WASHINGTON (AP)—Four men described as leaders of the far-right Proud Boys have been charged in the U.S. Capitol riots, as an indictment ordered unsealed on Friday presents fresh evidence of how federal officials believe group members planned and carried out a coordinated attack to stop Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s electoral victory.

So far, at least 19 leaders, members or associates of the neo-fascist Proud Boys have been charged in federal court with offenses related to the Jan. 6 riots. The latest indictment suggests the Proud Boys deployed a much larger contingent in Washington, with over 60 users “participating in” an encrypted messaging channel for group members that was created a day before the riots.

The Proud Boys abandoned an earlier channel and created the new “Boots on the Ground” channel after police arrested the group's top leader, Enrique Tarrio, in Washington. Tarrio was arrested on Jan. 4 and charged with vandalizing a Black Lives Matter banner at a historic Black church during a protest in December. He was ordered to stay out of the District of Columbia.

Tarrio hasn't been charged in connection with the riots, but the latest indictment refers to him by his title as Proud Boys' chairman.

Ethan Nordean and Joseph Biggs, two of the four defendants charged in the latest indictment, were arrested several weeks ago on separate but related charges. The new indictment also charges Zachary Rehl and Charles Donohoe.

Nordean, 30, of Auburn, Washington, was a Proud Boys chapter president and member of the group’s national “Elders Council.” Biggs, 37, of Ormond Beach,&nbsp;Florida, is a self-described Proud Boys organizer. Rehl, 35, of Philadelphia, and Donohoe, 33, of&nbsp;North Carolina, serve as presidents of their local Proud Boys chapters, according to the indictment.

Attorneys for the four men didn't immediately respond to messages seeking comment Friday.

Proud Boys members, who describe themselves as a politically incorrect men’s club for “Western chauvinists,” have frequently engaged in street fights with antifascist activists at rallies and protests. Vice Media co-founder Gavin McInnes, who founded&nbsp; the Proud Boys in 2016, sued the Southern Poverty Law Center for labeling it as a hate group.

The Proud Boys met at the Washington Monument around 10 a.m. on Jan. 6 and marched to the Capitol before then-President Donald Trump finished addressing thousands of supporters near the White House.

Around two hours later, just before Congress convened a joint session to certify the election results, a group of Proud Boys followed a crowd of people who breached barriers at a pedestrian entrance to the Capitol grounds, the indictment says. Several Proud Boys also entered the Capitol building itself after the mob smashed windows and forced open doors.

At 3:38 p.m., Donohoe announced on the “Boots on the Ground” channel that he and others were “regrouping with a second force” as some rioters began to leave the Capitol, according to the indictment.

“This was not simply a march. This was an incredible attack on our institutions of government,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason McCullough said during a recent hearing for Nordean’s case.

Prosecutors have said the Proud Boys arranged for members to communicate using specific frequencies on Baofeng radios. The Chinese-made devices can be programmed for use on hundreds of frequencies, making them difficult for outsiders to eavesdrop.

After Tarrio's arrest, Donohoe expressed concern that their encrypted communications could be “compromised” when police searched the group chairman's phone, according to the new indictment. In a Jan. 4 post on a newly created channel, Donohoe warned members that they could be “looking at Gang charges" and wrote, “Stop everything immediately,” the indictment says.

A day before the riots, Biggs posted on the “Boots on the Ground” channel that the group had a “plan” for the night before and the day of the riots, according to the indictment.

In Nordean’s case, a federal judge accused prosecutors of backtracking on their claims that he instructed Proud Boys members to split up into smaller groups and directed a “strategic plan” to breach the Capitol.

“That’s a far cry from what I heard at the hearing today,” U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell said on March 3.

Howell concluded that Nordean was extensively involved in “pre-planning” for the events of Jan. 6 and that he and other Proud Boys “were clearly prepared for a violent confrontation” that day. However, she said evidence that Nordean directed other Proud Boys members to break into the building is “weak to say the least” and ordered him freed from jail before trial.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616179979394.png" alt="Prosecutors have said the Proud Boys arranged for members to communicate using specific frequencies on Baofeng radios. The Chinese-made devices can be programmed for use on hundreds of frequencies, making them difficult for outsiders to eavesdrop-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Prosecutors have said the Proud Boys arranged for members to communicate using specific frequencies on Baofeng radios. The Chinese-made devices can be programmed for use on hundreds of frequencies, making them difficult for outsiders to eavesdrop-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP)—Four men described as leaders of the far-right Proud Boys have been charged in the U.S. Capitol riots, as an indictment ordered unsealed on Friday presents fresh evidence of how federal officials believe group members planned and carried out a coordinated attack to stop Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s electoral victory.So far, at least 19 leaders, members or associates of the neo-fascist Proud Boys have been charged in federal court with offenses related to the Jan. 6 riots. The latest indictment suggests the Proud Boys deployed a much larger contingent in Washington, with over 60 users “participating in” an encrypted messaging channel for group members that was created a day before the riots.The Proud Boys abandoned an earlier channel and created the new “Boots on the Ground” channel after police arrested the group's top leader, Enrique Tarrio, in Washington. Tarrio was arrested on Jan. 4 and charged with vandalizing a Black Lives Matter banner at a historic Black church during a protest in December. He was ordered to stay out of the District of Columbia.Tarrio hasn't been charged in connection with the riots, but the latest indictment refers to him by his title as Proud Boys' chairman.Ethan Nordean and Joseph Biggs, two of the four defendants charged in the latest indictment, were arrested several weeks ago on separate but related charges. The new indictment also charges Zachary Rehl and Charles Donohoe.Nordean, 30, of Auburn, Washington, was a Proud Boys chapter president and member of the group’s national “Elders Council.” Biggs, 37, of Ormond Beach,&nbsp;Florida, is a self-described Proud Boys organizer. Rehl, 35, of Philadelphia, and Donohoe, 33, of&nbsp;North Carolina, serve as presidents of their local Proud Boys chapters, according to the indictment.Attorneys for the four men didn't immediately respond to messages seeking comment Friday.Proud Boys members, who describe themselves as a politically incorrect men’s club for “Western chauvinists,” have frequently engaged in street fights with antifascist activists at rallies and protests. Vice Media co-founder Gavin McInnes, who founded&nbsp; the Proud Boys in 2016, sued the Southern Poverty Law Center for labeling it as a hate group.The Proud Boys met at the Washington Monument around 10 a.m. on Jan. 6 and marched to the Capitol before then-President Donald Trump finished addressing thousands of supporters near the White House.Around two hours later, just before Congress convened a joint session to certify the election results, a group of Proud Boys followed a crowd of people who breached barriers at a pedestrian entrance to the Capitol grounds, the indictment says. Several Proud Boys also entered the Capitol building itself after the mob smashed windows and forced open doors.At 3:38 p.m., Donohoe announced on the “Boots on the Ground” channel that he and others were “regrouping with a second force” as some rioters began to leave the Capitol, according to the indictment.“This was not simply a march. This was an incredible attack on our institutions of government,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason McCullough said during a recent hearing for Nordean’s case.Prosecutors have said the Proud Boys arranged for members to communicate using specific frequencies on Baofeng radios. The Chinese-made devices can be programmed for use on hundreds of frequencies, making them difficult for outsiders to eavesdrop.After Tarrio's arrest, Donohoe expressed concern that their encrypted communications could be “compromised” when police searched the group chairman's phone, according to the new indictment. In a Jan. 4 post on a newly created channel, Donohoe warned members that they could be “looking at Gang charges" and wrote, “Stop everything immediately,” the indictment says.“This comes from the top,” he added.A day before the riots, Biggs posted on the “Boots on the Ground” channel that the group had a “plan” for the night before and the day of the riots, according to the indictment.In Nordean’s case, a federal judge accused prosecutors of backtracking on their claims that he instructed Proud Boys members to split up into smaller groups and directed a “strategic plan” to breach the Capitol.“That’s a far cry from what I heard at the hearing today,” U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell said on March 3.Howell concluded that Nordean was extensively involved in “pre-planning” for the events of Jan. 6 and that he and other Proud Boys “were clearly prepared for a violent confrontation” that day. However, she said evidence that Nordean directed other Proud Boys members to break into the building is “weak to say the least” and ordered him freed from jail before trial.

4 linked to Proud Boys charged in plot to attack Capitol

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats’ nearly $2 trillion coronavirus relief package includes a big financial incentive for the states that have opted against expanding Medicaid to provide health coverage for more low-income Americans. It’s proving to be a tough sell.

The Associated Press surveyed top Republican elected officials in the dozen states that have resisted expanding coverage under a key provision of former President Barack Obama’s heath care law. Some have softened their opposition, but the key gatekeepers— governors or legislative leaders — indicated they have no plans to change course.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster remains firmly opposed to the Medicaid expansion.

“Gov. McMaster isn’t for sale, regardless of whatever ill-conceived ‘incentives’ congressional Democrats may come up with,” spokesman Brian Symmes said in a statement. “What the federal spending plan does is attempt to offer a short term solution for a long term problem.”

