WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s education chief said he’s open to using “whatever levers” are available — including federal money — to discourage colleges from giving admissions preference to the children of alumni and donors.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said legacy admissions must be revisited for the sake of diversity on campuses following the recent Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-affirmative-action-college-race-f83d6318017ec9b9029b12ee2256e744">ruling against affirmative action</a>. In a step beyond his previous comments, Cardona said he would consider taking stronger action to deter the practice.

“I would be interested in pulling whatever levers I can pull as secretary of Education to ensure that, especially if we’re giving out financial aid and loans, that we’re doing it for institutions that are providing value,” Cardona said Wednesday. He made the remark when asked about using federal money as a carrot or rod on legacy admissions.

Legacy admissions, long seen as a perk for the white and wealthy at selective colleges, have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-affirmative-action-legacy-college-admissions-5d6f34a13045752c6a37db67c66c7d63">come under renewed fire</a>&nbsp;since the ruling in June that colleges can no longer consider the race of applicants. By banning affirmative action but allowing legacy preferences, critics say the court left admissions even more lopsided against students of color.

Cardona didn’t elaborate on his options, but the federal government oversees vast sums of money that go to colleges in the form of student financial aid and research grants. The Education Department can also issue fines for civil rights violations, including racial discrimination.

The agency recently opened an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legacy-admissions-harvard-affirmative-action-diversity-24321f3814d5feec6d380d18c8b6c2e1">investigation at Harvard University</a>&nbsp;after a federal complaint alleged that legacy admissions amount to racial discrimination.

A handful of small colleges have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wesleyan-legacy-admissions-21f7781a961bd784e14dd7752a79d860">disavowed legacy admissions</a>&nbsp;in the wake of the affirmative action decision, but there’s been no sign of change in the upper echelons of America’s universities.

Some colleges and alumni defend the practice, saying it builds community and encourages fundraising. And as campuses become more diverse, they argue, the benefit increasingly extends to students of color and their families.

Cardona, who attended a technical high school and earned his bachelor's degree from Central Connecticut State University, has added his voice to the advocates, civil rights groups and Democratic lawmakers denouncing the practice.

“Your last name could get you into a school, or the fact that you can write a check could get you into a school,” he said. But using affirmative action to promote diversity — “that tool was taken away.”

Still, he shied away from supporting a ban of the type proposed by some Democrats in Congress and in several states. Cardona sees it as a matter of local control, with universities having the final decision.

“There is no edict coming from the secretary of Education,” he said.

Without action, Cardona warned that the nation could face the same&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-affirmative-action-college-admissions-1d37af28939a533551cff45fa577ceb0">setbacks seen in California</a>&nbsp;after it ended affirmative action in 1996. The state’s most selective colleges saw steep decreases in Black and Latino enrollment, and the numbers never fully rebounded.

“If we go the route that California went when they abolished affirmative action, what chance do we have competing against China?” Cardona said. “This is more than just ensuring diverse learning environments. This is about our strength as a country.”

Advocates have also pushed the Education Department to start collecting data showing the number and demographics of legacy students.

“I was hopeful we’d be seeing more colleges volunteering to drop it,” said James Murphy, a deputy director at Education Reform Now, a nonprofit think tank. “I think I think they’ve got to keep the pressure on and shine a light on it.”

— Cardona said during the interview that students should be taught about the impact of slavery, including effects that linger today. When slavery ended, it didn't end the belief in some that African Americans were inferior, and the country is still seeing the effects of unfair housing and lending policies adopted in more recent decades, he said.

“What we don’t want to do is hide the truth and act as if it didn’t happen, or that when it ended, everything was fine. I definitely don’t want to teach that there were some benefits to that for those who were enslaved,” he said.

His remarks were a veiled reference to new education standards in Florida, endorsed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, that require instruction that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/desantis-slavery-election-2024-1fb51d663e6051051aa23b71421b9479">enslaved people developed skills</a>&nbsp;that “could be applied for their personal benefit.”

Conservatives in many states have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-carolina-education-critical-race-theory-5d21ebb41d7870930cb0d76279814236">pushed for restrictions</a>&nbsp;around how schools address topics related to race and slavery.

— He said “schools should be open, period,” even if there is a new COVID-19 surge. “I worry about government overreach, sending down edicts that will lead to school closures because either folks are afraid to go in or are infected and can’t go,” he said.

He said the sense of community was lost when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/online-school-covid-learning-loss-7c162ec1b4ce4d5219d5210aaac8f1ae">schools closed</a>&nbsp;early in the pandemic, and that in-person instruction “should not be sacrificed for ideology.”

— Cardona declined to speculate on what the administration’s new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-biden-democrats-gop-campaign-2024-37c7a2c3dbd38dc4bf53c3333413bcd7">student loan forgiveness proposal</a>&nbsp;might look like or whether a final regulation could be in place before the 2024 presidential election. “We are going to work as quickly as possible,” he said. “We know there are students that are waiting, borrowers that are waiting. So many folks are struggling right now to get back up.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695409773117.png" alt="Sec. Cardona and University of Kansas Chancellor Doug Girod during a visit to the campus earlier this month-photo KU" />
 <figcaption>Sec. Cardona and University of Kansas Chancellor Doug Girod during a visit to the campus earlier this month-photo KU</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s education chief said he’s open to using “whatever levers” are available — including federal money — to discourage colleges from giving admissions preference to the children of alumni and donors.In an interview with The Associated Press, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said legacy admissions must be revisited for the sake of diversity on campuses following the recent Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-affirmative-action-college-race-f83d6318017ec9b9029b12ee2256e744">ruling against affirmative action</a>. In a step beyond his previous comments, Cardona said he would consider taking stronger action to deter the practice.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It was great to be at the <a href="https://twitter.com/UnivOfKansas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UnivOfKansas</a> in Lawrence to kick off our annual <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EdBusTour23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EdBusTour23</a>. With students and educators like you, I know we can raise the bar together. <a href="https://t.co/KWIwgH3PxS">pic.twitter.com/KWIwgH3PxS</a>&mdash; Secretary Miguel Cardona (@SecCardona) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecCardona/status/1699195872435679627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“I would be interested in pulling whatever levers I can pull as secretary of Education to ensure that, especially if we’re giving out financial aid and loans, that we’re doing it for institutions that are providing value,” Cardona said Wednesday. He made the remark when asked about using federal money as a carrot or rod on legacy admissions.Legacy admissions, long seen as a perk for the white and wealthy at selective colleges, have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-affirmative-action-legacy-college-admissions-5d6f34a13045752c6a37db67c66c7d63">come under renewed fire</a>&nbsp;since the ruling in June that colleges can no longer consider the race of applicants. By banning affirmative action but allowing legacy preferences, critics say the court left admissions even more lopsided against students of color.Cardona didn’t elaborate on his options, but the federal government oversees vast sums of money that go to colleges in the form of student financial aid and research grants. The Education Department can also issue fines for civil rights violations, including racial discrimination.The agency recently opened an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legacy-admissions-harvard-affirmative-action-diversity-24321f3814d5feec6d380d18c8b6c2e1">investigation at Harvard University</a>&nbsp;after a federal complaint alleged that legacy admissions amount to racial discrimination.A handful of small colleges have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wesleyan-legacy-admissions-21f7781a961bd784e14dd7752a79d860">disavowed legacy admissions</a>&nbsp;in the wake of the affirmative action decision, but there’s been no sign of change in the upper echelons of America’s universities.Some colleges and alumni defend the practice, saying it builds community and encourages fundraising. And as campuses become more diverse, they argue, the benefit increasingly extends to students of color and their families.Cardona, who attended a technical high school and earned his bachelor's degree from Central Connecticut State University, has added his voice to the advocates, civil rights groups and Democratic lawmakers denouncing the practice.“Your last name could get you into a school, or the fact that you can write a check could get you into a school,” he said. But using affirmative action to promote diversity — “that tool was taken away.”Still, he shied away from supporting a ban of the type proposed by some Democrats in Congress and in several states. Cardona sees it as a matter of local control, with universities having the final decision.“There is no edict coming from the secretary of Education,” he said.Without action, Cardona warned that the nation could face the same&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-affirmative-action-college-admissions-1d37af28939a533551cff45fa577ceb0">setbacks seen in California</a>&nbsp;after it ended affirmative action in 1996. The state’s most selective colleges saw steep decreases in Black and Latino enrollment, and the numbers never fully rebounded.“If we go the route that California went when they abolished affirmative action, what chance do we have competing against China?” Cardona said. “This is more than just ensuring diverse learning environments. This is about our strength as a country.”Advocates have also pushed the Education Department to start collecting data showing the number and demographics of legacy students.“I was hopeful we’d be seeing more colleges volunteering to drop it,” said James Murphy, a deputy director at Education Reform Now, a nonprofit think tank. “I think I think they’ve got to keep the pressure on and shine a light on it.”On other issues:— Cardona said during the interview that students should be taught about the impact of slavery, including effects that linger today. When slavery ended, it didn't end the belief in some that African Americans were inferior, and the country is still seeing the effects of unfair housing and lending policies adopted in more recent decades, he said.“What we don’t want to do is hide the truth and act as if it didn’t happen, or that when it ended, everything was fine. I definitely don’t want to teach that there were some benefits to that for those who were enslaved,” he said.His remarks were a veiled reference to new education standards in Florida, endorsed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, that require instruction that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/desantis-slavery-election-2024-1fb51d663e6051051aa23b71421b9479">enslaved people developed skills</a>&nbsp;that “could be applied for their personal benefit.”Conservatives in many states have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-carolina-education-critical-race-theory-5d21ebb41d7870930cb0d76279814236">pushed for restrictions</a>&nbsp;around how schools address topics related to race and slavery.— He said “schools should be open, period,” even if there is a new COVID-19 surge. “I worry about government overreach, sending down edicts that will lead to school closures because either folks are afraid to go in or are infected and can’t go,” he said.He said the sense of community was lost when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/online-school-covid-learning-loss-7c162ec1b4ce4d5219d5210aaac8f1ae">schools closed</a>&nbsp;early in the pandemic, and that in-person instruction “should not be sacrificed for ideology.”— Cardona declined to speculate on what the administration’s new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-biden-democrats-gop-campaign-2024-37c7a2c3dbd38dc4bf53c3333413bcd7">student loan forgiveness proposal</a>&nbsp;might look like or whether a final regulation could be in place before the 2024 presidential election. “We are going to work as quickly as possible,” he said. “We know there are students that are waiting, borrowers that are waiting. So many folks are struggling right now to get back up.”___

