TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Republican leader in the Kansas Legislature on Monday accused Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s top public health administrator of using a misleading presentation to bolster their argument for requiring people to wear masks in public as a debate rages over imposing mandates to get the coronavirus under control.

House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins’ criticism of Dr. Lee Norman, head of the state Department of Health and Environment, came after the CEO of the small-government, free-market Kansas Policy Institute think tank suggested in&nbsp;<a href="https://sentinelksmo.org/kdhe-doctored-a-covid-case-chart-to-justify-mask-mandates/" target="_blank">an online article</a>&nbsp;that Norman had “deceptively doctored”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1411/Kansas-COVID-19-7-Day-Rolling-Average-of-Daily-Cases-Per-100K-Population-002" target="_blank">a chart</a>&nbsp;used in a news conference last week “to justify mask mandates.” Norman acknowledged in an interview that the chart might have caused confusion but said the central point — that requiring masks checks the virus’s spread — remains valid.

Republican leaders in the GOP-controlled Legislature have been at odds with Kelly for months over her handling the pandemic and have successfully pressured her into allowing the state’s 105 counties to set the rules for businesses and public gatherings. Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f492431f603ac1ad9610ccc32bb2c0c2">issued an order</a>&nbsp;July 2 to require people to wear masks in public, but a law enacted in June allows counties to opt out of her health orders, and most have opted out of the mask mandate.

Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, has pushed to put local officials in charge, opposed mask mandates and told reporters that he dislikes wearing a mask himself because they’re uncomfortable. He tried to raise questions about Norman’s presentation last week on masks during a public Zoom meeting Monday between Kelly and eight top lawmakers, only to have her cut him off, telling him that his comments weren’t relevant to the unrelated issues they were discussing.

“Your administration has a problem with transparency,” Hawkins told Kelly. “You have agencies that are giving out not-so-good information.”

The state health department reported Monday that Kansas has had 31,730 confirmed and probable coronavirus virus cases as of Monday, up 3.6% or 1,092 cases since Friday. The department also reported another seven COVID-19-related deaths to bring the total to 387.

Norman called criticism of his presentation last week “kind of killing the messenger.”

“Let’s not lose sight of what the goal is,” Norman said. “Hopefully that we can push all the numbers down in mask and no-mask counties — that’s the goal.”

Norman said during a news conference Wednesday that was live-streamed on his department’s Facebook page that counties that have imposed a mask mandate collectively have seen their growth in new coronavirus cases slow down while counties with no mandate have not.

He cited a chart showing that counties with mask mandates had seen the average number of new cases per 100,000 residents drop significantly while counties without mask mandates saw the figure hold relatively steady. The chart combined two graphics starting their scales at different points.

Kansas Policy Institute CEO Dave Trabert said in his article that the chart suggested visually that mask-mandate counties had fewer overall new cases per day, when they did not. Hawkins called the presentation “incredibly misleading.”

Norman said the graph’s presentation of data was “not unheard of” but added, “I think a learned lesson is that it probably is better to separate it out.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597143480721.png" alt="Dr. Lee Norman explains the chart during his August 5 news conference-KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Lee Norman explains the chart during his August 5 news conference-KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Republican leader in the Kansas Legislature on Monday accused Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s top public health administrator of using a misleading presentation to bolster their argument for requiring people to wear masks in public as a debate rages over imposing mandates to get the coronavirus under control.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596718264258.png" alt="Dr. Lee Norman's chart courtesy Kansas Dept. of Health" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Lee Norman's chart courtesy Kansas Dept. of Health</figcaption>
 </figure>House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins’ criticism of Dr. Lee Norman, head of the state Department of Health and Environment, came after the CEO of the small-government, free-market Kansas Policy Institute think tank suggested in&nbsp;<a href="https://sentinelksmo.org/kdhe-doctored-a-covid-case-chart-to-justify-mask-mandates/" target="_blank">an online article</a>&nbsp;that Norman had “deceptively doctored”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1411/Kansas-COVID-19-7-Day-Rolling-Average-of-Daily-Cases-Per-100K-Population-002" target="_blank">a chart</a>&nbsp;used in a news conference last week “to justify mask mandates.” Norman acknowledged in an interview that the chart might have caused confusion but said the central point — that requiring masks checks the virus’s spread — remains valid.Republican leaders in the GOP-controlled Legislature have been at odds with Kelly for months over her handling the pandemic and have successfully pressured her into allowing the state’s 105 counties to set the rules for businesses and public gatherings. Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f492431f603ac1ad9610ccc32bb2c0c2">issued an order</a>&nbsp;July 2 to require people to wear masks in public, but a law enacted in June allows counties to opt out of her health orders, and most have opted out of the mask mandate.Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, has pushed to put local officials in charge, opposed mask mandates and told reporters that he dislikes wearing a mask himself because they’re uncomfortable. He tried to raise questions about Norman’s presentation last week on masks during a public Zoom meeting Monday between Kelly and eight top lawmakers, only to have her cut him off, telling him that his comments weren’t relevant to the unrelated issues they were discussing.“Your administration has a problem with transparency,” Hawkins told Kelly. “You have agencies that are giving out not-so-good information.”The state health department reported Monday that Kansas has had 31,730 confirmed and probable coronavirus virus cases as of Monday, up 3.6% or 1,092 cases since Friday. The department also reported another seven COVID-19-related deaths to bring the total to 387.Norman called criticism of his presentation last week “kind of killing the messenger.”“Let’s not lose sight of what the goal is,” Norman said. “Hopefully that we can push all the numbers down in mask and no-mask counties — that’s the goal.”Norman said during a news conference Wednesday that was live-streamed on his department’s Facebook page that counties that have imposed a mask mandate collectively have seen their growth in new coronavirus cases slow down while counties with no mandate have not.He cited a chart showing that counties with mask mandates had seen the average number of new cases per 100,000 residents drop significantly while counties without mask mandates saw the figure hold relatively steady. The chart combined two graphics starting their scales at different points.Kansas Policy Institute CEO Dave Trabert said in his article that the chart suggested visually that mask-mandate counties had fewer overall new cases per day, when they did not. Hawkins called the presentation “incredibly misleading.”Norman said the graph’s presentation of data was “not unheard of” but added, “I think a learned lesson is that it probably is better to separate it out.”

GOP leader says Kansas health chief misled public on masks

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an aggravated burglary that occurred at a residence in the 300 block Parallel Street in Atchison and are looking for a suspect.

In the early morning hours on August 6, a 45-year-old victim was at home and sustained injuries from the intruder, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

The victim was familiar with who the suspect was. Police are not certain what vehicle the suspect was in on August 6, but in the past he was known to drive an older model black Toyota 4 Runner with Pennsylvania tags.

The victim sustained injuries from being struck with an object that was in the suspect's hand. The victim was treated and released from hospital care.

Police have identified and are searching for a 30-year-old male suspect. A case file has been presented to the County Attorney’s Office for prosecution, according to Wilson.

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an aggravated burglary that occurred at a residence in the 300 block Parallel Street in Atchison and are looking for a suspect.In the early morning hours on August 6, a 45-year-old victim was at home and sustained injuries from the intruder, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.The victim was familiar with who the suspect was. Police are not certain what vehicle the suspect was in on August 6, but in the past he was known to drive an older model black Toyota 4 Runner with Pennsylvania tags.The victim sustained injuries from being struck with an object that was in the suspect's hand. The victim was treated and released from hospital care.Police have identified and are searching for a 30-year-old male suspect. A case file has been presented to the County Attorney’s Office for prosecution, according to Wilson.

Police: Homeowner injured during Kansas burglary

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after a traffic stop.

Just before 2:30a.m. Monday, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2003 GMC Yukon for a traffic infraction near 118th and US Highwy 75, according to sheriff Tim Morse.

