By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

Kansas Gas Service crews are continuing repairs Wednesday morning on a line that spewed gas in central Salina Tuesday evening.

A spokesperson for Kansas Gas Service told Salina Post this morning that at approximately 6 p.m. Tuesday, Kansas Gas Service crews responded to a hit line damaged by a third party at S. Ninth Street and W. South Street.

Those streets were expected to be reduced to one lane of traffic today as crews complete their work, the spokesperson said. Motorists are encouraged to use caution while driving in the area.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Kansas Gas Service anticipates work will be completed by the end of the day, the spokesperson said.

There were no interruptions to natural gas service to any customers, according to the spokesperson.

An apparent major gas leak shut down part of S. Ninth Street Tuesday evening.

The leak appeared to be near the S. Ninth Street/W. South Street intersection. Shortly before 7 p.m. a strong gas odor could be detected as far north as the City-County Building at 300 W. Ash Street, where workers were preparing for the conclusion of the election in Saline County.

As of approximately 9:45 p.m. Tuesday, crews appeared to still be working near the S. Ninth Street/W. South Street intersection, and a gas odor was still detectable.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635909869048.jpeg" alt="A variety of Kansas Gas Service and other vehicles were in the W. South Street block between S. Ninth Street and S. Eighth Street. Salina Post photo" />
 <figcaption>A variety of Kansas Gas Service and other vehicles were in the W. South Street block between S. Ninth Street and S. Eighth Street. Salina Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostKansas Gas Service crews are continuing repairs Wednesday morning on a line that spewed gas in central Salina Tuesday evening.A spokesperson for Kansas Gas Service told Salina Post this morning that at approximately 6 p.m. Tuesday, Kansas Gas Service crews responded to a hit line damaged by a third party at S. Ninth Street and W. South Street.Those streets were expected to be reduced to one lane of traffic today as crews complete their work, the spokesperson said. Motorists are encouraged to use caution while driving in the area.Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Kansas Gas Service anticipates work will be completed by the end of the day, the spokesperson said.There were no interruptions to natural gas service to any customers, according to the spokesperson.An apparent major gas leak shut down part of S. Ninth Street Tuesday evening.The leak appeared to be near the S. Ninth Street/W. South Street intersection. Shortly before 7 p.m. a strong gas odor could be detected as far north as the City-County Building at 300 W. Ash Street, where workers were preparing for the conclusion of the election in Saline County.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635909998035.jpeg" alt="Southbound traffic on S. Ninth Street was detoured at W. Mulberry Street. Salina Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Southbound traffic on S. Ninth Street was detoured at W. Mulberry Street. Salina Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>As of approximately 9:45 p.m. Tuesday, crews appeared to still be working near the S. Ninth Street/W. South Street intersection, and a gas odor was still detectable.

Portion of street in Salina closed due to major gas leak

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Six women in the&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;House and a former female member are calling on a male lawmaker to resign after being charged with domestic battery and ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation.

The seven Democrats calling for freshman Democratic state Rep. Aaron Coleman of Kansas City to step down also called on him to resign in December 2020, before he took office.

Coleman, 21, faces the domestic battery charge in Johnson County over a Saturday night disturbance involving his brother at his grandfather’s home. Coleman's attorney entered a not guilty plea for him Monday.

He also was banned last month from the Kansas Department of Labor’s offices over allegations of disruptive behavior. Coleman said he was trying to help constituents.

A legislative committee reprimanded Coleman in writing in February over accusations of abusive behavior toward girls and young women before he took office. He acknowledged some of the behavior and said he'd been a troubled teenager.

The lawmakers calling for his resignation are Reps. Stephanie Byers of Wichita, Linda Featherston of Overland Park, Christina Haswood of Lawrence, Jo Ella Hoye of Lenexa, Mari-Lynn Poskin of Leawood and Lindsay Vaughn of Overland Park. They are joined by former Rep. Jennifer Day, who gave up her seat earlier this year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608567337136.png" alt="In 2020, Seven new female Democratic Kansas House members and the party’s leader in the chamber demanded publicly Coleman resign before taking office because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-kansas-topeka-elections-fd91a21ee706c19194c7d302a2315d28">issues</a>&nbsp;that included a temporary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-kansas-city-kansas-elections-campaigns-97855c4a3deea46d5cbd8b39489b8af7">anti-stalking court order</a>&nbsp;against him.-Photo courtesy Rep. Stephanie Byers" />
 <figcaption>In 2020, Seven new female Democratic Kansas House members and the party’s leader in the chamber demanded publicly Coleman resign before taking office because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-kansas-topeka-elections-fd91a21ee706c19194c7d302a2315d28">issues</a>&nbsp;that included a temporary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-kansas-city-kansas-elections-campaigns-97855c4a3deea46d5cbd8b39489b8af7">anti-stalking court order</a>&nbsp;against him.-Photo courtesy Rep. Stephanie Byers</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Six women in the&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;House and a former female member are calling on a male lawmaker to resign after being charged with domestic battery and ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation.The seven Democrats calling for freshman Democratic state Rep. Aaron Coleman of Kansas City to step down also called on him to resign in December 2020, before he took office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635804497310.png" alt="Coleman from his Saturday booking photo in Johnson County" />
 <figcaption>Coleman from his Saturday booking photo in Johnson County</figcaption>
 </figure>Coleman, 21, faces the domestic battery charge in Johnson County over a Saturday night disturbance involving his brother at his grandfather’s home. Coleman's attorney entered a not guilty plea for him Monday.He also was banned last month from the Kansas Department of Labor’s offices over allegations of disruptive behavior. Coleman said he was trying to help constituents.A legislative committee reprimanded Coleman in writing in February over accusations of abusive behavior toward girls and young women before he took office. He acknowledged some of the behavior and said he'd been a troubled teenager.The lawmakers calling for his resignation are Reps. Stephanie Byers of Wichita, Linda Featherston of Overland Park, Christina Haswood of Lawrence, Jo Ella Hoye of Lenexa, Mari-Lynn Poskin of Leawood and Lindsay Vaughn of Overland Park. They are joined by former Rep. Jennifer Day, who gave up her seat earlier this year.

Women in Kan. House want charged male lawmaker to resign

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal Monday shooting have identified the victim as 22-year-old Braekwon Bennett of Wichita.

At approximately 5:30 p.m, police were dispatched to a shooting call in the 300 block of W. 10th St. North in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macey. 

After arriving on scene, they located Bennett with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.

Officers learned that two male suspects, an 18-year-old and a 17-year-old arrived at the apartment and confronted Bennett. There was an altercation that led to multiple shots being fired. The 18-year-old male was also shot during the altercation, and both suspects then left the apartment.

The suspects later arrived at an area hospital, where the 18-year-old was admitted for treatment. The 17-year-old was contacted at the hospital and attempted to run from police but was taken into custody. The 17-year-old was booked into the Juvenile Detention Facility for First-Degree Murder. The 18-year-old remains hospitalized and will be booked upon release, according to Macey.

At this time, there are no suspects/persons of interest outstanding, and it’s believed that the victim and suspects were known to each other. The investigation is ongoing and will be presented to the District Attorney’s office.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635868894294.png" alt="Police on the scene of the fatal shooting investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the fatal shooting investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal Monday shooting have identified the victim as 22-year-old Braekwon Bennett of Wichita.At approximately 5:30 p.m, police were dispatched to a shooting call in the 300 block of W. 10th St. North in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macey. After arriving on scene, they located Bennett with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.Officers learned that two male suspects, an 18-year-old and a 17-year-old arrived at the apartment and confronted Bennett. There was an altercation that led to multiple shots being fired. The 18-year-old male was also shot during the altercation, and both suspects then left the apartment.The suspects later arrived at an area hospital, where the 18-year-old was admitted for treatment. The 17-year-old was contacted at the hospital and attempted to run from police but was taken into custody. The 17-year-old was booked into the Juvenile Detention Facility for First-Degree Murder. The 18-year-old remains hospitalized and will be booked upon release, according to Macey.At this time, there are no suspects/persons of interest outstanding, and it’s believed that the victim and suspects were known to each other. The investigation is ongoing and will be presented to the District Attorney’s office.&nbsp;

Kansas teen ran from police at the hospital, accused of murder

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Several high-profile school board candidates who fought COVID-19 restrictions and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-elections-education-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-f3e0a8198edae71980f942f2eb5ea172">anti-racism classes</a>&nbsp;lost their election bids Tuesday, while the Republican candidate for Virginia governor won after making education a key part of his campaign.

The defeats in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Connecticut came as voters weighed in on dozens of races that were dominated by debates over masks, vaccines, race and history. Their choices will help decide not just local policies but also whether the education battle has staying power and becomes a rallying issue for Republicans in the 2022 midterms.

Conservatives have eagerly taken up the cause as they look to move past&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>&nbsp;and to reframe the discussion on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/racial-injustice">racial injustice in America</a>&nbsp;as a rewriting of history.

The political tracking website Ballotpedia identified 76 school districts in 22 states where candidates took a stance on race in education or critical race theory, which holds that racism is systemic in America’s institutions. The National School Boards Association says it is not taught in K-12 public schools.

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, accused the right wing of orchestrating protests to “turn schools into battlegrounds.” She cited&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-2021-mcauliffe-youngkin-biden-trump-a84bf1d7f2113c77197bca103fd0e81b">Republican Glenn Youngkin, who won the Virginia governor’s race after&nbsp;</a>seizing on conservatives’ frustrations with schools, as an example.

“Families drained by COVID and its effect on their kids were at the center of a political firestorm meant to distract from our shared goals of creating good jobs and an economy that works for all,” she said.

But Tina Descovich, a co-founder of Moms for Liberty, a Melbourne, Florida-based group, whose 142 chapters in 35 states have fought vaccine and mask mandates, said the power of parents was on full display in the race.

