OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A federal judge ordered a Wisconsin company that cleans hundreds of slaughterhouses nationwide to ensure it is complying with child labor laws after investigators identified at least 50 minors scrubbing and sanitizing dangerous equipment on overnight shifts at five different meatpacking plants in three states.

As part of an agreement with the Labor Department that was announced along with Tuesday’s court ruling in Nebraska, Packers Sanitation Services Inc. also promised to hire an outside consultant to review its hiring policies and provide additional training for its managers.

Investigators with the Labor Department visited three plants owned by JBS and Turkey Valley Farms in Nebraska and Minnesota this fall and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-minnesota-nebraska-b611b39f035036c236809fae06eab0ad">found 31 underage workers</a>&nbsp;as young as 13. Since this lawsuit was filed last month, additional underage workers have been identified, including at two additional plants: the Greater Omaha Packing Co. beef plant in Omaha, Nebraska, and a George’s Inc. poultry plant in Springdale, Arkansas.

Investigators also searched a Tyson Foods plant in Sedalia, Missouri, but the Labor Department hasn't identified any minors working there yet.

Thousands of pages of records from other plants are also being reviewed to determine if any additional minors are working there. At the plants where underage workers have been identified so far, investigators are comparing local school records with Packers Sanitation Services records to identify workers younger than 18. The company employs some 17,000 people working at more than 700 locations nationwide, making it one of the largest firms out there that cleans food processing plants.

"This case should serve as a stark reminder for all employers that the U.S. Department of Labor will not tolerate violations of the law, especially those that put vulnerable children at risk,” said Wage and Hour Regional Administrator Michael Lazzeri who is based in Chicago.

PSSI Vice President of Marketing Gina Swenson said the company already does what the government recommends to verify the age and immigration status of its employees, but it agreed to take additional steps to ensure compliance and address the Labor Department's concerns.

“We have been crystal clear from the start: PSSI has a zero-tolerance policy against employing anyone under the age of 18 and fully shares DOL’s objective of ensuring it is followed to the letter at all local plants,” Swenson said.

The company also agreed to fire any underage workers the Labor Department identifies and sanction any managers involved in hiring them. PSSI will also work to identify any minors working for it as well and fire them.

Swenson has said that PSSI is cooperating with investigators although the Labor Department said in court documents that some local managers interfered with employee interviews at the plants.

The underage workers that investigators confirmed included one 13-year-old who suffered a serious chemical burn from the caustic chemicals used to clean the JBS plant in Grand Island, Nebraska, every night.

Investigators said in court documents that some of the teens they found working for PSSI told them that “everyone there knew” that they were minors, and in one case, a search of an employment database showed that one employee’s age came up as 129-years-old when their Social Security number was checked.

The meat processing companies that own the plants where underage workers were initially identified have said they are monitoring the investigation and will consider taking action against PSSI if necessary. A representative of Greater Omaha Packing didn't immediately respond to questions Tuesday, and no one answered the phone at the corporate headquarters of George's Inc.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670438438282.png" alt="Photo courtesy North American Meat Institute&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy North American Meat Institute&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A federal judge ordered a Wisconsin company that cleans hundreds of slaughterhouses nationwide to ensure it is complying with child labor laws after investigators identified at least 50 minors scrubbing and sanitizing dangerous equipment on overnight shifts at five different meatpacking plants in three states.As part of an agreement with the Labor Department that was announced along with Tuesday’s court ruling in Nebraska, Packers Sanitation Services Inc. also promised to hire an outside consultant to review its hiring policies and provide additional training for its managers.Investigators with the Labor Department visited three plants owned by JBS and Turkey Valley Farms in Nebraska and Minnesota this fall and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-minnesota-nebraska-b611b39f035036c236809fae06eab0ad">found 31 underage workers</a>&nbsp;as young as 13. Since this lawsuit was filed last month, additional underage workers have been identified, including at two additional plants: the Greater Omaha Packing Co. beef plant in Omaha, Nebraska, and a George’s Inc. poultry plant in Springdale, Arkansas.Investigators also searched a Tyson Foods plant in Sedalia, Missouri, but the Labor Department hasn't identified any minors working there yet.Thousands of pages of records from other plants are also being reviewed to determine if any additional minors are working there. At the plants where underage workers have been identified so far, investigators are comparing local school records with Packers Sanitation Services records to identify workers younger than 18. The company employs some 17,000 people working at more than 700 locations nationwide, making it one of the largest firms out there that cleans food processing plants."This case should serve as a stark reminder for all employers that the U.S. Department of Labor will not tolerate violations of the law, especially those that put vulnerable children at risk,” said Wage and Hour Regional Administrator Michael Lazzeri who is based in Chicago.PSSI Vice President of Marketing Gina Swenson said the company already does what the government recommends to verify the age and immigration status of its employees, but it agreed to take additional steps to ensure compliance and address the Labor Department's concerns.“We have been crystal clear from the start: PSSI has a zero-tolerance policy against employing anyone under the age of 18 and fully shares DOL’s objective of ensuring it is followed to the letter at all local plants,” Swenson said.The company also agreed to fire any underage workers the Labor Department identifies and sanction any managers involved in hiring them. PSSI will also work to identify any minors working for it as well and fire them.Swenson has said that PSSI is cooperating with investigators although the Labor Department said in court documents that some local managers interfered with employee interviews at the plants.The underage workers that investigators confirmed included one 13-year-old who suffered a serious chemical burn from the caustic chemicals used to clean the JBS plant in Grand Island, Nebraska, every night.Investigators said in court documents that some of the teens they found working for PSSI told them that “everyone there knew” that they were minors, and in one case, a search of an employment database showed that one employee’s age came up as 129-years-old when their Social Security number was checked.The meat processing companies that own the plants where underage workers were initially identified have said they are monitoring the investigation and will consider taking action against PSSI if necessary. A representative of Greater Omaha Packing didn't immediately respond to questions Tuesday, and no one answered the phone at the corporate headquarters of George's Inc.

Judge orders slaughterhouse cleaners not to hire minors

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

HAYS — A rebranding committee is still split on the potentially offensive nature of Hays High School's Indian mascot.

The Hays USD 489 school district rebranding committee met for the first time on Monday night.

The school district conducted a survey and found a majority of respondents wanted to keep the Indian mascot. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2e344d95-8dd4-40f8-90f7-7af806ca7df9">at a community meeting on Nov. 15</a>&nbsp;and at the rebranding meeting Monday, some community members said they believe the high school mascot should be changed.

The school district passed a bond issue in May and is in the process of building a new high school and will be remodeling the current high school into a middle school.

Superintendent Ron Wilson said his desire is to see the district put the right mark on those schools.

John Jenson, Josten's consultant, has been leading the rebranding discussions. He tried to focus the group on the words "brave and true" from the high school's fight song.

Committee members seemed to agree that they liked the school's maroon and gold colors and wanted to keep them.

Jenson presented some potential logo options that include brushes of maroon and gold, keeping the Indian name and using the "brave and true" theme.

None of the options included the Indian head or the spearhead that has recently been used by the Hays High football team.

Jenson said he thought the color slashes could be symbolic of war paint.

"If we're calling ourselves the Indians and also using paint behind it, I can see how that would bother some people. I think it depends on what it's paired with," said Anniston Weber, 2017 HHS graduate.

Several committee members said they did not like the imagery of war paint. Others said they did not like the use of color slashes only. They said they wanted an image.

"Keep in mind that of the surveys that I got back the people who didn't want the Indian were the people who thought it was being portrayed as offensive," Jenson said. "So the question, 'Is how do you get rid of offensive and keep the Indian?' "

Abby Gillan, HHS government teacher and graduate, said she would like to look at the issue of the Indian being offensive in a factual way.

"Here is what the tribes have said. Here is how our culture is evolving. This conversation isn't new," she said.

Gillan said one of her students in a sociology class during a debate on this subject made the point the word Indian is offensive to many indigenous people because it was a name given to them because early European explorers thought they had landed in India.

"It's a term given to people of various cultures that you have made into a monolith, and I think that is where we run into trouble," she said. ... "I think we need to get the historical accuracy right. I think the name could be a big hurdle for unity around our message."

Curt Vajnar, school board member, former USD 489 teacher and parent, said the Indian headdress logo has never been offensive to him.

