By KATIE PEIKES <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2022-04-04/the-midwest-has-lost-57-billion-metric-tons-of-topsoil-over-the-last-160-years-new-study-finds">Harvest Public Media</a>

A few years ago, Isaac Larsen attended a wedding at a pioneer church 
in Minnesota. After the ceremony, he wandered around a cemetery by the 
church.

He noticed the cemetery, which had never been tilled, was 
at least a foot higher than a corn field just on the other side of a 
fence.

“That was one of those ‘lightbulb’ moments that told me 
that a lot of soil had been eroded from that field since the founding of
 the church,” Larsen said.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst geosciences professor and his co-researchers have released a <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1029/2021EF002396" target="_blank">new study</a>
 that found topsoil in the Midwest is eroding at an average rate of 1.9 
millimeters per year. They measured elevation differences between native
 prairie and farm fields at about 20 sites, the majority in central 
Iowa, with some in Illinois, Minnesota, South Dakota, Kansas and 
Nebraska.

The researchers estimate the Midwest has lost 57.6 
billion metric tons of topsoil since farmers began tilling 160 years 
ago. This erosion, Larsen said, makes it more difficult and more 
expensive to grow crops.

“We’re going to need to feed more people 
in the future,” he said, “and degraded soils that have lost their 
organic rich horizons just aren’t as productive.”

The solution, Larsen said, is to adopt no-till farming. “It’s not some unsolvable problem.” 

In
 Iowa, never-farmed prairie is one of the rarest ecosystems besides oak 
savanna, said Emily Martin, the conservation programs coordinator for 
the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The group helped the researchers 
identify prairie sites throughout the state where they could take 
measurements.

Martin said the study’s findings that topsoil is 
eroding at an average rate of 1.9 millimeters per year is “a shocking 
number. But it’s not surprising either.” She said conservation groups 
like the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation need to work with farmers to 
protect land and further integrate conservation with agriculture.

As
 topsoil thins, soil productivity declines. Iowa State University 
agronomy professor Richard Cruse said farmers can lose 50%-70% of their 
yield potential because of the loss of topsoil.

“When you’re 
talking about that, you’re also talking about sustainability or 
resilience, the potential for an area to produce under good times and 
bad,” Cruse said. “The loss of soil reduces that capacity.”

Cruse,
 who said he thought the study was “done pretty well,” added that 
topsoil isn’t gone. Most of the topsoil that moves because of erosion is
 deposited in the same field downslope. But that still affects 
production potential, he said.

“The loss from the hillslope, where
 it is progressively thinning, has a much bigger negative impact on 
production than does the accumulation of that on the soil downslope 
which already has more than adequate topsoil to produce,” he said.

Cruse added a little less than a third of Iowa’s soils are no-tilled, so “it is realistic” to stop tillage, he said.

“By
 and large, we have the technology now to make no-till work or something
 that approximates it, maybe strip till,” Cruse said. “So it's 
realistic. It’s more challenging with some soils than others.”

Some farmers are already no-till. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in August 2021 that <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2017/11/30/saving-money-time-and-soil-economics-no-till-farming" target="_blank">21% of all cultivated cropland acres are continuous no-till</a>.

Austin
 Charlson grows corn and soybeans in Wright County, Iowa. About 75%-85% 
of his acres have been no-till for seven years – primarily because when 
he started farming he had no equipment. He says he’s noticed a 
difference in the soil of his no-till acres.

“I'll take a spade 
out in the field and I'll step in, dig out a section of soil and the 
texture is evolving,” Charlson said. “For one thing, there's more 
earthworm holes, so that promotes water going down and oxygen going down
 to the roots. Earthworms add fertility and they help break up the 
soil.”

Charlson said his soils are “more crumbly” whereas other 
soils he’s seen on a field that’s been tilled and cultivated are more 
granular, “really fine like a powder,” he said.

“Right now we're 
in drought-ish conditions, but no-till is helping to reserve my water 
reserves. It’s helping to retain my subsoil moisture, or the water that 
my crops need to grow,” he said.

But Charlson said he has 
experienced some frustrations with no-till. Depending on the moisture 
conditions, the soil can be hard without tillage, which doesn’t allow 
for a good seedbed, he said.

“It’s been a challenge,” he said. “I’m constantly learning, I’m trying to modify things and make it better.”

The soil erosion study was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2021EF002396" target="_blank">Earth’s Future</a>.

Follow Katie on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/katiepeikes" target="_blank">@katiepeikes&nbsp;</a>

Harvest
 Public Media reports on food systems, agriculture and rural issues 
through a collaborative network of NPR stations throughout the Midwest 
and Plains.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649430822516.png" alt="University of Massachusetts Amherst geosciences professor Isaac Larsen stands on the drop-off separating the native prairie from farmland at Stinson Prairie, Iowa. UMass Amherst" />
 <figcaption>University of Massachusetts Amherst geosciences professor Isaac Larsen stands on the drop-off separating the native prairie from farmland at Stinson Prairie, Iowa. UMass Amherst</figcaption>
 </figure>By KATIE PEIKES <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2022-04-04/the-midwest-has-lost-57-billion-metric-tons-of-topsoil-over-the-last-160-years-new-study-finds">Harvest Public Media</a>A few years ago, Isaac Larsen attended a wedding at a pioneer church 
in Minnesota. After the ceremony, he wandered around a cemetery by the 
church.He noticed the cemetery, which had never been tilled, was 
at least a foot higher than a corn field just on the other side of a 
fence.“That was one of those ‘lightbulb’ moments that told me 
that a lot of soil had been eroded from that field since the founding of
 the church,” Larsen said.The University of Massachusetts Amherst geosciences professor and his co-researchers have released a <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1029/2021EF002396" target="_blank">new study</a>
 that found topsoil in the Midwest is eroding at an average rate of 1.9 
millimeters per year. They measured elevation differences between native
 prairie and farm fields at about 20 sites, the majority in central 
Iowa, with some in Illinois, Minnesota, South Dakota, Kansas and 
Nebraska.The researchers estimate the Midwest has lost 57.6 
billion metric tons of topsoil since farmers began tilling 160 years 
ago. This erosion, Larsen said, makes it more difficult and more 
expensive to grow crops.“We’re going to need to feed more people 
in the future,” he said, “and degraded soils that have lost their 
organic rich horizons just aren’t as productive.”The solution, Larsen said, is to adopt no-till farming. “It’s not some unsolvable problem.” In
 Iowa, never-farmed prairie is one of the rarest ecosystems besides oak 
savanna, said Emily Martin, the conservation programs coordinator for 
the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The group helped the researchers 
identify prairie sites throughout the state where they could take 
measurements.Martin said the study’s findings that topsoil is 
eroding at an average rate of 1.9 millimeters per year is “a shocking 
number. But it’s not surprising either.” She said conservation groups 
like the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation need to work with farmers to 
protect land and further integrate conservation with agriculture.As
 topsoil thins, soil productivity declines. Iowa State University 
agronomy professor Richard Cruse said farmers can lose 50%-70% of their 
yield potential because of the loss of topsoil.“When you’re 
talking about that, you’re also talking about sustainability or 
resilience, the potential for an area to produce under good times and 
bad,” Cruse said. “The loss of soil reduces that capacity.”Cruse,
 who said he thought the study was “done pretty well,” added that 
topsoil isn’t gone. Most of the topsoil that moves because of erosion is
 deposited in the same field downslope. But that still affects 
production potential, he said.“The loss from the hillslope, where
 it is progressively thinning, has a much bigger negative impact on 
production than does the accumulation of that on the soil downslope 
which already has more than adequate topsoil to produce,” he said.Cruse added a little less than a third of Iowa’s soils are no-tilled, so “it is realistic” to stop tillage, he said.“By
 and large, we have the technology now to make no-till work or something
 that approximates it, maybe strip till,” Cruse said. “So it's 
realistic. It’s more challenging with some soils than others.”Some farmers are already no-till. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in August 2021 that <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2017/11/30/saving-money-time-and-soil-economics-no-till-farming" target="_blank">21% of all cultivated cropland acres are continuous no-till</a>.Austin
 Charlson grows corn and soybeans in Wright County, Iowa. About 75%-85% 
of his acres have been no-till for seven years – primarily because when 
he started farming he had no equipment. He says he’s noticed a 
difference in the soil of his no-till acres.“I'll take a spade 
out in the field and I'll step in, dig out a section of soil and the 
texture is evolving,” Charlson said. “For one thing, there's more 
earthworm holes, so that promotes water going down and oxygen going down
 to the roots. Earthworms add fertility and they help break up the 
soil.”Charlson said his soils are “more crumbly” whereas other 
soils he’s seen on a field that’s been tilled and cultivated are more 
granular, “really fine like a powder,” he said.“Right now we're 
in drought-ish conditions, but no-till is helping to reserve my water 
reserves. It’s helping to retain my subsoil moisture, or the water that 
my crops need to grow,” he said.But Charlson said he has 
experienced some frustrations with no-till. Depending on the moisture 
conditions, the soil can be hard without tillage, which doesn’t allow 
for a good seedbed, he said.“It’s been a challenge,” he said. “I’m constantly learning, I’m trying to modify things and make it better.”The soil erosion study was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2021EF002396" target="_blank">Earth’s Future</a>. Follow Katie on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/katiepeikes" target="_blank">@katiepeikes&nbsp;</a>Harvest
 Public Media reports on food systems, agriculture and rural issues 
through a collaborative network of NPR stations throughout the Midwest 
and Plains.

