By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/07/15/kansas-earmarks-15m-in-emergency-education-funds-for-early-literacy/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA
 — The Kansas State Department of Education is setting aside $15 million
 in funding for a literacy initiative intended to address learning loss 
during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The initiative will allow Kansas 
teachers to receive specialized training in the science of reading 
through the Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling 
program. LETRS is a professional development program that provides 
educators with tools to improve the literacy and language development of
 their students.

Through the program, educators learn to identify and intervene before students suffer from reading failure.

Funds set aside will be drawn from 
the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund and 
spread across three years. The Kansas initiative will focus on pre-K 
through third-grade teachers, English as a second language educators, 
reading specialists, and special education.

“Early literacy is an effort the 
state board has been committed to for many years because it is critical 
to long-term academic success,” said education commissioner Randy 
Watson. “With the learning loss created by the pandemic and the federal 
funds made available to address this loss, this is the right opportunity
 at the right time.”

Amid the pandemic, Kansas classrooms 
saw academic losses in reading, mathematics, social-emotional issues and
 literacy, Watson said. Education officials hope this program, already 
used previously to a lesser degree across the state, can help the 
state’s classrooms recover.

The program will first be available 
to all teachers in the five Kansas counties most impacted academically —
 Douglas, Johnson, Shawnee, Sedgwick and Wyandotte counties. Some 
counties in southeast Kansas also will be included.

KSDE plans to expand services to more rural communities during its second phase.

Besides training in structured 
literacy for every teacher, LETRS will provide professors at higher 
education institutions with better training to prepare future educators,
 said Jim Porter, chairman of the state board of education.

“We can have confidence that those 
people that are dealing with each stage have the capacity and the 
ability to know about the science of reading and what works for our 
students,” Porter said. “We have numerous students who are not 
successful in reading, and we believe that this is going to make a 
tremendous impact on their part.”

Private accredited schools also will 
have access to the same intense training for their teachers. Most of the
 science of reading training will take place virtually, although some 
will be in-person.

The science of reading focuses on phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.

“This training will enhance and 
support any ongoing efforts to implement structured literacy,” said 
Michelle Dombrosky, who represents District 3 on the board. “LETRS is 
basically the science of reading — the what and the why — and structured
 literacy is the how.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626446719005.png" alt="Kansas education commissioner Randy Watson and the state board of education on Wednesday announced $15 million would be set aside to train Kansas teachers how to best address early literacy. (KSDE)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas education commissioner Randy Watson and the state board of education on Wednesday announced $15 million would be set aside to train Kansas teachers how to best address early literacy. (KSDE)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/07/15/kansas-earmarks-15m-in-emergency-education-funds-for-early-literacy/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA
 — The Kansas State Department of Education is setting aside $15 million
 in funding for a literacy initiative intended to address learning loss 
during the COVID-19 pandemic.The initiative will allow Kansas 
teachers to receive specialized training in the science of reading 
through the Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling 
program. LETRS is a professional development program that provides 
educators with tools to improve the literacy and language development of
 their students.Through the program, educators learn to identify and intervene before students suffer from reading failure.Funds set aside will be drawn from 
the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund and 
spread across three years. The Kansas initiative will focus on pre-K 
through third-grade teachers, English as a second language educators, 
reading specialists, and special education.“Early literacy is an effort the 
state board has been committed to for many years because it is critical 
to long-term academic success,” said education commissioner Randy 
Watson. “With the learning loss created by the pandemic and the federal 
funds made available to address this loss, this is the right opportunity
 at the right time.”Amid the pandemic, Kansas classrooms 
saw academic losses in reading, mathematics, social-emotional issues and
 literacy, Watson said. Education officials hope this program, already 
used previously to a lesser degree across the state, can help the 
state’s classrooms recover.The program will first be available 
to all teachers in the five Kansas counties most impacted academically —
 Douglas, Johnson, Shawnee, Sedgwick and Wyandotte counties. Some 
counties in southeast Kansas also will be included.KSDE plans to expand services to more rural communities during its second phase.Besides training in structured 
literacy for every teacher, LETRS will provide professors at higher 
education institutions with better training to prepare future educators,
 said Jim Porter, chairman of the state board of education.“We can have confidence that those 
people that are dealing with each stage have the capacity and the 
ability to know about the science of reading and what works for our 
students,” Porter said. “We have numerous students who are not 
successful in reading, and we believe that this is going to make a 
tremendous impact on their part.”Private accredited schools also will 
have access to the same intense training for their teachers. Most of the
 science of reading training will take place virtually, although some 
will be in-person.The science of reading focuses on phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.“This training will enhance and 
support any ongoing efforts to implement structured literacy,” said 
Michelle Dombrosky, who represents District 3 on the board. “LETRS is 
basically the science of reading — the what and the why — and structured
 literacy is the how.”

Kan. earmarks $15M in emergency education funds for early literacy

WASHINGTON — The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S. is becoming “a pandemic of the unvaccinated.”

Speaking during a White House briefing, Dr. Rochelle Walensky says cases in the U.S. are up about 70% over the last week, hospital admissions are up 36% and deaths rose by 26%. Nearly all hospital admissions and deaths, she says, are among the unvaccinated.

White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients echoed the pandemic is “one that predominantly threatens unvaccinated people.”

He says the Biden administration expects cases to increase in the weeks ahead because of spread in communities with low vaccination rates. Four states accounted for 40% of new cases last week, with one in five coming from Florida.

But Zients says there are signs that increased cases are driving more people in those communities to seek vaccination at rates faster than the national average.

WASHINGTON — The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S. is becoming “a pandemic of the unvaccinated.”Speaking during a White House briefing, Dr. Rochelle Walensky says cases in the U.S. are up about 70% over the last week, hospital admissions are up 36% and deaths rose by 26%. Nearly all hospital admissions and deaths, she says, are among the unvaccinated.White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients echoed the pandemic is “one that predominantly threatens unvaccinated people.”He says the Biden administration expects cases to increase in the weeks ahead because of spread in communities with low vaccination rates. Four states accounted for 40% of new cases last week, with one in five coming from Florida.But Zients says there are signs that increased cases are driving more people in those communities to seek vaccination at rates faster than the national average.___

CDC Director: U.S. becoming pandemic of the unvaccinated

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

Police arrested two Salina men after a pursuit&nbsp; that began late Thursday night in north Salina.

At 11:30 p.m. Thursday, an officer observed a blue Oldsmobile Delta 88 that was westbound on W. Decatur Street in Salina. The driver failed to use his turn signal and instead turned on his flashers before turning south in the 600 block of N. Ninth Street, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.

The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, but it fled at a high rate of speed, leading the officer on a chase through parts of north Salina at speeds of 70 mph.

The pursuit eventually ended up on E. Iron Avenue, where the car turned into the parking lot at Quail Creek Apartments, 1515 E. Iron Avenue.

The driver, identified as Adrian Richardson, 29, of Salina, fled on foot. A witness told police that Richardson had gone into an apartment in the complex. Police located him in the apartment and he was taken into custody, Forrester said.

None of the four occupants of the apartment knew Richardson and he did not have permission to be there, Forrester added. None of the occupants was injured.

As another officer was pulling up on the scene, he noticed a passenger from the car fleeing on foot as well. The passenger was identified as Anthony Wonder, 33, of Salina. As the officer chased Wonder on foot, Wonder allegedly turned around and punched the officer in the head, Forrester said. Wonder eventually was taken into custody in the 1400 block of E. Iron Avenue. The officer was not seriously injured, Forrester said.

Police arrested Richardson was arrested on requested charges of Felony flee and elude, Felony interference with a law enforcement office, Aggravated burglary, Reckless driving, Multiple traffic infractions, No proof of insurance

Wonder is being held on requested charges of Felony interference with a law enforcement officer, Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of paraphernalia, Battery of a law enforcement officer and&nbsp;No drug tax stamp.

