SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; are investigating a wanted suspect arrested after nearly a 7-hour standoff.

Just after 2:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to the 800 block of SW Lincoln on a check welfare call reference a possible violent domestic situation, according to Lt. Kelvin Johnson.

 An adult female victim was able to get out of the residence and informed officers what had happened. 

A man identified as 27-year-old Trent Robbins, was in the house, but refused to come out or speak with officers and barricaded himself inside. Police learned Robbins&nbsp; was also actively being sought by the Topeka Police Department reference a shooting that occurred during the early morning of July 30, according to Lt. Johnson.

The Topeka Police Response Team and Crisis Negotiators were called to the scene and just after 9:00 a.m., Robbins surrendered to law enforcement and was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Domestic Battery, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Aggravated Battery, Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm in the City Limits, Criminal Damage to Property and Felony Obstruction.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1628506657882.png" alt="Robbins photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Robbins photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; are investigating a wanted suspect arrested after nearly a 7-hour standoff.Just after 2:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to the 800 block of SW Lincoln on a check welfare call reference a possible violent domestic situation, according to Lt. Kelvin Johnson. An adult female victim was able to get out of the residence and informed officers what had happened. A man identified as 27-year-old Trent Robbins, was in the house, but refused to come out or speak with officers and barricaded himself inside. Police learned Robbins&nbsp; was also actively being sought by the Topeka Police Department reference a shooting that occurred during the early morning of July 30, according to Lt. Johnson.The Topeka Police Response Team and Crisis Negotiators were called to the scene and just after 9:00 a.m., Robbins surrendered to law enforcement and was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Domestic Battery, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Aggravated Battery, Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm in the City Limits, Criminal Damage to Property and Felony Obstruction.

Kan. man in 7-hour standoff also wanted for July shooting  

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators hoisted the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package over another hurdle late Sunday, a coalition of Democrats and Republicans pushing it closer to passage despite a few holdouts trying to derail one of President Joe Biden’s top priorities.

The rare bipartisan momentum was holding steady, a reflection of the bill’s popularity and the eagerness of senators to show voters back home they can deliver. One of the biggest investments of its kind in years, the package promises to unleash billions of dollars to upgrade roads, bridges, broadband internet, water pipes and other public works systems undergirding the nation.

Senators easily overcame another 60-vote hurdle on a vote of 68-29. Kansas Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted against the measure. Missouri Republic Senator Roy Blunt voted with the majority.

Final votes could drag into early Tuesday as a single GOP senator, Tennessee’s Bill Hagerty, refused to relent on the mandatory debate time.

Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., stressed to colleagues that they could proceed the “easy way or the hard way,” as the Senate slogged through its second consecutive weekend session.

“We’ll keep proceeding until we get this bill done,” Schumer said.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act would provide what Biden has called a “historic investment” in public works programs, the first part of the president’s his rebuilding agenda. As many as 20 Republicans are expected to join Democrats in the evenly split Senate for what would be a robust final tally. If approved, it would go to the House.

“We’re on the cusp of seeing that move through the Senate,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said on “Fox News Sunday,” citing “a remarkable coalition” that includes business, labor and lawmakers from both parties. “I think we’re about to get this done.”

Once voting wraps up, senators immediately will turn to the budget outline for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-825739838a790668b2d2855a72821d56">a $3.5 trillion package</a>&nbsp;of child care, elder care and other programs that is a much more partisan undertaking and expected to draw only Democratic support.

Despite the momentum, action ground to a halt over the weekend when Hagerty, an ally of Donald Trump, forced the Senate to run out the clock on debate time, refusing to consent to speeding up the process.

Hagerty, who had been Trump’s ambassador to Japan, was leading the effort to take as much time as needed to debate and amend the bipartisan bill, in part because he wants to slow the march toward Biden’s next big bill, which plans $3.5 trillion for child care, an expansion of Medicare for seniors and other so-called soft infrastructure needs.

Trump called Hagerty on Sunday morning, said a person familiar with the call who requested anonymity to discuss it. Hagerty said later Sunday in a speech on the Senate floor that he was trying to prevent a “socialist debt bomb” of new government spending.

The former president has been publicly critical of the bipartisan bill and criticizing Biden and the senators from both parties who support it, though it’s unclear whether Trump’s broadsides will have much sway with Republican senators. He celebrated Hagerty’s stand in a statement Sunday.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has so far allowed the bill to progress, despite the name-calling and criticism coming his way from Trump. “This is a compromise,” McConnell said.

As the weekend standoff dragged on, Republicans who helped negotiate the compromise spoke up Sunday commending the former president for having sparked infrastructure talks when he was in the White House even if those bills never panned out.

Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, the lead Republican negotiator, said it’s time overdue to improve the nation’s public works systems.

“The American people deserve to have good roads and bridges and infrastructure to drive on, travel on,” he said.

Another negotiator, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, acknowledged that no compromise is perfect, but doing nothing when there was a bill before them was not an option.

“Every president in the modern era has proposed an infrastructure package,” he said. “This was an effort to say let’s break the logjam.”

Biden, who was spending the weekend in Delaware, said the bipartisan package offers an investment on par with the building of the transcontinental railroad or interstate highway system.

Senators have spent the past week processing nearly two dozen amendments to the 2,700-page package, but so far none has substantially changed its framework.

More amendments have been offered as senators seek to revise a section on cryptocurrency, a long-shot effort by defense hawks to add $50 billion for defense-related infrastructure and a bipartisan amendment to repurpose a portion of the untapped COVID-19 relief aid that had been sent to the states. But it’s unclear if they will be considered for votes.

Senators have found much to like in the bill, even though it does not fully satisfy liberals, who view it as too small, or conservatives, who find it too large. It would provide federal money for projects many states and cities could not afford on their own.

An analysis of the bill from the Congressional Budget Office drew concerns, particularly from Republicans. It&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-38067e7b0076de167c783941c1debd85">concluded that the legislation would increase deficits by about $256 billion</a>&nbsp;over the next decade.

But the bill’s backers argued that the budget office was unable to take into account certain revenue streams — including from future economic growth. Additional analysis released Saturday by the budget office suggested infrastructure spending overall could boost productivity and lower the ultimate costs.

Paying for the package has been a pressure point throughout the months of negotiations after Democrats objected to an increase in the gas tax paid at the pump and Republicans resisted a plan to bolster the IRS to go after tax scofflaws.

Unlike Biden’s bigger $3.5 trillion package, which would be paid for by higher tax rates for corporations and the wealthy, the bipartisan package is funded by repurposing other money, including untapped COVID-19 aid, and other spending cuts and revenue streams.