Study: Midwest has lost 57B tons of topsoil in last 160 years

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

A former Fort Hays State University student athlete was found guilty this week of sexually assaulting two women in 2019.

On Friday, Efe Osaghae, St. Louis, pleaded guilty in Ellis County District Court to two counts of aggravated sexual battery after reaching a plea agreement with the Ellis County Attorney’s office.

Osaghae, a former member of both the Fort Hays State men’s soccer team and wrestling team, initially was charged with five felony counts including rape and aggravated criminal sodomy after being accused of entering the on-campus residence of a 19-year-old woman on Dec. 8, 2018, and assaulting her.

During the investigation into the initial incident, a second victim was identified.

In exchange for a guilty plea to two counts of aggravated sexual battery, the state agreed to drop the rape, aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated burglary charges.

A conviction for aggravated sexual battery carries a prison sentence of between 31 and 136 months in prison.

Because Osaghae’s criminal history is expected to be the lowest possible level, 23rd District Judge Glenn Braun said during Friday’s hearing that Osaghae faces between 32 and 36 months in prison for each count.

Ellis County Attorney Robert Anderson said in court filings that the state will be requesting a 68-month prison sentence.

Sentencing in the case is scheduled is expected to be set for later this spring.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600434512769.png" alt="Osaghae photo Ellis Co." />
 <figcaption>Osaghae photo Ellis Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostA former Fort Hays State University student athlete was found guilty this week of sexually assaulting two women in 2019.On Friday, Efe Osaghae, St. Louis, pleaded guilty in Ellis County District Court to two counts of aggravated sexual battery after reaching a plea agreement with the Ellis County Attorney’s office.Osaghae, a former member of both the Fort Hays State men’s soccer team and wrestling team, initially was charged with five felony counts including rape and aggravated criminal sodomy after being accused of entering the on-campus residence of a 19-year-old woman on Dec. 8, 2018, and assaulting her.During the investigation into the initial incident, a second victim was identified.In exchange for a guilty plea to two counts of aggravated sexual battery, the state agreed to drop the rape, aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated burglary charges.A conviction for aggravated sexual battery carries a prison sentence of between 31 and 136 months in prison.Because Osaghae’s criminal history is expected to be the lowest possible level, 23rd District Judge Glenn Braun said during Friday’s hearing that Osaghae faces between 32 and 36 months in prison for each count.Ellis County Attorney Robert Anderson said in court filings that the state will be requesting a 68-month prison sentence.Sentencing in the case is scheduled is expected to be set for later this spring.

Former FHSU athlete pleads guilty to on campus sex crimes

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Biden administration on Wednesday announced that federal student loan payments will remain paused through Aug. 31, extending a freeze that began in 2020 but was set to end after this month.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-payment-moratorium-extended-d54907ea99a6745dc9f832435beda751">The action&nbsp;</a>is meant to help millions of borrowers regain financial footing before they’re back on the hook for payments.

The extension gives Americans another four months to get ready for student loan payments to restart. Borrowers won’t be asked to make payments until after Aug. 31, and interest rates will remain at 0% during that time. Under the new action, people who were behind on payments before the pandemic will automatically be put in good standing. That’s a change from previous policy, which required borrowers in default to make nine consecutive loan payments and apply to exit default. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said the extra time will help his agency prepare borrowers for a “smooth transition back to repayment.”

The moratorium applies to&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/covid-19/payment-pause-zero-interest" target="_blank">most federal student loan programs</a>, including the Direct Loan Program, which issues subsidized and unsubsidized student loans. It does not apply to private loans issued by banks or schools. The latest federal data show that more than 43 million Americans have student loans amounting to a combined $1.6 trillion.

The freeze has been extended multiple times as a reprieve for Americans facing financial hardship during the pandemic. In announcing the latest action, President Joe Biden said that while the nation has seen economic growth, Americans are still recovering. He said the extension will help borrowers “continue to get back on their feet after two of the hardest years this nation has ever faced.” It came amid rising fear that many borrowers would quickly fall behind if payments resumed in May. A memo from the Federal Reserve last month warned that without more time, delinquency rates “could snap back from historic lows to their previous highs.”

Colorado’s Alisa Rizo said the pause in payments has provided a path toward independence. After graduating from Colorado State University, Pueblo in 2018, she has been living with her parents in Pueblo while she pays down $24,000 in student loans. The pause has allowed her to save money in hopes of living on her own, closer to her work in Colorado Springs. “It’s lifted a huge burden from my back and it has provided me a lot of flexibility to save money,” said Rizo, who works at a housing nonprofit.

Kristin McGuire of Covina, California said the freeze has given her a break from her $50,000 in student debt, allowed her to repair her credit and refinance her home with her husband. But she said the piecemeal extensions have brought their own stress. “We still have this huge balance that’s looming over our heads, and we’re constantly just hoping and praying for reprieve,” said McGuire, executive director of Young Invincibles, which is among the groups pressing for debt cancellation as a more permanent solution. “We can put folks right back into good standing, but we’re setting them up to fail again when we have these ballooned balances,” she said.

Federal student loans have been suspended for more than two years. In March 2020, the Trump administration gave borrowers the option to pause payments for at least 60 days. Congress made it automatic soon after as part of a pandemic relief package. The moratorium was later extended multiple times by Trump and Biden.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki didn’t rule a further extension when questioned at a Wednesday briefing. “We’ll continue to assess,” she said. “While of course the economy is in better shape than it was a year ago and we have a strong recovery, we also understand that there are a range of impacts that are still longer lasting because of the pandemic.”

In addition to the loan pause, the Biden administration has been working to revamp certain programs that allow borrowers to have debt erased. The Education Department has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-congress-student-loans-education-cecef88ebeebe2f524022f603f22a83b">relaxed rules</a>&nbsp;for a notoriously complex program known as Public Service Loan Forgiveness and for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-f78bae481c408b19c96a7ab1a3e426da">another program</a>&nbsp;that erases student debt for Americans with disabilities. The agency has approved $2 billion in debt cancellation for people who were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-miguel-cardona-055655aebb4181aae1c2ea4042dfd333">defrauded&nbsp;</a>by their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-education-0cabfb66daddbea9e804cb2860531775">colleges</a>, plus $1 billion for students who attended the now-defunct ITT Tech for-profit college but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-business-4f20d525c72ceb76570b528d13a32042">left before graduating</a>. Some Democrats have called for additional changes to the student loan system, including an overhaul of repayment plans that critics say are overly complex and difficult to navigate.

As a presidential candidate in 2020, Biden said he would “immediately cancel a minimum of $10,000 of student debt per person.” That hasn’t happened. The White House has said Biden would sign legislation canceling up to that amount if it were passed by Congress, but it has resisted calls to erase debt using executive action. Democrats including Sen. Chuck Schumer and Sen. Elizabeth Warren have pressed Biden to cancel $50,000 across the board, saying it would further boost the economy and address racial inequities in student debt. In a statement, those Democrats applauded the new extension but said it underscores the need for “swift executive action” to cancel debt. Asked about it Wednesday, Psaki said Biden “has not ruled out” the possibility, but had no further updates.

