DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A man serving a 25-year prison sentence for rigging computers to win lottery jackpots has had his parole revoked after he got into trouble in prison just before his scheduled release.

Eddie Tipton was approved for release by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/iowa">Iowa</a>&nbsp;Board of Parole on Jan. 20 because of good behavior. He had served nearly five years of his 25-year sentence. The board reversed its decision and rescinded his parole on March 10.

“He incurred a major discipline or major report within the institution after we granted the parole but before he was physically released,” said Iowa Board of Parole Chairman Andrew Boettger.

The Iowa Department of Corrections notified the board of the incident, the board reviewed it and “based on the nature of the discipline decided to rescind the parole grant," Boettger said.

Boettger declined to specify what Tipton did before his release to deserve disciplinary action. A spokesman for Department of Corrections referred questions to Boettger. The prison system spokesman also denied a request to talk with Tipton at the state medium security prison for men in Clarinda.

Tipton had worked for an organization in Urbandale, Iowa, that provided random number drawing computers to several states with lotteries. Investigators said he installed code on lottery computers that allowed him to predict the winning numbers on specific days. He, his brother Tommy Tipton of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/texas">Texas</a>, and others played the numbers he predicted and claimed winnings.

Eddie Tipton pleaded guilty in 2017 to ongoing criminal conduct and was ordered to repay $2.2 million in ill-gotten winnings from lotteries in Kansas, Colorado,&nbsp;Wisconsin and&nbsp;Oklahoma. Court documents indicate he still owes most of the money. He shared some of the restitution obligation with his brother, who collected some of the winnings.

An Iowa jury also convicted Eddie Tipton of attempting to take $16.5 million from a rigged Iowa Lottery game in December 2010, but the Iowa Supreme Court in 2017 overruled the decision, saying the state took too long to prosecute him.

Tipton, like all non-violent offenders with no mandatory minimum sentence, will come up for review again in a year and corrections officials could recommend him for parole again before that, Boettger said.

In Iowa, non-violent offenders with no mandatory minimum sentence are eligible for parole immediately. Typically the prison system evaluates when they're ready for consideration and makes a recommendation to the parole board, which does its own evaluation and determines whether the person is ready to transition to work release or parole and “has been rehabilitated and is ready to live a law-abiding life,” Boettger said.

Parole board documents indicate Tipton would have been allowed to move to Texas, where he has family including his brother.

At his 2017 Iowa sentencing hearing, Tipton told the judge he wrote software containing code that allowed him to predict winning numbers on certain dates. He gave those numbers to others who won lottery prizes and shared the winnings with him.

It’s not clear what happened to the money Tipton and his associates won between 2005 and 2011. Out of the seven known winning tickets that netted more than $2.2 million, Eddie Tipton claimed to have ended up with only $351,000.

Tipton, 59, has filed a lawsuit in state court claiming he was placed under duress to plead guilty. He also alleges that Iowa officials charged him for restitution in states for which it has no jurisdiction, and he says he can’t pay. A trial is set for Aug. 17.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1566940541907.png" alt="Tipton-photo Iowa Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Tipton-photo Iowa Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A man serving a 25-year prison sentence for rigging computers to win lottery jackpots has had his parole revoked after he got into trouble in prison just before his scheduled release.Eddie Tipton was approved for release by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/iowa">Iowa</a>&nbsp;Board of Parole on Jan. 20 because of good behavior. He had served nearly five years of his 25-year sentence. The board reversed its decision and rescinded his parole on March 10.“He incurred a major discipline or major report within the institution after we granted the parole but before he was physically released,” said Iowa Board of Parole Chairman Andrew Boettger.The Iowa Department of Corrections notified the board of the incident, the board reviewed it and “based on the nature of the discipline decided to rescind the parole grant," Boettger said.Boettger declined to specify what Tipton did before his release to deserve disciplinary action. A spokesman for Department of Corrections referred questions to Boettger. The prison system spokesman also denied a request to talk with Tipton at the state medium security prison for men in Clarinda.Tipton had worked for an organization in Urbandale, Iowa, that provided random number drawing computers to several states with lotteries. Investigators said he installed code on lottery computers that allowed him to predict the winning numbers on specific days. He, his brother Tommy Tipton of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/texas">Texas</a>, and others played the numbers he predicted and claimed winnings.Eddie Tipton pleaded guilty in 2017 to ongoing criminal conduct and was ordered to repay $2.2 million in ill-gotten winnings from lotteries in Kansas, Colorado,&nbsp;Wisconsin and&nbsp;Oklahoma. Court documents indicate he still owes most of the money. He shared some of the restitution obligation with his brother, who collected some of the winnings.An Iowa jury also convicted Eddie Tipton of attempting to take $16.5 million from a rigged Iowa Lottery game in December 2010, but the Iowa Supreme Court in 2017 overruled the decision, saying the state took too long to prosecute him.Tipton, like all non-violent offenders with no mandatory minimum sentence, will come up for review again in a year and corrections officials could recommend him for parole again before that, Boettger said.In Iowa, non-violent offenders with no mandatory minimum sentence are eligible for parole immediately. Typically the prison system evaluates when they're ready for consideration and makes a recommendation to the parole board, which does its own evaluation and determines whether the person is ready to transition to work release or parole and “has been rehabilitated and is ready to live a law-abiding life,” Boettger said.Parole board documents indicate Tipton would have been allowed to move to Texas, where he has family including his brother.At his 2017 Iowa sentencing hearing, Tipton told the judge he wrote software containing code that allowed him to predict winning numbers on certain dates. He gave those numbers to others who won lottery prizes and shared the winnings with him.It’s not clear what happened to the money Tipton and his associates won between 2005 and 2011. Out of the seven known winning tickets that netted more than $2.2 million, Eddie Tipton claimed to have ended up with only $351,000.Tipton, 59, has filed a lawsuit in state court claiming he was placed under duress to plead guilty. He also alleges that Iowa officials charged him for restitution in states for which it has no jurisdiction, and he says he can’t pay. A trial is set for Aug. 17.

Parole revoked for man convicted of lottery scam in Kansas

KANSAS CITY – Four Kansas City-area men have been indicted for their role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, which resulted in an overdose death, according to the United State's Attorney.

Dmitry Cattell, 22, Joseph Burgess, 21, and Jordon Simmer, 20, all of Kansas City, Mo., and Kelton Hill, 22, of Parkville, Mo., were charged in a nine-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City.&nbsp; That indictment was unsealed and made public following the arrests of all four defendants on Thursday, April 7. They remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing on April 12, 2022.

The federal indictment alleges that all four defendants have participated in a conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl since Sept. 12, 2019.

In addition to the drug-trafficking conspiracy, the indictment charges Cattell and Simmer with aiding and abetting each other to distribute fentanyl, the use of which caused the death of another person, on May 18, 2020. The victim of the fatal overdose is not identified in court documents.

Cattell is also charged with two counts of distributing fentanyl, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm. Cattell allegedly was in possession of a Taurus handgun on Nov. 10, 2020.

Simmer, Burgess, and Hill each are also charged with one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute.

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.

KANSAS CITY – Four Kansas City-area men have been indicted for their role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, which resulted in an overdose death, according to the United State's Attorney.Dmitry Cattell, 22, Joseph Burgess, 21, and Jordon Simmer, 20, all of Kansas City, Mo., and Kelton Hill, 22, of Parkville, Mo., were charged in a nine-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City.&nbsp; That indictment was unsealed and made public following the arrests of all four defendants on Thursday, April 7. They remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing on April 12, 2022.The federal indictment alleges that all four defendants have participated in a conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl since Sept. 12, 2019.In addition to the drug-trafficking conspiracy, the indictment charges Cattell and Simmer with aiding and abetting each other to distribute fentanyl, the use of which caused the death of another person, on May 18, 2020. The victim of the fatal overdose is not identified in court documents.Cattell is also charged with two counts of distributing fentanyl, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm. Cattell allegedly was in possession of a Taurus handgun on Nov. 10, 2020.Simmer, Burgess, and Hill each are also charged with one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute.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.

4 indicted for KC-area fentanyl conspiracy that led to death

KANSAS CITY(AP) — The Kansas board that licenses health care providers raised concerns Friday about a letter that a physician-legislator sent to doctors suggesting that they prescribe ivermectin and other medications that aren’t approved to treat the virus.

The Kansas Board of Healing Arts said that the “unprecedented” letter from Kansas Sen. Mark Steffen carried no legal or regulatory weight but has caused “confusion and concern” in the Kansas medical community, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;reports.

