Houses built in rural Kansas help local economies

By GREG DOERING <a href="https://kansaslivingmagazine.com/articles/2022/05/09/rural-housing-in-kansas-sees-improvements">Kansas Living</a>

The state song of Kansas begins “Oh, give me a home …” and calls to 
the state’s frontier days, when the land served as a beacon of hope for 
thousands seeking new lives, land of their own and, of course, a place 
to call home.

In 1871, Brewster M. Higley was enticed by the prospect of free land 
for a homestead in Smith County. He settled on a site near West Beaver 
Creek, eventually penning the poem that became widely known as the song 
“Home on the Range” along the creekbank. Higley, along with some help 
from his friends, built a one-room cabin a year later.

While Higley’s poem probably served as a wish for a frontier life 
that no longer existed, with most buffalo, deer and antelope pushed out 
by settlers, the opening verse still rings true for Kansans today 
searching for home. The only difference is, residents might face more 
obstacles to finding a home, especially in rural areas, than Higley had 
building a shelter nearly 150 years ago.

Without housing, small cities and towns struggle to attract 
professionals in education, health care, manufacturing and food 
processing. Fixing rural housing isn’t just an issue for the cities and 
towns afflicted with a shortage; rather, it’s about unleashing the 
state’s full economic potential.

Stafford County economic development director Carolyn Dunn knows how 
important access to housing is for companies eyeing a new location, and 
she knows just how difficult it can be to build even a single home to 
begin addressing a shortage of quality, affordable accommodations. She 
says housing is the No. 1 priority for her agency right now.

Part of the problem can be traced back to what happened about two 
decades ago. Or rather what didn’t happen in the county of just over 
4,000 about 90 minutes north and west of Wichita.

“We’ve had entire years, especially in the 1990s and early 2000s, 
when there wasn’t a single house built in the county,” Dunn says. “A lot
 of those 20-year-old houses would be very desirable. We just don’t have
 them.”

The median age of a home in Stafford County is 70 years, with the average age about a decade older.

“Part of our problem is we don’t have those houses that are not brand
 new but also not so old they are needing significant rebuilding,” Dunn 
says.

Rural housing has posed a challenge for several years — different 
cities have tried a variety of solutions from giving away free land to 
offering cash for people willing to build new homes — with a mixed 
result.

For Stafford County, even a $25,000 stipend toward a new home wasn’t 
enough to incentivize much construction, and most of the money reserved 
for the program wasn’t spent.

“We have got to find a way to build housing that’s affordable for the
 kind of income we have here,” Dunn says. “The median household income 
here is $45,000 a year. That’s too high to be considered low-income and 
qualify for subsidized housing. It’s also not high enough to qualify for
 much of a mortgage.”

Instead of relying on individuals to come forward, Dunn opted to take
 control of building projects herself after a chance encounter in 2018 
with Michael Gibson, an associate professor in Kansas State University’s
 College of Architecture.

“We were both interested in seeing how to move the needle on this,” 
Dunn says. “He was also receptive to the idea that rural areas aren’t 
getting much attention.”

Stafford County was selected as a project for one of Gibson’s classes
 in 2019, in which students conducted visits, tours and focus groups 
before working on home designs that could be built near a $100,000 price
 point.

Work on the first home didn’t start until July 2020 and it was finished about a year later after COVID-19 delayed progress.

“We had really optimistic projections of what things would cost under
 normal circumstances, but material costs did go up and that affected 
things to a degree,” Dunn says. “K-State brought some money to the 
table, and we had a $50,000 grant from the Kansas Housing Resources 
Corporation. Theoretically, we should have been able to cover most of 
the cost between those two but that wasn’t the case.”

Dunn says they were able to cover the shortfall with a grant from a 
private foundation, and the overall experience was positive and involved
 a lot of learning.

The home’s design comes with several tradeoffs to make it more 
affordable. There’s no basement or attached garage. The bedrooms are 
smaller to allow for a larger living area capable of hosting family 
functions or parties.

Stafford County is already putting that education to use, having just 
finished a second home with three others under construction across the 
county. In all, the county’s economic development office plans to build 
10 new homes.

“They put a lot of thought into a layout that’s very livable. We had 
an open house with probably 30 people and they all fit into the living 
room,” she says. “It’s not going to be the house for everyone. It just 
has to be a fit for some and that’s progress.”

Rural housing projects and their limitations

Dunn says most of the money available for housing projects like those
 undertaken by Stafford County are targeted to low-income residents 
because that’s where the federal government allocates most of its grant 
money.

Rent on the new homes is income-based and will be in the range of 
$500 to $550 per month, or about half of what the government formula 
would allow. But, Dunn says, that raised the other issue Stafford County
 faces in trying to develop new housing or even preserve the existing 
stock.

“A lot of people would consider a reasonable rental rate here $400 
per month,” she says. “That’s part of the challenge. At $400 per month, 
there’s not enough income there to maintain housing well or entice 
investors. In some ways, cheap housing is our enemy.”

Dunn’s hope is once all 10 homes are built and occupied, her agency 
will have the cash flow to start building so-called workforce housing.

“We’re trying to find a way to build housing that’s affordable to 
people making $50,000 to $90,000,” she says. “That could be a couple of 
teachers. It could be people who work at grain elevators or feedlots. We
 can’t wait another 20 years to get that housing here.”

Growing funds for expansion of rural housing

Trisha Purdon is familiar with the struggles in Stafford County and 
has heard similar stories across the state as the director of Kansas’ 
Office of Rural Prosperity. She’s hopeful a recently completed survey of
 the state’s housing needs will lead to more investment.

“If you have a full analysis of what’s needed in these communities 
for housing, you can show a developer or business interested in building
 houses the potential benefits,” Purdon says.

One of Purdon’s current projects is turning her agency into a 
one-stop shop for advice on how to get projects done, whether that’s 
pointing people to grant opportunities or helping navigate the red tape 
associated with existing programs.

“I worked in economic development for about a decade before moving 
into this position, and even I had no idea who I needed to talk to for 
the rehab of a downtown building or how to go about getting federal 
grants,” she says. “If I’ve been doing this for 10 years and I don’t 
know, how is the local volunteer dabbling in economic development in a 
small town going to do it?”

Another piece of “low-hanging fruit” Purdon has identified is closing
 the gap between what it costs to build a home in a rural area compared 
to what a bank is willing to lend on a property. Known as the appraisal 
gap, Purdon says states like Iowa and Nebraska have successfully 
implemented programs to offset it.

How local communities impact rural housing issues

Purdon says neither the state nor federal government can be wholly 
responsible for solving the rural housing puzzle. Instead, it will be 
cities and regions coming together to find the best solutions for their 
individual problems.

In early April, the Kansas legislature approved spending 
approximately $100 million on housing incentives, including significant 
investments in rural housing.

Included in the spending package is $40 million to spur 
moderate-income housing programs. An additional $20 million is targeted 
to a revolving loan fund dedicated specifically to rural housing. These 
measures represent the bulk of the spending that will occur over the 
next several years and be multiplied many times over by private 
investment.

The funding comes from the state’s general fund and federal COVID-19 
relief money. Kansas Farm Bureau (KFB), along with more than a dozen 
other organizations, supported these spending measures as a first step 
to address the rural housing shortage in Kansas and to help facilitate 
economic development across the state.

"I’ve heard from people across the state how a lack of housing is 
holding rural areas back from growing their local economies. I commend 
our legislators and Gov. Laura Kelly for taking advantage of the state’s
 extraordinary budget surplus to make a significant investment to 
improve the lives of Kansans and lower a barrier to rural economic 
growth." - KFB President Rich Felts

