WASHINGTON — Internal Revenue Service <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/security-summit">Security Summit</a>
 partners today called on tax professionals to increase efforts to 
inform clients about the Identity Protection PIN Opt-In Program that can
 protect against tax-related identity theft.

The IRS, state tax agencies and the nation's tax industry – working 
together as the Security Summit &nbsp;– need assistance from tax 
professionals to spread the word to clients that the IP PIN is now 
available to anyone who can verify their identity.

Sharing information about the IP PIN Opt-In Program is the second in a
 five-part weekly series sponsored by the Summit partners to highlight 
critical steps tax professionals can take to protect client data. This 
year's theme "<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/boost-security-immunity-fight-against-identity-theft">Boost Security Immunity: Fight&nbsp;Against Identity Theft</a>"
 is an effort to urge tax professionals to intensify efforts to secure 
their systems and protect client data during this pandemic and its 
aftermath.

"An Identity Protection PIN prevents someone else from filing a tax 
return using your Social Security number," said Chuck Rettig, IRS 
commissioner. "We've now made the IP PIN available to anyone who can 
verify their identity. This is a free way for taxpayers to protect 
themselves, but we need the help of tax professionals to make sure more 
people know about it."

The IRS created <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5367es.pdf">Publication 5367 (EN-SP), IP PIN Opt-In Program for Taxpayers,&nbsp;PDF</a>
 in English and Spanish, so that tax professionals could print and share
 the IP PIN information with clients. There are also special posters 
available in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5477.pdf">English&nbsp;PDF</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5477sp.pdf">Spanish&nbsp;PDF</a>.

For security reasons, tax professionals cannot obtain an IP PIN on behalf of clients. Taxpayers must obtain their own IP PIN.

Summit partners urged taxpayers and tax professionals to protect the 
IP PIN from identity thieves. Taxpayers should share their IP PIN only 
with their trusted tax prep provider. Tax professionals should never 
store clients' IP PINs on computer systems. Also, the IRS will never 
call, email or text either taxpayers or tax preparers to request the IP 
PIN.

Tax professionals who experience a data theft can assist clients by 
urging them to quickly obtain an IP PIN. Even if a thief already has 
filed a fraudulent return, an IP PIN would still offer protections for 
later years and prevent taxpayers from being repeat victims of 
tax-related identity theft.

Here are a few things taxpayers should know about the IP PIN:

Currently, taxpayers may obtain an IP PIN for 2021, which should
 be used when filing any federal tax returns during the year. New IP 
PINs will be available starting in January 2022.

To obtain an IP PIN, the best option is the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/get-an-identity-protection-pin">Get an IP PIN</a>,
 the IRS online tool. Taxpayers must validate their identities through 
Secure Access authentication to access the tool and their IP PIN. Before
 attempting this rigorous process, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/secure-access-how-to-register-for-certain-online-self-help-tools">Secure Access: How to Register for Certain Online Self-Help Tools</a>. The tool is offline between November and January.

If you are unable to validate your identity online and if your income is $72,000 or less, you may file&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f15227.pdf">Form 15227, Application for an Identity Protection Personal Identification Number&nbsp;PDF</a>.
 The IRS will call the telephone number provided on Form 15227 to 
validate your identity. However, for security reasons, the IRS will 
assign an IP PIN for&nbsp;the next filing season. The IP PIN cannot be used for the current filing season.

Taxpayers who cannot validate their identities online, or on the 
phone with an IRS employee after submitting a Form 15227, or who are 
ineligible to file a Form 15227 may call the IRS to make an appointment 
at a Taxpayer Assistance Center. They will need to bring one picture 
identification document and another identification document to prove 
their identity. Once verified, the taxpayer will receive an IP PIN via 
U.S. Postal Service within three weeks.

The IP PIN process for confirmed victims of identity theft remains 
unchanged. These victims will automatically receive an IP PIN each year.

Tax professionals also can get help with security recommendations by reviewing the recently revised IRS&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p4557.pdf">Publication 4557, Safeguarding Taxpayer Data&nbsp;PDF</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/ir/2016/NIST.IR.7621r1.pdf">Small Business Information Security: The Fundamentals&nbsp;PDF</a>&nbsp;by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-central">Identity Theft Central</a> pages for tax pros, individuals and businesses have important details as well.

<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5293.pdf">Publication 5293, Data Security Resource Guide for Tax Professionals&nbsp;PDF</a>,
 provides a compilation of data theft information available on IRS.gov. 
Also, tax professionals should stay connected to the IRS through 
subscriptions to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/join-e-news-for-tax-professionals">e-News for Tax Professionals</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-new-media-1">Social Media</a>.

For more information, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/boost-security-immunity-fight-against-identity-theft">Boost Security Immunity: Fight&nbsp;Against Identity Theft</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — Internal Revenue Service <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/security-summit">Security Summit</a>
 partners today called on tax professionals to increase efforts to 
inform clients about the Identity Protection PIN Opt-In Program that can
 protect against tax-related identity theft.The IRS, state tax agencies and the nation's tax industry – working 
together as the Security Summit &nbsp;– need assistance from tax 
professionals to spread the word to clients that the IP PIN is now 
available to anyone who can verify their identity.Sharing information about the IP PIN Opt-In Program is the second in a
 five-part weekly series sponsored by the Summit partners to highlight 
critical steps tax professionals can take to protect client data. This 
year's theme "<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/boost-security-immunity-fight-against-identity-theft">Boost Security Immunity: Fight&nbsp;Against Identity Theft</a>"
 is an effort to urge tax professionals to intensify efforts to secure 
their systems and protect client data during this pandemic and its 
aftermath."An Identity Protection PIN prevents someone else from filing a tax 
return using your Social Security number," said Chuck Rettig, IRS 
commissioner. "We've now made the IP PIN available to anyone who can 
verify their identity. This is a free way for taxpayers to protect 
themselves, but we need the help of tax professionals to make sure more 
people know about it."The IRS created <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5367es.pdf">Publication 5367 (EN-SP), IP PIN Opt-In Program for Taxpayers,&nbsp;PDF</a>
 in English and Spanish, so that tax professionals could print and share
 the IP PIN information with clients. There are also special posters 
available in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5477.pdf">English&nbsp;PDF</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5477sp.pdf">Spanish&nbsp;PDF</a>.For security reasons, tax professionals cannot obtain an IP PIN on behalf of clients. Taxpayers must obtain their own IP PIN.Summit partners urged taxpayers and tax professionals to protect the 
IP PIN from identity thieves. Taxpayers should share their IP PIN only 
with their trusted tax prep provider. Tax professionals should never 
store clients' IP PINs on computer systems. Also, the IRS will never 
call, email or text either taxpayers or tax preparers to request the IP 
PIN.Tax professionals who experience a data theft can assist clients by 
urging them to quickly obtain an IP PIN. Even if a thief already has 
filed a fraudulent return, an IP PIN would still offer protections for 
later years and prevent taxpayers from being repeat victims of 
tax-related identity theft.<h2>Here are a few things taxpayers should know about the IP PIN:</h2><ul>
 <li>It's a six-digit number known only to the taxpayer and the IRS.</li><li>The opt-in program is voluntary.</li><li>The IP PIN should be entered onto the electronic tax return when 
prompted by the software product or onto a paper return next to the 
signature line.</li><li>The IP PIN is valid for one calendar year; taxpayers must obtain a new IP PIN each year.</li><li>Only dependents who can verify their identities may obtain an IP PIN.</li><li>IP PIN users should never share their number with anyone but the 
IRS and their trusted tax preparation provider. The IRS will never call,
 email or text a request for the IP PIN.</li>
 </ul>Currently, taxpayers may obtain an IP PIN for 2021, which should
 be used when filing any federal tax returns during the year. New IP 
PINs will be available starting in January 2022.To obtain an IP PIN, the best option is the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/get-an-identity-protection-pin">Get an IP PIN</a>,
 the IRS online tool. Taxpayers must validate their identities through 
Secure Access authentication to access the tool and their IP PIN. Before
 attempting this rigorous process, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/secure-access-how-to-register-for-certain-online-self-help-tools">Secure Access: How to Register for Certain Online Self-Help Tools</a>. The tool is offline between November and January.If you are unable to validate your identity online and if your income is $72,000 or less, you may file&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f15227.pdf">Form 15227, Application for an Identity Protection Personal Identification Number&nbsp;PDF</a>.
 The IRS will call the telephone number provided on Form 15227 to 
validate your identity. However, for security reasons, the IRS will 
assign an IP PIN for&nbsp;the next filing season. The IP PIN cannot be used for the current filing season.Taxpayers who cannot validate their identities online, or on the 
phone with an IRS employee after submitting a Form 15227, or who are 
ineligible to file a Form 15227 may call the IRS to make an appointment 
at a Taxpayer Assistance Center. They will need to bring one picture 
identification document and another identification document to prove 
their identity. Once verified, the taxpayer will receive an IP PIN via 
U.S. Postal Service within three weeks.The IP PIN process for confirmed victims of identity theft remains 
unchanged. These victims will automatically receive an IP PIN each year.<h2>Additional resources</h2>Tax professionals also can get help with security recommendations by reviewing the recently revised IRS&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p4557.pdf">Publication 4557, Safeguarding Taxpayer Data&nbsp;PDF</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/ir/2016/NIST.IR.7621r1.pdf">Small Business Information Security: The Fundamentals&nbsp;PDF</a>&nbsp;by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-central">Identity Theft Central</a> pages for tax pros, individuals and businesses have important details as well.<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5293.pdf">Publication 5293, Data Security Resource Guide for Tax Professionals&nbsp;PDF</a>,
 provides a compilation of data theft information available on IRS.gov. 
Also, tax professionals should stay connected to the IRS through 
subscriptions to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/join-e-news-for-tax-professionals">e-News for Tax Professionals</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-new-media-1">Social Media</a>.For more information, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/boost-security-immunity-fight-against-identity-theft">Boost Security Immunity: Fight&nbsp;Against Identity Theft</a>.

