TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas expects to receive significantly fewer doses of the Johnson &amp; Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in the next few weeks, state health officials said Wednesday.

The state estimates it will receive 5,000 doses next week and 1,700 doses each of the last two weeks of April, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment said.

Kansas had expected to receive 15,800 doses during those weeks, the department said.

The department did not give a reason for the decrease. But Johnson &amp; Johnson had to discard 15 million doses in late March when a batch made at a Baltimore plant did not meet quality standards.

“We are alerting all providers now as this will have (a) significant impact on planning for the coming weeks,” a health department alert said.

Doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are expected to remain consistent with what has been received in recent weeks, The Wichita Eagle&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/coronavirus/article250502649.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.

About 35,427 of the roughly 931,653 first doses of a vaccine administered in Kansas are from Johnson &amp; Johnson. In Kansas, 538,903 people, or 18.5% of the state’s population, have been fully vaccinated.

On Wednesday, the state reported 303,767 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 4,932 deaths since the pandemic began.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas expects to receive significantly fewer doses of the Johnson &amp; Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in the next few weeks, state health officials said Wednesday.The state estimates it will receive 5,000 doses next week and 1,700 doses each of the last two weeks of April, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment said.Kansas had expected to receive 15,800 doses during those weeks, the department said.The department did not give a reason for the decrease. But Johnson &amp; Johnson had to discard 15 million doses in late March when a batch made at a Baltimore plant did not meet quality standards.“We are alerting all providers now as this will have (a) significant impact on planning for the coming weeks,” a health department alert said.Doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are expected to remain consistent with what has been received in recent weeks, The Wichita Eagle&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/coronavirus/article250502649.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.About 35,427 of the roughly 931,653 first doses of a vaccine administered in Kansas are from Johnson &amp; Johnson. In Kansas, 538,903 people, or 18.5% of the state’s population, have been fully vaccinated.On Wednesday, the state reported 303,767 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 4,932 deaths since the pandemic began.

Kansas expects thousands fewer Johnson & Johnson vaccines

By BRENT MARTIN <a href="https://stjosephpost.com">St. Joseph Post</a>

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Restaurants and bars devastated by restrictions imposed during
the coronavirus pandemic will soon receive help from the federal government.

Eating and drinking establishments can apply for grants under
the new $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief and economic stimulus plan pushed by
President Joe Biden and approved by Congress.

Regional Director Rebecca Lobina with the Northwest Missouri
State University Small Business Development Center says the numbers presented to
the center by bars closed when governments worried they would spread COVID-19
are astonishing.

“Some of the percentages were, like, 4,000%,” Lobina says
during an appearance on the KFEQ Hotline. “Not 400; 4,000% on the decrease from
one year to the next. So, it was like a phenomenal amount of funding that they
lost.”

The federal program is not available yet, but Lobina suggests
restaurant and bar owners begin preparation now. Owners will need a Dun and
Bradstreet number and a SAM number from the Small Business Administration. The
grants will be based on gross receipts, comparing 2019 business to business in
2020.

Lobina says the federal grants could help many survive. Still,
Lobina says eating and drinking establishments learned a lot through the
pandemic, such as the importance of communication with customers, such as
informing customers of their hours or simple things such as how to order and
pick up curbside.

“They started learning, if they didn’t already know, they
learned quickly that you have to communicate that or your customers get
frustrated and leave.”

Lobina says the toll on some business owners has been devastating.

“People are crying on the phone,” Lobina recalls about owners
calling the Small Business Development Center. “People sound desperate, because
they are. Because things didn’t bounce back as quickly as people hoped that
they would, even when they were back open. It’s hard. It’s been really hard for
people and it continues to be hard for some.”

By BRENT MARTIN <a href="https://stjosephpost.com">St. Joseph Post</a>ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Restaurants and bars devastated by restrictions imposed during
the coronavirus pandemic will soon receive help from the federal government.Eating and drinking establishments can apply for grants under
the new $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief and economic stimulus plan pushed by
President Joe Biden and approved by Congress.Regional Director Rebecca Lobina with the Northwest Missouri
State University Small Business Development Center says the numbers presented to
the center by bars closed when governments worried they would spread COVID-19
are astonishing.“Some of the percentages were, like, 4,000%,” Lobina says
during an appearance on the KFEQ Hotline. “Not 400; 4,000% on the decrease from
one year to the next. So, it was like a phenomenal amount of funding that they
lost.”The federal program is not available yet, but Lobina suggests
restaurant and bar owners begin preparation now. Owners will need a Dun and
Bradstreet number and a SAM number from the Small Business Administration. The
grants will be based on gross receipts, comparing 2019 business to business in
2020.Lobina says the federal grants could help many survive. Still,
Lobina says eating and drinking establishments learned a lot through the
pandemic, such as the importance of communication with customers, such as
informing customers of their hours or simple things such as how to order and
pick up curbside.“They started learning, if they didn’t already know, they
learned quickly that you have to communicate that or your customers get
frustrated and leave.”Lobina says the toll on some business owners has been devastating.“People are crying on the phone,” Lobina recalls about owners
calling the Small Business Development Center. “People sound desperate, because
they are. Because things didn’t bounce back as quickly as people hoped that
they would, even when they were back open. It’s hard. It’s been really hard for
people and it continues to be hard for some.”

Restaurants, bars get federal relief in $1.9T coronavirus package

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A judge ruled Wednesday that a Kansas law banning a common second-trimester abortion procedure is “unconstitutional and unenforceable” under a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">2019 state Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;protecting abortion rights.

Shawnee County District Judge Teresa Watson’s decision was the first on abortion from a lower court since the decision from the state’s highest court. But Kansas has been unable to enforce the law since it was enacted in 2015 under then-Republican Gov. Sam Brownback because of a lawsuit from two abortion providers.

The Kansas Supreme Court ruled that access to abortion is a “fundamental” right under the state constitution but returned the case to district court for further review of the ban on what the law called “dismemberment abortion.”

Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said the law would have “made it a crime for doctors to use their best medical judgment” in serving patients.

Abortion opponents argued that the legal standards set by the Supreme Court make it virtually impossible for abortion restrictions to stand.

GOP lawmakers put&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-legislature-constitutions-kansas-topeka-2b65563a5637dda6d6707822154dece5">a proposed amendment&nbsp;</a>to the state constitution on the August 2022 ballot to reverse the Supreme Court decision. Anti-abortion groups said Wednesday that Watson’s decision confirms the need for a constitutional change.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A judge ruled Wednesday that a Kansas law banning a common second-trimester abortion procedure is “unconstitutional and unenforceable” under a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">2019 state Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;protecting abortion rights.Shawnee County District Judge Teresa Watson’s decision was the first on abortion from a lower court since the decision from the state’s highest court. But Kansas has been unable to enforce the law since it was enacted in 2015 under then-Republican Gov. Sam Brownback because of a lawsuit from two abortion providers.The Kansas Supreme Court ruled that access to abortion is a “fundamental” right under the state constitution but returned the case to district court for further review of the ban on what the law called “dismemberment abortion.”Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said the law would have “made it a crime for doctors to use their best medical judgment” in serving patients.Abortion opponents argued that the legal standards set by the Supreme Court make it virtually impossible for abortion restrictions to stand.GOP lawmakers put&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-legislature-constitutions-kansas-topeka-2b65563a5637dda6d6707822154dece5">a proposed amendment&nbsp;</a>to the state constitution on the August 2022 ballot to reverse the Supreme Court decision. Anti-abortion groups said Wednesday that Watson’s decision confirms the need for a constitutional change.

Judge: Ruling nullifies Kansas abortion procedure ban

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Conservative Republican lawmakers on Wednesday tied funding for Kansas’ public schools to a proposal that would allow parents of academically struggling students to use state dollars to pay for private schooling.

Republican negotiators for the state House and Senate drafted the final version of legislation that would set up&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2119_03_0000.pdf" target="_blank">education savings accounts</a>&nbsp;for students who are at-risk of failing in public schools, using tax dollars normally earmarked for those schools. Parents could use the state funds to cover a wide range of educational expenses to help their children, including tuition at private schools.

