KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City police officer who was shot in the head two months ago is now back in Kansas City.

Police spokesman Jacob Becchina said Thursday that the officer had been receiving treatment at a rehabilitation facility out of state. He has returned to Kansas City to continue treatment at an outpatient facility.

The officer, whose name has not been released, was shot in early July while pursuing a suspect who was accused of waving a gun at a McDonald’s. A second officer fired back at the suspect, 31-year-old Ky Jonson, killing him.

Seventy-seven days after the traumatic head injury, the officer is walking and talking.

“Our officer has showed us his amazing strength and determination by returning home with his family and loved ones near him,” Becchina said in an email. “His recovery so far has truly been a miracle.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593774968015.png" alt="&nbsp;Police on the scene of the July 2, shooting investigation-photo courtesy KMBC TV" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Police on the scene of the July 2, shooting investigation-photo courtesy KMBC TV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City police officer who was shot in the head two months ago is now back in Kansas City.Police spokesman Jacob Becchina said Thursday that the officer had been receiving treatment at a rehabilitation facility out of state. He has returned to Kansas City to continue treatment at an outpatient facility.The officer, whose name has not been released, was shot in early July while pursuing a suspect who was accused of waving a gun at a McDonald’s. A second officer fired back at the suspect, 31-year-old Ky Jonson, killing him.Seventy-seven days after the traumatic head injury, the officer is walking and talking.“Our officer has showed us his amazing strength and determination by returning home with his family and loved ones near him,” Becchina said in an email. “His recovery so far has truly been a miracle.”

KC officer shot in the head in July called a 'Miracle'

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1415 to a total of 52,285 the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 596, an increase of 10.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1415 to a total of 52,285 the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 596, an increase of 10.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600448928024.png" alt="Sept. 18, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Sept. 18, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

SALINE COUNTY—A Kansas felon is back in jail after allegedly threatening a police officer with a knife.

Just after 2:30p.m. Thursday, police responded to the 600 block of East Ash Street in Salina for the report of a verbal domestic dispute in progress, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.

Officers made contact with Wesley Spragg, 39, of Salina, who requested to be taken to jail.

 Spragg then ran from the officers and refused to stop when ordered to do so, according to Forrester. Spragg eventually stopped, turned around, and yelled at the officers, according to Forrester.

&nbsp;Spragg then allegedly picked up an approximate eight-inch fixed-blade knife from the ground, pointed it at one of the officers, and quickly moved toward the officer. The officer backed up to create distance and Spragg put the knife into a sheath he had hanging from around his neck.

Police arrested him on requested charges of Aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer and Criminal threat.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600441531432.jpeg" alt="Wesley Spragg has previous convictions for aggravated battery, criminal threat, criminal damage to property for DUI and drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections." />
 <figcaption>Wesley Spragg has previous convictions for aggravated battery, criminal threat, criminal damage to property for DUI and drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY—A Kansas felon is back in jail after allegedly threatening a police officer with a knife.Just after 2:30p.m. Thursday, police responded to the 600 block of East Ash Street in Salina for the report of a verbal domestic dispute in progress, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.Officers made contact with Wesley Spragg, 39, of Salina, who requested to be taken to jail. Spragg then ran from the officers and refused to stop when ordered to do so, according to Forrester. Spragg eventually stopped, turned around, and yelled at the officers, according to Forrester.&nbsp;Spragg then allegedly picked up an approximate eight-inch fixed-blade knife from the ground, pointed it at one of the officers, and quickly moved toward the officer. The officer backed up to create distance and Spragg put the knife into a sheath he had hanging from around his neck.Police arrested him on requested charges of Aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer and Criminal threat.

Kan. felon jailed after allegedly threatening officer with knife

TOPEKA&nbsp;– The State Finance Council (SFC) Thursday unanimously approved a total of $290 million for the public health, essential needs and services, and business resiliency and workforce development programs previously recommended by the Executive Committee of the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Taskforce, according to a media release from the governor's office.

“These funds will provide&nbsp;child supervision for parents with&nbsp;school-age children to ensure&nbsp;they&nbsp;can keep working, reduce evictions,&nbsp;and provide tools to&nbsp;help slow the spread of COVID-19,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;

“I commend the SPARK taskforce&nbsp;and the State Finance Council, who crafted&nbsp;and approved&nbsp;these recommendations that will strongly support&nbsp;Kansans’&nbsp;health and&nbsp;keep our state on the path&nbsp;economic recovery.”

Recognizing the constantly evolving health and economic needs created by the pandemic, the recommendations do not allocate all the funds immediately. Rather, the Office of Recovery will monitor demand for the funds from approved programs and submit additional allocations to the State Finance Council for approval.&nbsp; Each program requires a minimum be invested in an area of emphasis, which include COVID-19 testing, housing stability, and remote learning centers for school-age children.&nbsp; If those areas of emphasis do not require more funding, the remaining dollars in the reserve fund can be allocated to previous programs approved by the SFC in round 2.

“It was important to the SPARK taskforce to ensure there was flexibility and to not overcommit funds too early and be unable to respond should needs shift again this fall,”&nbsp;SPARK Chairman Lyle Butler said. “I want to thank SFC for sharing this concern and supporting a dynamic approach that will serve Kansas well.”

“I want to thank both SPARK and the State Finance Council for providing the flexibility to deliver timely investments and ability to respond to shifting needs,”&nbsp;Recovery Office Executive Director Julie Lorenz said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“With flexibility comes an even greater need for transparency and accountability for how these funds are utilized and we remain committed to reporting our progress to SPARK, SFC, and Kansans so they can see how their tax dollars are being spent.”

The $290 million approved today is for the third and final round of funding of the Coronavirus Relief Fund, which is part of the federal CARES Act.&nbsp; Previously, SFC approved $400 million to Kansas counties (round 1) and $314 million for statewide priorities of public health, education, economic development, and connectivity (round 2).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600427048166.png" alt="Members of the Governor's Spark Task Force during a virtual meeting earlier this week." />
 <figcaption>Members of the Governor's Spark Task Force during a virtual meeting earlier this week.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– The State Finance Council (SFC) Thursday unanimously approved a total of $290 million for the public health, essential needs and services, and business resiliency and workforce development programs previously recommended by the Executive Committee of the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Taskforce, according to a media release from the governor's office.“These funds will provide&nbsp;child supervision for parents with&nbsp;school-age children to ensure&nbsp;they&nbsp;can keep working, reduce evictions,&nbsp;and provide tools to&nbsp;help slow the spread of COVID-19,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“I commend the SPARK taskforce&nbsp;and the State Finance Council, who crafted&nbsp;and approved&nbsp;these recommendations that will strongly support&nbsp;Kansans’&nbsp;health and&nbsp;keep our state on the path&nbsp;economic recovery.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600427541114.png" alt="A breakdown of the minimum investment requirements and allocations approved for each program." />
 <figcaption>A breakdown of the minimum investment requirements and allocations approved for each program.</figcaption>
 </figure>Recognizing the constantly evolving health and economic needs created by the pandemic, the recommendations do not allocate all the funds immediately. Rather, the Office of Recovery will monitor demand for the funds from approved programs and submit additional allocations to the State Finance Council for approval.&nbsp; Each program requires a minimum be invested in an area of emphasis, which include COVID-19 testing, housing stability, and remote learning centers for school-age children.&nbsp; If those areas of emphasis do not require more funding, the remaining dollars in the reserve fund can be allocated to previous programs approved by the SFC in round 2.“It was important to the SPARK taskforce to ensure there was flexibility and to not overcommit funds too early and be unable to respond should needs shift again this fall,”&nbsp;SPARK Chairman Lyle Butler said. “I want to thank SFC for sharing this concern and supporting a dynamic approach that will serve Kansas well.”“I want to thank both SPARK and the State Finance Council for providing the flexibility to deliver timely investments and ability to respond to shifting needs,”&nbsp;Recovery Office Executive Director Julie Lorenz said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“With flexibility comes an even greater need for transparency and accountability for how these funds are utilized and we remain committed to reporting our progress to SPARK, SFC, and Kansans so they can see how their tax dollars are being spent.”The $290 million approved today is for the third and final round of funding of the Coronavirus Relief Fund, which is part of the federal CARES Act.&nbsp; Previously, SFC approved $400 million to Kansas counties (round 1) and $314 million for statewide priorities of public health, education, economic development, and connectivity (round 2).

$290M in virus relief approved for child supervision, other services

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will ban the use of the Chinese app WeChat on Sunday citing national security concerns.

Downloads of the the app TikTok, owned by the same company, will be banned at the same time, and use of that platform will be banned in the U.S. by Nov. 12. But Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said early Friday on Fox Business News that access to that app may be possible if certain safeguards are in place.

“At the President’s direction, we have taken significant action to combat China’s malicious collection of American citizens’ personal data, while promoting our national values, democratic rules-based norms, and aggressive enforcement of U.S. laws and regulations,” Ross said in a prepared statement.

The government said its order, previously announced by President Donald Trump in August, will “combat China’s malicious collection of American citizens’ personal data.”

Some security experts have raised concerns that ByteDance Ltd., the Chinese company that owns TikTok, would maintain access to information on the 100 million TikTok users in the United States, creating a security risk.

Like most social networks, TikTok collects user data and moderates users’ posts. It grabs users’ locations and messages and tracks what they watch to figure out how best to target ads to them.

Similar concerns apply to U.S.-based social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, but Chinese ownership adds an extra wrinkle because the Chinese government could order companies to help it gather intelligence.

TikTok says it does not store U.S. user data in China and that it would not give user data to the government. But experts say the Chinese government can get any information it wants from companies there.

The action is the Trump administration’s latest attempt to weaken influence from China, a rising economic superpower. Since taking office in 2017, Trump has waged a trade war with China, blocked mergers involving Chinese companies and stifled the business of Chinese firms like Huawei, a maker of phones and telecom equipment. China-backed hackers, meanwhile, have been blamed for data breaches of U.S. federal databases and the credit agency Equifax, and the Chinese government strictly limits what U.S. tech companies can do in China.

Republican and Democratic lawmaker concerns about TikTok include its vulnerability to censorship and misinformation campaigns, and the safety of user data and children’s privacy. But the administration has provided no specific evidence that TikTok has made U.S. users’ data available to the Chinese government.

