KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Three separate homicides were reported in Kansas City Sunday morning.

Kansas City Police Department spokesman Capt. Dave Jackson said the third homicide was discovered around 10 a.m. when officers responded to a shooting at an apartment building near Gillham Road and Armour Boulevard. A wounded man who was found inside the building died at the scene.

About five hours earlier, a cutting was reported at a different apartment complex near the Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport. Jackson said that victim was taken to a hospital where that person died. He said two people were inside an apartment when a third person arrived and fatally wounded the victim.

Around 4 a.m., one person was shot and killed and another person was wounded in a shooting in downtown Kansas City. Officers found one person dead inside a vehicle. A second person who had been shot was found sitting outside the vehicle, and that person was taken to a hospital.

Police did not immediately release the names of any of the victims.

Jackson said it doesn't appear that any of the three homicides were related. The third killing on Sunday was the 23rd homicide in Kansas City so far this year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614598296327.png" alt="Police on the scene of an investigation at an apartment building&nbsp; near Gillham Road and Armour Sunday -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of an investigation at an apartment building&nbsp; near Gillham Road and Armour Sunday -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Three separate homicides were reported in Kansas City Sunday morning.Kansas City Police Department spokesman Capt. Dave Jackson said the third homicide was discovered around 10 a.m. when officers responded to a shooting at an apartment building near Gillham Road and Armour Boulevard. A wounded man who was found inside the building died at the scene.About five hours earlier, a cutting was reported at a different apartment complex near the Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport. Jackson said that victim was taken to a hospital where that person died. He said two people were inside an apartment when a third person arrived and fatally wounded the victim.Around 4 a.m., one person was shot and killed and another person was wounded in a shooting in downtown Kansas City. Officers found one person dead inside a vehicle. A second person who had been shot was found sitting outside the vehicle, and that person was taken to a hospital.Police did not immediately release the names of any of the victims.Jackson said it doesn't appear that any of the three homicides were related. The third killing on Sunday was the 23rd homicide in Kansas City so far this year.

Police: 3 separate homicides in Kansas City on Sunday 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Saturday morning pass a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package that includes $1,400 checks for most Americans and billions of dollars for schools, state and local governments and businesses.

The Democrats' goal is to have COVID-19 relief approved by mid-March, when extra unemployment assistance and other pandemic aid expires. The Senate, which Democrats control by a single vote, will consider the bill next.

A look at some highlights of the legislation:

The legislation provides a rebate that amounts to $1,400 for a single taxpayer, or $2,800 for a married couple that files jointly, plus $1,400 per dependent. Individuals earning up to $75,000 would get the full amount as would married couples with incomes up to $150,000.

The size of the check would shrink for those making slightly more with a hard cut-off at $100,000 for individuals and $200,000 for married couples.

Some Republicans want to cut the size of the rebate as well as the pool of Americans eligible for it, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-yellen-gop-coronavirus-aid-small-e5aa4373b5cf57f44ca21332c814b3af">Biden has insisted on $1,400 checks</a>, saying “that’s what the American people were promised.” The new round of checks will cost the government an estimated $422 billion.

BIGGER TAX BREAK FOR HOUSEHOLDS WITH KIDS

Under current law, most taxpayers can reduce their federal income tax bill by up to $2,000 per child. The package moving through the House would increase the tax break to $3,000 for every child age 6 to 17 and $3,600 for every child under the age of 6.

The legislation also calls for the payments to be delivered monthly instead of in one lump sum. If the secretary of the Treasury determines that isn't feasible, then the payments are to be made as frequently as possible.

Also, families would get the full credit regardless of how little they make in a year, even just a few hundred dollars, leading to criticism that the changes would serve as a disincentive to work. Add in the $1,400 per individual checks and other items in the proposal, and the legislation would reduce the number of children living in poverty by more than half, according to an analysis from the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University.

The legislation would send $350 billion to state and local governments and tribal governments. While Republicans in Congress have largely objected to this initiative, Biden’s push has some GOP support among governors and mayors.

Many communities have taken hits to their tax base as millions of people have lost their jobs and as people stay home and avoid restaurants and stores to prevent getting COVID-19. Many areas have also seen expenses rise as they work to treat the sick and ramp up vaccinations.

But the impact varies from state to state and from town to town. Critics say the funding is not appropriately targeted and is far more than necessary with billions of dollars allocated last spring to states and communities still unspent.

The bill calls for $130 billion in additional help to schools for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The money would be used to reduce class sizes and modify classrooms to enhance social distancing, install ventilation systems and purchase personal protective equipment. The money could also be used to increase the hiring of nurses, counselors and to provide summer school.

Spending for colleges and universities would be boosted by $40 billion, with the money used to defray an institution’s pandemic-related expenses and to provide emergency aid to students to cover expenses such as food and housing and computer equipment.

The bill provides another round of relief for airlines and eligible contractors, $15 billion, so long as they refrain from furloughing workers or cutting pay through September. It’s the third round of support for airlines.

A new program for restaurants and bars hurt by the pandemic would receive $25 billion. The grants provide up to $10 million per entity with a limit of $5 million per physical location. The grants can be used to cover payroll, rent, utilities and other operational expenses.

The bill also provides another $7.25 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program, a tiny fraction of what was allocated in previous legislation. The loans are designed to help borrowers meet their payroll and operating costs and can potentially be forgiven.

Expanded unemployment benefits from the federal government would be extended, with an increase from $300 a week to $400 a week. That's on top of what beneficiaries are getting through their state unemployment insurance program.

The bill provides money for key elements of the Biden administration’s COVID-19 response, while also trying to advance longstanding Democratic priorities like increasing coverage under the Obama-era Affordable Care Act.

On “Obamacare,” it dangles a fiscal carrot in front of a dozen states, mainly in the South, that have not yet taken up the law’s Medicaid expansion to cover more low-income adults. Whether such a sweetener would be enough to start wearing down longstanding Republican opposition to Medicaid expansion is uncertain.

The bill would also provide $46 billion to expand federal, state and local testing for COVID-19 and to enhance contract tracing capabilities with new investments to expand laboratory capacity and set up mobile testing units.

The bill would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour by June 2025 and then adjust it to increase at the same rate as median hourly wages. However, that provision is not expected to survive in the final bill. The Senate parliamentarian ruled that it cannot be included in the COVID-19 economic relief package under the process Democrats chose to undertake to get a bill passed with a simple majority.

