TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly on Wednesday signed legislation rewriting Kansas laws for managing the coronavirus pandemic and future emergencies even though she believes it could hinder disaster response efforts.

Kelly’s action on the measure approved last week by the Republican-controlled Legislature came only hours after the county commission in the state’s second-most populous county ended all remaining COVID-19 restrictions. Sedgwick County commissioners had said the measure Kelly signed essentially strips them of their power to impose restrictions by making it likely that the county would lose lawsuits from residents who feel aggrieved.

The Legislature also gave final approval Wednesday to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/sb63_02_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a bill</a>&nbsp;that would require all public schools to offer all students full-time, in-person classes by March 31, through the end of the current school year. It’s largely symbolic because only a handful of the state’s 286 local school districts didn’t plan to have a majority of students returning full-time to their buildings by then, according to the State Department of Education.

Republican lawmakers have criticized Kelly throughout the pandemic. They have suggested she overreacted by imposing a statewide stay-at-home order for five weeks last spring and closing all K-12 buildings from mid-March 2020 until the end of that semester.

They forced her last year to accept county control over mask mandates and restrictions on businesses and public gatherings to keep a state of emergency in effect. The measure Kelly signed Wednesday takes effect within a week and extends that state of emergency until May 28, instead of expiring March 31— a point she cited in a statement announcing her action.

“This bipartisan compromise will extend the state of disaster emergency that allows us to provide hospitals with PPE, support food banks and pantries, and otherwise respond to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Kelly said.

Kelly added that parts of the measure “could complicate our emergency response efforts,” without being more specific in her statement.

The changes apply both to the coronavirus pandemic and to future emergencies. The measure preserves the control granted to counties last year over restrictions, though it prevents appointed local health officers from imposing the rules, leaving decisions to elected county commissioners.

Kelly signed the measure as Kansas faced a glitch in its efforts to distribute COVID-19 vaccines more broadly. The state health department said problems with production of a single-shot Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine will result in Kansas getting only 16,500 doses next week, instead of the 100,000 initially expected.

Meanwhile, the Sedgwick County Commission voted 3-2 along party lines to end the mask mandate and other restrictions, with Republicans backing the move and Democrats opposing it,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article250171570.html" target="_blank">The Wichita Eagle reports.</a>

Commissioners said earlier this week that the measure signed by Kelly tips court challenges against restrictions in favor of the challengers while potentially clogging the courts with cases by requiring each case to be heard within 72 hours.

The push to require all schools to offer in-person classes came from state Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican. GOP lawmakers said children have suffered academically and emotionally in online classes.

Many Democrats decried taking the decision away from local school boards, but Kelly’s office indicated that she would sign it. Governor spokesperson Lauren Fitzgerald said its mandate was possible because of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-immunizations-coronavirus-pandemic-power-outages-7ed16c2550a84b0290cef1684ae3e0de">push launched by Kelly</a>&nbsp;last month to ensure that any teacher wanting inoculations got them.

The measure would apply only to the current school year. The emergency management changes Kelly signed into law leave future decisions on closing K-12 buildings during emergencies or after disasters to local school boards.

The Senate approved the schools reopening bill&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210324161014_884631/" target="_blank">28-11,</a>&nbsp;with no Democrats voting for it, after the House&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210323112019_665068/" target="_blank">passed it</a>&nbsp;Tuesday.

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly has signed a bill to ensure Kansas can continue providing communities with resources and support critical to the state’s COVID-19 response and recovery efforts.&nbsp;

Among other provisions, Senate Bill 40 modifies the procedure for the declaration and extension of a state disaster emergency under the Kansas Emergency Management Act, and extends the current disaster declaration to May 28, 2021.

“This bipartisan compromise will extend the State of Disaster Emergency that allows us to provide hospitals with PPE, support food banks and pantries, and otherwise respond to the COVID-19 pandemic,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;“The bill includes provisions that I do not support and that could complicate our emergency response efforts. But I will continue to work with legislators and local leaders to keep Kansans safe and healthy during this pandemic.”

Several executive orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic were set to expire on March 31 in conjunction with the expiration of the state of disaster emergency. Senate Bill 40 includes a provision that revokes all current executive orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Governor retains the authority to re-issue orders under the new process imposed by the bill.

On April 1, the Governor will re-issue the following orders, which will remain in effect until rescinded or until the statewide state of disaster emergency expires, whichever is earlier:

The following orders will not be re-issued and therefore allowed to expire:

Kansas governor signs rewrite of pandemic management laws

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has tapped Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the White House effort to tackle the migration challenge at the U.S. southern border.

Biden made the announcement as he and Harris met at the White House on Wednesday with Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandra Mayorkas and other immigration advisers to discuss the increase in migrants, including many unaccompanied minors, arriving at the border in recent weeks.

In delegating the matter to Harris, Biden is seeking to replicate a dynamic that played out when he served as President Barack Obama’s vice president. Obama turned to Biden early in his first term to lead the White House effort to draw down U.S. troops in the intractable war in Iraq.

“When she speaks, she speaks for me,” Biden said, noting her past work as California’s attorney general makes her specially equipped to lead the administration’s response.

Biden is hoping to show Americans he’s taking the border situation seriously after facing stiff criticism from Republicans as the flow of migrants has increased since he took office in January. The growing humanitarian and political challenge at the U.S.-Mexico border threatens to overshadow the administration’s ambitious legislative agenda.

But the high-profile assignment for Harris, who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 and is expected to run for the White House again in the future, could be politically fraught.

To that end, Biden teased in his comments that he was saddling her with a “tough job.”

“Needless to say, the work will not be easy,” Harris said about her new assignment. “But it is important work.”

Harris is tasked with overseeing diplomatic efforts to deal with issues spurring migration in the Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, as well as pressing them to strengthen enforcement on their own borders, administration officials said. More broadly, though, she’s tasked with implementing a long-term strategy that gets at the root causes of migration from those countries.

She will work closely with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the yet-to-be confirmed U.S. Agency for International Development administrator Samantha Powers, and Ricardo Zúñiga, special envoy to the Northern Triangle countries.

Biden made the announcement as a delegation of White House officials and members of Congress was traveling to the southern border on Wednesday to tour a facility in Carrizo Springs, Texas, being used to house migrant children.

More than 750 teenagers are being held at Carrizo Springs. Like other facilities operated by the Health and Human Services Department, it includes a small group of children who have tested positive for COVID-19, potentially having contracted the virus in Border Patrol custody. They are placed in isolation.

The Biden administration has in recent weeks moved to open more than 10,000 new beds across the Southwest in convention centers and former oilfield camps. It notified Congress on Wednesday that it will open a new 3,000-person facility in San Antonio and a 1,400-person site at the San Diego convention center. HHS is also opening a second site in Carrizo Springs and exploring housing teenagers at military bases in San Antonio and El Paso, Texas.

But the U.S. is exhausting capacity almost as quickly as it can add it. A week after opening, the convention center in downtown Dallas is at nearly 2,000 teenagers, just shy of its 2,300-bed capacity. Experts on child welfare say HHS must release children more quickly, particularly the estimated 40% of children in custody who have a parent in the U.S. ready to take them.

The White House was limiting media access on Wednesday’s tour, keeping it to just one TV crew.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday that the White House was “committed to transparency and we’ll continue to work with agencies on creating avenues for media access to and visibility into these facilities.”

Still, questions have grown about a lack of transparency at the border as the administration has stymied most efforts by outsiders to see and document the conditions. A Democratic lawmaker released photos earlier this week to show conditions at the facility and to display the extreme challenges that border agents face in watching so many children, sometimes for a week or longer despite the Border Patrol’s three-day limit on detaining minors.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who is leading a separate delegation of GOP senators to the border later this week, decried what he said was a “crisis” at the border and the lack of press access as a “muzzling” of the media by the Democratic administration.

“Joe Biden doesn’t want you to see,” Cruz told reporters at the Capitol.

Located at a converted “man camp” for oilfield workers, the Carrizo Springs site first opened to migrant teenagers briefly in 2019 during the last sharp rise in border crossings. The Biden administration re-opened it in February. It has long, narrow dormitories and classrooms set up in trailers, with a large tent that serves as a dining hall.