  The traffic investigation resulted in the arrest of Amber Dawn Gillaspie, 31, of Topeka.  Gillaspie was booked into the Jackson County Jail for possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597058262732.png" alt=" Gillaspie" />
 <figcaption> Gillaspie</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after a traffic stop.Just before 2:30a.m. Monday, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2003 GMC Yukon for a traffic infraction near 118th and US Highwy 75, according to sheriff Tim Morse. The traffic investigation resulted in the arrest of Amber Dawn Gillaspie, 31, of Topeka. Gillaspie was booked into the Jackson County Jail for possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Deputies find meth in Kansas woman's SUV

BARBER COUNTY–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Medicine Lodge Police Department, and the Barber County Sheriff’s Office are requesting the public’s help to locate Clinton Rogers, a person of interest connected to a homicide that occurred in Medicine Lodge.

Just before 2 p.m., July 27, a family member called 911 after finding 61-year-old Joyce A. Foulkrod deceased inside her home at 3 Whitney Lane., in Medicine Lodge.

Clinton Rogers is a 34-year-old white male with hazel eyes. He is 6-foot-1 in. tall, and weighs approximately 270 pounds.

Clinton W. Rogers, 34, stole a dark red 1995 Chevrolet Camaro with t-tops in Kingman County on Sunday. It is possible that the Camaro is still bearing Kansas license plate, 870JUK. Rogers is no longer traveling in the white F-150 pickup truck.

Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Clint Rogers, or encounters him or the Camaro, is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME. Tips related to this case can also be submitted online at:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar" target="_blank">https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar</a>.

BARBER COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Medicine Lodge Police Department, and the Barber County Sheriff’s Office are requesting the public’s help to locate a person of interest connected to a homicide that occurred in Medicine Lodge on Monday.

Just before 2p.m. July 27, a family member called 911 after finding 61-year-old Joyce A. Foulkrod deceased inside her home at 3 Whitney Lane., in Medicine Lodge.

Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Clint Rogers, or sees his white F-150 pickup truck, is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME. Tips related to this case can also be submitted online at:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar" target="_blank">https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar</a>.

BARBER COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Medicine Lodge Police Department, and the Barber County Sheriff’s Office are investigating after a Medicine Lodge woman was found dead Monday afternoon, according to a media release from the KBI.

The Medicine Lodge Police Department requested KBI assistance at approximately 2 p.m. on Monday, July 27. Special agents and the Crime Scene Response Team responded.

Just before 1:50 p.m., a family member called 911 after finding 61-year-old Joyce A. Foulkrod deceased inside her home at 3 Whitney Lane., in Medicine Lodge.

EMS, the Medicine Lodge Police Department, and the Barber County Sheriff’s Office responded. EMS pronounced her dead at the scene.

Preliminary information leads investigators to believe Foulkrod’s death was a homicide. An autopsy will be conducted Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596104355298.png" alt="The Camaro is possibly still bearing Kansas license plate, 870JUK.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The Camaro is possibly still bearing Kansas license plate, 870JUK.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>BARBER COUNTY–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Medicine Lodge Police Department, and the Barber County Sheriff’s Office are requesting the public’s help to locate Clinton Rogers, a person of interest connected to a homicide that occurred in Medicine Lodge.Just before 2 p.m., July 27, a family member called 911 after finding 61-year-old Joyce A. Foulkrod deceased inside her home at 3 Whitney Lane., in Medicine Lodge.Clinton Rogers is a 34-year-old white male with hazel eyes. He is 6-foot-1 in. tall, and weighs approximately 270 pounds.Clinton W. Rogers, 34, stole a dark red 1995 Chevrolet Camaro with t-tops in Kingman County on Sunday. It is possible that the Camaro is still bearing Kansas license plate, 870JUK. Rogers is no longer traveling in the white F-150 pickup truck.Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Clint Rogers, or encounters him or the Camaro, is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME. Tips related to this case can also be submitted online at:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar" target="_blank">https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar</a>.------BARBER COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Medicine Lodge Police Department, and the Barber County Sheriff’s Office are requesting the public’s help to locate a person of interest connected to a homicide that occurred in Medicine Lodge on Monday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596053633735.png" alt="Rogers" />
 <figcaption>Rogers</figcaption>
 </figure>Clinton Rogers is a 34-year-old white male with hazel eyes. He is 6-foot-1 in. tall, and weighs approximately 270 pounds.Just before 2p.m. July 27, a family member called 911 after finding 61-year-old Joyce A. Foulkrod deceased inside her home at 3 Whitney Lane., in Medicine Lodge.Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Clint Rogers, or sees his white F-150 pickup truck, is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME. Tips related to this case can also be submitted online at:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar" target="_blank">https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596053857791.png" alt="Crime scene tape at the home of the homicide investigation-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Crime scene tape at the home of the homicide investigation-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>--------BARBER COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Medicine Lodge Police Department, and the Barber County Sheriff’s Office are investigating after a Medicine Lodge woman was found dead Monday afternoon, according to a media release from the KBI.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596053687495.png" alt="Rogers' 2002 Ford F-150 -with possible Kansas license plate 870JUK" />
 <figcaption>Rogers' 2002 Ford F-150 -with possible Kansas license plate 870JUK</figcaption>
 </figure>The Medicine Lodge Police Department requested KBI assistance at approximately 2 p.m. on Monday, July 27. Special agents and the Crime Scene Response Team responded.Just before 1:50 p.m., a family member called 911 after finding 61-year-old Joyce A. Foulkrod deceased inside her home at 3 Whitney Lane., in Medicine Lodge.EMS, the Medicine Lodge Police Department, and the Barber County Sheriff’s Office responded. EMS pronounced her dead at the scene.Preliminary information leads investigators to believe Foulkrod’s death was a homicide. An autopsy will be conducted Tuesday.

Search continues for suspect in death of Kansas woman

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump was abruptly escorted by a U.S. Secret Service agent out of the White House briefing room as he was beginning a coronavirus briefing Monday afternoon. He returned minutes later, saying there was a “shooting” outside the White House that was “under control.”

“There was an actual shooting and somebody’s been taken to the hospital,” Trump said. The president said the shots were fired by law enforcement, saying he believed the individual who was shot was armed. “It was the suspect who was shot,” Trump said.

Trump said he was escorted to the Oval Office by the agent. The White House was placed on lockdown following the incident.

The shooting took place near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue just blocks from the White House, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation who were not authorized to speak publicly about it. Law enforcement officials were still trying to determine the suspect’s motive.

The suspect was transferred to a local hospital, and the District of Columbia fire department said the man suffered serious or possibly critical injuries. Authorities were investigating whether the individual has a history of mental illness.

Trump praised the work of Secret Service personnel for their work in keeping him safe. Asked if he was shaken by the incident, Trump asked reporters: “I don’t know. Do I seem rattled?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597098216508.png" alt="Secret Service agent interrupts President Trump's press briefing Monday afternoon -image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Secret Service agent interrupts President Trump's press briefing Monday afternoon -image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump was abruptly escorted by a U.S. Secret Service agent out of the White House briefing room as he was beginning a coronavirus briefing Monday afternoon. He returned minutes later, saying there was a “shooting” outside the White House that was “under control.”“There was an actual shooting and somebody’s been taken to the hospital,” Trump said. The president said the shots were fired by law enforcement, saying he believed the individual who was shot was armed. “It was the suspect who was shot,” Trump said.Trump said he was escorted to the Oval Office by the agent. The White House was placed on lockdown following the incident.The shooting took place near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue just blocks from the White House, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation who were not authorized to speak publicly about it. Law enforcement officials were still trying to determine the suspect’s motive.The suspect was transferred to a local hospital, and the District of Columbia fire department said the man suffered serious or possibly critical injuries. Authorities were investigating whether the individual has a history of mental illness.Trump praised the work of Secret Service personnel for their work in keeping him safe. Asked if he was shaken by the incident, Trump asked reporters: “I don’t know. Do I seem rattled?”

Trump escorted from briefing after shooting near White House

COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal December shooting have a suspect in custody.

Authorities in Northern California arrested Deuntae Markese Markham, 21, Wichita, on a Cowley County District Court warrant, according Cowley County Sheriff Dave Faletti.

Markham is being held without bond in San Francisco in connection with the fatal shooting of 32-year-old Gabriel Luna in the early morning hours of December 18, 2019 at&nbsp; the Honor Apartments at Southwestern College in the 1700 Block of Fowler in Winfield.

