TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed two Republican-backed election bills on Friday, including one that would have limited most individuals to delivering 10 ballots during each election and another that would have barred the governor, secretary of state or the courts from changing election rules.

When Republicans pushed the bills through the Legislature earlier this month, they had the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto in the Senate but was four votes short in the House on the ballot-collection bill. The election rules bill also reached large enough margins for override attempts to succeed in the Senate, but was one vote shy in the House.

The ballot-collection legislation would have made it harder for groups or people not related to voters to deliver their absentee ballots to election officials. It would have also required candidates to deliver ballots only from immediate family members, reining in practices that some Democrats and groups have used for years to help poor, elderly and disabled voters.

“Although Kansans have cast millions of ballots over the last decade, there remains no evidence of significant voter fraud in Kansas,” the Democratic governor said in a statement. “This bill is a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. It is designed to disenfranchise Kansans, making it difficult for them to participate in the democratic process, not to stop voter fraud.”

Republican lawmakers said they’re protecting the integrity of the state’s elections by making it less likely that ballots will go missing or get altered.

The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/summary_hb_2183_2021" target="_blank">ballot-collection&nbsp;</a>bill would have also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-voting-rights-elections-coronavirus-pandemic-86f785d899956466948b4601954ce83c">helped Republicans</a>&nbsp;with a key policy goal: saving state abortion restrictions endangered by a Kansas Supreme Court decision in 2019 protecting abortion rights. GOP lawmakers were joined in efforts to revise election laws by abortion opponents who fear that abortion-rights canvassers could collect thousands of ballots to defeat a proposed anti-abortion amendment to the state constitution on the August 2022 ballot.

Georgia has been ground zero in a national fight over election laws, but it also has come to states that ex-President Donald Trump won, including Florida, Iowa, Kansas and Montana.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-voting-iowa-elections-campaigns-881cb8de23a9d9fd886c738a21aafa83">Iowa last month enacted</a>&nbsp;a GOP-backed law that makes it harder to vote early, potentially disadvantaging Democrats.

The issue also is before the U.S. Supreme Court, which is considering the constitutionality of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-voting-rights-elections-us-supreme-court-courts-ae65d2e2a9b6498ab010441653aec18c">an Arizona law</a>&nbsp;enacted by Republicans there in 2016 limiting who can return ballots.

More than half of states, including Kansas, allow a third party, non-relative to collect ballots and deliver them to election offices, though a dozen of those put limits on how many, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Kansans for Life, the state’s most influential anti-abortion group, and the conservative Family Policy Alliance of Kansas, also backed the bill.

Republicans argue that the more ballots someone can deliver, the greater the chance that some will get lost — or deliberately altered or misplaced. While they’ve pointed to examples of Democratic candidates in Kansas collecting ballots, they’ve yet to present evidence that it led to fraudulent votes.

But some cite a North Carolina scandal that overturned a 2018 congressional election, in which a GOP operative was accused of having workers collect incomplete or blank absentee ballots. A few even point to a controversy in Democratic-led California, where Republicans faced allegations of setting up illegal ballot drop boxes.

Rep. Blake Carpenter, a Republican from Derby and a main proponent of both bills, said he thinks it won’t be difficult to override Kelly’s veto on the election rules bill since it was only one vote short of the required supermajority in the House. Three Republican House members were also absent for the final vote on the bill, he said.

Carpenter said he also looks forward to working with Republican legislators to override Kelly’s veto of the ballot-collection bill.

“The governor said that this is a problem in search of a solution, or that we don’t really need this legislation,” Carpenter said. “However, I think that this legislation directly impacts what future elections could look like because of the issues we saw in those other elections and other states.”

Democrats counter with cases of voters who don’t have reliable transportation or who wait to vote until the mail might not deliver an absentee ballot on time.

The other bill Kelly vetoed would have prevented the governor from changing election laws or procedures by issuing executive orders. That bill would have also barred the secretary of state from entering into consent decrees with state and federal courts to enforce or change election rules without approval from Kansas legislators.

Some Republicans who supported the election rules measure criticized governors in other states who delayed presidential primaries due to COVID-19. Last year, Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab was questioned about whether he would call for an all-mail ballot election, an idea Schwab opposed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619210947266.png" alt="“Although Kansans have cast millions of ballots over the last decade, there remains no evidence of significant voter fraud in Kansas,” Governor Kelly said in a statement.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>“Although Kansans have cast millions of ballots over the last decade, there remains no evidence of significant voter fraud in Kansas,” Governor Kelly said in a statement.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed two Republican-backed election bills on Friday, including one that would have limited most individuals to delivering 10 ballots during each election and another that would have barred the governor, secretary of state or the courts from changing election rules.When Republicans pushed the bills through the Legislature earlier this month, they had the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto in the Senate but was four votes short in the House on the ballot-collection bill. The election rules bill also reached large enough margins for override attempts to succeed in the Senate, but was one vote shy in the House.The ballot-collection legislation would have made it harder for groups or people not related to voters to deliver their absentee ballots to election officials. It would have also required candidates to deliver ballots only from immediate family members, reining in practices that some Democrats and groups have used for years to help poor, elderly and disabled voters.“Although Kansans have cast millions of ballots over the last decade, there remains no evidence of significant voter fraud in Kansas,” the Democratic governor said in a statement. “This bill is a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. It is designed to disenfranchise Kansans, making it difficult for them to participate in the democratic process, not to stop voter fraud.”Republican lawmakers said they’re protecting the integrity of the state’s elections by making it less likely that ballots will go missing or get altered.The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/summary_hb_2183_2021" target="_blank">ballot-collection&nbsp;</a>bill would have also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-voting-rights-elections-coronavirus-pandemic-86f785d899956466948b4601954ce83c">helped Republicans</a>&nbsp;with a key policy goal: saving state abortion restrictions endangered by a Kansas Supreme Court decision in 2019 protecting abortion rights. GOP lawmakers were joined in efforts to revise election laws by abortion opponents who fear that abortion-rights canvassers could collect thousands of ballots to defeat a proposed anti-abortion amendment to the state constitution on the August 2022 ballot.Georgia has been ground zero in a national fight over election laws, but it also has come to states that ex-President Donald Trump won, including Florida, Iowa, Kansas and Montana.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-voting-iowa-elections-campaigns-881cb8de23a9d9fd886c738a21aafa83">Iowa last month enacted</a>&nbsp;a GOP-backed law that makes it harder to vote early, potentially disadvantaging Democrats.The issue also is before the U.S. Supreme Court, which is considering the constitutionality of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-voting-rights-elections-us-supreme-court-courts-ae65d2e2a9b6498ab010441653aec18c">an Arizona law</a>&nbsp;enacted by Republicans there in 2016 limiting who can return ballots.More than half of states, including Kansas, allow a third party, non-relative to collect ballots and deliver them to election offices, though a dozen of those put limits on how many, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.Kansans for Life, the state’s most influential anti-abortion group, and the conservative Family Policy Alliance of Kansas, also backed the bill.Republicans argue that the more ballots someone can deliver, the greater the chance that some will get lost — or deliberately altered or misplaced. While they’ve pointed to examples of Democratic candidates in Kansas collecting ballots, they’ve yet to present evidence that it led to fraudulent votes.But some cite a North Carolina scandal that overturned a 2018 congressional election, in which a GOP operative was accused of having workers collect incomplete or blank absentee ballots. A few even point to a controversy in Democratic-led California, where Republicans faced allegations of setting up illegal ballot drop boxes.Rep. Blake Carpenter, a Republican from Derby and a main proponent of both bills, said he thinks it won’t be difficult to override Kelly’s veto on the election rules bill since it was only one vote short of the required supermajority in the House. Three Republican House members were also absent for the final vote on the bill, he said.Carpenter said he also looks forward to working with Republican legislators to override Kelly’s veto of the ballot-collection bill.“The governor said that this is a problem in search of a solution, or that we don’t really need this legislation,” Carpenter said. “However, I think that this legislation directly impacts what future elections could look like because of the issues we saw in those other elections and other states.”Democrats counter with cases of voters who don’t have reliable transportation or who wait to vote until the mail might not deliver an absentee ballot on time.The other bill Kelly vetoed would have prevented the governor from changing election laws or procedures by issuing executive orders. That bill would have also barred the secretary of state from entering into consent decrees with state and federal courts to enforce or change election rules without approval from Kansas legislators.Some Republicans who supported the election rules measure criticized governors in other states who delayed presidential primaries due to COVID-19. Last year, Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab was questioned about whether he would call for an all-mail ballot election, an idea Schwab opposed.

Gov. vetoes measures that would tighten Kan. election laws

Washington (AP) —The Biden administration has taken the first step toward ending an emergency exception that allowed hospitals to ration and reuse N95 medical masks, the first line of defense between frontline workers and the deadly coronavirus.

Thousands of medical providers have died in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the COVID-19 pandemic</a>, many exposed and infected while caring for patients without adequate protection.

Critical shortages of masks, gowns, swabs, and other medical supplies prompted the Trump administration to issue guidelines for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hospitals-ration-n95-masks-coronavirus-b40b902991b75d8ae4000a20bccd6af4">providers to ration</a>, clean, and reuse disposable equipment. Thus, throughout the pandemic, once a week many doctors and nurses were issued an N95 mask, which is normally designed to be tossed after each patient.

Now U.S. manufacturers say they have vast surpluses for sale, and hospitals say they have three to 12 month stockpiles.