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653577308911.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Houses built in rural Kansas help local economies</h2>By GREG DOERING <a href="https://kansaslivingmagazine.com/articles/2022/05/09/rural-housing-in-kansas-sees-improvements">Kansas Living</a>The state song of Kansas begins “Oh, give me a home …” and calls to 
the state’s frontier days, when the land served as a beacon of hope for 
thousands seeking new lives, land of their own and, of course, a place 
to call home.In 1871, Brewster M. Higley was enticed by the prospect of free land 
for a homestead in Smith County. He settled on a site near West Beaver 
Creek, eventually penning the poem that became widely known as the song 
“Home on the Range” along the creekbank. Higley, along with some help 
from his friends, built a one-room cabin a year later.While Higley’s poem probably served as a wish for a frontier life 
that no longer existed, with most buffalo, deer and antelope pushed out 
by settlers, the opening verse still rings true for Kansans today 
searching for home. The only difference is, residents might face more 
obstacles to finding a home, especially in rural areas, than Higley had 
building a shelter nearly 150 years ago.Without housing, small cities and towns struggle to attract 
professionals in education, health care, manufacturing and food 
processing. Fixing rural housing isn’t just an issue for the cities and 
towns afflicted with a shortage; rather, it’s about unleashing the 
state’s full economic potential.<h2>How to make rural housing accessible</h2>Stafford County economic development director Carolyn Dunn knows how 
important access to housing is for companies eyeing a new location, and 
she knows just how difficult it can be to build even a single home to 
begin addressing a shortage of quality, affordable accommodations. She 
says housing is the No. 1 priority for her agency right now.Part of the problem can be traced back to what happened about two 
decades ago. Or rather what didn’t happen in the county of just over 
4,000 about 90 minutes north and west of Wichita.“We’ve had entire years, especially in the 1990s and early 2000s, 
when there wasn’t a single house built in the county,” Dunn says. “A lot
 of those 20-year-old houses would be very desirable. We just don’t have
 them.”The median age of a home in Stafford County is 70 years, with the average age about a decade older.“Part of our problem is we don’t have those houses that are not brand
 new but also not so old they are needing significant rebuilding,” Dunn 
says.<h2>The challenges&nbsp; of rural housing</h2>Rural housing has posed a challenge for several years — different 
cities have tried a variety of solutions from giving away free land to 
offering cash for people willing to build new homes — with a mixed 
result.For Stafford County, even a $25,000 stipend toward a new home wasn’t 
enough to incentivize much construction, and most of the money reserved 
for the program wasn’t spent.“We have got to find a way to build housing that’s affordable for the
 kind of income we have here,” Dunn says. “The median household income 
here is $45,000 a year. That’s too high to be considered low-income and 
qualify for subsidized housing. It’s also not high enough to qualify for
 much of a mortgage.”Instead of relying on individuals to come forward, Dunn opted to take
 control of building projects herself after a chance encounter in 2018 
with Michael Gibson, an associate professor in Kansas State University’s
 College of Architecture.“We were both interested in seeing how to move the needle on this,” 
Dunn says. “He was also receptive to the idea that rural areas aren’t 
getting much attention.”Stafford County was selected as a project for one of Gibson’s classes
 in 2019, in which students conducted visits, tours and focus groups 
before working on home designs that could be built near a $100,000 price
 point.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653577371079.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Work on the first home didn’t start until July 2020 and it was finished about a year later after COVID-19 delayed progress.“We had really optimistic projections of what things would cost under
 normal circumstances, but material costs did go up and that affected 
things to a degree,” Dunn says. “K-State brought some money to the 
table, and we had a $50,000 grant from the Kansas Housing Resources 
Corporation. Theoretically, we should have been able to cover most of 
the cost between those two but that wasn’t the case.”Dunn says they were able to cover the shortfall with a grant from a 
private foundation, and the overall experience was positive and involved
 a lot of learning.<h2>Making rural housing affordable</h2>The home’s design comes with several tradeoffs to make it more 
affordable. There’s no basement or attached garage. The bedrooms are 
smaller to allow for a larger living area capable of hosting family 
functions or parties.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653577408372.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Stafford County is already putting that education to use, having just 
finished a second home with three others under construction across the 
county. In all, the county’s economic development office plans to build 
10 new homes.“They put a lot of thought into a layout that’s very livable. We had 
an open house with probably 30 people and they all fit into the living 
room,” she says. “It’s not going to be the house for everyone. It just 
has to be a fit for some and that’s progress.”<h2>Rural housing projects and their limitations</h2>Dunn says most of the money available for housing projects like those
 undertaken by Stafford County are targeted to low-income residents 
because that’s where the federal government allocates most of its grant 
money.Rent on the new homes is income-based and will be in the range of 
$500 to $550 per month, or about half of what the government formula 
would allow. But, Dunn says, that raised the other issue Stafford County
 faces in trying to develop new housing or even preserve the existing 
stock.“A lot of people would consider a reasonable rental rate here $400 
per month,” she says. “That’s part of the challenge. At $400 per month, 
there’s not enough income there to maintain housing well or entice 
investors. In some ways, cheap housing is our enemy.”Dunn’s hope is once all 10 homes are built and occupied, her agency 
will have the cash flow to start building so-called workforce housing.“We’re trying to find a way to build housing that’s affordable to 
people making $50,000 to $90,000,” she says. “That could be a couple of 
teachers. It could be people who work at grain elevators or feedlots. We
 can’t wait another 20 years to get that housing here.”<h2>Growing funds for expansion of rural housing</h2>Trisha Purdon is familiar with the struggles in Stafford County and 
has heard similar stories across the state as the director of Kansas’ 
Office of Rural Prosperity. She’s hopeful a recently completed survey of
 the state’s housing needs will lead to more investment.“If you have a full analysis of what’s needed in these communities 
for housing, you can show a developer or business interested in building
 houses the potential benefits,” Purdon says.One of Purdon’s current projects is turning her agency into a 
one-stop shop for advice on how to get projects done, whether that’s 
pointing people to grant opportunities or helping navigate the red tape 
associated with existing programs.“I worked in economic development for about a decade before moving 
into this position, and even I had no idea who I needed to talk to for 
the rehab of a downtown building or how to go about getting federal 
grants,” she says. “If I’ve been doing this for 10 years and I don’t 
know, how is the local volunteer dabbling in economic development in a 
small town going to do it?”Another piece of “low-hanging fruit” Purdon has identified is closing
 the gap between what it costs to build a home in a rural area compared 
to what a bank is willing to lend on a property. Known as the appraisal 
gap, Purdon says states like Iowa and Nebraska have successfully 
implemented programs to offset it.<h2>How local communities impact rural housing issues</h2>Purdon says neither the state nor federal government can be wholly 
responsible for solving the rural housing puzzle. Instead, it will be 
cities and regions coming together to find the best solutions for their 
individual problems.<h2>Housing down payment</h2>In early April, the Kansas legislature approved spending 
approximately $100 million on housing incentives, including significant 
investments in rural housing.Included in the spending package is $40 million to spur 
moderate-income housing programs. An additional $20 million is targeted 
to a revolving loan fund dedicated specifically to rural housing. These 
measures represent the bulk of the spending that will occur over the 
next several years and be multiplied many times over by private 
investment.The funding comes from the state’s general fund and federal COVID-19 
relief money. Kansas Farm Bureau (KFB), along with more than a dozen 
other organizations, supported these spending measures as a first step 
to address the rural housing shortage in Kansas and to help facilitate 
economic development across the state."I’ve heard from people across the state how a lack of housing is 
holding rural areas back from growing their local economies. I commend 
our legislators and Gov. Laura Kelly for taking advantage of the state’s
 extraordinary budget surplus to make a significant investment to 
improve the lives of Kansans and lower a barrier to rural economic 
growth." - KFB President Rich Felts

Rural housing in Kansas sees improvements

HUTCHINSON — A man who escaped from the minimum security unit at Hutchinson Correctional Facility back on February 16th is now in the Reno County Correctional Facility.

Gabriel Sanchez Jr. walked away from the prison just two weeks before he was to be released on a Reno County conviction for assault and battery of a law enforcement officer and fleeing/eluding local law enforcement. He was captured two days later.

Sanchez saw his time at HCF extended to May 27 for his actions at which time he was released, then immediately taken into custody by the Reno County Sheriff's Department on charges of aggravated escape and failure to appear.

HUTCHINSON —Inmate Gabriel Sanchez Jr. has been apprehended after being placed on escape status Friday from the Hutchinson Correctional Facility Minimum Custody South Unit, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Local law enforcement, the Kansas Highway Patrol and KDOC officials collaborated in the search and arrest.

Sanchez is currently serving a sentence for convictions in Reno County for assault and battery of a law enforcement officer and fleeing/eluding local law enforcement.

The escape is currently being investigated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645214336468.png" alt="Sanchez" />
 <figcaption>Sanchez</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON — A man who escaped from the minimum security unit at Hutchinson Correctional Facility back on February 16th is now in the Reno County Correctional Facility.Gabriel Sanchez Jr. walked away from the prison just two weeks before he was to be released on a Reno County conviction for assault and battery of a law enforcement officer and fleeing/eluding local law enforcement. He was captured two days later.Sanchez saw his time at HCF extended to May 27 for his actions at which time he was released, then immediately taken into custody by the Reno County Sheriff's Department on charges of aggravated escape and failure to appear.He’s being held on a bond of $50,000.------------HUTCHINSON —Inmate Gabriel Sanchez Jr. has been apprehended after being placed on escape status Friday from the Hutchinson Correctional Facility Minimum Custody South Unit, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.Local law enforcement, the Kansas Highway Patrol and KDOC officials collaborated in the search and arrest.Sanchez is currently serving a sentence for convictions in Reno County for assault and battery of a law enforcement officer and fleeing/eluding local law enforcement.The escape is currently being investigated.