The measure is part of an education bill that also includes Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s proposal to provide $5.2 billion in state aid to public school districts for the 2021-22 school year, a 5.3% increase in line with laws enacted in 2018 and 2019 to boost education funding. The laws complied with Kansas Supreme Court rulings in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/16d63062f0a645f6a9231e22b623e9fb">a school finance lawsuit</a>&nbsp;that remains before the justices.

“They go hand in hand,” said Rep. Kristey Williams, an Augusta Republican and the chair of the House committee that drafted the chamber’s school choice proposals. “We’re concerned with the kids that are failing in our schools.”

Final votes on the legislation were expected this week in both the Republican-controlled House and the GOP-dominated Senate. Conservatives’ push for what they’re calling a “Student Empowerment Program” and their strategy of linking it to funding for public schools sets up a confrontation with Kelly.

Such a measure also could lead to another legal challenge before the state’s highest court after seven rulings from 2013 to 2019 forced Republican lawmakers to spending more on schools than they otherwise would have. John Robb, one of the attorneys for four school districts that sued the state in 2010, said they’re watching what becomes law before deciding whether to ask the state Supreme Court to intervene again.

The Democratic governor has stopped short of saying she would veto such a measure, but she said last week when&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210330195645_801197/" target="_blank">the House passed</a>&nbsp;its version of the legislation that the measure would “cut millions in funding from public schools and harm our students.”

Democrats and education groups labeled the House’s version of the bill the “Frankenstein” education bill. State Rep. Valdenia Winn, of Kansas City, Kansas, the House Democrats’ lead negotiator on education issues, said the plan for education savings accounts would “kill public education.”

“Everybody’s dancing around the cost — I mean, the serious impact on public education funding,” Winn said.

Under the negotiators’ plan, the state would launch the new education savings program in 2022, with the state treasurer overseeing it. Students would qualify for an account if they are not working at grade level or have a “high rate” of absences, but also if they are homeless or have dyslexia.

It’s not clear how much the state would put in total into education savings accounts. Williams believes about 5,000 of the 472,000 students in the state’s public K-12 schools would get accounts — making up to $23.5 million available, based on the proposed aid levels for 2021-22. But Democrats argue the bill would make the parents of tens of thousands of students eligible — siphoning off potentially hundreds of million of dollars from public schools.

“Is it a way of using public funds to fund private education? Well, of course it is,” said Mark Tallman, a lobbyist for the Kansas Association of School Boards. “To me, it really doesn’t matter what you call it.”

The final version of the legislation also would expand a program giving a state income tax credit to donors to funds that provide private-school scholarships to at-risk students in public schools. The tax credits are capped at $10 million a year and have yet to be fully used.

Both chambers approved expanding the tax-credit program. The Senate never debated the proposal for educational savings accounts, but its Republican negotiators were receptive.

Sen. Molly Baumgardner, of Louisburg, one of GOP senators’ lead negotiators, said the proposal is a “call to action” for public schools to do better with providing services to at-risk students.

“What you’re starting to see is that bubble-up of frustration,” she said.

Even if the education bill became law, the debate over school funding might not be resolved. Legislators working separately on the entire state budget have considered lesser state aid figures.

Lawmakers also have yet to renew a statewide property tax to provide $770 million for schools in 2021-22. The Kansas Constitution limits the state to imposing the tax for two years at a time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617878190153.png" alt="Conference committee on Senate and House K-12 during Wednesday's meeting" />
 <figcaption>Conference committee on Senate and House K-12 during Wednesday's meeting</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Conservative Republican lawmakers on Wednesday tied funding for Kansas’ public schools to a proposal that would allow parents of academically struggling students to use state dollars to pay for private schooling.Republican negotiators for the state House and Senate drafted the final version of legislation that would set up&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/supp_note_hb2119_03_0000.pdf" target="_blank">education savings accounts</a>&nbsp;for students who are at-risk of failing in public schools, using tax dollars normally earmarked for those schools. Parents could use the state funds to cover a wide range of educational expenses to help their children, including tuition at private schools.The measure is part of an education bill that also includes Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s proposal to provide $5.2 billion in state aid to public school districts for the 2021-22 school year, a 5.3% increase in line with laws enacted in 2018 and 2019 to boost education funding. The laws complied with Kansas Supreme Court rulings in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/16d63062f0a645f6a9231e22b623e9fb">a school finance lawsuit</a>&nbsp;that remains before the justices.“They go hand in hand,” said Rep. Kristey Williams, an Augusta Republican and the chair of the House committee that drafted the chamber’s school choice proposals. “We’re concerned with the kids that are failing in our schools.”Final votes on the legislation were expected this week in both the Republican-controlled House and the GOP-dominated Senate. Conservatives’ push for what they’re calling a “Student Empowerment Program” and their strategy of linking it to funding for public schools sets up a confrontation with Kelly.Such a measure also could lead to another legal challenge before the state’s highest court after seven rulings from 2013 to 2019 forced Republican lawmakers to spending more on schools than they otherwise would have. John Robb, one of the attorneys for four school districts that sued the state in 2010, said they’re watching what becomes law before deciding whether to ask the state Supreme Court to intervene again.The Democratic governor has stopped short of saying she would veto such a measure, but she said last week when&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210330195645_801197/" target="_blank">the House passed</a>&nbsp;its version of the legislation that the measure would “cut millions in funding from public schools and harm our students.”Democrats and education groups labeled the House’s version of the bill the “Frankenstein” education bill. State Rep. Valdenia Winn, of Kansas City, Kansas, the House Democrats’ lead negotiator on education issues, said the plan for education savings accounts would “kill public education.”“Everybody’s dancing around the cost — I mean, the serious impact on public education funding,” Winn said.Under the negotiators’ plan, the state would launch the new education savings program in 2022, with the state treasurer overseeing it. Students would qualify for an account if they are not working at grade level or have a “high rate” of absences, but also if they are homeless or have dyslexia.It’s not clear how much the state would put in total into education savings accounts. Williams believes about 5,000 of the 472,000 students in the state’s public K-12 schools would get accounts — making up to $23.5 million available, based on the proposed aid levels for 2021-22. But Democrats argue the bill would make the parents of tens of thousands of students eligible — siphoning off potentially hundreds of million of dollars from public schools.“Is it a way of using public funds to fund private education? Well, of course it is,” said Mark Tallman, a lobbyist for the Kansas Association of School Boards. “To me, it really doesn’t matter what you call it.”The final version of the legislation also would expand a program giving a state income tax credit to donors to funds that provide private-school scholarships to at-risk students in public schools. The tax credits are capped at $10 million a year and have yet to be fully used.Both chambers approved expanding the tax-credit program. The Senate never debated the proposal for educational savings accounts, but its Republican negotiators were receptive.Sen. Molly Baumgardner, of Louisburg, one of GOP senators’ lead negotiators, said the proposal is a “call to action” for public schools to do better with providing services to at-risk students.“What you’re starting to see is that bubble-up of frustration,” she said.Even if the education bill became law, the debate over school funding might not be resolved. Legislators working separately on the entire state budget have considered lesser state aid figures.Lawmakers also have yet to renew a statewide property tax to provide $770 million for schools in 2021-22. The Kansas Constitution limits the state to imposing the tax for two years at a time.___

Funds for Kansas schools tied to GOP right's 'choice' plan

WASHINGTON — A variant of the coronavirus first identified in Britain is now the most common strain circulating in the United States.

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, says the strain, formally known as B.1.1.7, is “now the most common lineage circulating in United States.”

The strain has been shown to be more transmissible and infectious among younger Americans, which Walensky says contributed to rising case counts in recent weeks.

Walensky says new outbreaks have been tied to youth sports and day care centers. She particularly encouraged states with rising caseloads to curtail or suspend youth sport activities to slow the spread of the virus.

