BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — The dashcam video captured a horrific scene: a Kansas sheriff’s deputy in a patrol truck mowing down a Black man who was running, shirtless, across a field in the summer darkness after fleeing a traffic stop.

Lionel Womack — a 35-year-old former police detective from Kansas City, Kansas — alleges in a excessive force lawsuit filed Thursday that he sustained serious injuries when Kiowa County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremy Rodriguez intentionally drove over him during the Aug. 15 encounter.

Womack said in a statement that he hadn’t been speeding nor was he under the influence of anything when he was initially pulled over. His driver’s license, insurance and registration were up to date.

“When the first officer turned his lights on, I pulled over and complied ... exactly as you’re supposed to. But when three additional vehicles pulled up quickly and started to surround my car, I freaked out. That’s when I took off, it was a ‘fight or flight’ moment and I was going to live,” he said. “I felt like I was in danger. This was out in the country, late at night, and it was dark. So I ran for my life. That’s what you see in the dashcam video. I’m running in an open field, and I’m scared.”

The graphic video is at the crux of the federal civil rights case filed by attorney Michael Kuckelman against the deputy in U.S. District Court in Kansas. The lawsuit argues that Rodriguez used excessive force and was “callously indifferent” to Womack’s civil rights.

Womack had left the police department earlier in August with hopes of growing his own security business. He was on his way back home from a business trip to California when a Kansas Highway Patrol officer in western Kansas initiated a chase over “an alleged traffic violation,” according to the lawsuit. Sheriff’s deputies from Pratt County and Kiowa County joined in the chase.

The car chase eventually ended on a dirt road, and Womack took off on foot across a nearby farm field.

The dashcam footage from a Pratt County sheriff’s deputy’s vehicle shows Rodriguez using his patrol truck to catch up to Womack, who was unarmed.

Rodriguez swerves his truck to hit Womack, knocking him to the ground and running over him. Womack rolls out from under the truck, his arms and legs flailing on the ground as someone on the video shouts, “lie down, lie down.” A deputy in the second patrol truck can be heard uttering an expletive as he watches what is happening.

Womack alleges in his lawsuit that he sustained serious injuries to his back, pelvis and thigh as well as to his right knee, ankle and foot.

“The dashcam video is disturbing,” Kuckelman said. “It is impossible to watch a video of a deputy driving his truck over Mr. Womack without feeling sick. There was nowhere for Mr. Womack to go. It was an open field, and he was trapped, yet the deputy drove his truck over him anyway.”

Neither Kiowa County Sheriff Chris Tedder nor his attorney has responded to Associated Press requests for comment. No one has explained why Rodriguez chose to run Womack down. The deputy’s race is unclear.

Kuckelman urged Tedder in person and in letters to fire Rodriguez, and the sheriff has refused. Rodriguez remains on patrol. Kuckelman also wants Rodriguez charged criminally and has accused the sheriff of engaging in a coverup of the deputy’s conduct.

Four months later, Womack remains jailed on felony charges of attempting to elude a law enforcement officer by engaging in reckless driving and interference with a law enforcement officer. Court records show he is also charged with several misdemeanor traffic citations, including failure to drive in the right lane on a four-lane highway, improper signal and driving without headlights.

Zee Womack said her husband is still in jail because of an unrelated extradition request from Oklahoma. Online court records show Lionel Womack was charged in Texas County, Oklahoma, with endangering others while eluding or attempting to elude police on Aug. 12, just days before his encounter with law enforcement officers in Kansas.

The records show Womack was arrested by a police officer in the town of Tyrone, less than five miles south of the Kansas state line.

Womack comes from a law enforcement family. His wife and his mother are police officers with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department. His stepfather retired from police work as a sergeant there. Two aunts are police dispatchers.

Zee Womack watched the video of her husband being run over for the first time on Wednesday, replaying it four times as she struggled to understand why the deputy felt justified in using such force. Her husband is lucky to be alive, she said.

“I am a police officer as well, and I feel like especially right now it is a really difficult time to be a police officer. We don’t always get the support, I guess, that would be helpful in this occupation,” she said shortly after watching the video. “And this makes it a lot more difficult to be an officer.”

An officer who is capable of making decisions like that, she said, should not have a badge.

“To me it showed a blatant disregard for human life,” she said. Zee Womack filed a federal lawsuit last year alleging “rampant racism and sexism” in the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department.

Lionel Womack said in his statement that most police officers are good and that he believes in the “blue brotherhood.”

“But we have to hold law enforcement accountable when they cross the line,” he said “These rogue law enforcement officers give a bad name to the good officers, and we have to stop them. I never imagined that I would someday be the victim of excessive force by a fellow law enforcement officer. He could have easily killed me.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608224627585.png" alt="Image from the dashcam video / courtesy Attorney Michael Kuckelman" />
 <figcaption>Image from the dashcam video / courtesy Attorney Michael Kuckelman</figcaption>
 </figure>By ROXANA HEGEMANBELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — The dashcam video captured a horrific scene: a Kansas sheriff’s deputy in a patrol truck mowing down a Black man who was running, shirtless, across a field in the summer darkness after fleeing a traffic stop.Lionel Womack — a 35-year-old former police detective from Kansas City, Kansas — alleges in a excessive force lawsuit filed Thursday that he sustained serious injuries when Kiowa County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremy Rodriguez intentionally drove over him during the Aug. 15 encounter.Womack said in a statement that he hadn’t been speeding nor was he under the influence of anything when he was initially pulled over. His driver’s license, insurance and registration were up to date.“When the first officer turned his lights on, I pulled over and complied ... exactly as you’re supposed to. But when three additional vehicles pulled up quickly and started to surround my car, I freaked out. That’s when I took off, it was a ‘fight or flight’ moment and I was going to live,” he said. “I felt like I was in danger. This was out in the country, late at night, and it was dark. So I ran for my life. That’s what you see in the dashcam video. I’m running in an open field, and I’m scared.”The graphic video is at the crux of the federal civil rights case filed by attorney Michael Kuckelman against the deputy in U.S. District Court in Kansas. The lawsuit argues that Rodriguez used excessive force and was “callously indifferent” to Womack’s civil rights.Womack had left the police department earlier in August with hopes of growing his own security business. He was on his way back home from a business trip to California when a Kansas Highway Patrol officer in western Kansas initiated a chase over “an alleged traffic violation,” according to the lawsuit. Sheriff’s deputies from Pratt County and Kiowa County joined in the chase.The car chase eventually ended on a dirt road, and Womack took off on foot across a nearby farm field.The dashcam footage from a Pratt County sheriff’s deputy’s vehicle shows Rodriguez using his patrol truck to catch up to Womack, who was unarmed.Rodriguez swerves his truck to hit Womack, knocking him to the ground and running over him. Womack rolls out from under the truck, his arms and legs flailing on the ground as someone on the video shouts, “lie down, lie down.” A deputy in the second patrol truck can be heard uttering an expletive as he watches what is happening.Womack alleges in his lawsuit that he sustained serious injuries to his back, pelvis and thigh as well as to his right knee, ankle and foot.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608219106986.png" alt="Womack photo Pratt Co. jail" />
 <figcaption>Womack photo Pratt Co. jail</figcaption>
 </figure>“The dashcam video is disturbing,” Kuckelman said. “It is impossible to watch a video of a deputy driving his truck over Mr. Womack without feeling sick. There was nowhere for Mr. Womack to go. It was an open field, and he was trapped, yet the deputy drove his truck over him anyway.”Neither Kiowa County Sheriff Chris Tedder nor his attorney has responded to Associated Press requests for comment. No one has explained why Rodriguez chose to run Womack down. The deputy’s race is unclear.Kuckelman urged Tedder in person and in letters to fire Rodriguez, and the sheriff has refused. Rodriguez remains on patrol. Kuckelman also wants Rodriguez charged criminally and has accused the sheriff of engaging in a coverup of the deputy’s conduct.Four months later, Womack remains jailed on felony charges of attempting to elude a law enforcement officer by engaging in reckless driving and interference with a law enforcement officer. Court records show he is also charged with several misdemeanor traffic citations, including failure to drive in the right lane on a four-lane highway, improper signal and driving without headlights.Zee Womack said her husband is still in jail because of an unrelated extradition request from Oklahoma. Online court records show Lionel Womack was charged in Texas County, Oklahoma, with endangering others while eluding or attempting to elude police on Aug. 12, just days before his encounter with law enforcement officers in Kansas.The records show Womack was arrested by a police officer in the town of Tyrone, less than five miles south of the Kansas state line.Womack comes from a law enforcement family. His wife and his mother are police officers with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department. His stepfather retired from police work as a sergeant there. Two aunts are police dispatchers.Zee Womack watched the video of her husband being run over for the first time on Wednesday, replaying it four times as she struggled to understand why the deputy felt justified in using such force. Her husband is lucky to be alive, she said.“I am a police officer as well, and I feel like especially right now it is a really difficult time to be a police officer. We don’t always get the support, I guess, that would be helpful in this occupation,” she said shortly after watching the video. “And this makes it a lot more difficult to be an officer.”An officer who is capable of making decisions like that, she said, should not have a badge.“To me it showed a blatant disregard for human life,” she said. Zee Womack filed a federal lawsuit last year alleging “rampant racism and sexism” in the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department.Lionel Womack said in his statement that most police officers are good and that he believes in the “blue brotherhood.”“But we have to hold law enforcement accountable when they cross the line,” he said “These rogue law enforcement officers give a bad name to the good officers, and we have to stop them. I never imagined that I would someday be the victim of excessive force by a fellow law enforcement officer. He could have easily killed me.”