IRS: IP PINS will protect against tax-related identity theft

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States will keep existing COVID-19 travel restrictions on international travel in place for now due to concerns about the surging infection rate because of the delta variant, according to a White House official.

President Joe Biden earlier this month said that his administration was “in the process” of considering how soon the U.S. could lift the ban on European travel bound for the U.S. after the issue was raised by German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her visit to the White House.

The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said while the administration understands the importance of international travel, cases are rising in the U.S. — particularly among those who are unvaccinated and will likely continue to increase in the weeks ahead.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised Americans against travel to the United Kingdom this past Monday given a surge in cases there.

Most of continental Europe has relaxed restrictions on Americans who are fully vaccinated, although the United Kingdom still requires quarantines for most visitors arriving from the U.S. Airlines say, however, that the lack of two-way travel is limiting the number of flights they can offer and seats they can sell.

But the rise and prevalence of COVID-19 variants in Europe, especially the delta mutation that is also spreading throughout the U.S., has caused the Biden administration to tread slowly about increasing transatlantic travel.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618925544398.png" alt="Most of continental Europe has relaxed restrictions on Americans who are fully vaccinated, although the United Kingdom still requires quarantines for most visitors arriving from the U.S. Photo Kansas City International Airport" />
 <figcaption>Most of continental Europe has relaxed restrictions on Americans who are fully vaccinated, although the United Kingdom still requires quarantines for most visitors arriving from the U.S. Photo Kansas City International Airport</figcaption>
 </figure>By AAMER MADHANI, Associated PressWASHINGTON (AP) — The United States will keep existing COVID-19 travel restrictions on international travel in place for now due to concerns about the surging infection rate because of the delta variant, according to a White House official.President Joe Biden earlier this month said that his administration was “in the process” of considering how soon the U.S. could lift the ban on European travel bound for the U.S. after the issue was raised by German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her visit to the White House.The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said while the administration understands the importance of international travel, cases are rising in the U.S. — particularly among those who are unvaccinated and will likely continue to increase in the weeks ahead.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised Americans against travel to the United Kingdom this past Monday given a surge in cases there.Most of continental Europe has relaxed restrictions on Americans who are fully vaccinated, although the United Kingdom still requires quarantines for most visitors arriving from the U.S. Airlines say, however, that the lack of two-way travel is limiting the number of flights they can offer and seats they can sell.But the rise and prevalence of COVID-19 variants in Europe, especially the delta mutation that is also spreading throughout the U.S., has caused the Biden administration to tread slowly about increasing transatlantic travel.

With virus surge, US to keep travel restrictions

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Civil rights groups on Monday called for a federal investigation of Kansas City, Missouri, police, saying they have a pattern of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-michael-brown-police-kansas-police-reform-082adcdbc64ec1cb92d284e376930e86">using excessive force, particularly against Black men.</a>

The Urban Council, a consortium of groups including the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, asked the U.S. Department of Justice to step in.

Civil rights leaders also criticized the mostly governor-appointed Board of Police Commissioners, which makes Kansas City one of few major metropolitan hubs in the U.S. without full local police control.

“There exists a lack of accountability on the part of KCPD and no opportunity for redress because we do not have local control," Kansas City Urban League President and CEO Gwen Grant said in a statement. "Therefore, our only recourse of action is to come together to seek a DOJ investigation into the KCPD.”

A Kansas City police spokesman issued a statement saying the agency is already working with the Justice Department to report possible civil rights violations or excessive force under a 2015 memorandum of understanding.

“We have mechanisms in place to ensure that members can report any incident of discrimination or racism anonymously,” spokesman Sgt. Jake Becchina said in an email. “We take every incident of reported racism very seriously and investigate fully whether it involves department members or the members of the community.”

The county prosecutor also supports a Justice Department investigation.

“Kansas City’s police department suffers from many problems identified in cities now in turmoil about their police force,” Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker wrote to the federal agency. “It has no accountability to our community; it has lost the community’s confidence that excessive force will be rooted out and stopped; and the harm from all of this falls in greatest portion on the city’s minority community.”

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Civil rights groups on Monday called for a federal investigation of Kansas City, Missouri, police, saying they have a pattern of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-michael-brown-police-kansas-police-reform-082adcdbc64ec1cb92d284e376930e86">using excessive force, particularly against Black men.</a>The Urban Council, a consortium of groups including the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, asked the U.S. Department of Justice to step in.Civil rights leaders also criticized the mostly governor-appointed Board of Police Commissioners, which makes Kansas City one of few major metropolitan hubs in the U.S. without full local police control.“There exists a lack of accountability on the part of KCPD and no opportunity for redress because we do not have local control," Kansas City Urban League President and CEO Gwen Grant said in a statement. "Therefore, our only recourse of action is to come together to seek a DOJ investigation into the KCPD.”A Kansas City police spokesman issued a statement saying the agency is already working with the Justice Department to report possible civil rights violations or excessive force under a 2015 memorandum of understanding.“We have mechanisms in place to ensure that members can report any incident of discrimination or racism anonymously,” spokesman Sgt. Jake Becchina said in an email. “We take every incident of reported racism very seriously and investigate fully whether it involves department members or the members of the community.”The county prosecutor also supports a Justice Department investigation.“Kansas City’s police department suffers from many problems identified in cities now in turmoil about their police force,” Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker wrote to the federal agency. “It has no accountability to our community; it has lost the community’s confidence that excessive force will be rooted out and stopped; and the harm from all of this falls in greatest portion on the city’s minority community.”

