MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a large quantity of fentanyl pills found in rural Kansas.

On Wednesday, Montgomery County Sheriff Ron Wade reported sheriff's detectives were informed earlier this month that an individual located a PVC pipe full of blue pills at their place of work in the Coffeyville, Kansas area.

 Detectives contacted the individual and made arrangements to take custody of the PVC pipe containing the blue pills. After careful examination, detectives determined the pills to be fentanyl.  These pills are commonly referred to as “Dirty-Thirty” pills.  These pills are made to look like oxycodone pills.  Detectives, along with Kansas Bureau of Investigations counted a total of 5,354 fentanyl pills. 

 The rough street value of these pills is estimated at $321,240.00.  Further testing will be conducted on the fentanyl pills.  Sheriff&nbsp; Wade said, “I want to thank the individual that located this PVC pipe laying on the ground, and calling the Sheriff’s Office.  This individual probably saved multiple lives and definitely hurt someone’s illegal business.” 

 Wade said, “We have roughly 31,000 citizens in Montgomery County.  We just took possession of 5,354 fentanyl pills, which potentially could have killed almost 18% of our population in Montgomery County, if it had ended up in the wrong hands.”  Wade said, 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679505541603.png" alt="photo Montgomery County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>photo Montgomery County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a large quantity of fentanyl pills found in rural Kansas.On Wednesday, Montgomery County Sheriff Ron Wade reported sheriff's detectives were informed earlier this month that an individual located a PVC pipe full of blue pills at their place of work in the Coffeyville, Kansas area. Detectives contacted the individual and made arrangements to take custody of the PVC pipe containing the blue pills. After careful examination, detectives determined the pills to be fentanyl. These pills are commonly referred to as “Dirty-Thirty” pills. These pills are made to look like oxycodone pills. Detectives, along with Kansas Bureau of Investigations counted a total of 5,354 fentanyl pills. The rough street value of these pills is estimated at $321,240.00. Further testing will be conducted on the fentanyl pills. Sheriff&nbsp; Wade said, “I want to thank the individual that located this PVC pipe laying on the ground, and calling the Sheriff’s Office. This individual probably saved multiple lives and definitely hurt someone’s illegal business.” Wade said, “We have roughly 31,000 citizens in Montgomery County. We just took possession of 5,354 fentanyl pills, which potentially could have killed almost 18% of our population in Montgomery County, if it had ended up in the wrong hands.” Wade said, ”

Sheriff: 5,354 fentanyl pills found in PVC pipe in rural Kansas

WILSON COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office have identified the woman whose remains were discovered by hunters on March 16, in rural Wilson County.

The woman has been identified as Stephanie M. Willard, 43, of Fredonia, Kansas, according to a media release from the KBI.

On March 16, out-of-state hunters called 911 after encountering human remains in a pasture. Deputies from the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office responded to the location, approximately a mile south of Coyville, Kansas, near Decatur Road. Upon arriving, deputies observed the human skeletal remains.

If you have information about this investigation, please contact the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME, or the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office at (620) 378-3622. Tips can also be submitted anonymously online at https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar.

WILSON COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office have identified the woman whose remains were discovered by hunters on March 16, in rural Wilson County.The woman has been identified as Stephanie M. Willard, 43, of Fredonia, Kansas, according to a media release from the KBI.On March 16, out-of-state hunters called 911 after encountering human remains in a pasture. Deputies from the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office responded to the location, approximately a mile south of Coyville, Kansas, near Decatur Road. Upon arriving, deputies observed the human skeletal remains.If you have information about this investigation, please contact the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME, or the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office at (620) 378-3622. Tips can also be submitted anonymously online at https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar.

Human remains found by hunters identified as Kan. woman

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas proposal based on the disputed claim that providers leave infants to die after they're born during certain types of abortions is nearing legislative approval, as Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-restrictions-pushback-kansas-b5c0aaabf00ed50763824e04cf8fa6c6">pursue limited anti-abortion measures</a>&nbsp;following a decisive statewide vote last year protecting abortion rights.

The Kansas House&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230322112750_777056/">voted 88-34</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday to approve&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2313_00_0000.pdf">a bill</a>&nbsp;declaring that when there's a live birth during an abortion procedure, medical personnel must take the same steps to preserve the newborn’s life as “a reasonably diligent and conscientious” provider would with other live births. The law would apply to any “complete expulsion or extraction” of a fetus from the mother, including labor and delivery abortions during which a doctor induces labor. The measure is similar to a proposed Montana law that voters there&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-business-montana-a99111675c40301d1940addca098d599">rejected in November</a>&nbsp;and laws in 18 states, including Arizona, Florida, Ohio and Texas.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">The U.S. Supreme Court declared in June</a>&nbsp;that states can ban abortion, and the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature has long had strong anti-abortion majorities in both chambers. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a 2019 Kansas Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;protected abortion rights and in August 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">voters rejected</a>&nbsp;a proposed change to the state constitution to overturn that decision and give lawmakers the power to greatly restrict or ban abortion.

Supporters of the “born-alive infants protection” bill argued during a House debate Tuesday that the measure would survive a court challenge because it doesn't limit abortion itself. But a few Republicans touched on their moral opposition to abortion as a reason for backing the bill.

“If you truly want to hold effective conversations about the indiscriminate and brutal acts of violence in our society today, we must teach others to hold life as precious and sacred," state Rep. Rebecca Schmoe, a Republican from northeastern Kansas, said during a debate Tuesday before voting for the bill Wednesday.

Abortion providers and abortion rights advocates contend measures like the ones in Kansas and Montana are designed only to give abortion care a false and negative public image. They also argue that current state laws against homicide and child neglect, as well as laws on doctors’ duties, are sufficient to address any real problems.

House passage sent the measure to the Senate, where GOP leaders have also signaled that they see it as a priority.

“I pray for the day where we would stop killing our own children and ask God for forgiveness and mercy,” said southeastern Kansas Rep. Trevor Jacobs, explaining his “yes” vote along with six other GOP conservatives.

Supporters of the bill portrayed it as saving infants born during unsuccessful or botched abortions. But it would apply to cases in which doctors induce labor to deliver a fetus that won't survive outside the womb, often because of a severe medical issue, with the expectation that the newborn will die within minutes or even seconds.

Like the laws in the 18 other states, the Kansas measure would require the hospitalization of infants born during unsuccessful abortions and impose criminal penalties for doctors who don’t try to save them. In Kansas, failing to attempt to save such a newborn would be a felony, punishable by a year's probation for a first-time offender.

“This bill takes away the right of a mother to make her own private medical decisions in the most complicated and heartbreaking of cases,” state Rep. Lindsay Vaughn, a Kansas City-area Democrat, said, explaining her “no” vote Wednesday. “This is a right the overwhelming majority of Kansans voted to protect.”

Like most states, Kansas doesn’t collect data on births during induced abortion procedures.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than 1% of the more than 600,000 abortions a year occur after the 21st week of pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says almost no fetuses are viable before the 23rd week of pregnancy.

Kansas law bans most abortions after the 22nd week of pregnancy, and no abortions after that point have been reported since at least 2016.

Zack Gingrich-Gaylord, a spokesperson for Wichita abortion clinic operator Trust Women, said the facility has never seen an abortion result in a live birth in the nearly 10 years the clinic has been open.

