SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities have completed a drug investigation and have a suspect in custody.

&nbsp;On November 12, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit and the Shawnee County Drug Task Force served a search warrant in the 3700 Block of SW Topeka Blvd., according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.

While conducting the search warrant, investigators learned 40-year-old Charles Handley of Topeka had methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and a firearm.

Officers transported Handley to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamin, Possession of drug paraphernalia with intent and&nbsp;Criminal use of a weapon, according to Monasmith.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605479646600.png" alt="Handley photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Handley photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities have completed a drug investigation and have a suspect in custody.&nbsp;On November 12, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit and the Shawnee County Drug Task Force served a search warrant in the 3700 Block of SW Topeka Blvd., according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.While conducting the search warrant, investigators learned 40-year-old Charles Handley of Topeka had methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and a firearm.Officers transported Handley to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamin, Possession of drug paraphernalia with intent and&nbsp;Criminal use of a weapon, according to Monasmith.

Drug task force makes arrest at Kansas home

WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin prosecutors have charged a 19-year-old Oconomowoc man with sexually assaulting a Missouri girl who went missing in September.

Nathan Nehs was charged Nov. 6 in Waukesha County with one felony count of repeated sexual assault of a child.

&nbsp;The criminal complaint states that Nehs met the girl about three years ago through an online gaming platform. He was 17 at the time; she was 11.

According to the complaint, Nehs drove to Missouri on Sept. 16 to pick up the girl and take her back to his parents' house in Oconomowoc. They arrived at the house on Sept. 17 but the complaint says his parents didn't know she was there until sometime between Sept. 20 and early October. Nehs allegedly told them he was dating her and she told them that she was 16 and lived in the area.

Nehs held her captive in his bedroom and kept her in a closet for two weeks, according to the complaint. Text messages from the girl's electronic devices indicate she was also held captive in a car trunk; she demanded in multiple messages to Nehs on Sept. 20 that he let her out of the trunk.

He sexually assaulted her 24 times, according to the complaint.

&nbsp;Nehs' cash bond has been set at $50,000. His attorney, Leah Thomas, didn't immediately respond to messages after hours Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605452661950.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin prosecutors have charged a 19-year-old Oconomowoc man with sexually assaulting a Missouri girl who went missing in September.Nathan Nehs was charged Nov. 6 in Waukesha County with one felony count of repeated sexual assault of a child.&nbsp;The criminal complaint states that Nehs met the girl about three years ago through an online gaming platform. He was 17 at the time; she was 11.According to the complaint, Nehs drove to Missouri on Sept. 16 to pick up the girl and take her back to his parents' house in Oconomowoc. They arrived at the house on Sept. 17 but the complaint says his parents didn't know she was there until sometime between Sept. 20 and early October. Nehs allegedly told them he was dating her and she told them that she was 16 and lived in the area.Nehs held her captive in his bedroom and kept her in a closet for two weeks, according to the complaint. Text messages from the girl's electronic devices indicate she was also held captive in a car trunk; she demanded in multiple messages to Nehs on Sept. 20 that he let her out of the trunk.He sexually assaulted her 24 times, according to the complaint.&nbsp;Nehs' cash bond has been set at $50,000. His attorney, Leah Thomas, didn't immediately respond to messages after hours Friday.

Man charged with assaulting missing Missouri girl

MANHATTAN — The Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) will host an informational webinar on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. CST to offer an update on the management practices used in Kansas to control feral swine. The webinar will feature a presentation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service – Wildlife Services program.

USDA–APHIS–WS works in collaboration with KDA to help monitor, control and eradicate feral swine in Kansas. 

This webinar will be hosted by Dr. Justin Smith, Animal Health Commissioner at KDA, and will feature presentations from several USDA representatives including the head of field operations in Kansas along with a disease epidemiologist. 

Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions throughout the presentations, and the webinar will be recorded and available for viewing after its completion.

To register for the webinar, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.agriculture.ks.gov%2FAnimalHealthOutreach&amp;data=04%7C01%7C%7C15ecdfab2c354ea2c19408d88cc0729b%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637414106479536142%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=wePnZ5UaYcHXg9a2n9kgKVyAf3e8NLKU6lS7pvIKVl4%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">agriculture.ks.gov/AnimalHealthOutreach</a>.

For additional information on the webinar or on animal health issues in Kansas, contact the KDA Division of Animal Health at&nbsp;785-564-6601 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Justin.Smith@ks.gov" target="_blank">Justin.Smith@ks.gov</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605829055162.jpeg" alt="Feral hogs" />
 <figcaption>Feral hogs</figcaption>
 </figure>KDAMANHATTAN — The Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) will host an informational webinar on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. CST to offer an update on the management practices used in Kansas to control feral swine. The webinar will feature a presentation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service – Wildlife Services program.USDA–APHIS–WS works in collaboration with KDA to help monitor, control and eradicate feral swine in Kansas. This webinar will be hosted by Dr. Justin Smith, Animal Health Commissioner at KDA, and will feature presentations from several USDA representatives including the head of field operations in Kansas along with a disease epidemiologist. Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions throughout the presentations, and the webinar will be recorded and available for viewing after its completion.To register for the webinar, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.agriculture.ks.gov%2FAnimalHealthOutreach&amp;data=04%7C01%7C%7C15ecdfab2c354ea2c19408d88cc0729b%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637414106479536142%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=wePnZ5UaYcHXg9a2n9kgKVyAf3e8NLKU6lS7pvIKVl4%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">agriculture.ks.gov/AnimalHealthOutreach</a>. For additional information on the webinar or on animal health issues in Kansas, contact the KDA Division of Animal Health at&nbsp;785-564-6601 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Justin.Smith@ks.gov" target="_blank">Justin.Smith@ks.gov</a>.

Webinar to discuss feral swine in Kansas

TOPEKA, KAN. – A man who was arrested on a city bus pleaded guilty to robbing a Topeka bank, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

Clinton Adam Richards, 38, Topeka, pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery. Police responded to a robbery at U.S. Bank, 3600 SW Topeka Boulevard. A tall, bald man carrying a backpack approached a teller, demanded money and left the bank with the cash. A witness reported seeing the robber board a Topeka Metro bus at a bus stop near the bank. Police stopped the bus and arrested Richards.

Sentencing is set for Feb. 16, 2021. He could face up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605030219368.png" alt="Richards-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Richards-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, KAN. – A man who was arrested on a city bus pleaded guilty to robbing a Topeka bank, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.Clinton Adam Richards, 38, Topeka, pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery. Police responded to a robbery at U.S. Bank, 3600 SW Topeka Boulevard. A tall, bald man carrying a backpack approached a teller, demanded money and left the bank with the cash. A witness reported seeing the robber board a Topeka Metro bus at a bus stop near the bank. Police stopped the bus and arrested Richards.Sentencing is set for Feb. 16, 2021. He could face up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.&nbsp;

Man took city bus after Kansas bank robbery

LONDON (AP) — White collar staff reaping the financial benefits of working from home should be taxed to help other workers who aren’t getting the same advantages, experts at Deutsche Bank said in a new report.

In its report on how to rebuild the economy after COVID-19, the bank proposed a 5% daily tax on each employee that continues to work from home, which could raise tens of billions of dollars for governments. The money could be used to help lower income workers who have taken on greater risk because their jobs can’t be done remotely, it said.

The bank noted that the global pandemic has turbocharged the shift to remote work, a trend that looks set to last for the long term with many workers expecting to spend at least a few days of their work week at home even after the pandemic ends.

These workers benefit from more convenience and flexibility. They also save money directly because they don’t have to pay for commuting costs, takeout lunches, or buying and dry cleaning work clothes - but it means those businesses that have grown up to support office workers won’t be able to recover and “the economic malaise will be extended,” the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dbresearch.com/PROD/RPS_EN-PROD/PROD0000000000513730/Konzept_%23_19%3A_What_we_must_do_to_rebuild.PDF?&amp;&amp;undefined&amp;realload=YgWGDTMO0RTWSijsE61Mdd0nnN5gxulw~6ufRJOpOn6ZNFZzez6terB~PTV50WOSL62o8n5zAFhadgALTmXzlA==" target="_blank">report said.</a>

While it doesn’t make sense for the government to support, say, a downtown sandwich shop if it doesn’t have any more customers from nearby office towers, “it does make sense to support the mass of people who have been suddenly displaced by forces outside their control,” the bank said. “From a personal and economic point of view, it makes sense that these people should be given a helping hand.”

