By&nbsp;MARISSA HOPKINS FTC

Remember that&nbsp;CHIP won’t charge you to renew or enroll.&nbsp;CHIP may reach out to you by email, phone, or text messages to renew your coverage — but they won’t ask you to pay. They also won’t ask&nbsp;for&nbsp;your personal financial information, like your bank account or credit card number.&nbsp;

Finding and keeping health insurance for your family can be stressful and expensive. During the pandemic, your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/about-us/beneficiary-resources/index.html#statemenu">state’s Medicaid Children’s Health Insurance Program</a>&nbsp;(CHIP) might have helped — but with the end of the pandemic, states may be reaching out to update your family Medicaid enrollments. Except scammers might try to get to you first. So how can you spot them?

First, while the process to renew may differ from state to state,&nbsp;nobody&nbsp;legit will ask for your personal information over the phone or demand that you pay to renew. Medicaid won’t. CHIP won’t. But scammers will.

So, to protect you and your family from scams:

• Remember that CHIP won’t charge you to renew or enroll. CHIP may reach out to you by email, phone, or text messages to renew your coverage — but they won’t ask you to pay. They also won’t ask for your personal financial information, like your bank account or credit card number.&nbsp;

• Don’t click on links in text or email messages, even if it looks like the message is from your state’s Medicaid agency. That’s a scam. Go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/about-us/beneficiary-resources/index.html" target="_blank">Medicaid.gov</a>&nbsp;to find your state’s Medicaid agency. Then contact that agency to get more information.&nbsp;

• Start at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/" target="_blank">HealthCare.gov</a>&nbsp;to compare insurance plans, coverage, and eligibility. The site requires information about your monthly income and age to give you a quote. If anyone or any site asks for your financial information, like your bank account or credit card number, to get a quote, that’s a scam.&nbsp;

• Know that&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/spot-health-insurance-scams#medical" target="_blank">medical&nbsp;discount plans</a>&nbsp;are not medical insurance.&nbsp;Scammers often pitch medical discount plans by convincing people they’re the same as insurance — but they’re not. They often just take your money for very little in return.&nbsp;

If you spot a CHIP scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695746415736.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;MARISSA HOPKINS FTCRemember that&nbsp;CHIP won’t charge you to renew or enroll.&nbsp;CHIP may reach out to you by email, phone, or text messages to renew your coverage — but they won’t ask you to pay. They also won’t ask&nbsp;for&nbsp;your personal financial information, like your bank account or credit card number.&nbsp;Finding and keeping health insurance for your family can be stressful and expensive. During the pandemic, your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/about-us/beneficiary-resources/index.html#statemenu">state’s Medicaid Children’s Health Insurance Program</a>&nbsp;(CHIP) might have helped — but with the end of the pandemic, states may be reaching out to update your family Medicaid enrollments. Except scammers might try to get to you first. So how can you spot them?First, while the process to renew may differ from state to state,&nbsp;nobody&nbsp;legit will ask for your personal information over the phone or demand that you pay to renew. Medicaid won’t. CHIP won’t. But scammers will.So, to protect you and your family from scams:• Remember that CHIP won’t charge you to renew or enroll. CHIP may reach out to you by email, phone, or text messages to renew your coverage — but they won’t ask you to pay. They also won’t ask for your personal financial information, like your bank account or credit card number.&nbsp;• Don’t click on links in text or email messages, even if it looks like the message is from your state’s Medicaid agency. That’s a scam. Go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/about-us/beneficiary-resources/index.html" target="_blank">Medicaid.gov</a>&nbsp;to find your state’s Medicaid agency. Then contact that agency to get more information.&nbsp;• Start at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/" target="_blank">HealthCare.gov</a>&nbsp;to compare insurance plans, coverage, and eligibility. The site requires information about your monthly income and age to give you a quote. If anyone or any site asks for your financial information, like your bank account or credit card number, to get a quote, that’s a scam.&nbsp;• Know that&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/spot-health-insurance-scams#medical" target="_blank">medical&nbsp;discount plans</a>&nbsp;are not medical insurance.&nbsp;Scammers often pitch medical discount plans by convincing people they’re the same as insurance — but they’re not. They often just take your money for very little in return.&nbsp;If you spot a CHIP scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

FTC: Children’s Health Insurance Program: Spot the scam

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Oil prices have risen, meaning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gas-prices-rising-heat-wave-production-cuts-4cecfbe2ee68eccab7224f163fc676db">drivers are paying more for gasoline</a>&nbsp;and truckers and farmers more for diesel.

The increase also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-unemployment-federal-reserve-d4db7a2177f785c4ff1587cc6ef22b43">complicates the global fight against inflation</a>&nbsp;and feeds Russia's war chest. That poses problems for politicians as well as the people having to spend more to get to work, transport the world's goods or harvest fields.

Here are things to know about the recent increase — and where prices might be going:

Above all,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opec-oil-prices-saudi-arabia-russia-8d70999cb8258aebc3edbfdfcae278b7">Saudi Arabia's decision to cut back</a>&nbsp;how much oil it sends to global markets has pushed prices higher.

The world's second-largest oil supplier has slashed production by 1 million barrels a day since July and decided this month to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-oil-production-cut-opec-2d6f724e899f31e92d4bdf052921125c">extend the cut</a>&nbsp;through the end of the year.

Russia, Saudi Arabia's ally in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opec-oil-supply-gasoline-prices-saudi-russia-27e7b8785ff6fa3ca5df590d64cedb57">OPEC+ oil producers' coalition</a>, also extended its own cut of 300,000 barrels a month through 2023.

Simply, tighter supply means higher prices.

International benchmark Brent oil traded at just under $94 per barrel Monday, up from $90 before the extension on Sept. 5 and from $74 before the Saudi cut was first announced. U.S. oil traded at around $90.50, up from $68 before the Saudi cut.

Some analysts think oil could hit $100 a barrel based on robust demand and limited supply. But that's far from the only view.

Oil prices can be volatile, and while they might briefly top $100 in the coming months, they're unlikely to stay there, said Jorge Leon, senior vice president for oil markets at Rystad Energy. He foresees prices in the low $90s on average in the last three months of the year.

That's still high historically, he said, supported by “resilient”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/european-tourism-summer-travel-pandemic-recovery-ee4416b151618fce3bf6cb5e3ff24d99">demand for fuel to drive and fly</a>.

The Saudi cuts were a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-oil-production-cut-23c6b522ba9ba0e0a9e10211f991f714">unilateral move</a>&nbsp;outside the framework of the OPEC+ alliance, meaning the kingdom can make changes as needed to quickly respond to shifting market conditions.

Leon said the Saudis will review the cuts each month — and could add barrels back if prices spike to levels that could seriously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-inflation-federal-reserve-europe-china-climate-aec9e51d969ed56e2348a8c839e764e8">worsen inflation</a>&nbsp;in countries buying oil. Excessive price increases could mean central banks worldwide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/european-central-bank-interest-rates-inflation-recession-1b7ad9f3f6e9522de05d7b3c1f93e437">hike interest rates further</a>&nbsp;or keep them higher for longer.

“I don't think it will be clever for the Saudis to push that hard,” Leon said. “The last thing you want to do is fuel inflation again with much higher oil prices. That's going to kill economic growth, and lower growth is going to mean lower oil demand at the end of the day.”

A big question is demand for fuel, which is picking up along with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/summer-travel-inflation-airlines-hotels-b1ec8b577b6cae248923236b1c8c120c">rebounding travel</a>&nbsp;following the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic. A robust U.S. economy increases demand for oil — and the price — while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-economy-reserve-banks-stimulus-c50a9f1640e6e311cc6d4ef82c5720b9">weak growth in China</a>&nbsp;and Europe has the opposite effect.

“We see the upside potential for the oil price as being virtually used up and if anything envisage setback potential in view of the weak economy,” said Thu Lan Nguyen, Commerzbank head of commodities research who foresees oil at $85 per barrel by year's end. “The oil price is only likely to climb more lastingly once the economic outlook begins to brighten, which should be the case next year.”

Another factor is financial speculation, and it appears investors are piling into the oil market with bets that prices will rise.

“Much of the price surge beyond $85 per barrel is due to a flood of speculative money, while fundamentally there is still plenty of oil in the world to meet demand for now,” said Gary Peach, oil markets analyst at Energy Intelligence.

Plus, more Iranian oil may come on the market as the U.S. “turns a blind eye” on enforcing sanctions to keep prices from rising further, Leon said. That could add 200,000 to 300,000 barrels a day.

Costlier oil feeds through to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-prices-inflation-fed-8418846309f9f92dea30c1ed1839b54a">higher prices for gasoline and diesel</a>, especially in the U.S., where roughly half the pump price reflects the cost of crude — the rest is marketing, taxes and other costs.

Crude is a smaller share of gasoline and diesel prices in Europe because fuel taxes are much higher there.

Average U.S. pump prices are still well below the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-are-gas-prices-rising-541819ca1aa4d3dc0a0206271f9f8589">record $5 per gallon</a>&nbsp;seen in summer 2022. But at $3.85 per gallon, they're still up 15 cents from a year ago. Oil costs are keeping gas prices high even as driving demand drops with the end of summer vacations and plentiful gasoline stocks, according to auto club AAA.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russian-diesel-fuel-embargo-explainer-28b9043593c7cb92e032aa451c837b39">Diesel prices have risen</a>&nbsp;as well, along with higher oil costs and refineries facing shortages of the specific kinds of crude best for making diesel. Refineries also are choosing to produce jet fuel instead, chasing profits as air travel rebounds. A gallon of diesel cost $4.58 last week, up from $4.34 a month ago.