Steffen, who is an anesthesiologist, said that health care providers will be shielded from the board’s “interference” in the letter that he sent last week on Senate stationery. The Hutchinson Republican said previously that the board is investigating him.

In the letter, he cites the recent Senate passage of a measure that specifically authorizes doctors to prescribe ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, among other drugs, to treat COVID-19. But the proposal remains bogged down in negotiations with the House.

The board wrote in response that nothing in state or federal law prohibits the off-label prescribing of FDA approved drugs. But it said doctor are bound to follow the standard of care, which is determined by what a reasonable physician would do in a situation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644349412329.png" alt="Sen. Mark Steffen, R-Hutchinson -photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Mark Steffen, R-Hutchinson -photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY(AP) — The Kansas board that licenses health care providers raised concerns Friday about a letter that a physician-legislator sent to doctors suggesting that they prescribe ivermectin and other medications that aren’t approved to treat the virus.The Kansas Board of Healing Arts said that the “unprecedented” letter from Kansas Sen. Mark Steffen carried no legal or regulatory weight but has caused “confusion and concern” in the Kansas medical community, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;reports.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649271532204.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Steffen, who is an anesthesiologist, said that health care providers will be shielded from the board’s “interference” in the letter that he sent last week on Senate stationery. The Hutchinson Republican said previously that the board is investigating him.In the letter, he cites the recent Senate passage of a measure that specifically authorizes doctors to prescribe ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, among other drugs, to treat COVID-19. But the proposal remains bogged down in negotiations with the House.The board wrote in response that nothing in state or federal law prohibits the off-label prescribing of FDA approved drugs. But it said doctor are bound to follow the standard of care, which is determined by what a reasonable physician would do in a situation.

Board: Kan. physician-legislator's COVID directive has no weight

<a href="https://salinapost.com">Salina Post</a>

ABILENE — A project is underway to preserve President Dwight D. Eisenhower's boyhood home.

The
 home, on the grounds of the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum 
complex, is closed to public tours until the structural preservation 
work is completed in the fall.

"The home was built in 1887, and like other aging houses, it needs some attention," the library noted in a news release.

"These
 repairs are necessary for the preservation of this historic home and 
our ability to continue sharing this history. We are excited to complete
 this project and once again open the home for guests," said Dawn 
Hammatt, director.

While the house is closed, interested persons 
will be able to take a virtual tour via a video that was created in 
anticipation of its closing. The short video, A Window to the Past: Life
 inside the Eisenhower Boyhood Home, provides a guided tour of 
Eisenhower's boyhood home and offers a glimpse into daily life growing 
up in the very heart of America.

The video is available for viewing on the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home <a href="https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/about-us/boyhood-home#preservation">website</a> and on the facility's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/IkeLibrary/featured">YouTube channel</a>.

Additionally, interested persons can follow the project's progress on the <a href="https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/about-us/boyhood-home#preservation">website</a>.

About the Eisenhower Presidential Library The Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum&nbsp;is one of 15 Presidential Libraries operated by the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0010pgDEYaphSjuvIa0PDpxGLam5uyUrHJIfm1kKjyaThpEtdxWLg2WHGAQzXp8WPvDSYWqCMuAbhWAWum_hXCIh2TBIafcA9lKRC4_zFwrzwpWJp0tXTUsOg3te-d5X8GxuUjAEBDJQe63oJHg1TLujQ==&amp;c=kIoTtJ97VLTYBlYqy2zH6MkX9gtOn50oDiKRXEZns2ps9RSiVZKsdw==&amp;ch=w6BZ2yb4bIHTgzVOL6y3yOhSy9zWHBPNO_L6uSeZtdRB15CpFlpP2A==" target="_blank">National Archives and Records Administration</a>.
 Presidential Libraries promote understanding of the presidency and the 
American experience. They preserve and provide access to historical 
materials, support research, and create interactive programs and 
exhibits that educate and inspire. Public programs and exhibits at the 
Eisenhower Presidential Library are made possible in part through the 
generous support of the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0010pgDEYaphSjuvIa0PDpxGLam5uyUrHJIfm1kKjyaThpEtdxWLg2WHGAQzXp8WPvDMKtuiro23H-kNWI-NKMA_h75FHyGL6ba6OwXBJpx_GcFWAS3oXSB7tfZx0aqtUNBPya2q76IEBbgl1HozcEnOHF4e78tXWTo&amp;c=kIoTtJ97VLTYBlYqy2zH6MkX9gtOn50oDiKRXEZns2ps9RSiVZKsdw==&amp;ch=w6BZ2yb4bIHTgzVOL6y3yOhSy9zWHBPNO_L6uSeZtdRB15CpFlpP2A==" target="_blank">Eisenhower Foundation</a>. To learn more, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0010pgDEYaphSjuvIa0PDpxGLam5uyUrHJIfm1kKjyaThpEtdxWLg2WHGAQzXp8WPvDRPj5I7eV2kEPNrR1_4-9Hj9_E9ypASMzv_ytRhc4VuWbDIyQwK-QgAyCn0admXRVbsFKZgU6yOy-JlGwWsAVTi_ESmTRbUJg&amp;c=kIoTtJ97VLTYBlYqy2zH6MkX9gtOn50oDiKRXEZns2ps9RSiVZKsdw==&amp;ch=w6BZ2yb4bIHTgzVOL6y3yOhSy9zWHBPNO_L6uSeZtdRB15CpFlpP2A==" target="_blank">eisenhowerlibrary.gov</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649605285182.jpeg" alt="Structural preservation work has begun on President Dwight D. Eisenhower's boyhood home. Photo courtesy Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home website" />
 <figcaption>Structural preservation work has begun on President Dwight D. Eisenhower's boyhood home. Photo courtesy Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home website</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://salinapost.com">Salina Post</a>ABILENE — A project is underway to preserve President Dwight D. Eisenhower's boyhood home.The
 home, on the grounds of the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum 
complex, is closed to public tours until the structural preservation 
work is completed in the fall."The home was built in 1887, and like other aging houses, it needs some attention," the library noted in a news release."These
 repairs are necessary for the preservation of this historic home and 
our ability to continue sharing this history. We are excited to complete
 this project and once again open the home for guests," said Dawn 
Hammatt, director.While the house is closed, interested persons 
will be able to take a virtual tour via a video that was created in 
anticipation of its closing. The short video, A Window to the Past: Life
 inside the Eisenhower Boyhood Home, provides a guided tour of 
Eisenhower's boyhood home and offers a glimpse into daily life growing 
up in the very heart of America.The video is available for viewing on the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home <a href="https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/about-us/boyhood-home#preservation">website</a> and on the facility's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/IkeLibrary/featured">YouTube channel</a>.Additionally, interested persons can follow the project's progress on the <a href="https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/about-us/boyhood-home#preservation">website</a>.About the Eisenhower Presidential Library The Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum&nbsp;is one of 15 Presidential Libraries operated by the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0010pgDEYaphSjuvIa0PDpxGLam5uyUrHJIfm1kKjyaThpEtdxWLg2WHGAQzXp8WPvDSYWqCMuAbhWAWum_hXCIh2TBIafcA9lKRC4_zFwrzwpWJp0tXTUsOg3te-d5X8GxuUjAEBDJQe63oJHg1TLujQ==&amp;c=kIoTtJ97VLTYBlYqy2zH6MkX9gtOn50oDiKRXEZns2ps9RSiVZKsdw==&amp;ch=w6BZ2yb4bIHTgzVOL6y3yOhSy9zWHBPNO_L6uSeZtdRB15CpFlpP2A==" target="_blank">National Archives and Records Administration</a>.
 Presidential Libraries promote understanding of the presidency and the 
American experience. They preserve and provide access to historical 
materials, support research, and create interactive programs and 
exhibits that educate and inspire. Public programs and exhibits at the 
Eisenhower Presidential Library are made possible in part through the 
generous support of the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0010pgDEYaphSjuvIa0PDpxGLam5uyUrHJIfm1kKjyaThpEtdxWLg2WHGAQzXp8WPvDMKtuiro23H-kNWI-NKMA_h75FHyGL6ba6OwXBJpx_GcFWAS3oXSB7tfZx0aqtUNBPya2q76IEBbgl1HozcEnOHF4e78tXWTo&amp;c=kIoTtJ97VLTYBlYqy2zH6MkX9gtOn50oDiKRXEZns2ps9RSiVZKsdw==&amp;ch=w6BZ2yb4bIHTgzVOL6y3yOhSy9zWHBPNO_L6uSeZtdRB15CpFlpP2A==" target="_blank">Eisenhower Foundation</a>. To learn more, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0010pgDEYaphSjuvIa0PDpxGLam5uyUrHJIfm1kKjyaThpEtdxWLg2WHGAQzXp8WPvDRPj5I7eV2kEPNrR1_4-9Hj9_E9ypASMzv_ytRhc4VuWbDIyQwK-QgAyCn0admXRVbsFKZgU6yOy-JlGwWsAVTi_ESmTRbUJg&amp;c=kIoTtJ97VLTYBlYqy2zH6MkX9gtOn50oDiKRXEZns2ps9RSiVZKsdw==&amp;ch=w6BZ2yb4bIHTgzVOL6y3yOhSy9zWHBPNO_L6uSeZtdRB15CpFlpP2A==" target="_blank">eisenhowerlibrary.gov</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Eisenhower boyhood home preservation project begins

By ARIANA FIGUEROA <a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/more-1500-books-have-been-banned-public-schools-and-us-house-panel-asks-why">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — A U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee panel on 
Thursday examined why thousands of books, predominantly written by 
marginalized authors, have been banned from public schools, and the 
impact of those actions on students and teachers.