Kan. inmate who escaped from state prison moved to county jail

New U.S. research on long COVID-19 provides fresh evidence that it can happen even after breakthrough infections in vaccinated people, and that older adults face higher risks for the long-term effects.

In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/nm/" target="_blank">study</a>&nbsp;of veterans published Wednesday, about one-third who had breakthrough infections showed signs of long COVID.

A separate report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that up to a year after an initial coronavirus infection, 1 in 4 adults aged 65 and older had at least one potential long COVID health problem, compared with 1 in 5 younger adults.

Long COVID refers to any of more than two dozens symptoms that linger, recur or first appear at least one month after a coronavirus infection. These can affect all parts of the body and may include fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog and blood clots.

Coronavirus vaccines that help prevent initial infections and serious illnesses provide some protection against long COVID but mounting research shows not as much as scientists had first hoped.

The veterans study published in Nature Medicine reviewed medical records of mostly white male veterans, aged 60, on average. Of the 13 million veterans, almost 3 million had been vaccinated last year, through October.

About 1%, or nearly 34,000, developed breakthrough infections. Lead author Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly noted that the study was done before the highly contagious omicron variant appeared at the end of the year and said the rate of breakthrough infections has likely increased.

Breakthrough infections and long COVID symptoms were more common among those who had received Johnson &amp; Johnson’s single-dose shot compared with two doses of either Moderna or Pfizer vaccines. Whether any had received booster shots is not known; the first booster wasn’t OK’d in the U.S. until late September.

Overall, 32% had long COVID symptoms up to six months after breakthrough infections. That’s compared with 36% of unvaccinated veterans who had been infected and developed long COVID.

Vaccination reduced the chances for any long COVID symptoms by a “modest” 15%,” although it cut the risk in half for lingering respiratory or clotting problems, said Al-Aly, a researcher with Washington University and the Veterans Affairs health system in St. Louis. These symptoms included persistent shortness of breath or cough and blood clots in lungs or veins in the legs.

Infectious disease expert Dr. Kristin Englund, who runs a center for long COVID patients at the Cleveland Clinic, said the Nature Medicine study mirrors what she sees at her clinic. Long COVID patients there include people who were vaccinated and received boosters.

“As we have no clear treatments for long COVID, it is important for everyone to get vaccinated and use other proven methods of prevention such as masking and social distancing in order to prevent infections with COVID and thus long COVID,” Englund said.

The CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7121e1.htm?s_cid=mm7121e1_w" target="_blank">report</a>, released Tuesday, used medical records for almost 2 million U.S. adults from the start of the pandemic in March 2020 to last November. They included 353,000 who had COVID-19. Patients were tracked for up to a year to determine if they developed any of 26 health conditions that have been attributed to long COVID.

Those who had COVID were much more likely than other adults without COVID to develop at least one of these conditions, and risks were greatest for those aged 65 and older. Information on vaccination, sex and race was not included.

Breathing problems and muscle aches were among the most common conditions.

Older adults’ risks were higher for certain conditions, including strokes, brain fog, kidney failure and mental health problems. The findings are worrisome because those conditions can hasten older adults’ needs for long-term care, the report authors said.

They stressed that routine assessment of all COVID patients “is critical to reduce the incidence” of long COVID.

By LINDSEY TANNER, Associated PressNew U.S. research on long COVID-19 provides fresh evidence that it can happen even after breakthrough infections in vaccinated people, and that older adults face higher risks for the long-term effects.In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/nm/" target="_blank">study</a>&nbsp;of veterans published Wednesday, about one-third who had breakthrough infections showed signs of long COVID.A separate report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that up to a year after an initial coronavirus infection, 1 in 4 adults aged 65 and older had at least one potential long COVID health problem, compared with 1 in 5 younger adults.Long COVID refers to any of more than two dozens symptoms that linger, recur or first appear at least one month after a coronavirus infection. These can affect all parts of the body and may include fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog and blood clots.Coronavirus vaccines that help prevent initial infections and serious illnesses provide some protection against long COVID but mounting research shows not as much as scientists had first hoped.The veterans study published in Nature Medicine reviewed medical records of mostly white male veterans, aged 60, on average. Of the 13 million veterans, almost 3 million had been vaccinated last year, through October.About 1%, or nearly 34,000, developed breakthrough infections. Lead author Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly noted that the study was done before the highly contagious omicron variant appeared at the end of the year and said the rate of breakthrough infections has likely increased.Breakthrough infections and long COVID symptoms were more common among those who had received Johnson &amp; Johnson’s single-dose shot compared with two doses of either Moderna or Pfizer vaccines. Whether any had received booster shots is not known; the first booster wasn’t OK’d in the U.S. until late September.Overall, 32% had long COVID symptoms up to six months after breakthrough infections. That’s compared with 36% of unvaccinated veterans who had been infected and developed long COVID.Vaccination reduced the chances for any long COVID symptoms by a “modest” 15%,” although it cut the risk in half for lingering respiratory or clotting problems, said Al-Aly, a researcher with Washington University and the Veterans Affairs health system in St. Louis. These symptoms included persistent shortness of breath or cough and blood clots in lungs or veins in the legs.Infectious disease expert Dr. Kristin Englund, who runs a center for long COVID patients at the Cleveland Clinic, said the Nature Medicine study mirrors what she sees at her clinic. Long COVID patients there include people who were vaccinated and received boosters.“As we have no clear treatments for long COVID, it is important for everyone to get vaccinated and use other proven methods of prevention such as masking and social distancing in order to prevent infections with COVID and thus long COVID,” Englund said.The CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7121e1.htm?s_cid=mm7121e1_w" target="_blank">report</a>, released Tuesday, used medical records for almost 2 million U.S. adults from the start of the pandemic in March 2020 to last November. They included 353,000 who had COVID-19. Patients were tracked for up to a year to determine if they developed any of 26 health conditions that have been attributed to long COVID.Those who had COVID were much more likely than other adults without COVID to develop at least one of these conditions, and risks were greatest for those aged 65 and older. Information on vaccination, sex and race was not included.Breathing problems and muscle aches were among the most common conditions.Older adults’ risks were higher for certain conditions, including strokes, brain fog, kidney failure and mental health problems. The findings are worrisome because those conditions can hasten older adults’ needs for long-term care, the report authors said.They stressed that routine assessment of all COVID patients “is critical to reduce the incidence” of long COVID.___

Long COVID affects more older adults; shots don't prevent it

KANSAS CITY —A man with a distinctive crescent tattoo between his eyes has been charged in the November 2021 fatal shooting of &nbsp;Stephon D. Johnson, whose body was found inside a Midtown Kansas City, MO, apartment, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Perez D. Reed, 27, St. Louis, faces Murder 1st Degree, Armed Criminal Action and two counts of Fraudulent Use of a Credit/Debit Device.

According to court records, family members of Stephon Johnson's family filed missing persons reports regarding Johnson, saying they had not spoken to him since Nov. 1, 2021.

Officers responded to Johnson's apartment and found his body inside a closet. It was later determined to be Johnson. Inside the apartment, officers determined he had suffered a gunshot to the back of the head. 

Officers also collected an empty cigarillo package. A check of DNA from that package later showed strong support that the defendant's DNA was on the package. 

When defendant was arrested in November 2021 on warrants issued from St. Louis County a key was found with the defendant. The key fit a deadbolt lock at the victim's apartment in Kansas City. 

Witnesses also told police that a man they had seen on the news as a "serial killer" from St. Louis was the same man with a crescent tattoo who had been a guest of Johnson in Kansas City. Also, the deadly bullet found inside the victim in his Kansas City residence was fired by the firearm that the defendant had in possession at the time of his arrest.