"I've been proud of it," he said. "I've never ever heard people talk bad about it."

However, he said the school has displayed versions of Indian logos of which he didn't approve. He pulled a skull with a headdress logo off a wrestling mat over the weekend.

Ruth Legleiter, HHS graduate, said she was never offended by the Indian mascot. She said she was proud of it.

"It amazes me that people find it offensive all of the sudden," she said. "We had how many decades of the Indian and everyone was proud of that, now all of the sudden it's a bad word. ...

"No one ever picked the Indian name to be offensive. It was to be proud, and now all of the sudden it's reversed."

USD 489 board member and parent Meagan Zampieri-Lillpopp read aloud from the Kansas-Nebraska Indian Education study, a study out of K-State that was the result of a collaboration between the Kansas Association for native American Study and Nebraska Indian Education Association.

The groups that created the report passed resolutions in 1998 and 2018 asking schools to remove Native American mascots.

Zampieri-Lillpopp further quoted the study to say the mascots create unwelcome and hostile environments for Native American students. Students are reporting lower self-esteem and community worth.

"It is harmful because it reminds Native Americans of the limited ways others see them," Zampieri-Lillpopp quoted the study saying.

Repeated research from these groups has said "The overall research clearly demonstrates that American mascots and branding continue to be detrimental to learning and psychological well-being not only of native students but all students."

Extensive literature exists on this topic and hundreds of professional organizations working across native communities, overwhelming favor eliminating Native American mascots, branding and imagery, she continued.

Vern Ruder's mother is a member of the Blackfoot tribe in Montana.

"The only thing I find offensive is Redskins, but the arrowhead, the war paint, the tribal headgear that's not offensive at all," he said. "People who say that don't have any Native American background."

"You're not going to make everyone happy," he said. "There's a lot of Native Americans who say you are still remembering the Indians, but you have other people who don't like it."

Jenson said in response to Zampieri-Lillpopp, "I think you prove a great point. It can be done in a way that's offensive. I think the discussion here is how it can be done in a way that's not."

Shaun Linenberger, HHS graduate and parent, who also said he has Native American heritage, said people would probably be offended if the high school's mascot was the Volga Germans despite the prevalence of that heritage in the area.

"I take great pride in that I was a Hays High graduate, and I was an Indian," he said.

Gillan said she thought the debate of Indian mascots is part of the public discussion now because as a culture we've made more seats at the table for minority cultures.

Gillan said her students found old mascots that were not as respectful as the current logos. She said the thought the community has come a long way in being more respectful.

"I think we have a very special opportunity to be very purposeful and coordinated and get it over the finish line and do it right," she said.

Jenson said the community needs to determine what it means to be an Indian here.

"You can't allow everyone to define it," he said. "You have to have to come up with that definition yourself.

"If you said what it means to be an Indian here within this district within this city, for example, it means to be brave and true. If that's what it means and you can live that out, you're not speaking for Indians all over the world. You are saying this is what it means right here."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670426533993.jpeg" alt="John Jenson, Jostens consultant, talks to the Hays USD 489 rebranding committee members about Hays High School's logos and mascot Monday night. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>John Jenson, Jostens consultant, talks to the Hays USD 489 rebranding committee members about Hays High School's logos and mascot Monday night. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostHAYS — A rebranding committee is still split on the potentially offensive nature of Hays High School's Indian mascot.The Hays USD 489 school district rebranding committee met for the first time on Monday night. The school district conducted a survey and found a majority of respondents wanted to keep the Indian mascot. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2e344d95-8dd4-40f8-90f7-7af806ca7df9">at a community meeting on Nov. 15</a>&nbsp;and at the rebranding meeting Monday, some community members said they believe the high school mascot should be changed.The school district passed a bond issue in May and is in the process of building a new high school and will be remodeling the current high school into a middle school.Superintendent Ron Wilson said his desire is to see the district put the right mark on those schools.John Jenson, Josten's consultant, has been leading the rebranding discussions. He tried to focus the group on the words "brave and true" from the high school's fight song.Committee members seemed to agree that they liked the school's maroon and gold colors and wanted to keep them.Jenson presented some potential logo options that include brushes of maroon and gold, keeping the Indian name and using the "brave and true" theme.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649694006609.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>None of the options included the Indian head or the spearhead that has recently been used by the Hays High football team. Jenson said he thought the color slashes could be symbolic of war paint."If we're calling ourselves the Indians and also using paint behind it, I can see how that would bother some people. I think it depends on what it's paired with," said Anniston Weber, 2017 HHS graduate.Several committee members said they did not like the imagery of war paint. Others said they did not like the use of color slashes only. They said they wanted an image."Keep in mind that of the surveys that I got back the people who didn't want the Indian were the people who thought it was being portrayed as offensive," Jenson said. "So the question, 'Is how do you get rid of offensive and keep the Indian?' "Abby Gillan, HHS government teacher and graduate, said she would like to look at the issue of the Indian being offensive in a factual way."Here is what the tribes have said. Here is how our culture is evolving. This conversation isn't new," she said.Gillan said one of her students in a sociology class during a debate on this subject made the point the word Indian is offensive to many indigenous people because it was a name given to them because early European explorers thought they had landed in India."It's a term given to people of various cultures that you have made into a monolith, and I think that is where we run into trouble," she said. ... "I think we need to get the historical accuracy right. I think the name could be a big hurdle for unity around our message."Curt Vajnar, school board member, former USD 489 teacher and parent, said the Indian headdress logo has never been offensive to him."I've been proud of it," he said. "I've never ever heard people talk bad about it."However, he said the school has displayed versions of Indian logos of which he didn't approve. He pulled a skull with a headdress logo off a wrestling mat over the weekend.Ruth Legleiter, HHS graduate, said she was never offended by the Indian mascot. She said she was proud of it."It amazes me that people find it offensive all of the sudden," she said. "We had how many decades of the Indian and everyone was proud of that, now all of the sudden it's a bad word. ..."No one ever picked the Indian name to be offensive. It was to be proud, and now all of the sudden it's reversed."USD 489 board member and parent Meagan Zampieri-Lillpopp read aloud from the Kansas-Nebraska Indian Education study, a study out of K-State that was the result of a collaboration between the Kansas Association for native American Study and Nebraska Indian Education Association. The groups that created the report passed resolutions in 1998 and 2018 asking schools to remove Native American mascots.Zampieri-Lillpopp further quoted the study to say the mascots create unwelcome and hostile environments for Native American students. Students are reporting lower self-esteem and community worth."It is harmful because it reminds Native Americans of the limited ways others see them," Zampieri-Lillpopp quoted the study saying. Repeated research from these groups has said "The overall research clearly demonstrates that American mascots and branding continue to be detrimental to learning and psychological well-being not only of native students but all students."Extensive literature exists on this topic and hundreds of professional organizations working across native communities, overwhelming favor eliminating Native American mascots, branding and imagery, she continued. Vern Ruder's mother is a member of the Blackfoot tribe in Montana."The only thing I find offensive is Redskins, but the arrowhead, the war paint, the tribal headgear that's not offensive at all," he said. "People who say that don't have any Native American background.""You're not going to make everyone happy," he said. "There's a lot of Native Americans who say you are still remembering the Indians, but you have other people who don't like it."Jenson said in response to Zampieri-Lillpopp, "I think you prove a great point. It can be done in a way that's offensive. I think the discussion here is how it can be done in a way that's not."Shaun Linenberger, HHS graduate and parent, who also said he has Native American heritage, said people would probably be offended if the high school's mascot was the Volga Germans despite the prevalence of that heritage in the area."I take great pride in that I was a Hays High graduate, and I was an Indian," he said. Gillan said she thought the debate of Indian mascots is part of the public discussion now because as a culture we've made more seats at the table for minority cultures.Gillan said her students found old mascots that were not as respectful as the current logos. She said the thought the community has come a long way in being more respectful."I think we have a very special opportunity to be very purposeful and coordinated and get it over the finish line and do it right," she said.Jenson said the community needs to determine what it means to be an Indian here."You can't allow everyone to define it," he said. "You have to have to come up with that definition yourself."If you said what it means to be an Indian here within this district within this city, for example, it means to be brave and true. If that's what it means and you can live that out, you're not speaking for Indians all over the world. You are saying this is what it means right here."