The tax would amount to just over $10 a day, assuming the average salary of an American working from home is $55,000. That’s roughly the amount the worker might spend on commuting, lunch and laundry, which would leave them no worse off than going into the office, the report said. It could raise up to $48 billion in the U.S. Deutsche Bank carried out similar calculations for Germany and the U.K.

But the proposals faced heavy skepticism.

Andrew Hunter, co-founder of job search engine Adzuna.co.uk said the idea was misguided and predicted it would be incredibly unpopular.

“It punishes progressive companies and those with kids or caring responsibilities, who were responsible during the pandemic, who are already taking on more costs and helping the environment by staying at home,” said Hunter. “Let’s be honest, there are many better ways to raise taxes!”

LONDON (AP) — White collar staff reaping the financial benefits of working from home should be taxed to help other workers who aren’t getting the same advantages, experts at Deutsche Bank said in a new report.In its report on how to rebuild the economy after COVID-19, the bank proposed a 5% daily tax on each employee that continues to work from home, which could raise tens of billions of dollars for governments. The money could be used to help lower income workers who have taken on greater risk because their jobs can’t be done remotely, it said.The bank noted that the global pandemic has turbocharged the shift to remote work, a trend that looks set to last for the long term with many workers expecting to spend at least a few days of their work week at home even after the pandemic ends.These workers benefit from more convenience and flexibility. They also save money directly because they don’t have to pay for commuting costs, takeout lunches, or buying and dry cleaning work clothes - but it means those businesses that have grown up to support office workers won’t be able to recover and “the economic malaise will be extended,” the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dbresearch.com/PROD/RPS_EN-PROD/PROD0000000000513730/Konzept_%23_19%3A_What_we_must_do_to_rebuild.PDF?&amp;&amp;undefined&amp;realload=YgWGDTMO0RTWSijsE61Mdd0nnN5gxulw~6ufRJOpOn6ZNFZzez6terB~PTV50WOSL62o8n5zAFhadgALTmXzlA==" target="_blank">report said.</a>While it doesn’t make sense for the government to support, say, a downtown sandwich shop if it doesn’t have any more customers from nearby office towers, “it does make sense to support the mass of people who have been suddenly displaced by forces outside their control,” the bank said. “From a personal and economic point of view, it makes sense that these people should be given a helping hand.”The tax would amount to just over $10 a day, assuming the average salary of an American working from home is $55,000. That’s roughly the amount the worker might spend on commuting, lunch and laundry, which would leave them no worse off than going into the office, the report said. It could raise up to $48 billion in the U.S. Deutsche Bank carried out similar calculations for Germany and the U.K.But the proposals faced heavy skepticism.Andrew Hunter, co-founder of job search engine Adzuna.co.uk said the idea was misguided and predicted it would be incredibly unpopular.“It punishes progressive companies and those with kids or caring responsibilities, who were responsible during the pandemic, who are already taking on more costs and helping the environment by staying at home,” said Hunter. “Let’s be honest, there are many better ways to raise taxes!”___

To help economy, bank proposes tax on working from home

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/12/kansas-legislators-seek-quicker-fix-to-labor-departments-woes-amid-rise-in-fraudulent-claims/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA
 — State legislators expressed displeasure Thursday with timeliness of 
the response from the Kansas Department of Labor to a record number of 
fraudulent unemployment claims surfacing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unemployment fraud has spiked in recent months across the nation, and Kansas has been no exception. This year, KDOL experienced <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/wichita/news/2020/11/06/unemployment-insurance-fraud-skyrockets-in-kansas.html">upward of 125,000</a> of these claims while operating under an outdated computer system.&nbsp;

The
 department is currently undergoing the arduous task of modernizing its 
computer system that manages unemployment benefits, but legislators on 
the Joint Committee on Information Technology said that does not account
 for issues Kansans are facing now.

Rep.
 Jeff Pittman, a Leavenworth Democrat, acknowledged a national issue 
might make the root of the problem harder to pinpoint but said KDOL must
 come up with a better strategy to protect people pending completion of a
 computer system overhaul.

“I
 have people that are stuck in the fraud search cycle that I know inside
 of my community, who’ve been redirected to the fraud department, and it
 doesn’t seem to be a very consistent way of dealing with those folks,” 
Pittman said. “We need to have some path before modernization to take 
care of those folks that are either victims of fraud or are being 
accused of fraud but aren’t.”

Pittman
 and two other legislators on the committee expressed concern with 
rising unemployment insurance fraud cases during testimony from KDOL’s 
deputy secretary. They also addressed the department’s progress digging 
out from a sizable backlog of unsettled unemployment claims.

In <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/ce51131d-2a9b-4d44-9afb-4b1c02323dee">response to the rise in fraudulent claims</a>,
 the labor department has instituted several IT patches to help 
stabilize the network, doubled the size of its fraud team and expanded 
digital tools on the back end.&nbsp;

While
 efforts to mitigate the problems are appreciated, they are 
insufficient, said Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican. She said the 
timeline to institute widespread system modernization is too slow.

“You’ve
 heard the term analysis paralysis. Well, it seems to me that we might 
be there because you guys have been looking at this for over two years,”
 Tyson said. “This has become one of the major, if not the major issue 
for the state of Kansas, and I cannot sit back as a legislator, knowing 
the calls that we have received. The identity theft is out of control.”

In
 response to the senator, KDOL deputy secretary Brett Flachsbarth said 
the agency was working aggressively to push ahead with modernization. He
 cautioned against cutting corners for the sake of expediency.

“We
 understand the need for speed, but we also need to understand the need 
to get it done right, in a way that will produce a viable project,” 
Flachsbarth said. “In terms of the fraud component, you are correct. 
Identity theft is rampant. But again, this is not an issue that is 
isolated to Kansas. This is a nationwide problem.”

He
 said KDOL has been in frequent contact with the U.S. Department of 
Labor and the National Association of State Workforce Agencies on how to
 address this issue. Even with a fully modernized computer system, 
Kansans would be susceptible to potential fraud, but upgrades would 
increase the state’s verification capabilities and responsiveness to 
fraud claims.

It
 would also help responsiveness to the unemployment claim system in 
economic crises like the one Kansas is currently experiencing as a 
result of the pandemic. KDOL has been working to recover from a chaotic 
few months where the unemployment compensation system became overwhelmed
 by the number of new claimants seeking benefits.

The
 departmental crises was a factor in the resignation of Labor Secretary 
Delia Garcia. When Garcia’s replacement, Ryan Wright, was appointed the 
backlog of claims stood at 25,000. Wright vowed to get that number 
reduced significantly.

Now that number is tentatively closer to 8,000, Flachsbarth said.

While
 it is not quite back to baseline numbers yet, Sen. Kevin Braun, a 
Kansas City Republican, acknowledged the KDOL’s effort to come through 
on its goal of eliminating the backlog.