Civil rights groups seek U.S. probe of Kansas City police

SHAWNEE, Kan. (AP) — A suburban Kansas City summer camp has been shut down after eight COVID-19 cases were reported, and hospitals were raising alarms about a rise in infected patients.

The camp, which was put on by the Johnson County Park and Recreation District, was held at Clear Creek Elementary School in Shawnee. The county health department said masks were only recommended, not required, and many children didn’t wear them.

The health department is working with the camp to isolate or quarantine those who are affected, director Sanmi Areola said Monday.

Kansas confirmed nearly 4,000 new cases last week and daily inpatient numbers have climbed back to nearly 400. The state hasn’t seen figures like that since February, KCUR&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/KCUR%20https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-07-26/kansas-coronavirus-cases-skyrocket-from-hundreds-to-thousands-per-week" target="_blank">reports</a>.

“It is scary,” said deputy state health officer Joan Duwve.

In the Wichita area, Ascension Via Christi’s St. Francis Hospital in Wichita went from 13 patients to 20 to 46 on the past three Mondays.

Dr. Sam Antonios, Via Christi’s chief clinical officer, described the health system’s staff as “disheartened.”

At the University Kansas Hospital, 56 are hospitalized with COVID-19, nine of them on ventilators, said Dr. Nathan Bahr, an infectious disease specialist, during a Monday briefing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627330255031.png" alt="The camp, which was put on by the Johnson County Park and Recreation District, was held at Clear Creek Elementary School in Shawnee.-Google image" />
 <figcaption>The camp, which was put on by the Johnson County Park and Recreation District, was held at Clear Creek Elementary School in Shawnee.-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE, Kan. (AP) — A suburban Kansas City summer camp has been shut down after eight COVID-19 cases were reported, and hospitals were raising alarms about a rise in infected patients.The camp, which was put on by the Johnson County Park and Recreation District, was held at Clear Creek Elementary School in Shawnee. The county health department said masks were only recommended, not required, and many children didn’t wear them.The health department is working with the camp to isolate or quarantine those who are affected, director Sanmi Areola said Monday.Kansas confirmed nearly 4,000 new cases last week and daily inpatient numbers have climbed back to nearly 400. The state hasn’t seen figures like that since February, KCUR&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/KCUR%20https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-07-26/kansas-coronavirus-cases-skyrocket-from-hundreds-to-thousands-per-week" target="_blank">reports</a>.“It is scary,” said deputy state health officer Joan Duwve.In the Wichita area, Ascension Via Christi’s St. Francis Hospital in Wichita went from 13 patients to 20 to 46 on the past three Mondays.Dr. Sam Antonios, Via Christi’s chief clinical officer, described the health system’s staff as “disheartened.”At the University Kansas Hospital, 56 are hospitalized with COVID-19, nine of them on ventilators, said Dr. Nathan Bahr, an infectious disease specialist, during a Monday briefing.“Lots of sick people,” he lamented.

COVID outbreak: Kansas summer camp shut down 

MCDONALD COUNTY, Mo —All three escapees are in custody, according to the McDonald County. Authorities found them in&nbsp; in Noel, Missouri and there were no injuries during the arrest.

MCDONALD COUNTY, Mo.— Authorities continue searching for three men who escaped from a jail in southwest Missouri after allegedly attacking an officer, according to the McDonald County Sheriff's Department in Pineville, Missouri.

&nbsp;David Molina, 49; Carmelo Miguel Burgos, 27; and Shun’tavion Ladarrias Thomas, 23; escaped from the jail around 5 p.m. Saturday. Pineville is about 190 miles south of Kansas City.

All three men had been jailed on suspicion of violent crimes, and the sheriff's office said all three of them should be considered armed and dangerous.

“Do not attempt to apprehend,” Capt. Chris Allison wrote in a post on the sheriff’s office’s Facebook page.

Authorities continued to search for the suspects early Monday and officials urged people in the area to lock their homes and vehicles.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627294451828.png" alt="Shun’tavion Ladarrias Thomas 23 year old Black male last seen wearing white pants and white shirt." />
 <figcaption>Shun’tavion Ladarrias Thomas 23 year old Black male last seen wearing white pants and white shirt.</figcaption>
 </figure>MCDONALD COUNTY, Mo —All three escapees are in custody, according to the McDonald County. Authorities found them in&nbsp; in Noel, Missouri and there were no injuries during the arrest.------------MCDONALD COUNTY, Mo.— Authorities continue searching for three men who escaped from a jail in southwest Missouri after allegedly attacking an officer, according to the McDonald County Sheriff's Department in Pineville, Missouri.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627294480232.png" alt="David Molina 49 year old Hispanic male last seen wearing orange &amp; white stripe pants and white shirt." />
 <figcaption>David Molina 49 year old Hispanic male last seen wearing orange &amp; white stripe pants and white shirt.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;David Molina, 49; Carmelo Miguel Burgos, 27; and Shun’tavion Ladarrias Thomas, 23; escaped from the jail around 5 p.m. Saturday. Pineville is about 190 miles south of Kansas City.All three men had been jailed on suspicion of violent crimes, and the sheriff's office said all three of them should be considered armed and dangerous.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627294532289.png" alt="Carmelo Miguel Burgos 27 year old Hispanic male last seen wearing orange &amp; white stripe pants and no shirt." />
 <figcaption>Carmelo Miguel Burgos 27 year old Hispanic male last seen wearing orange &amp; white stripe pants and no shirt.</figcaption>
 </figure>“Do not attempt to apprehend,” Capt. Chris Allison wrote in a post on the sheriff’s office’s Facebook page.Authorities continued to search for the suspects early Monday and officials urged people in the area to lock their homes and vehicles.

Sheriff: Inmates who escaped from jail south of KC in custody

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas State University professor with ADHD alleges in a lawsuit that he was discriminated against because of the condition, which can cause inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. 

Sanjoy Das, an associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, filed the lawsuit Friday in federal court. Das alleges in court documents that he requested reasonable work accommodations as allowed under the Americans with Disabilities Act, but was denied. 

He claimed the denial of accommodations and retaliation he experienced for complaining about discrimination led to a new anxiety disorder diagnosis and work-related stress.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627340068217.png" alt="Sanjoy Das -photo KSU" />
 <figcaption>Sanjoy Das -photo KSU</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas State University professor with ADHD alleges in a lawsuit that he was discriminated against because of the condition, which can cause inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Sanjoy Das, an associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, filed the lawsuit Friday in federal court. Das alleges in court documents that he requested reasonable work accommodations as allowed under the Americans with Disabilities Act, but was denied. He claimed the denial of accommodations and retaliation he experienced for complaining about discrimination led to a new anxiety disorder diagnosis and work-related stress.

Lawsuit by KSU professor alleges discrimination

BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal July 24 crash have identified the victims.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Chevy Tahoe driven by Oliverio&nbsp;&nbsp;Cucul Pop, 24, Houston, Texas, was southbound on Prairie Road near 240th Street four miles east of Hiawatha just before 7p.m.

The SUV traveled off the road into the west ditch, continued southbound, jumped a creek, struck an embankment, continued southbound in a ditch, struck a wooden post and rolled on its top in a field.

Pop was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Chapel Oaks Funeral Home. EMS transported a passenger&nbsp;Esteban Xol, 53, Davis Junction, Illinois, to the hospital in Hiawatha.&nbsp;

They were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal crash that occurred just before 7p.m. Saturday in Brown County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a vehicle was southbound on Prairie Road near 240th Street four miles east of Hiawatha.

The vehicle traveled off the road into the west ditch, continued southbound, jumped a creek, struck an embankment, continued southbound in a ditch, struck a wooden post and rolled on its top in a field.