Officials point to the hypothetical threat that lies in the Chinese government’s ability to demand cooperation from Chinese companies.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578090484280.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will ban the use of the Chinese app WeChat on Sunday citing national security concerns.Downloads of the the app TikTok, owned by the same company, will be banned at the same time, and use of that platform will be banned in the U.S. by Nov. 12. But Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said early Friday on Fox Business News that access to that app may be possible if certain safeguards are in place.“At the President’s direction, we have taken significant action to combat China’s malicious collection of American citizens’ personal data, while promoting our national values, democratic rules-based norms, and aggressive enforcement of U.S. laws and regulations,” Ross said in a prepared statement.The government said its order, previously announced by President Donald Trump in August, will “combat China’s malicious collection of American citizens’ personal data.”Some security experts have raised concerns that ByteDance Ltd., the Chinese company that owns TikTok, would maintain access to information on the 100 million TikTok users in the United States, creating a security risk.Like most social networks, TikTok collects user data and moderates users’ posts. It grabs users’ locations and messages and tracks what they watch to figure out how best to target ads to them.Similar concerns apply to U.S.-based social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, but Chinese ownership adds an extra wrinkle because the Chinese government could order companies to help it gather intelligence.TikTok says it does not store U.S. user data in China and that it would not give user data to the government. But experts say the Chinese government can get any information it wants from companies there.The action is the Trump administration’s latest attempt to weaken influence from China, a rising economic superpower. Since taking office in 2017, Trump has waged a trade war with China, blocked mergers involving Chinese companies and stifled the business of Chinese firms like Huawei, a maker of phones and telecom equipment. China-backed hackers, meanwhile, have been blamed for data breaches of U.S. federal databases and the credit agency Equifax, and the Chinese government strictly limits what U.S. tech companies can do in China.Republican and Democratic lawmaker concerns about TikTok include its vulnerability to censorship and misinformation campaigns, and the safety of user data and children’s privacy. But the administration has provided no specific evidence that TikTok has made U.S. users’ data available to the Chinese government.Officials point to the hypothetical threat that lies in the Chinese government’s ability to demand cooperation from Chinese companies.

US will ban TikTok, WeChat downloads starting Sunday

TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that left a man in critical condition.

Just after 4:30p.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to the 2200 block of SW Indian Trail in reference to a shooting, according to Lt. Ron Ekis.

 On arrival, officers located an adult male suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. The victim was transported by ambulance to a local hospital with life threatening injuries.&nbsp;

Police did not release the victim's name and have not reported an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600428034359.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting Thursday afternoon -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting Thursday afternoon -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that left a man in critical condition.Just after 4:30p.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to the 2200 block of SW Indian Trail in reference to a shooting, according to Lt. Ron Ekis. On arrival, officers located an adult male suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. The victim was transported by ambulance to a local hospital with life threatening injuries.&nbsp;Police did not release the victim's name and have not reported an arrest.

Police: Man critically injured in shooting at Kansas home

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ health department has suspended its reporting on individual businesses and locations where clusters of coronavirus cases have occurred after only a week, saying it wants to make sure the data does not include cases that aren’t current.

The department’s top administrator, Dr. Lee Norman, acknowledged that the data the agency began releasing Sept. 9 about coronavirus clusters could leave the impression that some outbreaks currently are more severe than they are Norman said the department wants the data to better reflect current casesT

The department said it expects to resume releasing the data next week. The agency had resisted releasing the information for months but then said it would disclose institutions that had more than five cases in the previous 28 days and businesses linked to at least 20 cases. It said clusters would be removed once there were no new cases for 28 days.

“If there’s old info from March and April but it’s still going on then that’s not a material risk to those people,” Norman said. “It’s important that people have actionable and recent, current, contemporary information to make choices on.”

Kansas reported 596 clusters as of Wednesday, accounting for nearly 12,000 reported cases, or almost 24% of the nearly 51,000 cases reported in the state since early March. But the health department said only 191 clusters remained active, accounting for about 6,700 cases.

The department reported an outbreak at a Simmons Pet Food Plant in Emporia, but Julie Maus, a spokesperson for the Arkansas-based company,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20200916/kdhe-pulls-back-on-cluster-reporting-defends-covid-19-death-statistics" target="_blank">told The Topeka Capital-Journal</a>&nbsp;that fewer than 1% of the 1,200 employees currently have the virus. That would be below the threshold of 20 cases used by the health department in naming businesses.

The department replaced the site-by-site listing on its website with a statement beginning, “We received lots of feedback, both positive and negative, after releasing the locations of active outbreaks last week.”

Business groups had complained that releasing the locations of clusters could lead to public shaming and economic harm.

Meanwhile, the Johnson County Board of Commissioners narrowly voted on Thursday to continue requiring face masks in public, after leaders of all six county school districts urged them in a letter to keep the order in place. The decision was made after a more than three-hour discussion where roughly 50 residents of the state’s most populous county spoke both for and against the mandate, The Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article245803045.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.

In the Wichita area, Sedgwick County health officer Dr. Garold Minns eased the county curfew on bars and nightclubs aimed at fighting the spread of COVID-19. Sedgwick County commissioners had voted unanimously Wednesday to request changing the curfew to midnight, The Wichita Eagle&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article245806735.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.

The issue was that the 11 p.m. curfew was widely rejected and not followed by bars and night clubs across Wichita, whose owners say they need to stay open later to make enough money to survive.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600372389109.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ health department has suspended its reporting on individual businesses and locations where clusters of coronavirus cases have occurred after only a week, saying it wants to make sure the data does not include cases that aren’t current.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599689971178.png" alt="KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman listens to questions during his Wednesday news conference" />
 <figcaption>KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman listens to questions during his Wednesday news conference</figcaption>
 </figure>The department’s top administrator, Dr. Lee Norman, acknowledged that the data the agency began releasing Sept. 9 about coronavirus clusters could leave the impression that some outbreaks currently are more severe than they are Norman said the department wants the data to better reflect current casesTThe department said it expects to resume releasing the data next week. The agency had resisted releasing the information for months but then said it would disclose institutions that had more than five cases in the previous 28 days and businesses linked to at least 20 cases. It said clusters would be removed once there were no new cases for 28 days.“If there’s old info from March and April but it’s still going on then that’s not a material risk to those people,” Norman said. “It’s important that people have actionable and recent, current, contemporary information to make choices on.”Kansas reported 596 clusters as of Wednesday, accounting for nearly 12,000 reported cases, or almost 24% of the nearly 51,000 cases reported in the state since early March. But the health department said only 191 clusters remained active, accounting for about 6,700 cases.The department reported an outbreak at a Simmons Pet Food Plant in Emporia, but Julie Maus, a spokesperson for the Arkansas-based company,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20200916/kdhe-pulls-back-on-cluster-reporting-defends-covid-19-death-statistics" target="_blank">told The Topeka Capital-Journal</a>&nbsp;that fewer than 1% of the 1,200 employees currently have the virus. That would be below the threshold of 20 cases used by the health department in naming businesses.The department replaced the site-by-site listing on its website with a statement beginning, “We received lots of feedback, both positive and negative, after releasing the locations of active outbreaks last week.”Business groups had complained that releasing the locations of clusters could lead to public shaming and economic harm.Meanwhile, the Johnson County Board of Commissioners narrowly voted on Thursday to continue requiring face masks in public, after leaders of all six county school districts urged them in a letter to keep the order in place. The decision was made after a more than three-hour discussion where roughly 50 residents of the state’s most populous county spoke both for and against the mandate, The Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article245803045.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.In the Wichita area, Sedgwick County health officer Dr. Garold Minns eased the county curfew on bars and nightclubs aimed at fighting the spread of COVID-19. Sedgwick County commissioners had voted unanimously Wednesday to request changing the curfew to midnight, The Wichita Eagle&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article245806735.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.The issue was that the 11 p.m. curfew was widely rejected and not followed by bars and night clubs across Wichita, whose owners say they need to stay open later to make enough money to survive.

Kansas pauses release of data about coronavirus clusters

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 8p.m. Thursday in Montgomery County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Dodge Journey driven by Nicholas L.&nbsp;Barriger, 39, Chanute, was northbound on U.S. 169 just south of County Road 5300.

The driver made an evasive maneuver to avoid an airborne piece of plywood and struck a pedestrian identified as Darrin R Kebert Jr., 35, Cherryvale, who was on the right shoulder. 

A northbound 2009 Chevy Impala driven by&nbsp; Raymond W. Barron, 62, Cherryvale was unable to avoid the plywood and struck it.

Kebert was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics.

Barriger, Barron and two children in the Dodge were properly restrained and not injured, according to the KHP.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 8p.m. Thursday in Montgomery County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Dodge Journey driven by Nicholas L.&nbsp;Barriger, 39, Chanute, was northbound on U.S. 169 just south of County Road 5300.The driver made an evasive maneuver to avoid an airborne piece of plywood and struck a pedestrian identified as Darrin R Kebert Jr., 35, Cherryvale, who was on the right shoulder. A northbound 2009 Chevy Impala driven by&nbsp; Raymond W. Barron, 62, Cherryvale was unable to avoid the plywood and struck it.Kebert was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics.Barriger, Barron and two children in the Dodge were properly restrained and not injured, according to the KHP.

SUV swerved to miss flying plywood, kills Kansas man 

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The trial of a Missouri man accused of killing two brothers from Wisconsin is being moved because of extensive pre-trial publicity.

Online court records show that a change of venue was granted Tuesday relocating Garland Nelson's trial to Johnson County from Caldwell County, where the crime happened.

Nelson is facing the death penalty in the killings of 24-year-old Justin Diemel and 35-year-old Nicholas Diemel, of Shawano County, Wisconsin. They disappeared in July 2019 after visiting Nelson’s farm in Braymer to collect a $250,000 debt stemming from a cattle deal. Their burned remains were later found in Missouri and Nebraska. Nelson has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/7/1564610122687.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Nelson-photo Caldwell Co.KANSAS CITY (AP) — The trial of a Missouri man accused of killing two brothers from Wisconsin is being moved because of extensive pre-trial publicity.Online court records show that a change of venue was granted Tuesday relocating Garland Nelson's trial to Johnson County from Caldwell County, where the crime happened.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1565280147807.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Nelson is facing the death penalty in the killings of 24-year-old Justin Diemel and 35-year-old Nicholas Diemel, of Shawano County, Wisconsin. They disappeared in July 2019 after visiting Nelson’s farm in Braymer to collect a $250,000 debt stemming from a cattle deal. Their burned remains were later found in Missouri and Nebraska. Nelson has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.