Committee in Hays looks at new logos, still split on Indian mascot 

Eastern Kansas Congressman Jake LaTurner says he plans to concentrate on issues important to his district during his second term in Congress.

LaTurner, a Republican, says he wants to secure a seat on the Appropriations Committee to rein in spending in an effort to fight inflation. LaTurner also wants to secure the southern border.

Still, there are local issues that he plans to push.

“We’re a big agriculture state. That’s not something that all states share,” LaTurner tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “And the rural versus urban fight is something that happens on Capitol Hill and sometimes it breaks party lines.”

LaTurner says agriculture needs a voice in Congress.

“Agriculture has really been up against it over the last couple of years. Input costs have gone through the roof. The regulation involved with the ag sector has been overwhelming. Those are things we need to focus on,” LaTurner says. “Then, of course, there are specific infrastructure needs that my district cares about that we’re going to be mindful of.”

LaTurner won his second term to the Second Congressional District of Congress November 8th. LaTurner represents northeast Kansas as well as all of eastern Kansas outside the Kansas City, Kansas metro area.

He served as Kansas state Treasurer prior to running for Congress two years ago.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651846723972.png" alt="U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner-photo courtesy Noah Taborda" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner-photo courtesy Noah Taborda</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostEastern Kansas Congressman Jake LaTurner says he plans to concentrate on issues important to his district during his second term in Congress.LaTurner, a Republican, says he wants to secure a seat on the Appropriations Committee to rein in spending in an effort to fight inflation. LaTurner also wants to secure the southern border.Still, there are local issues that he plans to push.“We’re a big agriculture state. That’s not something that all states share,” LaTurner tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “And the rural versus urban fight is something that happens on Capitol Hill and sometimes it breaks party lines.”LaTurner says agriculture needs a voice in Congress.“Agriculture has really been up against it over the last couple of years. Input costs have gone through the roof. The regulation involved with the ag sector has been overwhelming. Those are things we need to focus on,” LaTurner says. “Then, of course, there are specific infrastructure needs that my district cares about that we’re going to be mindful of.”LaTurner won his second term to the Second Congressional District of Congress November 8th. LaTurner represents northeast Kansas as well as all of eastern Kansas outside the Kansas City, Kansas metro area.He served as Kansas state Treasurer prior to running for Congress two years ago.

Kan. congressman wants a seat on Appropriations Committee

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating an alleged kidnapping have confirmed the arrest of a suspect.

On Tuesday, authorities in Caye Caulker, an island off the coast of Belize in the Caribbean, arrested 47-year-old Aldrick Scott of Topeka, according to the Douglas County Nebraska sheriff's office.

&nbsp;Douglas County Nebraska authorities wanted Scott in connection with the disappearance of 43-year-old Cari Allen.

On November 22, Omaha police reported their effort to locate Allen who is still missing.&nbsp; She is described as a white female, 5-foot-8, 130 pounds, blonde hair and hazel eyes. She&nbsp;was last seen Saturday, Nov. 19 at 11 p.m. 

Scott has ties to Topeka and Shawnee County, according to the Shawnee County Sheriff's department who released photos of him.

Anyone with information on Allen's whereabouts is encouraged to call the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 402-444-6000 or 911.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669652492930.png" alt="Scott-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Scott-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating an alleged kidnapping have confirmed the arrest of a suspect.On Tuesday, authorities in Caye Caulker, an island off the coast of Belize in the Caribbean, arrested 47-year-old Aldrick Scott of Topeka, according to the Douglas County Nebraska sheriff's office.&nbsp;Douglas County Nebraska authorities wanted Scott in connection with the disappearance of 43-year-old Cari Allen.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669587276863.png" alt="Allen-photo Omaha Police" />
 <figcaption>Allen-photo Omaha Police</figcaption>
 </figure>On November 22, Omaha police reported their effort to locate Allen who is still missing.&nbsp; She is described as a white female, 5-foot-8, 130 pounds, blonde hair and hazel eyes. She&nbsp;was last seen Saturday, Nov. 19 at 11 p.m. Scott has ties to Topeka and Shawnee County, according to the Shawnee County Sheriff's department who released photos of him.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669652758142.png" alt="Scott-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Scott-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Anyone with information on Allen's whereabouts is encouraged to call the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 402-444-6000 or 911.

Kan. man wanted in woman's disappearance captured in Caribbean

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Health reported&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;4,256&nbsp;new coronavirus cases in Kansas from Nov. 30 to Dec. 7, for a total of&nbsp; &nbsp;905,678 cases.&nbsp;&nbsp;The state reported 3,609 new cases the previous week.

On Wednesday, th<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1529/June-15-Case-Summary-PDF?bidId=">e state reported</a>&nbsp;13 additional COVID-19 deaths since the report on Nov.30, for a total of 9,692.

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

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

Kansas is providing fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly formally declared that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.&nbsp;The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

The state continues to support access to free COVID-19 testing, works to ensure that vulnerable populations can get vaccinated, see that providers serve a broad population and give “comprehensive guidance” about the virus. She called the new phase “endemic normalcy.”

The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Health reported&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;4,256&nbsp;new coronavirus cases in Kansas from Nov. 30 to Dec. 7, for a total of&nbsp; &nbsp;905,678 cases.&nbsp;&nbsp;The state reported 3,609 new cases the previous week.On Wednesday, th<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1529/June-15-Case-Summary-PDF?bidId=">e state reported</a>&nbsp;13 additional COVID-19 deaths since the report on Nov.30, for a total of 9,692.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670437708751.png" alt="Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.Kansas is providing fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly formally declared that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.&nbsp;The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.The state continues to support access to free COVID-19 testing, works to ensure that vulnerable populations can get vaccinated, see that providers serve a broad population and give “comprehensive guidance” about the virus. She called the new phase “endemic normalcy.”The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

KDHE reports increase in COVID cases; 13 more deaths

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/06/kansas-towns-library-lease-renewed-after-months-of-debate-about-lgbtq-content/">Kansas Reflector</a>

ST. MARYS — The Pottawatomie 
Wabaunsee Regional Library’s lease is safe for another year, following 
community uproar and legal pressure from the American Civil Liberties 
Union of Kansas.

The Saint Marys City Commission voted to extend the lease, without restrictions, during a meeting Tuesday night. The
 lease renewal was up for debate because the library had refused to 
accept a renewal clause asking for the removal of all LGBTQ and socially
 divisive books from the shelves.

Judith Cremer, the
 library director, said she was relieved by the renewal, though she 
didn’t understand some of the claims made by commissioners at earlier 
meetings, referencing their claims that many parents were angry at the 
library. Cremer said community response to the library has always been 
positive.

“They don’t know us, so they need to 
come and visit and we need to get to know each other, because we’re both
 in the same job, we’re doing the same job. So hopefully we can get them
 to understand this a little better,” Cremer said.

The commissioners have been discussing whether to renew the lease — which ends Dec. 31 — for the past few months.

A lease proposed by Commissioner 
Matthew Childs stipulated the library not “supply, distribute, loan, 
encourage, or coerce acceptance of or approval of explicit sexual or 
racially or socially divisive material, or events (such as ‘drag queen 
story hours’) that support the LGBTQ+ or critical theory ideology or 
practice.”

Commissioners said the outpouring of 
public support for the library informed their decision to extend the 
lease by one year. The four members who were present for Tuesday’s 
meeting all voted in favor of the one-year renewal.

Childs, who was elected mayor by the 
other commissioners at Tuesday’s meeting, said the issue now was 
discussing how to keep the library in line with community standards, 
though he didn’t clarify what these standards would look like, and 
refused to give clarification or comments on the situation to the Kansas
 Reflector.

“It was very clear from that meeting 
that citizens want the library to remain open,” Childs said. “Everyone 
agreed on that. So there’s really no question about that. The question 
is, how do we assure the safety of the community and that the community 
is getting what they want in the library? And that’s kind of up to the 
community.”

All members of the commission are 
members of Society of St. Pius X, or SSPX, an extreme Catholic religious
 sect. At a previous commission meeting, Commissioner Richard Binsfeld said their religion had an impact on their views of the library.

“We do go to the church, yes, all five of us,” Binsfeld said. “I
 think it has an influence on our decisions because we make decisions on
 our faith and morals, so certainly we’re going to be influenced by 
that. It’s definitely going to have a bearing on that certainly, without
 question.”&nbsp;

Gerard Kleinsmith was elected to the position of vice mayor at the meeting, replacing Francis Awerkamp, a Republican who serves in the Kansas House.