Authorities did not release additional details early Sunday.

BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal July 24 crash have identified the victims.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Chevy Tahoe driven by Oliverio&nbsp;&nbsp;Cucul Pop, 24, Houston, Texas, was southbound on Prairie Road near 240th Street four miles east of Hiawatha just before 7p.m.The SUV traveled off the road into the west ditch, continued southbound, jumped a creek, struck an embankment, continued southbound in a ditch, struck a wooden post and rolled on its top in a field.Pop was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Chapel Oaks Funeral Home. EMS transported a passenger&nbsp;Esteban Xol, 53, Davis Junction, Illinois, to the hospital in Hiawatha.&nbsp;They were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.------------BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal crash that occurred just before 7p.m. Saturday in Brown County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a vehicle was southbound on Prairie Road near 240th Street four miles east of Hiawatha.The vehicle traveled off the road into the west ditch, continued southbound, jumped a creek, struck an embankment, continued southbound in a ditch, struck a wooden post and rolled on its top in a field.Authorities did not release additional details early Sunday.

KHP IDs victim in violent SUV rollover crash

DOUGLAS COUNTY – The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has canceled the statewide silver alert for Russell Stevens, 76, and Mina Stevens, 71. The couple was located in North Platte, Nebraska by North Platte PD.  Their family has been notified and is on their way to assist them with getting back to Lawrence.&nbsp; &nbsp;

DOUGLAS COUNTY – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation issued a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Lawrence couple.

The whereabouts of Russel “Red” Stevens, 76, and Mina Stevens, 71, are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate them.

On Sunday, they were last known to be driving from Wichita to rural Douglas County, northwest of Lawrence, according to the sheriff's office.

Over 24 hours later they have not returned home, or made contact with their family. The couple is driving a dark blue 2018 Ford Explorer with a Kansas license plate 944HBC.

If you see Russell or Mina Stevens please contact the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office immediately at 785-843-0250.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627335843886.png" alt="Russel “Red” Stevens, 76, and Mina Stevens, 71,&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Russel “Red” Stevens, 76, and Mina Stevens, 71,&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY – The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has canceled the statewide silver alert for Russell Stevens, 76, and Mina Stevens, 71. The couple was located in North Platte, Nebraska by North Platte PD. Their family has been notified and is on their way to assist them with getting back to Lawrence.&nbsp; &nbsp;--------DOUGLAS COUNTY – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation issued a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Lawrence couple.The whereabouts of Russel “Red” Stevens, 76, and Mina Stevens, 71, are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate them.On Sunday, they were last known to be driving from Wichita to rural Douglas County, northwest of Lawrence, according to the sheriff's office.Over 24 hours later they have not returned home, or made contact with their family. The couple is driving a dark blue 2018 Ford Explorer with a Kansas license plate 944HBC.If you see Russell or Mina Stevens please contact the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office immediately at 785-843-0250.

KBI: Silver Alert canceled, missing Kan. couple found 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman involved in a New Year's Day homicide made a court appearance on July 22.

Isabel Martin was charged with four counts of recruiting criminal street gang membership and is also charged with one count of aggravated robbery.

Investigators said the homicide victim 21-year-old&nbsp; Gabriel Campos-Torres found on a downtown street on New Year’s Day was not shot, but bludgeoned to death in a possible gang initiation.

New arrest documents filed by police said a medical examiner found no evidence that Campos-Torres had been shot. Instead, his death was ruled the result of blunt force injuries to the torso.

Police had issued public statements that Campos-Torres had been shot. But officials now say what appeared to have been a gunshot wound on the left side of his mouth was a cut that had torn through his cheek. Campos-Torres also suffered a “severe laceration of the liver” and significant internal bleeding.

Three people have been charged in Campos-Torres’ death including 19-year-old <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20065752">Noah Martin,</a> his 21-year-old sister Isabel Martin and another teenager.&nbsp;

 Police say they followed a trail of blood from where Campos-Torres was found to a house with known gang ties. Investigators say Campos-Torres’ blood was found inside the home, as was his cellphone.

Police said they also have surveillance video and social media message between the Campos-Torres and at least one person arrested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617135091618.png" alt="Isabel Martin, 21 of Wichita, was charged with recruiting criminal street gang membership in connection with the homicide." />
 <figcaption>Isabel Martin, 21 of Wichita, was charged with recruiting criminal street gang membership in connection with the homicide.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman involved in a New Year's Day homicide made a court appearance on July 22.Isabel Martin was charged with four counts of recruiting criminal street gang membership and is also charged with one count of aggravated robbery.Investigators said the homicide victim 21-year-old&nbsp; Gabriel Campos-Torres found on a downtown street on New Year’s Day was not shot, but bludgeoned to death in a possible gang initiation.New arrest documents filed by police said a medical examiner found no evidence that Campos-Torres had been shot. Instead, his death was ruled the result of blunt force injuries to the torso.Police had issued public statements that Campos-Torres had been shot. But officials now say what appeared to have been a gunshot wound on the left side of his mouth was a cut that had torn through his cheek. Campos-Torres also suffered a “severe laceration of the liver” and significant internal bleeding.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609538313369.png" alt="Noah Martin-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Noah Martin-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Three people have been charged in Campos-Torres’ death including 19-year-old <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20065752">Noah Martin,</a> his 21-year-old sister Isabel Martin and another teenager.&nbsp; Police say they followed a trail of blood from where Campos-Torres was found to a house with known gang ties. Investigators say Campos-Torres’ blood was found inside the home, as was his cellphone.Police said they also have surveillance video and social media message between the Campos-Torres and at least one person arrested.

Kansas woman charged in New Year's Day beating death

LOGAN COUNTY —Two people died in an accident just after 3:30 a.m. Monday in Logan County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp; 2015 Jeep Wrangler driven by Raymond H. Kennedy, 45, Glendale, Arizona, was eastbound on U.S. 40 eight miles west of the Kansas 25 Junction.&nbsp; The Jeep collided with a cow that was on the roadway. 

The driver attempted to break to miss the cow. The Jeep swerved, entered the north ditch and rolled.

Kennedy and a passenger Brenda G.&nbsp;Carrasco, 54, Peoria, Arizona, were pronounced dead at the scene and were transported to Baalmann Mortuary. They were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

LOGAN COUNTY —Two people died in an accident just after 3:30 a.m. Monday in Logan County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp; 2015 Jeep Wrangler driven by Raymond H. Kennedy, 45, Glendale, Arizona, was eastbound on U.S. 40 eight miles west of the Kansas 25 Junction.&nbsp; The Jeep collided with a cow that was on the roadway. The driver attempted to break to miss the cow. The Jeep swerved, entered the north ditch and rolled.Kennedy and a passenger Brenda G.&nbsp;Carrasco, 54, Peoria, Arizona, were pronounced dead at the scene and were transported to Baalmann Mortuary. They were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

2 dead after Jeep strikes a cow on Kansas highway

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing and have made an arrest.

Just after 9:00 p.m. Sunday, police responded to the 700 block of NE Twiss Avenue in Topeka on a report of a stabbing, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

Upon arrival, officers located a man suffering from serious injuries. He was transported to a local hospital by American Medical Response.

While additional officers were responding to the scene, witnesses described the suspect vehicle. Police located a vehicle matching the description, stopped it and arrested 35-year-old Bobby L. Cott, without incident.