The federal government already pays 90% of the costs of expanding Medicaid coverage to more low-income adults. Thirty-six states have signed on to the expansion. Two more -- Missouri and Oklahoma -- are scheduled to begin their expansions in July.

Under the enticement included in the coronavirus relief bill adopted by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden, the federal government would boost its share of costs in the regular Medicaid program, which offers coverage for the poorest Americans. The bump in federal funding would last two years for the states that join the Medicaid expansion.

An analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation found the additional federal money would cover 150% to 400% of the cost for the holdout states to expand Medicaid, which is jointly funded with federal and state dollars.

In Texas, the incentives would send the state about $5 billion over two years, and the state’s share of expanding coverage would be about $3.1 billion. More than 1.4 million people in the state could become&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/the-coverage-gap-uninsured-poor-adults-in-states-that-do-not-expand-medicaid/" target="_blank">eligible&nbsp;</a>for coverage. For Georgia, the estimate says it would add a net $710 million to state coffers and in Tennessee, $900 million.

“It’s the literal offer you can’t refuse, but let’s see if anyone refuses it, anyway,” said Katherine Hempstead, a senior policy adviser at the nonpartisan Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Through interviews and public statements, AP found little change in the 12 states that have held out against the Medicaid expansion: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

In Mississippi, one of the nation’s poorest states, advocates say up to 300,000 people — about one-tenth of the state’s population — could become eligible for health coverage if the state adopted the expansion.

Gov. Tate Reeves, a Republican, said he’s not going for it, noting that his stance was a major issue in his 2019 campaign. His GOP primary opponents supported a plan to expand, with the state’s share being paid for by hospitals and a fee of up to $20 a month for people who signed up. He opposed it, even as the Mississippi Hospital Association said it could bring up to 19,000 jobs to the state.

“My position has not changed,” he said last week. “I am opposed to expanding Medicaid in Mississippi. I am opposed to Obamacare expansion.”

In three of the states — Kansas, North Carolina and Wisconsin — the Democratic governor favors expansion but can’t convince a Republican-controlled legislature.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelley this year called for legalizing medical use of marijuana and using the tax revenue to pay for expanding Medicaid. But the Republicans who control the Legislature blocked hearings on the proposal.

Those lawmakers say they worry the federal government would eventually cut its share of expansion funding.

“It’s not a big enough bribe,” said Richard Hilderbrand, the chair of the state Senate health committee.

Many Republicans remain concerned about the long-term costs of the program and are ideologically opposed to expanding government health care to working-age adults.

“I acknowledge that there are some gaps in coverage that need to be addressed, but I think they can be addressed in ways that do not require us to create a whole new level of entitlement in the state of North Carolina,” North Carolina Senate Leader Phil Berger, a Republican, told The Associated Press.

It’s a similar story in Wisconsin, where the GOP-dominated Legislature and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers are at odds over the expansion. The Democrats’ coronavirus aid package doesn’t change that, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said earlier this month.

“It’s a nonstarter, and we will continue to oppose the liberal wish list item of Medicaid expansion,” he said.

Hempstead, of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, said Medicaid expansion is a way to address one of the biggest shortcomings in the national healthcare landscape: How to get coverage for a group of adults whose incomes put them below the poverty line -- $12,880 for a person living alone.

In states that haven’t expanded Medicaid, there are about 2.2 million such people, the Kaiser study found. They usually don’t qualify for traditional Medicaid programs. They also do not make enough to be eligible to buy subsidized private coverage on the health insurance marketplaces established under Obama’s overhaul.

Another 1.8 million people in those states who make slightly more -- up to about $17,774 for an individual — qualify for subsidized coverage but often can’t afford it. They also could be covered through an expansion of Medicaid.

<a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2020/may/impact-medicaid-expansion-states-budgets" target="_blank">Studies</a>&nbsp;have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/health/medicaid-expansion-continues-to-benefit-state-budgets-contrary-to-critics-claims" target="_blank">found&nbsp;</a>that adding coverage for these lower-income people reduces charity care in hospitals, allows some people to be healthy enough to work and creates additional health care industry jobs. The financial benefits partially or totally&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/report/the-effects-of-medicaid-expansion-under-the-aca-updated-findings-from-a-literature-review/" target="_blank">offset&nbsp;</a>the states’ share of the costs over time.

Even in the holdout states, those arguments catch the attention of some Republicans. In Texas, a Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statesman.com/story/opinion/columns/your-voice/2021/02/03/opinion-refusing-expand-medicaid-bad-business-decision-texas/4354497001/" target="_blank">lawmaker&nbsp;</a>has introduced a longshot bill calling for expansion, though the legislation has no other GOP co-sponsor and there is no indication that Republicans there have lessened their opposition. A similar measure has advanced through a legislative committee in Wyoming, though its prospects appear slim for passing the full Legislature.

In Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey left open the possibility of expanding Medicaid at some point in the future, but there are no plans to do so.

“The problem has always been how to pay for it,” Ivey spokeswoman Gina Maiola said. “She is open to the discussion, but right now, we simply do not have all the facts.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614257985849.png" alt="Kansas Gov. Laura Kelley this year called for legalizing medical use of marijuana and using the tax revenue to pay for expanding Medicaid." />
 <figcaption>Kansas Gov. Laura Kelley this year called for legalizing medical use of marijuana and using the tax revenue to pay for expanding Medicaid.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats’ nearly $2 trillion coronavirus relief package includes a big financial incentive for the states that have opted against expanding Medicaid to provide health coverage for more low-income Americans. It’s proving to be a tough sell.The Associated Press surveyed top Republican elected officials in the dozen states that have resisted expanding coverage under a key provision of former President Barack Obama’s heath care law. Some have softened their opposition, but the key gatekeepers— governors or legislative leaders — indicated they have no plans to change course.South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster remains firmly opposed to the Medicaid expansion.“Gov. McMaster isn’t for sale, regardless of whatever ill-conceived ‘incentives’ congressional Democrats may come up with,” spokesman Brian Symmes said in a statement. “What the federal spending plan does is attempt to offer a short term solution for a long term problem.”The federal government already pays 90% of the costs of expanding Medicaid coverage to more low-income adults. Thirty-six states have signed on to the expansion. Two more -- Missouri and Oklahoma -- are scheduled to begin their expansions in July.Under the enticement included in the coronavirus relief bill adopted by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden, the federal government would boost its share of costs in the regular Medicaid program, which offers coverage for the poorest Americans. The bump in federal funding would last two years for the states that join the Medicaid expansion.An analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation found the additional federal money would cover 150% to 400% of the cost for the holdout states to expand Medicaid, which is jointly funded with federal and state dollars.In Texas, the incentives would send the state about $5 billion over two years, and the state’s share of expanding coverage would be about $3.1 billion. More than 1.4 million people in the state could become&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/the-coverage-gap-uninsured-poor-adults-in-states-that-do-not-expand-medicaid/" target="_blank">eligible&nbsp;</a>for coverage. For Georgia, the estimate says it would add a net $710 million to state coffers and in Tennessee, $900 million.“It’s the literal offer you can’t refuse, but let’s see if anyone refuses it, anyway,” said Katherine Hempstead, a senior policy adviser at the nonpartisan Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.Through interviews and public statements, AP found little change in the 12 states that have held out against the Medicaid expansion: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming.In Mississippi, one of the nation’s poorest states, advocates say up to 300,000 people — about one-tenth of the state’s population — could become eligible for health coverage if the state adopted the expansion.Gov. Tate Reeves, a Republican, said he’s not going for it, noting that his stance was a major issue in his 2019 campaign. His GOP primary opponents supported a plan to expand, with the state’s share being paid for by hospitals and a fee of up to $20 a month for people who signed up. He opposed it, even as the Mississippi Hospital Association said it could bring up to 19,000 jobs to the state.“My position has not changed,” he said last week. “I am opposed to expanding Medicaid in Mississippi. I am opposed to Obamacare expansion.”In three of the states — Kansas, North Carolina and Wisconsin — the Democratic governor favors expansion but can’t convince a Republican-controlled legislature.Kansas Gov. Laura Kelley this year called for legalizing medical use of marijuana and using the tax revenue to pay for expanding Medicaid. But the Republicans who control the Legislature blocked hearings on the proposal.Those lawmakers say they worry the federal government would eventually cut its share of expansion funding.“It’s not a big enough bribe,” said Richard Hilderbrand, the chair of the state Senate health committee.Many Republicans remain concerned about the long-term costs of the program and are ideologically opposed to expanding government health care to working-age adults.“I acknowledge that there are some gaps in coverage that need to be addressed, but I think they can be addressed in ways that do not require us to create a whole new level of entitlement in the state of North Carolina,” North Carolina Senate Leader Phil Berger, a Republican, told The Associated Press.It’s a similar story in Wisconsin, where the GOP-dominated Legislature and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers are at odds over the expansion. The Democrats’ coronavirus aid package doesn’t change that, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said earlier this month.“It’s a nonstarter, and we will continue to oppose the liberal wish list item of Medicaid expansion,” he said.Hempstead, of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, said Medicaid expansion is a way to address one of the biggest shortcomings in the national healthcare landscape: How to get coverage for a group of adults whose incomes put them below the poverty line -- $12,880 for a person living alone.In states that haven’t expanded Medicaid, there are about 2.2 million such people, the Kaiser study found. They usually don’t qualify for traditional Medicaid programs. They also do not make enough to be eligible to buy subsidized private coverage on the health insurance marketplaces established under Obama’s overhaul.Another 1.8 million people in those states who make slightly more -- up to about $17,774 for an individual — qualify for subsidized coverage but often can’t afford it. They also could be covered through an expansion of Medicaid.<a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2020/may/impact-medicaid-expansion-states-budgets" target="_blank">Studies</a>&nbsp;have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/health/medicaid-expansion-continues-to-benefit-state-budgets-contrary-to-critics-claims" target="_blank">found&nbsp;</a>that adding coverage for these lower-income people reduces charity care in hospitals, allows some people to be healthy enough to work and creates additional health care industry jobs. The financial benefits partially or totally&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/report/the-effects-of-medicaid-expansion-under-the-aca-updated-findings-from-a-literature-review/" target="_blank">offset&nbsp;</a>the states’ share of the costs over time.Even in the holdout states, those arguments catch the attention of some Republicans. In Texas, a Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statesman.com/story/opinion/columns/your-voice/2021/02/03/opinion-refusing-expand-medicaid-bad-business-decision-texas/4354497001/" target="_blank">lawmaker&nbsp;</a>has introduced a longshot bill calling for expansion, though the legislation has no other GOP co-sponsor and there is no indication that Republicans there have lessened their opposition. A similar measure has advanced through a legislative committee in Wyoming, though its prospects appear slim for passing the full Legislature.In Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey left open the possibility of expanding Medicaid at some point in the future, but there are no plans to do so.“The problem has always been how to pay for it,” Ivey spokeswoman Gina Maiola said. “She is open to the discussion, but right now, we simply do not have all the facts.”___