“This is just this fantasy,” Gingrich-Gaylord said. “It’s simply not true that there’s any kind of danger of this happening.”

Not providing this care after unsuccessful abortions was already outlawed under a 2002 U.S. law, but it doesn't contain criminal penalties. The Republican-led U.S. House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-us-republican-party-united-states-senate-cb608d31f591fd06ec2fd753f122f6cb">passed a measure</a>&nbsp;in January to add penalties, but it's not expected to pass the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate.

Opponents also said if the legislation passes, doctors would be forced into futile and expensive attempts to prolong dying infants' lives, and those medical interventions would deny parents opportunities to hold dying babies and to say goodbye. The same argument was made ahead of Montana's vote.

Such laws also don't tell doctors when they are allowed to stop medical interventions for a dying infant, said Hillary-Anne Crosby, who coordinated the campaign against Montana's proposed law. She said doctors would be forced to choose between medically appropriate care in line with a family's wishes and “safe” actions that avoid legal problems.

Supporters of the Kansas bill rejected such arguments.

State Rep. Leah Howell, a Wichita-area Republican who voted for the bill, said she had a baby die in the 20th week of pregnancy.

“Believe me, when this bill came to my attention, the very first thing I checked for was that this law would allow moms to hold their dying babies in their arms and tell them they loved them and to say goodbye,” she said, her voice wavering.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676472736553.png" alt="“This is government entering the patient room with you and your physician,” said Rep. Christina Haswood, a Democrat from Lawrence.-photo by Rachel Mipro" />
 <figcaption>“This is government entering the patient room with you and your physician,” said Rep. Christina Haswood, a Democrat from Lawrence.-photo by Rachel Mipro</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas proposal based on the disputed claim that providers leave infants to die after they're born during certain types of abortions is nearing legislative approval, as Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-restrictions-pushback-kansas-b5c0aaabf00ed50763824e04cf8fa6c6">pursue limited anti-abortion measures</a>&nbsp;following a decisive statewide vote last year protecting abortion rights.The Kansas House&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230322112750_777056/">voted 88-34</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday to approve&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2313_00_0000.pdf">a bill</a>&nbsp;declaring that when there's a live birth during an abortion procedure, medical personnel must take the same steps to preserve the newborn’s life as “a reasonably diligent and conscientious” provider would with other live births. The law would apply to any “complete expulsion or extraction” of a fetus from the mother, including labor and delivery abortions during which a doctor induces labor. The measure is similar to a proposed Montana law that voters there&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-business-montana-a99111675c40301d1940addca098d599">rejected in November</a>&nbsp;and laws in 18 states, including Arizona, Florida, Ohio and Texas.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">The U.S. Supreme Court declared in June</a>&nbsp;that states can ban abortion, and the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature has long had strong anti-abortion majorities in both chambers. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a 2019 Kansas Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;protected abortion rights and in August 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">voters rejected</a>&nbsp;a proposed change to the state constitution to overturn that decision and give lawmakers the power to greatly restrict or ban abortion.Supporters of the “born-alive infants protection” bill argued during a House debate Tuesday that the measure would survive a court challenge because it doesn't limit abortion itself. But a few Republicans touched on their moral opposition to abortion as a reason for backing the bill.“If you truly want to hold effective conversations about the indiscriminate and brutal acts of violence in our society today, we must teach others to hold life as precious and sacred," state Rep. Rebecca Schmoe, a Republican from northeastern Kansas, said during a debate Tuesday before voting for the bill Wednesday.Abortion providers and abortion rights advocates contend measures like the ones in Kansas and Montana are designed only to give abortion care a false and negative public image. They also argue that current state laws against homicide and child neglect, as well as laws on doctors’ duties, are sufficient to address any real problems.House passage sent the measure to the Senate, where GOP leaders have also signaled that they see it as a priority.“I pray for the day where we would stop killing our own children and ask God for forgiveness and mercy,” said southeastern Kansas Rep. Trevor Jacobs, explaining his “yes” vote along with six other GOP conservatives.Supporters of the bill portrayed it as saving infants born during unsuccessful or botched abortions. But it would apply to cases in which doctors induce labor to deliver a fetus that won't survive outside the womb, often because of a severe medical issue, with the expectation that the newborn will die within minutes or even seconds.Like the laws in the 18 other states, the Kansas measure would require the hospitalization of infants born during unsuccessful abortions and impose criminal penalties for doctors who don’t try to save them. In Kansas, failing to attempt to save such a newborn would be a felony, punishable by a year's probation for a first-time offender.“This bill takes away the right of a mother to make her own private medical decisions in the most complicated and heartbreaking of cases,” state Rep. Lindsay Vaughn, a Kansas City-area Democrat, said, explaining her “no” vote Wednesday. “This is a right the overwhelming majority of Kansans voted to protect.”Like most states, Kansas doesn’t collect data on births during induced abortion procedures.According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than 1% of the more than 600,000 abortions a year occur after the 21st week of pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says almost no fetuses are viable before the 23rd week of pregnancy.Kansas law bans most abortions after the 22nd week of pregnancy, and no abortions after that point have been reported since at least 2016.Zack Gingrich-Gaylord, a spokesperson for Wichita abortion clinic operator Trust Women, said the facility has never seen an abortion result in a live birth in the nearly 10 years the clinic has been open.“This is just this fantasy,” Gingrich-Gaylord said. “It’s simply not true that there’s any kind of danger of this happening.”Not providing this care after unsuccessful abortions was already outlawed under a 2002 U.S. law, but it doesn't contain criminal penalties. The Republican-led U.S. House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-us-republican-party-united-states-senate-cb608d31f591fd06ec2fd753f122f6cb">passed a measure</a>&nbsp;in January to add penalties, but it's not expected to pass the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate.Opponents also said if the legislation passes, doctors would be forced into futile and expensive attempts to prolong dying infants' lives, and those medical interventions would deny parents opportunities to hold dying babies and to say goodbye. The same argument was made ahead of Montana's vote.Such laws also don't tell doctors when they are allowed to stop medical interventions for a dying infant, said Hillary-Anne Crosby, who coordinated the campaign against Montana's proposed law. She said doctors would be forced to choose between medically appropriate care in line with a family's wishes and “safe” actions that avoid legal problems.Supporters of the Kansas bill rejected such arguments.State Rep. Leah Howell, a Wichita-area Republican who voted for the bill, said she had a baby die in the 20th week of pregnancy.“Believe me, when this bill came to my attention, the very first thing I checked for was that this law would allow moms to hold their dying babies in their arms and tell them they loved them and to say goodbye,” she said, her voice wavering.___

Kansas lawmakers near approval of 'born alive' abortion bill

ELLSWORTH COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 9:30a.m. Wednesday in Ellsworth County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Toyota Highlander driven by&nbsp; Donald J. Svita, 70, Pueblo, Colorado, was eastbound on Kansas 140 at Kansas 156, a mile and a half south of Ellsworth.

The driver failed to stop at the stop sign. A southbound 2006 Peterbilt semi driven by Luke W. Johnson, 39, Randolph, struck the SUV.