Kleinsmith said he didn’t want his 
tax dollars paying for books he didn’t approve of, saying the library 
didn’t reflect the interests of people in the county.

“If you do a search of the Potawatomi
 library and look for actual books on their shelves, there are six books
 authored by Secretary Clinton on the shelves in Pottawattamie County 
Library,” Kleinsmith said. “There are none authored by President Trump. 
Not even ‘The Art of the Deal,’ that he wrote long before he was 
President. That’s just one example.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670423277908.png" alt="Judith Cremer, library director, said she’s optimistic about the future of the library with the lease renewal. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Judith Cremer, library director, said she’s optimistic about the future of the library with the lease renewal. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/06/kansas-towns-library-lease-renewed-after-months-of-debate-about-lgbtq-content/">Kansas Reflector</a>ST. MARYS — The Pottawatomie 
Wabaunsee Regional Library’s lease is safe for another year, following 
community uproar and legal pressure from the American Civil Liberties 
Union of Kansas.The Saint Marys City Commission voted to extend the lease, without restrictions, during a meeting Tuesday night. The
 lease renewal was up for debate because the library had refused to 
accept a renewal clause asking for the removal of all LGBTQ and socially
 divisive books from the shelves.Judith Cremer, the
 library director, said she was relieved by the renewal, though she 
didn’t understand some of the claims made by commissioners at earlier 
meetings, referencing their claims that many parents were angry at the 
library. Cremer said community response to the library has always been 
positive.“They don’t know us, so they need to 
come and visit and we need to get to know each other, because we’re both
 in the same job, we’re doing the same job. So hopefully we can get them
 to understand this a little better,” Cremer said.The commissioners have been discussing whether to renew the lease — which ends Dec. 31 — for the past few months.A lease proposed by Commissioner 
Matthew Childs stipulated the library not “supply, distribute, loan, 
encourage, or coerce acceptance of or approval of explicit sexual or 
racially or socially divisive material, or events (such as ‘drag queen 
story hours’) that support the LGBTQ+ or critical theory ideology or 
practice.”Commissioners said the outpouring of 
public support for the library informed their decision to extend the 
lease by one year. The four members who were present for Tuesday’s 
meeting all voted in favor of the one-year renewal.Childs, who was elected mayor by the 
other commissioners at Tuesday’s meeting, said the issue now was 
discussing how to keep the library in line with community standards, 
though he didn’t clarify what these standards would look like, and 
refused to give clarification or comments on the situation to the Kansas
 Reflector.“It was very clear from that meeting 
that citizens want the library to remain open,” Childs said. “Everyone 
agreed on that. So there’s really no question about that. The question 
is, how do we assure the safety of the community and that the community 
is getting what they want in the library? And that’s kind of up to the 
community.”All members of the commission are 
members of Society of St. Pius X, or SSPX, an extreme Catholic religious
 sect. At a previous commission meeting, Commissioner Richard Binsfeld said their religion had an impact on their views of the library.“We do go to the church, yes, all five of us,” Binsfeld said. “I
 think it has an influence on our decisions because we make decisions on
 our faith and morals, so certainly we’re going to be influenced by 
that. It’s definitely going to have a bearing on that certainly, without
 question.”&nbsp;Gerard Kleinsmith was elected to the position of vice mayor at the meeting, replacing Francis Awerkamp, a Republican who serves in the Kansas House.Kleinsmith said he didn’t want his 
tax dollars paying for books he didn’t approve of, saying the library 
didn’t reflect the interests of people in the county.“If you do a search of the Potawatomi
 library and look for actual books on their shelves, there are six books
 authored by Secretary Clinton on the shelves in Pottawattamie County 
Library,” Kleinsmith said. “There are none authored by President Trump. 
Not even ‘The Art of the Deal,’ that he wrote long before he was 
President. That’s just one example.”

Kansas town's library lease renewed after months of debate

 AFTON, Kan. — Lake Afton and A Production Company, LLC, are excited to kick off the second year with an elevated experience that is sure to excite music lovers and lake lovers alike. On July 21 and 22, 2023, gates will open for a memory-making, two-day event with a bonus night for campers and sponsors on July 20. Festival attendees can expect art, vendors, camping, a dance floor, car show and 10 bands over one amazing weekend.

The Dam Jam is pleased to announce the one-and-only Elle King as the headliner for Friday, July 21, 2023. Elle King is a multi-genre award-winning singer-songwriter who blends retro-blues with modern pop in a country world.  Elle King has not performed in Kansas since 2016 and organizers are excited to have her high-energy show coming to The Dam Jam stage at Lake Afton.

“It takes great entertainers like Elle King to really turn up the fun at The Dam Jam and we are very excited to have her,” Dam Jam Board President C.J. Wilson said.

This is the second year The Dam Jam is proudly presented by Carr’s Plumbing, HVAC and Maintenance.

Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thedamjam.com">www.thedamjam.com</a> or contact C.J. Wilson today at 316-210-4488 for vendor, sponsor and volunteer opportunities.

A Production Company, LLC, is a partnership of Kansas professionals with a vision. Seize the opportunity to partner with them for a record-breaking year of growth. VIP and general admission tickets are currently available at <a href="https://thedamjam.com/tickets/">www.thedamjam.com</a>. Camping options are also available with purchase of the two-day event ticket, which allows campers and sponsors a bonus night of performances, pre-parties, after parties and camper parties.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670358693038.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure> AFTON, Kan. — Lake Afton and A Production Company, LLC, are excited to kick off the second year with an elevated experience that is sure to excite music lovers and lake lovers alike. On July 21 and 22, 2023, gates will open for a memory-making, two-day event with a bonus night for campers and sponsors on July 20. Festival attendees can expect art, vendors, camping, a dance floor, car show and 10 bands over one amazing weekend.The Dam Jam is pleased to announce the one-and-only Elle King as the headliner for Friday, July 21, 2023. Elle King is a multi-genre award-winning singer-songwriter who blends retro-blues with modern pop in a country world. Elle King has not performed in Kansas since 2016 and organizers are excited to have her high-energy show coming to The Dam Jam stage at Lake Afton.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670358737679.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“It takes great entertainers like Elle King to really turn up the fun at The Dam Jam and we are very excited to have her,” Dam Jam Board President C.J. Wilson said.This is the second year The Dam Jam is proudly presented by Carr’s Plumbing, HVAC and Maintenance.Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thedamjam.com">www.thedamjam.com</a> or contact C.J. Wilson today at 316-210-4488 for vendor, sponsor and volunteer opportunities.A Production Company, LLC, is a partnership of Kansas professionals with a vision. Seize the opportunity to partner with them for a record-breaking year of growth. VIP and general admission tickets are currently available at <a href="https://thedamjam.com/tickets/">www.thedamjam.com</a>. Camping options are also available with purchase of the two-day event ticket, which allows campers and sponsors a bonus night of performances, pre-parties, after parties and camper parties.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Elle King coming to The Dam Jam

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of crimes and asking the public for help to locate 35-year-old Jose Santoyo, according to Garden City Police.

Santoyo is wanted in connection to a string of Motor Vehicle Thefts, Auto Burglaries, Storage Unit Burglaries, and various other property crimes in Southwest Kansas. 

There are several outstanding warrants for his arrest including for meth possession, domestic battery, criminal damage and probation violation.

Jose is believed to be traveling with his one-year old daughter. If you have any information on Jose or know of his whereabouts, please contact the Finney County Sheriff's Office directly at 620-272-3700 or anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 620-275-7807 by texting tip411.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670367710533.png" alt="Santoyo-photo Finney County" />
 <figcaption>Santoyo-photo Finney County</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of crimes and asking the public for help to locate 35-year-old Jose Santoyo, according to Garden City Police.Santoyo is wanted in connection to a string of Motor Vehicle Thefts, Auto Burglaries, Storage Unit Burglaries, and various other property crimes in Southwest Kansas. There are several outstanding warrants for his arrest including for meth possession, domestic battery, criminal damage and probation violation.Jose is believed to be traveling with his one-year old daughter. If you have any information on Jose or know of his whereabouts, please contact the Finney County Sheriff's Office directly at 620-272-3700 or anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 620-275-7807 by texting tip411.

