FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooing and asking the public for help to locate suspects.

Just after 11p.m. Monday, police responded to report of a shooting the 1200 block of North 9th Street in Garden City, according to a release from Police Chief Courtney Prewitt&nbsp;

Upon arrival, officers found a man sitting in the street who had been shot.&nbsp; EMS transported the victim identified as 33-year-old&nbsp;  Eraclio Hernandez Jr. of Garden City to St. Catherine Hospital, where he later died.

Authorities are requesting assistance from the community. If you witnessed this incident or have information related to this incident, you should call the Garden City Police Department.

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooing and asking the public for help to locate suspects.Just after 11p.m. Monday, police responded to report of a shooting the 1200 block of North 9th Street in Garden City, according to a release from Police Chief Courtney Prewitt&nbsp;Upon arrival, officers found a man sitting in the street who had been shot.&nbsp; EMS transported the victim identified as 33-year-old&nbsp; Eraclio Hernandez Jr. of Garden City to St. Catherine Hospital, where he later died.Authorities are requesting assistance from the community. If you witnessed this incident or have information related to this incident, you should call the Garden City Police Department.

Police ID man shot, killed in Southwest Kansas

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas woman who alleges consensual sex with a friend in his college dorm room turned into a terrifying assault took matters into her own hands when prosecutors declined to bring rape charges. She called a citizen grand jury, relying on a 134-year-old state law.

Madison Smith, 22, collected the hundreds of signatures necessary to empanel the grand jury after the county prosecutor resolved the case by allowing Jared Stolzenburg to plead guilty to aggravated battery and receive two years’ probation.

Smith, who graduated earlier this month from Bethany College in Lindsborg, about 70 miles north of Wichita, is part of a generation of women emboldened to go public with their stories due to the #MeToo movement.

“This happens nationwide, worldwide that victims and survivors are minimized by the prosecutors who don’t believe them,” she said, “And that is not OK because rape culture is so prevalent, and we need to get rid of it, and one of the ways to do that is to get our stories out there.”

Kansas is one of six states that allow citizens to petition for grand juries. The 1887 law was rarely used until anti-abortion activists began using it to force grand jury investigations of abortion clinics. It has since been used to go after adult bookstores and to challenge former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s right to appear as the Republican nominee for governor.

But Smith’s case, which will be considered in September, is believed to be the first time that someone claiming sexual assault has used it, said Kathy Ray of the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence.

“This case has a lot of issues within the criminal justice system, and sometimes victims feel they have no other choice but to go public,” she said.

The process of seeking a grand jury wasn’t easy. Smith had to stand in a parking lot telling her story over and over again to strangers to collect hundreds of signatures, and then do it again when the first petition was rejected on a technicality.

Some of the strangers she approached snatched the pen from her hands just a few minutes after she began speaking, hugging her and whispering into her ear so others nearby couldn’t hear that they had been sexually assaulted in the past themselves.

“They were very thankful that I was fighting, just fighting the justice system and trying to make a change in the world because they were too scared to fight back,” she recalled.

But Smith said she felt it was the only way she could get justice for the February 2018 attack.

McPherson County Attorney Gregory Benefiel told Smith’s mother in a recorded conversation that the case was challenging because Smith didn’t verbally withdraw consent during the encounter. Smith said that’s because he was choking her.

“I think anybody could realize that if you can’t breathe, you can’t speak,” she said.

Smith said the attack happened after she ran into Stolzenburg while doing laundry and went back to his room at Bethany College, where they had sex. It initially was consensual, but then he began slapping and strangling her, leaving her gasping for air, Smith said during Stolzenburg’s sentencing hearing in August 2020.

“I really thought that he was going to kill me, and the only way I was going to leave that room was in a body bag,” said Smith, who is working at a nursing home before she begins to study nursing in the fall.

“He would strangle me for 20 or 30 seconds at a time, and I would begin to lose consciousness,” she said.

Stolzenburg’s Bethany College transcript shows that he was administratively withdrawn in March 2018, said Amie Bauer, the school’s general counsel. She wrote that the college had no further comment.

Defense attorney Brent Boyer said during the sentencing hearing that Stolzenburg and his family had been threatened and that Stolzenburg wanted to “move forward.” A woman who answered the phone in Boyer’s office said that Boyer didn’t participate in media interviews and hung up. Stolzenburg doesn’t have a listed phone number and didn’t immediately respond to a message on Facebook.

Benefiel said in an interview with The Associated Press that sex crimes cases are “extremely challenging to prosecute” because jurors are looking “for that CSI type of evidence.” He said he couldn’t comment on the specifics of the case but added that he believed that he and Smith both wanted the same thing — “truth and justice.”

“There is a disagreement on what it looks like in this case, but I think everyone has the same goals,” he said.

But Julie Germann, a former Minnesota prosecutor who reviewed the Kansas law for the Smiths and determined that the attack qualified for a rape charge, said prosecutors need to “look at the totality of the circumstances.”

“This idea that because she consented then anything that follows is acceptable, that is a very dangerous precedent to set,” said Germann, who consults and teaches about sexual assault.

Justin Boardman, who trains police and prosecutors to investigate sex crimes, said defense attorneys often try to argue that the victim had consented not just to sex but to rough sex. However, in that lifestyle, there are typically a lot of check-ins and discussions before sex starts, he said.

“If it is just a surprise, it is assault,” he said.

A court services worker said during the sentencing hearing that Stolzenburg told her he should have communicated better and “does feel sorry for the victim.”

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTHMISSION, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas woman who alleges consensual sex with a friend in his college dorm room turned into a terrifying assault took matters into her own hands when prosecutors declined to bring rape charges. She called a citizen grand jury, relying on a 134-year-old state law.Madison Smith, 22, collected the hundreds of signatures necessary to empanel the grand jury after the county prosecutor resolved the case by allowing Jared Stolzenburg to plead guilty to aggravated battery and receive two years’ probation.Smith, who graduated earlier this month from Bethany College in Lindsborg, about 70 miles north of Wichita, is part of a generation of women emboldened to go public with their stories due to the #MeToo movement.“This happens nationwide, worldwide that victims and survivors are minimized by the prosecutors who don’t believe them,” she said, “And that is not OK because rape culture is so prevalent, and we need to get rid of it, and one of the ways to do that is to get our stories out there.”Kansas is one of six states that allow citizens to petition for grand juries. The 1887 law was rarely used until anti-abortion activists began using it to force grand jury investigations of abortion clinics. It has since been used to go after adult bookstores and to challenge former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s right to appear as the Republican nominee for governor.But Smith’s case, which will be considered in September, is believed to be the first time that someone claiming sexual assault has used it, said Kathy Ray of the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence.“This case has a lot of issues within the criminal justice system, and sometimes victims feel they have no other choice but to go public,” she said.The process of seeking a grand jury wasn’t easy. Smith had to stand in a parking lot telling her story over and over again to strangers to collect hundreds of signatures, and then do it again when the first petition was rejected on a technicality.Some of the strangers she approached snatched the pen from her hands just a few minutes after she began speaking, hugging her and whispering into her ear so others nearby couldn’t hear that they had been sexually assaulted in the past themselves.“They were very thankful that I was fighting, just fighting the justice system and trying to make a change in the world because they were too scared to fight back,” she recalled.But Smith said she felt it was the only way she could get justice for the February 2018 attack.McPherson County Attorney Gregory Benefiel told Smith’s mother in a recorded conversation that the case was challenging because Smith didn’t verbally withdraw consent during the encounter. Smith said that’s because he was choking her.“I think anybody could realize that if you can’t breathe, you can’t speak,” she said.Smith said the attack happened after she ran into Stolzenburg while doing laundry and went back to his room at Bethany College, where they had sex. It initially was consensual, but then he began slapping and strangling her, leaving her gasping for air, Smith said during Stolzenburg’s sentencing hearing in August 2020.“I really thought that he was going to kill me, and the only way I was going to leave that room was in a body bag,” said Smith, who is working at a nursing home before she begins to study nursing in the fall.“He would strangle me for 20 or 30 seconds at a time, and I would begin to lose consciousness,” she said.Stolzenburg’s Bethany College transcript shows that he was administratively withdrawn in March 2018, said Amie Bauer, the school’s general counsel. She wrote that the college had no further comment.Defense attorney Brent Boyer said during the sentencing hearing that Stolzenburg and his family had been threatened and that Stolzenburg wanted to “move forward.” A woman who answered the phone in Boyer’s office said that Boyer didn’t participate in media interviews and hung up. Stolzenburg doesn’t have a listed phone number and didn’t immediately respond to a message on Facebook.Benefiel said in an interview with The Associated Press that sex crimes cases are “extremely challenging to prosecute” because jurors are looking “for that CSI type of evidence.” He said he couldn’t comment on the specifics of the case but added that he believed that he and Smith both wanted the same thing — “truth and justice.”“There is a disagreement on what it looks like in this case, but I think everyone has the same goals,” he said.But Julie Germann, a former Minnesota prosecutor who reviewed the Kansas law for the Smiths and determined that the attack qualified for a rape charge, said prosecutors need to “look at the totality of the circumstances.”“This idea that because she consented then anything that follows is acceptable, that is a very dangerous precedent to set,” said Germann, who consults and teaches about sexual assault.Justin Boardman, who trains police and prosecutors to investigate sex crimes, said defense attorneys often try to argue that the victim had consented not just to sex but to rough sex. However, in that lifestyle, there are typically a lot of check-ins and discussions before sex starts, he said.“If it is just a surprise, it is assault,” he said.A court services worker said during the sentencing hearing that Stolzenburg told her he should have communicated better and “does feel sorry for the victim.”