“We anticipate seeing the same effects throughout the 2022 midterm cycle,” Descovich said. “Parents are engaged and are seeking elected officials at all levels of government who respect their right to direct the education, upbringing and care of their children.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-michael-pence-virginia-a5100eb9c96250d914e8091d7bc51592">Former Vice President Mike Pence also got into the game</a>, taking a moment during a campaign rally Saturday in Ohio to urge voters to support conservative school board candidates. But conservative-backed candidates for a dozen suburban Cleveland school boards were generally falling behind, unofficial results showed.

In pockets across the country, other school board challenges failed.

In Wisconsin, four members of the Mequon-Thiensville School Board held off a recall challenge that cost anti-critical race theory backers nearly $50,000.

In Minnesota, three conservative candidates failed to win a seat on the board in Wayzata. They ran on a “Vote for Three!” platform that denounces “harmful ideologies like CRT,” political indoctrination and “controversial medical mandates.”

In Connecticut, a slate of five five candidates opposed to critical race theory lost the board of education race in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-elections-education-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-f3e0a8198edae71980f942f2eb5ea172">Guilford school system</a>, where a racial reckoning began years ago, first with an episode in which a student wore blackface to a home football game, followed by a fraught debate over the elimination of its mascot, the Indians.

Parents for Guilford Students, which backed the losing candidates, posted on Facebook: “Our five republican candidates lost the BOE election.” But, the post said, “those that lost the most are the dear children of Guilford.”

In Colorado, early results showed anti-mask candidate Schumé Navarro trailing in her bid for a seat on the Cherry Creek School District. The mother of three went to court last month to win the right to attend a district candidate event without a face mask, arguing that she cannot wear one because of abuse she suffered as a child.

“The environment and the culture that it’s creating is just stealing from our kids,” she said of masks.

However, the fight against diversity education resonated in the school board race in the Carroll Independent School District in Southlake, Texas, where Andrew Yeager won on Tuesday night. He was backed by a political action committee that opposes a diversity and equality plan created after a video of students chanting a racial slur began circulating online three years ago. A temporary restraining order has blocked the plan.

1776 Action, a group inspired by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-media-slavery-cultures-donald-trump-afdfa0b3454d5a7fdf544158ee1f5e1f">former President Donald Trump’s now-disbanded 1776 Commission</a>&nbsp;that played down America’s role in slavery, urged candidates to sign a pledge calling for the restoration of “honest, patriotic education.” At least 300 candidates and elected officials did so, said Adam Waldeck, the group’s president.

Waldeck said his group also sent out mailers and targeted text messages in races in Johnston, Iowa, where three candidates have signed the pledge, and in West Chester, Pennsylvania, where law enforcement was called to investigate threats against school board President Chris McCune.

The backlash stems from his ordering the removal from a July meeting of a parent who kept demanding information about critical race theory after her two-minute time limit had ended. McCune, who is on track to retain his seat, wrote in a letter to the Daily Local News newspaper in Pennsylvania that it is his duty to “maintain order” and insisted that the district doesn’t even teach critical race theory.

“National and local political forces continue to urge residents to rally against local school boards and CRT, even when board members and administrators have offered to meet to share the district’s curriculum to demonstrate that it is simply not what we teach,” McCune said.

In Iowa, masking opponent Sarah Barthole won election to the Ankeny School Board in suburban Des Moines after receiving a high-profile endorsement from Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds. Barthole worked with Reynolds last year to reopen schools and is credited with inspiring the state’s now-blocked law prohibiting mask mandates in schools.

Laura Zorc, who leads the Washington, D.C.-based conservative group Freedom Works’ education initiative, said she was heartened by the showing in Douglas County, Colorado, where a conservative slate of four candidates appeared poised to unseat incumbents. The board has been under fire for suing the county health department to uphold the district’s mask mandate.

“School board races, for way too long, have been overlooked,” Zorc said, adding that the pandemic changed everything. “It really brought a lot of attention to these races, and that’s why I think we’re seeing the sweep that we have.”

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Several high-profile school board candidates who fought COVID-19 restrictions and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-elections-education-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-f3e0a8198edae71980f942f2eb5ea172">anti-racism classes</a>&nbsp;lost their election bids Tuesday, while the Republican candidate for Virginia governor won after making education a key part of his campaign.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Andover, thank you for re-electing <a href="https://twitter.com/jawellstrio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jawellstrio</a> to the School Board. Who sits on our local boards impacts our lives, and you are in good hands with Josh.&mdash; Mike Pompeo (@mikepompeo) <a href="https://twitter.com/mikepompeo/status/1455736812580843522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The defeats in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Connecticut came as voters weighed in on dozens of races that were dominated by debates over masks, vaccines, race and history. Their choices will help decide not just local policies but also whether the education battle has staying power and becomes a rallying issue for Republicans in the 2022 midterms.Conservatives have eagerly taken up the cause as they look to move past&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>&nbsp;and to reframe the discussion on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/racial-injustice">racial injustice in America</a>&nbsp;as a rewriting of history.The political tracking website Ballotpedia identified 76 school districts in 22 states where candidates took a stance on race in education or critical race theory, which holds that racism is systemic in America’s institutions. The National School Boards Association says it is not taught in K-12 public schools.Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, accused the right wing of orchestrating protests to “turn schools into battlegrounds.” She cited&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-2021-mcauliffe-youngkin-biden-trump-a84bf1d7f2113c77197bca103fd0e81b">Republican Glenn Youngkin, who won the Virginia governor’s race after&nbsp;</a>seizing on conservatives’ frustrations with schools, as an example.“Families drained by COVID and its effect on their kids were at the center of a political firestorm meant to distract from our shared goals of creating good jobs and an economy that works for all,” she said.But Tina Descovich, a co-founder of Moms for Liberty, a Melbourne, Florida-based group, whose 142 chapters in 35 states have fought vaccine and mask mandates, said the power of parents was on full display in the race.“We anticipate seeing the same effects throughout the 2022 midterm cycle,” Descovich said. “Parents are engaged and are seeking elected officials at all levels of government who respect their right to direct the education, upbringing and care of their children.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-michael-pence-virginia-a5100eb9c96250d914e8091d7bc51592">Former Vice President Mike Pence also got into the game</a>, taking a moment during a campaign rally Saturday in Ohio to urge voters to support conservative school board candidates. But conservative-backed candidates for a dozen suburban Cleveland school boards were generally falling behind, unofficial results showed.In pockets across the country, other school board challenges failed.In Wisconsin, four members of the Mequon-Thiensville School Board held off a recall challenge that cost anti-critical race theory backers nearly $50,000.In Minnesota, three conservative candidates failed to win a seat on the board in Wayzata. They ran on a “Vote for Three!” platform that denounces “harmful ideologies like CRT,” political indoctrination and “controversial medical mandates.”In Connecticut, a slate of five five candidates opposed to critical race theory lost the board of education race in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-elections-education-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-f3e0a8198edae71980f942f2eb5ea172">Guilford school system</a>, where a racial reckoning began years ago, first with an episode in which a student wore blackface to a home football game, followed by a fraught debate over the elimination of its mascot, the Indians.Parents for Guilford Students, which backed the losing candidates, posted on Facebook: “Our five republican candidates lost the BOE election.” But, the post said, “those that lost the most are the dear children of Guilford.”In Colorado, early results showed anti-mask candidate Schumé Navarro trailing in her bid for a seat on the Cherry Creek School District. The mother of three went to court last month to win the right to attend a district candidate event without a face mask, arguing that she cannot wear one because of abuse she suffered as a child.“The environment and the culture that it’s creating is just stealing from our kids,” she said of masks.However, the fight against diversity education resonated in the school board race in the Carroll Independent School District in Southlake, Texas, where Andrew Yeager won on Tuesday night. He was backed by a political action committee that opposes a diversity and equality plan created after a video of students chanting a racial slur began circulating online three years ago. A temporary restraining order has blocked the plan.1776 Action, a group inspired by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-media-slavery-cultures-donald-trump-afdfa0b3454d5a7fdf544158ee1f5e1f">former President Donald Trump’s now-disbanded 1776 Commission</a>&nbsp;that played down America’s role in slavery, urged candidates to sign a pledge calling for the restoration of “honest, patriotic education.” At least 300 candidates and elected officials did so, said Adam Waldeck, the group’s president.Waldeck said his group also sent out mailers and targeted text messages in races in Johnston, Iowa, where three candidates have signed the pledge, and in West Chester, Pennsylvania, where law enforcement was called to investigate threats against school board President Chris McCune.The backlash stems from his ordering the removal from a July meeting of a parent who kept demanding information about critical race theory after her two-minute time limit had ended. McCune, who is on track to retain his seat, wrote in a letter to the Daily Local News newspaper in Pennsylvania that it is his duty to “maintain order” and insisted that the district doesn’t even teach critical race theory.“National and local political forces continue to urge residents to rally against local school boards and CRT, even when board members and administrators have offered to meet to share the district’s curriculum to demonstrate that it is simply not what we teach,” McCune said.In Iowa, masking opponent Sarah Barthole won election to the Ankeny School Board in suburban Des Moines after receiving a high-profile endorsement from Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds. Barthole worked with Reynolds last year to reopen schools and is credited with inspiring the state’s now-blocked law prohibiting mask mandates in schools.Laura Zorc, who leads the Washington, D.C.-based conservative group Freedom Works’ education initiative, said she was heartened by the showing in Douglas County, Colorado, where a conservative slate of four candidates appeared poised to unseat incumbents. The board has been under fire for suing the county health department to uphold the district’s mask mandate.“School board races, for way too long, have been overlooked,” Zorc said, adding that the pandemic changed everything. “It really brought a lot of attention to these races, and that’s why I think we’re seeing the sweep that we have.”