Wanted SW Kan. burglary suspect traveling with 1-year-old

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is taking up a case with the potential to fundamentally reshape elections for Congress and the presidency.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx">Click here to listen</a> to the oral arguments 9a.m. CST

The justices are hearing arguments Wednesday over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-north-carolina-legislature-3d92b5079e7d66913a9a74678e0680d2">the power of state courts to strike down congressional districts</a>&nbsp;drawn by the legislature because they violate state constitutions.

Republicans from North Carolina who are bringing the case to the high court argue that a provision of the U.S. Constitution known as the elections clause gives state lawmakers virtually total control over the “times, places and manner” of congressional elections, including redistricting, and cuts state courts out of the process.

The Republicans are advancing a concept called the independent legislature theory, never before adopted by the Supreme Court but cited approvingly by four conservative justices.

A broad ruling could threaten hundreds of election laws, require separate rules for federal and state elections on the same ballot and lead to new efforts to redraw congressional districts to maximize partisan advantage.

The court's decision in the North Carolina case also might suggest how the justices would deal with another part of the Constitution — not at issue in the current case — that gives legislatures the authority to decide how presidential electors are appointed. That provision, the electors clause, was central to efforts to try to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election in several closely contested states.

The North Carolina state Supreme Court struck down districts drawn by Republicans who control the legislature because they heavily favored Republicans in the highly competitive state. The court-drawn map used in last month's elections for Congress produced a 7-7 split between Democrats and Republicans.

North Carolina is among six states in recent years in which state courts have ruled that overly partisan redistricting for Congress violated their state constitutions. The others are Florida, Maryland, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

State courts have become the only legal forum for challenging partisan congressional maps since the Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that those lawsuits cannot be brought in federal court.

“This is the single most important case on American democracy -- and for American democracy -- in the nation’s history,” said former federal judge Michael Luttig, a prominent conservative who has joined the legal team defending the North Carolina court decision.

Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the court and joined by four other conservative justices, noted that state courts remained open. “Provisions in state statutes and state constitutions can provide standards and guidance for state courts to apply,” Roberts wrote, in an opinion joined by Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas.

But Alito, Gorsuch and Thomas wrote in March that they would have allowed the Republican-drawn map to be used this year. Alito wrote for the three justices that “there must be some limit on the authority of state courts to countermand actions taken by state legislatures when they are prescribing rules for the conduct of federal elections. I think it is likely that the applicants would succeed in showing that the North Carolina Supreme Court exceeded those limits.”

Kavanaugh has separately written about the need for federal courts to police the actions of state courts when it comes to federal elections, citing an opinion by three conservatives in the Bush v. Gore case that settled the 2000 presidential election. Thomas was one of the three justices on that 22-year-old opinion, but the court decided the case on other grounds.

In North Carolina, Republican lawmakers won't have to wait for the court's decision to produce a new congressional map that is expected to have more Republican districts.

Even as Democrats won half the state's 14 congressional seats, Republicans seized control of the state Supreme Court. Two newly elected Republican justices give them a 5-2 edge that makes it more likely than not that the court would uphold a map with more Republican districts.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609956651601.png" alt="Michael Luttig, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-biden-riots-government-and-politics-election-2020-0a325b3a16d10dd5db8d715b011c92f8">advised former Vice President Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;that he had no authority to reject electoral votes following the 2020 election, is among several prominent conservatives and Republicans who have lined up against the broad assertion that legislatures can't be challenged in state courts when they make decisions about federal elections, including congressional redistricting-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Michael Luttig, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-biden-riots-government-and-politics-election-2020-0a325b3a16d10dd5db8d715b011c92f8">advised former Vice President Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;that he had no authority to reject electoral votes following the 2020 election, is among several prominent conservatives and Republicans who have lined up against the broad assertion that legislatures can't be challenged in state courts when they make decisions about federal elections, including congressional redistricting-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is taking up a case with the potential to fundamentally reshape elections for Congress and the presidency.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx">Click here to listen</a> to the oral arguments 9a.m. CSTThe justices are hearing arguments Wednesday over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-north-carolina-legislature-3d92b5079e7d66913a9a74678e0680d2">the power of state courts to strike down congressional districts</a>&nbsp;drawn by the legislature because they violate state constitutions.Republicans from North Carolina who are bringing the case to the high court argue that a provision of the U.S. Constitution known as the elections clause gives state lawmakers virtually total control over the “times, places and manner” of congressional elections, including redistricting, and cuts state courts out of the process.The Republicans are advancing a concept called the independent legislature theory, never before adopted by the Supreme Court but cited approvingly by four conservative justices.A broad ruling could threaten hundreds of election laws, require separate rules for federal and state elections on the same ballot and lead to new efforts to redraw congressional districts to maximize partisan advantage.The court's decision in the North Carolina case also might suggest how the justices would deal with another part of the Constitution — not at issue in the current case — that gives legislatures the authority to decide how presidential electors are appointed. That provision, the electors clause, was central to efforts to try to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election in several closely contested states.The North Carolina state Supreme Court struck down districts drawn by Republicans who control the legislature because they heavily favored Republicans in the highly competitive state. The court-drawn map used in last month's elections for Congress produced a 7-7 split between Democrats and Republicans.North Carolina is among six states in recent years in which state courts have ruled that overly partisan redistricting for Congress violated their state constitutions. The others are Florida, Maryland, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.State courts have become the only legal forum for challenging partisan congressional maps since the Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that those lawsuits cannot be brought in federal court.“This is the single most important case on American democracy -- and for American democracy -- in the nation’s history,” said former federal judge Michael Luttig, a prominent conservative who has joined the legal team defending the North Carolina court decision.Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the court and joined by four other conservative justices, noted that state courts remained open. “Provisions in state statutes and state constitutions can provide standards and guidance for state courts to apply,” Roberts wrote, in an opinion joined by Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas.But Alito, Gorsuch and Thomas wrote in March that they would have allowed the Republican-drawn map to be used this year. Alito wrote for the three justices that “there must be some limit on the authority of state courts to countermand actions taken by state legislatures when they are prescribing rules for the conduct of federal elections. I think it is likely that the applicants would succeed in showing that the North Carolina Supreme Court exceeded those limits.”Kavanaugh has separately written about the need for federal courts to police the actions of state courts when it comes to federal elections, citing an opinion by three conservatives in the Bush v. Gore case that settled the 2000 presidential election. Thomas was one of the three justices on that 22-year-old opinion, but the court decided the case on other grounds.In North Carolina, Republican lawmakers won't have to wait for the court's decision to produce a new congressional map that is expected to have more Republican districts.Even as Democrats won half the state's 14 congressional seats, Republicans seized control of the state Supreme Court. Two newly elected Republican justices give them a 5-2 edge that makes it more likely than not that the court would uphold a map with more Republican districts.___

🎤 Supreme Court hears case that could reshape voting in the U.S.

CASS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating after two inmates escaped from the jail in Cass County, Missouri in Harrisonville, according to a statement from the Cass County Sheriff's office.

 Deputies in cooperation with the United States Marshall’s Service continue an investigation to locate 43-year-old&nbsp; Sergio Perez-Martinez of Panorama City, California and 33-year-old&nbsp;Trevor Scott Sparks of Kansas City. Authorities did not know they were missing until Tuesday.

Perez Mertinez&nbsp; was being held for possession of dangerous drugs. Sparks was jailed on money laundering charges, according to the sheriff's office.

 Anyone with any information is urged to contact the Cass County Sheriff’s Office at (816) 380-5200, or call 911. Harrisonville is located approximately 38 miles southeast of Kansas City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670413683995.png" alt="Sparks-photo Cass Co." />
 <figcaption>Sparks-photo Cass Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>CASS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating after two inmates escaped from the jail in Cass County, Missouri in Harrisonville, according to a statement from the Cass County Sheriff's office. Deputies in cooperation with the United States Marshall’s Service continue an investigation to locate 43-year-old&nbsp; Sergio Perez-Martinez of Panorama City, California and 33-year-old&nbsp;Trevor Scott Sparks of Kansas City. Authorities did not know they were missing until Tuesday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670413662559.png" alt="Perez-Martinez-photo Cass Co." />
 <figcaption>Perez-Martinez-photo Cass Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Perez Mertinez&nbsp; was being held for possession of dangerous drugs. Sparks was jailed on money laundering charges, according to the sheriff's office. Anyone with any information is urged to contact the Cass County Sheriff’s Office at (816) 380-5200, or call 911. Harrisonville is located approximately 38 miles southeast of Kansas City.