Borrower advocacy groups welcomed the extension, but many said it isn’t enough. The NAACP urged Biden to forgive at least $50,000 for student borrowers. “With each and every repayment extension, you make a stronger case for canceling it,” the group said. The Center for Responsible Lending made the same demand, saying that while the latest action will give some borrowers a fresh start, “their debts remain the same.” Democrats in Congress applauded the pause, while Republicans blasted it as a drain on taxpayers. Sen. Richard Burr, the ranking Republican on the Senate education committee, said the administration “wants to have their cake and eat it, too: they want to tout America’s return to normal following the pandemic, but also want to keep extending emergency relief policies.”

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Biden administration on Wednesday announced that federal student loan payments will remain paused through Aug. 31, extending a freeze that began in 2020 but was set to end after this month.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-payment-moratorium-extended-d54907ea99a6745dc9f832435beda751">The action&nbsp;</a>is meant to help millions of borrowers regain financial footing before they’re back on the hook for payments.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, my Administration is extending the pause on federal student loan repayments through August 31st, 2022. <a href="https://t.co/xwicA1hCW3">pic.twitter.com/xwicA1hCW3</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1511705892487577606?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Here’s more on the decision:WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR BORROWERS?The extension gives Americans another four months to get ready for student loan payments to restart. Borrowers won’t be asked to make payments until after Aug. 31, and interest rates will remain at 0% during that time. Under the new action, people who were behind on payments before the pandemic will automatically be put in good standing. That’s a change from previous policy, which required borrowers in default to make nine consecutive loan payments and apply to exit default. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said the extra time will help his agency prepare borrowers for a “smooth transition back to repayment.”WHO IS ELIGIBLE?The moratorium applies to&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/covid-19/payment-pause-zero-interest" target="_blank">most federal student loan programs</a>, including the Direct Loan Program, which issues subsidized and unsubsidized student loans. It does not apply to private loans issued by banks or schools. The latest federal data show that more than 43 million Americans have student loans amounting to a combined $1.6 trillion.WHY IS IT BEING EXTENDED?The freeze has been extended multiple times as a reprieve for Americans facing financial hardship during the pandemic. In announcing the latest action, President Joe Biden said that while the nation has seen economic growth, Americans are still recovering. He said the extension will help borrowers “continue to get back on their feet after two of the hardest years this nation has ever faced.” It came amid rising fear that many borrowers would quickly fall behind if payments resumed in May. A memo from the Federal Reserve last month warned that without more time, delinquency rates “could snap back from historic lows to their previous highs.”HOW HAS IT HELPED?Colorado’s Alisa Rizo said the pause in payments has provided a path toward independence. After graduating from Colorado State University, Pueblo in 2018, she has been living with her parents in Pueblo while she pays down $24,000 in student loans. The pause has allowed her to save money in hopes of living on her own, closer to her work in Colorado Springs. “It’s lifted a huge burden from my back and it has provided me a lot of flexibility to save money,” said Rizo, who works at a housing nonprofit.Kristin McGuire of Covina, California said the freeze has given her a break from her $50,000 in student debt, allowed her to repair her credit and refinance her home with her husband. But she said the piecemeal extensions have brought their own stress. “We still have this huge balance that’s looming over our heads, and we’re constantly just hoping and praying for reprieve,” said McGuire, executive director of Young Invincibles, which is among the groups pressing for debt cancellation as a more permanent solution. “We can put folks right back into good standing, but we’re setting them up to fail again when we have these ballooned balances,” she said.HOW LONG HAVE LOANS BEEN PAUSED?Federal student loans have been suspended for more than two years. In March 2020, the Trump administration gave borrowers the option to pause payments for at least 60 days. Congress made it automatic soon after as part of a pandemic relief package. The moratorium was later extended multiple times by Trump and Biden.WILL THE FREEZE BE EXTENDED AGAIN?White House press secretary Jen Psaki didn’t rule a further extension when questioned at a Wednesday briefing. “We’ll continue to assess,” she said. “While of course the economy is in better shape than it was a year ago and we have a strong recovery, we also understand that there are a range of impacts that are still longer lasting because of the pandemic.”WHAT ELSE IS BEING DONE?In addition to the loan pause, the Biden administration has been working to revamp certain programs that allow borrowers to have debt erased. The Education Department has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-congress-student-loans-education-cecef88ebeebe2f524022f603f22a83b">relaxed rules</a>&nbsp;for a notoriously complex program known as Public Service Loan Forgiveness and for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-f78bae481c408b19c96a7ab1a3e426da">another program</a>&nbsp;that erases student debt for Americans with disabilities. The agency has approved $2 billion in debt cancellation for people who were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-miguel-cardona-055655aebb4181aae1c2ea4042dfd333">defrauded&nbsp;</a>by their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-education-0cabfb66daddbea9e804cb2860531775">colleges</a>, plus $1 billion for students who attended the now-defunct ITT Tech for-profit college but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-business-4f20d525c72ceb76570b528d13a32042">left before graduating</a>. Some Democrats have called for additional changes to the student loan system, including an overhaul of repayment plans that critics say are overly complex and difficult to navigate.WHAT ABOUT WIDER LOAN FORGIVENESS?As a presidential candidate in 2020, Biden said he would “immediately cancel a minimum of $10,000 of student debt per person.” That hasn’t happened. The White House has said Biden would sign legislation canceling up to that amount if it were passed by Congress, but it has resisted calls to erase debt using executive action. Democrats including Sen. Chuck Schumer and Sen. Elizabeth Warren have pressed Biden to cancel $50,000 across the board, saying it would further boost the economy and address racial inequities in student debt. In a statement, those Democrats applauded the new extension but said it underscores the need for “swift executive action” to cancel debt. Asked about it Wednesday, Psaki said Biden “has not ruled out” the possibility, but had no further updates.WHAT ARE PEOPLE SAYING ABOUT THE PAUSE?Borrower advocacy groups welcomed the extension, but many said it isn’t enough. The NAACP urged Biden to forgive at least $50,000 for student borrowers. “With each and every repayment extension, you make a stronger case for canceling it,” the group said. The Center for Responsible Lending made the same demand, saying that while the latest action will give some borrowers a fresh start, “their debts remain the same.” Democrats in Congress applauded the pause, while Republicans blasted it as a drain on taxpayers. Sen. Richard Burr, the ranking Republican on the Senate education committee, said the administration “wants to have their cake and eat it, too: they want to tout America’s return to normal following the pandemic, but also want to keep extending emergency relief policies.”

🎥What to know on the extension of student loan payment freeze 

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the theft of a box truck from a church thrift store in Topeka located the vehicle early Saturday.

Just after 7:00 a.m. Saturday, a citizen who had seen the social media postings about this vehicle called police to report it sitting in the 500 block of SE Lake Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Matt Danielson.

Officers were able to confirm that this was the correct vehicle, and it was unoccupied. The contents of the truck were no longer inside.&nbsp;

 The truck contained laundry baskets full of miscellaneous merchandise.&nbsp;

Police released no additional details and have not reported an arrest.

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the theft of box truck from a church thrift store in Topeka.

Between&nbsp; 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. Friday, an unknown person stole a is a 2000 GMC C6500 (24 foot) box truck from<a href="https://www.gshtopeka.org/"> God’s Storehouse</a> at 2111 SW Chelsea Drive in Topeka, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.

The truck is white with orange front fenders and Kansas Tag 779JXY. 

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Topeka Police Department’s Criminal Intelligence Unit at telltpd@topeka.org.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649472108456.png" alt="The truck is white with orange front fenders and Kansas Tag 779JXY. Photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>The truck is white with orange front fenders and Kansas Tag 779JXY. Photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the theft of a box truck from a church thrift store in Topeka located the vehicle early Saturday.Just after 7:00 a.m. Saturday, a citizen who had seen the social media postings about this vehicle called police to report it sitting in the 500 block of SE Lake Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Matt Danielson.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649472091007.png" alt="Photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers were able to confirm that this was the correct vehicle, and it was unoccupied. The contents of the truck were no longer inside.&nbsp; The truck contained laundry baskets full of miscellaneous merchandise.&nbsp;Police released no additional details and have not reported an arrest.--------------SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the theft of box truck from a church thrift store in Topeka.Between&nbsp; 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. Friday, an unknown person stole a is a 2000 GMC C6500 (24 foot) box truck from<a href="https://www.gshtopeka.org/"> God’s Storehouse</a> at 2111 SW Chelsea Drive in Topeka, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649472091007.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure> The truck contained laundry baskets full of miscellaneous merchandise.&nbsp;The truck is white with orange front fenders and Kansas Tag 779JXY. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Topeka Police Department’s Criminal Intelligence Unit at telltpd@topeka.org.&nbsp;

Police: Stolen Kan. church thrift store truck found, merchandise missing

WASHINGTON (AP) — In the latest Senate package targeted at stopping the coronavirus, U.S. lawmakers dropped nearly all funding for curbing the virus beyond American borders, a move many health experts slammed as dangerously short-sighted.