The House is in recess and is expected to consider both Biden infrastructure packages when it returns in September.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626283910947.png" alt="The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act would provide what Biden has called a “historic investment” in public works programs, the first part of the president’s his rebuilding agenda." />
 <figcaption>The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act would provide what Biden has called a “historic investment” in public works programs, the first part of the president’s his rebuilding agenda.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators hoisted the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package over another hurdle late Sunday, a coalition of Democrats and Republicans pushing it closer to passage despite a few holdouts trying to derail one of President Joe Biden’s top priorities.The rare bipartisan momentum was holding steady, a reflection of the bill’s popularity and the eagerness of senators to show voters back home they can deliver. One of the biggest investments of its kind in years, the package promises to unleash billions of dollars to upgrade roads, bridges, broadband internet, water pipes and other public works systems undergirding the nation.Senators easily overcame another 60-vote hurdle on a vote of 68-29. Kansas Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted against the measure. Missouri Republic Senator Roy Blunt voted with the majority.Final votes could drag into early Tuesday as a single GOP senator, Tennessee’s Bill Hagerty, refused to relent on the mandatory debate time.Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., stressed to colleagues that they could proceed the “easy way or the hard way,” as the Senate slogged through its second consecutive weekend session.“We’ll keep proceeding until we get this bill done,” Schumer said.The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act would provide what Biden has called a “historic investment” in public works programs, the first part of the president’s his rebuilding agenda. As many as 20 Republicans are expected to join Democrats in the evenly split Senate for what would be a robust final tally. If approved, it would go to the House.“We’re on the cusp of seeing that move through the Senate,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said on “Fox News Sunday,” citing “a remarkable coalition” that includes business, labor and lawmakers from both parties. “I think we’re about to get this done.”Once voting wraps up, senators immediately will turn to the budget outline for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-825739838a790668b2d2855a72821d56">a $3.5 trillion package</a>&nbsp;of child care, elder care and other programs that is a much more partisan undertaking and expected to draw only Democratic support.Despite the momentum, action ground to a halt over the weekend when Hagerty, an ally of Donald Trump, forced the Senate to run out the clock on debate time, refusing to consent to speeding up the process.Hagerty, who had been Trump’s ambassador to Japan, was leading the effort to take as much time as needed to debate and amend the bipartisan bill, in part because he wants to slow the march toward Biden’s next big bill, which plans $3.5 trillion for child care, an expansion of Medicare for seniors and other so-called soft infrastructure needs.Trump called Hagerty on Sunday morning, said a person familiar with the call who requested anonymity to discuss it. Hagerty said later Sunday in a speech on the Senate floor that he was trying to prevent a “socialist debt bomb” of new government spending.The former president has been publicly critical of the bipartisan bill and criticizing Biden and the senators from both parties who support it, though it’s unclear whether Trump’s broadsides will have much sway with Republican senators. He celebrated Hagerty’s stand in a statement Sunday.Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has so far allowed the bill to progress, despite the name-calling and criticism coming his way from Trump. “This is a compromise,” McConnell said.As the weekend standoff dragged on, Republicans who helped negotiate the compromise spoke up Sunday commending the former president for having sparked infrastructure talks when he was in the White House even if those bills never panned out.Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, the lead Republican negotiator, said it’s time overdue to improve the nation’s public works systems.“The American people deserve to have good roads and bridges and infrastructure to drive on, travel on,” he said.Another negotiator, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, acknowledged that no compromise is perfect, but doing nothing when there was a bill before them was not an option.“Every president in the modern era has proposed an infrastructure package,” he said. “This was an effort to say let’s break the logjam.”Biden, who was spending the weekend in Delaware, said the bipartisan package offers an investment on par with the building of the transcontinental railroad or interstate highway system.Senators have spent the past week processing nearly two dozen amendments to the 2,700-page package, but so far none has substantially changed its framework.More amendments have been offered as senators seek to revise a section on cryptocurrency, a long-shot effort by defense hawks to add $50 billion for defense-related infrastructure and a bipartisan amendment to repurpose a portion of the untapped COVID-19 relief aid that had been sent to the states. But it’s unclear if they will be considered for votes.Senators have found much to like in the bill, even though it does not fully satisfy liberals, who view it as too small, or conservatives, who find it too large. It would provide federal money for projects many states and cities could not afford on their own.An analysis of the bill from the Congressional Budget Office drew concerns, particularly from Republicans. It&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-38067e7b0076de167c783941c1debd85">concluded that the legislation would increase deficits by about $256 billion</a>&nbsp;over the next decade.But the bill’s backers argued that the budget office was unable to take into account certain revenue streams — including from future economic growth. Additional analysis released Saturday by the budget office suggested infrastructure spending overall could boost productivity and lower the ultimate costs.Paying for the package has been a pressure point throughout the months of negotiations after Democrats objected to an increase in the gas tax paid at the pump and Republicans resisted a plan to bolster the IRS to go after tax scofflaws.Unlike Biden’s bigger $3.5 trillion package, which would be paid for by higher tax rates for corporations and the wealthy, the bipartisan package is funded by repurposing other money, including untapped COVID-19 aid, and other spending cuts and revenue streams.The House is in recess and is expected to consider both Biden infrastructure packages when it returns in September.

Kan. Senators vote no; Biden's $1T bill closer to passage

CAMDEN COUNTY, MO. —A Kansas man died in an accident just before 7p.m. Sunday in Camden County, Missouri.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Polaris Rzr XP4 1000 driven by Ronald T. Weems, 54, Sunrise Beach, Mo., was westbound on Turn Bridge Lane west of Grand Point Boulevard.&nbsp;

The ATV was traveling too fast for conditions, according to the MSHP. It traveled off the right side of the road, overturned and struck a tree. 

Lake West EMS transported passengers identified as Neil A. Reams, 51, and Beth D. Reams, 48, both of Overland Park, Kansas to Lake Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

MU Air Care transported Weems to University Hospital for treatment of serious injuries.

CAMDEN COUNTY, MO. —A Kansas man died in an accident just before 7p.m. Sunday in Camden County, Missouri.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Polaris Rzr XP4 1000 driven by Ronald T. Weems, 54, Sunrise Beach, Mo., was westbound on Turn Bridge Lane west of Grand Point Boulevard.&nbsp;The ATV was traveling too fast for conditions, according to the MSHP. It traveled off the right side of the road, overturned and struck a tree. Lake West EMS transported passengers identified as Neil A. Reams, 51, and Beth D. Reams, 48, both of Overland Park, Kansas to Lake Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead.MU Air Care transported Weems to University Hospital for treatment of serious injuries.

Kan. man dead, 2 injured after ATV overturns, strikes tree

LEAVENWORTH —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend hit and run have made an arrest. 

A 27-year-old female suspect is in custody and police located the suspect vehicle in connection with a hit and run accident on Saturday that killed a Kansas teen who was hit while riding a bicycle, according to Leavenworth Chief Pat Kitchens.

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — Police say a Kansas teenager hit by a vehicle while riding her bicycle has died. 

The 16-year-old Leavenworth girl on Saturday was taken to the University of Kansas Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. 

She later died. Police have not yet identified the teenager. Investigators believe the girl was riding her bike when she was hit from behind. Police say the driver fled in a silver SUV or station wagon, possibly a Subaru Outback. Police are searching for the driver. The vehicle likely has significant front-end damage.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1628459973659.png" alt="This is the suspect vehicle that was captured on video surveillance cameras. Leavenworth Police&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>This is the suspect vehicle that was captured on video surveillance cameras. Leavenworth Police&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>LEAVENWORTH —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend hit and run have made an arrest. A 27-year-old female suspect is in custody and police located the suspect vehicle in connection with a hit and run accident on Saturday that killed a Kansas teen who was hit while riding a bicycle, according to Leavenworth Chief Pat Kitchens.--------LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — Police say a Kansas teenager hit by a vehicle while riding her bicycle has died. The 16-year-old Leavenworth girl on Saturday was taken to the University of Kansas Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. She later died. Police have not yet identified the teenager. Investigators believe the girl was riding her bike when she was hit from behind. Police say the driver fled in a silver SUV or station wagon, possibly a Subaru Outback. Police are searching for the driver. The vehicle likely has significant front-end damage.

Update: Arrest made; Kan. teen hit by SUV while bicycling dies

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A long-time legal precedent regarding vaccinations could be challenged at the U.S. Supreme Court. A KU professor notes that Jacobson v. Massachusetts has been around for more than 100 years.

"The state of Massachusetts required that every adult be vaccinated against smallpox, on the pain of criminal sanction, you would go to jail," said KU Law professor Lumen "Lou" Mulligan. "The state of Massachusetts made no exception for a religious exemption or underlying medical condition. They just said, everybody has to be vaccinated, full stop. Mr. Jacobson protested. He claimed he had the Constitutional right to be free from a forced vaccination and the U.S. Supreme Court really had no problem saying, no, you don't."

Jacobson established a floor of constitutional protection that consists of 4 overlapping standards: necessity, reasonable means, proportionality, and harm avoidance. There are also First Amendment challenges on religious grounds that likely would have merit if a state decided to be overly draconian with the issue.

"There's no state or municipal government today, that I know of, that is pushing any kind of vaccine mandate that does not have some sort of religious exemption," Mulligan said. "For sincere religious beliefs, I don't take any vaccines at all, usually gets you an exemption, often coupled with things like the University of Indiana did, okay, you can do that, you have to be masked, you have to test, that sort of thing."

The states are given the police power and courts have traditionally given a lot of latitude to legislative bodies to make policy in this area, so it is important to remain engaged with all levels of elected officials as the COVID-19 situation continues to unfold.

By NICK GOSNELLHutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — A long-time legal precedent regarding vaccinations could be challenged at the U.S. Supreme Court. A KU professor notes that Jacobson v. Massachusetts has been around for more than 100 years."The state of Massachusetts required that every adult be vaccinated against smallpox, on the pain of criminal sanction, you would go to jail," said KU Law professor Lumen "Lou" Mulligan. "The state of Massachusetts made no exception for a religious exemption or underlying medical condition. They just said, everybody has to be vaccinated, full stop. Mr. Jacobson protested. He claimed he had the Constitutional right to be free from a forced vaccination and the U.S. Supreme Court really had no problem saying, no, you don't."Jacobson established a floor of constitutional protection that consists of 4 overlapping standards: necessity, reasonable means, proportionality, and harm avoidance. There are also First Amendment challenges on religious grounds that likely would have merit if a state decided to be overly draconian with the issue."There's no state or municipal government today, that I know of, that is pushing any kind of vaccine mandate that does not have some sort of religious exemption," Mulligan said. "For sincere religious beliefs, I don't take any vaccines at all, usually gets you an exemption, often coupled with things like the University of Indiana did, okay, you can do that, you have to be masked, you have to test, that sort of thing."The states are given the police power and courts have traditionally given a lot of latitude to legislative bodies to make policy in this area, so it is important to remain engaged with all levels of elected officials as the COVID-19 situation continues to unfold.