Two inmates escape from jail south of Kansas City

WICHITA (AP) —Two Kansas high schools are investigating after students at one school reportedly yelled racist and offensive taunts at the other school's basketball team.

Topeka High School's team was subjected to “racial slurs, threats and disgusting taunts,” during a game on Saturday with Valley Center High School, Coach Geo Lyons said in a Change.org petition. He also said Valley Center students used a Black baby doll to taunt his team during the game.

Lyons has started a petition asking that Valley Center High School fans be removed from sporting events.

Lyons told KSN-TV that his son was shooting a free throw when the Valley Center student section chanted an expletive. He also alleged that racial epithets were used and his team was told they were going to be hanged.

"I had a down locker room, I’m talking about tears were flowing in that locker room,” Lyons said.

Valley Center officials issued an apology Monday to Topeka High School for “inappropriate language and behavior” by students during the game.

The district said in a statement that Topeka and Valley Center officials spent much of the weekend studying videos and interviewing people in attendance. As of Tuesday, the officials had not found evidence of specifically racist taunts but Valley Center acknowledged that students acted inappropriately.

It said students who chanted the expletive at the Topeka student were immediately removed and Valley Center officials worked to prevent any other negative interactions when the game ended.

The Black baby doll was part of a class assignment that requires students to “parent” the baby for a few days, the district said. It was not brought to the game intentionally to taunt Topeka High School but “without context, seeing the baby and images of the ‘baby’ caused hurt and concern to many, and for that we are very sorry,” the statement said.

Valley Center Superintendent Cory Gibson had a “fruitful” conversation about the incident with representatives of the NAACP on Tuesday, spokeswoman Amy Pavlacka said. Gibson and Valley Center High School Principal Bruce Lolling also visited with patrons from both cities to discuss the situation.

“As a district, we sent a letter to all VCHS families and students explaining there would be follow-up consequences for those students involved, and that we, as a community, should learn and grow from this experience,” the statement said.

On Tuesday, Valley Center called off school for Wednesday, Dec. 7 as a result of threats. "Out of an abundance of caution for all of our students and staff and after consulting with local law enforcement, all USD 262 buildings and schools will be closed, and all activities will be canceled, according to a statement sent from Dr. Gibson."&nbsp; 

"Staff members are not to report to work unless specifically requested by their supervisor.&nbsp;The difficult decision to close our schools was a result of online threats received by our district this evening. Law enforcement is investigating these threats."

Topeka schools Superintendent Tiffany Anderson said in a letter to district patrons that the incident has been reported to the Kansas State High School Activities Association.

She said the Topeka district appreciated Valley Center's apology but they hope the district will take appropriate steps to address what occurred with those involved.

“I am so grateful for our coaches, principal (Rebecca) Morrisey and the mighty Trojans at Topeka High who modeled the conduct we expect from our students and we hope that it sets the example of what excellence looks like for others to learn from moving forward,” Anderson wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670380837123.png" alt="Image from Saturday's game courtesy Valley Center High School YouTube" />
 <figcaption>Image from Saturday's game courtesy Valley Center High School YouTube</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA (AP) —Two Kansas high schools are investigating after students at one school reportedly yelled racist and offensive taunts at the other school's basketball team.Topeka High School's team was subjected to “racial slurs, threats and disgusting taunts,” during a game on Saturday with Valley Center High School, Coach Geo Lyons said in a Change.org petition. He also said Valley Center students used a Black baby doll to taunt his team during the game.Lyons has started a petition asking that Valley Center High School fans be removed from sporting events.Lyons told KSN-TV that his son was shooting a free throw when the Valley Center student section chanted an expletive. He also alleged that racial epithets were used and his team was told they were going to be hanged."I had a down locker room, I’m talking about tears were flowing in that locker room,” Lyons said.Valley Center officials issued an apology Monday to Topeka High School for “inappropriate language and behavior” by students during the game.The district said in a statement that Topeka and Valley Center officials spent much of the weekend studying videos and interviewing people in attendance. As of Tuesday, the officials had not found evidence of specifically racist taunts but Valley Center acknowledged that students acted inappropriately.It said students who chanted the expletive at the Topeka student were immediately removed and Valley Center officials worked to prevent any other negative interactions when the game ended.The Black baby doll was part of a class assignment that requires students to “parent” the baby for a few days, the district said. It was not brought to the game intentionally to taunt Topeka High School but “without context, seeing the baby and images of the ‘baby’ caused hurt and concern to many, and for that we are very sorry,” the statement said.Valley Center Superintendent Cory Gibson had a “fruitful” conversation about the incident with representatives of the NAACP on Tuesday, spokeswoman Amy Pavlacka said. Gibson and Valley Center High School Principal Bruce Lolling also visited with patrons from both cities to discuss the situation.“As a district, we sent a letter to all VCHS families and students explaining there would be follow-up consequences for those students involved, and that we, as a community, should learn and grow from this experience,” the statement said.On Tuesday, Valley Center called off school for Wednesday, Dec. 7 as a result of threats. "Out of an abundance of caution for all of our students and staff and after consulting with local law enforcement, all USD 262 buildings and schools will be closed, and all activities will be canceled, according to a statement sent from Dr. Gibson."&nbsp; "Staff members are not to report to work unless specifically requested by their supervisor.&nbsp;The difficult decision to close our schools was a result of online threats received by our district this evening. Law enforcement is investigating these threats."Topeka schools Superintendent Tiffany Anderson said in a letter to district patrons that the incident has been reported to the Kansas State High School Activities Association.She said the Topeka district appreciated Valley Center's apology but they hope the district will take appropriate steps to address what occurred with those involved.“I am so grateful for our coaches, principal (Rebecca) Morrisey and the mighty Trojans at Topeka High who modeled the conduct we expect from our students and we hope that it sets the example of what excellence looks like for others to learn from moving forward,” Anderson wrote.

Kan. district cancels school after threats, investigation of offensive chants 

By DEWEY TERRILL JC Post

Justin
 Aaron, Junction City, reached the semifinal round of "The Voice" competition on NBC but was unable to advance to the finals. Following 
singing performances on Tuesday night, voters reduced the field of eight 
down to five.&nbsp;Aaron was among those who did not move on.

The 
Junction City resident had a strong run through "The Voice" competition 
and received national attention for his singing.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670424659400.jpeg" alt="Justin Aaron" />
 <figcaption>Justin Aaron</figcaption>
 </figure>By DEWEY TERRILL JC PostJustin
 Aaron, Junction City, reached the semifinal round of "The Voice" competition on NBC but was unable to advance to the finals. Following 
singing performances on Tuesday night, voters reduced the field of eight 
down to five.&nbsp;Aaron was among those who did not move on.The 
Junction City resident had a strong run through "The Voice" competition 
and received national attention for his singing.&nbsp;

Kansas singer's run on 'The Voice' comes to an end

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting.

Just after 8p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting at a home in the 4900 block of Bellefontaine in Kansas City, according to Police Captain Leslie Forean.

First responders found a woman inside of a residence who had been shot and was unresponsive. Officers begin CPR on the victim.&nbsp; EMS arrived and pronounced her deceased at the scene.&nbsp; Detectives and crime scene personnel responded to the scene and were actively canvassing for witnesses and processing the scene for evidence.&nbsp; Police released no additional details early Wednesday.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting.Just after 8p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting at a home in the 4900 block of Bellefontaine in Kansas City, according to Police Captain Leslie Forean.First responders found a woman inside of a residence who had been shot and was unresponsive. Officers begin CPR on the victim.&nbsp; EMS arrived and pronounced her deceased at the scene.&nbsp; Detectives and crime scene personnel responded to the scene and were actively canvassing for witnesses and processing the scene for evidence.&nbsp; Police released no additional details early Wednesday.

Police: Woman found with gunshot wound in KC home 

ATLANTA (AP) — Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock defeated Republican challenger Herschel Walker in a Georgia runoff election Tuesday, ensuring Democrats an outright majority in the Senate for the rest of President Joe Biden’s term and helping cap an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-government-and-politics-897222c2690df16aac53f52eafafeb80">underwhelming midterm cycle for the GOP</a>&nbsp;in the last major vote of the year.