U.S. ed chief considers new ways to discourage college admissions preference for kids of alumni

WASHINGTON (AP) —The landmark&nbsp;<a href="https://cathedral.org/">Washington National Cathedral</a>&nbsp;unveiled new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-race-and-ethnicity-james-marshall-kerry-james-marshall-4f3ef320f410c9090acb540fa925bc2e">stained-glass windows</a>&nbsp;Saturday with a theme of racial justice, filling the space that had once held four windows honoring Confederate Gens.&nbsp;<a href="https://cathedral.org/about/news-media/cathedral-loans-robert-e-lee-stained-glass-window-to-smithsonian/">Robert E. Lee</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/people/thomas-j-stonewall-jackson.htm">Stonewall Jackson.</a>

Click below to watch the window dedication ceremony)

The new windows depict a march for justice by African Americans, descendants of the very people who would have remained in slavery after the Civil War if the side for which the officers fought had prevailed.

The cathedral had removed the old windows after Confederate symbols featured prominently in recent racist violence.

The dedication service was attended by many clergy from the Washington area's historically Black churches, as well as leaders of social justice organizations. The prayers, Bible readings and brief speeches were interspersed with gospel music and spirituals, as well as the contemporary song, “Heal Our Land.”

Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ketanji-brown-jackson">Ketanji Brown Jackson</a>, the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court, read excerpts from the Rev. Martin Luther King' Jr.'s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csuchico.edu/iege/_assets/documents/susi-letter-from-birmingham-jail.pdf">“Letter from Birmingham Jail”</a>&nbsp;from 1963.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” she read from King's famed message while jailed in Alabama. “The goal of America is freedom. ... We will win our freedom.” A week earlier, she had spoken at the 60th anniversary of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-church-bombing-ketanji-brown-jackson-97b6e7d97d8ca40e8328293eec6eebbd">Birmingham church bombing</a>&nbsp;that killed four young Black girls.

The new windows, titled “Now and Forever," are based on a design by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-race-and-ethnicity-james-marshall-kerry-james-marshall-4f3ef320f410c9090acb540fa925bc2e">artist Kerry James Marshall</a>. Stained glass artisan Andrew Goldkuhle crafted the windows based on that design.

In the new work, African Americans are shown marching — on foot or in a wheelchair — from left to right across the four windows. Some march in profile; some directly face the viewer with signs proclaiming “FAIRNESS” and “NO FOUL PLAY.” Light floods in through the sky-bright panes of white and blue above the figures.

Marshall, who was born in Birmingham in 1955, invited anyone viewing the new windows, or other artworks inspired by social justice, “to imagine oneself as a subject and an author of a never-ending story is that is still yet to be told.”

The setting is particularly significant in the massive neo-Gothic cathedral, which regularly hosts ceremonies tied to major national events. It is filled with iconography depicting the American story in glass, stone and other media. Images range from presidents to famous cultural figures and state symbols.

But the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/arho/learn/historyculture/robert-e-lee-and-slavery.htm">Lee</a>&nbsp;and Jackson windows “were telling a story that was not a true story,” according to the Very Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith, dean of the cathedral. They were installed in 1953 and donated by the United Daughters of the Confederacy,

The windows extolled generals fighting for a cause that sought to “enshrine slavery in our country for all time,” Hollerith said.

He added: “You can't call yourself the National Cathedral, a house of prayer for all people, when there are windows in there that are deeply offensive to a large portion of Americans.”

The cathedral has accompanied the window replacement with a number of public forums discussing the legacy of racism and how monuments were used to burnish the image of the Confederacy as a noble “Lost Cause.”

The new windows will also be accompanied by a poem by scholar Elizabeth Alexander, president of the Mellon Foundation. The poem “American Song” will be engraved beneath the windows.

“A single voice raised, then another,” it says. “We must tell the truth about our history. ... May this portal be where the light comes in.”

Alexander said in an interview Friday that the poem referred both to the literal light from the windows, which she said beautifully illumines the surrounding stonework, and the figurative light that “enables us to see each other wholly and in community.”

The setting is important in a sanctuary that is also “a communal space, a space that tourists visit, a space where the nation mourns,” Alexander said. “The story (the windows) tell is one of collective movement, of progress, of people struggling and asserting the values of fairness for all."

The old windows' removal followed the use of Confederate imagery by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dylann-roof-sentenced-death-for-killing-9-church-members-ba912545b5dc40729c80328d598ac550">the racist gunman</a>&nbsp;who massacred members of a Black church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015, and by marchers at a 2017 far-right rally in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wv-state-wire-violence-charlottesville-race-and-ethnicity-charlottesville-a-year-later-59e503c23fb3434c8a1f0950539484d6">Charlottesville, Virginia</a>, that ended with a counterprotester's death.

The original windows, complete with Confederate battle flags, had depicted Lee and Jackson as saintlike figures, with Lee bathed in rays of heavenly light and Jackson welcomed by trumpets into paradise after his death. Those windows are now stored by the cathedral.

The cathedral also is the seat of the Episcopal Church’s presiding bishop and Diocese of Washington.

The bishop of the diocese, the Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, joined Hollerith in delivering opening remarks at the dedication.

Hollerith recalled the decision to remove the Confederate windows.