Biden had predicted such a result. Still, the ruling was a stinging setback for most Democratic lawmakers who had said the higher minimum wage would increase the pay for millions of Americans. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office had projected the new federal minimum wage would lift some 900,000 people out of poverty once it was fully in place. But Republicans said the mandatory wage hikes would make it harder for small businesses to survive and they pointed to the CBO's projection that about 1.4 million jobs would be lost as employers looked for ways to offset their higher personnel costs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614427934581.png" alt="House Speaker Nancy Pelosi celebrated the House passage of the $1.9T plan&nbsp; early Saturday morning" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Nancy Pelosi celebrated the House passage of the $1.9T plan&nbsp; early Saturday morning</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Saturday morning pass a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package that includes $1,400 checks for most Americans and billions of dollars for schools, state and local governments and businesses.The Democrats' goal is to have COVID-19 relief approved by mid-March, when extra unemployment assistance and other pandemic aid expires. The Senate, which Democrats control by a single vote, will consider the bill next.A look at some highlights of the legislation:MORE CHECKSThe legislation provides a rebate that amounts to $1,400 for a single taxpayer, or $2,800 for a married couple that files jointly, plus $1,400 per dependent. Individuals earning up to $75,000 would get the full amount as would married couples with incomes up to $150,000.The size of the check would shrink for those making slightly more with a hard cut-off at $100,000 for individuals and $200,000 for married couples.Some Republicans want to cut the size of the rebate as well as the pool of Americans eligible for it, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-yellen-gop-coronavirus-aid-small-e5aa4373b5cf57f44ca21332c814b3af">Biden has insisted on $1,400 checks</a>, saying “that’s what the American people were promised.” The new round of checks will cost the government an estimated $422 billion.BIGGER TAX BREAK FOR HOUSEHOLDS WITH KIDSUnder current law, most taxpayers can reduce their federal income tax bill by up to $2,000 per child. The package moving through the House would increase the tax break to $3,000 for every child age 6 to 17 and $3,600 for every child under the age of 6.The legislation also calls for the payments to be delivered monthly instead of in one lump sum. If the secretary of the Treasury determines that isn't feasible, then the payments are to be made as frequently as possible.Also, families would get the full credit regardless of how little they make in a year, even just a few hundred dollars, leading to criticism that the changes would serve as a disincentive to work. Add in the $1,400 per individual checks and other items in the proposal, and the legislation would reduce the number of children living in poverty by more than half, according to an analysis from the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University.AID TO STATES AND CITIESThe legislation would send $350 billion to state and local governments and tribal governments. While Republicans in Congress have largely objected to this initiative, Biden’s push has some GOP support among governors and mayors.Many communities have taken hits to their tax base as millions of people have lost their jobs and as people stay home and avoid restaurants and stores to prevent getting COVID-19. Many areas have also seen expenses rise as they work to treat the sick and ramp up vaccinations.But the impact varies from state to state and from town to town. Critics say the funding is not appropriately targeted and is far more than necessary with billions of dollars allocated last spring to states and communities still unspent.AID TO SCHOOLSThe bill calls for $130 billion in additional help to schools for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The money would be used to reduce class sizes and modify classrooms to enhance social distancing, install ventilation systems and purchase personal protective equipment. The money could also be used to increase the hiring of nurses, counselors and to provide summer school.Spending for colleges and universities would be boosted by $40 billion, with the money used to defray an institution’s pandemic-related expenses and to provide emergency aid to students to cover expenses such as food and housing and computer equipment.AID TO BUSINESSESThe bill provides another round of relief for airlines and eligible contractors, $15 billion, so long as they refrain from furloughing workers or cutting pay through September. It’s the third round of support for airlines.A new program for restaurants and bars hurt by the pandemic would receive $25 billion. The grants provide up to $10 million per entity with a limit of $5 million per physical location. The grants can be used to cover payroll, rent, utilities and other operational expenses.The bill also provides another $7.25 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program, a tiny fraction of what was allocated in previous legislation. The loans are designed to help borrowers meet their payroll and operating costs and can potentially be forgiven.AID TO THE UNEMPLOYEDExpanded unemployment benefits from the federal government would be extended, with an increase from $300 a week to $400 a week. That's on top of what beneficiaries are getting through their state unemployment insurance program.HEALTH CAREThe bill provides money for key elements of the Biden administration’s COVID-19 response, while also trying to advance longstanding Democratic priorities like increasing coverage under the Obama-era Affordable Care Act.On “Obamacare,” it dangles a fiscal carrot in front of a dozen states, mainly in the South, that have not yet taken up the law’s Medicaid expansion to cover more low-income adults. Whether such a sweetener would be enough to start wearing down longstanding Republican opposition to Medicaid expansion is uncertain.The bill would also provide $46 billion to expand federal, state and local testing for COVID-19 and to enhance contract tracing capabilities with new investments to expand laboratory capacity and set up mobile testing units.RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGEThe bill would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour by June 2025 and then adjust it to increase at the same rate as median hourly wages. However, that provision is not expected to survive in the final bill. The Senate parliamentarian ruled that it cannot be included in the COVID-19 economic relief package under the process Democrats chose to undertake to get a bill passed with a simple majority.Biden had predicted such a result. Still, the ruling was a stinging setback for most Democratic lawmakers who had said the higher minimum wage would increase the pay for millions of Americans. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office had projected the new federal minimum wage would lift some 900,000 people out of poverty once it was fully in place. But Republicans said the mandatory wage hikes would make it harder for small businesses to survive and they pointed to the CBO's projection that about 1.4 million jobs would be lost as employers looked for ways to offset their higher personnel costs.

$1400 relief checks and much more in bill headed for U.S. Senate 

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Two of three police officers injured during an investigation Saturday in Wichita are expected to be released from the hospital Monday.

Just after 4p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to check a residence in the 1400 block of S. St. Francis in Wichita, according to officer Trevor Macey.

A homeowner had called 911 to report that they had discovered damage to a vacant home that they owned, and they believed someone might be inside.

Upon arrival, Officers obtained keys from the homeowner and attempted to check the residence to ensure no one was inside. After entering the front door of the residence, officers reported hearing an explosion and three officers sustained injuries. 

The injured officers were removed from the residence and transported to an area hospital for treatment. One of the officers was treated and released Saturday. 

One other two had minor injuries and the third was listed in serious but stable condition.

The WPD SWAT team and Bomb Squad were activated and secured the house. The investigation revealed that no one was inside the home, but someone had left a modified, loaded shotgun in the residence which discharged as the officers made entry.

The WPD investigative division, alongside ATF and FBI investigators continue working to gather the facts of the situation and resolve the incident.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Three police officers were injured during an investigation Saturday in Wichita.

The injured officers were removed from the residence and transported to an area hospital for treatment. One of the officers was treated and released. Two remained in the hospital on Sunday morning – one with minor injuries and another in serious but stable condition.

Just after 4p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to check a vacant home in the 1400 block of South St. Francis, according to officer Paul Cruz.

After making entry into the residence, three officers sustained injuries from a possible explosion from an unknown device. 

EMS transported three officers to an area hospital for treatment. One officer has since been released, while the other two remain - one with minor injuries and one in serious but stable condition.

The WPD SWAT team and Bomb Squad were on scene. The situation is contained and negotiators assisting.&nbsp;

Just after 9p.m. Saturday, Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsay reported, "Visited the two injured officers who are still undergoing care and treatment at area hospitals.  Their spirits are good and appreciate the support they are receiving. We are praying for a speedy recovery."

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614480576675.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation on Saturday photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation on Saturday photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Two of three police officers injured during an investigation Saturday in Wichita are expected to be released from the hospital Monday.Just after 4p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to check a residence in the 1400 block of S. St. Francis in Wichita, according to officer Trevor Macey.A homeowner had called 911 to report that they had discovered damage to a vacant home that they owned, and they believed someone might be inside.Upon arrival, Officers obtained keys from the homeowner and attempted to check the residence to ensure no one was inside. After entering the front door of the residence, officers reported hearing an explosion and three officers sustained injuries. The injured officers were removed from the residence and transported to an area hospital for treatment. One of the officers was treated and released Saturday. One other two had minor injuries and the third was listed in serious but stable condition.The WPD SWAT team and Bomb Squad were activated and secured the house. The investigation revealed that no one was inside the home, but someone had left a modified, loaded shotgun in the residence which discharged as the officers made entry.The WPD investigative division, alongside ATF and FBI investigators continue working to gather the facts of the situation and resolve the incident.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest.----------SEDGWICK COUNTY—Three police officers were injured during an investigation Saturday in Wichita.Just after 4p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to check a residence in the 1400 block of S. St. Francis in Wichita, according to officer Trevor Macey.A homeowner had called 911 to report that they had discovered damage to a vacant home that they owned, and they believed someone might be inside.Upon arrival, Officers obtained keys from the homeowner and attempted to check the residence to ensure no one was inside. After entering the front door of the residence, officers reported hearing an explosion and three officers sustained injuries. The injured officers were removed from the residence and transported to an area hospital for treatment. One of the officers was treated and released. Two remained in the hospital on Sunday morning – one with minor injuries and another in serious but stable condition.The WPD SWAT team and Bomb Squad were activated and secured the house. The investigation revealed that no one was inside the home, but someone had left a modified, loaded shotgun in the residence which discharged as the officers made entry.The WPD investigative division, alongside ATF and FBI investigators continue working to gather the facts of the situation and resolve the incident.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest.--------SEDGWICK COUNTY—Three police officers were injured during an investigation Saturday in Wichita.Just after 4p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to check a vacant home in the 1400 block of South St. Francis, according to officer Paul Cruz.After making entry into the residence, three officers sustained injuries from a possible explosion from an unknown device. EMS transported three officers to an area hospital for treatment. One officer has since been released, while the other two remain - one with minor injuries and one in serious but stable condition.The WPD SWAT team and Bomb Squad were on scene. The situation is contained and negotiators assisting.&nbsp;Just after 9p.m. Saturday, Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsay reported, "Visited the two injured officers who are still undergoing care and treatment at area hospitals. Their spirits are good and appreciate the support they are receiving. We are praying for a speedy recovery."Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Update: Kan. officers injured by shotgun blast in vacant home

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

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

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

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

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

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614442513506.png" alt="Nelson Hull has two previous drug related conviction, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections- photo from an earlier arrest in Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Nelson Hull has two previous drug related conviction, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections- photo from an earlier arrest in Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the murder of a woman in Salina and have identified a suspect as 35-year-old Nelson Gerrod Hull.He is wanted for the Tuesday shooting death of 36-year-old Courtney Ann Hoffman.&nbsp; The Saline County District Court issued an arrest warrant for murder in the first degree.Hull is described as a black male, 6-foot-3, 200 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. A tattoo on the right side of his neck is "Mi Familia."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614348886825.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation Tuesday in Salina. photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation Tuesday in Salina. photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 11:30a.m. on Tuesday, police responded to the 700 block of North Fourth Street in Salina for a report of the sound of gunfire and someone screaming, according to a media release.Upon arrival, Salina Police Officers located a woman identified as Hoffman inside a vehicle at 731 N. 4th Street. She had a gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased by Salina Fire Department EMS personnel.Police say Hull should be considered armed and dangerous. They encourage anyone with information on Hull's current location to contact 911 immediately.