&nbsp;Cox was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated battery. The suspect and victim are known to one another, according to police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627332582316.png" alt="Cott photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Cott photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing and have made an arrest.Just after 9:00 p.m. Sunday, police responded to the 700 block of NE Twiss Avenue in Topeka on a report of a stabbing, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.Upon arrival, officers located a man suffering from serious injuries. He was transported to a local hospital by American Medical Response.While additional officers were responding to the scene, witnesses described the suspect vehicle. Police located a vehicle matching the description, stopped it and arrested 35-year-old Bobby L. Cott, without incident.&nbsp;Cox was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated battery. The suspect and victim are known to one another, according to police.

Police: Kansas man jailed for alleged knife attack

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man for alleged child sex crimes.

In June, police in Wichita were alerted to a concerning text messages sent by 48-year-old Shawn Wingfield, according to Officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp;

USD 259 listed Wingfield as a gifted-6 teacher at Wichita Northwest High School. His linkdin profile said he also was involved with debate and forensics.

Further investigation into the text messages led police to arrest Wingfield on Saturday and he was booked&nbsp; into the Sedgwick County Jail <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=305200">on requested</a> charges of sexual exploitation of a child.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, Wingfield wrote on social media," This morning, for reasons involving personal health and well being, I resigned from Wichita Public Schools. Without going into details, I have come to believe that this is not only the best decision for myself, but also for the district and my students. And while I do regret the timing of this decision so close to the start of the new school year, I believe that to stay any longer would prove to be a greater inconvenience to everyone in the end."

On Saturday Wingfield&nbsp; wrote on social media, "Time for me to check out for a while.  A little earlier than I had hoped.  See everyone, I hope, on the other side."

The case against Wingfield was presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office. He remains jailed on a $50,000 bond, according to online court records and was expected in court on Monday afternoon, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627295318183.png" alt="Wingfield-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Wingfield-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man for alleged child sex crimes.In June, police in Wichita were alerted to a concerning text messages sent by 48-year-old Shawn Wingfield, according to Officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp;USD 259 listed Wingfield as a gifted-6 teacher at Wichita Northwest High School. His linkdin profile said he also was involved with debate and forensics.Further investigation into the text messages led police to arrest Wingfield on Saturday and he was booked&nbsp; into the Sedgwick County Jail <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=305200">on requested</a> charges of sexual exploitation of a child.&nbsp;Earlier this month, Wingfield wrote on social media," This morning, for reasons involving personal health and well being, I resigned from Wichita Public Schools. Without going into details, I have come to believe that this is not only the best decision for myself, but also for the district and my students. And while I do regret the timing of this decision so close to the start of the new school year, I believe that to stay any longer would prove to be a greater inconvenience to everyone in the end."On Saturday Wingfield&nbsp; wrote on social media, "Time for me to check out for a while. A little earlier than I had hoped. See everyone, I hope, on the other side."The case against Wingfield was presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office. He remains jailed on a $50,000 bond, according to online court records and was expected in court on Monday afternoon, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Kan. teacher jailed after text message investigation

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-07-26/kansas-coronavirus-cases-skyrocket-from-hundreds-to-thousands-per-week">Kansas News Service</a>

Kansas has managed to travel backward in pandemic time. Suddenly it’s February again.

Except this time, the state faces a version of COVID-19 that’s twice as contagious.

The
 delta variant is plowing through a lightly vaccinated population, and 
multiplying fast. In mid-June, Kansas saw hundreds of new cases a week. 
Now, there are thousands of new cases per week.

Say
 you get a shot of Pfizer tomorrow, then the second dose three weeks 
later. A couple more weeks must pass before your body has built up its 
arsenal of antibodies to guard you against hospitalization and death.

“Five
 weeks is a long time,” deputy state health officer Joan Duwve said. 
“That’s just a prime opportunity for this virus to find you, to make you
 sick and to spread to other members of your family.”

Yes, you can
 still catch COVID-19 after getting a vaccine, but misinformation about 
what that means deflects from this simple fact: For the vast majority of
 people, your vaccinated body will be ready for it.

“These are 
just heroic vaccines,” said Vaughn Cooper, who heads the Center for 
Evolutionary Biology and Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. “The 
chief scientific achievements of my lifetime.”

Around 99% of recent coronavirus deaths in the U.S. and 97% of the hospitalizations involved people who were <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/07/16/1017002907/u-s-covid-deaths-are-rising-again-experts-call-it-a-pandemic-of-the-unvaccinated" target="_blank">unvaccinated</a>.

Each day, a few thousand Kansans get a shot of the vaccine that scientists say can stop this pandemic.

Meantime, Kansas hospitals are filling beds fast, and some are <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2021-07-22/kansas-city-hospitals-at-tipping-point-as-beds-fill-up-with-more-than-just-covid-patients" target="_blank">turning away seriously ill COVID patients from other areas</a> and asking nurses to sign up for extra shifts.

In late April, Kansas identified its first case of the delta variant. Now <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas" target="_blank">almost all</a> the COVID cases here are this flavor.

Kansas sits smack dab in the delta zone, wedged between <a href="https://fortune.com/2021/07/21/delta-variant-covid-cases-states-where-its-most-prevalent/" target="_blank">other states</a> with the same problem — most notably, Missouri, where preventable infections are overwhelming hospitals in <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/07/delta-missouri-pandemic-surge/619456/" target="_blank">Springfield</a>.

And
 so delta is doing what delta does best: spreading. The Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention lists Kansas as one of 17 states with <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_community" target="_blank">high transmission levels</a> right now.

Not satisfied with hugging the Missouri border, the variant has 
crisscrossed the state, fueling upticks around Junction City, Wichita 
and other areas.

On the past three Mondays, Ascension Via Christi’s St. Francis Hospital in Wichita went from 13 patients to 20 to 46.

“They obviously don't want to have to go back to the same level of severity of illness,” he said.

Ascension built up significant stores of protective garb, testing gear and other supplies in the wake of last year’s shortages.

“What
 will continue to be the challenge is getting all the right staff in the
 right places,” he said. “We’re bringing in extra staff where we can and
 where we need to. However, it would be better for us to not have to do 
any of that.”

And that’s possible, scientists say, if people lean on the same tools that helped combat other varieties of COVID-19.

You’ve heard it before. It matters again. Wearing masks. Social distancing. Limiting gatherings to outdoors or <a href="https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/our-work/pubs_archive/pubs-pdfs/2021/20210526-school-ventilation.pdf" target="_blank">well-ventilated</a> spaces. Getting the vaccine. Going for a <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/280/COVID-19-Testing" target="_blank">free coronavirus test</a> if you have so much as the sniffles.

Could
 it get as bad as last December, when daily COVID inpatients topped 
1,000 and desperate hospitals spent hours calling each other in search 
of a free bed, only to send critically ill patients hours by ambulance 
out of state to Omaha or whatever other Midwest city had a free spot 
that day?

Experts lean toward “no,” but with significant caveats.

The
 good news: 80% of the state’s residents 65 years and older got 
vaccinated. That group faced the biggest risks from COVID-19. So with 
far fewer older people landing in the hospital, the hope is to avoid 
running out of beds like last winter.

But the other 20% of people over the age of 65 who didn’t get vaccinated are still a lot of people.

And on the whole, less than half the state’s population got the shots. In many counties, less than a third.

That’s not enough to keep such a swift moving variant in check, as Springfield shows.

“We
 don’t, unfortunately, have high enough vaccination in Kansas or 
Missouri” to slow the spread, said Amber D’Souza, a professor of 
epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 
“It’s going to have to be preventive measures — distancing and 
behavioral changes.”

Delta “is just a harder battle,” she said. “Because it is spreading to more people each time someone is infected.”

The new variant generates <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01986-w" target="_blank">far more copies</a>
 of itself in a person, which helps it reach the next one. Even a 
vaccinated person with little in the way of symptoms could pass the 
germs along to an unvaccinated friend, who then gets very ill.