Medicaid incentive so far not enough to sway holdout states

SALINA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the murder of a woman in Salina continue their search for a suspect identified as as 35-year-old Nelson Gerrod Hull.

He is wanted for the February 23 shooting death of 36-year-old Courtney Ann Hoffman.&nbsp; The Saline County District Court issued an arrest warrant for Hull for murder in the first degree.

Hull is described as a black male, 6-foot-3, 200 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. A tattoo on the right side of his neck is "Mi Familia."

On Monday, police reported the arrest of Clarence Darnyl Brown, 34, of Salina, in connection with the case.&nbsp;Brown is being held on requested charges of Aiding and abetting first degree murder, Criminal solicitation and Interference with law enforcement.

Just after 11:30a.m. on February 23, police responded to the 700 block of North Fourth Street in Salina for a report of the sound of gunfire and someone screaming, according to a media release.

Upon arrival, Salina Police Officers located a woman identified as Hoffman inside a vehicle at 731 N. 4th Street. She had a gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased by Salina Fire Department EMS personnel.

Police say Hull should be considered armed and dangerous. They encourage anyone with information on Hull's current location to contact 911 immediately.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576681996331.jpeg" alt="Hull photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Hull photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the murder of a woman in Salina continue their search for a suspect identified as as 35-year-old Nelson Gerrod Hull.He is wanted for the February 23 shooting death of 36-year-old Courtney Ann Hoffman.&nbsp; The Saline County District Court issued an arrest warrant for Hull for murder in the first degree.Hull is described as a black male, 6-foot-3, 200 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. A tattoo on the right side of his neck is "Mi Familia."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614348886825.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation Tuesday in Salina. photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation Tuesday in Salina. photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>On Monday, police reported the arrest of Clarence Darnyl Brown, 34, of Salina, in connection with the case.&nbsp;Brown is being held on requested charges of Aiding and abetting first degree murder, Criminal solicitation and Interference with law enforcement.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614629894498.png" alt="Clarence Brown -photo Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Clarence Brown -photo Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 11:30a.m. on February 23, police responded to the 700 block of North Fourth Street in Salina for a report of the sound of gunfire and someone screaming, according to a media release.Upon arrival, Salina Police Officers located a woman identified as Hoffman inside a vehicle at 731 N. 4th Street. She had a gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased by Salina Fire Department EMS personnel.Police say Hull should be considered armed and dangerous. They encourage anyone with information on Hull's current location to contact 911 immediately.

Search continues for suspect in Kansas woman's murder

CAUTION- The video of the shooting provided by Wichita Police is very violent.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting during a domestic violence incident and have identified the wounded suspect as 34-year-old George Phillips.

Just after 9p.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to a domestic violence call with a weapon in the 900 Block of South Rock Road in Wichita, according to Captain Jason Stephens.

A caller told police dispatch that her 37-year-old female friend was being threatened by an ex-husband identified as George Phillips.&nbsp; The caller said Phillips had gone to his ex-wife's apartment and they got into an argument over property. He also threatened to kill her and her children and the caller believed Phillips was armed with a gun.

As officers were responding, they learned Phillips and his ex-wife had gone to a restaurant in the 1200 Block of South Rock Road.&nbsp; The ex-wife sent her friend a social media report that she was in danger.

When officers arrived, they located the vehicle as described in the 911 call and witnessed a physical altercation between the ex-wife and Phillips. He was restraining her and preventing her from getting out of the vehicle as officers approached, according to Stephens. Officers also observed a firearm in Phillips' hand.

Officers gave multiple commands for Phillips to drop the weapon, but he did not comply.

Believing that Phillips was an immediate threat to his ex-wife, officers fired multiple shots and struck him.&nbsp; Officers then pulled Phillips from the car and administered life-saving measures until he could be transported to a local hospital. He is expected to recover, according to Stephens.

The ex-wife received minor injuries including abrasions on her neck and chest from a Phillips who also was armed with a screw driver. No officers were injured.

The officers involved are now on administrative leave pending further investigation, according to Stephens. The KBI is assisting with the investigation and the case will be presented to the United State's Attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616183895947.png" alt="Phillips has five previous convictions for aggravated robbery and other that include aggravated burglary, aggravated escape from custody, criminal possession of a firearm and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. He had been on parole since December." />
 <figcaption>Phillips has five previous convictions for aggravated robbery and other that include aggravated burglary, aggravated escape from custody, criminal possession of a firearm and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. He had been on parole since December.</figcaption>
 </figure>CAUTION- The video of the shooting provided by Wichita Police is very violent.SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting during a domestic violence incident and have identified the wounded suspect as 34-year-old George Phillips.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WCwz-DuK72Y?start=27" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Just after 9p.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to a domestic violence call with a weapon in the 900 Block of South Rock Road in Wichita, according to Captain Jason Stephens.A caller told police dispatch that her 37-year-old female friend was being threatened by an ex-husband identified as George Phillips.&nbsp; The caller said Phillips had gone to his ex-wife's apartment and they got into an argument over property. He also threatened to kill her and her children and the caller believed Phillips was armed with a gun.As officers were responding, they learned Phillips and his ex-wife had gone to a restaurant in the 1200 Block of South Rock Road.&nbsp; The ex-wife sent her friend a social media report that she was in danger.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616184803913.png" alt="Police security camera image of the firearm recovered at the scene, according to Stephens." />
 <figcaption>Police security camera image of the firearm recovered at the scene, according to Stephens.</figcaption>
 </figure>When officers arrived, they located the vehicle as described in the 911 call and witnessed a physical altercation between the ex-wife and Phillips. He was restraining her and preventing her from getting out of the vehicle as officers approached, according to Stephens. Officers also observed a firearm in Phillips' hand.Officers gave multiple commands for Phillips to drop the weapon, but he did not comply.Believing that Phillips was an immediate threat to his ex-wife, officers fired multiple shots and struck him.&nbsp; Officers then pulled Phillips from the car and administered life-saving measures until he could be transported to a local hospital. He is expected to recover, according to Stephens.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616185191282.png" alt="Officers found this screw driver Phillips used as a weapon in the front passenger seat of the vehicle." />
 <figcaption>Officers found this screw driver Phillips used as a weapon in the front passenger seat of the vehicle.</figcaption>
 </figure>The ex-wife received minor injuries including abrasions on her neck and chest from a Phillips who also was armed with a screw driver. No officers were injured.The officers involved are now on administrative leave pending further investigation, according to Stephens. The KBI is assisting with the investigation and the case will be presented to the United State's Attorney's office.

🎥  Police shoot Kan. man who threatened ex-wife with gun

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on numerous charges after a traffic stop.

Just after 2a.m. Thursday, sheriff’s deputies stopped a Honda Civic for a traffic infraction that was northbound near 254th and U.S. Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 Further investigation revealed that the pair were allegedly in possession of illegal narcotics. Deputies arrested the driver, Daniel Lee Willits, 44, of Lawrence and booked him into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of weapons. 