Police: Search continues for suspect wanted for Salina murder

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas sex offender on new charges after an arrest.

Just before 1p.m. Wednesday,&nbsp; a citizen reported being groped and followed by an unknown man while walking into work in the 300 block of North Main in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

 Patrol South Officers responded to take the report, and they continued to investigate Thursday. They coordinated with the Wichita Police Department Crime Linkage Unit, Homeless Outreach Team, and Domestic Violence/Sex Crimes Detectives after noticing several other reports of suspicious activity in the core downtown area.

Police canvassed multiple locations and identified a suspect as 37-year-old registered sex offender Mark J. Lang. They located, arrested and booked him into the Sedgwick County Jail on a requested charges of Sexual Battery and on an Arrest &amp; Detain Warrant issued by the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Lang is currently homeless and was on parole for indecent liberties with a child out of Johnson County, Kansas, according to Macy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614357934913.png" alt="Lang's Kansas Sex Offender Registry photo from January 2021&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Lang's Kansas Sex Offender Registry photo from January 2021&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas sex offender on new charges after an arrest.Just before 1p.m. Wednesday,&nbsp; a citizen reported being groped and followed by an unknown man while walking into work in the 300 block of North Main in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy. Patrol South Officers responded to take the report, and they continued to investigate Thursday. They coordinated with the Wichita Police Department Crime Linkage Unit, Homeless Outreach Team, and Domestic Violence/Sex Crimes Detectives after noticing several other reports of suspicious activity in the core downtown area.Police canvassed multiple locations and identified a suspect as 37-year-old registered sex offender Mark J. Lang. They located, arrested and booked him into the Sedgwick County Jail on a requested charges of Sexual Battery and on an Arrest &amp; Detain Warrant issued by the Kansas Department of Corrections.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614357852394.png" alt="Lang photo Sedgwick County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Lang photo Sedgwick County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>Lang is currently homeless and was on parole for indecent liberties with a child out of Johnson County, Kansas, according to Macy.

Police: Kansas sex offender allegedly groped another victim 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Merriam Village, Missouri, couple has been indicted by a federal grand jury for producing child pornography.

Mark John Millman, 36, a citizen of Great Britain and a legal alien resident, and his wife, Tara Sau Millman, 41, were charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., this week, according to the United State's Attorney.

 The indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Mark and Tara Millman on January 29, 2021. The Millmans have been in federal custody since their arrest, and remain detained without bail.

The federal indictment charges the Millmans together in one count of using a minor to produce child pornography and one count of receiving and distributing child pornography.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, the investigation began when agents with Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego, California, began investigating users of a cloud storage platform (identified in court documents as “Cloud Platform A”). The cloud platform provides encrypted, cloud-based services that enable private, secure online storage, communication, and collaboration for business and individuals. During the investigation, the agents accessed a weblink to an encrypted chat room with approximately 145 registered users. Files containing child pornography were uploaded/posted by participants in the chat room, the affidavit says, including Mark Millman.

A search warrant was executed at the Millmans’ residence in Taney County, Mo., on January 28, 2021. According to the affidavit, images and videos of child pornography were found on both Mark and Tara Millman’s cell phones. Among those photos, the affidavit says, were images of the Millmans’ sexual abuse of child victims.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614439967146.png" alt="Millman photo Greene County" />
 <figcaption>Millman photo Greene County</figcaption>
 </figure>SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Merriam Village, Missouri, couple has been indicted by a federal grand jury for producing child pornography.Mark John Millman, 36, a citizen of Great Britain and a legal alien resident, and his wife, Tara Sau Millman, 41, were charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., this week, according to the United State's Attorney. The indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Mark and Tara Millman on January 29, 2021. The Millmans have been in federal custody since their arrest, and remain detained without bail.The federal indictment charges the Millmans together in one count of using a minor to produce child pornography and one count of receiving and distributing child pornography.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614439948313.png" alt="Millman photo Greene Co." />
 <figcaption>Millman photo Greene Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, the investigation began when agents with Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego, California, began investigating users of a cloud storage platform (identified in court documents as “Cloud Platform A”). The cloud platform provides encrypted, cloud-based services that enable private, secure online storage, communication, and collaboration for business and individuals. During the investigation, the agents accessed a weblink to an encrypted chat room with approximately 145 registered users. Files containing child pornography were uploaded/posted by participants in the chat room, the affidavit says, including Mark Millman.A search warrant was executed at the Millmans’ residence in Taney County, Mo., on January 28, 2021. According to the affidavit, images and videos of child pornography were found on both Mark and Tara Millman’s cell phones. Among those photos, the affidavit says, were images of the Millmans’ sexual abuse of child victims.

Indictment: Couple used minor to produce child porn

HAMILTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two woman on drug charges after a traffic stop.

Just after 9:00 a.m. February 25, a trooper observed a Nissan Versa fail to stop at a stop sign after it exited Interstate 80 at the Hampton interchange, according to a media release from the Nebraska State Highway Patrol. During the traffic stop, the trooper detected criminal activity.

A search of the vehicle revealed six pounds of methamphetamine, as well less than an ounce of marijuana. The methamphetamine was located in five separate bags in the rear passenger area of the vehicle.

Troopers arrested the driver, Carmen Felix Loera, 36, and passenger, an 18-year-old female, both of San Diego, California, on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute, and no drug tax stamp. The 18-year-old was also cited for possession of marijuana – less than an ounce and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both women remain in the Hamilton County Jail.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614374846078.png" alt="Photo courtesy Nebraska State Patrol" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Nebraska State Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>HAMILTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two woman on drug charges after a traffic stop.Just after 9:00 a.m. February 25, a trooper observed a Nissan Versa fail to stop at a stop sign after it exited Interstate 80 at the Hampton interchange, according to a media release from the Nebraska State Highway Patrol. During the traffic stop, the trooper detected criminal activity.A search of the vehicle revealed six pounds of methamphetamine, as well less than an ounce of marijuana. The methamphetamine was located in five separate bags in the rear passenger area of the vehicle.Troopers arrested the driver, Carmen Felix Loera, 36, and passenger, an 18-year-old female, both of San Diego, California, on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute, and no drug tax stamp. The 18-year-old was also cited for possession of marijuana – less than an ounce and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both women remain in the Hamilton County Jail.

State trooper arrests woman, teen after finding 6 pounds of meth

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal three-vehicle crash on Friday in Wichita have identified the victims.as 70-year-old Cheryl Sigle and 72-year-old Dennis Sigle both of Wichita and 25-year-old Isaiah Ragazzone.

Just after 3p.m. Friday, police responded to an injury collision in the intersection of South Meridian and Interstate 235 in Wichita, according to officer Tevor Macey.

Upon arrival, Officers located an accident scene involving three vehicles – a white Impala, a tan Buick, and a black Lincoln. Through their investigation, they learned&nbsp;Impala, driven by Isaiah Ragazzone, was&nbsp; southbound on Meridian at a high rate of speed. 

As the Impala approached the intersection of S Meridian and Interstate 235, it collided with a Buick driven by Dennis Sigle, who was attempting to make a left turn onto Interstate 235. 