KU Prof: Precedent in play in COVID challenge more than a century old

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty to one count of Wire Fraud and one count of Aiding and Abetting Wire Fraud, according to the United State's Attorney.

In June 2020, Donald Cook, 65, Fort Scott, took part in a scheme to defraud the state governments of Arizona, Texas, and Ohio. Cook admitted he knew that an individual, identified in court documents only as “A.T.”, was falsely using other people’s identities to apply for state unemployment benefits. Cook allowed “A.T.” to deposit the fraudulently obtained funds totaling approximately $25,500 in his bank account.&nbsp; Cook then transferred money to “A.T.”

Cook faces up to 20 years in prison for Wire Fraud and up to 20 years in prison for Aiding and Abetting Wire Fraud. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering t he U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1628252348533.png" alt="Cook is being held in Crawford County" />
 <figcaption>Cook is being held in Crawford County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty to one count of Wire Fraud and one count of Aiding and Abetting Wire Fraud, according to the United State's Attorney.In June 2020, Donald Cook, 65, Fort Scott, took part in a scheme to defraud the state governments of Arizona, Texas, and Ohio. Cook admitted he knew that an individual, identified in court documents only as “A.T.”, was falsely using other people’s identities to apply for state unemployment benefits. Cook allowed “A.T.” to deposit the fraudulently obtained funds totaling approximately $25,500 in his bank account.&nbsp; Cook then transferred money to “A.T.”Cook faces up to 20 years in prison for Wire Fraud and up to 20 years in prison for Aiding and Abetting Wire Fraud. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering t he U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Kansas man admits role in unemployment fraud case 

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City police detained a man in relation to a fatal shooting Saturday at a gas station.

Officers dispatched to a QuickTrip on Southwest Boulevard found a man in the parking lot who was shot.

A Kansas City police spokeswoman said the man was declared dead at the scene. Police have not yet identified the man who was killed.

The police spokeswoman said police believe there was an argument leading up to the shooting.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City police detained a man in relation to a fatal shooting Saturday at a gas station.Officers dispatched to a QuickTrip on Southwest Boulevard found a man in the parking lot who was shot.A Kansas City police spokeswoman said the man was declared dead at the scene. Police have not yet identified the man who was killed.The police spokeswoman said police believe there was an argument leading up to the shooting.

Police: Man detained for fatal shooting at KC gas station

TOPEKA —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man in connection with multiple criminal&nbsp; investigations spanning the last several months.

On August 5, police investigators served a search warrant on a suspect’s vehicle in reference to the ongoing investigations that include an armed robbery that occurred to an individual in July and multiple storage unit burglaries and catalytic convertor thefts, according to Topeka Police Department spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

During the service of the search warrant, police recovered catalytic convertors, drug paraphernalia and stolen tools.

The suspect, identified as Tyler E. McGivern, 38 of Topeka was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery; Armed w/dangerous weapon, Criminal Damage To Property; Misdemeanor Theft of Firearm with value less than $25,000 (All Other) Theft &lt; $1,500 All Other Burglary; Non-dwelling to commit felony, theft or sexually motivated crime, Theft &gt; $1,500 &lt; $25,000 From Building, Theft &gt; $1,500 &lt; $25,000 Motor Vehicle Parts or Accessories and Criminal damage to property; Without consent value $1,000 to $25,000

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1628284699946.png" alt="McGivern-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>McGivern-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man in connection with multiple criminal&nbsp; investigations spanning the last several months.On August 5, police investigators served a search warrant on a suspect’s vehicle in reference to the ongoing investigations that include an armed robbery that occurred to an individual in July and multiple storage unit burglaries and catalytic convertor thefts, according to Topeka Police Department spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.During the service of the search warrant, police recovered catalytic convertors, drug paraphernalia and stolen tools.The suspect, identified as Tyler E. McGivern, 38 of Topeka was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery; Armed w/dangerous weapon, Criminal Damage To Property; Misdemeanor Theft of Firearm with value less than $25,000 (All Other) Theft &lt; $1,500 All Other Burglary; Non-dwelling to commit felony, theft or sexually motivated crime, Theft &gt; $1,500 &lt; $25,000 From Building, Theft &gt; $1,500 &lt; $25,000 Motor Vehicle Parts or Accessories and Criminal damage to property; Without consent value $1,000 to $25,000

Kansas man accused in series of burglaries, thefts

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Prices for medical marijuana have been dropping as more manufacturers, cultivators and dispensaries open.

Residents voted in 2018 to legalize medical cannabis. Since then, the state has licensed 193 dispensaries, 59 cultivators and 86 manufacturers, although not all of them are operating yet.

When the first dispensary in the Kansas City area opened in October, one eighth of an ounce of flower cost $60. Nearly 10 months later, the same product can be gotten for $40. Local dispensaries at first sold only flower. Now, they stock a variety of items, including edibles and cartridges.

“Certainly, we knew when stores opened here at the very beginning the prices were going to be higher, the selection was going to be more limited,” said Jack Cardetti, spokesman for the Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association. “But with each coming week, we see those trends reversing.”

More efficient processes, more cultivators and more competition have all contributed to lower prices since the first manufacturer opened in Missouri.

Prices on some products are estimated to be 25% lower than when dispensaries first opened, said Bethanie White, director of marketing for Clovr, the first manufacturer to open in Missouri.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Prices for medical marijuana have been dropping as more manufacturers, cultivators and dispensaries open.Residents voted in 2018 to legalize medical cannabis. Since then, the state has licensed 193 dispensaries, 59 cultivators and 86 manufacturers, although not all of them are operating yet.When the first dispensary in the Kansas City area opened in October, one eighth of an ounce of flower cost $60. Nearly 10 months later, the same product can be gotten for $40. Local dispensaries at first sold only flower. Now, they stock a variety of items, including edibles and cartridges.“Certainly, we knew when stores opened here at the very beginning the prices were going to be higher, the selection was going to be more limited,” said Jack Cardetti, spokesman for the Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association. “But with each coming week, we see those trends reversing.”More efficient processes, more cultivators and more competition have all contributed to lower prices since the first manufacturer opened in Missouri.Prices on some products are estimated to be 25% lower than when dispensaries first opened, said Bethanie White, director of marketing for Clovr, the first manufacturer to open in Missouri.

Medical marijuana prices drop as more dispensaries open

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with record sales of firearms, has fueled a shortage of ammunition in the United States that’s impacting law enforcement agencies, people seeking personal protection, recreational shooters and hunters -- and could deny new gun owners the practice they need to handle their weapons safely.

Manufacturers say they’re producing as much ammunition as they can, but many gun store shelves are empty and prices keep rising. Ammunition imports are way up, but at least one U.S. manufacturer is exporting ammo. All while the pandemic, social unrest and a rise in violent crime have prompted millions to buy guns for protection or to take up shooting for sport.

“We have had a number of firearms instructors cancel their registration to our courses because their agency was short on ammo or they were unable to find ammo to purchase,” said Jason Wuestenberg, executive director of the National Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors Association.

Doug Tangen, firearms instructor at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, the police academy for the state, said the academy also has had trouble obtaining ammo.

“A few months ago, we were at a point where our shelves were nearly empty of 9mm ammunition,” he said. In response, instructors took conservation steps like reducing the number of shots fired per drill, which got them through several months until fresh supplies arrived, Tangen said.

Officer Larry Hadfield, a spokesman for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, said his department also has been affected by the shortage. “We have made efforts to conserve ammunition when possible,” he said.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation, an industry trade group, says more than 50 million people participate in shooting sports in the U.S. and estimates that 20 million guns were sold last year, with 8 million of those sales made by first-time buyers.

“When you talk about all these people buying guns, it really has an impact on people buying ammunition,” spokesman Mark Oliva said. ”If you look at 8.4 million gun buyers and they all want to buy one box with 50 rounds, that’s going to be 420 million rounds.”

The FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System database also documented an increase in sales: In 2010, there were 14.4 million background checks for gun purchases. That jumped to almost 39.7 million in 2020 and to 22.2 million just through June 2021 alone.