Officials are trying to build up capacity to care for some 14,000 migrants now in federal custody — and more likely on the way.

Since Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20, the U.S. has seen a dramatic spike in the number of people encountered by border officials. There were 18,945 family members and 9,297 unaccompanied children encountered in February — an increase of 168% and 63%, respectively, from the month before, according to the Pew Research Center. That creates an enormous logistical challenge because children, in particular, require higher standards of care and coordination across agencies.

Among the reasons for the increase: thousands of Central American migrants already stuck at the border for months and the persistent scourge of gang violence afflicting Northern Triangle countries.

Still, the encounters of both unaccompanied minors and families are lower than they were at various points during the Trump administration, including in spring 2019.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616614375099.png" alt="President Joe Biden speaks with Vice President Kamala Harris about the southern border during a meeting in the State Dining Room on Wednesday -photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden speaks with Vice President Kamala Harris about the southern border during a meeting in the State Dining Room on Wednesday -photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has tapped Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the White House effort to tackle the migration challenge at the U.S. southern border.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Let me get this straight... Just this week <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KamalaHarris</a> was laughing at the southern border crisis and now she has been tapped to lead the response...? <a href="https://t.co/QUSsp6tAuC">https://t.co/QUSsp6tAuC</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1374825584958844934?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden made the announcement as he and Harris met at the White House on Wednesday with Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandra Mayorkas and other immigration advisers to discuss the increase in migrants, including many unaccompanied minors, arriving at the border in recent weeks.In delegating the matter to Harris, Biden is seeking to replicate a dynamic that played out when he served as President Barack Obama’s vice president. Obama turned to Biden early in his first term to lead the White House effort to draw down U.S. troops in the intractable war in Iraq.“When she speaks, she speaks for me,” Biden said, noting her past work as California’s attorney general makes her specially equipped to lead the administration’s response.Biden is hoping to show Americans he’s taking the border situation seriously after facing stiff criticism from Republicans as the flow of migrants has increased since he took office in January. The growing humanitarian and political challenge at the U.S.-Mexico border threatens to overshadow the administration’s ambitious legislative agenda.But the high-profile assignment for Harris, who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 and is expected to run for the White House again in the future, could be politically fraught.To that end, Biden teased in his comments that he was saddling her with a “tough job.”“Needless to say, the work will not be easy,” Harris said about her new assignment. “But it is important work.”Harris is tasked with overseeing diplomatic efforts to deal with issues spurring migration in the Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, as well as pressing them to strengthen enforcement on their own borders, administration officials said. More broadly, though, she’s tasked with implementing a long-term strategy that gets at the root causes of migration from those countries.She will work closely with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the yet-to-be confirmed U.S. Agency for International Development administrator Samantha Powers, and Ricardo Zúñiga, special envoy to the Northern Triangle countries.Biden made the announcement as a delegation of White House officials and members of Congress was traveling to the southern border on Wednesday to tour a facility in Carrizo Springs, Texas, being used to house migrant children.More than 750 teenagers are being held at Carrizo Springs. Like other facilities operated by the Health and Human Services Department, it includes a small group of children who have tested positive for COVID-19, potentially having contracted the virus in Border Patrol custody. They are placed in isolation.The Biden administration has in recent weeks moved to open more than 10,000 new beds across the Southwest in convention centers and former oilfield camps. It notified Congress on Wednesday that it will open a new 3,000-person facility in San Antonio and a 1,400-person site at the San Diego convention center. HHS is also opening a second site in Carrizo Springs and exploring housing teenagers at military bases in San Antonio and El Paso, Texas.But the U.S. is exhausting capacity almost as quickly as it can add it. A week after opening, the convention center in downtown Dallas is at nearly 2,000 teenagers, just shy of its 2,300-bed capacity. Experts on child welfare say HHS must release children more quickly, particularly the estimated 40% of children in custody who have a parent in the U.S. ready to take them.The White House was limiting media access on Wednesday’s tour, keeping it to just one TV crew.White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday that the White House was “committed to transparency and we’ll continue to work with agencies on creating avenues for media access to and visibility into these facilities.”Still, questions have grown about a lack of transparency at the border as the administration has stymied most efforts by outsiders to see and document the conditions. A Democratic lawmaker released photos earlier this week to show conditions at the facility and to display the extreme challenges that border agents face in watching so many children, sometimes for a week or longer despite the Border Patrol’s three-day limit on detaining minors.Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who is leading a separate delegation of GOP senators to the border later this week, decried what he said was a “crisis” at the border and the lack of press access as a “muzzling” of the media by the Democratic administration.“Joe Biden doesn’t want you to see,” Cruz told reporters at the Capitol.Located at a converted “man camp” for oilfield workers, the Carrizo Springs site first opened to migrant teenagers briefly in 2019 during the last sharp rise in border crossings. The Biden administration re-opened it in February. It has long, narrow dormitories and classrooms set up in trailers, with a large tent that serves as a dining hall.Officials are trying to build up capacity to care for some 14,000 migrants now in federal custody — and more likely on the way.Since Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20, the U.S. has seen a dramatic spike in the number of people encountered by border officials. There were 18,945 family members and 9,297 unaccompanied children encountered in February — an increase of 168% and 63%, respectively, from the month before, according to the Pew Research Center. That creates an enormous logistical challenge because children, in particular, require higher standards of care and coordination across agencies.Among the reasons for the increase: thousands of Central American migrants already stuck at the border for months and the persistent scourge of gang violence afflicting Northern Triangle countries.Still, the encounters of both unaccompanied minors and families are lower than they were at various points during the Trump administration, including in spring 2019.___

Kan. senator critical of vice president as border enforcer

WASHINGTON — Today, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department
 of the Treasury and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service announced they are
 disbursing approximately 37 million payments in the second batch of 
Economic Impact Payments from the American Rescue Plan. This brings the 
total disbursed payments from the American Rescue Plan to approximately 
127 million payments worth approximately $325 billion.

As <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0055">announced</a> on March 12, Economic Impact Payments will continue to roll out in batches to millions of Americans in the coming weeks.

The second batch of payments includes direct deposits, as well as 
paper checks and debit cards being sent through the mail. Here is 
additional information on the second batch of payments:

As <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0063">announced</a>
 last week, the first batch of payments was mostly sent by direct 
deposit. Here is additional information on the first batch of payments:

Additional batches of payments will be sent in the coming weeks 
as direct deposits and through the mail as paper checks or debit cards. 
The vast majority of all Economic Impact Payments will be issued by 
direct deposit. No action is needed by most taxpayers.

Many federal beneficiaries who filed 2019 or 2020 returns or used the
 Non-Filers tool were included in these first two batches of payments, 
if eligible.&nbsp;For federal beneficiaries who did not file a 2019 or 2020 
tax return or did not use the Non-Filers tool, the IRS is working 
directly with the Social Security Administration, the Railroad 
Retirement Board, and the Veterans Administration to obtain updated 2021
 information to ensure that as many people as possible are sent fast, 
automatic payments. More information about when these payments will be 
made will be provided on IRS. gov as soon as it becomes available.