“Most books being targeted for censorship are books that introduce 
ideas about diversity or our common humanity, books that teach children 
to recognize and respect humanity in one another,” said the chair of the
 Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Rep. Jamie Raskin.

Raskin, a Maryland Democrat, cited a new&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://pen.org/banned-in-the-usa/#conclusion">report</a>&nbsp;by
 PEN America — an organization that advocates for the protection of free
 speech — that found from July 2021 to the end of March this year, more 
than 1,500 books were banned&nbsp;in 86 school districts in 26 states.

The report found that of the banned books, 467 — or 41% —&nbsp; contained 
main or secondary characters of color; 247, or 22%, addressed racism; 
and 379, or 33%, of books contained LGBTQ+ themes.

Raskin held up a children’s book that administrators have tried to 
remove from school libraries. The book was written by Ruby Bridges, a 
civil rights icon who was the first Black child to desegregate an 
all-white Louisiana school. Bridges, who was 6 years old at the time, 
was a witness at the hearing.

“The truth is that rarely do children of color or immigrants see 
themselves in these textbooks we are forced to use,” Bridges said. “I 
write because I want them to understand the contributions their 
ancestors have made to our great country, whether that contribution was 
made as slaves or volunteers.”

Her book, “This Is Your Time,” is being reviewed for possible removal
 in a school district in Texas. Books written about her story have been 
banned in classrooms in Pennsylvania.

The hearing began with testimony from several high school students.

Olivia Pituch and Christina Ellis, of York, Pennsylvania, said it is 
important for students to see books written by authors who are people of
 color, LGBTQ+, Black and Indigenous, and with characters from 
marginalized groups.

Pituch, who identifies with the LGBTQ+ community, said that if she 
had been able to have access to books with queer representation, she 
would have “been able to embrace and love myself a lot earlier on.”

“I deserve to walk into my school library and find a book with someone like me,” she said.

Ellis, who is Black, said that books that center on characters who 
are people of color also benefit white students, so those students are 
educated about different cultures.

She talked about how growing up, classmates would make fun of the 
Caribbean food she brought from&nbsp; home and how her classmates and 
sometimes teachers would touch her hair.

“Books that highlight our differences, and that teach others how to 
address diversity, are crucial,” she said. “Books can help kids educate 
themselves on various cultures and ways of life.”

Mindy Freeman, a parent from Pennsylvania, said a book called “George
 (Now Melissa)” was able to help her daughter, in fourth grade at the 
time, understand what she was going through as a transgender girl. 
Freeman said her daughter’s access to an age-appropriate book provided 
her the support and visibility she needed.

“No book made my child become transgender any more than a book could have turned her eyes from brown to blue,” Freedman said.

Republicans on the panel, Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio and Andy Biggs of 
Arizona, focused on freedom of speech on college campuses, and argued 
that these places were not welcoming to conservatives.

Biggs asked the Republican witness, Jonathan Pidluzny, what action 
should be taken so that conservatives are not barred from speaking on 
college campuses. Pidluzny is the vice president of academic affairs for
 the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, which is an organization 
that supports free speech across universities.

“We need to learn to tolerate the speech we abhor,” Pidluzny said.

Two Republicans, Reps. Byron Donalds of Florida and ranking member 
Nancy Mace of South Carolina, asked witnesses about district decisions 
about school curriculum and school administrators’ decisions to ban 
books.

“Taxpayers should have the ability to review that material because they pay for it,” Donalds said.

He, along with Mace, argued that there were other ways that students 
could get books, such as buying them or going to a public library.

“They can get a book from a lot of different places,” Mace said. “Is 
there anything that prevents a kid from going to a public library?”

Two of the witnesses, Samantha Hull, a librarian from Lancaster 
County, Pennsylvania, and Jessica Berg, a teacher from Loudoun County, 
Virginia, said not every student has the financial means to buy books or
 has adequate access to transportation to visit public libraries to read
 books where they see themselves represented.

Berg said visceral attacks on education from Republicans almost 
caused her to quit her job. She said she has received death threats from
 members of her own community as well as continued questioning of her 
expertise.

“Books … offer a mirror to readers so they can see themselves 
reflected in some way, be it their gender, race, culture, identity or 
experience, and it makes them feel less alone in the world,” she said. 
“When I think about the books frequently being challenged, the only 
connection I see between them is that they are the books that give voice
 to the most marginalized in our society.”

Mace agreed that history, especially “problematic chapters in our 
history,” should be taught in schools, but said books dealing with adult
 topics expose young kids to inappropriate topics.

“We should be teaching critical thinking skills,” Mace said, adding 
that she’s disturbed by reports of colleges “stifling speech to coddle 
young adults.”

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Florida Democrat, held up a graphic 
novel about the Holocaust that was the latest book to be banned in 
Tennessee classrooms, “Maus.” She said with the rise in white 
nationalism, antisemitism and racism, books like “Maus” are now more 
important than ever.

“We know that bigotry is learned,” Wasserman Schultz said, adding that “we also know it can be unlearned.”

She asked Hall what removing books like “Maus” and ones that have diverse characters does to students.

“It’s my opinion when books are removed … students are erased,” Hall 
said. “They feel their identities are not valued in the school and 
outside the school.”

Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., did not ask any of the witnesses 
questions but expressed the fear of discrimination her two Muslim sons 
might face growing up.

