TOPEKA - The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is providing Kansans a 30-day public comment period on the draft 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The plan provides a 25-year statewide vision for the future of transportation in Kansas. Comments can be made until May 18 by clicking&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MTUuMzg4Mjc4ODEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2tkb3RhcHAua3Nkb3Qub3JnL0xSVFAvP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSJ9.up5it-L19nSWMO90obIcvdkK7dYBQ6NnInxX0wiBk9E/s/1410649012/br/102200041514-l" target="_blank">here</a>.

The draft plan inventories the state’s transportation system that includes highways, transit, rail, air and active transportation elements. It also identifies issues and trends that will influence the transportation system over the next 25 years such as technology advances, digital access, connections between health and transportation, the economy, demographics and the durability of the infrastructure.

In addition, the LRTP outlines ways KDOT and its partners can support prosperity and quality of life for all Kansans by:&nbsp;&nbsp;

The draft LRTP was created with extensive input from citizens and transportation stakeholders across Kansas during KDOT’s 2019 Local Consult meetings. KDOT also conducted series of stakeholder webinars during the COVID-19 pandemic, which included a wide range of key transportation partners, human service providers and tribal organizations.

The draft Kansas 2045 LRTP can also be viewed at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MTUuMzg4Mjc4ODEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2tkb3RhcHAua3Nkb3Qub3JnL0xSVFAvP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSJ9.we7fLddaJ3FgB2eE1bs99Of7sq3cPm9No_UXQj0OfjA/s/1410649012/br/102200041514-l" target="_blank">Home Page - My ASP.NET Application (ksdot.org)</a>. &nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615401660667.png" alt="(Photo by Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>(Photo by Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA - The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is providing Kansans a 30-day public comment period on the draft 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The plan provides a 25-year statewide vision for the future of transportation in Kansas. Comments can be made until May 18 by clicking&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MTUuMzg4Mjc4ODEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2tkb3RhcHAua3Nkb3Qub3JnL0xSVFAvP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSJ9.up5it-L19nSWMO90obIcvdkK7dYBQ6NnInxX0wiBk9E/s/1410649012/br/102200041514-l" target="_blank">here</a>.The draft plan inventories the state’s transportation system that includes highways, transit, rail, air and active transportation elements. It also identifies issues and trends that will influence the transportation system over the next 25 years such as technology advances, digital access, connections between health and transportation, the economy, demographics and the durability of the infrastructure.In addition, the LRTP outlines ways KDOT and its partners can support prosperity and quality of life for all Kansans by:&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Making travel safer</li><li>Preserving the system</li><li>Creating a more responsive project pipeline</li><li>Delivering programs more effectively</li><li>Designing practical improvements</li><li>Leveraging KDOT’s partnerships with stakeholders</li><li>Preparing for the future of tech-enabled infrastructure</li><li>Continuing commitments to multimodal programs; and</li><li>Supporting economic development and job growth</li>
 </ul>The draft LRTP was created with extensive input from citizens and transportation stakeholders across Kansas during KDOT’s 2019 Local Consult meetings. KDOT also conducted series of stakeholder webinars during the COVID-19 pandemic, which included a wide range of key transportation partners, human service providers and tribal organizations.The draft Kansas 2045 LRTP can also be viewed at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MTUuMzg4Mjc4ODEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2tkb3RhcHAua3Nkb3Qub3JnL0xSVFAvP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSJ9.we7fLddaJ3FgB2eE1bs99Of7sq3cPm9No_UXQj0OfjA/s/1410649012/br/102200041514-l" target="_blank">Home Page - My ASP.NET Application (ksdot.org)</a>. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

KDOT seeks your comments on draft long range transportation plan

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is setting up a $1.7 billion national network to identify and track worrisome&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-mutations-rising-f471eca388965ee95cd1e324c4e239d8">coronavirus mutations</a>&nbsp;whose spread could trigger another pandemic wave, the Biden administration announced Friday.

White House officials unveiled a strategy that features three components: a major funding boost for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments to ramp up coronavirus gene-mapping; the creation of six “centers of excellence” partnerships with universities to conduct research and develop technologies for gene-based surveillance of pathogens, and building a data system to better share and analyze information on emerging disease threats, so knowledge can be turned into action.

“Even as we accelerate our efforts to get shots into arms, more dangerous variants are growing, causing increases in cases in people without immunity,” White House coronavirus adviser Andy Slavitt told reporters. That “requires us to intensify our efforts to quickly test for and find the genetic sequence of the virus as it spreads.”

The new effort relies on money approved by Congress as part of President Joe Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-inside-covid-19-bill-relief-package-52fa93ac75d38eae4cd3dbb6402e7eba">coronavirus relief package</a>&nbsp;to break what experts say is a feast-or-famine cycle in U.S. preparedness for disease threats.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">The coronavirus</a>&nbsp;is only one example. Others pathogens have included Ebola and Zika, and respiratory viruses like SARS in 2002 and MERS in 2012, which did not become major problems in the United States. Typically,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-public-health-genomics-united-kingdom-legislation-71879bce09ddc9956ed3e32f5925c0cf">the government scrambles to counter a potential threat</a>, but funding dries up when it recedes. The new genomic surveillance initiative aims to create a permanent infrastructure.

“It’s a transformative amount of money,” Mary Lee Watts, federal affairs director at the American Society for Microbiology, said in a recent interview. “It has the potential not only to get ahead of the current crisis, but it is going to help us in the future. This is a program that has been underfunded for years.”

The Biden administration’s move comes as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-england-health-washington-cor">a variant known as B117</a>, which first emerged in the United Kingdom, has become the predominant strain in the U.S. In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-michigan-gretchen-whitmer-coronavirus-pandemic-rochelle-walensky-d5810b87b122a59bf734cf69f20aa51b">hard-hit Michigan</a>, the more transmissible mutation accounts for more than half the cases, according to CDC data. That’s also the case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/infectious-diseases-coronavirus-pandemic-minnesota-4afe0f365943f75a84202878469b26f8">in Minnesota</a>. Vaccines are effective against the so-called U.K. variant, but other mutations circulating around the globe have shown resistance to currently available vaccines.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Friday the U.S. is now averaging nearly 70,000 new coronavirus cases daily, up from about 53,000 just four weeks ago. Hospitalizations have been trending higher, too, and deaths were up for the third day in a row. Along with relaxed restrictions on gatherings and indoor dining, the emergence of variants that spread more easily is part of the reason for the worsening trend.

Of particular concern are two variants that for now only have a toe-hold in the U.S. They are P1, first detected in travelers from Brazil, and B1351, identified in South Africa. The reason scientists are watching those variants is that they have shown some level of resistance to antibodies, defensive proteins produced by the human body in response to vaccines or a previous infection.

“In order for us to even have the possibility of getting back to normal by the fall we need to massively scale up our genomic surveillance,” said Esther Krofah, who directs the Faster Cures initiative of the Milken Institute. “It’s the insurance program that you need to have in place not just now, not just for COVID, but going forward for other pathogens of concern.”

Genomic sequencing essentially involves mapping the DNA of an organism, the key to its unique features. It’s done by high-tech machines that can cost from several hundred thousand dollars to $1 million or more. Technicians trained to run the machines and the necessary computing capacity add to costs.

Another hurdle is getting local, state and federal labs all working together. “There are lots of cats that need to be herded,” said University of Wisconsin virologist Thomas Friedrich.

At the end of last year, the CDC and collaborating labs were completing only 116 coronavirus gene sequences a week, according to the CDC’s website. “We started in a hole,” said Slavitt.

The White House says the weekly count is now about 29,000, but experts say in a large, diverse country like the U.S. those numbers need to be much higher to keep pace with potential changes to the virus. Viruses are highly efficient at spreading, developing mutations that enable them to keep reproducing.