Education fight a winning message in Va., but not everywhere

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Tuesday launched a wide-ranging plan to reduce&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W_3n0S-SI4" target="_blank">methane emissions</a>, targeting a potent greenhouse gas that contributes significantly to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/climate">global warming</a>&nbsp;and packs a stronger short-term punch than even carbon dioxide.

The plan was announced as President Joe Biden wraps up a two-day appearance at a United Nations climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland. Biden pledged during the summit to work with the European Union and dozens of other nations to reduce overall methane emissions worldwide by 30% by 2030.

The centerpiece of U.S. actions is a long-awaited rule by the Environmental Protection Agency to tighten methane regulations for the oil and gas sector, as laid out in one of Biden’s first executive orders.

The proposed rule would for the first time target reductions from existing oil and gas wells nationwide, rather than focus only on new wells as previous regulations have done.

“One of the most important things we can do in this decisive decade — to keep 1.5 degrees in reach — is reduce our methane emissions as quickly as possible,″ Biden said, referring to a global pledge to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above levels in the late 19th century.

Methane is “one of the most potent greenhouse gases there is,″ Biden said, adding that the new U.S. rules and the global pledge are “going to make a huge difference,″ not only in fighting climate change, but to improve health and reduce asthma and other respiratory problems.

Reducing methane leaks, “capturing methane to turn it into new revenue streams,” will save companies money and create “good-paying union jobs for our workers,″ Biden said.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan said the new rule, established under the Clean Air Act, would lead to significant reductions in methane emissions and other pollutants and would be stricter than a 2016 standard set under President Barack Obama. Congress reinstated the Obama-era standard last summer in a rare effort by majority Democrats to use the legislative branch to overturn a regulatory rollback under President Donald Trump.

The EPA’s “historic action” will “ensure robust and lasting cuts in pollution across the country,″ Regan said, adding that the new rule will protect communities near oil and natural gas sites and advance U.S. climate goals under the 2015 Paris Agreement.

Once finalized, the proposed requirements would reduce methane emissions from U.S. drilling operations and equipment by approximately 75% by 2030, compared with 2005, the White House said.

The oil and natural gas industry is the nation’s largest industrial source of methane, a highly potent pollutant that is responsible for about one-third of current warming from human activities.

The oil and gas sector also is a leading source of other harmful air pollutants, including volatile organic compounds that contribute to ground-level ozone, or smog, and air toxins such as benzene that are emitted along with methane.

Environmental groups call methane reduction the fastest and most cost-effective action to slow the rate of global warming. Current rules for methane emissions from U.S. oil and gas wells only apply to sources that were built or modified after 2015, leaving more than 90% of the nation’s nearly 900,000 well sites unregulated. Many of those sites are smaller, low-producing wells.

Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund, called the new rule “an important step that offers a major victory for nine million Americans living near active oil and gas sites.″ But he said EPA and other agencies must do more to cut down on flaring and leaks from so-called “marginal wells” that have disproportionately high emissions.

The American Petroleum Institute, the oil and gas industry’s top lobbying group, has said it supports direct regulation of methane emissions from new and existing sources but opposes efforts in Congress to impose fees on methane leaks, calling them punitive and unnecessary. The industry says leaks of methane, the main component of natural gas, have decreased even as natural gas production has gone up as a result of the ongoing fracking boom. Technological advancements in recent years have make finding and repairing natural gas leaks cheaper and easier.

“EPA has released a sweeping proposal, and we look forward to reviewing it in its entirety,″ said API senior vice president Frank Macchiarola. The group will work with EPA to help shape a final rule “that is effective, feasible and designed to encourage further innovation,″ he said.

The administration’s plan includes new safety regulations by the Transportation Department to tighten requirements over methane leaks from the nation’s 3 million miles of pipelines.

The Interior Department, meanwhile, is preparing to crack down on methane waste burned at drilling sites on public lands. And the Agriculture Department is working with farmers to establish so-called climate-smart standards to monitor and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon storage.

Biden has previously announced plans to step up efforts to plug leaks at old oil and gas wells and clean up abandoned coal mines. A bipartisan infrastructure bill approved by the Senate includes billions to reclaim abandoned mine land and cap orphaned wells.

The administration also is taking aim at methane emissions from landfills, with emphasis on food loss and waste that serves as a major contributor. EPA has set a voluntary goal of capturing 70% of methane emissions from U.S. landfills.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in an interview that officials are studying ways to reduce methane emissions from livestock, including changes in feed and use of specialized equipment to convert manure into electricity.

“We have just a multitude of ways for agriculture to advance methane reduction to help with the president’s goal of reducing” global methane use by 30%, Vilsack told The Associated Press.

Ethan Lane, vice president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, said his group has worked with the Biden administration “since day one to ensure the U.S. cattle industry is recognized for our strong record of environmental stewardship,″ including methane reductions.

“The administration cannot accomplish lasting conservation without the buy-in of cattle producers,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635891610504.png" alt="The centerpiece of U.S. actions is a long-awaited rule by the Environmental Protection Agency to tighten methane regulations for the oil and gas sector-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>The centerpiece of U.S. actions is a long-awaited rule by the Environmental Protection Agency to tighten methane regulations for the oil and gas sector-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Tuesday launched a wide-ranging plan to reduce&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W_3n0S-SI4" target="_blank">methane emissions</a>, targeting a potent greenhouse gas that contributes significantly to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/climate">global warming</a>&nbsp;and packs a stronger short-term punch than even carbon dioxide.The plan was announced as President Joe Biden wraps up a two-day appearance at a United Nations climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland. Biden pledged during the summit to work with the European Union and dozens of other nations to reduce overall methane emissions worldwide by 30% by 2030.The centerpiece of U.S. actions is a long-awaited rule by the Environmental Protection Agency to tighten methane regulations for the oil and gas sector, as laid out in one of Biden’s first executive orders.The proposed rule would for the first time target reductions from existing oil and gas wells nationwide, rather than focus only on new wells as previous regulations have done.“One of the most important things we can do in this decisive decade — to keep 1.5 degrees in reach — is reduce our methane emissions as quickly as possible,″ Biden said, referring to a global pledge to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above levels in the late 19th century.Methane is “one of the most potent greenhouse gases there is,″ Biden said, adding that the new U.S. rules and the global pledge are “going to make a huge difference,″ not only in fighting climate change, but to improve health and reduce asthma and other respiratory problems.Reducing methane leaks, “capturing methane to turn it into new revenue streams,” will save companies money and create “good-paying union jobs for our workers,″ Biden said.EPA Administrator Michael Regan said the new rule, established under the Clean Air Act, would lead to significant reductions in methane emissions and other pollutants and would be stricter than a 2016 standard set under President Barack Obama. Congress reinstated the Obama-era standard last summer in a rare effort by majority Democrats to use the legislative branch to overturn a regulatory rollback under President Donald Trump.The EPA’s “historic action” will “ensure robust and lasting cuts in pollution across the country,″ Regan said, adding that the new rule will protect communities near oil and natural gas sites and advance U.S. climate goals under the 2015 Paris Agreement.Once finalized, the proposed requirements would reduce methane emissions from U.S. drilling operations and equipment by approximately 75% by 2030, compared with 2005, the White House said.The oil and natural gas industry is the nation’s largest industrial source of methane, a highly potent pollutant that is responsible for about one-third of current warming from human activities.The oil and gas sector also is a leading source of other harmful air pollutants, including volatile organic compounds that contribute to ground-level ozone, or smog, and air toxins such as benzene that are emitted along with methane.Environmental groups call methane reduction the fastest and most cost-effective action to slow the rate of global warming. Current rules for methane emissions from U.S. oil and gas wells only apply to sources that were built or modified after 2015, leaving more than 90% of the nation’s nearly 900,000 well sites unregulated. Many of those sites are smaller, low-producing wells.Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund, called the new rule “an important step that offers a major victory for nine million Americans living near active oil and gas sites.″ But he said EPA and other agencies must do more to cut down on flaring and leaks from so-called “marginal wells” that have disproportionately high emissions.The American Petroleum Institute, the oil and gas industry’s top lobbying group, has said it supports direct regulation of methane emissions from new and existing sources but opposes efforts in Congress to impose fees on methane leaks, calling them punitive and unnecessary. The industry says leaks of methane, the main component of natural gas, have decreased even as natural gas production has gone up as a result of the ongoing fracking boom. Technological advancements in recent years have make finding and repairing natural gas leaks cheaper and easier.“EPA has released a sweeping proposal, and we look forward to reviewing it in its entirety,″ said API senior vice president Frank Macchiarola. The group will work with EPA to help shape a final rule “that is effective, feasible and designed to encourage further innovation,″ he said.The administration’s plan includes new safety regulations by the Transportation Department to tighten requirements over methane leaks from the nation’s 3 million miles of pipelines.The Interior Department, meanwhile, is preparing to crack down on methane waste burned at drilling sites on public lands. And the Agriculture Department is working with farmers to establish so-called climate-smart standards to monitor and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon storage.Biden has previously announced plans to step up efforts to plug leaks at old oil and gas wells and clean up abandoned coal mines. A bipartisan infrastructure bill approved by the Senate includes billions to reclaim abandoned mine land and cap orphaned wells.The administration also is taking aim at methane emissions from landfills, with emphasis on food loss and waste that serves as a major contributor. EPA has set a voluntary goal of capturing 70% of methane emissions from U.S. landfills.Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in an interview that officials are studying ways to reduce methane emissions from livestock, including changes in feed and use of specialized equipment to convert manure into electricity.“We have just a multitude of ways for agriculture to advance methane reduction to help with the president’s goal of reducing” global methane use by 30%, Vilsack told The Associated Press.Ethan Lane, vice president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, said his group has worked with the Biden administration “since day one to ensure the U.S. cattle industry is recognized for our strong record of environmental stewardship,″ including methane reductions.“The administration cannot accomplish lasting conservation without the buy-in of cattle producers,” he said.___

Biden's climate plan puts oil and natural gas industry on notice

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Kansas City, Kansas, police say they are investigating the deaths of three people who lived in separate apartments at the same building. 