That hurts farmers, who use a lot of diesel, and adds to the price of consumer goods transported by truck, which is pretty much everything.

Diesel supplies got even tighter Friday after Russia said it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-fuel-exports-halt-gasoline-diesel-9de83f7964a723c7b0e13cb9382be88c">halt the export of refined oil products</a>&nbsp;to hold down fuel prices at home.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-economy-ukraine-war-ac83e7a74d9e426cb18c5168c5929d38">Oil is Russia's main moneymaker</a>, so higher prices help the Kremlin pay for its invasion of Ukraine and weather sweeping Western sanctions aimed at crushing its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russian-economy-ukraine-war-putin-sanctions-0231252b7a145040530245b58590f7f0">wartime economy</a>.

The recent rise in oil prices, along with a cutback in the discount that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-moscow-europe-european-union-825506b6a349cce7e5971c0ac550aeaa">sanctions forced Russia to offer</a>&nbsp;Asian customers, means Moscow will earn “significantly more revenue from those exports,” said Benjamin Hilgenstock, senior economist at the Kyiv School of Economics.

The additional revenue could reach an estimated $17 billion this year and $33 billion next year, he said in an online talk hosted by the Brussels-based European Policy Center.

Russia has lost some $100 billion in oil revenue following a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-business-global-trade-economy-prices-f8a8aed1128b576e371c7896c770e516">European Union import ban</a>&nbsp;and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-health-covid-prices-european-union-65de1c4934227208bfa68bb7d4c47716">$60-per-barrel price cap</a>&nbsp;imposed by the Group of Seven major economies, which bars Western insurers and shippers from handling oil priced above that level.

Russia, however, has increasingly found ways around the cap, including using a fleet of ghost tankers masking their ownership and origin of the crude they carry.

Any additional export earnings help&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-is-ruble-falling-ee777eeaf897d42befae052336fc35d5">support Russia's currency</a>&nbsp;and what it can import — including weapons components.

U.S. President Joe Biden has faced criticism from Republican lawmakers to encourage more oil drilling and scrap his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-electric-cars-uaw-strike-d73f259bf5e9242340e912ad1e9b4aa9">support for electric vehicles</a>.

But that criticism largely overlooks the rise in U.S. oil production over the past year. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that oil production averaged 12.8 million barrels a day in June, up 1 million barrels from 12 months ago, close to the levels achieved before the pandemic began in 2020.

Biden has said he considers oil production essential to keep the economy going as a bridge to a future with EVs and renewable energy.

Still, the White House views the oil market worldwide as being undersupplied, in line with recent OPEC data that indicates there will likely be a worldwide shortfall of 3 million barrels a day. The administration is also in touch with domestic and international producers on longtime supply needs, trying to ensure that the risk of higher oil prices does not disrupt economic growth.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615499123066.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Oil prices have risen, meaning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gas-prices-rising-heat-wave-production-cuts-4cecfbe2ee68eccab7224f163fc676db">drivers are paying more for gasoline</a>&nbsp;and truckers and farmers more for diesel.The increase also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-unemployment-federal-reserve-d4db7a2177f785c4ff1587cc6ef22b43">complicates the global fight against inflation</a>&nbsp;and feeds Russia's war chest. That poses problems for politicians as well as the people having to spend more to get to work, transport the world's goods or harvest fields.Here are things to know about the recent increase — and where prices might be going:WHY HAVE OIL PRICES RISEN?Above all,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opec-oil-prices-saudi-arabia-russia-8d70999cb8258aebc3edbfdfcae278b7">Saudi Arabia's decision to cut back</a>&nbsp;how much oil it sends to global markets has pushed prices higher.The world's second-largest oil supplier has slashed production by 1 million barrels a day since July and decided this month to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-oil-production-cut-opec-2d6f724e899f31e92d4bdf052921125c">extend the cut</a>&nbsp;through the end of the year.Russia, Saudi Arabia's ally in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opec-oil-supply-gasoline-prices-saudi-russia-27e7b8785ff6fa3ca5df590d64cedb57">OPEC+ oil producers' coalition</a>, also extended its own cut of 300,000 barrels a month through 2023.Simply, tighter supply means higher prices.International benchmark Brent oil traded at just under $94 per barrel Monday, up from $90 before the extension on Sept. 5 and from $74 before the Saudi cut was first announced. U.S. oil traded at around $90.50, up from $68 before the Saudi cut.HOW HIGH COULD OIL PRICES GO?Some analysts think oil could hit $100 a barrel based on robust demand and limited supply. But that's far from the only view.Oil prices can be volatile, and while they might briefly top $100 in the coming months, they're unlikely to stay there, said Jorge Leon, senior vice president for oil markets at Rystad Energy. He foresees prices in the low $90s on average in the last three months of the year.That's still high historically, he said, supported by “resilient”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/european-tourism-summer-travel-pandemic-recovery-ee4416b151618fce3bf6cb5e3ff24d99">demand for fuel to drive and fly</a>.The Saudi cuts were a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-oil-production-cut-23c6b522ba9ba0e0a9e10211f991f714">unilateral move</a>&nbsp;outside the framework of the OPEC+ alliance, meaning the kingdom can make changes as needed to quickly respond to shifting market conditions.Leon said the Saudis will review the cuts each month — and could add barrels back if prices spike to levels that could seriously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-inflation-federal-reserve-europe-china-climate-aec9e51d969ed56e2348a8c839e764e8">worsen inflation</a>&nbsp;in countries buying oil. Excessive price increases could mean central banks worldwide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/european-central-bank-interest-rates-inflation-recession-1b7ad9f3f6e9522de05d7b3c1f93e437">hike interest rates further</a>&nbsp;or keep them higher for longer.“I don't think it will be clever for the Saudis to push that hard,” Leon said. “The last thing you want to do is fuel inflation again with much higher oil prices. That's going to kill economic growth, and lower growth is going to mean lower oil demand at the end of the day.”WHAT OTHER FACTORS AFFECT PRICES?A big question is demand for fuel, which is picking up along with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/summer-travel-inflation-airlines-hotels-b1ec8b577b6cae248923236b1c8c120c">rebounding travel</a>&nbsp;following the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic. A robust U.S. economy increases demand for oil — and the price — while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-economy-reserve-banks-stimulus-c50a9f1640e6e311cc6d4ef82c5720b9">weak growth in China</a>&nbsp;and Europe has the opposite effect.“We see the upside potential for the oil price as being virtually used up and if anything envisage setback potential in view of the weak economy,” said Thu Lan Nguyen, Commerzbank head of commodities research who foresees oil at $85 per barrel by year's end. “The oil price is only likely to climb more lastingly once the economic outlook begins to brighten, which should be the case next year.”Another factor is financial speculation, and it appears investors are piling into the oil market with bets that prices will rise.“Much of the price surge beyond $85 per barrel is due to a flood of speculative money, while fundamentally there is still plenty of oil in the world to meet demand for now,” said Gary Peach, oil markets analyst at Energy Intelligence.Plus, more Iranian oil may come on the market as the U.S. “turns a blind eye” on enforcing sanctions to keep prices from rising further, Leon said. That could add 200,000 to 300,000 barrels a day.WHAT'S THE IMPACT ON CONSUMERS?Costlier oil feeds through to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-prices-inflation-fed-8418846309f9f92dea30c1ed1839b54a">higher prices for gasoline and diesel</a>, especially in the U.S., where roughly half the pump price reflects the cost of crude — the rest is marketing, taxes and other costs.Crude is a smaller share of gasoline and diesel prices in Europe because fuel taxes are much higher there.Average U.S. pump prices are still well below the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-are-gas-prices-rising-541819ca1aa4d3dc0a0206271f9f8589">record $5 per gallon</a>&nbsp;seen in summer 2022. But at $3.85 per gallon, they're still up 15 cents from a year ago. Oil costs are keeping gas prices high even as driving demand drops with the end of summer vacations and plentiful gasoline stocks, according to auto club AAA.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russian-diesel-fuel-embargo-explainer-28b9043593c7cb92e032aa451c837b39">Diesel prices have risen</a>&nbsp;as well, along with higher oil costs and refineries facing shortages of the specific kinds of crude best for making diesel. Refineries also are choosing to produce jet fuel instead, chasing profits as air travel rebounds. A gallon of diesel cost $4.58 last week, up from $4.34 a month ago.That hurts farmers, who use a lot of diesel, and adds to the price of consumer goods transported by truck, which is pretty much everything.Diesel supplies got even tighter Friday after Russia said it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-fuel-exports-halt-gasoline-diesel-9de83f7964a723c7b0e13cb9382be88c">halt the export of refined oil products</a>&nbsp;to hold down fuel prices at home.HOW DO HIGHER OIL PRICES HELP RUSSIA?<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-economy-ukraine-war-ac83e7a74d9e426cb18c5168c5929d38">Oil is Russia's main moneymaker</a>, so higher prices help the Kremlin pay for its invasion of Ukraine and weather sweeping Western sanctions aimed at crushing its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russian-economy-ukraine-war-putin-sanctions-0231252b7a145040530245b58590f7f0">wartime economy</a>.The recent rise in oil prices, along with a cutback in the discount that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-moscow-europe-european-union-825506b6a349cce7e5971c0ac550aeaa">sanctions forced Russia to offer</a>&nbsp;Asian customers, means Moscow will earn “significantly more revenue from those exports,” said Benjamin Hilgenstock, senior economist at the Kyiv School of Economics.The additional revenue could reach an estimated $17 billion this year and $33 billion next year, he said in an online talk hosted by the Brussels-based European Policy Center.Russia has lost some $100 billion in oil revenue following a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-business-global-trade-economy-prices-f8a8aed1128b576e371c7896c770e516">European Union import ban</a>&nbsp;and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-health-covid-prices-european-union-65de1c4934227208bfa68bb7d4c47716">$60-per-barrel price cap</a>&nbsp;imposed by the Group of Seven major economies, which bars Western insurers and shippers from handling oil priced above that level.Russia, however, has increasingly found ways around the cap, including using a fleet of ghost tankers masking their ownership and origin of the crude they carry.Any additional export earnings help&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-is-ruble-falling-ee777eeaf897d42befae052336fc35d5">support Russia's currency</a>&nbsp;and what it can import — including weapons components.WHAT ARE THE POLITICS?U.S. President Joe Biden has faced criticism from Republican lawmakers to encourage more oil drilling and scrap his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-electric-cars-uaw-strike-d73f259bf5e9242340e912ad1e9b4aa9">support for electric vehicles</a>.But that criticism largely overlooks the rise in U.S. oil production over the past year. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that oil production averaged 12.8 million barrels a day in June, up 1 million barrels from 12 months ago, close to the levels achieved before the pandemic began in 2020.Biden has said he considers oil production essential to keep the economy going as a bridge to a future with EVs and renewable energy.Still, the White House views the oil market worldwide as being undersupplied, in line with recent OPEC data that indicates there will likely be a worldwide shortfall of 3 million barrels a day. The administration is also in touch with domestic and international producers on longtime supply needs, trying to ensure that the risk of higher oil prices does not disrupt economic growth.