EMS transported Luna to the emergency room at William Newton Memorial Hospital and he was then transported by air ambulance to a Wichita area hospital and died December 20.

Markham, who is being held on requested charges of 2nd degree murder is scheduled for a hearing this week, according to online jail records.

Depending on whether Markham fights extradition, Faletti expects to have him transported to Kansas "in a timely manner."&nbsp;

COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and are asking the public for help with information.

Just after 1 a.m. December 18, Winfield Fire/EMS and Winfield Police Department responded to the Honor Apartments at Southwestern College in the 1700 Block of Fowler for a report of a gunshot victim, according to Chris Hood with the city of Winfield.

Upon investigation, it was determined that the resident of the apartment later identified as 32-year-old Gabriel Luna was the victim of the gunshot wound. He was transported to the emergency room at William Newton Memorial Hospital and then transported by air ambulance to a Wichita Kansas area hospital.&nbsp; On Friday Luna died of his injuries, according to Hood.

The shooting is now being investigating as a homicide.

Anyone who has knowledge about the shooting or who may have witnessed the shooting to contact the Winfield Police Department at (620)221-5555 or Cowley County Crime Stoppers at either 221-7777 or through their website which may be accessed through the Cowley County website.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597081657197.png" alt="Honor apartments photo courtesy Southwestern College" />
 <figcaption>Honor apartments photo courtesy Southwestern College</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal December shooting have a suspect in custody.Authorities in Northern California arrested Deuntae Markese Markham, 21, Wichita, on a Cowley County District Court warrant, according Cowley County Sheriff Dave Faletti.Markham is being held without bond in San Francisco in connection with the fatal shooting of 32-year-old Gabriel Luna in the early morning hours of December 18, 2019 at&nbsp; the Honor Apartments at Southwestern College in the 1700 Block of Fowler in Winfield.EMS transported Luna to the emergency room at William Newton Memorial Hospital and he was then transported by air ambulance to a Wichita area hospital and died December 20.Markham, who is being held on requested charges of 2nd degree murder is scheduled for a hearing this week, according to online jail records.Depending on whether Markham fights extradition, Faletti expects to have him transported to Kansas "in a timely manner."&nbsp;-------COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and are asking the public for help with information.Just after 1 a.m. December 18, Winfield Fire/EMS and Winfield Police Department responded to the Honor Apartments at Southwestern College in the 1700 Block of Fowler for a report of a gunshot victim, according to Chris Hood with the city of Winfield.Upon investigation, it was determined that the resident of the apartment later identified as 32-year-old Gabriel Luna was the victim of the gunshot wound. He was transported to the emergency room at William Newton Memorial Hospital and then transported by air ambulance to a Wichita Kansas area hospital.&nbsp; On Friday Luna died of his injuries, according to Hood.The shooting is now being investigating as a homicide.Anyone who has knowledge about the shooting or who may have witnessed the shooting to contact the Winfield Police Department at (620)221-5555 or Cowley County Crime Stoppers at either 221-7777 or through their website which may be accessed through the Cowley County website.&nbsp;------------

Suspect jailed in Calif. for deadly shooting at Kan. college apartments

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/10/kansas-dials-up-plan-to-spend-60-million-in-covid-19-aid-on-broadband-expansion/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly 
and a bipartisan majority of the State Finance Council voted Monday to 
allocate $60 million in federal COVID-19 aid to expansion of broadband 
in underserved areas of Kansas for benefit of business, telemedicine and
 education services.

Kansas Department of 
Commerce secretary David Toland said high-speed internet had to be 
viewed as an essential expenditure rather than a luxury investment due 
to inadequacies exposed during the pandemic. He urged the council to 
authorize the spending by arguing action at this time on rural broadband
 was akin to rural electrification programs in the 1930s.

“It’s critical if we are to grow as a state,” Toland said. “It’s simply a matter of practicality and common sense.”

The plan adopted by the 
council earmarked $50 million to create more communication 
infrastructure and applied $10 million to support of connectivity in 
low-income homes. The money must be spent by the end of 2020 with 
priority given to shovel-ready projects and an emphasis on telehealth 
services. The broadband initiative had been temporarily blocked after 
several Republicans said they didn’t believe the Kelly administration 
had yet developed a workable plan.

“The $60 million we’re 
looking at today is not going to be enough,” said Rep. Troy Waymaster, a
 Bunker Hill Republican. “Obviously, to have this implemented through 
the entire state of Kansas is going to cost more.”

Kelly said she agreed 
available funding wouldn’t address requirements for linking students to 
schools, sick people to medical clinics and business owners to customers
 worldwide. She said a third phase of spending from federal CARES Act 
appropriations could provide an supplemental layer of aid for broadband.

“Plus we’re still waiting 
with baited breath to see what the feds do. Hopefully, we will be able 
to increase this amount significantly going forward,” the governor said.

A majority of Republicans 
and Democrats on the council approved a proposal from the Kelly 
administration to spend up to $5 million to hire an accounting firm 
capable of tracking $1 billion in CARES Act funding distributed by the 
state amid the pandemic. Kelly said it would have been difficult for the
 state to promptly hire a sufficient number of highly skilled personnel 
for an accounting and compliance job ending in less than five months.

Senate President Susan 
Wagle, a Republican from Wichita, said she wasn’t convinced $5 million 
was required to provide transparency and accountability of COVID-19 
expenditures.

“This seems an excessive 
amount of money,” Wagle said. “Did we look at trying to do this within 
our own Department of Administration? Five million dollars to dot the Is
 and cross the Ts?”

House Majority Leader Dan 
Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, was the lone vote against the broadband 
initiative, the accounting contract and a separate $4 million 
expenditure of COVID-19 funding. He did so to protest recent 
distribution of information about the pandemic by the Kansas Department 
of Health and Environment. He accused KDHE secretary Lee Norman of 
putting out a confusing chart about spread of disease in counties that 
adopted a mask mandate and counties that chose not to take that step.

“The chart was incredibly misleading,” said Hawkins, as he launched into a speech about about KDHE leadership.

“Representative Hawkins,” the governor said, “we are talking about agency reimbursements from the CARES Act.”

“If you would like to ask a
 question or make a statement related to that, you are welcome to do 
so,” said Kelly, who chairs the State Finance Council.

Hawkins chose not to pose a
 question at that juncture in the meeting. During voting on the 
broadband aid, Hawkins said: “Due to the fact that your administration 
has a problem with transparency, that you have agencies that are giving 
out not-so-good information, and the fact that you don’t want to allow 
me to speak, I vote no.”