The two men and a woman were found dead at the Wyandotte Towers during the last two days. 

Police say the deaths are being investigated as homicides but they did not say how the residents died. Police spokeswoman Nancy Chartrand said officers found the first man dead on Monday. 

Building management notified police on Tuesday of the other two deaths. The Wyandotte Towers is a 15-story building with 302 units near downtown Kansas City, Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635889753469.png" alt="The Wyandotte Towers is a 15-story building with 302 units near downtown Kansas City, Kansas. photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>The Wyandotte Towers is a 15-story building with 302 units near downtown Kansas City, Kansas. photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Kansas City, Kansas, police say they are investigating the deaths of three people who lived in separate apartments at the same building. The two men and a woman were found dead at the Wyandotte Towers during the last two days. Police say the deaths are being investigated as homicides but they did not say how the residents died. Police spokeswoman Nancy Chartrand said officers found the first man dead on Monday. Building management notified police on Tuesday of the other two deaths. The Wyandotte Towers is a 15-story building with 302 units near downtown Kansas City, Kansas.

Police: 3 residents die in separate apartments at Kansas complex

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man in connection with an alleged assault on a 79-year-old victim.

Just before 9a.m. Monday, police responded to a disturbance at a home in the 700 Block of North 2nd Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

Police&nbsp; determined that during the disturbance property was damaged and a 79-year-old was a victim of battery by a family member.

Police located the 24-year-old family member suspect identified as Alexander Kelley outside the residence. When officers confronted Kelley, he was holding a pipe which he swung at officers as he was being arrested.

Police booked him into jail on requested charges of&nbsp; domestic battery, criminal damage to property, interference with law enforcement, and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635865943930.png" alt="Kelley photo Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>Kelley photo Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man in connection with an alleged assault on a 79-year-old victim.Just before 9a.m. Monday, police responded to a disturbance at a home in the 700 Block of North 2nd Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.Police&nbsp; determined that during the disturbance property was damaged and a 79-year-old was a victim of battery by a family member.Police located the 24-year-old family member suspect identified as Alexander Kelley outside the residence. When officers confronted Kelley, he was holding a pipe which he swung at officers as he was being arrested.Police booked him into jail on requested charges of&nbsp; domestic battery, criminal damage to property, interference with law enforcement, and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.&nbsp;

Police: Kansas man swung pipe at officer during arrest

MOLINE, IL (AP) —Most workers at Deere &amp; Co. rejected a contract offer Tuesday that would have given them 10% raises and decided to remain on strike in the hopes of securing a better deal.

The raises in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-illinois-moline-united-auto-workers-7e85b3d6aa34955f7c0be633e201c87f">new agreement</a>&nbsp;reached over the weekend were twice as big as the ones in the original offer United Auto Workers union members rejected last month, but those raises and improved benefits weren’t enough to end the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-united-auto-workers-moline-strikes-447c2d911c1314c247011522e30f9bd2">strike that began</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 14. The new agreement also would have provided an $8,500 ratification bonus, preserved a pension option for new employees, made workers eligible for health insurance sooner and maintained their no-premium health insurance coverage.

The disputed contract covers more than 10,000 Deere workers at 12 facilities in Iowa, Illinois and Kansas. A smaller group of about 100 workers at two Deere facilities in Colorado and Georgia voted to accept an identical deal.

The union said 55% of its members at the 12 main plants voted against this latest contract offer Tuesday.

Last month, 90% of union members also rejected a proposed contract that included immediate 5% raises for some workers and 6% for others, and 3% raises in 2023 and 2025.

Deere officials said they were disappointed the agreement was voted down.

“Through the agreements reached with the UAW, John Deere would have invested an additional $3.5 billion in our employees, and by extension, our communities, to significantly enhance wages and benefits that were already the best and most comprehensive in our industries,” said Marc A. Howze, Deere’s chief administrative officer. “This investment was the right one for Deere, our employees, and everyone we serve together.”

Tuesday’s vote means that the first major strike since 1986 will continue at the maker of agriculture and construction equipment. Currently, many companies are dealing with worker shortages, making workers feel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-4895e84ab6ed4bb61e9cb8d6c0bcfad5">emboldened&nbsp;</a>to demand more.

Forklift operator Irving Griffin, who has been with Deere for 11 years, told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/money/business/2021/11/02/john-deere-strikers-uaw-told-nation-watching-afl-cio-president-liz-shuler/6180383001/" target="_blank">the Des Moines Register</a>&nbsp;Monday that he planned to vote against the contract because he believed the company can offer even more.

Griffin said he thought workers should hold out for a better offer even though workers are receiving only $275 a week from the union while they’re on strike.

“Now is the best time to strike and take a stand for what we’re really worth,” he said to the newspaper.

Sales have been strong at the Moline, Illinois-based company this year as the economy continued to recover from the pandemic. Deere has predicted it will report record profits this year between $5.7 billion and $5.9 billion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634596496067.png" alt="The strike began Oct. 14 after union members overwhelmingly rejected a proposed contract that would have delivered 5% raises to some workers and 6% raises to others depending on their positions in the factory.-Photo courtesy WQAD TV" />
 <figcaption>The strike began Oct. 14 after union members overwhelmingly rejected a proposed contract that would have delivered 5% raises to some workers and 6% raises to others depending on their positions in the factory.-Photo courtesy WQAD TV</figcaption>
 </figure>MOLINE, IL (AP) —Most workers at Deere &amp; Co. rejected a contract offer Tuesday that would have given them 10% raises and decided to remain on strike in the hopes of securing a better deal.The raises in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-illinois-moline-united-auto-workers-7e85b3d6aa34955f7c0be633e201c87f">new agreement</a>&nbsp;reached over the weekend were twice as big as the ones in the original offer United Auto Workers union members rejected last month, but those raises and improved benefits weren’t enough to end the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-united-auto-workers-moline-strikes-447c2d911c1314c247011522e30f9bd2">strike that began</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 14. The new agreement also would have provided an $8,500 ratification bonus, preserved a pension option for new employees, made workers eligible for health insurance sooner and maintained their no-premium health insurance coverage.The disputed contract covers more than 10,000 Deere workers at 12 facilities in Iowa, Illinois and Kansas. A smaller group of about 100 workers at two Deere facilities in Colorado and Georgia voted to accept an identical deal.The union said 55% of its members at the 12 main plants voted against this latest contract offer Tuesday.Last month, 90% of union members also rejected a proposed contract that included immediate 5% raises for some workers and 6% for others, and 3% raises in 2023 and 2025.Deere officials said they were disappointed the agreement was voted down.“Through the agreements reached with the UAW, John Deere would have invested an additional $3.5 billion in our employees, and by extension, our communities, to significantly enhance wages and benefits that were already the best and most comprehensive in our industries,” said Marc A. Howze, Deere’s chief administrative officer. “This investment was the right one for Deere, our employees, and everyone we serve together.”Tuesday’s vote means that the first major strike since 1986 will continue at the maker of agriculture and construction equipment. Currently, many companies are dealing with worker shortages, making workers feel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-4895e84ab6ed4bb61e9cb8d6c0bcfad5">emboldened&nbsp;</a>to demand more.Forklift operator Irving Griffin, who has been with Deere for 11 years, told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/money/business/2021/11/02/john-deere-strikers-uaw-told-nation-watching-afl-cio-president-liz-shuler/6180383001/" target="_blank">the Des Moines Register</a>&nbsp;Monday that he planned to vote against the contract because he believed the company can offer even more.Griffin said he thought workers should hold out for a better offer even though workers are receiving only $275 a week from the union while they’re on strike.“Now is the best time to strike and take a stand for what we’re really worth,” he said to the newspaper.Sales have been strong at the Moline, Illinois-based company this year as the economy continued to recover from the pandemic. Deere has predicted it will report record profits this year between $5.7 billion and $5.9 billion.

Deere employees reject contract offer, will stay on strike

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded taxpayers 
that a special tax provision will allow more Americans to easily deduct 
up to $600 in donations to qualifying charities on their 2021 federal 
income tax return.

Ordinarily, people who choose to take the standard deduction cannot 
claim a deduction for their charitable contributions. But a temporary 
law change now permits them to claim a limited deduction on their 2021 
federal income tax returns for cash contributions made to qualifying 
charitable organizations. Nearly nine in 10 taxpayers now take the 
standard deduction and could potentially qualify.

Under this provision, individual tax filers, including married 
individuals filing separate returns, can claim a deduction of up to $300
 for cash contributions made to qualifying charities during 2021. The 
maximum deduction is increased to $600 for married individuals filing 
joint returns.

Included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security 
(CARES) Act, enacted in March 2020, a more limited version of this 
temporary tax benefit originally only applied to tax-year 2020. The 
Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020, enacted last 
December, generally extended it through the end of 2021.

Cash contributions include those made by check, credit card or debit 
card as well as amounts incurred by an individual for unreimbursed 
out-of-pocket expenses in connection with their volunteer services to a 
qualifying charitable organization. Cash contributions don't include the
 value of volunteer services, securities, household items or other 
property.

The IRS reminds taxpayers to make sure they're donating to a 
recognized charity. To receive a deduction, taxpayers must donate to a 
qualified charity. To check the status of a charity, they can use the 
IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/tax-exempt-organization-search">Tax Exempt Organization Search</a> tool.

