TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — With college basketball’s March Madness underway, Kansas legislators moved closer toward legalizing sports betting, though big disagreements remained over where fans should be able to place wagers.

A state House committee approved a bill that would allow sports betting at four state-owned casinos, racetracks, as many as 1,200 retail stores that sell Kansas Lottery tickets, online and through apps linked to casinos, tracks and the lottery. It next goes to the full House for debate, possibly as early as this week.

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210303182646_827854/" target="_blank">The Senate approved</a>&nbsp;sports betting earlier this month, but&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/supp_note_sb84_02_0000.pdf" target="_blank">its proposal</a>&nbsp;would limit live, online and app wagering to four state-owned casinos, which are operated by private companies under contracts with the lottery. If the House approves a bill, negotiators for the two chambers would have to resolve the differences over who gets to offer wagering.

A federal law barred sports betting in Kansas and most states until the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f3fa1f71b8f44378a7e2c51d321b13b4">struck it down&nbsp;</a>in 2018. Twenty-five states now allow sports betting, according to the American Gaming Association.

“One of the main reasons that we’re trying to do sports betting is there is a huge black market,” said Sen. Jeff Longbine, an Emporia Republican. “We would rather have them in a legal, regulated environment.”

Kansas officials do not believe the state’s take from sports betting would be large, perhaps only several million dollars a year.

But even in a conservative-led, Republican-controlled Legislature, many lawmakers want to tap into wagering that’s already occurring in other states or illegally. The University of Kansas has one of college basketball’s premiere men’s programs, Kansas State University’s football team is regularly competitive, and the Kansas City Chiefs are riding high.

The state lottery’s oversight of sports betting would be required under the Kansas Constitution, just as it is for casinos other than those operated by Native American tribes.

Supporters of the Senate plan argue that limiting live, online and mobile-app betting to state-owned casino means they — not the lottery — assume the risk of losing money on big events such as the March Madness college basketball tournament or the Super Bowl.

However, Rep. John Barker, an Abilene Republican and the House committee’s chair, questioned whether allowing lottery retailers to take wagers would expose the state to much actual risk.

“Over an extended period of time, the odds are always with the house,” Barker said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616182018042.png" alt="Members of the House Federal and State Affairs Committee during Friday's meeting-image House YouTube channel" />
 <figcaption>Members of the House Federal and State Affairs Committee during Friday's meeting-image House YouTube channel</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — With college basketball’s March Madness underway, Kansas legislators moved closer toward legalizing sports betting, though big disagreements remained over where fans should be able to place wagers.A state House committee approved a bill that would allow sports betting at four state-owned casinos, racetracks, as many as 1,200 retail stores that sell Kansas Lottery tickets, online and through apps linked to casinos, tracks and the lottery. It next goes to the full House for debate, possibly as early as this week.<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210303182646_827854/" target="_blank">The Senate approved</a>&nbsp;sports betting earlier this month, but&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/supp_note_sb84_02_0000.pdf" target="_blank">its proposal</a>&nbsp;would limit live, online and app wagering to four state-owned casinos, which are operated by private companies under contracts with the lottery. If the House approves a bill, negotiators for the two chambers would have to resolve the differences over who gets to offer wagering.A federal law barred sports betting in Kansas and most states until the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f3fa1f71b8f44378a7e2c51d321b13b4">struck it down&nbsp;</a>in 2018. Twenty-five states now allow sports betting, according to the American Gaming Association.“One of the main reasons that we’re trying to do sports betting is there is a huge black market,” said Sen. Jeff Longbine, an Emporia Republican. “We would rather have them in a legal, regulated environment.”Kansas officials do not believe the state’s take from sports betting would be large, perhaps only several million dollars a year.But even in a conservative-led, Republican-controlled Legislature, many lawmakers want to tap into wagering that’s already occurring in other states or illegally. The University of Kansas has one of college basketball’s premiere men’s programs, Kansas State University’s football team is regularly competitive, and the Kansas City Chiefs are riding high.The state lottery’s oversight of sports betting would be required under the Kansas Constitution, just as it is for casinos other than those operated by Native American tribes.Supporters of the Senate plan argue that limiting live, online and mobile-app betting to state-owned casino means they — not the lottery — assume the risk of losing money on big events such as the March Madness college basketball tournament or the Super Bowl.However, Rep. John Barker, an Abilene Republican and the House committee’s chair, questioned whether allowing lottery retailers to take wagers would expose the state to much actual risk.“Over an extended period of time, the odds are always with the house,” Barker said.

Kansas lawmakers at odds over how to legalize sports betting

LONDON (AP) — AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine provided strong protection against sickness and eliminated hospitalizations and deaths from the disease across all age groups in a late-stage study in the United States, the company announced Monday.

AstraZeneca said its experts did not identify any safety concerns related to the vaccine, including finding no increased risk of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eu-regulator-review-astrazeneca-shot-blood-clot-links-437190969ed016e40bdfcbb4b63fc7a9">rare blood clots identified in Europe</a>.

Although AstraZeneca’s vaccine has been authorized in more than 50 countries, it has not yet been given the green light in the U.S. — and has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-pause-astrazeneca-doubt-elsewhere-3ae7c1aca20f36c03cacbe7c3f23d1a7">struggled to gain public trust</a>&nbsp;amid a troubled rollout. The study comprised more than 30,000 volunteers, of whom two-thirds were given the vaccine while the rest got dummy shots.

In a statement, AstraZeneca said its COVID-19 vaccine had a 79% efficacy rate at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 and was 100% effective in stopping severe disease and hospitalization, though it has not yet published full data. Investigators said the vaccine was effective across all ages, including older people — something previous studies in other countries had failed to establish. Two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine were given to people four weeks apart.

“These findings reconfirm previous results observed,” said Ann Falsey of the University of Rochester School of Medicine who helped lead the trial. “It’s exciting to see similar efficacy results in people over 65 for the first time.”

The AstraZeneca shot is a pillar of a U.N.-backed project known as COVAX that aims to get COVID-19 vaccines to poorer countries, and it has also become a key tool in European countries’ efforts to boost their sluggish vaccine rollouts.

The early findings from the U.S. study are just one set of information AstraZeneca must submit to the Food and Drug Administration. An FDA advisory committee will publicly debate the evidence behind the shots before the agency decides whether to allow emergency use of the vaccine. In the past, the time between a company revealing efficacy data and a shot being authorized in the U.S. has been about a month.

Julian Tang, a virologist at the University of Leicester who was not connected to the study, described the results as “good news” for the vaccine.

“The earlier U.K., Brazil, South Africa trials had a more variable and inconsistent design and it was thought that the U.S. FDA would never approve the use of the AZ vaccine on this basis, but now the U.S. clinical trial has confirmed the efficacy of this vaccine in their own clinical trials,” he said.

Scientists have been awaiting results of the U.S. study in hopes it will clear up some of the confusion about just how well the shots really work, particularly in older people. Previous research suggested the vaccine was effective in younger populations, but there were no solid data proving its efficacy in those over 65, often those most vulnerable to COVID-19.

Britain first authorized the vaccine based on partial results from testing in the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa that suggested the shots were about 70% effective. But those results were clouded by a manufacturing mistake that led some participants to get just a half dose in their first shot — an error the researchers didn’t immediately acknowledge.

Then came more questions, about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eu-authorizes-astrazeneca-vaccine-adults-18b545dd51ea56f422ff28cdeb2dd08b">how well the vaccine protected older adults</a>&nbsp;and how long to wait before the second dose. Some European countries including Germany, France and Belgium initially withheld the shot from older adults and only reversed their decisions after new data suggested it was offering seniors protection.

AstraZeneca’s vaccine development was rocky in the U.S., too. Last fall, the Food and Drug Administration suspended the company’s study for an unusual six weeks, as frustrated regulators sought information about some neurologic complaints reported in Britain; ultimately, there was no evidence the vaccine was to blame.

Last week, more than a dozen countries, mostly in Europe, temporarily suspended their use of the AstraZeneca shot after reports it was linked to blood clots. On Thursday, the European Medicines Agency concluded after an investigation that the vaccine did not raise the overall risk of blood clots, but could not rule out that it was connected to two very rare types of clots. It recommended adding a warning about these cases to the vaccine’s leaflet.

It’s not unheard of for such rare problems to crop up as vaccines are rolled out since trials typically look at tens of thousands of people, and some issues are only seen once the shot is used in millions of people.

France, Germany, Italy and other countries subsequently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-health-germany-coronavirus-pandemic-08d5b84cdd1ceddf1557f68f61332c26">resumed their use of the shot</a>&nbsp;on Friday, with senior politicians rolling up their sleeves to show the vaccine was safe.