The actual number of guns sold could be much higher since multiple firearms can be linked to a single background check. No data is available for ammunition because sales are not regulated and no license is required to sell it.

As the pandemic raced across the country in early 2020, the resulting lockdown orders and cutbacks on police response sowed safety fears, creating an “overwhelming demand” for both guns and ammo, Oliva said. Factories continued to produce ammunition, but sales far exceeded the amount that could be shipped, he said.

“Where there is an increased sense of instability, fear and insecurity, more people will purchase guns,” said Ari Freilich of the Gifford Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

As supplies dwindled, Feilich said, some gun owners began stockpiling ammo.

“Early on in the pandemic, we saw people hoarding toilet paper, disinfectant, and now it’s ammo,” he said.

Wustenberg emphasized the danger in first-time gun buyers not being able to practice using their new weapons.

Going to the gun range entails more than trying to hit a target, he said. It’s where shooters learn fundamental skills like always pointing their guns in a safe direction and keeping their fingers off the trigger until they’re ready to fire.

“It’s that old adage: Just because you buy a guitar doesn’t mean you’re a guitar player,” Wustenberg said. “Some have the misconception of ‘I shot this target 5 yards away and did just fine so I’m OK if someone breaks into my house.’ You’ve got to go out and practice with it.”

The U.S. military is not affected by the shortage because the Army produces ammunition for all branches of the military at six sites across the country, according to Justine Barati, spokesperson for the U.S. Army Joint Munitions Command.

The U.S. shooting team, which won four medals at the Tokyo Olympics, also had the ammo needed to train thanks to a commitment from sponsors, but membership and junior programs have struggled, said Matt Suggs, chief executive officer for USA Shooting.

The U.S. Biathlon team, training for the 2022 Winter Olympics in February, also has been supplied with ammo from its sponsor, Lapua, made in Finland. But local clubs face shortages, said Max Cobb, president of U.S. Biathlon Association.

Jason Vanderbrink, a vice president at Vista Outdoor, which owns the Federal, CCI, Speer and Remington ammunition brands, said the companies are shipping ammo as fast as they can make it.

“I’m tired of reading the misinformation on the internet right now about us not trying to service the demand that we’re experiencing,” he said in a YouTube video produced for customers aimed at quashing speculation suggesting otherwise.

Imports of ammunition from Russia, South Korea, the European Union and others were up 225% over the past two years, according to an analysis by Panjiva Inc., which independently tracks global trade. But at least some U.S.-made ammo is heading out of the country.

Winchester has logged 107 shipments since January 2020, according to Panjiva. Most went to Australia to fulfill a contract Winchester secured with NIOA, the country’s largest small-arms supplier. Nigel Everingham, NIOA’s chief operating officer, said he could not disclose how much ammo Winchester is supplying.

A few shipments also went to Belgium and Israel.

Meanwhile, most of the ammunition pictured on the website for Champion’s Choice, a gun store in LaVergne, Tennessee, is listed as “out of stock.”

“We keep ammo on order but we’re not sure when it’s going to come available, “sales manager Kyle Hudgens said. “It does put us in a bad position with our customers. They’re asking what the deal is.”

And Bryan Lookabaugh at Renton Fish &amp; Game’s skeet and trap range in Renton, Washington -- where shooters try to hit discs flying at 35 to 70 mph -- said the limited availability means fewer people show up for shooting practice and some couldn’t participate in a recent competition.

“We have not had a full shipment in a year,” he said.

Duane Hendrix, the range master at the Seattle Police Athletic Association, a police and civilian gun range in Tukwila, Washington, said he now limits ammo sales to two boxes per customer.

“I’ve never seen anything like it before,” Hendrix said. “There’s stuff we can’t get, especially rifle ammo. If you don’t have ammo for your customers, there’s no point in having your doors open.”

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with record sales of firearms, has fueled a shortage of ammunition in the United States that’s impacting law enforcement agencies, people seeking personal protection, recreational shooters and hunters -- and could deny new gun owners the practice they need to handle their weapons safely.Manufacturers say they’re producing as much ammunition as they can, but many gun store shelves are empty and prices keep rising. Ammunition imports are way up, but at least one U.S. manufacturer is exporting ammo. All while the pandemic, social unrest and a rise in violent crime have prompted millions to buy guns for protection or to take up shooting for sport.“We have had a number of firearms instructors cancel their registration to our courses because their agency was short on ammo or they were unable to find ammo to purchase,” said Jason Wuestenberg, executive director of the National Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors Association.Doug Tangen, firearms instructor at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, the police academy for the state, said the academy also has had trouble obtaining ammo.“A few months ago, we were at a point where our shelves were nearly empty of 9mm ammunition,” he said. In response, instructors took conservation steps like reducing the number of shots fired per drill, which got them through several months until fresh supplies arrived, Tangen said.Officer Larry Hadfield, a spokesman for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, said his department also has been affected by the shortage. “We have made efforts to conserve ammunition when possible,” he said.The National Shooting Sports Foundation, an industry trade group, says more than 50 million people participate in shooting sports in the U.S. and estimates that 20 million guns were sold last year, with 8 million of those sales made by first-time buyers.“When you talk about all these people buying guns, it really has an impact on people buying ammunition,” spokesman Mark Oliva said. ”If you look at 8.4 million gun buyers and they all want to buy one box with 50 rounds, that’s going to be 420 million rounds.”The FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System database also documented an increase in sales: In 2010, there were 14.4 million background checks for gun purchases. That jumped to almost 39.7 million in 2020 and to 22.2 million just through June 2021 alone.The actual number of guns sold could be much higher since multiple firearms can be linked to a single background check. No data is available for ammunition because sales are not regulated and no license is required to sell it.As the pandemic raced across the country in early 2020, the resulting lockdown orders and cutbacks on police response sowed safety fears, creating an “overwhelming demand” for both guns and ammo, Oliva said. Factories continued to produce ammunition, but sales far exceeded the amount that could be shipped, he said.“Where there is an increased sense of instability, fear and insecurity, more people will purchase guns,” said Ari Freilich of the Gifford Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.As supplies dwindled, Feilich said, some gun owners began stockpiling ammo.“Early on in the pandemic, we saw people hoarding toilet paper, disinfectant, and now it’s ammo,” he said.Wustenberg emphasized the danger in first-time gun buyers not being able to practice using their new weapons.Going to the gun range entails more than trying to hit a target, he said. It’s where shooters learn fundamental skills like always pointing their guns in a safe direction and keeping their fingers off the trigger until they’re ready to fire.“It’s that old adage: Just because you buy a guitar doesn’t mean you’re a guitar player,” Wustenberg said. “Some have the misconception of ‘I shot this target 5 yards away and did just fine so I’m OK if someone breaks into my house.’ You’ve got to go out and practice with it.”The U.S. military is not affected by the shortage because the Army produces ammunition for all branches of the military at six sites across the country, according to Justine Barati, spokesperson for the U.S. Army Joint Munitions Command.The U.S. shooting team, which won four medals at the Tokyo Olympics, also had the ammo needed to train thanks to a commitment from sponsors, but membership and junior programs have struggled, said Matt Suggs, chief executive officer for USA Shooting.The U.S. Biathlon team, training for the 2022 Winter Olympics in February, also has been supplied with ammo from its sponsor, Lapua, made in Finland. But local clubs face shortages, said Max Cobb, president of U.S. Biathlon Association.Jason Vanderbrink, a vice president at Vista Outdoor, which owns the Federal, CCI, Speer and Remington ammunition brands, said the companies are shipping ammo as fast as they can make it.“I’m tired of reading the misinformation on the internet right now about us not trying to service the demand that we’re experiencing,” he said in a YouTube video produced for customers aimed at quashing speculation suggesting otherwise.Imports of ammunition from Russia, South Korea, the European Union and others were up 225% over the past two years, according to an analysis by Panjiva Inc., which independently tracks global trade. But at least some U.S.-made ammo is heading out of the country.Winchester has logged 107 shipments since January 2020, according to Panjiva. Most went to Australia to fulfill a contract Winchester secured with NIOA, the country’s largest small-arms supplier. Nigel Everingham, NIOA’s chief operating officer, said he could not disclose how much ammo Winchester is supplying.A few shipments also went to Belgium and Israel.Meanwhile, most of the ammunition pictured on the website for Champion’s Choice, a gun store in LaVergne, Tennessee, is listed as “out of stock.”“We keep ammo on order but we’re not sure when it’s going to come available, “sales manager Kyle Hudgens said. “It does put us in a bad position with our customers. They’re asking what the deal is.”And Bryan Lookabaugh at Renton Fish &amp; Game’s skeet and trap range in Renton, Washington -- where shooters try to hit discs flying at 35 to 70 mph -- said the limited availability means fewer people show up for shooting practice and some couldn’t participate in a recent competition.“We have not had a full shipment in a year,” he said.Duane Hendrix, the range master at the Seattle Police Athletic Association, a police and civilian gun range in Tukwila, Washington, said he now limits ammo sales to two boxes per customer.“I’ve never seen anything like it before,” Hendrix said. “There’s stuff we can’t get, especially rifle ammo. If you don’t have ammo for your customers, there’s no point in having your doors open.”