The force of the impact caused the engine to be ejected from the Buick and strike the Lincoln

EMS transported Dennis Sigle and Isaiah Ragazzone to an area hospital in critical condition. They later died of their injuries, according to Macey. The passenger in the Buick, Cheryl Sigle, was pronounced deceased on scene.&nbsp; There were no injuries to the occupants of the black Lincoln

On Friday, police reported several calls were made to 911 regarding the collision, and one of those callers reported that there had been a disturbance with a weapon with shots fired that occurred just prior to the collision, and just north near 31st Street South and Meridian.

The caller also reported that one of the vehicles involved in the collision was possibly involved in the disturbance with weapons.

Police released no additional details on Sunday.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal three-vehicle crash in Sedgwick County.

Just after 3p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to an injury collision in the intersection of South Meridian and Interstate 235 in Wichita, according to officer Trevor Macey.

Several calls were made to 911 regarding the collision, and one of those callers reported that there had been a disturbance with a weapon with shots fired that occurred just prior to the collision, and just north near 31st Street South and Meridian.

Upon arrival, Officers located an accident scene involving three vehicles – a white Impala, a tan Buick and a black Lincoln.

Through their investigation, police learned that the Impala was&nbsp; southbound on Meridian at a high rate of speed. As the Impala approached the intersection of South Meridian and Interstate 235, it collided with the Buick which was attempting to make a left turn onto Interstate 235, according to Macey. The force of the impact caused the engine to be ejected from the Buick. The engine struck the Lincoln.

EMS transported the single occupant of the Impala, a 26-year-old man, to an area hospital in critical condition.

EMS also transported the 72-year-old driver of the Buick to the hospital in critical condition. A passenger of the Buick was pronounced deceased on scene. There were no injuries to the occupants of the Lincoln.

Authorities have not released names of the victims.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614428626845.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation Friday evening- photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation Friday evening- photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal three-vehicle crash on Friday in Wichita have identified the victims.as 70-year-old Cheryl Sigle and 72-year-old Dennis Sigle both of Wichita and 25-year-old Isaiah Ragazzone.Just after 3p.m. Friday, police responded to an injury collision in the intersection of South Meridian and Interstate 235 in Wichita, according to officer Tevor Macey.Upon arrival, Officers located an accident scene involving three vehicles – a white Impala, a tan Buick, and a black Lincoln. Through their investigation, they learned&nbsp;Impala, driven by Isaiah Ragazzone, was&nbsp; southbound on Meridian at a high rate of speed. As the Impala approached the intersection of S Meridian and Interstate 235, it collided with a Buick driven by Dennis Sigle, who was attempting to make a left turn onto Interstate 235. The force of the impact caused the engine to be ejected from the Buick and strike the LincolnEMS transported Dennis Sigle and Isaiah Ragazzone to an area hospital in critical condition. They later died of their injuries, according to Macey. The passenger in the Buick, Cheryl Sigle, was pronounced deceased on scene.&nbsp; There were no injuries to the occupants of the black LincolnOn Friday, police reported several calls were made to 911 regarding the collision, and one of those callers reported that there had been a disturbance with a weapon with shots fired that occurred just prior to the collision, and just north near 31st Street South and Meridian.The caller also reported that one of the vehicles involved in the collision was possibly involved in the disturbance with weapons.Police released no additional details on Sunday.------SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal three-vehicle crash in Sedgwick County.Just after 3p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to an injury collision in the intersection of South Meridian and Interstate 235 in Wichita, according to officer Trevor Macey.Several calls were made to 911 regarding the collision, and one of those callers reported that there had been a disturbance with a weapon with shots fired that occurred just prior to the collision, and just north near 31st Street South and Meridian.The caller also reported that one of the vehicles involved in the collision was possibly involved in the disturbance with weapons.Upon arrival, Officers located an accident scene involving three vehicles – a white Impala, a tan Buick and a black Lincoln.Through their investigation, police learned that the Impala was&nbsp; southbound on Meridian at a high rate of speed. As the Impala approached the intersection of South Meridian and Interstate 235, it collided with the Buick which was attempting to make a left turn onto Interstate 235, according to Macey. The force of the impact caused the engine to be ejected from the Buick. The engine struck the Lincoln.EMS transported the single occupant of the Impala, a 26-year-old man, to an area hospital in critical condition.EMS also transported the 72-year-old driver of the Buick to the hospital in critical condition. A passenger of the Buick was pronounced deceased on scene. There were no injuries to the occupants of the Lincoln.Authorities have not released names of the victims.

Police: 2 hospitalized after violent Kan. crash have died

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — When COVID-19 patients inundated St. Louis hospitals, respiratory therapists arriving for yet another grueling shift with a dwindling supply of ventilators would often glance at their assignments and cry, heading into the locker room to collect themselves.

“They were like, ‘Man, another 12 hours of this slog of these on-the-verge-of-death patients who could go at any moment.’ And just knowing that they had to take care of them with that kind of stress in the back of their head,’” recalled Joe Kowalczyk, a respiratory therapist who sometimes works in a supervisory role.

Now the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the U.S. has dropped by 80,000 in six weeks, and 17% of the nation’s adult population has gotten at least one dose of a vaccine, providing some relief to front-line workers like Kowalczyk. On his most recent shift at Mercy Hospital St. Louis, there were only about 20 coronavirus patients, down from as many as 100 at the peak of the winter surge.

“It is so weird to look back on it,” he said. “Everyone was hitting their wit’s end definitely toward the end just because we had been doing it for so long at the end of year.”

The U.S. has seen a dramatic turnaround since December and January, when hospitals were teeming with patients after holiday gatherings and pandemic fatigue caused a surge in cases and deaths. Health officials acknowledge the improvement but point out that hospitalizations are still at about the same level as earlier peaks in April and July and right before the crisis worsened in November. Deaths are still persistently high, though much lower than the peak in early January, when they sometimes exceeded 4,000 per day.

Hospitalizations in Missouri were hovering around 3,000 a day during a stretch from late November into January but have since fallen about 60%. As of Monday, 1,202 people were hospitalized, according to state data.

In Wisconsin, hospitalizations dropped dramatically over the last three and a half months, from a high of 2,277 patients on Nov. 17 to 355 on Wednesday, according to the Wisconsin Hospital Association. And the patients who are hospitalized are not as sick. The number of patients in intensive care has dropped 81% since Nov. 16.

State health officials on Feb. 15 removed all staff from a field hospital set up in October at the state fairgrounds in suburban Milwaukee. They have stopped short of dismantling the facility out of concern that the state could experience a surge in cases sparked by variants of the virus that causes COVID-19.

“It’s a balancing act. You don’t want to close it too soon until you really believe we’re on the other side of this pandemic, yet we don’t want to tie up (the fairgrounds) too long if we’re truly not going to need the facility,” state Department of Health Services Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk said.

Behind the overall positive trends in hospitalizations are worrisome hints that the worst may not be over, said Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle.

“In the past week, we’re seeing the slowdown of the decline,” Mokdad said. In many states, hospitalizations are leveling off or actually rising.

The biggest driver in the overall decline in U.S. hospitalizations is people’s behavior in December and January, Mokdad said. For the first time in the U.S., the shape of the wave is symmetrical, with the decline as steep as the rise.

“This didn’t happen before in the previous two waves,” Mokdad said. “For us, in the business, it’s like ‘Wow we are doing something really good right now.’”

In Minnesota, non-intensive care hospitalizations dropped from around 1,400 in late November to just 233 as of Tuesday. The number of intensive care patients has dropped about 85% since early December to just 59 patients on Tuesday, according to state data.

Hospitalizations in Illinois hovered around 6,000 patients for several days in late November but fell to 1,488 by Monday, a decrease of about 75%. The number of patients in intensive care has dropped as well, from 1,224 on Nov. 25 to just 361 on Monday, according to the state health department.

In hard-hit California, hospitalizations have dropped a stunning 70% since January, from 22,821 patients on Jan. 5 to 6,764 on Tuesday. The number of patients in intensive care has fallen from a high of 4,971 on Jan. 10 to 1,842 as of Tuesday, according to state data.

In Kansas, where many rural hospitals lack ventilators, the situation was so dire at one point that patients were being flown hundreds of miles for treatment.

But the number of hospitalizations in the state has dropped nearly 84%, from 1,282 on Dec. 2 to 208 on Sunday, according to the state health department. More than 300 people were in intensive care in December; that’s down to just 50 now, state data shows.

“It has just kind of been quiet out here with COVID,” said physician assistant Ben Kimball, who works primarily at Graham County Hospital in Hill City, a town of about 1,500 in rural northwest Kansas.