Cash contributions to most charitable organizations qualify. But 
contributions made either to supporting organizations or to establish or
 maintain a donor advised fund do not. Contributions carried forward 
from prior years do not qualify, nor do contributions to most private 
foundations and most cash contributions to charitable remainder trusts.

In general, a donor-advised fund is a fund or account maintained by a
 charity in which a donor can, because of being a donor, advise the fund
 on how to distribute or invest amounts contributed by the donor and 
held in the fund. A supporting organization is a charity that carries 
out its exempt purposes by supporting other exempt organizations, 
usually other public charities.

Special recordkeeping rules apply to any taxpayer claiming a 
charitable contribution deduction. Usually, this includes obtaining an 
acknowledgment letter from the charity before filing a return and 
retaining a cancelled check or credit card receipt for contributions of 
cash.

For details on the recordkeeping rules for substantiating gifts to charity, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-526">Publication 526, Charitable Contributions</a>, available on IRS.gov.

Remind families about the Child Tax Credit

Besides the special charitable contribution deduction, the IRS also 
encourages employers to help get the word out about the advance payments
 of the Child Tax Credit because they have direct access to many 
employees and individuals who receive this credit. In particular, remind
 low-income workers, especially those who don't normally file returns, 
that the deadline for signing up for these payments is now November 15, 
2021. More information on the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">advance Child Tax Credit</a> is available on IRS.gov.

For more information about other coronavirus-related tax relief, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus-tax-relief-and-economic-impact-payments">IRS.gov/coronavirus</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded taxpayers 
that a special tax provision will allow more Americans to easily deduct 
up to $600 in donations to qualifying charities on their 2021 federal 
income tax return.Ordinarily, people who choose to take the standard deduction cannot 
claim a deduction for their charitable contributions. But a temporary 
law change now permits them to claim a limited deduction on their 2021 
federal income tax returns for cash contributions made to qualifying 
charitable organizations. Nearly nine in 10 taxpayers now take the 
standard deduction and could potentially qualify.Under this provision, individual tax filers, including married 
individuals filing separate returns, can claim a deduction of up to $300
 for cash contributions made to qualifying charities during 2021. The 
maximum deduction is increased to $600 for married individuals filing 
joint returns.Included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security 
(CARES) Act, enacted in March 2020, a more limited version of this 
temporary tax benefit originally only applied to tax-year 2020. The 
Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020, enacted last 
December, generally extended it through the end of 2021.Cash contributions include those made by check, credit card or debit 
card as well as amounts incurred by an individual for unreimbursed 
out-of-pocket expenses in connection with their volunteer services to a 
qualifying charitable organization. Cash contributions don't include the
 value of volunteer services, securities, household items or other 
property.The IRS reminds taxpayers to make sure they're donating to a 
recognized charity. To receive a deduction, taxpayers must donate to a 
qualified charity. To check the status of a charity, they can use the 
IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/tax-exempt-organization-search">Tax Exempt Organization Search</a> tool.Cash contributions to most charitable organizations qualify. But 
contributions made either to supporting organizations or to establish or
 maintain a donor advised fund do not. Contributions carried forward 
from prior years do not qualify, nor do contributions to most private 
foundations and most cash contributions to charitable remainder trusts.In general, a donor-advised fund is a fund or account maintained by a
 charity in which a donor can, because of being a donor, advise the fund
 on how to distribute or invest amounts contributed by the donor and 
held in the fund. A supporting organization is a charity that carries 
out its exempt purposes by supporting other exempt organizations, 
usually other public charities.<h2>Keep good records</h2>Special recordkeeping rules apply to any taxpayer claiming a 
charitable contribution deduction. Usually, this includes obtaining an 
acknowledgment letter from the charity before filing a return and 
retaining a cancelled check or credit card receipt for contributions of 
cash.For details on the recordkeeping rules for substantiating gifts to charity, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-526">Publication 526, Charitable Contributions</a>, available on IRS.gov.<h2>Remind families about the Child Tax Credit</h2>Besides the special charitable contribution deduction, the IRS also 
encourages employers to help get the word out about the advance payments
 of the Child Tax Credit because they have direct access to many 
employees and individuals who receive this credit. In particular, remind
 low-income workers, especially those who don't normally file returns, 
that the deadline for signing up for these payments is now November 15, 
2021. More information on the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">advance Child Tax Credit</a> is available on IRS.gov.For more information about other coronavirus-related tax relief, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus-tax-relief-and-economic-impact-payments">IRS.gov/coronavirus</a>.

Special tax deduction helps most give up to $600 to charity, even if they don’t itemize

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Authorities are investigating a Catholic priest for alleged sexual abuse of a minor.

&nbsp;On Monday, Bishop Carl A. Kemme of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita placed Rev. Michael Schemm, Church of the Resurrection, 4910 N Woodlawn Street in Bel Aire, on leave, according to a media release from the Diocese.

Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennet said,&nbsp; “The Catholic Diocese of Wichita notified the Office of the District Attorney that allegations had recently been made against a priest working within the Diocese. 

 The allegations date to the time frame over 25 years ago.  Late this morning (Tuesday Nov.1.), the matter was referred by this office to the Exploited and Missing Child Unit.   Additional information may be made public following the presentation of the matter for a final charging determination at the conclusion of any follow up investigation.”

While on leave Father Schemm will be restricted from offering sacraments and preaching in the Catholic Diocese of Wichita until the investigation has been completed, according to the release.

<a href="https://www.kansas.gov/kbi/reportClergyAbuse.shtml">Click here </a>&nbsp;if you&nbsp;&nbsp;you, or someone you know, has been the victim of sexual misconduct committed by members of the clergy or call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME (1-800-572-7463)&nbsp;or emailing&nbsp;<a href="mailto:ClergyAbuse@kbi.ks.gov">ClergyAbuse@kbi.ks.gov</a>

The dioceses asks anyone who suspects abuse, inappropriate behavior or has been harmed by any person who has worked or volunteered for the diocese to contact the Diocesan Victim’s Assistance Coordinator at (316) 440-1757 or&nbsp;<a href="http://www.catholicdioceseofwichita.org/promise-to-protect.">CatholicDioceseofWichita.org/promise-to-protect.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635811845603.png" alt="Father Michael Schemm-photo courtesy Church of the Resurrection" />
 <figcaption>Father Michael Schemm-photo courtesy Church of the Resurrection</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Authorities are investigating a Catholic priest for alleged sexual abuse of a minor.&nbsp;On Monday, Bishop Carl A. Kemme of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita placed Rev. Michael Schemm, Church of the Resurrection, 4910 N Woodlawn Street in Bel Aire, on leave, according to a media release from the Diocese.Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennet said,&nbsp; “The Catholic Diocese of Wichita notified the Office of the District Attorney that allegations had recently been made against a priest working within the Diocese. The allegations date to the time frame over 25 years ago. Late this morning (Tuesday Nov.1.), the matter was referred by this office to the Exploited and Missing Child Unit. Additional information may be made public following the presentation of the matter for a final charging determination at the conclusion of any follow up investigation.”While on leave Father Schemm will be restricted from offering sacraments and preaching in the Catholic Diocese of Wichita until the investigation has been completed, according to the release.<a href="https://www.kansas.gov/kbi/reportClergyAbuse.shtml">Click here </a>&nbsp;if you&nbsp;&nbsp;you, or someone you know, has been the victim of sexual misconduct committed by members of the clergy or call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME (1-800-572-7463)&nbsp;or emailing&nbsp;<a href="mailto:ClergyAbuse@kbi.ks.gov">ClergyAbuse@kbi.ks.gov</a>The dioceses asks anyone who suspects abuse, inappropriate behavior or has been harmed by any person who has worked or volunteered for the diocese to contact the Diocesan Victim’s Assistance Coordinator at (316) 440-1757 or&nbsp;<a href="http://www.catholicdioceseofwichita.org/promise-to-protect.">CatholicDioceseofWichita.org/promise-to-protect.</a>

DA issues statement on child sex allegations against Kan. priest

ATLANTA (AP) —U.S. health officials on Tuesday gave the final signoff to Pfizer’s kid-size COVID-19 shot, a major expansion of the nation’s vaccination campaign.

The Food and Drug Administration already authorized the shots for children ages 5 to 11 — doses just a third of the amount given to teens and adults. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends who should receive FDA-cleared vaccines.

The announcement by CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky came only hours after an advisory panel unanimously decided Pfizer’s shots should be opened to the 28 million youngsters in that age group.

Millions of shots made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech have already been shipped to states, doctors’ offices and pharmacies, to be ready for CDC’s decision.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635890433225.png" alt="CDC Director Rochelle Walensky" />
 <figcaption>CDC Director Rochelle Walensky</figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) —U.S. health officials on Tuesday gave the final signoff to Pfizer’s kid-size COVID-19 shot, a major expansion of the nation’s vaccination campaign.The Food and Drug Administration already authorized the shots for children ages 5 to 11 — doses just a third of the amount given to teens and adults. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends who should receive FDA-cleared vaccines.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635537216378.png" alt="The vaccine for children has an orange cap-Photo courtesy Pfizer" />
 <figcaption>The vaccine for children has an orange cap-Photo courtesy Pfizer</figcaption>
 </figure>The announcement by CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky came only hours after an advisory panel unanimously decided Pfizer’s shots should be opened to the 28 million youngsters in that age group.Millions of shots made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech have already been shipped to states, doctors’ offices and pharmacies, to be ready for CDC’s decision.___

US gives final clearance to COVID-19 shots for kids 5 to 11

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a Halloween accident arrested 23-year-old Caleb Leivian of Wichita.

Just after 9p.m. Sunday, police working in the area of Douglas and Broadview were alerted by a citizen that someone had been hit by a car, according to Officer Trevor Macey.