Kansas woman alleging dorm rape convenes own grand jury

KANSAS CITY&nbsp; (AP) — A man was sentenced to 20 years in prison Monday after he admitted that he shot and killed a Kansas City rapper in 2015.

Derius Taylor, 32, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of 20-year-old Dominique Stafford, the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office said.

Stafford’s body was found inside a car in eastern Kansas City on April 23, 2015.

Taylor arranged to buy drugs from Stafford but actually intended to rob him. Taylor got into Stafford’s car, shot him and took a rifle and a diamond-encrusted pendant the necklace, detectives said.

Another person got in the car with Stafford’s body and drove away while Taylor followed in the second car, detectives said. They later the car with Stafford’s body where police found it.

Detectives later learned Taylor pawned the pendant he took from Stafford.

The month before Stafford’s brother, Arthur Stafford Jr., 22, was found fatally shot a month before Dominique Stafford was killed.

The Stafford brothers were rap artists with Duced Out Records, a Kansas City-based record company.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621879451400.png" alt="Taylor photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Taylor photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY&nbsp; (AP) — A man was sentenced to 20 years in prison Monday after he admitted that he shot and killed a Kansas City rapper in 2015.Derius Taylor, 32, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of 20-year-old Dominique Stafford, the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office said.Stafford’s body was found inside a car in eastern Kansas City on April 23, 2015.Taylor arranged to buy drugs from Stafford but actually intended to rob him. Taylor got into Stafford’s car, shot him and took a rifle and a diamond-encrusted pendant the necklace, detectives said.Another person got in the car with Stafford’s body and drove away while Taylor followed in the second car, detectives said. They later the car with Stafford’s body where police found it.Detectives later learned Taylor pawned the pendant he took from Stafford.The month before Stafford’s brother, Arthur Stafford Jr., 22, was found fatally shot a month before Dominique Stafford was killed.The Stafford brothers were rap artists with Duced Out Records, a Kansas City-based record company.

Man pleads guilty to shooting death of Kansas City rapper

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that injured a 6-year-old.&nbsp;

Just before 1:30 pm Monday, police dispatched to the 3100 block of South Yale in Wichita for reports of gunshots heard in the area, according to Officer Trevor Macey. 

A Witness reported a vehicle leaving the area with adults and one child. That vehicle arrived at an area hospital a short time later with a six-year-old boy who had suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.

The adult male suspect was stopped by officers. The shooting was reported to be accidental.&nbsp; Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that injured a 6-year-old.&nbsp;Just before 1:30 pm Monday, police dispatched to the 3100 block of South Yale in Wichita for reports of gunshots heard in the area, according to Officer Trevor Macey. A Witness reported a vehicle leaving the area with adults and one child. That vehicle arrived at an area hospital a short time later with a six-year-old boy who had suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.The adult male suspect was stopped by officers. The shooting was reported to be accidental.&nbsp; Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Police: 6-year-old Kan. boy treated for gunshot wound

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the State Department are warning Americans against all travel to Japan because of a surge in coronavirus cases in the country as it prepares to host the Olympics in just two months.

<a href="https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/japan-travel-advisory.html">Click here to read</a> the travel advisory from the U.S. State Dept.

The twin alerts issued Monday don't ban U.S. citizens from visiting the country, but they could have an impact on insurance rates for travelers and may factor into decisions by Olympic athletes and spectators on whether to compete in or attend the games, which are due to start in July. The government is trying to accelerate its vaccination rollout and curb coronavirus infections before the Olympics.

&nbsp;Japan mobilized military doctors and nurses to give shots to elderly people in Tokyo and Osaka on Monday as the government desperately tries to accelerate its vaccination rollout and curb coronavirus infections just two months before hosting the Olympics.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is determined to hold the Olympics in Tokyo after a one-year delay and has made an ambitious pledge to finish vaccinating the country’s 36 million elderly people by the end of July, despite skepticism it’s possible. Worries about public safety while many Japanese remain unvaccinated have prompted growing protests and calls for canceling the games, set to start on July 23.

Suga’s government has repeatedly expanded the area and duration of a largely voluntary request-based virus state of emergency since late April and has made its virus-fighting measures stricter. Currently, Tokyo and nine other areas that are home to 40% of the country’s population are under the emergency and a further extension is deemed unavoidable.

With COVID-19 cases still high, Suga now says vaccines are key to getting infections under control. He has not made vaccinations conditional for holding the Olympics and has arranged for Pfizer to donate its vaccine for athletes through the International Olympic Committee, while trying to speed up Japan’s inoculation drive as anti-Olympic sentiment grows.

Suga, speaking to reporters after a brief visit to the Tokyo center, said accelerating the vaccine rollout is an “unprecedented challenge.”

“We will do whatever it takes to accomplish the project so that the people can get vaccinated and return to their ordinary daily lives as soon as possible,” he said.

At the two centers, staffed by about 280 military medical staff and 200 civilian nurses, the aim is to inoculate up to 10,000 people per day in Tokyo and 5,000 per day in Osaka for the next three months.

In hardest-hit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-coronavirus-pandemic-business-olympic-games-2020-tokyo-olympics-72cc0b10127e8bab06406a6ec6bcedd6">Osaka</a>, where hospitals are overflowing, with tens of thousands of people becoming sicker or even dying at home, dozens began lining up before the inoculation center opened early Monday. In Tokyo, some vaccine recipients said they took taxis or shuttle buses to get to the center to avoid packed commuter trains.

People inoculated at the two centers were the first in Japan to receive doses from Moderna Inc., one of two foreign-developed vaccines Japan approved on Friday.

Previously, Japan had used only Pfizer Inc., and only about 2% of the population of 126 million has received the required two doses.

Japan began vaccinating health care workers in mid-February after delays resulting from its decision to require additional vaccine clinical testing inside Japan — a decision many experts said was medically meaningless and only slowed the inoculation process.