Trial moved for man charged in brothers' deaths

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 1:30p.m. Thursday in Wyandotte County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Harley Davidson driven by David R.&nbsp;Burkhardt, 43, Lenexa, was southbound on Interstate 35 just north of 18th Street.&nbsp; When vehicles slowed for traffic the Harley rear-ended a 2016 Toyota RaV 4 driven by Michael Scott Berryman, 48, Overland Park.

Burkhardt laid the motorcycle on its side, fell off, rolled into the left lane and was struck by the rear passenger trailer tires of 2014 Freightliner semi driven by Rafael&nbsp;Cruz-Perez, 46, Shawnee.

Burkhardt was pronounced dead at the scene. He was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 1:30p.m. Thursday in Wyandotte County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Harley Davidson driven by David R.&nbsp;Burkhardt, 43, Lenexa, was southbound on Interstate 35 just north of 18th Street.&nbsp; When vehicles slowed for traffic the Harley rear-ended a 2016 Toyota RaV 4 driven by Michael Scott Berryman, 48, Overland Park.Burkhardt laid the motorcycle on its side, fell off, rolled into the left lane and was struck by the rear passenger trailer tires of 2014 Freightliner semi driven by Rafael&nbsp;Cruz-Perez, 46, Shawnee.Burkhardt was pronounced dead at the scene. He was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies in 3-vehicle motorcycle accident

WASHINGTON, D.C.&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Pat Roberts Chairman of the Eisenhower Memorial Commission, participated in the dedication of the national memorial to honor President and General Dwight D. Eisenhower.

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=3565612390137065&amp;ref=watch_permalink">Click here&nbsp;</a>to watch a replay of the ribbon cutting ceremony&nbsp;

“As we look to the entrance of the memorial to that teenage boy from small-town Kansas looking back at us, we see the hopes of all young men and women as they imagine their future: a reminder that we still have within us our own dreams, and that liberty and freedom make it possible for us to find our way, to pursue those hopes and dreams, and to seize the opportunities before us,”&nbsp;said Roberts.

“Eisenhower understood that in a country where destiny is determined not by one’s position at birth, but rather strength of character and determination of spirit, dreams do come true. Eisenhower understood one person’s ability to chart his or her own course and change the course of the world.”

“That American story, the story of a young boy from Abilene, is celebrated at the entrance of this memorial. For me, as a small-town Kansas boy, I never dreamed I would one day dedicate a memorial to Kansas’ favorite son, Dwight David Eisenhower.”

“It is with wonder in my heart that I stand here near the statues of Eisenhower as General and as President, with the towering cliffs of Pointe du Hoc behind us. And I marvel anew at the lessons he left for us.”

WASHINGTON — After a delay due to the global pandemic, the formal dedication of The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial in Washington, D.C., was held in the rain Thursday evening.

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=3565612390137065&amp;ref=watch_permalink">Click here </a>to watch a replay of the ribbon cutting ceremony&nbsp;

The Memorial, commissioned by Congress in 1999, honors the legacy of the World War II Supreme Allied Commander and nation's 34th&nbsp;President. Emceed by&nbsp;Bret Baier, the early evening ceremony will feature an address by Senator&nbsp;Pat Roberts&nbsp;of&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;(chairman of the Eisenhower Memorial Commission), recorded remarks by former Secretary of State&nbsp;Condoleezza Rice&nbsp;and performances and appearances by the 101st Airborne Honor Guard, "The President's Own" United States Marine Band and Voices of Service.

"I am proud to honor&nbsp;Kansas'&nbsp;favorite son with the unveiling of the&nbsp;Dwight D. Eisenhower&nbsp;Memorial. This memorial pays tribute to Ike's historic leadership as both Supreme Allied Commander and the 34th President of&nbsp;the United States, who hailed from&nbsp;Abilene, Kansas," said Senator&nbsp;Pat Roberts, chairman of the Eisenhower Memorial Commission.&nbsp;"The Eisenhower Memorial not only commemorates the life and legacy of an extraordinary man; it also stands as a symbol for all generations of the promise of America and what our values make possible here and around the world."

Like many other events during the pandemic, the Memorial dedication has been modified in scale for the safety and health of guests. Dedication plans follow CDC guidelines for events and gatherings, allowing for appropriate social distancing at the outdoor Memorial. The dedication will be live-streamed so those not physically present can mark the moment.

"While we have had to adjust our celebratory plans, it's important to note that Eisenhower's legacy, as honored through the Memorial, transcends one moment in time and must be shared with the world," said&nbsp;Victoria Tigwell, deputy executive director of the Eisenhower Memorial Commission. "We are thrilled that the Memorial is opening to the public, so that generations of future visitors can learn about, remember and pay tribute to the man who helped shape America and the world through his extraordinary leadership."&nbsp;

As Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in World War II, Eisenhower led the invasion of Normandy, a dramatic turning point in the war. While he is perhaps best known globally for his role in defeating the Nazis, Eisenhower served two terms as President of&nbsp;United States&nbsp;during a pivotal time in history. His post-war leadership transformed America through commitment to education, transportation and exploration. His foreign policy ultimately led to the collapse of Soviet domination of eastern&nbsp;Europe.

"As decades have passed, historians increasingly have recognized and valued the significance of Eisenhower's presidency," said Tigwell. "Truly great Presidents have a vision that lasts well beyond their four or eight-year terms, and Eisenhower's vision is evident still today. We hope the Memorial encourages visitors to reflect on the critical role he played in American and world history."

The dedication of the Memorial marks the culmination of years of work by the Eisenhower Memorial Commission and its chairman Senator&nbsp;Pat Roberts&nbsp;(Kansas), Memorial architect&nbsp;Frank Gehry, and the designers, artists, construction teams and others to bring the Memorial project from vision to reality. Invited guests for the dedication ceremony include President Trump, current and former members of Congress, current and former Cabinet members, military leaders, the Eisenhower family and others impacted by the late President's contributions. Following the dedication, the National Park Service will assume operation of the Memorial, which opens to the public on&nbsp;Friday, September 18.&nbsp;

The Memorial is located in a newly created, four-acre public park adjacent to the National Mall and across the street from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Gehry's design is a combination of grand architectural elements, sculpture and green space, which highlights Eisenhower from his humble childhood in America's heartland, to his decisive role as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in World War II and his two terms as President.&nbsp;

The Memorial features three bronze sculptures of Eisenhower by sculptor&nbsp;Sergey Eylanbekov, stone bas relief images and inscription panels with words from notable Eisenhower addresses.&nbsp; Framing the entire park and Memorial is a first-of-its-kind stainless steel woven tapestry by artist&nbsp;Tomas Osinski, which depicts the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc on the Normandy coastline in peacetime.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600390497040.png" alt="Senator Roberts and members of the Memorial Commission cut the ribbon at the ceremony Thursday evening in DC." />
 <figcaption>Senator Roberts and members of the Memorial Commission cut the ribbon at the ceremony Thursday evening in DC.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON, D.C.&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Pat Roberts Chairman of the Eisenhower Memorial Commission, participated in the dedication of the national memorial to honor President and General Dwight D. Eisenhower.<a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=3565612390137065&amp;ref=watch_permalink">Click here&nbsp;</a>to watch a replay of the ribbon cutting ceremony&nbsp;“As we look to the entrance of the memorial to that teenage boy from small-town Kansas looking back at us, we see the hopes of all young men and women as they imagine their future: a reminder that we still have within us our own dreams, and that liberty and freedom make it possible for us to find our way, to pursue those hopes and dreams, and to seize the opportunities before us,”&nbsp;said Roberts.“Eisenhower understood that in a country where destiny is determined not by one’s position at birth, but rather strength of character and determination of spirit, dreams do come true. Eisenhower understood one person’s ability to chart his or her own course and change the course of the world.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600385994829.png" alt="Senator Pat Roberts chaired the Memorial commission and spoke to the guests Thursday." />
 <figcaption>Senator Pat Roberts chaired the Memorial commission and spoke to the guests Thursday.</figcaption>
 </figure>“That American story, the story of a young boy from Abilene, is celebrated at the entrance of this memorial. For me, as a small-town Kansas boy, I never dreamed I would one day dedicate a memorial to Kansas’ favorite son, Dwight David Eisenhower.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600390580413.png" alt="Former Kansas Senator Bob Dole spoke on tape during the ceremony" />
 <figcaption>Former Kansas Senator Bob Dole spoke on tape during the ceremony</figcaption>
 </figure>“It is with wonder in my heart that I stand here near the statues of Eisenhower as General and as President, with the towering cliffs of Pointe du Hoc behind us. And I marvel anew at the lessons he left for us.”---------<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600089941706.png" alt="Photo courtesy Dwight Eisenhower Memorial Commission" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Dwight Eisenhower Memorial Commission</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — After a delay due to the global pandemic, the formal dedication of The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial in Washington, D.C., was held in the rain Thursday evening.<a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=3565612390137065&amp;ref=watch_permalink">Click here </a>to watch a replay of the ribbon cutting ceremony&nbsp;The Memorial, commissioned by Congress in 1999, honors the legacy of the World War II Supreme Allied Commander and nation's 34th&nbsp;President. Emceed by&nbsp;Bret Baier, the early evening ceremony will feature an address by Senator&nbsp;Pat Roberts&nbsp;of&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;(chairman of the Eisenhower Memorial Commission), recorded remarks by former Secretary of State&nbsp;Condoleezza Rice&nbsp;and performances and appearances by the 101st Airborne Honor Guard, "The President's Own" United States Marine Band and Voices of Service."I am proud to honor&nbsp;Kansas'&nbsp;favorite son with the unveiling of the&nbsp;Dwight D. Eisenhower&nbsp;Memorial. This memorial pays tribute to Ike's historic leadership as both Supreme Allied Commander and the 34th President of&nbsp;the United States, who hailed from&nbsp;Abilene, Kansas," said Senator&nbsp;Pat Roberts, chairman of the Eisenhower Memorial Commission.&nbsp;"The Eisenhower Memorial not only commemorates the life and legacy of an extraordinary man; it also stands as a symbol for all generations of the promise of America and what our values make possible here and around the world."Like many other events during the pandemic, the Memorial dedication has been modified in scale for the safety and health of guests. Dedication plans follow CDC guidelines for events and gatherings, allowing for appropriate social distancing at the outdoor Memorial. The dedication will be live-streamed so those not physically present can mark the moment."While we have had to adjust our celebratory plans, it's important to note that Eisenhower's legacy, as honored through the Memorial, transcends one moment in time and must be shared with the world," said&nbsp;Victoria Tigwell, deputy executive director of the Eisenhower Memorial Commission. "We are thrilled that the Memorial is opening to the public, so that generations of future visitors can learn about, remember and pay tribute to the man who helped shape America and the world through his extraordinary leadership."&nbsp;As Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in World War II, Eisenhower led the invasion of Normandy, a dramatic turning point in the war. While he is perhaps best known globally for his role in defeating the Nazis, Eisenhower served two terms as President of&nbsp;United States&nbsp;during a pivotal time in history. His post-war leadership transformed America through commitment to education, transportation and exploration. His foreign policy ultimately led to the collapse of Soviet domination of eastern&nbsp;Europe.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600350778153.png" alt="Senator Pat Roberts on a portion of the Eisenhower Memorial" />
 <figcaption>Senator Pat Roberts on a portion of the Eisenhower Memorial</figcaption>
 </figure>"As decades have passed, historians increasingly have recognized and valued the significance of Eisenhower's presidency," said Tigwell. "Truly great Presidents have a vision that lasts well beyond their four or eight-year terms, and Eisenhower's vision is evident still today. We hope the Memorial encourages visitors to reflect on the critical role he played in American and world history."The dedication of the Memorial marks the culmination of years of work by the Eisenhower Memorial Commission and its chairman Senator&nbsp;Pat Roberts&nbsp;(Kansas), Memorial architect&nbsp;Frank Gehry, and the designers, artists, construction teams and others to bring the Memorial project from vision to reality. Invited guests for the dedication ceremony include President Trump, current and former members of Congress, current and former Cabinet members, military leaders, the Eisenhower family and others impacted by the late President's contributions. Following the dedication, the National Park Service will assume operation of the Memorial, which opens to the public on&nbsp;Friday, September 18.&nbsp;The Memorial is located in a newly created, four-acre public park adjacent to the National Mall and across the street from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Gehry's design is a combination of grand architectural elements, sculpture and green space, which highlights Eisenhower from his humble childhood in America's heartland, to his decisive role as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in World War II and his two terms as President.&nbsp;The Memorial features three bronze sculptures of Eisenhower by sculptor&nbsp;Sergey Eylanbekov, stone bas relief images and inscription panels with words from notable Eisenhower addresses.&nbsp; Framing the entire park and Memorial is a first-of-its-kind stainless steel woven tapestry by artist&nbsp;Tomas Osinski, which depicts the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc on the Normandy coastline in peacetime.