“Our children, they just simply want to exist as they are,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649428729081.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By ARIANA FIGUEROA <a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/more-1500-books-have-been-banned-public-schools-and-us-house-panel-asks-why">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — A U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee panel on 
Thursday examined why thousands of books, predominantly written by 
marginalized authors, have been banned from public schools, and the 
impact of those actions on students and teachers.“Most books being targeted for censorship are books that introduce 
ideas about diversity or our common humanity, books that teach children 
to recognize and respect humanity in one another,” said the chair of the
 Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Rep. Jamie Raskin.Raskin, a Maryland Democrat, cited a new&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://pen.org/banned-in-the-usa/#conclusion">report</a>&nbsp;by
 PEN America — an organization that advocates for the protection of free
 speech — that found from July 2021 to the end of March this year, more 
than 1,500 books were banned&nbsp;in 86 school districts in 26 states.The report found that of the banned books, 467 — or 41% —&nbsp; contained 
main or secondary characters of color; 247, or 22%, addressed racism; 
and 379, or 33%, of books contained LGBTQ+ themes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649428794909.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Raskin held up a children’s book that administrators have tried to 
remove from school libraries. The book was written by Ruby Bridges, a 
civil rights icon who was the first Black child to desegregate an 
all-white Louisiana school. Bridges, who was 6 years old at the time, 
was a witness at the hearing.“The truth is that rarely do children of color or immigrants see 
themselves in these textbooks we are forced to use,” Bridges said. “I 
write because I want them to understand the contributions their 
ancestors have made to our great country, whether that contribution was 
made as slaves or volunteers.”Her book, “This Is Your Time,” is being reviewed for possible removal
 in a school district in Texas. Books written about her story have been 
banned in classrooms in Pennsylvania.<h2>High school students speak out</h2>The hearing began with testimony from several high school students.Olivia Pituch and Christina Ellis, of York, Pennsylvania, said it is 
important for students to see books written by authors who are people of
 color, LGBTQ+, Black and Indigenous, and with characters from 
marginalized groups.Pituch, who identifies with the LGBTQ+ community, said that if she 
had been able to have access to books with queer representation, she 
would have “been able to embrace and love myself a lot earlier on.”“I deserve to walk into my school library and find a book with someone like me,” she said.Ellis, who is Black, said that books that center on characters who 
are people of color also benefit white students, so those students are 
educated about different cultures.She talked about how growing up, classmates would make fun of the 
Caribbean food she brought from&nbsp; home and how her classmates and 
sometimes teachers would touch her hair.“Books that highlight our differences, and that teach others how to 
address diversity, are crucial,” she said. “Books can help kids educate 
themselves on various cultures and ways of life.”Mindy Freeman, a parent from Pennsylvania, said a book called “George
 (Now Melissa)” was able to help her daughter, in fourth grade at the 
time, understand what she was going through as a transgender girl. 
Freeman said her daughter’s access to an age-appropriate book provided 
her the support and visibility she needed.“No book made my child become transgender any more than a book could have turned her eyes from brown to blue,” Freedman said.<h2>Freedom of speech on campus</h2>Republicans on the panel, Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio and Andy Biggs of 
Arizona, focused on freedom of speech on college campuses, and argued 
that these places were not welcoming to conservatives.Biggs asked the Republican witness, Jonathan Pidluzny, what action 
should be taken so that conservatives are not barred from speaking on 
college campuses. Pidluzny is the vice president of academic affairs for
 the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, which is an organization 
that supports free speech across universities.“We need to learn to tolerate the speech we abhor,” Pidluzny said.Two Republicans, Reps. Byron Donalds of Florida and ranking member 
Nancy Mace of South Carolina, asked witnesses about district decisions 
about school curriculum and school administrators’ decisions to ban 
books.“Taxpayers should have the ability to review that material because they pay for it,” Donalds said.He, along with Mace, argued that there were other ways that students 
could get books, such as buying them or going to a public library.“They can get a book from a lot of different places,” Mace said. “Is 
there anything that prevents a kid from going to a public library?”Two of the witnesses, Samantha Hull, a librarian from Lancaster 
County, Pennsylvania, and Jessica Berg, a teacher from Loudoun County, 
Virginia, said not every student has the financial means to buy books or
 has adequate access to transportation to visit public libraries to read
 books where they see themselves represented.Berg said visceral attacks on education from Republicans almost 
caused her to quit her job. She said she has received death threats from
 members of her own community as well as continued questioning of her 
expertise.“Books … offer a mirror to readers so they can see themselves 
reflected in some way, be it their gender, race, culture, identity or 
experience, and it makes them feel less alone in the world,” she said. 
“When I think about the books frequently being challenged, the only 
connection I see between them is that they are the books that give voice
 to the most marginalized in our society.”Mace agreed that history, especially “problematic chapters in our 
history,” should be taught in schools, but said books dealing with adult
 topics expose young kids to inappropriate topics.“We should be teaching critical thinking skills,” Mace said, adding 
that she’s disturbed by reports of colleges “stifling speech to coddle 
young adults.”<h2>Tennessee book banning</h2>Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Florida Democrat, held up a graphic 
novel about the Holocaust that was the latest book to be banned in 
Tennessee classrooms, “Maus.” She said with the rise in white 
nationalism, antisemitism and racism, books like “Maus” are now more 
important than ever.“We know that bigotry is learned,” Wasserman Schultz said, adding that “we also know it can be unlearned.”She asked Hall what removing books like “Maus” and ones that have diverse characters does to students.“It’s my opinion when books are removed … students are erased,” Hall 
said. “They feel their identities are not valued in the school and 
outside the school.”Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., did not ask any of the witnesses 
questions but expressed the fear of discrimination her two Muslim sons 
might face growing up.“Our children, they just simply want to exist as they are,” she said.

House panel questions why 1,500 books have been banned in public schools

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal crash that occurred just after 8a.m. Saturday in Sedgwick County have identified the victim as Catherine Granell, 48, of Rrayville, Missouri.

According to Sedgwick County Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick,&nbsp; Granell was driving a Suzuki passenger vehicle eastbound on 85th Street North and entered the intersection&nbsp; at Ridge Road without stopping at the posted stop sign.

A southbound Dodge truck driven by a 61-year-old man struck the Suzuki on the driver’s side.

&nbsp;Granell died at the scene, according to Blick. The other driver was&nbsp;not injured. Stop signs are posted at the intersection for east and westbound traffic on 85th Street North, according to Blick.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649597027337.png" alt="Stop signs are posted at the intersection for east and westbound traffic on 85th Street North, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick -photo courtesy KAKE" />
 <figcaption>Stop signs are posted at the intersection for east and westbound traffic on 85th Street North, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick -photo courtesy KAKE</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal crash that occurred just after 8a.m. Saturday in Sedgwick County have identified the victim as Catherine Granell, 48, of Rrayville, Missouri.According to Sedgwick County Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick,&nbsp; Granell was driving a Suzuki passenger vehicle eastbound on 85th Street North and entered the intersection&nbsp; at Ridge Road without stopping at the posted stop sign.A southbound Dodge truck driven by a 61-year-old man struck the Suzuki on the driver’s side.&nbsp;Granell died at the scene, according to Blick. The other driver was&nbsp;not injured. Stop signs are posted at the intersection for east and westbound traffic on 85th Street North, according to Blick.

Sheriff IDs woman who died in 2-vehicle Kansas crash

WASHINGTON (AP) —As Native Americans cautiously welcome&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-europe-religion-vatican-city-08a842346f2dd0ca645571d879d3124a">Pope Francis’ historic apology&nbsp;</a>for abuses at Catholic-run boarding schools for Indigenous children in Canada, U.S. churches are bracing for an unprecedented reckoning with their own legacies of operating such schools.

Church schools are likely to feature prominently in a report from the U.S. Department of the Interior, led by the first-ever Native American cabinet secretary, Deb Haaland,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/environment-education-native-americans-59d3add24caa315551b9749eeeb3a65b">due to be released later this month.</a>&nbsp;The report, prompted by last year’s discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves at former residential school sites in Canada, will focus on the loss of life and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-denver-e5cdf892b4a2b1081aa425f9d78eb4e4">enduring traumas the U.S. system inflicted on&nbsp;</a>Indigenous children from the 19th to mid-20th centuries.

From Episcopalians to Quakers to Catholic dioceses in Oklahoma, faith groups have either started or intensified efforts in the past year to research and atone for their prior roles in the boarding school system, which Native children were forced to attend — cutting them off from their families, tribes and traditions.

While the pontiff’s April 1 apology was addressed to Indigenous groups from Canada, people were listening south of the border.

“An apology is the best way to start any conversation,” said Roy Callison, a Catholic deacon and Cherokee Nation member helping coordinate the Oklahoma Catholic Native Schools Project, which includes listening sessions for those affected by the boarding school legacy. “That’s the first step to trying to get healing.”

In his meeting with Canada’s Indigenous delegations, Francis asked forgiveness “for the role that a number of Catholics ... had in all these things that wounded you, in the abuses you suffered and in the lack of respect shown for your identity, your culture and even your spiritual values.”

Francis “did something really important, which is name the importance of being indignant at this history,” said Maka Black Elk, executive director of truth and healing for Red Cloud Indian School on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

That history “is shameful, and it is not something we should accept,” said Black Elk, who is Oglala Lakota.

Red Cloud, affiliated with the Catholic Jesuit order, was for generations a boarding school for Lakota children. It’s now a day school incorporating Lakota leadership, language and traditions. Black Elk is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-religion-education-native-americans-887635deee770f7ac8475813f028e7c6">guiding a reckoning process that includes archival research and hearing the stories of former students.</a>

Canada underwent a much-publicized Truth and Reconciliation process in recent years. The issue gained unprecedented attention last year after a researcher using ground-penetrating radar reported finding about 200 unmarked probable burial sites at a former school in British Columbia.

That discovery, followed by others across Canada, prompted Haaland to commission her department’s report.

“This history in the United States has not been addressed in the same way it has been addressed in Canada,” Black Elk said. The Interior report “will be an important first step about the work that needs to happen in this country.”

Church leaders are getting ready. The report “will likely bring to light some very troubling information,” said a letter circulated last fall to members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops from two colleagues who chaired committees related to the issue. The letter urged bishops to build relationships with local Indigenous communities and engage “in a real and honest dialogue about reactions to the report and what steps are needed to go forward together.”

Conditions varied at boarding schools in the United States, with some described as unsafe, unsanitary and scenes of physical or sexual abuse. Other former students recall their school years as positive times of learning, friendship and extracurricular activities.