The defendant is in custody in St. Louis. Prosecutors here recommended he be held on these new charges on no bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636462416961.png" alt="Reed-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Reed-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A man with a distinctive crescent tattoo between his eyes has been charged in the November 2021 fatal shooting of &nbsp;Stephon D. Johnson, whose body was found inside a Midtown Kansas City, MO, apartment, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Perez D. Reed, 27, St. Louis, faces Murder 1st Degree, Armed Criminal Action and two counts of Fraudulent Use of a Credit/Debit Device.According to court records, family members of Stephon Johnson's family filed missing persons reports regarding Johnson, saying they had not spoken to him since Nov. 1, 2021.Officers responded to Johnson's apartment and found his body inside a closet. It was later determined to be Johnson. Inside the apartment, officers determined he had suffered a gunshot to the back of the head. Officers also collected an empty cigarillo package. A check of DNA from that package later showed strong support that the defendant's DNA was on the package. When defendant was arrested in November 2021 on warrants issued from St. Louis County a key was found with the defendant. The key fit a deadbolt lock at the victim's apartment in Kansas City. Witnesses also told police that a man they had seen on the news as a "serial killer" from St. Louis was the same man with a crescent tattoo who had been a guest of Johnson in Kansas City. Also, the deadly bullet found inside the victim in his Kansas City residence was fired by the firearm that the defendant had in possession at the time of his arrest.The defendant is in custody in St. Louis. Prosecutors here recommended he be held on these new charges on no bond.

Alleged serial killer charged after KC man’s body found in closet

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita woman has pleaded guilty to defrauding her former employer of about $3.1 million, federal prosecutors announced Thursday.

Nancy Martin, 77, pleaded guilty to bank fraud and filing a false tax document.

Martin was bookkeeper, business manager and chief operating officer of Mid-Kansas Wound Specialists and Emergency Services P.A.

An audit found that she embezzled the money from 2012 to 2017 by obtaining money from the company’s banks and making false accounting entries to disguise the transactions as payments or transferred funds, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Kansas said in a news release.

Martin used the money for personal expenses, travel, and investments.

Prosecutors said she also filed false tax returns from 2013 to 2016, causing a federal tax loss of $670,000.

Martin is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 17.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita woman has pleaded guilty to defrauding her former employer of about $3.1 million, federal prosecutors announced Thursday.Nancy Martin, 77, pleaded guilty to bank fraud and filing a false tax document.Martin was bookkeeper, business manager and chief operating officer of Mid-Kansas Wound Specialists and Emergency Services P.A.An audit found that she embezzled the money from 2012 to 2017 by obtaining money from the company’s banks and making false accounting entries to disguise the transactions as payments or transferred funds, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Kansas said in a news release.Martin used the money for personal expenses, travel, and investments.Prosecutors said she also filed false tax returns from 2013 to 2016, causing a federal tax loss of $670,000.Martin is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 17.

Kan. woman admits defrauding employer of $3.1 million

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A black swastika was painted on the outside wall of an historically Black church in southwestern Missouri and police are investigating the vandalism as a hate crime.

Pitts Chapel United Methodist Church in Springfield reported that the swastika was spray painted on the building on May 18 or 19. The NAACP and the Missouri chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the vandalism. A county parks crew removed the swastika.

During a news conference with the NAACP at the church Friday, the pastor, the Rev. Tracy Wolff, said her congregation was particularly disturbed that their church was targeted given recent violent hate crimes nationwide, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buffalo-supermarket-shooting-19514b0c6524bd428f4167ad9b490a12">deadly mass shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York</a>, that investigators have said was racially motivated.

“I want to be clear that this is not simply tagging. This is not graffiti. This is not vandalism," Wolff said. "This was a hate crime, and it is unacceptable.”

Pitts Chapel is Springfield's oldest historically Black church, Wolff said. It was founded in 1847 by a group of enslaved Africans.

“Though we are historically Black, on Sunday mornings at 11 a.m., we’re becoming one of the most diverse places in town. I don’t think a lot of people know that," she said.

Police have not identified a suspect and are asking witnesses or anyone with information to contact police. In the meantime, Wolff said, the church is beefing up security.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A black swastika was painted on the outside wall of an historically Black church in southwestern Missouri and police are investigating the vandalism as a hate crime.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FPittsChapelUMC%2Fvideos%2F490958242780367%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=139" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Pitts Chapel United Methodist Church in Springfield reported that the swastika was spray painted on the building on May 18 or 19. The NAACP and the Missouri chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the vandalism. A county parks crew removed the swastika.During a news conference with the NAACP at the church Friday, the pastor, the Rev. Tracy Wolff, said her congregation was particularly disturbed that their church was targeted given recent violent hate crimes nationwide, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buffalo-supermarket-shooting-19514b0c6524bd428f4167ad9b490a12">deadly mass shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York</a>, that investigators have said was racially motivated.“I want to be clear that this is not simply tagging. This is not graffiti. This is not vandalism," Wolff said. "This was a hate crime, and it is unacceptable.”Pitts Chapel is Springfield's oldest historically Black church, Wolff said. It was founded in 1847 by a group of enslaved Africans.“Though we are historically Black, on Sunday mornings at 11 a.m., we’re becoming one of the most diverse places in town. I don’t think a lot of people know that," she said.Police have not identified a suspect and are asking witnesses or anyone with information to contact police. In the meantime, Wolff said, the church is beefing up security.

🎥 Police investigate swastika painted on historically Black church

UVALDE, Texas (AP) — Nearly 20 officers stood for about 45 minutes in the hallway outside the adjoining Texas classrooms where the gunman killed students and teachers this week before U.S. Border Patrol agents unlocked the door to confront and kill him, authorities said Friday.

At least some of the 911 calls made during the Tuesday attack on Robb Elementary School in Uvalde came from inside the connected classrooms where 18-year-old Salvador Ramos was holed up, Steven McCraw, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said during a contentious news conference.

The commander at the scene believed Ramos was barricaded inside and that the children were not at risk, McCraw said.

“It was the wrong decision,” he said.

McCraw released new details about the attack in which Ramos killed 19 children teachers, though his motive remains unclear.

The Border Patrol agents eventually used a master key to open the locked door of the classroom where they confronted and killed Ramos, he said.

There was a barrage of gunfire shortly after Ramos entered the classroom where officers eventually killed him, but that shots were “sporadic” for much of the 48 minutes when officers waited in the hallway, McCraw said. He said investigators do not know if or how many children died during that time.

Throughout the attack, teachers and children repeatedly called 911 asking for help, including a girl who pleaded: “Please send the police now,” McCraw said.

Questions have mounted over the amount of time it took officers to enter the school to confront the gunman.

It was 11:28 a.m. Tuesday when Ramos’ Ford pickup slammed into a ditch behind the low-slung Texas school and the driver jumped out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-texas-donald-trump-violence-212dfd1b57474f1ab208d4a72521a010">carrying an AR-15-style rifle</a>.

Twelve minutes after that, authorities say, Ramos entered the school and found his way to the fourth-grade classroom where he killed the 21 victims.

But it wasn’t until 12:58 p.m. that law enforcement radio chatter said Ramos had been killed and the siege was over.

What happened in those 90 minutes, in a working-class neighborhood near the edge of the town of Uvalde, has fueled mounting public anger and scrutiny over law enforcement’s response to Tuesday’s rampage.

“They say they rushed in,” said Javier Cazares, whose fourth-grade daughter, Jacklyn Cazares, was killed in the attack, and who raced to the school as the massacre unfolded. “We didn’t see that.”

Friday’s briefing came only after authorities spent three days providing often conflicting and incomplete information.

According to the new timeline provided by McCraw, After crashing his truck, Ramos fired on two people coming out of a nearby funeral home, officials said.

Contrary to earlier statements by officials, a school district police officer was not inside the school when Ramos arrived. When that officer did respond, he unknowingly drove past Ramos, who was crouched behind a car parked outside and firing at the building, McCraw said.

At 11:33 p.m., Ramos entered the school through a rear door that had been propped open and fired more than 100 rounds into a pair of classrooms, McCraw said.

Department of Public Safety spokesman Travis Considine said investigators haven’t yet determined why the door was propped open.

Two minutes later, three local police officers arrived and entered the building through the same door, followed soon after by four others, McCraw said. Within 15 minutes, as many as 19 officers from different agencies had assembled in the hallway, taking sporadic fire from Ramos, who was holed up in a classroom.

Ramos was still inside at 12:10 p.m. when the first U.S. Marshals Service deputies arrived. They had raced to the school from nearly 70 miles (113 kilometers) away in the border town of Del Rio, the agency said in a tweet Friday.

But the police commander inside the building decided the group should wait to confront the gunman, on the belief that the scene was no longer an active attack, McCraw said.

The crisis came to an end after a group of Border Patrol tactical officers entered the school at 12:45 p.m., said Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Travis Considine. They engaged in a shootout with the gunman, who was holed up in the fourth-grade classroom. Moments before 1 p.m., he was dead.

Ken Trump, president of the consulting firm National School Safety and Security Services, said the length of the timeline raised questions.

“Based on best practices, it’s very difficult to understand why there were any types of delays, particularly when you get into reports of 40 minutes and up of going in to neutralize that shooter,” he said.