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostPolice arrested two Salina men after a pursuit&nbsp; that began late Thursday night in north Salina.At 11:30 p.m. Thursday, an officer observed a blue Oldsmobile Delta 88 that was westbound on W. Decatur Street in Salina. The driver failed to use his turn signal and instead turned on his flashers before turning south in the 600 block of N. Ninth Street, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, but it fled at a high rate of speed, leading the officer on a chase through parts of north Salina at speeds of 70 mph.The pursuit eventually ended up on E. Iron Avenue, where the car turned into the parking lot at Quail Creek Apartments, 1515 E. Iron Avenue.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626436569605.jpeg" alt="Adrian Richardson. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>Adrian Richardson. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>The driver, identified as Adrian Richardson, 29, of Salina, fled on foot. A witness told police that Richardson had gone into an apartment in the complex. Police located him in the apartment and he was taken into custody, Forrester said.None of the four occupants of the apartment knew Richardson and he did not have permission to be there, Forrester added. None of the occupants was injured.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626450250116.jpeg" alt="Anthony Wonder. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>Anthony Wonder. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>As another officer was pulling up on the scene, he noticed a passenger from the car fleeing on foot as well. The passenger was identified as Anthony Wonder, 33, of Salina. As the officer chased Wonder on foot, Wonder allegedly turned around and punched the officer in the head, Forrester said. Wonder eventually was taken into custody in the 1400 block of E. Iron Avenue. The officer was not seriously injured, Forrester said.Police arrested Richardson was arrested on requested charges of Felony flee and elude, Felony interference with a law enforcement office, Aggravated burglary, Reckless driving, Multiple traffic infractions, No proof of insuranceWonder is being held on requested charges of Felony interference with a law enforcement officer, Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of paraphernalia, Battery of a law enforcement officer and&nbsp;No drug tax stamp.

Police: Kan. suspect punches officer in the head after high-speed chase

THOMAS COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 3p.m. Friday in Thomas County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by John L. McGuire, 47, Fort Cobb, Oklahoma, was southbound on Kansas 25 two miles north of U.S. 40.

The driver exited on the right while negotiating a curve. The motorcycle collided with Thomas County line sign and rolled an undeterminable amount of times. The motorcycle came to rest in the west ditch.

McGuire was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Baaumann Mortuary. He was not wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

THOMAS COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 3p.m. Friday in Thomas County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by John L. McGuire, 47, Fort Cobb, Oklahoma, was southbound on Kansas 25 two miles north of U.S. 40.The driver exited on the right while negotiating a curve. The motorcycle collided with Thomas County line sign and rolled an undeterminable amount of times. The motorcycle came to rest in the west ditch.McGuire was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Baaumann Mortuary. He was not wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

Man dies after NW Kansas motorcycle accident

A federal judge in Texas on Friday ruled illegal an Obama-era program that prevents the deportation of some immigrants brought into the United States as children, putting new pressure for action on President Joe Biden and Democrats who control Congress for legislation to safeguard the people known as “Dreamers.”

U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen ruled in favor of Texas and eight other conservative states that sued to halt the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which provides limited protections to about 650,000 people. People who are already enrolled won’t lose protections, but Hanen is barring the approval of any new applications.

On the decision, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said, “Today’s decision is a victory for the rule of law that reaffirms no president has the unilateral authority to rewrite or suspend our immigration laws. Even President Obama stated this obvious fact on numerous occasions until, capitulating to political pressure, he purported to create DACA by executive action. As I have said many times during the course of this lengthy litigation, DACA recipients are a sympathetic group with significant public support and a compelling argument that their circumstance is unique. But, because of President Obama’s unlawful executive action, for the past decade DACA recipients have lived under the cruel illusion of a program that in fact never could lawfully exist."

Hanen’s decision limits the immediate ability of Biden, who pledged during his campaign to protect DACA, to keep the program or something similar in place. His ruling is the second by a federal judge in Texas stopping Biden’s immigration plans, after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-immigration-texas-barack-obama-51688033e490d50867e52ef9c8ec574f">court barred enforcement of Biden’s 100-day stay</a>&nbsp;on most deportations. The program has been challenged in court since former President Barack Obama instituted it in June 2012.

In Friday’s ruling, Hanen wrote that the states proved “the hardship that the continued operation of DACA has inflicted on them.”

He continued: “Furthermore, the government has no legitimate interest in the continuation of an illegally implemented program.”

Biden has already proposed legislation that would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-legislation-immigration-border-security-2179887c74cfd8d156bbd293abfc9fb0">provide a pathway to citizenship</a>&nbsp;for the estimated 11 million people living in the U.S. without authorization. He also ordered agencies to make efforts to preserve the program.

Supporters of DACA, including those who argued before Hanen to save it, have said a law passed by Congress is necessary to provide permanent relief. Hanen has said Congress must act if the U.S. wants to provide the protections in DACA to recipients commonly known as “Dreamers.”

The House approved legislation in March creating a pathway toward citizenship for “Dreamers,” but the measure has been stalled in the Senate. Immigration advocates hope to include a provision opening that citizenship doorway in sweeping budget legislation Democrats want to approve this year, but it’s unclear whether that language will survive.

Hanen’s ruling came after a nearly 3 1/2 hour&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-houston-deferred-action-for-childhood-arrivals-program-immigration-us-supreme-court-bc19608c6aa54623902c44ded180d005">court hearing</a>&nbsp;Dec. 22 on DACA’s fate.

The states argued that Obama never had the authority in 2012 to create DACA because it circumvented Congress. The states also argued that the program drains their educational and healthcare resources.

Suing alongside Texas were Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Carolina, and West Virginia — states that all had Republican governors or state attorneys general.

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, which defended the program on behalf of a group of DACA recipients, argued Obama did have the authority and that the states lacked the standing to sue because they had not suffered any harm due to the program.

Hanen rejected Texas’ request in 2018 to stop the program through a preliminary injunction. But in a foreshadowing of his latest ruling, he said he believed DACA as enacted was likely unconstitutional.

“If the nation truly wants to have a DACA program, it is up to Congress to say so,” Hanen wrote in 2018.

Hanen ruled in 2015 that Obama could not expand DACA protections or institute a program shielding their parents.

While DACA is often described as a program for young immigrants, many recipients have lived in the U.S. for a decade or longer after being brought into the country without permission or overstaying visas. The liberal Center for American Progress says roughly 254,000 children have at least one parent relying on DACA. Some recipients are grandparents.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that former President Donald Trump’s attempt to end DACA in 2017 was unlawful. A New York judge in December&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-immigration-courts-deferred-action-for-childhood-arrivals-program-ab070236efdcadce2659800f88b68507">ordered</a>&nbsp;the Trump administration to restore the program as enacted by Obama.

Todd Schulte, president of FWD.us, a progressive organization, expressed disappointment at Friday’s ruling, saying in a statement that DACA has been a big success that has transformed many lives.

“Today makes absolutely clear: only a permanent legislative solution passed by Congress will eliminate the fear and uncertainty that DACA recipients have been forced to live with for years. We call on each and every elected office to do everything within their power so that DACA recipients and their families and communities can live free from fear, and continue to build their lives here,” Schulte said.

By ASTRID GALVAN, Associated PressA federal judge in Texas on Friday ruled illegal an Obama-era program that prevents the deportation of some immigrants brought into the United States as children, putting new pressure for action on President Joe Biden and Democrats who control Congress for legislation to safeguard the people known as “Dreamers.”U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen ruled in favor of Texas and eight other conservative states that sued to halt the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which provides limited protections to about 650,000 people. People who are already enrolled won’t lose protections, but Hanen is barring the approval of any new applications.On the decision, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said, “Today’s decision is a victory for the rule of law that reaffirms no president has the unilateral authority to rewrite or suspend our immigration laws. Even President Obama stated this obvious fact on numerous occasions until, capitulating to political pressure, he purported to create DACA by executive action. As I have said many times during the course of this lengthy litigation, DACA recipients are a sympathetic group with significant public support and a compelling argument that their circumstance is unique. But, because of President Obama’s unlawful executive action, for the past decade DACA recipients have lived under the cruel illusion of a program that in fact never could lawfully exist."Hanen’s decision limits the immediate ability of Biden, who pledged during his campaign to protect DACA, to keep the program or something similar in place. His ruling is the second by a federal judge in Texas stopping Biden’s immigration plans, after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-immigration-texas-barack-obama-51688033e490d50867e52ef9c8ec574f">court barred enforcement of Biden’s 100-day stay</a>&nbsp;on most deportations. The program has been challenged in court since former President Barack Obama instituted it in June 2012.In Friday’s ruling, Hanen wrote that the states proved “the hardship that the continued operation of DACA has inflicted on them.”He continued: “Furthermore, the government has no legitimate interest in the continuation of an illegally implemented program.”Biden has already proposed legislation that would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-legislation-immigration-border-security-2179887c74cfd8d156bbd293abfc9fb0">provide a pathway to citizenship</a>&nbsp;for the estimated 11 million people living in the U.S. without authorization. He also ordered agencies to make efforts to preserve the program.Supporters of DACA, including those who argued before Hanen to save it, have said a law passed by Congress is necessary to provide permanent relief. Hanen has said Congress must act if the U.S. wants to provide the protections in DACA to recipients commonly known as “Dreamers.”The House approved legislation in March creating a pathway toward citizenship for “Dreamers,” but the measure has been stalled in the Senate. Immigration advocates hope to include a provision opening that citizenship doorway in sweeping budget legislation Democrats want to approve this year, but it’s unclear whether that language will survive.Hanen’s ruling came after a nearly 3 1/2 hour&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-houston-deferred-action-for-childhood-arrivals-program-immigration-us-supreme-court-bc19608c6aa54623902c44ded180d005">court hearing</a>&nbsp;Dec. 22 on DACA’s fate.The states argued that Obama never had the authority in 2012 to create DACA because it circumvented Congress. The states also argued that the program drains their educational and healthcare resources.Suing alongside Texas were Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Carolina, and West Virginia — states that all had Republican governors or state attorneys general.The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, which defended the program on behalf of a group of DACA recipients, argued Obama did have the authority and that the states lacked the standing to sue because they had not suffered any harm due to the program.Hanen rejected Texas’ request in 2018 to stop the program through a preliminary injunction. But in a foreshadowing of his latest ruling, he said he believed DACA as enacted was likely unconstitutional.“If the nation truly wants to have a DACA program, it is up to Congress to say so,” Hanen wrote in 2018.Hanen ruled in 2015 that Obama could not expand DACA protections or institute a program shielding their parents.While DACA is often described as a program for young immigrants, many recipients have lived in the U.S. for a decade or longer after being brought into the country without permission or overstaying visas. The liberal Center for American Progress says roughly 254,000 children have at least one parent relying on DACA. Some recipients are grandparents.The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that former President Donald Trump’s attempt to end DACA in 2017 was unlawful. A New York judge in December&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-immigration-courts-deferred-action-for-childhood-arrivals-program-ab070236efdcadce2659800f88b68507">ordered</a>&nbsp;the Trump administration to restore the program as enacted by Obama.Todd Schulte, president of FWD.us, a progressive organization, expressed disappointment at Friday’s ruling, saying in a statement that DACA has been a big success that has transformed many lives.“Today makes absolutely clear: only a permanent legislative solution passed by Congress will eliminate the fear and uncertainty that DACA recipients have been forced to live with for years. We call on each and every elected office to do everything within their power so that DACA recipients and their families and communities can live free from fear, and continue to build their lives here,” Schulte said.