White House officials said the government is releasing to states and territories an initial $240 million out of $1 billion allocated to expand genomic sequencing. Another $400 million will go to launch the six research partnerships with academic institutions, dubbed Centers of Excellence in Genomic Epidemiology. Finally, $300 million will go to set up the data sharing system, which is being called the National Bioinformatics Infrastructure.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608566572342.png" alt="Virus variant image courtesy GISAID" />
 <figcaption>Virus variant image courtesy GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is setting up a $1.7 billion national network to identify and track worrisome&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-mutations-rising-f471eca388965ee95cd1e324c4e239d8">coronavirus mutations</a>&nbsp;whose spread could trigger another pandemic wave, the Biden administration announced Friday.White House officials unveiled a strategy that features three components: a major funding boost for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments to ramp up coronavirus gene-mapping; the creation of six “centers of excellence” partnerships with universities to conduct research and develop technologies for gene-based surveillance of pathogens, and building a data system to better share and analyze information on emerging disease threats, so knowledge can be turned into action.“Even as we accelerate our efforts to get shots into arms, more dangerous variants are growing, causing increases in cases in people without immunity,” White House coronavirus adviser Andy Slavitt told reporters. That “requires us to intensify our efforts to quickly test for and find the genetic sequence of the virus as it spreads.”The new effort relies on money approved by Congress as part of President Joe Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-inside-covid-19-bill-relief-package-52fa93ac75d38eae4cd3dbb6402e7eba">coronavirus relief package</a>&nbsp;to break what experts say is a feast-or-famine cycle in U.S. preparedness for disease threats.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">The coronavirus</a>&nbsp;is only one example. Others pathogens have included Ebola and Zika, and respiratory viruses like SARS in 2002 and MERS in 2012, which did not become major problems in the United States. Typically,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-public-health-genomics-united-kingdom-legislation-71879bce09ddc9956ed3e32f5925c0cf">the government scrambles to counter a potential threat</a>, but funding dries up when it recedes. The new genomic surveillance initiative aims to create a permanent infrastructure.“It’s a transformative amount of money,” Mary Lee Watts, federal affairs director at the American Society for Microbiology, said in a recent interview. “It has the potential not only to get ahead of the current crisis, but it is going to help us in the future. This is a program that has been underfunded for years.”The Biden administration’s move comes as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-england-health-washington-cor">a variant known as B117</a>, which first emerged in the United Kingdom, has become the predominant strain in the U.S. In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-michigan-gretchen-whitmer-coronavirus-pandemic-rochelle-walensky-d5810b87b122a59bf734cf69f20aa51b">hard-hit Michigan</a>, the more transmissible mutation accounts for more than half the cases, according to CDC data. That’s also the case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/infectious-diseases-coronavirus-pandemic-minnesota-4afe0f365943f75a84202878469b26f8">in Minnesota</a>. Vaccines are effective against the so-called U.K. variant, but other mutations circulating around the globe have shown resistance to currently available vaccines.CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Friday the U.S. is now averaging nearly 70,000 new coronavirus cases daily, up from about 53,000 just four weeks ago. Hospitalizations have been trending higher, too, and deaths were up for the third day in a row. Along with relaxed restrictions on gatherings and indoor dining, the emergence of variants that spread more easily is part of the reason for the worsening trend.Of particular concern are two variants that for now only have a toe-hold in the U.S. They are P1, first detected in travelers from Brazil, and B1351, identified in South Africa. The reason scientists are watching those variants is that they have shown some level of resistance to antibodies, defensive proteins produced by the human body in response to vaccines or a previous infection.“In order for us to even have the possibility of getting back to normal by the fall we need to massively scale up our genomic surveillance,” said Esther Krofah, who directs the Faster Cures initiative of the Milken Institute. “It’s the insurance program that you need to have in place not just now, not just for COVID, but going forward for other pathogens of concern.”Genomic sequencing essentially involves mapping the DNA of an organism, the key to its unique features. It’s done by high-tech machines that can cost from several hundred thousand dollars to $1 million or more. Technicians trained to run the machines and the necessary computing capacity add to costs.Another hurdle is getting local, state and federal labs all working together. “There are lots of cats that need to be herded,” said University of Wisconsin virologist Thomas Friedrich.At the end of last year, the CDC and collaborating labs were completing only 116 coronavirus gene sequences a week, according to the CDC’s website. “We started in a hole,” said Slavitt.The White House says the weekly count is now about 29,000, but experts say in a large, diverse country like the U.S. those numbers need to be much higher to keep pace with potential changes to the virus. Viruses are highly efficient at spreading, developing mutations that enable them to keep reproducing.White House officials said the government is releasing to states and territories an initial $240 million out of $1 billion allocated to expand genomic sequencing. Another $400 million will go to launch the six research partnerships with academic institutions, dubbed Centers of Excellence in Genomic Epidemiology. Finally, $300 million will go to set up the data sharing system, which is being called the National Bioinformatics Infrastructure.

US setting up $1.7B national network to track virus variants

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department’s internal watchdog has concluded that former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his wife violated federal ethics rules by asking staffers to run personal errands and perform non-official work such as making restaurant reservations, shopping and caring for their dog.

In a report released on Friday, the department’s inspector general concluded that those requests were “inconsistent” with the regulations. But, because Pompeo is no longer a federal employee and not subject to federal disciplinary or other measures, it did not call for any action against the former secretary who left office on Jan. 20 at the end of the Trump administration.

Instead, it recommended that the State Department clarify its policies to better define tasks that are inappropriate for staffers under the ethics rules and make it easier to report alleged violations. The department accepted all of the recommendations in its response to the report.

Pompeo and his attorney strongly denied the allegations contained in the inspector general's report, which said the former secretary and his wife, Susan, “made over 100 requests to employees in the office of the secretary to conduct work that appeared to be personal in nature.” Pompeo's lawyer noted that the report identifies only a handful of questionable requests and that those did not amount to violations of the rules.

The report identified inappropriate tasks as including “picking up personal items, planning events unrelated to the department’s mission, and conducting such personal business as pet care and mailing personal Christmas cards.” Many of those requests were directed to a long-time assistant of the Pompeos who was hired by the State Department as a senior adviser to the secretary.

It said it had found evidence that Susan Pompeo had “on several occasions” instructed the adviser to plan events for groups with which the Pompeos had nongovernmental relationships. It said it had identified at least 30 instances in which either the secretary or his wife told staffers to make restaurant reservations for personal lunches and dinners.

The inspector general “found that such requests were inconsistent with department ethics rules and the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch,” the report said.

In an interview with investigators in late December, Pompeo said he had not paid that staffer or others separately for work that he either considered to be related to government business or to be minimal favors that long-time acquaintances would routinely do for each other, according to the report.

The inspector general, however, noted that there was no exception in the ethics rules for minimal personal favors. “Rather, the standards prohibit any use of a subordinate’s time to perform personal activities unless compensation is paid,” it said.

In a response appended to the report, the lawyer, William Burck, alleged that the report was biased and unfit for publication. Pompeo had shaken up the inspector general's office by firing its former chief in a move that critics alleged was aimed at halting potentially embarrassing investigations into his tenure at the department.

“The poor quality of the report bespeaks not merely unprofessionalism in its drafting but also bias, which we are concerned may be politically motivated,” Burck said. He said the report was “not fit for publication” and demanded evidence to support the investigators’ claims that the Pompeos had made more than 100 inappropriate requests of staffers.

In its response to the report, the State Department made no judgement on the findings but did accept the recommendations.

“The department appreciates the work of the Office of Inspector General, and, as the report notes, concurs with all the recommendations and will proceed to implement them," it said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616766008619.png" alt="Mike Pompeo spoke to a conservative group last Month in Iowa-photo courtesy Secretary Pompeo" />
 <figcaption>Mike Pompeo spoke to a conservative group last Month in Iowa-photo courtesy Secretary Pompeo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department’s internal watchdog has concluded that former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his wife violated federal ethics rules by asking staffers to run personal errands and perform non-official work such as making restaurant reservations, shopping and caring for their dog.In a report released on Friday, the department’s inspector general concluded that those requests were “inconsistent” with the regulations. But, because Pompeo is no longer a federal employee and not subject to federal disciplinary or other measures, it did not call for any action against the former secretary who left office on Jan. 20 at the end of the Trump administration.Instead, it recommended that the State Department clarify its policies to better define tasks that are inappropriate for staffers under the ethics rules and make it easier to report alleged violations. The department accepted all of the recommendations in its response to the report.Pompeo and his attorney strongly denied the allegations contained in the inspector general's report, which said the former secretary and his wife, Susan, “made over 100 requests to employees in the office of the secretary to conduct work that appeared to be personal in nature.” Pompeo's lawyer noted that the report identifies only a handful of questionable requests and that those did not amount to violations of the rules.The report identified inappropriate tasks as including “picking up personal items, planning events unrelated to the department’s mission, and conducting such personal business as pet care and mailing personal Christmas cards.” Many of those requests were directed to a long-time assistant of the Pompeos who was hired by the State Department as a senior adviser to the secretary.It said it had found evidence that Susan Pompeo had “on several occasions” instructed the adviser to plan events for groups with which the Pompeos had nongovernmental relationships. It said it had identified at least 30 instances in which either the secretary or his wife told staffers to make restaurant reservations for personal lunches and dinners.The inspector general “found that such requests were inconsistent with department ethics rules and the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch,” the report said.In an interview with investigators in late December, Pompeo said he had not paid that staffer or others separately for work that he either considered to be related to government business or to be minimal favors that long-time acquaintances would routinely do for each other, according to the report.The inspector general, however, noted that there was no exception in the ethics rules for minimal personal favors. “Rather, the standards prohibit any use of a subordinate’s time to perform personal activities unless compensation is paid,” it said.In a response appended to the report, the lawyer, William Burck, alleged that the report was biased and unfit for publication. Pompeo had shaken up the inspector general's office by firing its former chief in a move that critics alleged was aimed at halting potentially embarrassing investigations into his tenure at the department.“The poor quality of the report bespeaks not merely unprofessionalism in its drafting but also bias, which we are concerned may be politically motivated,” Burck said. He said the report was “not fit for publication” and demanded evidence to support the investigators’ claims that the Pompeos had made more than 100 inappropriate requests of staffers.In its response to the report, the State Department made no judgement on the findings but did accept the recommendations.“The department appreciates the work of the Office of Inspector General, and, as the report notes, concurs with all the recommendations and will proceed to implement them," it said.

State Dept. watchdog: Pompeo, wife violated ethics rules

HARRISONVILLE, Mo. (AP) — A jury recommended on Friday that a Kansas City man receive the maximum sentence for killing two women nearly a decade apart and leaving their bodies in the same field.

The Cass County jury recommended that Kylr Yust, 32, serve life in prison for second-degree murder in the death of Jessica Runions, 21, of Raymore, and 15 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter in the killing of 17-year-old Kara Kopetsky, of Belton.

Yust was charged with first-degree murder, but the Cass County jury&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-us-news-michael-brown-87aa24fcde87cef728d1f013d0ae9ae7">convicted</a>&nbsp;him of lesser charges on Thursday. Formal sentencing was scheduled for June 7.

The two women were both seen with Yust before they disappeared. Runions left a party with him before she went missing in September 2016. Kopetsky had taken out a protection order against Yust a month before she was last seen leaving Belton High School in April 2007.