Deputies also arrested the passenger, Misty Dawn Jane Napier, 24, of Lawrence, and booked her into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges for possession of methamphetamine and no drug tax stamp, according to Morse.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616162820887.png" alt="Willits photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Willits photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on numerous charges after a traffic stop.Just after 2a.m. Thursday, sheriff’s deputies stopped a Honda Civic for a traffic infraction that was northbound near 254th and U.S. Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. Further investigation revealed that the pair were allegedly in possession of illegal narcotics. Deputies arrested the driver, Daniel Lee Willits, 44, of Lawrence and booked him into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of weapons. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616162794518.png" alt="Napier photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Napier photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies also arrested the passenger, Misty Dawn Jane Napier, 24, of Lawrence, and booked her into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges for possession of methamphetamine and no drug tax stamp, according to Morse.

Kan. couple accused of drug possession during traffic stop 

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp; Governor Laura Kelly announced Friday that Kansas 2020 individual income tax, fiduciary income tax, and Homestead or Property tax relief refund claim filings are extended to May 17, 2021, bringing our state in line with the Internal Revenue Service tax-filing and payment deadline extension, according to a media release from her office.

Click<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTAzMTkuMzczOTM0NTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2tzcmV2ZW51ZS5vcmcvdGF4bm90aWNlcy9ub3RpY2UyMS0wMS5wZGYifQ.3Y16xopNEmScudf_pcuNzi05kp2l9QbQEWw2Q9qtb9E/s/1303160919/br/100408051234-l" target="_blank">&nbsp;here to see Notice 21-01&nbsp;</a>

If a balance due is paid on or before May 17, 2021, penalty and fees will not be imposed. These extensions are outlined and executed through Kansas Department of Revenue Notice 21-01.

“Though COVID-19 cases continue to decline, signaling our return to normalcy, Kansas families are still assessing the full scope of the economic challenges brought on by the pandemic,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;“Extending the deadline gives needed relief for Kansans to fully account for the pandemic’s impact and complete their state returns accurately.”

No additional forms are required to benefit from the extension. The due dates for Kansas individual estimated tax payments has not changed.

For specific questions about a state tax filing, taxpayers can contact the Kansas Taxpayer Assistance Center at 785-368-8222, Monday through Friday, 8 am-4:45 pm, or by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:KDOR_TAC@ks.gov" target="_blank">KDOR_TAC@ks.gov</a>.

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp; Governor Laura Kelly announced Friday that Kansas 2020 individual income tax, fiduciary income tax, and Homestead or Property tax relief refund claim filings are extended to May 17, 2021, bringing our state in line with the Internal Revenue Service tax-filing and payment deadline extension, according to a media release from her office.Click<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTAzMTkuMzczOTM0NTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2tzcmV2ZW51ZS5vcmcvdGF4bm90aWNlcy9ub3RpY2UyMS0wMS5wZGYifQ.3Y16xopNEmScudf_pcuNzi05kp2l9QbQEWw2Q9qtb9E/s/1303160919/br/100408051234-l" target="_blank">&nbsp;here to see Notice 21-01&nbsp;</a>If a balance due is paid on or before May 17, 2021, penalty and fees will not be imposed. These extensions are outlined and executed through Kansas Department of Revenue Notice 21-01.“Though COVID-19 cases continue to decline, signaling our return to normalcy, Kansas families are still assessing the full scope of the economic challenges brought on by the pandemic,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;“Extending the deadline gives needed relief for Kansans to fully account for the pandemic’s impact and complete their state returns accurately.”No additional forms are required to benefit from the extension. The due dates for Kansas individual estimated tax payments has not changed.For specific questions about a state tax filing, taxpayers can contact the Kansas Taxpayer Assistance Center at 785-368-8222, Monday through Friday, 8 am-4:45 pm, or by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:KDOR_TAC@ks.gov" target="_blank">KDOR_TAC@ks.gov</a>.

Kansas extends most 2020 tax filings to May 17

LABETTE COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 7:30a.m. Friday in Labette County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Hyundai passenger vehicle driven by Axzivian D. Cummings, 25, Parsons, was southbound in the 9000 Block of Ness Road. 

The driver lost control of the Hyundai while passing another vehicle at a high rate of speed.&nbsp;

The Hyundai entered the east ditch, struck 2 utility poles, rotated counter clockwise and rolled multiple into a field.

Cummings was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Frontier Forensics. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

LABETTE COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 7:30a.m. Friday in Labette County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Hyundai passenger vehicle driven by Axzivian D. Cummings, 25, Parsons, was southbound in the 9000 Block of Ness Road. The driver lost control of the Hyundai while passing another vehicle at a high rate of speed.&nbsp;The Hyundai entered the east ditch, struck 2 utility poles, rotated counter clockwise and rolled multiple into a field.Cummings was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Frontier Forensics. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after violent rollover crash

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspect on multiple drug charges.

Just after 10 a.m. March 18, sheriff's detectives conducted a methamphetamine sting operation involving several persons in Great Bend, according to sheriff Brian Bellendir.

Deputies arrested two suspects near the intersection of 10th and Monroe and a substantial amount of meth and cash were seized. Both were taken into custody without incident and transported to the Barton County Jail.

&nbsp;Jacob Vargas, 25 of Great Bend was booked on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, no drug tax stamp and an outstanding Barton County District Court warrant. nd Tanner Guyton, age 22 also of Great Bend was booked on on requested charges of distribution of methamphetamine and no drug tax stamp. Both are being held in lieu of a $300,000 bond, according to Bellendir.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616169804740.jpeg" alt="Vargas photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Vargas photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspect on multiple drug charges.Just after 10 a.m. March 18, sheriff's detectives conducted a methamphetamine sting operation involving several persons in Great Bend, according to sheriff Brian Bellendir.Deputies arrested two suspects near the intersection of 10th and Monroe and a substantial amount of meth and cash were seized. Both were taken into custody without incident and transported to the Barton County Jail.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616169817284.jpeg" alt="Guyton" />
 <figcaption>Guyton</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Jacob Vargas, 25 of Great Bend was booked on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, no drug tax stamp and an outstanding Barton County District Court warrant. nd Tanner Guyton, age 22 also of Great Bend was booked on on requested charges of distribution of methamphetamine and no drug tax stamp. Both are being held in lieu of a $300,000 bond, according to Bellendir.

Kan. deputies arrest 2 during meth sting operation

Cancer patient urges extension of telemedicine for out-of-state doctors

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/19/senate-committee-spikes-irresponsible-10-million-grant-program-for-rural-kansas-hospitals/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Hutchinson 
anesthesiologist and Sen. Mark Steffen led opposition Friday to a Kansas
 House bill earmarking $10 million in state funding for grants to 
economically distressed rural hospitals working to innovate on delivery 
of health care to patients.

Steffen and other members 
of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee deflected a proposal 
establishing a private-public partnership on behalf of rural hospitals 
that featured a 2-to-1 match from private donors for every $1 invested 
by the state. He objected to potential waste of taxpayer dollars on a 
grant program open to relatively large hospitals in Great Bend, Salina, 
Hays, Hutchinson and elsewhere. He also said influx of federal COVID-19 
funding should have resolved any financial challenges at hospitals 
across Kansas.

“It’s an irresponsible use
 of $10 million in taxpayer money. We are struggling with our budget,” 
said Steffen, a Republican. “I don’t understand why we’re throwing $10 
million at them.”

The Center for Health Care
 Quality and Payment Reform released a studying indicating 75 of Kansas’
 105 rural hospitals were operating at a financial loss and at risk of 
closing. Five rural Kansas hospitals have shut down since 2010. Prior to
 the pandemic and federal spending in response to 539,000 deaths in the 
United States and 4,800 in Kansas tied to COVID-19, Kansas’ status in 
America’s Health Rankings had fallen from eighth in the nation in 1991 
to 29th in the country in 2019. The state’s decline in that ranking was 
unmatched.

The Republican-led House 
and Senate in Kansas blocked since 2014 expansion of Medicaid services 
to more than 100,000 lower-income residents. In early March, the Senate 
declined to adopt expansion legislation. Thirty-two states passed 
expansion laws and four GOP-leaning states approved voter ballot 
measures requiring expansion. In July, Medicaid expansion will come to 
Oklahoma and Missouri.

“In the midst of the worst
 public health crisis in a century,” said Vicki Hiatt, chairwoman of the
 Kansas Democratic Party, “Republicans in the Kansas Senate don’t think 
low-income working families and vulnerable Kansans who have lost their 
jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic deserve health care.”

Gov. Laura Kelly, who made
 Medicaid expansion a top priority of her administration, said the 
American Relief Plan signed by President Joe Biden offered a $460 
million incentive to Kansas for broadening access to preventative health
 services under KanCare, the state’s privatized Medicaid program.

The $10 million grant 
initiative endorsed by the Kansas House as well as the Kansas Hospital 
Association and Kansas Medical Society was excluded from Senate 
committee’s telehealth package folded into House Bill 2208.