With Warnock’s second runoff victory in as many years, Democrats will have a 51-49 Senate majority, gaining a seat from the current 50-50 split with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-senate-race-2022-midterm-elections-93709b5b7ab4cef658f45751cd76c090">John Fetterman’s victory in Pennsylvania</a>. There will be divided government, however, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-79475a4fc11e4375cd0dded651b9eede">Republicans having narrowly flipped House control</a>.

In last month’s election,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-senate-race-runoff-2022-midterms-b32e84784e9e644b3e3163b7ca9cc569">Warnock led Walker by 37,000 votes</a>&nbsp;out of almost 4 million cast, but fell short of the 50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff. Walker, a football legend who first gained fame at the University of Georgia and later in the NFL in the 1980s, was unable to overcome a bevy of damaging allegations, including claims that he paid for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-herschel-walker-health-georgia-1a7c86004f571ea10e6f88ea375b439d">two former girlfriends’ abortions</a>.

Democrats’ Georgia victory solidifies the state’s place as a Deep South battleground two years after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/Georgia-election-results-4b82ba7ee3cc74d33e68daadaee2cbf3">Warnock and fellow Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff won 2021 runoffs</a>&nbsp;that gave the party Senate control just months after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-georgia-elections-bb997641ca36805c0f53f406a3529d87">Biden became the first Democratic presidential candidate in 30 years to win Georgia</a>. Voters returned Warnock to the Senate in the same cycle they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-governor-race-2022-midterm-elections-f976a0e81f193277d22e176faa852acb">reelected Republican Gov. Brian Kemp</a>&nbsp;by a comfortable margin and chose an all-GOP slate of statewide constitutional officers.

“I’ll work with anyone to get things done for the people of Georgia,” Warnock, the state’s first Black senator, said throughout his campaign, a nod to the state’s historically conservative lean and his need to win over GOP-leaning independents and at least some moderate Republicans in a midterm election year.

Warnock, 53, paired that argument with an emphasis on his personal values, buoyed by his status as senior pastor of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, where civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. once preached.

Walker's defeat bookends the GOP’s struggles this year to win with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-00c770068d8b82f165a9f4871eee983b">flawed candidates cast from Trump’s mold</a>, a blow to the former president as he builds his third White House bid.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/herschel-walker-georgia-kamala-harris-congress-government-and-politics-0f6cc74d575921e13c19d7569e4e5382">Democrats’ new outright majority in the Senate means</a>&nbsp;the party will no longer have to negotiate a power-sharing deal with Republicans and won’t have to rely on Vice President Kamala Harris to break as many tie votes.

About 1.9 million runoff votes were cast by mail and during early voting, while the state was on track for a robust Election Day, with state officials estimating an additional 1.4 million votes cast — slightly more than in the November midterm and the 2020 election.

Early and mail voting did not reach the same levels as years past, and it was likely the total number of votes cast would be less than the 2021 Senate runoff election. Voting rights groups point to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-does-new-georgia-gop-election-law-do-87665a200f6442e28ef43cbc60c88653">changes made by state lawmakers after the 2020 election</a>&nbsp;that shortened the period for runoffs, from nine weeks to four, as a major reason for the decline in early and mail voting.

Elections officials reported few problems processing early votes and tabulating ballots cast Tuesday, but there were some delays. In south Georgia’s Lowndes County, two poll workers were in a car accident on the way to the county elections office with the memory cards from one precinct’s polling machines. A Lowndes official said a member of the local elections board went to the accident site to retrieve the memory cards so tabulations could continue.

Walker benefited during the campaign from nearly unmatched name recognition from his football career, yet was dogged by questions about his fitness for office and allegations of hypocrisy.

A multimillionaire businessman, Walker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-sports-business-government-and-politics-herschel-walker-7418cd7deadc414b17e3339048fef180">inflated his philanthropic activities and business achievements</a>, including claiming that his company employed hundreds of people and grossed tens of millions of dollars in sales annually, even though records indicate he had eight employees and averaged about $1.5 million a year. He has suggested that he’s worked as a law enforcement officer and graduated college, though he has done neither.

He was accused by two former girlfriends of encouraging and paying for their abortions, despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-warnock-walker-debate-georgia-d831b6cbfce77be05102a0c6f7a0d304">supporting an outright national ban on the procedure</a>&nbsp;during the campaign. He denied both women’s claims.

He was also forced to acknowledge during the campaign that he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-herschel-walker-nashville-government-and-politics-115fc9e55e007f9203f3a0592ac83452">fathered three children out of wedlock</a>&nbsp;whom he had never before spoken about publicly. The mother of one of those children told The Daily Beast that Walker had not seen his young son since January 2016 and had to be taken to court for child support — in direct conflict with Walker’s years spent criticizing absentee fathers and his calls for Black men, in particular, to play an active role in their kids’ lives.

His ex-wife said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/herschel-walker-nfl-georgia-senate-704738fdbed64383e25e3435684d7341">Walker once held a gun to her head</a>&nbsp;and threatened to kill her. He has never denied those specifics and wrote of his violent tendencies in a 2008 memoir that attributed the behavior to mental illness.

As a candidate, he sometimes mangled policy discussions, attributing the climate crisis to China’s “bad air” overtaking “good air” from the United States and arguing that diabetics could manage their health by “eating right,” a practice that isn’t enough for insulin-dependent diabetic patients.

On Tuesday, Atlanta voter Tom Callaway praised the Republican Party’s strength in Georgia and said he’d supported Kemp in the opening round of voting. But he said he cast his ballot for Warnock because he didn’t think “Herschel Walker has the credentials to be a senator.”

“I didn’t believe he had a statement of what he really believed in or had a campaign that made sense,” Callaway said.

Walker, meanwhile, sought to portray Warnock as a yes-man for Biden. He sometimes made the attack in especially personal terms, accusing Warnock of “being on his knees, begging” at the White House — a searing charge for a Black challenger to level against a Black senator about his relationship with a white president.

“My opponent is not a serious person,” Warnock said during the runoff campaign. “But the election is very serious. Don’t get those two things confused.”

Warnock promoted his Senate accomplishments, touting a provision he sponsored to cap insulin costs for Medicare patients. He hailed deals on infrastructure and maternal health care forged with Republican senators, mentioning those GOP colleagues more than he did Biden or other Washington Democrats.

Warnock distanced himself from Biden, whose approval ratings have lagged as inflation remains high. After the general election, Biden promised to help Warnock in any way he could, even if it meant staying away from Georgia.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/herschel-walker-biden-georgia-1091b7502bca21c9c847d564042fa845">Bypassing the president</a>, Warnock decided instead to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-herschel-walker-georgia-atlanta-83ecb9128b7db96022256efc06965718">campaign with former President Barack Obama</a>&nbsp;in the days before the runoff election.

Walker, meanwhile, avoided campaigning with Trump until the campaign’s final day, when the pair conducted a conference call Monday with supporters.