They warn the suspension of COVID-19 aid for poorer countries could ultimately allow the kind of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-pandemics-dc99bc9f769dd6d7cb669e3d185c6261">unchecked transmission</a>&nbsp;needed for the next worrisome variant to emerge and unravel much of the progress achieved so far.

The U.S. has been the biggest contributor to the global pandemic response, delivering more than 500 million vaccines, and the lack of funding will be a major setback. The money has paid for numerous interventions, including a mass vaccination campaign in the Cameroonian capital that saw hundreds of thousands of people get their first dose, as well as the construction of a COVID-19 care facility in South Africa and the donation of 1,000 ventilators to that country.

Other U.S.-funded vaccination campaigns in dozens of countries, including Uganda, Zambia, Ivory Coast and Mali, could also come to a grinding halt.

“Any stoppage of funds will affect us,” said Misaki Wayengera, a Ugandan official who heads a technical committee advising the government on the pandemic response. He said Uganda has leaned heavily on donor help — it received more than 11 million vaccines from the U.S. — and that any cuts “would make it very difficult for us to make ends meet.”

“This is a bit of a kick in the teeth to poor countries that were promised billions of vaccines and resources last year in grand pledges made by the G7 and the G20,” said Michael Head, a global health research fellow at Britain’s Southampton University.

“Given how badly we’ve failed on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-inequality-dac9c07b324e29d3597037b8dc1d908a">vaccine equity,</a>&nbsp;it’s clear all of those promises have now been broken,” he said, adding that without concerted effort and money to fight COVID-19 in the coming months, the pandemic could persist for years.

While about 66% of the American population has been fully immunized against the coronavirus, fewer than 15% of people in poorer countries have received a single dose. Health officials working on COVID-19 vaccination in developing countries supported by the U.S. say they expect to see a reversal of progress once the funds disappear.

“Vaccination will stop or not even get started in some countries,” said Rachel Hall, executive director of U.S. government advocacy at the charity CARE. She cited estimates from USAID that the suspended funding would mean scrapping testing, treatment and health services for about 100 million people.

Although vaccines are more plentiful this year, many poorer countries have struggled to get shots into arms and hundreds of millions of donated vaccines have either expired, been returned or sat unused. To address those logistical hurdles, U.S. aid has financed critical services in countries across Africa, including the safe delivery of vaccines, training health workers and fighting vaccine misinformation.

For example, in November the U.S. Embassy in the Cameroonian capital set up a tent for mass vaccination: Within the first five days, more than 300,000 people received a dose. Those kinds of events will now be harder to conduct without American funds.

Hall also noted there would be consequences far beyond COVID-19, saying countries struggling with multiple disease outbreaks, like Congo and Mali, would face difficult choices.

“They will have to choose between fighting Ebola, malaria, polio, COVID and more,” she said.

Jeff Zients, the outgoing leader of the White House COVID-19 task force, expressed regret the legislation doesn’t include resources for the international pandemic fight, noting that would also compromise efforts to track the virus’ genetic evolution.

“It is a real disappointment that there’s no global funding in this bill,” he said. “This virus knows no borders, and it’s in our national interest to vaccinate the world and protect against possible new variants.”

Still, Zients announced the U.S. would be the first to donate “tens of millions” of doses for children to poorer countries and said more than 20 nations had already requested the shots.

J. Stephen Morrison, director of the Global Health Policy Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, lamented that lawmakers were erring on the side of optimism about the pandemic precisely when another surge might be arriving.

“We’ve made that mistake several times in this pandemic. And we may be making that mistake again,” he said. In recent weeks, COVID-19 cases caused by the hugely infectious omicron subvariant BA.2 have surged across&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-business-immunizations-9b222cf32687808b61606391f7f7328b">Europe</a>, and American officials say they expect a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-europe-infectious-diseases-e338ab4c30b68025dbc049c36838f357">U.S. spike&nbsp;</a>soon.

Other experts worried the suspension of U.S. global support for COVID-19 might prompt officials to drop current vaccination goals. The World Health Organization had set a target of immunizing at least 70% of people in all countries by the middle of this year, but with nearly 50 countries vaccinating fewer than 20% of their populations, hitting that target is highly unlikely.

Instead, some organizations like the Rockefeller Foundation have pushed for officials to “refocus vaccination goals away from vaccinating 70% of all adults by summer to vaccinating 90% of those most at-risk in each country,” in what some critics say is an implicit acknowledgment of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-coronavirus-vaccine-pandemics-5053ab9a4c6288e1b70ccd67aa34c504">world’s repeated failures</a>&nbsp;to share vaccines fairly. Others point out there shouldn’t be competing vaccine targets and that health authorities simply need to do more, rather than adjusting global goals.

In Nigeria, which has so far received at least $143 million in COVID-19 aid from the U.S, authorities dismissed suggestions their coronavirus programs would suffer as a result of lost funding. The Nigerian president’s office said help from the U.S. was mostly “in kind” via capacity building, research support and donations of laboratory equipment and vaccines. “We are confident that this will not cause any disruption of our current programs,” it said.

However, others warned the U.S. decision set an unfortunate precedent for global cooperation to end the pandemic at a time when fresh concerns like the Ukraine war are drawing more attention.

U.S. President Joe Biden originally planned to convene a virtual summit in the first quarter of this year to keep international efforts on track, but no event has been scheduled.

“In light of the ongoing war in Ukraine, we don’t yet have a final date for the summit, but we are working closely with countries and international partners to advance commitments,” said a senior Biden administration official who was not authorized to comment publicly.

As of this month, WHO said it had gotten only $1.8 billion of the $16.8 billion needed from donors to speed access to coronavirus vaccines, medicines and diagnostics.

“Nobody else is stepping up to fill the void at the moment and the U.S. decision to suspend funding may lead other donor countries to act similarly,” said Dr. Krishna Udayakumar, director of Duke University’s Global Health Innovation Center.

Keri Althoff, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, described the U.S. suspension of funding as “devastating.”