AstraZeneca said it would continue to analyze the U.S. data before submitting it to the FDA in the coming weeks. It said the data would also soon be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

The AstraZeneca vaccine is what scientists call a “viral vector” vaccine. The shots are made with a harmless virus, a cold virus that normally infects chimpanzees. It acts like a Trojan horse to carry the spike protein’s genetic material into the body, which in turn produces some harmless protein. That primes the immune system to fight if the real virus comes along.

Two other companies, Johnson &amp; Johnson and China’s CanSino Biologics, make COVID-19 vaccines using the same technology but using different cold viruses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616409995625.png" alt="Photo courtesy AstraZeneca" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy AstraZeneca</figcaption>
 </figure>LONDON (AP) — AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine provided strong protection against sickness and eliminated hospitalizations and deaths from the disease across all age groups in a late-stage study in the United States, the company announced Monday.AstraZeneca said its experts did not identify any safety concerns related to the vaccine, including finding no increased risk of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eu-regulator-review-astrazeneca-shot-blood-clot-links-437190969ed016e40bdfcbb4b63fc7a9">rare blood clots identified in Europe</a>.Although AstraZeneca’s vaccine has been authorized in more than 50 countries, it has not yet been given the green light in the U.S. — and has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-pause-astrazeneca-doubt-elsewhere-3ae7c1aca20f36c03cacbe7c3f23d1a7">struggled to gain public trust</a>&nbsp;amid a troubled rollout. The study comprised more than 30,000 volunteers, of whom two-thirds were given the vaccine while the rest got dummy shots.In a statement, AstraZeneca said its COVID-19 vaccine had a 79% efficacy rate at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 and was 100% effective in stopping severe disease and hospitalization, though it has not yet published full data. Investigators said the vaccine was effective across all ages, including older people — something previous studies in other countries had failed to establish. Two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine were given to people four weeks apart.“These findings reconfirm previous results observed,” said Ann Falsey of the University of Rochester School of Medicine who helped lead the trial. “It’s exciting to see similar efficacy results in people over 65 for the first time.”The AstraZeneca shot is a pillar of a U.N.-backed project known as COVAX that aims to get COVID-19 vaccines to poorer countries, and it has also become a key tool in European countries’ efforts to boost their sluggish vaccine rollouts.The early findings from the U.S. study are just one set of information AstraZeneca must submit to the Food and Drug Administration. An FDA advisory committee will publicly debate the evidence behind the shots before the agency decides whether to allow emergency use of the vaccine. In the past, the time between a company revealing efficacy data and a shot being authorized in the U.S. has been about a month.Julian Tang, a virologist at the University of Leicester who was not connected to the study, described the results as “good news” for the vaccine.“The earlier U.K., Brazil, South Africa trials had a more variable and inconsistent design and it was thought that the U.S. FDA would never approve the use of the AZ vaccine on this basis, but now the U.S. clinical trial has confirmed the efficacy of this vaccine in their own clinical trials,” he said.Scientists have been awaiting results of the U.S. study in hopes it will clear up some of the confusion about just how well the shots really work, particularly in older people. Previous research suggested the vaccine was effective in younger populations, but there were no solid data proving its efficacy in those over 65, often those most vulnerable to COVID-19.Britain first authorized the vaccine based on partial results from testing in the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa that suggested the shots were about 70% effective. But those results were clouded by a manufacturing mistake that led some participants to get just a half dose in their first shot — an error the researchers didn’t immediately acknowledge.Then came more questions, about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eu-authorizes-astrazeneca-vaccine-adults-18b545dd51ea56f422ff28cdeb2dd08b">how well the vaccine protected older adults</a>&nbsp;and how long to wait before the second dose. Some European countries including Germany, France and Belgium initially withheld the shot from older adults and only reversed their decisions after new data suggested it was offering seniors protection.AstraZeneca’s vaccine development was rocky in the U.S., too. Last fall, the Food and Drug Administration suspended the company’s study for an unusual six weeks, as frustrated regulators sought information about some neurologic complaints reported in Britain; ultimately, there was no evidence the vaccine was to blame.Last week, more than a dozen countries, mostly in Europe, temporarily suspended their use of the AstraZeneca shot after reports it was linked to blood clots. On Thursday, the European Medicines Agency concluded after an investigation that the vaccine did not raise the overall risk of blood clots, but could not rule out that it was connected to two very rare types of clots. It recommended adding a warning about these cases to the vaccine’s leaflet.It’s not unheard of for such rare problems to crop up as vaccines are rolled out since trials typically look at tens of thousands of people, and some issues are only seen once the shot is used in millions of people.France, Germany, Italy and other countries subsequently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-health-germany-coronavirus-pandemic-08d5b84cdd1ceddf1557f68f61332c26">resumed their use of the shot</a>&nbsp;on Friday, with senior politicians rolling up their sleeves to show the vaccine was safe.AstraZeneca said it would continue to analyze the U.S. data before submitting it to the FDA in the coming weeks. It said the data would also soon be published in a peer-reviewed journal.The AstraZeneca vaccine is what scientists call a “viral vector” vaccine. The shots are made with a harmless virus, a cold virus that normally infects chimpanzees. It acts like a Trojan horse to carry the spike protein’s genetic material into the body, which in turn produces some harmless protein. That primes the immune system to fight if the real virus comes along.Two other companies, Johnson &amp; Johnson and China’s CanSino Biologics, make COVID-19 vaccines using the same technology but using different cold viruses.___

AstraZeneca: US data shows vaccine effective for all ages

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 10:30p.m. Sunday in Wyandotte County.

The Kansas Highway reported a 2013 Kia Sorento driven by&nbsp; Lance Elmon Owens, Jr., 28, Kansas City, Kan., was northbound on Interstate 635 just south of Metropolitan.

The SUV traveled off the right side of the roadway into the ditch and overturned. The driver was ejected out of the windshield, landed on the right shoulder and slid into lane three.

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

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 10:30p.m. Sunday in Wyandotte County.The Kansas Highway reported a 2013 Kia Sorento driven by&nbsp; Lance Elmon Owens, Jr., 28, Kansas City, Kan., was northbound on Interstate 635 just south of Metropolitan.The SUV traveled off the right side of the roadway into the ditch and overturned. The driver was ejected out of the windshield, landed on the right shoulder and slid into lane three.Owens was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Frontier Forensics. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after ejected in rollover crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — Responding to concerns from state officials, the U.S. Treasury Department said that states can cut taxes without penalty under a new federal pandemic relief law — so long as they use their own funds to offset those cuts.

Republican governors, lawmakers and attorneys general have expressed apprehension about a provision in the wide-ranging relief act signed by President Joe Biden that prohibits states from using $195 billion of federal aid “to either directly or indirectly offset a reduction” in net tax revenue. The restriction could apply through 2024.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, a Republican, on Wednesday asked a federal judge to block the tax-cut provision.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-personal-taxes-arizona-coronavirus-pandemic-west-virginia-d924f907e9879189289d4b5d4ae846df">Republican attorneys general from 21 other states</a>&nbsp;wrote to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen seeking clarification on the prohibition, which they said could be construed “to deny states the ability to cut taxes in any manner whatsoever.”

A treasury spokesperson told The Associated Press that the provision isn’t meant as a blanket prohibition on tax cuts. States can still offset tax reductions through other means.

“In other words, states are free to make policy decisions to cut taxes – they just cannot use the pandemic relief funds to pay for those tax cuts,” the Treasury Department said.

The treasury’s application of the law could provide clearance for some tax cuts, such as Missouri legislation that would expand online sales taxes to offset proposed income tax reductions in 2023. Republican Sen. Andrew Koenig said he thinks his legislation is OK but has asked the state attorney general for guidance on whether it could run afoul of the federal law.

“To say that we’re cutting taxes because of the (federal) money would be a ridiculous argument,” Koenig said, “because this is an entire package that is completely separate.”

Top Republicans in the Kansas Legislature have made income tax cuts a priority for several years. House Speaker Pro Tem Blaine Finch recently decried the federal government’s attempts to guide state tax policy.

“It absolutely should be up to the states to decide what their tax rates are and how much their citizens have to pay in taxes,” Finch said.

But Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who vetoed two GOP tax-cutting bills in 2019, welcomed the restrictions on using federal pandemic aid to offset tax cuts. She said Kansas is still “digging out” from budget shortfalls that followed a tax-cutting experiment in 2012-13 under former GOP Gov. Sam Brownback.

“I’m glad that we can’t use this money for tax cuts,” Kelly said. “I don’t think we should do tax cuts anyway at this point as we are recovering from this pandemic.”

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said formal guidance from the Treasury Department will be critical in determining how much flexibility exists for states. The Republican governor, however, wants lawmakers to move forward with his proposal to set aside $50 million for tax reductions, including a cut to sales taxes on used vehicles.