Vaccinations for the next group — the elderly, who are more likely to suffer serious COVID-19 effects — started in mid-April but have been slowed by reservation procedures, unclear distribution plans and shortages of medical staff to give shots.

The completion of Japanese-developed vaccines is still uncertain, but government officials hope the approvals Friday of Moderna and AstraZeneca will accelerate inoculations.

“Speeding up the rollout makes us feel safer because it affects our social life and the economy,” said Munemitsu Watanabe, a 71-year-old office worker who got his first shot at the Tokyo center. “If 80-90% of the population gets vaccinated, I think we can hold the Olympics smoothly.”

That goal seems impossible to meet. Those currently eligible are 65 years or older, and some officials say it may take until next March before younger people are fully vaccinated.

Japan also has a dire shortage of medical staff who can give shots since only doctors and nurses can legally do so — and they are already busy treating COVID-19 patients.

Under pressure, Suga’s government has allowed dentists and retired nurses to perform inoculations, and on Monday asked for pharmacists’ help. Suga said he is also considering adding paramedics and clinical laboratory technicians to create a pool of “several tens of thousands” of medical personnel. There are worries, however, that loosening the criteria may increase vaccine hesitancy in the public.

Also Monday, Tokyo’s downtown Sumida district organized a one-time inoculation event at the Kokugikan sumo arena, a venue for Olympic boxing, to attract elderly people with a lottery to win sumo-themed souvenirs.

Several other local governments, including Aichi in central Japan and Gunma near Tokyo and Miyagi in the north, also were to open their own large vaccination centers on Monday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the State Department are warning Americans against all travel to Japan because of a surge in coronavirus cases in the country as it prepares to host the Olympics in just two months.<a href="https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/japan-travel-advisory.html">Click here to read</a> the travel advisory from the U.S. State Dept.The twin alerts issued Monday don't ban U.S. citizens from visiting the country, but they could have an impact on insurance rates for travelers and may factor into decisions by Olympic athletes and spectators on whether to compete in or attend the games, which are due to start in July. The government is trying to accelerate its vaccination rollout and curb coronavirus infections before the Olympics.&nbsp;Japan mobilized military doctors and nurses to give shots to elderly people in Tokyo and Osaka on Monday as the government desperately tries to accelerate its vaccination rollout and curb coronavirus infections just two months before hosting the Olympics.Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is determined to hold the Olympics in Tokyo after a one-year delay and has made an ambitious pledge to finish vaccinating the country’s 36 million elderly people by the end of July, despite skepticism it’s possible. Worries about public safety while many Japanese remain unvaccinated have prompted growing protests and calls for canceling the games, set to start on July 23.Suga’s government has repeatedly expanded the area and duration of a largely voluntary request-based virus state of emergency since late April and has made its virus-fighting measures stricter. Currently, Tokyo and nine other areas that are home to 40% of the country’s population are under the emergency and a further extension is deemed unavoidable.With COVID-19 cases still high, Suga now says vaccines are key to getting infections under control. He has not made vaccinations conditional for holding the Olympics and has arranged for Pfizer to donate its vaccine for athletes through the International Olympic Committee, while trying to speed up Japan’s inoculation drive as anti-Olympic sentiment grows.Suga, speaking to reporters after a brief visit to the Tokyo center, said accelerating the vaccine rollout is an “unprecedented challenge.”“We will do whatever it takes to accomplish the project so that the people can get vaccinated and return to their ordinary daily lives as soon as possible,” he said.At the two centers, staffed by about 280 military medical staff and 200 civilian nurses, the aim is to inoculate up to 10,000 people per day in Tokyo and 5,000 per day in Osaka for the next three months.In hardest-hit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-coronavirus-pandemic-business-olympic-games-2020-tokyo-olympics-72cc0b10127e8bab06406a6ec6bcedd6">Osaka</a>, where hospitals are overflowing, with tens of thousands of people becoming sicker or even dying at home, dozens began lining up before the inoculation center opened early Monday. In Tokyo, some vaccine recipients said they took taxis or shuttle buses to get to the center to avoid packed commuter trains.People inoculated at the two centers were the first in Japan to receive doses from Moderna Inc., one of two foreign-developed vaccines Japan approved on Friday.Previously, Japan had used only Pfizer Inc., and only about 2% of the population of 126 million has received the required two doses.Japan began vaccinating health care workers in mid-February after delays resulting from its decision to require additional vaccine clinical testing inside Japan — a decision many experts said was medically meaningless and only slowed the inoculation process.Vaccinations for the next group — the elderly, who are more likely to suffer serious COVID-19 effects — started in mid-April but have been slowed by reservation procedures, unclear distribution plans and shortages of medical staff to give shots.The completion of Japanese-developed vaccines is still uncertain, but government officials hope the approvals Friday of Moderna and AstraZeneca will accelerate inoculations.“Speeding up the rollout makes us feel safer because it affects our social life and the economy,” said Munemitsu Watanabe, a 71-year-old office worker who got his first shot at the Tokyo center. “If 80-90% of the population gets vaccinated, I think we can hold the Olympics smoothly.”That goal seems impossible to meet. Those currently eligible are 65 years or older, and some officials say it may take until next March before younger people are fully vaccinated.Japan also has a dire shortage of medical staff who can give shots since only doctors and nurses can legally do so — and they are already busy treating COVID-19 patients.Under pressure, Suga’s government has allowed dentists and retired nurses to perform inoculations, and on Monday asked for pharmacists’ help. Suga said he is also considering adding paramedics and clinical laboratory technicians to create a pool of “several tens of thousands” of medical personnel. There are worries, however, that loosening the criteria may increase vaccine hesitancy in the public.Also Monday, Tokyo’s downtown Sumida district organized a one-time inoculation event at the Kokugikan sumo arena, a venue for Olympic boxing, to attract elderly people with a lottery to win sumo-themed souvenirs.Several other local governments, including Aichi in central Japan and Gunma near Tokyo and Miyagi in the north, also were to open their own large vaccination centers on Monday.___

U.S. warns against travel to Japan 2 months before Olympics

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a traffic stop.

Just after 10:30p.m. May 22, deputies stopped aa northbound Dodge Caliber for a traffic infraction near 134th and U.S. Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The passenger, Ciara Lynne Henry, 36, of Kansas City, Missouri was subsequently arrested for being a felon in possession of a firearm, criminal use of a weapon and transporting an open container.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621889004320.png" alt="Henry photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Henry photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a traffic stop.Just after 10:30p.m. May 22, deputies stopped aa northbound Dodge Caliber for a traffic infraction near 134th and U.S. Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.The passenger, Ciara Lynne Henry, 36, of Kansas City, Missouri was subsequently arrested for being a felon in possession of a firearm, criminal use of a weapon and transporting an open container.

Sheriff: Felon caught with gun, transporting open container

KANSAS CITY– A Kansas man who was a leader of a $56 million criminal enterprise was sentenced in federal court Friday for his role in the conspiracy that distributed more than 2,600 kilograms of cocaine in the Kansas City metropolitan area, according the United State's Attorney.

Jose Luis Armendariz-Rascon, also known as “Uncle” or “Rambo,” 40, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Armendariz-Rascon to forfeit to the government more than $56 million, which represents the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking.

On Jan. 22, 2020, Armendariz-Rascon pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and to money laundering. Armendariz-Rascon admitted that he purchased and distributed 10 to 15 kilograms of powder cocaine per week for a period of about four years.

Armendariz-Rascon was in charge of coordinating the transportation of loads of cocaine from the El Paso, Texas, area to the Kansas City metropolitan area for distribution. Armendariz-Rascon would then coordinate the collection of bulk cash that was sent back to El Paso as payment for the cocaine.