Federal judge orders end to DACA immigration program

LAKE OZARK, Mo. (AP) — A confrontation between rival motorcycle gangs in a popular Lake of the Ozarks tourist spot has left one man dead and four people injured.

Dan Field, a spokesperson for the city of Lake Ozark said that authorities can't yet say which motorcycle clubs were involved in Thursday night's confrontation. The victims had not been identified Friday.

The shooting occurred around 7:45 p.m. Thursday near Casablanca, a bar and restaurant on the strip of businesses along the road that runs across the Bagnell Dam. A message Casablanca posted on its Facebook page said Thursday was “bike night.”

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/casablancaloz/posts/4184670098234678">The posting&nbsp;</a>called the shooting “an unfortunate event” and "an isolated incident” and said Casablanca's staff was safe.

Another fatal shooting occurred in the resort community on Memorial Day weekend at the Lazy Gators event venue, which is 7 miles west of the Bagnell strip.

Kansas City-based rapper Vonza Watson was shot in the chest during an altercation. No one has been charged with his killing, but the Camden County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation is continuing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626448595488.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting Thursday night -photo courtesy KMIZ TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting Thursday night -photo courtesy KMIZ TV</figcaption>
 </figure>LAKE OZARK, Mo. (AP) — A confrontation between rival motorcycle gangs in a popular Lake of the Ozarks tourist spot has left one man dead and four people injured.Dan Field, a spokesperson for the city of Lake Ozark said that authorities can't yet say which motorcycle clubs were involved in Thursday night's confrontation. The victims had not been identified Friday.The shooting occurred around 7:45 p.m. Thursday near Casablanca, a bar and restaurant on the strip of businesses along the road that runs across the Bagnell Dam. A message Casablanca posted on its Facebook page said Thursday was “bike night.”<a href="https://www.facebook.com/casablancaloz/posts/4184670098234678">The posting&nbsp;</a>called the shooting “an unfortunate event” and "an isolated incident” and said Casablanca's staff was safe.Another fatal shooting occurred in the resort community on Memorial Day weekend at the Lazy Gators event venue, which is 7 miles west of the Bagnell strip.Kansas City-based rapper Vonza Watson was shot in the chest during an altercation. No one has been charged with his killing, but the Camden County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation is continuing.--------

Biker gang clash at tourist spot leaves 1 dead, 4 injured

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a drowning in Sedgwick County.

Just before 4p.m. Thursday, deputies were dispatched to a drowning involving a child at a residence in the 20200 block of west 21st Street North, according to Lt. Benjamin Blick.

During the investigation deputies learned the child accessed the above ground pool in the backyard of the residence without the knowledge of his guardians.

The child, 3-year-old Chasson Carver of Las Vegas, Nevada, died at the scene.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626469658166.png" alt="First responders on the scene Thursday afternoon in Goddard -photo courtesy KAKE" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene Thursday afternoon in Goddard -photo courtesy KAKE</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a drowning in Sedgwick County.Just before 4p.m. Thursday, deputies were dispatched to a drowning involving a child at a residence in the 20200 block of west 21st Street North, according to Lt. Benjamin Blick.During the investigation deputies learned the child accessed the above ground pool in the backyard of the residence without the knowledge of his guardians.The child, 3-year-old Chasson Carver of Las Vegas, Nevada, died at the scene.

Sheriff IDs 3-year-old who drowned in pool at Kan. home

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas racial justice panel appointed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has recommended expanding Medicaid, adding another income tax bracket for top-income earners, restoring a food sales tax rebate and banning Native American mascots and team names in public schools.

The 15-member Commission on Racial Justice and Equity created the recommendations after meeting with Kansas Department of Commerce officials, Kansas Department of Health and Environment staff and others, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/CREJ-July-2021-Report_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">report</a>. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly established the commission last year in response to the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

The report comes months after the panel crafted recommendations primarily focused on policing.

Some advocates in Kansas have pushed for Medicaid expansion for a decade. Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-topeka-kansas-medicaid-wichita-84ee115f5ecd92c1e9342fdcf8f3d2b0">promised this year</a>&nbsp;to continue to push to expand Medicaid in Kansas, despite top Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature opposing it.

The panel wants to expand Medicaid eligibility to 138% of the federal poverty level. The panel cited&nbsp;<a href="https://files.kff.org/attachment/fact-sheet-medicaid-expansion-KS" target="_blank">an analysis</a>&nbsp;by the Kaiser Family Foundation estimating that about 82,000 uninsured non-elderly adults in the state would become eligible for coverage if Kansas expanded its Medicaid program.

The commission is also proposing to expand an income tax credit for poor families to offset the sales taxes they pay on food, so that it would be available to as many as 400,000 additional households. The current credit was set in 2013, amid former Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s experiment in slashing state income tax rates, as a way to offset the cost of those cuts to the state.

The report also recommends for Kansas legislators to pass legislation to create a fourth bracket for families filing jointly with incomes over 100,000 a year to “more equitably distribute the tax burden.”

Lawmakers dropped the number of state income tax brackets to just two in 2012 as part of Brownback’s tax-cutting experiment, and it went back to three brackets in 2017, when most of the experiment was repealed following persistent budget problems.

Earlier this year, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-brown-0d2ef74a03cea6b0a2e10bac167ad2b4">Shawnee Mission</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-topeka-native-americans-public-opinion-740851f28c91067af895e38cf7377dfa">Atchison</a>&nbsp;school districts dropped Native American mascots. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-mlb-baseball-football-wichita-3cab1dc7ae7d37f0bb50cd1b05840b0b">Wichita school board</a>&nbsp;also voted to eliminate a high school’s Redskins team name.

The panel recommends against mascots with Native American imagery and team names — unless used by tribal educational institutions, such as tribal schools. The report recommends for lawmakers in Kansas to model legislation after a bill Democratic Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nevada-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-government-and-politics-11ad51e5dc82f874b077df54c21a2031">signed into law</a>&nbsp;last month directing local school boards to ban “racially discriminatory” mascots, logos and names.

The recommendations in Kansas were about 50 on a variety of health and education topics. Many of them would require support from a Republican-led state Legislature.

