligated to do, and I just couldn't let one more thing pile 
on.”

Fun activities for her children can also prove hard to come 
by. Rural counties have their amenities, but Applebee said escape rooms,
 a wider selection in restaurants and foster-care-specific events are 
more common in larger cities.

Foster children were once invited to
 a trampoline park to play for free, but that event was in Wichita over 
three hours away. Applebee is moving to Shawnee County, which has 145 
licensed homes. She looks forward to being closer to everyday needs.

“I want to so badly live in town because we have been driving an hour
 (for school and other necessities),” she said, adding that long hours 
mean less downtime, and shorter commutes will allow her family “to feel 
like we can relax because right now we don’t get to relax.”

Access
 to primary care and mental health services is an issue for rural Kansas
 families, as is access to transportation, part-time jobs for foster 
youth and child care, said Bradford Wiles, an associate professor and 
extension specialist in early childhood development at Kansas State 
University. Child care has become so hard to find in Kansas that some 
families are <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-04-12/finding-child-care-in-kansas-was-a-challenge-before-the-pandemic-now-its-even-harder" target="_blank">planning pregnancies around openings.</a>

Wiles
 said rural communities sometimes lack basic services, like reliable 
internet. That creates more barriers to low-income Kansans and can make 
them even less likely to consider foster care.

Fostering in rural Kansas “it isn't as appealing as it could be,” Wiles said.

“If
 there were more formal supports,” he said, “it would be much more 
appealing for those who would consider fostering to go ahead and take 
action.”

Julie Dinkel knows the struggles of rural foster parents 
all too well. Dinkel works at the foster care agency St. Francis as the 
foster homes recruiter for southwest Kansas. She has been supporting 
rural families for 15 years.

Her agency is making it easier for 
foster parents to connect with services, but not every change helps 
everyone. Licensed homes must go in for foster training. Some homes are 
hours away from the in-person classes. With the pandemic limiting 
in-person contact, the agency developed online courses. But families 
without reliable internet couldn’t attend virtually, so Dinkel went out 
and did the training with them.

To address parents’ needs, St. 
Francis works with churches and other community groups to provide 
respite care on the weekends, home-cooked meals, closets with extra 
clothes or activity days where children are invited to play.

“You 
have to be very creative and you have to know what resources to reach 
out to,” Dinkel said. “Luckily. in Southwest Kansas community partners …
 will bend over backwards to help each agency.”

She said foster 
parent recruitment is a non-stop process and agencies need to check in 
with parents even after that person becomes licensed.

Wiles said 
more people would move to rural Kansas if those areas are invested in 
properly. He said there is the misconception that western Kansas is 
mostly cows and farmers, but the area has nice people and beautiful 
views that appeal to anyone.