Indigenous groups note that even the better schools were part of a project to assimilate children into a predominately white, Christian society and break down their tribal identities, customs and languages — what many Indigenous groups call a cultural genocide.

“The very process of boarding schools is violent and damaging,” said Bryan Rindfleisch, an expert in Native American history at Marquette University who is helping Catholics in Oklahoma research their school legacy.

There were at least 367 boarding schools across the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries, according to the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, a Minneapolis-based advocacy group.

Most were government-run; many others were run by Catholic and Protestant churches.

The national healing coalition called Pope Francis’ comments a historic first step, but urged the Vatican to repatriate Indigenous artifacts in its museum collections and called on religious organizations to open their school archives.

In listening sessions held through the Oklahoma Catholic Native Schools Project, many participants told positive stories of school experiences, Callison said, though the church is committed to documenting the traumatic ones too. “You’re going to hear things you don’t want to hear,” he said.

The project will also include archival research and individual interviews with those affected. At least 11 Catholic boarding schools operated in Oklahoma.

“We need to get to the truth before we can deal with whatever hurt or celebrate whatever success” the schools achieved, Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley said.

Several church groups — including Quakers, Methodists and some Catholic religious orders — are backing pending legislation in Congress that would go beyond the Interior report. It would create a truth and healing commission, modeled on Canada’s, to investigate the boarding school legacy.

The New England Yearly Meeting of Friends — a regional group of congregations — issued an apology last year for Quakers’ historic sponsorship of such schools, acknowledging they were undertaken with “spiritual and cultural arrogance.”

“We are deeply sorry for our part in the vast suffering caused by this system and the continuing effects,” the New England group said.

It’s important for Quakers to accept such responsibility, said Paula Palmer, a Quaker from Colorado whose research has identified about 30 Native American boarding and day schools that were run by Quakers.

“The yearly meetings voted to support, operate and finance” the schools, she said. “So it’s really the yearly meetings who have the responsibility to respond. They were the ones who also participated in the whole project of forced assimilation of Indigenous children.”

The Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States has hired an archival researcher to document its own boarding school history.

The order is “committed to examining and sharing the truth of our history, even where that is difficult,” said the Rev. Ted Penton, secretary of the Jesuit conference’s Office of Justice and Ecology.

The Episcopal Church’s General Convention in July is expected to vote on a statement that would “acknowledge the intergenerational trauma caused by genocide, colonialism” and the operation of boarding schools and “other systems based on white supremacy.”

The convention will also consider authorizing a “comprehensive and complete investigation” of the church’s operation of such schools. The proposals came from a group appointed by denominational leaders.

Such measures are strong, but local dioceses also need to research their own histories and advocate for Indigenous peoples, said the Rev. Rachel Taber-Hamilton, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Everett, Washington. Taber-Hamilton, whose heritage includes the Shackan First Nation of Canada, is an Episcopal Church representative to the worldwide Anglican Indigenous Network.

“It’s not enough to say, ‘I’m sorry, and here’s some money,’” she said. “We first have to do some very hard work of listening to the pain.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632608030678.png" alt="Agape Ranch Boarding school in missouri-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Agape Ranch Boarding school in missouri-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —As Native Americans cautiously welcome&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-europe-religion-vatican-city-08a842346f2dd0ca645571d879d3124a">Pope Francis’ historic apology&nbsp;</a>for abuses at Catholic-run boarding schools for Indigenous children in Canada, U.S. churches are bracing for an unprecedented reckoning with their own legacies of operating such schools.Church schools are likely to feature prominently in a report from the U.S. Department of the Interior, led by the first-ever Native American cabinet secretary, Deb Haaland,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/environment-education-native-americans-59d3add24caa315551b9749eeeb3a65b">due to be released later this month.</a>&nbsp;The report, prompted by last year’s discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves at former residential school sites in Canada, will focus on the loss of life and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-denver-e5cdf892b4a2b1081aa425f9d78eb4e4">enduring traumas the U.S. system inflicted on&nbsp;</a>Indigenous children from the 19th to mid-20th centuries.From Episcopalians to Quakers to Catholic dioceses in Oklahoma, faith groups have either started or intensified efforts in the past year to research and atone for their prior roles in the boarding school system, which Native children were forced to attend — cutting them off from their families, tribes and traditions.While the pontiff’s April 1 apology was addressed to Indigenous groups from Canada, people were listening south of the border.“An apology is the best way to start any conversation,” said Roy Callison, a Catholic deacon and Cherokee Nation member helping coordinate the Oklahoma Catholic Native Schools Project, which includes listening sessions for those affected by the boarding school legacy. “That’s the first step to trying to get healing.”In his meeting with Canada’s Indigenous delegations, Francis asked forgiveness “for the role that a number of Catholics ... had in all these things that wounded you, in the abuses you suffered and in the lack of respect shown for your identity, your culture and even your spiritual values.”Francis “did something really important, which is name the importance of being indignant at this history,” said Maka Black Elk, executive director of truth and healing for Red Cloud Indian School on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.That history “is shameful, and it is not something we should accept,” said Black Elk, who is Oglala Lakota.Red Cloud, affiliated with the Catholic Jesuit order, was for generations a boarding school for Lakota children. It’s now a day school incorporating Lakota leadership, language and traditions. Black Elk is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-religion-education-native-americans-887635deee770f7ac8475813f028e7c6">guiding a reckoning process that includes archival research and hearing the stories of former students.</a>Canada underwent a much-publicized Truth and Reconciliation process in recent years. The issue gained unprecedented attention last year after a researcher using ground-penetrating radar reported finding about 200 unmarked probable burial sites at a former school in British Columbia.That discovery, followed by others across Canada, prompted Haaland to commission her department’s report.“This history in the United States has not been addressed in the same way it has been addressed in Canada,” Black Elk said. The Interior report “will be an important first step about the work that needs to happen in this country.”Church leaders are getting ready. The report “will likely bring to light some very troubling information,” said a letter circulated last fall to members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops from two colleagues who chaired committees related to the issue. The letter urged bishops to build relationships with local Indigenous communities and engage “in a real and honest dialogue about reactions to the report and what steps are needed to go forward together.”Conditions varied at boarding schools in the United States, with some described as unsafe, unsanitary and scenes of physical or sexual abuse. Other former students recall their school years as positive times of learning, friendship and extracurricular activities.Indigenous groups note that even the better schools were part of a project to assimilate children into a predominately white, Christian society and break down their tribal identities, customs and languages — what many Indigenous groups call a cultural genocide.“The very process of boarding schools is violent and damaging,” said Bryan Rindfleisch, an expert in Native American history at Marquette University who is helping Catholics in Oklahoma research their school legacy.There were at least 367 boarding schools across the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries, according to the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, a Minneapolis-based advocacy group.Most were government-run; many others were run by Catholic and Protestant churches.The national healing coalition called Pope Francis’ comments a historic first step, but urged the Vatican to repatriate Indigenous artifacts in its museum collections and called on religious organizations to open their school archives.In listening sessions held through the Oklahoma Catholic Native Schools Project, many participants told positive stories of school experiences, Callison said, though the church is committed to documenting the traumatic ones too. “You’re going to hear things you don’t want to hear,” he said.The project will also include archival research and individual interviews with those affected. At least 11 Catholic boarding schools operated in Oklahoma.“We need to get to the truth before we can deal with whatever hurt or celebrate whatever success” the schools achieved, Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley said.Several church groups — including Quakers, Methodists and some Catholic religious orders — are backing pending legislation in Congress that would go beyond the Interior report. It would create a truth and healing commission, modeled on Canada’s, to investigate the boarding school legacy.The New England Yearly Meeting of Friends — a regional group of congregations — issued an apology last year for Quakers’ historic sponsorship of such schools, acknowledging they were undertaken with “spiritual and cultural arrogance.”“We are deeply sorry for our part in the vast suffering caused by this system and the continuing effects,” the New England group said.It’s important for Quakers to accept such responsibility, said Paula Palmer, a Quaker from Colorado whose research has identified about 30 Native American boarding and day schools that were run by Quakers.“The yearly meetings voted to support, operate and finance” the schools, she said. “So it’s really the yearly meetings who have the responsibility to respond. They were the ones who also participated in the whole project of forced assimilation of Indigenous children.”The Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States has hired an archival researcher to document its own boarding school history.The order is “committed to examining and sharing the truth of our history, even where that is difficult,” said the Rev. Ted Penton, secretary of the Jesuit conference’s Office of Justice and Ecology.The Episcopal Church’s General Convention in July is expected to vote on a statement that would “acknowledge the intergenerational trauma caused by genocide, colonialism” and the operation of boarding schools and “other systems based on white supremacy.”The convention will also consider authorizing a “comprehensive and complete investigation” of the church’s operation of such schools. The proposals came from a group appointed by denominational leaders.Such measures are strong, but local dioceses also need to research their own histories and advocate for Indigenous peoples, said the Rev. Rachel Taber-Hamilton, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Everett, Washington. Taber-Hamilton, whose heritage includes the Shackan First Nation of Canada, is an Episcopal Church representative to the worldwide Anglican Indigenous Network.“It’s not enough to say, ‘I’m sorry, and here’s some money,’” she said. “We first have to do some very hard work of listening to the pain.”___

First pope, now US churches face boarding-school reckoning

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating six suspects following two separate drug busts in Shawnee County.