A mushroom hunter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d2f41945bd1042e2ac5f617b5edc3e2b">found their bodies</a>&nbsp;near each other in a Cass County field south of Kansas City in April 2017.

Prosecutors said during the trial that Yust killed the two women because they rejected him. Yust’s attorney questioned the investigation and said prosecutors had no physical evidence connecting Yust to either death.

Yust&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trials-kansas-city-suicides-c34a4b368eb842051e47fe2f8a50ec46">testified&nbsp;</a>Wednesday that he did not kill either woman, and blamed his half-brother, Jessup Carter, for their deaths. Carter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a9410104be634d3da6aeae15f46d2225" target="_blank">died by suicide</a>&nbsp;in 2018 while he was being held in the Jackson County jail on a charge of second-degree arson.

Before the sentencing, relatives of the two women testified about how much they were loved and how their deaths have devastated their families and friends.

“It ripped our whole family apart and changed our lives forever,” Rhonda Beckford, Kopetsky’s mother, said of the day her daughter went missing. “It started a 10 year nightmare.”

Kopetsky’s stepfather, Jim Beckford, said Beckford has paid her daughter’s phone bill since her disappearance in hopes someone would call, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article250730014.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.

“If you were to check the phone records today, you will see that I called it on Sunday night just to hear that one little wisp of her voice,” Beckford said.

Runions’ father, John Runions, said her family has been devastated by her death and the things she will not be able to experience, such as birthdays, family gathering, hugs and kisses.

“I don’t get to walk my daughter down the aisle and see her be married and be a mother,” he said. “Her sisters don’t get to look up to her anymore. And she loved her sisters.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/9/1567616156500.png" alt="Yust photo Cass Co." />
 <figcaption>Yust photo Cass Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>HARRISONVILLE, Mo. (AP) — A jury recommended on Friday that a Kansas City man receive the maximum sentence for killing two women nearly a decade apart and leaving their bodies in the same field.The Cass County jury recommended that Kylr Yust, 32, serve life in prison for second-degree murder in the death of Jessica Runions, 21, of Raymore, and 15 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter in the killing of 17-year-old Kara Kopetsky, of Belton.Yust was charged with first-degree murder, but the Cass County jury&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-us-news-michael-brown-87aa24fcde87cef728d1f013d0ae9ae7">convicted</a>&nbsp;him of lesser charges on Thursday. Formal sentencing was scheduled for June 7.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576707396150.png" alt="Jessica Runions photo KC Police" />
 <figcaption>Jessica Runions photo KC Police</figcaption>
 </figure>The two women were both seen with Yust before they disappeared. Runions left a party with him before she went missing in September 2016. Kopetsky had taken out a protection order against Yust a month before she was last seen leaving Belton High School in April 2007.A mushroom hunter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d2f41945bd1042e2ac5f617b5edc3e2b">found their bodies</a>&nbsp;near each other in a Cass County field south of Kansas City in April 2017.Prosecutors said during the trial that Yust killed the two women because they rejected him. Yust’s attorney questioned the investigation and said prosecutors had no physical evidence connecting Yust to either death.Yust&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trials-kansas-city-suicides-c34a4b368eb842051e47fe2f8a50ec46">testified&nbsp;</a>Wednesday that he did not kill either woman, and blamed his half-brother, Jessup Carter, for their deaths. Carter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a9410104be634d3da6aeae15f46d2225" target="_blank">died by suicide</a>&nbsp;in 2018 while he was being held in the Jackson County jail on a charge of second-degree arson.Before the sentencing, relatives of the two women testified about how much they were loved and how their deaths have devastated their families and friends.“It ripped our whole family apart and changed our lives forever,” Rhonda Beckford, Kopetsky’s mother, said of the day her daughter went missing. “It started a 10 year nightmare.”Kopetsky’s stepfather, Jim Beckford, said Beckford has paid her daughter’s phone bill since her disappearance in hopes someone would call, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article250730014.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.“If you were to check the phone records today, you will see that I called it on Sunday night just to hear that one little wisp of her voice,” Beckford said.Runions’ father, John Runions, said her family has been devastated by her death and the things she will not be able to experience, such as birthdays, family gathering, hugs and kisses.“I don’t get to walk my daughter down the aisle and see her be married and be a mother,” he said. “Her sisters don’t get to look up to her anymore. And she loved her sisters.”

Jury: Maximum sentence for KC man in murder of 2 women

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—A Kansas teen died in an accident just after 10:30a.m. Friday in Leavenworth County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Chevy Cobalt driven Karley Renee&nbsp;Housworth, 18, Leavenworth,&nbsp;was southbound on 222nd just south of Alexandria Street.

The car rear-ended a 2017 GMC 3500 driven by Craig Anthony Bracken, 35, Basehor.

After the collision, the driver overcorrected and struck a 2012 RAM 1500 driven by Tracy R. Rogers, 62, Lawrence, head-on in the northbound lane of 222nd.

EMS transported Housworth to Overland Park Regional Medical Center where she died. EMS transported Rogers to Lawrence Memorial Hospital. Bracken was not injured. Housworth was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—A Kansas teen died in an accident just after 10:30a.m. Friday in Leavenworth County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Chevy Cobalt driven Karley Renee&nbsp;Housworth, 18, Leavenworth,&nbsp;was southbound on 222nd just south of Alexandria Street.The car rear-ended a 2017 GMC 3500 driven by Craig Anthony Bracken, 35, Basehor.After the collision, the driver overcorrected and struck a 2012 RAM 1500 driven by Tracy R. Rogers, 62, Lawrence, head-on in the northbound lane of 222nd.EMS transported Housworth to Overland Park Regional Medical Center where she died. EMS transported Rogers to Lawrence Memorial Hospital. Bracken was not injured. Housworth was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas teen dies after 3-vehicle head-on crash

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the victim as Emmanuel I. Torres, 16 of Topeka.

Just before 7:30p.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to the area of 6th Avenue and SE Chandler Street in Topeka. in reference to a shooting, according to Lt. Edward Stanley. 

Police found the Torres suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital and was pronounced deceased by medical care personnel.&nbsp;

Police have not reported an arrest or released additional details as the Homicide Unit reviews all investigative leads and evidence.&nbsp;

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting.

One victim suffering from a gunshot wound was transported to a local hospital and was pronounced deceased by medical care personnel. This victim has been identified as a juvenile, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.

Police have not released the name of the victim or additional details as the&nbsp;Police Homicide Unit reviews all investigative leads and evidence.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618576172619.png" alt="Investigators on the scene of the fatal shooting -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Investigators on the scene of the fatal shooting -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the victim as Emmanuel I. Torres, 16 of Topeka.Just before 7:30p.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to the area of 6th Avenue and SE Chandler Street in Topeka. in reference to a shooting, according to Lt. Edward Stanley. Police found the Torres suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital and was pronounced deceased by medical care personnel.&nbsp;Police have not reported an arrest or released additional details as the Homicide Unit reviews all investigative leads and evidence.&nbsp;------------SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting.Just before 7:30p.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to the area of 6th Avenue and SE Chandler Street in Topeka. in reference to a shooting, according to Lt. Edward Stanley. One victim suffering from a gunshot wound was transported to a local hospital and was pronounced deceased by medical care personnel. This victim has been identified as a juvenile, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.Police have not released the name of the victim or additional details as the&nbsp;Police Homicide Unit reviews all investigative leads and evidence.&nbsp;

Update: 16-year-old Kan. boy dead after shooting

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has vetoed proposed income tax cuts and accused GOP lawmakers of trying to revive a nationally notorious fiscal experiment. The bill Kelly vetoed Friday would have saved individuals and businesses $284 million over three years. 

Republicans could try to override her veto next month. GOP legislators have said they want to provide relief to individuals and businesses whose state income taxes have risen because of changes in federal income tax laws. 

But Kelly has repeatedly recalled the persistent budget shortfalls that followed income tax cuts in 2012 and 2013 under then-GOP Gov. Sam Brownback.

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced Friday that she&nbsp; has decided to veto <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb50/">Senate Bill 50.&nbsp;</a> The legislation required "marketplace facilitators to collect and remit sales, transient and guest taxes, as well as 911 fees."

She explained the reason for the veto in statement from her office.

“Last year, despite COVID-19, Kansas experienced a record-setting $2.5 billion in new investment from businesses. These companies chose to make Kansas home in large part due to the state’s recent investments in our economic development tools, prioritizing funding for infrastructure improvements, and reinvesting in our students.

“As many of you with whom I served well remember, in order to provide sustainable funding for essential government services, we cannot return to the era of perennial, self-inflicted budget crises that undermine the very fabric and foundation of our state.”

“Therefore, under Article 2, Section 14(a) of the Constitution, I hereby veto Senate Bill 50.”&nbsp; Click here to read <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/summary_sb_50_2021">more on the bill</a>.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has vetoed proposed income tax cuts and accused GOP lawmakers of trying to revive a nationally notorious fiscal experiment. The bill Kelly vetoed Friday would have saved individuals and businesses $284 million over three years. Republicans could try to override her veto next month. GOP legislators have said they want to provide relief to individuals and businesses whose state income taxes have risen because of changes in federal income tax laws. But Kelly has repeatedly recalled the persistent budget shortfalls that followed income tax cuts in 2012 and 2013 under then-GOP Gov. Sam Brownback.-------TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced Friday that she&nbsp; has decided to veto <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb50/">Senate Bill 50.&nbsp;</a> The legislation required "marketplace facilitators to collect and remit sales, transient and guest taxes, as well as 911 fees."She explained the reason for the veto in statement from her office.“Last year, despite COVID-19, Kansas experienced a record-setting $2.5 billion in new investment from businesses. These companies chose to make Kansas home in large part due to the state’s recent investments in our economic development tools, prioritizing funding for infrastructure improvements, and reinvesting in our students.“As many of you with whom I served well remember, in order to provide sustainable funding for essential government services, we cannot return to the era of perennial, self-inflicted budget crises that undermine the very fabric and foundation of our state.”“Therefore, under Article 2, Section 14(a) of the Constitution, I hereby veto Senate Bill 50.”&nbsp; Click here to read <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/summary_sb_50_2021">more on the bill</a>.