🎥 Eisenhower Memorial dedication in DC

SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after a traffic stop.

Just before 4 p.m. Tuesday, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Ford F-150 pickup truck near SW 10th Street and SW Topeka Boulevard, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

During the investigation, narcotics were located inside the vehicle. The driver, Shane D. Kendall, 37, of Topeka, was placed into custody on a felony warrant through Shawnee County for aggravated battery and is facing multiple drug related charges and traffic violations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600289102638.png" alt="Kendall-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Kendall-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after a traffic stop.Just before 4 p.m. Tuesday, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Ford F-150 pickup truck near SW 10th Street and SW Topeka Boulevard, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.During the investigation, narcotics were located inside the vehicle. The driver, Shane D. Kendall, 37, of Topeka, was placed into custody on a felony warrant through Shawnee County for aggravated battery and is facing multiple drug related charges and traffic violations.

Deputies catch wanted Kan aggravated battery suspect

HUMANSVILLE, Mo. (AP) — Authorities are investigating a Christian boarding school from which around 20 girls were removed after former residents turned to social media to describe abuse in a case that has focused attention on a Missouri law that exempts faith-based schools from oversight.

In recent years, the state has substantiated four reports of abuse and neglect involving the Circle of Hope Girls’ Ranch, which is located less than 7 miles from the 1,000-person town of Humansville in rural southwestern Missouri.

One report was for neglect, one for physical abuse and neglect and two for sexual abuse allegations, said Rebecca Woelfel, a spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Social Services. She did not say when the reports were made or whom the allegations were against, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/state/missouri/article245753025.html">reported.</a>

Former residents told the newspaper about punishments that included the withholding of food and water and being forced to stand against a wall for hours for even minor infractions.

But because the recently closed reform school is exempt from state licensure, the state “does not have authority” over its operations, Woelfel said. The facility has close ties to the independent fundamental Baptist church, which teach followers to separate themselves from worldly influence. Such churches refuse to join any affiliated Baptist denomination.

No criminal charges have been filed against the owners, Boyd and Stephanie Householder. But an investigation is underway, and Cedar County's prosecuting attorney, Ty Gaither, said he’s still waiting on reports from state agencies and law enforcement.

The couple say they have no plans to reopen the school but want their reputation restored. They have appealed all of the substantiated reports, blaming their estranged daughter and what they describe as a group of former residents whose lives didn’t turn out the way they wanted after they left the ranch.

“They’re angry and they’re bitter, and they want to blame somebody,” said Stephanie Householder, 55. “They feel like they’re victims, and they just want to take their anger out on somebody.”

Last month, Cedar County authorities removed all of the girls who were still at the facility — 25 of them according to the prosecutor and 18 according to Stephanie Householder. A search warrant also was served.

The couple's attorney, Jay Kirksey, didn’t immediately respond to phone messages from The Star and The Associated Press.

In recent months, several former residents have recorded videos for social media describing their alleged abuse. And a secret recording made in March by a friend of the Householders appeared to capture Boyd Householder endorsing the use of violence among the girls.

Boyd Householder told The Star that the video was edited and that he was simply telling one girl that she had the right to defend herself against another.

The couple's daughter, Amanda Householder, said that although she’s relieved to hear that her parents are shutting down Circle of Hope, she’s not going to stop pushing for a thorough investigation.

“I’m not done,” she said. “They can deny it all they want, but they still need to be held accountable.”

Democratic state Rep. Keri Ingle, a former social worker from Lee's Summit, has asked the state’s Office of the Child Advocate to conduct a complete review of the allegations against Circle of Hope and called for a legislative committee hearing on the matter.

“I want to know what happened, what happened in the system?” Ingle said. “Was it they weren’t following their own policies, they weren’t following existing laws? Or are there laws and policies that need to be put in place to prevent this from happening again?”

HUMANSVILLE, Mo. (AP) — Authorities are investigating a Christian boarding school from which around 20 girls were removed after former residents turned to social media to describe abuse in a case that has focused attention on a Missouri law that exempts faith-based schools from oversight.In recent years, the state has substantiated four reports of abuse and neglect involving the Circle of Hope Girls’ Ranch, which is located less than 7 miles from the 1,000-person town of Humansville in rural southwestern Missouri.One report was for neglect, one for physical abuse and neglect and two for sexual abuse allegations, said Rebecca Woelfel, a spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Social Services. She did not say when the reports were made or whom the allegations were against, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/state/missouri/article245753025.html">reported.</a>Former residents told the newspaper about punishments that included the withholding of food and water and being forced to stand against a wall for hours for even minor infractions.But because the recently closed reform school is exempt from state licensure, the state “does not have authority” over its operations, Woelfel said. The facility has close ties to the independent fundamental Baptist church, which teach followers to separate themselves from worldly influence. Such churches refuse to join any affiliated Baptist denomination.No criminal charges have been filed against the owners, Boyd and Stephanie Householder. But an investigation is underway, and Cedar County's prosecuting attorney, Ty Gaither, said he’s still waiting on reports from state agencies and law enforcement.The couple say they have no plans to reopen the school but want their reputation restored. They have appealed all of the substantiated reports, blaming their estranged daughter and what they describe as a group of former residents whose lives didn’t turn out the way they wanted after they left the ranch.“They’re angry and they’re bitter, and they want to blame somebody,” said Stephanie Householder, 55. “They feel like they’re victims, and they just want to take their anger out on somebody.”Last month, Cedar County authorities removed all of the girls who were still at the facility — 25 of them according to the prosecutor and 18 according to Stephanie Householder. A search warrant also was served.The couple's attorney, Jay Kirksey, didn’t immediately respond to phone messages from The Star and The Associated Press.In recent months, several former residents have recorded videos for social media describing their alleged abuse. And a secret recording made in March by a friend of the Householders appeared to capture Boyd Householder endorsing the use of violence among the girls.Boyd Householder told The Star that the video was edited and that he was simply telling one girl that she had the right to defend herself against another.The couple's daughter, Amanda Householder, said that although she’s relieved to hear that her parents are shutting down Circle of Hope, she’s not going to stop pushing for a thorough investigation.“I’m not done,” she said. “They can deny it all they want, but they still need to be held accountable.”Democratic state Rep. Keri Ingle, a former social worker from Lee's Summit, has asked the state’s Office of the Child Advocate to conduct a complete review of the allegations against Circle of Hope and called for a legislative committee hearing on the matter.“I want to know what happened, what happened in the system?” Ingle said. “Was it they weren’t following their own policies, they weren’t following existing laws? Or are there laws and policies that need to be put in place to prevent this from happening again?”

Christian boarding school probed over abuse claims

TOPEKA, KS – The Independent Police Auditor has concluded his investigation into the use of force incident regarding Tamiko Mitchell and the Topeka Police Department.