Police located a &nbsp;4-year-old boy who had been struck by a westbound vehicle on Douglas.&nbsp;EMS and Fire Department personnel responded to treat the child, who was transported to an area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. He has since been released.

Officers learned that the child was trick-or-treating in the area and had gone into the street where he was struck by the vehicle. 

The driver, identified as Leivian, was arrested on scene after an investigation revealed signs of impairment. He was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges of Aggravated Battery; DUI Causing great bodily harm, DUI; 2nd&nbsp;conviction, No proof of insurance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. The case will be presented to the District Attorney’s Office.&nbsp;

A family member established a<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-and-healing-for-kimanis-family?utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1&amp;utm_medium=copy_link&amp;utm_source=customer"> GoFundMe page</a> to assist with the expenses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635799076053.png" alt="Leivian-photo Sedgwick Co. Jail&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Leivian-photo Sedgwick Co. Jail&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a Halloween accident arrested 23-year-old Caleb Leivian of Wichita.Just after 9p.m. Sunday, police working in the area of Douglas and Broadview were alerted by a citizen that someone had been hit by a car, according to Officer Trevor Macey.Police located a &nbsp;4-year-old boy who had been struck by a westbound vehicle on Douglas.&nbsp;EMS and Fire Department personnel responded to treat the child, who was transported to an area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. He has since been released.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635863352628.png" alt="Photo courtesy GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers learned that the child was trick-or-treating in the area and had gone into the street where he was struck by the vehicle. The driver, identified as Leivian, was arrested on scene after an investigation revealed signs of impairment. He was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges of Aggravated Battery; DUI Causing great bodily harm, DUI; 2nd&nbsp;conviction, No proof of insurance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. The case will be presented to the District Attorney’s Office.&nbsp;A family member established a<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-and-healing-for-kimanis-family?utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1&amp;utm_medium=copy_link&amp;utm_source=customer"> GoFundMe page</a> to assist with the expenses.

Kan. boy hit by alleged drunk driver while trick-or-treating is home

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the  improper release of an inmate from the Sedgwick County Jail that occurred just before 9a.m. on Monday, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.

Jamarcius Quayshaun Fisher, 30, was incarcerated as a pre-trail detainee on charges of Aggravated Burglary, Domestic Battery and Criminal Damage to Property.&nbsp; Authorities issued a warrant for Fisher’s arrest and took him into custody again just after 5p.m. Tuesday, according to Blick.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the&nbsp; improper release of an inmate from the Sedgwick County Jail that occurred just before 9a.m. on Monday, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.

Jamarcius Quayshaun Fisher, 30, was incarcerated as a pre-trail detainee on charges of Aggravated Burglary, Domestic Battery and Criminal Damage to Property. A warrant for Fisher’s arrest has been issued.

Fisher was last known to live in the Wichita area. He is 5-foot-7 and weighs approximately 160 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

If you know of Fisher’s whereabouts please call 911.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635890630290.png" alt="Fisher has previous convictions for burglary and theft, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections-photo Sedgwick Count" />
 <figcaption>Fisher has previous convictions for burglary and theft, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections-photo Sedgwick Count</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the improper release of an inmate from the Sedgwick County Jail that occurred just before 9a.m. on Monday, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.Jamarcius Quayshaun Fisher, 30, was incarcerated as a pre-trail detainee on charges of Aggravated Burglary, Domestic Battery and Criminal Damage to Property.&nbsp; Authorities issued a warrant for Fisher’s arrest and took him into custody again just after 5p.m. Tuesday, according to Blick.------------------------SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the&nbsp; improper release of an inmate from the Sedgwick County Jail that occurred just before 9a.m. on Monday, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.Jamarcius Quayshaun Fisher, 30, was incarcerated as a pre-trail detainee on charges of Aggravated Burglary, Domestic Battery and Criminal Damage to Property. A warrant for Fisher’s arrest has been issued.Fisher was last known to live in the Wichita area. He is 5-foot-7 and weighs approximately 160 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.If you know of Fisher’s whereabouts please call 911.

Kan. burglary suspect mistakenly released from jail, captured

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An official recording of a Kansas legislative hearing that appears on a Legislative website and YouTube was edited to remove profanities directed at a journalist.

Justin Speihs was testifying Saturday against mask mandates before the Special Committee on Government Overreach and the Impact of COVID-19 Mandates when he began using profanity to criticize Sherman Smith, editor in chief of the Kansas Reflector.

Spiehs had previously asked Smith to provide coverage of his complaints against Lawrence school officials’ directives on masks. Smith declined Spiehs’ request, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article255461496.html" target="_blank">reported.</a>

When the audio resumes, Sen. Renee Erickson, a Wichita Republican and chairwoman of the committee, is heard telling the audience the committee will not tolerate “that type of language or behavior.

J.G. Scott, director of the Kansas Legislative Research Department, said in an email the audio was edited “in an abundance of caution.”

“We now have the professionals working, after the Saturday meeting, to provide the legal perspective regarding (the) situation and a decision how to proceed will be made shortly,” Scott said.

Smith said he wasn’t concerned about what Spiehs thought of him. “But as a journalist, I think it’s important to preserve the public record,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635873957186.png" alt="Justin Speihs from his statement on mask mandates on Saturday." />
 <figcaption>Justin Speihs from his statement on mask mandates on Saturday.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An official recording of a Kansas legislative hearing that appears on a Legislative website and YouTube was edited to remove profanities directed at a journalist.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gbMG5nbJENM?start=19751" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Justin Speihs was testifying Saturday against mask mandates before the Special Committee on Government Overreach and the Impact of COVID-19 Mandates when he began using profanity to criticize Sherman Smith, editor in chief of the Kansas Reflector.Spiehs had previously asked Smith to provide coverage of his complaints against Lawrence school officials’ directives on masks. Smith declined Spiehs’ request, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article255461496.html" target="_blank">reported.</a>When the audio resumes, Sen. Renee Erickson, a Wichita Republican and chairwoman of the committee, is heard telling the audience the committee will not tolerate “that type of language or behavior.J.G. Scott, director of the Kansas Legislative Research Department, said in an email the audio was edited “in an abundance of caution.”“We now have the professionals working, after the Saturday meeting, to provide the legal perspective regarding (the) situation and a decision how to proceed will be made shortly,” Scott said.Smith said he wasn’t concerned about what Spiehs thought of him. “But as a journalist, I think it’s important to preserve the public record,” he said.

🎥Profanities removed from Kansas legislative hearing audio

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Democrat and former U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore has died at the age of 75. He was a former prosecutor who represented a Kansas City-area district that previously had seemed safe for Republicans. The former congressman’s wife said he died of cancer Tuesday, and he also had Alzheimer’s for several years. 

Moore won the seat for the 3rd Congressional District in 1998 by unseating freshman conservative Republican Rep. Vince Snowbarger. The GOP had held the seat since 1961 but Moore had previously shown that he could attract votes from moderate Republicans and independents in winning three terms as Johnson County district attorney. Moore did not seek reelection in 2010.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635876366047.png" alt="Dennis Moore -photo courtesy Kansas State Historical Society" />
 <figcaption>Dennis Moore -photo courtesy Kansas State Historical Society</figcaption>
 </figure>OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Democrat and former U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore has died at the age of 75. He was a former prosecutor who represented a Kansas City-area district that previously had seemed safe for Republicans. The former congressman’s wife said he died of cancer Tuesday, and he also had Alzheimer’s for several years. Moore won the seat for the 3rd Congressional District in 1998 by unseating freshman conservative Republican Rep. Vince Snowbarger. The GOP had held the seat since 1961 but Moore had previously shown that he could attract votes from moderate Republicans and independents in winning three terms as Johnson County district attorney. Moore did not seek reelection in 2010.

Dennis Moore, ex-Democrat Kan. congressman has died

CORRECTED 1:20 p.m. Wednesday: The original version of this story incorrectly listed the wrong pay for workers at the Tyson plant. New workers start at $20 an hour.

This is the second of a two-part series looking at what meatpacking has meant for southwest Kansas. Click <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/bed159a1-c391-4a17-a84c-31da5504046a">HERE</a> to read the first part.

By DAVID CONDOS <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-11-01/kansas-meatpacking-workers-fueled-an-economic-boom-but-many-need-food-pantries-to-get-by">Kansas News Service</a>

GARDEN CITY — Outside an old, white two-story house in
 downtown Garden City, dozens of people stand in a loose row that spills
 out of the driveway and onto the sidewalk.

Many of them show up 
here at Emmaus House — the largest food pantry in southwest Kansas — 
every Wednesday and Friday. And they walk away with free boxes filled 
with everything from frozen bacon to salad kits to frosted cakes that 
sustain their families for another week.

Much of the food in those
 boxes was donated by the area’s largest employer, Tyson Foods. Its 
meatpacking plant has lifted Garden City to new heights of prosperity in
 the four decades since it opened on the outskirts of town.

But for many of the workers who hold down the tough jobs in that giant slaughterhouse, the reality isn’t always so rosy.

Nearly
 half of the people who stand in line at this food pantry on a given 
week come from families employed at Tyson’s meatpacking plant.

The scene at <a href="https://emmaushouseks.com/" target="_blank">Emmaus House</a>
 illustrates the ongoing growing pains Garden City has faced during its 
transformation from a small farming community to a meatpacking boom 
town. In the decades since Tyson’s plant opened, the number of jobs in 
Garden City has skyrocketed, but the per capita incomes in town have <a href="http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/conferen/kepc11/HarvestofChange.pdf" target="_blank">lost pace</a> with the rest of Kansas. And the number of people living in poverty and seeking food assistance has <a href="http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/conferen/kepc11/HarvestofChange.pdf" target="_blank">soared</a>.