Tara Mays, a lobbyist with
 the Kansas Hospital Association, defended the grant proposal as a way 
to benefit rural hospitals exploring new approaches to health-care 
delivery. She didn’t address to the satisfaction of senators on the 
committee questions about the bill’s ambigious language on authorization
 of grants.

“I appears to be an 
attempt to help our rural hospitals,” said Sen. Molly Baumgardner, 
R-Louisburg. “I don’t think any of us are opposed to that. It’s the 
vagueness that seems to be troubling. Hospitals should be, on an ongoing
 basis, addressing how it is that they meet the needs through delivery. 
That should be what they’re doing on an ongoing basis.”

The telemedicine bill 
approved by the Senate committee would allow the Behavioral Sciences 
Regulatory Board to alter licensure and permit requirements of social 
workers, marriage and family therapists, addiction counselors, 
psychologists and counselors. Another portion would enable 
recertification of Kansas medical facilities as “rural emergency 
hospitals” to lower the number of mandated beds and control costs.

In addition, the Senate 
committee’s bill would extend emergency waiver of regulations on use of 
out-of-state physicians through telemedicine adopted last year when the 
COVID-19 pandemic emerged.

Jill Lee, Overland Park, 
submitted written testimony to the Senate committee in support of 
preservation of telemedicine options for doctors practicing outside 
Kansas. She was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in March 2020 and 
began chemotheraphy. She said surgeons at University of Kansas Health 
System, Olathe Health and Advent Health in the Kansas City area were 
unwilling to operate on her despite evidence of improvement in 
September. She reached out to California physician Yuman Fong through 
telemedicine services in December and tentative plans were made to 
operate.

Subsequent testing 
revealed regrowth of her cancer and compelled additional chemotheraphy 
before attempting surgery, Lee said. However, the Kansas executive order
 allowing Fong to consult with Lee is scheduled to expire by the end of 
March. It is possible the Kansas Board of Healing Arts could provide 
Fong a temporary extension to care for Lee.

“People in need of the 
kind of care that can only be found out of state shouldn’t have to 
endanger themselves by getting on a plane and being exposed to viruses 
and germs. Not when technology exists that makes it possible for them to
 have the same appointments in the safety of their own homes,” Lee said.

“In my case, no one that 
we have found in the state of Kansas is willing to do the surgery that 
could potentially save my life. Thus, out-of-state care is necessary,” 
she said. “I’m a wife and a mom to a sweet 2 1/2-year-old son, both of 
whom I am fighting desperately to stay alive for. And I’m sure there are
 others in Kansas in similar shoes. Please don’t let legislation 
preventing telemed be the reason we aren’t here for the ones we love.”

Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616184260694.png" alt="Sen. Mark Steffen, a Hutchinson Republican, helped shoot down Friday a proposal to offer $10 million in public-private matching funds to help rural Kansas hospitals innovate in delivery of health care to patients. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Mark Steffen, a Hutchinson Republican, helped shoot down Friday a proposal to offer $10 million in public-private matching funds to help rural Kansas hospitals innovate in delivery of health care to patients. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Cancer patient urges extension of telemedicine for out-of-state doctors</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/19/senate-committee-spikes-irresponsible-10-million-grant-program-for-rural-kansas-hospitals/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Hutchinson 
anesthesiologist and Sen. Mark Steffen led opposition Friday to a Kansas
 House bill earmarking $10 million in state funding for grants to 
economically distressed rural hospitals working to innovate on delivery 
of health care to patients.Steffen and other members 
of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee deflected a proposal 
establishing a private-public partnership on behalf of rural hospitals 
that featured a 2-to-1 match from private donors for every $1 invested 
by the state. He objected to potential waste of taxpayer dollars on a 
grant program open to relatively large hospitals in Great Bend, Salina, 
Hays, Hutchinson and elsewhere. He also said influx of federal COVID-19 
funding should have resolved any financial challenges at hospitals 
across Kansas.“It’s an irresponsible use
 of $10 million in taxpayer money. We are struggling with our budget,” 
said Steffen, a Republican. “I don’t understand why we’re throwing $10 
million at them.”The Center for Health Care
 Quality and Payment Reform released a studying indicating 75 of Kansas’
 105 rural hospitals were operating at a financial loss and at risk of 
closing. Five rural Kansas hospitals have shut down since 2010. Prior to
 the pandemic and federal spending in response to 539,000 deaths in the 
United States and 4,800 in Kansas tied to COVID-19, Kansas’ status in 
America’s Health Rankings had fallen from eighth in the nation in 1991 
to 29th in the country in 2019. The state’s decline in that ranking was 
unmatched.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616184409454.jpeg" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly is pressing for expansion of Medicaid to assist struggling rural hospitals with newly available federal incentives of $460 million to broaden enrollment in KanCare, the state’s Medicaid program. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly is pressing for expansion of Medicaid to assist struggling rural hospitals with newly available federal incentives of $460 million to broaden enrollment in KanCare, the state’s Medicaid program. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>The Republican-led House 
and Senate in Kansas blocked since 2014 expansion of Medicaid services 
to more than 100,000 lower-income residents. In early March, the Senate 
declined to adopt expansion legislation. Thirty-two states passed 
expansion laws and four GOP-leaning states approved voter ballot 
measures requiring expansion. In July, Medicaid expansion will come to 
Oklahoma and Missouri.“In the midst of the worst
 public health crisis in a century,” said Vicki Hiatt, chairwoman of the
 Kansas Democratic Party, “Republicans in the Kansas Senate don’t think 
low-income working families and vulnerable Kansans who have lost their 
jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic deserve health care.”Gov. Laura Kelly, who made
 Medicaid expansion a top priority of her administration, said the 
American Relief Plan signed by President Joe Biden offered a $460 
million incentive to Kansas for broadening access to preventative health
 services under KanCare, the state’s privatized Medicaid program.The $10 million grant 
initiative endorsed by the Kansas House as well as the Kansas Hospital 
Association and Kansas Medical Society was excluded from Senate 
committee’s telehealth package folded into House Bill 2208.Tara Mays, a lobbyist with
 the Kansas Hospital Association, defended the grant proposal as a way 
to benefit rural hospitals exploring new approaches to health-care 
delivery. She didn’t address to the satisfaction of senators on the 
committee questions about the bill’s ambigious language on authorization
 of grants.“I appears to be an 
attempt to help our rural hospitals,” said Sen. Molly Baumgardner, 
R-Louisburg. “I don’t think any of us are opposed to that. It’s the 
vagueness that seems to be troubling. Hospitals should be, on an ongoing
 basis, addressing how it is that they meet the needs through delivery. 
That should be what they’re doing on an ongoing basis.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616184438740.jpeg" alt="Sen. Molly Baumgardner, R-Louisburg, said vague language in a House bill outlining a proposed $10 million grant program for rural hospitals made it difficult to vote for a measure that otherwise could have merit. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Molly Baumgardner, R-Louisburg, said vague language in a House bill outlining a proposed $10 million grant program for rural hospitals made it difficult to vote for a measure that otherwise could have merit. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>The telemedicine bill 
approved by the Senate committee would allow the Behavioral Sciences 
Regulatory Board to alter licensure and permit requirements of social 
workers, marriage and family therapists, addiction counselors, 
psychologists and counselors. Another portion would enable 
recertification of Kansas medical facilities as “rural emergency 
hospitals” to lower the number of mandated beds and control costs.In addition, the Senate 
committee’s bill would extend emergency waiver of regulations on use of 
out-of-state physicians through telemedicine adopted last year when the 
COVID-19 pandemic emerged.Jill Lee, Overland Park, 
submitted written testimony to the Senate committee in support of 
preservation of telemedicine options for doctors practicing outside 
Kansas. She was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in March 2020 and 
began chemotheraphy. She said surgeons at University of Kansas Health 
System, Olathe Health and Advent Health in the Kansas City area were 
unwilling to operate on her despite evidence of improvement in 
September. She reached out to California physician Yuman Fong through 
telemedicine services in December and tentative plans were made to 
operate.Subsequent testing 
revealed regrowth of her cancer and compelled additional chemotheraphy 
before attempting surgery, Lee said. However, the Kansas executive order
 allowing Fong to consult with Lee is scheduled to expire by the end of 
March. It is possible the Kansas Board of Healing Arts could provide 
Fong a temporary extension to care for Lee.“People in need of the 
kind of care that can only be found out of state shouldn’t have to 
endanger themselves by getting on a plane and being exposed to viruses 
and germs. Not when technology exists that makes it possible for them to
 have the same appointments in the safety of their own homes,” Lee said.“In my case, no one that 
we have found in the state of Kansas is willing to do the surgery that 
could potentially save my life. Thus, out-of-state care is necessary,” 
she said. “I’m a wife and a mom to a sweet 2 1/2-year-old son, both of 
whom I am fighting desperately to stay alive for. And I’m sure there are
 others in Kansas in similar shoes. Please don’t let legislation 
preventing telemed be the reason we aren’t here for the ones we love.”Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

Senate committee spikes $10M grant program for rural Kan. hospitals

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has voted to unlatch a gateway to citizenship for young “Dreamers,” migrant farm workers and immigrants who have fled war or natural disasters, giving Democrats wins in the year’s first votes on an issue that faces an uphill climb in the Senate.