So 
while the U.S. as a whole shouldn’t see inpatient numbers and deaths 
spike as high as last winter, experts like D’Souza warn that some parts of the country could get clobbered just as bad this fall.

Last winter, the U.S. was racking up more than <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_dailytrendscases" target="_blank">200,000 new confirmed infections a day</a>,
 which fell to around 10,000 earlier this summer. With the advent of 
delta, the country is back to reporting more than 60,000 a day.

Kansas confirmed nearly 4,000 new cases last week and daily inpatient
 numbers have climbed back to nearly 400. The state hasn’t seen figures 
like that since February.

“It is scary,” said Duwve, from the state health department.

“That
 story has yet to be written,” she said. “Because we as individuals have
 a lot of control over our behavior, and we know that there are things 
we can do to prevent the ongoing spread.”

Schools face a tough decision for that reason: whether to make students mask up when classes restart in a few weeks.

“The
 safest thing to do is to wear masks all the time,” D’Souza said. “But 
there's a cost for that. For everyone's comfort, right?”

The 
ideal, she said, is for school districts to set a threshold. When the 
case rate in their area hits that number, it’s time to put on the masks.

But some school districts might find it difficult to communicate that plan to the public, she said.

So if superintendents have to make a call in August and stick with it, then they’ve got to look at the outlook now.

Apparently, Kansas City doctors think the situation is bad enough to warrant masking up.

Last week, 100 of them signed <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-07-22/despite-covid-surge-and-advice-from-health-experts-most-kansas-schoolkids-wont-have-to-wear-masks" target="_blank">an open letter</a> begging schools to have unvaccinated students and teachers wear masks this fall.

So far just one major Kansas school district — Kansas City, Kansas — has agreed.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627330587128.png" alt="Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-07-26/kansas-coronavirus-cases-skyrocket-from-hundreds-to-thousands-per-week">Kansas News Service</a>Kansas has managed to travel backward in pandemic time. Suddenly it’s February again.Except this time, the state faces a version of COVID-19 that’s twice as contagious.The
 delta variant is plowing through a lightly vaccinated population, and 
multiplying fast. In mid-June, Kansas saw hundreds of new cases a week. 
Now, there are thousands of new cases per week.That’s why time really matters.Say
 you get a shot of Pfizer tomorrow, then the second dose three weeks 
later. A couple more weeks must pass before your body has built up its 
arsenal of antibodies to guard you against hospitalization and death.“Five
 weeks is a long time,” deputy state health officer Joan Duwve said. 
“That’s just a prime opportunity for this virus to find you, to make you
 sick and to spread to other members of your family.”Yes, you can
 still catch COVID-19 after getting a vaccine, but misinformation about 
what that means deflects from this simple fact: For the vast majority of
 people, your vaccinated body will be ready for it.“These are 
just heroic vaccines,” said Vaughn Cooper, who heads the Center for 
Evolutionary Biology and Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. “The 
chief scientific achievements of my lifetime.”Around 99% of recent coronavirus deaths in the U.S. and 97% of the hospitalizations involved people who were <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/07/16/1017002907/u-s-covid-deaths-are-rising-again-experts-call-it-a-pandemic-of-the-unvaccinated" target="_blank">unvaccinated</a>.Each day, a few thousand Kansans get a shot of the vaccine that scientists say can stop this pandemic.Meantime, Kansas hospitals are filling beds fast, and some are <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2021-07-22/kansas-city-hospitals-at-tipping-point-as-beds-fill-up-with-more-than-just-covid-patients" target="_blank">turning away seriously ill COVID patients from other areas</a> and asking nurses to sign up for extra shifts.<h2>The delta in Kansas</h2>In late April, Kansas identified its first case of the delta variant. Now <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas" target="_blank">almost all</a> the COVID cases here are this flavor.Kansas sits smack dab in the delta zone, wedged between <a href="https://fortune.com/2021/07/21/delta-variant-covid-cases-states-where-its-most-prevalent/" target="_blank">other states</a> with the same problem — most notably, Missouri, where preventable infections are overwhelming hospitals in <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/07/delta-missouri-pandemic-surge/619456/" target="_blank">Springfield</a>.And
 so delta is doing what delta does best: spreading. The Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention lists Kansas as one of 17 states with <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_community" target="_blank">high transmission levels</a> right now.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627330645256.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Not satisfied with hugging the Missouri border, the variant has 
crisscrossed the state, fueling upticks around Junction City, Wichita 
and other areas.On the past three Mondays, Ascension Via Christi’s St. Francis Hospital in Wichita went from 13 patients to 20 to 46.Dr. Sam Antonios, Via Christi’s chief clinical officer, described the health system’s staff as “disheartened.”“They obviously don't want to have to go back to the same level of severity of illness,” he said.Ascension built up significant stores of protective garb, testing gear and other supplies in the wake of last year’s shortages.“What
 will continue to be the challenge is getting all the right staff in the
 right places,” he said. “We’re bringing in extra staff where we can and
 where we need to. However, it would be better for us to not have to do 
any of that.”And that’s possible, scientists say, if people lean on the same tools that helped combat other varieties of COVID-19.You’ve heard it before. It matters again. Wearing masks. Social distancing. Limiting gatherings to outdoors or <a href="https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/our-work/pubs_archive/pubs-pdfs/2021/20210526-school-ventilation.pdf" target="_blank">well-ventilated</a> spaces. Getting the vaccine. Going for a <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/280/COVID-19-Testing" target="_blank">free coronavirus test</a> if you have so much as the sniffles.<h2>The big question</h2>How bad will it get in Kansas?Could
 it get as bad as last December, when daily COVID inpatients topped 
1,000 and desperate hospitals spent hours calling each other in search 
of a free bed, only to send critically ill patients hours by ambulance 
out of state to Omaha or whatever other Midwest city had a free spot 
that day?Experts lean toward “no,” but with significant caveats.The
 good news: 80% of the state’s residents 65 years and older got 
vaccinated. That group faced the biggest risks from COVID-19. So with 
far fewer older people landing in the hospital, the hope is to avoid 
running out of beds like last winter.But the other 20% of people over the age of 65 who didn’t get vaccinated are still a lot of people.And on the whole, less than half the state’s population got the shots. In many counties, less than a third.That’s not enough to keep such a swift moving variant in check, as Springfield shows.“We
 don’t, unfortunately, have high enough vaccination in Kansas or 
Missouri” to slow the spread, said Amber D’Souza, a professor of 
epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 
“It’s going to have to be preventive measures — distancing and 
behavioral changes.”Delta “is just a harder battle,” she said. “Because it is spreading to more people each time someone is infected.”The new variant generates <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01986-w" target="_blank">far more copies</a>
 of itself in a person, which helps it reach the next one. Even a 
vaccinated person with little in the way of symptoms could pass the 
germs along to an unvaccinated friend, who then gets very ill.So 
while the U.S. as a whole shouldn’t see inpatient numbers and deaths 
spike as high as last winter, experts like D’Souza warn that some parts of the country could get clobbered just as bad this fall.Last winter, the U.S. was racking up more than <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_dailytrendscases" target="_blank">200,000 new confirmed infections a day</a>,
 which fell to around 10,000 earlier this summer. With the advent of 
delta, the country is back to reporting more than 60,000 a day.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627330675834.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas confirmed nearly 4,000 new cases last week and daily inpatient
 numbers have climbed back to nearly 400. The state hasn’t seen figures 
like that since February.“It is scary,” said Duwve, from the state health department.So what happens next?“That
 story has yet to be written,” she said. “Because we as individuals have
 a lot of control over our behavior, and we know that there are things 
we can do to prevent the ongoing spread.”<h2>The school debate</h2>Schools face a tough decision for that reason: whether to make students mask up when classes restart in a few weeks.“The
 safest thing to do is to wear masks all the time,” D’Souza said. “But 
there's a cost for that. For everyone's comfort, right?”The 
ideal, she said, is for school districts to set a threshold. When the 
case rate in their area hits that number, it’s time to put on the masks.But some school districts might find it difficult to communicate that plan to the public, she said.So if superintendents have to make a call in August and stick with it, then they’ve got to look at the outlook now.Apparently, Kansas City doctors think the situation is bad enough to warrant masking up.Last week, 100 of them signed <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-07-22/despite-covid-surge-and-advice-from-health-experts-most-kansas-schoolkids-wont-have-to-wear-masks" target="_blank">an open letter</a> begging schools to have unvaccinated students and teachers wear masks this fall.So far just one major Kansas school district — Kansas City, Kansas — has agreed.Celia
 Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health for the Kansas News Service. 
You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia@kcur.org.