EMS transported both drivers to Ellsworth Medical Center where Svita was pronounced deceased. The drivers were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

ELLSWORTH COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 9:30a.m. Wednesday in Ellsworth County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Toyota Highlander driven by&nbsp; Donald J. Svita, 70, Pueblo, Colorado, was eastbound on Kansas 140 at Kansas 156, a mile and a half south of Ellsworth.The driver failed to stop at the stop sign. A southbound 2006 Peterbilt semi driven by Luke W. Johnson, 39, Randolph, struck the SUV.EMS transported both drivers to Ellsworth Medical Center where Svita was pronounced deceased. The drivers were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

Driver missed stop sign, dies after 2-vehicle Kan. crash

DENVER (AP) — A student shot and wounded two administrators at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teen-gun-violence-denver-march-20b6acfd88edbc6e5c949a08aba45941">Denver high school</a>&nbsp;Wednesday morning, after a handgun was found during a daily search of the boy that was being conducted because of behavioral issues, authorities said.

The 17-year-old suspect remained at large. Denver school officials, facing criticism over lax security, said they would put armed officers into the city's public high schools.

The shooting occurred at a school shaken by frequent lockdowns and violence, including the killing of a classmate that prompted East High School students to march on the Colorado Capitol earlier this month. Parents who converged on the 2,500-student campus on Wednesday faulted officials for not doing enough to protect their children.

“I am sick of it,” said Jesse Haase, who planned to talk with her daughter about taking her out of classes for the rest of the school year.

Police were searching for Austin Lyle for attempted homicide. The gun used in the shooting was not immediately recovered, Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said.

Police issued an alert linking Lyle to a red 2005 Volvo X90 with Colorado plates and offered a reward up to $2,000 for information on the case.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings">shooting</a>&nbsp;happened just before 10 a.m. in an office area as the student was undergoing a search as part of a “safety plan" that required him to be patted down daily, officials said.

One of the wounded administrators was released from the hospital Wednesday afternoon and the second remained in serious condition, said Heather Burke, a spokesperson for Denver Health hospital. Both victims are male.

Thomas said police know where Lyle lives and believed they would apprehend him.

"He obviously is armed and dangerous and willing to use the weapon, as we’ve learned this morning,” Denver Mayor Michael Hancock warned as law enforcement searched.

Hundreds of students on March 3 skipped class and marched in support of stricter gun laws following the death of Luis Garcia, 16, who was shot while sitting in a car near the school.

There were no school resource officers on campus at the time of Wednesday's shooting, Thomas said.

In June 2020, amid a summer of protests over racial injustice following the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-us-news-ap-top-news-hip-hop-and-rap-houston-a55d2662f200ead0da4fed9e923b60a7">murder of George Floyd</a>, Denver Public Schools became one of the districts around the US that decided to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-wisconsin-az-state-wire-racial-injustice-bc5b750085a89e03e132d7d3dda09a99">phase out its use of police officers in school buildings</a>. That push was fueled by criticism that school resource officers disproportionately arrested Black students, sweeping them into the criminal justice system.

After Wednesday's shooting, two armed officers will be posted at East High School and other city high schools also will each get an officer, said Denver Public Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero.

In a Wednesday letter to the city's Board of Education, Marrero said his decision would violate the district's policies. But Marrero added he “can no longer stand on the sidelines.”

“I am willing to accept the consequences of my actions,” he wrote. “I am the leader of this district who is charged with keeping our scholars and staff safe every day.”

Gun violence at schools has become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-health-texas-violence-928c177ee8e09b59507c88d9c5b6ce51">increasingly common</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. with more than 1,300 shootings recorded between 2000 and June 2022, according to researchers from the Naval Postgraduate School and Center for Homeland Defense and Security. Those shootings killed 377 people and wounded 1,025, according to a database maintained by the researchers.

Students from East High School had been scheduled to testify Wednesday afternoon before the Colorado Legislature on gun safety bills.

“This is the reality of being young in America: sitting through a shooting and waiting for information just hours before you’re scheduled to testify in support of gun safety bills,” said Gracie Taub, a 16-year-old East High School sophomore and volunteer with Students Demand Action in Colorado.

“Our school experience should not be completely shaped by gun violence,” she added.

Lyle had transferred to East High School after being disciplined and removed from a high school in nearby Aurora during last school year because of violations of school policies, Cherry Creek School District spokesperson Lauren Snell. She declined to specify the violations, citing student privacy.

Officials did not reveal why he was being searched daily.

Marrero said safety plans for students are enacted in response to “past educational and also behavioral experiences,” adding that it’s a common practice throughout Colorado’s public schools.

But daily pat downs are rare, said Matthew McClain with the Colorado School Counselor Association, and Franci Crepeau-Hobson, a University of Colorado Denver professor specializing in school violence prevention.

“Clearly they were concerned,” said Crepeau-Hobson. “I can’t imagine they’d do that if there wasn’t a history of the kid carrying a weapon for whatever reason.”

School safety plans are often imposed after students exhibit threatening or suicidal behavior, said Christine Harms, director of the Colorado School Safety Resource Center. A team that can include counselors, administrators and police officers assesses the possible threat and develops a safety plan, which can include mental health support, more supervision and searches, she said.

East High School, not far from downtown near a busy street that cuts through the city, was placed on lockdown as police investigated the shooting.

Hundreds of parents lined up along a road near the school, with the scene sealed off by police.

Some parents and students vented frustration over violence at the school as they surrounded the police chief. Others argued about the causes of the violence.

Thomas listened quietly, nodding and promising to engage with the school board.

At the edge of the crowd, a man said the city's school board members should be recalled for getting rid of police in school, telling a police officer nearby “I just want you to be able to do your job.”

Another man shouted that it was a problem of “evil in the world” while a girl responded that the violence wouldn’t happen if guns weren’t so easily available.

Parent Haase said her daughter, a senior, texted while hiding in a classroom with the lights off during the lockdown. Haase said lockdowns have happened too frequently at the school this year and she was frustrated.

Denver Public School confirmed the victims were administrators.

Wednesday was also the second anniversary of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/boulder-supermarket-shooting">10 people being shot and killed</a>&nbsp;at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she wasn’t sure whether President Joe Biden had been briefed on the school shooting, but said, “Our hearts go out to the families of the two school administrators in Denver today, and to the entire school community.”

She repeated Biden’s called for stricter gun laws, including bans on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines, and for Congress to “do something” on gun control.

DENVER (AP) — Two school administrators were shot Wednesday morning at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teen-gun-violence-denver-march-20b6acfd88edbc6e5c949a08aba45941">Denver high school</a>&nbsp;during a confrontation that occurred after a handgun was found on a student subjected to daily searches, authorities said.

The male, juvenile suspect remained at large and the gun was not immediately recovered following the shooting at East High School, Police Chief Ron Thomas said.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings">shooting</a>&nbsp;happened just before 10 a.m. in an area away from classrooms as the student was undergoing a search as part of a “safety plan" that required him to be patted down daily, officials said.

One of the administrators was critically injured and was undergoing surgery at an area hospital. The second victim was in stable condition, Thomas said. Both victims are male.

Thomas said police know the identity of the suspect and were confident they would apprehend him.

"He obviously is armed and dangerous and willing to use the weapon, as we’ve learned this morning,” Denver Mayor Michael Hancock warned as law enforcement searched for the suspect.

Earlier this month students from the school skipped class and marched to Colorado’s state Capitol to demand stricter gun laws, following the death of a fellow student who was shot while sitting in a car near the school, which has about 2,500 students.