“That
 is significant. That is appreciated,” Braun said. “It’s still not going
 to be enough until we get back to baseline, but I believe you’ve 
delivered on your commitment.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605286153793.png" alt="Rep. Jeff Pittman voiced displeasure with the rising number of fraud claims and calls he's received on the issue from community member s in his district. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Jeff Pittman voiced displeasure with the rising number of fraud claims and calls he's received on the issue from community member s in his district. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/12/kansas-legislators-seek-quicker-fix-to-labor-departments-woes-amid-rise-in-fraudulent-claims/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA
 — State legislators expressed displeasure Thursday with timeliness of 
the response from the Kansas Department of Labor to a record number of 
fraudulent unemployment claims surfacing during the COVID-19 pandemic.Unemployment fraud has spiked in recent months across the nation, and Kansas has been no exception. This year, KDOL experienced <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/wichita/news/2020/11/06/unemployment-insurance-fraud-skyrockets-in-kansas.html">upward of 125,000</a> of these claims while operating under an outdated computer system.&nbsp;The
 department is currently undergoing the arduous task of modernizing its 
computer system that manages unemployment benefits, but legislators on 
the Joint Committee on Information Technology said that does not account
 for issues Kansans are facing now.Rep.
 Jeff Pittman, a Leavenworth Democrat, acknowledged a national issue 
might make the root of the problem harder to pinpoint but said KDOL must
 come up with a better strategy to protect people pending completion of a
 computer system overhaul.“I
 have people that are stuck in the fraud search cycle that I know inside
 of my community, who’ve been redirected to the fraud department, and it
 doesn’t seem to be a very consistent way of dealing with those folks,” 
Pittman said. “We need to have some path before modernization to take 
care of those folks that are either victims of fraud or are being 
accused of fraud but aren’t.”Pittman
 and two other legislators on the committee expressed concern with 
rising unemployment insurance fraud cases during testimony from KDOL’s 
deputy secretary. They also addressed the department’s progress digging 
out from a sizable backlog of unsettled unemployment claims.In <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/ce51131d-2a9b-4d44-9afb-4b1c02323dee">response to the rise in fraudulent claims</a>,
 the labor department has instituted several IT patches to help 
stabilize the network, doubled the size of its fraud team and expanded 
digital tools on the back end.&nbsp;While
 efforts to mitigate the problems are appreciated, they are 
insufficient, said Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican. She said the 
timeline to institute widespread system modernization is too slow.“You’ve
 heard the term analysis paralysis. Well, it seems to me that we might 
be there because you guys have been looking at this for over two years,”
 Tyson said. “This has become one of the major, if not the major issue 
for the state of Kansas, and I cannot sit back as a legislator, knowing 
the calls that we have received. The identity theft is out of control.”In
 response to the senator, KDOL deputy secretary Brett Flachsbarth said 
the agency was working aggressively to push ahead with modernization. He
 cautioned against cutting corners for the sake of expediency.“We
 understand the need for speed, but we also need to understand the need 
to get it done right, in a way that will produce a viable project,” 
Flachsbarth said. “In terms of the fraud component, you are correct. 
Identity theft is rampant. But again, this is not an issue that is 
isolated to Kansas. This is a nationwide problem.”He
 said KDOL has been in frequent contact with the U.S. Department of 
Labor and the National Association of State Workforce Agencies on how to
 address this issue. Even with a fully modernized computer system, 
Kansans would be susceptible to potential fraud, but upgrades would 
increase the state’s verification capabilities and responsiveness to 
fraud claims.It
 would also help responsiveness to the unemployment claim system in 
economic crises like the one Kansas is currently experiencing as a 
result of the pandemic. KDOL has been working to recover from a chaotic 
few months where the unemployment compensation system became overwhelmed
 by the number of new claimants seeking benefits.The
 departmental crises was a factor in the resignation of Labor Secretary 
Delia Garcia. When Garcia’s replacement, Ryan Wright, was appointed the 
backlog of claims stood at 25,000. Wright vowed to get that number 
reduced significantly.Now that number is tentatively closer to 8,000, Flachsbarth said.While
 it is not quite back to baseline numbers yet, Sen. Kevin Braun, a 
Kansas City Republican, acknowledged the KDOL’s effort to come through 
on its goal of eliminating the backlog.“That
 is significant. That is appreciated,” Braun said. “It’s still not going
 to be enough until we get back to baseline, but I believe you’ve 
delivered on your commitment.”

Kan. legislators seek quicker fix amid rise in unemployment fraud

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of burglaries and have made two arrests.

On Friday, police reported they located&nbsp;Raymon Herrera, 24, Garden City, in the parking lot of Western Motors, 309 E Fulton Street, according to&nbsp;Sergeant Lana Urteaga. Herrera was arrested on requested charges of Burglary.

Police also reported the arrest of Ernest Virgil Whisler, 35, Garden City in connection with four auto burglaries in Garden City.&nbsp;Whisler is still in custody, according to online jail records.

Affidavits requesting the charge of Burglary for each incident have been forwarded to the Finney County Attorney’s Office for review, according to Urteaga.&nbsp;

The Garden City Police Department is requesting assistance from the community. If you witnessed these incidents or have information related to these incidents, you should call the Garden City Police Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605291161602.png" alt="Whisler-photo Finey County" />
 <figcaption>Whisler-photo Finey County</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of burglaries and have made two arrests.On Friday, police reported they located&nbsp;Raymon Herrera, 24, Garden City, in the parking lot of Western Motors, 309 E Fulton Street, according to&nbsp;Sergeant Lana Urteaga. Herrera was arrested on requested charges of Burglary.Police also reported the arrest of Ernest Virgil Whisler, 35, Garden City in connection with four auto burglaries in Garden City.&nbsp;Whisler is still in custody, according to online jail records.Affidavits requesting the charge of Burglary for each incident have been forwarded to the Finney County Attorney’s Office for review, according to Urteaga.&nbsp;The Garden City Police Department is requesting assistance from the community. If you witnessed these incidents or have information related to these incidents, you should call the Garden City Police Department.

Police arrest 2 SW Kansas suspects for burglary 

GENEVA (AP) — A senior U.S. government official complained&nbsp; that the World Health Organization has not shared enough information about its planned mission to China to investigate the animal origins of the coronavirus.

Garrett Grisby of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services griped that the criteria for WHO’s China mission had not been shared with other nations. He spoke during a weeklong meeting of the U.H. health agency’s member countries.

“The (terms of reference) were not negotiated in a transparent way with all WHO member states,” he said via video conference, referring to the mission’s criteria. “Understanding the origins of COVID-19 through a transparent and inclusive investigation is what must be done.”

In recent months, a long-planned WHO-led team seeking to investigate the coronavirus’ animal origins in China has stalled. Although pandemic travel restrictions and the focus on stemming the overwhelming number of new coronavirus cases have complicated matters, some scientists worry that China has still not provided key details about what research is already ongoing.

The U.S. objections came as an independent panel commissioned by WHO to evaluate its management of the global COVID-19 response said it’s considering whether the U.N. health agency has enough power and financing to stop future pandemics.

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who co-chairs the panel, said the group was especially interested in establishing an accurate chronology of the very first coronavirus alerts and what responses were taken.

“The Independent Panel will do its best to shed light on what has happened, is still happening and why,” Clark said. “We are asking whether WHO has the right mandate, the right powers, the right capacities and the right financing to deliver on pandemic preparedness and response.”

Critics, including President Donald Trump, have slammed WHO for allegedly “colluding” with China to hide the extent of the initial coronavirus outbreak. Earlier this year, The Associated Press reported that senior Chinese officials didn’t warn the public about the pandemic threat of coronavirus for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/68a9e1b91de4ffc166acd6012d82c2f9">six days&nbsp;</a>and that they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3c061794970661042b18d5aeaaed9fae">stalled on sharing</a>&nbsp;the virus’ genetic sequence and other key data with WHO experts.

Clark said the panel would also review “how well the World Health Organization and the international system at large have been able to deliver on country needs and expectations.”

On Monday, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pleaded for more funds, saying the agency’s budget was the equivalent of what the world spends on tobacco every day.

Clark has shied away from criticizing WHO or member states like China for their COVID-19 efforts.

Last month, Germany and France led a call from European Union countries arguing that WHO should have more powers to independently investigate outbreaks in countries and that their funding should be boosted.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration halted U.S. funding for the WHO and vowed to pull the United States — its biggest single donor — out of the U.N. health agency by next summer. President-elect Joe Biden has said he plans to keep the United States in the organization.

The WHO meeting finished Saturday. So far the world has seen over 50 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 1.26 million deaths, but experts say all numbers understate the pandemic’s true toll.