“How could this possibly be what we’re debating right now?” she asked. “It’s a moral obligation to the rest of the world to continue to contribute to this global pandemic response, not only to protect ourselves but to protect people from around the world.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627688144182.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — In the latest Senate package targeted at stopping the coronavirus, U.S. lawmakers dropped nearly all funding for curbing the virus beyond American borders, a move many health experts slammed as dangerously short-sighted.They warn the suspension of COVID-19 aid for poorer countries could ultimately allow the kind of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-pandemics-dc99bc9f769dd6d7cb669e3d185c6261">unchecked transmission</a>&nbsp;needed for the next worrisome variant to emerge and unravel much of the progress achieved so far.The U.S. has been the biggest contributor to the global pandemic response, delivering more than 500 million vaccines, and the lack of funding will be a major setback. The money has paid for numerous interventions, including a mass vaccination campaign in the Cameroonian capital that saw hundreds of thousands of people get their first dose, as well as the construction of a COVID-19 care facility in South Africa and the donation of 1,000 ventilators to that country.Other U.S.-funded vaccination campaigns in dozens of countries, including Uganda, Zambia, Ivory Coast and Mali, could also come to a grinding halt.“Any stoppage of funds will affect us,” said Misaki Wayengera, a Ugandan official who heads a technical committee advising the government on the pandemic response. He said Uganda has leaned heavily on donor help — it received more than 11 million vaccines from the U.S. — and that any cuts “would make it very difficult for us to make ends meet.”“This is a bit of a kick in the teeth to poor countries that were promised billions of vaccines and resources last year in grand pledges made by the G7 and the G20,” said Michael Head, a global health research fellow at Britain’s Southampton University.“Given how badly we’ve failed on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-inequality-dac9c07b324e29d3597037b8dc1d908a">vaccine equity,</a>&nbsp;it’s clear all of those promises have now been broken,” he said, adding that without concerted effort and money to fight COVID-19 in the coming months, the pandemic could persist for years.While about 66% of the American population has been fully immunized against the coronavirus, fewer than 15% of people in poorer countries have received a single dose. Health officials working on COVID-19 vaccination in developing countries supported by the U.S. say they expect to see a reversal of progress once the funds disappear.“Vaccination will stop or not even get started in some countries,” said Rachel Hall, executive director of U.S. government advocacy at the charity CARE. She cited estimates from USAID that the suspended funding would mean scrapping testing, treatment and health services for about 100 million people.Although vaccines are more plentiful this year, many poorer countries have struggled to get shots into arms and hundreds of millions of donated vaccines have either expired, been returned or sat unused. To address those logistical hurdles, U.S. aid has financed critical services in countries across Africa, including the safe delivery of vaccines, training health workers and fighting vaccine misinformation.For example, in November the U.S. Embassy in the Cameroonian capital set up a tent for mass vaccination: Within the first five days, more than 300,000 people received a dose. Those kinds of events will now be harder to conduct without American funds.Hall also noted there would be consequences far beyond COVID-19, saying countries struggling with multiple disease outbreaks, like Congo and Mali, would face difficult choices.“They will have to choose between fighting Ebola, malaria, polio, COVID and more,” she said.Jeff Zients, the outgoing leader of the White House COVID-19 task force, expressed regret the legislation doesn’t include resources for the international pandemic fight, noting that would also compromise efforts to track the virus’ genetic evolution.“It is a real disappointment that there’s no global funding in this bill,” he said. “This virus knows no borders, and it’s in our national interest to vaccinate the world and protect against possible new variants.”Still, Zients announced the U.S. would be the first to donate “tens of millions” of doses for children to poorer countries and said more than 20 nations had already requested the shots.J. Stephen Morrison, director of the Global Health Policy Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, lamented that lawmakers were erring on the side of optimism about the pandemic precisely when another surge might be arriving.“We’ve made that mistake several times in this pandemic. And we may be making that mistake again,” he said. In recent weeks, COVID-19 cases caused by the hugely infectious omicron subvariant BA.2 have surged across&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-business-immunizations-9b222cf32687808b61606391f7f7328b">Europe</a>, and American officials say they expect a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-europe-infectious-diseases-e338ab4c30b68025dbc049c36838f357">U.S. spike&nbsp;</a>soon.Other experts worried the suspension of U.S. global support for COVID-19 might prompt officials to drop current vaccination goals. The World Health Organization had set a target of immunizing at least 70% of people in all countries by the middle of this year, but with nearly 50 countries vaccinating fewer than 20% of their populations, hitting that target is highly unlikely.Instead, some organizations like the Rockefeller Foundation have pushed for officials to “refocus vaccination goals away from vaccinating 70% of all adults by summer to vaccinating 90% of those most at-risk in each country,” in what some critics say is an implicit acknowledgment of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-coronavirus-vaccine-pandemics-5053ab9a4c6288e1b70ccd67aa34c504">world’s repeated failures</a>&nbsp;to share vaccines fairly. Others point out there shouldn’t be competing vaccine targets and that health authorities simply need to do more, rather than adjusting global goals.In Nigeria, which has so far received at least $143 million in COVID-19 aid from the U.S, authorities dismissed suggestions their coronavirus programs would suffer as a result of lost funding. The Nigerian president’s office said help from the U.S. was mostly “in kind” via capacity building, research support and donations of laboratory equipment and vaccines. “We are confident that this will not cause any disruption of our current programs,” it said.However, others warned the U.S. decision set an unfortunate precedent for global cooperation to end the pandemic at a time when fresh concerns like the Ukraine war are drawing more attention.U.S. President Joe Biden originally planned to convene a virtual summit in the first quarter of this year to keep international efforts on track, but no event has been scheduled.“In light of the ongoing war in Ukraine, we don’t yet have a final date for the summit, but we are working closely with countries and international partners to advance commitments,” said a senior Biden administration official who was not authorized to comment publicly.As of this month, WHO said it had gotten only $1.8 billion of the $16.8 billion needed from donors to speed access to coronavirus vaccines, medicines and diagnostics.“Nobody else is stepping up to fill the void at the moment and the U.S. decision to suspend funding may lead other donor countries to act similarly,” said Dr. Krishna Udayakumar, director of Duke University’s Global Health Innovation Center.Keri Althoff, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, described the U.S. suspension of funding as “devastating.”“How could this possibly be what we’re debating right now?” she asked. “It’s a moral obligation to the rest of the world to continue to contribute to this global pandemic response, not only to protect ourselves but to protect people from around the world.”

Experts: US suspension of COVID aid will prolong pandemic

DOUGLAS COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 4p.m. Friday in Douglas County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 driven by Anthony M. Royal, 55, Mayetta, was south bound on Kansas 10 exiting to Bob Billings.&nbsp;

The driver failed to stop at the stop sign and struck an eastbound 2017 BMW X3 Series driven by John Thomas Kirby, 71, Lawrence.

EMS transported Kirby to Lawrence Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Royal was transported to Stormont Vail for treatment of serious injuries. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

DOUGLAS COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 4p.m. Friday in Douglas County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 driven by Anthony M. Royal, 55, Mayetta, was south bound on Kansas 10 exiting to Bob Billings.&nbsp;The driver failed to stop at the stop sign and struck an eastbound 2017 BMW X3 Series driven by John Thomas Kirby, 71, Lawrence.EMS transported Kirby to Lawrence Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Royal was transported to Stormont Vail for treatment of serious injuries. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dead, another injured after pickup, BMW crash

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City-area man has been charged with the Class A felony of Arson for setting a fire to a residence and as a result, a woman died, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Anthony D. Jordan, 48, faces Arson 1st Degree Causing Serious Physical Injury or Death.

According to court records, the fire occurred April 4 in the 700 block of SW 36th Terrace in Blue Springs. The building was separated into two apartments. As a result of the fire the occupant in one of the apartments suffered serious injuries and was listed in critical condition. 

The Central Jackson County Fire Protection District responded to the scene to investigate the fire and determined the fire originated in the other apartment and was intentionally set. 

A male occupant identified as Jordan was taken into custody at the scene. He&nbsp; told police that he poured lighter fluid in the basement of his apartment and set clothing on fire. He stated he was under the influence of alcohol when he started the fire. He said he set it because he was angry with his ex-girlfriend. The victim later died.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649413821087.png" alt="An investigation by the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District determined the fire originated in the other apartment and was intentionally set, court documents said. Photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>An investigation by the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District determined the fire originated in the other apartment and was intentionally set, court documents said. Photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City-area man has been charged with the Class A felony of Arson for setting a fire to a residence and as a result, a woman died, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Anthony D. Jordan, 48, faces Arson 1st Degree Causing Serious Physical Injury or Death.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649413846635.png" alt="Jordan-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Jordan-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>According to court records, the fire occurred April 4 in the 700 block of SW 36th Terrace in Blue Springs. The building was separated into two apartments. As a result of the fire the occupant in one of the apartments suffered serious injuries and was listed in critical condition. The Central Jackson County Fire Protection District responded to the scene to investigate the fire and determined the fire originated in the other apartment and was intentionally set. A male occupant identified as Jordan was taken into custody at the scene. He&nbsp; told police that he poured lighter fluid in the basement of his apartment and set clothing on fire. He stated he was under the influence of alcohol when he started the fire. He said he set it because he was angry with his ex-girlfriend. The victim later died.Jordan is being held on a $250,000 bond.

Man charged for setting fire in KC-area home that killed neighbor

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/nebraska-college-administrator-selected-president-of-pittsburg-state-university/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A Nebraska higher education administrator was chosen to 
serve as the 10th president of Pittsburg State University, the Kansas 
Board of Regents said Friday.

Daniel Shipp, with a doctorate in educational leadership from 
University of the Pacific, is vice chancellor for strategic initiatives 
at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and executive vice 
president and provost of the four-campus University of Nebraska system.

He replaces PSU president Steve Scott, who was appointed president of
 the southeast Kansas university in 2009. Scott has worked at the 
university for three decades and plans to retire in June.

“I am excited to join the Pittsburg State family and take on the role
 of president at this wonderful institution,” Shipp said in a statement.
 “I’m eager to meet the members of ‘Gorilla Nation’ and work alongside 
them to serve students, the city of Pittsburg and all of southeast 
Kansas.”

He said Scott created a “remarkable and enduring legacy” at Pittsburg
 State. It’s public university with about 6,000 students in the Kansas 
Board of Regents system.

Cheryl Harrison-Lee, chairwoman of the state Board of Regents, said 
Shipp had a proven track record of developing and implementing 
initiatives designed to drive student enrollment. Those initiatives 
included removal of barriers faced by underserved student populations, 
she said.