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/2020/8/1597088565135.jpeg" alt="House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, right, a Republican from Wichita, voted against three COVID-19 funding proposals Monday to protest information he considered flawed that was distributed by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. (Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, right, a Republican from Wichita, voted against three COVID-19 funding proposals Monday to protest information he considered flawed that was distributed by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. (Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/10/kansas-dials-up-plan-to-spend-60-million-in-covid-19-aid-on-broadband-expansion/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly 
and a bipartisan majority of the State Finance Council voted Monday to 
allocate $60 million in federal COVID-19 aid to expansion of broadband 
in underserved areas of Kansas for benefit of business, telemedicine and
 education services.Kansas Department of 
Commerce secretary David Toland said high-speed internet had to be 
viewed as an essential expenditure rather than a luxury investment due 
to inadequacies exposed during the pandemic. He urged the council to 
authorize the spending by arguing action at this time on rural broadband
 was akin to rural electrification programs in the 1930s.“It’s critical if we are to grow as a state,” Toland said. “It’s simply a matter of practicality and common sense.”The plan adopted by the 
council earmarked $50 million to create more communication 
infrastructure and applied $10 million to support of connectivity in 
low-income homes. The money must be spent by the end of 2020 with 
priority given to shovel-ready projects and an emphasis on telehealth 
services. The broadband initiative had been temporarily blocked after 
several Republicans said they didn’t believe the Kelly administration 
had yet developed a workable plan.“The $60 million we’re 
looking at today is not going to be enough,” said Rep. Troy Waymaster, a
 Bunker Hill Republican. “Obviously, to have this implemented through 
the entire state of Kansas is going to cost more.”Kelly said she agreed 
available funding wouldn’t address requirements for linking students to 
schools, sick people to medical clinics and business owners to customers
 worldwide. She said a third phase of spending from federal CARES Act 
appropriations could provide an supplemental layer of aid for broadband.“Plus we’re still waiting 
with baited breath to see what the feds do. Hopefully, we will be able 
to increase this amount significantly going forward,” the governor said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597088626978.jpeg" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly said Monday she supported allocation of $60 million in federal funding for expansion of broadband services in Kansas and would endorse additional spending to help with education, business and health care services tied to the internet. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly said Monday she supported allocation of $60 million in federal funding for expansion of broadband services in Kansas and would endorse additional spending to help with education, business and health care services tied to the internet. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>A majority of Republicans 
and Democrats on the council approved a proposal from the Kelly 
administration to spend up to $5 million to hire an accounting firm 
capable of tracking $1 billion in CARES Act funding distributed by the 
state amid the pandemic. Kelly said it would have been difficult for the
 state to promptly hire a sufficient number of highly skilled personnel 
for an accounting and compliance job ending in less than five months.Senate President Susan 
Wagle, a Republican from Wichita, said she wasn’t convinced $5 million 
was required to provide transparency and accountability of COVID-19 
expenditures.“This seems an excessive 
amount of money,” Wagle said. “Did we look at trying to do this within 
our own Department of Administration? Five million dollars to dot the Is
 and cross the Ts?”House Majority Leader Dan 
Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, was the lone vote against the broadband 
initiative, the accounting contract and a separate $4 million 
expenditure of COVID-19 funding. He did so to protest recent 
distribution of information about the pandemic by the Kansas Department 
of Health and Environment. He accused KDHE secretary Lee Norman of 
putting out a confusing chart about spread of disease in counties that 
adopted a mask mandate and counties that chose not to take that step.“The chart was incredibly misleading,” said Hawkins, as he launched into a speech about about KDHE leadership.“Representative Hawkins,” the governor said, “we are talking about agency reimbursements from the CARES Act.”“I agree,” Hawkins replied.“If you would like to ask a
 question or make a statement related to that, you are welcome to do 
so,” said Kelly, who chairs the State Finance Council.Hawkins chose not to pose a
 question at that juncture in the meeting. During voting on the 
broadband aid, Hawkins said: “Due to the fact that your administration 
has a problem with transparency, that you have agencies that are giving 
out not-so-good information, and the fact that you don’t want to allow 
me to speak, I vote no.”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;

Kan. to spend $60M in COVID-19 aid on broadband expansion

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; are investigating a large disturbance involving firearms that occurred at Midnight Rodeo, 10001 E. Kellogg, on Saturday and involved a party bus.

Shortly before midnight August 8, officers responded to multiple 911 calls of a fight involving over 50 people with numerous guns involved, according to officer Charley Davidson.

When officers arrived, they found two victims in the parking lot who had been knocked unconscious and were treated for non-life-threatening injures.&nbsp; 

A third victim with minor injuries was later contacted at an area hospital.&nbsp; Officers learned that several suspects entered a party bus that left the scene before the officers arrived.

The bus was located and stopped at Kellogg and Washington.&nbsp;Approximately 40 passengers were contacted during the stop, and&nbsp;six handguns were found discarded on the bus.

Two additional handguns were found discarded in the parking lot of Midnight Rodeo.&nbsp;

WPD investigators are currently working to determine individuals involved in this incident and the circumstances of everything involved.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; are investigating a large disturbance involving firearms that occurred at Midnight Rodeo, 10001 E. Kellogg, on Saturday and involved a party bus.Shortly before midnight August 8, officers responded to multiple 911 calls of a fight involving over 50 people with numerous guns involved, according to officer Charley Davidson.When officers arrived, they found two victims in the parking lot who had been knocked unconscious and were treated for non-life-threatening injures.&nbsp; A third victim with minor injuries was later contacted at an area hospital.&nbsp; Officers learned that several suspects entered a party bus that left the scene before the officers arrived.The bus was located and stopped at Kellogg and Washington.&nbsp;Approximately 40 passengers were contacted during the stop, and&nbsp;six handguns were found discarded on the bus.Two additional handguns were found discarded in the parking lot of Midnight Rodeo.&nbsp;WPD investigators are currently working to determine individuals involved in this incident and the circumstances of everything involved.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest.

Police: Party bus left scene of large fight at Kan. club

SALINA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly joined Kansas Department of Commerce Secretary David Toland in Salina to celebrate Schwan's manufacturing expansion which will create 225 new jobs.&nbsp; Senator Jerry Moran also attended the announcement.

“Schwan’s has been a staple here in Salina for many years, and they’ve been making nationally recognized pizza brands for decades,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said. “From Day One, my administration has prioritized investing in and rebuilding Kansas’ foundation. This venture is a testament to our commitment to create good jobs for Kansans, especially at this critical time as we work to recover from the economic challenges brought on by COVID-19.”

The expansion includes 400,000 square foot addition to&nbsp; the Tony’s plant at 3019 Scanlan Avenue in Salina.

&nbsp;The announcement of the project comes as the company celebrates the 50th year of operating a pizza production facility in Salina.&nbsp;

“For 50 years, we have made steady investments in growing our operations in Salina, and our facility eventually became what we believe is the largest pizza production facility in the world,” said CEO Dimitrios Smyrnios. “This new investment in Salina will help ensure that we can achieve our growth plans and continue to provide delicious pizzas to millions of families for decades to come.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597093121564.png" alt="Kansas Governor Laura Kelly during Monday's celebration in Salina- photo office of Kan. governor" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Governor Laura Kelly during Monday's celebration in Salina- photo office of Kan. governor</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly joined Kansas Department of Commerce Secretary David Toland in Salina to celebrate Schwan's manufacturing expansion which will create 225 new jobs.&nbsp; Senator Jerry Moran also attended the announcement.“Schwan’s has been a staple here in Salina for many years, and they’ve been making nationally recognized pizza brands for decades,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said. “From Day One, my administration has prioritized investing in and rebuilding Kansas’ foundation. This venture is a testament to our commitment to create good jobs for Kansans, especially at this critical time as we work to recover from the economic challenges brought on by COVID-19.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597093815974.png" alt="photo courtesy Schwans" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy Schwans</figcaption>
 </figure>The expansion includes 400,000 square foot addition to&nbsp; the Tony’s plant at 3019 Scanlan Avenue in Salina.&nbsp;The announcement of the project comes as the company celebrates the 50th year of operating a pizza production facility in Salina.&nbsp;“For 50 years, we have made steady investments in growing our operations in Salina, and our facility eventually became what we believe is the largest pizza production facility in the world,” said CEO Dimitrios Smyrnios. “This new investment in Salina will help ensure that we can achieve our growth plans and continue to provide delicious pizzas to millions of families for decades to come.”

Gov.: 225 new jobs coming with Schwans expansion in Salina 

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a violent robbery and asking the public with help to locate two suspects.

Just before 10 a.m. Sunday, the Barton County Sheriff’s Office received a call at NW 30th Road. Area 4, Lot 2 in the All Seasons Mobile Home Park. The caller advised two subjects armed with handguns, had entered his home, and robbed him, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

Upon arrival Sheriff’s deputies contacted the resident who said he was pistol whipped about the head and face and tied to a chair. The assailants then broke into a gun cabinet took several firearms as well as cash from the residence.

Witnesses in the area saw a mid-90s, white, suburban type vehicle at about the time of the incident. The vehicle was seen leaving the area shortly after the incident.

A suspect has been developed in the case and is wanted for questioning. Howard Lee Johnson, age 24 of Wichita. Johnson is described as a black male, 5-foot-7, 135 pounds, black hair, brown eyes. Johnson has multiple tattoos. Johnson has multiple outstanding warrants in the Barton County District Court.

The second suspect is also described as a tall, heavyset, black male who was wearing a red bandanna at the time of the attack. No further description is available at this time, according to Bellendir.