Armendariz-Rascon is among 13 defendants convicted in this case, of whom 12 have now been sentenced. Howard Christopher Walters, also known as “Chris,” 43, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, was sentenced on April 21, 2021, to 25 years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.

Co-defendant Otilio Zaragoza-Navarrette, 64, of El Paso, delivered cocaine to Jose Armendariz-Rascon as well as to co-defendants Miguel Armendariz-Rascon, 33, a citizen of Mexico residing in Olathe, Kan., and Jesus Salvador Campoy-Estrada, also known as “Chava” and “Chavita,” 26, of Kansas City, Kan. Zaragoza-Navarrette and Miguel Armendariz-Rascon have pleaded guilty and been sentenced. Campoy-Estrada pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.

Zaragoza-Navarette also transported illicit drug proceeds from the drug-trafficking organization back to Texas and/or to Mexico. Zaragoza-Navarrette hid the cocaine and/or the cash proceeds inside of five-gallon gas cans and anti-freeze jugs on his commercial semi-tractor trailer.

In one instance, law enforcement officers seized nearly $500,000 from Zaragoza-Navarrette, who was transferring the illicit drug proceeds in an operation orchestrated by Armendariz-Rascon. On May 21, 2017, investigators were conducting surveillance at a residence in the 4700 block of North Mulberry Court in Kansas City as Campoy-Estrada was driving a white Chevrolet van with Miguel Armendariz-Rascon in the passenger’s seat. Investigators followed the van as it proceeded to the area of Candlewood Suites, 4450 Randolph Road, Kansas City, and pulled onto Corrington Road on the west side of Candlewood Suites. The van parked in front of a diesel tractor-trailer. Campoy-Estrada carried a white plastic jug from the van to the passenger side of the tractor-trailer. Campoy-Estrada then returned to the van with a red plastic gas can and placed the gas can into the rear of the van. Campoy-Estrada and Miguel Armendariz-Rascon then left the area.

Law enforcement officers continued to surveil the tractor-trailer, being driven by Zaragoza-Navarrette, as it left the Candlewood Suites and began to drive northbound on I-35. The Missouri State Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop of the tractor-trailer at mile marker 68. Troopers searched the vehicle and found a red five-gallon plastic gas can and two white plastic jugs that contained a total of $491,211.

A confidential source has indicated the drug-trafficking organization purchased cocaine for approximately $27,000 to $27,500 per kilogram. Accordingly, $491,211 in illicit drug proceeds would convert to between 15 and 19 kilograms of powder cocaine.

KANSAS CITY– A Kansas man who was a leader of a $56 million criminal enterprise was sentenced in federal court Friday for his role in the conspiracy that distributed more than 2,600 kilograms of cocaine in the Kansas City metropolitan area, according the United State's Attorney.Jose Luis Armendariz-Rascon, also known as “Uncle” or “Rambo,” 40, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Armendariz-Rascon to forfeit to the government more than $56 million, which represents the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking.On Jan. 22, 2020, Armendariz-Rascon pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and to money laundering. Armendariz-Rascon admitted that he purchased and distributed 10 to 15 kilograms of powder cocaine per week for a period of about four years.Armendariz-Rascon was in charge of coordinating the transportation of loads of cocaine from the El Paso, Texas, area to the Kansas City metropolitan area for distribution. Armendariz-Rascon would then coordinate the collection of bulk cash that was sent back to El Paso as payment for the cocaine.Armendariz-Rascon is among 13 defendants convicted in this case, of whom 12 have now been sentenced. Howard Christopher Walters, also known as “Chris,” 43, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, was sentenced on April 21, 2021, to 25 years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.Co-defendant Otilio Zaragoza-Navarrette, 64, of El Paso, delivered cocaine to Jose Armendariz-Rascon as well as to co-defendants Miguel Armendariz-Rascon, 33, a citizen of Mexico residing in Olathe, Kan., and Jesus Salvador Campoy-Estrada, also known as “Chava” and “Chavita,” 26, of Kansas City, Kan. Zaragoza-Navarrette and Miguel Armendariz-Rascon have pleaded guilty and been sentenced. Campoy-Estrada pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.Zaragoza-Navarette also transported illicit drug proceeds from the drug-trafficking organization back to Texas and/or to Mexico. Zaragoza-Navarrette hid the cocaine and/or the cash proceeds inside of five-gallon gas cans and anti-freeze jugs on his commercial semi-tractor trailer.In one instance, law enforcement officers seized nearly $500,000 from Zaragoza-Navarrette, who was transferring the illicit drug proceeds in an operation orchestrated by Armendariz-Rascon. On May 21, 2017, investigators were conducting surveillance at a residence in the 4700 block of North Mulberry Court in Kansas City as Campoy-Estrada was driving a white Chevrolet van with Miguel Armendariz-Rascon in the passenger’s seat. Investigators followed the van as it proceeded to the area of Candlewood Suites, 4450 Randolph Road, Kansas City, and pulled onto Corrington Road on the west side of Candlewood Suites. The van parked in front of a diesel tractor-trailer. Campoy-Estrada carried a white plastic jug from the van to the passenger side of the tractor-trailer. Campoy-Estrada then returned to the van with a red plastic gas can and placed the gas can into the rear of the van. Campoy-Estrada and Miguel Armendariz-Rascon then left the area.Law enforcement officers continued to surveil the tractor-trailer, being driven by Zaragoza-Navarrette, as it left the Candlewood Suites and began to drive northbound on I-35. The Missouri State Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop of the tractor-trailer at mile marker 68. Troopers searched the vehicle and found a red five-gallon plastic gas can and two white plastic jugs that contained a total of $491,211.A confidential source has indicated the drug-trafficking organization purchased cocaine for approximately $27,000 to $27,500 per kilogram. Accordingly, $491,211 in illicit drug proceeds would convert to between 15 and 19 kilograms of powder cocaine.

Kan. man involved in cocaine ring ordered to pay feds $56M

ROCKWELL, Iowa - Authorities have arrested a Kansas man for allegedly stealing a BMW in northern Iowa, and then dropping off a pickup from a Saline County residence at the scene.A

A rural Saline County man reported that sometime between 10:30 p.m. Friday and 7:27 a.m. Saturday, someone stole his $20,000 Chevrolet Silverado from his residence in the 1600 block of E. Stimmel Road, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.

On Saturday afternoon, the sheriff's office received a call from the Rockwell (Iowa) Police Department that the Silverado had been located at the scene of the theft of a BMW. Shortly after the BMW was stolen, Rockwell police apprehended Jason Buster, 36, of Salina, and recovered the BMW.

The rural Saline County owner of the pickup knows Buster who also left a motorcycle when the pickup was taken, according to Soldan.

Saline County officials&nbsp; will not be able to extradite Buster until Rockville has completed its court case against Buster.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621886622112.png" alt="Buster photo Carroll County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Buster photo Carroll County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>ROCKWELL, Iowa - Authorities have arrested a Kansas man for allegedly stealing a BMW in northern Iowa, and then dropping off a pickup from a Saline County residence at the scene.AA rural Saline County man reported that sometime between 10:30 p.m. Friday and 7:27 a.m. Saturday, someone stole his $20,000 Chevrolet Silverado from his residence in the 1600 block of E. Stimmel Road, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.On Saturday afternoon, the sheriff's office received a call from the Rockwell (Iowa) Police Department that the Silverado had been located at the scene of the theft of a BMW. Shortly after the BMW was stolen, Rockwell police apprehended Jason Buster, 36, of Salina, and recovered the BMW.The rural Saline County owner of the pickup knows Buster who also left a motorcycle when the pickup was taken, according to Soldan.Saline County officials&nbsp; will not be able to extradite Buster until Rockville has completed its court case against Buster.

Kan. man who allegedly stole pickup, BMW is captured in Iowa

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear an appeal from a Missouri death row inmate who is seeking execution by firing squad.