Kan. COVID cases skyrocket from hundreds to thousands per week 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Veterans Affairs on Monday became the first major federal agency to require health care workers to get COVID-19 vaccines, as the aggressive delta variant spreads and some communities report troubling increases in hospitalizations among unvaccinated people.

The VA’s move came on a day when nearly 60 leading medical and health care organizations issued a call for health care facilities to require their workers to get vaccinated.

At the VA, vaccines will be now mandatory for specified health care personnel — including physicians, dentists, podiatrists, optometrists, registered nurses, physician assistants and others who work in departmental facilities or provide direct care to veterans, said VA Secretary Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough.

Employees will have eight weeks to get vaccinated.

“It’s the best way to keep veterans safe, especially as the delta variant spreads across the country,” McDonough said in a statement. “Whenever a veteran or VA employee sets foot in a VA facility, they deserve to know that we have done everything in our power to protect them from COVID-19.

“With this mandate, we can once again make — and keep — that fundamental promise,” he added.

The medical and health care groups issuing a call for mandatory vaccines included the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Nursing, the American Public Health Association and, for the first time, a nursing home industry group. LeadingAge, which represents nonprofit nursing homes and elder care facilities, had previously advocated educating nursing home employees about the benefits of getting their shots.

“Unfortunately, many health care and long-term care personnel remain unvaccinated,” the groups said in a statement. “We stand with the growing number of experts and institutions that support the requirement for universal vaccination of health workers.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627326883921.png" alt="“It’s the best way to keep veterans safe, especially as the delta variant spreads across the country,”&nbsp; said VA Secretary Dennis McDonough.&nbsp; He is shown here answering questions from Kansas Senator Jerry Moran during a July 14 hearing -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>“It’s the best way to keep veterans safe, especially as the delta variant spreads across the country,”&nbsp; said VA Secretary Dennis McDonough.&nbsp; He is shown here answering questions from Kansas Senator Jerry Moran during a July 14 hearing -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Veterans Affairs on Monday became the first major federal agency to require health care workers to get COVID-19 vaccines, as the aggressive delta variant spreads and some communities report troubling increases in hospitalizations among unvaccinated people.The VA’s move came on a day when nearly 60 leading medical and health care organizations issued a call for health care facilities to require their workers to get vaccinated.At the VA, vaccines will be now mandatory for specified health care personnel — including physicians, dentists, podiatrists, optometrists, registered nurses, physician assistants and others who work in departmental facilities or provide direct care to veterans, said VA Secretary Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough.Employees will have eight weeks to get vaccinated.“It’s the best way to keep veterans safe, especially as the delta variant spreads across the country,” McDonough said in a statement. “Whenever a veteran or VA employee sets foot in a VA facility, they deserve to know that we have done everything in our power to protect them from COVID-19.“With this mandate, we can once again make — and keep — that fundamental promise,” he added.The medical and health care groups issuing a call for mandatory vaccines included the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Nursing, the American Public Health Association and, for the first time, a nursing home industry group. LeadingAge, which represents nonprofit nursing homes and elder care facilities, had previously advocated educating nursing home employees about the benefits of getting their shots.“Unfortunately, many health care and long-term care personnel remain unvaccinated,” the groups said in a statement. “We stand with the growing number of experts and institutions that support the requirement for universal vaccination of health workers.”

VA sets deadline for health care workers to get vaccinated

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Although the pandemic disrupted family life across the U.S. since taking hold in spring 2020, some parents are grateful for one consequence: They’re now opting to homeschool their children, even as schools plan to resume in-person classes.

The specific reasons vary widely. Some families who spoke with The Associated Press have children with special educational needs; others seek a faith-based curriculum or say their local schools are flawed. The common denominator: They tried homeschooling on what they thought was a temporary basis and found it beneficial to their children.

“That’s one of the silver linings of the pandemic — I don’t think we would have chosen to homeschool otherwise,” said Danielle King of Randolph, Vermont, whose 7-year-old daughter Zoë thrived with the flexible, one-on-one instruction. Her curriculum has included literature, anatomy, even archaeology, enlivened by outdoor excursions to search for fossils.

The surge has been confirmed by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-census-2020-6ca21124cca741b9e6ec1c8256e1c921">U.S. Census Bureau</a>, which reported in March that the rate of households homeschooling their children rose to 11% by September 2020, more than doubling from 5.4% just six months earlier.

Black households saw the largest jump; their homeschooling rate rose from 3.3% in the spring of 2020 to 16.1% in the fall.

The parents in one of those households, Arlena and Robert Brown of Austin, Texas, had three children in elementary school when the pandemic took hold. After experimenting with virtual learning, the couple opted to try homeschooling with a Catholic-oriented curriculum provided by Seton Home Study School, which serves about 16,000 students nationwide.

The Browns plan to continue homeschooling for the coming year, grateful that they can tailor the curriculum to fit their children’s distinctive needs. Jacoby, 11, has been diagnosed with narcolepsy and sometimes needs naps during the day; Riley, 10, has tested as academically gifted; Felicity, 9, has a learning disability.

“I didn’t want my kids to become a statistic and not meet their full potential,” said Robert Brown, a former teacher who now does consulting. “And we wanted them to have very solid understanding of their faith.”

Arlena Brown, who gave birth to a fourth child 10 months ago, worked as a preschool teacher before the pandemic. Homeschooling, she says, has been a rewarding adventure.

“In the beginning, the biggest challenge was to unschool ourselves and understand that homeschooling has so much freedom,” she said. “We can go as quickly or slowly as we need to.”

Race played a key role in the decision by another African American family to homeschool their 12-year-old son, Dorian.

Angela Valentine said Dorian was often the only Black student in his classes at a suburban Chicago public school, was sometimes treated unfairly by administrators, and was dismayed as other children stopped playing with him.

As the pandemic eased, the family decided to keep Dorian at home and teach him there, using a curriculum provided by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbhe.net/" target="_blank">National Black Home Educators</a>&nbsp;that provides content for each academic subject pertaining to African American history and culture.

“I felt the burden of making the shift, making sure we’re making the right choices,” Valentine said. “But until we’re really comfortable with his learning environment, we’ll stay on this homeschool journey.”

Charmaine Williams, who lives in the St. Louis suburb of Baldwin, also is using the National Black Home Educators curriculum as she homeschools her 10-year-old son, Justin, and 6-year-old daughter, Janel.

Williams said she and her husband tried two previous stints of homeschooling for Justin after school officials complained about his behavior. Now — with the new curriculum and an accompanying support network — they feel more confident about choosing it as a long-term option.

“At school, children have to follow a certain pattern, and there’s bullying, belittling — compared to being home where they’re free to be themselves,” Williams said.

“There’s no turning back for us now,” she added. “The pandemic has been a blessing — an opportunity to take ownership of our children’s education.”