Both suspects should be considered armed and dangerous. If you have information about the whereabouts of Johnson or the other suspect or any further information about this crime please contact the Barton County Sheriff’s Office at 620-793-1876 or you can call Crime Stoppers of Barton County at 620-792-1300

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597095582675.png" alt="Howard Johnson has previous convictions for driving while suspended, failure to remain at the scene of an accident, flee or attempt to elude law enforcement and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections." />
 <figcaption>Howard Johnson has previous convictions for driving while suspended, failure to remain at the scene of an accident, flee or attempt to elude law enforcement and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a violent robbery and asking the public with help to locate two suspects.Just before 10 a.m. Sunday, the Barton County Sheriff’s Office received a call at NW 30th Road. Area 4, Lot 2 in the All Seasons Mobile Home Park. The caller advised two subjects armed with handguns, had entered his home, and robbed him, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597092707068.jpeg" alt="Howard Johnson-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Howard Johnson-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Upon arrival Sheriff’s deputies contacted the resident who said he was pistol whipped about the head and face and tied to a chair. The assailants then broke into a gun cabinet took several firearms as well as cash from the residence.Witnesses in the area saw a mid-90s, white, suburban type vehicle at about the time of the incident. The vehicle was seen leaving the area shortly after the incident.A suspect has been developed in the case and is wanted for questioning. Howard Lee Johnson, age 24 of Wichita. Johnson is described as a black male, 5-foot-7, 135 pounds, black hair, brown eyes. Johnson has multiple tattoos. Johnson has multiple outstanding warrants in the Barton County District Court.The second suspect is also described as a tall, heavyset, black male who was wearing a red bandanna at the time of the attack. No further description is available at this time, according to Bellendir.Both suspects should be considered armed and dangerous. If you have information about the whereabouts of Johnson or the other suspect or any further information about this crime please contact the Barton County Sheriff’s Office at 620-793-1876 or you can call Crime Stoppers of Barton County at 620-792-1300

Sheriff: Kan. felon wanted for alleged violent robbery 

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police in Kansas City responded to six homicides in the city over the weekend, including the latest Sunday evening on the city’s west side.

Officers found a man with gunshot wounds in the parking lot of Tony Aguirre Community Center, police said. The victim died at a hospital. Earlier Sunday, officers found a woman dead in a home near Ward Parkway. Police did not detail how she was killed.

Minutes before the woman was discovered, police were called to a fatal shooting in a parking lot of the Kansas City Zoo, and early Sunday morning, man in his 20s was fatally shot inside a home.

Saturday evening, two unresponsive men with gunshot wounds were found in the backyard of a home in the Sterling Gardens neighborhood. Both were declared dead at the scene, police said.

Kansas City police are getting help investigating the deaths from federal agents with Operation Legend, a federal anti-crime program meant to assist city police in high-crime areas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597068055533.png" alt="Police on the scene of one homicide investigation in the 8100 block of Ward Parkway Plaza.-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of one homicide investigation in the 8100 block of Ward Parkway Plaza.-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police in Kansas City responded to six homicides in the city over the weekend, including the latest Sunday evening on the city’s west side.Officers found a man with gunshot wounds in the parking lot of Tony Aguirre Community Center, police said. The victim died at a hospital. Earlier Sunday, officers found a woman dead in a home near Ward Parkway. Police did not detail how she was killed.Minutes before the woman was discovered, police were called to a fatal shooting in a parking lot of the Kansas City Zoo, and early Sunday morning, man in his 20s was fatally shot inside a home.Saturday evening, two unresponsive men with gunshot wounds were found in the backyard of a home in the Sterling Gardens neighborhood. Both were declared dead at the scene, police said.Kansas City police are getting help investigating the deaths from federal agents with Operation Legend, a federal anti-crime program meant to assist city police in high-crime areas.

Kansas City police respond to 6 homicides over weekend

BY C.J. JANOVY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/10/what-kansas-legislators-could-learn-from-winfields-national-teacher-of-the-year/">Kansas Reflector</a>

<a href="https://kasb.org/kansas-tabatha-rosproy-named-2020-national-teacher-of-the-year/">Tabatha Rosproy</a> was making Kansas proud.

It was May 21. On “<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/2020-national-teacher-of-the-year-tabatha-rosproy/">CBS This Morning</a>,” an adorable segment announced that Rosproy, 33, had been named the National Teacher of the Year.

Rosproy teaches preschool 
in a Winfied retirement community and nursing home. On a split screen, 
she watched for nearly seven minutes as 4-year-olds and elderly nursing 
home residents made it obvious how well she does her job.

One kid, asked to name her favorite activity in Rosproy’s classroom, thought before concluding, “That’s a good question.”

An old man with a gravelly voice lauded “all of the aspects of learning that she has shown: equality, love, respect.”

What’s so beautiful about Rosproy’s program at <a href="https://cumbernauldvillage.com/">Cumbernauld Village</a>
 is how it affirms the broadest definition of family. The preschoolers 
call the residents who are their volunteer teachers “grandmas and 
grandpas.”

For those elders, Rosproy 
told me, “It really provides purpose and meaning in their lives in 
retirement, in their time where they thought what they were contributing
 was over — those are their words, that’s what they say to me. Now, 
every day when they wake up, they get to spend time with children. They 
read together, discover, go fishing, play bingo, stomp in puddles — 
anything we can get them involved in.”

It works both ways. 
Grandmas and grandpas invite the kids to their evening activities around
 the nursing home and to special performances by outside groups, like 
when people from the zoo come to visit.

This interaction, Rosproy said, helps her young students grow socially, emotionally and academically.

Thanks to individual 
attention like one-on-one reading time with the grandmas and grandpas, 
she notes, the kids “have grown to be so much more empathetic” than what
 she’s observed in other preschool students.

“They can relate to people who are different from them,” she said. “It’s really incredible.”

It’s tempting to make a 
joke, here, about members of the Kansas Legislature needing the kind of 
education Rosproy’s preschoolers get. But there’s nothing funny about 
what some senators and representatives were doing at the Capitol on the 
same day as Rosproy was on national television making Kansas proud.

On May 21, the last day of this year’s session, legislators <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/year2/measures/reports/laws_fr/">accomplished little</a>.
 Most notably, considering the ongoing public health disaster that 
followed, they failed to expand Medicaid even after Gov. Laura Kelly <a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/governor-senate-majority-leader-announce-compromise-proposal-to-lower-healthcare-costs-for-kansas-families/">worked out a compromise</a> with Republican Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning. The loudest politicians spent 24 hours in a<a href="https://www.mcphersonsentinel.com/news/20200521/protesters-fire-up-political-rhetoric-as-kansas-legislators-struggle-on-sessionrsquos-final-day"> display of partisan poop-flinging</a>. To call them whiny babies would be an insult to whiny babies.

Rosproy’s experience of 
Kansas is a striking contrast to what we often see in the Statehouse. 
People in Cowley County invested in the greater good, funding early 
childhood education for<a href="https://www.publicprek.com/co/ks-cowley"> every kid</a>.

“Any 4-year-old goes to school for free,” Rosproy said.

Rosproy graduated from 
Winfield’s Southwestern College in 2009 and taught in a Head Start 
program in Salina before coming back to the Winfield Early Learning 
Center in 2014. Now she’s working on her master’s in education from Fort
 Hays State University.

She’s watched over the past decade as Kansas failed to fully fund its public schools. The state is now in the early phases of a <a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20190404/kansas-lawmakers-adopt-school-funding-plan-hope-for-court-approval">court-approved school funding plan</a>.

“Even with an education-friendly governor in office,” Rosproy said, “it’s still a battle getting the support we need.”

Lawmakers could fund 
universal preschool across the state, she suggested, but “there’s always
 this tit-for-tat sort of thing: ‘This is our money — what are we 
getting if we put it into this.’ I don’t think there’s anything you can 
invest in and get a better return than the education of a child.”

These days she’s fielding 
lots of questions about re-opening schools. She wouldn’t have been back 
at Cumbernauld Village for the next year anyway because of her National 
Teacher of the Year duties, but her pre-school kids will be learning 
separately from the old folks until it’s safe for everyone to be back 
together.

“When the state Board of Education says to make those decisions based on <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/22/kansas-board-of-education-blocks-gov-laura-kellys-plan-to-delay-k-12-classes/">what’s happening in local communities</a>,”
 she noted, “they forget in that the numbers in rural Kansas are so low 
because we’re spread out.” But school is a mass gathering. If people 
aren’t spread out, the numbers won’t stay low.