There were no school resource officers on campus at the time of Wednesday's shooting, Thomas said. But following the shooting, Denver Public Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero said two armed officers will be posted at East High School through the end of the school year.

The suspect in Wednesday’s shooting had transferred to East High School from another district, Marrero said. Officials did not reveal why the student was being searched daily.

Parent Jess Haase said her daughter, a senior, texted while hiding in a classroom with the lights off during the lockdown. Haase said lockdowns have happened too frequently at the school this year and she was frustrated. She planned to talk to her daughter about taking her out of school for the rest of the school year.

DENVER (AP) — Two school administrators were shot on Wednesday morning at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teen-gun-violence-denver-march-20b6acfd88edbc6e5c949a08aba45941">Denver high school</a>&nbsp;after a handgun was found on a student subjected to daily searches, authorities said.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings">shooting</a>&nbsp;happened just before 10 a.m. in an area away from classrooms as the student was undergoing a daily search as part of a “safety plan,” officials said. One of the administrators was critically injured and was undergoing surgery at an area hospital. The second victim was in stable condition, Thomas said. Both victims are male.

"He obviously is armed and dangerous and willing to use the weapon, as we’ve learned this morning,” said Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, warning the community as they search for the suspect.

Earlier this month students from the school skipped class and marched to Colorado’s state Capitol to demand stricter gun laws, following the death of a fellow student who was shot while sitting in a car near the school.

School shootings have become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-health-texas-violence-928c177ee8e09b59507c88d9c5b6ce51">increasingly common</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. with 1,045 shootings recorded between 2000 and 2021, according to research from the Naval Postgraduate School and Center for Homeland Defense and Security. More than 300 people were killed and 450 injured in the shootings during that time.

The school, not far from downtown near a busy street that cuts through the city, was placed on lockdown as police investigated the shooting.

Some parents and students who gathered outside the school vented their frustration over violence at the school as they surrounded Thomas, the police chief.

Thomas listened quietly, nodding and promising to engage with the school board. One man shouted that it was a problem of “evil in the world” while a girl said the violence wouldn’t happen if guns weren’t so easily available. Another man lamented that the school should have a school resource officer.

Parent Jess Haase said her daughter, a senior, texted while hiding in her classroom with the lights off during the lockdown that followed the shooting.

Haase said the lockdowns have happened too frequently at the school this year and she was frustrated. She planned to talk to her daughter about taking her out of school for the coming weeks.

DENVER (AP) — Two school administrators were shot at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teen-gun-violence-denver-march-20b6acfd88edbc6e5c949a08aba45941">Denver high school</a>&nbsp;Wednesday morning after a handgun was found during a search of a student, authorities said.

The juvenile suspect remained at large and the gun was not immediately recovered following the shooting at East High School, Police Chief Ron Thomas said.

The shooting happened at around 10 a.m. in an area away from classrooms as the student was undergoing a daily search as part of a “safety plan,” officials said. One of the administrators was critically injured and is undergoing surgery. The second victim was in stable condition, Thomas said.

Police know the identity of the suspect and were confident they would apprehend him, he said.

Earlier this month students from the school skipped class and and marched to Colorado’s state Capitol to demand stricter gun laws, following the death of a fellow student who was shot while sitting in a car near the school.

The suspect in Wednesday's shooting had transferred to East High School from another district, Denver Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero said. Officials did not reveal why the student was subject to daily searches.

Police: Boy shoots 2 administrators at Denver high school

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/21/kansas-lawmaker-asks-for-security-during-anti-vaccination-bill-hearing-i-dont-feel-comfortable/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA
 —&nbsp; A lawmaker asked for security during a hearing on anti-vaccination 
legislation after one of the speakers asked Republicans to “follow their
 hearts.”

During a crowded Tuesday Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee hearing, audience members applauded proponents of a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb315/">wide-ranging vaccination exemption bill</a>,
 despite Committee chairwoman Sen. Beverly Gossage, R-Eudora, repeatedly
 reminding the audience they weren’t allowed to clap during testimony. 
Sen. Kristen O’Shea, a Topeka Republican, at one point said she didn’t 
feel comfortable in the room, which prompted outbursts and laughter.

&nbsp;The hearing lasted about half
 an hour, with Gossage asking speakers and lawmakers to keep comments 
brief.&nbsp; Several of the speakers, who said the bill would allow personal 
freedom and stop excessive governmental regulations,&nbsp; tried to speak 
over Gossage when she told them their testimony time had ended.

Lenexa resident Lauren Shiffman, who spoke in favor of the bill,&nbsp; 
said she had almost lost her job due to her anti-vaccination stance.

“I speak to the Republicans in this room, especially one over here, 
please follow your party,” Shiffman said, urging lawmakers to approve 
the bill.

“Let’s not do that,” Gossage said, telling the audience again to stop
 clapping after Shiffman’s speech. O’Shea then spoke up about her safety
 concerns.

Gossage tried to move on to the next proponent, but O’Shea interrupted the testimony to ask for security.

“We just don’t have time,” Gossage said, before having a reporter 
bring the security guard standing outside of the door inside the room.

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb315/">The bill in question </a>would
 require employers to grant exemptions from vaccine requirements without
 questioning the need for the exemption. Any immunization, vaccination, 
injection or series of injections meant to provide immunity against 
diseases would be included in the exemption list.&nbsp;

Kansas vaccine requirements are 
controlled at the state level. Despite a rising anti-vaccination 
movement, COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines have been repeatedly 
proven safe and effective.&nbsp;

Vaccine r<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/21272/2022-2023-School-Requirement-K-12-PDF">equirements in Kansas</a> for children attending school include shots for polio, hepatitis A and B, measles, mumps and rubella, among others.&nbsp;

Opponents of the legislation said the
 broadened vaccine exemption could have a damaging effect on Kansans’ 
health and cause an increase in infectious diseases. Geovannie Goné, who
 spoke on behalf of the Immunize Kansas Coalition, highlighted those who
 work with vulnerable populations, such as hospitalized people and young
 children.&nbsp;

“Consider the impacts on hospitals, 
long-term care, and our most vulnerable Kansans, especially for those at
 high risk for contracting and having complications from 
vaccine-preventable diseases,” Goné said.&nbsp;

Another part of the bill would repeal
 the meningitis vaccine requirement for students living in campus 
housing. Maternity centers, child care facilities and schools would also
 have to accept vaccine exemptions on the basis of religious beliefs 
without questioning the sincerity of the request.&nbsp;

When asked about security concerns in
 an interview following the hearing, Gossage said one of the speakers 
had come up to her in tears after the meeting, apologizing for not being
 calm. Gossage said she told the woman to apologize to O’Shea.&nbsp;