In response, the government says hospitals and healthcare providers should try to return to one mask per patient.

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is recommending health care personnel and facilities transition away from crisis capacity conservation strategies,” said the agency in a letter to healthcare personnel and facilities earlier this month.

The letter is not an order: hospitals are still legally permitted to sterilize and reuse N95s. But in the coming weeks or months, the FDA will issue updated guidance and, eventually, require hospitals to revert to single-use, said Suzanne Schwartz, director of the FDA’s office of strategic partnerships and technology innovation.

“The ability to decontaminate was purely a last resort, an extreme measure,” Schwartz said. “From the FDA’s perspective, there is a need for us to move back towards contingency and conventional strategies, which is, you use the respirator for the interaction, and then you dispose of it and get a new one. We are in unison, in sync, with both NIOSH and OSHA in that position.”

The National Nurses Union, the largest professional association of registered nurses in the country, calls the new guidance “a tiny step in the right direction.” But the organization, representing 170,000 nurses, said the direction “ultimately fails” to protect nurses because it allows employers to use their discretion about what normal N95 supply is.

“But we know the reality— there is ample N95 supply,” said the union in a statement urging the administration to update their standards and enforce them.

ICU nurse Mike Hill, who works at a Northern California Sutter Hospital and is a member of the California Nurses Association, said he and his colleagues still don’t have unlimited access to N95 masks.

“I think it’s ridiculous for Sutter to want to do extended use when the masks are inexpensive, like a dollar apiece. They should want to make sure to protect the nurses, we’re the frontline workers,” he said. “It puts the patients and us at risk for infection. They were never intended for extended use.”

Hill’s colleague, Sutter nurse Janine Paiste-Ponder, 59, was among hundreds of medical caregivers who died after exposure to COVID-19 at the workplace in the past year. Following her July 2020 death, a California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health investigation at Sutter Health’s Alta Bates Summit Medical Center led to nearly $300,000 in fines for numerous COVID-related workplace safety violations.

Prestige Ameritech Executive Vice President Mike Bowen, whose Fort Worth, Texas, factory is the largest U.S.-manufacturer of surgical masks, said the devices were designed to be used only once, not reused from one patient to the next.

He said he has millions of unsold masks, as do other U.S. manufacturers which invested and ramped up during the pandemic.

“While nurses pleaded for clean masks, American N95 makers were filling their warehouses with N95s that hospitals weren’t buying. Starting today, America’s healthcare workers can and should demand clean, new N95 masks,” he said. “The N95 mask shortage is over,” he said.

Congresswoman Anna Eshoo said the deadly shortages were “a national embarrassment and should never happen again.”

“This is welcome news and demonstrates our progress toward crushing COVID-19,” said the California Democrat. “We must make sure this type of shortage never happens again by reinvesting in a sustainable supply of high-quality, American-made PPE.”

Washington (AP) —The Biden administration has taken the first step toward ending an emergency exception that allowed hospitals to ration and reuse N95 medical masks, the first line of defense between frontline workers and the deadly coronavirus.Thousands of medical providers have died in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the COVID-19 pandemic</a>, many exposed and infected while caring for patients without adequate protection.Critical shortages of masks, gowns, swabs, and other medical supplies prompted the Trump administration to issue guidelines for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hospitals-ration-n95-masks-coronavirus-b40b902991b75d8ae4000a20bccd6af4">providers to ration</a>, clean, and reuse disposable equipment. Thus, throughout the pandemic, once a week many doctors and nurses were issued an N95 mask, which is normally designed to be tossed after each patient.Now U.S. manufacturers say they have vast surpluses for sale, and hospitals say they have three to 12 month stockpiles.In response, the government says hospitals and healthcare providers should try to return to one mask per patient.“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is recommending health care personnel and facilities transition away from crisis capacity conservation strategies,” said the agency in a letter to healthcare personnel and facilities earlier this month.The letter is not an order: hospitals are still legally permitted to sterilize and reuse N95s. But in the coming weeks or months, the FDA will issue updated guidance and, eventually, require hospitals to revert to single-use, said Suzanne Schwartz, director of the FDA’s office of strategic partnerships and technology innovation.“The ability to decontaminate was purely a last resort, an extreme measure,” Schwartz said. “From the FDA’s perspective, there is a need for us to move back towards contingency and conventional strategies, which is, you use the respirator for the interaction, and then you dispose of it and get a new one. We are in unison, in sync, with both NIOSH and OSHA in that position.”The National Nurses Union, the largest professional association of registered nurses in the country, calls the new guidance “a tiny step in the right direction.” But the organization, representing 170,000 nurses, said the direction “ultimately fails” to protect nurses because it allows employers to use their discretion about what normal N95 supply is.“But we know the reality— there is ample N95 supply,” said the union in a statement urging the administration to update their standards and enforce them.ICU nurse Mike Hill, who works at a Northern California Sutter Hospital and is a member of the California Nurses Association, said he and his colleagues still don’t have unlimited access to N95 masks.“I think it’s ridiculous for Sutter to want to do extended use when the masks are inexpensive, like a dollar apiece. They should want to make sure to protect the nurses, we’re the frontline workers,” he said. “It puts the patients and us at risk for infection. They were never intended for extended use.”Hill’s colleague, Sutter nurse Janine Paiste-Ponder, 59, was among hundreds of medical caregivers who died after exposure to COVID-19 at the workplace in the past year. Following her July 2020 death, a California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health investigation at Sutter Health’s Alta Bates Summit Medical Center led to nearly $300,000 in fines for numerous COVID-related workplace safety violations.Prestige Ameritech Executive Vice President Mike Bowen, whose Fort Worth, Texas, factory is the largest U.S.-manufacturer of surgical masks, said the devices were designed to be used only once, not reused from one patient to the next.He said he has millions of unsold masks, as do other U.S. manufacturers which invested and ramped up during the pandemic.“While nurses pleaded for clean masks, American N95 makers were filling their warehouses with N95s that hospitals weren’t buying. Starting today, America’s healthcare workers can and should demand clean, new N95 masks,” he said. “The N95 mask shortage is over,” he said.Congresswoman Anna Eshoo said the deadly shortages were “a national embarrassment and should never happen again.”“This is welcome news and demonstrates our progress toward crushing COVID-19,” said the California Democrat. “We must make sure this type of shortage never happens again by reinvesting in a sustainable supply of high-quality, American-made PPE.”——

FDA: N95 masks, now plentiful, should no longer be reused

MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — Police were justified in fatally shooting a man during a chase and gun battle in east central Indiana, a prosecutor said Wednesday.

Jonathan Levi Allen, 28, a former Muncie resident who was living in Wichita, Kansas, died March 10 , one week after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-police-kansas-wichita-crime-6fc9cd6ceea69d48ff9d1e5b55dc9353">March 3 shooting</a>, Indiana State Police said. Allen was shot in the head by a Muncie officer and crashed his SUV into a parked vehicle, police said.

The officer who shot Allen and a second officer who also fired upon the suspect “unquestionably and without a doubt did so in self-defense and in the defense of others,” Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman said in a report.

When confronted by officers, Allen “chose to open fire at the police officers and civilians,” Hoffman said.

Muncie officers responding to a report of a suspect in an SUV firing gunshots tried to pull the vehicle over but Allen didn’t stop and a short pursuit ensued before police ended it because school buses were nearby, authorities said. The chase resumed when authorities learned Allen was holding a female passenger against her will in his vehicle, state police said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617377519398.png" alt="Allen had two previous drug convictions in Kansas, according to the Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Allen had two previous drug convictions in Kansas, according to the Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — Police were justified in fatally shooting a man during a chase and gun battle in east central Indiana, a prosecutor said Wednesday.Jonathan Levi Allen, 28, a former Muncie resident who was living in Wichita, Kansas, died March 10 , one week after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-police-kansas-wichita-crime-6fc9cd6ceea69d48ff9d1e5b55dc9353">March 3 shooting</a>, Indiana State Police said. Allen was shot in the head by a Muncie officer and crashed his SUV into a parked vehicle, police said.The officer who shot Allen and a second officer who also fired upon the suspect “unquestionably and without a doubt did so in self-defense and in the defense of others,” Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman said in a report.When confronted by officers, Allen “chose to open fire at the police officers and civilians,” Hoffman said.Muncie officers responding to a report of a suspect in an SUV firing gunshots tried to pull the vehicle over but Allen didn’t stop and a short pursuit ensued before police ended it because school buses were nearby, authorities said. The chase resumed when authorities learned Allen was holding a female passenger against her will in his vehicle, state police said.

Prosecutor: Police justified in fatal shooting of Kan. man during chase

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City-area man who sat behind bars for 17 months awaiting trial on a second-degree murder charge has been acquitted by a jury.

A jury took less than an hour earlier this month to find Terrance Wright, 25, Grandview, not guilty of the charge in the death of 49-year-old Benson Lewis on Nov. 23, 2019.

Police had said the fatal shooting occurred outside Lewis’ home during a custody dispute involving Wright’s child. Lewis was the child’s maternal grandfather. Wright maintained that he shot Lewis in self-defense.

Wright was arrested at the scene and held until his trial, because he was unable to raise the $250,000 cash bond set. In that time, Wright lost his job and said he has been left with no means to pay hundreds of dollars to get his car released from police impound.