Oil prices are up, gas more expensive and it is helping Russia's war effort

By ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON —&nbsp; Two years ago, Farzana Jamalzada and her husband made the difficult decision to separately flee Afghanistan, after U.S. troops withdrew from the country and the Taliban took over.

It took days for the couple to be reunited at an airport in Qatar, where Jamalzada would show people a picture of her husband on her phone, asking them if they had seen him.

Once reunited, they were settled into the U.S. through the Biden administration’s humanitarian parole program for Afghans that extended protections for two years, allowing them to work and live in the U.S. Because Jamalzada worked for the U.S. government in Afghanistan, she was able to apply for a Special Immigrant Visa, which is available to those who were translators, interpreters or professionals employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government in Afghanistan or Iraq.

“It has been two years and every day we are in an uncertain situation,” she said in an interview with States Newsroom. “It is very frustrating.”

Legislation in Congress known as the Afghan Adjustment Act would allow Afghan refugees to apply for permanent legal residency after undergoing additional vetting, but it’s failed to advance. Without congressional action on a pathway to citizenship, most of the more than 76,000 Afghan refugees who came to the U.S. after the Taliban takeover are stuck in legal limbo.

The humanitarian program under which they arrived in the U.S., known as Operation Allies Welcome, does not provide a pathway to citizenship. But Afghans enrolled can apply for asylum, and those who qualify can apply for a Special Immigrant Visa. Claims for asylum and the Special Immigrant Visa have a major backlog.

“For most Afghans, they’re in this kind of limbo status and waiting to see,” said Julia Gelatt, the associate director of the Migration Policy Institute’s U.S. immigration policy program.

Jamalzada and her husband, now settled in New York City, have a hearing for their green cards scheduled for Sept. 12, but their work authorization expires at the end of August. The two-week gap means neither will be legally allowed to work in the U.S., risking termination from their jobs.

“You don’t have peace of mind,” she said. “Being away from your country, your family, you’re alone in a very strange world, and yet you don’t have that support,” she said, referring to permanent protections in the U.S.

Jamalzada, now 27, said she prays that either her and her husband’s work visas are&nbsp;reauthorized, or that Congress passes the Afghan Adjustment Act.

For 20 years, the U.S. government relied on Afghans to help the government and military<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cfr.org/timeline/us-war-afghanistan">&nbsp;following the 2001 invasion</a>. Afghans worked as interpreters and helped run aid programs, such as Jamalzada, who worked on women’s empowerment projects with the United States Agency for International Development and at the Afghan presidential palace.

“Keep your promise and support the people who stood on your side and helped you,” she said.

Operation Allies Welcome evacuated and paroled 76,200 Afghans from August 2021 to September 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wrapsnet.org/documents/FY%202023%20Reception%20&amp;%20Placement%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf">A majority settled in areas</a>&nbsp;with large military bases such as Texas, California, Maryland, Virginia, Washington and New York.

But two years after the fall of Kabul, only a fraction — fewer than 10%&nbsp; — in the humanitarian parole program have secured permanent protections, through either asylum or the Special Immigrant Visa, said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, the president of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Her organization has helped settle more than 14,000 Afghans in the U.S.

“One of the biggest issues, I think, that remains uncertain is whether they will be allowed to remain permanently, and that relates to the Afghan Adjustment Act,” she said.

While those who worked for the U.S. government can apply for the Special Immigrant Visa program, many Afghans had to flee the country without the proper documentation needed to show their employment history.

“Part of that was because if they had the documentation on them, and were caught by the Taliban, that could be a death sentence,” O’Mara Vignarajah said.

O’Mara Vignarajah added that other Afghans applied for refugee status in other countries through Operation Allies Welcome and are waiting to be resettled in the U.S.

“The grim reality is that they’re likely waiting for years,” she said.

Laila Ayub, an immigration attorney and co-director of Project Afghan Network for Advocacy and Resources, said many Afghans have had no choice but to try to find a way into the U.S., even while they are waiting for their parole to be accepted by Operation Allies Welcome.

“We increasingly have been assisting people who have made a very long and difficult journey to the Southern border,” she said.

U.S. border agents apprehended more than 2,100 Afghans last year.

The closest Congress came to providing a quick pathway to citizenship for Afghans was last year, through the Afghan Adjustment Act, when Democrats controlled the House and Senate. However, those efforts were blocked by Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, and the bipartisan proposal was not included in an omnibus spending bill.

Grassley objected to the security and vetting processes for those Afghans.

He, along with several Senate Republicans, now are backing another bill by GOP Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, known as the Ensuring American Security and Protecting Afghan Allies Act.

That&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/ensuring_american_security_and_protect_afghan_allies_act.pdf">bill</a>&nbsp;would apply to those Afghans who were evacuated and who are ineligible for an immigration status that leads to a green card for citizenship. Those evacuees would be eligible for a four-year conditional resident status, to allow for vetting, and, upon successful completion, would become green card holders.

“The Biden Administration’s disastrous departure from Afghanistan caused a chaotic migration from the region, and our government repeatedly failed to thoroughly evaluate evacuees arriving in the United States,” Grassley said in a statement. “This bill restores order to the system by ensuring Afghan evacuees are able to assimilate while preserving American security and better supporting those who provided direct support to the United States military.”

However, the bill would limit the president’s authority to establish humanitarian parole programs, which the Biden administration has used as part of its immigration policy. It’s designated parole programs for nationals of Ukraine, Nicaragua, Haiti, Cuba and Venezuela.

The Cotton bill “is definitely throwing a wrench” in gaining support for the Afghan Adjustment Act, said Jennie Murray, president and CEO of the National Immigration Forum.

“We have used (humanitarian parole) several times in U.S. history across party lines, different presidents have used it, and it’s an important tool that we have to be able to use at a moment like World War II or the Cuban missile crisis,” she said. “It’s something that presidents have to be able to use, and so we’re very worried about that competitive legislation.”

Murray helped out evacuation efforts for Afghans when she worked for Upwardly Global, where she worked to put tougher a workforce plan for those Afghans arriving in the U.S.

She said a potential last shot at getting permanent protections for Afghans is through the National Defense Authorization Act, an annual must-pass defense policy measure.

“They cannot go back to Afghanistan,” she said. “They cannot go back to the Taliban-led state because they partnered with us.”

The NDAA does not currently include any provisions for a pathway to citizenship for those Afghans, but Murray notes that the measure is still in conference between the House and the Senate.