“They were antithetical to our call to be a house of prayer for all,” he said, adding, “There is a lot of work yet to be done.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695516004624.png" alt="The dedication service was attended by many clergy from the Washington area's historically Black churches, as well as leaders of social justice organizations.-image from the video of the ceremony&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The dedication service was attended by many clergy from the Washington area's historically Black churches, as well as leaders of social justice organizations.-image from the video of the ceremony&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The landmark&nbsp;<a href="https://cathedral.org/">Washington National Cathedral</a>&nbsp;unveiled new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-race-and-ethnicity-james-marshall-kerry-james-marshall-4f3ef320f410c9090acb540fa925bc2e">stained-glass windows</a>&nbsp;Saturday with a theme of racial justice, filling the space that had once held four windows honoring Confederate Gens.&nbsp;<a href="https://cathedral.org/about/news-media/cathedral-loans-robert-e-lee-stained-glass-window-to-smithsonian/">Robert E. Lee</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/people/thomas-j-stonewall-jackson.htm">Stonewall Jackson.</a>Click below to watch the window dedication ceremony)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_vANa0KU4Kw?si=qD-r-_aJyxM4PaFc&amp;start=409" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The new windows depict a march for justice by African Americans, descendants of the very people who would have remained in slavery after the Civil War if the side for which the officers fought had prevailed.The cathedral had removed the old windows after Confederate symbols featured prominently in recent racist violence.The dedication service was attended by many clergy from the Washington area's historically Black churches, as well as leaders of social justice organizations. The prayers, Bible readings and brief speeches were interspersed with gospel music and spirituals, as well as the contemporary song, “Heal Our Land.”Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ketanji-brown-jackson">Ketanji Brown Jackson</a>, the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court, read excerpts from the Rev. Martin Luther King' Jr.'s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.csuchico.edu/iege/_assets/documents/susi-letter-from-birmingham-jail.pdf">“Letter from Birmingham Jail”</a>&nbsp;from 1963.“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” she read from King's famed message while jailed in Alabama. “The goal of America is freedom. ... We will win our freedom.” A week earlier, she had spoken at the 60th anniversary of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-church-bombing-ketanji-brown-jackson-97b6e7d97d8ca40e8328293eec6eebbd">Birmingham church bombing</a>&nbsp;that killed four young Black girls.The new windows, titled “Now and Forever," are based on a design by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-race-and-ethnicity-james-marshall-kerry-james-marshall-4f3ef320f410c9090acb540fa925bc2e">artist Kerry James Marshall</a>. Stained glass artisan Andrew Goldkuhle crafted the windows based on that design.In the new work, African Americans are shown marching — on foot or in a wheelchair — from left to right across the four windows. Some march in profile; some directly face the viewer with signs proclaiming “FAIRNESS” and “NO FOUL PLAY.” Light floods in through the sky-bright panes of white and blue above the figures.Marshall, who was born in Birmingham in 1955, invited anyone viewing the new windows, or other artworks inspired by social justice, “to imagine oneself as a subject and an author of a never-ending story is that is still yet to be told.”The setting is particularly significant in the massive neo-Gothic cathedral, which regularly hosts ceremonies tied to major national events. It is filled with iconography depicting the American story in glass, stone and other media. Images range from presidents to famous cultural figures and state symbols.But the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/arho/learn/historyculture/robert-e-lee-and-slavery.htm">Lee</a>&nbsp;and Jackson windows “were telling a story that was not a true story,” according to the Very Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith, dean of the cathedral. They were installed in 1953 and donated by the United Daughters of the Confederacy,The windows extolled generals fighting for a cause that sought to “enshrine slavery in our country for all time,” Hollerith said.He added: “You can't call yourself the National Cathedral, a house of prayer for all people, when there are windows in there that are deeply offensive to a large portion of Americans.”The cathedral has accompanied the window replacement with a number of public forums discussing the legacy of racism and how monuments were used to burnish the image of the Confederacy as a noble “Lost Cause.”The new windows will also be accompanied by a poem by scholar Elizabeth Alexander, president of the Mellon Foundation. The poem “American Song” will be engraved beneath the windows.“A single voice raised, then another,” it says. “We must tell the truth about our history. ... May this portal be where the light comes in.”Alexander said in an interview Friday that the poem referred both to the literal light from the windows, which she said beautifully illumines the surrounding stonework, and the figurative light that “enables us to see each other wholly and in community.”The setting is important in a sanctuary that is also “a communal space, a space that tourists visit, a space where the nation mourns,” Alexander said. “The story (the windows) tell is one of collective movement, of progress, of people struggling and asserting the values of fairness for all."The old windows' removal followed the use of Confederate imagery by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dylann-roof-sentenced-death-for-killing-9-church-members-ba912545b5dc40729c80328d598ac550">the racist gunman</a>&nbsp;who massacred members of a Black church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015, and by marchers at a 2017 far-right rally in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wv-state-wire-violence-charlottesville-race-and-ethnicity-charlottesville-a-year-later-59e503c23fb3434c8a1f0950539484d6">Charlottesville, Virginia</a>, that ended with a counterprotester's death.The original windows, complete with Confederate battle flags, had depicted Lee and Jackson as saintlike figures, with Lee bathed in rays of heavenly light and Jackson welcomed by trumpets into paradise after his death. Those windows are now stored by the cathedral.The cathedral also is the seat of the Episcopal Church’s presiding bishop and Diocese of Washington.The bishop of the diocese, the Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, joined Hollerith in delivering opening remarks at the dedication.Hollerith recalled the decision to remove the Confederate windows.“They were antithetical to our call to be a house of prayer for all,” he said, adding, “There is a lot of work yet to be done.”

🎥National Cathedral swaps Confederate windows for racial justice windows

Two years after the end of a national eviction moratorium, landlords are still looking to make up for lost income

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/milimansaray/">MILI MANSARAY</a>

Jared Johnson hasn’t paid rent in four months. The trouble started when his car got towed. That cost him his job delivering groceries for Instacart.

He’s been able to hold off an eviction — for now.

At his eviction trial, his landlord agreed to give him until the end of September to pay his back rent. Johnson, who is originally from Florida, said the extension is the only thing between him and a homeless shelter or a short-term housing program.

“Or my last resort, since I won’t be able to take my dog with me, is to go back to Florida,” he said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s nationwide eviction moratorium, which began in September 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kcbeacon.org/stories/2021/09/08/eviction-moratorium-ends-kansas-city/">ended</a>&nbsp;in July 2021. Since then, eviction rates in Kansas City have risen back to pre-pandemic levels. In fact, efforts to evict tenants run higher now than before the pandemic.

Jackson County court records show 261 evictions in July and 1,388 so far this year.&nbsp; Before the pandemic and the national ban on evictions, the county saw 183 evictions in July 2019 and 1,675 evictions in the 10 months before the moratorium.

Landlords are also filing more cases to evict more tenants. More than 11,000 cases were filed from July 2022 to July 2023&nbsp; in Jackson County, compared to 7,358 from June 2021 to June 2022.

To help tenants fight their cases, the Kansas City Council passed a “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kcmo.gov/Home/Components/News/News/1882/16#:~:text=Kansas%20City's%20first%20ever%20%22Right,officially%20starts%20on%20June%201.">Right to Counsel”&nbsp;</a>ordinance last year that gives free legal assistance to residents facing eviction.

One year later, the demand for representation has surpassed the supply of legal help.

“We were able to represent everyone who appeared in court when it went into effect,” said Gina Chiala, the executive director of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.jobsandfreedom.org/">Heartland Center for Jobs and Freedom</a>, an organization that provides legal services for low-wage workers and tenants. “Since then, that has changed and we’ve really started to feel the pressure.”

Rent is at the center of eviction disputes. About a third of the eviction cases filed are for rent and possession, Chiala said.

This year, the Kansas City area had the second-highest yearly increase in rent among the 50 biggest cities in the country, according to a study by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rent.com/research/average-rent-price-report/">Rent.com</a>, a digital apartment marketplace.

Renters pay an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://evictionlab.org/eviction-tracking/kansas-city-mo/">average</a>&nbsp;of $1,044 per month in Jackson County. Yet, as the rent rises,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kcbeacon.org/stories/2022/09/20/kansas-city-minimum-wage/">wages</a>&nbsp;are stagnating.

Missouri’s minimum wage is $12 an hour, but the living wage for a single adult in Jackson County is $33.60, according to a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://livingwage.mit.edu/counties/29095">living-wage calculator&nbsp;</a>from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“People … are just living at the edge of existence,” said Kirk McClure, professor of urban planning at the University of Kansas.

The average American renter is also<a target="_blank" href="https://thehill.com/changing-america/sustainability/infrastructure/3866947-renters-paying-30-percent-of-income-for-housing-crisis/">&nbsp;rent-burned,</a>&nbsp;meaning they pay more than 30% of their income on housing.

“Most low-income folks that get laid off don’t have big savings accounts to pay their rent,” McClure said. “They have a very low cushion to absorb a shock like the pandemic or a layoff.”

Lindale Lee stopped paying rent after he lost his job and his roommate moved out in July. He has since found a new job and paid it back, but he still found himself on trial due to the added fees.

“I owe $700,” he said. “But with the late fees, processing fees and attorney fees, I owe $1,402.”

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have also influenced landlords to raise rental costs. Many are looking to recoup the money they lost due to the national eviction moratoriums.

“Landlords were put on a huge financial crunch since they weren’t getting their rent on time. Sometimes it was paid, sometimes not,” said Michael Fortin, a lawyer who&nbsp; provides legal services to business owners. “Now that the moratoriums are lifted, the landlords have to raise their rents to cover their losses. … A lot of their patience is gone.”

Through federal&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://publicintegrity.org/inequality-poverty-opportunity/covid-divide/rental-assistance-did-not-go-to-tenants-landlords/">emergency rental assistance</a>&nbsp;programs, state governments distributed $2.6 billion in assistance to renters. But McClure said it took months to reach them.

He blamed out-of-state corporate property owners for the rising rents.

“We’re getting professional investors who’ve never even been to the city they’re buying in,” he said. “They’re seeing rents going up and they’re saying, ‘I want in on that.’”

The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56214c93e4b0126253f97afd/t/65007a3ce95bcc009b78004b/1694530122501/The+State+of+Eviction+2023.pdf">Heartland Center for Jobs and Freedom</a>&nbsp;says property owners in California, New York and New Jersey evict the most tenants in Kansas City.

Can Right to Counsel handle heightening Kansas City rent?

In the 15 months since the Right to Counsel ordinance was passed, nearly 2,000 tenants have been represented by attorneys, with 86% of the rulings ending in no eviction, according to the Heartland Center’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56214c93e4b0126253f97afd/t/65007a3ce95bcc009b78004b/1694530122501/The+State+of+Eviction+2023.pdf">State of Eviction report</a>.

But as case filings rise, the organizations are losing the capacity to represent tenants.

“We are scrambling to build up staff to meet the number of evictions that are actually being filed,” said Chiala.

There are 12 attorneys between Heartland,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lawmo.org/">Legal Aid of Western Missouri&nbsp;</a>and the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://law.umkc.edu/">University of Missouri-Kansas City</a>&nbsp;combined, each capable of handling 120 cases in a year.