“She said ‘I lost my cool, I’m sorry,
 I should not have done that, I’m not like that.’ I said, ‘You need to 
go say that to Sen. O’Shea,’ ” Gossage said. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679496768844.png" alt="Sen. Beverly Gossage, committee chairwoman, commented on security concerns after a Tuesday, March 21, Senate committee hearing. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Beverly Gossage, committee chairwoman, commented on security concerns after a Tuesday, March 21, Senate committee hearing. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/21/kansas-lawmaker-asks-for-security-during-anti-vaccination-bill-hearing-i-dont-feel-comfortable/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA
 —&nbsp; A lawmaker asked for security during a hearing on anti-vaccination 
legislation after one of the speakers asked Republicans to “follow their
 hearts.”During a crowded Tuesday Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee hearing, audience members applauded proponents of a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb315/">wide-ranging vaccination exemption bill</a>,
 despite Committee chairwoman Sen. Beverly Gossage, R-Eudora, repeatedly
 reminding the audience they weren’t allowed to clap during testimony. 
Sen. Kristen O’Shea, a Topeka Republican, at one point said she didn’t 
feel comfortable in the room, which prompted outbursts and laughter.&nbsp;The hearing lasted about half
 an hour, with Gossage asking speakers and lawmakers to keep comments 
brief.&nbsp; Several of the speakers, who said the bill would allow personal 
freedom and stop excessive governmental regulations,&nbsp; tried to speak 
over Gossage when she told them their testimony time had ended.Lenexa resident Lauren Shiffman, who spoke in favor of the bill,&nbsp; 
said she had almost lost her job due to her anti-vaccination stance.“I speak to the Republicans in this room, especially one over here, 
please follow your party,” Shiffman said, urging lawmakers to approve 
the bill.“Let’s not do that,” Gossage said, telling the audience again to stop
 clapping after Shiffman’s speech. O’Shea then spoke up about her safety
 concerns.Gossage tried to move on to the next proponent, but O’Shea interrupted the testimony to ask for security.“We just don’t have time,” Gossage said, before having a reporter 
bring the security guard standing outside of the door inside the room.<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb315/">The bill in question </a>would
 require employers to grant exemptions from vaccine requirements without
 questioning the need for the exemption. Any immunization, vaccination, 
injection or series of injections meant to provide immunity against 
diseases would be included in the exemption list.&nbsp;Kansas vaccine requirements are 
controlled at the state level. Despite a rising anti-vaccination 
movement, COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines have been repeatedly 
proven safe and effective.&nbsp;Vaccine r<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/21272/2022-2023-School-Requirement-K-12-PDF">equirements in Kansas</a> for children attending school include shots for polio, hepatitis A and B, measles, mumps and rubella, among others.&nbsp;Opponents of the legislation said the
 broadened vaccine exemption could have a damaging effect on Kansans’ 
health and cause an increase in infectious diseases. Geovannie Goné, who
 spoke on behalf of the Immunize Kansas Coalition, highlighted those who
 work with vulnerable populations, such as hospitalized people and young
 children.&nbsp;“Consider the impacts on hospitals, 
long-term care, and our most vulnerable Kansans, especially for those at
 high risk for contracting and having complications from 
vaccine-preventable diseases,” Goné said.&nbsp;Another part of the bill would repeal
 the meningitis vaccine requirement for students living in campus 
housing. Maternity centers, child care facilities and schools would also
 have to accept vaccine exemptions on the basis of religious beliefs 
without questioning the sincerity of the request.&nbsp;When asked about security concerns in
 an interview following the hearing, Gossage said one of the speakers 
had come up to her in tears after the meeting, apologizing for not being
 calm. Gossage said she told the woman to apologize to O’Shea.&nbsp;“She said ‘I lost my cool, I’m sorry,
 I should not have done that, I’m not like that.’ I said, ‘You need to 
go say that to Sen. O’Shea,’ ” Gossage said.

Kan. senator asks for security during anti-vax bill hearing

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve extended its year-long fight against high inflation Wednesday by raising its key interest rate by a quarter-point despite concerns that higher borrowing rates could worsen the turmoil that has gripped the banking system.

“The U.S. banking system is sound and resilient,” the Fed said in a statement after its latest policy meeting ended.

At the same time, the Fed warned that the financial upheaval stemming from the collapse of two major banks is “likely to result in tighter credit conditions” and “weigh on economic activity, hiring and inflation.”

The central bank also signaled that it's likely nearing the end of its aggressive streak of rate hikes. In its statement, it removed language that had previously said it would keep raising rates at upcoming meetings. The statement now says “some additional policy firming may be appropriate” — a weaker commitment to future hikes.

And in a series of quarterly projections, the policymakers forecast that they expect to raise their key rate just once more — from its new level Wednesday of about 4.9% to 5.1%, the same peak level they had projected in December.

Still, in its latest statement, the Fed included some language that indicated its inflation fight remains far from complete. It noted that hiring is “running at a robust pace” and “inflation remains elevated.” It removed a phrase, “inflation has eased somewhat,” that it had included in its statement in February.

Speaking at a news conference Wednesday, Chair Jerome Powell said, “The process of getting inflation back down to 2% has a long way to go and is likely to be bumpy.”

The latest rate hike suggests that Powell is confident that the Fed can manage a dual challenge: Cool still-high inflation through higher loan rates&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-interest-rates-federal-reserve-banks-recession-232be412196916317f583f73445bd149">while defusing</a>&nbsp;turmoil in the banking sector through emergency lending programs and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-failure-deposits-fdic-8011ea377d8f9941032790ce1d704c5a">the Biden administration’s decision</a>&nbsp;to cover uninsured deposits at the two failed banks.

The Fed's signal that the end of its rate-hiking campaign is in sight may also soothe financial markets as they digest the consequences of the U.S. banking turmoil and the takeover last weekend of Credit Suisse by its larger rival UBS.

The central bank’s benchmark short-term rate has now reached its highest level in 16 years. The new level will likely lead to higher costs for many loans, from mortgages and auto purchases to credit cards and corporate borrowing. The succession of Fed rate hikes have also heightened the risk of a recession.

The Fed’s latest decision reflects an abrupt shift. Early this month, Powell had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-interest-rates-powell-unemployment-79b7ead4530ab381a17638a6c9df2d90">told a Senate panel that the Fed was considering</a>&nbsp;raising its rate by a substantial half-point. At the time, hiring and consumer spending had strengthened more than expected. Inflation data had also been revised higher.

The troubles that suddenly erupted in the banking sector two weeks ago likely led to the Fed’s decision to raise its benchmark rate by a quarter-point rather than a half-point. Some economists have cautioned that even a modest quarter-point rise in the Fed’s key rate, on top of its previous hikes, could imperil weaker banks whose nervous customers may decide to withdraw significant deposits.

Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank were both brought down, indirectly, by higher rates, which pummeled the value of the Treasurys and other bonds they owned. As depositors withdrew money en masse, the banks had to sell the bonds at a loss to pay the depositors. They couldn't raise enough cash to do so.

After the fall of the two banks, Credit Suisse was taken over by UBS. Another struggling bank, First Republic, has received large deposits from its rivals in a show of support, though its share price plunged Monday before stabilizing.

The Fed is deciding, in effect, to treat inflation and financial turmoil as distinct problems, to be managed simultaneously by separate tools: Higher rates to tame inflation and greater Fed lending to banks to calm financial turmoil.

The Fed, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and Treasury Department agreed to insure all the deposits at Silicon Valley and Signature, including accounts that exceed the $250,000 limit. The Fed also created a new lending program to ensure that banks can access cash to repay depositors, if needed.

But economists warn that many mid-size and small banks, to conserve capital, will likely become more cautious in their lending. A tightening of bank credit could, in turn, reduce business spending on new software, equipment and buildings. It could make it harder for consumers to obtain auto or other loans.