On April 6, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office DEU arrested Wanda L. Edmonds, 33, of Topeka for a warrant at 1100 NW Harrison Street.&nbsp; During the investigation, illegal narcotics, including over 45 grams of methamphetamine, were located, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Wanda L. Edmonds, 33, of Topeka was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. Edmonds on requested charges that included possession with intent to distribute and using a telecommunication device to commit a felony.

Also on April 6, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Task Force, including the Topeka Police Department and Rossville Police Department, conducted a search warrant at 3366 SE Fremont Street. During the investigation illegal narcotics, including over 100 grams of methamphetamine, and illegal firearms were located.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Deputies arrested Timothy L. Weaver, 33, of Topeka had two warrants for his arrest and was booked on requested charges of possession with intent to distribute, possession of paraphernalia with intent to distribute controlled substances and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.

Cortney R. Richards, 31, of Topeka was jailed on requested charges of&nbsp; possession with intent to distribute, possession of paraphernalia with intent to distribute controlled substances and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.

Elizabeth K. Kunard, 33, of Topeka had warrants for her arrest and was held on requested charges of possession of an opiate/opium/narcotic/certain stimulant and possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia into the human body.

Roy F. Huske IV, 29, of Topeka had a Topeka bench warrant for his arrest.

Michelle L. Baker, 34,&nbsp; of Topeka had three Topeka bench warrants for her arrest, according to Deputy Christian.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649414572639.png" alt="Weaver-photo Shawnee County." />
 <figcaption>Weaver-photo Shawnee County.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating six suspects following two separate drug busts in Shawnee County.On April 6, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office DEU arrested Wanda L. Edmonds, 33, of Topeka for a warrant at 1100 NW Harrison Street.&nbsp; During the investigation, illegal narcotics, including over 45 grams of methamphetamine, were located, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649414469240.png" alt="Edmonds-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Edmonds-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>Wanda L. Edmonds, 33, of Topeka was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. Edmonds on requested charges that included possession with intent to distribute and using a telecommunication device to commit a felony.Also on April 6, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Task Force, including the Topeka Police Department and Rossville Police Department, conducted a search warrant at 3366 SE Fremont Street. During the investigation illegal narcotics, including over 100 grams of methamphetamine, and illegal firearms were located.&nbsp;&nbsp;Deputies arrested Timothy L. Weaver, 33, of Topeka had two warrants for his arrest and was booked on requested charges of possession with intent to distribute, possession of paraphernalia with intent to distribute controlled substances and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649414627155.png" alt="Richards-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Richards-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Cortney R. Richards, 31, of Topeka was jailed on requested charges of&nbsp; possession with intent to distribute, possession of paraphernalia with intent to distribute controlled substances and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649414690930.png" alt="Kunard-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Kunard-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Elizabeth K. Kunard, 33, of Topeka had warrants for her arrest and was held on requested charges of possession of an opiate/opium/narcotic/certain stimulant and possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia into the human body.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649414490106.png" alt="Huske-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Huske-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Roy F. Huske IV, 29, of Topeka had a Topeka bench warrant for his arrest.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649414832860.png" alt="Baker-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Baker-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Michelle L. Baker, 34,&nbsp; of Topeka had three Topeka bench warrants for her arrest, according to Deputy Christian.

Kansas drug investigation leads to 6 arrests at two homes

WASHINGTON (AP) — Medicare said Thursday it's considering a cut in enrollee premiums, after officials stuck with an earlier decision to sharply limit coverage for a pricey new Alzheimer's drug projected to drive up program costs.

The agency “is looking at that, and is still going through the process,” spokeswoman Beth Lynk said of a potential reduction in premiums, as Medicare announced its final coverage decision for Aduhelm, a drug whose benefits have been widely questioned in the medical community.

Officials said Medicare will keep coverage restrictions imposed earlier on the $28,000-a-year medication, paying for Aduhelm only when it's used in clinical trials approved by the Food and Drug Administration or the National Institutes of Health.

The projected cost of Aduhelm was a major driver behind a $22 increase in Medicare’s Part B premium this year, boosting it to $170.10 a month. That price hike is already being paid by more than 56 million Medicare recipients signed up for the program’s outpatient coverage benefit.

Thursday’s decision illustrates the impact that a single medication can have on the budgets of individuals and taxpayers. It comes as legislation to authorize Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices remains stuck in the Senate, part of President Joe Biden’s stalled social and climate agenda.

Medicare's decision included an important caveat. Officials said that if Aduhelm, or any other similar drug in its class, were to receive what's called “traditional” FDA approval, then Medicare would open up broader coverage for patients.

Aduhelm received what's known as “accelerated” approval last year because of its potential promise. But manufacturer Biogen is required to conduct a follow-up study to definitively answer whether Aduhelm truly slows the progression of Alzheimer’s. If that study is successful, FDA would grant full approval.

That would also open up Medicare coverage.

Aduhelm hit the market as the first new Alzheimer’s medication in nearly two decades. Initially priced at $56,000 a year, it was expected to quickly become a blockbuster drug, generating billions for Cambridge, Mass.-based Biogen.

But although the company slashed the price in half — to $28,000 a year — Aduhelm's rollout has been disastrous.

Pushback from politicians, physicians and insurers left the company with just $3 million in sales from Aduhelm last year. Doctors have been hesitant to prescribe it, given weak evidence that the drug slows the progression of Alzheimer's. Insurers have blocked or restricted coverage over the drug’s high price tag and uncertain benefit.

The CMS decision means that for Medicare to pay, patients taking Aduhelm medication will have to be part of clinical trials to assess the drug’s safety and effectiveness in slowing the progression of early-stage dementia.

The limits stayed on despite a massive lobbying push by the Alzheimer’s Association to change Medicare’s position, including outreach to members of Congress, online advertising and social media campaigns directed at the agency.

The association, the largest group of its kind, has received contributions from drugmakers, including Biogen.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Medicare said Thursday it's considering a cut in enrollee premiums, after officials stuck with an earlier decision to sharply limit coverage for a pricey new Alzheimer's drug projected to drive up program costs.The agency “is looking at that, and is still going through the process,” spokeswoman Beth Lynk said of a potential reduction in premiums, as Medicare announced its final coverage decision for Aduhelm, a drug whose benefits have been widely questioned in the medical community.Officials said Medicare will keep coverage restrictions imposed earlier on the $28,000-a-year medication, paying for Aduhelm only when it's used in clinical trials approved by the Food and Drug Administration or the National Institutes of Health.The projected cost of Aduhelm was a major driver behind a $22 increase in Medicare’s Part B premium this year, boosting it to $170.10 a month. That price hike is already being paid by more than 56 million Medicare recipients signed up for the program’s outpatient coverage benefit.Thursday’s decision illustrates the impact that a single medication can have on the budgets of individuals and taxpayers. It comes as legislation to authorize Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices remains stuck in the Senate, part of President Joe Biden’s stalled social and climate agenda.Medicare's decision included an important caveat. Officials said that if Aduhelm, or any other similar drug in its class, were to receive what's called “traditional” FDA approval, then Medicare would open up broader coverage for patients.Aduhelm received what's known as “accelerated” approval last year because of its potential promise. But manufacturer Biogen is required to conduct a follow-up study to definitively answer whether Aduhelm truly slows the progression of Alzheimer’s. If that study is successful, FDA would grant full approval.That would also open up Medicare coverage.Aduhelm hit the market as the first new Alzheimer’s medication in nearly two decades. Initially priced at $56,000 a year, it was expected to quickly become a blockbuster drug, generating billions for Cambridge, Mass.-based Biogen.But although the company slashed the price in half — to $28,000 a year — Aduhelm's rollout has been disastrous.Pushback from politicians, physicians and insurers left the company with just $3 million in sales from Aduhelm last year. Doctors have been hesitant to prescribe it, given weak evidence that the drug slows the progression of Alzheimer's. Insurers have blocked or restricted coverage over the drug’s high price tag and uncertain benefit.The CMS decision means that for Medicare to pay, patients taking Aduhelm medication will have to be part of clinical trials to assess the drug’s safety and effectiveness in slowing the progression of early-stage dementia.The limits stayed on despite a massive lobbying push by the Alzheimer’s Association to change Medicare’s position, including outreach to members of Congress, online advertising and social media campaigns directed at the agency.The association, the largest group of its kind, has received contributions from drugmakers, including Biogen.