The U.S. leads the world with 30.8 million confirmed cases and more than 556,000 confirmed deaths.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613699035300.png" alt="CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky " />
 <figcaption>CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — A variant of the coronavirus first identified in Britain is now the most common strain circulating in the United States.The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, says the strain, formally known as B.1.1.7, is “now the most common lineage circulating in United States.”The strain has been shown to be more transmissible and infectious among younger Americans, which Walensky says contributed to rising case counts in recent weeks.Walensky says new outbreaks have been tied to youth sports and day care centers. She particularly encouraged states with rising caseloads to curtail or suspend youth sport activities to slow the spread of the virus.The U.S. leads the world with 30.8 million confirmed cases and more than 556,000 confirmed deaths.___

UK virus variant now most common strain in United States

NORTON —Law enforcement authorities are investigating what they believe to be an explosive device on Wednesday in Norton County, according to a media release from the sheriff's department.

The device was found at the NortonCounty impound lot. The sheriff's office&nbsp;asked the&nbsp;Fort Riley Explosive Ordinance Disposal Team to respond and they were able to neutralize the device.

Authorities are working to determine who owns and who built the device.&nbsp;&nbsp;

NORTON —Law enforcement authorities are investigating what they believe to be an explosive device on Wednesday in Norton County, according to a media release from the sheriff's department.The device was found at the NortonCounty impound lot. The sheriff's office&nbsp;asked the&nbsp;Fort Riley Explosive Ordinance Disposal Team to respond and they were able to neutralize the device.Authorities are working to determine who owns and who built the device.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sheriff's deputies find explosive device in NW Kansas

WAKEENEY, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) has made an arrest in a child pornography case.

Just after 8pm. Wednesday, April 7, KBI agents served an arrest warrant at 209 N. 4th&nbsp;St. in Wakeeney and arrested Blaine D. Dryden, 62, of Wakeeney, on requested charges of aggravated internet trading of child pornography, and multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a child, according to a media release from the agency. The arrest occurred without incident.

The alleged crimes are suspected to have occurred between November 2019 and June 2020. Dryden was employed as a lieutenant with the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office until July 2020. When made aware of the allegations, the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office cooperated fully in the investigation, and immediately placed Dryden on administrative leave.

After his arrest, Dryden was booked into to the Graham County Jail. Bond was set at $750,000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617849662382.png" alt="Dryden-photo KBI" />
 <figcaption>Dryden-photo KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>WAKEENEY, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) has made an arrest in a child pornography case.Just after 8pm. Wednesday, April 7, KBI agents served an arrest warrant at 209 N. 4th&nbsp;St. in Wakeeney and arrested Blaine D. Dryden, 62, of Wakeeney, on requested charges of aggravated internet trading of child pornography, and multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a child, according to a media release from the agency. The arrest occurred without incident.The alleged crimes are suspected to have occurred between November 2019 and June 2020. Dryden was employed as a lieutenant with the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office until July 2020. When made aware of the allegations, the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office cooperated fully in the investigation, and immediately placed Dryden on administrative leave.After his arrest, Dryden was booked into to the Graham County Jail. Bond was set at $750,000.

Former Kan. sheriff's Lt. accused of trading child porn

STAFFORD COUNTY&nbsp; —Tree piles continued to burn in the middle of the already burned areas in Stafford County, according to a social media report from the fire department.

 All fire lines are contained and fire crews are returned to their stations. The rain and snow Wednesday was extremely helpful with containment of the fire.&nbsp;

STAFFORD COUNTY—Crews from across Stafford County responded to multiple reports of grass fires Tuesday night likely due to lightning strikes, according to a social media report from the Stafford Fire Department.

One was a large fire burning in the area of K-19 and 105th Avenue.

Crews spent Tuesday night and all day Wednesday keeping the fire in check and crews remained on scene monitoring&nbsp; the fire that was actively burning but is unable to be reached due to the difficult swamp like conditions.

On Wednesday afternoon, fresh fire fighting crews arrived and the fire continues to be monitored and put out when access can be made. There is still active fire. However, fire conditions are much more mild than Tuesday night.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617833659652.png" alt="Lightning is blamed for starting the fires -Photo Stafford&nbsp; Kansas Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Lightning is blamed for starting the fires -Photo Stafford&nbsp; Kansas Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>STAFFORD COUNTY&nbsp; —Tree piles continued to burn in the middle of the already burned areas in Stafford County, according to a social media report from the fire department. All fire lines are contained and fire crews are returned to their stations. The rain and snow Wednesday was extremely helpful with containment of the fire.&nbsp;--------STAFFORD COUNTY—Crews from across Stafford County responded to multiple reports of grass fires Tuesday night likely due to lightning strikes, according to a social media report from the Stafford Fire Department.One was a large fire burning in the area of K-19 and 105th Avenue.Crews spent Tuesday night and all day Wednesday keeping the fire in check and crews remained on scene monitoring&nbsp; the fire that was actively burning but is unable to be reached due to the difficult swamp like conditions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617834071135.png" alt="Photo Stafford County Fire Dept." />
 <figcaption>Photo Stafford County Fire Dept.</figcaption>
 </figure>On Wednesday afternoon, fresh fire fighting crews arrived and the fire continues to be monitored and put out when access can be made. There is still active fire. However, fire conditions are much more mild than Tuesday night.&nbsp;

Update: Crews contain Kansas fire started by lightning 

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A jury has convicted a Kansas City man of first-degree murder for killing his neighbor in 2017, one day before what would have been her 25th birthday.

A Jackson County jury found Cedric Russell, 28, guilty of killing 24-year-old Ashley Geddes, whose body was found in her Kansas City apartment by her mother. Russell also was found guilty of tampering with evidence and tampering with a motor vehicle.

Police&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/367949e48f1046c2995660c7f33ecac6">have said</a>&nbsp;Russell told investigators that Geddes stopped breathing as he choked her during sex, and police investigated her killing as a sexual assault and homicide. Police said Russell took Geddes’ car, phone and jewelry, and that the missing jewelry was pawned shortly after her death.

Russell is scheduled to be sentenced June 3.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617826820434.png" alt="Russell photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Russell photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A jury has convicted a Kansas City man of first-degree murder for killing his neighbor in 2017, one day before what would have been her 25th birthday.A Jackson County jury found Cedric Russell, 28, guilty of killing 24-year-old Ashley Geddes, whose body was found in her Kansas City apartment by her mother. Russell also was found guilty of tampering with evidence and tampering with a motor vehicle.Police&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/367949e48f1046c2995660c7f33ecac6">have said</a>&nbsp;Russell told investigators that Geddes stopped breathing as he choked her during sex, and police investigated her killing as a sexual assault and homicide. Police said Russell took Geddes’ car, phone and jewelry, and that the missing jewelry was pawned shortly after her death.Russell is scheduled to be sentenced June 3.

Jury: Kansas City man guilty in violent death of his neighbor

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects after finding explosives in a vehicle.

Just before 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, police officers recognized a white Nissan Rogue at 21st and Woodlawn in&nbsp; Wichita, according Officer Charley Davidson. The suspect vehicle had reportedly been involved in multiple drive-by shootings. 

The officers stopped the vehicle at an apartment complex in the 5400 block of East 21st Street North. They arrested the occupants of the vehicle identified as 25-year-old Eri Mendoza and 29-year-old Jessica Valdovinos.

Inside the vehicle, officers also located an improvised explosive device that looked like a grenade. The Wichita Police bomb unit responded to assist with the safe disposal of the device.

In addition, police located a firearm, a firearm magazine and methamphetamine.

Mendoza is being held on requested charges of aggravated assault, possession of methamphetamine, felon in possession of a firearm, criminal possession of an explosive device, criminal use of an explosive device and driving with a suspended license, according to Davidson.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Valdovinos is being held on charges of possession of methamphetamine, criminal use of an explosive device, and outstanding warrants.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mendoza has previous felony convictions, according to Davidson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617828375770.png" alt="Mendoza photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Mendoza photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects after finding explosives in a vehicle.Just before 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, police officers recognized a white Nissan Rogue at 21st and Woodlawn in&nbsp; Wichita, according Officer Charley Davidson. The suspect vehicle had reportedly been involved in multiple drive-by shootings. The officers stopped the vehicle at an apartment complex in the 5400 block of East 21st Street North. They arrested the occupants of the vehicle identified as 25-year-old Eri Mendoza and 29-year-old Jessica Valdovinos.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617810586624.png" alt="Valdovinos photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Valdovinos photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Inside the vehicle, officers also located an improvised explosive device that looked like a grenade. The Wichita Police bomb unit responded to assist with the safe disposal of the device.In addition, police located a firearm, a firearm magazine and methamphetamine.Mendoza is being held on requested charges of aggravated assault, possession of methamphetamine, felon in possession of a firearm, criminal possession of an explosive device, criminal use of an explosive device and driving with a suspended license, according to Davidson.&nbsp;&nbsp;Valdovinos is being held on charges of possession of methamphetamine, criminal use of an explosive device, and outstanding warrants.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mendoza has previous felony convictions, according to Davidson.