Individuals can check the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment">Get My Payment</a>&nbsp;tool on IRS.gov to see the payment status of these payments. Additional information on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments">Economic Impact Payments</a> is available on IRS.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — Today, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department
 of the Treasury and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service announced they are
 disbursing approximately 37 million payments in the second batch of 
Economic Impact Payments from the American Rescue Plan. This brings the 
total disbursed payments from the American Rescue Plan to approximately 
127 million payments worth approximately $325 billion.As <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0055">announced</a> on March 12, Economic Impact Payments will continue to roll out in batches to millions of Americans in the coming weeks.The second batch of payments includes direct deposits, as well as 
paper checks and debit cards being sent through the mail. Here is 
additional information on the second batch of payments:<ul>
 <li>Like the first batch of payments, the payments announced today 
primarily were sent to eligible taxpayers who filed 2019 or 2020 
returns. People who don't typically file a return but who successfully 
used the Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov last year were sent payments in this
 batch.</li><li>In total, this second batch includes approximately 37 million payments, with a total value of nearly $83 billion.</li><li>As part of that, this batch of payments includes approximately 17 
million direct deposit payments, with a total value of more than $38 
billion. These payments began processing on Friday, March 19, and some 
Americans saw the direct deposit payments as pending or as provisional 
payments in their accounts before today's official payment date.</li><li>In addition, this batch of payments includes nearly 15 million 
paper checks (with a total value of nearly $34 billion) and 
approximately 5 million prepaid debit cards (with a total value of 
around $11 billion).</li><li>Paper checks and debit cards – known as EIP cards –began processing
 on Friday, March 19, and will continue to be sent by mail over the next
 few weeks.</li>
 </ul>As <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0063">announced</a>
 last week, the first batch of payments was mostly sent by direct 
deposit. Here is additional information on the first batch of payments:<ul>
 <li>The first batch of payments began processing on Friday, March 
12, and some Americans saw the direct deposit payments as pending or as 
provisional payments in their accounts before the official payment date 
of March 17.</li><li>The first batch of payments primarily was sent to eligible 
taxpayers who provided direct deposit information on their 2019 or 2020 
returns, including people who don't typically file a return but who 
successfully used the Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov last year.</li><li>In total, the first batch included approximately 90 million payments, with a total value of more than $242 billion.</li><li>The use of direct deposit to issue these payments means that they 
were disbursed remarkably faster than would otherwise be possible.</li><li>While most payments were disbursed by direct deposit, Treasury mailed roughly 150,000 checks worth approximately $442 million.</li>
 </ul>Additional batches of payments will be sent in the coming weeks 
as direct deposits and through the mail as paper checks or debit cards. 
The vast majority of all Economic Impact Payments will be issued by 
direct deposit. No action is needed by most taxpayers.Many federal beneficiaries who filed 2019 or 2020 returns or used the
 Non-Filers tool were included in these first two batches of payments, 
if eligible.&nbsp;For federal beneficiaries who did not file a 2019 or 2020 
tax return or did not use the Non-Filers tool, the IRS is working 
directly with the Social Security Administration, the Railroad 
Retirement Board, and the Veterans Administration to obtain updated 2021
 information to ensure that as many people as possible are sent fast, 
automatic payments. More information about when these payments will be 
made will be provided on IRS. gov as soon as it becomes available.Individuals can check the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment">Get My Payment</a>&nbsp;tool on IRS.gov to see the payment status of these payments. Additional information on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments">Economic Impact Payments</a> is available on IRS.gov.

IRS: Second batch of COVID stimulus payments sent to 37M

KANSAS CITY - The FBI announced a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the recovery of national treasures stolen 43 years ago from the Truman Presidential Library located at 500 W. US Hwy 24, Independence, Missouri.

On March 24, 1978, around 6:30 a.m. a car pulled up near the south gate of the library. Two suspects, believed to be aware of the library’s security procedures, broke into the library and smashed a display case in the lobby.

The display case contained three ceremonial swords and two daggers that had been given to President Truman by the Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Saud and the Shah of Iran. 

The theft took just minutes and the suspects fled the building through a window. The items stolen were valued between $700,000 and $1,000,000 in 1978 value.

The FBI is renewing this investigative effort and is seeking the public’s assistance for any information pertaining to the theft or whereabouts of these stolen national treasures. 

Anyone with information should contact the FBI Kansas City office directly at (816) 512-8200 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616608765817.png" alt="The display case after the burglary-photo FBI" />
 <figcaption>The display case after the burglary-photo FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY - The FBI announced a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the recovery of national treasures stolen 43 years ago from the Truman Presidential Library located at 500 W. US Hwy 24, Independence, Missouri.On March 24, 1978, around 6:30 a.m. a car pulled up near the south gate of the library. Two suspects, believed to be aware of the library’s security procedures, broke into the library and smashed a display case in the lobby.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616608784623.png" alt="The display case contained three ceremonial swords-photo FBI" />
 <figcaption>The display case contained three ceremonial swords-photo FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>The display case contained three ceremonial swords and two daggers that had been given to President Truman by the Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Saud and the Shah of Iran. The theft took just minutes and the suspects fled the building through a window. The items stolen were valued between $700,000 and $1,000,000 in 1978 value.The FBI is renewing this investigative effort and is seeking the public’s assistance for any information pertaining to the theft or whereabouts of these stolen national treasures. Anyone with information should contact the FBI Kansas City office directly at (816) 512-8200 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

FBI: New reward offered in theft of national treasures

WICHITA – A private investigator and bail enforcement agent has surrendered his state licenses as part of a plea agreement with the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s office.

On March 17,&nbsp; Kory Farmer, 34 of Derby, pleaded guilty to one count of misdemeanor false impersonation&nbsp; and was granted probation for one year, according to the district attorney.

 If he violates his probation, Farmer could serve a six-month jail sentence.

As part of the plea, Farmer agreed not to work in the areas of private investigations, bond agent, fugitive recovery, bail enforcement, private security, corporate security, law enforcement, bounty hunting or any related field. 

Farmer also agreed to sell a vehicle used in his business and forfeit ownership of several firearms that he owned. Farmer previously held licenses with the State of Kansas as a private investigator and bail enforcement agent.

Farmer was caught impersonating an officer multiple times between August 2019 and November 2020, in which witnesses reported he operated a pickup truck outfitted with lights and sirens and weaved recklessly through traffic. But he wasn't arrested until Nov. 16 when he engaged in a confrontation with two detectives driving an unmarked sheriff’s car.

The two sheriff’s investigators&nbsp; observed Farmer pursuing another vehicle near Kellogg and Hillside. Farmer was driving a pickup truck equipped with red emergency lights and a siren. 

When contacted by the sheriff’s investigators, Farmer claimed to be a warrant officer for the District Attorney’s office. 

Investigators determined that Farmer was not employed as a warrant officer and was not authorized to conduct vehicle pursuits with red lights and siren.

Prosecutors dismissed four additional counts of false impersonation as part of the plea agreement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616444037035.png" alt="Farmer photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Farmer photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA – A private investigator and bail enforcement agent has surrendered his state licenses as part of a plea agreement with the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s office.On March 17,&nbsp; Kory Farmer, 34 of Derby, pleaded guilty to one count of misdemeanor false impersonation&nbsp; and was granted probation for one year, according to the district attorney. If he violates his probation, Farmer could serve a six-month jail sentence.As part of the plea, Farmer agreed not to work in the areas of private investigations, bond agent, fugitive recovery, bail enforcement, private security, corporate security, law enforcement, bounty hunting or any related field. Farmer also agreed to sell a vehicle used in his business and forfeit ownership of several firearms that he owned. Farmer previously held licenses with the State of Kansas as a private investigator and bail enforcement agent.Farmer was caught impersonating an officer multiple times between August 2019 and November 2020, in which witnesses reported he operated a pickup truck outfitted with lights and sirens and weaved recklessly through traffic. But he wasn't arrested until Nov. 16 when he engaged in a confrontation with two detectives driving an unmarked sheriff’s car.The two sheriff’s investigators&nbsp; observed Farmer pursuing another vehicle near Kellogg and Hillside. Farmer was driving a pickup truck equipped with red emergency lights and a siren. When contacted by the sheriff’s investigators, Farmer claimed to be a warrant officer for the District Attorney’s office. Investigators determined that Farmer was not employed as a warrant officer and was not authorized to conduct vehicle pursuits with red lights and siren.Prosecutors dismissed four additional counts of false impersonation as part of the plea agreement.

Kansas man sentenced for impersonating police officer

CHEYENNE COUNTY —A Kansas teen died in an accident just after 5a.m. Wednesday in Cheyenne County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Chevy Suburban driven by Aiden&nbsp;Patricio-Fernandez, 15, St. Francis, was southbound in the 1500 block of County Road 14 just north of Saint Francis. 