“For now, I’m trying to play catch up and get at least to where I was,” Wright said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574647790424.png" alt="Terrance Wright photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Terrance Wright photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City-area man who sat behind bars for 17 months awaiting trial on a second-degree murder charge has been acquitted by a jury.A jury took less than an hour earlier this month to find Terrance Wright, 25, Grandview, not guilty of the charge in the death of 49-year-old Benson Lewis on Nov. 23, 2019.Police had said the fatal shooting occurred outside Lewis’ home during a custody dispute involving Wright’s child. Lewis was the child’s maternal grandfather. Wright maintained that he shot Lewis in self-defense.Wright was arrested at the scene and held until his trial, because he was unable to raise the $250,000 cash bond set. In that time, Wright lost his job and said he has been left with no means to pay hundreds of dollars to get his car released from police impound.“For now, I’m trying to play catch up and get at least to where I was,” Wright said.

KC-area man acquitted of murder in 2019 killing

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting.

Just before 5:30a.m. Saturday, sheriff's deputies were sent to a check shots call at the Englewood mobile home park located at 3201 E MacArthur in Wichita, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick. 

While responding, deputies received information that a man and woman were inside the residence with apparent gunshot wounds. 

When deputies arrived, they had to force entry to the home. Inside the home, they located a 42-year-old man and 41-year-old woman deceased, according to Blick.

Detectives are collecting evidence and conducting interviews to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Authorities have not released names of the victims.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619305057074.png" alt="Police take near the fatal shooting investigation on Saturday photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police take near the fatal shooting investigation on Saturday photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting.Just before 5:30a.m. Saturday, sheriff's deputies were sent to a check shots call at the Englewood mobile home park located at 3201 E MacArthur in Wichita, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick. While responding, deputies received information that a man and woman were inside the residence with apparent gunshot wounds. When deputies arrived, they had to force entry to the home. Inside the home, they located a 42-year-old man and 41-year-old woman deceased, according to Blick.Detectives are collecting evidence and conducting interviews to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Authorities have not released names of the victims.

Sheriff: 2 dead in shooting at Kansas home

HUTCHINSON — A Kansas man whose robbery and kidnapping convictions were recently overturned by the Kansas Court of Appeals and who was then convicted in a second trial was sentenced to 26 years in prison Friday.

In March, a jury convicted 60-year-old Leroy Randall on five counts including aggravated robbery and two counts of kidnapping.

Randall was originally sentenced to nearly 25 years for the robbery of a Dollar General store in 2015. During the case, Randall tried to represent himself after going through six attorneys. His case and first trial wandered through the court system for more than two years. When Randall suffered numerous health issues, a judge appointed an attorney and refused to let him represent himself. The Court of Appeals ruled that McCarville erred in that action and granted a new trial.&nbsp;

On Friday Randall was sentenced to 247 months on the aggravated robbery conviction, then handed consecutive sentences on one of the two kidnapping charges and one aggravated battery count.

The defense for Randall asked for a lesser sentence but this was the defendant's fifth criminal conviction, therefore, the motion was denied.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619198622604.png" alt="Randall photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Randall photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON — A Kansas man whose robbery and kidnapping convictions were recently overturned by the Kansas Court of Appeals and who was then convicted in a second trial was sentenced to 26 years in prison Friday.In March, a jury convicted 60-year-old Leroy Randall on five counts including aggravated robbery and two counts of kidnapping.Randall was originally sentenced to nearly 25 years for the robbery of a Dollar General store in 2015. During the case, Randall tried to represent himself after going through six attorneys. His case and first trial wandered through the court system for more than two years. When Randall suffered numerous health issues, a judge appointed an attorney and refused to let him represent himself. The Court of Appeals ruled that McCarville erred in that action and granted a new trial.&nbsp;On Friday Randall was sentenced to 247 months on the aggravated robbery conviction, then handed consecutive sentences on one of the two kidnapping charges and one aggravated battery count.The defense for Randall asked for a lesser sentence but this was the defendant's fifth criminal conviction, therefore, the motion was denied.

Kan. man sentenced again for robbery, kidnapping

TOPEKA - The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has released its third annual report from the Kansas Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), according to a media release from the agency.

The&nbsp;2019 PRAMS Surveillance Report&nbsp;provides insight from women who were interviewed in the months following the birth of their infant, about their health and experiences around the time of pregnancy. Forty-seven states participate in the PRAMS survey, covering about 83% of all live births in the United States.

Kansas joined the PRAMS project in 2016 and began data collection in 2017. The PRAMS survey helps shed light on issues that affect the well-being of mothers and infants. Some of these issues, such as postpartum depression and stressors experienced around the time of pregnancy, had never been studied at the statewide level in Kansas before the PRAMS study.

Some notable findings from the 2019 Kansas PRAMS survey include:

This report also includes information on trends and demographic disparities for some outcomes, from survey years 2017 through 2019. For instance, the prevalence of reporting that prenatal care started in the first trimester increased, from 85.7% among women with a live birth in 2017, to 90.0% among women with a live birth in 2019. However, racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities were observed. For instance, non-Hispanic Black women and Hispanic women with a live birth in 2017-2019 had a lower prevalence of self-reported first-trimester prenatal care, compared to non-Hispanic White women.

“This report reveals many gaps that still need to be addressed,” said Dr. Farah Ahmed, Environmental Health Officer and State Epidemiologist with KDHE. “For instance, we continue to see many women reporting needing counseling for depression after having a baby and not receiving it. We also see missed opportunities to advise all pregnant women who smoke to quit smoking during prenatal care visits.”

“Current data validates the collaborative work underway to support mothers in accessing the care they need at a time that’s right for them,” said Rachel Sisson, Director of the KDHE Bureau of Family Health. “Mothers reported they did not receive prenatal care when they wanted it. For some, a contributing factor to timely prenatal care was not knowing they were pregnant. It’s critical that community providers caring for women of childbearing age conduct comprehensive assessments at every visit to determine their goals and needs.”

The report is available online at: &nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MTYuMzg5MTQ0NTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtkaGVrcy5nb3YvcHJhbXMvZG93bmxvYWRzL0thbnNhc19QUkFNU18yMDE5X1N1cnZlaWxsYW5jZV9SZXBvcnQucGRmP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSJ9.FiD96u0PMxrCncqo49M-Pffls7eVIBukC9ckcv3ObOA/s/1305913542/br/102464213101-l" target="_blank">www.kdheks.gov/prams/downloads/Kansas_PRAMS_2019_Surveillance_Report.pdf</a>. &nbsp;For more information about the PRAMS project in Kansas, visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MTYuMzg5MTQ0NTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtkaGVrcy5nb3YvcHJhbXM_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.da2M-bWoUUdo7xbauUlWKIGIkG3XJAG_L5zZk-TOECo/s/1305913542/br/102464213101-l" target="_blank">www.kdheks.gov/prams</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618843726730.jpeg" alt="(Photo by Pixabay)" />
 <figcaption>(Photo by Pixabay)</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA - The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has released its third annual report from the Kansas Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), according to a media release from the agency.The&nbsp;2019 PRAMS Surveillance Report&nbsp;provides insight from women who were interviewed in the months following the birth of their infant, about their health and experiences around the time of pregnancy. Forty-seven states participate in the PRAMS survey, covering about 83% of all live births in the United States.Kansas joined the PRAMS project in 2016 and began data collection in 2017. The PRAMS survey helps shed light on issues that affect the well-being of mothers and infants. Some of these issues, such as postpartum depression and stressors experienced around the time of pregnancy, had never been studied at the statewide level in Kansas before the PRAMS study.Some notable findings from the 2019 Kansas PRAMS survey include:<ul>
 <li>Nearly 1 in 8 mothers who went for prenatal care (12.1%) reported not receiving prenatal care when they wanted it. Among those who either did not get prenatal care when they wanted it, or did not have any prenatal care, the most frequently reported barriers were that they couldn’t get an appointment when they wanted one (36.4%), and that they didn’t know they were pregnant (32.5%).</li><li>More than 1 in 6 mothers (16.9%) had smoked cigarettes in the 3 months before pregnancy. Among those who smoked 3 months before pregnancy and went for prenatal care, 79.4% reported that a healthcare worker had advised during a prenatal care visit that they quit smoking.</li><li>More than 1 in 8 mothers (13.8%) reported that there was a time after their infant was born that they thought they needed treatment or counseling for depression, but did not get it.</li><li>Nearly 3 in 4 mothers (72.1%) reported breastfeeding their infants for at least 8 weeks.</li><li>More than 1 in 17 women (6.1%) reported having at least “a lot” of difficulty with at least one of six tasks (seeing, hearing, walking, remembering or concentrating, self care, or communicating).</li>
 </ul>This report also includes information on trends and demographic disparities for some outcomes, from survey years 2017 through 2019. For instance, the prevalence of reporting that prenatal care started in the first trimester increased, from 85.7% among women with a live birth in 2017, to 90.0% among women with a live birth in 2019. However, racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities were observed. For instance, non-Hispanic Black women and Hispanic women with a live birth in 2017-2019 had a lower prevalence of self-reported first-trimester prenatal care, compared to non-Hispanic White women.“This report reveals many gaps that still need to be addressed,” said Dr. Farah Ahmed, Environmental Health Officer and State Epidemiologist with KDHE. “For instance, we continue to see many women reporting needing counseling for depression after having a baby and not receiving it. We also see missed opportunities to advise all pregnant women who smoke to quit smoking during prenatal care visits.”“Current data validates the collaborative work underway to support mothers in accessing the care they need at a time that’s right for them,” said Rachel Sisson, Director of the KDHE Bureau of Family Health. “Mothers reported they did not receive prenatal care when they wanted it. For some, a contributing factor to timely prenatal care was not knowing they were pregnant. It’s critical that community providers caring for women of childbearing age conduct comprehensive assessments at every visit to determine their goals and needs.”The report is available online at: &nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MTYuMzg5MTQ0NTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtkaGVrcy5nb3YvcHJhbXMvZG93bmxvYWRzL0thbnNhc19QUkFNU18yMDE5X1N1cnZlaWxsYW5jZV9SZXBvcnQucGRmP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSJ9.FiD96u0PMxrCncqo49M-Pffls7eVIBukC9ckcv3ObOA/s/1305913542/br/102464213101-l" target="_blank">www.kdheks.gov/prams/downloads/Kansas_PRAMS_2019_Surveillance_Report.pdf</a>. &nbsp;For more information about the PRAMS project in Kansas, visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MTYuMzg5MTQ0NTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtkaGVrcy5nb3YvcHJhbXM_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.da2M-bWoUUdo7xbauUlWKIGIkG3XJAG_L5zZk-TOECo/s/1305913542/br/102464213101-l" target="_blank">www.kdheks.gov/prams</a>.