Federal lawsuit alleges Kan. deputy purposely ran over Black man

By NICK GOSNELL <a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch Post</a>

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt noted this week that criminal justice reform, as looked at by a commission in Kansas will have to start with focusing on changing the underlying behaviors of offenders.

"That means more focus on substance abuse treatment and intervention," Schmidt said. "A large percentage of criminal misconduct in our state, as around the country, is somehow connected to addiction to drugs, alcohol or other substances. Number two, you have to focus on mental health issues, because a similarly large percentage of criminal misconduct, has, at its root, mental health issues of the people who commit offenses."

It's also important to continue to provide structure for those who get out of prison, so that they are less likely to reoffend.

"Those really are the major things," Schmidt said. "They aren't easy. They aren't cheap. They aren't going away. I think it's good that this reform commission has reached what I think are the obvious conclusions that the way to fix the problem is to focus on the root of the problems."

It is traditional for the legislature to take a yearly look at reforming the criminal justice system. It's also important to note that this coming year will have quite a few new legislators,&nbsp;who may have their own ideas for what reform looks like.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583409290272.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By NICK GOSNELL <a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch Post</a>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt noted this week that criminal justice reform, as looked at by a commission in Kansas will have to start with focusing on changing the underlying behaviors of offenders."That means more focus on substance abuse treatment and intervention," Schmidt said. "A large percentage of criminal misconduct in our state, as around the country, is somehow connected to addiction to drugs, alcohol or other substances. Number two, you have to focus on mental health issues, because a similarly large percentage of criminal misconduct, has, at its root, mental health issues of the people who commit offenses."It's also important to continue to provide structure for those who get out of prison, so that they are less likely to reoffend."Those really are the major things," Schmidt said. "They aren't easy. They aren't cheap. They aren't going away. I think it's good that this reform commission has reached what I think are the obvious conclusions that the way to fix the problem is to focus on the root of the problems."It is traditional for the legislature to take a yearly look at reforming the criminal justice system. It's also important to note that this coming year will have quite a few new legislators,&nbsp;who may have their own ideas for what reform looks like.

Kan. AG: Criminal justice reform commission looked in right direction

As COVID-19 vaccinations roll out to more and more people, health authorities are keeping close watch for any unexpected side effects.

On Tuesday, a health worker in Alaska suffered a severe allergic reaction after receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. She is in the hospital for another night under observation while another worker, vaccinated Wednesday, has recovered. Doctors already knew to be on the lookout after Britain reported two similar cases last week.

In the U.S., vaccine recipients are supposed to hang around after the injection in case signs of an allergy appear and they need immediate treatment — exactly what happened when the health worker in Juneau became flushed and short of breath 10 minutes after the shot. The second worker experienced eye puffiness, light headedness and scratchy throat.

Allergies are always a question with a new medical product, but monitoring COVID-19 vaccines for any other, unexpected side effects is a bigger challenge than usual. It’s not just because so many people need to be vaccinated over the next year. Never before have so many vaccines made in different ways converged at the same time — and it’s possible that one shot option will come with different side effects than another.

The first vaccine beginning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-health-workers-coronavirus-vaccine-56df745388a9fc12ae93c6f9a0d0e81f">widespread use in the U.S</a>. and many Western countries, made by Pfizer Inc. and Germany’s BioNTech, and a second option&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-2nd-shot-us-af9bc295fa685aaa04e204e4db62e336">expected soon</a>&nbsp;from competitor Moderna Inc. both are made the same way. The Food and Drug Administration says huge studies of each have uncovered no major safety risks.

But the allergy concern “points out again the importance of real-time safety monitoring,” said Dr. Jesse Goodman of Georgetown University, a former FDA vaccine chief.

And authorities have multiple ways of tracking how people fare as these COVID-19 vaccines, and hopefully additional ones in coming months, get into more arms.

Getting either the Pfizer-BioNTech shot or the Moderna version can cause some temporary discomfort, just like many vaccines do.

In addition to a sore arm, people can experience a fever and some flu-like symptoms — fatigue, aches, chills, headache. They last about a day, sometimes bad enough that recipients miss work, and are more common after the second dose and in younger people.

These reactions are a sign that the immune system is revving up. COVID-19 vaccines tend to cause more of those reactions than a flu shot, about what people experience with shingles vaccinations. But some are similar to early coronavirus symptoms, one reason hospitals are staggering when their employees get vaccinated.

The FDA found no serious side effects in the tens of thousands enrolled in studies of the two vaccines.

Still, problems so rare they don’t occur in even very large studies sometimes crop up when a vaccine is used more widely and without the stringent rules of a clinical trial.

The first allergy reports from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uk-allergic-reaction-pfizer-vaccine-64ddccd70c38a39f880da27941db3540">England</a>&nbsp;were in people with a history of serious allergies, and British authorities warned those with severe prior experiences to hold off vaccination as they determine what ingredient might be a problem.

U.S. health authorities are giving more nuanced advice. People always are asked about allergies before vaccinations, and instructions for the Pfizer-BioNTech shot say avoid it if you’re severely allergic to one of its ingredients or had a severe reaction to a prior dose. Health workers can go over the ingredient list.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people to stick around for 15 minutes after vaccination, and those with a history of other allergies for 30 minutes, so they can be treated immediately if they have a reaction.

The Alaska health worker, who doctors said had no history of allergies, was following that advice and got prompt care for a particularly severe reaction called anaphylaxis. She has recovered after a night of observation in the hospital — but won’t be allowed a second vaccine dose.

Alaska doctors alerted U.S. authorities, who will continue the monitoring required to tell just how common this kind of reaction really is. That will be especially important as enough vaccine arrives for injections to be given outside of health care settings that have lots of experience handling this type of reaction.

“Balancing any potential risks with the benefits the vaccine provides in the pandemic is an ongoing process,” CDC’s Dr. Jay Butler cautioned Wednesday.

The challenge is telling whether the vaccine caused a health problem or if it’s coincidence. Don’t jump to conclusions that there’s a connection, health authorities stress.