When the House passed its version of the NDAA, a bipartisan group of lawmakers reintroduced the Afghan Adjustment Act in the Senate and in the House.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota sponsored the bill in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/2327?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22afghan+adjustment+act%22%5D%7D&amp;s=1&amp;r=2">Senate</a>&nbsp;and Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa sponsored the bill in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/4627?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22afghan+adjustment+act%22%5D%7D&amp;s=1&amp;r=1">House</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629986318422.png" alt="U.S. Air Force loadmasters and pilots assigned to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron load passengers aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17&nbsp; Globemaster III in support of the Afghanistan evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport on Aug. 24, 2021, in Kabul, Afghanistan.-photo Dept. of Defense" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Air Force loadmasters and pilots assigned to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron load passengers aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17&nbsp; Globemaster III in support of the Afghanistan evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport on Aug. 24, 2021, in Kabul, Afghanistan.-photo Dept. of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>By ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON —&nbsp; Two years ago, Farzana Jamalzada and her husband made the difficult decision to separately flee Afghanistan, after U.S. troops withdrew from the country and the Taliban took over.It took days for the couple to be reunited at an airport in Qatar, where Jamalzada would show people a picture of her husband on her phone, asking them if they had seen him.Once reunited, they were settled into the U.S. through the Biden administration’s humanitarian parole program for Afghans that extended protections for two years, allowing them to work and live in the U.S. Because Jamalzada worked for the U.S. government in Afghanistan, she was able to apply for a Special Immigrant Visa, which is available to those who were translators, interpreters or professionals employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government in Afghanistan or Iraq.“It has been two years and every day we are in an uncertain situation,” she said in an interview with States Newsroom. “It is very frustrating.”Legislation in Congress known as the Afghan Adjustment Act would allow Afghan refugees to apply for permanent legal residency after undergoing additional vetting, but it’s failed to advance. Without congressional action on a pathway to citizenship, most of the more than 76,000 Afghan refugees who came to the U.S. after the Taliban takeover are stuck in legal limbo.The humanitarian program under which they arrived in the U.S., known as Operation Allies Welcome, does not provide a pathway to citizenship. But Afghans enrolled can apply for asylum, and those who qualify can apply for a Special Immigrant Visa. Claims for asylum and the Special Immigrant Visa have a major backlog.“For most Afghans, they’re in this kind of limbo status and waiting to see,” said Julia Gelatt, the associate director of the Migration Policy Institute’s U.S. immigration policy program.Jamalzada and her husband, now settled in New York City, have a hearing for their green cards scheduled for Sept. 12, but their work authorization expires at the end of August. The two-week gap means neither will be legally allowed to work in the U.S., risking termination from their jobs.“You don’t have peace of mind,” she said. “Being away from your country, your family, you’re alone in a very strange world, and yet you don’t have that support,” she said, referring to permanent protections in the U.S.Jamalzada, now 27, said she prays that either her and her husband’s work visas are&nbsp;reauthorized, or that Congress passes the Afghan Adjustment Act.For 20 years, the U.S. government relied on Afghans to help the government and military<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cfr.org/timeline/us-war-afghanistan">&nbsp;following the 2001 invasion</a>. Afghans worked as interpreters and helped run aid programs, such as Jamalzada, who worked on women’s empowerment projects with the United States Agency for International Development and at the Afghan presidential palace.“Keep your promise and support the people who stood on your side and helped you,” she said.<h2>Parole set to expire</h2>Operation Allies Welcome evacuated and paroled 76,200 Afghans from August 2021 to September 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wrapsnet.org/documents/FY%202023%20Reception%20&amp;%20Placement%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf">A majority settled in areas</a>&nbsp;with large military bases such as Texas, California, Maryland, Virginia, Washington and New York.But two years after the fall of Kabul, only a fraction — fewer than 10%&nbsp; — in the humanitarian parole program have secured permanent protections, through either asylum or the Special Immigrant Visa, said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, the president of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Her organization has helped settle more than 14,000 Afghans in the U.S.“One of the biggest issues, I think, that remains uncertain is whether they will be allowed to remain permanently, and that relates to the Afghan Adjustment Act,” she said.While those who worked for the U.S. government can apply for the Special Immigrant Visa program, many Afghans had to flee the country without the proper documentation needed to show their employment history.“Part of that was because if they had the documentation on them, and were caught by the Taliban, that could be a death sentence,” O’Mara Vignarajah said.O’Mara Vignarajah added that other Afghans applied for refugee status in other countries through Operation Allies Welcome and are waiting to be resettled in the U.S.“The grim reality is that they’re likely waiting for years,” she said.Laila Ayub, an immigration attorney and co-director of Project Afghan Network for Advocacy and Resources, said many Afghans have had no choice but to try to find a way into the U.S., even while they are waiting for their parole to be accepted by Operation Allies Welcome.“We increasingly have been assisting people who have made a very long and difficult journey to the Southern border,” she said.U.S. border agents apprehended more than 2,100 Afghans last year.<h2>Grassley blocks resettlement plan</h2>The closest Congress came to providing a quick pathway to citizenship for Afghans was last year, through the Afghan Adjustment Act, when Democrats controlled the House and Senate. However, those efforts were blocked by Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, and the bipartisan proposal was not included in an omnibus spending bill.Grassley objected to the security and vetting processes for those Afghans.He, along with several Senate Republicans, now are backing another bill by GOP Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, known as the Ensuring American Security and Protecting Afghan Allies Act.That&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/ensuring_american_security_and_protect_afghan_allies_act.pdf">bill</a>&nbsp;would apply to those Afghans who were evacuated and who are ineligible for an immigration status that leads to a green card for citizenship. Those evacuees would be eligible for a four-year conditional resident status, to allow for vetting, and, upon successful completion, would become green card holders.“The Biden Administration’s disastrous departure from Afghanistan caused a chaotic migration from the region, and our government repeatedly failed to thoroughly evaluate evacuees arriving in the United States,” Grassley said in a statement. “This bill restores order to the system by ensuring Afghan evacuees are able to assimilate while preserving American security and better supporting those who provided direct support to the United States military.”However, the bill would limit the president’s authority to establish humanitarian parole programs, which the Biden administration has used as part of its immigration policy. It’s designated parole programs for nationals of Ukraine, Nicaragua, Haiti, Cuba and Venezuela.The Cotton bill “is definitely throwing a wrench” in gaining support for the Afghan Adjustment Act, said Jennie Murray, president and CEO of the National Immigration Forum.“We have used (humanitarian parole) several times in U.S. history across party lines, different presidents have used it, and it’s an important tool that we have to be able to use at a moment like World War II or the Cuban missile crisis,” she said. “It’s something that presidents have to be able to use, and so we’re very worried about that competitive legislation.”Murray helped out evacuation efforts for Afghans when she worked for Upwardly Global, where she worked to put tougher a workforce plan for those Afghans arriving in the U.S.She said a potential last shot at getting permanent protections for Afghans is through the National Defense Authorization Act, an annual must-pass defense policy measure.“They cannot go back to Afghanistan,” she said. “They cannot go back to the Taliban-led state because they partnered with us.”The NDAA does not currently include any provisions for a pathway to citizenship for those Afghans, but Murray notes that the measure is still in conference between the House and the Senate.When the House passed its version of the NDAA, a bipartisan group of lawmakers reintroduced the Afghan Adjustment Act in the Senate and in the House.Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota sponsored the bill in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/2327?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22afghan+adjustment+act%22%5D%7D&amp;s=1&amp;r=2">Senate</a>&nbsp;and Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa sponsored the bill in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/4627?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22afghan+adjustment+act%22%5D%7D&amp;s=1&amp;r=1">House</a>.

Afghan refugees who aided the U.S. stuck in legal limbo, 2 years after Kabul’s fall

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A man who abducted a 6-year-old girl and beat her to death at an abandoned glass factory was scheduled to be executed Tuesday in Missouri, as his attorneys pressed claims that he is mentally incompetent.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-august-06f474f368dfd5ff5c4145164b222a3b">Johnny Johnson</a>, 45, was convicted in the July, 26, 2002, killing of Casey Williamson, whose disappearance set off a frantic search in her hometown of Valley Park, a small suburb of St. Louis.

Casey’s mother had been best friends in childhood with Johnson’s older sister and had even helped babysit him. After Johnson attended a barbecue the night before the killing, Casey's family let him sleep on a couch in the home where they also were sleeping.

In the morning, Johnson lured the girl to the abandoned factory, even carrying her on his shoulders on the walk to the dilapidated site. When he tried to sexually assault her, Casey screamed and tried to break free. According to court documents, he killed her with a brick and a large rock, then washed off in the nearby Meramec River. Johnson confessed that same day to the crimes, according to authorities.

After a search involving first responders and volunteers, Casey's body was found in a pit less than a mile from her home, buried beneath rocks and debris.

At Johnson's trial, defense lawyers presented testimony showing that their client — an ex-convict who had been released from a state psychiatric facility six months earlier — had stopped taking his schizophrenia medication and was acting strangely in the days before the slaying.

In recent appeals, Johnson's attorneys have said he has delusions about the devil using his death to bring about the end of the world. They also noted he had been placed on suicide watch in prison a couple years ago after claiming to be a vampire.

In June, the Missouri Supreme Court denied an appeal seeking to block the execution on arguments that Johnson’s schizophrenia prevented him from understanding the link between his crime and the punishment. The Missouri Attorney General’s Office successfully challenged the credibility of the psychiatric evaluation and said medical records indicate that Johnson is able to manage his mental illness through medication.

A three-judge federal appeals court panel last week temporary halted the planned execution, but the full 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated it. Johnson's attorneys then filed multiple appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court centered around his competency to be executed.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Monday denied a clemency request to reduce Johnson's sentence to life in prison.

“Johnny Johnson’s crime is one of the most horrific murders that has come across my desk," Parson, a former sheriff, said in a statement.

The clemency petition by Johnson's attorneys said Casey's father, Ernie Williamson, opposed the death penalty.

But Casey's great aunt, Della Steele, wrote an emotional plea to Parson urging him to proceed with the execution to “send the message that it is not okay to terrorize and murder a child.” Steele said in the message that the grief from Casey's death led to destructive effects among other family members.

“He did something horrible. He took a life away from a completely innocent child, and there have to be consequences for that,” Steele told The Associated Press.

Steele has led a variety of community efforts to honor Casey. Through years of fundraising, Casey’s family provided $500 scholarships or savings bonds to all 65 students of the senior class of Valley Park High School in 2014, the year Casey would have graduated.

The family also has organized community safety fairs in Casey’s memory, including a July 22 event that drew a couple hundred people. They gave away dozens of child identification kits along with safety tips involving fire, water and bicycles, among other items.

“A lot of kids from Casey’s class were there with their children. It was nice to see, but it definitely makes you think,” Steele said. “They’re pushing their strollers with their couple of kids and you think, `That’s where she should be.’”