The organizations want to have 18 attorneys by the spring of 2024, and they have already hired two more.

“In the meantime,” Chiala said, “we’re having to turn down cases since there’s not enough attorneys to keep up.”

Without attorneys, many tenants must defend themselves.

But a lawyer makes a sizable difference in outcome.

“A lot of times the tenants have affirmative defenses, most often because the landlord failed to maintain the property,” Chiala said. “And so we’re able to raise those defenses and then try to negotiate a humane outcome between the tenant and the landlord.”

This&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kcbeacon.org/stories/2023/09/18/kansas-city-rent/">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kcbeacon.org/">The Beacon</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600338481812.png" alt="The U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s nationwide eviction moratorium,&nbsp;which began in September 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, ended in July 2021 (iStock/Getty Images)." />
 <figcaption>The U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s nationwide eviction moratorium,&nbsp;which began in September 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, ended in July 2021 (iStock/Getty Images).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Two years after the end of a national eviction moratorium, landlords are still looking to make up for lost income</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/milimansaray/">MILI MANSARAY</a>Jared Johnson hasn’t paid rent in four months. The trouble started when his car got towed. That cost him his job delivering groceries for Instacart.He’s been able to hold off an eviction — for now.At his eviction trial, his landlord agreed to give him until the end of September to pay his back rent. Johnson, who is originally from Florida, said the extension is the only thing between him and a homeless shelter or a short-term housing program.“Or my last resort, since I won’t be able to take my dog with me, is to go back to Florida,” he said.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s nationwide eviction moratorium, which began in September 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kcbeacon.org/stories/2021/09/08/eviction-moratorium-ends-kansas-city/">ended</a>&nbsp;in July 2021. Since then, eviction rates in Kansas City have risen back to pre-pandemic levels. In fact, efforts to evict tenants run higher now than before the pandemic.Jackson County court records show 261 evictions in July and 1,388 so far this year.&nbsp; Before the pandemic and the national ban on evictions, the county saw 183 evictions in July 2019 and 1,675 evictions in the 10 months before the moratorium.Landlords are also filing more cases to evict more tenants. More than 11,000 cases were filed from July 2022 to July 2023&nbsp; in Jackson County, compared to 7,358 from June 2021 to June 2022.To help tenants fight their cases, the Kansas City Council passed a “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kcmo.gov/Home/Components/News/News/1882/16#:~:text=Kansas%20City's%20first%20ever%20%22Right,officially%20starts%20on%20June%201.">Right to Counsel”&nbsp;</a>ordinance last year that gives free legal assistance to residents facing eviction.One year later, the demand for representation has surpassed the supply of legal help.“We were able to represent everyone who appeared in court when it went into effect,” said Gina Chiala, the executive director of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.jobsandfreedom.org/">Heartland Center for Jobs and Freedom</a>, an organization that provides legal services for low-wage workers and tenants. “Since then, that has changed and we’ve really started to feel the pressure.”<h2>Why are residents getting evicted?</h2>Rent is at the center of eviction disputes. About a third of the eviction cases filed are for rent and possession, Chiala said.This year, the Kansas City area had the second-highest yearly increase in rent among the 50 biggest cities in the country, according to a study by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rent.com/research/average-rent-price-report/">Rent.com</a>, a digital apartment marketplace.Renters pay an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://evictionlab.org/eviction-tracking/kansas-city-mo/">average</a>&nbsp;of $1,044 per month in Jackson County. Yet, as the rent rises,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kcbeacon.org/stories/2022/09/20/kansas-city-minimum-wage/">wages</a>&nbsp;are stagnating.Missouri’s minimum wage is $12 an hour, but the living wage for a single adult in Jackson County is $33.60, according to a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://livingwage.mit.edu/counties/29095">living-wage calculator&nbsp;</a>from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.“People … are just living at the edge of existence,” said Kirk McClure, professor of urban planning at the University of Kansas.The average American renter is also<a target="_blank" href="https://thehill.com/changing-america/sustainability/infrastructure/3866947-renters-paying-30-percent-of-income-for-housing-crisis/">&nbsp;rent-burned,</a>&nbsp;meaning they pay more than 30% of their income on housing.“Most low-income folks that get laid off don’t have big savings accounts to pay their rent,” McClure said. “They have a very low cushion to absorb a shock like the pandemic or a layoff.”Lindale Lee stopped paying rent after he lost his job and his roommate moved out in July. He has since found a new job and paid it back, but he still found himself on trial due to the added fees.“I owe $700,” he said. “But with the late fees, processing fees and attorney fees, I owe $1,402.”The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have also influenced landlords to raise rental costs. Many are looking to recoup the money they lost due to the national eviction moratoriums.“Landlords were put on a huge financial crunch since they weren’t getting their rent on time. Sometimes it was paid, sometimes not,” said Michael Fortin, a lawyer who&nbsp; provides legal services to business owners. “Now that the moratoriums are lifted, the landlords have to raise their rents to cover their losses. … A lot of their patience is gone.”Through federal&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://publicintegrity.org/inequality-poverty-opportunity/covid-divide/rental-assistance-did-not-go-to-tenants-landlords/">emergency rental assistance</a>&nbsp;programs, state governments distributed $2.6 billion in assistance to renters. But McClure said it took months to reach them.He blamed out-of-state corporate property owners for the rising rents.“We’re getting professional investors who’ve never even been to the city they’re buying in,” he said. “They’re seeing rents going up and they’re saying, ‘I want in on that.’”The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56214c93e4b0126253f97afd/t/65007a3ce95bcc009b78004b/1694530122501/The+State+of+Eviction+2023.pdf">Heartland Center for Jobs and Freedom</a>&nbsp;says property owners in California, New York and New Jersey evict the most tenants in Kansas City.<h2>Can Right to Counsel handle heightening Kansas City rent?</h2>In the 15 months since the Right to Counsel ordinance was passed, nearly 2,000 tenants have been represented by attorneys, with 86% of the rulings ending in no eviction, according to the Heartland Center’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56214c93e4b0126253f97afd/t/65007a3ce95bcc009b78004b/1694530122501/The+State+of+Eviction+2023.pdf">State of Eviction report</a>.But as case filings rise, the organizations are losing the capacity to represent tenants.“We are scrambling to build up staff to meet the number of evictions that are actually being filed,” said Chiala.There are 12 attorneys between Heartland,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lawmo.org/">Legal Aid of Western Missouri&nbsp;</a>and the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://law.umkc.edu/">University of Missouri-Kansas City</a>&nbsp;combined, each capable of handling 120 cases in a year.The organizations want to have 18 attorneys by the spring of 2024, and they have already hired two more.“In the meantime,” Chiala said, “we’re having to turn down cases since there’s not enough attorneys to keep up.”Without attorneys, many tenants must defend themselves.But a lawyer makes a sizable difference in outcome.“A lot of times the tenants have affirmative defenses, most often because the landlord failed to maintain the property,” Chiala said. “And so we’re able to raise those defenses and then try to negotiate a humane outcome between the tenant and the landlord.”This&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kcbeacon.org/stories/2023/09/18/kansas-city-rent/">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kcbeacon.org/">The Beacon</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Rising rents leave more Kansas City tenants facing eviction

Legislative leaders say Republicans are united and will work toward tax cuts

By RACHEL MIPRO,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — After declaring themselves a united family, “like brothers and sisters,” the top Republicans in the Legislature announced they will work together to resurrect and pass a massive flat tax plan in the first weeks of the upcoming legislative session.

“I may be a little bit aggressive in this,” said House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, during a Thursday news conference announcing their plans. “But I want to see it teed up within the first few weeks. It’s not going to be at the end of the year. We already know the facts. We already know what it takes.”

The plan in question, a flat tax proposal that would have primarily benefited the state’s wealthiest residents, narrowly failed last session, in what Hawkins said was the “biggest disappointment” of the session.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed the proposal, known as&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb169/">Senate Bill 169</a>, and Republican efforts to override the veto fell short by just one vote in the Senate. The legislation would have implemented a 5.15% income tax rate for all Kansans, decreasing revenue by an estimated $330 million each year. The legislation would have also accelerated $40 million in annual tax cuts for corporations and provided $40 million in residential property tax relief.

In the&nbsp;first iteration of the bill, the top 20% of Kansas wage earners would have received about 70% of the total $764 million tax cut.

The modified plan Kelly vetoed would have offered more than $250 per month in savings to Kansans who earn more than $250,000 per year. But individuals who earn between $25,000 and $75,000 would have received only about $5 to $8 per month in tax relief.

Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, denied the flat tax disproportionately favored the wealthy, pointing to the property tax provision as proof the plan would help all Kansans.

“These comments about somehow it benefits the wealthy, you have to get yourself in quite a good mental contortion to get there,” Masterson said. “It was a benefit for everybody just on that face value alone.”