The motive for the massacre — the nation’s deadliest school shooting since Newtown, Connecticut, almost a decade ago — remained under investigation, with authorities saying Ramos had no known criminal or mental health history.

During the siege, frustrated onlookers urged police officers to charge into the school, according to witnesses.

“Go in there! Go in there!” women shouted at the officers soon after the attack began, said Juan Carranza, 24, who watched the scene from outside a house across the street.

Carranza said the officers should have entered the school sooner: “There were more of them. There was just one of him.”

Cazares said that when he arrived, he saw two officers outside the school and about five others escorting students out of the building. But 15 or 20 minutes passed before the arrival of officers with shields, equipped to confront the gunman, he said.

As more parents flocked to the school, he and others pressed police to act, Cazares said. He heard about four gunshots before he and the others were ordered back to a parking lot.

“A lot of us were arguing with the police, ‘You all need to go in there. You all need to do your jobs.’ Their response was, ‘We can’t do our jobs because you guys are interfering,’” Cazares said.

Michael Dorn, executive director of Safe Havens International, which works to make schools safer, cautioned that it’s hard to get a clear understanding of the facts soon after a shooting.

“The information we have a couple of weeks after an event is usually quite different than what we get in the first day or two. And even that is usually quite inaccurate,” Dorn said. For catastrophic events, “you’re usually eight to 12 months out before you really have a decent picture.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653425371872.png" alt="Law enforcement authorities at the back of the school on the afternoon of the shooting -photo courtesy KSAT TV" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement authorities at the back of the school on the afternoon of the shooting -photo courtesy KSAT TV</figcaption>
 </figure>UVALDE, Texas (AP) — Nearly 20 officers stood for about 45 minutes in the hallway outside the adjoining Texas classrooms where the gunman killed students and teachers this week before U.S. Border Patrol agents unlocked the door to confront and kill him, authorities said Friday.At least some of the 911 calls made during the Tuesday attack on Robb Elementary School in Uvalde came from inside the connected classrooms where 18-year-old Salvador Ramos was holed up, Steven McCraw, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said during a contentious news conference.The commander at the scene believed Ramos was barricaded inside and that the children were not at risk, McCraw said.“It was the wrong decision,” he said.McCraw released new details about the attack in which Ramos killed 19 children teachers, though his motive remains unclear.The Border Patrol agents eventually used a master key to open the locked door of the classroom where they confronted and killed Ramos, he said.There was a barrage of gunfire shortly after Ramos entered the classroom where officers eventually killed him, but that shots were “sporadic” for much of the 48 minutes when officers waited in the hallway, McCraw said. He said investigators do not know if or how many children died during that time.Throughout the attack, teachers and children repeatedly called 911 asking for help, including a girl who pleaded: “Please send the police now,” McCraw said.Questions have mounted over the amount of time it took officers to enter the school to confront the gunman.It was 11:28 a.m. Tuesday when Ramos’ Ford pickup slammed into a ditch behind the low-slung Texas school and the driver jumped out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-texas-donald-trump-violence-212dfd1b57474f1ab208d4a72521a010">carrying an AR-15-style rifle</a>.Twelve minutes after that, authorities say, Ramos entered the school and found his way to the fourth-grade classroom where he killed the 21 victims.But it wasn’t until 12:58 p.m. that law enforcement radio chatter said Ramos had been killed and the siege was over.What happened in those 90 minutes, in a working-class neighborhood near the edge of the town of Uvalde, has fueled mounting public anger and scrutiny over law enforcement’s response to Tuesday’s rampage.“They say they rushed in,” said Javier Cazares, whose fourth-grade daughter, Jacklyn Cazares, was killed in the attack, and who raced to the school as the massacre unfolded. “We didn’t see that.”Friday’s briefing came only after authorities spent three days providing often conflicting and incomplete information.According to the new timeline provided by McCraw, After crashing his truck, Ramos fired on two people coming out of a nearby funeral home, officials said.Contrary to earlier statements by officials, a school district police officer was not inside the school when Ramos arrived. When that officer did respond, he unknowingly drove past Ramos, who was crouched behind a car parked outside and firing at the building, McCraw said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653425628486.png" alt="Contrary to earlier statements by officials, a school district police officer was not inside the school when Ramos arrived.-photo courtesy KSAT TV" />
 <figcaption>Contrary to earlier statements by officials, a school district police officer was not inside the school when Ramos arrived.-photo courtesy KSAT TV</figcaption>
 </figure>At 11:33 p.m., Ramos entered the school through a rear door that had been propped open and fired more than 100 rounds into a pair of classrooms, McCraw said.Department of Public Safety spokesman Travis Considine said investigators haven’t yet determined why the door was propped open.Two minutes later, three local police officers arrived and entered the building through the same door, followed soon after by four others, McCraw said. Within 15 minutes, as many as 19 officers from different agencies had assembled in the hallway, taking sporadic fire from Ramos, who was holed up in a classroom.Ramos was still inside at 12:10 p.m. when the first U.S. Marshals Service deputies arrived. They had raced to the school from nearly 70 miles (113 kilometers) away in the border town of Del Rio, the agency said in a tweet Friday.But the police commander inside the building decided the group should wait to confront the gunman, on the belief that the scene was no longer an active attack, McCraw said.The crisis came to an end after a group of Border Patrol tactical officers entered the school at 12:45 p.m., said Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Travis Considine. They engaged in a shootout with the gunman, who was holed up in the fourth-grade classroom. Moments before 1 p.m., he was dead.Ken Trump, president of the consulting firm National School Safety and Security Services, said the length of the timeline raised questions.“Based on best practices, it’s very difficult to understand why there were any types of delays, particularly when you get into reports of 40 minutes and up of going in to neutralize that shooter,” he said.The motive for the massacre — the nation’s deadliest school shooting since Newtown, Connecticut, almost a decade ago — remained under investigation, with authorities saying Ramos had no known criminal or mental health history.During the siege, frustrated onlookers urged police officers to charge into the school, according to witnesses.“Go in there! Go in there!” women shouted at the officers soon after the attack began, said Juan Carranza, 24, who watched the scene from outside a house across the street.Carranza said the officers should have entered the school sooner: “There were more of them. There was just one of him.”Cazares said that when he arrived, he saw two officers outside the school and about five others escorting students out of the building. But 15 or 20 minutes passed before the arrival of officers with shields, equipped to confront the gunman, he said.As more parents flocked to the school, he and others pressed police to act, Cazares said. He heard about four gunshots before he and the others were ordered back to a parking lot.“A lot of us were arguing with the police, ‘You all need to go in there. You all need to do your jobs.’ Their response was, ‘We can’t do our jobs because you guys are interfering,’” Cazares said.Michael Dorn, executive director of Safe Havens International, which works to make schools safer, cautioned that it’s hard to get a clear understanding of the facts soon after a shooting.“The information we have a couple of weeks after an event is usually quite different than what we get in the first day or two. And even that is usually quite inaccurate,” Dorn said. For catastrophic events, “you’re usually eight to 12 months out before you really have a decent picture.”

Police waited 45 minutes in Texas school before pursuing shooter

HUTCHINSON —&nbsp;"Being in Kansas is a good thing in terms of gas prices," said Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas. 

"It doesn't seem like it when you're filling up, but $4.12 a gallon as a state average, where we are today, is actually the second cheapest in the country, behind only Oklahoma. If you are traveling in the region this weekend, Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska and even Colorado are all in the top 10 cheapest gas prices."

Even though the summer travel season often sees more pain at the pump, Steward says that's not necessarily a done deal.

"Once you get to a certain point, there are going to be people who scale back their driving just for budget reasons," Steward said. "We refer to that as demand erosion. Earlier this week, we saw some numbers where demand had actually gone down. We're expecting higher demand for the holiday weekend, as people go on their road trips. We'll take a look at it next week to see if that demand happens to drop again. I think that may be some indication that demand erosion might be kicking in."

Memorial Day is still a mostly driving holiday, though, so what happens at the pump this weekend could be different than the non-holiday times this summer.

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON —&nbsp;"Being in Kansas is a good thing in terms of gas prices," said Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas. "It doesn't seem like it when you're filling up, but $4.12 a gallon as a state average, where we are today, is actually the second cheapest in the country, behind only Oklahoma. If you are traveling in the region this weekend, Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska and even Colorado are all in the top 10 cheapest gas prices."Even though the summer travel season often sees more pain at the pump, Steward says that's not necessarily a done deal."Once you get to a certain point, there are going to be people who scale back their driving just for budget reasons," Steward said. "We refer to that as demand erosion. Earlier this week, we saw some numbers where demand had actually gone down. We're expecting higher demand for the holiday weekend, as people go on their road trips. We'll take a look at it next week to see if that demand happens to drop again. I think that may be some indication that demand erosion might be kicking in."Memorial Day is still a mostly driving holiday, though, so what happens at the pump this weekend could be different than the non-holiday times this summer.