The scheduled execution would be the 16th in the U.S. this year. In addition to three previous executions in Missouri, five have been conducted in Texas, four in Florida, two in Oklahoma and one in Alabama. There were 18 executions in six U.S. states last year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690408112630.png" alt="Johnson-photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Johnson-photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A man who abducted a 6-year-old girl and beat her to death at an abandoned glass factory was scheduled to be executed Tuesday in Missouri, as his attorneys pressed claims that he is mentally incompetent.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-august-06f474f368dfd5ff5c4145164b222a3b">Johnny Johnson</a>, 45, was convicted in the July, 26, 2002, killing of Casey Williamson, whose disappearance set off a frantic search in her hometown of Valley Park, a small suburb of St. Louis.Casey’s mother had been best friends in childhood with Johnson’s older sister and had even helped babysit him. After Johnson attended a barbecue the night before the killing, Casey's family let him sleep on a couch in the home where they also were sleeping.In the morning, Johnson lured the girl to the abandoned factory, even carrying her on his shoulders on the walk to the dilapidated site. When he tried to sexually assault her, Casey screamed and tried to break free. According to court documents, he killed her with a brick and a large rock, then washed off in the nearby Meramec River. Johnson confessed that same day to the crimes, according to authorities.After a search involving first responders and volunteers, Casey's body was found in a pit less than a mile from her home, buried beneath rocks and debris.At Johnson's trial, defense lawyers presented testimony showing that their client — an ex-convict who had been released from a state psychiatric facility six months earlier — had stopped taking his schizophrenia medication and was acting strangely in the days before the slaying.In recent appeals, Johnson's attorneys have said he has delusions about the devil using his death to bring about the end of the world. They also noted he had been placed on suicide watch in prison a couple years ago after claiming to be a vampire.In June, the Missouri Supreme Court denied an appeal seeking to block the execution on arguments that Johnson’s schizophrenia prevented him from understanding the link between his crime and the punishment. The Missouri Attorney General’s Office successfully challenged the credibility of the psychiatric evaluation and said medical records indicate that Johnson is able to manage his mental illness through medication.A three-judge federal appeals court panel last week temporary halted the planned execution, but the full 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated it. Johnson's attorneys then filed multiple appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court centered around his competency to be executed.Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Monday denied a clemency request to reduce Johnson's sentence to life in prison.“Johnny Johnson’s crime is one of the most horrific murders that has come across my desk," Parson, a former sheriff, said in a statement.The clemency petition by Johnson's attorneys said Casey's father, Ernie Williamson, opposed the death penalty.But Casey's great aunt, Della Steele, wrote an emotional plea to Parson urging him to proceed with the execution to “send the message that it is not okay to terrorize and murder a child.” Steele said in the message that the grief from Casey's death led to destructive effects among other family members.“He did something horrible. He took a life away from a completely innocent child, and there have to be consequences for that,” Steele told The Associated Press.Steele has led a variety of community efforts to honor Casey. Through years of fundraising, Casey’s family provided $500 scholarships or savings bonds to all 65 students of the senior class of Valley Park High School in 2014, the year Casey would have graduated.The family also has organized community safety fairs in Casey’s memory, including a July 22 event that drew a couple hundred people. They gave away dozens of child identification kits along with safety tips involving fire, water and bicycles, among other items.“A lot of kids from Casey’s class were there with their children. It was nice to see, but it definitely makes you think,” Steele said. “They’re pushing their strollers with their couple of kids and you think, `That’s where she should be.’”The scheduled execution would be the 16th in the U.S. this year. In addition to three previous executions in Missouri, five have been conducted in Texas, four in Florida, two in Oklahoma and one in Alabama. There were 18 executions in six U.S. states last year.___

Man facing Tues. execution for beating death of 6-year-old girl 

By&nbsp;KATELYNN DONNELLY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>

EMPORIA — Two lawsuits filed by a former Emporia State University professor against the university and two faculty members have resumed after a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling set a new precedent for unlawful discrimination cases.

Dusti Howell, the former tenured professor, filed the civil lawsuits in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B8FEt_wXWchBUwY6BmsY_5YTIxOG6DvQ/view?usp=drive_link">2021</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B8FEt_wXWchBUwY6BmsY_5YTIxOG6DvQ/view?usp=sharing">2022</a>&nbsp;in Lyon County District Court against the university; Joan Brewer, former dean of the Teachers College; and Jim Persinger, chairman of the Psychology and IT Departments. Howell alleges Brewer and Persinger pushed him out of his position as a precursor to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/22/emporia-state-university-faculty-leaders-wait-for-answers-after-rapid-firing-of-tenured-professors/">firings</a>&nbsp;of 33 ESU faculty members last year.

Before his resignation in 2021, Howell worked in the IT department for nearly 24 years. He claims he never received backlash for the time he took off to observe both Christian and Jewish holidays until Brewer became dean of the Teachers College.

Howell’s case “seems to be emblematic of a larger sense that … if you’re a faculty member, you are a disposable commodity,” said&nbsp; Chapman Rackaway, a former professor at Flint Hills Technical College in Emporia and current professor and chairman in the Department of Political Science at Radford University. “And I think that’s very dangerous.”

Both Howell and Gerald Groff, the plaintiff in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/22-174_k536.pdf">Groff v. Dejoy</a>&nbsp;and a former U.S. Postal Service carrier in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, claimed their employers created a hostile work environment after repeated absences on what the plaintiffs considered to be holy days of worship.

Howell identifies as a Christian but observes most traditional Christian and Jewish holy days.

“Without Groff, (Howell’s) case could have become Groff,” Rackaway said. “… Howell would have probably taken it all the way to the Supreme Court, and then maybe they would have made the decision based on (Howell’s) case, rather than on Groff’s.”

The shift in unlawful discrimination cases after Groff v. Dejoy is a huge win for Howell, said Linus Baker, his attorney.

“I filed a motion to stay, anticipating the law was going to change, and it did,” Baker said. “It certainly helps Professor Howell. … The analysis certainly puts more on the employer to justify their own actions.”

Baker also represented Molly Ellis in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/18/kansas-judge-blocks-college-from-failing-nursing-student-who-refused-covid-19-vaccine/">Ellis v Flint Hills Technical College</a>, another unlawful discrimination case.

Before Groff was decided, the burden of proof in discrimination cases such as Howell’s rested on the employee. Now the responsibility lies with the university to prove it encountered “undue hardship,” or was faced with unreasonably burdensome challenges when accommodating his absences.

According to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1x3Xqvh7NdM4phZZApPvh2sIo4wG68V0X?lfhs=2">petition</a>, Brewer and Persinger imposed an unwritten regulation requiring Howell to request time off for religious events up to eight weeks in advance, despite ESU having no written policy regarding religious accommodations. Howell also alleged that students were encouraged by Brewer and Persinger to file complaints against him for his time off.

Howell said the last straw was his demotion to teaching undergraduate students.&nbsp;

“It was like telling your all-star shortstop, ‘You’re gonna play left handed this year,’ ” Howell said. “We had a really good program. … They were forcing me to bat left-handed and field left handed.”

Brewer and Persinger, who are defended by assistant attorneys general Stanley Parker and Carrie Barney, deny all allegations.

The university and Parker declined to comment.

Judge James Fleetwood will oversee the case because all four judges of the Lyon County District Court recused themselves. Baker credits their recusal to an anonymous letter written to the judges. The letter, along with documents including student evaluations and discrimination complaints made by LGBTQ community members, are confidential under a protective order filed by the defense.