“We should not let federal restrictions weigh in on that direction we’re going as a state,” Hutchinson said.

The nonprofit Tax Foundation said in an analysis last week that state tax cuts financed by natural growth in state revenue or new tax hikes likely are fine under the federal law. But it said questions could arise if states use the aid to pay public health workers, freeing existing state revenue and contributing to a surplus that helps finance a tax cut.

Yost said he sued because “the federal government should be encouraging states to innovate and grow business, not holding vital relief funding hostage to its preferred pro-tax policies.”

Legislatures in numerous states are considering tax cuts this year.

The Republican-led Oklahoma House last week passed bills to reduce the corporate and individual income tax rates and restore the ability for a refund of the earned income tax credit. The Oklahoma Tax Commission estimates those bills could cost the state $103 million next year and $284 million the following year. But the House speaker’s office said a $1 billion surplus gives the state plenty of room to offset potential tax cuts.

The Republican-controlled Mississippi House has passed legislation that would phase out the state income tax, cut the grocery tax in half and increase the sales tax on most items. The plan faces opposition in the GOP-led Senate, but so does the federal limitation on state tax reductions.

“Our tax policy needs to be formulated on what’s best for Mississippi, not ... as the winds blow from D.C.,” said Sen. Josh Harkins, a Republican who is chairman of the state Senate Finance Committee.

Georgia Republicans are working on a $140 million annual cut that would raise the income threshold at which taxes begin. Some Republicans also are maneuvering to cut the top income tax rate. That plan, which was shelved last year among fears of a sharp drop in state revenue, would forgo more than $500 million a year. Proposed business tax incentives also are moving through the Legislature.

Louisiana’s Republican-led Legislature plans to debate a tax overhaul during its session that begins in mid-April. GOP leaders have said they want to keep it as close to “revenue neutral” as possible, and Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards has said he won’t support any package that cuts revenue.

“But we fear the provisions in the federal law could put this work in jeopardy,” said Dawn Starns McVea, the Louisiana director of the National Federation of Independent Business.

The federal law’s tax cut provision also has created uncertainty in Utah, where the Republican-led Legislature passed $100 million in tax cuts this year benefitting families, veterans and older residents receiving Social Security. The state Tax Commission chairman said the reductions would have happened regardless of whether Utah received federal coronavirus relief, but Republican Attorney General Sean Reyes said those tax cuts are “now at risk” because of the federal law.

Under the law, states that use part of their aid to offset tax reductions could have to repay an equal amount to the federal government. Because of uncertainty over what could trigger that, the Republican chairman of South Carolina’s House budget-writing committee said he plans to move slowly in using the federal money.

“If you put it toward replenishing unemployment, is that considered a tax cut for businesses?” Rep. Murrell Smith said. “If you wanted to set up a small business grant program, is that going to be ... a tax cut for small business owners?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616028076289.png" alt="“I’m glad that we can’t use this money for tax cuts,” Kansas Governor Laura Kelly said. “I don’t think we should do tax cuts anyway at this point as we are recovering from this pandemic.”" />
 <figcaption>“I’m glad that we can’t use this money for tax cuts,” Kansas Governor Laura Kelly said. “I don’t think we should do tax cuts anyway at this point as we are recovering from this pandemic.”</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Responding to concerns from state officials, the U.S. Treasury Department said that states can cut taxes without penalty under a new federal pandemic relief law — so long as they use their own funds to offset those cuts.Republican governors, lawmakers and attorneys general have expressed apprehension about a provision in the wide-ranging relief act signed by President Joe Biden that prohibits states from using $195 billion of federal aid “to either directly or indirectly offset a reduction” in net tax revenue. The restriction could apply through 2024.Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, a Republican, on Wednesday asked a federal judge to block the tax-cut provision.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-personal-taxes-arizona-coronavirus-pandemic-west-virginia-d924f907e9879189289d4b5d4ae846df">Republican attorneys general from 21 other states</a>&nbsp;wrote to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen seeking clarification on the prohibition, which they said could be construed “to deny states the ability to cut taxes in any manner whatsoever.”A treasury spokesperson told The Associated Press that the provision isn’t meant as a blanket prohibition on tax cuts. States can still offset tax reductions through other means.“In other words, states are free to make policy decisions to cut taxes – they just cannot use the pandemic relief funds to pay for those tax cuts,” the Treasury Department said.The treasury’s application of the law could provide clearance for some tax cuts, such as Missouri legislation that would expand online sales taxes to offset proposed income tax reductions in 2023. Republican Sen. Andrew Koenig said he thinks his legislation is OK but has asked the state attorney general for guidance on whether it could run afoul of the federal law.“To say that we’re cutting taxes because of the (federal) money would be a ridiculous argument,” Koenig said, “because this is an entire package that is completely separate.”Top Republicans in the Kansas Legislature have made income tax cuts a priority for several years. House Speaker Pro Tem Blaine Finch recently decried the federal government’s attempts to guide state tax policy.“It absolutely should be up to the states to decide what their tax rates are and how much their citizens have to pay in taxes,” Finch said.But Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who vetoed two GOP tax-cutting bills in 2019, welcomed the restrictions on using federal pandemic aid to offset tax cuts. She said Kansas is still “digging out” from budget shortfalls that followed a tax-cutting experiment in 2012-13 under former GOP Gov. Sam Brownback.“I’m glad that we can’t use this money for tax cuts,” Kelly said. “I don’t think we should do tax cuts anyway at this point as we are recovering from this pandemic.”Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said formal guidance from the Treasury Department will be critical in determining how much flexibility exists for states. The Republican governor, however, wants lawmakers to move forward with his proposal to set aside $50 million for tax reductions, including a cut to sales taxes on used vehicles.“We should not let federal restrictions weigh in on that direction we’re going as a state,” Hutchinson said.The nonprofit Tax Foundation said in an analysis last week that state tax cuts financed by natural growth in state revenue or new tax hikes likely are fine under the federal law. But it said questions could arise if states use the aid to pay public health workers, freeing existing state revenue and contributing to a surplus that helps finance a tax cut.Yost said he sued because “the federal government should be encouraging states to innovate and grow business, not holding vital relief funding hostage to its preferred pro-tax policies.”Legislatures in numerous states are considering tax cuts this year.The Republican-led Oklahoma House last week passed bills to reduce the corporate and individual income tax rates and restore the ability for a refund of the earned income tax credit. The Oklahoma Tax Commission estimates those bills could cost the state $103 million next year and $284 million the following year. But the House speaker’s office said a $1 billion surplus gives the state plenty of room to offset potential tax cuts.The Republican-controlled Mississippi House has passed legislation that would phase out the state income tax, cut the grocery tax in half and increase the sales tax on most items. The plan faces opposition in the GOP-led Senate, but so does the federal limitation on state tax reductions.“Our tax policy needs to be formulated on what’s best for Mississippi, not ... as the winds blow from D.C.,” said Sen. Josh Harkins, a Republican who is chairman of the state Senate Finance Committee.Georgia Republicans are working on a $140 million annual cut that would raise the income threshold at which taxes begin. Some Republicans also are maneuvering to cut the top income tax rate. That plan, which was shelved last year among fears of a sharp drop in state revenue, would forgo more than $500 million a year. Proposed business tax incentives also are moving through the Legislature.Louisiana’s Republican-led Legislature plans to debate a tax overhaul during its session that begins in mid-April. GOP leaders have said they want to keep it as close to “revenue neutral” as possible, and Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards has said he won’t support any package that cuts revenue.“But we fear the provisions in the federal law could put this work in jeopardy,” said Dawn Starns McVea, the Louisiana director of the National Federation of Independent Business.The federal law’s tax cut provision also has created uncertainty in Utah, where the Republican-led Legislature passed $100 million in tax cuts this year benefitting families, veterans and older residents receiving Social Security. The state Tax Commission chairman said the reductions would have happened regardless of whether Utah received federal coronavirus relief, but Republican Attorney General Sean Reyes said those tax cuts are “now at risk” because of the federal law.Under the law, states that use part of their aid to offset tax reductions could have to repay an equal amount to the federal government. Because of uncertainty over what could trigger that, the Republican chairman of South Carolina’s House budget-writing committee said he plans to move slowly in using the federal money.“If you put it toward replenishing unemployment, is that considered a tax cut for businesses?” Rep. Murrell Smith said. “If you wanted to set up a small business grant program, is that going to be ... a tax cut for small business owners?”___

Treasury says state tax cuts OK if separated from virus aid

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas is doing away with the requirement that incoming freshmen take a standardized test _ like the ACT or SAT _ to be admitted. 