“He also brings extensive experience in helping students succeed in 
their academic careers and after graduation,” Harrison-Lee said.

Prior to his current job in Nebraska, Shipp was vice chancellor for 
student success at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and the University 
of Nebraska Medical Center. he also was vice chancellor for student 
affairs and enrollment management at University of Nebraska-Omaha.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from University of 
Nebraska-Lincoln, a master’s in education at University of 
Nebraska-Omaha and the education doctorate at University of the Pacific.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649444902028.png" alt="Daniel Shipp, a Nebraska higher education administrator, was selected Friday to serve as president of Pittsburg State University in southeast Kansas. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Pittsburg State University)" />
 <figcaption>Daniel Shipp, a Nebraska higher education administrator, was selected Friday to serve as president of Pittsburg State University in southeast Kansas. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Pittsburg State University)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/nebraska-college-administrator-selected-president-of-pittsburg-state-university/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A Nebraska higher education administrator was chosen to 
serve as the 10th president of Pittsburg State University, the Kansas 
Board of Regents said Friday.Daniel Shipp, with a doctorate in educational leadership from 
University of the Pacific, is vice chancellor for strategic initiatives 
at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and executive vice 
president and provost of the four-campus University of Nebraska system.He replaces PSU president Steve Scott, who was appointed president of
 the southeast Kansas university in 2009. Scott has worked at the 
university for three decades and plans to retire in June.“I am excited to join the Pittsburg State family and take on the role
 of president at this wonderful institution,” Shipp said in a statement.
 “I’m eager to meet the members of ‘Gorilla Nation’ and work alongside 
them to serve students, the city of Pittsburg and all of southeast 
Kansas.”He said Scott created a “remarkable and enduring legacy” at Pittsburg
 State. It’s public university with about 6,000 students in the Kansas 
Board of Regents system.Cheryl Harrison-Lee, chairwoman of the state Board of Regents, said 
Shipp had a proven track record of developing and implementing 
initiatives designed to drive student enrollment. Those initiatives 
included removal of barriers faced by underserved student populations, 
she said.“He also brings extensive experience in helping students succeed in 
their academic careers and after graduation,” Harrison-Lee said.Prior to his current job in Nebraska, Shipp was vice chancellor for 
student success at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and the University 
of Nebraska Medical Center. he also was vice chancellor for student 
affairs and enrollment management at University of Nebraska-Omaha.He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from University of 
Nebraska-Lincoln, a master’s in education at University of 
Nebraska-Omaha and the education doctorate at University of the Pacific.

Neb. college administrator named president of Pittsburg State

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged sex crimes.

Just before 12:30a.m. Friday,&nbsp; police located 22-year-old Marvin Gatewood of Junction City in the 1100 block of Moro St. in Manhattan.

Gatewood was known to have an active Geary County warrant for attempted rape, attempted aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated burglary, aggravated sexual battery, criminal restraint, and battery that held a $300,000 bond, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

Officers arrested Gatewood on the warrant. He is being held in Geary County, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649426919164.png" alt="Gatewood-photo Geary Co." />
 <figcaption>Gatewood-photo Geary Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged sex crimes.Just before 12:30a.m. Friday,&nbsp; police located 22-year-old Marvin Gatewood of Junction City in the 1100 block of Moro St. in Manhattan.Gatewood was known to have an active Geary County warrant for attempted rape, attempted aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated burglary, aggravated sexual battery, criminal restraint, and battery that held a $300,000 bond, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.Officers arrested Gatewood on the warrant. He is being held in Geary County, according to online jail records.

Man wanted for alleged sex crimes captured in Manhattan

Three years later, repairs of damage done by the
2019 Missouri River flood continue.

Navigation Restoration Manager for the Army Corps
of Engineers, Dane Morris, reports the Corps expects to receive $270 million to
complete repair of the levees broken and other infrastructure damaged by the
widespread flood.

“We have been awarding contracts and performing
repairs since the 2019 flood occurred,” Morris tells St. Joseph Post. “To
date, we have awarded over $78 million in contracts for repair of the BSNP
(Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project) navigation structures and we are
approximately 50% complete with those repairs right now.”

Morris says more than 7,000 structures along the
Missouri were damaged by the massive flooding in 2019. He says it will be
December of 2025 before all the damage is repaired, which he adds is typical, because
it takes five to six years to complete repairs following such widespread
flooding.

The Corps is also working with officials from
Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa to target perennially weak points along
the Missouri that flood frequently and consider changes to reduce the chances
of flooding.

Navigation along the Missouri River this year is
uncertain, affected by an odd two-punch problem.

The Army Corps of Engineers continues to repair
levees damaged by the 2019 flood even as it reduces water releases into the
river due to near-drought conditions upstream.

Morris says the Corps isn’t certain yet how
navigation on the Missouri River will be impacted this year.

“We are working closely with the navigation
industry,” Morris says. “We’re talking with them on a weekly basis to try to
understand what their need is, to understand where they’re going at any one
time so we will be ready to respond.”

Morris acknowledges the Corps doesn’t have much
certainty to provide barge operators, but pledges to keep everyone up-to-date
throughout the navigation season.

“That’s really our strategy for this year is just
keep up communication with the boats that are on the river so we know where
they are and we know where issues could arise and try to attack them before
they become an issue,” Morris says.

Morris says lower releases from upstream Missouri
River dams will lower the Missouri River. The Corps expects to be able to
maintain an eight-foot channel. Normal conditions allow the Corps to provide a
nine-foot channel for Missouri River traffic.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649436331517.jpeg" alt="Sandbags along the western bank of the Missouri River at Elwood in 2019/Photo courtesy of the Air National Guard" />
 <figcaption>Sandbags along the western bank of the Missouri River at Elwood in 2019/Photo courtesy of the Air National Guard</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostThree years later, repairs of damage done by the
2019 Missouri River flood continue.Navigation Restoration Manager for the Army Corps
of Engineers, Dane Morris, reports the Corps expects to receive $270 million to
complete repair of the levees broken and other infrastructure damaged by the
widespread flood.“We have been awarding contracts and performing
repairs since the 2019 flood occurred,” Morris tells St. Joseph Post. “To
date, we have awarded over $78 million in contracts for repair of the BSNP
(Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project) navigation structures and we are
approximately 50% complete with those repairs right now.”Morris says more than 7,000 structures along the
Missouri were damaged by the massive flooding in 2019. He says it will be
December of 2025 before all the damage is repaired, which he adds is typical, because
it takes five to six years to complete repairs following such widespread
flooding.The Corps is also working with officials from
Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa to target perennially weak points along
the Missouri that flood frequently and consider changes to reduce the chances
of flooding.Navigation along the Missouri River this year is
uncertain, affected by an odd two-punch problem.The Army Corps of Engineers continues to repair
levees damaged by the 2019 flood even as it reduces water releases into the
river due to near-drought conditions upstream.Morris says the Corps isn’t certain yet how
navigation on the Missouri River will be impacted this year.“We are working closely with the navigation
industry,” Morris says. “We’re talking with them on a weekly basis to try to
understand what their need is, to understand where they’re going at any one
time so we will be ready to respond.”Morris acknowledges the Corps doesn’t have much
certainty to provide barge operators, but pledges to keep everyone up-to-date
throughout the navigation season.“That’s really our strategy for this year is just
keep up communication with the boats that are on the river so we know where
they are and we know where issues could arise and try to attack them before
they become an issue,” Morris says.Morris says lower releases from upstream Missouri
River dams will lower the Missouri River. The Corps expects to be able to
maintain an eight-foot channel. Normal conditions allow the Corps to provide a
nine-foot channel for Missouri River traffic.

Repairs continue 3 years after Missouri River flood

ELLIS COUNTY —Hays High School was locked down briefly Friday afternoon after a report of a suspicious backpack in a classroom, according to a message sent to parents.

The district said law enforcement investigated and found no threat or danger to the school. Officials believe this to be an incident of&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swatting">swatting</a>.

A similar incident occurred at USD 407 in Russell. Just after 2:30 p.m. Friday, the City of Russell issued an alert to avoid the area surrounding Russell High School.

USD 407 Superintendent&nbsp;Shelly Swayne said the school had been put on lockdown after an anonymous threat was called in.

The 911 call indicated there was a suspicious black bag in room 50, Swayne said.