Baker predicts a jury trial next year, but there is no set hearing date.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690676545676.png" alt="Dusti Howell, former Emporia State professor, explains the events leading up to his 2021 resignation and lawsuits against the university. (Screen capture by Katelynn Donnelly for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Dusti Howell, former Emporia State professor, explains the events leading up to his 2021 resignation and lawsuits against the university. (Screen capture by Katelynn Donnelly for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;KATELYNN DONNELLY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>EMPORIA — Two lawsuits filed by a former Emporia State University professor against the university and two faculty members have resumed after a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling set a new precedent for unlawful discrimination cases.Dusti Howell, the former tenured professor, filed the civil lawsuits in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B8FEt_wXWchBUwY6BmsY_5YTIxOG6DvQ/view?usp=drive_link">2021</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B8FEt_wXWchBUwY6BmsY_5YTIxOG6DvQ/view?usp=sharing">2022</a>&nbsp;in Lyon County District Court against the university; Joan Brewer, former dean of the Teachers College; and Jim Persinger, chairman of the Psychology and IT Departments. Howell alleges Brewer and Persinger pushed him out of his position as a precursor to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/22/emporia-state-university-faculty-leaders-wait-for-answers-after-rapid-firing-of-tenured-professors/">firings</a>&nbsp;of 33 ESU faculty members last year.Before his resignation in 2021, Howell worked in the IT department for nearly 24 years. He claims he never received backlash for the time he took off to observe both Christian and Jewish holidays until Brewer became dean of the Teachers College.Howell’s case “seems to be emblematic of a larger sense that … if you’re a faculty member, you are a disposable commodity,” said&nbsp; Chapman Rackaway, a former professor at Flint Hills Technical College in Emporia and current professor and chairman in the Department of Political Science at Radford University. “And I think that’s very dangerous.”Both Howell and Gerald Groff, the plaintiff in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/22-174_k536.pdf">Groff v. Dejoy</a>&nbsp;and a former U.S. Postal Service carrier in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, claimed their employers created a hostile work environment after repeated absences on what the plaintiffs considered to be holy days of worship.Howell identifies as a Christian but observes most traditional Christian and Jewish holy days.“Without Groff, (Howell’s) case could have become Groff,” Rackaway said. “… Howell would have probably taken it all the way to the Supreme Court, and then maybe they would have made the decision based on (Howell’s) case, rather than on Groff’s.”The shift in unlawful discrimination cases after Groff v. Dejoy is a huge win for Howell, said Linus Baker, his attorney.“I filed a motion to stay, anticipating the law was going to change, and it did,” Baker said. “It certainly helps Professor Howell. … The analysis certainly puts more on the employer to justify their own actions.”Baker also represented Molly Ellis in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/18/kansas-judge-blocks-college-from-failing-nursing-student-who-refused-covid-19-vaccine/">Ellis v Flint Hills Technical College</a>, another unlawful discrimination case.Before Groff was decided, the burden of proof in discrimination cases such as Howell’s rested on the employee. Now the responsibility lies with the university to prove it encountered “undue hardship,” or was faced with unreasonably burdensome challenges when accommodating his absences.According to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1x3Xqvh7NdM4phZZApPvh2sIo4wG68V0X?lfhs=2">petition</a>, Brewer and Persinger imposed an unwritten regulation requiring Howell to request time off for religious events up to eight weeks in advance, despite ESU having no written policy regarding religious accommodations. Howell also alleged that students were encouraged by Brewer and Persinger to file complaints against him for his time off.Howell said the last straw was his demotion to teaching undergraduate students.&nbsp;“It was like telling your all-star shortstop, ‘You’re gonna play left handed this year,’ ” Howell said. “We had a really good program. … They were forcing me to bat left-handed and field left handed.”Brewer and Persinger, who are defended by assistant attorneys general Stanley Parker and Carrie Barney, deny all allegations.The university and Parker declined to comment.Judge James Fleetwood will oversee the case because all four judges of the Lyon County District Court recused themselves. Baker credits their recusal to an anonymous letter written to the judges. The letter, along with documents including student evaluations and discrimination complaints made by LGBTQ community members, are confidential under a protective order filed by the defense.Baker predicts a jury trial next year, but there is no set hearing date.

Former Emporia State professor’s religious discrimination claims benefit from high court ruling

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting in Topeka are attempting to locate 29-year-old Alfred A. Smith.

Just before 5:30p.m. Friday,&nbsp; police were&nbsp;dispatched to a Topeka hospital after a victim arrived with an apparent gunshot wound, according to Lt. Ronnie Connell.

One juvenile victim had arrived and was being treated for a life threatening injury.&nbsp; The victim later died.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Police reported Smith was last seen in a turquoise Jeep SUV.

If you have any information regarding where Smith might be, do not attempt to make contact with him, please call 911 immediately.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689544705597.png" alt="Alfred A. Smith-photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Alfred A. Smith-photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting in Topeka are attempting to locate 29-year-old Alfred A. Smith.Just before 5:30p.m. Friday,&nbsp; police were&nbsp;dispatched to a Topeka hospital after a victim arrived with an apparent gunshot wound, according to Lt. Ronnie Connell.One juvenile victim had arrived and was being treated for a life threatening injury.&nbsp; The victim later died.&nbsp; &nbsp;Police reported Smith was last seen in a turquoise Jeep SUV.If you have any information regarding where Smith might be, do not attempt to make contact with him, please call 911 immediately.

Suspect in deadly Kansas shooting still at large

LINN COUNTY – The Linn County Sheriff’s Office requested that the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Mapleton man, according to a media release.

The whereabouts of 72-year-old Jerald D. Tuchscherer are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him.

Jerald is likely driving a silver 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 bearing Kansas tag 061MFZ. The truck is missing its front bumper. He was last seen at his home in Mapleton, around 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 16.

Jerald is described as a white male who is 6 feet tall and weighs around 220 pounds. He has blue eyes and grey hair. Jerald was last seen wearing grey sweat pants, a blue t-shirt and black and red flannel. He has a heart condition and other medical conditions which may cause confusion.

If you see Jerald Tuchscherer or his vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about his whereabouts, please call the Linn County Sheriff’s Office at 913-795-2665.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689587748829.png" alt="Jerald Tuchscherer-photo KBI" />
 <figcaption>Jerald Tuchscherer-photo KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>LINN COUNTY – The Linn County Sheriff’s Office requested that the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Mapleton man, according to a media release.The whereabouts of 72-year-old Jerald D. Tuchscherer are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him.Jerald is likely driving a silver 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 bearing Kansas tag 061MFZ. The truck is missing its front bumper. He was last seen at his home in Mapleton, around 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 16.Jerald is described as a white male who is 6 feet tall and weighs around 220 pounds. He has blue eyes and grey hair. Jerald was last seen wearing grey sweat pants, a blue t-shirt and black and red flannel. He has a heart condition and other medical conditions which may cause confusion.If you see Jerald Tuchscherer or his vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about his whereabouts, please call the Linn County Sheriff’s Office at 913-795-2665.

KBI: Silver Alert for missing Kansas man

TOPEKA (AP) —The Mega Millions top prize has grown again to an estimated $640 million after there was no winner of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/district-of-columbia-us-virgin-islands-lotteries-3903b40088f0aaf80e06d0d7179227f3">the lottery’s latest giant jackpot</a>.

The numbers drawn late Friday night were: 10, 24, 48, 51, 66 and gold Mega Ball 15.

The estimated $640 million jackpot in the next drawing would only be distributed to a winner who chooses an annuity paid over 29 years. Nearly all grand prize winners opt to take a cash payout, which for Tuesday night’s drawing is an estimated $328 million.

The jackpot is the seventh largest in the game's history, Mega Millions said in a statement.

Four tickets matched all five white balls to garner the second prize level in the drawing. A ticket sold in South Carolina included an optional multiplier making it worth $2 million. Two tickets in California and one in North Carolina also were second-tier winners, Mega Millions said.

Despite the game’s long odds of 1 in 302.6 million, players continue to purchase tickets as the size of the grand prize grows.

The last time a Mega Millions player hit the top prize was April 18.

Mega Millions is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-alabama-alaska-lotteries-business-86424cf8e2b7cccf8ae9d06f6652d559">played in 45 states</a>&nbsp;as well as in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689430765536.jpeg" alt="FILE - A Mega Millions wagering slip is held in Cranberry Township, Pa., Jan. 12, 2023. The Mega Millions jackpot has grown again, to at least an estimated $640 million, after there was no winner Friday night, July 14. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - A Mega Millions wagering slip is held in Cranberry Township, Pa., Jan. 12, 2023. The Mega Millions jackpot has grown again, to at least an estimated $640 million, after there was no winner Friday night, July 14. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA (AP) —The Mega Millions top prize has grown again to an estimated $640 million after there was no winner of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/district-of-columbia-us-virgin-islands-lotteries-3903b40088f0aaf80e06d0d7179227f3">the lottery’s latest giant jackpot</a>.The numbers drawn late Friday night were: 10, 24, 48, 51, 66 and gold Mega Ball 15.The estimated $640 million jackpot in the next drawing would only be distributed to a winner who chooses an annuity paid over 29 years. Nearly all grand prize winners opt to take a cash payout, which for Tuesday night’s drawing is an estimated $328 million.The jackpot is the seventh largest in the game's history, Mega Millions said in a statement.Four tickets matched all five white balls to garner the second prize level in the drawing. A ticket sold in South Carolina included an optional multiplier making it worth $2 million. Two tickets in California and one in North Carolina also were second-tier winners, Mega Millions said.Despite the game’s long odds of 1 in 302.6 million, players continue to purchase tickets as the size of the grand prize grows.The last time a Mega Millions player hit the top prize was April 18.Mega Millions is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-alabama-alaska-lotteries-business-86424cf8e2b7cccf8ae9d06f6652d559">played in 45 states</a>&nbsp;as well as in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Mega Millions jackpot grows to $640M, among highest in lottery game’s history

WASHINGTON (AP) — No fingerprints or DNA turned up on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-suspicious-substance-cocaine-bd7a792357a85453cf55b6c955ff1b4f">baggie of cocaine found in a lobby at the White House</a>&nbsp;last week despite a sophisticated FBI crime lab analysis, and surveillance footage of the area didn’t identify a suspect, according to a summary of the Secret Service investigation obtained by The Associated Press. There are no leads on who brought the drugs into the building.

The full statement from the Secret Service on the investigation says: 

&nbsp;"On the evening of July 2, officers from the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division found an unknown substance inside a vestibule leading to the lobby area of the West Executive Avenue entrance to the White House."

"The substance was located inside a receptacle used to temporarily store electronic and personal devices prior to entering the West Wing."

"Following the discovery, safety closures were implemented around the White House. This response was designed to ensure that the found substance was not a chemical or radiological material that threatened the security of the White House. As such, the substance was field tested and preliminarily determined to not be a hazardous compound."

"Testing conducted by the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department indicated that the found powder tested preliminarily positive for the presence of cocaine. The substance and packaging were treated as evidence and sent to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center, which analyzed the item for any biothreats. Tests conducted at this facility came back negative and gave formal confirmation that the substance was not biological in nature."

"The substance and packaging underwent further forensic testing. The substance was analyzed for its chemical composition. The packaging was subjected to advanced fingerprint and DNA analysis. Both of these analyses were conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's crime laboratory given their expertise in this area and independence from the investigation."