House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr. said in an email to The Associated Press that he hasn’t read the report yet. Senate President Ty Masterson’s spokesperson, Mike Pirner, said Masterson hasn’t reviewed it either.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594415416015.png" alt="Governor Laura Kelly and members of her Commission on Racial Equality during their first meeting in 2020" />
 <figcaption>Governor Laura Kelly and members of her Commission on Racial Equality during their first meeting in 2020</figcaption>
 </figure>By ANDY TSUBASA FIELDTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas racial justice panel appointed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has recommended expanding Medicaid, adding another income tax bracket for top-income earners, restoring a food sales tax rebate and banning Native American mascots and team names in public schools.The 15-member Commission on Racial Justice and Equity created the recommendations after meeting with Kansas Department of Commerce officials, Kansas Department of Health and Environment staff and others, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/CREJ-July-2021-Report_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">report</a>. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly established the commission last year in response to the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.The report comes months after the panel crafted recommendations primarily focused on policing.Some advocates in Kansas have pushed for Medicaid expansion for a decade. Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-topeka-kansas-medicaid-wichita-84ee115f5ecd92c1e9342fdcf8f3d2b0">promised this year</a>&nbsp;to continue to push to expand Medicaid in Kansas, despite top Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature opposing it.The panel wants to expand Medicaid eligibility to 138% of the federal poverty level. The panel cited&nbsp;<a href="https://files.kff.org/attachment/fact-sheet-medicaid-expansion-KS" target="_blank">an analysis</a>&nbsp;by the Kaiser Family Foundation estimating that about 82,000 uninsured non-elderly adults in the state would become eligible for coverage if Kansas expanded its Medicaid program.The commission is also proposing to expand an income tax credit for poor families to offset the sales taxes they pay on food, so that it would be available to as many as 400,000 additional households. The current credit was set in 2013, amid former Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s experiment in slashing state income tax rates, as a way to offset the cost of those cuts to the state.The report also recommends for Kansas legislators to pass legislation to create a fourth bracket for families filing jointly with incomes over 100,000 a year to “more equitably distribute the tax burden.”Lawmakers dropped the number of state income tax brackets to just two in 2012 as part of Brownback’s tax-cutting experiment, and it went back to three brackets in 2017, when most of the experiment was repealed following persistent budget problems.Earlier this year, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-brown-0d2ef74a03cea6b0a2e10bac167ad2b4">Shawnee Mission</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-topeka-native-americans-public-opinion-740851f28c91067af895e38cf7377dfa">Atchison</a>&nbsp;school districts dropped Native American mascots. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-mlb-baseball-football-wichita-3cab1dc7ae7d37f0bb50cd1b05840b0b">Wichita school board</a>&nbsp;also voted to eliminate a high school’s Redskins team name.The panel recommends against mascots with Native American imagery and team names — unless used by tribal educational institutions, such as tribal schools. The report recommends for lawmakers in Kansas to model legislation after a bill Democratic Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nevada-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-government-and-politics-11ad51e5dc82f874b077df54c21a2031">signed into law</a>&nbsp;last month directing local school boards to ban “racially discriminatory” mascots, logos and names.The recommendations in Kansas were about 50 on a variety of health and education topics. Many of them would require support from a Republican-led state Legislature.House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr. said in an email to The Associated Press that he hasn’t read the report yet. Senate President Ty Masterson’s spokesperson, Mike Pirner, said Masterson hasn’t reviewed it either.___

Racial justice panel in Kansas issues recommendations

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1121 to a total of 323,385, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;

The state reported 1 new COVID-19 death for a total of 5197.

<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 1121 to a total of 323,385, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;The state reported 1 new COVID-19 death for a total of 5197.<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/2021/7/1626465870482.png" alt="Friday July 16, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Friday July 16, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

A local prosecutor on Friday filed a total of 63 felony criminal charges against three employees over a July 2018 tourist boat accident on a Missouri lake that killed 17 people.

The charges were filed in Stone County against the captain, the general manager and the manager on duty the day of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-accidents-us-news-ap-top-news-storms-north-america-60b99441d63a48428b5dd79bbc37c75a">the accident</a>&nbsp;for the Ride the Ducks attraction on Table Rock Lake near the tourist mecca of Branson.

The charges against captain Kenneth Scott McKee, of Verona, general manager Curtis Lanham, of Galena, and manager on duty Charles Baltzell, of Kirbyville, came seven months after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/branson-michael-brown-a424e3b6697a538067ae9daa5e09eac3">a federal judge dismissed charges</a>&nbsp;filed by federal prosecutors, concluding that they did not have jurisdiction.

McKee faces 29 charges, including 17 charges of first-degree involuntary manslaughter. An affidavit from a Missouri Highway Patrol sergeant accuses him of failing to exercise his duties as a licensed captain by taking his amphibious vehicle onto the lake during a thunderstorm.

“We are reviewing the charges, expect not guilty pleas will be entered and will continue vigorously represent Mr. McKee,” J.R. Hobbs and Marilyn B. Keller, who represent the captain, said in a statement.

Baltzell and Lanham face 17 charges each of first-degree involuntary manslaughter. They are accused of failing communicate weather conditions and failing to cease operations during a severe thunderstorm warning.

Attorneys for Baltzell and Lanham did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment.

The charges were announced by County Prosecuting Attorney Matt Selby and Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt. Thirty-one people were aboard when the duck boat entered the lake. A storm came up suddenly and the waves swamped the boat before it could make it back to shore.

Fourteen people survived. The dead included&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/music-boat-accidents-us-news-ap-top-news-in-state-wire-e9ea37df0760459ba5ace5fff07e8779">nine members of one family</a>&nbsp;from Indianapolis. Other victims were from Missouri, Illinois and Arkansas.

Rides on the lake in modified former World War II vehicle once were a popular draw in the Branson area in southwest Missouri. Ripley Entertainment, which owned the former World War II vehicle,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/420785b69c8f264a7f0048e580bee3bf">settled 31 lawsuits&nbsp;</a>related to the sinking.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573695624494.png" alt="Duck boat photo courtesy NTSB" />
 <figcaption>Duck boat photo courtesy NTSB</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNAA local prosecutor on Friday filed a total of 63 felony criminal charges against three employees over a July 2018 tourist boat accident on a Missouri lake that killed 17 people.The charges were filed in Stone County against the captain, the general manager and the manager on duty the day of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-accidents-us-news-ap-top-news-storms-north-america-60b99441d63a48428b5dd79bbc37c75a">the accident</a>&nbsp;for the Ride the Ducks attraction on Table Rock Lake near the tourist mecca of Branson.The charges against captain Kenneth Scott McKee, of Verona, general manager Curtis Lanham, of Galena, and manager on duty Charles Baltzell, of Kirbyville, came seven months after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/branson-michael-brown-a424e3b6697a538067ae9daa5e09eac3">a federal judge dismissed charges</a>&nbsp;filed by federal prosecutors, concluding that they did not have jurisdiction.McKee faces 29 charges, including 17 charges of first-degree involuntary manslaughter. An affidavit from a Missouri Highway Patrol sergeant accuses him of failing to exercise his duties as a licensed captain by taking his amphibious vehicle onto the lake during a thunderstorm.“We are reviewing the charges, expect not guilty pleas will be entered and will continue vigorously represent Mr. McKee,” J.R. Hobbs and Marilyn B. Keller, who represent the captain, said in a statement.Baltzell and Lanham face 17 charges each of first-degree involuntary manslaughter. They are accused of failing communicate weather conditions and failing to cease operations during a severe thunderstorm warning.Attorneys for Baltzell and Lanham did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment.The charges were announced by County Prosecuting Attorney Matt Selby and Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt. Thirty-one people were aboard when the duck boat entered the lake. A storm came up suddenly and the waves swamped the boat before it could make it back to shore.Fourteen people survived. The dead included&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/music-boat-accidents-us-news-ap-top-news-in-state-wire-e9ea37df0760459ba5ace5fff07e8779">nine members of one family</a>&nbsp;from Indianapolis. Other victims were from Missouri, Illinois and Arkansas.Rides on the lake in modified former World War II vehicle once were a popular draw in the Branson area in southwest Missouri. Ripley Entertainment, which owned the former World War II vehicle,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/420785b69c8f264a7f0048e580bee3bf">settled 31 lawsuits&nbsp;</a>related to the sinking.

3 charged over 2018 fatal Branson Duck boat accident

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged child abuse and have made an arrest.

Just after 10a.m. Thursday, officers filed a report for aggravated battery and abuse of a child in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department Activity report.

Officers listed a 20-year-old identified as Gerald William Hartman III of Manhattan as the suspect when it was reported he abused an infant. 

The child was transported to Via Christi in stable condition for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. 

Police arrested Hartman&nbsp; on requested charges of abuse of a child and aggravated battery. Hartman is confined in the Riley County Jail awaiting a bond hearing.

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged child abuse and have made an arrest.Just after 10a.m. Thursday, officers filed a report for aggravated battery and abuse of a child in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department Activity report.Officers listed a 20-year-old identified as Gerald William Hartman III of Manhattan as the suspect when it was reported he abused an infant. The child was transported to Via Christi in stable condition for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Police arrested Hartman&nbsp; on requested charges of abuse of a child and aggravated battery. Hartman is confined in the Riley County Jail awaiting a bond hearing.