The way to tell: Comparing any reports of possible side effects with data showing how often that same condition occurs routinely in the population.

The government has multiple ways to do that. Doctors are required to report any patient problems. But the FDA is scrutinizing massive databases of insurance claims for early red flags that any health problems are occurring more often in the newly vaccinated than everyone else.

On its list to check is Bell’s palsy, a temporary facial paralysis that occurred in a handful of people in both vaccine studies. The FDA said it’s probably coincidence, but will track to be sure.

Vaccine recipients can help with the extra safety tracking. Called “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/vsafe.html" target="_blank">v-safe</a>,” the program run by CDC automatically sends a daily text the first week after each vaccine dose asking how people feel, and then a weekly text for the next five weeks. Any responses that suggest concern prompt a phone call for further information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608072923749.png" alt="Vaccine arrival in Kansas earlier this week -photo courtesy office of Kansas Governor" />
 <figcaption>Vaccine arrival in Kansas earlier this week -photo courtesy office of Kansas Governor</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAURAN NEERGAARD, Associated PressAs COVID-19 vaccinations roll out to more and more people, health authorities are keeping close watch for any unexpected side effects.On Tuesday, a health worker in Alaska suffered a severe allergic reaction after receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. She is in the hospital for another night under observation while another worker, vaccinated Wednesday, has recovered. Doctors already knew to be on the lookout after Britain reported two similar cases last week.In the U.S., vaccine recipients are supposed to hang around after the injection in case signs of an allergy appear and they need immediate treatment — exactly what happened when the health worker in Juneau became flushed and short of breath 10 minutes after the shot. The second worker experienced eye puffiness, light headedness and scratchy throat.Allergies are always a question with a new medical product, but monitoring COVID-19 vaccines for any other, unexpected side effects is a bigger challenge than usual. It’s not just because so many people need to be vaccinated over the next year. Never before have so many vaccines made in different ways converged at the same time — and it’s possible that one shot option will come with different side effects than another.The first vaccine beginning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-health-workers-coronavirus-vaccine-56df745388a9fc12ae93c6f9a0d0e81f">widespread use in the U.S</a>. and many Western countries, made by Pfizer Inc. and Germany’s BioNTech, and a second option&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-2nd-shot-us-af9bc295fa685aaa04e204e4db62e336">expected soon</a>&nbsp;from competitor Moderna Inc. both are made the same way. The Food and Drug Administration says huge studies of each have uncovered no major safety risks.But the allergy concern “points out again the importance of real-time safety monitoring,” said Dr. Jesse Goodman of Georgetown University, a former FDA vaccine chief.And authorities have multiple ways of tracking how people fare as these COVID-19 vaccines, and hopefully additional ones in coming months, get into more arms.HOW WILL I FEEL AFTER VACCINATION?Getting either the Pfizer-BioNTech shot or the Moderna version can cause some temporary discomfort, just like many vaccines do.In addition to a sore arm, people can experience a fever and some flu-like symptoms — fatigue, aches, chills, headache. They last about a day, sometimes bad enough that recipients miss work, and are more common after the second dose and in younger people.These reactions are a sign that the immune system is revving up. COVID-19 vaccines tend to cause more of those reactions than a flu shot, about what people experience with shingles vaccinations. But some are similar to early coronavirus symptoms, one reason hospitals are staggering when their employees get vaccinated.WHAT ABOUT SERIOUS RISKS?The FDA found no serious side effects in the tens of thousands enrolled in studies of the two vaccines.Still, problems so rare they don’t occur in even very large studies sometimes crop up when a vaccine is used more widely and without the stringent rules of a clinical trial.The first allergy reports from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uk-allergic-reaction-pfizer-vaccine-64ddccd70c38a39f880da27941db3540">England</a>&nbsp;were in people with a history of serious allergies, and British authorities warned those with severe prior experiences to hold off vaccination as they determine what ingredient might be a problem.U.S. health authorities are giving more nuanced advice. People always are asked about allergies before vaccinations, and instructions for the Pfizer-BioNTech shot say avoid it if you’re severely allergic to one of its ingredients or had a severe reaction to a prior dose. Health workers can go over the ingredient list.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people to stick around for 15 minutes after vaccination, and those with a history of other allergies for 30 minutes, so they can be treated immediately if they have a reaction.The Alaska health worker, who doctors said had no history of allergies, was following that advice and got prompt care for a particularly severe reaction called anaphylaxis. She has recovered after a night of observation in the hospital — but won’t be allowed a second vaccine dose.Alaska doctors alerted U.S. authorities, who will continue the monitoring required to tell just how common this kind of reaction really is. That will be especially important as enough vaccine arrives for injections to be given outside of health care settings that have lots of experience handling this type of reaction.“Balancing any potential risks with the benefits the vaccine provides in the pandemic is an ongoing process,” CDC’s Dr. Jay Butler cautioned Wednesday.WHAT IF OTHER RISKS CROP UP?The challenge is telling whether the vaccine caused a health problem or if it’s coincidence. Don’t jump to conclusions that there’s a connection, health authorities stress.The way to tell: Comparing any reports of possible side effects with data showing how often that same condition occurs routinely in the population.The government has multiple ways to do that. Doctors are required to report any patient problems. But the FDA is scrutinizing massive databases of insurance claims for early red flags that any health problems are occurring more often in the newly vaccinated than everyone else.On its list to check is Bell’s palsy, a temporary facial paralysis that occurred in a handful of people in both vaccine studies. The FDA said it’s probably coincidence, but will track to be sure.Vaccine recipients can help with the extra safety tracking. Called “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/vsafe.html" target="_blank">v-safe</a>,” the program run by CDC automatically sends a daily text the first week after each vaccine dose asking how people feel, and then a weekly text for the next five weeks. Any responses that suggest concern prompt a phone call for further information.___

Health officials track safety as COVID-19 vaccines roll out

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita recorded this year's 56th homicide on Monday, one short of the record set in 1993. Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsay says the city is like many others across the country that have seen a sharp rise in violent crime this year. 

Ramsay attributes the increase to a variety of sources, including stress caused by the coronavirus pandemic, record levels of unemployment, COVID-19-related delays in court proceedings and an surge in gun violence. 

Ramsay said 42 of the deaths have been attributed to guns. Another 11 involved drugs and 12 were related to domestic violence. Wichita had 44 homicides in 2018 and 2019, which was the highest since 1995.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita recorded this year's 56th homicide on Monday, one short of the record set in 1993. Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsay says the city is like many others across the country that have seen a sharp rise in violent crime this year. Ramsay attributes the increase to a variety of sources, including stress caused by the coronavirus pandemic, record levels of unemployment, COVID-19-related delays in court proceedings and an surge in gun violence. Ramsay said 42 of the deaths have been attributed to guns. Another 11 involved drugs and 12 were related to domestic violence. Wichita had 44 homicides in 2018 and 2019, which was the highest since 1995.

Wichita on pace in 2020 to set record for homicides

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional negotiators are closing in on a $900 billion COVID-19 economic relief package that would deliver additional help to businesses, $300-per-week jobless checks and $600 stimulus payments to most Americans. But there was no deal quite yet.

The long-delayed measure was coming together as Capitol Hill combatants finally fashioned difficult compromises, often at the expense of more ambitious Democratic wishes for the legislation, to complete the second major relief package of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak">the coronavirus pandemic</a>.

A hoped-for announcement Wednesday failed to materialize as lawmakers across the spectrum hammered out details of the sprawling legislation and top negotiators continued to trade offers. But lawmakers briefed on the outlines of the aid bill freely shared them.