Rosproy has a national 
platform now. She doesn’t use it to tell people who to vote for. 
Instead, she says, “I think we need to look at what is good for 
everybody — not just what is best for me and mine, but how we can help 
everyone in our communities.”

Some Kansas politicians would call that socialism. I’d call it being the adult in the room.

C.J. Janovy is a veteran journalist with deep roots in the Midwest. Before joining the Kansas Reflector, she was an editor and reporter at Kansas City’s NPR affiliate, KCUR. Before that, she edited the city’s alt-weekly newspaper, The Pitch.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597083960721.jpeg" alt="Tabatha Rosproy, of Winfield, was named 2020 National Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers. (Kaydee Riggs Johnson)" />
 <figcaption>Tabatha Rosproy, of Winfield, was named 2020 National Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers. (Kaydee Riggs Johnson)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY C.J. JANOVY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/10/what-kansas-legislators-could-learn-from-winfields-national-teacher-of-the-year/">Kansas Reflector</a><a href="https://kasb.org/kansas-tabatha-rosproy-named-2020-national-teacher-of-the-year/">Tabatha Rosproy</a> was making Kansas proud.It was May 21. On “<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/2020-national-teacher-of-the-year-tabatha-rosproy/">CBS This Morning</a>,” an adorable segment announced that Rosproy, 33, had been named the National Teacher of the Year.Rosproy teaches preschool 
in a Winfied retirement community and nursing home. On a split screen, 
she watched for nearly seven minutes as 4-year-olds and elderly nursing 
home residents made it obvious how well she does her job.One kid, asked to name her favorite activity in Rosproy’s classroom, thought before concluding, “That’s a good question.”An old man with a gravelly voice lauded “all of the aspects of learning that she has shown: equality, love, respect.”<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l9aReAcNHrg"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>What’s so beautiful about Rosproy’s program at <a href="https://cumbernauldvillage.com/">Cumbernauld Village</a>
 is how it affirms the broadest definition of family. The preschoolers 
call the residents who are their volunteer teachers “grandmas and 
grandpas.”For those elders, Rosproy 
told me, “It really provides purpose and meaning in their lives in 
retirement, in their time where they thought what they were contributing
 was over — those are their words, that’s what they say to me. Now, 
every day when they wake up, they get to spend time with children. They 
read together, discover, go fishing, play bingo, stomp in puddles — 
anything we can get them involved in.”It works both ways. 
Grandmas and grandpas invite the kids to their evening activities around
 the nursing home and to special performances by outside groups, like 
when people from the zoo come to visit.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597084042843.jpeg" alt="2020 Teacher of the Year Tabatha Rosproy with her students and their “grandmas” at the Cumbernauld Village retirement communith. (Suzanne Lawrence)" />
 <figcaption>2020 Teacher of the Year Tabatha Rosproy with her students and their “grandmas” at the Cumbernauld Village retirement communith. (Suzanne Lawrence)</figcaption>
 </figure>This interaction, Rosproy said, helps her young students grow socially, emotionally and academically.Thanks to individual 
attention like one-on-one reading time with the grandmas and grandpas, 
she notes, the kids “have grown to be so much more empathetic” than what
 she’s observed in other preschool students.“They can relate to people who are different from them,” she said. “It’s really incredible.”It’s tempting to make a 
joke, here, about members of the Kansas Legislature needing the kind of 
education Rosproy’s preschoolers get. But there’s nothing funny about 
what some senators and representatives were doing at the Capitol on the 
same day as Rosproy was on national television making Kansas proud.On May 21, the last day of this year’s session, legislators <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/year2/measures/reports/laws_fr/">accomplished little</a>.
 Most notably, considering the ongoing public health disaster that 
followed, they failed to expand Medicaid even after Gov. Laura Kelly <a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/governor-senate-majority-leader-announce-compromise-proposal-to-lower-healthcare-costs-for-kansas-families/">worked out a compromise</a> with Republican Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning. The loudest politicians spent 24 hours in a<a href="https://www.mcphersonsentinel.com/news/20200521/protesters-fire-up-political-rhetoric-as-kansas-legislators-struggle-on-sessionrsquos-final-day"> display of partisan poop-flinging</a>. To call them whiny babies would be an insult to whiny babies.Rosproy’s experience of 
Kansas is a striking contrast to what we often see in the Statehouse. 
People in Cowley County invested in the greater good, funding early 
childhood education for<a href="https://www.publicprek.com/co/ks-cowley"> every kid</a>.“Any 4-year-old goes to school for free,” Rosproy said.Rosproy graduated from 
Winfield’s Southwestern College in 2009 and taught in a Head Start 
program in Salina before coming back to the Winfield Early Learning 
Center in 2014. Now she’s working on her master’s in education from Fort
 Hays State University.She’s watched over the past decade as Kansas failed to fully fund its public schools. The state is now in the early phases of a <a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20190404/kansas-lawmakers-adopt-school-funding-plan-hope-for-court-approval">court-approved school funding plan</a>.“Even with an education-friendly governor in office,” Rosproy said, “it’s still a battle getting the support we need.”Lawmakers could fund 
universal preschool across the state, she suggested, but “there’s always
 this tit-for-tat sort of thing: ‘This is our money — what are we 
getting if we put it into this.’ I don’t think there’s anything you can 
invest in and get a better return than the education of a child.”These days she’s fielding 
lots of questions about re-opening schools. She wouldn’t have been back 
at Cumbernauld Village for the next year anyway because of her National 
Teacher of the Year duties, but her pre-school kids will be learning 
separately from the old folks until it’s safe for everyone to be back 
together.“When the state Board of Education says to make those decisions based on <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/07/22/kansas-board-of-education-blocks-gov-laura-kellys-plan-to-delay-k-12-classes/">what’s happening in local communities</a>,”
 she noted, “they forget in that the numbers in rural Kansas are so low 
because we’re spread out.” But school is a mass gathering. If people 
aren’t spread out, the numbers won’t stay low.Rosproy has a national 
platform now. She doesn’t use it to tell people who to vote for. 
Instead, she says, “I think we need to look at what is good for 
everybody — not just what is best for me and mine, but how we can help 
everyone in our communities.”Some Kansas politicians would call that socialism. I’d call it being the adult in the room.C.J. Janovy is a veteran journalist with deep roots in the Midwest. Before joining the Kansas Reflector, she was an editor and reporter at Kansas City’s NPR affiliate, KCUR. Before that, she edited the city’s alt-weekly newspaper, The Pitch.

OPINION: What Kan. legislators could learn from national teacher of the year

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1092 to a total of 31,730 the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;

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

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1092 to a total of 31,730 the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 387<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597082129457.png" alt="Monday August 10, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Monday August 10, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a woman for alleged arson.

Just after 9 p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to 3215 24th Street in Great Bend in reference to a burglary in progress, according to a media release.

Anthony Shives, age 38, reported someone inside his residence. Shives reported his ex-wife Crystal Caruthers, age 36, had broken into the residence and set a fire.

Upon officers arrival, they located a broken window on the residence.

Officers located Caruthers in the bedroom. Caruthers was provided medical treatment by the Great Bend Fire Department for minor lacerations to the right hand and then transported to the Barton County Detention Center, where she was booked into custody on requested charges of burglary and arson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597077118702.png" alt="Crystal Caruthers photo Barton County" />
 <figcaption>Crystal Caruthers photo Barton County</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a woman for alleged arson.Just after 9 p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to 3215 24th Street in Great Bend in reference to a burglary in progress, according to a media release.Anthony Shives, age 38, reported someone inside his residence. Shives reported his ex-wife Crystal Caruthers, age 36, had broken into the residence and set a fire.Upon officers arrival, they located a broken window on the residence.Officers located Caruthers in the bedroom. Caruthers was provided medical treatment by the Great Bend Fire Department for minor lacerations to the right hand and then transported to the Barton County Detention Center, where she was booked into custody on requested charges of burglary and arson.