"While awaiting the FBl's results, the Secret Service investigation into how this item entered the White House continued. The investigation included a methodical review of security systems and protocols. This review included a backwards examination that spanned several days prior to the discovery of the substance and developed an index of several hundred individuals who may have accessed the area where the substance was found. The focal point of these actions developed a pool of known persons for comparison of forensic evidence gleaned from the FBI’s analysis of the substance's packaging. "

"On July 12, the Secret Service received the FBI’s laboratory results, which did not develop latent fingerprints and insufficient DNA was present for investigative comparisons. &nbsp;Therefore, the Secret Service is not able to compare evidence against the known pool of individuals. The FBl's evaluation of the substance also confirmed that it was cocaine."&nbsp;

"There was no surveillance video footage found that provided investigative leads or any other means for investigators to identify who may have deposited the found substance in this area. Without physical evidence, the investigation will not be able to single out a person of interest from the hundreds of individuals who passed through the vestibule where the cocaine was discovered. At this time, the Secret Service's investigation is closed due to a lack of physical evidence"

"The U.S. Secret Service takes its mission to protect U.S. leaders, facilities, and events seriously and we are constantly adapting to meet the needs of the current and future security environment."

The presence of cocaine at the White House prompted a flurry of criticism and questions from Republicans, who requested a briefing Thursday on the probe. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden believed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-cocaine-west-wing-secret-service-6b8aae2c55e5c1ecf860a70a0533dbed">it was “incredibly important” for</a>&nbsp;the Secret Service to get to the bottom of how the drugs ended up in the White House.

Biden wasn’t there at the time of the discovery. He was at Camp David with members of his family for the holiday weekend.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-suspicious-substance-cocaine-bd7a792357a85453cf55b6c955ff1b4f">The complex was briefly evacuated</a>&nbsp;as a precaution when the white powder was found. The fire department was called in to test the substance on the spot to determine whether it was hazardous, and the initial test came back negative for a biohazard but positive for cocaine.

The Secret Service is responsible for securing the White House and is leading the investigation. The bag was sent for a secondary, more sensitive lab analysis. Homeland Security’s National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center analyzed the item for any biothreats. Tests conducted at the facility came back negative and gave formal confirmation that the substance was not a biological threat.

The lobby is also open to staff-led tours of the West Wing, which are scheduled for nonworking hours on the weekends and evenings. Those tours are invitation-only and led by White House staff for friends, family and other guests. Most staffers who work in the complex can request an evening or weekend tour slot, but there is often a long wait list. There were tours on the day, a Sunday, the drugs were found, as well as on the two preceding days.

The cocaine and packaging underwent further forensics testing, including advanced fingerprint and DNA work at the FBI's crime laboratory, according to the summary. The FBI also did chemical testing.

Meanwhile, Secret Service investigators put together a list of several hundred individuals who may have accessed the area where the drugs were found. Anyone who comes through the White House must give identifying information and pass through security before entering.

But the lab results didn't turn up latent fingerprints or DNA, so agents can't compare anything to the possible suspect pool. White House staff are fingerprinted; participants in tour groups are not.

Video of the West Executive street lobby entrance did not identify the person or provide any solid investigative leads, the Secret Service said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688508095664.png" alt="U.S. Secret Service agents found the white powder during a routine White House sweep on July 2- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Secret Service agents found the white powder during a routine White House sweep on July 2- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — No fingerprints or DNA turned up on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-suspicious-substance-cocaine-bd7a792357a85453cf55b6c955ff1b4f">baggie of cocaine found in a lobby at the White House</a>&nbsp;last week despite a sophisticated FBI crime lab analysis, and surveillance footage of the area didn’t identify a suspect, according to a summary of the Secret Service investigation obtained by The Associated Press. There are no leads on who brought the drugs into the building.The full statement from the Secret Service on the investigation says: &nbsp;"On the evening of July 2, officers from the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division found an unknown substance inside a vestibule leading to the lobby area of the West Executive Avenue entrance to the White House.""The substance was located inside a receptacle used to temporarily store electronic and personal devices prior to entering the West Wing.""Following the discovery, safety closures were implemented around the White House. This response was designed to ensure that the found substance was not a chemical or radiological material that threatened the security of the White House. As such, the substance was field tested and preliminarily determined to not be a hazardous compound.""Testing conducted by the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department indicated that the found powder tested preliminarily positive for the presence of cocaine. The substance and packaging were treated as evidence and sent to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center, which analyzed the item for any biothreats. Tests conducted at this facility came back negative and gave formal confirmation that the substance was not biological in nature.""The substance and packaging underwent further forensic testing. The substance was analyzed for its chemical composition. The packaging was subjected to advanced fingerprint and DNA analysis. Both of these analyses were conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's crime laboratory given their expertise in this area and independence from the investigation.""While awaiting the FBl's results, the Secret Service investigation into how this item entered the White House continued. The investigation included a methodical review of security systems and protocols. This review included a backwards examination that spanned several days prior to the discovery of the substance and developed an index of several hundred individuals who may have accessed the area where the substance was found. The focal point of these actions developed a pool of known persons for comparison of forensic evidence gleaned from the FBI’s analysis of the substance's packaging. ""On July 12, the Secret Service received the FBI’s laboratory results, which did not develop latent fingerprints and insufficient DNA was present for investigative comparisons. &nbsp;Therefore, the Secret Service is not able to compare evidence against the known pool of individuals. The FBl's evaluation of the substance also confirmed that it was cocaine."&nbsp;"There was no surveillance video footage found that provided investigative leads or any other means for investigators to identify who may have deposited the found substance in this area. Without physical evidence, the investigation will not be able to single out a person of interest from the hundreds of individuals who passed through the vestibule where the cocaine was discovered. At this time, the Secret Service's investigation is closed due to a lack of physical evidence""The U.S. Secret Service takes its mission to protect U.S. leaders, facilities, and events seriously and we are constantly adapting to meet the needs of the current and future security environment."The presence of cocaine at the White House prompted a flurry of criticism and questions from Republicans, who requested a briefing Thursday on the probe. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden believed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-cocaine-west-wing-secret-service-6b8aae2c55e5c1ecf860a70a0533dbed">it was “incredibly important” for</a>&nbsp;the Secret Service to get to the bottom of how the drugs ended up in the White House.Biden wasn’t there at the time of the discovery. He was at Camp David with members of his family for the holiday weekend.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-suspicious-substance-cocaine-bd7a792357a85453cf55b6c955ff1b4f">The complex was briefly evacuated</a>&nbsp;as a precaution when the white powder was found. The fire department was called in to test the substance on the spot to determine whether it was hazardous, and the initial test came back negative for a biohazard but positive for cocaine.The Secret Service is responsible for securing the White House and is leading the investigation. The bag was sent for a secondary, more sensitive lab analysis. Homeland Security’s National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center analyzed the item for any biothreats. Tests conducted at the facility came back negative and gave formal confirmation that the substance was not a biological threat.The lobby is also open to staff-led tours of the West Wing, which are scheduled for nonworking hours on the weekends and evenings. Those tours are invitation-only and led by White House staff for friends, family and other guests. Most staffers who work in the complex can request an evening or weekend tour slot, but there is often a long wait list. There were tours on the day, a Sunday, the drugs were found, as well as on the two preceding days.The cocaine and packaging underwent further forensics testing, including advanced fingerprint and DNA work at the FBI's crime laboratory, according to the summary. The FBI also did chemical testing.Meanwhile, Secret Service investigators put together a list of several hundred individuals who may have accessed the area where the drugs were found. Anyone who comes through the White House must give identifying information and pass through security before entering.But the lab results didn't turn up latent fingerprints or DNA, so agents can't compare anything to the possible suspect pool. White House staff are fingerprinted; participants in tour groups are not.Video of the West Executive street lobby entrance did not identify the person or provide any solid investigative leads, the Secret Service said.

Secret Service ends White House cocaine probe without a suspect

By FRANK BAJAK, HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and LARRY FENN Associated Press

KANSAS CITY (AP) —The confidential documents stolen from schools and dumped online by ransomware gangs are raw, intimate and graphic. They describe student sexual assaults, psychiatric hospitalizations, abusive parents, truancy — even suicide attempts.

“Please do something,” begged a student in one leaked file, recalling the trauma of continually bumping into an ex-abuser at a school in Minneapolis. Other victims talked about wetting the bed or crying themselves to sleep.

Complete sexual assault case folios containing these details were among more than 300,000 files dumped online in March after the 36,000-student Minneapolis Public Schools refused to pay a $1 million ransom. Other exposed data included medical records and discrimination complaints.

Rich in digitized data, the nation’s schools are prime targets for far-flung criminal hackers, who are assiduously locating and scooping up sensitive files.

Often strapped for cash, districts are grossly ill-equipped not just to defend themselves but to respond diligently and transparently when attacked, especially as they struggle to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-education-covid-46cb725e08110f8ad3c1b303ec9eefad">help kids catch up from the pandemic</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-chicago-race-and-ethnicity-a178d2dbe5d8e10d155b3f740da39609">grapple with shrinking budgets</a>.

Months after the Minneapolis attack, administrators have not delivered on their promise to inform individual victims. Unlike for hospitals, no federal law exists to require this notification from schools.

The Associated Press reached families of six students whose sexual assault case files were exposed. The message from a reporter was the first time anyone had alerted them.

“Truth is, they didn’t notify us about anything,” said a mother whose son’s case file has 80 documents.