It’s the first significant legislative response to the pandemic since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2099a53bb8adf2def7ee7329ea322f9d">the landmark CARES Act</a>&nbsp;in March, which delivered $1.8 trillion in aid and more generous jobless benefits and direct payments to individuals. Since then, Democrats have repeatedly called for ambitious further federal steps to provide relief and battle the pandemic, while Republicans have sought to more fully reopen the economy and to avoid padding the government’s $27 trillion debt.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/electoral-college-confirm-joe-biden-win-2d4fd7368d8fd6cb47ff0b2cc206271a">President-elect Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;is eager for an aid package to prop up the economy and deliver direct aid to the jobless and hungry, even though the package falls short of what Democrats want. He called the emerging version “an important down payment” and promised more help next year.

Republicans, too, are anxious to approve some aid before going home for the year.

“We’re still close and we’re gonna get there,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky told reporters Wednesday evening as he left the Capitol. And during a Senate GOP lunchtime call a day earlier, party leaders stressed the importance of reaching an agreement before the upcoming Georgia Senate runoff election.

The details were still being worked out, but lawmakers in both parties said leaders had agreed on a top-line total of about $900 billion, with direct payments of perhaps $600 to most Americans and a $300-per-week bonus federal unemployment benefit to partially replace a $600-per-week benefit that expired this summer. It also includes the renewal of extra weeks of state unemployment benefits for the long-term jobless. More than $300 billion in subsidies for business, including a second round of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b0d2a36521f39010273317fa3562c2e4">“paycheck protection” payments</a>&nbsp;to especially hard-hit businesses, are locked in, as is $25 billion to help struggling renters with their payments and provide food aid and farm subsidies, and a $10 billion bailout for the Postal Service.

Democrats acknowledged that the removal of a $160 billion-or-so aid package for state and local governments whose budgets have been thrown out of balance by the pandemic was a bitter loss.

“It’s heartbreaking for us,” said Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, whose state has big fiscal problems.

The emerging package was serving as a magnet for adding on other items, and the two sides continued to swap offers. It was apparent that another temporary spending bill would be needed to prevent a government shutdown at midnight on Friday. That was likely to easily pass.

House lawmakers returned to Washington on Wednesday in hopes of a vote soon on the broader package, which would combine the COVID-19 relief with a $1.4 trillion governmentwide funding bill and a host of other remaining congressional business, including extending expiring tax breaks and passing other unfinished legislation.

Negotiations intensified on Tuesday after months of futility. Before the election, with Democrats riding high in the polls, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took a hard line for more aid. Now, McConnell is playing a strong hand after a better-than-expected performance in the elections limited GOP losses in Senate races.

The frightening, record surge in COVID caseloads and deaths, combined with troubling economic indicators, however, is mandating an agreement, though the emerging package contains less economic stimulus than the March aid bill.

“The case for fiscal policy right now is very, very strong,” Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell said Wednesday. “I think that is widely understood now. It’s a very positive thing that we may finally be getting that.”

McConnell successfully pushed to get Democrats to drop their much-sought $160 billion state and local government aid package while giving up a key priority of his own — a liability shield for businesses and other institutions like universities fearing COVID-19 lawsuits. Democrats cited other gains for states and localities in the emerging deal such as help for transit systems, schools and vaccine distribution.

The addition of the $600 direct payments came after recent endorsements from both President Donald Trump and progressives including Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who remains dissatisfied about the overall package.

“Everything that is in that package is vitally needed,” Sanders said Wednesday on MSNBC. “The problem is that it is a much smaller package than the country needs in this moment of economic desperation.”

A poisonous dynamic has long infected the negotiations, but the mood was businesslike in two meetings in Pelosi’s Capitol suite Tuesday that resulted in a burst of progress.

Pressure for a deal is intense. Unemployment benefits run out Dec. 26 for more than 10 million people. Many businesses are barely hanging on after nine months of the pandemic. And money is needed to distribute new vaccines that are finally offering hope for returning the country to a semblance of normalcy.

The looming agreement follows efforts by a bipartisan group of rank-and-file lawmakers to find middle ground between a $2.4 trillion House bill and a $500 billion GOP measure fashioned by McConnell.

Their $908 billion proposal has served as a template for the talks, although the bipartisan group, led by Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, favored aid to states and localities instead of another round of stimulus payments. The CARES Act provided for $1,200 payments per individual and $500 per child.

“I think that the work that our bipartisan group did really helped to stimulate this,” Collins said.

With Congress otherwise getting ready to close up shop, lawmakers are eager to use the relief package to carry other unfinished business.

A leading candidate is a 369-page water resources bill that targets $10 billion for 46 Army Corps of Engineers flood control, environmental, and coastal protection projects. Another potential addition would extend favorable tax treatment for “look through” entities of offshore subsidiaries of U.S. corporations. Meanwhile, thousands of craft brewers, wineries, and distillers are facing higher taxes in April if their tax break isn’t extended.