“The thing I love the most about 
(rural Kansas) is they do a very good job with limited resources and 
(they) build their sense of community,” he said.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1654006277218.png" alt="Finding medical care, making it to mandated family visits and other requirements of foster parents can make rural fostering more difficult. David Condos / Kansas News Service " />
 <figcaption>Finding medical care, making it to mandated family visits and other requirements of foster parents can make rural fostering more difficult. David Condos / Kansas News Service </figcaption>
 </figure>By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-05-31/in-some-rural-parts-of-kansas-the-loss-of-even-one-foster-parent-leaves-a-huge-hole">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA, Kansas — More than half the counties in the state rely on 10 or fewer families to take in foster children.Roughly one-tenth of the counties in Kansas rely on one licensed foster home each.And
 those relatively few families looking after foster kids in its most 
remote corners struggle to get from court appointments to doctors’ 
visits to soccer practice where drives between appointments get measured
 not in minutes, but hours.Consider what Rebecca Applebee’s move 
from Liberal, Kansas, means to her community. Already, about half of the
 foster children in Seward County are living elsewhere. When Applebee 
leaves, there will be one fewer foster homes in the county. And it can 
take more than a year for state agencies to find and license a foster 
home.Recruiting foster families is hard in general, as is being a
 foster parent. The more rural you get, the harder the job can be — both
 to find foster families and to open your home to foster children.“It's
 exhausting,” Applebee said. “And being in a rural location, sometimes 
we don't get the answers that we want. It's not just for lack of trying.
 It's because of a lack of resources, (a) lack of something local.”Applebee is used to life in rural Kansas, but the requirements for foster parents add additional stressors to her life.Foster
 children need to establish care with doctors within 30 days of 
placement. The children have Medicaid and Applebee needed to find an eye
 doctor who took that insurance, but she didn’t have time to call around
 to offices to see who accepted it. The only place that accepted the 
children’s insurance wouldn’t let her establish care until an 
outstanding bill was paid. The bill was from the biological family and 
it took additional time to settle that dispute.“I could have just
 paid it myself,” Applebee said. “(But) I already do so much more than 
what I’m obligated to do, and I just couldn't let one more thing pile 
on.”Fun activities for her children can also prove hard to come 
by. Rural counties have their amenities, but Applebee said escape rooms,
 a wider selection in restaurants and foster-care-specific events are 
more common in larger cities.Foster children were once invited to
 a trampoline park to play for free, but that event was in Wichita over 
three hours away. Applebee is moving to Shawnee County, which has 145 
licensed homes. She looks forward to being closer to everyday needs.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1654006338093.png" alt="Rebecca Applebee is moving for work and found a home in Rossville, Kansas. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Rebecca Applebee is moving for work and found a home in Rossville, Kansas. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>“I want to so badly live in town because we have been driving an hour
 (for school and other necessities),” she said, adding that long hours 
mean less downtime, and shorter commutes will allow her family “to feel 
like we can relax because right now we don’t get to relax.”Access
 to primary care and mental health services is an issue for rural Kansas
 families, as is access to transportation, part-time jobs for foster 
youth and child care, said Bradford Wiles, an associate professor and 
extension specialist in early childhood development at Kansas State 
University. Child care has become so hard to find in Kansas that some 
families are <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-04-12/finding-child-care-in-kansas-was-a-challenge-before-the-pandemic-now-its-even-harder" target="_blank">planning pregnancies around openings.</a>Wiles
 said rural communities sometimes lack basic services, like reliable 
internet. That creates more barriers to low-income Kansans and can make 
them even less likely to consider foster care.Fostering in rural Kansas “it isn't as appealing as it could be,” Wiles said.“If
 there were more formal supports,” he said, “it would be much more 
appealing for those who would consider fostering to go ahead and take 
action.”Julie Dinkel knows the struggles of rural foster parents 
all too well. Dinkel works at the foster care agency St. Francis as the 
foster homes recruiter for southwest Kansas. She has been supporting 
rural families for 15 years.Her agency is making it easier for 
foster parents to connect with services, but not every change helps 
everyone. Licensed homes must go in for foster training. Some homes are 
hours away from the in-person classes. With the pandemic limiting 
in-person contact, the agency developed online courses. But families 
without reliable internet couldn’t attend virtually, so Dinkel went out 
and did the training with them.To address parents’ needs, St. 
Francis works with churches and other community groups to provide 
respite care on the weekends, home-cooked meals, closets with extra 
clothes or activity days where children are invited to play.“You 
have to be very creative and you have to know what resources to reach 
out to,” Dinkel said. “Luckily. in Southwest Kansas community partners …
 will bend over backwards to help each agency.”She said foster 
parent recruitment is a non-stop process and agencies need to check in 
with parents even after that person becomes licensed.Wiles said 
more people would move to rural Kansas if those areas are invested in 
properly. He said there is the misconception that western Kansas is 
mostly cows and farmers, but the area has nice people and beautiful 
views that appeal to anyone.“The thing I love the most about 
(rural Kansas) is they do a very good job with limited resources and 
(they) build their sense of community,” he said.Blaise Mesa 
reports on criminal justice and social services for the Kansas News 
Service in Topeka. You can follow him on Twitter @Blaise_Mesa or email 
him at blaise@kcur.org.