On a near party-line 228-197 vote Thursday, lawmakers approved one bill offering legal status to around 2 million “Dreamers,” brought to the U.S. illegally as children, and hundreds of thousands of migrants admitted for humanitarian reasons from a dozen troubled countries.

They then voted 247-174 for a second measure creating similar protections for 1 million farm workers who have worked in the U.S. illegally. The government estimates they comprise half the nation’s agricultural laborers.

In a statement after the votes, President Joe Biden called the action a “critical first step” toward a more sweeping overhaul he’s proposed. He said he wants to work with Congress toward “building a 21st century immigration system that is grounded in dignity, safety, and fairness, and finally enacts the long term solutions we need to create an orderly and humane immigration system.”

Both bills largely hit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-ap-top-news-immigration-coronavirus-pandemic-4dcf287375d1a1563deb737988b84dd4">a wall of opposition from Republicans</a>&nbsp;insistent that any immigration legislation bolster security at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/is-us-mexico-border-in-crisis-explained-aea57dde734f5cccb920e0d5d6111e65">the Mexican border</a>, which waves of migrants have tried breaching in recent weeks. The GOP has accused congressional Democrats of ignoring that problem and Biden of fueling it by erasing former President Donald Trump’s restrictive policies, even though that surge began while Trump was still in office.

While “Dreamers” win wide public support and migrant farm workers are a backbone of the agriculture industry, both House bills face gloomy prospects in the evenly split Senate. That chamber’s 50 Democrats will need at least 10 GOP supporters to break Republican filibusters.

The outlook was even grimmer for Biden’s more ambitious goal of legislation making citizenship possible for all 11 million immigrants in the U.S. illegally, easing visa restrictions, improving border security technology and spending billions in Central America to ease problems that prompt people to leave.

Nine House Republicans joined all Democrats in voting for the “Dreamers” measure, but 30 GOP lawmakers backed the farm workers bill, giving it a more bipartisan hue.

Congress has long deadlocked over immigration, which again seems headed toward becoming political ammunition. Republicans could use it to rally conservative voters in upcoming elections, while Democrats could add it to a stack of House-passed measures languishing in the Senate to build support for abolishing that chamber’s bill-killing filibusters.

Democrats said their measures were aimed not at border security but at immigrants who deserve help.

“They’re so much of our country,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said of “Dreamers,” who like many immigrants have held front-line jobs during the pandemic. “These immigrant communities strengthen, enrich and ennoble our nation, and they must be allowed to stay.”

Neither House measure would directly affect those trying to enter from Mexico. Republicans criticized them anyway for lacking border security provisions and used the debate to lambaste Biden, who’s ridden a wave of popularity since taking office and winning a massive COVID-19 relief package.

“It is a Biden border crisis, and it is spinning out of control,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.

While the number of migrants caught trying to cross the border from Mexico has been rising since last April, the 100,441 encountered last month was the highest figure since March 2019.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9da3a0c7cb6e20dd5fc441a2bd90658e">Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas&nbsp;</a>has said the number is tracking toward a 20-year high.

In another measure of the problem, around 14,000 children and teens are in Customs and Border Protection custody or Health and Human Services Department shelters while officials find relatives or sponsors to take them, Biden administration officials told reporters.

Democrats were making that problem worse, Republicans said, with bills they said entice more immigrants to sneak into the U.S. and provide amnesty to immigrants who break laws to get here.

“We don’t know who these people are. We don’t know what their intentions are,” Rep. Jody Hice, R-Ga., said of immigrant farm workers who might seek legal status. He added, “It’s frightening, it’s irresponsible, it’s endangering American lives.”

During earlier debate on the “Dreamers” bill, Democrats said Republicans were going too far.

“Sometimes I stand in this chamber, and I feel like I’m in the Twilight Zone, listening to a number of my Republican colleagues espouse white supremacist ideology to denigrate our ‘Dreamers,’” said Rep. Mondaire Jones, D-N.Y.

Maine Rep. Jared Golden’s vote against the farm workers measure made him the only Democrat to oppose either bill.

The House approved “Dreamer” and farm worker bills in 2019 by similar partisan margins, and both died in what was a Republican-run Senate. Trump, who as president constricted legal and illegal immigration, would have signed neither.

Biden has suspended work on Trump’s wall along the Mexican border, ended his separation of young children from migrant families and allowed apprehended minors to stay in the U.S. as officials decide if they can legally remain. He has also turned away most single adults and families.

The “Dreamers” bill would grant conditional legal status for 10 years to many immigrants up to age 18 who were brought into the U.S. illegally before this year. They’d have to meet education and other requirements. “Dreamers” get their name from never-passed proposals in Congress called the DREAM Act.

To attain legal permanent residence, or a green card, they’d have to obtain a higher education degree, serve in the military or be employed for at least three years. Like others with green cards, they could then apply for citizenship after five years.

The measure would also grant green cards to an estimated 400,000 immigrants with temporary protected status or deferred enforced departure status, which temporarily allow people fleeing extraordinary problems into the U.S.

The other bill would let immigrant farm workers who’ve worked in the country illegally over the past two years get certified agriculture worker status. That would let them, their spouses and children remain in the U.S. for renewable 5 1/2-year periods.

To earn green cards, they’d have to pay a $1,000 fine and work up to an additional eight years, depending on how long they’ve already held farm jobs.

The legislation would cap wage increases, streamline the H-2A visa process for legal immigrant farm workers and phase in a mandatory system for electronically verifying the legal status of agriculture laborers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616180562006.png" alt="The “Dreamers” bill would grant conditional legal status for 10 years to many immigrants up to age 18 who were brought into the U.S. illegally before this year-photo courtesy House Speaker Nancy Pelosi" />
 <figcaption>The “Dreamers” bill would grant conditional legal status for 10 years to many immigrants up to age 18 who were brought into the U.S. illegally before this year-photo courtesy House Speaker Nancy Pelosi</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has voted to unlatch a gateway to citizenship for young “Dreamers,” migrant farm workers and immigrants who have fled war or natural disasters, giving Democrats wins in the year’s first votes on an issue that faces an uphill climb in the Senate.On a near party-line 228-197 vote Thursday, lawmakers approved one bill offering legal status to around 2 million “Dreamers,” brought to the U.S. illegally as children, and hundreds of thousands of migrants admitted for humanitarian reasons from a dozen troubled countries.They then voted 247-174 for a second measure creating similar protections for 1 million farm workers who have worked in the U.S. illegally. The government estimates they comprise half the nation’s agricultural laborers.In a statement after the votes, President Joe Biden called the action a “critical first step” toward a more sweeping overhaul he’s proposed. He said he wants to work with Congress toward “building a 21st century immigration system that is grounded in dignity, safety, and fairness, and finally enacts the long term solutions we need to create an orderly and humane immigration system.”Both bills largely hit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-ap-top-news-immigration-coronavirus-pandemic-4dcf287375d1a1563deb737988b84dd4">a wall of opposition from Republicans</a>&nbsp;insistent that any immigration legislation bolster security at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/is-us-mexico-border-in-crisis-explained-aea57dde734f5cccb920e0d5d6111e65">the Mexican border</a>, which waves of migrants have tried breaching in recent weeks. The GOP has accused congressional Democrats of ignoring that problem and Biden of fueling it by erasing former President Donald Trump’s restrictive policies, even though that surge began while Trump was still in office.While “Dreamers” win wide public support and migrant farm workers are a backbone of the agriculture industry, both House bills face gloomy prospects in the evenly split Senate. That chamber’s 50 Democrats will need at least 10 GOP supporters to break Republican filibusters.The outlook was even grimmer for Biden’s more ambitious goal of legislation making citizenship possible for all 11 million immigrants in the U.S. illegally, easing visa restrictions, improving border security technology and spending billions in Central America to ease problems that prompt people to leave.Nine House Republicans joined all Democrats in voting for the “Dreamers” measure, but 30 GOP lawmakers backed the farm workers bill, giving it a more bipartisan hue.Congress has long deadlocked over immigration, which again seems headed toward becoming political ammunition. Republicans could use it to rally conservative voters in upcoming elections, while Democrats could add it to a stack of House-passed measures languishing in the Senate to build support for abolishing that chamber’s bill-killing filibusters.Democrats said their measures were aimed not at border security but at immigrants who deserve help.“They’re so much of our country,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said of “Dreamers,” who like many immigrants have held front-line jobs during the pandemic. “These immigrant communities strengthen, enrich and ennoble our nation, and they must be allowed to stay.”Neither House measure would directly affect those trying to enter from Mexico. Republicans criticized them anyway for lacking border security provisions and used the debate to lambaste Biden, who’s ridden a wave of popularity since taking office and winning a massive COVID-19 relief package.“It is a Biden border crisis, and it is spinning out of control,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.While the number of migrants caught trying to cross the border from Mexico has been rising since last April, the 100,441 encountered last month was the highest figure since March 2019.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9da3a0c7cb6e20dd5fc441a2bd90658e">Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas&nbsp;</a>has said the number is tracking toward a 20-year high.In another measure of the problem, around 14,000 children and teens are in Customs and Border Protection custody or Health and Human Services Department shelters while officials find relatives or sponsors to take them, Biden administration officials told reporters.Democrats were making that problem worse, Republicans said, with bills they said entice more immigrants to sneak into the U.S. and provide amnesty to immigrants who break laws to get here.“We don’t know who these people are. We don’t know what their intentions are,” Rep. Jody Hice, R-Ga., said of immigrant farm workers who might seek legal status. He added, “It’s frightening, it’s irresponsible, it’s endangering American lives.”During earlier debate on the “Dreamers” bill, Democrats said Republicans were going too far.“Sometimes I stand in this chamber, and I feel like I’m in the Twilight Zone, listening to a number of my Republican colleagues espouse white supremacist ideology to denigrate our ‘Dreamers,’” said Rep. Mondaire Jones, D-N.Y.Maine Rep. Jared Golden’s vote against the farm workers measure made him the only Democrat to oppose either bill.The House approved “Dreamer” and farm worker bills in 2019 by similar partisan margins, and both died in what was a Republican-run Senate. Trump, who as president constricted legal and illegal immigration, would have signed neither.Biden has suspended work on Trump’s wall along the Mexican border, ended his separation of young children from migrant families and allowed apprehended minors to stay in the U.S. as officials decide if they can legally remain. He has also turned away most single adults and families.The “Dreamers” bill would grant conditional legal status for 10 years to many immigrants up to age 18 who were brought into the U.S. illegally before this year. They’d have to meet education and other requirements. “Dreamers” get their name from never-passed proposals in Congress called the DREAM Act.To attain legal permanent residence, or a green card, they’d have to obtain a higher education degree, serve in the military or be employed for at least three years. Like others with green cards, they could then apply for citizenship after five years.The measure would also grant green cards to an estimated 400,000 immigrants with temporary protected status or deferred enforced departure status, which temporarily allow people fleeing extraordinary problems into the U.S.The other bill would let immigrant farm workers who’ve worked in the country illegally over the past two years get certified agriculture worker status. That would let them, their spouses and children remain in the U.S. for renewable 5 1/2-year periods.To earn green cards, they’d have to pay a $1,000 fine and work up to an additional eight years, depending on how long they’ve already held farm jobs.The legislation would cap wage increases, streamline the H-2A visa process for legal immigrant farm workers and phase in a mandatory system for electronically verifying the legal status of agriculture laborers.___