After a thorough review of officer statements, witness statements, and seven body worn camera videos, the Independent Police Auditor has concluded that the use of force was within policy, according to a media release from the city of Topeka.&nbsp;

According to the report, just after 10p.m., August 23, a Topeka Police Department Sergeant stopped a white Scion for running a red light at 10th and Gage in Topeka, according to the IPA report. Footage from the police body worn camera shows the Scion facing north on Gage in the left turn lane to turn west. 

It is observed in the video that the light for all northbound traffic was red. The Scion makes the left turn while the traffic light was red.

Sergeant made contact with the driver and only occupant of the Scion . Initial contact was made via the passenger side door. Sergeant opened the door and advised the driver why she was being stopped. 

The Sergeant then asked the driver for a driver’s license. The driver indicated she did not have one.&nbsp; The Sergeant inquired as to driver’s name and if the vehicle was registered in her name. 

The driver acknowledged that it was registered in her name. With that information, the Sergeant closed the door and&nbsp; returned to his patrol unit. The Sergeant ran the driver’s name and began working on the citation. 

The Sergeant then learned that the driver had two active warrants through Topeka Municipal Court. The Sergeant contacted an officer in the area to respond as back up.

The Sergeant briefed the Officer on the situation and forthcoming arrest related to active warrants.

The Sergeant and Officer approached the vehicle. The Sergeant opened the driver’s side door and initiated a conversation with the driver, asking her to shut the vehicle off and requesting her to exit the vehicle. 

The driver acknowledged that she had city warrants and was going to jail. The sergeant asked driver to exit the vehicle multiple times. There was also conversation relating to the keys of the vehicle and about the Sergeant contacting the driver’s daughter to pick up the vehicle.

The driver removed her seat belt and began exiting the vehicle when the Sergeant grabbed the driver’s left wrist/forearm area.&nbsp; The driver seemed to take offense to this and quickly objected to the Sergeant’s grasping her left arm. The driver brought her arms in front of her, with her fists clenched up to chest area facing the Sergeant. During this time, the Sergeant and driver are having a verbal back and forth, the driver stating that the Sergeant did not give her a chance to comply and&nbsp; the Sergeant ordering the driver to turn around and put her hands behind her back.

The Sergeant summons the assistance of the Officer, asking the officer to grab the driver’s left arm. The verbal back and forth between the driver and Sergeant continues throughout the entirety of this apprehension process. As they continue attempting to arrest the the driver, the driver continues to avoid handcuffing and exclaiming that the Sergeant did not give her an opportunity to comply. The trio moves from being next to the driver’s side door to the rear of driver’s vehicle. 

Here, officers continue trying to gain control and compliance from the driver.

The officer was able to get the driver’s left hand in cuffs; however, the driver slipped out of the officers’ control leading to her left arm being loose with the handcuff attached to her left wrist. The Sergeant informed the officer to hold off. The Sergeant then placed his arms through the driver’s armpits and up to the back of the driver’s head where both of Sergeant’s hands were behind the driver’s head, effectively locking the driver’s arms in an upward position. At this point, the parties are facing toward the west. 

The Sergeant turned the driver in a counter clockwise direction until they were facing east, they moved to their left (north) until they reached the edge of the sidewalk where the sergeant then spun the driver around and down onto the grassy area between the sidewalk and the street. The driver went down (face down) with the Sergeant’s upper torso going down on top of the driver’s torso area.

While on the ground, the Sergeant and Officer were still trying to cuff the driver, with the driver continuing to indicate the Sergeant did not give her the opportunity to comply. The officers were finally able to handcuff the driver, stand her up and place her in a patrol vehicle. AMR was summonsed for an injury to the driver’s right eye. Ultimately, the driver was transported to the hospital by a 3rd officer (hereinafter Officer

2) that was summoned by the watch commander (hereinafter Lieutenant), who also responded to the scene and did the administrative use of force interview with the driver.

The body worn camera video will be released to the public pending criminal proceedings, according to the city of Topeka.

Driver’s description of the encounter:

Driver states that she was going to pick her daughter up because she did not have a ride. Driver
was near 10th and Gage, there was a car in front of her waiting to turn left and she was stuck behind that
car in the middle of the intersection. The police was right behind her and she was in the middle of the
intersection. The officer (Sergeant) turned on his lights as soon as she made her turn. He asked where
she was headed, and Driver explained that she was going to pick up her daughter a block and a half
away from where they were. Officer told her she ran a red light and she explained that she was in the
middle of the intersection. He then advised her that the other vehicle ran the light as well. He asked for
ID and Driver explained that she didn’t bring it with her. He then asked her for her name and she gave it
to him. She then waited in the car while he went back to his vehicle. He then returned and opened her
driver’s side door and asked her to turn off the vehicle twice. Driver complied and turned vehicle off.
Driver knew that her driver’s license was suspended so she asked the officer if her daughter could pick
up the car. Driver and the officer had a conversation about possibly calling her daughter to pick up car.
The officer asked Driver to exit the vehicle twice; she advised him that she did not have a problem
getting out. She began to get out of the vehicle. She indicates that she was getting out slowly due to
medical reasons. As soon as she exited the vehicle, the officer twisted her arm. Driver advised the officer
that she would turn around, that it wasn’t necessary for him to grab her that she would do it. Officer
stated that she should have done it and that she replied that he had not given her a chance to comply.
Driver was then placed in a “full nelson” where she couldn’t move. Officer then swung the Driver around
and slammed her to the ground with the officer landing on top of her. Driver described herself as being
mad and the officer not caring. Driver told officer to go to hell. Driver was then taken to the patrol car
and knew she could not see out of her right eye. Driver indicates she said, “you fucked my eye up”, and
that the officer replied, “yeah”. Driver stated that the entire right side of her body was in pain, that she
had been diagnosed with a mass on her kidney and that her arm was slipping out of place and that’s
why she wanted to turn around herself and was then dislocated during this incident. Driver then saw the
ambulance and that both the male and female medics spoke to her. The male medic indicated that she
needed to go to the hospital. That the officer then opened the door and watched the Driver the entire
time while she was being diagnosed. That the EMT would look at her then look at the officer. When
Driver began explaining to the EMT what had happened that the officer screamed that she (Driver)
didn’t have to tell them (EMT’s) her story. That Driver then told the officer that he knew that what you
did was wrong. That officer stated, “she looks fine to me” and slammed the door. Driver wanted to go to
the hospital, even if she went to jail later. Driver does not understand why she was not allowed to go in
the ambulance. Driver yelled that she wanted a supervisor and the officer told her that one was coming.
Driver explained to the supervisor (Lieutenant) that she was not against the police and felt that if you
“do the crime then you do the time”. She stated that the officer did not have to do that to her, that she
was hurt and wanted to turn around herself but the officer didn’t give her the chance. The supervisor
got her out of the patrol vehicle, introduced her to another officer (Officer 2), her handcuffs were
loosened and she was taken to the hospital. At the hospital, she was wheel chaired in and was there for
2-3 hours. That she was diagnosed with a fractured nose and bleeding behind her right eye. That a
specialist was called and the doctor arranged for Driver to be seen at KU Med in Kansas City. The officer
then gave her the ticket from the arresting officer and placed it in her pocket. The officer removed the
handcuffs and told Driver she was free to go. Driver was wheeled out to her family and was told to go to
KU due to the bleeding behind her eye. Driver went to KU and was treated, she was told that the
bleeding was caused by the fractured nose and that so long as the nostrils are open that she would not&nbsp; require surgery and she should get her eye sight back. Driver reiterated that there was no reason for the
officer to think that she was not going to cooperate, that the officer hurt her permanently and should
have let her get help. That she heard the officer talk to someone over the radio and said that she just
had a “little goose egg”. That the officer told EMTs that she did not have life threatening injuries and
they just drove away. That the officer didn’t care that she was just sitting there bleeding. That she was
in pain and was not trying to fight, that all she had on was a sundress and flip-flops, that it was not
necessary.


**Driver gave her statement in IPA’s office with her attorneys being present**


Two witnesses, (hereinafter W1 and W2) who were parked directly across the street, gave their
account of events. Following is a summary of their statements to Lieutenant Jones. The IPA has
reviewed the audio recording of these interviews:


W1 – They were on their way home from Dillon’s when they observed the traffic stop and
parked in the parking lot facing north to observe. W1 saw Sergeant exit his patrol vehicle and approach
the white vehicle along with Officer. W1 observed Sergeant having a discussion with the Driver. W1
described Driver as “staggering” out of the vehicle and pulling away from officers. W1 saw Driver
continue to pull away as she had one hand in handcuffs. W1 saw officers pushing Driver into the back of
her car trying to handcuff her. Then she observed Sergeant take down Driver and screaming by Driver.
W1 describes the sequence of additional arrivals as; TFD, AMR, Watch Commander (Lieutenant),
another patrol officer (Officer 2) and tow truck. W1 does not believe that any police actions were
racially motivated, she thought Driver was drunk. W1 described Driver as “yelling and belligerent”.


W2 – Officers approached the vehicle, noticed Driver pulling back when officers were trying to
arrest her. They walked to the back of Driver’s vehicle. W2 observed that the officers were struggling to
handcuff Driver as she turned facing the officers. When trying to arrest Driver by the car didn’t work,
they moved to the rear of the car. W-2 described the interaction at the back of the car as being able to
see the car moving because they were pushing her violently against the car and she was pushing
violently back. He heard Officer state “stop resisting”, then saw Sergeant do a controlled take down. W2
describes hearing a “cracking noise” which he believes may have been Driver’s face hitting the ground.
He believes Driver was taken down in the grassy area. After this, he heard Sergeant tell Driver to “stop
resisting.” W2 observed that officers were finally able to handcuff Driver, and Driver was still yelling at
officers. W2 also heard a thumping noise from inside the patrol car where Driver was placed. He
indicates, “I don’t know if she was hitting her head or something.” He indicates that Driver did not
appear intoxicated, just someone who didn’t want to go to jail. W2 described the encounter as a
“textbook arrest,” and that officers gave her every opportunity to stop resisting. W2 does not belief that
Driver was treated differently because of race or that any actions were racially motivated.