Police find explosive device in Kansas man's car

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/07/house-and-senate-negotiators-begin-wrangling-over-kansas-k-12-budget-and-policies/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas Republican
 legislators from the House and Senate remain largely divided on several
 proposed budget and policy elements of K-12 public education in the 
state.

Members of the House K-12 
Education Budget Committee and the Senate Education Committee met 
Tuesday to negotiate elements of House Bill 2119, a measure with 
wide-ranging impacts on education policy and the public school budget. 
The bill narrowly passed the House last week despite bipartisan concerns
 over several provisions.

Representatives expressed 
uneasiness around the Student Empowerment Act and asked that their 
concerns be ironed out when the two chambers met. The act would take the
 standard per-pupil aid normally given to public schools and place it 
into an education savings account for students designated as “at-risk” 
to use for private school tuition and other education-adjacent expenses.

The bill would also fully 
fund public education as requested in the governor’s budget for 2021 and
 2022. In 2023, the measure would remove a funding formula provision 
giving additional budget weighting to students in districts with a high 
number of at-risk students per square mile.

While there are some 
provisions contained in the bill yet to be heard in the Senate committee
 — including the Student Empowerment Act — there is some overlap that 
should allow for a successful negotiation, said Sen. Molly Baumgardner, a
 Louisburg Republican and chairwoman of the Senate Education panel. 
Still, Baumgardner identified certain key aspects she would like to see 
included in the final package, including the Promise Act, which would 
provide postsecondary educational scholarships for certain two-year 
associate degrees and technical education programs.

“If we’re looking at 
something that is kind of a mega education bill, then we do have to 
absolutely be looking at the Promise Act and concurrent enrollment,” 
Baumgardner said. “We have such significant funding going for high 
density at-risk and at-risk for our schools and our kids. And so, we 
really do like the guardrails that we have in our Senate Bill 173. We’ll
 want to see some of those things.”

In a packed committee room
 with several stakeholders, members of the Senate committee received the
 initial recommendation on the bill from Rep. Kristey Williams, an 
Augusta Republican and chairwoman of the House panel. Williams 
recommended the full contents of the House bill be placed into the 
Senate bill.

The joint negotiation 
adjourned before any counter offers or decisions were made, but 
lawmakers will again gather Wednesday to continue deliberations. A 
concern that the Student Empowerment Act and a tax credit to benefit 
private schools would be stackable is among issues the joint panel is 
set to address.

Under the tax credit 
section, the bill would reimburse organizations that grant scholarships 
for private schools up to $8,000 in tax credits per student per year. 
The proposed measure would greatly expand eligibility for the program by
 removing a provision that students must be in the 100 worst-performing 
public schools and adding students eligible for free and reduced-price 
lunch.

“What if a student is in a
 private school, taking some classes in the public school because the 
private school cannot provide them, and the teacher or district 
recommends to the parent that that student is eligible,” said Rep. 
Valdenia Winn, D-Kansas City, Kansas. “Is there any language in the bill
 that would keep that student eligible?”

The revisor’s office 
confirmed if a student were enrolled in public school part-time and they
 qualify for free or reduced-price meals or at-risk services, the 
student would be eligible for these programs.

Another clause limiting 
funding for remote learners to that of virtual school — $5,000 — rather 
than the usual finance formula for in-person instruction raised some 
eyebrows among Democrats and public education advocates. The bill would 
define a “remotely enrolled student” as a student who, during a state of
 disaster declaration, attended classes remotely for more than 240 
school term hours or more than 40 hours when no disaster has been 
declared.

Mark Tallman, of the 
Kansas Association of School Boards, said accountability for remote 
learning is understandable, but funding students as if they attend 
virtual school is not adequate. He said virtual schools are designed for
 students who seldom attend in person.

“It seems to us that this 
is reacting against concerns about this pandemic but could shut other 
flexibility for students when we’re looking at school redesign, those 
kinds of things,” Tallman said. One of the things that I think districts
 are trying to experiment with is to say, if you’ve got a child who can 
be successful … in a different environment, and if we can find ways to 
put in good accountability, why shouldn’t we be able to do that?”

A second meeting of the 
two chambers to reconcile differences between a House Bill 2397 
proposing a 2% cut across all state departments, including K-12 
education, and Senate Bill 267, which puts off allocating $570 million 
in K-12 funding until May, also took place Tuesday.

Legislators remain divided on all but one provision of school funding issues and will work to find common ground Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617820286358.png" alt="Sen. Molly Baumgardner, left and Rep. Kirstey Williams, right, brought their respective education committees together Tuesday to begin discussion of public education proposals. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Molly Baumgardner, left and Rep. Kirstey Williams, right, brought their respective education committees together Tuesday to begin discussion of public education proposals. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/07/house-and-senate-negotiators-begin-wrangling-over-kansas-k-12-budget-and-policies/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas Republican
 legislators from the House and Senate remain largely divided on several
 proposed budget and policy elements of K-12 public education in the 
state.Members of the House K-12 
Education Budget Committee and the Senate Education Committee met 
Tuesday to negotiate elements of House Bill 2119, a measure with 
wide-ranging impacts on education policy and the public school budget. 
The bill narrowly passed the House last week despite bipartisan concerns
 over several provisions.Representatives expressed 
uneasiness around the Student Empowerment Act and asked that their 
concerns be ironed out when the two chambers met. The act would take the
 standard per-pupil aid normally given to public schools and place it 
into an education savings account for students designated as “at-risk” 
to use for private school tuition and other education-adjacent expenses.The bill would also fully 
fund public education as requested in the governor’s budget for 2021 and
 2022. In 2023, the measure would remove a funding formula provision 
giving additional budget weighting to students in districts with a high 
number of at-risk students per square mile.While there are some 
provisions contained in the bill yet to be heard in the Senate committee
 — including the Student Empowerment Act — there is some overlap that 
should allow for a successful negotiation, said Sen. Molly Baumgardner, a
 Louisburg Republican and chairwoman of the Senate Education panel. 
Still, Baumgardner identified certain key aspects she would like to see 
included in the final package, including the Promise Act, which would 
provide postsecondary educational scholarships for certain two-year 
associate degrees and technical education programs.“If we’re looking at 
something that is kind of a mega education bill, then we do have to 
absolutely be looking at the Promise Act and concurrent enrollment,” 
Baumgardner said. “We have such significant funding going for high 
density at-risk and at-risk for our schools and our kids. And so, we 
really do like the guardrails that we have in our Senate Bill 173. We’ll
 want to see some of those things.”In a packed committee room
 with several stakeholders, members of the Senate committee received the
 initial recommendation on the bill from Rep. Kristey Williams, an 
Augusta Republican and chairwoman of the House panel. Williams 
recommended the full contents of the House bill be placed into the 
Senate bill.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617820346165.jpeg" alt="Rep. Valdenia Winn, D-Kansas City, Kansas, asked legislative staff about a hypothetical situation for partly enrolled public school students and their eligibility for these programs. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Valdenia Winn, D-Kansas City, Kansas, asked legislative staff about a hypothetical situation for partly enrolled public school students and their eligibility for these programs. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>The joint negotiation 
adjourned before any counter offers or decisions were made, but 
lawmakers will again gather Wednesday to continue deliberations. A 
concern that the Student Empowerment Act and a tax credit to benefit 
private schools would be stackable is among issues the joint panel is 
set to address.Under the tax credit 
section, the bill would reimburse organizations that grant scholarships 
for private schools up to $8,000 in tax credits per student per year. 
The proposed measure would greatly expand eligibility for the program by
 removing a provision that students must be in the 100 worst-performing 
public schools and adding students eligible for free and reduced-price 
lunch.“What if a student is in a
 private school, taking some classes in the public school because the 
private school cannot provide them, and the teacher or district 
recommends to the parent that that student is eligible,” said Rep. 
Valdenia Winn, D-Kansas City, Kansas. “Is there any language in the bill
 that would keep that student eligible?”The revisor’s office 
confirmed if a student were enrolled in public school part-time and they
 qualify for free or reduced-price meals or at-risk services, the 
student would be eligible for these programs.Another clause limiting 
funding for remote learners to that of virtual school — $5,000 — rather 
than the usual finance formula for in-person instruction raised some 
eyebrows among Democrats and public education advocates. The bill would 
define a “remotely enrolled student” as a student who, during a state of
 disaster declaration, attended classes remotely for more than 240 
school term hours or more than 40 hours when no disaster has been 
declared.Mark Tallman, of the 
Kansas Association of School Boards, said accountability for remote 
learning is understandable, but funding students as if they attend 
virtual school is not adequate. He said virtual schools are designed for
 students who seldom attend in person.“It seems to us that this 
is reacting against concerns about this pandemic but could shut other 
flexibility for students when we’re looking at school redesign, those 
kinds of things,” Tallman said. One of the things that I think districts
 are trying to experiment with is to say, if you’ve got a child who can 
be successful … in a different environment, and if we can find ways to 
put in good accountability, why shouldn’t we be able to do that?”A second meeting of the 
two chambers to reconcile differences between a House Bill 2397 
proposing a 2% cut across all state departments, including K-12 
education, and Senate Bill 267, which puts off allocating $570 million 
in K-12 funding until May, also took place Tuesday.Legislators remain divided on all but one provision of school funding issues and will work to find common ground Wednesday.