Over the dissent of the three liberal justices, the court left in place a lower court ruling against inmate Ernest Johnson that could allow him to be executed by lethal injection. He is on death row for killing three convenience store workers in Columbia, Missouri, in 1994.

Johnson has argued that Missouri’s lethal injection drug, pentobarbital, could trigger seizures because of a brain condition. Johnson still has part of a benign tumor in his brain.

The effect of the court’s order Monday is to prevent Johnson from amending his lawsuit to include the possibility of execution by firing squad, which is not authorized under Missouri law.

Based on prior Supreme Court rulings, an inmate who objects to the state’s chosen method of execution has to suggest an alternate means.

Johnson initially suggested he could be put to death using nitrogen gas, which is allowed in Missouri. But the Supreme Court has held that states could decline to use a method of execution that has no track record, as is the case with nitrogen gas.

But when Johnson tried to suggest a firing squad, a method with a long history of use in the U.S., judges on the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal said he acted too late.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote for herself and colleagues Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan that Johnson should be able to make his case. “We should not countenance the infliction of cruel and unusual punishment simply for the sake of expediency. That is what the Eighth Circuit’s decision has done. Because this Court chooses to stand idly by, I respectfully dissent,” Sotomayor wrote.

The state planned to execute Johnson in 2015, but the Supreme Court intervened on his behalf then.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621882682950.png" alt="Johnson photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Johnson photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear an appeal from a Missouri death row inmate who is seeking execution by firing squad.Over the dissent of the three liberal justices, the court left in place a lower court ruling against inmate Ernest Johnson that could allow him to be executed by lethal injection. He is on death row for killing three convenience store workers in Columbia, Missouri, in 1994.Johnson has argued that Missouri’s lethal injection drug, pentobarbital, could trigger seizures because of a brain condition. Johnson still has part of a benign tumor in his brain.The effect of the court’s order Monday is to prevent Johnson from amending his lawsuit to include the possibility of execution by firing squad, which is not authorized under Missouri law.Based on prior Supreme Court rulings, an inmate who objects to the state’s chosen method of execution has to suggest an alternate means.Johnson initially suggested he could be put to death using nitrogen gas, which is allowed in Missouri. But the Supreme Court has held that states could decline to use a method of execution that has no track record, as is the case with nitrogen gas.But when Johnson tried to suggest a firing squad, a method with a long history of use in the U.S., judges on the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal said he acted too late.Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote for herself and colleagues Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan that Johnson should be able to make his case. “We should not countenance the infliction of cruel and unusual punishment simply for the sake of expediency. That is what the Eighth Circuit’s decision has done. Because this Court chooses to stand idly by, I respectfully dissent,” Sotomayor wrote.The state planned to execute Johnson in 2015, but the Supreme Court intervened on his behalf then.

Missouri killer seeking firing squad loses Supreme Court appeal

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A jury convicted a 25-year-old Wichita woman of first-degree felony murder after her 2-year-old son died from ingesting methadone. A Sedgwick County jury deliberated about two hours Monday before finding Kimberly Compass guilty in the death of Zayden JayNesahkluah. 

Zayden died of a methadone overdose in a Wichita motel on May 31, 2019. Prosecutors accused Compass of mishandling three bottles of methadone, which had been prescribed to help her kick a heroin habit. It remains unclear exactly how the boy got ahold of the methadone. 

Her defense attorney argued throughout the trial that Compass didn't know the boy ingested the drug. She will be sentenced Aug. 12.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621892806239.png" alt="Compass was originally booked into jail in August of 2019- photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Compass was originally booked into jail in August of 2019- photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A jury convicted a 25-year-old Wichita woman of first-degree felony murder after her 2-year-old son died from ingesting methadone. A Sedgwick County jury deliberated about two hours Monday before finding Kimberly Compass guilty in the death of Zayden JayNesahkluah. Zayden died of a methadone overdose in a Wichita motel on May 31, 2019. Prosecutors accused Compass of mishandling three bottles of methadone, which had been prescribed to help her kick a heroin habit. It remains unclear exactly how the boy got ahold of the methadone. Her defense attorney argued throughout the trial that Compass didn't know the boy ingested the drug. She will be sentenced Aug. 12.

Kan. woman convicted in 2-year-old son's methadone death

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Police in Overland Park are investigating the shooting death of a man early Monday morning in the parking lot of a condominium building just across the street from City Hall. 

Police say officers were called to the area around 5:20 a.m. for reports of gunshots. Arriving officers found a man on the ground who had been shot and was already dead. 

Witnesses tell police that they saw two to three people run to vehicles in the parking lot following the shooting and flee the area. Police have not released the name of the man killed and have not announced any arrests.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621886214431.png" alt="Investigators on the scene early Monday-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Investigators on the scene early Monday-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Police in Overland Park are investigating the shooting death of a man early Monday morning in the parking lot of a condominium building just across the street from City Hall. Police say officers were called to the area around 5:20 a.m. for reports of gunshots. Arriving officers found a man on the ground who had been shot and was already dead. Witnesses tell police that they saw two to three people run to vehicles in the parking lot following the shooting and flee the area. Police have not released the name of the man killed and have not announced any arrests.

Police investigate fatal shooting near Overland Park City Hall

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly five months after being deployed to the U.S. Capitol to help quell the Jan. 6 insurrection, National Guard troops were set to leave and turn over security of the area to Capitol Police.

Guard troops, their mission ending Sunday, were leaving Monday, a person familiar with the plan told The Associated Press. The person was not authorized to discuss the plan by name and requested anonymity.

The Pentagon announced earlier in the week that an extension of the Guard presence — 2,149 troops — had not been requested.

The planned departure came as Democrats and Republicans sparred over how to fund fortifications of the Capitol and whether to form an independent bipartisan commission to investigate the attack that sought to overturn former President Donald Trump’s loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

Some Republican lawmakers have begun downplaying the event despite the handful of deaths, injuries to scores of police officers, hundreds of arrests, damages to the building and shouted threats against lawmakers from many of those who stormed the building. Much of the violence was caught on camera.

Retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, who oversaw a security review in the wake of the rioting, told CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday that the Capitol itself will be secured by Capitol Police but that the complex will remain closed to the general public because of the strain on the police force.

“God bless the National Guard,” Honore said. “They’ve done significant work.”

The House on Thursday approved — by a single vote largely along party lines — a $1.9 billion measure to fortify the Capitol. The next day the House approved with 35 Republican votes the formation of an investigative commission. Both measures face an uncertain future in the evenly divided Senate.

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has said he opposes the commission proposal, which would need significant Republican support to advance under Senate rules. Republican opponents say the commission would become a political tool as midterms elections approach, though the proposal requires its work to be concluded by the end of this year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611848633213.png" alt="Members of the Kansas National Guard in DC earlier this year" />
 <figcaption>Members of the Kansas National Guard in DC earlier this year</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly five months after being deployed to the U.S. Capitol to help quell the Jan. 6 insurrection, National Guard troops were set to leave and turn over security of the area to Capitol Police.Guard troops, their mission ending Sunday, were leaving Monday, a person familiar with the plan told The Associated Press. The person was not authorized to discuss the plan by name and requested anonymity.The Pentagon announced earlier in the week that an extension of the Guard presence — 2,149 troops — had not been requested.The planned departure came as Democrats and Republicans sparred over how to fund fortifications of the Capitol and whether to form an independent bipartisan commission to investigate the attack that sought to overturn former President Donald Trump’s loss to Democrat Joe Biden.Some Republican lawmakers have begun downplaying the event despite the handful of deaths, injuries to scores of police officers, hundreds of arrests, damages to the building and shouted threats against lawmakers from many of those who stormed the building. Much of the violence was caught on camera.Retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, who oversaw a security review in the wake of the rioting, told CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday that the Capitol itself will be secured by Capitol Police but that the complex will remain closed to the general public because of the strain on the police force.“God bless the National Guard,” Honore said. “They’ve done significant work.”The House on Thursday approved — by a single vote largely along party lines — a $1.9 billion measure to fortify the Capitol. The next day the House approved with 35 Republican votes the formation of an investigative commission. Both measures face an uncertain future in the evenly divided Senate.Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has said he opposes the commission proposal, which would need significant Republican support to advance under Senate rules. Republican opponents say the commission would become a political tool as midterms elections approach, though the proposal requires its work to be concluded by the end of this year.