Medicare weighs premium cut after limiting Alzheimer's drug

Prosecutors announced Friday that they won’t seek to retry a Kansas City man after the Missouri Supreme Court overturned his conviction because the case is “tainted from all directions.”

The Jackson County prosecutor’s office said in a statement that there is insufficient evidence to prove that Keith Carnes fatally shot a rival drug dealer, 24-year-old Larry White, in 2003 in a Kansas City parking garage.

The announcement came just three days after the Missouri Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-kansas-city-missouri-be6a7bb53336344350586e41216166bb">set aside&nbsp;</a>Carnes’ first-degree murder and armed criminal action convictions, ordering him to be released from prison within 30 days unless prosecutors move to retry him.

One issue was that a special master who reviewed the case found that Kansas City police did not give Carnes’ original defense team a report from a confidential informant that might have led to his exoneration.

Also, two witnesses who identified Carnes as the killer recanted their testimony in 2014, saying they had been pressured by police and Jackson County prosecutors.

Another witness also said police had intimidated him when they interviewed him about the night of the killing. He said White had an argument with another drug dealer — not Carnes — and warned the other man not to come back to his property shortly before the killing.

But in a twist to the case, one of the witnesses testified last year that her original testimony was correct and said she had recanted because of threats from Carnes’ supporters.

“Eyewitness testimony is thrown into question with recantations, including a recantation of a recantation,” the prosecutor’s office said in the statement. “We also do not have physical evidence to corroborate certain eyewitness accounts.”

The statement was highly critical of Carnes supporters, alleging witnesses were pressured to recant or change their testimony.

“In short, the evidence today in Carnes case is tainted from all directions,” the statement said.

The statement stressed that the case remains under investigation, adding that witnesses indicated that there was a second person present when White was killed. The statement said law enforcement would like that person’s identify.

“We will continue to fight for justice for Mr. White and this community,” the statement said, adding that the family continues to believe Carnes was one of the killers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649256599295.png" alt="Photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTHProsecutors announced Friday that they won’t seek to retry a Kansas City man after the Missouri Supreme Court overturned his conviction because the case is “tainted from all directions.”The Jackson County prosecutor’s office said in a statement that there is insufficient evidence to prove that Keith Carnes fatally shot a rival drug dealer, 24-year-old Larry White, in 2003 in a Kansas City parking garage.The announcement came just three days after the Missouri Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-kansas-city-missouri-be6a7bb53336344350586e41216166bb">set aside&nbsp;</a>Carnes’ first-degree murder and armed criminal action convictions, ordering him to be released from prison within 30 days unless prosecutors move to retry him.One issue was that a special master who reviewed the case found that Kansas City police did not give Carnes’ original defense team a report from a confidential informant that might have led to his exoneration.Also, two witnesses who identified Carnes as the killer recanted their testimony in 2014, saying they had been pressured by police and Jackson County prosecutors.Another witness also said police had intimidated him when they interviewed him about the night of the killing. He said White had an argument with another drug dealer — not Carnes — and warned the other man not to come back to his property shortly before the killing.But in a twist to the case, one of the witnesses testified last year that her original testimony was correct and said she had recanted because of threats from Carnes’ supporters.“Eyewitness testimony is thrown into question with recantations, including a recantation of a recantation,” the prosecutor’s office said in the statement. “We also do not have physical evidence to corroborate certain eyewitness accounts.”The statement was highly critical of Carnes supporters, alleging witnesses were pressured to recant or change their testimony.“In short, the evidence today in Carnes case is tainted from all directions,” the statement said.The statement stressed that the case remains under investigation, adding that witnesses indicated that there was a second person present when White was killed. The statement said law enforcement would like that person’s identify.“We will continue to fight for justice for Mr. White and this community,” the statement said, adding that the family continues to believe Carnes was one of the killers.

Prosecutors won’t retry Kansas City man for 2003 killing

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after an arrest.

&nbsp;On April 4th police officers responded to a disturbance in the 1900 block Harper Drive and subsequently arrested Jason E. Alexander, 50, for domestic battery, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson

During the investigation of the domestic disturbance information was developed that a burglary had occurred several hours earlier at a nearby residence in the 1900 block Harper Drive. 

Officers went to the residence where the resident was not home and determined that forced entry was made into the residence. The resident was later located and it was discovered that various household items, a lawnmower, a grill, an eagle statue, a tool bag, and other items totally a value of about $3,900 had been taken. 

Many of the items were recovered during the investigation. [Alexander was still in custody on the domestic battery case when he was served on Friday morning with the new charges.

On Friday, Police arrested Alexander on a District Court warrant for burglary, theft, and criminal damage to property.&nbsp;

Alexander has been jailed over a dozen times since 2004 is in custody&nbsp;

In 2015, police arrested Alexander for alleged theft and failure to appear. He has previous convictions for theft, DUI and aggravated battery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections and has been out of prison since 2017.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649173627725.png" alt="Alexander-Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Alexander-Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after an arrest.&nbsp;On April 4th police officers responded to a disturbance in the 1900 block Harper Drive and subsequently arrested Jason E. Alexander, 50, for domestic battery, according to Police Chief Mike WilsonDuring the investigation of the domestic disturbance information was developed that a burglary had occurred several hours earlier at a nearby residence in the 1900 block Harper Drive. Officers went to the residence where the resident was not home and determined that forced entry was made into the residence. The resident was later located and it was discovered that various household items, a lawnmower, a grill, an eagle statue, a tool bag, and other items totally a value of about $3,900 had been taken. Many of the items were recovered during the investigation. [Alexander was still in custody on the domestic battery case when he was served on Friday morning with the new charges.On Friday, Police arrested Alexander on a District Court warrant for burglary, theft, and criminal damage to property.&nbsp;Alexander has been jailed over a dozen times since 2004 is in custody&nbsp;In 2015, police arrested Alexander for alleged theft and failure to appear. He has previous convictions for theft, DUI and aggravated battery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections and has been out of prison since 2017.

Kansas felon with history of violence accused of burglary

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of burglaries and have made an arrest.

On January 28, officers were dispatched to the 900 Block of NW 25th street in Topeka on a report of an alarm activated at a business, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.

Upon arrival, officers located damage to the business and items missing. 

Another burglary was reported at the same business on March 1 with similar results. As the investigation unfolded and through the assistance from the community, a person of interest was identified.

As a result of the investigation, Bradley Martin, 58 years of age, of Topeka, was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections and booked in on requested&nbsp;charges, Burglary to a business, Two Counts, Theft, Two Counts and Criminal Damage to Property, Two Counts.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649430638290.png" alt="Martin-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Martin-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of burglaries and have made an arrest.On January 28, officers were dispatched to the 900 Block of NW 25th street in Topeka on a report of an alarm activated at a business, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.Upon arrival, officers located damage to the business and items missing. Another burglary was reported at the same business on March 1 with similar results. As the investigation unfolded and through the assistance from the community, a person of interest was identified.As a result of the investigation, Bradley Martin, 58 years of age, of Topeka, was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections and booked in on requested&nbsp;charges, Burglary to a business, Two Counts, Theft, Two Counts and Criminal Damage to Property, Two Counts.

Kan. man accused of 2 burglaries at a same business 

By KATIE PEIKES <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2022-04-04/the-midwest-has-lost-57-billion-metric-tons-of-topsoil-over-the-last-160-years-new-study-finds">Harvest Public Media</a>

A few years ago, Isaac Larsen attended a wedding at a pioneer church 
in Minnesota. After the ceremony, he wandered around a cemetery by the 
church.

He noticed the cemetery, which had never been tilled, was 
at least a foot higher than a corn field just on the other side of a 
fence.