Legislative negotiators begin wrangling over Kan. K-12 budget, policies

KANSAS CITY—Officers rescued children from a wrecked vehicle after the driver pointed a gun around the inside of the car.

Just before 10p.m. Tuesday, police got called to a car crashed into a pole at 27th&nbsp;and Cleveland, according to a media release.

 When they arrived, they saw the driver pointing a gun inside the car. She was staring blankly and appeared to be impaired. 

Officers also saw two children in the back seat, later determined to be ages 6 and 9. The officers immediately retreated behind their vehicle for cover. They called for additional officers and a sergeant.

No one exited the wrecked vehicle when officers asked them to. After a short period of time, one of the officers saw that the woman was no longer holding the gun. They knew they had to get the children out of the dangerous situation, so they approached the car with ballistic shields. They were able to use these to take custody of the woman without incident. Then they safely removed the children from the vehicle.

Officers found what appeared to be PCP inside the vehicle, as well as drug paraphernalia from other types of narcotics. The children told officers their mother had used drugs earlier in the day. Police also found a pistol and 64 rounds of ammunition.

The woman is in custody for investigation of child endangerment. The children were taken into protective custody by the Division of Family Services.

KANSAS CITY—Officers rescued children from a wrecked vehicle after the driver pointed a gun around the inside of the car.Just before 10p.m. Tuesday, police got called to a car crashed into a pole at 27th&nbsp;and Cleveland, according to a media release. When they arrived, they saw the driver pointing a gun inside the car. She was staring blankly and appeared to be impaired. Officers also saw two children in the back seat, later determined to be ages 6 and 9. The officers immediately retreated behind their vehicle for cover. They called for additional officers and a sergeant.No one exited the wrecked vehicle when officers asked them to. After a short period of time, one of the officers saw that the woman was no longer holding the gun. They knew they had to get the children out of the dangerous situation, so they approached the car with ballistic shields. They were able to use these to take custody of the woman without incident. Then they safely removed the children from the vehicle.Officers found what appeared to be PCP inside the vehicle, as well as drug paraphernalia from other types of narcotics. The children told officers their mother had used drugs earlier in the day. Police also found a pistol and 64 rounds of ammunition.The woman is in custody for investigation of child endangerment. The children were taken into protective custody by the Division of Family Services.

KC police rescue children from armed, impaired parent 

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/06/senators-forge-bipartisan-deal-to-aid-kansas-businesses-impacted-by-pandemic/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A new Senate plan
 would redirect a portion of federal COVID-19 aid from the state and 
counties to small businesses impacted by public health orders during the
 pandemic.

The bipartisan compromise 
between Sen. Mark Steffen, a Hutchinson Republican, and Sen. Tom 
Holland, a Baldwin City Democrat, emerged during a committee hearing 
Tuesday. The conceptual deal is still being drafted with hopes of 
advancing formal legislation before the Legislature adjourns at the end 
of the week.

The Steffen-Holland plan 
would be inserted into Senate Bill 149, one of several pieces of 
legislation that were crafted to punish counties for imposing shutdowns,
 social distancing or mask mandates on businesses. Other ideas have 
called for a portion of federal aid to be set aside to settle 
class-action lawsuits from businesses.

Holland said the goal of 
the new plan is to avoid placing blame on officials for restricting 
business but still “recognize your pain” and provide some tax relief. 
The plan retains proactive protections for businesses from future 
restrictions.

Under the proposal, 
businesses could apply to the Kansas Department of Revenue for up to 
$7,500 in lease and property tax refunds. The state and county where the
 businesses is located would split the bill evenly, using federal 
COVID-19 aid.

The plan limits the scope 
of who is eligible based on the size and type of business, and how long 
the business was shut down or adversely affected.

For-profit businesses with
 a majority of retail sales at a physical location could apply for a 
refund if they reported between $10,000 and $2.5 million in 2019 revenue
 and haven’t received more than $350,000 in pandemic-related funding 
already.

The senators produced a 
list of businesses who would be excluded from receiving aid because they
 “made out like bandits and they really don’t need this relief anyway,” 
Holland said. Those businesses include grocery, hardware and retail 
liquor stores, manufacturers, cable and telephone companies, utilities, 
schools, health care providers, property management, professional 
services, agriculture producers, and financial institutions.

Steffen proposed clarifying the language to ensure agriculture producers who operate a storefront would still be eligible.

“In my area, we do have 
those farmers and ranchers who do vertically integrate all right their 
on their farm, and I don’t think they should be excluded,” Steffen said.

Among other requirements 
for the program, businesses must be in good standing with the Secretary 
of State and up to date on property tax bills.

Holland, without saying names, referenced Kansas Reflector stories about fitness club magnate Rodney Steven being <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/02/09/tax-break-seeking-health-club-kingpin-delinquent-on-at-least-549000-in-property-tax-payments/">delinquent on $549,000 in past property tax payments</a> while exerting influence over lawmakers in <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/04/six-state-fitness-club-kingpin-aims-tax-inequity-allegations-at-kansas-nonprofits/">pursuit of a niche tax break</a>. The state shouldn’t reward people who aren’t paying their taxes, Holland said.

“People who are in good 
faith, properly registered, honestly running a business — they should 
get the relief, not somebody trying to figure out how to shake a few 
coins out at the last second,” Holland said.