Police: Kan. woman set fire in ex-husband's home

SALINE COUNTY —Updated DNA testing has resulted in the identification of "Miss Molly," an unidentified deceased woman who was found in a creek along Interstate 70 in Saline County on Jan. 25, 1986.

On July 29, 2019, the woman's body was exhumed from Gypsum Hill Cemetery so that samples could be obtained for DNA testing. The resulting DNA profile was entered in the FBI Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and in late February the Saline County Sheriff’s Office was notified that a possible familial match was obtained, according to a news release from the sheriff's office this morning.

"After further examination this match provided positive identification of ‘Miss Molly’ which has since been confirmed thru dental records," according to the release.

The Saline County Sheriff will release additional details Tuesday.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597071478903.jpeg" alt="A sketch of how "Miss Molly" was believed to have looked. Image courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>A sketch of how "Miss Molly" was believed to have looked. Image courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Updated DNA testing has resulted in the identification of "Miss Molly," an unidentified deceased woman who was found in a creek along Interstate 70 in Saline County on Jan. 25, 1986.On July 29, 2019, the woman's body was exhumed from Gypsum Hill Cemetery so that samples could be obtained for DNA testing. The resulting DNA profile was entered in the FBI Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and in late February the Saline County Sheriff’s Office was notified that a possible familial match was obtained, according to a news release from the sheriff's office this morning."After further examination this match provided positive identification of ‘Miss Molly’ which has since been confirmed thru dental records," according to the release.The Saline County Sheriff will release additional details Tuesday.&nbsp;

Latest developments in Kan. cold case of Miss Molly

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/10/kdhe-secretary-warns-of-lethal-brew-yearns-for-mask-mandate-says-schools-not-yet-safe/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Bars and house 
parties are an antidote of choice among Kansans laboring with 
coronavirus frustration and willing to rub shoulders with friends or 
strangers.

Lee Norman, secretary of 
the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said on the Kansas 
Reflector podcast these boozy environments also harbor perils of 
COVID-19 for anyone rejecting advice to social distance, wash hands and 
wear a mask.

“They just immerse in 
virus when they do that,” Norman said. “There’s usually music. When 
people speak loudly, there’s airborne droplets. And they’re very close 
to each other. It is absolutely a lethal brew.”

Norman said he was 
distressed only 15 of the state’s 105 counties embraced Gov. Laura 
Kelly’s recommendation of a mask mandate. The public health value of 
requiring people to cover their mouth and nose when in public has been 
undermined by government officials who discounted potential of the virus
 or viewed government edicts as infringement of individual liberties.

“I would love to see a 
mask&nbsp;mandate,” Norman said. “People can be outside and not&nbsp;have a mask 
on, if they’re distanced and they’re walking in a park or those kind of 
things. When you can’t control your environment, and you’re getting 
anywhere close to people, put a mask on.”

He said the state’s K-12 
education system and the colleges and universities weren’t prepared to 
resume in-person instruction in August.

Some local school boards 
decided to delay opening until after Labor Day in September, but the 
Kansas Board of Education rejected the governor’s proposal to hold off 
until Sept. 9. Kelly argued school districts needed more time to prepare
 for an educational environment invaded by COVID-19.

“The reason for that was 
pretty obvious. The number of cases is going up and, quite honestly, to 
make a safe environment for K through 12, or for that matter, higher ed.
 We’re not there yet,” the secretary said.

Norman said controversial 
decisions by the governor to close schools to in-person teaching in 
March and to issue a shelter-in-place directive in April were the two 
factors early in the pandemic that had a beneficial influence on spread 
of the virus.

The governor’s phased plan
 for reopening the state’s economy was initiated in May but subsequently
 derailed by the Kansas Legislature. It was anchored in health-related 
metrics that took into account needs of businesses to resume operations,
 he said.

“I’ve been a chief medical
 officer at very large health systems, and I know the importance of the 
bottom line. It’s always been top of mind.&nbsp;I don’t ever make 
recommendations in a vacuum,” Norman said. “And&nbsp;that’s true with schools
 as well. Schools are much more than just teaching and learning. It’s 
about socialization, nutrition, mental health.”

So far, the virus has been
 confirmed as a contributing factor in the death of 380 people and 
hospitalization of 1,875 individuals in Kansas. There have been 30,638 
positive tests and 285,874 negative tests for the virus across the 
state.

Here’s the top dozen 
counties of confirmed infections: Johnson, 5,637; Wyandotte, 4,961; 
Sedgwick, 4,935; Ford, 2,161; Finney, 1,706; Shawnee, 1,522; 
Leavenworth, 1,487, Seward, 1,144; Douglas, 717; and Lyon, 668, Riley, 
438; and Crawford, 395.

Norman, who has faced 
criticism from elected politicians and a skeptical public, said he 
continued to worry that not enough Kansans took COVID-19 seriously.

“We can’t make people take
 it seriously. Rules help,” he said. “I think what’s going to happen is 
that people are going to get ground down and will either say, ‘I guess 
we have to take this seriously and I’m going to personally be 
responsible for myself and maybe my family members.’ Or, are they the 
other? They can just say, ‘Heck with it. Let’s just throw open the 
doors. I’m done.’ "

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597071808051.jpeg" alt="Kansas Department of Health and Environment secretary Lee Norman says during a recording of the Kansas Reflector podcast that he would prefer mask mandates to curtail the spread of COVID-19. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Department of Health and Environment secretary Lee Norman says during a recording of the Kansas Reflector podcast that he would prefer mask mandates to curtail the spread of COVID-19. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/873134704&color=%232b7fb4&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast" title="Reflector Podcast" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Reflector Podcast</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast/health-secretary-lee-norman-yearns-for-mask-mandate" title="Health secretary Lee Norman warns of &#x27;lethal brew&#x27;" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Health secretary Lee Norman warns of &#x27;lethal brew&#x27;</a></div></div>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/10/kdhe-secretary-warns-of-lethal-brew-yearns-for-mask-mandate-says-schools-not-yet-safe/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Bars and house 
parties are an antidote of choice among Kansans laboring with 
coronavirus frustration and willing to rub shoulders with friends or 
strangers.Lee Norman, secretary of 
the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said on the Kansas 
Reflector podcast these boozy environments also harbor perils of 
COVID-19 for anyone rejecting advice to social distance, wash hands and 
wear a mask.“They just immerse in 
virus when they do that,” Norman said. “There’s usually music. When 
people speak loudly, there’s airborne droplets. And they’re very close 
to each other. It is absolutely a lethal brew.”Norman said he was 
distressed only 15 of the state’s 105 counties embraced Gov. Laura 
Kelly’s recommendation of a mask mandate. The public health value of 
requiring people to cover their mouth and nose when in public has been 
undermined by government officials who discounted potential of the virus
 or viewed government edicts as infringement of individual liberties.“I would love to see a 
mask&nbsp;mandate,” Norman said. “People can be outside and not&nbsp;have a mask 
on, if they’re distanced and they’re walking in a park or those kind of 
things. When you can’t control your environment, and you’re getting 
anywhere close to people, put a mask on.”He said the state’s K-12 
education system and the colleges and universities weren’t prepared to 
resume in-person instruction in August.Some local school boards 
decided to delay opening until after Labor Day in September, but the 
Kansas Board of Education rejected the governor’s proposal to hold off 
until Sept. 9. Kelly argued school districts needed more time to prepare
 for an educational environment invaded by COVID-19.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597072174250.jpeg" alt="Kansas Department of Health and Environment secretary Lee Norman sketches a chart showing a midsummer resurgence of infections in Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Department of Health and Environment secretary Lee Norman sketches a chart showing a midsummer resurgence of infections in Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“The reason for that was 
pretty obvious. The number of cases is going up and, quite honestly, to 
make a safe environment for K through 12, or for that matter, higher ed.
 We’re not there yet,” the secretary said.Norman said controversial 
decisions by the governor to close schools to in-person teaching in 
March and to issue a shelter-in-place directive in April were the two 
factors early in the pandemic that had a beneficial influence on spread 
of the virus.The governor’s phased plan
 for reopening the state’s economy was initiated in May but subsequently
 derailed by the Kansas Legislature. It was anchored in health-related 
metrics that took into account needs of businesses to resume operations,
 he said.“I’ve been a chief medical
 officer at very large health systems, and I know the importance of the 
bottom line. It’s always been top of mind.&nbsp;I don’t ever make 
recommendations in a vacuum,” Norman said. “And&nbsp;that’s true with schools
 as well. Schools are much more than just teaching and learning. It’s 
about socialization, nutrition, mental health.”So far, the virus has been
 confirmed as a contributing factor in the death of 380 people and 
hospitalization of 1,875 individuals in Kansas. There have been 30,638 
positive tests and 285,874 negative tests for the virus across the 
state.Here’s the top dozen 
counties of confirmed infections: Johnson, 5,637; Wyandotte, 4,961; 
Sedgwick, 4,935; Ford, 2,161; Finney, 1,706; Shawnee, 1,522; 
Leavenworth, 1,487, Seward, 1,144; Douglas, 717; and Lyon, 668, Riley, 
438; and Crawford, 395.Norman, who has faced 
criticism from elected politicians and a skeptical public, said he 
continued to worry that not enough Kansans took COVID-19 seriously.“We can’t make people take
 it seriously. Rules help,” he said. “I think what’s going to happen is 
that people are going to get ground down and will either say, ‘I guess 
we have to take this seriously and I’m going to personally be 
responsible for myself and maybe my family members.’ Or, are they the 
other? They can just say, ‘Heck with it. Let’s just throw open the 
doors. I’m done.’ "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;