Some economists worry that such a slowdown in lending could be enough to tip the economy into recession. Wall Street traders are betting that a weaker economy will force the Fed to start cutting rates this summer.

The Fed would likely welcome slower growth, which would help cool inflation. But few economists are sure what the effects would be of a pullback in bank lending.

Other major central banks are also seeking to tame high inflation without worsening the financial instability caused by the two U.S. bank collapses and the hasty sale of Credit Suisse to UBS. Even with the anxieties surrounding the global banking system, for instance, the Bank of England faces pressure to approve an 11th straight rate hike Thursday with annual inflation having reached 10.4%.

And the European Central Bank, saying Europe’s banking sector was resilient, last week raised its benchmark rate by a half point to combat inflation of 8.5%. At the same time, the ECB president, Christine Lagarde, has shifted to an open-ended stance regarding further rate increases

In the United States, most recent data still points to a solid economy and strong hiring. Employers added a robust 311,000 jobs in February. And while the unemployment rate rose, from 3.4% to a still-low 3.6%, that mostly reflected an influx of new job-seekers who were not immediately hired. In its latest quarterly projections, the Fed predicts that the unemployment rate will rise from its current 3.6% to 4.5% by year's end.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve extended its year-long fight against high inflation Wednesday by raising its key interest rate by a quarter-point despite concerns that higher borrowing rates could worsen the turmoil that has gripped the banking system.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/colbyLsmith?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@colbyLsmith</a>: &quot;Given all of the stress and the uncertainty that you&#39;ve also alluded to in this statement, how seriously was a pause considered for this meeting?&quot; Fed Chair Powell: &quot;We did consider that in the days running up to the meeting...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/H6OunkQKW5">pic.twitter.com/H6OunkQKW5</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1638614903610126336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“The U.S. banking system is sound and resilient,” the Fed said in a statement after its latest policy meeting ended.At the same time, the Fed warned that the financial upheaval stemming from the collapse of two major banks is “likely to result in tighter credit conditions” and “weigh on economic activity, hiring and inflation.”The central bank also signaled that it's likely nearing the end of its aggressive streak of rate hikes. In its statement, it removed language that had previously said it would keep raising rates at upcoming meetings. The statement now says “some additional policy firming may be appropriate” — a weaker commitment to future hikes.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Fed Chair Powell: &quot;Inflation remains too high and the labor market continues to be very tight...The process of getting inflation back down to 2% has a long way to go and is likely to be bumpy...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GCtWbhvQ5j">pic.twitter.com/GCtWbhvQ5j</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1638614837369380876?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>And in a series of quarterly projections, the policymakers forecast that they expect to raise their key rate just once more — from its new level Wednesday of about 4.9% to 5.1%, the same peak level they had projected in December.Still, in its latest statement, the Fed included some language that indicated its inflation fight remains far from complete. It noted that hiring is “running at a robust pace” and “inflation remains elevated.” It removed a phrase, “inflation has eased somewhat,” that it had included in its statement in February.Speaking at a news conference Wednesday, Chair Jerome Powell said, “The process of getting inflation back down to 2% has a long way to go and is likely to be bumpy.”The latest rate hike suggests that Powell is confident that the Fed can manage a dual challenge: Cool still-high inflation through higher loan rates&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-interest-rates-federal-reserve-banks-recession-232be412196916317f583f73445bd149">while defusing</a>&nbsp;turmoil in the banking sector through emergency lending programs and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-failure-deposits-fdic-8011ea377d8f9941032790ce1d704c5a">the Biden administration’s decision</a>&nbsp;to cover uninsured deposits at the two failed banks.The Fed's signal that the end of its rate-hiking campaign is in sight may also soothe financial markets as they digest the consequences of the U.S. banking turmoil and the takeover last weekend of Credit Suisse by its larger rival UBS.The central bank’s benchmark short-term rate has now reached its highest level in 16 years. The new level will likely lead to higher costs for many loans, from mortgages and auto purchases to credit cards and corporate borrowing. The succession of Fed rate hikes have also heightened the risk of a recession.The Fed’s latest decision reflects an abrupt shift. Early this month, Powell had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-interest-rates-powell-unemployment-79b7ead4530ab381a17638a6c9df2d90">told a Senate panel that the Fed was considering</a>&nbsp;raising its rate by a substantial half-point. At the time, hiring and consumer spending had strengthened more than expected. Inflation data had also been revised higher.The troubles that suddenly erupted in the banking sector two weeks ago likely led to the Fed’s decision to raise its benchmark rate by a quarter-point rather than a half-point. Some economists have cautioned that even a modest quarter-point rise in the Fed’s key rate, on top of its previous hikes, could imperil weaker banks whose nervous customers may decide to withdraw significant deposits.Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank were both brought down, indirectly, by higher rates, which pummeled the value of the Treasurys and other bonds they owned. As depositors withdrew money en masse, the banks had to sell the bonds at a loss to pay the depositors. They couldn't raise enough cash to do so.After the fall of the two banks, Credit Suisse was taken over by UBS. Another struggling bank, First Republic, has received large deposits from its rivals in a show of support, though its share price plunged Monday before stabilizing.The Fed is deciding, in effect, to treat inflation and financial turmoil as distinct problems, to be managed simultaneously by separate tools: Higher rates to tame inflation and greater Fed lending to banks to calm financial turmoil.The Fed, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and Treasury Department agreed to insure all the deposits at Silicon Valley and Signature, including accounts that exceed the $250,000 limit. The Fed also created a new lending program to ensure that banks can access cash to repay depositors, if needed.But economists warn that many mid-size and small banks, to conserve capital, will likely become more cautious in their lending. A tightening of bank credit could, in turn, reduce business spending on new software, equipment and buildings. It could make it harder for consumers to obtain auto or other loans.Some economists worry that such a slowdown in lending could be enough to tip the economy into recession. Wall Street traders are betting that a weaker economy will force the Fed to start cutting rates this summer.The Fed would likely welcome slower growth, which would help cool inflation. But few economists are sure what the effects would be of a pullback in bank lending.Other major central banks are also seeking to tame high inflation without worsening the financial instability caused by the two U.S. bank collapses and the hasty sale of Credit Suisse to UBS. Even with the anxieties surrounding the global banking system, for instance, the Bank of England faces pressure to approve an 11th straight rate hike Thursday with annual inflation having reached 10.4%.And the European Central Bank, saying Europe’s banking sector was resilient, last week raised its benchmark rate by a half point to combat inflation of 8.5%. At the same time, the ECB president, Christine Lagarde, has shifted to an open-ended stance regarding further rate increasesIn the United States, most recent data still points to a solid economy and strong hiring. Employers added a robust 311,000 jobs in February. And while the unemployment rate rose, from 3.4% to a still-low 3.6%, that mostly reflected an influx of new job-seekers who were not immediately hired. In its latest quarterly projections, the Fed predicts that the unemployment rate will rise from its current 3.6% to 4.5% by year's end.

🎥 Fed raises key interest rate again despite bank turmoil

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;Health reported 1,290&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">&nbsp;new</a> <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">coronavirus cases</a> in Kansas from March 15, to March 22, for a total of 940,526 cases.&nbsp;&nbsp;The state reported 1,366 cases the previous week.

On Wednesday, <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">the state reported&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;16 additional COVID-19 deaths since the report on March 8, for a total of 10,112 since the state started reporting COVID illness and deaths.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;about the COVID-19 vaccine.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">Click here</a>&nbsp;for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.