AAA: Gas prices in Kansas among the lowest in the nation

McPHERSON, Kan. (AP) — A 12-year-old boy has been charged in connection with the contamination of a water cooler used by a small college baseball team in Kansas. 

The boy has been charged with endangerment and criminal damage to property for allegedly pouring paint into Kansas Wesleyan’s water cooler during a doubleheader against Bethany College in Lindsborg on April 24. 

McPherson County Attorney Jennifer Wyatt said a summons would be issued for the juvenile to appear in court.

LINDSBORG —Law enforcement authorities have determined that two juvenile boys, not college students or staff, are involved in an incident in which a foreign substance, identified as line paint, was placed in a water cooler the Bethany College baseball team provided to Kansas Wesleyan University during their doubleheader on Sunday, according to a media release from Lindsborg Police.

On April 24,&nbsp; Kansas Wesleyan University (KWU) contacted the Lindsborg Police Department to file a police report regarding a foreign substance found in their baseball team’s water cooler while at Bethany College for a game. Shortly thereafter, Bethany College contacted the police department to report the same incident. A police report was filed and both colleges agreed to cooperate with the investigation.

This incident generated wide-reaching media interest after initial comments on social media claimed that a college baseball program deliberately contaminated an opponent’s water cooler. 

Allegations were made that the foreign substance found in the water of KWU’s cooler was paint thinner. Based on information obtained through the investigation, it has been determined that the foreign substance was not paint thinner, but rather line paint used on the field and to touch up bases.

The Lindsborg Police Department has conducted over 60 interviews so far, collected multiple pieces of evidence, photographed the scene, and followed various leads. Though the investigation is active and ongoing, it has been determined that no one associated with either college was responsible for tampering with the water cooler.

The Lindsborg Police Department has identified two male juveniles as being involved in this incident and are continuing to investigate this matter.

McPHERSON, Kan. (AP) — A 12-year-old boy has been charged in connection with the contamination of a water cooler used by a small college baseball team in Kansas. <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Putting PAINT THINNER in our water coolers to get our baseball players sick and still getting toasted by 31 runs is WILD. Stay classy! Glad all our players are okay <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/buckfethany?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#buckfethany</a> <a href="https://t.co/GqPFVqwQra">pic.twitter.com/GqPFVqwQra</a>&mdash; KWU Barstool (@BarstoolKwu) <a href="https://twitter.com/BarstoolKwu/status/1518437632090517506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The boy has been charged with endangerment and criminal damage to property for allegedly pouring paint into Kansas Wesleyan’s water cooler during a doubleheader against Bethany College in Lindsborg on April 24. McPherson County Attorney Jennifer Wyatt said a summons would be issued for the juvenile to appear in court.---------LINDSBORG —Law enforcement authorities have determined that two juvenile boys, not college students or staff, are involved in an incident in which a foreign substance, identified as line paint, was placed in a water cooler the Bethany College baseball team provided to Kansas Wesleyan University during their doubleheader on Sunday, according to a media release from Lindsborg Police.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Putting PAINT THINNER in our water coolers to get our baseball players sick and still getting toasted by 31 runs is WILD. Stay classy! Glad all our players are okay <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/buckfethany?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#buckfethany</a> <a href="https://t.co/GqPFVqwQra">pic.twitter.com/GqPFVqwQra</a>&mdash; KWU Barstool (@BarstoolKwu) <a href="https://twitter.com/BarstoolKwu/status/1518437632090517506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On April 24,&nbsp; Kansas Wesleyan University (KWU) contacted the Lindsborg Police Department to file a police report regarding a foreign substance found in their baseball team’s water cooler while at Bethany College for a game. Shortly thereafter, Bethany College contacted the police department to report the same incident. A police report was filed and both colleges agreed to cooperate with the investigation.This incident generated wide-reaching media interest after initial comments on social media claimed that a college baseball program deliberately contaminated an opponent’s water cooler. Allegations were made that the foreign substance found in the water of KWU’s cooler was paint thinner. Based on information obtained through the investigation, it has been determined that the foreign substance was not paint thinner, but rather line paint used on the field and to touch up bases.The Lindsborg Police Department has conducted over 60 interviews so far, collected multiple pieces of evidence, photographed the scene, and followed various leads. Though the investigation is active and ongoing, it has been determined that no one associated with either college was responsible for tampering with the water cooler.The Lindsborg Police Department has identified two male juveniles as being involved in this incident and are continuing to investigate this matter.

Kan. boy charged with contaminating opposing team's water

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/26/kansas-library-board-decides-to-keep-fred-gets-dressed-despite-mothers-complaint/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Oakley Public Library Board of Trustees voted unanimously Wednesday to keep a children’s book over&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/10/woman-wants-kansas-library-to-get-rid-of-childrens-book-about-boy-who-dresses-in-moms-clothes/">objections from a woman</a>&nbsp;who asked for its removal.

Janna Leitner tried to ban “Fred Gets Dressed,” by Peter Brown, from the public library after&nbsp;her two children, ages 9 and 11, discovered the book and brought it to their mother’s attention. Library staff told Kansas Reflector that the woman, who was identified in meeting minutes, was troubled by what she viewed as LGBTQ content.

The book is about a boy who loves to “romp through the house naked and wild and free” and tries on his mother’s clothes. Brown, a bestselling author of children’s books, is a straight,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cisgender">cisgender</a>&nbsp;man who wrote the book&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.peterbrownstudio.com/fred-gets-dressed/">about an experience he had as a little boy</a>.

The library board heard Leitner’s concerns during an April 27 meeting. The minutes from that meeting reference a discussion about whether the book is appropriate for children. The board decided “to table the censorship issue” until the May 25 board meeting, the minutes said.

During Wednesday’s meeting, library director Victoria Halbleib asked to provide a statement for the record, according to unofficial minutes obtained by Kansas Reflector.

“To ban a book is fundamentally wrong,” Halbleib said. “I am sorry that Mrs. Leitner and her children were disturbed by the content of this book, however, the content of any book has no power over us unless we open it and continue to look or read it. This is not about defending or condoning the content of this book or other material in this library. This is a censorship issue; it is about the right of every patron who comes through the door to have the freedom to decide for themselves what they will read. Please do not censor and remove this book from our collection.”

The board voted 6-0 not to remove the book, according to the minutes. The board also voted to order a plain hard copy of the book — the existing copy is a “wonderbook,” which includes audio — and place it on the regular bookshelf, rather than put it on display.

Brown previously said this was the first known attempt to ban his book.

“The woman trying to ban ‘Fred Gets Dressed’ has the right to keep her children from reading the book, but controlling what other people can read? That’s downright un-American,” Brown said. “I think everyone needs to lighten up, and let children be whoever they’re going to be, and let them read what they want to read. Everything is going to be fine.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653666865991.png" alt="“Fred Gets Dressed,” by Peter Brown, depicts a young boy who likes to romp naked through the house and gets dressed in his mother’s clothes. Brown based on the book on an experience from his own life. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>“Fred Gets Dressed,” by Peter Brown, depicts a young boy who likes to romp naked through the house and gets dressed in his mother’s clothes. Brown based on the book on an experience from his own life. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/26/kansas-library-board-decides-to-keep-fred-gets-dressed-despite-mothers-complaint/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Oakley Public Library Board of Trustees voted unanimously Wednesday to keep a children’s book over&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/10/woman-wants-kansas-library-to-get-rid-of-childrens-book-about-boy-who-dresses-in-moms-clothes/">objections from a woman</a>&nbsp;who asked for its removal.Janna Leitner tried to ban “Fred Gets Dressed,” by Peter Brown, from the public library after&nbsp;her two children, ages 9 and 11, discovered the book and brought it to their mother’s attention. Library staff told Kansas Reflector that the woman, who was identified in meeting minutes, was troubled by what she viewed as LGBTQ content.The book is about a boy who loves to “romp through the house naked and wild and free” and tries on his mother’s clothes. Brown, a bestselling author of children’s books, is a straight,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cisgender">cisgender</a>&nbsp;man who wrote the book&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.peterbrownstudio.com/fred-gets-dressed/">about an experience he had as a little boy</a>.The library board heard Leitner’s concerns during an April 27 meeting. The minutes from that meeting reference a discussion about whether the book is appropriate for children. The board decided “to table the censorship issue” until the May 25 board meeting, the minutes said.During Wednesday’s meeting, library director Victoria Halbleib asked to provide a statement for the record, according to unofficial minutes obtained by Kansas Reflector.“To ban a book is fundamentally wrong,” Halbleib said. “I am sorry that Mrs. Leitner and her children were disturbed by the content of this book, however, the content of any book has no power over us unless we open it and continue to look or read it. This is not about defending or condoning the content of this book or other material in this library. This is a censorship issue; it is about the right of every patron who comes through the door to have the freedom to decide for themselves what they will read. Please do not censor and remove this book from our collection.”The board voted 6-0 not to remove the book, according to the minutes. The board also voted to order a plain hard copy of the book — the existing copy is a “wonderbook,” which includes audio — and place it on the regular bookshelf, rather than put it on display.Brown previously said this was the first known attempt to ban his book.“The woman trying to ban ‘Fred Gets Dressed’ has the right to keep her children from reading the book, but controlling what other people can read? That’s downright un-American,” Brown said. “I think everyone needs to lighten up, and let children be whoever they’re going to be, and let them read what they want to read. Everything is going to be fine.”