Even when schools catch a ransomware attack in progress, the data are typically already gone. That was what Los Angeles Unified School District did last Labor Day weekend, only to see the private paperwork of more than 1,900 former students — including psychological evaluations and medical records — leaked online. Not until February did district officials disclose the breach’s full dimensions.

The lasting legacy of school ransomware attacks, it turns out, is not in school closures, recovery costs or even soaring cyberinsurance premiums. It is the trauma for staff, students and parents from the online exposure of private records — which the AP found on the open internet and dark web.

“A massive amount of information is being posted online, and nobody is looking to see just how bad it all is. Or, if somebody is looking, they’re not making the results public,” said analyst Brett Callow of the cybersecurity firm Emsisoft.

Other big districts recently stung by data theft include&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sandiegounified.org/data_security">San Diego</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dmschools.org/news_release/dmps-notifies-individuals-of-data-security-incident/">Des Moines</a>&nbsp;and Tucson, Arizona. While the severity of those hacks remains unclear, all have been criticized either for being slow to admit to being hit by ransomware, dragging their feet on notifying victims — or both.

ON CYBER SECURITY, SCHOOLS HAVE LAGGED

While other ransomware targets have fortified and segmented networks, encrypting data and mandating multi-factor authentication, school systems have been slower to react.

Ransomware likely has affected well over 5 million U.S. students by now, with district attacks on track to rise this year, said analyst Allan Liska of the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cisecurity.org/about-us/media/press-release/new-ms-isac-report-details-cybersecurity-challenges-of-k-12-schools">Nearly one in three U.S. districts</a>&nbsp;had been breached by the end of 2021, according to a survey by the Center for Internet Security, a federally funded nonprofit.

Just three years ago, criminals did not routinely grab data in ransomware attacks, said TJ Sayers, cyberthreat intelligence manager at the Center for Internet Security. Now, it’s common, he said, with much of it sold on the dark web.

The criminals in the Minneapolis theft were especially aggressive. They shared links to the stolen data on Facebook, Twitter, Telegram and the dark web, which standard browsers can’t access.

The Minneapolis parents informed by the AP of the leaked sexual assault complaints feel doubly victimized. Their children have battled PTSD, and some even left their schools. Now this.

“The family is beyond horrified to learn that this highly sensitive information is now available in perpetuity on the internet for the child’s future friends, romantic interests, employers, and others to discover,” said Jeff Storms, an attorney for one of the families. It is AP policy not to identify sexual abuse victims.

Minneapolis Schools spokeswoman Crystina Lugo-Beach would not say how many people have been contacted so far or answer other AP questions about the attack.

Despite parents' and teachers' frustration, schools are&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/BrettCallow/status/1661073335604871168?s=20">routinely advised by incident response teams</a>&nbsp;concerned about legal liability issues and ransom negotiations against being more transparent, said Callow of Emsisoft. Minneapolis school officials apparently followed that playbook, initially describing the Feb. 17 attack cryptically as a “system incident,” then as “technical difficulties” and later an “encryption event.”

The extent of the breach became clear though when a ransomware group posted video of stolen data, giving the district 10 days to pay the ransom before leaking files.

The district declined to pay, following the standing advice of the FBI, which says ransoms encourage criminals to target more victims.

SCHOOLS SPEND TECH BUDGETS ON LEARNING TOOLS, NOT SECURITY

During the COVID-19 pandemic, districts prioritized spending on internet connectivity and remote learning. Security got short shrift as IT departments invested in software to track student engagement and performance,&nbsp;<a href="https://cs.uchicago.edu/news/uchicago-and-nyu-research-team-finds-edtech-tools-could-pose-privacy-risks-for-students/">often at the expense of privacy and safety</a>, University of Chicago and New York University researchers found.

By FRANK BAJAK, HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and LARRY FENN Associated PressKANSAS CITY (AP) —The confidential documents stolen from schools and dumped online by ransomware gangs are raw, intimate and graphic. They describe student sexual assaults, psychiatric hospitalizations, abusive parents, truancy — even suicide attempts.“Please do something,” begged a student in one leaked file, recalling the trauma of continually bumping into an ex-abuser at a school in Minneapolis. Other victims talked about wetting the bed or crying themselves to sleep.Complete sexual assault case folios containing these details were among more than 300,000 files dumped online in March after the 36,000-student Minneapolis Public Schools refused to pay a $1 million ransom. Other exposed data included medical records and discrimination complaints.Rich in digitized data, the nation’s schools are prime targets for far-flung criminal hackers, who are assiduously locating and scooping up sensitive files.Often strapped for cash, districts are grossly ill-equipped not just to defend themselves but to respond diligently and transparently when attacked, especially as they struggle to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-education-covid-46cb725e08110f8ad3c1b303ec9eefad">help kids catch up from the pandemic</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-chicago-race-and-ethnicity-a178d2dbe5d8e10d155b3f740da39609">grapple with shrinking budgets</a>.Months after the Minneapolis attack, administrators have not delivered on their promise to inform individual victims. Unlike for hospitals, no federal law exists to require this notification from schools.The Associated Press reached families of six students whose sexual assault case files were exposed. The message from a reporter was the first time anyone had alerted them.“Truth is, they didn’t notify us about anything,” said a mother whose son’s case file has 80 documents.Even when schools catch a ransomware attack in progress, the data are typically already gone. That was what Los Angeles Unified School District did last Labor Day weekend, only to see the private paperwork of more than 1,900 former students — including psychological evaluations and medical records — leaked online. Not until February did district officials disclose the breach’s full dimensions.The lasting legacy of school ransomware attacks, it turns out, is not in school closures, recovery costs or even soaring cyberinsurance premiums. It is the trauma for staff, students and parents from the online exposure of private records — which the AP found on the open internet and dark web.“A massive amount of information is being posted online, and nobody is looking to see just how bad it all is. Or, if somebody is looking, they’re not making the results public,” said analyst Brett Callow of the cybersecurity firm Emsisoft.Other big districts recently stung by data theft include&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sandiegounified.org/data_security">San Diego</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dmschools.org/news_release/dmps-notifies-individuals-of-data-security-incident/">Des Moines</a>&nbsp;and Tucson, Arizona. While the severity of those hacks remains unclear, all have been criticized either for being slow to admit to being hit by ransomware, dragging their feet on notifying victims — or both.ON CYBER SECURITY, SCHOOLS HAVE LAGGED While other ransomware targets have fortified and segmented networks, encrypting data and mandating multi-factor authentication, school systems have been slower to react.Ransomware likely has affected well over 5 million U.S. students by now, with district attacks on track to rise this year, said analyst Allan Liska of the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cisecurity.org/about-us/media/press-release/new-ms-isac-report-details-cybersecurity-challenges-of-k-12-schools">Nearly one in three U.S. districts</a>&nbsp;had been breached by the end of 2021, according to a survey by the Center for Internet Security, a federally funded nonprofit.Just three years ago, criminals did not routinely grab data in ransomware attacks, said TJ Sayers, cyberthreat intelligence manager at the Center for Internet Security. Now, it’s common, he said, with much of it sold on the dark web.The criminals in the Minneapolis theft were especially aggressive. They shared links to the stolen data on Facebook, Twitter, Telegram and the dark web, which standard browsers can’t access.The Minneapolis parents informed by the AP of the leaked sexual assault complaints feel doubly victimized. Their children have battled PTSD, and some even left their schools. Now this.“The family is beyond horrified to learn that this highly sensitive information is now available in perpetuity on the internet for the child’s future friends, romantic interests, employers, and others to discover,” said Jeff Storms, an attorney for one of the families. It is AP policy not to identify sexual abuse victims.Minneapolis Schools spokeswoman Crystina Lugo-Beach would not say how many people have been contacted so far or answer other AP questions about the attack.Despite parents' and teachers' frustration, schools are&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/BrettCallow/status/1661073335604871168?s=20">routinely advised by incident response teams</a>&nbsp;concerned about legal liability issues and ransom negotiations against being more transparent, said Callow of Emsisoft. Minneapolis school officials apparently followed that playbook, initially describing the Feb. 17 attack cryptically as a “system incident,” then as “technical difficulties” and later an “encryption event.”The extent of the breach became clear though when a ransomware group posted video of stolen data, giving the district 10 days to pay the ransom before leaking files.The district declined to pay, following the standing advice of the FBI, which says ransoms encourage criminals to target more victims.SCHOOLS SPEND TECH BUDGETS ON LEARNING TOOLS, NOT SECURITY During the COVID-19 pandemic, districts prioritized spending on internet connectivity and remote learning. Security got short shrift as IT departments invested in software to track student engagement and performance,&nbsp;<a href="https://cs.uchicago.edu/news/uchicago-and-nyu-research-team-finds-edtech-tools-could-pose-privacy-risks-for-students/">often at the expense of privacy and safety</a>, University of Chicago and New York University researchers found.Cybersecurity money for public schools is limited. As it stands, districts can only expect slivers of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2022/09/16/biden-harris-administration-announces-1-billion-funding-first-ever-state-and-local">$1 billion in cybersecurity grants</a>&nbsp;that the federal government is distributing over four years.Minnesota’s chief information security officer, John Israel, said his state got $18 million of it this year&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cisa.gov/state-and-local-cybersecurity-grant-program-frequently-asked-questions">to divvy among 3,600 different entities</a>. State lawmakers provided an additional $22.5 million in grants for cyber and physical security in schools.It’s already too late for the mother of one of the Minneapolis students whose confidential sexual assault complaint was released online. She almost feels “violated again.”“All the stuff we kept private,” she said, “it’s out there. And it’s been out there for a very long time.”

Misc