The end-of-session rush also promises relief for victims of shockingly steep surprise medical bills, a phenomenon that often occurs when providers drop out of insurance company networks. That measure, combined with an assortment of other health policy provisions, generates savings for federal funding for community health centers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608204783633.png" alt="Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell continues to say, "We're going to stay here until we get a COVID package no matter how long it takes, we’ll be here until we get a COVID package." " />
 <figcaption>Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell continues to say, "We're going to stay here until we get a COVID package no matter how long it takes, we’ll be here until we get a COVID package." </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional negotiators are closing in on a $900 billion COVID-19 economic relief package that would deliver additional help to businesses, $300-per-week jobless checks and $600 stimulus payments to most Americans. But there was no deal quite yet.The long-delayed measure was coming together as Capitol Hill combatants finally fashioned difficult compromises, often at the expense of more ambitious Democratic wishes for the legislation, to complete the second major relief package of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak">the coronavirus pandemic</a>.A hoped-for announcement Wednesday failed to materialize as lawmakers across the spectrum hammered out details of the sprawling legislation and top negotiators continued to trade offers. But lawmakers briefed on the outlines of the aid bill freely shared them.It’s the first significant legislative response to the pandemic since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2099a53bb8adf2def7ee7329ea322f9d">the landmark CARES Act</a>&nbsp;in March, which delivered $1.8 trillion in aid and more generous jobless benefits and direct payments to individuals. Since then, Democrats have repeatedly called for ambitious further federal steps to provide relief and battle the pandemic, while Republicans have sought to more fully reopen the economy and to avoid padding the government’s $27 trillion debt.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/electoral-college-confirm-joe-biden-win-2d4fd7368d8fd6cb47ff0b2cc206271a">President-elect Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;is eager for an aid package to prop up the economy and deliver direct aid to the jobless and hungry, even though the package falls short of what Democrats want. He called the emerging version “an important down payment” and promised more help next year.Republicans, too, are anxious to approve some aid before going home for the year.“We’re still close and we’re gonna get there,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky told reporters Wednesday evening as he left the Capitol. And during a Senate GOP lunchtime call a day earlier, party leaders stressed the importance of reaching an agreement before the upcoming Georgia Senate runoff election.The details were still being worked out, but lawmakers in both parties said leaders had agreed on a top-line total of about $900 billion, with direct payments of perhaps $600 to most Americans and a $300-per-week bonus federal unemployment benefit to partially replace a $600-per-week benefit that expired this summer. It also includes the renewal of extra weeks of state unemployment benefits for the long-term jobless. More than $300 billion in subsidies for business, including a second round of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b0d2a36521f39010273317fa3562c2e4">“paycheck protection” payments</a>&nbsp;to especially hard-hit businesses, are locked in, as is $25 billion to help struggling renters with their payments and provide food aid and farm subsidies, and a $10 billion bailout for the Postal Service.Democrats acknowledged that the removal of a $160 billion-or-so aid package for state and local governments whose budgets have been thrown out of balance by the pandemic was a bitter loss.“It’s heartbreaking for us,” said Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, whose state has big fiscal problems.The emerging package was serving as a magnet for adding on other items, and the two sides continued to swap offers. It was apparent that another temporary spending bill would be needed to prevent a government shutdown at midnight on Friday. That was likely to easily pass.House lawmakers returned to Washington on Wednesday in hopes of a vote soon on the broader package, which would combine the COVID-19 relief with a $1.4 trillion governmentwide funding bill and a host of other remaining congressional business, including extending expiring tax breaks and passing other unfinished legislation.Negotiations intensified on Tuesday after months of futility. Before the election, with Democrats riding high in the polls, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took a hard line for more aid. Now, McConnell is playing a strong hand after a better-than-expected performance in the elections limited GOP losses in Senate races.The frightening, record surge in COVID caseloads and deaths, combined with troubling economic indicators, however, is mandating an agreement, though the emerging package contains less economic stimulus than the March aid bill.“The case for fiscal policy right now is very, very strong,” Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell said Wednesday. “I think that is widely understood now. It’s a very positive thing that we may finally be getting that.”McConnell successfully pushed to get Democrats to drop their much-sought $160 billion state and local government aid package while giving up a key priority of his own — a liability shield for businesses and other institutions like universities fearing COVID-19 lawsuits. Democrats cited other gains for states and localities in the emerging deal such as help for transit systems, schools and vaccine distribution.The addition of the $600 direct payments came after recent endorsements from both President Donald Trump and progressives including Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who remains dissatisfied about the overall package.“Everything that is in that package is vitally needed,” Sanders said Wednesday on MSNBC. “The problem is that it is a much smaller package than the country needs in this moment of economic desperation.”A poisonous dynamic has long infected the negotiations, but the mood was businesslike in two meetings in Pelosi’s Capitol suite Tuesday that resulted in a burst of progress.Pressure for a deal is intense. Unemployment benefits run out Dec. 26 for more than 10 million people. Many businesses are barely hanging on after nine months of the pandemic. And money is needed to distribute new vaccines that are finally offering hope for returning the country to a semblance of normalcy.The looming agreement follows efforts by a bipartisan group of rank-and-file lawmakers to find middle ground between a $2.4 trillion House bill and a $500 billion GOP measure fashioned by McConnell.Their $908 billion proposal has served as a template for the talks, although the bipartisan group, led by Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, favored aid to states and localities instead of another round of stimulus payments. The CARES Act provided for $1,200 payments per individual and $500 per child.“I think that the work that our bipartisan group did really helped to stimulate this,” Collins said.With Congress otherwise getting ready to close up shop, lawmakers are eager to use the relief package to carry other unfinished business.A leading candidate is a 369-page water resources bill that targets $10 billion for 46 Army Corps of Engineers flood control, environmental, and coastal protection projects. Another potential addition would extend favorable tax treatment for “look through” entities of offshore subsidiaries of U.S. corporations. Meanwhile, thousands of craft brewers, wineries, and distillers are facing higher taxes in April if their tax break isn’t extended.The end-of-session rush also promises relief for victims of shockingly steep surprise medical bills, a phenomenon that often occurs when providers drop out of insurance company networks. That measure, combined with an assortment of other health policy provisions, generates savings for federal funding for community health centers.___

Congress still fighting over long-delayed virus relief bill 

SHAWNEE COUNTY–Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges after a call to a bank in Topeka.

Just before 2p.m. Tuesday, a deputy was dispatched to a financial institution in the 4600 block of NW Hunters Ridge Drive in Topeka on a report of fraudulent activity, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

 Two individuals were in the drive thru attempting to use an altered check. The individuals were located, taken into custody and transported to the law enforcement center for further questioning.

Deputies arrested Dakota D. Wood, 29, of Manhattan on requested charges of forgery - distributing or issuing, written instrument, forgery – possess with intent to distribute written instrument, forgery – making or altering a written instrument, nine counts of identity theft, four counts of theft and possession of drug paraphernalia. They also arrested Hunter C. Williams, 22, of Manhattan on requested charges of forgery and conspiracy.

Both are being held in the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608157853220.png" alt="Williams photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Williams photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY–Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges after a call to a bank in Topeka.Just before 2p.m. Tuesday, a deputy was dispatched to a financial institution in the 4600 block of NW Hunters Ridge Drive in Topeka on a report of fraudulent activity, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. Two individuals were in the drive thru attempting to use an altered check. The individuals were located, taken into custody and transported to the law enforcement center for further questioning.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608157792871.png" alt="Wood photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Wood photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies arrested Dakota D. Wood, 29, of Manhattan on requested charges of forgery - distributing or issuing, written instrument, forgery – possess with intent to distribute written instrument, forgery – making or altering a written instrument, nine counts of identity theft, four counts of theft and possession of drug paraphernalia. They also arrested Hunter C. Williams, 22, of Manhattan on requested charges of forgery and conspiracy.Both are being held in the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

Forgery arrest: Kan. duo caught in bank drive-through 

ELLSWORTH COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 4p.m. Wednesday in Ellsworth County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Freightliner semi driven by Curtis D. Birt, 63, Shawnee, was westbound on Interstate 70 just west of Kansas 156.&nbsp;

The semi left the roadway into the north embankment, continued westbound and overturned on the passenger side.&nbsp;

Birt was pronounced dead at the scene. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

ELLSWORTH COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 4p.m. Wednesday in Ellsworth County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Freightliner semi driven by Curtis D. Birt, 63, Shawnee, was westbound on Interstate 70 just west of Kansas 156.&nbsp;The semi left the roadway into the north embankment, continued westbound and overturned on the passenger side.&nbsp;Birt was pronounced dead at the scene. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after semi crash on I-70 

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A U.S. Post Service worker has been indicted on charges alleging that he stole mail from customers along his Kansas City, Missouri, route and deposited the checks he found into his own bank account. 

The U.S. attorney’s office said in a news release that 21-year-old Lane Snider, of Kansas City, Kansas, was charged in the indictment returned Tuesday with one count of stealing mail while he worked for the postal service from June through August. He also is charged with 12 counts of bank fraud related to the deposit of a stolen check, in amounts ranging from $25 to $500.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A U.S. Post Service worker has been indicted on charges alleging that he stole mail from customers along his Kansas City, Missouri, route and deposited the checks he found into his own bank account. The U.S. attorney’s office said in a news release that 21-year-old Lane Snider, of Kansas City, Kansas, was charged in the indictment returned Tuesday with one count of stealing mail while he worked for the postal service from June through August. He also is charged with 12 counts of bank fraud related to the deposit of a stolen check, in amounts ranging from $25 to $500.

Indictment: Kan. mail carrier cashed checks he found in mail

By SAM ZEFF <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-12-16/kansas-city-area-parents-sue-sheriffs-office-and-school-district-over-sexual-abuse-of-daughter">Kansas News Service</a>

For more than a year, a sheriff's deputy assigned as a school 
resource officer (SRO) at a high school in Linn County, Kansas, carried 
on a "sexual relationship" with a 15-year-old student, sometimes in his 
office on campus, according to a federal lawsuit. 

The two "would sometimes kiss or inappropriately touch while in the school building," the suit alleges. 

The
 sheriff's office, the former SRO, Linn County and the Pleasanton School
 District are all named as defendants. Former deputy David Allen Huggins
 is now serving 15 years in prison for three counts of aggravated 
indecent liberties with a minor after pleading guilty in 2019.

During
 the criminal investigation, the teenage girl "learned that she was the 
third female, minor victim of Huggins," the lawsuit says. 

Her parents say that is not even the worst. 

The
 lawsuit alleges that the Linn County sheriff at the time, Paul Filla, 
and the Pleasanton School District knew what was happening and failed to
 act. 

"They all knew what was going on," the girl's father Ryan 
Swearingen told KCUR. "They blamed it on our daughter having trouble 
transitioning to a new school."