Kansas provides fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly formally declared that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.&nbsp;The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

The state continues to support access to free COVID-19 testing, works to ensure that vulnerable populations can get vaccinated, see that providers serve a broad population and give “comprehensive guidance” about the virus. She called the new phase “endemic normalcy.”

The health department updates data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;Health reported 1,290&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">&nbsp;new</a> <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">coronavirus cases</a> in Kansas from March 15, to March 22, for a total of 940,526 cases.&nbsp;&nbsp;The state reported 1,366 cases the previous week.On Wednesday, <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">the state reported&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;16 additional COVID-19 deaths since the report on March 8, for a total of 10,112 since the state started reporting COVID illness and deaths.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">Click here</a>&nbsp;for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.Kansas provides fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly formally declared that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.&nbsp;The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.The state continues to support access to free COVID-19 testing, works to ensure that vulnerable populations can get vaccinated, see that providers serve a broad population and give “comprehensive guidance” about the virus. She called the new phase “endemic normalcy.”The health department updates data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

KDHE reports drop in COVID cases; 16 more deaths

COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal accident that occurred just after 11p.m. Saturday Feb. 18, in Cowley County have identified the driver as 42-year-old Joshua Young of Winfield, according to Trooper Chad Crittenden.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1995 Chevy Camaro was eastbound on 33rd Avenue at Meadowlark in Winfield. The car crossed the centerline, left the roadway, rolled and struck a telephone pole.

A passenger in the car Nicholas R. Morris, 27, Arkansas City, was pronounced dead at the scene and transported Miles Mortuary. Young, the driver of the vehicle&nbsp; fled the scene of the accident. The KHP has been working with the Cowley County District Attorneys Office and charges are pending until the investigation is completed.

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=62017">&nbsp;Young&nbsp; is in custody</a>&nbsp;in Sedgwick County on unrelated requested charges of failure to comply and failure to appear, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679343445465.png" alt="Young-photo Cowley County" />
 <figcaption>Young-photo Cowley County</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal accident that occurred just after 11p.m. Saturday Feb. 18, in Cowley County have identified the driver as 42-year-old Joshua Young of Winfield, according to Trooper Chad Crittenden.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1995 Chevy Camaro was eastbound on 33rd Avenue at Meadowlark in Winfield. The car crossed the centerline, left the roadway, rolled and struck a telephone pole.A passenger in the car Nicholas R. Morris, 27, Arkansas City, was pronounced dead at the scene and transported Miles Mortuary. Young, the driver of the vehicle&nbsp; fled the scene of the accident. The KHP has been working with the Cowley County District Attorneys Office and charges are pending until the investigation is completed. <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=62017">&nbsp;Young&nbsp; is in custody</a>&nbsp;in Sedgwick County on unrelated requested charges of failure to comply and failure to appear, according to online jail records.

KHP IDs driver who fled from fatal crash

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

SALINA —Police arrested four teens Tuesday afternoon in connection to a break-in at a former southwest Salina family fun center.

Just after 4p.m., officers were sent to Jumpin' Joes Family Fun Center, 1634 Sunflower Road in Salina after the report of four juveniles breaking into the closed facility, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.

Officers three 16-year-olds and a 15-year-old. Two of the boys allegedly were found inside and two outside.

The gate on the east side of the property was open and a door on the east side of the building had a window broken out. Officers also discovered that the 15-year-old and one of the 16-year-olds had gone to the facility and allegedly broken the window. They then left to pick up the other two 16-year-olds and had returned shortly before police arrived.

The boys were released to their parents and referred to juvenile court on the following requested charges.&nbsp;Two of the 16-year-old boy faces requested charges of trespassing and interference with law enforcement officers.

The 15-year-old and the other 16-year-old faces requested charges of damage to property, three counts of trespassing.

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostSALINA —Police arrested four teens Tuesday afternoon in connection to a break-in at a former southwest Salina family fun center.Just after 4p.m., officers were sent to Jumpin' Joes Family Fun Center, 1634 Sunflower Road in Salina after the report of four juveniles breaking into the closed facility, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.Officers three 16-year-olds and a 15-year-old. Two of the boys allegedly were found inside and two outside.The gate on the east side of the property was open and a door on the east side of the building had a window broken out. Officers also discovered that the 15-year-old and one of the 16-year-olds had gone to the facility and allegedly broken the window. They then left to pick up the other two 16-year-olds and had returned shortly before police arrived.The boys were released to their parents and referred to juvenile court on the following requested charges.&nbsp;Two of the 16-year-old boy faces requested charges of trespassing and interference with law enforcement officers.The 15-year-old and the other 16-year-old faces requested charges of damage to property, three counts of trespassing.

4 teens caught during break-in at former Salina fun center

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a death at the city’s homeless camp site.

Just after 8 pm Tuesday, the Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical. First responders found the 36-year-old female unresponsive inside a tent, beyond life-saving measures, according to police spokesperson Laura McCabe.

Investigators are working to determine if there are any indications that a crime occurred. There are no immediate signs of foul play.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a death at the city’s homeless camp site.Just after 8 pm Tuesday, the Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical. First responders found the 36-year-old female unresponsive inside a tent, beyond life-saving measures, according to police spokesperson Laura McCabe.Investigators are working to determine if there are any indications that a crime occurred. There are no immediate signs of foul play.

Police investigate death of woman at Kansas homeless camp

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted suspect after a high speed chase.

Just before noon Tuesday, deputies initiated a pursuit of a Dodge Caravan that was reported driving recklessly and matched the description of a van that fled from Lawrence Police twice earlier including allegedly leaving the scene of a vehicle crash, according to police spokesperson Laura McCabe.

Deputies pursued the van from the city limits in North Lawrence, north on&nbsp; Highway 59 at speeds of 90 mph in oncoming traffic. Deputies then used a vehicle intervention maneuver to force the van into a field near Midland Junction.&nbsp; 

Deputies took the driver into custody on requested charges related to the chase and a Missouri warrant.&nbsp; Deputies did not release the name of the suspect.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted suspect after a high speed chase.Just before noon Tuesday, deputies initiated a pursuit of a Dodge Caravan that was reported driving recklessly and matched the description of a van that fled from Lawrence Police twice earlier including allegedly leaving the scene of a vehicle crash, according to police spokesperson Laura McCabe.Deputies pursued the van from the city limits in North Lawrence, north on&nbsp; Highway 59 at speeds of 90 mph in oncoming traffic. Deputies then used a vehicle intervention maneuver to force the van into a field near Midland Junction.&nbsp; Deputies took the driver into custody on requested charges related to the chase and a Missouri warrant.&nbsp; Deputies did not release the name of the suspect.

Wanted suspect jailed in Kan. after 90mph chase in oncoming traffic

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon is speeding up its delivery of Abrams tanks to Ukraine, opting to send a refurbished older model that can be ready faster, with the aim of getting the 70-ton battle powerhouses to the war zone by the fall, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

The original plan was to send Ukraine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-military-technology-germany-7b63726a3935da3f03424e98e52a85b2">31 of the newer M1A2 Abrams</a>, which could have taken a year or two to build and ship. But officials said the decision was made to send the older M1A1 version, which can be taken from Army stocks. Officials said the M1A1 also will be easier for Ukrainian forces to learn to use and maintain as they fight&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the invading Russian forces</a>.