GENEVA (AP) — A senior U.S. government official complained&nbsp; that the World Health Organization has not shared enough information about its planned mission to China to investigate the animal origins of the coronavirus.Garrett Grisby of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services griped that the criteria for WHO’s China mission had not been shared with other nations. He spoke during a weeklong meeting of the U.H. health agency’s member countries.“The (terms of reference) were not negotiated in a transparent way with all WHO member states,” he said via video conference, referring to the mission’s criteria. “Understanding the origins of COVID-19 through a transparent and inclusive investigation is what must be done.”In recent months, a long-planned WHO-led team seeking to investigate the coronavirus’ animal origins in China has stalled. Although pandemic travel restrictions and the focus on stemming the overwhelming number of new coronavirus cases have complicated matters, some scientists worry that China has still not provided key details about what research is already ongoing.The U.S. objections came as an independent panel commissioned by WHO to evaluate its management of the global COVID-19 response said it’s considering whether the U.N. health agency has enough power and financing to stop future pandemics.Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who co-chairs the panel, said the group was especially interested in establishing an accurate chronology of the very first coronavirus alerts and what responses were taken.“The Independent Panel will do its best to shed light on what has happened, is still happening and why,” Clark said. “We are asking whether WHO has the right mandate, the right powers, the right capacities and the right financing to deliver on pandemic preparedness and response.”Critics, including President Donald Trump, have slammed WHO for allegedly “colluding” with China to hide the extent of the initial coronavirus outbreak. Earlier this year, The Associated Press reported that senior Chinese officials didn’t warn the public about the pandemic threat of coronavirus for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/68a9e1b91de4ffc166acd6012d82c2f9">six days&nbsp;</a>and that they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3c061794970661042b18d5aeaaed9fae">stalled on sharing</a>&nbsp;the virus’ genetic sequence and other key data with WHO experts.Clark said the panel would also review “how well the World Health Organization and the international system at large have been able to deliver on country needs and expectations.”On Monday, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pleaded for more funds, saying the agency’s budget was the equivalent of what the world spends on tobacco every day.Clark has shied away from criticizing WHO or member states like China for their COVID-19 efforts.Last month, Germany and France led a call from European Union countries arguing that WHO should have more powers to independently investigate outbreaks in countries and that their funding should be boosted.Earlier this year, the Trump administration halted U.S. funding for the WHO and vowed to pull the United States — its biggest single donor — out of the U.N. health agency by next summer. President-elect Joe Biden has said he plans to keep the United States in the organization.The WHO meeting finished Saturday. So far the world has seen over 50 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 1.26 million deaths, but experts say all numbers understate the pandemic’s true toll.

US: WHO not sharing enough info about China virus probe

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/12/kansas-opens-window-to-main-street-program-aimed-at-revitalizing-downtowns/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Kansas 
Department of Commerce is launching a low-cost subsidiary of the Main 
Street program to share with more rural communities technical assistance
 useful in sustaining downtown economic activities, officials said 
Thursday.

Gov. Laura Kelly, a Topeka
 Democrat, moved last year to resurrect the Main Street program 
discontinued in 2012 by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback. Main Street 
delivers economic development aid to about two dozen communities across 
Kansas. The affiliated program would invite communities to be part of 
the downtown viability program without being fully involved in Main 
Street.

“My 
administration brought back the Main Street program because it is a 
proven tool to help Kansas’ rural communities recruit and retain 
businesses, and restore and preserve the unique history of their 
downtown corridors,” the governor said.

The Main 
Street effort was started in 1985 to assist mostly rural communities 
with strategies to preserve downtown areas. There will be a $400 fee for
 communities to participate in the supplemental program through the 
Department of Commerce, officials said.

Scott Sewell,
 director of the 25-city Kansas Main Street program, said the goal was 
to introduce Main Street concepts to a broader audience.

“As we work 
to help those 25 designated communities continue to be successful with 
their downtown revitalization efforts,” he said, “we also want to expand
 the program’s reach and bring some of the same tools to more 
communities, organizations and individuals who care about their local 
downtown.”

Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605290901103.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly and David Toland, secretary of the Kansas Department of Commerce, are working to develop a low-cost alternative to the Main Street program helping to revitalize downtown areas in rural communities. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly and David Toland, secretary of the Kansas Department of Commerce, are working to develop a low-cost alternative to the Main Street program helping to revitalize downtown areas in rural communities. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/12/kansas-opens-window-to-main-street-program-aimed-at-revitalizing-downtowns/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas 
Department of Commerce is launching a low-cost subsidiary of the Main 
Street program to share with more rural communities technical assistance
 useful in sustaining downtown economic activities, officials said 
Thursday.Gov. Laura Kelly, a Topeka
 Democrat, moved last year to resurrect the Main Street program 
discontinued in 2012 by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback. Main Street 
delivers economic development aid to about two dozen communities across 
Kansas. The affiliated program would invite communities to be part of 
the downtown viability program without being fully involved in Main 
Street.“My 
administration brought back the Main Street program because it is a 
proven tool to help Kansas’ rural communities recruit and retain 
businesses, and restore and preserve the unique history of their 
downtown corridors,” the governor said.The Main 
Street effort was started in 1985 to assist mostly rural communities 
with strategies to preserve downtown areas. There will be a $400 fee for
 communities to participate in the supplemental program through the 
Department of Commerce, officials said.Scott Sewell,
 director of the 25-city Kansas Main Street program, said the goal was 
to introduce Main Street concepts to a broader audience.“As we work 
to help those 25 designated communities continue to be successful with 
their downtown revitalization efforts,” he said, “we also want to expand
 the program’s reach and bring some of the same tools to more 
communities, organizations and individuals who care about their local 
downtown.”Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.&nbsp;

Kan. opens window to Main Street program aimed at revitalizing downtowns

CLOUD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 11p.m. Saturday in Cloud County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 GMC Sierra driven by Amanda R. Applebee, 40, Aurora, Kansas, was southbound on 210 road three&nbsp; miles north of Aurora.

The pickup left the roadway to the east and rolled into the ditch.

&nbsp;A passenger Ryan J Peltier, 38, Concordia, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home. EMS transported&nbsp;Applebee to the Cloud County Hospital.

They were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592389654778.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CLOUD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 11p.m. Saturday in Cloud County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 GMC Sierra driven by Amanda R. Applebee, 40, Aurora, Kansas, was southbound on 210 road three&nbsp; miles north of Aurora.The pickup left the roadway to the east and rolled into the ditch.&nbsp;A passenger Ryan J Peltier, 38, Concordia, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home. EMS transported&nbsp;Applebee to the Cloud County Hospital.They were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dead, woman hospitalized after pickup rolls

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A judge has ruled that a stalking charge will stand against a former fourth-grade teacher in the Olathe School District accused of surreptitiously photographing a 10-year-old student.

A Johnson County judge on Thursday rejected the argument of ex-teacher James Loganbill’s attorney that because the girl didn’t know she was being photographed, she wouldn’t have been fearful of the teacher.

Defense attorney Carl Cornwell argued for the charge to be thrown out, saying that under Kansas’ reckless stalking law, the girl would have had to have feared Loganbill’s actions.

Judge Thomas Sutherland disagreed, finding that the girl expressed fear once she learned what the teacher was doing. “The statute does not require the victim to be scared at the exact time of defendant’s action,” Sutherland wrote.

Prosecutors have said the girl’s classmates reported seeing Loganbill secretly taking photos of her from behind in class and on the playground. Investigators said that under questioning, Loganbill admitted taking the photos because he found the girl sexually attractive.

Loganbill resigned in March after 31 years with the district upon being confronted. He faces up to a year in jail if convicted.

The girl’s parents plan to sue the school district next month, the Kansas City Star reported, alleging that the district failed to act after being made aware of previous complaints against Loganbill for questionable behavior involving young girls.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605285718022.png" alt="Loganbill-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Loganbill-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A judge has ruled that a stalking charge will stand against a former fourth-grade teacher in the Olathe School District accused of surreptitiously photographing a 10-year-old student.A Johnson County judge on Thursday rejected the argument of ex-teacher James Loganbill’s attorney that because the girl didn’t know she was being photographed, she wouldn’t have been fearful of the teacher.Defense attorney Carl Cornwell argued for the charge to be thrown out, saying that under Kansas’ reckless stalking law, the girl would have had to have feared Loganbill’s actions.Judge Thomas Sutherland disagreed, finding that the girl expressed fear once she learned what the teacher was doing. “The statute does not require the victim to be scared at the exact time of defendant’s action,” Sutherland wrote.Prosecutors have said the girl’s classmates reported seeing Loganbill secretly taking photos of her from behind in class and on the playground. Investigators said that under questioning, Loganbill admitted taking the photos because he found the girl sexually attractive.Loganbill resigned in March after 31 years with the district upon being confronted. He faces up to a year in jail if convicted.The girl’s parents plan to sue the school district next month, the Kansas City Star reported, alleging that the district failed to act after being made aware of previous complaints against Loganbill for questionable behavior involving young girls.