Police: Kansas man accused of abuse of an infant

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman involved in a double-fatal crash during a police chase in a stolen SUV will make a court appearance Friday, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In May of 2019, police reported then 24-year-old Mia Collins led officers on a chase in a stolen BMW sport utility vehicle. After about on mile, the car collided with a car and another SUV at an intersection.

The crash killed 70-year-old Maria Wood and 12-year-old Rosemary McElroy and critically injured 36-year-old Jenny Wood, a popular Wichita musician known for performing with children. She is Wood’s daughter and McElroy’s aunt.

&nbsp;Collins was on probation for stealing a handgun at the time of the crash. A passenger in her car, 38-year-old Christopher English, was on parole. They were not seriously injured in the crash.

She is <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20020842">charged with two counts </a>of first-degree murder and numerous other charges. The trial is scheduled to begin in October.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597421975250.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the fatal 2019 crash -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the fatal 2019 crash -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman involved in a double-fatal crash during a police chase in a stolen SUV will make a court appearance Friday, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In May of 2019, police reported then 24-year-old Mia Collins led officers on a chase in a stolen BMW sport utility vehicle. After about on mile, the car collided with a car and another SUV at an intersection.The crash killed 70-year-old Maria Wood and 12-year-old Rosemary McElroy and critically injured 36-year-old Jenny Wood, a popular Wichita musician known for performing with children. She is Wood’s daughter and McElroy’s aunt.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597432907464.png" alt="Collins photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Collins photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Collins was on probation for stealing a handgun at the time of the crash. A passenger in her car, 38-year-old Christopher English, was on parole. They were not seriously injured in the crash.She is <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20020842">charged with two counts </a>of first-degree murder and numerous other charges. The trial is scheduled to begin in October.---

Kan. woman charged in fatal chase, crash to appear in court

MANHATTAN — Starting in fall 2022, Kansas State University will require incoming Manhattan campus first-year students to live on campus during their first two semesters. K-State is implementing this&nbsp;<a href="https://housing.k-state.edu/living-options/freshmen/index.html" target="_blank">residency requirement</a>&nbsp;to enhance student success. "National research and an analysis of university-specific data both show a statistically significant difference in the first-year retention rate and cumulative first-year grade point average between students who lived on campus versus students who lived off campus," said Thomas Lane, K-State vice president for student life and dean of students. "K-State first-year, full-time students living on campus average higher GPAs, stay in school in higher numbers and graduate faster." Based on data for fall 2018, K-State had an 87.6% retention rate for freshmen who lived on campus compared to a 79.9% rate for freshmen living off campus. For fall 2019, 5% more first-year students who lived on campus stayed in school as compared to first-year students who lived off campus. K-State is not alone in its first-year residency requirement. The university will join all other Kansas Regents institutions, with the exception of the University of Kansas, in requiring freshmen students to live on campus. With this change, K-State will be the seventh of the Big 12 Conference's 10 member schools to require that students live on campus during their first year. Students may apply for an exemption to the policy. Following a review, exemptions may be granted if a student plans to commute from the home of a parent/guardian or close relative who lives within 40 miles of the Manhattan campus or if the student will live in other approved organized student housing, including fraternity/sorority housing, Smith Scholarship House, Wesley House and Alpha of Clovia House. Additional information on eligible exemptions is available on the Housing and Dining Services website,&nbsp;<a href="https://housing.k-state.edu/living-options/freshmen/" target="_blank">housing.k-state.edu/living-options/freshmen</a>, and the exemptions application process will go live in December. Lane said K-State is committed to providing safe, affordable housing to students. The university offers 10 residence halls with academic-focused options. Amenities include tutoring programs, on-site laundry facilities, round-the-clock security, advanced dining centers and more. For students who prefer to be more independent but still live on campus, K-State's Jardine Apartment Complex is available. "Living on campus connects students to services supporting their transition into college life," Lane said. "As part of a university residential community, students will meet and develop supportive relationships with other students, faculty and staff. They'll have the inside track to discover ways to get involved through these support services and the connections they make."&nbsp; &nbsp;

MANHATTAN — Starting in fall 2022, Kansas State University will require incoming Manhattan campus first-year students to live on campus during their first two semesters. K-State is implementing this&nbsp;<a href="https://housing.k-state.edu/living-options/freshmen/index.html" target="_blank">residency requirement</a>&nbsp;to enhance student success. "National research and an analysis of university-specific data both show a statistically significant difference in the first-year retention rate and cumulative first-year grade point average between students who lived on campus versus students who lived off campus," said Thomas Lane, K-State vice president for student life and dean of students. "K-State first-year, full-time students living on campus average higher GPAs, stay in school in higher numbers and graduate faster." Based on data for fall 2018, K-State had an 87.6% retention rate for freshmen who lived on campus compared to a 79.9% rate for freshmen living off campus. For fall 2019, 5% more first-year students who lived on campus stayed in school as compared to first-year students who lived off campus. K-State is not alone in its first-year residency requirement. The university will join all other Kansas Regents institutions, with the exception of the University of Kansas, in requiring freshmen students to live on campus. With this change, K-State will be the seventh of the Big 12 Conference's 10 member schools to require that students live on campus during their first year. Students may apply for an exemption to the policy. Following a review, exemptions may be granted if a student plans to commute from the home of a parent/guardian or close relative who lives within 40 miles of the Manhattan campus or if the student will live in other approved organized student housing, including fraternity/sorority housing, Smith Scholarship House, Wesley House and Alpha of Clovia House. Additional information on eligible exemptions is available on the Housing and Dining Services website,&nbsp;<a href="https://housing.k-state.edu/living-options/freshmen/" target="_blank">housing.k-state.edu/living-options/freshmen</a>, and the exemptions application process will go live in December. Lane said K-State is committed to providing safe, affordable housing to students. The university offers 10 residence halls with academic-focused options. Amenities include tutoring programs, on-site laundry facilities, round-the-clock security, advanced dining centers and more. For students who prefer to be more independent but still live on campus, K-State's Jardine Apartment Complex is available. "Living on campus connects students to services supporting their transition into college life," Lane said. "As part of a university residential community, students will meet and develop supportive relationships with other students, faculty and staff. They'll have the inside track to discover ways to get involved through these support services and the connections they make."&nbsp; &nbsp;

K-State to require first-year Manhattan students to live on campus 

MANHATTAN–&nbsp;&nbsp;A Salina man has been arrested on a warrant stemming from a November 2019 aggravated robbery in Manhattan, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.

On November 9, 2019 around 11:35 p.m., officers responded to the report of a robbery in the 400 block of Fremont St. A 31-year-old male victim reported two masked suspects robbed him at gun point.

Lee Dennis Noonan, 30, of Salina was arrested Thursday afternoon on requested charges of two counts of aggravated robbery and one count of aggravated kidnapping. Noonan is confined in the Riley County Jail on a $150,000 bond.&nbsp;

Two other suspects have previously been arrested in connection to this case. Aaron Michael Noonan was arrested on September 17, 2020 for two counts of aggravated robbery and one count of aggravated kidnapping. Joseph Pail Trevail was arrested on August 26, 2020 for four counts of intimidation and one count of the following – robbery, kidnapping, criminal threat and harassment. Both remain confined in the Riley County Jail on $150,000 bonds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626445002472.png" alt="Noonan has previous convictions for theft, burglary, robbery and criminal damage to property, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Noonan has previous convictions for theft, burglary, robbery and criminal damage to property, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN–&nbsp;&nbsp;A Salina man has been arrested on a warrant stemming from a November 2019 aggravated robbery in Manhattan, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.On November 9, 2019 around 11:35 p.m., officers responded to the report of a robbery in the 400 block of Fremont St. A 31-year-old male victim reported two masked suspects robbed him at gun point.Lee Dennis Noonan, 30, of Salina was arrested Thursday afternoon on requested charges of two counts of aggravated robbery and one count of aggravated kidnapping. Noonan is confined in the Riley County Jail on a $150,000 bond.&nbsp;Two other suspects have previously been arrested in connection to this case. Aaron Michael Noonan was arrested on September 17, 2020 for two counts of aggravated robbery and one count of aggravated kidnapping. Joseph Pail Trevail was arrested on August 26, 2020 for four counts of intimidation and one count of the following – robbery, kidnapping, criminal threat and harassment. Both remain confined in the Riley County Jail on $150,000 bonds.

Kan. man arrested for 2019 aggravated robbery in Manhattan

The
 owners of a New Jersey-based company that sells septic tank cleaning 
products agreed to a permanent ban on telemarketing and will pay more 
than $1.6 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that the 
company and its telemarketer made illegal robocalls to consumers, 
including tens of millions of calls to numbers listed on the agency’s Do
 Not Call Registry. In addition, the defendants will turn over a 
residential property as part of the settlement.