The driver began braking and the SUV entered into a skid. The SUV left the roadway to the right, went airborne and struck a tree in the west ditch.&nbsp;

The SUV struck a second tree with the drivers side door causing fatal injuries. EMS transported Patricio-Fernandez to the Cheyenne County Hospital in Saint Francis where he was pronounced dead. 

He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

CHEYENNE COUNTY —A Kansas teen died in an accident just after 5a.m. Wednesday in Cheyenne County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Chevy Suburban driven by Aiden&nbsp;Patricio-Fernandez, 15, St. Francis, was southbound in the 1500 block of County Road 14 just north of Saint Francis. The driver began braking and the SUV entered into a skid. The SUV left the roadway to the right, went airborne and struck a tree in the west ditch.&nbsp;The SUV struck a second tree with the drivers side door causing fatal injuries. EMS transported Patricio-Fernandez to the Cheyenne County Hospital in Saint Francis where he was pronounced dead. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

NW Kansas teen dies after SUV strikes a tree

WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. Senate has confirmed former Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine to be the nation's assistant secretary of health. 

She is the first openly transgender federal official to win Senate confirmation. The final vote was 52-48, mostly along party lines. Levine had been serving as Pennsylvania’s top health official since 2017, and emerged as the public face of the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. 

She is expected to oversee Health and Human Services offices and programs across the U.S. Transgender-rights activists have hailed Levine’s appointment as a historic breakthrough. Few trans people have ever held high-level offices at the federal or state level.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616623103081.png" alt="Rachel Levine during her Senate confirmation testimony -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Rachel Levine during her Senate confirmation testimony -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. Senate has confirmed former Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine to be the nation's assistant secretary of health. She is the first openly transgender federal official to win Senate confirmation. The final vote was 52-48, mostly along party lines. Levine had been serving as Pennsylvania’s top health official since 2017, and emerged as the public face of the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. She is expected to oversee Health and Human Services offices and programs across the U.S. Transgender-rights activists have hailed Levine’s appointment as a historic breakthrough. Few trans people have ever held high-level offices at the federal or state level.

A first: US Senate confirms transgender doctor for key post

TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a violent domestic violence incident and asking the public for help to locate a suspect.

On Tuesday evening, police responded to the 1300 block of SW Lincoln Street in Topeka on a report of a violent domestic disturbance.

Throughout the course of the investigation, 34-year-old Stefon C. Butler has been identified as a person of interest in this incident. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616615447991.png" alt="Butler is described a 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. He has previous convictions for aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, criminal possession of a firearm,&nbsp;Violation of the Kansas Offender Registration Act and for drugs." />
 <figcaption>Butler is described a 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. He has previous convictions for aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, criminal possession of a firearm,&nbsp;Violation of the Kansas Offender Registration Act and for drugs.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a violent domestic violence incident and asking the public for help to locate a suspect.On Tuesday evening, police responded to the 1300 block of SW Lincoln Street in Topeka on a report of a violent domestic disturbance.Throughout the course of the investigation, 34-year-old Stefon C. Butler has been identified as a person of interest in this incident.

Police search for wanted Kansas registered offender

By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-lawmakers-are-contemplating-rules-could-doom-new-wind-farms">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA, Kansas — Wind now cranks up more kilowatts than any other power source in the state of Kansas.

Yet even as towering turbines and their slow-churning blades come to <a href="https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/#/topic/0?agg=1,0,2&amp;fuel=008&amp;geo=vvvvvvvvvvvvo&amp;sec=o3g&amp;linechart=ELEC.GEN.WND-KS-99.A&amp;columnchart=ELEC.GEN.WND-US-99.A~ELEC.GEN.WND-IA-99.A~ELEC.GEN.WND-TX-99.A&amp;map=ELEC.GEN.WND-US-99.A&amp;freq=A&amp;start=2001&amp;end=2020&amp;ctype=linechart&amp;ltype=pin&amp;rtype=s&amp;datecode=null&amp;maptype=0&amp;rse=0&amp;pin=">increasingly define the Kansas landscape,</a> a counter movement seems to take hold.

A <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb279/">bill pending in the Kansas Legislature would all but outlaw the erection of more of those giant turbines</a> by saying that companies couldn’t place them within a mile and a half of an existing building.

The
 legislation would also bar new wind farms within three miles from any 
airport and one mile from the property line of anybody not participating
 in the development.

“This bill would be the most wind unfriendly
 legislation in the entire wind belt,” Dave Kerr, a former Kansas Senate
 President, told members of the Senate Utilities Committee. “We would 
have no more new wind farms in Kansas.”

Setbacks aim to protect 
people and buildings from wind noise, the flicker of the turbine blades’
 shadows and debris from any catastrophic failure.

Such rules typically come at the local level — <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-wind-turbine-placement-rules-depend-your-county-heres-guide">by county zoning laws or conditional use permits</a>. In Kansas, they range anywhere between 500 feet and about half a mile, depending on the county.

Kingman
 County in south-central Kansas is home to three large-scale wind farms 
and officials there want the freedom to make their own rules on where 
turbines should go. After all, wind projects stirred up business and 
government revenues.

“Leave our local control alone,” said Mike Temisch, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kingmancoks.org/Directory.aspx?did=25">Kingman County commissioner</a>.
 “We can work with our people. Yeah, we’re not going to make everybody 
happy and somebody is going to be mad. But as of right now, we’re moving
 forward with more wind farms.”

Before the hearings began, a law firm that often works on wind projects in Kansas, released a <a href="https://sftp.polsinelli.com/files/upload/2020-Annual-Economic-Impacts-of-Kansas-Wind-Energy-c.pdf">report touting all of the benefits of wind development</a>.

The
 report claims that since the first large-scale project was built in 
2001, wind development has created 8,682 construction and 563 
operational jobs. It also said that the industry has contributed to 
supporting more than 12,000 indirect jobs.

The report also 
highlighted the amount of money the projects can bring in. Wind farms 
don’t pay counties property taxes at the moment, but they have paid more
 than $657 million in other negotiated payments and donations.

Wind energy has also led to almost $48 million a year in lease payments to local landowners.

But growing pushback to wind development in several Kansas counties drives the legislation in Topeka. It reflects the sort of <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-county-showing-what-wind-farms-havent-seen-much-local-opposition">sentiment that blocked a wind farm near Pretty Prairie in Reno County</a>.

Activists in other counties feel local officials haven’t taken their objections seriously. A state law would change that.

“I
 have a right and I feel that you all have an obligation to protect my 
rights,” Mike Burns of Eudora said during committee hearings. “You have 
an obligation to do something statewide.”

Along with concerns 
over damage to property values, supporters of the bill also worry about 
the impacts of noise, the potential for ice to break off of blades and 
damage their houses, and how the turbines will kill birds and bats.

Diane
 Havercamp is the City Clerk in Corning, Kansas. She supports the bill 
and says small cities and towns like hers don’t have the money or 
experience to stand up to large wind developers. She told the committee 
that the economic gains aren’t worth the conflict between those who want
 the turbines and those who don’t.

“No other small community 
should have to go through the same hardships that we have over the past 
two years,” she said. “Our community seriously has wounds that will 
probably never heal.”