Former Kansas teacher stalked 10-year-old student  

SEDGWICK COUNTY — The Sedgwick County District Attorney charged Wichita Police Department Detective Brent Huhman with misdemeanor disorderly conduct on Friday, according to police spokesman officer Paul Cruz.

In September, police department officials learned of an incident involving Huhman and citizen while the detective was off-duty.

&nbsp;Wichita police requested the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) investigation to avoid a conflict of interest.

Huhman has been employed with the WPD for 19 years and was placed on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of criminal proceedings and an internal review.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — The Sedgwick County District Attorney charged Wichita Police Department Detective Brent Huhman with misdemeanor disorderly conduct on Friday, according to police spokesman officer Paul Cruz.In September, police department officials learned of an incident involving Huhman and citizen while the detective was off-duty.&nbsp;Wichita police requested the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) investigation to avoid a conflict of interest.Huhman has been employed with the WPD for 19 years and was placed on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of criminal proceedings and an internal review.

Kan. police detective charged for off-duty incident

FORD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 10p.m. Friday in Ford County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Chevy Camaro driven by Marcos P.&nbsp;Solis, 28, Dodge City,&nbsp;was stopped at the stop sign facing west on Lariat Way and U.S. 56..

The driver pulled out in front of a 2018 International semi driven by Andrew P. Lewis, Roscoe, Iowa. The semi struck Camaro in the passenger side.

Solis was transported to the hospital in Dodge City where he died. Lewis was not injured. Solis was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

FORD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 10p.m. Friday in Ford County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Chevy Camaro driven by Marcos P.&nbsp;Solis, 28, Dodge City,&nbsp;was stopped at the stop sign facing west on Lariat Way and U.S. 56..The driver pulled out in front of a 2018 International semi driven by Andrew P. Lewis, Roscoe, Iowa. The semi struck Camaro in the passenger side.Solis was transported to the hospital in Dodge City where he died. Lewis was not injured. Solis was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

SW Kansas man dies after crash with a semi

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — A 9-year-old girl was shot and wounded Friday during a rolling gun battle between two vehicles in Independence, Missouri, police said.

The Independence Police Department said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ipdinfo">Facebook post</a>&nbsp;that its officers responded to numerous calls of shots fired shortly before 8 p.m.

The wounded girl and her mother were dropped off by the driver of one of the involved vehicles at a Walmart in Kansas City, just south of the area where gunshots had been reported.

The injured girl is believed to have been in one of the involved vehicles when she was shot, police said. The girl is being treated at an area hospital. Police did not immediately respond to questions about her condition.

Police are looking four persons of interest in connection with the shooting.

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — A 9-year-old girl was shot and wounded Friday during a rolling gun battle between two vehicles in Independence, Missouri, police said.The Independence Police Department said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ipdinfo">Facebook post</a>&nbsp;that its officers responded to numerous calls of shots fired shortly before 8 p.m.The wounded girl and her mother were dropped off by the driver of one of the involved vehicles at a Walmart in Kansas City, just south of the area where gunshots had been reported.The injured girl is believed to have been in one of the involved vehicles when she was shot, police said. The girl is being treated at an area hospital. Police did not immediately respond to questions about her condition.Police are looking four persons of interest in connection with the shooting.

Police: 9-year-old girl hurt in gun battle near Kansas City

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/12/new-kansas-survey-of-state-agencies-affirms-broad-cybersecurity-vulnerabilities/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The first 
mandated cybersecurity self-assessment by dozens of state agencies 
affirmed problems with managing risk, handling information available to 
vendors, updating disaster-recovery plans and complying consistently 
with data management protocol, state officials said Thursday.

Security challenges in 
large and small agencies of Kansas’ executive branch have been 
identified in confidential state government reports produced during the 
past several years. All that analysis of vulnerability at state agencies
 prompted the Kansas Legislature to require self-assessments every two 
years to keep a spotlight on progress to amend weaknesses.

DeAngela Burns-Wallace, 
secretary of the Kansas Department of Administration and since September
 2019 the state’s executive chief information technology officer, said 
survey responses had been submitted by 42 agencies. Ten agencies, all 
smaller agencies without full-time IT staff, didn’t meet the mid-October
 deadline for filing the report.

She didn’t identify 
agencies that missed the deadline, but said “we need this work done” and
 would compel production of the reports because it is “key and 
critical.”

She said there was need 
across state agencies for more standardization of data management. State
 organizations struggle to identify, track and manage cybersecurity 
risk, she said. The survey showed many agencies had disaster continuity 
plans, but “are not properly developing, testing and maintaining them,” 
an issue heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, Burns-Wallace
 said, the survey chronicled agencies that struggle to maintain 
information security when engaged with third-party vendors.

“The level of IT 
sophistication around security is varied,” Burns-Wallace said. 
“Particularly some of our smaller non-Cabinet agencies that don’t have 
full-time IT staff. Even in our larger Cabinet agencies, the IT 
expertise is one thing and that security expertise is a little bit 
different.”

The administration 
secretary said the state provided access to information security 
officers to help non-Cabinet agencies with cybersecurity concerns. In 
the future, she said, monthly training for executives and technical 
staff would be implemented to work on security.

Rep. Kyle Hoffman, a 
Coldwater Republican and vice chairman of the Joint Committee on 
Information Technology, said it was clear state government leaders 
failed in the past to pay sufficient attention to cybersecurity. He said
 problems at the Kansas Department of Labor was a vivid example, but the
 survey of dozens of agencies and the initiation of three-year IT 
improvement plans during the administration of Gov. Laura Kelly had been
 a step in the right direction.

“I think we have let 
cybersecurity go for so long,” Hoffman said. “It just seems like we just
 have struggled to get any sort of a good cybersecurity system going. I 
really appreciate what you’re doing with this.”

Hoffman did express 
concern with delays and cost overruns with an IT overhaul at Fort Hays 
State University and with hiccups in implementation of a state data 
center in Overland Park. Migration to the data center is expected to be 
finished in December, but Burns-Wallace said that project had been stuck
 at less than 20% migration for more than two years.

Rep. Pam Curtis, a member 
of the committee and a Democrat from Kansas City, Kansas, said it was 
important for state agencies to embrace business efficiencies afforded 
by greater reliance on information technology during the pandemic.

Sen. Kevin Braun, a Kansas
 City, Kansas, Republican on the IT committee, said he had been in 
meetings in which state agencies were aware of security problems but 
lacked the expertise to apply a fix. The idea of integrating security 
work into routine IT training is an “incredible leap forward in the last
 two years,” he said.

Burns-Wallace said the 
objective wasn’t to force centralization of IT operations for state 
government, but to establish a baseline for agencies of different sizes 
and with different missions.

It’s not enough for a 
handful of state agencies to meet benchmark standards while others 
muddle along without meeting expectations, she said.

“What are the things that you need to protect that are part of the backbone?” she said.

Burns-Wallace said the 
self-assessment process provided agencies opportunity to be reflective 
and to take ownership of their cybersecurity stance.

In terms of the state 
agency surveys on cybersecurity, Burns-Wallace said 25 agencies reported
 having an organization-wide security program. Ten agencies said they 
didn’t have such a program and seven agencies said they were unsure.

The survey asked whether 
the agency assessed and documented risks to IT systems that process, 
store or transmit restricted-use data. The response: 14 said yes, 25 
said no and three were uncertain.