Joyce Burges, co-founder and program director of National Black Home Educators, said the 21-year-old organization had about 5,000 members before the pandemic and now has more than 35,000.

Many of the new families experienced difficulties, including lack of internet access, that limited their children’s ability to benefit from virtual learning during the pandemic, Burges said.

“It got so they didn’t trust anything but their own homes, and their children being with them,” she said. “Now they’re seeing the future — seeing what their children can do.”

For some families, the switch to homeschooling was influenced by their children’s special needs. That’s the case for Jennifer Osgood of Fairfax, Vermont, whose 7-year-old daughter Lily has Down syndrome.

Having observed Lily’s progress with reading and arithmetic while at home during the pandemic, Osgood is convinced homeschooling is the best option for her going forward.

She has made the same decision for her 12-year-old son Noah, who didn’t like the remote classes offered by his public school in the spring of 2020, and did homeschooling throughout the 2020-21 school year. It went so well that they want to continue for at least a few more years.

“He told me he was learning so much more at home than he ever did in school,” Osgood recalled. “He said, ‘School is just so chaotic — we don’t get very much done in any particular class. Here, I sit down, you tell me what to do, and minutes later I’m done.’”

Heather Pray of Phoenix, Maryland, says homeschooling has been a major success for her 7-year-old son, Jackson, who has autism. The family made the switch because Jackson was struggling with the virtual learning that his school provided during the pandemic.

“My son did great (with homeschooling), even with just two hours of schoolwork a day,” Pray said. “I got him into piano lessons, taught him to read.”

Pray is also homeschooling her daughter, Hayley, who’s going into 7th grade and had been attending a Christian school.

“I had no idea how this was going to go — I just dove in headfirst,” said Pray. “I felt God was holding my hand.”

The Gonzalez family from Appomattox, Virginia — who are devout Catholics — opted to homeschool their three sons, ages 9, 13 and 15, after their Catholic school in Lynchburg closed in 2020 due to falling enrollment.

They’re using the Catholic-focused curriculum from Seton Home Study School, which Jennifer Gonzalez, the boys’ mom, described as rigorous but well-organized.

“My kids have just excelled,” she said. “We’re able to be home and be together.”

By DAVID CRARYKANSAS CITY (AP) —Although the pandemic disrupted family life across the U.S. since taking hold in spring 2020, some parents are grateful for one consequence: They’re now opting to homeschool their children, even as schools plan to resume in-person classes.The specific reasons vary widely. Some families who spoke with The Associated Press have children with special educational needs; others seek a faith-based curriculum or say their local schools are flawed. The common denominator: They tried homeschooling on what they thought was a temporary basis and found it beneficial to their children.“That’s one of the silver linings of the pandemic — I don’t think we would have chosen to homeschool otherwise,” said Danielle King of Randolph, Vermont, whose 7-year-old daughter Zoë thrived with the flexible, one-on-one instruction. Her curriculum has included literature, anatomy, even archaeology, enlivened by outdoor excursions to search for fossils.The surge has been confirmed by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-census-2020-6ca21124cca741b9e6ec1c8256e1c921">U.S. Census Bureau</a>, which reported in March that the rate of households homeschooling their children rose to 11% by September 2020, more than doubling from 5.4% just six months earlier.Black households saw the largest jump; their homeschooling rate rose from 3.3% in the spring of 2020 to 16.1% in the fall.The parents in one of those households, Arlena and Robert Brown of Austin, Texas, had three children in elementary school when the pandemic took hold. After experimenting with virtual learning, the couple opted to try homeschooling with a Catholic-oriented curriculum provided by Seton Home Study School, which serves about 16,000 students nationwide.The Browns plan to continue homeschooling for the coming year, grateful that they can tailor the curriculum to fit their children’s distinctive needs. Jacoby, 11, has been diagnosed with narcolepsy and sometimes needs naps during the day; Riley, 10, has tested as academically gifted; Felicity, 9, has a learning disability.“I didn’t want my kids to become a statistic and not meet their full potential,” said Robert Brown, a former teacher who now does consulting. “And we wanted them to have very solid understanding of their faith.”Arlena Brown, who gave birth to a fourth child 10 months ago, worked as a preschool teacher before the pandemic. Homeschooling, she says, has been a rewarding adventure.“In the beginning, the biggest challenge was to unschool ourselves and understand that homeschooling has so much freedom,” she said. “We can go as quickly or slowly as we need to.”Race played a key role in the decision by another African American family to homeschool their 12-year-old son, Dorian.Angela Valentine said Dorian was often the only Black student in his classes at a suburban Chicago public school, was sometimes treated unfairly by administrators, and was dismayed as other children stopped playing with him.As the pandemic eased, the family decided to keep Dorian at home and teach him there, using a curriculum provided by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbhe.net/" target="_blank">National Black Home Educators</a>&nbsp;that provides content for each academic subject pertaining to African American history and culture.“I felt the burden of making the shift, making sure we’re making the right choices,” Valentine said. “But until we’re really comfortable with his learning environment, we’ll stay on this homeschool journey.”Charmaine Williams, who lives in the St. Louis suburb of Baldwin, also is using the National Black Home Educators curriculum as she homeschools her 10-year-old son, Justin, and 6-year-old daughter, Janel.Williams said she and her husband tried two previous stints of homeschooling for Justin after school officials complained about his behavior. Now — with the new curriculum and an accompanying support network — they feel more confident about choosing it as a long-term option.“At school, children have to follow a certain pattern, and there’s bullying, belittling — compared to being home where they’re free to be themselves,” Williams said.“There’s no turning back for us now,” she added. “The pandemic has been a blessing — an opportunity to take ownership of our children’s education.”Joyce Burges, co-founder and program director of National Black Home Educators, said the 21-year-old organization had about 5,000 members before the pandemic and now has more than 35,000.Many of the new families experienced difficulties, including lack of internet access, that limited their children’s ability to benefit from virtual learning during the pandemic, Burges said.“It got so they didn’t trust anything but their own homes, and their children being with them,” she said. “Now they’re seeing the future — seeing what their children can do.”For some families, the switch to homeschooling was influenced by their children’s special needs. That’s the case for Jennifer Osgood of Fairfax, Vermont, whose 7-year-old daughter Lily has Down syndrome.Having observed Lily’s progress with reading and arithmetic while at home during the pandemic, Osgood is convinced homeschooling is the best option for her going forward.She has made the same decision for her 12-year-old son Noah, who didn’t like the remote classes offered by his public school in the spring of 2020, and did homeschooling throughout the 2020-21 school year. It went so well that they want to continue for at least a few more years.“He told me he was learning so much more at home than he ever did in school,” Osgood recalled. “He said, ‘School is just so chaotic — we don’t get very much done in any particular class. Here, I sit down, you tell me what to do, and minutes later I’m done.’”Heather Pray of Phoenix, Maryland, says homeschooling has been a major success for her 7-year-old son, Jackson, who has autism. The family made the switch because Jackson was struggling with the virtual learning that his school provided during the pandemic.“My son did great (with homeschooling), even with just two hours of schoolwork a day,” Pray said. “I got him into piano lessons, taught him to read.”Pray is also homeschooling her daughter, Hayley, who’s going into 7th grade and had been attending a Christian school.“I had no idea how this was going to go — I just dove in headfirst,” said Pray. “I felt God was holding my hand.”The Gonzalez family from Appomattox, Virginia — who are devout Catholics — opted to homeschool their three sons, ages 9, 13 and 15, after their Catholic school in Lynchburg closed in 2020 due to falling enrollment.They’re using the Catholic-focused curriculum from Seton Home Study School, which Jennifer Gonzalez, the boys’ mom, described as rigorous but well-organized.“My kids have just excelled,” she said. “We’re able to be home and be together.”