The lawyer representing the 
teenager, who is now 18, goes even further. "There was an ongoing, 
systematic failure" by the school, said Chris Dove. "Absolutely, people 
were turning a blind eye."

According to the lawsuit,  former 
sheriff Paul Filla eventually called in the Kansas Bureau of 
Investigation (KBI) to investigate Huggins.

The family says many 
in Pleasanton, a town of just 1,200 people 60 miles south of Kansas 
City, refused to believe a hometown man would commit such a crime. 

"They all knew the story," said mother Jessica Swearingen. "Not one person said I'm sorry." 

"People look out for their own," Ryan Swearingen said. 

Lawyer Chris Dove said that is not surprising. "It's just this classic thing I see in small towns," he said.

A
 guy like Huggins, who worked for the La Cygne Police Department before 
going to the sheriff's office, received what Dove calls "infinite 
passes." 

The lawyers representing the defendants would not comment.

Former Sheriff Filla had other troubles in his office. 

The
 KBI was also called in to investigate Linn County Sheriff Officer John 
Carr who was arrested for sexually assaulting a co-worker. In September 
2018 Carr was arrested and pled guilty to battery following the KBI 
investigation.

Filla resigned in 2019 and was replaced by current Linn County Sheriff Kevin Friend. 

Friend would not discuss how the office was previously run. 

"I wasn't here at the time," he told KCUR. 

But
 he says he made some big changes. He instituted a duty to report 
policy, meaning a deputy must report wrongdoing if they see it.  

Friend
 says he also rewrote the policy book and general orders and he added 
another layer of supervision by promoting four deputies to sergeants. 
"There is a lot more supervision now," he said. 

As for the Swearingen family in tiny Pleasanton, Kansas, things are still a little rough. 

Their
 younger daughter had to transfer schools to escape harassment. Some 
teenagers wear tee-shirts with Huggins' mug shot on the front. "It hurts
 to see that," says Ryan Swearingen. "They don't see how serious this 
is."

But their oldest daughter seems to be standing tall. "She 
hasn't let this hold her back," her dad said. Her mission now is to 
finish college and help others avoid similar pain. 

You can contact Sam on Twitter @samzeff. Email him at sam@kcur.org. Prefer the phone? You can reach him at 816-235-5004.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608160360762.png" alt="A federal lawsuit was filed against the Linn County Sheriff's office, Linn County, the Pleasanton School District and former school resource officer David Huggins. Photo Illustration-Carlos Moreno/KCUR 89.3 (Photo: Kansas DOC)" />
 <figcaption>A federal lawsuit was filed against the Linn County Sheriff's office, Linn County, the Pleasanton School District and former school resource officer David Huggins. Photo Illustration-Carlos Moreno/KCUR 89.3 (Photo: Kansas DOC)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SAM ZEFF <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-12-16/kansas-city-area-parents-sue-sheriffs-office-and-school-district-over-sexual-abuse-of-daughter">Kansas News Service</a>For more than a year, a sheriff's deputy assigned as a school 
resource officer (SRO) at a high school in Linn County, Kansas, carried 
on a "sexual relationship" with a 15-year-old student, sometimes in his 
office on campus, according to a federal lawsuit. The two "would sometimes kiss or inappropriately touch while in the school building," the suit alleges. The
 sheriff's office, the former SRO, Linn County and the Pleasanton School
 District are all named as defendants. Former deputy David Allen Huggins
 is now serving 15 years in prison for three counts of aggravated 
indecent liberties with a minor after pleading guilty in 2019.During
 the criminal investigation, the teenage girl "learned that she was the 
third female, minor victim of Huggins," the lawsuit says. Her parents say that is not even the worst. The
 lawsuit alleges that the Linn County sheriff at the time, Paul Filla, 
and the Pleasanton School District knew what was happening and failed to
 act. "They all knew what was going on," the girl's father Ryan 
Swearingen told KCUR. "They blamed it on our daughter having trouble 
transitioning to a new school."The lawyer representing the 
teenager, who is now 18, goes even further. "There was an ongoing, 
systematic failure" by the school, said Chris Dove. "Absolutely, people 
were turning a blind eye."According to the lawsuit, former 
sheriff Paul Filla eventually called in the Kansas Bureau of 
Investigation (KBI) to investigate Huggins.The family says many 
in Pleasanton, a town of just 1,200 people 60 miles south of Kansas 
City, refused to believe a hometown man would commit such a crime. "They all knew the story," said mother Jessica Swearingen. "Not one person said I'm sorry." "People look out for their own," Ryan Swearingen said. Lawyer Chris Dove said that is not surprising. "It's just this classic thing I see in small towns," he said.A
 guy like Huggins, who worked for the La Cygne Police Department before 
going to the sheriff's office, received what Dove calls "infinite 
passes." The lawyers representing the defendants would not comment.<h2>Troubled department</h2>Former Sheriff Filla had other troubles in his office. The
 KBI was also called in to investigate Linn County Sheriff Officer John 
Carr who was arrested for sexually assaulting a co-worker. In September 
2018 Carr was arrested and pled guilty to battery following the KBI 
investigation.Filla resigned in 2019 and was replaced by current Linn County Sheriff Kevin Friend. Friend would not discuss how the office was previously run. "I wasn't here at the time," he told KCUR. But
 he says he made some big changes. He instituted a duty to report 
policy, meaning a deputy must report wrongdoing if they see it. Friend
 says he also rewrote the policy book and general orders and he added 
another layer of supervision by promoting four deputies to sergeants. 
"There is a lot more supervision now," he said. As for the Swearingen family in tiny Pleasanton, Kansas, things are still a little rough. Their
 younger daughter had to transfer schools to escape harassment. Some 
teenagers wear tee-shirts with Huggins' mug shot on the front. "It hurts
 to see that," says Ryan Swearingen. "They don't see how serious this 
is."But their oldest daughter seems to be standing tall. "She 
hasn't let this hold her back," her dad said. Her mission now is to 
finish college and help others avoid similar pain. You can contact Sam on Twitter @samzeff. Email him at sam@kcur.org. Prefer the phone? You can reach him at 816-235-5004.&nbsp;

'They blamed our daughter': Student sexually abused by school resource officer

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a robbery and have made an arrest.

Just after 8:30p.m. Monday, police responded to report of a robbery from a person near Broadway and Murdoch in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

A victim told police a suspect later identified as&nbsp;Dalvin Brown, 27, Wichita, had approached him and asked about the value of his Connondale Road Bike.

While talking, Brown shoved the bicycle owner and fled with the bicycle.&nbsp; Nearby Ascension Via Christi St. Francis Hospital Security observed the incident, arrested Brown, according to Davidson. 

When police arrived, they took him into custody and booked him on requested charges of robbery, battery, marijuana possession and a state parole violation, <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18778525">according to online jail records.</a>&nbsp; Police returned the bicycle to the owner.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608057676377.png" alt="Brown photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Brown photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a robbery and have made an arrest.Just after 8:30p.m. Monday, police responded to report of a robbery from a person near Broadway and Murdoch in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.A victim told police a suspect later identified as&nbsp;Dalvin Brown, 27, Wichita, had approached him and asked about the value of his Connondale Road Bike.While talking, Brown shoved the bicycle owner and fled with the bicycle.&nbsp; Nearby Ascension Via Christi St. Francis Hospital Security observed the incident, arrested Brown, according to Davidson. When police arrived, they took him into custody and booked him on requested charges of robbery, battery, marijuana possession and a state parole violation, <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18778525">according to online jail records.</a>&nbsp; Police returned the bicycle to the owner.

Hospital security help police arrest Kan. robbery suspect

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement continue their search for a gunman who shot a Kansas City, Kansas police officer Wednesday.