On the question of whether
 agencies implemented standards to guarantee data and information 
technology resources were maintained in compliance with state and 
federal law, here was the response: yes, 32 agencies; no, seven; unsure,
 three.

A question about 
implementation of cost-effective safeguards to reduce, eliminate or 
recover from identified threats data and IT technology resources: 35 
said yes, three said no and four were uncertain.

And, another: Does the 
organization conduct an annual internal assessment of its security 
program? The answer: 21 said yes, 13 said no and eight were uncertain.

“That’s not great,” she 
said. “At minimum, you want to know if you have it or not. if you’re 
unsure, that means we have some work to do.”

Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605277123238.png" alt="DeAngela Burns-Wallace, secretary of the Kansas Department of Administration and the state's executive chief information technology officer, received bipartisan praise Thursday from a legislative committee regarding her work to improve IT systems and get a handle on cybersecurity problems in state government. (Tim Carpenter/Kanas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>DeAngela Burns-Wallace, secretary of the Kansas Department of Administration and the state's executive chief information technology officer, received bipartisan praise Thursday from a legislative committee regarding her work to improve IT systems and get a handle on cybersecurity problems in state government. (Tim Carpenter/Kanas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/12/new-kansas-survey-of-state-agencies-affirms-broad-cybersecurity-vulnerabilities/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The first 
mandated cybersecurity self-assessment by dozens of state agencies 
affirmed problems with managing risk, handling information available to 
vendors, updating disaster-recovery plans and complying consistently 
with data management protocol, state officials said Thursday.Security challenges in 
large and small agencies of Kansas’ executive branch have been 
identified in confidential state government reports produced during the 
past several years. All that analysis of vulnerability at state agencies
 prompted the Kansas Legislature to require self-assessments every two 
years to keep a spotlight on progress to amend weaknesses.DeAngela Burns-Wallace, 
secretary of the Kansas Department of Administration and since September
 2019 the state’s executive chief information technology officer, said 
survey responses had been submitted by 42 agencies. Ten agencies, all 
smaller agencies without full-time IT staff, didn’t meet the mid-October
 deadline for filing the report.She didn’t identify 
agencies that missed the deadline, but said “we need this work done” and
 would compel production of the reports because it is “key and 
critical.”She said there was need 
across state agencies for more standardization of data management. State
 organizations struggle to identify, track and manage cybersecurity 
risk, she said. The survey showed many agencies had disaster continuity 
plans, but “are not properly developing, testing and maintaining them,” 
an issue heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic.In addition, Burns-Wallace
 said, the survey chronicled agencies that struggle to maintain 
information security when engaged with third-party vendors.“The level of IT 
sophistication around security is varied,” Burns-Wallace said. 
“Particularly some of our smaller non-Cabinet agencies that don’t have 
full-time IT staff. Even in our larger Cabinet agencies, the IT 
expertise is one thing and that security expertise is a little bit 
different.”The administration 
secretary said the state provided access to information security 
officers to help non-Cabinet agencies with cybersecurity concerns. In 
the future, she said, monthly training for executives and technical 
staff would be implemented to work on security.Rep. Kyle Hoffman, a 
Coldwater Republican and vice chairman of the Joint Committee on 
Information Technology, said it was clear state government leaders 
failed in the past to pay sufficient attention to cybersecurity. He said
 problems at the Kansas Department of Labor was a vivid example, but the
 survey of dozens of agencies and the initiation of three-year IT 
improvement plans during the administration of Gov. Laura Kelly had been
 a step in the right direction.“I think we have let 
cybersecurity go for so long,” Hoffman said. “It just seems like we just
 have struggled to get any sort of a good cybersecurity system going. I 
really appreciate what you’re doing with this.”Hoffman did express 
concern with delays and cost overruns with an IT overhaul at Fort Hays 
State University and with hiccups in implementation of a state data 
center in Overland Park. Migration to the data center is expected to be 
finished in December, but Burns-Wallace said that project had been stuck
 at less than 20% migration for more than two years.Rep. Pam Curtis, a member 
of the committee and a Democrat from Kansas City, Kansas, said it was 
important for state agencies to embrace business efficiencies afforded 
by greater reliance on information technology during the pandemic.Sen. Kevin Braun, a Kansas
 City, Kansas, Republican on the IT committee, said he had been in 
meetings in which state agencies were aware of security problems but 
lacked the expertise to apply a fix. The idea of integrating security 
work into routine IT training is an “incredible leap forward in the last
 two years,” he said.Burns-Wallace said the 
objective wasn’t to force centralization of IT operations for state 
government, but to establish a baseline for agencies of different sizes 
and with different missions.It’s not enough for a 
handful of state agencies to meet benchmark standards while others 
muddle along without meeting expectations, she said.“What are the things that you need to protect that are part of the backbone?” she said.Burns-Wallace said the 
self-assessment process provided agencies opportunity to be reflective 
and to take ownership of their cybersecurity stance.In terms of the state 
agency surveys on cybersecurity, Burns-Wallace said 25 agencies reported
 having an organization-wide security program. Ten agencies said they 
didn’t have such a program and seven agencies said they were unsure.The survey asked whether 
the agency assessed and documented risks to IT systems that process, 
store or transmit restricted-use data. The response: 14 said yes, 25 
said no and three were uncertain.On the question of whether
 agencies implemented standards to guarantee data and information 
technology resources were maintained in compliance with state and 
federal law, here was the response: yes, 32 agencies; no, seven; unsure,
 three.A question about 
implementation of cost-effective safeguards to reduce, eliminate or 
recover from identified threats data and IT technology resources: 35 
said yes, three said no and four were uncertain.And, another: Does the 
organization conduct an annual internal assessment of its security 
program? The answer: 21 said yes, 13 said no and eight were uncertain.“That’s not great,” she 
said. “At minimum, you want to know if you have it or not. if you’re 
unsure, that means we have some work to do.”Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.

Kan. survey of state agencies affirms broad cybersecurity vulnerabilities

The FBI continues to seek information regarding the 2004 suspicious death of Alonzo Brooks in La Cygne, Kansas. 

The investigation into this cold case was initiated in 2019 and a reward of up to $100,000 for information was announced at a press conference on June 11.

During this investigation, new information has come to light surrounding the evening of Brooks’ death. Based upon interviews of individuals who had not previously spoken with investigators, the FBI has learned there was another party, the same evening, a relatively short distance away from the party Brooks attended. Through interviews, investigators have learned that a confrontation occurred at the nearby party, and many of the attendees left that gathering and joined the party at the farmhouse where Brooks was present.

The FBI is seeking to identify and speak with any individuals who attended either party. If you or someone you know were in attendance, please contact the FBI at 816-512-8200, 816-474-TIPS, or tips.fbi.gov. 

Any information you may have regarding this evening or these parties is valuable and could be crucial to this investigation. Even the smallest bit of&nbsp; information that may seem insignificant standing alone could be vital to the investigators.

The FBI is investigating Brooks’ death as a potential racially-motivated crime. Brooks, who was 23 years old at the time he died, was one of only three African-Americans at the party he attended with approximately 100 people at a farmhouse on the outskirts of La Cygne. Brooks, who lived in Gardner, Kan., rode to the party with friends, but they left before him, and Brooks eventually had no ride home. His body was later discovered in Middle Creek, adjacent to the farmhouse, on May 1, 2004.