In rural Kansas, the loss of even one foster parent leaves huge hole

BROOKS COUNTY, Texas— On a recent trip to the southern border, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. was on an evening tour with Brooks County, Texas Sheriffs when he had to&nbsp;provide medical assistance&nbsp;to a migrant suffering from heat exhaustion, according to a statement from Marshall's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;FOX News covered the story saying in part, “Marshall, a physician, was on a trip to the border in Texas, along with sheriffs from Kansas and was riding along an area between where smugglers drop off illegal migrants, and where they are picked up by others. It’s a hazardous area with treacherous conditions for migrants who have often traveled thousands of miles."

"Agents spotted a human smuggler pull up to an area, bring four or five people into the car – as well as one in the trunk. Agents gave chase until the car pulled over and the inhabitants fled."

"Agents caught many of those fleeing, including one woman who Marshall said was showing severe symptoms of heat exhaustion that had the potential to turn deadly. It was then that he stepped into action."

"Marshall put the blame squarely on the policies of President Biden and said the agents had told him that what they need is to get back to the policies of the Trump era, including finishing construction of the border wall.”

BROOKS COUNTY, Texas— On a recent trip to the southern border, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. was on an evening tour with Brooks County, Texas Sheriffs when he had to&nbsp;provide medical assistance&nbsp;to a migrant suffering from heat exhaustion, according to a statement from Marshall's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cDMXyEog54Y" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>&nbsp;FOX News covered the story saying in part, “Marshall, a physician, was on a trip to the border in Texas, along with sheriffs from Kansas and was riding along an area between where smugglers drop off illegal migrants, and where they are picked up by others. It’s a hazardous area with treacherous conditions for migrants who have often traveled thousands of miles.""Agents spotted a human smuggler pull up to an area, bring four or five people into the car – as well as one in the trunk. Agents gave chase until the car pulled over and the inhabitants fled.""Agents caught many of those fleeing, including one woman who Marshall said was showing severe symptoms of heat exhaustion that had the potential to turn deadly. It was then that he stepped into action.""Marshall put the blame squarely on the policies of President Biden and said the agents had told him that what they need is to get back to the policies of the Trump era, including finishing construction of the border wall.”

🎥 Sen. Marshall aids migrant suffering from heat exhaustion during border trip

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — First she saw the graphic cellphone video showing Ahmaud Arbery’s shooting death in Georgia, then news that Breonna Taylor had been shot in her Kentucky home during a botched drug raid. But when Teresa Parks watched videos of the white Minneapolis police officer pressing his knee onto a Black man’s neck, and heard George Floyd cry out for his mother as his life drained away, she was spurred not just to tears, but also to action.

After Floyd’s May 2020 death, Parks and a friend formed a Black Lives Matter group in their hometown of Manhattan, Kansas, a largely white city that had elected no Black leaders since 1969. Parks’ activism led to her appointment to a task force that city leaders said was designed to make the community more welcoming to people from diverse backgrounds.

That task force issued a report in December 2021 with more than 60 recommendations, but so far the city commission hasn’t discussed them. And that’s not unusual. All over Kansas, elected leaders convened task forces or held town hall meetings to gather community input on racial justice and diversity issues after demonstrators in more than a dozen communities protested Floyd’s death. But almost two years later, the passion and energy evident in those protests hasn’t translated into widespread change.

One of the most common results has been formalizing changes that had already been made. Topeka and Lawrence police banned “no-knock” search warrants, for example, but police in both cities had already discontinued the practice. In several Kansas cities including Wichita and Kansas City, police have put into writing the practices they said they had already adopted.

Lauren Bonds, the legal director for a New Orleans-based group of lawyers, legal workers and law students called the National Police Accountability Project, said local leaders sometimes form working groups when they want to appear to be on the right side of an issue but lack the political will to make real change.

“You’ll put some people of color on it, and then you’ll be able to point to that when someone says you didn’t respond to this egregious situation, but then you don’t actually have to change anything,” said Bonds, who is based in Kansas City, Kansas.