National Guard mission to provide security ending at Capitol

EUREKA, Mo. (AP) — Firefighters in suburban St. Louis said it’s astonishing no one was injured in a weekend crash that saw a car flip end-over-end down an embankment and crash through the roof of a home just feet from where two people were sleeping.

The crash happened just before 2 a.m. Sunday in Eureka, just southwest of St. Louis.

The car was traveling down The Legends Parkway when it swerved off of the road, hit a tree and tumbled down an embankment before plowing into a wrought iron fence and crashing through the roof into the master bathroom of the home, fire officials said.

“If you look at that crash it’s like, how did somebody not die?” fire department spokesman Scott Barthelmass said.

One of the homeowners used a garden hose to put out a small fire caused by the crash, officials said. Two men in the car were able to get out of the wreckage on their own.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621876442971.png" alt="Photos courtesy Eureka Missouri Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photos courtesy Eureka Missouri Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>EUREKA, Mo. (AP) — Firefighters in suburban St. Louis said it’s astonishing no one was injured in a weekend crash that saw a car flip end-over-end down an embankment and crash through the roof of a home just feet from where two people were sleeping.The crash happened just before 2 a.m. Sunday in Eureka, just southwest of St. Louis.The car was traveling down The Legends Parkway when it swerved off of the road, hit a tree and tumbled down an embankment before plowing into a wrought iron fence and crashing through the roof into the master bathroom of the home, fire officials said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621876421506.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“If you look at that crash it’s like, how did somebody not die?” fire department spokesman Scott Barthelmass said.One of the homeowners used a garden hose to put out a small fire caused by the crash, officials said. Two men in the car were able to get out of the wreckage on their own.

No injuries when car crashes through roof of home

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly on Monday was joined by education advocates and a bipartisan group of lawmakers to sign legislation fully funding education for the third consecutive year, and guaranteeing funding through FY 2023, according to a media release from her office.

"When I took office, the State of Kansas&nbsp;had failed to&nbsp;fully fund our public schools for nearly a decade,"&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;"That's why today I'm proud to say that, for the third year in a row, I have signed bipartisan legislation fully funding our schools.

"I want to thank the coalition of legislative colleagues, advocates, teachers, and faculty for their advocacy. With their support, we followed through on our commitment to ensure students, teachers, and schools have the resources they need."&nbsp;

During the signing ceremony, Governor Kelly said that ensuring kids have access to a quality education is good for Kansas students, and for the state's economy.&nbsp;

"Ensuring kids have access to a quality education not only helps them succeed. It helps our businesses succeed and promotes economic development by providing employers with a highly-educated, skilled workforce,"&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;

In addition to fully funding education in Kansas,&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.3I1yKdg4ObAuKSmtUUSg-V-2cPZsJVCf7p6ImQndRYs/s/1303160919/br/106862295758-l" target="_blank">House Bill 2134</a>&nbsp;requires an annual report card for children in foster care, authorizes limited remote learning, provides the criteria for identification of students eligible to receive at-risk programs and services, requires boards of education to allocate sufficient school district moneys to improve student academic performance, authorizes school districts to pay tuition and fees for concurrent and dual enrollment programs, expands student eligibility under the tax credit for low income students scholarship program, extends the high-density at-risk weighting, and provides ACT college entrance exams and workkey assessments to certain nonpublic school students.&nbsp;

Governor Kelly also signed House Bill 2313, extending the dedicated statewide mill-levy which funds a portion of the overall K-12 budget.

HB 2313 also provides for reimbursement of property taxes for certain business shutdowns or restrictions, allows&nbsp;Kansas national guard and reservist members who are in good standing to receive a property tax exemption for up to two motor vehicles, authorizes appointment by the governor of a member pro tempore when a vacancy on the state board of tax appeals exists and directs post audit study of the impact of non-profit and governmental entities competing against for-profit businesses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621873088743.png" alt="During Monday's signing ceremony, Governor Kelly said that ensuring kids have access to a quality education is good for Kansas students, and for the state's economy.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>During Monday's signing ceremony, Governor Kelly said that ensuring kids have access to a quality education is good for Kansas students, and for the state's economy.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly on Monday was joined by education advocates and a bipartisan group of lawmakers to sign legislation fully funding education for the third consecutive year, and guaranteeing funding through FY 2023, according to a media release from her office."When I took office, the State of Kansas&nbsp;had failed to&nbsp;fully fund our public schools for nearly a decade,"&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;"That's why today I'm proud to say that, for the third year in a row, I have signed bipartisan legislation fully funding our schools."I want to thank the coalition of legislative colleagues, advocates, teachers, and faculty for their advocacy. With their support, we followed through on our commitment to ensure students, teachers, and schools have the resources they need."&nbsp;During the signing ceremony, Governor Kelly said that ensuring kids have access to a quality education is good for Kansas students, and for the state's economy.&nbsp;"Ensuring kids have access to a quality education not only helps them succeed. It helps our businesses succeed and promotes economic development by providing employers with a highly-educated, skilled workforce,"&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;In addition to fully funding education in Kansas,&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.3I1yKdg4ObAuKSmtUUSg-V-2cPZsJVCf7p6ImQndRYs/s/1303160919/br/106862295758-l" target="_blank">House Bill 2134</a>&nbsp;requires an annual report card for children in foster care, authorizes limited remote learning, provides the criteria for identification of students eligible to receive at-risk programs and services, requires boards of education to allocate sufficient school district moneys to improve student academic performance, authorizes school districts to pay tuition and fees for concurrent and dual enrollment programs, expands student eligibility under the tax credit for low income students scholarship program, extends the high-density at-risk weighting, and provides ACT college entrance exams and workkey assessments to certain nonpublic school students.&nbsp;Governor Kelly also signed House Bill 2313, extending the dedicated statewide mill-levy which funds a portion of the overall K-12 budget.HB 2313 also provides for reimbursement of property taxes for certain business shutdowns or restrictions, allows&nbsp;Kansas national guard and reservist members who are in good standing to receive a property tax exemption for up to two motor vehicles, authorizes appointment by the governor of a member pro tempore when a vacancy on the state board of tax appeals exists and directs post audit study of the impact of non-profit and governmental entities competing against for-profit businesses.

Kansas governor signs bill fully funding education  

By KEN CARPENTER <a href="https://greatbendpost.com/">Great Bend Post</a>

GREAT BEND — A controversy over wearing masks took center stage at the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce legislative update last week at the Great Bend Events Center. State Sen. Alicia Straub used the occasion to air her concerns about COVID-19 policies at 4-H events.

4-H summer camps Straub, an Ellinwood Republican representing the <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/s/pdf/district_maps/district_map_s_033.pdf">33rd Senate District</a>, complained about COVID-19 protocols at 4-H camps being held this summer at the Rock Springs Ranch south of Junction City.

"They are still trying to require masks on our children outdoors this summer — the Heart of Kansas 4-H camp," Straub said. "The registration for that camp is still saying that they're going to require kids to wear masks for most activities where they can't maintain 6-foot social distancing."

The Rock Springs Ranch is owned and operated by the Kansas 4-H Foundation, a non-profit group whose mission is to support 4-H and youth development in Kansas.