<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600376978424.png" alt="Tamiko Mitchell photo <a href="https://www.wibw.com/2020/09/03/tamiko-mitchell-speaks-on-what-happened-with-topeka-police-officer-causing-injuries/">courtesy WIBW TV</a>" />
 <figcaption>Tamiko Mitchell photo <a href="https://www.wibw.com/2020/09/03/tamiko-mitchell-speaks-on-what-happened-with-topeka-police-officer-causing-injuries/">courtesy WIBW TV</a></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, KS – The Independent Police Auditor has concluded his investigation into the use of force incident regarding Tamiko Mitchell and the Topeka Police Department. After a thorough review of officer statements, witness statements, and seven body worn camera videos, the Independent Police Auditor has concluded that the use of force was within policy, according to a media release from the city of Topeka.&nbsp;According to the report, just after 10p.m., August 23, a Topeka Police Department Sergeant stopped a white Scion for running a red light at 10th and Gage in Topeka, according to the IPA report. Footage from the police body worn camera shows the Scion facing north on Gage in the left turn lane to turn west. It is observed in the video that the light for all northbound traffic was red. The Scion makes the left turn while the traffic light was red.Sergeant made contact with the driver and only occupant of the Scion . Initial contact was made via the passenger side door. Sergeant opened the door and advised the driver why she was being stopped. The Sergeant then asked the driver for a driver’s license. The driver indicated she did not have one.&nbsp; The Sergeant inquired as to driver’s name and if the vehicle was registered in her name. The driver acknowledged that it was registered in her name. With that information, the Sergeant closed the door and&nbsp; returned to his patrol unit. The Sergeant ran the driver’s name and began working on the citation. The Sergeant then learned that the driver had two active warrants through Topeka Municipal Court. The Sergeant contacted an officer in the area to respond as back up.The Sergeant briefed the Officer on the situation and forthcoming arrest related to active warrants.The Sergeant and Officer approached the vehicle. The Sergeant opened the driver’s side door and initiated a conversation with the driver, asking her to shut the vehicle off and requesting her to exit the vehicle. The driver acknowledged that she had city warrants and was going to jail. The sergeant asked driver to exit the vehicle multiple times. There was also conversation relating to the keys of the vehicle and about the Sergeant contacting the driver’s daughter to pick up the vehicle.The driver removed her seat belt and began exiting the vehicle when the Sergeant grabbed the driver’s left wrist/forearm area.&nbsp; The driver seemed to take offense to this and quickly objected to the Sergeant’s grasping her left arm. The driver brought her arms in front of her, with her fists clenched up to chest area facing the Sergeant. During this time, the Sergeant and driver are having a verbal back and forth, the driver stating that the Sergeant did not give her a chance to comply and&nbsp; the Sergeant ordering the driver to turn around and put her hands behind her back.The Sergeant summons the assistance of the Officer, asking the officer to grab the driver’s left arm. The verbal back and forth between the driver and Sergeant continues throughout the entirety of this apprehension process. As they continue attempting to arrest the the driver, the driver continues to avoid handcuffing and exclaiming that the Sergeant did not give her an opportunity to comply. The trio moves from being next to the driver’s side door to the rear of driver’s vehicle. Here, officers continue trying to gain control and compliance from the driver.The officer was able to get the driver’s left hand in cuffs; however, the driver slipped out of the officers’ control leading to her left arm being loose with the handcuff attached to her left wrist. The Sergeant informed the officer to hold off. The Sergeant then placed his arms through the driver’s armpits and up to the back of the driver’s head where both of Sergeant’s hands were behind the driver’s head, effectively locking the driver’s arms in an upward position. At this point, the parties are facing toward the west. The Sergeant turned the driver in a counter clockwise direction until they were facing east, they moved to their left (north) until they reached the edge of the sidewalk where the sergeant then spun the driver around and down onto the grassy area between the sidewalk and the street. The driver went down (face down) with the Sergeant’s upper torso going down on top of the driver’s torso area.While on the ground, the Sergeant and Officer were still trying to cuff the driver, with the driver continuing to indicate the Sergeant did not give her the opportunity to comply. The officers were finally able to handcuff the driver, stand her up and place her in a patrol vehicle. AMR was summonsed for an injury to the driver’s right eye. Ultimately, the driver was transported to the hospital by a 3rd officer (hereinafter Officer2) that was summoned by the watch commander (hereinafter Lieutenant), who also responded to the scene and did the administrative use of force interview with the driver.The body worn camera video will be released to the public pending criminal proceedings, according to the city of Topeka.Driver’s description of the encounter:
Driver states that she was going to pick her daughter up because she did not have a ride. Driver
was near 10th and Gage, there was a car in front of her waiting to turn left and she was stuck behind that
car in the middle of the intersection. The police was right behind her and she was in the middle of the
intersection. The officer (Sergeant) turned on his lights as soon as she made her turn. He asked where
she was headed, and Driver explained that she was going to pick up her daughter a block and a half
away from where they were. Officer told her she ran a red light and she explained that she was in the
middle of the intersection. He then advised her that the other vehicle ran the light as well. He asked for
ID and Driver explained that she didn’t bring it with her. He then asked her for her name and she gave it
to him. She then waited in the car while he went back to his vehicle. He then returned and opened her
driver’s side door and asked her to turn off the vehicle twice. Driver complied and turned vehicle off.
Driver knew that her driver’s license was suspended so she asked the officer if her daughter could pick
up the car. Driver and the officer had a conversation about possibly calling her daughter to pick up car.
The officer asked Driver to exit the vehicle twice; she advised him that she did not have a problem
getting out. She began to get out of the vehicle. She indicates that she was getting out slowly due to
medical reasons. As soon as she exited the vehicle, the officer twisted her arm. Driver advised the officer
that she would turn around, that it wasn’t necessary for him to grab her that she would do it. Officer
stated that she should have done it and that she replied that he had not given her a chance to comply.
Driver was then placed in a “full nelson” where she couldn’t move. Officer then swung the Driver around
and slammed her to the ground with the officer landing on top of her. Driver described herself as being
mad and the officer not caring. Driver told officer to go to hell. Driver was then taken to the patrol car
and knew she could not see out of her right eye. Driver indicates she said, “you fucked my eye up”, and
that the officer replied, “yeah”. Driver stated that the entire right side of her body was in pain, that she
had been diagnosed with a mass on her kidney and that her arm was slipping out of place and that’s
why she wanted to turn around herself and was then dislocated during this incident. Driver then saw the
ambulance and that both the male and female medics spoke to her. The male medic indicated that she
needed to go to the hospital. That the officer then opened the door and watched the Driver the entire
time while she was being diagnosed. That the EMT would look at her then look at the officer. When
Driver began explaining to the EMT what had happened that the officer screamed that she (Driver)
didn’t have to tell them (EMT’s) her story. That Driver then told the officer that he knew that what you
did was wrong. That officer stated, “she looks fine to me” and slammed the door. Driver wanted to go to
the hospital, even if she went to jail later. Driver does not understand why she was not allowed to go in
the ambulance. Driver yelled that she wanted a supervisor and the officer told her that one was coming.
Driver explained to the supervisor (Lieutenant) that she was not against the police and felt that if you
“do the crime then you do the time”. She stated that the officer did not have to do that to her, that she
was hurt and wanted to turn around herself but the officer didn’t give her the chance. The supervisor
got her out of the patrol vehicle, introduced her to another officer (Officer 2), her handcuffs were
loosened and she was taken to the hospital. At the hospital, she was wheel chaired in and was there for
2-3 hours. That she was diagnosed with a fractured nose and bleeding behind her right eye. That a
specialist was called and the doctor arranged for Driver to be seen at KU Med in Kansas City. The officer
then gave her the ticket from the arresting officer and placed it in her pocket. The officer removed the
handcuffs and told Driver she was free to go. Driver was wheeled out to her family and was told to go to
KU due to the bleeding behind her eye. Driver went to KU and was treated, she was told that the
bleeding was caused by the fractured nose and that so long as the nostrils are open that she would not&nbsp; require surgery and she should get her eye sight back. Driver reiterated that there was no reason for the
officer to think that she was not going to cooperate, that the officer hurt her permanently and should
have let her get help. That she heard the officer talk to someone over the radio and said that she just
had a “little goose egg”. That the officer told EMTs that she did not have life threatening injuries and
they just drove away. That the officer didn’t care that she was just sitting there bleeding. That she was
in pain and was not trying to fight, that all she had on was a sundress and flip-flops, that it was not
necessary.
**Driver gave her statement in IPA’s office with her attorneys being present**
Summary of Witness Statements:
Two witnesses, (hereinafter W1 and W2) who were parked directly across the street, gave their
account of events. Following is a summary of their statements to Lieutenant Jones. The IPA has
reviewed the audio recording of these interviews:
W1 – They were on their way home from Dillon’s when they observed the traffic stop and
parked in the parking lot facing north to observe. W1 saw Sergeant exit his patrol vehicle and approach
the white vehicle along with Officer. W1 observed Sergeant having a discussion with the Driver. W1
described Driver as “staggering” out of the vehicle and pulling away from officers. W1 saw Driver
continue to pull away as she had one hand in handcuffs. W1 saw officers pushing Driver into the back of
her car trying to handcuff her. Then she observed Sergeant take down Driver and screaming by Driver.
W1 describes the sequence of additional arrivals as; TFD, AMR, Watch Commander (Lieutenant),
another patrol officer (Officer 2) and tow truck. W1 does not believe that any police actions were
racially motivated, she thought Driver was drunk. W1 described Driver as “yelling and belligerent”.
W2 – Officers approached the vehicle, noticed Driver pulling back when officers were trying to
arrest her. They walked to the back of Driver’s vehicle. W2 observed that the officers were struggling to
handcuff Driver as she turned facing the officers. When trying to arrest Driver by the car didn’t work,
they moved to the rear of the car. W-2 described the interaction at the back of the car as being able to
see the car moving because they were pushing her violently against the car and she was pushing
violently back. He heard Officer state “stop resisting”, then saw Sergeant do a controlled take down. W2
describes hearing a “cracking noise” which he believes may have been Driver’s face hitting the ground.
He believes Driver was taken down in the grassy area. After this, he heard Sergeant tell Driver to “stop
resisting.” W2 observed that officers were finally able to handcuff Driver, and Driver was still yelling at
officers. W2 also heard a thumping noise from inside the patrol car where Driver was placed. He
indicates, “I don’t know if she was hitting her head or something.” He indicates that Driver did not
appear intoxicated, just someone who didn’t want to go to jail. W2 described the encounter as a
“textbook arrest,” and that officers gave her every opportunity to stop resisting. W2 does not belief that
Driver was treated differently because of race or that any actions were racially motivated.