The $100,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest, prosecution, and conviction of the individual or individuals responsible for Brooks’ death. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the FBI at 816-512-8200 or 816-474-TIPS, or to submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591908849400.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The FBI continues to seek information regarding the 2004 suspicious death of Alonzo Brooks in La Cygne, Kansas. The investigation into this cold case was initiated in 2019 and a reward of up to $100,000 for information was announced at a press conference on June 11.During this investigation, new information has come to light surrounding the evening of Brooks’ death. Based upon interviews of individuals who had not previously spoken with investigators, the FBI has learned there was another party, the same evening, a relatively short distance away from the party Brooks attended. Through interviews, investigators have learned that a confrontation occurred at the nearby party, and many of the attendees left that gathering and joined the party at the farmhouse where Brooks was present.The FBI is seeking to identify and speak with any individuals who attended either party. If you or someone you know were in attendance, please contact the FBI at 816-512-8200, 816-474-TIPS, or tips.fbi.gov. Any information you may have regarding this evening or these parties is valuable and could be crucial to this investigation. Even the smallest bit of&nbsp; information that may seem insignificant standing alone could be vital to the investigators.The FBI is investigating Brooks’ death as a potential racially-motivated crime. Brooks, who was 23 years old at the time he died, was one of only three African-Americans at the party he attended with approximately 100 people at a farmhouse on the outskirts of La Cygne. Brooks, who lived in Gardner, Kan., rode to the party with friends, but they left before him, and Brooks eventually had no ride home. His body was later discovered in Middle Creek, adjacent to the farmhouse, on May 1, 2004.The $100,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest, prosecution, and conviction of the individual or individuals responsible for Brooks’ death. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the FBI at 816-512-8200 or 816-474-TIPS, or to submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov

FBI learns new details in Kansas cold case murder

By STEPHAN BISAHA <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/how-kansas-universities-are-sending-students-home-thanksgiving-pandemic">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA — In just two weeks, thousands of 
college students in Kansas will board planes and hop into cars 
daydreaming of sweet potatoes and turkey legs.

Most of those 
students won’t return to campus for the rest of the semester. To cut the
 risk of spreading the coronavirus, the majority of universities in 
Kansas will have students finish the fall semester online.

Even
 one-way Thanksgiving trips, health experts worry, could mean trouble 
when all those students return home, pack around holiday feasts, pass 
the gravy and hug an uncle or a grandma they haven’t seen for months.

One <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3606811" target="_blank">study</a>
 found that student travel during spring break led to the local spread 
of the coronavirus. Now that the virus is surging across Kansas, the 
mass exodus from college campuses could make the spread even worse.

Here's what Kansas six universities are — or aren’t — telling students before they leave to help prevent the spread.

Kansas
 State University has been the one state school encouraging all students
 to get tested before leaving — specifically three days before they 
travel to get results before they go.

“The thought of taking the 
virus back and infecting Mom and Dad or Grandma and Grandpa — we just 
want students to be thoughtful about that,” said Dr. Kyle Goerl, the 
director of K-State’s health center.

K-State can test about 1,000
 students each day. That’s not enough to test every student before 
leaving. But that’s still more available than at most of the other state
 universities.

<a href="https://www.acha.org/documents/Resources/COVID_19/ACHA_Brief_Considerations_for_IHEs_as_Students_Return_Home_10.29.2020.pdf" target="_blank">The American College Health Association</a>,
 or AHCA, guidelines suggest colleges should encourage students to get 
tested to “know before you go.” The association acknowledges that’s not 
possible at all schools with limited resources.

Completely 
quarantining before leaving is out of the question with in-person 
classes still going on. But the university says students should cut back
 on the off-hour socializing. Even just a friend dropping by to share a 
cup of coffee risks spreading the disease and is the kind of behavior 
K-State says students should reconsider before traveling.

“Where we get into trouble is the social activities off campus,” Goerl said. “A lot of it is related to parities.”

The University of Kansas will offer testing to departing students — but only if they need one to travel.

If
 an asymptomatic student, faculty or staff member’s flight requires a 
negative COVID test, KU will give them a test at no cost. The same goes 
for those traveling to states that require a negative test result from 
incoming travelers.

Anyone with symptoms can still get tested 
regardless of their travel plans. KU is also still doing sample testing 
of symptom-free students to monitor the on-campus virus spread.

KU
 is the first Kansas university to say it will require students to get 
tested before they return in the spring. Students living on campus will 
be sent home for the winter with a saliva test kit so they can get their
 results before heading back to Lawrence.

The
 other state universities say they might send some travel tips to 
students, but they aren’t pressing students to get tested before 
leaving.

Emporia State University has no testing or quarantine 
requirements or guidance for departing students. Pittsburg State 
University says it’s discussing re-entry tests for students in the 
spring, but it’s not ramping up testing before Thanksgiving.

Wichita State University recently <a href="https://www.wichita.edu/services/studenthealth/vst.php" target="_blank">opened up testing to any asymptomatic student</a>
 that wants one — including offering a free meal pass for students that 
take the free test. But the school isn’t pushing for students to get 
tested before leaving campus.

WSU says that’s because testing 
isn’t a panacea. An exposed student can carry the virus for days without
 testing positive. Wichita State says that negative results could give 
students a false sense of security and lead them to ignore other 
preventative actions like masks and social distancing.

“Testing 
is important, but it’s not the answer to everything,” said Camille 
Childers, director for Student Health Services at Wichita State.

Fort Hays State University is the one state school bringing students back on campus the week after Thanksgiving.

Most
 students living on campus at Fort Hays tend to be from nearby Kansas 
communities. While it has a sizable international student population, 
most of them are studying online from China. The university says most of
 its students have already been traveling between the campus and their 
homes during the semester.

“Those students are visiting their 
families on weekends anyway,” said Lynn Adams, the director of Student 
Health at Fort Hays. “It didn’t make any difference if they went and 
just stayed a few extra days.”

The ACHA says if students are 
going to return to campus after the break, then the college should at 
least encourage those students to stay on campus. Fort Hays is not 
suggesting students do that.

“It’s very difficult to make a broad
 statement that students shouldn’t do this or that,” Adams said, 
“because they each have their own little individual situation.”

For traveling students, the ACHA has some suggestions for how to reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus.