The new standards approved this past week by the Kansas Board of Regents are scheduled to be in place for the freshman class that begins in the spring 2022 semester. The change allows any student with a 3.25 high school GPA to be admitted without taking the ACT or SAT. 

Under the old rules, freshmen had been required to take either the ACT or SAT, or else seek relief from a special review panel that could waive the requirement.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas is doing away with the requirement that incoming freshmen take a standardized test _ like the ACT or SAT _ to be admitted. The new standards approved this past week by the Kansas Board of Regents are scheduled to be in place for the freshman class that begins in the spring 2022 semester. The change allows any student with a 3.25 high school GPA to be admitted without taking the ACT or SAT. Under the old rules, freshmen had been required to take either the ACT or SAT, or else seek relief from a special review panel that could waive the requirement.

KU to stop requiring ACT or SAT tests for prospective students

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement autdhorities are investigating a 50-year-old man following the investigation of the electronic solicitation of a child.

On March 15, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office received information regarding the online solicitation of a child by an adult suspect, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Just before 3p.m. Friday, detectives with the Criminal Investigations Division apprehended William L. Brown III of Topeka who allegedly attempted to coerce an individual, whom he believed to be a 15-year-old girl, to engage in sexual acts.

Brown arrived at an undisclosed location and was taken into custody. He is being held in the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of electronic solicitation and sexual exploitation of a child, according to Christian.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616287428794.png" alt="Brown photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Brown photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement autdhorities are investigating a 50-year-old man following the investigation of the electronic solicitation of a child.On March 15, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office received information regarding the online solicitation of a child by an adult suspect, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.Just before 3p.m. Friday, detectives with the Criminal Investigations Division apprehended William L. Brown III of Topeka who allegedly attempted to coerce an individual, whom he believed to be a 15-year-old girl, to engage in sexual acts.Brown arrived at an undisclosed location and was taken into custody. He is being held in the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of electronic solicitation and sexual exploitation of a child, according to Christian.

Sheriff: Kan. man thought he contacted teen for sex

Physicians say the arrangements protect patients

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-03-17/kansas-nurse-practitioners-want-an-end-to-doctor-contracts-but-hit-statehouse-roadblocks-again">Kansas News Service</a>

A proposal to let nurse practitioners do their jobs — without contracts that can require them to pay <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2155825619300122" target="_blank">thousands of dollars</a> a year to doctors — got stymied again in the Kansas Legislature this session.

The
 bill died in the House this month without a vote. A technical maneuver 
in the Senate keeps the legislation alive, but it remains in committee 
with no vote scheduled.

To free advanced practice nurses to open more clinics, <a href="https://scopeofpracticepolicy.org/practitioners/nurse-practitioners/sop/practice-authority" target="_blank">half of states</a> no longer make them ink contracts with doctors. The Department of Veterans Affairs made a similar switch in 2016.

But
 the trend comes over loud objections from physicians, who say that the 
contractual requirements protect people by ensuring oversight of 
advanced practice registered nurses, or APRNs.

“I want APRNs as 
part of a medical team,” Vicki Whitaker, executive director of the 
Kansas Association of Osteopathic Medicine, told lawmakers at a hearing 
last month. “I just don’t want APRNs out (there) with no one to at least
 look at what they’re doing and say, ‘Are you sure this is what’s going 
on?’”

But nurse practitioners and other advanced practice nurses 
counter that the contracts often are little more than sources of money 
for doctors who live far away or never actually review care.

In other cases, they say, the physician-oversight rules help doctors keep advanced nurses out of their markets.

“Why
 would they sign this,” asked Jamie Harrington, president of the Kansas 
chapter of the American College of Nurse-Midwives, “for an APRN that is 
going to open a competing business, possibly in the same town?”

A 2014 <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/reports/policy-perspectives-competition-regulation-advanced-practice-nurses/140307aprnpolicypaper.pdf" target="_blank">Federal Trade Commission</a>
 paper warned that requiring the contracts puts doctors in the position 
of “gatekeepers” able to block or drive up the overhead costs for 
potential competitors.

Some
 doctors say changing the rules for nurse practitioners will cut into 
physician practices — only to benefit corporate interests.

“It is 
people outside the state of Kansas, such as the big box stores, the 
Walgreens, the big hospital organizations that run hospitals within 
Kansas, and also the insurance companies,” said Kristie Clark, president
 of the Kansas chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “(They) 
want to hire nurse practitioners and cut out the physician because they 
can do it for less.”

The <a href="https://klic.dol.ks.gov/gsipub/index.asp?docid=795" target="_blank">state labor department says</a> the average nurse practitioner in Kansas earns $100,000 a year, compared to $230,000 for the average family doctor.

Physicians
 complete four years of medical school, followed by residencies that 
last three or more years depending on their area of practice.

Many
 nurse practitioners have two-year master’s degrees, though doctorates 
are becoming increasingly common as schools shift to a four-year 
approach.

Still, a 2011 report from the <a href="https://www.nap.edu/catalog/12956/the-future-of-nursing-leading-change-advancing-health" target="_blank">National Academy of Medicine</a>
 says research doesn’t support claims that advanced practice nurses “are
 less able than physicians to deliver care that is safe, effective, and 
efficient … or that care is better in states with more restrictive scope
 of practice regulations.”

A VA study released <a href="https://www.hsrd.research.va.gov/research/abstracts.cfm?Project_ID=2141704066" target="_blank">last year</a>
 didn’t find any differences in clinical outcomes for patients who saw 
nurse practitioners instead of doctors for primary care, though 
“patients’ satisfaction and preference for the holistic, 
patient-centered care provided by NPs was a distinct difference.”

To be sure, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2019-05-07/as-nurse-practitioners-try-to-shake-free-of-doctors-kansas-physicians-resist" target="_blank">experts say</a>,
 advanced practice nurses and doctors have different levels of 
expertise. But both receive training to consult with or refer patients 
to specialists when something goes beyond what they know.

Doctors 
who favor retaining oversight of advanced practice nurses say the 
contracts ensure the nurses will consult more educated professionals 
when needed.

The Federal Trade Commission report has questioned 
that argument, saying collaboration happens even in states where the 
nurses aren’t subject to physician control.

Cathy Gordon told 
lawmakers her nurse practitioner-based clinic in Johnson and Wyandotte 
counties found itself pressed when the doctors listed on their contracts
 died, retired or came down with serious illness.

“I lost sleep at night,” she said. “I called physicians after hours at 10 p.m. one time, asking ‘Could you please cover us?’”

More than <a href="https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/primary-care-health-professional-shortage-areas-hpsas/?currentTimeframe=0&amp;selectedRows=%7B%22states%22:%7B%22kansas%22:%7B%7D%7D%7D&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D" target="_blank">one in four Kansans</a> live in an area without adequate primary care.

<a href="https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nurse-practitioners.pdf" target="_blank">Researchers have found</a>
 that nurse practitioners are more likely than doctors to see people of 
color, rural residents and patients who don’t have insurance or who get 
their coverage through Medicaid, which pays a lot less than Medicare and
 private health insurance.

During the COVID-19 crisis, Kansas <a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/SB-14-Comms-Copy-with-signature.pdf" target="_blank">passed a law</a>
 temporarily letting advanced practice nurses work without physician 
oversight to help with pandemic response. That rule expires at the end 
of this month.

Under <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/sb174_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">the proposed permanent law</a>
 that has stalled in the Kansas Legislature, advanced practice nurses 
would need 4,000 hours of work under their belts before they could ditch
 their contracts with physicians. Such transition rules exist in some of
 the <a href="https://scopeofpracticepolicy.org/practitioners/nurse-practitioners/sop/practice-authority" target="_blank">other states</a> that have granted advanced nurses full authority to work without doctor permission.

A
 similar bill in 2019 made it out of committee, but lost out on the 
floor in the wrangling for an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to expand <a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/status-of-state-medicaid-expansion-decisions-interactive-map/" target="_blank">Medicaid coverage</a> to more Kansans.

This year, it’s unclear whether the bill will make it that far.

The
 Kansas Advanced Practice Nurse Association says Rep. Brenda Landwehr, 
chairwoman of the House health committee, told its lobbyist her 
committee would vote on the bill but later reneged her statement and let
 the bill die.

Landwehr didn’t answer four requests for an interview with the Kansas News Service.

Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health for the Kansas News Service.&nbsp;You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616184660314.png" alt="Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Physicians say the arrangements protect patients</h2>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-03-17/kansas-nurse-practitioners-want-an-end-to-doctor-contracts-but-hit-statehouse-roadblocks-again">Kansas News Service</a>A proposal to let nurse practitioners do their jobs — without contracts that can require them to pay <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2155825619300122" target="_blank">thousands of dollars</a> a year to doctors — got stymied again in the Kansas Legislature this session.The
 bill died in the House this month without a vote. A technical maneuver 
in the Senate keeps the legislation alive, but it remains in committee 
with no vote scheduled.To free advanced practice nurses to open more clinics, <a href="https://scopeofpracticepolicy.org/practitioners/nurse-practitioners/sop/practice-authority" target="_blank">half of states</a> no longer make them ink contracts with doctors. The Department of Veterans Affairs made a similar switch in 2016.But
 the trend comes over loud objections from physicians, who say that the 
contractual requirements protect people by ensuring oversight of 
advanced practice registered nurses, or APRNs.“I want APRNs as 
part of a medical team,” Vicki Whitaker, executive director of the 
Kansas Association of Osteopathic Medicine, told lawmakers at a hearing 
last month. “I just don’t want APRNs out (there) with no one to at least
 look at what they’re doing and say, ‘Are you sure this is what’s going 
on?’”But nurse practitioners and other advanced practice nurses 
counter that the contracts often are little more than sources of money 
for doctors who live far away or never actually review care.In other cases, they say, the physician-oversight rules help doctors keep advanced nurses out of their markets.“Why
 would they sign this,” asked Jamie Harrington, president of the Kansas 
chapter of the American College of Nurse-Midwives, “for an APRN that is 
going to open a competing business, possibly in the same town?”A 2014 <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/reports/policy-perspectives-competition-regulation-advanced-practice-nurses/140307aprnpolicypaper.pdf" target="_blank">Federal Trade Commission</a>
 paper warned that requiring the contracts puts doctors in the position 
of “gatekeepers” able to block or drive up the overhead costs for 
potential competitors.<h2>Cost and education differences</h2>Some
 doctors say changing the rules for nurse practitioners will cut into 
physician practices — only to benefit corporate interests.“It is 
people outside the state of Kansas, such as the big box stores, the 
Walgreens, the big hospital organizations that run hospitals within 
Kansas, and also the insurance companies,” said Kristie Clark, president
 of the Kansas chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “(They) 
want to hire nurse practitioners and cut out the physician because they 
can do it for less.”The <a href="https://klic.dol.ks.gov/gsipub/index.asp?docid=795" target="_blank">state labor department says</a> the average nurse practitioner in Kansas earns $100,000 a year, compared to $230,000 for the average family doctor.Physicians
 complete four years of medical school, followed by residencies that 
last three or more years depending on their area of practice.Many
 nurse practitioners have two-year master’s degrees, though doctorates 
are becoming increasingly common as schools shift to a four-year 
approach.Still, a 2011 report from the <a href="https://www.nap.edu/catalog/12956/the-future-of-nursing-leading-change-advancing-health" target="_blank">National Academy of Medicine</a>
 says research doesn’t support claims that advanced practice nurses “are
 less able than physicians to deliver care that is safe, effective, and 
efficient … or that care is better in states with more restrictive scope
 of practice regulations.”A VA study released <a href="https://www.hsrd.research.va.gov/research/abstracts.cfm?Project_ID=2141704066" target="_blank">last year</a>
 didn’t find any differences in clinical outcomes for patients who saw 
nurse practitioners instead of doctors for primary care, though 
“patients’ satisfaction and preference for the holistic, 
patient-centered care provided by NPs was a distinct difference.”To be sure, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2019-05-07/as-nurse-practitioners-try-to-shake-free-of-doctors-kansas-physicians-resist" target="_blank">experts say</a>,
 advanced practice nurses and doctors have different levels of 
expertise. But both receive training to consult with or refer patients 
to specialists when something goes beyond what they know.Doctors 
who favor retaining oversight of advanced practice nurses say the 
contracts ensure the nurses will consult more educated professionals 
when needed.The Federal Trade Commission report has questioned 
that argument, saying collaboration happens even in states where the 
nurses aren’t subject to physician control.Cathy Gordon told 
lawmakers her nurse practitioner-based clinic in Johnson and Wyandotte 
counties found itself pressed when the doctors listed on their contracts
 died, retired or came down with serious illness.“I lost sleep at night,” she said. “I called physicians after hours at 10 p.m. one time, asking ‘Could you please cover us?’”<h2>Primary care shortage</h2>More than <a href="https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/primary-care-health-professional-shortage-areas-hpsas/?currentTimeframe=0&amp;selectedRows=%7B%22states%22:%7B%22kansas%22:%7B%7D%7D%7D&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D" target="_blank">one in four Kansans</a> live in an area without adequate primary care.<a href="https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Nurse-practitioners.pdf" target="_blank">Researchers have found</a>
 that nurse practitioners are more likely than doctors to see people of 
color, rural residents and patients who don’t have insurance or who get 
their coverage through Medicaid, which pays a lot less than Medicare and
 private health insurance.During the COVID-19 crisis, Kansas <a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/SB-14-Comms-Copy-with-signature.pdf" target="_blank">passed a law</a>
 temporarily letting advanced practice nurses work without physician 
oversight to help with pandemic response. That rule expires at the end 
of this month.Under <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/sb174_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">the proposed permanent law</a>
 that has stalled in the Kansas Legislature, advanced practice nurses 
would need 4,000 hours of work under their belts before they could ditch
 their contracts with physicians. Such transition rules exist in some of
 the <a href="https://scopeofpracticepolicy.org/practitioners/nurse-practitioners/sop/practice-authority" target="_blank">other states</a> that have granted advanced nurses full authority to work without doctor permission.A
 similar bill in 2019 made it out of committee, but lost out on the 
floor in the wrangling for an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to expand <a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/status-of-state-medicaid-expansion-decisions-interactive-map/" target="_blank">Medicaid coverage</a> to more Kansans.This year, it’s unclear whether the bill will make it that far.The
 Kansas Advanced Practice Nurse Association says Rep. Brenda Landwehr, 
chairwoman of the House health committee, told its lobbyist her 
committee would vote on the bill but later reneged her statement and let
 the bill die.Landwehr didn’t answer four requests for an interview with the Kansas News Service.Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health for the Kansas News Service.&nbsp;You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia@kcur.org.

Kansas nurse practitioners want end to doctor contracts

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A woman is dead after being shot in Kansas City.

Police say the shooting happened around 10 p.m. Saturday near 73rd and Norton. The victim has not been identified. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police believe the shooting happened after a dispute between two groups of people. No arrests have been made.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A woman is dead after being shot in Kansas City.Police say the shooting happened around 10 p.m. Saturday near 73rd and Norton. The victim has not been identified. She was pronounced dead at the scene.Police believe the shooting happened after a dispute between two groups of people. No arrests have been made.

Police: KC woman dead after dispute between groups

Nearly a year after California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered the nation’s first statewide shutdown because of the coronavirus, masks remain mandated, indoor dining and other activities are significantly limited, and Disneyland remains closed.

By contrast, Florida has no statewide restrictions. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has prohibited municipalities from fining people who refuse to wear masks. And Disney World has been open since July.

Despite their differing approaches, California and Florida have experienced almost identical outcomes in COVID-19 case rates.

How have two states that took such divergent tacks arrived at similar points?

“This is going to be an important question that we have to ask ourselves: What public health measures actually were the most impactful, and which ones had negligible effect or backfired by driving behavior underground?” said Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

Though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rochelle-walensky-coronavirus-pandemic-fe2e65c19506b99ebdb8f1e0badc846b">research has found&nbsp;</a>that mask mandates and limits on group activities such as indoor dining can help slow the spread of the coronavirus, states with greater government-imposed restrictions have not always fared better than those without them.

California and Florida both have a COVID-19 case rate of around 8,900 per 100,000 residents since the pandemic began, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And both rank in the middle among states for COVID-19 death rates — Florida was 27th as of Friday; California was 28th.

Connecticut and South Dakota are another example. Both rank among the 10 worst states for COVID-19 death rates. Yet Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat, imposed numerous statewide restrictions over the past year after an early surge in deaths, while South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a Republican, issued no mandates as virus deaths soared in the fall.

While Lamont ordered quarantines for certain out-of-state visitors, Noem launched a $5 million tourism advertising campaign and welcomed people to a massive motorcycle rally, which some health experts said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3ea1a021f82fee05736f22138df90ddf">spread the coronavirus</a>&nbsp;throughout the Midwest.

“Even in a pandemic, public health policy needs to take into account people’s economic and social well-being,” Noem said during a recent conservative convention.

Lamont recently announced that he is lifting capacity limits at retail stores, restaurants and other facilities, effective March 19. But bars that don’t serve food will remain closed and a mask mandate will continue.

“This is not Texas. This is not Mississippi. This is Connecticut,” Lamont said, referencing other states that recently lifted mask mandates.