Auditor: Use of force within policy in Kan. woman's arrest

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum has broken again with fellow Kansas Republicans to support Democrat Barbara Bollier for the seat Kassebaum once held.

Kassebaum said in a statement Thursday that Bollier shares her belief in working with members of both parties and Bollier’s election would be a “positive step” toward bipartisanship in Washington.

Kassebaum also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b61cf81d8b0e4137a606038b7a6b2e82">endorsed Democrat Laura Kelly</a>&nbsp;in the 2018 Kansas governor’s race.

Republican nominee Roger Marshall’s campaign manager, Eric Pahls, pointed to the two-term western and central Kansas congressman’s endorsements from retiring GOP Sen. Pat Roberts and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, the 1996 GOP nominee for president. Roberts holds Kassebaum’s former seat. Also Thursday, Former Senator Sheila Frahm, who succeeded Bob Dole in the U.S. Senate, served as Kansas' Lt. Governor, and was the first female state Senate Majority Leader announced her endorsement for Marshall.&nbsp; She is from Colby.

“This Kassebaum endorsement comes as no surprise, as she has endorsed only Democrats in recent elections,” Pahls said in a statement.

Bollier called the 88-year-old Kassebaum a mentor. Bollier, a Kansas City-area state senator, was a moderate Republican before switching parties at the end of 2018.

Kassebaum served in the Senate from 1979 until 1997 and was among the state’s most popular officials. Her father was Kansas Gov. Alf Landon, the 1936 GOP presidential nominee, and she is the widow of former Tennessee Sen. and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600361238465.png" alt="Former Senator Nancy Kassebaum received the Dole Leadership Prize in 2016-photo courtesy Robert Dole Institute. She also endorsed Laura Kelly in the 2018 race for governor." />
 <figcaption>Former Senator Nancy Kassebaum received the Dole Leadership Prize in 2016-photo courtesy Robert Dole Institute. She also endorsed Laura Kelly in the 2018 race for governor.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum has broken again with fellow Kansas Republicans to support Democrat Barbara Bollier for the seat Kassebaum once held.Kassebaum said in a statement Thursday that Bollier shares her belief in working with members of both parties and Bollier’s election would be a “positive step” toward bipartisanship in Washington.Kassebaum also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b61cf81d8b0e4137a606038b7a6b2e82">endorsed Democrat Laura Kelly</a>&nbsp;in the 2018 Kansas governor’s race.Republican nominee Roger Marshall’s campaign manager, Eric Pahls, pointed to the two-term western and central Kansas congressman’s endorsements from retiring GOP Sen. Pat Roberts and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, the 1996 GOP nominee for president. Roberts holds Kassebaum’s former seat. Also Thursday, Former Senator Sheila Frahm, who succeeded Bob Dole in the U.S. Senate, served as Kansas' Lt. Governor, and was the first female state Senate Majority Leader announced her endorsement for Marshall.&nbsp; She is from Colby.“This Kassebaum endorsement comes as no surprise, as she has endorsed only Democrats in recent elections,” Pahls said in a statement.Bollier called the 88-year-old Kassebaum a mentor. Bollier, a Kansas City-area state senator, was a moderate Republican before switching parties at the end of 2018.Kassebaum served in the Senate from 1979 until 1997 and was among the state’s most popular officials. Her father was Kansas Gov. Alf Landon, the 1936 GOP presidential nominee, and she is the widow of former Tennessee Sen. and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker.___

U.S. Senate candidates get big endorsements in Kan. race

The Salina Police Department reported Thursday that Jack Rex Mildfelt, the Salina man reported missing a week ago, has been located unharmed.

In a statement, the Salina Police Department wrote, "Jack Rex Mildfelt has been located unharmed. The Salina Police Department would like to thank the public for all of the tips received regarding Mr. Mildfelt."

Mildfelt was reported missing on Sept. 10 and was last seen in Salina on the afternoon of Sept. 3.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599772381818.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Salina Police Department reported Thursday that Jack Rex Mildfelt, the Salina man reported missing a week ago, has been located unharmed.In a statement, the Salina Police Department wrote, "Jack Rex Mildfelt has been located unharmed. The Salina Police Department would like to thank the public for all of the tips received regarding Mr. Mildfelt."Mildfelt was reported missing on Sept. 10 and was last seen in Salina on the afternoon of Sept. 3.

Police: Missing 52-year-old Kan. man found safe

WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service today reminds taxpayers who filed an extension that the October 15 due date to file 2019 tax returns is approaching. Taxpayers should complete their tax returns and file on or before the October 15 deadline.

Convenient&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">electronic filing options</a>, including IRS&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">Free File</a>, are still available. Taxpayers and tax professionals should continue to use electronic options to support social distancing and speed the processing of tax returns, refunds and payments.

Although October 15 is the last day for most people to file, some taxpayers may have more time. They include:

Taxpayers who did not request an extension and have yet to file a 2019 tax return can generally avoid additional penalties and interest by filing the return as soon as possible and paying any taxes owed.

The safest and fastest way for taxpayers to get their refund is to have it electronically deposited into their bank or other financial account. Taxpayers can use&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>&nbsp;to deposit their refund into one, two or even three accounts. Direct deposit is much faster than waiting for a paper check to arrive in the mail.

After filing, use the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool on IRS.gov or download the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs2goapp">IRS2Go</a>&nbsp;mobile app to track the status of a refund.

Schedule federal tax payments electronically

Taxpayers who filed an extension can file now and schedule their federal tax payments up to the Oct. 15 due date. They can pay online, by phone or with their mobile device and the IRS2Go app. When paying federal taxes electronically taxpayers should remember:

Economic Impact Payments-Non-Filers can still get one; must act by October 15

Though most Americans − more than 160 million in all − have already received their Economic Impact Payments, the IRS reminds anyone with little or no income who is not required to file a tax return that they may be eligible to receive an Economic Impact Payment.

Available in both English and Spanish, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/non-filers-enter-payment-info-here">Non-Filers tool</a>&nbsp;on IRS.gov is designed for people with incomes typically below $24,400 for married couples, and $12,200 for singles. This includes couples and individuals who are experiencing homelessness. People must enter their information by October 15 to get a payment this year.

People can qualify for a payment, even if they don't work or have no earned income. But low- and moderate-income workers and working families eligible to receive special tax benefits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit, cannot use this tool. They will need to file a regular return as soon as possible. The IRS will use their tax return information to determine and issue any EIP for which they are eligible.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service today reminds taxpayers who filed an extension that the October 15 due date to file 2019 tax returns is approaching. Taxpayers should complete their tax returns and file on or before the October 15 deadline.Convenient&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">electronic filing options</a>, including IRS&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">Free File</a>, are still available. Taxpayers and tax professionals should continue to use electronic options to support social distancing and speed the processing of tax returns, refunds and payments.Although October 15 is the last day for most people to file, some taxpayers may have more time. They include:<ol>
 <li>Members of the military and others serving in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/combat-zones">combat zone</a>. They typically have 180 days after they leave the combat zone to file returns and pay any taxes due.</li><li>Taxpayers in federally declared disaster areas who already had valid extensions. For details, see the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-relief-in-disaster-situations">disaster relief</a>&nbsp;page on IRS.gov.</li>
 </ol>Taxpayers who did not request an extension and have yet to file a 2019 tax return can generally avoid additional penalties and interest by filing the return as soon as possible and paying any taxes owed.<h2>Choose direct deposit for refunds</h2>The safest and fastest way for taxpayers to get their refund is to have it electronically deposited into their bank or other financial account. Taxpayers can use&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>&nbsp;to deposit their refund into one, two or even three accounts. Direct deposit is much faster than waiting for a paper check to arrive in the mail.After filing, use the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool on IRS.gov or download the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs2goapp">IRS2Go</a>&nbsp;mobile app to track the status of a refund.<h2>Schedule federal tax payments electronically</h2>Taxpayers who filed an extension can file now and schedule their federal tax payments up to the Oct. 15 due date. They can pay online, by phone or with their mobile device and the IRS2Go app. When paying federal taxes electronically taxpayers should remember:<ol>
 <li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">Electronic payment options</a>&nbsp;are the optimal way to make a tax payment.</li><li>They can pay when they file electronically using tax software online. If using a tax preparer, taxpayers should ask the preparer to make the tax payment through an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-taxes-by-electronic-funds-withdrawal">electronic funds withdrawal</a>&nbsp;from a bank account.</li><li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">IRS Direct Pay</a>&nbsp;allows taxpayers to pay online directly from a checking or savings account for free, and to schedule payments up to 365 days in advance.</li><li>Taxpayers can choose to pay with a credit card, debit card or digital wallet option through a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-your-taxes-by-debit-or-credit-card">payment processor</a>. No fees go to the IRS.</li><li>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs2goapp">IRS2Go</a>&nbsp;app provides the mobile-friendly payment options, including Direct Pay and Payment Provider payments on mobile devices.</li><li>Taxpayers may also enroll in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">Electronic Federal Tax Payment System</a>&nbsp;and have a choice of paying online or by phone by using the EFTPS Voice Response System.</li><li>Taxpayers can go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/view-your-tax-account">IRS.gov/account</a>&nbsp;to securely access information about their federal tax account. They can view the amount they owe, access their tax records online, review their payment history and view key tax return information for the most recent tax return as originally filed.</li>
 </ol><h2>Economic Impact Payments-Non-Filers can still get one; must act by October 15</h2>Though most Americans − more than 160 million in all − have already received their Economic Impact Payments, the IRS reminds anyone with little or no income who is not required to file a tax return that they may be eligible to receive an Economic Impact Payment.Available in both English and Spanish, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/non-filers-enter-payment-info-here">Non-Filers tool</a>&nbsp;on IRS.gov is designed for people with incomes typically below $24,400 for married couples, and $12,200 for singles. This includes couples and individuals who are experiencing homelessness. People must enter their information by October 15 to get a payment this year.People can qualify for a payment, even if they don't work or have no earned income. But low- and moderate-income workers and working families eligible to receive special tax benefits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit, cannot use this tool. They will need to file a regular return as soon as possible. The IRS will use their tax return information to determine and issue any EIP for which they are eligible.