However, Russell High School does not have a room 50.

"We are going through our safety protocols to ensure the safety of our students and our community," Swayne said.

"All kids and staff are safe at this time," she said.

ELLIS COUNTY —Hays High School was locked down briefly Friday afternoon after a report of a suspicious backpack in a classroom, according to a message sent to parents.The district said law enforcement investigated and found no threat or danger to the school. Officials believe this to be an incident of&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swatting">swatting</a>.Classes dismissed at normal times.&nbsp;A similar incident occurred at USD 407 in Russell. Just after 2:30 p.m. Friday, the City of Russell issued an alert to avoid the area surrounding Russell High School.USD 407 Superintendent&nbsp;Shelly Swayne said the school had been put on lockdown after an anonymous threat was called in.The 911 call indicated there was a suspicious black bag in room 50, Swayne said.However, Russell High School does not have a room 50."We are going through our safety protocols to ensure the safety of our students and our community," Swayne said."All kids and staff are safe at this time," she said.

Schools in Hays, Russell locked down; no threats found

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A fire erupted early Friday at a Kansas City apartment building, sending nine children and six adults to the hospital, authorities say.

The Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department said the top two floor of the three-story building were ablaze when crews arrived around 12:30 a.m. KSHB-TV&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/nine-children-six-adults-taken-to-the-hospital-after-apartment-fire">reports</a>&nbsp;that crews used ladders to reach the residents.

Two of the children who were rescued are in critical condition and five adults have serious injuries, officials said.

It took five fire chiefs, four pumper trucks, one rescue truck, three aerial trucks and 10 ambulances to bring the scene under control. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The fire department said one person went back into the building and barricaded themselves inside. They had to be forcibly removed and were taken into custody for going into a secured scene against police orders.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649440764296.png" alt="It took five fire chiefs, four pumper trucks, one rescue truck, three aerial trucks and 10 ambulances to bring the scene under control. The cause of the fire is under investigation-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>It took five fire chiefs, four pumper trucks, one rescue truck, three aerial trucks and 10 ambulances to bring the scene under control. The cause of the fire is under investigation-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A fire erupted early Friday at a Kansas City apartment building, sending nine children and six adults to the hospital, authorities say.The Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department said the top two floor of the three-story building were ablaze when crews arrived around 12:30 a.m. KSHB-TV&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/nine-children-six-adults-taken-to-the-hospital-after-apartment-fire">reports</a>&nbsp;that crews used ladders to reach the residents.Two of the children who were rescued are in critical condition and five adults have serious injuries, officials said.It took five fire chiefs, four pumper trucks, one rescue truck, three aerial trucks and 10 ambulances to bring the scene under control. The cause of the fire is under investigation.The fire department said one person went back into the building and barricaded themselves inside. They had to be forcibly removed and were taken into custody for going into a secured scene against police orders.

9 children hospitalized after Kansas City apartment fire

WASHINGTON (AP) — A sweeping overhaul of the U.S. Postal Service meant to shore up the popular but beleaguered agency’s financial future and cement six-days-a-week mail delivery was signed into law Wednesday by President Joe Biden.

The legislation cleared Congress last month after fully a dozen years of discussion that took on a new sense of urgency amid widespread complaints about mail service delays. Officials had repeatedly warned that without congressional action, the Postal Service would run out of cash by 2024.

“The Postal Service is central to our economy and essential to rural America,” Biden said. He added that mailmen and women deliver 4 million prescriptions per day, along with letters, consumer goods and even live animals, “often to parts of the country that private carriers can’t or won’t or aren’t required to reach.”

The final legislation achieved rare, bipartisan support by scrapping some of the more controversial proposals and settling on core ways to save the service. Delivering the mail is among the most popular things the government does, with 91% of Americans having a favorable opinion of the Postal Service, according to a Pew Research Center poll released in 2020.

The bill signing came the same day the Postal Service announced it plans to raise rates effective July 10. Under the proposal submitted to the Postal Regulatory Commission, the cost of a first-class Forever stamp would increase by 2 cents to 60 cents.

The Postal Service said the increase, which is less than the annual rate of inflation, will help the agency implement Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s 10-year plan to stabilize agency finances.

Lawmakers from both parties attended the signing ceremony and the mood was jovial, a big improvement from Kansas Republican Sen. Jerry Moran previously saying the service was in a “death spiral” that was particularly hard on rural Americans.

The Postal Service Reform Act lifts budget requirements that have contributed to the agency’s red ink, and spells out that mail must be delivered six days a week, except for federal holidays, natural disasters and some other situations.

Postage sales and other services were supposed to sustain the Postal Service, but it has suffered 14 straight years of losses. Growing worker compensation and benefit costs, plus steady declines in mail volume, have exacerbated losses, even as the service delivers to 1 million additional locations every year.

The new law ends a requirement that the Postal Service finance workers’ health care benefits ahead of time for the next 75 years — an obligation that private companies and federal agencies do not face. Biden said that rule had “stretched the Postal Service’s finances almost to the breaking point.”

Now, future retirees will enroll in Medicare, while other health plans and the Postal Service cover only current retirees’ actual health care costs that aren’t paid for by the federal health insurance program for older people,

“In recent years we saw how unfair policies forced this treasured institution to cut costs and delayed the delivery of medication, financial documents and other critical mail,” Michigan Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, who helped write the legislation, said in a statement. “These long overdue reforms will undo these burdensome financial requirements.”

To measure the agency’s progress in improving its service, the law requires it to set up an online dashboard that would be searchable by ZIP code to show how long it takes to deliver letters and packages.

Dropped from the package as it neared actual legislation were efforts to cut back mail delivery. Also set aside — for now — were other proposals that have been floated over the years to change operations, including to privatize some services.

Criticism of the Postal Service peaked in 2020, amid the COVID-19 crisis and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-elections-us-news-ap-top-news-postal-service-d52e51e5392d2f4d32a56a2060446847">ahead of the presidential election</a>, as cutbacks delayed service at a time when millions of Americans were relying on mail-in ballots during the pandemic. Then-President Donald Trump acknowledged he was trying to financially pinch the service to limit its processing ability for an expected surge of mail-in ballots, which he worried could cost him the election he eventually lost.

Dominated by Trump appointees, the agency’s board of governors had tapped&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-health-coronavirus-pandemic-election-2020-business-c89012efd497def7e2a896e9dfb3f552">DeJoy, a major GOP donor</a>, as postmaster general. He proposed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-louis-dejoy-f8052b959746800b11fdc2992f0fdc91">10-year plan</a>&nbsp;to stabilize the service’s finances with steps like additional mail slowdowns, cuts in some offices’ hours and perhaps higher rates.

Biden said Wednesday that more needs to be done to reform the Postal Service, including investing in an electrified vehicle fleet that could save money while helping combat climate change. The House Committee on Oversight and Reform&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-postal-service-electric-vehicles-environment-559e01de44123d779a69e277609f231d">is examining a Postal Service contract to replace its huge fleet of mail-delivery trucks with a mix of gas and electric vehicles</a>, which the Environmental Protection Agency and Democratic lawmakers argue has too few electric vehicles.