House OKs legal status for farm workers, 'Dreamers'

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The regional body that represents the Presbyterian Church is joining other civil rights organizations in calling for the dismissal of Kansas City Police Chief Rick Smith.

The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article250031104.html" target="_blank">reports&nbsp;</a>that the Heartland Presbytery said in a letter Thursday that the church wants the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners to hire a new chief who would protect residents equally and discipline officers who “act lawlessly, unethically and without proper respect, especially for Black and Brown people.”

Capt. David Jackson, a spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department, said the chief has no plans to resign.

The letter from the council cited Smith’s “total lack of a working relationship” with Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, who has said the department has refused to issue probable cause statements in use-of-force cases.

Representing 81 congregations and 173 ministers in Missouri and Kansas, the council commended some of Smith’s efforts, such as the deployment of body cameras. But it said his “lack of a working relationship” with the Black community was problematic.

Civil rights leaders have wanted Smith to resign or be fired for years, and the calls gained momentum after social justice demonstrations in Kansas City last summer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606271500828.png" alt="KC Police Chief Rick Smith" />
 <figcaption>KC Police Chief Rick Smith</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — The regional body that represents the Presbyterian Church is joining other civil rights organizations in calling for the dismissal of Kansas City Police Chief Rick Smith.The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article250031104.html" target="_blank">reports&nbsp;</a>that the Heartland Presbytery said in a letter Thursday that the church wants the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners to hire a new chief who would protect residents equally and discipline officers who “act lawlessly, unethically and without proper respect, especially for Black and Brown people.”Capt. David Jackson, a spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department, said the chief has no plans to resign.The letter from the council cited Smith’s “total lack of a working relationship” with Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, who has said the department has refused to issue probable cause statements in use-of-force cases.Representing 81 congregations and 173 ministers in Missouri and Kansas, the council commended some of Smith’s efforts, such as the deployment of body cameras. But it said his “lack of a working relationship” with the Black community was problematic.Civil rights leaders have wanted Smith to resign or be fired for years, and the calls gained momentum after social justice demonstrations in Kansas City last summer.

Church council calls for resignation of Kansas City police chief

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 606 to a total of 299,510, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 4842, 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 606 to a total of 299,510, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 4842, 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/2021/3/1616173399995.png" alt="Friday March 19, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Friday March 19, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminds taxpayers 
that the most convenient way to check on a tax refund is by using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool at IRS.gov or through the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs2goapp">IRS2Go Mobile App</a>.

Taxpayers can start checking their refund status within 24 hours 
after an e-filed return is received. In addition, Where's My 
Refund&nbsp;provides a personalized date after the return is processed and a 
refund is approved.

Now more than ever, the safest and best way to file a complete and accurate tax return and get a refund is to file <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">electronically</a> and use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>. Taxpayers can visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing">IRS.gov/filing</a> for more details about <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-forms">Free File Fillable Forms</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">free tax preparation sites</a>. E-filing is also available through a trusted <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/choosing-a-tax-professional">tax professional</a>.

While most tax refunds are issued within 21 days, some may take longer because the return requires additional review.

There are several reasons a tax refund may take long:

The IRS will contact taxpayers by mail if more information is needed to process a return.

Taxpayers claiming the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a>
 on their tax return will not cause a delay in the processing of that 
tax return. However, it is important that taxpayers claim the correct 
amount. If a correction is needed, there may be a slight delay in 
processing the return and the IRS will send a notice explaining any 
change made. Refunds may be delayed while the IRS makes any necessary 
corrections.

Taxpayers can use Where's My Refund?&nbsp;to start checking on the status 
of their return within 24 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of an
 electronically filed return or four weeks after the taxpayer mails a 
paper return. The tool's tracker displays progress through three phases:

To use it a taxpayer must <a href="https://sa.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/irfofgetstatus.jsp">enter</a>
 their Social Security number or ITIN (Individual Taxpayer 
Identification Number) , their filing status and the exact whole dollar 
amount of their refund. The IRS updates "Where's My Refund?&nbsp;once a day, 
usually overnight, so there's no need to check more frequently.

Calling IRS doesn't speed up refund timing

Calling the IRS won't expedite a tax refund. The information 
available on Where's My Refund?&nbsp;is the same information available to IRS
 telephone assistors.

Most taxpayers who want to prepare their own returns can file electronically for free with <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a>. Alternatively, taxpayers who qualify can get <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">free tax help from trained volunteers</a> at community sites around the country.

Some people mistakenly believe they can expedite their refund by 
ordering a tax transcript, calling the IRS or calling their tax 
preparer. Ordering a tax transcript will not help a taxpayer get their 
refund faster or find out when they'll get their refund.

Taxpayers can use several options to help find a paid tax preparer. One resource is <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/choosing-a-tax-professional">Choosing a Tax Professional</a>, which includes a list of consumer tips for selecting a tax professional.

The <a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf">Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications</a>
 is a free searchable and sortable database. It includes the name, city,
 state and zip code of credentialed return preparers who are CPAs, 
enrolled agents or attorneys, as well as those who have completed the 
requirements for the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/annual-filing-season-program">Annual Filing Season Program</a>. A search of the database can help taxpayers verify credentials and qualifications of tax professionals.

Taxpayers can find answers to questions, forms and instructions and 
easy-to-use tools online at IRS.gov anytime. No appointment required and
 no waiting on hold.