Sherman Smith has written award-winning news stories about the instability of the Kansas foster care system, misconduct by government officials, sexual abuse, technology, education, and the Legislature. He spent 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal, where he started on the copy desk, then oversaw digital operations, was the managing editor and reported from the Statehouse.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617803132730.png" alt="Sen. Tom Holland says a new bipartisan deal avoids blaming officials for imposing public health orders but recognizes the pain felt by businesses during the pandemic. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Tom Holland says a new bipartisan deal avoids blaming officials for imposing public health orders but recognizes the pain felt by businesses during the pandemic. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/06/senators-forge-bipartisan-deal-to-aid-kansas-businesses-impacted-by-pandemic/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A new Senate plan
 would redirect a portion of federal COVID-19 aid from the state and 
counties to small businesses impacted by public health orders during the
 pandemic.The bipartisan compromise 
between Sen. Mark Steffen, a Hutchinson Republican, and Sen. Tom 
Holland, a Baldwin City Democrat, emerged during a committee hearing 
Tuesday. The conceptual deal is still being drafted with hopes of 
advancing formal legislation before the Legislature adjourns at the end 
of the week.The Steffen-Holland plan 
would be inserted into Senate Bill 149, one of several pieces of 
legislation that were crafted to punish counties for imposing shutdowns,
 social distancing or mask mandates on businesses. Other ideas have 
called for a portion of federal aid to be set aside to settle 
class-action lawsuits from businesses.Holland said the goal of 
the new plan is to avoid placing blame on officials for restricting 
business but still “recognize your pain” and provide some tax relief. 
The plan retains proactive protections for businesses from future 
restrictions.Under the proposal, 
businesses could apply to the Kansas Department of Revenue for up to 
$7,500 in lease and property tax refunds. The state and county where the
 businesses is located would split the bill evenly, using federal 
COVID-19 aid.The plan limits the scope 
of who is eligible based on the size and type of business, and how long 
the business was shut down or adversely affected.For-profit businesses with
 a majority of retail sales at a physical location could apply for a 
refund if they reported between $10,000 and $2.5 million in 2019 revenue
 and haven’t received more than $350,000 in pandemic-related funding 
already.The senators produced a 
list of businesses who would be excluded from receiving aid because they
 “made out like bandits and they really don’t need this relief anyway,” 
Holland said. Those businesses include grocery, hardware and retail 
liquor stores, manufacturers, cable and telephone companies, utilities, 
schools, health care providers, property management, professional 
services, agriculture producers, and financial institutions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617803194849.png" alt="Sen. Mark Steffen says farmers and ranchers who operate storefronts should still be eligible to receive COVID-19 relief aid through a proposed new program. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Mark Steffen says farmers and ranchers who operate storefronts should still be eligible to receive COVID-19 relief aid through a proposed new program. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Steffen proposed clarifying the language to ensure agriculture producers who operate a storefront would still be eligible.“In my area, we do have 
those farmers and ranchers who do vertically integrate all right their 
on their farm, and I don’t think they should be excluded,” Steffen said.Among other requirements 
for the program, businesses must be in good standing with the Secretary 
of State and up to date on property tax bills.Holland, without saying names, referenced Kansas Reflector stories about fitness club magnate Rodney Steven being <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/02/09/tax-break-seeking-health-club-kingpin-delinquent-on-at-least-549000-in-property-tax-payments/">delinquent on $549,000 in past property tax payments</a> while exerting influence over lawmakers in <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/04/six-state-fitness-club-kingpin-aims-tax-inequity-allegations-at-kansas-nonprofits/">pursuit of a niche tax break</a>. The state shouldn’t reward people who aren’t paying their taxes, Holland said.“People who are in good 
faith, properly registered, honestly running a business — they should 
get the relief, not somebody trying to figure out how to shake a few 
coins out at the last second,” Holland said.Sherman Smith has written award-winning news stories about the instability of the Kansas foster care system, misconduct by government officials, sexual abuse, technology, education, and the Legislature. He spent 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal, where he started on the copy desk, then oversaw digital operations, was the managing editor and reported from the Statehouse.

Senators forge bipartisan deal to aid Kan. businesses impacted by pandemic

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Authorities say Tiger Woods was speeding when he crashed an SUV in Southern California less than two months ago, leaving him seriously injured.

(Click below to watch the LA County Sheriff's press conference)&nbsp;

The golf superstar was driving 84 to 87 mph on a downhill stretch of road outside Los Angeles that had a speed limit of 45 mph, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Wednesday.

The stretch of road is known for wrecks and drivers hitting speeds so high that there is an emergency exit for runaway vehicles just beyond where Woods crashed.

Villanueva blamed the Feb. 23 crash solely on excessive speed and Woods’ loss of control behind the wheel.

Detectives did not seek search warrants for the athlete’s blood samples, which could have been screened for drugs or alcohol. Investigators, however, did search the SUV’s data recorder, known as a black box, in the days after the crash.

Woods is in Florida recovering from multiple surgeries.

Originally from the Los Angeles area, Woods had been back home in February to host his PGA tournament, the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club.

He was driving an SUV loaned to him by the tournament when he struck a raised median. The SUV crossed through two oncoming lanes and uprooted a tree.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614166677367.png" alt="The vehicle following the February 2021 rollover accident involving Tiger Woods in a suburb of Los Angeles. photos courtesy KTLA" />
 <figcaption>The vehicle following the February 2021 rollover accident involving Tiger Woods in a suburb of Los Angeles. photos courtesy KTLA</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Authorities say Tiger Woods was speeding when he crashed an SUV in Southern California less than two months ago, leaving him seriously injured.(Click below to watch the LA County Sheriff's press conference)&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FLosAngelesCountySheriffsDepartment%2Fvideos%2F900067394110637%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The golf superstar was driving 84 to 87 mph on a downhill stretch of road outside Los Angeles that had a speed limit of 45 mph, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Wednesday.The stretch of road is known for wrecks and drivers hitting speeds so high that there is an emergency exit for runaway vehicles just beyond where Woods crashed.Villanueva blamed the Feb. 23 crash solely on excessive speed and Woods’ loss of control behind the wheel.Detectives did not seek search warrants for the athlete’s blood samples, which could have been screened for drugs or alcohol. Investigators, however, did search the SUV’s data recorder, known as a black box, in the days after the crash.Woods is in Florida recovering from multiple surgeries.Originally from the Los Angeles area, Woods had been back home in February to host his PGA tournament, the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614112921996.png" alt="The sheriff blamed the Feb. 23 crash solely on excessive speed and Woods’ loss of control behind the wheel -photo courtesy KTLA" />
 <figcaption>The sheriff blamed the Feb. 23 crash solely on excessive speed and Woods’ loss of control behind the wheel -photo courtesy KTLA</figcaption>
 </figure>He was driving an SUV loaned to him by the tournament when he struck a raised median. The SUV crossed through two oncoming lanes and uprooted a tree.

🎥 Tiger Woods was going 83 in 45mph zone before crash

RUSSELL – A Kansas man has been sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison for the&nbsp;second-degree murder and abuse of a child,&nbsp;Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said Wednesday in a news release.

Jody Steven Fox, 29, Russell, was sentenced April 5 by Senior Judge Edward Bouker in Russell County District Court. 

Fox pleaded no contest to the death of a 14-month-old child in 2017. He was sentenced to 200 months in prison for second-degree murder and 34 months for child abuse to be served consecutively. Fox was also ordered to register as a violent offender for 15 years after his release.

The mother of the child, Brandi Niehoff, entered a no contest plea in December 2020 to aggravated child endangerment and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 13.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617817596757.png" alt="Fox -photo Russell County" />
 <figcaption>Fox -photo Russell County</figcaption>
 </figure>RUSSELL – A Kansas man has been sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison for the&nbsp;second-degree murder and abuse of a child,&nbsp;Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said Wednesday in a news release.Jody Steven Fox, 29, Russell, was sentenced April 5 by Senior Judge Edward Bouker in Russell County District Court. Fox pleaded no contest to the death of a 14-month-old child in 2017. He was sentenced to 200 months in prison for second-degree murder and 34 months for child abuse to be served consecutively. Fox was also ordered to register as a violent offender for 15 years after his release.The mother of the child, Brandi Niehoff, entered a no contest plea in December 2020 to aggravated child endangerment and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 13.

Kan. man sentenced for murder, abuse of toddler 

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 540 to a total of 303,767, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 4932, an increase of 5.

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

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

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 540 to a total of 303,767, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 4932, an increase of 5.<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617815409873.png" alt="Wednesday April 7, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday April 7, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man arrested in connection with New Year's Day murder made his first court appearance Tuesday.

Noah Martin, 19 of Wichita, is charged with recruiting criminal street gang membership and 2nd degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 12:05 a.m. New Year's Day, officers responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of South Ida in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson..&nbsp; A citizen called and reported hearing shots and a man lying on the sidewalk.

Upon officers arriving, they located 22-year-old Gabriel Campos-Torres, who had been shot.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene, according to Davidson.