Ammunition shelves bare as U.S. gun sales continue to soar

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal UTV accident have identified the victim as Jack Minde, 34, of Holton.

Just before 11p.m. Friday, a UTV driven Minde was northbound on W. Road near 198th Road just north of Dennison, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The UTV traveled off the east side of the road and returned to the road. The driver lost control of the vehicle and it overturned and pinned him underneath.

First responders including Holton Fire Department, Jackson County EMS and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene. They pronounced Minde dead at the scene. The accident remains under investigation, according to Morse.

JACKSON COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 11p.m. Friday in Jackson County.

A UTV driven was northbound on W. Road near 198th Road just north of Dennison, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The UTV traveled off the east side of the road and returned to the road. The driver lost control of the vehicle and it overturned and pinned the driver underneath.

First responders including Holton Fire Department, Jackson County EMS and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene. They pronounced the man dead at the scene. The sheriff did not release the victim's name. The accident remains under investigation, according to Morse.

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal UTV accident have identified the victim as Jack Minde, 34, of Holton.Just before 11p.m. Friday, a UTV driven Minde was northbound on W. Road near 198th Road just north of Dennison, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.The UTV traveled off the east side of the road and returned to the road. The driver lost control of the vehicle and it overturned and pinned him underneath.First responders including Holton Fire Department, Jackson County EMS and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene. They pronounced Minde dead at the scene. The accident remains under investigation, according to Morse.------------JACKSON COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 11p.m. Friday in Jackson County.A UTV driven was northbound on W. Road near 198th Road just north of Dennison, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.The UTV traveled off the east side of the road and returned to the road. The driver lost control of the vehicle and it overturned and pinned the driver underneath.First responders including Holton Fire Department, Jackson County EMS and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene. They pronounced the man dead at the scene. The sheriff did not release the victim's name. The accident remains under investigation, according to Morse.

Sheriff IDs Kan. man who died after pinned under UTV 

By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/coronavirus/2021-08-06/while-mask-debates-simmer-kansas-schools-brace-for-another-year-of-possible-quarantines">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA, Kansas — Kansas public school students will return to class soon amid a surge in COVID-19 cases fueled by the delta variant.

While debates still rage over whether students and teachers should be <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2021-07-22/despite-covid-surge-and-advice-from-health-experts-most-kansas-schoolkids-wont-have-to-wear-masks" target="_blank">required to wear face masks</a>,
 school officials are looking ahead to another potential quandary: What 
should they do if an even worse outbreak happens anyway?

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment <a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Updated-Guidance-for-COVID-19-Prevention-in-K-12-Schools-002.pdf" target="_blank">urged districts to adopt rapid-testing protocols</a> aimed at keeping more students learning in person, even after a potential exposure to COVID-19.

The
 supply of COVID-19 tests and the tests themselves have improved since 
last year. That lets schools offer on-site testing and get results 
within 20 minutes, without having to send samples to a lab.

That, combined with COVID vaccines for the 12-and-older crowd, means widespread quarantines should prove less likely this year.

“Wherever
 a (school) nurse is, there will be the ability to test,” said Teri 
Moses, the director of safety and environmental services for the Wichita
 school district.

If somebody has the sniffles or thinks they may 
have been exposed to COVID-19, they can take a test right away, she 
said. If they test negative and don’t have COVID symptoms, they can 
return to the classroom.

“What that allows us to do is have a 
sense of comfort,” Moses said. “It allows a person to go back to work or
 back to school because they have tested and they’re confident they 
don’t have COVID.”

Kansas has about <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/dpei/pdf/elc-reopening-schools-faq-508.pdf" target="_blank">$87 million in federal aid</a> to fund equipment, testing and medical staff to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in schools.

Some
 rural districts plan to use the money to transport staff between school
 buildings or to transport sick children. Others are holding vaccination
 events or offering incentives to get the shot.

Many, like Wichita, plan to keep hundreds of <a href="https://www.globalpointofcare.abbott/en/product-details/binaxnow-covid-19-antigen-self-test-us.html" target="_blank">rapid-response self-tests</a> on hand in schools.

The
 Wichita and Emporia districts were test sites for the antigen 
self-tests last spring. They offered free tests to students, employees 
and anyone in their households.

“Our idea was, if we wanted to 
keep teachers teaching, if we wanted to keep bus drivers driving, we 
needed to make sure they and their families were safe from COVID,” said 
Kelly Bolin, assistant superintendent of human resources for Emporia 
schools.

Wichita’s COVID response plan relies heavily on testing. A
 complex flow chart guides how school officials will handle suspected 
cases, with different protocols depending on vaccination status and risk
 level.

Vaccinated people or those who have tested positive within the past 
six months would not have to quarantine after an exposure as long as 
they remain symptom-free.

Unvaccinated people could stay in the 
classroom as well, as long as they wear a mask, are symptom-free and 
test negative every day for seven days.

People under quarantine 
for a high-risk contact could return to in-person school and other 
activities if they test negative on Day 6.

Moses, a member of 
Wichita’s pandemic team, said the district is ready to alter plans if 
necessary. They have experience with that.

Last year, widespread staff absences and a shortage of substitute teachers <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2020-11-30/wichita-public-schools-shifts-to-full-remote-learning" target="_blank">forced the district to go fully remote</a> from late November to mid-January.

“People
 are optimistic to get back into the classrooms and to get back into 
that opportunity to interact again,” she said. “But it’s a cautious 
optimism because we know COVID’s hanging out there.”

Suzanne 
Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News 
Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT or email her at 
perez@kmuw.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1628278264266.png" alt="Some Kansas school districts plan to use rapid-response COVID-19 tests to track infections and control the spread. courtesy of Kansas Department of Health and Environment" />
 <figcaption>Some Kansas school districts plan to use rapid-response COVID-19 tests to track infections and control the spread. courtesy of Kansas Department of Health and Environment</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Mask debate simmers across Kansas&nbsp;</h2>By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/coronavirus/2021-08-06/while-mask-debates-simmer-kansas-schools-brace-for-another-year-of-possible-quarantines">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA, Kansas — Kansas public school students will return to class soon amid a surge in COVID-19 cases fueled by the delta variant.While debates still rage over whether students and teachers should be <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2021-07-22/despite-covid-surge-and-advice-from-health-experts-most-kansas-schoolkids-wont-have-to-wear-masks" target="_blank">required to wear face masks</a>,
 school officials are looking ahead to another potential quandary: What 
should they do if an even worse outbreak happens anyway?The Kansas Department of Health and Environment <a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Updated-Guidance-for-COVID-19-Prevention-in-K-12-Schools-002.pdf" target="_blank">urged districts to adopt rapid-testing protocols</a> aimed at keeping more students learning in person, even after a potential exposure to COVID-19.The
 supply of COVID-19 tests and the tests themselves have improved since 
last year. That lets schools offer on-site testing and get results 
within 20 minutes, without having to send samples to a lab.That, combined with COVID vaccines for the 12-and-older crowd, means widespread quarantines should prove less likely this year.“Wherever
 a (school) nurse is, there will be the ability to test,” said Teri 
Moses, the director of safety and environmental services for the Wichita
 school district.If somebody has the sniffles or thinks they may 
have been exposed to COVID-19, they can take a test right away, she 
said. If they test negative and don’t have COVID symptoms, they can 
return to the classroom.“What that allows us to do is have a 
sense of comfort,” Moses said. “It allows a person to go back to work or
 back to school because they have tested and they’re confident they 
don’t have COVID.”Kansas has about <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/dpei/pdf/elc-reopening-schools-faq-508.pdf" target="_blank">$87 million in federal aid</a> to fund equipment, testing and medical staff to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in schools.Some
 rural districts plan to use the money to transport staff between school
 buildings or to transport sick children. Others are holding vaccination
 events or offering incentives to get the shot.Many, like Wichita, plan to keep hundreds of <a href="https://www.globalpointofcare.abbott/en/product-details/binaxnow-covid-19-antigen-self-test-us.html" target="_blank">rapid-response self-tests</a> on hand in schools.The
 Wichita and Emporia districts were test sites for the antigen 
self-tests last spring. They offered free tests to students, employees 
and anyone in their households.“Our idea was, if we wanted to 
keep teachers teaching, if we wanted to keep bus drivers driving, we 
needed to make sure they and their families were safe from COVID,” said 
Kelly Bolin, assistant superintendent of human resources for Emporia 
schools.Wichita’s COVID response plan relies heavily on testing. A
 complex flow chart guides how school officials will handle suspected 
cases, with different protocols depending on vaccination status and risk
 level.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1628278324473.png" alt="The Wichita school district's COVID-19 protocol for the 2021-22 school year allows students and employees to remain in the classroom after an exposure as long as they test negative daily and don't have COVID symptoms." />
 <figcaption>The Wichita school district's COVID-19 protocol for the 2021-22 school year allows students and employees to remain in the classroom after an exposure as long as they test negative daily and don't have COVID symptoms.</figcaption>
 </figure>Vaccinated people or those who have tested positive within the past 
six months would not have to quarantine after an exposure as long as 
they remain symptom-free.Unvaccinated people could stay in the 
classroom as well, as long as they wear a mask, are symptom-free and 
test negative every day for seven days.People under quarantine 
for a high-risk contact could return to in-person school and other 
activities if they test negative on Day 6.Moses, a member of 
Wichita’s pandemic team, said the district is ready to alter plans if 
necessary. They have experience with that.Last year, widespread staff absences and a shortage of substitute teachers <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2020-11-30/wichita-public-schools-shifts-to-full-remote-learning" target="_blank">forced the district to go fully remote</a> from late November to mid-January.“People
 are optimistic to get back into the classrooms and to get back into 
that opportunity to interact again,” she said. “But it’s a cautious 
optimism because we know COVID’s hanging out there.”Suzanne 
Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News 
Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT or email her at 
perez@kmuw.org.