Kan. library to keep ‘Fred Gets Dressed’ despite mother’s complaint

<a href="https://hutchpost.com">Via Hutch Post</a>

MCPHERSON — As part of the city of McPherson's 150th anniversary celebration, they 
are having a time capsule unveiling event from both the city centennial 
and the nation's bicentennial time capsules. 

However, officials have found some damage to one of the capsules. According to 
the McPherson Fire Department, they located all the time capsules in 
water and immediately began extricating the capsules. 

Only the 
Centennial Time Capsule contained water, so staff began draining water 
and removing the contents. Members worked through the late evening 
trying to save what could be saved. Those items that were saved have 
serious water damage.

The time capsule reveal event is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at the McPherson Fire Station. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653663232159.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hutchpost.com">Via Hutch Post</a>MCPHERSON — As part of the city of McPherson's 150th anniversary celebration, they 
are having a time capsule unveiling event from both the city centennial 
and the nation's bicentennial time capsules. However, officials have found some damage to one of the capsules. According to 
the McPherson Fire Department, they located all the time capsules in 
water and immediately began extricating the capsules. Only the 
Centennial Time Capsule contained water, so staff began draining water 
and removing the contents. Members worked through the late evening 
trying to save what could be saved. Those items that were saved have 
serious water damage.The time capsule reveal event is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at the McPherson Fire Station.

Kan. town's time capsule found damaged prior to unveiling

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A 25-year-old Missouri woman is accused of leaving four dogs locked in a hot car while she had lunch in a central Florida restaurant, police said.

The woman, identified in online jail records as Tesia C. White, who was visiting the area from Gainesville, Missouri, was arrested Thursday evening on charges of animal cruelty, New Smyrna Beach police officials said.

A police report said she left a 4-year-old Goldendoodle, 2-year-old Boxer and two 12-week-old Goldendoodle puppies in her car while she had lunch. There was no air conditioning and the windows were rolled up, the report said.

She told investigators she checked on the dogs once during the meal, but found them dead when she returned an hour later, police said.

She remained in the Volusia County Jail on Friday morning. Bond was set at $10,000.

New Smyrna Beach is near Daytona Beach on Florida's Atlantic Coast.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653658627958.png" alt="White photo Volusia County Jail" />
 <figcaption>White photo Volusia County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A 25-year-old Missouri woman is accused of leaving four dogs locked in a hot car while she had lunch in a central Florida restaurant, police said.The woman, identified in online jail records as Tesia C. White, who was visiting the area from Gainesville, Missouri, was arrested Thursday evening on charges of animal cruelty, New Smyrna Beach police officials said.A police report said she left a 4-year-old Goldendoodle, 2-year-old Boxer and two 12-week-old Goldendoodle puppies in her car while she had lunch. There was no air conditioning and the windows were rolled up, the report said.She told investigators she checked on the dogs once during the meal, but found them dead when she returned an hour later, police said.She remained in the Volusia County Jail on Friday morning. Bond was set at $10,000.New Smyrna Beach is near Daytona Beach on Florida's Atlantic Coast.

Woman accused of leaving 4 dogs to die in hot car

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal officer involved shooting have identified the suspect who died during the 9-hour standoff as 39-year-old Gregorio M. Banuelos, according to Wichita Police Captain Jason Stevens.

Just after 1:30a.m. Wednesday, police responded to report of a shooting at a home in the the 500 block of N. Milstead in Wichita.

A woman victim reported to police that a relative identified as Banuelos showed up at the home, where he does not live, and was intoxicated and&nbsp; accompanied by his girlfriend.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The girlfriend was asked to leave the residence which prompted a verbal disturbance with the victim. During the disturbance, Banuelos assaulted the victim which caused a minor, visible injury, according to Stevens.

Banuelos chased the victim into a room of the home and brandished a handgun and fired one shot that missed her. After Banuelos fired the gun, the woman and two other residents including a child escaped from the home as they waited for police to arrive.

When officers arrived, they saw Banuelos walk out the front door of the home and he was armed with the handgun, according to Stevens. He made some comments and went back into the house.

Due to the nature of the 911 call, police decided at 2 a.m., to activate the Wichita Police SWAT team along with crisis,&nbsp; hostage negotiators. Investigators also learned that Banuelos was prohibited from owning a handgun due to a felony drug conviction. In addition Banuelos had two felony warrants from 2021 aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, criminal threat and a weapons violation, according to Stevens. Police also learned that Banuelos allegedly assaulted another family member earlier this month and used a firearm.

The SWAT team and negotiators worked to peacefully resolve the situation and make an arrest, according to Stevens. Banuelos refused to come out of the house and refused to take calls from anyone during the 9-hour standoff.

The SWAT team used a robot to enter the home to survey the situation and make verbal contact with Banuelos.&nbsp; He continued to refuse to leave the home. Police also used a K-9 in their effort to make an arrest.&nbsp;

Investigators were able to determine Banuelos was in a room in the basement of the home and still had the handgun.

At some point, police believe Banuelsos turned electricity off at the home. Later, officers heard a single gunshot and used the robot to pinpoint his location again.&nbsp;

As officers entered the home to investigate, Banuelos emerged from a position in the basement and pointed the gun. The officers responded in self defense.

After an exchange of gunfire, the officers retreated to defensive positions outside as Banuelos continued to fire the weapon. Not long after the officers retreated, Banuelos emerged aggressively from a walkout door from the house into the garage.&nbsp;

Officers acted in self defense and shot him. EMS crews on the scene were sent in to render aid. Banuelos was pronounced deceased.

The four officers involved in the shooting included two Sedgwick County sheriff's deputies and two Wichita police officers.&nbsp; The police officers each had twenty years of service with the department, according to Stevens. The deputies had 12 and 6-years of experience with the sheriff's office.