“This is about getting this important combat capability into the hands of the Ukrainians sooner rather than later,” said Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary.

The Biden administration announced in January that it would send the tanks to Ukraine — after insisting for months that they were too complicated and too hard to maintain and repair. The decision was part of a broader political maneuver that opened the door for Germany to announce it would send its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-german-tanks-435da2221bf452a8aae9d2e58d23acae">Leopard 2 tanks</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine and allow Poland and other allies to do the same.

Speaking at a Pentagon press conference, Ryder said the tanks will be refurbished and refitted to make them combat ready for Ukraine. He declined to say where that work will be done.

It's unclear how soon the U.S. would begin training Ukrainian forces on how to use, maintain and repair the tanks. The intention would be to have the training of the troops coincide with the refurbishment of the tanks, so that both would be ready for battle at the same time later this year, said U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not publicly provided. The Pentagon will also have to ensure that Ukrainian forces have an adequate supply chain for all the parts needed to keep the tanks running.

The Russian and Ukrainian forces have been largely in a stalemate, trading small slices of land over the winter. The fiercest battles have been in the eastern Donetsk region, where Russia is struggling to encircle the city of Bakhmut in the face of dogged Ukrainian defense. But both sides are expected to launch more intensive offensives in the spring.

Asked about the timing of the tanks' arrival, Ryder said the Abrams are part of the medium- and longer-term military support the U.S. is providing to Ukraine. He said that as Ukrainian forces take or retake territory, they will also need to sustain those gains and deter Russia from regaining any footholds.

During&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-military-technology-business-55e3f4ef1696ca381e069883d5836399">a visit to a tank plant in Lima, Ohio,</a>&nbsp;in February, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth met with officials there at length to determine the best options for getting the tanks to Ukraine.

“Part of it is figuring out — among the different options — what’s the best one that can allow us to get the Ukrainians tanks in as timely a fashion as we can,” without disrupting foreign military sales, Wormuth said at the time.

Officials at the plant, which is owned by the Army and operated by Reston, Virginia-based General Dynamics, said production totals can vary, based on contract demands. And while they are currently building 15-20 armored vehicles per month, including tanks, they can easily boost that to 33 a month and could add another shift of workers and build even more if needed.

Development of tanks for Ukraine would have to be squeezed in between the current contracts for foreign sales, which include 250 of the newest versions for Poland and about 75 for Australia. During Wormuth’s tour of the plant, workers were preparing to build an updated version of the vehicle for Poland.

Ukrainian leaders have persistently pressed for the Abrams, which first deployed to war in 1991 and has thick armor, a 120 mm main gun, armor-piercing capabilities and advanced targeting systems. It runs on thick tracked wheels and has a 1,500-horsepower turbine engine with a top speed of about 42 miles per hour (68 kilometers per hour).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679445740889.png" alt="The Defense Department announced Tuesday it will send tanks similar to the M1A1s used in this 2015 training exercise to Ukraine by the fall-photo Defense Dept." />
 <figcaption>The Defense Department announced Tuesday it will send tanks similar to the M1A1s used in this 2015 training exercise to Ukraine by the fall-photo Defense Dept.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon is speeding up its delivery of Abrams tanks to Ukraine, opting to send a refurbished older model that can be ready faster, with the aim of getting the 70-ton battle powerhouses to the war zone by the fall, the Pentagon said Tuesday.The original plan was to send Ukraine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-military-technology-germany-7b63726a3935da3f03424e98e52a85b2">31 of the newer M1A2 Abrams</a>, which could have taken a year or two to build and ship. But officials said the decision was made to send the older M1A1 version, which can be taken from Army stocks. Officials said the M1A1 also will be easier for Ukrainian forces to learn to use and maintain as they fight&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the invading Russian forces</a>.“This is about getting this important combat capability into the hands of the Ukrainians sooner rather than later,” said Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary.The Biden administration announced in January that it would send the tanks to Ukraine — after insisting for months that they were too complicated and too hard to maintain and repair. The decision was part of a broader political maneuver that opened the door for Germany to announce it would send its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-german-tanks-435da2221bf452a8aae9d2e58d23acae">Leopard 2 tanks</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine and allow Poland and other allies to do the same.Speaking at a Pentagon press conference, Ryder said the tanks will be refurbished and refitted to make them combat ready for Ukraine. He declined to say where that work will be done.It's unclear how soon the U.S. would begin training Ukrainian forces on how to use, maintain and repair the tanks. The intention would be to have the training of the troops coincide with the refurbishment of the tanks, so that both would be ready for battle at the same time later this year, said U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not publicly provided. The Pentagon will also have to ensure that Ukrainian forces have an adequate supply chain for all the parts needed to keep the tanks running.The Russian and Ukrainian forces have been largely in a stalemate, trading small slices of land over the winter. The fiercest battles have been in the eastern Donetsk region, where Russia is struggling to encircle the city of Bakhmut in the face of dogged Ukrainian defense. But both sides are expected to launch more intensive offensives in the spring.Asked about the timing of the tanks' arrival, Ryder said the Abrams are part of the medium- and longer-term military support the U.S. is providing to Ukraine. He said that as Ukrainian forces take or retake territory, they will also need to sustain those gains and deter Russia from regaining any footholds.During&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-military-technology-business-55e3f4ef1696ca381e069883d5836399">a visit to a tank plant in Lima, Ohio,</a>&nbsp;in February, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth met with officials there at length to determine the best options for getting the tanks to Ukraine.“Part of it is figuring out — among the different options — what’s the best one that can allow us to get the Ukrainians tanks in as timely a fashion as we can,” without disrupting foreign military sales, Wormuth said at the time.Officials at the plant, which is owned by the Army and operated by Reston, Virginia-based General Dynamics, said production totals can vary, based on contract demands. And while they are currently building 15-20 armored vehicles per month, including tanks, they can easily boost that to 33 a month and could add another shift of workers and build even more if needed.Development of tanks for Ukraine would have to be squeezed in between the current contracts for foreign sales, which include 250 of the newest versions for Poland and about 75 for Australia. During Wormuth’s tour of the plant, workers were preparing to build an updated version of the vehicle for Poland.Ukrainian leaders have persistently pressed for the Abrams, which first deployed to war in 1991 and has thick armor, a 120 mm main gun, armor-piercing capabilities and advanced targeting systems. It runs on thick tracked wheels and has a 1,500-horsepower turbine engine with a top speed of about 42 miles per hour (68 kilometers per hour).

US to accelerate delivery of tanks to Ukraine

RICE COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Tuesday in Rice County.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574443414576.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>RICE COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Tuesday in Rice County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Hyundai Pallisade driven by Hua Lin, 33, Wichita, was westbound on Avenue Q five miles north of SterlingThe driver failed to stop at a posted stop sign at Kansas 14 and collided with a northbound 2017 Ford Focus driven by Christy A. Morrison, 50, Lyons. Both vehicles came to rest in the Northwest ditch.EMS transported Morrison to a hospital in Wichita and a passenger in the Ford Christopher A. Morrison, 60, Lyons, to Lyons Medical Center where he was pronounce deceased.&nbsp;Lin and a passenger in the Hyundai were not injured. All four were properly restrained, according to the KHP.