Kan. schools brace for another year of possible quarantines

BARTON COUNTY —The Barton County Jail has experienced a cluster of Covid-19 related illnesses in the last 24 hours, the sheriff's reported Saturday.

The virus is affecting both staff and inmates. A total of four individuals associated with the facility have tested positive so far.

All visitation is canceled and use of inmate workers is suspended. Masks are required in the lobby of the detention facility. In an effort to prevent the spread of the illness to other divisions of the office, the administrative offices and detective division will be closed to the public effective Monday, Aug. 9. Appointments may be made to conduct necessary business.

The sheriff’s office is making every effort to contain the spread of the virus. These measures include mandatory masks inside the facility, disinfectant fogging, universal precautions as well as limiting movement within the jail. We will keep the public informed as the situation develops.

BARTON COUNTY —The Barton County Jail has experienced a cluster of Covid-19 related illnesses in the last 24 hours, the sheriff's reported Saturday.The virus is affecting both staff and inmates. A total of four individuals associated with the facility have tested positive so far.All visitation is canceled and use of inmate workers is suspended. Masks are required in the lobby of the detention facility. In an effort to prevent the spread of the illness to other divisions of the office, the administrative offices and detective division will be closed to the public effective Monday, Aug. 9. Appointments may be made to conduct necessary business.The sheriff’s office is making every effort to contain the spread of the virus. These measures include mandatory masks inside the facility, disinfectant fogging, universal precautions as well as limiting movement within the jail. We will keep the public informed as the situation develops.

Barton County Jail reports cluster of COVID-19 illness

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is being asked to block a plan by Indiana University to require students and employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. It's the first time the high court has been asked to weigh in on a vaccine mandate and comes as some corporations, states and cities are also contemplating or have adopted vaccine requirements for workers or even to dine indoors.

The case is not the first time a coronavirus-related issue has been before the court. In rulings over the past year the conservative-dominated high court has largely backed religious groups who have challenged restrictions on indoor services during the cononavirus pandemic.

In the current case, however, a three-judge federal appeals court panel, including two judges appointed by former President Donald Trump, was one of two lower courts to side with Indiana University and allow it to require the vaccinations. The plan announced in May requires roughly 90,000 students and 40,000 employees on seven campuses to receive COVID-19 vaccinations for the fall semester.

Students who don’t comply will have their registration canceled and workers who don’t will lose their jobs. The policy does have religious and medical exemptions, but exempt students must be tested twice a week for the disease. The school announced this week that for now, everyone, regardless of vaccination status, must wear a mask indoors while on campus.

The vaccine mandate is being challenged by eight students who argue in court papers filed Friday that they have “a constitutional right to bodily integrity, autonomy, and of medical treatment choice in the context of a vaccination mandate.” They're asking for an injunction from the high court barring the university from enforcing the mandate. Seven of the students qualify for a religious exemption.

There is no deadline for the court to act, but the students are asking it to do so by Aug. 13.

In July, an Indiana district court judge sided with the university in declining to issue a preliminary injunction blocking the vaccine mandate. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit voted 3-0 to uphold the decision earlier this week. Two of the three judges were appointed by Trump and the third by former President Ronald Reagan.

The university initially was going to require students and employees to provide immunization documentation but after a backlash changed its policy to make providing proof optional. Students and employees now must simply attest to their vaccination in an online form.

College officials across the country have struggled with whether to require vaccinations, with some schools mandating them and others questioning whether they have legal authority to do so. Similar lawsuits against student vaccine requirements have been filed in other states.

Over the past two weeks, vaccine mandates have become a particularly hot issue. On Friday, United Airlines announced it would become the first major U.S. airline to require vaccination for workers. Google, Facebook, Tyson Foods and Microsoft are among the other companies mandating vaccines.

Late last month, the Department of Veterans Affairs became the first federal agency to require vaccinations for its health workers. President Joe Biden has since announced that federal workers will be required to sign forms attesting they’ve been vaccinated against the coronavirus or else comply with new rules on mandatory masking, weekly testing, distancing and more.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is being asked to block a plan by Indiana University to require students and employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. It's the first time the high court has been asked to weigh in on a vaccine mandate and comes as some corporations, states and cities are also contemplating or have adopted vaccine requirements for workers or even to dine indoors.The case is not the first time a coronavirus-related issue has been before the court. In rulings over the past year the conservative-dominated high court has largely backed religious groups who have challenged restrictions on indoor services during the cononavirus pandemic.In the current case, however, a three-judge federal appeals court panel, including two judges appointed by former President Donald Trump, was one of two lower courts to side with Indiana University and allow it to require the vaccinations. The plan announced in May requires roughly 90,000 students and 40,000 employees on seven campuses to receive COVID-19 vaccinations for the fall semester.Students who don’t comply will have their registration canceled and workers who don’t will lose their jobs. The policy does have religious and medical exemptions, but exempt students must be tested twice a week for the disease. The school announced this week that for now, everyone, regardless of vaccination status, must wear a mask indoors while on campus.The vaccine mandate is being challenged by eight students who argue in court papers filed Friday that they have “a constitutional right to bodily integrity, autonomy, and of medical treatment choice in the context of a vaccination mandate.” They're asking for an injunction from the high court barring the university from enforcing the mandate. Seven of the students qualify for a religious exemption.There is no deadline for the court to act, but the students are asking it to do so by Aug. 13.In July, an Indiana district court judge sided with the university in declining to issue a preliminary injunction blocking the vaccine mandate. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit voted 3-0 to uphold the decision earlier this week. Two of the three judges were appointed by Trump and the third by former President Ronald Reagan.The university initially was going to require students and employees to provide immunization documentation but after a backlash changed its policy to make providing proof optional. Students and employees now must simply attest to their vaccination in an online form.College officials across the country have struggled with whether to require vaccinations, with some schools mandating them and others questioning whether they have legal authority to do so. Similar lawsuits against student vaccine requirements have been filed in other states.Over the past two weeks, vaccine mandates have become a particularly hot issue. On Friday, United Airlines announced it would become the first major U.S. airline to require vaccination for workers. Google, Facebook, Tyson Foods and Microsoft are among the other companies mandating vaccines.Late last month, the Department of Veterans Affairs became the first federal agency to require vaccinations for its health workers. President Joe Biden has since announced that federal workers will be required to sign forms attesting they’ve been vaccinated against the coronavirus or else comply with new rules on mandatory masking, weekly testing, distancing and more.

Students ask Supreme Court to block college vaccine mandate

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.