Just before 3:30p.m., the officer was conducting a followup near 47th and Conser Street in Overland Park, according to a media release from the Olathe police department.

The officer contact the suspect and they exchanged gunfire. The officer was struck in the arm and ballistic vest. The suspect described as a white male with brown hair fled the scene in a tan passenger car. Officer later located the vehicle unattended.

The officer was transported to a local hospital, treated and has been released. Since the shooting occurred in Johnson County, the Johnson County Multi-Jurisdictional Officer Involved Shooting Investigation team is working the investigation.

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City, Kansas, police officer was shot Tuesday afternoon while pursuing a suspect involved a series of earlier hit-and-run accidents in Wyandotte County, according to a police spokesperson&nbsp;Nancy Chartrand.

The officer, whose name had not been released, was out on patrol just after 4p.m. and identified the suspect's vehicle and began a pursuit. When the suspect vehicle crossed over into Johnson County on a dead end road, the officer stopped. The suspect also stopped, got out of the vehicle and there was an exchange of gunfire.

The officer was struck and the suspect fled the scene. EMS transported the officer for treatment of not life-threatening injuries and he remains at an area hospital, according to the police.

The search continues for the suspect. Officers found the vehicle abandoned in a residential area at 43rd and Dixie Avenue, according to police. Authorities have not released any additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608120251326.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation late Tuesday photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation late Tuesday photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement continue their search for a gunman who shot a Kansas City, Kansas police officer Wednesday.Just before 3:30p.m., the officer was conducting a followup near 47th and Conser Street in Overland Park, according to a media release from the Olathe police department.The officer contact the suspect and they exchanged gunfire. The officer was struck in the arm and ballistic vest. The suspect described as a white male with brown hair fled the scene in a tan passenger car. Officer later located the vehicle unattended.The officer was transported to a local hospital, treated and has been released. Since the shooting occurred in Johnson County, the Johnson County Multi-Jurisdictional Officer Involved Shooting Investigation team is working the investigation.--------KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City, Kansas, police officer was shot Tuesday afternoon while pursuing a suspect involved a series of earlier hit-and-run accidents in Wyandotte County, according to a police spokesperson&nbsp;Nancy Chartrand.The officer, whose name had not been released, was out on patrol just after 4p.m. and identified the suspect's vehicle and began a pursuit. When the suspect vehicle crossed over into Johnson County on a dead end road, the officer stopped. The suspect also stopped, got out of the vehicle and there was an exchange of gunfire.The officer was struck and the suspect fled the scene. EMS transported the officer for treatment of not life-threatening injuries and he remains at an area hospital, according to the police.The search continues for the suspect. Officers found the vehicle abandoned in a residential area at 43rd and Dixie Avenue, according to police. Authorities have not released any additional details.

Update: Kan. police officer shot, search continues for suspect

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly Wednesday announced when the COVID-19 vaccine is expected to become available for population groups across the state. The framework begins this winter with high-risk Kansans such as health care personnel and long term care facility staff and residents, eventually reaching the general public in the summer of 2021.

“Through this framework, my administration upholds our commitment to maximizing benefits, minimizing harm, and striving for equity, justice, and fairness when it comes to when the vaccine will be made available to which Kansans,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;“We are committed to protecting the greatest number of Kansans, fostering economic recovery, and getting our kids back&nbsp;into&nbsp;school&nbsp;buildings&nbsp;as quickly and safely as possible.”

<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.lmsxg-4k5mMx0HGBotOgT-H4HOHyWm3xk2zl4uNvz78/s/1303160919/br/92005880953-l" target="_blank">&nbsp;CLICK here to see a visual representation of the distribution order&nbsp;</a>

An outline of the expected availability is as follows:

Adherence to this expected framework will be dependent on receipt of COVID-19 vaccine doses from the companies distributing them.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 4,551 to a total of 194,569 the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 2,253 an increase of 144.

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly Wednesday announced when the COVID-19 vaccine is expected to become available for population groups across the state. The framework begins this winter with high-risk Kansans such as health care personnel and long term care facility staff and residents, eventually reaching the general public in the summer of 2021.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F155260669266933%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>“Through this framework, my administration upholds our commitment to maximizing benefits, minimizing harm, and striving for equity, justice, and fairness when it comes to when the vaccine will be made available to which Kansans,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;“We are committed to protecting the greatest number of Kansans, fostering economic recovery, and getting our kids back&nbsp;into&nbsp;school&nbsp;buildings&nbsp;as quickly and safely as possible.”<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.lmsxg-4k5mMx0HGBotOgT-H4HOHyWm3xk2zl4uNvz78/s/1303160919/br/92005880953-l" target="_blank">&nbsp;CLICK here to see a visual representation of the distribution order&nbsp;</a>An outline of the expected availability is as follows:<ul>
 <li>The COVID-19 vaccine will be available in the winter, on a very limited basis, for health care personnel, long term care facility staff, long term care residents, and EMS/frontline public health workers;</li><li>The vaccine will become available in late winter, on a limited basis, for first responders, some public facing workers in essential and critical infrastructure, teachers, school staff, child care workers, and individuals at high risk for adverse health consequences;</li><li>The vaccine will become available in the spring, at an increased availability, for all other adults;</li><li>And finally, the vaccine will become generally available in the summer for all Kansans, including children.</li>
 </ul>Adherence to this expected framework will be dependent on receipt of COVID-19 vaccine doses from the companies distributing them.The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 4,551 to a total of 194,569 the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 2,253 an increase of 144.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608144161925.png" alt="Wednesday Dec. 16, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday Dec. 16, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

🎥  Gov. Kelly update on COVID-19 vaccine distribution

LINN COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Kansas Highway Patrol, and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office are investigating after a Garnett woman was killed when her vehicle was struck in Linn County on Tuesday, according to a media release from the KBI.

Preliminary information indicates that between 2:45 p.m. and 3:10 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, 42-year old James R. Allen, of Parker, was driving in his pickup truck when he struck his mother, 70-year old Charlotte L. Grimes, of Garnett, who was driving in a passenger car ½ mile south of 1800 Road on Keitel Road in Parker, Kansas.

 It is believed Allen turned his pickup truck around and intentionally struck the car Grimes was driving a second time.

Allen left the scene on foot, and later returned to the area in a second vehicle. By this time, EMS had responded. Grimes was pronounced dead at the scene.

Allen was transported by EMS to the Overland Park Regional Medical Center where he was treated for minor injuries. At approximately 6:15 p.m., KBI agents arrested Allen for second-degree murder. He was then booked into the Bourbon County Jail. Formal charges are pending.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608147202953.png" alt="Allen has previous convictions for criminal threat and aggravated assault, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections -photo Bourbon Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Allen has previous convictions for criminal threat and aggravated assault, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections -photo Bourbon Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>LINN COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Kansas Highway Patrol, and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office are investigating after a Garnett woman was killed when her vehicle was struck in Linn County on Tuesday, according to a media release from the KBI.Preliminary information indicates that between 2:45 p.m. and 3:10 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, 42-year old James R. Allen, of Parker, was driving in his pickup truck when he struck his mother, 70-year old Charlotte L. Grimes, of Garnett, who was driving in a passenger car ½ mile south of 1800 Road on Keitel Road in Parker, Kansas. It is believed Allen turned his pickup truck around and intentionally struck the car Grimes was driving a second time.Allen left the scene on foot, and later returned to the area in a second vehicle. By this time, EMS had responded. Grimes was pronounced dead at the scene.Allen was transported by EMS to the Overland Park Regional Medical Center where he was treated for minor injuries. At approximately 6:15 p.m., KBI agents arrested Allen for second-degree murder. He was then booked into the Bourbon County Jail. Formal charges are pending.