“Today we enshrine into law our recognition that the Postal Service is fundamental to our economy, to our democracy, to our health and the very sense of who we are as a nation,” Biden said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649344226702.png" alt="“The Postal Service is central to our economy and essential to rural America,” Biden said.-photo courtesy White House&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>“The Postal Service is central to our economy and essential to rural America,” Biden said.-photo courtesy White House&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A sweeping overhaul of the U.S. Postal Service meant to shore up the popular but beleaguered agency’s financial future and cement six-days-a-week mail delivery was signed into law Wednesday by President Joe Biden.The legislation cleared Congress last month after fully a dozen years of discussion that took on a new sense of urgency amid widespread complaints about mail service delays. Officials had repeatedly warned that without congressional action, the Postal Service would run out of cash by 2024.“The Postal Service is central to our economy and essential to rural America,” Biden said. He added that mailmen and women deliver 4 million prescriptions per day, along with letters, consumer goods and even live animals, “often to parts of the country that private carriers can’t or won’t or aren’t required to reach.”The final legislation achieved rare, bipartisan support by scrapping some of the more controversial proposals and settling on core ways to save the service. Delivering the mail is among the most popular things the government does, with 91% of Americans having a favorable opinion of the Postal Service, according to a Pew Research Center poll released in 2020.The bill signing came the same day the Postal Service announced it plans to raise rates effective July 10. Under the proposal submitted to the Postal Regulatory Commission, the cost of a first-class Forever stamp would increase by 2 cents to 60 cents.The Postal Service said the increase, which is less than the annual rate of inflation, will help the agency implement Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s 10-year plan to stabilize agency finances.Lawmakers from both parties attended the signing ceremony and the mood was jovial, a big improvement from Kansas Republican Sen. Jerry Moran previously saying the service was in a “death spiral” that was particularly hard on rural Americans.The Postal Service Reform Act lifts budget requirements that have contributed to the agency’s red ink, and spells out that mail must be delivered six days a week, except for federal holidays, natural disasters and some other situations.Postage sales and other services were supposed to sustain the Postal Service, but it has suffered 14 straight years of losses. Growing worker compensation and benefit costs, plus steady declines in mail volume, have exacerbated losses, even as the service delivers to 1 million additional locations every year.The new law ends a requirement that the Postal Service finance workers’ health care benefits ahead of time for the next 75 years — an obligation that private companies and federal agencies do not face. Biden said that rule had “stretched the Postal Service’s finances almost to the breaking point.”Now, future retirees will enroll in Medicare, while other health plans and the Postal Service cover only current retirees’ actual health care costs that aren’t paid for by the federal health insurance program for older people,“In recent years we saw how unfair policies forced this treasured institution to cut costs and delayed the delivery of medication, financial documents and other critical mail,” Michigan Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, who helped write the legislation, said in a statement. “These long overdue reforms will undo these burdensome financial requirements.”To measure the agency’s progress in improving its service, the law requires it to set up an online dashboard that would be searchable by ZIP code to show how long it takes to deliver letters and packages.Dropped from the package as it neared actual legislation were efforts to cut back mail delivery. Also set aside — for now — were other proposals that have been floated over the years to change operations, including to privatize some services.Criticism of the Postal Service peaked in 2020, amid the COVID-19 crisis and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-elections-us-news-ap-top-news-postal-service-d52e51e5392d2f4d32a56a2060446847">ahead of the presidential election</a>, as cutbacks delayed service at a time when millions of Americans were relying on mail-in ballots during the pandemic. Then-President Donald Trump acknowledged he was trying to financially pinch the service to limit its processing ability for an expected surge of mail-in ballots, which he worried could cost him the election he eventually lost.Dominated by Trump appointees, the agency’s board of governors had tapped&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-health-coronavirus-pandemic-election-2020-business-c89012efd497def7e2a896e9dfb3f552">DeJoy, a major GOP donor</a>, as postmaster general. He proposed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-louis-dejoy-f8052b959746800b11fdc2992f0fdc91">10-year plan</a>&nbsp;to stabilize the service’s finances with steps like additional mail slowdowns, cuts in some offices’ hours and perhaps higher rates.Biden said Wednesday that more needs to be done to reform the Postal Service, including investing in an electrified vehicle fleet that could save money while helping combat climate change. The House Committee on Oversight and Reform&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-postal-service-electric-vehicles-environment-559e01de44123d779a69e277609f231d">is examining a Postal Service contract to replace its huge fleet of mail-delivery trucks with a mix of gas and electric vehicles</a>, which the Environmental Protection Agency and Democratic lawmakers argue has too few electric vehicles.“Today we enshrine into law our recognition that the Postal Service is fundamental to our economy, to our democracy, to our health and the very sense of who we are as a nation,” Biden said.

6-days-a-week mail delivery to continue, rates going up

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Health reported 7</a>02 new coronavirus cases in Kansas since Friday April 1, for a total of 770,997 cases.

The state reported 104 additional COVID-19 deaths in the past week for a total of 8,501.

<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 planning fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly is formally declaring that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.

The state will continue to support access to free COVID-19 testing, work 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 Friday.

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Health reported 7</a>02 new coronavirus cases in Kansas since Friday April 1, for a total of 770,997 cases.The state reported 104 additional COVID-19 deaths in the past week for a total of 8,501.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649437779401.png" alt="Friday April 8, 2022 -KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Friday April 8, 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 planning fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly is formally declaring that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.The state will continue to support access to free COVID-19 testing, work 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 Friday.

KDHE reports 104 additional COVID deaths in past 7 days

The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating a fatality crash that occurred on Highway 283 Thursday afternoon, during response to the large fire southeast of Elwood. Both vehicles involved were assisting in the fire response, according a media release from the agency.

The crash occurred at approximately 5:10 p.m., when a Ford Expedition, driven by Phelps County Emergency Manager Justin Norris, with passenger Darren Krull, Chief of the Elwood Volunteer Fire Department, was struck head on by a truck hauling water, approximately eight miles north of Arapahoe on Highway 283.

Chief Krull, 54, of Elwood, passed away at the scene. Norris, 40, of Holdrege, was transported to the hospital in Cambridge with life-threatening injuries. He was then transferred to Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney in stable condition. He has since been transferred to a hospital in Omaha. He remains in stable condition as of this morning.

The driver of the water truck, Andries Van Aswegan, 28, of Arapahoe, was not injured in the crash. The fire and smoke in the area had created zero-visibility conditions on the roadway at the time of the crash.

“Our hearts are with all involved in this tragic crash, as well as those affected by the fire,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “Please keep the firefighters, farmers, emergency managers, law enforcement officers, volunteers, and all others involved in this fire response in your thoughts today.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649437181050.png" alt="Fire Chief Darren Krull courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Fire Chief Darren Krull courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating a fatality crash that occurred on Highway 283 Thursday afternoon, during response to the large fire southeast of Elwood. Both vehicles involved were assisting in the fire response, according a media release from the agency.Elwood is on U.S. 283 north of Norton.The crash occurred at approximately 5:10 p.m., when a Ford Expedition, driven by Phelps County Emergency Manager Justin Norris, with passenger Darren Krull, Chief of the Elwood Volunteer Fire Department, was struck head on by a truck hauling water, approximately eight miles north of Arapahoe on Highway 283.Chief Krull, 54, of Elwood, passed away at the scene. Norris, 40, of Holdrege, was transported to the hospital in Cambridge with life-threatening injuries. He was then transferred to Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney in stable condition. He has since been transferred to a hospital in Omaha. He remains in stable condition as of this morning.The driver of the water truck, Andries Van Aswegan, 28, of Arapahoe, was not injured in the crash. The fire and smoke in the area had created zero-visibility conditions on the roadway at the time of the crash.“Our hearts are with all involved in this tragic crash, as well as those affected by the fire,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “Please keep the firefighters, farmers, emergency managers, law enforcement officers, volunteers, and all others involved in this fire response in your thoughts today.”The crash remains under investigation.

Nebraska fire chief killed in crash responding to wildfire

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating after 3 adults were found dead in a&nbsp; home in Overland Park have identified the victims as 71-year-old Jonnie Hill, 64-year-old Susan Hill and 34-year-old Desiree Hill all of Overland Park.

Just after 10a.m. Thursday, police responded to a home for a welfare check in the 9100 Block of Nieman, according to a media release.

At the scene, officers met with the caller, a family member, who was attempting to contact a member of her family inside the residence.

Upon entry into the home, police found three adults and a family pet deceased.&nbsp; Police say they are investigating this as a possible homicide, suicide.

Authorities released no additional details Friday morning.&nbsp;

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating after 3 adults were found dead in a&nbsp; home in Overland Park.

Authorities released no additional details Thursday afternoon.

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating after 3 adults were found dead in a&nbsp; home in Overland Park have identified the victims as 71-year-old Jonnie Hill, 64-year-old Susan Hill and 34-year-old Desiree Hill all of Overland Park.Just after 10a.m. Thursday, police responded to a home for a welfare check in the 9100 Block of Nieman, according to a media release.At the scene, officers met with the caller, a family member, who was attempting to contact a member of her family inside the residence.Upon entry into the home, police found three adults and a family pet deceased.&nbsp; Police say they are investigating this as a possible homicide, suicide.Authorities released no additional details Friday morning.&nbsp;--------JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating after 3 adults were found dead in a&nbsp; home in Overland Park.Just after 10a.m. Thursday, police responded to a home for a welfare check in the 9100 Block of Nieman, according to a media release.At the scene, officers met with the caller, a family member, who was attempting to contact a member of her family inside the residence.Upon entry into the home, police found three adults and a family pet deceased.&nbsp; Police say they are investigating this as a possible homicide, suicide.Authorities released no additional details Thursday afternoon.