At the peak of the surge, he once resorted to flying a patient to a hospital in Denver, about 250 miles (402 kilometers) away. All the closer hospitals capable of providing more advanced care were full and turning away patients.

“We are pretty fortunate, I think,” he said. “I can definitely feel that things are getting better. We aren’t constantly struggling for bed space. We have had a few overnight observation COVID patients, but we haven’t sent anyone out in a while.”

Kris Mathews, the administrator of Decatur Health, a small hospital in rural northwest Kansas, also spent hours on the phone arranging transfers for patients at the peak of the surge. His staff fell ill themselves, and those who were well worked overtime caring for coronavirus patients.

“I could feel the staff’s weariness and fatigue,” he wrote. “Nobody complained to me about it, but I could see and feel them burning out.”

Now it’s been weeks since the hospital cared for a coronavirus inpatient. Thinking back, he said, “I couldn’t be more damn proud.”

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — When COVID-19 patients inundated St. Louis hospitals, respiratory therapists arriving for yet another grueling shift with a dwindling supply of ventilators would often glance at their assignments and cry, heading into the locker room to collect themselves.“They were like, ‘Man, another 12 hours of this slog of these on-the-verge-of-death patients who could go at any moment.’ And just knowing that they had to take care of them with that kind of stress in the back of their head,’” recalled Joe Kowalczyk, a respiratory therapist who sometimes works in a supervisory role.Now the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the U.S. has dropped by 80,000 in six weeks, and 17% of the nation’s adult population has gotten at least one dose of a vaccine, providing some relief to front-line workers like Kowalczyk. On his most recent shift at Mercy Hospital St. Louis, there were only about 20 coronavirus patients, down from as many as 100 at the peak of the winter surge.“It is so weird to look back on it,” he said. “Everyone was hitting their wit’s end definitely toward the end just because we had been doing it for so long at the end of year.”The U.S. has seen a dramatic turnaround since December and January, when hospitals were teeming with patients after holiday gatherings and pandemic fatigue caused a surge in cases and deaths. Health officials acknowledge the improvement but point out that hospitalizations are still at about the same level as earlier peaks in April and July and right before the crisis worsened in November. Deaths are still persistently high, though much lower than the peak in early January, when they sometimes exceeded 4,000 per day.Hospitalizations in Missouri were hovering around 3,000 a day during a stretch from late November into January but have since fallen about 60%. As of Monday, 1,202 people were hospitalized, according to state data.In Wisconsin, hospitalizations dropped dramatically over the last three and a half months, from a high of 2,277 patients on Nov. 17 to 355 on Wednesday, according to the Wisconsin Hospital Association. And the patients who are hospitalized are not as sick. The number of patients in intensive care has dropped 81% since Nov. 16.State health officials on Feb. 15 removed all staff from a field hospital set up in October at the state fairgrounds in suburban Milwaukee. They have stopped short of dismantling the facility out of concern that the state could experience a surge in cases sparked by variants of the virus that causes COVID-19.“It’s a balancing act. You don’t want to close it too soon until you really believe we’re on the other side of this pandemic, yet we don’t want to tie up (the fairgrounds) too long if we’re truly not going to need the facility,” state Department of Health Services Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk said.Behind the overall positive trends in hospitalizations are worrisome hints that the worst may not be over, said Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle.“In the past week, we’re seeing the slowdown of the decline,” Mokdad said. In many states, hospitalizations are leveling off or actually rising.The biggest driver in the overall decline in U.S. hospitalizations is people’s behavior in December and January, Mokdad said. For the first time in the U.S., the shape of the wave is symmetrical, with the decline as steep as the rise.“This didn’t happen before in the previous two waves,” Mokdad said. “For us, in the business, it’s like ‘Wow we are doing something really good right now.’”In Minnesota, non-intensive care hospitalizations dropped from around 1,400 in late November to just 233 as of Tuesday. The number of intensive care patients has dropped about 85% since early December to just 59 patients on Tuesday, according to state data.Hospitalizations in Illinois hovered around 6,000 patients for several days in late November but fell to 1,488 by Monday, a decrease of about 75%. The number of patients in intensive care has dropped as well, from 1,224 on Nov. 25 to just 361 on Monday, according to the state health department.In hard-hit California, hospitalizations have dropped a stunning 70% since January, from 22,821 patients on Jan. 5 to 6,764 on Tuesday. The number of patients in intensive care has fallen from a high of 4,971 on Jan. 10 to 1,842 as of Tuesday, according to state data.In Kansas, where many rural hospitals lack ventilators, the situation was so dire at one point that patients were being flown hundreds of miles for treatment.But the number of hospitalizations in the state has dropped nearly 84%, from 1,282 on Dec. 2 to 208 on Sunday, according to the state health department. More than 300 people were in intensive care in December; that’s down to just 50 now, state data shows.“It has just kind of been quiet out here with COVID,” said physician assistant Ben Kimball, who works primarily at Graham County Hospital in Hill City, a town of about 1,500 in rural northwest Kansas.At the peak of the surge, he once resorted to flying a patient to a hospital in Denver, about 250 miles (402 kilometers) away. All the closer hospitals capable of providing more advanced care were full and turning away patients.“We are pretty fortunate, I think,” he said. “I can definitely feel that things are getting better. We aren’t constantly struggling for bed space. We have had a few overnight observation COVID patients, but we haven’t sent anyone out in a while.”Kris Mathews, the administrator of Decatur Health, a small hospital in rural northwest Kansas, also spent hours on the phone arranging transfers for patients at the peak of the surge. His staff fell ill themselves, and those who were well worked overtime caring for coronavirus patients.“I could feel the staff’s weariness and fatigue,” he wrote. “Nobody complained to me about it, but I could see and feel them burning out.”Now it’s been weeks since the hospital cared for a coronavirus inpatient. Thinking back, he said, “I couldn’t be more damn proud.”___

As hospital numbers fall, fatigued staff get relief at last

BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — A foul-mouthed Kansas judge accused of bigotry who cursed at courthouse employees so often that a trial clerk kept a “swear journal” documenting his obscene outbursts was on Friday suspended from the bench for one year.

(Click below to listen to the Kansas Supreme Court hearing on the matter of Hon. F. William Cullins)

The Kansas Supreme Court called Montgomery County Judge F. William Cullins’ behavior “quite troubling” while meting out a punishment that was harsher than the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/894102b113cb812dfa3d904d3c342f37">censure and coaching</a>&nbsp;that a disciplinary panel recommended last year.

“He has intimidated and publicly humiliated court employees. He has shown bias and the appearance of bias by his insulting and careless remarks, even while on the bench and presiding over hearings. By his coarse language in the courthouse, he has sullied the dignity and propriety of the judiciary,” the court said in its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kscourts.org/KSCourts/media/KsCourts/Opinions/122565.pdf?ext=.pdf" target="_blank">decision</a>.

The ruling is effective immediately, but the court said it would consider waiving the remaining suspension after 60 days if Cullins enters into an approved plan for training and counseling. It also ordered Cullins to pay all the costs of his disciplinary proceeding.

His attorney did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

The court agreed with the disciplinary panel that Cullins’ conduct violated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/417c50987595c0e4faf7f18cf825f330">judicial canons of decorum, integrity and impartiality.&nbsp;</a>The panel also found he harmed public confidence in the integrity of the judiciary and that his conduct exhibited unfairness and unsound character.

Cullins acknowledged during his December 2019 disciplinary hearing that he frequently cursed in his conversations with employees and attorneys, and was sometimes unprofessional in his conduct, but he insisted he didn’t abuse court staff or direct vulgar and sexist terms at female workers. He called his profanity a lifelong habit,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/492e61efcb4965cc81680a57b3248533">saying he has a “salty” personality</a>&nbsp;that some people see as “down to earth.”

The high court affirmed the disciplinary panel’s finding that Cullins’ use of foul, derogatory words directed at women manifested a clear gender bias.

It also addressed an instance in which Cullins was recorded in court referring to an out-of-state Black athlete as “not even a Kansas boy” and telling a Black male resident, “you’re a Kansas boy” — language that could be considered demeaning to an African American man.

Although the panel found credible Cullins’ testimony that he was referring to geographic origin and didn’t intend racial derision, it said the term could be interpreted as bias and therefore violated judicial rules. The high court agreed.