Governor explains her veto of Kansas tax cut bill 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration this week began to undo&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e0bf2658969c482bb9addf40eb5bd667">a Trump-era ban on clinics referring women for abortions</a>, a policy that drove Planned Parenthood from the federal family planning program and created new complications for women trying to get birth control.

The proposed rule from the Department of Health and Human Services follows through on President Joe Biden’s campaign promise to reverse his predecessor’s family planning policy, which was branded a “gag rule” by women’s groups and decried by medical associations as violating the doctor-patient relationship.

But the Biden administration stopped short of immediately suspending the Trump regulation, which went into effect in 2019. While some abortion rights advocates had sought that additional step, administration officials believe that moving carefully and deliberately will increase the odds of the proposed changes being upheld in court.

Known as Title X, the federal family planning program has been in place for 50 years. It makes available about $286 million annually in grants that support clinics serving mainly low-income women. Those clinics, which provide birth control and basic health care services, have been whipsawed by Trump-era battles over ideology and by the impact of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>&nbsp;on health services providers. Before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9e62021bcde04e69aa2ffc2e70a60f8f">exiting the program in 2019</a>, Planned Parenthood and its affiliates served an estimated 40% of the patients.

Though by law federal family planning money could not be used to pay for abortions, religious conservatives long regarded the program as a form of indirect subsidy to Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest provider of abortions. Former President Donald Trump counted on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-race-and-ethnicity-elections-7433585aae55ea0cadd9ea5f0eb00a62">religious conservatives</a>&nbsp;as a cornerstone of his political base and acceded to their demands on a range of women’s health issues.

Besides banning abortion referrals, his administration required federally funded clinics to financially and physically separate themselves from facilities that provide abortions. Abortion counseling was designated as an optional instead of a standard practice, and limits were placed on which staff members could discuss abortion with patients, among other requirements. Pregnant women were supposed to be referred for prenatal counseling even if they did not want it.

The Biden administration estimated that as a result of the Trump policy changes, the program serves about 1.5 million fewer women a year, a 37% reduction from the average caseload from 2016-18. HHS also estimated that the Trump policies may have led to up to 180,000 unintended pregnancies.

The department said its proposed rule reversal will restore the program to how it ran under President Barack Obama, when clinics were able to refer women seeking abortions to a provider.

“Ultimately, continued enforcement of the 2019 rule raises the possibility of a two-tiered health care system in which those with insurance and full access to health care receive full medical information and referrals, while low-income populations with fewer opportunities for care are relegated to inferior access,” HHS said in a statement. “This situation creates a widespread public health concern.”

Planned Parenthood’s president, Alexis McGill Johnson, said her organization could be participating in the program again some time next year, if the Biden rule is finalized as expected. HHS said clinics that left the program will gradually return, and Title X should again be serving about 4 million clients within a couple of years.

McGill Johnson said Biden must not only restore the program, but improve it. “What is most important is a kind of double-down commitment to really ensuring expanded access to care,” she said in an interview.

Release of the proposed regulations was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-medication-abortion-coronavirus-pandemic-covid-19-pandemic-1bd5c161f8e0f9f80e98b63002f50d37">the second blow to abortion opponents this week</a>&nbsp;from the administration. On Tuesday, the Food and Drug Administration said women would not be required to visit a doctor’s office to get a prescription for an abortion pill for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic and instead could safely rely on telehealth.

The head of a national group that works to elect candidates opposed to abortion said the administration is rewarding Planned Parenthood for its political support. “Coming on the heels of the Biden FDA’s refusal to enforce safety regulations on dangerous abortion drugs, plus Biden’s efforts to undermine the Supreme Court, their latest push to bail out the abortion industry proves there is no rule they won’t rewrite or simply ignore to get their way,” Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, said in a statement.

But the American Medical Association welcomed the shift, saying the Trump policy “inappropriately interfered with the patient-physician relationship and jeopardized safe access to reproductive care.”

The rule reversal on family planning clinics is proceeding alongside&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-ruth-bader-ginsburg-abortion-reproductive-rights-courts-cb3720593bd6bd6bd6546c3b80a4eb15">litigation over the Trump administration policy</a>, now before the Supreme Court. In that case, the justices agreed to hear a challenge to the rules Biden is now trying to unravel. The Biden administration and medical groups that filed the challenge are asking the court to dismiss the case, but Republican state attorneys general want to proceed. The court has yet to say what it will do.

The 1970 law that created the family planning program stipulated that taxpayer money may not be used “where abortion is a method of family planning.”

Abortion rights supporters and opponents have argued for decades about whether counseling a patient about abortion or referring a patient to a different provider for an abortion violates that language.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">Abortion</a>&nbsp;remains a legal medical procedure, though improved access to birth control in recent years has led to a significant decline.

The Biden administration’s rule must go through a notice-and-comment period and additional review before being finalized, which can take several months.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578943990420.png" alt="Planned Parenthood in Kansas City" />
 <figcaption>Planned Parenthood in Kansas City</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration this week began to undo&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e0bf2658969c482bb9addf40eb5bd667">a Trump-era ban on clinics referring women for abortions</a>, a policy that drove Planned Parenthood from the federal family planning program and created new complications for women trying to get birth control.The proposed rule from the Department of Health and Human Services follows through on President Joe Biden’s campaign promise to reverse his predecessor’s family planning policy, which was branded a “gag rule” by women’s groups and decried by medical associations as violating the doctor-patient relationship.But the Biden administration stopped short of immediately suspending the Trump regulation, which went into effect in 2019. While some abortion rights advocates had sought that additional step, administration officials believe that moving carefully and deliberately will increase the odds of the proposed changes being upheld in court.Known as Title X, the federal family planning program has been in place for 50 years. It makes available about $286 million annually in grants that support clinics serving mainly low-income women. Those clinics, which provide birth control and basic health care services, have been whipsawed by Trump-era battles over ideology and by the impact of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>&nbsp;on health services providers. Before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9e62021bcde04e69aa2ffc2e70a60f8f">exiting the program in 2019</a>, Planned Parenthood and its affiliates served an estimated 40% of the patients.Though by law federal family planning money could not be used to pay for abortions, religious conservatives long regarded the program as a form of indirect subsidy to Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest provider of abortions. Former President Donald Trump counted on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-race-and-ethnicity-elections-7433585aae55ea0cadd9ea5f0eb00a62">religious conservatives</a>&nbsp;as a cornerstone of his political base and acceded to their demands on a range of women’s health issues.Besides banning abortion referrals, his administration required federally funded clinics to financially and physically separate themselves from facilities that provide abortions. Abortion counseling was designated as an optional instead of a standard practice, and limits were placed on which staff members could discuss abortion with patients, among other requirements. Pregnant women were supposed to be referred for prenatal counseling even if they did not want it.The Biden administration estimated that as a result of the Trump policy changes, the program serves about 1.5 million fewer women a year, a 37% reduction from the average caseload from 2016-18. HHS also estimated that the Trump policies may have led to up to 180,000 unintended pregnancies.The department said its proposed rule reversal will restore the program to how it ran under President Barack Obama, when clinics were able to refer women seeking abortions to a provider.“Ultimately, continued enforcement of the 2019 rule raises the possibility of a two-tiered health care system in which those with insurance and full access to health care receive full medical information and referrals, while low-income populations with fewer opportunities for care are relegated to inferior access,” HHS said in a statement. “This situation creates a widespread public health concern.”Planned Parenthood’s president, Alexis McGill Johnson, said her organization could be participating in the program again some time next year, if the Biden rule is finalized as expected. HHS said clinics that left the program will gradually return, and Title X should again be serving about 4 million clients within a couple of years.McGill Johnson said Biden must not only restore the program, but improve it. “What is most important is a kind of double-down commitment to really ensuring expanded access to care,” she said in an interview.Release of the proposed regulations was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-medication-abortion-coronavirus-pandemic-covid-19-pandemic-1bd5c161f8e0f9f80e98b63002f50d37">the second blow to abortion opponents this week</a>&nbsp;from the administration. On Tuesday, the Food and Drug Administration said women would not be required to visit a doctor’s office to get a prescription for an abortion pill for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic and instead could safely rely on telehealth.The head of a national group that works to elect candidates opposed to abortion said the administration is rewarding Planned Parenthood for its political support. “Coming on the heels of the Biden FDA’s refusal to enforce safety regulations on dangerous abortion drugs, plus Biden’s efforts to undermine the Supreme Court, their latest push to bail out the abortion industry proves there is no rule they won’t rewrite or simply ignore to get their way,” Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, said in a statement.But the American Medical Association welcomed the shift, saying the Trump policy “inappropriately interfered with the patient-physician relationship and jeopardized safe access to reproductive care.”The rule reversal on family planning clinics is proceeding alongside&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-ruth-bader-ginsburg-abortion-reproductive-rights-courts-cb3720593bd6bd6bd6546c3b80a4eb15">litigation over the Trump administration policy</a>, now before the Supreme Court. In that case, the justices agreed to hear a challenge to the rules Biden is now trying to unravel. The Biden administration and medical groups that filed the challenge are asking the court to dismiss the case, but Republican state attorneys general want to proceed. The court has yet to say what it will do.The 1970 law that created the family planning program stipulated that taxpayer money may not be used “where abortion is a method of family planning.”Abortion rights supporters and opponents have argued for decades about whether counseling a patient about abortion or referring a patient to a different provider for an abortion violates that language.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">Abortion</a>&nbsp;remains a legal medical procedure, though improved access to birth control in recent years has led to a significant decline.The Biden administration’s rule must go through a notice-and-comment period and additional review before being finalized, which can take several months.