Masterson blamed media reporting, saying it was false to the characterize the bill as a plan that benefits the wealthiest Kansans.&nbsp;

“You don’t always get accurate information coming through the general flows of information,&nbsp;through this standard sources of media,” Masterson said.

To give more property tax relief, Hawkins said leadership would also revive plans to shave off several of the mill levy taxes used by the state to finance public schools.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/10/senate-weighing-bill-to-trim-property-tax-for-k-12-schools-by-150-million-annually/">Republican-proposed legislation</a>&nbsp;last year would have exempted&nbsp;$100,000 of the assessed value on residential property from the 20-mill tax used by the state to finance public schools, taking away nearly $150 million annually in state revenue.

Hawkins didn’t go into specifics on the amount of mills he wanted to remove in the coming session, but he said the state would need to dip into the state general fund for education finances to make up the loss.

“We’re going to trim some of our mills off, probably two to three mills will come off,” Hawkins said. “And then we’ll have to fund education out of SGF. That won’t be there anymore.”

Others have pointed to the&nbsp;Local Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund as a tool to help local governments keep their property taxes low without reducing education funds. LAVTRF payments have been suspended since 2002, but renewal of the initiative could be used to distribute funds to rural counties with the highest property tax mill levy.

Hawkins said the plan wasn’t feasible and had “failed miserably.”&nbsp;

“It was a great slush fund for the county,” Hawkins said. “They could do whatever they wanted with it.”&nbsp;

Both Republicans said they would fight Medicaid expansion, an issue Kelly has promoted for years and has said will be her top priority for the upcoming session.&nbsp;

“Expanding Medicaid and ensuring that every Kansan has access to affordable, high-quality health care is the smartest, sanest way to keep our state moving forward,” Kelly said Wednesday, announcing the start of her statewide Medicaid expansion tour.&nbsp;

Hawkins and Masterson called the governor’s campaign a “welfare” tour for “able-bodied adults” who “choose not to work.”

Medicaid expansion would increase eligibility to adults younger than 65 with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level. Expanding Medicaid would unlock an estimated billion dollars in annual federal aid and give around 150,000 Kansans, including 40,000 children, access to affordable health care.

Kansas is one of 10 remaining states that hasn’t adopted expansion.

When asked by news reporters if they would consider making a deal with Kelly, trading their flat tax proposal for Medicaid expansion, Hawkins and Masterson said it was not an option.

Masterson said the governor was just using the issue to score political points.

“It feels to me that’s just politics on her side … she sees that as an issue she’d win on in some areas, so I think that’s why it’s there,” Masterson said.&nbsp;

Hawkins said Medicaid expansion was his “red line.”&nbsp;

“Medicaid expansion, they think it’s a panacea, but it’s not,” Hawkins said.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695518396220.png" alt="Senate President Ty Masterson and Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins say they are firmly against Medicaid expansion. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Senate President Ty Masterson and Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins say they are firmly against Medicaid expansion. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Legislative leaders say Republicans are united and will work toward tax cuts</h2>By RACHEL MIPRO,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — After declaring themselves a united family, “like brothers and sisters,” the top Republicans in the Legislature announced they will work together to resurrect and pass a massive flat tax plan in the first weeks of the upcoming legislative session.“I may be a little bit aggressive in this,” said House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, during a Thursday news conference announcing their plans. “But I want to see it teed up within the first few weeks. It’s not going to be at the end of the year. We already know the facts. We already know what it takes.”The plan in question, a flat tax proposal that would have primarily benefited the state’s wealthiest residents, narrowly failed last session, in what Hawkins said was the “biggest disappointment” of the session.Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed the proposal, known as&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb169/">Senate Bill 169</a>, and Republican efforts to override the veto fell short by just one vote in the Senate. The legislation would have implemented a 5.15% income tax rate for all Kansans, decreasing revenue by an estimated $330 million each year. The legislation would have also accelerated $40 million in annual tax cuts for corporations and provided $40 million in residential property tax relief.In the&nbsp;first iteration of the bill, the top 20% of Kansas wage earners would have received about 70% of the total $764 million tax cut.The modified plan Kelly vetoed would have offered more than $250 per month in savings to Kansans who earn more than $250,000 per year. But individuals who earn between $25,000 and $75,000 would have received only about $5 to $8 per month in tax relief.Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, denied the flat tax disproportionately favored the wealthy, pointing to the property tax provision as proof the plan would help all Kansans.“These comments about somehow it benefits the wealthy, you have to get yourself in quite a good mental contortion to get there,” Masterson said. “It was a benefit for everybody just on that face value alone.”Masterson blamed media reporting, saying it was false to the characterize the bill as a plan that benefits the wealthiest Kansans.&nbsp;“You don’t always get accurate information coming through the general flows of information,&nbsp;through this standard sources of media,” Masterson said.To give more property tax relief, Hawkins said leadership would also revive plans to shave off several of the mill levy taxes used by the state to finance public schools.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/10/senate-weighing-bill-to-trim-property-tax-for-k-12-schools-by-150-million-annually/">Republican-proposed legislation</a>&nbsp;last year would have exempted&nbsp;$100,000 of the assessed value on residential property from the 20-mill tax used by the state to finance public schools, taking away nearly $150 million annually in state revenue.Hawkins didn’t go into specifics on the amount of mills he wanted to remove in the coming session, but he said the state would need to dip into the state general fund for education finances to make up the loss.“We’re going to trim some of our mills off, probably two to three mills will come off,” Hawkins said. “And then we’ll have to fund education out of SGF. That won’t be there anymore.”Others have pointed to the&nbsp;Local Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund as a tool to help local governments keep their property taxes low without reducing education funds. LAVTRF payments have been suspended since 2002, but renewal of the initiative could be used to distribute funds to rural counties with the highest property tax mill levy.Hawkins said the plan wasn’t feasible and had “failed miserably.”&nbsp;“It was a great slush fund for the county,” Hawkins said. “They could do whatever they wanted with it.”&nbsp;Both Republicans said they would fight Medicaid expansion, an issue Kelly has promoted for years and has said will be her top priority for the upcoming session.&nbsp;“Expanding Medicaid and ensuring that every Kansan has access to affordable, high-quality health care is the smartest, sanest way to keep our state moving forward,” Kelly said Wednesday, announcing the start of her statewide Medicaid expansion tour.&nbsp;Hawkins and Masterson called the governor’s campaign a “welfare” tour for “able-bodied adults” who “choose not to work.”Medicaid expansion would increase eligibility to adults younger than 65 with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level. Expanding Medicaid would unlock an estimated billion dollars in annual federal aid and give around 150,000 Kansans, including 40,000 children, access to affordable health care.Kansas is one of 10 remaining states that hasn’t adopted expansion.When asked by news reporters if they would consider making a deal with Kelly, trading their flat tax proposal for Medicaid expansion, Hawkins and Masterson said it was not an option.Masterson said the governor was just using the issue to score political points.“It feels to me that’s just politics on her side … she sees that as an issue she’d win on in some areas, so I think that’s why it’s there,” Masterson said.&nbsp;Hawkins said Medicaid expansion was his “red line.”&nbsp;“Medicaid expansion, they think it’s a panacea, but it’s not,” Hawkins said.&nbsp;

Top Kansas Republicans push flat tax proposal, pan Medicaid expansion

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with theft of a historic church bell near Kansas City.&nbsp;

On Thursday the Cass County Prosecutor’s Office announced charges linked to the theft of a historic church bell in Gunn City, Missouri, approximately 50 miles southeast of Kansas City.

Christopher Longacre, 36, of Garden City Missouri, has been charged with felony theft and possession of a controlled substance. He has also been charged with a misdemeanor for resisting arrest.

On Wednesday, deputies located parts of the historic bell while serving a warrant to Longacre. It had been reported stolen on September 11. The next day, investigators obtained and executed a search warrant for Longacre after getting information he was in possession of the bell. 

When deputies arrived at Longacre’s residence, he fled on foot. Investigators were unable to find any remnants of the bell that day.

On Thursday during a traffic stop, Deputies arrested Longacre on a failure to appear warrant and found pieces of the historic bell during the probable cause search. 

Investigators found Longacre had cut down parts of the bell. They have reason to believe he was trying to scrap the remnants of the bell and sell them. 

The bell is part of a church in Gunn City dating back to 1882. The bell survived a fire in the 1920s that burned down the church when it was a log cabin. It was put back up in the church which is still standing.