Brian Grimmett reports on the 
environment, energy and natural resources for KMUW in Wichita and the 
Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en">@briangrimmett</a> or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616619657963.png" alt=" One of many wind farms that dot the Kansas prairie. Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> One of many wind farms that dot the Kansas prairie. Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-lawmakers-are-contemplating-rules-could-doom-new-wind-farms">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA, Kansas — Wind now cranks up more kilowatts than any other power source in the state of Kansas.Yet even as towering turbines and their slow-churning blades come to <a href="https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/#/topic/0?agg=1,0,2&amp;fuel=008&amp;geo=vvvvvvvvvvvvo&amp;sec=o3g&amp;linechart=ELEC.GEN.WND-KS-99.A&amp;columnchart=ELEC.GEN.WND-US-99.A~ELEC.GEN.WND-IA-99.A~ELEC.GEN.WND-TX-99.A&amp;map=ELEC.GEN.WND-US-99.A&amp;freq=A&amp;start=2001&amp;end=2020&amp;ctype=linechart&amp;ltype=pin&amp;rtype=s&amp;datecode=null&amp;maptype=0&amp;rse=0&amp;pin=">increasingly define the Kansas landscape,</a> a counter movement seems to take hold.A <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb279/">bill pending in the Kansas Legislature would all but outlaw the erection of more of those giant turbines</a> by saying that companies couldn’t place them within a mile and a half of an existing building.The
 legislation would also bar new wind farms within three miles from any 
airport and one mile from the property line of anybody not participating
 in the development.“This bill would be the most wind unfriendly
 legislation in the entire wind belt,” Dave Kerr, a former Kansas Senate
 President, told members of the Senate Utilities Committee. “We would 
have no more new wind farms in Kansas.”Setbacks aim to protect 
people and buildings from wind noise, the flicker of the turbine blades’
 shadows and debris from any catastrophic failure.Such rules typically come at the local level — <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-wind-turbine-placement-rules-depend-your-county-heres-guide">by county zoning laws or conditional use permits</a>. In Kansas, they range anywhere between 500 feet and about half a mile, depending on the county.Kingman
 County in south-central Kansas is home to three large-scale wind farms 
and officials there want the freedom to make their own rules on where 
turbines should go. After all, wind projects stirred up business and 
government revenues.“Leave our local control alone,” said Mike Temisch, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kingmancoks.org/Directory.aspx?did=25">Kingman County commissioner</a>.
 “We can work with our people. Yeah, we’re not going to make everybody 
happy and somebody is going to be mad. But as of right now, we’re moving
 forward with more wind farms.”Before the hearings began, a law firm that often works on wind projects in Kansas, released a <a href="https://sftp.polsinelli.com/files/upload/2020-Annual-Economic-Impacts-of-Kansas-Wind-Energy-c.pdf">report touting all of the benefits of wind development</a>.The
 report claims that since the first large-scale project was built in 
2001, wind development has created 8,682 construction and 563 
operational jobs. It also said that the industry has contributed to 
supporting more than 12,000 indirect jobs.The report also 
highlighted the amount of money the projects can bring in. Wind farms 
don’t pay counties property taxes at the moment, but they have paid more
 than $657 million in other negotiated payments and donations.Wind energy has also led to almost $48 million a year in lease payments to local landowners.But growing pushback to wind development in several Kansas counties drives the legislation in Topeka. It reflects the sort of <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-county-showing-what-wind-farms-havent-seen-much-local-opposition">sentiment that blocked a wind farm near Pretty Prairie in Reno County</a>.Activists in other counties feel local officials haven’t taken their objections seriously. A state law would change that.“I
 have a right and I feel that you all have an obligation to protect my 
rights,” Mike Burns of Eudora said during committee hearings. “You have 
an obligation to do something statewide.”Along with concerns 
over damage to property values, supporters of the bill also worry about 
the impacts of noise, the potential for ice to break off of blades and 
damage their houses, and how the turbines will kill birds and bats.Diane
 Havercamp is the City Clerk in Corning, Kansas. She supports the bill 
and says small cities and towns like hers don’t have the money or 
experience to stand up to large wind developers. She told the committee 
that the economic gains aren’t worth the conflict between those who want
 the turbines and those who don’t.“No other small community 
should have to go through the same hardships that we have over the past 
two years,” she said. “Our community seriously has wounds that will 
probably never heal.”Brian Grimmett reports on the 
environment, energy and natural resources for KMUW in Wichita and the 
Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en">@briangrimmett</a> or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org.

Kan. lawmakers consider rules that could doom new wind farms 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate confirmed a soft-spoken physician as President Joe Biden's surgeon general Tuesday. While Dr. Vivek Murthy says ending the coronavirus pandemic is his top priority, he's also raised concerns over a relapsing opioid overdose crisis.

The vote on Murthy was 57-43, giving him bipartisan support. Biden's coronavirus response can already count on plenty of star players, but Murthy has a particular niche. As a successful author he's addressed issues of loneliness and isolation that have been exacerbated by the pandemic.

For Murthy, this will be his second tour as America's doctor, having previously served under former President Barack Obama.

COVID-19 has taken the lives of several members of Murthy's extended family. He told senators during his confirmation hearing that he wants to help individuals and families protect themselves by conveying “clear, science-based guidance” to the general public. Persuading Americans to keep up such protective measures as wearing masks could well be his toughest challenge.

Murthy served as co-chair of the Biden transition team’s coronavirus advisory board, and is said to enjoy a close personal relationship with the president.

Murthy's family roots are in India, but as a youngster he lived in Miami. His father had a medical clinic, where both parents worked. The son spent weekends helping out and says that’s where he discovered the art of healing.

“As a child, I watched them make house calls in the middle of the night and wake up early to visit patients in the hospital before heading to their office,” he told senators. “I have tried to live by the lessons they embodied: that we have an obligation to help each other whenever we can, to alleviate suffering wherever we find it, and to give back to this country that made their lives, and my life, and the lives of my children possible. ”

Murthy’s style evokes the bedside manner of an empathetic physician. He “effectively conveys compassion and credibility at a time of great need for just that,” said Chris Jennings, a longtime health policy adviser to Democrats.

From his previous stint as surgeon general, Murthy says he is most proud of his efforts to call attention to the opioid epidemic, the consequences of which were not fully understood at the time.

After dipping slightly, opioid deaths have again risen, driven by street formulations laced with the powerful painkiller fentanyl.

“We cannot neglect the other public health crises that have been exacerbated by this pandemic, particularly the opioid epidemic, mental illness and racial and geographic health inequities," Murthy told senators.

Murthy has drawn opposition from gun rights advocates because of his longstanding assessment that mass shootings amount to a public health problem. But he told senators that while he supports the government studying gun violence as a problem, “my focus is not on this issue, and if I’m confirmed it will be on COVID, on mental health and substance use disorder.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616610905496.png" alt="Dr. Vivek Murthy during his Senate confirmation hearing last month-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Vivek Murthy during his Senate confirmation hearing last month-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate confirmed a soft-spoken physician as President Joe Biden's surgeon general Tuesday. While Dr. Vivek Murthy says ending the coronavirus pandemic is his top priority, he's also raised concerns over a relapsing opioid overdose crisis.The vote on Murthy was 57-43, giving him bipartisan support. Biden's coronavirus response can already count on plenty of star players, but Murthy has a particular niche. As a successful author he's addressed issues of loneliness and isolation that have been exacerbated by the pandemic.For Murthy, this will be his second tour as America's doctor, having previously served under former President Barack Obama.COVID-19 has taken the lives of several members of Murthy's extended family. He told senators during his confirmation hearing that he wants to help individuals and families protect themselves by conveying “clear, science-based guidance” to the general public. Persuading Americans to keep up such protective measures as wearing masks could well be his toughest challenge.Murthy served as co-chair of the Biden transition team’s coronavirus advisory board, and is said to enjoy a close personal relationship with the president.Murthy's family roots are in India, but as a youngster he lived in Miami. His father had a medical clinic, where both parents worked. The son spent weekends helping out and says that’s where he discovered the art of healing.“As a child, I watched them make house calls in the middle of the night and wake up early to visit patients in the hospital before heading to their office,” he told senators. “I have tried to live by the lessons they embodied: that we have an obligation to help each other whenever we can, to alleviate suffering wherever we find it, and to give back to this country that made their lives, and my life, and the lives of my children possible. ”Murthy’s style evokes the bedside manner of an empathetic physician. He “effectively conveys compassion and credibility at a time of great need for just that,” said Chris Jennings, a longtime health policy adviser to Democrats.From his previous stint as surgeon general, Murthy says he is most proud of his efforts to call attention to the opioid epidemic, the consequences of which were not fully understood at the time.After dipping slightly, opioid deaths have again risen, driven by street formulations laced with the powerful painkiller fentanyl.“We cannot neglect the other public health crises that have been exacerbated by this pandemic, particularly the opioid epidemic, mental illness and racial and geographic health inequities," Murthy told senators.Murthy has drawn opposition from gun rights advocates because of his longstanding assessment that mass shootings amount to a public health problem. But he told senators that while he supports the government studying gun violence as a problem, “my focus is not on this issue, and if I’m confirmed it will be on COVID, on mental health and substance use disorder.”