Pres. Biden begins to undo ban on abortion referrals

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 541 to a total of 305,861, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;

Total coronavirus deaths were reported at 4953, an increase of 9.

<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 541 to a total of 305,861, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;Total coronavirus deaths were reported at 4953, an increase of 9.<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/2021/4/1618594469884.png" alt="Friday April 16, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Friday April 16, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A 12-year-old boy who was shot and killed near a Leavenworth pharmacy was an innocent bystander, Police Chief Pat Kitchens said.

Brian Henderson Jr., of Kansas City, Missouri, died after the shooting Wednesday night near the Kare Pharmacy, police said.

Police responding to calls about shots fired did not find any victims at the scene. Witnesses said several shots were fired at a black Volkswagon Jetta sedan by a suspect in the parking lot before the suspects fled.

Kansas City, Missouri, police later notified Leavenworth officials that Henderson had died from gunshot wounds after being taken to a Kansas City hospital.

“It’s very clear that this young person was perfectly innocent, in the wrong place at the wrong time and suffered a terrible loss of life here."

The Leavenworth County prosecutor has charged Darvon Thomas, 25, with first-degree felony murder. A 17-year-old is also charged with murder and firing into an occupied vehicle. A 15-year-old was arrested but has not yet been charged.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618591549655.png" alt="The Leavenworth County prosecutor has charged Darvon Thomas, 25, with first-degree felony murder-photo Leavenworth Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>The Leavenworth County prosecutor has charged Darvon Thomas, 25, with first-degree felony murder-photo Leavenworth Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A 12-year-old boy who was shot and killed near a Leavenworth pharmacy was an innocent bystander, Police Chief Pat Kitchens said.Brian Henderson Jr., of Kansas City, Missouri, died after the shooting Wednesday night near the Kare Pharmacy, police said.Police responding to calls about shots fired did not find any victims at the scene. Witnesses said several shots were fired at a black Volkswagon Jetta sedan by a suspect in the parking lot before the suspects fled.Kansas City, Missouri, police later notified Leavenworth officials that Henderson had died from gunshot wounds after being taken to a Kansas City hospital.“It’s very clear that this young person was perfectly innocent, in the wrong place at the wrong time and suffered a terrible loss of life here."The Leavenworth County prosecutor has charged Darvon Thomas, 25, with first-degree felony murder. A 17-year-old is also charged with murder and firing into an occupied vehicle. A 15-year-old was arrested but has not yet been charged.

Police ID 12-year-old shot, killed in Leavenworth

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A 20-year-old Wichita man who died in the Dec. 7, 1941, attack at Pearl Harbor will be buried in his native state in May.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency said Thursday it had identified the remains of <a href="https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/News-Releases/PressReleaseArticleView/Article/2499166/uss-oklahoma-sailor-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-goodwin-r/">Navy 3rd Class Cook Robert Goodwin.</a> He was aboard the USS Oklahoma when it was hit by multiple torpedoes during the attack by the Japanese.

Goodwin was among 429 crewmen aboard the ship that died in the attack, which killed a total of 2,400 Americans and thrust the U.S. into World War II.

His remains were identified in November using “dental and anthropological analysis” as well as mitochondrial DNA, according to the DPAA. A burial service is planned for him on May 14 in Topeka.

Goodwin’s remains were among those buried in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu before they were exhumed for analysis.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618585943685.png" alt="Robert Goodwin photo courtesy Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency" />
 <figcaption>Robert Goodwin photo courtesy Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A 20-year-old Wichita man who died in the Dec. 7, 1941, attack at Pearl Harbor will be buried in his native state in May.The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency said Thursday it had identified the remains of <a href="https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/News-Releases/PressReleaseArticleView/Article/2499166/uss-oklahoma-sailor-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-goodwin-r/">Navy 3rd Class Cook Robert Goodwin.</a> He was aboard the USS Oklahoma when it was hit by multiple torpedoes during the attack by the Japanese.Goodwin was among 429 crewmen aboard the ship that died in the attack, which killed a total of 2,400 Americans and thrust the U.S. into World War II.His remains were identified in November using “dental and anthropological analysis” as well as mitochondrial DNA, according to the DPAA. A burial service is planned for him on May 14 in Topeka.Goodwin’s remains were among those buried in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu before they were exhumed for analysis.

Remains of Kan. man who died at Pearl Harbor identified

MANHATTAN —Fire on May 22, 2018 caused significant damage to Hale Library on the Kansas State University campus in Manhattan. The university celebrated with a virtual&nbsp; grand reopening Thursday evening.

Chair of the University Library Committee, Amy Rosine, said to save the building several hundred thousand gallons of water flooded the building. "While the fire was contained to the roof smoke and water caused damage throughout the building. All of the books needed to be removed and cleaned, and about 85% of the library was in dire need of renovation and repair."

KSU Libraries administrators launched a recovery process immediately. "Soaked books were&nbsp; frozen in an effort to further stop damage and prevent mold growth. " Rosine added that "damaged ceilings and carpet were removed, walls demolished and library services were relocated and made operational. " Library personnel worked from different locations on campus.

K-State libraries and the KSU Foundation launched a campaign that resulted in more than $330,000 for Help for Hale. The support was considered important for the reimaging during Innovation and Inspiration, the $1.4 billion campaign for K-State. Major gift donors provided support to help the library.

The renovated first floor of the library opened on Jan. 25 of this year and the remaining floors on Feb. 15. Improvements range from a new first floor entrance, many spaces to collaborate, quiet study spaces, the Great Room restoration, new technology including digital media production, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence to meet needs of students for the future. There is also a cafe that offers snacks plus&nbsp; a new meditation space and wash basin, a children's area and a location for multicultural and community studies. There are two new reading rooms with natural light in the historic Farrell Library&nbsp;

MANHATTAN —Fire on May 22, 2018 caused significant damage to Hale Library on the Kansas State University campus in Manhattan. The university celebrated with a virtual&nbsp; grand reopening Thursday evening.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nLQ4-q3uMo4?start=2102" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Chair of the University Library Committee, Amy Rosine, said to save the building several hundred thousand gallons of water flooded the building. "While the fire was contained to the roof smoke and water caused damage throughout the building. All of the books needed to be removed and cleaned, and about 85% of the library was in dire need of renovation and repair."KSU Libraries administrators launched a recovery process immediately. "Soaked books were&nbsp; frozen in an effort to further stop damage and prevent mold growth. " Rosine added that "damaged ceilings and carpet were removed, walls demolished and library services were relocated and made operational. " Library personnel worked from different locations on campus.K-State libraries and the KSU Foundation launched a campaign that resulted in more than $330,000 for Help for Hale. The support was considered important for the reimaging during Innovation and Inspiration, the $1.4 billion campaign for K-State. Major gift donors provided support to help the library.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618536864265.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;KSU showed improvements made during the Library renovation period." />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;KSU showed improvements made during the Library renovation period.</figcaption>
 </figure>The renovated first floor of the library opened on Jan. 25 of this year and the remaining floors on Feb. 15. Improvements range from a new first floor entrance, many spaces to collaborate, quiet study spaces, the Great Room restoration, new technology including digital media production, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence to meet needs of students for the future. There is also a cafe that offers snacks plus&nbsp; a new meditation space and wash basin, a children's area and a location for multicultural and community studies. There are two new reading rooms with natural light in the historic Farrell Library&nbsp;

 🎥  3-years after fire KSU celebrates reopening of Hale Library

HARRISONVILLE, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City man has been found guilty of killing two women a decade apart and burying their bodies near each other in a field in western Missouri.

Kylr Yust was convicted Thursday of voluntary manslaughter in the death of Kara Kopetsky, 17, of Belton, and of second-degree murder in the death of Jessica Runions, 21, of Raymore.

Yust had been charged with first-degree murder in the deaths. The jury deliberated for more than 14 hours. Sentencing is set for Friday morning.

Runions left a party in Grandview with Yust before she disappeared in September 2016. Kopetsky filed a protection order against Yust in April 2007, a month before she was last seen leaving Belton High School. A mushroom hunter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a5ab3e00dba34407a798be48a5a012aa">found their bodies</a>&nbsp;in a field in Cass County south of Kansas City in April 2017.

Prosecutors argued during the trial that Yust was a violent man who killed the women because they rejected him and he didn’t want them to be with other men. Yust’s attorneys contended investigators didn’t consider other suspects and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article250661679.html" target="_blank">said no physical evidence connected Yust to the killings</a>.

The Runions and Kopetsky families had said before the verdict that they wouldn’t comment until after sentencing. Yust’s defense lawyers declined to comment as they left the courthouse Thursday evening, according to local TV reports.

The sentence for voluntary manslaughter is five to 15 years in prison. The sentence for second-degree murder is 10 to 30 years or life in prison.

In closing arguments Wednesday, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Julie Tolle told jurors that common sense and reason point to Yust being guilty of first-degree murder in the women’s deaths. She said defense arguments — including Yust’s testimony — are “just not reasonable."

She called Yust an “obsessive, jealous, pathetic boyfriend” who could not handle getting dumped. Yust confessed to six people but he now expects jurors to believe they all made it up, Tolle said.