Longacre is held at the Cass County Jail on a $25,000 cash-only bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695395993620.png" alt="Broken brass pieces resembling the stolen bell were located inside a 5-gallon bucket in the car's trunk, according to the Sheriff's office. photo Cass County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Broken brass pieces resembling the stolen bell were located inside a 5-gallon bucket in the car's trunk, according to the Sheriff's office. photo Cass County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with theft of a historic church bell near Kansas City.&nbsp;On Thursday the Cass County Prosecutor’s Office announced charges linked to the theft of a historic church bell in Gunn City, Missouri, approximately 50 miles southeast of Kansas City.Christopher Longacre, 36, of Garden City Missouri, has been charged with felony theft and possession of a controlled substance. He has also been charged with a misdemeanor for resisting arrest.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695396480247.png" alt="Photo Cass Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Cass Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>On Wednesday, deputies located parts of the historic bell while serving a warrant to Longacre. It had been reported stolen on September 11. The next day, investigators obtained and executed a search warrant for Longacre after getting information he was in possession of the bell. When deputies arrived at Longacre’s residence, he fled on foot. Investigators were unable to find any remnants of the bell that day.On Thursday during a traffic stop, Deputies arrested Longacre on a failure to appear warrant and found pieces of the historic bell during the probable cause search. Investigators found Longacre had cut down parts of the bell. They have reason to believe he was trying to scrap the remnants of the bell and sell them. The bell is part of a church in Gunn City dating back to 1882. The bell survived a fire in the 1920s that burned down the church when it was a log cabin. It was put back up in the church which is still standing.Longacre is held at the Cass County Jail on a $25,000 cash-only bond.

Man charged in theft of historic KC-area church bell

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City-area man was sentenced in federal court this week for two fraud schemes in which he sold unwitting victims rental equipment and real estate that did not belong to him, according to the United State's Attorney.

Jeremy Ace Woods, 46, Independence, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 17 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Woods to pay $798,021 in restitution to 48 victims and to forfeit to the government $336,150, which represents the proceeds he personally received from the charged conduct in this case.

On Dec. 14, 2022, Woods pleaded guilty to three counts of travel fraud and two counts of wire fraud as part of a rental-equipment scheme and a real estate scheme that victimized at least 48 individuals or businesses.

$1,187,177 Rental Equipment Fraud Scheme

As part of the rental-equipment scheme, Woods stole approximately 96 pieces of rental equipment valued at approximately $999,077 from 25 separate rental companies. He then sold at least 41 pieces of equipment to at least 15 victim buyers from across the Midwest, including buyers from Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. These victim buyers paid Woods a total of $188,100 for the stolen equipment.

According to court documents, Woods used aliases and lies to enter into sexual relationships with multiple women and employment relationships with multiple men. He exploited these relationships by asking these individuals to rent equipment for him, thus acting as straw renters of the equipment — using their real names and banking information to obtain the equipment. Once the rental equipment was obtained, Woods — again, using various aliases — lined up buyers for the stolen equipment by posting the equipment for sale on Facebook Marketplace or similar websites.

Through this scheme, the unwitting straw renters suffered damage to their credit scores and suffered financial losses; the victim rental companies suffered financial losses; and the victim buyers — many of whom were small business owners — sustained devastating financial losses when the equipment they purchased was ultimately returned to the appropriate rental companies. According to the victim declarations, this fraud had a direct impact on multiple victims’ financial solvency and caused substantial loss of retirement, education, or other savings.

Among the rental equipment cited in court documents as being stolen then sold by Woods is a Boxer skid steer from Home Depot in Olathe, Kan., a Bobcat skid steer from United Rentals in Olathe, and a Toro Dingo TX 1000 compact utility loader from Colman Equipment in Smithville, Mo.

As part of the relevant conduct in the scheme, Woods entered into a romantic relationship with a woman with an intellectual disability. Woods exploited this relationship by having the woman buy and rent property for him, including a truck, multiple trailers, and 12 smart phones. Additionally, Woods told the woman they were going to get married, and – based on those lies – used her money to purchase a $3,500 ring for himself.

$1,042,000 Real Estate Fraud Scheme

As part of the real-estate scheme, Woods fraudulently sold 12 homes he did not own, extracting large down payments and monthly installment payments from unsuspecting victim buyers, from September 2021 to February 2022. The scheme involved total payments, made or intended, of over $1 million.

In this scheme, Woods (through his companies, Ace’s Remediation and Lawn Service or Vaughns Property Management) solicited and received subcontracting jobs for maintenance tasks on homes going through the foreclosure process, many of which were owned by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. Instead of honoring the contracts and performing the agreed-upon work, Woods posed as the owner of a real-estate company and fraudulently sold the homes to unsuspecting victim buyers. According to court documents, Woods used aliases with each victim of this scheme.

Woods elicited large downpayments from the victims and had the victims enter fraudulent contracts, requiring them to make monthly installment payments until the homes were paid in full. In total, Woods elicited $183,000 in down payments and monthly installments from various victims. Additionally, the victims also spent approximately $33,777 to remodel the homes, leading to a total actual loss of $216,777.

According to court documents, Woods attempted to victimize two additional individuals but the fraud was discovered before a downpayment was made. According to the victim declarations, this fraud — like the rental-equipment scheme — had a devastating financial impact on numerous lives. This fraud had a direct impact on multiple victims’ solvency; has caused substantial loss of retirement, education, or other savings; has caused substantial changes to employment and/or living arrangements; and has impacted victims’ ability to obtain credit.

Among the residential properties cited in court documents as fraudulently sold by Woods is a residence in Shawnee, Kan.

The intended loss of the two schemes totaled $2,229,177 while the actual loss of the schemes totaled $900,896.

For the rental-equipment scheme, the intended loss was calculated by adding the value of the stolen rental equipment, $999,077, to the amount the victim buyers paid the defendant, $188,100. The intended loss for the real-estate scheme was calculated by adding the amount paid by the victims for the downpayments, home upgrades, and/or monthly installment payments to the total unpaid amount owed under the fraudulent contracts for a total of $1,042,000.

The three counts of travel fraud to which Woods pleaded guilty are related to instances in which he caused his victims to travel across state lines as part of the fraud schemes.

During the schemes, Woods used multiple aliases, including Jeremy Ace, Jeremy Vaughn, Jeremy Brown, James Hanna, and Elvis John.

Woods has 31 prior felony convictions, including several fraud convictions that are relevant conduct in the two schemes in this case. When arrested in this case in May 2022, Woods was on felony probation in four separate cases in four separate Missouri counties and was on misdemeanor probation in Montgomery County, Kansas. Additionally, he has been convicted of 25 misdemeanors and has had his probation or parole revoked 15 times. He also has pending cases in four separate counties, including an active warrant out of Lyon County, Kansas, for escaping from custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599744375325.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;Woods from a 2020 arrest in Saline County" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Woods from a 2020 arrest in Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City-area man was sentenced in federal court this week for two fraud schemes in which he sold unwitting victims rental equipment and real estate that did not belong to him, according to the United State's Attorney.Jeremy Ace Woods, 46, Independence, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 17 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Woods to pay $798,021 in restitution to 48 victims and to forfeit to the government $336,150, which represents the proceeds he personally received from the charged conduct in this case.On Dec. 14, 2022, Woods pleaded guilty to three counts of travel fraud and two counts of wire fraud as part of a rental-equipment scheme and a real estate scheme that victimized at least 48 individuals or businesses.$1,187,177 Rental Equipment Fraud SchemeAs part of the rental-equipment scheme, Woods stole approximately 96 pieces of rental equipment valued at approximately $999,077 from 25 separate rental companies. He then sold at least 41 pieces of equipment to at least 15 victim buyers from across the Midwest, including buyers from Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. These victim buyers paid Woods a total of $188,100 for the stolen equipment.According to court documents, Woods used aliases and lies to enter into sexual relationships with multiple women and employment relationships with multiple men. He exploited these relationships by asking these individuals to rent equipment for him, thus acting as straw renters of the equipment — using their real names and banking information to obtain the equipment. Once the rental equipment was obtained, Woods — again, using various aliases — lined up buyers for the stolen equipment by posting the equipment for sale on Facebook Marketplace or similar websites.Through this scheme, the unwitting straw renters suffered damage to their credit scores and suffered financial losses; the victim rental companies suffered financial losses; and the victim buyers — many of whom were small business owners — sustained devastating financial losses when the equipment they purchased was ultimately returned to the appropriate rental companies. According to the victim declarations, this fraud had a direct impact on multiple victims’ financial solvency and caused substantial loss of retirement, education, or other savings.Among the rental equipment cited in court documents as being stolen then sold by Woods is a Boxer skid steer from Home Depot in Olathe, Kan., a Bobcat skid steer from United Rentals in Olathe, and a Toro Dingo TX 1000 compact utility loader from Colman Equipment in Smithville, Mo.As part of the relevant conduct in the scheme, Woods entered into a romantic relationship with a woman with an intellectual disability. Woods exploited this relationship by having the woman buy and rent property for him, including a truck, multiple trailers, and 12 smart phones. Additionally, Woods told the woman they were going to get married, and – based on those lies – used her money to purchase a $3,500 ring for himself.$1,042,000 Real Estate Fraud SchemeAs part of the real-estate scheme, Woods fraudulently sold 12 homes he did not own, extracting large down payments and monthly installment payments from unsuspecting victim buyers, from September 2021 to February 2022. The scheme involved total payments, made or intended, of over $1 million.In this scheme, Woods (through his companies, Ace’s Remediation and Lawn Service or Vaughns Property Management) solicited and received subcontracting jobs for maintenance tasks on homes going through the foreclosure process, many of which were owned by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. Instead of honoring the contracts and performing the agreed-upon work, Woods posed as the owner of a real-estate company and fraudulently sold the homes to unsuspecting victim buyers. According to court documents, Woods used aliases with each victim of this scheme.Woods elicited large downpayments from the victims and had the victims enter fraudulent contracts, requiring them to make monthly installment payments until the homes were paid in full. In total, Woods elicited $183,000 in down payments and monthly installments from various victims. Additionally, the victims also spent approximately $33,777 to remodel the homes, leading to a total actual loss of $216,777.According to court documents, Woods attempted to victimize two additional individuals but the fraud was discovered before a downpayment was made. According to the victim declarations, this fraud — like the rental-equipment scheme — had a devastating financial impact on numerous lives. This fraud had a direct impact on multiple victims’ solvency; has caused substantial loss of retirement, education, or other savings; has caused substantial changes to employment and/or living arrangements; and has impacted victims’ ability to obtain credit.Among the residential properties cited in court documents as fraudulently sold by Woods is a residence in Shawnee, Kan.$2,229,177 Total LossesThe intended loss of the two schemes totaled $2,229,177 while the actual loss of the schemes totaled $900,896.For the rental-equipment scheme, the intended loss was calculated by adding the value of the stolen rental equipment, $999,077, to the amount the victim buyers paid the defendant, $188,100. The intended loss for the real-estate scheme was calculated by adding the amount paid by the victims for the downpayments, home upgrades, and/or monthly installment payments to the total unpaid amount owed under the fraudulent contracts for a total of $1,042,000.The three counts of travel fraud to which Woods pleaded guilty are related to instances in which he caused his victims to travel across state lines as part of the fraud schemes.During the schemes, Woods used multiple aliases, including Jeremy Ace, Jeremy Vaughn, Jeremy Brown, James Hanna, and Elvis John.Woods has 31 prior felony convictions, including several fraud convictions that are relevant conduct in the two schemes in this case. When arrested in this case in May 2022, Woods was on felony probation in four separate cases in four separate Missouri counties and was on misdemeanor probation in Montgomery County, Kansas. Additionally, he has been convicted of 25 misdemeanors and has had his probation or parole revoked 15 times. He also has pending cases in four separate counties, including an active warrant out of Lyon County, Kansas, for escaping from custody.