Jake Worcester, president and CEO of the 4-H Foundation, told the Eagle Radio News Department in Great Bend on Friday that COVID-19 protocols are being revised this month. He explained how the new rules are being developed.

"We follow American Camp Association guidelines. The American Camp Association is our accrediting organization when it comes to our role as a camp," Worcester noted.

He predicted the new policies will be less restrictive.

"We fully anticipate that we aren't going to be asking youth to mask outdoors. The science doesn't seem to support that that's necessary, and that's been our position all along."

Worcester said the 4-H youth will be asked to wear masks in crowded indoor settings at Rock Springs. He said the youth will be assigned to living groups, and will not be asked to mask when they're with those groups.

Straub asked about 30 people attending the Legislative Update to contact the local and state 4-H Extension offices to complain. But according to Worcester, K-State extension does not set the camp rules. He reiterated that the camp is required to follow the national American Camp Association guidelines, and he said those may be loosened even more throughout the course of the summer.

April meeting controversy Straub also told the audience about a 4-H meeting she attended with her children at a church in Ellinwood on April 5.

"My children and I along with some other parents and their children were kicked out of a 4-H meeting," Straub recalled. "The meeting was called off, and we were all sent home because I, as your state senator, refused to put a mask on and refused to put a mask on my children."

4-H Youth Development is overseen by the K-State Research and Extension Administration. Dr. Gregg Hadley, the director for K-State Extension, acknowledged to Eagle Radio on Friday that mask protocols were still in effect for 4-H meetings on April 5. However, he said those rules have changed since then.

"It was around the beginning of May that Kansas State University adjusted their policy to say that our K-State Research and Extension local units should follow local public health guidelines," Hadley said.

That means that masks have not been required at 4-H gatherings in Barton County since the first week of May. That's because Barton County does not have a mask mandate.

Straub acknowledged that the 4-H policy has changed, but she said local mask guidelines should have been followed sooner.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621879224244.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By KEN CARPENTER <a href="https://greatbendpost.com/">Great Bend Post</a>GREAT BEND — A controversy over wearing masks took center stage at the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce legislative update last week at the Great Bend Events Center. State Sen. Alicia Straub used the occasion to air her concerns about COVID-19 policies at 4-H events.4-H summer camps Straub, an Ellinwood Republican representing the <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/s/pdf/district_maps/district_map_s_033.pdf">33rd Senate District</a>, complained about COVID-19 protocols at 4-H camps being held this summer at the Rock Springs Ranch south of Junction City."They are still trying to require masks on our children outdoors this summer — the Heart of Kansas 4-H camp," Straub said. "The registration for that camp is still saying that they're going to require kids to wear masks for most activities where they can't maintain 6-foot social distancing."The Rock Springs Ranch is owned and operated by the Kansas 4-H Foundation, a non-profit group whose mission is to support 4-H and youth development in Kansas.Jake Worcester, president and CEO of the 4-H Foundation, told the Eagle Radio News Department in Great Bend on Friday that COVID-19 protocols are being revised this month. He explained how the new rules are being developed."We follow American Camp Association guidelines. The American Camp Association is our accrediting organization when it comes to our role as a camp," Worcester noted.He predicted the new policies will be less restrictive."We fully anticipate that we aren't going to be asking youth to mask outdoors. The science doesn't seem to support that that's necessary, and that's been our position all along."Worcester said the 4-H youth will be asked to wear masks in crowded indoor settings at Rock Springs. He said the youth will be assigned to living groups, and will not be asked to mask when they're with those groups.Straub asked about 30 people attending the Legislative Update to contact the local and state 4-H Extension offices to complain. But according to Worcester, K-State extension does not set the camp rules. He reiterated that the camp is required to follow the national American Camp Association guidelines, and he said those may be loosened even more throughout the course of the summer.April meeting controversy Straub also told the audience about a 4-H meeting she attended with her children at a church in Ellinwood on April 5."My children and I along with some other parents and their children were kicked out of a 4-H meeting," Straub recalled. "The meeting was called off, and we were all sent home because I, as your state senator, refused to put a mask on and refused to put a mask on my children."4-H Youth Development is overseen by the K-State Research and Extension Administration. Dr. Gregg Hadley, the director for K-State Extension, acknowledged to Eagle Radio on Friday that mask protocols were still in effect for 4-H meetings on April 5. However, he said those rules have changed since then."It was around the beginning of May that Kansas State University adjusted their policy to say that our K-State Research and Extension local units should follow local public health guidelines," Hadley said.That means that masks have not been required at 4-H gatherings in Barton County since the first week of May. That's because Barton County does not have a mask mandate.Straub acknowledged that the 4-H policy has changed, but she said local mask guidelines should have been followed sooner.

Western Kan. state senator rails against 4-H COVID policies

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 277 to a total of 313,274 , the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;

The state reported 1 new COVID-19 death for a total of 5058.

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

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

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 277 to a total of 313,274 , the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;The state reported 1 new COVID-19 death for a total of 5058.<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621875816098.png" alt="Monday May 24, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Monday May 24, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a weekend attack on an employee at Walmart in Johnson County.

A suspect identified as a white male, in his mid to late 20s, battered the Loss Prevention Officer who attempted to stop him from stealing at the Walmart in the 1700 Block of East Santa Fe Street, according to a social media report from Gardner Police.

&nbsp;The suspect then entered a dark red / maroon mid 2000’s red Ford escape unknown tag traveling westbound on E. Santa Fe Street.

If you have any information, please contact Ofc Marino at 913-856-7312 reference case number 201264.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621864905614.png" alt="Security Camera photos Gardner Police" />
 <figcaption>Security Camera photos Gardner Police</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a weekend attack on an employee at Walmart in Johnson County.A suspect identified as a white male, in his mid to late 20s, battered the Loss Prevention Officer who attempted to stop him from stealing at the Walmart in the 1700 Block of East Santa Fe Street, according to a social media report from Gardner Police.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621864889658.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;The suspect then entered a dark red / maroon mid 2000’s red Ford escape unknown tag traveling westbound on E. Santa Fe Street.If you have any information, please contact Ofc Marino at 913-856-7312 reference case number 201264.

Police: Man battered security officer at Kansas business

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City police have identified a woman who shot and killed over the weekend in the northeastern end of the city in the North Blue Ridge neighborhood.

Officers were called around 3:45 a.m. Sunday to the intersection of East Winner Road and Wallace Avenue and found 18-year-old Kailey Love with gunshot wounds, police said in a news release. First responders tried to save Love’s life, but she died at the scene, investigators said.

Police said a suspect was arrested at the scene.

The shooting was the 60th homicide of the year in Kansas City. At the same time last year, there had been 70 homicides.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City police have identified a woman who shot and killed over the weekend in the northeastern end of the city in the North Blue Ridge neighborhood.Officers were called around 3:45 a.m. Sunday to the intersection of East Winner Road and Wallace Avenue and found 18-year-old Kailey Love with gunshot wounds, police said in a news release. First responders tried to save Love’s life, but she died at the scene, investigators said.Police said a suspect was arrested at the scene.The shooting was the 60th homicide of the year in Kansas City. At the same time last year, there had been 70 homicides.

Police ID 18-year-old woman shot, killed in Kansas City 

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Someone who posted videos on TikTok showing a golf cart running over a sign on a Wichita golf course and a person chasing geese from a golf cart has been banned from all of the city’s park facilities for a year. 

Before the ban was handed down on Thursday, the city had asked on Twitter for help identifying the culprit. 