One of Yust’s attorneys, Sharon Turlington, said the prosecution case against Yust was not supported by any proof, arguing that the lack of physical evidence, the timelines presented by prosecutors and earlier witness statements supported his innocence.

“Somehow Kylr is supposed to have pulled off two murders without leaving a trace,” Turlington said, later saying there is no DNA linking Yust to either crime.

Yust, 32, testified on Wednesday that he did not kill the women, and accused his half-brother, Jessup Carter, in their deaths.

“I didn’t do anything to either of them.” he said.

In 2018, Carter died by suicide while he was being held in the Jackson County jail on a charge of second-degree arson. Yust testified that he believed Carter, 32, killed himself because Yust pleaded not guilty in Kopetsky’s and Runions’ deaths.

Tolle questioned Yust about why he had not accused Carter in the killings until Wednesday. He replied that he told one of his attorneys his theory years ago and she was representing him for free because she believed him.

Tolle said Yust must be the “most unlucky guy in the world” because two of his former girlfriends had gone missing.

“Anyone who has a brother who is a serial killer is unlucky,” Yust responded.

In the years after Kopetsky disappeared, Yust told several people that he had killed her because she wanted to end their on-and-off relationship. Prosecutors played a tape during the trial on which could be heard telling an ex-girlfriend, Katelynn Farris, that he killed Kopetsky.

Farris was wearing a wire at the time under the supervision of the FBI.

Yust testified Wednesday that he thought Farris was attracted to him because he was suspected of murder, and he was reacting to her attraction.

“I was just at a really low point in my life and I wanted to get her attention,” he said.

Yust also confessed in a phone call from jail to his mother, which he said Wednesday was done out of spite toward her and exhaustion over defending his innocence.

“At one point, I remember thinking: ‘I might as well just, I mean I’m going to get blamed. My whole life is a freaking wreck,’” Yust said. “This is happening all over again but even worse. I just remember at a couple points I was like: ‘Well screw it. I might as well be famous.’”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576707396150.png" alt="Then 21-year-old Jessica Runions disappeared in 2016, last seen leaving a house party. Her car was found burned the next day. photo KC Police" />
 <figcaption>Then 21-year-old Jessica Runions disappeared in 2016, last seen leaving a house party. Her car was found burned the next day. photo KC Police</figcaption>
 </figure>HARRISONVILLE, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City man has been found guilty of killing two women a decade apart and burying their bodies near each other in a field in western Missouri.Kylr Yust was convicted Thursday of voluntary manslaughter in the death of Kara Kopetsky, 17, of Belton, and of second-degree murder in the death of Jessica Runions, 21, of Raymore.Yust had been charged with first-degree murder in the deaths. The jury deliberated for more than 14 hours. Sentencing is set for Friday morning.Runions left a party in Grandview with Yust before she disappeared in September 2016. Kopetsky filed a protection order against Yust in April 2007, a month before she was last seen leaving Belton High School. A mushroom hunter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a5ab3e00dba34407a798be48a5a012aa">found their bodies</a>&nbsp;in a field in Cass County south of Kansas City in April 2017.Prosecutors argued during the trial that Yust was a violent man who killed the women because they rejected him and he didn’t want them to be with other men. Yust’s attorneys contended investigators didn’t consider other suspects and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article250661679.html" target="_blank">said no physical evidence connected Yust to the killings</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/9/1567616156500.png" alt="Yust photo Cass County" />
 <figcaption>Yust photo Cass County</figcaption>
 </figure>The Runions and Kopetsky families had said before the verdict that they wouldn’t comment until after sentencing. Yust’s defense lawyers declined to comment as they left the courthouse Thursday evening, according to local TV reports.The sentence for voluntary manslaughter is five to 15 years in prison. The sentence for second-degree murder is 10 to 30 years or life in prison.In closing arguments Wednesday, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Julie Tolle told jurors that common sense and reason point to Yust being guilty of first-degree murder in the women’s deaths. She said defense arguments — including Yust’s testimony — are “just not reasonable."She called Yust an “obsessive, jealous, pathetic boyfriend” who could not handle getting dumped. Yust confessed to six people but he now expects jurors to believe they all made it up, Tolle said.One of Yust’s attorneys, Sharon Turlington, said the prosecution case against Yust was not supported by any proof, arguing that the lack of physical evidence, the timelines presented by prosecutors and earlier witness statements supported his innocence.“Somehow Kylr is supposed to have pulled off two murders without leaving a trace,” Turlington said, later saying there is no DNA linking Yust to either crime.Yust, 32, testified on Wednesday that he did not kill the women, and accused his half-brother, Jessup Carter, in their deaths.“I didn’t do anything to either of them.” he said.In 2018, Carter died by suicide while he was being held in the Jackson County jail on a charge of second-degree arson. Yust testified that he believed Carter, 32, killed himself because Yust pleaded not guilty in Kopetsky’s and Runions’ deaths.Tolle questioned Yust about why he had not accused Carter in the killings until Wednesday. He replied that he told one of his attorneys his theory years ago and she was representing him for free because she believed him.Tolle said Yust must be the “most unlucky guy in the world” because two of his former girlfriends had gone missing.“Anyone who has a brother who is a serial killer is unlucky,” Yust responded.In the years after Kopetsky disappeared, Yust told several people that he had killed her because she wanted to end their on-and-off relationship. Prosecutors played a tape during the trial on which could be heard telling an ex-girlfriend, Katelynn Farris, that he killed Kopetsky.Farris was wearing a wire at the time under the supervision of the FBI.Yust testified Wednesday that he thought Farris was attracted to him because he was suspected of murder, and he was reacting to her attraction.“I was just at a really low point in my life and I wanted to get her attention,” he said.Yust also confessed in a phone call from jail to his mother, which he said Wednesday was done out of spite toward her and exhaustion over defending his innocence.“At one point, I remember thinking: ‘I might as well just, I mean I’m going to get blamed. My whole life is a freaking wreck,’” Yust said. “This is happening all over again but even worse. I just remember at a couple points I was like: ‘Well screw it. I might as well be famous.’”

Kansas City man convicted in 2 women’s deaths decade apart

WASHINGTON (AP) — A group of congressional Democrats introduced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.markey.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/judiciary_act_of_2021.pdf" target="_blank">legislation</a>&nbsp;Thursday to add four seats to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/institution.aspx" target="_blank">Supreme Court</a>, a long-shot bid designed to counter the court’s rightward tilt during the Trump administration and criticized by Republicans as a potential power grab that would reduce the public’s trust in the judiciary.

President Joe Biden last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-ruth-bader-ginsburg-amy-coney-barrett-judiciary-8734750b75318ed429bf206e2a8af6d1">created a commission</a>&nbsp;to spend the next six months examining the politically incendiary issues of expanding the court and instituting term limits for justices.

The fight over the composition of the nine-member court has become increasingly contentious over the past two decades, with fierce battles over nominees and acrimonious debates about the politicization of the judicial branch.

But the bill’s introduction had an inauspicious start. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she might not bring it up for a vote if it advanced out of committee and Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was noncommittal as well.

Democratic lawmakers and groups supporting the court expansion bill gathered on the steps of the Supreme Court to make their case.

“Some people say we’re packing the court. We’re not packing it. We’re unpacking it,” said the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep, Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y. He said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and the GOP had “packed the court over the last couple of years. This is a reaction to that. It’s a necessary step in the evolution of the court.”

Inside the Capitol, Durbin, made clear that he wanted to wait for the White House’s 36-member commission to report its findings before deciding on a course of action.

“I’m not ready to sign on yet,” Durbin said. “I think this commission of Biden’s is the right move. Let’s think this through carefully. This is historic.”

Pelosi was even more dismissive. The prospect of an expanded Supreme Court is a campaign issue that Republicans will focus on as they target swing districts in their bid to retake the majority. Even before the bill’s introduction, state GOP parties were drawing attention to the effort in an attempt to link vulnerable Democratic members to it.

“I have no plans to bring it to the floor,” Pelosi told reporters.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden would wait for the commission’s work to “play out,” before taking a position on the matter.

Republicans quickly jumped in to the debate. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said in a SiriusXM radio interview that no matter what issue comes up this Congress, “this has got to be the most important because, remember, it’s taking over an entire branch of government.”

McConnell quoted the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who warned before her death that adding justices to the Supreme Court would make it appear partisan and that “nine seems to be a good number.”

“But the farthest-left activists aren’t interested in the common good. They want power,” McConnell said.

Supporters of expanding the court say Republicans gained an unfair advantage by blocking President Barack Obama’s 2016 nomination of Merrick Garland, a federal appeals judge at the time who is now Biden’s attorney general, under the rationale that it was a presidential election year and the voters should decide. McConnell refused to hold hearings on filling the vacancy after Justice Antonin Scalia’s death, even though the November election was months away.

Last year, McConnell and the Republican-controlled Senate confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, to fill Ginsburg’s seat just days before the presidential election, securing a likely conservative majority for years to come.

In their news conference on the Supreme Court steps, the authors and co-sponsors of the legislation framed the proposed expansion as a necessary progression to keep up with a growing nation and a growing case workload. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., said the court expanded on seven occasions prior to the Civil War, “leaving us today with the historical oddity of 13 circuit courts of appeal and only nine justices.”

Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., went right to the anger and frustration that so many Democrats have with the judicial conformation process under Trump and McConnell’s stewardship.