Just after noon Friday, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Warrants Unit executed a felony arrest warrant in the 2200 block of SE 21st Terrace in Topeka, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Deputies took&nbsp; 21-year-old Pete V. Hernandez Jr. of Topeka into custody for a felony warrant out of Shawnee County for requested charges of Rape, Aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent liberties with a child under 14 years of age. Hernandez is being held in Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1628340717534.png" alt="Hernandez photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Hernandez photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.Just after noon Friday, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Warrants Unit executed a felony arrest warrant in the 2200 block of SE 21st Terrace in Topeka, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.Deputies took&nbsp; 21-year-old Pete V. Hernandez Jr. of Topeka into custody for a felony warrant out of Shawnee County for requested charges of Rape, Aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent liberties with a child under 14 years of age. Hernandez is being held in Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

Sheriff: Kansas man jailed for alleged child rape 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate moved closer to passing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-1e9f1160f5ec2131a1d76a62b2c75529">$1 trillion infrastructure package&nbsp;</a>Saturday after lawmakers from both parties came together and voted to clear a key procedural hurdle. More votes will be needed before Senate passage of one of President Joe Biden’s top priorities.

The measure would provide a massive injection of federal money for a range of public works programs, from roads and bridges to broadband internet access, drinking water and others. In a rare stroke of bipartisanship, Republicans joined Democrats during the weekend session to overcome the 60-vote threshold needed to advance the measure toward final votes. The vote was 67-27. Kansas Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted against the measure. Missouri Senator Roy Blunt was a yes vote.

If approved, the bill would go to the House.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is the first of Biden’s two infrastructure packages. The administration and congressional leaders will soon turn to a second, larger package that is expected to draw only Democratic support.

After the key vote Saturday, passage of the bipartisan plan could wrap up quickly or drag on for days if opponents try to slow it.

“We can get this done the easy way or the hard way,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said as the Senate opened. He said he would keep senators in session until they finished the bill and sent it to the House.

Vice President Kamala Harris arrived on Capitol Hill for meetings on the legislation, which Biden said offered a potentially “historic investment,” on par with the building of the transcontinental railroad or interstate highway system.

Overcoming the 60-vote hurdle was a sign that the tenuous alliance between Republicans and Democrats could hold on the public works package. At least 10 Republicans had to join all Democrats to advance the measure past&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-filibusters-gun-politics-government-and-politics-93c53b3aa8d2b91d3c2d5884f3cdf139">a filibuster</a>, setting up more votes later.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has so far allowed the bill to progress, and his vote — “yes” — was closely watched. “This is a compromise,” he said before the vote.

For senators who have been slogging through debate — and months of give-and-take negotiations — the bill is a chance not only to send federal dollars to their states, but also to show the country that Congress can work together in a bipartisan way to solve problems.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said the needs in her state were obvious — including money for water systems in remote villages without running taps for handwashing during the COVID-19 pandemic. But as one of the negotiators, she also wants to demonstrate that lawmakers can unite.

“I’m really worried that everybody believes that we’re as dysfunctional as we appear to be, and so to prove otherwise, it’s kind of important,” she said. “The Senate needs some demonstrated acts of bipartisanship.”

Congress is under pressure to make gains on the president’s infrastructure priorities — first with the bipartisan bill and then&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-825739838a790668b2d2855a72821d56">Democrats’ more sweeping $3.5 trillion budget blueprint&nbsp;</a>they plan to shoulder on their own.

If senators wrap up work on the bipartisan bill, they immediately will turn to the much more partisan undertaking on Biden’s agenda, the outline for the $3.5 trillion proposal. That plan would provide billions in what the White House calls human infrastructure — child care support, home health care, education and other expenditures that are Democratic priorities that Republicans have pledged to reject. Debate on that will extend into the fall.

For some Republicans, that back-to-back voting schedule is what they are trying to delay, hoping to slow or halt what appears to be a forward march by Democrats to achieve the president’s infrastructure goals.

Former President Donald Trump weighed Saturday with a statement criticizing Biden, senators of both parties and the bill itself, though it’s not clear whether Trump’s views hold sway over the lawmakers.

Senators had hoped to wrap up the 2,700-page bipartisan bill during the week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wyoming-mike-enzi-4431842b95cb5fd13c67c0a8c856d2e2">.&nbsp;</a>But the Senate ground to a halt with new problems late in the week as members wanted to consider more amendments and Republican opponents objected to an expedited the process.

Paying for the package has been a pressure point throughout the monthslong slog of negotiations after Democrats objected to an increase in the gas tax paid at the pump and Republicans resisted a plan to bolster the IRS to go after tax scofflaws.

Senators have spent the past week processing nearly two dozen amendments to the bipartisan package, with more possible on Saturday. So far, none has substantially changed the framework of the public works package.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626283910947.png" alt="Former President Donald Trump weighed in Saturday with a statement criticizing Biden, senators of both parties and the bill itself, though it’s not clear whether Trump’s views hold sway over the lawmakers. President Biden and Senate Majority Leader Schumer met for lunch last month to discuss the bill -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Former President Donald Trump weighed in Saturday with a statement criticizing Biden, senators of both parties and the bill itself, though it’s not clear whether Trump’s views hold sway over the lawmakers. President Biden and Senate Majority Leader Schumer met for lunch last month to discuss the bill -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate moved closer to passing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-1e9f1160f5ec2131a1d76a62b2c75529">$1 trillion infrastructure package&nbsp;</a>Saturday after lawmakers from both parties came together and voted to clear a key procedural hurdle. More votes will be needed before Senate passage of one of President Joe Biden’s top priorities.The measure would provide a massive injection of federal money for a range of public works programs, from roads and bridges to broadband internet access, drinking water and others. In a rare stroke of bipartisanship, Republicans joined Democrats during the weekend session to overcome the 60-vote threshold needed to advance the measure toward final votes. The vote was 67-27. Kansas Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted against the measure. Missouri Senator Roy Blunt was a yes vote.If approved, the bill would go to the House.The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is the first of Biden’s two infrastructure packages. The administration and congressional leaders will soon turn to a second, larger package that is expected to draw only Democratic support.After the key vote Saturday, passage of the bipartisan plan could wrap up quickly or drag on for days if opponents try to slow it.“We can get this done the easy way or the hard way,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said as the Senate opened. He said he would keep senators in session until they finished the bill and sent it to the House.Vice President Kamala Harris arrived on Capitol Hill for meetings on the legislation, which Biden said offered a potentially “historic investment,” on par with the building of the transcontinental railroad or interstate highway system.Overcoming the 60-vote hurdle was a sign that the tenuous alliance between Republicans and Democrats could hold on the public works package. At least 10 Republicans had to join all Democrats to advance the measure past&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-filibusters-gun-politics-government-and-politics-93c53b3aa8d2b91d3c2d5884f3cdf139">a filibuster</a>, setting up more votes later.Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has so far allowed the bill to progress, and his vote — “yes” — was closely watched. “This is a compromise,” he said before the vote.For senators who have been slogging through debate — and months of give-and-take negotiations — the bill is a chance not only to send federal dollars to their states, but also to show the country that Congress can work together in a bipartisan way to solve problems.Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said the needs in her state were obvious — including money for water systems in remote villages without running taps for handwashing during the COVID-19 pandemic. But as one of the negotiators, she also wants to demonstrate that lawmakers can unite.“I’m really worried that everybody believes that we’re as dysfunctional as we appear to be, and so to prove otherwise, it’s kind of important,” she said. “The Senate needs some demonstrated acts of bipartisanship.”Congress is under pressure to make gains on the president’s infrastructure priorities — first with the bipartisan bill and then&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-825739838a790668b2d2855a72821d56">Democrats’ more sweeping $3.5 trillion budget blueprint&nbsp;</a>they plan to shoulder on their own.If senators wrap up work on the bipartisan bill, they immediately will turn to the much more partisan undertaking on Biden’s agenda, the outline for the $3.5 trillion proposal. That plan would provide billions in what the White House calls human infrastructure — child care support, home health care, education and other expenditures that are Democratic priorities that Republicans have pledged to reject. Debate on that will extend into the fall.For some Republicans, that back-to-back voting schedule is what they are trying to delay, hoping to slow or halt what appears to be a forward march by Democrats to achieve the president’s infrastructure goals.Former President Donald Trump weighed Saturday with a statement criticizing Biden, senators of both parties and the bill itself, though it’s not clear whether Trump’s views hold sway over the lawmakers.Senators have found much to like in the bill, even though it does not fully satisfy liberals, who view it as too small, or conservatives, who find it too large. It would provide federal money for projects many states and cities could not afford on their own.Senators had hoped to wrap up the 2,700-page bipartisan bill during the week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wyoming-mike-enzi-4431842b95cb5fd13c67c0a8c856d2e2">.&nbsp;</a>But the Senate ground to a halt with new problems late in the week as members wanted to consider more amendments and Republican opponents objected to an expedited the process.An analysis of the bill from the Congressional Budget Office drew concerns, particularly from Republicans. It&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-38067e7b0076de167c783941c1debd85">concluded that the legislation would increase deficits by about $256 billion</a>&nbsp;over the next decade.But the bill’s backers argued that the budget office was unable to take into account certain revenue streams — including from future economic growth. Additional analysis released Saturday by the budget office suggested infrastructure spending overall could boost productivity and lower the ultimate costs.Paying for the package has been a pressure point throughout the monthslong slog of negotiations after Democrats objected to an increase in the gas tax paid at the pump and Republicans resisted a plan to bolster the IRS to go after tax scofflaws.Unlike Biden’s bigger $3.5 trillion package, which would be paid for by higher tax rates for corporations and the wealthy, the bipartisan package is funded by repurposing other money, including untapped COVID-19 aid, and other spending cuts and revenue streams.Senators have spent the past week processing nearly two dozen amendments to the bipartisan package, with more possible on Saturday. So far, none has substantially changed the framework of the public works package.The House is in recess and is expected to consider both Biden infrastructure packages when it returns in September.___