“That was one of those ‘lightbulb’ moments that told me 
that a lot of soil had been eroded from that field since the founding of
 the church,” Larsen said.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst geosciences professor and his co-researchers have released a <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1029/2021EF002396" target="_blank">new study</a>
 that found topsoil in the Midwest is eroding at an average rate of 1.9 
millimeters per year. They measured elevation differences between native
 prairie and farm fields at about 20 sites, the majority in central 
Iowa, with some in Illinois, Minnesota, South Dakota, Kansas and 
Nebraska.

The researchers estimate the Midwest has lost 57.6 
billion metric tons of topsoil since farmers began tilling 160 years 
ago. This erosion, Larsen said, makes it more difficult and more 
expensive to grow crops.

“We’re going to need to feed more people 
in the future,” he said, “and degraded soils that have lost their 
organic rich horizons just aren’t as productive.”

The solution, Larsen said, is to adopt no-till farming. “It’s not some unsolvable problem.” 

In
 Iowa, never-farmed prairie is one of the rarest ecosystems besides oak 
savanna, said Emily Martin, the conservation programs coordinator for 
the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The group helped the researchers 
identify prairie sites throughout the state where they could take 
measurements.

Martin said the study’s findings that topsoil is 
eroding at an average rate of 1.9 millimeters per year is “a shocking 
number. But it’s not surprising either.” She said conservation groups 
like the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation need to work with farmers to 
protect land and further integrate conservation with agriculture.

As
 topsoil thins, soil productivity declines. Iowa State University 
agronomy professor Richard Cruse said farmers can lose 50%-70% of their 
yield potential because of the loss of topsoil.

“When you’re 
talking about that, you’re also talking about sustainability or 
resilience, the potential for an area to produce under good times and 
bad,” Cruse said. “The loss of soil reduces that capacity.”

Cruse,
 who said he thought the study was “done pretty well,” added that 
topsoil isn’t gone. Most of the topsoil that moves because of erosion is
 deposited in the same field downslope. But that still affects 
production potential, he said.

“The loss from the hillslope, where
 it is progressively thinning, has a much bigger negative impact on 
production than does the accumulation of that on the soil downslope 
which already has more than adequate topsoil to produce,” he said.

Cruse added a little less than a third of Iowa’s soils are no-tilled, so “it is realistic” to stop tillage, he said.

“By
 and large, we have the technology now to make no-till work or something
 that approximates it, maybe strip till,” Cruse said. “So it's 
realistic. It’s more challenging with some soils than others.”

Some farmers are already no-till. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in August 2021 that <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2017/11/30/saving-money-time-and-soil-economics-no-till-farming" target="_blank">21% of all cultivated cropland acres are continuous no-till</a>.

Austin
 Charlson grows corn and soybeans in Wright County, Iowa. About 75%-85% 
of his acres have been no-till for seven years – primarily because when 
he started farming he had no equipment. He says he’s noticed a 
difference in the soil of his no-till acres.

“I'll take a spade 
out in the field and I'll step in, dig out a section of soil and the 
texture is evolving,” Charlson said. “For one thing, there's more 
earthworm holes, so that promotes water going down and oxygen going down
 to the roots. Earthworms add fertility and they help break up the 
soil.”

Charlson said his soils are “more crumbly” whereas other 
soils he’s seen on a field that’s been tilled and cultivated are more 
granular, “really fine like a powder,” he said.

“Right now we're 
in drought-ish conditions, but no-till is helping to reserve my water 
reserves. It’s helping to retain my subsoil moisture, or the water that 
my crops need to grow,” he said.

But Charlson said he has 
experienced some frustrations with no-till. Depending on the moisture 
conditions, the soil can be hard without tillage, which doesn’t allow 
for a good seedbed, he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649430822516.png" alt="University of Massachusetts Amherst geosciences professor Isaac Larsen stands on the drop-off separating the native prairie from farmland at Stinson Prairie, Iowa. UMass Amherst" />
 <figcaption>University of Massachusetts Amherst geosciences professor Isaac Larsen stands on the drop-off separating the native prairie from farmland at Stinson Prairie, Iowa. UMass Amherst</figcaption>
 </figure>By KATIE PEIKES <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2022-04-04/the-midwest-has-lost-57-billion-metric-tons-of-topsoil-over-the-last-160-years-new-study-finds">Harvest Public Media</a>A few years ago, Isaac Larsen attended a wedding at a pioneer church 
in Minnesota. After the ceremony, he wandered around a cemetery by the 
church.He noticed the cemetery, which had never been tilled, was 
at least a foot higher than a corn field just on the other side of a 
fence.“That was one of those ‘lightbulb’ moments that told me 
that a lot of soil had been eroded from that field since the founding of
 the church,” Larsen said.The University of Massachusetts Amherst geosciences professor and his co-researchers have released a <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1029/2021EF002396" target="_blank">new study</a>
 that found topsoil in the Midwest is eroding at an average rate of 1.9 
millimeters per year. They measured elevation differences between native
 prairie and farm fields at about 20 sites, the majority in central 
Iowa, with some in Illinois, Minnesota, South Dakota, Kansas and 
Nebraska.The researchers estimate the Midwest has lost 57.6 
billion metric tons of topsoil since farmers began tilling 160 years 
ago. This erosion, Larsen said, makes it more difficult and more 
expensive to grow crops.“We’re going to need to feed more people 
in the future,” he said, “and degraded soils that have lost their 
organic rich horizons just aren’t as productive.”The solution, Larsen said, is to adopt no-till farming. “It’s not some unsolvable problem.” In
 Iowa, never-farmed prairie is one of the rarest ecosystems besides oak 
savanna, said Emily Martin, the conservation programs coordinator for 
the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The group helped the researchers 
identify prairie sites throughout the state where they could take 
measurements.Martin said the study’s findings that topsoil is 
eroding at an average rate of 1.9 millimeters per year is “a shocking 
number. But it’s not surprising either.” She said conservation groups 
like the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation need to work with farmers to 
protect land and further integrate conservation with agriculture.As
 topsoil thins, soil productivity declines. Iowa State University 
agronomy professor Richard Cruse said farmers can lose 50%-70% of their 
yield potential because of the loss of topsoil.“When you’re 
talking about that, you’re also talking about sustainability or 
resilience, the potential for an area to produce under good times and 
bad,” Cruse said. “The loss of soil reduces that capacity.”Cruse,
 who said he thought the study was “done pretty well,” added that 
topsoil isn’t gone. Most of the topsoil that moves because of erosion is
 deposited in the same field downslope. But that still affects 
production potential, he said.“The loss from the hillslope, where
 it is progressively thinning, has a much bigger negative impact on 
production than does the accumulation of that on the soil downslope 
which already has more than adequate topsoil to produce,” he said.Cruse added a little less than a third of Iowa’s soils are no-tilled, so “it is realistic” to stop tillage, he said.“By
 and large, we have the technology now to make no-till work or something
 that approximates it, maybe strip till,” Cruse said. “So it's 
realistic. It’s more challenging with some soils than others.”Some farmers are already no-till. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in August 2021 that <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2017/11/30/saving-money-time-and-soil-economics-no-till-farming" target="_blank">21% of all cultivated cropland acres are continuous no-till</a>.Austin
 Charlson grows corn and soybeans in Wright County, Iowa. About 75%-85% 
of his acres have been no-till for seven years – primarily because when 
he started farming he had no equipment. He says he’s noticed a 
difference in the soil of his no-till acres.“I'll take a spade 
out in the field and I'll step in, dig out a section of soil and the 
texture is evolving,” Charlson said. “For one thing, there's more 
earthworm holes, so that promotes water going down and oxygen going down
 to the roots. Earthworms add fertility and they help break up the 
soil.”Charlson said his soils are “more crumbly” whereas other 
soils he’s seen on a field that’s been tilled and cultivated are more 
granular, “really fine like a powder,” he said.“Right now we're 
in drought-ish conditions, but no-till is helping to reserve my water 
reserves. It’s helping to retain my subsoil moisture, or the water that 
my crops need to grow,” he said.But Charlson said he has 
experienced some frustrations with no-till. Depending on the moisture 
conditions, the soil can be hard without tillage, which doesn’t allow 
for a good seedbed, he said.“It’s been a challenge,” he said. “I’m constantly learning, I’m trying to modify things and make it better.”The soil erosion study was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2021EF002396" target="_blank">Earth’s Future</a>. Follow Katie on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/katiepeikes" target="_blank">@katiepeikes&nbsp;</a>Harvest
 Public Media reports on food systems, agriculture and rural issues 
through a collaborative network of NPR stations throughout the Midwest 
and Plains.