KC-area man sold real estate, rental equipment he did not own

With recently approved boosters available, health officials advise more shots

TOPEKA — Doctors warn that colder months have already brought an uptick in COVID-19 cases, especially in the urban parts of the state, though numbers are still significantly lower than they were during the height of the pandemic.

During a Wednesday update on the state’s COVID-19 situation, doctors and health officials asked Kansans to take the new COVID-19 boosters, following approval from the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of shots designed to target a strain that has become more prevalent.

The University of Kansas Health System reported treating 19 COVID-19 patients this week. Dana Hawkinson, director of infection prevention and control at the system, said the rate had increased in recent weeks, but last year’s numbers for this time frame had around 40 active cases.

“Hospitalizations have increased a little bit but nowhere near what we have seen in the past, and even the rate of change of the rate of that increase is pretty low or slow compared to other peaks and highs,” Hawkinson said.

Chakshu Gupta, chief medical officer at Liberty Hospital, reported the hospital had spent several weeks without any COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Since the beginning of September, the number has increased to an average of eight or 10 inpatients with COVID-19, and 25 employees have tested positive.

“Our test positivity rate had gone down to about 1% in the summer,” Gupta said. “It is now between 9 and 14%. The silver lining is that the illnesses have been less severe, and ICU admissions have been uncommon.”

In July, health organizations warned of a summer surge, in one of the first increases of COVID-19 hospitalizations seen this year. The CDC reported 8,035 new hospital admissions for the week ending July 22, marking a 12.1% increase compared to the week prior.

This month, national COVID-19 data from the week of Sept. 9 marked 20,538 new hospital admissions, with a 7.7% increase from the week prior.

Since the CDC stopped tracking cases of infection, hospitalizations are now the primary indicator of COVID-19 spread. New Kansas COVID-19 cases haven’t been widely documented by the state since the end of the federal COVID-19 emergency declaration in May.

Jennifer Schrimsher, infectious disease physician at LMH Health and public health officer for Douglas County, said Douglas County has been relatively free of new cases.

“COVID still exists,” Schrimsher said. “It’s still out there, it’s still causing severe illness, as does influenza. My focus with my patients right now is get your updated booster, get the flu vaccine when it’s available. I would like to have a nice, regular fall and winter respiratory illness season, as opposed to the past few years.”

Elizabeth Long, chief medical officer with Olathe Health, said her organization is focused on monitoring cases and preventative measures for staff and patients.

“We definitely had a dip over the summer months, and we just wanted to put this in our rearview mirror and say, ‘Hey, guess what COVID is over,’ ” Long said. “And unfortunately yesterday we had the highest number that we’ve had in several weeks, which was six.”

CDC data from August show 65.6% of Kansans, including 76.3% of adults, have completed a primary vaccination series for COVID-19. And 15.9% of Kansans, including 19.6% of adults, have received a booster shot.

<h2>With recently approved boosters available, health officials advise more shots</h2>By RACHEL MIPRO,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Doctors warn that colder months have already brought an uptick in COVID-19 cases, especially in the urban parts of the state, though numbers are still significantly lower than they were during the height of the pandemic.During a Wednesday update on the state’s COVID-19 situation, doctors and health officials asked Kansans to take the new COVID-19 boosters, following approval from the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of shots designed to target a strain that has become more prevalent.The University of Kansas Health System reported treating 19 COVID-19 patients this week. Dana Hawkinson, director of infection prevention and control at the system, said the rate had increased in recent weeks, but last year’s numbers for this time frame had around 40 active cases.“Hospitalizations have increased a little bit but nowhere near what we have seen in the past, and even the rate of change of the rate of that increase is pretty low or slow compared to other peaks and highs,” Hawkinson said.Chakshu Gupta, chief medical officer at Liberty Hospital, reported the hospital had spent several weeks without any COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Since the beginning of September, the number has increased to an average of eight or 10 inpatients with COVID-19, and 25 employees have tested positive.“Our test positivity rate had gone down to about 1% in the summer,” Gupta said. “It is now between 9 and 14%. The silver lining is that the illnesses have been less severe, and ICU admissions have been uncommon.”In July, health organizations warned of a summer surge, in one of the first increases of COVID-19 hospitalizations seen this year. The CDC reported 8,035 new hospital admissions for the week ending July 22, marking a 12.1% increase compared to the week prior.This month, national COVID-19 data from the week of Sept. 9 marked 20,538 new hospital admissions, with a 7.7% increase from the week prior.Since the CDC stopped tracking cases of infection, hospitalizations are now the primary indicator of COVID-19 spread. New Kansas COVID-19 cases haven’t been widely documented by the state since the end of the federal COVID-19 emergency declaration in May.Jennifer Schrimsher, infectious disease physician at LMH Health and public health officer for Douglas County, said Douglas County has been relatively free of new cases.“COVID still exists,” Schrimsher said. “It’s still out there, it’s still causing severe illness, as does influenza. My focus with my patients right now is get your updated booster, get the flu vaccine when it’s available. I would like to have a nice, regular fall and winter respiratory illness season, as opposed to the past few years.”Elizabeth Long, chief medical officer with Olathe Health, said her organization is focused on monitoring cases and preventative measures for staff and patients.“We definitely had a dip over the summer months, and we just wanted to put this in our rearview mirror and say, ‘Hey, guess what COVID is over,’ ” Long said. “And unfortunately yesterday we had the highest number that we’ve had in several weeks, which was six.”CDC data from August show 65.6% of Kansans, including 76.3% of adults, have completed a primary vaccination series for COVID-19. And 15.9% of Kansans, including 19.6% of adults, have received a booster shot.

Kansas doctors call for more vaccinations to dampen COVID-19 cases

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

WASHINGTON — The White House announced the formation of an Office of Gun Violence Prevention that will help states and local governments as they implement a gun safety legislative package President Joe Biden signed into law last year.

(Click below to watch the announcement on gun safety)

Lacking additional action in Congress to curb gun violence, “the Office of Gun Violence Prevention along with the rest of my Administration will continue to do everything it can to combat the epidemic of gun violence that is tearing our families, our communities, and our country apart,” Biden said in a statement.

Following mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, Congress&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2022/06/24/congress-sends-biden-historic-gun-safety-legislation-with-gop-support/">passed the most comprehensive federal gun safety legislation</a>&nbsp;in nearly 30 years, known as the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

In Buffalo, a white supremacist targeted a Black neighborhood and killed 10 Black people in a grocery store. And in Uvalde, 19 children and two teachers were murdered, making it the second-deadliest mass shooting since the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012.

There was a forman announcement of the office Friday in the Rose Garden that survivors of gun violence from Buffalo, Uvalde, Sandy Hook and other mass shootings are expected to attend, Stefanie Feldman, who will lead the office, said on a call with reporters.