KBI: Kan. man struck his mother's car twice, killing her

Popular video app is helping shape a new generation’s political identity, 60 seconds or less at a time

By AVIVA OKESON-HABERMAN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2020-12-16/young-state-lawmakers-in-kansas-missouri-harness-the-strange-power-of-tiktok">Kansas News Service</a>

TikTok occupies a weird corner of the internet, sparking short-lived trends like <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/tik-tok-toxic-exes-voicemails-901631/" target="_blank">dancing</a> to a voicemail from a toxic ex or the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/26/style/step-chickens-tiktok-cult-wars.html" target="_blank">Step Chickens Cult</a>.

The
 social media app also has occupied the minds of President Donald Trump,
 who tried to ban it, and Missouri U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, who sponsored a
 <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/3455?s=3&amp;r=1" target="_blank">bill</a> to forbid workers from having TikTok on government devices.

And
 while long-established politicians aren’t too keen to use the app, 
younger ones like soon-to-be Kansas state Rep. Christina Haswood and 
Missouri state Rep. Andrew McDaniel are reaching younger audiences, 
having some fun and sometimes seeing short videos (60 seconds or less) 
bring in donations and national attention. Some researchers even believe
 the app is revolutionizing political communication.

‘I don’t think I’m young enough for TikTok’

Haswood,
 26, will be one of the youngest members of the Kansas Statehouse in the
 2021 session. A year ago, when she first got a TikTok account, half of 
its daily users were estimated to be 14 or younger, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/14/technology/tiktok-underage-users-ftc.html" target="_blank">The New York Times.</a>

“I was about 25 when I got on TikTok and I was like, ‘I don't think I'm young enough for TikTok,’” Haswood said.

But during her campaign to represent part of Lawrence and Baldwin City, it was another way to get out her message. 

Plus,
 one of Haswood’s Democratic primary opponents, A.J. Stevens, had an 
account that was run by his interns. He had more than 1 million plays on
 a video of him posing like a windmill and a house to indicate policies 
he supported (renewable energy and affordable housing).

High school senior Conner Thrash heard about Haswood’s campaign — 
even though he lives about three hours away in Concordia — and reached 
out to her to ask if he could help.

“She had the capabilities, she just needed, like, a teenager to get her onto the trendy side of TikTok,” Thrash said.

As the TikTok manager, Thrash kept tabs on popular trends.

“I'll be like, ‘OK, think Connor. How can you make this political?’” he said, “‘and how can you keep it like PG?’”

Enter a deep house remix of Taylor Swift’s “Love Song.” The trend — way back <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/lizmrichardson/taylor-swift-love-story-tiktok-disco-lines-remix" target="_blank">in July</a>
 — was to have your camera pan out mid-song to show off your suggestive 
dance moves. Haswood instead power-walked to the beat as text appeared 
listing her priorities, like expanding Medicaid and legalizing pot.

It worked. This video about state legislative priorities in a tiny Kansas House district got about a quarter of a million likes.

Part
 of Haswood’s success in connecting with this young audience was likely 
because more people, like Thrash, were spending time on the app during 
the pandemic.

“I was always at home, always in my bed, bored out 
of my mind. And TikTok — this is going to sound so cheesy —TikTok really
 helped me get through that,” Thrash said. “It's hard to keep a good 
mental state when you are trapped at home, living through a global 
pandemic as a high schooler.”

For others, like Missouri’s 
McDaniel, the extra time on his hands led him to check out TikTok. The 
36-year-old lawmaker from Deering in the Bootheel liked the conservative
 humor he found.

“Late-night talk shows that make fun of Donald Trump all the time, that kind of gets old,” McDaniel said.

His account doesn’t take itself too seriously. McDaniel isn’t using 
it for campaign purposes, and he has fewer than 2,000 followers. His 
videos are a mix of capturing snapshots of <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@andrewmcdaniel150/video/6827199335948651782" target="_blank">his work</a> at the Capitol, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@andrewmcdaniel150/video/6828494931011702022" target="_blank">sharing</a> his love for his mom and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@andrewmcdaniel150/video/6883206626791165189" target="_blank">poking fun</a> at Democrats. There’s also a fair amount of lip syncing and dancing to popular songs like “<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@andrewmcdaniel150/video/6825335958259387654" target="_blank">River</a>,” “<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@andrewmcdaniel150/video/6832362933985529094" target="_blank">Ballin’ (Country Version)</a>” and a remix of “<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@andrewmcdaniel150/video/6825334855635586309" target="_blank">Still D.R.E.</a>”

Pennsylvania
 State University professor Kevin Munger says, typically, less 
well-established politicians like state lawmakers can take the risk of 
being an early technology adapter.

“I have not seen that many 
politicians on the app, but I think that makes sense,” said Munger, who 
studies TikTok. “... It's not like (President-Elect) Joe Biden can 
physically get on TikTok and start doing the dances.”

Conservative
 politicians this year have railed against TikTok, which is owned by the
 Chinese company ByteDance. Trump tried to ban the app, although his 
administration’s attempts have been <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/12/07/944039053/u-s-judge-halts-trumps-tiktok-ban-the-2nd-court-to-fully-block-the-action" target="_blank">unsuccessful</a>. In a November interview with “<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tiktok-cybersecurity-china-60-minutes-2020-11-15/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab5j&amp;linkId=104543374&amp;fbclid=IwAR3Ob1XRzTv7xmDTXIaZUH9TrJXhzI31ZYC4YnorFBSQ2-j12d4mW1PDVGc" target="_blank">60 Minutes</a>,” Hawley said that TikTok could be required under Chinese law to share user data with the Chinese Communist Party.

TikTok, with its millions of Gen Z fans, might seem like a bubble of liberal opinions, especially after it was used to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/21/style/tiktok-trump-rally-tulsa.html" target="_blank">inflate expectations</a>
 of Trump’s campaign rally in June. But with the app’s rising 
popularity, older people are jumping on the bandwagon: The under-14 
demographic now makes up an estimated third of users, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/14/technology/tiktok-underage-users-ftc.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>.

An academic <a href="https://arxiv.org/pdf/2004.05478.pdf" target="_blank">analysis</a>
 of about 8,000 political TikToks in the U.S. found Republican accounts 
created more videos and got more likes and comments compared to 
Democrats’ accounts. The study, which looked at videos posted from March
 2019 to February 2020, also noted Trump hashtags are more popular than 
the combined views of similar hashtags for Biden, Bernie Sanders and 
Elizabeth Warren.

Juan Carlos Medina, a data scientist at the 
Technical University of Munich, is one of the paper’s authors. He had 
wondered if Trump supporters would stop using TikTok because of Trump’s 
disapproval, but it didn’t. He said, “they were still creating videos 
for Trump.”

That includes McDaniel, who also believes that 
politicians (like Hawley) who raise concerns about the app’s possible 
security threat are just trying to get publicity.

“There are so 
many different forms of national security threats that they're just 
going to jump at whatever to get on the bandwagon so they can have the 
media's attention,” he said. Hawley’s office did not comment on 
McDaniel’s criticism.

That attention is something McDaniel would 
know a thing or two about. In one TikTok, he references national news 
stories about a bill he proposed requiring young people to <a href="https://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills191/hlrbillspdf/2290H.01I.pdf" target="_blank">own an AR-15</a>.
 The bill wasn’t serious; he was making a point about government 
mandates. The text superimposed on the video: “When you troll libs 
harder than Donald J. Trump.”

In another video, he referenced an <a href="https://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills201/amendpdf/3142H06.58H.pdf" target="_blank">amendment</a>
 he suggested that would have required state representatives to get 
stoned before “entering the chamber or voting on any legislation.” 
Again, he was trolling his fellow lawmakers and <a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/missouri-lawmakers-defeat-amendment-to-require-they-consume-marijuana-before-voting/" target="_blank">drawing attention</a> to how elected officials tack on amendments.