New U.S. surgeon general to focus on COVID, opioids

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Law enforcement officials and former associates of a 21-year-old man accused of killing 10 people at a Colorado supermarket have described the suspect as prone to sudden rage — and disclosed that he was suspended from high school several years ago for a sudden attack on a classmate that left the student bloodied.

Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, from the Denver suburb of Arvada, was booked into jail Tuesday on murder charges a day after the attack at a King Soopers grocery in Boulder and is scheduled to make his first court appearance Thursday.

He will be advised at the hearing of the charges he faces and his rights as a defendant. He would not be asked to enter a plea until later in the judicial process.

Alissa bought a Ruger AR-556 pistol — which is technically a pistol though it resembles an AR-15 rifle with a slightly shorter stock — on March 16,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boulder-shootings-colorado-lawsuits-coronavirus-pandemic-aa071c955cfd79099d2d6a9a5a2a7ca2">six days before the attack</a>, according to an arrest affidavit. Investigators have not established a motive, said Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty.

Authorities have not disclosed where the gun was purchased. An AR-15-style gun was recovered inside the supermarket and believed to have been used in the shooting, said a law enforcement official briefed on the shooting who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

A green tactical vest and a hand gun were also recovered inside the grocery store after the suspect removed most of his clothing shortly before he was taken into custody.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boulder-shootings-theater-colorado-medicare-21a45c0f570dc00e4219cc1d9ee0fa3a">Among the dead</a>&nbsp;was Boulder police Officer Eric Talley, 51, who was the first to arrive after responding to a call about shots fired and someone carrying a gun, said police Chief Maris Herold.

The law enforcement official who was briefed on the shooting said the suspect’s family told investigators that Alissa had delusions and that they believed he was suffering some type of mental illness. The relatives described times when Alissa told them people were following or chasing him, which they said may have contributed to the violence, the official said.

After the shooting, detectives went to Alissa’s home and found his sister-in-law, who told them that he had been playing with a weapon she thought looked like a “machine gun” about two days earlier, according to an arrest affidavit.

No one answered the door Tuesday at the Arvada home believed to be owned by the suspect’s father. The two-story house with a three-car garage sits in a relatively new middle- and upper-class neighborhood.

When he was a high school senior in 2018, Alissa was found guilty of assaulting a fellow student in class after knocking him to the floor, climbing on top of him and punching him in the head several times, according to a police affidavit.

Alissa “got up in classroom, walked over to the victim and ‘cold cocked’ him in the head,” the affidavit said.

Alissa complained that the student had made fun of him and called him “racial names” weeks earlier, the affidavit said.

An Arvada police report said the victim was bloodied and vomiting after the assault. Alissa was suspended from school and sentenced to probation and community service.

One of his former high school wrestling teammates, Angel Hernandez, said Alissa became enraged after losing a match during practice, letting out a stream of invectives and yelling that he would kill everyone. Alissa’s coach kicked him off the team because of the outburst, Hernandez said.

“He was one of those guys with a short fuse,” Hernandez said. “Once he gets mad, it’s like something takes over and it’s not him. There is no stopping him at that point.”

Hernandez said Alissa also acted strangely at times, turning around suddenly or glancing over his shoulder.

“He would say, ‘Did you see that? Did you see that?’” Hernandez recalled. “We wouldn’t see anything. We always thought he was messing with us.”

Arvada police investigated but dropped a separate criminal mischief complaint involving Alissa in 2018, said Detective David Snelling. Alissa also was cited for speeding in February.

After dark Tuesday, about 100 people mourned at a makeshift memorial set up for those killed in the supermarket nearby — adorning it with wreaths, candles, banners reading “#Boulderstrong” and 10 crosses with blue hearts and the victims’ names.

Four girls huddled in the cold, one crying as she reminisced about how they had protested the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boulder-shootings-colorado-aurora-violence-1e0d6d89637819656d4aed39a5dc28f0">Others recalled</a>&nbsp;the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School and the 2012 Aurora movie theater massacre.

Homer Talley, 74, described his son Eric as a devoted father who “knew the Lord.” He had seven children, ages 7 to 20.

The other dead were identified as Denny Stong, 20; Neven Stanisic, 23; Rikki Olds, 25; Tralona Bartkowiak, 49; Suzanne Fountain, 59; Teri Leiker, 51; Kevin Mahoney, 61; Lynn Murray, 62; and Jodi Waters, 65.

Leiker, Olds and Stong worked at the supermarket, former co-worker Jordan Sailas said.

Kim Cordova, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7, which represents more than 30 store employees, said workers did their best to get customers to safety.

“They grabbed everybody they could and they brought them to the backroom or to other areas of the store to hide or got them out through the back dock,” Cordova said. “And these poor grocery workers have just been through hell in general working through COVID this entire last year of the pandemic.”

Monday’s attack was the seventh mass killing this year in the U.S., following the March 16 shooting that left eight people dead at three Atlanta-area massage businesses, according to a database compiled by the AP, USA Today and Northeastern University.

It follows a lull in mass killings during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, which had the smallest number of such attacks in eight years, according to the database, which tracks mass killings defined as four or more dead, not including the shooter.