Moran, Marshall vote no; Biden's $1T infrastructure bill advances

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man who was in jail for attacking WIBW-TV employees in 2012 has been convicted of assaulting a corrections officer. 

Ray Miles, 57, Topeka,&nbsp; was convicted Friday of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery and battery against a corrections officer. Prosecutors said Miles tried to stab Shawnee County corrections officer Kourtney Flynn several times in July 2019 before other workers restrained him. 

Miles was in the jail to serve the remaining year of his sentences for attacking several WIBW-TV employees in 2012, stabbing two of them.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1628293009576.png" alt="Miles photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Miles photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man who was in jail for attacking WIBW-TV employees in 2012 has been convicted of assaulting a corrections officer. Ray Miles, 57, Topeka,&nbsp; was convicted Friday of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery and battery against a corrections officer. Prosecutors said Miles tried to stab Shawnee County corrections officer Kourtney Flynn several times in July 2019 before other workers restrained him. Miles was in the jail to serve the remaining year of his sentences for attacking several WIBW-TV employees in 2012, stabbing two of them.

Kan. man who attacked TV station employees convicted in jail assault

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-08-05/kansas-researchers-are-helping-test-a-vaccine-against-a-virus-that-causes-pneumonia">Kansas News Service</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1625067168067.png" alt="David Condos / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>David Condos / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-08-05/kansas-researchers-are-helping-test-a-vaccine-against-a-virus-that-causes-pneumonia">Kansas News Service</a>You know the drill. Runny nose, coughing, sneezing.Most of the time, when we pick up <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/index.html" target="_blank">respiratory syncytial virus</a>,
 or RSV, we write it off as a cold. The flu, if it really makes us 
miserable. We sniffle our way through. We don’t get diagnosed — which is
 why most people have never heard of the virus.But later in life, RSV spreads more easily into your lower respiratory tract.“When
 you get above 65, it starts getting much more severe,” said Terry 
Poling, medical director at a Wichita clinical site that is <a href="https://amrllc.com/open/" target="_blank">testing</a> a vaccine against the virus. “When people die from a, quote, ‘viral pneumonia,’ it’s usually RSV.”Kansas City and other parts of the U.S. are seeing an unusual summertime increase in RSV.Here’s
 the lowdown on a virus that almost all of us have had at least once by 
the time we’re toddlers, and on the vaccine trials in our region.RSV doesn’t kill as many people as the flu, but it does kill.Each year, RSV kills around 14,000 older adults in the U.S., and hospitalizes somewhere around 180,000, the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/high-risk/index.html" target="_blank">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a> estimates.People with lung disease, heart disease and other chronic conditions are vulnerable, too, as are the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/high-risk/infants-young-children.html" target="_blank">very young</a>. RSV kills an estimated 100 to 500 children a year and lands nearly 60,000 in the hospital.As a comparison, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/index.html" target="_blank">the flu</a>
 can easily hospitalize twice as many people in a year. The U.S. Centers
 for Disease Control and Prevention blames the flu for between 12,000 
and 61,000 deaths annually since 2010. (Those figures would be even 
worse, but the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/flushot.htm" target="_blank">flu vaccine</a> blunts the impact.)If you’ve been hearing about RSV lately, there’s a reason.The virus appears to be on the move in <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/surveillance/nrevss/images/rsvstate/RSV4PPCent3AVG_StateKS.htm" target="_blank">Kansas</a>, but especially in neighboring <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/surveillance/nrevss/images/rsvstate/RSV4PPCent3AVG_StateMO.htm" target="_blank">Missouri</a> and Oklahoma, and states <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/surveillance/nrevss/rsv/region.html#south" target="_blank">farther south</a> like Arkansas and Texas.Normally,
 RSV picks up each fall and wanes in the spring. But when COVID-19 hit, 
people masked up, found a new love for hand-washing and kept their work 
colleagues and teachers at Zoom distance.RSV couldn’t spread 
much. But after the COVID-19 vaccine came out and cases slowed, more 
people ventured out, leaving their masks at home.RSV regained its footing, and by June, the <a href="https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/2021/han00443.asp" target="_blank">CDC</a> put out an alert and recommended doctors test for it in respiratory patients who test negative for COVID-19.Five clinics in Kansas and Kansas City are helping test a vaccine.The <a href="https://amrllc.com/open/" target="_blank">Alliance for Multispecialty Research</a>
 is seeking thousands of people over the age of 60 — including in 
Wichita, El Dorado, Newton and Kansas City — for clinical trials 
sponsored by Janssen Vaccines.This is <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/infographics/journey-of-child-vaccine.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fvaccines%2Fparents%2Finfographics%2Fjourney-of-child-vaccine-text.html" target="_blank">Phase 3</a>,
 the final stage of trials before potential review by the U.S. Federal 
Drug Administration. Some participants will get the vaccine. Some will 
get a placebo.Other companies have been chasing an RSV vaccine, too. In 2016, an advocacy group funded by the pharmaceutical industry <a href="https://www.nfid.org/" target="_blank">wrote</a> that dozens of candidates were in the development or testing phases.There’s no RSV vaccine yet, but these other shots help you dodge pneumonia, too.RSV is just one way you can get a nasty case of <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/pneumonia/causes.html" target="_blank">pneumonia</a>. Other bugs can give it to you, too.The flu. COVID-19. Pneumococcus bacteria. Whooping cough. Measles.Though an RSV vaccine could still take years to materialize, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/pneumonia/prevention.html" target="_blank">vaccines against each of these</a> are already on the shelves of a hospital, pharmacy or public health department near you.Yet
 not even half of Kansans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. About 
half get an annual flu shot. Three quarters get the pneumococcal shots 
recommended at age 65.Rates for childhood vaccines such as measles are higher, but new <a href="https://ccf.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Kids-and-Vaccines-v4.pdf" target="_blank">Georgetown University</a> research finds kids across the country fell behind on shots during the pandemic. Time to catch up, pediatricians say.“After
 being locked away, viruses are starting to circulate again,” said 
Barbara Pahud, an infectious disease expert at Children’s Mercy in 
Kansas City. “If you can get RSV even though normally it circulates in 
the winter, why not measles, varicella or anything else?”Got the sniffles? Make no assumptions. Get a free COVID test.Yes, COVID-19 cases fell several months in a row. But the disease is surging again, fueled by the highly contagious <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-07-26/kansas-coronavirus-cases-skyrocket-from-hundreds-to-thousands-per-week" target="_blank">delta variant</a>.With
 that in mind, if you get the sniffles, it could be RSV or another 
common cold-type virus. But it could also be COVID-19, which has already
 killed 614,000 people nationwide and 5,300 in Kansas. Getting a <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/280/COVID-19-Testing" target="_blank">free COVID-19 test</a> is easy, and public officials beg you to do it.Beds
 are filling up again and hospitals in Kansas City have already gone 
back to turning away transfer requests from smaller facilities, as they 
did <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-11-16/kansas-hospitals-seek-help-from-nearby-states-but-the-whole-midwest-is-struggling-with-a-covid-surge" target="_blank">last winter</a>.Celia
 Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health for the Kansas News Service. 
You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia@kcur.org.