“The Republicans stole two seats on the Supreme Court and now it is up to us to repair that damage,” Markey said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618533579747.png" alt="Democratic lawmakers and groups supporting the court expansion bill gathered on the steps of the Supreme Court Thursday to make their case. image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Democratic lawmakers and groups supporting the court expansion bill gathered on the steps of the Supreme Court Thursday to make their case. image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A group of congressional Democrats introduced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.markey.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/judiciary_act_of_2021.pdf" target="_blank">legislation</a>&nbsp;Thursday to add four seats to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/institution.aspx" target="_blank">Supreme Court</a>, a long-shot bid designed to counter the court’s rightward tilt during the Trump administration and criticized by Republicans as a potential power grab that would reduce the public’s trust in the judiciary.President Joe Biden last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-ruth-bader-ginsburg-amy-coney-barrett-judiciary-8734750b75318ed429bf206e2a8af6d1">created a commission</a>&nbsp;to spend the next six months examining the politically incendiary issues of expanding the court and instituting term limits for justices.The fight over the composition of the nine-member court has become increasingly contentious over the past two decades, with fierce battles over nominees and acrimonious debates about the politicization of the judicial branch.But the bill’s introduction had an inauspicious start. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she might not bring it up for a vote if it advanced out of committee and Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was noncommittal as well.Democratic lawmakers and groups supporting the court expansion bill gathered on the steps of the Supreme Court to make their case.“Some people say we’re packing the court. We’re not packing it. We’re unpacking it,” said the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep, Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y. He said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and the GOP had “packed the court over the last couple of years. This is a reaction to that. It’s a necessary step in the evolution of the court.”Inside the Capitol, Durbin, made clear that he wanted to wait for the White House’s 36-member commission to report its findings before deciding on a course of action.“I’m not ready to sign on yet,” Durbin said. “I think this commission of Biden’s is the right move. Let’s think this through carefully. This is historic.”Pelosi was even more dismissive. The prospect of an expanded Supreme Court is a campaign issue that Republicans will focus on as they target swing districts in their bid to retake the majority. Even before the bill’s introduction, state GOP parties were drawing attention to the effort in an attempt to link vulnerable Democratic members to it.“I have no plans to bring it to the floor,” Pelosi told reporters.White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden would wait for the commission’s work to “play out,” before taking a position on the matter.Republicans quickly jumped in to the debate. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said in a SiriusXM radio interview that no matter what issue comes up this Congress, “this has got to be the most important because, remember, it’s taking over an entire branch of government.”McConnell quoted the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who warned before her death that adding justices to the Supreme Court would make it appear partisan and that “nine seems to be a good number.”“But the farthest-left activists aren’t interested in the common good. They want power,” McConnell said.Supporters of expanding the court say Republicans gained an unfair advantage by blocking President Barack Obama’s 2016 nomination of Merrick Garland, a federal appeals judge at the time who is now Biden’s attorney general, under the rationale that it was a presidential election year and the voters should decide. McConnell refused to hold hearings on filling the vacancy after Justice Antonin Scalia’s death, even though the November election was months away.Last year, McConnell and the Republican-controlled Senate confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, to fill Ginsburg’s seat just days before the presidential election, securing a likely conservative majority for years to come.In their news conference on the Supreme Court steps, the authors and co-sponsors of the legislation framed the proposed expansion as a necessary progression to keep up with a growing nation and a growing case workload. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., said the court expanded on seven occasions prior to the Civil War, “leaving us today with the historical oddity of 13 circuit courts of appeal and only nine justices.”Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., went right to the anger and frustration that so many Democrats have with the judicial conformation process under Trump and McConnell’s stewardship.“The Republicans stole two seats on the Supreme Court and now it is up to us to repair that damage,” Markey said.___

Democrats introduce bill to expand the Supreme Court

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an aggravated battery incident involving two Kansas men.

Just after 11:12 a.m. Thursday, police responded to a shooting call in the area of Kellogg and Meridian, according to officer Paul Cruz. Upon arrival, officers contacted the 29-year-old man who reported being involved in a road rage incident in the area of Kellogg and Meridian, which resulted in a shot being fired.

The 29-year-old reported that he became involved in a road rage incident with another unknown male driver while traveling westbound on Kellogg. 

The unknown man brandished a handgun during the incident and fired one shot, striking the 29-year-old's car window.

The driver also received minor injuries to his hand, which was caused by broken glass, according to Cruz. Officers located and contacted the 34-year-old man, who was identified as the other driver in the incident.

Detectives are working to determine the circumstances surrounding this incident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618526052449.png" alt="The unknown suspect brandished a handgun during the incident and fired one shot, striking the victim's car window. Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>The unknown suspect brandished a handgun during the incident and fired one shot, striking the victim's car window. Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an aggravated battery incident involving two Kansas men.Just after 11:12 a.m. Thursday, police responded to a shooting call in the area of Kellogg and Meridian, according to officer Paul Cruz. Upon arrival, officers contacted the 29-year-old man who reported being involved in a road rage incident in the area of Kellogg and Meridian, which resulted in a shot being fired.The 29-year-old reported that he became involved in a road rage incident with another unknown male driver while traveling westbound on Kellogg. The unknown man brandished a handgun during the incident and fired one shot, striking the 29-year-old's car window.The driver also received minor injuries to his hand, which was caused by broken glass, according to Cruz. Officers located and contacted the 34-year-old man, who was identified as the other driver in the incident.Detectives are working to determine the circumstances surrounding this incident.

Driver injured after Kansas road-rage shooting

EDWARDS COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just before 10p.m. Thursday in Edwards County.

The Kansas Highway&nbsp; Patrol reported a 2004 Dodge Ram 2500 driven by Brandon S. Reese, 31, Haysville, was&nbsp;eastbound on U.S. 50. just west of Lewis.

The pickup&nbsp; left the roadway, entered the south ditch, rolled multiple times and the driver was ejected.

Reese was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;McKillip Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

EDWARDS COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just before 10p.m. Thursday in Edwards County.The Kansas Highway&nbsp; Patrol reported a 2004 Dodge Ram 2500 driven by Brandon S. Reese, 31, Haysville, was&nbsp;eastbound on U.S. 50. just west of Lewis.The pickup&nbsp; left the roadway, entered the south ditch, rolled multiple times and the driver was ejected.Reese was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;McKillip Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after ejected when pickup rolls

WASHINGTON
 — The Internal Revenue Service today continued an ongoing effort to 
help those experiencing homelessness during the pandemic by reminding 
people who don't have a permanent address or a bank account that they 
may still qualify for Economic Impact Payments and other tax benefits.

While Economic Impact Payments continue to be made automatically to 
most people, the IRS can't issue a payment to eligible Americans when 
information about them isn't available in the tax agency's systems.

To help people experiencing homelessness, the rural poor and other 
historically under-served groups, the IRS urges community groups, 
employers and others to share information about Economic Impact Payments
 and help more eligible people file a tax return so they can receive 
everything they're entitled to. IRS.gov has a variety of information and
 tools to help people receive the Economic Impact Payments.

"The IRS has been continuing to work directly with groups inside and 
outside the tax community to get information directly to people 
experiencing homelessness and other groups to help them receive Economic
 Impact Payments," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "The IRS is 
working hard on this effort, enabling millions of people who don't 
normally file a tax return to receive these payments. But we need to do 
more, and we appreciate all the help we've been receiving from national 
and local groups to assist in this effort to reach the people who 
desperately need this help."

Economic Impact Payments, also known as stimulus payments, are 
different from most other tax benefits; people can get the payments even
 if they have little or no income and even if they don't usually file a 
tax return. This is true as long as they have a Social Security number 
and are not being supported by someone else who can claim them as a 
dependent.

The IRS needs information from people who don't usually file a tax 
return – even if they did not have any income last year or their income 
was not large enough to require them to file. The only way for the 
agency to have that information is for people to file a basic 2020 tax 
return with the IRS. Once that return is processed, the IRS can quickly 
send stimulus payments to an address selected by the eligible 
individual. People do not need a permanent address or a bank account. 
They don't need to have a job. For eligible individuals, the IRS will 
still issue the payment even if they haven't filed a tax return in 
years.

People in this group can still qualify for the first two Economic 
Impact Payments when they file their 2020 return by claiming the 
Recovery Rebate Credit. There's a special section on IRS.gov that can 
help: <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit-topic-a-claiming-the-recovery-rebate-credit-if-you-arent-required-to-file-a-tax-return">Claiming the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit if you aren't required to file a tax return</a>.
 For the current third round of payments, people who are experiencing 
homelessness usually qualify to receive $1,400 for themselves. If they 
are married or have dependents, they can get an additional $1,400 for 
each of their family members.

Filing a 2020 federal income tax return that provides very basic 
information about the person is something that can be done 
electronically using a smartphone or a computer. When the IRS receives 
the return, it will automatically calculate and issue the Economic 
Impact Payments to eligible individuals.

People can claim an Economic Impact Payment or other credits even if 
they don't have a permanent address. For example, someone experiencing 
homelessness may list the address of a friend, relative or trusted 
service provider, such as a shelter, drop-in day center or transitional 
housing program, on the return filed with the IRS. If they are unable to
 choose direct deposit, a check or debit card for the tax refund and the
 third Economic Impact Payment can then be mailed to this address.

Individuals experiencing homelessness can receive the EITC

A worker experiencing homelessness can get an Earned Income Tax 
Credit (EITC). To get the credit, federal law requires that a worker 
live in the U.S. for more than half of the year and meet other 
requirements. This means living in a home in any of the 50 states or the
 District of Columbia. Therefore, individuals experiencing homelessness,
 including those who reside at one or more homeless shelters, can meet 
that requirement.

Many financial institutions will help a person lacking an account to 
open a low-cost or no-cost bank account. Individuals who open accounts 
will then have an account and routing number available when they file 
and claim a direct deposit of the Economic Impact Payment.