“Regardless of inflection, tone, or local custom, this court has little trouble finding there was clear and convincing evidence to support the panel’s conclusion that the statements made by (Cullins) during these bond hearings created a reasonable perception of racial bias,” according to the ruling.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614519264372.png" alt="Judge Cullins and members of the Kansas Supreme Court during a hearing on his behavior." />
 <figcaption>Judge Cullins and members of the Kansas Supreme Court during a hearing on his behavior.</figcaption>
 </figure>BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — A foul-mouthed Kansas judge accused of bigotry who cursed at courthouse employees so often that a trial clerk kept a “swear journal” documenting his obscene outbursts was on Friday suspended from the bench for one year.(Click below to listen to the Kansas Supreme Court hearing on the matter of Hon. F. William Cullins)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fy4ZZGAiWkA?start=108" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The Kansas Supreme Court called Montgomery County Judge F. William Cullins’ behavior “quite troubling” while meting out a punishment that was harsher than the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/894102b113cb812dfa3d904d3c342f37">censure and coaching</a>&nbsp;that a disciplinary panel recommended last year.“He has intimidated and publicly humiliated court employees. He has shown bias and the appearance of bias by his insulting and careless remarks, even while on the bench and presiding over hearings. By his coarse language in the courthouse, he has sullied the dignity and propriety of the judiciary,” the court said in its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kscourts.org/KSCourts/media/KsCourts/Opinions/122565.pdf?ext=.pdf" target="_blank">decision</a>.The ruling is effective immediately, but the court said it would consider waiving the remaining suspension after 60 days if Cullins enters into an approved plan for training and counseling. It also ordered Cullins to pay all the costs of his disciplinary proceeding.His attorney did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.The court agreed with the disciplinary panel that Cullins’ conduct violated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/417c50987595c0e4faf7f18cf825f330">judicial canons of decorum, integrity and impartiality.&nbsp;</a>The panel also found he harmed public confidence in the integrity of the judiciary and that his conduct exhibited unfairness and unsound character.Cullins acknowledged during his December 2019 disciplinary hearing that he frequently cursed in his conversations with employees and attorneys, and was sometimes unprofessional in his conduct, but he insisted he didn’t abuse court staff or direct vulgar and sexist terms at female workers. He called his profanity a lifelong habit,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/492e61efcb4965cc81680a57b3248533">saying he has a “salty” personality</a>&nbsp;that some people see as “down to earth.”The high court affirmed the disciplinary panel’s finding that Cullins’ use of foul, derogatory words directed at women manifested a clear gender bias.It also addressed an instance in which Cullins was recorded in court referring to an out-of-state Black athlete as “not even a Kansas boy” and telling a Black male resident, “you’re a Kansas boy” — language that could be considered demeaning to an African American man.Although the panel found credible Cullins’ testimony that he was referring to geographic origin and didn’t intend racial derision, it said the term could be interpreted as bias and therefore violated judicial rules. The high court agreed.“Regardless of inflection, tone, or local custom, this court has little trouble finding there was clear and convincing evidence to support the panel’s conclusion that the statements made by (Cullins) during these bond hearings created a reasonable perception of racial bias,” according to the ruling.

🎥Supreme Court suspends foul-mouthed Kansas judge 

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/02/25/senate-bill-would-punish-kansas-employers-for-requiring-covid-19-vaccinations/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Sen. Mark Steffen
 pushed colleagues Thursday to support his legislation banning employers
 from requiring workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, saying 
lawmakers should reject the idea that society is more important than the
 individual.

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb213/">Senate Bill 213</a>
 would prohibit employers from taking adverse action against employees 
who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine, and would impose a $1,000 fine for 
employers who violate the restriction. Steffen said this would&nbsp;preserve 
freedom of choice for individuals and relieve employers from the 
liability of imposing a medical procedure on an unwilling worker.

<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/01/31/kansas-senator-believes-political-propaganda-fearmongering-impairs-covid-19-response/">The mask-averse Republican from Hutchinson</a>
 is a board-certified anesthesiologist who specializes in interventional
 pain management, and he repeatedly reminded senators on the Commerce 
Committee that he is a medical doctor.

The debate pitted the 
doctor senator against a doctor representative, and featured conflicting
 insight from an herbal entrepreneur, the Kansas Chamber, business 
attorneys, a pediatrician and a bacterial meningitis survivor. The 
bill’s maskless proponents balked at the possibility of having an 
experimental drug injected into their body without their consent, while 
opponents who wore masks or testified by remote video relished the value
 of being protected from a deadly contagion.

The U.S. Food and Drug 
Administration granted emergency use authorization for Pfizer and 
Moderna vaccines late last year, after the drug companies showed they 
were safe and 95% effective. A third vaccine, from Johnson and Johnson, 
could get approval in the coming days.

Still, Steffen said, it is
 too soon to know what long-term safety risks might be associated with 
the vaccines, which also rely on new RNA technology never before used in
 humans.

“They call it a novel 
virus — it’s a novel vaccination,” Steffen said. “We need to be very 
very cognizant of that. Watch as the opponents come up and talk about 
taking care of a society and their willingness to sacrifice individuals 
in the process. That’s not their decision to make. It’s our decision as 
an individual.”

Rep. John Eplee, a Republican <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/18/white-house-task-force-assessment-of-covid-19-in-kansas-exponential-and-unyielding-spread/">physician from Atchison</a>,
 said Steffen’s argument pales in comparison to the 44 million doses of 
vaccines that have already been administered without serious 
complications.

Medical providers and 
other employers already mandate vaccinations for influenza and other 
illnesses, Eplee told the committee, and courts have upheld those 
mandates. He said if Steffen’s bill passes, the state will expend 
resources in a losing legal battle.

“I’m really questioning 
why would we do that. It really concerns me,” Eplee said. “And why would
 government in this case pre-empt business decisions?”

Connie Newcome said Senate
 Bill 213 is the employee-employer version of “value them both,” the 
name given to the anti-abortion constitutional amendment passed earlier 
this year.

“The employer is free to 
operate the business honoring employees as thinking, intelligent humans 
rather than an owner of their bodies,” Newcome said. “Employees are not 
slaves.”

Newcome, who owns Herb 
House Natural Medicine in Inman, is the founder of Kansans for Health 
Freedom. She said most employers are not qualified to recommend, let 
alone require, a medical procedure.

Doctors try to bully people into taking vaccines, Newcome said.

“Opponents of this bill do
 believe in coercion, bribery, discrimination and mandates,” she said, 
and they should have to answer some questions: “Why the employer has the
 right to own another person’s body, how this preserves personal liberty
 and bodily autonomy, how the employer even knows what is best for each 
person, and who they deem should be liable for vaccine injury and 
death.”

Michelle Suter, a Johnson 
County business attorney, said pharmaceutical companies have an 
obligation to shareholders — not the health of Kansans.

By passing this law, she said, businesses can avoid conflict about how the experimental drug will turn out.

“Employers are desperate 
for a bright line, a signal on what they can do and what they don’t have
 to do,” Suter said. “They are panicking, they’re fearful and they’re 
trying to stay alive.”

Steffen said a large part 
of the population has a small risk of “adverse outcome” from contracting
 COVID-19. He asserted it was more likely the vaccine would fail to 
provide immunity than it was to “have a problem from catching the 
virus.”

“Our country is based on 
individual rights, and we’re crossing the line with these vaccinations, 
particularly under these circumstances,” Steffen said.

Gretchen Homan, 
president-elect of the Kansas chapter of the American Academy of 
Pediatrics, said she opposes Steffen’s bill because she prioritizes the 
health and safety of children.

“Because of the pandemic, 
our children have and for many years to come will continue to pay the 
price for missing out on foundational life experiences because adults 
were seriously affected by COVID-19,” she said.

Homan said her strong 
opinion on the matter is shaped by being exposed to infectious disease 
through her day-to-day work. She wants her employer to have the 
authority to protect her from contracting a contagious disease.

She referenced the wisdom of TV personality Mister Rogers, who said in times of trouble, look for the helpers.

“Please, in this time of 
decision, look to those who are motivated to help, who offer facts, and 
who have dedicated their careers to help promote healthy lives for 
Kansas,” Homan said.

Eric Stafford, a lobbyist 
for the Kansas Chamber, said government should not have a role in 
business decisions about mandating vaccinations.