Walker joins failed Senate nominees Dr. Mehmet Oz of Pennsylvania, Blake Masters of Arizona, Adam Laxalt of Nevada and Don Bolduc of New Hampshire as Trump loyalists who ultimately lost races that Republicans once thought they would — or at least could — win.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669567002976.jpeg" alt="Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker. (AP Photo" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker. (AP Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) — Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock defeated Republican challenger Herschel Walker in a Georgia runoff election Tuesday, ensuring Democrats an outright majority in the Senate for the rest of President Joe Biden’s term and helping cap an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-government-and-politics-897222c2690df16aac53f52eafafeb80">underwhelming midterm cycle for the GOP</a>&nbsp;in the last major vote of the year.With Warnock’s second runoff victory in as many years, Democrats will have a 51-49 Senate majority, gaining a seat from the current 50-50 split with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-senate-race-2022-midterm-elections-93709b5b7ab4cef658f45751cd76c090">John Fetterman’s victory in Pennsylvania</a>. There will be divided government, however, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-79475a4fc11e4375cd0dded651b9eede">Republicans having narrowly flipped House control</a>.In last month’s election,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-senate-race-runoff-2022-midterms-b32e84784e9e644b3e3163b7ca9cc569">Warnock led Walker by 37,000 votes</a>&nbsp;out of almost 4 million cast, but fell short of the 50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff. Walker, a football legend who first gained fame at the University of Georgia and later in the NFL in the 1980s, was unable to overcome a bevy of damaging allegations, including claims that he paid for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-herschel-walker-health-georgia-1a7c86004f571ea10e6f88ea375b439d">two former girlfriends’ abortions</a>.Democrats’ Georgia victory solidifies the state’s place as a Deep South battleground two years after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/Georgia-election-results-4b82ba7ee3cc74d33e68daadaee2cbf3">Warnock and fellow Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff won 2021 runoffs</a>&nbsp;that gave the party Senate control just months after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-georgia-elections-bb997641ca36805c0f53f406a3529d87">Biden became the first Democratic presidential candidate in 30 years to win Georgia</a>. Voters returned Warnock to the Senate in the same cycle they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-governor-race-2022-midterm-elections-f976a0e81f193277d22e176faa852acb">reelected Republican Gov. Brian Kemp</a>&nbsp;by a comfortable margin and chose an all-GOP slate of statewide constitutional officers.“I’ll work with anyone to get things done for the people of Georgia,” Warnock, the state’s first Black senator, said throughout his campaign, a nod to the state’s historically conservative lean and his need to win over GOP-leaning independents and at least some moderate Republicans in a midterm election year.Warnock, 53, paired that argument with an emphasis on his personal values, buoyed by his status as senior pastor of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, where civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. once preached.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666276868984.png" alt="Kansas Senator Roger Marshall campaigned for Walker in October -Marshall" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Senator Roger Marshall campaigned for Walker in October -Marshall</figcaption>
 </figure>Walker's defeat bookends the GOP’s struggles this year to win with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-00c770068d8b82f165a9f4871eee983b">flawed candidates cast from Trump’s mold</a>, a blow to the former president as he builds his third White House bid.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/herschel-walker-georgia-kamala-harris-congress-government-and-politics-0f6cc74d575921e13c19d7569e4e5382">Democrats’ new outright majority in the Senate means</a>&nbsp;the party will no longer have to negotiate a power-sharing deal with Republicans and won’t have to rely on Vice President Kamala Harris to break as many tie votes.About 1.9 million runoff votes were cast by mail and during early voting, while the state was on track for a robust Election Day, with state officials estimating an additional 1.4 million votes cast — slightly more than in the November midterm and the 2020 election.Early and mail voting did not reach the same levels as years past, and it was likely the total number of votes cast would be less than the 2021 Senate runoff election. Voting rights groups point to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-does-new-georgia-gop-election-law-do-87665a200f6442e28ef43cbc60c88653">changes made by state lawmakers after the 2020 election</a>&nbsp;that shortened the period for runoffs, from nine weeks to four, as a major reason for the decline in early and mail voting.Elections officials reported few problems processing early votes and tabulating ballots cast Tuesday, but there were some delays. In south Georgia’s Lowndes County, two poll workers were in a car accident on the way to the county elections office with the memory cards from one precinct’s polling machines. A Lowndes official said a member of the local elections board went to the accident site to retrieve the memory cards so tabulations could continue.Walker benefited during the campaign from nearly unmatched name recognition from his football career, yet was dogged by questions about his fitness for office and allegations of hypocrisy.A multimillionaire businessman, Walker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-sports-business-government-and-politics-herschel-walker-7418cd7deadc414b17e3339048fef180">inflated his philanthropic activities and business achievements</a>, including claiming that his company employed hundreds of people and grossed tens of millions of dollars in sales annually, even though records indicate he had eight employees and averaged about $1.5 million a year. He has suggested that he’s worked as a law enforcement officer and graduated college, though he has done neither.He was accused by two former girlfriends of encouraging and paying for their abortions, despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-warnock-walker-debate-georgia-d831b6cbfce77be05102a0c6f7a0d304">supporting an outright national ban on the procedure</a>&nbsp;during the campaign. He denied both women’s claims.He was also forced to acknowledge during the campaign that he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-herschel-walker-nashville-government-and-politics-115fc9e55e007f9203f3a0592ac83452">fathered three children out of wedlock</a>&nbsp;whom he had never before spoken about publicly. The mother of one of those children told The Daily Beast that Walker had not seen his young son since January 2016 and had to be taken to court for child support — in direct conflict with Walker’s years spent criticizing absentee fathers and his calls for Black men, in particular, to play an active role in their kids’ lives.His ex-wife said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/herschel-walker-nfl-georgia-senate-704738fdbed64383e25e3435684d7341">Walker once held a gun to her head</a>&nbsp;and threatened to kill her. He has never denied those specifics and wrote of his violent tendencies in a 2008 memoir that attributed the behavior to mental illness.As a candidate, he sometimes mangled policy discussions, attributing the climate crisis to China’s “bad air” overtaking “good air” from the United States and arguing that diabetics could manage their health by “eating right,” a practice that isn’t enough for insulin-dependent diabetic patients.On Tuesday, Atlanta voter Tom Callaway praised the Republican Party’s strength in Georgia and said he’d supported Kemp in the opening round of voting. But he said he cast his ballot for Warnock because he didn’t think “Herschel Walker has the credentials to be a senator.”“I didn’t believe he had a statement of what he really believed in or had a campaign that made sense,” Callaway said.Walker, meanwhile, sought to portray Warnock as a yes-man for Biden. He sometimes made the attack in especially personal terms, accusing Warnock of “being on his knees, begging” at the White House — a searing charge for a Black challenger to level against a Black senator about his relationship with a white president.“My opponent is not a serious person,” Warnock said during the runoff campaign. “But the election is very serious. Don’t get those two things confused.”Warnock promoted his Senate accomplishments, touting a provision he sponsored to cap insulin costs for Medicare patients. He hailed deals on infrastructure and maternal health care forged with Republican senators, mentioning those GOP colleagues more than he did Biden or other Washington Democrats.Warnock distanced himself from Biden, whose approval ratings have lagged as inflation remains high. After the general election, Biden promised to help Warnock in any way he could, even if it meant staying away from Georgia.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/herschel-walker-biden-georgia-1091b7502bca21c9c847d564042fa845">Bypassing the president</a>, Warnock decided instead to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-herschel-walker-georgia-atlanta-83ecb9128b7db96022256efc06965718">campaign with former President Barack Obama</a>&nbsp;in the days before the runoff election.Walker, meanwhile, avoided campaigning with Trump until the campaign’s final day, when the pair conducted a conference call Monday with supporters.Walker joins failed Senate nominees Dr. Mehmet Oz of Pennsylvania, Blake Masters of Arizona, Adam Laxalt of Nevada and Don Bolduc of New Hampshire as Trump loyalists who ultimately lost races that Republicans once thought they would — or at least could — win.

Democratic Sen. Warnock wins Georgia runoff against Walker

KANSAS CITY —Police investigating the death of a 5-year-old at a Kansas City home ruled the death is a homicide, according to Police Captain Leslie Foreman.

According to court records, On November 3, Kansas City police were dispatched to the 5700 block of St. John Avenue on a report of a deceased child. Officers found two children, one deceased and the other non-responsive. The mother called police dispatch and reported one of the children had been dead for several days.

Adair R. Fish, 43, has been charged with Abuse or Neglect of a Child Resulting in Death, Abuse or Neglet of a Child, and two Endangering the Welfare of a Child 1st Degree charges, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

The mother was the legal guardian of the child and had care, custody and control of their health and well-being. A doctor diagnosed that the deceased child suffered from malnutrition and dehydration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670192753456.png" alt="Fish-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Fish-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Police investigating the death of a 5-year-old at a Kansas City home ruled the death is a homicide, according to Police Captain Leslie Foreman.According to court records, On November 3, Kansas City police were dispatched to the 5700 block of St. John Avenue on a report of a deceased child. Officers found two children, one deceased and the other non-responsive. The mother called police dispatch and reported one of the children had been dead for several days.Adair R. Fish, 43, has been charged with Abuse or Neglect of a Child Resulting in Death, Abuse or Neglet of a Child, and two Endangering the Welfare of a Child 1st Degree charges, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.The mother was the legal guardian of the child and had care, custody and control of their health and well-being. A doctor diagnosed that the deceased child suffered from malnutrition and dehydration.