Survey of Kan. mothers: 12% not receiving prenatal care when wanted

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged drug distribution.

On April 20, police&nbsp;conducted a traffic stop in the 3800 Block of S. Topeka boulevard, which led to a narcotics search warrant service in the 2400 Block of SE Ohio in Topeka, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.

During the investigation, officers located heroin, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. They also arrested Charles Handley, 40, of Topeka, and booked him on requested&nbsp;charges that include Possession of heroin with the intent of distribution, Possession of methamphetamine with the intent of distribution and Possession of drug paraphernalia with intent of distribution, according Monasmith.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619183651006.png" alt="Handley photo Shawnee County Detention Center" />
 <figcaption>Handley photo Shawnee County Detention Center</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged drug distribution.On April 20, police&nbsp;conducted a traffic stop in the 3800 Block of S. Topeka boulevard, which led to a narcotics search warrant service in the 2400 Block of SE Ohio in Topeka, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.During the investigation, officers located heroin, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. They also arrested Charles Handley, 40, of Topeka, and booked him on requested&nbsp;charges that include Possession of heroin with the intent of distribution, Possession of methamphetamine with the intent of distribution and Possession of drug paraphernalia with intent of distribution, according Monasmith.

Kansas man accused of heroin distribution

SMITH COUNTY —A pair of earthquakes shook north central Kansas on Friday afternoon and on Saturday morning.

Just after 4p.m. Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported a quake that measured a magnitude 2.9 was centered seven miles north of Downs. 

A preliminary report from the Kansas Geological Survey indicated the quake measured 3.5 magnitude and said it was centered just east of the Smith County line in Jewell County.

KSGS also reported a 2.6 magnitude quake at 8:16 a.m. on Saturday in Smith County.&nbsp; There are no reports of damage.&nbsp;The threshold for damage usually starts at a magnitude 4.0.

SMITH COUNTY —A pair of earthquakes shook north central Kansas on Friday afternoon and on Saturday morning.Just after 4p.m. Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported a quake that measured a magnitude 2.9 was centered seven miles north of Downs. A preliminary report from the Kansas Geological Survey indicated the quake measured 3.5 magnitude and said it was centered just east of the Smith County line in Jewell County.KSGS also reported a 2.6 magnitude quake at 8:16 a.m. on Saturday in Smith County.&nbsp; There are no reports of damage.&nbsp;The threshold for damage usually starts at a magnitude 4.0.

Pair of earthquakes shake north-central Kansas

WASHINGTON — The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that pregnant people receive COVID-19 vaccinations. Agency Director Rochelle Walensky announced the recommendation during an update on the pandemic at a White House briefing. 

She noted that a CDC study published this week found no safety concerns with Moderna and Pfizer vaccinations given during the third trimester of pregnancy.

‘’We know that this is a deeply personal decision, and I encourage people to talk to their doctors or primary care providers to determine what is best for them and for their baby,’’ Walensky said.

Her recommendation seems to go farther than advice on CDC’s website, which says the vaccines are unlikely to pose a safety risk during pregnancy but doesn’t flat-out recommend the shots.

The new study is based on reports from pregnant women who got shots soon after the vaccines became available. The researchers called for more data, including from vaccination earlier in pregnancy.

COVID-19 can be dangerous in pregnancy, raising risks for complications and even death.

Pregnant women were excluded from COVID-19 vaccination studies although there is limited safety data on some who became pregnant after enrolling.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613699035300.png" alt="Dr. Rachel Walensky " />
 <figcaption>Dr. Rachel Walensky </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that pregnant people receive COVID-19 vaccinations. Agency Director Rochelle Walensky announced the recommendation during an update on the pandemic at a White House briefing. She noted that a CDC study published this week found no safety concerns with Moderna and Pfizer vaccinations given during the third trimester of pregnancy.‘’We know that this is a deeply personal decision, and I encourage people to talk to their doctors or primary care providers to determine what is best for them and for their baby,’’ Walensky said.Her recommendation seems to go farther than advice on CDC’s website, which says the vaccines are unlikely to pose a safety risk during pregnancy but doesn’t flat-out recommend the shots.The new study is based on reports from pregnant women who got shots soon after the vaccines became available. The researchers called for more data, including from vaccination earlier in pregnancy.COVID-19 can be dangerous in pregnancy, raising risks for complications and even death.Pregnant women were excluded from COVID-19 vaccination studies although there is limited safety data on some who became pregnant after enrolling.

CDC: COVID vaccines now recommended for pregnant women

ATCHISON COUNTY— The Kansas Highway Patrol and the Atchison Police Department assisted Atchison County Sherriff's Deputies to take 20-year-old Taggart Lee into custody shortly after 2:00a.m. Saturday. morning.&nbsp;

The sheriff's department released no additional details.

ATCHISON COUNTY —Authorities&nbsp; continue their search for aggravated robbery suspect 20-year-old Taggart Darnell Lee who is accused of threatening an officer with a piece of lumber after escaping from the jail in Atchison Kansas on Thursday.&nbsp; At 5a.m. Friday, authorities at the jail reported Lee was still missing.

ATCHISON, Kan. (AP) — Authorities are searching for an aggravated robbery suspect who is accused of threatening an officer with piece of lumber after escaping from a Kansas jail. 

The Atchison County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post that 20-year-old Taggart Darnell Lee was able to manipulate a door lock and make his way into an unsecured area of the Atchison County Jail around 1:30 a.m. Thursday after staff failed to follow several security procedures. 

From there he made his made outside, where an officer chased him for several blocks. The post said Lee, who had been in custody since January, got away after picking up the 2x4 foot piece of lumber and using it to threaten the unarmed officer. The post said the sheriff’s office considers Lee dangerous and that he has a history of being armed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619114059788.jpeg" alt="Lee photo Atchison County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Lee photo Atchison County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY— The Kansas Highway Patrol and the Atchison Police Department assisted Atchison County Sherriff's Deputies to take 20-year-old Taggart Lee into custody shortly after 2:00a.m. Saturday. morning.&nbsp;The sheriff's department released no additional details.---------ATCHISON COUNTY —Authorities&nbsp; continue their search for aggravated robbery suspect 20-year-old Taggart Darnell Lee who is accused of threatening an officer with a piece of lumber after escaping from the jail in Atchison Kansas on Thursday.&nbsp; At 5a.m. Friday, authorities at the jail reported Lee was still missing.----------ATCHISON, Kan. (AP) — Authorities are searching for an aggravated robbery suspect who is accused of threatening an officer with piece of lumber after escaping from a Kansas jail. The Atchison County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post that 20-year-old Taggart Darnell Lee was able to manipulate a door lock and make his way into an unsecured area of the Atchison County Jail around 1:30 a.m. Thursday after staff failed to follow several security procedures. From there he made his made outside, where an officer chased him for several blocks. The post said Lee, who had been in custody since January, got away after picking up the 2x4 foot piece of lumber and using it to threaten the unarmed officer. The post said the sheriff’s office considers Lee dangerous and that he has a history of being armed.

Inmate who escaped Kansas jail captured

By LAURA OLSON <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/20/pushback-against-vaccine-passports-puts-colleges-in-a-quandary/">Kansas Reflector</a>

WASHINGTON
 — Florida’s Nova Southeastern University joined a small group of U.S. 
colleges on April 1 when the private research university announced that 
it would require all students, faculty and staff to be vaccinated 
against COVID-19 before returning to campus this fall.

In <a href="https://news.nova.edu/news-releases/nsu-planning-to-return-to-in-person-on-campus-instruction-for-fall-2021/">a message posted on the university’s website</a>,
 NSU president and CEO George Hanbury wrote that the vaccination 
requirement “will enable us to return to a ‘partial pre-pandemic’ 
environment.”

But the next day, Gov. Ron DeSantis scrambled those plans. The Republican governor <a href="https://www.floridaphoenix.com/2021/04/02/gov-desantis-bans-vaccine-passports-in-fl-citing-the-the-fundamental-rights-and-privacies-of-floridians/">issued an executive order</a>
 barring any state or local government agency from issuing, or any 
private business from requiring, a “vaccine passport” — a broad term 
being used to describe documentation of an individual’s COVID-19 
vaccination status.