“A
 lot of people think, ‘Well, you're working at Tyson, so you're making 
really good money,’ Robin Marsh, Emmaus House’s executive director, 
said. “By the time you pay your rent, by the time you pay your utilities
 … they don't have enough for food.”

Tyson recently raised starting pay at this plant to $20 per hour, but many workers' families still meet the poverty income guidelines that qualify them for food assistance from Emmaus House.

Each family that Emmaus House serves falls below the poverty line in 
order to qualify for assistance. And that group keeps growing.

The number of meals Emmaus House served <a href="http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/conferen/kepc11/HarvestofChange.pdf" target="_blank">nearly quadrupled</a>
 between 2000 and 2010. On a single day, roughly 160 families pick up 
grocery boxes from the food bank. When demand peaked earlier in the 
pandemic, that number jumped to 400.

And Tyson — which directly provides roughly <a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/finneycountykansas/PST045219" target="_blank">one of every five jobs</a>
 in the county — sits at the center of what’s both wildly prosperous and
 persistently challenging about life in modern Garden City. Without the 
massive beef processing operation, this small city would likely be 
withering like so many other Great Plains communities.

But when 
many workers at the area’s largest employer can’t afford their families’
 basic needs, the question of whether or not Garden City has found 
success grows more complicated.

“It's always positive when you see growth,” Marsh said. “But if you look behind the camera, there are issues.”

When what was then the world’s largest 
meatpacking plant opened here in 1980, Garden City had a problem: It 
needed thousands of new workers.

At the time, the town had roughly
 18,000 residents and virtually no unemployment. So it opened its doors 
to immigrants and refugees, with an assist from the company that 
originally ran the giant slaughterhouse, IBP.

IBP recruited many of the <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/3627793" target="_blank">2,000 south Asian refugees</a> who migrated to Garden City around that time. It even broadcast help wanted ads on <a href="http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/conferen/kepc11/HarvestofChange.pdf" target="_blank">border town radio</a> stations to reach potential workers in Mexico.

“They
 followed the theory from the movie ‘Field of Dreams’: ‘Build it and 
they will come,’” said Don Stull, a former University of Kansas 
professor. “And they did come.”

Stull studied the meatpacking industry’s impact on Garden City for three decades as an anthropology professor and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Slaughterhouse-Blues-Poultry-Industry-Contemporary/dp/1111828784" target="_blank">author</a>. He said the plant’s workforce grew faster than the town’s housing market and social service systems could handle.

“Jobs come with costs,” Stull said. “And they don't talk about the costs.”

And because the meatpacking jobs had an annual turnover rate of nearly <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/07311214211012025" target="_blank">100%</a>, the company had to keep recruiting new waves of workers. Over and over again.

In the plant’s first five years, Garden City pulled in <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/07311214211012025" target="_blank">6,000</a> new residents. But the town didn’t have anywhere to put them.

The situation became so dire that city leaders held a press conference <a href="http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/conferen/kepc11/HarvestofChange.pdf" target="_blank">imploring residents</a>
 to open their homes to workers who had nowhere else to sleep. A year 
after opening, the plant surveyed its employees and found that one-third
 were paying excessive rent and <a href="http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/conferen/kepc11/HarvestofChange.pdf" target="_blank">one out of 20</a> workers was living in a car or motel.

For the immigrants and refugees who come to town to join the 
meatpacking plant’s 3,000-plus workforce today, the outlook hasn’t 
gotten much sunnier.

“Once they get here, they’re like, ‘Where are
 we going to live? Crap, we can't afford a $900 house payment,’” Marsh 
of Emmaus House said. “Those are the struggles that we still deal with 
and always have. … And if you don't believe me, drive out to IBP 
trailers.”

That’s a plot with hundreds of mobile homes lined up in
 long rows on the east side of town. IBP pushed the city to rezone the 
land in the 1980s specifically to house some of the plant’s early 
employees.

And it’s still there today. Marsh says it's common for a home there to have a hole in the floor. Or no windows.

But residents often can’t afford to move to a better place — if they could even find one.

City
 manager Matt Allen said the area continues to be about 600 to 700 
housing units short of demand. And that need grows by around 10% each 
year.

“The answer is pretty simple. … We need more houses,” Allen said. “It's the ‘How do you get those?’ That's the difficulty.”

Housing is far from the only growing pain that continues to strain Garden City in the wake of the meatpacking plant’s arrival.

Law
 enforcement, hospitals and schools have had to bridge language gaps 
between critical services and the dozens of languages residents speak.

In
 2000, half the students in Garden City’s public school system received 
free or reduced lunch because of their families’ low incomes. Today, 
that number’s up to two-thirds.