IRS reminds taxpayers who filed extension that due date approaches

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Health Department has directed 10 people to quarantine after potential exposure to COVID-19 at the Kansas City Chiefs’ game on Thursday, Sept. 10, at Arrowhead Stadium, according to a media release.

<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/Home/Components/News/News/1446/16">The health department’s</a> disease investigation team quickly activated and reached out through many channels to identify and then contact the 10 people who had close contact with the individual.

Everyone has been notified and is under quarantine. Chiefs’ staff and contacts responded swiftly to investigators’ questions and provided crucial information, so all exposures could be identified.

The individual watched from their group's box and tested positive the day after the game.&nbsp;

“I want to remind everyone that COVID-19 is anywhere and everywhere. While we’re all tired of it, frustrated and even angry at how it has altered and stricken our lives and livelihoods, we must continue to think of those who have not and will not survive it,” said Dr. Rex Archer, Kansas City health director.&nbsp;

“We still don’t understand why it strikes some so viciously while others have only mild symptoms. If you have an existing or prior health condition such as cancer, diabetes, heart or lung disease, or if you’re older than 65, you should not be taking unnecessary risks like being in large crowds. We hope those around you aren’t taking those risks either and possibly bringing the virus home to you.”&nbsp;

The Kansas City Health Department urges the public and businesses to continue to work quickly with the department and disease investigators to minimize the spread of COVID-19.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600360409565.png" alt="Photo courtesy Kansas City Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Kansas City Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Health Department has directed 10 people to quarantine after potential exposure to COVID-19 at the Kansas City Chiefs’ game on Thursday, Sept. 10, at Arrowhead Stadium, according to a media release.<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/Home/Components/News/News/1446/16">The health department’s</a> disease investigation team quickly activated and reached out through many channels to identify and then contact the 10 people who had close contact with the individual.Everyone has been notified and is under quarantine. Chiefs’ staff and contacts responded swiftly to investigators’ questions and provided crucial information, so all exposures could be identified.The individual watched from their group's box and tested positive the day after the game.&nbsp;“I want to remind everyone that COVID-19 is anywhere and everywhere. While we’re all tired of it, frustrated and even angry at how it has altered and stricken our lives and livelihoods, we must continue to think of those who have not and will not survive it,” said Dr. Rex Archer, Kansas City health director.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Statement on COVID-19 positive fan.<a href="https://t.co/S3ACCQdN8F">https://t.co/S3ACCQdN8F</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1306635335892455428?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 17, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We still don’t understand why it strikes some so viciously while others have only mild symptoms. If you have an existing or prior health condition such as cancer, diabetes, heart or lung disease, or if you’re older than 65, you should not be taking unnecessary risks like being in large crowds. We hope those around you aren’t taking those risks either and possibly bringing the virus home to you.”&nbsp;The Kansas City Health Department urges the public and businesses to continue to work quickly with the department and disease investigators to minimize the spread of COVID-19.&nbsp;

10 Chiefs fans to quarantine after COVID-19 exposure at game

HUTCHINSON— A Hutchinson Correctional Facility employee is facing numerous counts of attempting to smuggle contraband into the prison.&nbsp;

Twenty-two-year-old Zachary Wood of Newton faces eight different counts in an effort to smuggle K-2 into the facility. He’s being held on a bond of $100,000. 

Wood faces three counts of conspiracy, three counts of using a communication device to distribute drugs, one count of drug distribution and one count of trafficking contraband into a correctional facility.

According to the complaint, Wood is accused of using three different women to bring the synthetic marijuana into the facility over a period of two months.

One of those three, 48-year-old Esther Davis, was taken into custody on Tuesday on a charge of trafficking contraband. She is currently free on bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600357864536.jpeg" alt="Wood photo Reno County" />
 <figcaption>Wood photo Reno County</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON— A Hutchinson Correctional Facility employee is facing numerous counts of attempting to smuggle contraband into the prison.&nbsp;Twenty-two-year-old Zachary Wood of Newton faces eight different counts in an effort to smuggle K-2 into the facility. He’s being held on a bond of $100,000. Wood faces three counts of conspiracy, three counts of using a communication device to distribute drugs, one count of drug distribution and one count of trafficking contraband into a correctional facility.According to the complaint, Wood is accused of using three different women to bring the synthetic marijuana into the facility over a period of two months.One of those three, 48-year-old Esther Davis, was taken into custody on Tuesday on a charge of trafficking contraband. She is currently free on bond.

Employee allegedly tried to smuggle K2 into Kan. prison

BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court seemed worried Wednesday about the proper roles of the Legislature and courts as it wrestled with whether a state statute that prohibits lawsuits based on “wrongful birth” claims is constitutional.

Justices heard oral arguments via Zoom on whether the parents of a disabled child have a right to a trial on their malpractice claims. A lower appeals court had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/01c03eebf83e41cba11b30bec802f8cc">earlier held that the statute</a>&nbsp;— signed into law by then-Gov. Sam Brownback in 2013— protects physicians from malpractice suits if they fail to provide information about fetal abnormalities that might cause the mother to get an abortion.

The parents’ attorney, Lynn Johnson, argued the case was an action for the recovery of damages for negligent injury under common law that had evolved based on advances of technology and a recognition of a woman’s reproductive rights.

“So the Legislature cannot — simply because it doesn’t like abortion — simply cannot step in and deprive these folks and others similarly situated of their right to remedy ... by a trial by jury of whether the doctor was negligent and whether that negligence ultimately caused their monetary damages,” Johnson said.

<a href="https://kscourts-my.sharepoint.com/personal/taylorl_kscourts_org/Documents/Tillman%20Case/117439PetReview.pdf" target="_blank">Alysia Tillman gave birth&nbsp;</a>in May 2014 to a baby girl with a severe brain abnormality that left her permanently disabled and unable to ever perform “activities of daily living.” Months before the birth, the doctor performed an ultrasound and told the parents it showed a healthy female fetus.

In their petition to the state’s highest court, Tillman and the baby’s father argued that they would have chosen to terminate the pregnancy had they received an accurate interpretation of the ultrasound. The child was diagnosed with a rare birth defect called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/all-disorders/schizencephaly-information-page" target="_blank">schizencephaly</a>,

Tillman and Storm Fleetwood sued their doctor, claiming Dr. Katherine Goodpasture’s failure to make a correct diagnosis denied them the right to make an informed decision on whether to end the pregnancy. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt subsequently intervened in the case to defend the statute.

The doctor’s attorney, Jacob Peterson told the court that this is something entirely different than a traditional negligence lawsuit, saying “it seems somewhat crass and somewhat wrong” to try to award damages because “the result is the existence of this child, this living being.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600358645442.png" alt="Members of the Kansas Supreme Court during a Thursday Sept. 17, hearing" />
 <figcaption>Members of the Kansas Supreme Court during a Thursday Sept. 17, hearing</figcaption>
 </figure>By ROXANA HEGEMANBELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court seemed worried Wednesday about the proper roles of the Legislature and courts as it wrestled with whether a state statute that prohibits lawsuits based on “wrongful birth” claims is constitutional.Justices heard oral arguments via Zoom on whether the parents of a disabled child have a right to a trial on their malpractice claims. A lower appeals court had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/01c03eebf83e41cba11b30bec802f8cc">earlier held that the statute</a>&nbsp;— signed into law by then-Gov. Sam Brownback in 2013— protects physicians from malpractice suits if they fail to provide information about fetal abnormalities that might cause the mother to get an abortion.The parents’ attorney, Lynn Johnson, argued the case was an action for the recovery of damages for negligent injury under common law that had evolved based on advances of technology and a recognition of a woman’s reproductive rights.“So the Legislature cannot — simply because it doesn’t like abortion — simply cannot step in and deprive these folks and others similarly situated of their right to remedy ... by a trial by jury of whether the doctor was negligent and whether that negligence ultimately caused their monetary damages,” Johnson said.<a href="https://kscourts-my.sharepoint.com/personal/taylorl_kscourts_org/Documents/Tillman%20Case/117439PetReview.pdf" target="_blank">Alysia Tillman gave birth&nbsp;</a>in May 2014 to a baby girl with a severe brain abnormality that left her permanently disabled and unable to ever perform “activities of daily living.” Months before the birth, the doctor performed an ultrasound and told the parents it showed a healthy female fetus.In their petition to the state’s highest court, Tillman and the baby’s father argued that they would have chosen to terminate the pregnancy had they received an accurate interpretation of the ultrasound. The child was diagnosed with a rare birth defect called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/all-disorders/schizencephaly-information-page" target="_blank">schizencephaly</a>,Tillman and Storm Fleetwood sued their doctor, claiming Dr. Katherine Goodpasture’s failure to make a correct diagnosis denied them the right to make an informed decision on whether to end the pregnancy. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt subsequently intervened in the case to defend the statute.The doctor’s attorney, Jacob Peterson told the court that this is something entirely different than a traditional negligence lawsuit, saying “it seems somewhat crass and somewhat wrong” to try to award damages because “the result is the existence of this child, this living being.”Peterson contended the parents wanted to have specific child, they just didn’t want to have the specific fetus that was in the womb.“That does implicate certain matters of public policy as the Kansas Legislature has articulated on numerous times they believe that, and the people of Kansas believe, that life begins at conception,” he said.Kansas Deputy Solicitor General Brant Laue also argued the legislative branch has the primary authority to determine what injuries are compensated.The court took the matter under advisement after listening to the arguments.Besides Kansas, a dozen other states have similar laws: Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports reproductive rights.The Guttmacher Institute contends these laws are part of “the anti-abortion strategy.”“False and misleading information is a long-standing strategy employed by abortion opponents, whether it is through a wrongful life statute or through state-mandated abortion counseling, they have the same goal of denying full information to patients as a way to force the continuation of a pregnancy,” Elizabeth Nash, a public policy associate at Guttmacher, said in an email.