The
 order left NSU in limbo over whether it can proceed with plans to 
require vaccinations. The South Florida school isn’t alone in its 
uncertainty over how to balance politics and public health concerns as 
colleges and universities that have already weathered a difficult year 
look ahead to the fall semester.

Along
 with NSU, at least 33 colleges across the country have announced plans 
to require a COVID-19 shot for the fall semester, according to <a href="https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/live-coronavirus-updates/heres-a-list-of-colleges-that-will-require-students-to-be-vaccinated-against-covid-19?bc_nonce=y3c2chqovp93swv762q2j&amp;cid=reg_wall_signup">a tally by the Chronicle of Higher Education</a>.
 That list includes large universities like Rutgers and Cornell, as well
 as smaller schools like Iowa’s Grinnell College, in states with both 
Democratic and Republican governors.

Other
 colleges so far have sought to encourage, rather than mandate, that 
students receive a vaccine, with varying degrees of success.&nbsp;

Universities
 have hosted vaccination clinics on their campuses, but also have 
struggled to find doses. Many are racing to vaccinate students — most in
 age groups that only recently became eligible — before the spring 
semester ends.

There’s
 legal precedent suggesting that colleges — which already require 
students to receive other vaccinations — are within their bounds to 
require a COVID-19 shot, allowing for limited exemptions. But there are 
also a number of reasons that schools might not require the new vaccine,
 including hesitancy among certain groups and questions about 
availability for international students.

Meanwhile, <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/03/16/vaccine-passports-that-show-youre-inoculated-are-on-the-way/">the federal government has offered little guidance</a> to states and colleges navigating increasingly controversial terrain.

At
 Nova Southeastern, college officials hadn’t yet detailed how exactly 
the requirement would work when DeSantis issued his executive order, and
 school officials said they are reviewing it.

“Our
 priority has always been to save lives, to prevent the spread of 
COVID-19, to deliver the best educational experience, and to protect our
 students and employees to the best of our ability,” Hanbury said in an 
April 8 statement.

The
 possibility that Americans will be required to prove they’ve received a
 COVID-19 vaccine in order to return to their office, school or 
entertainment venues has sparked a politically polarizing response.&nbsp;

Conservatives
 in D.C. and state capitals have seized on the idea of vaccination 
passports, blasting them as violating health privacy.&nbsp;

Several governors, including <a href="https://www.floridaphoenix.com/2021/04/02/gov-desantis-bans-vaccine-passports-in-fl-citing-the-the-fundamental-rights-and-privacies-of-floridians/">DeSantis</a> and <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2021/04/07/reynolds-vows-to-prohibit-vaccine-passports-in-iowa/">Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds</a>,
 either have banned vaccine passports or vowed to support bills doing 
so. (DeSantis’ office did not respond to questions about whether his ban
 was intended to prohibit colleges from vaccination requirements.)

Meanwhile,
 Democratic-run New York has forged ahead with a free digital app to 
prove you’ve been vaccinated or recently received a negative coronavirus
 test result. Designed by IBM, New York’s Excelsior Pass gives a special
 code that businesses can scan, allowing people to leave their paper 
vaccination cards at home.&nbsp;

Democratic
 officials in Hawaii, a state that relies deeply on tourists and 
business owners feeling safe about in-person dining and entertainment, 
also have said they’re considering a passport system.

President
 Joe Biden’s administration has largely sidestepped the issue, saying 
they believe it’s not the government’s role to create a centralized 
database on which Americans have and have not been vaccinated.&nbsp;

Federal
 officials have deferred to the range of private-sector companies that 
are attempting to build vaccination apps, advising only that the apps 
must ensure data is kept secure and that there are non-digital options 
available so no one is excluded from traveling or entering businesses.

That’s
 offered little support for colleges weighing a requirement, or clarity 
on the type of exemptions that they might need to allow.

The
 lack of guidance has left states — and the colleges within those states
 — on their own to consider both public health and personal freedoms.

In Colorado, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis’ administration is not looking at creating a state-run passport system.&nbsp;

But
 his spokeswoman, Shelby Wieman, also said in an emailed statement that 
state officials are considering how to make immunization records 
“available digitally to Coloradans,” an option that would make it easier
 for those who lose their vaccination card to replace that record.

As
 for colleges, Wieman said Polis “has made returning to in-person 
education a priority, and is actively discussing how to ensure herd 
immunity on college campuses this fall.”

Colorado’s
 Fort Lewis College is among the handful of U.S. colleges that already 
have announced a vaccination requirement for students this fall.

For
 faculty and staff, vaccinations are “strongly encouraged,” and school 
officials say that “many” have already received at least one shot.

“COVID-19
 has made it very clear just how impactful and necessary it is for us to
 have an educational experience in person, and vaccines are our way of 
ensuring that we can be together for a normal fall semester,” Tom 
Stritikus, president of Fort Lewis College, wrote in a letter posted 
online about the requirement.

Students at the school <a href="https://www.fortlewis.edu/life-at-flc/health-safety/coronavirus-covid-19/vaccine-requirements#139741593-are-faculty-and-staff-required-to-get-a-covid-19-vaccine">are instructed to upload a copy of their vaccination card</a> to a secure document portal or the Fort Lewis app.

It’s not yet clear if the policies at Fort Lewis will be the exception or the rule when the fall semester begins.

The
 American College Health Association was working on guidance to campuses
 about vaccine mandates when federal officials last week paused use of 
Johnson &amp; Johnson’s one-shot vaccine — which had been seen as an 
ideal option allowing colleges to quickly vaccinate students before they
 depart for the summer.

The
 organization intends to offer a statement on vaccination requirements 
within the next week or so, said Gerri Taylor, co-chair of the American 
College Health Association’s COVID-19 Task Force. She said schools are 
on a tight timeline to make decisions on their rules for the fall, and 
she credited the schools that have done so already.

“I
 do think it’s very important for colleges to be clear, consistent and 
communicate what their requirements are for the fall to families as soon
 as possible,” Taylor said. Students will need notice to make 
vaccination appointments or determine if they still plan to attend.

Characterizing
 the debate over vaccine passports as “emotionally charged,” Taylor said
 schools have used electronic health records to track vaccines for 
measles, mumps and rubella in case of an outbreak requiring that 
unvaccinated students be contacted.&nbsp;

Decisions
 on mandating COVID-19 shots will be made at the state level for public 
schools, while the private schools are able to decide for themselves.

Colleges
 and their legal teams will make decisions internally about vaccine 
requirements, Taylor said. They’ll have to weigh any state regulations, 
the availability of doses both domestically and internationally and 
timing challenges for those who get the two-shot versions, as well as 
work on dispelling rumors about the vaccines.

<a href="https://www.acha.org/documents/ncha/NCHA-III_Fall_2020_Reference_Group_Data_Report.pdf">According to ACHA-National College Health Assessment data</a>
 gathered last fall, before any COVID-19 vaccines had been federally 
authorized, 77% of undergraduate and graduate students said they were 
very or somewhat likely to get vaccinated, and 23% were somewhat 
unlikely or very unlikely to be vaccinated.

Colleges already have outlined a range of options for how they’ll handle vaccination mandates.&nbsp;

For example, Cleveland State University <a href="http://newsletter.csuohio.edu/president/210192/index.html?_ga=2.234255582.1934664053.1618854215-421741356.1618706330">recently announced</a> that vaccinations will be required for all students living on campus.&nbsp;

In
 a message to students, CSU President Harlan Sands said the school will 
“do our best to ensure all faculty, staff and students are vaccinated,” 
adding that school officials will “continue to adjust plans based upon 
what transpires with COVID-19 spread in the coming months.”

Florida’s Saint Leo University <a href="https://www.saintleo.edu/news-events/its-family-time-as-saint-leo-university-begins-vaccinating-students-their-families">has reached out beyond just enrolled students</a>, inviting both students and members of their households to be vaccinated on campus.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In <a href="https://www.acenet.edu/Documents/Issue-Brief-COVID-Vaccines-March-2021.pdf">an issue brief for college officials</a>,
 the American Council on Education offered some approaches to consider, 
including encouraging students who opt out of a vaccine to enroll in 
online classes instead.&nbsp;

Another
 idea? Telling students that a COVID-19 vaccine is required, but instead
 of requiring a copy of their vaccine cards, allowing students to simply
 agree as part of a broader honor code that they have in fact complied.