“We’re finding what works is wearing the mask, social distancing and vaccinations,” he said.

As new COVID-19 cases&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-deaths-coronavirus-declining-fcec736ac8474e121bfc3b2fd41718b2">decrease</a>&nbsp;nationally, governors in more than half the states have taken actions during past two weeks to end or ease coronavirus restrictions, according to an Associated Press tally. Some capacity limits ended Friday in Maryland and Oklahoma. Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York and Wyoming are relaxing restrictions in the coming week.

In almost all cases, governors have lauded their approach to the pandemic, while critics have accused them of being too stringent or too lax.

California’s slow reopening is expected to gain steam in April. But Republicans in California are helping organize a recall effort against Newsom that has drawn nearly 2 million petition signatures from people frustrated over his long-lasting limits on businesses, church gatherings and people’s activities. He also faces intense pressure over public school closures and the glacial pace of getting them reopened.

Newson asserted that California has been a leader in combating the virus while delivering his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-sacramento-coronavirus-pandemic-california-gavin-newsom-d5f2c262eca65d10753554a959182673">State of the State address&nbsp;</a>this past week from Dodger Stadium, where the empty seats roughly equaled the state’s 55,000 COVID-19 deaths.

“From the earliest days of this pandemic, California trusted in science and data, and we met the moment,” Newsom said.

He added: “We’re not going to change course just because of a few naysayers and doomsdayers.”

In his own&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-coronavirus-pandemic-ron-desantis-609e639c5445c8a71cd984ba51147a46">State of the State address</a>, DeSantis asserted that Florida was in better shape than others because its businesses and schools are open. Florida’s unemployment rate ranked below the national average, and significantly lower than California’s, at the start of this year.

“While so many other states kept locking people down over these many months, Florida lifted people up,” DeSantis said.

Determining which approach is best is more complicated than just looking at statewide policies and overall case rates.

Like Florida, Missouri had no statewide mask mandate, ended business restrictions last June and has a cumulative COVID-19 death rate similar to California’s. In the absence of statewide orders, many of the largest cities in Florida and Missouri imposed their own mask requirements and business restrictions. In Missouri, that meant about half the population was still subject to mask mandates.

Republican Gov. Mike Parson has touted “a balanced approach” to the pandemic that left many public health decisions up to local officials and allowed Missouri’s economy “to come back strong.” New COVID-19 cases and unemployment are both low, and consumer spending has returned to pre-pandemic levels, Parson said this past week.

State health director Randall Williams believes residents heeded Parson’s call to voluntarily mask up when Missouri’s coronavirus cases spiked last fall to some of the highest levels nationally.

Public health experts said individual choices could help explain the similar outcomes among some states with loose or strict orders from the governor.

Some people voluntarily were “being more vigilant in states where the guidelines are more relaxed,” said Thomas Tsai, an assistant professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Yet in states with more government mandates, “people generally in public were wearing masks and following the guidelines, but in private they were letting down their guard and less vigilant,” he said.

Imposing strict measures, like forbidding families from visiting grandparents and friends from gathering, is like taking an abstinence-only approach to combating drug use and sexually transmitted disease, said Adalja, of Johns Hopkins University.

Some will comply. But other “people are going to do those activities, anyway,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586444648763.png" alt="Sign warns customers of COVID precautions at a business on Wanamaker Road in Topeka in the spring of 2020" />
 <figcaption>Sign warns customers of COVID precautions at a business on Wanamaker Road in Topeka in the spring of 2020</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID A. LIEB, Associated PressNearly a year after California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered the nation’s first statewide shutdown because of the coronavirus, masks remain mandated, indoor dining and other activities are significantly limited, and Disneyland remains closed.By contrast, Florida has no statewide restrictions. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has prohibited municipalities from fining people who refuse to wear masks. And Disney World has been open since July.Despite their differing approaches, California and Florida have experienced almost identical outcomes in COVID-19 case rates.How have two states that took such divergent tacks arrived at similar points?“This is going to be an important question that we have to ask ourselves: What public health measures actually were the most impactful, and which ones had negligible effect or backfired by driving behavior underground?” said Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.Though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rochelle-walensky-coronavirus-pandemic-fe2e65c19506b99ebdb8f1e0badc846b">research has found&nbsp;</a>that mask mandates and limits on group activities such as indoor dining can help slow the spread of the coronavirus, states with greater government-imposed restrictions have not always fared better than those without them.California and Florida both have a COVID-19 case rate of around 8,900 per 100,000 residents since the pandemic began, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And both rank in the middle among states for COVID-19 death rates — Florida was 27th as of Friday; California was 28th.Connecticut and South Dakota are another example. Both rank among the 10 worst states for COVID-19 death rates. Yet Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat, imposed numerous statewide restrictions over the past year after an early surge in deaths, while South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a Republican, issued no mandates as virus deaths soared in the fall.While Lamont ordered quarantines for certain out-of-state visitors, Noem launched a $5 million tourism advertising campaign and welcomed people to a massive motorcycle rally, which some health experts said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3ea1a021f82fee05736f22138df90ddf">spread the coronavirus</a>&nbsp;throughout the Midwest.Both contend their approach is the best.“Even in a pandemic, public health policy needs to take into account people’s economic and social well-being,” Noem said during a recent conservative convention.Lamont recently announced that he is lifting capacity limits at retail stores, restaurants and other facilities, effective March 19. But bars that don’t serve food will remain closed and a mask mandate will continue.“This is not Texas. This is not Mississippi. This is Connecticut,” Lamont said, referencing other states that recently lifted mask mandates.“We’re finding what works is wearing the mask, social distancing and vaccinations,” he said.As new COVID-19 cases&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-deaths-coronavirus-declining-fcec736ac8474e121bfc3b2fd41718b2">decrease</a>&nbsp;nationally, governors in more than half the states have taken actions during past two weeks to end or ease coronavirus restrictions, according to an Associated Press tally. Some capacity limits ended Friday in Maryland and Oklahoma. Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York and Wyoming are relaxing restrictions in the coming week.In almost all cases, governors have lauded their approach to the pandemic, while critics have accused them of being too stringent or too lax.California’s slow reopening is expected to gain steam in April. But Republicans in California are helping organize a recall effort against Newsom that has drawn nearly 2 million petition signatures from people frustrated over his long-lasting limits on businesses, church gatherings and people’s activities. He also faces intense pressure over public school closures and the glacial pace of getting them reopened.Newson asserted that California has been a leader in combating the virus while delivering his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-sacramento-coronavirus-pandemic-california-gavin-newsom-d5f2c262eca65d10753554a959182673">State of the State address&nbsp;</a>this past week from Dodger Stadium, where the empty seats roughly equaled the state’s 55,000 COVID-19 deaths.“From the earliest days of this pandemic, California trusted in science and data, and we met the moment,” Newsom said.He added: “We’re not going to change course just because of a few naysayers and doomsdayers.”In his own&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-coronavirus-pandemic-ron-desantis-609e639c5445c8a71cd984ba51147a46">State of the State address</a>, DeSantis asserted that Florida was in better shape than others because its businesses and schools are open. Florida’s unemployment rate ranked below the national average, and significantly lower than California’s, at the start of this year.“While so many other states kept locking people down over these many months, Florida lifted people up,” DeSantis said.Determining which approach is best is more complicated than just looking at statewide policies and overall case rates.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604316770033.png" alt="Missouri Governor Mike Parson&nbsp;has touted “a balanced approach” to the pandemic." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Governor Mike Parson&nbsp;has touted “a balanced approach” to the pandemic.</figcaption>
 </figure>Like Florida, Missouri had no statewide mask mandate, ended business restrictions last June and has a cumulative COVID-19 death rate similar to California’s. In the absence of statewide orders, many of the largest cities in Florida and Missouri imposed their own mask requirements and business restrictions. In Missouri, that meant about half the population was still subject to mask mandates.Republican Gov. Mike Parson has touted “a balanced approach” to the pandemic that left many public health decisions up to local officials and allowed Missouri’s economy “to come back strong.” New COVID-19 cases and unemployment are both low, and consumer spending has returned to pre-pandemic levels, Parson said this past week.State health director Randall Williams believes residents heeded Parson’s call to voluntarily mask up when Missouri’s coronavirus cases spiked last fall to some of the highest levels nationally.Public health experts said individual choices could help explain the similar outcomes among some states with loose or strict orders from the governor.Some people voluntarily were “being more vigilant in states where the guidelines are more relaxed,” said Thomas Tsai, an assistant professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Yet in states with more government mandates, “people generally in public were wearing masks and following the guidelines, but in private they were letting down their guard and less vigilant,” he said.Imposing strict measures, like forbidding families from visiting grandparents and friends from gathering, is like taking an abstinence-only approach to combating drug use and sexually transmitted disease, said Adalja, of Johns Hopkins University.Some will comply. But other “people are going to do those activities, anyway,” he said.___

Virus tolls similar despite governors' contrasting actions

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal accident and have identified the victim as&nbsp;18-year old Brennan Peshek of Wichita.