<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/complaint_doc._no._1.pdf">According to the FTC’s complaint</a>,
 Environmental Safety International, Inc. or ESI; ESI’s two officers, 
brothers Joseph Carney and Sean Carney; and their other brother Raymond 
Carney, acted together to initiate more than 45 million illegal 
telemarketing calls to consumers nationwide between January 2018 and 
March 2019 to promote ESI’s “Activator 1000” line of septic tank 
cleaning products. The FTC alleges that 31 million of those calls were 
made to numbers on the DNC Registry. The Department of Justice filed the
 complaint and proposed orders on the FTC’s behalf.

According to the complaint, the defendants’ telemarketers falsely 
told consumers they were calling from an unnamed “environmental company”
 to give consumers “free info” on their septic tank cleaning product. 
Despite being told the robocall was “not a sales call or solicitation,” 
consumers who “pressed one” to receive free information instead received
 a sales pitch.

The complaint also alleges that ESI sent letters to consumers who 
agreed to buy their products but had unpaid invoices, falsely claiming 
that they would be referred to a “national collection agency” or to an 
attorney. However, ESI never took either of these actions.

In addition to the bans on telemarketing, the settlement orders 
impose $10.2 million civil penalty judgments against all defendants, 
which will be partially suspended after <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/signed_order_-_esi_jc_sc_doc._no._7.pdf">Joseph and Sean Carney</a> pay $1,646,210 to the U.S. Treasury and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/signed_order_-_rc_doc._no._8.pdf">Raymond Carney</a> pays $15,000 to the Treasury.

In addition, Joseph and Sean Carney are prohibited from making 
material misrepresentations to consumers, including that they would be 
referred to an attorney or collection agency. They are prohibited from 
billing or attempting to collect payments from any consumers in 
connection with the sale of their septic tank cleaning products, and are
 required to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/attachment_a.pdf">notify all ESI customers</a>
 with unpaid balances that they no longer have to pay ESI because their 
balances have been cancelled. Joseph and Sean Carney must also apply for
 ESI’s dissolution within 30 days.

The Commission vote to refer the civil penalty complaint and consent 
orders to the DOJ for filing was 4-0. The DOJ filed the complaint on 
behalf of the FTC in the U.S. District Court for District of New Jersey 
and the settlements have been approved by the Court.

The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. You can <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/">learn more about consumer topics</a> and report scams, fraud, and bad business practices online at <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Like the FTC on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/federaltradecommission">Facebook(link is external)</a>, follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/FTC">Twitter(link is external)</a>, get <a href="http://ftc.gov/subscribe">consumer alerts</a>, read our <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>, and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a> for the latest FTC news and resources.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619632629588.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FTCThe
 owners of a New Jersey-based company that sells septic tank cleaning 
products agreed to a permanent ban on telemarketing and will pay more 
than $1.6 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that the 
company and its telemarketer made illegal robocalls to consumers, 
including tens of millions of calls to numbers listed on the agency’s Do
 Not Call Registry. In addition, the defendants will turn over a 
residential property as part of the settlement.<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/complaint_doc._no._1.pdf">According to the FTC’s complaint</a>,
 Environmental Safety International, Inc. or ESI; ESI’s two officers, 
brothers Joseph Carney and Sean Carney; and their other brother Raymond 
Carney, acted together to initiate more than 45 million illegal 
telemarketing calls to consumers nationwide between January 2018 and 
March 2019 to promote ESI’s “Activator 1000” line of septic tank 
cleaning products. The FTC alleges that 31 million of those calls were 
made to numbers on the DNC Registry. The Department of Justice filed the
 complaint and proposed orders on the FTC’s behalf.According to the complaint, the defendants’ telemarketers falsely 
told consumers they were calling from an unnamed “environmental company”
 to give consumers “free info” on their septic tank cleaning product. 
Despite being told the robocall was “not a sales call or solicitation,” 
consumers who “pressed one” to receive free information instead received
 a sales pitch.The complaint also alleges that ESI sent letters to consumers who 
agreed to buy their products but had unpaid invoices, falsely claiming 
that they would be referred to a “national collection agency” or to an 
attorney. However, ESI never took either of these actions.In addition to the bans on telemarketing, the settlement orders 
impose $10.2 million civil penalty judgments against all defendants, 
which will be partially suspended after <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/signed_order_-_esi_jc_sc_doc._no._7.pdf">Joseph and Sean Carney</a> pay $1,646,210 to the U.S. Treasury and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/signed_order_-_rc_doc._no._8.pdf">Raymond Carney</a> pays $15,000 to the Treasury.In addition, Joseph and Sean Carney are prohibited from making 
material misrepresentations to consumers, including that they would be 
referred to an attorney or collection agency. They are prohibited from 
billing or attempting to collect payments from any consumers in 
connection with the sale of their septic tank cleaning products, and are
 required to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/attachment_a.pdf">notify all ESI customers</a>
 with unpaid balances that they no longer have to pay ESI because their 
balances have been cancelled. Joseph and Sean Carney must also apply for
 ESI’s dissolution within 30 days.The Commission vote to refer the civil penalty complaint and consent 
orders to the DOJ for filing was 4-0. The DOJ filed the complaint on 
behalf of the FTC in the U.S. District Court for District of New Jersey 
and the settlements have been approved by the Court.The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. You can <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/">learn more about consumer topics</a> and report scams, fraud, and bad business practices online at <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Like the FTC on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/federaltradecommission">Facebook(link is external)</a>, follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/FTC">Twitter(link is external)</a>, get <a href="http://ftc.gov/subscribe">consumer alerts</a>, read our <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>, and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a> for the latest FTC news and resources.

FTC: Millions of robocalls will cost septic cleaning company $1.6M

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A judge in Kansas’ most populous county on Thursday struck down as unconstitutional a state law requiring unusually speedy legal hearings and decisions for people challenging mask requirements and other COVID-19 restrictions.

Johnson County District Judge David Hauber’s ruling also struck down limits on state and local officials’ power to impose restrictions on businesses, schools and public gatherings and greater oversight for the Republican-controlled Legislature over Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s actions. Top Republican legislators on June 15&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-ks-state-wire-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-health-7302d46eef675734fe1343f2640236f9">ended a state of emergency</a>&nbsp;in Kansas for the pandemic, canceling many of the law’s provisions, but Hauber said some could apply in future pandemics or disasters.

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/summary_sb_40_2021" target="_blank">The law</a>&nbsp;allowed people to file grievances with cities, counties and local school boards if they objected to mask mandates or other restrictions. The law required a hearing within three days and a decision within 10 days. If someone then filed a lawsuit, courts had three days in which to hold a hearing and 10 to issue a ruling. Some local officials said the law set legal standards favoring people who challenged restrictions.

Hauber declared that the law ran afoul of the Kansas Constitution by violating local officials’ right to a fair legal process in settling complaints over their actions. He also said the Legislature overstepped its authority and infringed upon the judicial branch’s by passing the law.

“One can imagine the reaction from legislators if courts routinely demanded that a given legislative committee or chamber enact a law or report a bill out of committee within a certain time frame,” Hauber wrote in his opinion.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s office quickly said that he would appeal the decision. Schmidt, a Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-dwight-eisenhower-kansas-legislation-coronavirus-pandemic-87542690cbd10047f1e557f7eb5ff57f">running for governor</a>&nbsp;in 2022, has been critical of Kelly’s handling of the pandemic, particularly in how quickly she shut down businesses and school buildings last spring.

Schmidt argued that the end of state of emergency for the pandemic made the question of the law’s constitutionality moot.

“On its own volition, the district court created a controversy about the statute where none exists now that the state of emergency has ended,” Schmidt spokesperson Clint Blaes said in an email to The Associated Press.

Kelly and Republican lawmakers have been frequently at odds over the response to the pandemic since its outset, with GOP legislators generally favoring looser restrictions. The Legislature forced her to accept increasing limits on her power in exchange for extending the state of emergency. One provision of the law gave top legislative leaders the final say on how long it would last.

Hauber’s ruling came in a lawsuit filed by Kristin Butler and Scott Bozarth, two parents in the Shawnee Mission school district in Johnson County who pushed the district to end a mask mandate just after the end of the most recent school year. The Sunflower State Journal first reported the decision and posted a copy.

Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, decried the ruling as “judicial activism” that struck down enhanced legal protections for people “in the face of restrictions imposed by bureaucrats.”

The judge wrote that the provisions dealing with the handling of complaints over coronavirus restrictions represented “enforcement” and were “integral” to the entire law so that none of it could stand. He added that the law assumes that any grievance triggers a right to an “immediate decision” without any requirement that a person identify “any fundamental right” at stake.

“It assumes everything related to a complaint about pandemic mitigation effort qualifies,” Hauber wrote. “The burden then shifts to the defendant to show otherwise.”