Stephan Bisaha reports on education and young adult life for the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/stevebisaha">@SteveBisaha</a> or email him at bisaha@kmuw.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605130083732.png" alt=" A Wichita State University student sits in the university's student center. Stephan Bisaha / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> A Wichita State University student sits in the university's student center. Stephan Bisaha / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By STEPHAN BISAHA <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/how-kansas-universities-are-sending-students-home-thanksgiving-pandemic">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA — In just two weeks, thousands of 
college students in Kansas will board planes and hop into cars 
daydreaming of sweet potatoes and turkey legs.Most of those 
students won’t return to campus for the rest of the semester. To cut the
 risk of spreading the coronavirus, the majority of universities in 
Kansas will have students finish the fall semester online.Even
 one-way Thanksgiving trips, health experts worry, could mean trouble 
when all those students return home, pack around holiday feasts, pass 
the gravy and hug an uncle or a grandma they haven’t seen for months.One <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3606811" target="_blank">study</a>
 found that student travel during spring break led to the local spread 
of the coronavirus. Now that the virus is surging across Kansas, the 
mass exodus from college campuses could make the spread even worse.Here's what Kansas six universities are — or aren’t — telling students before they leave to help prevent the spread.<h2>Get tested before you go</h2>Kansas
 State University has been the one state school encouraging all students
 to get tested before leaving — specifically three days before they 
travel to get results before they go.“The thought of taking the 
virus back and infecting Mom and Dad or Grandma and Grandpa — we just 
want students to be thoughtful about that,” said Dr. Kyle Goerl, the 
director of K-State’s health center.K-State can test about 1,000
 students each day. That’s not enough to test every student before 
leaving. But that’s still more available than at most of the other state
 universities.<a href="https://www.acha.org/documents/Resources/COVID_19/ACHA_Brief_Considerations_for_IHEs_as_Students_Return_Home_10.29.2020.pdf" target="_blank">The American College Health Association</a>,
 or AHCA, guidelines suggest colleges should encourage students to get 
tested to “know before you go.” The association acknowledges that’s not 
possible at all schools with limited resources.Completely 
quarantining before leaving is out of the question with in-person 
classes still going on. But the university says students should cut back
 on the off-hour socializing. Even just a friend dropping by to share a 
cup of coffee risks spreading the disease and is the kind of behavior 
K-State says students should reconsider before traveling.“Where we get into trouble is the social activities off campus,” Goerl said. “A lot of it is related to parities.”<h2>Tests available if needed</h2>The University of Kansas will offer testing to departing students — but only if they need one to travel.If
 an asymptomatic student, faculty or staff member’s flight requires a 
negative COVID test, KU will give them a test at no cost. The same goes 
for those traveling to states that require a negative test result from 
incoming travelers.Anyone with symptoms can still get tested 
regardless of their travel plans. KU is also still doing sample testing 
of symptom-free students to monitor the on-campus virus spread.KU
 is the first Kansas university to say it will require students to get 
tested before they return in the spring. Students living on campus will 
be sent home for the winter with a saliva test kit so they can get their
 results before heading back to Lawrence.<h2>No specific guidance</h2>The
 other state universities say they might send some travel tips to 
students, but they aren’t pressing students to get tested before 
leaving.Emporia State University has no testing or quarantine 
requirements or guidance for departing students. Pittsburg State 
University says it’s discussing re-entry tests for students in the 
spring, but it’s not ramping up testing before Thanksgiving.Wichita State University recently <a href="https://www.wichita.edu/services/studenthealth/vst.php" target="_blank">opened up testing to any asymptomatic student</a>
 that wants one — including offering a free meal pass for students that 
take the free test. But the school isn’t pushing for students to get 
tested before leaving campus.WSU says that’s because testing 
isn’t a panacea. An exposed student can carry the virus for days without
 testing positive. Wichita State says that negative results could give 
students a false sense of security and lead them to ignore other 
preventative actions like masks and social distancing.“Testing 
is important, but it’s not the answer to everything,” said Camille 
Childers, director for Student Health Services at Wichita State.<h2>Back after turkey</h2>Fort Hays State University is the one state school bringing students back on campus the week after Thanksgiving.Most
 students living on campus at Fort Hays tend to be from nearby Kansas 
communities. While it has a sizable international student population, 
most of them are studying online from China. The university says most of
 its students have already been traveling between the campus and their 
homes during the semester.“Those students are visiting their 
families on weekends anyway,” said Lynn Adams, the director of Student 
Health at Fort Hays. “It didn’t make any difference if they went and 
just stayed a few extra days.”The ACHA says if students are 
going to return to campus after the break, then the college should at 
least encourage those students to stay on campus. Fort Hays is not 
suggesting students do that.“It’s very difficult to make a broad
 statement that students shouldn’t do this or that,” Adams said, 
“because they each have their own little individual situation.”<h2>What students should do</h2>For traveling students, the ACHA has some suggestions for how to reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus.<ul>
 <li>Reduce
 the number of stops while traveling. That means sticking to direct 
flights or bringing food if driving to avoid restaurant pit stops.</li><li>A flu shot before leaving would prevent influenza from spreading.</li><li>Students should stick to the COVID-19 basics — wash hands frequently, maintain social distancing and wear a mask.</li><li>If at all possible, hold that Thanksgiving feast outside.</li><li>Above all else, if you are feeling ill do not travel.</li>
 </ul>Stephan Bisaha reports on education and young adult life for the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/stevebisaha">@SteveBisaha</a> or email him at bisaha@kmuw.org.

How universities in Kan. are sending students home for Thanksgiving 

PRATT – Kansas hunters are urged to remain vigilant to the dangers harmful algal blooms can pose to hunting dogs. Every summer, dogs in Kansas get sick or die from exposure to harmful blue-green algae, but potentially deadly algal blooms can still occur into fall and winter.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“There are a lot of different species (of blue-green algae) and some don’t care what season it is,” said Tom Stiles, Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE)&nbsp;Bureau of Water director. “If there’s a period of sunshine, calm conditions and it’s warm, a bloom could pop up. Hunters need to pay attention to their dogs.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

KDHE monitors blue-green algae across the state April 1-Oct. 31. But Stiles knows heavy blooms have been documented well into November and believes they happen through the winter. Stiles added that 2020 has been a particularly bad year, with potentially<a></a>&nbsp;harmful densities of blue-green algae reported at as many as 39 bodies of public water.&nbsp;

Algal blooms are often highly visible, appearing like a bright green slime on the water’s surface, though Stiles added the blooms come in other colors and textures. Hunters need to keep a watchful eye on water conditions before sending their dogs to make a retrieve. However, dogs have also ingested potentially fatal amounts of bacteria from water that showed no visible signs of the algae, so hunters are encouraged to err on the side of caution when hunting around waters documented to have had harmful algal blooms earlier in the year.&nbsp;

As well as directly drinking toxic water, Stiles said dogs often ingest the algae by eating it along the shoreline. Another common scenario is when a dog licks itself after coming out of toxic water.&nbsp;

Stiles said while algal blooms in Kansas’ large reservoirs get most of the attention, small waters on private lands can be just as dangerous. The state has thousands of small ponds that drain fertilized croplands, creating the potential for algal blooms.&nbsp;

“I get calls every year from ranchers who’ve lost cattle by a pond,” said Stiles. “If it’ll kill cattle, it’ll easily kill dogs.”&nbsp;

Stiles recommends hunters offer fresh drinking water often to their dogs to decrease their interest in drinking from tainted ponds or lakes. Dogs that have swam through possible blooms should be toweled off immediately and taken to a place where they can be sprayed thoroughly with clean water. Hunters also need to monitor their dog’s condition for hours following a hunt.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605547720600.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KDWPTPRATT – Kansas hunters are urged to remain vigilant to the dangers harmful algal blooms can pose to hunting dogs. Every summer, dogs in Kansas get sick or die from exposure to harmful blue-green algae, but potentially deadly algal blooms can still occur into fall and winter.&nbsp;&nbsp;“There are a lot of different species (of blue-green algae) and some don’t care what season it is,” said Tom Stiles, Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE)&nbsp;Bureau of Water director. “If there’s a period of sunshine, calm conditions and it’s warm, a bloom could pop up. Hunters need to pay attention to their dogs.”&nbsp;&nbsp;KDHE monitors blue-green algae across the state April 1-Oct. 31. But Stiles knows heavy blooms have been documented well into November and believes they happen through the winter. Stiles added that 2020 has been a particularly bad year, with potentially<a></a>&nbsp;harmful densities of blue-green algae reported at as many as 39 bodies of public water.&nbsp;Algal blooms are often highly visible, appearing like a bright green slime on the water’s surface, though Stiles added the blooms come in other colors and textures. Hunters need to keep a watchful eye on water conditions before sending their dogs to make a retrieve. However, dogs have also ingested potentially fatal amounts of bacteria from water that showed no visible signs of the algae, so hunters are encouraged to err on the side of caution when hunting around waters documented to have had harmful algal blooms earlier in the year.&nbsp;As well as directly drinking toxic water, Stiles said dogs often ingest the algae by eating it along the shoreline. Another common scenario is when a dog licks itself after coming out of toxic water.&nbsp;Stiles said while algal blooms in Kansas’ large reservoirs get most of the attention, small waters on private lands can be just as dangerous. The state has thousands of small ponds that drain fertilized croplands, creating the potential for algal blooms.&nbsp;“I get calls every year from ranchers who’ve lost cattle by a pond,” said Stiles. “If it’ll kill cattle, it’ll easily kill dogs.”&nbsp;Stiles recommends hunters offer fresh drinking water often to their dogs to decrease their interest in drinking from tainted ponds or lakes. Dogs that have swam through possible blooms should be toweled off immediately and taken to a place where they can be sprayed thoroughly with clean water. Hunters also need to monitor their dog’s condition for hours following a hunt.&nbsp;“Sometimes it’s only a matter of minutes before they get really sick but other times it’s hours,” said Stiles. “If a dog is exhibiting any symptoms like throwing up, is especially lethargic or starts having seizures, rush it to the vet.”&nbsp;&nbsp;If you suspect that your dog got sick because of exposure to blue-green algae, please report it to the KDHE by calling the EpiHotline (877-427-7317) or by using this online form found at:&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fkdheks.co1.qualtrics.com%2Fjfe%2Fform%2FSV_3m9Zfcls27nckMB&amp;data=04%7C01%7C%7Cf2229218e1eb47180b6f08d888283985%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637409053621147382%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=a3OXujf6hck4bpo7pDKbXtC%2Fl7GjIi1SgtdTTTihtG8%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://kdheks.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3m9Zfcls27nckMB</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;For more information on blue-green algal blooms in Kansas, visit www.kdheks.gov/algae-illness.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;