Laura covers the nation's capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom, a network of nonprofit outlets that includes Kansas Reflector.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618940922609.png" alt="A Department of Health and Human Services employee holds a COVID-19 vaccine record card Nov. 13, 2020, at Operation Warp Speed headquarters in Washington, D.C.. The cards were sent out as part of vaccination kits. (EJ Hersom/U.S. Department of Defense)" />
 <figcaption>A Department of Health and Human Services employee holds a COVID-19 vaccine record card Nov. 13, 2020, at Operation Warp Speed headquarters in Washington, D.C.. The cards were sent out as part of vaccination kits. (EJ Hersom/U.S. Department of Defense)</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAURA OLSON <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/20/pushback-against-vaccine-passports-puts-colleges-in-a-quandary/">Kansas Reflector</a>WASHINGTON
 — Florida’s Nova Southeastern University joined a small group of U.S. 
colleges on April 1 when the private research university announced that 
it would require all students, faculty and staff to be vaccinated 
against COVID-19 before returning to campus this fall.In <a href="https://news.nova.edu/news-releases/nsu-planning-to-return-to-in-person-on-campus-instruction-for-fall-2021/">a message posted on the university’s website</a>,
 NSU president and CEO George Hanbury wrote that the vaccination 
requirement “will enable us to return to a ‘partial pre-pandemic’ 
environment.”But the next day, Gov. Ron DeSantis scrambled those plans. The Republican governor <a href="https://www.floridaphoenix.com/2021/04/02/gov-desantis-bans-vaccine-passports-in-fl-citing-the-the-fundamental-rights-and-privacies-of-floridians/">issued an executive order</a>
 barring any state or local government agency from issuing, or any 
private business from requiring, a “vaccine passport” — a broad term 
being used to describe documentation of an individual’s COVID-19 
vaccination status.The
 order left NSU in limbo over whether it can proceed with plans to 
require vaccinations. The South Florida school isn’t alone in its 
uncertainty over how to balance politics and public health concerns as 
colleges and universities that have already weathered a difficult year 
look ahead to the fall semester.Along
 with NSU, at least 33 colleges across the country have announced plans 
to require a COVID-19 shot for the fall semester, according to <a href="https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/live-coronavirus-updates/heres-a-list-of-colleges-that-will-require-students-to-be-vaccinated-against-covid-19?bc_nonce=y3c2chqovp93swv762q2j&amp;cid=reg_wall_signup">a tally by the Chronicle of Higher Education</a>.
 That list includes large universities like Rutgers and Cornell, as well
 as smaller schools like Iowa’s Grinnell College, in states with both 
Democratic and Republican governors.Other
 colleges so far have sought to encourage, rather than mandate, that 
students receive a vaccine, with varying degrees of success.&nbsp;Universities
 have hosted vaccination clinics on their campuses, but also have 
struggled to find doses. Many are racing to vaccinate students — most in
 age groups that only recently became eligible — before the spring 
semester ends.There’s
 legal precedent suggesting that colleges — which already require 
students to receive other vaccinations — are within their bounds to 
require a COVID-19 shot, allowing for limited exemptions. But there are 
also a number of reasons that schools might not require the new vaccine,
 including hesitancy among certain groups and questions about 
availability for international students.Meanwhile, <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/03/16/vaccine-passports-that-show-youre-inoculated-are-on-the-way/">the federal government has offered little guidance</a> to states and colleges navigating increasingly controversial terrain.At
 Nova Southeastern, college officials hadn’t yet detailed how exactly 
the requirement would work when DeSantis issued his executive order, and
 school officials said they are reviewing it.“Our
 priority has always been to save lives, to prevent the spread of 
COVID-19, to deliver the best educational experience, and to protect our
 students and employees to the best of our ability,” Hanbury said in an 
April 8 statement.<h2>Partisan divide</h2>The
 possibility that Americans will be required to prove they’ve received a
 COVID-19 vaccine in order to return to their office, school or 
entertainment venues has sparked a politically polarizing response.&nbsp;Conservatives
 in D.C. and state capitals have seized on the idea of vaccination 
passports, blasting them as violating health privacy.&nbsp;Several governors, including <a href="https://www.floridaphoenix.com/2021/04/02/gov-desantis-bans-vaccine-passports-in-fl-citing-the-the-fundamental-rights-and-privacies-of-floridians/">DeSantis</a> and <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2021/04/07/reynolds-vows-to-prohibit-vaccine-passports-in-iowa/">Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds</a>,
 either have banned vaccine passports or vowed to support bills doing 
so. (DeSantis’ office did not respond to questions about whether his ban
 was intended to prohibit colleges from vaccination requirements.)Meanwhile,
 Democratic-run New York has forged ahead with a free digital app to 
prove you’ve been vaccinated or recently received a negative coronavirus
 test result. Designed by IBM, New York’s Excelsior Pass gives a special
 code that businesses can scan, allowing people to leave their paper 
vaccination cards at home.&nbsp;Democratic
 officials in Hawaii, a state that relies deeply on tourists and 
business owners feeling safe about in-person dining and entertainment, 
also have said they’re considering a passport system.President
 Joe Biden’s administration has largely sidestepped the issue, saying 
they believe it’s not the government’s role to create a centralized 
database on which Americans have and have not been vaccinated.&nbsp;Federal
 officials have deferred to the range of private-sector companies that 
are attempting to build vaccination apps, advising only that the apps 
must ensure data is kept secure and that there are non-digital options 
available so no one is excluded from traveling or entering businesses.That’s
 offered little support for colleges weighing a requirement, or clarity 
on the type of exemptions that they might need to allow.<h2>On their own</h2>The
 lack of guidance has left states — and the colleges within those states
 — on their own to consider both public health and personal freedoms.In Colorado, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis’ administration is not looking at creating a state-run passport system.&nbsp;But
 his spokeswoman, Shelby Wieman, also said in an emailed statement that 
state officials are considering how to make immunization records 
“available digitally to Coloradans,” an option that would make it easier
 for those who lose their vaccination card to replace that record.As
 for colleges, Wieman said Polis “has made returning to in-person 
education a priority, and is actively discussing how to ensure herd 
immunity on college campuses this fall.”Colorado’s
 Fort Lewis College is among the handful of U.S. colleges that already 
have announced a vaccination requirement for students this fall.For
 faculty and staff, vaccinations are “strongly encouraged,” and school 
officials say that “many” have already received at least one shot.“COVID-19
 has made it very clear just how impactful and necessary it is for us to
 have an educational experience in person, and vaccines are our way of 
ensuring that we can be together for a normal fall semester,” Tom 
Stritikus, president of Fort Lewis College, wrote in a letter posted 
online about the requirement.Students at the school <a href="https://www.fortlewis.edu/life-at-flc/health-safety/coronavirus-covid-19/vaccine-requirements#139741593-are-faculty-and-staff-required-to-get-a-covid-19-vaccine">are instructed to upload a copy of their vaccination card</a> to a secure document portal or the Fort Lewis app.It’s not yet clear if the policies at Fort Lewis will be the exception or the rule when the fall semester begins.The
 American College Health Association was working on guidance to campuses
 about vaccine mandates when federal officials last week paused use of 
Johnson &amp; Johnson’s one-shot vaccine — which had been seen as an 
ideal option allowing colleges to quickly vaccinate students before they
 depart for the summer.The
 organization intends to offer a statement on vaccination requirements 
within the next week or so, said Gerri Taylor, co-chair of the American 
College Health Association’s COVID-19 Task Force. She said schools are 
on a tight timeline to make decisions on their rules for the fall, and 
she credited the schools that have done so already.“I
 do think it’s very important for colleges to be clear, consistent and 
communicate what their requirements are for the fall to families as soon
 as possible,” Taylor said. Students will need notice to make 
vaccination appointments or determine if they still plan to attend.Characterizing
 the debate over vaccine passports as “emotionally charged,” Taylor said
 schools have used electronic health records to track vaccines for 
measles, mumps and rubella in case of an outbreak requiring that 
unvaccinated students be contacted.&nbsp;Decisions
 on mandating COVID-19 shots will be made at the state level for public 
schools, while the private schools are able to decide for themselves.Colleges
 and their legal teams will make decisions internally about vaccine 
requirements, Taylor said. They’ll have to weigh any state regulations, 
the availability of doses both domestically and internationally and 
timing challenges for those who get the two-shot versions, as well as 
work on dispelling rumors about the vaccines.<a href="https://www.acha.org/documents/ncha/NCHA-III_Fall_2020_Reference_Group_Data_Report.pdf">According to ACHA-National College Health Assessment data</a>
 gathered last fall, before any COVID-19 vaccines had been federally 
authorized, 77% of undergraduate and graduate students said they were 
very or somewhat likely to get vaccinated, and 23% were somewhat 
unlikely or very unlikely to be vaccinated.<h2>Other options</h2>Colleges already have outlined a range of options for how they’ll handle vaccination mandates.&nbsp;For example, Cleveland State University <a href="http://newsletter.csuohio.edu/president/210192/index.html?_ga=2.234255582.1934664053.1618854215-421741356.1618706330">recently announced</a> that vaccinations will be required for all students living on campus.&nbsp;In
 a message to students, CSU President Harlan Sands said the school will 
“do our best to ensure all faculty, staff and students are vaccinated,” 
adding that school officials will “continue to adjust plans based upon 
what transpires with COVID-19 spread in the coming months.”Florida’s Saint Leo University <a href="https://www.saintleo.edu/news-events/its-family-time-as-saint-leo-university-begins-vaccinating-students-their-families">has reached out beyond just enrolled students</a>, inviting both students and members of their households to be vaccinated on campus.&nbsp;&nbsp;In <a href="https://www.acenet.edu/Documents/Issue-Brief-COVID-Vaccines-March-2021.pdf">an issue brief for college officials</a>,
 the American Council on Education offered some approaches to consider, 
including encouraging students who opt out of a vaccine to enroll in 
online classes instead.&nbsp;Another
 idea? Telling students that a COVID-19 vaccine is required, but instead
 of requiring a copy of their vaccine cards, allowing students to simply
 agree as part of a broader honor code that they have in fact complied.Laura covers the nation's capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom, a network of nonprofit outlets that includes Kansas Reflector.

Pushback against ‘vaccine passports’ puts colleges in a quandary

LAWRENCE—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal pedestrian accident in Lawrence.

Just after 8:30p.m. Friday, police&nbsp; responded to the 1400 block of W. 19th Street in response to reports that a pedestrian that had been struck while crossing the street, according to police spokesperson Patrick Compton.