Visit the <a href="https://www.fdic.gov/about/initiatives/getbanked/index.html">Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) website</a> for details, in both English and Spanish, on opening an account online. Among other things, people can also use the FDIC's <a href="https://banks.data.fdic.gov/bankfind-suite/bankfind">BankFind</a> tool to locate a nearby FDIC-insured bank. In addition, <a href="https://covidbanking.joinbankon.org/">BankOn</a>, <a href="https://www.aba.com/advocacy/community-programs/consumer-resources/manage-your-money/choosing-safe-affordable-account">American Bankers Association</a>, <a href="https://www.icba.org/about/find-a-community-bank/open-a-bank-account-remotely">Independent Community Bankers of America</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mycreditunion.gov/about-credit-unions/credit-union-locator">National Credit Union Administration</a> have all compiled lists of banks and credit union that can open an account online.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON
 — The Internal Revenue Service today continued an ongoing effort to 
help those experiencing homelessness during the pandemic by reminding 
people who don't have a permanent address or a bank account that they 
may still qualify for Economic Impact Payments and other tax benefits.While Economic Impact Payments continue to be made automatically to 
most people, the IRS can't issue a payment to eligible Americans when 
information about them isn't available in the tax agency's systems.To help people experiencing homelessness, the rural poor and other 
historically under-served groups, the IRS urges community groups, 
employers and others to share information about Economic Impact Payments
 and help more eligible people file a tax return so they can receive 
everything they're entitled to. IRS.gov has a variety of information and
 tools to help people receive the Economic Impact Payments."The IRS has been continuing to work directly with groups inside and 
outside the tax community to get information directly to people 
experiencing homelessness and other groups to help them receive Economic
 Impact Payments," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "The IRS is 
working hard on this effort, enabling millions of people who don't 
normally file a tax return to receive these payments. But we need to do 
more, and we appreciate all the help we've been receiving from national 
and local groups to assist in this effort to reach the people who 
desperately need this help."Economic Impact Payments, also known as stimulus payments, are 
different from most other tax benefits; people can get the payments even
 if they have little or no income and even if they don't usually file a 
tax return. This is true as long as they have a Social Security number 
and are not being supported by someone else who can claim them as a 
dependent.The IRS needs information from people who don't usually file a tax 
return – even if they did not have any income last year or their income 
was not large enough to require them to file. The only way for the 
agency to have that information is for people to file a basic 2020 tax 
return with the IRS. Once that return is processed, the IRS can quickly 
send stimulus payments to an address selected by the eligible 
individual. People do not need a permanent address or a bank account. 
They don't need to have a job. For eligible individuals, the IRS will 
still issue the payment even if they haven't filed a tax return in 
years.People in this group can still qualify for the first two Economic 
Impact Payments when they file their 2020 return by claiming the 
Recovery Rebate Credit. There's a special section on IRS.gov that can 
help: <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit-topic-a-claiming-the-recovery-rebate-credit-if-you-arent-required-to-file-a-tax-return">Claiming the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit if you aren't required to file a tax return</a>.
 For the current third round of payments, people who are experiencing 
homelessness usually qualify to receive $1,400 for themselves. If they 
are married or have dependents, they can get an additional $1,400 for 
each of their family members.Filing a 2020 federal income tax return that provides very basic 
information about the person is something that can be done 
electronically using a smartphone or a computer. When the IRS receives 
the return, it will automatically calculate and issue the Economic 
Impact Payments to eligible individuals.<h2>Permanent address not required</h2>People can claim an Economic Impact Payment or other credits even if 
they don't have a permanent address. For example, someone experiencing 
homelessness may list the address of a friend, relative or trusted 
service provider, such as a shelter, drop-in day center or transitional 
housing program, on the return filed with the IRS. If they are unable to
 choose direct deposit, a check or debit card for the tax refund and the
 third Economic Impact Payment can then be mailed to this address.<h2>Individuals experiencing homelessness can receive the EITC</h2>A worker experiencing homelessness can get an Earned Income Tax 
Credit (EITC). To get the credit, federal law requires that a worker 
live in the U.S. for more than half of the year and meet other 
requirements. This means living in a home in any of the 50 states or the
 District of Columbia. Therefore, individuals experiencing homelessness,
 including those who reside at one or more homeless shelters, can meet 
that requirement.<h2>No bank account? No problem</h2>Many financial institutions will help a person lacking an account to 
open a low-cost or no-cost bank account. Individuals who open accounts 
will then have an account and routing number available when they file 
and claim a direct deposit of the Economic Impact Payment.Visit the <a href="https://www.fdic.gov/about/initiatives/getbanked/index.html">Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) website</a> for details, in both English and Spanish, on opening an account online. Among other things, people can also use the FDIC's <a href="https://banks.data.fdic.gov/bankfind-suite/bankfind">BankFind</a> tool to locate a nearby FDIC-insured bank. In addition, <a href="https://covidbanking.joinbankon.org/">BankOn</a>, <a href="https://www.aba.com/advocacy/community-programs/consumer-resources/manage-your-money/choosing-safe-affordable-account">American Bankers Association</a>, <a href="https://www.icba.org/about/find-a-community-bank/open-a-bank-account-remotely">Independent Community Bankers of America</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mycreditunion.gov/about-credit-unions/credit-union-locator">National Credit Union Administration</a> have all compiled lists of banks and credit union that can open an account online.For veterans, see the <a href="https://www.benefits.va.gov/benefits/banking.asp">Veterans Benefits Banking Program (VBBP)</a>&nbsp;for access to financial services at participating banks.For those with a prepaid debit card, they may be able to have their 
refund applied to the card. Many reloadable prepaid cards or mobile 
payment apps have account and routing numbers that can be provided to 
the IRS. Individuals would need to check with the financial institution 
to ensure the card can be used and to obtain the routing number and 
account number, which may be different from the card number.<h2>File for free</h2>The fastest and easiest way to claim the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit 
and Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or to get the third Economic Impact 
Payment is to file a return electronically using IRS Free File. People 
can use a smartphone or computer to visit IRS.gov and click the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">File Your Taxes for Free</a>&nbsp;link.Through the Free File system, anyone who qualifies for the EITC also 
qualifies to use brand-name software to prepare and electronically file 
their return for free. The IRS urges anyone experiencing homelessness 
who has a smartphone or access to a computer to take advantage of this 
service.<h2>Get free help from IRS partners</h2>Alternatively, anyone who qualifies for the EITC or does not have a 
filing requirement but is filing to get an Economic Impact Payment also 
qualifies for free tax help from a trained community volunteer tax 
preparer. Through VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) and TCE (Tax 
Counselling for the Elderly), volunteers prepare basic tax returns at 
thousands of tax help sites nationwide.Please note that some VITA/TCE sites are not operating at full 
capacity and others are not opening this year. To find the nearest 
location, visit the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">Free Tax Return Preparation</a> site on IRS.gov, or call <a href="tel:800-906-9887">800-906-9887</a>. VITA/TCE site availability is updated throughout the filing season, so check back if there aren't any sites listed nearby.The IRS also continues to work extensively with community groups 
across the country to get people to file tax returns and receive all the
 Economic Impact Payments and credits they're entitled to. These efforts
 helped lead to more than 8 million people last year to submit tax 
returns who normally don't file.<h2>Direct deposit speeds payments</h2><a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">Direct deposit</a>
 is the safest and fastest way to receive a refund and Economic Impact 
Payments. People will need to include direct deposit information on 
their 2020 tax return to get their payment directly deposited.Anyone with a savings, checking, or brokerage account can choose to 
have their refund electronically deposited in that account. Direct 
deposit is available even for people who file a paper tax return, but 
processing of paper returns takes longer.<h2>More details on the Earned Income Tax Credit</h2>For people experiencing homelessness who have a job, filing a return 
often carries an added bonus—getting a refund based on various tax 
benefits, especially the EITC for low-and moderate-income workers and 
working families.Like many other workers, some workers experiencing homelessness still
 qualify for the credit even if they earned too little income during 
2020 to owe tax. For 2020, the income limit is $15,820 for singles with 
no children ($21,710 for couples with no children). The income limit is 
higher for people with children. For example, the limit is $50,594 for 
singles with three or more children ($56,844 for couples with three or 
more children). Those who make less than this amount must also meet 
other <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/do-i-qualify-for-the-credit-for-the-elderly-or-disabled">eligibility requirements</a>.Because it's a refundable credit, those who qualify and claim the 
credit could pay less federal tax, pay no tax, or even get a tax refund.
 The EITC can put up to $6,660 into a worker's pocket. The amount varies
 depending upon the worker's income, marital status, and other factors.The IRS recognizes that eligible workers experiencing homelessness often encounter unique challenges not faced by other people.To find out if they're eligible, people can use the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit/use-the-eitc-assistant">EITC Assistant</a> on IRS.gov. It's available in both English and Spanish.<h2>Help spread the word</h2>Employers can help by making their employees aware of the third 
Economic Impact Payment, 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit and Earned Income 
Tax and Child Tax Credit, and by encouraging them to file for these 
benefits based on tax year 2020 rules. In addition, the American Rescue 
Plan, enacted in March 2021, expands EITC and the Child Tax Credit 
benefits for the 2021 tax year.Some people will be able to get advance payments of the Child Tax 
Credit later this year. There is nothing those who qualify need to do at
 this point other than file a 2020 tax return.Employers can also help by making it easy for employees to obtain or 
access their 2020 W-2 forms. For more information, check out the <a href="https://www.eitc.irs.gov/partner-toolkit/employers/employers">outreach material</a>, available on IRS.gov.