Feldman said the office will be overseen by Vice President Kamala Harris, and that the office will also help coordinate support for communities impacted by gun violence.

“We know true freedom is not possible if people are not safe,” Harris said in a statement. “This epidemic of gun violence requires urgent leadership to end the fear and trauma that Americans experience every day.”

There have been 506 mass shootings this year alone,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/">according to Gun Violence Archive</a>, an organization that tracks gun violence in the U.S.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695399420279.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — The White House announced the formation of an Office of Gun Violence Prevention that will help states and local governments as they implement a gun safety legislative package President Joe Biden signed into law last year.(Click below to watch the announcement on gun safety)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F631953852418302%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=62" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Lacking additional action in Congress to curb gun violence, “the Office of Gun Violence Prevention along with the rest of my Administration will continue to do everything it can to combat the epidemic of gun violence that is tearing our families, our communities, and our country apart,” Biden said in a statement.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Because you marched, organized, and voted, we passed the most significant gun safety legislation in 30 years. But let&#39;s be clear — we have more work to do. Today, I am proud to share that I will oversee the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. <a href="https://t.co/i16sAr98Yz">pic.twitter.com/i16sAr98Yz</a>&mdash; Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) <a href="https://twitter.com/VP/status/1705221226413662583?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Following mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, Congress&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2022/06/24/congress-sends-biden-historic-gun-safety-legislation-with-gop-support/">passed the most comprehensive federal gun safety legislation</a>&nbsp;in nearly 30 years, known as the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.In Buffalo, a white supremacist targeted a Black neighborhood and killed 10 Black people in a grocery store. And in Uvalde, 19 children and two teachers were murdered, making it the second-deadliest mass shooting since the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012.There was a forman announcement of the office Friday in the Rose Garden that survivors of gun violence from Buffalo, Uvalde, Sandy Hook and other mass shootings are expected to attend, Stefanie Feldman, who will lead the office, said on a call with reporters.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695435453101.png" alt="White House photo" />
 <figcaption>White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Feldman said the office will be overseen by Vice President Kamala Harris, and that the office will also help coordinate support for communities impacted by gun violence.“We know true freedom is not possible if people are not safe,” Harris said in a statement. “This epidemic of gun violence requires urgent leadership to end the fear and trauma that Americans experience every day.”There have been 506 mass shootings this year alone,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/">according to Gun Violence Archive</a>, an organization that tracks gun violence in the U.S.

🎥Biden administration creates gun violence prevention office

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

Three people in Kansas have died from West Nile virus infections this year, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

KDHE officials issued a warning for a high risk of the mosquito-borne disease on Sep. 13. The warning covers the entire state except for the southeast corner, which is under a moderate risk.

In addition to the three deaths, officials said in a statement that 17 other people reported suffering from neurological issues after being infected with the virus.

Kansas officials have recorded 22 cases of humans being infected so far this year. The state Department of Agriculture also reported seven cases of West Nile infections in horses in Barber, Butler, Douglas, Ford and Pratt counties.

Stephen Higgs, director of the Biosecurity Research Institute at Kansas State University in Manhattan, has a background in studying mosquito-borne diseases. He’s been involved in West Nile virus research since 1999. He said the 22 cases reported this year marks the highest number of human West Nile cases in Kansas since 2018.

“There’ve been more than 2.5 million people infected in the U.S. since 1999,” Higgs said, “and almost 3,000 deaths from it since then.”

In total, 702 West Nile cases have been confirmed in Kansas since 1999. In a statement, state public health veterinarian Erin Petro said Kansas is in the middle of the peak timeframe for West Nile virus transmission.

“With more widespread virus activity this year than in the previous several years, it’s important to take mosquito bite prevention measures to protect yourself, your family, and livestock against all mosquito-borne illnesses,” Petro said.

There is no human vaccine against West Nile, Higgs said, and scientists still aren’t sure exactly how the virus made its way into the U.S. According to the World Health Organization, West Nile was first isolated in a woman in the West Nile district of Uganda in Africa in 1937. The first known West Nile outbreak in humans began in 1999 in New York.

An annual West Nile vaccine exists for horses, Higgs said. People can only prevent exposure to mosquitos that may potentially carry the virus.

“The recommendation is that you wear DEET repellant when working outside,” Higgs said.

Removing stagnant bodies of water around a property is also a good method of mosquito prevention. Wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants is additionally recommended.

Higgs said at least 80% of people infected with West Nile don’t feel it. Others may feel symptoms like fever and muscle aches that can mirror other ailments. Severe cases of West Nile infection can cause swelling of the brain, which can lead to paralysis and other long-term neurological issues, or death. Horses infected with West Nile can exhibit symptoms such as depression, loss of appetite, and incoordination.

A notable recent case of West Nile affected Kansas City Chiefs Radio Network broadcaster Art Hains, who returned to the job this fall after being infected with the virus last year.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/college/msu/2023/09/22/missouri-state-kansas-city-chiefs-radio-broadcaster-art-hains-west-nile-virus-recovery/70835264007/">According to the Springfield News-Leader</a>, Hains was hospitalized in critical condition in September 2022. The newspaper reported Hains, who also serves as the voice of Missouri State University athletics, lost mobility in his legs and his breathing was impacted.

Hains&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ky3.com/video/2023/05/25/hall-fame-broadcaster-art-hains-returns-springfield-continue-rehab/">told reporters with KY3-TV</a>&nbsp;in Springfield in May that he doesn’t remember a mosquito bite, and that he’s improved enough through rehabilitation to return to broadcasting, albeit from a wheelchair.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694639188464.png" alt="On Sept. 13,&nbsp; Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) issued a high-risk warning for West Nile virus infections (WNV) for all regions of the state other than the southeast region" />
 <figcaption>On Sept. 13,&nbsp; Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) issued a high-risk warning for West Nile virus infections (WNV) for all regions of the state other than the southeast region</figcaption>
 </figure>By A.J Dome,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>Three people in Kansas have died from West Nile virus infections this year, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.KDHE officials issued a warning for a high risk of the mosquito-borne disease on Sep. 13. The warning covers the entire state except for the southeast corner, which is under a moderate risk.In addition to the three deaths, officials said in a statement that 17 other people reported suffering from neurological issues after being infected with the virus.Kansas officials have recorded 22 cases of humans being infected so far this year. The state Department of Agriculture also reported seven cases of West Nile infections in horses in Barber, Butler, Douglas, Ford and Pratt counties.Stephen Higgs, director of the Biosecurity Research Institute at Kansas State University in Manhattan, has a background in studying mosquito-borne diseases. He’s been involved in West Nile virus research since 1999. He said the 22 cases reported this year marks the highest number of human West Nile cases in Kansas since 2018.“There’ve been more than 2.5 million people infected in the U.S. since 1999,” Higgs said, “and almost 3,000 deaths from it since then.”In total, 702 West Nile cases have been confirmed in Kansas since 1999. In a statement, state public health veterinarian Erin Petro said Kansas is in the middle of the peak timeframe for West Nile virus transmission.“With more widespread virus activity this year than in the previous several years, it’s important to take mosquito bite prevention measures to protect yourself, your family, and livestock against all mosquito-borne illnesses,” Petro said.There is no human vaccine against West Nile, Higgs said, and scientists still aren’t sure exactly how the virus made its way into the U.S. According to the World Health Organization, West Nile was first isolated in a woman in the West Nile district of Uganda in Africa in 1937. The first known West Nile outbreak in humans began in 1999 in New York.An annual West Nile vaccine exists for horses, Higgs said. People can only prevent exposure to mosquitos that may potentially carry the virus.“The recommendation is that you wear DEET repellant when working outside,” Higgs said.Removing stagnant bodies of water around a property is also a good method of mosquito prevention. Wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants is additionally recommended.Higgs said at least 80% of people infected with West Nile don’t feel it. Others may feel symptoms like fever and muscle aches that can mirror other ailments. Severe cases of West Nile infection can cause swelling of the brain, which can lead to paralysis and other long-term neurological issues, or death. Horses infected with West Nile can exhibit symptoms such as depression, loss of appetite, and incoordination.A notable recent case of West Nile affected Kansas City Chiefs Radio Network broadcaster Art Hains, who returned to the job this fall after being infected with the virus last year.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/college/msu/2023/09/22/missouri-state-kansas-city-chiefs-radio-broadcaster-art-hains-west-nile-virus-recovery/70835264007/">According to the Springfield News-Leader</a>, Hains was hospitalized in critical condition in September 2022. The newspaper reported Hains, who also serves as the voice of Missouri State University athletics, lost mobility in his legs and his breathing was impacted.Hains&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ky3.com/video/2023/05/25/hall-fame-broadcaster-art-hains-returns-springfield-continue-rehab/">told reporters with KY3-TV</a>&nbsp;in Springfield in May that he doesn’t remember a mosquito bite, and that he’s improved enough through rehabilitation to return to broadcasting, albeit from a wheelchair.