The judge said the law also gives someone suing government officials “unchallenged relief” and strikes down “carefully calibrated” policies “if the judge does not act quickly enough.”

“The legislative scheme then dangles a default as the ultimate stick,” he wrote.

By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A judge in Kansas’ most populous county on Thursday struck down as unconstitutional a state law requiring unusually speedy legal hearings and decisions for people challenging mask requirements and other COVID-19 restrictions.Johnson County District Judge David Hauber’s ruling also struck down limits on state and local officials’ power to impose restrictions on businesses, schools and public gatherings and greater oversight for the Republican-controlled Legislature over Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s actions. Top Republican legislators on June 15&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-ks-state-wire-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-health-7302d46eef675734fe1343f2640236f9">ended a state of emergency</a>&nbsp;in Kansas for the pandemic, canceling many of the law’s provisions, but Hauber said some could apply in future pandemics or disasters.<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/summary_sb_40_2021" target="_blank">The law</a>&nbsp;allowed people to file grievances with cities, counties and local school boards if they objected to mask mandates or other restrictions. The law required a hearing within three days and a decision within 10 days. If someone then filed a lawsuit, courts had three days in which to hold a hearing and 10 to issue a ruling. Some local officials said the law set legal standards favoring people who challenged restrictions.Hauber declared that the law ran afoul of the Kansas Constitution by violating local officials’ right to a fair legal process in settling complaints over their actions. He also said the Legislature overstepped its authority and infringed upon the judicial branch’s by passing the law.“One can imagine the reaction from legislators if courts routinely demanded that a given legislative committee or chamber enact a law or report a bill out of committee within a certain time frame,” Hauber wrote in his opinion.Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s office quickly said that he would appeal the decision. Schmidt, a Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-dwight-eisenhower-kansas-legislation-coronavirus-pandemic-87542690cbd10047f1e557f7eb5ff57f">running for governor</a>&nbsp;in 2022, has been critical of Kelly’s handling of the pandemic, particularly in how quickly she shut down businesses and school buildings last spring.Schmidt argued that the end of state of emergency for the pandemic made the question of the law’s constitutionality moot.“On its own volition, the district court created a controversy about the statute where none exists now that the state of emergency has ended,” Schmidt spokesperson Clint Blaes said in an email to The Associated Press.Kelly and Republican lawmakers have been frequently at odds over the response to the pandemic since its outset, with GOP legislators generally favoring looser restrictions. The Legislature forced her to accept increasing limits on her power in exchange for extending the state of emergency. One provision of the law gave top legislative leaders the final say on how long it would last.Hauber’s ruling came in a lawsuit filed by Kristin Butler and Scott Bozarth, two parents in the Shawnee Mission school district in Johnson County who pushed the district to end a mask mandate just after the end of the most recent school year. The Sunflower State Journal first reported the decision and posted a copy.Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, decried the ruling as “judicial activism” that struck down enhanced legal protections for people “in the face of restrictions imposed by bureaucrats.”The judge wrote that the provisions dealing with the handling of complaints over coronavirus restrictions represented “enforcement” and were “integral” to the entire law so that none of it could stand. He added that the law assumes that any grievance triggers a right to an “immediate decision” without any requirement that a person identify “any fundamental right” at stake.“It assumes everything related to a complaint about pandemic mitigation effort qualifies,” Hauber wrote. “The burden then shifts to the defendant to show otherwise.”The judge said the law also gives someone suing government officials “unchallenged relief” and strikes down “carefully calibrated” policies “if the judge does not act quickly enough.”“The legislative scheme then dangles a default as the ultimate stick,” he wrote.___

Judge strikes down limits on Kansas officials' COVID powers

WASHINGTON (AP) —U.S. Surgeon General&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-opioids-coronavirus-pandemic-vivek-murthy-barack-obama-2e1643c5f69e2f64ef04a46db60e95d7">Vivek Murthy</a>&nbsp;on Thursday called for a national effort to fight&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-entertainment-coronavirus-pandemic-health-8c8345f474db874b1d27806e8d1f5ca1">misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines</a>, urging tech companies, health care workers, journalists and everyday Americans to do more to address an “urgent threat” to public health.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21010078-surgeon-general-confronting-health-misinformation" target="_blank">a 22-page advisory</a>, his first as President Joe Biden’s surgeon general, Murthy wrote that bogus claims have led people to reject vaccines and public health advice on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-health-understanding-the-outbreak-a87da6ce7831863152f0d904b9d1abe1">masks and social distancing</a>, undermining efforts to end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>&nbsp;and putting lives at risk.

The warning comes as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-62342c09ad0a50f77739846fd25850e7">the pace of COVID-19 vaccinations has slowed</a>&nbsp;throughout the U.S., in part because of vaccine opposition fueled by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-869249289558">unsubstantiated claims</a>&nbsp;about the safety of immunizations and despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-600k-deaths-us-1ef14a0b998e6ce99281edf6e996dfbe">the U.S. death toll recently passing 600,000</a>.

Murthy, who also served as surgeon general under President Barack Obama, noted that surgeon general advisories have typically focused on physical threats to health, such as tobacco. Misinformation about COVID-19, deemed an “infodemic” by the World Health Organization, can be just as deadly, he said.

“Misinformation poses an imminent and insidious threat to our nation’s health,” Murthy said during remarks to reporters Thursday at the White House. “We must confront misinformation as a nation. Lives are depending on it.”

Given the role the internet plays in spreading health misinformation, Murthy said technology companies and social media platforms must make meaningful changes to their products and software to reduce the spread of misinformation while increasing access to authoritative, fact-based sources.

Too often, he said, the platforms are built to encourage, not counter, the spread of misinformation.

“We are asking them to step up,” Murthy said. “We can’t wait longer for them to take aggressive action.”

The criticism is not new, and Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other platforms have defended their work to stem the tide of misinformation. In a response to Murthy, Twitter noted that it has removed more than 40,000 pieces of content that violated its COVID-19 misinformation rules.

“We agree with the surgeon general,” Twitter said in a statement. “Tackling health misinformation takes a whole-of-society approach.”

Murthy’s recommendations went beyond tech firms. Teachers, he said, should expand lessons on media literacy and critical thinking. Journalists, he suggested, should work to responsibly debunk health misinformation without inadvertently spreading it further. And public health professionals, he added, should do a better job answering questions and explaining why public health guidelines sometimes change based on new information.

As for everyday Americans, Murthy urged them to verify questionable health information with trusted sources like the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and to exercise critical thinking when exposed to unverified claims. If people have loved ones or friends who believe or spread misinformation, he said, it’s best to engage by listening and asking questions rather than by confronting them.

While some groups that push health misinformation do so for profit or other motives, many Americans may be spreading false information without realizing it, according to the advisory.