🎙 KDHE secretary warns of ‘lethal brew,’ says schools not yet safe

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Police in Topeka continue to search for suspects in the death of a woman who was killed by a stray bullet as she stood in her front yard. 

The shooting happened late Wednesday night as 62-year-old Jerrie Lyn Ross was in her yard. 

Police say she was innocent bystander caught in the crossfire of two parties shooting at each other. 

Police have said they are searching for a person of interest based on video images of someone shooting, but have not announced any arrests. Ross' family says she was a real estate and property manager who owned and operated Homes By Ross in Topeka.

TOPEKA —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting in Topeka are&nbsp; attempting to identify a suspect, according to Police Lt. Manuel Munoz.

Just after 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, police&nbsp; responded to a report of multiple gun shots being fired in the 1100 block of SW Gage in Topeka  near a shopping district and not far from the Topeka Zoo, according to Lt. John Trimble.

Officers arrived on scene and found evidence of shots being fired. They then located a victim who appeared to have suffered a gunshot wound. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Due to the size of this crime scene, police asked the public to avoid the 1100-1200 blocks of Gage.&nbsp; &nbsp;The street was reopened to traffic late morning and police remained on the scene, according Munoz.

Detectives are asking anyone that might recognize the individual in the picture or the vehicle, to please email telltpd@topeka.org or call the Topeka

Police Criminal Investigation Bureau at 785-368-9400. Anonymous tips can be made by calling Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007. You can also make anonymous tips online at www.p3tips.com/128

TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities continue their investigation of a&nbsp; shooting&nbsp; that left one person dead in Topeka.

Due to the size of this crime scene, police asked the public to avoid the 1100-1200 blocks of Gage.&nbsp; &nbsp;The street is now open to traffic and police remain on the scene, according to Lt. Manuel Munoz.

Police ask that anyone with surveillance camera systems in the area to please review them and see if they captured anything. 

&nbsp;Police have not identified the victim or additional details.

TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a&nbsp; shooting&nbsp; that left one person dead.

Due to the size of this crime scene, police asked the public to avoid the 1100-1200 blocks of Gage.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;Police did allow Huntoon Street and Gage Boulevard&nbsp; open for Thursday morning commuters, according to Trimble.

Police have not identified the victim or released additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596745506137.png" alt="&nbsp;This security camera image is a person of interest in the homicide that occurred late Wednesday in the 1100 Block of SW Gage in Topeka.&nbsp; The vehicle is a black Chevrolet SUV and was last seen northbound on Gage from the scene." />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;This security camera image is a person of interest in the homicide that occurred late Wednesday in the 1100 Block of SW Gage in Topeka.&nbsp; The vehicle is a black Chevrolet SUV and was last seen northbound on Gage from the scene.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Police in Topeka continue to search for suspects in the death of a woman who was killed by a stray bullet as she stood in her front yard. The shooting happened late Wednesday night as 62-year-old Jerrie Lyn Ross was in her yard. Police say she was innocent bystander caught in the crossfire of two parties shooting at each other. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596711636578.png" alt="Police crime scene tape near the shooting investigation early Thursday -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police crime scene tape near the shooting investigation early Thursday -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Police have said they are searching for a person of interest based on video images of someone shooting, but have not announced any arrests. Ross' family says she was a real estate and property manager who owned and operated Homes By Ross in Topeka.-----------------TOPEKA —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting in Topeka are&nbsp; attempting to identify a suspect, according to Police Lt. Manuel Munoz.Just after 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, police&nbsp; responded to a report of multiple gun shots being fired in the 1100 block of SW Gage in Topeka near a shopping district and not far from the Topeka Zoo, according to Lt. John Trimble.Officers arrived on scene and found evidence of shots being fired. They then located a victim who appeared to have suffered a gunshot wound. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596711636578.png" alt="Police crime scene tape near the shooting investigation early Thursday -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police crime scene tape near the shooting investigation early Thursday -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Due to the size of this crime scene, police asked the public to avoid the 1100-1200 blocks of Gage.&nbsp; &nbsp;The street was reopened to traffic late morning and police remained on the scene, according Munoz.Detectives are asking anyone that might recognize the individual in the picture or the vehicle, to please email telltpd@topeka.org or call the TopekaPolice Criminal Investigation Bureau at 785-368-9400. Anonymous tips can be made by calling Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007. You can also make anonymous tips online at www.p3tips.com/128-----------------TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities continue their investigation of a&nbsp; shooting&nbsp; that left one person dead in Topeka.Just after 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, police&nbsp; responded to a report of multiple gun shots being fired in the 1100 block of SW Gage in Topeka near a shopping district and not far from the Topeka Zoo, according to Lt. John Trimble.Officers arrived on scene and found evidence of shots being fired. They then located a victim who appeared to have suffered a gunshot wound. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene.Due to the size of this crime scene, police asked the public to avoid the 1100-1200 blocks of Gage.&nbsp; &nbsp;The street is now open to traffic and police remain on the scene, according to Lt. Manuel Munoz.Police ask that anyone with surveillance camera systems in the area to please review them and see if they captured anything. &nbsp;Police have not identified the victim or additional details.-------------TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a&nbsp; shooting&nbsp; that left one person dead.Just after 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, police&nbsp; responded to a report of multiple gun shots being fired in the 1100 block of SW Gage in Topeka near a shopping district and not far from the Topeka Zoo, according to Lt. John Trimble.Officers arrived on scene and found evidence of shots being fired. They then located a victim who appeared to have suffered a gunshot wound. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene.Due to the size of this crime scene, police asked the public to avoid the 1100-1200 blocks of Gage.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Police did allow Huntoon Street and Gage Boulevard&nbsp; open for Thursday morning commuters, according to Trimble.Police have not identified the victim or released additional details.

Kansas woman standing in her yard killed by stray bullet

RENO COUNTY — Reno County authorities working to identify the victim of a fatal accident Sunday night.

Just after 6:30 p.m. Sunday, deputies were dispatched to Yaggy Road under Kansas 14 northwest of Hutchinson for a pickup that struck one of the highway pillars, according to the Reno County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies found the vehicle fully engulfed in flames. The male driver made it partially out of the truck, but his legs were pinned under the dash and the truck burned with the driver inside. He died at the scene.

Investigators believe excessive speed contributed to the fatality.

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

RENO COUNTY — Reno County authorities working to identify the victim of a fatal accident Sunday night.Just after 6:30 p.m. Sunday, deputies were dispatched to Yaggy Road under Kansas 14 northwest of Hutchinson for a pickup that struck one of the highway pillars, according to the Reno County Sheriff's Office.Deputies found the vehicle fully engulfed in flames. The male driver made it partially out of the truck, but his legs were pinned under the dash and the truck burned with the driver inside. He died at the scene.Investigators believe excessive speed contributed to the fatality.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.