Within a couple hours, the city said it had found the man with 150 followers on TikTok who posted the videos after several people identified him. City officials didn’t identify the offender publicly but they said he would receive a notice about the ban.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621822309117.png" alt="The city had asked on Twitter for help identifying the culprit." />
 <figcaption>The city had asked on Twitter for help identifying the culprit.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Someone who posted videos on TikTok showing a golf cart running over a sign on a Wichita golf course and a person chasing geese from a golf cart has been banned from all of the city’s park facilities for a year. Before the ban was handed down on Thursday, the city had asked on Twitter for help identifying the culprit. Within a couple hours, the city said it had found the man with 150 followers on TikTok who posted the videos after several people identified him. City officials didn’t identify the offender publicly but they said he would receive a notice about the ban.

Online videos of golf course misbehavior earn Kan. man park ban

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health officials’ new, more relaxed recommendations on masks have all but eclipsed another major change in guidance from the government: Fully vaccinated Americans can largely skip getting tested for the coronavirus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last week that most people who have received the full course of shots and have no COVID-19 symptoms don’t need to be screened for the virus, even if exposed to someone infected.

The change represents a new phase in the epidemic after nearly a year in which testing was the primary weapon against the virus. Vaccines are now central to the response and have driven down hospitalizations and deaths dramatically.

Experts say the CDC guidance reflects a new reality in which nearly half of Americans have received at least one shot and close to 40% are fully vaccinated.

“At this point we really should be asking ourselves whether the benefits of testing outweigh the costs — which are lots of disruptions, lots of confusion and very little clinical or public health benefit,” said Dr. A. David Paltiel of Yale’s School of Public Health, who championed&nbsp;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2768923" target="_blank">widespread testing</a>&nbsp;at colleges last year.

While vaccinated people can still catch the virus, they face little risk of serious illness from it. And positive test results can lead to what many experts now say are unnecessary worry and interruptions at work, home and school, such as quarantines and shutdowns.

Other health specialists say the CDC’s abrupt changes on the need for masks and testing have sent the message that COVID-19 is no longer a major threat, even as the U.S. reports daily case counts of nearly 30,000.

“The average Joe Public is interpreting what the CDC is saying as ‘This is done. It’s over,’” said Dr. Michael Mina of Harvard University, a leading advocate of widespread, rapid testing.

With more than 60% of Americans not fully vaccinated, he thinks screening of those without symptoms still has a role, particularly among front-line workers who have to deal with the public.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the updated guidelines are based on studies showing the robust effectiveness of the vaccine in preventing disease in various age groups and settings. Even when vaccinated people do contract COVID-19, their infections tend to be milder, shorter and less likely to spread to others.

As a result, the CDC says vaccinated people can generally be excluded from routine workplace screening for COVID-19.

That change could eliminate testing headaches like the one recently reported by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-yankees-science-mlb-baseball-coronavirus-pandemic-60d860682e6c2253f800a39da550c2ca">New York Yankees</a>, when one player and several staffers tested positive on a highly sensitive COVID-19 test, despite being vaccinated.

Baseball officials are discussing whether to drop or reduce testing of people who have no symptoms.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health officials’ new, more relaxed recommendations on masks have all but eclipsed another major change in guidance from the government: Fully vaccinated Americans can largely skip getting tested for the coronavirus.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last week that most people who have received the full course of shots and have no COVID-19 symptoms don’t need to be screened for the virus, even if exposed to someone infected.The change represents a new phase in the epidemic after nearly a year in which testing was the primary weapon against the virus. Vaccines are now central to the response and have driven down hospitalizations and deaths dramatically.Experts say the CDC guidance reflects a new reality in which nearly half of Americans have received at least one shot and close to 40% are fully vaccinated.“At this point we really should be asking ourselves whether the benefits of testing outweigh the costs — which are lots of disruptions, lots of confusion and very little clinical or public health benefit,” said Dr. A. David Paltiel of Yale’s School of Public Health, who championed&nbsp;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2768923" target="_blank">widespread testing</a>&nbsp;at colleges last year.While vaccinated people can still catch the virus, they face little risk of serious illness from it. And positive test results can lead to what many experts now say are unnecessary worry and interruptions at work, home and school, such as quarantines and shutdowns.Other health specialists say the CDC’s abrupt changes on the need for masks and testing have sent the message that COVID-19 is no longer a major threat, even as the U.S. reports daily case counts of nearly 30,000.“The average Joe Public is interpreting what the CDC is saying as ‘This is done. It’s over,’” said Dr. Michael Mina of Harvard University, a leading advocate of widespread, rapid testing.With more than 60% of Americans not fully vaccinated, he thinks screening of those without symptoms still has a role, particularly among front-line workers who have to deal with the public.CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the updated guidelines are based on studies showing the robust effectiveness of the vaccine in preventing disease in various age groups and settings. Even when vaccinated people do contract COVID-19, their infections tend to be milder, shorter and less likely to spread to others.As a result, the CDC says vaccinated people can generally be excluded from routine workplace screening for COVID-19.That change could eliminate testing headaches like the one recently reported by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-yankees-science-mlb-baseball-coronavirus-pandemic-60d860682e6c2253f800a39da550c2ca">New York Yankees</a>, when one player and several staffers tested positive on a highly sensitive COVID-19 test, despite being vaccinated.Baseball officials are discussing whether to drop or reduce testing of people who have no symptoms.But widespread attempts to waive testing for vaccinated people could face the same dilemma seen with the CDC’s new guidelines on masks: There’s no easy way to determine who has been vaccinated and who hasn’t.Employers can legally require vaccinations for most workers, though few have tested that power, since the vaccines don’t yet have full regulatory approval. Even asking employees to disclose their vaccination status is viewed as intrusive by many employment-law specialists.For now, testing appears to be continuing unchanged in places that adopted the practice, from offices to meatpacking plants to sports teams.Pork producer Smithfield Foods said it continues to conduct a combination of mandatory and optional testing for employees, depending on conditions at work sites. Amazon said it will still offer regular, voluntary testing.The NBA has indicated it plans to keep its testing system in place for now. The league has been praised for using rigorous testing to create&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-nba-joel-embiid-coronavirus-pandemic-ben-simmons-2ff5594183d0b4b78bf13e96e8f51f8e">COVID-19-free “bubbles”</a>&nbsp;around players, coaches and staff.On a national level, the supply of COVID-19 tests now vastly surpasses&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-coronavirus-pandemic-b1c1f6fc83977830231c065625510e4e">demand</a>. U.S. officials receive reports of about 1 million tests per day, down from a peak of over 2 million in mid-January, though many rapid tests done at home and workplaces go uncounted.Consumers can buy 15-minute, over-the-counter tests at pharmacies and other stores. That’s on top of increased capacity from U.S. laboratories and hospitals, which ramped up testing after last year’s crushing demand.The U.S. will be capable of conducting 500 million monthly tests in June, according to researchers at Arizona State University.As recently as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-pandemics-coronavirus-pandemic-b72e56902c9a682201dc7e2e95530551">this winter</a>, many health experts were calling for a huge testing effort to safely reopen schools, offices and other businesses. But that was before it was known how effective the vaccine would be in the real world, how quickly it could be distributed and whether it would protect against variants.“The vaccines overperformed, which is the best news possible,” said Dr. Jeffrey Engel of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. “So now you can begin to peel back some of these other layers of mitigation like mask use and screening.”Congress set aside $46 billion in the last pandemic relief package to boost testing, particularly in schools. But with all Americans 12 and older now eligible for shots, many middle and high school students will be fully vaccinated when they return to classrooms in the fall.And many school systems have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-education-health-082ade974a5c3257b9f7baa35cb9eec2">already rejected</a>&nbsp;routine testing for elementary students, since children rarely become seriously ill and a positive test can trigger disruptive quarantines.Some states have even returned federal testing funds, preferring simpler measures such as mask wearing and social distancing.Many school officials, Engel said, “just see screening programs as a huge burden that’s not going to help.”