In Washington, President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boulder-shootings-colorado-violence-legislation-674b5d19ee0255612fba242e42f9772c">called on Congress</a>&nbsp;to tighten the nation’s gun laws. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed to bring forward two House-passed bills to require expanded background checks for gun buyers. Biden supports the measures, but they face a tougher route to passage in a closely divided Senate with a slim Democratic majority.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616547245871.png" alt="Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa photo Boulder Police" />
 <figcaption>Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa photo Boulder Police</figcaption>
 </figure>BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Law enforcement officials and former associates of a 21-year-old man accused of killing 10 people at a Colorado supermarket have described the suspect as prone to sudden rage — and disclosed that he was suspended from high school several years ago for a sudden attack on a classmate that left the student bloodied.Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, from the Denver suburb of Arvada, was booked into jail Tuesday on murder charges a day after the attack at a King Soopers grocery in Boulder and is scheduled to make his first court appearance Thursday.He will be advised at the hearing of the charges he faces and his rights as a defendant. He would not be asked to enter a plea until later in the judicial process.Alissa bought a Ruger AR-556 pistol — which is technically a pistol though it resembles an AR-15 rifle with a slightly shorter stock — on March 16,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boulder-shootings-colorado-lawsuits-coronavirus-pandemic-aa071c955cfd79099d2d6a9a5a2a7ca2">six days before the attack</a>, according to an arrest affidavit. Investigators have not established a motive, said Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty.Authorities have not disclosed where the gun was purchased. An AR-15-style gun was recovered inside the supermarket and believed to have been used in the shooting, said a law enforcement official briefed on the shooting who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.A green tactical vest and a hand gun were also recovered inside the grocery store after the suspect removed most of his clothing shortly before he was taken into custody.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616505527834.png" alt="Officer Eric Talley-photo Boulder police" />
 <figcaption>Officer Eric Talley-photo Boulder police</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://apnews.com/article/boulder-shootings-theater-colorado-medicare-21a45c0f570dc00e4219cc1d9ee0fa3a">Among the dead</a>&nbsp;was Boulder police Officer Eric Talley, 51, who was the first to arrive after responding to a call about shots fired and someone carrying a gun, said police Chief Maris Herold.The law enforcement official who was briefed on the shooting said the suspect’s family told investigators that Alissa had delusions and that they believed he was suffering some type of mental illness. The relatives described times when Alissa told them people were following or chasing him, which they said may have contributed to the violence, the official said.After the shooting, detectives went to Alissa’s home and found his sister-in-law, who told them that he had been playing with a weapon she thought looked like a “machine gun” about two days earlier, according to an arrest affidavit.No one answered the door Tuesday at the Arvada home believed to be owned by the suspect’s father. The two-story house with a three-car garage sits in a relatively new middle- and upper-class neighborhood.When he was a high school senior in 2018, Alissa was found guilty of assaulting a fellow student in class after knocking him to the floor, climbing on top of him and punching him in the head several times, according to a police affidavit.Alissa “got up in classroom, walked over to the victim and ‘cold cocked’ him in the head,” the affidavit said.Alissa complained that the student had made fun of him and called him “racial names” weeks earlier, the affidavit said.An Arvada police report said the victim was bloodied and vomiting after the assault. Alissa was suspended from school and sentenced to probation and community service.One of his former high school wrestling teammates, Angel Hernandez, said Alissa became enraged after losing a match during practice, letting out a stream of invectives and yelling that he would kill everyone. Alissa’s coach kicked him off the team because of the outburst, Hernandez said.“He was one of those guys with a short fuse,” Hernandez said. “Once he gets mad, it’s like something takes over and it’s not him. There is no stopping him at that point.”Hernandez said Alissa also acted strangely at times, turning around suddenly or glancing over his shoulder.“He would say, ‘Did you see that? Did you see that?’” Hernandez recalled. “We wouldn’t see anything. We always thought he was messing with us.”Arvada police investigated but dropped a separate criminal mischief complaint involving Alissa in 2018, said Detective David Snelling. Alissa also was cited for speeding in February.After dark Tuesday, about 100 people mourned at a makeshift memorial set up for those killed in the supermarket nearby — adorning it with wreaths, candles, banners reading “#Boulderstrong” and 10 crosses with blue hearts and the victims’ names.Four girls huddled in the cold, one crying as she reminisced about how they had protested the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boulder-shootings-colorado-aurora-violence-1e0d6d89637819656d4aed39a5dc28f0">Others recalled</a>&nbsp;the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School and the 2012 Aurora movie theater massacre.Homer Talley, 74, described his son Eric as a devoted father who “knew the Lord.” He had seven children, ages 7 to 20.The other dead were identified as Denny Stong, 20; Neven Stanisic, 23; Rikki Olds, 25; Tralona Bartkowiak, 49; Suzanne Fountain, 59; Teri Leiker, 51; Kevin Mahoney, 61; Lynn Murray, 62; and Jodi Waters, 65.Leiker, Olds and Stong worked at the supermarket, former co-worker Jordan Sailas said.Kim Cordova, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7, which represents more than 30 store employees, said workers did their best to get customers to safety.“They grabbed everybody they could and they brought them to the backroom or to other areas of the store to hide or got them out through the back dock,” Cordova said. “And these poor grocery workers have just been through hell in general working through COVID this entire last year of the pandemic.”Monday’s attack was the seventh mass killing this year in the U.S., following the March 16 shooting that left eight people dead at three Atlanta-area massage businesses, according to a database compiled by the AP, USA Today and Northeastern University.It follows a lull in mass killings during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, which had the smallest number of such attacks in eight years, according to the database, which tracks mass killings defined as four or more dead, not including the shooter.In Washington, President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boulder-shootings-colorado-violence-legislation-674b5d19ee0255612fba242e42f9772c">called on Congress</a>&nbsp;to tighten the nation’s gun laws. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed to bring forward two House-passed bills to require expanded background checks for gun buyers. Biden supports the measures, but they face a tougher route to passage in a closely divided Senate with a slim Democratic majority.___

Colorado shooting suspect set for court appearance

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 802 to a total of 300,927, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 4881, an increase of 31.

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> 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.

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 802 to a total of 300,927, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 4881, an increase of 31.<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> 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.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616605413110.png" alt="Wednesday March 24, 2021 KDHE imate" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday March 24, 2021 KDHE imate</figcaption>
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KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City police officials approved two policies Tuesday that respond to demands from activists for police reform.

One policy approved by the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners creates guidelines for how police should respond to protesters during public demonstrations. Officers must limit their use of less-lethal weapons such as tear gas, create a buffer zone between them and demonstrators and avoid intentionally escalating tensions.

Officers are also required to focus on people who are violating the law, while allowing others to continue to exercise their right to free speech.

The change came after police were criticized for their handling of social justice protests in Kansas City last summer, when officers used tear gas and other less-lethal means to disperse crowds.

The second policy requires officers to activate their body-worn cameras during every interaction with the public. Videos that are not needed for evidence will be kept for 180 days.

Community leaders have been asking for years that officers wear body cameras to record confrontations with the public.

In June, police announced they received a total of $2.5 million to fund a body camera program.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590925487256.png" alt="The change comes after police were criticized for their handling of social justice protests in Kansas City last summer, when officers used tear gas and other less-lethal means to disperse crowds-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>The change comes after police were criticized for their handling of social justice protests in Kansas City last summer, when officers used tear gas and other less-lethal means to disperse crowds-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City police officials approved two policies Tuesday that respond to demands from activists for police reform.One policy approved by the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners creates guidelines for how police should respond to protesters during public demonstrations. Officers must limit their use of less-lethal weapons such as tear gas, create a buffer zone between them and demonstrators and avoid intentionally escalating tensions.Officers are also required to focus on people who are violating the law, while allowing others to continue to exercise their right to free speech.The change came after police were criticized for their handling of social justice protests in Kansas City last summer, when officers used tear gas and other less-lethal means to disperse crowds.The second policy requires officers to activate their body-worn cameras during every interaction with the public. Videos that are not needed for evidence will be kept for 180 days.Community leaders have been asking for years that officers wear body cameras to record confrontations with the public.In June, police announced they received a total of $2.5 million to fund a body camera program.

Kansas City police change policy on response to protests

WASHINGTON — Dr. Anthony Fauci isn’t ready to say the nation has turned the corner on the coronavirus pandemic despite about 2.5 million Americans are getting vaccinated each day.

The government’s top infectious disease expert say he often gets asked that question. His response: “We are at the corner. Whether we or not we are going to be turning the corner remains to be seen.”

At the White House coronavirus briefing on Wednesday, Fauci says the main challenge remains a stubbornly high level of new daily cases in the country. It’s hovering around an average of 55,000 and up slightly in recent days. While that is clearly much better than the 250,000 daily cases at the peak of the winter wave, it’s uncomfortably close to levels seen during the COVID wave of last summer.

“When you are at that level, I don’t think you can declare victory and say you have turned the corner,” Fauci says.

On the plus side, along with the growing level of vaccinations, Fauci is underscoring recent studies that show negligible rates of coronavirus infection among fully vaccinated people. There’s also been a significant drop in the number of people 65 and older going to the emergency room with COVID-19. That’s the age group most vulnerable to the disease.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612486273418.png" alt="At the White House coronavirus briefing on Wednesday,&nbsp; Dr. Fauci said the main challenge remains a stubbornly high level of new daily cases in the country.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>At the White House coronavirus briefing on Wednesday,&nbsp; Dr. Fauci said the main challenge remains a stubbornly high level of new daily cases in the country.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — Dr. Anthony Fauci isn’t ready to say the nation has turned the corner on the coronavirus pandemic despite about 2.5 million Americans are getting vaccinated each day.The government’s top infectious disease expert say he often gets asked that question. His response: “We are at the corner. Whether we or not we are going to be turning the corner remains to be seen.”At the White House coronavirus briefing on Wednesday, Fauci says the main challenge remains a stubbornly high level of new daily cases in the country. It’s hovering around an average of 55,000 and up slightly in recent days. While that is clearly much better than the 250,000 daily cases at the peak of the winter wave, it’s uncomfortably close to levels seen during the COVID wave of last summer.“When you are at that level, I don’t think you can declare victory and say you have turned the corner,” Fauci says.On the plus side, along with the growing level of vaccinations, Fauci is underscoring recent studies that show negligible rates of coronavirus infection among fully vaccinated people. There’s also been a significant drop in the number of people 65 and older going to the emergency room with COVID-19. That’s the age group most vulnerable to the disease.___

Dr. Fauci: Not turning corner yet on coronavirus

WASHINGTON&nbsp;–&nbsp; U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.) and U.S. Representatives Tracey Mann (KS-01), Jake LaTurner (KS-02), Sharice Davids (KS-03) and Ron Estes (KS-04) urged President Joe Biden to authorize a state funeral for the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, according to a media release from Moran's office.