At approximately 11 p.m. on Saturday, officers responded to an injury accident at Central and Greenwich in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson. Upon arrival, officers located Peshek in critical condition. EMS transported him to an area hospital, where he died.

The investigation revealed that Peshek was driving a 2005&nbsp; Ford Mustang South on Greenwich and was racing a 2007 silver Pontiac Grand Prix driven by a 19-year-old man, according to Davidson.

The lane Peshek was driving in ended and the Mustang stuck the curb, a tree, and a pole. Speed was a factor in this accident, according to Davidson.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal accident and have identified the victim as&nbsp;18-year old Brennan Peshek of Wichita.At approximately 11 p.m. on Saturday, officers responded to an injury accident at Central and Greenwich in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson. Upon arrival, officers located Peshek in critical condition. EMS transported him to an area hospital, where he died.The investigation revealed that Peshek was driving a 2005&nbsp; Ford Mustang South on Greenwich and was racing a 2007 silver Pontiac Grand Prix driven by a 19-year-old man, according to Davidson.The lane Peshek was driving in ended and the Mustang stuck the curb, a tree, and a pole. Speed was a factor in this accident, according to Davidson.

Kan. teen driver died in crash while racing another car

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Four members of a family escaped injury during a fire at a home on Saturday.

Just after 5:30p.m. Saturday, firefighters responded to a fire at a residence at 411 SE Pinecrest Drive in Topeka, according to Fire Marshal Todd Harrison just before

Upon arrival, fire crews found smoke and flames coming from the single story home. Four occupants were able to self-evacuate prior to the fire departments arrival. A search confirmed there were no other occupants.

A preliminary investigation indicates the fire cause to be incendiary, associated with a juvenile playing with fire, according to Harrison. The estimated dollar loss – $5,500.00; of which $5,000.00 is associated with structural loss and $500.00 associated with contents loss. Working smoke detectors were not located within the home, according to Harrison.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616292519734.png" alt="Crews on the scene of the Saturday evening fire -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Crews on the scene of the Saturday evening fire -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Four members of a family escaped injury during a fire at a home on Saturday.Just after 5:30p.m. Saturday, firefighters responded to a fire at a residence at 411 SE Pinecrest Drive in Topeka, according to Fire Marshal Todd Harrison just beforeUpon arrival, fire crews found smoke and flames coming from the single story home. Four occupants were able to self-evacuate prior to the fire departments arrival. A search confirmed there were no other occupants.A preliminary investigation indicates the fire cause to be incendiary, associated with a juvenile playing with fire, according to Harrison. The estimated dollar loss – $5,500.00; of which $5,000.00 is associated with structural loss and $500.00 associated with contents loss. Working smoke detectors were not located within the home, according to Harrison.

Fire Marshal: Juvenile started Kansas house fire

By TOM SHINE <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/pandemic-took-toll-mental-health-experts-say-it-could-get-worse-it-gets-better">Kansas News Service</a>

While the pandemic will be remembered as a major public health crisis, it was a significant mental health emergency as well.

The Kaiser Family Foundations says <a href="https://www.kff.org/report-section/the-implications-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use-issue-brief/" target="_blank">4 in 10 adults have reported symptoms of anxiety or depression during the pandemic</a>. That’s compared to 1 in 10 in 2019.

Michelle
 Calvert is the director of quality and strategic innovation at Comcare,
 a community mental health center that provides services in Sedgwick 
County.

She talked with Tom Shine and The Range about what 
Comcare has experienced since the pandemic began; when people should 
seek treatment, and what comes next for mental health as the pandemic 
winds down.

The interview was edited for length and clarity.

Tom
 Shine: In the first few months (of the pandemic), case calls went down,
 referrals went down, everything kind of settled down.

Then since July, you've seen a steady increase again of more cases. What … are typical things you're seeing since July?

Michelle Calvert: Our overall trends since the pandemic started is 
just people aren't reaching out for help overall. We're seeing folks 
come in who have greater mental health needs, who just are mentally 
sicker. We're seeing an increase in aggression, increase in psychosis. 
So we're just seeing this huge need that is starting to bubble over.

Why aren't they seeking help if it's out there?

There's a huge stigma associated with mental health and asking for help.

Still
 after all these years. There is just so much associated with mental 
illness that is negative And we really want to encourage the community 
to say, ‘Hey, if you're not doing OK, ask for help. If you need support,
 ask for help.’

And there are people here 24 hours a day that want to help you.

How
 do people know when it's time to seek treatment? I think all of us have
 a day where we feel kind of down in the dumps or blue. What's the 
difference between that and a serious mental health problem?

We
 know it's time to reach out for help when somebody is feeling like 
their depression, their anxiety, the things that they're struggling 
with, is starting to impact the way that they live. So I know it's a 
little bit cliché to say live, laugh, love, but when your mental health 
is impacting the way you live, so you're struggling with going to work 
or functioning as you normally would. If you're struggling with 
relationships; you're struggling to find joy and things that you would 
typically find joy in. Those are the times that you need to reach out 
for some help.

What lessons have the pandemic taught us about treating mental health?

So
 I think that the pandemic has really taught us to look out for each 
other, to be aware of what's going on. And it's really helped us to see 
that we need to support each other as much as we possibly can.

We're
 hopefully nearing the end of the pandemic. We're certainly taking the 
first steps to get there, but I would assume that mental health issues 
are going to continue for some time. Is that a fair assessment?

I
 think absolutely right. Mental health issues are going to continue for 
quite some time. And I anticipate that they will get worse before they 
get better.

I will say, though, that national research does show 
that after a natural disaster, we tend to see reduction in suicidal 
thinking and suicide attempts. However, that same research suggests that
 there is often an increase in distress, depression, anxiety and PTSD 
following those disasters.

I think that the pot is really just boiling with mental health right now, and the pandemic has just turned up the heat.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616168040318.png" alt="Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOM SHINE <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/pandemic-took-toll-mental-health-experts-say-it-could-get-worse-it-gets-better">Kansas News Service</a>While the pandemic will be remembered as a major public health crisis, it was a significant mental health emergency as well.The Kaiser Family Foundations says <a href="https://www.kff.org/report-section/the-implications-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use-issue-brief/" target="_blank">4 in 10 adults have reported symptoms of anxiety or depression during the pandemic</a>. That’s compared to 1 in 10 in 2019.Michelle
 Calvert is the director of quality and strategic innovation at Comcare,
 a community mental health center that provides services in Sedgwick 
County.She talked with Tom Shine and The Range about what 
Comcare has experienced since the pandemic began; when people should 
seek treatment, and what comes next for mental health as the pandemic 
winds down.The interview was edited for length and clarity.Tom
 Shine: In the first few months (of the pandemic), case calls went down,
 referrals went down, everything kind of settled down.Then since July, you've seen a steady increase again of more cases. What … are typical things you're seeing since July?<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616168104615.jpeg" alt=" Michelle Calvert is the director of quality and strategic innovation at Comcare. Credit Courtesy" />
 <figcaption> Michelle Calvert is the director of quality and strategic innovation at Comcare. Credit Courtesy</figcaption>
 </figure>Michelle Calvert: Our overall trends since the pandemic started is 
just people aren't reaching out for help overall. We're seeing folks 
come in who have greater mental health needs, who just are mentally 
sicker. We're seeing an increase in aggression, increase in psychosis. 
So we're just seeing this huge need that is starting to bubble over.Why aren't they seeking help if it's out there?There's a huge stigma associated with mental health and asking for help.Still after all these years?Still
 after all these years. There is just so much associated with mental 
illness that is negative And we really want to encourage the community 
to say, ‘Hey, if you're not doing OK, ask for help. If you need support,
 ask for help.’And there are people here 24 hours a day that want to help you.How
 do people know when it's time to seek treatment? I think all of us have
 a day where we feel kind of down in the dumps or blue. What's the 
difference between that and a serious mental health problem?We
 know it's time to reach out for help when somebody is feeling like 
their depression, their anxiety, the things that they're struggling 
with, is starting to impact the way that they live. So I know it's a 
little bit cliché to say live, laugh, love, but when your mental health 
is impacting the way you live, so you're struggling with going to work 
or functioning as you normally would. If you're struggling with 
relationships; you're struggling to find joy and things that you would 
typically find joy in. Those are the times that you need to reach out 
for some help.What lessons have the pandemic taught us about treating mental health?So
 I think that the pandemic has really taught us to look out for each 
other, to be aware of what's going on. And it's really helped us to see 
that we need to support each other as much as we possibly can.We're
 hopefully nearing the end of the pandemic. We're certainly taking the 
first steps to get there, but I would assume that mental health issues 
are going to continue for some time. Is that a fair assessment?I
 think absolutely right. Mental health issues are going to continue for 
quite some time. And I anticipate that they will get worse before they 
get better.I will say, though, that national research does show 
that after a natural disaster, we tend to see reduction in suicidal 
thinking and suicide attempts. However, that same research suggests that
 there is often an increase in distress, depression, anxiety and PTSD 
following those disasters.I think that the pot is really just boiling with mental health right now, and the pandemic has just turned up the heat.