The Hispanic population in Kansas has more than quadrupled over the last 30 years, largely because of immigrants attracted to jobs in the meatpacking industry in the southwest of the state, and the Black population grew 15% between 1990 and 2020. But Kansas remains largely white and non-Hispanic; 72% of residents self-identified as such in the 2020 census and the Kansas Legislature was 92% white that year according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Proposals pushed by advocacy groups on behalf of racial justice in Kansas typically stall. After the Floyd protests, for example, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly appointed a committee on racial equity and justice, saying “communities of color do not have the luxury of time for leaders to address these issues.” But neither the panel nor the governor pushed the Legislature to adopt the group’s recommendations.

And this year, the momentum in the Republican-controlled Legislature swung away from racial justice toward limiting what public schools teach about racism and tightening voting laws.

Kevin Willmott, a University of Kansas film professor who in 2019 won the best adapted screenplay Oscar for “BlacKkKlansman,” said that when elected officials create task force groups, they often face little opposition, giving people hope that they can bring change.

“But then the task force doesn’t change anything,” Willmott said. “So it appears on the surface like you’re being brought to water, but you’re not allowed to drink.”

“They know that you just allow the focus to drift away and then you get to go back to normal. Until the next George Floyd, which might be in Kansas. You never know,” he said.

Post-Floyd racial justice efforts in other Kansas cities have seen mixed results.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653754980517.png" alt="Marchers in the Little Apple Pride Parade-from the organization's Facebook page." />
 <figcaption>Marchers in the Little Apple Pride Parade-from the organization's Facebook page.</figcaption>
 </figure>By ANDY TSUBASA FIELDTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — First she saw the graphic cellphone video showing Ahmaud Arbery’s shooting death in Georgia, then news that Breonna Taylor had been shot in her Kentucky home during a botched drug raid. But when Teresa Parks watched videos of the white Minneapolis police officer pressing his knee onto a Black man’s neck, and heard George Floyd cry out for his mother as his life drained away, she was spurred not just to tears, but also to action.After Floyd’s May 2020 death, Parks and a friend formed a Black Lives Matter group in their hometown of Manhattan, Kansas, a largely white city that had elected no Black leaders since 1969. Parks’ activism led to her appointment to a task force that city leaders said was designed to make the community more welcoming to people from diverse backgrounds.That task force issued a report in December 2021 with more than 60 recommendations, but so far the city commission hasn’t discussed them. And that’s not unusual. All over Kansas, elected leaders convened task forces or held town hall meetings to gather community input on racial justice and diversity issues after demonstrators in more than a dozen communities protested Floyd’s death. But almost two years later, the passion and energy evident in those protests hasn’t translated into widespread change.One of the most common results has been formalizing changes that had already been made. Topeka and Lawrence police banned “no-knock” search warrants, for example, but police in both cities had already discontinued the practice. In several Kansas cities including Wichita and Kansas City, police have put into writing the practices they said they had already adopted.Lauren Bonds, the legal director for a New Orleans-based group of lawyers, legal workers and law students called the National Police Accountability Project, said local leaders sometimes form working groups when they want to appear to be on the right side of an issue but lack the political will to make real change.“You’ll put some people of color on it, and then you’ll be able to point to that when someone says you didn’t respond to this egregious situation, but then you don’t actually have to change anything,” said Bonds, who is based in Kansas City, Kansas.The Hispanic population in Kansas has more than quadrupled over the last 30 years, largely because of immigrants attracted to jobs in the meatpacking industry in the southwest of the state, and the Black population grew 15% between 1990 and 2020. But Kansas remains largely white and non-Hispanic; 72% of residents self-identified as such in the 2020 census and the Kansas Legislature was 92% white that year according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.Proposals pushed by advocacy groups on behalf of racial justice in Kansas typically stall. After the Floyd protests, for example, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly appointed a committee on racial equity and justice, saying “communities of color do not have the luxury of time for leaders to address these issues.” But neither the panel nor the governor pushed the Legislature to adopt the group’s recommendations.And this year, the momentum in the Republican-controlled Legislature swung away from racial justice toward limiting what public schools teach about racism and tightening voting laws.Kevin Willmott, a University of Kansas film professor who in 2019 won the best adapted screenplay Oscar for “BlacKkKlansman,” said that when elected officials create task force groups, they often face little opposition, giving people hope that they can bring change.