Despite life saving measures by police, the victim, a 60-year-old Lawrence woman was pronounced deceased at the scene.

West 19th from Ousdahl Rd. to Naismith Drive remained closed as as officers investigate the incident.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the victim.

LAWRENCE—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal pedestrian accident in Lawrence.Just after 8:30p.m. Friday, police&nbsp; responded to the 1400 block of W. 19th Street in response to reports that a pedestrian that had been struck while crossing the street, according to police spokesperson Patrick Compton.Despite life saving measures by police, the victim, a 60-year-old Lawrence woman was pronounced deceased at the scene.West 19th from Ousdahl Rd. to Naismith Drive remained closed as as officers investigate the incident.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the victim.

60-year-old Kan. woman dead in pedestrian accident

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court on Friday reversed the first-degree murder conviction of a Wichita man. 

Mark Holley III was convicted in the 2017 death of 18-year-old D’Shaun Smith during a botched drug deal. The court said the Sedgwick County District Court should have presented a self-defense argument during jury instructions. Holley argued that he shot Smith after Smith tried to rob him and pointed a gun at him. 

The court upheld Holley's convictions on child endangerment charges, arising from a separate incident in which Holley robbed a man while the victim's young children were sitting in the backseat of his car. The murder case now goes back to the district court for further proceedings.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619199960232.png" alt="Holley photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Holley photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court on Friday reversed the first-degree murder conviction of a Wichita man. Mark Holley III was convicted in the 2017 death of 18-year-old D’Shaun Smith during a botched drug deal. The court said the Sedgwick County District Court should have presented a self-defense argument during jury instructions. Holley argued that he shot Smith after Smith tried to rob him and pointed a gun at him. The court upheld Holley's convictions on child endangerment charges, arising from a separate incident in which Holley robbed a man while the victim's young children were sitting in the backseat of his car. The murder case now goes back to the district court for further proceedings.

Supreme Court reverses murder conviction in Kan. death

PAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating 6 suspects on a variety of drug charges in Pawnee County.

Patrick Jones, 43, Jeanette Moore, 43, Sara Pivonka, 32, Nathanael Harris, 32, Faith Dinning, 26, and Jamil Shoemaker, 25, all of Larned, appeared before Magistrate Judge Julie Cowell Friday afternoon via Zoom in the custody of the Pawnee County Sheriff for Felony First Appearance, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.

On Thursday The Pawnee County Sheriff's Department arrested all six Larned area residents were arrested without incident during the execution of three separate search warrants. Also arrested at one of the residences was Kenneth Patterson, Jr, 26 of Larned, for a parole violation. No additional charges have been filed against Patterson at this time.

At the First Appearance each defendant was advised of their charges, the possible penalties if convicted and their constitutional rights, including their right to counsel.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619220758523.png" alt="Faith Dinning is charged with (1) Possession of at least 3.5 grams, but less than 100 grams of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; (2) No Kansas Drug Stamp; (3) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia suitable to distribute a Controlled Substance; (4) Possession of Marijuana; and (5) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia suitable to ingest a controlled substance. Bond is set at $90,000 cash or surety-photo Pawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Faith Dinning is charged with (1) Possession of at least 3.5 grams, but less than 100 grams of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; (2) No Kansas Drug Stamp; (3) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia suitable to distribute a Controlled Substance; (4) Possession of Marijuana; and (5) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia suitable to ingest a controlled substance. Bond is set at $90,000 cash or surety-photo Pawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>PAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating 6 suspects on a variety of drug charges in Pawnee County.Patrick Jones, 43, Jeanette Moore, 43, Sara Pivonka, 32, Nathanael Harris, 32, Faith Dinning, 26, and Jamil Shoemaker, 25, all of Larned, appeared before Magistrate Judge Julie Cowell Friday afternoon via Zoom in the custody of the Pawnee County Sheriff for Felony First Appearance, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.On Thursday The Pawnee County Sheriff's Department arrested all six Larned area residents were arrested without incident during the execution of three separate search warrants. Also arrested at one of the residences was Kenneth Patterson, Jr, 26 of Larned, for a parole violation. No additional charges have been filed against Patterson at this time.At the First Appearance each defendant was advised of their charges, the possible penalties if convicted and their constitutional rights, including their right to counsel.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619220417812.png" alt="Patrick&nbsp;Jones is charged with (1) Possession of at least 3.5 grams, but less than 100 grams of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; (2) Possession of at least 450 grams, but less than 30 kilograms of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute; (3) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia suitable to distribute a Controlled Substance; (4) No Kansas Drug Stamp and (5) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia suitable to ingest a controlled substance. Bond is set at $90,000 cash or surety-photo Pawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Patrick&nbsp;Jones is charged with (1) Possession of at least 3.5 grams, but less than 100 grams of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; (2) Possession of at least 450 grams, but less than 30 kilograms of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute; (3) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia suitable to distribute a Controlled Substance; (4) No Kansas Drug Stamp and (5) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia suitable to ingest a controlled substance. Bond is set at $90,000 cash or surety-photo Pawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619220466273.png" alt="Jeanette Moore was charged with (1) Possession of at least 3.5 grams, but less than 100 grams of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; (2) Possession of at least 450 grams, but less than 30 kilograms of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute; (3) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia suitable to distribute a Controlled Substance; (4) No Kansas Drug Stamp and (5) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia suitable to ingest a controlled substance. Bond is set at $90,000 cash or surety-photo Pawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Jeanette Moore was charged with (1) Possession of at least 3.5 grams, but less than 100 grams of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; (2) Possession of at least 450 grams, but less than 30 kilograms of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute; (3) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia suitable to distribute a Controlled Substance; (4) No Kansas Drug Stamp and (5) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia suitable to ingest a controlled substance. Bond is set at $90,000 cash or surety-photo Pawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619220597549.png" alt="Sara&nbsp;Pivokna is charged with (1) Possession of at least 3.5 grams, but less than 100 grams of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; (2) Conspiracy to Distribute at least 3.5 grams, but less than 100 grams of Methamphetamine; (3) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia suitable to distribute a Controlled Substance; and (4) Possession of Marijuana. Bond is set at $90,000 cash or surety-photo Pawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Sara&nbsp;Pivokna is charged with (1) Possession of at least 3.5 grams, but less than 100 grams of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; (2) Conspiracy to Distribute at least 3.5 grams, but less than 100 grams of Methamphetamine; (3) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia suitable to distribute a Controlled Substance; and (4) Possession of Marijuana. Bond is set at $90,000 cash or surety-photo Pawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619220672108.png" alt="Nathanael&nbsp;Harris is charged with (1) Possession of at least 3.5 grams, but less than 100 grams of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; (2) Conspiracy to Distribute at least 3.5 grams, but less than 100 grams of Methamphetamine; and (3) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia suitable to distribute a Controlled Substance. Bond is set at $90,000 cash or surety-photo Pawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Nathanael&nbsp;Harris is charged with (1) Possession of at least 3.5 grams, but less than 100 grams of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; (2) Conspiracy to Distribute at least 3.5 grams, but less than 100 grams of Methamphetamine; and (3) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia suitable to distribute a Controlled Substance. Bond is set at $90,000 cash or surety-photo Pawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619220835260.png" alt="Shoemaker – (1) Possession of less than 1.00 grams of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; (2) Possession of less than 25 grams of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute; (3) Possession of Drug" />
 <figcaption>Shoemaker – (1) Possession of less than 1.00 grams of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; (2) Possession of less than 25 grams of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute; (3) Possession of Drug</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619221048022.png" alt="&nbsp;No additional charges have been filed against Patterson, according to the Pawnee County Attorney." />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;No additional charges have been filed against Patterson, according to the Pawnee County Attorney.</figcaption>
 </figure>

County Attorney: 6 Kansas drug suspects make court appearance 

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a bill Friday that would have allowed people as young as 18 to carry concealed weapons, after legislators approved the bill by margins that weren’t large enough to override a veto.

The legislation would have created a provisional license for those 18 to 21, issued by the state attorney general. Permit holders would have had to complete a background check and undergo gun safety training, which is currently required for those 21 and older seeking a permit.

The bill would have significantly increased the number of students eligible to carry concealed weapons on university campuses which, until 2017, were exempt from a 2013 law allowing them in public buildings. But education groups such as the Kansas Association of School Boards say the measure wouldn’t have changed current laws that allow high schools to prohibit guns on school grounds.

“Throughout my time in public office, I have been a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and of Kansans’ right to own firearms,” the Democratic governor said in a statement. “But we can respect and defend the rights of Kansas gun owners while also taking effective steps to keep our children and families safe. Legislation that allows more guns on campus is neither safe nor effective, and it will drive prospective students away from our schools.”

The bill gained the two-thirds majority necessary in the Senate in a vote this month, but supporters were four votes short of the required supermajority in the House after five Republicans voted against the bill.

State Rep. Charles Smith, a Pittsburg Republican who voted against the proposal, told The Associated Press that there’s “no hurry” for 18, 19-, and 20-year-olds to carry a concealed firearm.

“When you’re 18 years old, 19, you do silly stuff. And gosh, I’d hate for some kid to make a mistake and be in jail for 10 years, or the rest of their life,” Smith said.

Eleven states allow those who are 18 to carry a concealed firearm, according to the United States Concealed Carry Association, one of the largest firearm-owner groups in the country.