All four have been placed on administrative leave which is standard procedure.&nbsp; The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is in charge of the investigation, according to Stevens. There were no other injuries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653605174213.png" alt="Banuelos from his Oct. 2021 arrest on requested charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery, criminal threat and drug possession-photo Sedgwick Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Banuelos from his Oct. 2021 arrest on requested charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery, criminal threat and drug possession-photo Sedgwick Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal officer involved shooting have identified the suspect who died during the 9-hour standoff as 39-year-old Gregorio M. Banuelos, according to Wichita Police Captain Jason Stevens.Just after 1:30a.m. Wednesday, police responded to report of a shooting at a home in the the 500 block of N. Milstead in Wichita.A woman victim reported to police that a relative identified as Banuelos showed up at the home, where he does not live, and was intoxicated and&nbsp; accompanied by his girlfriend.&nbsp; &nbsp;The girlfriend was asked to leave the residence which prompted a verbal disturbance with the victim. During the disturbance, Banuelos assaulted the victim which caused a minor, visible injury, according to Stevens.Banuelos chased the victim into a room of the home and brandished a handgun and fired one shot that missed her. After Banuelos fired the gun, the woman and two other residents including a child escaped from the home as they waited for police to arrive.When officers arrived, they saw Banuelos walk out the front door of the home and he was armed with the handgun, according to Stevens. He made some comments and went back into the house.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653616854990.png" alt="SWAT team on the scene of the officer-involved shooting-photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>SWAT team on the scene of the officer-involved shooting-photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Due to the nature of the 911 call, police decided at 2 a.m., to activate the Wichita Police SWAT team along with crisis,&nbsp; hostage negotiators. Investigators also learned that Banuelos was prohibited from owning a handgun due to a felony drug conviction. In addition Banuelos had two felony warrants from 2021 aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, criminal threat and a weapons violation, according to Stevens. Police also learned that Banuelos allegedly assaulted another family member earlier this month and used a firearm.The SWAT team and negotiators worked to peacefully resolve the situation and make an arrest, according to Stevens. Banuelos refused to come out of the house and refused to take calls from anyone during the 9-hour standoff.The SWAT team used a robot to enter the home to survey the situation and make verbal contact with Banuelos.&nbsp; He continued to refuse to leave the home. Police also used a K-9 in their effort to make an arrest.&nbsp;Investigators were able to determine Banuelos was in a room in the basement of the home and still had the handgun.At some point, police believe Banuelsos turned electricity off at the home. Later, officers heard a single gunshot and used the robot to pinpoint his location again.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653616799293.png" alt="Photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>As officers entered the home to investigate, Banuelos emerged from a position in the basement and pointed the gun. The officers responded in self defense.After an exchange of gunfire, the officers retreated to defensive positions outside as Banuelos continued to fire the weapon. Not long after the officers retreated, Banuelos emerged aggressively from a walkout door from the house into the garage.&nbsp;Officers acted in self defense and shot him. EMS crews on the scene were sent in to render aid. Banuelos was pronounced deceased.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653616891699.png" alt="The suspect's handgun located after the shooting-photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>The suspect's handgun located after the shooting-photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>The four officers involved in the shooting included two Sedgwick County sheriff's deputies and two Wichita police officers.&nbsp; The police officers each had twenty years of service with the department, according to Stevens. The deputies had 12 and 6-years of experience with the sheriff's office.All four have been placed on administrative leave which is standard procedure.&nbsp; The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is in charge of the investigation, according to Stevens. There were no other injuries.

Wanted Kansas man dies after 9-hour standoff with police

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats’ first attempt at responding to the back-to-back mass shootings in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/buffalo-supermarket-shooting">Buffalo</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings">Uvalde, Texas,</a>&nbsp;failed in the Senate Thursday as Republicans blocked a domestic terrorism bill that would have opened debate on difficult questions surrounding hate crimes and gun safety.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., tried to nudge Republicans into taking up a domestic terrorism bill that had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-new-york-voting-buffalo-gun-politics-f30b5f51f239fa776726efe077be008d">cleared the House</a>&nbsp;quickly last week after mass shootings at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, and a church in Southern California targeting people of color. He said it could become the basis for negotiation.

But the vote failed along party lines, raising fresh doubts about the possibility of robust debate, let alone eventual compromise, on gun safety measures. The final vote was 47-47, short of the 60 needed to take up the bill. All Republicans including Kansas Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted against it.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653589652429.png" alt="Protesters joined democratic lawmakers during a Thursday news conference at the Capitol on crafting bipartisan legislation to address gun violence in the wake of mass shootings in Buffalo, New York and Uvalde, Texas. -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Protesters joined democratic lawmakers during a Thursday news conference at the Capitol on crafting bipartisan legislation to address gun violence in the wake of mass shootings in Buffalo, New York and Uvalde, Texas. -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats’ first attempt at responding to the back-to-back mass shootings in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/buffalo-supermarket-shooting">Buffalo</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings">Uvalde, Texas,</a>&nbsp;failed in the Senate Thursday as Republicans blocked a domestic terrorism bill that would have opened debate on difficult questions surrounding hate crimes and gun safety.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., tried to nudge Republicans into taking up a domestic terrorism bill that had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-new-york-voting-buffalo-gun-politics-f30b5f51f239fa776726efe077be008d">cleared the House</a>&nbsp;quickly last week after mass shootings at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, and a church in Southern California targeting people of color. He said it could become the basis for negotiation.But the vote failed along party lines, raising fresh doubts about the possibility of robust debate, let alone eventual compromise, on gun safety measures. The final vote was 47-47, short of the 60 needed to take up the bill. All Republicans including Kansas Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted against it.“We’re disappointed,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.She said it’s “shameful” that the National Rifle Association and others have stood in the way of advancing such measures but encouraged Congress to press ahead.“The president has been very clear that’s it’s time to act,” she said.Rejection of the bill, just two days after the mass shooting at a Texas elementary school that killed 19 children and two teachers, brought into sharp relief Congress’ persistent failure to pass legislation to curb the nation’s epidemic of gun violence. It also underscored the prevalence of mass shootings in the U.S. as Congress struggled to react to earlier shootings but was confronted by yet another massacre.Schumer said he will give bipartisan negotiations in the Senate about two weeks, while Congress is away for a break, to try to forge a compromise bill that could pass the 50-50 Senate, where 60 votes will be needed to overcome a filibuster.“None of us are under any illusions this will be easy,” Schumer said ahead of the vote.A small, bipartisan group of about 10 senators who have sought to negotiate legislation on guns met Thursday afternoon for the second time searching for any compromise that could win approved in Congress.They narrowed to three topics — background checks for guns purchased online or at gun shows,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-flag-gun-laws-buffalo-supermarket-shooting-fecdd8a10f1a1e0f99ac5c4d17db145a">red-flag laws</a>&nbsp;designed to keep guns away from those who could harm themselves or others, and programs to bolster security at schools and other buildings.“We have a range of options that we’re going to work on,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who is leading the negotiations. They broke into groups and will report next week.Murphy has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senator-chris-murphy-pleads-for-action-on-gun-violence-641fb7c7244ff497c7f9c4c1bc96366c">working to push</a>&nbsp;gun legislation since the 2012 attack at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, that killed 20 children and six educators. He was joined Thursday by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and others. Collins, a veteran of bipartisan talks, called the meeting “constructive.”What is clear, however, is that providing funding for local gun safety efforts may be more politically viable than devising new federal policies.GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina exited the meeting saying there is no appetite for a federal red flag law or a so-called yellow flag law — which permits temporary firearm confiscation from people in danger of hurting themselves or others, if a medical practitioner signs off.But Graham said there could be interest in providing money to the states that already have red flag laws or that want to develop them. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who circulated a draft at the meeting, will work with Graham on a potential compromise.“These laws save lives,” Blumenthal said.Toomey told reporters that the Manchin-Toomey background check bill — which failed in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook school shooting a decade ago — still does not have enough support. Manchin said he hoped this time would be different.“I can’t get my grandchildren out of my mind. It could have been them,” Manchin said.None of the lawmakers could say definitively if any of the efforts will be able to win all Democrats and have the 10 Republican senators it needs to advance past a GOP-led filibuster.Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who has said little about gun legislation since the several tragedies have unfolded, told reporters he met with Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas earlier and encouraged senators to collaborate across the aisle on workable outcomes.“I am hopeful that we could come up with a bipartisan solution that’s directly related to the facts of this awful massacre,” McConnell said.The domestic terrorism bill that failed Thursday dates back to 2017, when Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., first proposed it after mass shootings in Las Vegas and Southerland Springs, Texas.The House passed a similar measure by a voice vote in 2020, only to have it languish in the Senate. Since then, Republicans have turned against the legislation, with only one GOP lawmaker supporting passage in the House last week.“What had broad bipartisan support two years ago, because of the political climate we find ourselves in ... or to be more specific, the political climate Republicans find themselves in, we’re not able to stand up against domestic terrorism,” Schneider, who came into office in the wake of the Sandy Hook school shooting, told The Associated Press.Republicans say the bill doesn’t place enough emphasis on combating domestic terrorism committed by groups on the far left. Under the bill, agencies would be required to produce a joint report every six months that assesses and quantifies domestic terrorism threats nationally, including threats posed by white supremacists and neo-Nazi groups.Proponents say the bill will fill the gaps in intelligence-sharing among the Justice Department, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI so that officials can better track and respond to the growing threat of white extremist terrorism.The efforts would focus on the spread of racist ideology online like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/great-white-replacement-theory-explainer-c86f309f02cd14062f301ce6b9228e33">replacement theory,</a>&nbsp;which investigators say motivated an 18-year-old white gunman to drive three hours to carry out a racist, livestreamed shooting rampage two weeks ago in a crowded supermarket in Buffalo. Or the animus against Taiwanese parishioners at a church in Laguna Woods, California, that led to the shooting death the following day of one man and the wounding of five others.While Schneider acknowledged that his legislation may not have stopped those attacks, he said it would ensure that those federal agencies work together to better identify, predict and stop threats.Under current law, the three federal agencies already work to investigate, prevent and prosecute acts of domestic terrorism. But the bill would require each agency to open offices specifically dedicated to those tasks and create an interagency task force to combat the infiltration of white supremacy in the military.___