Through the investigation, an additional crime scene was located at a home in the 1200 block of South Laura, where Campos-Torres was shot.&nbsp; Investigators also learned that then 18-year-old Noah Martin and a 16-year-old were involved in the shooting.&nbsp; They were located at the home on Laura and arrested.&nbsp; Officers also recovered a firearms inside of the home.

Last month, investigators developed new information that implicated Martin's sister 21-year-old Isabel Diane Leeann Martin in the murder.&nbsp; Police arrested her. She is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.

Noah Martin's next court appearance is set for April 22, according to the district attorney. His bond is $300,000.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police say a 21-year-old woman has been arrested in a Jan. 1 killing near downtown Wichita. 

Isabel Diane Leeann Martin was arrested Monday on suspicion of first-degree murder. She is the third person arrested in the death of 22-year-old Gabriel Campos-Torres. 

He was found shot early Jan. 1 and died at the scene. Martin also was arrested in an unrelated case of recruiting gang members. Police had previously arrested her brother 19-year-old Noah Martin of Wichita and a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of second-degree murder in the killing. 

Police spokesperson Charley Davidson said investigators developed new information that implicated Isabel Martin in the shooting.&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have made two arrests.

Just after 12:05 a.m. Friday, officers responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of South Ida in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson..&nbsp; A citizen called and reported hearing shots and a man lying on the sidewalk.

Through the investigation, an additional crime scene was located at a home in the 1200 block of South Laura, where Campos-Torres was shot.&nbsp; Investigators also learned that 18-year-old Noah Martin and a 16-year-old were involved in the shooting.&nbsp; They were located at the home on Laura and arrested.&nbsp; Officers also recovered a firearms inside of the home.

Martin of Wichita is being <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20065752">held on a requested</a> charge of 2nd-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm.&nbsp; The 16-year-old boy is being held a requested charge of 2nd-degree murder, according to Davidson.

The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609538313369.png" alt="Martin photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Martin photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man arrested in connection with New Year's Day murder made his first court appearance Tuesday.Noah Martin, 19 of Wichita, is charged with recruiting criminal street gang membership and 2nd degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just after 12:05 a.m. New Year's Day, officers responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of South Ida in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson..&nbsp; A citizen called and reported hearing shots and a man lying on the sidewalk.Upon officers arriving, they located 22-year-old Gabriel Campos-Torres, who had been shot.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene, according to Davidson.Through the investigation, an additional crime scene was located at a home in the 1200 block of South Laura, where Campos-Torres was shot.&nbsp; Investigators also learned that then 18-year-old Noah Martin and a 16-year-old were involved in the shooting.&nbsp; They were located at the home on Laura and arrested.&nbsp; Officers also recovered a firearms inside of the home.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617135091618.png" alt="Martin photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Martin photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Last month, investigators developed new information that implicated Martin's sister 21-year-old Isabel Diane Leeann Martin in the murder.&nbsp; Police arrested her. She is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.Noah Martin's next court appearance is set for April 22, according to the district attorney. His bond is $300,000.---------------WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police say a 21-year-old woman has been arrested in a Jan. 1 killing near downtown Wichita. Isabel Diane Leeann Martin was arrested Monday on suspicion of first-degree murder. She is the third person arrested in the death of 22-year-old Gabriel Campos-Torres. He was found shot early Jan. 1 and died at the scene. Martin also was arrested in an unrelated case of recruiting gang members. Police had previously arrested her brother 19-year-old Noah Martin of Wichita and a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of second-degree murder in the killing. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609538313369.png" alt="Martin photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Martin photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Police spokesperson Charley Davidson said investigators developed new information that implicated Isabel Martin in the shooting.&nbsp;----------SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have made two arrests.Just after 12:05 a.m. Friday, officers responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of South Ida in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson..&nbsp; A citizen called and reported hearing shots and a man lying on the sidewalk.Upon officers arriving, they located 22-year-old Gabriel Campos-Torres, who had been shot.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene, according to Davidson.Through the investigation, an additional crime scene was located at a home in the 1200 block of South Laura, where Campos-Torres was shot.&nbsp; Investigators also learned that 18-year-old Noah Martin and a 16-year-old were involved in the shooting.&nbsp; They were located at the home on Laura and arrested.&nbsp; Officers also recovered a firearms inside of the home.Martin of Wichita is being <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20065752">held on a requested</a> charge of 2nd-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm.&nbsp; The 16-year-old boy is being held a requested charge of 2nd-degree murder, according to Davidson.The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

Kansas teen charged in New Year's Day murder

By SARAH JANE TRIBBLE <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2021-04-01/it-didnt-really-stick-with-me-understanding-the-rural-shrug-over-covid-and-vaccines">Kaiser Health News</a>

FORT SCOTT — At 70, Linda Findley has long been active in her small town of Fort 
Scott, Kansas, which sits more than an hour away from any major city.

Findley, whose husband <a href="https://khn.org/news/podcast-where-it-hurts-no-mercy-fort-scott-kansas-air-ambulances-emergency-care-rural-hospital-closes/" target="_blank">died in an accident</a>
 just after the local hospital closed, helps with the Elks and 
fundraising, and — like many people in this part of the country — 
doesn’t think COVID-19 is that dangerous.

“I don’t even know what I
 think about it,” Findley said recently. “I don’t know if I trust the 
testing because it’s so messed up or … I’ve had nieces and nephews, 
that’ve had it. I’ve lost good friends to it, or supposedly it’s to 
that.”

Findley said she just isn’t sure that every case reported 
as the coronavirus really is the virus: “Everything seems to be 
coronavirus. I mean, it’s just … no matter what somebody has, it’s 
coronavirus. I don’t know whether it is or isn’t.”

Fort Scott is one of <a href="https://www.shepscenter.unc.edu/programs-projects/rural-health/rural-hospital-closures/" target="_blank">nearly 140 rural communities</a> that have lost a hospital in the past decade. Mercy Hospital Fort Scott closed in December 2018.

Even
 though critically ill patients now must travel to hospitals farther 
away, Fort Scott residents haven’t seen that as a pandemic-related 
problem. Rather, not having a hospital doesn’t really come up when 
people here talk about COVID.

Dave Martin, the former city manager, is pretty sure he caught COVID at work last August.

“You
 know, when I got it, I was in good health and it did take me a while to
 recover,” Martin said. “I do remember waking up one of my bad nights 
and thinking, when I was running a temperature and not feeling very 
well. And I’m thinking, ‘Oh, wow, this could kill me.’”

But Martin
 also thought that any number of unpredictable events could end a 
person’s life. “So it didn’t really stick with me,” he said.

After
 recovering, the 62-year-old Martin went ahead with his retirement. He 
took his wife to Disney World and then they hiked Yellowstone National 
Park.

That casual attitude toward the dangers of COVID worries 
health care leaders in Fort Scott. Jason Wesco helps lead the regional 
health center that took over primary care services when the hospital 
closed. One clinic occupies part of the same building that used to be 
Mercy Hospital.

Wesco said his family is careful about wearing 
masks and not gathering in groups, and he believes they are in the 
minority in the area.

“I think most people just keep going. They 
have maybe modified a little bit. Maybe they put on a mask in public,” 
Wesco said. “I think life here has changed a lot less than it’s changed 
in D.C. And I think we’re seeing the impact of that, right?”

The pandemic hit the area hard in the fall, peaking in late December.

One in 11 people in Bourbon County, where Fort Scott is the largest community, has been infected by COVID, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/bourbon-kansas-covid-cases.html?action=click&amp;module=covid_tracking&amp;pgtype=Interactive&amp;region=TableRowLink" target="_blank">national analysis</a>.

Two
 dozen of the county’s 14,000 residents have died of COVID. And most 
people know someone who had the virus and survived — but residents just 
seem tired of talking about it.

Community volunteer Findley said she won’t get a vaccine.

“How did they come up with a vaccine that quickly? And how do they even know for sure it’s even working?” Findley wondered.

The
 three vaccines approved by federal regulators in the U.S. are being 
given out to millions, and their efficacy has been shown through massive
 clinical trials in the U.S. and globally.