Pandemic took toll on mental health — and it could get worse before it gets better

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Topeka’s mayor says she still plans to serve the community, but not with another term as mayor.

Michelle De La Isla won’t seek reelection. She made the announcement Friday. She said she is exploring options, but politics isn’t on the list.

De La Isla said she began thinking about not running during the coronavirus pandemic. She serves on Shawnee County’s COVID-19 Incident Command team and said the workload, combined with her work as mayor, is difficult to balance.

In November, Jake LaTurner defeated De La Isla in the race to represent Kansas from the 2nd congressional district.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Topeka’s mayor says she still plans to serve the community, but not with another term as mayor.Michelle De La Isla won’t seek reelection. She made the announcement Friday. She said she is exploring options, but politics isn’t on the list.De La Isla said she began thinking about not running during the coronavirus pandemic. She serves on Shawnee County’s COVID-19 Incident Command team and said the workload, combined with her work as mayor, is difficult to balance.In November, Jake LaTurner defeated De La Isla in the race to represent Kansas from the 2nd congressional district.

Topeka mayor, former congressional candidate won't seek reelection

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A performer at a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaIBf3CT0VQ">Branson, Missouri, theater </a>pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to stealing more than $85,000 from hundreds of his own audience members who donated to his non-existent charity for foster children, according to the United State's Attorney's office.

“For several years, this performer took advantage of his own audiences by pulling at their heartstrings while stealing from their pockets,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore. “He cynically and greedily victimized donors who falsely believed they were helping foster children. There’s no way to know how much cash was actually stolen, but we intend to seek restitution for the victims law enforcement has identified, as well as prison time and a hefty fine.”

James Patrick Garrett, 65, of Branson, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty to a federal information that charges him with one count of wire fraud.

“Friday’s plea is a reminder that the United States Secret Service is committed to aggressively investigating and pursuing those who commit financial crimes,” said Brandon C. Bridgeforth, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service Kansas City Field Office. “This defendant used his theater and platform as a performer, to prey on the generosity of those attending his performances. The defendant took advantage of these people who thought they were helping children in need, and then defrauded them. This investigation is a testament to the strong partnership between the Secret Service, the Branson, Mo., Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

“The Branson Police Department is always looking out for the best interest of our residents and visitors,” said Branson Police Chief Jeff Matthews. “We initiated this investigation and presented it to our federal partners at the United States Secret Service last year. They adopted the case and were successful in presenting it to the U.S. Attorney for prosecution. These kinds of relationships and partnerships help us protect our community and the values Branson is known for.”

Garrett performed the John Denver Tribute at the Branson IMAX. The show, which Garrett performed approximately six days a week throughout the year, consists of musicians covering songs made popular by the late John Denver and other classic country artists.

On Nov. 3, 2012, Garrett created Diamond Jym Ranch, Inc., with himself as president and a member of its board of directors. According to its articles of incorporation, Diamond Jym Ranch was ostensibly created for “the purpose of establishing homes for displaced or homeless boys or girls, to provide training and education for such children, to provide them with food, lodging, and their well being.”

By pleading guilty today, Garrett admitted that he victimized his audience members through a fraud scheme that lasted from March 2016 to August 2020. At the conclusion of each John Denver Tribute, Garrett solicited members of his audience to donate to Diamond Jym Ranch. Garrett falsely told audiences that he had created homes for foster children in Branson and Texas. Garrett told audience members their donations to Diamond Jym Ranch would go to support the foster homes and to support foster children. None of those claims were true, and Garrett knew they were false at the time he made the representations.

Garrett placed a donation box at the exit of the theatre where he performed the John Denver Tribute. Hundreds of audience members left their donations in the donation box. Garrett also directed audience members who wanted to make monthly or regular donations to Diamond Jym Ranch to mail their checks to his home address in Branson.

Garrett admitted that he used the money that he raised for his personal living expenses, which included frequently dining out at Branson restaurants, credit card debt, rent, taxes, mortgage payments, health insurance, and automobile insurance.

In total, over the course of many years, Garrett induced hundreds of John Denver Tribute audience members to make financial donations to Diamond Jym Ranch for the purpose of supporting foster children and homes for foster children. Garrett’s scheme to defraud resulted in a collective loss to his victims of at least $85,525.

The specific charge to which Garrett pleaded guilty today involves a $1,000 contribution made by an audience member identified in court documents as “D.C.,” a resident of Illinois. Garrett used D.C.’s donation for his own personal purposes and not to the benefit of foster children.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616161613418.png" alt="James Garrett from his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaIBf3CT0VQ">YouTube page</a>" />
 <figcaption>James Garrett from his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaIBf3CT0VQ">YouTube page</a></figcaption>
 </figure>SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A performer at a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaIBf3CT0VQ">Branson, Missouri, theater </a>pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to stealing more than $85,000 from hundreds of his own audience members who donated to his non-existent charity for foster children, according to the United State's Attorney's office.“For several years, this performer took advantage of his own audiences by pulling at their heartstrings while stealing from their pockets,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore. “He cynically and greedily victimized donors who falsely believed they were helping foster children. There’s no way to know how much cash was actually stolen, but we intend to seek restitution for the victims law enforcement has identified, as well as prison time and a hefty fine.”James Patrick Garrett, 65, of Branson, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty to a federal information that charges him with one count of wire fraud.“Friday’s plea is a reminder that the United States Secret Service is committed to aggressively investigating and pursuing those who commit financial crimes,” said Brandon C. Bridgeforth, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service Kansas City Field Office. “This defendant used his theater and platform as a performer, to prey on the generosity of those attending his performances. The defendant took advantage of these people who thought they were helping children in need, and then defrauded them. This investigation is a testament to the strong partnership between the Secret Service, the Branson, Mo., Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”“The Branson Police Department is always looking out for the best interest of our residents and visitors,” said Branson Police Chief Jeff Matthews. “We initiated this investigation and presented it to our federal partners at the United States Secret Service last year. They adopted the case and were successful in presenting it to the U.S. Attorney for prosecution. These kinds of relationships and partnerships help us protect our community and the values Branson is known for.”Garrett performed the John Denver Tribute at the Branson IMAX. The show, which Garrett performed approximately six days a week throughout the year, consists of musicians covering songs made popular by the late John Denver and other classic country artists.On Nov. 3, 2012, Garrett created Diamond Jym Ranch, Inc., with himself as president and a member of its board of directors. According to its articles of incorporation, Diamond Jym Ranch was ostensibly created for “the purpose of establishing homes for displaced or homeless boys or girls, to provide training and education for such children, to provide them with food, lodging, and their well being.”By pleading guilty today, Garrett admitted that he victimized his audience members through a fraud scheme that lasted from March 2016 to August 2020. At the conclusion of each John Denver Tribute, Garrett solicited members of his audience to donate to Diamond Jym Ranch. Garrett falsely told audiences that he had created homes for foster children in Branson and Texas. Garrett told audience members their donations to Diamond Jym Ranch would go to support the foster homes and to support foster children. None of those claims were true, and Garrett knew they were false at the time he made the representations.Garrett placed a donation box at the exit of the theatre where he performed the John Denver Tribute. Hundreds of audience members left their donations in the donation box. Garrett also directed audience members who wanted to make monthly or regular donations to Diamond Jym Ranch to mail their checks to his home address in Branson.Garrett admitted that he used the money that he raised for his personal living expenses, which included frequently dining out at Branson restaurants, credit card debt, rent, taxes, mortgage payments, health insurance, and automobile insurance.In total, over the course of many years, Garrett induced hundreds of John Denver Tribute audience members to make financial donations to Diamond Jym Ranch for the purpose of supporting foster children and homes for foster children. Garrett’s scheme to defraud resulted in a collective loss to his victims of at least $85,525.The specific charge to which Garrett pleaded guilty today involves a $1,000 contribution made by an audience member identified in court documents as “D.C.,” a resident of Illinois. Garrett used D.C.’s donation for his own personal purposes and not to the benefit of foster children.Under federal statutes, Garrett is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.