He said he wasn’t aware of
 any businesses currently mandating the COVID-19 vaccines, but some 
employers are offering incentives for workers who agree to be 
inoculated.

“We strongly believe in 
the ability for employers to make their determinations for what’s best 
for their company and their customers,” Stafford said.

Eplee referenced Newcome’s
 remarks about doctors bullying patients into taking vaccines as he 
talked about his work as a family physician at Amberwell Health hospital
 in Atchison.

“I learn new things about 
myself all the time,” he said. “Being called a bully is something new in
 my wheelhouse, but I’ll wear that for this moment, for this hearing.”

Andy Marso, who survived 
bacterial meningitis as a student at the University of Kansas in 2004, 
questioned the timing by lawmakers for considering Steffen’s bill.

More than a half-million 
Americans and nearly 5,000 Kansans have died from the contagious disease
 in the past 12 months. Multiple vaccines now reduce the risk of dying 
from COVID-19 to essentially 0%, Marso said.

“And yet this body’s 
reaction is, ‘Well, we better explore ways to make it harder for 
businesses to leverage these tools to protect their workforce and 
customers.’ That’s a strange reaction, practically speaking,” Marso 
said.

Marso’s views are shaped 
by his 2004 illness, which could have been prevented with a vaccine. He 
awoke from a three-week coma to learn an infection is his bloodstream 
had caused tissue damage equal to third-degree burns over 30% of his 
body. His toes and most of his fingers were amputated. His medical bills
 amounted to $1.5 million.

At the close of the 
90-minute hearing, Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker, demanded to know what 
Marso does for a living. Marso indicated he wasn’t testifying on behalf 
of his employer, but Tyson persisted with her inquiry. Marso said he is 
an editor for a medical journal published by the American Academy of 
Family Physicians.

Tyson then delivered a question inspired by Marso’s testimony.

“We have a president who 
has just opened the borders, and these people are not necessarily 
vaccinated coming into the United States,” Tyson said. “And here we’re 
requiring employees, citizens of the United States, to be vaccinated 
while we’re not requiring others. Would you address that please?”

“I mean, I would love to vaccinate everybody that comes into the country,” Marso replied.

Tyson also questioned Marso’s logic of pointing out that employees at restaurants are required to wash their hands.

“Washing your hands and wearing a hairnet are not putting chemicals in your body,” Tyson said.

“You’re putting chemicals on your body,” Marso said.

“OK,” said Sen. Rob Olson, an Olathe Republican and committee chairman. “We’re adjourned.”

Sherman Smith has written award-winning news stories about the instability of the Kansas foster care system, misconduct by government officials, sexual abuse, technology, education, and the Legislature.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614364391093.png" alt="Sen. Mark Steffen, R-Hutchinson, testifies in support of his bill to prohibit employers from mandating COVID-19 vaccination for their employees. (Lucas Lord for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Mark Steffen, R-Hutchinson, testifies in support of his bill to prohibit employers from mandating COVID-19 vaccination for their employees. (Lucas Lord for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/02/25/senate-bill-would-punish-kansas-employers-for-requiring-covid-19-vaccinations/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Sen. Mark Steffen
 pushed colleagues Thursday to support his legislation banning employers
 from requiring workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, saying 
lawmakers should reject the idea that society is more important than the
 individual.<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb213/">Senate Bill 213</a>
 would prohibit employers from taking adverse action against employees 
who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine, and would impose a $1,000 fine for 
employers who violate the restriction. Steffen said this would&nbsp;preserve 
freedom of choice for individuals and relieve employers from the 
liability of imposing a medical procedure on an unwilling worker.<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/01/31/kansas-senator-believes-political-propaganda-fearmongering-impairs-covid-19-response/">The mask-averse Republican from Hutchinson</a>
 is a board-certified anesthesiologist who specializes in interventional
 pain management, and he repeatedly reminded senators on the Commerce 
Committee that he is a medical doctor.The debate pitted the 
doctor senator against a doctor representative, and featured conflicting
 insight from an herbal entrepreneur, the Kansas Chamber, business 
attorneys, a pediatrician and a bacterial meningitis survivor. The 
bill’s maskless proponents balked at the possibility of having an 
experimental drug injected into their body without their consent, while 
opponents who wore masks or testified by remote video relished the value
 of being protected from a deadly contagion.The U.S. Food and Drug 
Administration granted emergency use authorization for Pfizer and 
Moderna vaccines late last year, after the drug companies showed they 
were safe and 95% effective. A third vaccine, from Johnson and Johnson, 
could get approval in the coming days.Still, Steffen said, it is
 too soon to know what long-term safety risks might be associated with 
the vaccines, which also rely on new RNA technology never before used in
 humans.“They call it a novel 
virus — it’s a novel vaccination,” Steffen said. “We need to be very 
very cognizant of that. Watch as the opponents come up and talk about 
taking care of a society and their willingness to sacrifice individuals 
in the process. That’s not their decision to make. It’s our decision as 
an individual.”Rep. John Eplee, a Republican <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/18/white-house-task-force-assessment-of-covid-19-in-kansas-exponential-and-unyielding-spread/">physician from Atchison</a>,
 said Steffen’s argument pales in comparison to the 44 million doses of 
vaccines that have already been administered without serious 
complications.Medical providers and 
other employers already mandate vaccinations for influenza and other 
illnesses, Eplee told the committee, and courts have upheld those 
mandates. He said if Steffen’s bill passes, the state will expend 
resources in a losing legal battle.“I’m really questioning 
why would we do that. It really concerns me,” Eplee said. “And why would
 government in this case pre-empt business decisions?”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614364454352.png" alt="Connie Newcome, who owns Herb House Natural Medicine in Inman and a founder of Kansans for Health Freedom, says employees shouldn’t be treated as slaves. (Lucas Lord for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Connie Newcome, who owns Herb House Natural Medicine in Inman and a founder of Kansans for Health Freedom, says employees shouldn’t be treated as slaves. (Lucas Lord for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Anti-mandate supporters</h2>Connie Newcome said Senate
 Bill 213 is the employee-employer version of “value them both,” the 
name given to the anti-abortion constitutional amendment passed earlier 
this year.“The employer is free to 
operate the business honoring employees as thinking, intelligent humans 
rather than an owner of their bodies,” Newcome said. “Employees are not 
slaves.”Newcome, who owns Herb 
House Natural Medicine in Inman, is the founder of Kansans for Health 
Freedom. She said most employers are not qualified to recommend, let 
alone require, a medical procedure.Doctors try to bully people into taking vaccines, Newcome said.“Opponents of this bill do
 believe in coercion, bribery, discrimination and mandates,” she said, 
and they should have to answer some questions: “Why the employer has the
 right to own another person’s body, how this preserves personal liberty
 and bodily autonomy, how the employer even knows what is best for each 
person, and who they deem should be liable for vaccine injury and 
death.”Michelle Suter, a Johnson 
County business attorney, said pharmaceutical companies have an 
obligation to shareholders — not the health of Kansans.By passing this law, she said, businesses can avoid conflict about how the experimental drug will turn out.“Employers are desperate 
for a bright line, a signal on what they can do and what they don’t have
 to do,” Suter said. “They are panicking, they’re fearful and they’re 
trying to stay alive.”Steffen said a large part 
of the population has a small risk of “adverse outcome” from contracting
 COVID-19. He asserted it was more likely the vaccine would fail to 
provide immunity than it was to “have a problem from catching the 
virus.”“Our country is based on 
individual rights, and we’re crossing the line with these vaccinations, 
particularly under these circumstances,” Steffen said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614364493014.png" alt="Gretchen Homan, whose strong opinion on the bill is shaped by her work as a pediatrician, calls on lawmakers to “look to those who are motivated to help, who offer facts, and who have dedicated their careers to help promote healthy lives for Kansas.” (Screen capture by Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gretchen Homan, whose strong opinion on the bill is shaped by her work as a pediatrician, calls on lawmakers to “look to those who are motivated to help, who offer facts, and who have dedicated their careers to help promote healthy lives for Kansas.” (Screen capture by Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Vaccine supporters</h2>Gretchen Homan, 
president-elect of the Kansas chapter of the American Academy of 
Pediatrics, said she opposes Steffen’s bill because she prioritizes the 
health and safety of children.“Because of the pandemic, 
our children have and for many years to come will continue to pay the 
price for missing out on foundational life experiences because adults 
were seriously affected by COVID-19,” she said.Homan said her strong 
opinion on the matter is shaped by being exposed to infectious disease 
through her day-to-day work. She wants her employer to have the 
authority to protect her from contracting a contagious disease.She referenced the wisdom of TV personality Mister Rogers, who said in times of trouble, look for the helpers.“Please, in this time of 
decision, look to those who are motivated to help, who offer facts, and 
who have dedicated their careers to help promote healthy lives for 
Kansas,” Homan said.Eric Stafford, a lobbyist 
for the Kansas Chamber, said government should not have a role in 
business decisions about mandating vaccinations.He said he wasn’t aware of
 any businesses currently mandating the COVID-19 vaccines, but some 
employers are offering incentives for workers who agree to be 
inoculated.“We strongly believe in 
the ability for employers to make their determinations for what’s best 
for their company and their customers,” Stafford said.Eplee referenced Newcome’s
 remarks about doctors bullying patients into taking vaccines as he 
talked about his work as a family physician at Amberwell Health hospital
 in Atchison.“I learn new things about 
myself all the time,” he said. “Being called a bully is something new in
 my wheelhouse, but I’ll wear that for this moment, for this hearing.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614364524585.png" alt="Andy Marso, a survivor of bacterial meningitis, said the proposed legislation was a strange reaction to vaccines that effectively prevent death from a disease that has killed a half-million Americans and 5,000 Kansans. (Screen capture by Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Andy Marso, a survivor of bacterial meningitis, said the proposed legislation was a strange reaction to vaccines that effectively prevent death from a disease that has killed a half-million Americans and 5,000 Kansans. (Screen capture by Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Strange timing</h2>Andy Marso, who survived 
bacterial meningitis as a student at the University of Kansas in 2004, 
questioned the timing by lawmakers for considering Steffen’s bill.More than a half-million 
Americans and nearly 5,000 Kansans have died from the contagious disease
 in the past 12 months. Multiple vaccines now reduce the risk of dying 
from COVID-19 to essentially 0%, Marso said.“And yet this body’s 
reaction is, ‘Well, we better explore ways to make it harder for 
businesses to leverage these tools to protect their workforce and 
customers.’ That’s a strange reaction, practically speaking,” Marso 
said.Marso’s views are shaped 
by his 2004 illness, which could have been prevented with a vaccine. He 
awoke from a three-week coma to learn an infection is his bloodstream 
had caused tissue damage equal to third-degree burns over 30% of his 
body. His toes and most of his fingers were amputated. His medical bills
 amounted to $1.5 million.At the close of the 
90-minute hearing, Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker, demanded to know what 
Marso does for a living. Marso indicated he wasn’t testifying on behalf 
of his employer, but Tyson persisted with her inquiry. Marso said he is 
an editor for a medical journal published by the American Academy of 
Family Physicians.Tyson then delivered a question inspired by Marso’s testimony.“We have a president who 
has just opened the borders, and these people are not necessarily 
vaccinated coming into the United States,” Tyson said. “And here we’re 
requiring employees, citizens of the United States, to be vaccinated 
while we’re not requiring others. Would you address that please?”“I mean, I would love to vaccinate everybody that comes into the country,” Marso replied.Tyson also questioned Marso’s logic of pointing out that employees at restaurants are required to wash their hands.“Washing your hands and wearing a hairnet are not putting chemicals in your body,” Tyson said.“You’re putting chemicals on your body,” Marso said.“OK,” said Sen. Rob Olson, an Olathe Republican and committee chairman. “We’re adjourned.”Sherman Smith has written award-winning news stories about the instability of the Kansas foster care system, misconduct by government officials, sexual abuse, technology, education, and the Legislature.