“The men and women who fought and served in World War II, rightfully called the 'Greatest Generation,' saved our nation and the world from the tyranny and evil of the Axis Powers,”&nbsp;wrote the delegation.&nbsp;“The 473 Medal of Honor recipients of World War II represent the incredible courage and sacrifice of that generation. Only two of these heroes remain, and when the last one passes away, we must render a farewell that properly represents our nation’s highest regard and most profound gratitude.

“Mr. President, we speak for our constituents when we share our conviction that this last decorated hero of the Greatest Generation must be given a farewell of the very highest order our nation can offer,”&nbsp;continued the delegation.

We, the members of the Kansas Congressional Delegation, write today to request your support for a state funeral for the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II. The men and women who fought and served in World War II, rightfully called the “Greatest Generation,” saved our nation and the world from the tyranny and evil of the Axis Powers. The 473 Medal of Honor recipients of World War II represent the incredible courage and sacrifice of that generation. Only two of these heroes remain, and when the last one passes away, we must render a farewell that properly represents our nation’s highest regard and most profound gratitude.

Medal of Honor winners are frequently called upon to speak about their wartime experiences, and their perspectives share a common theme: the conviction that their medal represents countless other acts of heroism by their brothers and sisters in arms, acts that were committed selflessly and without acknowledgement or celebration. They often use their speaking engagements to recognize the heroism of their fellow warriors. One example is Walter D. Ehlers, a Medal of Honor recipient from Kansas. Sergeant Ehlers, who participated in the D-Day invasion of Normandy, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his acts of bravery “in the face of overwhelming forces” a few days later. What his citation does not mention is that his brother, Roland, participated in the D-Day invasion as well but was killed in action on the beach. Sergeant Ehlers said of his brother in one interview, “He was my hero until the day he died. He still is.” Thus, Medal of Honor winners serve as living and breathing testaments to the courage and sacrifice of all of our nation’s warriors, and the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II will carry that legacy.

This would not be the first time that a soldier received a state funeral to honor the countless others they represent, along with their own personal sacrifice. In 1921, the Unknown Soldier of World War I was interred with a state funeral because President Harding recognized that the Unknown Soldier represents countless others who died and were buried in unmarked graves with no honors and no recognition. Significantly, President Harding placed a Medal of Honor on the Unknown Soldier’s casket.

Mr. President, we speak for our constituents when we share our conviction that this last decorated hero of the Greatest Generation must be given a farewell of the very highest order our nation can offer. Please let us know if there is any way that we can further support this noble and necessary effort.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614817353591.png" alt="Rep. LaTurner, Rep. Estes, Senator Moran, Rep. Davids, Senator Marshall and Rep. Mann -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Rep. LaTurner, Rep. Estes, Senator Moran, Rep. Davids, Senator Marshall and Rep. Mann -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON&nbsp;–&nbsp; U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.) and U.S. Representatives Tracey Mann (KS-01), Jake LaTurner (KS-02), Sharice Davids (KS-03) and Ron Estes (KS-04) urged President Joe Biden to authorize a state funeral for the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, according to a media release from Moran's office.“The men and women who fought and served in World War II, rightfully called the 'Greatest Generation,' saved our nation and the world from the tyranny and evil of the Axis Powers,”&nbsp;wrote the delegation.&nbsp;“The 473 Medal of Honor recipients of World War II represent the incredible courage and sacrifice of that generation. Only two of these heroes remain, and when the last one passes away, we must render a farewell that properly represents our nation’s highest regard and most profound gratitude.“Mr. President, we speak for our constituents when we share our conviction that this last decorated hero of the Greatest Generation must be given a farewell of the very highest order our nation can offer,”&nbsp;continued the delegation.The full letter is below.Dear Mr. President:We, the members of the Kansas Congressional Delegation, write today to request your support for a state funeral for the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II. The men and women who fought and served in World War II, rightfully called the “Greatest Generation,” saved our nation and the world from the tyranny and evil of the Axis Powers. The 473 Medal of Honor recipients of World War II represent the incredible courage and sacrifice of that generation. Only two of these heroes remain, and when the last one passes away, we must render a farewell that properly represents our nation’s highest regard and most profound gratitude.Medal of Honor winners are frequently called upon to speak about their wartime experiences, and their perspectives share a common theme: the conviction that their medal represents countless other acts of heroism by their brothers and sisters in arms, acts that were committed selflessly and without acknowledgement or celebration. They often use their speaking engagements to recognize the heroism of their fellow warriors. One example is Walter D. Ehlers, a Medal of Honor recipient from Kansas. Sergeant Ehlers, who participated in the D-Day invasion of Normandy, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his acts of bravery “in the face of overwhelming forces” a few days later. What his citation does not mention is that his brother, Roland, participated in the D-Day invasion as well but was killed in action on the beach. Sergeant Ehlers said of his brother in one interview, “He was my hero until the day he died. He still is.” Thus, Medal of Honor winners serve as living and breathing testaments to the courage and sacrifice of all of our nation’s warriors, and the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II will carry that legacy.This would not be the first time that a soldier received a state funeral to honor the countless others they represent, along with their own personal sacrifice. In 1921, the Unknown Soldier of World War I was interred with a state funeral because President Harding recognized that the Unknown Soldier represents countless others who died and were buried in unmarked graves with no honors and no recognition. Significantly, President Harding placed a Medal of Honor on the Unknown Soldier’s casket.Mr. President, we speak for our constituents when we share our conviction that this last decorated hero of the Greatest Generation must be given a farewell of the very highest order our nation can offer. Please let us know if there is any way that we can further support this noble and necessary effort.

Kan. delegation urges president to authorize state funeral for Medal of Honor recipient

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a domestic violence case and asking the public for help to locate a suspect.

On Saturday, police were sent to a domestic violence call in the 200 block of South College Avenue in Salina, according to a media release.

A 29-year-old Salina woman reported being the victim of domestic violence related crimes. The suspect identified as 34-year-old Brandon Lambert, had left the area as officers arrived.

Lambert is described as 5-foot-7, 204 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. Lambert has previous contacts within Dickinson, Riley, and Saline counties, and has also been known to drive tractor-trailer rigs in the north-central region of Kansas for Lambert Trucking (Kansas Transport Company), operating under USDOT Number 832682 and MC Number 736568, SPD noted.

According to SPD, "an affidavit was submitted to the Saline County Attorney’s Office, and an Arrest Warrant was issued by the Saline County District Court for Lambert for the following requested charges: Attempted First Degree Murder, Aggravated Domestic Violence Battery, Aggravated Kidnapping, Aggravated Burglary, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Intimidation of a Witness, Criminal Threat, Criminal Damage to Property, Violation of Protection Order, and Harassment by Telecommunication Device."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616591520358.jpeg" alt="Lambert -photo Salina Police" />
 <figcaption>Lambert -photo Salina Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a domestic violence case and asking the public for help to locate a suspect.On Saturday, police were sent to a domestic violence call in the 200 block of South College Avenue in Salina, according to a media release.A 29-year-old Salina woman reported being the victim of domestic violence related crimes. The suspect identified as 34-year-old Brandon Lambert, had left the area as officers arrived.Lambert is described as 5-foot-7, 204 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. Lambert has previous contacts within Dickinson, Riley, and Saline counties, and has also been known to drive tractor-trailer rigs in the north-central region of Kansas for Lambert Trucking (Kansas Transport Company), operating under USDOT Number 832682 and MC Number 736568, SPD noted.According to SPD, "an affidavit was submitted to the Saline County Attorney’s Office, and an Arrest Warrant was issued by the Saline County District Court for Lambert for the following requested charges: Attempted First Degree Murder, Aggravated Domestic Violence Battery, Aggravated Kidnapping, Aggravated Burglary, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Intimidation of a Witness, Criminal Threat, Criminal Damage to Property, Violation of Protection Order, and Harassment by Telecommunication Device."