This news release is part of a group of IRS tips called the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-time-guide">Tax Time Guide</a>. The guide is designed to help taxpayers as they near the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-day-for-individuals-extended-to-may-17-treasury-irs-extend-filing-and-payment-deadline">May 17, 2021, tax filing deadline</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminds taxpayers 
that the most convenient way to check on a tax refund is by using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool at IRS.gov or through the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs2goapp">IRS2Go Mobile App</a>.Taxpayers can start checking their refund status within 24 hours 
after an e-filed return is received. In addition, Where's My 
Refund&nbsp;provides a personalized date after the return is processed and a 
refund is approved.<h2>Go paperless</h2>Now more than ever, the safest and best way to file a complete and accurate tax return and get a refund is to file <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">electronically</a> and use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>. Taxpayers can visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing">IRS.gov/filing</a> for more details about <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-forms">Free File Fillable Forms</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">free tax preparation sites</a>. E-filing is also available through a trusted <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/choosing-a-tax-professional">tax professional</a>.<h2>Refund timing</h2>While most tax refunds are issued within 21 days, some may take longer because the return requires additional review.<h2>There are several reasons a tax refund may take long:</h2><ul>
 <li>The return may include errors or be incomplete.</li><li>The return could be affected by identity theft or fraud.</li><li>The return includes a claim for the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit.</li><li>The time between the IRS issuing the refund and the bank posting it
 to an account since many banks do not process payments on weekends or 
holidays.</li>
 </ul>The IRS will contact taxpayers by mail if more information is needed to process a return.Taxpayers claiming the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a>
 on their tax return will not cause a delay in the processing of that 
tax return. However, it is important that taxpayers claim the correct 
amount. If a correction is needed, there may be a slight delay in 
processing the return and the IRS will send a notice explaining any 
change made. Refunds may be delayed while the IRS makes any necessary 
corrections.<h2>Fast and easy refund updates</h2>Taxpayers can use Where's My Refund?&nbsp;to start checking on the status 
of their return within 24 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of an
 electronically filed return or four weeks after the taxpayer mails a 
paper return. The tool's tracker displays progress through three phases:<ol>
 <li>Return Received;</li><li>Refund Approved; and</li><li>Refund Sent.</li>
 </ol>To use it a taxpayer must <a href="https://sa.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/irfofgetstatus.jsp">enter</a>
 their Social Security number or ITIN (Individual Taxpayer 
Identification Number) , their filing status and the exact whole dollar 
amount of their refund. The IRS updates "Where's My Refund?&nbsp;once a day, 
usually overnight, so there's no need to check more frequently.<h2>Calling IRS doesn't speed up refund timing</h2>Calling the IRS won't expedite a tax refund. The information 
available on Where's My Refund?&nbsp;is the same information available to IRS
 telephone assistors.Most taxpayers who want to prepare their own returns can file electronically for free with <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a>. Alternatively, taxpayers who qualify can get <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">free tax help from trained volunteers</a> at community sites around the country.<h2>Ignore refund myths</h2>Some people mistakenly believe they can expedite their refund by 
ordering a tax transcript, calling the IRS or calling their tax 
preparer. Ordering a tax transcript will not help a taxpayer get their 
refund faster or find out when they'll get their refund.<h2>Filing options</h2>Taxpayers can use several options to help find a paid tax preparer. One resource is <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/choosing-a-tax-professional">Choosing a Tax Professional</a>, which includes a list of consumer tips for selecting a tax professional.The <a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf">Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications</a>
 is a free searchable and sortable database. It includes the name, city,
 state and zip code of credentialed return preparers who are CPAs, 
enrolled agents or attorneys, as well as those who have completed the 
requirements for the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/annual-filing-season-program">Annual Filing Season Program</a>. A search of the database can help taxpayers verify credentials and qualifications of tax professionals.Taxpayers can find answers to questions, forms and instructions and 
easy-to-use tools online at IRS.gov anytime. No appointment required and
 no waiting on hold.This news release is part of a group of IRS tips called the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-time-guide">Tax Time Guide</a>. The guide is designed to help taxpayers as they near the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-day-for-individuals-extended-to-may-17-treasury-irs-extend-filing-and-payment-deadline">May 17, 2021, tax filing deadline</a>.

IRS: Use the Where’s My Refund? tool or app to check tax refund status

TREGO COUNTY —A northwest Kansas man was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences and will spend at least the next 50 years in prison after a Trego County jury found him guilty of raping a 6 year-old last year.

In January a jury found Nathan Russ, 36, WaKeeney, guilty of two counts of rape and one count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

Russ was arrested in Illinois in July of last year after police in WaKeeney were alerted to possible child abuse.

Following the jury trial Russ was sentenced to two life sentences for rape and 25 years to life for the aggravated indecent liberties with a child conviction earlier this month

The two rape convictions fall under Jessica’s Law which require a life sentence. They will run consecutive with one another, so Russ with serve back-to-back life sentences. The aggravated indecent liberties with a child conviction will run concurrent to the life sentences.

Under Kansas law Russ will not be eligible for parole for 50 year

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

On January 31, 2020 the WaKeeney Police Department was called to the Trego Grade School for the suspicion of possible child abuse of a 6 year old child, according to a media release.

  The WaKeeney Police Department conducted an investigation and charges were filed by the Trego County Attorney’s Office against Nathan R. Russ, 35, WaKeeney, for Rape and Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child both off-grid felonies. 

Russ was arrested in Illinois and was transported to the Trego County Jail where he is currently being held. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616165604698.png" alt="Russ in his February 2021 photo KBI offender registry" />
 <figcaption>Russ in his February 2021 photo KBI offender registry</figcaption>
 </figure>TREGO COUNTY —A northwest Kansas man was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences and will spend at least the next 50 years in prison after a Trego County jury found him guilty of raping a 6 year-old last year.In January a jury found Nathan Russ, 36, WaKeeney, guilty of two counts of rape and one count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.Russ was arrested in Illinois in July of last year after police in WaKeeney were alerted to possible child abuse.Following the jury trial Russ was sentenced to two life sentences for rape and 25 years to life for the aggravated indecent liberties with a child conviction earlier this month<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594429291210.png" alt="Russ in 2020 Trego County booking photo" />
 <figcaption>Russ in 2020 Trego County booking photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The two rape convictions fall under Jessica’s Law which require a life sentence. They will run consecutive with one another, so Russ with serve back-to-back life sentences. The aggravated indecent liberties with a child conviction will run concurrent to the life sentences.Under Kansas law Russ will not be eligible for parole for 50 year----------------TREGO COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.On January 31, 2020 the WaKeeney Police Department was called to the Trego Grade School for the suspicion of possible child abuse of a 6 year old child, according to a media release. The WaKeeney Police Department conducted an investigation and charges were filed by the Trego County Attorney’s Office against Nathan R. Russ, 35, WaKeeney, for Rape and Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child both off-grid felonies. Russ was arrested in Illinois and was transported to the Trego County Jail where he is currently being held.

NW Kansas man sentenced for child rape

Missouri is hosting a Mega Vaccination event at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on Friday, March 19 and Saturday, March 20.



This mega vaccination event will assist local providers in meeting the higher vaccine demand of the Kansas City region.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616163967350.png" alt="Partnering with Jackson County Health Department, Truman Medical Center, Ride Kansas City Transit, the Chiefs and other local leaders to host a mega vaccination event at GEAH Field at Arrowhead Stadium -photo Governor Mike Parson" />
 <figcaption>Partnering with Jackson County Health Department, Truman Medical Center, Ride Kansas City Transit, the Chiefs and other local leaders to host a mega vaccination event at GEAH Field at Arrowhead Stadium -photo Governor Mike Parson</figcaption>
 </figure>Missouri is hosting a Mega Vaccination event at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on Friday, March 19 and Saturday, March 20.
<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616098052706.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
This mega vaccination event will assist local providers in meeting the higher vaccine demand of the Kansas City region.

Mega vaccination event underway at Arrowhead Stadium

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas City suburb has been ordered to turn over records related to the 2018 police killing of a teenager after the media sued&nbsp;for the documents.

&nbsp;A judge found that that the severance agreement for former Overland Park officer Clayton Jenison must be disclosed under the Kansas Open Records Act.

Jenison, who was paid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d4cb99f7d309451b7a4499f53ab19c67">$70,000</a>&nbsp;through the agreement, didn’t face charges for fatally shooting 17-year-old John Albers as he was backing a minivan out of his family’s garage. The officer had responded to the home because the teen was believed to be suicidal.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1601028395769.png" alt="Police on the scene of the fatal shooting -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the fatal shooting -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas City suburb has been ordered to turn over records related to the 2018 police killing of a teenager after the media sued&nbsp;for the documents.&nbsp;A judge found that that the severance agreement for former Overland Park officer Clayton Jenison must be disclosed under the Kansas Open Records Act.Jenison, who was paid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d4cb99f7d309451b7a4499f53ab19c67">$70,000</a>&nbsp;through the agreement, didn’t face charges for fatally shooting 17-year-old John Albers as he was backing a minivan out of his family’s garage. The officer had responded to the home because the teen was believed to be suicidal.Kansas City Star Editor Mike Fannin said the ruling underscores that the government doesn’t get to withhold public records. “In a tragic case such as this one, sunshine is vital,” he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1601028453799.png" alt="John Albers photo courtesy McGilley Memorial Chapel" />
 <figcaption>John Albers photo courtesy McGilley Memorial Chapel</figcaption>
 </figure>The teen’s mom, Sheila Albers, said the ruling means there will be some justice for her son. The family previously reached a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/af71e84e02ea41b8af098e2dee11ec4f">$2.3 million settlement&nbsp;</a>with the city in a wrongful death lawsuit.Overland Park spokesman Sean Reilly said the city may comment later. The city could appeal the order, but would have to wait until the judge rules on attorneys fees.While the lawsuit is continuing as a result, Overland Park could release the documents at any point.