The Garden City area also ranks as <a href="https://www.khi.org/assets/uploads/news/15162/finney_county_2021.pdf" target="_blank">among the state’s lowest</a>
 for quality of life and health outcomes — and the social and economic 
factors that drive them. For example, adults in Finney County are about <a href="https://www.rwjf.org/en/cultureofhealth/what-were-learning/sentinel-communities/finney-county-kansas.html" target="_blank">twice as likely</a> to lack a primary care doctor and 50% more likely to be in poor health compared to the state average.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635860880461.png" alt="A line of people wait for the food pantry to open at Emmaus House. Maria Hernandez, center, cooks for the shelter's soup kitchen in addition to helping pass out groceries. David Condos / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>A line of people wait for the food pantry to open at Emmaus House. Maria Hernandez, center, cooks for the shelter's soup kitchen in addition to helping pass out groceries. David Condos / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>CORRECTED 1:20 p.m. Wednesday: The original version of this story incorrectly listed the wrong pay for workers at the Tyson plant. New workers start at $20 an hour.This is the second of a two-part series looking at what meatpacking has meant for southwest Kansas. Click <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/bed159a1-c391-4a17-a84c-31da5504046a">HERE</a> to read the first part.By DAVID CONDOS <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-11-01/kansas-meatpacking-workers-fueled-an-economic-boom-but-many-need-food-pantries-to-get-by">Kansas News Service</a>GARDEN CITY — Outside an old, white two-story house in
 downtown Garden City, dozens of people stand in a loose row that spills
 out of the driveway and onto the sidewalk.Many of them show up 
here at Emmaus House — the largest food pantry in southwest Kansas — 
every Wednesday and Friday. And they walk away with free boxes filled 
with everything from frozen bacon to salad kits to frosted cakes that 
sustain their families for another week.Much of the food in those
 boxes was donated by the area’s largest employer, Tyson Foods. Its 
meatpacking plant has lifted Garden City to new heights of prosperity in
 the four decades since it opened on the outskirts of town.But for many of the workers who hold down the tough jobs in that giant slaughterhouse, the reality isn’t always so rosy.Nearly
 half of the people who stand in line at this food pantry on a given 
week come from families employed at Tyson’s meatpacking plant.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635861051292.png" alt="People check in to receive boxes of groceries at the Emmaus House food pantry. The number of meals served at Emmaus House nearly quadrupled between 2000 and 2010. David Condos" />
 <figcaption>People check in to receive boxes of groceries at the Emmaus House food pantry. The number of meals served at Emmaus House nearly quadrupled between 2000 and 2010. David Condos</figcaption>
 </figure>The scene at <a href="https://emmaushouseks.com/" target="_blank">Emmaus House</a>
 illustrates the ongoing growing pains Garden City has faced during its 
transformation from a small farming community to a meatpacking boom 
town. In the decades since Tyson’s plant opened, the number of jobs in 
Garden City has skyrocketed, but the per capita incomes in town have <a href="http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/conferen/kepc11/HarvestofChange.pdf" target="_blank">lost pace</a> with the rest of Kansas. And the number of people living in poverty and seeking food assistance has <a href="http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/conferen/kepc11/HarvestofChange.pdf" target="_blank">soared</a>.“A
 lot of people think, ‘Well, you're working at Tyson, so you're making 
really good money,’ Robin Marsh, Emmaus House’s executive director, 
said. “By the time you pay your rent, by the time you pay your utilities
 … they don't have enough for food.”Tyson recently raised starting pay at this plant to $20 per hour, but many workers' families still meet the poverty income guidelines that qualify them for food assistance from Emmaus House.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635861252867.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Each family that Emmaus House serves falls below the poverty line in 
order to qualify for assistance. And that group keeps growing.The number of meals Emmaus House served <a href="http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/conferen/kepc11/HarvestofChange.pdf" target="_blank">nearly quadrupled</a>
 between 2000 and 2010. On a single day, roughly 160 families pick up 
grocery boxes from the food bank. When demand peaked earlier in the 
pandemic, that number jumped to 400.And Tyson — which directly provides roughly <a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/finneycountykansas/PST045219" target="_blank">one of every five jobs</a>
 in the county — sits at the center of what’s both wildly prosperous and
 persistently challenging about life in modern Garden City. Without the 
massive beef processing operation, this small city would likely be 
withering like so many other Great Plains communities.But when 
many workers at the area’s largest employer can’t afford their families’
 basic needs, the question of whether or not Garden City has found 
success grows more complicated.“It's always positive when you see growth,” Marsh said. “But if you look behind the camera, there are issues.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635861292063.png" alt="A woman browses baked goods at the Emmaus House food pantry. The organization provides food for roughly 160 families in Garden City every week. David Condos" />
 <figcaption>A woman browses baked goods at the Emmaus House food pantry. The organization provides food for roughly 160 families in Garden City every week. David Condos</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Boom town</h2>When what was then the world’s largest 
meatpacking plant opened here in 1980, Garden City had a problem: It 
needed thousands of new workers.At the time, the town had roughly
 18,000 residents and virtually no unemployment. So it opened its doors 
to immigrants and refugees, with an assist from the company that 
originally ran the giant slaughterhouse, IBP.IBP recruited many of the <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/3627793" target="_blank">2,000 south Asian refugees</a> who migrated to Garden City around that time. It even broadcast help wanted ads on <a href="http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/conferen/kepc11/HarvestofChange.pdf" target="_blank">border town radio</a> stations to reach potential workers in Mexico.“They
 followed the theory from the movie ‘Field of Dreams’: ‘Build it and 
they will come,’” said Don Stull, a former University of Kansas 
professor. “And they did come.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635861346153.png" alt="Workers cut and package beef in the early days of IBP's Finney County meatpacking plant. Finney County Historical Society" />
 <figcaption>Workers cut and package beef in the early days of IBP's Finney County meatpacking plant. Finney County Historical Society</figcaption>
 </figure>Stull studied the meatpacking industry’s impact on Garden City for three decades as an anthropology professor and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Slaughterhouse-Blues-Poultry-Industry-Contemporary/dp/1111828784" target="_blank">author</a>. He said the plant’s workforce grew faster than the town’s housing market and social service systems could handle.“Jobs come with costs,” Stull said. “And they don't talk about the costs.”And because the meatpacking jobs had an annual turnover rate of nearly <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/07311214211012025" target="_blank">100%</a>, the company had to keep recruiting new waves of workers. Over and over again.In the plant’s first five years, Garden City pulled in <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/07311214211012025" target="_blank">6,000</a> new residents. But the town didn’t have anywhere to put them.The situation became so dire that city leaders held a press conference <a href="http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/conferen/kepc11/HarvestofChange.pdf" target="_blank">imploring residents</a>
 to open their homes to workers who had nowhere else to sleep. A year 
after opening, the plant surveyed its employees and found that one-third
 were paying excessive rent and <a href="http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/conferen/kepc11/HarvestofChange.pdf" target="_blank">one out of 20</a> workers was living in a car or motel.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635861386823.png" alt="This row of mobile homes sits in the part of town commonly known as "IBP trailers." It was developed in the 1980s to house some of the meatpacking plant's early workers. David Condos" />
 <figcaption>This row of mobile homes sits in the part of town commonly known as "IBP trailers." It was developed in the 1980s to house some of the meatpacking plant's early workers. David Condos</figcaption>
 </figure>For the immigrants and refugees who come to town to join the 
meatpacking plant’s 3,000-plus workforce today, the outlook hasn’t 
gotten much sunnier.“Once they get here, they’re like, ‘Where are
 we going to live? Crap, we can't afford a $900 house payment,’” Marsh 
of Emmaus House said. “Those are the struggles that we still deal with 
and always have. … And if you don't believe me, drive out to IBP 
trailers.”That’s a plot with hundreds of mobile homes lined up in
 long rows on the east side of town. IBP pushed the city to rezone the 
land in the 1980s specifically to house some of the plant’s early 
employees.And it’s still there today. Marsh says it's common for a home there to have a hole in the floor. Or no windows.But residents often can’t afford to move to a better place — if they could even find one.City
 manager Matt Allen said the area continues to be about 600 to 700 
housing units short of demand. And that need grows by around 10% each 
year.“The answer is pretty simple. … We need more houses,” Allen said. “It's the ‘How do you get those?’ That's the difficulty.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635861424964.png" alt="Brittney Knoll, director of the Emmaus House food pantry, sorts groceries into the boxes that people will take home. She said nearly half of the people who pick up food here come from families employed at the Tyson meatpacking plant. David Condos" />
 <figcaption>Brittney Knoll, director of the Emmaus House food pantry, sorts groceries into the boxes that people will take home. She said nearly half of the people who pick up food here come from families employed at the Tyson meatpacking plant. David Condos</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Safety nets</h2>Housing is far from the only growing pain that continues to strain Garden City in the wake of the meatpacking plant’s arrival.Law
 enforcement, hospitals and schools have had to bridge language gaps 
between critical services and the dozens of languages residents speak.In
 2000, half the students in Garden City’s public school system received 
free or reduced lunch because of their families’ low incomes. Today, 
that number’s up to two-thirds.The Garden City area also ranks as <a href="https://www.khi.org/assets/uploads/news/15162/finney_county_2021.pdf" target="_blank">among the state’s lowest</a>
 for quality of life and health outcomes — and the social and economic 
factors that drive them. For example, adults in Finney County are about <a href="https://www.rwjf.org/en/cultureofhealth/what-were-learning/sentinel-communities/finney-county-kansas.html" target="_blank">twice as likely</a> to lack a primary care doctor and 50% more likely to be in poor health compared to the state average.And
 without the same resources that big cities have, the extra work to make
 sure people don’t fall through the cracks often falls to regular folks 
who choose to step in and help.People like Dominican Sister Janice Thome.“We don’t have to ever worry about having enough to do,” she said. “There’s always going to be plenty.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635861471808.png" alt="Sister Janice Thome loads boxes of groceries into her car at the Emmaus House food bank. David Condos" />
 <figcaption>Sister Janice Thome loads boxes of groceries into her car at the Emmaus House food bank. David Condos</figcaption>
 </figure>Most every week for the past 25 years, she has pulled her compact car
 up to Emmaus House and filled it with boxes of groceries. Then she 
starts her route, delivering the food to a rotating cast of families 
scattered across Garden City who can’t afford it and aren’t able to come
 to the food bank.Just about the only time she doesn’t do this is
 when she’s busy lending a hand to one of the community’s other many 
needs. The previous week, she drove someone to Kansas City to meet with 
an immigration lawyer.“It’s worth the effort to do all of this,” she said, “because look how we can sustain people’s lives, better people's lives.”Forty
 years after the town debated whether or not to welcome the meatpacking 
plant and its thousands of immigrant and refugee workers, Thome said 
it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t think pushing for the plant was 
the right decision.Pretty much everyone she knows in Garden City 
today values how the steady stream of new arrivals keeps the town alive —
 not just economically, but also with a cultural vibrancy that has made 
the town a richer place for everyone.For Thome, it’s all part of living in a city that boasts the slogan: “The world grows here.”“We're living it,” she said. “And I think it's wonderful.”But as Garden City keeps growing, the patchwork of support that takes care of so many of its vulnerable residents will continue to face strains.Across
 the street from the mobile home park IBP built, for example, another 
food conglomerate is building a new ground beef plant that will add a 
couple hundred more jobs to the city’s meat workforce over the next two 
years.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635861511091.png" alt="This sign marks the future site of Empirical Foods' forthcoming ground beef plant. It plans to add at least 250 more jobs to Garden City's meat processing workforce. David Condos" />
 <figcaption>This sign marks the future site of Empirical Foods' forthcoming ground beef plant. It plans to add at least 250 more jobs to Garden City's meat processing workforce. David Condos</figcaption>
 </figure>But as rural towns across the U.S. lose residents, having to find 
ways to deal with the growing pains still beats depopulation and a 
shrinking economy.“Whatever challenges exist, I found that in the
 vast majority of these smaller locations, refugees — and immigrants 
more broadly — were an absolute lifeline,” Pablo Bose, who teaches about
 the geography of race at the University of Vermont, said. “I actually 
heard that particular statement like, ‘These newcomers are a lifeline.’”Bose
 has researched refugee resettlement in America for the past decade. His
 research shows that community-based systems for supporting new 
immigrants in small towns can be highly effective because they get more 
people to buy in.But the downside is that big cities with a 
longer history of immigration tend to have more systems in place to 
support newcomers. In rural areas, makeshift community safety nets can 
fray if they’re missing just one key person. Someone like sister Janice.“When
 that individual gets burnt out, or retires … you have to go through a 
whole process of getting somebody up to speed,” Bose said. “It makes it 
precarious.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635861551855.png" alt="A volunteer helps a woman pick groceries to add to her box at the Emmaus House food pantry. David Condos" />
 <figcaption>A volunteer helps a woman pick groceries to add to her box at the Emmaus House food pantry. David Condos</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>It’s business</h2>Tyson Foods said in a statement that its southwest Kansas employees are "critical to (the company's) success" and touted the plant's recent initiatives aimed at boosting worker satisfaction, such as increased pay and flexible scheduling.But when so much of Garden City’s fortunes ride the whims of a multinational conglomerate headquartered in another state, it puts a lot of what the community has gained at risk.The
 city has tried to bring in different industries, but city manager Matt 
Allen said that meatpacking remains the backbone of the local economy.“We’re
 still largely dependent on Tyson not only being in operation, but being
 in operation near full capacity,” he said. “Everything else sort of 
depends on that.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635861595194.png" alt="Tyson Foods' beef plant directly provides roughly one of every five jobs in Finney County and drives the local economy. David Condos" />
 <figcaption>Tyson Foods' beef plant directly provides roughly one of every five jobs in Finney County and drives the local economy. David Condos</figcaption>
 </figure>And at any point, Tyson could choose to close or relocate this plant if it makes sense for its business.That’s not some far-fetched hypothetical for Garden City — the town has actually been through that before.There
 used to be a second meatpacking plant here run by another giant food 
company, ConAgra. That one suddenly shut down on Christmas Day in 2000 
after a fire put 2,300 people out of work overnight and sent local 
social services agencies scrambling.When Garden City’s leaders 
traveled to ConAgra headquarters the following spring to essentially beg
 the company to come back, its executives <a href="http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/conferen/kepc11/HarvestofChange.pdf" target="_blank">refused</a> to meet with them. The plant never reopened.“They
 didn't really give a damn about Garden City,” Stull, the KU professor, 
said, “and I think that's true of these multinational corporations in 
general.”So whether it’s shoring up the city’s economic future or
 caring for the needs of its residents, Stull said Garden City and other
 meatpacking towns can’t look to the companies that run the plants to 
save the day.“They’re not in the business of providing housing or health care,” he said. “They're in the business of making meat.”David Condos covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/davidcondos" target="_blank">@davidcondos</a>.