“But then the task force doesn’t change anything,” Willmott said. “So it appears on the surface like you’re being brought to water, but you’re not allowed to drink.”“They know that you just allow the focus to drift away and then you get to go back to normal. Until the next George Floyd, which might be in Kansas. You never know,” he said.Post-Floyd racial justice efforts in other Kansas cities have seen mixed results.In Wyandotte County, which includes Kansas City, then-Mayor David Alvey created a task force in 2020 to discuss policing practices, but he told task force members not to advocate for specific changes during meetings.“It was such a politically charged atmosphere,” Alvey said. “I wanted to keep the politics out of it as much as possible.”About a quarter of Wyandotte County’s population is Black and voters have elected a similar percentage of Black commissioners since 2005. Alvey narrowly lost reelection last year to Tyrone Garner, who became the community’s first Black mayor. Garner, who previously served as deputy police chief, ran for office on a police reform platform. He also announced a new committee to look into policing practices, which he said would — unlike his predecessor’s group — craft proposals for the city to vote on. The committee held introductory meetings last month.Garner’s views of the community and policing have been shaped by his years as a police officer. Early in his career, a Black police major told him about how minority officers previously weren’t allowed to arrest or interact with white residents. Stories like that prompted Garner to pay attention to how colleagues talked about minority police leaders and officers.Among other things, Garner hopes his new task force will consider requiring an outside law enforcement agency to conduct police misconduct investigations.Discussions are in progress in other Kansas communities. In Topeka, a task force set up by a former mayor is reviewing police policies in response to proposals to ban chokeholds, prohibit officers from firing at fleeing suspects and create an independent citizen panel to investigate allegations of police misconduct. The group has met for almost two years and hasn’t made any recommendations to the City Council.City commissioners in Salina approved a 2020 proposal to create a new citizens review board, but advocates were disappointed that it didn’t give the board authority to investigate complaints.In the affluent Kansas City suburb of Prairie Village, where Black residents make up about 1% of the population, the city’s budget this year included $10,000 for a diversity committee that is using some of the funds to celebrate Martin Luther King Day and Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.After rallies in the southwestern Kansas community of Liberal following Floyd’s death, the city held a town hall where attendees discussed their experiences with racism. Latinos make up almost two-thirds of Liberal’s population.About a month after the meeting, Liberal city commissioners passed an ordinance calling for similar public forums as needed, but so far no other meetings have occurred.Racial justice advocate Kathleen Alonso pushed for the ordinance, but told the AP that she had shifted focus to increasing voter turnout. In November, Liberal elected two Hispanic members to the city commission, including its first Latina city commissioner.In Manhattan, Parks, the local Black Lives Matter founder, is hopeful instead of frustrated that the city hasn’t yet taken up the task force’s more than 60 recommendations. Many of them are outside the city government’s control, but some are in its purview, including the hiring of a diversity, equity and inclusion officer to work across city-sponsored organizations.Through her involvement, Parks has gained a line of communication with police that enables her to share information with other residents when they’re worried about something they’re hearing or seeing on social media. That’s leading to a better relationship between police and Black residents, who make up about 6% of the community, and that was one of Parks’ main goals.Shortly before her Black Lives Matter group’s 2020 demonstration, Parks met an officer to contact with concerns. That new line of communication was tested that year when a witness made a video recording of a man who appeared to be having a seizure while he was detained in handcuffs. Parks contacted the officer and learned from police that they had kept him in handcuffs to prevent him from injuring himself.“They answered every single question that we had and we were able to bring that back and kind of give people a little bit of clarity about the situation,” Parks said.It’s all aimed at meeting Parks’ goal of avoiding a high-profile police killing like George Floyd’s in Manhattan.“To hear that grown man call out for his mother — I just couldn’t — I can’t even talk about it,” Parks said, her voice shaking. “That is just something I would never want to see for my kids.”___