But Findley’s 
skepticism is fairly common in southeastern Kansas and across rural 
America. Nationwide, a smaller share of rural residents say they will 
definitely get a COVID shot compared with their more urban counterparts.
 More than a third, 35%, of those who live outside big-city borders said
 they would probably not or definitely not get vaccinated, compared with
 about a quarter of suburban and urban residents, according to <a href="https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/poll-finding/vaccine-hesitancy-in-rural-america/" target="_blank">a poll</a> by KFF. (KHN is an editorially independent program of the foundation.) An NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist Poll found that <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/03/12/976172586/little-difference-in-vaccine-hesitancy-among-white-and-black-americans-poll-find" target="_blank">47% of Trump supporters</a> said they would not get a vaccine; <a href="https://apps.npr.org/elections20-interactive/#/states/KS/P" target="_blank">75% of Bourbon County residents</a> voted for Trump in 2020.

Factors
 such as age and occupation also play a role in attitudes toward the 
vaccines. And — as Findley and others in Fort Scott noted — rural 
Americans are more likely to think of getting a vaccine as a personal 
choice and believe the seriousness of COVID is exaggerated in the news.

Findley
 said she believes that there is a very bad virus, but also that the 
media have brainwashed people. The news has “everybody running scared,” 
she said. “I don’t know why they want to do that, but that’s what I feel
 like.”

About 50% of rural residents say the seriousness of the 
coronavirus is generally exaggerated in the news, according to the KFF 
poll. And 62% see getting the vaccine as a personal choice — rather than
 a necessary social obligation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617718187564.png" alt="Linda Findley' stands in her husband Robert Findley's auto body shop in Ft. Scott, KS. Robert Findley fell on the ice during a winter storm and delayed care because of the distance to a hospital led to Robert's death. Christopher Smith/For Kaiser Health News" />
 <figcaption>Linda Findley' stands in her husband Robert Findley's auto body shop in Ft. Scott, KS. Robert Findley fell on the ice during a winter storm and delayed care because of the distance to a hospital led to Robert's death. Christopher Smith/For Kaiser Health News</figcaption>
 </figure>By SARAH JANE TRIBBLE <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2021-04-01/it-didnt-really-stick-with-me-understanding-the-rural-shrug-over-covid-and-vaccines">Kaiser Health News</a>FORT SCOTT — At 70, Linda Findley has long been active in her small town of Fort 
Scott, Kansas, which sits more than an hour away from any major city.Findley, whose husband <a href="https://khn.org/news/podcast-where-it-hurts-no-mercy-fort-scott-kansas-air-ambulances-emergency-care-rural-hospital-closes/" target="_blank">died in an accident</a>
 just after the local hospital closed, helps with the Elks and 
fundraising, and — like many people in this part of the country — 
doesn’t think COVID-19 is that dangerous.“I don’t even know what I
 think about it,” Findley said recently. “I don’t know if I trust the 
testing because it’s so messed up or … I’ve had nieces and nephews, 
that’ve had it. I’ve lost good friends to it, or supposedly it’s to 
that.”Findley said she just isn’t sure that every case reported 
as the coronavirus really is the virus: “Everything seems to be 
coronavirus. I mean, it’s just … no matter what somebody has, it’s 
coronavirus. I don’t know whether it is or isn’t.”Fort Scott is one of <a href="https://www.shepscenter.unc.edu/programs-projects/rural-health/rural-hospital-closures/" target="_blank">nearly 140 rural communities</a> that have lost a hospital in the past decade. Mercy Hospital Fort Scott closed in December 2018.Even
 though critically ill patients now must travel to hospitals farther 
away, Fort Scott residents haven’t seen that as a pandemic-related 
problem. Rather, not having a hospital doesn’t really come up when 
people here talk about COVID.Dave Martin, the former city manager, is pretty sure he caught COVID at work last August.“You
 know, when I got it, I was in good health and it did take me a while to
 recover,” Martin said. “I do remember waking up one of my bad nights 
and thinking, when I was running a temperature and not feeling very 
well. And I’m thinking, ‘Oh, wow, this could kill me.’”But Martin
 also thought that any number of unpredictable events could end a 
person’s life. “So it didn’t really stick with me,” he said.After
 recovering, the 62-year-old Martin went ahead with his retirement. He 
took his wife to Disney World and then they hiked Yellowstone National 
Park.That casual attitude toward the dangers of COVID worries 
health care leaders in Fort Scott. Jason Wesco helps lead the regional 
health center that took over primary care services when the hospital 
closed. One clinic occupies part of the same building that used to be 
Mercy Hospital.Wesco said his family is careful about wearing 
masks and not gathering in groups, and he believes they are in the 
minority in the area.“I think most people just keep going. They 
have maybe modified a little bit. Maybe they put on a mask in public,” 
Wesco said. “I think life here has changed a lot less than it’s changed 
in D.C. And I think we’re seeing the impact of that, right?”The pandemic hit the area hard in the fall, peaking in late December.One in 11 people in Bourbon County, where Fort Scott is the largest community, has been infected by COVID, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/bourbon-kansas-covid-cases.html?action=click&amp;module=covid_tracking&amp;pgtype=Interactive&amp;region=TableRowLink" target="_blank">national analysis</a>.Two
 dozen of the county’s 14,000 residents have died of COVID. And most 
people know someone who had the virus and survived — but residents just 
seem tired of talking about it.Community volunteer Findley said she won’t get a vaccine.“How did they come up with a vaccine that quickly? And how do they even know for sure it’s even working?” Findley wondered.The
 three vaccines approved by federal regulators in the U.S. are being 
given out to millions, and their efficacy has been shown through massive
 clinical trials in the U.S. and globally.But Findley’s 
skepticism is fairly common in southeastern Kansas and across rural 
America. Nationwide, a smaller share of rural residents say they will 
definitely get a COVID shot compared with their more urban counterparts.
 More than a third, 35%, of those who live outside big-city borders said
 they would probably not or definitely not get vaccinated, compared with
 about a quarter of suburban and urban residents, according to <a href="https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/poll-finding/vaccine-hesitancy-in-rural-america/" target="_blank">a poll</a> by KFF. (KHN is an editorially independent program of the foundation.) An NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist Poll found that <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/03/12/976172586/little-difference-in-vaccine-hesitancy-among-white-and-black-americans-poll-find" target="_blank">47% of Trump supporters</a> said they would not get a vaccine; <a href="https://apps.npr.org/elections20-interactive/#/states/KS/P" target="_blank">75% of Bourbon County residents</a> voted for Trump in 2020.Factors
 such as age and occupation also play a role in attitudes toward the 
vaccines. And — as Findley and others in Fort Scott noted — rural 
Americans are more likely to think of getting a vaccine as a personal 
choice and believe the seriousness of COVID is exaggerated in the news.Findley
 said she believes that there is a very bad virus, but also that the 
media have brainwashed people. The news has “everybody running scared,” 
she said. “I don’t know why they want to do that, but that’s what I feel
 like.”About 50% of rural residents say the seriousness of the 
coronavirus is generally exaggerated in the news, according to the KFF 
poll. And 62% see getting the vaccine as a personal choice — rather than
 a necessary social obligation.Wesco, executive vice president of
 the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, said he has hope more 
area residents will begin to see the vaccines as necessary.“There’s hesitancy,” Wesco said, adding that he believes hesitancy is declining as vaccines become more abundant.When
 residents are directly provided the opportunity to get a vaccine, they 
consider it more seriously, he said. And the more people they know who 
have gotten a vaccine, the more likely they will be to get a shot.The
 Community Health Center, like other health centers nationwide, is 
receiving direct federal shipments of vaccines. Currently, the clinic 
has a waitlist and is giving out as many doses as it can get its hands 
on.Sarah Jane Tribble is reporter and host of “<a href="https://www.npr.org/podcasts/915395193/where-it-hurts#:~:text=Where%20It%20Hurts%20Place%2Dbased,Louis%20Public%20Radio." target="_blank">Where It Hurts</a>,”
 a narrative podcast created by Kaiser Health News and St. Louis Public 
Radio about the people of Fort Scott and how their health care 
transformed after the hospital closed. “Where It Hurts” is available 
wherever you get your podcasts.