Senate bill would punish Kan. employers for requiring COVID vaccinations

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is telling California’s Santa Clara County that it can’t enforce a ban on indoor religious worship services put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The high court issued&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/022621zr_1bo2.pdf" target="_blank">an order&nbsp;</a>Friday evening in a case brought by a handful of churches.

The justices, in early February,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-us-supreme-court-california-coronavirus-pandemic-ea77004949becf4b74f9b98930ddec18">told the state of California that it can’t bar indoor church services because of the pandemic</a>. The justices said at the time that the state could cap indoor services at 25% of a building’s capacity and continue to bar singing and chanting.

But Santa Clara had argued that its temporary ban on indoor gatherings of any kind including worship services should be allowed to stand. The county, which includes San Jose, said that it was treating houses of worship no differently from other indoor spaces where it prohibits gatherings and caps attendance. The county said people could go into houses of worship to pray or go to confession, among other things, but couldn’t gather with groups of others. The county said the same was true of retail establishments, where shoppers can go but not gather for an event such as a book reading.

The justices’ unsigned order Friday said that their action was “clearly dictated” by their order from earlier this month. The court’s three liberal justices dissented.

Santa Clara had told the court in a letter Thursday that coronavirus cases in the county have recently continued to decline and that it was already close to lifting its ban on indoor gatherings. If the data continued the positive trend, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/20/20A138/170114/20210225220817920_2021.02.25%20Gateway%20Letter%20-%20To%20File.pdf" target="_blank">letter&nbsp;</a>said, the county expected to allow all indoor gatherings, subject to restrictions, as soon as next Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is telling California’s Santa Clara County that it can’t enforce a ban on indoor religious worship services put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic.The high court issued&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/022621zr_1bo2.pdf" target="_blank">an order&nbsp;</a>Friday evening in a case brought by a handful of churches.The justices, in early February,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-us-supreme-court-california-coronavirus-pandemic-ea77004949becf4b74f9b98930ddec18">told the state of California that it can’t bar indoor church services because of the pandemic</a>. The justices said at the time that the state could cap indoor services at 25% of a building’s capacity and continue to bar singing and chanting.But Santa Clara had argued that its temporary ban on indoor gatherings of any kind including worship services should be allowed to stand. The county, which includes San Jose, said that it was treating houses of worship no differently from other indoor spaces where it prohibits gatherings and caps attendance. The county said people could go into houses of worship to pray or go to confession, among other things, but couldn’t gather with groups of others. The county said the same was true of retail establishments, where shoppers can go but not gather for an event such as a book reading.The justices’ unsigned order Friday said that their action was “clearly dictated” by their order from earlier this month. The court’s three liberal justices dissented.Santa Clara had told the court in a letter Thursday that coronavirus cases in the county have recently continued to decline and that it was already close to lifting its ban on indoor gatherings. If the data continued the positive trend, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/20/20A138/170114/20210225220817920_2021.02.25%20Gateway%20Letter%20-%20To%20File.pdf" target="_blank">letter&nbsp;</a>said, the county expected to allow all indoor gatherings, subject to restrictions, as soon as next Wednesday.

Supreme Court tells community it can't bar in-person worship

NORTON COUNTY —One person was injured after an accident while ice fishing in northwest Kansas.

On Saturday, two ice fisherman were fishing together on Keith Sebelius Reservoir near Norton, according to a social media report from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens.

 One man fell through the ice near a pressure ridge and could not get up. He stayed afloat by holding on to his sled while help arrived. His partner called 911 and friends for help. 

A Game Warden with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism and two friends of the fisherman arrived on scene. Through their efforts and quick action, the man was safely rescued from poor ice conditions. 

EMS was on scene and transported the man to the Norton County Hospital. 

Wardens&nbsp; thanked those who responded, including Game Warden, Park Manager, and Park Ranger from KDWPT; Norton County EMS; Norton County Sheriff’s Department; and multiple friends and sportsman who dropped what they were doing and helped.

NORTON COUNTY —One person was injured after an accident while ice fishing in northwest Kansas.On Saturday, two ice fisherman were fishing together on Keith Sebelius Reservoir near Norton, according to a social media report from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens. One man fell through the ice near a pressure ridge and could not get up. He stayed afloat by holding on to his sled while help arrived. His partner called 911 and friends for help. A Game Warden with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism and two friends of the fisherman arrived on scene. Through their efforts and quick action, the man was safely rescued from poor ice conditions. EMS was on scene and transported the man to the Norton County Hospital. Wardens&nbsp; thanked those who responded, including Game Warden, Park Manager, and Park Ranger from KDWPT; Norton County EMS; Norton County Sheriff’s Department; and multiple friends and sportsman who dropped what they were doing and helped.