“Misinformation hasn’t just harmed our physical health — it has also divided our families, friends, and communities,” Murthy wrote in the advisory. “The only way to address health misinformation is to recognize that all of us, in every sector of society, have a responsibility to act.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626432035246.png" alt="U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy&nbsp; said misinformation about COVID-19, deemed an “infodemic” by the World Health Organization, can be deadly.-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy&nbsp; said misinformation about COVID-19, deemed an “infodemic” by the World Health Organization, can be deadly.-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —U.S. Surgeon General&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-opioids-coronavirus-pandemic-vivek-murthy-barack-obama-2e1643c5f69e2f64ef04a46db60e95d7">Vivek Murthy</a>&nbsp;on Thursday called for a national effort to fight&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-entertainment-coronavirus-pandemic-health-8c8345f474db874b1d27806e8d1f5ca1">misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines</a>, urging tech companies, health care workers, journalists and everyday Americans to do more to address an “urgent threat” to public health.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today I issued a Surgeon General’s Advisory to call our country’s attention to health misinformation – an urgent threat to our health that requires an all-of-society response. <a href="https://t.co/hqJdkLV6RK">https://t.co/hqJdkLV6RK</a> <a href="https://t.co/OyX9vlyTdZ">pic.twitter.com/OyX9vlyTdZ</a>&mdash; Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) <a href="https://twitter.com/Surgeon_General/status/1415628833970085889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21010078-surgeon-general-confronting-health-misinformation" target="_blank">a 22-page advisory</a>, his first as President Joe Biden’s surgeon general, Murthy wrote that bogus claims have led people to reject vaccines and public health advice on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-health-understanding-the-outbreak-a87da6ce7831863152f0d904b9d1abe1">masks and social distancing</a>, undermining efforts to end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>&nbsp;and putting lives at risk.The warning comes as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-62342c09ad0a50f77739846fd25850e7">the pace of COVID-19 vaccinations has slowed</a>&nbsp;throughout the U.S., in part because of vaccine opposition fueled by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-869249289558">unsubstantiated claims</a>&nbsp;about the safety of immunizations and despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-600k-deaths-us-1ef14a0b998e6ce99281edf6e996dfbe">the U.S. death toll recently passing 600,000</a>.Murthy, who also served as surgeon general under President Barack Obama, noted that surgeon general advisories have typically focused on physical threats to health, such as tobacco. Misinformation about COVID-19, deemed an “infodemic” by the World Health Organization, can be just as deadly, he said.“Misinformation poses an imminent and insidious threat to our nation’s health,” Murthy said during remarks to reporters Thursday at the White House. “We must confront misinformation as a nation. Lives are depending on it.”Given the role the internet plays in spreading health misinformation, Murthy said technology companies and social media platforms must make meaningful changes to their products and software to reduce the spread of misinformation while increasing access to authoritative, fact-based sources.Too often, he said, the platforms are built to encourage, not counter, the spread of misinformation.“We are asking them to step up,” Murthy said. “We can’t wait longer for them to take aggressive action.”The criticism is not new, and Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other platforms have defended their work to stem the tide of misinformation. In a response to Murthy, Twitter noted that it has removed more than 40,000 pieces of content that violated its COVID-19 misinformation rules.“We agree with the surgeon general,” Twitter said in a statement. “Tackling health misinformation takes a whole-of-society approach.”Murthy’s recommendations went beyond tech firms. Teachers, he said, should expand lessons on media literacy and critical thinking. Journalists, he suggested, should work to responsibly debunk health misinformation without inadvertently spreading it further. And public health professionals, he added, should do a better job answering questions and explaining why public health guidelines sometimes change based on new information.As for everyday Americans, Murthy urged them to verify questionable health information with trusted sources like the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and to exercise critical thinking when exposed to unverified claims. If people have loved ones or friends who believe or spread misinformation, he said, it’s best to engage by listening and asking questions rather than by confronting them.While some groups that push health misinformation do so for profit or other motives, many Americans may be spreading false information without realizing it, according to the advisory.“Misinformation hasn’t just harmed our physical health — it has also divided our families, friends, and communities,” Murthy wrote in the advisory. “The only way to address health misinformation is to recognize that all of us, in every sector of society, have a responsibility to act.”

Surgeon general urges US fight against COVID misinformation

LANE COUNTY—A Kansas man was injured in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Thursday in Lane County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a John Deere 4440 Tractor&nbsp;towing a 569 Premium round baler and driven by Everette R.&nbsp;Redburn Jr., 59, Dighton, was eastbound on Road 200, just west of Scout Road in Lane County. 

The tractor left the roadway to the south and the driver was ejected from the vehicle while going through the ditch. 

The tractor continued driving uncontrollably through the field, moving in a circular motion just south of the roadway. The tractor came near to the area where the driver was ejected, possibly running over the driver, according to the KHP.

 A witness identified as Aaron R. Dohm, 47, Grainfield, in a 2021 Dodge Ram attempted to stop the unmanned tractor by using his vehicle. The tractor collided with the pickup and continued to the north and then came to rest in the ditch.

EMS transported Redburn Jr. to a Wichita Hospital. Dohm was not injured.

LANE COUNTY—A Kansas man was injured in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Thursday in Lane County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a John Deere 4440 Tractor&nbsp;towing a 569 Premium round baler and driven by Everette R.&nbsp;Redburn Jr., 59, Dighton, was eastbound on Road 200, just west of Scout Road in Lane County. The tractor left the roadway to the south and the driver was ejected from the vehicle while going through the ditch. The tractor continued driving uncontrollably through the field, moving in a circular motion just south of the roadway. The tractor came near to the area where the driver was ejected, possibly running over the driver, according to the KHP. A witness identified as Aaron R. Dohm, 47, Grainfield, in a 2021 Dodge Ram attempted to stop the unmanned tractor by using his vehicle. The tractor collided with the pickup and continued to the north and then came to rest in the ditch.EMS transported Redburn Jr. to a Wichita Hospital. Dohm was not injured.

Kansas man critically injured in farming accident

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on drug allegations.

Just after 12:30p.m. Tuesday, sheriff's deputies responded to Montgomery County Road 3375 and U.S. Highway 75 near Independence, Kansas after a report of a blue car sitting in a field, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.

Deputies found 41-year-old Bradley Hall of Independence fishing in a pond near the car and learned he was trespassing on private property and was wanted on felony warrant in Oklahoma.

Deputies arrested Hall and then found he was in possession of over an ounce of meth, according to Wade. When deputies booked him into the Montgomery County Department of Corrections, investigators asked where he obtained the meth?

Hall told them he was simply fishing in the pond and stepped in muskrat hole. When he pulled his foot out he found the meth in the hole and put it in his boot to sold for profit later, according to Wade.

After 32-year in law enforcement, the sheriff said he'd never heard of finding meth in a muskrat hole. He thanked the caller who notified the sheriff's office of the suspicious vehicle in the field that allowed his deputies to take some meth out of the community.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626297153746.png" alt="Hall photo Montgomery County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Hall photo Montgomery County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on drug allegations.Just after 12:30p.m. Tuesday, sheriff's deputies responded to Montgomery County Road 3375 and U.S. Highway 75 near Independence, Kansas after a report of a blue car sitting in a field, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.Deputies found 41-year-old Bradley Hall of Independence fishing in a pond near the car and learned he was trespassing on private property and was wanted on felony warrant in Oklahoma.Deputies arrested Hall and then found he was in possession of over an ounce of meth, according to Wade. When deputies booked him into the Montgomery County Department of Corrections, investigators asked where he obtained the meth?Hall told them he was simply fishing in the pond and stepped in muskrat hole. When he pulled his foot out he found the meth in the hole and put it in his boot to sold for profit later, according to Wade.After 32-year in law enforcement, the sheriff said he'd never heard of finding meth in a muskrat hole. He thanked the caller who notified the sheriff's office of the suspicious vehicle in the field that allowed his deputies to take some meth out of the community.

Sheriff: Kan. man said he found meth in muskrat hole

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accidental shooting involving a 3-year-old girl and her father at a residence in the 2300 Block of East Macarthur in Wichita, according to Wichita Police Captain Jason Stephens.

Just after 7p.m. Wednesday, police responded to home and found a 30-year-old man who woke up in bed with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to his leg. The girl had injured her hand, according to Stephens.

Police are still working to learn how and where the man stored the firearm and how the child gained access to it. He was the only adult in the home at the time of the incident, according to Stephens.

The three other children in the home have been placed into protective custody pending the outcome of the investigation. Stephens did not have details on whether the child was still in the hospital.

If there was any negligence, police will report it to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626365008633.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the accidental shooting Wednesday- photo courtesy KAKE" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the accidental shooting Wednesday- photo courtesy KAKE</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accidental shooting involving a 3-year-old girl and her father at a residence in the 2300 Block of East Macarthur in Wichita, according to Wichita Police Captain Jason Stephens.Just after 7p.m. Wednesday, police responded to home and found a 30-year-old man who woke up in bed with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to his leg. The girl had injured her hand, according to Stephens.Police are still working to learn how and where the man stored the firearm and how the child gained access to it. He was the only adult in the home at the time of the incident, according to Stephens.The three other children in the home have been placed into protective custody pending the outcome of the investigation. Stephens did not have details on whether the child was still in the hospital.If there was any negligence, police will report it to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.

Children in protective custody after dad accidentally shot

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

A 27-year-old Hays man has been charged with killing his wife in the early morning hours of Oct. 31, 2019.

According to a press release from the Ellis County Attorney’s Office, Colby Alan Trickle, 27, Hays, was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder in the October 2019 shooting death of his wife,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.haysmemorial.com/obituary/Kristen-Trickle">Kristen Trickle</a>, 26, Hays.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626522324942.png" alt="Trickle" />
 <figcaption>Trickle</figcaption>
 </figure>By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostA 27-year-old Hays man has been charged with killing his wife in the early morning hours of Oct. 31, 2019.According to a press release from the Ellis County Attorney’s Office, Colby Alan Trickle, 27, Hays, was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder in the October 2019 shooting death of his wife,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.haysmemorial.com/obituary/Kristen-Trickle">Kristen Trickle</a>, 26, Hays.Colby Trickle, who was arrested Thursday, is alleged to have, “feloniously, and intentionally with premeditation” shot Kristen Trickle in the head with a revolver on Oct. 31, 2019.Premediated first-degree murder in Kansas is an off-grid person felony, and anyone convicted of first degree faces life in prison. The mandatory minimum is 25 years in prison with the possibility of post-release supervision.Colby Trickle was also charged with two counts of interference with law enforcement. Prosecutors allege Trickle reported false information to law enforcement officials on two separate occasions in an effort to obstruct an investigation.Trickle is being held on $1.5 million bond. His next court appearance is Friday in Ellis County District Court.