Supporters say 18-year-old Kansans can already carry firearms in the open and those as young as 18 are allowed to serve in the military. Some Republican legislators say the bill would allow young people to protect themselves from threats.

Democratic lawmakers argued that those under 21 are less mature and more prone to risk-taking. Opponents have also said that federal law requires someone to be at least 21 to buy a handgun from a licensed dealer.

“We are allowing 18 year olds who are high school seniors to have guns concealed at parties, where there may or may not be alcohol,” Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, said in a legislative debate this month.

In March, the measure was amended into legislation to expand Kansas’ recognition of other states’ concealed carry permits after another bill to lower the legal age to carry concealed firearms in Kansas from 21 to 18 stalled in a House committee.

Supporters of the reciprocity measure include Kansas Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who said that the bill would have helped the state maintain reciprocity agreements with other states so that Kansans can carry concealed firearms elsewhere.

This month, the bill was amended by Kansas legislators to allow people who have been convicted of some crimes that include aggravated battery and misdemeanor domestic battery to possess firearms if those records are expunged.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619210947266.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly during her back to school, back to work tour stop in Great Bend." />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly during her back to school, back to work tour stop in Great Bend.</figcaption>
 </figure>By ANDY TSUBASA FIELDTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a bill Friday that would have allowed people as young as 18 to carry concealed weapons, after legislators approved the bill by margins that weren’t large enough to override a veto.The legislation would have created a provisional license for those 18 to 21, issued by the state attorney general. Permit holders would have had to complete a background check and undergo gun safety training, which is currently required for those 21 and older seeking a permit.The bill would have significantly increased the number of students eligible to carry concealed weapons on university campuses which, until 2017, were exempt from a 2013 law allowing them in public buildings. But education groups such as the Kansas Association of School Boards say the measure wouldn’t have changed current laws that allow high schools to prohibit guns on school grounds.“Throughout my time in public office, I have been a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and of Kansans’ right to own firearms,” the Democratic governor said in a statement. “But we can respect and defend the rights of Kansas gun owners while also taking effective steps to keep our children and families safe. Legislation that allows more guns on campus is neither safe nor effective, and it will drive prospective students away from our schools.”The bill gained the two-thirds majority necessary in the Senate in a vote this month, but supporters were four votes short of the required supermajority in the House after five Republicans voted against the bill.State Rep. Charles Smith, a Pittsburg Republican who voted against the proposal, told The Associated Press that there’s “no hurry” for 18, 19-, and 20-year-olds to carry a concealed firearm.“When you’re 18 years old, 19, you do silly stuff. And gosh, I’d hate for some kid to make a mistake and be in jail for 10 years, or the rest of their life,” Smith said.Eleven states allow those who are 18 to carry a concealed firearm, according to the United States Concealed Carry Association, one of the largest firearm-owner groups in the country.Supporters say 18-year-old Kansans can already carry firearms in the open and those as young as 18 are allowed to serve in the military. Some Republican legislators say the bill would allow young people to protect themselves from threats.Democratic lawmakers argued that those under 21 are less mature and more prone to risk-taking. Opponents have also said that federal law requires someone to be at least 21 to buy a handgun from a licensed dealer.“We are allowing 18 year olds who are high school seniors to have guns concealed at parties, where there may or may not be alcohol,” Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, said in a legislative debate this month.In March, the measure was amended into legislation to expand Kansas’ recognition of other states’ concealed carry permits after another bill to lower the legal age to carry concealed firearms in Kansas from 21 to 18 stalled in a House committee.Supporters of the reciprocity measure include Kansas Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who said that the bill would have helped the state maintain reciprocity agreements with other states so that Kansans can carry concealed firearms elsewhere.This month, the bill was amended by Kansas legislators to allow people who have been convicted of some crimes that include aggravated battery and misdemeanor domestic battery to possess firearms if those records are expunged.___

Kan. governor vetoes bill to lower concealed carry age

WASHINGTON (AP) –U.S. health officials have lifted an 11-day pause on Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccinations following a recommendation by an expert panel. 

Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday the benefits of the single-dose COVID-19 shot outweigh a rare risk of blood clots. Panel members said it’s critical that younger women be told about that risk so they can decide if they’d rather choose another vaccine. The CDC and Food and Drug Administration agreed. 

European regulators earlier this week made a similar decision, deciding the clot risk was small enough to allow the rollout of J&amp;J’s shot.

WASHINGTON (AP) – A U.S. health panel says it’s time to resume use of Johnson &amp; Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine, despite a very rare risk of blood clots.

Out of nearly 8 million people vaccinated before the U.S. suspended J&amp;J’s shot, health officials uncovered 15 cases of a highly unusual kind of blood clot, three of them fatal.

All were women, most younger than 50. But advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday the vaccine’s benefits outweigh that serious but small risk — especially against a virus that’s still infecting tens of thousands of Americans every day.

The government will rapidly weigh that recommendation in deciding next steps.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602590971875.png" alt="Photo courtesy Johnson &amp; Johnson" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Johnson &amp; Johnson</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) –U.S. health officials have lifted an 11-day pause on Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccinations following a recommendation by an expert panel. Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday the benefits of the single-dose COVID-19 shot outweigh a rare risk of blood clots. Panel members said it’s critical that younger women be told about that risk so they can decide if they’d rather choose another vaccine. The CDC and Food and Drug Administration agreed. European regulators earlier this week made a similar decision, deciding the clot risk was small enough to allow the rollout of J&amp;J’s shot.------WASHINGTON (AP) – A U.S. health panel says it’s time to resume use of Johnson &amp; Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine, despite a very rare risk of blood clots.Out of nearly 8 million people vaccinated before the U.S. suspended J&amp;J’s shot, health officials uncovered 15 cases of a highly unusual kind of blood clot, three of them fatal.All were women, most younger than 50. But advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday the vaccine’s benefits outweigh that serious but small risk — especially against a virus that’s still infecting tens of thousands of Americans every day.The government will rapidly weigh that recommendation in deciding next steps.

US to resume J&J COVID vaccinations despite rare clot risk

PHILLIPS COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating four suspects on drug charges after an arrest in Northwest Kansas.

On April 21, a traffic complaint about an SUV traveling at a high rate of speed resulted in Phillips County Sheriff 's deputies asisting the Kansas Highway Patrol in the recovery of a significant amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, according to a media release.

Four New York state residents were returning from the Colorado 420 festivities and thought it was a good idea to travel home with some souvenirs.  This resulted in them spending some time in taxpayer provided lodging at the Phillips County courthouse. 

Charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia are pending. The sheriff's office released no additional details Friday afternoon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619210242546.png" alt="Photos courtesy Phillips County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photos courtesy Phillips County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>PHILLIPS COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating four suspects on drug charges after an arrest in Northwest Kansas.On April 21, a traffic complaint about an SUV traveling at a high rate of speed resulted in Phillips County Sheriff 's deputies asisting the Kansas Highway Patrol in the recovery of a significant amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, according to a media release.Four New York state residents were returning from the Colorado 420 festivities and thought it was a good idea to travel home with some souvenirs. This resulted in them spending some time in taxpayer provided lodging at the Phillips County courthouse. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619210416221.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia are pending. The sheriff's office released no additional details Friday afternoon.

Souvenirs from marijuana holiday land 4 in Kan. jail

The business relationship between the University of Kansas Health System and Hays Med will soon end, but with the decision, no impact to services are expected.

The decision was announced to employees Thursday and was confirmed by the University of Kansas Health System media relations director Jill Chadwick on Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592338129889.jpeg" alt="The campus of Hays Medical Center" />
 <figcaption>The campus of Hays Medical Center</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostThe business relationship between the University of Kansas Health System and Hays Med will soon end, but with the decision, no impact to services are expected.The decision was announced to employees Thursday and was confirmed by the University of Kansas Health System media relations director Jill Chadwick on Friday.She described the situation as amicable and will not change in any way the medical staff or services that currently work at Hays Med."In terms of patients and the public, nothing is going to change," Chadwick said. "Everybody still has access to health care. We are still going to be in Hays, and people will still have the opportunity to get access to any specialist that they might need."<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4d8e11e3-2e85-4a41-8404-561202ba7a9c">RELATED: HaysMed's complete statement on the changes.</a>The system operates in 66 counties as part of its mission to help provide rural areas access to specialized health care and she said they look forward to continuing to do so."We will still be working with them (HaysMed)," Chadwick said. "We will still be getting referrals, we will still be treating patients, just like we do in 66 other counties."The decision to end the relationship was mutual, she said, and reflects only a difference in business administration between the two parties."We had a shared vision five years ago, but now we don't share the same vision," Chadwick said. "We decided that we still want to care for patients ... but it's this side of the business we want to change."A timeline for the change has not been set, she said but as details are worked out visitors to the facility will see no changes."It has no public impact or patient impact," Chadwick said."While we have worked together over the past five years, we have mutually decided that stepping back and working independently best supports the long-term health and wellness of our communities," a statement from Hays Med said. "Taking this step allows both entities to actively pursue the unique approaches to serving their respective populations. This action also applies to the Pawnee Valley Community Hospital in Larned, which is a managed partner of HaysMed."The statement from Hays Med also noted providers are supportive of the decision.“The medical staff at HaysMed supports this decision,” said Dr. Heather Harris, medical director and physician at Hays Family Medicine. &nbsp;Dr. Roger Dietz, chief of staff, agreed.“In our opinion, administration and the board did what was in the best interest of staff and patients of Hays and western Kansas," he said.